(A/N) Sorry I didn't get this up sooner, but this weekend was crazy. I had to work extra because it's big holiday rush and I had to finish my term paper. Everything is done with that..yay!! I'm so excited because all I have left are a few of my finals and I'm done. I can't wait until December 12th (the day of my last final)!! Over Christmas I'll have a lot more time on my hands, especially with everyone going away for the holidays so I'll be updating much more frequently. I realize that the last chapter was kind of silly, but I really needed a goofy chapter to deal with the stress of work this week. I'm glad so many people like the Jacob/Jasper friendship. I think I will do a chapter on their friendship, like Capella85 suggested. I hope you enjoy this. I'll probably be skipping ahead in a few chapters, but for right now I want to deal with them spending some more time in Forks with their other families. Oh and I want to thank all of my reviewers, especially tahiri4..I had had a really stressful day at work and when I got home and read your review and it really made me feel better :)
**I'm not Stephanie Meyer so I don't own anything here
The Story of Us: Chapter 25
Jacob's POV
I awoke the day of the wedding, much earlier than I would have liked, to the grating, musical sound of Alice's chipper voice.
"Come on, Jacob," Alice enthused. "You don't want to look like a stray from the pound on Charlie and Sue's wedding day."
I groaned. "Alice, I'm a guy. I'm going to get up, take a shower, throw on a tux, and go."
"No," she said firmly as she tugged the pillow out from behind my head. "You are not. Today is important, especially to Bella and Renesmee, and you are going to make them proud."
It really sucked when everyone knew your Achille's heel, or in my case heels. As much as I wanted to tune Alice out I knew that she was right. My hair could use a good trim, and I knew that Alice wanted to do a last minute check to make sure the tux was going to be okay. Occasionally, I'd still grow a little and she had a spare on hand just in case.
"Fine," I grumbled as I swung my legs over the side of the bed. "Jazz can keep me company while I let you torture me."
Alice looked as if she found something funny, but she didn't say what. "He's not here," she informed me. "He went hunting with Emmett and Rosalie this morning. He wanted to make sure that he wasn't thirsty before the wedding."
"Oh," I said, slightly disappointed. It would have been nice to have had Jasper there to distract me.
Alice looked me over for a minute before rolling her eyes. "Oh brother," she snorted. "You two are ridiculous."
Before I could ask what she meant she'd flitted out of the room. I sat on the edge of my bed for a moment, trying to get myself fully awake. I waited a few moments, but Alice didn't come back. I looked back down at my soft, inviting pillow and gave some serious thought to lying back down.
"Jacob Black!" I heard Alice trill.
I sighed. There was no point to fighting it. The only thing left to do was man up and let Alice have her way with me.
XOXOXO
Renesmee's POV
"What do you think?" Aunt Rose asked as she spun me around in her beautician's chair.
I barely recognized the girl staring back at me in the mirror. After some major begging, Mama had agreed to let Aunt Rose put some light make-up on me. She hadn't used much, just enough to define my eyes and darken my lips, but the effect was dramatic. She'd smoothed my curls back into a partial up-do, which revealed my long, slender neck and small, pale shoulders. The rest of my hair hung freely down my back, creating a pretty, romantic effect.
"I love it," I told her sincerely. Maybe there was a little bit more to this girly thing after all.
"Good," she smiled back at me.
I looked at myself in the mirror once again and for the first time in my life I actually felt pretty. I wouldn't have minded having a fuller chest, or some well-rounded, womanly hips, but you can't have everything. I knew that next to Aunt Rose, Mama, and Aunt Alice I looked plain, but then again who didn't?
"So when are we heading to Grandpa's?" I asked as I slipped out of the chair.
Mama quickly checked her watch. "We'll probably be leaving in a few minutes," she told me. "I think Alice is still torturing Jake, but that shouldn't take too much longer. Your dad said that they were locked in a battle royal because Alice was trying to wax his eyebrows, but surely they've settled that by now."
I heard Aunt Rose snort and I couldn't help but laugh. I could only imagine tiny Aunt Alice chasing gigantic Jake around with a tub of wax and a pair of tweezers.
"So everyone else is ready?" I asked.
