Again: I do not own any of this. You knew that. Just sayin'.

Thanks again to my lovely beta, Chef Diamondheart, she makes the world go round. Thanks also to everyone reviewing, it's nice to hear from you, and if you've shut off your PM's, thanks to you, too.

Jake POV

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If there was a way to skip in the car on the way home, I would have found it. A switch had been flipped in Bella's head that I had been on the verge of believing was truly broken. She talked to me about things like never before, and even kissed me. Really kissed me. Wow.

I couldn't wait for tomorrow night. I knew both our dads would be watching our every move, but I also knew they approved, for lack of a better word, of the time we spent together. It was just dinner, too, but I couldn't remember the last time Bells cooked. Used to be when she did a big dinner, Charlie would bring containers full of home cooking with flavors of the southwest, stews that were rich and filling, and deep dishes of fragrant casseroles. If we were very lucky, there would be fruit crisps, pies, or coffee cakes. Charlie was proud of his daughter's talents in the kitchen and he clearly benefited from her care of him. The belt he wore with his uniform had been let out a notch not long after she moved in with him last year.

That same belt had been tightened past the original well worn position to the next tighter one. Bella's self neglect extended to the neglect of all things but schoolwork and the appearance of competence, and Charlie simply didn't fit into that. He no longer visited with batches of leftovers because Bella no longer cooked, and he ate at the diner more often, but not enough to make up the difference. On the occasions that Charlie actually came to see my dad, his face was drawn and he always needed to get back to watch over Bella.

I pulled up to our house and shut off the car. I pulled out the key and let my arms fall to my sides, my head rolling back to smack against the headrest that was entirely too low for my recent change in altitude. A flood of relief, happiness and triumph swept through me and I started to giggle. Seriously. I was giggling like a kid. The giggle morphed into a chuckle, then an all out laugh as I realized that I actually had something I wanted. Something I had always wanted.

Rolling my shoulders and causing my shirt to strain in protest across my chest, I flattened my palms to the roof of the car and started drumming. I was stupid and thrilled and lost in the rhythm of my little moment. My laugh quieted and I sat grinning in my car. My hand touched the door handle, eyes glancing to the house and I spotted my dad, sitting in his chair behind the screen door, smiling at me with a knowing look.

Shit.

I'd been caught. Normally I was completely unguarded around my dad. There's only so many secrets you can keep from someone you have to help shower, you know, but this was different. This was about Bella, and he knew it.

The smile still across my face, I walked up to the house and swung the screen door open, stepped in, and shut both doors. I turned to face my dad, both of us still grinning.

"So, son, have you won the girl?"

I couldn't help but start laughing a little again. I felt like running laps, building a new wing on the house, jumping up and down, and hiring a airplane to drag a sign announcing what must be the best news in the world.

"Bella Swan kissed me. She hugged me, she's talking to me, and she wants to see more of me. Not just to do homework, or kill time, either. I am the luckiest guy alive, and if I died tonight I'd be happy, except that it can only get better from here." Yep, I pretty much spilled my guts in fifteen seconds. I flopped onto the couch and leaned my head back to rest on a cushion. My eyes closed and I felt my whole body hum with sheer joy.

The wheelchair squeaked slightly as dad wheeled into the living room. He was quiet, thinking about something deeply and after a few moments I opened my eyes and looked over to him. He was watching me and considering something. The look was familiar, I had seen the look on Sam Uley's face and it unsettled me.

"Dad, did I do something wrong?" His swift smile replaced the mask of thought he had worn and his expression brightened.

"Not at all. Charlie and I think you two are wonderful for each other. I just..." he trailed off into a mumble.

"What? Please don't say you want me with a local girl instead. You know I've cared about her all my life, and started loving her since she came back."

Dad smiled with a touch of pain in his face. I may have just dealt him a low blow. He always felt he was above the attitude of some here that we shouldn't mix with the whites.

"No, Jake, it isn't that. You're just at a stage in your life- there's going to be lots of changes very soon. I don't want you or her to get hurt."

"I'm not going to hurt her. I could never do that, and the way I feel is not going to change no matter what happens, how I feel about her won't." I was getting a little upset and raising my voice. I felt the heat rise in my face, my back tightening.

