All Things from the Twilight universe blong to the Awesomely Awesome Stephenie Meyer.
Just a quick note before I let the Chapter roll. This isn't how the story will be told. This chapter is written in the past tense because it's catching up what we've missed to the point where the story starts. I hope you enjoy it.
Chapter 1: In My Place
My name is Renesmee Carlie Cullen, I am almost nine years old in age alone, but my body and mind have developed in an accelerated pattern. I was fully matured at seven years old. It is all circumstantial to what I am.
I'm a half breed, half-vampire, half-human. My mother was human at the time of my conception and my father was a vampire, and had been for almost a century. My father lived with a coven of vampires. One of them was his creator, my grandfather, Carlisle. There were seven of them. They lived comfortably in their companionship. Carlisle and his wife Esme lived with and looked over their adopted family; Edward (my father), Rosalie and Emmett, and Alice and Jasper.
They kept to themselves and the younger family members attended school, so they could live in one place for an extended amount of time. They didn't interact much with humans; that was until my mother came along. My father thirsted for her blood above all others, but miraculously he abstained. Consequentially, they fell in love.
Their love had been an anomaly. Something neither of them had expected, but no matter how strange or inconceivable it seemed it was the purest of loves. It was as though destiny had designed them specifically for one another.
They married in the summer before my mother's nineteenth birthday. She had already made the decision to sacrifice her humanity to become an equal to my father, and marriage was the one condition he had in order to change her. She often told me how she had fought against the silly demand, but I could see the happiness that surrounded her when she pulled out the human memories she had of that day. Her descriptions were always like a fairy-tale, almost untouchable.
I was conceived on the honeymoon and came as a great surprise to both of my parents. I grew in my mother's womb as quickly as I grew once I was out of it. It wasn't until later that we understood why.
I had an instant connection with my mother. She was the first to admit that. She often tells me it was love at first nudge, to which I roll my eyes and laugh. Our relationship was easy and natural; we were so similar in so many ways. She was a friend, mother, and confidant. She still had her human memories which helped me with that part of myself; yet she had also been a vampire for nine years so she could also relate to that side of me. She was perfect in every way and I had her forever.
I had to win my father over, whilst I was in her womb. I was making my mother weak, almost to the point of killing us both. I pulled all of her body's natural resources from her, and he wasn't sure what was growing inside of her. I never bring that up around him because it would be too painful, but Rosalie, my aunt, would talk to me about it. She never holds much back.
I finally won his affection when he heard the thoughts running through my mind inside my mother's womb. I asked him once what I had been thinking. He told me that the first thought I had was adoration for my mother because she was fighting nature itself to keep me alive, and not once did she give up. My second thought was about the wondrous sound of my father's voice- velveteen and silk. He made me feel safe. I didn't bring it up again because there was pain mingled in with that time, but also because my mind held onto it like a life line. It was my first memory really, murky in my own mind, but renewed by his words, I kept it safe.
My birth brought with it my mother's death. She was in some form alive now, but her human life ended the day I was born. That was my first clear memory; the beauty of her human face as her life force ebbed away. She was more beautiful than any imagination could conjure and it strengthened the love I had for her- made it unbreakable. It was the first bond forged between us.
I was ripped away from her smiling face quickly because of the one thing I hadn't learnt. She was fragile as a human. I had bitten her, taking away the last of her human light. It hadn't been my intention, it was merely my instincts. Her blood smelled so sweet, and it had been my only sustenance for the duration of my gestation in her body. I hadn't known the consequences of my actions.
I never told my family I remembered that, not even in my touches. It was too hard for me to admit, especially as she did die that day. She died, almost lost for good. Her heart stopped and all seemed lost. It was my father's vigilance that saved her though. He never gave up because he wouldn't accept life without her.
I had been taken from the room by Rosalie, she cooed over me on the couch feeding me the one thing I craved . . . blood. She was playing with me, keeping me entertained, when I felt the presence that had changed my life. It was something else that had affected me in my mother's womb, a wet pounding heartbeat. But it hadn't been constant then. Yet, I could feel my excitement when it was close, there was a draw to it, but it was always mingled in confusion. That was until that moment in Rosalie's arms, because from that moment, there was no confusion.
My mind was mature and highly developed for a new born child, but I knew this presence was important to me, I knew it was what had called to me. It was Jacob. He stood looking like a raging bull seeing red. His body quivered almost blurring his lines, but I remember knowing that he was safe to me despite the anger that shook him. I also knew that I needed him in some irrational way.
When his eyes saw me for the first time his shaking calmed, the murderous look softened into adoration, and a small smile crossed over his lips. It was like the dawning of a new day, when the red rays of the sun hit the horizon ready to warm the air around you, bringing light to the darkness that had encompassed you. It was our futures intertwining.
I barely remember the fight that ensued after his dawn. Rosalie had been furious. She kept me away from him with a ferocity that could have had Emmett running for cover. Her amber eyes were narrowed into slits as she held me to her, her words came in one long string of hissing. I was confused, I remember that because all I wanted to do was touch him. Subconsciously, I knew I would feel safe and happy; that his skin would be warm. That he would entertain me.
It took a while for everything to settle down after that. I was passed around to everyone but my parents. My father left my mother's side only once because of the outrageous amount of noise that seemed to fill the air around me. It was mostly Jacob and Rosalie, shouting about impossibilities. The word imprint was used abundantly as well. My eyes had been on my father as soon as he'd entered the room. There was a tired sadness about him as he scanned the small world of chaos.
