Author's note: So as I mentioned last time I updated, this chapter does not have Edward in it either (but he will be in chapter 11, I promise!). Nevertheless, I hope you still enjoy his one; we get to have a squiz at Sam's perspective ; ) Please remember to comment and vote when you're done! Happy reading!

Reply to reviews:

alphapup0909: Thank you for your compliments regarding the Jacob/Jasper interaction. I am glad you liked it. Sorry to deprive you of Edward for another chapter (he is my favourite too), but I hope it will be worth the wait! In the mean time, I hope you will enjoy this chapter : )

Sweetie7smiled: Thank you for your review. I have to admit that I never really considered how the Cullens thirst (especially Bella being Edward's 'singer) would affect poor Jasper. And I totally agree that Jasper does very well under the circumstances. If I have the opportunity, I will add this realization into a future chapter, because I think you make an excellent point! Thank you for taking the time to mention it to me!

Eruhin: I loved reading your review- you highlighted everything I loved about the chapter too, especially Jacob's remorse and the way the Cullens were so ready to comfort him through it. Rosalie and Emmett are not around at the moment, but I promise they will feature in the story (though not for another 3-4 chapters).

1sweetmoment: The beginning of your review left me a little scared as I read- I thought you were going to say you no longer liked the way I write Edward! I am so glad that is not the case- I see Edward as being, as you say, selfless and brave too. And I was annoyed that this wasn't really explained to Jacob in the Saga. And you are right, I think Jacob is naïve (not his own fault of course), which is another reason why I wanted to write this fic- he gains a lot more knowledge about Edward's relationship with Bella, the Cullens and vampires in general. Thank you once again for your amazing compliments- I like to think I have a gift, so it's a very beautiful thing when someone agrees with me! Thank you so much! I hope you enjoy this chapter!

Altairra: Thank you so much! I'm so glad you are loving it! My main focus in this story is on Jacob and Edward plus their feelings as they go through this journey together. I am therefore very, very happy you love the way I write these emotional moments; they are my favourites! I update every Saturday and Tuesday (Australian time), so don't worry- there will always be regular, consistent updates :D

Trust me

Chapter 10- Respect

Jacob's POV

I was relieved to see Carlisle return with a satisfied smile on his face. He told Jasper and Alice that they were free to leave and that he would stay with me until Edward returned. So, it was just me and the doc.

"My speculations were correct," Carlisle informed me, obviously relieved by this as he sat down on the edge of my bed.

No surprise there, I said to myself, knowing all along that he'd be right. But I decided not to be smart about it, so I just smiled in reply.

"Your white blood cells are actively fighting to rid the venom from your system. However, a small amount of venom remains, so I am afraid you may need to endure occasional vomiting for a while longer," Carlisle warned me, a solemn look on his face.

In all honesty, this wasn't exactly news to me; I figured I couldn't magically stop vomiting all of a sudden. But I was relieved to hear Carlisle's diagnosis; soon I will be venom free.

"I can handle it," I told him confidently, feeling optimistic that soon my retching will be over.

Carlisle nodded his agreement. "If you let me, I will test your blood again before you fall to sleep tonight, that way we can see how fast your white blood cells are able to destroy the venom"

I nodded my consent.

"In the mean time, I suggest you rest as much as possible; your body needs its strength. I imagine vampire venom would not be easy to destroy, but if there were any species capable of it, from what I've heard, a werewolf would be it," he encouraged me, clapping me gently on the arm. "Do your shoulders still ache?" he asked me, moving his hands slowly towards them as if to remove the shirt I was wearing- Emmett's I believe.

I shrugged. "It's just some bruises," I told him indifferently; the pain didn't bother me really.

"May I take a look?" Carlisle asked, evidently wanting to respect my boundaries and wishes.

"Yeah, but I'm telling you that it's nothing, they don't hurt unless someone touches them," I told him, hoping it really wasn't a big deal for I hadn't had the chance to look at the damage myself.

I took my shirt off so Carlisle could see.

Upon laying eyes on my bare shoulders, the doc was rendered speechless, but only for a second. Then he bent over me and examined the bruises. He ran his cold, though gentle thumb across each bruise, apparently not realizing that it was hurting me. I studied his face, but couldn't tell if he was curious or in shock. While he was there, Carlisle also looked at the bite Victoria gave me and commented that it was healing well, though perhaps slower than other injuries I may have had in the past.

