A/N: I was bored, and I got to thinking-what if Nessie was radically different from her family? What if she's a vegetarian and a humanitarian, and she gets odd powers with animals? What if she's creative and hates stereotypes?

Disclaimer: DON'T OWN! WISH I DID, THOUGH!

I curled my fingers and toes around the banister where I crouched. It was the middle of the night, but I hoped my family wasn't going to notice. Footsteps behind me made me look back quickly, but then I leaped, launching myself across the foyer to right in front of the door, where I landed lightly. Perfect. Not even a thump to betray me.

"NESSIE!" I winced. Mom doesn't like me doing these flying tricks, so I assumed that she had been watching, since I had made no noise. "WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING?" I ducked out the door and ran. It took about fifteen seconds for me to get caught. It kinda stinks when your family can't sleep. Aunt Alice was the one who grabbed me this time. And she wasn't very nice about dragging me back into the house, either. She grumbled the whole way, about who knows what (I don't even know what language, and if it's English, she mutters it way to fast for me to understand. I'm pretty sure that it was a bunch of curses, though, 'cause she only uses that tone when she swears), and I knew I was in big trouble. I'm a bit overprotected at home-NOT MY FAULT! Look, my family are vampires, and I'm a half-vampire (I have no clue as to what that is, so don't ask me), and since I'm apparently *rare* and *special*, my family really doesn't want ANYTHING to happen to me. IT STINKS!

Aunt Alice was dragging me back into the house, grumbling something under her breath. Then she spoke sharply to me.

"Renesmee Carlie Cullen, you have got to stop jumping off the banister! It's dangerous and you know we don't approve! As a matter of fact, I'm regretting ever teaching you how to do it!" Yes, you heard that right. Aunt Alice taught me how to "Jump", capital J. I remember most of it, although I was only two (in age, not appearance)

I clung to Aunt Alice's back, and she laughed merrily.

"Ready, Nessie-Bessie?" she asked, calling me by the pet name she had assigned for me. Without waiting for my reply, she leapt over the railing, somersaulting through the air. I laughed as she giggled, happy and excited. But I let go and I went soaring up high, into a tiny nook that was never used. I found a tiny squirrel that had broken its leg, and, subconsciously, I healed it. I named it Murphy (it was a boy) and it never left my side. Later, I discovered that Murphy had thoughts and that I could read them. I existed on nothing, but occasionally I eat HUMAN food. Emphasis on the HUMAN. Not VAMPIRE. I cannot believe my family relations and close family friends think BLOOD and occasionally MEAT. I am SO not related to them. Vegetarian, Humanitarian, anyone?

Mom and Dad and everyone got pretty worried, because I would refuse to eat, and then slip into a cationic state without warning. I told them that I wouldn't drink blood or anything, since my gift was with animals, and killing them OR humans was just inhumane. They don't touch any of my friends, and if they do, I'd have to hurt them, and they know quite well that I could.

And I'm WAY off topic.

So basically, my gifts are healing with animals, practically being the only one in my family who CAN sleep, transmitting thoughts, breaking through shields and Jumping. Although Jumping isn't so much a gift as much as it's a thing I do for fun. Like playing the piano for Dad ( he's making me. I am NOT musical at all. I make a toddler look talented) or reading for Mom (which I am good at). My parents had a LOT of fun trying to figure out what I can do. I'm being sarcastic. They really hated it, according to Aunt Alice.

Mom stood in front of me, hands on her hips, glaring at me. She looks seventeen/eighteen, like Dad, and it seems no one but me ever gets older. (If looks could kill, I'd be SO dead, like a million times over. I can imitate her glares, and Dad says I look a lot like her when I do it. Personally, I don't ever hope to be like Mom-she was human, fell in love with Dad, yadda, yadda, yadda. I'm NEVER getting married, cuz that's just creepy…and icky…and I WISH PEOPLE WOULD STOP READING OVER MY SHOULDER! YES, I MEAN YOU, JAKE! Jeez, I can't even write in my JOURNAL without people watching. I don't think they like it when I jump off of stuff, but it's kinda what I am. I think I'm part bird, I heal those wings so much, and besides, Dad eavesdrops on minds because he can't help it, and Mom shields because she can't help it, and Aunt Alice sees the future because she can't help it, and Aunt Rosalie is pretty because she can't help it, Uncle Jasper controls emotions because he can't help it, Uncle Emmett is strong because he can't help it and Jake is a werewolf because he can't help it. Or can he? Note to Self, ask Jake later. Anyway, Mama Esme (I have been banned from calling her Gramma. I wanna though! I can't call Grandma Renee because Mom and Dad don't ever talk to her-again, don't know why! My family has WAY too many secrets…) is nice because she can't help it, and so it Papa Carlisle is…somthing because he can't help it. So what's wrong with Jumping? I can't help it!)

