Disclaimer: Twilight is Stephenie Meyers... not mine. So don't sue me and all of that.

What I've Been Reading: Vampire in the Basement by Michellephants – the Cullens find a seriously weakened vampire (that it is Edward is a safe bet) and Bella get's to play Florence Nightingale. Next, Tie Me Down to This World – is a lovely written Alice/Jasper story. They're both patients in the hospital at the same time and they talk through a vent in the wall. Alice has lost her memory due to a trauma… there are very clever tie-ins to Twilight for this one. If you like good writing, check this out.

News: I'm on the Temptation Twilight podcast this upcoming episode – so stay tuned.

Finally, sorry about the MIA. I had a series of tiny blocks, and then once I figured it out, I got busy—we've been installing a garden—which tires a person out like NOTHING, and then work has been insane. Anyway, this chapter is a return to standard WaxCr writing style—no more of me playing around, and then I'mma write you all something citrusy next chapter—and then there will be an epi. :-) Hope you enjoy the chapter.

Chapter 36: Waxing Crescent, Waning Moon

I was sitting at Jake's bedside.

Waiting.

At some point I realized that the room was very noisy.

Closest in proximity, my father was lecturing me.

"...power or no power, where in your right mind did you think you were a match for a full-fledged vampire?"

In the background, my family contradicted him and each other.

"Edward, she's going to make mistakes. She's so young." Esme.
"Two minutes. TWO minutes, and we could have gotten in on the action... Why am I doomed to miss every single good fight?" Emmett.
"Edward…" Mom.
"These half-breeds—why—didn't—I—SEE?" Alice.
"Well, at least Renesmee's fine. The mutt'll get over it." Rosalie.

Jasper stood in the corner, clearly trying to send out a wave of calm but seemingly failing to overcome the general excitement.

And my dad lectured on…

It occurred to me that dad must have realized that I wasn't even listening to him. Thus, he had to be lecturing me for his own just comforts.

His exasperated sigh in response to my thought told me that I was right.

I stood.

Jake did not need a pack of vampires squawking over his bed.

I left the room.

I opened the door to the Eastern bedroom to see Nahuel sitting by the window with the day's paper. In spite of his wounds, he looked well. On the opposite side of the room, Estela was lying back against a swath of pillows.

I lightly leapt onto the open side of the bed.

Estela laughed.

"Who's a'jumpin' in whose bed now?"

I shook my head at her. "You're sick, and yet you're still, well... sick."

She laughed, if a bit weaker than normal. "Well, unlike Sexy-Nessie, I possess a sense of humor, no?"

"If that's what you call it..."

"Hah! Ay, mi Nessie, you're glad our bon aventure finished up okay, no?"

"I'm not sure that 'okay' is the word."

She waved a hand dismissively. "Jakey will be buenísimo."

"Jake is unconscious," I retorted. "And he's not the only person I'm worried about. I never asked you, did—?"

"Nothing horrid occurred, Nessie."

"Define horrid." I eyed her skeptically.

She waved her hand dismissively. "So when's Jakey going to a'wake up?"

"Carlisle says soon."

"You look eh… how to say… apprehensive? Shouldn't you be happy about Jakey being awake?"

"He's going to be pissed..."

"Ay, Nessie. No worries, mi querida. Men are sexy when they're mad, no?"

I paused to consider this.

And concluded that Estela possessed a great deal of untapped wisdom.

Soon enough, Estela had conked out and was snoring indelicately.

I turned to Nahuel. "I'm really sorry about what I put Estela through. I—"

"—Estela makes her own choices."

"Still, I—"

"You did not decide for my sister."

"But she almost died."

Nahuel's shoulders sagged, and he leaned far back into the couch, not staring at me or at anything.

"Nessie, we are not children, you know? You are not a human child. Human children are born into the world completely dependent on their parents—but we, hybrids, we can survive on our own almost immediately."

I grimaced at his words.

We did survive—but at the expense of our human mothers.

Mine was the exception.

Nahuel's... she had not been an exception.

Nahuel continued on. "I used to think we were monsters—worse than vampires, even—because vampires at least started out as human—but not we hybrid creatures. We began our lives as killers."

"But you don't think that anymore."

