Disclaimer: I own nothing

--JacobPOV—

I shut my eyes as the sun of the April day filtered through the trees. It was one of the first days when it really felt like springtime, the temperature just warm enough for mothers to let their children outside without coats. I was excited by the day, memories of going out to play with my sisters on days just like this flooding my mind, and I took the opportunity to spend some quality time with Nessie.

We'd played Hide and Seek, picked flowers, and were now taking a moment to lay down and just rest for a bit before heading back.

Or so I thought.

"You can't catch me!"

A blur of pink fabric flew by my feet. I sighed and grinned, the ease of the familiar game creeping upon me.

"I bet I can!"

The blur of fabric giggled.

"Nuh-uh, Jakey! I'm too fast!"

The blur paused and turned back into Ness, her big brown eyes staring at me, daring and teasing as she bounced up and down, never able to stop completely. I continued our "script."

"I'm sure you're not too fast for a wolf!"

Nessie squealed from somewhere inside the blur as she took off again, delighted in our little game.

I was on my feet within the second, twirling around in my spot to chase her. We played the way we always did, and I would catch up to her, almost catching her, before pulling back and letting her escape. Sometimes, she would slip behind a tree and wait for me to search for her, only to take off again when I found her. It was a game we'd perfected in the year and a half since she'd been born.

So when I paused for a second, pretending to tie my shoe and letting her get a slight head start, I didn't worry when I didn't immediately see her in front of me.

"Oh no," I moaned loudly, "Where did my Ness go? Nessie? Nessie!"

Her giggles came in response, but not from below my eye level.

"Ness?" I called out, genuinely confused, now scanning the low branches of trees around me.

"Can't find me, Jake!"

I squinted- maybe she was just moving every time I did?

"Ness, where are you?"

"Look up!" she squeaked, clearly thrilled with her hiding skills. As always, I obeyed, but I still couldn't find her. I followed each branch of each tree up until… well, there was no way she could be that high, right?

"Ness, seriously. Where are you?"

"I'm up here, Jakey!"

That was when I saw her. She was maybe about forty feet in the air, in a somewhat flimsy tree that had probably seen better days before termites and tree rot had gotten to it.

"Nessie, peanut, come down, please!" I called, suddenly desperate.

I tried to reason with myself- even if she fell, she was virtually indestructible. Add that to the fact that I could catch her easily, well, I was just being ridiculous. Over-protective.

But some part that, apparently, held the alpha position within me was screaming- Get her down. Get her down. Get her down.

"Nope!" she called back, seemingly unaware of just how terrified- and serious- I was, "You have to come get me!"

"I can't, Ness!" I said, my voice seeming to get louder with each word, "I'm too big for that tree."

"No you're not!" she grinned, "Come on!"

And for the first time in my life, I fully understood Edward's protectiveness of Bella. I understood why he kept her locked up all those times he thought my pack was dangerous, and all those times he hovered, even when she'd already become a bloodsucker, when he felt things were getting a little out of hand.

Because in that moment, I realized the terror he must've felt at the idea of her getting hurt as he watched on, helpless for any reason. This wasn't like when the Italian bloodsuckers had come- we'd had a plan then, I could protect her. Here, every option I had seemed to end with her falling from this tree and possibly getting hurt. That tiny, miniscule possibility was driving me insane.

So I did what Edward would have done.

I snapped.

"Renesmee Carlie Cullen! Get down from there now!"

It took me a second to recognize my own voice- apparently the alpha voice could come out on its own. Good to know.

It also took me a second to register the look on Ness' face. Shock, then confusion, then hurt, then… anger. Damnit.

"No!" she screamed, her eyebrows furrowed.

"Nessie," I shouted back, desperation flooding through me, "I'm not playing! Come down now."

"No!" she repeated, "You can't make me!"

Stubborn like her mother. Great.

"Nessie…" I started again, careful to keep myself from losing control even as the frustration and annoyance flooded through me, "Let's go!"

"You're not my daddy! You can't make me!"

