Here we are :) sorry for the long wait. Had MORE exams :(

Please keep your lovely reveiws going, they brighten up my day.

Elle xxxx

Chapter 7: Familiar Faces

I checked the clock for the 70th time today and saw it was finally 6:40pm. I stood up suddenly from where I had been working on our bikes and stalked towards my house. I hurried through the open back door and into my room. I picked up my car keys and my wallet from my bedside table and was about to walk out the door when I caught my reflection in the mirror in my closet. I was covered in oil so I decided to change into some clean clothes. Grabbing some fresh, dark jeans and pulling on an olive green hoodie I walked out of the empty house. Harry had come by about 10 minutes earlier to pick up my dad; they were going to help Emily set up.

I unlocked my beloved Rabbit, stroking the bonnet tenderly. It had taken such a long time to build her from scratch and I thought I had done a pretty stand up job. I remembered when I first finished it I took it to Bella's. She was so proud of me. That was the day she had taken me to the awful movie with that Mike guy. That was the last day I was fully human, a strangely sad memory.

I slipped into the vehicle and put it into drive, speeding down the sleepy streets of La Push. I saw an enormous black wolf running parallel to the street, obscured by the trees. Sam would get there before me and Bella. As I looked over the unremarkable town I was struck by how strange it was that all the magic and myth in the world seemed to congregate to this town. This town that was totally mediocre - it had no secret Indian burial ground, no nuclear power plant. It was just this sleepy, dreary town by the sea transformed into this impossible supernatural place; a place where monsters and magic happened.

Or maybe it wasn't the place, but her. She had come here and the magic had ignited. She had made this place special. Maybe it wasn't just my world that rotated around her but everyone else's. Maybe she really was the reason for everything beautiful in the world. I pulled up outside the house, already the most beautiful house in the world because it held her.

I leapt from my car and jogged the short distance to her door. I gave three sharp knocks and within a minute the door opened. Charlie stood at the door, light flocking in from behind him.

"Oh, Hello Jacob" he nodded me, his voice gruff and low. In the background I could hear a ball game going. He walked back into his house and I assumed I was to follow him. I had known this man for my whole life and never often felt awkward around him. Then again I had never had such strong feelings for his daughter before tonight. I heard her walking around upstairs. We reached the bottom of the stairs and Charlie stopped.

"Bells! Jakes here!" it was weird he also called her Bells. It was a nickname she had seemed to adopt over time. I leaned against the banister as I waited.

I didn't have to wait long, within one minute she was descending the stairs. She had changed I notice, probably because the drop in temperature. She wore a dark purple top, the colour beautiful with her dark hair. Dark jeans and converse clad feet finished her outfit. What was really different was her face. She had pulled her dark hair up in a claw clip, her beautiful long neck on sight and she had pushed the hair usually in her face behind her ears. I could see her whole face now, her beautiful face. I decided I liked her best with her hair pulled from her face.

"Heya Jacob" she smiled at me as she took her place next to me. I reached for her hand and wrapped it with mine. From the corner of my eye I saw Charlie's shock as Bella leaned towards me, placing her head on my shoulder as a silent greeting. Bella met her father's eyes, smiling timidly at him. His shock evaporated at her smile and I saw genuine tenderness in his eyes, his daughter's pain had obviously cut him deeply. I was only starting to see how completely kind Charlie was.

"Don't have her home too late" he said in a gruff voice as he tried to prevent his emotions taking over. I gave him a quick salute with my free hand and walked outside- Bella firmly towed by my side. I opened the passenger door with a flourish, bowing as she stepped inside. I heard her laughed softly as I closed her door and ran to my side of the car.

She was quiet the majority of the ride, her hands placed in firmly in her lap. That crease in her eyebrows was back- she was worried. I desperately wanted to know what she was concerned about but I didn't ask, probe Bella too much and she would clam up. Instead I pushed some hair that had fallen into her eyes behind her ears and shot her a smile.

"Everything is going to be okay, you know that right?" I said as I pulled up in the beaches car park. I left my hand on her face and she sighed.

"Yeah I know" she whispered, I could feel her breath on my hand. It gave me shivers. I tried to shake them off but before I could Bella turned her face towards my hand and landed the softest kiss on my palm. She kept her eyes closed for a moment, cradling her face against my hand.

