Author's Note: An extra chapter this week. We hope this makes you happy! It makes us happy. We are getting to the good part. This brings in Jake's POV. Let us know what you think about him and the story in general!

We still do not own the characters, unfortunately. Some of them own us...er...You get the picture.


JACOB POV

I've never felt as low as I did when Bella married Edward. I lost the only girl I ever loved to a bloodsucker. She was ready to give up her life to be one of them. The confirmation that Edward gave that she'd really left him is the highest high I have ever felt. Well, maybe not the highest. The highest was probably her kissing me before the battle with the newborns. Anyway, I digress. The knowledge that she left him, that she's still human, has given me so much hope. Maybe she'll finally realize for herself what I've been telling her all along.

I ignore the nagging voice in the back of my head asking why I haven't heard from her. I have been a man on a mission. Sam is pissed that I haven't been putting the pack first. Instead, I've opted to search for a pale face who isn't even my imprintee. I'm sure you can hear my eyes rolling out of my head. The more time that goes by, the more I hate taking orders from Sam. I know, I know. I gave him rights to be Alpha when I refused, but shit. It's too much sometimes.

I knew Charlie was investigating Bella's whereabouts. He wouldn't be Charlie if he weren't. He's a cop for Christ's sake. It's not in his wiring to give up. That's where Bella gets it from. I asked him a lot of questions. Due to our relationship and his friendship with my father, he gave me what he didn't give Edward. Not that it was much. Every trail had run cold for Charlie. He ran a trace on the one call he got from Bella and she had been somewhere in Fairbanks, Alaska on a cell phone. The phone signal was never emitted again, so we were pretty sure she trashed it. Charlie made fast friends with the Chief of Police up there. They canvassed the town and put Bella's picture everywhere, but nothing ever came of it. We could only assume she'd moved on.

I checked in with Edward every few days and we exchanged information. I probably should have kept what I learned to myself, to ensure I got to her first, but I knew the Cullens had infinite resources and if I withheld from him, he'd withhold from me. No matter how much I hated it, we needed each other. Bella brought us together once again, even if she wasn't here to see it. I never asked him what happened between them. I just made my own assumptions and went with them. I know Bella's out there somewhere. I'd feel it inside if she weren't. Yes. I'm a man on a mission. Find Bella, be sure she's okay, and then convince her to give me a chance.

I almost feel sorry for Edward. Almost.

I'm pulled out of my thoughts when my phone vibrates. I glance at it. A text from Edward, speak of the devil himself.

"I found Bella. Need your help. Get here."

I only give myself enough time to tell Sam and my dad that I'm leaving, and may be gone a while. I head out into the woods, put my phone and my shorts securely on my ankle, phase and run like hell to the state line. I figure once I get close enough to their house, I will smell the Cullens and easily locate them. I don't let up the entire way and I get there in the course of a few hours. Before I know it or have even had time to think about it, I'm knocking on the front door. I can tell they are expecting me, although I get the feeling Edward, the son of a bitch that he is, didn't tell them. He isn't even here. I assume that Alice saw their futures disappear and they figured I'd be showing up.

Everyone seems uncomfortable. Too uncomfortable. Not even like 'here we are, mortal enemies hanging out' uncomfortable. Uncomfortable like I get the disinct feeling they are all keeping something from me. I spend days here. Days wondering where the hell Edward is after his cryptic text. Days being dressed up like a freaking Ken doll for Alice's entertainment. Days of Esme cooking for me and Carlisle making conversation. It seems Blondie and Emmett are no where to be found, which is interesting, but I don't ask.

Finally, Edward shows up. Four days later. The shithead. He apologizes and says he had to keep an eye on Bella, so she wouldn't get away again. I know he's hiding something. I can see it in his creepy, golden eyes. There is more going on here.


BELLA POV

The thirteen hour drive to Keystone, South Dakota took me about seven. I didn't want to go too fast during the day and wasn't in a real hurry now that Renesmee seemed to be acting normal. Before we began our sight seeing, I stopped at the first blue standalone mailbox that came into view. Renesmee has made a game of finding it on each of our little trips, and is pleased with herself that she found it so fast.

"Mama, Mama! There! At ten o'clock!"

Jason, who works at the store part-time, has taught my innocent daughter this directional skill to help him pick up chicks. I laugh and look to my left. Sure enough, at the edge of a giant empty parking lot is the mailbox she's gotten so excited about. I'm barely parked before she's already unbuckling herself.

