Chapter 8

The following day, the tribe spoke of and worked on nothing besides the wedding. Renesmee was happy to see it. Caevia deserved all this happiness more than anyone and it was nice to see so many working so hard to make this the best day of her life. She had to admit she admired how much value the tribe seemed to place on marriage and weddings. Caevia was already at William's and Sara's tent prepared to be sewed into her dress, but there was one thing Renesmee felt like she needed to do before anything else that day. Renesmee requested that Jacob take her to Leah's and Seth's tent so she could speak with Leah personally. The two may never have liked each other, but she felt terrible about what happened and she didn't want to leave their already tumultuous relationship like that. It took a few times for Jacob to completely understand what Renesmee was asking him, but he eventually, though reluctantly, agreed to take Renesmee to see Leah so they could talk. Jacob told them to open the small door when they got there and Seth was the one to answer.

"Seth," Renesmee started when Seth opened the door. "May I speak with Leah?"

"Get her away from me!" Leah yelled from inside the tent. Seth shrugged.

"I guess not," Seth answered.

"Please, Seth," Renesmee continued. "I want to apologize for what happened."

"I said get her away from me!" Leah yelled again from inside. This time, Renesmee gently pushed Seth aside and let herself in. When she came in, Leah grabbed a knife from one side of the tent and held it out in front of her, forcing Renesmee to keep a good distance. "Get out," Leah said.

"Leah, I just want to apologize for what happened. I know I scared you, but I really didn't mean it. I was so thirsty that I just lost control of myself when things started to get heated."

"Fine, now get out," Leah answered. Renesmee didn't leave, though. "If you expect either forgiveness or an apology from me, then you're out of your fucking mind!"

"I don't expect anything, Leah."

"You listen here you highbrow blood sucking cunt," Leah began again, "if there's anything my father taught me, it was how to cuss, shoot a gun and use a knife! Now get out!"

"He certainly did," Renesmee mumbled, getting ready to leave. At least she tried.

"Don't judge me," Leah said.

"Only if you don't judge me. I'm sorry you and Seth had to go through whatever happened to you, but I'm not the one responsible. From the sound of it, the only one at fault is your father so I suggest you take the matter up with him if you're still so upset."

"I already did," Leah said darkly.

"Then drop it," Renesmee answered in a harsh tone.

"Don't you tell me to drop anything."

"Leah," Seth stepped in, "can we just agree to disagree and let that be the end of it?"

"Fine, agreed. Now get out," Leah said. Again, at least Renesmee tried. She left with Jacob and the two made their way to William's and Sara's tent where Caevia was.

"Sorry about her," Jacob said suddenly which had Renesmee looking at him surprised. "She can be…stubborn. What is the word for…hard people?" Jacob attempted and Renesmee smiled.

"I think you mean 'stubborn'," Renesmee answered. "Stubborn was the Quileute word you said?"

"Yes," Jacob answered.

"I'm impressed you understood mine and Leah's conversation," Renesmee went on.

"I understood enough," Jacob answered.

"You really are coming a long way, Jacob. You'll be fluent before you know it."

"I don't understand," Jacob said. What he'd understood wasn't enough.

"You're doing well," Renesmee clarified. "Your English is improving."

"Improving?"

"Getting better," Renesmee rephrased. "You're doing good," Renesmee rephrased again just to be safe.

"Thank you," Jacob said with a smile. "You make easy practice."

"'You make it easy to practice,'" Renesmee corrected.

"You make it easy to practice," Jacob repeated.

"Very good," Renesmee praised. They arrived at William's and Sara's tent and let themselves in. Renesmee noticed how uncomfortable Sara looked when she entered compared to how she usually seemed. That really upset her. "Hello Sara," Renesmee said, then looked at Jacob. "Did I say that right?"

"Yes," Jacob answered. "Caevia asked Renesmee to help sew the dress."

"That doesn't go against tradition right? In my tribe, it was the family of the bride and I do consider her family," Caevia stepped.

"No, it doesn't go against tradition. I'll continue on this side, you do that side. You, off with you. You should know better than to be in a tent with a bride that isn't yours." Jacob smiled at his mother and said goodbye to Renesmee before stepping out.

"She told you to do this side," Caevia said, pointing to her left, once Jacob had gone. Renesmee kneeled to Caevia's left and started sewing with the needle and thread Sara had given her.

"Is she upset with me? Or is she scared of me?" Renesmee wasn't sure which would upset her more.

"Both," Caevia answered honestly. "She's been comforting Leah this whole time. That aside, though, Leah is Sara's niece. From what she tells me, she took those two in when they came running here from Forks after their father had killed their mom and Leah had shot her father."

"Good Lord," Renesmee mumbled. "No wonder she's so racist." Caevia laughed a little.

"Indeed," she confirmed. "Anyway, Leah's mom Uileila was Sara's little sister. So when Leah and Seth came here with nowhere else to go, she took them in as her own."

"Oh God," Renesmee mumbled, a little disgusted with herself. "I tried apologizing to Leah, but she wasn't very receptive. I can't say I can blame her."

"I wouldn't worry about it too much," Caevia said. "I want you to enjoy this day with me, so don't think about any of that."

"Can you at least help me tell Sara I'm really sorry about what happened?"

