Nightfall Chapter 27: Does the Nightmare Ever End? Nessie's POV)
"Round 5" was interrupted early in the morning because Sarah was restless, so I brought her to bed with us. As she lay asleep I couldn’t help but steal a peek at the nightmares that were causing her to toss and turn as her little flushed cheeks were beaded with sweat. I gently placed her hand on my cheek and lost myself in the images she projected.
The sun beat down on us casting the light to refract off of the many facets of me and Jake’s skin as we chased the kids along first beach. I felt Jacob tighten his hand around mine and I looked up into his face- which was a perfect reflection of the happiness and contentment I had in that moment. The kids were dashing in and out of the water, the light faintly glinting off of their skin in certain areas, but nothing too obvious.
“Look at them go- especially that Sarah, it’s definitely the Quileute blood in them,” Billy boasted from his wheelchair as he looked on where he sat next to my grandfather and grandma Sue.
“Are you ever going to stop being so full of yourself,” my grandpa snorted. “Maybe it’s the Swan blood you know.” Billy, Grandma Sue, and many others burst into laughter.
“Dad, if it was the Swan blood then they would be a hell of a lot clumsier,” my mother said through her laughter. My grandfather scowled at her.
“Thanks for backing me up kid,” he grumbled as Sue patted his hand consolingly. I glanced behind me and noticed that both of Jacob and Sam’s wolf packs were there. Emily waved to me as her two boys who looked as though they were two came over and ran after my kids. My stomach tightened in panic- what if they got hurt? It was right at that second that reality came crashing down on me. What were we doing?! Jacob and I were running with the kids at superhuman speed, sparkling like the giant freaks that we were in front of HUMANS, sure most of them knew something was up with us but this was a blatant aberration- we were flaunting it.
My father’s entire family, even the Denali’s were there with us on First Beach as well sparkling away and smiling. Tanya got up and announced that she was going to go hunt and asked if anyone wanted to join her. Quil and Embry jumped up and followed behind her running to go phase.
My stomach tightened and I suddenly felt extremely uneasy as though there were many eyes on me. I peered in the direction of the woods and saw bright red eyes staring out from under heavy black cloaks. I gasped and turned to tell Jake so that we could herd the kids up but he was nowhere to be found. One by one everyone disappeared. I frantically ran after my children trying to wrap my arms around them. Whenever I got close enough they would fade away. Finally, I was all alone on the shore watching as the cloaked figures steadily moved towards me. Jane’s eyes were a deep crimson as she smiled at me wickedly.
“You were lucky that we let you go once but you always knew that we would be back didn’t you? How does it feel to know that you are the cause for the death of all that you loved?” They all began to laugh- all of the members of the Volturi and their guard.
“Now you really have no choice but to join us, my child. Do not waste your talents.” Aro crooned. Dizziness set in and I began to shake as tearless sobs took me over…
“Nessie- Ness, what happened?!” I had dropped Sarah’s hand and stared past Jake, I tried to focus on his face and voice but it took a few moments. Sarah had opened her tear-filled eyes and launched herself into her father’s arms where she was sobbing mournfully. Without a word I shot a stiff arm out and placed my hand on Jake’s cheek replaying it all. His body tensed and he remained quiet as he nestled our daughter closer.
“Nothing is going to happen to you baby,” he whispered into Sarah’s ear. “Daddy is going to protect you- daddy will always keep you safe.”
“But not mommy,” Sarah whispered. She raised a tear stained face to look at both of us. The chill in her eyes scared me to the very core.
“No one can save her… not even us…” she whispered in a monotone voice that sent chills down my spine. Jake turned to me in confusion.
“If it was Sarah’s dream, then how did you feel the certain things you did- it was as if she knew exactly how you felt…” I shrugged, still in shock.
“I don’t know, I am going to go to my grandparents, I want to talk to Aunt Alice about it,” I mumbled. As I stood up Jake grabbed my hand and pulled me to face him.
“Renesmee, it was a dream. Please don’t let this worry you. Everything will be fine, I am stronger this time- they can’t hurt you or any of us. Me, Seth and Leah have got this…” I smiled at his sweetness but I felt something inside of me shudder in disagreement. I knew that he was dead wrong.
I turned back to face the door as I opened it and jumped at the tiny figure that was leaning against the door frame. A snarl ripped out of my throat as the figure and I tumbled to the floor. Images of Jane’s hateful eyes tore through me and a murderous growl rumbled in my chest.
