So...I really like Jane and I wanted to do a little bit in her POV, just this once in the middle of the chapter. I hope you guys enjoy!
Alec
"9-5."
"9-5 Mr. Volt, that barely does this work of art justice. 1.1 million is the lowest I'll go."
"Look Mr. Barnes, I know for a fact that my offer of 9-5 is the highest offer you've gotten. I'll pay that plus the cost to have it restored and shipped. You take that or leave it."
"..."
"Very well Mr. Barnes, have a pleasant afternoon."
"Wait wait...you've got yourself a deal."
"That's what I like to hear," I said, shaking the sweaty bald headed man's hand. Didn't he know he was dealing with a seasoned haggler? Maybe he didn't. Well now he does and I just got my client the piece of his dreams. He's not putting it in a formal museum, only putting it in a wing of his house he built specifically for art.
After signing the contracts and shaking hands once more we parted ways. My plane leaves as soon as I get to the airport and I'm anxious to go home. London isn't as much fun without Renesmee. Then again, this is a business trip so it's not really supposed to be fun. Though, watching Mr. Barnes... Barney Barnes, sweat like a big and have to wipe the perspiration from his glistening forehead was entertaining.
I hopped into the rental car, just a black Benz. Nothing to bring too much attention to me. My bags were already in the trunk. If it wasn't such a danger to the race I'd just run and swim the entire way over to the "new world" like I used to do in the old days, when there were less people and no cameras.
Traffic seemed to take a lifetime. I'm somewhat impatient when I want to be. I had a good mind to just get out, pick my car up, and carry it across all of the others. If only I could without being a target for every line of defense the human world has to offer.
I finally did make it and I was only too happy to check in the damned car, get my bags, and get to the place where Carlisle's trusted pilot, Keith, was waiting. He never questions anything. In fact, it's business as usual with him all the time. I can respect that in a man. After a friendly handshake I boarded and took the contacts from my eyes. The venom had eaten away at least half of the color. It's an amazing fluid, truly.
When in the air I stared out the window, looking at the clouds. The reminded me of fluffy white pillows, or those marshmallows that Renesmee eats. Speaking of which, it's her birthday tomorrow and I still don't have a gift. I don't know what to get. She wants a Porsche, but Edward has threatened us against it. I thought about more jewelry. She loved the necklace I got her, but I don't want to be the guy who always buys jewelry. In fact, I've vowed not to buy her another piece of jewelry until it's an engagement ring. I have a day to figure it out or else I'm in hot water.
"Paint?"
"Yes brother, you always were a talented artist, or doesn't she know that you are a painter?"
"Jane please, I haven't painted in over three hundred years."
"Well you never forget. Talent doesn't die."
"If this turns out horribly..."
"It won't. Trust me. Have you not learned in our long life together that I am smarter than you," she asked.
"If you say so... How are you sister? I see you've been more active lately."
"Yes. I have been. I've found a minute amount of purpose in working to spot out newborns to give them our lessons on keeping our race a secret."
"Well, have you found any?"
"Yes, two or three. I feel sorry for them. Many don't know who sired them, they were simply half eaten meals left to change or die. I hate these emotions."
"I did too at first. I hated that anything could make me feel bad, or remorseful, or guilty. But Jane, you get used to it. Aside from the fact that your heart's not beating, it's like being partially human again."
"I wish I had tears."
"Why?"
"So that I could cry," she said. "I remember when we were human, after a beating or being ravished by father...crying always made me feel better. Then I was immortal and nobody could hurt me, ever, and now here I am... emotional again, and hurt again, with not a single tear to indulge myself."
"Sister, if you don't mind me asking... how did it happen?"
"Aro and I? All of a sudden. One minute I was in my room, reading...the next he was there taking over my body and I liked it. I grew to love him in that way, though he never let me get too close. I always wanted to, but he said I had to stay in my place. Now that I think about it, he was kind of a verbally abusive bastard. I don't know why I let him get away with that."
"We let him get away with a lot sister, that time's past now though."
"Indeed it has. It's almost like a very strange dream. If I could sleep I'd swear it was. Here we are, practically a part of the Cullen clan, consorting with shapeshifters, you wearing jeans, and me in a sundress with my hair in a fucking bun. It's like some trippy fever dream Alec. We've changed so much."
"Is that so bad?"
"I don't think so now, but at first I did. I hated the Cullens for so long, they were weird and they seemed too human. Now I realize it's not the fact that they work with humans and parade about as if they are still mortal that makes them an inch from humanity, it's the love they all share. They aren't just a coven ,they are a family... It's not a business or a mafia. Everybody has a role in the family, not a job. perhaps I was jealous. Though I am still weary of Bella. I don't trust her."
