Disclaimer: Stephenie Meyer owns ALL things Twilight. I do not.

A/N: As usual, I'd like to thank each and every one of you who reviewed the last chapter. I wouldn't have kept writing this story without all of your kind words and support. So thank you! Of course, I also want to thank those of you who submit reviews anonymously like: mzmanda, mrs. Jacob black 143, Taylor D, penny, AnonymousAussie, Amanda B., Paola, Amanda, littlefurrycannibals, nicky4j, Kandykane, BMarie, Anonymous, Anony, M.M.C., TMPR, JRP, and Flash. I loved reading your reviews. Thank you so much.

Previously on CFC…Jacob FINALLY tells Bella why he's been avoiding her ever since they had the pregnancy scare. Even though she wasn't pregnant, it made him think that life as a mechanic wouldn't be enough for Bella and that she would grow to resent him. Bella reassures Jacob that he's been an idiot and that she loves him because he's a hard worker, not to mention a protector of his people. And then they "made up."

CHAPTER THIRTY-SIX

Waking up next to Jacob had never felt more right. I was warm, tucked against his chest, exactly where I belonged. His strong arms were wrapped snugly around me. Our legs were tangled in the sheets. I opened my eyes, tilting my head up only to find Jacob's smiling face shining down on me.

"Mmm," I stretched and yawned. "How long have you been awake?"

His hand traced the ridge of my spine, leaving goose bumps in its wake. "Just a few minutes," he replied lazily. "I don't know how the hell I even woke up. It's not like we got much sleep last night."

My face flushed immediately when I thought about all the activities that had kept us from getting a restful sleep. Judging by the position of the sun shining through the window, it was still early morning. But, Jacob and I hadn't gone to sleep until around two in the morning. And considering the wild, drunken night I had had just the night before, well, it was safe to say that I was thoroughly, but happily exhausted.

Jacob hadn't been lying about "Round Three." We couldn't seem to get enough of each other. Every time it seemed like we had had our fill, I'd feel his arousal twitch and we'd start all over again.

As I stretched I took stock of my body and grimaced when I felt the soreness in my muscles, not to mention the dull ache between my legs. I felt like I had just run a marathon. Jacob's brow furrowed when he heard my groans.

"Something wrong?" he asked.

"No, I'm just a little sore."

Instead of the sweet concern I was expecting, Jacob flashed me a cocky grin, looking very proud of himself. I rolled my eyes and slapped him on the chest. "Don't be a pig, Jake."

"What?" he asked playfully. Then he hugged me closer and kissed me on the forehead, sighing happily, "I missed this."

"Me too."

I didn't realize just how much I had missed this closeness, this intimacy until that very moment. I had been so sad and distraught for weeks, knowing that I was losing my connection to Jacob. But, in one night, everything had gone back to the way it was. Well, I thought to myself, not everything. After all, Jacob and I discovered a fatal flaw in our relationship. We were both so concerned with protecting one another that we let that protective instinct get in the way of being honest with each other. We spent the entire night breaking down the walls that had kept us apart, literally tearing them down at the foundations. There was nothing standing between us anymore and the closeness that remained was all-encompassing.

We held each other for a few minutes. I was painfully conscious of our naked bodies pressed up against each other. Jacob's hands began to roam my backside and my nipples hardened in the cool morning air. His arousal began to grow and harden, lengthening along my stomach. I was about to ignore the soreness in my body and give into temptation when we heard the loud rumbling of a truck engine making its way along the gravel driveway. We lay there for a moment longer before our eyes widened in realization and we sat bolt upright.

"Oh shit," Jacob yelped, falling out of bed in his mad rush to dress himself. Under normal circumstances I would have doubled over laughing at his complete lack of grace. Hell, I figured he'd lost yet another fight with his nemesis the satin sheets. But, then I saw the look of sheer panic in his eyes. The roaring engine outside brought me back to reality and I clutched the sheet firmly to my naked body. "Jake, what is it? What's going on?"

He scrambled to his feet and searched the floor frantically for his discarded clothes. He picked up his jeans and literally bounced up and down while pulling the fabric up each leg. "Bells, it's my Dad! You gotta get dressed! He may not be upset to find us like this, but he sure as hell isn't going to let us live this down if he catches us. I don't know about you, but I don't want to deal with his jokes for the rest of my life."

I didn't need to be told twice. And, contrary to what Jacob thought, I wasn't exactly convinced that Billy would be okay with finding his best friend's daughter, naked in his son's bed. It was one thing to know that your teenaged son was having sex. It was another thing altogether to catch him in the act. I knew we were both young, but we obviously understood the consequences of being sexually active. And there was nothing that put a damper on one's love life more than a stern talk with the parents. Been there, done that. So not going to happen again, I thought.

While Jacob crawled around on the floor looking for his t-shirt, I sprang out of bed and ran to his closet where I had stowed my overnight bag. At that point, even I could hear the creaking wood of the front porch telling us that Billy was wheeling himself towards the door. I panicked. There was no time to put on a bra, let alone any panties. I pulled on some jeans and donned a baggy sweatshirt, hoping it would conceal my lack of support underneath.

Jacob had finally put on his shirt and grabbed my hand, ushering me out of his room towards the kitchen. In my nervousness, I tripped over my bag and fell into Jacob's waiting arms. He steadied me and we rushed into the kitchen, nearly falling all over ourselves in our haste. I would've found the entire situation hilarious had I not been so nervous. I felt like a child about to be caught doing something very naughty. My heart beat rapidly and I stared up at Jacob's eyes and smiled. If being with him was naughty, then that was definitely what I wanted to be, consequences be damned.

I heard Billy's voice echo loudly outside the front door. He practically yelled, "Yeah, thanks for the ride!" I was about to sit down at the kitchen table when I realized I looked a little too comfortable for someone who was supposed to have shown up for an early morning visit. I released Jacob's hand and ran back to the bedroom.

"Bells," Jacob whispered harshly. "What are you doing?"

"I need shoes! I'm going back to get my shoes," I replied, whispering loudly over my shoulder. I was in his room, breathless, and searching my bag for my sneakers. I heard Jake mutter, "Hurry up." I slipped on one shoe then ran back into the kitchen trying to run and put on the other shoe at the same time. Jacob looked relieved once I was back in the kitchen with him. Billy's keys jingled loudly outside making me even more nervous as I finally slipped on the other shoe. Jacob sat down at the table doing a great impression of a calm, cool and collected person.

