"Happy Birthday!" Jacob sang as he walked into my room. "One whole yea old."

"And I look seven." I mumbled into the pillow.

"Oh, come on. Be a little bit happier. Today, a year ago you were born."

"It's not a pleasant day to look back on." I sat up to look at him. I have a good memory, but thankfully I don't remember much from that day. I do know I almost killed my own mother. I would have if my dad didn't put his venom into her. I snorted, shaking my head. "My whole life… the second I developed into a baby, I was destined to get my mother killed."

Jacob's teeth clenched together. "Don't you dare think like that."

"Why not?" I shrugged. "It's true. The second I was conceived I was killing her. When I was born I almost killed her. And look, I killed her." I was surprised this didn't cause tears to stream down my face. I guess I've accepted it. I should have. We've been out here for eight months.

"You--" Jacob started, but snapped his mouth shut.

"I what?"

"You're too smart for your own good. Get up and come eat your birthday breakfast."

"Blood?" I asked, sliding out of bed.

"No, later." He winked and I followed him into the kitchen.

"Jake." I asked once we were at the table eating our eggs and pancakes.

"Hmm?" He mumbled with his mouth full.

"You were there the day I was born. I don't really remember it."

He swallowed hard and stared at me from across the table.

"You were there, right?"

He slowly nodded his head.

"That bad?" I whispered.

"No," Jacob said quickly and shoved more food into his mouth.

"Can you tell me about it? Who was the first to hold me? How did my dad change my mom? Where were you?"

"I-I don't think I'm the best person to talk to about that."

"Why? Who else am I going to ask?"

"Ness, it was difficult for me. Your mom was my best friend. I- I loved her. It hurt too much to see her… to see her in so-so much… it was hard for me."

"You were standing there with her?"

He nodded, not meeting my eyes this time.

"Was she awake the whole time?"

"Some of it."

"Did she see me?" I said softly, poking at my eggs with my fork.

"She was the second one to hold you."

"Who was the first?"

"You're father. He delivered you."

"Cool." I smiled. I liked that.

"Mmhmm…" Jacob mumbled and continued shoveling food into his mouth.

"He handed me to mommy?"

"She demanded to hold you. She was the first person you ever bit, you know."

I laughed at that. "Really?"

Jacob forced a smile and nodded.

"But she was human then, right?" I could remember seeing her face. Her bloody, tear streaked face. That was the only memory I had of her as a human. It was my first memory I had of her. "If she was human, and I bit her…"

"I think you should finish your breakfast."

"I will, but I want to know this. It's interesting. I swear, it's not upsetting me."

Jacob sighed deeply and dropped his fork onto his plate. "You bit her, she lost more blood. That little bit was too much on top of all the blood she already lost giving birth to you. You're father had to work fast to get the venom into her system. He handed you off and your aunt took you away."

"What did I look like?"

"I don't know, Ness." Jacob got up and started clearing his plate.

"You said you were there…" I trailed off when he spun around, glaring at me. I swallowed loudly.

"I didn't see you, not until you were all cleaned up. I stayed with Bella. I needed to stay with my best friend. I needed to try and save her. She promised me!" Jacob's bottom lip quivered and he stormed off, slamming his bedroom door.

"What did I say?" I mumbled to myself.

I waited a few minutes before I cleared my own plate and walked silently towards his bedroom door. I didn't bother knocking. I reached for the doorknob and turned it slowly, the door creaked open and I peeked in. He was laying on his back across his bed. His feet planted on the floor.

"Are you mad at me?" I whispered, crossing the room and climbing onto his bed.

"No, honey, I'm not mad." He held his arm out for me and I curled into his side. "That day is bittersweet for me. It's hard to talk about, but I do think about it all the time." He smiled and touched my cheek. "It's the day I thought…" He swallowed. "I thought I would lose my best friend. It was the most hardest thing I ever had to watch. It takes a lot to scare me, and she had me terrified. Then it was the day I met you. You were this perfect little monster. It was hard for anyone to not look at you and fall under your spell." He laughed once, amused at whatever he said.

"As long as the day has a happy ending." I sighed.

"It does. You're father saved your mother, and you were not this scary little monster everyone was waiting for."

I laughed once at the thought of everyone being afraid of who I would be.

"I remember seeing mommy when she was clean. When was that?" I tried piecing my memories together, but as a baby I didn't have the understanding to keep them all in line. I could only recall bits and pieces.

