Thank you for all the great reviews on the last chapter, and to everyone who is reading and enjoying the story. This one isn't quite such a sad one, I promise ;o)

CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX

The funeral service was short and led by Quil's Gramps. The pack carried Dad's coffin from the car to the grave and carefully lowered it into the earth and I stood silently with Edward one side of me and Rachel on the other. I wanted to hold onto Edward like he was my lifeline, but I couldn't hold his hand in front of the large number of people who had turned out to say goodbye. When it was time, I stepped forward to scatter a handful of earth, followed by Rach and Becca and each member of the Council and then gradually the crowd broke up, leaving only my family, the pack and Sue Clearwater, and the three Cullens.

I found it difficult to believe it was over. Somehow I had imagined more time would have been taken, but when I glanced at my watch I realised an hour had passed and somehow I just hadn't noticed. Dad was gone and I found that the anger I felt over the past few days had dispersed, to be replaced with a deep sadness and loneliness and this was made worse by the fact that in just a few minutes Edward would go home. I didn't want to let him out of my sight for a minute, but it was time for him to leave the Reservation and I walked over to the Cullens' car with him. Carlisle and Esme both gave me a hug and then got into the vehicle and Edward stepped closer to me. Most of the funeral party had broken up and were already walking or driving away from the graveyard, and I wasn't concerned about the pack seeing me.

"I don't want you to go," I murmured, pressing my face into his neck.

"I won't be far away. I'll see you tonight, somehow," he promised. "Just call me."

"Yeah." I pulled away reluctantly and immediately caught sight of Paul eyeing us with disgust from a few yards away. I left Edward and walked towards the others. "Something to say, Paul?" I asked tiredly.

"I guess I find it a bit much to stomach that the leeches would be here and you pawing each other is something else."

"Paul!" Sue exclaimed.

I bit my lip as Solomon looked at Paul in puzzlement. My sisters didn't appear to have noticed.

"Does he not like the Cullens for some reason?" Solomon asked.

"Paul doesn't like anybody, just ignore him," said Leah, shoving her hand firmly through Paul's arm before hustling him away. "Keep your fucking mouth shut, at least for a couple more hours!" I heard her hissing.

Embry hurried after them and the rest of us began to follow slowly. Rachel held onto my arm and we walked in silence as we made our way to the Clearwaters' house. Sue and Leah had prepared food and everyone would spend most of the afternoon there, talking about Dad and remembering things he did. It seemed endless and I longed to leave and go to Edward, but I knew I couldn't just take off, even when the day finally came to an end and I returned to the house with Solomon and my sisters. They wanted to talk about what would happen to me and the house and it was the last thing I wanted to discuss right then. I couldn't have cared less what would happen; I didn't even want to live in the damned house any more.

"Can't we do this tomorrow?" I sighed despondently, slouching in one of the armchairs and resting my feet on the coffee table.

"Jacob, put your feet down," Rachel said quietly.

"Don't start acting like a mother," I snapped at her. "You're all going to be gone in a couple of days. Who's going to tell me to keep my feet off the furniture then, huh?"

Rachel's lips trembled and she lowered her head.

"Jacob, there's no need to be like that. We all feel the same here," Becca said.

"I doubt it. You have your own lives to go back to, thousands of miles away. You think I want to go on living in this house without Dad?"

"We already talked about this," said Solomon. "Rebecca and I would like you to come back with us, at least for a while..."

"To Hawaii?" I gaped at him.

"It might do you good," Becca added. "We don't see enough of each other. You've never even seen our house..."

"Just because you two turned your back on the Res, doesn't mean I want to," I interrupted. "My life is here, my business is here and so is Edward. I'm going nowhere. I just said I don't want to live in this house, I don't want to leave the fucking state!" I groaned and dropped my head into my hands. I had thought my temper had left me, but it hadn't; far from it. I couldn't seem to control myself and everything that came out of my mouth was upsetting my sisters.

"I'm sorry," I sighed. "Look, I might only be seventeen, but I've been running my own business properly for six months. It's doing well and I'm not walking away from it. I'm not walking away from Edward either."

"Perhaps you could stay with the Clearwaters, then," Rachel said. "They did offer, if you don't want to be here. Sue spoke to me earlier."

"Yeah, well I'll figure it out when you go back."

I sat in a sulky silence for the rest of the evening, listening to the others talk. I hated the way I was behaving, but I couldn't seem to do anything about it. If they hadn't been here I would have gone out and phased and probably spent the whole night in wolf form, but instead I sat there listening to the drone of their voices, wishing that the impossible would happen and that Dad would suddenly roll in from the kitchen.