"Sure," Caevia said. She looked at Sara, who was completely focused on the dress and was close to being done. "Sara," Caevia said to get her attention. "Renesmee says she's extremely sorry for what happened with Leah the other day. She never intended to hurt her and Renesmee just allowed herself to go too long without feeding. It'll never happen again."

"I can't be sure of that," Sara mumbled. Then she thought a moment and sighed. "I can't stay angry at her. I know she's being sincere."

"She really is. And I can guarantee this will never happen again beyond a reasonable doubt," Caevia said knowingly despite Renesmee not understanding her.

"She needs to stay away from Leah for now, though. Maybe one day Renesmee and Leah can learn to like each other, but that day won't be any time soon. Just let Renesmee know that this doesn't change my opinion of her where my son is concerned. He imprinted on her for a reason, so I must trust that. If Jacob loves her, then so do I."

"Yeah," Caevia mumbled to herself, feeling a little bad. Rather than bring all that up to Renesmee, she just kept her comment simple. "She says she forgives you but Leah won't any time soon."

"I don't need Leah to forgive me," Renesmee answered. "Her forgiveness won't do a thing in the long run. She'll forget me when I leave just like everyone else will."

"Forget is a strong word," Caevia said reassuringly. "I would feel remise if I didn't attempt to ask you to stay. Where would I be without you?"

"You don't need me anymore," Renesmee said. "Embry's more to you than I could ever be."

"You underestimate how highly I think of you," Caevia said. "You're the closest to a sister I've ever had."

"You're the closest to a sister I could ever hope for too. But either way, I need to go home. I'm a married woman. Peter's certainly worried about me."

"What does it matter at this point? They certainly assume we're dead by now."

"I still need to go back. I made a commitment to Peter and he deserves for me to fulfill that for as long as I can."

"Renesmee, think about how you just said that. You're talking about a marriage the way I would expect you to talk about a school assignment. That's not what marriage is supposed to be."

"You know how I feel about all this, Caevia. We've been over it more times than I think either of us have wanted to go over it. I chose to marry Peter and I'm choosing to go back to him and be his wife like I promised to be." Rather than argue and ruin the moment, Caevia smiled and asked Renesmee to continue sewing her side of the dress.

Further south from the tribe, far from the mountains and not quite reaching the Pacific, Sgt. Lovejoy and his men coupled with Peter had just finished a sweep of two tribes near the tiny town of Elma and their search had come up frustratingly short yet again. Renesmee wasn't there, no one in the tribe recognized her when shown her picture, even upon employment of more severe methods of questioning, and no one had the faintest idea where she could be and who could have her, again, even upon more severe methods of questioning. No one in Elma recognized her either, though Sgt. Lovejoy wasn't too keen to trust the good people of Elma.

Naturally, the trip from Olympia to Elma had been very long going by horse and going around the large forest, so Sgt. Lovejoy saw it best to ask to take shelter there until the next day. However, upon arriving at a General Store that seconded as an inn, Lovejoy asked if he and his men could take shelter for the night and the keeper flatly refused. Sgt. Lovejoy thought the reaction strange until he saw a small boy working in the back that was undoubtedly Indian. The General Store owner, whether it be due to ill-fated friendship or worse yet a family bond with the heathens, was an Indian sympathizer and was certainly unhappy to hear of the rather harsh methods Sgt. Lovejoy saw fit to implement in order to get the information he needed. At the present time, Sgt. Lovejoy and his men were leaving the town hoping there might be another town nearby, otherwise they would have to set up camp and sleep outside. Such a thing was dangerous to do in a land riddled with Indians.

"It's getting dark, Sgt. Lovejoy," a young soldier announced as the sun began to wane into the horizon.

"So it is," Sgt. Lovejoy replied. "There's no use in complaining. We set up camp here for the night. Harrison and Mitchell, I want the two of you to see about finding some rabbits we can have for dinner."

"Yes, sir," both men saluted and proceeded into the trees with their guns drawn and ready to fire at the first sign of a careless hair.

"Hand me an apple," Sgt. Lovejoy said to Peter without ever looking in his direction.

"I should start charging you for these," Peter mumbled as he took an apple out of his bag and handed it to the Sergeant.

"Finding your wife is payment enough I would think."

"You haven't found her yet!" Peter yelled. "We're still searching for her!" Peter held his head down about to cry. "Whoever's taken her may have killed her by now."

"Now, now, don't cry," Sgt. Lovejoy said. "She's a pretty young thing, so I'm sure she'll be just fine. They may be savages but even savages appreciate a pretty face."

"How can you say something like that to me?" Peter yelled as they both dismounted and started setting up camp. "My wife is out there scared probably thinking no one's coming to help her and you're telling me I should be comforted by Indians likely preferring to rape my wife rather than kill her?!"

"She'll be alive, Mr. Wallis," Sgt. Lovejoy retorted. "In these situations, that's usually the best you can ask for. If you wanted me to save her before she got so much as a scratch on her, then I'm afraid you've asked for the wrong man to help you. If you want me to help you get your wife home dead or alive, then I can help you."

"Harrison and I got a rabbit, sir," Mitchell interrupted as he held up a large bunny.

"Good," Sgt. Lovejoy exclaimed. "Calm yourself and we'll eat some dinner Mr. Wallis. Stomping your feet and yelling won't save your wife now. If you want your wife back, you'll have to trust my judgment and do as I say, otherwise you can go back to Olympia and wait with her family like I had advised you to do."