My dad's eyes widened momentarily. He raised one hand in a motion signaling me to calm down.

"I wasn't implying that you would, Jake. I just want you to remember that... no matter what happens, you should be careful with her and remember how you feel about her right now."

I had no response to this but to nod, not really understanding what he meant. My dad was normally not the kind to be vague, preferring to be plain and straight forward with me. We were guys, after all, much of our bonding occurring over various engine parts as we rebuilt them on the shop table I would bring to the porch or peering through a magnifying glass over bits of wood as he taught me to carve. Being vague is less than worthless for people who work with their hands.

I provided the help my dad needed to get ready for bed and settled into the couch again to watch television for a few minutes before I went to bed. I stilled buzzed all over and, regardless of what dad said, I knew Bella and I were on a completely new path. I started thinking about all the things that happened tonight and what it meant for the rest of the break. My mind lingered on a few details and I closed my eyes once again, savoring my thoughts.

My neck was stiff when I woke up in the middle of the night, the television still flickering. I stopped in the bathroom on my way to bed, brushing my teeth and washing my face before collapsing in bed to dream again.

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Bella POV

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My dreams came fast. They were confusing and mixed. I was wrapped in warm blankets, basking in the sweet smoky glow of bonfires. Warm tender arms held me and soft lips caressed my cheek. I was in a state of bliss, leaning into those light kisses and pushing myself toward the shoulders and chest that those arms must belong to. I kept moving forward, searching for the big, comforting bulk I needed only to find something cold. In shock, I looked up, expecting deep brown eyes in gleaming russet skin.

I shrank from the amber eyes and granite hard body that was clutching me. The warm caresses were fading, the bonfire heat extinguished and blankets stripped from me. Every source of comfort was being torn away and only the heat of the kisses upon my cheek remained. I pushed and struggled against the cold, my gaze fastened by the honeyed eyes that locked me in their power.

Snapping awake and covered in a sheen of sweat, I sat up in bed and flipped the blankets off my damp body. I drank a glass of water in the bathroom, catching my breath and reminding myself that it was only a dream and he was gone.

When I returned to bed I felt clammy and chilled. I curled into a ball on my side, pulling the blankets tightly around myself and up over my ears, burrowing into them. I started to warm up and drifted into a restful if uneasy sleep.

Morning came more quickly than I expected, but I actually slept until there was thin light spreading over my room and erasing the night's shadowy specter. It was a better night than most, even if there were nightmares. The others had been even less distinct, just feelings of discord interlaced with comforting voices and familiar sights.

The light of day melted away the conflicted sensations of the night, leaving me in a calmer frame of mind. I finally was able to objectively consider all that Jacob had said to me while I stared at him dumbly last night, nodding my head because my tongue had shocked into stillness.

He was young, but had so much perspective, more so than me. He grew up surrounded by family, both nuclear and extended, and had lived through more loss and responsibility than I could fathom. He had to take very intimate care of his father, and unlike me, could not just check out for a few months, or even a day, because of stress.

True, he hadn't been nearly killed by crazed vampires, but he did lose his mother young, and that leaves scars far deeper than the lustrous marks on my hand He also hadn't dated a member of an entrancing family of vampires, happily prepared to join them for eternity and forsake everything I [he] had known before.

I shuddered. I would have meant leaving Charlie alone. The look he gave me last night when I bid goodnight had been enough to tell me how much it would hurt him if I left him. I didn't know how I could ever atone for the pain I had inflicted on him.

And what about what I had done to Jake? Made him wait for me to decide if I would ever like him, every day offering his love without asking me for anything. It was enough to make my eyes water, the patience he showed me until I made a decision.

Is that what I was doing? Was I deciding? All I had to do was make a move first. My mind wanted it. I think everything else was on board, too.

I washed up in the bathroom, noticing the splattered mirror and splashes of water on the floor that let me know my dad was up and had been in a hurry. I managed to negotiate the stairs and saw that my dad was getting ready to head out.

"Morning, Bells! Are you ready to do some cooking today? Billy was saying how much he was looking forward to dinner." He was all smiles. I guessed there had been no screaming during the night.

