Chapter Three
Homecoming
Jacob led me out of the house, and down the drive. I walked to the car. It was still locked.
"Ahem," I said. Jacob turned, giving me a confused look. He shook his head.
"We're walking." He said curtly. He kept walking.
I groaned. It was a long day, and I was tired. didn't he understand that I just wanted to go home? Wherever home was? I followed him reluctantly. I walked slowly and swiftly, keeping a good distance between us. The sun was setting, peeking out behind the clouds. It's rays caught my skin, and I shined. I groaned. I hated my skin. It was my vampire skin, Jake said. Speaking of vampires had the same rule as the names Nessie and Renesmee. He wasn't allowed to talk about it.
I sped up, trying to keep up with his fast pace. When I was by his side, he put an arm around my shoulders. I didn't realize my teeth were chattering. I was warmed instantly.
"Sorry about that back there," he mumbled, "I know you don't like talking about it."
"About what?" I said, "The mythological creatures or my family?"
"Both," Jacob decided. "I just had to know what happened. It's my job."
I nodded, "Well, I guess if you had to." I shrugged. "Just as long as it isn't absolutely necessary."
He pressed his cheek to my hair, laughing huskily. We slowed as we came in front of a house with peeling green paint. There were scattered balls and hula hoops around. There was also a swing set with only one swing, still moving as though someone just got off. It confused me at first. Who lived here?
"Who are you?" the small voice came from the porch. She looked about ten years old with straight black hair that went down to her waist.
"Hey," Jake said, avoiding the question. I cowered into his side. It was stupid to be afraid of the little girl. "Are you Claire?"
The girl took a step back. "Yeah," Claire said, "Do I know you? What do you want?"
"I'm looking for Quil or Embry, is either of them here?" Jacob said nicely. She still looked scared.
Claire nodded, and turned to go into the house. I could hear her calling inside, Quil!
"Who's Quil?" I asked. Jacob didn't reply. He was focused on the porch.
Two tall muscular men stood on the porch. They were different, but they looked the same. Like they were brothers…and Jacob was their brother too.
"No way," One of them said, taking a step back. It was the same thing Seth had said when he saw Jacob. Jacob stepped forward, taking his arm off of me.
"That's what Seth said." Jake said, waving his hand. "Hey guys."
He was in tears as he took five long strides to Jacob, hugging him tight. It was like how Leah greeted him. Surprised and thankful to see him here again. Alive. The other man was still on the porch, smiling but shaking his hand in disbelief.
The young girl--Claire--came back out with a woman. She would have been beautiful, but the right side of her face had three long scars. Who was she? Should I know her…? Who else was I hurting by not remembering?
"Sam…" The man who was holding Jacob sobbed. He reminded me of Leah. "And Jared…"
"Yeah," Jake replied, "Seth told me. We went there first."
The woman with Claire on the porch motioned for her to go inside. She put a hand on the other man's shoulder and mouthed something to him.
Jacob pulled away from him gently, and reached out to me. I took a step forward. "Vanessa," he said, "This is Quil." he motioned to the man who was wiping his eyes. "And that's Embry." The guy who was standing on the porch was walking to us now waved.
"Hi," I squeaked. Pure confusion was on their faces because Jacob had called me Vanessa. "You may remember me as Renesmee, or Nessie." I cringed at the names. "But I'm Vanessa now."
"Oh," Quil said, "Hey there, Vanessa. What…" His question wasn't completed.
"She lost her memory," Jacob said, tightening his grip on my hand. "One of the Volturi." He had a pained expression as he said this, as though he wished it never happened. I did too.
"Gregory," Embry sneered. I flinched at the name.
"Exactly," Jacob sighed. I sighed as well. I was suddenly furious. How dare this Gregory take my memory away from me. He destroyed my life, making I much harder than it already was. My parents who loved me more than I could ever imagine or remember…my family who died for me…the people who came and risked their lives just for me…I didn't remember any of it.
"Vanessa?" Jakes panicked voice said. But that's all I heard. His voice. I couldn't see him, my eye were blurry and my breath quickened. "V are you okay? Nessie!"
A pair of warm arms catching me was the last thing I felt until I was pulled down under.
~*~
"Do you want another can, Charlie?" a woman's voice came from above me. I kept my eyes shut.
"I'm fine, Rachel," a gruff voice said. Charlie? "I'll wait for her to come around…"
"She's been out for a while," Jacob's voice said. He was worried. I could tell.
"She's fine," another man's voice assured them both. "She's had a lot of…experiences today. Meeting people she doesn't remember and what not."
Jacob must have had all the people caught up. "So she won't remember me?" The man named Charlie asked. "At all?"
