Well, lovely readers. I hope you all enjoy this chapter. It's a rough one.

Bella woke the next morning to a snoring Jacob. She hurried to get ready for school and rushed downstairs where Charlie sat drinking coffee.
"Hey, when did you get home?" Bella asked him as she poured herself a bowl of cereal. Before he could answer, Jacob, thundered down the stairs happily.
"Mornin' Chief," Jacob said, making a beeline for the coffee pot. Charlie cocked an eyebrow at him silently.
"You're both chipper," he huffed.
"Yeah, I finally got some decent sleep," Bella said, pouring a second bowl for Jacob. "No nightmares."
Charlie looked up at her in surprise. "Not at all?" he asked.
"Not one," she said, grinning.
"That's great, Bells," he said, attempting to smile. "I'm not sure how you can sleep next to the snoring." His depressed mood made his attempt at teasing fall flat.
"You okay, Charlie?" Jacob asked him, sitting next to him at the table.
"Not really, no," Charlie admitted. Bella's stomach dropped, instantly anxious. "I need to talk to Bells, and it…" he sighed heavily, and rubbed his temples.
"What's wrong?" she asked cautiously.
"I can give you two some privacy," Jacob said and moved to stand.
"No, no, Jake, stay here, bud," Charlie said anxiously, grabbing a hold of Jacob's forearm. "I think Bella would rather you did."
Bella reached out to grip Jacob's other hand tightly, their breakfast ignored in front of them. "Dad, what happened? Is someone hurt?" Charlie met her gaze silently for a moment, looking lost for words.
"That wreck last night was a couple of your friends, Bells," he finally said. "His bronco was found upside down near the river…"
"Mike?" Bella yelled in shock. "Is he okay?" Her eyes welled with worried tears.
"We don't know," Charlie said. "He's missing. He had a passenger, though. They didn't make it."
"M-missing?" she looked at Jacob in horror. "W-who was with him, Dad?" she stuttered, her tears flowing freely. Jacob squeezed her hand.
"Ben Cheney," Charlie said gruffly.
"Oh!" Bella cried out. "Angela's boyfriend." She jumped up from the table and rushed for the phone.
"Bells, wait," Jacob said softly, taking the receiver from her hand to hang back on the wall.
"I need to know she's okay, Jacob," Bella said and began to sob.
"Angela's parents are supposed to inform her this morning, Bella. She might not know yet," Charlie said.
"Honey, I know what she means to you, but it's 7 am," Jacob said and pulled her against his chest. Bella sobbed for a few minutes while he rubbed her back silently. When she finally was able to stop crying, she hiccuped loudly.
"Dad, I'm sorry you had to see it all," Bella said and walked over to hug her father. He jumped when she accidentally hiccupped in his ear.
"It's the only part about my job that I hate," he admitted. "Parents should never have to bury their children."
Bella grabbed her bowl of cereal from the table and dumped the untouched contents into the garbage disposal. Jacob sat down and began eating his without complaint, though it was now a soggy mess.
Charlie rose to answer the phone when it rang and Bella went upstairs to clean up the mess of eyeliner streaked down her face. When she came back downstairs, Charlie informed her that there would be no classes for the next few days. Their community was small. The Newtons and Cheneys were both prominent families, and word of the tragedy was spreading quickly. Search parties were already being scheduled to find Mike, hopefully alive. Charlie turned on the TV, surprised to find that the accident was already on the news for the Seattle region. He scowled and Bella gasped as the reporter stood just yards away from the mangled remains of Mike's beloved Bronco.
"Sources claim that the missing teenager may have been in shock after the accident, and possibly got lost during an attempt to locate help. We spoke with one of the EMTs on the scene, who said that confusion, delirium, and adrenaline often accompany a severe collision. Mr. Newton was possibly walking around with injuries that he could not yet feel. By the looks of the wreckage, it is lucky that anyone might have walked away at all. Locals have formed a search party in hopes that Mr. Newton will be found alive. Police officers from three counties have already been searching for hours, rerouting traffic, and attempting to pinpoint the cause of the accident. Considering his possible injuries, the kind of wildlife he may encounter in the area, and this morning's impending rainstorms, it is imperative that young Mr. Newton is located as soon as possible."
Mike's picture flashing on the screen sent Bella into another fit of sobs and Charlie turned off the TV. After calming down a second time, Charlie hugged her tight. "I need to get some sleep, Bells. Will you be with Jacob for the day?" Charlie gave Jacob a pleading glance. Jacob nodded in return.
"Ern, I'm sure I will. We have some things that need to get done, anyway," Bella said, not noticing the small exchange.
"I'm leaving my cell on in case I get called out again," Charlie said. "If you two need anything important, call. Bella, I tossed a $50 in the grocery jar yesterday if you guys want to go to the Diner or something."
"Thanks, Dad," Bella said before Charlie stumbled to his bedroom and shut the door.

