Renesmee was true to her word. The next few days - all of which were spent at the Cullen household while Charlie got the house stuff sorted out - she spent her nights in my body so that I could rest without risk of setting everything on fire. She spent those nights talking with the Cullens, as apparently she needed less sleep than I.

"I'm picking up ASL pretty quickly I think." She explained to me as I ate breakfast a few mornings later. "There are a bunch of signs that I've had to look up, but contextually speaking, and since I've always had a knack for languages, I think I'm getting conversational. Admittedly, the others are expecting me, rather you, to be much better at it, so I've resorted to being pretty quiet." Renesmee peered at Jasper as he came through the kitchen door. She waited in his path until he had passed through her before she turned to speak again.

"Jasper picks up on a little too much though. It's why I'm mostly trying to leave you in control during the days now. I'm hoping he'll attribute our emotional shifts to tiredness or something similar."

I blinked at her from behind the bowl. "I think I'm going to go see Jacob today." I announced to the Cullen family. Then it occurred to me that I was without a vehicle. "Could I borrow a car, or catch a ride to the border?"

"What border?" Renesmee asked. "How far does he live exactly?"

"Of course Bella. You can borrow my car. It should be the least intimidating for you." Esme piped up, winking. I smiled at her as she placed the keys beside me. Jasper and Carlisle exchanged uncomfortable glances. I wondered what they were worried about. I looked over at Alice, but she was staring off, into the knew what I was in for.

Rose had the red sports car, Emmett had the jeep, Carlisle the mercedes, but as it turned out, Esme had opted for simple, a blue SUV. Not too old, but new enough to have bells and whistles that I didn't understand, and it was of course, immaculate inside. I was probably the first batch of dirt aside from groceries that had ever been inside it. As wonderful as the Cullens were, the further I got away from their house, the freer I felt. It was as though I had managed to break through a shiny film of 'careful'. They were careful around me, careful around Charlie, staging and being delicate wherever they could. As Charlie was at work, and I'd managed to get myself out of the house, I had no doubt that they may pop out for a quick hunt, or just relax. I knew they'd never admit that we were a strain.

It didn't take long to drive to Jacob's. Renesmee bombarded me with questions about the border, the treaty, the wolves she seemed to think existed in La Push, and etc. She couldn't wait to meet Jacob actually. We pulled up beside Jacob's house, and without the insanely loud rumble of the usual pickup - no one came to greet me.

"The one thing I would do... and I mean, it's totally up to you, but it probably will aggravate rather than assist matters..."

"Why are you prattling?" I asked, still enthused that I could ask her questions aloud, without fear of being overheard by everyone in the household.

"Well your neck." She pointed out. I froze in shock, my hand leaving the steering wheel it had been resting on to feel my neck. The half-dozen stitches were there, holding my neck closed along a clearly crescent-shaped mark. It was a relatively low bite, close to the collarbone. I pulled my shirt collar in, and did all of the buttons up. It felt a little ridiculous, being buttoned up all the way, but at least it tucked away the injury. His last mark on me. My chest threatened to rip open again and I took a few deep breaths.

"Is that him?" Renesmee asked abruptly. My eyes flicked open.

"No, that's Sam."

I hopped out of the vehicle. As I approached, Sam's nose twitched, as though he could smell something bad, and a frown appeared.

"Good morning, Sam." I said, smiling. He nodded back.

"I'm sorry about your house. Are you okay?" His voice rang like Jacob's... loud and clear.

"Yeah Charlie and I were both unhurt. It's been a wild week huh?" I tried to joke. It felt flat. Renesmee walked straight up to Sam, examining him closely.

"Does he have a tattoo? If he does I could totally be proved right."

I tried to ignore her, and continued. "I wanted to thank you. For finding me in the woods." I said. "I might have frozen to death otherwise."

"Nah... I'd eventually have lit a fire." Renesmee piped up again. She was far too happy and relaxed being here.

"You're welcome. I'm glad you're safe. Where are you staying in the meantime?" he asked, eyeing my new SUV suspiciously.

"The Cullens opened their home to Charlie and I. They've got plenty of room, clothes, and even extra cars for us to utilise until we get back on our feet." I saw the suppressed look of disgust flicker across his face, before he smiled.

"I'm glad you're set up for now, but please know, that you're always welcome here. Any of us would be glad to help you through this time." He looked truly sincere and I smiled, gratefully at him.

"Thanks Sam."

He flinched, and looked towards the house he had come out of, I had clearly missed a noise. Jacob stood there, looking happy as a bowl of hamsters that I was here. He ran over instantly, hugging me tightly. I could hear him mumbling away, and I knew I was missing speech.

"He said he's super happy you're alive and okay, and he couldn't believe that you managed to get lost in the woods and lose your house in one week, but that he can also totally believe it because it's you." Renesmee recapped. Unlike when she repeated what the Cullen's said to me, she seemed lighter and happier, even comfortable with these people. I wondered just how difficult it was for her to be around vampires, coming from tribes that had so clearly opposed them in the past. I'd have to make a habit of coming out here.

Jacob pulled back, looking concerned when I didn't immediately respond. "Did you hear any of that?"

"I got the gist. Thanks Jake."

Sam continued his exit, still eyeing the SUV like it was going to explode. Jacob whistled at the car, and joked that I'd clearly lied about the value of my truck to my insurance company. I laughed and explained that I was borrowing it from Esme.

"That'd explain why Sam thought it was about to explode."

"Yeah, he's about as subtle as a brick." I laughed back. I was immediately invited in, and asked to recount my epic adventures to both Jacob and Billy, and how I thought the fire had started. I explained about the electrical stuff, and showed off the meager scratches on my hands and knees from my tree escapade. Renesmee, in her typical fashion, went exploring. Obviously it didn't take as long as it did in the Cullen's house, as three of Jacob's houses could have fit comfortably in theirs.

"I like this place. Can we sleep here instead? It's comfy. Much more up my alley."

I raised my eyebrows sarcastically at her, while Jacob began talking about his school, and the news of the police chief's house going ablaze.

"By the end of the day, half of us thought that a rebellious gang led by someone lame like Newton had chucked a molotov inside to increase the sales of the town's newspaper or something."

"I'm pretty sure that's free, so that theory's out." I laughed, and he recounted in mock horror.

It did feel good to be here. It was messy, and cramped, and warm, and smelled of slightly burnt food and cigarettes. If Charlie and I tried to stay here, one of us would end up sleeping on the recliner, and the other on the couch that was certainly too short for Jacob. But I could almost picture it. I wasn't sure if it was the relaxed state that Renesmee was suddenly in, or the fact that the house was so opposite to everything the Cullen's had... but my chest eased slightly.

I had hoped that the feeling of Jacob and his home would follow me as I returned that night to the comfy, spacious bed that I was 'sharing' with Alice at the Cullen house. Their home still felt like a home, but one that had experienced a great loss. Half of their family was missing, one of them possibly permanently. The house was less crowded than ever, and felt more clinical than it ever had in all the time I had known Esme. Suddenly I understood the expression she had been walking around with, if I caught her in my spirit form.

It was mourning.