Bella POV

Jacob's behavior was erratic and uncontrolled. One minute he was professing his love and the next he was trying to degrade me. His moods were giving me whiplash and I was sure that his sanity, what was left of it, was being stripped away at a fast pace. My time was limited, of that I was certain. I buried all thoughts that Edward could be dead, perished in his fury to find me. We were connected to each other. I knew…deep down to the very depths of my soul… I knew that if Edward were dead I would feel the loss immediately as if some intrinsic part of myself, the most significant part that belonged only to him would be ripped away leaving nothing but the bodily shell of myself behind. It was how I knew that Jacob had spoken falsely, out of desperation, trying to use my old insecurities against me.

"I. Don't. Want. You. "I told him feeling the fury of my words thunder within me. "Even if you were right about Edward. Which you are not. I could never love you."

I watched cagily as he shook trying to quell the tremors of his body that had nothing to do with the freezing temperatures. The knife he was holding sunk into the ground by my leg so suddenly I flinched. He was on his feet so quickly it was unnerving. For the first time since I woke up, I felt dwarfed by his presence in the tent. He loomed over me breathing heavily, a warning in his eyes before he stalked out into the cold night air. His form casting an ominous shadow on the billowing walls of the tent.

I let out a breath of relief and redirected my focus to the weapon sticking out of the ground. Jacob in his anger, unwittingly left the means of my escape behind. Swiftly moving because I had no idea how long he would be gone, I maneuvered my body so my mouth hovered just over the hilt of the knife. With a quick prayer, I used my teeth to pull the knife from the hard ground, scrambled backwards to the sleeping bag and dropped the knife into my palms.

I bit back a curse as the knife sliced my finger when it landed. I couldn't think of that now. Focus Bella. I chastised internally. Angling the knife within the confines of my bound wrists proved to take some effort. Despite the ultra cold temperatures, beads of sweat gathered on my forehead as I positioned the knife and began to cut through the rope. My only hope at this point was that I didn't mutilate my hands in the process.

Edward POV

Something wasn't sitting right with me as the pieces tried to fit together in my head. We were missing something…something imperative to finding Bella. It hovered just out of reach but it was there. My family gathered behind me waiting for instruction of what to do next. Many of the searchers left the evening, opting to go home to their nice warm beds, thankful it wasn't their loved one they were looking for. We didn't have that luxury. There would be no rest for us, even if we did need it…not until Bella was back in my arms again.

"Charlie, let me see that list Jacob left behind." I demanded holding out my hand.

He shrugged. "Sure kid." He handed over the crumpled piece of paper with the wolf's child like scrawl. As I red down the list, it hit me. We were wasting our time. "Everything he stole points to a very cold destination." I said excited that I had figured it out. "He's not traveling on the ground. He's traveling up."

We all looked above us to the jagged mountains that loomed over the town. Charlie audibly gulped beside me.

"I hope to hell that you're wrong about this." He said but knew the truth of my words. "Mac," he called out to one of the deputies that hovered nearby. "Call for a chopper. We need to get on that mountain."

The deputy gave him an incredulous look. "Are you crazy Chief? No one is gonna fly up there. It's too risky. There's no visibility up there."

Unfortunately, he was right. Because of the storm any attempt of an air rescue would be delayed until the snow and wind let up. We didn't have that kind of time. With every passing moment, I could feel Bella slipping further and further away from me.

"Damn it." Charlie muttered. "Put one on call then. As soon as this godforsaken storm lightens up, I want to be ready."

"There is another way." I spoke softly. He turned to me understanding written in the eyes that were so much like Bella's I wanted to weep.

"You mean climb?" He shook his head sadly. "Son, we don't know if she's even up there"

"We don't know that she's not. I'm willing to take the risk, Charlie. Are you?" My anger was getting the better of me now. The human façade was weakening and all my predatory instincts were screaming at me to fight for survival and my survival was linked to Bella's.

"In case you haven't noticed, that whole ridge is unsurpassable."

Not to me, nor my family. "I'm an expert climber." I told him. "I could go."

We could all go Edward. Let's bring Bella back home. Emmett silently urged. He was getting restless with inactivity, his weight shifting from one leg to the next in anticipation of the next course of action.

