The Truth

I woke up to the dim light, glinting through my gauzy curtains. I noticed that the light appeared to be brightest to the east and realized that it was still morning. For the last several months, I've been prone to sleeping at least twelve hours a night, and last night proved to be no exception.

I stood up and stretched, wincing from the muscle strain in my arms and legs. Even though I knew it was from my perpetual growth spurt, I still hadn't gotten used to the sensation. I shuffled over to my mirror. My reddish brown curls were a tangled mess, and I did my best to tame them. I finally gave up and gave a cursory glance at my wall calendar. September seventh. I groaned, realizing that my sixth birthday was only three days away. I had no clue what my family was planning for me and the thought made me anxious. Again, it was one of the many things I should be used to by now, what with me being one of the few vampire/human hybrids in existence, but I wasn't. For one day, I just wanted to be normal.

Seeing that my parents weren't at home, I deduced that they must be either hunting or at the main house, where Grandpa Carlisle and Grandma Esme and my aunts and uncles lived. No doubt Jacob was patrolling around our house. Though I considered myself practically grown, my parents and Jake were both still very protective over me.

I stepped outside and as if on cue, Jake greeted me at the front door. "Hey, Ness. Did you get enough sleep?" He grinned, his white teeth contrasting against his russet skin.

"Very funny. Yes, I did."

"Cool. Your folks are out hunting. Are you hungry?"

I shook my head, remembering the two large elk that I'd drained the day before. "I was actually about to go to the main house."

"Excellent. Want to race?"

I narrowed my eyes. "You're on."

Jake disappeared behind a few trees in the distance and phased into his wolf form (he'd never do it in front of me as he didn't want to be indecent). He walked back to me as a huge brownish wolf. I nodded again and we were off.

Running through the forest was always exhilarating. I loved the feel of the wind in my hair and the blur of color. Jake was by my side for the most part, though I sprinted ahead of him as the large white house came into view. By the time I reached the front porch, Jake was dashing from the edge of the woods, human again, and wearing a pair of cargo shorts that he'd tied to his ankle before he phased.

"You let me win," I accused as he slowed his pace to join me. I was a fast runner, faster than any human, but still no match for a wolf or vampire.

"Yeah, right," he laughed. "You were nothing but a blur." He walked up and gave me a quick peck on the cheek. "Must be all that sleep you're getting that's giving you and edge," he teased.

I smiled. "Maybe."

We walked into the house to the sound of my father playing the grand piano in the living room. He looked up and smiled, quiting abruptly. "Good morning, sweetheart. Finally decide to get up?"

I nodded. So what if I needed extra sleep? It was only natural, since although I was only five years old, I was physically the size of a sixteen year old. My body had to have been exhausted.

Dad stood up and hugged me. I pressed my hand into his back. Where's Mom? I asked him in my own silent way.

"Hunting," he replied. "She went with Aunt Alice and Uncle Jasper." I nodded. As vampires, my family had to hunt at least every two weeks or so. I alternated between hunting and eating human food. I preferred animal blood to human food, but I sometimes ate with Jake because he enjoyed the company. He thought it was nice to have someone else around that had a similar diet.

"So dear," my dad continued, "have you given any though to what you'd like to do for your birthday?"

I shrugged. "Not really. Mostly, I'd just like it to be a normal day. I don't want a big fuss."

He chuckled. "You are truly your mother's child."

"Seriously, Dad."

He sighed in resignation. "Fine. I guess we aren't going to celebrate your birth. My miracle child," he mused, a distant expression on his face.

"Miracle, indeed," I muttered, walking back out to the front porch, Jake trailing me.

"Ness-" my father began.

"Let her go, Edward. Surely you remember what it's like to have been a teenager." Aunt Rosalie, no doubt, had drifted into the room upon my exit. I heard my father chuckle.

I sat in one of the chairs on the porch.

"What's wrong, Nessie?" Jake asked standing next to me. I took his hand. You wouldn't understand.

"Try me."

"I just have felt kind of lonely lately, even though I'm surrounded by family. Have you ever felt that way?"

Jacob paused. "Yes. Years ago, when I first phased. I was bound by the secrecy of the pack. I couldn't tell anyone outside of the pack, not even your mother."

I nodded. He'd told me the story, and my mom and as well. I released his hand. But at least there are others like you to share your experience with, I thought to myself.

"You know, Ness, you can come to me with anything. I'm always here for you."

I hugged his side. "Thanks, Jake. You're the best."




