Disclaimer: I am not Stephenie Meyer; I do not own the Twilight series, just a fan having fun. No copyright infringement is intended.

Chapter 15

Jacob's POV

When I woke up, I half expected to be lying in bed with Nessie, like always, thinking that the horrible events that happened the day before where just a bad dream. Unfortunately, the moment I opened my eyes I realized the veracity of the events. I wasn't in Nessie's arms or bed, I was sitting rather uncomfortably on a chair next to Leah.

"Jacob… you didn't have to spend the night."

"I wanted to, you looked really bad yesterday."

"Let me rephrase that… why the hell did you stay over?!!! I couldn't rest properly with you saying "Nessie" every five minutes!!!" – Yep, Leah was definitely feeling better.

"Sorry… I didn't know I talk in my sleep."

"I wanted to kill you… I'm surprised your little "half and half" has never thrown you out of bed… or maybe she just likes the sound of her own name." – Leah sat up on her bed to get a better look at me. – "Jake… you look like crap."

"I know… it's hard to sleep without her."

"Then why the hell did you stay?!!! You could have snuggled up with your little weirdo and I could have had a good night sleep without hearing her name the whole time."

"She's not here… she went to New York."

"Oh… sorry."

"That's ok Leah… how are you feeling?" – I got up from the chair and moved towards her bed, sitting so that I was facing her. She definitely looked better, the color returning to her face.

"Good… stronger."

"I need you to tell me everything Leah."

"Ok. After our patrol, I went for a walk… I went past our perimeter, I know I probably shouldn't have, but I was just wandering. I caught a scent… something repulsive… I started tracking it until it just disappeared… a few minutes later I ran into tree people… or at least I thought that's what they were." – Leah seemed to be struggling to remember.

"What did they look like? Where they the ones that smelled bad?"

"No… they smelled fine, like normal humans. There were two women and a man, they looked like in their early thirties, kind of scruffy, like they were homeless or something. They… they asked me something, something about the lake, where they could find it."

"And then what?"

"Something came up behind me… Jacob… I didn't even see it coming, or hear it, or smell it or anything." – She seemed frustrated with herself, seemed almost ashamed.

"Then what?"

"It bit me hard on the neck. It was horrible, I felt my body start to go numb… it happened so fast I couldn't even phase. The three people started moving around me… it was all a blur, they began to bite me."

"Did they turn into werewolves?"

"I don't know… I couldn't really see them… they were growling though."

"How did you escape, why didn't they kill you?"

"There was a growl, it sounded like an order; they stopped attacking me for a second… I don't know where I got the strength, but I phased. I just ran, ran as fast as I could; I could feel them behind me but I just kept running. They stopped chasing me once I reached our perimeter."

"And you didn't see anything else?"

"No, I'm sorry Jake… the first bite had something, something that numbed me, disconcerted me."

"If you saw the tree people again, would you be able to recognize them?"

"I think I could… the women were brunettes, ashy skin and really dark eyes, the man was tall, ashy skinned as well, with dreadlocks. I remember their scent, maybe we could track them."

"Yeah, but right now you need to get some rest… can I check your wounds?"

"Sure." – I lifted her shirt up and began to examine the bites. There was only a faint pink outline of where the gashes used to be. This time I was able to count the injuries; she had two bites on her neck, four around her stomach and another two on her legs. I thought of Nessie as I scanned Leah's hurt body, because they have a similar built: they're both tall and thin and muscular. I imagined what it would be like if it where Nessie's wounds the ones I was surveying. She was crazy if she wanted me to be reckless and impulsive with her, there was no way.

"How do they look?"

"Good… you can barely see them anymore."

"So… Sam was here." – She wasn't asking me, she was simply stating it.

"Yep."

"I heard what you said to him… unless I was dreaming."

"Yeah, sorry, maybe I overreacted."

"No, overreacting would be to phase and rip his eyes out… that would have been very pleasant… but what you said was good too." – Leah smiled at me and I had forgotten just how pretty she is, something always overlooked because of her bad temper and chopped off hair.

"So… what did you do now?"

"What do you mean?"

"Well, Nessie's in New York… so I'm figuring you did something to piss her off. Didn't you take her flowers like I said?"

"Yeah, but she was already gone when I got there. I don't know Leah… apparently she's upset because she wants me to be impulsive and reckless and adventurous with her, but I can't."

"Why the hell not?" – I didn't expect that question, wasn't it obvious?

"Because I love her… I mean… I have to protect her, not put her in harm's way."

"Jacob… you're such a stupid dog sometimes… how the hell is she going to get hurt by running around with you? She's a freaking vamp!!!"