Oh…again, the good ship Nessie has sailed off course. (JAKE, I'VE WARNED YOU- STOP READING OVER MY SHOULDER! YOU CONTINUE, I HIT YOU AND BREAK SOMETHING. I WON'T HEAL YOU THIS TIME EITHER!)

Lovely. I lost my place, then Jake swiped my journal, and then I had to get it back, and then he showed Mom and Dad, and then I got the "You're-special-and-we-care-about-you-speech". I've gotten it so many times, I have it memorized and I can say it with them word for word. I swear, if they confiscate my journal this time like they did last time, I'm climbing into the alcove and never coming down. I'm pretty sure Murphy and Molly, my chatty squirrels will bring me acorns to eat (I will eat anything except meat. Or blood. I've eaten tree bark before. It's pretty good. Kinda like carmelly chocolate. Mom and Dad and Aunt Alice and Aunt Rosalie and Uncle Jasper and Uncle Emmett and Papa Carlisle and Mama Esme and Jake refused to eat it. Still confused. They did try to eat Tawny, my doe friend, and that was MEAN. I swear, they do it again, I WILL steal every mirror in the house and smash them on the floor, then Jump onto them. Maybe break a few windows and pieces of furniture in the process. I could take Aunt Alice's shopping supplies…and Aunt Rosalie's pink scarf…and I could use some eco-friendly paint to fix all of the cars…Red food coloring and starch and water wouldn't be that bad either. Uncle Jasper's reaction will be videotape worthy…I saw family vids of Mom's eighteenth birthday (her last…who knew? She's actually technically a year older than Dad, but if you count vampire years (which I don't) Dad's older, by almost a century. I don't think that's funny or cool or anything at all. No sarcasm, I tell you. What's the word for that? Marrying someone a century younger? ) and real blood freaked everyone out, so buckets of fake blood would be fun…I could cut Jake's hair or dye it pink, or something…And Dad's CD collection has gotten way too big. They'll make good wind chimes and reflectors, and the woodpecker trees are way dull. I have got to liven them up. Maybe ribbon? No, their beaks get caught…How about balloons? No, those wouldn't work either…Dang. Note to self, number two…find way to liven up the woodpecker's tree…) Was I talking about the "You're-Special-and-we-care-about-you-speech", or was I past that?

Anyway, I got the speech, my journal back-

Oh, they're all very mad at me right now. The fake blood bombs were the best. I have blackmail material, complete with evidence, labeling, and everything I need. Broken mirrors, glass, stuffing, feathers, splinters, thread, fabric and wood are littered around the house with dangly CD sparklers everywhere, plus, every single inch of the house had fake blood splattered everywhere. The cars are now neon green, orange and pink (neon natural, of course!) and I dumped buckets of paint on everyone when they tried to find me (note to self number three…dye hair ink black…). I also added to it by dumping boxes of cereal everywhere. Everything shreddable, stainable, breakable or damageable has been shredded, stained, broken and damaged. A few stink bombs were added, and I haven't even finished!

I fell from the alcove, or so they thought. I fell onto the broken glass as they walked in the door, and Murphy, Molly, Minnie, Mark and Maya snapped a big stick in two (those squirrels are strong) so they thought I broke something. Mom and Aunt Rosalie shrieked, and then I was gone, running. I had about a thirty-second head start, so I pelted towards the bear cave. If anyone comes after me, I've got a surprise for them. A big, probably unpleasant surprise. I think it's nice, but they don't like my idea of an animal hospital.

The result: I don't think they'll leave me home alone ever again. But I had fun.

No one found me, though they came within three inches of my hiding spot. Eventually, it was Mama Esme who found me. She dragged me back to the house by my ear. That hurt. Seriously. I got a BIG lecture on not destroying the house (OK, that I should've anticipated. But it was totally worth it to see Rosalie with green hair, Jake with really bright, neon blue hair, and everyone else with fun colors in their hair. Mom had bright, bright orange hair, which really does not suit her skin tone, BTW. Dad was this violent shade of violet, Alice suddenly possessed unnaturally bright red hair, Mama Esme in hot pink, Papa Carlisle in turquoise, Jasper in glittery purple (which, coincidentally, looked a LOT like his car now did…), but I thought the funniest was Emmett. I dyed his hair a sparkly pink (which, like Jasper, matched his new and improved car…you should've seen his face when he saw it. I cracked up, and he didn't understand until he happened to look in a mirror. He shrieked and charged for me. I ducked and whacked him hard enough to hear a bone snap.)