"Because you can't use your power on her," I asked.
"Yes."
"It's a lost cause. Anyways, Edward would jump in front of her to absorb it every single time."
"Yes, it used to be quite fun to torture Edward with my mental fires. He never dropped like the others, he always seemed to rise up on the balls of his feet like he was being pulled up towards the sky."
"How cruel," I said laughing, remember how we used to get a kick out of seeing Edward tortured. Mean, yes... but that was our only source of entertainment. Pain and torment of others. I won't say that I still don't enjoy tormenting Edward, I've just switched to other means. Like committing hilarious pranks with Emmett or Renesmee.
"Well... I suppose I'll go get art supplies and work on the painting."
"Excellent brother. I'm sure she will love it."
"Jane, what do you think about her?"
"She's strange... I don't understand how she exists but she has a good heart, and alot of fight. She hugs too much, and she talks too loudly and too much. She smells funny and there are always leaves in her hair, but somehow I find myself learning to like her, and she loves you so... that's what makes me happiest."
I just chuckled at my sister's analysis of Renesmee and then I went to get art supplies from a store in town. It took about thirty minutes with my driving, but it would have taken less time if there wasn't a human woman in the store haggling me, and trying to get me to try a sample of this stuff that looked like meat, but she claims was not. Humans... so wishy washy. They want their meat to look like vegetables, and their vegetables to look like meat. Can't they leave everything alone and let the contents of nature be content to look the way they were intended to look?
The perfect memory that made it's way onto the canvas was of the last week. Renesmee was sitting on the window sill naked, with the moonlight glowing on her skin as she looked out into the darkness. Ordinarily I would have grabbed her and brought her back to bed to be close to me, but she just looked so beautiful and peaceful there that I was content to just watch her stare into nothing with a tiny smile on her face.
I let it dry in my pantry. I don't have that much food. Well, I don't have any food. It's Renesmee's food, but there's not that much of it. She eats a lot so it goes quickly. With the way she puts it away, I just wonder where it all goes to.
My phone rang, Jane was gone to hunt and spot out Newborns that may be in the West coast, so I had to get it. It was Renesmee.
"Hello?"
"Well... it's fine if you don't want to hang out Alec. You didn't let me know you got back, I thought maybe there was a plane crash and you'd burned up!
"Did you really?"
"It flashed across my mind."
"I'm sorry... I was trying to get you the perfect present, well I made it."
"You made me something," she squealed."
"Yes... I hope you'll like it."
"Can I see it tonight, it's almost midnight and almost my birthday!"
"No. You'll bee it tomorrow, after the party. I'd rather not have your parents see it."
"Can I guess?"
"Sure... you can try."
"I give up... what is it?"
"You didn't even try to guess," I said, wanting to hear her theories on her birthday present.
"Um... shoes."
"Renesmee... I have multiple talents, but I'm not a cobbler. Try again."
"A sex tape."
"That doesn't sound like a bad present, for me... but I wouldn't give something like that to you. At least not for your birthday."
"Um...another necklace?"
"This is something I made."
"You could have made me a necklace. For all I know you shaped the diamonds with your own teeth and nails into the shape of my neck."
"It's not a necklace."
"Okay... I give up. Can I come over," she asked.
"No, because you'll just search for your present."
"Alec, I can't get past you, remember? You're Mr. Attentive. Plus, that gift will be the least of my worries. I just...need to be with you," she said. I heard the phone muffle a little before she whispered into the receiver "I need you inside me."
Every Time she touches me with her too warm fingers it's like electricity moves through me, and everytime she says that she wants me, I go stiff in the pants. Now was no different. In the shape I'm in, I could use my penis as a baseball bat. There was no way I was going to deny her, not that I would have anyway if she hadn't said she wanted sex. I find myself being lenient and wimpy when I'm with her. sometimes I have to act like an ass and do something mean like toss her in a lake, or push her out of a tree just to prove that I still have it in me.
Within two minutes she was climbing through the window. I saw her as she came in like a cat burglar, nearly falling off of the window sill. I caught her and she looked up at me,a big grin on her face. I kissed her between the eyes.
"Hey," she said,.
"I know I revoked your key, but why not knock on the front door?"
"Just to prove I could sneak in through the window," she said.
Her too warm hands grasped my forearms as our lips met. I took in her sweet aroma and the wonderful taste of each necessary breath I stole from her lungs with our kisses. We moved over to the bed and I shut the door, in case Jane came home early. However, I doubt if I'd notice anything past Renesmee's eyes if we were caught in the act. When we make love I find myself devoting every ounce of my senses to her. It's dangerous, and I feel vulnerable but isn't that what making love is about? Vulnerability.
