A/N: Hello again! Thank you for the lovely reviews, they're what keep me going so keep 'em coming. So, I'll try to keep my little note brief so you can find out how the party goes for Katie. The inspiration for Katie's mom was my friend's mom, a single woman who enjoys her share of men. And you'll find out soon enough that Katie's mom is very…how would you put it? High maintenance, I guess. But loveable. Anyway, enjoy!

P.S. I probably should mention that this story is rated M because Katie and other characters cuss like sailors and because of suggestive themes. You'll understand after reading the last bit of this chapter.

- HBTC

The beach was packed with people from Forks and La Push. Most had a plastic cup in their hand or a cigarette. I went for the cup filled with beer. Immediately, Maria surrounded herself with a group of very cute boys from Forks that she knew and she was content. Happy in boyland.

I sighed and took a sip of the beer. It was cheap beer, that was for sure. The kind gas stations had for a "three for one" deal. Then again, I'd tasted beer from bars in Europe. I was biased. Plus, we were all underage, how the hell would we get anything better without getting caught?

The music thumped loudly, pounding in my ears. It was the kind of music written just for clubs and parties. The lyrics consisted of some girl singing about hooking up with a stranger. God, this generation's music did suck. Or, at least, pop music did. Girls and guys were grinding against each other while they danced drunkenly.

I wasn't sure what to do with myself, honestly. Did I go talk to someone I knew who wasn't drunk or trying to hook up with someone else? Or did I just hang in the back and try to get through this, unnoticed? I thought that maybe the first approach would be good, but I searched the crowd and realized that everyone I knew was drunk or trying to hook up. Well, that sucked.

The other approach wasn't hard to pull off. Just act as laid back and uncaring as possible. As I calmed down and did just that, I began to enjoy myself. Until I saw someone walking towards me and recognized them as someone I did not want to see. I analyzed my options.

Leave? I was Maria's ride home.

Avoid them all night? Not possible. The party wasn't big enough, plus, we were at a beach.

I didn't have a chance to come up with any other options as they called out my name over the loud thump of the music. My ex-boyfriend, Mark, strolled over, arrogant as ever. His shaggy blond hair and blue eyes made most girls swoon, but it made me want to gag because I'd had to spend time with that ignoramus for a month.

"Hey, babe. How's it going?" he asked, giving me this weird look. His "smolder" or whatever. It made him look constipated.

I sighed exaggeratedly. "I was having a great time. Then a jackass decided to come over here and make me wish I really had slaughtered him the last time we saw each other." My voice was laced with a sickly sweet tone, eyes conveying how much I wanted to stab him in the face right now. He chuckled and slid a hand down my arm, causing me to lean even farther away.

"Aw, come on, babe. I told you, I didn't mean anything of it," he purred, his voice garbled and screwed up, like his face. I glared and jerked away from his hand.

I laughed humorlessly. "Oh yeah. Obviously attempting to rape me and only getting away with molesting me is nothing!" My eyes sent daggers towards him, stabbing him with their sharp, steel blades. He sighed tiredly.

"Babe, I know you want me back. You always do end up forgiving me pretty easily." He waggled his eyebrows. "I can help you forgive me, if that's what you need." He reached out for me again, but this time I smacked his hand away.

He glared, rubbing his hand. "What's with the attitude?"

I scowled at him, hoping his hair would just burst into flames at that very moment. "Take my advice, Mark. Get away from me before I figure out a way to stab you to death with my beer cup."

This time it was Mark who got frustrated. He reached out and latched his two large hands around my waist, jerking me towards him. His fingers dug into my sides sharply, making me glare harder to keep from acknowledging the slight pain I felt. "I don't like the way you're talking to me, Katie. I think you should learn to watch your tongue." He leaned his face down, close to mine while I struggled in his grip.

I hissed, "Let go of me."

He chuckled. "And if I don't?" he challenged haughtily. Before I could inform him that I would render it impossible for him to father children, a voice from behind me interrupted.

