Disclaimer: Stephenie Meyer owns all except the plot. That's all mine.

Surprise

High Noon

Rasine

I had never really noticed before.

Of course, I knew I looked different from them, my skin not as pale, the brown of my eyes incomparable to the golden hue of theirs. I wasn't as strikingly beautiful. The other aspects were there too. I knew that even with the fluidity of my movements, theirs were the epitome of grace. I knew that for as fast as I could run, they were all but invisible with speed when they ran.

But I remained blissfully unaware in my happiness. Having a full family with love and support surrounding one could have that effect. I loved my parents, and I rarely was involved in an altercation with them. If we did fight? Usually, it was over Jacob Black.

"I'm not tired, Bella. I don't need to sleep that much. I'm going to La Push."

Ever since we had moved back from Vancouver to Beaver, a little town near Forks, my mother had been slightly edgy. My calling her "Bella" at school had reached me calling her it at home, a fact she loathed. I enjoyed it, for it now felt awkward to call her "Mom" when she looked nearly the same age as me.

She and my father, Edward, both focused on my human traits, like sleep, entirely too much. I usually brushed it off, but earlier tonight, when she told me to get into bed, standing there in her teenage youth, I had snapped at her. Her eyes had widened momentarily, and then she scowled.

"I am your mother, and will be called as such. Renesmee, get in bed."

I hated being told what to do. "No. I'm not tired, so I'm going to see Jacob."

Edward had sighed. "Just get in bed, Nessie. Let's not fight."

"I'm eighteen—"

"Seven," Bella interjected, wincing. I ignored her.

"So I'm a legal adult. I'm going out."

I had planned to sweep dramatically out of the room, and to snatch the keys from the living room table on my way out.

That's when it happened.

My toe caught ever so slightly on the step leading out of the living room, and I had tripped, barely halting my fall with my hands. Blood swirled beneath my cheeks as I jumped back to my feet, and I couldn't help but turn to face them. Bella was reaching one pale hand slightly towards me, her lips parted in surprise. Edward had a look of sympathy on his face, clearly having read the embarrassment from my mind.

Such a ridiculously human thing had never happened to me before.

And for one brief moment, watching them before me, in all of their beauty, grace, and elegance, I had hated them. Edward heard that, too. Shock replaced the sympathy on his features.

"Renesmee—" He started, but I had already bolted into the garage.

I was now on the highway, the sleek black Mercedes purring beneath me. Angry, ashamed tears streamed down my cheeks. I just realized now how I hated being different. "One of a kind" or "a blessing" was how Rosalie put it, but I saw it as a curse.

My whole family now seemed abnormal to me. I was technically older than my father, maturing at eighteen, and it bothered me. On the rare occasions that I saw my human acquaintences' parents, I couldn't help but cringe when my parents were introduced as my siblings. It looked so wrong to see the salt and peppered hair of my friends' parents next to the shining, beautiful locks of my parents. Their budding wrinkles and crow's feet alongside my parents' smooth, hard, polished skin.

I came to a screeching halt in front of Jacob's house, having reached there in record time. I stepped out of the car quickly, inhaling the mist that accompanied the heavy rain. I loved the rain, which was perfect, seeing as I would have to live in it forever.

I loped up to the door before pausing. I hadn't seen Jacob for two years… I had looked around thirteen the last time I saw him. I scowled. Stupid training. My mother and my father had taken me away for those twenty four months to teach me not to eat anyone, surrounding me with people my age at school. They had called it "building my endurance." Always so polite. With a soft snort and a roll of my eyes, I reached up and tapped lightly on the door.

There was a scuffle on the other side, a creak of a wheelchair, and Billy opened the door. Only the faint light from the television poured out, exaggerating my already pale skin. For a moment, Billy rolled backwards and hissed. I laughed softly. He thought I was a real vampire. The thought stung for a moment, and I cringed.

"Whoa, there, tiger. Don't hurt me now." I held up my hands, palms out, and grinned at him.

He squinted at me, and his eyes doubled in size. "N…Nessie?"

"The one and only." I skipped past him into the small house. He shut the door and spun around to look at me as I looked around the living room. I peered down the hallway that would lead to Jacob's room.

Billy's eyes looked ready to pop out of their sockets. "Nessie… you're… so…"

"Different?" I suggested.

He shook his head. "Old."

I stuck out my tongue at him. "Look who's talking, Grandpa." I teased. He scowled, and I immediately regretted my words. "Aw, c'mon, Billy, you know you look better than ever, right?" I pecked him on the cheek. He smiled; I could tell I was forgiven.

