(A/N): Hi. Thanks for the couple of tags on my story. Still no reviews, but hope those are coming

Still no BR, so I hope it's still bearable for those reading this as I am still trying to find one.

As a note, I have drawn my plan/frame for the whole story. I have some twist coming, hope you guys are in for it.

I checked, and sadly I still don't own the sandbox or any of the cool toys in it. (i.e. SM owns everything)

Chapter II

Bella's POV

There I was, in Jacob's room as he was going through his small closet for something dry for me to wear while my damp clothes clutching my body would go into the dryer, I hoped. I was still shaking like a leaf as said clothes where like a second skin of ice clinging to me like a leech drawing all my body heat.

'There we go' he said half heartedly with a forced grin.

I knew he still had his mind distracted with what was going on with Harry. He pulled out a black t-shirt that looked way too big for me, but it also looked dry and comfortable.

'You're lucky; it's my last and only clean shirt right now' he whispered, smiling sheepishly.

Kind of cute and gross all rolled into one. Only Jacob could have that effect on me, and I say that in a very positive way.

'Thanks Jake. I'll make sure not to dirty your last clean shirt. Not that you seem to be using any of them lately' I replied back with a grin.

He genuinely smiled, his eyes twinkled a little bit as he handed me the shirt. For a moment our eyes met and I knew no matter what the situation was, we would still be us, connected.

As I held the clean,dry shirt in my hands, I looked around the room, balancing myself on the balls of my feet awkwardly. I then stared back at Jake who still didn't seem to get the subtle message I was trying to convey.

'Hmm, Jake. Could you like, give me a moment here?' I said gently, feeling some heat that was somehow ignoring my frozen limbs but had time to rush straight to my cheeks.

'Oh right Bells, sorry bout that' he replied, having the decency to look a bit ashamed at my embarrassment.

As he got out of his room and closed the door, I quickly undressed, my clothes becoming a small pile of wet materials at my feet and as I threw his big t-shirt over my head I could smell him. Even if the shirt was clean, and it was, his woodsy aroma still clung to it somehow.

I felt a shiver, the good kind, run along my spine and send goose bumps all over my skin.

Bad Bella, come on; let's not turn this into something it's not.

I grabbed my pile of wet clothes and as I slightly opened Jacob's door to peek into the living room, he was sprawling on the ground in front of the couch where I could see a couple of blankets waiting for me.

'Mind if I throw these into the dryer?' I said, coming out of his room looking at everything except him.

For some strange reason, I didn't want to look into his face as he was eyeing me wearing his shirt. This was nothing more than a nice gesture from him, but I felt once again he would read more into this than he should.

Lately, he seemed to do that a lot and it was infuriating to no end. I didn't know why it got me so much, maybe because I couldn't lose this friendship. Friendship was the wrong word; I knew it was way more than this for me, and for him, well, way more than way more.

That didn't make a lot of sense, but my brain was mush right now and I couldn't function properly I guess.

'Earth to Bella, you sure you didn't hit your head or something? Dryer is in the kitchen' he muttered teasingly.

I had to pay attention, seems he was talking to me while I was talking to myself talking about him.

'Yea sorry, be right back' I said heading to the kitchen where the dryer was.

I threw my wet clothes in and started the old dryer. I was expecting it to sound like my truck for a reason I couldn't explain. But the old thing didn't make a lot more sound than Charlie's dryer. To be fair, my dad's dryer didn't look any younger then the Black's.

I headed back to the couch, very glad to hide under something dry to warm, and to cover, myself. I was feeling very self conscious. I knew Jacob was looking at me. I guess it's a guy thing. From what I gathered, you could look like hell, all wet and dishevelled, but if you wore one of their shirt you were cute or sexy, or a mix of both I guess.

But in all fairness to Jake, he wasn't ogling me, and to be even more honest and petty, it did flatter me a little bit.

His head was leaning back against the couch near my chest and I could see him fighting with his eyelids to keep them open, but that was one fight he wasn't winning.

I felt an urge to run my fingers through his hair, to feel the warmth of his skin under my fingers. And before I could find the courage to slip my hands from under the cover of the blanket, his breathing was steadying and I could hear the start of a low snoring emanating from him.