"You'll have to deal with me." The deep voice told him, low and menacing. We both turned to see a Quileute boy-more like man-standing behind Mark. He was nearly seven feet tall, with black cropped hair that spiked up. He had strong, angular facial features, very handsome. His eyes were captivating, bottomless pits of darkness. His lips were full and currently pulled into a tight line, like he was fighting to control his temper. What stuck out the most were his huge muscles. He had biceps bigger than my head! Not to mention a nice set of abs, no doubt. Even with his shirt on, you could figure that out.

I snapped out of my little trance and, during Mark's moment of shock, broke out of the creep's grasp. "Fuck off, Mark, or I swear to God I will make sure I render it impossible for you to father children." His head snapped towards me.

Mark's eyes narrowed. "This isn't over, Katrina." Then he stalked off to go get wasted with his friends. I turned to see the formally frightening Quileute boy fighting an adorable-yes adorable-smile. I gaped at his hotness a little before focusing on his face again.

I sighed. "Is this the part where I say thanks for helping me get rid of that rapist?" I asked awkwardly. He chuckled and nodded.

"I guess so." His voice was deep and gravely. My heart fluttered a little at the sound of his voice while my stomach did flips. Stupid butterflies.

"Well, then, thanks." I stuck out my hand. "I'm Katrina Stiles. But, since you got rid of that creep, you get the wonderful privilege of calling me Katie." I told him.

He grinned and shook my hand. His hands were soft and so fucking warm. "Jacob Black."

I bit my lip. "You're going to think this is really strange of me to say, but Jesus Christ your hands are warm!" I said. "Please tell me that you have like a portable sauna with you or something. I'm freezing my ass off."

He laughed. "Sorry. Just naturally warm." He glanced at me, with my arms wrapped around myself tightly, and asked, "Why didn't you bring a jacket? It's mid October in Forks, Washington. Why would you not wear a coat?" He looked at me as if I'd gone insane.

I shrugged. "I brought one. I'm not an idiot, even if I look like it. But my friend decided to wear a tank top and mini skirt, like the imbecile she is, and I lent her my jacket so I wouldn't return her home as a frozen fish stick." I turned and glared pathetically at the back of Maria's head as she wrapped her arms around the two guys closest to her. Obviously they were keeping her warm. "Now I'm wishing I'd left her to be frozen to death."

He chuckled. "Interesting," he murmured. I blushed, realizing how mentally unstable I was acting, and stared at my feet. God, I was such an idiot. Here an incredibly hot guy was, choosing to talk to me, and I was wasting time whining about the fact that I was cold.

I sighed and looked at him. "You know, you don't have to keep talking to me. I would totally understand if you left to get high or hit on some blond bimbo." I chuckled. "Hell, I would hit on a blond bimbo...if I hadn't just escaped one."

Jacob's face took on a dark expression before he glanced at me and shook himself slightly. He cleared his throat. "So, uh, what was his problem?" he asked, trying to keep his voice calm and collected.

Instinctively, my face began to harden as I remembered my past relationship with Mark. He was, and still is, the most vile, unworthy, disgusting, pig to roam the earth.

Darkly, I muttered, "It's a long story." I turned to see Jacob watching me with what looked like concern.

"I've got time." He told me. I shrugged.

"Where to start? Um..." I thought over it quickly. "I guess I'll give you the synopsis of this drama fest. When I was sixteen, about to turn seventeen, Mark asked me out. Apparently he'd gone through all the extremely good-looking girls in Forks and decided to give my decent looking self a chance because I was tolerable to be around. Being the idiot I am, I fell for his non-existant charms and looks. We dated for like a month. Then he showed his true colors.

"We were at a party together, both perfectly sober. Mark leaves to say hi to some friends for a second. He comes back five minutes later and forces me into this sloppy kiss where he publicly gropes me. Apparently his friends didn't believe that he was getting enough from me-we hadn't slept together yet-and teased him about it. Being the competitive ass he is, Mark made a show, groping me and shoving his tongue down my throat while I stood there, stunned.