I overheard Billy mumble, "Now, if I could just find the right key for this stupid lock…"

At the sound of his voice I dove for the dining chair opposite Jake. I sat down quickly, but my momentum tipped the chair, threatening to send me plummeting to the floor. Before I had a chance to brace myself for the imminent fall, Jacob's lightning-fast reflexes came to the rescue. One hand grabbed the chair leg and the other took a hold of my thigh, steadying the chair and me as the upended legs settled safely on the ground. Jacob's hands rested on my thigh for a moment longer while my heart recovered from the near spill. God knows I couldn't handle another trip to the hospital. He shook his head and grinned.

We both took calming breaths and put on airs of purity and innocence…or at least that's the look we were going for. The front door opened the very next second with Billy wheeling himself across the threshold. The sound of a retreating car echoed down the driveway. "I forgot," Billy said, almost to himself. "We never lock this door."

I couldn't be sure, but it sounded like Billy was toying with us. Billy was a shrewd, knowing man who knew a lot about what went on, even if he didn't acknowledge it. I had a sneaking suspicion that his loud entrance, and delay with the keys was strictly for our benefit, to give us time to make ourselves presentable. That thought left me feeling both grateful and embarrassed beyond belief.

"Bella," he addressed me kindly. "You're here early. Is everything alright?"

If he was playing a game with us, then at least the kindness in his voice was not feigned. I looked into his eyes, so similar to Jacob's and saw nothing but love and understanding reflected back at me. My estrangement from Jacob had affected my time with Billy as well. I realized that I had missed his dry humor and infectious smile. It was nice to see that I was loved and missed like a member of his family. It warmed my heart.

"Hi Billy. Everything's fine. I just couldn't sleep and I needed to see Jacob." I hated lying to him. But, my guilt was assuaged by the fact that I knew Billy would torture us mercilessly and publicly if he knew the truth.

"Yeah," Jacob added, reaching for my hand across the table. "Bella and I talked everything through. We're good now." He eyed his father pointedly, silently conveying something only they would understand.

Billy laughed. "Ah, you mean you stopped being a bonehead and she had the kindness of heart to forgive you."

I smiled and said, "Yeah, something like that."

Jacob rolled his eyes at our teasing. I couldn't keep the smile off my face. "It hasn't been the same here without you, Bella. I hope you know that." It was clear that Billy wasn't just speaking to me with that statement. Jacob had the decency to hang his head a bit at the subtle reprimand. Then Billy looked at me closely. With a glint in his eye and all sentimentality gone from his voice, he asked, "Bella, what the hell have you been up to? You look like you've got a bird's nest on your head."

I felt my cheeks burn and my hands went straight up into my hair only to find that a bird's nest was too nice of a comparison to the mess on top of my head. Considering our rush to get dressed, I hadn't even bothered to look at myself in the mirror. My hair had been through a marathon of its own from the grease to the shower, to the…well, to all the… friction. It was a wonder I had any hair left. I self-consciously combed my fingers through the tangled strands and put it up in a ponytail with the hair-tie I found in my pocket.

Billy smirked and Jacob cleared his throat, "Um, hey how about I make us some breakfast?"

Billy and I stared at Jacob like he had grown a second head. For someone who was trying to play it cool, Jacob offering to cook us breakfast was not the way to go. He didn't necessarily have a good reputation in the kitchen. But, seeing as how I had once been a recipient of a batch of his pancakes, I'd say his lack of skills were more about making sure that I'd cook for him more often and less about his actual talent. But, his offer did seem to break the tension.

Billy turned his knowing eyes on Jacob. "Sounds like a plan, son. But, you better enlist Bella's help. I don't need you burning down my kitchen just because you're groveling."

I stood up from the table and said, "I'm on it." I was glad to have something to do. Jacob went to the fridge to collect ingredients, while I got pots and pans on the stove. Without communicating, we seemed to intuit that we both were in the mood for French toast and sausage.

I felt Billy's eyes on the back of my head while I worked. He sighed and said, "Okay kids. I'm going to wash up. I'll be out in a bit."

Jacob pulled out two loaves of bread and two pounds of sausage. I knew that he was expecting to eat at least half of that while Billy and I would share a fraction of the rest. I hummed happily as I mixed the eggs, knowing that our wild night was the reason Jacob needed so much nourishment. He caught me staring and smiled at me. I smiled back and resumed my work.

I was pulling some dishes out of the cupboards when I heard Billy shout, "Jake, what the hell happened in the bathroom?"

I dropped the plate and jumped when it crashed to the floor. I stared wide-eyed at Jacob who could only roll his eyes at the bellowing laughter echoing off of the bathroom walls. Oh yeah, Billy knew. And Jacob was right. He was never going to let us forget it.

Apparently it wasn't enough that Billy was well aware of the sexcapades that went on under his roof. No, the rest of the Pack seemed to think it was definitely their business.

After breakfast, Jake and I headed out to the beach to enjoy the warm spring weather before I headed back to campus for the night. We walked hand in hand down the worn path to the sand. Although I had hoped to have a little more private time with Jake before another hectic school week began, it wasn't meant to be. It looked as though half the pack was already enjoying the beach when we got there.

Sam and Emily were snuggled together on a large blanket watching the waves while Seth and Jared played football with Quil and Embry. For the briefest of moments I hoped in vain that we could pass by unnoticed and sneak off to our driftwood log for some privacy. But my hopes were dashed when I heard Quil and Embry calling out to us. We had been discovered and there was nowhere to hide. So, Jacob and I walked towards our friends, hand in hand with our heads held high.

As we got closer, the guys started hooting and hollering like wild animals; all except for Sam who was too mature for that behavior and Seth who still found it hard to look me in the eye. Sam simply rolled his eyes and I saw a wide smile spread across Emily's face. She looked relieved to see me and Jacob together. Jacob squeezed my hand reassuringly. When Quil and Embry started giving us catcalls and whistling at me, I looked at Jacob in confusion.

He leaned over and whispered in my ear, "Sorry about this. But, it's kind of obvious to them what we've been up to all night."

I looked down at my clothes wondering if it was really that obvious. Was there some sort of sign on my chest that said, "Hey everyone, I just did the deed!" I started to feel self-conscious. Jacob, as always, knew exactly what I was thinking.

"Yeah, uh, they can just tell, honey." He rubbed the back of his neck nervously. I instantly blushed when I realized that their keen wolf senses could probably smell Jacob all over me from a mile away. "Plus," he threw his arm across my shoulder and tugged me into his body as we walked. "Look at how you're all over me. I mean, it's pretty obvious that we made up."

