Please Note: As I stated previously, there will be canon deviance and liberties have been taken with the timeline. This is the last of the parts I've had written. I think I'll keep on with it and see where it takes me.

02

The sunlight streamed in through my bedroom window and I rolled over, reaching out an arm to attempt silencing the obnoxious alarm sound as it seeped into my stream of consciousness. I succeeded in knocking my Iphone onto the hardwood floor and I sat up, rubbing my eyes. Reaching down to grab the phone.

Once I got the alarm stopped, I gathered my things to take a shower and as I stepped out into the hall to go into the bathroom, I happened to glance in my sister's room.

Her bed hadn't even been slept on and I took a deep breath, shaking my head as I laughed and mumbled to myself that if Dad finds out she didn't come home last night, she was in serious shit indeed.

I finished my shower and got dressed, hurrying down to grab some leftover chicken and fries to warm up in the microwave and eat for breakfast. And as I sat down, waiting on my food to finish warming up, my dad spoke up. "Have you seen Bella this morning?"

"No."

"Did she come in last night before you went to bed? What time did you finally go to sleep anyway, shortcake?"

"A little after midnight, I think. And no, she hadn't come home yet. Are you sure she didn't just come in, sleep on the couch and get up before us to get ready and leave for school?" I asked, trying not to dig the hole any deeper for my sister.

All the while, that bad feeling in the pit of my stomach? Tripled.

"No, I've been up since 4. She wasn't on the couch when I came down. And she wouldn't leave for school that early."

I went to take my food out of the microwave and sat back down.

"If she doesn't show up to school and she doesn't show up at home this afternoon, I'm gonna put together a search party. If you see her before me, let her know she is in serious trouble, will ya, shortcake?"

"Yes sir. I will definitely let her know. I'm going to give her an earful, trust me." I answered as I tore a little bit of chicken off and popped it into my mouth.

My dad left for work and after I waited for a few more minutes, texting Bella the entire time, now beyond freaking out, by the way, I finally had to leave for school myself.

And I didn't see her at school at all.

And by the time my father got home from work that afternoon, the bad feeling I'd had since the night before, it was so much worse.

And I found myself faced with the facts. I needed to have a serious talk with my older sister about Edward. About everything she's been doing and the way she's been acting since she got entangled with the douchebag.

And yes, I firmly believe he is one. Only douchebags wear sunglasses indoors.

My father made a call to a few of the guys at the station and to his best friend Billy Black on the res and we set off to search the woods.

The scent of over-ripened strawberries was nearly enough to bowl him over. It managed to stop Embry Call right in his tracks and dark brown eyes darted all around as his entire body tensed up.

Paul elbowed him, snickering as he muttered quietly, "Don't know why we're all out here, I mean we all know she packed up and ran off with that damn mosquito." but Paul's words fell on deaf ears. Paul realized Embry wasn't hearing a word he said and his gaze followed the direction he saw Embry staring intently towards.

Settling on the petite brunette in an old Fleetwood Mac concert shirt and wearing an arm full of leather and woven bracelets as she stood behind Charlie, Bella Swan's father. Seth approached the brunette and the two stepped away from everyone else, engrossed in a conversation. Full of hand gesturing and ending with Seth picking up the brunette in a hug, which had Embry tensing all over and growling to himself.

This is what seemed to clue Paul and Jared into what was currently happening to their pack brother and the two shared a look before springing into action to avoid anything happening.

"Whoa.. Okay, Embry, I think you need to sit, buddy." Paul and Jared coaxed, getting Embry away from the crowd gathered and potential overstimulation. Because they'd both been through what they were going to guess had to be happening to Embry.

Seth and Leah Clearwater wandered over.

Paul nodded in the direction of the brunette. "Who is she?"

"Veronica. That's Bella's sister. Why?"

"Just curious. I haven't seen her around before."

" She's been to the res before, you just wouldn't notice. Why are you grilling me anyway? Do you like her or something?" Seth questioned, standing taller. Gazing up at Paul as he shook his head no. "I know you and your track record so that's a hard pass. She's my best friend."

"Yeah? Well it's not me you've gotta worry about, kid. It's that idiot." Paul nodded towards Embry. Seth chuckled in amusement before making his way over.

"Something you want to tell me, Call?"

"That girl.. Who is she?"

