Telling

Nessie's POV

This time Jake pulls away first. I arch an eyebrow at him and he smiles, "I believe there's someone we need to tell about us…" He's trying to remind me of my priorities.

"Ah… yes. I'm surprised you remembered."

"Me too. You have a way of distracting me." He smirks at me widely.

"My specialty." I say, by way of acceptance.

"Believe me, I know." He chuckles. "Now… how are we going to do this-without your dad murdering me?"

"Um… we're not doing anything, I am going to handle this."

"Nessie-" He tries to cut me off, but I don't let him. I put my hand over his mouth so he can't finish.

"Silence wolf boy. I have a plan." He smiles, his mouth still covered by my hand. I pull my hand away, reluctantly.

He points to his mouth and I sigh, "Yes, you have my permission to speak."

"Thank you. Now, what's this plan of yours?"

"It involves you doing exactly as I say."

"Naturally,"

"And phase one includes me texting my mom." I slide my phone out of the pocket of my jeans and type a quick text to my mother. I hold it up to Jacob, so he can read it.

Mom, shielding services requested. Not in trouble. Will explain to you and dad when I get home. Don't want him hearing my thoughts until then.

Jake smiles, and I hit send. "That's what you're going with? Your dad is going to kill you-well, not you. Me."

"I'm not going to let him," I say dismissively.

"Sure, sure." He shrugs. "What do I have to do?"

"Stay out of dad's hearing range, until I call you of course." He smiles.

"Sure thing Ness. No problem."

"Good. Other than that-" I'm interrupted by my mother's response to my text-by way of my beeping phone.

No problem. Text me just before you get in range. Your dad's going to be suspicious. Good luck. J.

I breathe a sigh of relief, but I'm glad mom is on my side. "Thankfully mom has been practicing with her shield a lot. Emmet and Jasper find it amusing to beat dad at fights over and over…"

"Yeah, he doesn't do as well without the whole mind reading advantage does he?" I giggle at his question.

"No he does not. It's unnerving for him, but very funny for everyone else. Anyways, I have to get home. And you have to avoid home. So, stay away, until I text you. Oh, and if the text says something along the lines of 'Run!' I suggest you follow my instructions. I'm not sure how well dad is going to take this, even if he did see it coming. You know how he is…"

"Yeah, believe me, I know." I assume he's referring to his past experiences with my mother and father. I choose not to continue on that line of thought-it's semi-disturbing.

"I will see you soon. If dad threatens to murder you I will meet you somewhere in northern Canada. We'll have to flee to somewhere really sunny. Then they can't follow." He smiles widely at my idea.

"Yeah. Good luck, Ness. Hope you don't get in trouble."

"They can't exactly punish me for anything. I haven't done anything wrong."

"Well…"

"I'll handle it. I promise." I kiss him lightly on the lips and say, "Now, shoo!"

He chuckles, but obeys, and I take off running towards the house. When I'm just on the outskirts of where I know Dad will hear me I start thinking of my biology textbook from three years ago. I pull out my phone and shoot a text to mom.

Within range-I think. Hurry. I'm running out of textbooks to think of.

Her response comes with the speed only a vampire could manage.

You're in the clear. I'm waiting for you at home. Your dad is in the main house. I sigh, and allow my thoughts to return to the task at hand.

Dad was going to be confused when I came home and he still couldn't read my thoughts.

I arrive home about five minutes later, still wondering what the best way to approach this is. I'm thinking it will be best to go through mom-she has a way of getting dad to mellow out, and she's quickly becoming my only option.

I push the small cabin's door open and wander into the front room of our little house. Like mom, I love it here, even if it is cozy, I think it's very homey and perfect.

"Mom?" I call out into the silent house. For a second I'm worried she might not be here, but I see a flash of motion and she's on the couch.

"Hey sweetheart. What's up?" She has a small smile on her lips, and I think she knows where this is going.

"I'm not in any trouble." I start out, "I just, don't want dad to… find out… from my thoughts. I don't think he'd appreciate that." I imagine his reaction to me thinking about Jacob and shudder. Not a good idea.

"I believe you." She assures me with a small smile. "If I didn't I wouldn't be shielding your thoughts right now."

"Yeah… I'm just not sure how to tell you about… this."

"Well, I think we should start by being alone. I'm sure everyone in the main house I leaning this way, and we both know they can hear this conversation."

I laugh a little. "I imagine being alone would help…"

"Yes. So, lets take my car for a drive." I love my mom, I really do. She's actually really easy going about things like this-not that I've ever had a situation like this before.

"Sounds fine to me." I smile timidly at her.

She stands up and makes her way to the main house. She turns to me a smirk on her lips, and a question on her face. I think for a minute and touch my hand to her arm. I'm showing her an image-one of us waltzing through the main house, and causing all the other members of the family to sit there wishing they were in on our secret.

She chuckles lightly, her smirk growing, and nods.

She opens the back door, and we go into the kitchen. She pulls open a drawer to reveal the keys to her Ferrari. Alice comes skipping into the kitchen, ready to pry for details no doubt.

"Hey, Bella. Nessie."

"Hey Alice," We both respond simultaneously.

"What are you two up to?" Yep, she's going to pry.

"Heading out." Mom tells her evasively.

