Awakening Dusk

"Dusk is just an illusion because the sun is either above the horizon or below it. And that means that day and night are linked in a way that few things are; there cannot be one without the other, yet they cannot exist at the same time."

Nicholas Sparks

** Author's Note **

So… this is Chrissy trying something new!

YES, I am an avid Twilight lover who has no shame in admitting I am one of those people who caught the Twilight fever, read all the books in a short amount of time, and was sadly disappointed when it all ended. I'm also one of those fans who wanted to yell at whoever leaked Midnight Sun and made all the fans suffer another long, tedious wait for anything even remotely new where these Vamps and Werewolves were concerned. So, after uhm-ing and ahh-ing for what felt like forever, I've finally decided to just go with it and throw my ideas on what I feel could have happened after we said our goodbyes to Bella, Edward, Jacob, and the rest of the gang that we grew to love. So this is my continuation of the Twilight story, and I hope you all like it.

Let me start by saying that I, in no way, claim to own any characters, settings or back stories/flashbacks that appear in this fanfiction. These belong to Stephenie Meyer.

Also, any ideas, thoughts, opinions about this fic are encouraged and welcomed. I've never written for Twilight before, but since these ideas just won't leave me I can only assume I need to get them out in some way. So, let me know if you like it, if I should continue, or even what you want to read.

Thanks, and happy reading!

Chrissy.

Chapter 1

A New Beginning

"What we call the beginning is often the end. And to make an end is to make a beginning. The end is where we start from."

T. S. Eliot

***************

The hunt had begun.

Evening dew hit the lowland trees, glistening from the evening mist that hung like a blanket over the inspired woodland. In the far off distance a hummingbird whistled a melodic tune, fragments of the evening glow glistening through thick moss-covered trees, aging roots holding statuesque trunks to the ground. The land below was covered with wilted leaves, splashing color over darkened soil, soft to the touch as delicate feet stepped silently and proceeded onward.

Breathe in, breathe out.

Silence.

Golden eyes flew left then right, eyeing each possible space before them with precision and intent, a chest rising and falling with each sharp breath of crisp evening air. As the darkness settled in and dusk blanketed the woods, honeyed hair blew in the gentle evening breeze, a slight wave tangling through the luscious locks that looked as alluring as they were beautiful. Add those locks to the stunning figure and the golden eyes that drew people in without a second glance, and you had a predator of unparalleled power. Yet it was the eyes that were perhaps the greatest of weapons; so angelic and deceptively innocent, every inch of their fiber just another means of capturing the attention of that which would inevitably fall victim to their beauty.

They enticed prey.

And they were meant to.

She was the product of a human that had fallen in love with the deadliest yet softest of creatures. Unable to stay away, yet not meant to be together, somehow this human and vampire had managed to defeat all the odds and find a happily ever after, creating in their magical union a child. It was the child who now looked over the lush forest that hugged the small town of Forks, Washington, with eyes of intrigue. With a gentle step she moved forward, a smile forming on her lips when she heard the faint snap of a twig to her right, eyes alive with the thrill of the hunt.

And she was off.

Cool air flew through long bronzed locks as speed took over the girl, the forest flying past in a whirl of green. Tiny feet hit the ground with light thumps, the feel of the leaves on bare feet still one of the better advantages of having impressive strength as she propelled herself forward, sailing over a log that lay strewn across the forest floor with ease. As she moved in on her prey, she caught a flash in the corner of her eye, turning to the right to find a view she would never grow tired of seeing, her smile widening at the grin that shot back at her.

Hey there, Wolfie!

"You'll have to be quicker than that, Nessie, if you wanna beat me!"

The boy jumped through the trees with unequaled grace, darting out from behind a wayward tree and somersaulting midair, a scratching sound ripping through the quiet forest as fur exploded in a mass of brown before her. A teasing howl filtered through the darkening scene as Renesmee pouted and pushed herself harder, unwilling to allow the boy to beat her this time. As a soft grunt escaped the werewolf's lips, a sound she knew all too well as his own special brand of laughter, the half vampire/half human hybrid pushed herself even harder, her chest starting to ache as it always did when she reached her human limits.

Damn, he was going to win again.

Stupid dog.

Finally she cried out in defeat, lips curling back in obvious frustration as the wolf slowed and circled back, disappearing behind a tree to change before returning with a huge, triumphant grin. He laughed when he saw her pout, walking over and pushing a loose strand of hair behind her ear as she tried to regain her breath. Brown eyes bore into golden orbs then as Jacob Black laughed, voice deepening considerably over the last ten years that had seemingly blown past them.

"It's not fair, Jake, you morphed."

