Disclaimer: I own nothing.
AN: Hope you all enjoy this. It was a songfic for "Listen to Your Heart" by Roxette. I removed the lyrics to remain within the boundaries of site rules. May have a lot of POV changes but it should be a little more in order than the last two in this series.
Jasper's POV
I felt Renesmee's emotions more powerful than ever before. Confusion mixed with shock, sorrow mixed with joy, and heartbreak mixed with fear. A hesitant smile hinted on her face at the sight of her ex-mate and their daughter. The slightest glimmer of hope I felt her suppress behind the carefully guarded walls she had built around her heart.
Alec seeped with regret and self loathing. Pain and anguish that could only have resulted from self-inflicted punishment, since Alexandra felt and showed no anger, resentment, or judgment toward anyone here, burned at the core of his heart.
Alexandra felt confident and sure. Happiness and hope flowed like a river in contrast to her parents wasteland of pain. She smiled brightly at her mother, keeping a carefree grip on her father's hand. It was almost like she didn't know anything was wrong here.
Nessie turned from the door to let them in and I saw her eyes and felt her heart fill with longing before she pushed it away with any lingering hope she had.
Edward's POV
It was hard to make myself read the thoughts of Renesmee's pain when Alec wasn't here but now I could see the memories he had formed since then running through his mind and his child's mind. Though his were jumbled and messy with his self-inflicted torment her's were clear and organized. He loved my daughter much like I love Bella.
I felt my mate tense beside me. She pushed away her shield so I could hear her thoughts. She wanted to kill him. I would have let her. Even Renesmee wanted him dead so she could keep Alexandra.
When Bella unshielded her mind from me she left it open to Alexandra as well. The girl's eyes widened as she looked at me and I felt a strange pressure in my mind similar to feeling Aro reading my thoughts. Only this time she didn't just read them and relay them back in her own mind. She seemed to search my memories and pulled some to the forefront of my mind. I remembered protecting Bella when she was human, how I thought leaving would keep her safe, how I didn't realize the pain I would put her through was worse than my fear of getting her killed.
Moments later she was relaying her father's memories to me. He had feared Aro's wrath. The safety of Renesmee and Alexandra were more important to him than his own happiness and all these years he had been torturing himself for the pain he knew he'd caused his mate. The main difference between Alec's memories and my own was that Alec's fear was guaranteed to come true if he hadn't left and mine was not.
"Bella don't. They need to sort this out on their own just like we did," I put my arm around her and she glared at me, "I'll explain later. Leave them be for now," I told her and she reluctantly settled, allowing her shield to snap back over her mind.
Alice's POV
This was where all my training paid off. It took a while to fill in my blind spots but I could see the hybrids and the werewolves now. As for the future I no longer had to wait for a set decision. As long as options were being considered I could see several paths at once.
On the decided course Alec was planning to apologize for hurting Renesmee and explain why he did what he did. Of course we all knew the following Aro's orders part was typical Volturi behavior. The part where he fell in love with the target, not so much.
Renesmee was considering a few options but there is no telling what those will change to once he's done speaking. On the one hand she could just let us kill him and keep Alexandra, who will resent us all and leave as soon as the Volturi came to take vengeance. Much as I thought Alec deserved it I didn't like the outcome of that vision. She was also considering taking him back which would make her happy but would also result in her joining the Volturi. Not as Bad as the last one. At least nobody dies in it and she would be happy but none of us want to lose her. Then there was the idea of joint custody of Alexandra. Somehow I doubt any child would want an eternity of that. Alexandra sure didn't as she planned to become difficult and stubborn if that happened. That path would require Renesmee to ignore her desire for Alec and continue suffering for it. Were it up to me I'd go with option two.
Edward's POV
I had to sort quickly through all of the thoughts around me. It was like a puzzle putting together the emotions Jasper sensed, the thoughts of everyone around me; with Alexandra pointing out the ones she thought would most help her goal of getting her parents back together; and Alice's visions.
When Alice pointed out what she called in her mind Renesmee's option number two and expressed a liking for it I had to agree. It seemed like the best outcome even though I didn't want to let my daughter leave. My eyes met Alice's for a moment and I nodded that I liked that one best too.
Of course the visions weren't yet clear since so many factors effected the choice. In the end it was Renesmee's choice. We could only hope she didn't choose option number one.
Jasper's POV
At a worried glance from Alice I knew this could go bad. Instantly I was working at the emotions of those in the room. Anger was calmed and pain put aside to allow for more clear thinking. The child smiled at me with a knowing look. She needed no help controlling her own emotions but she could read my thoughts to see what I was doing.
Alexandra's POV
I maintained a positive outlook as my parent's thoughts both held doubt of the future for them both. She loved and hated him. He loved her and feared being rejected by the only mate he would ever have. Neither were willing to fight their pain any longer.
The thoughts of the three most 'observant' Cullens helped. They were warming up to Father a little. It was enough to prevent me from being discouraged by the thoughts of the other four Cullens plus the three werewolves. Grandmother was shielding her mind again.
My Mother's memories hit me like a hurricane as I searched them. Her pain was almost tangible even without Uncle Jasper's help to understand it. The nights of empty dreams and waking up screaming in pain, gasping for air through the protests of a raw throat.
I found as I searched the memories of the sleeping human on the couch, Great-Grandpa Charlie apparently, that my grandmother did the same thing when Grandpa wasn't there for several months. This was the pain of a vampire kept from it's mate. My Father had it and so did Uncle Marcus.