"Sitting at home waiting would do nothing to save my wife," Peter said.

"Tagging along without a clue isn't helping her either, but it's too late for that now. Harrison, get a fire started so we can cook that rabbit. Hand out some apples too Mr. Wallis."

With a sneer on his face, Peter reached into his pack and started handing out more apples. It was a good thing he'd brought so many, but the way Lovejoy and his soldiers were plowing through those apples, they wouldn't last them much longer. Perhaps there would be apple trees to pick fruit off of along the way. One could only hope. Harrison butchered and cleaned the rabbit following building the fire and they shared the rabbit among themselves once the hair was cooked. After that, they were all ordered to get some sleep before they continued on to Aberdeen tomorrow. From there, it would be Hoquiam.

Back at the village, the new moon filled the night sky, barely visible. This was the first time since they incident that Renesmee was really incorporated into any village activity and she could tell the tribe wasn't thrilled with her presence. Some stared daggers at her while others avoided looking at her altogether. Renesmee looked at Jacob, who was sitting next to her, to see if he noticed but he was more focused on the ceremony. Embry and Caevia were seated next to each other right in front of the wood that was set up for the pyre. Across from them was Sokajili doing the necessary chants and throwing the right herbs into the pile of wood for when Embry and Caevia lit the fire. When they did, the flames shot up into the sky announcing their marriage and the tribe cheered for them. Following that, five women performed the fertility dance this time. Renesmee saw the same women from before with their sons, who were still babies, and one more woman who'd had a baby boy not too long ago. With the end of the dance came the rest of the celebration where everyone danced and feasted together. Jacob attempted to get Renesmee to dance with him, but Renesmee insisted she didn't want to. She knew she wasn't welcomed and she didn't want to push it.

"Just one dance," Jacob attempted to ask one last time, but Renesmee shook her head.

"It would upset everyone," Renesmee insisted.

"I've spoken with them," Jacob went on. "They accept you in time," Jacob said. Renesmee shook her head and didn't bother to correct his English.

"No, they won't," Renesmee said. "You can't order people not to be scared."

Jacob was demoralized by how uncomfortable Renesmee clearly was. He wasn't sure what more he could do about it. It seemed no one was doing what he and his father had told them to do and it was irritating him. Perhaps she wasn't embracing the tribe yet, but given time Jacob hoped she would. With that, he hoped she would love him as he loved her. That would mean Renesmee would be his wife. Even now when Jacob wasn't the chief yet, that would still give Renesmee a great deal of power in the tribe. They needed to accept her now and embrace her as one of them.

"It will change," Jacob promised, but Renesmee said nothing. It didn't matter what she said.

She looked at him and saw the determination that showed in his eyes and she couldn't help but think about daddy. Granted, daddy was far more rational about it but he was a bit bullheaded too. She tried not to allow herself to compare Jacob and her daddy. If she did, she might love him more. There really was no point in her denying that in the month or so that she's been here Jacob really grew on her. He was trying so hard to communicate with her and she admired his determination and strong will. Had things been different and she and Jacob had met in a different way, she could picture her daddy really liking him.

Embry and Caevia twirled several times around the fire for their first dance and Renesmee smiled whenever she looked at them. It was certainly warmer next to the fire than it was where Renesmee and Jacob were sitting. Despite her higher body temperature, even she could feel the chill of fall. It would be winter before long. She remembered how unreasonable the winters were in Chicago. She could only imagine the same could be said for Washington's winters, especially since the tribe is so close to the water just like back home. At one point, Caevia looked in Renesmee's direction, then appeared to say something to Embry. Afterwards, she came to Renesmee and kneeled down.

"Since you won't dance with Jacob, how about you and I dance?" Despite the smile on her face and her chipper tone, Renesmee could tell what Caevia really wanted to talk about, so Renesmee nodded.

"Okay," Renesmee answered. She didn't look at Jacob, who was undoubtedly extremely confused why she would agree to dance with Caevia and not him. Embry sat down with Jacob in Renesmee's place. Jacob and Embry watched as Caevia and Renesmee danced together and people moved away so as to avoid Renesmee. The site had Jacob's skin crawling.

"Stop being so sad," Embry said after a bit. "You're supposed to be happy for me on my wedding day."

"I am happy for you," Jacob defended. "I'm just upset everyone's treating Renesmee this way."

"It's not going to happen overnight Jacob. I'm sorry but you'll just have to be patient." Jacob looked up at Renesmee and saw that she and Caevia were no longer dancing together. They seemed to be engaged in a rather emotional and serious conversation.

"It's been longer than overnight. It's been three days."

"That's still a bit too soon, Jacob." Embry stopped to think about something and the thought that came to his head made him smile. "Do you remember what my mother used to tell all of us when we were little? Do you remember how you used to complain when something wasn't growing fast enough or the salmon hadn't swam upstream yet?"

"'Don't be so impatient,'" Jacob smiled at the thought. "'The tastiest fish come to those that wait and the best potatoes come when they're good and ready.'"

"'Always remember the strongest mountain took years to earn his name and by virtue all great things must earn their own,'" Embry finished the saying. Embry let a tear go and brushed it away.

"I miss her too," Jacob said, patting Embry's back. "Your mom would've loved Caevia."

"I know she would've," Embry smiled. "Are you and Quil still going on patrol tonight?"

