The epilogue will be up shortly and once this story is finished, I may or may not post the sequel within a week. I may work on one of my other neglected stories, perhaps Unintended or Reincarnated. Not sure yet but if I get inspiration for the sequel, I'll write in right away. I've already started on a scene this morning and... I started to cry. XD

Anyway, thanks to my reviewers of last chapter:

barbiedoll123, ChrissyBellaDiva, obsessedwithjamespotter, Edwardslover304, sweet-strawberry692010, writingchick, dorkiegrl2, Maiqu, Popo-xXxILoveEdwardxXx, joebro-obsessed89, fizz322 and Kason08.

Stay tuned for the Epilogue.

Chapter Twenty

Race

JPOV

Bella was twenty minutes late and that scared me.

Who knew if she had been in an accident or something else happened. None of the pack would go check on her, assuming that she was having a difficult time with getting the twins ready.

But that still didn't calm me.

Bella would've called! I know she would've. She was so prone to accidents… what if she fell down the stairs with the twins? What if something had happened with Charlie?

"Jake, calm down," Quil tried to assure me. "Bella's only twenty minutes late. Let's start –"

"Move out of my way!" A high pitched voice hissed from the dark outside. I exchanged looks with Quil and Embry before we all raced to the door. There Alice Cullen was and she was going up against Sam. "Jacob!"

I turned to the leech, glaring. "Yes?"

"It's Bella!" Alice cried out and my heart immediately sank. I knew I should've left when she wasn't home on time but does anyone let me leave? Of course not!

Not only that but Alice's eyes betrayed everything. Something was more than just terribly wrong.

I should've gone with her to Charlie's…

"What's wrong with Bella?" I asked, trying to keep my emotions from betraying how I really felt.

"Oh, Jacob! It's terrible!" Alice glanced at the faces of the pack. Obviously the snarling and the shaking bodies didn't bother her. "There's been a fire! I saw it as soon as it happened and Edward can't get in! Jacob, Charlie's house is on fire!"

My eyes widened in shock. The twins weren't that old…

Tears began to assault my eyes but I didn't have time to think. I took off running into the woods, kicking off my shoes in the progress before I changed into a giant wolf.

EPOV

Victoria's scent was all over the damn place and what was worse was that I couldn't go after her. I couldn't leave Bella alone but I couldn't get inside either.

"Edward!" Bella's strangled yells came from inside, followed by loud crying.

The sound of something falling from inside hit my ears followed by a loud scream. "Charlie!" Bella coughed. "Charlie! Stay awake! Edward, help!"

I took an unnecessary breath and prepared myself to run inside but stopped in my tracks by howling and Alice's thoughts.

I brought reinforcements.

Great. Why couldn't I be the hero? Then Bella would surely choose me.

The wolves and Alice burst through threes. The only one that was in human form was Jacob. Filthy mongrel.

"You can't go in there like that!" I snapped, seeing Jacob with only cutoff shorts on.

Jacob glared at me. "I don't give a damn," he snarled. "My family is in there and I'm going to get them out."

"Let him do what he came to do," Alice ordered, placing her pale hand on my forearm. "You can't be the hero, Edward. Not anymore."

"But –"

My sentence didn't finish as Alice's vision bombarded my mind.

It was more like a broken television set, only a glimpse here and there with a lot of static. But I could see myself as I made my way through the burning house, not caring that the flames burned my cold flesh.

Then as abruptly as it started, it ended. I met eyes with my sister and nodded. "I need to help Jacob get them out of there," I told Alice. "He's strong but not strong enough."

"You could die, Edward…" Alice warned. "Fire…"

"I'd rather it be me than Bella and her family."

Alice nodded and then her face went blank again. "You'll be fine. I saw it but I couldn't see anything else."

I nodded, hugging my sister before turning back to the fire. Jacob was already gone and I could hear him moving the fallen debris.

Taking a deep, unneeded breath, I made my way in through the door just as Bella's old bed landed in front of me.

The fire was hot and a purple smoke that smelt of flesh was beginning to fill the air. I jumped over the bed and followed the crying of the babies.

JPOV

"Bella!" I called out, dodging falling parts of the house and covering my mouth with my arm.

"Jacob!" Bella coughed. "Jacob, the babies!"

