I'm sorry it's taken me so long to post this! I've been incredibly busy since Christmas break started, and this chapter has been in the making since then. I finally got a few moments to write a little more, so this chapter is definitely for all of you who've been waiting patiently over the last month. This chapter was a little more difficult for me to write, because the ideas in my head were a bit jumbled, and it took me writing and re-writing to piece them together just how I wanted them. This one is fairly short…but there will be more soon. I hope I didn't keep you waiting too long. Let me know what you think!

I sat on the couch in the living room, legs crossed, back stiff…anxious about my fate. I knew that I was in trouble, but to what extent, I was unsure.

My father was in the kitchen, pacing…and Carlisle and Esme were trying to appease him. They were whispering, but I could understand what they were saying.

"Edward, she's very responsible."

Carlisle.

"She needs to see him…you've got to let her make some decisions on her own."

Esme.

"She's just a child!"My father protested.

The words stung. Just a child?

"You need to calm down before you say anything more to her." Esme whispered softly. "Wait until Bella arrives. The two of you can talk to her together."

As I listened to their discussion, I grew more impatient. Why did my father have such a difficult time understanding the things I was going through? Carlisle and Esme seemed so collected, so tolerant…

I felt as though I was being pulled in half.

I realized then that I was kneeling on the cushions with my head strained toward the dining room doorway, hoping to catch every word of the conversation. A hand on my shoulder startled me, and I nearly tumbled off sofa.

"Ness, what on earth—?"

"Mom?" I placed a hand over my chest to calm my wildly-beating heart. "I didn't hear you come in."

She smiled. "Vampire."

I sighed. She was absolutely right. The rest of my family moved about with effortless silence.

I was always the one that stumbled into things…and made an incredible ruckus.

My eyes flickered toward the kitchen, and then back to my mother's gaze. She knew that I was feeling anxious.

A sigh was building in my chest, but she reached out to put a finger to my lips before it could escape.

"Be patient." She told me firmly. "You'll find out soon enough."

The anticipation was so overwhelming, and I feared it would kill me if it grew worse. My nose began to itch. This usually only happened if I was particularly distressed…and this moment seemed only appropriate.

My mother leaned in and lightly pressed her lips to my forehead. The appeasing touch assured me that she wasn't nearly as angry with me as she should be, and I suddenly felt a little better about the situation.

"Wait here." She told me softly, and slipped into the kitchen.

So many things plagued my mind as I sat in earnest anticipation.

Would this be the turning point?

Would I ever see Jacob again?

Jacob had mentioned getting married one day…would we really have to run away together to ever have a normal life?

I shivered…

"Renesmee." My father's voice broke my thoughts.

I stiffened in my seat. Here we go.