A/N – This is the first time I've ever tried my hand at writing. I'm actually more of a Sam/ Chaske Spencer fan, but a recent PM from Liljenrocks where she asked me how I pictured Jacob, planted a seed and I found my fingers running over the keyboard. Please let me know what you think.

I'm planning on centring my story on when Nessie's all grown up, but feel that an introduction is necessary for how Jacob is going to be in my future. The introduction has grown large. My apologies.

The rest of Forever

Set 1 month after Breaking Dawn.

Jacob

It had been a month since the Italian Vamps the Volturi came to town, ready to kill the Cullens and my imprint.. Renesmee. The fact that they left without a fight fills me with immense relief while at the same time, a tiny bit of disappointment that we didn't get to kill any Italian Vamps.

Running from La Push to Forks, towards Bella and Edward's little cottage in the woods in my wolf form, I stopped just before the little clearing to phase back to my human form and pull on the shorts I had tied to my ankle. Once appropriately covered, I sauntered into the cottage, only to be met head on by a little tornado who threw herself into my arms.

"Jake! Guess what?" she chirped.

"Umm.. You won the state lottery?"

"No!" she laughed. "Guess again."

"Eerr.. You just found out that you're the long lost queen of a foreign country?"

Nessie wrinkled her nose at me. "Jake! Be serious."

It still amazes me that she's not even a year old and yet she looks like a 4 year old and talks like a 10 year old. It's amazing what intense emotions this child churns up inside of me. I know without a doubt that I will die for her. Nothing will ever harm her as long as I am alive. She is my reason of living. And her being my soul mate, my imprint, is secondary.

"I don't know Nessie. Why don't you tell me since I'm so bad at guessing?"

She sighed dramatically. "I met a man. He's handsome and wonderful and we're getting married."

I did a double take and almost dropped her. She clung onto my neck and pressed her ear to my chest. "Jake! You vibrate when you growl. It's so funny!"

I held on to her and concentrated on not phasing. Breathe in. Breathe out. Breathe in. I heard a giggle. No, I heard two giggles. I opened my eyes and saw Bella leaning against the kitchen door trying to suppress her giggles. She saw me looking at her and smirked. "You ok there Jacob? Want me to take my baby out of your arms?"

"No I'm fine". I hitched Nessie higher and walked into the kitchen, Nessie still sniggering in my arms. I dropped her onto her booster chair and dropped onto the chair facing her while Bella set both our breakfasts in front of us. Nessie wrinkled her nose but gamely dug in. She was still a lazy little thing when it came to hunting. "So what's this about you getting married huh?" I demanded.

Both mother and daughter started laughing again.

"Oh Jake! You are so funny." Nessie chortled.

"So? What? You're not getting married?" I demanded again. My heart was pounding. Blood was rushing to my head. I could smell the eggs on my plate and I was suddenly afraid that I might be hurling up last night's dinner as well as the breakfast that I had earlier with my dad.

"I am!" Nessie laughed and almost tell off her chair. Bella gently caught her and righted her on her chair and dropped down onto the chair beside Nessie. Both females ignored the growl rumbling from my chest.

Bella took pity on my and said "Relax Jake. She did meet a man. He is handsome and wonderful," Bella winked at me. "They're getting married someday. But that's like almost 10 years away like he's promised."

Wait. I had agreed with Edward's stipulation that I wait till Nessie's tenth birthday before bringing up marriage even if she would be fully physically matured by the time she was seven. I had agreed even though what I felt for Nessie was a brotherly love, not a romantic one - yet. These 2 jokers were talking about me! Seeing the flittering of emotions on my face and realisation dawning, both females started laughing again.

"Very funny you two!" I tried to pout while eating my breakfast.

"I can't wait to tell Uncle Emmett how you fell for that one," the little brat chortled. "Mommy, can we go to the main house after breakfast?"

"Not right now sweetheart. You're gonna stay here with me and help me make some cookies. Jacob needs to go to the main house and have a talk with daddy and grandpa." Bella gave me a pointed look while she said this to Nessie.

Something was going on. The food landed heavily in my stomach but for some reason, I felt that heavy feeling in my heart too.

Before I could say anything, Nessie remembering that I've yet to guess what she wanted to tell me, leaned forward and demanded. "Jake! You have one guess left! Are you going to guess or do you want me to tell you?"

"Just tell me Nessie," I sighed.

"We're moving! We're going to see the world!"

