Chapter 19: The Illusion of Normalcy
We waited on edge for something to develop but weeks went by and Aunt Alice didn’t have any visions regarding the Volturi and Sienna. She spent most of her free time in La Push with Seth or here at our house. She slept over my parent’s house a lot. If it were under better circumstances it would have been more enjoyable it was kind of like having a sister. It was definitely nice to have someone in the house that was truly similar in age to me. It is peculiar for your parents and aunts and uncles to look as though they are the same age that you are; so it was nice to have someone truly on my wavelength basically living with me. My grandma Esme brushed up on her cooking skills and learned all of Sienna’s favorite foods in an effort to get her to eat more, but Sienna wasn’t too hungry. She acted pretty normal and went through the motions of life with going to school, and maintaining her relationship with Seth; but she spent a lot of time alone drawing. She drew that guy and girl all of the time, they were always in the woods facing each other in an embrace and smiling as though they had been reunited after a long separation. She cried in her sleep. She was so brave during the day but it seemed at night that her defenses were down. I finally confronted her about it one night. I sat down next to her and gently shook her until she was awake. “Si, you were crying again. What is it?” She just stared past me like I wasn’t there. I hugged her and rocked her, we sat like that for a long time and then she cleared her throat and clumsily wiped her tears away. “I’m fine” she said. She wouldn’t say anything further so I let it go; I know what its like to be questioned against your will. She finally took a breath and spoke, “this isn’t right Nessie.” “What isn’t right? Would you rather stay at my grandparent’s house?” “No, I mean I am endangering all of you by being here. The thought of someone getting hurt because of me kills me; I can’t sleep or eat because I am so stressed over what may become of all of you because of me. Nobody has ever cared about me and to be honest I have never cared for anyone myself. I never learned to love, but I do care for all of you and it is terrifying. I am so afraid that I will lose you all. I worry that I am bringing you trouble.” I calmed her down, “No you are not, and everything will be fine, you will see. We will be like sisters…forever” I smiled at her. She looked back at me and a smile lit up her grim eyes, ‘forever…” she echoed and then she lay back down and at last sleep came to her. The next morning Seth and Jake showed up. The four of us walked through the woods in silence. Finally Jake spoke up, “Ok, listen, there is a lot going on right now but we cannot just put our lives on hold and live in fear. We have a very secure system in place, on top of the fact that Alice can warn us if trouble is coming. I think that we should all start attempting to have a little more fun once in awhile.” I looked over at Sienna who was pale, and had circles under her eyes. She looked a little leaner too. I knew he was right she needed normalcy more than any of us. Seth looked up earnestly, “Sienna, why don’t we take you guys to your homecoming dance? It will be fun.” He flashed her a persuasive smile. He looked so goofy, almost like a used car salesman who was trying to seal a deal. Sienna laughed for the first time in weeks, ‘I don’t know Seth, I don’t really do school functions.” “Come on Si, it will be fun. Just think of how excited Aunt Alice will be when she finds out that she gets to play dress up with us again,” I joked. “Oh, all right,” she chuckled, “for your aunt Alice.” “What about me?” Seth asked with a mock injured look on his face. “For you too” she said rolling her eyes. Seth looked at her and smiled, “It’s nice to see you smile again,” he said as he kissed her cheek and took her hand to lead her away. Once we were alone Jake turned to me, “I hope that you aren’t mad that I volunteered you for this,” He said apologetically. “Seth is really worried about her; she just goes to school and then comes home and draws.” I looked at him, “Sure Jake, you know it was just an excuse to get me to agree to you taking me to a dance,” I teased. He snorted at me in laughter, “Yea, you see right through my scam,” he joked. “Seriously, though I am worried too,” I told him quietly. “She cries at night Jake, almost every night. She said that she is scared that one of us will be hurt, she isn’t even concerned about herself.” Jake shook his head, “Her entire world has been turned upside down her future stolen and she is worried about all of us,” he said in disbelief. “What if we can’t protect her?” I asked as fear suddenly washed over me. He turned to face me and put his hands on my shoulders, “Don’t you worry about anything, don’t think like that it will be fine. We have beaten the Volturi once before if it comes down to it we will do it again, you know that.” I bit my lip and looked down, I didn’t want him to know how worried I truly was and I certainly didn’t want Sienna to see it. All of a sudden the feeling of power washed through me again, I hadn’t felt it since my birthday. I started shaking and Jake looked up in surprise, “Nessie what’s wrong!” he shouted. “I’m not sure,” I whispered. The vibrations that ran through my body felt like an electric current I fell to my knees and stayed there until the strange sensation went away. Jake ran up to me and picked me up, “Are you alright, what was it?” “I-I’m not sure” I said shakily. “I’m taking you home,” he said in a tone that I couldn’t argue with. “What about Seth and