Okay, so I've started this chapter about a million times. Seriously, there's different little segments and versions of it floating all around my hard-drive. I'm really sorry it took me so long to update. I have excuses, but I'd rather you just read the story instead of read about how lazy I am.

I still don't own Twilight, or any of the characters. I am borrowing them for entertainment only, and I am not making any money off of this story.

Yes, Nessie still looks about fourteen, and yes, they're in Forks now for the first time since they left five or so years ago. Read and Review! Reviews help me decide to keep this story going. Come on. Show some love.

Chapter Six

JPOV

What the hell had I been thinking? It was stupid to bring her here. Now it was too late. Before, she could at
least hope that one day the Cullens would come find her and there'd be a happy little reunion just like in the
fairy tales that never fooled her, and she would've been able to have something to hold onto. I always
thought having your heart broken was a collision. An explosion that happened in one big bang, and then it
was done. I thought nothing could break what had already been broken. But no. Renesmee's eyes had
shown me that her heart was breaking with each sluggish step toward that house she took, and no amount
of begging on my half would stop her masochism at this point. Why had I brought her here? Stupid. Stupid,
stupid. Yeah, I am an idiot. This time my stupidity wasn't just hurting me.

I wanted to scoop her up and hold her to my chest. I wanted to shield her eyes away from the eerie house. I
wanted to run her away and then tell her how sorry I was that I'd done this. But she kept moving. As long as
she kept moving...

I was walking by myself for three steps before I had realized it. I pivoted around and found Nessie staring at
the river that went around the back of the house. Her lips pressed to a thin line. "My house... is over there."
"Yes," I squeaked my confirm, and knelt down, grabbing one of her hands and holding it in my own. "Would
you like me to-"

She was shaking her head before I could answer, her auburn curls moving back and forth over her
shoulders. "There's probably nothing left." She walked past me, her pace no longer sluggish at all. She was
speed-walking, and I watched her go around the side of the house, but I followed when she'd left my sight.

I'd caught up to her in no time at all. Her lips were pursed, and she was focused. I turned around to see, and my jaw dropped. The entire glass wall was gone. All the glass panels that had made up the back side of the house... missing. It made the structure look like some sort of huge play doll house. The little girl's brows furrowed, and she motioned to
the floor. It was spotless. Not a sign of broken glass anywhere. Her curiosity must have taken over then, but
mine had still been overruled by the urge to get the fuck out of here. Nessie walked in, looking around at
everything. I'd followed steps behind, the soles of my feet suddenly weighing hundreds of pounds.

I expected that squatters had taken what was left of the old mansion, but all the furniture was still there,
moved to the sides, and covered in huge white sheets and cobwebs. I cringed. As if the place needed more
help being creepy. The furniture being pushed aside left a huge space in the middle. When Nessie looked
my direction, I'd pointed to the space. She let out an exasperated sigh and walked over to me, taking my
hand.

"Please make yourselves comfortable, friends, and thank you, again, ever so much for supporting us in our
time of need. I couldn't even begin to express my gratitude." Carlisle's voice rang over hundreds of vampires
gathered in the clearing of the room, all different kinds of responses emerging. Some of them were happy,
and some huffed and dismissed the comment.

Nessie released me, not letting me see anything else. I couldn't imagine what I would have seen if she
showed me. A shower of memories that she shouldn't even have. So young...

Renesmee was kneeling by the couch that was covered in white sheet. She was facing it, she had her hand
on the armrest. Her hand came down, caressing the fabric before grabbing the hem. She lifted it carefully
and exposed the white couch, moving more of the sheet up so that the entire seat was exposed. Her hand
ran over a spot slightly darker than the rest. I had to swallow the lump in my throat. Renesmee's eyes were
focused. "It's okay little one," she whispered lightly, but it was almost a whisper. I knew that mimic. She was
lost in her memories. "I'm never going to let anyone hurt you, little sweet angel." Nessie fell to a complete sit,
her legs unfolding from under her. They looked useless right now. I went to her, unconsciously putting my
hand on her face. Everything went dark.

"You know.. he reminds me of you," the hoarse version of a beautiful voice said.

"Do not compare that life-sucker to me." Another voice said, huskier and a lot deeper than the voices in the
background.