I ran my fingers along the back of my neck and confirmed his suspicions; I was healing, but not as fast as usually would be expected from a bite from a human or another wolf.

Satisfied that he had examined all of my physical injuries, Carlisle resumed a standing position in front of me, but did not give me permission to put my shirt back on.

"Have you seen the bruises on your shoulders?" Carlisle asked me, almost cautiously as if he feared I would become angry if I were to see them.

"No, but they're just bruises right?"

"Yes… they are just bruises," confirmed Carlisle. "But I would have thought bruises would heal quickly or perhaps wouldn't even occur in werewolves?"

I thought about this for a moment.

"I have bruised before," I told Carlisle. "But normally they heal very quickly."

Carlisle nodded his head, his expression thoughtful.

"Edward must have grabbed you very hard," he finally concluded, looking at me now with an apologetic glare. "I also feel the venom has slowed down your healing abilities," Carlisle continued. I agreed with him on both regards, but didn't quite know what to say to the first comment made; Edward's grip was very strong, I thought my bones would almost break, but I didn't wish to tell Carlisle that- Edward's anger and pain need only be known to me…

"Probably," I said noncommittally.

"There is a bruise on your shoulder for every finger tip of Edward's," Carlisle said solemnly, staring at each of my shoulders as he counted again.

"They'll disappear soon enough," I told him, trying to show how much it didn't bother me. Carlisle looked at me skeptically.

Just at that moment, I felt my stomach churn. Carlisle must have seen the change in my face because he already had the bucket under me before I could even begin to ask. Five seconds later I hurled primarily clear liquid, but it took the air right out of me. I could hardly breathe. I was gasping for air when my body finally allowed me to.

"Deep breaths, Jacob," Carlisle encouraged me, rubbing my back as he put the bucket down and sat next to me. I obeyed and it was easier to stay calm than it had been in the past- perhaps because I knew I wouldn't be sick again for a while.

"You okay?"

"Yep," I said, though I struggled to speak, my mouth felt and tasted disgusting, and Carlisle's scent made my nose sting; he was sitting so close to me now. I appreciated his comfort though.

"Would you like some water?" Carlisle offered me the glass next to my bed. I shook my head; I wasn't thirsty.

"Rinse your mouth?" he suggested, indicating towards the bathroom. I nodded and walked there slowly, Carlisle walking unobtrusively by my side. I ran the tap, cupped my hands and felt them fill with cool water. I splashed the first lot on my face and the next I used to fill my mouth, swished and spat. I then saw a toothbrush lying on the shelf- it looked new. A full tube of toothpaste sat next to it. I wondered if someone had placed it there for me when they knew I was coming.

"Carlisle?" I said quietly, knowing he could still hear me even though the door was closed.

"Yes, Jacob?"

"Can I use this toothbrush?" I asked, holding it in my hand and showing Carlisle through the door.

"Of course, we put it there for you," he said kindly as if he would like nothing more than for me to use anything I wanted if it made me feel more comfortable in their home.

Carlisle and Esme's hospitality were beyond believable, even for humans- which they weren't. I could see why they fell in love- they're very similar; loving and compassionate to all living creatures, probably even the animals they killed.

I returned to the bed, my mouth feeling refreshed and minty flavoured. Glad to have the acidic bile taste gone, I sat on my bed; my eyes felt a little droopy.

I saw Carlisle watch me with a smile on his face, and then he handed me my shirt, which I put on, my shoulders hurting a little bit as I lifted my arms up.

"Have some rest, Jacob," Carlisle said, his golden eyes piercing mine. "I will call your father and let him know how you are going." His voice sounded almost like music- I wondered if that was intentional. But I didn't want to sleep just yet- there was something I wanted to ask him.

"Wait."

Carlisle turned, for he was heading towards the door, thankfully at human speed otherwise I wouldn't have caught him. "Did you need something else?"

"No, but I wanted to ask you something- I would have asked Edward, but he's not here, so…" I trailed off, pangs of guilt returning to me as I mentioned Edward's name.

"Of course, what would you like to know?" Carlisle encouraged me as he sat on my bed, folding his hands in his lap as he patiently waited for me to begin.

I felt a little awkward as I remembered the way Edward warned me that I wouldn't want to know the answer to my question, but I forced myself to continue; I was curious.

I lifted my head to look Carlisle in the eye. The moment I saw his golden irises watching me, it gave me motivation to continue.