"Yes," Jacob answered. "Last night, we found a sweet smell and we need to make sure it stays away."

"Do you need me to come?"

"No," Jacob laughed a little. "You focus on more important things."

"More important indeed," Embry replied and the two of them laughed together. "The sooner she's pregnant, the better. She wants a baby so badly."

"She certainly deserves one from what you've told us. Give it a good Quileute name."

"She might want to give our child a more traditional name from her tribe."

"If the similarity in language in any indicator, their names are probably the same as ours. You shouldn't have trouble agreeing on something nice."While Embry and Jacob were talking, Caevia and Renesmee were having a conversation of their own. It started simple when Caevia took Renesmee with her to the pyre so they could dance. Both ignored how the other people immediately distanced themselves from Renesmee.

"Can you believe I'm married now?" Caevia asked to start.

"I'm happy you found someone that deserves you. I can't say how you two met was what I had in mind," Renesmee joked and the two laughed as they continued to dance around the fire. "I think you'll be happiest here."

"It's the happiest I've been in a long time. I'll be happier once Embry and I have children."

"I know you will be. Perhaps one day I'll meet them," Renesmee said and that's when the two stopped in their tracks and people continued to dance around the fire.

"I knew you were planning to but," Caevia started and tried breathing deeply. "I guess it's becoming more real to me and I don't really like it. I can't even think of a time we've been separated since I came to be under your family's roof."

"I can't either. You were even with us when we went to the Fair." Caevia shuddered.

"Aside from the obvious serial killer issue, it was a really nice trip."

"Oh come on," Renesmee smiled, "We would never have known about that if it hadn't been in the paper a few weeks later. Besides, he only said hello to us."

"Yes, but what if he'd offered us a place to stay or something? Then we'd end up in his basement in a furnace after getting a tour of his lovely little house of horrors."

"Well we didn't, so don't worry about it so much," Renesmee said, still smiling. "Honestly, you're worse than daddy sometimes."

"Whatever, we're veering off topic." Caevia took another deep breath and looked at Renesmee seriously. "I don't know what's compelling me to do so, but I really do want you to stay. I know I've been the one working so hard to get us out of here before, but now it seems wrong to leave. It seems wrong for both of us."

"You can stay, Caevia. You'll be happy. You're married now. Everyone has accepted you. I'm not wanted here and I have a husband to go home to. I was taken here. I never asked to be forced here only for me to be scorned first for my race and then for my lineage. Even if I wanted to stay, it's for the best that I leave."

"I suppose you're right," Caevia said, decided to not bother bringing up Jacob. She understood imprinting a lot more now. What Embry felt for her was certainly what Jacob felt for Renesmee. It seemed wrong to leave him, but she knew that if Renesmee really felt the same way about Jacob that Caevia did about Embry, she wouldn't be able to leave. She might start to, but something would stop her. Only time would tell now.

"Perhaps I'll check up on you some day," Renesmee said.

"I'd be heartbroken if you didn't," Caevia said. "When are you leaving?"

"Tonight when Jacob's gone and when everyone's asleep. I'll spirit away like dust in the wind. It'll be like I was never here."

"I really will miss you, Renesmee," Caevia said. "Let your family know I'll miss them too."

"I will," Renesmee assured. Then she and Caevia shared a big hug and eventually returned to dancing around the fire so they could have a proper goodbye.

Eventually, Embry stepped in to let Caevia know it was time they went back to his tent. Caevia had already been explained this, but Embry told her again that for three days, they were to be left completely alone with their food offerings and with some ample alone time. Before going with him, Caevia gave Renesmee one final hug. As she and Embry walked away, Embry couldn't help but notice how sad she'd looked, but he avoided bringing it up until they were alone in his tent. Their tent now.

"So what were you and Renesmee talking about earlier?"

"I'd really rather not say,"Caevia said.

"Caevia, you don't have to be secretive with me, especially not now."

"I'm not being secretive,"Caevia said, but then she sighed. "Renesmee told me she's planning to leave when Jacob is out tonight and everyone's asleep."

"She's still planning to leave?"

"She's not happy, Embry," Caevia said bluntly. "There are three people she can talk to. Seth is usually with Jacob and Leah's hardly one for conversation, so she's just left with me."

"Jacob's learning her language. Like you've said, he's getting much better."

"Perhaps, but that's still too few people. And even if she understood our language, she's never really been accepted among your people."

"Our people,"Embry jumped in to correct.

"Alright, our people. But she's not accepted and that really hurts her. She's used to people just liking her and the culture shock mixed with everyone having such a distrust for her is too much. No matter what she feels for Jacob, this isn't where she belongs. No one's making an effort to make her feel like she belongs at least and I can't pretend their disdain isn't unfounded after what happened with Leah. She knows that and she feels horrible about what happened. Leah pushing down her apology the way she did hasn't helped either."

"She just needs to give everyone time,"Embry argued on behalf of Jacob.

"Time won't change that everyone's scared of her. Fear never translates to love and acceptance."

"Jacob will still go after her," Embry stated after a moment of silence. "He's rationalized that he'd let her go, but it wouldn't last. He'd go after her because something deep down is telling him Renesmee needs him."

"Then that's what'll happen," Caevia said. "I didn't want to talk about this, least of all now."

