SPOILER ALERT, SPOILER ALERT, SPOILER ALERT, SPOILER ALERT!
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Okay then. Now that that's overwith...
So Breaking Dawn...I have to say that I'm a little bit on the fence about the book. There are a few things that I definitely would have changed, but hey. Stephenie knew what she was doing. And it was pretty good. One of the things that I was on the fence about was the whole Jacob/Renesmee Imprint thing. I decided that before I judged that, I should try it out.
So here you go. My first (and most likely not the last) Jacob and Renesmee fic.
Oh. And I just remembered. I know that Paul had Imprinted on Rachel. I, however, liked a different pairing much, much better. If anyone has read Glitchinthesystem's fic The Puppet Master, then you will know who the character is. If not, I highly recommend reading it. It's every bit as good as the real series.
"Jake!" her laughter tinkles through the air as she chases me. "Come on! Give it back!" It's my turn to laugh. I know she could catch up to me if she really wanted to. I think she just enjoys my teasing much more than she lets on.
"What?" I ask innocently, slowing to a dead stop in front of her. "This?" I hold up the well read copy of Dante's Inferno that I had snatched from her a few minutes ago. "You've read this at least fifteen times, Nessie. Wouldn't you rather just hang out with me?" I grin. She rolls her chocolate brown eyes and leaps for the book. I'm easily a foot and a half taller than her. She can't reach the book when I hold it above my head.
"Please Jake?" her expression becomes sorrowful, pleading with me. And naturally, the Imprint in me won't let me say no. I doubt I would've said no even if I hadn't Imprinted on Renesmee Cullen eight years ago. The look she was shooting me reminded me so much of Bella. And had I ever been able to resist when she tried? Not so much.
I slowly surrender the book, pulling instead the slender girl into my arms, hugging her tightly. The ache in my chest intensifies. My body is acutely aware that Nessie is no longer a child. Every fiber of my being is telling me to act on my instincts and just kiss her right now. But that isn't what she wants. Yet. Like Sam told me so long ago, no one can resist and Imprint for long.
But it doesn't have to be much longer, a little voice in my head says. It sounds distinctly like Leah, even though I'm in my human form. I frown, but listen to what it has to say anyway. Fleetingly, I wonder if I'm losing my sanity. If you ignore the immortality thing, you guys are technically the same age now, the voice continues. Renesmee knows about the werewolf thing and deals with that just fine. What makes you think that she'll freak out about the Imprint?
She's obviously already totally attached to you. The voice quiets into a stubborn silence, but I know that it's merely waiting for me to try to come up with a reasonable argument. I can't.
Impulsively, I lift Nessie up and swing her in a wide circle. Laughing, we tumble down in the grass and lay there peacefully, staring up at the clouds. Nessie gently touches her hand to my cheek and replays the last few minutes for me from her perspective. I note happily that she's had a good day so far. After a moment, she pulls her hand back (much to my chagrin) and sits up, her designer - Alice wouldn't allow her anything but - blue jean clad legs tucked gracefully underneath her. She reaches her hand out for mine and helps me sit up, not quite as smoothly, next to her.
"You have something to tell me today," Nessie says in her soft bell-like voice. Her tone is so matter of fact that it takes me by surprise.
"How…wait, huh? How did you know?" I want to slap myself for sounding like such an idiot in front of her. She merely giggles and touches my face again. As the pleasantly cool temperature of her hand sinks into my forehead, I watch Alice tell Nessie and her parents about the latest vision.
"Jacob will tell you something very important today," Alice trilled, her happiness apparent in the tone of her voice.
"Is it…" Bella trailed off, looking meaningfully at her husband. Edward winked at her, having had a good look at Alice's vision already. Bella grinned, her eyes lighting up.
"Finally!" she exclaimed happily. Alice smirked at Renesmee, who stood next to her parents in utter confusion.
"Don't worry," Alice reassured her. "Just trust him, ok?" Renesmee nodded.
The memory ends and Nessie withdraws her hand again.
"Start talking," she says mischievously. "I would very much like to know what Aunt Alice was talking about."
I take a deep breath, trying to calm myself. I shouldn't be nervous. No, the voice in my head agrees, you shouldn't. She's your Imprint. I'm annoyed with the voice and I guess the irritation shows on my face. Renesmee laughs.
"What's wrong?"
"There's this little voice in my head that keeps trying to tell me what to do," I confess.