They got really mad when I snapped Emmett's bone. I've never snapped one of his bones before-I've gotten everyone BUT him. And Aunt Alice. I normally like them, but when he tried to attack me, something clicked in my mind, and I'm told a wave of gold light washed the room. Next thing I know is that I'm on the ground, Tawny licking me, Retchi (the wolf) growling menacingly at everyone ('cept for Jake. She kept away from him. Does being a werewolf mean reg'lar wolves don't bother you? Note to self number four…figure that out…), Tam-Tam (the elephant from the zoo) stomping hard on the ground, causing mini-earthquakes, Murphy, Molly, Minnie, Mark, Maya, Muffy and the hundreds upon hundreds of the squirrel clan hurling rocks and acorns with slingshots (note to self, number five…learn how squirrels learned slingshot technology), and all of my animal friends were fiercely battling my family. I calmed them by touching them gently, with what I've been told is a "Gossamer Touch". Everyone calmed, but for my family. They looked really mad. I ducked and ran. They broke their record. They caught me in five seconds. FIVE SECONDS. Then I got yelled at for the longest anyone's yelled at me for. Fourteen hours straight. I'm serious. They took shifts. Jake was last, but he only glared at me, started a tirade, then burst out laughing. After Aunt Alice finished, but right after he started, sixteen squirrels decided to perch on my head, shoulders and various parts of each other, where they commenced making funny faces at Jake. Behind me, the rest of the squirrels formed a giant squirrel that made fun of "wolf-boy". I am not kidding. I get a kinda older brother who's not really a brother, since he's a were-wolf (or shape-shifter, depends on who you ask), and then my squirrel friends decide to mock him (probably not safe. I translated, but for a few rude comments where I just had to whack the squirrel). Mom took pictures. Lots of them. (Note to self, number six…learn how squirrels learned to do that…could be useful in the future.)

After my family was finished, Murphy delivered such a lecture. You don't even want to know what he said. It lasted a full three hours. By then, I was half into my regular trance. Before I knew it, I slipped right back into my trance. I woke up to Dad's shriek of laughter (which is weird, because he NEVER laughs, unless we're playing baseball. No clue why, I'm told he laughed before…Did having a kid make him serious? Note to self number seven, find tapes of Dad laughing).

My eyes opened, and I saw that the squirrels and bunnies had wrapped me in a cocoon. Mom and everyone popped up then, and they started laughing. I was surrounded by white, black and brown fur, and it was quite warm. Murphy began jabbering

You used too much power, Nee. WAY too much power. You drained yourself. You've just slowed your growth back down again. And you had just barely gotten your regular growth back too! I winced (he had reminded me of the time I was two and I accidentally halted my growth to a normal human speed as opposed to my accelerated half-vampire speed), then spoke back to Murphy.

"Murphy, I didn't mean to!" Mom stopped laughing abruptly and watched. "It's not like I asked to grow too fast or too slow!" Now everyone stopped and stared.

No, you didn't, but that's you. At least you'll stay the same as your classmates.

"You're right, Murphy. OH, NO! SCHOOL!" I shrieked and ran for my room, shedding bunnies and squirrels. Fuzzy comes with my powers. Luckily it was only midnight on the Sunday/Monday time. I showered and changed, finished my homework, packed my backpack and dashed out the door at four AM. School starts at eight. That's how long it takes to get to school, and, while I could run there in ten minutes, or Mom could drive me (though she takes about an hour), Dad could drive me (and again, NO. He's never been in an accident, but I still don't trust Dad and five minutes to school driving. He goes like a hundred and ten, and I just don't think that's safe), ditto for any of my related and extended family. Still no way, José. I prefer walking, thank you.

I normally walk with Murphy chattering on my shoulder. And if anyone follows me, well then, I take the scenic route (four hundred miles total, one fast run, I really need caffeine to do it, but I don't really care, since then the PE mile that we have to run anyway is actually fun to run really slow. I mean fast for a human, slow for vampires, fun for a half-vampire. It's really fun!). Today, they really didn't want me to skip school (I guess they don't trust me not to destroy anything else), and they had THREE people following me. I think Leah was one of them, and Jake, and today, Dad, who NEVER follows me. I can outrun everyone, werewolves and vampires included, but I can't outrun Dad.

