Hey readers. I haven't updated in a while because I sort of hit a funk in my writing but I have some new ideas, plus it's summer so I think I should be going back to weekly or biweekly updates. Hope you enjoy!

Lucy liked birthday parties. The party Emily had for her was fun, there was cake and cheesy games and Charlie even showed up. He sat awkwardly in his paper cone party hat next to a jolly looking Billy. The only person missing was Bella. It hurt her knowing that Bella had chosen the Cullen's over her. Again. While Bella and Lucy hadn't spoken since their fight at the Cullen's mansion, a few of the leeches had tried to reach out to her. Earlier that day she had found a perfectly wrapped gift on her bed. On the card in elaborate script was,

Lucy,

Picked these up when we were in Rome. Thought you might need a new deck .I wish you would call sometime. We miss you. Happy Birthday.

Love,

Jasper

Throwing the card deck into one of her desk drawers she had hurried into the bathroom to wash herself of that moment. She wouldn't see the Cullen's for three more months.

Along with the rest of the population of Fork's high school students, Paul, and Jacob, Lucy sat in the Cullen's house. Unlike the rest of the students, who looked around the house amazed at their surroundings, all Lucy saw was pretend. Monsters pretending to be human. Her sister pretending to enjoy the company of others. Even Paul and Jacob were pretending like they weren't about to phase from the smell. Still, they sat inside with her. Occasionally, she would see Edward staring at Paul with a confused look on his face.

"Hey Paul, what are you thinking about?" She whispered to him. He bent down to her ear so her human ear could hear him better.

"I'm counting. Concentrating so I don't phase and rip a leeches head off in front of all of these people." Lucille would have laughed if she wasn't so sure he was serious. She put her head on Paul's shoulder but felt his body stiffen underneath her. She looked up to see both him and Jacob glaring across the room. The object of their stare was Alice Cullen, obviously seeing something, and Edward who was talking so quickly a human wouldn't be able to see his mouth move. At an inhuman speed they ran to the kitchen. Lucy noticed that no one at the party had given them a second glance. People on the outside didn't seem to notice the secrets she was wrapped in. The supernatural beings next to her talked at a speed that she, nor Bella who had suddenly joined them, couldn't follow. Quickly Paul and Jacob turned on their heels. Paul grabbed Lucy's hand and they began walking out. To the vampires behind him Paul called out, "Three o'clock at the line. Don't be late."

"What's going on?"

"There's going to be a war by the looks of it." Jacob answered her question with a harsh tone.

"A war! What? Why?"

Paul answered this time, "The red headed leech is bringing an army. The small vamp said it'll be in about a week."

A war. Lucy couldn't believe it. She couldn't believe it during the pack meeting and she still couldn't believe it at three o'clock in the morning as the Cullen's and Bella emerged from the trees. As the pack trained with the vampires Lucy and Bella sat on their respective sides. They looked at each other sadly. Two sisters. Two sides. Two fates that were always hanging in the balance.

"I'm sorry that I brought you into this." Bella's voice was small.

With a bitter, sad laugh Lucy replied, "I was always in this. I'm more worried about the pack, you brought us all into this. They're my family Bells."

"I'm your family too. And the Cullen's used to be like family to you."

"It's different now. You know it. I know it. Hell even Charlie knows it. He just doesn't now as much detail."

Bella and Lucy each gave a small laugh, "He's always been in the dark. At least I'll still get to see you after I turn. I'm going to miss him and mom though."

"I wish you would make a different choice. I know you can't, you're too far gone into this, this life you have. I wonder what I'm going to do when I don't have to take care of you anymore."

"I'll take care of you. Like I should have." Lucy felt the tears build in her eyes. Bella's acknowledgement of Lucy taking care of her helped a small part of the resentment go. It opened up the floodgates, so to speak.

"You know you can't come back here after you change. You'll all have to flee somewhere else for a long time. You have forever, Bells, but I don't. What are you going to do? Roll back into town when I'm eighty and say your goodbyes? What happens when mom and dad die? Or when I die? I can't help but feel like you're giving up your life." Lucy was crying now and so was Bella. The training ended and once again they parted ways. Lucy with her pack, her brothers, her Paul. Bella with the Cullen's.

"Jake do we have any Cheetos?" Jacob was going through her kitchen cabinets for anything delicious. He was patrolling around their house tonight but Charlie had to work the late shift again so she didn't see why he should have to wait outside in the rain.

"Nope but you have Frito' s."

"Ew those are gross. Let's just order pizza."

"Do pizza places deliver at one in the morning?" Jacob asked.

Lucy quickly turned to the clock. "How shit it is one in the morning. I keep losing track of time. I don't sleep much anymore either."

Jacob plopped down next to her on the couch. She looked at him carefully and could see the outline of bags under his eyes. She supposed the pack wasn't getting much sleep either. Lucy hugged her legs to her chest and rested her chin on her knees. They were watching the news. More deaths in Seattle. That's all that seemed to be on the news anymore.

"Jacob," Jake turned to Lucy, surprised she used his full first name, "Is everything going to be ok?"

Jacob opened his mouth to answer with something reassuring but he realized he couldn't fill her, his best friend, with false hope, "I don't know Luce. We have four more days. Just try not to think about it."

"That's easier said than done." Despite the situation Lucy laughed as did Jacob.

"You're telling me." So they changed the channel to something happier and tried their hardest to live right then, in that moment, and not dwell on their uncertain future. And when Paul crawled into bed with her that night and pressed his lips against hers, she finally felt like she knew how to live.