Whilst all copyright and trademarked items and all the Twlight characters and the background story from the Twilight Saga belong to Stephenie Meyer, the new characters and rest of the storyline belong to me. No copying or reproduction of this work is permitted without my express written authorisation.
Chapter 7 - Responsibility
It was going to be a long night. I had to work out how to get out of the house. I would need to be inventive and I was getting tired. It had been a long day and nothing I could come up with would see my parents let me leave the house. I decided to sleep on it and see what tomorrow would bring.
I woke early, the sun was just coming up. I had not slept well. Images of the guy and girl swirled around in my head. I got up and showered. I put on a pair of dark blue jeans and a black t-shirt and braided my hair. I packed a bag of clothes for a couple of days and left it on my bed. The morning had shone no light on how I was going to get out of the house, so I would have to play it by ear. I headed downstairs. Mum was the only one there. The house was oddly empty. I wondered where everyone was but did not ask.
"Morning Mum."
"Morning sweetie. You're up and about early."
"Am I? I feel plenty rested." I lied innocently.
"Do want some breakfast?"
"No thank you, I am not hungry."
"So, what are you up today?"
"That depends. Am I in trouble for last night or am I allowed out?"
"You're not grounded if that's what you mean." I nodded.
"Where is Dad?"
"I'm out here Nessie." Dad called from the porch.
I headed out to say hello.
"Morning Dad."
"Morning. So do you want me to drive you to the airport?" I did a double take. I did not expect it to be this easy. He must have talked to Sam and decided there was no reason for me not to go. I would be safe.
"You are not going to stop me?"
"No. Your Mum and I will follow in a couple of days."
"Thank you but I will drive myself."
"Alright. What time is you flight?"
"Dad, you already know, it is 9:20." I grinned.
"Sure, I can't change your mind?"
"No Dad, it is something I need to do."
"There will be a car waiting for you when you arrive in Port Angeles. I'll get Alice to follow me later and we'll pick your car up. Leave it in the short term parking lot."
"Okay. Thanks Dad."
'Make sure you say bye to Mum before you leave. Love you sweetie."
"Love you too Dad." I gave him a kiss and hug and went inside to goodbye to Mum.
She was waiting for me.
"Have a nice flight and ring me when you get there."
"I will Mum. I will see you in a couple of days. Love you."
"Love you too." She pulled me in close and hugged me then gave me a kiss on my cheek.
I could tell she was not happy with Dad for letting me go, that's why he was outside. I went upstairs to get the bag I had packed and then headed off.
The airport was just over an hours drive. When I arrived I found the short term parking. I had just pulled in to an empty space when I realised Dad would have a plan. He let me leave too easily but he knew how important this was to me. I was therefore unsurprised when I saw Jake waiting at the check-in counter. I decided I was going to ignore him. I did not want to speak to him yet. He would just try to talk me out of going anyway.
"Morning Ness." He had a smile on his face but it was too bright for the situation. It was almost smug.
"Jake." I answered tersely.
"Still determined to go?"
When I did not answer he continued.
"You won't get what you want. Your Dad has this already sorted and the treaty is still in tact."
Just as I suspected, Dad had gotten to Sam. I listened but still did not answer.
"Next." the lady behind the check-in counter called. I walked forward leaving Jake standing there.
"Hi, I have reservation for Renesmee Cullen."
"Yes, it's all paid. Just put your bag on the conveyor belt." I did what she asked.
"Thank you. Have a nice flight." she said handing me my boarding pass.
I took the pass and headed for the departure gates not waiting to see if Jake followed. There was still twenty minutes before my flight would be called so I went to the bathroom and freshened up. When I exited Jake was there waiting.
I headed for the bookstore next to get something to read on the plane. The kids at school were talking about a series by Anne McCaffrey - The Dragons of Pern so I decided I would try and get a couple. I usually did not go for those sort of books, I liked the classics like Shakespeare and Jane Austen but it had my curiosity piqued. The bookstore had the whole series. The books weren't very thick so I got three of them. If I got through them on the flight and liked them I would get some more when I got to Seattle whilst I waited on the connecting flight to Port Angeles.
I went to sit in the departure lounge. I took my MP3 player out and put the headphones in and sat there listening to music waiting on the boarding call. Waiting was making me impatient and I started to tap my foot. Jake laughed. Finally the call came over for us to board.
The flight went smoothly. The books were awesome. It took me a little while to get into the first one but once I worked out the characters they were really well written. There was something about the bond between the dragons and their riders that reminded me of Sam and Emily but I could not put my finger what it might be. It was like the books were telling me some vital information but I was missing the point of it. Jake was oddly quiet the whole trip and said nothing until we arrived in Seattle. Even when we stopped in Chicago he said nothing.
