She'd just carefully, yet haphazardly flopped onto the couch in her father's den, bowl of cereal in hand, the television remote in her hand, fully intentioned to watch the wrestling program she'd gotten into while dating the semi pro wrestler in California, when the sound of a motorcycle idling and then parking outside the house had her raising a brow.

She got up and tiptoed to the bay window in the den, peeking out through the plaid curtains, muttering to herself a little when she saw Jacob getting off of said motorcycle. She raked her hands through her hair slowly and then remembered that she'd said she'd go for a ride with him later. But so many times before, he'd said one thing, the complete opposite tended to happen, so she'd figured it'd be best not to go getting her hopes up or something. And now, standing in the den, in her pajamas and a tanktop at 5:30 in the afternoon, with her hair a mess, she was mentally kicking herself.

"I cannot believe I forgot.. Or that he showed up." she muttered in wonder before her baser instincts kicked in and she nearly tripped up the stairs in her hurry up to the bedroom she'd completely taken over and made her own now, digging around frantically for something, hell anything really, that was passable to wear. She'd just gotten finished pulling the sundress on and into place, grabbed her denim jacket and shoved her feet into a pair of brown pull on boots, was in the process of slicking on lipgloss when her father called up the stairs, "You've got a visitor, Anna."

"Coming, daddy." Anna called back, looking at herself one last time. "It'll do. It's not like this is a date or something, it's probably just his way of trying to cheer me up, everybody's apparently heard the verdict the doctor gave me by now." she reminded herself in the mirror, before flipping the light switch turning the lights off in the bedroom, walking down the stairs.

Jacob leaned in the doorway, laughing with her father at the wrestling show she'd left it on, her father musing aloud, "I have no idea how the tv wound up on this. It's funny though." while Jacob winced as a giant sized man picked up another one and slammed him through a table.

Anna paused in the doorway as she yelped, "Hey you put Sheamus down you giant ass!" drawing stares from both males in the room as she shrugged and said "What? I can't watch wrestling?"

"It's just not something you'd picture when somebody thinks of you, Anna." Charlie admitted, grinning as he said "You're leaving?"

"I kinda promised Jacob I'd go for a ride with him later.. If that's okay?" Anna asked as Charlie smiled then waved her off as he said "Thank you. She was hogging my television. I've watched more Dallas reruns this week than I've ever cared to see in the first place."

Outside the house, Anna looked from the bike, to Jacob, then back again before lightly punching his arm as she said "So that was you outside the pharmacy."

"I never said it wasn't." Jacob said as he hid a grin and got onto the bike, helping her on behind him. He groaned as her scent filled his nose and urges started to surface. But instead of letting them get the best of him, he reminded himself he had to be slow about things this time and asked, "So, are you really okay? I mean I know how important dancing professionally was."

"I'll be fine, I think. I mean yeah, it sucks.. But if I really want to admit it, I shoulda known I'd never make it, when I hit tryout number 4 for Fernwood." Anna said as she felt his body tense a little when her arms went around him to hang on.

She pulled back, or was about to but he said quietly, "Not a good idea. This thing flies. You should probably hold on." as he looked over his shoulder at her. She gave a quiet nod and then asked over the roar of the bike as it came to life, "Where are you taking me?"

"Anywhere you want to go." Jacob said as he felt her moving forward a little closer, she had to, the speed of the bike thrust her forward. Her head sort of awkwardly rested against his shoulderblade, it was driving him crazy but he reminded himself again, he made it 6 years by now, he could do this right and wait longer if he had to, though he didn't honestly plan to make it easy for her to fight him off either.

"Hmmm.. There is this place.." Anna admitted as he raised a brow and she shrugged, mysteriously, pointed him in the direction. Her finger brushed his neck, his body tensed again involuntarily, and the bike picking up speed had her being forced to move closer.

They came to a stop at a field on the side of a rocky cliff next to the water that surrounded First Beach, which sat below it. He turned and looked at her, she shrugged and said simply, "An amazing view of the stars at night, Black. I haven't actually been able to see the damn stars while living in California. Smoggy nights, remember?"

"Yeah. I guess that'd be a huge inhibiting factor." Jacob laughed as he thought back to a night he'd been down on First Beach with the guys and this prompted him to ask her, "How often did you come out here?"

