A/N: I know it's been a long time. All I have to say about that is, Flashdrives are for transferring files only. Never, ever work and save on them. If you do, you'll end up losing over forty pages worth of writing.

Seriously. It happened.

Oh well… gotta learn the hard way sometimes! Anyhow, I've gotten myself back up to where I was before (almost), so I'll start posting again. I've got a decent buffer zone, and I'm saved on the hard drive this time. No more taking chances.

In this chapter: the new digs!

Thanks for Reading!

~Crit.

Chapter 4: Subtlety—Not a Cullen Character Trait

The sun had dropped below the skyline as the Cullens' car pulled up in front of a very large, very old building in the heart of Greenwich Village. Renesmee practically sprang from the car the moment her father hit the brakes. She zoomed around the back of the vehicle and made a beeline for the building, skidding to a stop before the looming, grandiose façade. Jacob got out of the car and moved to stand beside her, taking in her expression. She looked mildly stunned, despite having living in varying levels of grandeur her entire life.

"I told Gramma Esme to go with something subtle," she said flatly. Jacob chuckled.

"And you couldn't have guessed how that would turn out?" He shook his head and turned to look at the building. She had a point… it was pretty impressive. It was about eight stories high, covered entirely in rich red brick. Long windows soared up the building's face, at least two stories high each, and topped with semi-circles of delicate stained glass. Not his style, but he knew Renesmee would love it. Jacob looked toward the elaborate front door, with its many panes of beveled glass, searching for a date plate. 1896. "Hey Ed," he said casually over his shoulder. "This place is even older than you are!"

Edward and Bella were striding towards them, both looking at the building appreciatively. Edward handed Jacob a suitcase from the trunk. "We might as well take some things up. No sense waiting for Renesmee… we'd be here all night."

Jacob smirked. Another joke from Edward. "Yeah, I think she may have broken a circuit," he agreed. "Hey Ness! You alright, or did the pretty building break you?"

"I am perfectly unbroken, thank you very much," Renesmee retorted, not even fazed by his teasing. She turned to her father. "Dad, do you have the keys? Can we go inside?" Edward reached into his pocket and tossed her a key ring. Renesmee caught it with ease, even thought Jacob knew the impact of Edward's light toss would have taken the average human girl's hand off. It made him wonder, not for the first time, exactly how practical this quest of Renesmee's was. She could try to be human as hard as she wanted, but when it all boiled down to it, she wasn't human, and she never would be. Jacob wasn't sure why she'd want to be anyway, but it was important to her, so he was willing to indulge her. As always.

Edward shot him a look which clearly said he understood. Jacob was still always a bit surprised when Edward was on his side. Their relationship had been so full of animosity for the first few years that they'd known each other, and that tension had been slow to dissipate. Obviously, Edward still harboured some uneasy feelings over Jacob's attachment to Renesmee. But sometimes, the vampire surprised him by letting his compassionate side shine through, and for brief moments in time Jacob could understand how Bella and Renesmee could car so much for Edward.

They followed Renesmee into the building, Bella trailing behind them (at a distance, Jacob thought to himself before pushing the thought away, where Edward wouldn't be able to wonder about it). Jacob was a bit apprehensive when he caught sight of the elevator, which looked about as old as the building. It was the kind of lift he'd only ever seen in movies, with a folding gate that pulled across the door, brass buttons and walls covered with smoked mirrors. He eyed the elevator dubiously before stepping into it, but it moved surprisingly fast and smoothly. An arrow moved across a numbered dialed, and a loud ding sounded as it stopped on the number 3.

The third floor, as it turned out, consisted of a small square landing with a door to the left and a door to the right. Edward gestured for Renesmee to unlock the left-hand door, which she did eagerly, and they all stepped inside.

"Whoa." Renesmee stood frozen in the entryway to the loft, taking in her new surroundings. Jacob silently echoed her statement. Whoa was right. The small, dark entrance gave way to a large room with a ceiling that soared up two stories. An ornate staircase spiraled down from a balcony that stretched the entire length of the apartment, facing the huge windows. Jacob turned to look through the glass and found himself staring at the Empire State Building.

Renesmee was zooming from one place to the other, examining their new home. She ran around the staircase to one corner of the open-concept main floor, where a baby grand piano was conveniently nestled. She lifted the lid and snapped the brace into place with one hand, and then moved to the keys and plunked out a simple melody. "Oh-h-h," she breathed as the notes reverberated in the open space. "Good call, dad."

