The Rest of Tomorrow

Chapter 1: A Day at Grandmas

A puzzle isn't a challenge unless it has, at the very least, a thousand pieces. I'm not really sure why I like working them, but when I'm focused on that, nothing else around me matters. The best place to work them at grandma and grandpa's house is in the family room. The wide open space between the four couches and the flat panel TV is my normal spot, and so far I'd spent a good two hours working on the bottom part.

Normally Grandpa Carlisle spends this time teaching me, but the hospital needed him, which was good for me. My grandfather doesn't spend as much time working at the hospital as he did when we lived in Forks. He splits his time, or triples his time teaching me, and also teaching at the university where my mom and dad go.

Quickly, before I could start to miss them, I found another piece to my puzzle and began to work on the top. When I'm here, keeping busy is what keeps me from worrying. I guess if you had to describe me, two words would fit best, worry wart. If it isn't one thing it's the other, and then it all starts building up, only I'm not one of those people who lets it all out.

"Yay, that one goes there." I put the four cornered peace into place and stood up dancing around, not caring how silly it was.

"Did you figure it out?" asked grandma, as she walked into the room from the study.

"Yes, and now I can connect the bottom and the top part with this one." I held it up for her to see, but only for a second before putting it into place.

As I sat back down and did that, connecting the top half and the bottom half, grandma knelt behind me, and put her arms around me. "You are so good at that."

That made me curious. "Grandma, do you think I could get a job working puzzles?" I tilted my head up, looking into her golden eyes.

"I'm not sure you could do this as a job, but there are jobs where people are needed to solve problems. I think with as well as you are doing in math, you might have a chance at finding something you like in that field."

"How long until mom and dad get home?"

It wasn't any use, I missed them, as silly as that may be, because my mom and dad always came home and we were safe here, but still it wasn't the same as when my dad was here with me.

My grandma held me closer, and I sighed, shutting my eyes. "Why do I worry so much of the time?"

For a moment she didn't answer. "You have seen some of the more frightening aspects of this world, and you understand what most of that means. I think your mind has a difficult time processing it all, and maybe that's why you worry. Will you tell me what you are thinking of now?"

Grandma sat back and I settled between her legs, resting the back of my head against her chest. "Well, at first all that was on my mind was working my puzzle. Now I'm worried about why Grandpa hasn't come home, and about Harvey."

Harvey is my bear, one of two now. His friend is Gracie, and she shares our thoughts.

"What are you worrying about?"

"He won't hunt, and that's something I wish someone would have told me when he was a baby. Sometimes I wonder what will happen if we have to go away again. He seems happy here, they both do."

I felt her kiss the top of my head. "Gracie hunts doesn't she?"

I nodded.

"Maybe she will take care of him if you show her what he needs."

That was something I hadn't thought of. "Maybe so, but it's raining." We both glanced to our left seeing the rain as well as hearing it. Rain wasn't something I enjoyed, not like Jacob. He could stand outside in a downpour and not even notice.

"Why don't I help you with this?" grandma asked.

"Okay, you deal with the top half and I'll try and figure out where this pile goes," I answered, as we scooted over next to the puzzle.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~

My puzzle wasn't finished, but grandma and I decided to snuggle up on the sofa and watch a movie. My favorites are musicals, and nothing anyone says will ever change my love for watching them, even Uncle Emmett. If dad is here, he doesn't do anything, but when my father isn't here, Uncle Emmett makes faces or pretends he's the one doing the singing.

South Pacific is one of my favorites. I'm not sure why I like it, but it's just nice. Maybe it's because it reminds me a little of grandma's island. I've been there a few times with Mom and Dad, but not anymore. "Grandma, do you think when I'm finished growing I can go back to your island?"

She was resting next to me, stretched out on the long sofa and brushed her hand over the braid mom put in my hair before she left for school. "I don't see any reason why you can't go."

