Chapter 2

Jacob's POV

Oh holy mother… I couldn't help slapping myself inside when I saw my adorable, beautiful, sweetest Nessie approaching the main house through the living room window… with Bella and Edward right behind her. I knew it'd been a bad, bad idea to let her try to sneak out from that vicious vampire's scrutinizing sight. It was so unlikely that she'd be able to do it successfully. But I, weak thing that I was, couldn't deny her anything, and she had nearly begged me to let her do it her way. At least she didn't seem worried. As a matter of fact, her heavenly, perfect heart-shaped face glowed with obvious glee. I couldn't help grinning back at her, ignoring Edward's murderous glare. And I had thought the years had made us get along. Yeah, right. Stupid, faking leech. He rolled his eyes at my thoughts.

"This is gonna be good," Emmett snickered behind me, clapping his hands together. I glowered at him, making him laugh his loud, obnoxious laugh. Blondie was at his side suddenly, smirking. Tinkerbell was smiling, a smug expression on her face. Go figure. Jasper flipped through the sports channels idly, occasionally pulling her closer to him on his lap.

"Don't panic, Jake," Alice told me off-handedly.

"Why would I have to panic?" I asked calmly, though I secretly knew I was so close to falling into hysterics.

"Oh, please, Jake. With the way Edward's glaring at you, I'm surprised you're not already in pieces on the floor."

"Oh, so now you read minds too?" I asked sarcastically, faking horror. "Anyway, it's not like I'm not used to it, after all."

"I hope he kills you soon," Rosalie commented, smiling to herself at the thought.

"Blondie, why don't you run along to the dining room?" I suggested. "I left you a paper on the table that says 'Please Turn Over' on both sides. That ought to keep you busy for a couple of hours." Emmett and Alice laughed. Even Jasper chuckled.

"We'll see who gets the last laugh here, Fido," she snorted, glaring at me.

I didn't have time to answer because the next second door opened, and my Nessie ran through the door and instantly locked her legs around my waist and secured her arms around my neck. She was so tiny, compared to my almost seven foot frame. So delicate. And God, did she smell like heaven. If there was one, it had to be as beautiful as she was, as soft as she felt, and smell as sweet as she did, I thought as I hugged her.

"Hey you," she greeted, grinning madly at me.

"Hey you," I whispered, kissing her sweet-scented, impossibly shiny bronze waves.

"I missed you, Jake," she confessed, her huge, bright brown eyes all over my face, her smile wide and warm. I had been away for a couple of days. A very long couple of days.

"Missed you even more, believe me," I laughed. She would never understand how true that was.

Someone cleared their throat loudly. Oh right. I was so easily distracted with the sight of my sweet Nessie that I had forgotten her charming progenitor was with us. Nessie didn't seem to notice, or she was simply ignoring him, burying her face in my neck.

"Can I have a word with you, Jacob?" Edward asked as politely as he could manage. I almost laughed, if his piercing eyes didn't almost leave me frozen. "Privately," he added, looking at the others. They seemed to expect an epic battle between us, as they all stood still like statues, no one breathing, eyes darting from him to me and from me to him.

"Sure, sure."

"Are you going to kick his sorry ass?" Emmett asked eagerly. Bella slapped his arm. "Not that I have anything against you, Jake, but it'd still be fun to watch. I just get so bored these days."

"Uncle Emmett!" Nessie growled.

Emmett frowned. He hated Nessie to call him "uncle", especially now that she was matured. He thought it'd make him look old—as if he wasn't over eighty or something already. But Emmett only turned to face the TV when Edward directed his glare in his direction. I was still able to hear him snickering from the couch, though. Whatever. I could kick Edward's ass any time of the day.

"You wish you could," Edward commented, trying to keep his cool.

"Sorry, Edward. Can't help it," I laughed. He sighed.

"Follow me. Everyone else, stay," he ordered. I felt Nessie squeeze me tighter. It was getting kind of difficult to articulate decent thoughts with her warm, soft body that close. Edward snarled.

"Nessie, would you mind…?" I asked half-heartedly. "Not that I mind at all but…" I pointed at Edward and cleared my throat. "It'll be just a moment, okay?"

She nodded and I helped her down. She glowered at her father.

"Yes, I will try to bring him back in one piece," he promised. I smiled reassuringly at Nessie, ruffling her hair.

