Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

A/N: Sorry for the break in updates, but this is the longest chapter yet! I have also posted an out-take from Chapter 10 on my Author's Page, it's called Human Heat and it's what could have happened that night at the bar between Bella and Embry if she hadn't stopped them from going further. I'd love to see some reviews on that!

This chapter picks up from the night of Bella and Jacob's talk, from Jake's point of view. I hope you'll forgive the overlap, but this is Jacob's story, and I want you guys to go through everything along with him.

Suggested Listening:

We Found Each Other In The Dark by City and Colour (Bella/Jake)

Steal Your Words by Sundowner (Jacob getting ready for his date)

Violence by Against Me! (The Pack hunt)

Chapter Fourteen: A Violence Like This

Quil was phased when I left Bella in my house that night. I couldn't believe I was actually going in the opposite direction to where she was, leaving her when all that I was required me to be close to her, hold her to me and never let go. She was here again, letting the ghosts of our past walk among us as she recounted the story of how we'd been broken. I knew the answers now; there was a meaning to my life again. As always, it was given to me by Bella.

His mind was focused entirely on mine as I let him see what I'd learned. He was speechless – well as speechless as someone can be when you can hear their every thought, but when he snapped back to the present, I felt a wave of compassion come my way. I basked in it. I knew that we'd reached a level of understanding now that would go towards healing what I'd wounded.

I had no idea, Jake, I'm sorry.

I really don't know why I wouldn't have told you.

I don't think it's something you wanted to talk about. I don't think I could. But I get it, now.

You do?

Yeah. I kept pushing and pushing, and resenting you for wallowing in your misery just because it didn't work out with Bella. I never even thought that there could be something more to it.

A flash of memory came to his mind then. In it, I was livid, snarling with rage and telling him to mind his own business. Quil kept taunting, wanting to get a rise out of me. I knew from the recollection he just wanted to see me feel something. My fist came flying at his face. His world went hazy, but he still wouldn't relent.

"That's it, Jake. Give me all you got. Fuck knows you have to have something left in that thick shell. You want to hit me? Do it. DO SOMETHING!"

I phased then, and so did he, and then it was a mash of fur and claws and teeth. I got the upper hand. Quil registered that he'd gone too far, but I was too far gone to notice. I shook my head to free myself from the memory.

Sorry, man, couldn't help thinking back on it.

It's okay. I know I let you down, and I hate even thinking of it without witnessing the memories. It's just hard seeing myself like that.

It was hard for me, too.

Things were quiet for a moment, as memories of good times we'd had flowed through his mind. I felt nostalgic, and so did he, recalling our childhood play and teenage antics. It was fulfilling, seeing part of our lives I didn't remember too, but wherein I looked like I was content and happy. The last one was an image of my face, the morning after Bella and I first made love. I was glowing with sheer joy.

Jake?

Yeah, Quil?

I hope you and Bella get another chance at things. I think I'd like a nephew some time soon.

I huffed a wolfish laugh.

I'll try my best, man.

I couldn't keep away from Bella anymore. I knew it was probably wrong of me to use the excuse of Charlie's accident to see her, but I got the feeling she didn't mind much. The old man was wary of me, I could tell, but I wanted to rekindle the bond we'd always had. I think it helped that I saved his life, and I could feel the walls he was putting up starting to crumble – that comforted me. I wouldn't admit it aloud, but part of me was hoping to be accepted again by Charlie, so one day he'd be okay with me becoming his son-in-law. It was the dream.

I was sat at their kitchen a few days after Bella's visit, peeling potatoes for our dinner while he snoozed in the family room.

"Do you ever wonder what he would have been like?" I said, breaking our companionable silence. Bella froze in front of the sink, and I briefly worried that I'd made a mistake, bringing up the subject of our son, but I couldn't stop thinking about him. I wanted to know if she felt the same.

"Every day," she said softly.

"I bet he would have been into cars. No kid of mine would reach his fifth birthday without having his paws inside an engine," I smiled.

