Chapter 1

Family

Renesmee had finally won; now finally married to Ambrogio, Son of Aro and the Prince of the Vampires, things were the way they were meant to be. But now something had happened; something wonderful, but will Ambrogio be able to live with this change – or for that matter how would Renesmee... if she may even survive at all.

I had never been so excited, to just even have Renesmee Carlie Cullen as my wife was like handing all the happiness of the world into the arms of one person; but now knowing that Renesmee was pregnant with my child was indescribable. All during the night we picked and began preparing the baby's room – having no exact coordination with colour as we did not know the sex of the child – so we kept to the traditional gold, white, and ivory colours of the house.

After all those years of raising my cousins, Didyme and Orithyia, spending so much time around hybrids, I learned so much, so we didn't bother about getting a cot but we did design our own crib mobile. Falling around a small faint light was a delicate chandelier of heart-shaped crystal trinkets, dangling in the centre on the longest string was the diamond orb my father, Aro, had first sent to Bella as a wedding gift; and spiralling around it on three unevenly length strings were three small crystal animals – a wolf, a lion, and a lamb. We even managed to program it with the soft melody of my family's Italian lullaby.

Just over twenty-four hours later, since Renesmee had told the Cullens about her pregnancy, there was a knock at the door and in came some of the family; Renesmee was almost squeezed to exhaustion by her mother and aunt, Rosalie, I managed to get a handshake from my in-laws, but a mere friendly nod from Jacob.
Things were never going to fully mend between us as he believed that I stole his true love… which guilted me to believe that maybe I did.

Dear Renesmee showed them to the baby's room, and Bella was most pleased with it but at the same time was a little bit saddened – thinking that maybe she didn't spoil Renesmee enough – though in that moment I just realised that I could hear Bella's thoughts.
It always took me by surprise to read Bella's thoughts whenever she lifted her mental shield, its sole purpose of allowing Edward read her thoughts; but every time I took the chance I searched through her thoughts to find out as much as possible about her.

"I don't really feel comfortable with this," as always, protested Rosalie. "I really think that Nessie should be closer to home, especially in her delicate condition."

"Don't worry, Rosalie. I sent a letter to my father, and no doubt he'll be just as protective as you are; summoning most of the guard to come and watch over us." But I knew it was not that side of home she was referring too.

"I meant home in Forks." She pushed. Jacob came to her side and agreed with her – naturally Renesmee was the only thing those two ever agreed on.

"No, I really want the child to be home-born. And if we need to be closer to family, my mother will have our vacation villa, in Tuscany, ready for us; at least it's a lot closer for Renesmee to get to." My point was made quite clear that I wanted my child to be born very close to home.

The next day the rest of the Cullens appeared; Jasper and Alice lit up the room with an enthusiastic atmosphere, Emmett, with a huge smile on his face, greeted Rosalie with a kiss and twirled Renesmee in his arms. But out of the Cullens, I was most pleased to see Esme and Carlisle, the only ones who hugged me as if I were actually family.

"So, Nessie; shall we get started?" Asked Carlisle.

He and Renesmee went upstairs, I stayed behind with the rest of the Cullens, and just at that moment Edward turned to me.

"Oh by the way, Gino; Carlisle was so happy about the call, that he contacted the Denali family – informing them of the news – if it's alright with you, they would really like to be here when the time comes."

The Denali coven, I had not seen them since the wedding, several months ago. "Oh, of course… after all they're family too." I replied, with a half smile.

Fifteen minutes later and Carlisle and Nesmee came down and told us that the child's development was extremely healthy, it was only now that I could see a fraction of her stomach was beginning to show; but since the foetus was, at this point, compatible with Renesmee's body, Carlisle insisted on staying with us, in case if anything were to change.

And so over the next two days, Carlisle imported his medical supplies and others things he thought would be necessary; and naturally the rest of the Cullen Clan, and Jacob, stayed with us.

Renesmee's POV

I had only been pregnant for at least a week, although I had been able to feel it inside of me since day one, but now the hard lump in my stomach was now clearly visible and every time I looked at myself in the mirror, which for some reason I did more times than I should, it almost looked unnatural to be there – as if I had a hard time wrapping my head around the idea that I was finally pregnant with my Ambrogio Voltago's child.

But there were a few things concerning everyone with the way the lump appeared; I felt perfectly fine but from what everyone remembered from my Mom's pregnancy was, at this early stage, considerably smaller whereas mine appeared slightly bigger and un-disturbingly wider – I naturally assumed that perhaps a hybrid of our particular strength developed slightly different.

It seemed perfectly unnecessary the way my Mom and Aunt Rosalie insisted on helping me every time I wanted to walk around, even if it was just to take a turn about the room; though I understood how it was just a precaution, as I was told of how weak my Mom was at this stage, but they always forgot that I am considerably strong than she was.

On the fifth day of my pregnancy, Ambrogio had received word back from his father – after he had sent a letter advising Aro of the situation – he and I were lazing about on the couch, almost being guarded by my mom and aunt, smirking as Gino read me his father's letter; the reason we were laughing was because I don't think ever Aro himself could have made sense of his own letter. In his writing he tried to express his excitement with better, more sophisticated, even personally invented Aro-ish words, as I called them.

But at the end it did reveal that all of the close 'Voltago' family of the Volturi were immediately coming to visit, but as we were laughing when Ambrogio finally finished the letter; I felt something heavily hit against my stomach.

"Whoa." I gasped, I felt Gino's hands upon my shoulders, and then it hit again; only this time I felt forced to fall to my knees.

Aunt Rosalie immediately came to my side, "Are you alright, Nessie?" she asked.

I paused for a moment.

"Nesmee?" came my husband.

I didn't answer for a moment; I sat myself back on the couch with a smile on my face, and then I jolted slightly. "Gino!" I cried, "Gino, feel!"

And before Gino had even placed his hands on my stomach, everybody else had run into the room; Mom and Jacob almost had frightened looks on their faces. But we waited, and a few seconds later the baby kicked again; rather hard that it made me wince.

"Oooo, wow, strong little thing isn't it." I smiled, "Just like its father."

Gino smiled to me charmingly as I touched his face and my mind flowed back to the heated memories of our honeymoon on Isle Esme; though I knew he could see pain was creeping through my expression as I rubbed my stomach, but he kindly ignored it.

"Maybe so but it's going to be just as beautiful as you." he swooned.

The next morning, as I gazed out the bedroom window I grew slightly nervous as on the horizon I could see a small cloud of black floating towards the castle; instant memories of the same phantom group came into view, all cloaked figures with bright eyes blazing of horrifying magnitude. Nothing had changed; only the group on the horizon was obviously smaller and wasn't coming to kill me – though sometimes it didn't mean that I feared them any less.

I went down stairs and immediately sort refuge in Gino's protective embrace, just as Carlisle opened the door and I almost lost all of my anxiousness as my eyes feel upon Aro's beaming white smile, and his blood-ruby eyes were sparkling brightly directly at us.