A/N: I love reading stories where Jacob and Renesmee meet when they're older, so I wanted to try one.

The throbbing bass reverberated in my chest as I sipped my drink slowly. The club wasn't too crowded, but the dim lighting and pounding techno music made the atmosphere seem more concentrated and charged. I heard Nahuel's voice dripping with innuendo as he stood across the bar, speaking to a beautiful woman who looked to be about 25 or so. I smiled to myself, hiding it with a sip of my Long Island Iced Tea (my new favorite cocktail), and imagined her horror upon discovering how old he really was behind his 'barely 21' exterior. We made quite the duo; he was almost 160 years old and I finally scratched the surface of a decade, approaching eleven years in a few months. We were both frozen in our young adult bodies though and could easily pass for teens or 20 somethings as the situation called for it.

My amusement morphed to disgust when he whispered something in her ear and she eagerly stuck her tongue down his throat. I glanced away, feeling like I was invading their privacy by watching, but they certainly didn't seem to mind. I drained the rest of my drink probably faster than I should have and ordered another before my better judgment could kick in. I surveyed the room, taking in the dancing bodies of mostly couples and almost pouted.

Even Nahuel seemed to easily find women he was compatible with, though they seldom lasted longer than a week. I asked him once what the Spanish word for 'man-whore' was but he just shrugged it off, citing how he had an eternity to settle down. As compelling as his playboy attitude was, I already ached for the type of companionship each member of my family flaunted with their mate. My parents, mainly my father, didn't understand my preoccupation with finding love at 'such a young age' and so began the eternal war over my independence. Hence this summer getaway with Nahuel to blow off a little steam.

He stayed with us at our house in Providence most of the time, but usually one or two months out of the year, he would embark on little adventures around the world. I begged my parents to let me accompany him on this one, since I was fully grown now and he promised to stay within the continental US. We spent our first few days up in Maine at a little beach house I fell in love with and I discovered my favorite human food is lobster, which Maine certainly had in abundance. We were on the second leg of the trip now and arrived in Manhattan last night. Maine stole my heart with its serenity, but New York was captivating for the exact opposite reason. It was like the city itself was infused with electricity and everyone was running around hyped up on the electrical impulses.

I facetimed the whole family last night when we checked in at the hotel and Emmett corrected my assessment, saying most people call those 'electric currents' heroin. I rolled my eyes and said I liked the city all the same. My father tried to casually ask if I planned to tour NYU or Columbia and I resisted the urge to sigh. I knew his primary impetus for allowing me to go was his hope that I would choose some prestigious, disgustingly expensive university to attend in the fall. We argued back and forth about it for a few months and I finally agreed to 'keep an eye out' during the trip without any more concrete concessions. I definitely wanted to attend college at some point, but I didn't understand the urgency to jump right in as soon as I could pass for an adult. It wasn't like I was getting any older and I wanted to bask in my freedom for a little longer, before committing to a surely rigorous, four year course load.

I noted dryly that my glass was empty again, probably a product of scrolling through my inner turmoil for the past few minutes. I turned back to the bar with the intention of ordering another, when I caught Nahuel's eye as he made his way toward me. I was grateful for his supernatural hearing, so I didn't need to shout over the music for him to hear me.

"Did you want to get out of here with her? I can avoid our room tonight." He grinned at my offer and bowed his head to kiss my cheek.

"You are the best wingwoman ever, Ren." I giggled, maybe a little too long and questioned the necessity of that third drink. He rolled his eyes and pushed the empty glass away from me, as if that would help anything.

"Can you not drink yourself into oblivion while I'm off getting laid? It makes me nervous." I just rolled my eyes in response and called over his shoulder to the bartender for another. He sighed, pulling his wallet out of his back pocket and flicking his credit card at me.

"Whatever, Ren. Just be smart." I smirked, but didn't push it any further. He then reminded me of my tendency to become overly friendly while intoxicated and I kicked him in the shin, fighting off a blush.

