A/N: As always, thank you to Feebes86 for being a super awesome Beta

All around me are familiar faces

Worn out places, worn out faces

Bright and early for the morning races

Going nowhere, going nowhere

Mad World by: Gary Jules

CH.7 Mad World

Bella's Pov

Emily and I were in the kitchen, baking a cake for Seth's birthday. The pack slowly began to arrive. No one would miss the party, a party meant more food.

"Bells…" Embry greeted me with a wave and a smile as he sat down at the table. I could hear Paul mumbling under his breath. I knew better than to look at him, it would only make him angrier with my presence. "Why is she here?" he sneered as he took the seat next to Embry.

"Paul!" Sam warned him. It wasn't an Alpha command, it never was.

I didn't understand why Paul hated me so much, why he was so cruel. I wanted to laugh or cry, maybe both. Sam's warnings never did anything, that's all they ever were… warnings. Paul knew it just as well as the rest of us did. I wondered why Sam and Emily kept inviting me over if Sam was only going to let Paul treat me badly. Maybe it was some kind of punishment for loving their enemy? Fuck, for that fact, why did I keep setting myself up for this type of abuse?

It was the cold that pulled me from my dreams. Dream… nightmare, they were the same at this point. I kept my eyes shut and willed myself to go back to sleep and dream about that guy from 300. Yes, him I wanted to dream about.

Like most things, it didn't matter what I wanted, not when my full bladder was making itself known. Damn you, Jack!

I knew before I opened my eyes, that Jared was gone. He had left taking the heat with him. I missed the warmth that seeped from his body and surrounded me. Oh Fuck! It was with that thought that I pulled myself from the lumpy bed. The stale air of the motel room prickled my skin. I shivered. I had to get out of here, out of Forks, out of Washington.

I crept to the bathroom, turned on the shower and stood at the sink looking into the mirror while I waited for the water to heat up. I should never have come back, I thought, staring at my reflection.

Charlie had had his own life before I moved here and he'd made a new life for himself after I left. I loved Charlie, I really did. But the few years I lived with him during and after high school couldn't make up for the years we'd spent apart. Coming back had been a mistake.

I shook my head and climbed into the shower. I shampooed my hair, washed my body and let the spray of the shower massage my tense muscles. When the water cooled, I turned the faucet off, stepped out of the tub onto the tile and wrapped a towel around myself. I wasted no time in getting dressed and ready.

I packed my suitcase, checked the drawers and mini closet and called the airport. I didn't care where I had to stop over or how long my layover would be, I needed to leave. I needed to go home, go back to work and forget this dreary part of the world existed. It was the only way I could have any resemblance of a normal life. I snorted with that thought. Normal, who was I kidding?

I prayed to whoever would listen that a flight would magically appear. I should have known better! I slammed the phone down, pissed off at the airlines. I dreaded the long drive home. I would have no distractions to keep me from traveling down memory lane. Black Hole, I reminded myself. This place sucked you in and held you hostage, suspended, in its supernatural fuckery. I zipped my suitcase close and dragged it out of the door and across the parking lot to my rental car. I unlocked the trunk and heaved it into the empty space. I shut the trunk and walked to the lobby to turn in my key card and settle my bill. The sooner I got out of here, the better.

Charlie's Pov

I wouldn't allow myself to think about Sue. She was the woman that I loved and she betrayed me, lied to me. What about Billy, had he known? Had he been a part of the whole fucked up mess that had led to my daughter leaving? I stopped myself from wondering about that right now. I had more important things to do.

I pulled in to the parking lot of the motel wondering if Bella had already checked out. Bella wasn't here. I couldn't blame her. I'd taken a side without getting all the facts. I knew better than that, I was a goddamn cop after all, the Chief of Police. You never form an opinion until you have all the facts. I'd made a rookie mistake.

I left the motel and drove to the station. I walked in and ignored the looks from my deputies as I made my way to my office. No telling what the rumors were that would be started; I was supposed to be on my honey moon after all.

I knew Bella had used Hertz Rental Co. to rent her car, and I hoped that I could catch her before she turned the vehicle back in. I had to talk to her, tell her how sorry I was. I had to make this right.

Thank you for calling Hertz. This is Jen, how can I help you?

This is Chief Swan from Forks, my badge number is 555. I need you to tell me if Isabella Swan has returned her vehicle.

I could hear the clicking of keys as 'Jen' typed in Bella's name.

No Sir, there's a note in the computer stating that the sedan Ms. Swan rented will be in use for the next eight days. Is there anything else, I can help you with, Chief Swan?