"When Edward found me, his eyes were black- he didn't look that well. I wondered why his eyes weren't the usual golden-brown colour your coven is known for, but instead of answering me, he told me that I would probably 'prefer not to know the answer'."

I stopped speaking after this, waiting to see if Carlisle would volunteer the information I was so curious to know.

Carlisle paused, examining me closely with his eyes as if wondering whether he should tell me.

"I can handle it," I insisted, seeing the uncertainty in his gaze.

Carlisle let out a gentle sigh.

"As you know, our irises reflect our diet," Carlisle explained, shifting slightly on my bed. "Vampires who have had a recent drink of human blood, have red irises, those who drink animal blood have golden irises, and those with black eyes, and often bruises underneath them are… thirsty," Carlisle finished cautiously.

I stared at the doctor in disbelief.

"Edward was thirsty the night he found me?" I asked, my tone raised both in awe and fear.

No wonder why he refused to tell me…

Carlisle nodded, a frown appearing on his lips.

"Once you had fallen asleep that night, we forced Edward to consider how long it had been since he had fed…"
"And how long had it been?" I prompted the vampire.

"Six weeks," Carlisle replied solemnly. "I still wonder how it was possible he didn't kill you or Bella."
"You mean he could have easily sucked me dry?" I clarified, feeling sick.

"Yes," Carlisle said seriously, "though if any of my children were capable of such control, it would be Edward," he reflected, apparently satisfied with this revelation.

"So he fed whilst I was sleeping," I confirmed, now understanding how it was possible that Edward had honey-coloured eyes after I woke up from my nightmare.

"Yes; I have reason to believe that if he didn't, we could have had some serious problems with him," Carlisle said sadly. "It is dangerous when vampires have not fed in such a long time; they become… inconsolable and quick to temper."

I nodded. "I get like that too when I'm starving," I smiled a little, hoping Carlisle would appreciate my joke.

Carlisle chuckled. "I am glad you can relate, though of course, having an angry, irrational vampire who can hear everyone's thoughts is slightly more complicated," he smiled at me.

"Sure, sure," I allowed. "Well, Edward told me my blood didn't taste very good anyway."

The doc smiled gently, his lips only moving slightly: "Generally one's smell reflects the taste of their blood," he told me gently. "But blood is still blood," he emphasized as if trying to tell me, without freaking me out, that Edward would have found my blood satisfactory to feed on nevertheless.

I shivered and then let out a bark of laughter. "I was so worried he would suck me dry," I muttered, lost in thought as I stared at my hands, "he reassured me he wouldn't. Ha!" I snorted. "If I had known exactly how hard it was for him to keep his promise, I never would have let him touch me. No wonder why he refused to tell me why he looked so terrible…"

"Undoubtedly," Carlisle agreed.

"Well thanks for that Doc," I said somewhat enthusiastically, trying to make it sound like I wasn't all that affected by what he told me.

"No problem, Jacob. Is there anything else you need before I go?"

"Nope, I'm good," I smiled. "Thanks."

I watched as Carlisle slid off my bed, refilled the glass on my bedside table with water, gave me a warm smile and then walked towards the door.

"Carlisle?" I said suddenly, trying to make what I was about to say sound like it was a spur of the moment thought, when in fact, I had wanted to say it for at least a day.

"Yes Jacob?" the doc replied, turning on the spot to face me.

"Thank you for letting me stay with your family. I know it hasn't been easy on any of you… You didn't have to look after me, but you did- I wasn't expecting you to," I admitted feeling a little foolish when I realized the huge contrast between my expectations and reality. "But I'm grateful. It no longer surprises me that you've never fed on human blood; we- humans and wolves are people you care for- not food. I almost feel like- like I don't deserve your kindness."

Carlisle, who had taken a breath a few times throughout my spiel in an attempt to speak, forced me to listen to him here.

"Why do you feel that way?" he asked, intensely curious and it was evident on his face that he completely disagreed.

"This entire year, I have bad mouthed your whole family to Bella- especially Edward. Until now you were bloodsucking, dead monsters who would kill me, my brothers and any straggling humans in a heartbeat should the Treaty no longer exist." I let out a short, harsh laugh in spite of myself; while that description holds true for most vampires, it didn't for the Cullens. "I'm glad the situation wasn't reversed," I admitted, looking away from Carlisle to stare at the floor. "If a Cullen was in need of our assistance, I know for a fact that we wouldn't give it. When Edward found me, there was a part of me that wanted him to let me die because I knew that that is what I would do to him- to any of you."

