Oh, it's getting so good at the point I'm writing at. I'm a little bit ahead, by a couple of chapters, and I'm just about to write chapter THE HUNT. Yay, so in celebrating I decided to update.

If there's anything you think I should write review me, I'll see if it fits my story line.

Read On!

12. Balancing

The two adults bantered together playfully, while I turned to talk with Jacob. If possible, he looked older than the last time I'd seen him. His playful, and ever present smile, was getting me a little flustered. I shook myself each time, thinking of Edward, because truthfully, Jacob couldn't compare with Edward's looks.

Soon the men were deeply engrossed in the game, and I was heating up a curry (thank god I had lots of it frozen in the freezer). I broke up the lumps of frozen curry, some leftover rice heating up in the microwave.

Jacob stood behind me; a strange feeling of being unprotected took over. I turned on my side, able to stir the curry, and watch it in my peripheral vision, while I chatted to Jacob.

"So, how are things?" Jake asked.

"Fine and dandy," I smiled, he tried not to laugh at my choice of words. "How are you going? Did you finish the rabbit?" I talked quickly, before he teased me.

"I'm fine, except I haven't finished the car. I still need parts," he grumbled.

I looked at him, thinking maybe I could ask Rosalie. Then I remembered her face, nope, not going to happen. "I'm sorry; I haven't seen any ... master cylinders?"

"It's okay, didn't really expect you to."

"Is that supposed to mean something," I pretended to be mad.

He put his hands up in fake surrender. I laughed. "Is anything wrong with the truck?" he asked.

"No, it's fine, and thanks again for fixing it up."

"Really, I thought maybe it'd broken, since you weren't driving it."

I looked back at the curry, much less lumpy looking and starting to fill the air with the aroma of spices. "I got a ride with a friend."

"Nice ride," his voice was just like all those swooning boys today at the parking lot. "I didn't recognize the driver, though. I thought I knew most of the kids around here."

"Kids," I raised my eyebrow at him.

"Fine, teenagers," he sighed before continuing. "My dad seemed to know him from somewhere."

I grabbed some bowls and scooped the rewarmed, rehydrated, leftover rice into the bowls, scooping a bigger amount into Jacob's. He looked at the bowl, frowning until he thought there was enough.

"So who was it?" he asked eventually, plate full of rice topped with curry until it was almost overflowing.

"Edward Cullen," I said.

He laughed around a mouth of curry, and then coughed at the heat. I giggled at him, passing a large glass of water. I scooped a large spoonful in my mouth, ignoring my glass of water. He laughed again. "Guess that explains why my dad was acting so strange."

"Oh yeah, he doesn't like the Cullens, I want to suck your blood and all."

"Yeah, he's a little superstitious."

"You don't think he'll tell Charlie that he was here do you?" I asked/whispered.

He gave me a suspicious look. "Why are you worried?"

I looked down, separating the meat from the vegetables and the rice in the curry. I whispered really quietly my answer.

"I'm sorry, I didn't hear that," he said.

I whispered it a little louder, he raised his eyebrow. I huffed, and whisper/yelled at him, "I'm dating Edward, okay?"

He sat back, in his chair at my outburst, and then his head turned to a sound my eyes were accurate enough to notice. A wheelchair had just rolled into the room. Billy was sitting there. "You're dating that... thing, Bella?" he asked.

I nodded.

He wheeled himself to the fridge, and grabbed two beers. He was just about out of the kitchen before he turned back to me. "Be careful with him Bella, you don't know what he could do."

I smiled, no matter how much he seemed to be butting into my life; I knew he was really just concerned for his best friend's daughter. His heart was in the right place. So I said, "Billy, I do know, and I'm prepared for it."

He shook his head, like he knew I was making the wrong decision. I grabbed the beers he was juggling and gave them to him and Charlie when they were back in their best game-watching spots. Before I walked back out to grab my homework, I whispered in Billy's ear when my dad wasn't watching, "Thanks Billy, but I know what I've got myself into."

I finished my homework, which Jake had annoyingly watched the whole time. Eventually I let him read it, and explained it when he got a really cute and funny confused expression on his face.

The game finished, and I was stifling yawns.

"Are you and your friends coming back to the beach soon?" Jake asked, turning precariously at the same time as he pushed Billy's wheelchair. I say that, because the chair was angling as he was facing me.

"Boy," he said, "you can stare at her after you get me safely through the narrow doorway."

I giggled; Jake blushed and gave his dad a guy punch.

I answered so he wouldn't have to reply to that. "I could try and get the group together, but I don't know if they'll listen to me now."

"This was fun Charlie," Billy broke in, saving me from answering the question that would automatically surface from that statement.

They started arranging stuff about the next game, and fishing, and blah, blah, blah. I started to turn to go back into the warm house. Charlie came back. "How was your day?" he asked.

