I'M SORRY! This chapter would have come out sooner if I hadn't been so busy! I got distracted by the Tony's weeks ago at first and then I had this trip to Harry Potter World coming up and a trip to my grandparents house. And then I watched the midnight premiere of ECLIPSE last night and figured I'd better finish this!

Oh my gosh, guys, it was AMAZING! I don't know how to describe it! The scenery, the fighting, the characters, the dialouge... It was just too good! Go see it if you haven't yet!

I love my reviewers and watchers. Just thought I'd let you all know. And I found it funny that all of you agreed on the same study of profession. I will admit, that this choice drastically changes the plot and I hope you all won't hate me for it when it happens... But it HAS to! Not now... later.

And I know, it's not fun when Edward is gone for most to all of a chapter. I know I don't like it but this has to be done. We understand a little more about Edward in this chapter. I'm trying to write it as entertainingly as possible to make the void better.

And if anyone is interested, I'm working on posting another Avatar story: Grace's School. So please look for that soon!

DISCLAIMER: I do not own Twilight or any of it's recognizable characters. They belong to Stephanie Meyer.

ON TO THE DRAMA!

There was a consistant noise that was pounding my head and it wouldn't stop. Then it did and I was almost asleep again when it started up even louder than before. A strangled noise added to it and I realized it was me groaning. I pulled the pillow over my head and tried to melt into the bed.

"Isabella, open the damn door!"

I gasped, bolting out of my warm covers and diving for the door. When I wrenched it open, I gasped, "Sorry, Peter."

His face was slightly red and there was an ugly frown in the middle of his forehead. "Someone's here to see you." He gruffed. "They're in the living room."

"Who?"

His mouth twisted. "Some boy."

My mind immediately jumped to conclusions, delighted that Edward was here and horrified that Peter knew. "Alright," I said quietly, "I'll be out in a minute."

Peter humphed in my face, his eyes lingering lower. The oversized t-shirt that was sliding with old age didn't cover much and I swallowed, feeling exposed. Slowly, I pulled the neckline back up and his eyes snapped to my face. "Get out here soon and then get rid of the boy." He turned on his heel and stomped away, ignoring Sue's greeting to him as she came out of the bed room dressed.

I shut my door and quickly dressed into a pair of jeans and button up shirt and was around the hall wall when I realized it wasn't Edward that had come to see me.

"Jacob!" But just because it wasn't Edward didn't mean I wasn't extremely pleased to see Jake.

"Hey, Bells," he greeted, opening his arms. I ran straight into them and hugged his neck, flying through the air as he spun me around.

"Jake! Put me down or I'm going to be sick!"

He set me down and considered my face. "You always say that," And then he was spinning me around again.
"And the one time you don't listen to me I'll get sick all over your back!" I screamed.

He drastically set me back on my feet. "You're such a baby." He announced.

"Oh, please. Stop flaunting you ability to fling yourself around without getting sick."

He grinned and ruffled my hair. "Is it just me, or are you getting shorter?" He stood straigher and it added a good two inches to his height.

"I believe you are the monster who won't stop growing." I rolled my eyes.

He playfully growled at me, swatting my face and missing purposely. I smacked his hand away.

"Hey, I'm here to spring you." He whispered like a conspiritor.

"What?"

"Sh! Do you want to get caught? I'm here to take you to my place. Didn't you want to see the motorcycle?"

Spending the day with Jake was what we always used to do. But it was different now, and I didn't know if I could. "I dunno, Jake."

"Nope." He said, swiping me off my feet and over his shoulder. "You have no say in the matter."

"Ah!" I screamed, fisting his shirt to feel some sense of balance. "Jacob Black you put me down! Now!"

"Not a chance."

"I don't have clothes!"

"You don't remember the extra spare you always kept at my house?"

"I have to tell someone!"

But he knew if I did, that would mean a no. "You're nineteen. You are allowed to do what you want legally." He was already out the hall way and going for the stairs off the porch.

"If you take me like this down the stairs I will get sick." I complained, shutting my eyes.

