Many thanks to shepeppy, my beta and best friend. She beta's the crap out of my fic – literally!
SM owns Twilight.
Chapter 51 – March 18th Part 1
Chapter Songs:
Thank You ~ Chris Cornell (Led Zepplin cover) for Jake & Nessie's first dance
In My Life ~ Dave Matthews (Beatles cover) for Edward & Nessie's father/daughter dance
If the sun refused to shine, I would still be loving you.
If mountains crumble to the sea, there will still be you and me.
Kind woman, I give you my all,
Kind woman, nothing more.
Little drops of rain, whispers of the pain,
Of tears of love lost in the days gone by.
My love is strong, with you there is no wrong,
Together we shall roam until we die.
Inspiration is what you are to me,
Inspiration, look and see.
And so today, my world it smiles,
Your hand in mine, we'll walk for miles,
Thanks to you it will be done,
For you to me are the only one.
Happiness, no more be sad, happiness...I am glad.
If the sun refused to shine, I would still be loving you.
When mountains crumble to the sea, there will still be you and me.
Thank You ~ Chris Cornell (Led Zepplin cover)
RPOV
"Ta-da!" Aunt Alice exclaimed as she breezed into my room in my parents' cottage. Within a matter of less than five seconds she pinned a loose curl at the back of my head, adjusted my veil because apparently my mom and Aunt Rosalie had put it on a half inch too low, left my shoes at my feet and was currently holding out a blue and white garter belt just inches from my face.
She'd been flying around like that, a blur of happy and focused activity, since the horrifying moment she found Jake and I cuddled together in sleep in my room at about 5:30 this morning. It was originally planned that we would spend the night apart, even though we both knew it wouldn't be easy. So to say that Aunt Alice was surprised to see us together in bed this morning was an understatement. Yesterday had been an interesting and emotional day for us. After the night of our bachelorette and bachelor parties, Jake was oddly quiet for most of the day, but highly focused on me. When I woke up, safe in his arms late yesterday morning, the first thing I saw was his face. He was awake, lying next to me, apparently just watching me sleep. He was oddly serious, and his eyes... his eyes spoke volumes about love and respect. He'd kissed me reverently, holding me closely and tenderly, loving my mouth with his without saying a word, for almost an hour. He made me breakfast, washed me in the shower, brushed and dried my hair for me and generally spent the entire day quietly hovering near me taking care of anything and everything I needed.
Jake had always taken care of me, but yesterday he took things to a whole new level. It was definitely out of character for him to be so quiet and attentive, but I didn't question him about it. I saw everything he needed to say with his eyes. He was thanking me for loving him in every single way possible with his actions instead of words. I told him, several times throughout the day, that I loved him, and tried to get him to understand that he didn't need to thank me, because I needed that night just as much as he did. But he wouldn't hear it. He just shook his head, told me to let him do what he needed to do, and continued doing everything he could to show me that he loved and appreciated me. That was just Jake. You would never hear him writing poetry or composing sonnets and songs about how much he loved me. He was a born 'do-er' and was at his best when working with his hands. So that's what he did. He just showed me he loved me... all day long. Every thought, every action, every word he uttered was for and about me, to show me how much he loved and appreciated me. By the end of the day I was nearly overcome by the sweetness and reverence of his actions. My heart was just so full of him, that after our rehearsal party, it actually hurt to let him go for the night. When we separated and he softly kissed me goodnight at the front door of my parents' cottage, I went straight inside and ended up crying onto my mother's shoulder for nearly half an hour, knowing that I would be away from him for the next sixteen hours.
Nights were always hardest for me. I still had nightmares, but they were manageable with Jake around. Having his warm, strong arms wrapped around me at night made me feel loved and protected in ways that nothing else could. My father was very curious and a bit confused about Jake's behaviour yesterday, and my mild breakdown when he left me last night. Thankfully, he had no idea what had transpired at the club, or what Jake's behaviour yesterday was all about, because Leah called my mother after we left the bar that night and warned her to keep my father out of our heads for the next couple of days. I thanked my mother quietly as she held me and consoled me in her arms after Jake left. She just smiled and said that everyone reserved the right to have private thoughts about and around their wedding day, and promised to do her best to keep my father 'covered' until Jake and I left for our honeymoon tonight after the reception. After a quiet couple of hours spent with my parents, pouring over baby photos and reminiscing about my short childhood I headed off to bed. My mom and dad both stayed in my room with me until I started to drift off and then promised to stay in the cottage, in their room, right next to mine, all night so that I could relax enough to sleep alone for the first time in months.
