Falling To The Sun | B. Swan + E. Cullen

cinquante-huit

Roman could not put her down, she didn't want to put her down. Every moment that she was awake, that she had her strength, she wanted to be holding Renesmee.

And she was willing to fight anyone that tried to take her from her arms. She wanted to spend every possible second that she could with her. She had never felt such a pure love before, had never felt since an instant connection from the first glance.

It was different than when she had first seen Edward and Bella. Roman would through herself in front of a bullet for this baby and she wouldn't regret it for a thing.

She didn't care that it meant that Rosalie hovered at her side, taking her only for the feedings that she hadn't the strength to do as she drank from her own blood filled cup.

She didn't care all that much that it meant to Jacob was hovering outside the door, continuously poking his head in when he thought she wasn't paying attention.

He was lucky, really, that having Renesmee there mellowed her out and cleared her head better than anything, or she really might have tried to stab him -- or throw herself out a window, whichever came first.

But she recognized that look, knew that expression anywhere, and she couldn't turn him away no matter how badly she hated the boy. He was stuck here and from whispered snippets of conversation, she knew that he wasn't going to be leaving anytime soon.

She couldn't fault him that. It was a fresh imprint and he was probably incredibly worried about Renesmee because she's so small and tiny and innocent.

So, she waited for feeding time, waited for Carlisle to be ready before she said a soft goodbye to Renesmee, letting Rosalie take her daughter away.

"Jacob, stay."

His shadow froze outside her door.

"Come in."

His actions were slow, hesitant, as he let himself in. She jerks her head to the chair, silently telling him to sit. His hands find a home in his pocket as he keeps standing defiantly. She can't help her smirk. Typical. Predictable.

"You've imprinted on my daughter."

Jacob tenses. "Roman, it's not what--"

"I don't approve, you know," she cuts him off. "You aren't good enough to have anything to do with her, you will never be good enough."

"It's not what you think. It isn't like that," he insists tensely.

"I know, and it'll never be like that. I will kill you before that happens. Nothing will be able to stop me. I will find you wherever you try to hide. One wayward thought, and it's over. She will never be romantic with you. You are her brother, her friend, her protector."

"I know," he says, shoulders up near his ears. "I swear that it'll never happen. She's just a baby."

"She's a baby now. She won't be later. Nothing will come to change then, either. Is that understood?"

Jacob nods quickly, sagely. "I understand, Roman. It's never going to cross into that territory."

Accepting his promise now, knowing that very soon she will be able to make good on her threat, she doesn't pursue it, instead saying, "I hate you, you know?" she says bitterly. "I hate everything about you."

"You can't leave," the younger boy blurts out, head ducked shamefully. "You can't go because of me."

"Oh, please, don't flatter yourself. If I leave, it won't only be because of you. You aren't that important."