Twilight-Forever
Chapter Fourteen
Oberon
By Cindra
A/n: :: or colons around dialog represents silent communication between characters otherwise known as telepathy.
Disclaimer: I do not own any of the original characters this is just because someone gave me a challenge and mostly for fun.
Outside Edward and Bella's home
"It's quite simple to build a stone dance, one simply needs the proper location and the correct size and type of stones." Cain stood beside Emmett, Ben, and Jazz.
"The cottage is ringed by trees and there needs to be two rings, is that correct?" Jazz had one of the old texts on immortal lore in his hands.
"The stones that I sized for the main structure points of the cottage are the size of us. Four of them and between those were stones half that size." Emmett clearly remembered the circle of stones that had once ringed the cottage.
"Precisely, four keystones representing North, South, East, and West." Cain nodded.
"So a stone dance is to some extent similar to a compass, as one is always built on a flux or lay line." Ben arched a brow.
"It also represents Air, Fire, Earth, and Water. The four elements. Aye, young Benjamin, a compass is one of its uses. Stone dances are anchors during spirit walks, sources of energy for others of a magical nature, and they have other enumerable uses as well."
"So we ring the house with the stones, because obviously the cottage was the focal point of the ring. It'll be like it was before…" Emmett frowned up at the house scrubbing at the back of his neck as if something was off with the whole plan. "Won't Oberon appear inside the house?"
"That all depends on how weak his slumber has made him. Our kind loses power if they become sedentary." Cain turned to study Ole Glory. "Oberon is happiest in the Isles. The green, sky, and sea empower him, where as here the sun rarely shines at all, weakening him. Though, the activation of the tree and his appearing in the pool is promising, my brother is still unable to breakout of his prison."
Cain conjured a big juicy apple out of thin air and bit into it. "Aye, lad, it's likely that he'll appear in the largest space of our granddaughter's dwelling." He chewed thoughtfully.
"Wouldn't that be their master suite, it is the entire top floor." Ben frowned.
"The closet is the biggest room." Jazz pondered the second floor.
"There's Nessie's playroom where their old closet used to be." Emmett sketched out the stone dance on his sketch pad, calculating the shape, size, and number of the stones he would need.
"What will be, will be, my lads. All we can do meantime is focus on the task at hand." Cain eyed Em's sketch. "Well, done, lad. Granite is best. Let us search for what is needed elsewhere."
"The three of us can carry them back, but it'll take time." Ben's eyes widened, eyeing sketch.
"We have to find and then carve them out first, Ben." Jazz frowned.
"I can easily port the stones after they've been found." Cain snapped his fingers and they vanished.
The White Castle
Jake and his pack weren't enjoying their first week of school. Jake especially would think twice about challenging Alice or any of them for that matter.
Alice wanted a paper no fewer than a thousand words on Werewolves, banshees, and sirens due at the end of the following week. He'd had a fascination for the supernatural, myths, and lore. The old stories of their tribe had gotten him hooked at a young age.
Edward wanted an essay on Midsummer Nights Dream preferably tomorrow. He even had to work on his penmanship. He knew his handwriting sucked, but no one had complained about it at the rez school. It was a good thing that he was a closet bookworm and well-read on all the classics, but what Edward didn't know wouldn't hurt him.
Ben was giving a trig test on Friday, plus he had twenty problems to solve for tomorrow. He was a mechanic and loved building things with his hands, math was a cinch for him.
Jazz wanted a paper on the Civil War and why the South lost and they had until next Friday to get that one finished.
Esme was having them translate an entire English conversation into Spanish. The conversation was a few pages long. Language wasn't that difficult, he'd had to learn his tribal language at a young age and that was more difficult than any foreign language.
Carlisle had been called to the hospital for an emergency and had assigned the chapter on matter to read. He couldn't wait until they got to do the experiments.
Rose's class was easy, he loved working on rebuilds.
Emmett was their Shop teacher. He loved to build things.
Phil handled gym, today it was going for a run.
Renee rounded out the day with the arts and there was also the Selfless therapy session.
All of them were whiz's on the computer, so that was one class none of them needed to take.
"Hell. We're in hell, Bros'." Embry groaned like his backpack weighed a ton.
"We skipped two years of school, Embry. What'd ya expect a free pass?" Quil rolled his eyes.
"It's not all bad and we do have to finish High School. It's not like any of the classes are boring." Seth wasn't seeing the problem. He liked school.
"Aw, man! You have to be kidding me!" Jake groaned.
Ness and Tia were watching over a cub of the big cat variety.
"I don't need this. I can't handle an animal crisis right now!"
"Bro, that's a mountain lion cub. Where'd she score that? They were only gone for an hour." Embry couldn't believe his eyes.
