I realize my story is going to get very predictable, so I just wanted to let you all know before you're on my back, that there will be a twist, I promise. I'm getting to it :) just hang in there and bear with me! Thanks peoples!

Chapter 11

Max

I could not bear to be here, but I knew there was no other way to get some closure. I needed to know that there was none of my old life left. That there was nothing to come back and haunt me in later years.

Sure enough, I saw the For Sale sign on the front lawn of my house in La Push. My stomach churned when I landed on the lawn and saw that below that was the one word I had and had not wanted to see. Sold. Someone else lived here now. I had no business coming here anymore.

Taking flight again, not worried that anyone might see me at this early hour, I headed for First Beach. I needed to hear the rush of the ocean; it was one of the only sounds that calmed me, no matter where I was. The other sound could never be duplicated... it was gone with the dark boy who produced it.

I landed on the beach and walked the crescent from one end to the other. I had been right to come here. I felt calmer; not better, but calmer. The sand beneath my bare feet felt good, even though it was below freezing out here. I figure I was used to the cold by now, having lived in freaking Alaska for months.

A flock of birds flew over my head, in the simple V formation that provided the easiest travel. My throat constricted, making it harder to breathe. Tears welled up in my eyes as I turned my face to the sky and watched the birds until they were out of my sight. Exhausted, I sat on the sand and made it more comfortable before lying on my back. I closed my eyes, letting the light breeze play with my now-sandy hair. My dirty blonde hair was thrown behind me like a halo spread out on the sand.

I must have lay like that for hours, but maybe my mind was playing tricks on me. It did that sometimes. The sun was higher in the sky now, so I tucked my wings beneath my shoulders. No reason to be caught now.

"Uhh what are you doing?" I looked up, startled to see someone walking towards me. Whoever it was, they were still far enough away and coming directly out of the sun. Shading my eyes, I still could not make out who it was, so I chose not to answer.

"Do I... know you?" the person asked when he got closer. I squinted and was startled once more when his head blocked the sun.

"Quil?"

"Max? What are you doing here? I thought you moved!" He sounded happy to see me, which was kind of weird, since I'd forced him into helping me with my attempted-suicide last time I'd seen him.

"I... came back." That was the best answer I could come up with. Pretty pathetic, I know. Quil didn't look satisfied in the least with that answer but he decided to let it slide.

"So... how are things with you and your boyfriend?" He was trying to change the subject, I knew, but the subject he chose was pricelessly painful. Without meaning or wanting to, I burst into tears, my head falling back onto the sand.

"Oh! Uhh, are you ok?" Quil asked, suddenly nervous. He had no clue what to do. Guys are useless when it comes to females that show emotions other than anger and lust... seriously and utterly useless...

I lay there, tears streaming down my face with Quil standing awkwardly over me. I covered my face with my arms, embarrassed that I was really crying in front of him. I hate being so weak nowadays.

"Quil?" Great, someone else is coming to see my despair. "What're you doing way down here man? We gotta get started. Sam wants us back so we can go track down some more bloo... Oh hey! Sorry, didn't see you there!" His voice was suddenly cheerful. God I hate people...

"Is something wrong with her?" he asked Quil quietly enough that normal people would not have heard. I am, big shocker, not normal.

"Yes idiot, something is wrong with me," I snapped. "Why the hell else would I be crying on a beach in the middle of freaking winter?" He was probably taken aback, but I didn't look to check.

"Uhh sorry..." he muttered.

"Don't be sorry for me! I did this all on my own. All on my freakin own!" I sighed in defeat. "Damn I hate my life," I muttered darkly. "Hey Quil, do you still get mad really easy?"

"Max?" I sighed.

"No shit Sherlock. What tipped you off?" I asked, taking my arms off my face. "Was it the fact that I'm suicidal or that I'm here in the first place?"

"Still as rude as always, I see." I still had no idea who I was being rude to. I sat up and looked into the sun. Quil was still blocking the sun, but I used my hand to shade my eyes anyways.

"Jacob?" I was stunned. When did he get so... good looking? I shook my head. I cannot think about those kinds of things...

"Yeah? Who else would it be?" he replied, throwing my own rudeness back in my face. I bit back a smile. He looked down at me and met my eyes.

I don't know what happened, but something about him changed when he looked into my eyes. His brown eyes went wide and he looked shocked. What the hell?

"Uhh what's wrong with you?" I asked snippily. I am a very rude person, I know, I know.

