When Alice returned, she had already seen Edward's decision to leave her in charge of Renesmee. She was so excited to have a girls night with Nessie and the other hybrids that she raced home in front of Jasper. She waved and greeted them a quick hello then sped up to them.
Jasper sauntered in at a human speed about thirty seconds later. He, along with the others, could hear the girls squealing and giggling upstairs.
"Don't worry." He glanced at Edward and Bella. "I'll make sure they don't get into any trouble."
"Thank you." Bella thanked him with a small smile and Jasper nodded in response.
Bella rose from her spot on top of Edward's lap and he stood up after her.
"We shouldn't be gone too long." Edward told Jasper. Just then they heard the familiar voices of Nessie and Alice as they squealed and then the sound of feet running down the hallway.
Jasper sighed quietly and gave Edward a look. "You better not be. I'd rather not be the only male in a house full of crazy females."
"Where are Emmett and Rosalie?" Esme asked, walking to stand beside Bella. "I thought they went hunting with you."
Jasper nodded and rolled his eyes. "Yes they did but when Alice got a vision that she would be watching Renesmee plus her friends instead of going home with us they avoided the torture and kept hunting. I think they'll be gone all weekend."
Edward chuckled. "That was very smart of them."
"I would have gone with them." Jasper remarked. "But it was either be around two vampires who are going to be all over each other all weekend or be around a bunch of girl vampires who will probably try to get me into their evil little hands and inflict torture in the form of make up and hair products onto me. Either way I was stuck with feeling emotions that I would rather not feel. I chose the lesser of two evils."
Bella smirked. "Be careful Jasper, that's your wife you're talking about."
"Oh I am well aware of that." He replied. "She knows that I think she's insane when it comes to shopping and make overs."
As if on cue, Alice appeared at the top of the stairs. She grinned, leaning over the banister. "Oh Jazzy!"
"Alice..." He warned, looking to her and raising his eyebrows.
Nessie appeared behind Alice and grinned also. "Come on Uncle Jasper!"
Jasper stared at the two with narrowed eyes. At the exact same second, Alice and Nessie stuck out their bottom lips and batted their eye lashes. Jasper felt the pleading emitting from both their bodies. It overwhelmed him and he could over power that with a different emotion and make them not want him anymore but there was something about the pouty eyes of his wife and niece that pulled him in.
Jasper groaned and shot a look at Edward and Bella. "Your daughter is an evil genius."
"I think that you've just become too soft Jasper." Edward retorted with a smirk.
Jasper glared at him and Alice raced down to his side. She took his hand and linked her fingers with his and rose up onto her toes to kiss his cheek. "Don't worry honey, we're only using you as a judge."
"You're using me as a judge?" Jasper asked as Alice started dragging him up the stairs. "What do I know about judging fashion? Alice?" Alice only giggled as they disappeared up the stairs, Nessie skipping off happily behind them.
After they disappeared, Esme turned to Edward and Bella. "Are we ready to go to La Push?"
They both nodded towards her. "Yes." Bella answered aloud. "Are we going to run there?"
"I was thinking we should take a car." Edward suggested. "It would appear less threatening."
Bella looked up at him, furrowing her brow. "Edward...they are long past their prejudices about us. They know that we are trustworthy."
"It may appear that way but you don't see inside their heads. We do have an alliance with them but that doesn't mean we're completely trusted. Sam wanted to keep the treaty in place with just a few exceptions but Jacob managed to convince him otherwise."
"And that is what we are going to discuss." Esme said, more of a statement than a question.
"Yes." Edward answered. "And the more proof that we have that we are civilized and not ravenous vampires the more it will go over well with Sam and the rest of the pack."
"That is a good idea." Bella agreed. She took Edward's hand in hers and looked up to him. "I'll go tell the girls we're leaving and then I'll meet you outside."