Charlie looked horrified. The fool kid would freeze to death before he made it halfway up that mountain. I stared him down, commanding him with my eyes to see what I saw…that there was no other way. Charlie's mind was blank as he looked back at me, his face expressionless as he stood immobile and unresisting to my will.

Son, you need to calm down. Carlisle's soothing voice entered my head as he placed his hand on my shoulder. You will be of no help to Bella if you inadvertently reveal yourself. I looked down breaking my eye contact with Charlie, ashamed at myself for trying to "dazzle" Charlie into agreeing with me.

Momentarily stunned, Charlie didn't respond at first. But now that my mental hold was broken, he came back at me in a fury of words. "Are you freaking crazy? I'm not letting a civilian go up there, not on my watch. Not to mention how would I explain it to Bella if her fiancé gets killed trying to save her? Do you really want to put her through that?"

"Chief." A disembodied voice from deep in the darkness of the forest called. "I think I found something."

Before I could follow after Bella's father, Rosalie yanked me back.

"What do you think you're doing?" She demanded through clenched teeth. "You're going to blow our whole cover with antics like that."

I couldn't keep back the growl from my throat. I didn't want to. "Why are you still here?" I seethed, pissed that she would stop me and chastise me as if I were some young child. "You should go back to the house and gaze into one of your mirrors."

"Cut it out, Edward." Emmett spat in a harsh whisper. "She's been searching just as hard as the rest of us."

He was right of course. Rosalie hadn't stopped or complained once in her search for Bella, not even inside her own mind. I was letting my desperation and anguish distort my judgment. Not that any of it would matter if Bella didn't return to me.

"Shit, I'm sorry Rosalie." I apologized.

Jasper's phone rang, momentarily startling all of us. It was Alice, I knew by the ringtone.

"You need to get to her right now." I heard Alice screech through the receiver.

"Calm down Alice. What happened?" Jasper's voice was trying to be soothing but I heard the undercurrents of panic beneath his words. The panic that served to increase my own.

"I can see her, Jazz. She manages to get away from him…a few hours from now I think. …and God that stupid dress I made her wear…she's so cold and she's hurt. He's chasing after her. I can't see…all the snow…but Jazz she will freeze to death if he doesn't get her first. Please Jazz you have to get her. Please. I can't lose my sister…not again."

In all my years, I never heard Alice so frantic. The pain of her cries staggered me, made me weak.

"See if Alice knows where she is." I implored Jasper resisting the urge to grab the phone and ask her myself.

"Alice… honey calm down. I need you to tell me where she is."

"On the mountain. Please. Tell Edward to hurry."

Jasper hit the end button of the phone. When he looked up at me his eyes were as fierce and determined as I imagined my own were. "I suggest we find a way to convince Charlie. We're going up that mountain." He said.

"Hell yeah." Emmett replied. "Let's bring my baby sister back home."

Bella POV

Almost there, I thought as I sawed through the thick rope. The knife was sharp as I quickly found out after slipping a few times and cutting my own wrist. The rusty smell wafted up to my nose and I could almost tasted the coppery, metallic flavor as I watched the drops fall one by one onto the surface of the sleeping bag. Dizziness started to darken the edges of my vision, the side effect of my own weakness for the smell and sight of blood. No! I pushed down the nausea. If I was going to die, it wouldn't be because of this.

Jake was still outside probably seething. His shadow suggested that he sat just outside the tent and I could smell wood burning from a fire he must have lit. Some of the smoke leaked into the tent making my eyes water. At least he wasn't trying to torment me anymore. Or maybe he was just taking a breather, trying to come up with something even more insidious than what he's already done. Besides the head bashing, he hadn't tried to physically hurt me…yet. As volatile as he was, I didn't want to chance it. There were far worse things he could do to me. The mere thought made me slice harder into the rope.

With one last pull of the ropes I was free. Hurriedly, I untied the ropes on my ankles and valiantly fought against breaking into a victory dance. I may have won this battle but the war was still being fought. I was using the sleeping bag to apply pressure onto my wounded wrists when I noticed the fire outside going out.

