Chapter Two: Lessons

Hearing heavy paws thud against the Earth, I turned to see Jacob enter the clearing. He must have just come from Billy's. Walking straight up to Renesmee he gently nudged her with his nose. Knowing what this meant I lifted her up so she could climb onto his back.

"Yes, just stay close." Edward answered Jake's (or maybe Renesmee's) unspoken question. They were going hunting. It was almost time for her daily measurement, which is why Edward wanted her to stay close. Renesmee still treated these with a martyred endurance. It was clear that her growth was slowing but still necessary, for Edward, Jacob, and I to see evidence of this through Carlisle's measurements. And despite the clear evidence, it still made me nervous and even a little sad to see our daughter grow so quickly.

At almost a year old Renesmee is about the size of 6 or 7-year-old. Her mind however has surpassed that of an 18-year-old, in some ways, and she is now studying college material and reading some of my classics. Although she never seems to want for anything, except maybe Jacob when he isn't around, I still worry about the many things she misses out on. Going to school and making friends, friends she could relate to. But of course, Renesmee relates better to adults and her growth is still far too accelerated to go to school.

Instead, she receives formal lessons from Edward, Rosalie and even Jacob (on the Quileute language mostly). I teach her things in a more informal way and Alice, of course, guides her in all things fashion. Perhaps most interesting of all though are her lessons with Jasper. He believes that because Renesmee can convey her emotions through her thoughts she might also be able to influence others emotions as well. However, she first must master control of her own emotions and although she is intellectually mature, she is still a child and struggles with her emotions as children (and even adults) often do.

Edward and I were torn at first, we wanted her to be a child in as many ways as she could, for as long as she could, but we also felt that learning to control her emotions (even if she couldn't control others as Jasper could) was a good thing. Edward asked Jasper not to push her, afraid that if she couldn't accomplish this she would be disappointed with herself.

These lessons were always unexpected, well to everyone but Alice (and therefore Edward). If she was feeling particularly strongly about something Jasper would have her push that emotion on to him. It helped that Jasper would calm her if she got too frustrated. When she began to fight his calm, we all realized that, in a way, she was beginning to accomplish just what she set out to do.

When she came back from her hunting trip with Jacob, excited, Jasper began his lesson with her. He did not try to make her calm this time, he enjoyed her excitement. It was amazing, the bond these lessons had brought between them.

Carlisle appeared at the bottom of the stairs, providing Renesmee with an extra element to her lesson. "Can I borrow you for just a moment, Nessie?" he asked.

Keeping the smile on her face, "Sure, Grandpa." It was clear she was trying to maintain her excitement, but she turned away from Jasper at the entrance a little halfheartedly. Ness (mine and Edward's own nickname for her) remembers Nahuel, of course, and is confident that getting to be a grown up faster is very cool. Uncle Emmett often reassures us all with this. Of course, I think Renesmee is the only one that really believes it, although Emmett might also.

I knew that Renesemee would eventually be old enough to go to school, and not too far ahead in the future. I wanted her to have that experience but she would need to go somewhere new, of this everyone but Jacob agreed. We had yet to really make a compromise but I imagine we won't go so far away it is not an easy distance to Charlie and Jacob. And of course, he was welcomed to come with us but he has not made that decision yet.

Edward, Alice and I were discussing the necessity of this as Carlisle took Ness' measurements upstairs, Rosalie and Jacob looking on.

"Well, she'll need to get a new birth certificate, and passport depending on where we'll go. Which Canada is looking like a good possibility. It's hard to tell with Jacob going back and forth on coming with us." Alice announced.

Edward replied, "I think that can wait a bit Alice, Jasper can get those anytime." Now was the time for me to offically take over that position so I said, "Edward, I think Alice has a point. I need to have my name changed 'offically' anyway so I'll meet with J and get those." I continued on, "Renesmee will need to be explained just so and I'm afraid that Jasper may, well, leave something to be desired, in explaining it."

"Alright then, I'll call tomorrow-" Edward started to say. Alice cut him off, "Uh, Edward... I think it would probably be best if Bella went to meet him, herself." Edward must have known what she was talking about, but I didn't.

"Edward shouldn't come?" I couldn't imagine why not, certainly Edward wouldn't scare J the way Jasper did... Would he?

"Well," Alice answered, "J hasn't ever met Edward, or any of us, except you and Jasper of course. I think the less he sees the better. Not to mention, Edward can read J's thoughts... And well... I don't know if that's the best idea if you don't want to go scaring him."

I understood this better. J was certainly aware of my, well, attractive attributes and not knowing that my mind-reading husband can hear those thoughts he probably wouldn't be very likely to try to control them. I shuddered, trying not to imagine just what he thinks. Yes, it was certainly better for me, and Edward, not to know, just exactly what those thoughts were.

Edward, Alice and I were working out all the details when Rosalie and Renesmee came back down the stairs. "It's starting to get dark outside Nessie," Edward said, "I think its time we head home so Rose can go find Uncle Emmett."

Rosalie laughed, "Oh, he'll come back when he's ready. How about Nessie spends the night with me tonight? She can keep me company while Emmett's gone." Renesmee beamed. She loved having sleep-overs. "Can I?" She asked.

"Of course sweetie," I replied, then turned to Rosalie to ask, "You're sure you don't mind Rose?"

"Not at all, you know I love getting to spend time with Ness." And I did know. Not only did Renesmee seem to effortlessly blend our family and the Quiluetes but she had stitched a very strong bond between Rosalie and I too. I knew that the battle we had both fought together for her would forever bond us. And as much as I loved Renesmee I appreciated the time Rosalie was allowing Edward and I, just to ourselves.

I turned from the entryway to hug Nessie and kissed her on the top of her head. Even though I knew it wasn't necessary to say I told her anyway, "Be good for your Aunt Rose."

"I will Momma, I love you." She turned to head up the stairs but Edward caught her before she reached the first step and picked her up into a bear hug. "I love you baby girl" he told her, "Have a good night."

"Night Daddy. Love you too!" Then she was off, up to tell Alice that she was sleeping over no doubt.

"Thank you Rosalie," I said, "and when Emmett comes back tell him I said 'Better luck next time.'" She laughed. Edward added, "And tell him I said no more R rated movies for her. I don't want to see any more nightmares about the vampire hunter." Chuckling Rosalie agreed and we said our good-nights to the rest of the house, knowing they could hear us wherever they were.

Edward and I ran home leisurely, holding hands the whole way. He opened the front door for me and then scooped me up and carried me inside. Kissing my face, he set me down on our bed. I hadn't even noticed that we made it to the bedroom. He sat beside me and I started unbuttoning his shirt. Running my hands down the planes of his chest he let out a moan and undid his last few buttons more quickly than I was. He then began to undress me, starting with my shoes.

Lowering himself on top of me, he moaned again, "You're so beautiful" as we connected. It still amazed me, how much more I could love him in this body. I would never tire of the way it felt to be connected, as one being. It was natural for me now to push my sheild away automatically when he was so close. In this way we were more connected than any two people could ever be. He answered my unspoken thoughts automatically and sometimes even before I realized what I wanted. He moved in perfect synchronization with me and we rocked back and forth this way for what could have been hours, or maybe only a few minutes. I moaned in ecstasy and Edward let himself go at the same time, knowing just a moment before I did that I was at my climax.

We laid there connected, going back and forth between slow movements and perfect stillness until the sun came up.

A/N: As you may already know (but just in case you don't) I am not Stephenie Meyer, and therefore do not own the characters, or the Twilight Saga. However, these thoughts are my own. Please R&R.

Thanks, Gabbi