"Fine, um, I won all my badminton games."

"Wow, you can play badminton."

"Dad, it's like tennis with water wings. Plus, my partner was really good. You know Mike Newton."

"Oh yeah, he's a nice kid, nice family. Why didn't you ask him to the dance?"

"Dad," I burst, "gross, he's more like a brother. Plus he's dating my friend Jessica."

He put his hands up in defence. "I'm sorry, it was just a thought. So, I've made plans for this Saturday, since you'll be alone. If you wanted to stay though until someone can go with you, that's fine with me. I'll stay home. I leave you alone too much."

"I don't mind being alone – I'm too much like you," I added, knowing it's what real-Bella would've said. He smiled back at me, a proud, father-like crinkly smile.

I never got that from my crap old Dad.

That night, I dreamt the same dream, except this time Logan bit off Edward's head, his eyes turning black, and his face more furry.

When he approached me this time he was a dog, somehow smiling evilly with his blood covered snout.

I woke with the same sweat covering my body, and went through the same routine I did every morning. The dream was all but forgotten by the time I was downstairs, eating my warm bowl of porridge.

Charlie was out at work as I finished my bowl, and I noticed he had eaten a bowl of porridge this morning. I smiled, proud of my father's developing cooking skills.

I brushed my teeth, and ran outside, into the car, practically into the arms of my saviour. I drank his features, his not pained, alive, and perfect features. I worry in me I hadn't realized was still there was immediately relieved.

"How did you sleep?" he asked.

"Not well, as usual," I answered.

"Do you want to tell me why?" he prompted.

"No, it's nothing. How was your night?" I returned the question.

"Pleasant, if a little worrisome," he assessed me quickly.

"I'm not allowed to ask am I?"

"No, today is still mine," he grinned.

"Can I state..."

"Nope," he said, not letting me finish. So the questions continued, and I reminded myself to be extra careful answering, even answering vaguely when I could do nothing else without lying. It was lunch time when he stopped halfway through a question, then face-palmed himself. It was funny to watch, and actually unnaturally loud.

"What was that epic masochistic moment for?"

"I should have let you drive today, I'm leaving early. I have to hunt if I'm going to be with you all day tomorrow."

"Isn't that what you do at night?" My voice was a tad too innocent.

He ignored the question. "I'll get Alice to leave you're truck at the school."

"I can jog, I have my runners on, plus I don't have the keys with me." I lifted a leg for emphasis, showing one of my many pairs of old runners, you never knew how muddy they were going to get and sometimes they just had to be thrown away.

He grimaced. "Don't worry, you're tuck will be there."

"You're going to break into a police officer's house?" I questioned.

He smiled, "He won't even notice. Tomorrow, when am I picking you up?" he asked to change the subject.

"The usual, or as soon as Charlie leaves to go fishing," I answered.

"So he won't be here, waiting for you to come home safely, so I won't have a reason to bring you back." He growled the words.

"If you don't want to bring me back," my voice was a little lower, huskier.

He looked at me longingly for a second, hunger flashed in his eyes before his head was back on the road, I didn't even see him turn it back. "Don't say that Bella, please don't tempt me." His voice was pained, and pleading.

"Does Alice... why is Alice helping me, and you?"

"She's the most... supportive of our relationship."

"The other's, they still hate me, don't they?" I assumed.

"They don't hate you; they're just really ... incredulous that we're together."

"Rosalie doesn't look 'incredulous' when she sees me."

"Well, Rosalie is the exception. The rest just don't understand the appeal you have to me, aside from the scent of course."

"That's an ego-boost," I muttered.

He chuckled, "Bella, you don't see yourself the way I do. You, you're different, and I like different. You're odd for a human, not predictable. You keep me on my toes. For almost all my existence I've lived in a boring existence. You, you excite me Bella, you woke me up, made me feel alive again."

His words, and voice, and eyes were so fierce, so strong and beautiful, I couldn't help but lose my thoughts, and it wasn't a bad feeling.

"There's more, but I can't really put those into words. Now, they don't get my feeling like this toward you Bella. But probably more what they're worried about is if I lose control, after hanging around with you so publicly."

"I trust you not to lose control Edward," I put my hand on his shoulder and squeezed, lightly. His expression was pained as I said this. "C'mon, some fresh air will help your throat." I jumped out of the car.

"That's why I need to leave, Bella, now."

Suddenly a little dark, spiky haired pixie stood in front of me. I hadn't seen Alice up close before, and I suddenly realized that she was gorgeous, if in a more elfin way than Rosalie.

"Alice," Edward said not needing a 'hello'.

"Edward," she returned. Her voice was beautiful too; it made me feel a little self-conscious of my voice, which was still a little rough from overuse.