I resisted the urge to roll my eyes at his playful arrogance and instead grinned at him. His arm moved from my shoulder and wrapped around my back, his hand resting almost possessively, erotically at my hip. "They're happy for us, Bells. Hell, Embry's been your number one fan while I've had my head up my ass. Besides, I'm sure they're just as relieved as we are. My mind hasn't been a pleasant place to visit lately. Patrolling together has been pretty miserable."

I knew exactly what he meant. If I had been sexually frustrated, I could only imagine how a bunch of hormonal werewolves would have reacted to the fact that their Alpha wasn't getting any.

Sam and Seth went for a swim while Quil, Embry and Jared jogged up to us.

"Hey Bella," Embry smiled happily. I remembered how sorry he was that Jacob had been an ass to me on his birthday and I was overwhelmed with gratitude for his kindness. I couldn't resist giving him a hug, whispering, "Thank you." Embry returned my embrace tentatively probably nervous about how Jacob would react. But, I didn't hear any growling so I figured Jacob knew it was a harmless sign of affection.

"What the hell?" Quil whined. "Why does he get all the hugs?"

Before I could answer, Jared chimed in, "He gets the hugs because while he was telling Jacob what an asshole he's been, you've been betting on how long Jacob could hold out on Bella. Speaking of assholes, pay up chump."

Jared held out his hand expectantly. Quil shrugged saying, "I don't have in on me now, man."

"Wait a minute," I eyed Quil sternly. "You guys made bets on how long we'd be apart?"

"I didn't," Embry assured me proudly.

Jared laughed as if it were no big deal. "Yeah, we all did. Hell, Leah would've won too if we weren't playing by The Price Is Right rules. I guessed it would take seven weeks and she guessed eight and a half. I was the closest without going over. So, I win."

I stared at him in shock, amazed that my relationship had been reduced to a stupid game. But, as I looked at him, all of them really, I realized that I wasn't even mad. I just kind of shook my head at their antics.

"I'm still waiting for my money, Quil." Jared looked annoyed.

"Bro, I told you I don't have it. I'll play you for it." And with that, Quil took off running towards the water. Jared ran after him and yelled, "That wasn't the deal, jackass!" Embry and Jacob took off after them and after some wrestling and harmless punches were thrown, the four of them resumed their game with the football.

Boys will be boys didn't feel like a sufficient way to describe them. I turned and saw that Emily watched the whole exchange with an amused grin on her face. I walked over to her blanket and sat down next to her. As soon as I got situated, Emily looked over to me and said, "I'm glad you two worked everything out. Not that I didn't think you would. But, Jake's a stubborn guy and sometimes he's his own worst enemy." She paused and looked deeply into my eyes. "Anyway," she continued. "I just wanted to say congratulations. I know things were rough for a little while there. But, now, it's like you two look…I don't know, taller or something. You both seem so…free. It's nice to see."

I reached over and gave Emily a hug. "Thank you, Emily." We sat there in a comfortable silence for a while until I felt Emily's eyes on me again. Her gaze was focused on my neck.

"Bella, you've got something on your skin." She leaned in for a closer inspection. "Is that grease?" she asked with a mischievous tone in her voice.

I immediately clamped my hand down over the offending mark. Damn it, I thought. It looked as though Jacob and I hadn't been as thorough with the whole "cleansing" part of our shower the night before. I wondered if Billy had noticed too. For a split second I was mortified, completely embarrassed to be caught almost red-handed. But, then I thought back to everything I had told Jacob the night before. I had assured him that his hands on me, even the stains he left behind were a source of pride for me. With confidence I didn't even know I had, I dropped my hand and looked directly into Emily's eyes and said, "What can I say? Jacob can't keep his hands off of me."

Emily's eyes widened and her mouth fell open in shock at my brazen statement. And then she started to laugh, which in turn, sent me into my own fit of laughter.

"Oh Bella," she said between gasps of breath. "You two are perfect for each other."

I couldn't have agreed more.

Over the next few weeks, I realized I was happier than I'd ever been. Not only were Jacob and I happy together, but I found myself growing and strengthening my relationships outside of our happy couple-bubble. Something, I'd never been driven to do when I was with Edward. He was my whole universe and I had long ago realized how unhealthy that was for me.

I'd always felt like an outsider. I was always on the outside looking in, an observer of my own life rather than a participant. I felt like I didn't belong in my own world. In Phoenix, I was a wallflower, passing through corridors unrecognized and unnoticed by my fellow classmates. I didn't fit in. I didn't try to fit in. Leaving Phoenix for Forks hadn't been all that hard of a decision to make, other than leaving Renee. Phoenix was never home. That's why it had been so easy to fall in with Edward, with his world. Edward didn't belong either. He was a 109 year old vampire for crying out loud. On a strange level, our inability to fit into our own worlds made us perfect together. We didn't need to fit in if we had each other.

But, I was naïve. That's not how real life works. Instead of finding my place in the world, and living the life I was given, I was quick to reject it all for a fantasy, for something other. Then again, that's the thing about growing up…you grow up, you change. I was growing and changing every day, something that wouldn't have happened for me had I stayed with Edward.

For someone who never thought she fit in before, I noticed that my life was rather full. Once I stopped distancing myself from friends and family, I found that I was loved and accepted by some pretty amazing people. I had parents who loved me and whom I loved in return. So much so that I felt horrible pangs of guilt whenever I thought of the life I would have subjected them to had I become a vampire. What story would the Cullens have cooked up to explain my disappearance? What tragedy would have befallen me to explain away my death? Charlie would never have given up looking for me. It would have torn him apart. And Renee, as flaky as she is, I would have been remiss to assume that it would just be easy for her to deal with the absence of her only child, her friend, a part of her very soul. How callous could I have been?

Aside from my parents, I had friends, true friends for the first time in my life. How pathetic was that? And I didn't count acquaintances either like I did in high school, kids I talked to in class or at lunch. Along with Jake, who would always be, first and foremost my best friend, I finally had true genuine friends in the form of the pack, Leah and Jack, Angela and then Liz. None of that had seemed possible when I was with Edward. I had to lie too much to both family and friends to keep his secret, to divert attention away from his family's quirks and odd lifestyle. I didn't want to lie, so I tended to push people away and I closed myself off to friendships and a support system. I had always thought I was so different from everyone else, so how could they possibly relate? Granted, some of my problems were of the supernatural kind, but isn't that what adolescence is anyway? It's an unreal period of one's life. One might as well band together with others going through the same thing. Had I had friends, Edward's leaving me wouldn't have been so utterly devastating. But that was neither here nor there. And I couldn't dwell on "what-ifs," especially since all my choices eventually led me to Jacob.

