2) TIRED

I was greeted by quick chattering as I marched up the stairs to the white mansion… well that's how I liked to think of it because it was ridiculously immense.

"Renesmee!"

Warm hands circled me and pulled me in for a warmer embrace.

"Hey, kiddo. Hope they're looking after you well," Grandpa Charlie said to me.

I smiled at him and placed a kiss on his cheek. "They're treating me perfectly."

He smiled back at me and waved his hand across my face briefly. "Good to know. Jacob," Grandpa nodded towards him when he followed me through the door.

"Hi, Charlie. Being treated well?" Jake reached his hand out to shake Grandpa Charlie's, who refused and pulled him into a hug to. I laughed when Jake almost stumbled on Grandpa Charlie from the brief moment of surprise.

When Grandpa Charlie released Jake and turned around, Jake moved back to stand beside me.

His hand shot out to wrap me in a headlock and he turned his body in front of me so he could hold me better. Still giggling, I tried to rip his hand away to no avail, so I punched his chest. Of course, he hardly noticed this and started rubbing his fist into my head.

"Le' me go, Jacob!" I tittered.

His hands loosened and repositioned themselves so they had wrapped around my body and pulled me up to his level, my feet dangling a few feet above the ground.

He smiled at me so innocently, so I sighed.

"Love ya," he smiled, swinging us side to side gently.

"You can be so irritating at times," I flicked him on the nose and he snapped at my finger, "but I love you, too." I rested my hand on his cheek and used it as leverage, pulling myself in to give him a kiss on the cheek. He knew what was coming, whether from tendency or seeing my thought, so he turned his head for me and squeezed me tighter.

I let my chin drop to rest on Jacob's shoulder and closed my eyes, holding him loosely around the neck.

"Dinner's up!" Grandma Esme called from the kitchen.

I felt Jake starting to walk but couldn't find the energy to pull my head up or ask him to put me down, so I just stayed where I was. He adjusted me in his arms, cradling me against his chest as he moved to sit down. I tightened my grip on him when he bent, snuggling closer to his warm chest once he was seated and didn't even think about moving.

As he ate, one arm rested behind my back to stop me tumbling over backwards, and the other arm rested across my legs between mouthfuls. Many conversations were chirping around me, and I wasn't bothered about keeping up with any one of them.

I registered Jacob leaning back a little once he had finished eating and pulled me closer against him. His arm that was resting behind my back reaching to the table now fastened itself around my body and held my waist, pressing me in. His other arm rested beneath my knees, holding them still so I wouldn't move. One of my hands had fallen down to rest on his chest while the other hung slackly on his shoulder.

Jakes warm fingers tenderly stroked my side and the base of my thigh where he could reach while he rested his cheek on my head and brushed soft kisses through my hair to which my father very politely told him not to otherwise he would rip his hands off. My Jacob of course laughed it off and said to try it. That's when Mom intervened and told Dad to leave Jacob and me alone; I felt a swell of gratitude and love for her then and Daddy reconciled with a little "humph".

Jacob would occasionally reply to questions or comments and give his opinion n a few conversations, but when he did he didn't sound alert so they very rarely spoke to him. Well besides Aunt Rose who kept complaining about how dogs should be left out side and tied there so they didn't get the floor mucky. Jake very wittily replied a few bug spray jokes and how they don't work no matter how much you replace them with her perfume bottles.

"Maybe we should take Renesmee back to the cottage to sleep," my dad whispered to Jacob.

I felt Dads cool hand meet my arm and Jacob rise swiftly in the same second. Dad huffed loudly and I felt the air budge as he stepped closer.

"Give her to me, Jacob," he ordered coolly.

Jakes arms squeezed me closer still and one of his warm hands pressed my face into his neck.

"Just give her to me, Jacob." Dad was starting to loose his patience, and I recorded his hand closing around my arm.

I pulled my arm from his hand and shoved it between Jakes chest and my body.

I forced my eyes open and stared at my dad, frowning as much as my tired muscles would allow.

Just let him, Dad. Please, I thought to him.

Dad's eyes lost brightness, and he nodded solemnly. "Make sure you take her straight home, Jacob."

He turned his back on us and walked into Mom's arms. They starting whispering and Mom rubbed his cheek and smiled lightly.

"See ya, kiddo," Grandpa Charlie said softly as he pressed a kiss to my cheek and found one of my hands to give a brief squeeze to. I smiled back at him and wished him a safe trip home and told him I loved him.

I cast my eyes up to Jakes face and pressed a hand to his neck, showing him what I wanted. He had met my eyes at my touch and nodded, turning to walk out the front door.