Shit, he was coming back inside. I kept a tight grip on the knife as I sunk lower into the sleeping bag and prayed he wouldn't notice his knife wasn't where he left it. If I pretended to sleep, maybe he would leave me alone and just go to sleep himself. I concentrated on evening out my breathing. Sleeping people didn't breathe heavily in fear.

I felt his presence looming over me in the darkness as if he were trying to ascertain if I was really asleep. Finally with a heavy sigh, he sat down.

"Give me some credit, Bella. I know you're not really asleep."

I kept silent and as still as I could. Now that the adrenaline had worn from cutting through the ropes, the cold was starting to seep into my bones again. The heater in the tent provided little if any warmth against the below freezing temperatures.

"Okay, play it that way if you want." He said hunkering down a few feet from me. "I got all night and you're not going anywhere." He chuckled to himself.

Edward POV

Rosalie had opted to go back to the house to let the others know what we were planning, not that she needed to with Alice around but she had no desire to come with us and we really didn't need her any way. Her being there would look suspicious.

I heard Charlie's thoughts before I saw him as he was making his way back over to us. Kid needs to get his eyes checked…mistaking a wolf print for a humans…idiot.

"It was nothing." He spoke out loud when he neared us. His expression turned from disgruntled to suspicious as he looked at us. We had agreed that Carlisle would do the convincing. It would sound more logical coming from a father to father approach than if I were to bring it up again. In truth, we did not need Charlie's permission at all. I fully intended to go up the mountain regardless of what Charlie had to say about it.

"Charlie." Carlisle spoke carefully putting a hand on Charlie's shoulder. Charlie was uncomfortable with that, knew my father was trying to soften him to whatever he was going to say next. He looked at my father's hand so casually placed and looked back at Carlisle direct in the eyes.

"I'm not going to like what you're going to say, am I?"

Carlisle actually grinned slightly. "It's not as ominous as all that. I just wanted to inform you that my sons and I have decided to head up the mountain to look for Bella."

He's just as crazy as the rest of them. Charlie shook of Carlisle's hand. "Don't you think I'd go up that damn mountain myself if I could? I am doing everything humanly possible to find my daughter, Carlisle but what you want to do, it's not possible. It's a damn death trap."

"We all know you're doing your best but my sons and I, well, we truly are expert hikers and have climbed more precarious mountains and in under more extreme weather conditions. Charlie, I love my sons. I would never allow them to make the attempt if I wasn't absolutely positive they would be successful."

"And I'm supposed to be okay with this?"

I wanted to tell him he didn't have a choice.

"It's the only place left to look. We've searched everywhere else and speaking as a doctor, I'm afraid the longer Bella stays up there, the more risk she is under, not just from Jacob Black but from hypothermia and frostbite, just to name a few." Carlisle paused for a dramatic sigh. "I consider Bella a daughter as well, not usurping your position, you understand, but I want to bring her back as much as you do. If we have the means and the capabilities, why not take advantage of them?"

I had to admit, Carlisle's argument was convincing even to a man as stubborn as Bella's father. Charlie's thoughts were warring with each other. He was desperate to get Bella back but his conscience was telling him not to put our family at risk. I couldn't stay silent any longer.

"We're not asking your permission Charlie. We are going but out of respect we wanted to let you know."

Charlie gave me a steely look, his lips set in a grim line. "Then I'm going with you."

When I went to disagree, Carlisle stopped me with his thoughts. We'll need him. His presence may be the only thing that will prevent an all out war and would keep suspicion off of us should Jacob not return alive.

I knew what Carlisle was saying was logical but it still left a sour taste in my mouth. Everything in me cried out for the death of that mongrel by my own hands and my father was taking that away from me. Emmett, on the other hand was more than ticked that Charlie wanted to come with us but even he questioned whether or not Charlie had the physical ability and strength it took for such a dangerous mission.

"You ever mountain climb, Charlie?" He asked.

My mind was invaded with memories of Charlie in his youth, an exuberant teenager to be sure, clumsily climbing the very mountain that loomed before us. "A long time ago." He shrugged. "Haven't done it since I was a kid and to be honest never in weather like this."

"No worries there. We'll harness you on my back and we'll get you up that way."

