The rest of the night was nothing short of painful. First, because Jacob nearly stopped breathing twice in the middle of the night and Carlisle had to restart his heart. Second, all the news that came back to us through Collin and Brady just kept getting worse and worse.

The pack had begun chasing Sebastian where Jacob left off, finally able to have caught up to him because of Jacob's efforts. However, things took a turn for the worse when he took a sharp turn and they nearly lost him, but Jared thankfully had run around the other way and headed him off. They were now heading up towards the mountains, still chasing after their prey, and soon we would be out of contact with them completely, which made us all worry.

After that, I must have fallen asleep, because the next thing I knew the hazy gray sky was peaking through the windows and the smell of breakfast floated up to me.

I sat up slowly, surprised that I was in a bed and not still lying on the floor next to Jacob. Though I'm sure, Emily wouldn't have let me stay there all night.

I sighed, swinging my feet over the edge and soon found a fresh pair of clothes sitting on a chair next to the bed, with a duffel bag of my other belongings next to it.

For some reason, seeing this made me just a bit happier. Its weird how simply seeing something so familiar can lift your spirits considerably.

So I dressed quickly in the outfit that was set out for me and made my way downstairs, entering the kitchen to see if Emily needed any help.

Even with most of the wolves gone, Emily was still cooking enough food to feed half of China. I always felt bad for the poor woman. I was amazed that they hadn't eaten her out of house and home.

"Hey, you need any help?" I asked, immediately picking up her abandoned knife and continuing the job of cutting up strawberries.

"Oh yes, that would be great. So, are you feeling better?" She asked me, worry heavy in her voice. I felt a pang of regret, I hated that I made her worry about me. Especially when I knew, she was already worried about Sam and the guys.

"Yeah, sleeping was definitely a good thing," I told her brightly, tossing a few cut up strawberries into a bowl.

"That's good, Jacob's still sleeping, but Carlisle said he'd be waking up around nine when he left," she told me. I nodded, continuing my task. I was just about to ask her what time it was when I heard a soft groan from the living room.

No matter how scratchy and broken it was, I recognized that groan, it was definitely Jacob.

I dropped the knife and hurried into the living room. As soon as I turned the corner, I saw him looking blearily up at me over the back of the sofa.

"Jacob!" I gasped; grinning from ear to ear as I slowly approached him.

"Drina," he sighed as I pulled him into a hug, careful not to move him too much and disturb Carlisle's handiwork.

"I'm so glad you're ok," I said, burying my face into his neck, happier than I had been in what felt like forever. He was alive and awake, and that meant everything.

"Yeah, I just wish I could have gotten that bastard," he growled, flexing his muscles, then flinched and relaxed again.

"Jacob, you did all you could, and thanks to you the other's were able to catch up to him," I said, not bothering to add in the part where they almost lost him and were now probably miles away.

"Really? Did they get him?" He asked hopefully. Of course, I couldn't get anything past him, even when he was suffering from more wounds than a normal person would ever be able to survive.

"No, they haven't gotten him yet, they're chasing him up in the mountains," I said.

Jacob groaned, his face falling.

"I'm sorry Jacob," I said.

He shook his head. "It's alright. I just hope the guys can end this. I'm getting really sick of the leech. This is the second time I've been beaten by him and its starting to really piss me off!"

"Jake, calm down, you need you heal," I told him sternly, using my finger to smooth out his scrunched up forehead.

He sighed, his body relaxing as he closed his eyes, his hand weaving itself into my hair.

"I know. I'll try to be good," he said with a smirk. I chuckled, leaning in to kiss the tip of his nose.

"You better," I warned him.

"I'll turn that into a promise if you kiss me," he said, his eyes playful. I rolled my own at him, but leaned in and pressed my lips to his.

Feeling him kiss me back after last night made my heart soar. I was so scared I wouldn't get to feel it anymore, but here I was, kissing his perfect lips. Probably a bit too passionately for someone who had just awoken from a near-death experience, but I knew he wouldn't have it any other way.

"So, what's for breakfast?" He asked once I had moved away. I frowned at him, suddenly gaining the urge to punch him, but thinking better of it and settling on simply shaking my head instead.

"You're having a smoothie," said Emily, coming into the kitchen with a tall glass that was filled to the brim with a strawberry banana smoothie.

Jake groaned in protest as Emily handed it to me.

"Are you serious? Why can't I eat real food?" He complained.

"Because Carlisle said you need to drink your food until you're internal bleeding is taken care of," Emily told him as I held the straw to his lips.

