A/N: Thank you, thank you, thank you for the reviews! 51! That is absolutely AMAZING! In other news, the update is in! Clearly, haha! Sorry for such a long wait, and for what very well could the worst chapter I've ever written. I've yet to find a good day to start updating regularly on, so until further notice, updates will be on the fritz for a while longer. Here's more Jake and Ren! Enjoy!

Chapter 17: Soon (JPOV)

I could hear the sniggers from Jasper and Emmett as they sat downstairs. I couldn't blame them for laughing. Hell, I would be too if I wasn't so concerned for Renesmee. Instead, being the idiot that I was, I tried to cover it up.

"It's just… Ya know… You're practically family! I can't let anyone hurt my family." I stumbled over my words. I instantly regretted saying that because I highly doubted that I would want to jam my tongue down her throat if she was my sister. Last I checked, we weren't being locked away in an attic by our mother- or, more importantly- we didn't share blood. But… It would be too weird to say: "I'm your mother's best friend, even though you don't remember your mother, I was there when you were born, and fell in love with you thirty seconds after."

No. Just… No.

No only would that make me sound like a complete pedophile, it would make her run for the hills.

Renesmee was just looking down at me. After I'd told her I'd "cared" for her, she'd sat up. She hadn't said anything, yet, and if it weren't for her small smile that was playing on the corners of her lips, I would've thought she'd be in shock.

"You… 'care'... for me?" she asked, the small smile suddenly taking over her face.

I shrugged quickly, trying to cover up the damn mistake I'd made.

Her smile brightened. "But you don't even know me."

I turned serious. "I know enough." Another. Fucking. Mistake.

Her smile disappeared. "No you don't. You know… nothing about me. If you did, you'd be running away right now."

I cocked a brow. "How do you know that?"

"I just do," she replied quickly, sharply.

"There you go again!" I snapped, making her eyes widen. "Renesmee, we're not like the other families you've been with! We care about you!"

"Prove it!" she snapped back.

"How? Tell me, and I'll do it." I replied, quietly, sincerely.

"Jacob… I can't. Because everyone starts out in the best way. Then… After about two weeks, things get rough." She sighed and fell back onto the bed. "As much as I hate to admit it, it's no bad here. You guys have already given me everything I need and more. But… I can't let that change my views on families."

"Why can't you?" I whispered.

"Because once I let my guard down, once I let people in… It gets bad." she whispered the last part. "Things happen, Jake. Bad things. Things you try your best to get out of your head but nothing you do is ever good enough."

It was quiet for a few seconds as I debated whether or not to ask a question.

What the hell.

"Ren?"

"Yeah?"

"What did those families do to you?"

She didn't answer right away.

"More than you know, Jacob. More than you'll ever know."

***{Next morning} (JPOV)

I arrived at school the next day anxious to see Renesmee again. Especially after what happened last night.

If my heart were still beating, I'd probably be having an anxiety attack right about now.

Though I had the ability to make myself appear human, it took the majority of my energy to keep up the false heartbeat charade, so whenever I wasn't around other vampires or shapeshifters, my heart was never beating.

I didn't have to worry about that with Renesmee just yet. But if I had my way, she would know. And soon.

A/N: Short, I know. This was a filler chapter, so sorry if it sucked. I don't really have a set end date for this story just yet, so don't freak out about the last line.

It was a tough call, but my favorite line in this is: "I instantly regretted saying that because I highly doubted that I would want to jam my tongue down her throat if she was my sister."

Please review!

Laters,

~Em