Chapter 10

All I Believe In

A/N: I can't stop thanking everyone who's been following this story! The squeeing is near-constant lately ;)

I just want to take a minute to talk about the future of Fix You. I have it all outlined and it will be over 20 chapters long, so we're not quite halfway yet. I will continue to alternate the storylines and I would recommend that, if you aren't reading both (naughty naughty), you should probably start soon. There will come a point you'll want to know what was going on in both storylines. I guarantee this ;)

I have also committed myself to updating regularly. The ideal would be every second Friday. This, I can't guarantee, but it is my every intention to try. I do have a real life which can get crazy sometimes, but I promise to let you know if things don't work out the way I planned. Check my profile or follow me on Twitter if you would like to know what's going on ;)

My undying thanks and gratitude to Sweet Dulcinea for stepping in as substitute beta for this chapter while Hopeful Wager was away (and also for being the captain of Team Boob Grab). Thanks as always to the Preview Dream Team for consistent awesomeness.

Soundtrack:

All I Believe In – Amadou & Mariam & The Magic Numbers

Goodnight and Go – Imogen Heap

Familiar Landscapes – New Found Glory

Reckless Abandonment – The Spill Canvas

Friends – Band of Skulls

Disclaimer: Clearly, I'm not Stephenie Meyer, otherwise you would have a copy of Fix You on your shelves instead of New Moon (but probably not).

BPOV

I wish I could say that I started to settle into a comfortable routine with Jake over the next week, but that was the farthest thing from the truth. I was exhausted from my inconsistent sleeping habits. Jake's visits were mostly unplanned but never unexpected. I spent every moment at home wishing that he would show up at my doorstep. I had started to sneak downstairs every evening after Charlie went to sleep so I could unlock the front door for Jake to be able to get in, if it happened to be one of the lucky nights when he made it to my house. I knew it was reckless, but that's just what Jake did to me.

Sam had been keeping the whole pack busy constantly. Since the encounter with Laurent, and Jake's subsequent transformation, they had either been spending their time training Jake in the ways of the pack or patrolling for any "company" that Laurent may have brought with him. This meant that, between being with his new "brothers" and passing out the moment he got a break, I barely got to see my Jacob any more.

The only slight glimmer of positivity surrounding the situation was that the few stolen moments I had with him resembled a fiery reunion scene at the end of some epic romantic saga. Well, as fiery as you could get while remaining wholly PG-13 in the process. Jake had seemed to become slightly more hesitant after the rocking chair incident and had been the picture of innocence since, locking his arms firmly around my waist every time he kissed me and keeping them there for the duration of the still incredibly passionate kissing sessions, no matter how willingly I pressed my body to his.

Thanks to his sudden incorruptibility, I had managed to remain firm on my "no bed" rule, although it had proven to be an interesting challenge, which served for some stretches of the imagination- and sometimes the neck and leg muscles. Being with Jake was awakening urges within me that I had previously had to suppress, due to their futile nature, and these urges were causing me to lose my resolve to an extent. In fact, I found myself wanting to lose it.

The closest I had come to wavering was the last time Jake had snuck in, two nights ago. He had sat me down on my desk and we had gotten slightly over eager for a moment, accidentally knocking my lamp to the floor with a deafening crash at 4 AM. I had resorted to stuffing him into my closet for concealment purposes and explaining (not-so-convincingly) to Charlie that I had lost my balance while trying to walk to the bathroom in the dark. He had eyed the destroyed lamp at the opposite end of the room with obvious suspicion, but seemed reluctantly to buy the story in the end.

Since then, I had been mentally warring with myself over the situation. I had to choose what was more important to me: keeping my past separate from my present or keeping Charlie from discovering Jacob in my room in the middle of the night.

I still hadn't come to a resolution by the following Saturday and I was going stir crazy inside my house. I hadn't seen Alice in a couple of days because she and Jasper had decided to go on their first proper hunting trip since returning to Forks. Alice had insisted on staying in the general area for a while because she had started having slightly ominous, blurred visions, though of what she wasn't entirely sure. She had not returned to school, deciding that it would raise more questions than anything else. She kept a low profile when coming to see me, making sure that Charlie wasn't around, and I didn't mention it to any of my friends at school either.

