Jacob's arms enfolded me, his blood staining my torn clothes. I didn't care, I clung to him fiercely, my head on his chest, wildly joyful at the steady beating of his heart. I breathed in the warm, musky, scent of him. He smelled of deep forest and wild animal spirit. Most vampires didn't like the dog scent of a werewolf. But, I was only half and I adored his smell. To me it was home.
It was hard to believe it was actually over. Felix who had been almost a constant shadow these last six years was gone. His body smoldering behind us. How I wished we could step into the future with hope in our hearts but I had none. All the years spent searching for answers and we were still left knowing as much as we knew going in. Although, there was one thing we knew for sure, there were other half breeds out there. We just hadn't found one yet.
I wanted a normal life, spending whatever time I had left with Jacob. More than anything I wanted to go home. I was bone weary of this search. This fruitless and lengthy search. I was done, I wanted home.
"Jacob... let's go home." I spoke the words aloud, even my voice sounded tired.
"Yeah.. I need rest and we should get ready to move camp. Maybe find a new location to search in." His voice was thoughtful, already his wounds were healing.
"No. To Forks. No more searching, I just want to go home." It was in his eyes, I could see how badly he wanted the same thing. He wanted to see his family. I just wanted to be near mine. Even if they were gone.
"Okay."
So it was that six months later we came back to Forks. The rainy town was smaller than I remembered. We drove a beat up old van Jacob had fixed up in some junkyard. It was about midday, everyone at work or school, the rain a perfect accompaniment to the heaviness in my heart. I thought I would be happy to return, and I was, but there was also sorrow. My family was gone, murdered six long years ago. While I had only gotten six months to make memories with them I treasured those. I loved my family with all my heart and I would hang onto their spirits. I had nothing from them, except a necklace and an mp3 player with five thousand of my fathers favorite songs. I listened to my mothers lullaby every night.
I also felt I was returning in failure. I hadn't found the answers. But I had lived, lived and traveled and taken whatever enjoyment I could find in life. I would live and love until I took my final breath for whatever time I had. It would have to be enough. With that thought some of the weight lifted from me. As we turned down the drive that lead to the place of my birth I sat up. Jacob glanced over at me and reached for my hand, squeezing it gently.
The house came into view just as I remembered it. Open and airy, we didn't have to hide here. It wasn't until the tears obscured my vision that I even realized I was crying. The van clanked to a stop and the front door of the house flew open. The scent hit me as I was climbing from the car. As I turned strong, marble arms clutched me close, and a voice I never thought I would hear again practically sang my name.
"Oh my sweet Nessie, we've been waiting for you to come home."