"Jacob," Carlisle said quietly, his voice forced me to lift my head to face him. "Edward told me that our return to Forks a few years back marked Sam's phasing into a wolf. I fear this means our presence triggers the gene that caused him, as well as you and your brothers to follow in his footsteps. You are able to phase into these magnificent creatures, so you can protect your tribe and human-beings from us. Is this correct?"

I nodded; I could see where this was going.

"Then it is understandable you would find it impossible to spare our lives- to help us- why would you when we are the reason you had to endure such a transformation?"
"Yeah, I know- I know that is how my tribe feels, but now I cannot think that way anymore," I whispered, realizing that I would have difficulty if my pack ever needed to confront the Cullens in future. It seemed unlikely to ever happen due to the Treaty, but if it did, I couldn't kill them- not after what they've done for me. "It's not like you wanted this life either; you didn't want to be vampires…" I muttered under my breath, realizing for the first time that in this way, the Cullens and my pack were similar- reluctant to be what we are.

Carlisle didn't answer me and for a moment, I wondered whether he heard. But of course, he did- the fact that he hadn't moved should have alerted me to that. Eventually, he unfroze, walked towards the bed and kneeled down on the ground, forcing me to look into his golden eyes.

"Thank you, Jacob," he whispered, and I could tell he really appreciated what I had said. I wouldn't be surprised if I was the only human (though definitely the only wolf) to acknowledge their existence as being one they never intended for themselves. Well- Bella would be an exception of course.

I returned his gaze and gave him a smile, glad that I was able, in my own little way, to give something in return for his medical assistance, guidance and support.

"You're welcome," was all I could say in reply; I didn't know where to go from there.

Then I decided to tell him what else I had realized since being under his coven's care:

"I told myself that anything you did for me would be like returning the favour for looking after Bella these last few months- I thought I could walk away after this and feel that all your help was given to simply thank me. But this isn't like that- even if you never left Bella to begin with, you would still be this way wouldn't you?"

Still crouched on the ground, Carlisle replied: "Yes, though please understand that we are all grateful that you were here to look out for Bella… we never should have left."
"Jasper told me what happened."

Carlisle's eyebrows raised in shock, for what reason I wasn't sure.

"I blamed Edward for leaving though," I added quickly, feeling that I might as well get everything off my chest as I had with Alice and Jasper. "I was thinking along those lines just before Edward…" snapped? Cracked? Went crazy? Left?

But I didn't need to think of the appropriate word- Carlisle knew what I meant.

"We rarely saw Edward once we left. I was worried about him- I knew we shouldn't have removed ourselves from Bella- that it would destroy them both. Jasper told us at least that much, but Edward refused to listen. My son can be so stubborn, but he loves her- he did it for her. I am proud to say he is the most compassionate- the most controlled of my children, his control around Bella is especially impressive."

"Probably gets it from you," I muttered, a smirk forming on my face.

"I can only encourage him so far. The rest is up to him," Carlisle told me, his lips twitching upward at my compliment, though he was too modest to acknowledge it.

I nodded; I supposed that made sense. But then frowning, I continued what I wanted to say: "I didn't cooperate with him though- I knew he was trying to help me but I just couldn't let him- I was getting tired of it all, ya know?"

"We understand and although it may not have seemed obvious at the time, Edward understands too- he just needed a break from it, as anyone does, but especially Edward who can hear everybody's thoughts. It was not easy for him to see the dream you had this morning and it-"

"Wait, he saw that?" I asked in disbelief, though I suppose it made sense. I shuddered at what Edward must have thought of me killing Bella.

"Yes," Carlisle said seriously. "I was going to suggest to him that he leave you and let us clean up, but he ignored my thoughts."

"Hope he's okay," I said under my breath, wondering how long it would be before he returned, though knowing he was with Bella, I assumed he would take a while.

"He is," Carlisle reassured me with a smile, not a shadow of a doubt in his eyes. "Ah, Alice just said that Charlie will be leaving lunch with Billy shortly… Perhaps it would be a good time to check up on the rest of my family and then call your father, unless you wanted to talk further?"

"Nah that's okay, Doc, I'm feeling a bit tired now," I said yawning. "Thanks for keeping my dad informed."

"You are more than welcome," Carlisle said, as he helped me into bed. "It's the least I can do for him given that he allowed you to stay here."