He'd held me then, wrapped me tightly in his embrace. His cheek laid gently on the top of my head as he listened to Rosalie and Jacob shouting their sides of the argument. I could feel his frustration, his breaths were released in small sighs, and I knew his mind was somewhere else.
My father was affectionate, but I knew the draw he had with my mother. I knew his need to be there, so I showed him I wanted to be by her side too. Then there was a moment of complete pandemonium after that. The argument took a back seat as all of the family flocked to me, faces full of wonder. It seemed as though me showing them my emotions excited them, so I showed everyone, but Jacob. Rosalie wouldn't let him close enough. I showed them that I wanted to see my mother.
My father had obliged me, taking me with him to see my mother. He explained to me that I couldn't touch her because she was in so much pain, but that she would be alright. She would hold me soon.
Alice, my other aunt, came with us. She grinned at me constantly. I liked her smile, so I showed her placing my palms against her snow white cheeks. It just made her smile even wider.
I didn't spend long in the room with my mother. Her pain made her eyelids flutter, and her lips twitch. I could already see the differences in her, but couldn't understand why. I showed my father the first image I had, then this new one. His eyes were pained as he saw the image through my mind. When he didn't answer, I showed Alice.
She took me from the room. I had wanted to stay but I knew, somehow, this was necessary. She was the one who explained what was happening to my mother, explained that she was gaining immortality so she could live forever. Alice was also the first person to place me in Jacob's arms.
The arguments appeared to stop and my family calmed down after that. I touched Jacob's face gently, showing him what had been running through my mind. His eyes widened and his smile broadened at my touch, it was all so natural. The heat of his skin was comforting to me, and as the images ran out I fell asleep. That was the first time I slept in this bizarre world.
The three days felt like a drawn out process. All I had longed for was my mother, and she was temporarily out of commission. The rest of the family took it upon themselves to entertain me. Each of them seemed to exhaust their resources. I hadn't known at the time, but I had been the first child they had interacted with in almost eighty years, all except Carlisle, of course, who was, and still is a doctor.
Emmett, my uncle, had caught a rabbit in the forest, and decided it would be fun to let it loose in the house. Esme hadn't found that so entertaining, and neither had Rosalie. Jasper, my Aunt Alice's husband, took it upon himself to make me laugh. His bizarre gift of manipulating emotions could cause havoc within the small gathering. Alice and Rosalie constantly changed my clothes and took pictures. Alice had explained it was for my mom so I let myself enjoy the attention.
Carlisle and Esme would challenge me; it was almost as though they were testing my limitations. I was given toys to play with; at least I had thought they were toys. I learnt later that they were testing how much of me was human, and how much of me was vampire.
But my favorite was Jacob. It was always a simple game like peek-a-boo or this little piggy, but it was entertaining because it was so sincere. He'd wanted to entertain me, and not just because it was necessary. His company put me at ease, and of course, he would let me bite him.
Three days later, my mother was reborn as an immortal vampire. Her human beauty was nothing to her vampire beauty. Her porcelain skin was now snowy white and perfect. Her once brown eyes, now my eyes, became red. The exceptional change was the enhancements to her natural beauty. She wasn't changed completely, just modified to perfection. That was the only word to describe her: perfect, flawless. My mother.
When she finally regained consciousness, everyone seemed to get nervous. They took her out of the house to hunt. Jacob felt it necessary to always be within reach of me. It had been confusing. My mental development had been that of a two year old, not to mention the fact that I gained the vampire trait of perfect recall. So everything I had learnt told me that something was wrong. She was shuffled out of the house through Carlisle's, window. I longed for her to come to me, but I was patient. I just hadn't known that she was as new to all of this as I was.
When she finally came home, Jacob disappeared from the house to what I thought was greet them, but I couldn't be sure. I was wrapped in Rosalie's arms, completely confused at the tension that seemed to surround us all. I could hear the conversation outside, Jacob was testing her. I touched Rosalie's face looping pictures of my mom, dad and Jacob.
She had comforted me explaining that Jacob was just an "over protective mongrel". I hated when she used derogatory names like that for Jacob, but it seemed as though she had been doing it too long to change now.
Time felt as though it had stood still as I waited for my mother to come and pay attention to me, but when she did the tension in the room became palpable. There were at least four people standing between us, trying to keep her at a distance from me. Jacob stood directly in front of us, blocking my view of the one person in the world I wanted to see. I strained in Rosalie's arms to look around him, but Jasper stood rigidly in front of her, as though he refused to let her pass.
Frustrated, I turned in Rosalie's hands and pressed my hand to her cheek, throwing every image I had of my mother through my palms and into her mind.
She seemed to know what I wanted, and I knew that I was one step closer to getting to my mother. There was so much talking, but I couldn't keep my eyes from her. She took a step forward but was greeted by a wall of vampires. The only one apparently unfazed was Alice. Finally, they let her through. I remember reaching for her, willing her to move quickly. Then, I was in her arms and I knew, without a doubt that this was the nagging that had been plaguing me since I had been born. I had needed my mother.
She cradled me in her arms gently, and I wanted her to know as much about me as I had learnt about her. I placed my hand on her cheek and began showing her everything I had seen. When I tried to show her my meals I was snatched from her arms leaving us both startled. I hadn't noticed that everyone was still so nervous. My dad had laughed and tapped the end of my nose before placing me back in my mother's arms, a look of pride filling his features as he smiled at her.
