p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;""What are we going to do?" I asked, helplessly. I was crying- I had been doing that a lot lately. It made me feel pitiful, maybe because that's what I was. Pitiful. I was sure I must look at it; I pictured how I would appear right now. I saw the image in my mind as if I were looking straight into a mirror./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;"My hands, ankles, and knees were bound in front of me, the tight chains cutting into my skin, blood tarnishing my clothes. My mascara was running down my cheeks from the constant crying, my eyes were red and swollen. My light blue shirt was stained, partly from tears, partly from vomit; I could feel the vomit marks crusted onto the sides of my mouth as well. Sweat stains yelled out the fact that I was nervous and scared. My cheek and hair, which must have been a mess, were matted with Jacob's blood./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;"I sighed. It was all there- I was disgraceful. "There's nothing we emcan /emdo," Jacob replied hopelessly. There was a moment of silence before I spoke the question that I had been pondering on ever since we arrived in the cell./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;""Jacob, am I really worth it?" My head was down; my hair covered my eyes./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;""What do you mean?" He wondered, pretending as if he had not heard the question correctly./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;""I mean, am I really worth all of this trouble that you, that emeveryone/em has gone through just to keep me safe?"/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;""Bella, I would give my life for you any day. I don't want to live if I can't have you!" he answered fervently./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;"My eyes narrowed, "You're biased." I accused./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;""Well then why did you ask me?"/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;"I shrugged. We were both given another moment to think, the silence was interrupted, however, by the sound of howling. The pack had officially arrived. Jacob and I listened in silence. There was nothing to say./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;"Hearing a wolf yelp in pain, I nestled into Jacob's arm, afraid for my family. There was a lapse in time when I decided to lie down. I was tired, just about ready to fall asleep, Jacob still stood at attention./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;""Wake me when it's our turn to die," I mumbled, pathetically, falling asleep the moment my eyes closed. I slept for what felt like three seconds when Jacob shook me awake./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;""Bella!" He gasped, smiling ear to ear. "Look who's here!" I groggily raised my head to look at a tall figure in the doorway, the lock on our cell door was busted and the door had swung open. As my eyes focused I recognized Embry immediately./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;""emBig brother!" /emI squeaked, running up to him. He caught me and lifted my feet off the ground in a gigantic bear hug. "Bella!" he gasped, then pulled me away from him so he could get a better look at me./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;""God, Bella! You look like Medusa! What happened to your face…and your shirt?" he teased, behind his humor, I could hear a bit of seriousness./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;""Bella got sick." Jacob chimed in. Embry took a step back. I fake punched him on the shoulder, "I'm ok emnow!" /emI pouted./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;"Embry's face was completely serious. "Really? You look just…terrible! I'm sorry, but…really."/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;"My face hardened, "I've been watching my ex-boyfriend literally emtorture/em my new boyfriend multiple times and have been sitting in a prison cell in Italy all day. How do you expect me to look?"/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;"Embry didn't answer; he was looking at Jacob- taking in his blood-drenched skin. His wounds were nearly gone but the evidence that they were there still remained. "Uh," Embry mumbled, snapping out of his trance. "I saw a lady's bathroom coming in…how about I show you to it." He gave me a hopeful smile./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;"I nodded. "But what about all of the vampires? Wouldn't they notice that we've escaped?"/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;""Aw, they're all outside fighting with the rest of the guys- it's pretty nasty so I came to get you two to help." I nodded again./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;""Where's the bathroom?" It was just then that I realized that I was walking just fine; I looked down to see that all of my chains had been removed./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;""Did emyou/em get all the chains off?" I wondered, rubbing my raw, bloody wrists./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;""Uh, no. I got Jake's off and he got yours." I nodded again. It was too hard to talk to Embry; there was too much tension in the mood. I wondered why I wasn't as tense as him and Jacob. Maybe it was because I was just so glad to see one of my favorite pack members, I didn't know./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;"I opened the door to the woman's restroom. It was extremely fancy and regal. I took a few steps inside the carpeted room when I realize that I wasn't being followed. I re-opened the door to find Jake and Embry, leaning up against the walls outside the bathroom. I grabbed both of their hands and dragged them in the room with me./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;""Hey, hey, hey!" Embry protested, "This is the emgirl's /emroom! We can't be in here!" My eyes scanned the room, distressingly./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;""I…I don't want to be alone," I mumbled, embarrassed. Something in my tone immediately convinced Embry that I was serious about this. I investigated the room further. There were ten, polished white stalls and eight chrome sinks. There were even showerheads on the opposite side of the stall's wall, I looked at them. On the side of each was a divider stocked with complimentary shampoos and conditioners./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;""I'm going to take a shower," I announced to the boys. Embry's eyes widened, Jacob's expression hadn't changed since we walked into the room./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;""Do…do you want us to leave?" Embry gaped./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;""No!" I insist an edge of terror in my voice. "I don't want to be alone anymore!" I yelped. Embry looked thoroughly disgusted. Before I turned on the shower I heard him whisper, em"Can't believe your girlfriend is /emmaking emme be in the same room with her when she takes a shower."