"I want to do it! Wait for me please!"

Smiling, I get out of the car and walk around to open Essie's door for her. She always puts the envelope in the mailbox so I don't know why she's so excited this time. Essie hops out of the car and snatches the envelope from my hand, standing in front of the mailbox. Her face falls and I move to be beside her, kneeling to her level.

"Baby what's wrong?"

I wonder if she's upset about me asking all of the questions at the beginning of our drive, or if she's wanting to tell me more about it. I glance around quickly to be sure that we're alone before turning back to Renesmee.

She sniffles, "I'm still too small. I can't reach it by myself."

My body visibly relaxes when she speaks. She was just hoping to be tall enough by now to do it on her own.

"That's why I'm here right? I'll help you." I kiss my little girl's cheek and easily hoist her up, watching her slip the very last payment to Eleazar in the mail slot.

She doesn't say anything else until we're back in the car and I'm punching in directions to Mount Rushmore in the GPS.

"Mama? Now that we're done mailing letters to Uncle Eleazar we're never ever gonna go on trips anymore are we?"

When I turn to face her, Renesmee's bottom lip is sticking out and she's hugging her wolf like it's keeping her from sinking. I reach behind me and push her curls behind her ear, cupping her face.

"Of course we will baby, we just won't have the mailbox game. You'll have to come up with a new game, okay?"

She mulls this over for a moment and nods, her facial features relaxing.

"And we'll still get t-shirts?"

I can't help but laugh quietly, rubbing my thumb across her cheek.

"Of course Essie, we don't have one for every state yet do we?"

Renesmee seems pleased with my answer and smiles excitedly.

"Then let's GOOOOO!"

My sweet impatient child is easily pleased. I glance around the parking lot one more time before I pull onto the main road.


RENESMEE POV

I love trips with my mama. It's our special thing, but I can't stop wondering about Edward. I don't know why. I have met a lot people at the bookstore and made a lot of friends. Maybe it's because of mama's reaction. I just can't stop wondering what it means. It must mean something, right? I love Mount Rushmore. It's so cool. I've read about the presidents in history books and that someone would think to carve their faces in the side of a mountain? It's art. My mama and I stop to get me some chocolate, because I really love chocolate. I also want a t-shirt, because that's what we do on every trip.

While we're in line a family catches my eye. I mean, obviously I have seen a lot of families since I've been in the world, but for some reason, I pay attention to this one. A mom. A dad. A little girl. I look at the girl carefully. She has black hair like her mom. Her nose is her mother's. Her cheeks and jaw are all her dad. I look at mama and I don't see much of myself. Our face is shaped the same, and she told me when I was pretty new to the world that my eyes are like hers used to be, but my nose, my hair, my cheeks are not from her. I look at the father again and start to wonder about mine. Where is he? Why aren't the three of us together like that family?

I look at my mama carefully and wonder if she's lonely. She doesn't have any real friends. Our only family is in Alaska. She only has me. She looks at me with worry and asks if I'm alright, and I realize I'm frowning. I make myself smile for mama, because I don't want to make her sad, and tell her I'm just hungry.


BELLA POV

We stay at a hotel room overnight and spend the whole next day exploring Mount Rushmore and the park. We opted out of the guided tour and chose to explore on our own. Renesmee wanted to stay in the woods until the sun went down, just knowing she would see a wolf. I was amused and helped look with her, knowing we needed to go a few states over to see what she wanted. I had to practically beg her to leave, and she finally agreed after I promised we would look again soon. Between all of the walking and crashing from her sugar high since she refuses to eat any human food but chocolate these days, which I'm lucky to even get her to eat, she is exhausted. She's half asleep in my arms by the time we make it back to the Volvo and start the long drive home.

My mind drifts as I drive down the empty highway. Since Renesmee told me about seeing the man with hair the same shade as hers, I can't help but be paranoid. I want to ask Renesmee more questions about him but don't want her to feel like I didn't believe her when she said there was nothing else special about him. I hear her even breathing and turn to see her asleep with her lips parted, snoring softly. I turn the music down and drive faster since she's sleeping and it's late out, the long stretch of highway empty.

Of course it wasn't Edward, there was no way it could be. But while our daughter sleeps in the backseat I can't help but wonder where he is and how he's doing. And if he would ever forgive me for what I've done.