Apparently I fell asleep quickly and everything was fine for the first couple of hours, until I had one of my worst nightmares yet. I was hovering over an image of Jake and I, lying in the snow after he gave me his blood, but the scene was all wrong. Everyone around us was mourning and crying... because my father hadn't gotten Jake away from me in time. I'd gone too far... and there was no way to fix it. I remembered staring at the image of his cold, greyish and lifeless body dumbly... transfixed on the colour of his drained flesh because it was horrifyingly pale, but it seemed so real... as if I could reach out and touch it. And when it finally registered what I had done, I lost it. The next thing I remember was waking up, sitting bolt upright in my bed, petrified and screaming at the top of my lungs for Jake. My mother and father both rushed to me and were at my side within less than a second, but I didn't want or need to see them. They were telling me that it was just a dream, that it wasn't real, but I needed to see it for myself. I thrashed against their consolations and attempts to embrace me because I wanted to get up and find him... but I should have known I wouldn't need to. Within what felt like minutes, but in reality was probably only seconds, Jake was crashing through the front door of the cottage and nearly flew to my side. He said he heard me screaming for him from his room at the big house. I cried in his arms and kissed the skin of his naked chest and neck everywhere my lips could reach, without caring that my parents were there to witness it. When I had calmed down enough to be coherent my mom and dad quietly slipped out of the room, leaving me with Jake, while I begged him not to go back to the big house. I knew it was tradition for the bride and groom not to see each other the night before the wedding, but I really couldn't be bothered with that. We'd broken just about every rule or and ignored every convention up until that point in our relationship, what was wrong with breaking one more? Jake didn't say anything in response to my pleas for him to stay. He just pulled back the covers on my bed, slid in and pulled me down with him, into my favourite spot, huddled high into his chest, with his arms wrapped around me. I relaxed instantly and within minutes I drifted off into a peaceful sleep.
Needless to say, Aunt Alice was none too pleased to find us there this morning, still wrapped up in each other, but she did what she does best and problem solved. She slipped a blindfold over Jake's eyes so that he wouldn't technically 'see' me, and kicked him out of my room at quarter to six in the morning after giving us a few minutes to say goodbye to each other for the next few hours. I have to say, goodbye kisses are interesting when one of the people are blindfolded. I may have taken advantage of that for a few minutes until Aunt Alice knocked on the door and threatened Jake with bodily harm if he didn't leave immediately.
"Alice, let her do it," my mother said with traces of both exasperation and humour in her voice.
I glanced down to find my Aunt Alice hovering near my left leg with the garter, obviously ready to slip it on for me. My mother was right, she didn't need to. My dress was completely straight, not full in the slightest. I could easily do it myself. I shook my head and leaned down to pluck the garter from Aunt Alice's hand while listening to her tell me that it was my something borrowed and blue. As I shimmied it up my left thigh my mother mentioned that Alice had also lent the same garter to her on her wedding day. The thought that it had already been on two women, who were both madly in love and beyond happy in their marriages, made me smile. I adjusted it so that it was comfortable, slipped on my shoes and then stepped toward the full length mirror in the corner to look myself over, as I was finally done.
"What do you think?" Aunt Alice whispered as I looked myself over silently while my mother stood off to the side, quietly crying non-existent tears and told me that I was beautiful. Truth be told, I actually got a bit of a happy chill when I saw the finished product. My dress was perfection. It was strapless, with a sweetheart neckline, fitted throughout the waist and hips and flowed straight down and gracefully to the floor. It was silk, covered with chiffon to soften it. The chiffon was ruched on top, and gathered at my left hip with a sparkling silver broach. But the best feature of the dress was the floor to mid-thigh split than ran up almost my entire left leg. It wasn't visible when I was standing still because the material of the dress fell straight to the floor and only opened at the slit when I walked.
