Chapter Twenty-Six

Esme's PoV

April 15th 2007

The housing was done earlier than expected, they were furnished and built and ready for us to move in. Today seemed emotional, all my children were moving out with children of their own. We of course had Tara to raise now, and knew she wold become a fine young woman.

I was excited to move to the new bay, it was beautiful and the animals were good. We had a surprise for the children, We had them a horse each in a big stables in out back yard. Tara knew because she over heard us speaking, she insisted she wanted a zebra. She was a strange child.

The house was cleared and Charlie and Sue were moving in next week with Seth and Leah. We had given it to them as a gift, on the compromise that Renemsee and Eddie could keep their bedrooms so they could stop over sometimes. Charlie knew what we were now and grasped that we were good, not that it had not taken some explaining.

It was a strange feeling to be moving into a big house without all my children, but a few years of not living in the same house would be good for us, it would give us all space to be a family and have our own individual families within those families. I thought it would be nice as in a few short years our children's children could be having children and they would also branch off into their own families. It ws strange seeing my grandchildren grow up so quick, but it was also nice to know that we still had a good few years before they were fully grown.

I was cooking the last ever meal I would in this house, bacon sandwiches for the children. I sat at the table as they began to eat them, they all looked different. Renesmee looked happy. Charlotte looked emotional, but happy. Tara was self-contained and Eddie looked unemotional. It was strange to see so many different emotions on only four children.

It was nice to see them all together, but I felt a little guilty that they were going to be in different houses, they were used to been together now.

Jacob's PoV

Today the Cullen#s were moving closer to La Push. Technically Strawberry Bay was sort of part of La push but ow Renesmee would live there.

I was awaiting their arrival, waiting to show Renesmee her what the other wolves and I had built for her. A few hundred meters from the house we had built a play park for her and the other Children. It had slides and swings coming down from the tallest points of the trees, some almost 110 ft tall. Normal children would not be able to scale to that height but these were children of vampires. On the highest tree we had built a tree house with two floors. On the top floor there were three sofa beds, that was all we could fit. There was also a balcony area that over looked the tops of the trees, the houses and right out onto the beach. It would look amazing on a sunset.

In side there were gadgets. On the top floor a TV, 64 inches of TV. On the bottom floor there were random things to make food with, like a pop corn maker and there were also a vending machien that you didn't have to pay for and a drinks cooler. It was a pad any child would be proud of. It was amazing and I wished I had a tree house like that when I was younger.

Renesmee was a lucky girl and if the play park wasn't enough just east of the bay and all the Cullen houses were Tennis courts that could be adapted to accomodate for various different sports and (obviously) a huge baseball court for the Cullens to play on.

The bay was isolated so they could be themselves here without been too far from humans. It would give the children chance to grow up in a safe environment without been discovered for what they truely were, especially Eddie. He grew alot faster than a hybrid. The girls however were all hybrids and Carlisle had calculated that at the rate they would grow now theu would grow at almost human pace, 1.5 years for every human year that passes, and when Charlotte got to the age of looking about 8 she would also follow this pattern. She looked about four or five now.

Eddie had slowed down some also and Carlisle predicted that he would reach maturity in 4 very short years. It was unusual seeing children grow up so fast but I was happy we had built the park, It would encourage them to act like children just a little but longer.

I wondered if Renesmee would go back to school now, she could go to another school on the reservation. If she went into 5th or 6th grade with Tara she may look a little young but she would catch up and then she could carry on throught school at a normal rate, like a normal child. With her vocabulary and the way she acted she could pull of the older act.

I took my head out of my thoughts and decided to go over to Renesmee's new house to wait for her, she would only be a few minutes now, I actually missed her. With all the trouble with the Voltouri and then the building of the play park it felt like I was avoiding her. I knew she thought I had been avoiding her but I hoped as soon as she saw the play park she would understand and forgive me.

It was then that I heard a car coming down the drive way, supernatural hearing, figgures. I realised it was the volvo. That damn vampire and his good taste in cars were finally good for something. I recognised the smoot purr of its engine and as the engine cut out, I heard the flutter of Nessie's heartbeat and Eddies ever slowing heart. Nessie got out and her eyes widdened at the beautiful house.

"This is where we're going to live?" she exclaimed. She turned only to gasp at the beach view through the thin line of trees. She turned to the house, examining it and then she finally saw me. "Jakey!" She squeeled and ran over to me, leaping into my arms and wrapping her arms around my neck.

"Hey, Nessie!" I greeted her, hugging her back. She placed her hand on my cheek and I heard her thoughts, What are you doing here? I laughed and then said trying to sound mysterious, "I have a supprise for you, you'll have to wait and see."

