Chapter Six: Introductions

"So you knew Carlisle from the very beginning?" Edward asked, leaning towards me.

"Well, I mean, I don't really remember that far—" I began.

"But you remembered that your mom was a chocolate-colored wolf," Emmett pointed out, interrupting.

"I didn't know it was my mother!" I said, slightly frustrated with everyone tonight, but I also felt some joy with this new revelation of my birth. It was strangely pleasing thing to know that I had technically known Carlisle very early in my life. It made me feel like I had always had had a little more connection to Edward than I thought the day before. "And when I sat down and thought about it, at age four, I realized that it was a kind of silly idea that a magic toy could turn into a giant brown wolf!"

"But your mother could," Emmett said, teasing me. He knew that Renee not telling me her secret was really grating on me, all of the vampires knew.

"Shut up, Emmett," I said, hiding in Edward's shoulder. Everyone laughed, but despite my frustration I had to admit that I would later look back and laugh.

Alice's eyes glazed over for a second, and she frowned, before her usual smile lit her face again.

"Seth's coming," she announced.

"He's outside," Edward agreed. I could hear the footsteps tromping up the walkway. Three of them. None of the footsteps matched the tread of my father. I sniffed the air cautiously. I smelled Seth, Sue, and Leah. I scrunched up my nose as I remembered Leah. Some of the things she had said… not the most pleasant.

Edward must have been thinking the same train of thought as me, because he squeezed my shoulder reassuringly. The sounds of the werewolves' footsteps coming up the porch was definitely audible, even to a human level, by this point. They knocked on the door, just as Carlisle opened it.

"Welcome, Sue! It's been a while since you three were here! Nice to see you too, Seth and Leah! Come on in, we were just catching up with Bella's mother!"

Sue walked in the door, flanked by her two children. She glanced at the assembly of vampires first, making sure that none of them were a threat at the moment. Then she saw my mom. Her face lit up, which was a rare sight to see from her, in this house.

"Renee!" she said, her arms wide as she walked forward a little more quickly.

"Sue!" my mother replied, hugging the other woman.

"It's been so long!"

"It has," Renee said, smiling sadly. But then her usual smile was back in place, and she glanced behind Sue at Seth and Leah. "Oh! You didn't tell me you had kids!"

"You didn't give me the chance," Sue said, smiling cheerfully. She pointed out her kids as they stepped forward. "That's Seth, this is Leah. They're both wolves."

The two Clearwater children both went bug-eyed. They had probably expected quite a few things tonight, but their mother randomly blurting out the secret of their existence had not been one of them.

"Mother!" Leah said, glancing worriedly at Renee.

Renee only laughed. "It's fine, Leah, Seth, I already knew. I could smell the wolf in both of you a mile away."

Seth's and Leah's jaws both dropped in sync. Seth looked at Edward and me for confirmation, and I winked.

"I guess you know what we've been discussing tonight," I said, as Seth just gawked at my mother. Renee walked over to Leah, sizing her up with respect. Leah stood taller very subtly, I could see. She was very proud to be a wolf. And she was proud that someone from the outside knew.

"Finally! Another female wolf!" Renee suddenly said, wrapping her arms around Leah.

To say that Leah was shocked was an understatement. She nearly fell down to the floor, her skin suddenly growing pale. I saw Carlisle start forward with concern, but she waved him off.

"What?" Leah said, enunciating each syllable. "Did you just say? 'A-no-ther fe-male wolf'?!"

Renee smiled and offered her a hand to get up. "Another female werewolf," she confirmed. "I was a wolf in Billy's pack."

Leah glanced at me and Edward as if to ask, And you didn't tell me about this why?

Seth had come to sit over by Edward and me, and now he leaned forward in interest. "Billy is a werewolf too?"

Renee laughed slightly, turning to Sue. "He is, or at least was. I'm not sure if he gave up the wolf inside him completely, or if he just kept it in the background…?"

Sue nodded. "It was about eighteen years ago that he gave up his wolf. About the time you left."

Renee's smile darkened a little again with the reminder, but she kept it positive after a moment's battle. "Well, at least I'm here now."