"I… but… I... she's only half vampire!!!" – Leah rolled her eyes at me.

"You know… girls want a partner in crime… not a freaking babysitter." – She was making all the sense in the world. The problem was; that had been the basis of our relationship from the beginning. I was her protector and she had been my little girl from the start. It wasn't like Bella, it would never be like Bella, because she had been my friend first, not the love of my life first, like Nessie.

As if on cue, my cell phone vibrated. Just reading her name on the screen gave me butterflies.

"Hello puppy."

"You sound cheerful."

"That's what an entire morning of shopping will do to you. How are you, you sound tired?"

"Yeah… we had a little incident here."

"What do you mean? Are you ok? Did something happen to my parents? Is it the werewolves?" – I could sense her panic even on the phone.

"Everything's ok baby, nothing's happened… well, something happened, but it's ok now."

"What?"

"Leah was attacked… she can't remember exactly what happened or what attacked her… but she's alright now, she's healed."

"Where you with her? Where you attacked too?" – Again, I could sense the panic from her voice.

"No… she was alone."

"Oh no Jacob… that could have been you!!! I'm coming home right now… I'm so sorry I left. Tell Leah I say hi, tell her I hope she's felling better. I'll call you once I get a flight back… to let you know the landing time, would you pick me up at the airport?"

"Sure Ness… but are you sure you want to come back early?" – Just knowing that the things that attacked Leah were around the area made me very uneasy. For the first time in my life, I actually wanted Ness far away.

"Yes, I'm sure… I want to be with you through this. I'll call you, love you… bye."

We hung up and Leah rolled her eyes when she saw my sad face.

"You're such a whiny girl."

I gave Leah a dirty look and she simply smiled at me… her evil smile.

"Ok… so you should get dressed… we're going to go see Carlisle."

"What?!!!"

"I want him to look at you… it's kind of late for him to check the bites but maybe he can run a blood test and find something."

"Jacob Black, you're insane if you think I'm letting the bloodsucking doc put his hands on me!!!"

"Don't you want to know more about why the bites numbed you?"

"I don't give a flying fuck if it means that leech is going to play doc with me!!! How can you even suggest that? I'm not going anywhere near that house!!!"

"Leah, don't make me go Alpha on you and give you an order." – I tried to make my tone as threatening as possible, but Leah's hatred towards vampires was more powerful than her obedience to me.

"I'd like to see you try!!! What the hell Jacob? Not only did I almost get killed, now you want to torture me like this?" – She was shaking now, obviously really upset. I felt bad for even suggesting the Alpha thing.

"Ok, ok… calm down Leah… I'm sorry. Listen, how about this: I'll draw blood from you and take the sample to Carlisle, what do you say?" – Leah was looking at me, still slightly shaking, analyzing my proposal. She had a skeptical look on her face, like maybe I was tricking her or something. After a while of just looking directly at me, she inhaled and nodded.

Nessie's POV

My stomach was churning from the nervousness. The weekend I decide to take a trip and leave Jacob alone, this happens. I really needed to get over my silly tantrum and just accept that Jacob will never be reckless with me, accept it and appreciate it. I was behaving like a spoiled child and I knew that my mood recently was stressing him out, so I needed to stop.

Aunt Alice and I were already on board. She had paid off some people to let us take their place on the flight so we could get home faster. It was the funniest thing to see the couple, husband and wife, being persuaded by Alice to surrender their tickets and leave New York a day later. The tactics she uses on every member of our family were just as effective on total strangers. After a few minutes of serious convincing, the couple walked away with Broadway tickets, a reservation and paid meal at a fancy restaurant and eight hundred dollars.

The flight seemed to take place in slow motion, like the pilot was in no mood to arrive in Seattle. Alice didn't seem worried at all; she was talking away excitedly as if nothing had happened. In between our conversation about the stores we needed to visit next time and the presents we had bought for everyone, I thought of Jacob. I couldn't wait to see him, couldn't wait to tell him I was sorry for leaving, couldn't wait to kiss him and make sure he was ok.

I exhaled when the plane landed and tapped my foot loudly as we waited for everyone to get their luggage and walk out; humans are too damn slow. Aunt Alice and I walked as fast as we could without drawing too much attention to ourselves, so before I knew it, we arrived at the exit and sure enough, there was Jacob, my Jacob.

He had flowers in his hand and looked so darn cute that if not for the dozens of people walking around, not to mention my aunt next to me, I would have taken him right then and there.

