Title: Equinox, Part: 1 Series: Twilight
Type: Fanfiction Pairing: Bella/Edward – Jacob/Renesmee
Rating: PG
Summary: 6 years on and Renesmee is mature and making decisions... written from Bella's perspective.
Disclaimer: I don't own any of the Twilight characters or anything from the universe of Twilight. I am just taking the characters and playing with them a while – promising to restore them whole and unblemished! Thanks to Stephanie Meyer for creating these toys for me to enjoy. Please don't take any of my playing as having any bearing on the actual books. Enjoy.
()()()()
Glancing at myself in the mirror, I couldn't help the shocked expression that wove through my features. The alabaster goddess that stared back at me with wide, golden eyes began to smile… six years and I was still surprised to see her standing there.
The bedroom bathed in the pink glow of dawn as I crossed to the wardrobe and drew out three, fresh clothes bags, their notes of happiness and love still attached and signed by the giver. Alice.
I smiled. My sister-in-law would use any excuse to clad me and my little family in outrageously priced, designer outfits.
Two familiar hands snaked about my waist and I melted back into my husbands embrace, "Good morning."
His lips pressed into my cheek and it was a simple thing to twist in his grasp to face him.
If I still had breath, he would have stolen it away. Two liquid caramel eyes, up lit by the golden caress of morning, gazed down at me… then straight through as our souls reached out to one another.
"Morning." I eventually managed.
Edward smiled and drew me to him, our need to be together sometimes too overwhelming to stay apart for any length of time. His warm lips pressed softly to mine as I controlled the urge to deepen the kiss and claim him as my own.
I pulled away, priding myself on this epic display of self-control, and looked at him meaningfully. "It's Christmas… and you know what that means."
His face morphed into a crooked smile as he strained to hear the heartbeat in the next room. "I'm sure we have time." He kissed me again, sending shivers through my body…
I pulled away once more, "You clearly don't know our daughter." I chided.
He was about to argue when a young voice, shrill with excitement and yet somehow musical, danced through our tiny cottage.
"Mum… Dad?"
"We are here Renesme." I called, disentangling from Edward to reach her.
She was way ahead of me, already at our bedroom door and bounding in to envelop us in a tight hug.
If Edward took my breath, Renesme restored me. My daughter had the ability to light any darkness. She was the centre of my world and the heart in my whole family. She had made so many things right in our world of demons and darkness.
Renesme gave an extra little squeeze as she released us, hardly craning to deliver a kiss on both our cheeks.
She had grown so fast; a fully mature adult in six years. I looked at her now, her perfect bronze ringlets hung down to her waist, snowy skin glowing rose with the excitement. Sometimes it was hard to believe this angel was mine.
Renesme smiled at me, pressing her hand to the side of my face and allowing her feelings of joy and anticipation pass between us through her extrasensory gift.
Edward laughed happily. "We had best get to Carlisle and the others. I am sure they are just as excited as we are"
()()()
That was an understatement. Alice, my eccentric sister-in-law, had decorated the mile-long driveway in golden fairy lights and dusted the evergreen centurions at the mouth of the Cullen estate. The house, bright and modern, nestled in the perfectly dressed forest and my family stood at the door waiting for us as we approached.
A slender, dark-haired vampire danced toward us, appraising our outfits before smiling brightly, "Bella, you all look wonderful." She placed a final clothing-bag on the porch and moved back to take the hand of her husband, Jasper.
The blonde vampire accepted his wife's hand, folding her smaller frame into his arms and resting his chin on the top of her head.
Carlisle, my father-in-law, approached with open arms, placing a hand on Edward and I while Renesmee ran straight to the arms of Esme.
"I would have thought the excitement of Christmas might have worn off by now," Carlisle was saying as I watched my daughter rush to greet the rest of her family. "But, it seems that any excuse to shower Renesme with gifts is thoroughly abused."
Edward laughed and gave his vampire father a quick squeeze.
I moved toward the group that had gathered at the door; Renesmee surrounded by her aunts and uncles was excitedly telling them about the recent exams she had taken to graduate top-of-the-class from high school a full term early…
Rosalie smiled down at her, pride resonating from every inch of the blondes tall frame. She squeezed her partners hand as Emmet held his hand up for Renesme to high-five.