My hand snapped back like I'd just touched fire. My heart sank. How... "Renesmee..."

Her deep eyes looked up to me, but she offered me a smile. Apologetic. My chest threatened to cave in on
top of my lungs. Her little smile... Her beautiful sorrowed face. Those lovely bouncing curls... my hand went
into them, and I held one.. wrapping it around one of my fingers. I rested the back of my fingers against her
cheek, hoping now she'd let me see. "Come on, pretty girl. Show me something happy."

She frowned, and then smiled evily. My vision was hers again.

"Please, Edward. Please! For me?"

"Absolutely not."

"Please!"

"Not a chance, Alice."

"I have to see if it will lay right! Stop being such a goon. Try on the dress for me, Edward!"

Renesmee's hands clapped in approval.

Edward groaned. "Not you, too."

There was a long pause, and Alice's impatient puppy eyes still pleaded as the toddler on the ground waited,
knowing she'd eventually get her way with this one. It wasn't very often she was denied something she
wanted.

Edward's eyes narrowed at the little woman. "The things I do for you." And then the ember orbs darted back
to his little audience. "I better not catch you smiling."

Both of the little girl's tiny hands clamped over her mouth and she shook her head, then applauded her
show. Edward stayed perfectly still like stone up until Alice finished and stood back to judge. "Hmmm... I

don't know. It still doesn't hang right in the back. Whatcha' think, Ness?"

"Daddy's very pretty." Renesmee pealed.

Edward twirled in the dress to face her, and stuck his tongue out at the child. Alice's jaw dropped and she
was staring at Edward in unmistakable shock. Edward regained his composure and placed his hands on
his hips. "Get me out of this thing before I destroy it."

Nessie's big-girl voice giggled as her hands fell away from my face.

My thoughts had trailed idly out of my mouth, and I was musing to myself. "It's time to cut your hair
again...look how long it is..." Nessie was ignoring my verbal diarrhea, still caught up in her moment, as I was
caught in mine... Not that the image of Edward in a dress wasn't interesting enough. My little Nessie
though... Her hair, and God those eyes. I remembered all too well the first time I'd seen those eyes. They'd
decided immediately that I would forever belong to them. They'd claimed me as their own, and saved me
from myself. I didn't save Renesmee. It was the other way around. She'd saved me. Without her... my mind
went blank. I couldn't even think about my life without her. I couldn't even imagine how it would be like to
never see those beautiful eyes and those wildly growing auburn locks. She's my love, my life, and everything
in the whole world. And she thought that she needed me.

"I wonder...everything is still here..." Her voice was very soft. If it wasn't her voice, it wouldn't even have
interrupted my thoughts. But it was the heavenly voice that I lived for, and I could never keep it out if I tried.
I raised and lifted one shoulder nervously, a half-shrug. Some noise then captured my attention, the only
thing that could take my attention away from her... was something that could harm her. Nessie heard it too,
and she looked at me for an answer. I crept toward the used-to-be back wall. I recognized the voice that grew
louder with the footsteps.

"Police! Anyone in here!?" And then softer. "There's a silver Honda in front of the property... a possibility of trespassers." Beeping noises, and then a muffled one. "I'm checking it out. I'll let you know if I need backup.

Probably just a couple teenagers... No one has any respect anymore." A bright light shown on the back of thetrees. "POLICE. SHOW YOURSELVES." The light moved back and forth through the trees, and I rushed backinto the living room to Nessie.

Respect? As in... respect for the dead? Well... the dead part was already a given, but...

I swallowed the uneasy thought. "It's Charlie, wait here and let me go f-"

"Charlie!" She ran to the back.

"Nessie!" I hissed though my teeth and went after her. When I rounded the corner, they'd been staring ateach other, one set of eyes shocked and timid, and the other set warm and rejoiceful. I was nervous. A majority of Nessie's life had been spent away from humans, and I wasn't sure if I trusted her not to kill Charlie accidentally. I tried to swallow my heart, which was suddenly thudding hard in my throat. "Charlie..."

"Wh...o..." His breath released, and his chest swelled again. "It... Oh, my god..."

