25

Jacob carried me upstairs, back into the room where Sara-Bell was still sleeping soundly. Jacob sat me down next her on the bed and left the room. I lifted her up into my arms and rocked her gently, though she awoke as soon as I touched her.
“Good morning my lovely, beautiful, baby girl,” I said smiling down on her.
She yawned. “Good morning mommy,” she replied, kissing me on the cheek. “Are you feeling better?”
“I am now. In fact, I could probably walk now since you just kissed me.” She just smiled back at me, as if to say that it was “A job well done.” Jacob walked back into the room with a tray of food in his hands. He set it down on the bed next to us and kissed Sara-Bell on the forehead.
“Good morning baby.”
“Morning daddy!”
“How about a little breakfast in bed?”
“Yeah!”
Sara-Bell hopped out of my lap and grabbed the bowl of cereal in front of her, gobbling it down immediately. Jacob wrapped his arms around my waist and kissed my neck once. Maybe this was finally my happily ever after.
***
“Goodnight baby,” whispered to Sara-Bell as I tucked her into her bed.
“Goodnight mommy. I love you.”
“I love you too.” I kissed her forehead and left the room. Jacob was downstairs on the couch watching TV… I think. (Usually he would turn the television and not even pay attention to it.) I walked over to the couch and sat on his lap, putting my arms around him and kissed his neck repeatedly.
“Ness?”
“Mmm…”
“What are you doing? Not that I object or anything.”
“What? I can’t kiss my own husband?” I said pouting playfully.
He rolled his eyes but began kissing me passionately. I kissed him back, leaving the world completely behind me. He pulled me closer to him as my hands slid down to the bottom of his shirt. I lifted it over his head and he pulled me to him again.
Throughout that moment in time, I felt as if something was… wrong. Not what we were doing now, but something else. I stopped kissing him and took a moment.
“What’s wrong?”
“Shh.”
This time he whispered, “Ness! What’s going on?” He grabbed my face with both hands, making me look at him. “Renesmee?”
“Something’s wrong. I can’t explain it, but something’s just…” That’s when a loud scream broke out. Jacob and I both acted immediately, not even caring about anything else. Jacob broke into Sara-Bell’s room, stopping in the door. I did the same.
“Well, well, well. Look who came to the rescue, Aro. Dog-boy and his rightful companion Hybrid Freakazoid.”
“Ha ha,” I said rolling my eyes. “Very original Marcus.”
“Enough, Marcus! We came here for a reason.”
“Why are you here? Where’s Sara-Bell?”
“Your daughter is safe. At least for now.”
“Don’t you dare—”
“You broke the rules. You killed members of the Volturi.”
“Because you tried to kill us just because I had a baby!”
“I know. But now we can take care of that little problem. No more child, no more fuss.”
Tears filled my eyes, my voice became weak, causing me not to speak. So Jacob did. “How about no more Aro?! How does that sound?!”
I looked over at Jacob as soon as he started screaming out. His body began to shake in outrage, which scared me. He started to go toward Aro and Marcus, but I stopped him soon enough.
“Jacob,” I whispered. “Stop.”
He didn’t look at me. “Why should I stop? He has our baby!”
“If you get too angry right now you could hurt me and Sara-Bell. Just calm down.”
“No. I’m trying to protect you. To protect Sara-Bell.”
“You won’t be if you go all werewolf and have a chance of hurting us. Please?!”
He took a moment to think it over. He finally met my eyes. His expression turned from full out rage to regretful sadness. He brushed his hand across my cheek, wiping a tear from my face.
“Okay,” he whispered.
I smiled and rose on my tip toes and kissed him softly. “I love you.” I turned my attention back to Aro and Marcus. “What’s it going to take for you to get out of my house?”
“I’ve already told you,” Aro replied. “The child. She shall join us in Voltera and grow up to be a part of our… force, I suppose you could call it.”
“Are there any alternatives you could consider?” I asked hopeful.
He pondered it for a moment. He seemed to glance along the entire room before saying, “You.”
“I’m sorry?”
“Besides your lovely, young daughter joining us in Italy…” He walked slowly toward me, without continuing. He stopped only half an inch away from me. His hand came toward my face, but I looked in a different direction. I felt his cold skin brush across as a shiver ran up my spine. “Perhaps you could serve us my dear.”
I heard a low growl behind me. Aro glared at Jacob behind me, but neither of them said or did anything. “What will it be?”
A tear trickled down my cheek. I had no choice.
“Leave my home, along with my child and promise never to come back. If I serve you, you must never come here again.”
“Done. You have until the end of the week. If you try to run, we will find you and kill you, your husband, your daughter, and all of those you love and care for. Goodnight.”
I didn’t move. I silently let the tears fall, along with my world… along with my heart.