Disclaimer: These characters belong to Stephenie Meyer

Authors Note: If people would like to see this story continue, please let me know. I've been debating about letting it end here and starting another fan-fic, but I'd like to have your input. Thank you to all of you who have left reviews, good and bad. I'm far from perfect and I have made some mistakes that were pointed out by a few of you. Thank you for that. I'll try to refrain from talking about "fangs".

Family Tree Chapter 7

BPOV

I'd left Edward's only an hour ago and already I was missing him. I'd suffered through a dinner with Charlie and let him regale me with his fishing adventures of the weekend. He always said the same things, but I didn't have the heart to tell him that. At least not since Harry Clearwater had died. We had so little to talk about as it was.

I'd been sitting at my computer for fifteen minutes straight, my hands hovering over the keys, contemplating on how best to attack the report that was due tomorrow morning. If only I could write about my real family history, it might make it more interesting. I could just picture my English teacher handing the paper back with a glowing red "F" in the upper right hand corner and commentary about how vampires and werewolves didn't exist.

I smiled in spite of myself.

I decided to just start typing and let whatever came out lead the way.

My family history is a riddle that has been difficult to unwind, but I've enjoyed opening the lives of my ancestors…

Hmm.. something didn't seem right about it. I erased it and started over.

My family history is a JOKE.

I'm a freak.

The End.

Concise and to the point. I liked it.

I groaned. This was not helping. I decided to just close my eyes and type and see what came out.

My family history has roots in different parts of the world. I recently found out that my ancestors lived in Italy 200 years ago. One of my great grandmothers had a strange skin condition and because of it she was burned at the stake as a…witch. Women who have descended from her have light skin, so maybe that's why I do too.

On my dad's side of the family, I found out that I'm related to the Quileutes. I'm actually related to the Blacks, who are the chief clan down at La Push…even today.

My breath caught painfully and before I was aware of it, my fingers took over.

Jacob,

I miss you.

I've been thinking about you so much today. You helped save my life, again. I've been accusing you of being a rotten friend…but I'm the one who's been rotten. You've been trying to tell me things…but I haven't really listened, have I? It's either you or him and I can't have you both. Life is really unfair. I guess I've been really unfair to you too. I've been selfish, despite knowing how you feel about me. My only excuse is that it felt right at the time. I never meant to lead you on, but I guess I did a pretty horrible job of that.

Even though we only got to spend a moment together last night…it was still beautiful. If Edward wasn't a part of my life…I don't know how it would be with us…but I know that you are and will always be my best friend. There is a place in my heart that no one else can touch…only you. I care about you deeply and that will never change, even if I never get to see you again.

I won't pester you anymore. I just want you to know that I love you.

Always,

Bella

I opened my eyes and the tears began to fall.

Jacob's POV

"How are you feeling now Jake?" Sam asked, his face still pensive.

"I'll feel a whole lot better when we air this place out. Damn do they stink or what?" I replied.

The rest of the pack nodded their heads in quick agreement.

"Jake…I need to know something." Sam asked quietly.

"What?"

"Why did you do it?"

"What? Save Bella's life and protect everyone here from that she-demon?" I reacted with an edge to my voice.

"Yes, that. Also…why did you work with him? We weren't far away. You didn't even try to call for help."

"I was…upset." I looked down at my hands.

"I get that. I really do. But what were you doing up there in the first place?"

"I followed a scent…the trail led to her house."

"Did you even think of stopping at the border?"

"No. I wasn't going to let her get away again."

"Who weren't you going to let get away? That bloodsucker, or Bella?" Paul interjected.

I stared at him angrily but made no move to answer him.

"You do understand, that the treaty is broken now? We have been on their land and killed one of them?" Sam continued.

"She wasn't one of their clan. It doesn't apply." I answered weakly.

"The treaty isn't specific Jake!" Sam raised his voice.

"What would you rather I do? Huh? Let Bella die! She is part Quileute too! She shares my bloodline. Do you know what that means? That means that all of us have to protect her." I exploded.

Their faces were stunned. A long moment passed in silence.

Then pandemonium.

"What! How the hell can you know something like that?" Embry shouted.

"You are such a liar!" Paul yelled.

"When did you find this out? Why didn't you inform us?" Sam demanded.

I began to shake. I was trying very hard to not phase here in the house. The uncontrollable shivers raced up and down my spine and I fought back the instinct with all that I had. Not now. Not now.

