A/N: Not my best.


Third Birthday

Fourth Birthday

Fifth Birthday

"Her growing has slowed now; do you think maybe we could enroll her with us this time?" Bella asked her husband, as she pulled the large sixty-two inch TV from its removal box in one effortless movement, turning to take it to its pre-decided place in the family room of their new house.

"I don't know, maybe?" Edward shrugged and turned towards her, his eyes widening. "Bella, what the hell do you think you're doing?"

He grabbed the television from her and placed it against the wall, her mouth open to protest. "The removal people are still here, it would be hard to believe even Emmet could lift that human, let alone you!"

"Relax, baby they're not even inside the house at the moment." She made a move to pick it back up.

"That's not the point and you know it, and after the last time when that guy caught you lifting the couch one handed…" He shook his head "I just about managed to convince him that I was there the whole time helping you, but that was just obvious!"

"Fine, I'm sorry!" She pouted

"Here put this away." He said handing her a box marked 'Kitchen'.

Bella crossed her arms across her chest. "You know, you're right, I should do something that suits my frame…don't need anyone getting suspicious."

"Exactly." He smiled gesturing for her to take the box.

"In that case, when you've put that in the kitchen, come back and I'll tell you where I want this couch." She perched herself on said furniture, crossing her legs.

Edward was about to say something when Renesmee entered the room, followed closely by a rather burley looking removal man carrying one of her boxes.

"Hey da…Edward" She smiled, but Edward didn't respond, his eye's fixed firmly on the man behind her.

"Edward?" Bella questioned silently.

He quickly glanced between his wife and daughter "Bad thoughts." He whispered so only they could hear.

"I'll take that;" Edward grabbed the box "you can go back outside"

"Oh but I was just gonna…" Edward cut the man off.

"I know exactly what you wanted to do, don't think I didn't see the way you were looking at her." Edward hissed "I would appreciate it if you would stay away from her."

"Whoa, dude!" The man held up his hands "You're sister asked me to help her in her room, I was just obliging."

"My sister is sixteen and I'm guessing that what you were thinking of doing wasn't what she asked you to help with." Edward growled at him, and the man recoiled at his voice.

"I…Uh." The removal man stammered before running from the house.

"And you?" He turned to his daughter. "Don't you give me that!"

"What?" Bella frowned.

"You knew exactly what he was thinking, why would you do that?" Edward didn't take his eyes off Renesmee; Bella's eyebrows knitted together, her question seemingly answered.

"Because it was fun." Renesmee shrugged.

"His thoughts were disgusting!" Edward spat.

"Well why don't you just take me away again then?" She screamed. "Solved the last problem for you didn't it?"

"That's not fair; you know we had our reasons." Bella interjected.

"Really? And what were they, because you've failed to inform me on that little detail?" She scowled at her mother.

"We can't tell you, you know that?" Bella voice pleaded.

"Oh, so you can drag me away from my home, my best friend." A tear rolled down her cheek "My Jacob…but you can't tell me why? That's bullshit!"

"You really want to know?" Edward growled.

"Edward, don't!" Bella grabbed his arm.

"Yes!" Renesmee exclaimed.

"He had to choose, to make a decision…about what is not my place to tell you, but he wouldn't or couldn't make it." Edward explained.

"So we made it for him." Bella continued softly. "We never meant to hurt you, but we thought that it would be less painful than staying for you to witness anything."

"Well you were wrong!" Renesmee sobbed, and Bella made to grab her. "Stay away from me!"

Bella recoiled at the venom in her voice. "Everyday I think about him, and it gets worse and worse because everyday I wake up and he's not there."

She slumped onto the couch "Why hasn't he come after me?"

"He…we don't know where he is." Bella whispered "He's gone, he left."

"What do you mean?" Renesmee frowned, her pale cheeks covered in tears.

"A few years ago, we were supposed to go back to Forks but we'd settled and it seemed silly to move when it wasn't necessary," Bella began "so I sent him a letter and no one has seen him since… no phone calls, no letters even Seth can't find him…he's either not phasing anymore or he's just to far away."

"We let Billy know where we moved too, hoping that he would get in touch." Edward shrugged "but he hasn't."

"I'm so sorry Ness" Bella's voice pleaded. "We had no idea it would be this hard on either of you, we were just trying to protect you!"

Renesmee stood, her hands rubbing nervously against her denim clad thighs. "I need to leave." She said not looking at either of them.

"Ness…" Edward started.

"No… you can't stop me." She held up a hand. "I need to get away, to clear my head."

"Where will you go?" Bella looked horrified, glancing at Edward, trying to read his face.

"I'm not sure." Her eyes were vacant.

"You'll be needing these." A voice came from behind them, and they turned to find Alice holding out a back pack and a wad of money.

"Alice?" Edward hissed.

Alice shook her head "You won't change her mind Edward, she needs to do this she'll be fine."

"Thank you." Renesmee whispered between sobs.

"Don't worry it's nothing to extravagant just some jeans and shirts, and all you're papers are at the bottom…passport, drivers license, you get the idea. This should get you somewhere more than decent to sleep." She said pushing the money into a pocket at the back of the bag and held out some keys "You can take my car."

"Nessie?" Edward called has his daughter turned to leave.

"I'll come back when if thought some things through." She said without turning, before walking from the house.

They listened quietly; the sound of Alice's Porsche humming through the house as it pulled out of the garage and left the driveway.

Bella dry sobbed "Where is she going?" She looked at Alice hopefully.