I couldn't help the grin spread over my lips. Never had I imagined life could be so happy.
()()()()
Inside the house had been transformed into a designer grotto, with a ten foot tree lording over all presiding.
"Where did you get that?" I whispered to Esme.
"Alaska." Emmet snickered, cracking his big knuckles and baring his teeth in a satisfied grin.
Renesme helped Edward collect our gifts from the car and place them under the gigantic tree. She had just finished helping Alice weave through the tinsel to place the last present in the trees branches when we all became alerted to the sound of tyres turning off the freeway and hitting the soft earth of the drive.
"Grandpa is here." Renesme squealed in delight, turning a full circle before gripping Alice. "How is my dress?"
Alice rose a superior brow. "I bought it. It's perfect."
That was accepted.
Then Charlie arrived; eyes immediately searching me out in the room. He whistled as I approached. "Happy Christmas Bells. You sure look something."
I loved my father beyond words, but neither of us were comfortable with open displays, I rushed forward, pecking him on the cheek as he pushed a small box into my hand.
"For you." He sniffed, then straightened his police jacket, "now, where's my granddaughter?"
Renesme was delighted with the hour she spent with her grandfather before he had to report into work. She asked him to return once his shift was over. Charlie had glanced at Carlisle and nodded. "Be seein' you."
Carlisle was happy to have an equal footing with Charlie again. It had taken my father a long time to forgive the doctor for lying about my heath during my pregnancy with Remesme and subsequent transformation into a vampire.
Charlie would be back, with Sue Clearwater at his side. Sue and Charlie were inseparable most of the time these days. It was rare to see one without the other at functions and joint-council meetings between the two wolf-packs and the Cullens. I was in great debt to Sue for helping my father stay sane during the early years of my change and Renesmes growth. In recent months, I had started to regard her more as a second mother than my father's partner.
I watched my family go about setting the table in preparation for our next round of guests and looked to the small box in my hands. The paper was wrapped in such a way that I could tell Charlie had declared war on the present… but I didn't care. I tore off the wrapping and opened the box to see a small charm staring up at me. It was a star. There was a small note, which simply said, 'To Mine'. My throat dried as I attached it to my bracelet. It hung between the wolf and the diamond like it had always been there.
Renesme suddenly shot up from sitting cross-legged in front of the faux-fireplace, ran to the nearest mirror and checked her appearance. I shared a questioning glance with my fellow vampires before reaching Edwards eyes.
He rolled them and shook his head at our daughter before we all registered the source of her excitement.
The soft padding of gigantic paws grew louder and louder until the front door opened for the new arrivals…
The werewolves had arrived.
Leah was first in, short hair spiked and damp, she eyed us all with suppressed suspicion as her brother moved forward to hug Renesmee and twirl her.
"Happy Christmas, Nessie." Seth sang, hefting her up and around again.
"Hey Kid, set her down already," Quil said, smiling and ruffling Seth's hair, "you're gunna make her motion-sick!" The tall, dark man took four strides across the big room to give my arm a playful whack. "S'up Bella?"
I watched Seth head to Edward as Embry entered and gave Renesme a smile before moving to Emmet and snatching a bag of corn to watch a repeat football game.
Renesme looked to the door expectantly, before moving to check outside. It wasn't five seconds before she was back again, looking thoroughly dejected.
A strange pain drove through me at the sight of my daughter's disappointment; like a knitting needle had been threaded through my heart and left there… it stung. I repressed the urge to move toward her and shield her with my arms as Leah approached.
Renesme looked as shocked as I was with the she-wolfs approach. She smiled and accepted the note Leah held in an outstretched hand.
From one moment to the next, Renesmes expression morphed back into the familiar smile we were accustomed to. I found myself immensely grateful to Leah for lifting my daughter's mood.
The she-wolf had seemed a lot less hostile of late; it had only taken six years to win her over. Leah was second in Jakes pack; she was the fastest and had been taking lessons with Jasper to become a skilled fighter and defender. But, more importantly, she had imprinted. Though Jake would not speak of it and Leah wasn't telling anyone the details and threatened Edward to keep the secret... The mystery man had a lot to answer for.