I gave a smile in return, feeling my eyes crinkle a little.

"Morning. I guess so; did Billy have any preferences on what I made?"

"I think he may have dropped a hint about making sure you didn't forget dessert, but apart from that, no. I think he's just happy to see you doing better."

I felt the warmth rise to ears once again.

"Tell him hi for me, dad, and that I'm looking forward to seeing him at dinner."

"Will do, Bells. See you this afternoon."

Charlie turned and headed to the garage to finish loading his gear and I heard the car drive off a few minutes later. I turned my attention to the house for a few hours, cleaning and arranging the kitchen to do some serious work later.

I worked my way from the kitchen to the living room, and made my way upstairs to the bathroom and finally cleaned my room, interspersing my tidying with loads of laundry and working on my shopping list and dinner plans.

Grabbing my list and my keys, I headed to the store and collected the last ingredients I didn't have on hand at home. I would be keeping it simple, but with a twist tonight. I'd probably just do a pan sauté and make a sauce afterward. Roasted vegetables, salad, rolls, and an apple pie with ice cream would round out the dinner. I started the pie crusts and filling as soon as I got home and then chopped my vegetables. By the time I was out of the shower and ready to deal with some fish, Dad was home and presented me with enough to feed a small army.

"At least you remembered to gut them before bringing them home to me! Once or twice you've presented me with a pile of work, not the makings of dinner. So, did you two have enough to talk about?" I might as well get this ball rolling.

My dad laughed and raised his hands in a placating gesture. "No Bells, you were actually not the main topic of conversation, though I have a feeling you may have been the topic of some table talk this morning in La Push. Actually," his voice drifted a little and he looked out the window. "Harry's been a little under the weather lately, and we were talking about trying to get Dr. Gerandy up to La Push to visit him at home. His color has been off and he gets winded really easily. I don't like it."

We stood in silence, pondering his words. With a deep breath, my dad picked his head up and excused himself to take a shower before Billy and Jacob came over, and I turned on the oven to get the vegetables roasting and start baking the pie. After tossing the chunks of veg with olive oil, salt and pepper, I headed upstairs to clean up for our guests. Well, for Jake.

They arrived five minutes early and looked famished as the rich earthy smells of my kitchen wafted to them. I had my hands full, having already cooked the fish and moved it to a platter, and tossed butter, tomatoes, and some herbs in the pan. Jake wheeled his dad into the living room and exchanged what sounded like a very manly hello with my dad and waited until Billy and Charlie were settled before joining me in the kitchen.

"Wow, Bells! Planning on getting a show?"

I snickered as I ladled chicken stock that I'd simmered with trimmings and bones from the fish into the pan to make my sauce. I set the ladle down and turned to give Jake a hug.

"No hello? No 'I missed you'? Just looking at the food, huh?" Jake's ears turned a little pink and he gave me his puppy eyes.

"Uh, Hi Bells! I really missed you and -," I was swooped up into a spin, nearly smacking my feet on the cabinet doors, " I'm really glad to see you." His voice had lowered a little and he leaned in to give me a kiss.

Kissing Jake was so easy, there didn't need to be a contingency plan, and I knew I'd never be pushed gently away by my shoulders. When we broke apart it was to breathe and get on with what we were doing, not to avert disaster. As we did, I leaned my head against his chest momentarily before returning to the pan that had a thickened sauce for me. I gave it a dash of cream and a handful of chopped parsley before pulling out the salad from the fridge and calling everyone to the table. Jake slid out the pan with the vegetables that were now golden brown and crisp on the corners and pushed them into the serving bowl.

Billy surveyed the table. "Bella this is quite a feast! Thank you so much for having us." I couldn't help the little rush I felt at the compliment. Formerly I was so used to providing for them; I dismissed that flash of guilt in favor of taking the comment as it was intended and resolved to do right by our friends.

Jake served his dad and Charlie, spooning the sauce over the fish and handing them the fragrant plates. I pulled the apple pie from the oven and joined them at the table. My dad looked at me proudly, eyes almost glistening once again and raised his fork appreciatively...

