Hello, hello! Didn't expect you'd see me so soon eh? Well I'm almost done (little over half way) with chapter 31 in my writing process and since I got such a good reception to last chapter (which btw I need to answer all your reviews!). There's so much going on so I figured I better get this one out now.

Things are ramping up as we close in on the last ten chapters of LIT. I know, I know. Expect a seriously longwinded thank you AN when that happens.

There's also been some fics that have been pwn'ing me lately. If you haven't read them I suggest you do. They're all up on FFN. They include: Todream's Dear Diary, Stupidleeches Drawn to You (which just started!), and Love this pain by twilightcakes.

Now there is a new story that I'm particularly addicted to and that is Black Imprint's The Wolf Prince. It's amazing and lovely in every way imagineable. If you're a J/N fan and you probs are if you're reading my fic, then you NEED to check that out. It's AU interpretation of Beauty and the Beast. Black imprint is also an amazing writer but I found out her awesome collaborator Writer-in-the-making16, is a reader of LIT and wanted to give her a shout out too for being an awesome person and for having one of the most interesting fic ideas ever and for letting Black imprint write it so brilliantly.

Anyways I hope you all enjoy and it is so lovely to hear what you think! =)

Chapter songs: Here with Me by Dido, Addicted to Love by Florence + The Machine (originally by Robert Palmer), Storm Coming by Gnarls Barkley, Warning by Incubus, Vagabond by Wolfmother, Set The Fire To The Third Bar (Feat. Martha Wainwright) by Snow Patrol, and Home by Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros


Chapter Twenty-Nine: Here With Me

No one ever tells you that love is like a roller coaster. Ups so high you feel like you're suspended in zero gravity. Quick lows that come at you so lightning fast your stomach feels like it's in your throat. Moments that throw you for a loop. And then there are perfectly tranquil moments like this. The gentle pattering of rain outside. A quiet whisper of lips upon lips and the occasional sigh or moan were the only real sounds going on in the house. Perfect refuge from the boisterous din of home. Thankfully Leah had left fifteen minutes before to pick up Amber in Seattle, leaving us blissfully alone. As much as I adored them both, I valued this alone time more than some people value their possessions or loved ones.

An empty house meant one of two things. Sleep or sex. Either is wonderful, and I was fine with any combination of the two, but today I preferred the latter first. Too keyed up and needing closeness. Apparently he did as well, seeing as his hands were at my waist, untying the bow of the decorative cloth belt on my shorts. They soon became distracted with how my shirt was riding up my stomach and the bare skin beneath loose swells of turquoise chiffon.

"Hmm," he hummed against my lips. The gentle vibration tickled my skin. My insides burned, wanting more. Fingertips danced against my ribcage in their ascent. Just a little higher, I coaxed. A growl began to brew in his chest as he complied. Yes, there. Even my internal voice was breathless from his touch. A low string of cuss words slipped from him as arousal heightened for us both. A simmering heat that was rising leisurely. I grazed my lips lightly against his, a breath's touch as our noses brushed sweetly. I shifted a bit, planting my feet behind him, my knees aligned with his triceps.

"What?" I asked, running my fingertips along his neck and dipping into the neckline of his shirt. His skin was quite possibly my favorite. My body hummed in agreement.

"Just thinking that it's so quiet," he mused, grinning against my lips as he drew me back in.

I chuckled. It was very quiet. Euphorically noiseless. A beautiful contrast to my home. Amusing how often our thoughts coincided lately. "Must be on the same wavelength then, because I was thinking the same just a few moments ago. You're right, though. The house is beyond ridiculous now," I observed as his hands slid up my back, a shiver following his wake and back down as he rested his hands at my hips, gripping them firmly. Our guests, while many of them are my friends, but still, it's hard to even hear myself think. "Can you even imagine what it's like for Edward?"

He chuckled a bit between pressing his lips to my jaw, cheek, and just where my neck and jawbone meet as I spoke. Instinctively, I leaned toward the heat of his breath on my skin. A moth to a flame. "Yeah, kinda like during a pack meeting and everyone's talking all at once in their heads," he replied, taking a moment to bite the side of my jaw. "Drives me crazy sometimes, too."

My hands ran along his shoulders, using one for support as I tossed my hair off my shoulder with my free hand. I had been hesitant about the one side for the past two weeks since the incident with Emmett. "How is your shoulder?" I asked, even though I knew he was fine.

"Never better," he replied before taking my lower lip between his. His arms, though, were strong and insistent. It had only taken him a few hours to heal but the damage for me had been done. As strong as he was, he was still entirely breakable, only more durable than a human. The nightmares only got worse with this realization. Even a skilled wolf like him could be killed easily by someone like Felix. One wrong move and... I became paralyzed at the path that thought was leading me down. No, I couldn't even entertain it.

His lips stopped in their descent from my temple against my hairline. "You alright?" he asked, noting the sudden tension in my shoulders and the rigidity of my arms.

All the air left my lungs and all I could do was nod, grateful for his interruption of my ridiculous thoughts. Swallowing the lump in my throat, I attempted to reply. "Sorry. I was lost in my head for a second there."

Lips swept up to my ear, soft and light. "Sometimes that's not a bad place to be. I'm guessing it is right now, though?" He was correct. My mind was currently making itself a nuisance, distracting me from the pleasant reality I was currently in. Jacob wasn't hurt, he was here with me, safe, warm, and happy. His fingers pushed stray curls behind my ear; his hand lingered at my neck then. "Don't worry so much, honey. It'll give you wrinkles," he mused with a wry grin.

I couldn't help but smile back at the jest. Neither of us would be getting wrinkles ever. A silly joke had served it's purpose, relieving the heavy weight I felt inside of me. "Kiss me."

Sweet electricity renewed itself when he eagerly brought my face down to his, holding my body tighter against his torso. I tightened my legs around his waist as our mouths connected. I sighed into his mouth, the small bit of scruff from not shaving in two days scratched against my skin. I didn't know what a human girl would think of it, but I loved the prickly texture against my skin. A fine balance between pleasure and mild discomfort. My fingers grabbed at his shirt, yanking it upwards. Pulling back, he helped me rid him of his shirt, then his hands went for the hem of mine. I pulled back a little, crossing my arms over the front of me, pausing. "Are you sure Leah won't be back for a while?"

He nodded reassuringly, meeting my skepticism. "She's going to Amber's apartment, I'm sure they'll distract each other for a while before they head back," he explained, a knowing smirk on his face. I gave him a suspicious look. So far we'd been extra careful. Nothing was worse than getting walked in on. Jacob and Leah were both pretty considerate of each other's privacy. Confident that for the moment, at least, we were truly alone, I discarded my shirt on the floor with his. He eyed me closely and licked his lips before lurching forward. A strangled half moan rolled through my throat when his lips pressed against my carotid. A lecherous shudder racked through my system when his teeth nipped at my collarbone. A favorite weak spot he loved. All thought of Leah or Amber left me. Being kissed like this by your mate took precedence over all other thought, even for one with a vampire's mind. He knows that as acutely as I do now. He really doesn't play fair at all.

