Chapter 28 – Unforeseeable

The weeks passed and peace had fallen over our not so little household once more. Rosalie and Emmett had come home along with Seth who was staying close by to act as our link to La Push as Jacob was refusing to leave Renesmee's side.

Renesmee was almost fully recovered now and the gauze covering her neck had been long since removed to reveal a stark white memento of her ordeal. Jacob had hissed an oath on discovering her permanent reminder, but I had expected little else so had been able to refrain from expressing the string of profanities that never the less threatened to spill out. That sort of injury left a mark, no matter whom or what you were. The covering of Jaspers skin laid testament to that alone, and the iridescent crescent shape scar on my forearm was my own little reminder.

The sun was slowly beginning its descent to the horizon and I watched its progress through the large expanse glass at the back of the house. Renesmee was hot into the middle of a long rant that I was humouring as I once again found myself involved in the same discussion that I was now experiencing for the fourth time in as many days.

"I need to Mom, I have to go back!" Her tact had switched to pleading now.

"No Renesmee," I said for what felt like the hundredth time.

"But Mom!" I had to stifle back the giggles that threatened to break through my exasperation as I turned to face her. I arched an eyebrow at her now whiny tone. She looked sheepishly around the room to avoid my gaze before her tenacity broke free again.

"I want to go back Mom,"

"I said 'no' Renesmee," I stated, feeling the irritation edging in my voice.

"It's not fair!" She exclaimed as she stomped her foot against the floor. I couldn't help it then, and I spun around to hide my laughter at her adolescent reaction to where this conversation had once again ended up.

"Did you seriously just stamp your foot Ness?" Jacob said from the safety of his seat in the corner of the room. I knew that I had Jacob's full backing on my stance in this particular conversation but since he didn't want to go against Renesmee on anything, he was staying out of the way and keeping uncharacteristically quiet.

Renesmee turned to look at him then and I saw his reflection in the glass wall cringe away from her obvious scowl. My attention was diverted when I saw Edwards tall figure enter in the room and cross the room to stand behind me. My eyes locked with his reflection and his strong arms wrapped around my waist.

"Are you coming?" He whispered in my ear in a low sultry voice. I shivered in reaction.

"Mom, we need to talk about this." Renesmee interjected.

"There is nothing further to discuss Renesmee, you are not going back."

"Bella," Edward said as I turned to walk outside. I looked back over my shoulder. "We can't just not go back." He stated. I stared at him in confusion and Renesmee looked over at him with renewed hope. "We can talk about this again later," He finished when he sensed my shock and annoyance.

"But…"

"Later, Renesmee!" She backed down at Edwards assertive tone. "Bella," He turned back to me and pulled me back up against his chest. "Let's go," He said as he bent his head and gently kissed my forehead. The feel of his lips against my skin eased my irritation and I felt the frown melt off my face and be replaced with a placated smile. I was such a push over when it came to this man; I had to fight the urge to roll my eyes at myself for my easy capitulation. Instead, I let him take my hand and lead me out in to the afternoon sun.

Just as we crossed the clearing and entered in to the protective shade of the encircling evergreens, movement from somewhere in the distance caught my attention. We stopped where we were and I let me senses roam as I looked over to Edward. His smile reassured me and the scents that lingered in the air made me release my pent up breath. Ever since our encounter in La Push, despite the quite that had fallen since, we were all still on a higher alert than we usually adopted.

"Seth is out doing a perimeter check and catching up with the rest of the pack in La Push." Edward reassured me. I smiled and we continued on our way into the forest.

We ran for about five minutes before we came across a heard of deer. I crouched just as Edward did and then we moved as one to obtain our prey. Edward landed the largest and I the second. We were finished with our spoils within just a matter of minutes and quickly moved on to track our next.

After we had obtained our fill, we made our way back home at a subdued pace. We shared a few minutes of comfortable silence before Edward spoke. "You know that she has to go back,"

I sucked in a deep breath as the truth of his words penetrated my obstinate conviction. I planted my feet and set my jaw. Edward chuckled and pulled me closer to him. "Bella, we all have to go back. You know that. We have been away for too long. If we want to stay here we need to blend in. Carlisle is back at the hospital now and we really need to be getting back to school."

When I refused to meet his eyes by staring resolutely on the fine weaving of the fibres of his cotton button down shirt, he moved his right hand from around my waist and lifted my chin so I had little choice but to look into his now gloriously amber eyes.

