DISCLAIMER: I do not own Twilight, any of the characters, or anything else Twilight related. Stephenie Meyers is the genius behind it all. The only thing that I own is the plot. Also, no criticism for the non-canon pairing.

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A couple of weeks slipped by all too quickly. It was apparent to everyone that Edward and Rosalie were not returning any time soon. Sadly, I knew that I was to blame for this despite the best attempt by everyone else to convince me otherwise. Emmett was bright and playful when we were together but I knew he was hurting when he was alone. Jasper felt it, just as he felt my sorrow and desperation.

He even remarked that we matched our emotions almost identically one day, which made us both laugh. Emmett made some silly comment about how we are emotionally compatible with one another. He didn't mean anything by it other than we knew how each other felt. Still, it reminded me just how badly my heart was hurting. Jasper sensed my hesitation and smacked him on the back on the head for it. That resulted in an all out wrestling match where I had front row seats.

It was a Friday and sunny for a change. That meant that Alice was not at school with me as she usually was and I was more sullen than usual about it. As the day drew to an end I was reluctant to drive myself home and wait for the evening. I couldn't even go to the Cullen's because they had all left to hunt for the weekend. So it was with a deep sigh and forced steps that I walked out to my truck. Unfortunately for me, in delaying the inevitable I had given Mike the opportunity to follow me out before I could escape in my truck.

"Hey! Bella! Wait up!"

Mike's voice caught my attention just as I grabbed the door handle on my truck. For a long second I thought very seriously about pretending that I hadn't heard him and just getting in. But that would be rude. Even I couldn't be rude to Mike when he just wanted to be friends with me. I allowed myself an internal groan then turned to face Mike with a fake smile plastered on my face.

"Hi, Mike. TGIF, huh?"

"Yea, about that…" he trailed off and rubbed the back of his neck nervously. I bit my lip, this wasn't going to be good. "Do you want to go to the movies tonight?"

So much for just friends. Edward hadn't even been gone a full month before Mike was attempting to ask me on a date.

"Oh, I don't know about that." My reply was vague. Honestly, I had no desire to go, but I also wanted to let him down easy. "Maybe you could just ask Jessica." At least that was an acceptable alternative. Their on-off relationship should work in my favor.

He reached out for my hand. "I'd really like to take you."

"Mike," I half whined, half pleaded. "Really, I just want to go home and relax. It's been a long week."

The disappointment was evident in his eyes even though he maintained a small smile. "Alright. Well, maybe next weekend, huh?"

I shrugged my shoulders and climbed into my truck before he could say another word on that subject. I refused to commit to anything and anything else that I said was going to be more than a little hostile.

The drive home was quick and uneventful. When I pulled into the driveway, though, I noticed a different vehicle in the driveway. Cautiously, I got out of my truck and walked up the few steps of the porch. Before I had the chance to open the door, it swung open. Jacob stood there beaming at me for a brief second before he picked me up and swung me around in a tight hug.

"Hey, Bells! I haven't seen you in forever." He sat me down to look me over, sniffed, and scrunched up his nose. "Did you forget to shower since I last saw you?" His voice was only mildly teasing.

"Ha ha." I passed by him to walk inside. "It's not my fault you don't like the way my friends smell."

He tensed at the word friends. I shrugged my shoulders and sat down on the couch. It wasn't like I was going to take it back. The Cullens were my friends after all. At least most of them.

"So, I've noticed that Edward hasn't been around lately."

"Are you stalking me now?"

He grinned his big, goofy grin at me. He didn't seem repentant and I didn't mind. He only watched me because he cared about me. I couldn't help but think about how much he reminded me of Emmett at that moment. I laughed a little at him, happy to be able to enjoy myself without the company of my favorite vampire family.

"Would you like to go do something tonight?"

I looked over at Jacob. He seemed so confident as he asked. It was a stark contrast to the way Mike had asked me. Jacob was radiating confidence. I knew he loved me and he knew that I cared for him, even if it wasn't the same way as he felt about me. I suppose that is where the confidence came from. He knew that I wanted to spend time with him and Mike was used to my rejection.

I nodded my head. "What did you have in mind?"

"We're having a barbeque down at First Beach tonight with the rest of the pack. I thought you might like to get out. Bon fires with driftwood make awesome colors. It'll be fun." He nudged my elbow as he said it in a way that said he was impatient to get going.