Bella rode with Jacob out to the Rez to check on Billy. When they arrived, Bella headed inside while Jacob ran for the woods. His loud howl filled the air to alert his brothers that they were needed. Inside, they waited for the pack members to show up. While Jacob helped his father get ready for the day, Bella furiously went to work cleaning the living room and kitchen. She was crying, blindly scrubbing the countertop as the back door opened.
"Bella, you okay?" Embry asked her. "Is something wrong?"
Bella turned to throw her arms around the boy, hugging him tightly. "Have you watched the news this morning?"
"No, not at all," Embry admitted, returning the hug warmly.
"Do you remember my friends Mike and Ben from the beach?" she asked.
"Of course. Ben's the short guy and Mike's the one with a stick up his…"
"Embry!" Jacob yelled seriously as he entered the room.
"What? What's the problem?" Embry asked. "They're okay, right? That Ben seems like a chill dude."
"He's dead, Embry," Bella said softly. "Ben is dead and Mike is missing."

Embry gaped at her in shock. "Missing?" he asked dumbly. "Missing like the fucking hikers, missing?"
"There was a wreck. Mike's vehicle was found with Ben inside but Mike is gone," Jacob said. "I think we should go search for him. If a vamp has anything to do with this, we need to figure it out before more humans get out there and fuck up the scent trails."
"It might not have anything to do with that," Bella said hopefully. "Maybe he's confused and wandered off…"
"All the more reason to get our asses out there," Jacob said seriously. "There's a search party looking for him this morning but I think we could cover a wider area before the searchers can even get very far out."
"Yeah, let's go talk to the others," Embry said as he headed for the door. Jacob kissed Bella on the cheek and followed.

Bella was talking to Billy about the situation in the living room when the boys finally returned.
"Sam called the Cullens," Jacob said. "They know Mike, they know his scent, and they want to help."
"Good," Bella said. "The more the better, I'm sure. When do we leave?"
Embry chuckled but Jacob looked at her in surprise. "Bells, it's not safe for you to be out there."
"Mike trusts me," Bella said vehemently. "He would look for me, Jacob. You know he would. He'd be one of the first people out there. I should help!"
"It's not safe," Jacob said heatedly.
"I can't just sit here with my thumbs up my ass, Jake," Bella said and Embry tried to suppress a chuckle. "I know Mike drives me crazy, but…" Bella said frantically and was cut off as Jacob embraced her again. He let her sob against his chest for a few minutes, stroking her back.
"Rose and Emmett are on the way back with the parts for your truck," Jacob said. "You could always go see Alice or Esme and I'll come to get you later on. We can take the Rabbit over there. "
Everyone in the room looked at him in surprise. "You're okay with that?" she asked him, sniffling. "Are you sure?
"Yeah, Embry and I can phase at the Cullens and head out to the wreck site. It's much closer from there, anyway."
"Wait, aren't they helping with the search?" Embry asked.
"Alice is already searching," Jacob said and tapped his temple. "She said if she searches with us, her sight will be blocked by the pack. Apparently the closer she is to us physically, the harder it is for her to see what she's looking for." He looked at Bella and smiled at her. "Carlisle is coming in case Mike's found because he'll need a doctor right away. I think Esme is more worried about you at the moment, though. Jasper watched it on the news just before Sam called. He and Alice are already looking. Edward will be with us, searching for Mike's thoughts to locate him."
"Is that a good idea?" Bella asked him worriedly.
"I'm sure it'll be fine," Jacob said firmly. "He'll be too busy searching for Mike's thoughts to worry about mine. I hate to admit it, but he could also carry him out much faster than the rest of us."
Neither Embry nor Billy seemed as confident about their little search party. Bella hugged Billy goodbye before she, Jacob, and Embry headed for the Rabbit.