Combined with the fact that I still hadn't seen Jasper, what was left over was one very stressed out Bella. It was starting to weigh heavily on my conscience and, although Alice didn't say much about it, I could tell the reluctance was from his side. I guess I couldn't blame him. Our last encounter had been less than pleasant, to say the least. I didn't want to push things either, because the whole situation still seemed too fragile, like they would disappear again at a moment's notice.

I had tried everything to distract myself since I had woken up way too early for a Saturday morning. I soon found that one could only do so much laundry, cleaning and reading before wanting to crawl out of one's own skin. Normally, I wouldn't have been so anxious, but I had gotten a text from Jake the night before saying that Sam had promised them some free time over the weekend and that he would let me know as soon as he got home.

Strangely enough, I had found myself standing in front of my closet, mentally debating over what to wear for the occasion. It probably didn't matter, because Jake had seemed plenty happy with my plain pajamas the last few times he had snuck in my room, but seeing him in the daylight was different. I eventually settled on a plum-colored, v-neck tank, a black cardigan and dark jeans. I had felt particularly pleased with the way the dark colors made my eyes stand out just a little bit more than usual and silently hoped Jake would feel the same.

I had expected his call in the morning, but it was already past lunchtime and I had had enough. I phoned his cell but got no answer, and Billy was being his usual cryptic self about Jake's whereabouts. I decided to take the situation into my own hands and drive to La Push to wait for him. I was uncharacteristically nervous and excited, practically bouncing in the front seat of my truck in a way that would be much more fitting of Alice, as I drove down the narrow highway.

I pulled up to Jake's little red house, immediately feeling comforted by the familiar landscape. If merely being in Jacob's living space was doing this to me, I hoped that actually seeing him and spending time with him would melt away all the anxiety that had been building up inside. I noticed that Billy's truck was gone and wondered whether Jake had been home yet. I contemplated my course of action for a moment before I had a brainwave.

I hopped out of my truck, into the light drizzle and strode up to Jake's front door, trying not to look shifty and failing miserably. I knocked softly on the door, but didn't expect much since Billy didn't seem to be home. I glanced around momentarily and proceeded to test the door handle. I was pleasantly surprised when it turned without a struggle and the door creaked open. I felt like one of those lame girls in B-grade movies who went into other people's houses, uninvited without good reason. The only difference was that Idid have good reason. I wanted to surprise Jake by waiting inside until he got home. I ignored the voice in the back of my head telling me that what I was doing wasn't in any way rationally justifiable and that I should wait in my truck or on the beach like a normal person. I wasn't in the mood to be normal.

Today, I wanted to be reckless.

I crept through the house quietly (for no good reason since no one was there anyway) to find Jake's bedroom door slightly ajar. I pushed it open and my heart jumped in surprise and excitement when I found him asleep, dwarfing the small single bed with his enormous form. The whole scene was almost comical, his bare feet dangling over the edge by what seemed like a mile. I felt a warm glow spread throughout my chest as I took him in: his dark lashes resting softly on his bronze cheeks, his lips slightly parted, his entire face the picture of serenity. I hadn't seen him so peaceful in weeks.

Guilt started to creep to the back of my mind as I realized how selfish I was for wanting him to spend time with me when he was so obviously exhausted. I didn't want to disturb him now, but I couldn't bring myself to leave him either. The urge to touch him and be near him was just too great. I kicked off my shoes and crawled onto the only small unoccupied piece of bed in front of him, nuzzling back into his surprisingly clothed chest and pulling his limp arm over me. I let out a sigh as I started to relax instantly from the feeling of his familiar, warm body against mine. I hadn't realized until that moment how worn out I was from all the stress, and I felt myself slipping into sleep after a few moments wrapped in his embrace.

I woke to the sound of my name being whispered in my ear. Goosebumps rose on my neck as breath tickled my skin. Strong, warm arms enclosed tighter around me, pulling my back flush against a solid chest. My heart was racing instantly.