Leah was sitting next to her brother, just staring off into the distance. I felt bad for her. I had had the news broken to me gently, and I had almost had a heart attack, even if that was impossible now. What was she going through?

I reached over, behind Seth as he leaned forward, and gently squeezed Leah's shoulder. She snapped out of it at the sudden cold contact, and gave me a look.

I know, it's a lot to take in, I mouthed to her, my eyes wide.

Leah snorted. Understatement, she mouthed back.

I nodded, and we both laughed quietly. I could see Jacob staring at Leah thoughtfully, like he had realized something.

Renee and Sue eagerly dove straight into chatting with each other about many things, supernatural gossip and normal everyday occurrences happening in La Push. It was obvious that the two had been close friends in their youth, by the way they spoke and moved. But this wasn't really one of the strangest things that my attention was riveted on.

Throughout the rest of the time the Clearwaters were there, I kept catching Leah stealing glances at me and smiling, which brought large amounts of confusion. Leah had never really been any sort of a friend of mine. Jacob said that she really only joined his pack to escape Sam, and in doing so was forced to join the pack that felt sympathetic towards us vampires. She didn't really show any signs of wanting to be near, or even associated with vampires before, so why was she suddenly so energetic in a house of vampires she rarely came to anyway?

Edward saw my confusion, as I tried to subtly glance at Leah. She caught me looking, and both of us looked away. He leaned over, brushing my ear with his lips and causing me to shiver with delight as he began to whisper into my ear.

"She's rejoicing in her head," he explained, as I tried desperately to pay attention. "Since the day she's learned she was a Quileute shapeshifter, she thought she would never be able to have children, or possibly even be able to find love. But since she's met Renee, she now knows that it is possible to have children. You've inspired her by simply existing, but I can't say I'm surprised."

I sighed, leaning into Edward's shoulder, my fingers running around on the back of his hand as I stroked it softly.

"You think?" I asked, glancing at Leah's beaming smile again. It was certainly a plausible explanation.

"She thinks, and I know," Edward laughs, wrapping his other arm around me, letting me simply stroke his other hand.

I sighed happily as I sank into his comfortable arms. The only thing that could make this moment more perfect—

Renesmee climbed down from Renee's lap, and came over into my lap, crawling under Edward and my interlocked arms to be in the center of our embrace. Edward laughed as Renesmee looked up at the both of us, before she yawned sleepily and closed her eyes again. She was up much later than most nights, and she was exhausted.

Right. There was now nothing that could make this more perfect. I leaned down and kissed the top of Renesmee's head.

After a moment or two, Edward turned to Renee.

"I hope you'll forgive us, Renee, but Renesmee needs to get to her bed, and I'm sure you're beginning to feel tired by now as well," he said, very gentlemanly. Renee nodded.

"I know how that is. I'll see you three tomorrow then?" she asked.

"See you tomorrow," Edward promised. He stood, and I held Renesmee as she slept in my arms. She was getting bigger, but I didn't care. She felt like a feather in my arms, as we floated through the forest towards the house at high speeds.

We put Renesmee to bed, and I tucked her in. For reasons from earlier tonight, I was feeling a little extra motherly, and I tucked Renesmee in with extra care, before shutting the door. Edward raised an eyebrow.

"Renee hasn't gotten to you that much, has she?" he asked, knowing why I was feeling so overly motherly tonight. "Love, she did have valid reason for keeping this information from you."

I sighed. "I know, but I'm still just a little upset. And surprised. And confused. And—"

"Bella," Edward said, looking deep into my amber eyes. I stopped my sentence where it was, losing myself in his gaze. It wasn't exactly fair that he dazzled me so much, I thought, now that I was a vampire as well. I'd have to learn how to dazzle people one of these days. Edward continued, despite me forgetting what my name was as I stared into his warm honey-golden eyes, "Your mother loves you. Though she'll never love you as much as I will, she does come relatively close. She was trying to protect you."

Somehow, I managed to find my voice, though I couldn't break my gaze with my own personal Greek god. "I can protect myself. I'm strong enough."

The weak, whimpering sort of whisper that those words came out in wasn't doing me any favors.

