AN: Well... It's been a while, hasn't it? Sorry about that, guys... Real life problems and all that, but I won't bore you with all the details. Anyone who cares that much is already stalking me on twitter ;)

As for this chapter... It's a long one. Seriously. It's just about twice as long as the average for my chapters thus far. AND I had to split it! I swore I wasn't going to... But with as long as it is, and no end in sight, and with how long it's been since I posted anything, I finally caved and split it into two chapters. No telling when the next one will be out, since life is still crazy here, but I'm hopeful it'll at least be a bit quicker than this one was...

Oh and just fair warning, there are quite a few things alluded to in this chapter that aren't explained right away. Don't worry, we'll get to them all later on, I assure you ;)

Disclaimer: I really, really don't own Twilight. Okay, I do own all the books. And the first two dvds. And will be buying Eclipse as soon as it's available. I also own the Host. And yet... I'm still not Stephenie Meyer. Ha!

Chapter 10 – Boundaries

Renesmee

I drifted gradually up from unconsciousness, sleep falling away in soft, gauzy layers. I was enveloped by warmth and security, content to never move from that spot, beyond the reach of darkness or pain. Wakefulness came eventually, though, and, strangely enough, the first thing I was aware of as my mind cleared was the sound of Jacob's even breathing beside me. I couldn't say how exactly I knew it was him. It was some other sense besides sound or smell or the feel of the heat radiating from him. I couldn't put my finger on it. I simply knew.

I let my eyes slide open slowly, feeling a smile tug at the corners of my mouth at the sight that greeted me: Jacob, his features slack with sleep, lips parted slightly and silky black hair pooling around him as he lay facing me. Just as I knew he would be. Pale light washed across his skin, highlighting the sharp lines of his cheekbones, brow, and nose, making him look at once young and wise, fierce and innocent. I felt relaxed and safe just watching him, my mind dancing on the edge of sleep once more, and settled my head further down into the pillow we shared, drinking in the view.

And then froze, coming sharply awake as I suddenly realized just how close we were lying – and remembered that I was far from properly dressed.

I wasn't completely naked, I reminded myself, trying with little success to convince my teeth to unclench and my fingers to give up the deathgrip they had suddenly seized on the bedclothes. I did still have the blanket wrapped around me from last night, after all, and several more piled on top of that now too. Jacob must have tucked me in last night, I thought with a blush. Again. I felt the blush intensify, and swallowed, glancing down the length of the bed to confirm that he was at least lying on the bed rather than in it.

But still. 'Compromising' would be a kind description for the position in which I had found myself.

I tried not to squirm too much as I slowly pushed myself away from Jacob, realizing too late that one of his arms was slung over my waist, his hand resting lightly against my lower back. I stopped, staring at his face, watching for any signs that he was stirring, afraid he would wake at my movements.

And then it occurred to me – where was the light coming from?

I blinked, my eyes sweeping over Jacob's perfectly illuminated face once more. Frowning, I tilted my head up, craning my neck to peer over his shoulder at the torch he had hung on the wall the night before. It was extinguished now, as I had expected. Jacob had no doubt put it out before he had – I swallowed – come to join me in bed. This wasn't the flickering orange light of an open flame anyway, I reasoned, shamelessly trying to distract myself from my current predicament. The light was bright and steady, as clear as sunlight shining through fine glass windowpanes. But there were no windows here. We were underground, in a cave. I had seen that much last night. So then how…?

My eyes roved around the room, looking for a lantern or oil lamp of some sort, anything that could produce such illumination, and resolutely avoiding looking directly at the face mere inches from my own. After finding nothing that could explain the strange phenomenon, I glanced reflexively over my shoulder toward the wall at my back – and gasped at what I saw.

The entire wall seemed to be aglow above me, the very stones lit as if from within. I sank onto my back, blinking as spots began to dance before my eyes from the brightness, but couldn't tear my eyes away, staring in wonder up at the white, glowing rock.

"Didn't anyone ever tell you you'd go blind if you looked right at the sun?"

I jumped, looking over at Jacob sharply, and then had to clench my eyes shut as the sunspots obscured my view. "Um, what?" I asked stupidly.

He was smirking lazily at me when my vision finally cleared enough to make out his face. "See, you're goin' blind already," he teased. When I only looked at him blankly, he clarified. "It's crystal. This whole side of the hill is made of it. 'Swhy I like this room," he said, yawning widely.

"Crystal?" I asked, unable to hold back my answering yawn. "Does it go all the way to the surface? And… it refracts the sunlight into here?"

"Something like that," Jacob shrugged. "Really not that interesting," he mumbled, smiling sleepily at me as his eyes fell closed once more.

"I guess… I was just…" Just trying to distract myself. I was suddenly extremely aware of Jacob's arm lying across my stomach, his hand hanging by my hip. "Jacob," I said, trying to keep my voice from hitching as I felt my face flame all over again.

"Yeah?" He didn't open his eyes, still smiling, sleepy and content.

I swallowed, staring up at the carved out patterns on the ceiling. "I should, uh, really get dressed…"

I felt him still beside me, his eyes coming open as he seemed to finally wake fully.

"Oh. Right. Of course. Sorry," he said, pulling his arm back and pushing himself up on his elbow to extricate himself from the bed, but then he stopped, his eyes widening suddenly as something else seemed to occur to him. "Oh. Oh! Oh shi-! Sorry, I wasn't thinking! Sorry, sorry!"

And then he was gone, all but leaping from the bed, stumbling back across the room, his eyes wide and horrified as he sputtered out disjointed apologies. I stared after him, shocked by his sudden reaction.

"Gods, I'm so sorry," he said again, groping behind him for the door handle with one hand while the other came up to cover his face in mortification. "Clothes are on top of the dresser," he reminded me in a rush, grimacing embarrassedly, and then fled out into the hallway, yanking the door shut after him.

