Here it is, by popular demand, Chapter 12!

There will be a slight delay on Chapter 13 as it needs some serious proof reading, but it should be up by the weekend, I hope.

Please be patient with me for the rest. I've just started a job and with that and school I will be quite busy.

Thank you all again. I know, I know. I thank you every time I put in an author's note. But I can't help it. I appreciate you're reading my work more than anyone will ever know!

Thank you & Peace.
Stephanie
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Chapter 12: Consultation (Bella)
I paced back and forth in front of the couch, the fear of wearing a hole in the nice wood floor vaguely tugging on my mind.

“Bella?” Edward asked soothingly, wrapping his arms around my waist to halt my movement. “Bella, love, don’t worry. Everything’s going to be all right.”

“How can you possibly know that?” I demanded. He may have the power to read minds, but there was no way he could foresee what could have happened while our daughter was away. Just knowing Alice saw Jane anywhere near her gnawed at my insides.

“Because they’re pulling into the driveway as we speak.” He was right. I could hear the jeep pull around each curve in the long drive at top speed. Edward suddenly became rigged. “No.” He said blankly, staring straight ahead. “Bella,” My shield poured out around the house before the ‘a’ left his lips. The look on his face was more than enough of an insight into what he wanted. Edward removed his arms, ripping the front door open as the vehicle stopped in front of the porch. “She was attacked?!”


“No.” I gasped, rushing to his side as he pulled open the passenger side door. Jasper ducked out pulling his seat forward. Renesmee hopped out and landed lightly before us.

“Renesmee!” I gasped again, wrapping my arms around her shoulders.

“Mom,” She squeaked. “I can’t—breath.” I hadn’t noticed my grip on her had been so strong.

“I’m sorry,” I held her at arms length, looking for injuries I knew wouldn’t exist. “Are you okay?”

“I’m fine, Mom, really. She only got me for a second.” Edward swept her up into his arms at that second, his face hard I would assume with the pain felt through Renesmee’s memories. “I promise. It was nothing.”

“You’re sure?” He asked insistently. He stepped back, holding her face in his hands, searching for a lie in her thoughts.

“Yes.”

He nodded releasing his grip, “So brave. Just like your mother.”

She smiled consolingly.

“Where’s Jacob?” I asked, searching the space around us for any sign of him.

“We sent him with the humans,” Jasper chimed in, rounding the back of the jeep with a duffle bag in hand. He looked to Renesmee, “Just in case.”

“Good thinking.” Edward agreed, looking to the house.

“Edward, Jasper, we should get going.” Carlisle called from the doorway.

Jasper left us swiftly while Edward ran a hand down my cheek, “We’re going to brief Sam. Let him know about the additions to our home.”

“Hurry back to us,” I implored softly.

“I will.” He took off quickly leaving Renesmee and me beside the vehicle. With a sigh I wrapped my arm around her waist and led her to the house.


It was quiet in the living room all except for the low voices on the television. Emmett stood by the window wall, his arms crossed over his chest. Esme stepped into the archway from the dining room as we stopped beside the first arm chair. Her eyes swelled a bit as she took in Renesmee’s rather unharmed form still in my grasp.

“Oh, my darling, are you well?”

Nessie nodded, “I’m good, Nana.”

“And the others?”

“They’re safe.”

“Thank heavens. I wasn’t sure if anyone else would be joining us this evening. I’ve prepared some food, if you’re hungry.”

Rosalie appeared at the top of the stairs, cell phone in hand. She scoffed heavily as she stepped off of the stairway.

“Well, Siobhan and Zakina are trying to catch flights in as soon as possible but they haven’t heard or seen anything.”

Carlisle had presented our closest and furthest allies with phones on our private plan incase of emergency. They were of course hesitant to accept such an ‘elaborate’ gift, but they accepted nonetheless. Not just to escape the guilt of turning down such a good friend, but because the need for a solid connection was indeed necessary.