"Sounds great," I replied enthusiastically. "Let me just make some dinner for Charlie and leave a note."

He grunted in response and fell back on the couch. Before I ever made it out of the room, he was already snoring quietly. I shook my head and smiled to myself as I busied myself in the kitchen. I quickly fried up some of the fish that Charlie kept in the freezer and made some garlic mashed potatoes to go with it. I warmed up some green beans and piled it all on a plate and set it in the oven to keep warm. I glanced back at Jacob and decided to make a second plate for him to eat before we left. That boy had one massive appetite and would appreciate the food even if we were on our way to dinner with the pack.

I rushed up the stairs and grabbed my parka. Even if I was going to be at a bonfire with a group of warmer than usual werewolves I wanted a good jacket to keep me warm. Jacob was a great friend, but I wasn't sure that I wanted to get too close to him just yet. I was still hurting over his second departure.

As I bounded down the stairs I began to trip over my own feet. I waited to be reintroduced to the floor of the first level only to come up short. Jacob caught me in mid air and pulled me back into him quickly. He looked down at me with his signature goofy grin. My plan to avoid too much physical contact with him had just gone right out the window.

"Can't you go five seconds without getting into trouble?" It didn't escape my notice that he still had not let go of me.

"Obviously not if I am hanging out all night with a group of unpredictable werewolves." My voice was sharper than I wanted because I was uncomfortable with the way he held me.

He released his hold on me and placed his hand up to his chest to feign hurt. "We are not unpredictable!"

I laughed. "Yea, because that is the part that you choose to defend."

"I could always be unpredictable and toss you into the water." He winked at me and eyed the parka in my hands.

"If I go in, you go with me." My warning wasn't as impressive with a shaky voice.

"If I toss you in, I would be with you anyway," he replied smugly.

"Fine! But if you come out smelling like wet dog I'm going home."

He laughed loudly at that and ate the food I had set out for him while I scribbled out a note for Charlie and left it on the fridge for him to read. After Jacob finished eating he quickly washed his plate and set it up to dry.

The drive to La Push was quiet. Jacob was an easy conversationalist but he also never felt the need to fill the void with unnecessary chatter. He also never turned on the radio. Ever since he left the first time, I had stopped listening to music. Jacob was more in tune with me than I was at times. He understood what I needed better than almost anyone. For a time, no one knew me better than Jacob. Until recently...

Embry and Quil were busy piling more pieces of driftwood onto the bonfire when we arrived. They acknowledged us with a quick wave. Seth jogged over and gave me a big hug. He was such a sweet kid. Even Sam gave me a curt smile when he saw me. Leah was busy avoiding making eye contact with Emily and glaring daggers at me. Emily made up for the two of them by walking over and giving me a friendly hug and inviting me to sit next to her and Sam. Jacob and I took our seats next to them. Embry brought over two sticks and a package of hot dogs for us. Jacob skewered the hot dogs and handed me mine to roast over the open flame. I ended up eating just one while Jacob finished off the rest of the package.

I was warm and full; the perfect recipe for drowsiness. No matter how much I fought it off, sleep began to creep up on me and my eyelids began to droop. Jacob noticed, of course. He gently pulled me back to rest against his soft, warm chest. I resisted only for a few minutes before giving in to my werewolf pillow. His deep earthen scent enveloped me as I inhaled greedily. He chuckled underneath me. Only a few minutes later and I was overcome by sleep.

A short while later I was woken up. Jacob gently lifted me off him so that he could help the rest of the guys clean up the bonfire and load the cars with the coolers. After everything was cleaned he came back and doused the fire. Then he led me back to his car to take me home. He opened the door for me and held my hand as I sat down then closed the door for me. He even gave me a goofy grin, obviously proud of his gentlemanly behavior.

"Did you have fun?"

"Absolutely."

"You sure that we weren't too boring? All that snoring is a killjoy at parties you know."

"Was I really snoring?" I cringed at the thought of being that deep in sleep. If I had been snoring, I had probably talked in my sleep as well. That possibility was humiliating enough.

"No, I'm just teasing," he admitted while looking at me from the corner of his eye. "But you did have the most beautiful smile on your face while you were asleep." He paused. "You looked happy."

"I am happy, Jake."