Then Jacob's tentativeness got in the way, I could see the anger swelling inside of my mother as he became steadily more nervous. Then something changed, my mother handed me to Rosalie before pushing Jacob outside. Her words came in spurts and growls as she charged at him. Her crimson eyes were on fire as she shouted about imprinting, and then she pounced. It all happened so quickly.
My dad dived from the porch in a blur, and Seth, who was in his wolf form, dived in between my mom and Jacob. A sickening crunch echoed in the air around us, but I could feel nothing but relief at the safety of Jacob.
The tension depleted after that, my mom's remorse was evident as she attended to Seth. Carlisle and Jacob had him turn back into his human self so his wounds could be treated. I was kept outside for a while as they made amends, then it was time for the horrible measuring I had been subjected to since my birth. I loathed being measured, it wasn't because of the lying straight or the silly tape measure, it was because it made me feel different, abnormal. I had nothing to compare it to, but I could tell from the worried eyes of my family that something wasn't right. As soon as the tape measure disappeared, however, I felt I could be normal again, and not some specimen in a Petri dish.
After that, things began to fall into a routine. There was no tension, just communication. Everyone seemed more receptive to Jacob's presence. The measuring continued, and life became a steady stream of the same faces; filled with laughter, smiles, and pure happiness.
Mom got to be with her father, Charlie. He and his friend Sue would often visit us, and it made me happy. My father had warned me that they were also fragile humans, so I focused on not becoming tempted by their blood.
I had learnt to walk, I could talk when I wanted to and I was still growing at an accelerated speed. Measuring seemed to be the time my mom's concern became strongest. Small tight lines would appear by her eyes and her jaw would tense. She would force a smile to appease me, but I always knew when she was upset. Other than that, I had a happy childhood. I was with the people I loved, doing the things I loved to do.
It took only one night, to change it all. I had fallen asleep in the living room. It had been full of the people I loved, but I woke to an empty room. Jacob sat quietly next to where I slept on the couch. His head was leaning on his arm that was spread along the couch cushion. I touched his hand gently and his head raised; a small insincere smile passed over his lips. Confused, I pressed my hand against his cheek. He shook his head, his eyes looking down.
I knew something was terribly wrong, and I finally was able to get something from him. He tried to keep it light but his tone was apocalyptic. Alice had gone missing, someone was coming, and whether intended or not, I had caused it all to happen.
After the family returned, without Alice, plans were made; the family was leaving. My parents had been the last to arrive. It was the second scariest day of my life. The one thing that had confused me the most was the disappearance of my Aunt Alice and Uncle Jasper. I touched Jacob's face as we watched the family spring into action. He put off answering me as long as he could, but he finally told me the truth; Alice had to go. She couldn't stay with us anymore.
I felt a deep sadness inside me, she hadn't said goodbye. At the time I had made her visions hazy, I knew it and I blamed myself. I never showed anyone my guilt, only my sadness of missing my aunt and uncle, and my fear of the changes that seemed to be occurring. But it ate at me, especially seeing the sadness in my parent's eyes.
Vampires began arriving the very next morning, and I told them my story. Well, the ones that would listen. I listened carefully to their conversations too hoping that I could finally understand why my whole world seemed to be changing. It seemed there were a coven of vampires coming for us, me specifically, because of something that had happened long ago. It was the reason the vampires seemed hesitant about me at first.
It appeared as though our guests were here to help explain my existence. I would sit with Jacob during these conversations and sometimes found myself distracted, but I knew that something was coming. I knew we would stay and wait for them.
Our house began filling with guests, all of them were friendly. My favorite was an Amazon vampire by the name of Zafrina. She would place beautiful pictures in my head. I learned later that they were all pictures from her home. She would walk with me and her sister, Senna, always followed close behind. Even though we were walking next to the river by Carlisle and Esme's house, behind my eyes I was always walking in the rain-forest. Waterfalls fell gently from great heights. The jade canopies hid the warm orange sun above. Vines, trees, and plants I had never seen before mingled together. The pictures were always so beautiful.
I helped with my mom's training one day, but she wasn't happy about that. She was angry at Kate. I was grasping to her back feeling her anger roll off her in waves. Even my dad seemed upset at Kate; his eyes were always on my mother and me. The results were, however, effective. I was never involved again after that, but whatever had transpired had given my mom the information she'd need to make it work. My mom found strength in her shield. My dad was so proud of her. With perfect clarity, I remember the look in his eyes as he smiled at her. It was the same smile I received when I did something well or exceeded his expectations in some way.
That was also the day the Romanians arrived. They were a curious pair, and their papery skin fascinated me. I watched them every chance I was able to. Everybody seemed to stay away from them but I could see the kindness. This kindness only ever appeared when they spoke with me, when no one else was looking. They always answered my questions honestly, although, that was something that didn't enthrall my mom.
There was something coming and it loomed over us like a heavy black cloud. We had a small Christmas at Charlie's house. The gifts I was given that year have never left me since. I had a locket from my parents, an iPod from my dad, and Jacob gave me a beautiful promise bracelet, one that grew with me. It was supposed to be a happy event, but I had been able to feel the tension. Whatever they were waiting for was coming closer, and we were running out of time.
After that it seemed like we were always waiting, I missed Alice terribly but kept it to myself, or only told Jacob because I could see the pain her name brought to my parents and the rest of our family. All of it seemed to be leading up to what was coming. I knew without a doubt that it was my fault. Everything that was happening was because of me. I heard them as they spoke in whispers, they couldn't hide the truth from me with so many vampires around.