Could the heavy feeling in my chest get any heavier? Yes it could. It almost made breathing painful. I sucked in lungs full of air painfully. Wait. Could I be having a heart attack? Is that what this is? Months of eating rich gourmet food in huge portions that these vampires have been feeding me has given me a coronary?

Taking pity on me, Bella while holding one of my hands in comfort, ran her other hand over my forehead, pushing my hair out of my face. The chill of her hand woke me a little from my stupor. I raised my head and looked at Bella. I knew my face showed despair. Nessie had hushed up and was staring at me with worry.

"Jake. Go on to the main house. Edward and Carlisle are waiting to talk to you," Bella said gently.

"Don't worry Jacob. Daddy just wants to talk to you. If you go now, you can come back sooner and we can eat the cookies together. Mommy can we make the peanut butter cookies? Those are Jacob's favourite."

It warmed my heart how Nessie worries about my feelings. In her ten year old mind, cookies will cheer me up. She always worries about me and wants me around. It's so remarkable that she was mine. Then it worried me - for how long?

Bella still holding my hand tightly, smiled at Nessie and said "Yes. Then we'll also make some hot chocolate with cinnamon once Jacob comes back. That's his favourite too." Then turning to me she said, "Okay Jake. It's not all bad, but there are some things that Edward and Carlisle want to talk to you about. Please go over to the main house. This is about something very, very important and Edward and I will not make any decisions without any input from you. So please relax. Everything is going to be ok. I promise you."

Nodding my head, I got up and headed out. "Jake, please put on a shirt before you get over there!" Bella said from the kitchen. I glumly opened the small cabinet by the front door where Bella had stored some shorts, t'shirts and flip flops for me. I pulled on a t'shirt and a pair of flip flops and proceeded to take a slow walk in human form to the main house. I could hear Nessie whining in the house about the fact that I hadn't finished my breakfast. She was worried about me and Bella was soothing her. Suppressing the urge to go back inside and pacify Nessie myself, I trudged on.

Whatever I was expecting to hear that day, what I heard was not it. It was something I least expected. I was in such a deep shock the pain in my chest disappeared. For the first time since I had even heard of Edward, I was thankful of his mind reading abilities, as for quite a while there I had forgotten how to articulate.

Carlisle had answered the door very formally. "Hello Jacob. Please come in."

If I didn't already know that Edward and Carlisle wanted to meet with me here to discuss the Cullen's move from Forks, I would have suspected the kind vamp doctor was planning something.. sinister. I glumly followed the vamp doctor up the stairs and into his office and found Edward sitting at the table. He was busily arranging some documents into a pile and looked up and acknowledged me before turning his attention back to his papers. Carlisle offered me a seat and I flopped down on the chair facing Edward and warily watched as Carlisle sat on a chair beside Edward.

Ah. So they were ganging up on me. Edward looked up and smile at me. I gritted my teeth. The leech was already reading my mind. I wish I could read his mind too. What's this meeting about? The suspense is killing me. I wish I could clobber Edward. That smirk on his face is bugging me. You're hearing all this aren't you? Get out of my head Edward!

It was Carlisle who spoke. I was expecting Edward.

"Jacob, Edward and I wanted you here as we need to discuss the future with you and as you are practically a member of this family, we feel that we need to have this discussion with you before making any concrete plans."

I gulped. What plans? Are they taking Nessie away from me? And he calls me a member of his family? If I am a member of his family, can I put my foot down and say they can't take my Nessie away?

Edward looked up at me and said "You're not officially a member of this family yet Jacob. You still have quite some way to go."

I crossed my arms over my chest and stared at Carlisle sullenly.

Carlisle sighed and said "Jacob, my family has been in this area too long. People are beginning to take notice that we're not aging. This stay in Forks has been the longest that we've stayed in one place. We need to look into moving already."

I could totally understand this. Edward looks younger than me but he is in his hundreds. Old man. I tried imagining not seeing Nessie daily. I couldn't remember how I used to function before I imprinted on her. It's like I'd never existed prior to Nessie.

Edward smiled. "Jacob, the reason we called you over here today is because we need to talk to you about Nessie. She goes wherever Bella and I go. Yet I can understand the imprint magic that you are bound by. So Jacob, the thing is, we would like to invite you to come with us."