Everything in my life seemed to be falling into place. I was bonding with my friends, reconnecting with my family, and most importantly, I was taking better care of myself. I had become more comfortable and confident in my own skin. Sure, I was still clumsy. I'd find bruises on my body with absolutely no recollection as to how they'd gotten there. But, I wasn't quite the walking disaster I had been. So, when Liz suggested that I take a ballet class with her, I jumped at the chance.

Of course, Liz's suggestion also brought up some bad memories for me. After all, Mimi's Dance Studio in Phoenix was where James tortured and beat me. I would have lost my life had it not been for Edward. The thought of even entering a dance studio, or just a room with a lot of mirrors had left me feeling uneasy ever since. But, I didn't want those bad memories to cloud my already bright future.

Aside from the fact that my very life was threatened in a dance studio, I couldn't ignore the fact that the place had also been witness to my epic failure as a dance. Let's face it. I sucked. Even as I child I knew it. Miss Mimi always put me in the back for recitals. It's not like I thought a few dance lessons would ignite my true dream of attending Julliard. Far from it. But, it would be nice to show myself that I could do it. I wanted to prove that just because I failed at it once, didn't mean I would forever fail.

Though I wasn't quite as much of a spazz as I used to be, I still wouldn't have called myself graceful by any means. And since I wasn't much of an athlete, as Mike Newton could attest to, dancing seemed like the best way to combine grace with strength. And those were two things I desperately needed. It was an opportunity to bury the old, awkward Bella once and for all. Plus, I'd have the added bonus of hanging out with Liz. I realized that the first month of knowing her, I had remained somewhat guarded and distant. Jacob's attitude towards me had made me leery of forging tight bonds with anyone else. But once we had resolved everything, I found myself opening up and really enjoying my time with her. Sure, half the time she made lewd comments about either my ex or my current boyfriend. But, the rest of the time she showed me that she was a funny and caring person.

Liz was smart, but she was also very creative by nature. I hadn't been around artists all that much and I found she had an interesting perspective on life. She was free-spirited without being flaky. In the few weeks that had passed since the infamous party, I realized that she was quickly becoming a great friend.

So, when Liz brought up the idea of taking a dance class with her, I figured it would be a great opportunity to get to know her better, while trying to better myself. We ended up taking a beginner's class twice a week. The lessons involved a lot of stretching and simple steps, but I ended every class dripping in sweat as if I had a full workout. After a couple of short weeks, I noticed my leg muscles toning and firming up, my legs looked longer and shapelier. And, I wasn't the only one who had noticed. Jacob thoroughly appreciated the firm definition I was sporting. Of course, I had no idea the toll all that exercise was taking out on my body. But, I'd find out eventually.

A few weeks into the dance lessons, I came home from a particularly strenuous class. I had worked early that morning, gone to class, and then spent the last hour on my tippy-toes doing turns and plies. My legs were practically jelly from all the exertion. Liz had to go to her drawing class so after her shower she was out the door for the night. Jacob was supposed to meet me for dinner so I rushed into the bathroom to clean off.

I finished my shower quickly and I had just stepped out of the bathroom, soaking wet and wearing nothing but a towel, when I heard a knock on my door. I froze in my tracks until I heard Jacob's warm voice out in the hallway.

"Honey, it's me. Open up."

I sighed in relief, grateful that it was Jacob and not some random co-ed stopping by for a visit. I opened the door a crack, just wide enough for Jacob to see that I wasn't dressed appropriately for the busy halls of my dorm. Jacob took one look at my state of undress and quickly squeezed through the opening, closing and locking the door behind him. I gave him a quick peck on the lips and headed towards my closet, only to be stopped by firm hands on my hips.

"And just where do you think you're going?" The tone of his voice was husky, predatory. My core tingled involuntarily in response.

"I need to get dressed," I answered breathlessly.

I craned my neck over my shoulder to see that Jacob's eyes were almost black with need. I licked my lips, my throat suddenly parched and dry as his heated gaze sent shivers up and down my spine leaving me weak in the knees. A wave of desire consumed me whole. Jacob spun me around to face him and with a quick flick of his fingers, my towel fell in a pool around my feet. If his stare was fierce before, Jacob now looked like a feral animal chomping at the bit to devour me.

I stood in front of him, my naked body completely on display. I remembered a time when I would've flinched or tried to cover myself, but not anymore. I returned Jacob's fiery gaze and received a knowing grin in return.

Jacob moved towards me and I cautiously, playfully took a step back. Just because I wanted him as badly, didn't mean I was going to give into him that quickly. Besides, I knew My Jacob. He loved the thrill of the hunt. Jacob smiled wider, ostensibly accepting my challenge. He took another step forward, and I took another step back. I looked back to see where I was going and saw that Jacob was masterfully leading us to my small bed.

While my attention had been diverted elsewhere, Jacob had already removed his shoes and socks and was taking off his shirt. His clothes hit the floor as he advanced one more step. I moved backwards again, this time admiring my favorite view of his broad chest and sculpted stomach. When his hands moved to his belt I nearly stumbled, my mind cloudy with anticipation.

Jacob retrieved a small square packet from his back pocket before letting his shorts fall to the floor. He advanced another step, his manhood long and hard, straining towards me.

He had systematically backed me up until the backs of my legs hit the bed. I had nowhere else to go and the heat from his naked body made me flushed and warm. Without any preamble, Jacob bent down and brought his lips to mine, his arms wrapping around me firmly. I smiled and giggled as Jacob made a great show of growling and nuzzling my neck between kisses, "claiming" his prize.

I gave a surprised yelp when his hands cupped my ass and he lifted me up in his arms. I was about to wrap my arms around his neck when he shook his head and then tossed me back down onto my bed. I bounced on impact, waiting for Jacob to climb up on the bed with me. But, he didn't. My eyes widened as he grabbed my hips and pulled me close to him, to the point where my rear was at the edge of the bed. I had lifts on the bed so that it was raised up higher off the ground to store large items underneath and out of the way. What I'd never realized until that moment was that the added height brought my core even to Jacob's throbbing arousal. In that position, Jacob wouldn't even have to bend or crouch awkwardly to drive into me. My sex dripped with slick honey at the mere thought. Jacob fumbled briefly with the condom and in one swift motion he drove into me, my core welcoming the almost violent intrusion. He grabbed my ankles and gently held my legs up against his chest as his hips thrust back and forth in a primal rhythm.