Jacob laughed again, Renesmee Cullen socking him in the chest while he did so, the boy stepping back with mock hurt as he clung to his bare chest. With his bulging biceps and brute strength, the werewolves' Alpha male was not one to hurt easily and Renesmee knew this. She rolled her eyes at his fake pain, her expression causing him to break out into a warming smile all over again and he lightly shoved her creamy shoulder with his own tanned body.

"Oh come, Nessie, it's not like you stated that as a rule before. Now come on, we should be heading back. Your parents will want to know why I've kept you out so long."

A strong hand reached out and cupped around her fingers, entangling them together as she relayed her unwillingness to want to return home through the touch of her palm, silent communication one of her many talents. Jacob smiled at her silent desire to stay out with him as they made their way back through the shrubbery of the rainforest they had long called home. In reality, Renesmee and her family should have long moved on, maintaining their identity a key rule in any notebook on vampire survival. There was but one strong rule in their world, and its lines were never blurry or unclear.

Keep your identity a secret.

Moving around was the only option then, a life of the eternal nomad in the name of keeping an un-aging face hidden from suspicion. Yet when the time had come to move on, Renesmee had found herself unable to do so, her strong bind to Jacob unwilling to allow her to even fathom leaving him. It was like a gravitational pull – wherever he was, she had to be. She knew he felt the same way, although perhaps not by choice. In the werewolf world, imprinting was unstoppable – and totally out of their control. Jacob had imprinted on her and she knew she would have him there forever, yet nothing had happened to her to make her need to be around him the way she did. However, her selfish decision to stay was only met with acceptance by her mother, Bella unwilling to be away from Charlie now that he had come to accept his different yet wonderfully happy daughter. He was also considerably tolerant when it came to his quickly changing grand-daughter, her growth to seventeen years of age happening in the space of but a few years. It was fortunate that Charlie was a man who needed few details and was content with simply knowing that his daughter and grand-daughter were both happy and safe. So Renesmee was able to continue walking the pathways of Forks' beautiful forests with little care and complete ease, and as she walked silently next to Jacob, she felt that same familiar feeling of happiness creeping over her yet again. It wasn't until they neared her house that she realized this was the part of the night she hated. Soon Jacob would be heading back to his place and she would return to her family, spending her night watching the silver moon cast its glow over her bedroom as she thought of him before she succumbed to the blackness of sleep. It was their usual routine, yet the thought of him leaving her tonight was harder than any night before, and without realizing it, she clung a little tighter to his hand, the boy glancing down as chocolate eyes hit their tightened clasp.

"Whoa, not ready to go home yet?"

Confusion swept through the eyes of the raven-haired boy, his heat warming her as she suddenly felt a chill run over her body. She looked down at their hands and felt a strange feeling surge through her, unsure why she suddenly balked at returning home or panicked at the idea of him leaving for the night.

This wasn't like her.

He'd be back in the morning anyway.

"I, uh, I don't know. Something doesn't feel right… everything is different."

Concern suddenly filtered through Jacob's expression as his immediate protective instincts took over, eyes darting around the clearing as he searched for the enemy.

"Is there something I should know, Nessie?"

Renesmee looked up and watched him, his face a picture of perfection as he gazed all over his surroundings and curled an arm around her waist, holding her in as he scanned the area. His warm skin caught her off guard, a short gasp escaping her lips as she struggled to make her brain function in its usual way.

What the hell is wrong with me?

She shook her head, her golden hair falling perfectly over creamy shoulders as she stepped back, eyes trailing over Jacob's torso as he continued to ascertain where her unease had come from, his chest heaving with his instinctual, alert breaths.

Up, down, up, down, up, down.

"No," Renesmee muttered, trying desperately to drag her eyes away from the bulging boy before her, his coffee-colored perfection hitting her with such an intensity she thought she might pass out.

Damn, what the hell is happening to me?

"Nessie," Jacob breathed, suddenly realizing her confused expression as he stepped closer and cupped her cheek with his eternally temperate hand. "Are you okay?"

"I don't know," the girl confessed, her voice shaky as she stared into his eyes, unable to pull away as they looked down on her in wonder. "I, just, I don't know."

"You know you can always talk to me," the boy vowed, edging closer as his sweet breath kissed her face. She could feel her heart racing then, certain that Jacob could hear its thudding beat with the intensity of which it thumped. "Nessie?"

Oh god.

"Jake," she breathed, her voice a soft whisper as she looked at him, eyes desperate and… hungry. Jacob suddenly stiffened, his back arching up in a perfect straight flex as he abruptly felt the change, her beauty more compelling than it had ever been, drawing him to her in a way he had not felt before. He licked his bottom lip in nervous anticipation, the two souls merging closer as thunder cracked above their heads, an irresistible force pulling them deeper and deeper.

