Disclaimer: Twilight belongs to Stephenie Meyer

A/N: So, I'm a musically emotional person. Whether it's while I read or paint or write, I believe there's music that just fits every moment of life. That may not be your thing. But if you like to hear the songs that are in my head while I write, than I'd say this chapter is highly reliant on Red' "Hold Me Now." There's even a lyric video on their YouTube channel if you want to check it out.

*** Chapter 6 – Piece Me Back Together ***

Three days….it might as well have been fifty.

Bella had sprinted away from the bonfire and the pack with vampiric speed and by the time Mat tried to follow her exit, he found that she had shielded her scent from the surroundings and therefore cut off any chance of tracking her trail. He had taken to four feet and darted through the trees, cutting a path to the ocean ledge, over to the river, anywhere he had known her to visit in the past, but found no sign of her presence. Frustrated for not following the instinct to immediately shift and go after her when she had broken from the group that night, Mat had grown sullen over the days that followed Bella's disappearance.

To put it simply, he missed her.

He argued the issue internally, this twist in his feelings for her. True, she was a vampire, and by nature, an enemy. Initially he felt compelled to treat her as a cold blooded killer; every move she made was questioned. But, then he found that he enjoyed her company more than that of his pack mates. Reasoning that maybe it was the late arrival of his presence in the group, the distance created by not sharing years of memories growing up together on the res with the other guys, he initially dismissed the spark of interest, but more than that, he enjoyed her. Whether it was the humorous siblingesque banter she shared with the other guys without being childish, the love and care she showed each member of the pack and their loved ones, or her fierce personality that wouldn't bend under his scrutiny but met him step for step defending that she had as much right to be on the reservation as he. Hell, the way she had taunted him in the beginning with her body caused his pulse to race and still created havoc with his thoughts.

More than the curves of her waist, her smile and almost musical laugh, or the way the sun brought out the red streaks in her hair, Mat kept falling back to the look on her face when she whispered those last few words. She had been shattered, grieving over loss yet to happen but would eventually come to pass. No matter the brave front she had plastered on her face when she convinced Jacob that it was right for him to give up phasing and join his family, Mat could see that the reality of a future without her best friend was cutting jagged tears into her heart and she was hurting. He was such a fool for having let her run.

Gritting his teeth in annoyance at having made another trek through the woods and coming up empty, Mat settled into a creaky wooden chair at the massive dinner table at Sam's.

He picked at the chicken and rice mixture on his cheerful sunshine yellow plate, not really paying attention to the conversations going on around him. Taking a pull from his iced tea, Mat caught Jacob's questioning look over the rim of the glass.

Jacob looked like shit.

If Mat was kicking himself for not chasing after Bella, Jacob was tearing himself apart for being the reason why she ran. He knew Mat was looking for the missing female,

and had even taken to running alongside him a few times.

For what seemed like the hundredth time, Jacob questioned with his eyes and Mat shook his head in the negative. Jacob sighed and put down his fork, pushing his chair back from the table. Cali placed a hand on his forearm, looking up at her husband with question and concern, feeling helpless to try and take away some of the pain and personal responsibility Jacob was carrying on his shoulders. Jacob just squeezed her hand as it slid through his fingers, continuing with his exit from the table and out the back door.

Mat put his head down, ignoring the looks of the other table members, not wanting to see their wordless questions. For Seth and some of the younger guys, it was hopeful expectation that he had found her. She was the cherished older sister. From Paul and Quil, it was a question of why Mat was so interested in the woman. They were always dissecting his actions, trying to make sense of his searching so diligently for a woman he couldn't stand weeks before. And Leah, she was so pissed at Mat and Jacob, she constantly vibrated with anger. She blamed Mat for not stopping her friend and hated Jacob his happily-ever-after life that was causing Bella pain. It didn't matter that the latter was really a result of intentional actions, Leah needed someone to place the blame for Bella's disappearance and Jacob was too beat down to tell her to go fuck herself.

Meals had taken a slightly somber tone since a piece of the pack – and, even though she was a vampire, she was theirs – had fallen away. Jokes were forced, pulling pranks on each other were sporadic and not much effort was put in.

