Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight. Twilight and all the characters involved in Twilight are the sole property of Stephenie Meyers. Much of the dialect stems directly for Meyers books Twilight or Midnight Sun.

Authors Note: Thank you for the reviews. I love reading what you guys and gals have to say. I am hoping to get another chapter out by Christmas, but incase I am not able to. Merry Christmas!

Chapter X

When I pulled up to the sporting good shop, I realized everyone else was already there. Worse, everyone was waiting for me.

I got a few nasty glares from a girl named Lauren and another, I could not remember her name.

I decided to stay away from that group. Instead, I found my way to Angela, Jessica and Mike.

"You came!" Mike said excitedly. I noticed a snide look from Jessica. I really didn't need anymore enemies.

"I did say I would." I waved to Jessica and Angela. Angela waved enthusiastically. Jessica plastered a grin on her face and waved back.

Mike shrugged. "I hadn't heard back from you when I texted you about the riding arrangements."

"Oh, yeah. I lost my phone." I shrugged. "Sorry."

Mike waved away my apology as if it were a bothersome fly. "Well, anyway. Did you want to ride with me? I mean in my car. If not, you can ride in Lee's mom's minivan.

"No, that's fine."

Mike grinned from ear to ear. "I'll let you have shot gun." Mike then went to organize the rest of the riding situation. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw that Jessica was not happy about our exchange.

In the end, there were more people than anticipated that showed up. We all had to squeeze in. I was able to get Jessica between Mike and myself. This seemed to please Jessica very much. I was just happy to sit next to a window. The wind blowing on my face lessened the claustrophobic crowdedness. Plus, I got to soak up much needed and desired sunshine.

When we got to the beach, it didn't take long to get the fire started. I was amazed by the fire. I had never seen a blue and green bon fire. Apparently, the salt from the ocean caused it.

I pretty much kept to myself. I tried to avoid any alone time with Mike, Tyler and/or Eric. Mike and Tyler had their own admirers that kept a watchful eye on me. Eric, well, I just didn't want to give him any incentive to think I was interested.

After about a half hour of gazing into the fire, I decided to explore a little. It had been ages since last I had been to the beach. I had always enjoyed the beach. Well as much as I could being in Forks.

A great many things had changed since last I had been here. I guess that made since. There was nothing impervious to time. The ocean washed away and brought change with the push and pull of its tide. The rain too had a way of washing away much of the past. It could get disorienting.

I should have been paying attention where I was putting my feet. This beach wasn't like the ones you see on TV.. It wasn't sand and sunshine. It was rocky and the weather was typically gray and morose. I landed with a thud onto the rocks. My hands bore the brunt of my fall.

As I sat up, I inspected my hands. A few scrapes appeared on my hands, but luckily, no blood. I really didn't want a Biology incident.

Then a shadow blocked the sun. I looked up and felt a sense of deja vu.

"It's okay, I don't think you hurt the rocks that bad." A boy of maybe fifteen or sixteen grinned down at me. He was tall. His hair was long black and silky. He didn't just seem tanned. His skin was also silky looking and russet colored. His eyes were a beautiful dark brown. Overall a very nice looking boy.

He reached a hand down to me. "I'd recognize that lack of coordination anywhere. Bella, right?"

I took his hand and felt a warmth I had never felt before. It started in my hand and seared through to my bones. It traveled up the length of my arm and cascaded over the rest of my body. The chill in the air was suddenly gone.

The boy helped me up. And we met eye to eye. "I know you." Could this be the same little boy?

The boy smiled again. His smile was beautiful and warm. His whole face lit up and warmed me all over again. I hadn't even realized that we hadn't released each other's hands.

"Jacob Black." He looked down at our hands and blushed.

I blushed too and quickly released his hand. "Ohh, you're Billy's son?"

Jacob nodded. "Yeah. So, how do you like the truck?"

I looked at him confused.

Jacob laughed. "You bought my truck."

"Ohh... Well, I love it! It runs great."

"It's slow though... But it seems perfect for you." I saw a twinkle in is eye. Suddenly I felt self conscious. I recognized that twinkle. It always happened. He was already crushing on me.

I felt disappointment. "No, it isn't slow and yeah, it is perfect for me."

"Have you tried to go over sixty?" He lifted his russet brow in question.

"No, I guess not." I admitted.

Jacob grinned that warm smile again. I couldn't help but push through the recent disappointment and grin too. "Good, don't."

"It can take a hit pretty well though. That's gotta count for something." I offered.

Jacob looked like he would pop with pride. "What can I say. I build them strong."

I hadn't realized that we started walking back towards the fire until I heard a nasally voice call to Jacob.