"Yeah, and I'd have to get used to the never-ending wash-loads of two grease-monkeys," she joked.

"You would be one busy mommy, alright."

"Not to mention, I'd probably have to take a second job just to keep up with the food bill."

"Are you saying our kid would have been a fatty?" I said in mock offence. Bella giggled lightly, and my stomach flipped at the sound. I'd forgotten what her laugh sounded like.

"No, but his appetite would probably rival yours, since he'd never be in the house much. If he was anything like his daddy, I'd probably have to consider having him electronically tagged, just to know where he was half the time."

A lump in my throat formed at that. Daddy.

"I guess you have a point. But hey, he could go the other way, Maybe he'd be a total bookworm and I'd have to make sure no-one teased him at school for being a nerd like his mother."

"He could be both. Smart and athletic."

"I bet he would have been. I bet he'd be that kid everyone secretly hated because he was so good at everything."

"Just like you, then," she said, smiling softly.

I bowed my head at the compliment, concentrating on my task again. I hoped she was half right – the truth was, if our boy was still around, I hoped he'd be more like her than anything. Looks, intelligence, forgiveness and compassion. Maybe some of my height and strength, just so he wouldn't struggle in life, and my interests too so we'd have lots in common. Just like me and just like Bella.

Just like us.

I invited Quil and Embry over to watch the game. In reality, I wanted some time with them both, now that things were settling down. Things were a little awkward at first, since I gathered we hadn't done something like this in years. Quil hadn't even been to my house since just after I moved in. We lounged on my furniture, each of us concentrating on the TV and not sure what there was to talk about. I needed to get to know them again, I just didn't know how.

"So, how is Claire doing?" I asked Quil, recalling that if there was one thing that he had no problem talking about, it was his imprint. He scrunched up his face uncomfortably.

"She's dating," he groaned. Embry laughed and I gaped at them both.

"Isn't she like, twelve?"

He held out his hands gratefully. "Yes! That's exactly what I said. Apparently she's not a little kid any more and she likes boys now." He took a swig of his beer and rolled his eyes,

"Tough break, man. Anyone you should be worried about?" I asked, trying to think of the families I knew from the Makah Reservation.

He shrugged irritatedly. "Evan Greyhorse. He's a good kid, but I still don't like it. She keeps telling me to leave him alone, but I want to have a little man-to-man talk with him. You remember what we were like at thirteen," he said, and Embry and I grimaced simultaneously.

"I remember what you were like," Embry said. "If he's anything like that, then yeah, You should be worried." Quil punched him lightly on the shoulder, spilling his beer.

"Thanks for the reassurance, Em. I'm glad you didn't become a shrink," he retorted.

With that, the conversation turned to women, and I couldn't help but question them both about my less than spotless record with the opposite sex before I met Maya. I was surprised to hear some of the names they dropped – a lot of them were pretty good-looking ladies from our school that we'd all lusted after from time to time. I figured I'd finally taken advantage of the changes in my body from the transformation. I wasn't sure whether to be proud or disgusted with myself, and I hoped most of them had moved off the reservation by now. There would be nothing more awkward than running into an old conquest when I didn't even remember sleeping with them.

"So enough about the Alpha's groupies, how are things going with Bella?" Quil asked, as Embry got up to grab more beer. I couldn't help the smile I gave upon hearing her name.

"Pretty well, I think. We've been talking through things a lot and catching up. I'm not sure what her plans are, but I'm kind of hoping she's thinking of moving home," I confessed. Quil held out the neck of the bottle to me in warning.

"Don't dance around it too much. You don't want to get stuck in the friend-zone again," he said, before taking another swig.

"I hear you, but I can't rush things, we've got so much to work through that I think it'd be too much pressure to just jump into anything," I replied dejectedly.