It was less than a week after Christmas when things finally seemed to come to a head, everyone became tense. The strange vampire that had been hiding in the attic disappeared, and we were now camping in the clearing. A white coating of snow layered the ground. When I woke up, my mom seemed more upset than usual. She attached a small pack to my back and held me close. She asked me to do something I couldn't understand, but I agreed all the same; knowing it would give her piece of mind. I had a better understanding of what was happing than they thought though. I may have looked three and had only been a couple of months old, but mentally I understood everything. My mind had developed quickly. I was at the mental development of a ten year old.
The enigmatic fear all made perfect sense when I saw the vampires appearing through the trees; their cloaks billowing as they strode forward. I knew, without a hesitation that this is what we had been waiting for. I clung to my mother's back, curiously staring at the strange vampires that were facing us. My father met one of the vampires in the middle. I could see Maggie shifting in place as she listened to the conversation- she had the ability to detect lies. I knew this and kept my eyes on her. Behind us Zafrina and Benjamin stood silently, waiting for something to happen.
The tension had been obvious. It was like a heavy scent filling the air, thick. It almost suffocated as it hung around us. It became almost sickening when the one they called Aro requested that I come forward. His foggy crimson eyes had been staring at me throughout the exchange, and I knew that this would be a turning point for us.
Emmett and Jacob accompanied me and my mother forward. Jacob's presence always gave me a sense of calm, so I was glad of the choice my mother had made.
I showed Aro the story, the same way I had shown everyone else. His skin was like wax paper under my hands, but it was just as solid as my parent's skin. It reminded me of the two Romanians, except their creases didn't run so deep. I knew I didn't trust him, something inside of me shied away from the clouded eyes. There was nothing similar to what I had seen in the strange faces of Vladimir and Stefan.
I remember the reassuring squeeze my father had given me when he felt me tremble. There was always a silent communication between us, and his actions gave me the strength that had been dwindling in the close proximity of the monster I touched.
I had requested what I wanted most then: that we were to be left in peace and no harm would come to us. He had given me a lie as an answer. Maggie had cemented that with the small hiss she exhaled as he spoke his lies. All of us heard it, and I could feel the mood once again shift.
His curiosity then turned to Jacob. I could see his shaggy coat trembling as the vampire insulted him. My father noticed the change at once, and we backed away from the vampires. Jacob stayed, but I couldn't let him stand alone like that so I had pulled his tail so he would know to come with us. His wolf self had never frightened me. I had grown up with it since my birth, so the soft russet fur felt like another kind of home to me.
The Volturi killed Tanya and Kate's sister on the field in front of us. My mother's arms tightened around me as she tried to obscure my view of the horrendous sight. I could hear the quiet moans of pain just beneath the metallic keening of the destruction. As the shock settled into my new family and friends, I knew something was about to happen. That the strange vampires who had come to oppose us were directly provoking us.
So much more happened in that time in the field, but only a couple of things caught my attention through the crippling fear; that was my family and my Jacob. I knew the moment my mother accepted our fate, she explained the only way she could to my father. He buried his handsome face in my hair, whispering in his breath how much he loved me. My mother kissed me before placing me atop Jacob's broad back. She whispered her instructions to him, and I could feel his defeat course through him under me.
My father said goodbye to Jacob before giving me one last look. In that one moment, I could see the pain that filled his golden eyes. It was the moment I knew I could lose my family; that they could be torn from me.
There was so much sadness surrounding us, so many goodbyes. I clasped onto the fur behind Jacob's shoulders, wrapping the strands around my small fingers. It held me together in those moments when I felt as though I was losing everything.
I watched everything transpire from my seat on the large wolf. I saw the goodbyes. I saw the new bonds forming with the fear of loss, and I saw the pain that created a rage in those who had loved Irina. Zafrina's eyes drifted over both Senna and myself as she contemplated what was about to happen. It seemed so unfair knowing that I had made these friends, and now they were being taken away. All to protect me.
My father's eyes had flashed to me upon the thought but there was no anger, only apologies, and love. Always love.
He'd heard the thoughts running through my mind; the self pity, the acceptance of blame. The apologetic look he gave me was not because he believed it was true, but because he was out of time for reassurances. We were all out of time, I'd thought.
When I had finally accepted what was about to happen, our savior burst through like the sun on a cloudy day. The warm feeling of security washed over me as I listened to the words being spoken. I could hear movement in the trees surrounding us and I hadn't been sure what it was, but from my perch on Jacob's back I saw them burst through the trees. It was my aunt Alice, Jasper, and three people I had never laid eyes on.
The three that traveled with my aunt and uncle had warm olive tones that were slightly washed out because of their vampirism. One of the women was tall and lean, exotically beautiful. She seemed familiar and I instantly made the connection, my eyes had turned to Zafrina. Yes, she had the same look about her as the Amazons. Zafrina's face lit up at the sight of the approaching pack, and I understood that this was Kachiri, the friend she had often spoken about to me.
Alice came to a stop by my father and mother. Both of them beamed happily at her, her eyes flickered to me in recognition and my heart took off in my chest. She was here. She was home. Everything felt like it could work out now because our family was once again complete.
The strange but handsome man looked at me cautiously from the corner of his eye. I smiled at him respectfully, somehow knowing he would be the reason we would live. Alice introduced him and his aunt to the Volturi. His aunt was Huilen and he was Nahuel. His skin was smooth and alive; I could hear the beating of his heart. I knew instantly that he was like me; a half-breed.
