A/N: Thanks to those of you who have already put LG on your favorites/story alert! That's so awesome! :)

Thanks to my personal beta, ghartling for being so great!

As always- it goes without saying, though it must be said...the lovely, super-cool, uber-talented Stephenie Meyer owns all things Twilight. I'm just playing with their future! :)

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Chapter Three

Renesmee

The sound of the door opening woke me up. I opened my eyes to find that I was alone on the sofa and wondered where Jake had gone. I stretched and sat up, folding the blanket Jake had obviously covered me with. As I straightened out my clothes and headed for the bathroom, I heard Jake's voice.

"You already know the answer, Bells." I stopped and stood still for a moment, listening. Bells. I'd never heard anyone but Grandpa Charlie call my mother that. It was a little strange hearing Jake call her by that nickname. I figured that meant the two of them must have had a pretty intense conversation, probably about me and my desire to leave the family for a while. I set off toward the bathroom, but was stopped by Jake's hand on my shoulder.

"You're awake," he said. "Did you sleep well?"

I shrugged my shoulders, "I guess." I looked past him into the kitchen, "Why isn't Mom coming in?"

"Ah, you heard that, huh?"

"Well, I just heard the last thing you said to her before you came in." I didn't want to look him in the eyes. I kind of felt like I'd intruded on their moment. "I've never heard you call her that before."

Jake almost looked embarrassed, like he didn't want to tell me. "You mean when I called her Bells?" I nodded. He put his finger under my chin and brought my face up to look at him. "Nessie, you know that your mom and I have a history, we've talked about it before. She and I, well, we go way back, and even though you and I have our thing here," he waved his hand between the two of us, "your mom and I, we kind of still have our own thing. You know? It's not the same as it was back then. And it's not the same as what you and I have, but it's still there. She's still my friend." He looked at me, begging me to understand. I realized that he thought I was upset about their exchange.

"Oh, Jake," I said, patting his large hand that was now resting on my cheek, "I know. I'm totally fine with you and Mom. I didn't mean it like that. I was just surprised the you called her that. I guess it just made me realize how serious this whole thing really is to her. That's all."

"It is serious, Nessie," he agreed. "Although, I wish you could have seen your mother's face when she tried to ask me if we were, well, romantic." His big eyes shined with amusement, and he let a loud chuckle.

I doubled over myself, giggling. "She did what?!" I couldn't believe it. Yes, what Jake and I had was intense to say the least, but romantic? Not so much. I knew that it might one day be like that for us, like it was for Sam and Emily or Paul and Rachel. But for now, Jake was just my other half. You know, peas and carrots, peanut butter and jelly, cookies and milk. The thought of my mother actually finding the nerve to ask Jake if we were romantic was hysterical. The only thing funnier would have been if it had been my father asking. Just the thought caused a whole new burst of laughter to erupt from my chest.

"So, she was too embarrassed to come in after that, huh?" I asked.

"Yeah," Jake said. "I think she went to find Edward. I expect they'll be back soon and will be ready to talk then, so you'd better get showered and changed. We'll get some breakfast when you're done."

Two hours later, I was showered, dressed and fed. And fidgety. I didn't want to wait around all day for my parents to decide they were ready to talk to me. So, I went into the big house and started to clean up the mess my mother had made in the attic looking for Aunt Rose's suitcase. Just as I finished, my cell phone vibrated in my pocket. I glanced at the caller ID. Aunt Alice. Uh-oh.

"Hey, Alice," I tried to manage my best nonchalant voice. "How's New England?" Aunt Alice and Uncle Jasper were spending the summer in Maine, I think.

"Don't you 'Hey Aunt Alice' me, young lady. What in the world is wrong with you these days? Actually asking your parents if you could stay in Forks? And not letting me in on this little secret? Have you lost your mind?" Her usually musical voice was shrill and forceful.

"Alice, I had to at least ask them! I mean, it's what I really want and...." my own thoughts interrupted me. "Wait a minute. How did you know about that? I only ever talked to Jake about it, and I was careful to never use words, only my visions, so we could try and block you and Daddy out so how could you have seen it? Unless..." There was one way she could have seen it. My parents had made a decision. "...unless my parents have decided something. Alice, what did you see?"