Awhh! Can't I see it now? she begged.

"Well it's for Eddie, Tara and Charlotte too." I smiled.

When they get here then! She didn't ask, she demanded which made me laugh even more.

"What ever you say, Ness." I replied to her as she walked into the house with her family. I had to admit it was impressive.

There was a huge grand stair case heading up the centre of the room. Sofas clung to one end of the room and at the other a huge table with lots of chairs around it easily accomodating ten people. Through a double door to the left was a kitchen with a breakfast bar and a centre island in the middle to cook on.

The house was painted in creams, baiges and whites giving it a very open feel to it. Up the stairs Bella and Edward were showing the childrens their rooms, and to no supprise each had a new walk in wardrobe twice the size of the actual bedroom, no exaggeration. The third room was Bella's and Edward's to do... Stuff.

There was also a fourth room which was just as big as the others and decorated just as extravigantly.

I heard Edward on the phone: "Yes Carlisle if you've finished showing the children around and so has rose, Jake will show the children their supprise." I heard Renesmee huff, she was probrably listening to Edward hoping he would slip up and she would find out what the supprise was.

I walked over to her, "You ready now? Were going to go pick up the others." I laughed as her face lit up into the happiest smile I had ever seen come from a child. She ran off to where Eddie was and told him to move his butt literally.

I was sure the others would like it too. I heard a knock at the door and Tara and Charlotte were stood there, luckily in Jeans as they would be climbing. They both stood there waiting for us while Eddie frowned.

I stepped over the door frame and began to run in my human form. The children easilt kept up and laughed at the speed, even Eddie let go and giggled. We didn't say a word but as we approched the park I bagan to run much faster in antisipation. The children made little gasping noises as we came to the huge structures hanging down from the trees.

Eddie stared open mouthed as Renesmee jumped on me. "Thank you, Thank you, Thank you!" She yelled, hurting my ear. I put her down again to join Tara and Charlotte who were already using the equipment. Tara had made a dash for the Tree house where as Charlotte was now on the rope bridge that was susspended 100ft in the air. It lead to the slide which is where she seemed to be headed. Renesmee ran for the rope ladder that lead to the monkey bars about 90ft in the air.

Eddie just stared, I nuged him towards the play park, "Go on, go play with the others."

He looked at me, and for once I saw the respect in his eye that he showed all other adults. He no longer saw me as out to get his sister, but to make her happy. He smiled at me and then mumbled "Thanks Jacob." Then he was gone up the rope ladder to the swings which were about 95ft in the air. I heard a squeel from Tara as she launched herself off the Tree house balcony onto the dangling tier swing in next to Eddie.

She caught it with great accuracy and the laughed. She reminded me so much of Renesmee during the time the Voltouri had come only for her and she blamed everything on herself. Tara blamed herself for the her family dying. She was also compassionate and caring and now seeing them all play together like normal children made my chest glow. I laughed along with all the children as I went to join Renesmee on the monkey bars.

Tara's PoV

It was amazing! The park was so big and beautiful, so childlike and yet so made so high so there was still a thrill for us vampire children (or half vampires...)

At first I had been curious about this place, did I really want to go live away from Eddie, Charlotte and Renesmee?

Not really. It was a hard decission but now seeing how close our houses were and actually knowing there were parks and such for us to play in, It was nice to know I would be able to have even more fun with them!

I looked down from the high swing and over to Eddie. He seemed at ease and was smiling as much as the rest of us. We had been different lately, not as close. I remembered the moment when he had hugged me and kissed me ever so slightly on the lips. Since then he had been acting more alone, like I was just some silly girl who was his sisters best friend. His eyes found mine and with a tentive smile he turned and swung off the swing, landing on the floor, bending he knees as he gracefully ducked to absorbe the impact.

I sighed as he avoided me again. It's like he was afraid to be alond with me or something! I knew my blood drew him, of course because I was half human but the other half of me was vampire and that part of me was more dominant I thought. It was in Renemsee and Charlotte and even though my mother was human and my father half vampire, my Grandfather had asured me that my chromosones were intact with the hybrid order.

I swung the swing higher and higher, back and forth , it felt like I was flying. My hair flared around me and my heart beated faster. I screamed with the adreneline and smiled as I lept off the swing, I flew off doing a fround flip then dropping towards the ground the same was Eddie had.

I smiled as Renesmee did the same, then Charlotte. I laughed as we all made our way home to prepare for tonight, There was going to be a house warming party organised by no other than Alice!