I picked up my pace, dropping into a gentle run for me. For humans, that's more like a racecar. Leah, Jake and Dad picked up their pace, and that's when I decided to have some fun. I climbed a tree (remember, I live in a house in the middle of the forest. It's not that hard to find a tree) and launched myself from tree to tree, whooping and doing aerobatics the whole way. That usually makes everyone stop. But not today. I took a few drastic measures.

I "missed" the branch on my next flip, and, screaming wildly, fell seventy feet. I caught the bottom branch at the last second and rocketed myself up into the sky, never letting on that I knew that they were there. I got to the edge of the forest, still somersaulting and whooping, then managed a ten point landing, running even before my feet hit the ground. There wasn't any more forest, so they'd either have to reveal themselves or leave. Leah revealed herself, Jake and Dad followed along the edge of the road. Do you know how much that annoys me?

"Leah, you and Jake and Dad didn't have to follow me, you know." I muttered darkly as she loped up to me, still in wolf form. She grinned and morphed back to human.

"Jacob, I think she knew. Edward, I'm sure you knew that she knew." They emerged, scowling. The hair dye was gone, though. Drat, I really liked that hair dye!

Dad spoke first. "No, I didn't know. Her thoughts were all of acrobatics and animals, and Murphy, and I couldn't very well understand!" I patted his head (something I know he hates, but its well worth it) and transmitted my thought.

Ha-Ha, beat ya this time! I knew you were there the whole time. You're getting slow. I'm still amazed you all followed my acrobatics. Did you put a tracker on me? From Dad's wince, they had.

"That's not nice." Before they knew what I had done, I was a mile away, running fast. By now it was about five. Three hours till school begins. Hm. Scenic route?

I wound my way through the mountains, all the way to this little town called Sequim. It's where I go to school, but I decided to take an…alternate…route. I crossed this old bridge, then climbed up to the top of it. It's in a state park that happened to be closed. Like always, my sneakers and socks were put into my bag, and my bare feet and hands curled around the metal framework. I waited until I knew they were watching, then Jumped into the rocky (and cold) water. THAT was the most fun I've had since I destroyed the house. Maybe I should get a cat? (Note to self number eight-research long levity of cats).

Well, that's all I can do for now. I gotta finish my to-do list. Compiling all Notes to Self.

1) Ask Jake if he can help being a werewolf.

2) Find way to liven up the woodpecker's tree

3) Dye hair ink black (I hate my brown-red-blond hair. I like black. Black is good. It's pretty!)

4) Find out if being a werewolf means that regular wolves leave you alone.

5) Learn how squirrels learned slingshot technology

6) Learn how squirrels leaned to make a huge squirrel and mock my family. Could be useful if I need to make my family laugh.

7) Find videotapes of Dad laughing. Could be useful in PB (possible blackmail)

8) Research possibility of adopting a cat.

This will be fun. I've gotta find black hair dye, though. The rest I think I can do fine. Although I may need some shields if I ask the squirrels, and maybe a baseball bat? To keep Dad from keeping me from looking through videotapes. But are they on DVD's now? And I forgot, I still gotta untie my knots for my CD sparklers. Dad will kill me if I don't fix that AND I've got this evil math homework (I can speak four languages, I'm in college level English and Reading, my science work is considered superb, I ace PE with no effort and I can cook and clean like nobody's business, but Algebra might as well be Martian to me. Actually, I could probably understand Martian. Algebra is…numbers. Something I'm not good at. Although I can understand the stock market just fine. Aunt Alice is a good teacher in that).

Nessie! Nessie, wake up! At the sound of the voice, I rolled out of bed and started kicking without realizing who was there and what was happening. I knew I was fighting, but I was not expecting Murphy to be my attacker.

"I fell asleep over math again, didn't I?" I was glum.

Yes, then you nearly killed me. You may want to hurry to school. I glanced at the clock.

"Murphy, it's five AM. Can I sleep for another ten minutes?" Murphy sniffed. Of course, this whole time, he was bouncing all over the room.