Then again, I didn't either. A slow, purposeful undulation of my hips against his made him growl and slip his hands from my hips into my back pockets of my shorts, forcing me to move them faster, harder. I reached between us, unbuttoning my shorts. He turned us toward the length of the sofa, pushing me backwards and following with his own body. His hands snaked around my back and took hold on my shorts, slipping one hand inside, his fingertips sliding against the cotton and lace between his hand and my skin. He took a handful and gripped me tight, sending more heat throughout my system. With the other hand braced against the sofa, he drug my hips up against his own, sharply, creating a heady friction. My breathing grew shallow as the fabric of the couch made contact with my skin.

"Jake," I sighed when he kissed along my throat, dropping his weight down, balancing on his knees and elbows.

"You know," he began, trailing his mouth along my shoulder, his teeth dragging against my skin. I was hardly paying any notice to what he said. I was too busy concentrating on how best to keep him close and get the rest of my clothes off, and his. In all honesty, I didn't care if we did have to separate for a moment, so long as his mouth was on me. A rolling hum began in my chest as he glanced up at me from kissing just above the swell of one breast. I arched into the touch like a paperclip drawn to a magnet. Though I doubt the paperclip enjoyed that as much as I was. "We could do this all the time... if you lived here," he finished, kissing his way down my sternum, ending at the end of my bra. I froze as the words processed in my head. Well, that certainly got my attention. The whole thing felt like it was on tape delay and my brain was just getting the highlights. Was he asking what I think he was asking? Or was he just stating it as a fact? My brain was certain it was a mix of both. The rest of me didn't even register it, wondering why we stopped.

Apprehensive and slowly gaining lucid faculties, I pushed him back a little, propping myself up on my elbows. "Are you asking me to move in with you? Or are you just saying that?"

Jacob's teeth bit into his lower lip for a fraction of a second. I tried to focus on my questions and his answer, but seeing him hovering over me, shirtless and beautiful, wasn't exactly conducive to coherency. I swallowed but kept my eyes trained on his face, looking for any clues. "I'm asking you to move in with me," he said slowly, like this hadn't really been his plan at all in the first place, but since I called him on it, he figured now was as good as any other time.

I wasn't convinced. In some sense, this whole thing seemed almost elaborate. A well placed plan to get me to agree to anything he wanted, which he knew was entirely possible sometimes. "Did you plan this? I mean, was that the idea? Get me all hot and bothered so I'll blindly agree to whatever you ask?"

He smirked for a moment at my admission. Such a wrong thing to say right now. I could see the wheels turning in his head and I braced myself for the commentary. "Are you now?" he quipped, referring to my current flustered state. Boldly, he leaned forward to claim my lips again and the desire between us bloomed. He made contact so brief, if I had been fully human, I had a feeling I'd have missed it entirely. "Is it working?" he asked, followed by a languorous nip to my jaw. Ever the presumptuous one, wasn't he?

Suspicious still, I narrowed my eyes at him, placing my hand to his chest to stop him from any further attempt to seduce me into complying. Regardless, I should have realized any contact would be a stupid move because my coherency left me momentarily at the contact of warm skin. How could one person make me feel so human and out of control? Garnering what little self control I had left, I pulled on my poker face. "Could you please be serious for a minute?"

His face sobered momentarily as he grasped the seriousness of our conversation instead of using it as fodder for playful banter. The sofa groaned slightly as his body slumped backwards, sitting down with a thud. I let him pull me in, holding me close to his warmth. "I am serious. I want you here. Every day," he paused, lacing our fingers. "And every night," he added with a kiss to the corner of my mouth. A sigh left him, and he straightened up, an intensity of exasperation seeped into his tone. "This game of 'where's Ness sleeping tonight' is getting tired."

I lost my composure then, laughing lightly. Of all the ways to ask. I shook my head a bit, covering my face with my hand to hide my giggles. "You really want me to move in? Cohabitate for real?" The prospect was downright alluring.

He smiled at me, pressing his forehead to mine for just a brief moment. "Yes. I want to wake up with you every morning. I want you here, Ness. It hurts when you're not here. You can't tell me you actually enjoy the separation. It hurts us both. Living together would minimize that, and you know it," he argued. I was swaying, he could tell. How often did I daydream about what it will be like to live with him? I'd thought that we'd have to wait until my family moved to Edmonton to find out.

"Are you concerned at all what it will look like? Rose and Edward will have a fit, and you know it," I was grasping at straws. An argument I'd scoffed at only weeks before in Seattle. The anxiety made another lump form in my time not with anxiety of his safety, but with fear of the unknown. I'd never known what it was like to live with someone who was not my family, and certainly not someone I considered my lover. He wanted me to live with him. Be his live-in girlfriend. The idea was perfection personified, yet I was terrified. I couldn't pinpoint exactly what made me so hesitant. Was it facing my family and saying, why, yes, I'm moving in with my boyfriend, and no, it's not just because we're actually having sex now, either.

He scoffed at me, laughing. "Really? What was it you said in Seattle? Oh right, 'I don't care what Edward thinks,'" he reasoned, throwing my own comeback in my face. I had to admit, he wasn't wrong. "I mean, if you're not ready or don't want to, I get it, I can wait," he tacked on. I sensed though, if I did reject his question, it would come with a pretty hefty amount of disappointment.

I chewed my lip and pushed him against the sofa, straddling his lap again. "It's not fair, you know. There's nothing I want more than to live with you..."

"I'm sensing a huge 'but' is in there somewhere," he quipped, arching an eyebrow in question.

I nodded. "Yes. I want to, gah, do I ever just wish we were completely normal and didn't even have to think about this. But I'm apprehensive for several reasons."

He eyed me carefully. "And those are?"

I took a deep breath. "For one, the Volturi," I began.

He opened his mouth to rebuke my argument but I wouldn't be deterred or swayed from getting this out. "If this is about your nightmares, I really don't -,"

I shook my head, interrupting him. "No, please listen to me. They might freak out even more if we're living together, rather than just being together. Secondly, if I move out and if there is a battle and I lose some of my family, I will never forgive myself for leaving. And thirdly, if I don't take this opportunity, and I lose you, I'll feel destroyed."

The incredulity in his face faded, a soft concern replacing it as he framed my face with his hands. "It's gonna take more than the Volturi to take me from you," he said, making me look at his face when I averted my eyes. "Battle or no battle, I'm never leaving you. I never want to cause you that much pain."

I kissed him softly. "I know you don't want to, but it could happen whether or not you want to. I mean, Hell, Emmett took you out of commission with one hit. What if it had been Felix?"

Jacob closed his eyes, letting his fingers play with my hair as he breathed deeply. "What if I told you that wasn't entirely an accident?"

I sat up straight, disturbed by this new information. He didn't mean that, did he? "You had Emmett injure you on purpose? Why would you do such a thing?"

"It wasn't like I asked him to break some bones or anything. He and I had talked beforehand and I told him not to take it easy on me. I wanted the younger guys to see how hard it can be to kill a vamp, and how easy it is for even someone as well versed in ripping apart vampires as I am to get in a bad situation. I didn't think that lesson would affect you so much. I'm sorry. I should have warned you," he explained, looking appropriately abashed.

