***The next few chapters will be in 3rd person narrative. This is merely a filler chapter, just to kind of remind you of certain things and let you know what's going on with the other characters. It can't all be about J&B, you know. ***

Nostalgia

"JACOB! Oh my gosh man, I was beginning to wonder if you'd ever come back!" Seth exclaimed.

Jacob chuckled in spite of himself, Seth had such a way about him.

"I'm almost home, buddy. Send the word. Where is everyone anyway?" Running at full speed, even at still well over two hundred miles away, he noticed how unusually quiet the pack mind was. It was just he and Seth.

"I'll run back to the house and make some calls. Well, hey, it's Saturday night man, You know, date night. They're all out with their girls. It's just me and Leah tonight on patrol and she had to drop something off at the house first. It's so good to hear you again, man," Seth said, excitedly. "It's gonna be awesome to have you back, too. Just like old times!"

Jacob swallowed hard at that. "Yeah," was all he could utter. He just spent a good part of these last few weeks trying to forget all the "old times." The last thing he needed was to be reminded of everything, but he knew this was inevitable. Just Seth and Leah, huh, he wondered.

But it made sense, he figured. The Cullens have shown that they're not a threat to the pack or anyone else. It was odd to say it, but they've proven they can be trusted, such as it is. Plus, with Victoria and her army gone there wasn't an immediate threat to warrant a full pack patrol anymore. Just a skeleton crew to run the ship is more than enough in times of peace. However, peace or no peace, the wolves would be fools to completely let down their guard.

But now that Jacob was back he still had some duties to perform and wanted to take care of things as soon as possible.

Running at top speed he was home by nightfall, an impressive feat by anyone's standards, even among the Quileute wolves. Jacob was quite extraordinary in his abilities. He wasn't the Alpha, but he so easily could be if he wanted. All he had to do was claim it. He knew this better than anyone, but he relinquished his title for personal reasons. Sam paid the ultimate price for his position, he and Emily both. Sam endured the terrifying realization he was turning into a monster all alone, and was the one who saw his pack through the fight in the clearing; barking orders like a General ordering his troops into combat. It was a thing of beauty, majestic really, just the way a leader should be. Jacob knew that by right of blood and heritage he was designed to be the Alpha, but Sam had earned it.

At the house, Billy - not having to eat nearly as much as Jacob - had only been to the store once or twice in the time that Jacob had been gone, so shopping had been easy. But as soon as Seth got back to his house and called and told him Jacob was on his way, Billy rushed out to the store and bought as much food as he could manage. He would be ready when Jacob clambered through the door, and knowing Jacob's appetite, Billy knew he'd better make enough to feed 10 lumberjacks.

About 8:30 that night, Jacob's footsteps could be heard stomping up the stairs, trying to get the last remnants of mud off of himself before walking into the house. The house smelled wonderful. The best smell in the world.

Billy's famous spaghetti surprise. An ancient family recipe, Jacob mused. I still don't think Ragu's been around that long.

"Pop?" Jacob called, walking through the door.

"Jake?" Billy came rolling down the hall from his bedroom. "Jacob, my boy! Well I'll be, you are home. Come here, give your old man a squeeze!" It took just one huge stride to reach his dad and when he did he planted a hug on him that lifted him up and took Billy's breath away. Billy let out a grunt.

"Oh, sorry. I guess I must have missed you or something," Jacob said, with a lump in his throat. His smile never reaching his eyes. Billy noticed Jacob's haggard appearance right away.

"Oh, and thanks for putting the clothes on the porch, I knew I forgot to tell Seth something," said Jacob.

"My pleasure, believe me kid, nobody needs to see that," and smacked Jacob on the butt as he passed by him into the kitchen.

"Oh, ha ha. Hey, you know you're getting sort of clever in your old age. Maybe you should take your act on the road," Jacob chuckled again.

"Ah, I'd probably roll off of it," Billy joked. They both laughed.

This little banter was music to Billy's ears, he hadn't heard Jacob laugh in a long time.

"Well, supper's ready if you're hungry and I'm guessing you are by the look of ya," Billy said in his usual semi-subtle way.

Elation was suddenly replaced with concern. Jacob couldn't have noticed this, but he had lost a lot of weight. Which would explain why his clothes now suddenly seemed to hang on him. He either wasn't eating enough or not eating well. Maybe both. Being a wolf 24/7 he would have had to hunt and feed like a wolf, which Jacob hated, but did it out of necessity. It amazed Jacob - the things you can do out of necessity.

Billy then began to wonder if maybe there was another reason for Jacob's straggly appearance. Billy knew full well not to say her name or even mention the Cullens. No sense in kicking a dog while it's down. Anything to keep Jacob from wanting to leave again.