He was tired, and in this exact moment I felt bad for him, and somehow angry at myself for blaming him for my loneliness today. He was working himself to death with those wolf patrols, and keeping me entertained, juggling all of it and trying to keep everyone happy and protected. I could see him aging before me, the dark circles below his eyes becoming a constant feature on his otherwise handsome face.

In this moment, watching him sleep peacefully, without any worry or misplaced guilt written on his face, I could see my old and new Jacob in his face. My best friend and my sun.

I knew I didn't want to jump on this new train of thought, but my head was grasping at anything to be occupied in this moment in time, and he seemed to be all my mind could focus on. It didn't sound right as I thought about it, lately when I couldn't distract myself all my thoughts ran to Edward, or the figment of him torturing me willingly.

There I had to go and do it, I was thinking about the both of them right now. I felt bad doing it, I felt like I was betraying everything I believed in and crossing lines that had no business being crossed.

Slowly Jacob was starting to get restless in his sleep, like he was having a nightmare. His head shaking a little bit, jerking left and right lightly as his breathing started to become irregular.

Before I could think about it, I reached for his head and with my right hand and started to run my fingers through his still damp dark hair soothingly.

'Shhh Jake, go back to sleep' I whispered while running my fingers slowly and gently from the back of his head to his forehead.

But my efforts were soon undone when the phone rang loudly in the quiet house, as the only sound before that was the low drumming of my clothes in the dryer in the next room and Jake's breathing.

Jake jumped to his feet, and ran for the phone in a swift effortless motion, like he wasn't even deep asleep a moment ago.

I looked at his back, his broad shoulders as he picked up the phone, trying to discern anything from his part of the discussion after he muttered a low greeting when he answered the call.

I could see in a moment it was bad news as his shoulders, his beautiful muscular shoulders slumped in an instant as he guided the phone back to its cradle to end the call. I tossed the blankets aside and went to stand behind him, with way less grace and fluidity he showed a moment earlier.

As I approached him, I could feel the guilt, the responsibility crashing onto him, like he was in that moment having to hold the weight of the world on his shoulder. I felt like I had to shield him from this burden, even if for just a moment, an instant. He looked like a kid in a grown up body when he turned to face me, his eyes filled with tears.

He was fighting them, refusing for them to stream down his cheeks, but one did pierce his barrier and a moment later another one before he defiantly wiped them with the back of his hand.

'What is it Jake?' I asked trying to sound courageous for him, but my voice broke on every word as my mind tried to fight the inevitable truth it had already grasped from the situation.

Jacob shook his head, trying to make sense of it all. He looked so vulnerable in this moment that without thinking about it, I threw my small arms around his huge waist. I could feel the warmth of his naked torso against my body with only the thin layer of his shirt separating us.

'Oh, it's going to be okay Jake.' I whispered to him, looking up into his eyes.

'I don't know Bella, it was Billy on the phone. It's Harry, he…' and he choked on the words. He was staring into my eyes, trying to be brave.

I closed my eyes for a moment, squeezing my arms harder around his waist, trying to comfort him.

'He didn't make it?' I choked out myself, trying to keep my voice even for our sake but again broke on every word.

He simply nodded, confirming what my mind had already put together minutes ago but my conscience was refusing to take the call.

As I opened my eyes and stared back into his again, I could see the pain. Like two dark dots on the beauty and warmth of my sun, my own personal blazing star. All I wanted was to make him happy again, if just for a moment. Like he had done for me every day since he who was not to be named went away.

Without thinking about it, trying to push back all thoughts of him, the one not to be named, away I pushed up on the tip of my toes to plant a kiss on his cheek.

For a moment he stared confusingly into my eyes as he reared his head back a little, but as if we were dancing a dance, we both leaned into each other and before I could put any logical thought in it, we were crushing our lips together while he grabbed me gently by the shoulders.

And then the phone rang again with authority. I stepped back form the kiss, staring at the floor trying to avoid his eyes.

Jake picked up the phone on the third ring.