"You didn't think I'd react that way to you getting injured like that? Jacob, really you can be so dense sometimes," I shot back, folding my arms over my chest. I was feeling far too exposed.

He chuckled and set to work un-kinking my arms. "He wasn't supposed to break my shoulder, Ness. He was just supposed to come at me with everything he had and pin me. I didn't know how he was going to do it, just that I wasn't supposed to struggle. It was more like he zigged and I zagged. At least I got his arm as a reward for the pain, because damn, he's gotta be the strongest vamp I've ever faced."

I rolled my eyes. He seemed overly pleased that he'd at least gotten to rip Emmett's arm off. "You think? You could have at least warned me!"

A grin lit up his face in amusement. "You're so worried," he said, brushing his thumb against the deep v-crease between my eyebrows. "I promise I'll warn you next time."

"Next time! Please let there not be a next time," I replied, throwing my hands up.

A bigger smile took over his features, he was teasing me, I knew this, but still, the thought of him in any danger made me sick to my stomach. "Well, it won't be for a while, especially if this Volturi thing goes the way I'm thinking it will. The only next time will have to be when I get to train our kids."

Unconsciously, my head flashed to that idea. A dark haired child, maybe two watching as their father took on Emmett. I shook my head. "Who knows if I even can have kids?"

"Maysun didn't have any trouble, and she had no access to modern medicine. I'm thinking you'll be just fine. If that doesn't convince you that you're capable, then I could always prove it to you."

"Prove it to me? Exactly what are you thinking?"

A low snicker emanated from his throat. "I could always get you knocked up." I blinked twice. He wasn't serious, was he? No, he couldn't be. There was a tone, though, an undercurrent of what almost sounded like hope.

"Edward would kill you," I countered. I couldn't help but imagine myself happy and pregnant. I wondered what it would be like. Would it be short like my mother's or Maysun's? Or since we're both half human, would it take longer?

"Edward-schmedward, I really don't care if he tried," Jacob admitted. I gave him an almost sour look. I hadn't even agreed to move in with him and he was already talking about kids?

"Jake," I warned. "Promise me, that's not your ulterior motive here."

He gave me that look of his, stern and authoritative. It made my stomach coil again. I knew that look had several meanings behind it. "Of course it isn't. Just, it's in our future, you know. It's okay to talk about it. I will promise that I won't push or try until you ask me. That being said, the second you tell me that we should try, all bets are off, okay?"

This was such an odd conversation. It felt so normal... almost human. I gave my head a shake, snorting and feeling like a lunatic. "What?" he asked.

"It's just, this is such a human conversation, moving in together, talking about the possibility of kids one day? It's probably the most human conversation I've ever had," I revealed.

Mirth lifted our spirits. Thoughts of how mundanely human this conversation was faded away. As humdrum as it may seem, there was an undercurrent of excitement in both of us, and it wasn't just due to the proximity of each other's less than fully clothed bodies. Barring anything happening with the Volturi, he and I could very well have forever laid out in front of us. "You still haven't answered my question," he added, calling me out for the unanswered question.

I took a deep breath, scrunching my eyes closed for a minute. "Can I have some time to think about it?" A shameless cop-out, I know. Shouldn't I be jumping up and down and screaming yes? Was that the appropriate and human response to this kind of question?

His expression went from hopeful to skeptical. "How much time are we talkin' here?" I knew he'd be gun-shy about giving me time to consider this next step. I wouldn't take much. This was such a big decision, and didn't those kind of decisions need at least a little bit of thought behind them?

"A week?" I offered, trying to buy myself a decent yet reasonable amount of time. I wanted to move in with him, desperately. Even when I was younger, I daydreamed and even fantasized about the day I got to live with Jacob. And now here it was, an opportunity I'd wanted for so long staring me in the face and here I sat, scared to death of the implications it meant. It was one adult milestone to go on to college and succeed. Another one was falling in love and realizing that you don't want to live without this person you've come to think of as your other half. This, though, moving out and essentially playing the grown up version of house on a daily basis was something entirely unique and grown-up in a way I had yet to experience.

Jacob chewed his lower lip, mulling over my offer. "A day?" he countered, obviously he was going for the low ball.

"Six?"

"Four, that gives you until this weekend."

I breathed in and nodded, acquiescing. Compromise was healthy for a relationship after all. I didn't know if it would take me four days to decide or if four days was actually enough time to decide. What a conundrum! "You really want this, don't you?"

"I wasn't born in the early nineteen hundreds like most of your family. I'm just a man and I want to make a life with you here until we move to Edmonton. I want to know what it's like to wake up everyday, knowing you're here because you live here and want to be here."

I kissed his shoulder. "Nice speech. Did you work on that before I came over today?"

Laughter shook us both. "No, I just know what I want and that's you," he responded with a tap on the tip of my nose with his index finger.

I sighed, pressing my forehead to his. "Did anyone ever tell you that you're rather incorrigible when you want something?"

"I can be quite convincing, you know," he challenged. The mood suddenly shifted back to where it had been.

"Oh really?" I replied, upping the ante.

A cocksure smirk lit up his face at my questioning of his ability to cajole me into moving in with him. "Yes, really. I could show you, but I wouldn't want to sway your decision that you're already overanalyzing as we speak."

I tried my best to look alluring, looking up through my lashes. "Well, maybe a little convincing wouldn't hurt?"

A sly grin came across both our faces. "Hold on," he whispered, holding me closer. I clung to him as he stood fluidly from the sofa with me wrapped around him. He walked us down the hall to the master bedroom with me laughing playfully the whole way.


Two days later I still hadn't come to a definitive answer for Jacob's request. A seductive offer, sure, but there was so much to consider when you decide to move in with someone, especially if it's someone you love. Jacob was patient, letting me decide on my own with only the most wonderful of convincing that he could muster. I had to admit, he was right, the whole "where am I sleeping tonight" thing was getting on my nerves now that he'd pointed it out.

I took the smooth stone in my hand, a riverbed rock, polished by hundreds of thousands of years in this river. With one quick flick of the wrist, I watched it rocket downstream, skipping along the top of the water. "Nice one," Fred remarked from my side.

"Thanks. It's been a really long time since I've done this. But thanks, you know, for going hunting with me."

Fred just smiled. There was something so calming about being around him. He bent down, folding his tall frame down to a crouch to pick up another rock from the edge of the riverbed. The forest was so full of life. Summer would be ending soon, giving way to autumn, the evergreens here wouldn't lose their needles. The other trees, though, lower down in elevation would change. A marvelous depth of color before leaves would fall off and make way for the long slumber of winter.

"Fred?" I looked up to his face when he looked over at me. "Have you ever lived with anyone? I mean, in a relationship?"

He shook his head. "No. I didn't really date when I was human. There were a couple of girls I had first dates with in college but they didn't last long. I was so focused on school. But it all kind of ended when Riley found me. I lived in dorms, though, with a bunch of other science majors."

