A/N: Okay, so I know I said Sunday… but my train was delayed a whopping hour and a half on the way home from the mother's house, so it didn't happen. And then I was back to work with a vengeance, so I haven't been able to even scrape together the energy to edit and prep the cha[ter for posting. SO it's up today. I apologize profusely.

Thanks to all who reviewed the last chapter. I hope you enjoy this one.

Please review!

~Crit.

Chapter 24: The Lesser of Two Evils

Renesmee waited nervously in her parents' cottage, pacing the living room floor and worrying away at her bottom lip with her teeth. The house was almost an exact replica of every other one they'd had in her lifetime. Her parents had always preferred to style their private house on the Cullen property after the first one they'd had as a married couple. She should have felt comfortable in such familiar surroundings, but everything was just a little bit off from what she was used to, and it only added to her anxiety.

She was sure it was taking so long because Carlisle and Esme had to finagle her mother away from her father. Keeping Edward away from this conversation wouldn't be easy, but she was sure her grandparents would manage it, somehow.

The door opening caught her off-guard. She hadn't heard her mother approaching. She'd gotten so used to being surrounded by humans that she had almost forgotten how silently her family moved. She looked up almost guiltily as her mother came into the cottage.

"Hi mom," she said cautiously. Her mother gave her a look that seemed almost as wary.

"Hi Honey. Grandma said you needed to talk to me in private… what's up?"

Renesmee took a deep breath and moved towards the couches. "Maybe we should sit down," she suggested, even though her mother obviously had no need to. But she did as Renesmee asked anyhow, curling her feet under herself like she always did. Renesmee watched her mother with a mixture of fondness and dread. She had no idea what was going to happen, and it terrified her.

"Mom," she said after a long stretch of silence, "I have to tell you something." Her mother looked at her with a concerned expression.

"Honey, you look upset."

"I'm not… I'm just… it's a pretty serious thing, this thing I'm going to tell you, and well… I don't want you to get upset." Bella's shoulders slumped as she took in Renesmee's words.

"Did your grandparents tell you something about me being upset?" She asked slowly. She didn't seem irrational, or out of control. Renesmee took that as a sign that she should keep going as planned, with honesty and directness.

"Grandma mentioned you'd been concerned about some things that had to do with me. I want to tell you exactly what's going on in my life, and I want to… explain to you why you don't have to be concerned. But I'm worried you'll be upset."

Her mother nodded. "I'm in control, Renesmee," she said firmly. "I won't get upset with you."

It's not myself I'm worried about, Renesmee thought. "I believe that… just… promise me you'll listen to the whole story before you make a judgment, okay?"

"Honey, you're not on trial!" He mother laughed and shook her head. At the look on Renesmee's face, she became serious again. "Okay. I promise. I'll do my best. All right?"

"All right." Renesmee took a deep breath. "First of all, you need to know that I'm happy. Really, really happy. And I've made some decisions lately that might change the way my life goes from now on. But they were my decisions, and I made them with my eyes wide open, and I'm glad about the results. And one of those decisions is… I've become involved with someone." She winced, ever so slightly, expecting to have to brace herself against some sort of outpouring of emotion.

Bella just nodded. She looked tense and unhappy, but it wasn't the drama-filled reaction Renesmee had been expecting. "I know."

Renesmee sighed. "Mom, it's… it's not who you think." Now her mother gave her a sharp look.

"What do you mean?"

Renesmee suddenly realized that, if her mother reacted badly, she'd never be fast enough to stop her. She trusted that Carlisle and Esme would do their best to protect Jacob. She just didn't trust that their best would be good enough to stop her mother. If what Esme had hinted at was true, Bella became a nearly unstoppable force when her maternal instincts kicked in. She would do anything to protect her child.

To protect her.

Renesmee rose slowly, and put out her hands to indicate that her mother should stay where she was. "Mom," she said quietly, "Take my hands." Bella gave her a strange look, but did as she said. Renesmee knelt in front of her seated mother, directly between her and the rest of the room. If she wanted to move, she'd have to throw her off first, and Renesmee wasn't going to let go easily. If all this was for her protection, her mother would have to decide what would hurt her more: a broken arm, or a boyfriend.

"Mom," she said again, "It's Jacob."

Her mother's grip tightened on her hands, and her jaw locked and went rigid. Renesmee winced, but didn't draw her hands away. "No," her mother said harshly, "No."

Renesmee began to speak as rapidly as she could. "I wanted to tell you before. You have no idea how badly. Jacob was so worried. He knew how you felt about it. He tried everything to stop it from happening… he wanted to do right by you and dad, and by me. But he saw how much it hurt me when he pushed me away from him, and he didn't want me to be unhappy…"

"He… pushed you away?" Her mother didn't look any less upset, but she did look surprised. Renesmee nodded.

"He fought really hard against his instincts. It was hard for him, but he didn't tell me anything. I figured it out on my own. It was my decision, my choice." Her mother's grip loosened, and Renesmee stifled a moan of relief.