"Edward, be nice," Bella warned him.

He started walking swiftly outside, and I followed. I kept up without effort thanks to my long strides and great physical condition. Why the hastiness anyway? He stopped at the riverside and turned around to look at me, arms closed around his chest.

"So, Edward…"

"Look, Jacob, I'll make it quick and easy."

I couldn't help wondering if he was talking about my death. He snorted.

"However unfortunate, no," he answered my unspoken thought, "but what I'm talking about is my rules. The rules you will follow if you want to date Nessie for any extended period of time. Real simple. You make sure nothing whatsoever happens to her, that she's safe—although that's something to be concerned about with you and your juvenile hormones around her… I don't care if you have to put yourself in front of a train, or get hit by an eighteen wheeler…"

"Edward, you know perfectly well that I…" I started seriously, but he interrupted me.

"Ah, I'm not done yet," he started pacing now. "I don't want to see any sort of public display of affection initiated by you if, God help me, it comes to that. She will always be home no later than 11. On weekends. You will be in public places at all times when alone, and don't you dare take her out of town limits without my express consent. We must always know where you're going. You will always pick her up and leave her inside the house. On weekdays you're allowed to visit only until 10:30. A responsible adult, meaning not Alice and definitely not Emmett, needs to be in the house. The bedroom door must always be open…"

"Should I be writing all this down, sir?" I asked sarcastically. Edward whacked me on the head. I cussed loudly and rubbed the quickly growing lump. I heard Emmett's booming laugh coming from inside. Did he forget he's made out of stone? "What is your problem, Edward?"

"You keep interrupting," he explained calmly.

"Because you're being ridiculous, you idiot! You do realize that, right?" I exploded. "You know better than anyone that I… adore Renesmee, that I respect her, and that I care about her and her overall wellbeing more than my own life! I don't have a choice. So give it a rest, and stop lecturing me."

He looked at me seriously, and finally nodded.

"One last thing."

"Hold on, lemme grab another box of pencils," I rolled my eyes. He chuckled quietly.

"I would simply like to remind you that you're free to take any of the cars whenever you need them."

"Oh. How thoughtful of you. But you know I'm more of a bike dude."

Edward grinned, and briefly patted me in the back.

"Yeah. You know, it's not personal, Jake. She's my baby girl, so I don't have a choice, either."

"I totally get your point." So that meant… "So those rules…"

"No."

"Just thought I'd ask," I shrugged.

"If you want to go out with her, you better follow them, get it?" He stated seriously, pointing at me. "And don't even think about getting married for now!"

I chuckled. "Dude, it's not like that… Yet." He turned around and grabbed me by the shirt in half a second.

"Edward, stop harassing him!" Bella hissed, appearing out of nowhere, separating us.

"You really need to chill," I agreed with feigned annoyance, shaking my shirt, when he released me.

"Renesmee!" Bella called.

"Yeah, Mom?" Renesmee grinned brilliantly as she stepped gracefully in front of us.

"You and Jake should go now, sweetheart," Bella pressed, shoving us towards the spot where I had my brand new, shiny, black Suzuki B-King stationed.

Of course, I had finished high school and later majored in Mechanical Engineering. That's a small price to pay if you want to keep up with the Cullen's heiress. Not that it was a pain. Engines were my second greatest passion, after Nessie, obviously; however, it did suck to not be with Nessie every day. I had been in serious withdrawal and had so much anxiety about something happenning to her, or that something awesome happened and I was not there to share it with her. Edward snarled, but cut it out when Bella glowered at him.

"Don't drive too fast, Jake," Bella said, eyeing my bike warily.

"Don't worry yourself over anything, Bells," I grinned impishly.

"11 o' clock, Jacob!" Edward said menacingly.

"Yeah, yeah, I got it," I muttered, taking Nessie's hand.

"No PDA, Jake!" Emmett bellowed from the main house's front door. "I trust you will keep Edward's only sweet, loving child's dignity intact!" Blondie smacked him in the arm. They all watched as Nessie and I put on our gear. I helped her up and then jumped on myself.

"Ready?" I asked her.

"Never been more ready in my life," she laughed, hugging my waist.

"There was supposed to be blood." I heard Blondie whine, clearly disappointed. I smiled to Nessie and kicked the bike to life, lifting the dust as we took off.