"You're one to talk." I muttered before shooing him away. He gladly left with the woman from earlier, wrapping his arm around her waist as they neared the exit. I had to squint a little as they reached the door because the outline of their bodies became fuzzy. I definitely didn't want to admit Nahuel was right, but I took a mental inventory of myself. My arms and legs were tingling and my mind was swimming in a pleasurable haze. I didn't feel too drunk, so I decided to just finish this drink a little slower and monitor my faculties. Grandpa and Dad had speculated the impact of certain drugs on my body, but until I actually started drinking in the past year, there was really no way to predict how I would respond. I was happily surprised that I could become drunk with the relative effort of a normal human. The only drawback of my racing metabolism was how quickly I burned off the buzz. It would probably only last about an hour tops, waning in intensity with each passing minute.

At that thought, I gulped a larger sip down and scanned the room again. I didn't really know what I was looking for, but my eyes landed on two huge, Native-American guys walking in. I never felt particularly threatened by a human and I didn't exactly feel threatened now, but a healthy dose of awareness coursed through me, numbing my building buzz. The taller one must have been at least 6'3 and the shorter one was just a few inches behind. I wondered if they were related, since their features appeared to be very similar and they were both dressed in t-shirts and jeans. I quickly discarded that thought, because it felt a little ignorant. I'm sure they didn't mind when people asked if they were related and, hell, maybe they were, but I knew how many humans automatically assumed my family was biologically linked just based on our similar skin tones.

They were still about halfway across the room, when the taller one almost seemed to shake a little and looked up right at me. I held my breath and tried to interpret his strange actions as he blatantly stared at me. His eyes weren't angry or predatory so I forced myself to exhale, but they were definitely confused and maybe curious? I hated how difficult it was for me to decipher human expressions, but I had been around so few of them in my life. My family felt their emotions pretty intensely and were often vocal about them, so I hadn't honed the ability to perceive thoughts from purely expressions yet.

I thought I saw his elbow twitch as he nudged the other man and he looked at me now too. He seemed equally taken aback and I didn't know whether to be flattered or intimidated. I had to choose one quickly though, because the taller man strode over to me with a grin on his face.

He stuck his hand out between us and I readily shook it, shocked at how hot it was. I wracked my brain to recall if that was normal for a human in any other circumstance beyond a fever, but came up empty. He also seemed to register the coolness of my hand with surprise. I was perplexed that he could detect such a subtle variation in my temperature from the norm; I was significantly warmer than my family and only slightly cooler than the average human.

The alcohol might have been altering my perception, but he seemed even more attractive standing close to me now. His tanned skin contrasted his striking light, grey eyes. He had cropped, silky black hair that was a little unkempt and I could see the slight dimple embedded in his left cheek as he smiled at me.

"Hi, I'm Embry. Can I sit?" I nodded automatically and he slid onto the stool beside me. I glanced back at his friend across the room and while he appeared engaged in conversation, his eyes kept skirting toward us.

Embry followed my gaze and filled me in, "That's my cousin, Seth. What's your name?" I felt silly worrying about their relation in the first place, relaxing a little in my seat at his easy tone of voice.

"I'm Renesmee, but my friends and family just call me 'Ren'."

"Ren it is, then." I smiled back and asked where he's from, sipping my drink once.

"I moved here about two years ago from Washington State for school." He almost had a bashful expression on and I immediately asked where he was studying.

"Uh, I am an English and History double major at NYU." I must have betrayed the admiration on my face because he rushed to deter it.

"It's an awesome school and I'm lucky to be there, though I don't think most sophomores are approaching 28." I nodded in understanding, but his confession did nothing to lessen how impressive it was. Hell, maybe I'd be 28 or 30 by the time I finally settled down and got my degree.

"I still think that's really impressive. So what if the timeline isn't conventional? People have to do things at their own pace."

He seemed encouraged by my assessment and told me about his ambitions to go into teaching at the high school level, hence the english and history majors. Each new fact I acquired made me more interested in him, but he shifted the conversation over to me.

"Alright, what about you? What brings you to the Big Apple?" He wiggled his eyebrows a little and I laughed.

"I guess it's my mini-adventure before I embrace adulthood. My parents, especially my Dad, want me to start college in the fall and I want to live a little first."

"Gotcha, so how old are you?" The question shouldn't have been such a barrier for me, but I still grimaced when it came up because I liked how honest he was with me and I didn't want to deceive him. I was once again surprised when he picked up on my hesitation because I had become skilled at masking most emotions on my face since my family always says I read like an open book. He was much more attentive than a normal human, which made my facade a little less convincing but I really liked that about him.

