𝐏𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐭-𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐝 𝐓𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐬² | 𝙏𝙬𝙞𝙡𝙞𝙜𝙝𝙩 ✓

𝐗𝐗𝐈𝐈𝐈

Meloria was a bit shocked when Ren suddenly showed up at her door but by the look on her husband's face, Tobias needed her there.

"Ren, how are you?" Meloria asked, hugging the girl. "I'm good but by the look on your faces though, I'm guessing Tobias didn't let you guys know I was coming." She said, laughing awkwardly. Meloria waved her off, letting her walk into the house.

"It's fine Ren, you know you're always welcome," Meloria says, laughing lightly, hoping to ease Ren's nerves. "I know but your husband just, you know, came back to life so maybe you guys wanted some alone time." She rambled.

Victor stood up, joining the two by the door. "It's fine Renesme, you're a close friend of our son so it's fine. Plus, with a mother like yours,"-"Vincent!" Meloria scolded her husband making Ren laugh slightly.

"It's fine Mrs. Leaf. He's right, with a mother like mine I'd rather be anywhere but home." Meloria felt a pang in her heart at the sound of Ren's explanation. No child should hate being around their mother so much.

A mother should be a person a child seeks comfort. Not someone they run away from.

"If it's okay, could I go up and see Tobias?" Ren asked, earning a nod from the two parents.

"Oh, and by the way Mr. Leaf. Please, call me Ren." She said as she walked up the stairs, stopping mid-way.

Vincent nodded, "No problem kid." She gave them a polite nod before making her way toward Tobias' room. Vincent knew something was up with his son but he knew Ren would do a better job at comforting him.

Meloria looked at her husband once Ren was out of her sight, noticing a slight frown on his face.

"What's wrong?" She asked, worried, as she walked them towards the couch. He shook his head, "I hate that Tobias and I lost our relationship. It feels like I barely know him anymore." He confessed. Meloria sighed.

"You've been "dead" for years. He was a toddler when it all happened, you can't expect that relationship to stay without nurturing it." Vincent knew Meloria was right, his wife always was.

He leaned his head on her shoulder, one of her hands rubbing his arm soothingly as her other tangled itself through his hair. "Just give it time Vince, he loves you. Just talk to him, and go on walks together. I don't know, just do father-son stuff, and that relationship with him will be stronger than when you left." She laughed lightly, causing Vincent to chuckle.

"I'll take him out tomorrow." He told his wife, enjoying her warmth and the sound of her beating heart. He loved knowing she was alive and well near him. Not a day passed where he wasn't scared his family would be ripped out from under him again.

He wasn't going to deny that he was still mad at Bella Cullen. She took everything from him all because her husband spoiled her, letting her do whatever she wanted.

It made him wonder how many others in that town she failed to kill and turned. How many people's lives she ruined? How many angry vampires there were out there that couldn't remember the face of the monster that killed them?

He lifted his head, looking his wife in the eyes. She looked at him, waiting for what he was going to say, watching as the wheels waited to click in his head. "I should've come back sooner." He whispered. She gave him a sad smile, lightly shaking her head.

"Maybe, but it's all in the past. I'm not mad at you for staying hidden; you were just looking out for us." He shook his head, sitting upright. "I missed out on so much Meloria. I watched it all from afar and I need to make it up to you guys." Meloria shook her head again. "Just you being here is enough. So, stop overthinking it so much and enjoy the time we have together." If his heart could beat, it would've stopped.

He forgot for a while that his family would one day die, leaving him alone. He also knew that they wouldn't agree to turn, it's not the life they'd want to live. Maybe, just maybe, Tobias would be inclined to turn for Ren. Even a blind man could see how deep their friendship ran.

"The day you pass is the day I do too." He confessed, not liking the idea of living in a world without her. He knew Sam wouldn't stop him either. "Vince, you can't," Meloria said lightly. Vincent shook his head, "I can and I will." Meloria stood up, facing away from his as he stayed sat on the couch.

"Why would you give it all up? You have a chance to live into the future, and love until you can't anymore. Isn't that what you always wanted? To see the future?" Meloria argued, recalling something he told her in their early days of dating. "What's the point of it if you aren't there? I don't want to love until I can't. I don't want to see the future if you aren't by my side." He argued back.

He stood up, going up behind her as he placed his hands on her shoulders. She leaned into his cold touch, enjoying the embrace of her husband. "I don't want us to argue, especially after all the time I've wasted being away." He whispered into her ear, moving his arms to hug her.

"I hate how I can't stay upset with you, Vincent." She huffed jokingly, making Vincent laugh. He kissed the side of her head as she cuddled more into his hold.

"I'm glad, I'd hate for you to be upset with me."

They spent the rest of the day in each other's arms, enjoying the love they held for each other.

Reminiscing over their early years of dating. Recalling the times they'd sit in the back of Vincent's truck as he read to her under the moonlight.