Disclaimer: I do NOT own Twilight or anything to do with it. It is purely for fun that these are written. I'm still broke. No infringement intended.

Author's Note: This chapter took me a bit longer than anticipated to finish. I'm trying to juggle all my stories and work. Sorry that they aren't coming out as fast as they should be. I hope you enjoy this chapter. I think I'm starting to get the feel of the characters and where I want this story to go. Maybe it will flow a bit better than it has been. Thanks so much for reading. Reviews, as always, are welcomed and encouraged.

"Sarah, honey, could you get the phone?"

I sighed but made my way towards the kitchen. I knew my dad was exhausted, he had been out running patrol all night, but couldn't he at least answer his own damn phone. I looked around the kitchen, where it normally was, only to find that it had apparently sprouted legs and ran away to hide somewhere. I growled and moved quickly into the living room. It was there all right, and it was stuffed down into the couch cushions. I rolled my eyes.

"Hello?"

"Hey, sweetheart. Is your dad around?"

"He's in the shower, Aunt Rachel. Do you want me to have him call you back?"

"Oh, um, no. I really need to talk to him. It's kind of urgent."

"Okay, hang on."

I walked down the small hallway and tapped on the bathroom door. My father groaned. I rolled my eyes. I seemed to do that a lot. Sometimes, it was like living with a child. The water shut off and I heard his feet hit the carpet. Aunt Rachel was talking frantically to Uncle Paul, at least that's who it sounded like. I wanted to ask her if everything was all right, but I knew she wouldn't tell me. My dad opened the door while he was still running the towel over his wet head and I leaned against the wall waiting.

Laying the towel across his shoulders, he smiled at me and took the phone from my hand. I shrugged and made my way back to the kitchen. One of the many fall backs of turning into a giant wolf was always being hungry. It was only a little after twelve, but I decided that a large lunch would make both me and my father feel better. He would pass out soon anyway.

The front door opened and I turned to watch Embry walk into the kitchen. He smiled at me and I gave him one in return. It had been almost a week since I phased for the first time and imprinted, but we had spent every day together since then. Nothing romantic had started between us, yet. We were still trying to get to know one another. According to him, I was so much like my father it was scary. I was proud of that.

I placed the food on the table and had to smack Embry's had away from it. My grandfather needed to get his plate first. I called them to the table. Granddad smiled at me and filled his plate, but I could still hear dad talking quietly on the phone. Something was going on. Five minutes later, my father appeared looking furious. His arms were vibrating due to the tremors that brought on the change. I sighed.

"What's wrong, dad?"

"Those leech...the Cullen's are threatening to come on our land if they don't get to see and talk to you today."

I groaned, "Do I have too?"

"No, but the alternative is the pack tearing them apart."

"Fine, I'll go see them when I'm finished eating."

"You're not going alone, Sarah. You will stay on this side of the line."

"Are you telling me that as my Alpha or as my father?"

"Both.' He said smirking. I laughed.

"It's fine. I didn't want to go over there anyway. I'm not sure I could keep from hurting them."

"Me either. I may break the treaty myself."

I sighed, "You don't have to go, you know. Embry and the other's can protect me."

'I'm going. They will not take you from me again."

"I'm not going anywhere, Dad. I know you don't want to see mom."

I watched as his hand flashed to the expanse of skin over his heart and rubbed there. His eyes clamped shut and he stopped breathing for a moment. Hearing about her simply brought him pain and, since they have been back, it's gotten worse. I couldn't imagine what it would feel like to know that your imprint was gone, but still feel it. Seeing her again was not going to be pleasant for him. I wished I could keep him from it. The pain on his face broke my heart.

Within half an hour, my father and I, along with Embry, made our way to the treaty line. I was the only one not on four legs. The entire pack surrounded me in a tight V formation. My father was in the lead and Embry and Sam were at his flanks. Each wolf growled and snarled as we approached the line. I could smell them and my nose burned so fiercely that my eyes began to water and the tremors started to shake through me. God, this was not going to end well.

For the first time in over a month, I laid eyes on my mother. She looked the exact same, she always would. Her hair was long, dark brown, and shining in the sun; her eyes were the familiar topaz that let me know that she had recently hunted; and her hand was clasped tightly in Edwards. Her eyes widened as she took me in. I know I looked a little different. I was taller and my body was toned, but I was still me. Then her eyes fond my father's and I knew the moment the clashed. My father's muscles tensed and he whimpered, stumbling from the pain. I moved between Embry and his shoulder's and placed a comforting hand in his russet-brown fur. His gorgeous, dark brown eyes met mine and I saw he tears filling them.

"It's ok, daddy," I whispered, "You don't have to go any closer."

