While everyone else was in school the next day, Bella decided to go over to the house that she had hoped would one day be her home as much as it was Edward's.

Her hands shook as they clutched at the steering wheel. She knew that there wouldn't be anyone there but maybe she wouldn't feel so vulnerable there. Maybe, for just a few minutes, she could feel strong again. As if it hadn't happened.

She found the entry to the driveway and started down it. Frightened wasn't the word for what she felt right then. This wasn't healthy and she knew it. She knew that she should just let him go. She hadn't been worthy of him before and she never could be now.

But pulling up to the house she felt a sense of calm descend over her. The forest had worked quickly, growing up around the house as if to punish it for existing.

Stepping out of her ancient truck, she walked up to the front door and turned the handle. It was locked. She pounded on the door for a few minutes before slumping to the porch with tears in her eyes. The open windows were mocking her but she just couldn't summon the strength to look inside.

"I'm sorry. I'm sorry I cut myself. I'm sorry I made you leave," she sobbed.

Her head snapped up, hearing a branch snap in the trees. Moving as quickly as she dared, due to her clumsiness, she scurried for the truck. Once inside, she locked the doors and pulled away, not seeing the black wolf that stepped into the open and watched her drive away.

She didn't stop until she pulled up in front of Charlie's. And that was when she realized that she hadn't even tried to look through the windows. Why? What had she been afraid to see?

If everything had been gone, she might have wondered if all that time had been a beautiful dream concocted by a bored mind.

But if everything had still been there just as she remembered, then what? Would it send her back to the zombie state she'd been in? Or would the hole in her chest simply swallow her?

She walked into the house and went to her room where she opened her email account. She had saved everyone of the returned emails. 92 undelivered emails waiting for a new account to head for.

Bella opened a page and started typing.

Alice,

I went to the house today. It was amazing how much the clearing has changed in the short time you've been gone.

I had a mini-breakdown on the porch. Because of that, I didn't look through the windows. I'm not really sure which I would have rather seen.

If everything had been gone, I might have convinced myself that the time with your family was just a beautiful dream. I might have even found a NON-SUPERNATURAL way to explain the bite mark.

But if everything had still been there, left behind and forgotten, I would have known that it was all real and I'd been right all along. I knew that I was never good enough for HIM. He was just too perfect.

I'll close this now. I'm going to visit a friend that holds me together. He's my sun now. He warms my frozen heart. Later.

Bella

Angela knocked just as Bella shut down the browser after saving the undeliverable email. Bella walked carefully down the stairs, still a bit shaken from the incident at the house. Opening the door, Angela gasped. "Bella, what's wrong?"

"Feeling kind of sick. Dad thought it would be better if I stayed home and rested today. See how I'm feeling tomorrow. You know."

"Okay. Well, call me later if you need me to get your work tomorrow."

"I will. And thanks." Angela left and Bella sat down to load her backpack while she waited to make sure that Angela had really left before heading out to the truck and firing it up. Then she headed toward the one person who would understand her.

Jacob was waiting. She felt a smile spread across her face when she saw him; a weight lifting off her shoulders.

"Hey, Bella," he beamed as she climbed out of the truck. "Ready to watch me work?"

"Hey, Jake." She waved at Billy who was looking out the window. "Aren't you sick of me yet?"

"No way," he chuckled. "And I don't recommend holding your breath for that to happen either."

When she walked into the garage, the red bike was actually resembling a motorcycle instead of a heap of scrap metal. Seeing the look on her face, he chuckled again. "I ten to get obsessive when I have project." His face fell a bit. "Although if I was smart, I'd drag it out a bit. I mean, what would you say if I had told you that I couldn't fix these bikes?"

"That would be too bad. But I'd be willing to bet we could find other stuff to do. Even homework if we got desperate."

"So you figure on coming over after this is done?"

"As long as I'm welcome, I'll be around."

"Bella," Jake started, already knowing what she was thinking. "I want you to know that no matter what happens, I am always here for you. I'm not going to let you down. Not ever. I promise that you will always be able to count on me."

"I know, Jake. And I already DO count on you. Probably more than you know." 'Probably more than I should.'

Holding his arms open, he wrapped them around her and hugged her gently to his chest as she wrapped her arms around his waist. After a few minutes, she pulled back. He brushed the hair back from her face.

"So you really like spending time with me?"

"Very, very much. And just to prove it, Wednesday we'll do something completely non-mechanical. Since I have to …." Her voice trailed off and Jake instantly knew what she was thinking. She had to work with Mike.

She had told him about Mike's inability to take no for an answer. "If he gives you any trouble, you call me. Okay?"

She nodded, suddenly picturing the scenario in her mind.

SCENARIO

She ran to the restroom where she pulled out her cell phone. Tears were streaming down her face as she dialed the familiar number. "Bella? What's wrong?"

"I need you."

That was all Jake needed to hear. He hung up and went straight to the truck. He drove as fast as was legal to get to the sporting goods store.

"Where's Bella?" he demanded.

"What? Who do you think you are?"

"Answer the question and I won't hurt you."

"She's in the bathroom. Has been half the night."

"What did you do to her?" Mike's puzzled look irritated the young man. "Never mind. I'll find out from her. Where's the bathroom?"

When Mike pointed, Jake ran toward the small room. "Bella? Bella, I'm here."

The door opened and Bella all but launched herself into Jake's arms. He held her as they went to the back of the store. That's when she told him that Mike had grabbed her by the arm at one point early on in the evening. He had startled her but she overreacted and called Jake.

Turning back toward the front of the store, Jake stormed up to Mike. "Don't you ever touch her again. If you do, I'll rip your arms off and shove them up your …."

"Jake, no!" Bella yelled running toward him. He turned around and caught her in his arms.

"Count yourself lucky, kid. I would never hurt you in front of her. Don't do it again."

Bella clocked out and the two of them left the store.

SCENARIO END

"What's up, Bells?"

"Just picturing you threatening Mike for scaring me. Telling him that you'd rip his arms off and shove them up his …"

"I get the picture. But you know that I would totally do that for you."

"I know. Sometimes it's just –" Jake opened his arms for her. She stepped back into his hug and buried her face into his t-shirt.

This was comfort. But after a moment, he pulled back. "So what are we doing on Wednesday? You mentioned something non-mechanical?"

"I'm not sure. But we can go to my place so you won't be tempted to be obsessive. I know I'm getting behind in my homework and I'll bet you are too. So why don't you bring your schoolwork and we'll work on that?"

The look on Jake's face as he agreed with her made Bella wonder just how far behind he was on his homework. And it was all her fault.

"Well we do need to start being responsible sometimes or Billy and Charlie won't be so understanding about us."

"Homework once a week?"

The stack Angela had brought her loomed in her mind with the next suggestion. "Maybe we'd better go with twice."

He sighed before reaching into a paper grocery bag and pulling out two cans of soda. He cracked the first open and passed it to Bella before popping the top on the other and lifting it. "Here's to responsibility twice a week."

"And recklessness everyday in between," Bella chimed in. They touched cans and drank.