"This is ridiculous…" I said breathlessly, traipsing sluggishly behind Emmett and Rosalie as we entered the house. "I should have paced myself…I feel like I'm going to burst!"

"You're not the only one." Emmett held his stomach and plopped down onto the couch. "The last one was only to beat you…"

"Oh, for goodness sake, Em…" Rose slid onto the couch next to her husband and rolled her eyes. "I'd much rather you compete with Jasper than poor Ness…"

Emmett grinned. "C'mon, Rose. Renesmee loves a good game."

I nodded in agreement. My stomach gurgled uncomfortably. I shouldn't have chased down that last deer.

"That doesn't mean you two have to drink blood until you're stupid…"

I smiled. "Emmett was already stupid…"

"Enough cheap shots." Emmett reached up and slugged me in the arm. "Besides…I protected you today." He boasted.

"Ha." I scoffed. "Protected me. Why is everyone so concerned about protecting me ?"

"Because we want to make sure nothing happens to you." Rosalie placed a gentle hand on my arm.

"Why would anything happen to me?" I wanted to know.

Emmett's eyes widened, and Rosalie closed hers. "Emmett, could you give us a second?"

His mouth turned into a slight frown, but he nodded and wandered up the stairs. When he was gone, Rose began.

"I'm not saying that anything will…" she said softly. "But Renesmee, you must understand that there are things in this world that aren't what they seem to be…we're just thinking logically. You're the only one of us that isn't immortal, just yet…"

"And this has nothing to do with Jacob?" I pushed, dropping onto the couch next to her.

"Jacob is a factor." She confessed. "If you're sneaking out at night to see him, you're by yourself. Something could happen to you, and we wouldn't have any idea where to find you…"

"So it's about the sneaking out…" the words fell out of my mouth. "If they weren't so opposed to me spending time with Jacob in the first place…"

"Your mother loves Jacob." She cut me off. "I can't say that Edward is too fond of him, but he tolerates him…for your sake, and your mother's. That doesn't mean that he doesn't approve of you being with him…but you're still young, Ness."

"I'm old enough." I remarked, almost haughtily. Immediately, I knew it sounded childish.

"You've only been alive a few years…" she sighed. "Do you know how long your father waited before he found your mother?"

I wanted to tell her that it didn't matter…that people fell in love when the time was right for them…

"Over a century…" my voice trailed and I looked at the floor.

"Exactly…" she grabbed my hand and held it. "I know that you love Jacob…and I know that he loves you…but you have to be patient. You have forever to act on your feelings for him. You'll be immortal soon…and your time will come. But try to remember that you're not invincible, Ness…you're strong-willed and tough, but you're still breakable. That's all I'm trying to say. Try to understand where your mother and father are coming from, please.

I took in her words and sighed. They were difficult to swallow. I wanted so much to be like the others…and it was so difficult to be patient. Jacob was all I thought about these days…

"Thanks, Rose." I smiled at her. "Sorry that I've been unpleasant today…"

"You haven't been unpleasant." She stroked my hair. "You're just a teenager."