Edward nodded, smiled down at her and swooped down to a press a soft and quick kiss to her lips. Bella looked up at him after he pulled away smilingly lovingly at him. He returned the look and brushed a strand of her hair behind her ear. Her hand shot up and caught his and their eyes locked on each other. Edward turned her hand around, brought it to his lips and gently pressed a kiss to her palm.
Esme cleared her throat and broke the couple's loving moment. Bella smiled sheepishly and hid her face in Edward's neck for a moment. Esme and Edward smiled knowing full well if she were still human she would be blushing.
"Go." Edward whispered in her ear. "Esme and I will be waiting outside with the car."
She nodded, pecked his cheek softly and then flitted up the stairs. By the time she reached the top stairs she could already hear the girls talking and laughing.
She knocked on the door once and then pushed open the door. She found Nessie, Christine, Angie and Melissa perched on top of Edward's bed, Alice standing behind Melissa currently straightening her curly hair. Jasper stood next to the TV, his arms crossed over his chest and watching them quietly.
"Hi Mom!" Nessie waved happily at her from her spot on the bed. Her bronze curls were pulled back and she sat across from Christine with a make up bag on her lap.
"Hi sweetie." She greeted with a smile.
"Are you going to join us?" She asked excitedly.
Bella shook her head. "No. I actually just came up to tell you that your father, Esme and I are leaving."
Nessie frowned and cocked her head in curiosity. "Where are you going?"
"To La Push."
Nessie's face lit up and she grinned brightly. "You're going to see Jacob?"
"Jacob will be there yes." Bella nodded and noting her excitement said, "It's a grown up thing honey."
Nessie furrowed her brow. "Jacob's not a grown up." She protested.
"Technically speaking Ness, Jacob is twenty four." She chuckled softly at Nessie's facial expression. "We just need to discuss some important things that you wouldn't interested in." She sped over to her and kissed the top of her head softly. "You have fun with you friends here Ness, I'll try to bring Jacob back when we're done."
Nessie grinned. "Thanks mom!" Bella smiled at her and then Nessie turned back to doing Christine's make up.
"Have fun." Bella wished everyone. They all thanked her and then Alice waved at her. "Goodbye Bella."
She rolled her eyes but smiled and walked out of the room. Once she was out the door she sped outside and saw the volvo already pulled up in front of the house. She opened the passenger door and slid into the seat and closed the door. Edward was in the driver's seat and Esme was in the back. Edward smiled at her and then took off down the road at his usual speed.
They were soon crossing the former boundary line. They half expected a wolf to jump out in front of them and force them to turn back but that didn't happen. Bella recognized the houses outside of La Push and soon enough they were on the road leading to the Black's house hold.
Edward pulled into the Black's driveway. Jacob had asked them to meet them at his house and then he would walk with them to the beach where the meeting would be taking place.
Jacob was standing right in front of his house, his arms crossed over his chest, patiently waiting for them. Once Edward stopped and turned off the car, Bella opened her door, stepped outside and waved to Jacob.
He smiled at seeing her and lifted one hand in a wave. Edward got out of the car and went to stand next to Bella and then Esme climbed out from the back seat. Jacob walked over to them and greeted each one of them.
"Hello Jacob." They all greeted in unison.
He nodded. "So Sam and the pack are waiting for us down on the beach." He motioned his head in that direction. "Let's go."
Edward slipped an arm around Bella and they turned to follow Jacob towards the beach. Esme followed behind the couple, looking around at the scenery. She was never in La Push before. When they had lived in Forks and ran into the Quileutes for the first time several decades ago, she had skipped out on that hunting trip. She remembered Carlisle come home that day with Edward, Emmett and Rosalie and telling her that they now had boundaries as to where they could hunt.
What a long way they have come. She never imagined having an alliance with a pack of werewolves. She smiled as she looked past Edward and Bella to Jacob leading the way. She never imagined that one of those werewolves would become just as much a part of her family as her children.