They all missed her.

Mat cleaned off his plate and made his way out into the twilight and down the path to the beach. Jacob was sitting on a fallen tree, staring out over the waves that continued to push inward and outward from the shore. He cleared his throat to alert the pack leader to his presence.

Jacob stood up, "Follow me; I want to show you something."

Making for the trees, Jacob quickly stripped down and sprinted into the darkening woods. Mat followed.

The pair crossed over the border of the reservation and into the surrounding woodland. They were eating up the miles as they moved away north-east from Forks and stopping near the edge of the Olympic National Park. Jacob finally slowed down and came to a stop next to a small wooden cabin.

He phased and headed towards the porch while Mat stayed back a few feet lifting his snout into the air. He inhaled and froze.

He could smell her. She had been here.

The smell wasn't fresh, but as he approached the front porch on all fours, the scent grew stronger with each pull of air he dragged in. He phased when he reached the steps and followed Jacob to the front door. Jacob pulled a key from the ledge of the door frame, placing it in the lock and letting himself in.

Mat looked around at the one-room cabin. There was a worn brown leather couch and recliner sitting in front of the fireplace. The hardwood floors were smooth, the finish having been worn through in spots of heavy traffic. Colorful woven rugs were scattered throughout – beneath the small dining set next to the front window, beside the edge of the queen size bed that was covered with a quilt of jewel tones, in front of the couch. An overstuffed bookshelf was lining one far wall, one row of books pushed against the back of the unit, another placed in front. More books with dog eared pages were on the table next to the couch, a few on the bedside table. A large window ran the length of the bed, curtains drawn back so Mat could see the forest stretching beyond the property. The small kitchen was completely bare. There were no dishes in the sink and the refrigerator didn't appear to be plugged in.

"It was her father's hunting cabin," Jacob answered the unspoken question running through Mat's head.

"I don't smell anyone else from the pack," Mat continued his inspection, "Does no one else know this is here?"

Jacob shook his head, crossing his arms, "This is her space. She needed a place to go, separate from us, from the pack. She showed it to me once before, but I always felt it necessary to respect her wishes, to give her this reprieve from our lives. You know she doesn't sleep?"

Mat nodded mutely.

"With all those hours, I think she must come here from time to time. I've never really asked what she does. I suppose that was wrong of me, not caring enough to ask."

"Well obviously she does some reading," Mat made his way over to the shelves and inspected the layers of books resting there, "Why are you showing me this?"

Jacob scratched his chin, "That is the question. I don't know what's going on between you two. Last month you hated her, the past few days, you're like a caged tiger pacing back and forth, looking for her. Either way, you seem to care, and I don't think I'm the answer to what she needs at this time. Pretty sure I'm the jackass to blame for this mess."

"So, I'm showing you this place because I was hoping that maybe she was here. Maybe this was where she had disappeared to…"

"Has she ever run off like this before?"

"No," Jacob swallowed the emotions trying to push to the surface, "But, we were always careful not to talk about what would happen if I gave up the wolf. When Cali came on the scene, she was barely 19. We thought we had years before the age difference became so noticeable that I'd give up phasing. The twins, God, I'm so fucking happy about those babies…"

Mat picked up the unsure tremor in Jacob's statement, "But?"

"But what about her? It isn't fair to tie her to us knowing we'll all pass away one by one."

Mat didn't try and assuage Jacob's feelings, merely nodded without verbal response.

Jacob turned back towards the front door, "I'm heading out. It's obvious she hasn't been here recently. Hell, I don't know where she is."

"Do you mind if I stick around?"

Jacob shrugged, "Suit yourself, just lock up when you leave."

Matt watched the man leave and heard massive paws stir up the pine needles as Jacob made his way back into the woods. He closed his eyes inhaled deeply pulling in Bella's scent, letting it take up residence in his lungs. It was two parts soothing, and three parts stimulating the ache he had for her.