The others noticed and quieted down. I looked Sam straight in the eyes.

"I found out right before I picked up the trail. I overheard my dad on the phone with Bella, letting her know that she had relatives that were Quileute and were also part of my line. I was pissed that he'd never told me. I phased right as I left, so that I wouldn't hurt him unintentionally. I ran toward the cliffs as fast as I could, trying to clear my mind, when I froze. I smelled a bloodsucker on our land. I was too mad to think it through, to differentiate between them, but I followed the trail to find out. I guess I was looking for a fight." I admitted.

"But then I kept going and I realized that it was her and the trail led to Bella's house. I was scared and not thinking and I phased back and climbed through her window. She was safe inside. I wanted to warn her…but then…I got caught up in a moment." I thanked the creator for giving me dark skin, so that my embarrassment wouldn't show through and give me away.

"So where does…Edward fit into this?" Sam asked.

"He found me in Bella's room…and that was not to his liking. I knew it was a fight right then and there. So we left the house and went into the woods. I phased along the way. You know what happened after that." I rubbed my hands together anxiously.

"Actually…all we saw were bits and pieces. You weren't thinking clearly enough to communicate with us." Sam admitted.

I really didn't want to go into it, but figured I didn't have much choice…not when the Alpha wanted to know.

"We circled each other, and then I lunged. I wanted to kill him. He smelled so sickening. He countered and lunged at me and his claws sank into my flesh. I've never seen one of them so fast before. It was shocking to feel…but not as painful as I expected. I swiped at him and knocked him fifty feet or so against a tree. It didn't seem to hurt him. He advanced, and I growled, inviting him closer. Then he stopped. I wasn't sure what his next move was, but I was anticipating anything. Then he held up his hand. I didn't know what the hell to think of that. Then he told me that the red headed bloodsucker was going to hurt Bella and we needed to save her."

"So you just followed him, believing him?" Paul asked incredulously.

"If you ever loved someone…" I began, and then I stopped.

"Jake's in love so screw everyone else. Is that about right?" Paul sneered.

"Shut up Paul."

"I mean…she's in love with a damn vampire man! How come you don't understand that?"

"Then why did she kiss me?" I countered.

Sam hitched his breath. "What?"

"Well…I initiated it, but she kissed me back."

"Are you delusional Jake?" Paul said.

"No. I mean, she pushed me away eventually, but it was a minute or two where she kissed me back." I answered honestly.

Sam furrowed his brow. "I don't understand Jacob. I really don't. I mean, we've all seen her with that bloodsucker. She made her choice, didn't she?"

"Yeah she made a choice. But something tells me that someday her choice will be different." I spoke my darkest wish aloud.

"Even so…" Sam contemplated. "She isn't yours to protect Jake."

"Not even when she carries the chief's bloodline?" I countered.

"If that's true…then you're right. But that has yet to be proven. You prove it to me…and we'll all protect her." Sam offered.

I searched his face but found that there were no traces of humor or animosity. He meant it.

"Thanks Sam." I looked down at my feet. Another pair of shoes had been sacrificed.

"We all will Jake." Embry added.

"And you?" I looked at Paul.

"Hey, if she's one of us…I'm in."

I nodded my head in appreciation. I was really surprised.

The phone rang and we all jumped. Emily, who had been standing against the wall excused herself to answer it. A moment later, she returned, a strange look on her face.

"What is it sweetheart?" Sam asked.

"It's Quil."

APOV

"Jazz?"

"Yes? What is it?"

"Something is happening."

"What? Are you ok?"

"No, I mean, yes. I'm ok."

He waited expectantly, looking at me with his eyes full of concern.

I tried to sort out the jumbled vision I'd seen. It didn't make any damn sense!

"I had a vision."

"I sort of figured that out Alice." He replied.

"It's Bella."

"What about her?" He sat up with an interested expression.

"I saw her. Someone was holding her underwater. She was drowning."

His eyes were slits. "Did you see who it was? What were the surroundings?"

"All I could see was that it was a small lake, and I saw the moon's reflection in the water."

"What did the moon look like?" he urged.

"It was full, or nearly full."

Both of our eyes drifted upward, only to be met with the cloud cover.

"We need to go online and find out what phase the moon is in now."

"Agreed."

We raced inside and Jasper turned on the computer. We researched and found that we currently had a waning crescent.