As soon as we cleared the forest lining the yard, my body dejected further into Jakes arms. He walked through forest, holding me close while he hummed softly under his breath and reached our cottage in no time.

I felt him shift his arms under me until he had cradled me in one so that he could open the door. It clicked shut mutely behind us and he tramped forward again with me still held in one arm. My eyes fluttered open as he pushed my bedroom door open and carried me over to my bed. Ah, bed… so soft and cushiony.

Jacob braced a knee against the edge of my bed as he leant forward and supported my body until I had been laid down. I wriggled and pulled my knees up to my chest, curling my hands under my chin and burrowing my nose into my pillow.

Jake stroked a hand across my cheek and pulled the covers over me. Brushing the hair out of my face, he stood straight again, taking his knee of the edge of the bed and I heard his footsteps trail to the door.

"Jacob," I mumbled, reaching a hand out and turning my head. "Don't go. Stay."

He sighed quietly and retraced his steps to the bed, this time climbing onto it and laying on his back beside me. I turned and cuddled into him, wrapping an arm around his waist, draping a leg over his and pulling myself up to rest my head on his shoulder. Jake reached around me with his opposite arm and pulled at my waist, lifting me up enough to extend his arm under me and set it across my back.

This was better; I could get closer.

I listened to his breathing and his heart while they chanted me to sleep. It was peaceful, nothing could ever touch me or worry me with Jacob so close to me. His hand traced incoherent patterns on my back, the heat seeping through my cotton shirt to my skin, and it felt utterly wonderful. He would never know what he meant to me, or how he made me feel.

*** — *** — ***

It was dark, pitch black, and I couldn't see where I was running. All I know is that I was running, away from something; my footsteps were too frantic to be running towards something. They wanted space, distance, and they would keep pushing until we won.

Or until we lost.

My body shot upwards into a sitting position, legs spread directly in front of me, hands either side of my seat and my lungs toiling to pull oxygen from around me. My heart was beating way to fast, besides the norm, and my body was shaking rapidly.

A shaky breath escaped my lips as I turned to look at Jacob, sleeping soundly shirtless beside me. I had to know he was really there. I reached out a craving hand and laid it on his chest. His breathing altered and Jake twitched his hand as he turned his head in my direction and opened his eyes.

He seemed lost for a moment, his eyes distant and wondering, but then they changed vigilant and his hands wrapped around my shoulders as his body moved to sit up.

Holding me in front off him and searching my face, he asked, "What's the matter? Are you hurt? Are you okay? What happened?" he was worried, his voice splintering all over the place and his eyes never resting from their investigation.

My brows furrowed, Jacob must have been worried because his hands were a little too tight on my shoulders; it's not like I didn't notice but more like I didn't care. He was here, he was safe. And he was in my arms reach.

Without a second contemplation, I willed my arms forward and locked them around his waist. He inhaled and enclosed me in his, bowing his head to rest his on my hair.

"What's wrong, Nessie?" His warm voice whispered into my hair.

I shook my head, setting my face deeper into his chest and griping at his uncovered back. Jake's arms lifted me into his lap before he began massaging a hand up and down my back, rocking us quietly. I bit my lip and moved my head up a bit to press my nose into his collarbone and relaxed my hands, pressing them against the back of his shoulders.

"I was running," I choked.

He stopped massaging my back and rocking, drawing back to look at my face carefully. "From what?"

My teeth pierced down on my lip, along with anxious tears surging in my eyes. I shook my head, willing them away and breathed an "I don't know. I was just…" I shook my head again and leant forward until I rested my forehead on his chest.

I heard him swallow and moved with him as he joggled back to lean against the bed head, still cradling me caringly in his hot arms.

"I'm here, honey," though he was whispering in my ear, I could barely hear him; his declaration was so imperceptible. "I'm here for you, and nothing will ever hurt you."

Jacob pulled back and kissed my hair, my cheek and my neck. My eyes flickered closed and I traced my fingers against the exposed skin over his back. His arms constricted around me further, urging me to him, so I complied. Just about every inch of our bodies were touching and I felt much safer. So much more protected.

He rested his cheek on my shoulder, pressing his snout into my jaw.

"I know, Jake," I shuffled my head so that my nose was sweeping his cheek affectionately. "I know that. I believe that. I trust you, and I have no doubt that you will always be here for me. You always have been Jacob, forever so far."

I bit my lip again as he whispered "I will always be here for you, Nessie. Forever," and pushed his warm lips to my cheek, cuddling me a little and a lot closer.