"Quite a bit, actually." Anna said as she added, "Enough to know that you guys gave anybody on road coming by who might stop an eyeful."

"So that's where all the clothes went."

"Mhmm.. Me and a friend of mine named Kasey took 'em and threw 'em in the sand. It was so funny because you guys were so freaking pissed and you had no idea anybody was even around." Anna said though she mentally reminded herself that she actually had taken his gray muscle shirt, and she slept in it every now and then.

"That was so not funny." Jacob said as he gave her a pretend pout, then laughed. She shrugged and said "Hey, you guys were the ones asking for it. Besides, you guys did it to us when we were down in the water one night. And do not say you didn't, because Kasey AND Alyssa both saw Quil stumbling back through the bushes while Paul waved Alyssa's bra like a flag.. So yeah, you guys suck at stealth." with her hand on her hip as she got off the bike, started partially down the cliff, sending him jogging after her, flopping down onto the grass. She rolled over onto her back lazily, looking up at the sky, watching the moon.

He sat, arms over his knees, leaned back partially, looking at her, just watching her as she watched the stars. They were both quiet, but for once the silence wasn't stoic or angry or awkward. It was just quiet.

She laughed a little and he looked at her, she shrugged and said "This whole thing, finding out I can't dance anymore. It's not bothering me like I thought it would. And it's nice to be back here. California moves too fast. It's kinda scary." while biting her lower lip.

He nodded and said quietly, "Yeah, I'd probably agree if I ever went there. So are you going back?"

"Nah. I'm gonna let my rental contract lapse, I only had a month left anyway, so it won't hurt anything. I'll have to get my stuff sent here, find somewhere to put it up for storage, don't know yet. I mean I was going back, but the longer I stay, the harder it is to leave, the less I actually wanna leave." Anna said as she took a few deep breaths and then added quickly, " Probably get an apartment or something so Dad doesn't get sick of me." while twisting a strand of her hair around her finger tips, looking up at the sky which was rapidly darkening and filling up with stars.

"I'm glad you're not going back. I, umm, I missed you." Jacob admitted quietly as she looked over at him for a moment, almost as if the announcement shocked her or something. She smiled a little and said quietly, "Thanks." not reading any more into it than his being a friend, his thinking that she needed him right now or something.

"So, you finally got the bike you wanted. I mean that's great. I had a Mustang." Anna admitted as she leaned back a little, looking over at him, smiling as she added, "It suits you, actually." with a slight laugh, embarassed at her stunning and sudden lack of conversation.

Then again, she'd always been this way around him. Her stomach growling had Jacob snickering and asking, "Hungry?"

"A little bit, yeah."

He stood, held his hand out and pulled her up. "So, my dad's been wondering how you were.. And Rachel was already feeding Paul tonight.. Do you wanna maybe come over and let everybody see you're alright?" Jacob asked as they got back on the bike.

She nodded and said with a slight grin, "Yeah, I'd like that." as the bike roared to life again, taking off fast, again catapulting her body against his making him tense slightly. She tried keeping her distance, she was picking up on his tensing up, thinking of course that he thought she was coming on too strong or something when in truth she wasn't even making a move, she just affected him in a very strong way, emotionally, mentally and physically now.

They turned into the dirt and gravel driveway that lead to his house and he helped her off of the sleek black bike, the door to the house being thrown open as Rachel, her other best friend from childhood ran out, squeezing her until she almost couldn't breathe as she looked her over and asked, " So, what'd the doctors say?"

"I won't ever be able to dance professionally. I sort of assumed that already. Wow, Rachel, you look amazing.." Anna said as Rachel shook her head and said "I can't believe you're grown up now. It makes me feel way too old."

Paul spoke up from behind Rachel on the porch as he said quietly, " Long time no see, Malibu." before hugging her a little. Jacob glared and growled as Paul mouthed, "She's my friend too, idiot." stepping back to look at her, asking, "So, what the hell happened? I mean 2 people told me one thing, then Seth and Leah told me what you said."

"All I remember is waking up in the ICU a week later, to be honest. I know I wasn't going but maybe 25 or 30 tops, so whoever crashed into me had to be hauling ass, literally." Anna admitted as she sighed and then heard Billy booming from the inside of the house, "Did my other child FINALLY come to see me?" while rolling his wheelchair to the door.