"I don't know, she hasn't made up her mind yet…But you'll know as soon as I do." She glanced at Edward; he hissed and walked out of the room.

"Oh my god" Renesmee sobbed "What the hell am I doing?"

She wiped her eyes with the back of her hand, focusing back on the road ahead, her finger pressing the button to the stereo, singing along in a broken voice, desperate to forget what had happened.

Renesmee slapped her hands on the wheel pulling over onto the side of the road "This is stupid!" She yelled at herself "I don't even know where I'm going."

Her phone rang. She dug through the backpack on the seat next to her finally retrieving it.

"Alice?" She frowned as she answered.

"Just keep driving, you'll know where you want to be when you get there" Alice said quietly.

"What are you talking about?" She asked.

"It's all about the imprint. Just start moving again…go with your heart and not your head and you'll get there eventually." Alice was even quieter "I have to go, I need to get back on land before Edward realizes I'm gone."

With that the phone line was dead. Renesmee sat staring at it in her hand, her eyebrows pinched together "What the hell?"

She was jolted by a knock on her window "You okay miss?" A young policeman stood outside her window, his eyes widened slightly as she turned to face him, rolling down the window.

"I'm fine officer, is there something wrong?" She forced a smile.

"No…well, it's just that you're not supposed to stop here. Can I see your License and registration please?" he smiled back and blushed slightly.

"Oh I'm sorry, I got an urgent phone call and thought it best to pull over" She lied handing him the documents "I'll move right away"

"I'm sorry Miss…Cullen, but I'm gonna have to issue you with a ticket, I…"

"Oh." Her smile dropped and she decided that she wasn't above using her tears to get out of the situation, letting them role freely down her face. "I understand"

"Miss?" The policeman looked at her curiously. "I guess I can let you off…just this once."

"Really?" She forced her smile back on her face and took back her license "Oh thank so much officer, I promise I won't do it again"

He nodded his head at her "Cheer up Miss Cullen, no point in wasting that face on tears."

Renesmee closed the window and drove off, still no idea where she was headed.

"You'll end up there eventually!" She mimicked Alice "Stupid pixie."

"Oh…Edward!" Alice ran up the stairs, almost slamming in to him as she rounded the corner to his room.

"How long ago?" He asked his face creased with worry, his eyes searching her frantically.

She squeezed them shut, drifting back through the vision that was still fresh in her mind. Edward grabbed the top her arms and shook her "Alice! How long ago?"

"I don't know!" Her mind screamed back "It might not have happened yet."

"But it could have?" Edward asked and she nodded.

"What's going on? Is it Renesmee?" Bella appeared at Edward's side, prizing his fingers from Alice arms and turning him to her.

"She had a vision," he mumbled "the car broke down on the side of the road, and then she… she disappeared."


Renesmee tapped agitatedly as she pulled up to the stop sign, she had been driving for almost three days, Alice's words playing over and over in her head.

"You'll get there eventually."

She sighed, putting her foot back down on the accelerator, the glistening lake that was on her left zipping by. Her attention was caught by her cell phone ringing on the seat next to her, Alice's face flashing up on screen, but she ignored it and turned her attention back to the road as it darkened under a sudden canopy of dense trees.

The car began to cough.

"What?" Renesmee gripped the wheel tighter, and it creaked loudly under the pressure of her preternatural strength "What's going on?"

It shuddered and began to slow of its own accord, as she urged it to the side off the road finally alerted to a light flashing on the dashboard.

"Out of gas? You gotta be kidding me?" She reached over to grab her phone, the signal indicator flashing and the word 'searching' emblazoned across the screen rather than her usual network "Damn it!" She growled hitting the steering wheel, before flinging the door open and stepping out, the sole of her ballet pumps crunching over the gravel that had collected at the edge of the road as she walked to the front of the car and removed an empty gas can from the trunk.

She trudged along, the can swinging at her side lazily, occasionally glancing around at the desolate road pausing at a sign.

"Great River Bluffs State Park 2 Miles

La Crosse 13 Miles"

"That's not far." Renesmee mumbled to her self taking one final look around as she slipped into the refuge of trees, enveloping herself in their darkness.

She breathed deeply, and began sprinting through the trees at vampire speed a wide grin spreading across her face at the feeling of freedom.

Her feet barely disturbed the ground, leaves and branches swayed calmly as she sped past them. She could hear the thuds of tiny hearts hidden in the safety of the canopy and the distant sound of trickling water and the rhythmic thump of a much larger heart.

Renesmee changed direction, a soft chuckle escaping her lips at her sudden hunger, the temptation of a beating heart to good to pass and she breathed deeply "Here moosey, moosey!".

She slowed to a stop, coming to rest behind a large bolder a few tens of feet from the stream, and in clear view of her prey as it stood lapping peacefully at the water, unaware of the danger that was so close behind it.

Renesmee charged silently as it bowed back into the water, grabbing at his large antlers and twisting ferociously until she heard a snap and the animal sagged lifelessly to the floor. Her teeth bared, she sank them into its neck, its warm blood satiating her thirst as she drank greedily.

A low growl erupted from the distance, pulling her from the blood induced trance and she dropped the carcass to the ground, a small trickle of blood running along the wet stones and mingling with the running stream.

She crouched low, her tongue flicking out over her lips to remove the remainder of her meal, her eyes darting nervously into the shadows, smelling at the air.