"Oh Jacob, you know Bella?" It was Lauren.

Jacob smiled and looked at me. "We have known each other for years, right?"

I shook my head. "Our dads are like best friends." I looked at Lauren and saw a condescending look leave her eyes. "How nice."

I looked around the fire and noticed several new faces. They were all tan like Jacob, so I could only guess they were all from the reservation. Then I noticed one boy... No, he was older. His hair was shorter than the others too. He looked at me quizzically.

He had to be older than me. The way he looked at me made me feel odd. I didn't feel threatened, just watched.

I spoke under my breath to Jacob. "Jacob, who is that guy with the short hair?"

Jacob looked up and his face grew disappointed. "That's Sam Uley. He is nineteen. He has a girlfriend though.". He tacked on.

I almost had to laugh, but didn't. He thought I was interested in this Sam. He wasn't unpleasant to look at. He was tall and muscular. There just wasn't any attraction though. He did seem oddly familiar. Well, not him personally. Just the way he stared at me. It just seemed familiar.

I shook my head and turned my body toward Jacob. Jacob was familiar and easy to talk to.

"So, Bella." Lauren's nasally voice interrupted us. "It's a shame that no one thought to invite the Cullens." She didn't look remorseful. Instead she looked spiteful and vindictive.

I opened my mouth to retort, but a deep husky voice beat me to it. "Dr. Carlisle Cullen's kids?"

Lauren looked annoyed as she turned toward the intruder.

I turned and noticed Sam glaring at Lauren.

"Yeah, you know them?"

Sam's jaw clenched. "The Cullens don't come here." His voice was curt and harsh. When Lauren simply turned her attention from him back to Tyler, he turned his stare back at me.

There was an unmistakable look of both curiosity and distrust in his eyes. He seemed to be trying to figure something out and I seemed to be his target.

I whispered to Jacob again feeling the need to get out of there. "Do you want to go for a walk again?"

Jacob's face lit up like a kid's on Christmas. "Yeah, sure." We turned our backs to the fire and walked away. I could almost feel several different eyes on us as we went. I was sure that Sam was one of those pair of eyes.

"So, Jacob, you're sixteen?" He looked young in the face, but his height could easily pass for someone older.

Jacob grinned with satisfaction. "Just turned fifteen actually."

I acted surprised. "Wow... Only fifteen and can build tanks and rescue girls from their clumsy selves. You're going to go far Mr. Black."

"Sure sure." His grin was contagious. I couldn't help but smile with him.

"What about you? You're not that little girl anymore." He appraised me.

I laughed. "I haven't changed much. Still the plain, ordinary and clumsy girl I have always been." I shrugged.

"Yeah, but you've grown up." He pointed out.

"I guess."

Jacob then nudged me with his shoulder. "How are you enjoying being back? Forks driving you crazy yet?"

I looked at him with half a grin. "That's an understatement." I thought about Edward, the talking flame of my dreams and the most recent stalking black figure. That didn't even include the losing time from my day. Yep... Certifiably crazy.

We both got quiet for a moment.

"Hey, Jake... do you mind if I call you Jake?"

Jacob shook his head. "Not at all."

I looked out at the ocean. The waves were a grayish blue. In the distant horizon, gray clouds swirled, threatening to over take the sun.

"What did Sam mean earlier? The Cullens don't come here." I recalled the harshness in his voice and the anger in his eyes.

"Oh, you caught that, huh?" Jacob shook his head. "Sam meant that the Cullens aren't allowed in LaPush..." He looked away like he was embarrassed.

"Why not?" I sat on a large piece of driftwood. It was a bit of an ominous looking piece. The roots were twisted and jabbed into the air like a spider on it's back.

Jacob leaned over one of the driftwood's twisted roots. "I'm not really suppose to say, to outsiders at least.

I smiled sweetly. "I'm not an outsider... We kinda grew up together, remember? I'm driving the truck you built." I gave him the puppy dog eyes. "Please, I won't tell anyone."

Jacob's grin lit his face again as he lifted a brow. "You like scary stories?" His voice came out deep and husky.

I nodded. Scary stories weren't really my thing, but Jacob didn't have to know that.

I listened to all the stories Jacob told me with earnest interest. I was surprised by the stories. Cold ones... Vampires... Under normal circumstances, that would sound idiotic and insane. I couldn't cross the stories off quiet as easily as Jacob though. I had witnessed Edward's strength and speed. There were a lot of unanswered questions

We had left in good timing as the clouds over took the sun and rain began to fall.

I sat in the back seat with my eyes closed thinking about the stories while we drove back to the sporting goods store.