"Jake, you're awake," I breathed, my lips spreading into a reflexive smile.

"And you're in my bed," he murmured sleepily. "What happened to bedbargo?"

"Bedbargo only applies to my bed," I laughed, placing a soft kiss against the arm that my cheek was resting on.

"How come you didn't tell me that sooner?" he demanded playfully, though the haze in his voice remained. "I would've had you sneaking into my room weeks ago."

He trailed a few sloppy kisses down my neck that made my indignant comeback die on my lips. The closeness of our bodies and Jake's relaxed playfulness in light of his semi-conscious state made me feel giddy.

I turned onto my back and his lips found mine instantly, his tongue slipping into my mouth and brushing lazily against mine. His fingers disappeared into my hair and his thumb stroked my cheek gently. It was an innocuous gesture, but my breath and pulse sped up even more, forcing me to pull away from him sooner than I would've liked because I was gasping for air. When I opened my eyes, he was gazing down at me with heavy lids, brushing his fingers through my hair lovingly.

"You okay over there?" he asked softly, smirking.

"For now, but who knows what'll happen if you keep going like that?" I was still trying to catch my breath.

"You mean, like this?" His lips returned to mine and his tongue was back a moment later, resuming the same deep, languid rhythm as before. A gentle tingle was starting to creep to the base of my spine.

My eyes fluttered closed and I moaned softly into his mouth despite myself. The corners of his mouth turned up into a smile but his lips never left mine. I arched my back slightly, pushing my body against him and threw my leg over his, losing myself as I tangled into him. From what I'd been experiencing with him for the past week, I expected him to pull away reluctantly, but there was no indication of any hesitance from him as he covered my body with his. I lifted my hips to him and my heart stuttered in exhilaration as his hard length pushed against my thigh. He didn't retreat in embarrassment like the previous time I had noticed his body's reaction to me. Instead, he allowed me to guide him down towards me, urging every part of him against me, needing to feel him.

The fingers of his left hand were digging into my hip firmly but not painfully, while his other hand was cupping my face as our kisses grew more feverish. I was surprised by my own brashness as I pushed my hands under the hem of his t-shirt and followed along the smooth, muscular contours of his back. He released my lips, allowing me to pull the shirt over his head and drop it to the floor beside the bed. His eyes were the deepest shade of brown I had ever seen on him. He looked completely mesmerized by me as he touched my cheek and crashed his lips down onto mine again. His chest heaved against me as I struggled with my cardigan, eventually managing to free my arms and pull his bare chest back down to my partially clothed one. I became distinctly aware that there were only two thin layers of fabric between Jake's blazing skin and my hardened nipples. My heart and mind raced, wondering if he could feel my excitement, considering I was well aware of his.

My love for Jake was starting to manifest in a more tangible, physical way. My body was aching with a new and thrilling need, seemingly brought forward by the sudden absence of boundaries between us. I found myself wanting to touch him in ways I had only ever thought about in passing, and I wanted him to do the same to me.

Jake continued to kiss me as he brushed his fingers over my hip, just under the hem of my shirt, but I wanted his hands on me everywhere. My heart was thundering as I grabbed his wrist and started to guide his hand upwards, over the bare skin of my stomach. His entire body seemed to stiffen but I simply whispered, "Yes," against his lips, assuring him of what I wanted.

He trembled slightly as his fingertips grazed over the thin cotton of my bra. I gasped as his hand engulfed my breast and squeezed gently, cautiously. His breathing became ragged as he palmed my breast experimentally. It felt wonderfully intimate, having him touch me somewhere no one besides me ever had before, and I soon felt greedy for more. I placed my hand over his and squeezed, urging him with my eyes to be less careful with me, wanting him to be less careful. I dragged my fingers down his naked back and he let out a soft moan that made his body tremor against mine.

I gasped in surprise and delight as he responded to my urges, fumbling slightly to pull the flimsy fabric of my bra aside and captured my nipple between his thumb and forefinger, squeezing gently. His touch against my sensitive skin brought heat that spread throughout my body and yet formed contradictory goosebumps while doing so. I looked into his eyes and found tenderness and intensity there. He seemed overwhelmed, his breaths shallow and frantic.