She saw Edward quickly send a glance over his shoulder towards her. She smiled knowing he felt the same way. Her first son had to go so long and through so much trouble to get his family. For decades she had to watch him suffer through loneliness. And then when it seemed he would finally receive some happiness, fate wouldn't let him have it yet. But in the end, all the trials and hurt he went through paid off. There was rarely a time now when she didn't see a smile on his face or a light in his eyes. As long as Bella or Renesmee were in his sight, she could see the brightness in his face. Something she longed to see for years. And after all he went through with Jacob, she was very glad to see the two as friends. At times they were closer than friends. They were family. After all, Jacob would be his son-in-law one day.
Her smiled widened when Edward rolled his eyes and shook his head. However she did see the smirk on his face. I love you, my son.
"I love you too mom." His quiet voice reached her ears and she smiled brightly. Bella caught the words and looked up at him and then over her shoulder at Esme. Esme smiled at her, Bella smiled back and then turned around. Edward leaned down and pressed a kiss to her cheek and tightened his grip around her.
Esme sighed softly at the interaction between them. God Bless Bella. If it weren't for her, her family would be missing three important members. Herself, Renesmee and Jacob. Esme, when she entered her new life, never thought she would have a big family like she has. For a while she thought it was only going to be herself, Carlisle and Edward. And she would have been content with that. But then when Rosalie and Emmett joined them, she realized that they filled a hole in her heart she didn't even realize was missing. And then when Alice and Jasper joined them, another part of her heart was filled. For a while it seemed that her little family was complete. But then Edward brought a fragile little human home. The moment Bella stepped into her sight, she knew she had another daughter. And then she received the blessing of a granddaughter. She may have looked too young to have children of her own none the less grandchildren but her actual age was old enough to be a grandmother, a great grandmother even. And she was glad to have a granddaughter. She wanted a little girl to spoil. She had too many older children to spoil so Edward and Bella's daughter was perfect. She loved that little girl to pieces. Even though she wasn't so little anymore. Renesmee. She smiled brightly. She felt her dead heart swell with pride at the sound of the name. Bella had loved her so much that she named her daughter after her. Esme's name would forever be a part of the little angel's.
She saw the happy smile on Edward's face as he quietly talked to Bella.
Suddenly the terrain changed from dirt and grass to sand. The wind howled lightly through the air and blew Esme and Bella's hair around their faces. About thirty feet away they could see a big bonfire with the giant Quileute boy's plus Leah standing around it. Their shadows dance in the sand from the light of the fire. The waves gently crashed against the shore and the potent scent of salt water, wood burning and werewolf filled their noses.
When they reached the fire, Sam was standing in front with the rest of the pack in a semi circle behind him. Jacob and Sam nodded to each other and then Jacob took his place beside Sam.
Next to Jacob was Seth and he waved at them with a smile. Leah, who was in the back next to Colin as she wanted to be as far away from the vampires as possible, rolled her eyes at her brother's obvious excitement.
"Welcome Bella, Edward and Esme." Sam greeted in his deep, alpha voice nodding to each of them.
"Thank you Sam." Edward answered.
Esme smiled warmly and glanced around at the wolf pack. The darkness of the night and the light flickering from the fire cast contrast on their faces. Alot of them seemed indifferent to their presence. Such as Seth, Quil and Embry. Those closest to Jacob. But Paul and Jared seemed to be glaring at them. They didn't seem too happy about the vampires being on their land even if they were good vampires.
"So I was told we have something to discuss." Edward said after a few minutes of awkward silence.
"Yes." Sam nodded.
"I don't think there's anything to discuss." Paul snapped and Sam glared at him over his shoulder.
"Paul." He hissed and Paul glared at him quietly but kept his mouth shut. The Alpha had given his command.
Then Sam turned back to Edward and gave a small nod.
"Don't worry about it." Edward said quietly and Sam nodded once again.
"We would like to discuss revoking the treaty." Sam announced.
"Yes Jacob explained that." Esme said, glancing over to the other Alpha standing next to Sam.