"So, we have time to stop it." I let out my breath.

"Yeah, no swimming lessons for Bella." Jasper joked.

"That's morbid."

"Sorry Alice." He looked sheepish.

"It's ok. I know that you still aren't accustomed to her yet."

"It's not that. It's trying to change the way I think of them. I mean, for over two centuries I've only ever seen them as food. It's hard to break a habit like that. But I am sorry. You know how much I care about her. I mean, she's everything to Edward, and I know that she means a lot to me too. I have to admit, she does sort of fascinate me. Her utter lack of balance is rather amusing, but what really gets me is that I've never seen a human with so little self interest. She cares more about what others think and feel. She lets all these emotions build up and she never lets them all the way out. She beats herself up. I don't know when I'll ever be able to get really close to her…but someday if I can, I want to help her sort those emotions out. She needs that."

"I know what you mean." I murmured.

I thought of the vision and felt a chill run down my spine. This was not good.

"Alice!" Edward called, panicked.

"I'm coming Edward." I looked at Jasper and sighed. "His ability really is a pain in the ass sometimes."

EPOV

I waited impatiently for Alice, though she was up in five seconds.

"WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT!" I shouted.

"Calm down Edward. Relax. Ok. It's going to be fine. We don't know anything yet. It was just a warning."

"I don't care what your interpretation is. I don't want her in danger! I'm going to her house, right now."

"Edward, listen. Please. In the vision, I saw the moon. Right now, we have a waning crescent. This doesn't happen until there's a full moon. It's a month away."

"This will not happen period." I stated in a cold fury.

"I'm sure it won't. That's why having a gift like this comes in handy."

"All the same, I don't want her alone. I'm going over there. You tell Carlisle."

"Edward, are you sure that's the best thing? You need to rest."

"I can rest when I'm next to her, ok? Tell Carlisle."

She stamped her foot furiously, but I didn't wait for the tirade that I knew was coming. I was out the door in three seconds, and had the car on the road in ten. Nothing was going to happen to her, not while I was around.

I fumed as I drove. Seeing her face, her mouth open in a scream beneath the water…it was the second scariest thing I'd ever seen. The first had been in Phoenix, when that monster had tried to kill her. I felt an animalistic rage take me over. I hit the gas pedal hard and pushed the car to its breaking point. No one was going to take her away from me, no one.

Scenes from that fateful day sprang to life unwillingly before my eyes and I navigated through the visions in a blind fury. She had been lying there…broken. Her beautiful face contorted in agony. Her precious blood mixed with the shattered glass.

I remembered how difficult it had been to stop, once I'd cleared her wound of his disgusting venom. How unimaginably sweet her blood really was as it glided down my throat. The thick perfume of it enveloped me and I felt whole in those few seconds, absolutely complete. I had been in some sort of nirvana, drinking from her. It was as though my purpose had been shown to me and the monster in my own head had celebrated as he victoriously pulled her humanity from her. He had wanted every ounce of her, every last drop. He thought that I wasn't strong enough to stop him.

He was wrong.

Watching the tape afterward had been a mistake. Those were visions that punished me continually, ones that I would live with forever. It was torture to see him hurting her. I hadn't gotten there in time, and I would never forgive myself for allowing her to be hurt that way.

I thought of her now, alive and well, probably asleep in her bedroom. The last time I'd been there, havoc had been unleashed, and for that I was sorry. All I wanted to do now was to wait there and watch her sleep. I wanted to caress her and hold her to me and never let her leave that room again. I wanted to keep her safe, and allow her to dream her precious dreams.

I felt myself grow calm and with surprise, realized I'd driven much further than I'd intended. I slowed the car and with one hand turned it around. The car responded expertly, as I knew it would, and with the power of the engine at my fingertips, I urged it forward.

A few minutes later and I arrived in her neighborhood. I parked the car a few blocks away, and after making sure the coast was clear, I ran the rest of the way. I climbed up her tree and hesitated outside when I saw a glowing light inside.

She had left her computer on and had fallen asleep on the desk in front of it.

Precious.

Quietly I entered the room and with the utmost care I lifted her from her seated position and placed her on her bed. I didn't dare change her clothing, but I covered her with blankets and tucked a few stray hairs behind her ears, so I could watch her eyelids flutter.