He slammed into me repeatedly while I clung to the sheets. Each thrust forced the breath right out of my lungs and I found myself panting uncontrollably in no time. His eyes traveled from my eyes to my bouncing breasts and finally to the apex of my thighs where we were joined intimately. I'd never seen him more excited and the feeling was contagious. I gave as well as I got and matched his thrusts with my own, though I remained mindful of my neighbors and tried to contain my moans behind clenched teeth. It wasn't easy. While Jacob thrust with his hips, one of his arms wrapped around my thighs pinning my legs firmly against his body. His free hand moved down and masterfully manipulated my swollen bundle of nerves. His eyes burned with determination. He was going to push me over the edge as many times as my body could handle. Chills ran down my spine at the prospect.

My body stretched and tensed simultaneously, begging for more of the pleasure he so freely offered. The constant friction on my swollen nub had my toes pointed and curled. The muscles in my calves and thighs clenched and twitched in warning as I neared my release. I tried to ignore it and focused instead on my impending climax. Sweat dripped from Jacob's forehead down onto my already slick body.

His grunts and heaving breaths told me that he was close and I knew he was trying his hardest to make sure that I fell over the edge first. My toes pointed of their own accord and that's when I screamed at the new sensation. Jacob responded like a man possessed, encouraged by the intensity of my moans.

"Oh, God!" I cried.

"Yeah, Bells," he grunted. "That's it. Come for me!"

Only, I wasn't screaming from the pleasure. Pleasure was the last thing on my mind at that point, even as Jacob's thrusts increased in speed and strength. My calf muscle had seized and a horrible cramp shot through my left leg. I shot up in bed and clutched my leg, tears in my eyes and cried out, "Jake…oh God…it hurts…it hurts!"

Jacob froze in response to my cries of pain. "Oh God, honey, I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to be so rough. Oh God, where are you hurt?"

The pained look in his eyes would have made me cry, had I not had tears spilling down my face already. Then again, I was so embarrassed about getting a cramp in the middle of sex that I was fighting off tears of laughter at the same time. I could only imagine how ridiculous I must have looked, flushed and naked, and oh yeah, with Jacob still inside me, clutching my calf because the pain was unbearable. Yeah, definitely sexy. But, I had to reassure Jacob that my pain had nothing to do with him. He was on the verge of tears at the thought that he may have hurt me. It was just hard finding my voice. Finally I managed a pained, "Jake, no…I…it hurts." I pointed to my leg to emphasize the point.

"What is it baby?" His hands roamed my body, searching for the source of pain.

"CRAMP!" I finally blurted out. "My calf…it's...cramping. I can't move it."

Jacob sprang into action. He grabbed my leg and gently massaged my calf while slowly flexing my foot which released the cramped muscle. The relief was instantaneous. I collapsed back down onto the bed and wiped the tears from my eyes as I slowly caught my breath. He quickly discarded the condom and continued his massage, soothing my burning muscles. I closed my eyes and just let my body relax, enjoying Jacob's gentle touch.

It took a few minutes to slow my breathing, but I finally relaxed. Although the cramp was gone, I could feel soreness in my leg that would likely still be there for a couple of days. I felt Jacob's warm hands touching and caressing my foot, calf and thigh, lavishing my body with attention. I opened my eyes to find that he was trying hard to keep a smile off of his face. I smacked his arm and said, "It's not funny, Jake. That really hurt."

"Yeah, mmm-hmm," he nodded non-committal, avoiding eye contact. I closed my eyes again and tried to enjoy the feel of my muscle

es loosening up when I felt Jacob begin to shake. When I opened my eyes again, Jacob was trembling with silent laughter. I glared at him.

"I mean it, Jake. It's not funny!"

And that's when he exploded into a raucous fit of laughter. He fell to his knees and threw his body on the bed next to me. I scooted away from him and angrily tucked myself under the sheets while he fought to gain control over himself.

"Oh my God, Bells! Oh man…I don't think I'll ever forget this."

I glared at him again and kept my voice stern. "Jacob Black, so help me God, if you ever say anything about this, or even think about this I'm gonna…I'll…"

But even I knew my threats were empty. Jacob smiled disarmingly as he crawled up onto the bed, diving under the sheets with me. His massive body dwarfed the tiny bed. He wrapped his arms around me. I struggled at first, still angry at his insensitivity, but I couldn't resist his warmth for long and I melted into his embrace.

"You're not going to do anything, Bells."

"I'm not?" My brow rose at his audacity.

"No, and do you know why?"

"Hmm?"

His hands roamed down towards the apex of my thighs. My forgotten arousal suddenly sparked back to life at his touch. "You're not going to do anything because I love you and you love me."

His finger deftly circled my core. I moaned and spread my legs wider, wantonly, just begging for more. Just like he knew I would.

"And," he continued, his husky voice a mere whisper in my ear. "You have to admit, that was hilarious. Because, if you don't, I'm going to stop this…" He withdrew his hand and I groaned in protest.

I met his playful gaze and sighed. "Fine," I grinned involuntarily. "I guess I can find some humor in that. It still hurt like hell though." I pouted, trying to garner as much sympathy as possible. He rolled over onto me, pressing my back into the mattress and kissed me with renewed passion. "That's my girl. Now, let me kiss it and make it better." I quickly forgot my embarrassment and gave myself over to his touch.

Oddly enough, it seemed rather easy for Jacob to keep that little anecdote a secret. I think that had a lot to do with his growing Alpha powers. Over Christmas, it had become apparent that Jake exhibited power over Paul's will, which shouldn't have been possible considering he was part of Sam's pack. Jacob's power had slowly and inadvertently asserted itself. During training sessions with the Cullens, Collin and Brady complained that they were starting to hear Jacob's voice in their heads more than Sam's. It was causing confusion during attack drills, as the boys didn't know who to obey and usually made mistakes as a result. Again, that should've been impossible since the "Pack Mind" is tied to its Alpha. Of course, they were young and not as strong-willed as the others, so they were more easily susceptible to Jacob's authority. Quil teased that Jacob should use his newfound influence to wreak havoc with Sam's waning authority. Though I'm sure it was a tempting idea, Jacob always maintained a sense of honor when acting as Alpha. He filled the roll with a grace and maturity far beyond his years. Even Sam was resigned to the fact that it was only a matter of time before the need for two Alphas exhausted itself.

To that end, Sam made a huge announcement about a week later. I was hanging out at Emily's while both packs congregated for a "family" meal. Rachel, Kim, and I had helped her cook while everyone got situated. Emily had been all smiles and though she normally had a happy disposition, it was clear that she was ecstatic about something.

Before dinner, Sam called everyone's attention. He wrapped his arm around Emily's waist, taking her petite body against his side. In front of everyone he practically screamed, "We're getting married!" Sam then took Emily in his arms and kissed her like there was no one else in the room.