"Your choice…" she echoed, a distant look in her eyes.

"Mom," Renesmee said softly, "I need you to understand. Jacob is… everything to me… but right now I need my momma. I hate how this feels… I feel like I have to choose between you, and it's not a choice I can make."

The clouds in her mother's eyes disappeared, and her face crumpled. "Oh, Sweetheart…" and then Renesmee was in her mother's arms, crushed against her hard, cool breast, being jostled by heavy, tearless sobs that were not her own. She felt her own tears welling up in her eyes at her mother's obvious agony. She had instinctively released her mother's hands when she'd gone to hug her. Now she wasn't sure if she should let go of their embrace. Was Jacob still in danger?

As if inside her head, her mother whispered, "You can let go of me. I won't hurt him, I promise." After a moment of doubt, Renesmee released her grip around her mother's shoulders, and her mother did the same. She reached out and ran one hand gently over Renesmee's copper curls, a fond yet sad expression on her lovely face. "My baby," she said in what was barely a whisper. "I'm so sorry."

Renesmee wasn't sure exactly what her mother was apologizing for, but she'd take it over blind fury any day. "What happened, Mom? Can you tell me?"

Her mother shook her head. "I'm not sure, exactly. One day, everything was fine, and the next I was… just furious. And afraid. I couldn't think, I couldn't do anything except fight against my own mind to stop myself from doing something I knew I'd regret. I just wanted to keep you safe. Carlisle thinks it's the combination of my vampire nature with the protective instincts of a mother. The two aren't supposed to go together. We didn't even think about what might happen… until it did." Renesmee felt a pang of sympathy for her mother. She couldn't even imagine how it had felt. But she was still consumed with worry for Jacob's safety.

"What about now?" She asked carefully. "How do you feel?"

Her mother sighed gently. "Embarrassed. And concerned for your well-being. Over-protective, still, and a bit upset. But not… crazy. All my feelings right now are normal feelings, and normal I can handle." Renesmee felt the tension in her chest snap, and she dissolved into weak laughter.

"Thank god for that."

Her mother smiled back at her and touched her hair again. "Oh, Honey," she said, shaking her head, "I'm so sorry I couldn't be there for you, while you were figuring this all out. We all misinterpreted what was going on with you. Had I known…" she paused. "Scratch that. I probably would have done even more damage." She gave her a regretful look. "If I can make up for it now…?"

Relief surged through Renesmee, and she got up from the floor to sit next to her mother on the couch. She leaned her weight against her, enjoying the feeling of cool fingers winding through her hair. "There are so many things I want to talk to you about," she said quietly. "I don't know where to start." She twisted a bit so that she could look up into her mother's face. "I know about you and Jacob, about what happened when Dad left."

Bella's eyes widened. "He… told you that?" Renesmee nodded.

"I don't want to talk about it now. I just wanted you to know that I know. And it's gross, but I can handle it."

Her mother laughed, a most welcome sound. "Good. Because that's sort of how I feel at the moment." Renesmee joined her in her laughter.

"Mom?"

"Yeah, Honey?"

"I really, really love him." Bella's hand stilled, and when Renesmee looked up she saw the oddest look on her mother's face. It was both sad and joyful at the same time. She smiled tentatively. "You know?"

"Yes. I know." She smiled back at her daughter. "I know exactly how you feel." Then she shook her head. "The real question is, what do we do about your father?"

"Shit."

"Nessie!" Her mother shot her a look. Renesmee just rolled her eyes.

"Like you've never cursed."

Her mother gave her a tiny smile. "Never. But you've got a good point… it won't be easy."

"Harder than talking you down from… whatever it was you had going on?"

"Maybe." Bella frowned and looked thoughtful. "Okay… go find Emmett, get him to take you on that hunting trip. Take Jacob with you. I'll talk to your father."

Renesmee eyed her mother doubtfully. "Are you sure that's a good idea? Jacob was really worried… he said Dad threatened to take him out of my life if he even so much as touched me." She tried not to blush, but was unsuccessful. Her mother just smiled.

"Honey, you may not have noticed, but your father has a bit of a flare for the dramatic." Renesmee snorted. "Let me handle him… and prepare yourself and Jake."

"For our escape?" She was only half-joking.

"No… for a lecture."

oooOOOooo

Emmett teased them mercilessly the entire hunt. By the time they were done, Renesmee was about ready to ditch the prey and just tear a good-sized chunk out of her uncle. Jacob was edgy and off-kilter, and that in turn caused Renesmee to be anxious and upset. That feeling was only magnified once they got back inside the fence.

"Jake," Renesmee said, grabbing his arm to hold him back, "Walk the perimeter with me for a minute." Emmett gave them a lecherous look, which soon turned straight once he caught sight of his niece's face.

"I'll just… tell them we're back," He said uncomfortably. Renesmee nodded.

"That's probably a good idea. Tell them we'll be in soon."

