These fine characters are not mine. If they were, I would be Stephenie Meyer and have a new book about them coming out August 2nd. But since I don't, I will be in line at midnight a few days from now along with all you other fine folks.

Big thanks to my wonderful betas: Gaelyn and LupsandTnks.

Ya'll need to go and read Lups's stories "What We Become" and "Who We Are." They are by far my two favorite stories I have read on this site, period. She's working on a new one "Back from the Past" and it's going to be rockin', too. Kind of like Kate and Leopold meets Twilight. Tell her what you think… she loves reviews! :)

Oh, and I do too. So, why don't you leave me some? It would make me very happy and I just might be inclined to write some more… You're going to want me to post again quickly after you read this, trust me. Heh heh.

Chapter 8—Round Here

Step out the front door like a ghost into the fog
Where no one notices the contrast of white on white
And in between the moon and you the angels get a better view
Of the crumbling difference between wrong and right
Counting Crows—Round Here

Bella's POV

"Bella! We've got to go!" The sound of Jacob's angry and impatient voice broke the moment.

"I've got to go." What was I doing? Embry could be dying and here I am, kissing a boy whose name I didn't know with my boyfriend waiting for me around the corner.

"Stay, Bella, stay with me. Please." The look in his eyes was antagonizing. It made me hate myself for what I was about to do.

"I can't, I'm sorry." I was about to start crying again. I didn't know if it was because I was letting him go or because of what Jacob and I were on the way to face. "I've got to go." I kissed him a final time, hoping I convey my apology through my lips.

I turned started running back to where I'd left Jacob just moments before. I had to watch the ground so I wouldn't fall over my clumsy feet.

There were so many feelings coursing through my body, I didn't know which one to recognize first.

I had just acted completely out of character in a way I didn't think I ever could. What was I thinking? Jacob would be heartbroken if he knew. I have to tell him. No, I can't tell him.

What would I tell him? That I just had the best kiss I'd ever experienced in my life with the singer of the bar band (who I'd also been dreaming about for months) in the middle of the sidewalk with people around and probably staring while he waited for me to go see his possibly dying best friend?

No, I can't tell him.

The tears were still streaming down my face when I got in the car with Jake. I was suddenly glad for the darkness. It was much easier to hide my face which was burning with shame and stubble-burn.

"Bella, I'm sure he'll be fine. Sam didn't know a lot when he called." I knew he was trying to convince himself of this more so than me. I sniffled in response and turned to face out the window. In a gesture of comfort, Jake reached his hand across the seat to hold mine. Needing it, I let him. I am so selfish. I cried harder.

"Are you okay, Bella?" He sounded worried. "I mean, you hardly know Embry…" He trailed off.

My tears stopped instantly. I whipped my head around to face him. "How dare you, Jacob Black? He is my friend, too. It doesn't matter that I haven't known him my whole life, I still care about him." I pulled my hand away and turned back to ponder the blackness moving along outside my window.

He didn't apologize.

I shut my eyes, hoping it would help me calm down. I only saw his burning green eyes. How did he know my name? It sounded so right in his velvet voice I didn't question it.

He wrote a song for me. I can't remember the words, but his emotion when he sang it was so pure. I guess I hadn't imagined the chemistry at the football game after all. It seemed so long ago now.

And the way he kissed me? I knew what Alice meant now. Kissing Jacob certainly wasn't like that. It was just something we did. Yes, it was nice, but it never drew such a response from me. The kiss I just shared with him was the most passionate, intimate moment I had ever had in my life. I didn't know I could feel that way. I didn't know I could respond to some one else that way.

It was as if I had kissed him for my whole life and my body just knew what to do because I'd been doing it forever. It seemed so natural.

What about Jake? I had no idea how I felt about him now.

We pulled into the parking deck at the hospital. I knew I couldn't go into the hospital this conflicted. I needed to be strong for Jacob. I pushed all of my thoughts of the kiss to the back of my mind vowing to sort through it all more tomorrow. Once I had a chance to sleep on it. And, talk to Alice, who I hadn't even told about the guy from the game. I sighed and got out of the car. Hand in hand, Jacob and I walked through the automatic doors and into the sterile smelling hospital.

I realized then that I still had no idea what had happened. In all of my selfish worrying, I never once asked Jake what was going on. I was ashamed of myself.

Luckily, Sam was waiting for us. Jacob immediately bombarded him with questions.

"What happened, Sam? How's Embry? Where's Quil? Is he okay? What do you know?"

"Woah, slow down, Jake. This is what we know, but remember, it's all from Quil and he's pretty torn up. Quil and Embry went for a motorcycle ride tonight. Quil said they had gone pretty far out into the country and were working their way back into town when it happened.

"They were sitting at a red light. When it turned, Embry took off from the light without looking. He hadn't made it half way through the intersection when he was hit. The other driver didn't stop at the red light and slammed into Embry, throwing him off the bike. Quil was able to swerve and avoid being hit.

"Quil wasn't hurt, at least not badly. He ran to where Embry was lying in the road. He wasn't moving and he was covered in blood. Quil was afraid he was dead, but finally saw him breathing. I think he passed out then because that's all he remembers.

"Someone called 911. The ambulance showed up and brought Embry here, with Quil riding along. The paramedics told Quil that the driver that hit Embry was drunk. The police arrested him on the scene. The driver wasn't hurt."

