I own nothing, I'm just playing what if with the characters.
Thanks for reading. Please enjoy the next chapter.
Edward POV:
The conversation with Jacob thankfully goes way better than I had originally anticipated. The last time we tried to get him to even leave the house without Renesmee he practically flipped out on us. At least he accepted the laid-out terms without having to be ordered. I really didn't want to take away any more of his free will.
I continue to play the piano in a futile attempt to distract myself. Alice had warned me earlier just before they left that Bella had made her final decision and wouldn't be coming back with them. She wasn't even going to have the courtesy to say anything to our daughter. Or anything else to me. She was going to just go disappear, this was almost better though. At least now she wouldn't be hanging around here, spewing her contempt towards our daughter where Renesmee could eventually hear them. MY Daughter, I correct my thoughts. If Bella wanted to leave she was welcome to. I wasn't going to abandon MY Daughter.
The night passed quickly and soon the thoughts of my family members start to trickle in as they all start to head home. The last thoughts I hear are Alice and Rosalies.
'I'm sorry Edward, I know I've not always been welcoming but I was happy for you.' Rosalies thoughts hit me first as I realize Alice was right, Bella is gone. Rose and I had a complicated relationship. She was at deaths door when Carlisle changed her. But he changed her in hopes I would find a mate bond with her. Even when I tried to tell him it wouldn't happen, she was one of the shallowest women I had ever come across. She was as a human almost other worldly beautiful. Now as a vampire her beauty was more than triple what it was. It took her ages to let go of the jealousy she felt over the fact that I wasn't drawn to her as a human or as a vampire. The day she found Emmett was like a breath of fresh air for me, as she stopped wanting my attention, stopped being obsessed with my lack of interest.
Alice starts to give me a play by play on how things went down. Her own thoughts heavy with guilt that she shouldn't be feeling. 'Bella, are you sure you want to leave?' Alice had asked 'Maybe give it a bit more time, lets get back into normal life?' I do have to hand it to her, she really did try. Maybe even harder than I did. 'Alice I'm going, I got new ID's and I have my own funds. Just tell Charlie, all this was too much and I left.' And that was it she was gone.
"Edward?" Carlisle says out loud, knocking on my door. 'Son, are you ok?' now I am aware that Alice must have called the rest of the family. Esme is crying, her thoughts are jumbled, wondering what will happen now. How I would react and what would I do.
"Carlisle," I say as I open my door, taking an unneeded breath. "We go on as planned, I spoke with Jacob, he will be moving back home. I've gotten all his online schooling figured out here and he will come to the Cabin to visit Renesmee. You all need to move, the humans are starting to wonder about you." Esme joins Carlisle almost as soon as I open the door. "I will be fine. I have Renesmee, she needs me. You heard how Nahuel talked about his life without his father. I won't do that to My Daughter." I stress the word my.
"Bellingham isn't too far away, we'll see each other often. I promise I'm not going to spiral or anything, I knew it was coming. I knew the last time Bella and I spoke that she was going to leave. She resents Renesmee so much. I knew she wasn't going to stay around." I hug Esme trying to reassure her that I felt ok with Bella leaving.
We don't have long to talk before Renesmee is waking. "Excuse me, I need to go speak with my daughter."
My poor little Renesmee, she understands things far beyond the age she even looks. But how will losing her mother influence her future?
"Good morning Daddy." Renesmee says as I enter her room. She had already changed into one of the many designer outfits Alice has shoved into her closet and was sitting at her vanity brushing her beautiful copper hair. She looked so much like my mother sometimes.
"Morning Princess." I say as I walk to kneel beside her, trying to find the right words. I should have known she would know something was wrong. She reaches up for my face before I can talk. "She left us didn't she, I could tell she wasn't always happy with me. Is it because I'm different?" Her words send a sharp ping of pain through me. "Bella, she just wanted something different. She's gone to make her own path."
"What do we do now?" She asks as I see sadness well up in her eyes, the pain she's feeling and the proximity making Jacob practically leap from his bed, scanning with his senses for any threat that needed fighting.
"We will be just fine my Princess." I say as I pull her in for a hug. "The rest of the family will be moving to Bellingham and you and I will go live in our cabin, we will continue your schooling and you'll be close enough that Jacob can come visit."