Edward fixed Jacob with a look. "No phasing within 12 feet of that," he said warningly. "It's a Steinway."

Jacob didn't really know if he was supposed to be impressed by the name Steinway or not, so he just nodded. "Phase on this side of the room. Got it." He was distracted by a sudden blur of motion by the balcony, and turned just in time to see Renesmee swinging herself easily over the antique brass railing.

"Honey, use the stairs," Bella admonished as Renesmee tucked a stray hair back into place behind her ear.

"It's only about 20 feet," Renesmee said as she took off to explore the second floor. "Wow, Jake! Come check out these bedrooms!"

Jacob shook his head and started for the staircase. Renesmee was insufferable when she was excited about something. Also adorable. But mostly just insufferable.

He found her standing in the first bedroom, which was furnished in deep greens and browns. Very comfortable and masculine, with rough-hewn wooden furniture. Jacob smirked. This must be his room. He could just imagine Alice and Esme putting it together. It was actually pretty nice.

"Check this out," Renesmee said, a hint of mischief in her voice. She pushed a small black button on the wall and the large wooden cabinet in front of the bed flew open, revealing an enormous flatscreen television. Jacob gaped. "I think it's taller than you," Renesmee mused casually, "but it's hard to tell with it mounted on the wall."

"Whoa," he finally said. Renesmee smirked.

"You're not impressed by nineteenth century architecture or the New York skyline, but a big TV renders you dumbfounded." She socked him lightly on the bicep. "You're such a boy, Jake."

Jacob stared down at her. "You know, Ness, maybe I'll just go back upstate and move in with Esme and Alice. They're much nicer to me than you are." To accentuate his point, he gestured to the television.

"Yes, but I'm the only one who can put up with your smell." Jacob swatted at her, but she was too quick for him. He gave her a few seconds head start before chasing her down the hall to the other room.

Renesmee's bedroom was about the same size as Jacob's, finished entirely in rich browns, creams and golds. Jacob watched as Renesmee picked up a small square of paper from the carved velvet bedspread and read it with an expression full of dread.

"What's up, Small-fry?" He said, walking across the room to where she stood. She just handed him the paper. Look in the closet! ~A, it read in tiny, extravagant cursive. Renesmee looked up at him pleadingly.

"I told her not to," She said miserably. Jacob just chuckled.

"Your mother's daughter," he said, patting her on the back. "Go on, get it over with. You know she's going to call you any minute to see how you like it. I'll come with you if you want… protect you from all those big bad designer labels." He shoved her in the direction of the closet door.

It was like a small boutique. Alice had left cupboards open and drawers pulled out so that Renesmee could see all of her new things immediately upon entrance. Despite her protestations, Renesmee began to look through the seemingly endless supply of new clothing, scrutinizing the new stock carefully. She stopped before what Jacob guessed was the accessory cabinet, fingering the dozens of dangling necklaces and earrings appreciatively. She pulled at a drawer that was full of glasses, only half of which had tinted lenses for sun protection. "What the hell, Alice?" Renesmee muttered, picking up a pair of frames with clear lenses and examining them. Jacob laughed as she eyed the useless things.

"Maybe she thinks they'll help you blend in with the other nerds at school," he suggested. Renesmee stuck out her tongue at him, and then placed the frames on her face. "Hey, they actually look kind of cute," he said involuntarily. Renesmee rolled her eyes, and then turned to one of the many mirrors.

"Well… I guess they're not horrible. Maybe I'll try them out in public sometime." She moved down the line of drawers and cabinets to one in the back corner that was closed. "Wonder what's in here?" She said, pulling it open. As soon as she'd done so, she slammed it shut again. "Oh lord," she said, sounding pained. Jacob smirked.

"Underwear, huh?"

She shook her head, not to disagree but rather in reaction to Alice's choices in undergarments. "You don't even want to know," she said miserably. Jacob silently agreed. It would be really hard not to think about Renesmee's sexy lingerie around Edward.

A high, tinkling melody sounded from Renesmee's pocket. "You called it," she said to Jacob, flipping her phone open and holding it to her ear. There was a high buzzing noise from the other end. Jacob smirked. Alice.