"Uh, I turn 22 in September and this whole trip is kind of an extended vacation with my best friend, Nahuel. Like I said, I may be enrolling in the fall, so we're celebrating early."

He didn't pry about my hesitation even though he clearly saw it. He opted to broach a much easier topic for me, though I could tell he was wary of my response before the question left his lips. "And this Nahuel? Best friend or…"

I laughed at the redness blooming on his cheeks and eased his adorable anxiety, "Totally platonic best friend. Or else, I might get to be pissed that he's screwing some girl in our hotel room right now."

He chuckled along with me and I felt the vibrations in my chest over the thumping bass, realizing how well we were able to shut out the rest of the club and get to know one another. It was almost like talking to Nahuel; I didn't even need to raise my voice and he heard me.

"Well, I'll let my testosterone simmer then and ask about the college stuff. You sound like your heart isn't in it- is that just nervous energy or do you really dread going?" I registered the words, but the overriding warmth in my chest numbed my brain temporarily. His genuine curiosity and exceptional perceptions were a much bigger turn-on than his stunning looks. I shook my head a little and tried to formulate my answer while he stared back patiently.

"I have fought with my Dad about it for a while. He's incredibly overprotective (and I love him for it), but I don't understand his push for me to start college when he barely lets me go out for a night with my friends. This trip was kind of a compromise for us; I look at some schools along the East Coast and he lets me breathe a little."

My answer was completely honest, though it was also the kind of thing I steered away from when talking to guys I meet. I wasn't fake with other guys, but dishing about family drama was decidedly one of the less attractive facets of my life. Maybe not to Embry though. I watched him take in my response and he tilted his head to the side slightly, leaning more on the bar counter and a little closer to me.

"That's rough sometimes with parents. I think whatever age we start pushing for independence, they tend to struggle with it because they want to protect us. I'm happy you get to relax on this trip and think about it for yourself. Your Dad's opinion will always be valuable, but you have to figure out what you want in life." I was completely enthralled, so I just nodded and let him continue.

"I definitely wouldn't be at NYU if I pursued college at eighteen or twenty. I probably would have gone to community college or trade school near Washington and stayed there, going straight into the workforce. That would've been okay, but I took the extra time to find something I really care about and I think I will be much happier in the long-run."

The sincerity of his words reflected in his eyes, as they practically glowed when he talked about his passion for teaching. I couldn't muster a sense of envy that he found his calling, because that was his point. Doing it this way, maybe I could carve out my own enthusiasm for a field I had yet to discover. I took significant comfort in that train of thought and with my confidence brimming, the liquid courage flooded me.

I carefully reached out and twined my hand in his, encouraged by the smile it brought to his lips. "I like you, Embry. You are really genuine and thoughtful."

If my touch made him smile, my words made him beam and he gently squeezed my fingers. "Yeah, Ren. I like you too. A lot." We both laughed at his inflection and mine was a little more giggly from the alcohol. Shit, maybe Nahuel was right.

"You seem very compassionate and I'm glad you are taking the time to enjoy yourself. Hopefully the experience lives up to your expectations."

"Oh, I think it will. It's been pretty wonderful so far." I really tried to keep the suggestive tone from my voice, but his eyes darkened a little and I knew it was a poor effort.

"And hey, if you are considering NYU and ever want a tour guide while you're here, I'll happily oblige." I laughed lightly, but I didn't really find the offer amusing. If I was being honest with myself, it found it more than a little arousing. Though, I didn't know how much I could continue to blame that on the alcohol. Especially, when it flared at the glint of mischief in his eyes.

"I will definitely take you up on that. I'll be in Manhattan for another few days, any chance Sunday or Monday work for you?" I didn't want to be too forward, but he certainly seemed to reciprocate my attraction and I wouldn't let it fizzle because of something as silly as being timid.

"Yeah, Sunday I'm basically open whenever. I could do Monday if you prefer, just not before noon because I have class all morning." I should've suppressed my blatant excitement, but I didn't really feel the need to with Embry.

We solidified the plan for my tour on Sunday afternoon and he added on dinner afterward, making my cheeks warm a bit. I knew I wore my heart on my sleeve, just like my family said but I didn't seem to care at that moment.