Besides the empty space that seemed to have formed inside me from the loss of him, I was beginning to ache to see Edward and I wished the others would just go to bed so I could creep out and go to him. It was past midnight and they were showing no signs of turning in. I considered announcing my intention to go to bed and then slipping out of the window, but then finally Rachel got up and went to take a shower. A camp bed had been set up in the dining room for her and Rebecca and Solomon would stay in Dad's room.

"You should try and get some sleep, Jacob, you look exhausted," Becca said to me.

I went to my room and decided to wait until there were no further sounds from the others, in case one of my sisters were to check on me. I stripped down to my shorts and slid into the bed, lying still in the darkness and listening to the rustle of the trees in the wind outside the open window. A light thump startled me and I blinked as a figure appeared, the shadow moving towards me.

"Edward!" I whispered.

"I wasn't sure if you'd be able to get away or not."

"I was waiting for the others to go to bed so I could come out."

"Should I go again and wait for you?"

"No, stay," I said at once. The discomfort I felt had quickly disappeared and I shifted over in the bed to make room for him. He shed his clothes quickly and in seconds he was in my arms. "I hate that you had to leave earlier," I murmured. "I managed to upset my sisters; Becca and Solomon even suggested I go back to Hawaii with them. I don't want to stay here, but I'm too young to rent a place or..." I stopped as Edward's cool fingers touched my lips.

"I have a suggestion," he said. "Carlisle told me to put it to you. I don't suppose it's going to please your pack or the Council, but if you want to, you can move in with me...us."

My heart lurched and I held my breath for a moment. Live with Edward? Be with him every minute except when I needed to be at work? We wouldn't be alone, but at least we would be together.

"Are you sure?" I asked. "What about everyone else?"

"Esme, Jasper and Alexa and Emmett are all fine. Rose wasn't too impressed, but you know what she's like."

"I want to, more than anything," I said at once. "But I'll probably be lousy company for a while."

"It doesn't matter. Everybody will understand how you feel; all of us have lost people. I haven't forgotten what it's like to lose a parent, even after more than ninety years. They'll either keep out of your way or get you to join in with them doing things to distract you, whatever's best for you."

Tears filled my eyes and I hugged him against me. "I love you," I whispered. "I'll move in as soon as my sisters leave, if that's ok."

"I hoped you'd say that."

"Jacob?" Rachel tapped on the door. "Who are you talking to?"

"Shit," I breathed and then wondered what I was worrying about. She could hardly complain about him being with me when pretty soon she and the others would be leaving and he would be all I had. "Edward's here!" I called.

There was silence for a moment. "Oh! Well...goodnight."

I talked with Edward a little while longer and then finally I fell asleep, my head resting on his shoulder and his fingers combing gently through my hair. When I opened my eyes it was dawn and he was trying to slip away from me without disturbing me.

"Sneaking off without saying goodbye?" I grabbed him and pulled him closer to me again.

"I didn't want to wake you. How are you feeling?"

"Like shit, but better with you here." I brushed my lips against his. "I'll come over later, even if it's only for an hour or so. I should speak to Carlisle and Esme if I'm going to be moving in; I don't want to just turn up with all my stuff in a few days' time."

Edward smiled and got up, quickly beginning to get dressed. "I'll make some space in my closet and drawers for your things."

In a few minutes he was gone and I lay down again to catch a few more hours' sleep, but without his presence and comfort, I tossed and turned, thinking about Dad and wondering what he would have thought about me moving in with the Cullens. Was that what he meant when he said he knew I would have to leave the Reservation to be with Edward properly? Or did he expect me to wait until I was old enough to find my own home? Then I remembered what he had said to me, heard his voice in my head as if he were speaking to me again.

"So long as you're happy, that's what's important. You have to follow your heart and your Imprint."

I knew he would be happy for me; he would only have frowned if I sat alone in an empty house, moping.

Rach and Becca weren't quite sure that moving in with my boyfriend at seventeen was the best plan, but considering his 'parents' had invited me and would be watching out for me, they agreed eventually that at least I would be in safe hands. They didn't worry about the house since I would be at the garage working six days a week and decided to just leave it for the moment. Dad had died intestate which surprised me, but he no doubt thought he had longer to sort things out. Solomon, who was a lawyer, would deal with anything that needed to be done legally. The house and grounds would in effect be split three ways between me and my sisters, but neither of them wanted or needed anything and both agreed they would sign their shares of the house over to me when I reached twenty-one so that I could continue my business there or sell up as I wished. In the meantime, they each chose some photographs and mementos of Dad to take with them. Rachel's flight back to New York was Monday afternoon and Solomon drove her to Sea-Tac rather than let her travel the long distance by bus and train. Becca and Solomon were to leave Tuesday.

