It was very quiet, the air completely still as they stood, watching the spot that they had left. To Roman, she could see each one as they left, could see how some dispersed and others kept in the same direction -- the Volturi -- and she felt like she could watch them go on for miles despite knowing where they were going.

"Is it really over?" Bella whispers, words impossibly silent as she speaks them as if it the peaceful silence would snap if she wasn't careful.

Edward chuckled. "Yes. They've given up. Like all bullies, they're cowards underneath the swagger."

She rolls her eyes, unable to help it as she spins on her toes to give him a tongue touched grin. "I wouldn't exactly call them bullies, but to each their own."

Alice laughed with him. "Seriously, people. They're not coming back. Everybody canrelax now."

There was another beat of silence that Roman felt uncomfortable breaking, unsure of what to do as she supported an antsy Romulus.

She felt much the same as he did, the urge to just go and see them was nearly overwhelming as she stood still, motionless as she waited for someone to make a move, for someone to do something that freed them from this locked state that they were in.

But she couldn't be the one to do it. No, Roman hadn't been left to think that she was abandoned or to think that they were likely to die here. They were all gathered against the Volturi and from what she could tell, things were not going in their favour before she had arrived, not with the way that she had been attacked so quickly and without remorse.

A shiver passed through her at the thought of that haunting pain, that terrible feeling that made her twitch and shake even now. The memory alone was enough o bring it back crawling underneath her skin, burning through her veins and ripping out her nerves.

"Of all the rotten luck," someone muttered.

And then Romulus was demanding to be put down, gasping out for his parents and sister as cheers erupted and she set him on the snow with a faint smile to watch as he danced toward them in much the same way that Alice moved, a petite, graceful thing that seemed to float as he moved.

Edward met him, dropping to his knees as he crushed his son to his chest, whispering his name reverently as he took him in, looking all the tormented, desperate father that he likely was when he had learnt that she had taken his child form him.

Behind them, Bella was climbing Jacob and ripping Renesmee from his back, speaking her name over and over as she gazed down at their daughter, crushing the girl to her chest.

They were all celebrating with loved ones and friends. Rosalie and Emmett were locked in a passionate embrace, Esme had her arms held tightly around Alice and Jasper, Carlisle was thanking Nahuel and Huilen for coming to their aid, Kachiri was reunited with her friends, her sisters, and Roman found herself standing in the same place, unable to actually bring herself to move.

They were all so happy, all had someplace or a face to turn to, but the ones that she wanted to see were occupied with their love elsewhere, or, well, not that their love was elsewhere or misplaced, but they greeting the ones that they thought they were going to lose, the ones that the hadn't seen. How could Roman prevent them from pouring their love onto their children when they thought they were going to lose them? Why would she even want to?

Blinking, she forces herself to look away, to take in all of the other people that had assembled to help them that she had yet to meet.

Roman refused to feel bad about leaving. She did what she had to do, and if any of them thought to condemn or accuse her, then that was their choice.

She sees the blur before it reaches her, the familiar brown eyes alight as she tackled back into the snow, loud whimpers ringing in her ears as he pressed his face as close to her that he could, wet nose cold where he shoved it against her neck as his warm breaths panted over her.

Fingers locked into his fur, tugging him back over her with a happy gasp as she held onto him, tugging him down closer. Seth dropped his weight fully onto her, pressing her to the ground as the light snow around them melted.

"I missed you!" she murmurs into his neck, arms going around him fully. "I'm so sorry and I missed you so much. I shouldn't have left you like that."

He whimpers some more, pawing at the ground next to her head.

"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry," she repeats, clinging to him as much that she could. It had to have been the first time she had felt so warm in days, the first time that she had been so comforted since the moment she left.

Because her son loved her more but he was her son and she his mother. It wasn't his job to comfort her no matter how constant it had been that he was in her arms. But Seth was always there for her, always willing to display how much he cares and loves her. He was her brother and she had missed him so much.

She had missed them all so much.

Nosing at her cheeks and her hair, he bumped his head against hers again, repeating the process as she laughed out a sob, tears stuck as they were destined never to shed. Seth dragged her up by the arms locked around his neck, pulling her to her feet and up higher as he stood tall. She sunk into his fur, the scent of dog that was so him, that was so boyish and home, surrounding her in a way that it hadn't in what felt like forever.

"Roman."

Freezing stiff, her arms go limp as she drops to the ground, limbs numb and mechanical like a puppet as she turns at the sound of his voice, gaze finding his immediately as he stands only a few feet away, just out of reach and only a few steps away.

"Roman," Edward breathes, gathering her in his arms as she crushed to his chest, pressed so close, so impossibly close, that she isn't sure where she ends and he begins. His hand is tangled in her hair, cupping the back of her head as he tilts her up to meet his lips.

It's coming home, the sweet taste of his mouth, the sweet taste that was him bursting around her, drawing her in deepdeepdeeper with every firm press, every caress. He was commanding, guiding her into his kiss that was overflowing with his love and longing.

All that time away imagining the worst, she had never believed this would be her reception.

No, the way he held her, the way he touched her so strong, so tight at her waist that it could have been bruising, could have torn her apart, was enough to set the forest on fire with the way that her core burned for him, to be with him together forever and always. Roman itched for every part of him, to never be away from him again.

"I'm sorry," she breathes into him, lips quivering as they part. "I couldn't tell you anything, I'm sorry."

"You didn't know, Roman," he tells her, words just as quiet as the tremors of fear in her heart. "Alice never would have asked for you to go if there was any other way. It's over now."

