Chapter 17: Hung Jury

After Sienna walked out there were some fiery debates over what we were going to do. My father was very quiet; I felt that this was painful to him as it reminded him of what he went through with my mother. “I think that we should hold off on changing her until Alice sees that the Volturi know” My father said. “No Edward,” my mother argued. “If Sienna is willing we need to change her as soon as possible. It is too dangerous, I am not going to risk her life on top of the fact that we really don’t need to be drawing attention to ourselves from the Volturi if we can help it.” I was shocked I couldn’t remember the last time my parents had fought over anything. “You aren’t thinking rationally Bella” my father said a little sharply. “I’m not thinking rationally?” My mother exclaimed in amazement. “You are basically dangling this poor child out for the Volturi like bait!” she hissed at him. “I can’t just sit back and watch a child have her soul taken.” My father said coldly. “There are options.” My mother looked at him her eyes narrowed into slits. “Like what run her to Arizona?” she asked dryly. My father stepped back as though she had slapped him. My mouth opened wide they were really going at it, I suddenly felt calm and relaxed and realized that Uncle Jasper was trying desperately to keep everyone tranquil and together. It seemed to help although they still weren’t seeing eye to eye, but my mother walked up to him and hugged him, “Forgive me my love, you did everything in your power to save my life and it worked. But you need to realize that this is a very different case, she is so young and has nobody. I had Charlie, this poor child is constantly alone how in the world will she be safe? She is better off with us. I say that we ask her and if she wants to be changed we do it.” My father looked at her pleadingly. Aunt Alice spoke up, “Edward” her eyes had a faraway look to them and she suddenly snapped out of it and looked at my father, “I have already seen it, she will become one of us.” My mother took my father’s face in her hands and looked into his eyes, “Edward, I still am a firm believer that every one of us who chooses this lifestyle does not lose their soul, although I know that you do not agree with me. So, in your opinion according to what Alice just saw Sienna will lose her soul no matter what. It is just a matter of one of us doing it and taking her in or one of them doing it, and who knows what will happen…” my mother’s voice broke and she looked at me. “Edward, what would you want if it was your child?” My father looked away, everyone seemed uncomfortable as he turned and quietly walked out of the room. My mother turned back to us, “I’m sorry I just can’t let anything happen to her, she doesn’t have a mother to protect her and that really gets to me…” Grandpa Carlisle put his arm around her, “Bella you are right. Edward is just very sensitive to these situations because of his beliefs. He will come around, you did the right thing. The rest of us agree with you”. My mother looked at me, “Renesmee?” She asked, “What do you think?” I looked down, “I think that she would have been better off if I never spoke to her. But since I cannot change that I think that we need to inform her and leave the decision up to her, and do what we can to protect her.” As I finished talking Sienna, my Uncle Emmett and Aunt Rosalie walked back in the house. Sienna looked awful, she was pale, and looked as if she had been crying, she was a little muddy but she had a sense of calm about her. My father came back into the room. “I have a suggestion,” he announced. He looked at Sienna, “Depending on how you feel about this I feel that we should try to keep you human as long as we possibly can. Alice will see it in her visions if someone knows about this and is coming for you.” Sienna looked him in the eyes and said, “Fine but I want you all to know that I am willing to be changed.” My mother looked up furiously at my father, “If Alice even has a hunch that they know…” “I know, Bella we will change her at that point. It will be better if she has a chance to prepare herself for it.” My Grandfather stepped up to Sienna, “It will probably be in your best interest to spend as much time as possible ere or in La Push with Seth and his pack. This way you will be protected. We can all take turns patrolling the school and her house when she is no here.” He said. Seth had remained frozen where he stood when he first walked into the house but he suddenly stepped towards Sienna with a tortured look on his face but sheer determination in his eyes. “I never should have told you as much as I did, I didn’t know that this would happen. That I would be placing you in danger.” He said. “I will do whatever I have to in order to keep you safe; I will make this up to you.” Sienna looked at him, “Seth it’s not your fault.” He hugged her and looked down still beating himself up internally. Jake offered, “I will have the pack patrolling your house when you are there I will also speak with Sam the leader of the other pack to see if we can get back up from them as well.” Sienna started sobbing. I ran to her side, Si, what is it?” I asked her worriedly. “It’s just that I barely know any of you and yet I feel safer and more cared about here than I have ever felt by my father and sister.” My grandfather walked up to her and put his hand on her shoulder, “Sienna you are a good friend o my granddaughter she cares for you as she would a sister. You are a part of this family now. We will protect you at all costs.” I caught my father shoot my mother a resigned look. “Thank you, Sienna whispered. She then went outside with Seth and Leah and my father sat down on the couch with a haunted look on his face. “Daddy what’s wrong?” I asked him. “I read her thoughts just now, and I have never seen a child in more pain than her. The agony involved in changing will be like a hangnail to her in comparison with the emotional anguish that she has been living with all of her life.” I looked to Jacob and he had a frozen look on his face that was hard to read. I didn’t know what else to do so I took his hand and led him outside to join the others, hoping to put together the broken pieces of what was unfolding before us.