Disclaimer: Jacobs not mine, unfortunately.

So, this leaves off after Jacob runs in the epilogue so we'll be seeing where he's off to and if he can recover with the help of a friend. Breaking Dawn is still going on but with the exception of Renesme...obviously.

Hope you like it

His structured tanned chin and jaw line had a layer of five days worth of stubble and dark brown hair flopped over his almost perpetual furrowed brow. Gazing numbly up at the sky you could see his deep eyes had lost their sparkle, as he tried to find any meaning in all of it, and his mouth was unconsciously turned down at the corners trying desperately but failing to seem emotionally whole sitting on the bench behind the only restaurant in 15 miles.

Two four year olds squealed excitedly as they played tag around the resting Quileute and he watched them with something akin to amusement which failed to show itself on his amazingly handsome face. Their blonde hair gleamed in the sunlight as their father raced to scoop them up, chuckling as he went. Before, this would have caused a gleaming white smile to sweep across his face and it would have radiated out of him like the sun making everyone around him that much more optimistic but now whenever he was noticed, it was with an intimidated fear. The numbness which was held on his features never strayed as he constantly thought of his love and the man (for lack of a better word) who had taken her from him. Unrequited love was the most painful thing to experience and the mysterious tanned man knew of it. He allowed anger to cloud his hurt and heartbreak and wouldn't shed a tear for fear of them never stopping. Nothing had distracted him from his wallowing. No one had spoken to him and he had spoken to no one.

However he was lucky. He didn't have a map or any idea where he was but he had managed to make it to the most beautiful town in California. Duskwood: a population of just 4,430. Its rolling hills and abundant trees covered the landscape and even though the reminder of Forks and La Push caused a gut wrenching pain to shoot through him it made him feel more like himself, more at home, no matter how far away it was. And he was far away, 549 miles to be exact, too far for him to run back on a hope, a hope that she had changed her mind; he was far enough away that even if he did start running, he had long enough to see sense, to remember why he ran four weeks ago today.

He sighed deeply and sunk back into the wood, his tanned legs stretched out in front of him and his arms lying loosely by his side as he regretfully remembered her face. Her brown eyes would be different next time he saw her...if he saw her. A breeze ruffled his hair and even though the sun was beating down on his face it would be considered cool for all the people milling around behind him, enjoying their late lunches at the only restaurant in town.

It was called Rascals and the smell of the steak drew him in everyday yet he never had any money to buy some for himself so he watched enviously before trudging back to his cave-which made him sound shamefully inhuman-to cook his own freshly killed meat. It wasn't the same though. There wasn't any salt and pepper or tomato ketchup. He would die for some tomato ketchup.

He said to himself that he came to the town every late afternoon to protect his humanity, so he wouldn't just turn into a beast but deep down he knew that it was because he wanted to forget. He wanted to imprint. He desperately wanted to love someone more than he loved Bella. He wanted to love someone who would love him back, irrevocably and with no conditions. But it hadn't happened yet, no one in this town had tied him down to this earth in fact most were too scared to look him in the eye.

Admittedly he wished people would ignore him too. He didn't want to have to explain anything because it was too complicated...and no one would believe him. They would cart him off to a mental hospital once he choked out the word 'werewolf'.

The sun started to set over the stretch of fields and meadows in front of him and the giggles of young children gradually changed to the hum of adult conversations as the restaurant starting serving the late menu. On the patio the heaters and lanterns were turned on and despite the temperature being just 61 Fahrenheit the locals braved the chill and wore woolly homemade scarves with jackets and boots.

"Dude if he's a psycho...you'd just better feel guilty if I end up in a ditch." A loud laugh came from the throat of what sounded like a young man and a reluctant giggle followed. At the sound of the girl's melodic free laugh Jacob eyes flickered up from his torn up trainers to the tree directly ahead of him suddenly confused as a small smile threatened to show.

He hadn't smiled in such a long time.

Hearing a distinctly female huff, the wood creaked beside him and he fought the desire to look at whom had sat with him.

Her jet black hair curled past her shoulders and down her back as she sat with elbows on her knees, her face turned toward the boy next to her and her dark blue eyes unashamedly staring at him. She didn't look intimidated or scared by the tanned 6ft7 man or the fact that his bicep was nearly as wide as her head, just curious.

Her fingers were fiddling with the ends of her dark purple scarf but she didn't feel nervous.

He could clearly see from the corner of his eye her blatant staring and even though it intrigued him it also made him pretty uncomfortable and he shuffled a little in his seat, crossing his burly arms over his chest.

"You must be really freaking tall." The girl said in awe. Jacob's head turned so that their eyes met and he realised that it was the first time anyone had spoken to him in a month. An easy smile was spreading across her lightly tanned, freckled skin and her eyes were bright and inquisitive, her eyebrows raised. She nodded confirming her own statement. He could see she was a waitress, her white shirt was tucked into a black skirt and he could see her shivering, her woollen black tights offering her no warmth.