I nodded, losing myself in my thoughts once more. I wasn't even worried how I would explain such a sudden departure from the house. What worried me more was the possible consequences of my actions. To take an opportunity or to let it pass by was a double edged sword. On one hand, you have this real thing in front of you, tangible and waiting for you to explore your adulthood with someone you love. And then on the other, it felt almost like I would be turning my back on my family. Silly and stupid because that wasn't true. I could never turn my back on the amazing beings who raised me. If anything, moving out and on into a real piece of adulthood would make me appreciate what they did for me, wouldn't it?

"Why do you ask?" Fred implored. I sighed. Maybe he could understand. He still was a great deal older than me. He had two decades of life before he was turned into a vampire. He smiled a bit. "Did Jake ask you to move in with him or something?"

I nodded. "Pretty much. I told him I'd think about it. It's a big decision."

"Yeah, I can imagine. But at the same time, what's there to consider? You love him, right?"

"Of course. I've only ever lived on my own once before. In college. I went to Columbia and my family lived in Rochester. I spent every weekend at home, but I was pretty much on my own in New York City."

He chuckled as he grabbed another stone, flicking it farther downstream. "So what's holding you back?"

"This whole Volturi thing. If something happens and I did move out, I would feel horrible, like I abandoned them. And if something happened to Jake..."

"You'd feel worse. Think about it this way. What would you do if there was no threat from the Volturi? That seems to be the only thing really holding you back."

"I'd go for it. I would hardly even think about it."

"There's your answer," he mused.

I shrugged. "It's not that simple."

A low chuckle came from his lips. "It is if you make it that simple. You wouldn't be abandoning anyone. Its not like you'll leave and never be back. You could even spend your days at the house with your family, and then nights would be spent in La Push. You've said it yourself how loud the house is getting and is making it difficult for you to sleep."

"You're oddly observant for someone so quiet," I remarked, truly surprised he'd noticed all of this.

"Comes with the territory of being virtually invisible. You see and hear things that most people wouldn't want you to. You'd be amazed how humans talk to each other when they think no one is listening."

Amusement distracted my incessant pondering of the question that lay before me. "I bet."

"Vampires are even worse. You should have seen what the others in the army said," he added.

"Why did you leave? I mean, I'm glad you did." I might not have been able to meet him if he had stayed with them. And who knows, he really could have helped Victoria's newborn army do some real damage with his illusory repulsion in their arsenal.

He sighed. "There were a couple who left before me. They ran away together, so I never knew them, but the others spoke of them. Even still, I almost stayed. But I couldn't trust Riley. Not after Diego went missing. Bree was certain he was still alive. I doubted it though. Edward told me what happened to her. I tried to get her to run with me. I feel like I should have tried harder. I'm not a big fan of the Volturi because of it. She didn't want to hurt anyone."

"Bree?" I'd heard the name before, but I'd never put much stock into the name that had been mentioned as just a newborn they'd tried to save but Jane had sentenced to death.

"Yeah, she used to sit with me and read. Just a kid really. She was the only other person in the army that didn't call me Freaky Fred or even paid attention to me."

"Weird how friendships can come out of the strangest situations. Look at Jasper and Peter. They became close during their years maintaining Maria's newborn armies."

"Yeah, Jasper has been really great, actually. I didn't think I could do this, you know, hunting animals. It's not that bad, though." His eyes were slowly changing. No longer that deep shocking crimson. They were a bright light orange. The traces of human blood were slowly leaving his system. It was difficult for them. I couldn't imagine what it would be like, to switch after years and years of human blood. Liam had faltered twice since the Irish coven had come, ending up draining a hunter in southern Alaska and a logger in Prince George, Canada.

Siobhan seemed to be having an easier time of it. Maggie enjoyed the new feeling of freedom that hunting animals gave her. In a forest, it was much easier to let go and feel your wilder instincts come to the forefront than hunting at night in dark metropolises of the world. Hunting humans, I assumed, had an inherent prerequisite of subterfuge that took finesse and patience to perfect.

The life of abstaining from human blood was one of constant sacrifice and vigilance. Human scent often burned my throat. I didn't know how Carlisle did it. Centuries of practice aside, he was completely desensitized to the smell of fresh human blood. Was it really just his innate compassion for humanity that kept him from hunting the populace? I guess years and years of surgical experience compounded with the ecstatic relief of saving a life helped encourage him at least a little bit. Maybe it was just the massive amount of whatever new vampire hormone taking over for adrenaline that kept him from hurting a human in the moment of having them cut open and vulnerable. Who knew Carlisle liked to live life on the edge? I laughed to myself. The idea of Carlisle as an adrenaline junkie, like extreme sport loving humans, was entirely amusing.

I smiled a little. "Yeah, it helps to be away from humans when you're first doing it I've heard. I never really had to wean myself away from it. The only human blood I've ever drank was donated blood before I could walk. And on the occasion we didn't get to hunt."

The sun was much lower in the sky now. I cringed. We were only supposed to be gone for an hour or two, not the entire afternoon. "We should probably head back," Fred observed.

We ran back. He kept his strides shorter. A tall vampire with long legs was hard to keep up with. I was tall myself with a rather long stride, but I was also a hybrid. Being the fastest hybrid helped. Home wasn't horribly far. We crossed the Oregon state line and back into Washington within a half hour. That was one of the beauties of being supernatural. The freedom that came with being able to run like this.

One of the ugly realities was waiting for us when we arrived. Jacob was there already, tense and placed me behind him as we came up to the property. "What's going on?"

I looked around until I saw a small woman, a vampire whose features were clearly Hispanic and a piercing crimson stare. "What are you doing here, Maria?" Jasper spat through clenched teeth.

My heart stuttered. Maria? As in his creator? I'd never met her before, and based on the stories, I never really wanted to.

She gave him an almost innocent glance. I struggled with that look, not even knowing her personally. Maria couldn't possibly be any sort of innocent. "Oh, Jasper, how you think so little of me. And here I thought we were friends," she replied, feigning insult. Her thick accent and haunting lilt of her voice sent shivers down my spine.

"I only know you and how you act, Maria. Don't think I've forgotten about Calgary," Jasper threw back.

She arched one dark eyebrow and looked to Alice for a quick moment. "Honestly, all these years of filthy animal blood have only made you more irascible. Tell me, Alice, does he not enjoy picking out bear fur from his teeth any longer?"

Alice hissed at her. "Why are you even here? You were asked to stay away from us after that incident."

Maria chuckled, looking around our gathering. Gold, orange and red eyes alike looked at her as a threat. The Romanians didn't even like her. Then again, they didn't like anyone. "Ah, so this is the little half-breed the Volturi are so interested in."

Edward snarled, as did Bella and Jacob. Zafrina came to stand beside Jacob, eyeing Maria and looking as intimidating as she could. Her patchwork leather attire and fierce stance made Maria shrink back slightly. "Ah, I can see she is well guarded. And by a filthy dog as well. Lovely, that should rile Caius up."

