Disclaimer: Just because I wrote a Renesmee one-shot doesn't mean I liked Breaking Dawn. All things Twilight belong to Stephenie Meyer.

It's past midnight! Happy Father's Day! (And Happy Birthday Edward Cullen!)

Thanks to carbrain for beta-ing, letting me bounce ideas off of her, and encouraging me to post this.
Thanks to ol2bob for not making fun of me too much for writing this.

I always savored every opportunity with Nessie in Seattle. It was big enough and far away enough from Forks for me to show her off as my daughter, as long as I monitored the thoughts around us closely. Although she physically resembled a human child of four years, Nessie was already a skilled piano player and an ardent reader of classic literature. I had also managed to introduce her to the world of science fiction, earning us the titles of "Big Nerd and Little Nerd" from her mother.

We were leaving the bookstore to meet Emmett and Jasper at the jewelry store when Nessie voiced the question she had in her mind out loud, which was the practice when we were in public.

"Daddy, did Uncle Emmett and Uncle Jasper buy my present yet?"

"Maybe," I replied, trying not to smile. I found it really hard to keep a smile off my face these days.

"They did! They did! What did they get me?"

"It's a surprise. You'll find out on Christmas like everyone else."

"I hate surprises," she grumbled adorably. But not really. Surprises are always so much fun, but I hate waiting to find out what they are. "Not fair, Daddy; you don't get surprised!"

"That's not true. You were a big surprise. And your mother surprises me all the time," I reminded her. The mention of her mother sent her down another train of thought.

I want to buy Mommy a pretty dress so she could wear it and dance with you. I love watching you guys dance.

"Daddy, let's go there," she pointed to a store with elegant dresses in the window display. Ever the impatient one, she pulled me along before I even responded, but I could only smile at her enthusiasm. I stood back and saw in her mind images of Bella in the different dresses on the racks. Unlike her mother, Nessie enjoyed dressing up and wearing fancy clothes. Bella claimed she got it from my side of the family.

Nessie seemed to be favoring a simple lavender dress, but before she could ask for my opinion, a young boy, about four or five years old, cut across the floor and stumbled in front of us. He immediately started wailing.

Jake said boys don't cry. What a liar.

I had to hold my smirk at that thought. That's right, sweetheart. Don't believe a word he says.

I crouched down to his level. "Hey, what's the matter?" I asked, trying to be as friendly as possible. I had already gathered from his thoughts that he was looking for his mother.

His cries abated to sniffles, but he said nothing. Mommy said don't talk to strangers.

"My name is Edward, and this is Nessie." I smiled at him in an effort to reassure him.

That's MY smile! Nessie's thoughts were loud in my head. I didn't have time to address them right now.

"I'm A-Anthony."

"That's a cool name! My middle name is Anthony. " I replied, helping him up. "Now, tell me what's wrong, Anthony."

"I hide behind the dress, and now Mommy's gone!" he said through his sniffles. I saw his mother in his thoughts, and I was also aware that she was looking for him.

Picking him up so that she could spot him more easily, I tried to comfort him. "I'm sure she's looking for you right now."

Before Nessie came into our lives, it was rare that I was around children for a significant length of time. It wasn't that I had an aversion to them, as they had such innocent and amusing thoughts, but I just didn't really have the opportunity to be around them; and most of them shied away from me on instinct. But for some reason, this child didn't mind being near me. It was interesting and fascinating. I wondered if it was some fatherly vibe I gave off now that I was one myself, or if he was just an exception to the rule. I liked to think it was the former.

Daddy, I'm tired.

"Ness—"

"Anthony!"

Oh my God! Anthony! Oh my God! Anthony's mother broke into a sprint as she approached us. "Don't you do that to me again!" she cried when she reached us, taking him from me.

"Mommy! I couldn't find you and I was scared and then I felled and Mr. Edward helped me-"

"Shh, baby, it's all right," she said, kissing his cheek. She turned to me. "Thank you so much, Mister-"

"Cullen, Ma'am. Don't mention it. I only helped Anthony up."

He's so handsome… And young! Is he a father already?

"Still, I appreciate you looking out for him. Is that your daughter?" she asked. They have to be related. She's beautiful as well.

"Yes, this is my daughter."

"My name is Nessie Cullen. Pleased to meet you," Nessie said, dropping to a curtsy.

Awww… She is adorable. "It's nice to meet you, Nessie. I'm Sarah. You have a very bright daughter, Mr. Cullen."

I'm sure my chest did that "puffing up thing" (as Bella liked to call it) that it did whenever someone complimented Nessie.

"Thank you. Anthony is pretty smart himself. He wouldn't talk to us until we'd identified ourselves," I replied. It was the feeling of standing here, talking to another parent about our children, that made me feel so blissfully normal. I was just a father of a little girl.

He's not smart. We could have told him our names and still eaten him.

I knew that Nessie had no intentions of harming the boy, but her sour thoughts were unexpected. I'd have to ask her about her sudden crankiness when we were alone.

"It's good to know he listens sometimes," she laughed.

"Mommy, I always listen to you! I'm growned up now," Anthony said.

"That's right; you are! They grow so fast."

"Don't I know it!" I agreed, chuckling at how true her words really were.