That was a surreal conversation that I had that day with Edward and Carlisle. The gist of that whole conversation which seemed a little bit like a negotiation deal right out of a TV show, was where they wanted me to move with them. They were going to Hampshire for a few years where the younger looking Cullens were actually enrolling in Dartmouth. After that, they'll decide on the next move.

I figured that I could go with them. I didn't have a job. Have not been in school since God knows when. I eat most of my meals at the Cullen's anyway. Carlisle did say that there was a forest nearby where the family plans to hunt. I figured I could sleep in the forest in my wolf form until I could get a job and afford to rent a room somewhere nearby.

That's when Edward had said that when he said come with them, he mean with them. I was to live with Carlisle and Esme. Since everyone was going to college, there was no need to masquerade as a foster family. The clan planned to have separate residences very near each other. Esme had wanted me to move into her and Carlisle's place. She has been especially sweet on me ever since I had told her that she reminded me of my mother. I found myself agreeing with Edward and Carlisle until the stupid bronze haired leech dropped the bomb.

"Now Jacob," he threw Carlisle a grin. "Nessie is my daughter. And you have agreed to remain only her best friend until her tenth birthday. After that, if my daughter chooses to spend the rest of her life with you, I will not stand in her way. But remember, we are not negotiating an arranged marriage here. So if she doesn't want you at that time, you are not to pressure her".

I managed to find my voice and rasped "I've already agreed to all this the last time we had this talk!"

"Yes, I know. Now as the father of the br.. err.. girl, I have the right to ask you, what are your plans for the future?"

Now he totally stumped me. Rich bastard. He's rubbing his wealth in my face. My heart was pounding. Nessie was my life. I'll never be as rich as him. I have nothing to offer her.

Carlisle interrupted my macabre thoughts. "Jacob, we have certain conditions for you. I think it's only fair for us to tell you what we expect from you and then you decide if you're ok with what Edward and I have come up with."

I nodded glumly.

"We want you to travel with us for the next 10 years. We understand that you have an obligation to your pack and your tribe. Then, there is also your father to think of. But we feel that we need your full commitment to be with us and do what we tell you to do. We understand the need to return home for holidays, birthdays, any functions. We will not stop you. You will be free to come and go. But there is something we want from you."

I waited for Carlisle to continue. Both vampires were staring at me strangely. Now what? I was beginning to feel a little light headed.

"Breathe Jacob," Edward said.

Ah. So that was that choking, light headed sensation I was feeling. Oxygen deprivation. I sucked in a breath and motioned Carlisle to continue. With an amused look he did.

"During these ten years, you will be my foster child. I will educate you, and by educate I mean you will complete high school and college. My granddaughter shows a high aptitude in learning. I expect her future partner to be educated too. Edward and I are rather old fashioned that way."

I gulped. Looks like these vamps will succeed where Billy failed. They've actually found the perfect carrot to dangle in front of me to make me study.

"You will be exposed to more than just education Jacob. The whole family has different things to teach you. Life lessons you can say. I want you to be open minded in learning whatever they have to teach you personally," Edward said.

Huh? Life lessons? What could each of them have got to teach me, that is not taught in school? Oh wait! I'm so not learning to play the piano! No, no, no!

Edward smiled and said "No piano. But Jacob, there are other things and I needs your word that you would give everyone a chance." He read my mind again and sighed, "Even Rosalie."

I can just see this. I'm going to be the Cullen's charity case. My pride took a beating and my shoulders drooped. I knew I was going to agree with them. But being poor had never really bothered me until the Cullens came to town. Now whatever I had felt before, has multiplied.

Edward looked at Carlisle and said "He's worried about the finances." Then his attention was focused in the papers her had organised into a folder.

"Jacob, I hope we don't offend you but as one man to another man, Edward and I can understand what you're feeling right now. We took the liberty to check out your finances. And we have come up with a financial plan for you."

Ok. This day is getting stranger and stranger. I have a financial plan?

Edward grinned and said "The money that we have is not all inherited Jake. We invest heavily. And because of our investments, our money has multiplied. Alice has certainly steered us into investing in the right companies."

Ah. So having a fortune teller in the family is handy.

Carlisle took over from Edward. What is this? A tag team?

So to make a long story or rather a long conversation short, the tag team came up with a plan that I sell the Rabbit and hand over the paltry figure to the pixie and she will multiply it over and over again. She was going to be my stock broker until I was ready to learn the intricacies of the stock market myself. They figured, within a few months, I should be able to pay for my own education and expenses. I would have the financial freedom to take a flight whenever I had a hankering to see my dad.