"A chance I'm willing to take."

I groaned and fell limp over his shoulder, hoping it would make it easier if I just moved with his body. He only set me down when we got to his car with the door already open and his body blocking any chance of escaping. Either I get in the car on my own or he would make me. So I did the only thing I could to annoy him and got in as slowly as I could.

"Bella, you are so obnoxious." He said.

"Says my kidnapper." I retorted.

He flashed me his teeth, biting the air. He knew he'd eventually get his way.

I was in the car, sulking, as he turned the key a few times. If I was lucky the old Rabbit wouldn't start and I could smugly go back inside. But it didn't and he drove off. I looked in the review mirror as my house disappeared and just knew I would be in for it when I got home.

"Nothing's going to happen while you're gone. And put your seatbelt on."

"Oh," I said, annoyed, "put yours on."

"Bella, I'm driving. Don't distract me."

"Jake! You are so infuriating!"

He laughed. "It's my job."

I crossed my arms and turned my body to face the window. I was being childish, but Jake didn't understand how much trouble I was going to be in when I came back. Especially since I was with Jake. But, on the other hand, this would be fun, much more enjoyable than dealing with Peter while Sue was away at her new job at the only hotel in Forks.

"You're not frowning anymore, are you gonna forgive me?" Jake asked.

I sighed. "Yeah. I wasn't really mad, just - I dunno -"

"Reclusive?"

I did laugh a little at that. "I guess so." I turned my body back around to face the right way. "What are we doing at your house?"

"I don't really know."

"The big kidnapper doesn't have a plan? How sloppy."

"Shut it."

"Didn't you say something about your bike?"

"Well, yeah, but that was just a move to make you feel bad so you would come with me."

I would've punched his arm, but he was driving. "You are so immature."
We passed the reservation line and not soon after we were pulling into the Black family drive. The Rabbit idled before dying. "I'm going to have to take a look at this thing again." Jake mumbled before he slammed the door. I followed behind him into the living room where Billie was sitting at the table alternating between watching the television and reading the paper.

"Hey, Dad." Jake greeted, going straight for the fridge.

"Hello, Son." Billie said, looking up from his paper. "And hello, Bella. It's good to see you."

"It's nice to see you too, Billie." He rolled his chair out from under the table so he could face me.

"How've you been? We haven't seen you around here. Jake here has been talking about you here for a while now."

"Dad."

"Just telling her the truth, Son."

I smiled and ignored the familair pang in my chest at their banter. "I've been good. Work's good, Sue's good, we're all good." Jacob rose from the fridge with a good pound of beef in his arms and a bag of bread slices between his teeth. He kicked the door shut and dropped it on the counter while looking for a knife.

Billie nodded. "Well, good. I guess I'll leave you all to it. I'm just catching up on the world outside. Have breakfast or lunch or whatever you want to call it. Our's is yours, Bella."

"Thanks, Billie." Gratitude was a constant companion around the Black family. All of them had known me since I was at least a kid and after Mom's death they were there for me and Charlie and after Dad's death they were there for me as my second family. They always told me I was welcome at whatever time or day. Billie was as good to me as an uncle and Jacob as my closest friend and brother.

"Bells, you only like mayo on your sandwhich, right?"

"Yep. Do you want help?"

"Nah, I got it. But if you want to go and grab some chips and we'll sit on the couch and eat."

I reached in the cabinet to grab the salt and vinegar and knocked them on purpose into Jake's back. I ripped them open and threw a few in my mouth, screwing my face up at the first sting in my mouth.

"Keep making that face and it'll stay like that," Jake said carrying a plate with both our sandwiches and two glasses of sweet tea.

"Shut up, Jake."

We ate our food and in between chews Jake told me what I had missed. So much had changed since I had been on the reservation: Jake and his childhood friends, Quil and Embry, had been building a lot of things in the back garage, Billie had learned to wheelie, Jake had been accepted into some kind of harmless gang run by Sam Uley who had apparently broken up with Leah (I hadn't even known they were dating) for her cousin Emily, and Jake had apparently learned to cliff dive.