Her eyebrows pinched at the unfamiliar smell that carried in the air, it was musky and familiar and far from unpleasant but un-nerving still. She spotted movement in the other side of the water, buried deep in the brush and let out her own growl in warning.

Renesmee jumped slightly as she backed into the boulder that she'd hidden behind only minutes ago, momentarily distracted by its hard, cold surface and internally scolding herself for being so jumpy.

Another growl caught her attention, only this time it was closer, mush closer and she turned, teeth bared into the face of a large wolf, it's black eyes almost hidden by its dirty, mud matted fur.

Her fingers brushed over the stone behind her, her eyes never leaving the large animal as she leapt straight up and landed atop the boulder, her heart pounding uncontrollably against the wall of her chest as it began circling her menacingly, a continuous growl rolling from between it's clenched teeth.

"My my, Mister Wolf! What big teeth you have!" She snarled. "You wouldn't use them to hurt a poor defenseless little girl like me would you?"

The wolf paused, and a gruff sound similar to a chuckle rumbled from its throat. Renesmee grinned and cocked her head "Not quite the oversized dog you appear to be are you?" She asked and the wolf crouched in response and growled.

She dropped back down to the ground, her courage somewhat renewed as she edged towards the wolf "What are you doing all the way out here, shifter?"

It was the wolfs turn to cock his head, and if its eyes hadn't been hidden under it's over grown pelt, she would have seen them narrow in observation at her question.

"I'm not your ordinary vampire," she said softly, standing straight and relaxing her shoulders "I'm not here to hurt anyone; I don't desire human blood as you can see." She indicated to the fallen Elk. "I not looking for a fight.."

The tension in the air was thick, as Renesmee stared face to face with the wolf.

It shook his matted head from side to side pausing before gritting its teeth and growling, leaning back on its hind legs, ready to pounce.

Renesmee, leaped forward meeting the wolf mid jump and knocking them both to the ground, landing across it's body, her hands grasped at its neck.

She looked down at the animal, the rough fur twisted in her fingers and she could feel the rapid beating of its heart under her hands and hear it pounding in her ears, melding with her own.

The wolf laid still under her, its eyes locked firmly on her face, a low whine escaping its mouth.

Renesmee's grip tightened. Chancing a glance at her hands, she found that where the dark fur parted between her fingers a russet red shone through and her heart skipped just a little. She released her hold and pushed her fingers through the fur revealing more of the red hidden underneath.

"Jake?" She whispered, so low it was barely audible. The wolf lifted its head and nuzzled her free hand as she slipped from its body and to her knees. The damp earth of the streams bank soaking into her jeans "My Jacob?"


"Seth has been looking for you," Renesmee said quietly, sat with her back against the large boulder, twisting the little satin bow on her mud stained shoes between her fingers "but, mom said that you weren't phasing or that maybe you just ran too far away from him to hear you…I guess two thousand miles is far enough." She shrugged and the wolf that sat in front of her sank down to its belly.

"I was so angry, for so long and I still am." Jacobs's paws rested against the cross of her legs, his head cocked to one side "You said that you'd always be with me, that you'd follow me wherever I went, but you didn't."

"Mom said that you would come soon," he growled "but everyday for three years I woke up and you still weren't there and I couldn't understand why." The tears rolled freely down Renesmee's cheeks, and she wiped them away with her sleeve, sniffing loudly. "I couldn't understand why no one would tell me where you were."

Jacob shifted his head and nuzzled her hands, resting his head on her lap and her fingers fell into the fur on the top of his snout twisting and stroking softly, and his eye's fell shut, a contented sigh rushing out through his large black nose.

"But it was your fault you weren't there." She pulled her hand back and Jacob's head shot up "Dad said you had too choose between some things but you didn't, instead you disappeared."

The wolf stood and padded back towards the stream, stopping when the running water covered his huge paws and sitting, with his head bowed.

Renesmee, stood and walked after him, pausing next to him she tugged at his fur and walked deeper until the water was lapping at her mid thigh, gesturing for him to follow.

"I don't think I want to know what that choice was at the moment." She scooped the water up in her hands and dropped it over his back.

The water around them turned murky as she continued to pour the water over him and wash out as much of the dirt and mud a she could without the aid of soap and eventually he began to look more like the old Jacob wolf, just shaggier.

"You've been like this for a while huh?" Renesmee asked as she stepped back onto the bank, and Jacob grunted and nodded his head before shaking violently to rid his pelt of any excess water.

"A year?" Jacob cocked his head at her question "Longer? Have you been like this since you left?"

The wolf sank to her feet and let out a long drawn out sigh "You've not changed back at all?" she asked, searching his eyes for an answer "Can you even change back anymore?" she was met with a low whine and felt the tears forming in her eye's.

Jacob rose to his feet and nudged her hand softly before bending to pick up the gas can that she had dropped earlier, grasping it between his teeth and then bowing down in front of her and flicking his head indicating for her to get on.

Renesmee pulled her lip between her teeth, a habit she'd picked up from her mother and hesitated momentarily, then flinging her leg over the expanse of his body she latched her hands into his fur as he began to sprint towards town.

Her legs tightened round his torso and she leaned into his fur, sobbing quietly as he ran. Her hands found there way around his neck and rested at the top of his chest and she could feel his heart thumping under her touch.

A few minutes later Jacob stopped at the edge of the woods, and Renesmee could make out the distant sound of engines.

"Will you go back to the car and wait for me?" She asked over her shoulder and the wolf let out a low short howl and turned back the way they came.