I pushed myself slowly up into a sitting position, my face aflame, listening as Jacob's muffled voice grumbled out an ongoing stream of profanity from the other side of the door. I felt an instant pang of guilt, making my blush only darken further.

I hadn't meant to accuse him of anything. It just… wasn't proper. Lying like that. And with me dressed as I was… which was not at all…

I pulled the blanket tight around myself, wrapping it under my arms and shivering as the chilly air hit my exposed skin. Strange, I hadn't even noticed the cold with Jacob beside me… I slipped one foot out from under the covers and then the other, gingerly touching down on the cool stone floor. It was absolutely scandalous – I shouldn't miss Jake's ubiquitous body heat, no matter how cold and lifeless the room felt without him. It was indecent.

I shook my head, stepping across the room to the dresser, my blanket dragging along behind me like a train. The bag of clothes Jake had found for me last night was set atop the chest of drawers, which, I found when I approached it, stood at about my shoulder height. I frowned, gauging the distance across the dressertop to the bag. I hadn't realized before how large the piece of furniture was. Nor, it seemed, had Jacob, since he'd left it pushed toward the back, quite possibly out of my reach. I couldn't exactly call him back in now, though. Determinedly, I held onto my blanket with one hand and stretched up on my tiptoes, reaching across the smooth wood surface and was able to just barely snag the satchel with the tips of my fingers. Triumphant, I curled my fingers into it and pulled it toward me, dropping it over the edge and setting it down on the ground in front of me.

There was an odd assortment of short dresses and tunics within, most of which appeared to have been intended for a girl much younger than myself. The styles were all fairly childlike, despite their sizes. His sisters must be tall, I mused, holding up a dress that would easily fit me, though its straight, girlish cut gave away the expected age of its wearer.

After a few minutes picking through the bag's contents, I came up with a dark green dress that seemed suitable enough. There was just one problem… I let my blanket fall away, slipping the dress on over my head and pulling it down into place. The bodice was fitted nicely, not too childish, and the sleeves were elbow-length and comfortable… but the skirt fell only to my knees, barely covering them. I shifted my weight from foot to foot, considering it, looking down at the dress as the material swished back and forth with my movements. I didn't think I'd worn anything shorter than ankle length since I was about ten years old. These dresses Jake had brought me were almost certainly play-clothes, more suited to running, jumping, and climbing trees than to greeting noble guests for a royal function at the palace. I swayed one more time, watching the skirt twist around my legs before righting itself. Actually, that idea didn't sound half bad…

I spared a moment to straighten the blankets on Jacob's bed and arrange the pillows against the headboard, then scooped the pile of discarded clothes back into their bag, setting it back on top of the tall chest of drawers. It seemed the least I could do to clean up after myself, with all that I'd put Jacob through in the past twenty four hours.

When everything once again seemed to be in its proper place in the room, I turned to the heavy wooden door that stood between me and where Jacob waited out in the hallway. It had to be several inches thick at least, made of sturdy hardwood and equipped with an enormous wrought iron ring that had to be pulled downward in order to release the latch and open the door. I eyed it warily, stepping forward to wrap my fingers around the ring's bottom edge, making sure to get a good grip on it. It had been dwarfed by Jacob's large hands before, whereas both of mine together still didn't span the entire width of it. I had doubts that I would even be able to budge it, much less move the weighty door it was attached to.

"Why is everything so huge here?" I muttered, gathered my strength, and pulled down, hard-

And was somewhat surprised when the latch slid easily open and the door swung smoothly toward me, making me stumble back several steps. I found myself clinging to the giant door handle now, fighting to keep my balance against the door's inward motion.

Jacob was leaning against the far wall beside his sisters' old room, apparently studying his feet with great interest, but he looked up when I swung the door open. I thought I saw him lurch forward half an inch, as if to catch me as I fought to stay upright, but then he stopped, sinking back against the stones with what sounded suspiciously like a sigh. I finally righted myself and stepped out into the hallway, straightening my dress and pulling the door closed after me with as much dignity as I could manage.

I turned around to find Jacob's eyes trailing over me, though he still hadn't moved from his spot across the hall. "You look nice," he said after a moment, meeting my gaze hesitantly, his voice quiet.

"Thank you," I said just as quietly, clasping my hands behind me self-consciously. Jacob continued to watch me, looking guilty and apologetic and – I winced internally even as the thought passed through my head – like a kicked puppy. "I'm sorry-"

"I didn't mean any offense," he said at the same time.

I stopped, looking up at him. "I know."

And I did know. Jacob would never do anything to hurt me. I knew that.

"I just- I know where you're from, people are a lot more… strict about… that sort of thing…" he continued quickly, running a hand through his hair. "After last night, I just… I wasn't thinking. I'm sorry."

"Oh, no, no, you don't have to apologize," I said, shaking my head and taking half a step forward. "You are right, I suppose… It's not how a gentleman would behave in our kingdom, but-" Jacob's eyes widened, and I bit my tongue, realizing how that sounded. "I- I meant-"

"I understand," Jacob cut me off quietly, looking down at his feet again, and I was surprised to hear no anger in his voice. If anything, he sounded resigned.

"Jake…" I tried again, drifting a step closer to him.

"Don't worry about it, princess," he said, lifting his gaze to smile down at me, though his eyes still had that kicked puppy look. "It won't happen again. I promise."

I stared up at him, the few feet that separated us seeming to stretch into miles, a chasm suddenly yawning wide between us. I knew I shouldn't wish to close that distance, shouldn't miss him, miss the closeness of the past few days – but I did. I missed it terribly.

"You probably want to go get cleaned up, don't you?" Jacob said then, at last straightening up from his place against the wall, his voice businesslike and more distant than I had ever heard him. I searched his gaze for a moment, feeling the chasm solidify, groaning and settling like rocks in an earthquake, and finally sighed, nodding. Jake opened his mouth as if to say something more, but then let it fall closed again, instead holding his arm out to me. I hesitated for a half a second, and then stepped forward to slip my hand around his elbow, guiltily, scandalously grateful for the contact, despite the distance that still seemed to extend between us.