"Are you sure it ain't Cain?" Quil narrowed his eyes.
"Not possible. He's with Em, Jazz, and Ben rebuilding the stone dance." Seth could clearly see the little cub was hurt. "Boss, those poachers are getting on my nerves." He growled.
Jake saw it too. "Ness must have used the Doc's stuff to patch it up. That's just wrong to torture a baby like that and then leave it to die." He snarled darkly.
"This is getting way out of hand. Sam is gonna want payback." Embry was itching to go hunting.
"Guys. Homework is gonna have to wait, we're going hunting tonight." Jake had his mind set.
The other three nodded.
"Boys, you have homework. Leave the trash to us." Alice stepped outside, a knowing look in her eyes.
"Alice…" The boys groaned.
"No patrolling on a school night. Sam, Paul and Jared will take care of it. Nahuel, Sel, and Dora can easily lend a hand if needed." Alice danced over to them. "You just missed Sam. He was with Ness and Tia when they found the baby kitty. He'd been tracking the trash. He helped Ness patch the little darling while you were working on Rose's rebuild. Ness's smitten with her too."
"Yeah, we can see that, so if we try to patrol…"
"I'll know," Alice smiled serenely.
"We're benched?" Embry and Quil sulked.
"That's correct, on school nights you are human bound." She stood back and waited for the tantrums to start.
"We're not kids, Alice! Protecting the forest is our job and what we were born to do!" Jake gritted his teeth in frustration.
"I know that, Jacob, but if you ever wish to date Ness when she's older. Let's say in four years or so, you need to play by the rules. High School and excellent grades add up to quality time with Ness in the future." Alice replied gravely.
"Bro, you are so benched. No leashed. There is no way you wanna screw that up." Quil whistled low under his breath, that was cold, but he had to admit effective.
"Boys, Sel and Dora aren't going to reward you for slacking off, so you are just as leashed as he is. Quil needs to set a good example for Claire, so he's leashed as well." She blew each of them a kiss, before dancing over to see the baby kitty.
"Damn, she's good." Seth knew when to quit. "So, we studying at our place or what?"
"Yeah, might as well get it over with." Embry moaned.
"Hours of homework…" Quil sulked.
:You guys got it easy. None of you live with Edward…: Jake was still reeling over Alice's announcement.
:Hey, boss, you can always move back to the den…:
:Nessie would be heartbroken, nah, I've got all the incentive I need to keep my focus. But, right now I'm gonna go see her new little friend.: He left them to jog across the lawn.
:Later, boss.: The boys took off for home.
"Hey, Sprite, whatcha got there." Jake sat down beside Ness.
"She's a baby mountain lion. Sam and Nana Sue helped me patch her up." She tearfully crawled into his lap and he cuddled her close. :They left her to die, Wolfe.:
"Shhh, baby…you saved her and Sam, Jared, and Paul are gonna make the poachers stop." He rocked her in his arms, crooning softly against her hair.
:We never hunt the momma lions, ever. Humans can be so cruel. She only has one eye now and the trap got her tail. She's so trusting, even after all that she'd been through, she knew we were there to help her.: Nessie sobbed against his shoulder.
"I really wanna hurt them, Jacob! I know I'm not supposed to, but they don't deserve to live if they do despicable things like that to little babies!"
"Sweetie, humans can be monsters, but killing them gives them the easy path. Letting them live to pay for their crimes is much better." Tia reached out and gently stroked her hair.
"Trapped by their own beastly devices will do nicely." Alice cuddled the sleeping cub on her lap. "Hmmm… I believe there will be an even larger hunting party tonight. These men are never going to poach again."
"They made Nessie cry. I need in on this, Alice. I'm an Alpha, it is my duty to protect…" The hell with homework he wanted blood.
"Yes, you are an Alpha and need to study hard so you can help lead your people one day. School is important, Jacob. All of us had to go the first time around. You've such a brilliant mind, so why let it go to waste?" Alice tried to reason with him.
:Wolfe, let them deal with the monsters. We can work on your homework together. Daddy and Grandpa Charlie tricked Momma into starting college.: She rubbed her eyes with her tiny fists and looked up into frustrated brown-black eyes. "Don't go. I need you, Wolfe. Daddy will be cross and he'll only add to your workload. He's sneaky that way."
:Nah, Sprite, I've got it covered, but thanks for offering. College, huh? Did Charlie buckle or is there something else going on?: Jake hugged her close, gently kissing the top of her head.
"You win, Sprite. I'll stay on the sidelines for now, unless I'm needed. I've got so much homework that I'll be at it until midnight as it is."
"Twenty problems, translating a conversation, an essay, and reading a chapter isn't the end of the world." Alice rolled her eyes. "Jazz and my papers aren't due until end of next week. None of this is difficult for you, so stop over-dramatizing it."