Jane
Peeping in from an open window while my brother and his mate have sex might seem weird to some, and admittedly, it is strange. I feel guilty and a bit dirty. I'm not getting off or anything and I'm not paying attention to the actual sex of the situation. It's more of a chance for me to observe how people in love act. I watch them quite often and each time I do, I realize more and more that love, is something I've never had. At least not to the level where I'm on the giving and receiving end of it.
I watched as they finished, they kissed each other, held each other tight and whispered sweet nothings into each other's ear,and into the air... almost like spreading their love into the farthest reaches of the universe. I'm jealous of them. I would like to have a fraction of what they have. I somehow think my life was simpler when I thought I did have what they have, plus more. Now that I'm away, and Aro's dead, and the emotions I thought had died with my humanity are creeping back in, I can't ignore the fact that I lied to myself.
Part of me feels out of place and out of whack her amongst the couples and amongst all the love. Everyone does their best to help me get adjusted, but it's hard. I have no direction. I do help with keeping our race a secret, but that's really just busy work. I like it, but I want to find another path.
After feeling like too much of a fucking voyeur, and being disgusted at myself for peeping in on my brother I decided to take a walk down the road. The sundress I was wearing was white, so any cars coming should see me fairly easily. Not that getting run over would hurt me at all.
I walked until I came to the little store that's run by the shapeshifters. You can sure tell it too, it stinks around here like dog. That took a lot of getting used to, but they are not as dreadful as I once thought them. I went and sat on the porch of the store. I thought I was alone until I heart a strong beating heart.
"Jane," called the shapeshifter named Seth.
"Hello."
"What are you doing here?"
"I was just walking and I decided to sit for a spell. Does it displease you that I'm on the porch of your store?"
"No... I just wasn't expecting you, that's all. I was out back picking berries.'
"Berries?"
"Yeah... for the cobbler my mom's making for Renesmee's party tomorrow. If you could eat, you'd love it. My mom is a great cook."
"Yes, it sounds appetizing. What kind of berries? I used to love picking berries as a girl."
"Blackberries."
"May I help," I asked, just needing something to do to take my mind off of the past, the future, the present, and the fact that I was a miserable old hag.
"Sure."
Seth was a pleasant creature, if not for the bad smell, I wouldn't even mind being around him. He didn't talk too much, he was polite and he was nice. He's a respectable man, which is why I can tolerate him more than I can the other farting, burping, members of the shapeshifting pack.
When enough berries had been picked I washed them, like I used to do. Picking berries was one of the only pastimes I had. It was for survival, and for fun. The forest was always my favorite place to escape to.
I sat back down on the steps after helping him put them up for the pie.
"You know Jane, you're alright."
"What does that mean? In terms of survival and well being or attitude."
"Um... maybe both," said Seth, "I haven't really thought about it."
"Well, thank you. You're alright as well, I suppose. It's funny, less than a year ago I'd have killed you, now I can't even picture myself killing anything."
I heard him swallow deeply.
"People change. Say, how old are you and Alec anyway? One, two hundred?"
"Over a thousand... One thousand, one hundred and eleven years old."
"Impressive. Here I was thinking being thirty five and looking like a teen was an accomplishment."
"So, why aren't you married or um, what's the word..."
"Imprinted, I don't know. I'm not married because I'm not."
"Well... I suppose that's a reasonable response."
"What about you? No vampires catch your eye?"
"Like you, I'm not married because I'm not."
Renesmee
Viewing the world upside down always makes me dizzy. Going at vampire speed, while viewing the world upside down makes me want to vomit. I was being evicted from Alec's house. We made love, we talked, I tried to find my present while he was in the shower, he caught me and now he's carrying me back to my house. Literally, carrying me back to my house.
When we got there I decided against going into the cottage. I could hear that squeaky sound. My parents were having sex... I don't need to hear that tonight. So I went to the main house after giving Alec a goodnight kiss. I like how normal things have become around here.
As soon as I opened the door I saw my grandparents cuddling on the couch, watching television. My mind immediately flashed back to the night I was attacked, when grandma told us about her sex life. Now I can't help but cringe a little everytime I see them all hugged up.
"Hi grandma and grandpa."
"Hi Renesmee," said grandma.
"Out with Alec," asked my grandfather.
"Yes... Until he kicked me out for trying to find my birthday present."
"Well, you'll have to be patient," said my grandmother.
"But patient is no fun."
