Disclaimer: Nothing belongs to me... Right now. This is my favorite song by Celine Dion.

There were moments of gold

And there were flashes of light

There were things I'd never do again

But then they'd always seem right

There were nights of endless pleasure

It was more than any laws allow

This was it, the moment of truth.

Time to come home.

With a timid step through the doorway, Jacob officially returned after fourteen days of non-stop running, to try and hunt that yellow butt down.

Stupid yellow butt.

He had lured her into a den somewhere off in Takoma, pretending to limp, and to his glee, she bought the bait. Once she followed him deep inside of the dark cavern with her high and mighty disposition, she cackled just as a wart-faced witch would when she actually found him. Taking the opportunity to pounce, Jacob tore a claw into her golden skin tissue, over her bare belly. A screech echoed through the cave, piercing the never-ending silence.

Faethra could only glare at him in a bitter, foiled fury before escaping; but this time, there was a burgundy trail following her every footprint, and she had slowed down. Jacob wouldn't stop until Renesmee was safe from Faethra. He didn't want to stop.

Somehow, Faethra had won again. Somehow, for the time being, she had ruined Jacob's plot to end her life. Somehow, though, another chance would show itself, and then she would be history. Somehow, Faethra would slip up in a drastic way, and there would be no turning back. Somehow, she would go down, perhaps not easily, but she would fall.

Eventually.

All he had to do was wait.

Then, he would strike.

No mercy would be shown. No reluctance. No time for her to get away.

Just pure battle, and there would be no trace left that Faethra ever existed.

But he looked forward to coming home to a nice, warm, cozy house, delicous food, and a wife that was sure to be happy to see him. She would greet him at the door with a big hug, hold him in her arms forever, and kiss him until the world ended. They would spend the night buried between sheets, or rather, buried in each other. Jacob would show his beautiful Nessie how much he truly longed for the sensitivity of her touch—time away from her was unbearable. Just one instant less of their eternity together, but he would make it up to her.

Everything would be spectacular, of course. Nessie was bound to have missed him for all that time.

There was nothing that could spoil the night, right?

Wrong.

He was totally and completely wrong.

Damn it. Crap. Damn it. Crap. Damn it. Crap, crap, crap.

"Hey! Nessie, I'm home!" Jacob exclaimed in jubilation.

She was in the living room, dusting the mantle. The hybrid casually glanced at him over her shoulder in an emotionless, bored recognition, as if she wasn't impressed or even overjoyed that he was back. Renesmee nodded at him. "Hi. I'm about to get started on dinner."

"Cool. What are we having?"

Truthfully, Jacob half-expected for Nessie to prepare food for only herself, but she wouldn't do that to him. She wasn't cruel or spiteful.

"Teriyaki chicken and steamed rice."

"Great. I'm starving."

"No shock there."

"Well, when you married me, you also married my stomach."

"I guess I wasn't fully aware what I was getting myself into?"

Uh-oh. Jacob sensed darker subtext there. He gulped.

"Um, are you okay?"

"Yeah. . ."

"Are you sure?"

"You should get washed up a little."

"Sure thing, sweetie. I love you."

Huff, sigh, huff, huff, deep inhale. Nessie curtly tilted her head at him, and responded icily, "I love you, too."

But she meant it, though. Whatever Jacob had done wrong, there was hope for redemption. She loved him. That's what mattered most.

Above forty-five minutes later, Nessie and Jacob sat at the dinner table as he commented on how much he missed her cooking, to which she hadn't bothered to respond to; and for the remainder of the meal, an ominous, uncomfortable silence befell their mouths, not even a peep. The only sounds to be heard was the scraping of knives and forks against the China plates and ice clinking together in their drinks. It gave the shape-shifter a headache. His mind thundered, pounding until he was certain that the world would implode.

What was Nessie uptight about? Why wasn't she giddy to the bone that he was home? Did she miss him at all? Did she really care? What was her problem? Was there something else going on that he couldn't figure out? Had time time apart caused Nessie to realize that she was better off alone than with him?