"She didn't recognize Seth or Leah," Jacob replied, "And they were around the Cullen's place more than you were."
"True." Charlie said to Jacob. "She looks so much like Bella…and Edward, too. Both of them. She really grew up wonderfully. She just makes me feel a little old. She's only eight but she looks twice her age. It hits me kinda hard."
Jacob chuckled, "Well I'm only twenty four, and I raised her. That's not easy either."
"So you think she'll come around soon?" The man's voice asked.
"I don't know, Dad." Jacob replied, "Vanessa? Can you hear me? V?"
I fluttered my eyes open, taking in the room around me. I was on a small couch in the middle of a room. The room was small too, with a bunch of chairs around. I only recognized one face: Jacob's.
A woman in her late twenties or early thirties was there. Her belly was big, rounded. Pregnant. She smiled down at me. Rachel? A man with long silver and black hair was sitting in a wheel chair. The last man also had salt and pepper hair, only it was short, and he had a mustache. Who were they?
"Hiya, Vanessa," the man with the mustache said. He was the one asking if I would remember him. Charlie? "Remember me?"
"Of course she doesn't, her memory was erased," the other man replied with a shaky laugh. "Hello, Vanessa."
"How are you feeling?" Jacob was suddenly next to me. He held me, "You scared me to death back there. Don't do that."
"Sorry, Jake," I muttered, "I don't remember anyone. I'm sorry…"
"Shh, it's okay." Charlie said, "I'm your grandfather, Charlie. you can call me Grandpa, or Charlie if you like."
"Thanks…Grandpa," I choked out the words.
"Rachel, get the girl some water," the other man said. The woman nodded, and she left the room , "I'm Billy," Billy said, "Jacob and Rachel's dad." I nodded. So Rachel was Jake's sister? Hmm.
"Don't give her too much at one time," Jacob warned. "I don't want her to knock out again." I simply smiled up at Jacob, who tried to smile back. I laughed at his grimace.
"So, Vanessa," Charlie said, "Jacob tells me you don't like to be called Nessie?"
"No, I don't," I replied. I saw his warm smile falter. "Just Vanessa, or V, if you like. But not Nessie or Nessa or Vans...just Vanessa."
Charlie chuckled under his breath, "I remember when you were little…" He said. I don't, I said mentally. "Your mother hated it when people called you Nessie. You were…" He turned his gaze to Jacob, who saw shaking his head. He stopped when I saw him looking.
"Renesmee," I finished for him, "Yeah, I know. But my mom…She wasted us to start over as new people. She could have never thought that I would loose my memory. But I know wherever she is…she knows I'm with Jacob, and that I'm safe." I put my hand on Jake's knee and smiled at Charlie.
He nodded, "I knew one day you two would return. Bella had promised me in her letter. But let's just say that I wasn't expecting a sixteen year old girl--or at least a girl who looked sixteen." I giggled for his benefit.
Rachel came back into the room, a glass of water with her. I took it graciously, letting the water roll down my throat.
"So…" Jacob said, looking at Charlie, "I wanted to ask you something, Charlie. A favor, actually. It would really mean a lot to me."
"What? Go ahead and ask, Jake," Charlie replied. I eyed Jacob confused. what was he up to?
"Well…" Jake started. He ran a hand through his hair, "I was wondering if…well…uh. Maybe you could…let Vanessa stay with you for a few days. She's already registered for Forks High, but didn't realize until Seth brought it up earlier that I wasn't sure where we were supposed to stay. We could stay at the Cullen's old place, but who knows what that place looks like now? And I could stay here in La Push, but Vanessa wouldn't have anywhere to stay. So…can she?"
"Sure! Why, of course. Why not?" Charlie said, "Yes, she could stay with me."
My mouth popped open. I was going to stay with Charlie? Well…that was okay, I guess. Better than a small couch here, and better than a humungous mansion. Maybe Charlie's house was best.
"Won't that be fun, Vanessa? It'll be like having a Bella around again. I have been pretty lonely, although Sue still comes by often." Charlie seemed overly excited for my stay. I was truing to figure out if he was being genuinely true, or putting on an act for me.
"Yeah, it sounds totally cool." I said with fake enthusiasm. "Maybe I should go get my stuff."
"I'll help you, V," Charlie said. I nodded, and Jake tossed me the keys to his Volks. I walked out the narrow door way, Charlie following behind me. I unlocked the trunk, ad took out my simple backpack and one suitcase. The back pack was small made of black leather. I've had it always. It held the special things I owned.
"Won't this be fun, Vanessa?" My grandfather said, taking the luggage from me. "You could stay in Bella's room. No one's lived with me since…well, before your parents got married."