Jacob folded his arms over his chest, but I noticed the rolling shiver up his spine. He was vacillating back and forth between phasing to rip her apart and keeping the peace. As much as the woman made my skin crawl, I was kind of hoping for the latter. Peace needed to be kept. Jacob glanced toward Jasper. "So this is the one you dumped for Alice? I gotta say, Jazz, you made a smart choice there. This one's got a screw loose."

Amusement lit up Jasper's eyes. "Actually, Jacob, I left to find a different life. Conquest was never my thing. Was it, Maria?"

"Unfortunately, no it was not. You were so good at it though," she reminisced, getting that far away look in her eyes. You could tell she held no romantic inclination towards my empathic uncle. No honest love. Her mate had been killed long ago and Jasper had unwittingly helped her exact revenge upon his murderers.

Jacob snickered. "Sure, killing vampires is easy peasy. I should know, I've killed several. Newborn armies, especially," he said in a thinly veiled threat. Alice barely fought off the smile that threatened to take over her features. Jacob just gained an enormous amount of respect in her eyes, even more than before.

Maria scowled, baring her teeth at Jacob. Rage welled in my chest. Polite nonviolence be damned, I'd like to rip that scowl right off her face. I growled at her, side-stepping Jacob. "I'd like to see what would happen to you if you come any closer or try to lay a hand on him." The protective side of me wasn't above lunging for her throat. She was much shorter than me and only about two inches taller than Alice. I could take her down easily thanks to Jasper's training.

Carlisle frowned. An almost suffocating blanket of calm came over us stronger than the pulsing wave before. I glared at Jasper. It was just as well. I didn't want this to erupt in in-fighting. That's what the Volturi would want. To pit us against each other and divide us enough to attack with a margin of victory in their sights. "Maria, if you came here to cause trouble I will not hesitate to have you removed, by force if I have to. I do not wish any violence in this household, but I will not tolerate any malice towards my family."

Emmett grinned viciously at the small but formidable woman. Peter and Charlotte came to his side as well as Rosalie. The walls were closing in on Maria, and if she so much as tried anything, I had a feeling there would be the smell of burning vampire in the air tonight.

Esme's face was in full protective mode. Seems whatever trouble Maria caused in Canada years before my parents even met had caused quite a sour taste in everyone's mouth.

Maria chuckled. "Relax, Carlisle. I merely came to see what all this fuss was about. Your newest daughter, and your granddaughter, are quite the talk of the vampire world. The shield who renders the witch twins useless and the gifted half-breed," she said, turning her stare to me. "Tell me, child, have you seen the light go out in someone's eyes as they die? True poetry to watch a soul leave a body."

"Maria," Jasper hissed, grasping her arm. "I will not have you threatening my niece. I do not wish violence against you, but I will prevent you from hurting my family."

Edward went to Carlisle's side, whispering something in his ear so low that only the two of them could hear. Edward had heard something in her mind, that was for certain. Carlisle came into the circle. "Easy, Jasper," he soothed. Jasper nodded and let the woman go. "Maria, if you're here to help us, to make the Volturi back down without a fight, then you are welcome to stay. If you're here with a motive to provoke a fight, thinking that you'll gain what you lost, you will not be welcome to stay."

Her red eyes flashed to my father, whose gaze was fixed upon her face. It took a few tense moments for her to weigh out her options. "I will stay and hold witness as a favor to Jasper, for old times."

Jasper's jaw clenched. Somehow, I was thinking that this favor of hers wasn't really for Jasper at all. "Fine. But one transgression and I will have you leave. I cannot risk my family." Jasper told her.

Aloof and annoyed, she nodded. "It really is so good to see you, Jasper."

The crowd abandoned defensive positions. Zafrina turned, winking at me with a smug grin. I'd have to ask her about that later. Jacob stared after Maria, who went inside the house, acting like she owned the place. "Can someone explain to me what the hell just happened?" Jacob whispered, a little astonished.

Edward smirked. "She was curious. Word travels fast in the vampire world. Her idea was that she might, if a fight broke out, switch sides. A bit opportunistic, but it wouldn't surprise me," he explained.

Zafrina sighed. "I was impressed, my Nessie. Standing up to a full vampire you don't even know."

I rolled my eyes. So that's what she was smug about. "She threatened Jake," I reasoned. Jacob grinned indulgently at me and kissed my temple as he wrapped an arm around my shoulders. His silent "thank you" in the form of a tender kiss. The protection of a mate was certainly a paramount aspect of what it meant to be a vampire, even a measly half-breed like me. I turned to Jacob, who was engaged in conversation with Jasper. An unlikely friendship had forged between them. I didn't think anything of it, but it was truly a difference from months ago when Demetri, Felix, and Renata had been in my living room. I had stood back and let Jacob protect me. Now I was stepping up to share the burden. A true partnership was marked by things such as this. The need and desire to protect each other from harm was part of our relationship now just as much as our love for each other.


Raucous noise emanated from downstairs. I pulled the pillow tighter around my head. There had to be some way to get rid of this awful racket. It was enough to cause a vampire sized migraine. I didn't want to be a bother to the other hybrids. The guest house wasn't meant for quite so many guests. I'd be a burden to go in there. I had a feeling they wouldn't appreciate the disturbance either.

Exasperated, I abandoned the pillow and looked at the little red digital numbers on my clock. Well past three. Ugh, of course. There are hybrids trying to sleep. Craning my neck, I looked out my window. Zafrina was talking with Maggie, sharing stories of their homelands. I hated to begrudge them the camaraderie. A girl needs her sleep, though. No one really understood in this house what it means to need sleep. No one can, save for the five hybrids and one super hybrid currently fast asleep in the guest house about four hundred yards from the main house.

Ungh. Why hadn't I opted to sleep at Jacob's tonight? He was on patrol, and I'd have his perfectly lovely king sized bed all to myself. I could almost smell his scent that would be lingering on the sheets and pillows. That would ease the unpleasant tugging of the pull to him, certainly. I got up and went into my closet for a moment, staring at all the racks of clothing, the organized stacks of shoes. The drawers filled with ordinary or sexy undergarments and accessories like bracelets, watches, necklaces and the like. Who was I even kidding anymore? I didn't feel like this was even my home any longer. Surely it was a home. My family resided here, within the large walls of wood, drywall, and glass, but to me it wasn't my home any longer.

No, that was apparently elsewhere, up north in the La Push reservation, where if you left the windows open, you could hear the waves crashing at the ocean park. I slid down to the floor of my closet, the plush carpeting squishing between my toes. Something dark caught my eye. I recognized it instantly. A canvas duffel bag I'd refused to let Alice dispose of. It had sentimental value and all.

Back when I was younger, no more than numerically ten years old, I was in college at Columbia university. The one time I've ever lived away from my family and for the most part on my own. Valentine's day was to be on a Tuesday that year, but most people were celebrating it throughout the weekend before. I was annoyed with the concept of love. Human love seemed so transient and flawed. I felt like I could never have that experience, or ever want it. To fall in love to me back then was like looking at the ocean for the first time. Intimidating and awe-inspiring all the same.

