Disclaimer: I am not Stephenie Meyer; I do not own the Twilight series, just a fan having fun. No copyright infringement is intended.

Chapter 16

I know it's a small chapter but I couldn't wait to post it!!! I probably won't have a lot of time this week to write so I didn't want to leave you guys empty handed. This is half of the whole chapter, so I'm hoping to update by adding the second half later. Hope you like!!!

Nessie's POV

I could hear mom, dad and Jacob bickering inside grandpa's study. Grandpa had long gone to find Esme and go hunting, while I was instructed to stay outside. I felt like a child, like I somehow had three parents that were fighting over who got custody of me. They were all whispering, really low, enough so that it was hard for me to make out exactly what they were saying. This really annoyed me, not only was I told to basically stay out of a conversation regarding my own future, but they were also making sure I couldn't even know what was being decided. I half expected this from my parents, but never from Jacob. He had been the one that had kept imprinting a secret so I could choose my own fate, make up my own mind, not be forced; and now, he hadn't even asked me what I thought or wanted to do about this whole thing.

Jacob: I don't want her here until we know what we're up against.

Dad: It's not your call Jacob.

Jacob: Like hell it is!!! You took Bella away when that psycho James was after her, Charlie had no clue.

Mom: That was different, Charlie knew nothing about our world and couldn't protect me but we can protect Renesmee.

Jacob: Are you saying I can't?

Edward: Jacob, listen to reason… she's safer here with us than away by herself. We don't know what these things are after, but we have a better chance if we stick together.

Jacob: She's not getting in the middle of this fight… I want her away.

Mom: I'm her mother, Renesmee stays with me. Edward and I would never put her in harm's way, but she needs to stay by our side so we can protect her. Think about it Jake.

Edward: I'm sorry Jacob, but it's final, she stays.

Jacob: Are you saying I have absolutely no say in this?

Mom: We're her parents.

Jacob: Exactly!!! You two have each other… I only have her. She's more mine than she is yours!!!

Jacob's words sent warmth all through my body. I was still pissed, but I couldn't really be that angry at him. They stopped talking, or at least I thought they did, so I stepped a bit closer to the door only to be surprised when it opened. All three of them were standing behind it. Mom's face was loving towards me, dad looked rather calm and confident, while Jake's face was expressing a complete gamma of emotions, not one of them positive. I took in a big breath and waited for either of them to speak. Of course, it was my dad the one who took over and spoke first.

"Nessie darling, we realized it's not fair to you for us to make a decision for you… so we decided it's your call. Do you want to stay or leave?" – Even though it's what I wanted, for them to not treat me like a child and for me to have say on the decision, it still surprised me and I all of a sudden had no clue what I wanted to do.

I stood there, trying to make up my mind, trying to avoid the anxious gaze of Jacob and even mom. I knew what the reasonable thing to do was, but I was afraid to say it.

"Ness?" – Jacob was looking at me with pleading eyes. I had to answer soon.

"I… I want to stay." – Jacob closed his eyes in defeat upon hearing my answer. I knew he loved me too much to contradict me, to force me the way my dad probably would have done with mom if he thought she was in danger. Mom and dad most likely sensed we needed some time to ourselves, because they left without saying a word or gloating that they had gotten their way.

Once they were gone Jacob opened his beautiful eyes.

"Please don't be mad at me Jake."

"I'm not, I could never. I should have known better, you're too stubborn to let yourself be taken care of." – He smiled at me, but his smile was full of fear and worry.

"You can still take care of me, but here, where we both belong. I can't abandon my parents and you most certainly can't abandon your pack."

"I'm afraid." – It was one of the most truthful and vulnerable things he had ever said to me. I reached over and hugged his waist, looking up at him.

"Why?"

"This is too perfect, you are too perfect. I'm afraid this kind of happiness wasn't meant for me, like it's too much, like something or someone will take you away from me, because nobody deserves to have it all." – I felt like crying when he said this, because sometimes it seemed that way to me too. Ever since I had that horrible nightmare, I couldn't come to terms with the fact that Jacob could die at any given moment, that there could come a time when one of us would be missing. But I couldn't think about it; I needed to believe that things could work out, the way they had for mom and dad.

"Don't be afraid… we'll get through this… I know it… I have faith." – Jacob smiled when I said this and kissed my forehead. We hugged for an eternity until I felt something in Jacob's pocket vibrate. He sighed, pulled out his cell phone and answered. With my perfect hearing, I could make out the voice on the other side, it was Embry.

