The Full Moon
Year Two, Chapter Eleven
Moving In
Jacob's Point of View
"Okay, kids. Time to wake up. We're here." Edward said as he jostled Nessie and me awake.
Alice had woken us up around 5am and we pretty much stumbled our way into the backseat of Edwards car, still half asleep, the morning after Nessie's birthday party, and then quickly fell back asleep I know her family had no problem, not needing any sleep themselves, but was it really necessary that we have to leave that early? I know Edward had told me why, but my brain was still half asleep and I couldn't remember right now.
Looking around I saw that we had pulled up to our new home on a gloomy Wednesday morning. We were still in Washington so the weather was no surprise, but the house sure was. I was expecting something similar to the one in Forks, and while this new one was also hidden away in the woods off of some back road it wasn't a converted Victorian style house like that had been. This was much more modern in design. I'm guessing that the Cullens must have built it themselves over the last year, soon after we settled on the location. I had to hand it to them, the outside looked nice and huge – a combination of wood and stone, three stories, lots of windows and surrounded by flowers
While I had little more than a few bags, the Cullens had been bringing carfull after carfull of their things here over the last week. The main house, in Forks, along with the cottage, had been closed up, but still had all of the furniture and some clothes for everyone in case we needed to go back at anytime, which made sense since my family and Pack was there as well as Bella's dad, Charlie.
"Come on Nessie, let's go explore this place." I said as I grabbed her hand and we exited the car. After sleeping the entire three hour car ride, I was beginning to feel much more awake. And to my great relief Nessie seemed happy, despite the fact that she had just left the only home she had ever known. This must be hard for her. It was hard for me as well. I had left my home, my family, and my Pack to go live with a bunch of Vampires. But I did it to be with Nessie. I would do anything for her, and that made this easier for me. And right now she needed me to be strong and not seem like I was upset moving away from everything and everyone I knew and loved.
"Who's ready for a tour of the house?" Esme asked everyone, with a giant smile on her face. We all followed her in, including Huilen and Nahuel who came with us, in one of the other cars, as she led us through the front door.
"Okay everyone, as you can see this is the main living room." It looked like the Cullens had brought their artwork – paintings, sculptures, and other knick-knacks from the old house, even if the furniture was all new. But it was all in the same color scheme as the Forks house had been . . . boring white and beige. It could use some color.
"Renesmee and Jacob, your bedrooms are down the hallway on the right," Esme continued while walking over to us. "There is a full bathroom between the two that you can access through your rooms. I also added a washer and dryer in there for you Jacob," she said, coming a little too close to me for my liking. I know she was just trying to be nice, but it still felt weird . . . wrong. Against my Werewolf instincts. "I wanted to make this as comfortable for you as possible, Jacob, and I thought this would help keep your things smelling better, to you, if you could wash them separately. Your room also has its own door to the outside to make it easier for you to phase when needed." Wow. That was thoughtful.
"Behind the living room is the kitchen and the dining room." She pointed out, without any of us actually going to look at them for ourselves. I guess we would get in there eventually. "I thought it would be best if your rooms were closest, since you're the only two who will get any practical use from them," she added with a wink towards us.
We followed her to the other side of the house. "In here is the music room," she said while leading us in. Edwards piano took up a large part of the room but there was still enough space leftover for a couple couches and a giant flat screen on the wall. "There are two guest bedrooms down the back hall. Nahuel and Huilen will that be alright for you?" They just nodded in approval and left in that direction. "Alright, well then let's go up the stairs to the second floor." We followed her though the rest of the house starting on the second floor where she showed us her and Carlisle's bedroom on the right towards the front of the house and Carlisle's office right behind it. There was a movie room in the middle. And on the other side was Edward and Bella's bedroom in the back corner. The front room was for their own use. I had never been in any of their bedrooms in Forks and didn't venture past the doorways here either, but from what I could tell from Carlisle's office, which I had seen both versions, everything here was a mirror replica of the old house. Lots of beige, even more white, expensive furniture, even more expensive antiques.
We then followed Esme up the stairs again to the third floor.
