After Forever (a Twilight Saga fanfiction: 10 years after Breaking Dawn)

9 ∘ Rejection (BPOV)

September 12th, 2016

When Renesmee gave Jacob the ring back, it seemed like he was tiptoeing around the house. He needed to be near her because of the imprint bond, but he wanted to give her as much space as she needed. As much as he could possibly give her.

He wasn’t the goofy, loving Jake I grew up with anymore. He was someone else. I didn’t know who this person was.

His soulmate... the love of his life... his one true partner... had rejected him. I knew how that felt.

Edward did all he could to help, but even he didn’t recognize him. He said it was like his mind shut off.

Renesmee was the same. Letting go of him hurt her just as much. She didn’t want to, but she wasn’t ready to move passed the truth yet.

Edward was different, too. Being in their minds was painful. I had to keep my shield around them so he didn’t have to hear. It seemed to help a little, but he still knew.

“Bella, wanna come with me?” Alice came downstairs with a neutral smile on her face. She felt terrible about what her family was going through. There were very little problems that she didn’t know how to handle.

“Yeah, sure. Let me get my keys.”

“Got them.” Edward zoomed past me and out the door before I could reach them.

“I guess he’s coming with us,” I chuckled.

We liked to shop early for Christmas. It was easier to plan. Especially for Alice, who, of course, always went all-out for the party.

We stopped by a bookstore in Port Angeles before going to Seattle. It was hard for me to think of gifts for everyone, since it seemed like they already had everything.

Edward told me last year that before Alice came along, they didn’t do anything for Christmas. They thought it was pointless to do something every year for eternity. Alice just decorated the house, and then ever since Renesmee was born, we started doing gifts.

Edward had it easiest. He could see whatever people wanted. Well, besides me. And if that didn’t frustrate him enough, I never gave him any hints, either.

It was a very long day. It was almost midnight by the time we got home. Edward was arguing with me when we were walking to the cottage.

“Bella!” he whined, “Just humor me.”

“Shouldn’t you know me enough by now?” I loathe my birthday. “How many times are we going to talk about the same thing?”

“And shouldn’t you know me by now? I can’t get you nothing. Why do you still hate your birthday so much?”

“It doesn’t matter.” I repeated for the millionth time and took his hand. “I don’t want you to get me anything because you’ve already given me everything I could ever want.”

He stopped to kiss me before we stepped inside. “I can’t help it. It’s who I am.”

“I know. And I love that about you.”

“So...” He looked at me expectantly. I smiled at him.

“Well, there’s no such thing as too many books,” I said, sitting on the couch.

He sighed semi-happily, then we heard footsteps coming to the living room.

“What are you still doing up?” Edward asked. Renesmee stood in the hallway, looking conflicted.

“What is it, honey?” I held my arms open for her, and she came over to curl up with me, in between us. Edward sat on the other side of her, rubbing her back.

“I don’t know what to do, Mom.” Her voice cracked.

“Oh, Ness... What is your heart telling you?”

It took a minute for her to answer. “I love him.”

“I know you do. And he loves you. And I’m so sorry... But you know what? It’s the way it was supposed to happen. He said it’s what led him to you.” I kissed her hair.

“He really said that?”

“He did. It was two days after you were born. He said it was the reason he and your mom needed to be close all the time. It was fate trying to make sure he met you,” Edward told her.

“I never knew that.” She paused. “But it’s not that I doubt his love. It’s the lying that got to me.”

“Renesmee... he wasn’t the only one involved.” She leaned up to look at me, and I held Edward’s hand. “Your father and I did the same thing Jake did. But you seem fine with us... Or is it just because we’re your parents?”

“Go sleep on it. We’ll see you in the morning,” Edward said. She placed her hand against my cheek.

I love you guys.

“We love you, too,” he and I said together.

After she had fallen asleep, Edward and I went to bed. We were almost halfway through watching Romeo and Juliet when he spoke.

“Did you ever think we would be here?”

“‘Here’?” I looked over at him.

“When we met, and you found out what I was, did you ever think that we would have a future like this? You, a vampire. Us married. Having a child?”

“No, I really didn’t. Especially the child part. I never pictured myself a mother. Even though I had been one for seventeen years. My mom and I kind of switched roles.”

“You changed your mind pretty fast.”

“Because it was with you. I knew I could do it.”

He hung his head. “I still can’t believe that I acted like that. I never apologized for what I tried to do.”

“Edward... It took me a while, but I understand why now. You were watching me die. You were scared to lose me. I know what that feels like.” I scooted closer to him, and put my head on his shoulder, then he kissed my head and wrapped his arms around me. We stayed this way for about an hour before I sighed, “I miss you.”

He chuckled. “You miss me? We’re together all the time.”

I moved my head to the crook of his neck, and his skin was cold against my lips.

“Oh,” he mumbled.

He buried his hands in my hair as I pulled the sheet over us.