Disclaimer: Twilight and all related characters owned by Stephanie Meyers. I'm just playing with them.

________________________________________________________________________

I knew what I had to do. Sam if they attack I need you to help me get away with Nessie.

You're going to abandon your family again, Jacob? When it needs you most?

I shook my head. I can feel the anger in my mind. I guess not all wounds are healed with time. I'm not doing this because I'm scared or anything. She's my imprint, Sam. Every fiber of my being is calling out to do whatever I can to protect her. I can't fight it. You would do the same for Emily.

He let out a sigh. What do you need me to do?

Thank you, Sam. I just need you guys to run interference for me. Keep the leeches off of my back as long as you can. I drew in a deep breath then let it out slowly. Then I need you to take my pack back into yours and command them to stay. They can't follow me.

My head filled with the protest of my pack, Leah's the loudest. Will you guys shut up! A bit of the Alpha tone crept into my voice. It needs to go down this way. Sam will need all the help he can get. The most important thing is for the pack to survive, to protect our People.

If it's so important why are you leaving us for the half-breed, huh, oh high muckity-muck Alpha?

Dammit, Leah, can't you get it through your thick ass head that I have no choice in this? Do you really think I want to do this? Leave my friends and family to die?

Yeah, yeah, I know the stupid imprint thing. God, I wish I never heard of that damn word.

As bad as I felt for Leah losing Sam to the power of the imprint, we had no time to waste. Anyway, I need you guys to go back to Sam's pack. That will increase everyone's chance of survival.

They finally decided to go along with my plan and Sam took them back into the pack. They would act as my rear guard to keep the bloodsuckers off my back but they wouldn't follow me.

All of a sudden I heard Bella whisper, "Get ready. It's starting"

I alerted Sam what was going on and all the pack tensed, ready for action.

Suddenly one of the bloodsuckers from the other side, the one who looked like a small, very young girl, leaped towards Bella. It took all my restraint to not jump forward to protect her, but I didn't need to. One of the friendly vampires, the one who controlled the elements, took her down with several bolts of lightning.

The war had begun.

Both sides lunged towards each other, I turned and ran.

Quill and Embry dropped in behind me on my left. Leah took the Beta position on the right with Seth behind her. The rest of the pack came down into the clearing to join the battle.

My former pack followed me for a short distance into the woods at the end clearing then turned to make sure no one followed me before they turned back to re-join the fight.

Nessie held tightly onto my back as I sped away from the clearing. I changed my direction often, trying to throw off anyone following. We never looked back.

After three days of running we ended up in Denver. Having spent the entire three days in the woods I decided it would be nice for Nessie to spend the night in a bed for a change. And that way I could finally see what was in the bag Bella had given to her.

I figured that she had at least given us some money since she had said something about Nessie having what we needed to fly. The right thing to do would have been to have gone directly to an airport and got on the first flight available, but I couldn't bring myself to do it right away. I didn't know how far away Sam and I could talk to each other but I was hoping if I stayed on the western side of the continent he would be able to contact me and let me know what was going on. No dice so far.

We checked into a seedy little hotel on East Colfax Avenue. Why were the areas around states' capitols always the sleaziest? You would think that the fat cat politicians would want to go to work in a better neighborhood. I guess they figured that since they didn't live there it didn't matter much to them what went on in the 'hood.

As we walked into the room, Nessie in my arms, she touched my face and showed me images of her curled up to me in the bed of the cottage. "Yes, honey, we'll be like that tonight." I would never let her be more than a few feet away from me for the rest of our lives, but she was still afraid she would have to leave me, like she did with Edward and Bella.

It was as if she was reading my mind as she played their last time as a family together. "That was the only way they could keep you safe, Nessie. But don't worry; I will always be with you. Nobody will ever get between me and my little Nessie." I started to tickle her and was rewarded by the wonderful sound of her laughing. Tears started to cloud my eyes.

She put her hand back to my face and replayed the last few seconds to me with a questioning look on her face. "Don't worry, honey, they're tears of joy. I'm just glad to hear you laugh again after so much crying."

Wrapping her arms around my neck she gave me a hug so tight I was afraid she'd snap my neck. She got stronger every day and still had to learn how to control it. I was lucky I was so durable. "Ok, honey, why don't we get you a bath and then we'll go get something to eat."

A smile lit up her face as she showed me an image of the rogue grizzly that had attacked us up in Baniff. It seemed like her Uncle Emmett she liked the taste of bear. "Sorry, kid, it's human food tonight. Not too many grizzlies in Denver."

Her smile turned into a pout and I couldn't help but laugh. She was so much Bella's daughter. I couldn't refuse her either. "Well, maybe we can swing out to that wildlife refuge and score a few deer later." She smiled again at that.

I got her into the bath and then sat down on one of the beds. I opened the backpack and pulled out more money than I've ever seen in my life. Holy crap, I knew the Cullen's were rich but damn, there had to close to a hundred grand here. I guess being an undying bloodsucker had its benefits.

Then I found the letters. There was one for me, Nessie, Charlie, and one for Renee with directions for Charlie to give her that one. There were also ID's, passports, birth certificates, and credit cards made out in the names of Jacob and Vanessa Wolfe. I laughed at her sense of humor. I was going to miss it so much. A piece of paper with the words Rio de Janeiro written on it was at the bottom of th , I wonder what that's all about?

.With trembling hands I slowly opened the letter addressed to me.

Dearest Jacob, if you are reading this then I guess there was really no hope at all for us and I did the right thing sending you away from me yet again .

I know you will do your best to protect Nessie as best as you can. Yes, I said Nessie. I still do not like that name but I know that is who she will always be to you. Your little Nessie,

I'm so sorry that I put you through so much pain in the last three years but know that I have loved you all this time and I am now entrusting you with the most precious thing in my whole existence: my daughter.

In the bag you will find a piece of paper with a location written on it. I am hoping once you get there that you will run into some familiar faces. Two actually. Do not be angry with them; they needed to do what was right for them. They will help with Nessie if they can.

If you do not run into them after a few months, go to the harbor and look for a couple, Gustavo and Kaure. Tell them to take you to Isle Esme. You will be safe there for as long as you need to be there. There is also more money stashed in the house for the two of you to live on.

While I am sorry that I could not love you as you loved me, I am finally comfortable with the fact that some day you will find the love you deserve with my daughter.

Love forever, Bella

The tears flowed down my face like a river. So this was it. Bella was gone from my life forever. I felt a piece of my heart disappear into blackness as I fell backwards onto the bed. Even though I still had Nessie, could I live without Bella?

I felt the little hand touch my face and saw images of me crying on the hotel bed and of a very sad Renesme. I opened my eyes and rolled towards here. "There's no need to be sad, baby. I'm ok. I was just thinking of…." An image of Bella flashed through my mind. I let out a sigh. Already she could read me like a book. "Yes, honey, I was thinking of your mommy."

She quickly climbed up on to the bed and curled up next to me, tucking her head under my chin and pulling my arm around her. Our normal sleeping position for the last few nights. She put her hand onto my face again and showed images of me and her playing with Bella, Edward, and the rest of our mixed up family. I guess you could say we were the ultimate multicultural family.

The images continued to flash through my mind, both of us reliving the happy time. This had also become normal for us before we went to sleep. It helped keep the nightmares away.

At least it did for Nessie.