My favorite part of the movie was starting, and I couldn't help but get lost as they started to sing Bali Hai. "This is like me sometimes, like I'm on the lonely island," I finally said as the song came to an end.

"Nessie, you are most certainly not alone."

"But sometimes it feels like that."

Grandma looked at me as I looked at her. "I love being here, but it gets lonely not going out like mom and dad do, and everyone else."

"We could go outside now, the rain isn't falling so hard," grandma offered.

It was quieter out there, but there was more than just the rain, and my grandma knew what I was thinking of. "Your father doesn't mind you being outside when he isn't here."

"But he worries, and I don't want him to do that." When I was younger not all that long ago, my body made a shield without my permission. Now my father doesn't know my thoughts and that worries him and it scares me.

When grandma hugged me closer, I shut my eyes and took in a deep breath. The scary thoughts were ones I didn't like to think about because they made me very sad and upset.

"Why don't we make your favorite meal?"

Grandma started to let me go but I held on tighter. "Not yet," I whispered, fighting not to freak out. My mind wanted to remember the field and I did not.

It was when I heard Bali Hai playing again, that those thoughts started to go away, and after a moment I looked at the TV and focused on that.

As it ended, for the second time, we heard grandpa's car pulling down the long drive, and most of the time I was glad to see him, but right now all I wanted was my dad.

~*~*~*~*~*~

Finding a place to hide while playing hide and seek with a vampire was something near impossible. It had cleared up, and Uncle Emmett talked me into going outside when he figured out I was sad. My preferred spot was up in the large pine tree at the edge of my grandparents' yard. Climbing was easy for me, and now all I had to do was wait. Below me I could hear Uncle Emmett moving about, and had a feeling he already knew where I was.

"Oh Nessie, I think I smell your stinky feet," he called out in a sing song voice.

It was hard, but I managed not to giggle. From this high up I could see far away things, maybe my house if I squinted long enough. It was still warm, though winter would be here soon, and that meant colder weather. Something else I don't like is the cold. I don't mind my mom and dad being cooler than me because I'm used to it, but the weather getting cold isn't so nice.

"Gotcha." Huge arms wrapped around me, and forgetting where I was or what we were doing, I screamed and tried to pull away.

"Let go let go," I cried out.

"Woe hey it's just me," Uncle Emmett said still holding on to me. He helped me turn around and I wrapped my arms around his neck crying as my heart felt like it would beat right out of my chest.

"Emmett," I heard my Aunt Rose call out as I tried to calm down.

"Give us a second," he called back.

I shook my head, lifting it from his chest. "I knew we were playing," I whispered feeling silly and a little embarrassed.

"I shouldn't have snuck up on you like that," he answered, as he kissed my forehead and wiped away my tears.

When I was ready he helped me onto his back and I hid my face against his neck as he jumped down, hoping everyone else wouldn't come out and make a big deal out of this.

"Nessie, are you okay," asked Aunt Rose, as I felt her hands trying to remove me from my Uncle's back.

I held on. "I just forgot that's all," I told her, letting Uncle Emmett reach back and pull me around so he could hold me. "Is Dad home yet?"

"No, but they should be soon," Uncle Emmett told me.

He looked worried and I kissed his cheek. "It was my fault."

Aunt Rose stepped beside us, but I didn't want to look at her. "I think I'll go to my room now."

They both hugged me before Uncle Emmett put me down, and after that I ran all the way to the third floor closing the door once I was in my bed room.

My desk was where I needed to be and once I was there, I took out my diary and my pen and began to write.

Sometimes I wonder if I'm really as smart as everyone thinks. Uncle Emmett was trying to help me have a good time, and I let him scare me, making a big deal out of things as I normally do. Why can't I just put the past behind me? No one from Volterra has come for us, and it's time for me to just be brave and not worry.

I shouldn't need my dad to make me feels safe, but when he is here I can go outside in our yard and play or read and not worry. Everyone else can keep me safe but why dad, why is he so important?