"Daddy why do I have to do school, Jacob doesn't go." Jacob's lack of having to do anything but care for her is always Renesmee's biggest argument.
"Jacob is going to be going back to school, he has other responsibilities that he will be dealing with so you won't be seeing him all the time like you do now. But he will be around. Jacob will always be around." I finish talking as Jacob peaks in through the open door.
'Yeah Yeah, I get it now. I need to set a better example for Nessie.' He projects his thoughts towards me as he walks in. "Good morning, Nessie, how are you?" He's confused about what has caused her ping of pain, guess he missed the part that Bella left.
"Bella left." Renesmee whispers out, still tucked into my arms.
Jacob stands there a bit stunned. "She… Left?" He draws out the words. 'Will this change anything?' he asks looking at me. 'Wait… Last night you said YOU and Nessie would be staying. You knew, you knew she wanted to leave Ness.'
"Yes she left, she wanted more than just to stick around here." I say, not bothering to try to hide the reason from Renesmee. She would have eventually asked more questions. "Later today Renesmee and I will be moving into the cabin. The rest of the family are almost done packing up this house and will also be moving on." It was important now to make sure Jacob didn't start thinking that he was going to be abandoned. "We will be sticking with our plan."
I go to stand with Renesmee still in my arms.
"Daddy, it was Bella who named me…" It wasn't lost on me that she hadn't called Bella Mommy this morning.
"Yes sweetheart, she did."
"Do I have to keep being Renesmee, can I…. Could I go by my middle name?" She looks so small in my arms, her eyes big and pleading. "My middle name is Elizabeth, maybe I could be Elizabeth or Lizzy?"
Its such a simple request but it speaks volumes, she wants to shed away the name her mother gave her. I must have hesitated too long because she continued speaking. "Elizabeth was your human mothers name, wasn't it? Would Esme be mad if I wasn't Renesmee but Elizabeth?"
I do my best to give her a reassuring smile. "You can go by any name you want Princess."
We didn't have much of our own stuff to pack, since we were going to the cabin that was already stocked full of everything we would need.
"We'll see you all soon." I say as Carlisle and Esme the last of our family head out. "So Lizzy are you ready to go to the cabin?"
Jacob had held up his end of the bargain and already said his goodbyes with a promise to come see Lizzy in a few days. A part of him happy with the prospect of getting life back to normal. Though he was also going to miss seeing Lizzy all the time.
"Yeah, daddy. Could you teach me to hunt like you do?" So far she's just made do with blood in a cup, but I could see her appetite for blood increasing. Maybe a little daddy daughter hunting trip was finally in order.
"That sounds like a wonderful idea Princess. What do you say we go now?" Anything to make her happy and help her get over all the new changes. "You know Elizabeth something we should start discussing is you biting of Jacob. You're growing up, we don't know if you'll ever become venomous. We really shouldn't risk hurting him should we?"
Her biting of Jacob has been going on since she was born. Most of the family found it entertaining, honestly while Bella was going through the transformation and then when dealing with the threat I didn't even care about it. But now after meeting Nahuel and learning he was able to change his aunt, we don't know what a vampire bite would do to a shifter and it wasn't time to find out.
"OH… I don't wanna hurt My Jacob, he's my best friend." Lizzy says, tears starting to pool.
"I know Princess, its why I'm bringing it up." I try to reassure her as we run through the forest to a good hunting spot.
I should have known that she would be a natural at hunting. I think to myself as we finish hunting and walk back into the cabin.
"You did wonderful Lizzy, I'm very proud of you." I praise as I help her get ready for bed. I'm truly blessed to have a child that is so easy to care for. I think as I read her a book and we say our goodnights.
Once I walk back into the living room I go to my phone that has been bussing up a storm.
15 un-read text messages
I try to contain my annoyance as I open and read the texts, mostly from my family "just wanting to check in on us" it's like I've never been away from home. Or maybe they also miss seeing Elizabeth all the time. This separation may be good for more than just Jacob.
Finaly I get down to one text left, Jacob Black.
'I know I should be getting back to whatever will become my normal life now. But can I just know, she's ok, right? She's not upset over Bella leaving?'
