To Mend a Butterfly's Broken Wing, 23: A Life Interrupted
Title: To Mend a Butterfly's Broken Wing
Author: exquisite_ugly
Rating/Warnings: M (language, sexual situations)
Summary: After the newborn fight things take a different turn with the Volturi. Edward goes missing, the Cullen's leave to search for him, and Bella flees town from the pain of loss. Can Jacob help her deal with the grief a second time? AU, M for language, sex
*~*~*
I used to think that the/day would never come/I'd see the light in the/shade of the morning sun/My morning sun is the drug/that brings me near/To the childhood I lost/replaced by fear
*~*~*
Jake and I had a weekly day that we took to explore a little more around the town of Hoquiam and surrounding towns over the summer. We saw movies, checked out restaurants we hadn't previously, went to festivals, went for hikes, to the beach, but our favorite place to spend time was the marina. We had fun renting a canoe and paddling out into the middle of the lake to eat lunch and just enjoy the quiet and each other. We also liked to go swimming together. A couple trips to Ocean Shores happened with our friends' to swim at the beach when the weather cooperated, though I preferred swimming in a pool.
It was around August when I got the jolt of seeing Jake with a child. It hadn't happened since he mentioned he could envision marrying me and having babies together, but actually seeing him interact with a child was different.
We were walking hand-in-hand past some of the shops in Hoquiam with ice cream cones that we were trying to lick really fast so they wouldn't drip all over us.
"Watching you lick an ice-cream cone is really hot," Jake said with grin, his eyes fastened on my mouth.
My cheeks reddened, but I snickered. With an exaggerated lick for his benefit, he narrowed his eyes at me. "Tease," he muttered. "Just wait till we get back home."
Smiling, I glanced over and saw a little girl standing by a picnic table in the small park, and she was crying.
"Oh no," I replied.
Jake glanced over and saw her. He pulled me along beside him, polishing off his ice cream cone. Before I could say anything, he was crouching in front of her. She was twisting one brown pigtail with her fingers, her blue eyes wet with tears, and she had a band-aid on her knee. She looked to be about six years old.
"Hey, honey, are you lost?" Jake asked in a calm voice.
Her lip trembled as she glanced from Jake to me. "I can't find my mommy," she whispered. That set off another round of tears.
I didn't know what to do, but Jake asked, "I bet your mommy is somewhere nearby looking for you. Have you been here long?"
She paused, hiccupping, and thought about that. "Not too long."
Jake nodded and gave her a smile. "How about we wait here until your mom finds you?"
She bit her lip, tugging at the hem of her shirt. "But… but you're a stranger," she said.
I knelt down next to Jake, feeling way out of my element. "Well, we can stay right here in plain sight. We can just keep you company."
"It's smart to be careful, so we'll just stay right here," Jake added. "My name is Jake and this is Bella," he said as he sat on the bench. I perched next to him, and she hesitantly eased her hip onto the edge of the bench.
"I'm Holly," she said. "You're really tall," she added shyly to Jake. Her lips still shook, but her tears were drying a bit.
He chuckled. "I'm part giant," he teased her.
She giggled a little. She ended up sitting between us on the bench, smiling a little as Jake performed a rather impressive magic trick with a coin, which he then gave to her. I felt her lean against my arm, and I smoothed a hand over her back.
"You're really pretty," she told me as she tucked the coin in her pocket.
I smiled at the direct and sweet words of this child. "I agree," Jake said with a wink.
I laughed and said, "Jake's sort of pretty, too, isn't he?"
She giggled. "Boys can't be pretty."
Jake pretended to look offended which made her giggle again. She was gazing up at him shyly, and I could very easily see he had charmed her into having a little crush on him. The way he was with her was sweet, and I felt that slight melting sensation and couldn't help thinking how he would be with his own little girl or boy.
"Holly!" We heard a faint voice cry out.
I glanced up and we saw a young mother, light brown hair flying as she turned every which way frantically. Then she spotted us and bolted over.
"Mommy!" Holly cried and barreled straight for the woman who caught her as she leaped. Jake and I stood and moved a little closer to them.
"Oh thank God," the woman said holding her tightly. "I'm never letting go of your hand again!"
After a moment she noticed us standing there and looked puzzled. Holly turned and wiggled to get down. "We sat with Holly until you found her; we figured it was best to stay in the same area and that you probably weren't far…" Jake started to explain as Holly threw her arms around his leg.
He smiled and patted her on the back. She hugged me then, and I felt a rush of warmth toward the little girl we had just met. "Mommy, this is Jake and Bella. They sat with me until you found me," she said.