"Chief! You in there? Can I come in?" There was sharp rapping at the door mixing with the half shouting.

"Steve? That you?" My dad was already up and at the door.

"Yeah Charlie," My dad's deputy leaned his head around the opened door, "Hiya Bella, Billy, Jake. Charlie, can you come out here? I have something."

My dad looked back at me apologetically and went out with the deputy. The three of us ate and only talked lightly while he was away, unsure of what the news might be and uncomfortable in our ignorance.

A few minutes later they came back in together. My dad's face was serious but he quickly smiled and put a hand on Steve's shoulder.

"Steve, can you stay for dinner? Bella's put on quite a spread tonight!"

"Thanks, but no. I need to go and see my wife, she's having trouble with the morning sickness, you know, the kind that happens all day, and I don't want her to wait on me! You know how the ladies are when they're expecting." The three men who would know exchanged knowing nods, Jake smiled and I just shrugged, feeling left out of the joke.

I stood quickly. "Can I pack a meal for the two of you, then? It will spare her cooking a meal, or maybe in her case, a snack?"

Everybody laughed and Steve nodded his head. I packed a heaping portion of everything I had made, and sliced a quarter of the now warm pie to send home with him. My dad nodded in approval and walked his deputy back out to the car, carrying the containers I prepared for him.

Jake and I exchanged glances while Billy took large forkfuls of his meal. My dad came back in and sat. He was about to start flaking off a bite of fish when he met my eyes and set the fork back down.

"Bella, I don't want to alarm you, but there's been some criminal activity in nearby towns, and now it seems some of it might be leaking into Forks. Over the past couple months there's been missing persons reports from Seattle to Port Angeles, and the homicide rate has increased. Steve came over to tell me that a vehicle belonging to a missing person from Seattle was found here after being seen in Port Angeles and linked to a crime there." He spoke very calmly, but his hand trembled ever so slightly. His eyes, normally soft when he looked at me, were hard and unyielding.

"Oh. I heard something about that on the radio," I managed to mumble, in shock that any kind of real crime could be moving towards our little town.

"I've known about it for a few weeks. I thought about telling you, but last thing I wanted to do was upset you more. I'm laying down the law right now, Bells. You're not going anywhere alone at night, and if you're going to La Push, I want Jake to pick you up. I don't want you making that drive alone right now."

"Okay, dad." I squeaked. He'd never talked to me this sternly before. He was scared, not of what was going on out there, but what it could do to me.

My dad's face relaxed a little, and he spoke again, his voice soothing. "Bells, you're not in trouble, but I need you to do this, for my peace of mind. And I'm getting you a cell phone tomorrow. I want you able to call me from anywhere, anytime."

"Okay." My dad's peace of mind was worth the tether and expense of a phone. Anyway, I was the only person I knew who didn't already have one; not that I had all that many people I cared to talk to.

Dinner continued largely in silence, but the mood relaxed and as we finished the meal Billy saw fit to fill the void. He started telling us about what was going on in La Push, the plans for the break, Jake having a couple cars to work on, and that Harry was feeling a little better this afternoon. By the time Charlie and Billy went into the living room to watch TV, we were talking and laughing again. I served pie and ice cream to them there while Jake and I went outside to eat ours. It was chilly, so I put on a sweatshirt.

"So, bad news, huh? Your dad's gonna be busy."

"Yes, he is. I'm worried about him, there's never exactly been a crime wave in Forks, you know."

"Hmmm." Jake murmured as he shoveled pie into his mouth. He chewed thoughtfully, his throat bobbing when he swallowed.

"Bells, you ever wonder how your dad became police chief?" I stared. No, I honestly hadn't. I somehow just assumed he'd been a cop here the longest. "Your dad watches things. He knows things. He's not just writing speeding tickets, here. I have the distinct feeling that if he really needed to, he could not only pull the trigger, but he could go Dirty Harry on someone."

I frowned, not liking the idea of my dad being in a situation where he would need to do such things, but I appreciated the thought that he wasn't just a meter maid.