I knew that neither of us had a clue what we were doing, but thus far our instincts seemed to be a pretty accurate guide to what felt good, so I decided to trust my instincts as I lifted my thigh to brush against his hardness. He grunted in response to the friction and started to move against me in return. He brought his other hand to my stomach and pushed the rest of my shirt up, before cupping my other breast and squeezing firmly.

Our kisses grew sloppy and reckless as our eager hands explored each other and our bodies rubbed together. I let my fingers wander down his back, below the waistband of his pants but over the soft cotton of his underwear to grip his firm ass in my hand.

He groaned again, reluctantly pulled his lips from mine and met my eyes with his own blazing stare. "Can I?" he whispered, reaching behind me to gently brush over the clasp of my bra. I bit my lip and nodded, arching my back to allow him better access as his erratic breaths tickled my cheek. My heart was hammering in my chest, my head was spinning and I didn't want it to stop, even for a second. Sharing this with Jacob, myJacob, connecting with him on this new level was incredibly special and intimate. It felt right.

Jake mumbled some kind of obscenity under his breath as he wrestled with the clasp and I grew impatient, reaching behind my back to try and help.

"Jake? Are you okay?"

We both froze when we heard Billy's voice at the door, followed by a creaking as it swung open.

I squeezed my eyes shut, wishing this wasn't happening and heard Jake whisper, "Fuck," in my ear as he shifted his body to shield me from Billy's view.

"Oh, I didn't..." Billy's voice was strained and uncomfortable. I heard a dull thud and opened one eye hesitantly, peeking over Jake's shoulder to see Billy trying to reverse his wheelchair out of the doorway. His own eyes were also tightly shut and his horrified face was turned away from the scene before him. "I'll just..."

He finally managed to escape the room, leaving me and Jake paralyzed, still in the midst of trying to unfasten my bra. His body started to shake with laughter as he folded his arms around me, hugging me tightly to him.

"Oh my gaaaaawd," I whispered, unable to move in my own shock and embarrassment, "that was the single-most terrifying experience of my entire life. And you know how many near-death experiences I've had."

Jake chuckled, placing a soft kiss to my temple before rolling off me and straightening my shirt. "I don't think we'll be able to look him in the eye ever again."

I sat up with a start. "You don't think he'll tell Charlie?" I demanded, suddenly horror-struck.

Jake's features pulled into a grimace at the thought. "Can you imagine the two of them having that conversation? I'm sure they'd both rather die. I doubt Billy will say anything."

"I think you're right," I agreed, the mental image of Billy and Charlie simultaneously keeling over from awkwardness dancing through my mind.

Jake grabbed his t-shirt from the floor and I couldn't help but admire the way the muscles of his back rippled as he pulled it over his head. My body was still flushed with heat and excitement from our little "session." I could almost still feel Jake's skin blazing against mine. He handed me my discarded cardigan and I pulled it on, fastening the buttons for the chaste effect while he put on a pair of sneakers. I swung my legs off the edge of the bed and leaned my head against his shoulder. He took my hand in his and brought it to his lips, kissing my knuckles softly before standing up and pulling me to my feet in front of him.

He scrutinized me for a moment, smoothing my hair before bending down to whisper in my ear. "To be continued."

I swore that I got goosebumps on my eyeballs.

He chuckled at the pained look on my face and slung an arm around my shoulders protectively, trying to lead me out. "We should probably leave my room before my dad dies of an aneurysm."

I wasn't budging. "Can't we just sneak out your window and never ever speak to him again? I think I'd prefer that."

"If we want our parents to treat us like adults, we should probably show them that we areadults." Jake's rational wisdom irked the irrational teenage girl inside me.

"I don't wanna," I pouted obstinately.

"Come on," Jake urged, dropping his arm from my shoulders and lacing his fingers through mine, tugging at me with a playful smile, "there's somewhere I want to take you."

I raised a curious eyebrow at him and he kissed the tip of my nose. "You'll see," he said with a wink.