"I feel it would be wise considering Jacob's imprintment." Sam continued, fixating his eyes on Edward and Bella. "Since Renesmee is half human she is technically allowed on our lands. But it is not fair to keep her parents and the rest of her family away."
Paul opened his mouth to say something but his lips only twitched and he growled quietly, unable to speak or protest due to Sam's alpha command. However, Edward could hear what he wanted to say in his head and he looked at him.
"Paul that is not what we are after." He addressed him. Paul glared at him and glared.
"Stay out of my head bloodsucker." He hissed, his hands bawling into fists at his sides.
Sam turned and shot his arm out placing it in front of Paul. "Paul, cool it." Sam and Paul glared at each other while the other pack members glanced on warily. Paul snorted and rolled his eyes.
"Now," Sam stated calmly, "What did you have to say?"
"You know that this isn't a good idea Sam." He growled. "Our job is to protect the people of La Push and here you are inviting the vampires in! With the treaty in place it makes our job a whole lot easier."
"Paul," Jacob spoke up, "The treaty only prevents the Cullens from entering our lands. It doesn't prevent other vampires. The Cullens are the only vampires who will not attack our people."
Paul turned to glare at him and hissed quietly.
"Stop it." Sam ordered stepping in between them. "Paul. Jacob is right. We have nothing to fear with the Cullens."
"Nothing to fear?!" Paul growled, whirling his head to face him. "Just because they're so called vegetarians doesn't mean anything! Once we let them back onto our lands they are free to hunt here again. And what happens if they're hungry," He spat the word, "and one of us are around."
"We're not going to hunt on your lands." Bella spoke up softly yet powerfully.
"We would never allow ourselves to get that close to you while hunting." Esme agreed.
"You have done so much to help our family we would never even consider it." Edward added. "We don't need a treaty to tell us where not to hunt. In our minds, the Quileute lands are off limits for hunting grounds."
Paul glowered at them but remained silent. His body shook quietly and Sam kept a strong grip on his wrist to keep him calm.
"So then if you're not going to come on our lands then what's the point of dismissing the treaty?" Jared asked.
"That is not what we said." Edward corrected calmly. "We said that we would not hunt on your lands."
"So what you want access to the town?" Quil inquired.
Paul growled and his body tensed. "There's no way vampires are going to be freely wandering around La Push."
"We would never hurt anybody." Esme protested in her warm, motherly tone.
Paul scoffed. "Yeah, right. Like I'm going to trust a bunch of bloodsucking leeches." He hissed.
Jacob snarled and took a few giant steps towards Paul. "Well maybe you should! The Cullens have done nothing to waver our trust!"
Paul narrowed his eyes at him. "Oh really?" He countered and threw a finger in Bella's direction. "Let me present Exhibit A."
Instinctually, Edward narrowed his eyes at Paul and stepped in front of Bella.
"They broke the treaty! They bit a human!" Paul protested.
"I gave them permission!" Jacob growled. "Incase you don't remember, I am the true Alpha!"
"As I recall you passed on your position to Sam!" Paul hissed.
"And then I reclaimed it!" Jacob exclaimed, glaring intensely at him. "I broke free from Sam's pack and became my own Alpha!"
"Sam is also the Alpha and you did not consult him!"
"I don't need to consult him!" Jacob growled. "I am the rightful Alpha! And I would only do what I thought was best!"
"Oh so you think that giving a bloodsucker permission to bite a human is best?!" Paul shouted.
"Bella was going to die!" Jacob snarled. "I was not going to let my best friend die!"
"So instead you give permission to turn her into a leech and let her and her leech husband spawn a.." He was cut off by Jacob's ferocious growl and lunge at him.
"Jacob!" Sam and Bella shouted at the same time. Jacob tackled Paul to the ground, snarling loudly.
"Don't you DARE say anything about Renesmee!" He growled.
"The Quileute tribe shouldn't have to put up with stupid leeches just because YOU imprinted on a monster!" Paul snarled.
