All characters © Stephenie Meyer

Chapter 3 - Coming to Terms

I heard nothing but Marcus' nervous thoughts after they had gotten into his car. Renesmee wouldn't talk or think, knowing I'd hear whatever she had to say. My fists were still clenched and it wasn't until Bella forcefully opened one to weave her fingers between mine, did they go slack.

My eyes were stuck on Jacob. I couldn't feel his pain, but it must have been more excruciating than I could comprehend right then, because Jasper had to excuse himself.

I can't be around him, Edward, he told me and slipped out of the room.

I went to play my piano, the entire time Jake stood at the same window he had been looking out of when they drove off together. I could see only half of him, but every minute he would take a deep shaking breath. He didn't care about me reading his mind, either that or he couldn't control it with the strong emotions going through him.

Why can't she love me? Why can't she realize she loves me? It isn't supposed to be this way. It's not. The anguish in his thoughts was torture to me.

I didn't agree with Alice. Jacob did not need competition. He didn't feel like he had a claim to her, not at all. She was his end all be all. My daughter was everything to him and if anything, she held claim to him - and didn't even know it.

My fingers froze on the keys. That's what was bothering me this entire time. As hard as it was for me to accept that Renesmee and Jacob would soon be together, what had been bothering me these past weeks with Marcus was... he wasn't Jake. I could be as overprotective of a father as I wanted to, but when it came down to it the only man I ever wanted Nessie to be with was Jacob. Jake was my brother. He was my son. My loyalty fell to him, and it wasn't just my daughter that was bringing out my protective nature - but Jacob as well. This was just as much about his pain and his feelings, as it was about her.

I'll be back, Jake said silently, already walking out the door. I need to run.

Emmett came in and leaned on the piano. "How awkward was that? It's one thing when no one knows you have a crush on someone, but we all know - well we minus Nessie."

"We agreed when she was born that we were on her time. If Jake wanted to he could profess his love for her, but he won't. He wants her to figure out her feelings on her own."

"Whatever," Emmett shrugged. "It just seems kind of dramatic to prolong this. Can't you just tell her about imprinting and let her figure the rest out on her own?"

"No we cannot," Bella's voice came sharply from the living room. "Do you know how much that would freak her out? She is still only seven, whether she looks eighteen or not. She doesn't have the same life experiences as the rest of us. There's a part of her who is still immature in many ways."

"Emmett, are you coming to hunt with us?" I could see Rosalie sitting on the couch. She hadn't said a word to Jacob; they probably would never really get along.

One by one the rest of the family disappeared out of the window leaving me alone with my wife. She sat down next to me to watch me play, her fingers running along my arm. "What's worrying you so much Edward? Marcus is a good kid, he'll be fine with her."

I stopped playing and took her hand. "It just doesn't feel right."

"I know." Her free hand moved to my face, turning me so her lips could find mine. I closed the top to the keyboard and picked her up, sitting her on top of it.

I brought her in for a desperate kiss. She could feel how badly I needed her and returned the intensity by pulling me into her. My hands went under her shirt, running up and down her soft body and she gasped.

"Bedroom?" she whispered.

I fingered the waist of her pants, finding the button to her jeans. "No."

"Edward, someone could-" I didn't let her finish, my lips were crushing into hers and in one quick motion she was nearly naked, sitting on my piano. We had never been this bold before.

She closed her eyes and leaned her head back as my hands continued to explore her.

"Bella. Bella, look at me. Don't take your eyes off of me." And she didn't, the entire time.

I heard Jacob's thoughts early enough that we were able to get dressed and curl up on the couch together before he came through the front door. Jake only raised his eyebrows, pressing his lips together trying to stifle a smile. I glanced over to the piano room and my boxers were there on the floor. In my haste I had forgotten to put them back on.

I won't say anything. I know she'd be humiliated.