"Yup," Mama answered. "Emmett and Jasper are watching a ballgame, Esme is getting the gifts together, and Carlisle and your Dad were in Carlisle's study.
"Did Tanya's family leave already?" I asked, hoping that I hadn't missed the chance to tell them good-bye.
Mama shook her head. "No," she assured me. "They went hunting, and they travelled a little bit to do it. They didn't want to take the chance on running into any of the wolves, especially not today. I think they plan on staying with us for a few days."
"Good," I said, relieved. "I guess I'm going to head downstairs."
"We're right behind you," Aunt Rose called after me.
When I reached the TV room I saw that Daddy and Grandpa Carlisle had made their way down. Uncle Jazz still seemed a little pouty, but not quite as bad as he had been the night before. I didn't see Grandma so I decided to go see if she needed any help. I was just passing the stairs when I heard the battle upstairs raging.
"How many times do I have to tell you," Jake said angrily, "I'm not waxing my eyebrows!"
"Do you really want to stand up as Charlie's best man looking like a character from Sesame's Street?"Aunt Alice asked, obviously frustrated.
"If it means that you don't touch me with that wax, then the answer is 'yes'," Jacob affirmed.
"Fine," she spat back. "I just hope Ness-"
"That's getting old." Jake cut her off "I have let you cut my hair, trim my nails, and cover my face with crap that nobody with a 'y' chromosome should ever have to endure. There is no way I'm letting you put hot wax on me so that you can rip hair out. That's just, well, wrong."
"Hey," Aunt Alice said, her voice slightly hurt. "I thought you liked the facial."
Jacob only answered with a disgusted grunt.
"This is what I get for trying to turn a puppy into a prince," Aunt Alice snapped. "Well," she began after a few moments, "I guess you don't look too bad," her tone lightened. "You are exponentially better than you were this morning."
"Don't be jealous because I'm naturally prettier than you are," Jacob teased, and I heard Aunt Alice snort loudly.
I laughed at the entire exchange. I'd found over the past few years that arguments between Jacob and Alice tended to resemble those between brother and sister, rather those between mortal enemies.
"Alice, Jacob," Mama called, and I realized that I hadn't noticed she'd joined me. "Quit playing around. We need to get going."
I turned and realized that the rest of the family had gathered at the bottom of the steps as well. It amazed me that I had been so preoccupied with Jacob and Alice that I hadn't noticed the entire lot of them creeping in.
Aunt Alice danced to the middle of the stairs, her butterscotch eyes sparkling.
"Can I come down now?" I heard Jacob ask, dread filling his voice.
Aunt Alice beamed. "I now present to you all the new, very much improved, Jacob Black."
I felt my pulse quicken as I watched him approach. No one could deny that Jacob was naturally handsome, but in that moment he was so beautiful that it was almost heartbreaking. Aunt Alice had trimmed his hair so that it didn't cover so much of his face, which served to accent his chiseled features, yet it was still long enough that it barely brushed his broad shoulders. The effect of the tux was devastating. James Bond, eat your heart out.
Uncle Emmett brought my mind back to reality when he let out a low whistle. "Well hello Gorgeous," he teased as he blew kisses toward Jake.
"Shut up," Jacob threatened through gritted teeth.
"Jazz," Uncle Emmett turned to Uncle Jasper, "Jake looks so pretty that I bet we won't even get a single dance."
A slow smile spread across Uncle Jasper's face, "Why, I do believe you're right," he said in his most southern gentlemanly way, "I bet his dance card will be full."
Jacob stared back at them, trying to look as menacing as possible. "I hate you both," he spat at them.
"He's cute when he's angry," Daddy chimed in, which caused my uncles to absolutely lose it.
I started to open my mouth to defend him, but Grandma Esme beat me to it. "That's enough," she told the three of them, her tone all business. Her face immediately softened as she turned back to Jake. "You look very handsome, Jacob," she said kindly.
He gave her a crooked smile, "Thanks," he said, his tone slightly self-conscious, which had to be a first for him.
He caught my eye and flashed me a brilliant smile, which caused my strumming heart to miss a few beats, which my father did not miss. I looked up at him and the look in his eyes made it unnecessary for him to voice his thoughts. I had better be on my best behavior. I turned away and walked over to where Grandma was fixing Jacob's tie. When she'd finished, she reached out for me and pulled me into a big hug.