Jacob led the way out of the family area and into the corridor we had followed from the entrance hall last night, turning now to continue further down into the cave. The passage wound downward in a wide spiral, at times lit by the glowing white crystal that made up the outer wall of the hill, and by evenly spaced candles set into small indents in the stone the rest of the time.

"Looks like Billy's up and about," Jake commented after a few minutes, nodding at the candles as we passed, his casual tone sounding awkward and forced. I simply nodded, the silence weighing down heavily on us both.

I studied the smooth, cavernous walls of the hallway as we walked, looking for any sort of distraction from the strange unease that had settled between us since leaving Jacob's bedroom. Each bend in the spiraling corridor took us past more hallways and suites of rooms branching off from the main path into the interior of the den, similar to the living area we had just left. I turned my head to follow them as we moved past, trying to catch a glimpse of what they held.

"How many people live here?" I asked curiously, peering down another dark hallway that twisted away from us into the hillside.

"These days? Just Billy," Jacob answered, shrugging.

I looked up at him sideways, wondering if he was going to elaborate, hoping he would, if only to feel a little less disconnected from him. He didn't, though.

"So…" I prompted when he didn't say anything more, "what are all these rooms for then?"

Jake blinked, finally looking down at me, and I felt a jolt of warmth spread through me just from the eye contact. My fingers tightened involuntarily around his arm, reassuring myself that he was really right there beside me, and not miles and miles away like he felt.

"Oh, just guest rooms, old offices, that sort of thing…" he said, shrugging again, though he didn't drop my gaze.

"Offices?" I asked. Maybe I was grasping at straws, but if it got him talking again…

"Yeah, for…" He trailed off, looking suddenly uncomfortable, but then continued, grimacing slightly. "See, this place used to be like the, uh, the Alpha's hunting lodge, family getaway, that sort of thing…"

I pursed my lips. That wasn't unexpected. "But now Sam Uley is the Alpha," I said quietly.

Jake blew out a loud breath, his cheeks puffing up as he did so. "Yeah. Sam's the Alpha now," he agreed, sounding like some internal tension had been relieved with those words. "So the offices are all mostly closed up, but the guest rooms still get some use, at least," he said, glancing down at me again, his tone lighter now. He sniffed then, turning his gaze toward the next suite we were approaching. "Quil and Embry stayed on this floor last night, for instance."

"Quil and Embry are here?" I asked, looking between Jacob and the doorway we were passing.

"Yeah, they, uh, wanted to make sure everything was okay after… you know, after everything last night," he said awkwardly, shooting me a guilty look, and now it was my turn to be uncomfortable. I'd been trying not to think about it since I woke up, trying not to remember the fear and the dark and the blood… I closed my eyes, taking a deep breath, my hand tightening on Jacob's arm once more.

I didn't imagine the way Jacob pulled me a little closer to him, the chasm between us narrowing just slightly, and he spoke quickly again, drawing me back to the present. "I think they may have beat us down to the bath too," he said. "Smells like they came this way already this morning…"

"Oh… do you think they'll still be there?" I asked, grateful for the distraction but also blanching at the idea of coming upon two young male werewolves bathing.

Jake grinned at my expression, and it was like my insides were finally defrosting after a long winter. "Hopefully not," he said for my benefit. "I mean, we did sleep in pretty late- Er, I mean-" He winced, trailing off and avoiding my gaze again.

I felt my face heat with a blush once more, almost more embarrassed by Jacob's discomfort than by the reference to how we had woken up together. I could feel the distance opening up between us again, Jacob pulling away, and I scrambled, grasping at any thread of conversation that I could before he slipped away entirely. "What about Seth?" I blurted out. "Did he come with them last night?"

It worked. Jake wrinkled his nose in distaste, but at least he was back beside me again. "No, thank the gods," he grumbled. "I thought we were never going to get rid of that little twerp…"

I looked up at him, surprised by his sour tone. "What do you have against Seth? He seemed perfectly friendly to me."

"Yeah, maybe a little too friendly," Jake said cryptically, glancing down at me. He shook his head then, relaxing marginally. "He's an okay kid, really, he's just…"

"Very cheerful?" I suggested, grinning up at him as I thought back to my interactions with the younger wolf the previous day. 'Cheerful' was really putting it lightly. 'Buoyant' seemed more appropriate.

"Very well-connected," Jake said instead. "But, yeah, also annoyingly cheerful," he added, scowling.

I couldn't help smiling at his expression. "What do you mean by well-connected?" I asked.

He glanced down at me again, his eyes serious, and I suddenly wondered if I'd picked the absolute wrong topic of conversation to try to distract us. Everything, it seemed, was tied up in politics here, and thus ultimately led back to the Alpha… and the question of why Sam Uley, not Jacob Black, held that position.

"It's really more his sister, Leah, not him," Jake admitted, shaking his head. "But because of her relationship with Sam, Seth's kind of… I dunno, guilty by association." He shrugged. "It's like he's Sam's snitch. Anything you say or do around Seth is gonna get back the Alpha, whether you want it to or not."

"Oh… Well, I suppose, being his brother-in-law…" I said, trying to be diplomatic even as I fought off the memory of Sam Uley's snarling face, inches from my own, promising pain and sorrow and retribution for crimes committed long before I was even born. How could any woman love such a man? How could someone as kind and friendly as Seth stand to be associated with him?

"Oh, they're not married," Jake said, cutting through my thoughts.

"What?" I asked, looking up at him, my mind lagging behind a few steps. "They're… Sam and Leah? They're not married? But I thought you said…"

"They are together. But Sam won't marry her because of, uh, political reasons," he said, confirming my earlier thoughts.