Jacob's eyes flashed angrily and he grabbed Paul's shoulders and slammed him into the sand. "Do NOT call her a monster!"
Paul only smirked up at him. "What are you going to do about it Alpha?" Paul kicked up his legs and tossed Jacob off of him. He then sprung up to his feet and glared at Jacob. Paul bent at his knees and Jacob narrowed his eyes. They both ran at each other and right before they reached other, their shorts shredded into pieces in the air as they phased.
Out of habit, Edward stepped in front of Bella and Esme and watched the two wolves warily.
The other pack members were now fully alert and watching Paul and Jacob, some of them tensed and ready to phase if need be.
Paul and Jacob wrestled and bit at each other as Sam yelled at them to get off the beach. The two wrestled away from the fire and into the water. Paul grabbed hold of Jacob's neck and tossed him into a wave. Jacob whimpered as he went down and Paul took off towards the woods. Jacob was quickly back on his feet and ran after Paul, their growls soon disappearing as they got further and further away.
Edward, Bella and Esme turned their attention to the rest of the pack, waiting for their response. Jared, Quil, Embry and Seth turned their attention away from the woods and to the Cullens.
"See what you've done?" Jared accused looking straight at Edward.
"Maybe this wasn't a good idea." Esme whispered quietly in his ear, holding onto his forearm.
"Don't mind Paul." Sam instructed, looking at them. "He has a bit of a temper."
"A bit?" Seth remarked quietly and Quil smirked.
"He's very prejudiced about your kind." Sam continued. "But Jacob is right. You have done nothing that will discourage us from trusting you. You are our allies and it is rightful that we honor that by revoking the treaty."
"We don't mean to cause any trouble." Bella spoke up, casting her eyes in the direction where Jacob and Paul went off to.
"Paul is very easily angered." Sam explained. "And he is not the Alpha. Jacob and I are. And where as I may not have agreed with him on his decision to let Bella be turned at first I see now that it was the right thing to do. Jacob has proved himself as a worthy and trustworthy Alpha."
"And if I may something," Esme piped in and Sam gave her the go ahead. "We did not break the rules of the treaty. Edward did not bite Bella in order for her to become a vampire."
"It didn't say anything about Edward, if it was any of you..." Jared began to say.
"No, Esme is right." Edward broke in. "None of us bit Bella. In order to change her I put my venom in a syringe and injected it into her."
"Interesting." Sam mused and the pack members looked to him in curiosity. As he was silently thinking, Leah stood up and glared at him.
"Sam, you can't be serious!" She remarked.
He turned to look at her calmly. "Leah, they didn't break the treaty. Our grandfather's rules were that they couldn't bite a human and they didn't. And even if they had..." He turned back to the Cullens. "Jacob is just as much an Alpha as I am and if he has given permission for that one instance then the treaty is still intact."
Leah clenched her jaw and glared at Bella. She was highly upset that she might have finally gotten her happiness. When Jacob had separated from Sam and become his own Alpha, Leah finally connected to someone. She thought she had a connection with Jacob. But then Bella had to go and give birth to the one person that Jacob would imprint on and Leah was once again left alone.
"And I say now that we don't need a treaty to live in peace. A treaty will only be a cause for war." Sam continued. "And we don't need a war not when there are other vampires that require our attention."
"And we make a great team." Seth piped up. "Like when we kicked those vampires butt when Bella was still human? And then going up against those creepy italian vamps to protect Nessie."
"Yes." Sam agreed. "We're better together than against each other. Bella was a friend of ours when she was human there is no reason to treat her any different now. And the Cullens are her family. If she is our friend, so are they."
"Yeah." Embry agreed with a smirk. "Plus with them on our side we can kick some bad vampire butt. Especially with that strong one."
"And you won't have to worry about us for much longer." Edward said. "I'm not sure if Jacob has told you but we will be moving in just a couple of months."
Seth frowned. "What?"
Sam shook his head. "Jacob didn't mention it."