During supper, Jacob would glance up to study the contours of Nessie's face, examining how she chewed her food with her ladylike, Cullen-esque manners, savoring the sweet flavor without being too pleased at all. Nothing out of the ordinary. Her eyes were fixated on the plate, never once looking back at him—no interest in whatsoever.

Nessie didn't fuss over Jacob as she normally would have,asking him a million questions about his well-being, peppering his lips in affectionate kisses, and luring him to their bedroom.

The behavior she displayed now was beyond bewildering until he realized, a few minutes later, that she was infuriated. Suddenly, it was blatant to him. Jacob knew Nessie and how. . . Well, if he put himself in her shoes, he wouldn't have been so delighted if Nessie disappeared for two weeks. But damn it, it's not like he walked out on her. Jacob was trying to keep her safe from Faethra's wrath. It was a completely unselfish act.

He loved her. Of course, he loved her.

But Jacob had to at least try to catch Faethra. He had gone all that time with a single scrap of food, and every inch of him ached in depravation of sweet sleep.

Couldn't Nessie try to see things from his point of view, too? Or show some appreciation? Was that really so much to ask for? Could she just put off being angry at him for one night? Anything!

Anything would do—to rescue his eardrums from this awful quiet.

After dinner, Jacob volunteered to clean up. Nessie had waved her hand to and fro, gently shoving him into the living room whilst mentioning how exhausted he must have been and should opt to relax. Believing she was merely testing him, Jacob attempted to get himself back into the kitchen, yet that appeared to tick Nessie off, so he gave up. Jacob settled himself on the couch, secretly deliberating that this was a safe spot to sleep if Nessie hadn't already built him a doghouse out in the backyard yet.

Then, he grabbed for the remote control, switched the television on, and tried to enjoy a movie, but his ears could only listen to the noises of his wife's dispirited exhales of annoyance as she scrubbed roughly at the dishes. He contemplated whether or not getting her to let off steam on him would be wise.

Although, perhaps Jacob didn't exactly know what he had forced Nessie to suffer through, during a fortnight that felt like a dreadful eternity to her.

This feeling—this fear—was new to Jacob.

Never before had he been afraid of being in the same room with his imprint, or was terrified of a conversation—most likely, confrontation—with her. Sure, they had argued before, given each other the cold shoulder, and had endured the uh-oh zone that was also well known as the silent treatment. What couple didn't put one another through that? That's life. But this was a different situation, not in a way that was clear to Jacob.

There wasn't any easy resolution or a compromise they could reach, and Jacob couldn't undo the fact that he left.

Still, he had to try something.

"Would you just talk to me already?" Jacob huffed, turning off the tv as Renesmee walked into the living room to spray some Febreeze around the house, as if she was a normal housewife. Yeah, right. "Nessie. . . Look, I know you're upset."

Oh, that caught her attention. Nessie's head whipped around to look at him, and Jacob took a moment to absorb the ferocity dripping from her expression. Jeeze. What had he gotten himself into?

"Upset? I'm upset? Is that what I'm feeling, Jake? Oh, that's an understatement," she exhaled, her milk chocolate irises darkening to a sleak onyx. "I am livid right now! How could you be so stupid?"

"I had to go, Nessie!" Jacob defended himself, arising from the couch. He and Nessie stood in the center of the room, exchanging dirty looks. "I finally wounded Faethra. She was slowing down!"

"Yeah, how did that work out for you, Jacob? She's still not dead, is she?" The corners of the half-vampire half-human's mouth twitched upward, smirking sarcastically. "When are you going to get it through that thick skull of yours that Faethra is never going to stop until one of us is dead? So, what the hell do you decide to do about it? You follow her all the way to Toronto for two whole weeks!" she exploded at him, her face going red in rage. "Alone!"