"Quickly, I realized what the fuck he was doing and shoved him off. I slapped him, hard, and then stalked off to the other side of the house." Jacob's face held an angry, pained expression, but I continued. "I was sitting in the backyard of the house, silently fuming to myself, when I felt hands jerk me up from the ground and spin me around to face the person who'd grabbed me. It was Mark. He started forcefully kissing me, groping me again, and trying to take it further. I told him to piss off and to let go.

"Of course, he didn't listen and continued what he was trying to do. I shoved him off of me as I felt his hands try to start taking my clothes off. Then, when he tried again, I kneed him in...a very sensitive area." I glanced at Jacob and chose to leave out I also punched him in the nose when Mark had tried to get up again, and possibly broke it. "I told him we were over and that if he ever came near me again I'd take a swiss army knife to his-um...you get the picture."

Jacob looked furious. "He was trying to force you to-to-" He couldn't even finish. I sighed.

"Yeah, what an asshole, right? He left me alone until tonight. I guess he thought I was drunk enough already that I'd forget the fact he was a rapist or molester."

Clenching and unclenching his fists a few times, Jacob ground out through gritted teeth, "I'd have killed him if I'd known that." I guess Jacob knew someone with a bad experience with rape. Or it was a touchy subject for him. Honestly, I just felt touched he cared even slightly.

As if it had a mind of it's own, my hand reached out and touched his shoulder. "It's fine. Mark would never get away with anything." I told him soothingly. His stiff stance slackened and he grinned down at me sheepishly.

"Sorry. It's just...the thought of him..." He shook slightly before changing the subject. "So, are you new to Forks? Or have I just been too preoccupied with the hustle and bustle of La Push to notice you as a regular resident?" he teased lightly.

I smiled. "I moved here a few years ago, my freshman year, I think. Before then I traveled with my mom through Europe, being homeschooled by her while she did her thing." He eyes bugged slightly at the mention of Europe, the typical reaction to my casual mention of my time spent there. I felt my face heat up in embarrassment.

Jacob shook his head slightly, controlling his shocked expression. "Wow. Europe. Most people here haven't been outside of Washington. Maybe not even outside of Forks or La Push."

I nodded. "Yeah, I figured since every time I mention Europe their eyes bug out and their jaws drop."

Cheeks tinted a darker color than before, Jacob cleared his throat and asked, "So, why did you move so much before?"

Instinctively, my heart clenched. The dark history of my family. The painful history. The main reason I was so pessimistic and cynical about...well, everything. I could feel the anger and hurt I'd always felt flare up within me and sear my weak heart. Sort of a way of reminding me that I'd been hurt before, I could hurt again.

"My mom is an artist. A man had paid her thousands of dollars to paint all of the classic landmarks in Europe for him. And Mom thought, 'What better way to paint than to have the real thing before you?'" I muttered, a hint of bitterness in my tone. "I got a chance to see the world, she got a ton of money for the paintings, and my brother met his now fiancé while we were out there."

Jacob watched me carefully as we began to stroll across the sand heading towards the other end of the beach. Every once in a while we dodged a hectic dancer or stumbling drunk. But mainly we just walked, the silence poignant and painful. As we reached the darker end of the beach, I glanced up to see Jacob was still watching me, his eyes holding an odd expression.

"What?" I asked, slightly defensive.

"You didn't really want to go to Europe, did you? Like, live there for as long as you did." He stated. His tone wasn't judgemental or accusatory, just certain. And it bothered me.

The defense mechanism I had switched on and I glared at him. "It doesn't matter," I hissed furiously. "We went to Europe. End of story."

He kept watching me, careful to hide any emotion. It just pissed me off. Who was he to analyze me? Judge me like he had some sort of right? He'd known me, what, 15 minutes? And suddenly he's got the job as my own personal shrink. The problems in my life were meant for me to deal with, not him. I didn't need some stranger telling me what was wrong with me and my life.

"It's not a bad thing that you care so much about your mother to go along with her plans. No matter how you feel." Jacob spoke up finally. My eyes snapped towards him and I narrowed them suspiciously. What the hell was he doing? Acting all supportive of someone who you've only known for like fifteen minutes isn't normal or socially exceptable.