"He did in his head." Quil mentioned and Embry nodded in agreement.
"I didn't know about it." Seth protested.
"You haven't phased in a while kid." Quil leaned over to ruffle his hair. Seth frowned and shoved him lightly.
"Shuddup." He muttered. "I'm not a kid."
"We should have moved years ago." Esme told them. "But due to Bella's newborn status and because of Renesmee, we decided to put it off until she was full grown and Bella had full control."
"So if you're leaving why do you need us to revoke the treaty?" Leah remarked with narrowed eyes.
"Leah." Sam hissed in a warning tone.
"Renesmee is very upset about having to leave Jacob behind as is Jacob." Edward explained. "She would like to spend time Jacob here. She loves the beach. And Bella and I would like to accompany her sometimes and not have to meet Jacob at the boundary line and worry about my daughter when I can't see her."
"Which is perfectly reasonable." Sam reasoned. "Now this concerns all of us so I would like to know your opinions on the matter. Before I ask, Edward do you have anything to say?"
"I would just like to remind you all of the point I made earlier. None of my family members will ever hunt on your lands nor will we bite a human. My family has learned to control their thirst around humans. We have been to high schools where the student body is larger than the population in La Push and we have had no trouble. So you do not need to worry about us attacking any of your tribe." Edward explained and then nodded to Sam.
Sam nodded back. "With that said..." He turned to the pack. "How many of you agree to revoke the treaty and befriend the Cullens?"
The first hand to shoot up was Seth. He grinned and with his free hand waved at Edward, Bella and Esme.
They smiled at his loyalty to them and gave a curt nod in his direction. Quil and Embry soon followed and then Colin and Brady. Jared looked around at his pack, rolled his eyes and then slowly raised his hand.
A bark brought their attention to the woods. Jacob, still in his wolf form walked out of the woods and took a seat next to Sam. He lifted one paw and barked again. Everyone immediately knew his answer.
Leah narrowed her eyes and scanned the group who were all looking at her. She growled under her breath, "Fine." She raised her hand halfway and glared at the ground.
Bella and Esme smiled at the whole pack of wolves with their hands raised.
"Thank you." Edward said quietly.
Sam nodded and motioned for the others to lower their hands. "It appears the vote is unanimous." He gave Edward a small, friendly smile and stuck out his hand.
"Consider the treaty good and gone."
Edward stared down at his hand for a moment and then looked up to his face, smiled and took his hand. They both winced quietly at the drastic temperature change of the other's skin but that didn't waver their smiles.
Sam brought his other hand and placed it over their clasped ones. "Friends?"
"Friends." Edward agreed. "Thank you Sam. We very much appreciate this."
"You have proven to be worthy of our trust Edward." Sam replied. "Your whole family has. You have saved Jacob quite a few times and we are very thankful for that."
"You and your pack have provided great help for us over the years. If it weren't for you, I fear Bella wouldn't be alive."
"We would do anything for a friend." Sam nodded smiling at Bella. Bella smiled back at them, glanced up at Edward and he nodded. Bella stepped out from behind him and walked over to Sam.
Edward let go of Sam's hand and Bella gently hugged him. Sam tensed under her for a moment, a knee-jerk reaction to a vampire being so close, but then relaxed and hugged her back hesitantly. "Thank you Sam."
"You are quite welcome Bella." He whispered into her hair. Bella pulled away and smiled up at him. Seth ran over to them and threw her arms around Bella. Bella's eyes widened as Seth lifted her off the ground and twirled around a few times.
When she was placed back on the ground, Edward and Esme were chuckling and so were some of the pack members.
"Welcome to the pack guys."
Sam put his hand on Seth's shoulder. "Now hold up there Seth, I never said they were part of the pack."
"Nor do we want to be." Edward answered. "We just want to be allies and friends."
"And so we are." Sam responded.
Sam and Edward locked gazes. After centuries of vampires against werewolves the rivalry was finally resolved. There was peace among the groups. Finally and forever.