Bella spent a great part of the day with Esme and Alice while the rest of her loved ones were out searching. Despite all the effort, Jacob and the rest of the Cullens returned disappointed. Edward hadn't been able to locate Mike's thoughts at all. His scent seemed to disappear into thin air about a quarter of a mile from the wreck, though they'd located plenty of his blood along the way. Of course, the human search parties had been even less successful, though they continued late into the night and throughout the next few days.
Bella spent as much time as she could with Jacob and the Cullens. Edward was always pleasant to her. He tried not to be obvious about it as he steered clear when Jacob was nearby. For the most part, Edward seemed to pop up by her when she was alone. He would talk of random things, bantering like old friends just to take off when anyone else tried to join the conversation. Edward had begun to claim that her scent had lost some of its appeal for him, seeing as how she was constantly shrouded in Jacob's scent. He managed to dazzle her frequently, and despite her anger over everything he had done, she was unable to remain angry in his physical presence for long. She found they could get along rather well as long as she remained across the room from him. When he was too near her, the headache and dizzy spells would begin, leaving her feeling drained. She would end up going home to sleep by mid-morning. She'd be awake again within an hour or two and back on the move. As the constant stress wore her down, Bella began showing signs of a sinus infection. She silently cursed her human weakness when Carlisle ordered her antibiotics. Charlie worried about her mental health as she had broken down a few more times throughout the week. He would watch in awe as Jacob always managed to calm her anxiety with soothing touches and soft reassurances.
Rose and Emmett had come to the house daily under the pretense of working on the truck. Bella suspected they were drawing out the work to keep an excuse for hovering so nearby. After all, it was much more comfortable than hiding out of sight up in a tree. Charlie greeted them a bit uneasily at first, eventually growing more curious about Rose's enthusiasm with fixing the truck. Eventually, he concluded that they were better people than "what's his face". Their presence made Bella happy, and Charlie began welcoming them openly, so long, he said, as it wasn't negatively affecting her mental health. Edward, of course, was not allowed on his property. Jacob appeared genuinely happy to spend time with Emmett and Rose. Charlie would snicker as he watched Emmett and Bella goofing around while Jacob and Rose were engrossed under the hood of her truck.
Bella was relieved that she didn't have to battle with her father over Jacob. She couldn't help but silently worry, though, about what would happen if he ever found out Jacob turned into a giant wolf. She would have to explain so many things that she feared Charlie would never forgive her for. Bella's guilt over so many of her decisions ate at her like a parasite, and she prayed for the day the Victoria situation would end so she could finally feel a little relief.
While still searching her visions for Mike, Alice was keeping watch on Victoria as well. Victoria, to Alice's awareness, hadn't been in the area since the day her scent was last found at Bella's house. Every night she and Charlie remained guarded by both a pack member and a Cullen. Seth, at many of his packmates' dismay, had developed a genuine friendship with the coven. He and Edward in particular had begun to bond. Edward was fascinated with Seth's pure, honest, and logical mind, confessing to both Jacob and Sam that he genuinely believed he could learn a thing or two about being a better person from the child.
And so, the alliance between the families had strengthened despite the unease of each other's physical presence. As natural enemies, it could not be helped, after all.
Bella had visited Angela daily. While she grieved Ben's presence, she had shamefully admitted that she had been contemplating breaking up with him for weeks before his death. The entire situation had left her feeling very guilty and withdrawn. She'd thrown herself into helping search for Mike at first. After exhausting herself, she had finally broken down and begun to grieve. On her third visit, Bella asked Jacob to come with her. He'd sighed and gestured towards the truck, as if to say, "let's go". Everyone, including Angela's parents, had been surprised when Angela burst into tears at the sight of Jacob. He grunted as she flew into his arms and sobbed. Mr. Webber approached them sternly, assessing Jacob's massive build.
"Bella, who is this?" he asked.
"Jacob Black, sir," Jacob nervously held his hand out to Mr. Webber with one hand as he rubbed a still sobbing Angela's back with the other. Bella had to bite back a grin at Jacob's bewildered expression. She shrugged, just as unsure of what else to do.
Angela's father leaned closer, staring hard at Jacob. "You Billy's boy?" He asked gruffly.
"Yes, sir," Jacob said.
Angela's father grabbed Jacob's hand, shaking it hard. He glanced back towards his wife and whispered, "Tell him he owes me twenty bucks." Mr. Webber left the room, laughing. Angela began to giggle as Jacob sighed with relief and her sobs finally slowed. It took a minute for her breathing to calm enough to speak coherently.
"God, Jake I'm so sorry," Angela said, chuckling as she dabbed under her eyes with a tissue.
"Are you feeling better," Jacob asked her sincerely. She looked from him to Bella and grinned.
"Yes, actually," Angela said.
"Well, that's all that matters. You can cry on my shoulder any time," he said, laughing.
"I dunno," she said. "Bella might not like that much. I cry a lot lately."
"Meh. He's got two shoulders. Just stay on your side," Bella joked. Jacob's face burned red as they burst out laughing.
"Thank you for coming over today." She said and Bella pulled her in for a hug. She walked back over to Jacob, embracing him again. "Thank you. I honestly don't know why I reacted like that. You're just always so... "
"Warm?" Bella offered. Angela beamed another smile at her.
"Yes," she said. "Best hugs ever."
"The best," Bella agreed, looking up at Jacob. Angela grinned as she watched the love exchanged between them with just a glance.
"Take care of her," Angela told Jacob as they left.
"Take care of yourself, Ange. Call us if you need us," Jacob told her. Bella had stared at him adoringly back to her house, absolutely smitten with her kind, gentle giant. She'd drug him upstairs determinedly when they'd gotten home. Somewhere nearby Paul and Emmett laughed at each other as they each put a little distance between themselves and the house.