Renesmee walked through the town, gas can in hand. There were a few mutters and glances in her direction and looking in a shop window she saw that she was far from the neat and tidy but instead covered in mud, wet up to her thighs from standing in the water and her hair was no longer tamed into individual curls but teased into a bushy mane. She sighed and carried on walking finally coming across a gas station.

"Can I help you, honey?" A tall thin man asked, shoving his hands into the pockets of his overalls.

"Um, my car broke down about thirteen miles down the road…ran out of gas." She held up the can "Could you fill this for me, please?"

"Sure thing sweetie." He took the can and began filling it up and when he was finished Renesmee handed him the money, thanked him and turned back towards the woods.

"Hey wait up?" The man called after her "What's your name?"

"Ness…ah Vanessa" She stammered.

"Well Vanessa, it's an awful long walk back to your car and it will be getting dark soon. The roads no place for anyone to be walking alone at night especially a young girl like you." He took the can from her hand and threw into the bed of a tow truck before pointing across the street "Over there is a small motel, why don't you go on over and put yourself up for the night and I'll send someone to tow the car back?"

Renesmee nodded "Thanks." She fished the car keys from her pocket and handed them over, then turned and crossed the street and towards the building she'd been pointed too.

She pushed open the door to the reception, greeted by a wide white smile that quickly faltered when the lady sitting at the desk took in her appearance.

"Oh my, you look like you've been dragged through a hedge backwards and then rolled down a hill!" She exclaimed.

"Not quite," She chuckled "but it sure does feel like it. Do you happen to have any rooms free?"

"Sure do… My name's Georgina," she held her hand across the counter for Renesmee to shake "Is it just for one night?"

"I'm not sure at the moment…can I stay for longer if I need too?" Renesmee asked.

"Of course you can, we're never filled…not since two years ago when all the hype about the Dire Wolf finally died down." Georgina shook her head and chuckled to her self, taking the drivers license that Renesmee held out to her.

"The Dire Wolf?" She enquired as the lady tapped away on her computer.

"Yeah, about three years ago people started reporting seeing this huge animal running he outskirts of the park, some people thought it was big foot, although why he'd choose a place like La Crosse is beyond me. Anyway a couple of more sightings found that it was a wolf, a monster of a thing too and rust colored, and all of a sudden the town was flooded with hunters and enthusiasts and zoologists."

"What happened?" Renesmee's voice was low, and her breath shaky at the thought of Jacob being hunted down.

"They never caught it, thing was too damn fast. Eventually the Zoologists concluded that it was a Dire Wolf, which were supposed to be extinct and they stopped the hunters…Every now and then they come back to see if they can study it but it just keeps eluding them." Georgina shrugged "Why did you see it?"

Renesmee forced a laugh "No just a couple of over grown squirrels."

"Here you go, room twenty six on the ground floor." She handed Renesmee a key, to which she murmured thanks and left, stepping out into the now dark car park.

Looking around she ran back towards the trees; only once under there cover breaking into her full speed, "Jacob?" Jake where are you?" she called softly as she ran, careful not to raise her voice too high but loud enough that his overdeveloped hearing would pick it up.

"Jacob, come to me please? I'm not driving tonight I'm staying in town." She stopped and scanned the darkness, her sight not as powerful as a full vampire but brilliant none the less, and picked up the glinting dots of two eyes drawing closer.

She smiled reaching her hand out to the wolf that now sat in front of her, his hot breath misting as it mingled with the cold night air.

"I have a room in town," Renesmee held up the room key "follow me back? I'm sure we can find a way to sneak you in."

Jacob grunted, and sank down to the ground, seemingly in refusal and she sighed, twisting the key chain in her fingers.

"Please Jacob? Don't leave me on my own." Her voice was soft and pleading, her eye's not meeting his.

He stood, pushing his snout into her hand and taking the cuff of her sleeve gently between his teeth and pulling her along with him as he walked her back towards the perimeter of trees.

"Wait here?" Renesmee asked "I'm gonna go to the garage and see if the cars there so I can get my bag, and when the coast is clear I'll whistle. You can get into the motel lot round the back of these buildings, and it's pretty dark round there, you won't be seen. Room twenty-six, okay?"

Jacob sat and nodded, watching intently as turned and walked back through the town, the gas station just within his sight. She disappeared inside, emerging a few minutes later with her back pack over her shoulder and a glance in his direction as she crossed the street and was lost behind a crowd of buildings.

A sharp whistle rang out, and his ears pricked up. It sounded again and he took his chance, slipping from trees and round to the back of the buildings that Renesmee had indicated, careful to keep in the deepest shadow. He stopped at the edge of the car park, flicking his eyes over the doors, looking for her room and at that moment a door on his left flew open and she stood waving him forward.

He darted from the darkness and made it to the room within seconds, it was the first time he'd been inside in years, it made him feel uneasy and trapped.

"I'm going to get cleaned up," Renesmee stated scratching behind his ear "I won't be long okay?"

Jacob hopped up onto the queen sized bed, laying his head between his large paws as she crossed the room, stopping at the small TV in the corner and turning on to a sports channel before closing herself in the bathroom.

She turned on the shower, letting the hot water run through, peeling off her clothes and discarding them in a muddy pile in the corner of the white tiled room.

A long breathy sigh escaped her mouth as she stepped under the steaming water, grey /brown water pooling at her feet and disappearing down the drain along with the suds of the generic motel soap, its harsh smell burning her nostrils.

