Disclaimer: Twilight is the creation and property of Stephenie Meyer. This fanfiction is nothing more than an homage to her series of books, which most of us wish never had to end. Any references to plot devices/characters/etc. used in Twilight, New Moon, Eclipse, Breaking Dawn, or the draft of Midnight Sun belong exclusively to Stephenie Meyer. And while not stolen from The 10th Kingdom, definitely inspired by. I also do not own The 10th Kingdom and do owe thanks to them for the idea in this chapter.

Author's Note: Thank you to aPPle-FrrEAk, Sk8rChick2355, Sabs7, mortitia3, giggles10210, PeaceLoveCullen, Hollibell, PrincessxofxthexAsylum, odwala, Isabellayelsky, Maddy, polyphany, hannirose, Bunch-o-Nuts, LizzieAliceCullen for the reviews. If you've been reading this story and haven't left a review, I hope you will. I appreciate hearing your thoughts about the direction of this story. Questions, etc. are addressed at end of chapter.

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"It couldn't have been that bad."

"It was. It was completely humiliating."

"So it was a weird first day. It'll get better."

"I really doubt it. My parents aren't going to stop being vampires anytime soon. They're not going to stop being the prettiest, smartest, palest people in school. My dad's not going to stop reading people's minds or reciting random poetry that no one should remember."

Jacob Black stretched a tanned, sinewy arm across the back of the porch swing, his face all grins, "Aw, did Nessie-Wessie have a bad day?"

Renesmee scooted out of his reach, "I'm being serious, Jacob."

"I know you are but…"

"But what?"

"You're honestly telling me nothing good happened today?"

She shrugged.

"C'mon," Jacob nudged her, the teasing voice returning, "Nothing good, Nessie?"

Renesmee sighed, "Well, kind of."

"Yeah? Go on."

"A couple of girls in my gym class were pretty cool, I guess. They asked me to be on their team."

"See?" Jacob smiled, his dimples appearing, "You have friends already!"

Rosalie came out onto the wrap-around porch, her nose wrinkling, her eyebrows furrowed in disgust, "Renesmee, why don't you take Jacob for a walk? He's stinking up the whole front room."

"You know, Rosie, you'd think after all these years, you'd be used to me by now."

"You'd think," her voice dripped with sarcasm.

Renesmee stood up and stretched, "Mom, Dad! I'm going out!"

"Out? Out where?" Bella's voice came from the upstairs landing.

"Just going for a walk."

"That sounds nice," Esme commented, her sweet face eyeing a vaseful of calla lilies.

"Be back before dark, sweetheart." Edward called absent-mindedly from the parlor, his eyes poring over a novel.

Jacob followed Renesmee down the drive to the small, wooded path that was her favorite. As soon as the trees enveloped them, she let out a sigh of relief. A sigh that Jacob found himself duplicating. Her feelings were so tightly wound around his own. He smiled as she began to run. He heard her heart racing as she picked up speed through the heavy overgrowth of trees, rounding treacherous tree limbs effortlessly. They moved quickly through the underbrush, Jacob slowing his pace considerably to allow Renesmee to run next to him. She did a handspring over a log and Jacob vaulted over after her.

"Can't catch me!" she giggled, sticking her tongue out as she passed him.

He smiled compliantly, jogging lazily behind her, "No, I guess not."

Renesmee glared at him, frustrated, "C'mon, Jacob! You're not even trying!"

"No, you're really fast!" he protested, lightly. "I'm just trying to keep up with you!"

She turned suddenly, unexpectedly and Jacob ran straight into her. Her face was surprisingly close and her warm breath blowing across his sun-burned cheeks felt like fire, "I dare you, Jacob Black. I dare you to catch me." Her eyes flashed brazenly, before she broke off into a break neck speed.

Momentarily shocked, Jacob stood frozen, afraid of the new need that suddenly overpowered him. Jacob felt reason and control leave his body for a moment as he crouched low to the ground, growling. He shot off into the woods, mind gone, body free. Speed surged through him as he ran, blood pumping through his entire being. Ahead of him, only a hundred yards away, he could hear Renesmee, her heart beating faster than ever, as he chased her.

"What's the matter, dog? Can't keep up?" Renesmee taunted him, her breath coming in ragged, joyful gasps, as she leapt across a stream.

"Oh, don't worry about me," he called to her.

"I don't know. I think you're losing it." He heard a small stumble before she regained her footing and ran on.

"Better run faster, little girl! I'm gonna get you!" He had meant for his words to sound teasing but realized then, frightened, that he was not joking.

"Who's afraid of the big, bad wolf? The big, bad wolf, the big bad wolf…" Renesmee sang, just a hundred feet in front of him now.

"Nessie," he called hoarsely, but she was laughing too loudly to hear him now. "Nessie?" he tried again, his feet still flying over the leaves and stones and brush.

And then, all of a sudden, she was right in front of him.

Jacob landed over her, bracing his weight on either side of her body. Renesmee looked up at him, her eyes bright with triumph, her lungs gulping in air.

"Nessie," he began again.

"You almost didn't catch me," she smiled. "I'm getting faster, huh?"

He didn't answer, not trusting himself to move a single muscle.

"Jacob?" Renesmee's eyes clouded with worry. "Jacob, what's wrong?"

Every fiber of Jacob's being ached to lower his mouth to hers, to cover her with his lips. Every inch of his brain screamed no.

"I—…" his voice was shaky. With the last few threads of self-control he possessed, he stood and moved to stand a few feet away against an enormous oak.

