Bella was at Renesmee's door first, most likely in an attempt to put space between Jacob and myself. I didn't care. It just gave me more time to drum up as many ways as possible to kill him slowly and painfully. There was a nagging voice in the back of my head that closely resembled Bella's saying that harming Jacob would hurt Renesmee, but I shoved the thoughts aside. I couldn't see or think clearly with Jacob poised next to my daughter's bed, tickling her side and grinning like an idiot.

"Breathe, Edward." Bella whispered, but her eyes never left the scene at the bedside. She took a step slightly to the right, blocking my entrance more.

Breathe.

In. Out.

In. Out.

I felt my wife's hand reach back and take mine. The anger that was threatening to spill over began to gently subside. Not completely, but I could look at the werewolf without seeing a huge target pointing straight to his throat.

There they sat on her bed laughing. Ignoring our presence in the doorway. The gaul of him! To not even glance over at the two people he owed Renesmee's life too; her very being, even! Why I—

Bella's hand squeezed mine.

Breathe.

"Good morning, Jacob." She spoke firmly and clearly.

"Mornin' Bells."

He didn't even glance up.

I cleared my throat, eyes narrowed, wishing just for once that I could give up my mind-reading power for laser beams to bore into his thick skull with.

"Oh, you too, Edward." He said, finally looking over and nodding his head. I don't think he was expecting my face, twisted with anger, and one underlying emotion that I would not dare let him see—pain—because his happy, relaxed composure faltered, and he dropped his hands from Nessie's side. His thought process was sadistically enjoyable for me. He was completely confused and scared.

What an idiot.

"Jacob," Bella started, her voice careful. "What are you doing here?"

His face changed completely, and he grinned wide, showing all of his white teeth. He reached for Renesmee and swung her onto his lap, earning giggles and an embrace.

"Well, what does it look like? I'm here to see my favorite person in the whole world!" He boomed, and laughed right along with her. My chest tightened as she reached up and touched his face, sharing her own thoughts on his surprise visit.

She was happy that he came to play with her, elated even. But the thoughts shifted, and my face appeared, twisted and hurt. I blinked, taken aback at my own demeanor. The vice grip on my heart tightened more. I didn't want her to see me that way. She was upset because I was, and wondered if she had done something wrong.

"No, sweetheart, no…" I managed quietly.

Her eyes met mine. So much like her mother's used to be. Deep, beautiful, and probing. She knew. She knew what I was feeling. The hatred, the scorn. She knew that I despised the thought of Jacob being her friend. She reached a tiny hand toward me, pushing against Jacob's face. Pleading. I let my eyes fall to the floor ashamed.

"Jacob, put me down, please."

So mature. Her voice and vocabulary never ceased to amaze me, so I looked up, drawn to her words. Jacob's face scrunched, and it was obvious that he hated to let her go, even for a second. Then there was my Mr. Hyde again, taking over my remorse and feeding off the pain of others, and in this situation, Jacob.

Ha! The other side of my conscience screamed. She doesn't want you, Jacob! But my choking heart knew that this was not true.

I tried to breathe again. It was a painful, lax attempt.

My emotions as haywire as a television set struck by lightning, I did not see Jacob releasing my daughter and her scrambling past Bella to wrap herself around my legs. I looked down at her head covered in bronze curls, and I picked her up in an instant, cradling her against my shoulder, my hand stroking her hair.

She was like a lifeline.

I could breathe.

I heard Bella asking Jacob to leave, and was vaguely aware of him complaining. She must have said something harsh, because he sulked out past the two of us and just to spite me, reached down and pinched Nessie's cheek. The growl at arose couldn't be stopped and it overflowed into my voice.

"LEAVE US, JACOB!" I snapped, clutching my daughter closer. "You will not come back for a long time if you know what's good for you!"

His eyes sparkled with suppressed mirth and he laughed at me. He even went as far as to wave is finger at me in a mocking manner, as if he was a teacher lecturing me at school.

"Oh, what's the matter, Pops? Upset that you have to have Nessie comfort you when you are upset, but that she actually gets her comfort from me?" He said, doubling over with laughter.

A game. He thought this was a game. Funny, because my idea of a game at the moment was ripping him limb from limb and feeding the pieces to Rosalie.

"It's not funny, Jacob! Get out of the house now! Do you have any idea what you are toying with?" Bella yelled, at his side instantly and shoving him towards the door. He slid into the wall by the door and left an imprint of his body; dust fell from the ceiling and the small cottage shook. Under any other circumstance, I would have been upset about the dent in our beautiful home, but at the moment, I simply commended Bella on her reflexive action.