"Sure, Sure, so I'm smart and you guys make it interesting and fun in class. It's just hard getting back into routine again. The wolf in me likes to run." Jake shrugged.
:Gramps calls it Art Class, that you're being self-conscious about your work, and don't want Momma to see it until its completed. Momma was sulking about it, so Daddy did his usual with Gramps help. She's seeing such dreadful things all the time now, because she won't make nice with Gran Renee. She's also seeing wonderful things when she's happy, but they only depress her. So, Daddy and Gramps suggested that she needed a new focus. Momma was caught after that…Daddy said that he would help her with her classes if she needed it. Momma got all bristly with Daddy, since he did call her stupid in a way, so she has to start school too and I'm gonna take classes with her.: Nessie chattered a mile a minute using their link all the while keeping the conversation aloud.
"Wolfe, you went running already. Let them catch the baddies."
:Me! Edward is the self-conscious one! Sure, sure, I guess that works, but still she'll be steamed at me and that sucks. College, well, at least we'll suffer together. Bella I mean. Not you, Sprite. You beyond take after your Daddy there. Bells and I are smart, but it's like you absorbed all of it, like through osmosis or something.: Jake eyed the baby cub in Alice's lap.
"She's a little Misfit, isn't she? It's like she's a cross between two of the rarer big cats, you can see it in her coloring. If I'm right and she's a hybrid then these punks broke a shit load of federal laws."
"Sam contacted acting Chief Mark about his findings and he is contacting the Department of Fish and Wildlife. The poaching has escalated since Charlie has been on sick leave and since Edward won't let Charlie even check in with him, Mark called in the big guns. Sam has worked with them before, as has Carlisle, so it's being handled." Tia got him caught up on what was already in the works.
"If she is a hybrid are we even gonna be able to keep her?" Jake frowned, knowing what that would do to Ness.
"That's also in the works. Carlisle is handling those details even as we speak. Esme went to tell him what was up and the two of them were going to drive to a friend of theirs for some baby kitty supplies." Alice cuddled the cub against her shoulder, gently patting her back as if she were an infant. "She's ours now. Yes, she is. No one is going to hurt her again." She crooned.
"Em's gonna love this." Jake smirked.
"Emmett is on probation. He has no say. He's lucky Edward didn't castrate him." Alice growled.
"Misfit is a baby. Mommies and babies are never food. Uncle Em knows that." Nessie scowled at Jake.
"Easy there, Sprite. No one is gonna hurt Misfit that's a promise. We still have to tell Bells and Edward about her though." He kissed her nose.
Renee stepped outside calling over to them. "Jake, Nessie! You're having dinner here tonight. Charlie and Sue are going out on a date. The boys are building the stone dance and Bella and Edward are currently occupied."
"Yeah, I figured as much when he didn't come back after going to check on her." Jake rolled his eyes. "Charlie's taking the Vanquish too right?"
"Yeah, pretty much. He's a free man for tonight anyway." Phil stepped out next to his wife. "I've never heard of the likes of it. She makes a face and he goes primal on her." He shook his head in disbelief.
"Jazz says he's never felt anything like it. He went from calm to primal in less than a second after she made the face at him." Alice grinned.
"Daytime is my time. Momma didn't mean it and Daddy did trick her to get her to start school again. Dinner is family time or I don't eat." Ness narrowed her eyes, focusing on her parents minds. :Daddy! Leave momma alone! Daytime is my time!:
"Uh, Nessie, that's not a good idea. Let's just stick around here. There's a good chance that I'll need the library for my homework, so this is fine for now." His eyes widened at her change of mood, now was not the time for her to act her age.
:Nessie, I will make it up to you. I promise. Charlie and Sue are taking you out for a drive tonight.: Edward groaned in frustration, he had Bella cornered in their shower, and wasn't nearly finished enjoying himself yet.
:Daddy's being a brat tonight, baby. I'll be there in a bit, just let me ditch him.: Bella was still peeved at him.
:I don't wanna go for a drive! I wanna show momma something, so leave her be, Daddy! I want Momma!: Ness growled back.
"Nessie, now is not the time for a tantrum. You need him in a good mood before you spring Misfit on him." Jake tried to reason with her.
:Renesmee Carlie, we will be with you in a little while. Whatever it is that you wish to show Bella will wait until then.: Edward remained stern yet patient with her, but his hands fell to his sides in fists as if his temper was on the rise giving Bella the out that she needed to escape.
:Show Jake, sweetie. Daddy is being difficult, because I made a silly face at him. Dark Daddy is out and he's selfish. He doesn't want to share me right now, but I figured out a way to ditch him.: She streaked out of the shower, grabbed a towel, and dove into their closet.