I thought maybe his blush surfacing at the same time was attraction too, but his next question clarified the impetus. "So, I promise I'm not being coy here, but where are you planning to stay tonight? You mentioned your friend and his, uh, escapades in your room."

His shyness was very endearing and I gave his fingers a reassuring squeeze, suddenly remembering they were still locked around mine. My mind was running away with our conversation and his presence, making it difficult to stay present.

"I hadn't quite figured that out yet, but I'm trying to be a good wingwoman. I suppose if worse came to worst, I'll just book a separate room tonight at the hotel." I shrugged it off easily, feeling the weight of Nahuel's credit card in my back pocket. I wouldn't abuse it of course, but I certainly had no qualms about booking my own room if all else failed.

Embry reached the hand not in mine up to his neck and rubbed it slowly, a nervous human gesture. I was inundated with affection for him, touched that he was so preoccupied with my well-being but not wanting to make me uncomfortable.

"Well, uh, I live in an apartment with my cousin, his sister, and another friend about a mile from here. I feel like it's kinda crazy to buy a separate hotel room for tonight, so you're more than welcome to crash on our couch. It's probably more comfortable than one of those lumpy hotel mattresses anyway."

He seemed to be rambling a little, probably due to nerves. I squeezed his hand again, bringing his attention back to me. "That's really sweet, Embry. And I'm not spooked by the offer. I told you that you seem genuine. I'd love to accept, I just have to call Nahuel or he'll worry."

He nodded in approval, biting his bottom lip as it fought to widen his smile. My stomach flipped at that action and I reminded myself to control my raging hormones. Embry wrote out his address on a napkin, so I could text it explicitly to Nahuel without me even asking, only reaffirming my comfort level. I also dialed him to explain the situation, laughing when he picked up with an annoyed groan.

"Ren, I hope you're currently in peril and need rescuing if you're calling me during sex." I heard the woman in the background release some colorful expletives and decided to make the conversation as brief as possible, not even addressing his opening statement.

"Um, I met someone here at the bar and I'm going to crash on his couch tonight. Yes, he's a nice guy. Yes, he's younger than 30. Yes, I'll have my phone the whole time and his address is already texted to you. Yes, I'll be careful as always." I rattled off the necessary affirmations he would likely respond with and he grumbled in response.

"Uh, alright Ren. I'm not going to baby you. Please be super, extra careful so you don't have to call me again tonight." The impatience had completely left his voice and I heard the underlying concern, so I repeated the earlier affirmations with more conviction, relieved when he let me go.

Embry just looked amused by our phone call and I was struck by his chronically carefree attitude and how refreshing it was. "So thirty is prohibitive, huh? I almost missed the cutoff."

His playful smirk unleashed a fresh wave of arousal in me and I crossed my legs tightly, internally ordering myself to calm down. "It's not a hard and fast rule, but generally yes. Though, I would've made an exception in your case."

His eyes gleamed with what I could only call lust and my mood soared. We weren't eloping or anything, but it was exhilarating to form a budding connection with someone. I heard a distinctly male cough and broke from my little trance to see his cousin standing next to him. I introduced myself as 'Renesmee, call me Ren' and shook his equally hot hand, wondering if they had some type of genetic disorder.

I decided not to push my luck and voice my concerns, as Embry informed Seth that I was staying with them tonight. While they talked, I noted the differences between them with the benefit of closer proximity. Their shared hair color and tanned skin were basically the extent of their similarities. Seth's hair was more buzzed down than Embry's mess of waves and Seth was noticeably younger. His features were more youthful, fewer lines along his face, but his energy and attitude as a whole conveyed his more boyish enthusiasm. He also had twinkling, deep brown eyes in contrast to Embry's silvery grey ones.

We talked for a few minutes and I gleaned that he was the baby of the group at only 25 and was pretty much along for the ride in Manhattan. He was working as a waiter in some upscale restaurant in the heart of the city and didn't have any immediate plans beyond that. They also gave me backgrounds on their other housemates: Leah and Jacob. Leah was Seth's older sister (the oldest, at 31) and working as a bartender part-time while studying marketing at NYU, like Embry. Jacob was Embry's age (28) and he had already completed his undergrad degree, finishing up a master's in business administration with the intention of opening a garage near the city soon. I was fascinated by the close-knit bond of their group and eager to learn more about them.