Insipid symbols of humans professing undying love for one another drove me crazy. At home it wasn't much better. I truly began to feel like an outsider. Not one thing and not another. I didn't fit anywhere, or at least that's what it had felt like. Of all the places I've been, there was just one place, though, in my entire existence where I felt I belonged. Even stranger because no one like me lived there. Just humans and a handful of Quileute shapeshifters. La Push is the home I've been running to all this time.

Jacob is right. It is time for a change. That was more apparent to me now than even the color of the night sky.

Gaining confidence in my decision, I grabbed the old blue duffel and began stuffing it with essentials. Bras, underwear, shirts, and pants. I flicked on the light, grabbing a small pile of shoes and stuffed them in as well. I must have paced back and forth between my bathroom and my closet a thousand times in my haste.

Before long, I heard quick, quiet footfalls against the hardwood and carpeting. Bella. All this movement upstairs and my excitement must have warned them something was up. It's now or never, Renesmee. You have exactly one shot to sell them on the idea of you're cohabitating with your boyfriend without a ring or marriage license.

Bella poked her head in my closet a millisecond later. Her eyes went from expectant to concerned as she took me in, clothes in hand as I folded them and put them in the duffel. "Is everything all right? What's going on?" she asked, noting my half filled bag.

I took a deep breath. "Do you want the long-winded and heartfelt speech or should I cut to the chase?"

Amusement lit up her face. "What on Earth? Just tell me what's going on, Nessie," she requested. I could tell she'd already figured out at least in part what was going on. Middle of the night, duffel of clothing and belongings. Obviously I was leaving.

I straightened myself up, pushing strands of hair behind my ears as if somehow I'd appear more adult and reserved about this entire thing. I pressed my lips together, humming. "Jacob asked me to move in with him," I said, finally, and braced myself for the inevitable reaction.

"Oh," she said, all the breath leaving her. "Now?"

I held firm, shaking my head. "The other day. He asked and I thought about it. I am saying yes." You could tell that she was trying to fight off a smile. She'd suspected this was coming sooner or later. I was over at Jacob's place so often now that it was like I was living there.

Another set of footfalls ascended the stairs. I knew this one's walk as well. Edward was in my room after a moment, concern etched into his features. "What's - Ness, why on Earth are you packing at half past three in the morning?"

Bella folded her arms across her chest. "It would appear that our little girl is moving out."

Edward looked to his wife, and back to the floor at my duffel. "So it would appear," he paused, pursing his lips. "This is Jacob's doing," he deduced. I expected anger, maybe even disdain for Jacob doing the more modern thing of living with me instead of just asking for my hand in marriage. The flatness to his tone was surprising to say the least.

I rolled my eyes, the petulance in me rising. I tampered it down. It wouldn't serve my purpose to sound childish. This move was anything but childish. It was, in its essence, the most adult thing I have ever done. "No, this is Renesmee's doing. And yes, if you're wondering, Jacob asked me to move in with him. He gave me time to think it over and I have. I'm practically living there anyways."

Edward looked to Bella. "Would you please remove your shield from her for a moment, love?"

Bella and I both eyed him carefully. He nodded, coaxing. "Okay."

What? Trying to see if I'm sure about this? I sighed, already annoyed with myself. Why did I have to think things over so much? This should have been one of the easiest decisions of my life. Yet I spent two days agonizing over it. Silly to think I was wasting my thoughts on something that was so perfectly crystal clear to me now. "I wouldn't be abandoning the family, if that's what you think. I'll be here every day, barring that the girls don't need something or want to get together." I added aloud in deference to my non-omniscient mother.

"We know that," Bella assured.

I breathed a little in relief. I'd so hoped they wouldn't think I was abandoning them this close to the Volturi's visit. "Speaking of which, if they pull something, and I didn't take this opportunity and I lose him, I'll live in regret the rest of my life. And as much as it has been a difficult decision, this is the right one for me. Dad, I know you don't agree with the whole premarital cohabitation thing, but you're from an entirely different era than me and Jacob."

Edward smirked a little. "Yes, I realize that. We had this discussion already. Have you forgotten what I told you?"

I breathed. Like I could forget the mortification of a sex talk with my father. "You'd prefer it if we waited until -,"

"That wasn't all I said," he replied with a flick of his finger. I tried not to think about just how we'd already surpassed that one wish of his. He didn't need to see moments that weren't for anyone else's head but my own.

"I was getting to it," I quipped. So impatient. There was a difference to telling me that he'd respect my decision, and actually following through.

Bella scowled at the both of us for leaving her out. Edward took pity on her. "I told Renesmee that even though I disagreed with her more modern views on intimacy, marriage, and living arrangements, that I would respect whatever decision she made, so long as she felt it was the right decision for her. You can put the shield back now. She's the proverbial immovable object on this particular subject."

Bella glanced quickly between us, still mulling over everything. Edward wrapped an arm around her, mentioning that they should go downstairs and let everyone know. Meanwhile, I was to finish packing up some of my clothing and belongings I wanted to take with me. The vast majority of my things would be left here. Most of my books had already been making their way over to Jacob's as soon as I'd learned he even had a place of his own. My clothing began to follow the more I stayed the night. Downstairs, I could hear the gasps and chatter. Emmett was chuckling, muttering something about how he expected this months ago.

That was the great thing about my relationship with Jacob. We never did what people expected us to. We only did what felt natural and right.

Most of my family have been alive for so many decades, and some for centuries. Old notions of propriety and social intercourse were abundant and stuck in their belief systems because of when they were made. The most stringent, of course, were Rose and Edward. Esme and Emmett were far more accepting of modern notions. Alice thought it was an entirely human thing to do. To move out and make a life with someone you love. You'd think they would be scandalized, but from their voices, I could tell they were far more amused that I hadn't up and left when the house just started getting crowded and noisy.

"I should help her pack! Jacob's closet is too small to fit everything though," she tacked on, grumbling. Jacob's closet was still a walk-in closet. Alice joined me upstairs as I flopped the duffel onto the bed. "Need any help?"

I grinned at her. Who wouldn't love an aunt like her? Her energy brought me up a bit as I fought back a yawn. It was nearing four already. Jacob would be off patrols at six-thirty. "I think I've got it. It's not like I'm leaving and never coming back. I'll be here everyday."

"I know. I saw our future pop open for tomorrow night. I think the hybrids are going hunting as well. You have no idea how nice it is to feel like I can see the future for a change. So many half-breeds in the house leaves me feeling far too normal for my liking," she mused. Only Alice would be comforted by the removal of her supernatural blindfold.

"You're not mad then? I know it's really sudden." It was sudden. I'd given them no real warning at all. Would I have come to this decision sooner had I talked to them about it? Maybe I would have. This was my decision though. I was glad that so far everyone was respecting that.

Alice went into my closet, going through drawers and picking out some things for me to pack. Unmentionables included. I blushed at the sight. "Not at all. You're grown now. I'm actually really happy for you. You've grown up so much, even in the last year. Jacob can protect you and it's not too far away that we couldn't get to you in a pinch. By the way, as an adult, you really should look into getting away from panties with hearts and stars on them."