I took a deep breath, steeling myself for the unbearable awkwardness that was sure to follow and let Jake lead me from his room and into the living room. Billy was flipping through channels at a speed that made it impossible for him to discern what was on the screen.

Jake cleared his throat and Billy turned to us briefly before looking away again, fumbling with the remote to mute the television. I followed Jake around the couch to stand a few feet from Billy. I was gripping Jake's hand so hard, it should've been painful. He didn't flinch at all, but I could feel him grow slightly restless next to me. I glanced up at him to see him lift his hand to scratch the back of his neck like he always did when he was uncomfortable, but then he seemed to think better of it and he curled his fingers into a fist which he shoved into the pocket of his pants.

"Sorry about that, Dad," Jake finally said, breaking the excruciating silence.

"Uuhh, yeah." Billy still wasn't looking at us. His eyes were fixed on some distant point over our shoulders. "Look, believe it or not, I'm not too old to remember what it felt like to be your age. You kids are going to do what you want to do, and I'll be... cool about it if you are."

My eyes flickered to Jake for a second in disbelief. He seemed equally surprised by his father's unexpected handling of the situation.

Billy continued after a short pause. "I won't tell Charlie about..." He cleared his throat. "As long as you promise to keep it safe and away from where I can interrupt it."

"We aren't doing anything serious yet-" Jake began but Billy cut him off with a stern look. "Safe. Got it." Jake nodded.

"Good," Billy replied, turning back to the television.

I smiled up at Jake and breathed a sigh of relief.

He winked at me before raising his voice slightly over the noise of the television. "I'm gonna take Bella to Emily's place now," Jake said, squeezing my hand affectionately. I raised my eyebrows in surprise and he just nodded his head toward the door.

"Have fun." Billy didn't turn to look at us. "Bring me back something good if she was baking."

"Will do," Jake replied, starting to head outside. "Bye, Dad!" he called over his shoulder.

"Bye, Billy," I echoed as we exited the house. I was beyond relieved to get out of there.

When we stepped outside, the drizzle had stopped but the sky was still obscured by a thick cover of clouds. Evening appeared to be approaching fast. I shivered slightly as the cool air wrapped around my body. Jake noticed and pulled me against his warm side.

"Do you need a jacket?" he asked.

"I'll get one out of my truck," I said, steering us in the right direction.

We walked the short distance in silence and he stood by quietly as I rummaged in the cab for my jacket. I pulled it on and turned to find him staring at me with the cutest grin plastered over his face. My heart jumped slightly at the intensity of his gaze.

"What?" I asked, pushing my hair behind my ear uneasily and dropping my gaze to his shoes.

"Hey." He touched a finger to my chin, gently urging me to look up at him. When I did, the cuteness and intensity were still there. My heart stuttered again. "I love you."

Any residual uncomfortable feelings melted as his words seemed to seep into me, causing a warm glow to spread through my body. I sighed as I leaned into his lips instinctively. He kissed me sweetly and wrapped me in a hug. "I love you, too" I sighed, relaxing into his embrace.

"We haven't said that in a while," he noted.

"It's because we don't see each other enough," I complained, squeezing him tighter to emphasize my need. "When we do see each other all we do is catch up and make out. We don't have a chance to just... be."

"I know," he mumbled into my hair. "Sam seems to be lightening up, though. It doesn't seem like any other bloodsuckers followed that Laurent leech here, so I think things will start to get more normal from now on. Well, as normal as they'll probably ever be, with what we are."

I cringed inwardly at my own selfishness. Poor Jacob was going through the most confusing, demanding time of his life and here I was, complaining that I didn't get to see him enough. "I'm sorry. I don't want to make it harder for you than it already is."

"I kinda like it." He pulled me from him gently and took my face in his hands. "It's nice to feel wanted."

"You are very wanted, Mr. Black," I replied, rolling onto my tip toes to peck him on the lips. His delighted smile was a thing of beauty. "So, you're taking me to Emily's place? That's Sam's fiancé, right?"

"Right." He made sure my jacket was zipped up tightly before taking my hand again and started to stroll toward his garage. "I think it's time you met the people who've been keeping me so busy all the time."

