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Inspirational Song: Allstar Weekend – Come Down With Love

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I rode and we got to the meadow in record time.

Laughing, I swung my leg over and jumped off Jake, "That was fun, but I still prefer Brady."

Jake rolled his large eyes and trotted behind a bush, emerging in human form. Sam, surprisingly, followed suit.

I looked at him with a raised brow.

"He's starting to trust them." Jacob smirked, looking to his alpha playfully.

Sam rolled his eyes and shoved Jake's arm, "Come on. We don't want to be late."

I carefully followed Sam and Jake out of the tree line to where Carlisle was standing. The sun was peeking out of the clouds, every once in a while it caught his skin, making it glisten.

I stared in awe; I would never get over their dazzling effect.

Jake elbowed me and I shook my head. He barked a laugh as we walked closer.

"Hey, Carlisle." I gave a slight wave. I wanted to step forward to give him a hug, but Brady's warning flew through my thoughts. Listen to Jake and Sam, please. Just...just stay close to them.

"Good morning, Bella." Carlisle nodded towards me, a bright smile on his face.

"We need to talk about your plan." Sam said, stepping slightly in front of me as he got down to business.

I moved my head so that I could look around him to Carlisle, but then Jake stepped up next to him. I huffed and crossed my arms. I knew they were just protecting me because Brady had told them too – I was an imprint after all – but seriously? If there was ever such a thing as a perfectly safe vampire, Carlisle was it! He had stitched my arm up at my birthday part, he worked in a hospital with blood around him all day, Carlisle wasn't going to hurt me or anyone else.

Jake probably felt my annoyance because he side-stepped, giving me just enough room to see Carlisle.

"We can have Bella walk all around the meadow, it won't distract us, but the newborns will go crazy from her scent. They won't be thinking about their self-preservation and their blind thirst will make for easier...kills." Carlisle explained, slightly reluctantly. I tried to give him a reassuring smile, which he returned.

"So, what? Have her walk around rubbing on the trees?" Jake smirked at the thought.

"Essentially, yes." Carlisle replied, his eyes serious.

Jake nodded his head, his lips slightly pursed as he saw his joke hadn't landed well.

"Does that sound alright with you, Bella?" Carlisle asked, turning his light-caramel eyes to me.

I nodded, sounded fine to me.

"Alright, so that is settled. We'll bring Bella here later tonight; the scent will be fresher if we do it then." Sam pipped up, looking from me to Carlisle.

"Alright, so with that settled, what should we do with Bella during the fight?" Jake asked, his body ridged, "I don't want her anywhere near the newborns." He side-stepped in front of me, blocking my view.

I rolled my eyes and moved to the other side of Sam so that I could see.

"Neither do I." Carlisle said, "So I was thinking it would be best if she went up to the mountains."

My mouth fell and my eyes grew wide, "T-the mountains? As in...the ones with snow on them?"

Carlisle nodded, "Yes, Bella. If your scent is far away from La Push and Forks, they should steer clear of the towns."

I swallowed nervously; I didn't want to put anyone else in trouble. But I didn't really want to freeze certain parts of me off, either.

"I guess it's a good thing you haven't been home or to our house." Carlisle said, "Your scent will be older there so they will be looking for newer trails, which they will find here. And La Push is covered with the werewolf scent so the reservation should be perfectly safe. Alice said she saw them coming here first anyway, hopefully that vision stays that way." He gave an award-winning smile as he finished.

I nodded, "So...so when should I go up there?"

Carlisle thought about it, "Tonight?"

My eyes grew, if that was even possible. So after rubbing against trees, I would be sleeping in the snow...great...

Well, I guess it was worth it if I could give the upper hand to the pack and the Cullens while also making sure no one else got hurt.

I shrugged; I'd rub on trees if that meant keeping everyone safe. The snow thing I still wasn't sure of, however.

"We need to get things ready." Sam said, turning to Jacob, "Go back to my house and pick up the supplies we will need."

Jake gave a nod and started back towards the tree line.

"Jacob?" Sam called, causing the beta to stop and turn to his alpha.

"Tell Brady he will be on Bella-watch tomorrow and Seth that he will be helping Collin. I had only planned on the two youngest staying behind, but I think Leah will fight better knowing Seth is safe." Sam ordered.

