Chapter 1 – Human Challenges

Almost 30 years had passed since the confrontation with the Valturi in the woods near to the small rainy town of Forks. As had always been the plan, soon after the confrontation, the Cullen's left along with Jacob, to travel north and stay with Tanya's family in Denali. Jacob kept in touch with his pack through his connection with Sam when he was phased into a wolf. But he could not bare to stand one day away from Renesmee so he would follow her wherever the family went. Carlisle home schooled both Renesme and Jacob in the years they had spent away from Forks, after a couple of years Jacob had taken what he felt he needed from Carlisle's teaching to be able to support his growing family. That consisted of himself, Renesmee and their son Jason, who at the beginning of our story was 18 years old and looking forward to his first semester at Harvard Law thanks to Carlisle's expert tutoring. To the Cullen's family's delight, Jason had aged much as any other mortal would, being carried by Renesmee for a full 9 month term and growing into a strong young man over the 18 years that followed.

But sombre news caused the family's return to Forks

Book 1

Renesmee

I sat at the kitchen table flicking through an album of pictures that my mother had given me. Next to my hand was a note from Sam uly telling us when the funeral was. Our little home was in a sombre mood at the news that my most beloved grandfather had passed away almost a week ago at the age of 78. I knew that my mother Bella would be in such pain. We had been in their house when they had received the news. It had caused my parents to sell their little renovated boathouse and move back in with the rest of my father's side of the family. There was never any question that we would return to forks for the funeral, but my head was turning over how logistically that was going to work. It was going to frighten most of Charlie's friends if his daughter turns up at the age of 49 years old looking as fresh and as beautiful as she did when she was 18, along with the rest of our age frozen family.

I heard the gravel crunch on the end of our long dirt drive and quickly wiped the tears from under my eyes. But I did not close the album and continued to flick though its pages. I listened as I heard my wonderful husband walk up the path with his heavy footsteps when he came in though the door I called to him

"Hey my love"

I called without looking up

"Hey ness'!"

He replied in a cheerful tone. He was always on a high when he came home from work he loved his work. He now owned his own garage and had a healthy business renovating and renting out classic cars to rich businessmen, holidaymakers, and weddings. We drove away from our own wedding in a very nice Bentley that he had restored for me as a wedding present. It was my very precious car and I was sad that it wasn't going to last forever like I was.

Jacob went to trudge into the house in big muddy boots before he could take 2 steps I calmly called to him again from the kitchen

"Boots…"

There was a huffing sound from the porch that made me break a small smile. Jacob then trudged into the kitchen to meet me. My tastes were not as rustic as those of my mother. I liked the clean lines and smooth surfaces much like the ones my grandmother Esme preferred. She had helped me to decorate the kitchen when we had arrived here. We had lived in different towns since leaving forks but Jacob had always been in commuting distance to be able to keep his business. The business managed to have enough anonymity to allow him to remain unaged without it being to obvious, he mostly spoke to his clients on the phone and delivered the cars to the houses when they were not there. It made it a lonely business but Jacob said he didn't mind that because he had the voices in his head to keep him company. When he said the voices in his head he of course meant the rest of his pack who he left back in the land near Forks to guard the people there from any supernatural goings on that might threaten them, especially as it seemed to be a supernatural hotspot.

Jacob came and kissed me on the back of the neck when he came into the room and wrapped his massive warm arms around me, kissing down the side of my neck to my collar bone.

"whatcha looking at?"

He remarked when he saw the album open in front of me

"Its just an album with some pictures of Charlie… I wanted to make sure I hadn't forgotten his face you know?"

Jacobs's rather erotic behaviour suddenly changed to comforting warmth that he wrapped round me like a blanket. He made me feel safe from all harm when he did that it made all my problems seem to shrink down into proportion.

Jacob remained leant down over me looking that pictures for himself now. I took advantage of his closeness and rested my cheek against his neck and closed my eyes, drawing in the smell of him so soft and warm and smelling of motor oil. That was the smell I loved so much it belonged to me so completely.