They both chuckled and I went into Alice's studio where I knew she was putting the finishing touches on my dress. I wanted a simple party but she wasn't going to let that happen. The space by the waterfall is being transformed into an outdoors ballroom, she's even predicted a clear sky with stars and the moon. I have to admit, her sense of design is wonderful.
"Hey Alice."
"Hey Nessie... what's the matter?"
"Nothing."
"Alec kicked you out again huh?"
"Yes!"
"Well, you shouldn't have put that picture of flowers up in his bathroom..."
"That doesn't mean he had to revoke my key."
"It's officially your birthday. How does nineteen feel?"
"Like eighteen."
"Well.. I have a little something for you."
She tossed me a tiny box, it was pink and sparkly and wrapped in pink ribbon. I opened it quickly, wondering what could be in there. It was a key... to a Porsche... with a key ring that read "my aunt is awesome."
"Alice! Alice, you got me a Porsche!"
"Just a little something... Well, come on. I have to show you. I made sure they delivered it while your father and mother were occupied."
We went to the garage where it was. A hot pink Porsche Cayman. Jasper was putting a very tiny sticker of our crest on the dash. I hugged them both.
"Well... are you just going to stand there grinning, or are you going to take it for a spin," asked Alice.
"I'm taking this bad girl out on the road. Thank you Alice and Jasper!"
They both laughed as I got in. I hooked my seat belt and I adjusted my mirrors. I pressed the button to let up the garage door and then I took off into the night. There was nothing that could hold me back. I was going as fast as I could and loving it. I was invincible in my new car. Sexy... That was until I heard sirens and saw a blue light behind me. For a minute I contemplated outrunning the police car, I probably could, but I don't think it'd be wise. I have a very recognizable vehicle.
I pulled over and remembered that I don't have my license on me. I looked in the glove compartment to see that it was there, along with insurance and registration papers for the car. Thank goodness Alice thought of this.
I rolled down my window and had my papers in hand. I happened to look out and see that it was Grandpa Charlie pulling me over. This is worse than I ever imagined. Now I'm going to be lectured. Why couldn't it just be another police officer who would have given me a ticket?
"Nessie," asked my grampy, sounding surprised.
"Hi grampy... what's up?"
"Young lady, what do you think you were doing back there?"
"Trying out my first birthday present."
"You were doing doing 105mph in a 45mph zone."
"So... I was speeding a little?"
"That was very very reckless. I'm disappointed in you. I have a very good mind to revoke your license and not give it back until you complete traffic school."
"I'm sorry grampy... I was just a little out of control, I know. It's just that I was excited about my new car, and... it won't happen again. I promise."
"Well... it better not. Now, I won't give you a ticket since this is the first time I've had to pull you over, but we are going to tell your parents."
"Grampy, no... please, give me the ticket!"
"Back to the house kiddo. I'll be there in an hour, and we're telling your mother and father. I know they are still awake."
I exhaled sadly and drove back to the house going five under the limit. How was I going to get out of this pickle? I wasn't. Not at all... my father would be pissed enough to learn that I had my dream car, now knowing I got a ticket after taking it out for only five minutes. It was a recipe for my death.
"Thank you for letting us know Charlie. We'll see you tomorrow."
"Alright. Kiddo, don't be too hard on Nessie," he told my mother.
"Don't worry Dad," said mother mother. "I'll go easy on her."
The door closed and I felt their eyes on me. "Am I in trouble?" I asked my father telepathically.
"Trouble? No...that's for minor offenses. You're on death row Renesmee!"
"Dad! I was just, I was just..."
"She was having fun Edward. Come on... you speed all the time," said Alice, sticking up for me.
"I'm much older, I'm fully vampire, and I can read minds, so I know when a police officer will be waiting."
"Nobody got hurt," said Jasper. "Plus, Renesmee's sorry... I can feel it," he said with a slight wink my way. Yup, I can always count on Jasper or Emmett to have my back when I'm in a sticky situation.
"I wish I could still ground you, since I can't I'll just tell you to be careful. You know, one day when you have children with some nice human boy..." My mother nudged my father. "Okay... one day when you and Alec have children you'll know why I worry so much. Gosh! I have to go write another apology letter to Charlie."
So I didn't get in as much trouble as I thought I would and my father is going to let me keep the car.
"Alright," said Alice. "That's enough excitement for the night. I have to finish Nessie's shoes and she needs to go to bed. Go to bed."
"Goodnight everybody."
I hugged my parents, my aunt and my uncle. Rosalie and Emmett were having some alone time on a little vacation. Rosalie swore they'd be back in time for the party. Grandma and grandpa... I have no idea where they went to, but with the way they were cuddling I can only guess. Not that I'd want to guess...