"She'd better be thinking that she's gorgeous," Aunt Rosalie said with a smile. "That dog's not going to know what hit him," she said playfully and then winked while fluffing my curly hair, which swept to the side and pinned to hang over my right shoulder.
I smiled and shook my head at her before glancing down over my dress to my four inch, gladiator style, bejewelled heels and nodded in agreement.
"I feel gorgeous," I admitted quietly. Truthfully I was a bit overwhelmed by own my appearance. It wasn't as though I hadn't expected to be made up and feel pretty, but seeing everything together just made the day finally seem very real.
"I'd say exquisite is probably a better word to describe you."
I inhaled a small gasp and felt my eyes well up with tears as they met with my father's light gold ones in the mirror. His face was pulled up into his famous half-smile, and his jaw was tight with emotion. He hadn't seen my dress yet. No one but me, my mom and my aunt's had.
He entered the room and made his way to me slowly, followed by my Grandma Esme and Grandpa Carlisle.
"You look... magnificent. I..." my father paused, swallowed and shook his head slightly. "There are no words, Renesmee," he whispered as he brushed my arm lightly with his fingertips and then lightly grasped my hand in his.
A stray tear escaped one of my eyes, even though I tried hard to hold them back. Aunt Alice thrust a Kleenex at me and reprimanded both me and my father, saying that the ceremony was going to start in ten minutes and that didn't give her enough time to redo any of my make-up.
My father brushed the tear from my cheek with his fingers while I lightly dabbed at my eyes with the Kleenex to soak up the excess moisture, carefully avoiding Aunt Alice's light, but perfectly applied cosmetics.
"He's right darling, you look simply divine," Grandpa Carlisle said after walking closer and giving me a light kiss on the cheek. I smiled and returned his kiss before turning toward my grandmother, who was standing next to him.
"I have something for you," she said quietly and held out a long, flat rectangular box. "Alice mentioned that you needed something old. This is mine. Carlisle gave it to me on our twenty-fifth wedding anniversary, almost fifty years ago."
I opened the box to find a glittering and gorgeous platinum set tennis bracelet. I gasped and fingered the small sparkling stones lightly.
"Both Alice and I thought it would go well with your dress. It's made to fit a bit bigger, so you can choose to wear it on your wrist or ankle, if you'd like," she murmured.
"Oh, Grandma, I love it. Thank you," I whispered as I lifted it from its box. I draped it over my right wrist and my grandmother helped me secure the clasp. I knew it would go perfectly with Jake's mom's earrings and the diamond solitaire necklace he gave me last night as a wedding present.
I hugged and thanked both her and my grandfather before Aunt Alice piped up from behind us.
"It's time," she chirped and ushered everyone but my father and I out of the room.
I walked over to my dresser and picked up my bouquet from where it had been sitting. It was simple, just white roses bound together with white silk and chiffon to match my dress. The only embellishments were the few clear crystals interspersed throughout the bouquet, in keeping with the sparkling icy theme I'd requested. My father's boutonniere caught the light when I turned toward him. It was made up of a single white rose, wrapped at the base with tiny dark blue crystals. All of the flowers for the wedding were white roses. The girls bouquets were smaller versions of mine, wrapped in blue satin ribbon to match their dresses and infused with small, dark blue crystals instead of clear ones. Jake was the only one to have clear crystals wrapped around the base of his rose boutonniere, to match mine.
"Are you ready?" my father asked with a smile while holding out his elbow.
I took it, returned his smile and nodded.
"I've never been more ready for anything in my whole life," I stated happily.