With nothing else to really say I put my things away and went back downstairs. Aunt Alice and Uncle Jazz were looking at her computer, so I walked past them and went to the sofa. The TV was on, and Uncle Emmett was watching sports while Aunt Rose sat with him. Without saying anything I climbed on the sofa between them feeling better when both of them held on to me.

"Do you want to watch your movie?" Aunt Rose asked.

I shook my head and reached up touching Aunt Rose's cheek showing her dad, since I didn't feel like asking her.

Just when she was about to answer, we heard the door open and I didn't need to ask because I knew my dad and mom were finally home. I'm not sure how fast I went, but it didn't seem like very long before my dad was holding me.

"I missed you," I mumbled as I pressed my face against his neck. He was walking someplace, but I didn't look to see where.

"We missed you too. Did you have a good day?"

Having a good day without him wasn't easy, but I didn't want him to worry. "We had fun," I told him, as he sat down on the other sofa across from my aunt and uncle.

Once mom was sitting next to us, I told them about working my puzzle. "We got the top and the bottom part connected but there is still a whole bunch that needs to be fit in," I said. "Grandpa had to go to the hospital so we didn't get to do my studies, and Grandma and I got to watch South Pacific, and Uncle Emmett played hide and seek with me."

"It sounds like you had a pretty relaxing day," Mom commented, as she kissed my left cheek.

"Yes, can we go home now?" I turned and looked up at my dad's face, hoping he would say yes.

"Well, we thought we might stay and visit for a few minutes, but I think we could do that at a later time," he answered.

Needing to go upstairs and grab my book bag and other things, I quickly slid off his lap and ran that way, hoping grandma wouldn't tell him about the less happy things that had happened.

In my room, I got everything I needed including my I-pod before I returned downstairs finding mom and dad waiting for me at the front door. They were talking to grandpa, but they stopped when I showed up. "I'm ready."

"It looks like you are, do you want to go tell everyone goodbye?" Mom asked.

"Oh yeah." I dropped my bag and ran back into the family room. Uncle Emmett was the first one I hugged. "I'll be ready to play Hide and Seek tomorrow, and I'm going to seek you out."

"Sounds like a good plan to me," he told me, after he kissed my cheek.

I gave everyone hugs and kisses and after that we finally got to head home.

~*~*~*~*~*~

When we got home, there wasn't much time left for us. The bad part about being half human is that I still need sleep, so after I had a chicken salad sandwich, I had to get ready for bed. Once I did that, mom came in and helped me take the braid down, and I sat on the floor while she sat on my bed brushing it out. "When will I be old enough to do everything on my own?"

Mom stopped brushing, I guess she had to think like grandma did today. "You do pretty much everything on your own now don't you?" She began to brush again and I sighed.

"Not like that, I mean if I want to stay awake all night long and not have to study?"

"You have stayed up all night, when Jacob was here last, do you remember how tired you were?"

Mom was smart, and that didn't ever help when I wanted to try and figure things out in a new way. "Yes, it wasn't all that fun," I told her, as she finished.

When I turned around she hugged me. "What is it you want to change?"

"Bedtime. I think going to bed at nine O'clock is too early.

"What do you think would be a better bedtime?"

"Midnight." It wasn't likely that she would say yes, but I had to try.

"How about ten?"

"Ten thirty?"

I heard as well as felt her laugh a little. "Done."

"What are you two discussing?" Dad asked, while he walked into my room.

"Mom said I could move my bedtime to ten thirty instead of nine."

With an hour and half left before bed, I was free to go out and look at the stars.

~*~*~*~*~*~

It was cooler outside without the sun to warm things up, but the sky was clear and I could see everything. Looking at the stars lets me feel closer to my best friend Jacob. Eventually when it gets dark in Washington, he will be able to see the same stars I do.

The grass was a little wet from the earlier rain, but I didn't mind and laid back so all I could see were the stars. It wasn't really quiet because the crickets were making noise and the frogs were also making noise, but that didn't matter to me.

