Inevitability
2
Wren's Point of View
I didn't ever want to let him go; he was too perfect. I knew that my parents were going to be mad at me – Edward especially. He didn't seem to like Jacob too much – respect him, yes, but not like.
I knew that we would have to leave Forks soon. Charlie had died of a heart attack, and I hadn't seen my human grandmother since before the Volturi invasion, so the only people that my family had to convince were the regular inhabitants of Forks. Experimenting with makeup that made them look older had worked wonders, and it was the only reason that we had been able to stay so far. I didn't really want to ever leave; it was the only place I'd ever known. It was as much a part of me as my family and my love, but being eternally seventeen would make people ask questions.
Though I was physically seventeen and therefore theoretically able to take care of myself, they still treated me like a ten year old. I was ten though, and they were my parents, so their fears were not groundless. Bella had been far more accepting of this than Edward. I wondered what being pregnant with a half-vampire would have been like. Whenever I had brought up the subject, my father had looked away and refused to speak. But he looked like he was burning. I knew enough to have learnt that I had almost killed both me and my mother, and that it had been a very difficult time for the whole family. I refused to feel guilty over what I couldn't control, though. I was simply very glad to be alive.
At this thought, I looked up to the love of my life. He had explained imprinting to me when I was very young, and I understood completely. I had been a little dubious at first – would it be awkward, or one-sided? – but my heart felt like there had always been a place there for someone, and Jacob fit perfectly. I smiled and leaned further into his warm chest, which was such a welcome change from the iciness of my other family. I listened to the regular beating of his heart, and the blood rushing through his veins, strong and steady. Once I had stopped growing when I was seven, I had stopped drinking human blood and adopted the diet of my family. I had no trouble resisting humans, and I could pull off eating human food, though it wasn't nearly as appetizing as deer or mountain lion – my favorite.
I heard the soft rhythm of approaching footsteps and sat up, running to the door to greet my uncle. I had long ago recognized the differences between my family's footsteps. Seeing him run forward, I pounced on him, tackling him to the ground. He rolled us over so that I was pinned beneath him, and I was abruptly reminded of earlier this afternoon, when I had been in a similar position, but with someone entirely different. The thought made me blush, and Emmett – being annoyingly observant sometimes – caught it.
"Why so Bella, squirt?" That was his phrase for me, despite the fact that Bella hadn't blushed for ten years. His photographic memory had remembered the act perfectly, so in his opinion it was like she still did it.
"Stuff it, Em." I pushed him off of me, rolling onto my feet. I smirked at him as he was getting up and pushed him again, and sent him sprawling into the grass again. I laughed as the breath left him with a whoosh, though he didn't need to breathe. I saw the familiar signs that a fight was starting, so I rushed to Jacob, who was watching the proceedings with amusement. I kissed him on the cheek, breathing a silent goodbye, and took off into the forest. I heard Emmett behind me, and pushed ahead further, using the gift of speed that my father had so graciously given me to inherit. He fell behind, but only a little and I knew that he would be able to pounce on me as soon as I was in open country. I laughed, and ran faster.
I headed towards the house, hearing Esme in the kitchen and Edward in the front room, at his piano. I grinned, and gave one last final effort to get through the giant front lawn before Emmett. Running into the house, I quickly crashed into my father, who had stood up, probably hearing my thoughts. I got behind him and crouched, suddenly fighting the urge to giggle.
"Daddy! Save me!" I saw him cock his head to the side, listening to Emmett, and chuckle, his eyes lighting up. He kissed me on the forehead, mussing my hair affectionately.
"Sure thing, Angel." He ran from the house, and I heard their voices – playful – outside, goading each other on. It was nice to hear my father so lighthearted. He was still paranoid about the Volturi, and hardly ever had fun anymore, that I could remember. I walked to the front door, leaning against the frame and watching the two now-fighting brothers with a slight smile.
"What happened this time?" The woman – my mother – came up behind me, her topaz eyes alight with her smile. I returned the grin.
"Emmett was stalking me so I asked for a savior." I nodded towards the fighting figure of my father as he circled and tackled my uncle from behind, pinning him, only to be overcome seconds later by Emmett's superior strength. "He wouldn't be able to do squat if he couldn't hear Emmett's thoughts."
"You know…" Bella began softly, smiling slyly. "That can be arranged."