"Alice your bedroom is on the right towards the back, with the front room set up for Jasper's office. The library is in the middle." After everyone finished looking around the library that was lined with the Cullens collection of hundreds of books, Esme led us to the left side of the house toward the front. I stayed in the hallway again as everyone else went inside. "And here we have Rosalie and Emmett's bedroom with a back room to do with as you please.
"I have also added extra soundproofing throughout the house. And as you have seen everyone's rooms of course have a large walk in closet and full bath attached," she added almost as an afterthought. "Is there anything that anyone wants changed? Or could I add anything for anyone?"
"I guess this is acceptable," Rose said. "if the dog has to be in the same house as us at least he is as far away as possible, from me," she snarled.
"Right back at you, Blondie," I snapped back at her.
"I'm not sure I am comfortable being so far away from my daughter," Bella spoke up next. They were only one floor away but I guess she was right; they were diagonally on the other side of the house from each other.
"Bella, dear," Edward tried comforting her, "Renesmee will be fine. Jacob will be right there with her, and she's not a baby anymore. She's in a house full of Vampires. We can get to her in under a second, from anywhere on the property, if we needed to."
"You're right," she smiled at him. "It's just that she is still my baby."
"Mom calm down, we're still in the same house, it's not like I'm moving to China or something." Nessie added with a smirk. "I'm sure I will be fine."
Bella seemed to calm down and after that no one else had an objections so we all went off, in pairs, to explore our new rooms.
When I entered my bedroom the first thing I did was open all the windows. There was a slight Vampire stench, but if the Cullens stayed out, like they agreed to do, it would soon clear out. Looking around I made some mental notes of things I wanted to change. The walls would definitely need to be painted. Green might be nice. I had talked to Esme about color choices back in Forks, and while everything was as we discussed – light blue sheets, dark blue comforter, dark mahogany desk and dresser, yet the walls were mysteriously absent of color. Well not exactly – they had been painted a light ivory color. The Cullens knew there were other colors besides tan, white and beige right? They weren't all color blind were they? Actually, now that I thought about it I realized that I didn't know the answer to that question, but it would make sense for their color choices, or lack thereof.
While I planned on moving it to the other side of the room at least the bed was large enough for me. Esme had bought me a king size bed. That made me happy. I was finally going to sleep on something that fit me. And just as Esme said, there was a huge closet off of my and Nessie's rooms, full of brand new clothes. I assumed there were also new clothes in everyone else's rooms, as well. Alice! Hmmm, I'll have to wash everything. As well as I was tolerating the Cullen's it still was not the most pleasant of aromas. Even though the Cullen's scents don't hurt my nose as much as they did when I first phased, I didn't see the point of making myself any less comfortable. I guess I was getting use to them and becoming slightly desensitized. All Vampires smell different, yet all too sickeningly sweet, and unfamiliar Vampires scents still irritate me the most. I'm currently bothered the most by Huilen's aroma in the house.
"Do you like your room Nessie?" I asked from the adjoining bathroom doorway, after I had finished rearranging my furniture. She had a new queen size bed, with purple sheets and a grey comforter, lavender walls, and ivory furniture. Purple and silver accents spotted the room. As I looked around it seemed like everything in there had a slightly older look to it than her old room in the cottage.
"Yes, but why did Grandma Esme give you your own room? Aren't you going to still stay with me?" There was worry in her eyes. She still got the occasional nightmare. But Bella, Edward and Esme had talked to me about the sleeping arrangements and we (they) thought that if we were in new surroundings, not associated with the Volturi's visit, her nightmares would most likely dissipate all on their own. And she was getting older. My sleeping in the same bed with her would not be seen as appropriate for much longer. I told them I would agree to the separation as long as Nessie did not object and her nightmares did not return. I thought they would have talked to her, seeing as they went ahead and given us the two rooms but apparently they had not.
I was going to say something to convince her that this was for the best but when I saw the tears well up in her eyes my resolve crumbled.
"Don't cry Nessie. I'm sure Esme was just trying to be nice and make me feel welcome offering me my own room, but if you want me to stay with you I will. "
"I don't' want you to stay with me Jacob, I want you to share this room with me." Suddenly the vast amount of purple in the room seemed to multiply. "I want you to think of this as your room too, I want it to be our room." She sobbed even more.
"Nessie, this is your room, I'm not taking your room from you."