"Your conscience?" Nessie frowns. "Isn't that supposed to be a good thing?"
"Not when it sounds like Leah," I shake my head dramatically. Nessie reaches over and ruffles my hair. I get goosebumps down the back of my neck from her touch. I know I need to tell her. Nervousness swoops back down into my stomach.
"Leah isn't that bad," she says reasonably, oblivious to my inner struggle. "But that isn't the point. The point is, you need to tell me what's going on."
"Alright, alright," I steady myself again. Nessie has no idea how long I've waited for this moment. I can't even describe how much I envied Sam for Emily or Paul for Cammy. They didn't have to wait for their Imprints to grow up. Quil and I had to suffer through the childhoods of Claire and Nessie. I got lucky though, since it had only taken eight years for Nessie to reach nearly seventeen. And from what the other half human/half leech told us, she's about done growing. And aging.
I take a second to study her while I decide what to say. Her copper curls reach down to the small of her back, waving in the breeze gently. Her beautiful eyes are searching my face in
confusion and interest. The pale skin of her cheeks is tinged with pink from the chilly weather. I want to pull her into my arms, to warm her up. But I know I need to tell her first.
"Have you ever heard of an Imprint, Nessie?" I ask slowly. She shakes her head slightly. I continue. "I don't know quite how to describe it…I think love at first sight is sort of accurate. It happens to werewolves, but it's supposed to be really rare…except Sam, Quil, Paul, and I have all Imprinted." I expect Nessie to interrupt but she doesn't. She just waits for me to keep speaking, her fascination apparent in her expression. "When you Imprint, your life suddenly revolves around the person you've Imprinted on. It physically hurts you to be away from them. You can't help but make yourself part of the life of your Imprint, even if they aren't old enough to be your…" color rushes to my cheeks and I immediately feel embarrassed. "…soul mate."
Comprehension flashes through Nessie's eyes.
"You said that you've Imprinted?" she asks softly. I notice that her cheeks have flushed darker pink. With her skin sparkling slightly in the sun, she looks just like an angel. My heart thrums in my chest. I nod. "How long ago?"
"Eight years ago," I whisper.
"What do you intend to do now?" she asks me
"Wait for you," I reply without hesitation. "I'll just wait for you to be ready for me to love you." I laugh lightly, thinking of the time when my heart had been Bella's. "I'm good at waiting."
A slow smile spreads across Renesmee's beautiful face. "Wouldn't that be cruel to make you wait?"
"What?" the question catches me off guard. I have no idea where she's going with this. Nessie shakes her head at me, amused at my confusion. She takes my face between her hands, conveying her thoughts through to me.
I feel as if I'm watching a movie, starring me. I see myself the way Nessie sees me and it astonishes me. The way she sees me is the same as the way I see her, but she doesn't have to deal with an Imprint. She has no reason to feel that way about me. And for that reason, I talk myself into believing that she sees me as a best friend. Or a brother. Just a more…glorified version of me.
She pulls away and looks me straight in the eyes. She sees the disbelief written across my face and frowns.
"You don't understand." She says it as a statement, rather than a question.
"Not quite," I say sheepishly.
Nessie sighs and lies back down in the grass. I lay next to her. She looks thoughtful. I want to touch her; to hold her hand. To stroke her cheek. But I don't. Instead, I just lie there and watch her as she seems to make up her mind about something.
I didn't even see her move. One moment I was watching her think. Now her lips are on mine, chilly and sweet. My eyes widen and I pull away. I sit up in shock. She follows.
"But…wha…you…" I can't form a comprehensible sentence. Nessie giggles, but looks worried.
"Did I do something wrong?" she asks innocently.
"No! No," I assure her quickly. "I'm just…confused."
Nessie groans. "About what?" frustration has crept into her voice.
"About that," I point at my lips. "Ness, just because I told you about the Imprint…" I trail off when she raises her left eyebrow. "Well, it doesn't mean that you have to suddenly pretend you feel the same way." I put my hands on her shoulders and meet her gaze. "We have time. We have forever, remember?"
Nessie laughs and interlaces her small hands into my large ones.
"You can be so blind," she says simply. "Jacob Black, has it really taken you this long to realize that I'm in love with you?"
I'm dumbstruck. The sudden happiness that is gushing through me takes all thoughts of speech from me. But suddenly, I find I don't need to speak. Renesmee is mine. And she's kissing me again. And I have eternity to spend with her.