Shopping was not exactly what I had in mind for our day together, but there we were, on our way to the mall in Port Angeles. Jacob had jokingly suggested cliff diving, but then mentioned how he didn't have a suit that fit him anymore and needed one for the funeral. I had giggled at the thought of Jacob trying to fit into some of his old dress clothes — he had grown so much in the last few months that his pants would probably hit him above the knee.

I held my hand out of the window of the Rabbit and tried to touch as much sun as possible. Seemed a waste to spend the rare sunny day indoors at the mall, but Jacob had promised to make it a quick trip. He hated shopping as much as I did.

"After we get back, we'll spend the rest of the afternoon outside," he suggested, reaching over to take my free hand. I didn't flinch away and wondered if he'd noticed. We sat quietly like that for the rest of the drive.

Jacob kept his promise about being a fast shopper. He bought the second suit he tried on, and I tried to hide my mild disappointment as we left the mall. Seeing Jacob in a suit took my breath away. He was stunning — a grown man. I could have watched him parade out in different outfits all afternoon and been perfectly content. I wasn't the only one either. The saleslady had obviously been impressed, and I overheard the word "muscles" in a whispered conversation with her coworker as we checked out. Jacob was unfazed, holding my hand or rubbing my arm while we waited for his father's credit card to be approved.

Back in the car, Jacob asked, "Well, what did you think of the one I got?"

You looked beautiful, magnificent, amazing, spectacular… A million adjectives were on the tip of my tongue, but all I could get the nerve to say was "It looked really good on you."

"I have to make sure not to get angry in that one! I don't have too many clothes left that fit anymore." We both laughed. It was easy.

Several minutes passed in comfortable stillness. I was starting to contemplate taking his right hand, his hands, for once, were on the steering wheel at the ten and two position, when Jacob suddenly gasped. He swerved violently to the shoulder of the road, his eyes wide and his knuckles white against the steering wheel. He inhaled sharply and trembled, his head whipping around to the woods just beyond the road.

"Bella!" he shouted, twisting around to stare at me in panic. "She's here! I smell her! The bloodsucker…"

"Victoria!" My voice couldn't hide my horror. I reached for Jacob's arm but he shrugged me off roughly.

"What should I do?" he implored himself, reaching up to hold his head as if he were in pain. "I can't leave you unprotected, but what if this is our only chance…we could finish this now!"

He sat up quickly, clenching his shaking hands into fists. His eyes darted left and right as he searched the tree line and his nostrils continued to flare as he held onto Victoria's scent. I swear that if his ears could move, they'd be twitching to hear any sound to indicate that she was close.

I felt panicked thinking of Jacob out there, alone, seeking out Victoria. I shuddered slightly at the thought of her cat-like stalking, and a vision of Jacob lying twisted, broken at her feet, flashed through my mind. I touched his arm again, and this time he turned to look at me.

"Don't leave me," I pleaded over the sound of my pounding heart, the vision still central in my mind. "I have my cell — I'll call Sam and the pack will be here in 10 minutes. If she's here, you'll still be able to catch the trail then! Just please, stay here!"

He gazed at me, his trembling ebbing. He saw the fear on my face and misinterpreted it. His eyes softened. "Bells, honey, don't be afraid. She won't touch a hair on your head while I'm around, I swear. I can take her down so easily — just like the last one in that meadow — and then it will all be over and you won't have to be scared any more."

I shuddered, gripping him frantically. "No, Jake! You would really go out there alone and leave me here wondering if you were hurt, or…or dead?!" My voice raised an octave; I knew I sounded hysterical, but I didn't care. "You can't leave me here alone! Don't leave me!"

Understanding flickered in Jacob's eyes. He stroked away the tears that had begun to roll down my cheeks and sighed, sounding defeated. I knew he was disappointed, but I didn't care. "Don't call. I'll phase so they'll know exactly what's going on." I started to protest but he stopped me. "I'll stay right inside of the tree line until they arrive…I promise I won't run off. And someone will always be watching the car; you'll be safe."

Even with his brothers to help him, I was terrified for Jacob. As he reached for the handle, I squeezed his arm to stop him. His glance back at me felt half-human. He was relying on his instincts to know what was going on. I wished he'd come back to me for even a second. I shuddered to think of the danger he'd be facing. What if this is the last time I see him?

"What about you?" I moaned, taking his hand roughly and twisting my fingers into his. "You won't be safe…you'll be out there with her, and if something happens, I swear…"

He touched my cheek tenderly, but his words were urgent. "Bella, I have to phase now."

"Jake!" The cry burst from me before I leapt across the seat to press my lips fiercely against his. He needed to know, and it might be my only chance. My face felt nearly as hot as his mouth on mine, but I couldn't stop myself. Hot tears spilled from my eyes and mingled with our lips. He growled and twisted one hand in my hair as he kissed me back frantically. I wasn't ready for it to end when he broke away and immediately turned to sprint for the woods, pausing only once to glance back at me, the hint of a smile on his face, a flicker of sudden comprehension in his eyes.

I spent the next half hour shaking, my knees drawn up to my chest. My eyes searched the trees for any hint of Jacob, but I never heard or saw a thing. I was more preoccupied with worry for Jacob than I was with any other thought; however, even though I tried to keep them out, flashes of Edward's pale face found their way into my mind.

I was following his advice. I was going to try to find happiness. But I was still getting used to the idea that my happiness couldn't include Edward. I was still mourning the death of a future I had wanted with all my heart.

But a new future was presenting itself, and I had to keep telling myself that it was okay to want it. I wasn't being disloyal — how could I be? Edward didn't even want me.