I snorted. "Only because I convinced him you saved my life- which you probably did."

"Even so," Carlisle chuckled. "He made sure your pack didn't come after you which I have to be grateful for."

"Yeah, you kinda need to get bitten by a vampire, and then rescued by one and looked after by many to really get it," I said casually, a smile on my face.

"Right," Carlisle laughed. "Well I'm going to quickly call your father and then I'll come back and see how you are. Does that sound okay with you?"

My eyes were already closed, but I could still hear the doc. "Yeah," I whispered as I fell into a peaceful sleep.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Sam's POV

The moment I left the Cullen's I ran into the forest where I phased. Even before my body had finished trembling from the change, I had two panicked voices shouting in my mind.

"How is he?"
"Is Jacob okay?"

Embry and Quil. Embry? Phased for the first time two weeks ago- he was new to all of this, but was doing well with the help of Jacob and Quil. Both of them were on patrol when I left this morning to visit Jacob and demanded I tell them where I was going. I told them- reluctantly, but as the alpha I forbade them to tell any of the other brothers; we were not to attack unless they were keeping Jacob there against his will. As I reflected on what the reality of the situation was, I found myself being grateful that the Cullens were willing and able to care for him. I still don't know which of these was more surprising.

"He is not well," I told them seriously, but not in a doom and gloom way. They saw in my mind Jacob being sick in the bucket and both of them whimpered. Once we found one another, we ran side by side as they continued to bombard questions onto me and I continued to show or tell them what happened. By the time we reached La Push and were nearing Billy's home, they knew almost everything I did, including the fact that I allowed Dr Cullen to take my blood and lived to tell the tale. They were as impressed as I was and it was clear that they now only worried for Jacob's health, not the fact that he was residing with vampires.

Just before exiting the forest, I phased back into my human form, slid on my shorts and ran on two feet the rest of the way to Billy's house. The door was locked, which meant Billy was out. I moved around the house peering through the windows in the hope that someone was inside- I wanted to make sure I had access to the phone in case Dr Cullen rang; Billy didn't have a mobile. When I reached the living room window I saw someone lying down on the couch. Paul.

"Paul!" I yelled, tapping on the glass. He shifted on the lounge, almost falling off it, his mouth wide open as he continued to snore so loudly I could hear it through the window pane.

"Paul!" I yelled louder this time, hitting my fist gently, compared to what I was capable of, on the glass. "Wake up!"

This time, I saw one eye open a little. Seeing it was me, he leapt up and pointed towards the door, indicating that he would unlock it for me. I ran towards the front again, wondering if Billy asked Paul to stay at his place until he returned from lunch.

"Hey Sam, sorry," Paul said, in a not so genuine tone- he was never sorry for getting some sleep and most of us weren't- it was a precious commodity these days.

"No problem Paul, did Billy ask you to house sit?"

"Yeah, went out to lunch with Charlie," Paul told me, rubbing the sleep from his eyes.

"Has the phone rung?"

"Nah- well I suppose it might have, but I doubt I would have heard it-"

"Definitely not with all that snoring," I teased, which resulted in Paul punching me rather hard on the shoulder. Of course, it didn't bother me.

"So how's Jacob?" Paul asked, a far more serious, almost disgusted look on his face.

I couldn't help but smile; all of us expected Jacob to be stressed, and the vampires to be agitated by his presence. The reality could not be further from the truth.

"He is unwell, vomited a few times while I was there," I commented casually, not wanting to make it a big deal, but of course, Paul made it big.

"He puked? None of us vomit anymore," Paul protested and I could tell he immediately blamed the vampires.

"I know. They believe it is because of Victoria's venom- it's affecting his system, his body is trying to get rid of it."

I could see Paul was getting fired up, there was a slight shake to his body; he wanted as many reasons as possible why Victoria should be killed; which of course she would be if we ever had the chance to tear her apart.

"Dr Cullen wanted to take a blood test to be certain," I finished and already I could see the reaction Paul would have to this desire of the doctor's. His body was now violently shaking.

"Does he think Jake's stupid?" he hissed, barely able to talk.

"Calm down Paul; the doctor's request although involving blood was not the first time Jake has had to trust him," I told my friend calmly. Paul was still breathing heavily, but his body was shaking only slightly- I felt there was no danger of him phasing now, so I continued: "He had already given Jacob a morphine drip, and apparently he has never tasted human blood."