"Nothing," Jacob said, blinking. He stumbled and stuttered through an explanation that I didn't care to hear. All I know is that it would have taken ten seconds if he wasn't so suddenly and unexpectedly nervous. Weirdo...

"Uhmm dude, you're going mental," Quil said, laughing. He took Jacob by the arm and led him away. "See ya around Max."

"Sure, sure," I said automatically. I blinked. Where had I heard that before? That definitely was not something I had picked up from the flock. Today just keeps getting weirder and weirder. I chuckled to myself, thinking about Jacobs' strange expression and stuttering a moment ago.

I picked myself up off the ground and wiped the sand off my back. Sighing, I figured it would be best to head back to the Cullens' place now. Being alone for too long was getting to me. It gave me too much time to think... thinking is bad when you're afraid of your thoughts.

I flew quickly back to Forks, gliding over Bella's, actually, Charlie's, home. It seemed empty without the rusty old truck sitting in the driveway. Bella had told me how it had broken down a few months ago. That truck had had character.

"Hey, you're back," Emmett said when I landed on the front steps. "Where'd you go? Edward said you left the cottage around dawn. That was hours ago."

"Sorry Mom," I said sarcastically. "I wasn't aware I had a curfew." Rosalie sniggered, her hand covering her perfect lips.

"Clean your room!" Emmett said in a high-pitched voice, attempting to imitate a mother. "Do your homework! Be back by eight! Blah blah blah!" He laughed his booming laugh. Rosalie and I looked at each other and cracked up. Emmett thinks he's so funny... it amuses us to see how amused he is by himself.

"Max! You're back!" Alice said in her tinkling voice as she danced down the steps. She enveloped me in a hug and kissed my forehead before releasing me. "Where did you go?"

"La Push," I said shortly. I did not want to delve any deeper into why I had been there. It was uncomfortable and depressing. They got the message and nodded, dropping the subject. I hoped they were better at changing the subject than Quil was.

Jacob

Quil led me away from Max, his arm pulling me firmly. I tried to think about what had just happened, but I couldn't place it. It was like... like I had connected with her or something. I walked helplessly behind Quil, my mind whirring. What was that? How could I even explain that to someone? Who would even understand what I was talking about? Billy? No, he wouldn't get it. Quil? No, he was too girl-obsessed himself. Maybe Sam, but how would I ask him without the rest of the pack hearing about it? This was something I actually wanted to keep private. Grrr... stupid pack mind-sharing crap...

Quil dropped me off at my house. I told him that we would be meeting Sam at his house in about an hour. Quil agreed and loped off, heading towards his own house. I didn't even go inside. Heading down the road, I ran to Sams' house. Knocking on the front door, I hoped he was home.

"Hey Jake," Emily said, beaming at me. She opened the screen door and moved to let me in. I could smell the breakfast she and Sam had had. It smelled amazing, just like everything else she cooked. Wish Billy could cook like Emily...

"Hey Em, is Sam here?" I knew I sounded hopeful. She shook her head.

"No, but he shouldn't be too long. What's up?" I sighed. Emily would be in the room anyways, so I might as well tell her now.

"Well, you remember Max, right?" Emily blinked, not expecting this.

"Sure. The girl with the wings right?" I nodded. "Isn't she the one that tried to make Quil strangle her?" I nodded again, my jaw tightening. For some reason, I felt protective over Max, even thought the danger was long past. "What about her?"

"Well I saw her today."

"She's back?" Em asked, her eyes widening in surprise. I nodded. "What happened?"

"She was crying on the beach when I caught up with Quil. I didn't even ask her what was wrong and she flipped! She went on about how something was her fault and how her life sucks. She looked up at me when I realized it was her… and when our eyes met, I dunno, something happened... It was like... like we connected or something." I looked at Emily, embarrassed. I was surprised to see her smiling like a proud mother.

"What?" She was still smiling happily when Sam walked into the house.

"Hey Em." He kissed her scars and then her lips. For once, I didn't mind that they were so openly emotional. "Jake."

"Hey Sam," I said.

"Jake," Emily said, still beaming at me. "You've Imprinted." What?

"What?" Sam said, whirling around to face me. "With who?"

"Maximum Ride."

A/N: Jake and Renesmee obviously didn't get Imprinted. I'm changing the story. Deal. :) I'll explain the Imprint in the next chapter, or the one after, don't worry. Or at least, it'll make more sense… I dunno… :)