"Now, darling, we need to teach her that she can't always get what she wants all the time." Edward sulked as he watched her dress in jeans and a cotton t-shirt.
"Neither can her Daddy. Seriously, Cullen, you ditched your teaching duties because my making a face at you triggered Dark Edward. It's been hours! I want my prince back!" Bella tossed him some shorts.
:Well said, Granddaughter. Shall I solve your problem for you? I've been working on a means for you to be with Renesmee, even during the sunniest of days. You love the sun and it's my way of making amends. My best intentions caused you so much strife and I am sorry for it.: Oberon appeared in the closet, garbed in his royal finery. He was well over six feet tall. The mirror image of Cain, but for his straight silver blonde hair and icy blue eyes.
"By the gods, are all of these necessary? You've enough to clothe a dozen females in here. No matter first things first. In a few moments you will be able to blend in with any of the humans." He focused on the two of them, his eyes turning a silver blue.
A bright golden light radiated around them.
Edward fell to his knees gasping, as did Bella.
Warmth a healing energy raced through their veins, not flames as was the last time, but liquid energy.
Their snow-white skin took on a healthy golden hue. Eyes returned to their human state. Organs long dormant were new once more. Blood replaced venom and something more to insure immortality. Then with a jolt through their systems two silent hearts began beating once more, fast as hummingbird's as any hybrid vampires should.
They were reborn once again with all the benefits of being an immortal. Their speed, strength, agility, sight, reflexes, senses, gifts, all still very much that of an immortal, minus the thirst for human blood. The two of them were vegetarians forever more.
"Grandfather, are we hybrids now? Is this why I keep seeing my vision? Our boys can become a reality now…" Bella stared wide-eyed at her reflection in her floor to ceiling mirror. "My eyes are chocolate brown again…this is so unreal. I've got ivory golden skin and…" She blushed. Edward was standing behind her.
"Oh, how I have missed that and your eyes as well…" His shocking chromatic green eyes tinged with amber, took in her new appearance paying no attention to his own. "Our hearts beat once again. Oberon has granted us a miracle."
"I shall see about the rest of our family while you finish dressing. Nessie has a furry little Misfit for you to meet. The evening meal is fast approaching, one you can now share with your daughter." Oberon vanished in a flash of ice blue lightning.
Bella turned to look up into his chromatic green eyes. "I love your eyes. Your golden skin tone, hmmm…five o'clock shadow that one's new." She reached up to feel his chiseled jaw line, as he traced a finger down her cheek. "I feel pretty much the same, but I'm craving an apple so much that I can almost taste it."
"Shaving?" Edward arched a bronze brow, the golden flecks in his green eyes sparkled with wicked curiosity, not all of Dark Edward was reined in.
"Has anything else changed?" He cradled her face between his hands, bent his head down, and kissed her until both of them were mindless and gasping for air. "No, that's even more intense than before…" His hands were shaking and his breathing was ragged.
"Ness first. We have all-night for us." Bella rained kisses across his chest.
"I may just postpone school until September. We're all going to need to get acclimated to our new bodies. We can go anywhere we wish without being exposed by the sun, plus we can eat food again. All of this is going to make our lives less complicated around the humans. Yet challenging until we acclimate to our bodies needs. Right now ravishing you, as delightful as that would be, is being overruled by this foreign craving for food. My stomach is growling for it." He kissed her fiercely once more before reluctantly releasing her to dress in jeans, a polo jersey, and his Eastland's.
"1918 had nothing on the new millennium. What do you wanna try first?" Bella fashioned her hair into a high ponytail that cascaded down her back to her waist.
"Peanut butter. I have always wanted to try it…" Edward wound the long silky tail around his hand and gently tugged her back into his arms.
:Come here again…: He crushed his mouth to her own and she dove her fingers through his thick unruly mane of red-gold hair.
"Ness…" She matched him kiss for kiss. :Wants us to see her like yesterday...:
:I'm finding that impossible…your taste, scent, just looking at you makes me…: He swept her up into his arms.
:Guys, Ness has a hybrid mountain lion female cub that she and Tia rescued this afternoon. I've already witnessed Tia, Alice, Renee, and Phil's metamorphosis. Carlisle, Esme, and Rose are in progress. Jazz and Alice. Ben and Tia. Renee and Phil are all lip locked. Em is seeking out Rose, since they can still kiss. Family dinner is inevitable. At the moment I'm feeding Misfit her bottle, Ness thinks we need to bond. Poor little thing is still able to chug down the formula Carlisle prepared for her. It's either the two of you come back here willingly or Doc and Esme will drag you here regardless. I'd choose willingly.: Jake growled in their heads.