He smiled thoughtfully at me. "No, I don't—and it was meeting you and your parents that changed that."

I reached over and squeezed his hand.

I'm glad.

He gave my hand a squeeze in return.

"I'm glad, too. But I do mean what I say. Just like Estela can take care of herself, you can take care of yourself."

I snorted. "I did almost get kidnapped by a vampire."

"He used your attachment to humans against you. Will you make the same mistake again?"

I frowned at him. "There's also the Volturi..."

"As a full-grown half-vampire, you can longer be called an immortal child. The threat is to your whole family—not you."

"My family sees that as a reason to stick together."

"And yet I wonder if they would let you fight?"

I tried to imagine convincing my dad that I could be involved in the battle.

"Probably not."

Nahuel nodded thoughtfully. "Vampires have fixed natures. You brought them great joy as a baby. They fought for you against the Volturi—not unlike the way in which many covens fought to protect the immortal children. I think it is natural for them to fear letting you go."

"Naturally annoying."

He shrugged. "It is their way."

"You think I should get away then?"

"I think that your childhood has run its course."

"So, I should go?"

Nahuel smirked at me. "Have you not already gone?"

I pursed my lips and stared thoughtfully at my friend.

Nahuel and Estela were both really on a roll today.

I spent the rest of the day at Jake's bedside.

Thankfully, most of it was spent in peace—but not all of it. My family could simply not stay away. Mom dragged dad out after each of two attempted lectures.

Emmett had done the unthinkable and abandoned his four ESPN channels for the evening news. This resulted in him bursting into my room, singing "First there was Mario—then there was Luigi—and now there's..."

"Emi?" I suggested.

Emmett wrinkled his nose and shook his head.

"Emmetto?" I offered again.

His mouth fell open, and he stared at me thoughtfully, before concluding, "Why… yes."

"Super."

"So, guess who was on the news?" Emmett asked delightedly.

Apparently, the "Montreal Sewage Mystery" was making front headlines. Half of the city had lost water pressure due to the day's incident. Emmett was still in the full swing of regaling his tale when Rosalie yanked him out of the room with a grimace on her face. I'm sure that Emmett being a sewer plumbing hero did not top of the resume for her husband.

Next in line, apparently, Alice came into the room at one point and eyed me reproachfully. When I asked her what the matter was, she pointed emphatically at my torso.

I looked down.

I realized I was wearing one of Jake's shirts.

I sniffed. Only Alice would consider fashion on such a day.

But then her eyes took on that hazy look…

And I was happy because she was no longer focused on my lack of hauteur.

But then she looked sad.

"What are you planning, Nessie?" she asked, eyeing my askance.

I shrugged.

It was all up in the air.

It was just past midnight when Jake finally awoke.

I had been sitting on the window sill in the corner of his room, doing nothing but watching the moon. I was wondering how, even with my enhanced eyesight, I still couldn't tell that the moon was just a rock—it still looked like it might have a face—a wrinkled eye, a sleepy smile. I thought these thoughts, and yet the moon was not close to full—just a sliver, an elegant waxing crescent. The escaping light kept flowing in and out of view as dark puffs obscured, fogged, hid, and then once again unveiled the silver arc, causing the entire valley to be flooded in its sterling glow.

I was sitting at the window when I saw Jake stir.

I had the window open, enjoying the icy breezes on my face. The breezes were ceasing to be breezes, however. It was growing readily apparent that a winter storm was moving in, and it was when a particularly harsh gust wrestled its way into room, causing the rocking chair to swing to and fro, that I saw Jake's eyelids flutter. He groaned irritably and then instinctively reached down to feel along his leg.

"Carlisle," I whispered aloud.

And in the next moment my grandfather, father, and mother flowed in through the doorway. Carlisle moved immediately to examine Jake.

Behind him, dad chuckled.

I looked at Jake to see him dazedly scowling up at my grandfather.

"Carlisle, I don't think werewolves find it comforting to awake to a vampire staring them in the face," dad offered.

"Ah, sorry, Jacob." Carlisle smiled ruefully, backing off slightly.

Jake's eyes met mine then. "Full vampires—Edward. Half-vampires aren't so bad." He grinned playfully—if still somewhat weakly—in my direction.

My father's smile left his face, and he frowned at Jake.