"My Jacob, it's not my room, or your room, it's our room. Understand?"
"Sure, sure." Maybe I could convince her to paint the walls. "If that will make you happy Nessie, then it can be our room, for now, but can we leave the other room as it is, just in case you change your mind in the future?"
She had stopped crying when I agreed to move into her room but now looked sad again. "You don't want to share the room with me?"
"I always want to be with you, Nessie. You know that. I love you. I Imprinted on you. You know nothing could keep me away from you. But YOU may change your mind someday. There may come a day when you want your privacy, or whatever." Probably soon too, she was going to start looking like a teenage within the next year or two with the rate she was growing. I could put up with purple walls for a year.
"I doubt that will ever happen Jacob, but if it makes you feel better then fine, we can keep that room as a backup. Okay?"
"Sure, sure."
"Good, then I think we should bring some of your things in here too. This is your room, as much as it is mine."
"Nessie, do you think that's a good idea? You don't know how long I will be staying in here."
"That's exactly right, we don't know. It could be a week or it could be forever," she smirked.
"Okay. I'll grab my stuff in a bit."
With that she relaxed and started exploring her new clothes while I began washing mine, I'll have to also wash her sheets, bedspread and pillows at some point. Nessie understood the smell issue, so I won't need to explain when I started ripping everything off of her bed; well, our bed now, I guess.
After I filled the washing machine with the first load of clothes I looked around the bathroom and was pleasantly surprised to see an extra tall shower head above the bathtub. I won't have to stoop to wash my hair. Awesome! The tub itself also looked larger and longer than a standard one. Esme was so thoughtful. I will have to remember to do something special for her later, to say thank you.
Just then there was a knock at the door.
"Come in," Nessie called.
"Ah, there you are Jacob. How are the two of you settling in?"
"We're good Grampy, Jacob is just getting settled in here."
"Yes, Edward did mention the change."
Of course he heard, but he didn't break the door down or start screaming at me, so I guess he was okay with me staying in Nessie's room, for now, anyway. I have a feeling our current sleeping arrangements might not be something he was going to allow for that much longer. But for now, she looked like a kid, no matter how advanced her mind might be, and everything was perfectly innocent.
"Jacob, may I have a private word with you, upstairs?"
Or maybe Eddie just asked Carlisle to come get me so he could dismember me without his daughter's knowledge.
This was going to be fun.
"Sure, sure. Lead the way Doc." I grabbed Nessie into a tight hug before I left. Who knows when or if I might be able to do that again. "See you soon, sweetheart." I hope.
Following Carlisle up to his office I was relieved to learn that Edward did not send him. I was really starting to get paranoid. I know I just moved away from home, into a house full of Vampires, but it was Bella and her family. They weren't going to hurt me. I needed to relax. Deep breaths. Come one Jake, you're supposed to be an Alpha Wolf, I told myself. Start acting like it.
"Jacob, thank you for agreeing to talk to me." Carlisle said as he sat behind his desk.
I took one of the empty seats in front of it. It really was like a real office. Medical books filled the bookcased wall behind and to the right of him. Any wall or table space not housing a book was covered in either paintings and photographs or what looked like old fashioned medical equipment, the kind you would seen in a museum or historical movie, but knowing Carlisle, he had probably used them at some point in the past himself. "No problem Doc, what's up?"
"I was wondering how you were doing. I know this must be difficult for you, to move away from your home, family, friends, . . . your Pack. "
"I'm fine," or at least I will be. "I've basically been living with Nessie, Bella and Edward for the past year, this won't be that different. I'll deal."
"Yes, I'm sure you will. But we all want you to do more than just . . . deal, Jacob. We would very much like for you to be happy as you live here with us. Please let any of us know immediately if there is anything you need or if there is anything we can do for you."
"Doc, really I'll be fine." First Nessie now Carlisle. What's next? Is Blondie going to start being nice to me. Ha! Okay that was pushing it.
"Alright Jacob." He said resigning himself to the fact that I wasn't going to be breaking down and crying for my daddy any time soon. "I wonder if you could do something for me, then. If you are going to live with us for the indefinite future I would like to learn a bit more about you so I can treat you, should the need ever arise."