"I knew what I was doing, all right? I'm not a child," Jacob replied, sneering acrimoniously. His jaw locked, and he shook his head.

"Then, why do you insist on acting like one, Jacob? For kicks? Or is being married to me so bad that you actually have a death wish?" The hybrid bellowed, glaring daggers at her husband.

"Well, excuse me, Nessie," he responded sardonically through gritted teeth. "Excuse me for giving a damn about you. Excuse me for going out of my way to protect you. Excuse me for not living up to your standards as an unpaid bodyguard. I'll do better next time."

"Don't you give me any of that crap, Jacob Ephraim Black." Oh, crap. She was full-naming, effectively turning this into a matter of pride. "For two weeks, I waited around here for a text, a call, an email, a freaking message in a bottle, or a note tied to a pigeon's ankle—anything!—to let me know that you were safe!"

"I couldn't stop for any of that shit," Jacob replied, rolling his eyes. "I had a job to do. I didn't get her, but that part is my only regret."

Renesmee swallowed, and turned around. She nervously fidgeted with a little bouquet of yellow lillies in an orange vase that Emily made them as a wedding present. Her fingers played with the long, green stems, as if she was contemplating her next move.

Then, Nessie gripped tenaciously at the base of the vase, turning back to Jacob tauntingly slow. A long, frightening silence lingered between them, until she pitched the object right over his head, and then it smashed against the wall. The clay shattered to the ground, the water flourished out, and the lillies scattered everywhere, along with their lost petals.

"You have got to be kidding me!" she ejected. "I sat here in this house, worrying myself half to death, and wondered if I was ever going to see you again!"

"Well, I'm here now, aren't I? Although, I'm starting to think that I'd rather be back out there or anywhere else as long as it's not here. Obviously, you didn't have to worry. I can take care of myself," Jacob stated in agitation.

At some point, he figured out that it would have been smart to give his wife a few beats to calm down or should have been begging for her mercy already.

"Yeah, but I did," Renesmee replied, emitting a short, ironic laugh. She shrugged, sighing flatly. "I sure had to suffer for your irresponsibility, and now I feel like a damn fool for it. Why do I bother? You don't even care!"

"I do care. I wouldn't have busted my ass if I don't care about you, Nessie," Jacob countered, clenching his jaw. How the hell could she say that to him? That he didn't care? "You're full of it if you honestly think that I abandoned you for a frollick in the woods."

The half-breed shook her head, pursing her lips before tracing a fingernail under her bottom eyelashes. "What is a marriage to you, Jacob? Huh? We are supposed to be a team—we share a partnership. But that doesn't mean squat to you, does it? You take off and I have to rely on someone from the pack to keep tabs of didn't bother to take anybody with you to have your back. Why did we even get married if you didn't want to play by the rules?"

Ouch. That hit him—kah-pow!—below the belt.

It should have been a sign to back off, but Jacob's brain could no longer process reality, and he was exasperated from all this fighting.

The next thing he said would forever be known as the stupidest load of crap he would ever spout. "Divorce me, Nessie! Leave me if I'm such a horrible, worthless, wreckless husband! Whatever! Go ahead!"

Her beautiful milk chocolate irises widened in astounded hurt, and both of them could only stand there dumbfounded at the words jetting back and forth. Jacob had never felt like such a moron before. He couldn't even believe himself. . . He didn't know why he said that. A divorce? Why would he want one of those? He loved being married to Nessie.

Oh, god.

Nessie's eyes glazed over, tears spilling over. "You know what? I'm exhausted. I'm going to bed."

"Wait, Nessie."

"Save it, Jake."

"But I'm-"

"I don't want to hear it."

"I didn't-"

"Good night."

It was no use to apologize Renesmee right now, not if she didn't want one. Her husband had idiotically uttered the second most painful thing her ears would ever listen to. She had every right to be pissed off at Jacob—him and his stupid pride and his dumb foot-friendly mouth. With a heavy sigh, Jacob cleaned up the broken vase from the floor, and then took a shower.

