F.T.A. Failure to Appear

Chapter Nineteen

Chapter Nineteen
Plans and Pain
Grace Cullen-Swan
September 3, 2006

The three weeks of Edward and Bella's honeymoon were some of the most stressful weeks of my existence. The family was meeting constantly to make plans, discuss new plans, change the previous plans, and so on and so forth. Every moment of our existences were spent preparing in some way for the impending confrontation with the Volturi. The only reprieve I had from the non-stop terrifying talk of the Volturi was my constant diligence over Elizabeth's well-being. Having a nine month old baby with the brain of a genius was an incredibly hard task.

She's still dependent enough to need help with feeding, changing, and other task, but she's so smart that she desperately wants to be involved in things. It hasn't helped that she's an early crawler either. One moment, we were all sitting in the living room watching her play at my feet as we discussed our newest plan, and the next thing we knew she had managed to crawl at lighting pace across the room to Esme. Her level of coordination has always been surprising, but to see a baby move in such a way was surprising at times. Now, after only being able to crawl for a week, she's managing to stand up on her feet and hold herself up using furniture or someones leg. I nearly had a breakdown when I walked into the kitchen one day to see Emmett trying to teach her to walk.

I desperately wish Charlie was here for these moments. Moments when I feel like a terrible mother for causing Elizabeth to get so frustrated over her circumstances. Mentally, she's not a baby, and so it all becomes so aggravating to her that she has to be cared for like one. Sometimes, I think I would've preferred for her to keep growing at the same abnormal pace she did in-womb. But that would mean less time with her and I can't picture a world without her in it.

"Aunt Grace." Alice caught my attention as she entered my bedroom, where I had been rocking Elizabeth by the window as I was lost in thought. "Do you have a minuet to talk with Jasper and I? It's very important." She stressed to me.

"Of course, Alice." I nodded, setting a now sleepy Elizabeth into her crib before following her across the hall to her bedroom. "What's going on?" I asked them both as Jasper quickly shut the door behind me.

"We have a plan." He responded. "But you aren't going to like it."

"Try me." I countered him, knowing I had been hearing plenty of plans lately.

"We need witnesses, which we've already talked about with the others, but that's not going to be enough. We need hard evidence that hybrids not only exist but are no threat." Alice stepped in. "We need to find a hybrid to stand witness."

"But that would mean having to find Joham, or one of his children, if they're even still alive." I sighed. "Besides, Carlisle would never let us leave right now. With our gifts, there's too big of a risk of being ambushed, it's too dangerous."

"You're right. He wouldn't let us leave." Jasper nodded. "So we wouldn't be telling anyone where we're going or what we're planning."

"You're asking me to let my brother think two of his beloved children have completely deserted his coven in a time of extreme circumstances?" I gasped.

"We're asking you to come with us." Alice pleaded with me. "You're the one that Joham will listen too. You're the one that can navigate South America safely. You're the key in all of this."

"This is insane." I shook my head, pacing the room. "I can't. I can't do that to my brother, my kids, our our family."

"Would you rather them hate you and be alive? Or love you and die innocent?" Alice shot at me, freezing me in my pacing.

"Be alive." I answered quickly. "No question."

"Then you have to believe me that this is our only option." She stated firmly. "Please, Aunt Grace."