The woman smiled, her eyes lightening a little. "Thank you both. It's not always easy to trust people anymore, but it's nice to know there are people out there who are truly helpful. Thank you for staying with Holly," she said with a smile.
Holly waved to us as they walked away, and I slipped my hand into Jake's. She glanced back once, her hand on her pocket, and I giggled. "I don't think she'll ever forget you," I teased.
He smirked. "What can I say? I'm irresistible." I just rolled my eyes and he gave me an innocent smile.
It wasn't long before I got my second jolt; it was a couple weeks later when Jake got the phone call from Sam. We were sprawled out on the floor of the living room in a nest of blankets and pillows with the A/C on; the humidity had been high and had finally gotten to me. We had an old classic movie playing on television - Casablanca - and were digging in to a bowl of popcorn.
I was only half-listening to Jake until I heard him say, "Oh yeah? Sam, that's fantastic. Congrats, man!" I glanced over at him and he held up a finger, listening.
He recited what Sam said so I knew what was going on. "They have a daughter, 7 lbs and 9 ounces, and her name is Samantha. She was born yesterday at 7:04 p.m. and both mom and baby are doing great."
I gave a little clap of happiness and called out my congrats to Sam. I knew even without phasing he'd hear me. After Jake hung up, we decided we would visit them in a couple days when we both could swing it with our work schedules. So that Saturday we drove into La Push to visit Sam and Emily and baby Samantha.
When we arrived, Charlie was just getting there, too, and he had Billy with him. "Hey honey," he said giving me a big hug. "You two here to visit with the newest Quileute?"
I nodded, chatting with him, and helped set Billy's chair up as Jake lifted him out. Once settled we walked to the front door. I couldn't help admiring the tiny little house and how well taken care of it was. It was very homey, and I noticed there were more pots of colorful flowers than there had been before; welcome home flowers, I was sure.
Sam opened the door, a tired and happy smile on his face, but something in his eyes seemed worried. I gave Jake a look; he had noticed it, too. We greeted Sam and saw Quil, Embry, and Jared were here as well.
"Hey Jake, Bella!" We were greeted with bone-crushing hugs.
They were about to leave so Jake promised to get in touch with them later. Emily was in the living room, perched on the sofa with a small bundle in her arms. "Bella!" she said with a wide smile. "Oh, I'm so glad you and Jake could come."
"We just had to meet the newest member of the family," I said peering at her newborn daughter.
"She's beautiful, Em," Jake said. "She must take after you."
We all laughed, and Sam rolled his eyes good-naturedly. Billy and Charlie sat outside with a soda, promising to hold her before they left. I just shook my head and laughed. I examined Samantha's soft dark hair and russet skin, her tiny little features as her dark eyes opened to gaze up at us. She really was beautiful. Jake brushed a finger against her cheek and her eyes tried to focus on him.
"Do you want to hold her?" Emily asked. "I have to get her bottle ready anyway."
"Sure," Jake said agreeably.
My heart nearly melted at the sight of him settling Samantha against his chest, his hand covering the expanse of her back and gently rubbing it. He looked so beautiful, so at ease holding her, though it also made me smile because I could see a hint of fear in his eyes as well. She was nestled in his arms, mouth moving in preparation of eating, and her little fist opened and closed.
I just watched, amazed at how tiny she was, especially while Jake was holding her. Emily came back and gave Jake the bottled with a smile. Surprised, he took it, and managed to get the nipple into her mouth. Emily promised to be back soon; she wanted to get something into the oven for dinner. After her first round of feeding, Jake glanced up at me.
"You want to hold her, Bells? I want to talk to Sam while he's alone." He barely gave me a chance to reply before he was gently easing Samantha into my arms along with the bottle.
"Jake, I don't…" I started to say.
"You're fine, honey," he said kissing my forehead. "She's fine, too. Just feed her the next half. I'll be right back."
A little uncertain, I mimicked the move of getting the nipple into her mouth as she gave a whimper, and then she was content. I moved slowly around the room, my eyes locked on her as her eyes started sliding shut. She finished the bottle, and I thought she needed to be burped, so I peeked into the kitchen.
"Em?" I asked. "She needs to be burped, right?"
She nodded. "I'm almost done here," she promised.
"That's okay. I can do it." I carefully lifted her to my shoulder, biting my lip in concentration, and gently began rubbing her back. I breathed in the scent of baby powder and soft baby skin.
Once that was done, I shifted her back down, and stood gazing out the window. I felt Jake's arms slide around me from behind, his hand cupping Samantha's head, as he kissed my neck. I smiled and leaned back against him, closing my eyes, my mind drifting on the scent of a sleeping newborn and the warmth of Jake's body against me.