He pondered endlessly over the night's events, knowing very well that he was wrong from the beginning. Nessie—bless her heart—was earnestly attempting to give him an easy time when he came home, but he felt the need to screw up the kind gesture. At least, however, Jacob got Nessie to tell him the truth. It was out in the open, and it rolled over his head.

Jacob walked into their shared room, spying his soul mate's figure lying on her side. He knelt down to her bedside. "Nessie. . ."

"What do you want?" she questioned tiredly, opening her eyes.

"I'm sorry," the shape-shifter apologized, drawing her delicate hands into his, and thumbed tenderly over each of her knuckles. "God, Nessie, I'm so sorry. You're right. I should have brought someone with me. I should have called you or something. Going after Faethra wasn't worth it, not after hurting you. I'm sorry, Nessie."

"Go to sleep, Jacob," the hybrid murmured.

"I'm an idiot, Nessie. You should kick my ass. What I did was stupid. What I said was stupider. I'm sorry. Please, forgive me? I hurt you, but it was never my intention. I just wanted to end our misery with this whole damn problem," Jacob elucidated pleadingly, but it wasn't enough. "You know how my temper is."

Renesmee's face contorted into an expression of irritation, sitting up. "I don't care about your temper. I'll never forget about those things that you said."

He sighed, placing a light kiss on her left hand. "I know. It's not an excuse, and it's not fair to you. Everything I did, well, it wasn't to ever hurt you. I thought I was doing the right thing. I wanted to be the best for you, to protect you, but I screwed up."

"I know why you did it," Nessie replied, tightening her grasp on Jacob's hands.

He noticed her ire melting away, Renesmee's mood softening in reaction to his touch—so beautiful in the dim light, wearing a lavender nightgown, on the hugged her full breasts snuggly and was riding up her vanilla-creme legs.

"And about that divorce comment-"

Shaking her head to and fro, the girl-woman's autumn swung and cascaded over her shoulders. "You didn't mean it." Renesmee leaned forward as her index fingerl touched the smooth corner of Jacob's cheek. Instinctively, a grin plastered his face, allowing her finger to roam to his chin. "It was said in the heat of the moment. You don't need to apologize anymore, Jacob. It's okay."

"Yes, I do, Nessie, and no, it's not okay," Jacob retorted, pressing his doting lips against her knees.

"Jacob," Nessie whispered, tugging him toward the bed to join her—over her. "Everything is fine."

"No, don't do that," he answered, flipping their positions easily. "Don't let me off the hook. What I did and all those things I said, it was all out of line. I'm sorry. Please, don't divorce me. I love you, and I would go to fucking crazy without you. I wouldn't know what to do. So, just stay. If you go, I just have myself and I would hate myself for letting you get away from me. Don't leave me."

"What?" Nessie giggled, resting her forehead upon his. "That is ridiculous. You are absurd. I would never leave you. I don't want a stupid divorce, Jacob. I want you. I love you."

He grabbed the back of Nessie's knees, causing her to readily straddle his hips with a hungry need. Jacob's body grew unbearably warm with Nessie on top of him, and sat up, mashing their chests together. Two sets of browns eyes, rich and magnificent and full of love, blazed like hot iron, and they lit each other's souls on fire.

"I love you, too," Jacob stated, as his hands slipped up his imprint's nightgown. He caressed the flower petal texture of her slender waist, then looped a digit through her cotton panties, and snapped the material.

"I missed you, Jacob," the hybrid admitted nervously, her legs trembling in anticipation. Her heartbeat picked up, biting down on her bottom lip. "You're my Jacob. I. . . I'm sorry I blew up at you, and threw that vase at you. I was so frightened while you were away. If I ever lost you, I couldn't imagine what my life would become. And I just missed you."

"I missed you, too," he aid. Jacob licked his lips, readjusting Nessie's hips. "Every moment while I was out there. I'm sorry."