Her peace was interrupted by a rap of the front door. She heard a loud thud and assumed it was Jacob leaving the bed. Wrapping a towel around herself she stepped out into the main room, finding him hidden between the wall and the bed, his body barely covered by its length.

"Just a minute!" She shouted as the knock sounded again, and pointed the wolf into the bathroom, pulling the towel tighter around her body as she watched him move soundlessly out of sight before opening the door enough to poke her head out.

"Hi, I'm sorry I didn't mean to disturb you," Georgina smiled from the other side of the door "but I noticed earlier that you looked a little peaky and I thought a hot meal might make you feel better." she held up a tray with a covered plate, a glass of water and a steaming cup.

"Its not much," she continued as Renesmee opened the door to let her in, eyeing the bathroom door quickly and watching as Jacobs red snout pulled back from the doorway "just some potatoes and chicken."

"Oh no, that's more than enough, thank you!" Renesmee smiled.

"You're welcome," Georgina touched her arm "If you need anything else don't hesitate to ask."

She walked towards the still open door and waved as she disappeared back towards reception. Renesmee pushed the door shut and slipped the chain across.

"Jake?" she called and the wolf slid out of the bathroom and towards her. She looked over the tray that rested on the bed, lifting up the plate cover and grimacing at the selection of human food and turning to Jacob "You want this?"

Jacob sniffed at the plate and then quickly scoffed down its contents, while Renesmee fished a set of pajamas from her bag and pulled them on. She picked the now empty tray and placed it on the floor at the end of the bed, before walking around and slipping under the sheets.

The wolf peered at her over the bed "Goodnight Jake." she whispered, flicking off the light as Jacob sank down to the floor. She lay still, listening to his breathing and the scratching of his claws as he moved to get comfortable.

She sat up "Jacob?"

He stood up from the floor and whined softly. "Sleep next to me?" Renesmee patted the empty space next to her and Jacob cocked his head, looking at her for a second and then jumping back up onto the bed, settling next to her.

Renesmee scooted closer, resting her head next to his, her fingers threading into his fur and her eye's falling shut. "My Jacob." she whispered.

Renesmee sighed, and stretched. Her eye's squeezed shut as she refused to relinquish her slumber, the noise that had woken her continued to hiss in her ears.

She rolled on her side, her hands blindly reaching for the furry body that rested next to her, finding only cold sheets.

Her eyes flew open and she sat up straight. It was still dark, and she could make out the glowing red motel sign through the thin curtains. She focused on the noise, falling water. Slipping from the bed and to the window, she pulled the corner back and looked out into the clear night, no evidence of rain.

"Jacob?" Renesmee whispered, letting the material fall back into place and moving across the room to the bathroom, realizing that the sound was coming from the shower "Jake, what are you doing?"

She pushed the door open and gasped at the man in the shower.

"Ness, what's wrong?" Jacob stopped the water and grabbed a towel, tying it around his hips as he closed the space between them.

Renesmee stared up at him, her eye's wide, her fingers gently touching at the black beard that had grown over his face and hung from his chin "you changed back?"

Jacob nodded "It took me a while but I finally managed," he looked down at the floor wiggling his feet "feels weird to be back on two legs after all this time."

She took his hand, bringing it between them. Her fingers brushed the calluses on his palm, traced the lines that stretched across them and wound there way through his skin. Despite having been in the shower, dirt was embedded under his nails.

Renesmee closed her eyes and brought his hand to her cheek, resting into it with a sigh, his fingers twisting into her still damp curls and a tear rolled down her face "I missed you so much!" she whispered.

"I missed you too Ness," Jacob smiled softly "I know that leaving was wrong, and I wish I could just go back and do it all over…don't suppose you know any vamps with the ability to turn back time do you?"

Renesmee snorted "Unlikely! If I did I'd go back and convince you that facial hair is not a good look for you!"

"Yeah well I kinda agree with you on that one!" He shrugged, thumbing the drying tears from Renesmee's face. "I'll make a run to the store and pick up some razors."

"It's five in the morning; I don't think there's anywhere open right now." Renesmee sat cross legged on the end of the bed "And I think the first thing we should do is find you some clothes…you can't go out half naked and I think a large wolf browsing men's hygiene aisle would attract a whole different level attention."

"I guess you're right, I had enough of that when they thought there was a Sasquatch in the park." Jacob grimaced.

"Actually, they think that you're a Dire Wolf." Renesmee leaned over the side of the bed to retrieve the bag that she'd discarded there earlier, rummaging through and pulling out a large comb. Settling back into her position on the end of the bed she motioned for Jacob to sit in front of her, teasing the comb through his waist length hair "Apparently they had experts here and everything…even hunters."

She paused her combing and Jacob sighed "They weren't gonna catch me Ness, and if they managed to get a shot it I would have healed…if I can survive being crushed by a newborn I can survive a human."

"That's different and you know it!" Renesmee sighed "The newborn broke you're bones he didn't fire a shotgun at your head."

Silence fell between them as Renesmee resumed coming through his hair, three years of knots and tangles gathering at the ends. Jacob was the first to break the silence.

"So where have you been all this time?" he asked, letting his eyes fall shut.

Renesmee pulled his hair back behind his ear and rested her palm against his cheek, rushing through pictures and feeling from the previous years stopping when she reached the last confrontation with her family.

"Zafrina and Kachiri huh? They were some scary looking ladies!" Jacob scoffed referring to her time spent with them in South America and Renesmee slapped his shoulder "Why are you here?"