Bella was too perceptive and I knew if I nodded or even moved my eyes she'd know he was talking to me. What I really wanted to do was talk to him. I wanted to tell him that I was on his side and I wanted him for my daughter... but I didn't know if that would make the situation worse or better.

His amusement with our sexual escapades quickly diminished and he stared out the same window again. Where is she? What's taking so long? If he tries anything with her I swear.

The rest of the family was back only minutes before we heard Marcus pull up. I could hear his thoughts before he even put the car in park.

Stupid kiss. I shouldn't have kissed her. It's that Jacob guy, I know it is. Stupid. Stupid. Stupid. She's so amazing though. Man, her family is such a bunch of busybodies.

I noticed then that everyone but Jacob had moved to the windows and were looking at the couple from behind the curtains. Jacob stood across the room, his arms crossed in front of him, and his thoughts were both painful and angry.

"He kissed her," I growled. "Little pest."

Alice rolled her eyes. "Well that's usually what happens at the end of a date, Edward."

I'm going to kill him, Jake's mental tone immediately got me worried that he would try something. I always questioned the control he had over his transformation if Renesmee was ever involved.

"Jacob," I warned, "don't even think about it."

He touched her Edward! How are you okay with that? How?

I wasn't okay with it, but I couldn't give that away, it would only add more fuel to the fire. I shook my head and closed my eyes.

Emmett distracted me by laughing. Renesmee in her urgency to get out of the car, her thoughts frazzled and confused, tripped and almost landed on her face. I shouldn't have kissed him. This is all wrong. I know I hurt him. Ugh, this is horrible. Oh shoot! Ugh, they're all going to make fun of me for being clumsy.

"The date didn't go so well, let's not pester her about it, okay?" I looked around the room, and stopped on Emmett who was still amused with her close call. "Don't even think about teasing her, Emmett."

Renesmee was worse than she sounded when she walked through the door, looking like she was near tears. "I don't want to talk about it," she muttered avoiding eye contact.

"Nice tri-" Emmett completely disregarded my warning, but Rosalie jabbed him as soon as he opened his mouth.

I held my breath as she walked by Jacob, his thoughts still extremely bitter. I was begging him with my eyes not to say anything, but it was too late. "Date with Prince Charming not go so well?"

The fury in me skyrocketed so quickly that I could barely see. Bella and Emmett both grabbed an arm, even though that probably wouldn't have helped at all. By the time I got back in control of myself Renesmee was slamming the door to her room.

We all stood there silent.

A minute went by, the only noise was Jacob's short, shallow breaths and erratic heartbeats. Then I heard her crying.

"I highly suggest you leave now, Jacob." My words were short and static.

For one of the first times ever, Jacob Black did not argue with me, but left with his head hanging low. He leaned over to Bella and whispered an apology, but she refused to acknowledge him.

"Should I go in?" Bella finally asked.

"I think you need to let her cry it out. She is really confused right now, but it's all right. It won't be long." Alice had her infamous secret smile on her face.

"Can you see something, Alice?"

"It's almost impossible to be certain of a time frame since I really can only see our reactions and not Jacob or Nessie, but it'll all be out in the open soon enough."

"She's definitely torn right now. I think she realized a lot tonight." I didn't go into specifics with them, but she was openly admitting her feelings for Jake - an odd sense of relief and worry ran through me at the same time.

"Why don't we just tell the mutt? Give him the go ahead." Rosalie finally put in her two cents.

Esme was shaking her head. "No, just because we have Edward and Alice's abilities, doesn't mean we should mettle with the situation. They have to handle this on their own. We can't interfere."

My mother, as always, was right.

It wasn't until I couldn't hear her crying anymore did I relax some. Bella made me sit on the couch with her and watch television with Emmett. Jasper, who hadn't said a word in a very long time, sat on the arm of the chair and leaned over to me.

"Remember when you didn't know how Bella felt about you? Try and remember back to the very beginning how you were miserable over it. Now multiple that by one hundred and that's what is going through Jacob right now. I know this because I could handle your emotions, while his almost knock me over they're so overpowering."