I was amazed at the difference it had made. Rose commented that 'at least she could be normal' and I vaguely wondered what kinship had developed between the two most hostile women I knew.
My daughter ran to me, arms outstretched to weave me into an embrace, she kissed my cheek, breathing heat across my face.
"You seem happy." I said, wondering about the note she had received.
"Yeah." She grinned.
I nodded as understanding finally dawned, "Jacob will be arriving later?"
Renesmes smile dazzled brighter than any light in the room.
My head shook before I had the thought to stop it.
I knew that the leader of the Werewolf tribe, my best friend, Jacob Black had imprinted on my daughter when she was born. At first it had infuriated me, but over the years I watched how he cared for her, guarded her and became whatever she needed. In her short life he had been guardian, protector, closest friend and soul mate. Now she was fully grown, she was entitled to choose whether that relationship would broaden to romance.
Edward had taken on the father's duty of speaking to Jacob about the matter of physical relationships; only to be laughed off as Jacob explained it was the last thing on his mind. It was all up to Renesme, when she was ready.
Two arms closed around me, holding me close. Edward nuzzled into my hair and breathed a deep sigh. "Today is a big day." He said, a smile in his voice.
"It is?"
"Oh yes. Our daughter is preparing to have a serious conversation with Jacob."
I turned in his arms, somewhat horrified he was prying into Renesme's affairs in such a way.
He smiled, "I can't help but hear it when every centimetre of her is screaming the thought at me." My husband shrugged, "We knew this day would come. I have accepted it. Can you?"
Almost in synchronicity to his words, we became aware of the approaching thump of thick wolfen pads on the soft dirt outside the house as a large animal made his final sweep and approach. Barley two minutes late, Jacob entered the house, tugging at the cuffs of his cream-linen jacket.
I inhaled sharply, letting his scent catch every nerve in me. He looked amazing; the tan of his skin contrasting with the cream of the linen suit. His bare feet danced across the room as he enveloped my husband and I in an embrace.
"Happy Christmas Bells... Ed." Jacob gave us an extra squeeze.
Edward took his hand fondly. "Jacob. Renesme has been waiting-"
"Jacob." Our daughters voice cut through all others in the room.
Jacob's whole body whipped round to face her as Renesme launched herself into his arms. He scooped her up and swung her round in a tight embrace, holding her in his arms and close to his fast-beating heart.
"Nessie," he all-but cooed, "happy Christmas honey."
I watched my daughter relax into Jakes arms as she pressed her hand to the bare skin of his throat.
A deep chuckle rumbled through his frame as he breathed, "I missed you too."
Edward took my arm, tugging lightly as he whispered, "I think our daughter wants some privacy."
Renesme looked up at me and winked.
I was suddenly cold with nerves and unable to move. If it hadn't been for Edward gently tugging my arm, I might not have retreated at all.
Renesme broke the embrace to look deeply into Jacobs eyes. "I'm glad you're here."
"Nearly didn't make it at all." Jacob laughed, squeezing her arms, "I wanted to do a last sweep on the perimeter to the north while Sam checked the south."
The bright sparkle in Renesme's eyes faded as Jacob enthusiastically launched into a description of his duties over the past few hours... until she reached up with her delicate fingers and pinched his lips shut.
"Jacob... hush."
His deep eyes darkened in confusion, but he remained silent.
"I wanted to talk to you about something important."
"What?" He asked anxiously.
Pulling in a shaky breath, Renesme wet her lips. "About you and me..."
The room became suddenly silent, all bodies leaning in to hear Jacobs heart flutter to a brief pause.
"Us?" He asked, gulping loudly. "As in... us?"
Renesme bit her lower lip...
The knock at the door sent everyone in the room into the air. The couple who we had been eavesdropping on didn't move an inch, though their audience scanned the room in wonder as we realised there was nobody missing.
Carlisle stepped forward, slightly confused, and headed for the door.
"Oh." He gasped in surprise at the untimely visitor as the newcomer stepped into the house.
Everyone froze.
Renesme glanced away from Jacob and blinked in shock.
"Hello Nessie." Nahuel smiled. The half-vampire smoothed a hand over his dark braided hair. His warm, teak eyes scanned the others in the room. "Have I come at a bad time?"