*The Present*

Bella stared at her bedroom wall thinking about Miracle. She wanted to get Jasper back with his first wife, but that would hurt Alice. Didn't Jasper deserve to be completely happy for once though? Of course. Everyone deserves a bit of happiness. Everyone deserves a light at the end of the tunnel. For Jasper, Miracle was that light. How could Alice keep him from that? Bella knew why. For Alice, Jasper was the light. She didn't want to lose her happiness after such a crappy human existence. Bella unknowingly picked up her phone and dialed Jacob Black's familiar phone number.

"Hello?" Jake's voice was thick with sleep. Bella could practically see him rubbing his eyes with his fist.

"Jake, hi. It's Bella. Look, I know it's late-" talk about understatement, Bella thought. It's two in the morning. "But are you up for a little road trip?"

When Jacob spoke again he sounded more alert. "Sure. Where to?"

"Houston."

"In Texas?"

Bella rolled her eyes. She wanted to blame Jacob's question on rousing him from sleep, but it was probably Jake just being Jake. "No. The Houston in England. Yes, Houston, Texas."

Jacob chuckled. "That's my girl. I'll be there in ten." The line went dead and Bella put down her phone. She would have to mention later that they were going to rescue a starving vampire from a tomb. Starving. She would also have to make Jacob stop by a blood bank so they could make a withdrawal. Is that illegal? Bella couldn't do anything illegal; even though it was for true love. Maybe Jacob would do it.

Ten minutes later Jacob's car parked in Bella's driveway. She took a deep breath walking down the steps. Charlie gave her a puzzled look upon seeing the book bag slung over his daughter's shoulder.

"Going somewhere?" He asked.

Bella looked down. "Jake and I are going on a trip." She stammered out. "We'll be back as soon as we can. I promise Dad." Charlie said nothing else. He just watched his daughter walk out the door and get in the car with his best friend's son. He was fine with it. At least it wasn't the Cullen kid.

Bella and Jacob drove out of Forks, out of Washington, in relative silence. Something about the suddenness of Bella's call had Jacob worried. It also had him wondering what his friend was up to.

"Am I going to regret being a part of this Bells?"

Bella moved her gaze from the window to Jacob. He shivered as her chocolate brown eyes bore into his. "Yeah. I won't lie and say you won't." A blood bank came in sight and Bella shouted, "Stop!" Jacob slammed on the breaks, cursing slightly.

"What the fuck? Are the leeches making you steal blood for them now? Or is this for when you…" Jake swallowed the lump growing in his throat. He didn't want to admit defeat in the vampire department.

"No." Bella looked away. "It's for-" She said the last part so low Jacob couldn't make it out.

"For what?"

She sighed. "Miracle. It's for Miracle."

"And who the hell is Miracle." Jacob gripped the steering wheel tighter. It was bed enough to think Bella was stealing for the Cullens, but now she was stealing for some new bloodsucker. One the pack didn't know about. Jacob contemplated turning the car around and going back to Forks.

"Jake. Please?" Bella's voice was pleading. She looked frantic… slightly scared too. "Miracle is important. She can help Jasper. The pack wouldn't have to worry about one of the Cullens slipping up." Jacob didn't want to point out that was what they counted on. One of the leeches slipping up and draining a human dry. All bets would be off then. He smiled at the thought. Then he sighed. This was important to Bella for some strange reason. She was his best friend. He wanted to help her.

"Fine. I'll be right back." He said grudgingly. Bella didn't have to say it. Jacob knew Bella would want him to do it. To steal the blood. "Do you know Miracle's favorite type? B negative? Or maybe O positive?" He snapped his fingers. "I know! It's AB negative!" Bella rolled her eyes. Jake chuckled saying, "I'll be back in a second."

Bella watched as Jake strolled in the blood bank. Just as promised he walked out arms full of bags of blood not three minutes later. A goofy smile was plastered on his face. That was too easy! His dark eyes seemed to say.

"There wasn't even anyone in there!" Jacob tossed the bags in the back and started the engine. "I guess they don't worry about blood banks getting robbed. Except of course by vamps. Pity no one believes in them these days."

