A/N It's complete! (And it took me completely by surprise how quickly this wrapped up on its own.) This is the final installment of A Different Kind of Love, and it has been such a fun ride. Thank you to everyone who has been so supportive with reading and reviewing. I hope that you will all continue on this adventure with me in the upcoming sequel, Redefining Soul Mates. It will pick up in Nessie's sophomore year, following the same general storyline as this one but with a few new twists that I think you'll enjoy.

As always, please, PLEASE review. And for those of you who have added this story to your Favorites list but maybe haven't reviewed, please give me at least an overview of what you liked about this story and maybe even some ideas for Redefining Soul Mates.

Happy reading! :)

After the surprise attack in La Push, Elena and Sue became attached at the hip. I suspected that part of Sue's affinity to Elena was fear of another encounter, but the two seemed genuinely happy to be together, even spending afternoons simply to talk about their lives—and their love for Seth—as they baked cookies for the pack.

None of us knew where the nomad had come from, and it was a disconcerting prospect. A few suspected that the Volturi had sent him to check in on us, but there were too many flaws with that reasoning. For one, Alice should have seen the decision, even with holes due to the shape-shifters. For another, the vampire seemed entirely shocked to find me in La Push and a little slow in forming his plan to take me to Aro. I held that it was a nomad passing through who needed a little action in his existence, but Edward and Jacob weren't buying it, convinced that the vampire intentionally attacked Sue in hopes of luring me to my capture.

It was too late to question the attacker, though, and no one wanted to waste our precious vacation time in La Push stewing and worrying. School started in two weeks, but my parents insisted that we be back in North Dakota in one week to prepare for the new term.

I was actually startled, thinking about school. This summer season was like living in another world, like we truly were humans during the scholastic year but returned to our supernatural forms as soon as the final bell rang. Here, in La Push, we were free, and I dreaded the day we had to leave that freedom behind. I loved and missed my good friends from freshman year-I wouldn't admit to anyone how my heart sank remembering that Tamara wouldn't be rejoining us this year-but my upcoming sophomore year of high school seemed commonplace next to the mythology I was living here in Washington.

I supposed that I should be grateful that a second war against the Volturi was only pending, mere speculation. With life seeming to calm down, at least in this small bubble of time, Jacob and I took the opportunity to talk about our relationship. It was peaceful for us to sit on the rocks at First Beach and work through the decisions we had made, namely the decision to hold back on intense physical contact. Jacob, wonderful guy that he was, was perfectly willing to continue along the same path, as long as I was comfortable. I could tell, though, that he hoped I would change my mind, and as of yet, I didn't know my own feelings on the subject.

"When's the last time we sat like this, just the two of us?" Jacob laughed softly, his arm draped around my shoulders.

"Hmm," I sighed. "Too long." I laid my head on his shoulder, reveling in his warmth and the pleasurable tingling wherever his skin touched mine. We never spent much time alone anymore, what with the constant presence of either family or friends. It felt awkward to us, attempting to discuss expectations, desires, or even innocent affection, with superhuman ears picking up on every word. Our tendency was to walk for hours in the woods, just listening to each other's footfalls, but even that had fallen by the wayside.

"It's nice to be away from it all," he murmured. I nodded my head in agreement, the motion causing some of my hair to fall across my face. Jake tenderly brushed the strands away, leaving a trail of heat.

We sat in silence, allowing a space before I broached the topic. "You wanted to talk about next year?" I reminded him gently.

Jake shifted his position slightly, sitting up but maintaining close contact. "Yeah," he exhaled. He met my eyes carefully. "Where do you see us, in our relationship?"

I pondered the meaning behind his question. "Well…our love is certainly different," I giggled, avoiding a direct answer. I didn't want to frame a response until I knew exactly what my boyfriend was aiming for.

Jake chuckled. "Imprinting gets its own category," he agreed. He sobered quickly. "I meant, do you think we balance this whole love thing well? Are we too much like friends and not enough like boyfriend and girlfriend, or the other way around? Do we spend enough time together? Do we…want to bump things up a notch?" He asked this last part in a rush, as if desperate to make his feelings known but afraid that my response might sting.

A small fire started to stir within me, hot with desire at his suggestion but also delicate and nervous as butterfly wings. This flame not only burned but cast a glow, and I found myself giddy with anticipation.

I attempted to rein in my feelings, though, and faced him seriously. "We have a lot of advantages in our relationship," I began slowly. "We were close friends from the moment I was born, the imprint sealing our friendship as permanent. Everything past that moment has been built on that solid foundation.

"That being said, you and I are pretty versatile in the way we relate. We interact as friends, with the deep love of soul mates, and the, ah, capacity for just about anything in the physical realm." I blushed a little, but Jake didn't seem to mind. "It all comes naturally to us."

"Then you like where we are now?" Jacob asked.

"I always want us to be at this point," I confirmed. "Everything that the future holds for us is based on this relationship that we have right now. I don't ever want this to change, but rather for us to build on it further."

"So are you ready for us to start building?" he wanted to know. He stared earnestly into my eyes.