"Bella," His soft voice mixed with the effect of his hypnotic gaze melted my insides. I fought hard to stay strong but it was beyond hopeless. "You know I'm right." He said, as his sweet breath blew across my face and destroyed any logical argument that I had to the contrary. Before I knew what I was doing, I heard the words "I know," coming out of my mouth and I watched as a breathtaking grin spread across the flawless plains of his face. He hugged my closer and lifted me off my feet to meet his mouth in a passionate entanglement.

If I had actually needed air, I would have passed out from the effects of that kiss. And when we pulled apart, my vision was hazy although still crystal clear. I scowled at the smile that was still plastered across his face, but also took a bit of pride in the fact that he looked just as moved by the kiss as I felt.

"You know that this means less me and you time. You will have to share me with the rest of the student body." I said to try and make him reconsider, and trying desperately not to turn my statement round on me, for I would also have to share him. That thought had my fists clenching and my teeth grating together. I didn't manage to hide my agitation which in turn nullified the reaction that I had hoped to get from Edward.

"Ahem,"

"Hello Seth," Edward said without letting his eyes leave mine.

"Um, hey, I didn't mean to interrupt, I just… I mean, I was…"

"It's alright Seth; we were just on our way back home."

"Right, ok, cool man. I'm just going to do one last perimeter check and then I'll come and catch up with Jake." He said as he headed back off into the cover of the surrounding vegetation. As his footfall faded, I heard the distinct sound of two strides becoming four as he phased.

Edward took my hand and we continued along at our leisurely pace back to our home. We were about a mile out when the breeze shifted and brought with it something that I had not been prepared for.

Amongst the usual familiar scents of our family and the wolves, was another; a scent altogether different and yet startlingly familiar. Not the scent one would expect to detect so close to a houseful of Vampires with the odd wolf interspersed.

It was human.

My breathing stopped and I looked instinctively up to Edward, who picked up on so much more with his uncanny mind reading ability, but his expression was unreadable. Just as I was about to ask him, the sound of voices filtered through to us and drew my attention back in the direction of the house.

"It was really very kind of you to visit, but everything really is fine." I heard Esme's warm and gentle voice first. "I will let Renesmee's know that you stopped by, but she is resting now and I really don't want to disturb her."

"She must have got it bad. Is everyone else ok? I haven't seen Bella or and of your other kids around either." The second voice carried just above the light breeze, but that coupled with that scent, I knew exactly who it was.

"Tessa?" Renesmee's voice carried over clearing and I couldn't move. I stood staring, open mouthed at Edward, listening to the conversation as it unfolded. "What are you doing here?" Renesmee asked.

"I came to see if you were alright." Tessa Mason's voice was suddenly very unsure.

"I'm fine thank you, much better." Renesmee's tone was kind and must have reassured Tessa as her vocal floodgates were abruptly opened and she began in with a hasty explanation of her actions.

"I thought I was giving you a lift home the other week, but then you didn't show up after school, so I thought you had bailed. Which is fine, by the way, I would have understood. But then when none of you guys showed up the next day, or the day after that or the week after that, for that matter, I got worried, ya know?" Tessa's words strung themselves together as her voice got higher and higher. "It's not like I was watching out for you or anything, I just, well I just noticed you hadn't shown up for a couple of days and I know that you all are new in town, and I didn't know if you were close to anyone else to ask, so I, well, I thought maybe someone ought to stop by and make sure you were all ok. I know that Bella and Edward and your other brothers and sisters were ill the other week and…"

"Tessa, breathe," Renesmee chose that moment to save her from her lengthy story. "I really appreciate you thinking about us. As you can see I am quite well now. And I will be back in school tomorrow."

With this declaration, my irritation won out and before I was aware of what I was doing, I was rounding the corner and coming face to face with the three standing at the front entrance of the house.

Tessa had her back to me and Esme stood protectively next to Renesmee in the doorway, with her arm wrapped around her shoulders. Both caught my movement as I rounded the house and locked eyes with me instantly. Renesmee eyes were slightly wider than usual and she looked almost sheepish, obviously aware that I had heard her last little declaration.

"I think Renesmee, you should head back inside," Esme said in her usual warm way as she gently urged Renesmee back into the house. "We don't want you getting sick again now do we before you start back."

Renesmee broke eye contact with me then as I stood silently just feet behind Tessa. I felt Edwards presence close in on me and a tender but firm hand took hold of mine and began pulling me back slightly.

"Yeah, of course. I'll see you at school tomorrow then I guess?" Tessa said with an uncertain edge to her voice. Clearly she was not convinced that Renesmee would be returning. Well she had that right!

"Bye Tessa," Renesmee called as Esme reached for the front door to close it on our unexpected little guest.

Tessa stood on the front porch for several long seconds when the door finally clicked shut, just staring. Slowly she shook her head.