"Taking the Ferrari?"

"Yes."

"Willingly?"

"Yes."

"Edward will be so pleased."

Mom just laughs, but I know Alice is right. Mom hardly ever uses her Ferrari-she claims it's too 'conspicuous'.

"We'll talk to you later Alice." Mom says, heading out into the living room.

"Bellaaaaaaaa…" Alice whines.

"No! No, no, no, Alice. Not this time. I am taking my daughter out for a drive. Alone." She clarifies.

"But Bella, I can't see where you're going."

"Good." My mother is holding her own for once, I'm impressed.

"Can I please, please, please, come too? Please?"

"Nope!" Mom says, before I can. "Mother daughter bonding only. No Alice's allowed."

"Fine…" She sighs.

Mom smiles, "Thanks Alice." And we head into the main room.

Uncle Jasper, and Emmet are watching some game with Aunt Rose, probably because of some bet. I'm surprised they don't just ask Alice which team wins, she could tell them in a second. They don't glance up as we pass, though I know they're all just as curious as Alice.

Grandpa Carlisle and Grandma Esme aren't even on this level and I don't hear dad. Strange. Until I see that dad is in the garage. Great.

Mom smiles when she sees him leaning up against her Ferrari.

"You two heading out?" He looks very suspicious.

"Yes. We'll be back tonight." Mom says confidently, though I'm sinking under my father's gaze.

"Alright." He doesn't move.

"Edward…" Mom motions toward the car.

He moves away slightly, and opens the door for my mother. She climbs in and I go around to the passenger seat and climb in. Mom backs out and quickly races down the winding road leading to our 'Cullen Estate'.

"So… where are we going?" I ask timidly.

"Seattle. Not that we need to go that far, but there's a bookstore that I've wanted to visit. I need some new reading material." She smiles at me.

"Oh. Won't they worry?" I can only imagine that my father will be unpleasant for a while, with both his girls out of the house, and out of his hearing range.

"We'll be back in an hour. The best thing about this car is that it's fast." She smirks, "Your dad at least knew that I would want to have some speed after I was changed."

"Didn't he think that you were going to be a human for a while?"

"No. Before our honeymoon he was under the impression that I was going to be changed upon our return or shortly after."

"But you were going to college together, I thought."

"Well, it's a long story." She seems unwilling to continue, and I'm sensing it's more for my sake than hers. I let the subject drop.

"I'm glad you learned how to use you shield. It's probably the one good thing that came from the visit from our Volturi. Well, that and the fact that we found out I wasn't going to die at age fifteen."

"Yes, well it comes in handy from time to time. I assume I will be using my talent more often now…" Ah, yes, she wants to know what this is about.

"Probably," I admit sheepishly. "If you want to spare dad from some… interesting thoughts."

"That pertain to…" She's actually handling this better than I expected-and presumably much better than my father would. She's not really demanding I tell her anything, and she's offering to shield my thoughts-and probably Jacob's too when she hears my news.

"Well, Jacob and I are sort of together now… and I just didn't want dad to hear about that in my thoughts, or Jacob's."

She sighs, but she's smiling. "I kind of assumed as much. I've been waiting for this for a while. Your dad's in denial, but that's the way he is. He's very old school you know. It goes against everything he's done for the past few years to let his little girl be with someone. Even if it's someone we've known for years. Jacob's good for you."

"I know." I smile a little. "I guess I just assumed you'd understand this better than dad. Looks like I was right. Any pointers?"

"It was a good plan. Let me handle your dad. That's the best suggestion I have for you. I've had my practice dealing with protective fathers. Charlie didn't exactly approve of your father especially not after the incident in Phoenix."

"Well, good luck then." I smile. "Thanks mom. For being really… accepting with this."

"No problem. I came to terms with it a while back. And he makes you happy. I think that fact will keep your dad from killing Jacob. Keep your fingers crossed."

"Isn't he supposed to be your friend too?"

"Well, there's that." She agrees with me. "However he may be slightly less of a friend, to your father anyways, after he hears your news."

I laugh at the truth in that statement.

"So where'd you hide Jacob?"

"You think you're joking. He's waiting for me to tell him to make a run for it."

"Smart girl." She laughs. "You can tell him it's sort of safe. I'd suggest you wait till we get back and I talk to your dad before you tell him he's cleared to go into your father's hearing range."

"Yeah." I pull out my cell and type a message to Jacob.

You can stay in the country. Told mom, she's not going to kill you. She has yet to talk to dad, so keep your distance.

I hit send and wait for the response. It comes quickly,

Good, where are you headed? Saw the Ferrari leave town a few minutes ago.

I chuckle, of course he'd be keeping watch.

Seattle. Might be able to get mom to drop me somewhere. She's going to a bookstore.

The response comes in half the time as before,

If you think she would…

Leave it to Jacob to be inadvertently cryptic. I sigh.

"Where am I supposed to leave you?" Mom asks without taking her eyes off the road. "And before you ask, I didn't read your text. Jacob is very predictable,"

"I don't know. What's close to here…?"

Hey! So, now you know how Bella responded to the news... you'll have to wait to find out Edwards response. I liked writing this chapter, and I hope you liked it. Let me know what you think.

Thanks,

R&R