I half stumbled, half ran from the room, a cry escaping me as I heard the unmistakeable sound of marble crashing into the human, breakable form of my best friend.

I smashed through the back door of the Blacks' house, half reeling from shock and fear. My feet pounded an uneven rhythm along the ground as I attempted to run, tripping over everything and nothing at all, as my mind snapped a million different pictures of Jacob Black broken, damaged beyond repair by me and for me. I couldn't escape it now. I was fairly aware of the hurt I was causing him by being around so much, by being so close to him and yet never allowing him to cross that final barrier. Yet, the guilt I felt before was nothing to the pounding heartache it caused within me now. It was because of me that Jacob was in this situation. It was because I allowed myself to be around him so much that he felt so strongly for me. It was because of his strong feelings for me that he was now fighting with his life to protect mine. The sobs overtook me and I bent double as I reached the front of the house, allowing the panic to completely engulf me for a brief moment. Then I was running again.

All the while the noise emanating from Jacob's small house was rising. The snarls and crashes shot through me, and I climbed quickly into my truck without even realising what I was doing. My mind nearly lost to the paralysing fear, I clutched at the only reason left within me; the only thing I knew I could do to help.

I had to get to Sam.

I hadn't forgotten what Jacob had said: the pack were all at the hospital. In their worry and upset over Harry Clearwater, there would be no phasing. There would be no way to know the danger Jacob now faced, the danger Jacob was facing alone. Fumbling now, I started the car and stepped on the gas, pushing my truck to its very limit as I sped away. I was almost out of sight of the small house when I heard a crashing sound, the noise reverberating in my head long after it had gone quiet. I glanced in the rear-view mirror in time to see a large russet wolf fly through the front window, landing with a thump on the ground in front of the house. The shards of glass framing his still form sparkled in the dull light of the afternoon. My previously broken and nowhere near healed heart shattered into pieces with the window, and uncontrollable sobs were now wrung out of my body as I drove out of sight, unable to see whether or not Jacob would rise. One coherent thought remained in my mind.

Sam.

In truth, I have no idea how long the drive to the hospital took. It seemed to last an eternity, but at the same time, I was running again almost immediately, out of the car and up to the hospital entrance. I flew past everything, thinking of nothing but getting to Sam. I was racing through the entrance doors when I ran straight into Embry. If he hadn't grabbed my arms and held me in place, I would have ran straight by.

"Bella, you okay? If it's Charlie you're looking for, he's just left. Visiting hours are over and they're sending everyone home for a while."

"No. Sam. Where's Sam?" I could barely get the words out.

Luckily Embry seemed to determine from my expression that it wasn't the time for questions. He steered me into a ward on the left hand side. Sam was standing at the end of a corridor with a small group of people. As soon as I registered this, I took off running and reached the group in seconds. Sam stared at me in surprise.

"I… she… his house…Jacob… fighting…" I panted.

I have no idea how Sam understood the horrific meaning my battered mind was attempting to portray Tarzan-style, but he did. A thousand emotions played over his face in a single second before the expressionless mask set in.

"Emily, take care of Bella and warn Billy. Let's go, now."

The latter half of his comment he directed to the three males in the group, who I now realised were Jared, Paul and Embry, Embry having arrived silently behind me at some point. They left immediately, faster than I dared to believe, leaving me in an empty corridor with Emily. It was then that my legs gave out, and I slid down the wall and landed with a thump on the floor. The sobbing, which had receded a little while I relayed my message, returned with a force that shook my entire body. I felt Emily's arm wind around my shoulder, and I sensed the silent support emanating from her as she sat quietly beside me on the hospital floor. It was that more than anything that allowed me to calm myself, enough that she was able to lead me to a plastic bench in the hospital's main entrance. Sitting me down and telling me she'd be back before I knew it, she hurried back the way we'd come, no doubt to relay the news to Billy.

I slumped back into the seat, watching the sea of nameless faces that passed me by. Some checking in, some checking out. Some in obvious pain, some in obvious anxiety and worry. None of it mattered. Everything was dark without the sun in my sky.

"Hey honey, how're you doing now?" Emily was back.

"I'm… calmer." I said carefully.

"Okay, well Billy's gonna stay here with the Clearwaters until we know what's happening down at the house. I'm taking you back with me for dinner."

"Thanks Emily, that's really nice of you. I need to go home to Charlie though, he'll be worried about Harry and I don't want him to be alone."

I could see the battle in her mind displayed across her ruined features. Sam had told her to take care of me, and the probable meaning behind that phrase was 'make sure Bella doesn't do anything stupid and get herself killed in this fight'. But she also knew how Charlie would be suffering. Her compassion won out, and I knew her decision before she spoke a single word.

I started up my car again, after promising profusely to call if I needed anything and to stay put at Charlie's until we knew what was going on.

The rain started up as I entered Forks, falling lightly as I parked the truck and made my way into the house. Charlie was seated at the empty kitchen table, staring into space. He looked up vacantly as I clattered in.

"Hey Bells, where have you been?"

I wrapped him in a hug.

"I went to the hospital but you'd already left. I'm so sorry about Harry, Dad," I murmured. It was as near to the truth as he could handle right now.

"Thanks Bells."

I disentangled myself and began making dinner. Anything to keep my mind busy. My hands were shaking, and I had to concentrate on taking deep breaths. I figured given Charlie's distracted state all I had to do was remain calm and give perfunctory answers should any conversation arise. I was right, and dinner passed in relative silence, until Charlie left to go back to the hospital, apologising for leaving me alone so much. I assured him as convincingly as I could that I was fine, and told him to concentrate on being with his friend.

A dreamlike state descended upon me after he left. I wandered aimlessly between rooms, staring at nothing in particular. Time seemed to slow to a stop, and when I shook myself and came to, I was sure that over an hour had passed. I snapped when I noticed the light outside was unchanged, and a look at the clock confirmed a mere ten minutes of difference to when I'd last looked.

"Enough," I muttered under my breath as I left the house, jumped in the car, and began the inevitable journey to La Push.


A/N: Sorry for another cliffhanger, I couldn't help myself. I swear the next chapter will reveal what happened with the fight...
And thanks so much to blueandblack, literaryrose and Toxic-Tears-123 for my first ever reviews :)