Suddenly I heard a tap on my window and turned to see Quil- grinning ear from ear. I dropped my hand quickly, realising the moment was gone. I stepped from the car and was instantly caught in a bone crushing hug - Quil patting my back as we hugged. When he let go I saw Bella strolling towards us, her hands crossed over her chest as a draft blew past her. To my horror Quil strolled right up to her. Hugging her so hard he lifted her right off her feet and twirling her around. He put her down and placed a solid kiss on her cheek.

I had to fight the urge to hit him, after all he had no idea about how I felt about Bella and I knew he had a soft spot for Bella. I remembered a moment; it felt like years ago, when Quil had first met Bella...

"Damn you didn't tell me she was hot!" Quil had said, his eyes still glued to the door she had just exited through.

"I wonder why he didn't mention that" Embry said, reaching a long gangly arm over to Quil to mess his hair up. Sarcasm was heavy in his speech.

"Well I wouldn't mind getting to know that a bit better..." Quil said, raising his eyebrows in a ridiculous fashion and pursing him lips. Even though I knew he was joking I felt rage build in my chest and before I knew it I was up in his face, my hand wrapped around the collar of his shirt and my fists clenched.

"She is not THAT! She is called Bella... and you will not touch her" I told him, I realised my voice was low and husky. I sounded dangerous, for the first time in my life.

"Dude I was just playing. I didn't mean any disrespect" He said his hands up by his face, a sign of defeat. "I'm sorry" he said.

I let go of his shirt and he stumbled slightly, I realised with a start that I had lifted him right off his feet. With one hand. That was when I knew things were starting to change in me.

Quil didn't try anything today, he let go of Bella quickly - Too happy to notice my murderous glares. I knew how lonely it was to not be in the know, when Embry had joined the pack me and Quil had felt completely abandoned and lost. I got through it with help from Quil and Bella. When I had disappeared into the cult Quil must have been very lonely. He had no one.

All three of us walked to the beach, a faint flicker on the sand that was the bonfire. As we wondered towards the Pack greeting called out to us. The Pack didn't say anything to Quil so I assumed he had just run out to meet us. The entire party was congregated around the fire. My dad stood at the head of the group flanked by old Quil and Harry Clearwater- who was looking very pale and sickly. In an informal semi circle the rest of the Pack sat. Emily had her head in Sam's lap and she smiled a shy smile at Bella as we sat beside them. Opposite us was Paul and Jared, Jared had his face turned from the rest of the group, in some private misery I was only starting to comprehend. Embry and Quil were the closets to the fire and were joking together. It was the biggest smile I had seen on both of their face in a long time.

The Pack had already finished most of the food and were settling down to hear the stories they had gathered for. Emily pushed a plate full with food at me and Bella with a wink, I tucked in as my dad started to tell us the stories. He told us of the great flood and the first spirit warriors. He told us of our enemies, the cold ones, the enemy tribes. He told us of our ancestors that fought to keep us alive, to keep our way of life pure.

"But the purest thing about the Spirit Warriors is that are not afraid to do what's right. They don't stand by while evil happens, they make a stand. They have the courage to fight when everyone else runs away. They are willing to believe in love to guide them; their love for their tribes, their children, their ancestors and their imprints." My dad watched me as he said the last part. I quickly checked Bella hadn't notice but saw her staring at the fire, a calculating expression on her face. She had not spoken since my dad started speaking, she had barely breathed – so absorbed in the stories.

As soon as Billy said imprint Jared rose to his feet with a growl of frustration. He kicked a log into the fire and stalked off towards the water.

"Jared..." Emily started to go after her but Sam took her hands.

"Let him go, he needs some time" Sam told her, Emily nodded and sat back down. Bella was staring after Jared, her expression hard to read. The pack started to disband slowly, Sam and Emily walked to the sea, holding hands as the black water churned. Embry and Quil were having a huge wrestling match, seeming to be pretty equally matched. The elders wondered up to the car park, Harry would drive my dad home so I wasn't worried about him.

Bella stood up and stretched her hands out towards me, an invitation. I took her hand without hesitation as we strolled towards the huge bleached tree that we had sat together on when we first met. It seemed impossible that I could have all this, an amazing family, a proper one. A life, a place I belonged and someone I belonged too. Wait not too, with. I belonged with her. We didn't speak, off in the distance I could hear Sam and Emily speaking quietly, I could hear the playful banter of Quil and Embry as they finished up their wrestling match. Bella had her eyes closed, feeling the cold air on her face. Her wind blew behind her, blowing her intoxicating scent in my direction. I stiffened as it hit me, drunk with the smell of her; I pulled her close so her back was pressed against my heart. It beat happily, loud enough that I knew she could hear it, she could feel it.

