The Edge

xix.

The next month went by smoothly, but Renesmee's growth continued at a rapid rate. By the time it began to snow again in Forks, Renesmee looked as if she could be 7 or 8 years old. The family hadn't stopped researching about her existence, but it had already been long proven that she was nothing like Emma when it came to her genetics. Bella, Jacob, and Renesmee returned from playing in the snow and informed Carlisle that they had an odd run in with Irina. "Tanya convinced Irina to come reconcile with us." Carlisle hung up the phone with the Denali coven a few minutes later. "Well, it looks like she changed her mind." Edward ran his hand through his hair as he sat with Renesmee on the bench of the piano. "Seeing Jacob must have been too much for her." Esme offered some comfort. "I wish I could've just spoken to her." Bella sighed as she leaned against the piano in frustration. "She's family, she'll come around." Carlisle reassured the family as he wrapped his arm around Esme on the coach. Edward nodded and played a few chords of the piano, allowing Renesmee to play with him.

Most of the family had begun gathering in the living room to listen to the pair play. Alice was redecorating the house and made her way into the living room with a vase. Renesmee was playing by herself, copying her dad when the vase shattered to the floor. Everyone stopped what they were doing at the sound of Alice's gasp, Jasper rushed over to her side. "What is it, Alice?" Jasper looked to his wife for answers. "The Volturi, they're coming for us." Alice's words silenced the room. "Aro, Caius, Marcus, the Guard. And Irina." Alice further explained and Bella moved to her daughter protectively. "Honey, come here." Bella ushered her daughter to her side, Renesmee complying. "Why?" Carlisle stood up in concern. "What did Irina see in the woods?" Edward searched for answers from his wife. "We were just walking." Bella didn't understand what could bring about such an event. "Ness was catching snowflakes." Jacob recalled the memory and Edward searched it to find the reason. "Of course. Irina thinks Renesmee's an Immortal Child." Edward shared his findings with the family. Bella looked down at her daughter with concern before looking to Carlisle for a better answer.

"The immortal children were beautiful, enchanting, to be near them was to love them." Carlisle pulled a book down from the shelves to explain to Bella what immortal children were. "But their development was frozen at the age they were turned. They couldn't be taught or restrained; a single tantrum could destroy an entire village." Carlisle allowed Bella to flip through the book. "Humans heard about the devastation, stories spread. The Volturi were forced to intervene. Since the children couldn't protect our secret, they had to be destroyed." Carlisle continued to explain. "Their creators grew very attached and fought to protect them. Long-established covens were torn about, countless humans slaughtered; traditions, friends, even families lost." Carlisle explained why Irina would go to the Volturi about Renesmee. "So, the Denali's mother made an Immoral Child?" Bella looked to Carlisle for confirmation on her understanding. "Yes, and she paid the price." Carlisle finished the story with their mother's death.

"Well, Renesmee's nothing like those children. She was born, not bitten, she grows every single day." Bella grew angry at the assumption. "So can't you just explain that to the Volturi?" Jacob questioned, unnerved that his imprint was in danger. "Aro has enough proof in Irina's thoughts." Edward denied to possibility. "So we fight." Jacob declared, not grasping the Volturi's power. "Their offensive weapons are too powerful, no one can stand against Jane." Jasper denied the possibility. "Alec's even worse." Alice added on to Jasper's statement. "Well, then we convince them." Bella wasn't going down without a fight. "They're coming to kill us, not to talk." Emmett decided to be the voice of reason this time. "No, you're right. They won't listen to us, but maybe others could convince them." Edward proposed an alternative.

"Carlisle, you have friends all over the world." Edward looked to the man for assistance. "I won't ask them to fight." Carlisle immediately denied putting his friends in danger. "Not fight, witness. If enough people knew the truth, maybe we could convince to Volturi to listen." Edward didn't want a fight. "We can ask this of our friends." Esme nodded at her husband and Emma took notice of Jasper and Alcie having their own conversation across the room. Alice's eyes met Emma's and she quickly looked away, glancing around the room once more before going back to Jasper.