I had been over to the Cullens' to speak to Carlisle and Esme as I promised and both had told me they would be delighted to have me stay for as long or as short a time as I wished. All I had to do now was tell the pack my plans and that was the part I looked forward to the least. I knew Embry and Leah would be on my side and Seth too, but I wasn't so sure about the others. It was one thing to accept that Edward was my Imprint and that I needed to see him, but quite another for them to watch me leave the Reservation and move into the 'enemy camp'.

I was back at work now and every customer who came to the garage offered their condolences as all had known Dad at least vaguely; some had even attended his funeral. When I locked up on Tuesday I headed over to Sam's, having already asked him to bring the pack together so I could talk to them all at once. I parked up outside at six-thirty and walked in through the open door. Everyone else was already gathered in the lounge, most cramming Emily's cinnamon muffins into their mouths.

"Hey, Jake!" Seth jumped up at once and came to give me a hug. Embry and Quil followed suit and then backed off and let me sit down.

"So, what's this about?" Jared asked.

"Well...um..." I clenched my fists in my lap. They were going to hate it. "I'm going to be moving out of my house tonight, so I thought I should tell you..."

"Moving house merits a pack meeting?" Quil raised his eyebrows.

"There can only be one reason for that," Paul said, his lip curling. "Let me guess - you're gonna live with your blood-sucking lover."

Sam frowned at him and then at me. "Is this true?"

"Carlisle invited me to stay with them, yes," I nodded.

"So did Sue Clearwater," added Paul. "But you'd rather turn your back on your guys..."

"That's enough, Paul!" Sam snapped. He sighed heavily. "We may all be pack-brothers, but we're also free to make our own decisions so long as it doesn't endanger the rest of us or the tribe."

"And you think him going to live with a bunch of vampires isn't endangering anybody?" Paul spat, getting to his feet.

"Paul, shut up," Jared put in.

"No, I won't fucking shut up. Jake, I am sorry, like everybody else, about Billy. He was like a dad to me too on occasion, but I'm fucked if I'm gonna sit here and say it's ok that you walk away from us and go live with your dead fuck-buddy and his family, because it's far from being ok! Billy's probably turning in his grave!" He stormed out of the house and the door crashed shut after him.

"He is such an asshole," muttered Seth.

"I didn't think even Paul could be that cruel," Embry gasped.

"Nasty fucker!" Leah growled. "He's gonna regret that!"

"Don't worry about it," I said shakily. "For the record, before any of you say anything else, Dad spoke to both me and Edward before he...died. He told Edward to take care of me and he told me that he understood I would have to leave La Push and follow my heart and he wanted me to go on and do it. I'm not under any illusion that I'll get much support from you guys, but it's what I'm gonna do, so...if you want me to leave the pack, Sam, I will."

"You can't leave the pack!" Seth exclaimed. "I don't want you to leave, nor does Leah, do you, sis? Or Em...guys..."

"It's alright, Seth, let Sam speak," I said.

"There's no need for you to do that," Sam said slowly. "You won't be far away. Things are quiet now anyway; not even much need for patrols. But if there is any need for it in the future, the Cullens would be on our side again, the same way they were last year..."

"So it makes no difference if Jake's living with them, right?" Seth's face lit up and I grinned at the kid, despite my miserable mood.

"It's not the ideal situation, but the pack won't give you any trouble." Sam glanced around at the others and they all nodded, some more firmly than others. "Presumably you'll be working at the garage every day as before, Jacob?"

"Yes."

"What are we going to do about Paul?" Embry asked.

"I'll deal with him when he's had the chance to cool down," Sam replied.

"You should let me deal with him," Leah said through her teeth. Embry gave her a smile even as Sam frowned at her.

I heaved a sigh of relief. I had expected my news to be received much more reluctantly than it had been, but no one seemed to really object. I had to wonder if their reactions would have been different if Dad hadn't just died and they felt like they had to pander to me, but I didn't really care. In just a few hours I would be spending my first night with Edward without having to think about leaving him when my curfew approached or when the weekend was over and my mood lightened. It was the first time I had actually felt happy about anything in days.

When I left Sam's, I went straight home and began loading my things into the truck. Virtually all of my clothes and personal belongings were already packed into boxes and it was just a matter of carrying them all out to the vehicle. I had even packed up the contents of the refrigerator and food cupboards rather than throw the things away and I finally locked up at eight-forty-five and stood on the porch for a long moment before I climbed into the truck. I was torn between feeling sad over leaving the house I had called home for seventeen years, shared first with my parents and sisters, then only Dad after Mom died and my sisters left a few years later. A single tear rolled down each cheek and then I brushed them away and started the engine, my thoughts shifting to the huge house I was moving into, Edward waiting there for me, ready to wrap me up in his arms and comfort me. I shifted the truck into gear and set off.

