Just for the record- this is NOT a Jacob/Bella story. No matter how it may seem right now, this is a Bella/Edward story only!

I am sorry for the wait- I got another flame telling me that I deserved to be in a mental institute for writing this story, and I had just had it. This is like the fourth review like that in as many chapters. I am sick of it! I needed to take a break from this story for a little bit before I ended up killing off all of the characters. Just a note; if you are going to flame this story, don't just stop reading it if you don't like it. It is that simple.

R and R, and if you want a good story to read check out The Heart of a Champion by metallicababy55.

Meg

I walked quietly out of my room, and checked the house to see if Charlie was still home. Thankfully not even New Years Day could keep the faithful Police Chief of Forks out of the office. Okay, it was more like no one else in the office wanted to work today, so Charlie went in, but whatever.

Once I was sure he had already left, I ran back up to my room and got changed. I pulled on yoga pants and shoes quickly, and tried to pull on a sports bra over my head as I pulled my hair into a ponytail.

After stretching my hamstrings and calves, I started by running suicides, but to make them more difficult, I did them up and down stairs.

As the familiar burn in my muscles and lungs began, I let my mind drift.

(flashback)

It was late. An hour or so past midnight on New Year's Eve. Jake and Billy had gone home as soon as the ball dropped, and Charlie had headed upstairs not long after.

I sat there staring at the fire burning merrily in the grate. Ever since Christmas Eve, I had felt an inexorable pull.

Yes, you guessed it, ever since I showed up Quil, gymnastics had been calling. It wasn't like it used to be though. It used to be everything just felt right when I was in the gym; it was a comfort thing, my home away from home- more like my home since I was there more than I was at my actual house.

But now it was kind of like I needed gymnastics just to survive. I needed a reason to get out of bed every morning. A reason to go on. Looking back, I realized that that was part of what the empty feeling had been.

When he had left, he carved a hole in my chest that seemed as though it would never heal. But then I stupidly carved another hole right next to it by quitting. Twin puncture marks that burned and took away my breath.

I couldn't heal them both, but I owed it to myself and to Charlie and Jacob to heal myself the best I could didn't I? I deserved to move on with whatever was left in my life, right?

So it was with that resolve that I wrote my New Year's resolution. I wouldn't give up; I would fight to salvage whatever I could of myself. I was broken and would never be whole again, but that wouldn't stop me from trying.

I threw the paper with my resolve into the fire, and watched it burn slowly in the dying embers. As it turned to ash, I made my way upstairs to bed, a plan in place.

(End flashback)

So it was back to training for me. Okay sort of. As much as I missed gymnastics, I just wasn't sure if I was ready for that just yet, if ever.

I had no idea if I could even do it anymore, so I chickened out and decided for now it would be enough just to get back into shape.

I came back to the present with a loud pounding on the front door. Startled, I lost my rhythm and subsequently my footing. Luckily I was only a few steps from the bottom as I thudded down the remaining steps.

I lay there, the wind knocked out of me. The banging on the door stopped, as it suddenly flew open.

Jake was standing there looking concerned. As soon as he saw me lying at the bottom of the stairs he rushed over. "Damn, Bells. Are you all right? I was banging on the door for like five minutes and no one answered and then I heard a huge bang!" he rambled.

I raised my head slightly to see his. The concern was evident on his face, even upside down as it was.

For some reason, I found it really funny. I burst into laughter. I was laughing so hard, and it almost had a hysterical edge to it.

At first Jacob just stared at me even more concerned, like he was thinking I had hit my head or something, but my laughter was contagious; and he started laughing as well.

Soon we were both rolling on the floor laughing. Any time we would start to calm down, one of us would burst back into laughter.

Eventually, we both managed to stop. As I lay there trying to catch my breath, Jacob sat up.

He looked me over and I could see the pieces putting themselves together in his head. He opened his mouth to speak, but instead of asking what I thought he would, he changed tactics.

"Jesus, you are thin girl!" he exclaimed looking down at my ribs and hip bones protruding.

I blew it off. "I am a gymnast, of course I am thin," I retorted.

He didn't look fully convinced, but let it go. "So you are a gymnast again, are you? So that explains the training gear."

I sighed before I sat up as well. He got me, I would have to explain at least most of it. "Ok. So I admit it. I miss gymnastics. I've known this the whole time, but it didn't really hit me until the thing with Quil. I don't know if I am in training per say, but I thought it wouldn't hurt to get back into shape a little."

He seemed to get it right away. Standing up, he reached down to give me a hand up. "Well then, what are we waiting for?" he asked.

I followed him confused as he led me outside and to his car. "Where are we going?" I asked.

He just shook his head. A ten minute ride later, we pulled up near a trailhead.

Jacob got out of the car, and started to stretch his long legs. Bewildered, I did the same.

"Come on. Let's go," he said. He headed to the beginning of the trailhead at a leisurely jog.

I was still slightly mystified, but I just decided to go with it. I followed after him.

We continued at a leisurely pace for a little bit, and I was feeling good as I settled into my stride.

After a mile or so, he lengthened his stride. It was just about this point that the ground began to incline. As we ran along our way, the incline became steeper and the altitude increased. With the increased altitude came thinner air, which made it even harder to breathe than before.

I struggled for a bit and managed to keep up, until he picked up the pace even more. "God, Jake," I huffed. "Not all of us have legs as long as Texas! And what is with all of the altitude?"

He just looked over his shoulder at me with a smile. It bugged me to see that he was barely winded. I mean I know I was out of shape for an elite athlete, but for a regular person, I was in great shape.

"You wanted to get back into shape and here is the way to do it. The altitude will help your stamina, and keeping up to my long legs will present a challenge. When you can keep up, you know you are ready shortie."

"I'm not that short, some people are just mutants," I muttered under my breath. He was right though. Everything he had said was true so instead of wasting my breath arguing pointlessly, I just threw myself into the run with renewed determination.

By sheer determination, I managed to keep up with him the whole way. Eventually we came out near a red barn like house.

I went to ask him where we were, but he beat me to the punch.

"This is my house," Jake told me, but instead of heading inside like I thought we would, he headed instead to what looked like a couple sheds stuck together.

Once inside I saw a veritable workout heaven. Unfortunately I was still a little sore from the crazy ass run and my fall down the steps.

"Here." Jacob threw me a bottle of lukewarm water. I gulped some down, not caring that it was bad for me, and had barely caught my breath before he gestured to the mats in the middle of the 'floor.'

"Crunches."

"Ugh. Are you crazy?" I muttered. "We just ran like a marathon. And besides, I have seen ROTC programs less strict than this!"

That is when he crossed the line. "Ok, fine. I just thought gymnasts were tough. But if you don't think you can keep up with me that's cool." He shrugged, and his words sparked my competitive side.

"Oh it is on!"

"Bring it shortie."

Rather than dignify his slight with a response, I just started doing crunches.

He beat me in crunches by a few, but I kicked his butt for a hollow hold ab workout. He lifted heavier weights- I mean that was a given- but I beat him in pushups.

The rest of the day followed that order, and when Charlie showed up with pizzas, we were forced to admit a tie.

I slipped on a jacket, and we ran through the rain to the Black's house. I was laughing and carefree.

We ended up racing to the front door, and despite my fatigue, I managed to beat him, that is until he grabbed me around the waist and swung me around.

He was still swinging me in the air when Charlie stepped out onto the porch to see what was taking us so long.

Jake put me down, and we made our way into the house, but not before I was confused by the knowing look in Charlie's eyes.