I felt oddly calm and not at all nervous like most brides claim to feel on their wedding day. I knew how badly I wanted this and felt nothing but excitement bubble up in my stomach as my father led me through the door of the cottage and across the back lawn, toward the large glass doors of the living room in the big house. I smiled as I looked around and felt the ice and snow crunch beneath my feet. Forks and the surrounding area had been hit by a very rare snow and ice rain storm last night. Everything around, from the house, to the lawn to the branches on trees, was covered in snow and a thin sheet of ice. During the rare moments when the sun peeked through the clouds, everything outside caught and refracted the light. It was the perfect backdrop to our ceremony and reception, and just one more indication that Fate was intervening on behalf of Jake and I. There was certainly no other way this peninsula would have been hit with a snow and ice storm like this in the middle of March.
My bridesmaids, Rachel and Leah and my maid of honour, Olivia along with Jake and all his groomsmen, were already inside and in their places. The girls got ready at their own respective houses this morning because the cottage just wasn't big enough for everyone, and the men were getting ready at the big house with Jake.
Layers of soft, gauzy white fabric draped across the inside of the glass doors obscured the room from view, so that Jake wouldn't be able to see me as I approached. I took a deep breath when my father and I stopped in front of the double doors, and let it out when I saw the glass and fabric begin to shift.
The door opened to reveal the perfect vision of what I wanted for our small and intimate wedding. The entire room, from the furniture, to the guest's chairs, and even the piano that Aunt Rosalie was expertly playing Pachabel's Canon on, was gleaming white, shimmering and perfect.
I took all of half a second to survey it, as the sheer light brilliance of soft white roses and sparkling clear crystals hanging everywhere and adorning everything assaulted my sense of sight. I didn't linger on that though. I couldn't. My attention was immediately drawn past the few rows of guests rising to greet me, up the white aisle runner, and straight to the end of the aisle.
My breath caught, and a lump of joy leapt up into my throat as I took in the sight of Jacob, my soon to be husband, waiting at the end of the aisle to receive me. He was so incredibly handsome in his black suit, fitted perfectly around his muscular frame. His large hands were clasped together in front of him, and in the moment my eyes met his, he stood stock still. I heard his breath catch from where I stood, and smiled. His face, which had been set into his familiar grin slowly slid down into an expression of severe seriousness. His jaw was set, but worked just slightly with emotion. His eyes were like dark pools again, beckoning me forward, calling me to go to him, fall into them, and just love him, with all my heart and soul, for the rest of my life.
With that, I smiled brightly, clutched my father's elbow a tiny bit tighter and we began to make our way forward. Neither Jake nor I broke our gaze, speaking silently to each other through our eyes as I approached him. I didn't rush, didn't hurry. I wanted to enjoy this moment, and savour it, knowing that it was the beginning of our eternity.
When we reached the top of the aisle my father turned toward me and took my hand in his. With a smile and a tightness in his eyes that told me there would be tears if he could shed them, he leaned forward and placed a feather-light kiss on my forehead. I smiled widely at the gesture – because this was our little kiss, the one tiny gesture from my father to his little girl that began as a tradition the day I was born and continued on until today.
I squeezed his hand.
I love you, daddy, I sent him in a whisper.
"I know," he whispered back, before swallowing thickly and turning to face Jake. In keeping with tradition, for once, my father shook Jacob's hand before placing my hand in his. He turned to face us both equally before murmuring quietly under his breath so only we could hear.
"Take care of each other. Bella and I love you both, very much."
I was too overwhelmed to say anything at that point, but Jake nodded with a small smile, still facing me, eyes never leaving mine, and whispered his response.
"We plan on it... and thank you."
With that, my father took his seat and Sam Uley took over, calling the guests to attention and getting the ceremony underway. I was glad that Aunt Alice took some time to debrief me on the ins and outs of our blended traditional and Quileute ceremony because during the actual event I found that I couldn't focus on a word that Sam was saying. I simply followed along, keeping my eyes locked on Jake's, giving responses when I was cued to, but not really paying attention.
I was too focused on what I was feeling at the time. Our connection, that warm, magnetic pull we had toward each other, felt like it had deepened to a different magnitude the moment my father placed my hand in Jake's. It ran deep through my skin, into my bones, flowed in blood from my head to my toes, and consumed me completely. It was pulsating and charged and so strong, that it literally felt like I was exploding with it. I wouldn't have been surprised if the guests could feel it too. I knew from the look in his eyes that Jake felt it. I was awestruck, and it looked like he was too.