I groaned, unsure of what to do next. It's not like I had much to work with off of Ness's past misbehavior- she was the perfect child. She always listened, she always behaved.

Except, apparently, for now.

So I closed my eyes and thought back to when I was a kid, what my parents did when I misbehaved.

"Ness," I started, gritting my teeth, "Get down here right now or I'll put you in time out!"

She rolled her eyes at me; with her advanced maturity, of course sitting by herself for five minutes wouldn't be a threat.

"I'll… send you to bed early!"

Again, she ignored me, her eyes narrowed to angry slits.

"So help me, Ness, I'll… I'll tell your father!"

"Tell me what?" came the voice from behind me.

Damnit, I guess I'd been too focused to smell him coming.

"Tell me what, Jacob?" Edward pressed, amused and clearly already in the know of the trouble I was having.

I blanched. I'd never had any real intention of getting Nessie in trouble; my threat was empty, and Ness knew it.

"Daddy!" Ness squealed, jumping from her perch to float gracefully into Edward's arms.

"Hello princess. What were you doing way up there?"

Pursing her lips, she raised her hand to her father's neck despite the fact that she knew it was an unnecessary gesture.

Edward closed his eyes, and I saw his lips pull up momentarily at the corners before he controlled himself and flattened his expression.

"Nessie, love," he started, staring into my eyes in a manner that I knew meant he was reading my thoughts more closely; it drove me crazy, his double checking without my consent, but in this case, I'd take it. I desperately thought about what happened, hoping beyond hope that Edward would understand that it was not my fault his daughter had been hovering forty feet above ground.

He nodded almost imperceptibly and turned his face to Ness.

"Ness, I understand you were upset about Jacob yelling at you," she pursed her lips and tucked her head into his shoulder, hiding her face from my view. I felt incredibly guilty, "but you need to listen to Jake when he tells you to do something. He's only looking out for your best interests."

She lifted her hand to his neck again, resting it there and not bothering to pull away, even after she had finished her thought, her palm relaxing against his clavicle.

"Yes, I know he shouldn't have yelled, but you frightened him."

She pulled back this time to look him in the eyes, not bothering to use her special method of communication.

"I know you wouldn't have gotten hurt. So does Jacob. But sometimes, if we see you do something that looks dangerous, we get nervous. Does that make sense?" Nessie nodded slowly, and I saw her glance over at me as she chewed on her lip. "I think you owe Jacob an apology."

I was barely prepared when Ness leapt out of Edward's arms and into my own, and I was grateful for my reflexes. I felt her warm hand reach up to my cheek, and saw her apology flash before me.

I'm sorry, Jakey. I know you were just trying to keep me safe. She paused, taking in my bewildered expression and seemingly wrestling with herself, deciding whether to say one more thing.

"Go on, Ness," Edward prompted.

She looked at her father and nodded before pressing her palm against my face once more, gently.

Do you still love me?

"Always," I answered immediately, "Just try not to scare me like that, ok?"

"Ok," she said aloud, kissing the tip of my nose. Suddenly, she turned to Edward, her tiny brow furrowed in confusion, "Daddy?"

He grinned, and I found myself suddenly wondering why Edward had come out to find them in the woods in the first place.

"Ahh," he grinned, "To answer you both, as you both had the same question, there are two reasons I came to find you. One, Renesmee, your aunts and grandmother have just gotten back from a shopping trip and have several outfits for you to model."

Renesmee scrunched up her nose at the idea and Edward laughed,

"No, love, if you throw them away, they'll just buy you more. You know how your aunts are. And Jacob…"

"Yes?"

"They bought some outfits for you to try on too."

I narrowed my eyes skeptically at him, and he shrugged,

"They thought it would be cute if you two matched. I hope you look good in plaid."

Thanks to all of my reviewers, and special thanks to shaid, paris tokyo, and lunamorada17. You all gave me great ideas for the aunts and uncles chapter, and I'm gonna try and see which one works best. Thanks again!

Reviews make the fact that I have to go back to classes tomorrow wayyyy better. Review, please and thank you?