Sienna?” I asked. “I will call them; we need to get you home.” Jake carried me into my grandparent’s house. My grandfather was reading the newspaper and my grandmother was baking Sienna’s favorite, baked ziti. When grandpa Carlisle saw Jake carrying me in he put the paper down and was at my side in a second. “What happened?” he asked patiently. “I don’t know, she just started shaking and fell.” Jake told him, by this point my grandmother was at my side as well. “Is she ok?” she asked with worry. “I’m going to go look at her Esme,” my grandfather reassured her. “Where are Edward and Bella” Jake asked. “They went hunting with the others,” my grandmother explained. My grandfather led Jake and I up to his study. He looked me over and asked me a few questions, “Renesmee, have you had this feeling before?” He asked me. I nodded. “Yes, on my birthday.” His brow furrowed thoughtfully, “Hmm, what does it feel like when you start shaking,” he asked me. “I feel as though I have an electrical current running through my veins, I feel so strong that it scares me.” I told him. He thought for a moment and then his eyes lit up, “I wonder if this has to do with your immortality. You might have another power that we need to discover.” He told me. I hadn’t even considered that. “What were you doing when you felt this sensation, on both incidents?” He continued to question me. “I was scared, on my birthday I was scared…” I trailed off and looked away from Jake, “scared that Jake was gone from my life for good.” Jake put his hand on my cheek and looked at me apologetically. “what about today,” my grandfather continued on.” Today I was scared about the situation with Sienna. I am worried that she will be hurt.” My grandfather paced for a moment as he stared off into space and added it all together. “Well, I would guess that you do have an additional power now that we will need to discover but it must come into action when your body is in a state of fear. Perhaps it has something to do with the adrenaline in your system. When it is secreted into your system your new powers become activated.” I thought for a minute, “So how will we find out what it is?” My grandfather smiled at me “In time, child, physically you are fine, so I am not worried. Just give yourself time and it will make itself known.” Jakes phone rang, “Hey we are back at the Cullen’s just get back here and we will explain.” Jake hung up, “It was Seth.” He said. My grandfather smiled at us, “Everything will be fine, don’t worry Sienna will be fine and so will you Renesmee,” he kissed my forehead and walked out of the room. “Great, one more mystery to solve” I muttered. Jake looked down at me and smiled, “Nessie, what am I going to do with you. I can’t take you anywhere,” he said with a smirk. I glared at him as he kissed me; and just like that he was forgiven.
We waited on edge for something to develop but weeks went by and Aunt Alice didn’t have any visions regarding the Volturi and Sienna. She spent most of her free time in La Push with Seth or here at our house. She slept over my parent’s house a lot. If it were under better circumstances it would have been more enjoyable it was kind of like having a sister. It was definitely nice to have someone in the house that was truly similar in age to me. It is peculiar for your parents and aunts and uncles to look as though they are the same age that you are; so it was nice to have someone truly on my wavelength basically living with me. My grandma Esme brushed up on her cooking skills and learned all of Sienna’s favorite foods in an effort to get her to eat more, but Sienna wasn’t too hungry. She acted pretty normal and went through the motions of life with going to school, and maintaining her relationship with Seth; but she spent a lot of time alone drawing. She drew that guy and girl all of the time, they were always in the woods facing each other in an embrace and smiling as though they had been reunited after a long separation. She cried in her sleep. She was so brave during the day but it seemed at night that her defenses were down. I finally confronted her about it one night. I sat down next to her and gently shook her until she was awake. “Si, you were crying again. What is it?” She just stared past me like I wasn’t there. I hugged her and rocked her, we sat like that for a long time and then she cleared her throat and clumsily wiped her tears away. “I’m fine” she said. She wouldn’t say anything further so I let it go; I know what its like to be questioned against your will. She finally took a breath and spoke, “this isn’t right Nessie.” “What isn’t right? Would you rather stay at my grandparent’s house?” “No, I mean I am endangering all of you by being here. The thought of someone getting hurt because of me kills me; I can’t sleep or eat because I am so stressed over what may become of all of you because of me. Nobody has ever cared about me and to be honest I have never cared for anyone myself. I never learned to love, but I do care for all of you and it is terrifying. I am so afraid that I will lose you all. I worry that I am bringing you trouble.” I calmed her down, “No you are not, and everything will be fine, you will see. We will be like sisters…forever” I smiled at her. She looked back at me and a smile lit up her grim eyes, ‘forever…” she echoed and then she lay back down and at last sleep came to her. The next morning Seth and Jake showed up. The four of us walked through the woods in silence. Finally Jake spoke up, “Ok, listen, there is a lot going on right now but we cannot just put our lives on hold and live in fear. We have a very secure system in place, on