"Veronica. She came to that dinner party my parents threw. The one you missed because you apparently had better things to do." Seth pouted a little as he said it and Embry muttered an apology.

"You're friends with these three now, hm?"

Embry didn't answer. Keeping his eyes on his imprint instead. Watching her pace back and forth. Watching the way she'd wait until nobody was looking to jam the heels of her hands into her eyes like she was trying to keep from crying.

Seth cleared his throat. Getting Embry's attention long enough to nod towards Veronica. Smiling at his friend because he was starting to get the bigger picture and figure out what was going on. "C'mon. She's really upset. She can use all the distraction right now, man."

"I can't." Embry stumbled over the words, shaking his head. Sam had pretty much drilled it into all of their heads just how dangerous it was to have contact with your imprint too soon and Embry knew that Sam's actions as a result of learning the hard way still haunted him.

The last thing he wanted to do was put his imprint in a similar situation.

"Embry.. Dude. It'll be fine. If you start feeling weird, we'll come back over here." Seth reassured his friend. Embry took a deep breath in attempt to center himself better.

"Okay." he answered after a few seconds.

Seth and Embry wandered over to where Veronica sat on the hood of her father's patrol car, her head on top of her knees.

"Veronica, c'mon, look at me. Stop crying." Seth coaxed.

Veronica looked up, wiping at her eyes with shaking hands. "I should've.. Like.. I knew the guy was trouble, I should've said something… What if he hurt her, Seth?"

"Then you'll put him on his ass. Take a deep breath."

Embry cleared his throat in warning and Seth realized what his actions were doing to his friend, so he stepped away a little. Mouthing to Embry, "Don't just stand there. She needs you right now." as he glanced at Veronica, catching her gaze. "I'm gonna go find Leah real quick. Embry here.. He'll keep you company, okay?"

Veronica nodded. Seth hurried away, leaving the two of them alone.

I shuffled my feet and shivered as the wind picked up a little. Taking a few shaky breaths. I tilted my head slightly, gazing up at Embry, one of Seth's friends. And for some reason, I found myself stepping just a little closer. This heat radiated off of him. And maybe for just a second or two, I felt a little better. A little calmer and a little more at ease.

I took three deep breaths and glanced towards the forest. "I can't believe this is actually happening."

"Hey." Embry reached out clumsily, tilting my chin. I noticed that his fingers shook a little. And he was tense all over. I shoved it out of my head because 9 out of 10, it was so late that we'd probably had to drag a few people out of bed to do this.

If I'd only opened my mouth and told Bella exactly how I felt about her involvement with Edward… Maybe this wouldn't be happening. Maybe I could've gotten through.

Now, she's god knows where and god knows what has happened to her.

Embry stepped a little closer. I felt my breath catch in my throat and I wiped at my eyes all over again. "I should've tried harder to stop her. She's my sister." I muttered quietly. Embry must have noticed me shivering because he took off the olive green jacket he was wearing and held it out to me. When I didn't take it, he placed it around my shoulders. And for a few seconds, neither of us really said anything. We just stood there, staring at each other. Fidgeting and fumbling around nervously as this tension so thick you could practically reach out and pluck it out of thin air just built and built.

"It's not your fault." Embry muttered at last. "It's not your fault and everything will be okay."

I'd glanced down at the grass before he said the last part. He reached out, gently tilting my face so that I had to look him in the eyes.

"I hope so, Embry. I really do." I started to feel tears threatening to fall again and before I could stop myself, I stepped just a little closer. Closing the space between us. Leaning myself against him just slightly.

Three of his friends started to call his name almost impatiently and I looked up at him. Shrugging off his jacket to give it back to him. "You better get going. Your friends are probably ready to get this over with and leave."

"Keep it. I don't really get cold." Embry pushed the jacket back towards me gently and I bit my lip, shaking my head no. Holding it back out to him. "You might need it later or something though."

"You're the one who feels like she's freezing now. Keep it, okay?" Embry coaxed and before I could argue with him, he was wandering away, back towards his three friends. I hugged myself into the jacket more and made my way over to where my father stood talking to Billy and Jacob Black.

Jacob's brow raised at the jacket I practically swam in.

He got me off to the side.

"Did she say anything?"

"Not really. I mean, other than give me some bullshit about how Edward talked her into going to his place for a birthday date. Then after 5, it was radio silence." I answered. Jacob grumbled to himself and shook his head.

Then he gazed at me in concern. "Are you okay?"

