Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight.

AN: I have big news: I am attempting to write a book. It won't be my first time but it is my first time in almost ten years. I had a bad experience with the last one and I ended up not being able to publish it...let's just leave it at that. Wish me luck guys!

It started snowing Thursday and didn't stop until early Saturday morning. It was the biggest snow storm that the state of Washington had seen in three decades. It left four feet of snow and a power outage that stretched across four counties. Jacob had taken Billy and Charlie to his house since Billy was finally feeling up to heading home and promised that he would stay with Bella. He hated keeping what was going on from the both of them but he knew that if they knew that Charlie would find some way to stop Bella from going and Billy would only worry more than he already was.

Bella woke just before dawn hearing voices downstairs. Jacob's side of the bed was cold so she figured that he hadn't slept at all last night. She dressed then made her way downstairs. Emily was manning the stove while Kim grabbed bagels from the toaster. Bella glanced into the living room to see the pack holding a meeting so she went into the kitchen. She found a bowl of fruit that needed to be made into a fruit salad so she grabbed a knife and got started.

"What are you doing?" Kim asked.

Emily turned and gave Bella a eye roll unlike any she had ever seen.

"I'm helping."

"You're supposed to be in the living room."

"Why?" she asked unsurely.

"They're discussing battle plans and you're a part of it so get," Emily said shooing Bella out of the room with a spatula.

Bella stood behind the couch only half listening to what Sam was saying. Someone placed a hand on hers, pulling her from her thoughts. Seth was looking up at her sympathetically from the couch. She gave him a tight smile before sighing. Someone knocked on the door and she turned to open it. Jasper, Alice and Esme came in and went straight into the living room. Alice grabbed hold of Bella's hand to pull her back into the living room.

"I think working as one unit is best unless they strike," Jasper stated.

"So we should form a wall between them and Bella and Jake?" Sam asked.

"That would be best," Esme agreed with a nod.

"Everything is going to be fine," Alice reassured Bella quietly.

"How can you say that?" Bella questioned.

"Duh," Alice said pointing to herself, giving Bella a reprimanding look for doubting her.

"Right," Bella said, letting out a heavy sigh.

Bella felt someone watching her and almost immediately her eyes met Jacob's across the room. He looked tired and stressed and she felt guilty because it was partly her fault. She let go of Alice's hand to make her way through the crowded room to stand with him. He pulled her to him instinctively and she folded herself into him. She knew that he would do anything to keep her safe but this was taking the fact to new extremes. What they were facing was a thousand times more dangerous than anything they had faced before.

Emily called the pack into the kitchen so that they could eat while the Cullen's called Carlisle to relay the final plans so that he can tell everyone else. Bella couldn't believe that the Denali clan had come down to offer their help. They didn't even know Bella and she was amazed that they were willing to put their animosity with the pack aside for the sake of saving her. Irina had made her displeasure known and had ended up not coming down at all. Bella could see where she was coming from to an extent. Irina had become very close to Laurent in the time he had lived with them. She placed all of her blame on the pack and refused to listen to reason.

Bella rode to the battle with Jacob, Embry, and Quil. The three of them were silent and she was grateful for the chance to ride with them. Embry's quiet, reassuring nature and Quil's confidence almost made her feel safer than Jacob's constant need to protect her. Jacob reached over the gearshift to take hold of her hand as they pulled out of the driveway. She drew slow soothing circles into his palm hoping that it would ease some of the tension that was billowing off of him like clouds of smoke.

The car pulled to a stop on the side of the road behind Edward's. They would be hiking the rest of the way. Bella pulled her coat tighter around her and fixed her hat on her head before letting Jacob pick her up. She leaned as far as she could into his heat as the wind whipped and howled around them. The clearing loomed in front of them looking like an ocean of white with the dark, sinister forest looming behind it.

Jacob placed her down and she backed away so that he could strip down to his shorts before he pulled her to him once more. He hooked a finger underneath her chin then tilted her head so that she was looking up at him. He stared at her with steady, determined eyes before leaning down to brush his lips to hers gently. He pulled away and walked a safe distance away before phasing. Quil and Embry came to stand on either side of Bella taking in the scene in front of them.

"You two will be safe, won't you?" she questioned.

"Don't worry Bells, we won't do anything stupid," Embry promised.

"Just checking," she said with a sigh.

"Group hug," Quil said pulling the two of them in.

They both hugged her tightly and she felt the reassurance they were sending her. She pulled away and walked to where Jacob stood in wolf form. Seth helped her onto him even though Jacob had leaned down so that she could climb onto him easily.

"You might want to hang on," Seth cautioned.

Bella grabbed a fist full of hair as Jacob rose to his full height. She hadn't thought it would be a big deal to be on Jacob's back while he was in wolf form but it was. She hovered over everyone else and it was a little nerve wracking.

"He says that if you're scared to lean into him. It won't be as bad," Edward said from next to her.

He knew that she hated it when he snuck up on her. He gave her a half smile before walking away. She leaned down, the tufts of hair at Jacob's neck tickling her cheek. She wrapped her arms around his neck before closing her eyes. Maybe this was all a dream and when she opened her eyes she would be in her room with Jacob asleep next to her. A girl could hope, couldn't she?

"Two minutes," Alice announced.

The rest of the pack phased then joined the Cullen's in a single file line. They stood shoulder to shoulder, ready to face whatever would happen. Bella had never seen anything like it. She would never be able to express how grateful she was to them for what they were doing for her.