Huilen described what had happened and how they had come to be. Nahuel explained about his sisters and his father. The Volturi listened. Aro and Marcus seemed patient, but Caius looked angry. The tension surrounding us seemed to fade away as the story concluded. Aro was thoughtful.
Amazingly enough they gave up and they left us alone. My mom pulled me from Jacob's back and littered my face with kisses in her happiness. My dad's arms wrapped around us both, his smile triumphant.
I was still curious though. Nahuel was a mystery to me, and his eyes lingered on me and my mom for a while. When they strayed they never strayed far. Even when we got home and the crowd dwindled to our family, Nahuel, his aunt and Jacob; Nahuel had continued to watch us with curious eyes.
Zafrina had left with her coven after having my mom promise to bring me to see her. She had promised me we would be good friends, and I knew that we would. I hugged her tightly and showed her how sad I was that we were unable to spend more time together. She laughed heartily before promising it wouldn't be long.
After most of the vampires left I fell asleep in my mother's arms. Swirling memories danced around my mind in the form of dreams.
I woke the next morning in my own bed. My mother dressed me and took us back down to the main house, knowing that I would be hungry. Nahuel and Huilen were still at the house. Nahuel was asleep on the couch. It seemed that sleep would always be a part of my life.
When he finally woke, my mother and father spoke with him quietly. They had so many questions for him. Questions about a future that they hadn't known I would have until they met him. He answered them politely with as much knowledge as he could give. His eyes though were always on me.
He and his aunt had stayed with us for a week, and I began enjoying the company of Nahuel. He was friendly and tentative. He asked questions about my mom, my family, my home. I could never answer his questions with words because I didn't know how to describe it. So I would place one hand on his cheek and show him what my life was like.
He never tired of it. Jacob on the other hand, hated the time I spend with Nahuel. He would sit quietly watching us. I became distracted at times and his face would travel through my hands to Nahuel.
From the information he had given my parents, I learned I would fully mature by the age of seven. I would continue to sleep and I would always possess my human qualities. My thirst would become stronger though, but not to the extent of a new born. I would also be sustained by human food. My strength would grow with my body and my vampire qualities would become more prevalent the older I became. He had been a half-vampire longer than my father had been alive.
I had enjoyed the time I had spent with my new friend, but there was something strange about the way he spoke with me. I couldn't understand it at the time; it was all so much to take in.
Before leaving, Nahuel had promised to keep in contact with us as much as he could. He knew I would have questions, and he let me know he would answer them the best way he could.
After that life fell, once again, into a routine. Alice would teach me languages. Rosalie taught me mechanics. Carlisle helped with world history and Jasper with American history. Everyone had something to teach me and my days became full of learning. My mind was like a sponge that could never get enough information. Everything I learnt stuck, and my mind was soon surpassing even my growth.
I hunted with Jacob and my mother more often than not. As I got older, she trusted me more to Jacob's care. Jacob was so constant in my life. He was there when I woke up in the mornings, leaving only when I struggled to keep my eyes open. In some ways, he knew me better than anyone else. He knew what I liked and didn't like, without me having to say a word. He would feel my mood change before I had a chance to express myself, and he always kept me smiling.
Everything was moving quietly along in a pattern, and I was happy. When I turned three years old, my physical development was at ten and a half years old, and my mental development was fully matured. I felt awkward all of the time. Speaking with people that barely knew me was difficult. They spoke to me like I was a ten year old. Although it was never intended to be patronizing, because they believed I was ten, I couldn't help feeling trapped.
That was also the year we moved from Forks. People were beginning to notice that no one in the family aged, or they would comment on how quickly I was growing. So it was decided collectively, that we should move. The family spent weeks debating where we should go. It needed to be close enough for Jacob to be there every day, but far enough not to be noticed by someone who would recognize us.
So we started looking for houses big enough to hold us all. Some of them were still in Washington State, which no one seemed particularly opposed to. So we would visit the houses we were interested in the most. We got caught up in the process, but were finally lucky enough to come across a large plot of acreage being sold by the owner. He just happened to be a wealthy recluse, hiding in the deep forests of Washington State.
It was close to a small town called Darrington, and it was perfect. Snow capped mountains were lining the horizon on every side. The forests were thick, and the property ran along the edge of Mt. Baker National forest. This meant a smorgasbord of hunting opportunities close to home. And the best part of all it was less than two hundred miles from Jacob.
Before Carlisle and Esme bought the property, Jacob did a test run so he could determine how long it would take him to get to me. It took him two hours to get there and back. Which had meant an hour run, give or take a few minutes, flat out, one way.
Driving the way my family drove it took a little under forty-five minutes, but I was sure abiding the speed limits would slow that time considerably. Still it was far enough and remote that no one would recognize us. After Carlisle found a job at the local hospital Esme made a bid, and won of course.
Charlie was upset but he was comforted by how close we would be. He and Sue, Seth and Leah's mother, had gotten married the previous year. His happiness made it easier for my mom to leave because she knew he was in good hands. The wolves would treat him like family, not that he hadn't been before. It just seemed to make the transition easier for everybody.
The house was near perfect. It was large and sprawled out across the clearing that had been made specifically for its construction. The natural light filtered in through the large windows. They were nothing like those of our house in Forks, but they were amazing in their own right. The light was made all the brighter by the snow that reflected light from the mountains.
