I'm back once again! Here now is my newest baby; Lost and Found.

The idea for this story came to me a few weeks ago, but I never got around to actually writing it since work and other personal ordeals have taken over my life. But I'm pretty sure that things have calmed down a lot, so now I have a bit more free time and I'll actually be around to writing all of this now.

I do not have a second chapter written yet, but I am toying with some ideas. But please, do tell me if you think that I am moving the story too fast or if some things do not make sense.

I'm trying to keep everyone in character as much as I can, but please tell me or PM me if things start to fall off track.

And I must apologize for the many promises that I had made in my profile, but this one I am very determined to keep!

So without further ado, here is the first chapter of Lost and Found!

Disclaimer: The lovely, talented Mrs. Stephenie Meyer owns all that you see here. My plot is my own and I make no profit from it.

Ooooh, anyone else excited for Twilight coming out on Friday?! I actually got tickets to see it! Yes!! *victory dance*

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It was just another one of those days. One of those excruciating long days where nothing goes your way.

Of course, when you're me, nothing seems to go your way anymore.

I sighed for about the millionth time this past hour alone and made my way to the kitchen to make Charlie his dinner. Harry had passed away more than two weeks ago, and everyday he's made himself become distracted with every little thing that came his way.

I shook my head and took out the necessary items to make a good beef stew and fiddled around with the controls on the oven.

Time just seemed to slide right on by. School was still in session, though I held little patience from the knowledge that I acquired there. Jacob was still my best friend... but backed off some from my latest rejection to him. Mentally wincing, I remembered the look on his face when I finally said the words to him...

It was just a week ago and things were relatively normal. Victoria was still after me, my good vampires were no where to be seen and Jacob was still running his patrols night after night with no sleep.

On a rainy Thursday, Jake showed up to my house running his hands through the little hair he head and even began stuttering over his words. My eyebrows rose to nearly my hairline as I said to him, "Really Jake, just spit it out. Whatever you have to say won't kill you."

I very nearly rolled my eyes when he said, "It just may."

I shook my head and retreated back to my kitchen where my recent English project was spread out over my table. I didn't hear Jake's silent movements, but I could still sense that he was there.

Settling myself back down, I curled my arms around my knees and focused my eyes on my English book when Jake fell into the chair across from me. "Okay... I need to just get this out there. Of course, I know that you already know, but I think it may make me feel better knowing that you truly do know what I know."

I looked up at him and blinked twice. "Was I supposed to understand that? Or are you speaking in clues, hoping that I would understand."

He let out a shaky sigh and laughed nervously and looked hard at the table. "Bella, I love you."

Silence filled the air as I stared at a spot on the kitchen wall above his head. Of course I knew how Jake felt about me. It was noticeable to everyone around. Charlie noticed and every one of the members of the pack knew, and not just from Jake's thoughts. It was mirrored in every look, every word, every action...

But did I love him? I never really gave it much thought. I wanted him to get the hint that I wasn't recovered and I was no where near ready into launching myself into another whirlwind of emotions.

Surly he'd understand that much. Or so I had hoped.

"Jake..." I started slowly, still not looking at him, even when he raised his face to me, and I didn't need to look at him knowing that his eyes were sparkling with hope, "I don't know how to put this. You know you mean a lot to me, you're my best friend." I paused and took a deep breath and let my eyes meet his, "but the most I can give you is friendship. I love you... but not in the way you want me to."

His reaction, however, I wasn't expected. He snorted.

No cry of anguish. No yelling. No anything. Just a snort.

I leveled a glare and his outdid mine as his hands began to tremble.

"Jake-"

"No."

I tilted my head and leaned back from him as his closed his eyes and took a deep breath. "You still love him. You're still waiting for your precious Edward." I gasped as his words ripped open the hole in my chest. "News flash Bells- he's not coming back for you."

And with those words, my best friend, my Jacob got up and left...

Charlie slamming the front door behind him broke me free from my thoughts. "Bella?" He asked with caution clear his eyes "are you okay?"

"Huh?" I said, returning my attention to the dinner I was attempting to make, "oh yeah, Dad, I'm fine."

He gave me a look that suggested that he didn't believe me but he let it slide as he moved onto the living room to let me finish our food in peace.

My hands shook as I tried to control my emotions that were running on high at the moment. It's been over a week and there have been no phone calls, no little notes from him or even a word from Billy when Charlie went to go see him the other night.

"Billy says that Jake has been busy with his other friends Bells," he told me the other night while I was sulking over Calculus homework, "he'll come around."

I shook my head and sighed as the beef stew was finally done.

"Ch- Dad?" I called, "want me to bring out your stew for you so you can watch the game?" We usually never eat in the front room, but I haven't heard a peep from Charlie and I'm guessing he was almost too into the game...

"What? Oh, yeah sure Bells, thank you." He said with a grin on his face when I brought him out his stew.

After I have him his own filling, I took a few spoonfuls for myself and sat down at the table and stared at the spot where Jake had last been. 'I had hurt him so much.' I thought with a cringe, suddenly pushing my bowl away from me. 'Then again, his words were pretty out of line too...'

I shivered once and glanced at my clock. Another Friday wasted. All I did was homework, clean and cook. That's all I had been doing since him.

After cleaning out the dishes and pushing the leftovers into our overstuffed refrigerator, I trudged up the stairs, calling a 'goodnight!' to my father. I was dying to get in a shower before falling asleep.

About twenty minutes later, I stumbled into my room, tripping over my new too long bathrobe. "What the heck?" I asked myself, noticing a piece of floorboard that was slightly tipped in an upwards way.

I never really paid much attention to the floor before. Okay, so that's a lie, I almost always look at the floor so I don't find any offensive objects that are going to come and try and trip me to my doom.

I crouched down to the floor with my hair tumbling out of the towel and falling over my shoulder. Brushing it aside, I tried lifting the small part of the floorboard and frowned when it moved easily without the slightest noise.

Glancing behind me at my closed door and trying to think of a good excuse on why my face was almost to the floor if Charlie walked in. "Oh well... you know, I've been trying to see what I shoved under my bed..." Yeah, right. He knows I've cleaned my room about twenty times this week alone...

Shaking myself from my random thoughts, I glanced down into the dark hole wondering what was down there. A rat? Possibly. Some mice? Even more possible. Lots of dust? A severed hand?

I got up and reached for my tiny flashlight on my bedside table and turned it on and shined it into the hole.

What I found took the breath out of me, and caused tears to run down my face.

It was... everything.