I nearly choked on my tea. "Cl-cliff dive? Please, tell me you're joking."

"Nope. It's really fun, Bella. You just jump and free fall and feel the adrenaline. You should try it sometime."

"Um. No. Thank you."

He shrugged and threw the last half of his sandwich in his mouth. "Suit yourself. But you don't know what you're missing."

"I'd be missing my spine if I went." I chewed out. "Besides, aren't there rocks out there you can break your neck on?"

"So?"

"Jake -!"

A loud knock came twice before the front door swung open and Quil and Embry came in, taller than I remembered and with longer hair. "Jake! Aren't you coming with us to- Oh, we didn't know you had company."

"Is this the girl you keep going on about? Should we come back later?"

Jake threw a pillow at each of them, knocking them both in the mouth. "Shut up!"

"Hey, Quil, Embry." I greeted, waving.

They both squinted their eyes at me, recognition dawning. "Bella? Bella Swan?"

"We haven't seen you in years!"

I grinned, not knowing what else to do. "Hey, guys."

They both came over, Quil sitting on my right, Embry making an obnoxious spot between me and Jake on my left. "So, what have you been doing these past few years?"

"You have a boyfriend yet?"

Jake smacked Embry on the head and then shoved him off the couch. "We were just leaving so you have to get out."

"Aw, Jake, come on." Quil whined.

"No. If you're going to be weird you can't hang. Besides, Bella's here with me. If she comes again, you can tag."

"'If' she comes again?"

"Jake, you're so selfish, man."

Jake stood and would have purposefully stomped on Embry's hand had he not moved it. "Come on, Bella. I'll show you around the rez."

I shot Quil and Embry apologetic looks. "Sorry, guys. Another time, okay?"

"Sure."

"If Jake even lets her go." Quil's palm connected with Embry's head as I left the house.

I had to jog to keep up with Jake his stride was so long and then keep it up at a fast walk to stay beside him. "Jake, slow down, I don't have long legs."

He did slow down but then he shot off again, calling over his shoulder, "Follow me! There's something I want to show you."

I don't know why he thought I'd be able to keep up with him at the speed he was going, I'd be lucky to see where he was going. But I did my best to catch up and ran into his back when he stopped causing me to lose my balance and fall to the wet forest floor.

"Ow," I groaned, knowing my hands were scraped and there was a chance I'd have a bruised backside tomorrow.

"Oops, sorry." Jake laughed, giving me a hand. "I thought you saw me."

"Well, I didn't." My rear was wet and it went through my jeans and it was cold. Great. "Where'd you bring me?"

"You don't remember?"

It looked like we were just in the forest surrounded by nothing but trees, whatever he was expecting me to see, I wasn't. But then my eyes caught an unnatural shape behide a huge oak tree and I knew where we were. Behind the tree was our old tree house, or ground house, we built out of sticks, stones, branches, and leaves. It was the club house of our childhood where we played until I either ended up injuring myself or someone called us in.

"It's still up?" I asked, picking my way to it and peeking into one of the spaces between leaves.

"Yeah. I found it the other day." He pushed open the door and I was surprised when it actually still worked and didn't fall over. "Apparently, we built it properly."

He let me in first. I didn't remember having to duck, but at that time I was below five feet when we made it. The little table Jake had built when we were seven was still there with its nails sticking out; It was a wonder we didn't cut ourself on them. The bucket we used as a sink was still sitting in the corner, rusty, but still there along with the lone chair that looked like it would turn to dust if someone so much as breathed on it.

"I can't believe it's all here and standing." I mumbled to myself, feeling very nostalgic all of a sudden. I notice Jake still hadn't joined me. "Aren't you going to come in?"

He shook his head. "Do you see how small this thing is? I'd bring it down with you in it."

Good point. I took one last look at it and then went to stand by Jake to survey it again. "You know," I mused, "we did a good job in building. I mean, it's still standing after all these years."

