A/N: Thank you so much for your support! I hope you love where the story is going. The next few chapters are some of my favorite's I've written so I hope you love them too! Enjoy!

Disclaimer:
All recognizable characters belong to Stephenie Meyer. I do not make money from this.

Chapter 11: Peace

I was on an emotional rollercoaster and it was pure hell.

/

I woke up to the soothing sound of rain. It was actually quite nice. I didn't realize how much I missed the rain. There was something so peaceful about listening to the rain without the background noise of city traffic. San Francisco got a fair amount of rain and fog throughout the year, but nothing compared to the serene silence that was a rainy day in Forks.

I stretched my limbs in my warm blankets. Surprisingly, I felt at peace. Even after the type of day I had yesterday, I didn't feel so defeated. Maybe this is the calm before the storm. Or maybe I hadn't fully woken up yet. All things considered, I felt renewed and rested. I sighed and just listened to the soft patter against the roof and window.

I woke up slowly. I took my time to get out of bed and shuffle over to the bathroom. It was around 9 am and Charlie was already at the station. I reveled in the quiet. This was going to be something I missed when I went back home. Peace and quiet was a luxury at the shelter. Not that I was complaining. I loved my job. But, I was an introvert at heart.

I took my time brushing my teeth and running my brush through my hair. It had grown out a bunch over the last few years. I loved the length. After my year on the streets, my hair was so thin and dull. I could now see the shine and fullness of my strands. I ran my fingers through the soft waves. Just one of the telltale signs of my improved state of being. Despite the pain and drama I experienced, my body always bounced back. I didn't want to let that go. I worked so hard to feel at peace again. But, I didn't want to think about that right now.

I dressed in a loose sweatshirt and sweat pants. An amorphous blob of gray. I fucking loved it. I shoved on a pair of wool socks and made my way downstairs. I needed sustenance. I could feel the remnants of the emotional strain my body went through the day before. Charlie had brought back burgers and fries from the diner and I couldn't put up much of a fight. It was fucking delicious. Not as delicious as a Big Mac, but still. Now, I was craving something not so greasy.

I poured a cup of coffee from the pot Charlie brewed this morning and even added a little creamer. Not something I usually did. I grew accustomed to drinking it black. But, I was indulging a little bit. I placed a small sauce pan on the stove and heated up some milk. I poured in a scoop of oats and stirred until it became a warm little gooey mess. I diced an apple and tossed it in along with some cinnamon. I sat down with my warm breakfast and ate slowly. The only sounds were the quiet sprinkling of rain and my spoon hitting my bowl.

My oatmeal felt so comforting and warm in my belly. It soothed my hunger and left me satisfied. I sipped the rest of my coffee and just watched the rain slither down the kitchen window. I really was going to miss it.

I cleaned up my dishes and even took the time to dry them and put them away instead of leaving them on the drying rack. I wiped down the stove, counter, and table. I swept the crumbs off the floor.

I finally made my way into the living room, laptop and phone in hand. As much as I wanted to relish in my peaceful little morning, I still had work to do.

I pulled open my laptop and started answering emails and responding to potential partners and sponsorships. I clicked through the schedule and made sure the ladies had a nice, streamline day ahead of them.

I was in the middle of responding to one of our newest team members about handling women battling post-partum depression when there was a knock on the door. It didn't sound urgent so I took my time to get up and get it.

When I pulled open the door I was greeted with none other than Leah. She was dressed in a cropped tank, cut offs, and was barefoot. She was patrolling. She didn't look angry. She didn't look upset. She didn't look happy either. Neutral.

"Hey," she said as ran a hand through her dripping hair.

"Hey," I said quietly.

"Can I come in?" she asked.

I stepped back and opened the door wider.

She walked in and I shut the door before I turned to look at her.

"How are you doing?" she asked.

"Good," I said simply.

She nodded. "Good."

There was a beat of silence.

