Claire loved school when she was four years old and in kindergarten, but by the time she was nine, she had begun to resent it. Even though Quil helped her with her homework and saw her every single weekend, she still wished she didn't have to go to school. It had become monotonous and boring, and she only had a few friends, none of which she seemed able to relate to very well. Quil still remained her best friend overall. Katie had become quite the social butterfly, being fifteen. She looked more and more like their mother every day, while Claire looked like her father more than anything, still. Katie had also begun her rebellious phase, staying out too late and finding an interest in boys. Claire still thought boys were gross and would never date one, but she was becoming a pretty big fan of the Jonas Brothers. Claire still loved art, and was getting better and better every day. It wasn't just the imprint talking when Quil told her that her art was amazing- Jenna and Katie saw it, too. While most kids were drawing small landscapes and scribbly animals and cars and stick-people, Claire had begun to be able to draw pretty realistically, as well as abstract. Jenna and Quil both knew that she had a talent. Katie did, as well, until she lost interest in the guitar to take interest in chasing after boys with her friends. Katie still made jewelry, though- for the ears she pierced behind Jenna's back.

Speaking of kids growing up, the Cullen hybrid girl was growing up unbelievably fast. Literally unbelievable. She already looked Katie's age or a year older when she was younger than Claire. According to the doctor vamp, Carlisle, she only had a year left before she would be done aging forever. The girl almost frightened Quil with how smart and articulate she still was. She could already drive perfectly, as Edward had taught her.. and she was taking interest in boys as well. Not multiple boys or boys in general- one boy. Jacob, to be exact. Everyone could see the change in the past year- how she looked at him and he looked at her. Quil still couldn't even imagine seeing his little Claire in such a way- she was a little kid, still, and the very idea sickened him.

Of course, due to the imprint tie to the supernatural world, Claire was still allowed to see Renesmee. They still went to a bonfire every two months, and the little girl didn't really ask any questions about Renesmee's age. Quil and the others (aside from Sam, who had retired and given the title of alpha to Jacob, so he could raise Emily Young and his' son, and their expecting child) still didn't grow one inch since meeting. In five whole years, Claire saw zero change in any of the guys. She saw it as normal, but was already aware that it wasn't really 'normal' and that it couldn't be talked about. She was a smart kid, even though she didn't fully know about Quil and the pack's shape-shifting, or Renesmee and the Cullens being vampires. Jenna and Quil were still deciding a good time to tell her- they fiddled with the idea of when she was fourteen or fifteen, when she could understand and handle situations more clearly. They decided to cross that bridge when they came to it. Claire was still a very respectful yet adventurous and outgoing kid. She still looked so much like her father, Jenna would say. She had even showed Quil a photo of him for comparison. Claire had his light hazel eyes and medium-brown hair, but her mother's skin tone- a deep shade of russet tan. Katie was the one who had inherited the black hair, dark brown eyes, and the lighter natural tan. Katie cut her now-entirely-curly hair to her shoulders, a little shorter, even. Short hair did fit her better, Quil and Jenna both agreed. Claire liked her hair better long- she still liked the idea of long princess hair, even though she was beginning to dislike Disney and the more "baby-ish" things, as she called them. Her hair still had the long, dark brown waves that curled slightly at the ends, naturally. She liked to let her mom braid her hair like most of the other younger girls on the rez's elementary school.

Claire sat and did her spelling homework at the kitchen table, insisting that Quil let her do it herself that time, while Quil sat across from her. He watched the flickers of emotion on her face as she solved the puzzles on her paper- reading, confusion, deep thought, then understanding and pride as she would write her answers down. While she continued her homework in deep though, Quil thought of the last time he and Jacob had brought the girls to first beach, only that past weekend.

Quil and Jacob sat on one of the large pieces of driftwood, not far from the girls who were having fun playing with the small stones and sand by the shore of First Beach. Quil still couldn't get over how quickly the Cullen girl had grown in the past five years. She looked like she had to be at least fifteen years old, maybe even sixteen. Claire was only nine, and still looked her exact age. Renesmee still always had fun spending time with Claire, even though the girl was so much younger, physically and mentally. Renesmee wasn't allowed around the general public too much, unless they had traveled. If the people of Forks had seen Bella and Edward with a toddler one year, then with a pre-teen only three and a half years later, people would definitely be suspicious. Claire was one of the few humans she could interact with, and definitely the youngest. Of course, it was different between Renesmee and Jake at that point- things were changing in their relationship, they were seeing each other differently. Quil saw it in the way they looked at each other, especially the way Jake looked at Nessie. By that time, also, the girl was aware of the imprintation but, like most things, she understood it pretty well. Quil watched, almost amused, at the way he watched Renesmee with Claire. Quil was sure to speak just low enough for Renesmee to not hear.

"Your guys' relationship really is going that way, isn't it?" Jake seemed to almost beam with a smile at that. He nodded once, turning his attention from Nessie for a split moment.

"Yeah, I guess it is," he sighed, peacefully. "I never really expected this. I mean, I did but.." Quil put his hand on Jake's shoulder.

"S'alright, man. I know what you're trying to say." He certainly did. While Quil didn't have any thoughts or feelings even the slightest bit more than platonic for Claire Young, he knew that there was the possibility of that changing once she was much older, and he was seeing the same situation play out with Jake and Nessie, only much quicker. Jake never did expect such from Renesmee- that was the way it would always be. Of course he was developing romantic feelings for her when she had reached that age, but he never had the slightest expectation that she should feel the same. He would have supported her if she hadn't chosen him, if she didn't show any interest. She could marry another man one day and he would gladly be her best man and root for her all the way. That was how it was.

It was obvious, though, as Quil watched the two now-best-friends play by the shore, giggling and having a great time, how Nessie felt the same for Jake. Every time she glanced in Jake's direction, something in her face seemed.. brighter, calmer, and not in the way it always had. While Jake always had that effect on Nessie, it was different. It was just visible in her eyes how she felt for him.

The two shape-shifters didn't need to speak- they understood each other in silence at that point. The two were the only ones to imprint on young kids. It was nice, though, to know someone else who understood that the relationship between Quil and Claire was nothing more than platonic and almost sibling-like.

It was wonderful how Renesmee could actually show another human her gift at that point, too. Claire just loved Nessie's 'special pictures' as she had always called them. Nessie showed her beautiful things- all of the places she had gone, in vivid images.

As the two pack-mates watched the girls sorting through the different colored pebbles, they knew that things would be alright, calm, and peaceful for the first time. Few to no nomadic vampires had appeared even near Forks, unless invited previously by the Cullens. No negativity between the vampires and the wolves was present anymore. Truth be told, Quil was thankful Renesmee was born- her existence alone solved a lot of problems between the pack and the Cullens.

That, and Claire had a true best friend.

"I'm done! You can check it over now!" Claire's soft voice broke through Quil's memory. Of course, when he checked her answers- as always- they were all correct.

((Thanks for reading, everyone! I wanted sort of a "filler" chapter to catch everyone up to some of the main things that had happened in the five-year time-skip. Any tips or reviews are, as always, greatly appreciated!))