"It's all politics, isn't it?" I murmured, not meeting his gaze. And then, without so much as checking in with my brain first, my mouth was speaking again: "Jake, why is Sam the Alpha?"

I froze, shocked at myself, and felt Jake stiffen at my words as well. "That's… not an easy question to answer," he said at last, his voice strained. Then, sounding almost relieved, he added, "And it'll have to wait till later. We're here." He nodded ahead of us and I followed his gaze to where the hall was finally ending, a huge, steel-banded door set into the wall there.

Jacob stepped up to it and effortlessly pulled the door open with one hand, the enormous latch easily as big as the one back at his bedroom, making even his large hand appear small by comparison. I only had a moment to wonder about it, about what motive there could possibly be for such over-sized design, but then Jacob was moving forward again, pulling me gently along behind him through the doorway-

And then made me run into his back as he stopped abruptly, his entire body tensing.

"Jake…?" I asked tentatively. I couldn't see around his hulking form, though I wasn't entirely sure I wanted to if his reaction was anything to go by. Could some danger have followed us here, something that had been lying in wait for us to appear now?

"Wait here," he said, a growl just beginning to color his tone, and pulled his arm from my grasp to stride out into the open space beyond the doorway.

I stood teetering on the threshold, my hands hanging uselessly in midair in front of me, too anxious to be anything but obedient. I swallowed, watching as Jake marched away from me, my eyes taking in the view around him.

The door had opened not on a bathing room as I had expected, but rather on a wide patio and outdoor pool, half in shadow under a low ceiling of rock. Evenly spaced pillars edged the patio, whether for actual structural support or mere decoration I didn't know, their sides carved with intricate, swirling designs that almost seemed to resemble faces, both human and animal. I pressed my eyes closed, pulling my gaze from the enchanting shapes as Jacob reached a small wood and stone structure near the edge of the patio. I felt my breath hitch as he yanked the door to the little building open, growling when he was hit in the face with a spray of hot steam. I almost took a step forward. What was in there? Was Jake in danger?

"Get out," he said flatly.

"Aww, c'mon, man!" another voice answered, making me stop in my tracks. I knew that voice. "I was just getting a good soak started!"

I couldn't be sure from this distance, but I thought I saw Jake roll his eyes. "Nessie needs to use the pool. Out. Now."

"I'm not stopping her," the second voice grumbled, but then a moment later, sure enough, Quil came stumbling out of the little building, clad in only a towel, sweat gleaming on his exposed chest and arms.

Oh. Well, didn't I feel simple. It was a sauna. Of course.

"It's all yours, girlie," Quil groused, shooting me a disgruntled look as he retrieved his pants from the shelves built into the outer wall of the sauna. He shook them out with one hand, and then released the hold on his towel with the other.

A sound very much like a squeak escaped from my throat and I spun to face the wall, my hands flying up reflexively to cover my eyes as my cheeks flamed bright red.

"Jeez, Quil!" Jake barked.

"What? Oh." I heard a rustle of fabric, and when he spoke again Quil sounded distinctly like he was smirking. "Shy little thing, isn't she?"

"Just because you have no sense of decency-" I started heatedly, not daring to look over my shoulder to yell at him properly.

"Would you just get your clothes on and get out of here already?" Jake growled at him.

"Alright, I'm goin', I'm goin'…" I heard Quil start to swagger away and was just beginning to wonder if it was safe to look again when he paused behind me. "Hey, princess."

I blanched, looking back at him automatically, and was relieved to find him fully clothed – or as fully clothed as werewolves ever seemed to get. Everything important was covered, at least. He grinned at me, spreading his hands wide on either side of him. "There's really nothing to be scared of here, you know," he told me, then shot Jacob a sidelong glance. "Now, this one, though – him you gotta look out for-"

"Hey!" Jacob shouted, clearly not amused. "Get out of here, Quil!"

"Going, going!" Quil laughed, holding up his hands placatingly now as he backed away. He glanced at me one more time and – I couldn't believe his audacity – actually winked at me. Then he turned tail and ran out into the sunlight, laughing, just as Jake took a threatening step in his direction.

Jacob snorted, watching his friend disappear up the worn path leading out from the pool area before turning back to me. "Sorry," he mumbled, pushing a hand through his hair as he walked back over to me. I felt an unreasonable amount of disappointment when he stopped with several feet still separating us. "He just… They don't… get it," he said lamely, then blurted, "And that stuff about having to watch out for me- It's not-"

"I assumed he was just teasing you," I said, smiling slightly, though I could still feel the blush on my face. Jake blinked, then tentatively returned my smile. I cleared my throat, looking away again. "People are… a lot more comfortable with nudity here, aren't they?"

"Well, yeah… I guess so," Jake replied, shifting his weight awkwardly. "I mean, it sorta goes with the territory when you're a Shifter. You either lose your clothes before the transformation or during," he said with a shrug.

I peeked up at him shyly, standing in front of me in nothing but a pair of leather trousers, no shoes or shirt, and yet perfectly at ease. I had stopped even noticing the way he dressed sometime in the last few days, I realized. Back home, his clothes would have been considered outrageously lacking, immodest, indecent even. But here, on him, it was absolutely normal, completely natural. Part of being a Shifter. Part of who he was.

"I didn't mean to imply that… that you'd done something wrong earlier," I said suddenly, my mouth working without my permission again. But the words needed to be said – I couldn't stand this distance between us. "It's just…"

Jake's eyes tightened, something almost like a smile twisting his lips, though it was bittersweet at best. "You don't have to worry about it, princess," he said. "I get it. I'll be more careful of your… boundaries… in the future."

I looked up at him, feeling dissatisfied in a way that I couldn't even begin to explain. It wasn't as if I wanted to be around him like that. It was inappropriate, wrong. Absolutely so.

But I didn't want him to be so far away.