But I shrugged it off as him being the overly sensitive type of guy and sighed. "I wish it was warmer." I told him randomly.

"So you wouldn't need my portable sauna?" Jacob teased. I slapped his shoulder lightly and chuckled softly.

"Well that, and so I could go cliff diving. Whenever I have time to come the water's too rough or it starts to rain really hard." He gave me this sort of look, reminding me that we lived in one of the rainiest states in the U.S. and I rolled my eyes. "I can take sprinkling, but I will not dive off of a cliff when it's pouring. It'll just make me even colder when I get out."

Jacob smiled and shrugged before a serious look settled on his face. "You shouldn't go cliff diving anyway. It's dangerous."

I snorted. "Who are you, my mother? I can take care of myself, and besides, I wouldn't be stupid enough to go by myself. I need to have a back up plan in case something goes wrong."

He just shrugged and we continued down the beach. It started to rain slightly, causing my clothes to cling to me a little more tightly, now soaking up the rain. I shivered slightly and noticed that people were starting to head out. I scanned the crowd for Maria and found her locking lips with some guy, barely even noticing that it was going to pour soon.

I turned to Jacob. "I'd better get going. But it was nice meeting you." I flashed him a tight smile and then rushed off towards Maria, trying to break up the PDA. I pulled the couple apart and started dragging Maria to the car, not even bothering to give an explanation to the guy or her. We needed to get her home and I wanted out of the rain.

The drive back was conversationless, Maria's buzz from the alcohol keeping her entertained as she giggled at everything. Forks was still as asleep as when we left, only the street lamps lit up. I pulled onto the curb at Maria's house and attempted to sneak her in, seeing as she was too shaky on her feet. I ended up yanking the heels off of her feet and sneaking her in the back door. When she was successfully upstairs and in her room, I snuck back downstairs and out of the house.

When I got home, my mom was sitting in the dark living room, watching a movie. I shut the front door and slipped out of my shoes before plopping next to her on the couch.

Mom offered me some of the popcorn she had and asked, "How was the party?" I shrugged nonchalantly.

"Nothing special." I said, carefully ignoring my meeting with Jacob or the trouble with my ex. "Maria got a little too much to drink so I had to sneak her upstairs again." It wasn't the first time I'd had to get her into her room quietly because she was too drunk to get in by herself and not get caught.

Mom snorted. "How many times is that now?"

"Four."

She let out a small chuckle. "Yep, I definitely influenced you two a little too much. I should've known telling you two stories about the good ole days would come back and bite me in the ass." She shoved a handful of popcorn into her mouth. "Now her mother's going to come and strangle me in my sleep." Bits of popcorn flew out of her mouth as she spoke, which I carefully dodged.

"As if she doesn't already know you're trouble. Have you heard what's been said about you at the gossip meetings?" I asked, fakely horrified. I made a tsking noise, causing my mother to laugh loudly and obnoxiously. "I think they have video cameras set up in this house to find out who the new flavor of the week is." I added as an after thought. She slapped my arm playfully and rolled her eyes.

"I do not have 'flavors' of the week." Mom tried to argue seriously, but I gave her my signature you've-got-to-be-kidding-me look. "OK, so I've had a few hook ups. What's the big deal? I'm a grown woman. I'm allowed to do whatever the hell I want!"

I shrugged. "Most women your age don't have costumes involving their hook ups. If they have any hook ups, that is."

We both chuckled at how truthful that statement was before lapsing into a comfortable silence. The movie Mom had turned on was Breakfast at Tiffany's. A movie she claimed to hate, but I knew she secretly loved. Our fat cat, Jingle, was sprawled out on her lap, purring away as he stared at the TV with his signature blank expression. Jingle had convinced himself that the reason he was put on the earth was to make it more beautiful. He loved mirrors and windows because he could see himself, and he loved to clean his fur frequently.

While my mother couldn't bare to part with Jingle, I was convinced he was a demon cat. With his bright green eyes and jet black fur, seeing him prowling around the house at night was extremely scary. That and there were times where he would suddenly jump up on you, scaring you to death, before he'd just hop right back down and go back to cleaning his fur and being handsome.