"Grandpa..." The corners of Ness's mouth reached way up into a smile. I couldn't help but be breathtaken by it. I looked back to Charlie, who looked... a little sick. "Grandpa, I've come home."

Charlie's eyes were watered over, and to my surprise, he ran right to Nessie and threw his arms over her shoulders, clutching her tight. He intook an audible inhale, and... was he shaking?

"It's really you... I can't believe... Oh my god..." He was crying all right. I didn't know Charlie cried. He'd always struck me as a no-mushy-stuff kinda guy. It made me a bit uncomfortable, but of course... I understood. It just didn't make me feel any less creeped out. He pulled away from her, and she gave him her wonderful smile. He sniffled. "This is incredible. Wait until... oh my God, Sue will be so happy! And Billy! Oh wow, this is amazing." His eyes darted to me. "And Seth... He's missed you, Jake." My heart skipped a beat, and dropped from my throat and onto the floor.

"S...Seth is..." ALIVE?! Seth is alive?!

Charlie smiled. "He's at the house with his mom. We were just going to sit down and have dinner together! You should join us. You must join us! I insist on it!" I'd never seen the old man this excited over anything un-sports related since the last time he'd mistaken one of Edward and Bella's brawls he was eavesdropping on for a fight that could have jepordized their relationship. That made me smile. Charlie had nodded at my smile, taking it as a yes. "Come on! I'll invite Billy! We'll make a party out of it! We'll have the whole family together again!"

"Not the whole family," Nessie whispered, looking back at the house.

My heart sank again, and by the looks of it, Charlie's had, too.

"You haven't heard anything either." Charlie's voice was trying to be consoling, but it failed, like many of the other emotions he'd taken a shot at. His sentimental feelings were awkward and unsettling, but he'd saved himself. "It'll be great to have you home, everyone will be so surprised."

I returned a smile. "I think that's a wonderful idea." Nessie's eyes trailed up to mine. She didn't want to leave.

I grabbed her hand and squeezed it. "It's okay... We can come back. I want you to eat something anyway."

Charlie's eyebrow coked and he pointed his thumb in the direction of the end of the driveway. "So uh. That's your car, right?"

"Yeah..." There was a pause, and Charlie's expression didn't change. "It's a rental," I added, partially for my dignity, and to help with Charlie's skepticism. And, it worked. Charlie nodded, understanding.

"The house. Meet ya there?" Charlie's smile beamed and he ran a hand through Nessie's hair before he took off to his cruiser. When he was gone, Nessie's soft eyes pleaded to me.

"We're... really leaving?"

Yes, and thank God I get to get her away from this house, at least until things can soak in for her a little more. I'd bring her back, of course, but not before she knew that there were still people in Forks that loved her and missed her, and that she did have a family still, and that her everything didn't have to be so lost. There were still so many people that loved her. I wanted her to know that. Life didn't have to not go on just because the Cullens were gone. "Yeah, honey. We're really leaving. But we'll come back here. I promise. How about when you've slept well and ate something? You must be starving." But her eyes never adverted away from the house. I picked her up and her head rested on my chest, her body going limp, wobbling in my arms with every step I took.

She came back to life on the way to Charlie's, admiring the green scenery. She'd made me promise to take her to La Push to see the cliffs, and to her mother's mysterious little meadow, and a few other places that I'd been more reluctant about. I'd promised anyway, because she needed to see. It was her right, and keeping things from her never resulted in good. I'd find myself hunting for her in the middle of the night after she'd surely sneak out, and the heart attack that I'd have would still be all my fault. It's best to think ahead, and save myself a whole lot of grief.

She was smiling when we'd pulled up to the house. Thank God.

I held the passenger door open for her. She liked when I did that. She said it was gentlemanly. Yeah, my ass. But if the little things could make her happy, then it was no trouble at all.

I grabbed her hand and squeezed, leading her up the drive.

"Jacob Black! Maaaan, I never thought I'd see you around here! Where ya been?!" I turned around to see Mike Newton, with a wide grin, one little girl on his shoulders and a smaller one in a stroller he was pushing. "Wooow, you haven't changed a bit since last time I'd saw you. What are you doing here?"