I sat in the chair she had occupied and felt her warmth that had soaked into the wood. I enjoyed the sensation of it and let her wonderful smell wash over me. Out of curiosity I looked at the computer screen, to see what had bored her to sleep.

I saw the letter.

I didn't know what to make of it, but I felt guilty for reading it. What did she mean, that she loved him? I felt frightened and that was not something I was used to. I pored over every line again and again, analyzing what she could have meant, what her choice of words indicated. I forced myself to not be jealous, and when I was finally able to push the poison away, I saw it for what it was.

I breathed a sigh of relief.

Only then did my eyes go up the page. She had been writing her family tree report. She hadn't gotten very far. I snuck a glance in her direction and then turned my attention back to the computer.

BPOV

It felt so nice…the warmth. I snuggled into my covers in absolute ecstasy, not willing to let the world invade this feeling. My annoying alarm began to go off and I reached over to slap the snooze button.

"Uh uh. You'll be late for school if you do that." A silken voice warned.

I forced my eyes open and smiled. Edward was sitting only a few feet away from me, in my computer chair looking more god-like than any person had the right to.

"What are you doing here?" I whispered.

"Why are you whispering?" He laughed.

"Oh yeah." Charlie was long gone by now.

"How are you feeling?" He asked.

"I'm fine. How are you feeling?" I looked him over, and he looked like his usual perfect self.

"Never better. I missed you so I came over. Hope that's all right."

"Of course it is, silly. I wish you'd woken me up."

"Now why would I go and do something like that? You can't argue with me when you're sleeping." He retorted.

"It is way too early for sarcasm." I looked at him sternly.

"Well, as I recall, I found you slumped over your desk like a wilted flower."

"Oh…shit!"

He looked at me with his mouth open.

"Sorry…I don't usually cuss but…I am so screwed."

"Why?"

"I didn't finish my report."

"Correction. You barely started your report."

"What am I going to do?" I gasped as the possibility of a real "F" floated above my head.

"Well, you could always turn this in. I mean…I don't know if it's any good or anything…"He handed me a binder.

I snatched it from his hand and opened it up.

My Family Tree

By: Bella Swan

I felt tears fill my eyes.

"You did this? For me?" I looked up at him and sniffed.

He looked taken aback. "Is that ok? I figured I would help you…of course it isn't perfect, I only had a few hours to work on it…"

"That's not what I meant." I fought the torrent of tears that threatened to overwhelm me.

"Thank you." I whispered in gratitude.

He opened his arms and I slid out of bed. I hugged his face to my chest and wrapped my arms around his shoulders.

"Glad I could help." He said softly.

"You have no idea." I responded quietly.

"Well…you'd better get ready for school."

"Yeah. I know." I looked around my room and realized that I still had not done the laundry.

Edward seemed to come to the same realization that I had at the same moment.

"So which of the dresses are you going to wear today?" He asked calmly.

I froze. Damn it. There was really no way out…not unless I wanted to skip my first two classes. Now that idea had merit.

"I don't think so." Edward said.

"I thought you couldn't read my thoughts." I protested.

"I can't. But sometimes I can read your face."

I grimaced.

"What am I saying now?"

"That you absolutely love and adore me."

I stuck my tongue out at him. I couldn't help it.

He seemed momentarily stunned and I took off for the bathroom, leaving him to untangle the childish web I'd left behind.

I scrubbed my teeth with a vengeance and pulled a comb through my hair. I walked calmly back to my room and noted with disdain that the blue dress had been laid out on the bed with matching shoes and a matching bag.

"Since when do you know fashion?" I accused him.

"I don't, but Alice does. She got these for you and stashed them in the closet when she took your bags upstairs."

Sneaky vampire.

"So be it. If I'm going to look like a fashion victim, so be it. I may as well do it up."

I walked toward the bed, slipping my cardigan off and letting it fall to the floor. I unzipped my pants and was reaching to unhook my bra when I realized that I'd unconsciously done something very wrong.

Edward sat still as stone, his eyes glued to my body.

I felt like such an idiot. A pool of blood gathered in my cheeks and I flushed tomato red.

I grabbed the dress and slung it over my head as fast as I could.

Edward hadn't moved an inch.

I'd never felt like such an imbecile in my life. I didn't know what to say or what to do to break the tension. Luckily I didn't have to.

"Bella?" Edward raised his eyes to my mortified ones.

I could only nod in acknowledgment.

"Can you…umm, warn me the next time you plan on doing something like that?"