He reached up, holding my face in his hands as he leaned forward. I nearly collapsed into his arms, my knees feeling weak as he brushed his lips against mine.

"You are now, love, but you weren't at first," he breathed. "I'm sure you'll forgive her tomorrow."

I didn't even care if he was trying to change my mind, or if he was simply predicting what I would probably have done anyway. It didn't matter. The way he said it made it a fact now. I leaned into him as I melted in his arms.

"Okay," I simply whispered, barely breathing and not needing to. Edward chuckled, scooping me up and carrying me to our bedroom to 'wait out' the hopefully long night.


A little four-year-old Bella sniffled, one arm hanging at her side, clutching a stuffed and worn wolf toy. Her other hand rubbed her eye as two or three tears ran down her cheeks. Renee felt like her heart was breaking as she knelt down in the airport, wiping her daughter's tears away.

"Bella, you're going to have a great summer with your dad!" Renee said, trying to convince herself as well. This was the first time that she would be separated from Bella, and to say she was worried was an understatement. "Charlie will take you fishing and to see kids your age in La Push that mommy used to know! Friends of mommy's!"

She gave Bella a smile, and saw that though her daughter's tears were not beginning to ebb, the words she had said had registered, and had at least sounded genuine.

"B-But…" Bella sobbed, "… I do-don't wanna l-leave! I w-wanna stay wi-with you!"

Renee had to swallow the lump in her throat. She smiled again. "Your dad deserves some time with you too, Bella. You'll have fun, I know it. Did you know that La Push has a beach?"

Truth to be told, Renee was petrified. Recently, it seemed like more and more vampires were being drawn to Bella's scent. Renee could even smell it, to a degree. It was tantalizing, she supposed, to all vampires. And it was getting harder to hide her wolf-form from Bella, when a vampire got near.

Renee needed to find where the Phoenix nest of human-bloodsucking vampires was hiding, and she needed Bella gone for a little while. But the thought of sending Bella away… the thought was terrifying. But there was no getting around it. The only idea she could think of where Bella was safe was La Push, where Billy and the others could defend her.

Bella just shook her head, more tears falling loose as she threw her arms around Renee's neck and held on tight. "I don't w-wanna go to the beach! I d-don't wanna go to L-La Push, or F-Forks! I wanna s-stay w-with you!" she said insistently.

Renee's resolve was crumbling, and she had a sneaking suspicion that Bella knew it.

"Bella…" Renee began, but the four-year old clinging to her neck shook her head.

"No-o! I d-don't wanna!" she said, clinging tighter.

Renee sighed, drawing Bella's hands away from her neck. Bella's eyes shone with falling tears.

"Sweetie, you have to. It's not fair for me to keep you all year. Your dad will make sure that you have fun this summer, and when you get back we'll have thanksgiving at Grandma Swan's!"

Bella sobbed again, though by now Renee could see that she was running out of tears to use.

"W-will you m-miss me?" The little four-year-old asked, sniffling.

Renee nearly exploded with emotion. Little did Bella realize just how much her mother would miss her. The mother-wolf inside was whimpering pitifully at the thought of leaving her daughter to the hands of a relatively incapable human, while the human side of Renee was already overcome with grief and worry. She pulled Bella into a tight hug.

"More than you could know," Renee whispered, and she felt Bella's quivering slow down in her arms.

"Will you call me?" Bella asked, wrapping her arms around her mother's neck again.

"Absolutely," Renee said, mentally burning it into her brain to call Bella whenever her time permitted it. "Charlie will have to pull you away from the phone."

Bella sniffled again, as Renee talked to the stewardess. The stewardess swore that she would take very good care of her daughter on her flight, as Renee could not travel with her. There were a few more tears shed, before the stewardess boarded the plane, Bella's hand in hers. She would be safe. For now, at least.

Renee breathed in deeply to soothe her senses, but it did anything but. She sniffed again, hesitantly.

There was a sickly sweet scent.

Renee growled under her breath, slowly turning with her senses on red-alert. There were vampires in the airport. The same airport as Bella. She growled under her breath, scanning the crowds for the suspicious signs of vampires.