*~*~*
APOV
We had finally gotten our first real clue. I wasn't even sure I trusted my power anymore, though. It had been a wild goose chase for so long, traveling all over the world and my family were frustrated beyond belief. The Denali's had helped us, a few of the various clans we came across helped us, but something was blocking me from seeing. We checked into the Chiosco Delle Monache on the outskirts of Volterra to stay out of the reach of the Volturi. It was a pretty, fifteenth century Franciscan monastery and it suited our needs just fine.
I was sitting by the window around three in the morning, idly flipping through a fashion magazine and thinking about Bella. I missed her, but I knew she was happy again. I did my best not to think about her too often; it brought on visions of her life, and I didn't want to feel like I was spying on her. She was with Jake, and he made her happy.
I didn't begrudge her that. In fact, I had told her it would be best to move on, but it hurt because I missed her. Edward wouldn't have wanted her wasting away like she could have either; I had no doubt about that. The random glimpses I got of her at work or doing other normal things were rare, but it was nice to see her smiling and looking stronger and more confident than she ever had. I also felt guilty in some ways because I know how much Edward loved her and her him.
I was pondering this when it hit me. Jasper was perched by a small side table with Emmett, a chessboard set up between them. Rose was in her and Emmett's room, and I knew Carlisle and Esme were in theirs.
I was flipping, and then suddenly I was transported into a vision. The hilly countryside came into view, the narrow walkways between the buildings visible, as I saw the Cathedral of Santa Maria Assunta. My mind focused sharply as a flash of Aro came to my mind. He looked at me, eyes haunted, his skin looking even more delicate than it ever had before. Hurry, he mouthed before vanishing.
The edges of the vision began blurring, but I saw Edward sitting on the floor, shirtless, his back to me. I knew without a doubt it was him in that cathedral. I came back and felt Jasper's hands on my face. The whole family was there, watching me, their golden eyes filled with a mixture of shock, hope, and pleas to stop this endless grieving.
"I saw him," I breathed as Jasper's face swam more into focus. "He's in the Cathedral of Santa Maria Assunta; we have to go now. I saw Aro and he said to hurry."
The puzzlement flashed briefly through the shock and sheer relief. There was no plan and no time; we had to trust what I saw, and we all knew it.
"We're breaking up into two's, but we need to keep track of each other," Jasper ordered as we slid out the windows into the darkness.
The flashes of crumbling ruins and ancient structures flew by as we ascended the rocky hillside of Volterra to the cathedral. Jasper shifted in front of me as we broke off into two's. We slid along noiselessly through the dead silence, shifting behind the pillars, the art within the walls of the cathedral glowing slightly in the dark. I saw the flash of Carlisle's hand as he waved to let us know the coast was clear where he and Esme were.
There was a whisper of a footfall and suddenly the members of the Volturi's guard came rushing in, but it was obvious the fact that I got the vision was a shock to everyone. They didn't know we would be here, and we all pounced, taking them down as best as we could.
"Alice!" Jasper yelled as a burly vampire I didn't recognize barreled straight at me.
I leaped, my body twisting gracefully, as I glided over his charging form. Twisting and dipping with ease, I smashed my hands on either side of his head causing it to shatter at my feet. Carlisle and Esme had hold of one and pulled in opposite directions, severing his body. We fought tooth and nail, the crashing of bodies as they broke apart echoing throughout the dome of the church.
"It's weird that all of them aren't any of the vampires we know," I said quickly to Jasper. "I don't see Demetri or Felix; they're usually the ones to handle the dirty work."
It was still hard to fathom the Volturi - the ones who claim to keep the peace in the vampire world - had turned so evil.
The blood lust slowly began to ebb, the attacking slowed, and I saw someone appear near the front of the church. Even with his back to us, I knew who it was. It was Edward. Suddenly we were bombarded by some kind of mist. "No!" Emmett snarled.
He dove toward the front of the church where we had seen Edward in a desperate attempt to save him. Edward was quickly surrounded by more of the guard, while we were being pushed back and away from him in a strategic move, as we gaped in shock at finally seeing him face-to-face for the first time in so long.
Esme's whimper ripped through all of us.
"Edward," I whispered.
My heart had been dead for a long time, but it still broke at what I saw.
*~*~*
BPOV
Ever since we had met Samantha, I couldn't shake the image of Jake holding me from behind as I held her. It had settled in my mind, and I kept seeing a family of me, Jake, and our children in the future. It scared me a little, but mostly enticed me. It wasn't something I wanted now, but I couldn't deny the slight tug of wanting that type of life; a simple one filled with love, affection, and passion. One where there were little dark-haired babies.
