Protecting At It's Finest || SEQUEL

Fourteen;

Trees are not good places to rest, let me tell you. There is absolutely nothing comfortable about the bark on trees and I will stand by this notion till the day I die.

Get it? The day I die...

"That was an awful joke." Edward says, his voice even despite having trained for the past five hours.

Asshole.

"Rude."

"Stop doing that Eddie." I retort, narrowing my eyes at him as I lift a finger in his direction, "I will hurt you."

"My apologies."

Renesmee sits in the middle of the clearing, Jake not far from her. He watches her play with the flowers, braiding them together to make a crown. He reaches across and places the finished product on her head; the bright white flowers stand out against her coppery hair and she sends him an ear-splitting grin.

If only we could all be so easily occupied.

"I'm glad you're here to fight with us." Edward says. I can hear the affection in his tone, it's slightly comforting.

It's also really bloody weird to think that we're family.

"I thought we weren't fighting." I counter, brushing my pony tail over my shoulder with ease, "More of a conversation, I hear."

Edward's shoulders slump a little, glancing around himself before turning back to the sight in front of him, "Carlisle likes to hope."

"You don't?"

Renesmee climbs into Jake's lap, placing her hand on his cheek. I think for a minute that she's cold before I remember Jake has the body temperature of a burning furnace. He'll keep her warm. He looks down at her as if she's got his whole world in her hands; his eyes following the delight in her features as if they're hungry to see her happiness.

"They've never been able to see reason before, why start now?" Edward asks, sighing, "I worry that they'll use this as an excuse to get rid of us. After the mess we created when Bella was human..."

I raise an eyebrow at him, "You think they've just been waiting for a reason?"

He nods, his hair jolting slightly. It's strange that I find that satisfying, I know. What can I say? The idea of the Cullen family seeming less perfect fills me with joy. They look far too much like marble statues for their own good.

I reach out, placing my hand on his arm and dragging my fingers a long the inside of his wrist comfortingly. This helps, usually, with Damon when he's all high rate about one thing or another. I'm not sure what to say, or how to make him feel more at ease. What can you say to a guy that could loose everything he's ever loved all in one moment?

"We'll be here. Whatever way it goes down, I've got your back." I promise, the words falling easily from my lips.

He smiles, a small flicker of appreciation travelling across his eyes as he brings his other hand to rest on mine.

"And I yours."

💉💉💉

"It sucks that Alice and Jasper aren't here," Bella says, her arms wrapped around Renesmee from their place on the log, "It would have been nice for us all to be together."

Edward's sat at their side with a coat wrapped around his shoulders. It's a rather useless feat, considering none of us — par Jake, Seth, Leah and a Renesmee — are really all that bothered by the chilly air.

The lot of us are in an eery silence. The other vampires Carlisle's invited to witness with us are scattered around the campsite, the flickering fire casting shadows across everyone's skin.

Damon sits with me, his left arm around my shoulders and his right hand gripping mine. His thumb runs patterns across my knuckles idly. I can tell he's not paying much attention — his eyes are glazed over, glued to the movements his thumb makes.

I know we need to be here. I know this fight (because that's what it is, even if Carlisle refuses to admit it) is more important than my own selfishness. Bella needs us, Edward needs us, Renesmee needs us; and I won't let any of them down. I couldn't live with myself.

Yet there's still the echo of fear floating around my mind. There's still the pain that tinges at every inch of my being when I think of the possibility we have of losing. The possibility that the Volturi and their witnesses will tear us apart, that I'll have to watch Bella fall, or Edward, or Bonnie or Stefan or Caroline or...

The possibility that, despite the promise of Forever, I'll have to watch some sparkling, asshole fairy with a stick up his arse take Damon's undead life from him and not be able to do a thing about it.

I think... I think I'd beg for them to end me too, if it came to that. It's pathetic, I know, but I wouldn't be able to keep going if every one I loved was dead.

I would never be able to stop seeing Damon die.

After all, what's the point in eternal life if you're spending it alone?

Caroline won't be fighting with us tomorrow. Considering the crimes the Volturi are accusing us of Stefan would rather she remain hidden. Bonnie'll stay with her, mainly because we can't have the Volturi becoming too interested in the young witch. Although it doesn't hurt for Caroline to have extra protection if everything were to go south and they need to run.

Stefan's staying, though. He's going to fight with Damon and I. We told him we wouldn't hold it against him if he were to go with Caroline, but he said that he'll stay. That Damon is his brother and he'd never leave him to fight this fight alone. That we're his family, and family stick together.

Damon was more grateful for that than I'm sure he'll ever admit.

"You alright?" Damon's voice is soft as he talks to me, leaning close to my ear as if it has any effect on the rest of the vampires hearing.

I turn to him, gripping his hand tighter, "Just about."

"Here I was thinking my presence shocked you into silence." He replies quietly, an amused tilt to his tone.

"Sorry to disappoint."

"As you should be." He says, trailing his fingers across the inside of my wrist, "Complete disregard for my feelings on the matter."

"What are you even on about?" I ask, smiling up at him, "Do you ever make sense?"

"It's a skill I haven't yet mastered." He replies, winking at me.

As entertaining as Damon is, the thought that this could be the last time I see any of these faces after tomorrow is daunting. This could be one of the last conversations Damon and I ever have.

It's not a relaxing thought.