A World Full of Strangers
Disclaimer: All the characters in the story are the property of Stephanie Meyer. I have borrowed them for my entertainment and (hopefully) your reading pleasure. I make no profit from their use.
Chapter 9: Confrontation Part 1: In the House
The time has come to tell my Jacob that we are moving away. But at least I don't have to do it alone. That is one of the nicest things about being a Cullen. We all stick together. I can understand why they all want to live together again. The first thing that we have to do is get through this. I hope that Jacob makes it easy and says that he will come with us. Then things could be perfect again.
My family is so worried about what Jacob's response will be to the news that we are leaving Forks, that Emmet and Jasper have positioning themselves protectively before me. Auntie Rose and Esme are behind them on either side of me. Daddy and Momma will be in front of us all, but Carlisle will do the talking. Alice is in a far corner room so that Jacob and I cannot interfere with her future sight.
Everyone is very tense. Esme doesn't really want to tell him in the house. She is afraid that he will be so angry that he will phase and tear the place up. Momma however is positive that after seven and a half years, he is able to control his temper enough not to phase. Looking around at them all, I realize how important that I am to each of them. There they are, four pairs of mates, and yet they all feel incomplete if I am not among them.
It makes me wonder if Jacob is really right when he says that no one can protect me as well as he can. How could anyone get past two big strong vampires like Emmet and Jasper? And Daddy can read their minds and Alice can anticipate their actions.
And no one could possibly get past Momma's shield. Perhaps Jacob meant that there was no one person who could protect me the way that he can. But this is my family. It's like when they all join together it's one huge person guarding me. It is like they are all parts of the same whole.
Jacob just walks, right into the house without knocking on the door. It is one of his habits that bugs my family. He is a proud man, proud of who he is and proud of who he was born to be. The first pair of eyes that he seeks out, as usual, are mine. His face registers confusion when he sees the fear in them and I see Daddy squeeze Momma's hand. Jacob is going into his protective mode, positive that theyhave done something to harm me.
Carlisle looks at Daddy and he inclines his head slightly. Then my Grandpa sighs. Whatever he just asked him, Daddy has confirmed it. And Carlisle doesn't like it. I wish that I could know what Jacob is thinking. But I can't read minds, only faces.
"Welcome, Jacob," says Carlisle. "It is good to see you this morning."
"Really?" he says. "Is that why you've all taken up defensive positions around Renesmee?"
Auntie Rose softly hisses and Esme reaches behind my back to calm her. I can see Jasper concentrating hard to calm the mood in the house. I can feel myself relaxing under his influence. He turns to give me a smile as he senses my greater sense of ease. But Jacob notices right away.
"Why do you have to do?" he complains.
"I'm just trying to set the tone for a rational discussion," answers Jasper in his soft, Southern drawl.
Jacob rolls his eyes.
"Okay, what is it?" he says, as he adopts his own defensive posture.
"The family has decided that we are moving to Whitehorse, Yukon Territory in a few weeks," says Carlisle, without preamble.
After a long discussion earlier, they had decided that the easiest way to tell him would be to be up front, straight to the point, right away. They were afraid that it would cruel to keep him waiting and wondering, especially since he would know that the news was bad.
I can see that Jacob is upset because he starts to tremble and shake all over. Jasper narrows his eyes and focuses only on him. I can feel my own sense of calm slipping away, but he is so close to Momma, Daddy, and Carlisle that he could hurt them if he phased. Emmet crouches ready to spring if necessary. Then Jacob regains his composure.
"You can go if you like," he says forcefully. "But Nessie stays."
I flinch at my old nickname. He only uses it when he is being possessive because it is the name that he gave me. Everyone else remains calm. Now Daddy speaks.
"Jacob," he says calmly. "You are under the erroneous assumption that you have anything to say about where Renesmee goes and lives. She is my child and a member of this family. She stays with us."
"No, bloodsucker," he says angrily. "You're the one who is mistaken. I imprinted on Nessie. She stays here with me."
Now I know that he is really upset. He never insults my family like that when I am around. It hurts to hear him say that to them.
"Jacob, please," Momma begs. "She is still a child. You can't take her away from us."
"In one month, she will be full grown," he says fiercely. "Then she is mine."
