~7~

I dropped my backpack and flung myself into the arms of my best friend. I felt his warmth engulf me.

"Jacob!" I cried. "You're back!"

He laughed, "Hey Nessie. I'm glad to see I've been missed."

"Of course you have! Everyone missed you!" I answered back promptly.

I stepped back out of his arms to study him and make sure he was really there and not just a figment of my imagination.

I saw the smile on his face shrink and turn to an expression I did not recognize. He stared at me, his face in shock. I glanced over at the rest of my family and saw the muscles in my father's body tense up and his expression turn to anger.

"Jacob", he growled.

I knew what gave Jacob that face. I had looked so much different than the last time he saw me. I went from a 14 year old to a 16 year old in a matter of 6 months.

I turned around and leaned on the staircase. Was my friend disapproving of the new way I looked? Was I not Nessie to him anymore?

"I know I look different. I wish I didn't have to change either. I know I'm not as good looking as I was." I said to him.

That snapped him out of it. "Not as good looking? Nessie your beautiful. It was just hard to recognize you. I didn't picture you that way in my memory," he said to me.

I turned back to him. "Really?"

"Really." He walked over to me and put his arms around me and we hugged in another embrace.

I heard my father clear his throat. "We should probably go to the kitchen and discuss what's been going on back in La Push, Jacob" he said sternly.

"Oh, uh, yeah", replied Jacob. He let go of me and followed my father into the kitchen. I went after them. We all sat around the table. I went to take the seat next to Jacob, but my father had already reached it. I sat in between my mother and Alice.

Carlisle started the conversation, sitting at the head of the table. "So Jacob", he started, "why don't you tell us what's been going on back in La Push?"

"We've been following the vampires for months now, trying to chase them out of Washington for good, but we've only gotten as far as Canada and somehow they sneak back and every time that they do, there's more with them. When I left, there were about 15 we were after. When we started, there were only 5. Our pack has already doubled in size since you left. Every day there's more human killings. Washington just isn't safe anymore", Jacob replied.

"Have they really been creating more newborns? I hope this isn't a repeat of what happened six years ago", Carlisle said, his voice sounding worried.

"That's the thing. They're not newborns and there isn't any trace of them being recently transformed vampires. They're just joining the clan from another place." Jacob said, his voice seeming lost in confusion.

The rest of the table went on about possible theories of what these vampires wanted. Their voices all showed worry, but I wasn't worried at all. I was sitting across from Jacob, I no longer had anything to worry about. I studied the color of his russet skin, they was it tightly enclosed around his muscles. I had just realized that he looked different to me too. It seemed as if this struggle with these new vampires left him looking older and more mature than when I had last seen him. His hair was cut short again, making the sternness in his eyes and the hardness in his face more noticeable. Jacob looked intimidating and possibly fearful to the average human, but to me, he was still my beautiful Jacob; glowing all around me and giving me a sense of warmth and joy.

I studied his body for a long time, until I decided to reenter the conversation. Jacob had switched positions, and turned to Carlisle and said, "Sam thinks it's a good idea if you come down to La Push to try and talk to these vampires. He thinks we will get a better understanding of them if one of their kind talks to them."

Carlisle nodded to himself. "I've been thinking about that myself", he said, "I think I will be able to convince them to stop what they're doing and see what they need." He turned toward my father, "I would like you to accompany me Edward. That way, we can see what we are up against before me make any risky moves."

My father nodded to him and said, "Yes, I think that is best."

Just then my mother interrupted, "Jacob, what about Charlie? Is he in danger?"

Jacob just looked down and shook his head, "You know I wanna tell you that he's just fine, Bells, but I can't. Billy and Sue have been trying to look after him, and so has the pack, but there's only so much we can do. He's constantly out with the squad trying to catch who's ever responsible for these killings, and he won't believe us when we tell him it's something out of his range. We've been trying to convince him to leave town, maybe come out here with you guys, but he won't listen."

I saw my mother sniffle, trying to hold back her tears. She turned to Carlisle, "I have to come with you guys. I have to rescue my father. I can't leave him there in this mess. I won't lose him to a pack of vampires. I'll get him to listen to me, I know I will."

"Yes Bella, I think it's good you should come and try to save Charlie. We will need all the help we can get", Carlisle replied.

"In that case, I will come too", said Esme. I knew she was scared for Carlisle, and if he was going, she wanted to be there with him in case anything happened.

"Who will stay here with Renesmee?" added my mother.

Alice spoke up, "Jasper and I will. We'll take care of her, don't worry Bella."

My mother breathed a sigh of relief, "Thank you, Alice."

"Alice, we might be in need of your visions", said Carlisle thoughtfully.

