Disclaimer: story doesn't belong to me...yada yada...you know the rest...

Chapter 2 Deal

I sniffed out my jeans and t-shirt in my wardrobe while Edward slipped on a pair of trousers and went out to Renesmee. Thousands of possibilities flashed thorough my head, and I winced in horror as each of those thoughts was punctuated with Renesmee's unusual ability. She could tell anyone.

I reached out tentatively with my mind, flexing the elastic to its limit, and found Edward's presence. He felt me. Don't worry, Bella, I'm doing my best to, um, well, convince her.

Edward convincing Renesmee? My stomach dropped. This is not good. I hurried out and saw Renesmee's eyes on me, glinting in amusement. Edward caught my eyes and shook his head so slightly that I could have imagined it. My stomach rolled in horror. What will she do?

Renesmee reached out with a hand and touched me with a hand. My eyes widened at her request. She wanted us to continue the conversation in the Cullens' main house. I picked her up, as she insisted, and together, we walked to the house, Renesmee keeping her eye on both of us, waiting.

We reached the main house in a couple of minutes. I can't help noticing that the main house held no calmness as it usually did for me, but the routine was still going on. Alice, as usual, was replacing the flowers in the living room, flitting around with Esme; Emmett was fighting with jasper, Rosalie watching and Carlisle was preparing for the hospital in his room. Jacob was unusually early, already perched on the porch awaiting our arrival. He perked up at the sound of us, and Renesmee bounced into his waiting arms.

I stiffened in surprise, watching Renesmee exchanging thoughts with Jake. Jacob face betrayed no emotion, and I turned to Edward.

Edward was frowning, his brows furrowing together. He cleared his throat and called, "Renesmee, we need to talk."

Jacob turned his eyes upon us and I cringed mentally. Does he know already? Edward laid a hand on my shoulder assuringly, to no effect. Renesmee, hearing Edward, bounded towards us and answered meekly. "Yes, daddy?"

I couldn't help myself as my heart rose at that voice. One look at Jake's confused face told me that Renesmee hadn't revealed anything to him. Yet. Edward took a deep breath and started.

"Renesmee, you do know that what you saw was absolutely top secret, right?" Renesmee nodded, grinning. "You can't tell anyone, you know?" Renesmee preached for Edward's face and Edward frown deepened. "No, Nessie, Especially Jacob." Jacob perked up at his name, and Renesmee threw him a look—a very clever one, one that reassures, calms and—I winced—love. Jacob shrugged in a "if you say so" way, and went into the living room. I couldn't help but notice Emmett smirking at our "top secret".

I didn't realise that Edward was so tensed up until I heard him hiss. Apparently, Renesmee was still talking to him, and what Renesmee had said wasn't one I would like. I glared at the ground below me, hoping the ground would swallow me up. Edward touched my shoulder and looked at me pointedly.

I sighed and stretched my shield for the third time. Edward's voice and Renesmee's images flooded my mind and almost immediately, I hissed. Renesmee fixed her gaze at us sweetly, her eyebrows raised as if waiting for an answer. She looked so much more Edward than me.

Including the blackmailing.

Edward rolled his eyes at that thought, and drew me back to the topic at hand. I don't think we're at a position to refuse, Bella. The risk is simply—he glared at Renesmee—too big.

But she's still so...small!

Don't forget she's already seventeen in terms of her mind. She's matured enough to blackmail us. She's old enough, I think, to make the right decision.

I wasn't much rational when I was seventeen. I reminded him. I, too, blackmail Charlie a lot, you know.

He chuckled. It's not the same. You had me.

And Renesmee thinks she have Jacob. Which is not far from the truth, judging from the way he never leaves her—or us—alone.

I...trust Jacob. I think.

I laughed at his expression. He was scowling when he said that. A thought hit me and wiped the grin off my face as I contemplated it with horror.

But what if—I trailed off at that thought. Edward hissed in displeasure. He took a fleeting look at Jacob and took a deep breath.

He doesn't think of Renesmee that way. He sounded unsure of himself, as if trying to convince himself. Yet.

I sighed in frustration. This is worse than throwing myself to the Volturi. My body was trembling already at the exertion from the stretching of my shield. Edward sensed my frustration and assured me.

I'll tear his limbs out once he has the thought.

I smile weakly at him. My shield was threatening to recoil any minute now. We don't have much choice, do we?

He shook his head reluctantly as my shield rebounded back. Edward took a deep breath again before turning to Renesmee. "Nessie, I think I have myself to blame for your-" he shot a look at Jacob, who looked confused "-skills at negotiating." Renesmee's face lit up at that statement, and bounded to Jacob, only to be stopped by Edward's hand. "Remember, though, once you bread your part of the deal, it's off."

Renesmee smiled sweetly as she bounced into Jacob's waiting arms, pushing her hand into his neck. I closed my eyes and concentrated on my breathing. Edward lay comforting hand on my shoulder as Jacob's voice travelled through the the living room, layered with joy.

"So, Bella," he grinned as I opened my eyes, "exactly when do I start calling you mom?"

I growled in response, resisting the urge to pounce on him and bite off his furry head, until Edward took me in his arms and planted a kiss on my lips. Instinctively, I reacted and drowned myself completely—well, almost—in my happy place.

It was until someone in the room whooped—I'm ready to bet it was Emmett—that I pulled away, only to be greeted by Alice's enthusiastic face. I groaned as I looked around. Apparently, Jacob's little comment had been caught up by everybody.

"So, Bella, when can we start preparing? She'll look so good in this dress I saw in..." whoa, wait. I grabbed Alice's shoulders and stopped her monologue effectively, only to see Edward stiffened in surprise.

"That soon?" he growled at alike in fury. Alice shrugged before saying, "if I'm not mistaken, it would be about next month."

Next MONTH?! I felt my heart rising in my throat. That soon? Edward, sensing my mounting anger, laid a restricting hand on my shoulder. He gave me a look which I translated into "there's still hope. Alice's vision is subjective." I took a deep breath and glared at Renesmee since the first day I saw her.

Ugh. My two year old daughter is getting married to a werewolf. Next month.

TBC