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The family immediately began making preparations to leave, Emma was going to stay back at the house and attend to anyone that accepted the invitation while her family scatters around the world. "Okay, let's get this show on the road." Jacob clapped his hands that morning before the whole family picked up a new scent. "What's your boyfriend doing here?" Emmett gave Emma a stern look when they all looked out to see Paul and Sam standing in their driveway. "I don't know." Emma furrowed her eyebrows as she left to go answer the door. The family remained on the main level as Emma approached the door. "Hey, what's wrong?" Emma was worried as she opened the door for the two men. "Alice gave us this, this morning." Sam handed Emma a folded note and the girl looked down at it confused. "She and Jasper crossed our lands to the ocean last night." Paul explained the disappearance of the two coven mates.

"Come in." Emma was even more confused and opened the door for the shifters. "What's going on?" Paul moved closer to Emma's side as she ushered the two upstairs. "I'll explain soon, it just happened last night." Emma glanced over at Paul, who grabbed her hand I an attempt to comfort her. "Is that why you didn't answer?" Paul questioned and Emma gave a soft nod as they met with her family. Emma passed the note to Carlisle, and he opened it, scanning the writing. "Carlisle." Esme urged her husband to share. "They've left us." Carlisle confirmed Emma's suspicions about the previous night. "Why?" Rosalie demanded an answer. "She didn't say." Carlisle looked down and the atmosphere grew grim. "Can I see that?" Bella moved forward to take the note from Carlisle, who complied with her request. Bella scanned the note herself and examined the piece of paper it was written on. Sam had remained quiet for a long time and finally spoke up. "What's happening?" Sam looked at Carlisle for answers and the man thought carefully about his words. "False accusations have been made against us to a coven much like a government for us, we are seeking help to try and prevent a war and the end of our lives." Carlisle explained to Sam, who immediately looked over Jacob for not informing him of the threat. "What does that mean for the lands?" Sam sought to protect their half of the land. "The Volturi know of your nearby presence, I would assume they will be of no threat to your lands." Carlisle tried to ease any concern that Sam had, but no one knew for certain what was to happen in the next few weeks. "Where are you all going?" Paul spoke up this time, looking beside him at Emma for a further explanation. "My family and I are going to travel across the world to friends of ours, we hope they will be willing to help." Carlisle spoke up. "What then? Are you bringing them back here with you?" Sam did not like the idea of more vampires near their territory. "Any visitors won't be your problem, Sam. I'll make sure of it." Jacob defended the family's plan, knowing Sam was not fond of what he had just learned.

"Are you leaving too?" Paul turned his full attention to Emma as Sam and Jacob moved further away from the family to talk. "I'm staying here." Emma shook her head and Paul's body relaxed slightly. "I'll be here when the others come, make sure they are aware of the treaty and respectful to Seth and Leah." Emma shared with Paul her job within the plan. "And if this plan doesn't work? These Volturi, what happens if they start a war?" Paul tightened his grip on Emma's and as the couple now faced each other, the family moving back inside. "Then we fight, hopefully it doesn't come to that." Emma let out a sigh as she was worried about the outcome as well. "Maybe we can help." Paul glanced over at Jacob and Sam, who were in their own intense conversation. "You guys can't put yourselves in danger like that." Emma shook her head, not wanting the wolves involved. "It's what I'm meant to do. Emma, you're my imprint, my entire world, I will protect you no matter what. Even if that means battling a tyrannical government of bloodsuckers." Paul scoffed as he looked back into Emma's eyes. Emma ignored the term 'bloodsucker' as she looked into her imprint's eyes, she had never seen him so determined before and his words left her speechless. "Let's hope it doesn't come to that." Emma squeezed Paul's hand after she broke from Paul's stare.

"Paul!" Sam's voice called out as he and Jacob finished their conversation. Paul looked away from his imprint and over at his alpha. "I want you here with Emma when the other vampires arrive. Jacob is going north with Renesmee, I need someone here I can trust, someone who can protect Seth and Leah." Sam gave Paul his orders and Emma could hear Leah's complaints about Sam's comment in her head already. "Okay." Paul nodded at his alpha, secretly happy to spend time with his imprint, even if it meant being around more vampires. "And no slacking off, I want to know the second anything goes wrong." Sam gave Paul a pointed look, wanting to make sure Paul knew his placement was strictly business. "Got it, boss." Paul gave the man another nod. "The Cullens aren't heading out for at least another hour. Come back to Emily's for lunch and then go home and pack some stuff before you come back." Sam gave his final order, motioning for the couple to say goodbye quickly. "I'll see you later." Paul gave Emma a quickly kiss before running off after his alpha.