Daybreak 11/22/2012

Break, break, break,

On thy cold gray stones, O Sea!

And I would that my tongue could utter

The thoughts that arise in me.

-Alfred Tennyson

Chaper 1: Jacob

I woke up for the 6th time since I'd fallen asleep last night and rolled over.

6:45... Finally! Time to go! I'd been waiting for this all week: morning hunt with Nessie. I jumped off my bed and burst out the door into the misty Washington morning. Why doesn't everyone love this weather? I ran for the trees, phasing as soon as I broke through to the cover of the forest. Good thing I keep a pair of shorts stashed in a tree outside the Cullen house. Forgot to kick my shorts off before I phased. I was a bit keyed up this morning, but I always was before a hunt with Ness. The past six years had been the fullest six years of my life. I'd savored every minute watching Nessie grow up.

I'd been her constant companion. My name was one of her very first words. I'd held her hand as she learned to walk. I relived childhood with her: hide and go seek, Disney movies, all of it. And every minute of it was perfect. Almost a year ago, on her 6th birthday, developmentally she was 15, I'd taught her how to ride a motorcycle. Riding with her was almost as fun as hunting with her. She was daring, bold, and extremely competitive. As a child she'd brought out my softer side, but on a motorcycle, she was downright fierce.

The house came in to view and I howled to let her know I was there. She burst through the door half-a-second later running straight at me. I crouched low, like a puppy asking to play. We circled each other a few times before she lunged at me, wrapping her arms around my neck in a tight squeeze.

"Morning Jake." She said. I could hear her smile in her voice.

I wriggled my head out from her arms and licked her quickly on the face before darting of into the woods. Alright, Ness, you beat me last time, but I can still outrun you.

"No fair!" she shouted as she took off running after me. "You blinded me with dog slobber!" I howled in response and kept running.

A couple miles out, she gave up shouting, "Fine Jake, you win this one." I skidded to a stop and bounded back to her. "But it doesn't count, cuz I'm weak with hunger." She said, throwing her hand across her face overdramatically. Sure play it up all you want, Ness. I thought. I still beat you.

Just then, we caught the scent of a mountain lion about 100 yards upwind. Her eyes lit up and she looked at me and smiled. "This one's mine," she said. I held out my paw as if you say, "After you."

I minute later I was crouched watching Nessie stalk her prey. She was striking. Her movements were graceful and confident as she eyed her kill. A wave rocked through me as I watched her. I shivered trying to shake it off, but an ache was already forming in my chest. This is new. My thoughts were interrupted as, in a flash, Nessie leapt toward the mountain lion and landed crouched on top of him. She took a swift strike at his jugular and it was over. I stared at her, crouched over her kill. She was beautiful. Sunlight streamed through the trees and illuminated every curve and color in her hair. I was captivated. Things are changing. I'd been more aware of her than anything else for the past 6 years. I'd always been protective of her, probably too protective at times. And I'd always known she was beautiful. But up till now, she'd been a sunrise, the first light after an endless night, or a flower, soft and sweet, or a butterfly, innocent and care free. This is different. She turned to look at me and my heart sped up. Uh-oh.

"You ok, Jake?" She asked raising one eyebrow.

Sheesh! I probably look like some kind of creeper staring at her. Is my mouth hanging open…? No. Good. I should my head as if shaking of a daydream and ran over to her and knocked her off of her breakfast in answer. She laughed. "Welcome back to the land of the living, my friend."

She smiled. My head started spinning. This is seriously distracting. I have to get out of here.

I nudged her and nodded my head in the direction of home. She knocked me over and ran off laughing. "Payback time! Let's see if you can catch up."

I took off running after her, but my mind wasn't on the race.

Chapter 2: Renesmee

We slowed as we reached the house. I waited outside the tree line while Jake phased back and threw on the pair of shorts he had stashed in a tree. I walked toward the door, but Jake hung back. I turned and looked at him. "You coming?"

He hesitated a fraction of a second before answering, "No. I have some pack stuff I need to take care of." "Ah. Ok then." I walked back to him and gave him a quick hug goodbye. He seemed to stiffen a bit. Huh, wonder what's on his mind. I let it go, I was sure he'd talk about it when he was ready.

"Have fun, Alpha!" I saw him cringe, he hated when I called him that.

He smiled. "Later Lockness." He said playfully returning my jab before he turned and ran off. That's better.

I stared after him for a second more, half-wondering what was bothering him. When I couldn't think of anything I gave up and walked into the house. "Hey Ness!" Emmett shouted as he and Rosalie ran out the back door. Off to hunt I guess. "Bye Ness!" I faintly heard him call as they sprinted off into the woods. I shook my head, laughing to myself. Gotta love Emmett.

I looked around the room at the rest of my family. Jasper and Alice were laying in the grass beneath a tree outside. Jasper was reading her poetry from an old leather-bound book. Carlisle and Esme were sitting together in the kitchen mulling over some architectural plans Esme was working on. Esme's eyes were serious focused on the task at hand. She pulled her hair back into a messy bun so that it would stop obscuring her view of the plans. Carlisle watched her with loving adoration. Mom and dad were sitting together in the living room working on the book they were writing. They had decided their story was as timeless as the classics and deserved to be preserved. If the Volturri weren't looking for an excuse to kill us all off, well all except for Alice, I think they'd publish it. I saw a smile break out across dad's face; Mom must have let him within her shield. He brushed mom's hair back from her face and she turned to look at him. He kissed her sweetly.

