I decided not the go to the cottage first

I decided not the go to the cottage first. If my parents were still in need of any privacy, I would surely be the one to give it to them.

When I reached the house that the rest of the family shared, I made a silent attempt to enter through the back door unnoticed. This was not possible.

"Ah, Nessie." Emmett jumped in my path as I stepped through the threshold.

Startled, I jumped back a little.

"Been with the wolf again?" he questioned me, a dark smile on his face.

"Wha—." I began, but Alice stepped to my side, grabbed my arm, and pulled me out of the way of Emmett's playful, but accusing, eyes.

"Renesmee, I need your opinion on something." She still had my arm. As she pulled me toward the stairs, I was thankful she hadn't allowed Emmett to question me any further. He liked to tease me about Jacob...everyone did. Living in a house full of vampires and dating a werewolf was probably a bit strange through most eyes…if people actually knew who we truly were.

When we reached the room that Alice and Jasper shared, she pulled me inside and closed the door tightly.

"I love making excuses." She smiled a big smile and plopped onto the bed she and Jazz used as a prop. My aunt Alice…so clever. "But in this case, I really do need an honest opinion." She confessed, and reached for a box on the nightstand next to her. "I ran to Port Angeles to do a little shopping…"

With Alice, a little shopping meant thousands of dollars…

"…And I found this for Bella." She hated calling her "my mother."

She retrieved a worn out, hardcover book from the box and handed it to me. It was definitely old…

"Sense and Sensibility…" I read. "Holy crow…is this original?"

Alice nodded. "I found it there in the bookstore she loves…tucked away in the back under piles of rubbish." She looked satisfied. "Only a few like it."

"I'd say." I said softly, turning to her. "She'll love it."

"You think so?"

"I know so." I beamed.

"Great." She placed the book gently back into the box and replaced the lid. "Now…" she began slowly, and I knew it wasn't about the book anymore. "About your entry this morning…"

The door opened, interrupting her.

"Morning, Ness." Jasper smiled. I heaved a sigh of relief. "What are you two doing in here?"

Alice smiled at her husband. "Nothing important." She placed the box in my hands. "Take this to your mother…and tell your father that if he doesn't come move his blasted Vanquish out of the way so I can get the Porsche out of the garage, I'm totaling it." And she grinned wickedly.

"Message received." My eyes grew large. I stood up and crossed the room toward the door. "She's going to love it, Alice." I told her again. "And…thanks…"

"I know she will." She kept her smile. "And you're welcome."

Though it may have been easier to discuss my absence with Alice, I didn't feel nearly as comfortable discussing my relationship with Jacob around Jasper…not that he wouldn't understand…but when the issue was my safety, my uncles went berserk. They'd go out of their way to protect me. Yet, their protective nature was not even close to that of my father…and I knew that if anything happened to me under Jacob's care, there would be trouble.

As I left the bedroom and headed downstairs, I found Esme and Carlisle, greeted them, and gave them both a kiss. They were supposed to be my grandparents, but neither of them looked a day over twenty-five.

I found Rosalie on the back porch tending to her flowers. Sneaking up behind her, I placed my hands over her eyes. Rose and I had been close since the day I'd been born. I guess it was because she had always wanted a child so badly…and because she and Emmett had met and married after becoming immortal, the idea of children was impossible. As a result, we had a very strong bond.

"Guess who." I giggled, not even trying to disguise my voice.

"I know exactly who." I knew she was smiling. "You smell like a dog."

"Yeah, yeah." I shrugged. Jacob's scent never had bothered me…maybe it's because I was madly in love with him. I smiled as I thought of it.

"Think it's safe for me to head home?" I raised an eyebrow and looked at her. "I mean…do you think they're up?"

Rose broke into a laugh. "That must really be horrible for you." She didn't even try to conceal her amusement. "That you're almost the same age as your parents…hypothetically speaking…and you must deal with…"

"Enough." I clamped my hands over my ears.

My parents were young…and they would be young forever. This meant, they would have the same desires and tendencies of most young lovers their age…but they were vampires, so their need for each other was much stronger…and they often took advantage of the times I slept…or was supposed to be sleeping.

"I think you'll be okay." She winked at me. "Try to understand what it would be like to be them, Ness…they're not just going to sit around and play Monopoly all night."

"I wish I could sleep through the night." I sighed. "I'm beginning to sleep less and less."

"I would savor those moments when you do sleep…" her voice trailed and she smiled. "I don't remember what it's like, but I'm sure it's very satisfying…"