Her merriment brought me happiness. "Shut up, those are cute," I retaliated. Jacob liked them as well, but I kept that part to myself. He was, however, pretty partial to ones that involved any bit of silk or lace.

Alice shrugged, laughing quietly to herself. "Huh, never pegged Jacob as a cotton guy," she teased. I blushed but surmised that she wanted that exact reaction. How had she become the mind reader in the family? Furthermore, was I that obvious that other things had happened? I guessed that moving out and shacking up with your lover was a big fat blinking sign that we were intimate with one another.

I took the pile from her and stuffed them inside before pulling the zipper across the bag, closing it. Reality closed in on me. I was really doing this. Moving out of my family's home in exchange for another house. Much smaller but not confining. Cozy and warm. It reminded me so much of the stone cottage I had my first year and a half living in. They were only similar in that they were happy places I associated with good memories. The actual buildings were extremely different. Jacob's was far more what I would expect him to live in, quiet comfort with the essentials and no real need for anything outlandishly extravagant.

Alice placed her hand at my shoulder. "For someone who's moving in with her mate, you really should be more excited about it," she remarked. I couldn't argue with her there. Had I gotten a reasonable amount of sleep, I would be floating on cloud nine right now. Exhaustion was like an anvil tied to my ankle keeping me chained to the floor.

"I am excited," I deadpanned just to hear her tinkling laughter. I slipped on a large hoodie to cover my camisole and shorts. It was a huge one, made for people Emmett or Jacob's size. I didn't hesitate anymore when I slipped on my shoes and took my bag, letting Alice follow me downstairs. The faces of my family filtered into my view as I descended. Jasper was smiling, as was Emmett. I waited for the commentary to begin, the betting to commence, but it didn't. I was certain that as soon as I was gone it would start up. Those two love to gamble like a child loves toys. The more the better.

Carlisle was busy at the hospital tonight in Portland. I wondered if he would notice my absence. Probably would. Esme met me at the door with my parents. Edward was fiddling with his car keys. My grandmother gathered me up in her arms. I looked almost sheepish when I pulled back. "I'll be back later today. After I get some sleep and unpack. I'm not even changing into regular clothes because I'll probably pass out as soon as I get there."

Esme just smiled, and flicked her gaze to Edward. A small silent conversation between them. "Take the day. Rest and get settled. We'll see you tomorrow."

I nodded, stunned at the overwhelming acceptance. Not a negative peep from anyone about it. Not even Rose. "Did you call Jacob?"

I shook my head. "No, he's on patrol tonight. I'll text him when I'm on my way to meet at the southern end of treaty line."

Edward grinned cryptically. "You're exhausted. Bella and I will drive you."

I bristled against the offer initially, though the exhaustion came at me full force. "Really, a run will keep me awake." I didn't think they'd want to go. This was all my doing after all. Edward had a point. The sheer amount of my fatigue was weighing heavily on my shoulders.

Bella shook her head. "Nonsense, we'll take you. Come on," she said taking my bag from me and leading us out to the garage. I got into the Volvo, knowing I'd pick up my car when I had more energy to drive. Folding myself up in the backseat, I pulled out my phone shooting Jake a cryptic text.

Meet me at the southern edge of the treaty line. I have a surprise for you.

Jacob had started carrying his phone in the pocket of his shorts when on patrol. Since the impromptu Volturi visit, he'd become hyper vigilant just in case. A stronger front with multiple wolves running the line and around Forks compounded with a line to my family. My parents sat in the front, holding hands as my father drove us up to the southern line. Jacob would hear the car and follow it to where we were. Dawn would be here soon. The sky still a deep violet with a silvery glow of the moon. The phone in my hand buzzed. I smirked, knowing he was probably thinking there was something bad going down. Okay. Everything all right?

Everything was as it should be strangely enough. Yes, trust me. You might want to be dressed though. I teased. Surely he'd be extremely intrigued now.

"Does Jacob know we're taking you to the southern side?" Bella asked as she pivoted in her seat to look at me.

I nodded as I tried rather futilely to rub the sleep from my eyes. The soft strains of classical music as well as the sweet quietness of the drive was putting me right under. I struggled to remain alert. The road was growing narrower now, tapering down to a two lane road up to the reservation. Almost there. Anxious I studied the scenery flashing by us. I was looking for any sign of him. Just a little bit more. When we pulled up towards the line I could see a large dark outline trot behind a tree. A shimmer rippled through the air as did the characteristic sound of his change.

Bella and Edward stepped out first, seeing him round the tree with his shirt half over his head. He looked almost confused, taking in my parents. I went for the door, but Bella had beaten me to it. I stood up, meeting her gaze. There was such a range of emotions in her face. Happiness and pride were the most dominant. Yet there was just a hint of sadness. No loving parent ever really wanted to let their child go. She knew, though, that this was different. A change was in the air, and all around me lately. Today, this night... This morning I was taking one huge step as an adult.

I abandoned everything and went straight to him. From my bag to the parents behind me, watching as I crossed the invisible demarcation into Quileute territory. Jacob's hands reached for me, grasping my forearms. "What's going on? It'll be dawn soon," he said, entirely confused.

I grinned up at him. "I couldn't sleep. It's too noisy in Hoquiam," I began to explain. "Besides, it doesn't feel like home anymore. You were right Jake. You were right."

Eyeing me carefully and glancing to my parents as he processed my words. "Really? You're really saying yes?"

"Yes," I answered clear and true. Another missing piece to my puzzle had been placed with this simple yet important decision. With him at my side, I was finding out exactly what it means to be at least partially human and in love.

An exultant smile lit up his face. Thick arms locked around my torso, pulling me up against him, bringing me up off the forest floor to be perfectly eye level with him. I held onto his shoulders and bent my knees so that if I tried hard enough the soles of my feet would hit the backs of my thighs. He smelled of earth and forest, masking his normal spice. I breathed him in, luxuriating in the scent of my mate. His arms tightened, strong as steel girders as he did the same.

"I love you," he whispered, his voice breaking softly against the onslaught of emotions. Extreme happiness and victory radiated from him, bringing me up with him. I couldn't help the bubble of laughter that sprang from me. Undiluted joy permeated around us. The world wasn't my reality. This was. His embrace, everything. I claimed his lips, tenderly matching his exultant fervor. I didn't care anymore who saw us. Not my parents, or the other wolves if they could see. In this moment nothing could make me care about anything other than the way one of his hands left my torso and came up to cradle my head, tangling his fingers into my hair, or how when his lips met mine the strength of his embrace grew stronger, crushing our torsos together.

Though he set my feet back on solid ground, my head and my heart were still up somewhere in the clouds. I took his hand in mine, a new confidence in me as we approached my parents. Bella handed me my duffel with a soft smile. I hugged them both, tightly as if it wasn't just a see you tomorrow. This was a send off of sorts. I was no longer their little girl. Still their daughter, but a woman instead. That was the mark of true adulthood. The ability to stand up and make a life I wanted.

Bella hugged Jacob as I embraced my father. And for once, really and honestly, I felt happy. A friendship was all that would ever be between them and I could see that now. All my feelings of inadequacy were gone. A level of comfort replaced the awkwardness I've always felt. Their friendship brought him to me. For that simple truth, I'd always be grateful. My childhood, no, my life, would have been terribly lacking without my great protector, my best friend.

