AN: Thank you so much to all my reviewers: Anony, Taino Delsan13, 4Gracie04, J. Especially those who stuck with me for the 3 year hiatus! Some of you have asked why it took so long to update - so I had a big part of this story already written, but then my computer crashed and I lost everything. It's very frustrating and disheartening trying to write a story that has already been written, so I am very sorry about the long wait! I hope you enjoy, things are about to get interesting!

Chapter Fourteen

Jacob's POV

The rain pounded hard on the roof of the garage. My head was buried in the engine of a car and I'd just removed the end of a spark plug wire from the distributor. I pushed my safety goggles further up my nose and wiped my greasy hands on my pants. Finally it was Friday. This week had been hell, what with the audit and needing to stay late at the garage nearly every night. I hadn't seen Bella since Sunday and I missed her. I grinned to myself as I slid the metal clip over the wire and squeezed it close.

A wet rag hit me in the head and I looked up. Chris was laughing at me.

I stood up, careful not to bump my head on the car's hood and chucked the rag back at him. He caught it easily.

"Dude," he laughed, "Excited by spark plugs?"

I rolled my eyes and turned back to the engine. "Shut up Chris."

He had been making fun of me since Monday, and I knew why. I had been in an uncommonly good mood all week, despite the weather, cheerfully whistling through my tasks and helping sort through boxes of receipts without complaining. Chris had guessed at the reason of my good mood.

"Are you seeing her tonight?" he asked, coming over and learning against the car.

"I hope so, if I can get out of here at a reasonable time."

"I'll cover you," he offered, wiping his hands on the grimy rag. "Mel's busy tonight anyway."

"Thanks, man," I replied. I set the boot on the spark plug and pressed down until I heard the plug click into place. I released the hood and let it slam close. "Alright, let's give this a go."

Chris hopped into the car and turned the key. The car growled into life and I grinned, please with my work. I gave him the thumbs up and he turned the engine off.

Someone whistled, and I turned to look. Seth stood in the doorway to the garage. He had a duffel bag by his feet and looked like he'd walked a couple of blocks in the rain.

I waved and wandered over, smacking him on the back as we hugged.

"What are you doing here?" I asked.

He rubbed his nose awkwardly. "Can we go get a beer?"

I raised my eyebrows. "You're not 21," I commented.

He snorted. "Like that makes a difference. Were you ever carded after you transformed?"

That was true. Ever since I first transformed, by body had aged. I looked 25 at the ripe old age of 16, and hadn't changed since.

"Alright," I agreed. "It's my lunch break anyway."

We headed to a diner down the road that did great chicken schnitzels and I ordered us both a beer.

"So," I finally said after our food had arrived. "What's going on Seth?"

He ran a hand through his short hair, making it stand up on end. "You know how I finished high school in May? Well, I kind of thought I might like to go to college."

"That sounds like a great idea," I said, still unsure why he'd turned up on my door step without so much as a phone call.

"Well, Sam didn't think so," Seth said. "Neither did my mom, or Billy Black."

"What's my dad got to do with it?"

He gave me a pointed look. "Your dad makes the calls, you know that. I don't get to make my own choices, remember? I'm the property of the tribe." His hands shook in anger as he said this.

"So what happened?"

He shrugged. "We had a huge fight – me and Sam. He said I was ditching my responsibility if I left. And, I left anyway."

I nodded and took a sip of my beer, thinking. Seth had every right to leave. He could make his own decisions, just as I had. "So what's the plan now?"

"I thought I'd crash with you for a while –"

"Dude," I began, scratching the back of my neck. "Man, I've only just got back on speaking terms with my dad and Sam. You'd really be putting me in the middle of it." I felt so guilty saying this to him. He was making the same choice I had, yet I wasn't ready to support him.

He held up his hands. "Fine, fine, I'll see if Bella will let me crash. Anyway, I just had to get out of there. I haven't applied to any colleges, and anyway, the term's already begun. I thought I'd start looking into scholarships for next semester."

"You reckon you'll get one?"

He shrugged then nodded, ducking his head. "I think so," he blushed. "I got pretty good grades at school and my teachers thought I could."

"Okay then. Well, I'm here for your man, just let me know what you need. But you've got to fix things with your mom and Sam."

He nodded. "I know, I'll go back down in a week and visit, give them a bit of time to cool off."