"I know," Embry said. He scooted over to Caevia and held her tightly in his arms. From there, Embry just focused on Caevia. Jacob would have to deal with it the way he saw fit. Embry telling him Renesmee's plan wouldn't likely change anything. Undoubtedly, Jacob already suspected it was coming.

After Embry and Caevia left, the party dispersed and went back to their own tents after doing some clean up. Jacob took Renesmee right back to his tent and when they got inside, Renesmee went right to the corner where the blanket was.

"I leave for the night," Jacob eventually said.

"Okay," Renesmee said as she laid down. She expected Jacob to leave right then and there, but he didn't. She heard him stand and she watched him cover the hole at the top of the teepee. Renesmee could only think to call it a sunroof. "What are you doing?"

"It will rain," Jacob said. "It feels like hard rain."

"Oh," Renesmee said. She hadn't anticipated it raining. She'd have to try and get to Forks before it did. "Will you be alright out there when it's raining? It's been getting really cold out."

"Alright," Jacob said initially. "I'll be alright," Jacob rephrased. He knew he'd taught Renesmee how to say that. "My body warm, I resist outside."

"Oh," Renesmee said, though she wasn't entirely convinced. She had noticed Jacob had a higher body temperature, but she did too and even she couldn't stand the cold if it got bad enough. "Maybe you shouldn't go tonight anyway," Renesmee said. It would mean leaving a little later, but she could run once Jacob was asleep. She knew he was a heavy sleeper. "Vampires don't like hunting when it's raining outside. It throws off the scent of prey."

"I don't understand," Jacob said.

"Cold one," Renesmee began after thinking a moment, scrounging up relevant words that she knew. "No outside," she couldn't think of the word for rain, so she took both her hands and placed them above her. She wiggled her fingers as she moved her hands down, trying to indicate rain. "Rain," she said for affirmation.

"Cold ones don't hunt in the rain?" Jacob asked. "Cold ones, hunt rain, no," Jacob said in English.

"Cold ones don't hunt in the rain," Renesmee said.

"Cold ones don't hunt in the rain," Jacob repeated. "You used other word," Jacob said.

"Vampire," Renesmee said. "Englishword of cold one," she managed.

"Vampire don't hunt in the rain," Jacob said.

"Vampires," Renesmee corrected. "Plural."

"What plural?"

"It means more than one." Jacob nodded letting her knew he understood what she was saying now. Now he just had to tell her the contrary as best he could.

"Cold ones hunt in rain. We've seen them," Jacob said.

"They're traveling more likely," Renesmee said.

"Traveling?"

"Moving from place to place," Renesmee clarified. "You really are doing very well," she said.

"Thank you," Jacob smiled. "I see you in the morning," Jacob said before walking out. Renesmee didn't answer before he left. That smile he gave her before he left had her feeling sick to her stomach now. She took a deep breath and braced herself, though, and found ways to keep herself occupied until it was late enough that no one would see her leave.

As time passed, Renesmee didn't hear any rain. Maybe Jacob had been wrong about it. She couldn't say how late it was when she decided it was time to leave, but she could tell the moon was beginning to set though not low enough for the sun to start peeking through. Before Renesmee left, she took off her heavier dress and left herself only in her slip, knickers and loosened corset. Her first thought was to do so because the dress would weigh her down when she ran. Though part of her decided to leave it so that Jacob would always have something of her, even if it was only a dress. It made her feel a little better. Her mood had soured more and more the sooner it came to her time to leave. Taking off the dress and leaving it on Jacob's blanket had her nearly ready to collapse from dizziness, but she soldiered through it. Upon taking off her dress, Renesmee poked her head out of the tent to make sure there was no one around or watching. When she was sure she was clear, she stepped out quietly and began to make her way to the woods in the direction Leah had shown her and Caevia. When Leah had taken them, they'd walked and the trip took forever. Hours even. Now that she was free to run, she could probably make it there in much less time. When she was sure she was safe to, she began running. She was nowhere near as fast as her parents, but she was faster than most and she could go longer than most too.

It was freezing outside and she could feel it. She was more concerned it might snow rather than rain. Leaves crunched beneath her feet so audibly she feared they could be heard for miles, but she kept running. Thirty minutes into her run to town, the first flake of snow fell. Turns out she'd been right about it being too cold to rain. She took no notice of them, though. Instead she focused on running and began thinking of any excuse for her sudden appearance and state of undress that would explain her presence without damning Jacob or the others. She settled on a hoax story of how bandits had forced themselves into her house and taken her and Caevia away and only now had she been able to escape with her life. Caevia, sadly, had not been so lucky and was killed by the bandits when they tried to fight back. With a nod to herself, Renesmee settled on that story. It was perfectly believable and it would leave the Quileutes out of the equation completely. They could all start looking for ghost bandits for all she cared. She could tell them they were likely hiding in the mountains or something. The closer Renesmee got to Forks, however, the slower she began to run. She hadn't noticed initially, but eventually she noticed that she was going from running at a reasonable pace to what could be described as a crawl. The snow had intensified and it was getting really windy. Perhaps the cold was slowing her down.