"You can still change your mind. It's not too late." he said as we were walking to board the small plane to Port Angeles.
"Jake, just go back to New Hampshire and leave me alone. I do not want you here." I snapped at him. He was really getting on my nerves.
"Sorry Ness, but I'm going home to see Rachel until the move to Astoria." he smirked.
The short flight from Seattle to Port Angeles took no time. We had just embarked when I heard my name called. It was a voice I knew very well. It was Grandpa Charlie. I looked up at the direction his voice was coming from and smiled. He was there in his police uniform waving at me. He had a smile just for me.
"Grandpa!" I yelled running to him.
"Wow, you've grown again." He said giving me a hug and kiss on the forehead.
"Carlisle said I have just about finished growing so I will not get any taller." We were just about on the same eye level.
"Hi Jake." He said as an after thought when he saw Jake standing there.
"Hi Charlie."
"Grandpa, what are you doing here? Dad said there would be a car waiting for me."
"Bella rang and said you were coming for a visit with Jake so I offered to pick you up. She said you were to stay with me and Jake was to stay on the reservation. He's to take you back and forth." So Mum had gotten her way after all.
"So, how may bags have you got?"
"Just one."
"One?" He raised an eyebrow.
"Grandpa. I packed it not Alice." We laughed. The last time I had come to visit for a weekend I had had three bags. Alice had packed for every situation.
"Alright, Let's go get it." He led the way to the luggage pick-up. We got my bag and headed for the cruiser.
"I'll meet you at Charlie's Ness, I'll go get the car your Dad organised."
"Okay. Bye." I said dismissing him. Grandpa looked at me with a furrow on his face.
"Nessie, what's going on?"
"Nothing Grandpa. I wanted to come by myself but Jake would not let me."
"Are you sure that's all this is?"
"Why do you say that?"
"You two are normally inseparable. Usually where one goes the other does."
"I am not a child anymore Grandpa. I do not need supervision twenty four seven. I wish everyone would realise it." I snapped angrily at him. I felt guilty taking my temper out on him.
"It's okay Ness I wondered when you would start acting like a normal teenager." He laughed.
"I am sorry Grandpa that was rude."
"You just let me know if you want Jake to leave and I'll throw him out at gunpoint if necessary." I laughed. I could not help it. The picture in my mind of Grandpa with his shot gun pointed at Jake making him back out of the house was too funny.
Our trip from Port Angeles to Forks took about an hour. Jake was already there when we arrived. He knew I would want to see Sam straight away. Grandpa got my bag out of the cruiser and showed me inside. I was staying in mum's old room like I always did. He had left it the same as when she was living here.
"Grandpa do you mind if I ring Mum, she asked me to let her know I got here?"
"Sure, go ahead."
I went into the kitchen and dialled our house when it went to the answering machine I dialled the main house.
"Hello."
"Hi Esme, it's Nessie, is Mum there?"
"Sure Ness, did you have a good flight?"
"Yes thank you."
"Bella, it's Nessie." She called. Mum must have been outside or upstairs because it took a few seconds for her to reach the phone.
"Renesmee. You made it." She sounded relieved.
"Yes, I made it."
"Good. Are you and Jake talking yet?"
"No. He is still trying to talk me out of seeing Sam."
"I don't understand why you're doing this but it's your decision. Your Dad and I talked about it and I respect your honesty even if I think what you're doing is not necessary."
"Mum."
"Yes sweetie."
"I love you."
"I know sweetie. I'll see you in a couple of days."
"Bye."
I hung up. Grandpa was leaning against the doorway looking at me.
"Ness, what is going on and do not lie to me?" he demanded.
"I need to talk to Sam."
"I worked that bit out. Why?"
"Need to know Charlie." Jake said grinning.
"I put the family in danger Grandpa and I need to talk to Sam about it." I replied ignoring Jake.
"Alright. If you need me to come get you just ring."
"I will."
It was a quiet trip to La Push. We did not talk. Jake drove straight to Sam's. When we got there Jake did not knock he just walked straight in.
"Sam? Emily?" he called.
"In here Jake. Emily called from the kitchen. Welcome home." She was putting a tray into the oven.
"Hi Nessie. It's good to see you again."
"It is good to see you too Em."
"Where's Sam?"
"He'll be back in a few minutes he's just organising a patrol."
"Another rogue?" he asked concerned.
"I think so."
"Anything I can help with?"
"You'll have to ask Sam."
"Make yourselves at home." She pointed to the lounge and stools. "Can I get you anything?"
"A drink thanks Em."
"Ness?"