I grabbed Jake's hand. Hey, how do you feel?

"Like crap—and why aren't I poisoned?"

Carlisle stepped forward then, leaning over Jake again. "Mostly because of Nessie's blood—although rapid healing certainly helps."

"Nessie's blood?" Jake lurched forward in the bed, causing the frame to squeak in protest.

"It's no big deal, Jake." I sighed.

"Her blood clotted the venom in your system—it's harmless now," Carlisle explained.

"There's some special biological, genetic crap you're not telling me behind this, right?" Jake muttered, annoyed.

"I could try and explain it to you…"

Jake rolled his eyes. "That's okay, doc."

"I would like to take another sample though to run some additional tests. May I?" Carlisle held up a syringe.

Jake threw a hand up in the air. "I suppose this is the better way for you to take my blood, eh?"

"I suppose it is," Carlisle agreed with a chuckle as he easily slid the hypodermic needle into Jake's arm. We all seemed to watch silently as the blood collection tube swiftly filled with blood.

"Foulest smelling blood ever," dad muttered with an upturned nose.

"It's better than lizard blood," my mom offered, nudging Jake slightly in the arm.

"You tease, but you smell like fermented peaches—the lot of you," Jake grumbled.

Carlisle pulled the needle out of Jake's arm and covered the tiny hole with a cotton ball—not that it was necessary. Jake pulled the ball off in the next second to reveal a completely healed patch of skin.

"Astonishing," Carlisle murmured, shaking his head as he stared down at the spot. "Well, Jake, I'm going to run a few more tests, and in the meantime, you should continue to rest."

Jake nodded, and Carlisle gathered the tubes and his equipment and then headed out.

And then there was silence in the room.

Awkward silence.

"Would it be alright if I spoke to Ness alone?" Brows raised, Jake looked meaningfully at mom.

"We still need to talk to her," dad stated with his standard parental-authority tone.

I had to stop myself from rolling my eyes.

"Later, Edward." My mom had him by the arm and began tugging him out of the room.

"Go ahead, you two. I promise you. It will be a private conversation." Mom stared warningly at my father, who eyed her discontentedly. She gave a final push, and they were out the door, the door clicking shut behind them.

I didn't hesitate, then. I lifted up the corner of the blanket and slid into the warmth.

Hey, I greeted, looking softly into his eyes.

"You okay?" Jacob mouthed but didn't speak.

I nodded, snuggling closer to him.

"Estela?"

I nodded again.

He released a long sigh and leaned back, pushing the pillow up against the headboard for added comfort.

You're not going to ask about Nahuel? I chided.

Jake smirked.

Well, he's fine, too—just so you know.

And then there was silence, and now it was Jake that was staring out at the moon.

So…

Jake turned to me. "You expect me to be pissed?"

Maybe…

"Really, I'm mostly mad at myself."

That's stupid.

"No, I don't care if we had a fight—me letting two girls wander off into the night and get drunk was stupid."

I frowned indignantly at him. First of all, we're not exactly weak, little human girls. Second, you didn't know we were planning on getting drunk. Third, don't blame yourself.

"I could smell that Estela had the alcohol and blood—just like you could—I just didn't expect her to share…" he trailed off, returning his gaze to the moon.

So, why didn't you follow?

"Because I figured you could use to calm down, and also, I thought it would be…. good for you to talk to Estela."

It was actually… to talk to Estela, I mean—it was good.

"Until you followed crazy ass vampire lady."

That's one way of putting it…

"You should have waited for us to help."

I turned and eyed him carefully. You know, Jake, no one else has said it that way.

"What way?"

Like we should have saved him. They say we shouldn't have gone.

"Eh, that's 'cause they're vampires, Ness."

Mom was a human. You'd think that'd make a difference in perspective.

"She was special." Jake twirled a finger in the air as he said the word. "Your auntie blondielox wasn't too keen on Bella until after you popped out of her—and the rest of the family only went along with it because she made Edward suddenly tolerable."

They care about humanity, Jake.

"In a way—but I don't think they would have done what you did."

Alyssa. I gave the image as an explanation.