The crowd erupted into congratulatory cheers. All except for me, Jacob and Leah. Sure, I was happy for Sam and Emily. And, it's not like I didn't expect them to get married. It seemed inevitable. But, I was also painfully familiar with the other side of things, with Leah's heartbreak in particular.

Jacob and I shared a concerned look across the room and together, turned our attention towards Leah. She wasn't smiling. But, to her credit, she didn't look upset either. She looked indifferent. After all, she loved Jack and she was in a healthy, loving relationship. I think she would always feel bitterness towards Sam and Emily, but she wouldn't wish them ill. For Leah, that was progress. And so the wedding planning began.

Spring was in full swing and mid-terms approached. Jacob needed less and less time with his tutor, as his grades and comprehension of the subjects greatly improved. A part of me wondered if he needed this tutor less because he really was that good, or because his tutor wasn't a busty bimbo. But, I quickly squashed that negativity and decided to cut Jacob some slack. Imprint or no, it was clear from his words and actions that he only had eyes for me and that everything he did, including doing well in school, was for us and our future.

Edward hadn't visited since the time he met Liz. I thought part of his avoidance was because of Liz's overbearing and "out there" personality. He probably just didn't want to be propositioned to pose nude again. I'm sure her persistence unnerved him more than he was willing to let on.

My work at the publishing house kept me busy. For once, I genuinely appreciated the fact that Alice could see the future, because with her help, Jacob and I were able to grow our savings steadily. By the time we graduated, we'd have a comfortable nest egg to start our life together. It made all the working and time apart worth the sacrifice.

Jacob was kept busy for all the usual reasons. Work, school and pack responsibilities took up most of his time, and not necessarily in that order. Everything was…well, normal. So normal in fact, that it was easy to forget the supernatural forces that were hell bent on ending my life. That is until I received a phone call from Alice that put everything back into perspective.

Alice called on a Saturday morning. I happened to have spent the night in my old room at Charlie's house because Liz needed our room for a little "private" time. I had been happy to oblige her, especially since she had been so cool about Jacob spending the night with me. I was curious as to who she was spending that "private" time with. Though, since she didn't offer up any details, I figured she was probably making time with the latest male model to pose for her drawing class. I chuckled as I thought, Edward would be so relieved. And, if it was the model de jour she was spending time with, she'd probably just claim she needed more time to improve her "strokes" or something else equally crass.

Jacob had been with me most of the night until he had to leave sometime around two in the morning for patrol. Though I understood how important patrolling was, I hated him having to leave my bed. It always left me feeling unsettled. So, when the phone rang waking me up, I wasn't necessarily in the best of moods. Alice's beautiful voice rang through the line, only she didn't sound as bright and cheery as she normally did.

"Come on, Bella. I let you sleep in. Don't be so cranky with me."

"Yeah, sorry Alice," I said, wiping the sleep from my eyes. "What time is it anyway?"

"It's nine thirty. Anyway, I didn't call you to talk about the time silly. I called to tell you that Carlisle and Esme are back."

That got my attention. Carlisle and Esme had left before Christmas on a pilgrimage of sorts. Carlisle's long life had enabled him to maintain strong and powerful friendships. He used to hold the Volturi amongst his friends until they made me their prime concern. As a result, Carlisle took Esme to forge bonds and alliances with his old friends and with anyone else who would stand with us against the Volturi.

I counted the weeks in my head and realized that they had been gone for nearly four months. The last I heard, they were in Ireland on their way to South America on a hot lead. "Alice, why didn't you tell me they were coming home?"

"You've been busy, Bella. Anyway, we're getting the family together to welcome them home. Edward left Seattle about an hour ago so he'll be here momentarily. I figured, since you're family, you'd want to come over too."

A warm feeling spread throughout my body. It was nice to be reminded that the Cullens accepted me as family. It was always strange to think I had come from a broken home only to be welcomed into the lives of so many different families. It was an embarrassment of riches.

"I'd love to see them."

"I knew you would", she replied knowingly. "Esme's making lunch for you so come by soon. Oh, and bring Jacob with you. He needs to be there."

She hung up before I had a chance to reply. It was just like her to drop a bomb like that without an explanation. The Cullens were supportive of my relationship with Jacob. But, it was odd for them to ask him to come along unless we were going to be talking shop, so to speak. Something from Alice's tone told me that my visit to the Cullens' wasn't going to be much of a social call.

I got out of bed and headed to the bathroom to get ready for the day. After I showered, I got dressed and made my way downstairs to find Charlie at the kitchen sink, cleaning up his breakfast dishes.

"You already ate?" I asked, surprised to see him taking the initiative to feed himself. I was so used to that being my job.

"Oh, sorry Bells. I've gotten so used to fending for myself again. I forgot you were even spending the night, you're so quiet. Can I make you something?"

"No thanks. I'm just going to have some cereal." I grabbed a bowl and some cereal and milk while Charlie sat down to read the paper.

"So, what are your plans today, Bells? I assume Jake's coming over?" Charlie, true to his word, really did love Jacob like a son. It took him some time, but after the heat of the pregnancy scare cooled down, he went back to being his friendly, but aloof self.

"Yeah, he should be here pretty soon. But, uh I'm actually going over to the Cullens' today."

That piqued his interest. He looked at me over the edge of the paper. "Oh?"

"Yeah," I said between chewing mouthfuls of my cheerios. "Carlisle and Esme just got back from Europe. I haven't seen them in ages."

"Hmm," he murmured. "And does Jacob know you're going over there?"

"Actually," I retorted, annoyed by his teasing. "He's coming with me."

My declaration was met with a loud guffaw from Charlie. "Oh, that ought to be great."

I rolled my eyes at him as he continued to laugh behind the sports page in his hands. I went back to my cereal and tried to ignore him. Every few minutes or so he would chuckle and mumble under his breath. I finally got a reprieve when I heard a knock on the door followed by Jacob's voice in the living room. "Hey guys, what's for breakfast? I'm starved."

Jacob walked in with a huge smile on his face, rubbing his belly expectantly. Charlie got up from the table and gave Jacob a pat on the shoulder. "Good luck today, son. You're going to need it."

It didn't take much convincing to get Jacob to come with me to the Cullens' home. Like me, he was suspicious of Alice's request that he be present for what was supposed to be a welcome home party. We both worried that it had something to do with the Volturi, but we didn't want to voice our fears, afraid they would manifest. So, we kept mum about the subject. But, it didn't escape my notice that Jacob's grip on my hand was stronger than normal the entire drive over there.

When we walked into the house, I could see it was full of activity. Jasper seemed to be working overtime in an attempt to maintain a calm environment. Based on the anxious look in Jacob's eyes, I was more than grateful for the social sedative Jasper provided.

