Chapter 25

(Renesmee's Pov.)

Mommy and Daddy come out to the car shortly after I do. Jacob and Leah climb in back with me and Alice and Jasper take Alice's Porsche. Grandpa and Grandma decided to stay behind and call some friends to ask about my power growing.

On the way to the zoo, Jacob, Leah, and I stick our heads around the sides, trying to catch air in our hair.

We drive for about an hour before we come to a large zoo. There aren't a lot of people here seeing as it's the middle of the day. Children were at school and adults were at work. Momma helped me out of the car and we all go up to the front gate. Daddy, Jacob, Jasper, and Seth all walk in front of us. Momma holds my hand and Leah and Alice are giggling and talking in muted voices.

The guy standing at the front gate tightens his grip on the back of the chair he's standing behind. I giggle. All the big, bulky guys up front must look intimidating. They were shielding us girls from his line of sight, and the zoo guy must think they're going to cause trouble.

I never saw my uncles-I mean uncle and Dad-, or Seth and Jacob as scary. Jakey and Seth were just big, loveable puppies! Daddy was a big cuddly teddy bear and Uncle Jazz was…. Well, he was nice. I didn't really have something to compare him to. He was odd and distant at some times, but he was never scary. I have a close bond with him, too.

Matthew-I had decided to give the man standing at the gates a name-really thought they were scary. He leaned into his shoulder as we got to the gate and told the person in the walkie-talkie to be ready to send security, unknowing that we could all hear him.

Daddy broke into a grin and stepped aside, letting Matthew see me bouncing up and down, excited to be at the zoo. Mommy scooped me up in her arms and uncle Jasper turned and wrapped his arms around Alice.

Jake and Seth went to Leah's side, with Jacob in between me and Leah. Matthew relaxed his stance and came closer to the gate with a polite smile. He unlocked the gates and led us to the ticket booth.

"Is your name Matthew?" I ask him. He gives me an odd look and shakes his head. "My name's Thomas." I glare at my shoes, upset that I was wrong.

"You should change your name to Matthew; you don't look like a Thomas." I pout. He looks up at Mommy and Daddy, not sure what to say.

"Forgive my daughter, sir. She doesn't have a filter." I glare at Momma. Thomas's eyes widen as he hears her call me her daughter. I grin in satisfaction and hold out my hand.

I'd like my ticket please." I say, my voice ringing of authority. He stumbles over his feet trying to get back to the booth. He re-emerges with a handful of tickets and hands them to me. I skip away with Mommy in tow.

I hear a loud trumpeting sound and scream in fear. Jacob picks me up and I bury my head into his shoulder. "That scare you Ness?" I nod. "It's okay, it was an elephant." He reassures me.

I lift my head and he sets me down. A smile takes over my face and I run to where I heard the noise. We look at the elephants for a while until I'm ready to move on. Up next is lions and I start to jump around in excitement.

As we come closer and closer to the lion habitat with the bears right next door, I breathe in and out, catching my breath from all the jumping around.

A heavenly scent enters my nose and I find myself salivating. I take a step closer to the smell, my eyes shut and my nose guiding me.

A cold hand halting my movement brings me to my senses and I realize that it was the smell of the mountain lions that made me so thirsty. I had only ever hunted deer before and I hadn't even smelled a lion before.

Uncle Jasper's eyes bore into mine with concern having felt my thirst. "I'm fine, I have it under control." I reassure him.

I hear a laugh from behind me and I turn to find Momma and Daddy smiling at each other. "You sure do take after me, Ness. Bears are my favorite too. Like father like daughter!" He crows.

I smile lightly, not wanting to ruin his mood by correcting him. The bears hadn't tempted me; they didn't smell all that appetizing. I really did take after my father. My birth father that is.

Edward's favorite 'drink' was mountain lion. I wanted the lions, not the bears. So I was like Edward, no matter how much I wanted to take after Emmet.

Uncle Jasper rubbed my back comfortingly. He had felt my sadness and the aching to be more like Emmet.

We continued the rest of our trip, still having fun. I had to put on a fake smile so no one would think I was sad. But when we got home, the first thing I did was cry silent tears.