The old red house was the same, but different. It was small, as it had been Jacob's entire life. It was confident, almost like it knew it belonged there in the middle of a forest, just a stone's throw from First Beach. It was as if the house had been on that very piece of land for an eternity and had no intentions of moving. Jacob hadn't noticed the small things about the house when he was living in it. Like the way the front porch sagged a fraction, or how the front steps were dinged up with Jacob's lazy attempts at getting his father in and out of the house through the front door.

Jacob smiled at the old house welcoming him back for the first time in over six months. He missed it. He missed his dad. Getting out of his Rabbit, Jacob hauled his bag over his shoulder and made his way around the side of the house. He noticed, abruptly, that there was a welcome mat at the end of his dad's ramp. Jacob raised an eyebrow and headed inside.

"Dad?" Jacob's deep voice called out into the small house as he dropped his duffel on the kitchen floor. His home smelled vaguely of chicken and...macaroni and cheese. He could hear his father in the living room, watching the basketball game. He moved into the room, close to having to duck through the doorway. His father's warm tone made him smile.

"Jacob, it's good to see you, son." He set his plate of food down on the coffee table and met Jacob halfway. Jacob bent down to hug his father. Billy Black was aging well. His long, dark hair had a smallest amount of grey in it. Beside his eyes there was evidence of crows feet, but other than that Billy hadn't changed since Jacob was a kid. When Jacob stepped back, Billy took him all in, grinning up at his son.

"What?" Jacob asked. Billy shook his head, eyes twinkling.

"Just happy to see my son; is that a crime?"

"Sure, sure. It's only been a couple months." Jacob dropped down on the couch as Billy returned to his place beside it.

"Eight." Billy said without looked at his son. Jacob paused.

"How's everyone been?" Jacob asked, ignoring his father's tone.

"Great, actually. Have you been over to meet Xavier?" Sam and Emily's new addition. Jacob shook his head.

"Home's the only place I've been. I was going to run by tonight for dinner," He told his father. Billy finished his food and let the empty plate rest in his lap. "Sue make you that?" Jake questioned. Billy shook his head.

"Nope." Jacob raised an eyebrow. Alright, then.

"Did Emily?"

"No."

"Seriously, Dad."

"It was Lucy," Billy laughed, gesturing for Jacob to take his place. He stopped on his way to the kitchen to ask who Lucy was. "Brady's sister. She's been coming around, you know, making sure I'm all right. You know, doing you're job, really," Billy mumbled the last part but Jacob caught it and rolled his eyes.

"Seattle is what's best for me." Jacob said once he dumped Billy's plate in the sink. He had this same argument with his father every time he visited. "I've got a good job. I've got-"

"You need family. Your friends." Billy told him, eyes dark with the authority that reminded Jacob he used to be an alpha.

"I need people who don't know who I am." Jacob spoke sharply. He could feel the resentment, the bitterness that was always just beneath the surface. "People who look at me and see Jacob Black. Who look at me and don't see what she did to me."

"Do you think you're the first man to ever have his heart broken, Jacob?"

"I know I'm not, Dad. But it hurts a little more when you woman you love gave her life to be with someone else, even when she knew you were the better choice." Jacob's voice was ice. It was dark. It belonged to the monster growing inside of Jacob since the funeral of Isabella Swan. Billy saw it's birth that day in Fork's only church and he had slowly watched it grow in the time since. That girl had broken his son.

"You should be around people who love you. Not out in the city, serving drinks to people with problems exactly like yours. It's not healthy. It's not good for you, and you know it."

"Those people understand me," Jacob growled. Even as the words left his mouth he knew it wasn't true. The people who came into the bar barely remembered his name. They only spoke to him in their drunken stupor and when he had to haul their asses out on the curb.

"That's a damn lie, Jacob. You know it." Billy's eyes were sad. He was hurt for his son. HIs daughters leaving was something he had come to terms with. Jacob was his only son. He had stuck around and now, after everything, a simple girl is what drove him away.

"What do you expect me to do? Settle down with some La Push girl who I know I don't love. Work at the grocery store? Deal with people's pity-"

"You know that's not how you would live."

"I do know. I won't let it happen and that is why I moved away. I can't stand this place." Jacob closed his eyes, pinching the bridge of his nose.

"It's been six years."

Jacob said nothing. His eyes were still closed. His mind on the past and the future he could have had. He hadn't meant to fall in love with Bella. But before he could stop himself she was all he thought about. She intoxicated him. Her scent. Her smile. Her voice. He loved her. He was still in love with her. As much as he wishes he'd say no, if Bella Swan danced gracefully through the door and asked for his heart on a silver platter he'd be in no position to deny her.

It made Jacob hate himself.

"I'm going to go see the guys." Jacob said after what felt like hours in his own head. Billy said nothing and watched as his son left the room, hear him leave the house, and finally the sound of the Rabbit's engine faded in the distance.

.::.

"Oh, God." Lucy groaned and felt her body curl into itself. In the darkness under her bed spread she could hear her brother chuckling.

"How are you feeling, Luce?" Brady asked, coming to stand by his sister's bed. He pulled the covers back a little to see the dark waves that belonged to his sibling, but that was as far as he got.

"Stop! The light, Brady, it hurts." Lucy's tone made Brady laugh. His sister was actually a child.