"You don't understand," I said through my teeth.

"I'm not trying to, I'm just giving you another perspective." With that he left. He would have no more to say on the subject.

I was never one for television, but I didn't want to leave Bella's side. Eventually, I could hear Jacob's thoughts from outside, and faintly hear him pacing. I should have figured he wouldn't be able to go far.

It had been over one hundred years since I last had a dream or nightmare, but a second later it was as if the most horrible one I could think of was coming to life. Renesmee was screaming.

Everyone was scrambling to their feet, the nerves overtaking our gracefulness. Jacob was in the house before I reached her bedroom door, Renesmee's blood curdling screams still piercing our ears.

Jane. Blood. Death. I saw her nightmare. I saw her dying.

I didn't bother to knock, but instead ripped the door off of its hinges and threw it aside, crashing against the frame, splintering the wood. I was at her side pulling the comforter that was over her head off. It was drenched in sweat, as was her entire body.

"Renesmee!" I screamed afraid that I would hurt her if I shook her in my current state of panic.

She opened her eyes, but she didn't really seem to be in there completely. Her hand flew up to her neck and held it, her breathing still labored, her eyes darting around trying to gain some sense of consciousness. Her body started to shake so violently it looked like she was having a seizure. Bella picked her up and carried her to the bathroom. It wasn't until then did I see Jake's face and felt a stabbing pain in my heart. One single tear was sliding down his cheek, the voice in his head was so panicked, yet still trying to hold himself back from scooping her away from Bella, his latent instinct being to protect her.

My wife and sisters ran a bath for her while the rest of us paced outside.

"Carlisle, what was that? What's wrong with her?" I had never heard the tone of voice Jake was using, I couldn't even put an emotion to it.

"Night terror," Carlisle sighed. "She probably won't remember any of this, they usually don't completely wake up from it."

"What-what's a night terror?" Jake was losing it.

"It's not really a dream, but the feeling of pure fear," Carlisle sounded depressed speaking the words. "Sufferers can't recall anything about them, but I'm guessing, Edward, you can."

I heard Nessie's voice from instead the bathroom but I couldn't make out her words. "What sweetheart?" Bella asked her.

"She's asking for Jacob," Alice replied.

Rosalie came out of the bathroom to get a pair of pajamas for her and disappeared back inside.

"Jane. Jane was-," my voice broke, "she was killing her."

I wished my body could give into my emotions. I wished I were able to be sick, or at least faint. Something to escape from all of this.

Bella came out carrying my now extremely fragile-looking baby girl. Esme had already changed the sheets on the bed and they rested my still unresponsive daughter's head back on her pillow. Bella came over to me and gripped my hand, her breathing shaky.

"What caused this?" she asked.

"Lack of sleep, serious emotional stress or trauma," Carlisle ticked off reasons on his fingers. "It normally only happens in children, but since Renesmee is technically only seven years old, it's hard to gauge where her mental development, regardless of how advanced she is, compares to her physical development."

We had a clear view of her from the hallway now that there was no door. Jake stood there staring at her, trying incredibly hard not to run to her, trying not to overstep his boundaries.

"Can I- can I sit in there with her? I promise I won't bother her." He was looking at me.

It seemed that days had gone by since she had left on her date, even though it had only been several hours. I had decided then that Jacob is whom I wanted for her, and I should honor that decision. I nodded and he went to the chair in the corner and sat down, his eyes not moving off of her.

The rest of us could stand for an eternity with no need to ever sit again, and so we stood out in the hallway looking between a now peaceful Nessie, and a forlorn Jacob.

"What is she dreaming about?" Bella pulled on my arm.

"Nothing."

"Edward, I'm serious, you can tell me!"

"I am, love. There isn't anything there; her mind is blank."

It was soon only Bella and I standing there, the rest of the family eventually wandering off to do their own nightly activities. Jake didn't moved from his place in the chair.

