( outfit for
chapter above )

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chapter eight
the future.

          Carlisle sighed as he sat down next to his wife on the couch. Everyone paused as they waited for him to explain his phone call with the Denali clan. "Tanya convinced Irina to come to reconcile with us."

Christina pursed her lips tightly.

"It looks like she changed her mind," Edward commented back.

"Seeing the wolves must have been too much for her," Bella muttered softly.

Christina sighed loudly, resting her head on the back of the couch. "I wish I could have just talked to her."

Carlisle wrapped his arm that was behind her head, around her shoulders, bringing her into his chest. "She's family, she'll come around."

Everyone tried relaxing and going back to their activities at Carlisle's final words. Edward turned back to the piano, teaching Nessie how to play a lullaby he produced. The sound rang through the quiet living room, besides Annie and Greyson coloring at the coffee table.

Christina couldn't help but think something was going to come out of Irina seeing the wolves and children play— she just wished she knew what it was.

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         It's been a few days since Irina disappeared from the woods, and no one has heard anything from her; even Alice wasn't able to get a clear vision of her future. She just kept seeing Irina in the woods distraught and confused. Christina tried ignoring the unsettling feeling in her chest, but with every blank vision from Alice got her more nervous.

Carlisle's tried calling the Denali again, seeing if Irina had made it home, but they haven't seen her either. They were also feeling the loss of their sister and were concerned with the fact that they couldn't get in touch with her.

Christina finished Annie's braids in her hair, tying them with elastic bands at the bottom. Annie grinned as her curls were finally out of her face before she took off towards Nessie and Greyson.

The mother was paying too much attention to the children playing, she didn't notice Alice's pause in her steps— not until she heard the falling of a vase in the pixie's hands.

The blue vase full of wildflowers fell right between Alice's fingers, as the psychic became trapped in her mind. Jasper was immediately next to her, as soon as the vase touched the ground and shattered. Everyone was quiet as Alice had her vision before dread filled their undead hearts as fear took over Alice and Edward's features.

"What is it, Alice?" Jasper asked, as soon as the pixie came back into focus.

"The Volturi," she answered, making everyone freeze. Christina and Carlisle stood up from their seat and faced Alice. "They're coming for us. Aro, Caius, Marcus, the Guard. And Irina."

"Annie. Greyson," Christina called, feeling fear take over her instincts. They stopped playing as they heard the panic in her voice. Greyson ran to his mother's side, grabbing onto her hand, as Annie did the same to Carlisle.

Renesmee also went towards Bella, who immediately grabbed her and held her in front of her.

"Why?" Carlisle asked.

"What did Irina see in the woods?" Edward asked, looking between Christina, Bella, and Jacob.

"We were just walking," Bella answered, furrowing her brows.

"Ness was catching snowflakes," Jacob continued.

"Greyson was riding Seth through the trees," Christina finished, holding onto her son's hand tighter.

Edward's face fell, but he nodded. "Of course. Irina thinks their Immortal Children."

Christina's undead heart could have restarted at Edward's words. She remembered how they feared that Greyson was one when he was born, but they were wrong because he was growing every day.

Carlisle disappeared for less than a second before returning and opening a book on the piano in front of Bella.

"The Immortal Children were very beautiful," Carlisle started. He pointed to a specific page, making Bella look down at it. "So enchanting. To be near them was to love them. But their development was frozen at the age they were turned. They couldn't be taught or restrained. A single tantrum could destroy an entire village. Humans heard about the devastation. Stories spread. The Volturi were forced to intervene. Since the Children couldn't protect our secret they had to be destroyed."

Greyson stepped closer to his mother at his father's words. Christina let go of his hand before pulling him into her arms, letting him rest his face into her neck for comfort.

"They're creators grew very attached and fought to protect them. Long-established covens were torn apart. Countless humans slaughtered. Traditions, friends, even families— lost," Carlisle finished. He reached down and rested his right hand on Annie's head.

"The Denali's mother made an Immortal Child, right?" Christina asked, looking towards her husband for an answer.

He nodded his head. "And she paid the price."

Both Christina and Bella flinched involuntarily; knowing exactly what he meant by that.

"Well, Renesmee and Greyson are nothing like that. They were born, not bitten," Bella stated.

"They grow every single day," Christina muttered. "Sometimes I think Renesmee's more mature than I am."

"You can't just explain that to the Volturi?" Jacob asked, not liking where this was going.

"Aro has enough proof in Irina's thoughts," Edward stated.

"So, we fight." Jacob shrugged his shoulders.

Christina bit down on her bottom lip in worry.

"Their offensive weapons are too powerful," Jasper argued. "No one can stand against Jane."

Christina made eye contact with Bella over the top of Greyson's head. "Maybe one person can."

"But Alec's even worse," Alice challenged.

"So, then we convince them," Bella said, looking around the room.

"They're coming to kill us, not to talk." Emmett rolled his eyes, before flexing his muscles.

