Author's Note: Hello Angels! I'm very disappointed. I only got 2 reviews on yesterdays chapter but 53 of you read it. I don't know if you realize it or not but you don't have to have a fanfic account to leave reviews. So that being said, I hope to hear from more of you about today's chapter! This one is a bit sad so be prepared. Here you have it the next thrilling chapter...

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Disclaimer: Stephenie Meyer owns it all.

Chapter 7

Thursday evening I was packing and getting ready to go to Seattle the next day when I heard Conner and Jasper shouting from the sidewalk in front of the house. I ran down the stairs thinking Conner had hurt himself. I ran down the front steps and stopped short. Jasper was standing at the corner of the lawn watching Conner ride up and down the sidewalk by himself and without training wheels. I walked over to Jasper and he put his arm around me.

"He did it! I can't believe how fast he learned. And he only fell four times." he said, squeezing my shoulder.

"Thank you." I whispered softly, with tears in my eyes.

"What for Angel?" he asked, looking down at me in confusion.

"Everything. But right now for teaching our son to ride a bike. If it had been left up to me he never would have learned."

Jasper stepped behind me wrapped his arms around my waist and rested his chin on my shoulder. We both waved and Conner as he rode past us. "Your welcome, but you don't have to thank me. Like you said he's our son. I do think of him as mine, and this is something fathers teach their sons."

I was so happy at that moment but I couldn't help but feel it wouldn't last long. I was too happy and things are too perfect I can't help but wonder when the other shoe will drop, and what that shoe will be.

The next morning everyone met at our house for breakfast. Conner made everyone go outside and watch him ride his bike. I don't know who was more proud Conner or Jazz. The amount of control Conner has over the Cullen family amazes me. Alice came with Edward this morning because Conner had called her last night and asked her to come watch him ride his bike. And now she has to endure the rather boring 2 hour trip back to Seattle. I find it funny that a 6 year old has more control over her than the rest of the family combined. Who knew all it would take was someone half her size, who had her trademark puppy dog eyes perfected so that even she couldn't resist them, I told her she would regret teaching him that look.

After breakfast the guys headed off, promising to keep a close eye on Conner. The girls and I cleaned the kitchen and talked about everything we needed to get done this weekend. Alice was literally pulling at her hair because she only had 7 weeks left and I still hadn't found my dress.

"Bella, I brought you something. Don't feel like you have to wear it. I just thought I would show it to you and maybe it would help you get an idea of what your looking for." Esme said coming back from the living room holding a garment bag. She handed the bag to Rosalie who held it up for her as she unzipped it. A beautiful cream colored gown flowed out of the bag. It was sleeveless and had delicate beadwork that formed dark red swirls on the bodice and around the bottom hem. I was speechless, this was the dress I had been looking for, I didn't know that before but now that I had seen it I knew that this was it.

"Oh Esme, its perfect!" I sighed, still in awe, walking over to touch the delicate silk.

"It was my wedding dress and I would be honored if you wore it." she said, watching me happily.

"I would love to wear it! Are you sure you don't mind?"

"Of course not. Now lets go try it on and see if we need to have any alterations made." she replied leading me toward the stairs.

Esme helped me into the dress, telling me all about her wedding day and how this dress had made her feel like the most beautiful bride ever. "I was wrong. It looks far better on you than it ever did on me." she laughed.

The dress fit perfectly, clinging to my upper body and flaring out at my waist. But I looked at my reflection worriedly.

"What's wrong dear? Don't you like it?" Esme asked.

"No, I love it Esme but do you think it will still fit in two months?" I asked concerned.

"I think it will be fine but we can always have you try it on again closer to the wedding and have alterations made then." she said, reassuringly. Alice and Rosalie came in to see what was taking so long. They both gasped when they saw me.

"Bella, you look amazing!" Rosalie said.

Alice was walking in circles around me looking me up and down. "Its perfect Esme! I wish you had shown it to her sooner. I feel like I can breath for the first time in months! I was so worried Bella wouldn't ever find a dress she wanted. Now for the bridesmaids dresses. I think the red color of the beadwork will be beautiful for our dresses. What do you think Bells?" she asked still looking me over.

"I agree it is a very pretty red. I think I want the accent color to be black. Maybe we can find something with beadwork to match my dress and have it done in black." I said still looking in the mirror.

Alice looked very excited. "You know Bella, this is the first time you've actually said you wanted something. Usually your just telling me no and saying I'm going overboard. I think black accents would be very elegant."

They helped me out of the dress and we put it back in the bag. Alice took it back to her house so Jasper wouldn't be able to see it. Because he'd seen Esme an Carlisle's wedding pictures Alice insisted we not tell him that I would be wearing Esme's dress. The weekend passed rather quickly. We found everything on Alice's list including the bridesmaids dresses, Esme and Renee's dresses and tuxes for all the guys. And before I knew it, it was Sunday and Esme and Rose were dropping me off in front of my house. Jasper and Conner weren't back yet so after unpacking all my stuff I left them a note and headed down to La Push to see Billy.

I pulled up in front of Billy's house twenty minutes later, I could hear the t.v. as I walked up on the porch. He was watching a baseball game from what I could tell. I nervously knocked on the door and waited. The last time I had saw Billy we hadn't left on good terms and I wasn't sure how he was going to react to me being here. After five minutes he hadn't answered so I knocked again and opened the door slowly. "Billy? It's Bella." I called, sticking my head through the door and looking around. I pushed the door open and froze. I couldn't breath. Sitting there on the couch next to his father was Jacob Black. "Jake?" was all I managed to say before passing out.

