"'Tis better to have loved and lost, then to never have loved at all."
-Alfred, Lord Tennyson
***
The music coming from Edward's piano rolled over me like a gentle wave from the ocean. Delicate, but not careful delicate, real delicate, like a lily pad that spends its entire life resting on a leaf in the middle of a lake. Undisturbed except for the quiet sounds of nature.
My head was on Jasper's shoulder, his resting on mine, as we sat around the piano, Edward's fingers dancing across the keys like he had done it a million times before, which he probably has. Nessie was in the corner with Sadie, giggling whenever she changed her hair color, Rose and Emmett were smushed together on a love seat that only Emmett could fit on. Bella was next to Edward, her eyes gleaming an her lips beaming. Carlisle and Esme were there too, on the couch next to Jasper and I, while Alice flitted around the room, re-arranging flower vases. Jacob was here too, unsurprisingly, sitting next to Sadie and ignoring her pointed glares.
I have always appreciated the piano. I used to play, for a few years when I was younger, but I was never even close to how good Edward is. I guess he did have a... slight advantage.
A loud crash broke into the melody, followed by a obnoxiously loud shattering noise as the vase in Alice's hand slipped from her grasp, breaking on the floor and sending shards of glass flying across the floor. I subconsciously jerked my knee's up, and Jasper's eyebrows furrowed.
"What is it, Alice?" He asked, as we all knew that Alice would never drop anything unless she broke into one of her visions, she's too careful.
"The Volturi, they're coming for us." Her words were quiet, and they chilled me to the point goosebumps rose on my arm, something that shouldn't be able to happen. She sounded scared, something you can only tell by the soft tremble of her words. "Aro, Caius, Marcus, the guard, and Irinia."
"Honey, come here," Bella beckoned her daughter over, who obediently padded over. Sadie sat up straighter, seemingly oblivious to the fact that her hair was short, spiky, and bright blue. "What's going on?"
"What did Irina see in the woods?" Edward obviously addressed something inside of someone's head, as I didn't have a clue what he meant by 'in the woods.'
"We were just walking," Bella explained, hoisting Nessie onto her lap and wrapping her arms around her protectively.
"Ness was catching snowflakes." Jacob added, walking over so he could be closer to the young girl. I scrunched my nose, looking up at Jasper, who didn't look to pleased himself.
"Of course," Edward scoffed humorlessly, raising to rest his hand on his head, "they think Renesmee is an immortal child."
"I'm sorry," I put my hands up. So much was happening at once, I had to clear some things up. "An immortal child? Like... a vampire baby?"
"The immortal children were so beautiful, so enchanting." Carlisle began, his face grave. Esme rested a reassuring hand on his chest, so he continued. "To be near them was to love them."
I bit my cheek, seeing Edward send me a curt look when I accidentally thought how that was what people were like around Alice.
"But their development was frozen from the day they turned. They couldn't be taught, or restrained. A single tantrum could destroy a human village."
Like me.
"Humans heard of the devastation, stories spread and the Volturi were forced to intervene. Since they couldn't protect our secret, they had to be destroyed. The creators grew very attached, and fought to protect them. Long established covens were torn apart. Countless humans slaughtered, tradition, family, friends, lost."
My mouth dropped open at his words. I found it revolting to think of wars breaking out, especially over a child. A child that had to be killed, but instead, thousands of others were killed in their place... but there is always the same outcome.
An outcome that I don't like.
"So the Denali's mother made an immortal child?" Bella asked, snapping me out of my stupor. Carlisle's reply was mystic and creepy.
"Yes. And she payed the price."
Payed the price? Sorry, I wasn't aware we were in a twentieth century Scooby Doo film.
"But Renesmee was born," I spoke my thoughts aloud, not exactly realizing I was speaking out loud, until everyone turned to stare at me. I leaned my head to the side slightly, "she was born, not bitten. She grows every day... she's obviously nothing like those vamp babies."
There was a long pause, so I cleared my throat. "Can't you just explain that to the Volturi?"
"Aro has enough proof in Irina's thoughts." Edward spoke bitterly, his eyes narrowed to the point I couldn't imagine how he could see.
"So we fight." Jacob spoke for the first time this entire exchange, crossing his arms like the answer was obvious.
"Their offensive weapons are too powerful," Jasper said, his grip on my tightening. I lightly traced a scar on his arm, sighing deeply, "nobody could stand against Jane."
"Alec's even worse," Alice piped up.
"For risk of sounding vain-" I began, awkwardly scratching the back of my neck, "fighting doesn't have to be the thing to do... we could just talk to them and convince them that Nessie is no threat..." I paused, "and Jane is the chick who tried to choke me out, right? The thirteen year old?"
"Yes," Jasper confirmed, his eyes hardening, probably at the memory of how I shoulder-checked an immortal when I was still human. I think that says a lot about my personality.
"They're coming to kill us, not to talk." Emmett shot back, for once, we were on different pages. Damn, I don't like that.
"No, they won't listen to us," Edward stared thoughtfully at the piano keys, like they held the secret to all of our problems. "But maybe others can convince them... Carlisle, we have friends all over the world-"
"I won't ask them to fight." Carlisle immediately shut down his statement, his tone definite and his eyes narrowed.
"Not fight, witness. If we can get enough people to know the truth, maybe we can convince the Volturi to listen."
Esme's eyes shone as she turned to her husband. "We can ask them of that."
We all stared at the other people in the room, all of us wishing we could read the others minds. I finally stood up, brushing off my pants and giving my best smile, although anxiety danced in my heartbeat.
"Do you by chance have friends in London?"
***
"They've left us."
As soon as Carlisle's words floated up the stairs , I had rushed down the stairs. My throat immediately felt dry at those words. Words that brought back so much pain to my chest. I knew it wasn't true, but against my better judgement, I ran down the stairs, eyes wide.
I couldn't find Jasper.
"Who?"
Carlisle looked up, a note clutched in his hand, his eyes burning, but not in a good way. "Alice. Alice and Sadie."
My throat squeezed harder, and I walked forward to snatch the note from Carlisle's hand. There were twp, but the one I snagged was in Sadie's handwriting, in a sparkly blue gel pen. My name at the bottom was what caught my attention.
Courtney--
Miss Gray, eighth grade English. With her inspirational quotes stuck up on the wall. I'm sorry, I have to leave.
That was it. That was all she wrote to me, a note about our weird eighth grade teacher who thought that we were all destined to be presidents or whatever. I rolled my eyes stuffing the note back into Carlisle's hand, right as Jasper came down the stairs. I relaxed considerably, although part of me knew he didn't leave. His scent lingers in this house.
Cinnamon.
I could tell he already knew, as his eyes were narrowed, and he was holding a bag in his hand with so much force I was surprised it didn't break in half. He walked right up to me, his eyes softening. He didn't pretend to smile though, which I appreciated. He knows that I can see right through him. We know each other so well, it would be a fruitless attempt for either of us to try and convince the other we weren't mad.
"Where are we going?" I asked, after we bid Carlisle goodbye, and stepped out into the crisp air. He turned and flashed me a smile, a real one.
"There's a little girl in Germany just waiting to meet us."
A/N; Phew, that was actually some pretty good writing, even thought it was short.
I am making up for short chapters, but some incorrect quotes that I have become obsessed with making!
Also: I know this is cringy an I might not get any questions, but if you guys have any questions for me about myself, or the story, please ask and I will answer them in the next chapter!! I hate the term Q and A, so let's just call this a: Get to know your author and/or the story she is writing!
Lots of love!