He smiled when he saw me, causing me to burst into a run. I threw myself at him almost making him to drop the flowers, wrapped my legs around his waist and simply kissed him, not caring at all that we were in a public place. I heard Alice giggling behind me but didn't pay much attention; all I could see, feel and think was Jacob. We broke apart but remained inches from each other, Jacob still holding me up.

"Wow… someone's happy to see me." – He was slightly blushing when he said this, making me want him even more.

"I missed you… I'm never leaving you again."

"You're going to have to make it up to me, you know." – He wiggled his eyebrows at me and I realized just how much I'd missed him.

"Have anything in mind?"

"Yes… but I'm thinking of a much less crowded scenario." – He smiled his half smile and again I forgot we were in a public place and continued to kiss him.

"He-hem, I'm sorry to interrupt you two, but… don't we have some pressing matters… like… I don't know… Leah's attack?!!!"

I got down from Jacob, realizing Aunt Alice was right.

"Sorry."

"It's ok Nessie… thank God I'm not as squeamish as Rose or Edward, because after that kiss they'd both be either puking or pissed off." - She was teasing us, of course, but I still blushed at what she said.

We went to the parking lot, got in Jacob's car and started driving home. Aunt Alice immediately got on the phone with Uncle Jazz and talked to him the entire way back. I was sitting next to Jacob up front, looking at the beautiful flowers he'd given me.

"You like them? They're kind of withered because I picked them yesterday."

"I love them… listen Jacob… I've been acting like a big spoiled baby; I got this stupid idea in my head and wouldn't let it go, but I know it's not right for me to ask certain things of you… so I'm dropping it."

He didn't say anything, which really surprised me. He just nodded and continued driving. I couldn't read him; I wasn't sure if he was just worried about Leah and didn't pay attention to what I was saying or if he was mad at me, or worst, simply hadn't even noticed my mood this past week. I couldn't believe that he would be so oblivious to not notice that something was bothering me. If he were mad, he'd say something… wouldn't he? Maybe he just didn't want to get in a fight or maybe he was too hurt to say anything. I kept looking at him as he silently drove the car, trying to find some hint or trace of emotion in his face, but nothing. I really hated when he did this and not knowing what he was feeling was making me anxious. He must have sensed my anxiety because he reached over and grabbed my hand, interlacing our fingers.

"So… what did you bring me?" – I could tell he was trying to lighten the mood, so I went along with it.

"It's a surprise… you'll just have to wait and see." – He laughed when I said this and whatever worry I had that he was angry went away.

"Mmmm… can I eat it?" – I laughed when he said this. Leave it to Jacob to always be thinking about food. I turned to him and shook my head.

"Can I… wear it?" – He was getting closer so I just nodded.

"Will I look sexy in it?" – He wiggled his eyebrows and again I laughed.

"You look sexy in everything." – I wasn't teasing when I said this. His response was to turn back his eyes on the road and bite his lip. After a few minutes of silence, he continued our little game.

"Don't tell me it's a pair of shoes."

"Nope, you don't wear shoes."

"Pants?"

"Nope, cause you have to take them off when you phase." – I blushed a little when I said this, remembering he knew I'd seen him take them off once. He blushed to and turned to look at the road again. This new habit of his of blushing was really irresistible and I knew I'd have to come up with new and interesting ways of getting him to do it.

"So… it's something I can leave on?" – He was getting too close and I didn't want to ruin the surprise, so I just sat back and folded my arms.

"Come on Ness… I know I'm close… what is it?"

"Just wait."

A few minutes later we were parking in front of the big house and went inside. Jacob seemed to know something I didn't because he went directly upstairs and into my grandpa's study. I follow him in, only to find grandpa sitting behind his desk and mom and dad sitting in the sofa next to it.

"Well?" – Jacob was looking at grandpa in expectance, he didn't even bother to say hi… or maybe he had already been here. I didn't like not knowing what was going on. I turned to look at dad who just winked at me, as if telling me not to worry.

"Why don't you sit down Jacob? Hello Nessie honey." – I smiled at grandpa but didn't leave Jacob's side.

"I'd rather stand… just tell me doc."

"Alright… I ran the blood test. It's a shame you didn't bring her here right away, after the attack; I could have done a more thorough evaluation."

"There was no way she was letting me bring her here."

"I understand that… well… I know what paralyzed Leah. I found vampire venom in her blood."

"What?!!!" – Momma, Jake and I all basically screamed it out; only dad remained calm upon the statement, probably already knowing it was coming.

"Vampires did this to her?" – Jacob's voice was fierce, a definite hatred undertone when he said the word "vampire". I saw my momma flinch when Jake spoke, as if his words had hit her straight across the face. I didn't feel so good either.