What was left unsaid was the fact that over the years I would have the polish and the carriage of a well to do and successful man. I would no longer be a small town native boy who was always convincing himself that he was happy with the state of his life. I am actually being given a chance to better myself and maybe someday I can return and help my people. Someday, I could offer Nessie a home with me and at the same time let her maintain the lifestyle that she was used to.

I was ready to agree but the tag team felt that I should talk to my father and Sam first. I was ashamed to admit, my pack was the last thing on my mind. But it looked like Carlisle had thought of different possibilities for me. He offered me a few suggestions that my pack rejoins Sam's pack until I return for good. They wanted me to ask Rachel if she would look into my dad and help him too. One part of me was so ashamed for not thinking about my wheelchair bound father and how he'd cope in my absence and another part of me was touched that Edward was looking into the possibility that his only child would one day move into an Indian Reservation.

Edward looked very solemn as he leaned forward in his chair. "Jacob, you do realise that you won't be able to remain in La Push permanently, right?"

Ok. I was expecting the punch line. Was he going to say hahaha gotcha?

"Jacob, Nessie will not age. And I do believe you plan to go on phasing to not age and be with her? In that situation, once you move back to La Push, you would have perhaps twenty to thirty years before you're going to have to leave. Maybe even sooner than that."

Damn. These Vampires are really thorough. Ok. Hit me. What else?

"Go home and talk to Billy and Sam. You can tell them everything we've said and offered. Take a day or two to make your decision Jacob. This is the rest of your life we're talking about. Think carefully," Carlisle said gently, as he handed me Edward's folder.

I could only nod my head as I took the folder and slowly left the room. I reached the bottom of the stairs and found Esme waiting for me. She hugged me tightly. It's funny how her scent burns my airways and yet I think of my mother as I hug her back.

"Come into the kitchen Jacob, have a bite to eat."

I found myself following her and I glumly ate whatever it was that she laid in front of me. I figured that she was asking me some questions and I nodded my head in a daze. I never knew what she asked until I noticed that she was packing some food into a neat container and placing it in a plastic bag. She then added my folder into the bag and then she headed for the door and stopped to arch an eyebrow as she looked at me. Oh! I was supposed to follow her?

I did and we walked to the edge of the woods. Both of us stopped walking and I look at her with confusion.

"Jacob! Go phase and then I'll place Billy's dinner in your mouth carefully."

Oh. So that's what she was telling me. I guess I was going straight home to talk to Billy and Sam. So I walked into the woods, phased and returned to Esme and let her place the handle of the bag carefully into my mouth and then like a well trained dog, I trotted all the way home.

The talk with Billy and then Sam was not what I expected either. Billy wanted me happy. Billy understood all about imprinting. Billy still worried about me since life as I knew it had changed. He wanted me to accept the Cullen's offer. I knew how difficult that was for him. He knew that they were vampires and he knew how biased he had been about them. As all father's, he wanted his child to be happy.

Then there was Sam. He heard me out. He agreed that this was a once in a lifetime opportunity. Not only would I be with my imprint but I was also given a chance to better my life. Sam had to give up his college scholarship once he phased. He was not about to stand in the way of one of his brothers. Sam told me to go for it. He agreed to take on my pack members, even Leah. But Sam wanted a promise from me first.

"Ephraim Black's grandson is the rightful Alpha and the rightful chief. I will step up and lead for these ten years that you want. But Jacob, I need you to come back then and take your rightful place. I will step down and stop phasing at that point. I want to grow old with Emily. Can you promise me that?"

What could I say? I found myself agreeing. What a strange days it's been. I didn't feel up to facing my pack today. In fact I didn't feel up to facing anyone today.

That's why when I heard Rachel and Paul coming over, I scrambled into my room to hide. I needed to think without a mind reader answering my questions before I could voice them out loud or an annoying hyena braying over every non funny comment my sister makes. I needed to make sense of everything churning in my mind. Am I having a headache or a brainache? Would I be able to differentiate the pain? Why am I thinking of this when I should be thinking about the potential uprooting of my life?

That's when I heard Rachel chide Paul "I made a batch of those cookies for you at home. Do you have to eat them here too?"

Ah. My sweet sweet sister. She's baked cookies for me. Pity Rachel just makes chocolate chip cookies. I'm having a hankering for peanut butter cookies. That's when it struck me. Nessie's waiting for me. I ran.