With reverence and more than a little humility, I repeated the same set of vows with Jake that I heard Seth and Olivia say to each other just three and half short months ago. I was officially becoming a member of Jacob's tribe with our ceremony today with these very vows. I knew that no one in the history of his people or mine, would have guessed that a union like ours would be possible. I felt extremely honoured to be joining his extended family.
When our Quileute vows were complete we moved on to the traditional American ones. We decided to include both in our ceremony, as a symbol of me joining his world, and him joining mine. Grandpa Carlisle took over for Sam from there, officiating the traditional vows for us. We both listened to his questions and answered them quietly but firmly with 'I do's'.
When it came time to exchange rings, I reluctantly tore my eyes away from Jake's to turn toward Olivia, who held his large ring around her tiny thumb. She reached to grab it with her other hand at the same moment that Grandpa Carlisle asked for Jake's ring, but fumbled because of her bouquet. The ring fell from her grasp and ended up on the floor with a loud and resounding 'clink' ringing out over the ceremony as it hit the ground.
I heard a general chuckle from the crowd and then a loud one from Jake just behind me before one of the younger pack boys answered Grandpa Carlisle's request from his seat.
"She has to run and get it first!" he shouted out playfully.
Jake winked at me, with his million dollar smile in place, as a red-faced Olivia quickly scooted down the aisle a few feet to the ring, picked it up and brought it back.
I gave her my brightest smile and a wink of my own to let her know that it was ok and she didn't have to be embarrassed, before taking the large, plain silver band from her as she mumbled apologies. I waved them off and turned back toward Jake.
My grandfather smiled and raised his eyebrows once before asking me to repeat after him.
"I, Renesmee Carlie Cullen, take you Jacob Ephraim Black, to be my husband."
I smiled and bit my lip against my emotions as my grandfather delivered the next set of lines. I rubbed the back of his warm hand with my thumb, as the ring hovered over the tip of his third finger on his left hand, and fell in love with the glimmer in his eyes that appeared when I called him 'husband' for the first time.
"To have and to hold from this day forward, for better or for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish; all the days of my life," I finished and slid the ring on, right over his new tattoo. Jake decided that since he couldn't wear his wedding ring all the time, because it would get broken and injure him if he phased with it on, he would have a band in the same design as a Quileute promise bracelet tattooed onto his ring finger. Seth got one done at the same time, and apparently all of the other married wolves were considering getting them too. I cried when he showed it to me yesterday. It was beautiful, and such a thoughtful gesture. He said he did it because he always wanted the world to know he was mine.
He flexed his fingers a bit after the ring was all the way on and smiled at me while Seth made a show of very carefully handing my ring to Jake, getting another small laugh out of the crowd.
When he turned back toward me with it his eyes were shining with happiness, love and so much hope, that I thought my heart would explode from taking it all in.
Once again my grandfather delivered the age old lines to repeat.
"I, Jacob Ephraim Black, take you, Renesmee Carlie Cullen, to be my wife."
He paused after the last word and sucked in a deep breath. I watched as his chest puffed out a bit and his shoulders pulled back just enough to let me know that he said the words with pride.
Oh, Jake...
My heart caught in my throat as he continued and the first of my happy tears fell as he slipped my wedding band onto my finger and promised to love me with every breath that he had.
"You may now kiss the bride," my grandfather announced quietly, as our joined hands fell between us.
Ever so slowly, Jake leaned forward and cupped my cheek in his right hand. My eyes fluttered closed automatically and I leaned into the warmth of his palm. Then, in a perfect replica of our first kiss, my eyes fluttered open a bit, we breathed each other's breath for just a second or two... and then his lips were on mine. Our eyes closed together, once more and just as I had the first time, I laid my right hand over his on my face and placed my left on his chest over his heart. The only difference this time, was that his left hand covered mine, our rings making a tiny and muted clink as they rubbed against each other and we kissed the sweetest and most ardent kiss we ever had.
We broke apart to the sounds of whistles, chuckles and applause. Jake shook his head as I blushed before my grandfather proceeded with the ceremony.
