Better Hold On Tight Spider Monkey

A sweet sunrise

Edward had gone to the Cullen house to see how everyone else was doing after yesterday's events with the Volturi, promising me he would be back by the time the sun had risen. I was staying home in case Renesmee woke up and wondered where we were. I gazed out of the window in the cottage to the dark 4am sky. Edward and I had spent all of last night...well, not sleeping. I didn't get to practice my shield anymore, seeing as how I was a bit preoccupied.

"Mom?" whispered a sweet melodic voice, telling me that my daughter was awake.
"What is it Nessie?" I asked, in her room a split second later. She gazed up at me.
"Nothing. I just wanted to make sure you were still here..." she trailed off.
"Well, of course I'm here, why wouldn't I be?" I said, leaning over her. She reached up and touched my face. Vivid images of yesterday's events flashed through my mind...and something else.
"Shhh, Nessie, no it's ok, Daddy just went to check on Carlisle and Esme. He'll be back before sunrise."
Renesmee stared up at me. I gazed back, troubled. "It was just a bad dream. Go back to sleep, Nessie. Dad will be back when you wake up."
"Alright, mom. Good night...morning."

I stayed in her room until she had fallen asleep, which didn't take too long. When I heard the sound of her beating heart slow to the steady pace of a thump, thump, I went back to Edward's and my room. Renesmee's dream scared me a little, and I didn't move from our bed until I heard Edward's soft footsteps. I waited, and Edward walked into the room.

"What's wrong?" He asked right away, sensing something awry already. He had his arms around me in less than an eighth of a second.

"I...can we go for a walk? Clear our heads?" I asked.

"Of course, love," he said, giving me a quick kiss and heading towards the door.

"Race you," I called over my shoulder, shoving past him and out the door. He didn't need to ask where we were going. We always went to our meadow. As always, the glorious feeling of running overwhelmed me, and I was completely lost in bliss until I got to the meadow. Glancing around, I realized that Edward was nowhere to be seen. Before I could sniff him out, I was on the ground, beneath his crushing lips.

As always, I was completely overwhelmed by everything that was Edward. His face, his lips, his eyes, his hands...but I would not allow myself to go down without a fight. I flipped myself over so I was sitting on top of him. He smirked up at me.

"Feisty today, aren't we?" He asked, still smiling. I didn't respond. Instead I leaned down and shoved my tongue into his mouth. He lost the smile immediately and responded with a groan, giving me the satisfaction that I had won. But I had another trick up my sleeve. Still kissing Edward, I slowly let my shield back off.

Edward's eyes flew open, overwhelmed by what I was thinking. He stared at me. And stared at me.

"Edward?" I asked, confused. This is not how he reacted last night. Did I do something wrong? I leaned down and gently touched his face. "Are you okay?"

Suddenly Edward's arms flew out and pinned my arms behind me and he flew me to the nearest tree, kissing me even more hungrily than before. Gasping for air that I had no need for, I wrapped my legs against his waist while he propped me up against the tree, so his hands were free.

"Forever," Edward whispered, gasping as well.

Although it felt like decades, Edward assured me it was only an hour later when we lay side by side in the grass, staring at the sun beginning to rise over the trees.

"Bella," Edward said, playing with a strand of my hair. I rolled over on my side to gaze at him. He smiled. "You realize that this newfound gift of yours is very hazardous."

"Mm." Like I cared.

He grasped my hand. "Just don't ever try to do that in front of anyone, please," Edward said, still grinning. "My self control might not be strong enough to stop me from doing that, even in front of Carlisle."

Moving to a less embarrassing topic, I quickly asked how Carlisle and the others had been this morning. Edward smirked at my quick change in conversation, but answered me nonetheless.

"Quite fine, actually. Everyone is just in a state of joy that the Volturi are gone and that Renesmee is safe."

When he said Renesmee, I remembered my daughter's dream.

"Edward," I said, putting my hands on his face, "listen to what Renesmee told me this morning." I hefted the shield out of the way, concentrating on Renesmee's thoughts and words.

He pulled my hands away. "Bella," he said softly. "She isn't Alice. This doesn't necessarily mean that this will happen. It was just a nightmare, post-traumatic stress."

But I stared at him with a sick feeling in my stomach, for I could not get the images of Edward being torn apart limb from limb out of my head very easily.