Her shoes had begun wearing out since she'd been taken to the tribe and there were small holes in both. She felt the cold in her feet and it began to sting the further she went. She was walking the last part of her trip before she knew it, holding herself, trying to stay warm as best she could. It made the rest of the trip take much longer. Her ears were throbbing, her nipples hardened painfully, excruciatingly even, her toes hurt, the tips of her fingers hurt, and she was shivering uncontrollably. At one point she realized she'd stopped moving entirely because she was shaking so much. She continued on when she realized she'd stopped and attempted to run, but her feet wouldn't let her run. She was too cold to run. Through the treetops, Renesmee was beginning to see the slightest color indication that the sun was coming up. The trip had taken much longer than she'd anticipated. She did eventually reach the edge of the woods right outside the entrance of the town. It had looked just the way it did when she and Caevia had been shown the way here by Leah. From there, she couldn't go forward. She was so cold and she just couldn't do it. Then she realized she was crying a little. She hadn't been able to go before either. Something was stopping her. Eventually, she just collapsed as she cried.

Earlier, Jacob and Quil were running outside the perimeters of the tribe scouting for any of the smell they'd found before. It seemed it had long since moved on and no other smell followed it. While Jacob was running around though, once scent caught his full attention and he began to panic. His first thought was to assume she really had decided to run away on her own after all. Then he thought that perhaps she was just hunting. Jacob told Quil to keep circling the village while he followed Renesmee's smell to make sure she was okay. He hoped it was a simple matter of her hunting. He'd have to ask her not to do that without him. He wasn't sure how able bodied being half cold one made her, but he wasn't willing to find out if she could stand up to a cold one or not. However, if she'd really decided she was going to go back, he'd follow her until he was sure she was home safely. He wanted to make sure of that much. He knew he'd go back and go back often, but if she really wasn't happy with him, he'd accept it with his head down and at a reasonable distance. Jacob kept following the smell and his heart dropped further and further the closer it was getting to Forks. The smell was fresh and he could hear the faintest footsteps up ahead. He noticed how cold it got and the snow only made it worse. He'd been close at least. As he continued to follow her smell, he smelled something strange and he held his head in the air sniffing the wind that blew in his direction. It smelled like her, but something strange and salty. When he heard a loud thump, that's when he started running as fast as he could. He reached Renesmee in seconds and he found her laying on the ground shivering violently without her dress, only a much thinner dress that was less suited for the weather at hand.

Jacob released a resounding bark as he approached her. She jumped at the sound of his bark as if she'd been asleep or dozed off. Jacob changed back to human once he was next to her and without warning, she grabbed onto him. She was freezing to the touch and he wrapped his arms around her desperate to warm her. Then Jacob began to overhear people talking as they turned on their lights. He looked towards the town, then down at Renesmee as she clung to him. He didn't have time to consider whether to take her to town or not. If she really wanted to go, he would take her himself, but for now he needed to get her back to the village and to Sokajili. He'd know what to do.

Jacob lifted Renesmee up as he stood and cradled her from the cold as best he could, and then he ran as fast as he could back to the village. At his speed, he got there in minutes. Upon arriving at the village, Jacob ran straight to Sokajili's tent and broke the locking string as he barged in. When Sokajili awoke from the noise, it was violent and sudden.

"What!" Sokajili yelled over and over until he was upright and saw Renesmee in Jacob's arms. The girl looked paler than usual and her undergarments were wet and covered in dirt. "What happened?"

"I found her outside Forks on the ground. She was just lying there and she's freezing!"

"Calm down and put her there," Sokajili said, indicating the medical bed on the other side of his tent. Jacob rested Renesmee on the blanket and stepped back when Sokajili approached. He felt her cheeks and felt how cold she was. Upon further examination, he could find nothing else wrong, but she was a hair away from succumbing to the cold. He wouldn't imagine such a thing possible given her heritage, but it appeared he was wrong. "She needs to be warmed up. Get this ridiculous thing off her and cradle her. Her dress is wet, it'll only keep her cold. I'll make a warming tea for her to drink." Sokajili turned to his corner where his herbs were and prepared the necessary herbs. Then he lit a fire so he could heat some fresh water in a pot to steep them. In the meantime, Jacob did as Sokajili instructed and removed Renesmee's wet garments.

He started with a tight thing that had string in the back. He tried untying it, but it was taking way too long, so he just ripped it off her and tossed it behind him. The rest of the garments came off much easier and he threw those behind him like he did with the other, tighter thing. When her clothes were gone, he immediately laid down on the blanket with her and held her to his chest. He wasn't sure if she was awake anymore or not, but she did desperately place her hands between hers and Jacob's chests and it made him flinch how cold she was. Her feet were cold against his own as well, but he kept her feet wrapped between his and he grabbed another blanket and placed atop the both of them. She was still shivering, but not as violently. Jacob covered part of her face with his own hoping she'd be able to warm her nose with her breathing. It felt like it took forever, but Sokajili eventually completed the warming tea and told Jacob to hold Renesmee up so they could give it to her. Jacob maneuvered the blanket as he sat up so he and Renesmee were still under the blanket keeping as much of her covered from the cold as possible.

"Renesmee," Sokajili began. "Are you awake?"

"Are you awake?" Jacob asked Renesmee so she'd be sure to understand. She shivered and moaned a little but managed to open her eyes.

"Tell her to drink this so we can warm her up," Sokajili told Jacob.

"Renesmee, drink that," Jacob repeated to Renesmee. She didn't answer, but Sokajili brought the drink near her lips anyway. He'd made sure already that it wasn't too hot to drink. In her daze, Renesmee tried to drink, but the taste was vile. It was unbearably bitter and smelled like perfume. She pulled her lips away and a little spilled on her chest. At first it wasn't so bad, but then the chill made it cold. "Please drink it," Jacob asked, but she shook her head.