We signed the certificate next and as Seth and Olivia took their turns signing I moved my engagement ring back to my left hand, nestling it together with its matching band. I took a minute to admire the beauty of it together and remember the moment Jake described why he picked them for me. Jake must have noticed what I was doing, because I felt his warm hand clasp mine as I wiggled my finger in the light. He raised them to his lips and kissed them softly, before winking at me and weaving our fingers together tightly.
Before I knew it we were standing together in front of our family and friends still hand in hand with my grandfather standing proudly behind us.
"Ladies and gentlemen, I present to you, Mr. & Mrs. Jacob and Nessie Black!"
I smiled at my grandfather's use of my common name. It was tradition to use formal names in that kind of announcement, but he knew I liked the name Jake had given me most.
We walked down the aisle, hand in hand to the applause of our friends and family and made our way out to the backyard for a few minutes alone together, while the rest of the guests munched on hors d'oeuvres and chatted in the foyer and the catering company set the living room up with the few tables, linens and decorations needed for the reception.
For a few seconds we just stood hand in hand in the snow, staring at each other with goofy smiles on our faces, until I couldn't take it anymore and I burst out with a joyous giggle, threw my arms around his neck and hugged him fiercely. He hugged me back, but didn't squeeze me as much as he usually would.
I felt his lips kiss the sweet spot behind my ear that I loved so much before he pulled away and slid me softly to the ground.
He kept hold of one of my hands and stepped back, leaving my arm outstretched and about three feet of space between.
"Ness," he breathed as he dragged his eyes slowly up from my toes, "my God, baby. Look at you."
I smiled shyly and felt my head lower in a bit of a blush. He was staring at me like a parched man would stare at a tall glass of water in a dessert. It was desperate, it was hungry, it was needy... and it was all kinds of hot.
"You like?" I asked and did a little twirl under his hand, being sure to let my skirt bellow out enough for him to see the effect of the slit running up the side.
He growled and pulled me to him gently.
"You are the most beautiful woman I've ever seen. Like is not the word, Mrs. Black," he rumbled. My breath hitched at the sound of my new mane.
Mrs. Black. I'm Mrs. Jacob Black.
Oh my God.
I smiled at him and looked straight into his eyes.
"You're looking pretty good yourself there, husband of mine," I whispered and ran my hands along the lapels of his tux. His eyes lit up with pleasure at the sound of me calling him my husband, just as I hoped they would. His strong hands settled on my hips and pulled me in for a heated kiss.
His mouth pulled and captured mine slowly but deeply as our tongues slipped against each other, tasting, sliding, caressing deeply. I whimpered a bit as I felt my body begin to heat up. My belly stirred and my hands gripped Jake's lapel. He moaned and pressed the evidence of his desire against my hip before slowly leaning into me and dipping my upper half down with him, while his hand wandered down over my hip, to the top my thigh, and then found the bare skin of my leg just a few inches lower. His fingers smoothed over my skin as he pulled away and then slid them down, before grasping his hand behind my knee and hitching it up over his hip.
"Fuck, baby..." he murmured as he kissed my neck softly and my eyes rolled back in my head. "This dress is... mmmm..." he trailed off and then attacked my neck some more.
"We're ready –," I heard Leah call out from the doors and then mutter an exasperated, "Oh for the love of..."
Jake shook his head and chuckled into my neck before kissing my jaw and then my lips once more, and straightening us up.
Seth appeared at the door behind her, laughing loudly.
"Hey, you two, these curtains don't block as much as you think! You should get in here before Alice blows a gasket. She's already mumbling about caterers and meal times."
I blushed at the thought of practically everyone we knew getting an eyeful of just how much Jake appreciated my dress, but Jake just laughed it off.
"Hey, I'm not apologizing for it. We're married. I'm the only guy on the planet who's allowed to enjoy this that much."
I shook my head and lightly slapped the back of my hand across his chest once for good measure, before pulling out the tiny tube of lip gloss Aunt Alice had slipped behind the back of the ribbon to my bouquet. I reapplied it quickly and checked my hair in the reflection of the glass window. Once I was sure that I didn't look like someone who'd just been mauled I put my hand in Jake's outstretched one and we made our way inside.