"Yeah, I'm starving actually, I didn't even notice how much until I got close to the house. I could smell it miles away," Jacob confessed and it was true. He knew he probably looked rough, but he didn't know just how bad until he saw his father's worried eyes.

Huh, it takes a lot to ruffle the ole bird's feathers, Jacob thought. He's seen me look worse though. Hasn't he?

After eating a hearty albeit silent meal they converged into the living room to let their food settle. Being home again made Jacob feel like he could get some actual rest. He definitely looked like he hadn't rested any since he left. Billy thought maybe this was due to the pounds of spaghetti and meatballs in Jacob's belly, but the dark circles and nearly gaunt appearance simply could not be ignored.

He looks like he hasn't slept in weeks, Billy thought.

"So do I still have a room or have you rented it out to gypsies?" Jacob asked.

This was only a half-hearted question. He knew Billy would never mess with anything in his room or get rid of his stuff. He hadn't been gone that long.

Jacob had never really seen himself as the wandering type. He loved the pack, the feeling of brotherhood, the unbreakable bond that tied them all together, however, he had the feeling something had changed. Maybe he had changed. Billy seemed to pick up on this, too. Even though this was home, it didn't feel quite like home anymore. This was the family home, his dad's home. Maybe his isolation took more of a toll than he could have imagined. Maybe all of the stories were true. That if you separate yourself from your pack long enough - as cliche as it sounds - you turn into a creature that can never trust or be a part of a pack again. Lone wolf syndrome. Feeling like a shell of his former self at the moment, however, he couldn't debate this one way or the other. He couldn't keep his eyes open anymore.

"Yeah, your room is still there, still got your stuff and everything the way you left it. Why don't you go pass out for a week or so. You know the way," Billy said with a slight smile. "Jacob!"

Jacob was suddenly jolted awake, apparently he nodded off part way through Billy's sentence. "Huh wha...? Oh yeah, great. Thanks dad. I'll see ya later then," he replied sleepily. He gave the old man a pat on the shoulder and slinked off to his room.

He didn't come out for three days.

DAY 4:

"So, how is he? Can't you go in there and wake him up?" asked Sue.

Sue Clearwater, old family friend and fellow tribal elder, came over a lot these days.

"I could but I don't think I want to just now. I heard him stirring in the bathroom this morning, but then he just went right back to bed. I think he's all right, just a little extra tired is all. I was actually planning on getting him up this afternoon and try to get some nourishment in him at least. You should have seen him, Sue. I almost didn't recognize him," Billy said with worry in his voice.

"I had no idea he was taking it that hard," Sue said.

"Neither did I," said Billy, in agreement.

"It takes time, you know that as well as I do."

"I know Sue, it's just…it's as if he doesn't have the will to…" Billy couldn't finish the sentence. "Well anyway," clearing his throat. "I mean, I knew he loved her. I guess the first one is always the roughest, huh."

Sue could sympathize, but not really empathize. She had married her first boyfriend. She and Harry had been inseparable for 27 amazing years, until this spring.

She felt bad for her old friend. Ever since Jacob left, she and Billy have been keeping company more times than not. What with her husband dying not long ago and the trouble she's been having with her own children, namely Leah, and with Billy being a widower himself it was good to have someone who could understand what she was going through, who better to understand than Billy. He was glad for the company, Sue was glad for the compassion. It was better than being alone, of which due to her kids' new duties she was alone a lot these days.

Seth and Leah didn't mind this arrangement one bit. In fact, it helped them out a lot. Sue had taken her husband's death as hard as any widow would. Add her growing concerns for her children's future and safety and she was practically inconsolable at times. Sue had always been as strong as a rock in her kids' eyes. So it was unbelievably hard for the kids to see someone so strong fall to pieces and there was nothing they could do. Their pack's duties came before anything in their personal lives, even their mom. Seth and Leah were grateful to Billy.

Like so many things, the death of a parent robs a child of his/her childhood, Leah and Seth were no different. Harry Clearwater meant the world to his family, his tribe, and the pack. A very noticeable piece of the puzzle was gone. Leah and Seth didn't have much time to grieve for their father when they first made the change. Just two months after their father passed they both made the transition into the pack. Leah being so old and Seth being so young is proof positive that age is not a factor. Need is.

In fact, it might even have been their grief and extreme emotional states that jumpstarted their metamorphoses. Whatever the reason, the time to grieve would have to come later.

But "later" never really came for Leah. It was very hard to do anything just for herself anymore. She used to be independent, she used to come and go as she pleased, where she pleased. She was finishing her senior year in high school when she began to develop symptoms of what she thought was the flu. Nothing would bring the fever down.