She dropped the comb onto the bed and slipped down on to the floor next to him, pulling her legs up and cuddling them "I don't really know…well I didn't but I do now."

Jacob looked at her expectantly and she lifted her hand back to his face and showed him the argument with her family and how she'd ended up in the park.

"Your dad didn't tell you why I left?" Jacob asked quietly and Renesmee shook her head.

"He said it wasn't for him to tell," She looked at the floor and picked at the beige carpet "but I'm five Jake, not stupid and I'm not deaf either."

His eyebrows knitted together "What do you mean?"

"That day, the last day I saw you? I heard you and my mom talking…it would've been hard for a human not to hear you both," she shrugged "I heard what you said about Leah and about how you wanted and needed different things. Of course I didn't really know what that meant back then, but like I said…"

"You're not stupid." Jake finished.

"It was hard hiding that I knew why you weren't there and I tried to get my family to talk about it so many times but they just changed the subject, but I listened when they thought I was sleeping. Mom would talk about her visits to Grandpa Charlie and how happy he was for you and Leah. That you both finally found each other."

Renesmee quieted, her gaze still trained on the floor where her strong fingers and sharp nails had picked through the carpet to the floor boards.

"The argument the other day, that started because I was goading him…my dad and he finally snapped and told me a broken down version -It hurt more than I thought it would, even though I already knew the truth, and I needed to leave. I just got in the car and drove and, well here I am."

"Big coincidence, huh?" Jacob smiled, and bumped her shoulder.

She turned to look up at him "What do you mean?"

"You ending up here," he shrugged "the car breaking down near the park where I happen to be living."

"Well maybe not," Renesmee frowned a little "when I started out, there was this moment when I thought "what the hell am I doing?" you know, so I stopped on the side of the road. Then Alice called and said to follow my heart not my head."

"Okay." Jacob looked slightly confused.

"Well I thought it was pretty stupid too," she shrugged "I got to Buffalo and decided to detour to Niagara Falls but I got half way there and my heart started thumping so hard and my stomach was turning and it felt like I was doing something wrong, so I turned around and the closer I got the better I felt. I even tried it a few more times, but if my head said right it was like my chest tugged left."

"Wow, that's…" Jacob shook his head and smiled "Weird!"

Renesmee thumped his shoulder and laughed softly, pulling her lip between her teeth. "But you have to understand Jacob," she glanced at him, her face serious "how much it hurt me, and that I can't forget it just like that!" She snapped her fingers.

Jacob nodded and pushed himself from the floor, readjusting the towel at his waist. He reached over the bed and straightened out the comforter before pulling them back, indicating for Renesmee to climb in.

She slipped her feet under the sheets and he pulled them up around her sinking to his knees beside her. "I understand Ness, and god only knows how much I wish I could take it all back. I made a mistake; I got my feelings confused and ended up hurting those around me."

Renesmee rolled over and scooted back into his body, his arm lazily falling over her and her hand found it's way from under the covers and twisted into his "I missed a lot while I was away, didn't I?" He asked "I mean I barely recognized you, you've grown so much."

"Yeah well you think that's bad," Renesmee yawned "You should try looking in the mirror everyday and not recognizing yourself, especially since my last birthday."

"At least you're still the same height as when you left!" Jacob chuckled, dodging her small fist.

"Shut up! You can't make fun of me," She smiled "you're nothing but an over grown poodle!"

"A poodle?" Jacob sat up "You're calling me a poodle?"

"Fine, I take it back." Renesmee sighed "You're a were-poodle!" She shrieked as Jacob dived at her, his fingers attacking her sides and stomach, and her body convulsed involuntarily with laughter.

"S…stop!" She yelled through her giggles.

"Not until you say it!" He replied, barraging her with another round of tickling.

"Uncle!" She screamed, and Jacob shook his head "Wrong!"

"F…Fine! You're a wolf!" She squirmed "Big, strong, manly were-wolf."

Jacob stopped tickling and looked down at her "See now that wasn't so bad was it?"

Renesmee shook her head as she hiccupped with laughter, reaching her hand up to brush his hair from his face.

Jacob swallowed hard "Um, it's still really early," he sat up and swung his legs off the side of the bed "We should try and get back to sleep."

"Yeah, sure" Renesmee nodded and pulled the twisted comforter back up over herself "will you stay next to me?"

He nodded, walking quickly to the bathroom to turn off the light and reclaiming his place behind her.

"You know I love you, don't you Jake?" Renesmee whispered as her eyes began to close.

"I love you too Renesmee." He pulled her close and kissed the top of her head.

The next time Renesmee had woken, early September sun was blazing into the room and Jacobs towel was folded on a chair and he was again, no where to be found.

She padded to the bathroom to ready herself for the day, her stomach grumbling.

As she brushed her teeth she heard a light thump, and opened the door to find the red wolf standing in front of an open window. She waved from the door way and went back to the sink to rinse.

"Sorry," A now human Jacob appeared in the doorway, with the towel replaced around his hips "I got a little antsy being indoors and needed to get out for a while. I tried to get back before you woke up."

"It's okay," She shrugged "I was just gonna run to the store and pick you up some clothes and stuff, so you can go back out if you want too? I shouldn't be anymore than an hour and then we can go out together."

"Sure, sure" Jacob nodded "I'll see you in a little while then." He kissed her forehead and leapt out the back window, the white towel flew back in a second later.

Renesmee pulled on her shoes and headed out the door and across to the garage to pick up her car, thanking the man when he only charged half of what she owed.