"Hey, I was the one building. You were too small, remember?"

I ignored the tease and walked around it once. "A lot of memories are here." I whispered. "It's good to see it again." To see it and remember that some time in my life I was happy. And now that I thought about it, I didn't want to remember. It caused too much pain.

"Come on, Jake. Show me around. I bet this place has changed since I last came."

He did without comment, but I knew he noticed the look on my face and kept his questions to himself. He said he wanted to take her back to the main part of the reservation, so we went back to his house, which Quil and Embry had left, and just as I started to make for his Rabbit, he pulled me back. "Where are you going?"

"To your car?"

He shook his head and grinned. "Come with me." He pulled me threw the wet grass and mud that caked my shoes back to his garage and work place. When he threw open the doors, he stepped aside like I was supposed to admire what I saw.

And I did. From what I knew of bikes, it was beautiful. I didn't know the make, the year, or anything about its stats, but it was sleek and looked fast and it terrified me.

"Please, tell me we're not going on that thing." I said without looking at Jake.

"Oh, but we are." He said, taking it by the handles and rolling it into the open air. "I have two helmets, even. One for me and one for you."

I knew there was no point in arguing. He would get his way, he always got his way with me, but I still felt nervous about swinging my leg over that thing to perch perilously on the edge. I took the helmet Jake offered and tightened it so tight on my head that it hurt. At least I knew it was on.

I watched Jake throw his leg over the side easily and sit as far as he could to make room for me. The first time I tried to send me leg over I hit the bike and pain shot up my shin. Jake had the right mind to not even budge a smile. The second time I staggered over it but I was able to sit. I put my feet on the first holding I found and wrapped my arms tightly around Jake with my head burried in his back. Please, I begged silently, let's not die.

"You ready?" He asked. I nodded into his back. Expertly, he kicked the bike twice and it roared to life startling me. "Hold on!" He yelled and without further ado we took off at a very, very fast speed. I was going to be sick, there was no way about this. I'd take thrown over Jake's shoulder any day. Everything flew by so fast it was nothing but green, brown, and red blurs with muffled whooshing in my ears. I closed my eyes and pressed my face back into Jake's back and forced myself to think about this week's meals for lunch at the university.

We didn't ride for long and we did eventually slow to a stop. And it was a wonderful stop; everything stood still.

"Bells, you're going to have to let me go, you know."

"I'm using you for an anchor. Give me a minute, I'm waiting for my world to stop spinning." His body vibrated with his silent chuckle. With each deep breath I felt better and I was able to eventually let him go. He swung off without hitting me and watched me expectantly.

"Aren't you going to get off?"

I paused. "I think I may be stuck."

"Bella, Bella, Bella," Jake sighed, but he hauled me off like a two year old. "You're going to have to work on this motion sickness if you want to ride the bike."

"I don't want to ride the bike." I groaned. "I want the car or to walk. Not the bike." I saw his face fell and felt worse for it.

"You don't like my bike?"

"No, that's not what I meant," I grumbled, acting my age. "I'm sorry. I like the bike, I just like the world to stay still too."

His forehead kept the disappointed 'v' but he smiled despite it. "Well, come on. It's about lunch time and you're going to have to eat."

"But we just ate."

"You're not hungry?"

"No."

"Huh. Well, I am." He held the door open for me and went straight for a table that was obviously a constant haunt. "If you want anything just say so." He said, not even bothering to look at the small menu while a waitress appeared out of nowhere. "Hello, Jacob," she said. When I looked at her I thought she was pretty with her bright red hair and green eyes and then I noticed that she was crooning, "So, the usual? I'll get it out for you right away," and then sauntered off.

I stared after her and then turned to Jake feeling strangely satisfied. "So... Jake," I started, trying to fight off a smile. "You got a girlfriend yet?"

He appeared to choke on air. "What?"

"Do you have a girlfriend?"

A slow smile grew along his full mouth. "Why?"

"Because that girl has got it for you bad." I informed, nodding to her behind the counter. "I don't think she'd say no to a date."