The intensity was such that I had to look away, in order to voice my thoughts accurately. "As much as it excites me, it also scares me," I admitted. I proceeded slowly. "Adapting to the human world, I truly feel like a fifteen-year-old almost-sophomore in high school. I grew up so fast that I didn't know where I was headed. Something as normal as school has sort of lent to my mentality, given me an outlet to mature…."

Jacob nodded in understanding. "So what you're saying is, we need to build slow but never lose sight of where we began."

I smiled widely. "Exactly. We're just two best friends in high school, figuring out where we want our relationship to go." I ducked my head. "And I might be just a teensy bit shy," I teased, blushing nevertheless.

Jake laughed easily and, in a swift motion, caught my face in his hands and pressed his lips firmly against mine. I responded instantly, the small flame from before fanning into a wild blaze. My arms locked around his massive, strong frame and my tongue maneuvered its way into his delicious mouth. Jacob moaned, and our bodies fused with only our thin layer of clothes between us.

Jacob pulled away first and kissed me lightly on my nose. "You are way too good at that, Nessie Cullen," he breathed. His eyes shone, dazzled.

I smiled tentatively. "I don't think we'll ever have an issue with enjoying each other's bodies," I quipped, trying to lighten the mood.

Jake wrapped his arms around me. "Not at all, Ness," he laughed softly. He began humming a slow, pretty song, and we swayed back and forth in each other's arms.

It was one of those moments that I wished I had the ability to freeze time. As Jake and I danced together on the beach, I tried unsuccessfully to forget that our time was short, that even with eternity ahead of us, there would be periods of waiting. A longing built within me and threatened to escape as a sob. I nuzzled my cheek against Jacob's warm chest, and he cradled my head in one hand. I calmed almost instantly. As long as Jacob and I were together, I would be home. The rest would follow its natural course, an unending cycle of minutes and hours and days.

Not unexpectedly, the final day of our time with the Quileutes arrived before we could blink. Billy, Sue, Charlie, Sam, and a few other senior members of the wolf pack planned an end-of-summer cookout for those of us who would be returning to North Dakota, including Seth. Due to Elena's obligation to her herd, Seth had officially rejoined Jacob's pack as his Beta in order to be closer to her. Even that was temporary, though, because we all knew that, one day, Seth would leave the wolf pack forever and share a leadership position with his imprint.

As a special surprise, the Elders allowed my family to cross the border for the day, if they so chose. Emmett, Rosalie, Alice, and Jasper declined the offer, but Mom and Dad were happy to spend the slightly overcast afternoon at the beach with us, and Esme and Carlisle took advantage of the time to bond with the werewolf circle. Esme worked with Sue, Emily, and Kim on cooking the massive feast, and Carlisle conversed easily with Billy and Charlie about supernatural fundamentals. Everyone was in their element.

Bella and I shared a room at Jacob's house to change into our new bikinis that Alice had bought us for the occasion. The two of us protested—Bella, because she hated new things, and me, because, well, I had never worn one before—but when we saw how they flattered our bodies, we grudgingly agreed that our men would appreciate the effort.

Honestly, I thought Mom delighted at the chance to flash some skin without fear of exposure. The werewolves wouldn't be on the defensive today. Even if the sun did shine, there would be no need to hide.

The two of us sashayed out the door toward First Beach, searching for our men. We were pleasantly startled to find Elena first, wearing a beautiful but very revealing white bikini that flaunted her amazing Native American tan. I glanced down at my royal blue number with discontent.

"You look wonderful, Elena," Bella greeted sincerely. I noticed that she, too, eyed her own get-up almost with defeat.

Elena smiled. "You can give Alice credit for this," she answered, gesturing to the bikini. "I would never have chosen it for myself, but she claimed that she could see Seth falling all over himself with amazement." She grimaced but then brightened again. "And while I don't believe her story at all, I have been waiting twenty-eight years to have a reason to wear something like this."

"I'll be amazed if Seth can form coherent thoughts," I laughed.

Elena shook her head. "You're one to talk, Nessie," she retorted. "Have you seen your reflection this morning? Jacob is going to be stunned at your beauty."

I flushed deep pink at her compliment. "Well, let's hope so," I replied uneasily. Her words did nothing to assuage my insecurities from standing next to one of the most gorgeous women I had ever seen.

It was a bit unfair, really, standing between two young ladies who were not only supernaturally lovely, but who Jacob also greatly admired. Bella was his best friend growing up, his first love; Elena was a powerful leader of a herd of shape-shifters, just like him. And here I was, caught somewhere in the middle, merely pretty and without some great attribute to capture Jacob's attention.

I must have lost myself in musings, because I suddenly checked in to hear Elena say, "I definitely feel as though I've loosened up in La Push. For the first time in nearly thirteen years, my sole concern hasn't been protecting my people and being the strong, sophisticated leader that they need. This time here with Seth and his family has been incredibly eye-opening. I feel free to be…me." She giggled cutely.

"Well it's a good thing those wolves taught you to have fun," Bella teased, "because it looks like our men are headed this way right now."