"I know." He kissed the top of my head, and then he continued, "It's not that your family doesn't care about humans, Carlisle is a crazy saint in any form, but for the rest of them it's different—they have to hide from it, you know? Even your mom, she never really had any close friends in high school other than me—and while she'll miss Charlie—she's perfectly content where she's at. I doubt she'll ever befriend a human again."

I pushed my head deeper into the pillow. Nahuel thinks I should leave.

Jake raised an eyebrow. "Eh, expects you to 'study abroad' with him and Estela, does he?"

I rolled my eyes. Nooo… He thinks my parents will be incapable as seeing me as anything but a child until I force them to see otherwise.

"Well, Ness, you aren't full grown yet—fuck."

He cursed because I grabbed his hand and ran it down the length of my body.

"Very funny," he growled in a low voice.

I am "full grown," though—for my "kind." Technically, we're weaned at birth. I am more than capable of taking care of myself. I may only have six human years—but I am six the way that my dad is 107—which is to say, humans definitions don't really apply.

"You really mean it, don't you?"

Can I go with you—to Stanford?

"I can't imagine a faster way to piss off Edward." Jake groaned.

I sorta see this as inevitable. If it doesn't happen now, it will happen eventually.

"They wanted to wait until you were full grown, Ness."

I'm no longer a baby—I'm not going to change much more—in fact, I think I need to "reach my majority" away from them. It will be easier—maybe, if I even do decide to live with them again, it will be as an equal and not as a lesser immortal.

"They'll always see you as their niece and daughter," Jake whispered.

I can't spend eternity "under protection."

"I'd like to think I can protect you," Jake grumbled.

Heh, funny enough, I'm okay with that.

Jake gave me a very silly smile, and then he kissed me.

The resulting explosion to my request was expected, but nevertheless, not easy.

Even mom flipped.

"No."

"You're still a child."

"Absolutely not."

"Are you out of your mind? You just returned to us after almost dying!"

"You're not full-grown."

"This is about Jake, isn't it?"

"No."

"This is about grief over your friend?"

"Just no way."

"No. No. No. NO."

I grabbed each of their much colder hands. Me, acting out over Alyssa. Me, groaning over dad's invading my thoughts. My desire to strike out on my own. My love for my parents. My love for Jake. Mom leaving her family, her mortality—everything for my father. Nahuel and his sisters supporting themselves from birth. Zafrina hunting—tall and brave and lethal. Jasper's weakness. My family's distance from humanity. Estela's sense of isolation. My own sense of isolation. The attachment to immortal children. Vampires as stones. Myself, like a flame.

"Oh, Ness…" my mother trailed off. "Why didn't you tell us? You just needed to tell us if you needed more space," she pleaded.

"Dad knew."

My father stood staunch and silent with his arms crossed. I had hurt him.

"Honey, but we can work on that… Your dad can just—"

"Dad, could you stay out of my head, if you wanted to?"

"I could try."

"No, you couldn't. You love me—and it's your way."

"Your mom's shield—she could just shield me."

"No."

"Now, Nessie…"

"I will come back—and when I do, it will be different."

"We've only had you six short years." My mom looked ready to cry. Somehow, I don't think this had ever occurred to her—that I could leave. Nahuel was right—she became a vampire as a mother, and this was… hard.

"I've made my decision."

They were about to protest again, when Carlisle and Zafrina entered the room.

"She should go," Carlisle said simply.

My father gave his a frightening glare.

"The young one is wise," Zafrina added. "Do not underestimate her—that would be unwise."

For the first time, Mom looked decidedly unafraid of Zafrina. "Running headfirst into conflict with a dangerous vampire—that's wise?" my mother spat.

"Forgive me, I have interfered." Zafrina gave a short bow and took a step back.

My mother did not hide her answering growl.

And then Jake came in.

And it looked like both of my parents wanted to rip him limb from limb.

"This is your fault," my dad growled—and I darted in front of Jake, eyeing my father in alarm.

Jake stared calmly back at him. My mother paused at the scene, perhaps reminded of the time that she had leapt at Jake over my nickname...

Jake spoke slowly. "I want what's best for her."

"Hah!" dad scoffed.

"Read my mind, Edward. This is what she needs."

A moment of silence passed.

And then my father stormed out of the room.

My mother, after a sad glance in my direction, followed after him.

Two days later, Jake and I were on a plane to California.

* * *