Currently, I was glaring at the cat trying to figure out how to get rid of him without breaking my mother's heart.

Get a dog? No, she hated dogs.

A bird? I didn't want to clean up after that.

Giving up, I shot Jingle one last glare before facing the TV again. Just as I was about to get into the movie, like I was actually paying attention, Dean threw the front door open and flipped on the lights. My head snapped towards him and took in his appearance as he trekked into the kitchen.

He had on a plaid button up shirt and jeans with his favorite pair of Chuck Taylors. His normally clean, cut, and cropped hair was in a ruffled mess and his glasses were perched in an odd angle on his face. I raised an eyebrow, signalling my confusion to him. We'd come to have our own sort of sibling language that involved no words. Like, right now, my expression said, "What the fuck happened to you?"

And his wide-eyed glare replied, "Ask. Her." The "her" being our mother. I turned to Mom and narrowed my eyes.

"What did you do to him?" I asked. "I leave you alone for what? An hour? Maybe an extra thirty minutes-"

Dean cut in. "You left me with her for two fucking hours, Kat! Are you trying to kill me?"

I huffed. "OK, correction. I leave you alone with your fairly stable-minded son for two hours and come back to find him like this?" I waved towards his disheveled appearance. "Although I will admit he's looked much, much, much-"

"We get it!"

"-worse."

At first, Mom rubbed Jingle's back, avoiding answering. But when she noticed that Dean was about to answer for her, she stopped beating around the bush and quickly yelled out, "I just had him run to the store to get me a few things! That's all!"

Dean laughed sardonically. "I'll specify what those few things were. Condoms, a vibrator for her personal areas, and whipped cream!"

Now, I know I should've been more sympathetic. My poor brother was sent to get all these things for my mother late at night and was probably embarrassed out of his mind about it. But I couldn't help it. I laughed. Hard. So hard that I had trouble breathing for a while and my sides ached.

Then, as I regained control and wiped the tears from my eyes, I said, "And you actually bought that stuff?"

Dean blushed and looked at the ground. "I didn't actually see the list of stuff until after I was at the store. And then no one was there, so I thought that I might as well get the stuff now, while no one else was around to see, because I knew if I didn't get it she'd just make me go out when there were people. But as I got in line and started to pay, an old woman with a huge leather purse got in line behind me and saw what I was buying and freaked out.

"She started hitting me with her purse, and yelling how I was going to hell. That God would never forgive me for buying such sinful things. And when I tried to explain they were for my mother, while deflecting attacks, she got even more pissed. She then started screaming about how I should never accuse my mother of something as horrible as that. Security had to escort her from the building and I'm pretty sure that somebody got it on tape and put it on YouTube!"

By the time he was done telling me what happened, I was laugh-crying again. It was just so like my brother to get involved in something like that. He was probably the unluckiest person I knew. The only thing he's ever gotten lucky on was landing a hot fiancée.

Mom was laughing with me. "I've gotta say, that trip was worth it for me in more ways then one." That comment stopped me from laughing and caused me to send her a disgusted look. She shrugged. "What? I'm a woman. I have needs and sometimes I need things like whipped cream for these needs."

I shook my head. "Just...don't. Please." I begged, suddenly nauseous.

Dean rolled his eyes. "Try listening to comments like that for two hours straight." He whined/grumbled.

I glared. "Do you live with her? No. So suck it up, and quit whining like the dumbass that takes up 99.999% of your body."

My brother snorted. "And what takes up the 0.001%? Pure manly goodness?"

"More like the hole in your head where your common sense should go," I replied. "And if Rita told you that 'manly goodness' thing, it was to get you to quick whining when male models smack her ass or something."

His eyes went wide. "She hangs out with male models? When? Where? Why?" He asked desperately.

I snorted. "Hangs out with? More like dated, my brother."

He didn't reply. Instead he rushed out the front door, yelling his goodbyes as he ran. Rita would probably give me hell for that tomorrow. Now that I think of it, Maria would give me hell tomorrow for letting her get that drunk at the party.

Tomorrow would just be a hell day, wouldn't it?