Author's Notes: Sorry, this one is pretty long. Enjoy. Please R&R!

Chapter Two: How In The Hell Was I Supposed To See That One Coming?

When we pulled up in front of the restaurant, Nessie parallel parked in one try and was out of the car in another swift movement. She scared me sometimes when she started going vampire on me, but what made me nervous tonight was not the murderously blank stare or the fact that her arms were crossed tightly across her chest. I was nervous about how I was going to ask her and when. At dinner wouldn't be too bad, as long as we were sitting somewhere private. Or maybe after dinner would be better. We could go for a walk on the beach after. Or not.

Renesmee turned and began walking towards restaurant's entrance without so much as glancing at me. She never relaxed her crossed arms or severe look. I followed behind her silently. Okay, I'll be the first to admit it. I was dang on confused right now. It was her birthday for crying out loud. My girlfriend should have been happy. Happy to be celebrating, happy to just be with me like she usually is. But no, here she is gloomy faced and…and…I don't know, vampiry, I guess.

The entry was practically empty, except for the waitress behind the podium. She looked up with an inviting smile on her face, but that quickly fell away when she saw the scowl on Renesmee's face- or maybe it was because of how menacing I must look compared to the girl next to me.

"Um, miss? Do you have a reservation?" She asked skeptically.

"Table for two. Cullen," was Nessie's sour reply.

The waitress quickly averted eye contact with Renesmee; snatching up two menus, she gestured for me to follow. She sat us in a booth away from the crowded eating area. We were the only couple there, so it was very quiet, which, I must admit might be good for when I propose.

Scratch proposing to Nessie at dinner. I don't think we said one word the whole hour we were in the restaurant. Then as soon as we walked out into the coll night, she turned for the beach without a word of explanation. What was with this girl tonight! I have never seen her so sour before!

She continued walking- too fast to pass as just taking a stroll- until we were in an empty area of the beach. Then, she rounded on me, and I could almost see the struggle she was going through to control her features.

"We need to talk, Jacob," she choked on my name and her guard was almost completely dropped then. Almost.

"What about?" I sounded reluctant to answer.

"My family and I are leaving," she stated simply.

My eyes must have popped wide open because she took a step back and was slightly vibrating. No. Scratch that. Iwas vibrating, but thankfully not enough to transform. Suddenly everything from today made sense. The covered furniture, the resigned actions of the Cullens and Nessie's almost hostile silence all clicked together. And my ingenious answer after putting all this together in a matter of seconds was, "Huh?"

She looked down and would no longer look me in the eyes. When Nessie began to talk again, it came out in a mumble.

"We're leaving, Jake. We have to. Carlisle, Esme, Emmett and Rose already left ten years ago. Jasper, Alice, Mom, Dad and I are going to meet back up with them. They miss us and us them, and its just time," She was explaining. I knew Blondie, Emmett, Dr. Cullen and Esme had left a while ago, and I knew it was hard for all of them to be apart from the rest. But the idea of Bella, Edward and…and…Renesmee, leaving had never occurred to me.

I still didn't see an exact reason for all this strange behavior though. The Cullens had left and come back to Forks before. They would be coming back to this perfect vampire home in a few decades.

"I don't see the problem," I admitted to Renesmee. There was definitely something bugging her.

"Jake, I…I have to leave too," she said. She looked up then and her eyes were now swimming with unshead tears and the pain was dancing like flames there too.

"Okay. Still don't see a problem. You're only leaving Billy, Charlie, Sue, Seth, Leah and the rest of the pack. That's bearable, isn't it? I mean, I'll be there to keep you company," I smiled my approximation of Edward's crooked grin that always made Nessie go breathless. No effect this time, she just averted her eyes and began to cry. I reached out to comfort her but she backed up. Stunned at the movement, I dropped my hands back to my sides, speechless. Renesmee looked up and the tears her cascading down her cheeks.

"Jake. You can't come with us," she managed to say through her tears. I was dumbfounded. She was trying to say goodbye to me. For the first time since Edward had left Bella, I thought I understood how she had felt when he had said goodbye. I cleared the thought of separation out of my mind and collected my thoughts.

"What are you talking about? Of course I'm coming with you," I said in defiance.

"No Jake! You can't come!" she was sobbing now.

"Yes I am! Give me one reason why I can't go with you," I said. I was still vibrating, but I had control enough not to burst into a giant wolf.

"I can give you two reasons. Four words. Billy and the Pack," Renesmee threw at me, "The pack needs you and so does your father. You're the packs Alpha. Billy isn't getting younger either and what would he do without you?"

"When you referred to the pack, you mean Leah and the guys right? Because Leah and I are the only ones changing still. When we eave, Leah can just go where she wants. I'll pass on my alpha power to her," I was scrambling for retorts.

I wanted to just give whatever answer would tide over her choice to leave me behind, but I also didn't want to lie to her. The comment about Leah and Seth was true, but the fact of leaving my dad struck a chord. Ever since he had been sentenced to his wheel chair and my mom died and the twins moved out, I havebeen the one taking care of my father. But I wasn't about to give Renesmee up.

"He has Sue, and the pack," I stated as strongly as I could, which wasn't very strong. I stuffed my hands into the pockets of my jeans and they closed around something cool and delicate. Holy crud! I completely forgot what I was going to do tonight. I carefully pulled my hand out of my pocket and turned my attention back to my distraught girlfriend.

"Jacob Black! He loves you and would-" she started to say.

"You're right. He does love me. And he would be okay with what ever I chose to do with my life as long as I'm happy," I interjected. I could see the fight still in her eyes, but a tiny flicker of defeat was there too. That was all I needed to see to continue.

Renesmee was about to argue further but I stopped her.

"You know how much I love you right? And you do love me too?" I asked. She was taken-aback by this turn in our argument and stuttered out her answer.

"O-of c-course, J-Jake. I love you more than anything. And if you were able to come, I would want to be with you forever," now I was absolutely certain about what I was going to do. She loved me. I loved her. There was no reason for separation.