We were immediately greeted with hugs and congratulations from everyone, starting with my mom and dad and then everyone else.
I smiled at the look on Uncle Jasper's face when he came to greet us with a happy, but anxious Aunt Alice in tow.
"Jacob," he said with his southern drawl and shook his hand, "congratulations."
"Thanks, Jasper."
My uncle turned to me then, but didn't release Jake's hand, while taking one of my own. He smiled and then I was suddenly overwhelmed with an overpowering sense of love and joy. It was so strong that I choked up on it a bit, and felt my breath leave me in a surprised huff, the same time that Jake's left him.
"Uncle Jasper," I managed to croak out, "what is that?"
He chuckled under his breath and pulled the emotion back so that both Jake and I could breathe again. Jake looked at me with wide eyes, and then back at Jasper for an explanation.
"That was you," he said softly. "That has been radiating off of the two of you since your father handed you off, sugar. It's amazing... quite powerful."
"I'll say," Jake said with a shake of his head and an amazed smile.
"People can say what they want about things, but there's no denying that, is there?" my uncle said with a small smile.
I shook my head 'no' and thanked him quietly.
Aunt Alice didn't waste any time, throwing one arm over my shoulder and another one around Jake's waist, pulling us both in for a brief hug.
She released us quickly, chirped her congratulations and kissed my cheek before winking at Jake and whispering 'you're welcome' and walking away.
Jake turned to look at me with a slightly confused expression.
"Aunt Alice chose the dress. I told her what I wanted... but she picked the final product."
He shook his head with a smirk.
"I should've known. Remind me to get that Pixie something really nice while we're away."
I laughed and promised him I would.
We were ushered into the living room for the reception not too long afterwards. I smiled as Jake and I made our way to our table through what could only be described as a winter wonderland. The outer edges of the room were adorned with dozens of leafless trees, all covered in white bark and twinkling fairy lights. Each table was covered in white on white linens, plates and crystal goblets. In the centre of each guest table was a large clear crystal vase, stuffed with white willow branches that were decorated with dozens of clear and blue dangling crystals. Around the base of each vase was a ring of votive candles, which cast light on each and every crystal, sending the reflections dancing around the whole room. The ceiling was even draped in billows of white gauzy fabric, with fairy lights strung through them, making it look like puffy white clouds and stars in the sky.
"Okay... make that several nice things for sprite while we're gone," mumbled Jake under his breath.
I caught my aunt's eye from across the room as I sat at my table, and whispered that it was beautiful and I loved it. She just smiled her signature Aunt Alice smile, waved it off, and started directing waiters to circulate drinks.
After a short, but filling meal, for the wolves, the humans and me at least, and speeches that made us laugh, cry and blush – yes, even Jake blushed at one of Embry's childhood memories – we were ready to dance for the first time as husband and wife.
As Jake took my hand and led me to the middle of the room I couldn't help but blush at the memory of the last time we danced. Luckily I remembered just in time to save him from asking me about my blush, that I should ask him about the music. Since I didn't have a lot of time to spend on details for the wedding I allowed Jake to take over the music selection for the evening. I thought we'd choose our first song together, but he said he had something in mind that he thought I'd like, so I told him to go with it and surprise me.
Just then the first few notes of a familiar song, played in an entirely new way, began playing in the room.
I gasped at first, remembering the day almost an entire year ago that I heard the original version of this song on Jake's iPod and told him I loved the lyrics to it.
"Jake... is this what I think it is?" I asked in a whisper as he pulled me closer to him and swayed in time with the music.
"Yeah," he whispered back, "I found a modern cover of the original. Do you like it?"
I smiled through the tears pooling in my eyes. The song was a beautiful dedication from a man to a woman, who tells her that he'll love her until the earth crumbles and beyond.
"You know I love it, Jake. Thank you," I said quietly, while staring into the eyes of the man I loved more than anything.