I got my usual bear hug from Emmett who challenged Jacob to the latest action-packed video game he just bought. After some serious trash talking, Jacob agreed. But, Jacob situated himself on the couch in such a way that I was always in his line of sight. I wasn't sure if it was the Alpha instinct or the protective boyfriend in him that made him feel like I needed to be protected even when I was amongst friends. Granted, my friends were vampires, so I could see why he would feel the need to be extra attentive.

Esme walked in from the kitchen and I ran into her open arms. She held me in her strong embrace and I was immediately overwhelmed by her sweet scent. I had truly missed her. The Cullens weren't much of a family without Carlisle and Esme. The house had felt empty for the last few months. And now it truly felt like a home.

I followed Esme into the kitchen where she was preparing a small feast. Considering the fact that Jacob and I were the only ones eating, I thought it was a bit much, even for Jacob's voracious appetite. I heard Jacob and Rosalie in the living room trading blonde jokes for dog jokes. That was just how they "got along." And if it worked, if it kept them somewhat civil with each other, I wasn't going to mess with it. It's not like I needed any more tension in that house.

Esme and I chatted and she caught me up on all of her adventures abroad. I noticed she kept her anecdotes to stories about their friends and not on the success or failure of their mission to obtain allies. I knew for a fact at that point that they had some news. And, I wasn't expecting it to be good.

Jasper must have sensed my distress because in came Alice, leading me out of the kitchen by the arm and made me take a seat on the couch opposite where Jacob and Emmett were sitting. Jacob glanced up from his game and gave me a look that said, Expect the worst.

"So," Alice began conversationally. "I see you're really enjoying your ballet classes with Liz."

I blushed furiously, thinking she was talking about the infamous "cramp" incident, but then I remembered she couldn't see me when I was with Jacob.

"Bella, why are you blushing? I just meant that you're looking really fit. You've got a healthy glow about you. It's nice to see."

Without missing a beat, Emmett said, "That's probably because ballet dancers are so limber. I bet you and the mutt are getting down to all sorts of flexible stuff. Am I right?" He nudged Jacob playfully. For once in his life, I saw his russet complexion turn as red as a tomato. I was mortified and Jacob looked speechless. We sat there in shocked silence which was only broken by the sound of the plastic controller breaking apart in Jacob's hands.

Emmett sighed. "Lucky for you, we keep extra controllers on hand for just such occasions." Emmett opened a drawer in the entertainment center and in a matter of seconds, Jacob was playing with a new controller. Emmett slapped him on the back chuckling, "Relax man. I was just kidding." He then saw the cocky grin on Jacob's face and said, "Or…maybe I wasn't kidding. Hell yeah! Way to go wolf boy!" He raised his hand for a high five only to quickly resume the game when he saw that Rosalie and I were glaring daggers at him.

Alice was about to comment on our odd behavior when Carlisle and Edward walked into the room. The tension was palpable. Everyone stood and congregated around the couches. Carlisle gave me a hug and Edward nodded in my direction with a strained smile on his face. Carlisle extended his hand to Jacob.

"Thank you for coming, Jacob. I knew you'd want to be here for Bella anyway. But the news we have really involves the pack as well." Carlisle then looked at me and said, "Bella, why don't you have a seat?"

Jacob made his way towards me and grabbed my hand as we sat down on the couch. The others took seats while Carlisle remained standing, all of our attention directed towards him.

"We brought you two here today to give you some status updates. It would seem that our trip was a success. Bella, I have powerful friends all over the world. Some of them have powers equal to that of members of the Volturi. None of them are willing to oppose the Volturi in an outright war. But, each and every one of them has vowed to align with us should the Volturi move against us."

Jacob interrupted, too impatient to allow Carlisle to explain the situation. "That's all fine and good Doc. They'll come and help you guys out. What I want to know is will they help us, the wolves to protect Bella if the Volturi come here and try to take her away from me?"

Edward glared at Jacob. "He was getting to that, Dog. If you would shut up and listen and not interrupt, you'd hear everything you need to know."

I felt Jacob's body tense for a fight. I clenched his hand in mine to the point where my knuckles turned white. I glanced angrily at Edward, and nodded at Carlisle to continue.

"Jacob," he began, ignoring the angry outburst as if it never occurred. "They have all vowed to protect Bella in whatever way we need, should their services be required. Now…"

"Why?" This time it was Rosalie who spoke out of turn. "Why would they want to protect one human girl? What is Bella to them?"

There was no malice in her voice. Rosalie was just asking the question I had been dying to ask myself. Why would anyone put their life on the line with the Volturi if it could be avoided? What was one human life compared to being robbed of eternity?

Carlisle was thoughtful for a moment. "Rose, these people are my friends. They'd do anything to help me and my family because they know I'd do the same for them. But, apart from that, the Volturi aren't without enemies."

Carlisle talked for what seemed like hours. He mentioned some Romanian vampires who used to be in charge before the Volturi, before they were overthrown. The Romanians were his main ally in that they were looking for any excuse to topple the Italian regime. That wasn't to say they'd be better rulers. From what Carlisle said, they were just as ruthless and power hungry as the Volturi. But, they didn't want me dead. And that made them golden in my book.

Carlisle went on to tell us about his friends in Ireland and the new ones he met in South America. He gave a breakdown of their powers and even I had to admit they sounded impressive. He paused and frowned before mentioning his visit to Denali.

"We actually stopped in Alaska before we got here. We had a long visit with Carmen and Eleazar. They are with us as well, but…"

The hesitation in his voice piqued my interest. I watched as Edward pinched the bridge of his nose between his fingers and knew that he was frustrated about something. "But what, Carlisle?" I couldn't take the suspense anymore.

"Well," he sighed heavily. "In light of past hostilities and due to recent events," Carlisle shot a concerned glance in Edward's direction before continuing. "Tanya didn't want anything to do with our cause against the Volturi."

This time I was too shocked to curb Jacob's growing anger. He jumped up and in a flash was in Edward's face seething and snarling. Luckily, Emmett and Jasper were quick to action. Emmett wrapped a struggling Jacob in a bear hug from behind while Jasper used his abilities to try to calm him. When Jacob finally calmed down enough, he glared at Edward menacingly.

"You just couldn't leave well enough alone, could you? That bitch was already pissed about her dead sisters and then you had to go and hit it and quit it with her. Why would she be on our side?" I groaned at Jacob's outburst. I had told him about Edward's tryst with Tanya in confidence. He shouldn't have blurted out that he knew about it like that in front of everyone.