I nodded eagerly. "Do it, go on."
I saw her grin, and then focus her eyes on Emmett. Edward suddenly faltered, a confused look coming over his face. His head snapped to Bella and I, standing in the doorway with identical sly grins, and he rolled his eyes, before suddenly snapping back to the fight as Emmett charged him. He dodged, but only just. Without anticipating Emmett's movement, he had no idea what to do to leave unscathed. Of course, his speed still made him one hell of a match, but it was more even now.
"Now give him only your thoughts."
Bella turned to me, her head turned to one side, her eyes questioning. "Why would you want me to do that?"
I grinned. "Because he can barely concentrate when you do." I still remembered vividly when she had opened her mind to him in front of me, because I was curious as to what it was like. He had very nearly jumped her right then. He had ordered her through gritted teeth to get the bedroom as soon as she could. They didn't leave the room for days. "And taunt the hell out of him."
Her eyes widened, and then she grinned. "Okay, but I cannot be responsible for his actions."
I laughed. "Go for it."
I looked back to the brothers, and saw that Edward kept glancing at me and Bella nervously, his fists clenching and unclenching. It occurred to me that he would have read my plan in my mind, and knew what was coming. A slight nod from him confirmed that my theory was correct. Oh, this was going to be good.
It was immediately apparent when Bella opened her mind to him. Whatever she was thinking must have been good, because he fell to his knees, groaning. I grinned as his breathing became irregular, and his reactions were slower, his punches easier to dodge. Emmett grinned, sensing weakness and easy victory, and quickly threw him against a tree, which bent under the blow. Edward staggered to his feet, oddly bent over, and I hid my smile. He looked like he was in pain. Poor guy; I kind of understood that look in Jacob's eyes now.
Suddenly, all of the hesitance was gone. His eyes snapped to me as he straightened. Oh shit. Um…think of something else. But of course, whenever you try your hardest not to think of something, it is the first thing that springs to mind. I tried to cover up the mental image with the one of the first time I had seen him, in his arms as a baby. His expression immediately softened, but his eyes were hard. He had already seen it. I was in deep shit now.
"Emmet stop, you win." Emmett, seeing that Edward wasn't putting up a fight, had gone in for the final blow. He stopped short at the words, wondering if it was some kind of trick, no doubt, but Edward started walking towards me and Bella. He was kind of scaring me, actually. He looked absolutely furious. His eyes were almost black, and he was picking up speed as he came towards me. I wanted to run, but I was fixed in place by his glare. I heard my mother asking him what was wrong, but he refused to answer. He kept walking towards me until I started backing up, my hands up in front of me in defense. I took a step back for every step forward, passing Jasper in the living room, who looked up questioningly, no doubt sensing my dad's anger and my fear. He stood up and joined Bella, who was trailing behind Edward as he continued to back me into a corner. I felt my back hit wall and stopped, though I could have broken it down. Then Esme would have wanted to kill me. I braced myself for my father's fury.
He didn't say anything for an agonizingly long time, but I could tell that he was trying to calm himself down, so that he wouldn't kill something. Me, most likely. Or maybe Jacob. New fear – fear for my love – washed over me. Edward growled and I tried pressing myself further against the wall. He was still reading my mind? Damn it, I can't help what I think.
Finally, he spoke, but it was through clenched teeth. "Would you mind explaining to me what that was about?"
"Um…" I had no idea how to answer without upsetting him more. I knew he already had suspicions, but hoped that he only thought…I didn't know what I wanted him to think.
"Answer me, damn it!" Bella's hand shot forward, to his shoulder, but he shook her touch off. I could feel Jasper trying to pump calm into the room, and obviously failing. My father was unreachable right now.
"I don't know how!" I cried, his stare becoming too much for me. I felt like I was going to explode under the force of his intense glare.
"When did that happen?" I knew what he meant, but it wasn't what really happened – he only knew of the predatory, lustful stares that Jacob had given me, nothing else. Hopefully.
"Good god, there's more? What did that dog do to you?" He shook me by the shoulders, making my neck hurt. Words to explain wouldn't come. "Renesmee, you have three seconds to answer me before I go down to La Push and beat the answer out of him!"
It was obvious to Bella and Jasper who he was talking about now. I could almost see the little wires coming together in their heads. When Bella's eyes looked back to me and Edward, they were suspicious. Jasper was simply curious.
