bitondrahoward: Thanks!

DelSan 13: Juicy? Yes! So much juice that you won't know what to do with it all mwahahahaha! lol. The how's not going to be explained for a while yet (if at all) and the morning after is this chapter and the next, along with a steady stream of juice from this fruit for the next few chapters (I think). Thanks for the review~~

megan39: Yep, after all, it's still the same ole Jake, just a little furrier... lol. Questions answered in this chapter!

brankel1: Thanks!

Thanks so much to all my reviewers, much love to you all! Megan39 (9x), FlameAngel15 (2x), TeamSethLover (35x), Guest (5x), Shay205 (17x), lacysangels, DelSan 13 (22x), psycovampirefreak, kouga's older woman (11x), VampireLover010 (5x), SarahanjoMiller (3x), Holy Cross Baby (4x), 4evernaya, bitondrahoward, brankel1
Your comments brighten my day every time I read them!

If you have any questions at all, please drop them in a review, and I'll either answer them in a PM or at the beginning of the next chapter. Even if you don't have a question then please leave a review. They keep my spirits up in addition to making my day every single time I see someone reviewed.

I'll post the children's ages here, for your ease of access, even though many might not appear in the chapter:
Bella-16 (Sep)
Ren*-16 (Sep)
Glen-17 (Jul)
Jake*-15 (Jan)
Rachel-17
Rebecca-17
Quil-15 (Mar)
Embry-15 (Dec)
Seth-14
Leah-16
Paul-17 (Jul)
Jared-17
Sam-18

* Indicates that the person has phased

Disclaimer: I in no way own the Twilight Saga or am making money off this work of fiction.

~*~X~*~

Chapter 36

~*~X~*~

~Bella POV~

My eyes snapped open at Charlie's shout from downstairs. "ISABELLA!"

Any hope I had at ignoring him were shot when Charlie stomped up the stairs and slammed my door open, the sudden light flooding the room waking me completely.

I groaned softly as I sat up, the sheets falling from my still half asleep body. "What Charlie?" I asked, sleep still lacing my voice.

"You know what Miss Lahote." Charlie stated, glaring at me, the glare so intense that if they were even as dull as ball bearings, I would have two very prominent holes in me.

"Uh, refresh my memory?"

"Jacob. You were responsible for getting him home after Prom. Billy just called and do you know what he just said?"

"N-no?"

"Jacob still isn't home. It's three in the morning, and you're here. Where. Is. Jacob."

"I don't know Charlie, I…"

"Where the hell is Jacob, Isabella."

"I don't know!"

"Why not?"

"He didn't want to ride with me back to his house!" I blurted. The truth would get me committed, that I know.

"So you left him at school? How could…"

"No, at the bonfire!"

Silence descended between us, I could literally see the cogs turning in Charlie's head as he processed the information that I just gave him.

Horror then crossed Charlie's face as he drew a conclusion that I was sure neither of us wanted, and that I knew for a fact wasn't true.

"Jake must've been kidnapped…" Charlie mumbled quietly, his eyes slowly going out of focus as he stared right through me.

Yep, there it was. That's gonna be our cover story. Now I just need to tell Jake…

"I need to call Billy, I need to report this, we need to start searching…" Charlie mumbled to himself as he left my room, leaving me alone to contemplate the web of lies that I was about to get tangled in.

Charlie and Billy are going to think I left Jake at First Beach because he got so angry at me that he didn't want to get a ride with me back to Billy's, and then got kidnapped on his way home; when in all reality he was in the woods behind my house, a beautiful horse-sized wolf that was once my best friend, and if I was completely honest with myself, I was in love with him. Though, that love was dominated by the sibling bond I also shared with him. I think. I'm not sure anymore. It's all too much.

I slowly climbed out of bed, shutting my door and turning off the light before returning to the warmth under the sheets.

How am I going to act like my best friend, I think, was kidnapped when I know for a fact exactly where he is?

~Jake POV~

I woke up with a start to Charlie's yelling, and the Swan house lit up like a lighthouse cutting through fog.

"ISABELLA!"

I hesitantly walked to the edge of the woods in time to see Bella's light go on suddenly and hear Bella moan lightly as her sheets rustled as they fell off her.

As Charlie yelled at Bella, I felt a growl building in my throat with each accusation he threw at her, some buried protective instinct surfacing.

I did, however, catch that Charlie thought I was kidnapped. Great. Something else Bella's going to have to lie about. I mean, me being mad at her was true, and not wanting to go home with her was also partly true, as was the fact that I would've walked home. But being kidnapped? That is a complete and total lie.

But, how else could we explain my disappearance short of telling everyone I turned into a giant dog?

Charlie left the house and got in the cruiser shortly after coming to the conclusion that I was kidnapped.

I could hear the sheets rustling in Bella's room, before the sound of bare feet padding on the hardwood floors replaced the movement of her sheets. I stayed absolutely still as Bella walked out the back door in her bare feet, rapidly approaching the treeline.

I whined as soon as she was within earshot, and Bella turned her head towards me.

"Jake?"

I whined again, causing her to run towards me, wrapping her arms around me as soon as she reached me.

"Oh Jake…" she mumbled as she pressed her face into mu fur.

I felt a low rumble build in my chest, which escaped before aI could choke it down.

"I don't know what to do Jake" Bella cried "I don't want Charlie and Billy to worry about you, but we can't show them the truth either; one of them would surely shoot you."

A rush of love almost instantly welled up inside of me at the fact that Bella cared enough about me wellbeing that she would lie in order to keep me safe.

I gently pulled away from Bella, who just stood in place, her head down, tears streaming down her cheeks. I whimpered before gently licking her face.

"Jake…" she sobbed, her arms wrapping around my neck yet again, pulling me towards her. I somehow knew that she wouldn't be able to move me unless I let her, but she needed to have some semblance of control at the moment.

How do I know that?

I sighed the canine equivalent of a sigh as Bella's fingers twined themselves in my fur, her face pressed in my neck, her tears saturating my fur.

After a while, Bella's sobs started to die down, and she began to sway on her feet. I knew she musts be tired. I wiggled out of her grasp, and nudged her chin gently with my muzzle to get her to look up at me. I locked eyes with her, trying to convey the deep love I felt for her without words.

Through tear-streaked eyes, Bella returned my gaze, allowing me to see her love for me reflected below her sadness. Oh how I wish I could just take all her pain away, if only to see that spark in her eyes that was ever present when we were together before Tolo.

I placed a small lick on her cheek, expecting her to scold my for slobbering on her, but instead she kissed the end of my snout.

Another gush of love erupted inside me, before I noticed Bella's swaying getting worse. She needed to get to bed.

In a game of charades, I managed to turn her around and send her back towards the back door, left ajar in Bella's haste to see me.

With Bell's scent still hanging in the air, I settled on the forest floor, keeping my eyes open until I heard Bella's breathing even out. Only then did I fall asleep, the view of her window, her steady heartbeat and her steady breaths lulling me into unconsciousness.

~*~X~*~

Nothing makes my day more than my readers letting me know that they enjoyed my stories. So please drop a review if you liked this chapter or my story.

Remember, the more reviews there are, the more compelled I'll be to update~~