CPOV

                “We won’t lose our children, my love.” She was sitting on the kitchen counter. It would have been easy to read the sadness that she felt from her posture even if I didn’t know her so well. She attempted a smile.

                “I know.” Her heart wasn’t in it. I went to stand between her legs and held her close. I breathed in her familiar scent.

                “Everything will be fine.”

                “You know Aro as well as I. He wouldn’t do this if he didn’t think he could win.”

                “Yes, I do know Aro. I know he’s arrogant. He wouldn’t believe that we could beat him. He is afraid though even if he won’t admit it.”

                “I suppose.” She sighed as she settled her body close to me. I tilted her chin up and kissed her softly.

                “You believe me? Nothing will happen to our family.”

                “I trust you. I always have.”

EsPOV

                I knew it was silly, but all I could see were visions of my family being torn apart. Carlisle believed we could win. Why wasn’t that enough? I collapsed against him, unable to bear the weight of my reservations. My love picked me up in his arms and walked over to the couch. We rested on it. His hands stroked my hair soothingly.

                Sleep was forever evasive to our kind, but in my anxious state I sought it. I needed that refuge that had aided my human body in my fiercest moments of grief.

                “Be calm, love.” I felt guilty for making Carlisle worry.

                “I’m trying.” The worst image yet appeared to me; Aro attacking Carlisle. I cringed into his chest. That wouldn’t happen. We would be fine.

DPOV

                Bree’s motionless figure was the focus of my gaze. She was incredibly beautiful, innocent. She had no idea of the reality of the world. I knew that Bree didn’t fully understand what would happen at the battle. If she did, she wouldn’t have been lying sated and happy, undisturbed. She would have been worrying, thinking, talking me into running. She had never seen vampires in action. Bree could not know the danger. I wouldn’t be the one to tell her.