Edward was still shaking me. I didn't know what to do. I couldn't speak; words wouldn't make it out of my mouth, but I couldn't have him going down and hurting Jacob, it wasn't his fault. I had let him…Devoid of any other option; I touched my hand to his cheek and showed him everything that had happened that morning. Tears began to slide down my cheeks as his expressions changed during the different courses of the day. I had hoped that seeing that I had given Jacob permission would pacify him – no such luck. His final expression was one of absolute fury. He snarled so loudly, turning around, that I whimpered in fright. He took off through the front door. Without thinking, I followed, shouting for him to stop. Bella followed behind, with Jasper, but the only one who could keep up with my father was me, and even then it was a stretch.
"Dad, please, calm down," I said to him desperately. 'Please don't hurt him.'
"What would you have me do, Renesmee?" Wow, he must be really mad, using my full name. "Of course I'm mad! That dog…What the hell were you thinking?"
"I was thinking that I loved him, and he loved me. What's so wrong with that?"
"I can think of several reasons. Namely, you're only ten!"
"You'd be reacting the exact same way if I was one hundred!"
"Exactly, because as a parent I have a right to do that. Renesmee, I trusted that mutt to take care of you when I couldn't, and he does this! How would you react if this was your child?" I opened my mouth to respond, but he cut me off. "Don't answer that. I know what you would say, but the thing is, you don't know. I didn't think that Charlie was overreacting at all with anything I did with Bella, because I deserved it. This dog has done nothing to earn the right to be with you."
"Don't act so high and mighty! I seem to recall that you once begged him to impregnate your own wife, so that she would give up me!" He winced, and I knew that I had made a low blow, but I didn't care. "You were going to let me die, so you could save her, and you would let Jacob do that. If anything, you haven't earned the right to be my father!"
He growled loudly, glaring at me. "Be careful what you say, Renesmee." He was slowing to a stop. I joined him.
"No," I said stubbornly, mentally preparing myself. "You can't blame him for anything, because an act like that takes two, alright? I wanted him to make love to me, and I knew exactly what the consequences were."
"He could have hurt you."
"No more than you could have hurt mother."
His eyes at once went from anger to agony. "But don't you understand, damn it? I did hurt her!" I blinked; this was new. "I hurt her so badly, again and again. I left her, and then came back when she rescued me from myself. She welcomed me and continued to love me, as much as I didn't deserve it! She endured being hunted by sadistic vampires multiple times, never coming away unscathed. When…when we made you…I hurt her so badly, and I didn't even realize that I was doing it until it was too late. I don't want that to happen to you. You don't realize how close you could have come…How close I could have come to losing you. Renesmee, I don't think you understand how much of a miracle you are. How much I love you and your mother. If something happened to either of you, I wouldn't be able to live with myself, if I could have prevented it." He was starting to get angry again, the thought of someone harming us wrapping his mind in a red haze. "And I could have prevented this. I shouldn't have trusted that dog, and now he will pay for it!" He took off running again.
"Dad, stop!" I made to run after him again, but arms around my torso stopped me. I kicked out against my attacker, but the stone arms remained strong and unmoving. Damn the human side of me; I was much weaker than a regular vampire, yet much stronger than a human. "Let me do, damn it!"
"Sorry squirt, no can do, mother's orders." I growled and kicked out harder. "Stop squirming; you'll hurt yourself."
"Emmet. Let me go. Now!"
"Nope."
"Emmett!"
Jacob's Point of View
I heard the leech coming before I saw him, and quickly fazed to a wolf. I knew that he would be angry, and I wanted to be ready.
I didn't have to wait long. Before I really knew what was happening, I was thrown against a boulder. I whined as my shoulder cracked, but shook it off. I looked up to see the mind-reading leech coming towards me, murder in his eyes. I stood, growling a little but staying non-aggressive. I had done nothing wrong.
"Ha! Did nothing wrong. I don't think you understand what exactly you did do! What the hell were you thinking in the mutt mind of yours?"
I growled a little again. 'I was being with my imprint.'
"I'll say. You stupid mutt! What gave you the right to sleep with my daughter?"
'She is my imprint, and she loves me.'
"That's exactly what she said. Is everyone on drugs around here? You could have hurt her, you could have killed her!"
'So could you have, but you didn't.' He knew that I was talking about Bella.
"She's only ten you pervert!"