He opened his eyes and made his way over to an oil lamp, lighting it with one of the long matches in the canister beside it. The smell of burning fuel crept into the air, and warm light glowed within the hurricane glass enclosure. Turning up the flame to give his animal eyesight a rest, he made his way over to the fireplace mantel to look at the small collection of framed pictures. There was a black and white photo of Jacob's dad with an unfamiliar male that Mat assumed was Bella's father. They were smiling proudly, holding up two large fish for the camera. Moving over to the next frame, there was younger Jacob with a gap toothed brunette in pig tails. They were holding hands, soaking wet with little drops of water sparkling on the girl's freckled cheeks, standing on a lake side dock in bathing suits. Mat could recognize Bella as a young girl in the picture, and he grinned from the happiness that radiated between the pair. Finally there was one of the unknown man seated on the bench of a picnic table, a teenage Bella seated on his lap, her arms wrapped around his neck as they both grinned at the photographer. She appeared to be slightly younger than the Bella he was familiar with.

"I don't remember calling the pound and asking them for a stray."

Mat jumped at her voice, razor-sharp coming from the still open doorway. He turned and gasped in surprise.

If he thought Bella was affectionate and loving before, the woman standing in the doorway could have passed for her colder twin. She was frighteningly beautiful. Onyx eyes pierced him, the skin beneath appeared purpled and slightly bruised. Soft curves had given away to sharp lines and thinned skin, almost giving her a transparent, pearlescent sheen. Dressed in a black tank top and dark jeans, her hair was loose and free flowing, framing her face in a dark curtain making her appear even paler. She was a cold, bitter siren, pulling at him even though he could barely recognize her as the woman he had been searching for.

"Fuck, Bella, when's the last time you fed?" Mat questioned.

He had forgotten just how fast she could move, and before he could blink he was pinned up against the wall of the cabin, the wood creaking from the force. Her arm was at his throat, holding him in place, and she closed her eyes as she inhaled his scent. Lids snapping open, Mat could see that all color had drained from her irises, there were just those drowning black pools.

"Nice of you to bring the meal to me," she cooed, nails of her free hand scratching down the stubble on his cheek and finger settling on his pulse point.

His heart rate took off, adrenaline coursing through his veins. Like a small bird trapped by a predator, the beats tripped over each other as they hammered inside his ribs. This was the killer released from her cage, heartless and without a second thought to the value of frail human life. She was a gorgeous storm, full of vengeance and wrath, seeking to devour the man held captive in her claws.

He closed his eyes, cutting off contact with those fathomless depths looking to consume his life force.

Taking a breath he forced words from his lips, "Is that the answer, Bella? Will taking my life make you less lonely?"

She laughed cruelly, "What the fuck do you know about my loneliness, mongrel?"

She pushed against his windpipe, and Mat fought to push down his panic, "I know you love Jacob. I know how much it hurts to lose the people you love, to not be able to stop their exit from your life, to feel helpless as it tears away at your insides."

She moved away from him just the tiniest sliver, allowing him to take in another breath and continue.

"My dad, my mom, my home, gone, Bella. Each piece taken from me and I didn't have the ability to stop any of it."

Instantly the cold air inside the cabin flooded his naked form as Mat found her across the room, staring out the front window into the night. His body slumped down the wall from the sudden release, but the adrenaline still pushed into his skin, spikes of awareness that he wasn't free; she could still kill him before he could move to escape.

Bella burst into a hysterical trill of laughter, "Did you know I asked for this? I fucking begged for it? To be changed into this creature, a vampire, immortal and unstoppable."

"God, what a little fool I was back then. Thinking a never-ending life spent with the man I loved would be heaven," Bella worried at the nail on her thumb, pulling on a strand of her hair, eyes meeting Mat's face again.

He let her words sink in before asking, "Wait, I thought you were attacked."
Bella grinned sadly, "Oh, that was after he left me. The vampire I was stupid enough to think I loved and loved me in return. He and his family, they left."

"Leaving, left, behind, gone, all alone, everyone leaves in the end," Bella giggled madly.

Mat took a step towards her, "I'm not leaving you, Bella."

The force of the statement shocked him, realizing the truth in the words as they tumbled from his lips.

"In fact, I've been looking for you ever since you ran away the other night."

She bent over in laughter, pulling her hair as she slid down the wall and curled in on herself, sitting on the floor. She wrapped spindly arms around her torso and rocked as she looked up at him, "You're not leaving?"