"No, I mean really happy. Not just the façade that you put off when everyone is around. And not just the fleeting having-a-fun-time kind of happy either. You were genuinely content."

I didn't know how to respond to that. Thankfully, he wasn't looking for a response and continued talking.

"I like that I make you happy, Bella. I want the best for you. I wouldn't mind taking you out more often."

"Jake,-"

"I know. You need time. You still think your bloodsucker is coming back to you."

"Jake!" I protested again.

"Sorry, I mean your boyfriend is coming back."

"He has a name." I crossed my arms over my chest, not likely the direction of this conversation or Jacob's condescending tone.

"Edward," he huffed out. I cringed. "You see? That right there! That is how I know that you aren't happy. I can't even say his name around you!"

"I'm happy when he is here, Jake. I just miss him." My argument was weak, even to my own ears.

"No, Bella. Normal people break up, move on, and get over it. Normal people can talk about their ex and not have a mental break down each time they hear their name."

"Sorry for being abnormal."

"That isn't what I meant, Bella, and you know it. I meant that you need a normal, healthy relationship. I know you need time. But I'm here for you. No matter how long it takes. Let me love you." His voice was a whisper by the end of his speech.

I sighed. "What makes you think being in a relationship with a werewolf is any more normal than being in a relationship with a vampire?"

He snorted, relieving some of the tension in the car.. "Alright, I'll give you that. But at least I'm not tempted to drink your blood every minute of every day."

My lips curled up in a half smile. The rest of the drive was spent in comfortable silence. When we finally reached my house I let out a sigh of relief.

"Well, this is my stop."

Jake opened his door and froze. He snapped his right arm across my chest so that I couldn't move. He sniffed the air a few times and his dark eyes scanned the area intensely. It was a posture that I recognized from when Victoria hunted me and had me on edge instantly.

"You have company," he whispered. "I'm coming in with you."

My heart began to beat frantically again. It had to be one of the Cullens, probably Alice back early from hunting. I needed to get Jacob away from the situation before anything had a chance to escalate. My options were limited though. There was little I could say to convince him to leave me alone with a vampire.

"Jake, I'll be fine. I've been around the Cullens plenty of times and walked away unharmed."

He glanced at me with narrowed eyes. "That doesn't mean that I have to trust them."

"I trust them. Just like I trust you even though they don't think that I should. Trust me."

He let out a sigh of defeat. "I'm calling you when I get home. If you don't answer then I'm going to assume the worst and we'll come back for you."

"I'll be waiting to hear from you," I promised, choosing to ignore how he slipped into the pack plural at the end.

I gave Jacob a quick wave good-bye and opened the front door. Charlie had fallen asleep on the couch while watching some game on the television. I tapped his foot to wake him up and let him know that I was home. He said a quick good night and walked upstairs to go to bed. I lingered awhile longer to turn off the television and wash the dishes from Charlie's dinner.

After a few minutes, I made my way upstairs when I was sure that Charlie was sound asleep. As I opened the door to my bedroom, I was disappointed to find it empty. I had hoped that I had a visitor, namely Edward, though I had refused to admit this to myself earlier. He and Alice were the only ones that regularly visited me in my room. Emmett had stayed away from my bedroom after that first night that Rosalie and Edward left and he had stayed the night with me.

I sighed and sat down on my bed. While I was taking my shoes off my phone began to ring. I rushed to answer it before Charlie had the chance to wake up.

"Hello?"

"Bella?" Jake's voice was surprisingly relieved. "You're alright?"

"Perfect. No reason to worry. No one is here." The words stung as I said them, making me realize just how disappointed I actually was.

"Great, I'm glad you're safe." He paused. "I had a lot of fun tonight."

"So did I."

"Maybe next weekend we can do something again?"

"Sure, sure," I replied, using his signature answer.

He chuckled into the phone. "Sleep well, Bella. Good night."

"Good night," I whispered into the phone and hung up.

Without further hesitation I walked over to the bathroom, changed into my pajamas, and brushed my teeth. I pulled my hair back into a loose ponytail and walked back to my room. I turned off the light and climbed into the bed. Just as I was about to lay down I glanced over at the window and noticed it was shut and locked. Charlie must have done that for me while I was gone. I groaned as I climbed out of the warmth of my bed, unlocked the window, and opened it just an inch. Satisfied that it appeared inviting enough to any friendly vampires in the area hoping for a nighttime visit I walked back to my bed.