The three of us turned away from the ocean to face our significant others. I was caught breathless at the sight of Jacob. His dark hair was wind-tossed from an early morning patrol; his abdominal muscles rippled as he walked; his tan skin seemed to gleam complemented with his blue swim trunks. I briefly suspected that Alice had a vision that my attire needed to match his, or else that she informed him of my wardrobe choice. We would look perfect together.

I waved enthusiastically as Jake's features became more defined. Without warning he stopped dead in his tracks, staring at me in a flattering combination of adoration and desire. His mouth opened in a surprised O. Then, he flashed a silly smile and ran to me, lifting me into the air and spinning me in a happy circle. I squealed with delight.

Jake lowered me gently to the ground and kissed me firmly on my lips. "You," he said breathlessly, shaking his head, "are the most beautiful creature I have ever beheld."

A glowing spread from my lips to my limbs, and I threw my arms around him. "You're the one who looks amazing," I countered, tracing his abs with one finger.

Jacob caught my finger in his fist. "You don't see yourself clearly at all," he muttered, pulling me against him.

I was suddenly aware that this was the most skin-to-skin contact we had ever had. Normally at least I was wearing a shirt, but at this moment, we were stripped down basically to our underclothes. It was an extremely pleasurable sensation.

We reveled in the closeness for a moment longer. Then, so superhumanly fast that I almost missed it, Jacob scooped me over his shoulder and ran toward the ocean. I knew immediately what he had in mind, so I shrieked and pounded my fists against his back, to no avail. We plunged into the Pacific seawater, never letting go of each other.

The water should have felt cold, but between both of our unnaturally high body heats, we stayed comfortably warm as we searched for seashells along the ocean floor and rode the waves back to the shoreline. Elena and Seth were just making their way to the water's edge, Elena squealing at the cold and Seth patiently drawing her closer into the waves. Off in the distance, Mom and Dad disappeared under the water. I convinced myself that they were hunting sharks.

Once Seth and Elena joined us, we decided to pull out the boogie boards and see who could ride the waves the farthest. Jacob and I were neck and neck, what with Jake's coordination and my small, lightweight frame; the other two were, unfortunately, a bit gangly with the boards. They chose not to attempt the subsequent contest of riding the waves standing up.

I had just managed to stand on my board when Embry, Hannah, Quil, and Claire arrived at the beach laden with towels, extra surfboards, and a full cooler. Of course, that was the moment that a wave swept over me and I went under.

It was horribly unexciting, because as powerful as the elements were and as little as I was, they were still no match for the vampire side of me. But that didn't stop Jacob and all the guys, including my father, from darting to my rescue even after I resurfaced without so much as a cough.

"Ness, are you okay?" Jacob asked frantically, examining me closely for any sort of wound.

I made a face at him. "You should know by now that no wave can overpower the impressive strength of Renesmee Cullen," I said seriously.

Jake stared at me for a second and then burst into laughter. He grabbed my hand and planted a huge kiss on my forehead. "You are something else," he chuckled. The guys returned to their others and we continued our incredible day at First Beach.

When it hit three o'clock and we had drained the last Coke in our cooler, the eight of us trudged back up to La Push to shower and get changed for dinner. I was grateful to have inherited Charlie's curls as I towel-dried my hair and tied it into a loose ponytail over one shoulder. On days like today, it was convenient to let it air-dry and settle into a graceful disarray that I had come to love. I slipped on some designer jean shorts, a burnt orange scoop neck top, and my gold sandals, paired the outfit with gold earrings Rosalie had bought me one Christmas, and headed out to the party.

True to form, there was a huge banner that read We Will Miss You! tied in between two trees near the food tables. Each table was laden with different foods: the first had traditional burgers and hot dogs, along with not-so-traditional shrimp cocktail and a marvelous-looking brisket that Esme must have made; the next held potato salad, chicken salad, and every kind of fresh fruit; the final table held cookies, cakes, and brownies that made my mouth water. There was something to be said for having cooks that had been refining their skills for almost a hundred years.

Everyone greeted me casually as I entered the yard, a few of them stepping away from their conversations to hug me. Not everyone had arrived yet, but my eyes quickly found Jacob flipping burgers at one of three grills. His face lit up when he saw me, and he passed flipper to Hannah, whom Embry was teaching to grill out.

Jake hooked one arm around my waist and kissed my hair. "How's my favorite girl?" he murmured happily.

I smiled against his chest. "Perfect," I replied. "Everything is so perfect."

And it was. Jake didn't leave my side for the rest of the night, not when we joined our group of friends for dinner, not when we split up into teams for an intense round of volleyball, not even when Sue called for impromptu speeches from the various families that formed one giant La Push family. I looked into the faces of the Elders, wolves, and their imprints, every face of my vampire coven, and ended with Jacob. As the toasts began around us, I focused solely on the man that I loved, concluding each customary chiming of the glasses with a light kiss on his lips.

My life had begun only seven years ago. My existence revolved around coexisting with humans, vampires, and werewolves alike. A war with the Volturi was almost eminent. But I possessed more in my life than most knew how to comprehend, and I shared a different kind of love with my Jacob that made my life worthwhile.