I shook my head. "No thank you."
I went and sat on the lounge. Jake sat next to me so I moved as far away as I could. Emily came in with Jake's drink and frowned when she saw the distance between us. Sam entered then and walked straight to Emily and kissed her. Then they just stood their looking into each others eyes. A passage from the book I'd read earlier in the day came back to me. I blessed my vampiric recall.
Lessa swung the head around so that the many-faceted eyes were forced to look at her…. And found herself lost in that rainbow regard.
A feeling of joy suffused Lessa: a feeling of warmth, tenderness, unalloyed affection, and instant respect and admiration flooded mind and heart and soul. Never again would Lessa lack an advocate, a defender, an intimate, aware instantly of the temper of her mind and heart, of her desires.
I saw the devotion of the riders to their dragons in Emily and Sam. Jake was watching me look at them. The intense look in his eyes he had last night when I picked him up for the concert was there again. I caught his eyes just as pain flashed across his face before he could hide it. I looked away quickly and struggled to keep control of myself. The butterflies in the stomach ran out of control. Jake looking at me had never had these reactions. I did not understand it.
"So Ness.' I jumped. The sudden break from the intensity in the room startling me. "Jake says you want to talk to me." Sam said looking at me.
"Ah, yes. But I would like to do it alone if you do not mind." I glance sideways at Jake but he said nothing..
"I don't mind. Let's go outside."
I followed him out the front door. There was a seat to the side that we went and sat on.
"So what's up?"
I jumped straight in. "You know why I am here Sam. I killed a human last night. What I want to know is why you think I did not break the treaty."
"I know you killed someone. Yes you broke the treaty but it's not just my decision."
"I do not understand." Now I was confused.
"Jake is also an alpha. He's also the direct descendant of Ephraim Black. We made the decision together." He explained.
"But Carlisle renewed the treaty with you."
"Yes because Jake is family to him."
"Why is everyone treating me as if I did nothing wrong." I questioned him.
"I can't answer that Ness. I wasn't there."
"Will you let me show you." He nodded and I put my hand to his face to show him what had happened the night before. He winced when I got to the rape and then me killing the guy.
He took a few minutes to compose himself.
"Ness, I understand why you did it. It still does not change our decision."
"Well I do not understand. I feel like I am being handled with kid gloves."
"Trust me." He looked directly at me and put both hands on my shoulders. "Will you just give it some time?"
"I will try. But can you answer me a question?"
"Try me."
Why is it in Jake's eyes I can do no wrong?"
He took a deep breath before answering.
"I'm sorry Ness, I can't give you an answer."
"Can't or won't?" I spat at him and pulled myself away.
"Believe me I'd love to tell you, it would make life easier for us all, but I can't."
"Is it a wolf thing?"
"A wolf thing? Just be patient Ness. Everything will become clear soon enough."
"I will not say I like it but I will try. Thanks Sam."
We went back inside. Jake was watching TV and Emily was back in the kitchen putting more food on the stove.
"Jake, can you take be back to Grandpa's please?"
"Sure. Back soon Sam." He said getting up.
"Nessie, you're not staying for dinner?"
"No thanks Emily. I need some time by myself."
"Alright. We'll see you soon." She looked to Sam who shook his head.
Jake drove me back to Grandpa's. The trip was as silent as on the way down had been. I was lost in thought from my conversation with Sam. Dad had not saved me from the decision Jake had. When Jake pulled up out the front of Grandpa Charlie's I did not expect him to come in but he turned the car off.
I turned to confront him. I wanted an answer.
"Jake, why did you do this?"
"What Nessie?"
"Fix this so that nothing would happen to me?"
"I didn't, your Dad did."
"Do not lie to me." I seethed. "Sam told me it was your decision."
"Nessie. You're my family. There was no way I was going to let anything happen to you."
He reached out as if to hold me when I spat back at him. "Can you stop it? Stop being my family. Stop making decisions for me. Let me make mistakes. Let me take responsibility and whatever punishment I deserve."
The hurt and utter devastation on his face shook me. I got out of the car and headed for the door, Jake followed.
"Jake I can walk myself inside. I do not need supervision." I snapped.
"Nessie, wait." he called when I kept going.
I stopped and turned to face him.
"What Jake? I hissed at him with venom in my voice. "Just leave me alone. What happens to me no longer concerns you." He stopped dead like he had been slapped in the face and shook his head. He got back into the car and left before I could say anything. I put my hand up to stop him and tried to call his name but he never looked back and nothing would come out. A rip went through the centre of me. It was like I was watching half of me drive away leaving the rest me to face the world alone. I went and sat on the porch staring out into the yard.