"So…" I craned my neck to see down the hall. "Jake in?"

Billy nodded. "I think so. He's been pretty down this year, Nessie. He misses you like crazy."

I bowed my head. "I'm sorry. We had to be sure I wouldn't… you know."

Billy cringed, but waved me towards Jacob's room. I thanked him in a whisper and started slowly down the hall. Jake's door was closed. I couldn't help but smile as I opened my Jacob's door.

"Jake, I'm—" I was cut off by the fact that the room was empty. "Oh." I sighed and sat on the bed. I looked out the open window and into the dark forest. He was probably running a patrol. I sighed again and laid down, waiting. I dozed off a few times, only to have my eyes pop open and bolt up, thinking I had missed his return. Now I sat with my head on my knees. A soft, distinctly female snarl from outside caught my attention.

"Do you smell that?" The female voice hissed. I held my breath and sniffed delicately at the air. All I could smell was Jacob's woodsy scent.

"Yeah. But it's… off. Diluted." Jake's voice made my already hummingbird-esque heart beat a little faster.

"From the rain?" The female suggested. I sighed as I recognized it. Leah.

"Oh, god. The leech's trail leads inside." I gasped and sprung to my feet.

"Billy!" Leah whispered in horror. Blood ran icy in my veins. A vampire? In here? I bolted from the bed, opening the door as quietly as I could. With a deep breath, I sprinted towards Billy's room to protect him.

"It's on the move!" Jacob roared. Comprehension settled on me as I reached Billy's door. With a sinking feeling, I realized that there was no viscious vampire in the house. Only a half-vampire. I stopped and turned around just as Leah sprang at me. We crashed through Billy's door, and he let out a yell.

"Leah!" I screamed. The gray wolf stopped snarling long enough to stare into my frightened brown eyes, to see the blood draining from my face in fear. With a bewildered expression in her black eyes, I could tell when she heard my heart. The wolf folded over itself and flipped inside out, shrinking, until a startlingly naked human Leah stood before me. She grinned weakly at Billy before grabbing a sheet from the bed.

"I promise I'll return it, Bill." She turned to the doorway, rolling her eyes. "False alarm, O wonderful chief. It's just the hybrid."

I flinched at that before turning to gape at Jacob. My lips burst into an ear-splitting smile. He was finishing tying his cut-off sweats, his raven hair sweeping against his chin. Muscles stood out prominently beneath the russet skin of his torso and arms. He looked perfectly, wonderfully, and deliciously the same.

"Jacob!" I sang, flinging myself at him. He wrapped me up into a bone-crunching hug, crooning my name over and over again.

"Little Nessie…" He murmured, kissing the top of my head. I pulled back and grinned teasingly at him.

"Not so little anymore. Eighteen, I'll have you know. Did I mention I'm five foot seven? We can't all be towering beasts."

He gave me the same wince as my mother, but smiled. "You're seven."

I smiled. "Tell me something, Jake. Does a seven-year-old look like this?" I danced back a few steps and posed. He coughed and looked down.

"Um… no. I think Leah got at your clothes a little, Ness."

I glanced down. Sure enough, my pale, hard stomach and midriff was exposed. Leah held up the bottom half of my shirt and wiggled it around, grinning. I didn't feel shy at all. Instead, I stood on my tiptoes and kissed Jacob on the cheek.

"Why can't you just tell me I look beautiful and grown up, Jake?" I put on a pretty pout.

"Well… no… it's… just… of course you look… great." He choked out.

I quirked up an eyebrow. Jacob had never looked so shy or awkward. He stared at his feet, his brow furrowed. I stared curiously at him for a long moment before a smirk appeared on my face.

"Jacob Black. You like me." I announced. His russet cheeks deepened in color, and Billy and Leah cackled behind me. I turned to grin at them.

"I need to talk to my imprinter," I informed them. I grabbed Jake's hand and dragged him into his room.

"Be safe, kids!" Leah called after us. Billy roared.

Then it was silent. Neither of us flicked on the lights, we could both see perfectly in the dark. Jacob sat on the bed and ran a hand through his hair. I couldn't stop grinning.

"You didn't deny it." I chirped. Jacob's head snapped up.

"What?"

"That you like me. Admit it, you think I'm the most gorgeous and perfect imprint ever to walk the face of the—" I was cut off when Jacob threw a pillow at me, hitting me square in the back of my head as I twirled. I laughed delightedly. He groaned. I threw myself on to the bed beside him, kicking my sneakers on to the floor. I stretched and smiled.

