"It's healthy," Carlisle informed me, his topaz eyes shining with excitement, "I can tell just by looking at you." I blinked in bemusement. He had just arrived two seconds ago. Nobody had told him anything. Did I look pregnant? I was pretty sure that I was getting bigger, but not completely recognizably yet. It had barely been a month!

"Carlisle, I don't know if I want to have this baby," I whispered, grabbing his hand anxiously. Esme cast me an apprehensive look before turning towards her husband.

"Nessie, it's up to you," Carlisle said, crest-fallen, "No one can tell you what to do. But you have to tell us what happened." I furrowed my brow.

"What happened?" I asked, deciding that it was better to feign innocence. Esme took my hand and bit her lip.

"Nessie, what did they tell you?" she inquired, completely bewildered. I pulled my hand away and glanced towards the cottage. I could see the silhouettes of my parents in the living room. They were talking with Jasper and Alice.

"Nothing that I didn't already know," I lied. Or maybe it wasn't a lie. Maybe I had known it all along. I just had refused to believe it. Carlisle wound his arm around Esme's waist, staring at me with concern.

"Nessie, they told you everything, didn't they?" he asked calmly. I looked up at him through my eyelashes. The tears were coming back- I could feel it.

"Everything?" I burst out, "Everything? Yes, they told me everything! Jacob Black made out with my mother! Is that what you meant by 'everything'?" The silence that followed lasted a lifetime. Esme's soft golden eyes were wide and shocked, but Carlisle had seen this coming.

"They were only looking out for your best interest, Nessie," he muttered compassionately. I scoffed maniacally.

"Well, naturally it was in my best interest to not know that my husband is madly in love with my mother!" I forced the words out, but they did not flow together correctly. Carlisle shook his head desperately.

"You're wrong, Nessie," he said simply. I blinked, resisting the urge to grab a tree and throw it across the river.

"I'm not wrong!" I shrieked, "Rose told me everything. There's no use denying it!" Carlisle shook his head.

"Nessie, your husband is not madly in love with your mother," he explained patiently, "He was in love with your mother. He loved her until he laid eyes on you. Sam Uley loved Leah Clearwater before he met his wife, Emily. And I'm sure that at one point Rose loved Royce King. In her own way, of course. Nessie, people fall in and out of love all the time. For your mother and Alice and all of them, their lives seem so perfect because they have fallen in love with the person that matters the most. Nessie, I never loved anybody before Esme, but most people love in many different ways throughout their lives." He leaned down to kiss Esme's cheek. My breathing was deep, and I had no idea what to say.

"Yes, Carlisle," I began slowly, "People fall in and out of love. But not with people's mothers." Carlisle smiled ironically.

"Nessie, you live in a world of the never-aging," he pointed out, "Mothers, fathers- these words only have as much meaning as you place on them. Physically, you are your mother's equivalent." I shook my head.

"But Jake loved her," I choked out, letting one tear escape from my eyes and race down my cheek. Esme leaned over and wiped it away lovingly.

"Jake still loves her, Nessie," Carlisle agreed, "Like a mother. Like a best friend. Nessie, your mother's love for Edward eclipsed her love for Jacob. Jacob's love for you eclipsed his love for your mother. You can't blame people for who they fall in love with. It's... it's human nature, and I use the word 'human' lightly." Both he and Esme smiled, but I didn't see the humor in the situation. I was too busy trying to decipher his words.

"Jake didn't imprint on my mother, did he?" I asked, trying to figure out if that was a possibility. Carlisle let out a short laugh.

"No, Nessie," he answered simply, "That never happened. People imprint once in their existence. Jacob Black imprinted on you." Esme reached out and put her cold hand on my cheek.

"Speaking of Jacob Black..." she hinted, her eyes landing somewhere in the forest. I could see the silhouette of a tall man standing next to an evergreen tree, and my heartbeat picked up.

"He loves you," Carlisle whispered into my ear, "Never forget that." And they were gone.

I stood my ground for an eternity. I did not move; I only stared. Jake stared as well, debating whether or not to approach me. Eventually, he took one step towards me, and then studied my reaction. I nodded slowly to let him know that he could continue.

Before I knew it, Jacob Black was standing next to me, but I was facing away. I wasn't going to be the first one to speak. There was nothing to say.

"Renesme," Jake said simply, letting my name hang there in the silence. I closed my eyes as he reached out and put his hand on my cheek, like Esme had a couple of minutes ago. His touch was warmer, however, and it sent shivers down my spine.

"You loved her," I muttered, letting him know that I knew. Jake let his hand drop to his side in defeat. He was silent for a minute, contemplating the situation.

"Yes," he decided, "Very much. No where near enough." I turned around hesitantly, tracing the innocent contours of his face with my eyes.

"But you never told me," I whispered curiously, a hint of anger in my voice. Jake shook his head, looking away into the distance. There was centuries of sadness in his deep brown eyes.

"I would not know what to say," he replied slowly, "There was nothing to say. You are mine, Nessie. It has always been like that. I have not thought about your mother- in that way- since before you were born." I leaned closer to him, inhaling his warm scent.

"If I hadn't been born," I began, but Jake put his index finger on my mouth.

"Nessie, you live in a world of ifs and buts," he pointed out, "We are all forever young. You were born and that is all that matters." I searched his eyes, and I knew that he was speaking the truth. Why was it that I had the fieriest temper in the world but on the one occasion where I wanted to be mad, all that I could do was stare longingly into his eyes?

"You tried to steal her away," I pointed out, and Jacob snorted, shaking his head.

"Yes, and it was the worst thing that I have ever attempted," he reminisced, "You mother could not live without your father. But back then, I was a hormone-driven teenager in love for the first time. What did you expect?" I shook my head anxiously, leaning in further.

"Jacob Black, would you love me if you hadn't imprinted on me?" I demanded. I wasn't sure what the answer was, so all that I could do was wait as he considered this. That did not last long.

"Renesme Carlie Cullen," he began, resting his nose on my forehead, "You are my life. You have been since the moment that I laid eyes on you. It wouldn't matter if I was a werewolf or not- you are the love of my existence. The whole imprinting thing- well, that makes it all rather convenient, don't you think?" He laughed ironically at the end, and even I had to fight a smile.

"Then tell me one thing," I whispered, holding his face between my hands, "What would you have done if my mother had chosen you?" Jake closed his eyes, laying his hands over mine.

"I honestly have no idea," he admitted, "I would have married her, I suppose. But she never would have been as happy as she is with Edward. And I must admit, I never would be as happy as I am with you. I think the moral of this story, Nessie, is that it didn't work out like that. It was never supposed to." I closed my eyes as well, breathing in his familiar scent.

"Never supposed to," I breathed, and then the last remaining space between our lips was gone.