"Thanks, Jake." I set my unfinished pie down and hopped to perch on the railing of the porch, hooking my ankles on the slats and holding on to the pillar with my right arm for stability. Jake helped himself to the rest of my pie making me laugh, and leaned over the rail next to me, resting his elbows on it and holding the plate. I reached over to Jake with my free hand and scratched his back through his t-shirt with my fingernails. He flopped his head forward and arched up into my hand. After few more good scratches he started teasingly kicking a leg, mimicking a dog.

"Okay, that felt good, but you distracted me from my pie. You owe me." Jake stood up, set the plate down, and put an arm around me.

"That was my pie!"

"You abandoned your pie. And your penalty is a kiss." He put his other arm around me.

"Is that all?" I teased.

"Is that all," he repeated in mock indignation, then all trace of teasing left his face; he stepped a few inches closer and I felt a fluttering deep in my belly. He only had to lean down slightly to press his warm lips, sweet with apples, against mine. I felt the soft caress of his tongue against my lower lip and drew in a sharp breath, opening up to him and sighing. Jake wrapped me tighter into his embrace and brushed my cheek with his hand. My own hands released the banister and pole to weave into his beautiful hair and pull him closer.

I could feel the pounding of Jake's heart against me and its rhythm intoxicated my senses. I never felt someone respond to me like this before. I could feel the effect I was having on Jake, and I had no doubt he could feel the impact he was making on me as well. I liked the feel of his strong arms around me. I liked the smell of his harsh soap mixed with the earthy outdoors that clung to him. I liked all of it.

"Jake? You guys still out there? Billy needs you!" My dad hollered through the closed front door.

Startled, we broke apart, panting slightly and giggling a little at the thought that we were almost discovered. No, not discovered, because my dad would never open that door with the two of us out here. But since he didn't open the door, we were quite sure he knew what we were up to.

Jake raised his hand and stroked my face one more time and helped down, holding me close and sliding me down his body the few inches until my feet solidly met the wood of the porch. His eyes blazed for a moment before crinkling into a bright smile that illuminated the dark evening.

We filed back inside, abashed at ourselves.

"Hey, dad. Did you need something?" Jake, almost recovered now, was in concerned son mode.

I gathered plates and shuttled drinks around to the guys as Billy asked Jake about his plans for the rest of the week. Neither of us had plans to do anything specific, and with the crime wave my dad mentioned, there would be no drives to the cities. As such, Jake told his dad we would be mostly around Forks and La Push.

"Good. I might need you later this week. I'll let you know." Billy's impassive face stretched into a faint smile that did not touch his eyes.

Jake brought a couple beer bottles in the kitchen to rinse out as I finished washing the pie plates.

"Hey there." He set the bottles on the counter and picked up a towel to help me dry.

"Hey yourself. Your dad have something for you to do this week?"

"Not yet. It sort of sounds like he may be trying to get an appointment or something but didn't want me to cancel any plans until he had one scheduled."

We fell into comfortable silence, Jake drying the last couple dishes and putting them in the cupboards. My mind wandered to the previous night's picnic and bonfire, and again I remembered the things he said about family and friends.

Wait a minute.

"Jake," a question having popped in my mind, "did you see Embry last night?"

His hands paused halfway into an open cabinet door, about to put water glasses away. His brow wrinkled as his eyes flicked over his memory.

"You know, I didn't. I saw Quil, and I guess I just assumed Embry wasn't far away." He nudged me. "I was a little distracted."

"Well, maybe you should check on him. Maybe the stomach bug is at the rez now. We'll have to visit him if he's sick."

"Or maybe not," Jake replied with a grimace.

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Sam POV

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My God, Sam, this is sick!

Embry's enthusiasm for testing the limits of his wolf form were starting to get on my nerves as he chose a massive rock pile to launch his lanky self from. His legs kicked out and he let out a series of whooping barks as I watched him free-fall toward the river below. A river I was standing alongside.

The impact splashed water twenty feet high and at least thirty feet in diameter, effectively soaking my coat leaving me indignant and sputtering. I was annoyed, but I'd rather see him enjoy these last miles of freedom and having fun before he was fully burdened with a rotation schedule that would leave him exhausted and grim.