"Calm down Jacob." – Dad's voice wasn't soothing; it was an order, a command.

"Don't even try it Edward… Leah almost died!!!"

"It wasn't vampires." – Grandpa was very calm, even though the atmosphere was dead tense.

"Right… because coming across freaking vampire venom is so easy!!!"

"Listen to me Jacob… the amount of vampire venom I found in her blood was a small amount, far too small to come from a vampire. If a vampire had bitten Leah… I'm sorry to say… she'd be dead. And by the amount of bites you say she had… what was it? Eight?" – Jacob nodded.

"She would have had a rather large amount of venom in her system. She would not have survived one vampire bite… let alone eight."

"Then how the hell did the venom end up in her system?"

"I don't know… perhaps they injected her with it."

"No… she distinctly felt a bite… she didn't have any marking in her body that suggested an injection."

"And you examined her thoroughly?"

"Yes." – I don't know why, but I felt jealous all of a sudden. Had Jacob seen Leah naked? Of course I knew this to be true, considering all the phasing they do together. But something about him being up close and really looking at her like that really bothered me. I saw dad smirk at my thoughts.

"The mark of an injection could have healed rather quickly." – Grandpa was still calm, looking at Jacob with concern and compassion in his eyes.

"It was a bite… Leah was specific. It was only after the bite that she felt disoriented… she didn't feel anything else. Can't a vampire regulate the amount of venom he infuses into someone?"

"No… we produce so much venom… that even if we tried to control it, a fairly good amount would go through… much more than what Leah had."

"Wait… what about the venom you found in the werewolf's arm… wasn't it a small amount too, a mere trace?" – Momma was looking at grandpa, she seemed rather put off by Jacob for some reason and wouldn't look at him; or maybe she was just afraid that it might have really been a vampire, and felt guilty.

"You're right." – Grandpa was looking down, deep in thought.

"Ok… so if Tanya or whoever was able to bite that thing and only let go of a bit of venom… couldn't the same happen with Leah?" – Jacob was still fuming.

"That's not what I meant Jacob." – Momma finally glanced at him with cold eyes. I wasn't used to seeing mom look at him like that; I suddenly felt angry too, not at Jacob, but at her.

Jacob took his eyes off grandpa and looked at mom.

"Then what?"

"What if… what if the venom in the creature's blood didn't come from the outside… but was there already?" – Jacob scoffed at mom.

"Seriously Bella… how far would you go to protect your beloved bloodsuckers?"

"Don't speak to her that way." – Dad wasn't half as upset as Jacob and mom seemed to be, but his voice was hard and again, sounded like an order. I knew this would make Jake snap, so I braced myself.

"I can speak to her however the hell I want!!! Come on Bella… answer me? You really don't care if any of us get killed… just as long as your leeches are fine. They attacked Leah and you just sit there making excuses and stupid assumptions, protecting the entire vampire population, like always."

"That's not fair Jacob, you're my family."

"Fuck that… if it wasn't for Nessie, you wouldn't give a damn."

"Jacob, please… I know that what happened has you upset, but you have to calm down… I think Bella might be right." – Grandpa was standing up now, commanding all the authority he could. Jacob quickly backed down from his rant, taking in a deep breath and taking my hand in his, as if holding it would keep him steady. Grandpa smiled kindly at him, upon watching his reaction.

"I never asked Tanya or any of the Denali's if they had bit the creature… I simply assumed that had happened upon discovering the venom in its blood. I was too preoccupied with unraveling its DNA that I didn't stop to think that the amount of venom was not enough for it to have come from a bite."

"You need to call them." – Dad was saying it at the same time as grandpa was already picking up the phone.

His conversation with Tanya was short, to the point. I felt Jacob inhale when grandpa hung up. I hadn't realized it, but up until them, I was holding my breath as well. Grandpa looked around the room at all of us before speaking.

"We have a problem. None of the Denalis recall biting any of the creatures… and vampires usually have a good memory. If we rule that out, it means the venom was naturally running in the creature's veins, which means they can produce it, like us."

We all stood there, silent. A million ideas where popping into my head, making it far too chaotic to focus on just one and understand what this meant exactly. Jacob was still holding my hand but hadn't looked at me, not once. I couldn't take the silence but I didn't know what to say either.

"So…?" – Was all I could muster, but it was enough to wake everyone from their concentration.

"So they're not werewolves… so they're some kind of hybrid… so we know nothing about them." – Jacob's voice was hollow and its sound went straight to the pit of my stomach. He finally looked at me, a crease forming in between his eyebrows. – "You're leaving tonight."

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