"Oh, no you don't," the shrieking continued. "You don't really think that after finding out that you did, in fact, deliberately block me out of something this important, that I'm just going to tell you what I know now? Child, you have lost your mind!" I huffed a sigh and sat down on an old, sheet covered chair, rolling my eyes waiting for the rest of the lecture to begin. She would tell me I was acting like a teenager, when I clearly knew better. She would say how I should be grateful for the life I had and how she couldn't believe I'd trade it for anything else. She would tell me how much my parents loved me and how special and not normal I was. I waited. And waited. But she didn't say anything. I thought for a moment that she'd hung up on me.

"Um...Aunt Alice?" I asked.

"I'm still here," she said, a little huffy herself. "I saw that, you know. The eye rolling and the huffing and the things you thought I would say. You kinda stole my thunder, Ness." She wasn't angry, I could tell.

"They've decided, huh?" I didn't want to know the answer, just wether or not they'd come up with one yet.

"Well," she said, "Bella is still waiting to talk to your father. But my brother has made a decision of sorts. He's working out the details before he talks to Bella about it. You're in for quite an interesting day, kiddo." She was smiling now, I could feel it in her voice.

"Aunt Alice," I felt a little defeated, and more than a little irritated that she was keeping what she knew from me. "Honestly, why did you call me? To torture me over blocking you out? Cause if so, you're doing a damn fine job."

"Hey, watch your language," she said before answering my question. "I called to give you a small piece of advice. Okay?"

"Okay."

"Be patient. When your parents do come back, and it'll be a while, because your father still has to tell your mother about his plan. But when they do come to talk to you, promise me that you'll keep an open mind. You've asked them to do that for you, so you be sure and extend the same courtesy to them. Act like an adult and they might start to treat you like one, okay, sweetie?"

I took a moment to process what she was saying. She was right, I did owe it to them to have an open mind and consider whatever it was that they were going to say. "I promise, Aunt Alice."

"Good girl," she trilled in my ear. "Gotta go now. Love you! Bye!"

She was gone before I could say goodbye. I flipped my phone closed and went downstairs to find Jake. I told him about Alice's phone call, then sat at the piano and aimlessly fingered the keys while I waited for my parents to come home.

Bella

I watched as Jake walked into the cottage and closed the door. I could hear Renesmee stirring inside and wondered if she had heard any of our conversation. She and I had talked before about the past that her father and I shared with Jacob, but I wasn't sure if seeing it up close would be the same as hearing about something that was in the past. I hoped she wouldn't see my going to Jacob as some sort of betrayal or like I was trying to make him take sides. I hoped she knew we were all on the same side. I listened as she asked him about calling me Bells and felt awful at how that must have sounded to her. Jacob explained though, and then they had quite a laugh at my expense, and I knew all was well. At least where Jacob was concerned.

I couldn't find Edward anywhere on the property so I stepped onto the front porch of the house and closed my eyes, taking in his scent. He'd left hours ago, headed into town. I knew there was only one place he would go in town, and I was interested to find out why. I went into the garage, found the keys to the new Volvo and headed toward my father's house.

When I drove into the driveway of Charlie's house, I saw Sue outside in the yard, clipping the hedges. I rolled down the window and called to her, "Hey, Sue."

She stopped clipping and turned around, not at all surprised to see me, which meant Edward had to be here also, "Hey, Bella. How are you today?"

"I'm fine, but I'm looking for Edward. I thought he'd come here. To talk to Charlie, maybe?"

Sue walked up to the car and leaned her elbows down to rest on the window. She pointed with her thumb back toward the house and said, "They've been in there all night. Talking." She raised her eyebrows and gave me a knowing look. "It's weird, really. What is going on, Bella?"

Sue Clearwater Swan knew all about my new family. Both of her kids, Leah and Seth, were in Jacob's wolf pack. Her late husband, Harry, had been one of my dad's best friends and a tribal elder. In the months after my change and Renesmee's birth, Sue had been there for my father, helping him to cope with things he didn't fully know or understand. In the years since, I think she'd finally told him all the gory details about me and what I had become, explaining also about Renesmee and how special she was. Of course, my father and I had never actually discussed these things. Sue had been a blessing to Charlie, and I was forever grateful.

"Did Edward tell you guys about Renesmee and that she wants to settle down? Here? Without us?" I asked her.

Sue's eyes widened, and I said, "I'll take that as a no." Sue stood up and opened the car door, gesturing for me to go into the house. She placed her hedge clippers on the front steps and followed me into the house, taking off her garden gloves and placing them on the side table.

"I guess he already knows you're here," she said, referring to Edward, of course.