Jacob was the one to break my concentration on his amazing fragrance when he pointed to a picture,

"You look so beautiful in this picture Nessie, and look at how proud Charlie and your parents look, Bella looks just about ready to explode with pride"

Jacob chuckled at the thought of what my mother exploding from pride would have looked like. The picture was a graduation picture. It had me and my parents and my Granddad in it with me in the centre holding up my degree in medical nursing. I had picked up Carlisle's bug for medicine and helping people. But I had been a housewife to Jacob in this little town for the past 6 years with no time for my own job. I did the accounts for the car business and I had so many other activities. I taught first aid to local schools (all voluntary) and I taught some local children the piano as well. My time had been filled. It was only when I looked at that photograph that I realised how much I missed nursing.

"Hey ness… you ok?"

Jacob asked as he kissed my cheek.

I hesitated, Jacob always saw right through my emotions but I prided myself on being a better liar then my mother who wore all her emotions on her sleeves.

"Yeah I'm fine… Hey have you had a text from Jason yet? I sent him an email to him, and tried to ring his mobile and the halls but I have got no answer to any of them? Do you think I should ring the main reception?"

I had been worried for a few days that I had not heard from my son Jason for nearly 2 weeks I had phoned him to tell him the bad news and tried to break it to him as gently as I could. In all truth he had never known Charlie all that well. We had restrictions on our visits, as the town of forks would have moved on so far from the time we had left it behind. And would be considered a breech of cover to turn up when people would see us. Even though we were only a few hours away, we had not taken Jason to visit as many times as maybe we should, and it made me suddenly quite sad that he had missed having that person as a prominent character in the story of his life.

Jason had said that he would ring me back or contact me when he knew if he would come to the funeral. But I knew he was very busy.

"I think you are over reacting Renesmee, he is at college let the guy have some fun?"

I pulled away from his clutches and looked at him with harsh eyes knowing that I was over reacting deliberately but Jacob had to be kept in his place other wise I would gladly let him walk all over me.

"Don't be such a heartless bastard! my grandfather as just died…"

There was a bit of a pause while he looked at me with more understanding

"I'm sorry ness… I didn't mean that… I'm sure he will ring ok? You want me to have a go?"

I deliberately pressed my lips together to make it look like I was still cross under the surface and I nodded my head. As Jacob turned his back to go into the living room I broke a slight smirk, I had got exactly what I wanted. Jason may not pick up a phone call from me, but he would certainly not decline a call from his dad. He had been so close to Jacob right from the beginning, father son and best of friends, the ultimate partners in crime. My sensitive hearing picked up Jacob closing the door to the living room and slumping on the couch with his phone in his lap (yes my hearing was that good) he dialled the number and I could faintly hear the phone ringing on the other end as I went back to sit with my photo album to eavesdrop.

"Ring Ring… Ring Ring"

"Hello?"

"Hey Jase!"

Jason sounded like he had just woken up but it was 6pm in the evening, living the collage life indeed, busy indeed! I tusked and grumbled to my self

"Oh… hey dad…"

His tone was a bit hesitant he knew that questions were coming

"What you been up to son? Your mum has been worried you have drowned in a beer glass or something? She has been waiting for your call…"

"Oh… is she in the house?"

I knew he knew I would be listening if I was anywhere in the vicinity and so did Jacob which explained his next answer.

"Nope… She is at some first aid thing or something to do with the school… I forget"

Jacob was very good at acting casual, something I found very sexy in him.

"Oh right.. Coz I have been thinking about … You know… coming down in the next few days? And…."

I was disappointed as his tone sounded hesitant and negative, but Jacob interrupted

"It would mean a lot to your mum kid? She also cant wait to hear how Harvard law is treating you?… and she has been missing those brown eyes of yours too.. She misses you a lot Jason?"

"I know. And you really shouldn't watch mum's dreams isn't it kind invasive?"

