Renesmee's POV:

"Jacob, do you love me?"

"Of course Renesmee," he said engulfing my pale, slender hand between his huge warm ones. "You know I love you more than anything else, sweetie. What is it you really want to know?" His chocolate eyes gazed at me imploringly, spilling over with affection and warmth.

"Well, it's just…" I looked away, "Jacob, how much do you love me?" Slowly, gently, he released my hand. His face was torn. As I watched the beginnings of a frown tug at the corners of his full, soft lips I was flooded with memories of his important face. The joy and wonder in his eyes the first time he held me, the sheepish grin when me and Auntie Alice used to give him makeovers, the look of pride and sorrow when he walked me to the bus stop for my first day of middle school last month (most kids start kindergarten when they're five, I jumped right into seventh grade at age four). I smiled at the whir of his different expressions. Throughout all of them, the warm glow of his russet skin and the fierce happiness in his eyes remained constant. I reached up to touch my special Jacob's cheek while I ransacked my mind for the right words. The search was fruitless. The right words for this just didn't exist. I may have been the best read four year old in the universe, but I suddenly felt I was working with a very limited vocabulary.

"Jacob, I don't like keeping secrets from you. I like it when you know everything, when I can tell you everything, 'cause you're the one who always understands."

"What is it Nessie?" he urged.

"I don't know if I can explain it right, Jake. I wanted to tell you I love you more than Grandpa Charlie and Uncle Em and Uncle Jazz. Well, not, more exactly," I backtracked, "Differently, I think. I love you like…" I blushed, suddenly very shy.

"Don't be embarrassed, Nessie. You can tell me anything, honey. I'm always here for you." I knew he meant it. He would always listen to me and he would definitely always support me, but that didn't mean he liked hearing everything I had to say. Suddenly my vision grew blurry and my eyes got wet. I dove into his chest and buried my face in his thin cotton t-shirt.

"I love you like Mommy loves Dad and Emily loves Sam," I mumbled. And then I began to sob. Hesitantly he wrapped his me in his strong, caring arms. Soon he was shhhhing into my hair and rubbing circles on my back.

"It's okay, Renesmee," he assured me. "Shhh. It's alright."

"You're not" *sob* "upset" *sob* "with me?"

"No!" he shook his head and I could feel his cheek rubbing the top of my head. "Renesmee, how can I explain this to you?" He thought for a moment, leaning back to look me in the eyes, "I love you in every way, honey. But I'm a lot more grown up than you right now." I sniffled and nodded. "Nessie," his voice was serious. "You can be sure that I always love you, I just have to love you in the right way at the right time. Do you understand?'

"Yes, I think I do." I thought about the way he said he was more grown up than me right now. That meant he knew it wasn't a permanent condition, and that pleased me. "But you know, Jacob," I teased, sort of lightheartedly, "I'm growing up real fast." I brushed my hand against his chin, sharing glimpses of the memories I'd withheld earlier: Jacob taking his shirt off on First Beach, the smooth curvature of his lower back, the first time his arm around my shoulders had felt like more than a security blanket. Now it was Jacob's turn to blush. He opened his mouth to say something just as daddy slammed the door open… Uh-oh we were both in trouble now.

Jacob's POV:

Puppies. Puppies. Puppies and newborn foals learning to walk. Little baby foals stumbling around, taking their first steps. Kittens playing with yarn balls! Fluffy, fluffy kittens! My thoughts were frantic, nearly hysterical as I strained myself to keep Edward out. He absolutely could not know what I had been thinking about his four year old fourteen year old supernatural, super beautiful daughter. No! I was slipping, losing ground. Don't think about it. Shut up! Shut up!

"Jacob! A word with you, outside." Edward's body language was calm but I could see the fury in his eyes. Carefully, I untangled Renesmee from my arms and stood up.

"Be right back, Ness" I promised. "I hope," I added secretly in my brain.

"Heard that, mutt." He mumbled. As soon as we were outside I seized my chance. The words came out in a hushed whisper, we both wanted to protect Renesmee from hearing anything she didn't need to know yet.

"It's just a crush, Edward." I said. "Renesmee's growing up and it's her first one. She's simply taking what she hears on TV and from her friends at school and trying it out on me."

"I don't care." He retorted angrily. "It's absolutely inappropriate for you to humor her with this at such a young age. You are taking advantage of my daughter Jacob Black!"

"Edward, please," I begged, "Take a look inside my head. I only want what's best for her. And I will match her feelings exactly at every stage of development. I will never push it further but I won't deny her what she wants. She deserves to know that whatever feeling she has towards me, it is reciprocated at that level, no matter how premature or confused her feelings may be right now. Edward, your daughter is growing up at an unprecedented rate. She's not the average 12 year old!"

"You're right!" he grumbled, "she's four! This is insane!"

"No, she is something else entirely. This isn't about age. This isn't about human limits Edward. It's about two souls. You were nearly a century older than Bella when you fell in love, Edward. Please try to understand."

"Listen, Jacob. I know she can't be happy without you, but I'm not excited about how fast this is progressing. Do not hurt my daughter."

"Edward, I love her, and I swear to you I would take care of her at any cost. But listen, I know for a fact how messy this imprinting thing is. This is not normal and it's not easy. It will be confusing for all four of us, Nessie, me, you and Bella. And at some point we will all struggle to cope with the consequences. Edward, I guarantee that at times it will be awkward, gut-wrenching, or just downright weird. And I'm sorry, but I have to believe it's worth it for love. And you're gonna have to deal that."

"I know Jacob, just don't let her go to far with this schoolgirl crush thing. She's still my baby girl."

"Mine too, Edward. Mine too."

Renesmee's POV (again):

BABY?! Who were they kidding? Dad's reaction was understandable. After all, I'm his DAUGHTER for pete's sake. But Jacob?! I'll show him!

...

to be continued