Once we got there, I didn't stay to chat, much to Mike's disappointment. I rushed to my truck and went home.

I was tired of thinking about the impossible. I didn't need more cause to make me crazier than I actually was. I just wanted to drown away all thoughts.

Cranking the radio up as loud as it would go, which wasn't too loud, I tried to sing along wile ignoring the scratchy white noise that accompanied. It was enough to distract me until I got home.

When I walked in, Charlie was laying on the couch watching baseball. I tried to tiptoe up the stairs without his notice, but then I tripped on the first stair.

"Hey Bellz, did you have fun?"

"Oh yeah. It was great." I called from the stairs. "I got some homework to do though, so I will see you tomorrow." I tried to sound nonchalant.

Charlie was obviously into his game because he just grunted and that was it. I walked up the stairs and went into my room where I spent the whole night researching vampires and the cold ones. My internet was slow so sometime around one or two in the morning, I fell asleep at the computer.

I looked around the darkening greenery. The forest seemed especially dark, maybe it was because the sun was shinning with an intense force in the clearing. It was beckoning me. I started to walk through the dark, towards the light. I could almost taste the light.

Then someone grabbed my hand. "Bella, don't go that way!" Jacob was frightened. I looked at him confused.

"Why Jacob?"

Jacob shook his head fervently and tried to pull me back into the darkness. Then I saw midnight black fur and sharp white teeth. I nearly shrieked and tried to pull Jacob from the dark. He would walk straight into the dark mass.

"Jacob, there's something in there. We have to get out of the forest!" I felt the same terror I did when I was alone in the woods.

Jacob tried to pull me still into the forest. "Bella, we have to get out of here!"

Then the black object moved out of the shadow with it's teeth bared.

"Jacob, it's a wolf!" I shrieked stumbling back to the ground. Jacob too fell to the ground and began to tremble.

I wanted to go to Jacob and calm him, but the black wolf began to circle me, eyeing me. The way it stared at me was familiar. It was like it was trying to figure me out.

Suddenly I heard Jacob scream out, but I could not see him. Then a reddish-brown wolf ran to me.

I felt my whole body erupt in a tingling sensation that scorched my whole body. The russet wolf nudged me to stand up.

When I stood. The russet wolf joined the black and both looked towards the sun. They both growled with a fierceness that struck fear in my own heart.

Why were they growling at the sun. The warm sun. I wanted to feel the rays on my skin. Without acknowledging an answer to the wolves strange behavior, I started to walk towards the light again. It was drawing me to it, beckoning me.

"Bella.." I recognized that musical voice. My heart skipped a beat as I saw his perfect face. It sparkled with the sun behind him. "Come Bella, come out to the light..." His voice was coaxing. The wolves' growls grew louder.

Edward did not pay the wolves much attention. He was not afraid at all. "Come to me Bella." He smiled and I couldn't breathe. He was beautiful.

I started to walk towards him.

"No, don't!." I recognized that voice too, but I couldn't place from where. Then I felt an impossibly warm hand in mine. I turned expecting Jacob again. Instead it was the nurse from the hospital. His auburn red hair seemed to glisten with the few rays of sun shine that teased me. His eyes seemed alive with movement. I could honestly see fire in his eyes. He glared at Edward and then looked at me with worry in his eyes.

The two wolves moved to the nurse and stood on either sides of him. "Come with us, let us protect you..." The nurse tugged a little on my hand.

"Bella, no, come to me..." Edward's voice was like honey. He smiled again and I saw sharp fangs. Panic grew in me and I couldn't move at all.

Edward reached his hand into the forest and was but a step away from me. My heart began to pound. I couldn't tell if it was because of fear of what he was or anticipation of him being so close.

Then the russet wolf lunged at Edward as Edward crouched and lunged at the wolf.

"NO!" I shouted as I shot up straight and nearly toppled out of the chair. I looked around the bright room and realized I must have fallen asleep while investigating.

I quickly pulled the power cord out of the wall to turn off the computer. I expected Charlie to come running in any moment.

After several long minutes, Charlie did not come. I looked out the window and saw the cruiser was gone. He must have went fishing again. I was relieved about that. I needed some time to think.

I did my morning ritual and then ate some breakfast, toast with grape jam.

I sat down on the kitchen steps and looked out into the forest.

Could Edward be a vampire? Everything in me screamed no. Edward wasn't evil. Edward was something, but evil wasn't it. He did have some characteristics, like the speed, strength and cold skin. Also, he didn't talk like a boy of this time.

Uhg! I put my hands to my face and groaned.

