First Light

Edward is pulled away from Bella by an unexplainable force during their honeymoon, but he promised that he would find away to return. So for eleven long years, she waited on Isle Esme, alone but for their child – the daughter they didn't think they could have. But now, it's time to go home.

AN. This story is an AU beginning during Breaking Dawn. For the purposes of this story, Renesmee is different than she is in the books – you'll see what I mean. This has a reason, which will be explained in future chapters. Please enjoy the story.

Disclaimer: All recognizable characters are the property of Stephanie Meyer. I do not own them but am grateful for the opportunity to use them in the unleashing of my own imagination.

Rating: This story is rated T for mild language and possible scenes of sensuality.

Prologue: Unexpected

I never expected to have children. That's not to say that I didn't want any. I just assumed that it wouldn't be possible, not with my husband being who and what he was.

So when I found out that I was pregnant with Edward's child, I was more than a little stunned. I imagine that he would've felt the same – if he'd been here.

We'd spent only one night together – the very first night of our honeymoon and certainly the most wonderful night of my life. But Edward didn't share my feelings on what occurred that night. All he could see were the bruises on my arms and chest. They really did look worse then they felt but that didn't matter to him. He wouldn't touch me again – not in that way. He was terrified of hurting me.

But apparently, that one night was all it took.

Of course, I didn't know right away.

It was seven days later that Edward was pulled away from me. I was in the middle of trying to get him to forget his inhibitions and give love making another try when he suddenly stood and was on the other side of the room before I could blink.

I called to him and he stopped, looking back at me with a pained, confused expression on his face. It's a look that I will never forget.

"Edward, what's wrong?" I asked.

He stared at me and then back towards the door with one foot poised in the air to take another step. "I don't know..." he whispered. His voice was strained as though he was struggling with something powerful. Now I was worried.

I closed the distance between us and wrapped my arms around his waist. I felt him shudder underneath my fingertips. "Edward, please. Tell me what's going on."

He brought his hands up around me – they were shaking – and buried his nose in my hair, breathing in my scent. "I don't know. I feel… it's almost like – almost as though I'm being pulled somewhere. It's strong too. Stronger then any thirst I've ever had for human blood – even yours. It's pulling me… pulling…"

He made to take another step toward the door but I clung to him tighter – not that I could do much if he really tried to leave but he made himself stop once more. "Pulling you where?" I asked, sounding desperate. I was desperate. I felt like I was losing him and I was.

"I don't know." The shaking was worse now and his words came out in sharp breaths. He sounded scared which made me terrified. "Bella, love. I can't fight this. It's too strong."

"Try!" I pleaded.

"I am trying. But it's only getting stronger every moment I stand here. I don't know what it wants or where it's leading me but… I don't think it means me any harm. I think I'm supposed to go."

"No! Edward."

"Listen to me Bella. It's going to be alright. No matter what happens, I promise that I will come back to you. Wait for me." And he kissed me soundly, with more passion than he'd used since that first night. But this was a kiss of desperation – a kiss of goodbye.

He pulled away after far to short a time and made for the door, only to force himself to a stop again at the threshold. He looked back at me one last time. "The combination for the safe is 36 – 18 – 21. Inside is everything you might need. I'll return as soon as I can. I promise. I love you, Bella."

"I love you too." I whispered, but he was already gone.

Just like that, my whole world was turned upside-down. I tried calling Carlisle, then the others one by one but received no answers. I kept trying until I fell asleep with a dial tone ringing in my ear. The next morning I tried again with the same results and I could only assume that they'd been pulled away in the same manner that Edward had.

I was surprisingly calm – not like the last time he left. This time, his love for me was not in question. This time he'd promised to return. And I would wait, no matter how long it took.

That next night, the pain started. It was in my lower abdomen – more intense then anything I had ever felt. For two days straight, I could barely move. Then the pains were gone, as though they hadn't been there at all.

Shortly after that, the nausea began. I'm not sure exactly when I realized that I was pregnant. Once I did, it was like time stood still. I wanted to rejoice – but there was no one there to share the joy. I wanted to cry – but there was no one to dry my tears. What do you do when you get the biggest news of your life but have no one to share it with?

You just keep living.

And that's what I did.

At some point I remembered the safe and the combination that Edward had told me. Inside, I found all the paperwork that I needed to make sure that I would be fully provided for while Edward and the Cullen's were gone.

I made the appropriate phone calls and also got an appointment with an OB/GYN on the mainland. I soon became aware that my pregnancy was further along then it should have been. I didn't say anything when the doctor set my date of conception to be several months prior to the actual date. I could only assume that had something to do with my child's father being a vampire. But everything else seemed normal. The baby was healthy. I was healthy.

I stayed on Isle Esme, waiting for Edward's promised return. Waiting to tell him that he was going to be a father. Days turned into weeks and weeks turned into months. I never called my father or mother – how would I explain to them that Edward was gone? I felt horrible for disappearing on them without a trace, but what could I do?

I might've called Jacob. He would've come straight here if he knew I was alone and getting ready to have a baby. Of course, he probably thought I was a vampire by that point as the plan was for me to be changed sometime after the wedding – that could be cleared up easily. But to be honest, I didn't want him here.

Only one person belonged by my side right now and that was Edward.

I stayed at the hospital on the mainland for two weeks prior to and after giving birth. I had a daughter with green eyes and copper hair, just like her father. She was beautiful – seven pounds, four ounces – I named her Renesmee, after both of her grandmothers.

I returned to the island with my daughter and continued to wait. Only this time, I wasn't alone. Renesmee gave me purpose. There were some complications that arose with her health and I dealt with those as they came. I dedicated my every moment to her and set about documenting everything she did so that even though her father was missing these things now, he'd at least get a small piece of them when he returned.

And this is how things continued. Renesmee grew older and we were as close any mother and daughter could be. We only had each other. But I knew that my daughter needed more. Isle Esme was our home and she loved it here, but on every trip we made to the mainland I could tell she wanted to see more, know more. She knew the world through here books – she was an avid reader. But that wasn't enough. She needed to experience the world – to go to school and make friends and be like a normal ten-year-old.

And so, as I watched my beautiful daughter, so much her father's child, stare out over the horizon with wonder, I made the decision to leave Isle Esme – our home for the past eleven years.

I never expected to have a child. But I could never regret bringing Renesmee into the world. So beautiful, so intelligent, so brave and caring – she was my purpose. She was the first light of dawn that broke over the dark horizon and gave me hope for a new day.