Jacob shot his father a warning look. They'd all discussed this, Jacob was going to work his way around to telling Anna everything, so he got the double meaning of his father's little nickname for Anna just now.. But then again, Anna spent so many nights over at their house with Rachel and Rebecca, he'd probably just been referring to that and Jacob was just being jumpy.

Anna bent to hug Billy as she said "About that, sir, I'm sorry. Haven't been doing much since I got out of ICU." she admitted as she sniffed the air and said "Ahh, food." smiling as Rachel practically dragged her into the house and then into her room, shutting the door.

"Let me see 'em."

"See what?"

"You went city girl on us all, I know you have a tattoo." Rachel giggled as she added, "I'm just being selfish. I haven't seen you in so long."

"So, you and Paul, huh?" Anna asked as Rachel smiled brightly and then said "I know, he's a know it all smartass sometimes, but hey.. He's my know it all smartass. Please tell me you're gonna finally do something about your thing with my little brother?"

Anna groaned as she bit her lower lip then sighing said " I'm trying to get myself together."

"Bullcrap." Rachel said as she hugged Anna then said "You're staying though, right? Because you have no idea how much I missed you, short stuff."

"Yeah, I'm staying. I gotta try and find a job next week. I mean I'm not temporarily invalid, so I need to pitch in with my dad." Anna said as Jacob knocked on the door asked, "Are you two gonna come out, or?"

"In a minute, Jacob."

She looked at Rachel and said with a smirk, "To answer your question, Rach.. I have 2 tattoos. But they're well hidden. I mean really, really well hidden. As in Dad hasn't even seen them, because if he did, he'd probably kick my ass." before the two girls walked out and into the kitchen.

She sat down in the only chair left, next to Jacob, of course, at the small wooden dining table, and after a few minutes of silently shoveling in her food, Billy asked, "So.. You didn't run off and get married on me, right?"

She choked on her tea and then laughing said "No sir. I didn't really have time to get out much. Work, dance and school." before taking another sip of drink and then asking, "Any ladies in your life?" with a teasing grin as she looked at him. He laughed and then said casually, "Been on a few dates here and there." as he took a few bites of his food, watching his son with his best friend's daughter, amused.

They'd fix things eventually, he sort of knew the plan his son had in mind, and if Anna resisted it, she had to have a lot more restraint than anyone Jacob probably knew. They'd just finished eating and Jacob and Anna wandered out onto the porch, sitting on the swing, talking about stuff they did as kids that was probably stupid before he noticed she was shivering a little. He shrugged out of his leather jacket and held it out as she said "I'll be okay, really." biting her lower lip, blushing when she found the jacket put around her regardless how many arguments she made that she wasn't all that cold.

Was he flirting with her? If she had better confidence where he was concerned, she'd almost say he was.. But she didn't, so she automatically reminded herself he probably only felt like a brother to her.

They looked up from their conversation at one point, Anna looking at her cell phone, laughing a little when she said "It's midnight."

"Wow.. And I should have gotten you home so you can sleep forever ago." Jacob said as he raked his hand over his hair, stood to help her up. She walked back inside to tell Billy and Rachel and of course Paul goodbye for the night, Billy making her promise to come back as much as she wanted, making her laugh as she walked back out and let Jacob help her back onto his bike.

Before she knew it, she was sitting back in her father's driveway, and saying goodbye to Jacob. "Hey, if you wanna come by sometimes, it's fine with me." she said casually as Jacob smiled and said "I will. Trust me. You'll get sick of me."

"Doubtful." Anna blurted, laughing a little as she called out, "It was nice to see you guys again." before disappearing into the house. As Jacob started up his bike again, he smiled to himself. Tonight went really well. Maybe he'd actually get through to her finally. Though he got the sneaking suspicion that she thought he only felt friendship towards her.

But he was going to do this right to make up for all the times he'd screwed up where she was concerned in the past. He took off, going back home. He'd go by and see her again later this week. In the meantime, he'd talk to Bella about being the guy who walked down the aisle with her sister at Bella's wedding.

For once in a really long time since this bizarre and painful, long string of events began back then, he finally felt like maybe they'd both finally be happy and where they were meant to be.