"Anyway. Lemme show you where the towels are," Jake said, avoiding my eyes as he stepped around me. I opened my mouth to stop him, but couldn't find anything more to say, and so, silently, followed him across the patio.

He showed me the cabinets carved into the wall of the hill, stocked alternately with clean, soft towels and with a variety of soaps and lotions, and suggested I could change in the now vacant sauna if I needed a little more privacy – though, as Jake put it, "You might wanna let the Quil b.o. air out a little before going in there."

I blushed all over again at that and gratefully accepted the towel Jake held out to me, glad to hide my flaming face behind it.

"Well…" he said then, drawing the 'L' sound out.

I looked up, a jolt going through me, a realization. "You're leaving?"

Jake blinked down at me in surprise, frozen with one hand pushed halfway through his hair. "Well… yeah."

My cheeks, impossibly, reddened further. "I- I mean-"

He smiled then, dropping his hand, and, sending a thrill through me, finally stepped closer. "It's okay, you're safe here. I won't be far, just up that trail a little ways," he told me, pointing behind me in the direction Quil had gone a short while ago.

"That- That wasn't what I meant-" I started – but then, what did I mean? Jacob obviously couldn't stay here while I bathed. I had to resist the urge to bury my face in my towel again, sure my cheeks would be permanently dyed red after all this. I squeezed my eyes shut, trying to sort out my thoughts. He had to leave, obviously, but I didn't want… what? I couldn't even say.

It wasn't that I was afraid for my safety, but rather, I was afraid of the canyon that had opened up between us, afraid of losing the little bit of ground I had gained back in the last few minutes. I was afraid of the distance between us widening, of the ache in the center of my chest building, pulling on me, driving me insane with the need to see Jacob, to be near him, to know his thoughts and his feelings and his very soul like my own-

My eyes flew open, bringing those thoughts to a screeching halt, and I said the first thing that came to my mind, the only thing that made any sense anymore: "Thank you."

Jake stared at me, and I took a breath, grounding myself back in reality. "Thank you," I said again, trying to smile up at him, "for everything you've done for me. It… it means so much to me that… that you care." The steel cable attached to my sternum seemed to quiver, as if reacting to the deficiency in my words.

I did my best to ignore it and the flurry of strange, confusing thoughts that seemed to go hand in hand with it, looking up to meet Jacob's gaze.

His eyes softened when they met mine, and he took half a step forward, the chasm shrinking with the movement. "You don't have to thank me," he said gently, shaking his head slightly as he looked down at me. "It's because I, uh… care about you."

I smiled up at him, his words warming me even as I felt another tug in my chest, the cable thrumming almost impatiently. I ignored it.

"Well," Jake said again, straightening up but not backing away, for which I was glad, "I guess I'll give you some privacy now." He gestured again to the path leading out and around the side of the hill. "I'll be in the kitchen up that way. I can smell them cooking breakfast already," he added, grinning. "Just head up there when you're done. I'll keep an ear out for you."

"Alright," I nodded, returning his smile tentatively. He wasn't pulling away anymore; things almost felt like they were back to normal, back to the easy comfort of the previous few days.

Jake started to step away then, but paused, looking suddenly like he wanted to say more. He looked down at me, his eyes intense, and seemed to lean infinitesimally forward. I held his gaze, transfixed, something in me clenching in anticipation, breathless – but then he caught himself, took a step back, dropped his gaze. "I'll see you in a bit then, princess," he said, his voice rough, and before I could say a word in response, he had stepped around me and out into the sunlight, all but fleeing away up the hillside.

I stood staring after him for several long moments, confused and somehow bereft, wondering what I had been waiting for, why it felt like such a loss that it had been denied me.

I watched Jacob's receding back until he disappeared from view, feeling the chasm between us yawn wider with his every step.

Jacob

…Because he cared about her.

Because he cared about her?

Jacob grit his teeth, grimacing as he climbed the path up to the kitchen on the other side of the hill. That had to be the understatement of the year. Of the century. Ever.

Yeah, he cared about her. Like the earth cared about sunlight. Or, no… Like… fish… cared about… water…? He couldn't think of a strong enough comparison, but it went a hell of a lot further than just caring!

He would literally sell his soul, feed himself to the Volturi, anything at all, if it meant making life even a little better for her.

Groaning to himself, he was only somewhat relieved to see the kitchen area coming into view up ahead. Quil and Emrby's scents were laid out along the path at his feet and wisps of his father reached him now too, carried on the breeze and the thin column of smoke rising from chimney above the kitchen. And overlaying them all, of course, was the smell of frying bacon.

It was nothing to Renesmee's scent, of course, he thought, though his stomach did rumble appreciatively at the smell of the breakfast meat. He could hear her back at the pool, just like he'd told her, her soft footfalls padding across the stones, the rustle of fabric and then quiet ripple of water as she-

He cut that thought off right there. He'd already violated her trust enough that morning, he didn't need to keep on doing it in his head too.

Not that he'd actually seen anything – and not that he'd been trying to see anything! She had been perfectly covered up last night, snug as a bug in a rug, warm and safe and, if not actually happy, then at least no longer frightened.

And then he had to go and mess it all up.

He should have known better. He did know better! Billy hadn't spent years forcing him to sit still and study so he could just forget it all the moment he got a little worked up. If he hadn't been so crazed and worried about her, consumed with the need to know that she was alright, that she was safe, that no one could get to her, then he wouldn't have lost his head like that last night. He wouldn't have crossed the line, invaded her personal space, violated her sense of modesty, of morality…

Cullens didn't touch. At all. At least, not like that, not outside of marriage, or family ties. He'd seen the easy affection between her relatives when he was in their home, the way they all clustered around her, hugging and holding and all the other things he wanted to be able to do. That he had been able to do, he thought guiltily, when they were traveling and she was frightened and he needed to protect her. But not like this morning. Not holding her just for the sake of feeling her in his arms. He didn't have that right. Much as the thought rankled, he wasn't her family.