I felt a kind of ache in my chest. All my life I'd been surrounded by people who were madly in love with each other, but I'd never felt alone. Because I had Jake. It was only in the last few months that I'd started to wonder if I was more alone than I thought. I felt the sudden urge to run.

"Leaving so soon?" My dad called out to me before I had even turned toward the door.

"Yea, I just need to burn of some energy." I answered.

"Is Jake going with you?" He asked.

"No." I replied a bit to harshly. I turned to leave.

"Take an umbrella or change your shirt!" Alice called from outside. Apparently it was going to rain… perfect.

Chapter 3: Jacob

I ran through the forest trying to get ahold of myself. I was running human because I didn't want Seth or Leah commenting on my thoughts.

It was pouring, but I hardly noticed. I was pretty sure I was headed for the cliffs overlooking our favorite cliff diving spot, but I wasn't really sure. Everything was a blur. It was like I had imprinted all over again. I needed her. I needed her to need me. No. I can't think like that. Be patient, Jake. I didn't want to push her into anything, throw out the fact that I'd imprinted on her and expect her feelings to match mine.

She's getting close to full grown. The final stage of the imprint must be setting in. Are we ready? Are we all ready? Are Edward and Bella ready? She's their daughter, and she may look 17, but she'll technically have her seventh birthday in a few months. Are they ready to start letting her go? Because that's what this would be. And more importantly, is Renesmee ready? She's grown up around the pack, so imprinting isn't a foreign concept to her. But that also means she's fully aware of the finality of it. Will she feel the same way right away? Quil imprinted on someone almost as young as Nessie, but she's human so she's still just a kid. No one knows how this works from here…

But how long could I keep going like this. Every time I thought about her my pulse quickened and I couldn't think straight. She was more than I every imagined she could be. She was intelligent and strong. I'd never met anyone with a purer heart. Every word out of her mouth, everything she did amazed me. I knew her inside and out, and yet she could still surprise me. When she looked at me, it was like she looked straight through me at my soul. Everything felt empty when she wasn't there. She was sunshine. She was gravity…

I rounded the last corner and stopped dead in my tracks. She's here.

Chapter 4: Renesmee

I was standing at the edge of the cliff looking out over the water, rain drenched and lost in thought. I'd known Jake my whole life. How could I be feeling like this? He'd been like an older brother to me, and now he was my best friend. I've always felt like this. As soon as I admitted it to myself all the knots that had worked themselves into my stomach dissipated. Of course I had. Suddenly it all made sense. The anxiety I felt when were apart, the way his smile wiped away every worry, why I was more myself with him than I was with anyone else, even myself – this was why.

"I love him," I whispered almost silently. Hearing it out loud only confirmed it further. It sounded right. It made everything else right. But, did he feel the same way? I tensed as I heard footsteps approaching behind me. Then suddenly they stopped. He's here. I turned to face him.

My breath caught in my throat. He was standing drenched in rain, still breathing heavily from his run. His chest rose and fell with each breath. Heat coursed through my veins. Does he even own a shirt?

"Nessie, what are you doing out here? It's pouring." He said breaking the brief moment of silence.

"Yea," I said lamely. His brow furrowed.

"Are you ok?" he asked concern coloring his voice. He walked towards me almost closing the gap between us. He put his hands on my shoulders and looked down at me. This isn't helping. "Ness, what's wrong?"

"Nothing, I…" Looking into his eyes I wanted to tell him everything, but how would he react? How could he possibly feel the same way I do? Tears started to well up in my eyes.

"Geeze, Ness! You're killing me." He pulled me into his arms. "Talk to me. Whatever it is we'll deal with it." I felt his heat wrap around me, and something shifted in me. I had to tell him, whatever his reaction may be. I couldn't stand to be around him and try to hide what I was feeling.

"Jacob…" I said quietly pulling away so that I could look at him in the eyes. My hand reached out, and everything I felt was laid bare for him to see. The emptiness I felt without him, the way the world lit up when he smiled, the way I felt in his arms right now. His breath caught, and something flashed behind his eyes. Shock? Joy? I would not be deterred. "I love you, Jacob Black, and I can't hold it in anymore." I stared into his eyes, not breathing waiting for his response.

"Finally." He breathed, his voice low and rough with emotion. He brought one hand up and cradled the side of my face. My heart raced. He leaned down towards me tentatively holding my gaze, waiting for me to consent before he came any closer. I nodded my head ever so slightly, and he closed the gap. His kiss was gentle, slow and lingering. Conveying all the depth of what we both felt. The rain beat down on us, but we took no notice. My heart raced and the world seemed to spin around me. He squeezed me tighter and then broke away. His fore head resting against mine. "I love you, Renesmee Cullen. I've been waiting for you."