Embry suggested we move back to the apartment for more in-depth introductions and some coffee. If I wasn't already enthused, the promise of caffeine would have drawn me in regardless. I was so grateful I hadn't worn the killer heels I was initially considering because I wouldn't have survived the walk to their place. By the time we rounded the corner of their block, my calves were talking to me a little and I almost rolled my eyes. What kind of half-vampire has such poor stamina? I made a mental note to start walking for at least fifteen minutes each day, as we reached the apartment building and started up the stairwell.

They lived on the second story of a very mundane, typical apartment building. As we neared the door to their apartment, I heard a strange sound coming from inside and I only identified it as sexual when it repeated, louder a few seconds later. Seth grinned and Embry huffed in frustration, inserting his key into the lock.

"Ren, you may want to avert your eyes. I think our roommates are screwing in the living room." I automatically squeezed my eyes shut as he pushed open the door and he gently took my hand to lead me inside. I didn't open them as we walked into the entryway, relying solely on my hearing to interpret the commotion occuring.

The sex noises abruptly cut off when we entered and there was a gravelly, feminine string of curses from presumably Leah (apparently women really dislike being interrupted during sex, and I can't say I blame them). More scuffling as they probably put on some clothes and Seth broke the silence.

"Lee, I've literally had nightmares where this scene happens. Can't you guys just do it in one of your bedroom's?" He was trying to make light of the situation, but the revulsion was still evident in his tone. I didn't know if they had yet to notice me or simply were indifferent to my presence until Leah referenced me.

"Who the hell is this?" I winced at the roughness of her voice and heard Embry huff heavily again. He ignored her for a minute and leaned closer to my ear, "You can look now. Everyone's clothed." I peeked gingerly to see Leah's scowling face for the first time and her haphazard attire of just an exceptionally over-sized (probably male) t-shirt that fell almost to her knees.

"Hi, I'm Renesmee or, uh, Ren. Sorry we barged in on you," her gaze softened marginally and she glanced at Embry.

"Is this the girl from your Civil War class?" Embry tensed and released another forceful exhale.

"Uh, no Leah, it's not. But thanks for that. I met her tonight at the bar and she's crashing with us." I almost laughed at his mounting discomfort until Leah persevered with her sunny personality.

"She's crashing with us or with you?" Her implication was clear and cutting with the snide smirk to match. I knew my face was burning, but I forced myself to pipe up in retaliation. I could already tell this type of behavior was not out of character for Leah and if I let it stand, she'd devour me.

"Well, Embry offered me the living room couch, but it seems that may already be in use." Embry and Seth both laughed- Embry at least had the good sense to mask it as a cough while Seth just howled. Leah's jaw clenched, her eyes blazing, and I knew she was sizing me up like an opponent. I resisted the urge to roll my eyes, not wanting to unnecessarily provoke her but the whole ordeal was ridiculous. The one reaction I wasn't anticipating was the deep rumbling laugh that came from down the hall and filled up the space around us.

A man, undoubtedly Jacob, emerged to stand beside Leah and he squeezed her neck affectionately like he was relieving the tension in her muscles. It was comical how quickly the fury diminished in her eyes and they went from almost black to a warm chocolate color. Jacob was massive standing in front of me, towering might have been a better descriptor since he was easily three or four inches taller than Embry. My modest, 5'8 stature was dwarfed by this group, since Leah was the shortest among them and she still breached six foot easily.

Her attention was momentarily diverted to the giant man wrapping his arms around her shoulders and I definitely didn't blame her for being distracted. I recalled that Jacob wasn't related to the rest of them (feeling stupid since he was hanging on Leah's frame lewdly) and marveled at the extraordinary genetics Washington must be hiding. They were all, Leah included, very good-looking and toned with that same onyx shade of hair and tanned skin.

Seth groaned, apparently reaching the point of agitation as well, when Jacob began nipping at the skin of Leah's neck with no mind to his audience. I watched Leah's eyes roll back into her head and felt my own arousal flicker at their intimate position. I was about to suggest Embry and I make our way to the kitchen for the coffee he promised, when Jacob opened his eyes from his stance behind Leah and looked at me for the first time.