'Jacob, Elizabeth is doing just fine. We will see you tomorrow, after you finish your schoolwork.' I click send before I can stop myself. The next few years will be a very rough test, even with my family dropping in when they can. Elizabeth and I will be somewhat isolated until we decide to leave this place, while she wasn't as strong as a vampire, she was still stronger than the average human child.
"Hello Leah" I call from the open front door as the only female wolf comes into view.
'Hey vamp,' Her thoughts have long dropped their malice and hatred towards us. 'Alpha Jake just wanted one of us to run a quick perimeter. He's a bit worried about you two being out here alone.'
I could tell she wasn't worried about us. But then again she was one of the only wolves that actually listened to her brothers thoughts. She got a nice play-by-play of the fight I had against Victoria and her sidekick Riley. Ever since her view on how us vampires fight has increased. It's one thing that helped when she broke from Sam to join Jacobs pack. She knew while Sam thought he could win against me that I would be able to take on just one wolf. It's why wolves work in packs, they're strong but not built to be stronger than us when it comes to a one-on-one fight.
"It's fine Leah, I figured one of you would come sniffing around soon. You're always welcome around here." I give her a smile as she approaches the porch in her human form.
"So it was kind of a far run, got anything good to eat here?" She gives me a friendly smile.
I enjoyed Leah's presence we had gotten to know each other while Elizabeth was under threat. The pack likes to give Leah a hard time about things without truly giving her their attention. None of them have bothered to truly look at her, to see how broken she truly felt. They treated her as the other woman to Emily, Sams imprint. When it was the other way around, they have all noticed the love Sam still feels towards Leah. But that its just not as strong as his connection to Emily. I'd put all my money on if any of them had to hear the thoughts of their first love, knew the person still loved them but still chose another. It would be quite maddening, and they wouldn't be able to handle is anywhere as close to how Leah has dealt with it. At least she hasn't tried to tear his throat out. How they could so quickly forget the years Leah and Sam were together is a question I've yet to find the answer to.
"Kitchen is always fully stocked; I know how much all you wolves like to eat." I say as a way of welcome.
"Thanks Ed, its nice to get off the reservation and away from both packs sometimes." Leah says as she makes herself at home. Being part of the pack Leah had long gotten accustomed to not having any hidden thoughts. She never got mad about anything I "heard".
Jacob POV:
I didn't want to leave my Ness, or well now I guess she's Lizzy. But I also have to admit that it did feel great to go home. To have other things to focus on. Ever since she was born I've stayed with the Cullens, I've stayed with my Lizzy. The imprint connection pushing me with this urge to protect, to care for. To give her everything she could ever want.
Being back home though, I'm realizing how badly I've been consumed with my imprint and have started to let my pack down. All my pack and even Sam's pack came around to say high to me, except Quil. But maybe he's too consumed with his babysitting of his own imprint.
"Whats up with Quil?" I ask Seth as he joins me on the beach.
"We didn't really want to worry you, especially because you both have similar imprint stories." I could practically see Seth's worry pouring off him. "We'll you see Quil's imprint Claire, her family decided that.."
"Claire's family cut Quil off, he's not allowed to see her at all." Paul says butting into our conversation.
'Quil's been cut off from his imprint.' My wolf practically wines in my mind. "I should go check on him" I whisper as I stand.
It doesn't take me long at all to get to Quil's. It felt nice being back home where the houses are of normal size and not full of extravagant décor like the Cullens house had been. At least the cabin is more relaxed.
"Um Quil?" I call as I knock on the door. "Quil I can hear you breathing. Please let me in" I try hard to make sure not to use my Alpha voice. I hated using the Alpha voice.
"Jake, hey man" Quil says as he opens the door. He looked dead. Quil was skinnier than the last time I saw him. His eyes dead.
"What happened Quil?" I whisper as I take in his appearance.
"They told me to go, they told me to not come near Claire ever again. The imprint pulls me towards her, but the imprint pushes me to obey." I follow him inside the house.
"Quil, how could they do that to you?" This could easily be me, I start to think. Yeah I know not the right time to be thinking about myself, but we were in similar situations here. The only difference is that my imprint is also a supernatural being and her father while the trick is annoying can see my thoughts. He knows all of my thoughts on my imprint are pure, only about protecting and caring for her.