"For you, baby. From me to you. I love you, Ness," he murmured and then pressed his lips to mine in a soft, slow and reverent kiss.
Cameras flashed and women 'ooh'd and aww'd' as we kissed, until one of the guys whistled and before we knew it, the song started to come to its close.
"I love you Jacob Black. With all of my heart," I breathed as the last note played.
"I love you too, wife," he murmured with a goofy grin and then stepped aside for my father, who was waiting to dance with me just a few feet away near the edge of the dance floor.
I released Jake, who went to stand with Grandpa Charlie and his wife Sue, along with Sam, Emily and few of the other wolves to watch us dance.
I smiled as my father approached and we stepped into position, and felt my smile widen at his song choice. It was another modern cover, this one of a song that my father used to play on the piano for me when I was very young, and then one we played as a duet, with him on piano and me on guitar as I got older. He always told me that the lyrics were a perfect description of how he felt about being my father.
I grasped his hand as he guided me gracefully around the floor, in the timeless way that only my father can, and opened up my connection to him.
I love you, Dad. Thank you for this.
He startled a bit. He was under the impression that my mom was keeping him guarded from me for the entire night.
I asked her to let me in when we had our dance and I held your hand.
Ah, he thought and then wondered if I could hear him too.
I smiled and nodded, then laughed at his brief feeling of unease.
Very funny, Renesmee, he thought dryly, I'm not used to being on this end of it. It's a bit unnerving at times.
Tell me about it.
I rolled my eyes with a smile and then eyed him carefully as I digested the bittersweet thoughts he shut down the second he realized I could hear him.
It's not goodbye, daddy, I whispered to him softly.
I know, he responded immediately, it's the beginning of so much happiness for you, Renesmee. I'm just feeling a bit... nostalgic today. I've heard it's normal for the father of the bride, so I won't make excuses for it, he thought with a smile.
Daddy..., I thought, and then paused, trying to sort out my thoughts and get them to him in the right order as quickly as I could. His face softened before I even got it together... but I wanted him to hear it anyway.
Just because I'm starting a new life with Jake, doesn't mean it's the end of my life with you and mom. It's just the beginning of a new path. I know we'll be living apart for the next little while, but you'll still be with me – always.
I looked him straight in the eye for the next part, delivering it with fervour and all the love I had for my father.
You'll always be my daddy, and I'll always need you.
He smiled and nodded.
As I'll always need you, my love, he responded and kissed my forehead one last time, before the song ended and he released me.
After that, the night became a blur of dances. I was passed from my grandfather, to my uncles, to almost every one of the boys in Jake's pack and then did a few faster numbers with the girls.
I was in the middle of a dance with Brady, when Jake stole me away for a break.
We made our way over to the side of the room and quietly observed the party around us, as he held me with my back to his chest, arms around my waist, and head resting on top of my hair. After a couple of minutes in comfortable silence I noticed Rachel looking around the room, searching through the small crowd and making her way for the doors.
I knew that was my cue and squeezed Jake's hand tightly in mine before launching into my explanation about something he might not be too happy with me for.
"Jake?" I asked quietly, to get his attention.
"Hmmm?" he answered before kissing my hair lightly.
"Follow me," I requested, and untangled myself from his arms, to lead him across the room and to the doors by his hand.
"What's out there, Ness?" he asked as I opened the door.
I didn't answer, just pulled him out with me and shut the glass door behind me, effectively separating us from the party, but leaving us within ear shot of the others in case this ended badly.
I saw as Rachel hesitantly stepped around the corner of the house, covered with a thick white shawl over her long blue, strapless dress, pulling my surprise of sorts behind her.
I squeezed Jake's trembling hand in my own as a low growl rumbled from the centre of his chest.
Please, Jake. We'll only get married once... and he wanted to be here. Please... don't be upset, I pled with him, glancing back and forth between his tense profile and Rachel's worried face.
It was quiet for almost a full minute, before Jake nodded his head once at his sister and then spoke. His voice was tense and gravelly, but his volume was low and controlled.
"Paul."
Thanks to all who are reading and reviewing.
Part Two and Paul, up next.
~Hitchy
