Chapter 17

Nessie's POV

Distracting Much?

"How should I know?" I say with a shrug. I assume it would, considering I'm half human.

"Well try it! Isn't there someone who knows about your talent? Just send them a 'call me' image."

"I could try Emily…"

"Do it!" Kate is very excited about my newfound talents.

"Alright, alright, don't freak out."

I think about Emily's face, and carefully think about the words to attach to the image of her calling me. Emily, don't panic. Call me, Nessie.

My cell phone rings twenty seconds later. Carmen hands it to me, and I look at the caller ID. It's Emily.

"Hey Em." I say with a smile she can't see. "Sorry if that freaked you out. I was just practicing my skills. Apparently I can project… quite strongly."

"No problem Nessie, I was just… caught off guard."

"Sorry-"

"Don't be, it's a very impressive talent. How far away are you?"

"I'm at home. In Forks."

"Nessie! That's fifteen miles!"

"And the image wasn't unclear at all?" I ask, skeptically.

"Not even around the edges."

"Alright, thanks, sorry to bother you."

"You're never a bother."

"Thanks Emily, bye."

"Bye Renesmee."

I click off the phone, not having to relay the information since every vampire near me could hear it.

"Nessie!" Kate squeals, "This is so cool! Fifteen miles! The next best thing would be if it worked from halfway around the world!" Her expression goes thoughtful, then she has an idea. "Try your parents!"

I cringe at the thought of distracting them while they're overseas possibly spying on the Volturi. I can't let the Denali's know that though, so I fabricate an excuse.

"I'd rather try it with Rosalie and Emmet. I'm pretty sure they'll have cell service."

"Try it!" Kate squeals again, the most excited of the vampires who are eyeing my with varying expressions from astonishment to fear. I wonder why Eleazar looks slightly afraid until I realize why he must fear for me-due to this new development. It makes me an even larger target for Aro's acquisition list. Though I'm not as concerned. If he has his own hybrid her won't want me.

I picture Emmet's face in my mind, and then Rosalie's and then set my thoughts to a picture of them calling me. I can project! If it works call.

I concentrate hard for thirty seconds, before I give up, "I think it's too far."

"Awww…" Kate says, before perking up, "But still, fifteen miles! That's amazing it's like having everyone close to you on speed dial. It's amazing!"

"It's not that special. Maybe I just need to practice with it more so that distances aren't as much of a probl-" I'm cut off by the shrill ring of my self phone.

Everyone's mouth falls open in shock. Including my own.

I'm a statue for seconds before I open it. "Hello?" I ask, still in shock.

"Nessie?" Emmet sounds amazed that I could project halfway across the country. "How did you…?"

"I wish I knew." I say, with a small laugh. "Did Rose see it too?"

"Crystal clearly." He says, still awed. "Nessie that's incredible."

"Thanks."

"You… you just… how?"

I giggle at my silly uncle, and then Aunt Rose takes the phone. "Nessie? That was amazing. Try something else."

I do. "What did you see?" I ask when I'm done.

"It was Emmet and I coming back home, right?"

"Exactly, or at least my version of you guys coming back."

"Wow. Nicely done Ness."

"Thank you."

"Alright, we have to go… lots of things to do you know."

"Of course, thanks for being test dummies."

"Not a problem."

I hang up quickly, not wanting to bother them further, only to realize only one of the five vampires had completely recovered.

"Oh my! Renesmee Carlie Cullen you are soo gifted!" I smile at her and shake it off.

"It's nothing. Really."

"Can you try someone out of the U.S.?"

"Kate," I protest, not really enjoying the attention. "I don't want to bother them, they're gathering vampires."

"Nonsense! This is important. Try Esme and Carlisle."

I sigh in compliance, "Last one for the day?"

Kate nods enthusiastically.

And so I send out my thoughts and pictures to Carlisle and Esme as well, hoping that my power is strong enough to reach them in South America where they are hunting down the Amazon coven. It's a clear message: This is Nessie. If you can, call me.

We wait, five, ten, fifteen seconds. My phone doesn't ring.

