I amaze myself sometimes how long I dance, but when you don't get tired, you dance as long as you feel like it.
Nessie sighed as she slipped the new satin dance shoes into her book bag. It was already morning when she realized just how long she'd been dancing. She wanted to keep dancing and clear her mind but she'd made plans with Jacob and a few others from his pack to go to the beach at La Push. As she zipped the last pocket closed she caught the distinct smell of eggs wafting through the house. Obviously Esme intended for her to eat before she left. She would oblige to make her happy, though in the last few years her need for human food decreased dramatically, she much preferred the hunt. Admittedly though after ten hours of dancing a good human food breakfast would do her some good, especially if she intended to swim or surf with the pack.
As she slipped down the stairs bag in hand she paused to watch Emmett and Jasper beat the last level of a video game she was sure they'd talked about getting the night before. She moved on to the kitchen where Esme was busy tossing an omelet.
"Would you like any bacon or sausage hun?" she smiled as the omelet did another impossible flip in the air.
"No thank you." Nessie smiled. "I will take some yogurt and whole wheat toast though". She amazed herself how hungry she was, she ate every bit of food Esme had prepared for her. After cleaning up her plate she gave Esme a kiss on the cheek, thanked her, and slipped out the door towards her Volkswagen.
The ride to La Push was a quick one. The treaty the Quileute and the Cullen's had long since been modified. The Cullen's were now free to pass through the Quileute land as long as they didn't hunt and they always kept their word. The change was because Jacob imprinted on her, she was the common bond between the two families. The pack in the last years had come to accept Nessie as if she were one of their own. She helped Emily often by babysitting her and Sam's two small children, with a third on the way it did Emily good to have some time away from the house with Sam. Children felt awkward to Renesmee, the two little boys ran circles around her.
As the VW pulled to a stop under the same big pine tree she always parked it under should could hear Jacob inside packing the last of his swimming gear and start towards the front door. As if in a panic he stopped suddenly and retreated back to his room pulled open a desk drawer and closed it again. What on earth is he going back for? Her brow furrowed as she thought this. Jacob emerged shortly with a large grin stretched across his face.
"Ready for me to drown you in some waves chica?" Jacob called as he came to the driver side of the car and motioned for the keys.
"Haha you can try" she said giving him a smug look.
Nessie obliged and handed him the key ring, it was probably safer for his stomach that way. The hills leading down to the beach were steep and she had a tendency to stare off at the rocks below.
The drive down to the beach was filled with idle chatter about the others in the pack and who was going to be at the beach. When they pulled into their spot most of the group was already there and claiming their spots on the beach.
"Hey Nessie!" Emily called as they crossed the sand towards the group. Almost instantly both boys were running circles around her. How DID they have that much energy? Jacob and Nessie put their bags next to Emily's umbrella and spread out a blanket from Nessie's trunk. She hadn't grabbed the umbrella, no chance of sunshine today; it looked more like it was on the brink of rain any moment.
"Embry and Paul will be her shortly; they were finishing up one last grid pattern to make sure the woods were clear of any visitors. I expect they'll be bringing the wives and children with them as well." Sam said as he came toward the group carrying a large cooler filled with ice and drinks for the group. "We can start a fire and start cooking then."
"Let's go for a walk before everyone gets here Jake." Nessie said softly gesturing towards the far end of the beach and the rocks she always loved to climb on.
"Sure, well be back in a bit, just going to take a walk" Jacob said to the rest of the group. They started off towards the rocks and Jacob took Nessie's hand. They talked this way only when others weren't around. Nessie would show him pictures and Jacob would answer her back. She showed him her memory of him the previous night watching her dance through the large glass windows.
"You caught me." He blushed and she showed him the memory of her pressing the paper to the glass.
"Yes, I saw it, I love you too." With this she smiled and looked away, she didn't want him to see her blush. She showed him her worry that he might get hurt if he went to Volterra with her and then quickly followed it up with the memory of her telling him he didn't have to go.
"I'm going Nessie and that's the end of it. I know you're worried, heck, I'm worried. There isn't a question though if I'm going or not, I will be coming with you." With this the conversation lulled for a bit as they hopped from one rock to the next, obviously this was much easier for Nessie, but at least Jacob could keep up. "I think we should get back, Paul and Embry just got her and before you ask, no I'm not going to race you."
"Guilty as charged" She smiled and stuck her arms out as if she were being handcuffed then dropped them as she giggled to herself. He doesn't race me anymore, I always win.
Arriving back to the spot where the others had gathered they noticed the bonfire was already going and fish the men had caught earlier that morning were hanging on a spit. Nessie enjoyed this time she spent with Jacob. She was trying not to take any time for granted. He knew she was going to Alaska with her family, she'd always implied she wanted him to come. It hadn't struck her till now to ask him. She grabbed his hand, showed him a picture of the two of them in Alaska making a home together. She showed her regret for leaving his pack behind and showed him how sad she'd be if he stayed but that she would understand.
His gaze spoke volumes without as much as a word. He stared of in the distance with a great amount of anguish in his eye. She could tell that he didn't want to leave the pack behind. In the last seven years he'd become a very confident leader and the bonds between the united packs was stronger every day. His look drifted to the idea of building a life together with Nessie, the love that evolved from that first meeting was equally as strong. "Of course I'm going with you. You are my world Nessie, you always have been." He whispered as he turned his face to towards hers. "I wouldn't be complete or whole here alone. We've discussed it. Leah will be in charge of the core group here. I will still be able to phase in Alaska and give orders or ask for help if need be."
"The salmon is ready you two come get some before Sam and the kids end up eating it all." Emily interrupted with a knowing smile.
"Do you want some or did you eat earlier." He turned to say to her, but she was already up and at the fire making them plates. She moves way to fast.
"I'm going to have to dance for two days straight after all the food I've eaten today." She said just moment later plopping down next to them with their plates. She enjoyed the fire roasted salmon whenever it was made, passing it up would be a sin in her book. While she still preferred hunting, eating fresh salmon and halibut from a fire was her absolute favorite human food. There was nothing that could beat the freshness of it or the flavors that came with it. After cleaning her plate and throwing her trash away she ran back to the car and grabbed her swimming bag. When she returned Jacob was sprawled out on the blanket they'd brought.
"Ugh, how can you even think about swimming after all the food we just ate?" Jacob protested as she came close. Nessie chuckled and kicked a little sand his way and took off with her board towards the waves before he could catch her. He would probably lay there for a while longer. She paddled out a ways to avoid some waves and float back in.
She loved just being able to sit on her board and think. She could catch a wave when she got closer to the beach. Listening intently to the water rushing beneath her, the salty smell of the ocean, and the wind that blew on her face brought her a peace even dancing couldn't give her. She was awoken from her trance by a little commotion on the shore. As she drifted neared to the shore she noticed a large number of the party were gone, scanning further she noticed it was pretty much the women left, she paddled in quickly.
"Where is Jacob? Where did everybody go?" She asked looking around confused and a bit bewildered that Jacob would leave without so much as a goodbye, it wasn't like him.
"They didn't say where they were going, or what happened." Rachel answered looking just as confused. "Seth had come out of the woods howling about something. They took off into the woods after him. Jacob said we should all go home now. It seemed urgent so we're packing up now, you should too." The look in Rachel's eye was a warning of some kind. A thousand scenarios flooded her mind of what had happened, the one that returned the most though was something was wrong at home.
Something must have happened with my family. With that she was in the woods racing to the house, she'd come back for her car later, right now it would only slow her down.
