Chapter 10 - It's good to be back

"Tell her, Bella, tell her she can not go to this dance!" Jacob demanded, staring determinedly into Bella's eyes, "Tell her! Please tell her! Or so help me I'll tell her about when you bought me that old motorbike and the crazy stuff you did when you when here age!"

"You can't go." Bella said automatically, glowering at Jacob as she was forced to decline her daughter.

"Mum! I don't care what you did you were younger. Jacob said if I lost a bet I had to go. I lost, I have to go. Besides, I already know about your motorbike accident and cliff jumping. It's old news."

Bella froze and lifted her eyes slowly to Jacob, a look of sheer death oozing from them. Jacob backed away instantly, shaking his head desperately, denying everything.

"Bella, I swear I never breathed a word - Renesme, tell her, tell her I didn't tell you a word!"

"Mum, he didn't - you did. We were cloud watching way back when I had just turned fifteen and you said, Thank goodness Renesme's not like me at this age. I don't know how I'd manage between cliff jumping and motorcycling accidents. I'm so proud of you -"

"Renesme," Bella said, staring at her in disbelief, "I never said that. I thought it, but spoke it? No... can you... can you read minds? And more specifically, my mind?"

Talk of the dance was forgotten and all attention was turned back to Renesme. Jacob stared at her, his eyes as wide as Bella's as they stared at her in confusion.

"Of course I can't read minds, Mum. Or else I'd be like Dad - I'd have a constant babble in my head, and like right this second... even if I focus, I can't hear - whoa."

As Renesme shut her eyes to feign focusing she suddenly heard a whisper.

Could she read minds like her Father?

It was Jacob's voice. Renesme opened her eyes sharply and stared at Jacob,

"I just read your mind. Just a - just a glimpse but - I heard it. When I focused. Maybe, maybe I'm similar to Dad but I just need to concentrate to hear thoughts. Mum - what does this mean?"

"It means," Edward said, suddenly appearing from the doorway, "You are one very gifted half vamp. Right now, what am I thinking?"

Renesme stared at her father, a slight crinkle developing in her brow as she focused.

Hello beautiful, if you can hear this nod once.

Renesme nodded.

Jesus Christ, are you in my head girl?

Yes Dad, yes I am.

This is incredible! So this is your gift? Is this how you changed Harry's mind?

Not exactly.

How did you -

Renesme pulled out suddenly, her head aching.

"Sorry," She said, "Head cramp."

"Don't you worry about it," Bella soothed, wrapping an around her daughter's shoulders, "You'll get better with practice."

"So what did you do to Harry," Edward asked, "If this wasn't it?"

"I sort of..." Renesme shrugged, "Changed his memory? I got inside his head and changed the facts around. Suddenly he remembered the La Push tribe not to be tall and tanned with that certain scent, but short and pale with a very sweet scent. He decided he must have been wrong, and left. It sounds simple, but it hurt. I've only ever been able to do it properly when changing people's memories of me. That was the first time it had worked changing someone's memory of something else."

Bella and Edward exchanged a look of pure pride and tenderness. They were so proud of their daughter - so proud. Jacob grinned at her and winked.

Hey kid, now we can have our own private conversations.

You're forgetting something... Renesme thought back to him, My dad can still read your thoughts.

Yes I can. Edward hissed, shooting Jacob a warning look as he planted his voice in his Jacob's mind. Yes I can indeed.

"Hey Mum," Renesme said innocently, an idea striking her, "As a celebration of my new found talents..." She shot Jacob a daring look, "And I know about your dare devil stuff..." Jacob began to object, "Can I go to the dance?"

"No!" Jacob stated, looking to Edward for help. "Do you really want your only daughter swanning off with some two faced, back stabbing ape of a boy?"

"I think," Edward said after a pause, "Renesme needs a bit of independence," He continued slowly, "And should make this decision on her own. Renesme," He said finally, turning to his beautiful daughter. "Do you want to go to the dance, without any member of this family - including Jacob or any of his friends or family - following you?"

Renesme thought about it, before a glorious smile spread across her face,

"Dad. I would love that. Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!" She squealed excitedly, wrapping her arms around his neck and planting a kiss on his cheek. "You know, I don't even care about the dance. That's not what I'm excited about," She gushed, "It's the thought of being completely on my own. Not followed by anyone or watched over by anyone. It's exciting!" She stuck a teasing tongue out at Jacob before running out of the room to find Alice to share the good news.

"Tell me you're kidding?" Jacob pleaded,

"Damn right I'm joking." Edward said instantly, making Bella roll her eyes. "Can you send a couple of your lads who she wont recognize down to the dance? After everything that's happened recently I refuse to let her go unattended. Breathe a word of this to her, even think it for a second around her, and she finds out... you will be a dead man."

Jacob grinned.

"I'm on it. I'll send down Tommo and Rob. They're the same age as her; they'll blend in just fine."

Edward nodded his thanks before shrugging at Bella, who shook her head slowly in disbelief but decided not to push it any further. She pitied Renesme having to grow up with such protective, powerful figures around her all the time. Still, she thought, it's better then being alone.