top of the fact that Alice can warn us if trouble is coming. I think that we should all start attempting to have a little more fun once in awhile.” I looked over at Sienna who was pale, and had circles under her eyes. She looked a little leaner too. I knew he was right she needed normalcy more than any of us. Seth looked up earnestly, “Sienna, why don’t we take you guys to your homecoming dance? It will be fun.” He flashed her a persuasive smile. He looked so goofy, almost like a used car salesman who was trying to seal a deal. Sienna laughed for the first time in weeks, ‘I don’t know Seth, I don’t really do school functions.” “Come on Si, it will be fun. Just think of how excited Aunt Alice will be when she finds out that she gets to play dress up with us again,” I joked. “Oh, all right,” she chuckled, “for your aunt Alice.” “What about me?” Seth asked with a mock injured look on his face. “For you too” she said rolling her eyes. Seth looked at her and smiled, “It’s nice to see you smile again,” he said as he kissed her cheek and took her hand to lead her away. Once we were alone Jake turned to me, “I hope that you aren’t mad that I volunteered you for this,” He said apologetically. “Seth is really worried about her; she just goes to school and then comes home and draws.” I looked at him, “Sure Jake, you know it was just an excuse to get me to agree to you taking me to a dance,” I teased. He snorted at me in laughter, “Yea, you see right through my scam,” he joked. “Seriously, though I am worried too,” I told him quietly. “She cries at night Jake, almost every night. She said that she is scared that one of us will be hurt, she isn’t even concerned about herself.” Jake shook his head, “Her entire world has been turned upside down her future stolen and she is worried about all of us,” he said in disbelief. “What if we can’t protect her?” I asked as fear suddenly washed over me. He turned to face me and put his hands on my shoulders, “Don’t you worry about anything, don’t think like that it will be fine. We have beaten the Volturi once before if it comes down to it we will do it again, you know that.” I bit my lip and looked down, I didn’t want him to know how worried I truly was and I certainly didn’t want Sienna to see it. All of a sudden the feeling of power washed through me again, I hadn’t felt it since my birthday. I started shaking and Jake looked up in surprise, “Nessie what’s wrong!” he shouted. “I’m not sure,” I whispered. The vibrations that ran through my body felt like an electric current I fell to my knees and stayed there until the strange sensation went away. Jake ran up to me and picked me up, “Are you alright, what was it?” “I-I’m not sure” I said shakily. “I’m taking you home,” he said in a tone that I couldn’t argue with. “What about Seth and Sienna?” I asked. “I will call them; we need to get you home.” Jake carried me into my grandparent’s house. My grandfather was reading the newspaper and my grandmother was baking Sienna’s favorite, baked ziti. When grandpa Carlisle saw Jake carrying me in he put the paper down and was at my side in a second. “What happened?” he asked patiently. “I don’t know, she just started shaking and fell.” Jake told him, by this point my grandmother was at my side as well. “Is she ok?” she asked with worry. “I’m going to go look at her Esme,” my grandfather reassured her. “Where are Edward and Bella” Jake asked. “They went hunting with the others,” my grandmother explained. My grandfather led Jake and I up to his study. He looked me over and asked me a few questions, “Renesmee, have you had this feeling before?” He asked me. I nodded. “Yes, on my birthday.” His brow furrowed thoughtfully, “Hmm, what does it feel like when you start shaking,” he asked me. “I feel as though I have an electrical current running through my veins, I feel so strong that it scares me.” I told him. He thought for a moment and then his eyes lit up, “I wonder if this has to do with your immortality. You might have another power that we need to discover.” He told me. I hadn’t even considered that. “What were you doing when you felt this sensation, on both incidents?” He continued to question me. “I was scared, on my birthday I was scared…” I trailed off and looked away from Jake, “scared that Jake was gone from my life for good.” Jake put his hand on my cheek and looked at me apologetically. “what about today,” my grandfather continued on.” Today I was scared about the situation with Sienna. I am worried that she will be hurt.” My grandfather paced for a moment as he stared off into space and added it all together. “Well, I would guess that you do have an additional power now that we will need to discover but it must come into action when your body is in a state of fear. Perhaps it has something to do with the adrenaline in your system. When it is secreted into your system your new powers become activated.” I thought for a minute, “So how will we find out what it is?” My grandfather smiled at me “In time, child, physically you are fine, so I am not worried. Just give yourself time and it will make itself known.” Jakes phone rang, “Hey we are back at the Cullen’s just get back here and we will explain.” Jake hung up, “It was Seth.” He said. My grandfather smiled at us, “Everything will be fine, don’t worry Sienna will be fine and so will you Renesmee,” he kissed my forehead and walked out of the room. “Great, one more mystery to solve” I muttered. Jake looked down at me and smiled, “Nessie, what am I going to do with you. I can’t take you anywhere,” he said with a smirk. I glared at him as he kissed me; and just like that he was forgiven.
