Breaking Dawn is split into three separate "books", or parts.
The
first part details Bella's marriage and honeymoon with Edward, which
they spend on a private island off the coast of Brazil. Edward grants
Bella's wish and makes love to her. Soon after, Bella notices her
period
is late and realizes that she is pregnant. After contacting Carlisle,
who confirms her pregnancy, she and Edward plan to return home. Edward,
concerned for her well being as the fetus develops with unnatural
rapidity, urges her to get an abortion. However, Bella wants to keep
the child and decides to contact Rosalie for support, knowing that
Rosalie has always wanted children.
The second part of the novel is written from Jacob's point of view,
and lasts throughout Bella's pregnancy and childbirth. The pack of
werewolves, not knowing what danger the unborn child may pose, make
plans to destroy it, even though they must kill Bella to do so. Jacob
disagrees with this decision and revolts, leaving the pack
to form his own with Seth and Leah Clearwater. Bella soon gives birth,
approximately a month after becoming pregnant. The baby breaks many of
her bones, and Bella loses massive amounts of blood. In order to save
her life, Edward changes her into a vampire. Jacob, who was present for
the birth, immediately "imprints" — an involuntary response in which a
werewolf finds his soul mate — on Edward and Bella's newborn daughter, Renesmee.
The third section of
Breaking Dawn shifts back to Bella's
perspective, finding her changed into a vampire and enjoying her new
life and abilities. However, the vampire Irina misidentifies Renesmee
as an "immortal child", a child who has been turned into a vampire. The
creation and protection of "immortal children" was previously outlawed
by the Volturi.
After Irina presents her allegation to the Volturi, they plan to
destroy Renesmee and the Cullens. In an attempt to save her, the
Cullens gather vampires from around the world to stand as witnesses and
prove to the Volturi that Renesmee is not an immortal child. Upon
confronting the gathered Cullen allies and witnesses, the Volturi
discover that they have been misinformed and immediately execute Irina
for her mistake. However, they remain undecided on whether Renesmee
should be viewed as a threat to the secret existence of vampires. At
that time, Alice and Jasper, who had left prior to the confrontation,
return with Nahuel, a 150-year-old vampire-human crossbreed like
Renesmee. He demonstrates that the crossbreeds pose no threat and the
Volturi leave, knowing that they no longer have just reason to destroy
Renesmee. Bella, Edward and Renesmee return to their home in peace.