"You look absolutely beautiful, Renesmee," she told me. "So grown up."
"Thank you," I mumbled, my cheeks flushing.
She quickly kissed my cheek and followed the rest of the family out the door. I turned to go, but Jacob caught my hand and held me back. I felt a rush of pleasure and surprise course through me at the warmth of his touch.
"I just wanted to say," he said softly, "you really do look beautiful."
"Thank you," I smiled at him. "You don't look so bad yourself." I leaned in and whispered, "No one would ever confuse you for a character from Sesame Street."
He chuckled, "I appreciate that."
"I guess we'd better get going," I said, slightly reluctant.
"You're right," he smiled as he extended his arm, "Shall we?"
XOXOXO
The wedding passed flawlessly, which was a big relief for Alice. With all of the wolves being involved she hadn't been able to get a clear picture of how everything would turn out, which irritated her to no end. She took small comfort in being right about the weather, the one thing she had been able to see. The wedding was small and intimate. The wolves and a few other guests from La Push made up the bride's side, while Grandpa Charlie's side was composed mainly of my family, along with a couple of the deputies that he worked with. The ceremony was simple, yet sweet. I knew that Grandpa had an aversion to being the center of attention, but it was clear by the look on his face when Sue had entered that he wasn't aware of anyone else. Leah looked absolutely radiant, and I felt a twinge of pleasure because I was in on her little secret. I couldn't help sneaking glances at Embry every now and then. He looked mesmerized, but it was clear that no one else was paying him any attention. I could relate because when I wasn't stealing glances at him and Leah, I only had eyes for Jacob. It wasn't until halfway through the ceremony that I caught a glimpse of Daddy's face and caught the hint of surprise on his marble features. I realized at once that he must have picked up on Embry and Leah's thoughts. I groaned inwardly, wondering how I could have forgotten about Daddy's ability. However, I knew him well enough to know that he wouldn't "out" Leah and Embry. For a mind reader he could be surprisingly good at minding his own business.
After the ceremony, I discovered the real fun of a wedding: the reception. It was hard to imagine how anyone could not enjoy themselves while everyone danced and laughed. Even Aunt Rose and Uncle Jasper seemed to be having a good time, although I did see him shoot a couple of grimaces toward the wolves. I sat back and watched the couples on the dance floor. Each couple from my family looked as though their feet barely touched the floor as they swung around gracefully. Mama's face was exuberant. Aunt Alice had explained to me that this was the first time Mama had danced since her change. Apparently, she had been quite clumsy when she was human, but the way she glided now made it very hard to believe. I could see the wolves dancing with their partners, not quite as graceful as the vampires, but graceful none the less. Grandpa Charlie and Sue, against their supernatural companions, looked quite uncoordinated, but the way they looked at each other made up for it.
"You shouldn't be sitting over here all by yourself," Jacob's familiar, husky voice came from behind me. "Don't you know that vampires and werewolves are running rampant in this place?"
"I think I can handle that," I said as I turned and shot him a smile.
He laughed as he slid into the chair next to me, "You think so, huh?"
"Yup," I said as I tried to turn my attention back to the dance floor. Hear my thoughts or not, Daddy wouldn't be thrilled if he caught me ogling Jacob. "So where did you disappear to?"
"I was talking to a few people. My dad and Seth mostly," he paused. "By the way, is something up with Jazz?"
"Why do you ask?" I tried to fight a smile.
He shrugged. "He just seems a little, I don't know, stiff."
I laughed out loud, "Well he is surrounded by werewolves."
He seemed to think about this for a moment, "Oh, I guess I hadn't thought of that," he laughed, "I guess I'm just used to being surrounded by vamps."
"You are very progressive for your kind," I smiled at him, "very left wing."
He rolled his eyes as he looked out on the dance floor. "Apparently I'm not the only one," he mused. "I never thought I'd see the day when my pack danced beside the Cullens at a wedding."
"I imagine Mama and Leah never thought they'd be sisters," I added. "I guess things change."
He only nodded as he continued to watch the dancers. I was perfectly content to just sit there with him, but when a new song began he surprised me by asking me to dance.
