Hey guys! I combined two chapters here, so there is a break that signifies the change. The first chapter would have been a little short, so I just put the two of them together to make for a more enjoyable read…let me know what you think. I think you'll like the result of this one…

I couldn't speak. The words that I wanted to say were caught in my throat, and almost immediately, I found it hard to breathe. I stared into the faces of my parents, afraid to utter any sort of excuse. Excuses wouldn't be valid in this case…but quite frankly, I was tired of using them.

"Jacob." My father said firmly, but with less anger than I had expected. "You need to go home…"

"Edward, it's not what you think…" Jacob muttered.

"It's not about what I think." My father returned. "What concerns me is what you were thinking…"

I often despised that particular quality in my father…and his ability to read Jacob's mind was definitely putting a damper on any intimate relationship that Jacob and I might have…or would ever have. If Jacob was close enough, he could hear his every thought…and I shuddered to think of the things that my father must have heard Jacob thinking during our more-than-usual kiss…

"Stay out of my head…" Jacob replied with aggression.

"It's a little hard to tune you out." My father glared at him. "When you're thinking about her that way…"

"Dad—." I began, but my mother silenced me.

"Go up to the house with your father, Renesmee." She commanded. "Edward…calm down…take her up to the house…we'll talk about this later."

"Bella—." My father said quickly with objection.

"I want to talk to Jacob." My mother said simply. "Please, honey…we'll deal with Renesmee later."

My father scowled at Jacob, but heeded my mother's words. "Come on, Ness…"

I stared at Jacob. My feet didn't move. Why did these things always happen to me? Couldn't I just be a normal teenage girl for once? A normal teenager, who spent time doing normal things…like kissing her boyfriend, going on dates, and going to parties…

"Renesmee." My father's voice filled my ears. "Now."

My feet began to move forward, one step at a time…and I approached my father slowly, still looking back at Jacob.

Jacob's eyes were sorry…but as I stared back at his apologetic face, I realized that I was the one who should be sorry…for putting him in this situation. If I hadn't made the silly decision to sneak out and visit him…maybe I'd feel a little less guilty. Still, as I walked toward the house with my father, fearing the lecture that awaited me, I felt a strange sense of calm. Something in my brain told me that things were going to work out…and I prayed that it was right.

**********

When Edward and Renesmee disappeared through the trees, Bella grabbed Jacob's arm and led him a little deeper into the forest.

"Let's walk." She told him calmly, linking her arm with his then so that they were walking closer. For a moment, Jacob felt as though it were the same old Bella…his best friend…and first love.

The silence continued for a few minutes as they trudged through the trees, and Jacob wasn't sure if he should break it. What would he say? "Sorry I was wrapped in a passionate embrace with your daughter…I swear, it was innocent…" He rolled his eyes. There really wasn't a good way to approach the conversation, so he just kept quiet.

"I'm not angry with you." Bella said softly, breaking the awkward silence.

"Well, that makes one of you…" He sighed. "Your vampire husband wants to murder me, for sure."

"No…" Her voice trailed. "He's just upset…it'll pass…"

"It'll pass?" Jacob echoed her words. "He's felt the same way about me from the start…and I don't think he's changing his mind anytime soon…as long as I'm with Renesmee…"

"Jake." She stopped walking. "Edward gets it." Her voice was sincere. "He understands the way the two of you feel about each other…but he's protective of her…because she's his only daughter…"

"I understand that." Jacob sighed. "But she's also your only daughter…what makes your opinions so different?"

"Because I was there once…" She shook her head, and smiled. "I was a teenage girl once, too…remember?"

Jacob nodded. "Yeah…the good old days…" His voice trailed.

"We both worry about her…" She shook her head. "You have to understand…that she's not immortal yet…and we don't want anything to happen to her." She paused and looked up at him. "She's ours, Jake…she's all that we have…and it's a miracle that we have her in the first place."

"I know that." He sighed. "But she's becoming a woman before your eyes…and you have to let her experience things for herself."

"That's exactly why she needs to slow things down." Bella told him.

Jacob closed his eyes. "The kiss wasn't what you think."

"It was exactly what I think it was, Jacob…" She returned softly. "But you don't have to act like it didn't mean anything." Her expression was gentle. "I know how much you love her…and you've imprinted on her, so there's no way around that." She grinned. "But promise me that you'll take things slow with her, Jake…"

"Bella…it was a kiss." He tried to reassure her. "Just a kiss. It didn't, and won't, go further than that. I respect her…"

"I know that you do." She smiled. "And I trust that you'll take care of her…"

"You know that I will." He nodded.

"You don't have to sneak around to see each other anymore." Bella sighed. "I don't want to keep her away from you…you know that."

"But Edward does…" He put in.

"It's not really about you at all…" She replied. "He just wants to protect her…to him, she's still a child. He's just being a father, Jacob…one day you'll see where we're coming from."

Jacob nodded. "Yeah, I get it." He sighed.

"Okay…I'm going to head up to the house and choose a proper punishment for Ness…" Bella rolled her eyes. "But, as soon as she's done her time in the grounding department, you're more than welcome to visit…anytime."

"Are you sure…?" He was hesitant.

"Absolutely." Bella smiled