/em/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;"I stripped and stood under the wake of the water, letting it wash away all my cares and burdens for a few moments. When I came in I didn't plan on washing my hair or body- but I ended up doing both. I scratched off all of the make-up and vomit marks on my face then rinsed my hair out and turned off the water./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;"I got straight into my clothes, not caring how wet they became, and pulled my hair into a tight ponytail. Then I came out from behind the shower wall saying, "I feel a lot better now, thanks, guys." Jake nodded and stretched his arm around my shoulders; Embry looked to Jake and sniggered. Same old immature Embry./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;""What you need us to do?" Jacob asked, not fazed by Embry's childishness./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;""Well, both of you need to morph and then…just join the fight outside, I guess."/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;""If the fight was outside wouldn't humans notice?" I asked, astonished./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;""Yea. Edward doesn't care though…"/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;"I nodded, climbing out of the hole in the ceiling. "So do we morph now?"/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;""Yup. Jake and I will go this way and you go that way, we'll meet back here." He motioned with his hands. "Kay." I said, taking off behind the building Embry had pointed too. I stripped out of my soaked clothes and focused on my heart again. I felt a shiver run down my spine but I didn't morph. I pressed again, but I still wouldn't change./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;"My upper lip glazed with sweat. emNo! Not now! Why can't I faze /emnowem! We're in the middle of a war! C'mon…faze, faze, faze!/em/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;"I heard Jacob's quiet yelp for me. Frustrated, I forced myself back into my wet clothes and showed myself. Jacob was alone, Embry had already left, and he lifted his head, confused. I lowered my head in humiliation as I muttered, "I can't."/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;"Jacob groaned. He looked at me deeply then looked at the building I had tired to faze behind. He pushed me to it with his paw as if saying em'stay'/em./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;""I'll wait here then," I whispered. Jacob nodded his furry head. He was just about to jump off when I yelled, "Jake wait!"/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;"He came back and butted my shoulder with his head./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;""If anything happens to you I swear to God…I'll…" Jacob interrupted me with a snort and began to walk away. I ran over to him and hugged is front leg; he looked down at me./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;""Jake…" he looked at me with his dark chocolate eyes, as if to ask em'what?'/em/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;""Don't die!" I sobbed into his fur. There I was, crying again, I felt pitiful. Jacob snorted again. "I'm serious!" I cried./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;""Look at me!" I bawled hysterically. I looked up into his dark eyes once more. He looked honestly worried./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;""I love you!" I whimpered, "I love you so much!" I felt Jacob's head nuzzle mine and he was gone. I plopped to the ground, sobbing./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;"Jacob was out there fighting vampires. Fighting Edward. Fighting for me./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;"I knew it; I just knew it- Jacob was not going to make it out of this alive./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;"My hands, ankles, and knees were bound in front of me, the tight chains cutting into my skin, blood tarnishing my clothes. My mascara was running down my cheeks from the constant crying, my eyes were red and swollen. My light blue shirt was stained, partly from tears, partly from vomit; I could feel the vomit marks crusted onto the sides of my mouth as well. Sweat stains yelled out the fact that I was nervous and scared. My cheek and hair, which must have been a mess, were matted with Jacob's blood./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;"I sighed. It was all there- I was disgraceful. "There's nothing we emcan /emdo," Jacob replied hopelessly. There was a moment of silence before I spoke the question that I had been pondering on ever since we arrived in the cell./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;""Jacob, am I really worth it?" My head was down; my hair covered my eyes./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;""What do you mean?" He wondered, pretending as if he had not heard the question correctly./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;""I mean, am I really worth all of this trouble that you, that emeveryone/em has gone through just to keep me safe?"/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;""Bella, I would give my life for you any day. I don't want to live if I can't have you!" he answered fervently./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;"My eyes narrowed, "You're biased." I accused./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;""Well then why did you ask me?"/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;"I shrugged. We were both given another moment to think, the silence was interrupted, however, by the sound of howling. The pack had officially arrived. Jacob and I listened in silence. There was nothing to say./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;"Hearing a wolf yelp in pain, I nestled into Jacob's arm, afraid for my family. There was a lapse in time when I decided to lie down. I was tired, just about ready to fall asleep, Jacob still stood at attention./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;""Wake me when it's our turn to die," I mumbled, pathetically, falling asleep the moment my eyes closed. I slept for what felt like three seconds when Jacob shook me awake./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;""Bella!" He gasped, smiling ear to ear. "Look who's here!" I groggily raised my head to look at a tall figure in the doorway, the lock on our cell door was busted and the door had swung open. As my eyes focused I recognized Embry immediately./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;""emBig brother!" /emI squeaked, running up to him. He caught me and lifted my feet off the ground in a gigantic bear hug. "Bella!" he gasped, then pulled me away from him so he could get a better look at me./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;""God, Bella! You look like Medusa! What happened to your face…and your shirt?" he teased, behind his humor, I could hear a bit of seriousness./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;""Bella got sick." Jacob chimed in. Embry took a step back. I fake punched him on the shoulder, "I'm ok emnow!" /emI pouted./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;"Embry's face was completely serious. "Really? You look just…terrible! I'm sorry, but…really."