Chapter 25

Nessie's POV

Age-Old Questions

We head back inside, knowing that Tanya and Fred are close. We could hear them moving at a fast clip through the forest.

When we enter the house both Carmen and Kate's eyes meet mine, searching for what drove us outside so quickly. I give them both a comforting smile and shake my head slightly.

Carmen nods, and Kate's golden eyes light up. I know what she's thinking. I motion for her to come into the kitchen with me and nudge Jake toward the couch. He gets the message, and after pressing a kiss to my forehead, goes and sits down on the couch with Carmen, and the guys.

Kate meets me in the kitchen and I go rifiling through the kitchen drawer for 'something'. She raises an eyebrow, but doesn't have time to comment. I just smirk deviously and I hear Tanya and Fred come through the back door.

There's a quiet murmur in the living room as everyone welcomes them back. I hear Eleazar start up a conversation with Fred about his first vegetarian hunt. Perfect, we have a distraction.

"Tanya!" I call, purposefully making my voice excited.

She comes into the kitchen looking confused. "Yes?"

"Come on!" I motion for her to follow me and Kate and Tanya both follow.

"Where are we going?" Kate knows better than to ask. Tanya doesn't.

"To find a deck of cards! I know I have one in my desk drawer…" I think I'm an ok actress.

Tanya laughs, as does Kate. "Are we playing a card game Nessie?" Tanya asks, amused.

By now, at my normal walking speed-which is fast-we've reached the cottage: my house.

I consider the distance and shrug. "Only as a cover story."

Tanya looks confused, but Kate just elbows her sister. "We needed to get you away from… everyone."

"Why…?" She really doesn't know.

"Because. It's payback time." I smirk at her.

Tanya is growing suspicious. It's just as well-she should be. "Payback for what?"

"Pressuring the details out of me about my love life." She looks shocked, embarrassed, and maybe even a little pleased. Maybe she likes to be the center of attention like this-maybe she likes having a 'normal' conversation with her 'girlfriends'. All things vampire and werewolf aside that's what we were: friends.

"So…" I trail off waiting for her to offer up something.

"So…" She's not budging, but I can see the small smile tugging at her mouth.

Kate finally caves bursting out, "Oh please! We all saw they way you were looking at him. How was your hunt?" The way she says it makes it sound like they did far more than 'hunting'. I roll my eyes.

"Fine." Tanya says softly, unable to control her smile now. "Good. He's funny."

"Oh?" I ask, glad we actually got something out of her.

She nods. "It's weird though. I'm so much older technically speaking."

"Well physically you two are a perfect match." Kate adds.

"Besides," I point out. "You live in correlation with humans, you know how they are, and your personality matches theirs. It's not like you're a grandma trapped in the body of a twenty year old."

Tanya laughs loudly, I can't remember her being this happy. "You've got that right."

Kate is smiling too, happy for her sister. "It's about time you found someone. And thank God it's not Edward…" Kate realizes who she's with and clarifies. "No offense but… living with a mind reader? That would be…"

"Annoying?" I volunteer. "Or even irritating?"

She laughs and nods.

"That," I say with a grin. "Is why it's also nice to live with the shield that can protect your thoughts."

Kate smiles. "Your mother and father truly are a unique pair. One of a kind, and perfect for one another."

"One good thing about being a vampire, or half vampire: you know who you love."

They laugh. "It's true!" I exclaim. "There's only one out there for each person. Jacob… Garrett… Fred…" Tanya's eyes go wide and Kate and I burst out laughing.

"I guess you're right." Kate says.

I flip my hair over my shoulder in an exaggerated move of cockiness, "I always am."

Tanya shoves my shoulder and rolls her eyes.

We end up actually playing cards at the counter, and we manage to pass three hours of time, until I get a call from Jacob.

"Hello?"

"Nessie, we've got more guests."

So we end our game and head back to the main house.

By the end of the day Jacob is back on patrol-until ten tonight-and Siobhan and the Irish coven have arrived at the Cullen estate. Not long after their arrival Peter and Charlotte appeared as well. It is becoming more and more tense at the main house, and though I'm trying to keep things under control I am sorely wishing Jasper and his talent were here. I hadn't realized how big of a role he had played before.

It's only eight when I decide it's time for me to escape to the cottage-to get away from everyone. I tell them all good night and they return the sentiment before falling back into their private conversations with their mates, or fellow coven members.

I can't help but feel relieved knowing that having to sleep allows me an out. It's selfish of me, really, because all the people are in the house to deal with problems I've caused.

On my way to the cottage I glace up at the sky only to be shocked by the clarity. There are no clouds tonight, and thanks to the seclusion of our home-or homes rather-I can see the stars perfectly. It makes me smile.

In a completely out of character move I go into the house, turn on my laptop and head back outside. I take a blanket with me, one from my bed, and go out to sit under the stars. I'm a little shocked when I see a shooting star.

I know it's really a meteor, and when I look it up I find that sure enough, the Leonids meteor shower is visible on the west coast in November. November 18th especially, and today just so happens to be the 17th.

I end up randomly searching the Internet for things like colleges and schools across the country. On the off chance that my family lives through this Volturi controversy I want to know where I am going next.

I never thought I'd be glad that my home schooling had been completed before all this started. But I am now, because having officially graduated high school was an important achievement that I'm glad I managed to accomplish it.

After skimming through what must be hundreds of college websites, I find that I can't concentrate further, and I decide to just sit under the stars. I don't close my laptop, or shut it off. I just leave it on my lap, because my back is pressed up against the cool side of the cottage, and tilt my head up to watch the shooting stars.

The way they flash across the sky, bright and fast, before burning out makes me think. If I wasn't watching these stars who would notice that they burn out? That they even burned in the first place? And, the stars' situation is similar to my own. If my family is like these meteors, flashing across the sky with white brilliance only to burn out, or be burnt by the Volturi, and no one is around to witness it does it really impact anyone?

It makes me think of the age-old question: "If a tree falls in the forest, and there is no one around to hear it, does it still make a sound?"

In other words, "If my family is slaughtered in the forest by the so called 'law-makers' of the vampire world, will it impact anyone at all?"

And suddenly, I'm determined to make the answer yes.

So, Nessie is watching the skies-and maybe going to get rained on-it is Forks after all, and she has some new idea. Will post again soon, but please keep reading and reviewing. :) Thanks you guys, you're the best.

R&R :D