Sam and Emily came to visit close to my birthday with baby Samantha while Charlie took Billy to a ball game. Emily and I took Samantha for a walk down near the marina, giving Sam and Jake the chance to catch up. I had asked Jake after our first visit about the worry that seemed to surround Sam.
He told me that while Sam was happy about starting a family, he was also worried about what his child's life might entail. He was afraid for his daughter's safety with the threat of the Volturi still out there, with the Cullen's working to get Edward back from them. He was afraid of the backlash. Sam had also worried about himself around a child; he still struggled a little with what happened to Emily.
Jake hadn't known what to say at first, but he was sure that Sam had control of himself, that he shouldn't worry about that. And he promised to back Sam, as all of them would, if any danger came and threatened any of their people. It wasn't an easy situation to bring a child into, but while it hadn't been planned, I could see how much they loved and doted on their child. It would be dealt with when the time came; it was the only thing they could do.
Emily was telling me about Samantha's baby noises which made me smile. "It's so precious," she said quietly.
"I think most of what she does is probably precious," I couldn't resist teasing her a little.
Emily laughed. "Except for when it's in the middle of the night and I'm exhausted."
"Hey, why don't we take her to the bakery today?" I said on the spur-of-the-moment. "I bet everyone would like to see her."
We did just that and everyone cooed all over her, passing her from one set of arms to the other. "God, she's beautiful," Dana said smoothing a hand over her soft fuzzy hair.
We chatted easily, Emily telling them all the little things she told me. We left with a few goodies, too.
Later that afternoon, I got a taste of what it would really be like to have a baby as Samantha woke from her nap, screeching and crying. I hurried over to the crib as Emily was washing off spit-up in the bathroom.
"Hey, hey, it's okay," I soothed as her little face grew red with her wails.
"Maybe try picking her up," Jake suggested coming into the living room and peering at her.
I carefully picked up the squirming bundle, supporting her head, and nestled her against me. Her wailing slowed, but didn't stop. "Maybe her diaper needs to be changed?" I asked worriedly.
Jake rubbed her back while I checked, and she was wet. Emily came hurrying into the room. "I think she needs to be changed. That's her I'm wet cry."
She handed me a diaper with a little grin. "Go to town, you two."
Biting my lip, I set her down and let Jake get the diaper open while I unbuttoned her onesie and got the soiled diaper off. "Um…." I paused staring down at the wailing, naked baby.
Jake chuckled. "Here are the wet wipes," he said, and I carefully cleaned her up feeling very uncertain.
He held her squirming legs while I powdered her, and he slid the diaper under her and fastened it.
"It's backwards," Emily said giggling.
Sam came into the room and laughed. "Hey, Jake did the same thing I did the first time I changed her."
He fixed the diaper and then scooped her up. Her cries quieted right away.
By the time Charlie and Billy got back, we were both exhausted and even though it was nice having Emily, Sam, and Samantha here, we were both ready for some quiet.
We ate a quick dinner, and after a quick shower, I crawled on top of Jake when he got into bed to get warm. He laughed and stroked my back.
"She's adorable, but I'm tired after just one day," he said, and I giggled.
"Yeah, me too." I yawned deeply.
We relaxed and fell immediately asleep, and I dreamed of a future life with Jake.
Our little cottage was nestled by the trees in La Push. I stood at the stove, chopping vegetables for dinner, gazing past the sheer green curtains to watch the two children playing in the yard. The boy had Jake's dark hair wile the girl had my long, wavy brown hair pulled back into a ponytail.
They had a baseball and a bat and the boy was showing the girl how to swing it to hit the ball. The sight made me smile, and I saw Jake turn into the driveway.
"Daddy! Daddy!" Our children's voices rose in excitement as they ran to him. He scooped them both up and swung them around, eliciting squeals and giggles of happiness.
I could see him lean down and speak to them and then I heard him coming into the house. I smiled again as I continued to chop, feeling his presence while never hearing a sound. His arms slipped around me from behind.
"Smells good," he said kissing my cheek. "Do you want some help?"
I nodded, turning to kiss him properly. "I love you," I murmured against his lips.
The wild giggles of our children floating in the window, he kissed me back.
When I woke it was only five a.m. I was about to snuggle back into Jake when my cell phone buzzed on the nightstand. Quickly, I scooped it up and stepped blearily into the hallway. Who could be calling this early? Worried, I opened the phone, but didn't recognize the number.
"Hello?" I whispered.
And that one single phone call flipped my life around once again.
*~*~*
AN: So… did I leave you more confused? Haha. The hotel and Cathedral are both real places in Volterra, so you can look them up if you so desire to check them out.
Oh, and just wanted to give a quick thanks to the anonymous reviews. I feel bad not being able to respond, but I appreciate them. So thanks!