/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;"My face hardened, "I've been watching my ex-boyfriend literally emtorture/em my new boyfriend multiple times and have been sitting in a prison cell in Italy all day. How do you expect me to look?"/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;"Embry didn't answer; he was looking at Jacob- taking in his blood-drenched skin. His wounds were nearly gone but the evidence that they were there still remained. "Uh," Embry mumbled, snapping out of his trance. "I saw a lady's bathroom coming in…how about I show you to it." He gave me a hopeful smile./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;"I nodded. "But what about all of the vampires? Wouldn't they notice that we've escaped?"/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;""Aw, they're all outside fighting with the rest of the guys- it's pretty nasty so I came to get you two to help." I nodded again./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;""Where's the bathroom?" It was just then that I realized that I was walking just fine; I looked down to see that all of my chains had been removed./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;""Did emyou/em get all the chains off?" I wondered, rubbing my raw, bloody wrists./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;""Uh, no. I got Jake's off and he got yours." I nodded again. It was too hard to talk to Embry; there was too much tension in the mood. I wondered why I wasn't as tense as him and Jacob. Maybe it was because I was just so glad to see one of my favorite pack members, I didn't know./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;"I opened the door to the woman's restroom. It was extremely fancy and regal. I took a few steps inside the carpeted room when I realize that I wasn't being followed. I re-opened the door to find Jake and Embry, leaning up against the walls outside the bathroom. I grabbed both of their hands and dragged them in the room with me./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;""Hey, hey, hey!" Embry protested, "This is the emgirl's /emroom! We can't be in here!" My eyes scanned the room, distressingly./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;""I…I don't want to be alone," I mumbled, embarrassed. Something in my tone immediately convinced Embry that I was serious about this. I investigated the room further. There were ten, polished white stalls and eight chrome sinks. There were even showerheads on the opposite side of the stall's wall, I looked at them. On the side of each was a divider stocked with complimentary shampoos and conditioners./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;""I'm going to take a shower," I announced to the boys. Embry's eyes widened, Jacob's expression hadn't changed since we walked into the room./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;""Do…do you want us to leave?" Embry gaped./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;""No!" I insist an edge of terror in my voice. "I don't want to be alone anymore!" I yelped. Embry looked thoroughly disgusted. Before I turned on the shower I heard him whisper, em"Can't believe your girlfriend is /emmaking emme be in the same room with her when she takes a shower."/em/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;"I stripped and stood under the wake of the water, letting it wash away all my cares and burdens for a few moments. When I came in I didn't plan on washing my hair or body- but I ended up doing both. I scratched off all of the make-up and vomit marks on my face then rinsed my hair out and turned off the water./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;"I got straight into my clothes, not caring how wet they became, and pulled my hair into a tight ponytail. Then I came out from behind the shower wall saying, "I feel a lot better now, thanks, guys." Jake nodded and stretched his arm around my shoulders; Embry looked to Jake and sniggered. Same old immature Embry./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;""What you need us to do?" Jacob asked, not fazed by Embry's childishness./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;""Well, both of you need to morph and then…just join the fight outside, I guess."/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;""If the fight was outside wouldn't humans notice?" I asked, astonished./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;""Yea. Edward doesn't care though…"/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;"I nodded, climbing out of the hole in the ceiling. "So do we morph now?"/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;""Yup. Jake and I will go this way and you go that way, we'll meet back here." He motioned with his hands. "Kay." I said, taking off behind the building Embry had pointed too. I stripped out of my soaked clothes and focused on my heart again. I felt a shiver run down my spine but I didn't morph. I pressed again, but I still wouldn't change./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;"My upper lip glazed with sweat. emNo! Not now! Why can't I faze /emnowem! We're in the middle of a war! C'mon…faze, faze, faze!/em/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;"I heard Jacob's quiet yelp for me. Frustrated, I forced myself back into my wet clothes and showed myself. Jacob was alone, Embry had already left, and he lifted his head, confused. I lowered my head in humiliation as I muttered, "I can't."/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;"Jacob groaned. He looked at me deeply then looked at the building I had tired to faze behind. He pushed me to it with his paw as if saying em'stay'/em./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;""I'll wait here then," I whispered. Jacob nodded his furry head. He was just about to jump off when I yelled, "Jake wait!"/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;"He came back and butted my shoulder with his head./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;""If anything happens to you I swear to God…I'll…" Jacob interrupted me with a snort and began to walk away. I ran over to him and hugged is front leg; he looked down at me./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;""Jake…" he looked at me with his dark chocolate eyes, as if to ask em'what?'/em/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;""Don't die!" I sobbed into his fur. There I was, crying again, I felt pitiful. Jacob snorted again. "I'm serious!" I cried./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;""Look at me!" I bawled hysterically. I looked up into his dark eyes once more. He looked honestly worried./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;""I love you!" I whimpered, "I love you so much!" I felt Jacob's head nuzzle mine and he was gone. I plopped to the ground, sobbing./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;"Jacob was out there fighting vampires. Fighting Edward. Fighting for me./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;"I knew it; I just knew it- Jacob was not going to make it out of this alive./p