When Charlie finished his phone call, I explained where I was wanting to go. My truck was still at our house which was a good fifteen minutes drive away. I just needed to go there to pick it up. Even after the fancy cars Edward had offered me and had even given me on my birthday, I loved my weathered truck. It was a rather stupid, sentimental attachment, but it mattered to me.

As Charlie picked up the keys to the cruiser, I couldn't help a pang of anxiousness run through me. What if he was at the house? Wouldn't that be the first place he'd expect me to go?

I got in the passenger side of the car, keeping my eyes firmly locked ahead on the horizon. We were on the main road in no time, strictly within in the speed limit of course.

I tried counting the lamp posts, the lines on the road, the number of stars appearing in the dusky sky, anything to keep my thoughts from straying. I wasn't going home to be persuaded to stay just for the night. A night would turn into another day, and that would turn into a week. Before I could blink, I would be with him again, wondering what would have happened if I had waited for just a little longer to think things through …

But I would be happy, right? That's what I wanted for myself, surely.

I fiddled with my fingers, brow furrowed. "You alright Bells?" I glanced up at Charlie. He looked genuinely concerned. Possibly more than he had when he picked me up.

"Yeah, I'm fine dad." I bit my lip to stop my foolish ideas from slipping out of my mouth. I had to see Jacob first. "Dad," I started, then paused as he nodded. "Do you think …" I tried to organise my sentences in a structured and normal way. What I wanted to say was 'do you think Jacob hates me now, after everything I've done to him?' but I stopped myself. Instead, I swallowed and continued. "Do you think Jacob would mind me just dropping by? I haven't seen him in so long."

I watched his expression change, barely noticeably, but it was obviously in a relieved and pleased sort of way. "No, I don't think he'd mind at all. In fact, I think he would really love your company. Is that where you're planning on going?"

"Well, I'm going to pick up the truck and head over, yeah."

He nodded again, approvingly. The cocoons in my stomach erupted into butterflies.

"I'm glad to have you back, for however short a time."

I tried to smile, to prove that I was stronger than I knew myself to be. "I'm glad to be back," I whispered. Whether I said it to acknowledge Charlie or to persuade myself, I wasn't quite sure.

***The familiar gravel driveway was visible through the thick layer of trees. Charlie took the car up the majority of the way.

He froze in the same instant that I did.

There, parked further up, was another car. A car that hadn't been there when I came home to change my outfit earlier. My breath caught in my throat and I couldn't seem to be able to blink. "Bella, if you want, I can come -.""Dad, it's fine," I said, barely audibly even with the key out of the ignition and the engine switched off.

I got out of the car, closing the door behind me with as soft a thump as I could manage. I sucked in my breath as I walked along the gravel, the stones crunching under each footstep. It made it all the more reassuring, knowing that I was travelling forward, but also making the situation much more real than I would have liked.

All too soon, the doorway loomed in front of me. I twisted the handle and to my amazement, the door creaked open slightly. I hadn't left it unlocked, surely. But I wasn't the last person out of the house. I barely had time to close it behind me when I was whisked away by Jasper and Emmett.

It was completely dark inside, I realised, as I opened the door further. There was no reason to be afraid, it was only Edward after all. Why then, was my heart in my throat and my head spinning?

I entered the hall, closing the door behind me as quietly as I could. The silence pressed on me like a giant anchor, weighing me to the ground. The darkness enveloped my senses in ideas that would be ridiculous in daylight … And the constant feeling of being watched.

I ran my hand along the wall for the light switch, then hesitated. I didn't want any memories to deal with on top of everything. I lowered my arm and continued through to the living room.

I picked up the car keys from the coffee table in the centre. Turning around, I was about to leave, when something caught my attention.

A shadow in the corner of the room, too dark to be many items, panicked me slightly. I studied it for a moment, trying to understand the contours in relation to the sofa. Shrugging, I continued my way out the door, when I heard something rustling behind me …

I wheeled around on my heels … To find that nothing had been altered or moved.

My heart hammered in my chest. I swallowed loudly.

I felt something trace my arm and I instinctively screamed. Vaguely, I heard, "Please don't yell!" and "it's me!", but I couldn't bear to turn round and see the person.

I heard Charlie's voice in the distance. "Bella! I'm coming!"

I squeezed my eyes shut.

The person spoke again, and the voice was almost recognisable through the buzzing sound in my ears. It was light, happier than it should have been. "So you've sent the police on me now?" It was accompanied by a light tinkling laugh.

I knew that voice.

Just as I turned around to face them, Charlie flipped on the living room lights and all three of us were able to see each other clearly. My dad was the first to speak. "Bella, are you alright? I thought I heard you screaming.""You did," I squeaked.

Then, the person opposite me spoke. "I'm really sorry Mr Swan if I alarmed you or Bella. I was just coming to see if she was okay and I think I freaked her out a little."Charlie nodded. "It's fine. Just as long as nobody's hurt."

"Dad, you can go back home if you want. I've got the truck from here." I tried to keep my voice level.

He nodded once then turned away and left the house.

I looked at the petite, pixie-like girl that had her hand still on my arm. A expression of genuine concern lit her sparkling eyes, a slight pout on her lips. She looked completely and utterly depressed. So very unlike Alice.

"I'm fine," I said automatically, staring down at the ground.

She lifted my chin so I couldn't help but look at her. "Bella, you're obviously not." She hugged me tightly, releasing me with a sprightly skip backward.

I tried to smile, once again to prove that I was stronger than I knew I was. "I'll make it through."

"I can at least offer my assistance." The smirk that graced her lips was more like the Alice that I knew. "And that means, starting tomorrow, I am taking you for some retail therapy and some girly nights in."

"Sounds fun." We both knew how big a lie that was on my part and ended up laughing. "So why are you in my house anyway?"She pulled an expression of mock horror. "You think I would lie to Chief Swan? I actually did come to see if you were okay. I thought this would be the best place to start, and when the door was open, I just let myself in."

"Alice in a break and entry, well I never …"

She smiled. "Why do you need your car keys?"

"I'm going down to La Push." I knew this would evoke a disheartened and probably frustrated response, but I was surprised in the way Alice portrayed it.

She simply sighed, and shrugged. "I can hardly stop you, just please don't do anything you'll regret later. If not for Edward, then for my sake."

I was the one that hugged her this time. "Don't worry; they'd have to hold me at gunpoint before I'd do anything to hurt you Alice.""Well, I certainly hope they don't hold you at gunpoint then!"

We both laughed, and I made my way to the front door. "I'm sorry if I've upset your family. It's just … not the right time."

"Don't worry about us, we're getting along fine. Make yourself the priority right now."

I nodded my thanks. "I'll see you later then." She nodded back.

It felt so wrong to be just leaving Alice there. I turned to explain that she could stay the night if she wanted to, but she was already gone.

I left the house and got into my truck, turning the keys in the ignition. The engine jumped into life with a deafening roar; the best sound an engine can make when it starts, however loudly. I backed out of the driveway and began my journey to La Push. And for some bizarre reason, I couldn't stop smiling.

You lucky people, getting an extra chapter that I wasn't planning on posting until later.

I made this one quite a bit longer, because so far all the chapters have been ridiculously short - sorry! :C

So once again, please take into account how much these reviews and alerts mean to me, and remember your three Rs. /hugs

- xXxGoldenFlowerxXx