Chapter 24
Author: exquisite_ugly
Rating/Warnings: M (language, sexual situations)
Summary: After the newborn fight things take a different turn with the Volturi. Edward goes missing, the Cullen's leave to search for him, and Bella flees town from the pain of loss. Can Jacob help her deal with the grief a second time? AU, M for language, sex
*~*~*
I used to think that the/day would never come/I'd see the light in the/shade of the morning sun/My morning sun is the drug/that brings me near/To the childhood I lost/replaced by fear
*~*~*
Jake and I had a weekly day that we took to explore a little more around the town of Hoquiam and surrounding towns over the summer. We saw movies, checked out restaurants we hadn't previously, went to festivals, went for hikes, to the beach, but our favorite place to spend time was the marina. We had fun renting a canoe and paddling out into the middle of the lake to eat lunch and just enjoy the quiet and each other. We also liked to go swimming together. A couple trips to Ocean Shores happened with our friends' to swim at the beach when the weather cooperated, though I preferred swimming in a pool.
It was around August when I got the jolt of seeing Jake with a child. It hadn't happened since he mentioned he could envision marrying me and having babies together, but actually seeing him interact with a child was different.
We were walking hand-in-hand past some of the shops in Hoquiam with ice cream cones that we were trying to lick really fast so they wouldn't drip all over us.
"Watching you lick an ice-cream cone is really hot," Jake said with grin, his eyes fastened on my mouth.
My cheeks reddened, but I snickered. With an exaggerated lick for his benefit, he narrowed his eyes at me. "Tease," he muttered. "Just wait till we get back home."
Smiling, I glanced over and saw a little girl standing by a picnic table in the small park, and she was crying.
"Oh no," I replied.
Jake glanced over and saw her. He pulled me along beside him, polishing off his ice cream cone. Before I could say anything, he was crouching in front of her. She was twisting one brown pigtail with her fingers, her blue eyes wet with tears, and she had a band-aid on her knee. She looked to be about six years old.
"Hey, honey, are you lost?" Jake asked in a calm voice.
Her lip trembled as she glanced from Jake to me. "I can't find my mommy," she whispered. That set off another round of tears.
I didn't know what to do, but Jake asked, "I bet your mommy is somewhere nearby looking for you. Have you been here long?"
She paused, hiccupping, and thought about that. "Not too long."
Jake nodded and gave her a smile. "How about we wait here until your mom finds you?"
She bit her lip, tugging at the hem of her shirt. "But… but you're a stranger," she said.
I knelt down next to Jake, feeling way out of my element. "Well, we can stay right here in plain sight. We can just keep you company."
"It's smart to be careful, so we'll just stay right here," Jake added. "My name is Jake and this is Bella," he said as he sat on the bench. I perched next to him, and she hesitantly eased her hip onto the edge of the bench.
"I'm Holly," she said. "You're really tall," she added shyly to Jake. Her lips still shook, but her tears were drying a bit.
He chuckled. "I'm part giant," he teased her.
She giggled a little. She ended up sitting between us on the bench, smiling a little as Jake performed a rather impressive magic trick with a coin, which he then gave to her. I felt her lean against my arm, and I smoothed a hand over her back.
"You're really pretty," she told me as she tucked the coin in her pocket.
I smiled at the direct and sweet words of this child. "I agree," Jake said with a wink.
I laughed and said, "Jake's sort of pretty, too, isn't he?"
She giggled. "Boys can't be pretty."
Jake pretended to look offended which made her giggle again. She was gazing up at him shyly, and I could very easily see he had charmed her into having a little crush on him. The way he was with her was sweet, and I felt that slight melting sensation and couldn't help thinking how he would be with his own little girl or boy.
"Holly!" We heard a faint voice cry out.
I glanced up and we saw a young mother, light brown hair flying as she turned every which way frantically. Then she spotted us and bolted over.
"Mommy!" Holly cried and barreled straight for the woman who caught her as she leaped. Jake and I stood and moved a little closer to them.
"Oh thank God," the woman said holding her tightly. "I'm never letting go of your hand again!"
After a moment she noticed us standing there and looked puzzled. Holly turned and wiggled to get down. "We sat with Holly until you found her; we figured it was best to stay in the same area and that you probably weren't far…" Jake started to explain as Holly threw her arms around his leg.
He smiled and patted her on the back. She hugged me then, and I felt a rush of warmth toward the little girl we had just met. "Mommy, this is Jake and Bella. They sat with me until you found me," she said.
The woman smiled, her eyes lightening a little. "Thank you both. It's not always easy to trust people anymore, but it's nice to know there are people out there who are truly helpful. Thank you for staying with Holly," she said with a smile.