"You better take good care of her," she warned, though you could tell there was nothing but joy in her voice. Her threat held no standing. She knew as well as any one of us that Jacob and I would do anything for one another. I was his imprint and he was my mate. Nothing and no one could come between that or compare.

Jacob grinned widely at her, their friendship coming through. "Of course. Nothing but the best for her."

"I'll say," Edward interjected. I pushed back from him, a little surprised. "Take care of each other," he added, extending his hand. Jake took it firmly.

"We will," we both said. We exchanged a glance, snickering at our uniformity. Jacob wrapped his arm around my shoulders as I returned to his side and placed a kiss to my temple.

"Thank you, both of you, for bringing her here. I know she hasn't been getting much sleep lately at your house with you insomniacs keeping her up at all hours," he admonished playfully.

Chuckles ran through the four of us. "Er, yes, that's become quite troublesome for her," Edward admitted.

Edward nodded and Bella turned her attention to me. "Remember what Esme said," Bella reminded expectantly.

I grinned, leaning my head on Jake's chest. Esme was a smart woman. "Take a day to relax, rest, and get settled," I replied happily.

Edward observed us with a grin. "We'll see you both tomorrow, then," he said, squeezing my mother's fingers. The two of them looked almost choked up with emotion over this entire thing. I had a feeling, a very strong one at that, that if they could, they would be crying right now. Mixed tears of happiness and sadness. Joy to see me gain the wings to fly but sad knowing that they would never experience the pleasure of watching me grow up again.

Bella's smile turned self congratulatory as our goodbyes were given. The two of them turned, separating only to enter the car. Nothing would be the same now. Everything was different. From the way my parents viewed our relationship, to our actual relationship. It felt more real, substantial, and concrete.

Glancing back, I watched them walking to the car hand in hand, I realized that I was no longer just their little girl. The realization hit me so suddenly and powerfully that, for just a second, I wanted my parents. I didn't want them to leave just yet.

"Hang on a second," I told Jacob as I turned from him and headed towards my parents. "Wait!" I called.

They turned, twin questioning glances on their faces. "What is it?" Bella asked.

I grinned and enveloped them both in a hug. They were taking this so well. I hadn't expected that much acceptance, but I should have. Gratitude flooded my senses. I'd always be grateful for them. Pressing a hand to their faces, I explained in words and pictures how lucky I felt to have them. I love you both, so much. Thank you. For everything you've ever done for me. For him.

Both of them held me tighter. No spoken words were needed, but I understood what they meant all the same. More than just a change was in the air. A shift had happened tonight. A pretty enormous one at that. I was taking one more leap into my adulthood. Making the jump from the nest into flight. Yet I didn't have far to go. I broke away from them, wiping at my eyes as I backed my way to Jacob on the other end of the treaty line.

I took his hand in mine and smiled, though the feeling was a bit bittersweet. He squeezed my fingers and brought my attention back to him.

"Go on to the house. I'll just be a minute to let the pack know what's going on," Jacob said as we watched my parents get in the Volvo to head back to Hoquiam. I expected sadness. A tinge of regret for the separation from my family. I felt none. How peculiar. Sadness was the furthest thing from my mind. I was almost too happy to see them go. I belonged here.

I shook my head. Right now, though the enervation was bearing down on me, I didn't want to leave his side. A shift had occurred tonight. I didn't have to leave anymore. What I want, all that I want, is right here with me. "No, I can wait," I replied mid-yawn. All the excitement couldn't deter my exhaustion.

Amused he shook his head. "You're exhausted. I'll only be a minute, honey. Really, go get into bed. I'll be there soon. Seth will come spell me down here."

"I really would rather wait to go back with you," I supplicated. He narrowed his eyes for one fraction of a moment. I shrugged. "I mean, if you don't want to be there when I take the first step into our house, then..." I trailed off, testing the wording. What's mine has always been his, and now what's his was truly becoming mine.

"Okay," he replied, slipping his shirt from his shoulders, handing it to me to fold. He did the same with his shorts. I folded both garments around each other before handing them back for him to tie around his leg. I didn't turn away as he bent down, securing the leather cord to his ankle. I'd watched him phase so many times in the recent past. Discretion wasn't even a consideration anymore. His body expanded in a blink of an eye. My wolf stood in front of me. I grinned at the enormous russet wolf.

He tipped his muzzle towards his house, miles into the interior of the reservation. "Should we go?" I asked.

He nodded, a rolling grunt rippled through his muzzle. "I'll take that as a yes," I added. I strapped my bag around my arms, like an oversized backpack. Jacob seemed a little disgruntled that I was carrying anything when I was so tired. I rolled my eyes at him. "You don't exactly have opposable thumbs at the moment," I shot back. He barked out a laugh and then we took off running. Though exhausted, the run felt exhilarating. I hadn't ever really done this run so late at night, or rather, so early in the morning. Beautiful shades of violet all around, even in the darkness of the canopy. I knew this path regardless of time of day or night. Even blindfolded, I'd know it on scent alone. His home wasn't very far from this edge of the treaty line. Less than ten miles. He ran a little ahead of me, using his energy to gain a little lee-way to phase and greet me before I arrived.

Our house came into view. Dark and yet somehow still warm in the silver light of the waning moon. I slowed to a walk, slipping the bag off my shoulders. Jacob came to me, taking the bag off my hands. Ever the gentleman it seemed. His other hand sought mine, linking our fingers. The walk up the porch steps was short and I stopped just before the door. "You're not going to carry me over the threshold, are you?" I asked. It was an entirely cheesy tradition.

Laughing, he shook his head. "Not unless you want me to," he teased. He led me inside, dropping my bag by the door. I took my first step inside. Everything felt new, even though nothing was, save for maybe the paintings I'd purchased that hung proudly on the walls. I kicked the door closed with one flick of my ankle. Home. I was really home now. That singular, spectacular notion kept rolling around in my head, lighting it up like a pinball machine.

I opened my mind to him, letting him get the full experience of what I was going through. If only I could know his mind just the same. Leading me through the house, he brought me to what was now our bedroom, and our bed. "It's always been our bed, honey," he mused, replying to my thoughts. "Since the first night you spent here, and I found you asleep after I came back from patrol. It's always been ours. Never mine alone."

I removed my hooded sweatshirt, tossing it to the floor. The sound of his words. The emotion and conviction behind them. He was right. He'd been right all along. We belonged together, here with each other.

"Welcome home, Ness," he whispered, brushing curls back from my face. No singular sentence, save for 'I love you' could have made me any more blissed out than I was right now.

Kisses and smiles were abundant between us. I don't know what could make me happier. I had everything in my life I could ever need or want. Surrounded by love of a family and my mate. Nothing could touch my good mood tonight. Harsh reality even knew it better stay away. It would have to stay back and let us have this moment for ourselves. Just for tonight, I could be with him in our perfect piece of forever.


Thank you all so much for reading! It's very much appreciated, truly!