Chapter One: Beginning
*Jacob POV*
I didn't sleep the whole night, even though I was so tired I could barely keep my eyes open. I watched Nessie carefully, hoping against hope that she's okay, that no nightmares bother her tonight. The last month had been the hardest of my life, even worse than that month that Bella was pregnant. Seeing Ness in pain, but being able to do next to nothing about it had been so hard for me.
I never knew she was scared. Even when we knew the Volturi was coming for us, even when we thought we were going to die, Nessie had not had nightmares. But after they left, Nessie started screaming every night, bringing back memories of Bella when Edward had left, broken, fragile, shattered. I remembered how Charlie used to tell Dad about Bella, how worried he had been when she kept screaming in her sleep at night.
Now I felt the same way.
The only thing that seemed to help Ness was when I slept beside her. So that was what I was doing. Tonight, for the first time, she seemed peaceful. Trying not to wake her, I gently lifted her hand and placed it on my cheek. Images filled my head. She was playing with all of us, me Bella, Edward and the rest of the Cullens. In Bella and Edward's meadow. I smiled, happy that she was happy. I let myself rest, and sleep soon claimed me.
*Renesmee POV*
I woke early in the morning, around dawn. I was astonished. I actually felt rested, and I had slept the whole night! Maybe the nightmares were over, never to come back again. I recalled the dream I had had. It had been a good one. My family and I were all playing together, in Mama and Daddy's meadow. They had only taken me there once or twice, but I loved it.
I looked at Jacob. I felt so bad for making him miss his sleep. I knew he was like me, and he had to sleep too. I decided to let him sleep and studied his face. He looked so peaceful, so young when he slept. Not troubled, like he usually was. After I was born, he worried about me growing old, and then he worried that I was going to be killed. And now he was worrying about me having nightmares. My poor Jacob. How much worry I was causing him.
I looked at my hand, still in his. He must have been watching me dream. I hoped he knew that I was okay. I didn't ever want him to be sad because of me. I didn't actually understand why Jacob chose to sacrifice so much for me. Maybe he was just a kind person. But I didn't care about the reasons, at least not now. I just wanted him here with me, happy and free from all his worries.
As if he knew that I was thinking about him, he opened his eyes and smiled at me. "So, you wish I was here, huh?" he asked teasingly. Then I remembered that my hand was still in his. He must have heard my thoughts. I smiled shyly at him, before he sat up and pulled me into a hug. Jacob was so warm, I liked to be near him in the mornings, when it was a little cold.
I heard Daddy chuckle and guessed that he must have heard my thoughts. He started to play my favourite melody, Mama's song. He said that he wrote it for her when she was still human and he first fell in love with her. It was one of my favourite songs, because the melody was so sweet and loving.
Jacob sat with me, listening to the song too, as the early morning light stole over the cottage.
*Bella POV*
I leaned onto the piano as Edward played. Ever since Ness had started having nightmares, Edward had gotten the idea to buy a piano for the cottage, and play it every night. He felt that perhaps music would help to soothe her. I was so desperate I agreed to anything, so that I wouldn't have to watch my daughter suffer every night. Not for the first time, I felt a surge of anger towards the Volturi. I knew that they had come to acquire, not to "uphold the law" as they had pretended. I had watched Nessie's dreams one night, trying to figure out what scared her. Edward wouldn't tell me, saying it would make me angry.
And he was right.
I had wanted to rip Aro's head from his shoulders when I saw what Nessie dreamed of. He held her prisoner while he made her watch all of us die, and then he left her alone in the world and walked away. I never wanted that fate for my daughter, which made me even more thankful that I never had to die. She would always have me, and Edward, not to mention Jacob and the rest of the family.
I had been on tenterhooks tonight, waiting to rush to her side as soon as the screaming started, but, thankfully she had had a restful night.
For the first time, I had understood Charlie's anxiety when Edward left me a few years ago. I understood how worried he had been about me when I started screaming every night. As a parent, your first priority was always your child.
Maybe now, my child was safe and happy.
I relaxed as Edward continued to play. He chuckled once, and I guessed he had heard Nessie's thoughts. Then he frowned, and I heard a slight falter in his playing, undetectable to human ears, but which my more sensitive ears could hear. I pulled back my shield to ask him what was wrong.
"Nessie is wondering why Jacob is sacrificing so much for her. She doesn't understand why he wants to be with her, and would do anything for her," he murmured softly, so that only a vampire could hear.
I sighed.
I didn't want to explain to my daughter what imprinting was, and especially not now. I wanted her to be my daughter for some more time.
Correctly interpreting my expression, Edward laughed softly.
"Don't look so worried, Bella. It was just a stray thought. I doubt she will ask for answers yet. We still have a couple of years."
I let myself be convinced and lost myself in the music, living the moment and leaving the future to worry about later.