A significant part of me was elated that he wanted me to meet his new "family." I had heard a lot about them from Jake and already felt like I knew them personally. Despite this, I couldn't help but feel nervous, too. Even though I was Jake's girlfriend now, I wasn't sure how accepting they would be of my vampire-filled past. Not to mention the vampires I currently had in my life. I suddenly realized that Jake hadn't said anything about my seeing Alice since that first day he'd come to my room after Alice had been there. There was no way he couldn't smell her everywhere. I wondered whether he was trying to avoid confrontation by not bringing it up, or whether he was simply respecting my privacy. Either way, I still wasn't sure if it was a good thing or not.

I swallowed nervously as we came to a standstill in front of the garage. "How do they feel about... us?" I hoped I wasn't being too roundabout in my questioning.

Jake straightened up after lifting the door to open it and shifted uncomfortably. "Well, they don't know you, so they can't really judge fairly yet."

"So, they've been judging me unfairly?"

Jacob pressed his lips together in concentration, his inner debate obvious on his face.

I touched his arm lightly, attempting to convey my sincerity. "I'm asking because I want to know. You don't have to gloss it over."

He sighed heavily before speaking. "They're definitely not going to let the vampire thing go, even though you are with me now. But I've only been telling them good things about you, so you're not walking into an entirely hostile environment, if that's what you're worried about." He smiled so genuinely that I felt any doubts I may have had start to dissipate.

"What kind of environment should I be expecting?"

"I'm hoping, if they behave themselves, for some good natured teasing." He touched his knuckles to my cheek and winked. "But I know you can give as good as you get."

He started towards the Rabbit that was parked inside, but I didn't move. A question was fighting its way out. "Jake," I called him back softly. "How about you? Can you let the vampire thing go?"

He stood still, turned from me. I noticed his shoulders tense slightly before they slumped on the exhale. I already regretted asking it. This was the first quality time I got to spend with Jake in so long, and here I was, complicating things.

"Bella," he breathed as he rounded back toward me hesitantly, his face serious, "do you remember the first time I came to you after that whole episode in the meadow?"

My cheeks flushed crimson and I nodded slowly as I recalled the many things that made that day memorable.

"Remember when I said I can't change your past, so I'll just have to learn to accept it?"

"And what about my present?" I challenged, my voice remaining soft but level.

He took a deep breath through his nose, his jaw flexing subtly. "It's not easy for me, Bella. Every instinct in me keeps screaming that they're the enemy. That smell in your house..." He trailed off, crinkling his nose, a pained expression darkening his features before he shook his head, as if clearing a haze. "But I see how much you care about her... Alice, and she obviously loves you, too, otherwise she would never have tried to warn you about that leech in the woods..." The inner struggle was so raw on his face, it caused a pang in my chest. I had no idea that he was so conflicted about it. "I'm really trying to accept that you want to spend time with her. Really. I can tell how happy it makes you. So, as long as she doesn't bring anything... nasty with her, I'll keep on trying my best. I love you, Bella, and I want to see you safe and happy."

I took a step forward and touched his cheek lightly, wishing that I could brush the conflict from his features. I was completely overwhelmed by the intensity of his desire to make the situation easier for me. "Jake, why didn't you tell me how tough it's been on you?"

He sighed and closed his eyes. "You said it yourself, we've been spending so little time together, we don't get a chance to actually talk."

"I want to know what you're thinking." I curled my fingers around his neck and pulled him against me. "Always."

He mumbled his agreement into my hair and held me close for a few moments before releasing me. "Let's get going." His tone seemed genuinely lighter, although a bit of strain still remained. "I told Emily we'd be there before dinner."

The sky was darkening as we drove east on the highway. I filled the travel time with questions about the other boys in an attempt to prepare myself for the evening ahead.

As we pulled onto a narrow dirt road, Jake swallowed audibly. "You know I told you about how Sam accidentally hurt Emily in their early days?" he asked worriedly.

"You said she had some scars?"

"Yeah, so please don't stare. It makes Sam uncomfortable."

"No problem." I squeezed his knee in reassurance.