Prom had been canceled as searches continued and the community grieved. Bella found herself both relieved and disappointed. While it was not another milestone she craved, it was an opportunity Jacob would never have on his own. Despite herself, she was starting to understand why her prom attendance the year before had been so important to Edward. Neither of them could afford formal attire, either, and so, for Bella the point was moot.
Rosalie, on the other hand, had seen it as an opportunity to "poke the bear", whatever that had meant. She had mentioned this to Alice, who had responded enthusiastically as she did with anything involving party details. The idea of a private semi-formal graduation party at the Cullen house was born and announced among the student body. News that the Cullen's had returned and wanted to do this for their former classmates created quite a stir. It had been a welcome distraction from everyone's grief. While Angela first turned down the idea of attending the Cullen's party, Bella had nagged her until she promised to at least come out for a little while. Bella had already made up her mind to not let Angela reach the place of despair that she had once called home, and she was more than willing to give of herself to ensure that didn't happen. Jacob planned to bring Embry and Quil along. They had been on constant patrols and needed to have some fun as much as Angela did.
When Bella's truck was finally finished, she was thrilled to drive it again. A grocery trip and food delivery was a perfect excuse to drive herself out to Billy's. To her surprise, Leah had come by to see her and chat for a while. She pitched in helping Bella scrub down walls and floors. By the time they had finished, Billy's house was cleaner than it had been in months. He kept glancing around, grinning happily. Leah left that day in a good mood, squeezing Bella's hand as she stepped out the door.
"You know, I was able to knock some of my aggression out in there," Leah said.
"I noticed. You're a hell of a housekeeper, Clearwater," Bella said.
"You're not so bad either, Swan," Leah told her with a wink.
"Best compliment I've gotten all day," Bella said.
"Don't tell the pack that I actually like to clean. If anyone calls me Martha Stewart, I'll kick your ass," she threatened. Bella saluted her and laughed. She was glad to be able to think of Leah now as a friendly acquaintance at least. The lack of tension between them had been a sigh of relief for both Jacob and Sam; one less thing to argue over with Leah, anyway.