Her aroused aroma surged, wafting thickly through the air, as a breath hitched sharpy in the back of her throat. "Will you stay with me from now on?"

"For as long as you want me," Jacob retorted, feeling the vibrance of his soul submerge deep into the walls of his Nessie's own soul. "Longer than that."

"Good," Nessie nodeeded. "Then don't ever leave me again."

"Never," he promised; a vow that wouldn't go unpunished by the laws of nature, but neither were aware yet. "You have my word. Never ever again."

"Thank you—for coming back."

"I would always come for you."

"And I would come for you, too. Nothing could stop me. Wherever you are, I will always find you."

"Stalker."

"Shut up."

"I am glad I came home, but there is one more place I'd really like to go. . ."

"Jacob Black, does that have a double meaning?"

"Yes, Nessie Black. You bet."

Nessie giggled before their mouths connected and glided over each other's, moaning in glee when her womanhood instinctively embraced Jacob around his erected, proud staff. Both of the hybrid's hands wrapped around Jacob's; their bodies moved together in flawless synchronization, as Nessie rolled her hips over his in tender desperation, as the shape-shifter thrust up into all the right places.

Instant by instant, the sizzling desire betwixt their centers increased while a delicious shiver rocketed up her spine, causing her core to further squeeze Jacob's member. He grunted loudly, as Nessie completely detached their bodies, and then slammed back down roughly.

This was what people referred to as magic—everything between them. A pull. There was a strong, magnetic force that kept drawing Jacob's aching manhood deeper and deeper into Renesmee's into her drenched opening until the pair was practically pleading for sweet release.

Jacob pulsated within Nessie, their pace quickening to a super sonic speed. Nessie's porcelain skin began to glow, smiling as an orgasm streamed throughout her entire body. Her shell-pink lips formed an 'O'; as she quivered around his length, making him follow suit.

"Mmm, Jacob. . . I love you," she groaned sweetly, the sound echoing off the bedroom walls and into his memory. "I love you, Jacob. Jacob. My Jacob," Nessie sighed into his ear, riding out her high. "Oh, Jacob."

Jacob remembered every last detail of their lives together, every last detail.

All of his memories played on fast-forward, rattling his brain with an overload of information—the innocent baby that had him under her spell from before the beginning; the little girl that couldn't get enough of the fluffy, russet Alpha and made a hobby out of riding his back around the forest like a wild stallion; the confused in-betweenager who was continuously questioning her worth and about where she belonged in the world forever, but always had her Jacob to talk to, someone that never denied for comfort; the beautiful, carefree teenager that loved to dance no matter who was watching and loved gazing out into the sapphire ocean on their cliff, using Jacob's shoulder as a pillow; and finally, the woman she became, the one that agreed to marry him—til death do they part. His light, his strength, his Nessie.

He remembered the sweet scent of Nessie's alabaster skin, always smelling of some sort of fruit, sunlight, and almond milk. The whole house smelt of Nessie. Home. He remembered that night, too—how his wife's body felt against his as they reunited from their long separation, how perfect she always was. God, he loved her.

Jacob just wanted to keep his eyes closed and dream of Renesmee, the love of his life in any reality they were put in, but still, his heart was saddened as she listened to Nessie—this Nessie, alive in the wrong world—beckon him to awaken. Rememberance of his imprint—his soul mate—made him yearn for their past—for what was, but had to alter what must be. Jacob needed Nessie, but it hurt him too much to love her. But she kept running around in his head. Nessie. . .

Remember.

Don't remember.

I have to. Nessie. . .

Stop it.

But I love her.

Yeah. Your love got us into this mess.

I remember now.

Then, quit 's why we can't remember. All that pain.

No, it was my fault.

Your fault is my fault. I am you, Jacob. Because of us, we lost her.

I love her. I've missed her every damn day of my life.

Our love can't save her this way.

What am I supposed to do?

Leave.