Jake nodded and then disappeared into the dark forest, a howl sounded, and I smiled thinking of Jacob's russet wolf.

"So, we will bring her here tonight, around nine, and then take her up to the mountain." Sam said to Carlisle, a stoic expression etched into his face.

Carlisle nodded, "Yes, I will tell the rest of the family."

Sam gave a curt nod.

"It was good to see you, Bella." Carlisle smiled to me, "You as well, Sam. I will see you both later tonight." And with that he took off running.

I looked to Sam, my arms crossed as the wind picked up, "Well, that was fun."

Sam turned to me with a small smirk.

My shoulders dropped, "I'm guessing it's your turn?"

He just chuckled as we walked towards the trees.

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"Sam?" I yelled as he ran, he tilted his head to me to show he was listening, "Do you think we could stop by my house?"

He shook his head and sniffed the air.

"Oh, right, my scent." I bit on my lower lip as I sorted through my thoughts, "Well, after you drop me off, could you pick something up from my house?"

He nodded. I gave a nod back, even though I knew he couldn't see it, as we continued to Emily's in silence.

I slid off Sam with ease and laughed, "I'm really starting to get the hang of this."

Sam gave a wolfy-grin. He looked at me and I knew he was waiting for me to ask what I wanted him to pick up.

"Well, I have this small box in the floorboard under my desk. Can you bring it to me?" I asked, a blush creeping up my cheeks.

Sam tilted his head, studying me.

"If Charlie's home, just tell him I got a bit sick and am just going to stay at Em's until I feel better. You are just picking up a few things for me." I looked up to him, hoping I wasn't asking too much.

He gave a slight nod and then took off.

I watched with surprise, apparently, I hadn't asked too much.

Smiling, I started back towards the house, hoping Charlie wouldn't want to come down to get me once Sam told him my lie.

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Brady tapped his foot as he lay on the couch. He didn't like Bella being away, but he also knew she had wanted to go to the meeting and that he had to respect that.

"It has only been three days and she's gone from a complete stranger to my best friend already." He muttered to himself, pulling at his bangs.

Emily laughed from the kitchen, "You know, only crazy people talk to themselves."

Brady smirked as Emily came out, two plates in hand. Everyone had left after the trio did except Brady, who was waiting for Bella.

"Thanks!" Brady sat up and accepted the omelet she offered him.

"Does your mother ever feed you?" Emily asked playfully, watching him shovel food into his mouth.

Brady just gave a full-mouth smile, causing Sam's imprint to laugh.

As he swallowed, he looked to her, a question in his eyes, "Em, have you seen Bella's bracelet?"

Emily nodded, "You mean the one with the heart and the wolf?"

"That's the one." Brady said, cleaning his plate and setting it off to the side. Emily started in on her own breakfast as she tried to figure out what he was really asking.

"I...well, I want to get her something to add to it. She said she was alright if I did, but I...I just don't know what to get her." Brady leaned back, his eyes searching the ceiling for the answer.

With a gentle smile, Emily reached a handout to touch his arm, "Well, what is something that is just between you two?"

Brady smirked, "Playing twenty questions."

Emily laughed, "Besides that."

Thinking about it, the wolf shrugged, "I don't know. The strength of our imprint?" He sighed, "I don't think Hallmark even makes cards for that one, so I don't think they'd make a charm for it either."

"Others might not, but you can." Emily picked up Brady's plate as she walked back to the kitchen.

Brady stood up and followed, "What do you mean?"

With a sigh, Emily turned back, "When you think of your imprint, what comes to mind?"

Leaning against the doorway, Brady ran through his thoughts over the past few days. He closed his eyes, "Well...being together...as companions...um...her asking to see my wolf...the forest...how she is already my heart...her name...her heartbeat..."

"I think you know then, Brady." Emily smiled, gently touching his shoulder as she walked past him to retriever her own plate.

Brady watched her go before turning to look at the forest. Closing his eyes he thought of Bella's steady heartbeat, he could pick it out anywhere. He could be miles away and still know exactly where she was.

He smiled, thinking of how it sped up when she blushed, or relaxed when he was nearby.

"Emily?" Brady called, his voice echoing through the house.

"Yeah?" She called, walking out with a strand of leather in hand, "I figured this could be of some use." Emily handed the throng to the young boy, who just smiled.