Funeral services had been held for Ben on Friday. Most of the senior and junior students had attended and after days of searching for Mike to no avail, people openly grieved for them both. Angela clung to Bella's side, holding her hand tightly while both girls sobbed. Bella and Jacob both hugged Angela fiercely, attempting to show her as much love and support as they could. Many were surprised that quite a few of the pack members had come to pay their respects. Quil and Embry in particular greeted Ben's parents with accounts of days on the beach and how much they had enjoyed knowing their son. Mrs. Cheney hugged both boys, thanking them for their kind words.
Bella's last week of high school went by quickly as exams and midterms were completed. Her evenings were equally busy watching the wolves train with the Cullens. The Tribal Elders had called the wolves and their imprints together to discuss the impending battle and recount the tribal stories for strength and guidance. Bella learned that as Jacob's Imprint, she would need to be present for this kind of gathering as often as possible. Eventually, a day would come where Jacob would assume the role of Chief and Alpha. Old Quil told her bluntly in front of everyone that when that day came, much could be expected of her. It was important for her to be aware of that now. Bella explained that this was not something she had failed to consider when she had decided to be with Jacob. An overthinker by nature, she was well aware that being with Jacob was a packaged deal, so to speak. She hadn't known he would be chief at the time, but as the son of the current chief, it had always made sense to expect he would have obligations to his tribe. Her logical response had pleased the old man while Billy grinned at her proudly.

Before she knew it, her graduation day loomed over her and Bella found herself thinking about Renee. Bella had done the one thing she knew her mother would hate to see her do most - she'd intentionally tied herself to Forks permanently. The imprint was as good as a marriage license as far as the Tribal Council was concerned. While a part of her wished she could have her mother at her graduation, she was also grateful that she wouldn't have to spend the day arguing. If past behavior was any indication, Renee would be attempting to make the day about herself.
Alice had left her a new outfit to wear under her graduation gown. The cobalt blue shirt and khaki skirt were similar to two of her favorite items that had been stolen from Charlie's house. Alice, to Charlie's delight, spent the morning at the house, fussing over Bella's hair and makeup for graduation pictures. Despite how he felt about their abandonment of his daughter, Charlie had a soft spot for Alice. He had sheepishly admitted that he found her to be very similar to a teenage Renee, who had been his friend long before they'd became a couple. That was the Renee Charlie remembered best, back before her joy for life had been stolen by addiction. Alice would smile and eat up all of Charlie's words of wisdom. He never suspected Alice was more than fifty years his senior.
The graduation ceremony was swift. Eric's speech had been awkward and hilarious, recounting tales of Mike and Ben in their memory. There wasn't a dry eye on the field by the end, the applause thunderous as diplomas were given to the Cheney's and Newton's in their sons' honor. Mrs. Newton had approached Bella to congratulate her afterward, letting her know that they wouldn't be reopening the store. Newton's had been closed since Mike's disappearance as they'd been among the frequent search parties. His mother tearfully explained that it was too difficult without her son. She saw him everywhere she looked in the store. Bella would receive severance pay in the mail within the week. She hugged Mrs. Newton warmly before she left, thanking her for the opportunity to work for her.
"My son was so fond of you, Bella," Mrs. Newton said, brushing Bella's cheek with her hand. Tears streamed down her face as Bella nodded in return. She needed no reminder. Mike had never hidden it. Bella's heart broke for Mike's mother as she watched her walk away. No one had any hope of finding him alive. He was seemingly nowhere to be found, and that was what hurt the community the most. Everyone, especially his parents, simply wanted closure they would likely never see.

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