The house was two stories and had a balcony running across the front half of the building. Each of the bedrooms had en suite bathrooms. That separated the rooms from being on top of one another, not that privacy was an option when you lived in a house full of vampires.
Esme began restorations immediately, determined to make it our home. My room had been the first. I was in the eastern most corner at the front of the house. A large glass sliding door opened to the balcony, but my favorite part of the room was the window seat that was sunken into the western window. Built into one of the walls that housed it was a bookshelf. It was barely noticeable other than when you sat in the window seat. The closet and bathroom doors were on the eastern wall, which left only one wall for the bed.
Esme found her inspiration in my growth. She wanted the room to reflect my personality, but she also wanted it to be comfortable when I fully matured. It had taken her a little under a month to finish. She had ordered furniture from across the globe, and as much as she had paid they couldn't physically ship it fast enough. So I inhabited the guest room.
The big reveal had been exciting, and I was astonished at how well my grandmother knew me. The contemporary style was exquisite; the colors, the symmetry. Everything was better than I could have ever done it. She had even gone as far as to decorate my bathroom in the same fashion. I had walked around the room running my hands across the surfaces, picked up the small trinkets that reflected me and my hobbies. And the window seat was made into a small comfortable haven that I could lose myself in when I practiced my favorite form of escapism, reading.
I was hooked after that. The rest of the family had enrolled in high school again, much to the annoyance of Rosalie. But she was appeased when a compromise was made. She and Emmett would enroll as seniors, while everybody else would enroll as juniors. My development was still too conspicuous to be included in the school system, so I was left at home with Esme. I followed her around helping with the restoration as much as I could in my limiting physical development. She entertained me by explaining everything she was doing. She gave me smaller tasks like ordering furniture online, painting the baseboards, arranging the swatches. I was happy, especially when Esme commented on my talent and eye for design.
Esme encouraged my further education, and helped me enroll in an online college. I did all of the courses online, and was graded accordingly. My thirst for knowledge was insatiable.
With so many hours in the day, I finished the two year course in only one, and I grew restless. Jacob of course was with me every day, and was (though he ever said it aloud) relieved that I had finished my college education because I could spend more of my energy on him. It really didn't seem to matter what we did. He was at peace around me, much the same as I was when I was with him. I felt whole, complete, knowing he was close. When he would leave in the evenings to go running with his pack I missed him, more than I would ever admit.
When the school year ended, Rosalie was a little happier. She and Emmett had decided a vacation was in order. Alice had groaned at the news, almost as though she had expected it. Of course she had, but it didn't deter Rosalie from her objective. She'd given me a large hug before she left. She was always uncannily candid when she spoke to me about her emotions.
That left just the seven of us in the large house. Alice, Jasper, and my parents were just starting their senior year, and I turned four.
In that one year, I had developed into a teenager. I had wanted to attend school with my family but they were still afraid that people would notice my physical development. So I was, once again, left at home.
It had turned out to be a blessing in disguise. Carlisle had been asked to participate in a program called Doctors Beyond Borders, and he had been offered a placement in the Amazon. His hesitance was only because of the constant stream of perfect sunlight that filled the sky, especially so close to the equator. But my savior, Esme, had mentioned Zafrina and her sisters.
I begged my parents to let me travel with my grandfather, and they agreed with one simple and jubilant condition; Jacob was to travel with me. It was more than I could have hoped for. I would be traveling to see my friends, my best friend by my side.
Esme, Carlisle, Jacob, and I left just after that Christmas. It was harder than I had thought to leave my parents. They had been the other constant in my life, the strength behind my weaknesses. But I knew I would see them soon. Time seemed to fly so quickly for us.
We spent a year in the Amazon, and it was beautiful. I saw all the images that Zafrina had given me to see when she had been in Forks. She was overjoyed at seeing me. I hadn't realized what an impact I had made on her when I was a small child. She gushed like a second mother and insisted on me showing her everything she had missed since she'd seen me last. She was always laughing politely when my mind would wander to Jacob.
She taught me so much during that year; self defense, nature, dancing. She was wise and told me many stories of her people. Their history was fascinating and long. It took her almost a week to explain her personal history. I also made good friends with her sister Kachiri. Senna, however, was still silent around us.
I only left once during my stay with the Amazons when we traveled to see Nahuel and Huilen. Nahuel had been happy to see me and had introduced me to his three sisters, Orion, Carina and Ara. All three were named after constellations. It seemed that the Volturi had granted him his one request and given his sisters immunity for their actions under their father's instruction. Each of them was fascinated with me and the concept of family. Orion seemed fascinated with my history, I showed her through my talent. Her eyes widened with wonder as the pictures flickered through her mind. She had learnt to speak English from her brother. Though her accent was still heavy, she constantly smiled even when struggling to find the English name for something she was trying to describe.
I enjoyed her company, she had a sunny disposition that made me comfortable. She had explained some of the things she had learned from her father, it seemed she had survived him and his tyrannical rule of her and her sisters lives. She also had an extraordinary talent, but it wasn't as direct as some of the talents I had seen before. Because we slept, we dreamt. Orion would dream in symbols, they were mostly warnings of sorts. She would have to decipher them herself to understand what it was warning her about. The outcome wasn't always correct, but she tried as hard as she could. I had concluded by inviting her to travel with Nahuel the next time he came to visit us.
His sisters weren't excited about Jacob's presence, but Nahuel propitiated them. He explained my attachment to him. He didn't seem to understand though. As he explained in his native tongue, a language I had learnt through Alice, he had described Jacob as my bodyguard. It wasn't the case but it seemed to pacify their hostility, so I let it go. I tried, when showing them my thoughts, not to transfer the images of Jacob, though it was hard considering how prevalent he was in my life.
