🇮🇹 Come Back Home | Jalice

One - Jasper

(A/N: Warning this is kind of rushed and has not been proofread)

Renesmee poses once again for Alice, dozens of outfits, shirts, trousers, skirts, accessories, all in an effort to create a timeline spanning years instead of months.

My niece spins joyfully, she reminds me of another girl, one I haven't seen in a long time. I sigh and hand Alice another dress for Ren, smiling fondly at my wife, ignoring the anxiety that eats at us all.

What will become of little Renesmee?

When, at last, their fashion show is concluded, it's a little past 12:00. Lunch time, I think as Jacob strolls into the room holding a sandwich. He offers some to Ren and I can't help laughing as she wrinkles her nose. I don't blame her.

The food does, however, motivate me to do some hunting of my own.

I walk over to my wife, hugging her from behind and kissing her neck gently, "Alice, I think I'm going to go hunt with Bella, Ren and Jacob, do you want to come?"

She shifts to face me, pecking my lips. "I do, but I have to help Esme with planning the investigation in Rio." She pouts sweetly, almost making me stay, but I need to get out of the house even if just for a bit.

"Okay, see you soon, my love." I leave her with a kiss and go to join Ren and her mother at the door.

Bella looks surprised when I walk out of the door behind her. "Jasper, are you coming with us today?"

"Yes, I need to get out for a bit. I thought it would be a nice change." I tell her honestly.

She smiles, and I'm relieved at her genuine happiness."Great, the more the merrier." I'm glad she's so welcoming, and I hope we'll be better friends now that she's a vampire. I still feel guilty about what I did to her on her last birthday.

As we head to the area where they usually hunt I tune into their emotions. Devotion, determination, excitement from Jacob. It's strange, his emotions almost seem more . . . pure, I guess is the word, in wolf form. Less tainted by the complications of the human consciousness, I suppose. More excitement from Renesmee. And from Bella, worry at the back of her mind but more prominent, peace, happiness, fulfilment. I'm happy for her, this is what she's wanted for so long. A life with Edward, forever. I must admit that I've been rooting for her ever since it became clear she wasn't a threat. Afterall, it is nice to not want to kill her all the time.

We stop in a small clearing with woods on all sides. I hear hoofbeats and then Jacob does too, he darts into the trees, Renesmee follows after him. Isabella watches them affectionately before starting off into the trees herself. She turns after a few steps.

"Jasper? Are you okay?" She cocks her head, concerned.

"I'm fine, I'm going to hunt on my own a bit. I don't want to ruin your fun."

"You wouldn't be." She reassured me with a small smile, "You're Renesmee's family too."

"Don't worry, I'll be back soon."

"Okay."

With that I head off in search of prey slightly bigger than deer.

It's wholesome seeing the three of them, and while children aren't something I desperately want, I can certainly see the appeal. And why many vampires used to make immortal children, forever frozen at this sweet innocent stage, yet uncorrupted, still in complete awe of their parents or vampiric cases, creators.

My mind wanders back to Ren's rapid ageing and I push the thought down. Instead I focus on the sounds around me, and realise I've run farther than I mean to.