:Did you just say Ness rescued a mountain lion cub?: That cooled the two of them down and they went downstairs in search of food.
:Yep, pretty much. She's more a cross between a lynx and a mountain lion though. She was caught in a poachers trap. Bastards tortured her. Sam and Sue patched her up. She's lost an eye and what the trap got of her tail. Everyone's pretty much smitten with her. Em's on the fence, as she's food and all that. You'll be goners too. She's just, well, like Nessie. Her blue eye sucks you right in. Misfit's a few months if that. Oh and Nessie is over the moon with happiness now that you're the same as she is. Guess the treaty needs rewritten or thrown out, since none of you are venomous anymore. Nahuel is next on Oberon's list.:
:Daddy, Momma, I wanna see you. Auntie Alice has really pretty violet eyes. Uncle Jazz's look like the ocean. Aunt Tia and Uncle Ben's are brown like mine. Gran Renee and Grandpa Phil's are blue-gray. Uncle Em's got blue-green and Aunt Rosy has blue eyes like the sky. Grandpa Carlisle has such amazing sapphire blue eyes and Gran Esme's are hazel green. Everyone is being all mushy and happy and the two of you are missing everything!: Nessie sulked as she was scooped up and hugged by Carlisle.
:Be right with you, baby. Daddy's raiding the pantry. He's never had a chance to taste any of our modern day food. Peanut butter and graham crackers are his first picks. Charlie and Sue are highly amused and delighted by our new selves. So Misfit's her name? I'll bet she's adorable just like in your dreams. Daddy's found the chocolate in the back of the fridge…Jake's stash is history. Me, I'm snacking on an apple like a good girl. I don't need nor do I want a bellyache. Now it's the power juice, nope didn't think so, he just spit it out into the sink. He's decided on milk instead. Bella gave her daughter a play-by-play.:
:Angel face, I'll make another juice besides the Power one.: Edward finished off the milk, as he eyed inside the fridge. "We'll need to go shopping. There's so much I wish to try." He opened a container of finger food, in this case veggies, and selected a few to try.
:Daddy, moderation is best. You don't want a tummy ache. Those are the worst. If you eat anymore you'll spoil dinner. The Aunties and Gran Esme are cooking up a feast.: Nessie lectured her father.
:Be right there, baby.: Edward sighed, closing the refrigerator doors. "We're having a feast up at the main house. Esme and our sisters are the chefs. It might have to be after we hunt those poachers though, even Emmett wants retribution for what they did to Misfit."
"That's my collar. I've been working on it with Fish and Wildlife for months. We're talking a West Coast ring of illegal trappers." Charlie hit mute on the remote and then levered himself up to his feet.
"Mark can handle it. You are on indefinite sick leave." Sue took his arm and pulled him back down to the couch.
"Sue, I'll be fine. Mark can't handle this. It's way over his head." Charlie searched his pockets for his blackberry. "Bells, how is my phone gonna hurt me?" He scowled at his daughter.
"There will be no phone, Mark, nothing during your recovery. Mark isn't alone. Sam and his pack, Nahuel and his sisters are backing him up, so Mark should be fine. If Alice has anything to say about it we'll be out hunting them as well. The little cub has any family member that has set eyes on her up in arms." Edward stopped Charlie's rant.
"Yeah, Sue's filled me in about her patient that's gonna bring FWL on their sorry asses. Misfit looks like a cross between a lynx and a mountain lion, meaning her momma must've escaped some wildlife reserve. It's very possible since they've got quite a few in the neighboring states. Trying to save the species and all that is big now a days." He handed the two of them the photos that Sue had taken of the cub being treated by her and Sam.
"Sam's being thorough. He wants them to have as much evidence as they need to take down these monsters." Sue growled.
"She looks like ocelot…perhaps a lynx blended with a mountain lion." Edward studied the pictures, his mouth set in a grim line, as he took in the injuries to the baby cub.
"Nessie is so good with her." Bella held up the picture of Ness carefully cradling the cub. "Was she a good assistant, Sue?"
"She's a natural at caring for things and Misfit was no exception. She knew precisely what to do even before Sam arrived. She saved the little cub's life, we just finished patching her up." Sue beamed with pride.
"Carlisle's got a theory about that and Jake's in agreement with it too. Ness is like a sponge, not unlike Aro, only she utilizes what she learns, compartmentalizes all of it in her mind for future use. Not unlike the hard drive of a computer. It's quite fascinating how she can tweak anyone's abilities to suite her own needs. She in all essence has all of our knowledge and calls on it when she has a use for it." Edward thoughtfully scratched his chin.
"Yes, well, are you two crazy kids gonna take the Vanquish and hit the town?" Bella changed topic.
"We were, but with the situation…I wanna be here if Mark needs advice."