"Hold on, I'll mash some apples so it'll be sweeter." Sokajili took the cup with him while he went to another corner and grabbed an apple, but then he stopped. "Does she eat apples?"

"Renesmee," Jacob said, "Sokajili ask if you like apple….apples," he corrected himself after a moment.

"No," Renesmee mumbled.

"No, she doesn't like apples."

"Then she'll have to drink it as is. I'm not going to hunt down a deer and put blood in here for her." He came back over and tried giving the drink to Renesmee again. "Tell her there's only a little left."

"Only small amount left," Jacob managed. "Please drink," he pleaded. Jacob maneuvered the blanket again so he could release his left arm from under it. He kept the blanket around them with his right hand and took the cup from Sokajili. "I'll give it to her."

"Good. Once she drinks that, take her back to your tent. I can't let her take up the patient bed when all she suffers from is a chill."

"Yes, Uncle," Jacob said. Sokajili went back to his own bed and tried going back to sleep while Jacob attempted to get Renesmee to drink the tea. "Please drink Renesmee. It make you feel better," Jacob pleaded again. There was no use in arguing, so Renesmee allowed Jacob to tilt the cup so she could drink the tea. When it was gone, Jacob put the cup next to the fire pit so he could wrap the blanket around her and carry her back to his tent.

It was still early, but a few people were already out of their tents and watched Jacob carry Renesmee back to his tent. Among the people that saw was Jacob's mother, who noticed from across the clearing while she was eating breakfast with a few other women. Unsure what else to do, she left the group she was in and went to Caevia's and Embry's tent. She patted on the leather door and asked for Caevia directly, who was still asleep with her head on Embry's chest.

"Caevia, wake up. Jacob just took Renesmee out of Sokajili's tent. I think there might be something wrong." When she heard that, Caevia was suddenly wide awake and rushed around to find a dress to throw on before leaping from the tent and running after Jacob.

"What did you do?" Caevia yelled at Jacob when she was right behind him.

"I didn't do anything but bring her back when I found her collapsed outside Forks. She nearly froze to death!"

Renesmee!" Caevia yelled, ignoring Jacob altogether. She ran to his side and looked up at Renesmee and was horrified when she saw how out of it she looked. She looked like a ghost and her eyes seemed miles away.

"She needs rest, so just leave her be. I'll take care of her."

"I'll leave after she wakes up and I can make sure she's alright."

"I'll come get you when she's awake, but for now just leave her alone." Jacob, admittedly, got a mild satisfaction in throwing Caevia's words right back at her, but he kept his face stern and continued on. Embry had caught up to them and asked Caevia to come back to their tent and let Jacob take care of Renesmee. Caevia did relent and she went back with Embry, but was sure to tell Jacob to inform her the minute Renesmee was awake. Jacob promised he would and walked into his tent. It was then that he saw Renesmee's dress on his blanket. She'd folded it up so nicely and he could tell it still smelled like her. He took that dress and put it to the side so Renesmee could lay on his blanket, still wrapped in the one he'd gotten from Sokajili.

Renesmee's eyes had been somewhat open until Jacob rested her down on his blanket. Her eyes closed when her head touched the ground and she didn't wake up for nearly three days. Jacob stayed with her the entire time. He had Quil go on patrol alone until it was officially past the three day grace period of Embry's and Caevia's wedding. He told them both to come get him if he was needed, but otherwise he would stay with Renesmee. Caevia popped in constantly to check on her. The more time past that Renesmee didn't wake up, the more frequent Caevia's visits became. It was late morning when Renesmee finally opened her eyes. Caevia had come to check on her just a half hour prior. Jacob was by her side carving at a piece of word. Renesmee noticed a few figurines scattered around him in various animal shapes. She could only imagine they were supposed to be toys. Renesmee didn't really move or make a sound to indicate she was awake, but the tilt of her head to look at the small toys was enough to catch Jacob's attention. He stopped what he was doing, put both the wood and knife aside and shifted so he was kneeling above her.

"You're awake!" Jacob announced with a smile. Renesmee figured out what he must be saying and nodded.

"I'm awake," she said. "How long was I asleep?"

"Days," Jacob answered. "I found you near town. You were cold. I take you back for help."

"You 'took' me back," Renesmee corrected. "Past tense."

"Paste tense?"

"It's how a word changes to indicate something happened in the past. Take becomes took, have becomes had, and so on." Jacob smiled at her.

"You much better already," he said, his smile still broad.

"You are," Renesmee corrected. She finally sat up not realizing she was naked until the blanket fell and she felt the chill. She hurried to pull it up over her and blushed, but Jacob seemed completely unfazed.

"You are much better already," Jacob rephrased. "I was worried. When I found you, you were so cold."

"I felt that way," Renesmee said as she rubbed her arms. She looked at Jacob and realized he wasn't smiling anymore. "Thank you. I don't know how long I would've lasted if you hadn't come and saved me."

"I didn't understand all of last part," Jacob said.

"You helped me and I'm thankful," Renesmee rephrased. It seemed he still had trouble with long sentences.