She found a wal-mart and grabbed a cart, strolling through the aisles and picking up the items she needed and was back to the motel when she said she'd be, walking in the room to find Jacob spread across the bed watching the TV.

"Hey," he smiled, clicking it off "you get everything?"

"Of course," Renesmee nodded and put the bag on the bed, pulling out a pair of jeans, a white shirt, tennis shoes, a pack of razors and shaving gel and…

"Scissors?" Jacob asked holding them up.

"Yeah, well I couldn't find jeans any longer than these and they're gonna be too short so I figured you can just cut em" up." she shrugged "And maybe trim you're beard a little before you go at with the razors. I think you should leave your hair to a professional."

Jacob grabbed the jeans and stood, holding them up against himself and finding them pathetically short. He took the scissors and cut the bottoms off, then pulled them up under his towel "Feels weird." He wrinkled his nose and disappeared into the bathroom "Oh you left your phone, it's been ringing off the hook….I didn't think I should answer it."

Renesmee picked it up from the bedside table and saw thirteen missed calls with equal voice messages, all from her dad.

She sighed heavily, and clicked the call button barely passing the first ring before it connected.

"Renesmee!" Edward yelled down the phone "Where are you? Alice hasn't been able to see you since yesterday, are you okay?"

"Dad, I'm fine," she hesitated "I'm with Jake."

She heard him sigh "So that's why Alice couldn't get a fix on you? I guess I should have thought of that."

"Yeah. I broke down just outside La Crosse," She told him "and I took a short cut to the nearest town through the national park, and well…there he was."

"Are you okay?" Edward asked again softly.

"I'm good Dad, honestly. I would tell you if I wasn't." She smiled.

"I'm sorry about upsetting you," He said "but we need to talk about it. When will you be home?"

"I know dad, I'm sorry too." She shrugged to herself "I'll be back in a few days maybe? "

"Okay, well you promise to call me if you need anything. I love you Ness, you and your mom are my reason for being."

"You too Dad" Renesmee smiled "I'll see you soon."

She placed her phone back on the bedside table and sat on the bed to wait for Jacob.

"Everything okay?" He asked walking out rubbing his face dry.

Renesmee smiled and nodded taking in his face, now clear of hair and still unchanged in all these years "As good as it can be! I'm sure I'll get an ear full when we get home. Come on let's go get some breakfast."

She threw him his shirt and shoes and fished through her bag for a hair band and threw that at him too. When he was ready she pulled him out the door and headed towards a diner she'd spotted earlier.

"Vanessa?" A voice called out from behind them, and they turned to find Georgina jogging towards them.

Renesmee waved and smiled as she grew closer "I just wanted to see how you were?" She eyed Jacob, glancing between there still clasped hands and his towering frame. "Who's this?"

"Oh, this is my friend Jake, Jake this is Georgina. She runs the motel." Renesmee said quickly.

"Nice to meet you," Jacob shook her hand and Georgina's face turned pink "I surprised her last night, I hope that's not a problem, I just didn't like the thought of her being in a new town all by herself."

"We can pay extra?" Renesmee exclaimed.

"No, no that's fine, it's per room not per person." Georgina tore her gaze away from Jacob "Are you staying longer? I'll get you another key."

"Actually yeah," Renesmee nodded "two more nights if that's okay?"

"Of course, I'll leave the key on your desk. Have a nice day." She smiled before walking away, glancing back to look over Jacob.

"Well someone's got an admirer!" Renesmee quipped as they started walking.

"What are you talking about?" Jacob chuckled.

"Georgina, she spent the whole conversation checking you out!" she huffed a little.

"Well can you blame her?" He laughed loudly, and Renesmee yanked her hand from his and folded her arms across her chest "Are you jealous?"

"No!" She scowled.

"Sure, sure!" He grinned grabbing her hand back "Let's go get that breakfast.

"I'll have the pancakes, with a side of bacon, sausage, scrambled eggs, grilled potatoes and a large orange juice please…Jenny, " Jacob smiled as he checked the name tag "oh and throw on a couple of toasted bagels too." The waitress stood next to their table, pencil frozen over her pad and eyebrow cocked. He glanced over at Renesmee who was grinning widely.

"What?" He shrugged "I'm hungry."

Renesmee shook her head and chuckled, turning to the waitress "I'll have a classic burger, rare as you can make it please?"

"Anything to drink?" Jenny asked, scribbling her order.

"Just water, thanks." The waitress nodded and walked back to the kitchen to drop off the order and tend to the other customers.

They fell into a comfortable silence, as life in the diner hummed around them, the peace broken only by a hushed thanks when the waitress brought them their drinks, and the entrance of a small group of girls who now sat at the counter, huddled together and whispering.

Renesmee smirked and tilted her head towards the group so she could hear a little clearer.

"What is it with you?" She frowned at Jacob as he gulped at his juice. His eyebrows furrowed in confusion at her question and he put the glass down, licking the thin film of orange juice from his lips and Renesmee could have sworn she heard a little gasp from the direction of the girls "Seriously!"

"What the hell are you talking about?" He chuckled, unable to stop the smile appear on his face at her expression.

Renesmee lowered her voice so that only he could hear "Over there." she gestured with an almost un-noticeable nod of her head towards the counter "They've be giggling and whispering since they got here," she paused and leaned towards them again "in fact the only reason they came in here is because they saw you sitting in the window! Honestly they're like Alice in Nordstrom!"