Charlie looked skeptical to say the least. "No offense kid but I don't think that's the best idea you ever head. "I'm heavier than I look." All those damn steak and potato dinners, he added in his mind.

Emmett grinned. "None taken but I'll tell you a secret." He lowered his voice to a whisper. "I can bench twice your weight and not break a sweat."

"Is he serious?" Charlie asked Carlisle.

"My son is very strong." My father agreed.

It was settled then. With Charlie piggy backing on Emmett, - I mentally reminded myself to get him a pair of snow goggles- he wouldn't be able to tell how fast we were going. Jasper insisted on coming along as well telling me that we might need his gift to calm the mutt down. It would be disastrous if he phased in front of Charlie, if he hadn't already phased. That particular thought brought a grief so intense it beckoned to steal what little composure I had left.

With hiking equipment donated by Mr. and Mrs. Newton from their store, we geared up – the only one actually needing it was Emmett who had Charlie secured in a harness on his back. Carlisle had his medical bag with him. We all prayed he wouldn't need it but Alice's earlier vision claimed otherwise.

Sam came running up to us as we were standing by the base of the mountain. "I'm coming too." I may be the only one that can talk sense into him bloodsucker and you know it. That may be true but he also wanted to make sure we didn't rip his former pack member to shreds.

"Fine" I told him through clenched teeth, "but I am not making any promises."

He nodded once. "I can live with that."

"Let's hope so." I said cryptically.

Sam didn't need the hiking gear anymore than we did but he put it on anyway. It was decided that he and I would go first, then Emmett with Charlie, Carlisle and finally Jasper.

"Thank you for doing this." Charlie spoke sincerely, his voice muffled through the thick scarf around his neck, as we started the treacherous climb.

It was Emmett that spoke. "Bella's my sister. Even if she's not blood related, she has always been part of this family."

Charlie cleared his throat uncomfortably. I didn't realize how much I needed to hear that. I really have been too hard on the Cullen boy.

If I wasn't so worried for Bella's safety, I would have smiled. Charlie was having a change of heart.

Bella POV

I must have actually fallen asleep because the next thing I knew I was listening to Jacob's chainsaw like snoring reverberating through the small shelter. He was so deeply asleep, I knew I had no other choice but to act and to act quickly. With utmost care, I slid out of the confines of the sleeping bag, physically cringing at every whisper of noise, continuously glancing in his direction to make sure he didn't awake. There was no time to look for anything warmer to wear and I did the only thing I could do. I bundled myself up in the sleeping bag, gripped the knife I still had and tried to slowly and silently crawl out of the tent.

The opening I created while trying to slither out caused a burst of snowy wind to come inside. Shit! The disturbance of air was enough to wake Jacob up. I was out of time. His hand shot out and grabbed the sleeping bag. I scurried out from under it and stumbled through the tent opening. I felt a sudden unrelenting grip on my ankle as he tried to pull me back inside.

"Where do you think you're going Bella?" he asked, baring his teeth in a menacing smile.

"Away from you." I spat back as I tried to grip the hard ground with my fingernails and kicked out with my legs hoping to land my foot in his face.

"Stop fighting me Bella."

Never! I thought. I managed to kick away from him but as I stood up and started to run, he grabbed my ankle again. I fell forward, my already bad knee breaking the fall and bit my lip to keep from screaming. He was almost upon me now. I could feel his hot breath at the back of my neck.

Gripping tighter on the handle of the knife, I twisted around and plunged blindly. At his yelp of pain, I knew I had hit my mark. I pulled out and kept plunging, scooting further away as I did so. Blood spattered on my dress and across the snow but I was too afraid to let it affect me. I felt his hand loosen on my leg and he backhanded me across the face sending me flying. I saw stars when I landed but I knew if I succumbed to them all would be lost.

He hovered over me then, breathing heavily. "You won't get away from me that easily." He threatened with a snarl.

With as much strength as I could muster, my arm pulled back and I let it fly. With a sickening sound, the knife was embedded right by Jacob's eye.

Not waiting for him to recover, I ran into the shelter of the trees, ignoring the wind, ignoring the pain, ignoring the frigid air. No matter what happens, Edward…always remember I love you.