"What do you mean exactly?" I didn't like the sound of this.
"Well, I would like to take some X-rays, an MRI and ct-scan of you human as well as you in your Wolf form. If there is ever an accident or attack and you are injured, as a Wolf, and you are unable to phase back, I would like to know more about your anatomy, in order to treat you better. I would also like to draw a larger sample of your blood to run some tests. I believe it is best to be prepared for all eventualities."
"Doc, you know I trust you with my life, but I am not sure if that's . . . safe. If another Vampire found your results, and found a weakness in the Wolves, then they could find a way to use it against me or the Packs. I'm not sure if that is a good idea."
He seemed to consider what I said for a moment and then spoke. "I understand your concerns. What if I could guarantee you that no one would be able to find anything. I am capable of remembering everything I see, so there is no need for me to write down anything I learn and I will destroy all of the images and test results generated once I have reviewed them."
"That would be alright then, I guess."
"I would ask for one more thing, your permission to share what I have learned with Edward. As you know he holds several medical degrees of his own. Hopefully it will never be needed, but if I am ever unavailable or unable to treat you, he would be able to take my place."
"Sure, sure. When did you want to do this?" Never mind. Even as I was saying it, Carlisle began moving a bunch of machines into position. "So, right now then?"
"If you don't mind, I would like to begin immediately." Why did he have to look so happy?
Four hours later Carlisle said he was done. Finally! I was poked, prodded, weighed, measured, scanned, rescanned, and I don't even know what else. He took samples of my blood, spit, and other . . . liquids. I don't even want to know what he was going to do with them. I just wanted to get out of that room and hopefully never have to go back.
When I returned to Nessie's room. . . correction, our room, Edward was there talking with Nessie.
"My Jacob, there you are. What took you so long?"
"He's fine Renesmee, Carlisle was just giving him a checkup." Edward said with a smirk in my direction. Of course he heard everything and knew exactly what Carlisle was doing. Nice and embarrassing. Great!
"Sorry I was gone so long Nessie. How are you doing down here? Did you get the room all set up just the way you like it?"
"No, I wanted to wait for you, so we could do it together. I finished washing your clothes for you, though."
"Thanks, you didn't need to do that. I would have gotten to it eventually."
"Why don't the two of you take a break and go eat lunch. I think Bella cooked some steaks with vegetables for the two of you."
Nessie made a face. Human food wasn't her favorite, but she followed me into the kitchen anyway.
After lunch I began washing Nessie's bedding, it took awhile but got it all done. In between loads Nessie and I moved some of my things from my room into hers, making it slightly more ours and less hers. It was still purple. Moving my stuff in didn't take long, I didn't have much - pictures of my family and the Packs, a few carvings Billy made me when I was younger, and some other knick-knacks. I arranged everything on my bedside table and desk that Nessie insisted I bring in.
Nessie did the same with her things, but had a ton more. She was after all the miracle baby of the family. Everyone was always showering her with gifts. Not that she didn't deserve them. She was worth it.
"What's that?" I asked her. She had arranged a bunch of things atop her bookcase in a way that looked like she was giving preference to whatever she had placed in the middle. She was standing on a chair and I couldn't see what it was unless she moved, but I didn't want to disrupt her more. Whatever it was must have been important or pricey, not unheard of with her family.
"Just something to remember." she said holding up a shell. It was the one I had gotten for her from first beach. "If we get one from each place we live I will help to always remember, my Jacob."
"That's a nice idea, Nessie, but you do know that most places we'll move to over the years probably won't be near the water, like La Push was."
"Oh, I hadn't thought of that."
"Why are you even worried about forgetting your home in Washington, Nessie? Don't you have a photographic memory like the rest of your family?" I asked her while turning the shell, that she had handed me, over in my hands. She had written "La Push, Washington" and last week's date inside of it.
"It's called an eidetic memory, but yes, I am incapable of forgetting anything. I wanted to do this for you. So you won't forget. I know you won't forget your home anytime soon, but what about all the other places we live? And what about 100 . . . 200 years from now? I know it's not much but -"
Wow. Nessie was so amazing. I didn't know what to say so I just wrapped her in a giant hug.
Thanks for reading, please review and let me know what you think.