"It's time I visited too, I'll come with you. You need money?" He shook his head. Then he got up, walked around the table and hugged me hard. I laughed, and ruffled his hair. "Okay, kid, calm down. Go see Bella, she'll let you stay."

He grinned and sat back down, tucking into his food. "So, are you two…" he wiggled his eyebrows and flashed his white teeth at me.

I glared at him. "Don't push your luck."

Bella's POV

"Come in," I said, holding the door wide open and letting Seth through. I hurried off to the linen cupboard and grabbed him a towel. Wrapping it around his shoulders, I grabbed his duffel bag and put it down in the kitchen. "Let me get you some tea. What are you doing here, Seth?"

Over a cup of tea, Seth explained the fight he'd had with his family and pack, and his plans for the future. I felt for him, knowing all too well what it felt like, needing to escape. Four years ago, it had been me, leaving everyone behind to make a life for myself outside of Forks. And it was the best decision I'd ever made.

I made up the couch with sheets and blankets and found Seth some clean towels so he could shower and get out of his wet clothes. Karin would be arriving in a week, and the couch certainly wasn't big enough for the both of them. We'd have to sort something out before then.

Jacob arrived while Seth was in the shower. He looked sheepish when I opened the door and held a bunch of daisies out for me.

"Yeah, you better be sorry," I said by way of a greeting.

"You know what it would to do my relationship with Sam and my dad if he stayed with me. They'd see it as a betrayal."

I rolled my eyes. "Well, whatever, you'd better figure it out by Saturday, Karin's coming to visit."

He grinned, then cupped my face in one large warm hand, bent down and kissed me.

"Oh gross."

Jacob pulled away from me and I spun around. Seth stood behind us, with a wrinkled nose, towelling his wet hair. I glared at him.

"You want to stay here, you better get used to it." He just grinned back at me.

The boys ordered pizza and made themselves comfortable on the couch, watching TV. When I knew they were settled in, I slipped into my bedroom and quietly closed the door behind me. I pulled out my phone and called Charlie.

He picked up on the third ring and I smiled at the enthusiasm in his voice.

"Bella! How are you kiddo?"

"I'm good dad," I replied, sitting on my bed and tucking my legs under me. "How's work? Keeping Forks safe from the hardened criminals?"

"Sure, sure," he said with a laugh. "And how's the library? You got that fancy event coming up?"

We chatted about work and day to day life. I didn't tell him about my trip to Friday Harbour last weekend – I wasn't quite ready to reveal my new relationship yet. Jacob and I hadn't even discussed what our relationship was, and I wasn't ready to have that conversation with my dad.

"Hey, so Seth turned up here today," I said, trying to sound nonchalant.

Charlie didn't buy it. He sighed. "Poor kid, don't know why everyone's been so hard on him leaving. Billy said I wouldn't understand and told me to mind my own business."

"And Sue?" I asked.

"Oh, she doesn't say much. I think she wants the best for him, but she doesn't like to argue with Billy and Sam." He paused and I could imagine his face, his brow crinkled with worry and confusion. "Sometimes I wonder what goes on down on that reservation. They're so private, but there's something kind of weird about those kids."

I ignored this. "Well Seth is staying with me for now. I hope that won't make it weird between you and Sue."

I could hear him shake his head. "Don't you worry about it Bella. Sue will just be happy that he's safe. Seth's making the right choice for his future, thinking about college. Maybe you can help him out?"

"Of course," I agreed quickly. We finished chatting and said our goodbyes. Once I'd hung up, I chewed on my thumbnail and thought.

If Seth had also left the pack, would he start to change like Jacob had? How long did it take for them to stop being werewolves? Jacob had been gone for 2 years now, and he still ran hotter than most humans. Could he still transform if he needed to? And of course, what did this mean about imprinting? The boys were going to imprint one day whether or not they remained with the pack. It was only a matter of a time.

The bedroom door creaked open and Jacob slipped into the room. He sat on the bed and smiled his warm sunshine smile at me. I couldn't help but smile back.

"Everything ok?" he asked me quietly, brushing a loose strand of hair from my face.

I nodded. "Just talking to Charlie about Seth."

"Is it ok for Seth to stay here?" Jacob asked, his eyes concerned.

"Of course," I replied, "but you need to go down to La Push and talk to them. You need to show that you're supporting Seth and they have to support him to."