"I'm sure," I smiled at her.

"They're in the den," she said, motioning toward the family room as she turned an went into the kitchen. I walked in to see SportsCenter on the television and Edward and Charlie sitting perfectly still in the armchairs. The only thing that separated Charlie's stance from Edward's was his chest moving up and down as he breathed.

"Um, hello?" I called to them.

"Hey, Bella," Charlie called to me. "We've been waiting for you."

"What?" I asked as Edward rose from his seat and came to stand beside me.

"Good morning, Love," he said, kissing my cheek.

"Good morning," I said, returning his affection and taking his hand, still confused. "What are you doing here? I mean, when I got home and you were gone, I didn't expect you'd come here." I looked at Charlie apologetically, but I knew he'd understand.

"Well, Edward here thought I might be able to help you with your, um, situation with Nessie." Charlie said, patting Edward on the shoulder, sounding almost proud of himself.

I looked at Edward quizzically and loosened my shield long enough to ask him a couple of questions.

I assume you have some sort of plan here? He nodded so slightly, Charlie wouldn't notice.

And this plan somehow involves Nessie and her plan? He nodded again.

And whatever this plan is, it's going to make you more amenable to letting her have her way? One more nod.

Then Charlie was onto our private conversation. "Um, guys," he said. "You know I'm still here, right?"

I laughed, "Sorry, Dad. I was just trying to figure out what my dear husband is thinking, that's all."

"Well, I'll leave you two to discuss things. I've gotta get to work anyway." He kissed me on the cheek and shook Edward's hand before looking to where Sue was standing in the kitchen, telling her he was leaving and that they had something to discuss when he came home for lunch. "You'll let me know?" He directed this at Edward.

"Of course, Charlie. We'll be in touch." Edward nodded toward Charlie as he left the house.

We said our good byes to Sue and got back in the car to go home. Edward was quiet, not ready to share his conversation with Charlie just yet. When we reached the garage at the house, though, I had had enough of the silent treatment.

I took the keys out of the ignition and turned to face him in my seat.

"Okay," I said. "Enough with the solitude. What the hell did you talk to Charlie about?"

"Well," he said, "I was sitting in the house last night, trying to find a way to be okay with what Renesmee wants to do, when it came to me." He looked at me as though I should know what he was talking about. "You see, Bella, I know that you're right. We're going to have to let her do this. I know that. But I was thinking, what if we let her stay, but stay with Charlie and Sue?" I must have looked even more confused because he chuckled and kept explaining. "If she stays here with just Jacob to look after her, yes she'll be safe, but she'll also be spoiled rotten. And what if the other kids try to take advantage of the fact that her only guardian is only twenty-seven? Can you imagine the parties?" I had a flash of drunken teenagers retching in the bushes of my beloved cottage. "But if she's living with the chief of police? Well, you certainly know what that's like."

I raised my eyebrows at him. "Yes, I do know what that's like. I also know how easy it was for you to sneak into my bedroom every night for almost two years."

"Yes, love," he said, tracing patterns on the back of my hand, "but Nessie's one and only will already be living in the house with them." He said, tapping his temples as if to say he'd thought of everything.

I thought more about his plan. I looked for something, anything, that might be wrong, but I could find nothing. I couldn't help but laugh at the perfection of his idea. "It's genius!" I squealed, sounding for a moment like the teenager I used to be. "Of course, she might not want to make that particular concession," I said.

"But that's why it's a deal breaker. She wants to be a normal teenager, then she can be a normal teenager with a normal guardian. And you know how Charlie loves Jacob," a tiny bit of his old resentment toward my father's preference for Jacob rang in his words, "he'll make room for him in the house, too. He told me he'd build an addition onto the back, a bedroom for Jacob."

I flung my arms around my husband and kissed him as hard as I could. "Edward Anthony Masen Cullen," I said, pulling my face inches away, "you are an evil genius, my dear." I kissed him again, quickly, and then got out of the car.

Once we were in the house, Edward called out in a calm, low voice, "Renesmee. Your mother and I would like to speak to you. And Jacob, please."

Before he could finish, we heard Jacob's feet on the stairs and the two of them were in front of us. It was time to let them in on our plan. Time to see just how badly Renesmee wanted to live in Forks.

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End Notes: SO?? Will Nessie take the deal? What will Jake say? Are Edward and Bella really ready for this?.....For a review or two, I'll put up Chapter Four tomorrow! :)