Jacob had discovered many years ago that if he placed my palm on his face as I slept he could read my dreams; I had never minded that it was a nice feeling to share everything I had with him.

"naaa she loves it" Jake chuckled " so.. The funeral?…."

It was the first time Jacob had said those words in that conversation probably taking care not to scare him off to soon.

"Dad I?…."

There was long pause and Jacob said nothing

"I'm really sorry. I cant afford to miss the time here, and I'm sure its gonna be complicated enough without me there?"

Jacob said nothing for a minute. Jason had also been a bit of a tear-away, even if a very bright and talented one, he had always kept his hair long like his dad had it when he was a young teenager and he had a tattoo of a dream catcher done on his back when he was 14 when I was away on a nursing conference I had been furious at the time, but I took the advice from my aunt Alice that if I let him have his rebellious moment then he would go to Harvard and study law like I wanted him to. So I had only really made a play out of being cross when I hadn't been as cross as I made out. It was a very attractive tattoo in the end anyway.

"That's a real shame kido your mums gonna be really disappointed you know?…."

There was another painful pause

"…well ok if that's how you feel… anyway how goes collage? You meeting some good people"

"yeah yeah some really cool people"

Jason replied distractedly

"umm sorry dad this kinda isn't a good time?"

Then very quietly in the background I was sure I could hear a woman breathing? As if she was stirring in her sleep?

"I will call you sometime next week ok?… after the… well anyway talk to you soon ok?"

"Ok bye son"

Jacob sounded very disappointed. Like a teenager who had just lost the opportunity to go out on the town. I heard Jacobs's rough hands as they rubbed up over his face as if he could wipe the disappointment off his face.

"You get that ness?"

He called from the living room, knowing that I had heard every word

"Yes thanks"

I called back, 'thanks for trying' I thought.

The remaining days till Charlie's funeral whizzed by before I had really noticed. Alice had got all the women black mourning veils to wear so that no one would see our faces. It was only Jacob, my Dad Edward, and my Granddad Carlisle who planned to accompany us in the service, they had high collared dress coats that they would fold up around their faces and also hold the umbrellas low to hide their identify (as forks was bound to be rainy) that should prevent anyone recognising them. Alice had it all planned and knew that we could not be seen for the immortals that we were, we would be able to mourn in peace.

The day of the funeral arrived. The morning was thick with grey rain that made the sun seem like a distant memory. We had all arrived at the old house that sat as a small part of my very early memories. Esme had all but built this house from scratch and it shone with her taste. None of the main furniture had moved even though no one had lived here for over 20 years but once the dust covers were removed and my beloved family filled the rooms again it felt like home, and as if we had never really left.

We drove to the funeral with not one of us talking. My mothers deep brown hair flowed beautifully over her shoulders as she sat next to me in the back seat of the black non descript car we had hired for the occasion. She made no sobbing sounds but she held my hand and the hand of my aunt Alice who sat on her other side. I could just about feel her trembling as we travelled, she was trying to keep her self together as I knew her emotions must be so tight right now. I couldn't even imagine how I would feel loosing my father. We were so close it would half kill me to loose him. I gripped my mum's hand tighter and she gripped mine back.

We pulled up to the cemetery and in the thick rain we could see where the occasion was going to stand. We walked slowly over in the pouring rain leaving my uncle Emmet and aunt Rose along with my uncle Jasper with the cars. They never knew Charlie all that well we saw no reason to push our luck.

The ceremony was short and very appropriate. Lots and lots of people showed up to say farewell to the ex-police chief who had cared so much for the town called Forks. As we passed the grave on our way out we each through a flower and a handful of earth into the grave. My mothers hair was flicking like dark chocolate flames under her veil, her hair reached her waist and I wandered if it might give her away to people who might recognise her. When the service had finished we went back to the Cullen household in the woods to have our own wake for Charlie. We shared some stories and flicked through albums we had of my mum's childhood and of my own (brief as it had been). By the end of the evening the day had felt like a celebration of Charlie's life, and not a morning of his death.