Should he scowl, scare her away? Or should he just reply like any normal human being.

Clearing his throat he turned his face toward her. "Yes."

It felt weird for him to be speaking again. He felt more human, more alive. He liked it.

"That's...cool." She chuckled awkwardly but didn't seem to be finished talking to him as she was still leaning forward with interest.

She sighed heavily seemingly frustrated with herself about something. "Look, I'm sorry if I'm annoying you but my friend Shane bet me that I couldn't sit with you every one of my breaks for a week." Smiling nervously her eyes flickered between his and he gazed at her unflinchingly, motionless as she struggled with her words, a smirk slowly appearing on his previously frozen face. He kept surprising himself but he couldn't help a little grin at her naivety. She appeared confident but he could see her wringing her hands together and the imploring look in her eyes, hoping that he would say at least something. She was uncertain. So she babbled on.

"Its $50, and I could really use $50 you know? Well you don't...you don't know me but you know what I mean...right?" She huffed, annoyed with herself and sat back dejectedly her eyes appraising the same view as Jacob's had. He watched her with fascination and marvelled at her heavy breathing and her face which displayed an emotion slightly lighter than anger.

Stretching her legs out in front of her she tried to distract herself from the fact that the man beside her seemed to be radiating heat and that he was also irritatingly handsome. As their eyes had met she couldn't stop the butterflies fluttering in her stomach or the babble erupting from her mouth. Why couldn't she just shut up?

As the man turned to her a hand outstretched her eyes widened. His face was graced with a small but just as startling smile as he spoke to her "Jacob" he said simply. It took her a moment to realise that he was introducing himself and in that small second Jacob began to doubt himself, maybe he wasn't ready, but she quickly sat forward and reached out to hold his tightly.

"Bethany" She replied easily, a smile (which beat his easily) on her lips as she said it. If she didn't detect the heat in his hand she would be an idiot but she didn't know what to say as he shook it gently, his huge hand covering hers completely. "Well, Beth. I hate Bethany"

He laughed softly and quietly and she wondered at how amazed he seemed by it. It wasn't a god to honest laugh though; she knew sadness when she saw it. No matter how hard you try to disguise it always peeks through. Beth knew that from looking in the mirror every morning.

Coughing slightly he let go of her hand and looked back at the view in front of him, still amazed at the sound that had come from his mouth. She watched the distant far away look in his eyes arrive again and frowned, why would he remember something which upset him so much?

He was thinking of how different Bethany was to Bella. She wasn't too afraid to babble on, or hold a hand out to a complete stranger. Her jet black hair and light chocolate skin couldn't contrast to Bella's appearance anymore yet this fact still reminded Jacob of the girl who had his heart in Forks. Beth wasn't afraid to stare, wasn't afraid to be curious. Jacob found her refreshing.

"50/50" He declared randomly his lips twitching slightly as she snorted, taking only a moment to realise what he was saying.

"Fat chance! I'm the one sitting next to some huge scary dude, what are you doing? No, the most you'll get is $5." He laughed breathily considering her offer but he really did want that seasoned steak.

"Well...I have to put up with some strange stranger babbling at me for fifteen minutes a day." His voice was rough and gravely, rusty from lack of use and she must have noticed as she regarded him with interest.

"Wow Jacob you can put together sentences, how educated of you." She giggled at her own joke but seemed wary of Jacob as he had yet to react. The chuckles died out when he watched her expressionless. "I'm sorry. Sarcasm, its kind of my thing." Shaking her head she looked down at her hands worried she'd crossed some sort of line.

"No...No, its fine, I'm sorry. It's just; well I'm not really used to jokes anymore." He insisted afraid to upset the only person who had bothered to associate themselves with him. Turning his body toward her slightly he rested an elbow on the back of the bench and Beth's eyes warmed at his friendliness.

"That's really sad you know. Everyone should be used to jokes, it's practically the law." She said. Jacob nodded agreeing with her wholeheartedly, slightly angry that he'd allowed himself to become so solemn. Yeah he might have just lost the love of his life but he couldn't carry on like a gormless zombie. He needed to live not just survive which is exactly what Quil and Embry had been telling him whenever he morphed to catch his prey. He hated proving them right.

He wanted to smile again, to grin and make jokes like he used to. Take the piss out of his mates and have an arm wrestle with Paul.

"You're not much of a chatter box are you?" She asked rummaging in her little rucksack and pulling out a sandwich. She didn't seem bothered to basically be talking to wall and it didn't seem like hard work for her anymore. She seemed at ease unlike the majority of people he'd come into contact with since last month.