The next thing I knew I was being held up in the air by Jake while my aunt Alice lithely hopped to her feet and patted her clothes off.
“Really Nessie, if you didn’t want to do makeovers you could have just called, I would have gotten the hint.”
Amore snorted from down the hallway behind her. She had Sienna climbing on her shoulders and Belle on her leg as she walked. “No you wouldn’t have, you never take a hint.” My aunt narrowed her eyes at her.
“Funny but I don’t seem to recall you ever complaining…” Jake set me down.
"Easy Ness... you really are freaked out, aren't you?" He asked the concern evident in his voice as his eyes penetrated me.
“I’m sorry,” I mumbled, “I-I thought you were Jane…” I whispered weakly. My tiny aunt scrunched her nose.
“Ok, um…ew. That would have to be the insult of the century.”
“I’m sorry that I jumped on you like that.”
“Well, you didn’t rip anything so no harm no foul,” She smiled but concern filled her golden eyes. “Do you want to tell me what’s going on?” She asked as she brushed the wild hair out of my eyes. I gestured for both of them to come into the room. Jake kissed my nose.
“Stop worrying, Ness- it’s fine.” He took Sarah and the other two from Amore and left the room shutting the door behind him. The three of us sat down and I placed my hands on each of their cheeks replaying the whole nightmare. Amore sucked in a breath and my aunt shut her eyes tightly as though she were trying to concentrate as she sat perched with crossed legs on the edge of my bed. Jake slipped back into the room alone, as the nightmare ended.
“Wow,” Amore whispered. My aunt’s brow was furrowed.
“I don’t understand it- I haven’t had any visions indicating any problems with them, have you?” She turned to Amore questioningly. Amore shook her head sending her cascading onyx curls whirling along her shoulders. Aunt Alice tilted her head to the side, studying me. “What I am more interested in is the fact that Sarah’s dream seemed as though it were yours. I felt everything that you would have felt even after Sarah was no longer in the dream.” She thought for a minute more tapping her fingertips on her knee absently. “Do you know what I think? I think that she is so in tune to you that she is well aware of your deepest fears and insecurities. Remember you had all of those dreams when you were pregnant?” My stomach dropped.
“Yea, but aunt Alice everything that I dreamt while I was pregnant with her came true.” My aunt shook her head.
“Not necessarily. Perhaps she can see the future a bit but I don’t think that her abilities are that strong. It seems as though her visions are simply shadows of what could be- and it also seems that she is so in touch with you that your thoughts and fears cloud her abilities.” My aunt leaned in and hugged me. “I also think that you worry too much and she is starting to sense it.” She pulled back and looked into my eyes. “Do you really blame yourself for what happened with the Volturi when you were a little girl?” I nodded unable to speak; I finally managed to choke out a couple of words.
“Of course I do.”
Her eyes tapered, “Well don’t. None of it was your fault and it all worked out for the best. It will always work out for us.” Jake moved to my side and cradled an arm around me.
“How do you know that?” I asked hopelessly.
“I know lots of things,” My aunt boasted. “I know that we have too many allies for us to lose to them. I know that between Amore and I, we will never be taken by surprise- I might not be able to see around the wolves, but she can.” She glanced past me and she snorted, “and I know that a lack of self control was passed down to you by your father.” I looked at her in confusion before turning to stare at the angry gashes in the wood of the headboard. She looked down at the floor and took in the dents and scratches and shook her head sadly. “Well, at least you didn’t bite any pillows or take actual chunks out of the headboard, like your father did on his honeym-”
“OH… MY… GOD-” my hands flew to my ears (alot of good that did me wth my enhanced hearing) and I buried my face in Jake’s chest as I desperately tried to block out the disturbing visual that was filling my mind.
“Damn it Alice, shut up,” Jake growled.
Amore erupted into giggles and my aunt jabbed a finger at Jake's bare chest. Her face contorted with anger as she hissed, “Oh there is plenty more to come Jacob Black- you had better stop ripping this place apart or I will share every Edward and Bella story that I have with you.”
That was all it took to clear Jake out of the room as aunt Alice set up everything to play dress up with me and Amore- her personal Barbie dolls. I put on a front like everything was ok and laughed when I was supposed to and smiled at all of the right times but deep inside worry overtook me.