"Daddy," Nessie whined. I wanna leave!

"Just a moment, Nessie."

"Has she started school yet?" Sarah asked.

"Not yet. She will next year," I replied, wishing that my words were true. Bella and I always felt bad that Nessie couldn't interact with anyone her age. She was growing too fast, intellectually and physically. "What about you, Anthony? Are you in school? Do you like school?"

He nodded. "School is fun! We have snack time and story time and music time! And Miss Tara is so nice!"

Nessie tugged at my hand, and I squeezed it to acknowledge that I was aware of her thoughts.

Daddy never ignores me!

"Mr. Cullen-"

"Daddy, I wanna go home!" Nessie shouted, startling the rest of us.

"Renesmee Cullen, we do not interrupt when other people are talking. Apologize now." It was rare that I had to reprimand her in front of strangers.

"I'm sorry," she muttered rather petulantly. I'm not sorry, Daddy. I hate you! I hate you!

"I apologize," I said to Sarah. "I guess she's getting tired."

"It's all right; we should probably be going too," she answered. "It was nice meeting you, Mr. Cullen."

I smiled. "Same here. Take care, Anthony."

"'Bye, Mister Edward! Bye, Nessie!" Anthony waved from his mother's arms.

Nessie crossed her arms and said nothing, scowling as she watched them leave.

"Nessie, why are you being so rude?" I asked. "You didn't even say goodbye."

"Didn't wanna," she replied grumpily.

"Renesmee, your mother and I did not raise you to be so rude. I expected more of you."

"Go find Anthony then; I'm sure he's so much smarter and cuter," she grumbled, stomping off.

"If you're going to behave so immaturely, we will be going home right now," I warned.

"Whatever," she huffed as she continued to march in the wrong direction.

"Renesmee Carlie Cullen," I called after her. She ignored me, not caring that she was running into people left and right.

"That's it. We are going home." I picked her up and went to find Emmett and Jasper.

"Nooo, no! I don't wanna!" she screamed, arms flailing and legs kicking.

I was more than aware of the attention we were attracting. "Stop it," I warned, but my words only caused her to struggle harder in my grip.

"Nooo! I hate you, Daddy!" she screeched as tears rolled down her cheeks.

Emmett and Jasper caught up with us then.

Damn, Edward, we didn't even need vampire hearing to find you guys.

"Jeez, did you have to pass your temper on to her, Edward?" Jasper asked, sending waves of calm to Renesmee as we headed to the parking lot. Her shrieks gave way to sporadic sobs.

"I don't know... Bella's got quite a temper too," Emmett added.

"That's what you get for spoiling her," Jasper chided. Like he wasn't guilty of the same thing.

Nessie fell asleep before her tears had even dried.

"She was jealous," Jasper commented for Emmett's sake.

"I gathered that much from her mind, but don't know why," I told them.

"Welcome to the wonders of the female mind," Emmett said jovially.

When we got back, I tucked Nessie in bed before I joined Bella on the couch where she was reading.

"Had fun?" she asked.

"I did, at first…" I recounted the highlights of the day to her, ending with Nessie's tantrum in the mall. "I've never seen her behave that way for no reason!"

"Oh, but there was a reason," Bella said, laughing quietly to herself.

"What was it? Jasper said she was jealous. But that makes no sense to me."

"She's not used to sharing you, Edward. In her eyes, you devoted your time and attention to Anthony instead of catering to her wishes. You're her Daddy."

"That was ten minutes of the day, Bella."

"I never said it had to make sense," she shrugged. "But it kind of does. Where do you think she got that possessive streak from?"

"Are you making fun of me, Mrs. Cullen?"

"Just asking a question, Mr. Cullen." Before I could kiss that smirk off her face, I heard Nessie wake up and leave her room. Bella and I looked up as she stood by the door warily.

"Come here, baby," Bella cooed, beckoning her over. "Did you miss me?" Nessie nodded in response as she returned Bella's embrace, but remained quiet.

I wonder if Daddy is still mad at me. I didn't mean to be a bad girl.

Bella gave me a knowing look and got up. "I need to talk to Alice. I'll see you later." Without another glance at us, she left the cottage.

The first thirty seconds after she left were quiet. I had no idea how to start this conversation. I was at a loss as to what to say. Turns out my one-year-old daughter was sharper than I was.

"Daddy?" she broke the silence.

"Yes."

I'm sorry. "Are you still mad?"

I shook my head. "But do you know that you shouldn't have behaved that way?"

She nodded sadly. I couldn't bear to see that frown on her face, so I pulled her into my arms. "Then why did you do that?"

"I was scared that you liked Anthony more than me. You smiled my smile at him, and you said he was smart, and you kept talking to him."

"Of course I don't like him more than you! He was just a stranger. I was just trying to be nice," I explained.

"But you picked him over me."

"I didn't pick him over you. I may not always agree with what you do, but I would never pick someone over you."

"So… I'm still your Nessie then? Your favorite little girl?" she asked in a small voice.

"Always, Nessie, always." As usual, her answering smile lit up my world.

Not that I think Nessie is always a brat, but come on... She is Edward Cullen's ONLY daughter, she has to be somewhat spoiled.