"Yes, Aunt Alice. Yes, it's all very nice. No, I'm sure he loved it. OK… OK!" she put her hand over the phone. "She wants to know if you liked your room," she said, giving him a harassed look. Jacob took the phone from her.

"It's great, Shorty." He could practically hear her beaming through the phone.

"Oh, good. I was worried you might think it was too woodsy, you know? It's so hard to do things for the two of you… I can never tell how you're going to react."

"In other words, you can't cheat." Jacob grinned at Renesmee. Alice deserved a little teasing for putting her entire family through fashion hell.

"Jacob Black! I don't cheat." She said it like it was a curse word. "I just have a natural advantage." She huffed indignantly, and then her voice brightened again. "What did you think of the clothes?"

"The clothes? They're, um…" He glanced around the closet. "Girly. They'll look nice on her, I guess." Alice giggled.

"Not Nessie's clothes, you silly wolf. Your clothes!"

"My—" Jacob's eyes widened. "You didn't."

"Oh, but I did." That damn pixie. Renesmee was staring at him, wide-eyed. On the other end of the line, Alice was still snickering. "I've been dying to get my hands on your wardrobe since we met."

"Can't die if you're already dead," Jacob muttered. Renesmee laughed out loud then. Alice clucked disapprovingly.

"None of that," she said lightly. "You'll thank me later. The shirtless/sweatpants look will not fly in Greenwich Village."

"Right. Here's Ness." He gave the phone back to Renesmee, who took it and strode out of her closet, exploring the bedroom and ensuite bath. Jacob rounded the corner—and ran straight into something very solid and very cold.

"Ugh!" Emmett leaped backwards and began swiping at his shirtfront. Jacob grimaced and rubbed his arm.

"That's gonna bruise," he muttered.

"Sorry," Emmett didn't look all that sorry, really. "If it helps, that smell's not going to come out of this shirt. Rose'll probably make me burn it."

Jacob had to laugh at that. "Keep it around. You never know… Blondie might start to miss my signature scent." Emmett clapped him on the shoulder. Out of all the vampires, Jacob got along best with Alice and Emmett. They still teased each other mercilessly, but his interactions with Emmett now verged on an easy camaraderie.

"How was the drive in?" the biggest member of the Cullen clan asked him, "Tense and unpleasant, or violent and unbearable?"

"Column A," Jacob replied. "Lucky me."

"Where's my niece?" Emmett started peering into doorways. "She needs to get her lazy little butt downstairs and give me a hand with her stuff." Jacob chuckled.

"Yeah, you really need the help of a teenaged half-human to move a few boxes."

"That's not the point!"

Renesmee strode into the hall, clicking her cell phone shut. "What was that about me being lazy?"

"I didn't call you lazy… just your butt. Now get it downstairs, little lady… hard labour awaits." Emmett dodged a smack to the arm and then caught Renesmee by the wrist. "Don't make me fireman-carry you," he warned. Renesmee tried her best to glare at her uncle, to no avail. Jacob rolled his eyes. He didn't know anyone other than Emmett who could talk to women like that and still have them do what he said. Emmett could charm a reaction out of a brick wall… little Nessie didn't stand a chance. He watched Renesmee barrel down the stairs, followed by her mountain of an uncle, and then set off to explore his room a little further.

He started with the ensuit bathroom, which was bigger than his living room back at his Father's house in La Push. He was somewhat used to living in more luxurious settings since he began traveling cross-country with the Cullens. In every town they moved to, they also purchased a house nearby their own for Jacob and the pack. Leah and Seth hadn't stayed with him all the time, opting to stay at home with their mother and visit for a few weeks every few months—at first. But something had happened that changed that. Jacob had been without his pack for nearly three months after the first move, and they were due for a visit within the week, when he received a frantic call from Seth.

"Jake." Jacob barely recognized the voice on the other end of the line. Seth sounded horrible. The kid was always so cheerful, so optimistic… he didn't think he'd ever heard Seth sounding so bleak.

"What's wrong?" he said immediately, his Alpha instincts taking over. Seth and Leah hadn't phased in a couple days, at least not when Jacob was in wolf form. Anything could have happened. "Are you okay?" he had a thought that made his stomach drop. "Did something happen to Leah?"

"Jake, she…" Seth was struggling with his words. "She's bleeding."

In the next chapter: A blast from the past.