"They decided this is all too much for her, for them. None of them are part of the pack, they are human. It's a lot to take in. I should be grateful they gave me the few years with her that I had." He's talking as if he's going to die on us.
"Hey man, we'll figure something out." I say trying to reassure him.
I hang out with Quil for a few hours before I decide to head to Emily's house. It was time for us Alpha's to discuss how this will look, having two Alphas in the same territory.
"Hey Sam." I call out in greeting as I knock on his door.
"Jake, good to see you out and about for a change." Sam says as he steps outside. I could hear many of his pack members inside the house. Looks like Sam wanted some one on one time.
"Sam, I hear you took my dad on a little adventure the other night." I stress the word adventure. Sam is the one who doesn't want to trust the vampires and yet he thought it would be a good idea to drag my dad through the woods in order to meet up with one.
"Yeah, well maybe I'm trying to listen to Seth a bit more. The vampires don't all seem to be too bad. Edward wanted to discuss imprinting with myself and your future with you father. He really isn't a bad guy. He was trying to be careful about your feelings and giving you back some sort of normal life. Especially after he realized what happened with Quil, he stressed he didn't want the same to happen to you." Sam's little speech surprises me. I know Edward and I have come to a bit of an understanding but to actually hear that he took me and my imprinting situation into so much account really showed that he may care more than he lets on.
"So guess you know most of the Cullens left then." I pause a moment, this next part will be surprising to him. "Do you know Bella left? She, well guess she decided she didn't want to be a mother and well Edward refused to leave his child. Oh and Renesmee changed her name, she didn't want the name her mother gave her. She's decided to go by Elizabeth, or Lizzy for short. It was her middle name."
I can tell that little bit of news about Bella, has caught Sam by surprise.
"I had no idea she planned to leave. Guess that answers the question on why she wasn't there last night. So are they still staying, your imprint and Edward?" Sam always acting as an Alpha, he had this annoying need to just know everything. I often times find myself wondering if he would have the power to hear thoughts if he were to be changed into a vampire.
"Edward told me this morning that the plan stands. That they two of them were going to move into the cabin. I hope he's telling me the truth." I practically whisper the last part, but Sam still hears it.
"I'm sure everything with your imprint will work out and be fine." Sam says as he walks back towards the house motioning me to come in. Guess it's time to integrate back into pack life some.
Other than the whole Quil thing, it felt nice to be back with the packs. It all felt great to relax, eat with other normal people. I mean yeah Lizzy eats but not much, she prefers blood. So often at the Cullens house I would find myself eating alone. It got to be awkward at times.
"Hey Leah." I say to our only female pack member as I leave Emily's house
"Jake or should I say Alpha, look who's back." Her starkness use to annoy me but I've learned it is a way of protecting herself.
"Yeah, high time I get back into normally life you know. But hey I have a favor Edward and my imprint who goes by Elizabeth now. They are living in the cabin now. Can you run a perimeter check up there. I've promised that I wouldn't come around."
"Yeah sure boss, but um. Why only Edward and the kid?" great I've had to explain to Sam, to the pack and now again to Leah that Bella left. She dropped her kid and her husband and just vanished. I check my phone for the 1000th time today waiting for a reply from Edward, I just needed to know she was ok. How long will it take Leah to get other there I wonder as I walk through my front door.
"Welcome home Jake." My dad yells out as I get home. "Been too long. Can't believe you're going to turn 17 on Sunday. You're becoming a wonderful young man Jacob."
Yay a birthday. I think to myself as my dad continues to ramble on about me growing up. That's the main issue old man. Even as my imprint gets older I'm also getting older.
I almost explode when my phone beeps, letting me know I've got a text.
'Jacob, Elizabeth is doing just fine. We will see you tomorrow, after you finish your schoolwork.' His message is short but at least it sets me at ease some.
"Yeah sure dad a bonfire on the beach will be great for my birthday. I'm exhausted dad I'm gonna crash." I mumble out as I head to my room. Its not as grand as what I had at the Cullens main house. Thankfully, that room was a little too much for me. This, this room was home.