"You must be joking, dog," spits out Auntie Rose, using a derogatory term of her own. "She's not some object to be passed back and forth between us. She is still a little girl and not ready to marry."
"So? She can live with Sam and Emily," he shrugs. "Like Claire. That way I can still protect her until she is old enough for us to marry."
"I didn't realize that Sam and Emily were running a foster home for imprinted babies," replies Auntie Rose sarcastically.
"Enough Rose," says Carlisle. "Before we hurl any more insults or rash statements around, I think that Jacob needs to listen to us."
"The only thing that I want to hear is that she is not going to northern Canada," he says.
I had always known that the imprinting thing was a very serious matter to the wolves. But I cannot believe that Jacob would be so rude to my family. And I don't want to live with Sam and Emily like Claire. I want to stay with Momma and Daddy.
Now it's my turn to tremble. Auntie Rose is crouching behind Emmet, so I turn to Esme. She puts her arms around me and I bury my face in her side. I can't bear to look at Jacob's eyes anymore. They are so angry that they are scaring me.
"Jacob, please," Esme says gently. "You're frightening the child."
"Doesn't she get to speak for herself?" he asks.
"If she wants," says Carlisle kindly. "Renesmee, do you have anything to say?"
I look into his beautiful golden eyes, so filled with love and concern, and shake my head. I know that I cannot say anything that won't hurt someone I love. I am just a child. This is adult stuff. I don't want to get in the middle of it.
"I think that she's afraid of you," he says.
"She's afraid of all of us," says Daddy. "She is afraid that we will hurt each other and it will be all her fault. She loves us all and doesn't want to see anyone hurt."
"What part of 'speak for herself' didn't you understand?" asks Jacob insolently.
"You know that I know her mind," answers Daddy patiently. "Renesmee, love, did I just say what you were thinking?"
I look up and nod and then turn away again before I have to see Jacob's eyes. I just want this to be over. I think that I want to leave the room as hard as I can so that Daddy will hear. I want to go away with Esme, Auntie Rose, Alice, and Momma. And I want Emmet there too. I want to feel safe. I hear Daddy turn around and I peek up at him. In my mind, I say 'please.' He nods.
"Jacob," he says. "I think that it would be best if you, Carlisle, Jasper, and I took this conversation outside."
"I don't," he says rudely.
I cringe and whisper, "Please."
Then he looks shocked, as if he can't believe that I am sending him away. But he doesn't realize that he is trying so hard to protect me from my own family that I am scared. What if he comes back with the pack? We have a treaty, but I don't think that will stop him if he thinks that I am in danger.
But in a second, his expression changes. He can see that I am genuinely frightened by his words. Perhaps he understands that if he hurts my family that I can't love him anymore. If he does, then I will run away to Tanya in Denali. I know how to get there. Carmen would take care of me and Garrett would protect me. That is if Jacob could even find me. Tanya's family lives out in the wilderness. They almost never see humans. But then again, he could follow my scent.
Daddy turns to look at me; and now his eyes looked shocked. Of course. He must have heard every thought in my head. It is his turn to be upset. He shakes his head slowly.
"Jacob," he says moving forward. "We are taking this conversation out into the yard. Unless you wish to continue to upset my daughter."
Carlisle looks at him for a long moment and he nods. Jasper takes a step forward and Jacob turns around and stalks out of the house. Carlisle and Jasper follow him, but Daddy turns to me.
"Don't worry, love," he says very softly. "You won't have to run to Tanya's."
Alice gasps from the corner.
"That's why I just saw Denali," she says. "Everyone there looked awful. Renesmee, did you just decide to go there if anything happened to the rest of us?"
I nod slowly. Momma steps back to take me into her arms and my tears begin to flow. I am the only one who is able to cry, but I know that the others would if they could. Without another word, Daddy goes outside. Emmet turns to me.
"I want to go out too," he says.
"Don't leave me!" I whimper. "We need you to protect us."
"It's okay," says Alice. "The important thing is to make Renesmee feel safe. Ironic, isn't it?"
"Yes," responds Auntie Rose acidly. "We need to protect our girl from her 'protector.'"
Until that point, I never really understood why they always call me "our girl." But now I know it is because I belong to my family as if I was a daughter to them all. And for a moment I feel safe, but only for a moment. Outside, something very bad could be happening.