"Oh well…" Tanya brushes off the failure. "Being able to enter the thoughts of anyone in the U.S. is pretty amazing."

"I'd say depending on the distance it would work through most of Canada as well." Carmen adds, looking at me proudly.

I'm confused though-that time seemed just as clear as any other time. I don't see why it's not working. "It didn't feel any different…" I say, perplexed.

"They may just be busy child," Carmen says soothingly, though it's clear she doesn't really expect Carlisle and Esme to call.

I just shrug. "Maybe I'm just getting tired."

"Do you feel tired?" Kate asks.

"Not really. Normal I think."

She just nods.

They all turn to go back in the house, but as I'm walking I send Esme and Carlisle another message-just in case. Not urgent. Trying out projecting. Just let me know.

Hopefully it goes through.

I end up doodling at the counter for a little while longer until Quil comes into the house. "Hey Nessie," He says with a tired smile.

"Hey! Hungry?" He just nods, and I pull out another hamburger patty.

"Jake said to tell you 'hi' and that he'd see you at eight. Well, maybe before that now that Sam's pack is helping out."

"Oh are they? I'm glad."

"Yeah, now we'll be able to get proper sleep."

I nod in agreement, cooking silently, until I think of Seth.

"How's Seth managing?" I ask, afraid of the answer.

"I swear that kid has more energy then all of us combined-and he isn't even really a kid anymore!"

I laugh, Seth Clearwater was always full of energy. "Like the energizer bunny." I joke.

"More like then energizer werewolf." I giggle at Quil's joke. "So, you do anything fun with the vamps today?"

"Actually yes. I can project now!" This new thing excites me and it shows in my voice.

"Really? What exactly does that mean?" He sounds a little confused-probably from being sleep deprived.

"It's like when I show people pictures, except I don't have to touch them to show them the picture and the corresponding thought."

"Huh."

"Yeah, it works pretty far too."

"How far is pretty far?"

"It worked all the way to Emmet and Rosalie, and they're getting Charlotte and Peter somewhere in the Midwest I think."

Quil's jaw drops, though he doesn't freeze. "No way! Jeeze Ness, I thought you were going to say like a mile or something but… man."

I just shrug, as I give him his now cooked hamburger.

"Thank you." He says before digging in to the food. It must be good because he's finished it in minutes.

"You should go get some sleep Quil," I say, waving him off when he tries to help me with the dishes. "This is my job."

"If you say so…" He says, leaving with a yawn. I just hope he makes it home before he passes out.

I go back to doodling until I look up at the clock and see that it's seven o'clock. Jake will be home soon! I decide to take this opportunity to retire to the cottage for the night, because I really am tired after waking up so early.

"Guys…" I address the five semi-preoccupied vegetarian vampires. "I hate to do this but it's getting kind of late and-"

"Go ahead Renesmee. Sleep tight. If we see Jacob should we tell him where you are?" Carmen asks pleasantly. I ignore Tanya and Kate, who are making suggestive faces.

"Please, if you don't mind. Although he might just hear me, or catch my scent."

"Alright. See you in the morning."

"You too." I say with a smile. "And feel free to help yourself to anything and everything while I'm gone, even the cars if you want to hunt somewhere else. Oh, if you're going hunting nearby let the wolves know ok?"

"Sure thing Nessie."

I duck out the back door, relieved that the day went by relatively fast. I'm to the bridge when my cell phone rings. My eyes widen and I'm quickly joined by five vampires.

"Is it…?" Kate trails off.

I glance down at the caller ID and see Carlisle's name. I just nod.

"It may not be because of…" Garrett doesn't finish the thought, but I agree with him. This is probably coincidence. Only one way to find out.

I answer the call hesitantly, "Hello?"

"Nessie? We got your… message, of sorts." It's Carlisle.

I'm now surrounded by five statues. "No way!" I exclaim, excited.

"Yes, we would have called earlier but we didn't have service, I hope this isn't a bad time…"

"No, no. I'm just a little shocked, we didn't expect it to work from so far away. Was it a clear image?"'

"Crystal clear." He affirms.