We only spent a couple of weeks with Nahuel's coven before returning to the Amazons. In some ways, it just wasn't enough time for me. I had so many questions, and more continued to come with my rapid development. I had also made a friend in Orion. We had the same problems, and we were as rare as one another. It made it easier to talk about things I couldn't talk to Nahuel about.
In other ways, I was glad we had such a short amount of time. I still found Nahuel's gaze lingering on me longer than was polite. I tried to file it away and attribute it to the time we had not seen one another, but there was always a slight nagging in the back of my mind that had me second guessing myself.
My parents visited me in the Amazon every chance they got, but it was difficult being away from them. Sometimes it was only a couple of months at a time. Each time I reunited with them I would gaze in amazement at my mother. My memory, though mostly infallible, never seemed to clarify her beauty. It was always the same with my father.
Zafrina was hospitable. She would walk me through the forests showing me where the animals would hide, what the most lucrative paths would be, but I only ever hunted with Jacob or my grandparents. Zafrina was a conventional vampire. She drank from humans, something I never planned on doing. It had been instilled in me since birth. Being half-human, I could only agree whole heartedly. Having human family members also made the reality of it so much more conclusive.
When the year finally came to an end I was torn. I enjoyed the environment and my friends. Zafrina had become what she had prophesied, a good friend. I would miss her wisdom and her pictures, and when it came to say goodbye, words couldn't reflect the emotion. So I showed her. Her large arms had held me to her when the flickering of images finally passed. She had admitted she would miss me just as much.
I was, however, excited at the prospect of home. I missed my parents. I missed my aunts and uncles, my grandfather and his new family, and I missed my room. My world had always been set in routine. This past year had thrown me into unfamiliar paths.
So we went home, and it was everything a homecoming should be. Alice had decorated the house beautifully. My favorite flowers, Gerber daisies, were spread throughout the house in small bouquets. There was a large welcome home banner above the restored fireplace, and there were gifts sat perfectly wrapped on a small table.
When I asked, Alice told me they were the birthday presents I'd missed while I'd been away. Little did I know they would become some of my most precious possessions. Alice and Jasper gave me a new iPod, full to the brim with music they knew I liked. My parents had gotten me a laptop computer to use in my room. My grandparents, even after celebrating with me in the Amazon by giving me a digital camera to be precise, surprised me with a cell phone.
Each of these came into good use. There was still another year before they would even consider letting me start school, simply because they wanted my growth to slow down into a moderate level before throwing me into the human populace.
So I spent the next year doing the only thing I could, learning. My dad gave me piano lessons. Music had become an important part of my life and I wanted to learn everything I could. I was playing Bach and Chopin within two months, and my dad had to challenge me to come up with my own compositions.
I also spent a lot of time with Jacob. My body was slowing in its development as I came closer to my final growth. I found myself staring at him more than I ever had, because I was finally seeing him, the real Jacob. Warm feelings of pure adoration poured through me. It was confusing, but I knew that if I felt this way it could only be natural. Everything with Jacob was as natural as breathing to me.
The year passed quickly and my feelings and emotions grew more and more developed. He was becoming so much more than a friend to me, but I knew that if I confessed how I felt I would make him uncomfortable. So I kept it to myself, glad that I would finally have school to distract me.
My freshman year was confusing to me. I was enrolled in Darrington high school as Renesmee Masen. The surname Masen was my father's before being adopted by Carlisle. It was the name some of our family members had used as they attended this school a couple of years ago.
My mother had been Bella McCarty, as had Jasper and Rosalie, all three had been enrolled as siblings. Now, here I was pretending to be the youngest Masen, sibling to my father, Alice and Emmett. Attending finally after almost two years since their graduation. They were now, as far as the people in town were concerned, attending various colleges.
It was a lot to get used to. The only humans I had ever spent much time around were my grandfather, and his wife. The reaction of some of my class mates had confused me. The girls all smiled shyly, but never once attempted to speak with me. The boys just stared. I felt like a lion in a cage, being ogled at by excited children. I sat alone at lunch every day, no one ever sat close to me. I felt like an outcast, a leper, and Jacob had noticed it immediately. So he enrolled as a junior.
My mom had been kind enough to visit her friend in Seattle to get the paper work, and he was soon enrolled as Jacob Wolfe, a name that amused us all. Having just one friend, even if it was Jacob, seemed to make all the difference. I was no longer invisible and unapproachable, and I was finally accepted into a small group of girls that were in most of my classes.
These girls became my safe haven in school when I couldn't be with Jacob, they seemed to just accept me. One of the girls in particular stood out above the rest, and that was Anna. She was the one who had invited me to sit with them that first time, and she was the only one brave enough to step into our house. Most of the other girls had heard stories about the Masen's and McCarty's; they were oddly beautiful and very intimidating. One of the other girls, Samantha, had an older sister, who was now a senior, she'd remembered the Masens. In fact, she'd remembered my dad in particular. It was strange to hear people talk about my dad in that context, but I knew I had to act as a sister and was casually nonchalant about it all.
Jacob's junior year had been as frustrating and confusing as my freshman year. He was fighting off advances from the girls in his class. While all of the boys, seniors included, glared at him for stealing what small amount of choice they had in a small town like this.