"We're going to watch the sunset, have dinner in Port Angeles, and see a movie after." Sue shot down his plans to stay home.
"I really think…"
"Sue, that's perfect. He needs a little freedom. You can keep him out as late as you want. Go crazy and stay at a B & B, just be gentle with him." Bella winked at Sue, grinning wickedly at her father who was flushing a nice shade of red.
"Bells!" He choked.
"I shall call ahead. The two of you can have a twilight picnic on the beach. We'll handle things here, you two enjoy." Edward grinned, took out his phone, and walked outside.
"We'll let you get ready. Dad's stuff is in the Guestroom. Sweats won't make the dress code tonight. Alice updated your wardrobe and left some choices for Sue as well." Bella called as she left the house.
The two of them got their first look at their new stone circle fence. Each granite stone had intricate designs carved on them.
"You can't say we're not protected. I can feel the energy, its making my whole body all tingly." Bella raised her arms up into the air, closing her eyes as if soaking it in.
"It's in your blood, so it's natural for you to feel the energy of the stone dance, even I can feel it. The lay line here is three times stronger than the one Alice and I found in Denali." Edward chuckled when she started twirling around.
"Are you casting an enchantment on me, my lovely bewitching wife?"
Bella's eyes opened, her shining brown eyes glowing with happiness. "I enchanted you from day one, maybe that's what made my blood sing for you. You have as much power as I do, darling. You had me with one golden smolder eyed look. We both weaved a spell around the other. Angela is really into all of this…" Her expression changed to a longing to see her friend.
"Sweetness, you can see Angela now, but aren't Ben and Angela taking a summer field study in Yellowstone. They may not be home yet." He pulled her into his arms, setting his chin on her head.
"She hasn't kept in touch with me lately. I can't shake this feeling that something is wrong…" Bella snuggled into his shoulder, loving the feel of his arms around her.
"Field studies make keeping contact a challenge, but Angela has been diligent in her correspondence with you. Yes, I agree that is odd." Edward kissed the top of her head.
"I just hope her or Ben didn't have to tangle with a bear or bison." Bella muttered against this shirt.
"There are worse scenarios, but even so if something had happened it would have been all over town." In the blink of an eye he had her up in his arms, deciding that he'd carry her instead of the two of them walking to the main house.
"You're right. I'm just thinking about her a lot lately. She loved ancient myth and lore about as much as her camera. My quip about her being a witch wasn't necessarily a rant. She's into stone dances, fairies, pixies, elves, all of it. It's why she was so comfortable or able to adapt around you and Alice." She smiled the memories were much clearer now and this wasn't exactly a bad one.
"She got a snap of Jake's tattoo and it took me a few days to convince her he wasn't a member of a tribal cult that worshiped wolves."
Edward chuckled. "That does sound like Angela."
"She's that into it. Especially when the wolves were everywhere. She saw Sam and thought he was a bear and that I saw all five of them in our meadow didn't help matters any either. Angela tended to investigate anything weird."
"I know how curious she is. She has always been the one who we paid the closest attention to us until you arrived. It seemed as if you were far more interesting than we were. The pack had her wondering if myths could be true. Jake made her far more nervous than I ever did. His eyes reminded her of the bear."He leaped across the river, landing soundlessly on the back lawn.
:I'll look into it, darling. Meantime, we have a new family member to meet.:
:Would you? I'm afraid of what I'll see.: Bella kept her arms around his neck as he set her down on her feet.
She hugged him close, closing her eyes to calm her emotions. "Just give me a sec to get it together and then we'll see what Nessie rescued."
"Darling, it's only natural to worry about her. She's one of your closest friends. Alice can look if you want her to, she's quite fond of the two of them." He soothingly crooned in her ear.
"Daddy, is momma sad because she's like me now?" Nessie raced over to them, eyes wide with concern.
Bella took a few calming breaths before turning in his arms to smile weakly down at her daughter. "No, angel face, I love the new me. I'm just feeling a little worried about a friend." She scooped her up into her arms and rubbed noses with her.
"Have a look if it'll make you feel better." She set Nessie's palm on her cheek.
"Momma, I'd like to meet her. She seems so nice." Nessie's eyes lit up with happiness, because she and her mother shared the same eyes. "Momma, we have the same eyes. Daddy, your eyes are like beautiful emeralds with golden flecks in them."
"Yes, I know we have the same eyes. I agree as well that Daddy's are gorgeous and I want you to meet Angela too. Right now she's taking a fieldwork class, but she's been dying to meet you when she comes home." Bella kissed her hand.
"So, princess, where's your little familiar?" Edward playfully tugged on her pigtail.
"She's a baby kitty, Daddy. Jake has her. They hurt her and left her to die." Ness sniffled, eyes pooling with tears.