Jacob pulled away from the wall and cracked his joints that were strained during the impact. Bella was surprised at herself, but the enjoyment could not be hidden from her features. She came to stand next to Renesmee and I, her hand gripping my elbow from the side.

"You don't make a very good wall decoration, Jacob." Bella said lightly.

Jacob scowled. He was not ready to joke anymore now that he had been embarrassed in front of his claimed soul mate that was turned in my arms, eyes wide. Jacob glanced at her and then over to Bella.

"What? I was just speaking the truth!" Jacob nearly shouted. "Nessie wants to see me. To be with me. She loves me. When are you two going to accept that?" He pointed to his chest with each reference to himself and it felt like bullets piercing my skin. Renesmee's hand reached my cheek while he was still speaking. She didn't like seeing Jacob angry. She didn't like when he yelled. Had she done something wrong again? I could feel the heat filling my icy skin at the back of my neck. The clash of temperatures created a white flash of rage before my vision.

I did not even think about holding back.

"Never." I stated, my voice low and commanding. "You want the real truth, mongrel? We will never accept you because you will never be good enough for our daughter. NEVER!"

The blood drained from Jacob's face, and Bella gasped softly. My body was shaking, but I did not regret my words. Jacob wanted honesty, so I gave it to him. Point blank. I knew I was right and it consumed me to the point that I could not even feel the wrongness of my words. I gave into the anger, and let it pull me to my knees on the floor. The door slammed, knocking more pieces of rock from the wall, and Jacob was gone.

When I came to my senses, I found myself sprawled against the wall next to Jacob's indention. Renesmee was straddling my lap, her head against my chest, and Bella was sitting on her knees to my right, her eyes rimmed with nonexistent tears. The look on her face was one that was able to weaken me more than any other.

Hurt.

I had hurt my wife and my daughter. I could not wrap my mind around how. It did not seem that loving them too much would cause hurt. But somehow I knew my actions had.

"Bella, I—"

"Shh. Don't say anything, Edward. Are you alright?" She pleaded with her eyes. "What can I do?" She faltered. "Actually, I-I don't know what to do…" She choked, her head falling. "I want to kill Jacob for how he acted too, but—but you…you scared me, Edward."

Her words were like knives twisting into my already aching, suffocating heart. I was speechless. I sat, mute on the floor and drew my eyes away from Bella, letting the misery take over. I'd spent the last two years fighting to keep Bella safe, and now I could not even protect my wife from myself.

"Daddy?" Renesmee's sweet, innocent voice cut through my dark musings.

"Y-yes?" It was hard to form the words on my lips.

"Is Jacob coming back?"

Breathe.

In. Out.

In. Out.

How to answer her? I did not know. I could not sense him around the house anywhere. Surely he would, but then again, if the words ringing in my head still were any indication, I'd pretty much turned him away forever and given him no hope of a relationship with my daughter.

"I don't know, darling." I said honestly. "And I'm sorrier than you will ever know if I had anything to do with that."

She looked at me curiously, as if she were judging my sincerity. Then she laid her head back on my chest. She didn't respond to my appology, and that hurt, but I felt I was becoming numb to the pain. I looked to Bella for support, and then remembered her biting words earlier.

"I'm so sorry, Bella. Can you please forgive me?"

She scooted closer to me and leaning against the wall as well. She didn't speak at first, and I knew she was choosing her words.

"Edward, we will work through this together. I love you." She finally said, and leaned in to kiss my temple. Her hand weaved into my own. I sighed, relishing in her love and forgiveness.

Once again, as in so many times before, she was keeping me grounded. I knew that if anything were to ever happen to her, that I would simply cease to exist. I could not go on living without her, we were one; she was my soul's counterpoint, and it was because of her that I knew that I had a soul. I felt whole for the first time in over a century when we first met. As I contemplated Bella's effect on my life, I realized, quite powerfully, that Bella was not the only reason for my living anymore. Then there was Renesmee, my child whom I loved the instant I heard her move and speak within Bella's abdomen. It was as if one was my sun and the other my moon. I could not function without either.

I would right this, and win my daughter's affection. Somehow...

So I guess I'm getting over anxious and posting chapters too often! Oh well, I have class starting tomorrow, so I won't be posting as often. Sorry! So what do you think so far? Thank you so much to the few reviewers I've had. I haven't written for my own pleasure in a long time, so I like to know how I'm doing. I've never understood why fanfiction authors always want reviews, but now I understand! It is inspiration! So please, please, please inspire me!! OH, and if you have any ideas about where you would like this to go, let me know. I have one of two possible roads to choose from. One involves a much longer story, and the other could be wrapped up in about two chapters. Just let me know!