"Yeah, that sounds great, Gramps," I said, hoping he didn't mind what I called him. He didn't seem too. He seemed overjoyed.
Charlie had stopped to toss my luggage into his car, which appeared to be a police cruiser. He was a cop?
At the door of the house, I lingered to open it, listening to them talk.
"Is this really the best idea, son?" Billy was asking, "Let Ne-Vanessa stay with Charlie? In her mother's room? Is it healthy for either of them?"
"Where else could she stay?" Jacob replied, "Here? The Cullen's house? Don't you think that's worse? Or Bella and Edward's cottage? Smart. She can't stay there."
"Maybe your wrong, she's a strong girl," Rachel said, "She's been through a lot through the eight years. So much happening to her she doesn't understand…That none of us understand."
I heard Charlie's footsteps behind me. So did they. Billy, Rachel and Jacob stopped discussing me, and turned to the door. I pushed it open, smiling at them. Jacob smiled back. I yawned against my will, still tired despite my recent unconsciousness. Jacob chuckled.
"Maybe you two should get going now," he said to Charlie and me, "You're going to pass out again soon."
I rolled my eyes. "You're staying here?" I asked. Jacob and I had our moments, but I hadn't ever spent a night without him nearby.
"Spend some time with my dad, try to figure a few things out," he shrugged, "You'll be fine. Right, Charlie?" He seemed more worried than I was.
Charlie nodded. "You'll be fine." Was he assuring me, or Jake?
I faked a half smile, and turned to Charlie. "I know. Should we go?"
Both Jacob and Charlie nodded, and I turned to my grandfather. Jake came behind me and hugged me. "Be good," he whispered in my ear.
"I will," I replied with an eye roll.
Charlie said his goodbyes at Billy and Rachel, and I waved awkwardly. I followed him out to his car.
"Sorry about the cruiser," Charlie said, "I'm the chief of police in Forks. Bella hated riding around in it. She had her own truck. It's still at the house, maybe we could have it fixed by Jacob."
"It's fine," I replied, grimacing at the big blue letters on the side, "I'm just really tired. It's been a long day."
"Its about a thirty minute drive," Charlie said, "Or less. Light traffic. Hardly any."
Small town, I thought. School is sure to be a joy tomorrow.
"Oh," I said out loud. We pulled into the highway. No other cars. "What time is it?" I asked.
"About eight," Charlie replied, "Are you hungry? You want to stop for some food?"
"No," I replied. "Jacob and I ate on the way here; I think I'll just hit the hay when we get there."
Charlie simply nodded, keeping his eyes on the road. I stared out the window, seeing the wet late night fog, green forests, and a light rain. It broke my heart. Why couldn't we movie to somewhere with sun? Los Angeles, maybe. Or even Arizona. When I had asked, Jake has simply said, "We need this move, Ness. It's important." To which I replied, "Vanessa," and rolled my eyes.
Charlie owned a white, two story house with a small kitchen and living room downstairs, and two bedrooms upstairs. There was only one restroom, which I could endure. This was only a temporary living arrangement, anyway.
Charlie escorted me to my room. It was an average room, with a bed, desk and suitable size closet. He dropped my bag, seeming awkward standing there. I smiled at him, letting him know it was fine, and that I was okay.
"There are some clothes your mother left in the closet. I don't think it's too outdated. You don't seem to have much stuff for the weather here." My grandfather said, motioning to the dresser. "I'll let you get some sleep. You had a long day, and tomorrow will be big, too."
"Yeah," I said reluctantly, "School."
Charlie smiled. "I'll leave you alone. I think we have some snacks downstairs if you get hungry."
"Thanks, Grandpa," I said, feeling awkward with the word. I may have been young, and he a little middle aged, but he hardly looked like he could be my grandfather.
He didn't hover, leaving the room immediately. I closed the door silently, and collapsed on the bed. I pulled the small black leather back pack onto my lap, opening it, and peering down at what was inside.
It held all my special, personal belongings. My mothers letter, the one picture I had of my family, other than the ones Jake had, the small amount of money I had, and it was where I kept the picture of my parents. They were both seventeen, at their junior prom. My mom had secretly snuck it into the backpack. On the back, it said: Never forget who you are.
I stroked my finger across my mom's script, feeling the rise and fall on the photo paper.
"I'm sorry I let you down," I whispered with tears going down my cheeks. I laced it back into the bag gingerly, before drifting off to sleep.
Ta Da! Isn't it a really good long chapter! That you've waited a long time for? Sorry about the wait, though (: Next update should be quicker. Review my loves!