Once Emmett was gone, Renesmee began to walk, and Jacob went alongside her. "I know you're not exactly thrilled with how the night has gone so far," she said, jumping right in, "But Jacob, it was really the only way."

He gave a heavy sigh. "I know that. Carlisle explained everything when he told me the plan. And believe me, I'm glad you were able to handle your mom so well." He gave her a fond look. "I'm proud of you… and surprised at the size of your balls." Renesmee rolled her eyes.

"Thanks. They're my best-kept secret."

Jacob chuckled, and then sobered again. "But as glad as I am that your mom's got our backs now, I'm still really worried about your dad."

That much had been obvious to Renesmee from the get-go. She took Jacob's hand as they strolled. "I know you are. I don't exactly feel at-ease about going back and facing things, either, but it has to happen." She gave him an apologetic look. "I'm so sorry, Jake. It's my family that's making this difficult… yours never would. And I wish I could just say 'fuck it' and ignore them, let them throw their tantrums on their own. But I can't do that. Being back here, even under these circumstances, has made me realize more than ever how much they matter to me. And I can't let that go… not even for you."

Jacob didn't look at her, and his face was a hard, impassive mask. "I'm not sure what you're saying," He said in an even tone.

"I'm saying that I need all of you… you, my parents, and the rest of my family. I'm not willing to give any of you up. So we're just going to have to work this out, one way or the other. I can't be divided up between you and them… I won't be."

Jacob looked relieved, and he squeezed her hand gently but firmly. "Is that all? We're going to work it out. I thought that was a given."

"Then what did you think I was saying?"

"I thought you were…" Jacob took a moment to take a breath. "I thought you were trying to tell me that, if push came to shove, you would choose them."

"What?" Renesmee's heart clenched painfully, and she stopped in her tracks. "Jacob Black, how could you even think that?" He looked a bit taken aback, which Renesmee figured was perfectly appropriate given the circumstances. "I would never do that! I'm saying that I can't choose between you or them… there's no way, it isn't possible. But you can't really have believed, even for a minute, that I would give you up for them!" Jacob just shrugged. Renesmee was sure she looked just as incredulous as she felt. She wasn't sure whether to be angry or devastated. "Would you give me up for your pack?" She demanded, although she wasn't sure now that she wanted to know the answer. Jacob gave her a look that made her feel very, very small.

"Never," he said, as if it was obvious.

"Okay. And could you give up the pack for me?"

"Yes." Renesmee felt the ground spin beneath her at the sound of Jacob's voice. It was thin, and tight, but still unwavering.

"No," she said in a harsh whisper. "Jacob, you can't just say something like that." Again, he shrugged, although this time it seemed more strained.

"I'm not just saying it, Nessie. I mean it."

"But, but…" She sputtered, "They're your family!"

"Yeah, and it would hurt. A lot. But they could live without me… and I can't live without you."

Renesmee just stared at him. He wasn't just posturing; he really believed what he was saying. To be able to state with such certainty that he would give up everything to be with her… it was unbelievable. "Jacob," she began, but he cut her off.

"It's okay, Nessie. I've always known where I stood on this point. I left my home a long time ago to be with you and I don't regret it. If I had to leave the pack, I would do that, too." He put both of his hands on her shoulders. "Listen, I know you can't say the same thing, and I understand. You don't have to feel bad. It's different for me than it is for you. I get that."

"But," she argued, "I feel like, if you're willing to make a sacrifice like that and I'm not, it means you love me more than I love you. And I just don't see how that can be possible, when I love you so much." She wished that she could stop feeling as thought she was a second away from bursting into tears. Jacob just gave her a soft smile.

"Sweetheart, don't worry about that. I'm not." He pulled her to his chest and wrapped his arms around her. "I know you love me. I also know how much you love your family. One doesn't cancel out the other." Renesmee pressed her cheek to his chest. She could feel the heat of his body through their clothes, and wished she could just melt into him and disappear from this horrible day.

"They're not going to go easy on us," she said into his t-shirt, "Even if my dad is calm enough to have a discussion instead of a throw-down."

"Yeah… I know that, too." Jacob pulled back just enough to look into her eyes. "I think I'm ready. You?"

"As I'll ever be." She went up on her toes to kiss him, and he bent to meet her half way. Renesmee had to break away from him before it got too involved. "Enough," she said reluctantly, sinking back onto her heels and attempting to smooth her hair. Jacob ran his hands over his shirt as if to make himself presentable. It was a lost cause: they were both rumpled from the hunt, and looked like a couple of dirty, guilty kids. As they started across the lawn towards the big house, Renesmee reached over and took Jacob's hand in hers again.

"Okay," she said, "Let's get this over with."

In the Next Chapter:

"Edward," Bella began, "Maybe you should let Jacob exp—"

"This is between me and the wolf," Edward hissed at his wife. He was looking at her, but all the tension in his body was still pointed in Jacob's direction. He cast a glance around the room. "The rest of you can leave now."