Rosalie crossed to the window wall, placing a hand on Emmett’s back; he smiled gently at her touch. “It seems they’re only going after those close enough to help.”

“Well, isn’t that comforting?” A sarcastic voice trilled through the still open door. I pushed my shield out to incorporate our cousins before they could step through the entrance. Kate sauntered inside, her hand twined with Garrett’s they’re faces pensive, Tanya, Carmen and Eleazar closed the door behind them as they too crossed the threshold.

“Oh. Welcome,” I greeted, a bit flummoxed by their silent arrival. “I didn’t hear you pull in.”

“We ran. In every sense of the word,” Tanya replied gravely. She scoffed. “Such cowardice.”

“Tanya,” Esme said sternly, crossing the room and placing a comforting arm across the strawberry blonde’s shoulders. “You are not a coward. It was good of you to come. We’re all much safer in numbers.”

A howl ripped into the darkness outside the house and five lights blazed to life under my shield. I should have known Jacob would have called in his pack at the first sign of danger.

“Me preguntaba,” Carmen said quickly, looking out the black windows.

“Nessie!” Seth exclaimed, rushing through the back door. His face was drawn, stern; he was really taking his role as Step-Uncle very seriously. “Jake’s just told us. Are you okay?!”

“Fine, Seth. Really,” She soothed, pushing him back.

“Wait, what happened?” Tanya asked, looking between Nessie and the hulking young man.

Nessie sighed, “Jane found us while we were camping and she—”

“She attacked Nessie!” Seth finished impatiently, a growl rolling in his chest.

She sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose between her finger and thumb, “Yes, thank you, Seth. Don’t forget to add I fell off the cliff too.” It was as if the air was sucked from the room. She stared wide eyed around the room, “Jacob caught me.”

Rosalie laughed roughly, “You really are like your mother.”

I glared. They would never forget my cliff diving incident. No matter how long it had been since, my siblings would always find a way to bring it up.

“It’s not like I wouldn’t have survived the fall anyway,” Renesmee muttered, crossing her arms over her chest. “All he did was save me from having to explain it to my human friends.”

“Renesmee, this is serious,” Garrett said, his eyes moving away from the terrifying look on Kate’s face.

“Yes, serious. I understand. But I am fine so that’s it, I’m done.” She turned away from Garrett, fuming. “Thank you for dinner, Nana. I think I’ll have some now.” She stomped away, disappearing into the dining room.

“Where are they?” Alice asked, moving swiftly from the stairway to Jacob’s side.

“Who?”

“Kasie and Michelle. You were supposed to be with them.”

“They’re both at Kasie’s. I did a search of the area incase we were followed. It was clean. They’re fine.”

Alice scoffed. “Do I have to do everything?” She ran out into the night. The next sound we heard was Emmett’s Jeep flying back down the driveway.

“And that’s what happens when you leave your keys in the ignition.” Rosalie muttered, shaking her head passively.

It was silent while we all stared around at each other, digesting the events of the evening.

“It is very unlike Jane to be so careless,” Eleazar said at last, pacing back and forth across the room. “Strange, very strange,” He muttered. “Jane would never attack without instruction from Aro.”

“Maybe she’s losing her touch,” Jacob said bluntly, folding his arms over his chest.

“You’ve been around long enough, you should have realized by now, that is not possible.”

“You never know.”

“Actually, I would know.”

“But what else could possibly make her attack Renesmee like that?” Tanya questioned.

“I haven’t the slightest clue.”

“She’ll come after us now.” I said quietly to myself, unable to remove my eyes from the line of wolves standing in front of the archway my daughter was through.

“We can’t be completely sure of that just now, Bella. But, I am certain of one thing: We can’t take any chances.” He stood silently for a second then scanned the room, “Where was Alice going?”

“To pick up Renesmee’s friends, I think.” Jacob answered automatically, staring across the room at me with sober yet aggressive eyes.

“Why? What good would humans be?” Carmen asked.


