"Ugh. What time are Garrett, Kate, and Tanya getting back," I groaned to Alice. I was leaning on the Denali's breakfast bar and Alice was flitting around, completely consumed in her preparations for our future company. Jacob was on the phone with Billy, filling him in on the past events.

"Renesmee, I have told you a hundred times already. They'll be here by sundown. Promise," she said only turning her head to look at me for a second.

I had been eagerly awaiting the arrival of the French vampire that Kate had told my father about. She seemed amazingly interesting...

"What about Carmen and Eleazar?"

"You really need to stop being so repetitive. They found the Japanese days ago so they'll be here in a few hours."

I heard an unnatural coming from the front door. I turned my head groggily. My eyes brightened. Zafrina was back from her hunting trip.

I half-skipped to her and grabbed her hand. Jacob watched with a disquieted expression. He was trying to be inconspicuous about it, but the worry was visible on his face.

I showed Zafrina one of my childhood memories as she showed me her waterfall that she, Kachiri, and Sena linger around. It was as beautiful as all her pictures. I wasn't at all uncomfortable with the blindness. I guess I enjoyed being able to feel a gift relatively close to my own.

Kachiri and Sena were with Zafrina the whole time, as always, but it was easy to forget they were there. The pictures played on end, back and forth, back and forth.

I couldn't help to fall asleep to her calming, peaceful illusions. I had nodded off on her shoulder, for I hadn't let go of her hand.

"Oh Deus!" I heard someone shout. I sat up, shaken. I hadn't even remembered falling asleep...

Everyone in the room, even a few curious unknown faces, rushed over to hover worriedly. Dad was the only one who remained calm.

"Just a frightening memory," he muttered from the kitchen where he leaned idly on the counter. Dad said his words only just loud enough to hear from my place on the sofa.

"What memory, sweetheart?" Mom asked, taking a seat next to me. I went to show her by placing my hand on hers but Zafrina caught it before I could reach her.

"What?" I asked her.

"Everyone is curious," Zafrina said, gesturing to the others. "Why don't you let me show them?"

There were a few gasps. I saw what Zafrina was showing them as well. Myself retching on the ground, clutching my rib, as I glared up at little Jane.

I made a face. It's no one's business but my own really. And there needn't be any worry. I'm in perfect health now.

"I'm fine," I said under my breath. Jacob was closest to me. His eyes were burning. He lifted my arms and stared at them, and then my face and neck. He seemed to be looking for bruises injuries.

I yanked my arms from him. "I'm fine," I repeated in a louder voice.

Jacob sighed and placed his warm hand on my forehead. I slapped it away automatically. "Honest. I'm perfect!"

Jacob then stood up and turned to my father.

Not Again.

Jake just slammed his shoulder into Dad's as he walked to the back door. Jacob was already pulling off his shirt as he walked into the frosted forest.

It was hard to ignore our gorgeous stranger spectators. They all watched each member of my family curiously. There were the Asians Alice had seen, a extremely pale girl – even more so than the usual vampire – with curly brown hair and wide red eyes that seemed to be a nomad for she seemed to keep to herself, Ben and Tia (to my surprise I remember every person who witnessed for us those many years ago), Charles and Makenna, Stephan and Vladimir, Randall, Mary, and the Irish coven. There were also a handful of people I hadn't really bothered to notice. They seemed average – if a vampire could be average - and civilized, but paid little attention to our exchange.

I lifted a hand meekly in greeting at our guests. A few struggled to stifle a laugh.

"My, she has grown," Tia said quietly to Ben.

"Yes," Ben replied.

No one said anything else on the subject. I talked with a few people, showing them things they had been interested in, or explaining my history to the few who didn't already know it.

One particular conversation stood out. The girl I had noticed before was talking seriously to Ben, Ben who was always so happy, about strategies and gifts.

I walked over to them shyly.

"Hi Renesmee," Ben said indifferently.

"Hey. How do you guys know each other?" I asked politely. I smiled at the girl.

"We don't," the girl said. "My name is Michele." She held out her hand. I shook it warmly.

"Renesmee Cullen," I said.

"Oh I already know who you are. As I'm sure everyone does. I've just been a bit slow about meeting you. I became a vampire only two and a half years ago." I had just noticed the natural pull in her words. French, no doubt.

"You're quite tame, then, for being so young."

"I suppose."

"So if you do not know each other, than you must have a reason to be discussing gifts and such," I said, turning half way to see Benjamin's boyish face.

"As unlikely as it would seem, Michele appears to have a similar knack to mine. Hers is telepathy. I can move elements as well, but not objects."

"Telepathy? That's too much science fiction to believe," I said. "Can I see it?"

"I'm not terribly good at it," she said, but began to focus in on the set of car keys on the counter. Michele flipped her palm so it faced the tall ceiling and then flicked her wrist toward herself. The set of keys flew at our small group. I dodged them before they could hit me. She caught them effortlessly.

"Fascinating," I breathed, standing back up from my squat.

"Isn't it?" Ben said rhetorically.

A few had noticed, but didn't comment. To vampire there are no abnormities. You can't expect anything, and that's the how I want it to stay.

Some of our company practiced gifts outside, including Mom, even though she'd almost perfected her shield. Kate still was trying to project, unsuccessfully, I'm afraid. One of the Asian men, Udo, the younger of the two, had some kind of mind control, but it was only through skin contact, but still very useful. Zafrina didn't bother practicing. She was already great at what she did. Siobhan and Grandpa further discussed Siobhan's possible power, which seemed to be more and more possible by day. It had been raining and Zafrina had wanted it to stop and it had. It could have been luck. It could have been more. Emmett and Jasper helped others practice fighting. Jake already alerted the wolves, most of which were still in Forks, including Jake's pack, and they were all eager t help.

It would appear I'm the only one who can't help. I usually sat thinking about how we should be spending summer break in somewhere warm and dry, unlike freezing Alaska.

Later one night, when almost everyone was out hunting I confronted Dad about the matter. We were on the Denali's second floor. Dad had been looking through Eleazar's books.

"Are you insane?! You can't fight! You can't be anywhere near the mountain range where Alice sees the fight. You'd be the most obvious target," was his frustrated reply to a simple question. I had only asked how I could help.

"I could stay with Mom," I said in a hushed tone.

"Bella's shield isn't physical, Renesmee! You know that. Who put these crazy ideas into your head?"

"No one… but everyone s practicing so hard."

"You're only job is to stay out of trouble," he said placing his hand on my cheek.

"Yeah, 'cause that's so easy," I said rolling my eyes.