She felt strange, out of control, then when the debilitating stomach cramps started she knew something was wrong. Her blood tests came back and they were through the roof, everything was way off. The doctors thought she was having an appendicitis attack and were all set to operate when her mother and Billy intervened, recognizing the symptoms. They left against doctor's orders. Once the school was notified that Leah had "mono" they allowed Leah to finish out the year from home, although she had to miss all of the school activities every senior looks forward to.

Leah, of course, had heard all the tribal stories as a kid, the same as everybody on the rez. And like all the kids they weren't taken seriously. They were just that - legends, folk stories. In fact, she couldn't remember the last time she had heard them before the bonfire some time ago, the same one Jacob brought Bella to. But knowing what she knew now, she absorbed every word said this time and took it to heart. She was proud of her heritage, proud of her tribe and her place in it, but she felt robbed. This is not the life she wanted. And as if it wasn't bad enough to have to change into this monstrous looking thing, she was stuck inside Sam's thoughts, and he hers. She looked forward to going away to school in the fall. One big advantage to that was to get away from him. Her future, like her present, seemed uncertain.

She hated the vampires probably more than anyone, except maybe for Jacob. The vamps just by existing have taken away everything she ever loved in this life.

Your life becomes the pack and what's best for the pack and what the pack leader decides, etc. Seth embraced this with open arms, but Leah - who had never really gotten over Sam imprinting on her cousin and leaving her - became ever more hostile, most times spewing her venom for no reason. But the pack kept her on in Harry's memory. It would have hurt Harry intensely if he'd known how his daughter had changed and that her pack turned their backs on her in her time of need. It had been a bad time for everyone.

Sue continued, "Well okay, when he finally comes around tell him I came by and I've got some things I want to discuss with him. I would really appreciate a visit from him soon," Sue smiled as she knew Billy didn't know what these things were she wanted to discuss, but that he trusted her enough to not even have to ask.

"Ok, I'll tell him. And thanks for bringing the stew. Jacob will enjoy it especially. Your stew and cornbread are fit for kings," Billy said, smiling big.

Sue laughed, "Oh Billy, it's just venison stew, don't make it sound like a 7-course meal. You're welcome, enjoy." And with Billy's last comment still fresh, she was still smiling to herself as she walked to her car.

Sue and Billy's friendship was something special. Not unlike Jacob and Bella's, back when they were just friends. Sue and Billy had never really seen the other in a romantic way. They were always just friends and quite happy with that.

But things change, they always do. But these things take time and to rush something as beautiful as that would be like skipping a step or two to cook Sue's stew. Your rush to get it done, just ruins it in the end. Billy and Sue have a pace of their own.

Sue has had more pressing things to worry about. She knows Leah can fend for herself, but she also knows Leah hasn't been herself in months and is worried she'll do something she'll regret. In spite of her rough exterior and bravado, it was very clear to those close to her that Leah was hurting.

Leah would have gladly taken off just like Jacob if it wasn't for the fact that Sam would never have let her go. They needed her. Plus, Leah hasn't learned control yet like Jacob, and being around people outside her family and tribe could be dangerous. If anyone ever doubts how dangerous a Quileute wolf can be when angered, one only has to see Emily's face. Too, with Seth in the pack she needed to look after him. She loved her brother dearly, but since she couldn't rely on the pack to keep him out of trouble, she felt obligated. This only added to her bitterness.

To make matters worse, Seth's ever-growing fascination and affection for the Cullens added fuel to the fire. She lacked Jacob's tolerance for Seth's feelings towards them and had no qualms about telling him so every chance she got, in-and-out of wolf form.

Now that all immediate danger seemed to be behind them, there was no need to keep watch over Bella 24/7. The wolves could breathe easy and get their own lives back on track.

Sam and Emily had put off their wedding because of the whole newborns mess. Their wedding, in about a week, would be the start of a whole new life for them and everyone couldn't be happier.

Well, almost everyone.

Leah answered the knock on her door…

***Another point I should have made is my story goes at a glacial pace for a reason. If Bella weren't so stubborn this would be easier. Actually, it's all Stephenie's fault. She made it quite clear where Bella's heart lies over 4 gigantic books. To now simply have Bella change her mind suddenly without a moment's thought would seem weird and out of place. So it's important that we give the characters a chance to figure things out at a believable pace. I ABSOLUTELY LOVE that you've taken a chance on watching my story unfold of SM's characters. I want to thank my loyal readers for deciding to tag along. So please bear with me as I get this all figured out. From the bottom of my heart, thank you for your patience and your interest.

A/N: Disclaimer, the characters setting and familiar situations belong to Stephanie Meyer. No copyright infringement intended. I'm not making any monetary profit from this.***