"Daddy will make them pay for their cruelty, angel. Misfit is special, so they're in major trouble with the Feds." Bella crooned soothingly, as she cuddled her against her shoulder.
"We'll get them locked away in a tiny cell with no windows, angel. After we catch them I shall see to it personally that they never see the light of day again for an extreme length of time." Edward took in the sight of Jake cradling the cub like a baby, as the three of them walked over to him.
"This is Misfit." Jake chuckled when she climbed up his chest to lounge across his shoulders. "She's a flirt."
"No. You just happen to be a safe perch and Nessie adores you so that makes you hers as well." Edward chuckled. "She's quite alert for being so injured."
He let go of his girls to get acquainted with the cub. "Come here, little one. I'm Nessie's father and I have no wish to harm you." He crooned soothingly, holding out his arms.
Misfit studied him, with her piercing china blue eye, for a long moment. Her tail twitching as if deciding if she could trust him or not. Then her decision made the cub leaped off Jake's shoulder and into his arms.
"Easy, you aren't ready for jumping off perches just yet. Your tail didn't like being bent either did it, little one." He soothingly stroked her fur until her whimpers quieted down to a soft purr, eyes closed in bliss.
"Misfit's fierce she doesn't let any weakness bother her, until her tail tells her otherwise." Jake arched a brow at Edward. The guy looked even more intimidating now than he did as a vamp. "So, what's it like to see your natural eye color again, Big brother? Not to mention food after eighty-odd years?"
"I was overjoyed to see Bella's eyes again, as for mine it will take some getting used to. Food, now that is going to be a fascinating process of discovery, so far Peanut Butter, graham crackers, chocolate, and milk are high on my list of likes. Power Juice high on the list of dislikes." Edward answered softly.
"I hear you on the power juice. It tastes like crap." Jake grimaced.
"Nessie got her sweet tooth from him. All I wanted was an apple." Bella was scratching Misfit's ears. "I love his eyes and it's fascinating to watch him discover food."
"Daddy, you'll get a tummy ache if you're not careful and they are the worst." Nessie was happy that her Daddy was taking to the cub. She'd been worried about that.
"I'm quite a bit older than you are, angel face. But, yes, I shall be careful not to overdo. Where are the others?" Edward surveyed the empty lawn.
"The guys are in the garage in Em's shop building something for Misfit to sleep in and other cat needs. The ladies are cooking up a feast. Renee and Phil are researching about raising big cats and trying to get an idea about what two cats were crossed to create her. Carlisle is on the phone with his friend at Fish and Wildlife getting us permission to keep Misfit. We're talking miles of red tape and he's cutting through it in record time. They owe you guys tons of favors for helping them keep the population controlled in the parks." Jake shrugged, eyeing Edward's watch, he'd put it off long enough.
"I'll be doing time in the library. Call me when dinner's ready or just set a tray in front of the doors. I'll get to it eventually." Jake kissed Ness on the cheek and then took off for the house.
"I was never this bad about homework." Bella rolled her eyes.
"You didn't take a two year sabbatical from school either. It takes time to get back to routine again. They are also used to special treatment from the tribal elders, where as we focus on educating their minds." Edward now had the cub lounging across his shoulders.
"I wish to see what my Uncles are making for Misfit and then I want to go check on Jake." Ness tried to wriggle out of her mother's arms.
"Ness, you wanted family time. Shall we go for our walk, read a book, or perhaps we can research all that Misfit is going to need to take care of her. She's a big responsibility and not your ordinary house cat. She's going to require a great deal of care." He couldn't help, but smirk when Ness mirrored her mother's trademark pout.
"She's new to all of us, baby. Our family is used to going and fixing overpopulation problems in parks. Not bringing one home to raise." Bella kissed her nose.
"It's a first for all of us and we rarely experience firsts," Edward nodded. "Until recently it has been one surprise after another going on three years."
"Jake needs company…"
"Jacob needs to do his own work. He was top of his class in the tribal school and scored high marks on all of his aptitude tests. This is not torture for him, Renesmee." Edward countered, he had to give her credit, she was persistent. "You, my darling girl, soak everything up like a sponge. It's your gift. Now if you were to help him in writing his paper, I would instantly know. Your gift is far beyond anything Aro can do. You can call up your gifts when you feel the need to use them. My knowledge, to be precise, any mind you've touched is yours to use at your leisure.
"Daddy, must you think so lowly of me?" Nessie's mouth was agape with shock at his remarks.
"Nessie, you aren't shielding your mind from me, so reading you isn't very difficult." He arched a brow at her. "So you can easily copy his work can you, that's most certainly need to know."
"How did you do that!" Nessie bristled. "I was blocking you and you got through my strongest shields! That's never happened before, usually you only hear what I want you to!" She was having quite the tantrum.