We reached the end of the lane and a tiny, pale house became visible. A dim light shone from the only narrow window beside the battered blue door, but the whole scene was cheered significantly by bright yellow and orange marigolds that spilled from the window box. As I got out of the car, the sound of booming male voices and laughter filled the air, along with the delicious smells of dinner and what I assumed to be dessert.

Jake took my hand and gave it an encouraging squeeze as we walked to the door, the sounds of merriment growing louder as we approached. Jake opened the door without knocking and we stepped into the front room which was filled to the brim with oversized, raucous teenage boys.

"Jake!" Embry exclaimed, spotting us first.

The others turned to us and started to holler their own greetings.

"So, we finally get to meet the Bella Swan," Jared mocked playfully. "You honor us with your presence, milady." He stood up and bowed theatrically.

I felt my cheeks fire up immediately, causing them to howl with laughter, and I ducked my head into Jake's arm, giggling in embarrassment. Jake threw his arm around me and gave me a little squeeze, though I could also feel him shaking with laughter.

"Wow, Jake, you weren't exaggerating. This girl lights up like a Christmas tree." A melodic female laugh tinkled from the other side of the room.

I looked up and noticed Emily for the first time, hands on her hips, wearing a bright floral apron. A silky curtain of raven black hair cascaded down her shoulders and half a smile was playing on her lips. The other half of her mouth was obscured by a deep, red scar that caused a perpetual grimace to darken her otherwise perfectly beautiful features. She must have been completely breathtaking before the accident. The two other scars alongside it that pulled at the corners of her eye and across her cheek were a testament to how dangerous a young werewolf could be. I suddenly understood why it had been such a huge risk for Jacob to see me so soon after his first transformation, and why he had stayed away after that until he learned to control it. Even though I knew that they had taken care of Laurent easily, a part of me still didn't grasp how immensely strong these werewolves were. I stifled the involuntary shiver that threatened to overtake me at the thought of what my own scarred face would look like, and smiled warmly at Emily instead.

"Welcome to the circus, Bella," Emily joked. "I'll try to keep the animals in check, but I make no promises." Her gaze swept lovingly over the boys who were stuffed into an assortment of mismatched chairs. Two small tables of different heights had been pushed together to create the makeshift dining room set. I would've felt like I was intruding on a happy family dinner had it not been for the welcoming face of every person in the room.

Sam rose from his chair and gestured to me and Jake to take a seat across from him. "You two have perfect timing. Emily was just about to take dinner out of the oven. She made her famous chicken."

I glanced to the empty space across from Sam, which was right next to Paul, who I found the most intimidating of all the boys. He had a wicked grin plastered over his face at the sight of my nervous blush. I swallowed heavily and started to take a seat next to Paul, who winked at me mischievously and commented loudly over the hum of conversation around the table, "I'll have a breast... I love me some white meat."

Paul started to laugh but swore abruptly when Jake leaned over and punched him in the shoulder. "Ouch," he complained, rubbing his arm and wincing.

The whole table broke into a fit of laughter and when I looked back at Jake he was beaming from ear to ear. I realized with a little skip of my heart that his expression was one of joy. Jacob was obviously thrilled to have us all together in one place.

Emily leaned over us, still rolling her eyes and placed a large dish filled with some kind of bubbling liquid in the middle of the table, next to a vase which held a bunch of wild flowers and two other bowls: one filled with rice and the other with salad. The aromatic fragrance that filled my nostrils was wonderful and my tummy rumbled in response.

The boys chattered and bickered over who was getting the biggest piece as Emily took their plates one by one and dished the chicken for them in the most endearing maternal way. She checked that each one of them got salad as well before sitting down next to Sam, who was at the head of the table.

"Before we start," Sam began, his deep voice quieting the excited boys down instantly, "Emily and I have some news that we'd like to share with you." He took Emily's hand in his and glanced over at her lovingly.

"Do we hear the pitter patter of little paws?" Embry batted his eyelashes sweetly.

Emily smiled at Sam and her eyes were filled with such an overwhelming amount of love that I almost felt the need to look away.