"That's so bullshit; I can't believe you believed him!" Paul fired at me, clearly annoyed that that was my only evidence to trust Dr Cullen.

"It is no lie," I told Paul in the strongest, most authoritative voice I could muster. "Their leader cares too much for humans to kill them- he is a doctor who looks after humans everyday."

"People make mistakes- slip up," Paul hissed at me, evidently pissed, though he would not dare try to phase, so did his best to keep his shaking under control.

"It is possible, but he didn't and neither did his wife-"

"Jacob let them- let them-" Paul was beyond speech, his face turning red with rage.

"No. I did."

Paul stared at me with an expression on his face I had never seen before. I couldn't tell whether he was more shocked or scared that I was so 'stupid'. Knowing that he would not be able to speak until I explained myself, his eyes almost popping with agitation, I continued.

"They do not know what wolf blood looks like, so to be able to identify the venom molecules, they needed to compare Jake's blood to 'normal' blood. I was resistant at first," I added, wanting Paul to know I didn't just hand over my arm the moment the vampires asked. "Jake also said no and when I left, he hadn't given his blood either, but without my blood, they wouldn't be able to help him- as his leader and brother, I felt I needed to do that- for him-"

"He could have snapped, killed you, drained you of blood! Did you ever think of that?" Paul spat in my face.

I stared straight back at him refusing to apologise for my actions; I knew I did the right thing- perhaps one had to be there to believe the reality I saw. But then, I took a step back; this was Paul and I knew Paul; he would not have been able to walk in that house no matter who was in there, except if he imprinted I suppose. Of all my brothers, he would be the most resistant to accepting that the Cullens were decent creatures.

"Of course I did," I snapped back at him. "But once I saw Jacob was safe and doing okay being in their presence, I wanted to be helpful. Dr Cullen and his wife talked me through the entire procedure and were appreciative of my control and assistance in the matter-"

"Were they also appreciative to you for telling the pack to keep Victoria away from Bella? We managed it the many months they had left Bella- depressed, lonely and completely lost in her own mind- don't pretend you didn't see it in Jacob's head! Then the moment they return Victoria gets her hands on one of our own; we should be protecting our pack not covering up for their mistakes!"
At this, I towered over Paul; his outburst had angered me, though I kept my head and stayed focused.

"We protect all human life," I asserted through my teeth. "Whether the Cullens were in Forks or not, we still would have protected Bella and you know it."

I turned my head towards the front door; I could hear Billy approaching in his wheelchair.

"We'll discuss this later," I said in a low voice to Paul, who looked like he wanted to continue this argument outside where we had more space to fight, rather than talk it out. Paul refused to move.

"Billy is almost here," I said more urgently, not wanting Billy to know that some of the pack, namely Paul was concerned about the Cullens looking after Jacob- I didn't want him to turn against them when I knew Dr Cullen and even Edward were attentive to Jacob's needs and wanted to help him. Billy had to hear my side of the story before I could let him hear Paul's.

"Out- now!" I said to Paul, pushing him towards the back door.

Paul growled loudly in frustration, his hands clenched by his sides, then he turned and sprinted through the back door and into the forest. I saw him phase in the distance. I sighed- I must prepare myself to hear more attacks from him later- at least as a wolf I will have more control over him.

I quickly walked to the front door to let Billy in. I had never seen him enter his house so quickly. He rolled over the small step as if it were nothing and pushed his way passed me, evidently eager to get inside and close the door so I could tell him how his son was doing.

Billy parked himself in the dining area and rested his left elbow on the table as if he already needed the extra support. He looked up at me with his dark eyes. I could see the uncertainty in them as if he wasn't sure whether he wanted to hear what I had to say. I decided to relieve him from his misery.

"He's safe with them," I told Billy, certainty emanating from my voice and my entire being.

Billy seemed to relax a bit more and removed his left elbow from the table to rest his hand in his lap.

"Tell me everything."

I began from the beginning. I told Billy that Edward wasn't home when I arrived, but when he returned his family was eager for him to decide what to do about the vivid nightmare Jacob was having. I told Billy that his son was dreaming about becoming a vampire and had killed people to drink their blood. Billy was disgusted. I felt there was slightly more to the dream than what was being let on by Jake and even Edward. When I told Billy about Edward's ability to read minds, he stared at me as if he thought I was mad. I reinforced to my elder how important this 'gift' became with regard to Jacob's recovery and most especially, his dream. This made Edward one of, if not the best at looking after Jake's needs; Jake wouldn't even need to talk. Like most people, Billy immediately thought of the lack of privacy that comes with being in Edward's presence, rather than the benefits. I admit that I felt the same.