A howl sounded in the distance, followed by four answering calls. I strained my human ears to listen for any sign that a battle was taking place, or that Jacob was on his way back to me.

A figure suddenly emerged from the woods and my heart stopped. Victoria!? I let out a relieved sigh. No, the person was male, and he was running toward the Rabbit. Jacob?

"Embry," I said in relief as he reached the passenger side. My brief smile faded as I saw the look of fury on his face.

"We nearly had her!" he seethed. I wasn't used to seeing him without his usual grin and I shrunk back. "She must have run fifty, sixty miles west after she first caught our scent…we could have caught up to her. But then Sam caught a new scent and called off the chase."

"A new scent?" I was confused.

"Vampire," he hissed. My heart couldn't help skipping, but I tried to appear calm.

"Was it one of the Cullen's? Would Sam recognize their scent?"

"I don't think it was one of them. This was a new scent…I've never smelled it before. Sam told us that he didn't want to risk the pack going in blindly against a new enemy, so he called us off. They're patrolling the area to try to learn more."

I only felt mild disappointment at the news. "So everyone is…okay?"

Finally Embry flashed a knowing smirk. "Oh yeah, Jake's fine. Actually, he's more than fine right now, even if he is disappointed that he didn't meet up with that leech."

My face burned as I realized everyone in the pack had probably seen our kiss replayed in Jacob's mind. "So, when is he going to come back and take me home?"

"That's why I'm here," he explained. "Sam needs Jacob to patrol with him and I'm supposed to take you back to Charlie at Sue's place. And then, it will be another long night. I'm on Bella Swan patrol tonight!" He grinned at me.

I tried to hide my disappointment as he climbed in and we started the drive to La Push. Embry was quite a speeder — although I had experienced worse with Edward, I thought with a mild wave of guilt. We were in front of Sue's house before I knew it. I grabbed Jacob's suit and waved a quick goodbye as Embry whooped and took off for the tree line.

Charlie and Billy were sitting at Sue's kitchen table when I entered. Sue was on the phone in the corner. There was no sign of Seth or Leah.

"Hey Billy," I said, hanging the garment bag on the doorknob. "Jacob went to go see Sam. He got a new suit to wear tomorrow. I promised him I'd give it to you." Billy gave me a knowing nod, his face looking more strained than usual. "Where are Leah and Seth?"

"Oh, they went out with some friends," he replied, throwing a glance at Sue, who met his eyes. The room fell silent except for the ticking of a clock and Sue's occasional murmers of "hmm mmm" to the person on the other line.

Charlie stood up. "Well, if you don't need me anymore, I'll go ahead and take Bella home." His eyes implored Sue, seeking reassurance that she was fine. I was touched by his concern for her. She didn't respond so he grabbed his jacket from the back of the chair. "We'll see you both, um…tomorrow."

Sometime during the night I jolted awake, relieved to be out of my dream. The cold and hot arms were back, taking turns embracing me, but this time the icy restraints were taking over, monopolizing me until no trace of heat was left. Even though the chilled caresses were gentle, I wanted to push them away to find any sign of warmth I could, but it was gone.

I panted against my comforter where it was clutched in my fists. I didn't need a psychology degree to figure out what my subconscious was trying to tell me. I felt worry flood over me again and glanced at the clock. Just past three a.m. What was going on in the woods?

I listened for Charlie and barely heard his soft snores from down the hall. Tiptoeing to the window, I eased it open and shout-whispered, "Embry! Are you out there?" Silence answered me in the seconds that followed.

I tried again. "Embry, are you there?"

After a minute, a muffled voice called "Wait, I'm coming…give me a second!" Embry came into sight from between two houses across the street. He was fastening his shorts and then wrapping a leather cord around his wrist. He paused under my window. "Bella, is everything okay?"

I gnawed my lip anxiously. "Have you heard anything from Sam? What's going on…have they found Victoria?" I suppressed a shudder when I said her name. "Or anyone else?"

"Not as of a few minutes ago," Embry said with a chuckle. "Why? Are you actually scared, Bella? I would have thought that someone who ran with vampires would be a lot tougher that this."

His teasing put me at ease a bit. "I'm just worried…about the pack," I added quickly. "I've been around enough vampires to know that they're dangerous." My mind couldn't help silently adding especially if you let them in your heart.

"Does Jake know how much you really worry about him?" Embry asked bluntly. I sputtered, my ears growing hot. I opened my mouth and closed it quickly. Embry continued, "Because, Bella, if there's something there, you shouldn't hold yourself back. I know he would probably wait forever for you, but that's just cruel - to him and to us. I don't want to be harsh, but you have no idea how much this affects everyone in the pack. And Jake would be good for you. Much better than any bloodsucker at least…"

I drew in my breath sharply and narrowed my eyes at him. "I appreciate that, Embry, but I think I know what is good for me."

"Do you?" His eyes were friendly, but his words were the harsh truth. "Do you really think loving a vampire was good for you? You were in danger every day you were with him, and you've been a shell of yourself every day since he left. I don't mean to be insensitive, but you're missing everything good in your life. Family, friends…it is all right in front of you but you're too busy wallowing in self-pity to realize it."

His speech stung me and my stubborn nature wanted to respond back, but there was no denying he was right. I had only just begun to realize it on my own, but hearing someone else say it made it seem real somehow — more acceptable for my healing heart to grasp. I sighed before giving a weak smile to Embry and grabbing the window to lower it.

"Tell Jake I'll see him tomorrow."