"Alice, Bella – Bella, Alice," he introduced us in such the cliché way.

"Nice to meet you Alice," I smiled.

"You too, Bella," then she grinned and swept me in a hug. I was surprised, but returned it after a few seconds.

"Wow, you do smell good," she whispered as she pulled back. I laughed; I didn't know the movie had influence in this world too.

I covered my outburst with a quick comment, "I seem to be getting that a lot lately."

Alice gave me another quick smile, before turning her head even further upwards (she was really short) to look at Edward over my shoulder.

"Are you ready?" she asked him.

"Nearly, I'll meet you at the car." With that Alice walked/skipped/danced away and I looked back to Edward, barely hiding the huge grin from splaying on my face. Another character had accepted me, and she happened to be pretty much my favourite.

Edward was smiling back, "See, they don't all hate you."

"Does she always make everyone ... happy?" I asked. Alice had lifted my spirits even higher in a matter of seconds.

"No, most of the time she's just annoying. Especially when... I shouldn't say."

I muttered under my breath a little at how annoying it was that he didn't trust me. I hoped he couldn't pick out any words in the mumbling. I looked back up at him, as big and real a smile I could manage at that moment. "So, have fun killing animals, find a big fat predator for yourself."

He grinned, "Don't worry, I will, hopefully a mountain lion, though I doubt it. We're not going far."

"I'll see you tomorrow. You can come as early as you want."

He chuckled; I guess I did sound a bit desperate. "Bella, I'll be back before you realize I was gone."

"I'm a human, not deaf and blind," I grumbled. He chuckled again, and put a hand to my cheek, bringing warmth to it despite his coolness.

"I'll miss you too," he said, he turned away. I watched until he was out of my sight.

The rest of the day past faster than I'd thought, but Biology was still boring no matter how fast the clock moved. Maybe I could ask if there's an even more advanced class.

Gym was fun today; Mike didn't seem as irritable as yesterday. He didn't play on my team though. The thing was that meant we versed each other, and we had the longest rally I thought possible, until I spiked it onto his foot. The rally lasted almost the whole match, our team won by one. My partner stood to the side of me, a little confused and bored looking. I didn't remember her name.

Mike started talking after gym. "Are you still going to Seattle?" he asked.

"Yes," I said.

"Cullen didn't want to go to the dance?" he assumed.

"No, I didn't want to go. I don't really like socials and dances and anything too formal really. You can't shuffle to a violin."

"You can shuffle?" he looked incredulous.

I frowned at this. What, a girl can't shuffle? "Yes, and I can bet you ten bucks I can shuffle better than anyone in our Gym class."

"Really, I'll take that bet."

"Next gym class will be the shuffle-off then," I held out my hand.

"Next gym class," he took it and shook it, holding on for a little longer than I thought necessary. Then he turned away, back to his friends, I caught some words of him explaining about what would happen on Monday.

I smiled; I could so whip their asses.

My mind wondered as I drove home. I was thinking that Jake could probably shuffle, and I was wondering if any of the vampires could. Watching how smoothly they walked, they probably could after watching one video, and it would probably look like they were skating even on bitumen.

When I was home, I noticed Edward's note on the windshield, asking me to be safe. I huffed, he had no faith. Inside I called Jessica, wishing her luck and answering her frantic questions about hair and makeup and such and such. I spoke patiently, actually having a little fun tutoring her. Eventually she was happy with the amount of information she had, and hung up.

I cooked dinner, lasagne. Charlie ate; I did my homework, cleaned, and generally did anything I could to prolong going to sleep. Eventually Charlie had watched as much TV as he could and walked into the kitchen yawning, I was cleaning the floor. He peered at me through sleepy eyes.

"I know its Friday but its late Bella; you can do that another time. You should go to bed; you've got bags under your eyes."

My makeup must have come off in the course of the day. "Okay, but I'm almost done. I'll go to bed in a minute. Night Dad," I dismissed him. He took the hint and stumbled tiredly up the stairs.

I stared at my hands for while when I'd finished scrubbing and drying, I steadied my breathing and got to my feet. I looked up at the stairs, not wanting to move. I sighed and took them slowly, one at a time. I changed and crept into my bed, it was cold. I closed my eyes, and fell asleep almost immediately; I was more tired than I thought.

My dream was a dream, not a nightmare. Logan was fighting Edward, and Edward was dodging each punch to fast to see, like a vampire should. He was grinning with sharp teeth, and Logan was grunting with each punch. Eventually he got bored and grabbed Logan's right arm. Alice materialized and grabbed his left. They pushed him back easily, despite how much he was staring.

"You don't belong here," they both said, and pushed him. He rippled then disappeared. The two vampires grinned at me in victory, and Edward ran towards me, and I to him.