My description of the situation once Jacob woke up seemed deceptively simple, but it was rather complicated. I described to Billy the scene: Edward had sat himself on Jacob's bed, I was standing next to the head of the bed on the right, Carlisle on the left and Jasper and Alice behind.

No one spoke a word except for Edward and Jacob; we were too busy trying to keep track of what was happening given that Jake didn't always speak what he was thinking. I described as best I could the look on Edward's face, a pained, desperate look when he realised he wasn't able to help. The unnaturally still posture of Jasper as he watched Jacob and Edward with wide eyes, which I later realised was because he was distressed by Jacob's feelings of fear and helplessness.

I tried hard to do justice what Edward eventually managed to do with Jacob's confused and delusional state. The way Edward stared, his bright golden eyes boring into Jake's as he forced Jacob to touch his cold, pale chest to then contrast the absent heart with his own strong beating one. Jacob would never be a monster like him.

Billy's face then became one of sympathy and gratitude for Edward; like me, I could tell he believed that a true monster could never refer to themselves as a monster in the gentle, soothing tone Edward used. My elder was touched by Edward's words and the way he handled the situation with Jacob. He told me that he doubted any of us, being the pack, could have handled it better. The praise and respect in his deep tones were unmistakable. After this moment, I remembered how Edward's expression relaxed and changed when he saw that Jacob was accepting reality once more. As I was talking to Billy, I paused when I remembered how Edward looked shortly after this. Jacob hadn't said anything, yet I was sure he must've thought something to Edward. The vampire looked as if he was about to cry, but then remembering that they weren't capable of that, I thought it was a trick of my imagination. I tried to ask Jake what he said, but he refused to tell me. This interested Billy greatly; he wanted to know, as much as I did, what his son said to Edward.

But these suspicions were soon forgotten when I told Billy that Jacob vomited. As Jake told the Cullens, he had never been sick in his life, except perhaps when he was a baby. This worried Billy tremendously- he urged me to continue, and so I did.

"From what I could gather, Jacob felt sick after getting out of the shower. Edward must've heard his thoughts, told Jasper and Alice to open the door while he ran downstairs to get a bucket. He returned in more than enough time and sure enough, Jake vomited straight into the bucket which Edward was holding for him. He vomited twice more and then the bucket was replaced with an empty one. You should have seen them Billy," I said, unable to keep the awe out of my voice; while my brothers and I were strong and tall in human form, we were only fast because of these features, but vampires can move as fast as wolves without having to phase. I was slightly jealous. "Edward was there talking to Jake, comforting him with one hand and holding the bucket with the other. Jasper was there with his hand on Jacob's back-"

"Why?" Billy cut in and I couldn't believe I hadn't told him about Jasper's gift yet, which it truly was even though Jacob was resistant to its effects.

"I forgot to tell you, Jasper is able to sense the emotions of others and believe it or not, he can alter your feelings. He was trying to calm Jacob down."

"You're kidding me," Billy said as a statement, rather than a question, more in shock than actually asking me whether I was being honest; obviously he knew I wouldn't just make this up. "And you feel he is actually capable of this?"

"Yes, though Jacob did his best to resist- from what I could understand he was too distressed, his mind too closed off to being calm for Jasper's gift to take affect."
"Unbelievable…"

I snorted. "Yeah I thought so too until he successfully made me calm, not that I needed his assistance of course, he just wanted to check that it was Jacob that was resistant to his gift, not the werewolf gene."

Billy stared and I saw an element of fear flash across his eyes. While we knew that vampires could be gifted, we thought it was rare. Yet with the Cullens, we now knew this was not the case- I knew Old Quil and the other members of the council will need to be updated. I decided, however hesitantly to enlighten Billy about the final gift in their coven- might as well have it all out in the open.

"Not that this is important to the story, but Alice, Jasper's partner also has a gift," I said a small smile of amusement on my face as I watched Billy stare at me in horror. I never realised until I entered their domain just how powerful they were- individually but also as a family.

"Prepare yourself," I warned Billy seriously because in my eyes, though I did not see it in action, Alice's gift had to be the most amazing of them all.

Billy gulped, probably unconsciously as he watched me like a hawk, waiting patiently for me to spill.

