There was a short silence.

"What's going on, Edward?" Tanya demanded.

"If you could give me the benefit of the doubt for just a few minutes," he answered. "I have something difficult to explain, and I'll need you to be open-minded until you understand."

"Is Carlisle all right?" a male voice asked anxiously. Eleazar.

"None of us are all right, Eleazar," Edward said, and then he patted something, maybe Eleazar's shoulder. "But physically, Carlisle is fine."

"Physically?" Tanya asked sharply. "What do you mean?"

Mentally all of us were in anguish, all of us were wrapped around the pups fingers.

"I mean that my entire family is in very grave danger. But before I explain, I ask for your promise. Listen to everything I say before you react. I am begging you to hear me out."

A longer silence greeted his request. Through the strained hush, I squeezed Demetri's hand gently looking at Rose before moving my free hand to the small of Bella's back. A unified unit. I smiled gently at Renesmee who put her hand on my cheek.

'are we going to be okay?'

I nodded, no matter what I would make sure they were safe. I mouthed 'I promise'

"We're listening," Tanya finally said. "We will hear it all before we judge."

"Thank you, Tanya," Edward said fervently. "We wouldn't involve you in this if we had any other choice."

Edward moved. We heard four sets of footsteps walk through the doorway.

Someone sniffed. "I knew those werewolves were involved," Tanya muttered.

"Yes, and they're on our side. Again." The reminder silenced Tanya.

"Where's your Bella?" one of the other female voices asked. "How is she?"

"She'll join us shortly. She's well, thank you. She's taken to immortality with amazing finesse."

"Tell us about the danger, Edward," Tanya said quietly. "We'll listen, and we'll be on your side, where we belong."

Edward took a deep breath. "I'd like you to witness for yourselves first. Listen - in the other room. What do you hear?"

It was quiet, and then there was movement.

"Just listen first, please," Edward said.

"A werewolf, I assume. I can hear his heart," Tanya said. I looked at the others, I'm assuming she meant me, but my heart fluttered fast too, it was the same as Demetri's. "or their hearts."

Oh... now they heard it.

"What else?" Edward asked. There was a pause.

"What is that thrumming?" Kate or Carmen asked. "Is that... some kind of a bird?"

"No, but remember what you're hearing. Now, what do you smell? Besides the wolf."

"Is there a human here?" Eleazar whispered.

"No," Tanya disagreed. "It's not human... but... closer to human than the rest of the scents here. What is that Edward? I don't think I've ever smelled that fragrance before."

"You most certainly have not, Tanya. Please, please remember that this is something entirely new to you. Throw away your preconceived notions."

"I promised you I would listen, Edward."

"All right, then. Bella? Rose? Bring out Renesmee and Demetri, please."

I allowed them to walk in front of me, Demetri turned back to look at me, I gave him a reassuring smile and followed, shadowing their steps.

We took on large step into the large room then froze.

Renesmee took a deep breath and peeped from her hiding spot, her little shoulders tight, expecting a rebuff. Demetri stood beside Rose, mirroring her stance. Guarded by not defensive yet. He trusted us, he trusted Edward and I to do something before anyone got hurt.

Tanya skittered back four steps, her strawberry curls quivering, like a human confronted by a venomous snake. Kate jumped back all the way to the front door and braced herself against the wall there. A shocked hiss came from between her clenched teeth. Eleazar threw himself in front of Carmen in a protective crouch.

I sighed, Renesmee hid her head again and Demetri moved to hide behind Rose's legs. Her stance stiffening, her maternal instinct flaring. I put my hand on her back hoping to relax her a little, but to also let her know I was here.

"You promised to listen," Edward reminded them.

"Some things cannot be heard!" Tanya exclaimed. "How could you, Edward? Rosalie? Do you not know what this means?"

"We have to get out of here," Kate said anxiously, her hand on the doorknob.

"Edward ..." Eleazar seemed beyond words.

"Wait," Edward said, his voice harder now. "Remember what you hear, what you smell. They are not what you think they are."

"There are no exceptions to this rule, Edward," Tanya snapped back.

"Tanya," Edward said sharply, "you can hear their heartbeats! Stop and think about what that means."

"their heartbeats?" Carmen whispered, peering around Eleazar's shoulder.

"She's not a full vampire child," Edward answered, directing his attention toward Carmen's less hostile expression. "She is half-human."

The four vampires stared at him like he was speaking a language none of them knew.

"Hear me." Edward's voice shifted into a smooth velvet tone of persuasion. "Renesmee is one of a kind. I am her father. Not her creator - her biological father."

Tanya's head was shaking, just a tiny movement. She didn't seem aware of it.

"Edward, you can't expect us to -," Eleazar started to say.

"Tell me another explanation that fits, Eleazar. You can feel the warmth of her body in the air. Blood runs in her veins, Eleazar. You can smell it."

"How?" Kate breathed.

