Bella
Chapter 1

The Complicities of New life

The months seemed like days as I watch "Nessie" (even I have difficulty using the nickname of a monster for my daughter, but she loves it) growing at an alarming rate. I have been reassured over and over that her rapid development will stop once she hits the age of 7 (even though she will look like she's 21) as seen and lived by Hulien and Nahuel for over a 150 years now. It still is unnerving to remember my years growing up and know that there are so many things that she will be missing. The early years of school, making and bonding with friends, the fun and exciting vacations and being able to travel anywhere that they wanted too.

Even though she will be able to live out in the sun, we are restricted because of our body's reaction to sunlight and won't be able to take Nessie anywhere that I remember going as a child. There would be no trip to Disneyworld, no playing at the park with friends and family, no sunny days out at the beach, only being able to go out when the sun is hidden or going to town at night after the sun sets.

It makes me feel like a monster when I have to tell Jake no when he wants to take her out around town, with my eyes and features and Jakes closeness to me everyone that knows us would see me in her and would start asking questions, and I don't feel comfortable letting her go as far as Seattle alone with him. It's not that I don't trust Jake but there are just too many things that could go wrong. I know Jake would never let anything intentionally happen to her but with our luck you never know. . .

The most dangerous thing of all for our family is questions. They are the only thing that can lead to our discovery by the humans and that is forbidden by the Volturi as far as vampires are concerned. The one thing that keeps them out of our lives at the moment is the fact that we keep our lifestyle a secret. I hope and pray that the day never comes that they would come back on the hunt for us again (a cold shiver runs down my spine as I think of Aro's almost transparent hands as he grabs Nessie).

Edward walks up behind me putting his arms around me and gently whispers in my ear.

"What's wrong Bella?"

I turn in his arms to look at him once again being dazzled by his face, the way his eyes look at me so longingly, the soft curl of his lips, and suddenly I forget all about Aro and the conflicts that might be as I melt into his embrace and reach up to kiss him.

We begin kissing softly, tenderly, not wanting this moment to stop but of course we are rudely interrupted by the sound of gagging and giggles, hearing Emmet grumble "Come on get a room" as I turn to face them I see the disgusted look on Rose's face. We both start laughing as I throw an apple off the counter at him so fast that it explodes all over his face before he can react. "Oops", I say laughing remembering that I am still the fastest and strongest vampire in the house. I rush to the door hearing Renesmee and Jake returning from hunting.

"How was dinner?"

I asked waiting for them on the front porch. I see the look in Jake's eyes as she reaches up her hand to show me the full grown bear they encountered. I snarl at Jake and he immediately yelled.

"Hey I didn't like it, anymore than you do, but she wouldn't accept anything else once she got his scent."

I relax and sigh out loud knowing that what he said was true. I could taste the scent of the bear thru her vision and it did make my mouth water a little.

"Fine, but next time take her somewhere a little safer please." I said glaring at him.

"Jeez you act like I would let anything happen to her", he rolled his eyes at me, "I would shred anything that even came close to endangering her, you should know that by now".

I sigh again I knew he was right, Jake is just as protective of her as I am. Damn imprinting, why, why, why did he have to imprint on her, but then I remember Sam and Paul's conversation about imprinting.

"There is nothing that can be done about it, its automatic" was Sam's response.

"Come on Sam, a Vampire, even if she is half human, that's just not even natural" Paul said as Sam growled and cut him off.

"It is done and that is it, nature has its own reasons for doing it, THE END".

No one could say anything else, Sam was the Alpha, what he said was final.

"Come on Honey" I call to Renesmee, "Study time."

She immediately jumped on Jake's back and shrieked, "No, save me Jake, don't let her torture me pleeeeese!" She begged.

Jake laughed and pulled her off his back and placed her gently on the porch. "You know you have to or your MOM won't let you play with me," he jokingly defended himself. "And besides, you have to learn and get accustomed to human life so that you will be able to blend in with the rest of the humans."

Renesmee begged with the puppy dog look in her eyes, "but I already know more than you, I can speak 3 languages and could get into almost any college." Then she stuck out her bottom lip, pouting, really laying it on Jake.

"Don't do that to me your breaking my heart," Jake smirked. "I don't think your mother would let me live if I ran off with you right now in my arms."

"Yea, you'd be dead in less than 10 feet," I laughed.

Renesmee took off stomping in to the house, slamming the door behind her.

"Yep, just like her mother" Jake said rolling his eyes. "Hey Bells, I was thinking, there is a new movie out and I'd like to take Nessie to go see it if you don't mind."

"Jake no, I've already explained this to you, she cannot go out into public until she is full grown" I say shaking my head. "I wish I could say yes but we can't afford to take any chances right now. The Volturi are looking for any reason right now to come back for us, the last thing we need to do is start rumors."

"I know" Jake said, and I could see the disappointment in his eyes, "well I'm still taking her to Charlie's in the morning you already said I could," then he phased into his wolf form and took off.

"You coming back tonight?"

I holler after him as he was taking off. He stopped turned around, gave me that 'are you retarded' look, then darted into the woods. I laughed as I walked into the house. Was I being too protective of my daughter? Would it hurt to let her go out with Jake? Then the cold chill went down my spine again as the picture of Aro grabbing Renesmee came back into my mind. I could never be too protective.

I returned to the kitchen where Alice and Renesmee were leaning over the counter looking through books. On closer inspection I could see that Alice was already getting Nessie into designing. I laughed and shut the book in their faces and teasingly telling Alice.

"You are not going to corrupt my daughter to your ways."

"Aww, come on mom" Nessie said, "I am studying, and this will help me blend in with the humans."

"Fine, but tomorrow you have to start on your Calculus."

She rolled her eyes then immediately started looking through the books again at all the different color schemes and designs. I walk off knowing that any more interruption would hurt Alice's feelings so I decided to go out onto the back porch where I ended up wondering what life was going to be like for my half-human half-vampire daughter. My mind was going thru the different realities of what life might bring her but I couldn't help but return to the thought of that monster Aro getting his hands on my daughter.

I heard the door open behind me, and expected Edward to come out but was suddenly blasted off the porch with a couch cushion. I twisted and flipped back onto my feet seeing Emmet there laughing.

"Paybacks are hell . . ."

That was all he had a chance to say before I flew to him and threw him off the porch. He bounced once in the yard and landed in the river 50 yards away. All at once everyone in the house came running out the door laughing at the sight of Emmet half covered with mud and soaking wet.

"That was my favorite shirt!" Rose complained.

"He asked for it" I replied, laughing. 4 years as a vampire and he still hadn't been able to get the best of me. I turned to walk into the house expecting him to give up out of pride, but before I could, SMACK, I was hit with an enormous mud ball.

"You are going down now Emm." I snarled, leaping off the porch and tackling him into the mud again, face first this time. I had him pinned down in the mud smacking his face into it.

"You give up yet," I asked in between his submersion in the mud.

"Never!"

I shoved his face back in to the mud then finally got bored and let him up. I quickly dove into the river to get the mud off my dress and out of my hair. In a flash I leapt out of the river and up onto the porch soaking wet shaking my hair out.

"You've been hanging out with the dogs too much" Rose sneered as she wiped the water off her face and clothes.

Nessie looked around the corner and stuck her tongue out at Rose, making everyone laugh. She blushed and ran back inside and hid behind Alice's leg using Alice as a mock body guard against Rose.