'And you're only seventeen, right?' I thought sarcastically.
That made him pause. His fists were clenching and unclenching at his sides. I could tell it took him all he had not to attack me. I sat down on my haunches, waiting patiently.
'Where is she now?'
"With her mother."
I nodded. Bella would keep a level head about this.
"Don't count on that."
I snickered, picturing when Bella had first wanted to kick my ass when I imprinted. Edward smiled a little too, seeing the image in my mind. I sensed an opportunity for peace.
'I would never hurt her.'
"I know. But so help me God if you've impregnated her…"
Shit. I looked down, not wanting to meet his gaze, but he read my thoughts. Stupid leech power.
"You what?!"
I whined; I really did regret that. 'Please don't kill me. She went into heat…so chances are that she is pregnant. It wasn't my fault. It was like you and that singer thing. I couldn't resist.'
"I resisted!"
'Well I haven't had hundred years' practice, alright?' He growled, and I whined again. 'You don't want to kill the father of your grandchildren.'
That was most definitely the worst thing that I could have possibly said. He snarled and leapt forward, his arms around my throat. I tried to get him off, locking my teeth into his arm and pulling him away, but he just came back twice as quickly as I could react. Damn; anger made leeches fast! I couldn't keep up with his movements, only the various wounds that he was inflicting upon me. I didn't want to fight back, but I began to have to, if only to stay alive. He was merciless with his punches. Several bones were snapped and I think that I was bleeding, and the liquid was matting in my fur. I couldn't faze back now; the blood loss would knock me out. He smirked, his black eyes seeing the weakness and increasing weariness in me. He grabbed my foreleg and threw me into a boulder. I didn't get up. I couldn't. He might as well kill me now; I had no fight in with me. The wolf side of me urged me to continue, but I simply couldn't. My body felt numb; disconnected from my mind. I opened one eye – wincing – and saw that he had remained standing where he had thrown me, over fifty feet away. I whined, sure he was going to finish me off now, but he didn't move. He wasn't even looking at me. He actually looked like he was in pain.
After a while he snapped out of it, and looked over to me. He was still angry, that much was clear, but seemed…resigned? Maybe.
"Accepting would be more of a proper term. I'll leave you alive, wolf, but only because I know what it's like to lose someone you love, and I would never inflict that upon my daughter. Do you need Carlisle?"
I growled. I didn't want any leech near me right now. I just wanted Wren.
He nodded. "I'll send her over. Goodbye, Jacob." He shook his head as he walked into the trees, muttering to himself. He didn't look happy, but at least he hadn't killed me. Good thing, right?
Wrong. I was in agony. My body had reconnected with my brain, and now I was in pain. Like serious stuff. At least he hadn't damaged any major organs. Well, nothing that wouldn't heal after a few hours. I heard a set of footsteps approaching, and cocked an ear towards them. Wren. I heaved a sigh, already feeling the weird sensation of my bones getting put back together. I closed my eyes.
When I heard her gasp, I opened one again. She was standing where her father had disappeared, and in a second was by my side. She sank to her knees by my side, looking over the damage. Her hand came forward, stroking my head; the one place that Edward hadn't damaged too badly. I whined pathetically, devoid of anything else to do but lie here until I was healed enough to walk. I heard her
sobbing, and tried to console her, but I couldn't. I barked softly to catch her attention, and then licked her hand. She giggled, but she was still crying. I whined and licked her hand again.
"Okay, Jake, okay." She smiled genuinely, and I returned it with a wolf grin. She giggled again. I wagged my tail twice, ignoring the pain that the action brought. She lay down by my head, still stroking the fur above my eyes, and I lay there with her, my head on my front paws. I was content like this, despite having taken a huge beating from her father moments before. It was alright as long as Wren was here. I supposed that I could feel where Edward had been coming from; I wouldn't like the thought of my former mortal enemy sleeping with my ten-year-old daughter. But she was different, we all knew that. I sighed, my brain too tired to bother with affairs such as these, and drifted off into sleep.
Author's Note: Behold the second chapter! I'm sorry if I upset anyone with…well anything. Edward's a bit more complex than I wanted in some places, and too accepting in others. I'm actually considering a rewrite. You'll know if I do. I don't really know. And I want to get right ahead to the birth, because I want to focus on the kids, not the parents. Love and Review!
HigherMagic x