It was all fun and games until I started gaining the same attention from the boys. Jacob wasn't as amused as I had been. He'd gotten upset. A sophomore had approached me at my locker after school, he'd asked me out on a date. I was politely declining, when Jacob took it upon himself to decline for me. It was the first real fight we'd ever had, and neither of us felt great when we'd finally stopped screaming at one another.
So, for piece of mind, Jacob dragged his poor friend and pack mate into the situation. Seth transferred in as a junior, and he and Jacob always had an eye on me.
I don't know how it took so long, but it wasn't until my sophomore year, Seth and Jacob's senior year, that Seth finally noticed Anna. It was an immediate thing, just like it had been for Jacob and me. He was pulled uncontrollably to her as though she was polarized and he was a magnet. It was an obvious imprint, one I really couldn't have been happier about. Anna was my best friend, and soon my only friend.
Seth and Anna were inseparable after that, and Anna learned our small secret. She was shocked at first, and a little hurt, but it was because I hadn't told her what was going on, not because mythical creatures really existed.
It took a little adjusting, being able to talk to Anna about what was really going on in my life, but she was an imprint, and imprints were always in the know. After that, the other girls trickled away, our whispers became to obvious, and they of course took it as a snub from us. It hadn't been intentional, but it had made life a little easier. Although April, one of the girls we had been friends with, snubbed us instead.
My family wasn't hugely enthusiastic about another human being in the know, but my mom knew how capable humans were at keeping secrets to themselves. After all, she had managed it for a couple of years.
So my life took on an extraordinary normalcy. It was hard to believe sometimes, but I actually felt like a normal human at times, especially when it was just the four of us. We usually just sat in a corner whispering.
Nothing really changed once the boys graduated, and Anna and I became juniors. We'd never had class together anyway, so there was no change there. Every chance they got, Jacob and Seth would sit with us at lunch, their ridiculous body heat keeping us from getting cold.
Then, Jacob did something stupid. A senior, who had been smiling at me every day since I had started junior year, decided he was going to talk to me at lunch. As always, I respectfully declined his offer, but he became insistent, and wouldn't take no for an answer. Anna had tried to step in but the guy told her to back off. It was the wrong thing to do.
Seth and Jacob had appeared at that moment, and had seen the scene in front of them. I was perfectly capable of snapping this human in two, but I knew I would ruin everything our family had worked for, so I kept things polite. Jacob, however, would not be displaying such decorum, and I had known that the moment I had seen his face. His black hair had cast a hard shadow over his dark eyes making him looking more menacing than I had ever seen him. He route marched towards us, skidding to a stop a foot away from the boy that had me trapped against the locker. His hand had barely touched the boys arm when the principal walked around the corner, and that was the end of our lunch time visits. My parents also had a couple of choice words for Jacob, until they heard the real story, of course.
I forgave him instantly, and that day will always be seared into my memory. It was the day I told him I loved him. He'd put himself on the line to protect me. Once my parents had finished reprimanding him for his actions, thanking him for his gallantry, and then criticizing his methods; I couldn't stand the look he had on his face.
It was shame, and guilt, intermingled and contorting his face in a way that physically pained me. So I thanked him, brushing my finger over his furrowed brow, trying to erase the crease that had settled there. Our eyes had locked onto one another, my heart fluttered impossibly in my chest as though it were a caged bird, fighting for an escape, and it came tumbling out of my mouth. I knew it had been right because there was no embarrassment, no fear, just an overwhelming sense of right, like it had always been that way.
His dark eyes lit up as they pierced into mine and he declared his love for me. It was a perfect moment; the one that had seemed right. I had felt that way for my entire life, and saying it was like breathing. I felt free.
So with the one exception, school, Jacob and I became even more inseparable. As much as my parents loved and respected Jacob, I could see the fear that they held when they watched us together. They thought things were moving too quickly, but what they failed to see and what I had to constantly remind them, was that I had stopped growing. I was almost nine years old and my physical development had stopped at age seven. My mental development was fully matured, and still absorbed information like it always had. I was now, in body, and maturity, older than them, they had me beat in years alone. The other problem was they also failed to see how much of a gentleman Jacob was.
Still, I knew what I wanted and I had no doubt that it would always be Jacob, so I would be patient. Still, I couldn't help but go into senior year with a little optimism. The future looked bright, and I was ready and willing to walk into it with my head held high.
A/N: Thought I would try something different this time around. All of the chapters titles are song. Ones I think reflect the chapter. There is a link to an Music player on my profile. I think as of now it's updated to chapter site hosts all the information so it shouldn't crash.
This is a super long chapter due to the content. It's nine years worth of information condensed into 10,000 words. LOL! Not all of the chapters will be so long, I'm sorry to say.
The song for this chapter . . .In My Place - Coldplay.
I would like to give a huge shoutout to my wonderful, inspirational Beta . . . Orioncat . . . If you haven't checked out her stories . . . well you should certainly head over there, they're awesome. She also has a Youtube channel, which is fantastic. So Orioncat, thank you so much for all of your help and encouragement. I am proud to call you a friend.
Thank you Vicki, for being just as obsessive about Twilight as I am, for reading my stories and handing them to everyone you know ;), and watching the movie with me . . . a lot! :)
Okay, gushing over I promise. I would like to say thank you for the reviews for the prologue :) . . . That Rocks!
So you're all caught up and now the real story starts, I will be uploading every third day, so the next chapter will be up on Thursday 4th. If you got this far into my chapter and my gushing, Thank you. See you on Thursday :)
Big Hugz -L -