"She's not my type." He grumbled, switching into a bad mood.

"Oh, you have a type? What kind of girl do you like?"

"Don't worry about it," he mumbled.

"No, I want to know. C'mon, Jakey, tell me."

"If you call me Jakey again you are never going to know."

"I'm sorry! I'm sorry, please tell me."

He contemplated it for a moment, looking at me as if to size me up for the information. "Fine. I guess... I guess I like a girl who's funny."

"Uh-huh," I encouraged.

"And she has to have a personality. You know, she can't just sit there like a zombie. And, um, she has to be caring and selfless."

"Is that it?"

"No."

"Are you going to tell me the rest?"

"Oh, look, Paul's here. Paul!"

I knew that name from somewhere. I turned in my seat to see a boy almost as tall as Jacob with darker skin and shorter hair. I sank down in my seat and tried to hide my face. Paul was from that disasterous night with Edward at the restaurant. "Hey, Jake. What's up?" He dragged a chair over and sat down by Jake. "You planning on going with us to the cliffs?"

"Sure. Tomorrow afternoon?"

"Yep." And of course Paul noticed me, squinted his eyes slightly, and then grinned. "You were with Masen, weren't you?"

"Well-"

"Yeah. You were the one he was out with at that rich restaurant. What, did he dump you right after?"

"No, we-"

"He drives me nuts." Paul grumbled, throwing himself against he back of his chair. "I mean, he thinks he's got it bad with his dad dying. Please. My mother died too but you don't see me moaning and bitching about it."

"Paul, come on, man." Jake interjected, his fingers wide before he flopped them back down on the table.

"Oh wait, his mom does sleep around with that doctor. Probably has been since before his dad commited suicide."

"Suicide?" I asked, shocked.

"Oh, he didn't tell you? His mother was the one that drove him to it. You see," he leaned in closer and I found myself doing the same thing. "See, his mom was married to his dad for eighteen years and somewhere along the way she had an affair with the good doc and then his dad found out and commited suicide." Paul shrugged. "Sounds like a whore to me."

I gaped. "Which doctor?"

"Doctor Carlisle Cullen."

I didn't recognize the name. "So his dad commited suicide because his wife was having an affair? I mean, it's terrible and all, but why didn't he just divorce her?"

"Because he had some mental disease."

My eyes widened.

"Oh, he didn't tell you that either? Yeah, the story is is that his dad had some mental disease like schizo or something, went crazy with grief at his wife and swallowed a bunch of pills. And still she keeps the doc around. I think Masen was about ten at the time." He paused, like a dramatic effect, and then leaned back in his chair. "I still can't stand Edward Masen. I don't know how he became the golden child, especially with who his mother is and that insanity might be hiding in that tiny brain of his. I mean, you saw how he acted at the restaurant. One minute really calm and the next he was about to kill me. Not that he could, but still."

It was like ice had froze me to the chair. My insides were suddenly cold and I couldn't move anything.

"Paul, you've said enough." I heard quietly. "I'll see you tomorrow afternoon. I'm going to take Bella back to my place."

"Alright, man." Paul said, standing like he hadn't said anything important. "See you tomorrow. See you, Bella." And he left with his hands in his pockets.

Jake was staring after Paul with black eyes and then back to me with those same eyes. "He shouldn't have said all of that."

"No, I... It's fine." I said. "It doesn't matter. Um, anyway, do you want to eat or..."

"Yeah. You should eat something too."

"I don't have money and I'm not going to let you pay." I said before he could offer.

"Then pick off my plate." He said as the red headed girl came back with his order of the biggest burger I had ever seen and fries. "Is there anything I can get you?" She asked me nicely.

"No, thank you, I'm fine."

"Well, if there is, please let me know." She said, tucking her pad back into her pocket.

I felt a little too sick to eat. His father's suicide, his mother's affair, and a mental sickness, and all at ten years old... what Edward must have gone through. While Jake finished his plate, all I could think about was how hurt he had been and how alone he must feel.