"Well I don't mean jump her bones, just, you know... ask her out to dinner or something. Wine and dine her a little, and do it soon. Bella's a Grade A hottie, and I'm sure I'm not the only one who's noticed," he said, quirking a mischievous brow. "Do you really want some other guy getting his paws on her and sexing her up before you get the chance?"

A smash was heard from Embry's direction in the kitchen, and a muffled curse followed as he began to clear up the mess.

"Everything alright back there, Em?" I called, and he cleared his throat uncomfortably.

"Yeah fine, bottle was a little slick, guess it slipped out of my hand," he said. His voice sounded a little strained, and I frowned at him.

"See? That's why you always got picked last for football. You're a dropper," Quil supplied.

I walked into the kitchen, where Embry was crouched over the remnants of his beer. He didn't look up when I handed him a broom, instead taking it and getting to work on the cleaning.

"You sure everything's alright man? You seem kind of jumpy," I said, studying him closely. It was pure instinct for me to know when one of my pack was troubled, and as far as I was concerned, Embry was still Pack to me. He nodded, not looking at me and placed the shards in the trash.

"Seriously, just had an accident is all," he said, dusting his hands off and rinsing them in the sink. "Quil's right, you know."

"About what, you being a dropper? You weren't that bad," I smirked. He half-smiled back and shook his head.

"No. I mean about Bella. You should make a move, you know? Take things slow, but let her know how you feel."

I eyed him closely, watching his expression as he walked past me and back to his seat on the couch. "What makes you say that? Is she with someone back in San Francisco?" My heart sank at the idea, and I realised I hadn't really asked her when she came over. I'd just stupidly rambled on about Maya.

"No, not that I'm aware of," he said evasively, "I just remember what it was like for you when she was with Cullen. I wouldn't want you to have to go through that again."

I breathed a sigh of relief and nodded. "You're right, yeah. You both are. Maybe I'll take her out this weekend. I could say she needs to get out of the house for a while."

They both nodded in agreement.

"Good idea," Embry said.

"Go get her, dude," Quil smirked.

My heart started pounding erratically at the prospect of asking a girl out – I couldn't remember ever doing it before, but this was Bella. If I had it my way, I'd never ask another girl out again.

I showered for the second time, cursing my nerves. Bella had said yes, I didn't know why I was getting myself so worked up, but I'd actually agonised over my hair in the mirror for twenty minutes before giving up and risking the product out again. This was getting ridiculous – it hadn't stopped raining all day, and I'd probably look and smell like a wet dog by the time I got to her house, but I wanted everything to go right. I was probably pinning too many hopes on this – Bella and I had agreed to take things slow, and go out as friends just to blow off a little steam and get her away from Charlie and his frustrated mood for a while. I actually wondered if Charlie had any Quileute genes in him – the way he resented being cooped up reminded me of the guys when we were stuck indoors for any length, practically climbing the walls like the caged wolves we were. If Charlie had a wolf, he was sure to be a mean tracker.

I was convinced I looked like shit – I hadn't slept the night before, instead watching TV until I passed out to take my mind off my nerves. If I'd have thought ahead, I should have taken the nights patrol, just for something to do, or maybe told Mr. Singer that I could work on some stuff from home. As far as he was aware, I was still recuperating after my 'accident', and wouldn't be back for a week at least. It kind of sucked having to keep such a huge secret all the time.

I pulled all the clothes out of my closet. A lot of them were pretty nice, but I didn't even know where to start, and I wished it wouldn't make me look like such a pussy to ask the guys for advice – I'd never live it down if I called one of them to seek fashion inspiration. I was embarrassed for myself, and realised I could end up wearing something completely inappropriate. Had things changed much in 2015? I couldn't believe I was being such a girl about this. I buried my head in my hands and groaned. Why couldn't I just man up and choose something simple that I thought Bella might like?

Because this is your first date with Bella. If you fuck this up, any part of it, you'll never forgive yourself.