"Round 5" was interrupted early in the morning because Sarah was restless, so I brought her to bed with us. As she lay asleep I couldn’t help but steal a peek at the nightmares that were causing her to toss and turn as her little flushed cheeks were beaded with sweat. I gently placed her hand on my cheek and lost myself in the images she projected.
The sun beat down on us casting the light to refract off of the many facets of me and Jake’s skin as we chased the kids along first beach. I felt Jacob tighten his hand around mine and I looked up into his face- which was a perfect reflection of the happiness and contentment I had in that moment. The kids were dashing in and out of the water, the light faintly glinting off of their skin in certain areas, but nothing too obvious.
“Look at them go- especially that Sarah, it’s definitely the Quileute blood in them,” Billy boasted from his wheelchair as he looked on where he sat next to my grandfather and grandma Sue.
“Are you ever going to stop being so full of yourself,” my grandpa snorted. “Maybe it’s the Swan blood you know.” Billy, Grandma Sue, and many others burst into laughter.
“Dad, if it was the Swan blood then they would be a hell of a lot clumsier,” my mother said through her laughter. My grandfather scowled at her.
“Thanks for backing me up kid,” he grumbled as Sue patted his hand consolingly. I glanced behind me and noticed that both of Jacob and Sam’s wolf packs were there. Emily waved to me as her two boys who looked as though they were two came over and ran after my kids. My stomach tightened in panic- what if they got hurt? It was right at that second that reality came crashing down on me. What were we doing?! Jacob and I were running with the kids at superhuman speed, sparkling like the giant freaks that we were in front of HUMANS, sure most of them knew something was up with us but this was a blatant aberration- we were flaunting it.
My father’s entire family, even the Denali’s were there with us on First Beach as well sparkling away and smiling. Tanya got up and announced that she was going to go hunt and asked if anyone wanted to join her. Quil and Embry jumped up and followed behind her running to go phase.
My stomach tightened and I suddenly felt extremely uneasy as though there were many eyes on me. I peered in the direction of the woods and saw bright red eyes staring out from under heavy black cloaks. I gasped and turned to tell Jake so that we could herd the kids up but he was nowhere to be found. One by one everyone disappeared. I frantically ran after my children trying to wrap my arms around them. Whenever I got close enough they would fade away. Finally, I was all alone on the shore watching as the cloaked figures steadily moved towards me. Jane’s eyes were a deep crimson as she smiled at me wickedly.
“You were lucky that we let you go once but you always knew that we would be back didn’t you? How does it feel to know that you are the cause for the death of all that you loved?” They all began to laugh- all of the members of the Volturi and their guard.
“Now you really have no choice but to join us, my child. Do not waste your talents.” Aro crooned. Dizziness set in and I began to shake as tearless sobs took me over…
“Nessie- Ness, what happened?!” I had dropped Sarah’s hand and stared past Jake, I tried to focus on his face and voice but it took a few moments. Sarah had opened her tear-filled eyes and launched herself into her father’s arms where she was sobbing mournfully. Without a word I shot a stiff arm out and placed my hand on Jake’s cheek replaying it all. His body tensed and he remained quiet as he nestled our daughter closer.
“Nothing is going to happen to you baby,” he whispered into Sarah’s ear. “Daddy is going to protect you- daddy will always keep you safe.”
“But not mommy,” Sarah whispered. She raised a tear stained face to look at both of us. The chill in her eyes scared me to the very core.
“No one can save her… not even us…” she whispered in a monotone voice that sent chills down my spine. Jake turned to me in confusion.
“If it was Sarah’s dream, then how did you feel the certain things you did- it was as if she knew exactly how you felt…” I shrugged, still in shock.
“I don’t know, I am going to go to my grandparents, I want to talk to Aunt Alice about it,” I mumbled. As I stood up Jake grabbed my hand and pulled me to face him.
“Renesmee, it was a dream. Please don’t let this worry you. Everything will be fine, I am stronger this time- they can’t hurt you or any of us. Me, Seth and Leah have got this…” I smiled at his sweetness but I felt something inside of me shudder in disagreement. I knew that he was dead wrong.
I turned back to face the door as I opened it and jumped at the tiny figure that was leaning against the door frame. A snarl ripped out of my throat as the figure and I tumbled to the floor. Images of Jane’s hateful eyes tore through me and a murderous growl rumbled in my chest.