"Yeah," Bella echoed. "Pity." She shut her eyes and leaned her head against the headrest. She spent the rest of the ride to Houston like that. Falling in and out of an uncomfortable sleep.

"Hay!" Jacob shook Bella awake roughly. "Bells, c'mon, we're here. I think. Is this it?" Bella looked around. Her eyes landed almost immediately on a large tomb in the middle of the graveyard.

"Yeah. I think this is it." She unbuckled her seatbelt and grabbed a couple bags of blood. "You coming Jake?"

Jake grabbed his own bags of blood. "Sure. Didn't come this far to leave you hanging now." He climbed out of the car and went to the other side to open Bella's for her. "Besides, you're so fragilely human you need someone to protect you." Bella glared at him. Jacob just shrugged. "Where do we go from here?"

Bella pointed at the tomb. "There. The Whitlock family tomb." She began walking towards it. The closer she got the more menacing the structure became. The tomb was large- over six feet tall- and made of smooth gray marble. There were intricate carvings on the door. A confederate flag hung proudly at the top next to a granite angel. There was something written in Latin at the top.

"Little help here?" Jake was pushing at the door. It was moving slightly, but not very much.

"What can I do?" Bella asked. "Especially since I'm so fragilely human."

"OK, I deserved that. But get over here and help me." Jacob grunted in effort. "Shit! This thing is fucking heavy."

Bella rolled her eyes and helped Jacob. Eventually they got the door opened. She covered her nose as the scent of death and decay enveloped her. Jacob however was covering his nose for a different reason. There was a vampire in there alright. The icy stench was unmistakable. They didn't need a flashlight. There were torches burning brightly along the moist walls.

"Miracle! Are you here?" Bella called out. "I'm Isabella Swan. Jasper's a friend of mine." She looked around. "Miracle?"

"Isabella, huh? What the hell are you doing here?" The voice came from behind Bella. It was so fragile and hoarse. Shivers went down Bella's spine. She turned around unprepared for what she would see. Bella covered her mouth holding back a scream. Miracle was beautiful, like all vampires, but her eyes were pitch black, her skin was stretched tight over her bones, and her skin was thin and cracked like dried out parchment. Was this what a vampire deprived of blood looked like? Obviously.

Bella couldn't respond. She just held out a bag of blood. Miracle eyed it. Shouldn't she be crazed with thirst? Bella thought. Maybe she's just too weak to be. Bella held out the blood further from her, closer to Miracle. Miracle grabbed it and gulped down the blood in a matter of seconds. She tossed it aside carelessly. Bella gave her another. Miracle repeated what happened with the first one.

Jacob pulled Bella back. "What's your brilliant plan now?" Bella looked down. "Don't tell me this is as far as you got Bells."

"This isn't as far as I got! I planned on taking her back to Forks and letting her stay at my house-"

"That's gonna be pretty tough with Edward over there all the time." Jacob interrupted.

Bella groaned. She hadn't thought of Edward. Or anyone else for that matter. "I'll just keep them away from my house until the right time."

Miracle watched this exchange with curious eyes. Were these two children together? Who was this Edward character? The right time for what? And what the hell is a Forks? Were this boy and girl planning on torturing her? With all the blood they were supplying Miracle it wouldn't be long until she would be strong enough to get away from them.

"Look, Jake, I just want to get Miracle and Jasper together again." The one named Isabella said. Miracle finally found her voice again.

"Where's Jasper?"

Bella turned back to Miracle. "In Forks. With his…"

"Wife." Jacob supplied when it was obvious Bella wouldn't say it.

Wife, Miracle thought. Jasper moved on from me. Guess that means I should too. Miracle looked at Bella and Jacob. "Thank you for getting me out. I'll be going now." She turned away but Bella stopped her.

"Don't go! Jasper really wants to see you!"

Miracle whirled around, black hair swishing around her shoulders. "But you said he has a wife Isabella. Why would he want to see me?"

Bella took a deep breath. "He isn't over you."

Miracle smiled. The thought of Jasper missing her made her insides grow warm with happiness. "OK. I will go with you."