Renesmee Cullen runs a hand through her bronze curls and takes a sip of her artificially sweetened coffee. Her perfectly manicured right index finger gently circles the rim of her big Friends mug, which had been a gift from the man sitting across from her.
Jacob Black looks across the Cullen's dining room table, staring intently into the beautiful hybrid's topaz eyes. He notices the dark shadows beneath them. She meets his gaze as he sips from his own coffee mug. The love and passion between the two of them is undeniable, even to Renesmee's overly- protective family, most of who sit in just in the next room over.
The digital clock on the oven in the kitchen reads 1:12 A.M. Renesmee breaks the gaze with Jacob, letting her head rest on top of her hands on the mahogany table. Her eyes are heavy, but she doesn't dare close them. Jacob stands suddenly, coffee in hand, to go sit beside his imprint. His fingers gently trace circles on her back, subtly trying to soothe her into sleep.
It almost works; her eyes close and she almost lets herself be eased into unconsciousness. But as soon as her eyes close, she sees the horrific images of her worst nightmare, and her eyes snap open. "Do you want to talk about it?" Jacob asks, staring intently at the love of his life.
"No," is her curt reply as she sits up. Renesmee raises her mug to her lips, tilting her head to drown the last of it.
"You can't just not sleep, Ness. "
"Watch me." She snaps, her face blank. She reaches for his coffee now, and he willingly hands it over. Jacob drinks his without sugar, or even the fake, zero-calorie shit Renesmee puts in hers. She doesn't mind though, she drinks it so fast that she can't taste it. She drinks the strong, black coffee for one reason only: to stay awake.
Only an hour earlier Renesmee had been abruptly woken by the sound of her own screaming. She had been staying at the Cullen's main house, sleeping in her bedroom there. Her parents had gone hunting with her aunt Rosalie and uncle Emmett, planning to be back by morning. Carlisle was at the hospital; Esme, Jasper, and Alice were the only ones home to hear Renesmee's blood-curdling shriek.
She woke up in a cold sweat, crying and terrified. Jasper held her until she calmed down, desperately trying to control her overwhelming emotions.
There was no way in hell Renesmee was going back to sleep, not after what she had just seen. These dreams weren't anything new; Renesmee had had them when she was younger. But it had been years. And they had never been so horrific.
Jacob had showed up shorty after Renesmee's episode. Nobody had called him; nobody needed to. He was just finishing patrol and he could feel that something was wrong. It was hard to describe, but he could feel when she was scared and needed him. He just knew.
Renesmee got out of bed, despite Esme's protests and Jasper's best attempts to soothe his niece. Much to their disapproval, Renesmee then made coffee. Coffee which she now drank hurriedly, desperate to ward off sleep.
She moved at an inhuman speed to the kitchen, pouring more of the dark liquid into a mug. Jacob sighed, following her. "Don't you think that's enough? You know what that stuff does to you."
Renesmee sipped at her mug. "Yes, I do. That's why I'm drinking it."
He shook his head at her, half-smiling. "Alright. That's enough, Ness. You need to sleep." He reaches out to take the mug from her, but she's quicker. She darts around the table, amusement lighting her tired eyes.
He goes after her, chasing her around the kitchen and around the dining room table. Their eyes meet as they circle each other strategically and they burst into laughter. She struggles to not spill the hot liquid as she runs and it frequently spills over the sides, dripping down her arm. This only makes her laugh harder, the beautiful sound filling the otherwise silent house.
Renesmee's mistake is pausing to sip the coffee. When she does, just for a millisecond, Jacob wraps his arms around her waist. He pries the cup from her fingers, setting it safely on the counter, and then throws the girl over his shoulder. She laughs in between protesting shrieks, pounding on his back with small fists.
Jacob throws her onto the awaiting couch in the living room. Jasper and Alice sit across the room, watching the news on the lowest possible volume. Esme sits in a chair, reading. All eyes turn to focus on the scene displayed before them. Jacob plops down beside Renesmee, pulling her into his lap.
She doesn't protest, instead reaching up to peck his lips and then resting her head on his shoulder. "You need to sleep. You're exhausted," he says, letting his eyes close.
Renesmee scoffs, "The kettle shouldn't call the pot black. When was the last time you got any sleep?"
She does have a point. But he's quick to respond. "I'll sleep when you sleep."
Renesmee's voice lowers into a whisper, "I don't want to sleep. I don't want to go back to where I was."
"The Volturi." He says, only a half-question. They are the only thing Renesmee's truly afraid of. He hates them. He hates that they all have to live in fear and constantly be on alert. They've accepted it, but occurrences like this only remind the Cullens that they will never truly be free.
She nods against his chest, breathing in the scent of his grey t-shirt. Pine and wintergreen. The smell of Jacob. Both familiar and comforting. "Will you stay with me? Please?"
Jacob looks to Esme for an answer, as she's the head of the house. Her smile is warm, but concern for her granddaughter is sprinkled in her features. "Of course," Esme stands, gesturing toward the stairs. "Both of you, go on up to bed. Call if you need anything."
They walk to the stairs; Jacob has no patience, picking Renesmee up off of her feet and carrying her up the stairs after she trips for the second time. He carries her into her bedroom, laying her on the lilac-colored, unmade, queen-sized bed before he settles down himself.
Renesmee curls up next to Jacob, laying her head on his chest. She listens to the steady rhythm of his heart, letting her eyes close. "Thank you for staying with me," Renesmee whispers into the darkness. "But there's no way I can go back to sleep."
"Just try, Ness." He whispers back, running his fingers through her hair. "I'm not going anywhere. I'll be here when you wake up; I'll be here to wake you up if you need me to." He pauses. "Will you show me? The dream, I mean. It might help."
Renesmee thinks about this for a second, and then laces her fingers through Jacob's. She pushes the memory through her palms, projecting the nightmare into Jacob. He watches in horror as everyone in both his and Renesmee's lives' is slaughtered right before his eyes by the Volturi guard. The dream is explicit; Jacob can't believe the sweet, innocent girl in his arms could have such a violent subconscious.
When it's over Renesmee untangles her fingers from Jacob's. The couple lay in silence, Jacob almost wishing he didn't ask to see the dream. It scared even him. "Well," he says, taking her hand again, kissing her fingers. "That was some scary shit."
"Yep, I would have to agree." She whispers with a gentle laugh. Her free hand traces gentle circles on his chest. Jacob closes his eyes, pulling Renesmee closer to him. "Go to sleep, Jake. I'll be fine."
"Come on, Nessie. I promise I'll wake you up if I need to. It will be fine," he mumbles, eyelids heavy.
She nods against his chest, exhausted. Her eyes close and she almost lets sleep take her, but not before kissing Jacob's jawline and whispering, "I love you, Jake."
"I love you more," He tilts his head down, she tilts hers up, and they share a gentle kiss before both drifting into sleep.