"Bella is her biological mother," Edward told her. "She conceived, carried, and gave birth to Renesmee while she was still human. It nearly killed her. I was hard-pressed to get enough venom into her heart to save her."

"I've never heard of such a thing," Eleazar said. His shoulders were still stiff, his expression cold.

"Physical relationships between vampires and humans are not common," Edward answered, a bit of dark humor in his tone now. "Human survivors of such trysts are even less common. Wouldn't you agree, cousins?"

Both Kate and Tanya scowled at him.

"Come now, Eleazar. Surely you can see the resemblance."

It was Carmen who responded to Edward's words. She stepped around Eleazar, ignoring his half-articulated warning, and walked carefully to stand right in front of us, then leaned down slightly, looking carefully into Renesmee's face.

"You seem to have your mother's eyes," she said in a low, calm voice, "but your father's face." And then, as if she could not help herself, she smiled at Renesmee. Her eyes flickered to Demetri, then looked at me, another smile as she looked at him. "and it appears you too have your mothers eyes"

Demetri looked up at me then back to Carmen his smile dazzling, and proud.

"Do you mind if Renesmee tells you about it herself? About him?" Bella asked Carmen. "She has a gift for explaining things."

Carmen turned to smile at Renesmee. "Do you speak, little one?"

"Yes," Renesmee answered in her trilling high soprano. All of Tanya's family flinched at the sound of her voice except for Carmen. "But I can show you more than I can tell you."

She placed her little dimpled hand on Carmen's cheek.

Carmen stiffened like an electric shock had run through her. Eleazar was at her side in an instant, his hands on her shoulders as if to yank her away.

"Wait," Carmen said breathlessly, her unblinking eyes locked on Renesmee's.

Renesmee "showed" Carmen her explanation for a long time. Edward's face was intent as he watched with Carmen, and I wished so much that I could hear what he heard, too.

Another minute passed, and Renesmee dropped her hand from Carmen's face. She smiled winningly at the stunned vampire.

"She really is your daughter, isn't she?" Carmen breathed, switching her wide topaz eyes to Edward's face. "Such a vivid gift! It could only have come from a very gifted father."

She glanced at Rosalie then to Demetri, his story was more complex, but Renesmee remembered his birth, it was one of her first memories.

"Do you believe what she showed you?" Edward asked, his expression intense.

"Without a doubt," Carmen said simply.

Eleazar's face was rigid with distress. "Carmen!"

Carmen took his hands into her own and squeezed them. "Impossible as it seems, Edward has told you nothing but truth. Let the child show you."

Carmen nudged Eleazar closer to us and then nodded at Renesmee. "Show him, mi querida"

Renesmee grinned, clearly delighted with Carmen's acceptance, and touched Eleazar lightly on the forehead.

"Ay caray!"he spit, and jerked away from her.

"What did she do to you?" Tanya demanded, coming closer warily. Kate crept forward, too.

"She's just trying to show you her side of the story," Carmen told him in a soothing voice.

Renesmee frowned impatiently. "Watch, please," she commanded Eleazar. She stretched her hand out to him and then left a few inches between her fingers and his face, waiting. Eleazar eyed her suspiciously and then glanced at Carmen for help. She nodded encouragingly. Eleazar took a deep breath and then leaned closer until his forehead touched her hand again.

He shuddered when it began but held still this time, his eyes closed in concentration.

"Ahh," he sighed when his eyes reopened a few minutes later. "I see."

Renesmee smiled at him. He hesitated, then smiled a slightly unwilling smile in response.

"Eleazar?" Tanya asked.

"It's all true, Tanya. This is no immortal child. Half Vampire, half-human. Come. See for yourself."

In silence, Tanya took her turn standing warily, and then Kate, both showing shock as that first image hit them with Renesmee's touch. But then, just like Carmen and Eleazar, they seemed completely won over as soon as it was done.

I shot a glance at Edward's smooth face, wondering if it could really be so easy. His golden eyes were clear, unshadowed. There was no deception in this, then.

"Thank you for listening," he said quietly.

"what about him?" Tanya asked "how is it Rosalie gave birth? Or even got pregnant?"

Rosalie stepped closer to me but Edward decided to explain it "Alex is an Amarok"

Eleazar gasped "impossible, they have searched for centuries, the legends"

I furrowed my brows "Alex is, she is one of the survivors. They're kind have perfected... well mating with other species."

"we didn't think it was possible" Rosalie replied "but it was. Demetri is half-vampire and half-Amarok"

The others looked at me, I nodded. I could see the awe in their expressions. "amazing... Carlisle has a way to draw curiosities" Eleazar spoke.

"Explains the eye color. But why can we only smell vampire from him?" Tanya asked.

"a gift" Eleazar spoke "protecting not only the boy but his mother. Even she has no scent – it's a part of their lineage"

I nodded "yes, untraceable. Protected"

"only Rose can smell her true scent" Edward spoke. "it's the mate bond"