"It's over," she repeats with small nods. "I'm not leaving any of you ever again."

"I won't let you get away from me this time."

She laughs breathlessly. "I'll let you catch me."

His crooked grin shoots through her as he rests his forehead against hers, eyes bright with emotion. "You're practically the Goddess of the Hunt."

Words are useless as she crushes herself against him once more, rejoicing in the feeling of his arms around her, of his body against hers. She loved this man so entirely, a love so consuming, that she knew parting from him again would be a far worse torture. With all the threats gone, all questions answered and life settled, Roman planned to make good on the promise of forever, planned to never let that possibility slip from her fingers.

There's a snort from behind her, a warm puff of air that hits the back of her head and she giggles, tilting and twisting to look back at him as much as Edward would allow in the tight constriction of his arms. 

And she grins, beaming up at him with a smile so wide and sunny that it would have been utterly painful had she been human. 

Seth rolls his eyes, peering down at her from the stupidly close way he stood behind her still, standing as closely that he could, and jerked his head to the side, wolfish words grumbling out from his as he motioned over to Bella that stood still, a gentle whisper of a smile of her perfectly beautiful face. 

Some things never changed, some things were destined to stay just as they always were, just as fate intended, and one look, one second of a glance, was all it took to have her stumbling over her feet, tripping over her words as they struggled to rush out all at once, so many things a vampire ought to have never been coming out as a beautiful mess as she reached for her. 

In the beginning when her days and nights were occupied with all that was Edward and Bella, when she was nothign but a girl that was desperately romantic, desperately wishing to some higher power that soulmates existed in their hearts enough for them to recognize her, it had been Bella that had seen her first. 

It had been Bella that had pulled the will from her life, that had freed her by opening up enough to show her love as pure and raw that it was. 

And it was Bella that brought everything full circle. She's all lithe figure and floating grace as they meet, all tender words and reassuring promises that she had never doubted her for a moment, that she had always believed that her love was true and strong because Bella had never thought her to be a coward, never believed her to be selfish or greedy. 

Of course, her loving, wonderful, beautiful, perfect wife would know that she would come back because that's what Roman did. She found what she needed, did what had to be done, but she always came back. 

The arms that were wrapped around her so soft and gentle spoke all of that and more, even as Bella spoke her promises. 

"I love you so much," she chokes out, the sing-song of her voice choked and strained. 

Bella's response is soft and gentle as she whispers it against her lips, brushing them so gentle that they're a feather-light touch, hardly even their. "I love you eternally, Roman." 

"Forever." 

"Forever, Ro. Forever." 

Her giggle is high, twinkling, and it brings warmth bursting through her. She could stagger under the weight of her emotions, drown under the intensity of the love. It was the only reason she would be willing to go, the only way she would let herself die. 

"Forever would be a start," Edward mumbles, pulling them into his chest. Her eyes flutter closed. 

"Forever and ever," she amends with a twist of her lips. 

Time could freeze right here and now, the world could end at this very moment, and she would be content, would be happy and blissful forever.

And then the world snaps out of focus again and she twirls out of their arms, locking onto the little girl that was watching her with a deeply set frown to her brows intently from Rosalie's arms as Romulus speaking a mile a minute at his sister about everything that he saw. 

It would be impossible to forget the way her voice had echoed with her brother's in that twin cry of her name, the fear that had shouted out at her, that had knocked her into focus and resounded through her so strongly that she had been able to shake off Jane's control. 

The small, thin hand that held her as she approached, keeping close to her side. The tiny that wasn't truly so tiny anymore, was wobbling in her anger, the stern expression that she was trying to maintain falling away with each step that Roman took until it was too much and her daughter was launching her with a leap with arms held open and a soft cry on her lips.

Roman catches her in a beat, tucking her head into her shoulder as she cradles her gently, fingers dancing up and down her spine in comfort. 

"I'm sorry for leaving you, baby. I wish that I could have brought you with me, I do," she whispers, peppering kisses to the top of her head. "I never would have left you if I had the choice." 

"Did you miss me?" she demands with a soft whimper, a glistening tear touching rose cheeks. 

"I thought of you every second that I was gone, babe. My sweet girl. I missed you all that time." 

"You missed Christmas. We went to Grandpa Charlie's and saw Nana Sue." 

"Did you?" she asks softly, the sound of her voice a pleasant song. "I'm sorry that we weren't there." 

Renesmee lifts her hand, palm laid flat against her cheek. She flashed before her own eyes, the image of her held tightly between Edward and Bella clear as it strikes through, intent and demanding as the picture of Renesmee and Romulus cradled in her arms. 

She smiles gently, looking back to meet her wife's gaze, searching beyond her for Edward and their son now happily held in his arms. 

Around them, others were leaving. Some were already gone, moving to their own homes that were surprisingly easy for her to make out now as she watched them, while a few others lingered behind to speak with their friends. 

There was no time to meet them, but that was fine. She had all the time in the world to encounter them again. Besides, she had no doubt that there would be plenty chance for the story to be told to her over and over. Her daughter would be much too willing to show her it all over and over and over again. 

Yet still, all around them, stood her family, the Cullen's and the pack that stayed, Jacob's pack, and she knew that she needn't anyone else ever again. 

Her attention is focused on her in the next second, fully turned to Renesmee as if nothing had changed. 

"I'm not going anywhere, Ressie. I'm going to right here so that we can always be a family," Roman vowed. "Forever and ever and all the time that comes after." 

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ahhhhhh!!!!!!!!!! my heart is screaming!!! 

unedited 

2020-04-29