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

27 ∘ Concern (BPOV)

October 1st 2016

“Are you sure you want to do this?” I asked my mother. Renée already found a home she liked, and I worried if she rushed into this, she’d regret it. She despised Forks. That’s the one and only reason why she’d left Charlie after I was born. How could she think it would settle well with her now?

“Bella,” she said sternly, her blue eyes piercing my golden ones. “I’ve lived without you long enough. I’m not wasting anymore time.” She placed a hand on my cheek, visibly trying to ignore my hard, cold skin. Shockingly, I hadn’t gotten many questions about that. Or anything else. I knew it wouldn’t last. She may have changed, but definitely not that much.

I smiled. I hadn’t been used to living with her since I was barely seventeen. I forgot how much I craved her childlike presence. She was still my erratic mother and I needed her. She made me feel complete.

The house she chose was indigo, with a long, curved driveway on it’s side that wrapped around the lot to reach the outhouse garage in the backyard. From the picture, it looked surrounded by the forest. It had a porch, a fireplace, and two bedrooms.

It was small and cozy. Plenty of room for just her.

She already arranged for a moving crew to pack up her house in Jacksonville. Edward and I promised her that we’d help unload it when it arrived in two days. Renesmee and Jacob were taking her out to lunch then so they could bond.

Renée already adored her granddaughter, and thought her and Jacob were perfect for each other.

Around seven, Charlie got back from Billy’s with leftovers for dinner. I told Renée I had to go home to feed my daughter, and hugged them both before leaving.

When Edward came out when I pulled into the garage, I was out of the car before he could reach me. I dashed into his arms, very momentarily catching him by surprise.

He chuckled. “Well, hello! This is nice. Are you all right?”

“I’m perfect.” I unwrapped my arms from his torso, and placed them lightly around his neck. “ I just love you.”

He kissed me and I melted into him. “I love you, too. I assume you had a good day?”

I nodded, and we took our time walking inside. “Renée found a house she loves. She’ll get the keys tomorrow.”

“How close is it?”

“Halfway between here and Charlie’s. She’s so excited. So am I.” I hummed happily. “I’ve been so grateful... being in her life again.”

“It shows. I’m so happy to see you happy.” He picked me up to twirl me around. I giggled, then laid my head against his chest for a second.

We were inside now, and I heard someone crying. I recognized Renesmee’s sniffles immediately and rushed to the living room.

I sighed in relief when I found her staring at the television. She was such a sucker for this kind of thing. I kissed the top of her head then ran a hand through Jacob’s hair. He grinned at me. I could tell he was trying to keep a straight face at Nessie’s hysterics. Emmett teased her enough about it, so he never said anything.

Edward and I sat on the loveseat, watching with them. I was trying to decide what to cook for dinner. Jacob will eat anything, but Renesmee’s a bit picky. I was about to ask Edward what he thought I should make that she’d like tonight, but I saw his expression shift and it distracted me.

He looked down from the screen, and barely turned to look at our daughter. He looked confused, and vaguely worried. He turned back before she could notice. Her attention was too focused on the movie, anyway. Nudging him, I stood up to go to the kitchen. He was right behind me and I leaned against the counter.

“What was that?” I whispered. He knew what I meant. I was sure he saw me staring at him.

“I’m not sure... I got a glimpse of a strange place in her mind, and names I don’t recognize.”

I narrowed my eyes, and he continued.

“It was an office, I think. Then Kalona, and Morrison.”

“Where could she have possibly been? And when? Besides being here, at Charlie’s, or at Billy’s, she’s always with—” I stopped speaking when it clicked in my mind.

Edward was thinking the same, and peeked around the corner. “Jacob. Come in here, please.”

He kissed Nessie’s temple, then jogged over to us. “Yeah?”

“Sit,” Edward ordered.

Jacob’s eyebrows shot up. “Am I in trouble?” he asked mockingly.

“We’ll see,” I said.

The smirk left his face. He was clearly nervous now. “What’s going on?”

“Does the name Kalona mean anything to you?” Edward asked.

Jake didn’t answer, just tilted his head.

“What about Morrison?”

“No. No, why?”

I sighed. “Something’s going on with Renesmee. And we have no idea what.”

He stood up quickly. “What? How do you know?”

“I saw something in her mind just now, and it worried me. I don’t know what it means.” Edward cupped his hand behind my shoulder blade. “Don’t panic. I’m sure she’s fine. Just... can you see what you can find out? Discretely? And let us know?”

“Yeah, of course.”

We thanked him, and he went back to his spot next her Nessie. He was no longer paying any attention to the television. His concern-filled eyes never left her face.

“We shouldn’t have said anything. Look at him now. I feel bad,” I said sadly, then opened the fridge. I absentmindedly cooked dinner, and it was ready by the time the movie ended.

They thanked me and ate quietly. Jake wouldn’t go more than three seconds without looking at Renesmee again. For once, he didn’t finish eating. That freaked me out.

When I asked Edward later in our cottage, he said Jacob felt sick.

I suddenly felt sick, too. It made me understand the imprint bond a little more. Jacob never passed up a meal. He always got more than one serving, but this time he barely finished his first.

He was too sick to eat. That was completely unlike him.

“Do you think he’ll be okay?” I asked Edward.

He shrugged. “Not until he figures out what it meant. He hides it well, though. He and Ness are laughing right now.”

“Is she faking it?”

“No. She’s completely, genuinely happy.”

“Can’t he sense that? If she’s feeling okay, there’s obviously nothing to worry about. I should go talk to him—” I was halfway up from the bed, but Edward pulled me back down.

“It won’t do any good. The only way he’ll calm down is if she reassures him.”

I nodded, frowning. I hated seeing Jake unhappy.

I snuggled into Edward’s chest, and he hummed my lullaby. I sang with him.