Fine. But if you're not up by then, Melli is waking you. And I'm not responsible for what she does to your hair. My newly dyed black hair. Mom and Dad and everyone haven't seen it yet. It probably was a bad idea not to tell them, but it'll be worth it when I see them freak. I dressed really quick, packed up my bag, bolted down to the kitchen (where, luckily, no one was), grabbed breakfast and ran to school. It was still early (only six AM, ok?), so I practiced my jumping. But then, someone noticed me. Me, Nessie, the girl who hides in the back of the classroom, who ducks and covers when anyone talks to her. The girl who you never even glance at, for fear of attracting one of her dagger glares. The girl's name was Lina. She had stood there, awestruck, as I leapt and twirled, having my fun.

Terrified, I ran at human pace. She followed, keeping up with me easily. I hid in the forest (wow, I'm doing that a lot lately!) and Murphy comforted me. I guess I slipped into sleep again as I cried, but when I woke, Lina sat next to me, meditating. She opened her eyes immediately.

"You know, Nessie, you've got a trust problem. If you don't trust me, why didn't you just say so? I can keep a secret, Nessie. I've known about your family for ages now. And those aerobatics this morning just proved my point. You're a special creature. I just wondered why you refuse to accept it. If you're different, embrace it! You're special." She patted my arm. "And your little friend there has been crying for hours now, trying to get you to wake up. Did you know that he knew Spanish curse words? He's got a very dirty vocabulary." All of this was said conversationally.

"How do you know about me and my family?" I asked.

"Well, it was quite simple. My sister, Angela, suspected-no, don't worry, she wouldn't dream of exposing you! She was friends with your mom. Bella Cullen, right?" I nodded mutely. "I knew, I just wanted you to confirm. But she guessed about the Cullens, and when Bella turned up all pale and more like them, she was pretty sure. Then, knowing I went to school with you, she told me all she knew. I put the pieces together, not Angela, but I knew." She smiled at my distraught look. "I've got as much reason not to tell the world about you as you do."

"What do you mean?" I asked. Throughout all of this, Murphy was jabbering and hopping and screaming in squirrel. Lina was right. Murphy really does have a dirty vocabulary.

"I'm a shifter. And I know what you're going through." I gaped, and she grinned. "Why don't we go to your house and I'll explain along the way."

I sat on the floor of my room, taking everything in. Mom and Dad were knocking at the door and I was trying to buy time. Lina was morphing into different creatures, birds, cats, dogs, you name it, she morphed into it.

"How do you do it? MOM, I INVITED A FRIEND OVER! WHAT IS WRONG WITH THAT?" I yelled.

Lina shrugged and answered, back in her human form. "I was born with it."

"RENESMEE, YOU KNOW QUITE WELL THAT YOU HAVE TO ASK BEFORE YOU INVITE ANYONE OVER!" I grinned at Lina, then yelled back.

"NO, I DIDN'T KNOW ABOUT THAT, SINCE I'VE NEVER INVITED ANYONE OVER BEFORE!"

"YOU WILL OPEN THIS DOOR IMMEDIATELY, RENESMEE CARLIE CULLEN!" Mom roared. I opened the door. Mom and Dad looked a bit stunned. I never obeyed the first time.

"Mom, this is Lina Weber. She's my friend. And she knows we're vampires. Or you are. I'm only half, but she figured that out too." I braced myself for my parent's anger.

It never came. Mom looked at Lina and smiled.

"Hi, Lina. How's your sister?" Dad opened his mouth to ask a question, but shut up when Mom glared at him. Ok, now I see the resemblance. Those photos were helpful.

"Angela's fine. She was wondering if you were still alive, since she hasn't seen you in ages." Lina was calm.

"It's nice to see you, Lina. You and Nessie have fun." She dragged Dad out of the room (no easy feat, since he looked really…I would say annoyed, but that's not the right word. Mad? No…Hm… I'll have to think about that.). I heard a door shut, then Dad's blistering yell. I shut my door, and they were muffled.

"Welcome to meeting my family." I muttered, causing a laugh to emerge from Lina. She seemed perpetually happy. Uncle Jasper and Aunt Rosalie poked their heads into my room.

"Um…Nessie, do you know why Edward's yelling at Bella?" Uncle Jasper asked.

"Why, yes, yes, I do know." I smiled, letting him know that I knew and wasn't telling. Aunt Alice walked in.

"Nessie, please tell me you know."

"Yep. It's cause Lina came over." I said, gesturing to Lina. They shrieked and vanished. I thought nothing scared them. Guess I was wrong.

You know, I think inviting Lina over really covered my new black hair. They didn't even yell at me.