She glanced through the sea of faces. There were several suspicious characters. That man had the smell of heroin on his person. That woman was wrapped up in a thick coat, even though it was the beginning of summer in Phoenix. The guards weren't oblivious to her, anyway, and quickly pulled her out of sight.

But she was looking for other sorts of suspicion. Sunglasses, pale skin, much-too-graceful movements, and extremely sweet scents.

Then she turned. Bingo.

There were three vampires with their noses slightly in the air, headed her way. Oh yeah, they were definitely tracking Bella. Renee walked up to them, her nose burning with the horridly sweet scent as her eyes flashed.

"Excuse me gentlemen," she said, before noting that one of the vampires was female. "Perhaps we can discuss this issue somewhere more private?"

One of the men and the woman looked at her quizzically, while the other surely wrote Renee off as insane. "What issue?"

"The one where you're hunting my daughter, you bloodsucking leeches," Renee growled.

That got their attention. The one who had hitherto ignored her snarled, exposing his teeth. Renee snarled right back, and the woman glanced around her, silently plotting escape routes and possible exits.

"You know?" the other male hissed, his words dripping with venom. "You must die, then!"

The first male waved his hand. "Not in front of all these witnesses, James."

Renee popped her knuckles, her eyes steely. "Yeah, wouldn't have to want to go wolf on you three in public."

They blinked simultaneously.

"A Child of the Moon?" the first male said, obviously shocked and slightly threatened. "Here? In the States?"

"Not all werewolves live in Russia," Renee growled, going along with the charade. She knew that the Children of the Moon were probably more of a match, three vampires on one of her. "Now if you could just turn around and walk away, I won't have to give us all away by killing you."

"Laurent, she's lying. She wouldn't dare," James said, though his eyes looked apprehensively at me.

"Children of the Moon are intensely defensive of their young, James," Laurent said, but his demeanor suggested that he really didn't want to start a fight that he might not be around long enough to see the finish.

"I don't need to kill you," Renee said, her voice suddenly sickly sweet. "But distracting you sure worked."

All three vampires' heads snapped up as they finally realized that Bella's plane had already taken off, and was in the air. I saw James staring after it, and I growled, bringing his attention back to me.

"Don't even think about it tracker," Renee hissed, guessing at his thought-process. "If you touch her, you're going to have a lot worse than a Child of the Moon to worry about."

Laurent touched James's shoulder. James flinched and moved back, staring at me as he judged if I would follow through with my threat.

"It's not worth it, James," Laurent said, speaking at a vampire speed. "Do you know how intensely powerful Children of the Moon are?"

"Only at night, you fool," James whispered back, also at a super-high rate. "Full moons make them deadlier, but only at night are they of serious concern. Here, in the middle of the day, I'd say that she's probably at her weakest."

Well, Renee cracked her neck, trying to frighten perhaps the female away. She looked like a nervous colt, ready to bolt at the first opportunity. If she ran, perhaps they would follow—

Suddenly an idea struck her.

"Security!" Renee shouted, causing all three vampires to jolt in shock. If they could have paled, they would have, as several security guards walked over. Renee knew that the guards were no match for the vampires, but to attack the guards, or even resist, would bring too much attention that they wouldn't want. "These men have been following my daughter all day. I was only lucky enough that I got her on a plane before they could do anything to her."

The guards' eyes narrowed. It was heartwarmingly wolfish of humans, to protect the younger members of society.

"Is this true, you three?" the guard nearest asked, his hand twitching for an instant towards his gun. A ring glittered on his third finger, and Renee smiled. A family man.

"Oh, I've seen them trailing us all day," Renee said. "I thought they wanted to hurt my baby."

The vampires scowled at Renee as they realized what she was finally doing.

"We're going to have to ask you to come with us, you three," the guards said, stepping forward.

The three guards each grabbed the arm of one of the vampires, and began walking away. Renee's smile wavered. She hoped the guards would keep in view of the public, so they would be safe from being jumped by those three.

She turned and quickly walked to the exits, vanishing from sight as soon as she could, a big triumphant grin on her face.