"Bye Renesmee." She whispered as she began to turn and head down the steps and retreat back to her little white and rusty vehicle. Edward pulled me back to the safety of the side of the house so that we were not in her line of vision. She glanced briefly back up at the house and then got in and started the engine.

Edward followed me then as I dashed around to the back of the house to enter through that way. When we reached the kitchen, everyone seemed to be standing around anxiously watching me. I scowled but breathed beep to calm what I knew was an irrational reaction to an innocent situation.

"Mom, I didn't ask her to come round." Renesmee said as she slid out from behind Esme and Jacob. She was clearly wary of my reaction and this made me more conscious of it myself. I took another deep breath and slowly released it before I forced my face into some sort of semblance of a smile.

"I know Renesmee; it was just a shock to see her, that's all." She visibly relaxed, as did Jacob who was hovering not two steps away. He let out his own pent up breath and closed the distance between them, wrapping his arm around her waist protectively. I couldn't hide the roll of my eyes and he grinned back unrepentant.

"Whoa, what did I miss?" Seth asked as he too joined our little gathering in the kitchen. Jacob chuckled and shook his head.

"Nothing Man, just Bella about to blow her lid,"

"Why, what ya do this time?" I had to laugh as Jacob scowled and threw a dirty look in Seth's direction.

Seth's intrusion and light-hearted banter with Jacob, seemed to clear the air of the tension that had been thick in the air just moments before. He and Jacob continued their exchange as the rest of the room dispersed. I remained where I was and Edward pulled me up close to his chest and rested his chin on the top of my head.

Renesmee moved gingerly out from Jacobs hold and he looked at her cautiously as she approached where Edward and I stood.

"Mom?" she asked in a subdued tone. I looked at her and studied her beautiful features. Her eyes shone brightly and her cream and rose complexion was back to its usual vitality. She was strong and so much like Edward and I. I knew that there would be nothing stopping her when she had her mind set, but I also knew that she would not defy my decision once I had made it. And for that reason, I found it much easier to say what I had not wanted to.

"We'll go back tomorrow." I said as I reached out to stroke her cheek. She beamed at me and threw herself into our embrace.

Out of the corner of my eye I watched as Seth and Jacob moved out of the kitchen towards the front of the house, giving our little hold some time together. I smiled with the contentment of having my daughter safely in my arms and feeling of myself in the arms of my husband. I had everything that I would ever need in that moment and I let the feeling encompass me fully and drown out the rest of the world.

I was only vaguely aware of a muffled commotion growing in the distance of the house. But then my moment of peace was once more interrupted by Emmett bursting in to the kitchen with his usual grace and launching himself onto the counter next to us.

"Hey Ness, your little friend is back out front." He said, focusing solely on me, eager for my reaction. I held still and managed to reign in my irrational pang of nervous anticipation.

"Err, well, open the door Emmett, go see what she wants." Renesmee responded, still keeping her arms tightly wrapped around me.

"Nu-uh, your friend, you answer."

"No worries Ness, I got it." Jacob called from the hall way as Renesmee glowered at Emmett who sat smirking back. Her face turned back to me and then morphed into a mask of worry.

"Jake, No!" She said as she spun out of my arms and darted off in the direction of the front door. "You're not supposed to be here."

Edward and I followed after her but kept out of the line of sight from the front door. We headed round the corner and turned off into the family room off to the right but then stopped when we caught sight out of the other doorway that lead out to hall, of Jacob and Renesmee stood together with undeterminable expressions on their faces. Suddenly Renesmee's face broke into a wide grin, but Jacobs remained stoic.

"Well I guess that's one less worry for us." I herd Edward say from beside me. I looked up in confusion and tried desperately to read his mind. His face was as impassive as Jacobs was but a tiny glimmer of a smile played around the edges of his lips. He met my eyes then and I pleaded silently with him to clarify what in the world was going on with this moment. He smiled tenderly down at me and then just nudged me in the direction of the hall.

My nervous pang changed into full blown nervousness and my anticipation went into overdrive as I rounded the corner to look at what it was that had Jacob so transfixed and Renesmee grinning like all her Christmases had come at once.

My mouth dropped what felt like to the floor as the scene in front of me hit home and its meaning and implications ripped through my world.

Tessa Mason was indeed stood once more at our front door, a folder clasped tightly in her hands and a slightly dazed look on her face. But that was not the full extent of it. Seth held the timber of the front door clutched tightly in his right hand and he stood staring at Tessa with a starkly familiar look of wonderment and awe. He was staring at the seemingly plain girl in the doorway, like she was the sun and the air all in one. Like she was all that was holding in down on this earth. Like she was the world.