"Actually, you're exactly right." Sam never took his eyes from Emily as he spoke. "We found out today. In just over six months, Em and I are going to be parents."

A chorus of cheers erupted from around the table and everyone got up to congratulate the elated pair. Jake clapped Sam on the shoulder and I voiced my own words of congratulations before making way for the other guys to get past. Jake leaned over and placed a light kiss on my cheek, smiling affectionately. I sighed contentedly, enjoying the buzz of excitement in the room. I already felt at home between this warm group of people and I felt very honored to be included in such a special moment in Sam and Emily's relationship.

Eventually, we all settled down to enjoy Emily's delicious cooking, which was made even more pleasant by the light banter of the boys. Sam and Emily spoke of their plans to wed within a few months, before the baby was born. Emily served mouth-watering chocolate cake for dessert and sat sipping tea with me as we watched the five boys wash the dishes after dinner.

Jake's interaction with the rest of them was fascinating to me. He was confident and conducted himself with ease even though he was the latest "joiner" to the pack and also one of the youngest. Every one of them seemed to have a well-defined role in the group dynamic, and their diverse personalities complimented one another perfectly. Even though they liked to joke with each other and make fun, there always seemed to be a healthy level of mutual respect involved, especially for Sam. He was one of them, but they followed him naturally.

"Isn't it amazing to think that they all get along so well?" Emily asked quietly, noticing my enthrallment with the scene before me. "Especially considering how bad things could've turned out with the whole Alpha thing."

"Alpha thing?" I frowned.

"It's starting to get late," Jake interrupted abruptly before Emily could answer. "Charlie will be getting antsy if I bring you home too late."

It really was starting to get late and, even though I had left a note for Charlie letting him know I would be with Jake, I knew he would be worried already. We said our goodbyes and thanked Emily for the wonderful meal. I made a mental note to ask Jake about the "Alpha thing" as soon as we were alone again.

I held a plastic container filled with cake for Billy as Sam escorted us to the car.

"I wanted to talk to the two of you about something," Sam lowered his voice seriously when we were out of earshot of the house, "but I didn't want to do mention it in front of the others and risk an overreaction."

"What is it, Sam?" Jacob's voice immediately shifted into a businesslike tone that I had never heard him use before.

"On my last patrol this morning, I caught a vampire scent that was probably a few days old. I didn't want to jump to any conclusions, knowing that there are Cullens in the area, so I was hoping that Jake could take a whiff of it and tell me if it's one of them."

"I only know the female's scent from Bella's house," Jacob replied, "the male hasn't been near there."

It was strange to hear them talking about Alice and Jasper like they were suspects in a murder investigation.

"If it's not the female, we'll have to arrange for you to get a piece of clothing of the other one to rule him out. Bella, do you think you could speak to them for us?" Sam asked earnestly.

I nodded, unease starting to creep up my spine. "They're away for the weekend, but I think they may be coming back tomorrow. I'll phone Alice and ask her about it as soon as I get home."

"Thank you." Sam nodded curtly before turning back to Jake. "Come back after you've dropped Bella off at home so I can take you to where I caught the scent."

"I won't be long," Jake assured him.

We agreed that Jake would take me home straight away and that he would bring my truck back the next day, since it was still parked at his house.

The subdued sense of urgency between the two of them unsettled me. I had to control my breathing in order to keep the panic from setting in. As Jacob drove me home, I kept telling myself that it was just Alice or Jasper and we had nothing to worry about.

Jake must have noticed my tense expression as we continued down the highway back to Forks and he covered my hand in his, soothing me. "Bella, we got this, okay?" he said with quiet reassurance in his voice.

I sincerely hoped he was right.

A/N: I know you all are suckers for Jacob, so go ahead, swoon away…

There's some exciting news I'd like to share:

Fix You was recommended on The Little Known Ficster! (That was a full day's worth of squeeing).

Fix You has also been nominated for both a Sort of Beautiful Award for Best WIP and a Howling Wolf Award for Best Jacob and Bella! The voting information is on my profile, if you feel so inclined ;)

Next update (fingers crossed) will be Friday January 22. Your reviews will keep me squeeing til then ;)