"Edward she's old enough to stay up later," I heard mom say.

"I just wish you would have waited," dad answered back.

They had my attention, and I sat up frowning because they both sounded angry. I waited to hear more but that was it, which meant they knew I heard that little bit.

When dad came out a little later I was back to looking at the stars and my stomach was hurting. "I brought a blanket," he offered, as he sat next to me.

Once it was spread out I rolled over and felt a little better when he lay with me and held me in his arms. "Grandma told me about today."

That wasn't surprising, and I wasn't angry. Grandma worried about me when I got sad. "I tried not to miss you and mom."

"There isn't anything wrong with missing those you love when they are away."

"But I do that too much, and then I get sad because I think you are worried about me when you aren't there to watch and protect me. Uncle Emmett and I played hide and seek, and I got scared because he snuck up on me, and you and mom are mad now."

My dad sat us up, and he pulled me onto his lap, hugging his arms around me as he kissed the top of my head. "We were having a disagreement, but we resolved that, so I don't want you to worry."

"Because I moved my bedtime?"

"Because you had a long day and I felt you needed to go to bed at your normal time tonight, but that doesn't matter right now."

"My stomach is hurting me." My dad picked me up and carried me inside to the kitchen. Mom was there, and had the brown bottle of the most nasty stuff every made.

"If I'm part vampire, why did I get an ulcer?" I asked as dad set me down on the counter. I'm not sure how many times I'd asked that question since Grandpa Carlisle told them that was why I got so sick a few months ago.

Mom came over to us with a purple cup and a small plastic cup with the green nasty stuff in it. "Do you remember what Grandpa told you?"

He said that all my worrying and keeping it inside me made everything go haywire, well not really in those words but that's the gist of it.

"So when I feel sad and worry I have to say so."

Mom handed me my medicine and I held my nose and drank it in, gagging at the vile taste. It was a combination of licorice and mint gone very wrong. After I swallowed it I felt my other cup in my hand and drank the blood as fast as I could, until that bad taste was gone.

The only good about having this, is that I get to drink donated human blood. Grandpa says I need that for the medicine to work.

After all that I felt tired and didn't mind when mom carried me up to my room. "I guess maybe ten is better than ten thirty," I told her, as she laid me down on my bed.

"Maybe so." Once I had moved over she settled in next to me.

"Will Grandpa Charlie get to come up for our birthday?" This year I was going to be four, but I already looked like I was ten years old. My Grandpa Charlie knew we had a secret but he didn't want to know exactly what it was. What was good was that he still liked seeing me, and that I could act normal now, and not like a baby so much.

"I'm not sure he will be able to this year."

"Oh yeah, he's moving closer to the reservation," I said as I twisted some of mom's hair around my fingers. "What about Jacob?"

"I think he's going to try and get here with his pack."

That was exciting and I sat up. "Really?"

"Everyone misses seeing you."

I frowned and looked down at my hands. "Leah doesn't." Leah Clearwater was Jacobs second in command and she had never liked any of us.

"Sometimes it's hard to change the way you think about a person, especially when that dislike has gone on for a very long time." My mom meant how the tribe felt about vampires and me, and most of them didn't care because Jacob imprinted on me, which I still didn't get all the way.

"I think she'd like it better if I was just human, sometimes I wish I was."

We hugged again and I snuggled against her side. "Do you think she will like me when I'm all done growing up?"

My mom pulled me closer. "I don't think anything anyone does will make her think one way or the other. What you need to do is not worry about how she feels, and just be happy with who you are."

That wasn't easy but I was trying.

At some point I felt mom getting up but was too tired to tell her not to go. Already my dreams were starting and this time they were happy.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~

AN: Okay not as much action, but this is the first chapter. They have lived in Hanover NH for three years and a few months, and Nessie looks like she could pass as a ten year old or a bit older. I hope you guys like this one as much as you enjoyed the first. There is a great more to come.