The next thing I knew I was being held up in the air by Jake while my aunt Alice lithely hopped to her feet and patted her clothes off.
“Really Nessie, if you didn’t want to do makeovers you could have just called, I would have gotten the hint.”
Amore snorted from down the hallway behind her. She had Sienna climbing on her shoulders and Belle on her leg as she walked. “No you wouldn’t have, you never take a hint.” My aunt narrowed her eyes at her.
“Funny but I don’t seem to recall you ever complaining…” Jake set me down.
"Easy Ness... you really are freaked out, aren't you?" He asked the concern evident in his voice as his eyes penetrated me.
“I’m sorry,” I mumbled, “I-I thought you were Jane…” I whispered weakly. My tiny aunt scrunched her nose.
“Ok, um…ew. That would have to be the insult of the century.”
“I’m sorry that I jumped on you like that.”
“Well, you didn’t rip anything so no harm no foul,” She smiled but concern filled her golden eyes. “Do you want to tell me what’s going on?” She asked as she brushed the wild hair out of my eyes. I gestured for both of them to come into the room. Jake kissed my nose.
“Stop worrying, Ness- it’s fine.” He took Sarah and the other two from Amore and left the room shutting the door behind him. The three of us sat down and I placed my hands on each of their cheeks replaying the whole nightmare. Amore sucked in a breath and my aunt shut her eyes tightly as though she were trying to concentrate as she sat perched with crossed legs on the edge of my bed. Jake slipped back into the room alone, as the nightmare ended.
“Wow,” Amore whispered. My aunt’s brow was furrowed.
“I don’t understand it- I haven’t had any visions indicating any problems with them, have you?” She turned to Amore questioningly. Amore shook her head sending her cascading onyx curls whirling along her shoulders. Aunt Alice tilted her head to the side, studying me. “What I am more interested in is the fact that Sarah’s dream seemed as though it were yours. I felt everything that you would have felt even after Sarah was no longer in the dream.” She thought for a minute more tapping her fingertips on her knee absently. “Do you know what I think? I think that she is so in tune to you that she is well aware of your deepest fears and insecurities. Remember you had all of those dreams when you were pregnant?” My stomach dropped.
“Yea, but aunt Alice everything that I dreamt while I was pregnant with her came true.” My aunt shook her head.
“Not necessarily. Perhaps she can see the future a bit but I don’t think that her abilities are that strong. It seems as though her visions are simply shadows of what could be- and it also seems that she is so in touch with you that your thoughts and fears cloud her abilities.” My aunt leaned in and hugged me. “I also think that you worry too much and she is starting to sense it.” She pulled back and looked into my eyes. “Do you really blame yourself for what happened with the Volturi when you were a little girl?” I nodded unable to speak; I finally managed to choke out a couple of words.
“Of course I do.”
Her eyes tapered, “Well don’t. None of it was your fault and it all worked out for the best. It will always work out for us.” Jake moved to my side and cradled an arm around me.
“How do you know that?” I asked hopelessly.
“I know lots of things,” My aunt boasted. “I know that we have too many allies for us to lose to them. I know that between Amore and I, we will never be taken by surprise- I might not be able to see around the wolves, but she can.” She glanced past me and she snorted, “and I know that a lack of self control was passed down to you by your father.” I looked at her in confusion before turning to stare at the angry gashes in the wood of the headboard. She looked down at the floor and took in the dents and scratches and shook her head sadly. “Well, at least you didn’t bite any pillows or take actual chunks out of the headboard, like your father did on his honeym-”
“OH… MY… GOD-” my hands flew to my ears (alot of good that did me wth my enhanced hearing) and I buried my face in Jake’s chest as I desperately tried to block out the disturbing visual that was filling my mind.
“Damn it Alice, shut up,” Jake growled.
Amore erupted into giggles and my aunt jabbed a finger at Jake's bare chest. Her face contorted with anger as she hissed, “Oh there is plenty more to come Jacob Black- you had better stop ripping this place apart or I will share every Edward and Bella story that I have with you.”
That was all it took to clear Jake out of the room as aunt Alice set up everything to play dress up with me and Amore- her personal Barbie dolls. I put on a front like everything was ok and laughed when I was supposed to and smiled at all of the right times but deep inside worry overtook me.