He smiled sadly and watched her nibble on the corner of her sandwich, her wide eyes still fixed on his inquisitively waiting for an answer. "Nah, I used to be though." He added wistfully.

"There a reason for your sudden silence?" She asked, her mouth full of bread and even though Jacob had always been surrounded by people stuffing their faces full, she somehow made it seem...cute? It didn't matter how cute she looked, the question still stung and she could see that as a frown took over his face and his smile disappeared. "You know, feel free to ignore me. That's what my mum usually does; I'm always spouting out nosey questions and stupid remarks." She snorted.

He frowned even further at what she said. He'd only known her for about five minutes but he couldn't help but want to defend her, ask why she was so blasé about the fact that her family seemed not to care as he watched her smile softly and carry on eating her sandwich.

Why couldn't he be blunt? Ask what was on his mind, she had only moments ago. He couldn't exactly make more of a fool of himself; he'd been sitting on the same bench outside her restaurant for a month, admitted to being a mute and intimidated half the town while he was at it.

"Why do they ignore you?"

Her face snapped back to look at him, surprised that he'd spoken in his rich tone and chewed slowly before swallowing. "I guess I'm a bit of a disappointment. I kind of dropped out of school last year and now that I'm a lost cause, she's focusing everything on my sister Jemima-I know shitty name too right? I think my parents were high when they signed the certificates. Anyway now it doesn't really matter what I do, I'm kind of a disappointment all round and she's resigned to the fact. They're over it..so far over it they can't even see it and now I'm babbling again. I swear my mouth is like a freaking river, it never ever stops." She sighed, laughing tiredly. Jacob watched her in wonder a grin surfacing and his white teeth showing for the first time in months. He found her honesty and openness refreshing and the fact that she didn't even feel sorry for herself made her that little bit more intriguing.

"I'm sorry, I'm not usually this chatty...honest." She added at Jacob's snort. "You just seem like a good listener and I don't really have many people to vent to."

"Well, consider this your daily venting session." Jacob grinned throwing his arms behind his head and leaning back to revel in the last ray of sunshine for the day.

Her eyes widened, partly at his bulging biceps and the tightness of his shirt and partly at his words. "You mean you don't mind if I come back?"

"Course, you're not that annoying." He smirked looking down into her blue eyes and liking the happiness he saw there. "Anyway I could use someone to talk to...even if they are slightly crazy."

"Hey" She exclaimed stubbornly, lightly hitting his elbow. He chuckled in his deep voice before raising his eyebrows at her. "Okay, maybe a little crazy...only a little." She admitted soon joining in with his light laughter. She couldn't wait to make him laugh like she knew he could. She knew he could boom with it, deep rumbling laughter if he was truly happy and in that moment she decided that she would hear it. Over the next few night time breaks from her monotonous job she would somehow think of a way to make him laugh like he should.

"I need company." Jacob said, nodding as if trying to convince himself of the fact and Beth stared at him unashamedly as she tried to figure him out. She leaned back, sighing gently her eyes still on his which were closed to the sun.

"Everyone needs company." Beth replied simply and Jacob eyes found hers taken aback by the softness in both her voice and face. He knew she was right. He had been isolated and lonely for too long. Why was he punishing himself? He hadn't done anything wrong. He deserved a friend like Beth, someone who could talk a mile a minute and understand his lack of replies, someone unafraid of their sadness and some who seemed just as lonely as he did. Well he was guessing she didn't live in a cave like a stranded mad man or hunt live deer for dinner but even in her no doubt suburban perfect home there would be empty spaces were people should be...people who aren't disappointed.

Yawning loudly she stretched her feet out in front of her, her nose wrinkling slightly before scrunching up the napkin from her now demolished sandwich and lobbing it in the bin 6 feet in front of them.

"Good shot." Jacob commented trying to pretend that he didn't notice her hour glass figure and long legs as she unfolded herself to stand

"I know." She replied, smirking. Bending down she scooped up her rucksack before standing in front of Jacob with a warm smile, one eye squinting as the sunlight hit her face. He became aware of his towering height yet again because even though she was standing and he was still leaning back into his usual spot on the dark wooden bench, he was only a few inches shorter than her but Beth didn't seem to notice this as she waved slightly.

"See you tomorrow Jake."

"Bye." He smiled.

He watched her as she left, unable to avert his eyes from her figure and long black hair which reached the middle of her slender back until she disappeared behind the glass patio doors.

The grinning ached slightly but he couldn't make it go away as he turned to face the darkening view. Even the thought of having to run back to the stone which he called 'home' and eating a slightly burnt slab of meat couldn't remove it.

Without realising it: he had made a friend, smiled and laughed.

He was feeling the most human he had since he left.

And he didn't think of her for at least three minutes.

And that was a record.