Renesmee's face was flooded with anguish, "Jacob, did I do something wrong? Did I hurt you?" The fear dancing across her face was almost funny. Almost.

He laughed. A short, hard laugh that did not reach his eyes. "Not as badly as I could have hurt you," he said, brokenly.

"But…"

"I'll take you home now," he interrupted brusquely, turning his back squarely on her and marching back through the trees.

"But I don't want to go home!"

"Sorry, Nessie. It's getting dark."

"So what? You're here."

Jacob sighed and turned back to her, "That's the problem."

"What are you talking about? You are so weird sometimes!"

He didn't respond.

"Jacob? Please don't take me home. I want to stay here. With you." Renesmee's voice was pleading and Jacob felt his resolve slipping away.

"Nessie, please, let me take you home," he begged.

"No," she said petulantly.

Jacob looked pained.

Renesmee felt a little guilty for asking him to do something he so desperately didn't want to do. He would never refuse her anything.

"Come sit down," she tried, patting the pile of leaves beside her.

"I don't think I should," he said carefully. His face was stiff but his warm, honeyed eyes betrayed him.

"We'll go home in a minute. Please?"

Jacob moved towards her in the growing darkness, his long legs bending as he sat.

"What did I do, Jacob? Did I say something that upset you?"

"No, Nessie. It's not your fault."

"Well, something must have happened. You're angry." She reached up to stroke his dark hair and felt him trembling beneath her hand. "Jacob, please," Renesmee felt herself starting to cry, "Please tell me what's wrong."

He shook his head vigorously, "You're too young, Nessie. I—I can't…you can't imagine the…I want—I need—…you have to---…" he broke off again. "I'll tell you when you're older."

Renesmee stared at him for a moment, her face changing from confusion to resentment to a glimmer of understanding. Jacob watched her cheeks stain red, even in the almost complete black of night.

"Jacob," she whispered. Her hand crept up to rest shyly against his cheek.

Jacob was flooded suddenly with a thousand memories. Her tortured birth. Bella's tear-stained face. Edward's worried brow. The first time Renesmee had seen him--his own ruddy complexion and deep-set eyes…he appeared more good-looking, more noble than he had ever felt. Renesmee learning to walk, stumbling, tripping. Jacob saw his own hands reaching out to catch her. Her first words and sentences…Jacob smiling broadly, proud words of encouragement tumbling from his lips. Renesmee learning to read, to tie her shoes, growing inches, then feet, the moments that passed so quickly that no one could remember –Jacob was there for each of them.

"I know, Renesmee. I've always been around…"

She put a finger to his lips as the memories continued. These were recent ones, he realized. A month before, their trip to La Push to visit Jacob's father. Jacob's hands as they picked up stones and skipped them across the water. Jacob's back as he bent over to help Leah carry boxes into the garage, the muscles beneath his shirt. Jacob's face, his smile, his mouth, his teeth. The images flashed quickly, shuffling through like a projector. The move to Astoria, the feelings of discomfort, of worry, of doubt – all suddenly overshadowed by a memory of Jacob gulping down a sandwich Renesmee had made for him. And then the memories of the day – the embarrassment at school, the frustration with her family, and Jacob – Jacob's flowing black hair, his eyes when he squinted, Jacob uttering pet names, Jacob nudging her on the porch swing. Jacob in the woods. Renesmee's heart-pounding as she urged him to chase her. The feelings of euphoria and heat that raced through her as he landed over her. His hot breath on her neck. The fervent desire she felt to press her lips to his. The sudden panic when he stood up. The fear and worry and sadness when he did not speak.

Jacob pulled her hand from his face; his eyes met hers, dumbfounded.

She looked down, long lashes covering the expression there.

"Nessie," he murmured.

"I know. It's stupid," she said, bronzed curls hiding her face from him.

"Renesmee," he said, more firmly and she looked up, surprised by the use of her full name. He took her face in his hands, his brown eyes brimming with something she could not identify, "Someday I'll tell you how not stupid it is."

"Tell me now."

Jacob smiled ruefully, "You have no idea how badly I want to. But it's late and I promised Edward I'd have you home a long time ago."

"But—…"

"Someday soon," he said again, and there was fire in his gaze. "I promise you."

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Author's Note: Thoughts? If you read the chapter, I hope you'll review and tell me what you think. Thanks, guys!

Answers to Questions, etc.

aPPle-FrrEAk: Good question. I guess the answer is both. I ultimately know where I'm going. I have the plot devices in mind and key scenes already written in my head. But I'm kind of taking my time getting there. Maybe this is moving a little slow but I really don't enjoy fanfiction that rushes through before I've gotten attached. And yeah, this is mainly about her year (s) in high school. For me, it's just a continuation of S.M.'s series. I didn't want it to be over so I kept writing for my own enjoyment. Thanks for the nudge and the review! Hope you liked this chapter. :)

Hollibell: I agree about Renesmee. I like stories that show fleshed out, full-bodied characters. I hate it when people in books or stories don't have any flaws or problems. I just don't buy it. Besides, how unfair would it be if Bella and Edward, on top of being young and beautiful forever, raised a perfect child to adulthood? Thanks for the review! Let me know what you thought of this new chapter.

Hannirose: I thought about that. Of course, compared to vampires, all humans seem klutzy. I guess I feel like Renesmee's pretty athletic but she's constantly comparing herself to her family, which isn't really fair. Thanks for the review! What did you think of this chapter?