I was crying again. I thought Jake's grip on my hand might break it. "They asked me to go tonight, but I couldn't," he whispered, almost to himself.

We stayed at the hospital all night. There was a small gathering of people waiting for news about Embry. Quil was extremely pale and his breathing was irregular. He looked like he was going into shock. Someone had given him a soda but he was just holding it in his hands. He wouldn't talk to anyone. Sam and Emily were there before Jake and I arrived. Leah showed up a few minutes after us with a glare for me. I didn't care; I had more important things to worry about than her immaturity. Embry's mom was the last to arrive. As soon as she got there, she was ushered behind the waiting room door to speak with a doctor and see her son. She hadn't come back yet.

Alice called mid-morning the next day. "Bella! Where are you? I didn't worry when you weren't here last night. I figured you had just stayed with Jake. But usually you at least call. You didn't even tell us goodbye when you left the party." I couldn't tell if she was upset. I was too tired. I got up from my hard plastic chair and walked away from where I was sitting with Jake.

"I'm at the hospital, Alice."

"What!?" She interrupted me with a squeal.

"Jake got a call from Sam about Embry while we were still at the party." I took a deep breath. "Embry and Quil were out riding their motorcycles last night and Embry was hit by a drunk driver." My voice started to shake. "They don't know if he's going to make it or not yet. I think he's hurt pretty bad. They haven't told us much yet." The tears started again. The more I said it, the less real it seemed.

"Oh, no, Bella, I'm so sorry. Is there anything I can do? Do you want me to come down there?" She didn't wait for me to answer. "How's Jacob? Do you want a change of clothes?" I'd forgotten I was still in my party clothes.

"No, Alice, I'm okay. I'm worried about Jake. He's a mess but trying not to show it. I don't think he's said a total of twenty words since we got here." I'd never seen Jacob this quiet and withdrawn. Granted, this is the first time we'd been in a situation like this. It just wasn't like him to run out of words.

The doctor appeared. "Alice, I've got to go. The doctor's here. I'll call you later, okay?" I hung up the phone before she could respond. She would understand. I went and sat back down beside Jacob. I took his hand.

Embry's mom was standing with the doctor. She looked like she might collapse any moment. Sam stood up and escorted her to a chair.

The doctor spoke, "Ms. Call gave me permission to inform you of Embry's condition." He looked us all over. "When he was knocked from his bike, his leg was crushed and he broke several ribs. Once we were able to examine him, we noticed severe bruising on his abdomen. We think some of his organs might have ruptured. He is having some x-rays done now so we will know how to proceed. We will also be treating him for internal bleeding. His body is traumatized and he is in no way out of the woods yet." He paused giving us a moment to absorb everything he had just said. "We are most likely going to have to do some operations to fix the damage inside his body. He will be sedated for a while after that. We want to keep his systems under control so we can watch for signs of improvement. As soon as we know more, I will let you know." He patted the now sobbing Ms. Call on the shoulder and left the room.

No one said a word. Finally, Sam, who seemed to be the natural leader of this usually rambunctious pack of boys, broke the silence. "If you're hungry, now would be a good time to eat. Or go home and change." He looked at me as he said this. "I'll be here when you get back. And you know I will call if anything changes."

I nudged Jacob. "Hey, let's go get something to eat. I know you've got to be hungry. And I sure could use a change of clothes." I offered him a small smile.

He nodded without looking at me and stood up. I took his hand and started out of the waiting room, leading him behind me. Once we were in the hallway, I called Alice.

"Hey, Alice. Can you bring me a change of clothes? And, I think Jake has a pair of sweatpants and a shirt somewhere in there, too. Can you bring him those?"

"Sure, I'll be there in a little bit." She seemed relieved to finally have a way to help us. That was just like Alice.

"Okay, call me when you get here and I'll meet you out front." We hung up just as Jake and I were getting on the elevator to go downstairs to the cafeteria.

A few moments later, we got off the elevator. Jake pulled me around the corner away from the cafeteria.

"Jake, you're going the wrong way," I said to him. It was almost a relief to see him take charge and do something. The hall was a dead end. He stopped at the end and pushed me up against the wall, kissing me in a way he'd never done before. I was stunned.

"Bella, I've been thinking, and I need to tell you something." He took a deep breath before continuing. "You know I have a bike, too. And I know you hate it when I ride it and I guess this is why. They told me they were going to ride tonight. The only reason I didn't go is because of Jasper's party. All I could think about the whole time we were just up there sitting was that it could have been me in that accident tonight."

"No, Jake, you can't think like that. You don't--"

"No, Bella, it could have been. And it's made me face some things I had been afraid to see.

"My whole world got brighter the moment you appeared in it. I know you so well I can anticipate when you're going to fall down. I can finish your sentences like they were my own. I know you want to take it slow and I respect that. I know it was a huge step for you allowing me to stay over. But, Bella, I can't imagine anyone else close enough to catch you or hold you or kiss you." He paused before continuing, making sure he had my full attention. "I don't know any other way to tell you, so I'm just going to say it."

I had a sick feeling in my stomach about what he was trying to say. I tried hard to keep my breathing under control and not hyperventilate. I wasn't ready for this. I certainly didn't know how to handle it, but I knew I couldn't stop him from telling me.

"Bella, I love you."

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