As I sat down in bed, I was assaulted with a gust of cold air. My head snapped up and frantically searched the room. The window remained just as I had left it; it hadn't even budged an inch. My room was also empty except for the furniture and me. I shook my head at the notion that someone was here and settled back down in the bed, pulling the comforter snugly up to my chin.

I closed my eyes, willing sleep to take me quickly before my imagination could run wild. A sweet, cold breeze tickled my nose. I panicked. My heart rate sped up exponentially faster and I pinched my eyes shut. A dark chuckle sounded in the room. As much as I wanted to open my eyes and face this danger head on, I couldn't. I was paralyzed in my panic-stricken state.

"Breathe, Bella," my visitor cooed in an unfamiliar voice.

Finally, my eyes shot open. In my rocking chair, Emmett sat with an amused smirk tugging at his lips.

"You smell like mangy dog."

"And if you weren't already dead I would kill you now." My voice lacked the proper outrage since I was still recovering from the scare.

He chuckled and stood up. He walked over to the bed and hesitated. I patted the spot on the bed right next to me. He plopped down next to me, a lot less graceful than I would have imagined. Then again, this was Emmett.

"I scared you again." His voice was triumphant.

"Bravo! Scare the poor defenseless human. How was your hunt?" I asked, changing the subject.

"Slim pickings when it came to bears. Plenty of wolves around though."

I slapped at his shoulder which ended up only injuring my own hand. "Ouch!" I muttered under my breath.

Emmett's entire body shook as he fought to contain his laughter. "Why would you hit a vampire?"

"I hit an idiot who just so happens to be a vampire."

"You really are a strange human. You're so entertaining. It's a good thing that Edward brought you around. We needed a fresh take on life."

"You mean a fresh snack in the house."

He shook his head in agreement and smiled tenderly at me. "Well, you are a pleasant air freshener when you don't smell like werewolf."

"Can I ask you something?"

"Anything," he replied, leaning back on his elbows.

"Why did you finally use my window to visit me?"

Emmett closed his eyes and let out an unnecessary breath. "I didn't get to see you today. I missed you."

"There's more to it than that."

He chuckled softly. "Edward was right, you really are too perceptive. Alice said that your future went black and I wanted to make sure that you were alright."

"That's it?" I asked, not entirely convinced.

"What? Can't I come over to check on a friend?"

"Sure, but you can also call if that is all you wanted."

"Oh, Bella," he sighed. "Since when do I need an ulterior motive?"

I shrugged my shoulders in response. He was right. I was just over thinking the entire situation. Emmett was nothing more than a concerned friend who came over to check on me because Alice couldn't see me when I was around Jacob. Although I was still uncertain why Alice didn't come check on me instead of Emmett. Jasper probably didn't want her anywhere near the werewolves though, that made sense.

"Bella," Emmett said softly, bringing me out of my internal ramblings. "You should sleep. I'll see you tomorrow."

I nodded my head and held myself together as he left. I would not let Emmett know that it cut me so deeply that he was leaving. I was very thankful that it was Emmett and not Jasper who would be able to feel my pain. In my mind, I could rationalize that this was not the same as what he had done, but in my heart, the pain was just as excruciating. A few minutes after he had left I was sure that he was far enough away to not hear me. I broke down into sobs and cried myself to sleep, all the while praying for a more permanent end to the ache of abandonment I felt.

That night, I dreamt of Emmett. The entire family was there, as was I, playing baseball out in the clearing. Emmett was up to bat. He hit the ball far off in the distance and Jasper rushed after it while Emmett made his way around the bases. He rounded the final corner, skid into home plate, and grinned at me. I looked up to see Edward and Rosalie stalking towards us, the rest of the family had already disappeared. Edward grabbed my arm forcefully and began to drag me away. I reached my hand out towards Emmett. He reached back for me but Rosalie placed herself between us and started shoving him backwards.

As the space between us grew wider, the ache in my heart grew stronger. I was teetering on the edge of consciousness because of the pain I was feeling. Something strong and ice cold touched my forehead. I opened my eyes to find Emmett staring at me worriedly.

"I can't leave you alone for two seconds, can I?"

I shook my head, not yet trusting my voice.

"It's alright," he assured me in a hushed voice. "I don't want to be alone right now either. Go back to sleep. I'll be right here when you wake up."