Holly waved to us as they walked away, and I slipped my hand into Jake's. She glanced back once, her hand on her pocket, and I giggled. "I don't think she'll ever forget you," I teased.
He smirked. "What can I say? I'm irresistible." I just rolled my eyes and he gave me an innocent smile.
It wasn't long before I got my second jolt; it was a couple weeks later when Jake got the phone call from Sam. We were sprawled out on the floor of the living room in a nest of blankets and pillows with the A/C on; the humidity had been high and had finally gotten to me. We had an old classic movie playing on television - Casablanca - and were digging in to a bowl of popcorn.
I was only half-listening to Jake until I heard him say, "Oh yeah? Sam, that's fantastic. Congrats, man!" I glanced over at him and he held up a finger, listening.
He recited what Sam said so I knew what was going on. "They have a daughter, 7 lbs and 9 ounces, and her name is Samantha. She was born yesterday at 7:04 p.m. and both mom and baby are doing great."
I gave a little clap of happiness and called out my congrats to Sam. I knew even without phasing he'd hear me. After Jake hung up, we decided we would visit them in a couple days when we both could swing it with our work schedules. So that Saturday we drove into La Push to visit Sam and Emily and baby Samantha.
When we arrived, Charlie was just getting there, too, and he had Billy with him. "Hey honey," he said giving me a big hug. "You two here to visit with the newest Quileute?"
I nodded, chatting with him, and helped set Billy's chair up as Jake lifted him out. Once settled we walked to the front door. I couldn't help admiring the tiny little house and how well taken care of it was. It was very homey, and I noticed there were more pots of colorful flowers than there had been before; welcome home flowers, I was sure.
Sam opened the door, a tired and happy smile on his face, but something in his eyes seemed worried. I gave Jake a look; he had noticed it, too. We greeted Sam and saw Quil, Embry, and Jared were here as well.
"Hey Jake, Bella!" We were greeted with bone-crushing hugs.
They were about to leave so Jake promised to get in touch with them later. Emily was in the living room, perched on the sofa with a small bundle in her arms. "Bella!" she said with a wide smile. "Oh, I'm so glad you and Jake could come."
"We just had to meet the newest member of the family," I said peering at her newborn daughter.
"She's beautiful, Em," Jake said. "She must take after you."
We all laughed, and Sam rolled his eyes good-naturedly. Billy and Charlie sat outside with a soda, promising to hold her before they left. I just shook my head and laughed. I examined Samantha's soft dark hair and russet skin, her tiny little features as her dark eyes opened to gaze up at us. She really was beautiful. Jake brushed a finger against her cheek and her eyes tried to focus on him.
"Do you want to hold her?" Emily asked. "I have to get her bottle ready anyway."
"Sure," Jake said agreeably.
My heart nearly melted at the sight of him settling Samantha against his chest, his hand covering the expanse of her back and gently rubbing it. He looked so beautiful, so at ease holding her, though it also made me smile because I could see a hint of fear in his eyes as well. She was nestled in his arms, mouth moving in preparation of eating, and her little fist opened and closed.
I just watched, amazed at how tiny she was, especially while Jake was holding her. Emily came back and gave Jake the bottled with a smile. Surprised, he took it, and managed to get the nipple into her mouth. Emily promised to be back soon; she wanted to get something into the oven for dinner. After her first round of feeding, Jake glanced up at me.
"You want to hold her, Bells? I want to talk to Sam while he's alone." He barely gave me a chance to reply before he was gently easing Samantha into my arms along with the bottle.
"Jake, I don't…" I started to say.
"You're fine, honey," he said kissing my forehead. "She's fine, too. Just feed her the next half. I'll be right back."
A little uncertain, I mimicked the move of getting the nipple into her mouth as she gave a whimper, and then she was content. I moved slowly around the room, my eyes locked on her as her eyes started sliding shut. She finished the bottle, and I thought she needed to be burped, so I peeked into the kitchen.
"Em?" I asked. "She needs to be burped, right?"
She nodded. "I'm almost done here," she promised.
"That's okay. I can do it." I carefully lifted her to my shoulder, biting my lip in concentration, and gently began rubbing her back. I breathed in the scent of baby powder and soft baby skin.
Once that was done, I shifted her back down, and stood gazing out the window. I felt Jake's arms slide around me from behind, his hand cupping Samantha's head, as he kissed my neck. I smiled and leaned back against him, closing my eyes, my mind drifting on the scent of a sleeping newborn and the warmth of Jake's body against me.