"It will be easier for me to see them here, without the wolves in the way. If I see anything important, I will call you immediately", replied Alice.

"I suppose that is best then", he answered back.

Jacob then spoke up. "Well it's settled then. Carlisle, you, Edward, Esme, and Bella will be leaving with me tomorrow to go back to Forks and La Push. I already talked to Rosalie and Emmett and they and the Denali clan should also be arriving there shortly."

I suddenly felt a thump creep into my throat, as I said, "You're leaving?" I couldn't believe he was already leaving me. He had just got here. What was I supposed to do without him? He was going and taking the rest of my family with him. I would be even more lost than I was before.

He looked at me with his huge glaring eyes for the first time since we were at the table. His expression became pained, "I have to", was all he said.

I fought back the tears that started coming. I looked at him in anger as he turned back toward Carlisle, "I should go and try to touch base with the pact. I don't know if I can hear them from all the way out here, but I'm going to try."

Carlisle nodded as Jacob got up and bounded for the door. As slid from my chair and ran after him. My mother tried to hold me back, but I threw her off of me.

It wasn't until we were outside and I had made it down the porch steps, that I called after him. "Hey….Hey! Where do you think you're going just leaving me like that?"

I watched as he slowly turned around, his expression saddened and deeply hurt, as if he was writhing in pain. "I'm sorry Nessie, but I don't have a choice. I have to go back."

He turned back around. I moved closer to him. "No you don't", I said. "Carlisle and my parents and Esme will be there. They can help Sam and the rest of the pack. You don't need to be there too. They have it covered. Those vamps will be gone in no time, you'll see."

He stayed with his back facing me, "I have to finish what I started. It's my duty to my pack. I'm sorry."

"No, you're not!" I screamed at him. He didn't answer me back. He started walking away. I ran toward him and reached up to tug on his shoulder to make him face me. He let his body move to face me, but he kept his eyes away from face. "You can stay here and protect me", I said to him. "You don't need to protect anyone else but me. You can stay here and protect me, just as you promised when I was little. You promised that you would always be here to protect me and keep me safe!"

"Sometimes people have to break their promises," he uttered into the air.

"Please stay", I begged.

"No", he said half-heartedly.

"Please, please stay. I need you here. I was lost without you. You're my best friend. I don't know what I'll do now with half my family and you gone. I need you, please stay. Please don't break your promise", I begged again.

This time his expression changed from deep hurt and suffering to anger and resentment. I watched as he turned toward me, finally meeting my eyes. "No Nessie. I can't stay here! I can't stay and be your body guard. There's other more important things to take care of. I have to go so just let me!" he yelled.

I stepped back in shock. The rain started to fall, soaking through to my skin, making the pain sting a just a little more.

"So, you're saying that I'm not important?" I asked.

He turned around to face the trees again, "I didn't say that," his tone lower this time.

"Yes you did", I pressed, "you said some things are more important than me."

He turned around to face me, "I DIDN'T SAY THAT!" he yelled. "God Nessie, you just don't get it! I have to be there for my pack! I have to help them! They're my family!"

"You're my family too!" I screamed back at him.

I watched his body start trembling, "I know, but they are in danger right now! I have to help other people! Innocent humans are dying, I have to go! I can't always be here for you. I have other obligations! I have to go back, so your just gonna have to get used to the fact that I won't always be here to make you feel better, but guess what, that's life!" He screamed at me, sarcasm running heavy in his voice.

It stung me and the rain started to fall down harder. I continued to watch his hard face. I scared me to see what my best friend could become. "Well fine, go! I don't care anymore! Don't come back then! It doesn't matter to me anymore, since I no longer matter to you!" I yelled, tears starting to stream.

With that, he turned around and ran into the forest and out of site. "Wait! You just run away as I'm talking to you? Well fine, don't come back! I hate you anyways!" I called into the night. I got no answer, I figured he would come back and swoop me up and apologize to me, but he didn't.

"Did you hear me Jacob Black?! I hate you! Don't ever come back! I hate you! I HATE YOU!" I screamed into the night, but there was still no answer. I then fell to the ground sobbing, letting the rain poor down on me. At last, I felt numerous stone cold arms engulf around me and carry me back out of my misery, but not for long.

I woke up curled in a ball, in total darkness and solitude, my face tear streaked. I recalled the events from a few hours ago and felt the pain in my heart once again. Jacob Black; the boy who was my true best friend, my brother, my everlasting playmate. Jacob Black; the boy who left me to cry, the boy who I hated, the boy who left and took the other half of my heart with him and left me with the dysfunctional half. Jacob Black; the boy that I loved.