A Battle at Sea
Disclaimer: Stephanie Meyer owns the characters, I just borrowed them.
A/N: This story was inspired by Edwardian1901's "Esme the Artful Dodger". Thank you very much for the idea!
Bella watched fondly as her big brother explained the various types of craft to her willing daughter. Renesmee hunkered down by the pond, slightly hampering Emmett's lecture with her hand glued to his cheek.
"That's a Fletcher destroyer, circa WWII, with a Mauser aft, which is kinda inaccu...it's for enemy planes. Yeah, this is a naval vessel. I know, that's why...I don't have one here. Hold on... JAZZ, you got a model of an aircraft carrier? Lemme borrow it?"
While Emmett was distracted, Nessie leaned out a little too far to reach another toy boat. PLOP! Bella's hands flew to her mouth to keep from laughing out loud. Nessie's expression of shock brought back a dim human memory of the first time Bella had laid eyes on her beautiful daughter. Quickly, the child's expression changed from surprise to triumph as she held up her prize (a cruiser), looking a bit like a gorgeous drowned rat.
"HAW HAW HAW!" Emmett's booming laugh was cut short as an irate newborn launched into him, catapulting him into the water far beyond his delighted niece. How dare he laugh at her daughter! Emmett surfaced from the middle of the deep pond, shaking his head and looking as astounded as his niece had moments earlier.
Nessie's peal of laughter attracted the other members of the family. A big russet wolf snorted his amusement while staying a safe distance from the water. Jasper arrived simultaneously with Esme, his arms full of carrier and tiny model fighter jets. While Esme narrowed her eyes at her now somewhat remorseful daughter, Jasper couldn't contain his mirth at seeing the pair in the pond.
"That ain't th'way to teach her, ya big buffoon. Yipe! Sorry, Momma!" Jasper ruefully rubbed his stinging posterior, kicked off his boots, and quickly joined his kin in the pond while his mother and sister were involved in a hushed discussion. Nessie clapped her hands in excitement as she reached for the huge model ship, too distracted to pay attention to her mother and grandmother.
"Isabella Marie Cullen, what have I told you about that temper of yours, little one?" Esme demanded of her contrite daughter, trying hard to keep a stern demeanor before the dismayed newborn, while biting her cheek to keep from smiling. "There's only one answer for this appalling lack of control, young lady..." Bella only had time to cover her bottom protectively before she too was launched into the increasingly crowded little pond.
Bella's protest of "MOM!" was cut short by a small tidal wave as her mother-in-law emerged beside her to the boisterous laughter of the other three. Jacob whined in frustration. As much as he wanted to join in the fun, the wolf knew better than to try and submerge his enormous, fur-covered, non-buoyant wolf self in deep water. He shook his head regretfully as Renesmee gleefully invited him to join the impromptu swimming party.
"Mom?" Bella's head whipped from side to side as Esme disappeared as suddenly has she had appeared a moment ago. Emmett just had time to gurgle before he, too, disappeared. Nessie's eyes were round with apprehension as she reached for Jasper's hand to impart her urgent questions. A wolfish snort carried clearly over the bubbling waters.
"Naw, don't worry, darlin'. Seems as if we've got an enemy submarine in our mids...!" was all the cavalry officer had time to say before he, too, was targeted.
Bella shot toward her child with a wide grin as Emmett exploded from the deep, his eyes narrowed as he searched in vain for his treacherous mother. Nessie's eyes were wide as she too scanned the now-smooth waters looking for her missing uncle and grandmother. "Momma, what's a submarine?"
Bella had no time to answer as roiling waters parted to allow the missing pair, Esme struggling vainly in her son's arms, all the while giggling madly, to shoot from the water several feet into the air before landing with a gigantic splash. A disgruntled bark and subsequent shower of droplets immediately followed the reunion.
"This is a submarine, sweetie," Bella calmly pointed out the sausage-sized toy, while Emmett expanded, "and Granny is the torpedo!"