*~*~*
APOV
We had finally gotten our first real clue. I wasn't even sure I trusted my power anymore, though. It had been a wild goose chase for so long, traveling all over the world and my family were frustrated beyond belief. The Denali's had helped us, a few of the various clans we came across helped us, but something was blocking me from seeing. We checked into the Chiosco Delle Monache on the outskirts of Volterra to stay out of the reach of the Volturi. It was a pretty, fifteenth century Franciscan monastery and it suited our needs just fine.
I was sitting by the window around three in the morning, idly flipping through a fashion magazine and thinking about Bella. I missed her, but I knew she was happy again. I did my best not to think about her too often; it brought on visions of her life, and I didn't want to feel like I was spying on her. She was with Jake, and he made her happy.
I didn't begrudge her that. In fact, I had told her it would be best to move on, but it hurt because I missed her. Edward wouldn't have wanted her wasting away like she could have either; I had no doubt about that. The random glimpses I got of her at work or doing other normal things were rare, but it was nice to see her smiling and looking stronger and more confident than she ever had. I also felt guilty in some ways because I know how much Edward loved her and her him.
I was pondering this when it hit me. Jasper was perched by a small side table with Emmett, a chessboard set up between them. Rose was in her and Emmett's room, and I knew Carlisle and Esme were in theirs.
I was flipping, and then suddenly I was transported into a vision. The hilly countryside came into view, the narrow walkways between the buildings visible, as I saw the Cathedral of Santa Maria Assunta. My mind focused sharply as a flash of Aro came to my mind. He looked at me, eyes haunted, his skin looking even more delicate than it ever had before. Hurry, he mouthed before vanishing.
The edges of the vision began blurring, but I saw Edward sitting on the floor, shirtless, his back to me. I knew without a doubt it was him in that cathedral. I came back and felt Jasper's hands on my face. The whole family was there, watching me, their golden eyes filled with a mixture of shock, hope, and pleas to stop this endless grieving.
"I saw him," I breathed as Jasper's face swam more into focus. "He's in the Cathedral of Santa Maria Assunta; we have to go now. I saw Aro and he said to hurry."
The puzzlement flashed briefly through the shock and sheer relief. There was no plan and no time; we had to trust what I saw, and we all knew it.
"We're breaking up into two's, but we need to keep track of each other," Jasper ordered as we slid out the windows into the darkness.
The flashes of crumbling ruins and ancient structures flew by as we ascended the rocky hillside of Volterra to the cathedral. Jasper shifted in front of me as we broke off into two's. We slid along noiselessly through the dead silence, shifting behind the pillars, the art within the walls of the cathedral glowing slightly in the dark. I saw the flash of Carlisle's hand as he waved to let us know the coast was clear where he and Esme were.
There was a whisper of a footfall and suddenly the members of the Volturi's guard came rushing in, but it was obvious the fact that I got the vision was a shock to everyone. They didn't know we would be here, and we all pounced, taking them down as best as we could.
"Alice!" Jasper yelled as a burly vampire I didn't recognize barreled straight at me.
I leaped, my body twisting gracefully, as I glided over his charging form. Twisting and dipping with ease, I smashed my hands on either side of his head causing it to shatter at my feet. Carlisle and Esme had hold of one and pulled in opposite directions, severing his body. We fought tooth and nail, the crashing of bodies as they broke apart echoing throughout the dome of the church.
"It's weird that all of them aren't any of the vampires we know," I said quickly to Jasper. "I don't see Demetri or Felix; they're usually the ones to handle the dirty work."
It was still hard to fathom the Volturi - the ones who claim to keep the peace in the vampire world - had turned so evil.
The blood lust slowly began to ebb, the attacking slowed, and I saw someone appear near the front of the church. Even with his back to us, I knew who it was. It was Edward. Suddenly we were bombarded by some kind of mist. "No!" Emmett snarled.
He dove toward the front of the church where we had seen Edward in a desperate attempt to save him. Edward was quickly surrounded by more of the guard, while we were being pushed back and away from him in a strategic move, as we gaped in shock at finally seeing him face-to-face for the first time in so long.
Esme's whimper ripped through all of us.
"Edward," I whispered.
My heart had been dead for a long time, but it still broke at what I saw.
*~*~*
BPOV
Ever since we had met Samantha, I couldn't shake the image of Jake holding me from behind as I held her. It had settled in my mind, and I kept seeing a family of me, Jake, and our children in the future. It scared me a little, but mostly enticed me. It wasn't something I wanted now, but I couldn't deny the slight tug of wanting that type of life; a simple one filled with love, affection, and passion. One where there were little dark-haired babies.