"Tell Bella I'll be back soon if they get back while I'm gone!" Brady called over his shoulder as he took off. Emily just laughed and busied herself with more cooking.

"Em?" Jacob called as he walked in a while later.

"Kitchen!" She replied.

"Where does Sam keep his camping supplies?" Jake asked, grabbing an apple as he started towards the back door.

"Second shelf in the shed." Emily called, laughing as she stirred the hamburger in the skillet.

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"Em?" I said, not bothering to knock as I opened the door.

"Kitchen!" She called as if it were the hundredth time today. Given, it probably was the hundredth if not the thousandth.

I smiled and started towards the small room, "Anything I can help with?" I asked, moving so I could see what she was cooking, "Um...what are you making?" I asked when I couldn't figure it out.

"A goulash of sorts. Pretty much whatever is left in the fridge will be going in here." Emily smiled, "Food for the patrol teams." She explained.

I nodded and took my seat at the table.

"So, why did Jake come running in here a half hour ago asking about camping gear?" Emily asked over her shoulder as she added things to the skillet.

"I'm sleeping in the woods; Sam has had enough of me stealing his clothes!" I playfully bantered. Emily just laughed.

I could see Embry and Paul making their way through the woods. I looked at them curiously before looking at the clock, it was already twelve. Gosh, where had the day gone!

I stood up and pulled out some plates from the cupboard. Grabbing the milk, I helped ready the rest of the table.

Embry walked in, Paul behind him, "Em, do you have any—"

Emily placed the skillet on the table before Embry couldn't finish. The wolf smiled up at her, "See, that is why you're my favorite imprint!"

I whacked him on the back of the head. He just looked at me with his usual Embry-smirk.

Sam walked in then, going straight to Emily for a kiss. After he had said hello, he tossed a duffel bag at me, "Charlie was sort of skeptical, but I think I convinced him. I said you caught a nasty head cold that Kim had and that you would be alright by tomorrow, Wednesday being the latest. He did mention that he was upset when he got home and didn't find you there."

I face-palmed. How could I have forgotten to call Charlie?

"He asked that you call next time and not Emily." Sam smiled, pulling his imprint to his side.

I looked to Emily, a curious glint to my eye.

She just shrugged, "I figured you wouldn't think about it, so I just called and left a message for Charlie to find in the morning."

I sighed in relief, "Thanks, Em."

"No problem." She turned back to the stove to start another goulash as the boys started swapping stories.

I slid into the living room and snuck towards the guest room. I opened the duffel bag, thinking I'd only find the box but, no, I found a few pairs of jeans and some shirts. I blushed when I saw my underwear and a bra.

I pushed it all aside and pulled the box out. Sighing, I opened it to reveal my little treasures.

A doll Charlie had given me forever ago and a pearl necklace Renee had given me when I had moved to Forks, it had been her mom's and she gave it to me saying that she had never really cared for pearls.

There was a picture of Jacob and me as kids as well as the picture of Edward and me from my birthday.

Then I came to the thing I wanted. Carefully, I pulled out the small blue, velvet box.

Slowly I opened it, the hinges squeaking. My finger gently ran across the pendant Charlie had given me the last summer I had spent with him, I had been thirteen.

It was simple, but I had always thought it was beautiful. A small turquoise sphere with a silver backing made the delicate silver B stand out even more. Gently, I touched it before pulling it out of the folds.

"Bella?" Emily knocked on the open door. I smiled at her, moving over on the bed to give her some room.

She walked in, something hidden in her fist, and took her seat.

"I figured this might come in handy." Emily held up a long piece of leather thong.

My eyes lit up in surprise as she handed it to me, "How did you..."

She stood up, laughing, as she tapped her head, "Imprint, remember?" Emily walked out, giving me some time to myself.

"Thanks, Emily." I said, even though she had already left. I held the leather tightly in my hands, my thumb grazing the smooth surface, before I slid the pendant on.

I held it up so it caught the light, "She was right."

It was large enough to fit around his wolf's neck and could be shortened to fit around the boy's.

I smiled, hoping that he would like it.

Laying back on the bed, I stared up at the ceiling, feeling almost at home.

Almost, because Brady wasn't here next to me.

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