Title: Back Home

Chapter 10

Jacobs P.O.V

Bella's been gone for at least 3 days since the incident. It was still hard to believe she'd just run from the room like that. Though I guess someone saying, 'Hey Bells how's your head? Guess what you're a vampire!' isn't the best thing to wake up to after an attack and three days of vampire venom burning through you.

I was headed over to Charlies to check up on him, he's sent out all kinds of searches and put up flyers everywhere, even sent a fax of it to police stations all over. It may have been three days since I've seen Bella but as far as Charlies concerned she's been missing since that night she went to Port Angeles, almost a week.

I was pulling into his driveway when I realised to my surprise that Bella's truck was there, my heart leaped with excitement. I parked my Rabbit and ran to the door knocking wildly. I could hear Charlies voice and figured it was Bella he was talking to. I practically had my arms open and ready to bear hug her when Charlie opened the door. I was standing there with a huge grin on my face when I noticed he didn't and he was holding the phone in one hand, my grin dropped immediately.

'Good news Jacob?' he asked hopefully. I didn't answer the question and instead I asked one.

'Why is Bells truck here?' I enquired, still a spark of hope in me expecting him to light up and say 'She's home!'… But no, not gunna happen.

'Toe truck dropped it off not long ago' he told me flatly.

'Mind if I come in?' I asked, though he looked like he may just stab someone—and I was the closest option.

He didn't answer but he stepped back from the door and motioned for me to enter.

When we were seated in the lounge room I figured I'd start with small talk.

'How are you Charlie?'

He looked at me with a dry expression, I noticed there were bags under his eyes, and he looked like crap. There were beer cans everywhere and he took a swig from the one he was holding. I swallowed hard to clear my throat.

'Any news?' I asked because he really wasn't in the mood for small talk.

'No' he said without looking up from his beer can

I could tell he was all beaten up inside and I could also tell he didn't want company.

I stood up and turned to leave

'Let me know if there's anything new, okay' I started walking toward the door when his voice stopped me.

'The last time I saw her,' he started, without looking at me 'was when she was angry at me and I wouldn't be surprised if she never wanted to see me again' he was silent for a while and I thought that was all he was going to say to me until he added something.

'I can't live without her Jacob,' he still didn't look at me and I could tell it took a lot to say this 'I have to find her, make sure she's safe or I just don't know what I'll do'

'We'll find her Charlie' I assured him and then I left, not able to bear another moment of his misery.

Sam is holding a pack meeting soon so I thought I'd take the VW back to La Push then head off to the usual meeting place on foot or more accurately paw.

Once the bug was safely away I peeled off my shirt and threw it in my window (the same window Bella had jumped out not long ago) then I took off my shorts and strapped them to my leg to make sure they didn't get shredded; then I took of running. As I ran the transformation seemed to quiver through me naturally and before too long I was running on all fours as a wolf.

It didn't take me long to reach the meeting spot and all others were there save for Paul (which wasn't a surprise). Paul hasn't been around for while now, he hasn't gone wolf for a while so we couldn't contact him and he hasn't been at any meetings. Though it wasn't his disappearance that called this meeting or the other three.

I took my place at Sam's right flank. Leah grunted.

Fine then. She thought, but it wasn't bitter, only playful,

I gave her a big wolfy grin and Sam began the meeting.

Quit it lover wolves. Let's start this meeting. Sam thought

Alright so what's up? It was Quil asking first.

We've had no info on Paul, and not much on Bella, only that she was seen running through the forest three days ago and… Sam didn't finish the sentence.

And… I prompted him.

There were also screams heard. He finished grimly.

I'm not sure there's much hope of us finding her. He added.

What are you talking about? She's a vampire now right? So she'll be fine unless one of her own killed her. Other then that the only thing that could kill her would be— I stopped midsentence, horrified.

After a short pause I tried again.

You think one of us… killed her? Don't you? I couldn't picture anyone of us doing something like that.

I suspect at least that, but I'm not sure. And I know it sounds hard to believe but maybe they hadn't recognised her. He told me.

All the other wolves looked around the circle confused.

Wait, so you think someone here did it? Embry asked

No, not someone here but a wolf, and someone in the pack. He answered warily.

I caught on pretty quick and my head spun around to look at Sam.

Paul? That's who you think it was, isn't it? I couldn't believe what I was hearing.

He nodded slowly, at that everyone in the pack seemed to stir a little, Sam called an end to the meeting and we all split.

Leah and I met up after the pack split, and now we were sitting on the beach staring off into the horizon. The sun was just disappearing into the ocean, spraying a red-ish pink colour across the sky and reflecting in the ocean; creating the perfect afternoon (even though my best friend could possibly be dead). It was peaceful for a while until Leah suddenly turned around to face me and took my hand in hers. She looked like she was battling something within herself. When we arranged to meet up here we agreed not to talk about all the commotion that's going on so I could cross that off the list of possibilities of things-she-needs-to-say.

'Jake I need to tell you something' she looked at me with a mixture of anxiety, excitement and fear.

I could tell there was something on her mind at the meeting that she was trying not to think about so I couldn't tell what it was at the time.

'Okay,' I said warily 'What is it?'

'Don't freak out okay?' she asked really fast. I could hear her heart beating rapidly also.

'Alright,' I promised her 'Just tell me, you're starting to scare me'

'I'm…,' she paused and it tried my patience a little 'pregnant'

A rush of feelings washed over me—shock, a little fear, and pure delight—I studied her face, a smile working its way across my face.

Finally I pulled her into a tight embrace and said 'I thought that wasn't possible for you'

She hugged back and said 'I thought so too, it's a miracle baby'

'Are you happy?' she asked as an after though, still hugging me.

'Of course I am,' I assured her 'A little shocked but that'll wear off'

We sat there like that, with our arms wrapped around each for a while. Until eventually she let go and told me she had to go and that we'd talk later. I gave her a parting kiss and she left.

Straight away I headed back toward the bush for my shift. Looking out for either Bella or Paul. I was hoping if I saw one of the two it was better if it was Bella, for two reasons; one because I was more concerned about Bella being found and two because if I saw Paul first I would kill him.