Jacob nodded, kissing the top of my head. "As soon as Bella's heart kept beating the venom through her, Carlisle came back to help Edward. They cleaned her up and Alice helped dress her. I sat downstairs with you while things were cleaned up. Your father left her side only once the entire three days she was up there. He came down to get you. His eyes gleamed when you looked at him and smiled. That was the first time he smiled that day. It's hard not to smile back at you." He laughed and touched the corner of my lips. I smiled and nuzzled my face into his chest.

"Keep going." I whispered, closing my eyes to try and match his words with my memories.

"He took you in his arms and he stared at you for a while. He waited until Carlisle and Alice came downstairs and he took you up. I don't know what happened while you were up there, but the three of you were together."

"I like that story." I sighed.

Jacob laughed lightly. "That's good."

"Are you sad?" I asked, sitting up to look at his face.

"No, I'm OK." He smiled and I relaxed.

Jacob took me shopping for a new dress to wear for my birthday. I took my time, hoping to make nighttime come faster. I couldn't wait to go hunting. Jacob promised me that we were going somewhere different. New animals were always a good thing.

"It's time." Jacob smiled as he walked into my room. I quickly shut the little box I had. It held my locket that my mom gave me for Christmas last year, and the letter she wrote me. It was the only thing I had of her and my father. I shoved the box back under my bed and jumped to my feet. I walked over to Jacob and held out the locket. He took it in his hands and I turned around so he could put it on me. When he was finished I turned around and raced for the door.

"Ready!" I cheered.

Like always, I knew to stand against a tree while Jacob went to phase. I heard his paws walking slowly towards me. He nodded and I took off running in the direction that smelt the best.

I hunted my first birthday kill and stood up, ready for more. Jacob, as always, circled around me while I drank. I learned to ignore him while I fed.

I was off running again and crossed a path that smelt off. It wasn't an animal. Jacob barked behind me. I figured he was telling me I was going too fast. I slowed down and turned towards the heartbeats. I didn't notice Jacob fell further behind.

I stopped, crouching to attack my final kill of the night and paws were thudding rabidly towards me. I turned in the direction they were coming from. Jacob howled, but that howl came from further behind me.

"Jake!" I gasped, not sure where he was.

Something shoved me hard and I was flat on my back. I looked up into the red, bloodthirsty eyes. One other was circling around me. Not even a second passed and they were thrown off. Jacob stood directly overtop of me. His head low to the ground as he growled and snapped in the vampires' direction.

They both got up and circled him. I curled myself into a tight ball, not sure what I should do.

I peeked out from between my fingers and saw the male inching closer to Jacob. The female hung back and glared at me underneath him.

Jacob disappeared from above me and I gasped, scurrying on my hands and knees to a safer place. The fight between Jacob and the male moved quickly. I heard Jacob yelp and I clamped my hands over my ears. My heart leaped into my throat and I caught the female take a step towards me. I closed my eyes, ready for the impact.

When it didn't come, I opened my eyes to see Jacob tear at her limbs. I snapped my eyes shut again.

When her last screams cut off, Jacob leaped over to me and nudged for me to move. I looked into his frantic eyes and scurried to my feet to run towards home. I didn't stop until Jacob leaped in front of me. I forgot he was still in his wolf form. I was still panting from the terror I felt, I didn't want to be away from Jacob, so I shook my head and tugged at his fur.

"Don't leave. I'll cover my eyes. Just stay right here." I said breathlessly.

He nodded and I clapped my hands over my eyes.

I should have known it was him, but the hands suddenly on my wrists caused me to scream out.

"You're safe." Jacob whispered, picking me up.

"Did you get them?" My voice shook.

"Both of them."

"Good." I took a deep breath and let it out slowly.

He set me down and took my hand. We stepped out of the woods and walked towards where our car was parked. Jacob froze, yanking my arm, and pulling me tight to his side.

"What the hell is this, national vampire hinting night?" Jacob growled.

"More?" I gasped, trying to find the scent.

"By the car." He spoke too low for anyone else to hear.

"Relax, Jacob." A familiar voice spoke from off in the distance. Jacob stiffened. "It's just me. How many trails are you going to leave in this place? You were making it very difficult for me."

I tried searching for the face that I knew would unleash the bubble of excitement boiling over in the pit of my stomach.

"Alice," Jacob sighed when she stepped under the streetlamp next to our car.

"Aunt Alice!" I screamed as loud as I could. Jacob let his arms drop and I ran towards her.