CHRISTMAS

"I'm surprised you took a break from Jedi training," Jacob spoke, Melanie was once again stuck in a car with him, Bella and Renesmee, as Bella had to drop Nesse of at her dad's first before they left.

"If I don't take Renesmee to my dad, he'll come to us," Bella replied.

Melanie chuckled. "Twenty-seven vampires, one human. That would turn out brilliant."

"I know that's what you both told Edward, I'm surprised he didn't question it more than Melanie was coming with us," Jacob responded, after no reply from either of them he shrugged. "Whatever. I'm just glad to get away from all those reeking bloodsuckers."

"Um, rude," Melanie said the same time that Bella glared at him.

Jacob only scoffed, rolling his eyes at the same time. "I'm sorry. I know. They're the good guys. But come on, Dracula One and Two are... creepy."

"Well, he's not wrong there." Melanie snickered causing the three of them to laugh.

As the car pulled up outside of Charlie's, Renesmee happily ran out of the car and into her grandfather's arms. "Wow! Look at you, you've grown half a foot, seriously... like six inches."

"Come on inside. Lunch is on the table." She said, Leah and Seth's mother, and also Charlie's new girlfriend.

"I've actually got a few errands to run, guys. I'll be back soon, okay?" Bella replied, getting back in the car.

"I hate lying to him." Bella sighed as the car started driving again.

"Think about it though, would you rather lie to him, or lose him? Because that's what will happen if you tell him about anything." Melanie explained. "I know it's not, ideal, but it's better of this way."

"Alice's note gave me a new sense of hope, you know. Maybe she has a plan for us all after all." Bella spoke in an attempt of making conversation.

"Alice always has a plan, trust me," Melanie confirmed.

A while later, the duo was now downtown, the rain pouring from the sky as the two hurried inside the restaurant hoping to not get soaked.

"We're meeting Mr Jenks," Melanie told the host as they got inside.

"Right this way." The male replied, guiding Bella and herself towards the table.

"Mrs Cullen," Jenks said to Bella, shaking her hand before turning to Melanie. "Melanie, it's nice to see you again. I'm so happy you called."

"I always meet my private clients here," Jenks said in a hushed tone as the three of them sat down. "It's more comfortable than the office."

"And it's more public," Bella added. "What type of work do you do, J?"

"Oh, you know, this and that," Jenks replied. "It's always different, which keeps it interesting."

"He's worked with us for more than 20 years," Melanie explained. "He met Jasper and Caroline in the eighties."

"And my late partner knew Jasper fifteen years before that," Jenks added. "He is, uh, unusually well-preserved."

"Yes, he is." Bella agreed.

Jenks turned to Melanie. "I trust that Mr Jasper, Mrs Caroline and your lovely wife are enjoying their vacation?"

"He didn't tell you where he was going did he?" Bella questioned, this caught Melanie's attention because even though Melanie knew where Alice was, she didn't actually know, she knew what she was going to collect, but she wasn't sure on the exact location.

"No, no, no, he just mentioned that he was leaving when he came by to place his order." Mr J replied.

"I assume that his order is ready?" Melanie asked.

"Of course." Jenks scoffed. "Would you expect anything different, I've never been late for a delivery." He continued as he pushed a yellow envelope towards Bella.

Bella opened the envelope to find two boarding tickets and two passports.

One for Renesmee, and one for Jacob.

"There a problem?" Jenks questioned once he noticed the saddened and shocked look on Bella's face.

"No. My husband and I just thought we'd all be travelling together." Bella responded.

"Jasper said only two would be travelling. His instructions were very clear."

"It's her mistake." Melanie said, brushing it off "Everything's perfect J, thank you."

The ride back home was awkward, to say the least, Bella's heart was sunk, she was upset, she was upset that Renesmee would have a future, but Edward and she wouldn't be a part of it.

Melanie told her she was being stupid, that even if Jacob and Renesmee did leave, they would eventually find a way back to them.

———

Months had passed since Bella found the note Alice left her, months had passed since Melanie had seen Alice.

Of course, the couple still kept in contact, but it was only now and again, they couldn't talk every day in case someone noticed.

It was now winter, or more importantly Christmas.

Usually every year, Alice would make everyone decorate the full house top to bottom, do secret Santa, give each other gifts and play games.

But this year, the house was bare and well, depressing. And Melanie wouldn't stand for it, Christmas was her favourite time of the year, and since she didn't have Alice with her, she would distance herself.

This is why now Nik and Her were in the car, driving to the nearest farm that sells Christmas trees.

"On a scale from one to ten, how much am I going to despise this little plan of yours?" Nik spoke, looking at Melanie who was driving her car.

"I'd say a solid." Melanie paused to think. "Eighty-five." She replied with a smirk.

"Why are you doing all of this anyway? You're not usually the sentimental type." He asked as Melanie parked the car.

"I need a destruction, otherwise I think I'll physically go insane."

An hour to two, and three arguments later, Melanie and Nik finally arrived back home, both carrying a very large Christmas tree.

Edward and Bella were both at Charlie's house with Renesmee, Bella wanted to spend as much as she could with her dad, not knowing if she'll ever see him again.

Esme, the Denali's and Emmett and Lupin were more than happy to decorate the Christmas tree that night, knowing that it could possibly be the last happy moment they would share.

The show was sticking, and the Volturi were coming.

WORDS: 1109
STATUS: UNEDITED
NOTE; Only two or three more chapters to go and this story is officially over.