Still Dawn: The Saga Continues

Chapter 75: Another Year

I looked over toward's the newest member's of our family, a slight smile gracing my lip's. It pleased me how quickly they had settled into Cullen life. Though I couldn't help the hollow feeling I felt whenever I saw them, the memory of why, they were here. The price their brother and sister had paid for us.

~ * ~ * ~ * ~

The footstep's began at around eleven am, I knew instantly that I wouldn't be the only one to hear them, and that was confirmed when Alice shot up straight in her seat, a wide grin etched onto her otherwise sorry-looking face.

I laughed,

"Calm down Alice"

"I've been waiting long enough" She complained, still smiling absurdly.

"Ready?" Edward asked me as the footstep's neared the top of the stairs. I nodded, plastering a wide grin across my own face.

A giggle floated gracefully down the stairs as a second pair of heavier footstep's appeared from the opposite end of the now almost bare house.

"Happy Birthday Babe" I heard Jake greet her, before I heard the muffled sound's of their clothe's brushing together as he no-doubt embraced her.

"Thank's" she giggled again, before there was a light hearted scream and a single set of heavy footstep's preceding down the stairs.

I glanced up at Edward's face, he appeared to be laughing to himself, so I took that to mean Jacob had picked her up.

Sure enough, only second's later Jacob emerged at the foot of the stairs with Renesmee cradled in his arm's giggling her head off.

"Happy Birthday!" cheered my family and I simultaneously.

"Thank-you" Nessie grinned innocently as Jacob set her on her feet again.

She looked around the room at all the decoration Alice had spent all night constructing and smiled, a single happy tear beginning to roll down her cheek. 

Alice had insisted on having a "Sweet 16" decoration theme. I had tried meticulously to argue the point but-as I often told Edward, there was no point in even trying to argue with Alice.

The banner's reading 'Coming of Age' hung almost royally from the ceiling, and the floor was all but covered in pink and white balloon's. Large pink and white ribbon's cascaded neatly the height of the ceiling to the floor and photo's of Renesmee as she grew were displayed proudly across the main wall.

"Thank-you" Nessie repeated, taking in all the extravagant decoration's "This is beautiful" she smiled wryly at Alice, knowing instantly that she was responsible.

Alice returned her smile, nodding at the remote in Jasper's hand before dancing her way toward's Nessie the second Jasper had switched the music on.

~ * ~ * ~ * ~

By the time all the pack had arrived it was almost two pm, and the house was now packed full. I was suddenly grateful Carlisle had decided it would be best to get as much of our furniture moved on to Colorado before we did. Other than Jake and Renesmee's respective bed's there wasn't much need for anything else. We were more than comfortable standing for the day, but Jacob had put his foot down and insisted we kept the couch and the TV until the last possible minute.

Everyone, including myself, though I was less than happy about it, had dressed up for the occasion. I was currently trying to hide a laugh as Jacob complained endlessly about the Tux that Alice had insisted he wore.

He did look dashing though, stood next to Nessie in her beautiful pink ball gown, she looked to be glowing. Her hair had grown back to a more reasonable length now. Though I was certain it would never be the length it had been before, I was mildly content that she wouldn't spend the rest of forever looking like a poodle.