"Happy birthday, Nessie!" my father cried, hugging me tightly. I smiled and looked around the room. Everyone was there-Carlisle, Esme, Rose, Emmett, Alice, Jasper, Jake, and even Grandpa Charlie and Sue. Everyone but...

"Where's Mom?"

My father hesitated. "She's upstairs," he muttered.

Alice grabbed my hand and towed me to a mirror. "Look, Ness. You're growing so fast. You're so beautiful and strong." I stared at my reflection and I did see myself slowing gaining in height before my very eyes.

"Renesmee..." a weak voice called. I looked up and saw my mom, walking down the stairs. She looked different somehow. Paler, and much thinner. Gaunt. She began to get thinner and more frail before my very eyes, until she wasn't much more than a skeleton with skin. The skeleton hugged me. "Happy birthday, baby."


I bolted upright, screaming. My eyes adjusted to the darkness of my room as I struggled to push the images from my head. Almost instantly, my parents rushed to my side.

"Ness?" my mom asked, taking me into her arms. "Did you have a bad dream?"

I nodded. It was just a dream, after all. Wasn't it? She clinged to me tighter. "It's OK, sweetie. Your father and I are here and you'll always be safe." My dad sat in the chair by my bed and began humming a lullaby until I fell back into a dreamless sleep.


The next morning, I still couldn't get the dream out of my head. There was something to it, something buried deep that I just couldn't shake. I needed answers.

I found my parents in the living room of our cottage, each reading a novel. "Dad?" I asked in a quiet voice. "Can we have a talk?" He stared at me, reading the questions and doubt in my head. He nodded and looked at Mom. She nodded back, a look of understanding on her face.

"Let's go for a walk, Ness."




"Let's go to the beach," Dad suggested. I hopped on his back, knowing we'd arrive much faster if he ran. As soon as I wrapped my arms and legs securely around him, he took off. In just a couple of minutes, I saw the ocean. We walked along the rocks silently.

"I knew this day would come," he said quietly.

My head raced. So, there was more than he had told me. Growing up, Mom and Dad sometimes referred to me as their miracle child. I faintly remember the day of my birth and that Mom was hurt badly. I didn't see her again for a few days.

"How is it that you and Mom had me, but Aunt Alice and Aunt Rosalie can't have children? Neither can Esme."

Dad sighed. "It's complicated, Renesmee."

I shook my head defiantly. "No, Dad. Enough." I thought for a moment. "If you don't tell me, I bet Jake will. I deserve to know."

Dad sat down on a boulder and I joined him. "I suppose that I don't have a choice." He looked wistful.

"You know that your mother hasn't always been like us, a vampire. When I met her, she wasn't. She was human." He smiled. "She was so beautiful, but had an even more beautiful soul. We fell in love quickly. She wanted very much to become one of us, but I didn't want her to miss out on everything that she could experience as a human, everything she'd have to give up." He paused. "Like having you."

If I was confused before, now I was even more so. "But how...?" I trailed off.

"We finally married, and it was the happiest day of my existence." He paused again.

"Dad..." I blushed. "I do know where babies come from. Mom had the talk with me two years ago."

He chuckled. "My grown up five year old. At any rate, about two weeks after we were wed, we found out that you were coming." He swallowed. "I'm not going to lie. We were not sure of your future, or your mother's. Like now, you grew so fast. Your mother became very ill. You you must understand... it wasn't your fault. Carlisle did everything he could to keep you and your mother alive."

Tears pricked in my eyes as I pieced it together. It all made sense now. The tears spilled over, streaking down my face. I'd always know I was different, different from Mom and Dad, and different from Jake, too. I was different, something that shouldn't be.

"Renesmee..." Dad said softly. "You have to know that this isn't your fault."

I deliberately tried to think of other things so he couldn't read my thoughts. I slowly stood up and began walking away from him.

"Renesmee, wait." He followed. "What are you thinking? Why won't you let me in?"

I whirled around to face him. I murdered Mom!! I screamed at him mentally.

"No, dear... you didn't."

"Why?? Why did you let me?" I screamed. "Why didn't you kill me and save Mom?"

"What? That's nonsense! Firstly, your mom is still alive. Secondly, I would never harm you."

"Alive," I spit out. "Yeah. A live piece of cold stone. She's not alive and neither are you. Your heart doesn't beat, you never grow older like normal parents..." I shook my head. "I hate you for what you did to her. Because of you, I'll never have brothers or sisters. I'll never be normal. I wish you had killed me!"

My father looked like someone had just slapped him in the face. He had absolutely nothing to say.

I turned back around and took off running, not really sure where I was headed, but knowing that I had to get away.