He'd wanted to kiss her back there.

Not… not on the lips. Not in any kind of romantic, or sexual way. Even in his weaker moments, he could never think of her like that, would never soil her with such selfish, lust-driven thoughts.

The urge had actually been to kiss the top of her head, or her forehead. That general region. And it wasn't a desire to lay some sort of claim on her. As if he could. No, it was simply the need to show her his affection, his devotion, especially when they were about to be separated. It felt almost like he was swearing his fealty to her, reaffirming all his previous promises and promising anew that they wouldn't be apart long, that he would always, always be there for her, for whatever she needed.

He blew out a breath, slowing his pace as he neared the entrance to the kitchen and rubbing his knuckles against the ache building in his chest, their connection pulling tight behind him, imploring him to return to her side. The warmth and familiar smells wafting out through the doorway in front of him somehow had less hold on him than they used to, spoke less of home than the quiet sounds of splashing from down the hill seemed to.

Nessie was his home now. She was his world, his everything, and he would do whatever he had to to protect her. Even from himself, from his own thoughtlessness. He couldn't let the events of that morning repeat themselves. He wouldn't. He had to think before he acted, before he spoke. Had to keep a tight leash on his self-control, on urges like what he'd experienced by the pool. He would remember everything he'd ever learned about the Cullens and their way of life, and he would make sure to keep a safe distance between them, for her sake.

"You planning on standing outside all day?" a voice asked, jolting him from his thoughts, and Jake looked up to find Embry grinning at him from the doorway of the kitchen. They had heard him coming, of course.

"Just bracing myself for your charming company again," he replied sarcastically, stepping up and pushing past the other man into the kitchen. Embry whacked his shoulder as he passed, but laughed, shaking his head.

"Jake," his father greeted him, looking up from the pan of bacon frying in front of him and waving once with the spatula he held.

"Heya, Pop," he replied, sliding into a seat at the big wooden table across the room. Quil was already there, hunched over a plate piled high with bacon and sausage patties, and Embry sidled up after him, taking the chair on his other side.

The kitchen seemed smaller than he remembered it. Not cozy or homey, not like the memories he had of playing with his sisters here, just… constricted. Narrow. Almost crowded.

It wasn't actually a small room, he supposed, but it felt a little like the walls were closing in on him right then, like the high ceiling was about to crash down on his head. Half of the room was taken up by the long wood table where he sat, and the other half with counters and ovens and a set of wood-burning stoves over which Billy now stood, flipping bacon and lumps of sausage in the enormous skillet to feed the three hungry young wolves behind him.

Jake helped himself to some bacon, pulling a handful off the large platter in the center of the table and onto the plate that had been set out for him, keeping one eye on Billy the whole time. He was glad to see his dad up and walking around – or limping around, he supposed, noting the cane that was leaning against the cabinet next to the stove. Limping was better than nothing, though. He remembered some days when he was a kid when Billy could barely even haul himself out of bed, the pain both remembered and current too much for him to bear, weighing too heavily on him to go about his usual routines. So yes. Limping days were good.

"So what brings you boys out here?" Billy asked, turning from the stove to shovel some more meat onto the big platter. "These two have been trying to very casually evade all of my questions," he told Jake, gesturing with his spatula at Quil and Embry, who didn't look up from their plates. "You're not all playing hooky, are you?" he asked, his tone reproving but his grinning eyes giving him away.

"Not that I would blame you," he added then, turning back to the stove and leaning down stiffly to check the fire. "That was some assignment Sam sent you on… I assume everything went without a hitch though, right, Jake?"

"Do we have any fruit?" Jacob asked suddenly, starting to push away from the table, his own food forgotten.

Billy blinked at him, caught off guard by the sudden subject change. "Fruit?"

"Or, um, bread? Cheese?" At his father's blank look, he sighed. "Anything not meat?"

"You got something against meat now?" Billy asked quizzically, his brows knitting slightly.

"Jake-" Embry started, his tone urgent and placating at once.

"It's not for me," Jake continued, looking at his father and shaking his head. "Nessie doesn't eat meat.

He felt Embry wince beside him, and Quil stopped chewing on his other side, looking up at last. There was a beat of silence.

"Who's Nessie?" Billy asked, his brows drawing together in confusion. And then, his voice lowering, wisps of suspicion beginning to creep into his tone, "And why doesn't she eat meat?"

Jacob met his father's gaze, his mouth pressed into a hard line. "Because she's a vegetarian."

Billy stared at him, looking like he didn't want to believe the realization that was dawning in his eyes. "I thought- Sam had made arrangements for her. At the Summit."

He couldn't help the growl that rumbled up from his throat, his mind going unwillingly back to last night. "Yeah, he did," Jake said tightly.

Billy frowned. Jake had essentially just confirmed who they were talking about. "So what is she doing here then?" he demanded, bracing himself with one hand on the edge of the table.

"Jake," Embry tried again, "we should really have that talk-"

"Because I didn't like Sam's 'arrangements' for her," Jake growled, talking over his friend, glaring up at his father's increasingly stormy expression.

Billy's eyes widened slightly at that. "Who are you to decide-" he sputtered. "You gave up that right-"

"I know!" Jake snapped, then took a breath, forcing himself to calm down. "But this is different," he said, his voice quieter but no less angry.

"How?" Billy asked. "Just because Sam had you go get her doesn't mean you have some kind of say over her."

Jacob opened his mouth to tell his father exactly what kind of say he had in Nessie's welfare, but then stopped himself, biting the words off before they could escape. Sam had told him not to tell anyone else about it. Quil and Embry had figured it out on their own, but Billy didn't know. And he didn't need to know.