'Your imprint is just fine Alpha. She's sound asleep.' Leah's text comes through just as I'm about to put my phone on its charger.
The next few days are a bit of a blur, I have been working on getting into the swing of doing online school and getting back into work. I've gone to the cabin every other day to spend some time with Lizzy and while I still want to be around her. It's not as painful as I thought it would be to be without her, knowing I will get to see her soon.
"Ready for the bonfire Jake?" Seth says in way of greeting as I hit the beach.
First bonfire I've been to since Lizzy was born. Its crazy to think how little time has passed.
I let my mind wonder away from me as everyone eats and parties, the elders haven't started yet.
~~~ This afternoon~~~
'Jacob, daddy says your birthday is Sunday.' Lizzy my smart little imprint said as she sat on the floor braiding her dolls hair. Her hair was pulled perfectly into two braids. Got tips from Blonde or the Pixie? I had teased Edward who just smiled. I have to admit he was a wonderful and attentive father. All of her needs where being met, I pushed that thought down onto my wolf. Our young imprint had a strong protector and provider of a father. We could enjoy some more of life, outside of caring for her every need.
'Yep Lizzy, I'll be turning 17 this year.' I couldn't help the smile that spread across my face as I watched her. She made me feel light and happy.
'That's so exciting. I'm going make you a cake!' and with that she had jumped up to go look through cookbooks. 'So my dad wants me to have a birthday bonfire on Sunday. Is it ok I come by earlier that day?'
I asked Edward, watching Lizzy's excitement.
"Sounds good Jacob." He practically whispered, knowing I would hear him.
"JAKE man hello anyone home?" Embry screams into my face, and pulling me out of my thoughts.
"Dude, your breath stinks." I say, only half joking as the elders start their ramblings. By now I've heard all the stories.
"Sam tells us that most of those leaches are gone. Just have to worry about one now. I'm sure you could take him easily." Old Quil, the only elder left around that absolutely hates vampires. Since the other elders consisted of my father and Sue Clearwater. And then Sam joined them when he became a wolf.
"Old Quil, give it up." I say annoyed to be having this same conversation with him again and again. "The one that's left is only here because I imprinted on his child, did you forget that. Don't you see what's happening to your own grandson. Do you wish that on others? Even if we wanted to attack him, he will defend himself and his child. Doubt any of you have figured out when we thought Bella dad died, when Sam and his pack had showed up to attack, they were pulling their punches. They were defending but trying not to hurt anyone. If that isn't enough think of me, I imprinted on his child. I can't choose between the tribe and my imprint. If I have to I will choose my imprint, and news flash she needs her father."
Why have I never paid attention to how annoyingly single minded Old Quil was? He rather try to order us to attack an enemy he himself wouldn't be able to face off with, than just admit that the Cullens aren't the bad guys.
"Old Quil, I believe it is time for you to step down. I'm an alpha now in my own right I deserve to have a say and a seat on the counsel." It was time for me to step up and help improve this place before I eventually move. This is what Edward basically told me to do. Go about my normal life as much as I can. Lizzy will be around for a very long time, I'll continue to go see her. But she didn't need me to be around all the time.
Old Quil was mad as he stood up and left. Spitting out something about how I'll be the death of the entire tribe. 'I sure hope you're wrong about that' I think to myself as I take his vacant seat, with the rest of the counsel looking at me expectantly.
"Son, you're not normally so dramatic." Dad says, but I can see he'd proud that I've fully embraced my birthright.
"I think we need to discuss amending or completely dissolving the treaty against the Cullen family. As you all know by now, most of the Cullens have moved on. Edward has only stayed back because of my imprinting situation. I'm sorry I've bailed these last few months, but I am back now. My imprint and her family should have a right to come here onto our land. And I would like for us to agree to this before Sunday, It would only be polite to invite my imprint and her family to my birthday celebration." I could see before they spoke that the rest of the counsel would agree with me.
That night when I was alone I sent out a mass text to Edward and his entire family.
We'd like to dissolve the treaty and welcome all of you Sunday at 4pm to my birthday bonfire.
Hopefully they don't get too mad that I made such an important decision about the treaty without talking to them first.