Rosalie looked genuinely hurt by this news. I knew she thought of Tanya as a close friend, perhaps even another sister. "She doesn't have to be on your side, mutt," she said angrily. "She's on our side. And we're with Bella. Of course she'll fight with us. Right, Carlisle?"

"I'm afraid not, Rosalie." Carlisle looked just as hurt as Rosalie did. He thought of Tanya as family and the fact that she refused to help him, yet again, came as a big blow. "But remember this, and possibly it might make you feel better about the situation. She didn't say she'd fight against us. All she said was that she wasn't going to sacrifice herself to the Volturi for one human."

Rosalie visibly withdrew into herself. With a furrowed brow she sat back down on the couch and stared out the windows into the green forest beyond. The Denali clan didn't owe me anything. But, this was the second time that Tanya, the Cullens' friend, had failed to aid them when they needed her help. After the fallout with Edward, Rosalie and Emmett had gone up to Denali to smooth things over with Tanya. She had reassured them that there were no hard feelings. Obviously, that had just been lip service as she had no intention of sticking to her word. Rosalie was nothing if not loyal and I think this betrayal hurt her more than she was willing to admit.

"Jacob," Carlisle rested a tentative hand on Jacob's shoulder. "Please sit down and try to relax. Tanya is just one vampire. I've acquired the allegiance of at least fifty others, far more powerful than she. Tanya's not standing with us, but she wouldn't fight against us. She's decided to remain neutral, and I couldn't abide by her feeling as though she were being forced to do something she didn't want to do. We'll be fine without her."

Jacob reluctantly obeyed and took his place beside me on the couch. Carlisle's next statement knocked the air out of the room. "We have bigger things to worry about than Tanya. I received a letter from Aro, today as a matter of fact." He took the letter out of his pocket and read it aloud.

Dearest Carlisle,

We have waited patiently for a wedding invitation, we fear now will never come. We're afraid that this doesn't bode well for Isabella or for your coven.

Our beloved Alec and Jane have given us a lot to think about after their recent visit to your home. We are most distressed by their findings.

We will be in touch. Soon.

"Aro didn't even sign it. He simply affixed his official seal. Less personal that way, I guess."

I think I would have completely fallen apart had Jasper not been in the room sending his soothing energy my way. I was reminded once again that all my happiness, the life I'd made for myself was virtually on loan from the Volturi. It could be taken away in an instant. I could hear Aro's sickeningly sinister voice through every word of that letter. He was onto us. He was no fool. He may not know the exact details, that I was actually in love with another man, but then again he didn't need to know. Why would he care? All he cared about was that he was being played. That letter was his way of reminding us who was in charge.

Carlisle spent the next hour reassuring us that Aro could be reasoned with, that he wouldn't make good on his threats once he knew how many allies we were working with from all over the world. Esme insisted that the talk should be moved into the dining room where she made sure that Jacob and I ate our fill.

I didn't taste a thing. I ate obediently and when I was done, I thanked Esme for the food and hugged her saying I was glad she and Carlisle were home. I walked out of the house with Jacob close on my heels. I tossed him the keys as I knew I was in no shape to drive. He didn't take me home. Instead, he drove us to First Beach and parked on the side of the road, looking out onto the ocean.

He turned off the engine and all I heard was a deafening silence. I stared out the windshield and looked at the beautiful horizon. I saw the crashing waves and the screeching gulls, but I heard nothing. Jacob held my hand in his. "Are you okay?" he asked, his husky voice breaking through the sound barrier.

I looked into his warm eyes and shook my head, "No, I'm not okay. I'm scared."

He gave me a grim smile then returned his gaze to the water. "Jake, what about you?" I could sense that he didn't want to tell me how he felt, that he was afraid he'd scare me further. But, we'd already agreed not to allow any secrets or half-truths to fester between us. As encouragement, I added, "The truth, Jacob. Tell me the truth."

"The truth," he said, looking at me with pained eyes. "The truth is that we're fucked! Bells, the Volturi aren't just going to lie down and play nice because Carlisle asks them to. This thing isn't going to end with some uncomfortable stand-off where both sides hem and haw only for it all to end in a stalemate. The Cullens are either completely naïve or stupid. The Volturi aren't going to stop, honey. You've disobeyed them. They're all powerful and yet one puny human has essentially told them to fuck off. They're not looking too good in the eyes of the vampire world. If they can't control one human, how can they be expected to rule over vampires? If Carlisle's right, and those creepy Romanians are really looking for an excuse for an uprising, then you would be the perfect accelerant to the flame."

Jacob was riled up. His fear for me drove him and guided his words. "Bells, they're not going to stop until you or they are destroyed. They have eternity to play games with you and to give you a false sense of security. They could come tomorrow or in ten, twenty, or fifty years. And then, it won't just be you they'll want. They'll go after your family; your…our children. It doesn't matter. All that matters is that they have all the power and you made a promise to them. They'll want payment. They'll want blood."

Jacob was silent for a moment while I let his words sink in. I was grateful for his honesty, but terrified at the same time. He shook his head and I knew he had more to say, but was afraid to keep going. "It's okay, Jake. Keep going. I can take it."

"Honey, I…I just don't know. My gut is telling me that we haven't heard the last of Tanya. She has a part to play yet. And, unless you develop some sort of supernatural force field to protect us all, it's going to come down to fighting. And people are going to die."

I couldn't hold my emotions back any longer and I burst into tears. I threw myself into Jacob's protective arms. "Oh God, Jake. I don't want that. I don't want anyone to die because of me."

He held me tightly and stroked my hair soothingly. "Shh, honey. It's okay. If anyone dies, it's not because of you. Do you hear me? You're not responsible for any of this. The vampires are the cause. This is our world and it's about time they realized that."

I wiped the tears from my eyes. "What are you saying?"

"I'm saying that we need to take the fight into our own hands and on our own turf. We can't just sit and wait for them to show up and annihilate us. Either way, something's going to have to change."

A/N: As usual I have no excuse as to why this took so long to get out. So, I'll just move onto other things. So, this chapter wouldn't have been possible without the help of my great friend Crazily-Addicted. She's the best beta a girl could ask for. She helps me focus my ideas and gives me inspiration. So, thank you so much Neha. Please check out my favorite stories list and check out her work. It's great. I also re-worked my story out-line and I'm definitely going to be posting a total of 50 chapters. While organizing my ideas, I got excited all over again about finishing this story. Hopefully that excitement will help motivate me to post my chapters quicker. No promises, but I really will try to work on that. Anyway, thanks for reading and reviewing. I look forward to hearing from you.