"Man up, sis. Aren't you doing to Sam and Emily's for dinner?"

Lucy felt her stomach drop and tried to push the queasy feeling away. She had told Emily she'd come over for dinner. But that was before she was sick. Emily would understand, right? She wouldn't want Xavier to get sick.

"You can at least tell her in person you aren't feeling well."

"Shut up, Brady. I can barely move." Lucy snapped. It was true. The entire 5 feet, nine inches of Lucy's body ached. Even the soft sheets of her bed irritated her skin. Brady shook his head.

"Come on, Luce! You know one of Em's muffins will make you feel better. Maybe even some soup? Do you think she'd make you pie?" Lucy's had shot out from under the blankets and nailed Brady in the arm. It didn't phase him, but she got her point across.

"Get the hell out of my room, Brady. You're driving." Lucy grumbled, sitting up in bed. Her head pounded and she took a deep breathe as Brady whooped and ran out of her room. He actually couldn't get more annoying. "Make sure you grab Em's present, dipshit," Lucy called to Brady.

Lucy slid into a pair of black leggings, pulling on one of Brady's hoodies and shoving her feet into her worn black leather boots. Her hair was a mess; she'd braided it before she'd gone to sleep but sleep had not been kind. She didn't give a damn. Lucy didn't even bother with her phone, she just followed her brother outside and winced as she slid into the passenger seat of her car. Brady grinned at her and she flicked him off, causing her brother to bark a laugh.

Lucy didn't understand why she was so sick. It was luck that the school year was over: she hated missing time with her kids. Lucy had moved back to La Push several months ago, starting at the town's only elementary school as the new music teacher. She was glad she'd come home when she did. She'd found the children of La Push musically challenged and her family hanging by a thread.

Lucy glanced over at her brother. He was only nineteen but he looked like a grown man. When she moved back into town, Brady and their parents were fighting constantly. Brady was always sneaking out. Their parents were always catching him. They would ground him but it made no difference. The next night he would do the same thing. Her parents feared they were losing son to something horrible-drugs; alcohol; a gang. Lucy had almost laughed at that one. Brady was too much of a wimp to be in a gang.

When Lucy had sat down with her brother, she'd seen something in his eyes. She'd grown up with Brady. Lived with him up until a couple years ago, when she'd graduated and moved out to Seattle to attend college. She knew when he was lying. He wouldn't tell her where he was going but he was honest when he told her he wasn't getting into trouble.

Lucy asked what she could do to help.

"I don't know if that's a good idea, Lucy."

"Sure it is, Mom. Brady can live with me. I'll keep him in line. Sometimes us kids just need to take breather from you guys. He is an adult now."

Lucy shook her head. Brady had been living with her since she moved into her house and that was just over six months ago. Brady was only around for a few hours a day, and she still had no clue where her little brother went but she knew he wasn't in danger. That was how Lucy met Emily.

Emily invited her over after Brady moved in. She'd expressed her gratitude towards Lucy for helping out. She assured Lucy that Brady was with Sam and the other guys, that he wasn't getting into trouble. That he was doing good by protecting the town. Lucy had no clue what she meant by that but she'd been comforted. She was over Emily's house constantly, she'd even babysat for Xavier a few times. Lucy had been accepted into the family, one of the chosen ones, as the kids in high school had called them.

Lucy didn't ask questions and as long as she accepted the secrets she was safe. That was what Emily had told her.

Emily. Emily, so kind and gentle. Lucy felt guilt bubble in her stomach as she thought about missing Emily's dinner.

"No way." Brady's voice brought Lucy out of her thoughts. They'd made it to Emily's house. A few cars were parked out front, but other than that, Lucy noticed nothing different.

"What?" Lucy called to Brady as he got out of the car.

"Jake's back!" He called excitedly. Lucy's eyebrows knitted together and she got out of the car. Jacob?

Oh! Lucy's mind made the connection as she made her way slowly to the house. Any sudden movement caused her to whimper in pain. Damn, Brady. Jacob Black. Billy's son.

Lucy visited Billy at least once a week. Emily sent Lucy over with food and news and sometimes Lucy cooked for the man herself. Billy was a great father figure. He had wise eyes. And the legend of the tribe he told Lucy fascinated her. She felt herself perk up a bit: she'd heard a lot about Jacob. It'd be nice to meet him.

Looking like absolute shit, at that.

Lucy giggled as she made it up the stairs. The moment she was inside the home, eyes were on her.

"Damn, Luce, what ran you over?"

"Shut up, Embry." Lucy shot her friend a glare. He laughed and held his hands up. Sam was there in a second, in front of her, towering over her.

"I'm sick."

"I can see that," Sam chuckled. "Why aren't you in bed?"

Lucy glared around Sam's large body at Brady, who was standing next to Seth Clearwater. They flanked another man, just as huge and ethnic as the rest of the group of guys. Lucy's wide brown eyes landed on him and she froze.

He was staring at her. It was a very naked stare. Like he saw everything. Saw right through her. His eyes were dark and his features were familiar to Lucy. She knew at once that it was Jacob Black. She wanted to smile at him, but his stare was keeping her from doing too much as thinking a complete thought.

It was Emily's voice that reached Lucy through the white noise in her head. And Lucy was forced to look away from Jacob Black.