"Ness, calm down," he reached a hand across and patted her arm, chuckling quietly "it's no big deal!"

She pulled her arm away "No big deal? Apparently and I quote 'you're the hottest thing they've seen in years' and they're wondering how they can get you to ditch you're little sister! I look nothing like you!"

"Well firstly I am hot," Jacob grinned "and secondly, they have no hope in hell of getting me to ditch you, even if they do think you're my sister…They don't even compare to you."

"That's not the point," Renesmee mumbled "Why are they assuming that were not together?"

Jacob frowned in confusion, and Renesmee blushed.

"I…I mean, we look nothing alike and if I saw us sitting together I would probably assume we were a couple." She shrugged, and blushed harder.

"Ness…" Jacob started to reach towards her but the waitress choose that moment to place their plates on the table.

"Enjoy your meal." She breathed walking away.

Renesmee sat quietly picking at her burger bun, her eye's never leaving her plate. Jacob shoveled the food in to his mouth never taking his eyes from her.

"Hi!" They both looked up at the girl standing next to their table and Renesmee visibly stiffened, an almost inaudible growl rumbling in her throat earning her a worried glance from Jacob.

"I'm Traci." She held her hand out towards Jacob. He wiped his palm on his shorts and took hers briefly.

"I'm Jake and this;" he motioned towards Renesmee "is Vanessa."

Renesmee forced a tight lipped smile at the girl and returned her gaze to her food.

"Do you mind if I sit with you?" She smiled sweetly. Renesmee looked up to find Traci watching her expectantly.

"You know what I don't feel so good," she threw her fork onto her plate "I'm gonna go to the bathroom." She pushed herself from her seat and stalked towards the back of the restaurant, locking herself in the only toilet. She put the lid down and sat with her head in her hands, focusing her hearing on their table.

"Wow, that's a lot of food!" Traci stated, and Renesmee could almost hear the stupid smile on her face.

"Uh, yeah I guess so…everything looked good, I just couldn't decide." Jacob chuckled nervously.

"So I was wondering if maybe you wanted to go catch a movie or something. Your sister, Vanessa was it? We can drop her off where ever it is you're staying first?" Renesmee scoffed at her words and stood up, pulling open the door and walking across the restaurant floor towards there table, where Traci now sat in her seat.

"Um, she's not my sister," Jacob stated eyeing Renesmee warily as she neared them.

"Oh, she's not?" Traci looked a little taken aback, as Renesmee squeezed herself onto the seat next to Jacob and leaned into him.

"Jakey, I'm not feeling so good, do you think we could leave?" Renesmee smiled softly, and nuzzled her cheek into the crook of his neck.

He tensed for a moment before settling, bringing his hand up to her neck and thumbing her cheek "Sure, sure. Just let me get the check." He lifted his hand to get the waitresses attention, asking for her to bring the check over.

"I'm sorry about this baby." Renesmee sighed standing up to let him out as he threw a couple of bills down on the table, turning towards her she caught his face between her hands and tip toed, bringing her lips to his in a manner that could never be confused as sisterly "I'll make it up to you, I promise."

She turned to Traci, her mouth hung open and her eyes wide "It was nice to meet you!" She smiled, grabbing Jacobs hand and pulling him from the diner.

As soon as they were out of sight, she couldn't help the giggles that erupted, holding her stomach as she tried to catch her breath "Oh…my…God!" she gasped "Did you see the look on her face? You could have fit your entire fist in her mouth it fell open so wide!"

Jacob growled and yanked his hand away, hard, making Renesmee stop and look at him, her laughter turning into a hiccup.

"What's the matter? It was a joke!" She stepped towards him.

"You can't play me like that, Renesmee!" He hissed through gritted teeth "We could have just told her that you were my girlfriend, you didn't have to put on a whole show, you didn't have to…"

"Jake, come on?" Renesmee pleaded "It didn't mean anything."

"Exactly!" He took a few steps away, pulling at his hair in frustration "You've known about the imprinting since you were born, it was never kept from you. I will always be there for you. Your protector, you're best friend, you're brother…whatever you need I will be."

"I know that." Renesmee whispered

He leant towards her "But I don't feel like that anymore," he said softly "I want to protect you, and you know me better than anyone else despite the time we've spent apart. But I don't feel like a brother, not anymore…And it's confusing, because I did until last night."

"I'm sorry," She began to sob quietly "I didn't mean to do anything wrong, it's just that they way Georgina looked at you this morning and then that, that…Traci! I just felt…"

"Jealous?" Jacob murmured and she nodded.

"It's not a bad thing, Ness but," He paused to consider his words "you're five!"

"I'll be six in two days!" She almost yelled "I look every bit like a normal eighteen year old, I'm smarter than most people your age and your only argument is because I'm five?"

"This is hard for me to explain." Jacob sunk down to the pavement, resting his arms on his knees "How I feel towards you is based on how you feel about me," he looked at her and she nodded for him to continue "When Jared, Sam and Paul imprinted it was on fully matured women and there wasn't really any question of them not being together as a couple. But with you it was different; you were minutes old so there was no instant attraction just the overwhelming instinct to protect."

"I know all this Jacob!" Renesmee stated, sitting next to him.

"This shouldn't be happening now! It wasn't supposed to be like this at least not until you were finished growing!" His hands were back in his hair and he pushed himself up. "It wasn't supposed to happen just so you could make someone else jealous!"

Renesmee sat her mouth wide from shock as Jacob took off running towards the woods.