I woke up to someone pressing a cool, wet cloth on my forehead. "Bella? Can you hear me?" a very familiar voice asked. I squeezed my eyes tighter in confusion, trying to remember what had happened. I came to see Billy…okay so why am I laying down? Then it all came rushing back and I snapped my eyes open. Jacob was kneeling on the floor next to me holding the cloth that he had been pressing against my face. "Are you alright?" he asked.

"Jacob? Are you really here? Where have you been?" I asked sitting up and launching myself at him. I hugged him as if he were going to disappear again if I let him go.

"I'm sorry Bella. Yes, I'm really here, you weren't supposed to see me. You can't tell anyone I'm here." he said pulling away from me.

I looked at him confused. "What are you talking about? Your home, don't you want to see your son? Where have you been anyways?" I demanded, starting to get angry.

"I'm so sorry Bella." he said again. " I would love to see Conner but I can't. Do you remember the last training camp Charlie sent me on?"

"Yes, what does that have to do with anything?" I asked, completely confused and getting angrier with every passing second.

"I was best at the camp and there were people there recruiting. They explained to me what they were recruiting for and asked me to join them. All I can tell you is that I work for a branch of the military helping stop terrorists." he explained.

"So why didn't you just explain that to me? Why did you just disappear leaving me and your four year old son to think you were dead? Do you have any idea how hard that was on us?" I asked. I was beyond angry and had moved on to rage induced tears.

"I'm sorry. I left the way I did because that was what I was ordered to do. It was to keep you safe. I only came back now because Billy is so sick." he said sadly. "I never meant to come back at all but I had to see my father again before he dies."

I had just notice that we were alone. "Billy…he knew about this the whole time and never said anything to me?"

Jacob shook his head. "He knew I was alive and that he couldn't tell anyone but that's all. I've been watching you, you know. I'm glad you're so happy and that you've found someone to take care of you and Conner. I can't believe how big he is. I saw him riding his bike the other day, you have no idea how much it hurt to hear him call Jasper Daddy. I can't tell you how much it hurts me everyday knowing that the two of you are here and I can never come back to you without putting your lives in extreme danger."

I was beyond irate. How dare he. "No, Jacob Black, you do not get to sit here and tell me how hard this is for YOU. And that you've been watching us! I can't believe you! This was YOUR choice. YOU chose to leave your family. YOU chose to go running off around the world to fulfill your hero complex. YOU chose to leave behind your four year old son, so I don't want to hear how hard it is for YOU to hear him call someone else Daddy! Do you know that Sam almost missed the birth of his daughter because he was chasing down a lead on your "disappearance"? That my father had the entire force looking for you for months? That your son woke up crying for you in the middle of the night and I apparently lied to him over and over telling that his Daddy didn't leave him on purpose?" I screamed at him. He was almost in tears.

"Believe it or not Bella, I did this to try and make this country safer for our son. To try to make the world a little better place for him to grow up in. If I could have done that and stayed with my family I would have. What would you have done if you had been given that opportunity?" he said quietly.

"Jake, I'm sorry, I shouldn't have said that whole hero complex thing. I am so angry at you! I don't know if I'll ever be able to forgive you for what you put us through. But I can kind of understand what your saying and I'm sure I'll understand better after I've had time to calm down and think. I am glad your alive, I've missed you so much! But I don't ever want to see you again Jacob. Especially if its dangerous to be around you. I have to think about Conner. And Jasper and I are getting married in a few months. I actually came here to tell your dad that I'm pregnant. So there's another child that I'm protecting too. I'm sorry your son won't be able to grow up knowing you but I can't take that risk."

"Your right, and there's no need for you to apologize I did choose this. And don't worry you won't ever see me again because it is too dangerous. But I'll check on you guys from time to time and make sure your alright. Just be happy Bella. You can tell Jasper what I've told you because I'm sure he's going to want to know why your so upset, but you must make him understand that neither of you can ever tell anyone else."

My anger was melting away as I realized that I was getting an opportunity I didn't have last time, a chance to say goodbye to my best friend. I was sobbing as I stood up and walked over to him. He wrapped his arms around me and we cried together. I'm not sure how long we stood like that, I kept clinging to him because I knew that when I pulled away this time he really would disappear again, forever. When my tears finally ran out I told him that I would never let Conner forget him and he told me that if when he retired, many years from now, he was absolutely positive it was safe he would find us again. He walked me to the door and after making me vow not tell anyone other than Jasper he kissed me goodbye and slipped a card in my hand.

'General Richard Hadley' followed by a phone number were the only things on the card. I looked up a Jacob questioningly. "In case there's ever an emergency and you have to get a hold of me, he's the only man who will be able to help you. And if he's retired whoever takes his place will still have this number. But please, don't use it unless you have to." I nodded and turned away. He watched me walk to my car. I could still see him standing in the doorway as I drove away, tears streaming down his face and it hurt just as bad as the day my father told me he was missing.

AN: Just wanted to say I know nothing about militiary procedures or recruiting I just made stuff up to fit my storyline. Hope you liked it I tried not to make Jake too bad of a guy because I do like him. Until tomorrow angels! Much love, quickbunny01