Bella PoV

Going back into the house had never been so difficult. It was empty and silent and I wanted to scream just to fill it with something.

Alice was standing behind me, a thoughtful look in her eyes. She didn't move nor did she talk. It was a vampire-thing to be as still as a statue if they wanted. He had done this too, one or two times and every time it had freaked me out a little. It had felt strange to be alongside someone who was talking and moving but at the same time could be cold and unmoving as a marble statue.

I went up to my room again, tossing my wet jacket and my wet sneakers aside. I hadn't been outside long enough for the rain to soak through my clothing but I felt cold nonetheless. I thought of Jacob and how I had called him my personal heater and my heart gave a little sting. I wanted so badly to be at his side, yet I couldn't.

Alice had followed me and sat in my desktop chair. She watched me as I put the blanket around my body and shot a look through the window.

"You think they'll agree?" I asked without looking in her direction.

"I don't know. I cannot see the wolves," she answered calmly.

"Sam is a reasonable man; I have to give him that. He knows he needs help if he wants to defeat Victoria. It's the others I'm worried about. They hate you, Alice." I turned my head. "And your family. They were born to fight you, it's a huge step to fight with you instead of against you."

"I know."

"Will they come? If Sam agrees, will the rest of you come?"

"Yes. They know they owe it to you and this town. It is as I said, it's our fault Victoria is hunting you and we need to fix this mistake."

"And after that? If we win, what will happen? Will you come back?" I asked, trying not to show any of the desperation and fear I was feeling inside.

"That depends. Do you want us to?"

"I don't know..." I shook my head, looking down at my red blanket.

"We won't if you say no. They'll understand. It has never been easy to live alongside the wolves and now that there are so many of them it won't get any better. If we come back, we'll have to negotiate a whole new treaty. I cannot go on like this." She sighed. "All this hatred. It will never end, that's not what nature wants but we can try to live peacefully alongside each other."

I knew what she said was right but I still didn't know if I wanted them back. Like, forever. I liked the rest of the family and it would probably not be a problem if they came back but he? After all he did to me? I didn't know if I was strong enough to face him.

"How are they anyway?" I asked in a light tone to change the subject.

For the next two hours Alice filled me in on their new life. She was careful not to give up too much information like where exactly they lived now, and she didn't mention him at all.

"We decided to live a quiet life for a change. Carlisle still works as a doctor but the rest of us stay mostly at home or roam the woods at night when there are no people and no sun. It may sound boring but after the last months boring may be exactly what we need," Alice finished.

I had made some tea while she talked and nipped at the hot liquid. I still felt a little cold, despite the tea and the blanket. It was going on noon and I should be getting hungry, but my stomach seemed to have lost all appetite. Charlie had left without checking in on me, maybe because he thought I was still asleep. A note on the table in the kitchen told me that he had to get to work, despite it being a Saturday because he had some paperwork he had to catch up to.

"And what about you? I haven't been able to see you the past weeks. Is it because you were with them?" Alice asked in a soft voice. I shrugged. "I spent a lot of time with them, yes. They helped me get up again and put my life back together," I replied solemnly. I said this without any anger or accusation. I was past all that now Maybe I was starting to forgive her, to come to terms with my past.

"I am happy for you." Alice smiled.

And just like that, it was like the old days. We were sitting on my bed, talking about this and that, about school and Charlie and what happened in Forks. I even told her I had met someone although I didn't mention any names and she didn't ask. The day went by faster than I had expected and all of a sudden the sun went down. I was still holding the long empty cup, playing around with it while we talked.

A sudden howl in the distance made me look up and out the window. Alice nodded. "It's time."

The rain had stopped by the time we went down and waited at the door for the wolves to come. I was glad Charlie wasn't home. He had called earlier to tell me he would be spending the evening with Billie and I had wondered if Sam had arranged that. It was much easier for us to talk without anyone in the house.

The moon had just gone up when branches snapped and a shadow emerged from the woods. It turned out to be one single man, bare body, wearing only shorts. His dark hair was muzzled and the look on his face unreadable.

"Sam agrees. Call them. But we are only allies for this battle, the treaty still remains intact," Jacob said, his arms hanging loosely at his side.

Alice nodded. "We'll come as soon as we can. If anything comes up, if Victoria decides to fight before we are back, I'll let Bella know." She took my hand and squeezed it gently while Jake watched us closely. Resentment shone from every pore of his body but he kept quiet until Alice had disappeared, a small shadow emerging in the woods.

Only then did Jacob walk up to me, embracing me like I was the only safe haven in a wild sea. "I've missed you." He whispered into my ear and I nodded. "Can you stay?"

"I'll stay with you until the... vampires come back. I'll be the communication line between you and the rest of the pack. It's quicker and easier that way." He smiled down at me. "And it gives me the opportunity to stay with you. All day and all night." He shot me a mischievous look and I blushed. We hadn't done anything else than kissing and light petting lately, nothing remotely close to what had happened on the meadow, but I had the slight feeling that this would change now.

"But before..." Jacob sniffed a little. "Would you mind taking a shower? You smell of vampire."