And so it has happened.

Edward is gonna kill me.

"Nessie," came the last tortured whisper as his lips suddenly hit hers, electricity igniting between them as she pulled him closer to her, soft whimpers escaping her satisfied mouth. Warm hands trailed down a soft back, his touch exciting her and propelling her to pull him closer, his scent suddenly filtering into her senses and turning her mind upside-down. His lips pushed further still, devouring her very being as they melded together in perfect unison, heavy breathing the only sound made as the two friends became something more.

Something destined.

"Jake," Renesmee whispered as they finally pulled apart and drew breath, his eyes alive with a new kind of look she had never seen him wear. She had no other words for him as a smile spread across her lips, golden eyes sparkling at the boy who gazed down upon her with a new kind of stare. His hand reached out and cupped the back of her head, drawing her to him as her delicate hands wrapped around his heated torso. She closed her eyes and rested her head on his chest, a steady beat of a heart calling to her in the most hypnotic of rhythms. Gentle hands guided their way through her soft tresses, the feeling more than comforting as they clung to one another, rain droplets beginning to fall all around them, unnoticed.

"What are you thinking?" the girl asked, looking up to see Jacob's eyes had closed, a peaceful serenity encompassing him as he smiled.

"That kiss, it was just, wow!"

Renesmee smiled and snuggled in closer, completely happy to stand with him as the rain drenched their bodies and saturated their clothing. However a pair of unhappy eyes hit her as she brought Jake to her again and a soft yelp of surprise escaped her lips as Jacob turned and followed her gaze, eyes falling on the angered being that stood before him.

"Dad."

Edward looked down on his daughter in Jacob's arms, the day he had long hoped would never come suddenly nipping at his heels and barking loudly in his ear. He stepped forward then and Jacob maneuvered around Renesmee, every fiber in his being instinctively working together to protect that which was most precious.

Her.

"Nessie," Edward growled through clenched teeth, Bella suddenly appearing behind him as his eyes continued to watch the boy before him. "Inside, now."

Bella looked at Edward in confusion, her eyes darting between lover and friend as she implored an explanation from either. When none came forth she reached out for Renesmee, unwilling to allow her daughter to be caught in the crossfire.

"Edward, listen. I didn't expect this to happen…" Jacob's words fell on deaf ears as Edward took another painfully slow but deliberate step forward; golden eyes trained and flaring.

"Then stop thinking about my daughter that way."

Jacob scowled then, a low growl resonating deep within his chest. Renesmee's hand reached over and cupped his shoulder, a sign she wanted him to remain in control in spite of her father's demands. Her proximity to the wolf only agitated her father more, and he stopped dead in his tracks, not wanting to incense the uncontrollable hybrid as Jacob's harsh words filled the air.

"Get the hell out of my head then, bloodsucker!"

"Renesmee! Jake! Please."

Bella's alarmed cries cut through Jacob's angered concentration and he relaxed, turning to hold Renesmee's hand as he brought it to his lips and brushed her knuckles with the softest of kisses. Her mother realized the situation then, eyes opening in wide surprise as she watched her daughter lean in and touch Jacob's forehead with her own. Bella reached out and took Edward's hand, a tight squeeze indicating that now was not the time or place to have a showdown with the boy who would be forever linked to their daughter. Edward relented a little, still maintaining his stance but not seeming as intense as he had before, nodding his head once as Jacob kissed Renesmee on the top of her velvety hair. The youthful-looking girl stared into his eyes, an ache building as she knew instinctively he was going to relent.

At least for the time being.

"Go on," he whispered, nodding his head towards her family. "I'll see you tomorrow."

Renesmee looked at him with uncertainty, her urge to stay with him growing stronger by the minute. Bella and Edward looked on at their daughter with differing glances, unsure what tonight's developments meant for her and the relationship between the vampires and the werewolves. Jacob nodded in their direction as he urged Renesmee to go, his signature grin escaping over perfectly taunt lips whilst she looked up at him in awe.

"Go on, you know where to find me if you can't wait until morning."

"The moon," Renesmee cooed as she closed her eyes and nodded her head, the symbol of Jacob forever following her through the night sky when she lay alone at night, shining down on her when needed.

"I'll be watching it whenever you are, Nessie. I promise!"

He kissed her hand one final time and stepped back, their fingers entangled and connected together for a lingering moment before they dropped. Jacob turned and glared at Edward then, an understanding between the two as the werewolf took off into the now dark forest, his footsteps trailing off into the night. As Renesmee walked silently back into the house, Bella following her closely, Edward looked up at the now full moon, a werewolf's cry calling through the silent sky in one long, dominant howl.

This wasn't over.

It was only the beginning.

And deep down, they all knew it.