"Things have change and your little snit will not make me change my mind. Jake is more than capable of the work he was assigned." Edward said quietly, eyes grave.
"Nessie. Jake has to do this on his own or a few years from now he won't be able to spend any quality time with you." Bella said softly.
"That's not fair! It's emotional blackmail and unethical too!" Ness glowered at them.
"It is incentive to focus and not slack off. Imprintee or not. No dunderhead is going to court you. You wouldn't respect him if he were and he wouldn't have a prayer keeping pace with you." He decreed.
:When I'm older it will be my choice and I will pursue what's mine whether you approve or not.: Nessie growled, eyes darkening to deep chocolate a sign that her temper was on slow boil.
"I know that Jake can do the work, but there is no rule saying that I can't help him if he needs it or proofread his work before you do. It's what you did with Momma, so live with it!" She wriggle out of her mother's arms and made a beeline for the house.
"Renesmee Carlie Cullen, come here now!" Bella ordered sharply, her own temper on slow boil. "You will apologize to your father. That was unnecessary and like it or not what we say goes."
Nessie wheeled around to glare at her parents. "Daddy is being overly paranoid over something I can't even fathom right now. I like helping others. I mean, what's the point of having all of this knowledge if I can't use it to benefit those around me? Jake matters to me. His feelings matter and affect me. If he is frustrated then so am I. We are linked. He is mine, as I am his. He's big brother to me right now, but when that changes you will live with it. I'm still little, but when it comes to any rivalries between you and Jacob over me in the future or now I am neutral territory. I love both of you, but I will choose Jacob, just as Mom chose you." She looked like her mother had when she'd dealt with the situation, only in miniature.
:Nessie, you are blowing this completely out of proportion. Neither of us mentioned that you had to choose between Jake or your father. Nor would we ever think of doing so. I have been there and would never subject my daughter or best friend to that.: Bella knelt down in front of her, so they were at eye level.
"Has he asked you to help him or are you being selfish because you want him to focus on you instead of his homework?" She asked soothingly.
"No, he hasn't, but what good is being so bloody smart if I can't use it to help my Wolfe." Nessie stared down at her Sketchers in shame. She'd sassed her Daddy and he wasn't one that tolerated being sassed.
"Renesmee, good intentions aside, all of us had to endure High School. Earning one's diploma is a right of passage. Jake wants you to be proud of him. There is no honor in having someone else do the work for him, only shame. All of us are here to guide the boys and help when needed. It's what we are here for. He needs focus. All the boys do and their hearts are in essence what drives them." He carefully reached behind his shoulders to hand Misfit gently to Bella. He wanted his little girl's complete attention, so he scooped her up, tilting her chin with his finger so she was looking at him.
"I love Jacob like a son and only wish what is best for him. You are his world, so he always focuses on your needs first. I needed to change his focus to his studies by giving him incentive, in this case, being able to date you in the future. No cruel intentions were meant. I would never make you choose. I know he would win and I can never lose you, ever. I will be fine with his courting you when the time comes, as long as he obeys certain rules."
Nessie placed her hand against his cheek, her eyes grave. "I'm sorry. I didn't understand, but it makes perfect sense to me now. I need a new focus too. My taking classes with Momma is what is needed. What we both need, even though now her vision about my brothers isn't an impossible dream, it's best if she center herself first. School will do us both a world of good. I do have one tiny little question though. I'm a child. Won't it be challenging for me to enroll in college?"
:You tested out of grammar and secondary school this spring. Remember the diplomas that your Grandpa Carlisle and I showed you?: Edward kissed the top of her head.
Bella couldn't help but giggle when Misfit climbed up her shirt and then lounged across her shoulders, eyeing him longingly. "He's taken, little one."
"Daddy's a Chick magnet that's what Uncle Em says anyway." Nessie squealed when he swung her upside down by her ankles. "Daddy!"
"Chick magnet is it," He held her easily with one hand while the other relentlessly ticked her. "Well, your momma is a guy magnet, so we're perfectly matched."
"You're the best Daddy in the universe!" Nessie gasped between fits of giggles.
:Remind me to up Emmett's probation. Chick magnet I most certainly am not.: Edward growled at his giggling wife, all the while righting Nessie in his arms. "You are our miracle and the love of our lives. We love you more than all the stars in the cosmos." He cuddled her close.
:You were a Chick magnet by no fault of your own. That was then and this is now. You are mine now and forever, so those panting hussies will just have to live with their fantasies. I will never share you. I'm selfish that way.: Bella winked at him and then smiled lovingly at their miracle. "More than my life, my Nessie. Forever and ever."
Next
Chapter Fifteen
Vision
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