My conscience was right – there was far too much riding on this for me to leave anything to chance. A knock at the front door pulled me from my slightly insane inner-monologue, and I frowned in the direction of the noise; all the guys knew I was busy tonight, and I'd told Bella I'd pick her up, so I couldn't think who it could be. I wiped my sweaty palms on the towel around my waist and went to open the door. Maya stood on the step, with a hood covering her head and her arms folded. She took in my state of undress and smirked knowingly at me.

"Just as I thought. Trouble picking out something to wear for the hot date?" she asked, pushing past me and sashaying towards the direction of my room.

"How did you-" I began, but she just shot me a condescending look from the doorway.

"Please. Jake, we were together for two years, you always freak out if you have to get dressed for something important. I always say, if you didn't spend most of your time half-naked, you'd be much better at dressing yourself," she scoffed.

I smiled at her, shaking my head, and wondering how I deserved such a great friend. Maya was kind, and sweet but she had a fierceness to her that I knew came from working around men all her life – she was nobody's sweetheart and nobody's darling, but she was selfless beyond anything I'd ever seen. Here she was, mere weeks after our engagement was called off, helping me get ready for a date with another girl.

"I have no idea where to start. Where did I get so many clothes?" I asked, gesturing to the mountain of fabric on my bed exasperatedly.

"Me, of course. I may be a mechanic, but I'm still a girl and I still know my way around a mall. Besides, you're like a damn Ken doll, everything looks good on you," she said, and I realised she wasn't even flirting – just stating a fact. I smiled as I folded my arms and leaned on the door frame.

"Alright, Carson Kressley, what should I wear?" I asked. She furrowed her brow and unzipped her hooded jacket before shrugging it off.

"Where are you taking her?" she said, beginning to sort through the hangers laden with shirts of different colours.

"Thai restaurant in Forks, Emily says the food's amazing and there's something for everyone even if you're not into the food," I supplied. Maya's eyes lowered, and she smiled sadly.

"Good choice," she said softly. I frowned, worrying I'd said something wrong, before I realised.

"Shit, I took you there?" I asked sorrowfully, and Maya laughed quietly.

"It was our favourite place, yeah," she said, turning her back to me and grabbing a hanger covered in pants.I studied the ground awkwardly, not sure what to say.

"That's really fucked up, Maya. I had no idea, I swear..." I began before she held up a dismissive hand.

"Jake, seriously, it's fine. It's just strange think of you going there with someone else – we went there every Saturday night for dinner, and I guess I'll always associate the place with you," she said.

"I can bring her somewhere else, Maya, it's no problem. Bella doesn't even know where we're going." Maya turned to look at me and smiled. She shook her head and came to stand before me, cupping my cheek with her hand.

"Don't be silly. I'm not hurt, just feeling a little sentimental. You've been robbed of so many memories – I want you to make more. If Bella likes it, I hope you can make it your special place, too. You always loved the food there, it'll make you happy."

"How are you so okay with this?" I asked, shocked by her show of selflessness.

"Because I love you, Jake. We're not right for each other any more, but I want you to be happy, and I want you to be able to enjoy this without worrying how I feel. And honestly, I hope you'll do the same for me, when the time comes for me to move on."

I nodded earnestly. "I promise, Maya. As long as he's a good guy, you'll get my blessing."

She smiled at me again and held up a sky-blue, long sleeved shirt. "This is the one. It sets off your skin wonderfully, and put it with those charcoal-grey dress-pants. Perfect," she said, holding up the clothes to me and leaning back to assess her choice.

"Yes, ma'am," I smirked. I could tell she'd worn the pants in our relationship by how she was speaking to me now. I took the shirt from her and slipped it on. "How's my hair," I asked nervously. She narrowed her eyes and giggled, gesturing me to dip my head within her reach and mussed it up thoroughly.

"What the hell? Did you just ruin my 'do?" I asked, half outraged, but laughing at the devilish smile she was giving me.

