[BamaFan121s]

I spent the following two days in the yard beside the Cullen house with Kate and Jasper trying to practice controlling my shield. Kate because, as sadistic as she seemed at times, had proved to be a very good coach in the past and quite possibly understood the workings of my shield better than anyone, other than myself, of course. Jasper because I’d proven that day in the clearing that I could shield his ability in ways I’d never been able to do before—or at least that was the theory.
For hours on end, Jasper tirelessly unleashed a variation of emotions on me—anger, sadness, hate, fear. I attempted without success to resist them, trying the myriad of suggestions that Kate offered from the sidelines. Edward was a near constant fixture in the field with us except for on occasions when he was attending to Renesmee’s needs in my absence. I was able to resist Kate’s touch and was easily capable of protecting my family members from her fiery currents just as I always had been, but was transformed emotionally time and time again by Jasper without any resistance whatsoever.
I became easily frustrated with myself, but Kate and Jasper remained calm and patient, endlessly encouraging me and assuring me that in time, I would figure it out. I wasn’t so sure.
It was on the third day in the field with them that it happened. I’d lost count of the times I’d let my emotions get the best of me and had become irritated by all my failed efforts. Kate and Jasper discussed a new approach while I tried in vain to ignore them. I sank back in the cool, soft grass and closed my eyes against the rare, stray beams of sunlight that peeked out from the gray clouds overhead. I watched the sun induced pattered on the back of my eyelids while I listened without interest to Kate, not really focusing on her actual words.
I found an escape, even if for only a brief time when a familiar, woody musk announced Jake’s approach. I didn’t have to ask what he was doing here. The position of the sun indicated that Renesmee was likely nearing the end of her lesson with Rosalie, and he had no doubt come to wait for them to finish, as it was customary for him to do. Sensing a looming shadow, I opened my eyes and peered up at his face as he leaned over me. Small ruby tinged prisms bounced off his cheeks as the stray sun beams reflected of my skin.
“Go…away.” I teased, closing my eyes again.
“Well, I guess that answers my question then,” he joked. “I’d come to see how it was going.”
I sighed as I sat up. “It’s not going anywhere. I’m hopeless!” I complained for at least the third time that day.
“Oh Bells, you’ll get the hang of it eventually.” He sounded confident, but I was unconvinced.
“Will I Jake?” I challenged. “Will I every really get the hang of it? Will I ever truly get the hang of any of this? Cause you know what, I’m not so sure I will.” I looked down, picking at a stray piece of grass.
“Oh Bella, don’t be so dramatic.”
He was right, I was being dramatic, but I didn’t care. I slowly rose to my feet, a bit more composed. “Sometimes I’m not so sure. I wonder if maybe I’m not as good at this whole vampire thing as everyone gives me credit for.”
Edward had walked up then and pulled me to him comfortingly, allowing me to bury my head against his chest. I felt him shrug around me—no doubt answering some random, unvoiced question from Jacob. But neither of them spoke to contradict me. In the distance, I heard the front door of the Cullen house open and shut. I raised my head from Edward’s chest and looked towards the house to see Renesmee walking towards us, her eyes locked on Jacob. Rosalie and Emmett followed closely behind her.
As I had done several times over the past few days, I composed myself and pulled away from Edward’s comforting embrace. Renesmee stopped short of us and began picking some of the wildflowers blooming nearby. I watched her with amusement as she busied herself, occasionally stopping long enough to peer shyly and inquisitively at Kate, whom she’d grown quite fond of over the past few days. She slowly crept her way closer to her stopping and returning her attention to her flowers anytime she suspected Kate had seen her.
“I just wish I could figure out what triggers it.” I pondered out loud to myself. I recalled months prior when I struggled in this same field, feeling every bit as clueless as I felt now. “It’s just like before…” I summarized, trailing off.
Suddenly, Kate’s head whipped in my direction, her eyes locking with mine. “Just like before…” she repeated. A sinister smirk crossed her face and in a flash, she dropped to her knees, her arms outstretched to welcome Renesmee who threw down her freshly picked arrangement, giggled in delight and began running towards Kate. I processed the scene for a fraction of a second before it occurred to me what Kate’s intentions were. “Kate! No!” I screamed, reaching my arms forward towards my daughter, but I knew I would never reach Renesmee before she could reach Kate’s fiery grasp. A fresh current of electricity audibly rippled its way across Kate’s skin as Renesmee closed the gap between them. I flexed my shield and forcefully extended it out in my daughter’s direction, praying that it would find and protect her before she could reach our Alaskan cousin.