"Alright, thanks for calling."

"Anything for my favorite granddaughter."

"Thanks grandpa."

"Goodbye, see you soon."

"You too. Bye."

I hang up. "Alright, now I'm going to bed," I say with a light laugh.

This causes the statues around me to unfreeze. "That's amazing."

"Wow."

Even Garrett is impressed. "Well you've certainly done your job today. Sleep well."

"Thank you." I say, crossing the small stone bridge to the cottage.

Within minutes I'm inside, and thankful too because, typical of Forks it's begun to storm. I worry about the wolves that are out in this mess, but only briefly because I know they'll all be warm, if slightly wet.

For a few seconds I think about actually going to bed right away before I realize that will be impossible. I can't sleep without winding down in some way. I settle on working on my painting for a while, though I mostly just end up trying out colors and mixing the right shades.

It keeps me busy until seven forty five, when I decide to clean up and get ready for bed, thinking about curling up with my mom's Jane Austen book again.

I'm at the sink washing the paint carefully out of my paintbrushes bristles when I hear Jacob come in the front door. I'm not worried about the water from the rain-though it's still storming outside, quiet loudly when you consider the booming thunder.

"Hey Jake," I call over my shoulder, not looking up from my task. I hear him grabbing a towel, and drying off, but he doesn't say anything. I raise my eyebrows a little but I don't comment. Maybe he had a bad day.

I quickly shoot this theory down when two warm arms encircle my waist tightly.

"Hey Ness," His lips are right at my ear and his warm breath makes me shiver. "What did you do today?"

Distracting much? I turn off the sink and spin in his arms so that I'm facing him.

"I practiced my talent." I say with a shy smile.

"Oh yeah? You mean projecting?"

"Turns out it doesn't just work on us 'half-breeds'." He breathes a sigh of relief. I can't help but think he was envisioning Nahuel and I having some private practice training. Silly Jake.

"So it works on the vamps too?"

"Perfectly." I smile at him. "Humans too."

"Who'd you try?"

"Emily? Clear pictures and everything."

"Fifteen miles? Nice job Nessie."

"It goes farther than that." I say coyly.

"How much farther?"

"It worked for Carlisle and Esme…"

Jacob's face shows the same shock as the Denali's. "Nessie that's like, what? Six thousand miles?"

"I don't really know. Maybe only five…"

"That's incredible."

"Thanks. So what'd you do all day?"

"Ran patrol mostly, with Seth, poor kid is probably asleep right now. It's good though he has to be dead tired."

"But Sam's pack is helping now, right?"

"Yeah, they took over for Seth and I."

"Good. I'm glad."

I turn around to finish washing the paintbrushes that are in the sink. There's only two left and they're covered in green paint, in two different shades.

I assumed Jacob would get something to eat when I turned back to my previous task, but I am pleasantly surprised when he stays right behind me.

"Get some painting done?" He breathes into my ear again, as I fight the urge to shiver.

"Not really, just uh…" His breath on my cheek is making it intensely hard to form a sentence. "Just color mixing."'

"That's nice." He says before bending his head slightly and pressing a kiss to my neck, then following some kind of path up toward my jaw.

I have to fight to keep my concentration, as I rinse the paint out of the last paintbrush.

"Jacob, that's very distracting." I say, a smile pulling at my lips.

"That," He says, bringing his lips up to my ear again, "Is the idea."

I laugh a little, though it's too breathy to really sound like a laugh. I set the last paintbrush down on the side of the sink.

I spin around in his arms again, facing him so that his lips are inches from mine. I don't even have to use my talent to tell him to kiss me this time.

Hey! So... two chapters (very long I might add-7 pages in word!) in one night. I'm on a roll. Hope you liked the chapter-especially the cute Nessie/Jake ending. :) I thought it was cute, and I know you've had THREE Nessie's POV chapters in a row so I'm pretty sure the next chapter will be Jacob, though I'm not going to lie it's easier for me to write from Nessie's POV.

Anyways, let me know what you think about Nessie's impressive talent, and ask me any questions you have.

Thanks for reading,

R&R