Not to mention… Given his friends' reactions last night, he knew where Billy's thoughts would immediately go if he found out about the imprint. Just now, without even knowing the whole truth of the situation, he'd come dangerously close to dredging up that old fight of theirs. Most of the time, they could both keep those events from three years ago happily swept under the rug, out of sight and out of mind. But this… This would be just the fodder Billy needed to start his argument all over again. And Jake did not want to deal with that right now.

"That's actually what we came to talk to Jake about," Embry jumped in, taking advantage of Jacob's silence to address Billy.

"Yeah," Quil agreed, following Embry's lead. "I mean, Sam's pissed at him, but it's all cool…"

Billy looked between the other two for a moment and then settled a glare on his son.

"Thanks so much, guys," Jake grumbled, scowling and sinking down in his chair. And that was when he realized – he couldn't hear any splashing coming up from the pool anymore. He instantly pushed himself away from the table, muttering a quick "'Scuse me," as he leapt up. Billy tried to call after him, saying they weren't done yet, but Jake ignored him, already out the door and jogging back down the hill.

He wanted to kick himself. How could he get so caught up in a petty argument with his father like that? He just couldn't help himself when Nessie was involved… Any threat to her, real or not, was enough to set him off. But he shouldn't have let it get to him – he'd been so distracted he'd very nearly forgotten to listen for her like he'd promised.

He rounded a bend in the trail, and then there she was.

The sight of her nearly knocked him off his feet, as always. Nessie looked up at his approach, her eyes widening and a tentative, beautiful smile spreading across her lips, and was it just him or did she start walking a little bit faster up the path toward him? He met her halfway, running the last few yards and skidding to a stop in front of her. The connection between them hummed and warmed, pulling on his sternum, urging him closer. It was like all the tension and anger of the last few minutes had never happened. This was right. This was where he was supposed to be, how they should be, together, always.

He managed to stop himself before he reached for her hand, or hugged her, or otherwise invaded her space, though he did let himself look her over, unable to resist.

Her hair hung around her shoulders in shining, wet curls that seemed to glisten in the sunlight, setting off the pale shimmer in her skin wherever the sun touched her. The dress she'd picked out hugged her figure perfectly, neither too tight or too loose, accentuating the easy, natural grace with which she carried herself. Her red hair stood out against the green of the dress, bright and riotous, a flame in the forest depths.

"You look amazing," Jacob murmured fervently.

She instantly turned pink, the bright blush blossoming across her face and spreading to her neck, forehead, and even the tips of her ears. "Uh- Thank you."

Damn, was that over the line? He wasn't sure. He'd said something similar when she'd first emerged from his room in her new clothes, and she hadn't seemed to mind then… but maybe she was just being nice. What if she just didn't have the heart to tell him when he'd overstepped his bounds? Hell, she'd just laid there in bed earlier with him hanging all over her… He'd been too mesmerized by her beauty, by her smell and the feel of her in his arms, to even realize what he was doing, until she'd had to tell him – gently, shyly, as if she was afraid of his reaction… As if he could be angry at her, as if he could be anything but disgusted and horrified with himself…

He shook his head, pulling himself back into the present. "Do you want some breakfast?" he asked, hoping the subject change would help him get control of himself. "They were just cooking a bunch of meat when I was up there, but we can find something vegetarian for you."

"That sounds wonderful," Nessie smiled up at him, her cheeks still stained pink. He tried to will himself to take a step back from her, to give her more space, and failed.

"Okay, well… It's just up this way," he said awkwardly, turning to lead the way back up the path, but Nessie's voice stopped him.

"Aren't you going to offer me your arm?" she asked suddenly. Her tone was semi-teasing and she was smiling slightly when he looked back down at her.

Jake blinked. "Right. Sorry," he said, and held his arm out for her. He could've smacked himself upside the head for that one. First he was too touchy, and now he was being neglectful, leaving a lady, a princess to fend for herself. She must think he was a complete barbarian. Not a gentleman like in her kingdom.

Nessie slipped her hand into his elbow with a smile and what sounded very much like a quiet sigh, her fingers squeezing slightly and her little fingernails scratching very lightly across his skin. It took all his self-control not to shiver as the contact sent a delicious tremor through him. Gods, he was pathetic.

Quil and Embry were waiting for them outside the kitchen when they crested the hill, Embry standing with his arms folded and Quil leaning casually back against the wall next to the doorway, both watching intently as they approached. Jacob could hear Billy still inside, dishes clattering together angrily on the stove and tabletop.

"Mornin', princess!" Quil called, all but leering at her, and Nessie turned pink all over again, frowning and shifting closer to Jacob. Embry rolled his eyes and Jake growled at Quil, who just grinned unrepentantly.

"Come on," Jacob said to Nessie, shooting a glare at his still-grinning friend. "Let's see if we can find something for you to eat…"

Embry stepped forward, stopping him with a hand on his arm as they passed him. "We've really gotta talk, Jake."

Jacob felt himself frown further, but nodded once. It seemed wrong, downright unfair, to be separated from Ness again right after being reunited with her, no matter how short the time apart was. But Embry was right – they needed to sort this stuff out, to clear up what his friends thought they knew and kill whatever stupid assumptions they'd made about… about imprinting.

"Just let me get Ness taken care of first. Then I'll be right out," he grumbled, ignoring the curious, concerned look Nessie sent them as he ushered her inside.

Billy didn't look up from the leftover meat he was wrapping for later use when they entered the kitchen, but Ness stopped in the middle of the room, staring at the old man and refusing to go when Jake tried to steer her toward a seat at the table.

"Is that your father?" she whispered, looking up at him. He nodded, and her eyes widened, showing how important this was to her. "I can't just sit here without being introduced to him, Jake! Would you? Please?"

"I don't think…" he started, glancing between his father's back and Nessie's wide, pleading eyes. He sighed. How could he say no to her? "Alright… Hey, Pop!" he said loudly, his voice rougher now than it had been when he said those same words not fifteen minutes earlier. "I've got someone I want you to meet."

