-35-
I'd told my mom, aunt and grandmother that I really didn't need a bachelorette party, especially one so soon.
Really though? I was terrified of what they could come up with, Aunt Alice particularly. I knew she had a tendency to go a bit overboard,
and I didn't want to imagine what she could come up with.
She brought the subject up one day while we were hunting.
"So, what do you want to do for your party?"
"My party…?" I asked, cocking my head to the side.
"Your bachelorette party, silly"
"Oh, I don't need one really… is it ok if we skip it?"
"But…" she said, preparing her pouting face. The one she used to get her way every time.
I held my hand up to stop her. "Aunt Alice, I gave you my wedding to plan… Is it too much to ask to skip the parts I don't think are necessary?"
She sighed resigned.
"You're right… Ok, no bachelorette party, but what do you want to do?"
I shrugged. "Let's think about it later ok?"
She nodded, and we concentrated on our hunt then.
-36-
Aunt Alice had decided to go deeper into the meadow to scout for some deer.
{I stayed in the in the clearing, knowing something would come if I was patient enough….
Suddenly, I heard a rustling of bushes.
I was already in my hunting crouch, when I caught the scent.
It wasn't one I was expecting though, it smelled like… me.
Nahuel, I realized, with an inexplicable stab of fear running though me.
I shouldn't be afraid of him… so why the sudden urge to run away from this place, to run to my family?
"Hello Renesmee" he said.
"Hello" I replied and my voice shook, weird…
"Could we talk for a minute?" he asked innocently, but I could tell something was off, that this wasn't his usual way of being, not with me at
least…}
-37-
{He began to step toward me, seeming more like a predator than anything to me.
But before he could get too close, arms encircled me and a rag was put to my face.
As I inhaled, I noticed the scent was not pleasant, and it made my body feel numb and made me drowsy.
I tried to use my hands, to grab at my attacker, but it was useless, I was almost completely under now...
When I awoke I was dazed, confused.
Where was I?
I knew I was in a hotel room or something like that, but that was it. I didn't recognize the painted walls or the furniture or any of it.
I looked around me, desperate to find something that would make sense in all this.
There was a night stand at one corner of the room with a phone and a phone book on top.
My heart jumped inside my chest as I realized
that I could soon be free from this nightmare, could be with my family, my Jacob again…
I ran over to the nightstand and my hopes plummeted as I examined my tools.
The phone book had all numbers scratched out, but that really didn't matter though because I knew who I'd call.
But when I went to use the phone, there was no sound coming from it. I looked more closely and found that the line had been cut.}
-38-
{I was furious. Though I hadn't been completely conscious at the time,
I knew it had been Nahuel who'd kidnapped me. I saw red as I thought the word, and all I wanted was to have him in front of me so I could rip his throat out.
How dare he do this to me? He was my friend, someone I could trust, and did trust, to always have my best interests at heart.
I didn't know what he was now, and I didn't want to think about it anymore.
Suddenly, I heard the room door open. I was ready to pounce on my abductor, when I saw that this was not my intended target.
Huilen had been a part of the plot, one that I didn't even know yet, but she hadn't hurt me.}
………………………………………………………………………………………………
I felt someone nudging me then, and I woke up startled, but I couldn't see very well because of my drowsiness.
"Shh Ness, wake up honey" a voice told me, and I recognized it as dad's.
What? I thought.
"Where am I?" I asked in a hoarse voice.
"You're home sweetheart, safe in your room. You fell asleep after hunting and Alice carried you back" mom told me.
A dream? All of it had been a dream?
"Mom, Dad?"
"Yes Nessie" Dad answered.
My relief was so strong as I opened my eyes and saw the truth that I began to cry.
"It's ok Nessie… what happened, did you have I nightmare?" he asked me.
I nodded, wiping tears from my eyes.
"It's ok Nessie, it wasn't real" Mom told me soothingly.
"It felt real…" I said and shivered.
They stayed with me for a while, but then Dad got to his feet.
"What is it?" I asked.
"Someone's here that might make you feel better" he told me.
"Jake" I sighed and more relief came instantly.
Mom nodded. "He's waiting for you in the living room."
-39-
That was all it took to snap me out of my paranoid state.
Jake… Nothing could be wrong if he was ok.
I told my parents to let him know I'd be down soon, and they left.
I went to the bath room and turned on the shower.
The hot water made my skin prickly; I guess it had been cold last night.
When I got back to my room, I saw the note Nahuel had left me, on my nightstand where I'd left it.
I sighed. I was gonna have to look at it at some point.
I went over and took the letter, which I'd folded in half, unfolded it, and began reading.
Renesmee
I hope you can find it in yourself to forgive my behavior from the last time we met.
It was not my intention to be so rude; I just couldn't control my emotions.
I hope you can understand and forget my forwardness.
I never meant to hurt you, I…
I love you Renesmee, that's all that makes sense to me anymore, and I will fight for your love.
Yours always, Nahuel
-40-
I scrunched the paper in my hands, and threw it to the floor.
My dream was still very vivid in my mind, and I didn't want to feel anything toward him, least of all pity.
There was a knock at my door then that snapped me out of my reverie.
"Ness, are you coming? Jake's waiting" mom told me, opening the door a little.
I nodded and walked over to her, and then we made our way downstairs.
My heart ached from the intense joy of seeing Jacob there, waiting for me with a huge smile on his face.
I felt the answering grin come to my lips as I wrapped my arms around his waist.
He grabbed me up by my waist and lifted me till I could reach his lips, and then he kissed me, too lightly for my taste,
especially after the night I'd had.
So I pressed my lips to his tighter and grabbed fistfuls of his hair.
I could tell this surprised him, which made me feel a little giddy,
but then he answered my aggressiveness, grabbing my hair and pressing himself to me.
This moment was bliss to me, but then I heard my parents clear their throat and I stiffened.
How embarrassing, making out in front of my parents!
We pulled away from each other, and the expression on his face was disbelief mixed with something else I couldn't recognize.
"What was that for?" he asked breathless.
I put my hand on his cheek, my expression growing angry as I remembered it.
"Why didn't you tell us Nessie?" dad asked, when he saw what I'd showed Jake.
"Because it doesn't matter, it's just a dream, a nightmare really." I said and shrugged.
"What is?" mom asked, and dad told her.
"Oh honey" she said, her voice full of pity.
"That'll never happen Ness, do you hear me? He'll never come near you as long as I'm around." Jake said solemnly, holding my face in his hands.
I put my hands on his and smiled. "I know you'll protect me"