I felt a breeze saunter past, causing the leaves in a nearby tree to rustle. I looked back up into the forest. What was it about this place? Any other place the possibilities of vampires would be laughed at. However, looking into the darkness of the forest, it seemed possible.

I gazed into the darkening forest as it began to rain, bringing my dream to the forefront of my mind. Obviously, a conjuring of Jacob's stories. Why the red haired nurse was in there, I have no idea. It didn't even make sense. None of my dream did. It was all just utter non-sense.

That didn't detract from the obvious that the Cullens were something. So what if they were? Did it matter?

If they were vampires, I could either avoid them or just let things progress as they would.

I thought about the hospital when Edward caught me. There was so much compassion. No, he definitely wasn't a bad guy. I would just let things progress as they may. I had no doubt that I would be just as safe around Edward as I would be in this very spot I sat.

So that was that. My mind was made up. I stood up after sitting for too long. My muscles protested stiffly as I made my way back to my room.

I spent the rest of the day in my room writing my MacBeth paper. After making Charlie a fish fillet dinner, I went to bed early. Lack of sleep and an early start to a day was not a very good combination.

I didn't dream. It was just a restful night. When I woke up, I was surprised to see yellow streaming through my curtains.

I looked out and felt giddy. The sun was out and there were no rain clouds as far as the eye could see.

I quickly got dressed and rushed to school, too anxious to get out into the sun.

The parking lot was practically empty. That was all the better for me. I made my way to the picnic tables that were hardly ever used. I sat down and leaned back. Letting the sun touch as much skin as possible. My mind was empty save for the bliss of the warmth of the sun. The sun was... Is very much apart of me. I guess I should be really tanned with as much as I love the warmth and glow of the sun.

I started to feel myself dose. This was heavenly. Then Mike brought me back. "Bella!"

I begrudgingly opened my eyes and was surprised to see that school had already filled up. "Hey Mike." I responded truly feeling happy.

He looked startled at first then smiled. "Wow, Bella. I never noticed the red in your hair and your eyes." He picked up a strand of my hair and delicately tucked it behind my ear.

The good feelings quickly passed. Of course this was the first real sunny day. That's when everyone noticed my eyes and hair. It always made me feel self conscious. Well... Self conscious or not, I wasn't going to be driven inside.

On the contrary. As mike went on about LaPush, I started to hatch a plan. Sunny days were so rare. It would be a pity to waste it in doors.

I could act like I am going to my first class and instead, keep walking. I could easily ditch and hide out in the forest.

Wait? What was I thinking? Ditching? That wasn't me. I was the one to scared to ditch.

But then again, this was the first sunny day since I came.

"Bella?" Mike looked at me worriedly.

"Huh?" I snapped out of my mental debate.

"I asked what you did yesterday." He seemed flustered now. I guess I was busted not paying attention.

"Oh... Um I worked on my Macbeth project."

Mike hit his forehead with the palm of his hand. "I completely forgot! It's due Thursday, right?"

I shook my head, "Wednesday." I stood up and grabbed my backpack.

"Oh, well. I guess I will have to work on that tonight..." He gave me a fleeting look. "Unless maybe you would like to go out or something?"

I cringed. "Mike, that's not a good idea." I really hated this awkward part.

Mike's face fell, "Why?"

Looking at him exasperated, I sighed. "I think that would hurt Jessica." I was so glad she liked him. It was a lot easier to guide someone to another person than it was letting them down 'gently'.

"Jessica?" He looked off into the distance. "Really?"

"Are you blind Mike?"

"Huh..." And that was it. I had Mike thinking about Jessica. I was off the hook.

I looked around and then smiled at Mike. "Well, I will see you later." I didn't give Mike a chance to say anything and walked off toward building three.

The entire walk I debated with myself on whether I would ditch or not. As I got to the building, I stood to the side as other students went in. I lifted my face to the sun to absorb just a little bit more, just incase it was gone before I got out of class.

I kept my face up to the sun with my eyes closed. Then I heard the bell ring in the distance. I opened my eyes and was surprised to find that I had left school and walked to the outskirts of the forest.

This wasn't right. I hadn't noticed myself walking. It was like I was entranced.

I looked into the forest. It had to have something to do with the forest, because I had never had these problems before. Something about this place was changing me and that scared me.

When I thought I saw something shinning in the deep recesses of the forest, I hesitated. My mind went into over driver reliving every experience I had in the forest, both in the real world and in my head.

I turned and headed back to school deciding nothing good could come out of the forest.

Authors Note Part 2: I will try to update with chapter 11 tomorrow. If I am unable, I will atleast update with a little Christmas surprise. Thanks everyone and again Merry Christmas!