"Alice can see into the future," I told him. "But," I added before Billy started to fear that she knew everything about us. "She cannot 'see' werewolves. For example, when Edward found Jacob, Edward's future went dark and Alice panicked because she knew that meant he was with a werewolf. That's all I know about it though, but her gift is accurate," I explained to Billy who didn't seem to be breathing.

I gave him a minute to process what I had said; we thought we knew the Cullens, but they are so much more than blood drinking creatures.

"They are a highly gifted coven," Billy eventually murmured, lost in thought, no doubt wondering how this would affect the tribe. I didn't see that it should- though it was important to know these facts about them. Thankfully they were not threatening gifts- only to our privacy.

"Yes," I agreed. "But as a group they work remarkably well and very quickly. Without being asked, Alice began cleaning the bathroom floor where Jake had missed the bucket, Carlisle's wife Esme was running around cleaning buckets and returning them to Edward and Carlisle was organizing fresh sheets for Jacob's bed. I didn't have to do anything and never did I once think he was in danger from them. They were there to help; that was very clear."
Billy simply shook his head- I didn't know what he was expecting to have happened, but it definitely wasn't this.

I went through briefly with Billy the theories devised by Carlisle and Edward that followed these vomiting episodes. Billy listened intently to each one, but was instantly aversed to finding the answer when I told him the doctor needed a blood test to support his idea. But not only did he need a sample from Jacob but from me as well.

"What did you do?" Billy asked me, eyes wide as he searched my arms for some indication as to whether I had the test or not. When he couldn't find any evidence, which if he were not so distressed, he would have realised there wouldn't be any due to my being a wolf, he turned straight back to my face, his eyes demanding an answer.

"I was resistant at first," I began. "But," I continued quickly, for I could see Billy was about to interrupt, "I realised that they wouldn't be able to determine for certain the progress of the venom without my blood. After Edward told me that Carlisle had never drank human blood before-"

"Impossible!"

"It's true. If you think about it, it makes sense. He cares for humans for a living- at least one hundred years if not more. He cares about people too much- why do you think anyone who joins his coven must drink animal blood? He must have chosen that path when he realised he couldn't drink a human's."
"From what I have heard, that must've taken an immense amount of control."

"I have no doubt, and he continues to display that- can you imagine the injuries, the amount of blood he would have seen in a hospital? Human blood doesn't even tempt him anymore…"

Again Billy was shaking his head and I understood his feelings; the idea that a vampire has never tasted a drop of human blood was extraordinary to us.

"I can't believe this."

"Neither could I, but for Jake's sake, I had to trust them- Carlisle and his wife Esme took me through the procedure. I watched them constantly, waiting for a sign of weakness when my blood was trickling into the tube," Billy winced. "But there was nothing. Carlisle was too focused on getting the job done and being careful- he could already tell I was anxious, and Esme was rubbing my shoulder and telling me I was a good job. If they smelt anything at all, it didn't distract them," I said with confidence.

Thirty seconds after I finished talking, the phone rang. I had a feeling that it would Dr Cullen calling to update us on Jake's progress. I was glad I was correct; I was eager to hear whether Jake had recovered from his vomiting episodes, because they were really difficult to watch, and no doubt, difficult for Jake to endure.

I would only hear Billy's side of the conversation, but I gathered that Jacob was sick a few more times, but it has since died down dramatically. As I had hoped, Jacob did eventually take the blood test and the doctor analysed it with my blood as a comparison. He concluded that there was not too much venom left in Jake's blood, but enough that his system considers it a threat as seen by the white blood cells attacking the venom. Dr Cullen was optimistic about Jake's recovery and felt it was safe for me and Billy to visit him tomorrow morning as planned.

Shortly after this, Billy said thank you to Carlisle and hung up the phone. He spun his wheelchair around so he could see me.

His face was one of disbelief.

"The Cullens must be decent creatures. Dr Cullen speaks as if Jacob is his patient, not a wolf who has evolved to fight and destroy vampires… I never would have believed this possible…"

"Neither would I."

Author's note: So what did you think of Sam's perspective, his interaction with Paul, and his and Billy's analysis about the Cullens? I hope you enjoyed hearing them say nice things about Edward and Carlisle, especially :) Please remember to spare just a few seconds to let me know your thoughts! I love, love, love comments! And votes too of course! I will post up the awaited Jacob/Edward reunion :P ie. chapter 11 on Tuesday. Thanks heaps for reading!