"Hey man, Ness back yet?"

"Yeah… how's Leah?"

"She's feeling much better… just a few minutes ago she called me a "brainless moron"." – Jacob chuckled.

"Yep, she's definitely feeling better."

"Listen… she wants to go tracking, she wants to find those things."

"Tell her we need to know more about them… there's a complication… it could be dangerous to just rush into it."

"You better tell her yourself Jake… she's set on going, there's no stopping this girl." – Jacob took in a big and annoyed breath.

"Fine, give me five minutes."

"Make it three… she already threw a car tire at me when I told her not to go."

Jacob hung up the phone, took me by the hand and started to walk outside. I could feel the separation again and I couldn't face it. It had been really stupid to go to New York; sure I bought a bunch of really nice stuff, but I'd missed him like crazy. And now, he was leaving to be with his pack again, and again, I'd be left behind just waiting. These past five months were really taking their toll on me.

When we reached the forest, Jake turned around to face me. I could already feel a lump forming in my throat.

"So, what did you bring me?" – He was smiling with not one trace of worry or anxiety. How does he do that?

"Um… don't you have to leave now and hurry to stop Leah?"

"Leah can wait." – I couldn't help but smile when he said this and all the excitement over his present returned to me. He smiled wider upon my reaction, making the butterflies in my stomach go crazy. I put my hand in my pocket, pulled out a small gift wrapped box and placed it in his hand.

Jacob giggled it next to his ear playfully, never breaking eye contact, as if trying to guess what was inside. Then he unwrapped it and pulled out my gift.

It was a long silver chain with dog tags attached to it. The first one had the inscription:

Jacob Ephraim Black

Alpha

"He who is brave is free."

The second tag had an inscription that read:

I belong to someone.

If lost, please return to Nessie.

As Jacob was examining the tags, I started to feel self conscious. What if he thinks the tags are cheesy? I started to worry that I've never seen him wear any kind of jewelry, no chains or rings or anything. What if he thinks wearing something around his neck is girly? He was taking an extraordinary long time reading them and I was starting to regret the whole thing. The whole idea had come to me because I'd seen this store that sold customized jewelry, and dog tags just seemed like an excellent idea, completely appropriate since Jake is kind of like a soldier and also kind of like a dog. Apart from that, I know how much I love the bracelet he gave me for Christmas when I was a kid and I thought he'd appreciate wearing something of mine like I wear something of his.

He finally looked up at me and a huge grin formed on his face.

"Ness, this is the best present anyone has ever gotten me."

"Really?" – I couldn't hide my excitement over his words. – "You're not just saying that?"

"Why would I lie? This is perfect!!! I love it!!!"

"So you'll wear them?"

"Always." – He pulled me closer and started kissing me. He was just beginning to deepen the kiss when his phone vibrated again. I pouted when he pulled back, making him laugh. He answered the phone still smiling.

"Yeah?"

"What do you mean "yeah"? Where the hell are you? I'm waiting here like an idiot because Embry told me to wait for you!!!" – Jacob rolled his eyes and started kissing my knuckles while Leah continued to rant over the phone.

"I want to take those things down and all you care about is making out with little miss weirdo!!! They could be miles away by now!!! If you're not here in two minutes… I swear Jacob… "

"Fine Leah… I'll be right there; don't get your freaking panties in a twist."

"You're such a pig." – And she hung up.

"I thought I was a dog… no?" – He said that last part to me, making me giggle. Any other guy would lose his temper or be afraid upon hearing Leah's murderous rant… but not my Jacob, he can even make fun of it.

"Ok, let's go." – He said it while slipping on the silver chain; the dog tags resting on the glorious muscles of his bare chest.

"What? You're not going by yourself?" – When I said this, he swept me up from my feet and secured me to his body with just one arm.

"What? And let you get away again?"

"You don't have to worry about that… I'm never leaving you again."

"I know… but I'd much rather take some precautions… don't you think? Cuz the minute I leave… you seem to get these crazy ideas, and I'm sure as hell never sleeping without you again. Got it?"

"Got it." – He put me down and I could see mischief in his eyes.

"Wanna race? I won't even phase." – I didn't even answer, I just darted toward La Push; the rush of the leaves and the feeling of the wind in my face making me smile. Jacob was running alongside me, his figure still human but his movements fierce and animalistic. I could never get over the sight of Jacob running, so big and muscular and yet so graceful. My Jacob, my wolf: wild, fierce and free.