"Will Jared be okay?" Bella whispered, her soft voice breaking the silence. I stowed a quick glace behind me and spotted Jared facing us, his eyes on the fire, his hands in his hair as he watched the flame. From behind him a tall, thin girl walked through the brush to the sand. Her flip flopped feet made a soft patter.

"He will now" I said as I nodded in the direction of where he sat. Bella turned in time to see Kim walk behind Jared and wrap her arms around his neck, whispering into is ear. He closed his eyes – listening quietly as she spoke to him. His tortured face had changed into one of pure bliss. She stopped talking and within a second he was on his feet, his hands wrapped around her. He kissed her softly, pulling her closer to him.

I looked away to give them some privacy, Bella followed me. Her neck was inches away and without thinking I leant down and ran my nose the length of it, feeling her shiver beneath me. I pulled her into my arms, rubbing the goosebumps on her arms.

"Jacob..." she whispered as I watched the timid ocean, the waves small and perfect. The sun had now disappeared leaving in its place millions of twinkling stars.

"Yes?" I whispered, right near her ear, she shivered again.

"Jared has imprinted on Kim?" Bella stated.

"Yes?" I questioned amused. She sighed.

"Well, I was wondering what it means really." She concluded, her eyes cast towards the sea.

"Imprinting is the most significant change in a werewolves lives, it's how we find our mates. Our true other half, the one we are destined to be with, the only one that is completely and totally right for us." I heisted, letting her some time to digest this, I had careful how I said this.

"When we see that person everything else falls away. It's not gravity that holds us here, it's that person. You would do anything for them, be anything. They are and will always be the most important thing in the world to you. Almost like they become part of you." I summarised as best I could, so many things I couldn't express in words, just the feeling that when Bella was next to me, everything was right, it was good. And when she wasn't, my life was always darker, only the memory of her giving a tiny flicker of light back into it, when she was here it burned brighter then the sun.

"Why so curious?" I questioned, already knowing what was to come.

"It's just that" Bella hesitated slightly, her voice stammering a little. "the way Jared looks at Kim, it reminds me of the way you look at me sometimes" Her chocolate eyes met me for the first time since the conversation, pink spread across her cheeks in a blush, but her dark eyes held mine-starlight reflecting of them.

"Is that a problem?" I wondered, my voice breaking slightly. She did not answer merely reached towards me and place a pale hand on my heart. Together we listened to its steady beating. I sighed quietly, my mind on her. Her small pale hand touched my face, the lightest of touches. Her eyes met my mine, I stop breathing. She did not speak; she said it all in her eyes. I smiled slightly, and tentatively took her head in my hands; my lips brushed her forehead for a second, before I exhaled. She lay her head on my shoulder, one small hand still placed over my heart. We sat here a moment longer, this was the happiest I had ever been.

As the moon rose Bella's eyes began to droop, her head lulled back onto my chest, her breathing even and heavy. I took her in my arms carefully so I didn't wake her. I jogged back to the rabbit as a light rain began to seep through the clouds; my body was curved protectively over Bella as I placed her in the passenger seat of my car.

I drove faster then I should have, anxious to have her in her own warm bed. I didn't bother to turn the headlights on – perfect night vision was sometimes a bonus. The rain was really pouring now, hitting the car with large drops. The night seemed to have suddenly turned restless, the wind howled and somewhere to the east I heard a crash of thunder. The car flew down the rain slick pavements, its wheels making a soft brushing sound.

A clash of lightning erupted and a figure was illuminated, in the middle of the road. I automatically hit the brake, lurching the rabbit to a sudden stop. Bella woke up with a crash, rubbing her head. My eyes were focused forward- glued to the figure, I knew Bella couldn't see. He stood drenched in rain, his hair plastered to his forehead. His eyes were coal black and his expression was murderous.

"Jake? What is it" Bella asked, her eyes widened in concern. Another slash of lighting and he was revealed. His pale face, his midnight black eyes and his mouth turned up in a snarl. I heard Bella catch her breath as I murmured in a low voice.

"Cullen".