Anger fueled the words she spit out next, "Liar! You just haven't set eyes on the right woman yet, then your cock will take the lead and you'll run after her like a dog in heat. Stupid fucking werewolves and their imprints."

"Who says I want any of that, Bella? I didn't get to choose what happened to my parents. I didn't have a say in this stupid transformation into an unrecognizable beast! And I sure as hell don't need someone else picking some girl who can't figure out why she's interested in me, but I'm just supposed to shack up with her and have the next generation of tribe warriors."

Bella put her hands in her lap, and refused to look at him when she replied softly, "But, you can't stop it."

Mat sat next to her on the wooden floor, "You're right. I can't. But, I'm not looking, that's for damn sure. Maybe I can just stay here in your cabin. I'm sure you've got enough books on those shelves that I could hide for a few months."

Bella snorted, "I don't have any food unless you're going to join me hunting deer for breakfast, lunch and dinner."

Mat grimaced at the thought, "Maybe we could order take out?"

It started with a little laugh in response to his joke and then she was giggling, which gave in to laughter. The words really hadn't been that funny, but she needed the snap back to the light, to let go of the pain that had been breaking off pieces of her heart the past few days.

Mat turned his face to watch her as the laughter died down. She still appeared frail, taught with emotion, but he could finally see a glimpse of the girl who had plagued his dreams. She sat up and leaned her head against his shoulder, two people sharing a small piece of wall in a cabin the middle of nowhere. He shivered from the contact and she looked up at the movement.

He held his breath, she didn't need to breathe.

His heart rate started to pick up again, she felt an ache and pull in her chest.

His eyes looked down to her mouth, her tongue darted out to lick at her lips.

He lowered his head slowly, she turned her face up to meet his descent.

Mat didn't know what he was expecting when he started to kiss her, he only knew he couldn't resist the pull. His body was exhausted from searching for her, only to find a beautiful broken mess that was falling apart at the seams. She had threatened to take his life just moments before, but now he wanted to push all the life he had into her.

She suckled on his lower lip and he groaned in return. He wrapped her hair in a fist and pulled her closer to him, inhaling the spicy scent that calmed and excited him at the same time. Tongues slid against one another, fire and ice, burning and melting, push, pull, give, take, fighting for dominance.

Bella twisted her body and moved into his lap, pushing her hand into his hair, and he placed hands on hips to pull her body even closer. She let go of his mouth long enough to slant her lips down the side of his throat, and he gasped in air, hardening under her as she ground into him.

Blood pumped beneath his skin…pulse racing…mmmm, yes, yes, YES…..liquid lust….more, more, give it to me…and Bella froze.

Mat felt her stiffen and looked up at her shocked expression.

"We have to stop."

Mat shifted awkwardly, his arousal brushing against the textured denim of her jeans. He gritted teeth and closed his eyes, "Did I do something wrong? I'm sorry, I thought we were both…"
Bella jumped up and stepped away, "No, no, it's not that…I haven't fed since I left that night…and you, God, you're just…"

Mat realized what she was saying, "You're trying not to attack me?"

Bella looked at him and smirked, "Something like that."
"I don't think I'd mind so much anymore."

Bella smiled at his response and then shook her head, "I'm just going to go hunt...are you going to….will you, um, be here when I get back?"

"Can I come with you?" Mat questioned, "It took me long enough to find you, I'd rather not let you run off so soon."

She twirled a lock of hair around her finger, and shook her head in a yes, "I didn't expect you to come find me…you…you're…thank you."

Mat was taken back by the heartfelt sincerity in her voice. He didn't trust himself to say anything in response, so he stood up and walked past Bella, shaking off his aroused state and shifting into wolf form before looking over his shoulder to find her standing in the doorway. He cocked his head as if to say, "You coming?"

Bella smiled and took off lightening fast into the woods.

A/N: Shew, I feel a little worn out writing that little roller coaster ride of emotions. I think I covered almost all of them! What'd you think? I don't think we're finished with them clashing, but I think we've shifted to knitting these two together from here on out. Reviews are lovely! Xoxo- Ginja