Sam POV-

I awoke the next morning in the worst pain I have ever felt.

This wasn't cramps or a migraine or anything like that. Those I was used to. This…this was something completely different.

I can't even begin to explain it. It was like every nerve-ending in my body was on fire. Everything ached and burned at the same time and my head felt like it was going to explode. And every few minutes a wave of pain would have me practically doubling over in agony.

I felt like I was going to pass out and throw up at the same time.

I got ready very, very slowly and I was grateful for the fact that Jazz had already gotten up so that she wouldn't question what was wrong with me.

Mostly because I had absolutely no idea.

Part of me thought I should go to the emergency room. I wondered if I had been bitten by a poisonous insect or something. But my gut instinct told me that the doctors wouldn't be able to find anything wrong and that I would just spend multiple hours in the waiting room or in an examination room dealing with all kinds of tests.

Jacob had planned a big day for us today and I would be damned before I'd be the one to ruin it over something I can't even explain.

Once I had finally gotten ready, I walked into the living room, careful to mask the pain.

I sat down at the breakfast table with Danny and Jazz. Jazz didn't seem to notice that anything was wrong. Danny, on the other hand, did.

"Sam, are you okay?" he asked me, looking at me skeptically.

"Yeah, I just have a migraine," I lied. I didn't want to tell him. If I did, he would just be worried about me. Then he would find a reason to cancel the plans today and I didn't want that to happen.

Danny didn't seem convinced but he didn't press.

I poured a cup of coffee and chugged it down. I was hoping it would take the edge off but it didn't. I popped an ibuprofen in my mouth and chased it with another sip of coffee. It would probably take about fifteen minutes for the medicine to kick it—that is, assuming it worked at all.

Just then Jacob came in.

"Oh good, you're up. It looks like Tucker went to the beach so it should just be the three of us," Jacob said, "Are you guys ready to go?"

"Yeah," I said, standing up. Then another one of those crippling waves of pain washed over me. I sucked in a sharp breath and clenched my fists, digging my nails into my skin.

Both of the boys looked at me but the way Jacob was looking at me was different than the way Danny was looking at me. Danny looked at me with concern, Jacob looked at me with a mix of confusion and expectation.

What he was expecting, I didn't know.

"I'm fine." I lied again and walked passed them outside to the truck.

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Jacob POV-

Something was definitely wrong with Sam.

I mean, I could tell she was in pain…almost…a familiar pain.

'No,' I chided myself, 'if she was transforming, she wouldn't be able to move, much less go hiking.'

And considering my own sisters hadn't transformed, I reasoned that Sam likely wouldn't be either.

As she walked passed us Danny and I shared a look before he shrugged and followed after her.

Today I was taking them hiking—as far away from the Cullens and the reservation as I could get, which was a nearly half hour drive. I'm sure Danny and Sam were wondering why we were going way out here.

"Why didn't we go to a trail closer to your house?" Danny asked me right on cue.

I shrugged, "This trail is better. Plus there's this one really awesome spot that looks over the valley and the ocean."

Danny seemed to accept that. Finally we pulled into the parking lot where the trail started. Sam hadn't said a word the entire drive here, and I was still a little concerned about her. But I guessed if she came with us that meant she could handle it. I grabbed my backpack and we started on the trail.

We had only been walking about a mile and a half before Sam stopped in her tracks.

"Sam?" Danny asked her with concern. She said nothing but I noticed she swayed a little on her feet.

Suddenly she collapsed.

"Sam!" Danny shouted, catching her before she hit the ground.

Then she started convulsing.

Oh shit. I was kind of in shock but also kind of impressed. How the hell was she able to handle that kind of painfor so long?

"We need to go. Now." I demanded, urgently.

"Obviously," Danny replied, "Help me get her to her feet."

"No. I mean, you and me need to get out of here," I told him.

"Are you insane? I'm not leaving her!" he exclaimed.

I looked at him and I knew that there was nothing I could say to change his mind.

"Okay, let's get her home. I'll carry her," I said.

"No, I've got her," Danny said, effortlessly lifting her.

I did a double take. How the hell did he lift her so easily? He's so scrawny.

"Are you sure you can carry her all the way?" I asked him. It's one thing to be able to pick someone up, but to carry them for 1.5 miles isn't easy for normal people.

"Yes," he said curtly, already walking away.

And he did, he carried her all the way without faltering once. Unfortunately, it took longer than I would have wanted to get back to the truck—and we don't have that much time as it is—but Danny was trying hard not to hurt her more than she already was.

We got into the truck, laying her in the back with her head on Danny's lap and I hit the gas. My tires squealed on the asphalt.

I just hoped we would make it home in time.