I did my best to keep my breathing and heart beat somewhere close to normal as he lead me onto the makeshift dance floor and placed his massive hands around my waist.
"Renesmee," he said softly as we began to sway to the music. "Thank you for being so mature about this whole imprinting thing."
"I don't want to make things any more difficult than they have to be," I told him sincerely. "It's just a relief to know that I'm not going to lose you."
"That was ever a question?" He asked, surprised.
I shrugged. "I always thought that I was holding you back from something," I said softly. "I kept thinking that someday you were going to meet someone and love them the way Daddy loves Mama."
"I did," he smiled lightly. "I might not be able to feel exactly that way right now, but someday I will."
My heart stuttered and I could feel my cheeks flush. I looked away from him, unable to maintain the intensity of his gaze. I tried to focus on something other than Jacob in order to regain some of my composure. I smiled as I watched Claire dance on Quil's feet as they stood outside the main grouping. From them my gaze drifted to Sue, who was dancing with Seth, and from them to Grandpa Charlie who was now dancing with Leah. I looked over at the table in the corner where I saw Embry sitting with Colin and Brady. He was doing a good job of appearing to be engrossed in their conversation, but I could see him sneaking glances in Leah's direction. I suddenly felt compelled to see him dance with Leah, and I began to formulate a plan.
"You should dance with Leah," I said as the song ended.
He looked at me perplexed for a moment. "You do realize that when I said I'd already met someone I was talking about you."
I rolled my eyes at him. "Yes," I couldn't help smiling at the look on his face. "I just thought it might be nice of you to ask her."
"Sure, sure," he said, but didn't move.
I looked up at him expectantly, but it took him a moment to realize what I was getting at.
"You mean right now?" He asked, surprised.
"No," I answered sarcastically, "next week. Of course right now."
He sighed as he released me and I could hear him muttering something about crazy Swann women as he headed off into Leah's direction. I smiled as I turned to walk toward Embry's table.
"Hey Embry," I greeted him as I reached the table. "Colin, Brady."
"Hey Ness," they replied together.
"Where's Jake?" Embry asked.
"He's dancing with Leah," I told him, and I noticed the almost imperceptible movement of his eyes as he glanced toward the dancers. Before he could say anything I continued.
"I was wondering if you would like to dance with me?" I asked, hoping that he would. My plan was going to be exceedingly more difficult if I couldn't get Embry to dance with me.
"Okay," he answered slightly uneasy. "You're dad isn't going to take my head off or anything."
I laughed, partially from relief, "I think you'll be okay."
Dancing with Embry felt slightly awkward and I realized that this was probably because dancing with Jake had felt so natural, like it was something I was born to do. Embry had always been a little quieter than his boisterous pack brothers and I found that he was as comfortable with silence as I could be. It took a few minutes, but we finally found ourselves dancing beside Leah and Jake. I had hoped that maybe Embry would take the initiative and cut in, but it didn't seem like he could bring himself to do it.
"Switch partners?" I smiled at Leah.
She smiled back, and I could clearly see the mingling of nervousness and anticipation on her face. She dropped her arms and took a step back from Jacob. I mimicked her movement and she took my place as Embry's partner.
"Do you want to tell me what that was all about?" He whispered in my ear.
"What do you mean?" I asked, trying to look as innocent as possible.
He glanced back toward Embry and Leah, and then looked down at me. I could see his mind at work.
"This secret that you're keeping from me," he said quietly. "Does it have anything to do with Leah and Embry?"
"What makes you say that?" I asked laughing, hoping that I could persuade him otherwise.
"Embry's been acting strange," he said almost to himself, "and Seth said Leah's been spending a lot of time by herself."
"And you think this relates to my secret how?" I asked, trying to sound as disbelieving as possible.
"Embry bailed on us yesterday afternoon and when I got here Leah was nowhere to be found," he said, the pieces of the puzzle obviously coming together. He looked at me for a moment. "You know don't you?" He asked. "You know something is going on with the two of them."
I wanted to deny it, but I couldn't bring myself to lie to Jacob. It just wasn't possible. I sighed before I raised my hand to his cheek and showed him everything I'd seen.