I looked around, searching for the crying when I saw Cullen leaning over their carriers. "Edward's got them!" I coughed, my lungs constricting as they struggled to allow me access to oxygen. "Where are you?"

Bella screamed as a loud crash sounded from the kitchen. I took one last look at the leech. Charlie was slumped over his back and two carriers were in his grip. His dark eyes glanced at me and I nodded my thanks to him. He nodded back and in one swift movement, he disappeared through the door. "Bella, stay with me, alright?" I called to her. "I'm coming to get you."

"No, Jake –" Another scream and this time I knew what it was about. The entrance way to the kitchen had caved in. Thoughts upon thoughts clouded my mind. How the hell had this even happened? This fire was too out of control to be accidental…

My eyes widened and that's when it dawned on me. Victoria.

A snarl ripped through my chest in rage as I threw the debris out of my way and jumping over the rest. Bella was crouched in a corner near the refrigerator where there was more of a chance of her surviving. I smiled at her and picked her up bridal style before making my way back out of the house.

"Are you okay?" I whispered, jumping over boards that had fallen.

She nodded. Her face was coated with black and her skin was red from the fiery inferno. The sky was still dark but it was raining now and I was thankful for that.

"Bella! Oh, Bella!" The other Cullen, Alice, cried out as we walked outside. Bella was quickly taken from my arms and held on to by the small vampire. "Are you okay? Are you hurt?" Bella coughed in an attempt to laugh. Bella weakly hugged Alice while Alice ran her fingers through Bella's sweaty hair. "Charlie's alright, Bella. And the twins are being checked out by Edward. Everything's fine. An ambulance is on it's way." Bella nodded, dozing off. "Bella…" Alice shook Bella, startling her. "You need to stay awake until you get to the hospital. Can you do that for me?" Bella nodded, groggily, trying to close her eyes again. As I walked over to Crysta and Logan, I saw Alice roll her eyes and dump a bottle of water on Bella.

"Alice!" I heard Bella screech and I chuckled. She was definitely wide awake now.

"Can I have my babies please?" I asked Edward, who held both of them. There was no use being impolite now. Edward helped me save my family. The leech glanced at me before reluctantly handing me the children.

"Crysta's having some trouble breathing," he told me. "But I'm sure it's just from inhaling the smoke. I'm sure she'll be fine. Alice has already called 911." I nodded, hearing the sirens in the background.

"Are you alright?" I asked hesitantly.

Cullen shrugged. "It could've been much worse. I got out before I went up in flames."

I nodded and walked back over to Bella who was still yelling at Alice. "Jacob Black?" Alice asked. Her voice didn't sound so demanding when she had show up on the reservation. It was small and uncertain. "May I… may I hold one? I've never gotten the chance to hold a human baby before." My eyes darted to Bella, who nodded. Sighing, I handed her Logan. His dark eyes glanced up at Alice and with a small hand he reached up, pulling on Alice's large hoop earring. Alice laughed while Bella forced Logan to let go. "I've broken the treaty, haven't I?"

Bella turned to look at me and I frowned. Alice had broken the treaty which meant war but if she hadn't… if Alice hadn't broken the treaty, the people I loved most… would have –

"Don't worry about it," I told the leech. "I'm sure the pack are willing to… overlook the situation. If it wasn't for your vision and you showing up…"

"I'd be dead," Bella added, hugging Alice as tight as she could. "Crysta and Logan… Charlie… we'd all be dead. Thank you, Alice."

Alice smiled brightly and looked back down at my son just as three ambulances pulled into the driveway.

"Bella," I said. Her gaze turned back to me. "I'm going to ride with Crysta and Logan if that's alright." She hesitantly nodded and I looked at Alice. "Sam will go with Charlie. Could you and –"

"We'll go with Bella. Don't ever hesitate to ask us anything, Jacob Black. When it comes to Bella, we're there. She's part of our family too."

Alice's words hit a nerve but I knew it was true. Despite everything, Bella would always hold a soft spot for the Cullens and I could do nothing to keep her from them because then she would cut herself out of my life, taking my children with her. I had to accept that, vampire or not, she loved them but she loved me too.

My thoughts were interrupted by a squeal coming from Alice and I groaned. "How can anyone so tiny be so damn irritating?"

Alice laughed and looked down at Bella. "I see a wedding in your future."