I can't. I just can't leave anymore.

You have to! She'll die if you don't! Forget about Nessie and leave!

No! Wait!

And just like that, it was all gone again—deleted and erased when he opened his eyes.

"Jacob!" Nessie exclaimed, raking her fingernails through Jacob's raven hair. "Can you hear me? Jacob, please wake up! Please? Say something to me!"

"We've really got to stop meeting like this," he joked, coughing.

She laughed heartily, planting tiny kisses all over his face. "Oh, Jacob! Are you okay?"

"Sure, sure. I'm just fine and dandy," Jacob answered with a tired chortle, "except for the pounding headache."

Renesmee exhaled lightly in relief, slowly assisting Jacob to his feet. "What happened to you?"

"I don't know," The Quileute man replied groggily, and flopped down on the couch. "I-I-I could only think about how much I wanted to come home." Not that he truly thought Charlie's house was home to him. Nessie was, however. "When I saw you, I felt overwhelmed, kind of like I was imprin. . ." Nessie's lips pursed, her gorgeous mahogany orbs widening suspicously. "Nevermind."

It was impossible.

"Right,"she said, nodding. "Both of us had a rough day. You're probably tired."

Jacob grinned slyly, gently tugging on Nessie's arms to bring her closer to him. He wanted the comfort of her proximity, warm and sweet. "Yeah, that's it."

"You need to relax," Nessie smiled back, trailing her fingers up and down his chest. "Maybe I can help?"

"Oh, really? How do you propose to do that?" Jacob inquired in feigned curiosity, arching an eyebrow.

"Don't get all raunchy on me, you horn dog," Nessie giggled, though she was was adjusting her position—straddling his right knee, to tease him, as she brushed her hand over the crotch of his shorts. "I was to going to suggest getting you a glass of water, preparing a nice meal for you,or giving you a massage. Fully clothed, that is."

"The last one sounds nice."

"Mhmm."

"But you know what would really relax me?"

"Sure, Jake. What's that?"

"I could give a massage, except I want you to be naked."

"I think we could do that."

"Fantastic! Let's go get you naked!"

The shape-shifter and half-breed wandered to the guest room, locking the door behind them. As soon as the lock mechanism clicked into place, the animal inside Jacob broke loose. Before he was even aware of what he was doing, Nessie was sandwiched between him and the wall. It was as if he was transformed into some horny teenager, drunk on spiked punch and in love, making out with the most beautiful girl in school. She made his temperature straight into the dancing, burning flames of the yellow sun, drowning him in the goodness of her kiss—slowly sliding her tongue over his, and he tasted every solitary centimeter of Renesmee's mouth.

Jacob's blood pumped violently southward, his copper skin nearly bursting from feverish need. The need to hear his named constantly spilling from Nessie's melodic voice, theneed to make her cry from ignited pleasure, the need to watch Nessie fall back between white linen sheets and pillows, the need to never let her disappear from his arms in the serenity of afterglow, the need to say what he needed to say.

He gripped the back of Nessie's legs and carried her over to the mattress. She slowed down their pace immensely, molding their mouths together and then entwining them in a tender fervor. Jacob soaked into her fragrance to his memory, breathing her into his storming heart. He wanted to take her—maybe that wasn't the right way to phrase it. He wanted to be with her, share himself with her every way imaginable.

And then, Jacob felt a single droplet of warm liquid crawl down his cheek. He pulled away, baffled and concerned by his girl's tears. Nessie opened her eyes, and Jacob wasn't certain about what he was seeing. Her eyes were filled to the brim, reddened and sad—scared. Jacob didn't know what to say, so he didn't say a word; Jacob didn't know what to do, so he touched his lips lovingly against the apple of Nessie's cheek and hugged her close, keeping her protected.

The flesh and the fantasies

All coming back to me

I can barely recall

But it's all coming back to me

If you forgive me all this

If I forgive you all that

We forgive and forget

And it's all coming back to me now