"How do I protect her from this?" I wasn't talking directly to Bella, but I needed to talk out my thoughts. "She dreams about them too much. Now she dreams that she's going to die."

"There isn't anything you can do, Edward." She was rubbing my back, talking smoothly.

"I will never let anything happen to her Bella, I swear. Either of you." I brought her closer to me and kissed her forehead. "You two are my world."

"I know." And we stood there for hours longer, until the sun started to rise and Jacob's head started to nod off in exhaustion.

"Jake, get some sleep," I leaned over and whispered to him. "I'll call you if anything comes up."

"I can't leave her," he shook his head.

"Jake, please, she went through a lot last night. I don't want to overwhelm her when she wakes up."

Can I? He looked over at her and back to me. I nodded.

In two strides he was at her bedside, only staring at her at first. Bella must have had her shield up because there were no thoughts to match his expression. Just like the other night, the night I had gotten so mad at him over, he leaned down and kissed her forehead. He didn't say another word to us as he left, just the sound of his motorcycle as he drove off.

I took his place in the chair, and Bella kissed the top of my head before leaving me alone with her. Renesmee's bronze hair was displayed wildly around her pale face and I her lips were parted ever so slightly to allow for a rhythmic intake of air. I had been so mesmerized by her, I didn't notice the sun coming through her window until she began to stir. I froze.

So the bath was real, she thought as she noticed her pajamas. She tried to replay the night but all she could hold onto was the fear.

"I'm okay," she tried to speak but her voice was raw from the screaming.

I couldn't speak or move. A part of me felt helpless. Felt dead.

"Daddy?" She called me Daddy. My nonexistent heart started to beat and I woke up from my daze.

I was sitting with her on the bed, holding her with trembling arms. "Nessie, I'm so sorry. I'm sorry you have to be a part of any of this. I'm so sorry. I promise nothing will ever happen to you. Nothing will ever happen to Bella. I will never let any harm come to you. I swear my life on it."

"Dad, dad, dad," she patted me on the back. "I'm okay." He must have seen the dream. It must have been about them.

Her thoughts broke me again. "I'm so sorry."

She laid her head in my lap and we didn't say anymore. It didn't take long before she fell back asleep, looking as angelic as always.

An hour later Carlisle came in. Son, why don't you get out of the house for a little while?. Rosalie and Emmett want to show everyone their new place. You need to get your mind off of this.

I didn't want to leave her, but a part of me saw Carlisle's point.

Esme will stay here for when she wakes up, he added.

I didn't say anything while we ran through the woods, a much quicker mode of transportation than taking a car. My mind was jumbled with so many things, and even with the extra capacity my immortal brain could hold, it was difficult to sort everything out.

It wasn't until we reached the city limits did I find any clarity. There were two things I had to learn to accept: First, Jacob and Renesmee were in love with each other, and that's exactly what I wanted. Second, I was probably going to die fighting to keep them alive.

I hope that was more intense than angsty. I had to stop writing a few times because *I* was getting all emotional. Not crying, but just really overwhelmed. Please don't go and think I'm going to go all suicidal and start killing everyone off. Reviews like that just ruin my mojo. I really found while I started writing for Renesmee that I was seeing both Bella and Edward in her personality- she's really a mix of them with the things she says and does. I am falling in love with her... I LOVE writing for her :)

And yes, the cat is out of the bag that Jake and Nessie finally have feelings for each other - and everyone is so sure of it except for Jake and Nessie. This isn't fifth grade when your friend passes a note to the boy in the next row over to see if he likes you. The rest is up to them.

And does everyone love Daddyward? I love him! I think he's the most perfect dad ever! We didn't really know Daddyward before because boo three of Breaking Dawn is Bella's point of view. We all saw Bella's devotion to her daughter, but we didn't get to see Edward's. I hope this represents it well.

And night terrors are very real things. Wikipedia has a decent description of them if you're curious.