I jumped into his arms. "My saviour," I whispered against his lips. I was about to kiss him before I woke.

It was 6:30 am, and I was more rested than I'd felt in weeks. I dressed, changed, ate, and brushed my teeth hurriedly, done in less than fifteen minutes. I peeked out the window, nothing was there, but as I turned back to find something to do while I waited, I heard a knock on the door.

I swung back and opened the door, Edward was there, smiling. "Good morning," he chuckled.

"What's funny?" I asked, simultaneously locking the door and going to my truck.

"We have all day Bella, you don't need to rush." He smiled, hopping into the driver's seat.

I jumped into the passenger side, a new experience for me in this car. Edward gunned the engine, which roared its usual loud roar. I'd almost forgotten the sound; it was kind of comforting and familiar, like the bark of a guard dog.

Edward shook his head. "How can you stand this car?" he asked as he made a close (wide for him) turn in the car. I didn't know the truck was capable of it.

"Hey, don't diss the truck. It's probably old enough to be your car's grandfather."

"And as slow as a grandfather too," he mumbled. I swatted him playfully. He drove to the start of the trail, pushing my car to go faster than I thought it was capable of. The engine made some scary sounds near the end.

When we stopped I jumped out of the car, glad of my choice of footwear as a loud squelch came with my footfall.

"You haven't asked many questions about what we're doing," Edward pointed out.

"I trust you."

"And you came prepared," he noticed my clothing.

"It's better to be safe than sorry," I quoted the used-by-all-parents-saying.

It was warm outside, humid. I took off my waterproof jacket, sure it wouldn't rain now. I was wearing a very tight long-sleeved shirt, in purple for my skin tone. I knew I looked good with this and my skinny jeans, ruined only by my hiking-like boots. Edward noticed what I was wearing too, and I had the satisfaction of him pausing for a moment. I let my eyes wander of him, he'd taken off his jacket too (not like he needed it in the first place) to reveal loose button down that I wished was tighter. He wore jeans too, but I'd never been a girl to look at a guy's legs or butt. His strong, lean arm muscles showed under his white skin, and I wanted to stroke them.

I shook myself, regaining my composure before him for once. "Okay," I said, "which trail?" I crossed my arms and waited, he swallowed noticeably before pointing. It was to, what looked to me, nowhere. "No trail?" I asked.

"I won't let you get lost," he sounded cocky. I tried to avoid looking at him, but I couldn't help him. And yes, on his face, was my biggest weakness, the cocky smile. I almost dropped; instead I kind of just stood there like an idiot until he took my hand and led me into the forest. The walk was a blur, going faster than I thought, much faster I was sure than Bella was capable of doing.

Edward asked more questions as we walked, and I watched my feet as I answered so my face wouldn't give too much away. It also gave me a chance to straighten my mind and make sure my answers were believable and not completely untrue. I needed to be able to remember my answers, and what better way than to make them true.

He asked about my childhood, which is why it was so hard. No one needs to lie about favourite colours or animals or places or teachers. These answers could give me away if I wasn't careful. I still managed to keep a lot of truth in my words. He liked the story of how I'd had a replacement teacher that no one liked, and made a list of things to annoy her, then proceeded to carry out that list with my friends. Since the whole class did it too she couldn't punish us. Edward's peals of laughter echoed in the quiet forest, and my gruffer, much less smooth giggles and laughs did as well. I tried not to dwell on my inequality too much.

I barely noticed the change of light, under the canopy of leaves it was hard to tell. But soon in the distance I could make out shafts of bright sunlight, probably streaming the space where a newly fallen branch had once occupied.

"We're nearly there," he said all of a sudden, waiting courteously for me to finish speaking before saying it. "Do you see anything yet?"

"I don't see anything, unless you count more trees."

He smirked, "Your right, it's a bit too soon for your eyes."

"I guess I need glasses then," I muttered, but Edward heard, and laughed.

As we approached the area Edward pointed out I did see a variation, more light streamed through around here. My pace quickened and I jumped from the forest into the meadow.

I'd never been in a meadow before, not a proper one out in the wild. It was beautiful, long grass up past my ankles, swaying flowers, and everything encased into a perfectly round area. I spun around, laughing at the beauty of it all. I wished I was wearing a dress so I could twirl in it like in the movies. Instead I spun until I fell, a wide grin on my face.

Edward was still in the shade, hands on the front of his shirt, holding together the already unbuttoned piece of material. I wanted him to move his hands; I could only just see enough that I wanted more. I smiled at him, waiting for him to come out of his little hiding spot.

"Don't worry Edward, you can't scare me away now," I encouraged.

He took a deep breath, and then stepped into the light.

Review guys! and tell me, what should I call New Moon when I write it (I'm not up to that yet though)