The full story was like a book I would spend the rest of my life reading. A classic tale spanning over a hundred years leading to a history that so loathed to be forgotten that it repeated itself in the daughter of the original victim. Only this time the original mating lacked the trust that opened my grandmother's heart again when he came back to her. My parents had been Romeo and Juliet from the start. I could only hope that my father could get Mother to understand that he has been doing everything in his power to change the ending.
The nights that she did dream really caught my attention. She still dreamt of Father. Sometimes it was memories and sometimes it was fantasies of what could have been. Always it was good. No pain, no goodbyes, and no leaving. When she woke the hole returned as she found that he, no, that we were still gone.
Bella's POV
I didn't like Alec being here and was skeptical about the story he was telling Renesmee. I didn't want him anywhere near her. The pain on her face was enough to make my lips curl back over my teeth. I wanted to kill him.
I glanced at Edward, Alice, and Jasper but they seemed calm and even looked like they believed him. I couldn't understand. To fool one of them was hard enough but all of them? Even I couldn't do that and I had a distinct advantage over Edward. Still it was impossible to fool Jasper and Alice at the same time so either he was really good at this or he was telling the truth.
I settled uncomfortably. This was Renesmee's decision. I prayed she would make the right one for her.
Edward's POV
I noticed Renesmee's hesitation to talk about her options with Alec in the presence of her family. Alexandra noticed too and nearly panicked, mentally begging me to let them be alone. I nodded and thought fast for a plan.
"Esme, I think Alexandra would like some breakfast and the pack is probably hungry," I stated quietly.
She was about to protest but I gave her a look that let her know I just needed to clear the room a bit and she nodded. She quickly recruited Rosalie and Bella to help her in the kitchen.
Renesmee seemed to relax a little with less people in the room but she was still clamming up. We needed more people to leave.
Alice's POV
Edward was smart. Getting people out of the room just had to be done right now. Renesmee had no plans of talking with all of us here. I had to help or this would never get resolved.
"I've been thinking that Charlie needs a better place to stay than the couch," I gave Emmet and the wolves my you better come shopping with me look and they all gave in and came with me to the garage to head to the store.
Jasper tagged along since I never had to prompt him to go along with my plans. I could watch the future while furniture shopping for Charlie.
Alexandra's POV
I sighed in relief as Great-Grandpa Carlisle caught on and excused himself to go to work early and Grandfather decided to go clear a room for the new furniture. Thankfully Mother's thoughts turned from trying to figure a way to tell my father to get out without losing her chance to get me back to finding a real solution to the problem at hand.
They talked for a while and I helped come up with ideas on how to work it out. Mother seemed to cherish this as a chance to bond with me.
Their thoughts were strange though. So many things they wanted to say but couldn't figure out how to say them. Mother feared letting herself be vulnerable to Father and Father feared scaring Mother away.
Renesmee's POV
I had longed for him for ten year and somehow it was just as I remembered. His scent intoxicated me in a way that I knew was only my own. The smell grew stronger when he released his mist. Others it frightened, the Volturi it amused but me it drew in. At the thought I felt my senses grow sharper than they ever did before. The scent filled me and completed me. I needed him.
Alec's POV
I felt my senses heighten and knew Alexandra was using her power, the opposite of mine, to push Renesmee and I closer together. The slight glimmer of Nessie's skin as the sun peeked through the window was more lovely than I recalled making me fall in love all over again.
Our daughter began pulling forth memories of our days in the meadow. I smiled as we talked, needing more than anything to hole her to my chest once more but too afraid to try.
Renesmee's POV
Memories of all the times I was in Alec's arms as he made love to me flooded my thoughts and I couldn't fight them back even for Alexandra's sake.
Alexandra's POV
It was easy to remind them of the love they once had. It was still there. It just needed to be rekindled. As she became more open to suggestion and new ideas I knew Alice's visions were shifting to show the new possibilities that appeared.
After a few hours Mother was comfortable enough to share the memories of her pain and how much she missed Father and I through her powers. Father was obviously very distressed by this and repeatedly begged forgiveness. Mother eventually gave in and accepted his uncharacteristic apologies.
I finally told them about the plan Uncle Aro and I had come up with. If all parties agreed to it both covens would be happy.
"So have you come to a decision," Father asked as Mother and I were eating dinner.
"Um," Mother took a second to wipe her mouth and sipped a glass of fruit punch, "I need some time to think. Can we talk about this in the morning?"
Father nodded slowly, "I understand. Jus know this Nessie, I love you and I love our daughter. I don't care what Aro does to me as long as you and Lexi are safe."
She held back tears and I leaned against her shoulder and smiled at Great-Grandpa Charlie's confused look, "Alec, I'm confused enough as it is right now."
"I'm sorry but I need you to understand this. I can't handle being reminded every day of a woman I love but can't have and that's why I don't want her," he nodded at me, "without you. So you have my vow that if the Volturi threaten you I will kill as many of them as I can to protect you."
"But Jane," Mother tried to reason.
"Will be the last to go. Chelsea, Corin, and Renata will be the first. Once those ties are broken Aro will be vulnerable and Alexandra will know who is still dangerous and who is not. Some may even help us," Alec replied.
I curled up in my mother's arms as she sang me to sleep. I let her heartbeat drown out the sound of her thoughts as she kept considering her options even as she herself fell asleep.
Bella's POV
Edward held me in his arms as we sat on the couch. Renesmee had gathered the whole family, the wolves, and our two guests into the living room to hear her decision.
She looked at all of us and for the first time I could not read her face. It was strange and made me nervous.
"I've made my decision," she announced.
TBC…
AN: Feel free to R&R. Go ahead and guess what is going to happen or make a suggestion. Next song already chosen. You'll see what it is when I post it.