"Next time," Jacob began, "when you want to leave, I'll take you. I don't want you alone." Saying that had Jacob looking even more somber. The look was making Renesmee upset too. She didn't like that look. She didn't like it when Jacob's strong features betrayed even the slightest look of sadness, terror and defeat. That was the best word she could think to describe the look on his face: defeat. A man like Jacob was far too proud ever sport such an unsuitable look.

"No," Renesmee finally mumbled.

"Please," Jacob insisted, "I don't want you out there alone again."

"No," Renesmee said, "I mean I'm not going to leave." Jacob looked up at her slowly, unsure.

"Please repeat," he said.

"I said I'm not leaving," she answered. "When I got to the town limits, I realized I couldn't go any further. My feet wouldn't let me."

"Why?" Jacob asked, hoping for the answer he wanted.

"I don't know," was all he got. "I'm tired of running. If this is my fate, then I'm resigned to it."

"I don't understand," Jacob said.

"I mean I'm accepting how I came to be here and will stay here." The two of them just stared at each other a while. Renesmee didn't want to talk about the matter anymore and Jacob didn't know what else to say or do.

"You were crying when I found you," Jacob finally said. "Why?"

"I don't know," she answered. "Probably because I was cold."

"You're not one to cry," Jacob said. Renesmee looked at him strangely.

"How would you know that?"

"You're too stubborn," Jacob answered simply. "You're very strong willed."

"I guess I have made that rather obvious thus far," Renesmee joked.

"Obvious thus far?"

"I mean my strong will and stubbornness are clear to see."

"Yes," Jacob nodded, "they are. Caevia is worse, though." Renesmee laughed. She simply couldn't help it. Jacob certainly wasn't wrong about Caevia. Jacob finally smiled again and began to laugh with her. When she had control of herself, she just stared at Jacob a moment. That smile just tugged at her heartstrings. There was a sparkle in his eyes that accompanied it whenever he was smiling at her. It was really beginning to weigh on her how much this man really did love her. "How do you feel?" Jacob asked suddenly.

"Much better," Renesmee answered. "Thank you for helping me."

"No need," Jacob said. Then he held his head down a moment lacking certainty, but he eventually asked his question. "You really stay?"

"Yes," Renesmee said. She realized she was smiling. "I'm really staying."

Jacob suddenly hugged her then. He pulled her to his chest and just hugged her. It took Renesmee so by surprise she wasn't positive it really happened at first. But Jacob held her close and tightly as if he would never let her go. It dawned on her that she wouldn't mind that. Yet she still couldn't fight the nagging guilt she felt. Loving Jacob meant she was betraying Peter. No matter what, she'd married him and had promised herself to him. Admitting any affection for Jacob would only make her feel more like a whore. The thought made her want to release Jacob, but she couldn't let go. Jacob, however, suddenly released her from their hug and looked at her strangely, his hands still on her shoulders.

"What you do?" Jacob asked.

Then Renesmee realized what she must have done. She'd promised daddy that once she was with Peter, she wouldn't use her power if only for her own sake. She'd spent weeks practicing, making sure never to pass any thoughts through touch and communicating only verbally. She'd practiced with Caevia and had gotten really good at it but it seemed that she'd relaxed with Jacob just enough to forget. She wasn't sure how to express her power in words, so she reverted to what she knew. She placed her hand on Jacob's wrist and demonstrated both by doing and showing examples of people she'd done all this to.

When she started, she realized she couldn't stop. It started with just showing her power and examples. Then she showed him memories of her childhood. She showed him the first time she'd met Caevia when she was a little girl. She showed him all her family members, especially her daddy. She showed him how he'd taught her how to play the piano and taught her French. She showed him all the places she'd lived, all the homes they'd stayed at, and especially Chicago. She showed him how she'd gotten frustrated and wanted freedom, when she decided to move west and marry Peter, when she and Peter met, and all consecutive memories that followed that, even the memory of their first night together. She showed him up to the point he'd barged into the house and taken her away. Renesmee finally took her hand away and Jacob continued to just stare at her.

"You showed me," Jacob stopped. He couldn't think of the right word. "Memories," Jacob started. "Things that happened before."

"Memories," Renesmee said. Above all, though, she'd shown him how she felt regarding Peter and feeling like she was betraying him.

"You're special," Jacob said sincerely. "I didn't realize how special you really are." Special. Renesmee thought about the choice of word. She'd always been called different, strange, odd, but never special by anyone but her daddy. He called her one of a kind. If Jacob knew that phrase, he would likely call her that. "What's wrong?" Jacob asked suddenly. Renesmee touched her face and noticed she was crying.

"Nothing," Renesmee said.

"You miss family?" Jacob asked. Renesmee nodded and she saw how upset that made Jacob. "There are lots of things I never considered," he finally said.

"It's just…." Renesmee stopped a moment as she got teary eyed again. "No one but my daddy has ever called me 'special'." Renesmee sniffled and tears were falling again.

Jacob embraced her again to comfort her and Renesmee embraced him back. She really did need it at the moment. She's was feeling so many things that she was overwhelmed. She missed her family, she was beginning to admit to herself how she felt about Jacob and how he clearly felt about her, guilt for betraying her marriage, terror from uncertainty, all this culminated and she couldn't help but cry. Jacob did make a little better just by holding her, holding her close and silently letting her know that he was there for her. And he really would be there for her. She didn't want to think how they would move forward from there for the time being. She just wanted him to comfort her, and that he did until Caevia let herself in yet again and ran right to Renesmee crying and asking if she was alright.