He licked my cheek and I gave him a sad smile before turning an facing my vampire family. I took a few steps towards them, but when my father growled I stopped. I started at them and tried to control the anger that ate away at me. I couldn't phase now without hurting someone I care about. No matter how angry I was at my mother and the rest of the Cullen's, I didn't want to hurt them.

"Well, you can see me. Now, what did you want to talk to me about?" My voice was cold and angry. I had never heard something like that leave my mouth before.

"Sarah, honey, please." My mother's hand stretched towards mine and I knew that she would be crying if it were possible.

"Please, what, mom? What else do you want from me? You took me away from my family, you hid my heritage, and you lied to me for twenty-three years. What else could you possibly want from me?"

"I just want to talk, sweetheart. I want to tell you what happened."

"I'm listening."

"Not here. Can we go somewhere and talk? Just me, you, and your father?"

"I don't really think that dad wants to talk to you. Unless you're talking about Edward."

"Edward is your father. He raised you, Sarah."

"He raised me because you took me away from my real father!" My body started to shake harder and Edward pushed my mother behind him. I heard my father move behind me.

"Why don't we all just calm down, huh? She has a point, Bella." Emmett crossed the line and hugged me, scrunching up his nose, "I didn't know they sold wet dog perfume. Is it new?"

I laughed releasing the breath I was holding, "I guess it's just in my genes."

"Too right. You phased, then?"

"Yes."

"What? Jacob, how could you?"

"Don't you dare talk to him! Haven't you done enough to him already? Do you really think he would want me to phase? If you should be blaming anyone, it should be your husband and yourself! Dad has nothing to do with this!"

"Sarah Esme Cullen, you com here right now! We are taking you home. You don't belong here."

"Yes, mom, I do belong here. You, on the other hand, don't. This is my home. This is where I should have been all along."

"Please, baby. Please just talk to me."

"Answer me this, mom. Why did you leave? Why did you go with Edward instead of staying with the father of your child?"

I saw her come up short. Whatever she had expected me to say, this wasn't it. I knew deep down that what I was saying and doing was probably completely unfair, but what did she expect? I was angry and hurt. I couldn't really see beyond that. At one point, I would have talked to my mother about anything. She was my rock, the one person in the world that I trusted, and I just found out that she lied to me. If she would have told me, if she would have encouraged me to have something to do with Jacob Black and the rest of my family, this wouldn't have happened. I felt the tears sting my eyes and roll down my cheeks. I didn't really expect her to give me an honest answer. Edward stepped forward.

"Your father," he seemed to choke on the word, "didn't want you, love. He told your mother that with me standing there. He never loved your mother, he never wanted her except for that one time."

Body shook and my brain whirled. It could be true, I had thought it myself at first. The people around me had fallen silent and I looked up. Edward and my mother stood feet away from me, looking very bit like heart broken parents. I wanted to run to them. I loved them. I didn't turn to face the pack. I didn't want to see what they were thinking. It was always obvious in their eyes.

"W...What are you talking about?" I swallowed the lump in my throat. My anger was fading and the confusion and pain was taking over. I had become vulnerable.

"He called you a mistake, sweetheart." I looked into my mother's eyes, "So, I took you and left with Edward. I was going to stay around here, in Forks, so that Jacob could help raise you, but he didn't want you. We wanted to save you the heartache."

"But t..the imprint."

"What imprint? Jacob never imprinted, if that's what he told you."

My knees shook and I started to crumple. My heart was breaking all over again. Why would Jacob lie? I thought about the pictures but couldn't find the anger in my to stand back up so I could defend Jacob Black. He had become my dad in such a short time, and I loved him deeply. Cold arms caught me just before I hit the ground and I looked up into Emmett's worried eyes. He wiped the tears away that were falling but more followed. I could see my dad standing behind his shoulder, snarling to keep the Cullen's away from me. I reached out and touched his soft russet-brown fur and pulled gently. He focused on me immediately.

"Why would you lie? You could have told me the truth."

My father whimpered and licked my cheek. I heard a twig snap and my father leapt over me and Emmett. I couldn't see over him or around him. He was blocking someone. Embry stood tall and proud beside him. In seconds my father turned his back on the person who had crossed the treaty line, disappeared, and reappeared as Jacob Black the man. It was my mother standing before Embry trying to get to me, and I stood up, grabbing my father's hand as he stalked passed.

He looked down at my hand, looked into my eyes, and his fingers ghosted down the side of my face. Then he turned away from me and stalked up to stand before my mother. For a long moment, no one moved. My father's body vibrated and he balled his hands into tight fists to control it. I moved to stand beside Embry but he stopped me from going any farther. I could see my fathers face clearly now, which meant that I could see the tears falling from his eyes. I could see the pain and anger he held towards my mother and I could see the love. Everything he was feeling was laid out for the world to see. My mother stood still as a statue. I could see the pain in her eyes as well. She started to reach for him, but Edward snarled and she stopped.