"It was too tidy – you didn't look like yourself, and if she knows you as well as you say she does, Bella will think so too. Trust me, this is much better." I turned to look in the mirror, and had to agree. It had a dishevelled look, and it seemed like I'd just gotten out of bed, but I looked relaxed and – I hoped – kind of sexy? I'd decided to go against shaving, instead using the beard-trimmer I found in the bathroom to leave me with a light shadow of stubble. The resulting look was grown up, and I finally thought I looked worthy to be going out with a professional teacher – when I still felt like a high-school student inside.

Maya left me to dress, coming back a few minutes later with a shot of whiskey. She assessed me from the doorway and nodded approvingly, holding out the whiskey to me. "To calm your nerves," she said, sloshing the glass in front of my chest. I cocked an eyebrow at her, but she wasn't relenting. "Trust me, it will help."

I downed the amber liquid and coughed – man, that was awful. I am definitely not a whiskey drinker, but the burning in my chest distracted from my racing heartbeat for a few moments. Maya was right, it did help. I reached for a pair of shiny dress-shoes at the bottom of my closet when she halted me.

"Dude, you're twenty-five, and you're not going to a wedding. Wear the black converse, much more casual and age-appropriate."

I shrugged and followed her instructions. No point in arguing with her now. When I was finished dressing, she eyed me appreciatively, and smiled.

"You scrub up nice, Ken. I'm sure Barbie will swoon when you show up at her door. What time are you leaving, anyway?" she asked.

I looked at the clock on my dresser. "Shit! I'm going to be late. Gotta go, Maya," I said sprinting for the door. I stopped just before opening it and turned around. I pecked her on the cheek and pulled her into a hug. "Thanks so much for doing this. I'd still be wearing a towel right now if you hadn't come over." She laughed lightly and patted me on the back.

"Any time, Jake. Now go, no use keeping her waiting!"

I grabbed the car keys and shot her a salute as I ran for my car.

"Yes, ma'am," I yelled, just before getting in.

The rain was showing no signs of letting up, and the wipers on my car were struggling to keep up with the onslaught. I wanted more than anything to speed all the way to Forks, but after last week's car accident, and the wet roads, I didn't want to have to re-schedule my date with Bells because I was pulling our transport out of a ditch. After what seemed like an eternity, I reached the turn off to her street, and pulled in as close to the house as I could manage before my impatience got to me. Dipping my head in an effort to keep the rain out of my eyes, I jogged up the steps and held up my hand, poised to knock. I froze. The door was wide open.

"Bella?" I called into the house. "Don't you think the weather's kind of crappy to leave the door open?" There was no reply, and I could hear Charlie's soft snores coming from the living room – his pain meds and the effort it took to get around when he was half-encased in plaster wore him out pretty early these days. I took a step inside, letting the door swing fully back, when the stench hit me. Sweet and putrid, and reeking of death. Vampire. I went straight into panic mode.

Had Cullen come back once he'd heard Bella was in Forks? Had she gone somewhere with him?

I inhaled again – no, this wasn't a scent I'd encountered before, and I knew from experience that it was a human-drinking leech; they had a sour undertone to their scent, and it made them even easier to track. Apart from that, there was the door. If she'd gone somewhere willingly, why was it sitting open, ready for anyone to walk in whenever they felt like it? I ran over to Charlie, checking him for any additional harm. He came round groggily, and looked at me in irritation.

"What you shaking me for, Jake? I was just resting my eyes."

"Charlie, where's Bella?" I demanded. He yawned lazily and shrugged.

"She'd been in the bathroom most of the day, getting ready for your date. Isn't she still in there?" I knew from the lack of movement in the house that she wasn't. Bella wasn't anywhere near here, and I didn't even know where to start looking.

"No, she isn't. Look, your front door was wide open when I got here, and Bella isn't in the house, she's not anywhere!" Charlie sobered up immediately, looking at me with an expression of pure panic.

"You think something happened? No, I would have heard it!" he exclaimed, his breathing becoming ragged.

"I'm going to look outside, maybe she went to get something and tripped," I said, backing away, and knowing it was a complete lie.