No, that will be it. – Click

The Pack- Leah's Pov

We were crammed into the meeting room of the council hall. Confusion, anger, betrayal, we all felt it. Hell, I could taste it in the air. The room was silent despite holding an angry wolf pack and their imprints within its walls. Not even Kim's cries could be heard. It was eerie.

Sam walked in, head down as he made his way to the Elders' table. Old Quil and Mom followed behind him as Jake pushed Billy. They made their way to the front of the room and sat down. Once they were settled, Billy took the whale head and hit the drum three times, signaling the start of an official meeting.

No one spoke. Not the Elders, not our Alpha, not our Chief. The silence was thick and smelled sour. The calm before the storm, I thought. Sam cleared his throat and lifted his head, his eyes searching for Emily. Yeah, that about sums it up, I thought. Search for the backstabbing bitch to calm you while you gather your thoughts to explain to us how you fucked over one of our brothers.

I looked around the room, taking in the different sites of each of my brothers. Jake sat with his shoulders slumped, as he picked at his hands that were folded in his lap. He hadn't said a word about the shit storm that was raining down. Moving my eyes to take in the rest of the pack, on my left I could see Embry. His jaw was clenched, his hands balled into fists at his side. Quil sat next to him, his arms were folded across his chest, and I could see he was trying not to shake. Seth sat just to the right of Quil and Embry; his eyes were darker than I had ever seen them. Paul sat off to the side of everyone; his head was hung, looking at the floor. Emily and Kim sat in the front row beside one another, holding onto each other as if they were the ones in pain. Selfish Bitches!

"This is an emergency meeting to discuss the unity of the Quileute pack," Sam's voice echoed off the walls.

All hell broke loose.

Jared's Pov

I pulled myself from my borrowed bed, wishing for a hangover. At least then maybe I would be too consumed with the effects of the alcohol to feel the pain in my chest. I glanced at Bella's sleeping body and shook my head. How did she have the strength to come back?

Charlie… she had come back for him, only to get fucked over once again.

I didn't know what to do. Wake her and say thank you for letting me crash here, or let her sleep. Maybe she was dreaming. I wouldn't take away any peace her mind may be bringing her by waking her. I crept toward the door being as quiet as I could, as not to wake her. I looked back at the sleeping girl one more time before whispering my thanks as I slipped out of the door and into the sun filled afternoon.

When the fuck did the Olympic Peninsula get sun? I yelled as I looked up at the bright sky. Didn't the Spirits care? I wanted to see mother fucking storm clouds and hear the clash of thunder. I wanted the sky to rage and mourn with me. I made my way into the tree line and began my run home in my own body. I didn't phase, I didn't want anyone inside my head. Hell, I didn't want to be inside my own head right now.

I made it to the edge of the reservation and stilled, listening and scenting the area around me. When I was sure no one was near, I quickly made my way to the woods behind my house. I could hear my younger brother, Ben in the kitchen, and my mom running the vacuum cleaner across the living room floor. My dad was in the garage piddling around with the lawn mower. I needed to get in and out of La Push before Sam could stop me, or order the pack to do his bidding.

I made my way to the back door, and slipped in without my mom seeing me, but Ben caught me. I shook my head at him and put my finger over my lips signaling for him to be quiet. He must have caught onto my expression because instead of fucking with me like usual, he nodded. I managed to get upstairs undetected.

I grabbed my duffel bag from the closet, shook the dust off of it and started throwing clothes in it. I went into the bathroom and grabbed my deodorant, toothbrush and toothpaste from the medicine cabinet and shoved those into the side pocket of the duffel bag. I lifted my mattress up and retrieved the cash I had managed to save and put it in my bag under the clothes.

I pulled a piece of paper from the printer tray and scribbled a quick note to my parents and left it on my bed. I walked out of my bedroom, closed the door behind me and peered down the hall. I needed to get out before my mom saw me and laid a guilt trip on me or worse started yelling and crying in an attempt to get me to stay. It would be easier if I could just leave without dealing with her right now. I wasn't ready to tell her why I needed to leave; I just needed to get the fuck out of here as quickly as I could.

I stood at the top of the stairs and waited until I heard my mom walk into the kitchen. I made my escape before she knew I had even been home. Dad was too busy yelling and cursing at the broken mower to notice me running out of the house and diving into the driver's seat.

I started my truck and backed out of the drive and headed out of La Push. I didn't know where the fuck I was going, only that I was leaving.