"I never, not once, called our daughter a mistake, Isabella. I loved you both more than life itself. You took off and I never saw you again. Twenty-three years, Bella, I haven't seen you for twenty-three years. I didn't get to see her first steps, or hear her first words. I wasn't there for her first day of school, or to tuck her in at night. You made sure of that. Not a day has gone by that I haven't thought of both of you," His eyes moved up to lock on Edwards before they dropped back down, "And I did imprint, Bells. I imprinted on you."

His last sentence was no louder than a whisper, but the pain that was laced through it tore at my heart. She was doing it again. She was destroying him, and this time I got to watch him shatter. I moved from Embry's side and he tried to hold me back. Jacob's knees gave out on him and I knelt in front of him. My arms wound their way around his waist and I could feel his staggered breathing. it was like he ran a marathon, a long one. His arms pulled me tight against him and I held him to me.

"Oh, Jake."

My eyes glared into my mother's and she stopped where she stood. I didn't know why the wolves hadn't attacked her yet, but then it hit me. Dad had still imprinted on her. She was still tied to this world by my father. I stared hard at her face and watched as a small tear crystallized on her cheek. His body quacked as he cried, but he was silent. I gave him a gentle squeeze, helped him up, and sent Embry with him to phase before turning to my mother. She looked just a stunned as I felt as she held the tiny crystal in her hand.

"Maybe you have more of a heart than I thought you did." A very light blush dusted her cheeks. That was a first. They have no heart beat. She can't blush.

"Please, Sarah. Let me explain."

"Alright, but only you. I don't want Edward around. What you say can't be trusted when he is."

"He's my husband."

"Did you ever love him, mom?"

"What?"

"Dad. Did you ever love him?"

"Yes, very much."

I nodded and turned to leave, but my mother's hand stopped me. Normal people felt cool to me now, but I was astounded to feel heat from her skin. Her heart gave three quick beats and then fell silent again. What the hell was happening? Everyone else froze too, and my mother's hand dropped to her side. She looked around, terrified and confused. I kissed her cheek.

"I'll call you later, okay? We'll figure out where to meet to talk."

She nodded, "I love you, Sarah."

"I love you, too."

As soon as I reached my house, I closed myself up in my bedroom. Everything that happened at the line came back to me and I was confused. Nothing made sense. Edward told me that he had heard Jacob say he didn't want me, that I was a mistake, but Jacob denied it. I had been in his head, it was one of the weird things about running with the pack, and I never heard a single thought that made me believe that he thought I was a mistake. He loved me and my mother. I knew it, I had seen it. All the memories of himself and Bella were laid out for my inspection. That was why we normally ran together. It was easier for me to see what had happened in his memories than for him to try and tell me.

I could hear Jacob telling Billy what had happened in the woods, I could hear that he was still highly upset, and I could hear Billy's response to what happened. He was furious. I buried my head into my pillow and screamed. Why can't drama go terrorize someone else for a while. I would appreciate the break. A light knock sounded at my door and I sat up. Embry had the door cracked and he slid into my room, quietly shutting the door behind him. He didn't say anything. He simply knelt before me and pulled me into the warmth of his body, his arms wrapping around me firmly. I allowed it. My tears were dry. I couldn't cry anymore.

After a while, I pulled out of his embrace ad looked into his eyes. The worry, anger, love, and compassion in his eyes made me smile at him. I knew that he was drawn to me, that he loved me even though he hardly knew me, but we were nothing but friends. For now, anyway. I could see my future staring back at me when I looked at him. Children, marriage, a house of our own, and more love than anyone could ever experience. His hand cupped my cheek and his thumb rubbed over it gently.

"Are you alright, sweetheart?"

"Yeah, I'm fine."

"I've known Jake all our lives and I want you to believe me when I tell you that he has never, not once, thought of you or your mother as a mistake. He loves you, he always has and he always will. He told the truth out there today, Sarah. Not a day has gone by that he hasn't thought of you and Bella."

"I know. I was being stupid." I looked down an examined my hands. He tipped my chin up so our eyes met.

"No, you weren't. Your father understand why you would believe what they said, I understand too. You've been lied to your entire life. Of course, you're going to be confused."

"Thanks, Embry."

"Anytime," He smiled at me, "All you have to do is call. I'll always be around when you need me."

I nodded and kissed his cheek. I hoped he was right about dad understanding why I believed them for a moment. They were the only parents I had until recently, but I knew that Edward was the one pulling the strings. I needed to speak to my mother. I needed to know the truth. Most of all, I needed to figure out how her heart started to beat today. I had a feeling that as hard and confusing as my life already was, it was about to get a lot worse.