He frowned again, but took a sip.

"It's good, but I still want real food," he grumbled, taking another drink.

I laughed. "Oh don't be such a baby," I scolded.

"Bet you wouldn't be saying that if you were in my position."

"On the contrary, I love smoothies!" It told him, taking a drink of it.

"Hey! Go get your own! If that's all I have to eat I plan to finish the whole thing!"

Emily and I laughed as she returned to the kitchen and I resumed holding the straw to Jake's mouth.

Despite his proclamation to finish the glass, he ended up falling asleep only halfway through, and he was still asleep when Carlisle came over at noon.

He inspected Jacob with great care, staying silent through the whole examination until he shut his briefcase and stood up.

"Everything's going according to schedule. It will take quite a bit of time for his injuries to heal, and even after all that I don't think he will be able to bounce back from this as easily as he did with his last encounter," Carlisle said gravely.

"I figured as much, he looks horrible," I said, looking down at Jake's bruised and bandaged body.

"But Drina, he will get better. He just needs a good support group, and I'm sure he has that," he told me, placing a cold hand on my shoulder.

I nodded, smiling up at him.

"Thank you Doctor Cullen," I said.

"Anytime, and please, call me Carlisle."

I nodded, still smiling, as he carefully tipped his head and took his leave.

I sighed, turning my attention back to the television screen where Oprah was raving about something or another. My mother had gotten me into the habit of watching just about every show, so it was simply habit that I happened to turn the show on, but my attention was of course focused on Jake.

He was asleep, but it didn't look like a peaceful one. His forehead was scrunched up and there was a serious expression on his face that might have been either pain or extreme concentration, but whichever it was, it didn't look very comfortable. So I reached out a hand and tried to gently massage the creases away. It worked a little bit, but not fully, and I soon gave it up as a failed attempt.

Sitting here watching him like this made me feel so useless, even though everyone kept telling me it was all I could do. I just felt as though I needed to do more, but I didn't know what. It was extremely frustrating.

"You're a real pain, you know that?" I said aloud to Jake's now snoring form. "Why do you have to get yourself hurt so much? Why do you want to fight for me so bad? Why do you put yourself in so much danger for someone as insignificant as me?" I asked, my eyes beginning to water slightly, but I pushed them back. I'd been crying too much lately and I refused to do it again.

"Because he loves you," came a voice. I jumped, looking up to see Collin sit down in the armchair opposite me.

"I know he does, but he doesn't have to do this to himself to save me. He's nearly died twice!" I gasped, shaking my head at the remembrance.

"You may see it that way, but to him, he has to. Trust me, Drina; you don't know how horrible he was before you came around. He wouldn't talk, wouldn't eat, and barely slept. He was a wreck. Then he got the wedding invitation and just snapped. Though, I suppose it's a good thing he did or he would have never found you," he explained.

"Poor Jacob," I murmured, moving some hair out of his still not-quite peaceful face.

"Yeah, Bella really screwed him up," Collin said, shaking his head.

My blood began to simmer just from hearing her name. She was the one who had hurt Jacob so badly, and I would never forgive her for that.

"So, is there any news from the others? Can you still hear them?" I asked, changing the subject.

"Not anymore, but the last thing we heard was that they were gaining on him, so all we can do now is hope that nothing has changed since then," he sighed, rubbing his eyes, he looked tired.

"Why don't you go to bed Collin? You look like you're about to fall over," I told him.

He chuckled softly, moving his hand.

"I suppose I should, but I doubt I'll be able to get very much," he admitted wearily.

"You might be surprised," I smiled.

"Guess you're right," he nodded, then slowly got up and staggered down the hall, leaving me alone once again.

My mother, and Emily had left for the store a while ago, they said I should come with them, but I insisted that I needed to stay with Jacob and hear his status from Carlisle, which was entirely true. Then Kim had headed home early this morning to fill her parents in on why she'd been away for so long, and we weren't expecting her back for some time.

As for Billy and Mrs. Clearwater, they went back to her house to "discuss some things" but it looked more like they wanted to be alone and away from all the depressing news, though they had called twice already today to check in.

So right now, it was just me, the comatose Jacob, and Collin and Brady in the house and I felt more alone than ever.

I just wished Jacob would open his eyes and talk to me. It was a selfish thing to hope for considering he really needed his sleep right now, but I couldn't help but want the company.

So I sighed, coming to the revelation that I'd call Danny. He was probably having a hernia not knowing. So I pulled out my cell phone and hit his speed dial.