If there was a vampire after Bella, she hadn't gotten farther than the porch on her own two feet. I went back out the door, concentrating hard to follow the scent, but there was nothing. The rain was coming down so harshly that whatever trail had been left was washed away. I had no way of following it. Sprinting for the trees, I stripped off, leaving my carefully chosen outfit behind me in the mud before disappearing out of sight. Paul was on patrol when I phased in, and was trying to make sense of my erratic thoughts as I attempted to show him what happened.

Shit! You're sure it was a leech?

Yes! I could smell it!

Jake, I've been running the perimeter for the last four hours, I caught no scent.

It's this fucking rain, I can't track a thing because its all being washed away!

I howled a summoning cry, alerting The Pack that they needed to phase in, right by one, they joined, freaked out and excited that we had a hunt. I showed them what I'd found, and the sparse clues we had to work with.

Holy shit, Jake. I'm sorry. You just got her back!

This is fucked up, the leeches just take and take and don't give a shit about anyone but their kind.

They're monsters, what do you expect?

I'll fuckin' tear it apart. I've been itching to get my jaws around something for weeks now. This bloodsucker picked the wrong time to play hide-the-Swan.

We'll find her, man – you can make that piece of shit pay for this, we'll help.

I refused to accept their condolences. Bella wasn't dead yet, I would feel it if she was. I just had to find her. I mobilised The Pack, sending them off in different directions and putting Seth in charge of guarding Charlie and Bella's house. He had the best hearing out of all of us, and I needed him to be there in case it returned. I was taking no more chances. Whoever this leech was, they were as good as dead, and they were not getting the chance to come back for seconds.

After fifteen minutes of fruitless reports, I pushed my paws further into the forest. Bloodsuckers always used this place to hide out, and I would have bet that whoever took Bella had somewhere close-by to bring her. I just hoped I'd get there before it was too late.I was finding it hard to breathe – terror was wracking my body as I struggled to keep moving and concentrate on the hunt, ignoring the mental images of Bella laying broken and bloody on the forest floor somewhere, or worse – her body contorted in pain as her heart stopped and her skin turned to stone.

There was still no sign of a trail,and I was wondering if they'd used the tree-tops as an undetectable path when the air seemed to shimmer once again. I knew this feeling – it was one of the guys phasing in; but everyone was already out searching. Fuck – was this a new pup? They could not have picked a worse time to join The Pack.

Leech! A fucking leech took her?

I knew that mind, I realised. I'd heard it thousands of times before, and it was one I'd missed these past few days of reconnecting to The Pack without him – Embry.

His thoughts were making no sense, and he was feeling ill from transforming after so long. He was pacing rapidly, staring at his own paws and undecided as to what to do. How did he even know he was needed? Had he heard the howl? Quil went to work immediately, trying to calm him down.

Embry, shit man, you phased? Calm down, we're already looking for her. Jake has Seth guarding her house and we're searching for a trail!

What? I'm at her house right now, there's no-one here!

(We have to find her, I missed my chance. Oh fuck, I can't do this. I can't lose her before I told her)

What are you talking about, Embry?

I skidded to a halt, trying to make sense of his thoughts. He was thinking aloud, sharing some with us, but the underlying, panicked ones were what I was worried about.

Before you told Bella what?

I knew I was snarling at him, but my dominant, possessive nature was impossible to reign in. I was already trying to rescue the love of my life from something unnatural, hell-bent on draining her dry, if we were lucky, and now my best friend was freaking out and talking about her like he had some claim.

What? Bella's missing? (Holy shit, not her too! What the fuck is going on!)

He was genuinely shocked, I knew that much, but it didn't explain what the hell he was panicked about. 'Her too'? I pressed him for a clear answer, my patience wearing thin.

Wasn't that why you phased in? Because the leech took Bella?

No! Fuck! I had no idea she was taken! I phased in because of Maya! The leech took Maya!

A/N: Thoughts?