I felt a warm palm pressed against my cheek. I opened my eyes slowly, smiling wider. Jacob frowned.

"You could have at least sent me pictures. Then I wouldn't be so weirded out right now."

I sat up. My smile faltered slightly. "I wanted to surprise you."

He sighed. "Ah, little Nessie."

That struck a nerve. My smile dropped. "I'm not little."

He sighed again. "Seven."

My lips twitched up. I pulled myself into his lap, twining my arms around his neck. My lips twisted into a devious grin as I leaned my forehead against his. Jacob leaned backwards in surprise. His eyes widened, panicked. I could hear his breathing pick up. I laughed softly.

"Oh, relax, will you? Close your eyes. I'm showing you what you missed while I was gone."

Jacob visibly relaxed and obliged, and I began to show him the past two years of my life.

I showed him my sorrow at leaving him, the painful flight to Vancouver. I showed him the tiny town we had lived in, the pretty little yellow house, our sunshine in the rain. I showed him Bella, on my first day at school, anxiously watching me as I gracefully weaved between the throng of human children.

"You're younger than them." Jacob interrupted. I growled, silencing him.

I showed him how ridiculously dull the childrens' lives were, how long it took them to memorize a simple algebra formula or the parts of a cell. I showed him skipping from town to town when within six months I began to look much older.

I showed him my first menstrual cycle, my embarrassment and shock at it. Jacob opened his eyes and stared at me in astonishment.

"You… can have children?"

I nodded and rolled my eyes, gently pressing his eyelids down with my fingertips. Grinning, I showed him Alex, a beautiful human with rich caramel skin, deep green eyes and artfully curved, full lips. I showed him myself at sixteen, Alex's hands wrapped around my waist, soft, delicious lips pressed against mine…

"Renesmee! What the hell?!" Jacob shouted, his eyes popping open. He deftly slid out from under me, rising to his feet. I carefully controlled my expression, a grin threatening to break through. I tried for innocent.

"What's the matter, Jake?" I asked, the picture of confusion.

"Did Edward know about that… boy?" He snarled, his eyes glinting black.

I cocked my head to the side. "Yes, Dad adored him. Alex was such a gentleman." I smiled dreamily and twirled a piece of my hair around my finger.

"I bet he wouldn't have thought so if he had seen that asshole's hands up your shirt!"

I rolled my eyes. "I can show you again, Jacob. They were on my waist, over my shirt."

I rose to my feet and walked over to him, rising on my tiptoes to wrap my arms around his neck.

"Jealous?" I asked, the corners of my mouth twitching up.

"No!" Jacob spat. "Of course not!"

My face twisted in hurt. I could see remorse cloud his features, but I ignored it. I quietly pulled on my sneakers. One could have heard a pin drop in the room.

"Aw, Ness, you know I didn't mean—"

"Save it, Jacob."

"Last time I saw you, you were thirteen. I can't possibly—"

"I bet Quil would be positively thrilled if Claire grew as fast as me."

Jacob frowned, that topic was usually forbidden. "Renesmee. Nothing can happen between us until you are an adult."

I narrowed my eyes. "I am an—"

"You're seven!"

I stared at him for a moment. "You mean… you won't… be with me… for… eleven… years?"

Jacob nodded, his mouth a hard line. I felt tears well up in my eyes, threatening to spill over.

"That doesn't make me happy, Jacob." I saw the hard mask he was wearing falter. It was an imprinters job to keep the imprint happy. I felt guilty for a moment for striking such a low blow.

"I can't, Ness." He reached to touch my face, but I slid backwards.

"What about whatever I need? A friend, a playmate, a brother, a lover?" My voice was a scratchy whisper. I fingered the promise ring he had given to me when I was a baby. The bracelet had transitioned into a ring once my fingers were big enough.

"I don't know what to tell you, Nessie. I just can't."

"What's wrong with me?" I felt my lower lip tremble.

Jacob's eyes widened. "Nothing, Nessie! You're absolutely perfect!"

At his words, I jerked too hard on the leather of the ring, and it snapped. I took a swift step towards him, pressing both hands against his cheeks. I flashed images of my whole family.

Vampire, human, werewolf… I fit nowhere.

Jacob stared back at me, putting a hand over one of mine. I slid my pale hand from underneath his, leaving the promise ring with him. I jumped out the window and into the rain, and caught a glimpse of Jacob standing shocked, the intricate leather loop, split in two, resting on his open palm.

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I enjoy writing this. It's so much fun writing about an immature person who thinks that they're mature.

Anyways... See that review button? It makes me happy when you click that. Don't be a silent reader!