Sam and Emily came to visit close to my birthday with baby Samantha while Charlie took Billy to a ball game. Emily and I took Samantha for a walk down near the marina, giving Sam and Jake the chance to catch up. I had asked Jake after our first visit about the worry that seemed to surround Sam.
He told me that while Sam was happy about starting a family, he was also worried about what his child's life might entail. He was afraid for his daughter's safety with the threat of the Volturi still out there, with the Cullen's working to get Edward back from them. He was afraid of the backlash. Sam had also worried about himself around a child; he still struggled a little with what happened to Emily.
Jake hadn't known what to say at first, but he was sure that Sam had control of himself, that he shouldn't worry about that. And he promised to back Sam, as all of them would, if any danger came and threatened any of their people. It wasn't an easy situation to bring a child into, but while it hadn't been planned, I could see how much they loved and doted on their child. It would be dealt with when the time came; it was the only thing they could do.
Emily was telling me about Samantha's baby noises which made me smile. "It's so precious," she said quietly.
"I think most of what she does is probably precious," I couldn't resist teasing her a little.
Emily laughed. "Except for when it's in the middle of the night and I'm exhausted."
"Hey, why don't we take her to the bakery today?" I said on the spur-of-the-moment. "I bet everyone would like to see her."
We did just that and everyone cooed all over her, passing her from one set of arms to the other. "God, she's beautiful," Dana said smoothing a hand over her soft fuzzy hair.
We chatted easily, Emily telling them all the little things she told me. We left with a few goodies, too.
Later that afternoon, I got a taste of what it would really be like to have a baby as Samantha woke from her nap, screeching and crying. I hurried over to the crib as Emily was washing off spit-up in the bathroom.
"Hey, hey, it's okay," I soothed as her little face grew red with her wails.
"Maybe try picking her up," Jake suggested coming into the living room and peering at her.
I carefully picked up the squirming bundle, supporting her head, and nestled her against me. Her wailing slowed, but didn't stop. "Maybe her diaper needs to be changed?" I asked worriedly.
Jake rubbed her back while I checked, and she was wet. Emily came hurrying into the room. "I think she needs to be changed. That's her I'm wet cry."
She handed me a diaper with a little grin. "Go to town, you two."
Biting my lip, I set her down and let Jake get the diaper open while I unbuttoned her onesie and got the soiled diaper off. "Um…." I paused staring down at the wailing, naked baby.
Jake chuckled. "Here are the wet wipes," he said, and I carefully cleaned her up feeling very uncertain.
He held her squirming legs while I powdered her, and he slid the diaper under her and fastened it.
"It's backwards," Emily said giggling.
Sam came into the room and laughed. "Hey, Jake did the same thing I did the first time I changed her."
He fixed the diaper and then scooped her up. Her cries quieted right away.
By the time Charlie and Billy got back, we were both exhausted and even though it was nice having Emily, Sam, and Samantha here, we were both ready for some quiet.
We ate a quick dinner, and after a quick shower, I crawled on top of Jake when he got into bed to get warm. He laughed and stroked my back.
"She's adorable, but I'm tired after just one day," he said, and I giggled.
"Yeah, me too." I yawned deeply.
We relaxed and fell immediately asleep, and I dreamed of a future life with Jake.
Our little cottage was nestled by the trees in La Push. I stood at the stove, chopping vegetables for dinner, gazing past the sheer green curtains to watch the two children playing in the yard. The boy had Jake's dark hair wile the girl had my long, wavy brown hair pulled back into a ponytail.
They had a baseball and a bat and the boy was showing the girl how to swing it to hit the ball. The sight made me smile, and I saw Jake turn into the driveway.
"Daddy! Daddy!" Our children's voices rose in excitement as they ran to him. He scooped them both up and swung them around, eliciting squeals and giggles of happiness.
I could see him lean down and speak to them and then I heard him coming into the house. I smiled again as I continued to chop, feeling his presence while never hearing a sound. His arms slipped around me from behind.
"Smells good," he said kissing my cheek. "Do you want some help?"
I nodded, turning to kiss him properly. "I love you," I murmured against his lips.
The wild giggles of our children floating in the window, he kissed me back.
When I woke it was only five a.m. I was about to snuggle back into Jake when my cell phone buzzed on the nightstand. Quickly, I scooped it up and stepped blearily into the hallway. Who could be calling this early? Worried, I opened the phone, but didn't recognize the number.
"Hello?" I whispered.
And that one single phone call flipped my life around once again.
*~*~*
AN: So… did I leave you more confused? Haha. The hotel and Cathedral are both real places in Volterra, so you can look them up if you so desire to check them out.
Oh, and just wanted to give a quick thanks to the anonymous reviews. I feel bad not being able to respond, but I appreciate them. So thanks!
Chapter 24