"I'm scared."

"We're going to find her, okay?" Jacob promised.

"I hope so." I mumbled, going quiet.

Jacob spoke up again. Nodding to the jacket Embry had placed around my shoulders and then refused to take back. "Embry's one of them now, Veronica. The cult of Uley."

"He put this on me and walked away. Look, I know how you feel about Sam and the others, okay? You told Bella and I everything. But I just.. I mean he seemed nice enough."

"Yeah, well.. Just be careful, okay? Promise me."

I nodded. As if Jacob had anything to worry about out of me. The irony here is that rushing headfirst into bad situations. Dating and being attracted to all the wrong guys.. That's a me thing. Not a Bella thing. Bella's always had her head firmly on her shoulders. She's always been the big sister I look up to. And somehow, over the course of a year and a half, those roles have reversed?

I mean, I can see me getting mixed up with a guy like Edward. Getting in over my head. Losing all common sense and rationality. I just never thought she'd be the one to do it first.

I am.. Definitely not in a hurry to follow her lead right now, not at all.

After Jacob and I talked a few more minutes, Billy came to collect him so he could go join a search party group. Leah Clearwater wandered over and sat down on the hood of my father's patrol car next to me.

"We both know where she is right now, Leah."

Leah shrugged. Muttering something to herself that I couldn't quite make out. I leaned against her a little and she finally spoke up. "Stop sitting there blaming yourself. Nobody can stop your sister when she gets an idea in her fucking head."

I grimaced and Leah apologized.

"I know you two don't get along. But trust me… the way she's been since we moved back in with Dad and she met Edward in January? That's not the Bella I know."

"Maybe her true colors are finally showing." Leah muttered, shrugging. I sighed and nodded, muttering in agreement, "Maybe they are."

"If she's out here, there are enough of us looking that she'll be found."

"And if she is found, I am probably going to choke her. I can't believe she did this. A second time, at that." I muttered, gazing up at the moon. Leah noticed the fact that I was wearing Embry's jacket and she laughed quietly, nodding to it. "I see you met Embry."

"Mhm." I muttered. Catching sight of him as he came out of the woods with his three friends. No sign of Bella. I slipped off the hood of my father's car and told Leah, "I'll, um.. I'll be right back. I need to give the guy his jacket."

"If he wanted you to keep it, keep it."

"It's starting to get cooler. He's going to need it." I insisted. Honestly, it wasn't entirely the fact that I wanted to return his jacket, per se.. It more or less had to do with me, wanting to see him again.

I made my way over to the four actual giants and I rose to tiptoe, tapping Embry on the left shoulder.

Embry turned around and he did it so quickly that we wound up sort of brushing against each other. He reached out with a lightning quick reflex and gently grabbed hold of me to keep me from being unsteady.

I took off his jacket and tried to give it back to him yet again.

Embry shook his head, insisting I keep it.

I swallowed hard, trying to pull my eyes out of his because apparently, it's easier than I could've imagined to get lost in the dark depths. "Okay, fine. When you catch hypothermia this winter, sir.." I mumbled quietly. Tearing my eyes off of his to glance down at my feet because staring in his eyes was too intense for me somehow.

"I'm pretty sure I'll see you around sooner or later." Embry muttered quietly.

Sam Uley cleared his throat and Embry sighed. Tensing. Grumbling under his breath.

I stepped closer. Raising to tiptoe and giving him a hug that I couldn't help but notice the way it seemed to linger just a few seconds longer than it probably should've.

"Thank you for trying to find her." I muttered quietly.

"She's going to be okay, Veronica." Embry answered, gazing at me again with that intense and thoughtful look on his face.

"I should uh.. I need to go see if my dad's heard anything back from her friends or our mom. It was nice to meet you, Embry. And I appreciate you guys trying to look for her." I glanced at the other three males and managed a weak smile. Turning swiftly and making a beeline straight back to my father, Billy Black and Harry Clearwater.

And just as we were all discussing maybe letting Leah take Harry's truck and drive around to see if she saw Bella's truck anywhere, Jacob stepped out of the forest, Bella in his arms.

I let out a few ragged breaths and Leah glanced over at me and mouthed, "See? I told you she was going to be fine."

And all I can say is that I have never been more happy to see my sister than I was at that moment, nor have I ever wanted to just put my hands on her throat and strangle her because she'd had me so worried.