"Is there a reason you came?" I finally said.

She sighed and ran her hand through her hair again. "I just wanted to check on you. I'm patrolling, clearly," she gestured to her damp clothing and bare feet. "And I wanted to, I don't know, apologize?"

I furrowed my brow. "Why would you need to do that?"

She looked at me for a second. She looked almost like she felt bad. But it didn't make sense to me. Shouldn't I be the one to apologize?

"Bella," she frowned. "I'm sorry I pressured you into going to the garage. I really thought Jake would be at least cordial to you. I was only thinking about myself. And I didn't really take into consideration how his behavior would affect you. I've never seen you so angry before," she said softly.

I nodded.

"And I just feel really shitty. None of that would have happened if I just stayed out of it. I want Jacob to get better, but I can't put that burden on you. We can't put that burden on you," she cast her eyes down to her hands. "The guys feel really bad too. We wanted to stick up for you, but we can't go against Jacob. Ever."

I nodded again. I had no idea how to respond to this. I felt numb.

"Anyway, I just wanted to say that. We're all really sorry. And we understand if you don't want to keep doing this. We have no idea how Jacob is handling all this. After you left, he ran off. He's been in wolf mode since then," she sighed.

I furrowed my brow again. I guess since he blocks out his thoughts, they had no idea he came to see me.

"Jacob came by yesterday," I said quietly.

Her eyes widened. "He did? Like in his wolf?"

I nodded.

"How was he?"

I gave her a small smile. "He was good. He seemed happy. He was agitated at first, but I calmed him down."

"Were you upset?"

That was an understatement.

I nodded again.

She nodded in understanding. "He felt you," she whispered, a sad smile on her lips. "Did he help you feel better?"

I nodded yet again, fighting the lump in my throat.

She sniffed a laugh. "You're his imprint alright," she grinned before letting it fall from her face. "I scented him hanging around here. He's not here right now, but I think he's been staying close by. How did you feel this morning?"

I thought about it for a second. "Peaceful," I said simply.

She smirked. "He's trying to help you. His human side probably won't let the wolf get too close if you don't need him. I think his wolf takes over when he feels your stress," she said, her eyes lost in thought.

I rubbed my forehead. "I miss Jacob," I breathed, giving into my tears once again. Would I ever stop crying?

She smiled apologetically. "You and me both, Sister," she sighed and pulled me into a gentle hug. "I wish there was something we could do. I don't think the man wants you back at the garage," she said gently. "I mean, Jacob, the man, is not gonna be able to trust you for a while. He's been in pain for so long. And clearly the first interaction didn't go too well. His human has to be feeling the imprint. He has to. But, he probably won't give in because he knows, without the imprint, you both have a lot of shit to sort through."

I sniffled into her shoulder. "I was such a bitch to him. Why would he want to be with me? I should have never said those things to him," I sobbed.

She rubbed my back softly. "Oh Bella," she whispered. "As terrible as that whole thing was, I'm glad you said it. We're all glad you said it. You're the only one who can stand up to him. And quite frankly, he needs a good kick in the ass. He knows he's been a douchebag. He can throw a piss party all he wants, but you were being straight with him. He's so used to getting what he wants. He's honestly like a tantrum-throwing toddler if you think about it. Except deadlier," she shrugged.

I laughed at that.

"You see? It'll work out. Somehow," she sighed and pulled away. "We just need to get you two to sit down and have a civil conversation. How that'll happen, we got no idea. But, if Jacob has any hope of keeping his imprint, he's gotta try too."

I nodded and wiped my eyes on my sleeves.

She patted my arm. "No more tears, sis. You're a strong girl, yes?"

I looked up at her. That was Stella. That was how she talked to me. My heart swelled with the thought of her. She built me up. She would be devastated to see me shedding tears over a guy. She was the one who trusted my strength. She was the one who held me up when I was crumbling. And now Leah was doing what Stella couldn't.

"Yes."