Silence fell over the room again as we all mulled over the situation.

“They turned him.” I finally said after a few minutes, staring at the floor in thought.

“Turned who?” Tanya asked.

“Of course.” Esme gasped, putting a hand to her mouth in realization.

“The girls . . . The ones Alice went to get,” I began. “They’re gifted even as mortals. They can speak to each other telepathically.”

“Yes,” Esme continued. “Their father died suddenly.”

I nodded, “We assumed they killed him because he wouldn’t follow or that he may have tried killing himself during the turn but—what if he didn’t?”

“The scent they picked up.” Emmett said as he and Rosalie joined both the circle and our epiphany.

“It would definitely be unfamiliar. It could have been him. The ashes were a set up.” I looked up to the group, my eyes wide with comprehension. “They’re using him.”

“Who is?” Carmen asked.

“The Volturi,” Rosalie informed.

“They’re using the father to take the daughters.” Esme said, shaking her head at the notion.

“Are you certain this is the cause of all the trouble?” Garrett asked considerately.

“It has to be.” Jacob said.

“Why else would Alice be so worried about them?” I asked.

“We have to protect them.”

“But we would risk exposing what we are.” Rosalie said rationally.

“Our secrets are not as important as the people we protect.” Jacob snapped.

“Well in that case, why don’t we just wander on down to Forks and tell the townspeople. I’m sure they’ll all be real understanding,” She rebuked, taking a violent step forward. Emmett caught her around the waist, holding her back.

“Will you two just shut up?” Renesmee yelled as she stepped in between the two of them. I had no doubt she’d been listening intently. “Now is not the time for your petty bickering, geez!” She sighed. “What we need to do is decide what happens next. We know what they want, and we know how they’re going after it. So, what do we do now?”

“We fight.” Leah answered unambiguously with a shrug. I was stunned by her sudden interjection.

Seth nodded, “Right. We can’t let them take these girls, human or not.”

“Agreed,” Kate said, receiving several surprised looks from her immediate family members. “What? If I’ve said it once I’ve said it a thousand times: Jane’s got it coming to her.” She held up her hand and flexed her fingers maliciously while electric waves flickered dangerously around them.

Rosalie stared around the room before nodding, “Whatever it takes.”

Emmett tightened his grip on her waist, “That’s my girl.”

“We fight.” Alice said absolutely from the doorway, Kasie and Michelle standing on either side of her.

Renesmee moved toward them automatically once they stepped inside, standing between Kasie and Michelle as Alice moved to stand between Esme and me.

As they all moved the back door slid open and Edward shot to my side while Carlisle and Jasper took places between Jacob and Emmett. I moved my gaze from the circle to Edward’s face, watching his features go from smooth to stiff and worrisome from listening to the thoughts flowing around the room.

“What did we miss?” Jasper asked breaking the stillness of the room, looking to each of us and letting his eyes rest on Alice.

She crossed her arms, “We’re fighting. This has to be the last time the Volturi meddles in our affairs.”

Carlisle nodded in understanding, crossing his own arms as he looked to the floor in thought.

“No,” Edward said incontestably, looking down into my face.

“Edward, it’s the only way.” I murmured, staring into his eyes.

“Don’t argue, Edward. You’re outvoted.” Alice said unconditionally.

“It is too dangerous,” He hissed, looking to his sister.

“They need our help, Dad.” Renesmee interjected.

“We need to consider our—”

“That’s already been discussed,” Edward snapped in Carlisle’s direction as he moved his eyes to the floor at the center of our circle.

“Edward!” Esme exclaimed.

“I’m sorry Carlisle, but right now we have larger worries.”

We each watched quietly as Edward’s mood regressed further.

“Renesmee,” Esme addressed calmly, “Why don’t you take the girls upstairs. We’ll let you know when we’ve settled—” she gestured to the room, “all this.”

Renesmee nodded, taking both Kasie and Michelle’s hands and pulling them along up the stairs.