"I thought that only Aro, Caius, and Marcus were coming, Alice," Edward said in tense tone.

"I didn't see anyone else, I swear," Alice said, panicked.

"Now is not the time to be angry with your sister, Edward," Carlisle said calmly.

"How many in all?" Emmett questioned.

"Seven," Edward answered.

"Felix, Demetri Jane, and Alec," Jasper whispered.

"They aren't taking any chances," Alice announced.

Are we supposed to be scared? Paul questioned.

Edward? Sam prodded.

Felix and Demetri are glorified body guards, but they are brutal. Don't count them out. Jane and Alec are twins and their powers can cripple you before you even know what's happened. Let us handle the twins and you all can take down the muscle bound ape and the one with the acid tongue if it comes down to a battle.

The Volturi came out of the woods with Demetri and Felix leading the way. Aro, Caius, and Marcus were next with Alec and Jane close behind them. Bella buried her face in Jacob's neck, refusing to look at them. If she was scared before she was well beyond panicked now.

How imposing can they be if they let their lackeys lead the way? Jared thought.

They are leading the way because they can be easily disposed of and replaced if something should happen to them. Edward answered.

They formed a line half a football field away from the Cullen's and the pack. Aro stepped forward, deeming himself speaker of the group.

"We do not mean to harm you, we just wish to congratulate the happy couple. And now I see that you have been coercing with our natural enemy,"Aro said, shaking his head in reprimand.

"We do not want any trouble, we assure you," Carlisle said.

"What do you have to say for yourselves?" Marcus questioned.

"We have had a treaty with them that dates back three hundred years. One of their own is now bound to Bella," Carlisle explained.

"You may have a treaty with them, but we do not," Caius said, looking at the wolves in contempt.

"If I could have a moment of your time Aro," Alice interjected.

Aro held out a hand, beckoning her forward. She smiled pleasantly as she walked towards him, not making eye contact with anyone else. She placed her hand in his, giving him a look of determination. His eyes clouded over in concern and his face fell in remorse.

"Is what she is telling me true Caius? Are you planning to attack them?"

Caius looked to his brother, his long blond hair fanning over his shoulder.

"Yes," he confirmed.

"Well I can tell you now if you do choose to fight them you will be fighting them on your own, and you will lose. I have seen it with my own eyes."

"If you are going to charge us with then get it over with," Edward pleaded.

"We have nothing to prove our case. You have done nothing wrong and Alice has shown me what will happen if we choose to fight the children of the moon. We will leave without a fight. I do ask for one thing."

"What is it?"

"I would like to once more extend an invitation to you and your sister to join us."

"Our answer is still no," Alice answered.

"As you wish," Aro said with a polite nod.

"We are not patient people; if we are summoned here again we will not leave until all of you are obliterated. You have been warned," Caius said with a sneer.

"We will go now," Marcus promised.

They left in single file without looking back. Once they were out of sight Edward made his way back to Bella and Jacob. He helped her down and she threw her arms around him. He held her loosely, not knowing how Jacob would feel about them hugging. He didn't want to cause trouble.

"Thank you," she breathed against his ear.

"You're welcome," he murmured into her hair.

He pulled away to see Jacob watching them. Jacob came to stand at Bella's side before holding out a hand to Edward. Edward shook it firmly, meeting Jacob's eyes. Jacob nodded, conveying his thanks. Edward mimicked him before pulling his hand from Jacob's and walking away. Jacob pulled Bella to him, holding her as tight as he dared.

"Thank God that's over," she said with a huff.

"No more fraternizing with the devil, do you understand?" he asked.

"Never," she promised.

"And no more recklessness," he ordered.

"I can't make that promise," she said with a shake of her head.

"You must have a death wish," he muttered.

"So do you," she reminded him.

"I'll make you a deal: no more death defying stunts unless we do them together."

"You've got a deal," she said with a breathless laugh.

He leaned down, kissing her hard enough to steal her breath. She threaded her fingers in his hair and let herself get lost in the kiss. By the time they pulled apart everyone else was gone. They walked away hand in hand as snow fell from the trees overhead. He gathered her into his arms before taking off at a run to the car. Now that they had been through the worst thing that could happen to them and survived they had to face their dad's; which wasn't going to be easy.

XXXX

"You did what?" Charlie asked.

"Are you out of you minds?!" Billy roared.

"Calm down, as you can see the both of us are fine," Jacob rationalized.

"I trusted you to keep her out of danger, not to bring her within an inch of her life," Charlie accused Jacob.

"Dad, you're making it into something bigger than it is. I wasn't anywhere near death," Bella mediated.

"You're grounded," Billy said pointedly.

"For what?" Jacob argued.

"For lying to me for one thing."

"And you aren't allowed to see him for two weeks," Charlie said to Bella.

"Dad, I'm an adult, I can do whatever I want."

"Not if he's grounded, you can't. Two weeks sounds fine with me, thanks for the idea Charlie."

"I can't be grounded Dad, I still have to run patrols," Jacob reminded Billy.

"I'll talk to Sam, you aren't getting off that easy," Billy said gruffly.

Fighting with the two of them was pointless. Jacob didn't want to piss off his dad anymore than he already had because he didn't feel like dealing with a health scare. His dad seemed to be doing fine after recuperating for a month. At least he wouldn't be grounded on Valentine's Day, it would give him time to think of something. He wasn't going to waste any chance to show Bella how much he loved her.