"No, you're right," Edward said looking towards Emmett, before setting his eyes on Carlisle. "They won't listen to us. But maybe others can convince them. Carlisle, you have friends all over the world."

"I won't ask them to fight." Carlisle frowned at the thought of killing unnecessary friends.

"Not fight." Edward shook his head. "Witness. If enough people knew the truth, maybe we could convince the Volturi to listen."

Carlisle looked down at Annie, as her doe eyes glanced with fear around the room. She clenched hard on his hand, even though he couldn't feel it. He turned his eyes towards Christina as she held their son. Greyson was wrapped in her arms, protecting all of his vital areas like she was about to be attacked that instant. Carlisle met familiar gold eyes before nodding his head to Edward.

"Alright," he finally said.

"Alice, when are they coming?" Christina asked, hoping to get some sort of time frame.

The pixie frowned. "Not long. There's snow on the ground. Less than a month."

"Bella and I will take Renesmee up to the Denali's and talk with them," Edward stated. "They can at least let us explain— they owe us that."

"I'm going with you," Jacob added. Edward didn't bother fighting, knowing that it would be a waste of time.

"Rosalie and I will start finding nomads to come help," Emmett stated. "There's a few in our time alone after our wedding that we met."

"We can find Peter and Charlotte." Jasper looked down at Alice, fear lingering in his eyes at the thought of his old army brother fighting alongside him again.

"I'll stay here," Christina muttered softly. "Greet the guests.  Plus, it's too dangerous to be traveling with both Annie and Greyson."

Carlisle frowned but he nodded his head. "I know a few covens I can visit."

"We don't have much time," Alice muttered. She was still trying to get another vision of the fight, or even the witnesses but everything was blank. No one's made a decision besides the Cullen's death sentence. "We have to move fast."

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        "Any other time, I would be jealous that you get to travel," Christina tried joking as she helped Carlisle pack his bag.

"Are you going to okay by yourself?" Carlisle muttered, coming up behind her and wrapping her in his arms.

She nodded her head slowly before turning in his arms. She reached up and wrapped her own around his neck, clinging to him like a life-line. "I'll be okay. I'll only be alone for a few days until Edward, Bella, and Jacob return. Besides Jacob has Seth on babysitter duty— not that I think he'd be able to convince him otherwise."

Christina had never thought she would see the day when Seth burst into his wolf form from being too angry. She had gone with Jacob to tell the pup about the army, and how vampires were going to running amuck because they needed witnesses. Seth burst into his wolf form at the thought of Annie being in the middle of the field— it took him twenty minutes of running to finally calm down enough to make a plan with Jacob.

Even though Leah was Jacob's second in command, Seth was going to be taking his place as protector of the house until he came back from Alaska. Leah was going to be running the perimeter with Embry and Quil; who joined Jacob's pack after the birth of Greyson and Nessie.

Carlisle leaned down and claimed her lips against his. Fear was settled in both of their hearts— especially because they would be apart for a week or two. "I'll come back as soon as I can."

She gave him a very soft smile as she played with the hair on the back of his neck. "Just... get as many people as you can. I can handle myself here."

He kissed her lips one last night before they broke apart. He grabbed his bag before also grabbing Christina's hand— and lead the way downstairs.

"Alright." Jacob clapped as he threw his bag next to the front door. "Let's get this show on the road."

Christina's smile fell as Sam Uley stepped out from the tree line. Everyone paused in confusion before walking to meet him on the porch.

Sam stopped just short of the stairs, looking up at Carlisle. He held out his hand, a white piece of paper contrasting against his skin tone. "Alice asked me to give you this. She and Jasper crossed our lands to the ocean last night."

Christina frowned deeply as she just realized Alice and Jasper weren't upstairs packing their clothes. Carlisle reached forward and grabbed the paper from Sam's awaiting hands.

He was silent for a moment. A deep frown was set on his face as he stared at the writing.

"Carlisle?" Christina muttered, bringing her hand up to rest against his back.

"They left us," he whispered back, but everyone heard.

Rosalie furrowed her brows. "Why?"

Carlisle shook his head as he sighed. "She didn't say."

Bella stepped forward. "Can I see that?"

Carlisle silently gave her the note, and Christina moved over to read it over her shoulder.

        Gather as many witnesses as you can before the
        snow sticks to the ground. That's when they'll
        come.

Christina pursed her lips at the message. It was a warning, maybe another vision that she had away from the house. Christina just couldn't imagine why Alice would leave, at such an inconvenient time. They needed her visions more than ever, and she and Jasper just disappeared.

As everyone whispered around them, almost fighting over reasons why Alice and Jasper would leave— thinking it was a bad omen of sorts— Christina and Bella looked to each other, silence surrounding them. Both sisters knew that Alice wouldn't just leave them to die. There was a motive behind their departure, they just couldn't figure out what.

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Ahhhhhh I'm not READY FOR THE FIGHT WHAT.