Jacob nodded. "I know, you're right." He sighed and ran a hand through his hair. "I've only just fixed things with them, I don't know what this is going to do to my relationship with the pack." He sighed again, and I could see the pressure and the heartache Jacob had gone through when he left. And now he had to relive that again, this time to fight for Seth.

"I'll go down to Forks tomorrow, you want to come too?"

I shook my head, "I can't, Jake, I'm sorry. I'm seeing Mel tomorrow and then Angela's coming to Seattle on Sunday."

He cupped my face in his warm hand and kissed me sweetly. "Can I stay tonight?"

I felt my tummy squirm and a silly grin spread across my face. "You can always stay," I whispered.

ooo

Jacob's POV

Juggling coffee and donuts in one hand, I fished around in my pocket for the car keys. It was a cold morning, and I was wearing my big parka jacket Seth had made fun of me for. That brat still ran at 104 degrees and didn't feel the cold. I grinned to myself as I climbed into the car.

When I saw one of the pack again, it made me realise how much I had changed. How long would it be until I changed completely? How long until the risk of imprinting was completely gone?

I turned on the radio and merged onto the I5 highway leading out of Seattle. I settled in for the long 3 and a half hour drive to Forks, annoyed that I had to leave Bella behind this morning. I'd woken early wanting to leave before the traffic started to build. Bella had still been sleeping, her long dark hair strewn across her face. Even in sleep, she was perfect.

I realised I was driving with a silly grin plastered across my face and jubilation filled my chest, pushing my feelings of annoyance aside. How had I got so lucky? All I had ever wanted was Bella, and now here we were, and she was mine. I grinned again and grabbed a donut, washing it down with a swig of hot coffee. Now all I wanted was to keep her forever.

I wanted to wake up with her in the mornings, drink coffee together, go for walks and spend hours in bed with her. I wanted to drive her to work and make dinner with her, and clean the house together.

I laughed out loud at that. What was wrong with me? Clean the house?

I didn't care what we did, I just wanted to do it all with her, always.

I finally arrived in Forks and pulled up outside the Swan's house. Charlie's cruiser was in the driveway as was Sue's new Elantra. I slammed the door and made my way up the pathway. It felt colder here than it had in Seattle and I wrapped my coat a little tighter around me, walking briskly through the drizzling rain.

Charlie opened the door before I knocked, and smiled to see me. "Jacob!" He held out his hand and I shook it warmly. "Come in, come in."

He bustled me into the small, yellow kitchen where Sue was cooking something on the stove. She smiled at me and poured me a cup of coffee which she put on the small kitchen table with a plate of oatmeal raisin cookies. I could understand why Charlie was starting to get a noticeable belly.

"So Jacob, how's my trouble making son?"

"And my trouble making daughter," Charlie added as a joke.

I laughed at that, pushing aside my mental images of Bella, glad Charlie had no way of reading my mind.

"They're both good," I replied. "Seth is staying with Bella for the moment, and she's going to help him with some college applications. She reckons he can apply for second semester, and he's got a pretty good chance with his GPA and the American Indian Scholarships they offer at Seattle University."

Sue just smiled at this, and turned back to the stove. I noticed the smile didn't quite reach her eyes. I glanced at Charlie and he shrugged, raising his hands as if to say what can you do?

"I don't really understand why it's such a big deal leaving the reservation," Charlie began carefully. "He can always come back."

Sue slammed down a saucepan she was holding and turned to glare at him. "Did Jacob ever come back?" she demanded. "You wouldn't understand Charlie, you're not part of the tribe. Seth is turning his back on tradition and loyalty and…obligation."

Charlie looked down at his cup of coffee and blew on it gently, tendrils of steam wafting into the air. I scratched my head.

"Sue, I'll talk to Sam and Billy, but I'm not going to convince Seth to come back, you know I'm not. He's making the right choice."

She ground her teeth, but didn't say anything else.

I drained my cup. "I better go, Charlie," I said, standing and pushing back my chair.

"Drop by on your way back, Sue's making you a chilli to take back to Seattle."

AN: I hope you enjoyed, sorry about the split POVs, I find them annoying to read and to write! Will try not to do that again. Please leave a review - they always make me write faster. And let me know your suggestions - what do you want to happen with Seth and the pack?!