When the mist from his dive cleared Embry stood with a silly toothy grin, tongue flopping out the side of his mouth dripping with water and foamy lather from our run. He dove into the water and rinsed off, clambering up the bank to rejoin me in our trek back home.

Our path brought us closer to Olympic Park, and as we crossed the border I slowed my pace.

Embry, we're getting close to where our normal patrol routes start so we're going to fall into one of them and kill two birds with one stone. We'll follow those and cover the night's run before we head home. Then the work starts.

Work?

Embry pulled up in his run, confusion in his round black eyes, brow wrinkling and pulling his ears up into sharp triangles. I trotted next to him sat on my haunches.

You don't want to stay a dog forever, do you?

Again, comprehension sparked a flame in his mind as he realized that he had a home and mother to go to, school to attend, and friends to talk to. The faces of his loved ones flashed in his mind along with the corresponding emotions he attached to them. He would have to learn to control his mind as well as his corporeal form.

So, is all that hard? How long will it take me to be human again?

It's only hard at first, but you must be very careful from now on. It won't take you as long as me. I didn't have any help except for Billy. You have the three of us to talk you through it. I'm pretty sure you'll be okay by the end of the week. Guarding my mind from Embry, I couldn't help but remember that we had no choice but to get Embry stable by Friday. Sooner would be even better.

Why sooner? You got plans?

I winced. That thought got out. I squelched it as soon as I could and sprang up to find the edge of our trail.

As we made the run back to La Push, Embry learned the route and it ingrained into his mind as his own found the treads of the pack mind. We would only have to show him things once, and as soon as his nose caught a new scent he was rewarded with knowledge that appeared unbidden in response. He knew the trail of elk from deer, bears from wolves, and

Oh Fuck! What the hell is that? Embry retched a little, tripping in his distraction.

Shit. It's a vampire trail. I immediately began calculating our location and looking for route options.

Fuck! It smells like a dead deer covered in caramel sauce and bleach! Embry's description made me recoil, apt as it was.

I stopped running momentarily and let out a howl, letting it ring as long as I had air in my lungs. The echo carried across the rolling hills and toward home to where backup was waiting.

Within minutes I felt the company the rest of my pack. They were on their way from the very end of the bonfire, Jared's nose still filled with the scent of his imprint, Kim. As their minds pushed into mine I snuffled the ground to give them a sample of what we had found.

Oh damn. That's fresh! Where's it going, which way?

We're not going to follow, Embry's here. I can't take the risk until you get here.

I glanced at Embry, his long coat shaking a little with the fury elicited by the scent and our reaction to it. I occupied myself walking loose circles around the area where we had stopped, assuring myself that we weren't being stalked and confirming route the leech had taken. I expanded my circling, Embry tagging along, and as Jared and Paul ran to us I was able to determine that the leech had run loosely South to North.

Jared and Paul crashed into the little area I had staked out.

We found the trail and followed it. He came from the Forks area and was going northwest. We may need to walk through town to get an idea of why it was there. It's not a Cullen, so it wasn't any of their spoiled brats. Paul had less love of the neighborhood leeches than me.

You two, follow it where it goes, but don't go past the border. They took off, fierce and single-minded in their assignment.

Embry looked at me with a questioning look.

Why aren't we going? Embry was anxious. While that was a good sign, but it would have to wait.

You're not ready for an encounter, and we'll follow the trail on the way back to learn about tracking. That's enough for your first day. Besides, we still have that work to start on.

Embry hesitated but followed me as soon as I began to trot along the trail made by the leech, and noting that Jared and Paul had followed it properly, weaving around it like a braid, I began to follow it in the same fashion back toward home.

We had just arrived home, Embry already beginning to understand the gravity of our role, when Jared and Paul reported that the trail slipped into and around the city limits of Olympia, leaving tracks that indicated a probable route through the metropolitan area around the Sound, maybe as far as Seattle. This news surprised me and I made a note to meet with Billy as soon as possible. A vamp that had made a nest near large city would have no need to venture to our little corner. Something was luring it here.

Thanks so much for reading! Please consider leaving a review?

I'd like to mention a lovely story that is now complete: First and Last by taoistelf.