In just a half hour, my truck was parked up with the Cullens' numerous vehicles and all of my boxes were in Edward's room. Edward, Emmett and Jasper had moved them up there in record time as I watched, fascinated by the way they blurred up and down the stairs almost too fast for the eye to see. Esme asked if I had eaten dinner and I realised then that I hadn't and that I was starving. She prepared a meal for me while I began unpacking my things - hanging my clothes in Edward's closet and finding drawers and cupboards to put away everything else. Esme and Alexa sat talking to me while I ate dinner and the male vampires went out hunting. Rosalie appeared briefly to sneer at me and grumble something about the house smelling permanently of dog from now on and then vanished again.

By the time Edward returned I was in his room - our room - staring at the cover of Dad's journal and wondering if I was ready to start reading it. I had decided I would read it, but that I would rather not do it alone. Edward closed the door behind him, took his shoes off and sat down on the bed close to me.

"Your Dad's journal?"

"Yeah. Will you read it with me?"

"Of course."

We curled up together, propped against the pillows and began to read the first section of the thick book. It began with Dad at sixteen and in highschool. He had just been told that the legends of wolves and vampires that he had read about were actually true and he longed for the gene to make itself known in himself so that he could become a wolf. Rather than hate the idea and wish it bypassed him like I had, he would have welcomed it and Quil's father, his best friend, felt the same.

We continued reading until Dad finally plucked up the courage to ask the beautiful Sarah Wilde to prom and then I decided to put the journal away for the moment. I began to dwell on the eight years Dad had spent alone after Mom died. She had been the love of his life - his highschool sweetheart - ripped away from him and all of us by a hideous car accident when I was nine years old. I could still remember sitting at the hospital with Rach and Becca, watching Dad walk towards us after he found out Mom died on the operating table. He had tears pouring down his face and it had occurred to me at the time that it must be bad if someone as tough as my Dad was crying.

"Fuck," I muttered as fresh tears spilled down my cheeks. "He had such a tough life; at least the last few years."

"I don't think he saw it like that," Edward said softly. "He had you and your sisters. He was so proud of you; he told me."

"I know," I choked. "I was just thinking that he was with my Mom for twenty years...never even looked at another girl once...I can see his face the day we lost her...I don't know how he ever got through that. If I lost you, Edward, it would kill me."

"You're not going to lose me, I'm right here, I'm always going to be here." He pulled me closer to him, his lips brushing lightly over my cheeks, sweeping away my tears and I held onto him, stupidly scared that if I didn't have hold of him, if I couldn't feel him, he would be lost to me.

"Kiss me," I begged roughly.

Edward's mouth covered mine and he kissed me, gently at first and then heatedly, urgently, his tongue thrusting in as I gripped him and pulled him harder against me. He didn't often take the lead, but now he did and I relished it, letting him pull off my shirt, push me down against the pillows, his eager kisses making my heart pound and my cock stiffen rapidly. I wanted him so much in that moment, desperately almost, and I groaned as he drew away from me for a brief moment to remove his shirt and then both our pants and shorts. He was as aroused as I was, his beautiful pale cock quivering against his belly. It had been almost two weeks since we touched each other and I was already leaking pre-cum, my balls tight and aching. For once I didn't want to take my time, I just wanted to feel him against me, his hands and mouth on me, his cock against mine.

He was reading my thoughts; sometimes he seemed to know when to do that and when to stay out of my head and now he bent over me, his lips capturing mine again, one hand stroking over my chest, teasing and pinching my nipples while he pushed one knee in between my thighs, then the other, spreading my legs open. Usually it would be me doing that, lowering myself between his legs and imagining the time when I would eventually make love to him, but now I pulled my knees up and let them slide further apart, my arms eagerly pulling him down until his weight rested on me, his coldness meeting my heat in a frenzy of goosebumps, his erection throbbing against mine. He raised himself again just enough to slip one hand between us, grasping both of our cocks together and rubbing them against each other and I squirmed and gasped, gyrating my hips and thrusting myself against him, tearing my mouth away from his to breathe as my orgasm began to roll through me.

"Oh, fuck! Yes! Christ!" I cried as I came in hard hot spurts, immediately feeling the chill of Edward's cum on my belly as he came too.

I slid my hands down his smooth back and then tightened my arms around him, crushing him against me.

"God, I needed that," I panted. "I need you." I forced my eyes open and looked up into his black ones. "I love you so much, Edward."

"I love you too," he whispered. "Always."