Billy seemed to sag at Jake's words, bracing his arms straight out against the countertop and letting his head hang forward. He stood like that for a second, then let out a sigh and pushed away, pivoting around on his good leg to face them. He kept his eyes trained on his son's face, though, not looking once down at Nessie. Jacob grit his teeth, telling himself he wasn't going to get angry again.

"Dad," he said, his voice coming out clipped and tight, "this is Nessie. Princess Renesmee. Cullen."

Billy's mouth pressed down into a thin line and he still didn't look at her.

"It's so nice to meet you," Nessie said then, releasing his arm to take a step forward, one hand held out toward Billy. "Jacob's told me so much about you."

Finally, Billy tore his eyes away from Jacob's to look down at her and then at the hand she had extended toward him.

Come on, Dad, Jacob thought, watching his father tensely. He'd told Nessie his father wasn't like the others, like Sam and the people who had stood by while she was tormented last night. He'd told her Billy wouldn't, couldn't hate her, not like them, without even knowing her… Come on, don't make me a liar.

Billy looked down at Nessie's tiny, pale hand, and then into her eyes, which Jacob knew would be looking up at him wide and sincere, the warm brown depths pleading for the old man to just give her a chance, to see how wonderful and amazing and breathtaking she was…

Or maybe those were just Jacob's own thoughts.

Very slowly, Billy raised one of his toughened old hands from where it had been supporting him against the countertop. Carefully, as if he expected her touch to burn him, he reached forward and grasped Nessie's hand in his. "Nice to meet you too," he said gruffly.

Nessie smiled, and Jake felt himself relax just at the sight of it. "Thank you," she said quietly, letting her hand return to her side when his father released it. Billy nodded vaguely, looking wary and a little surprised but no longer hostile.

"Lemme go see what we've got to eat here," Jake said to Nessie, nudging her toward the table and chairs again and shooting Billy a small, grateful smile over the top of her head. His father just blinked back at him, looking confused and more than a little disgruntled.

As Nessie scooted into the first chair at the table, Jake crossed the room to the doorway of the pantry set into the back wall of the kitchen. There was a disappointing amount of dried meat stacked on the shelves there – disappointing in that moment because there was so much of it. Any other time, he would have happily helped himself to the jerky and venison his father had stored up, but not right then, not when he was on a mission for Nessie.

Being a Shifter, Jake could live on an almost purely carnivorous diet. His father couldn't, though, since he was what many people called a 'two-leg.' It wasn't exactly a demeaning term, but it also wasn't a real complimentary way of speaking of regular people, non-Shifters, who couldn't take to four legs whenever they liked. Sometimes, in fact, his ailing father seemed more like a one-leg, one and a half tops, but that was beside the point… The point was, he had to eat bread and fruit and vegetables, more than Jake did. He had to have something here that Nessie could eat.

He scoured the shelves, skipping over the stacks of salted pork, fowl, beef jerky… Billy might technically be a two-legger, but he still loved meat as much as the next wolf. And this was just the dried stuff, not even the fresh cuts like the bacon and sausage he'd been cooking up this morning. At last, in the very back corner of the deep pantry, he found several loaves of bread, some jars of fruit preserves, and a few crates of vegetables.

One of the loaves had spoiled, the sour smell of the mold making him wrinkle his nose in distaste, but the others still seemed fine, so he grabbed one along with a jar of strawberries, remembering how much Ness had enjoyed spreading jam on her bread when they were on the road. If only they had some of that peanut butter stuff she liked… But the little jar her family had sent with her was still in the saddlebags with the rest of her belongings back at the Summit, assuming none of Sam's lackeys had nosed through her stuff and eaten it.

The thought of anyone going through her things like that was enough to send a tremor down his spine. He had to remind himself not to crush the jar of preserves and loaf of bread in his hands.

He got himself under control and went back out into the kitchen, setting the bread and jam on the table in front of Nessie before going to grab a clean plate and knife for her. "Sorry, I know it's not much," he mumbled, handing her the dishes.

"Oh, no, it's fine," she said, smiling and shaking her head at him as she set the dishes down and popped open the jar of strawberry preserves. Her eyes lit when she saw what was inside, and she looked back up at him, her smile turning soft and grateful. "Thank you, Jacob."

Jake felt his cheeks heat slightly at her gratitude, and he straightened up from the table, running a hand through his hair. "Well, I, uh… I guess I'll leave you to eat then… Quil and Embry really need to talk to me, so…"

"Are you going to be gone long?" Nessie asked, looking up from the bread she was slicing, her eyes suddenly wide and almost fearful.

Jake blinked, surprised. Could she be feeling the separation as sharply as him? "I'll… I'll be back as soon as I can," he said hesitantly, wanting to reassure her but not wanting to promise anything he couldn't make good on. Embry seemed pretty serious about all this stuff, so he couldn't say how long it would take to hash it all out… "Okay?"

Nessie bit her lip slightly, still looking nervous, but nodded. "Okay."

Jake sighed, taking one last look at her before turning to make his way outside, but then paused next to his father. "Hey, will you stay with her? Until I get back, I mean?" he asked quietly, drawing a frown from the older man. "I just… I don't want her to be alone…"

Billy pursed his lips, looking reluctant and disapproving, but dropped Jake's gaze without argument. "Fine. But she had better not try to bite me."

Jacob felt a flash of anger jolt through him, straight down his spine. "She's not-" he started furiously, but cut himself off when Nessie looked up at them, her brows rising in concern. "I told you," he continued in a quieter, more even tone, "she's a vegetarian. And an amazing, wonderful person, if you'd let go of your prejudice long enough to get to know her at all," he added, all but spitting out the last part, and turned to stalk out of the kitchen.

Quil and Embry were waiting for him when he emerged. Jake looked between the two of them somberly, still feeling the aftershocks of the clash with his father. "Alright," he grumbled, stepping forward to lead the way out into the sunlight. "Let's get this over with…"