"Drina!" He cried, answering immediately after the first ring.

"Hi, Danny," I said, surely sounding tired.

"God, you sound horrible, what's wrong?" He asked, sounding worried.

"Nothing major, I'm just really tired because things have been… busy," I said, not completely lying.

"Sure, like I'm gonna believe that. So how's your werewolf boyfriend? You two still together?" He asked, I rolled my eyes.

"Yes, we're still together, and well, he's not doing very good actually," I admitted.

"What happened?"

"A lot of stuff, mostly due to the reappearance of Sebastian," I told him, he went silent.

"You mean… the guy who killed your father?" He asked in a hushed voice.

"Yeah."

"Are you ok?" He questioned.

"No, not really," I admitted.

"I'm so sorry, Drina. I wish I was there to help," he said, his voice torn.

"It's alright, and the best thing you can do for me right now is to just talk. Tell me what you've been up to? Done anything fun?" I asked, wanting to take my mind off of everything that has been happening.

"Naw, not really, just a lot of the usual. It's been really lonely without you around here, that and quiet," he chuckled, I grinned.

"Haha, very funny," I said sarcastically, Danny laughed.

"Well, it's true!"

"Fine, I'll believe you," I responded, rolling my eyes. "So how's the weather? Get in any surfing yet?"

"It's been great, and I went a few days ago with a couple of friends. It was cool, but the waves weren't that big, the weathers just been too nice!" He said, as though that was a bad thing. I was yearning for the warmth and the calm. "So how's it in LaPush?"

"Cold and wet," I said, wrinkling my nose.

"Yuck, doesn't sound real nice," Danny responded, his voice disapproving, I knew he was shaking his head.

"Yeah, but it's alright, Jake's warm," I said with a grin, Danny scoffed on the other end.

"You know, that sounds kinda sick. I really don't need to know what my cousin and her boyfriend are up to," he said, his face giving away his shudder.

"Sorry, just thought you might want to know that little tidbit," I grinned.

"Well, I didn't, anyway, I'm sorry to end this so soon, but the guys are here and we're going to go put the jet skis in," he said, sounding nervous.

"Ok, that's alright, thanks for talking to me though, I really appreciate it," I responded, trying to hide the fact that I really didn't want him to hang up.

"Don't worry, I'll call you later, ok?" He said reassuringly.

"Yeah, that would be good, thank you Danny, it really means a lot," I smiled.

"What are cousins for?"

"Guess you're right!"

"Ok, well, I gotta go, I'll talk to you later!"

"Yeah bye," I said disheartened, then hung up the phone.

I sighed and turned to look at Jacob, and nearly jumped out of my chair.

"Sorry, didn't mean to scare you," he chuckled weakly.

"I-I hadn't known you were awake, it just… startled me… to see your eyes open… that's all," I stuttered, trying to level out my breathing.

"…so you're not ok?" He asked suddenly, his eyes intense as they watched me.

"Um, what?" I was still so shocked to see him awake that I had no idea what he was talking about.

"That's what you told your cousin, that you weren't ok."

"Oh, yeah… that. Um, well I was just lonely and I guess I-" I began, but he cut me off.

"I'm sorry, Drina, about all of this," he said, closing his eyes and readjusting himself on the couch.

"Wh-what are you apologizing for? You're laying on a couch nearly dead and you're the one apologizing?! You are unbelievable, Jake," I responded, shaking my head.

"I'm apologizing for not killing that bastard when I had the chance, for getting beaten by him again, and for causing you more worry. That's what I'm apologizing for." His eyes were now open again and they were staring intently at me, his expression serious.

"Jake, none of those things were your fault. They are all unavoidable, and plus, I worry over you even when you aren't bed ridden!"

"I know all of that, but I'm still sorry."

"Then I will agree to disagree…. Because I really don't want to fight with you right now, I-just want to…" I began, but stopped when he opened his arms to me. That was exactly what I wanted anyway.

So I stood up and slowly moved over to him, kneeling on the ground next to him as I leaned over and let him hold me.

Even if he was bed-ridden and it was only a half-embrace, having his arms around me made me feel so much better. I just want to stay here forever with Jake, just like this, just listening to his heart and feeling his fingers through my hair, his breath moving a few strands as I drift slowly off to sleep.

AN. ok, that one took a bit longer to write than the other ones because I got stuck halfway through, but thankfully, I ironed out the problem and pressed on! So for the long wait, I made sure to make this chapter long than the previous ones. Hope you guys like it!