"We've just come by to see Charlie, is all." I shrugged, trying to sound casual. I was lucky he was dense enough to not suspect anything.

"Ooooh." His eyes went to Renesmee, and then back to me, all the obvious questions in his eyes.

"Err, uh. This is Edward's niece, Nessie."

Renesmee lifted a hand in a lazy wave. Mike examined her.

"She looks so much like him! And those eyes...Man, If I didn't know any better, I'd say she was-"

"She does take after her Uncle... Uhh... so. Two little girls, eh?"

Again, I was lucky. "What? Oh! Yeah. Jessica and I..." His cheeks turned red, and he smiled. "This is Cindy, and the little one is Maye."

"Cindy and Maye..." Nessie went to the stroller, cooing at the baby inside. I looked back to Mike Newton.

"That's wonderful. I'm glad to see you two are happy..."

"Yes, could never be happier." He bounced the little girl and sighed. "So, Bella and Edward?"

I clenched by teeth. "Yeees. You were at the wedding, don't you remember?"

"Oh yeah. Beautiful wedding, beautiful bride." He sighed again. He smiled at me, and then leaned in really close to me, then took a quick look to the girl still cooing over his baby, and then back at me. "I want you to know... I was rooting for you."

Renesmee's eyes shot straight to me, piercing through me with icy fire. I didn't have to look over at her to know she had heard. Of course she heard.

"Well, I gotta' go man, take care!" And Mike Newton was gone. Lucky ass.

And we were alone again. I took a fake opportunity and headed for the door.

"Jacob." I stopped in my tracks. Nessie's arms crossed. "What did he mean, 'I was rooting for you'"?

I could feel myself begining to sweat. I swallowed hard. "It's a saying. You know, like 'what's up' or 'peace out'. It's a guy thing."

She seemed to ponder this for a second, but then her gaze turned lethal. "Lie to me again, and you'll be missing a trachea. What the fuck arn't you telling me?!"

I winced, cringing at the venom in her voice. "Calm down, Nessie."

"I will not calm down!"

"Shhh! At least lower your voice!"

"Jacob..." Her voice was lower, but it was also a warning. I sighed.

"This is kinda a long story."

"You. Have. Time." She hissed.

"Alright, alright..." Get this over with. "There was a time... when I was younger... that Bella and I became very close. We spent so much time together and did everything with one another. She was going through a rough time, your dad had left her... something about it being best for her or whatever, not that I completely disagreed... and I sorta... had a thing for her."

Nessie cocked an eyebrow, her arms still crossed. She looked so... adult. "You had a 'thing' for her?" She spat the words back at me.

"Yes, yes... a very little infatuation. A crush. For a short time. That's it."

She was grinding her teeth. I could hear it, and the sound made me shudder. "You were in love with her!"

"I uh...A little bit, yeah..." My voice was a squeak compared to her roar.

"How COULD you!? My mother?!" She was yelling again.

"Hey, it wasn't like I knew you were even going to exist Nessie-" She took off down the street, speed-walking away from me. I caught her hand just before she went into the woods. "Nessie, listen to me!" I yanked her arm hard enough that it twisted her around to face me, and I could see the tears for a brief moment, until she turned away to hide them. "I didn't know, Nessie! If I'd have known then what I know right now, I'd have been more devastated than Bella was that your father had left. I'd have gone to hunt him down myself! But I didn't know that, Nessie, and I did love your mom. I loved your mom because she is you, she's part of you! You and I were meant to be together, just like Bella and Edward. It was... destiny!" And there is no other word for it.

She sniffled back tears and turned to me, and I could see she was having a hard time maintaining her confident anger. She snarled at me. "If you loved my mother because she was part of me, then you reeeeally must have had it bad for my father. I'm the spitting image of him!"

"Edward really isn't my type."

"Shut. Up."

"Okay." It was a squeak again. Damnit.

She took a breath and held it. She must have been counting. She opened her eyes and they were softer... not really normal, but better. "I can't blame you. She is awesome."

I let out the breath I'd been holding. She understood. "Renesmee, I love you. you know that, right?"

"Yeah, yeah. Get up. Let's go inside."

I nodded, and took her hand again. We walked the little ways up the driveway, where the family- our family- would be waiting for us.

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