A.N:

Hi guys:) Here's a new chapter for you. Big thank you to all who has added me to favs and alerts, and thank you for all the wonderful reviews.

I know some of you don't like my cliffies, but honestly I don't plan them to come, they just do! Some places there's just no other way to end the chapter. But I don't think there's going to be too many cliffhangers ahead now, so you can relax:)

Back to the chapter:

Jacob

I grabbed my cellphone from the table, but on a pair and shoes and was ready to leave just when my cellphone purred. I looked at the number. It was Alice.

"Hey Alice!" I said happily. "What's up?"
"Nessie" she said, her voice serious. I got instantly alert. "Is Jacob there with you?"

"No, he's not here. What's wrong?"

"Where is he?" she said, not answering my question.

"I don't know, home I guess? Why?" My voice grew more and more alarmed. "What's wrong?"

"You need to call him right away and tell him to go the hospital. And to hurry."

"The hospital? Alice, what are you talking about?"

"Billy"

She didn't need to say more. In that one word I understood everything.

I hung up, immediately dialing Jacobs number. Billy was at the hospital again. Alice didn't have to explain. There was only one reason why she would call me about this. It meant something was different this time, different from last time he was there. It meant his future was different. She'd said Jacob needed to hurry. My stomach clenched.

"Nessie"

Jacob had picked up, and his voice was strained. He knew. My stomach clenched some more.

"Jacob, where are you?" I said, my words all blurred together. I realized my voice was hoarse.

"Are you okay?" His tone changed and became suddenly worried as he noticed the urgency in my voice. "Where are you?"

God, he though something was wrong with me.

"I'm fine. Jacob, you need to go to the hospital"

"Wha...? I was just on my way there now. Charlie called, it's dad again. But how do you...?"

"Alice" I explained, but I immediately wished I didn't.

The other end of the phone went silent. All I could hear was his breath against the receiver as he processed my words. I knew he was thinking the same thing I had a moment ago; Alice wouldn't have called about this unless it was no other way. Unless it was final.

The phone went dead. He'd hung up. Slowly I removed the phone from my ear and just stood there, staring at it in my hands. Jacob hadn't known how serious this was before I called. He had know that something was wrong, but he hadn't known the extent of this. Neither had Charlie, apparently. They had thought Billy would recover, like before. But if that was the case, Alice wouldn't have called. She'd even told Jacob to hurry. He'd phased now, I just knew it.

I burst out the door, thankfully bringing the phone. I ran. It would be quicker than going to the main house to get a car. While running I somehow managed to dial Alice's number. She picked up on the first ring.

"Will he be there in time?" I breathed.

She didn't answer immediately, and I guess she was checking for a blind spot to wipe out her image of Billy.

"Yes" she whispered finally. "He'll make it"

"Thank you" I said, before I hung up again, focused on getting there fast enough.

I ran through the forest in the direction of the hospital. My mind was a mess, thoughts tumbling around. I thought about Billy. It was surreal that I had been sitting in his kitchen eating dinner in less than twenty four hours ago, listening to his story about a fishing-trip with Charlie. I felt so sorry for Jacob. It really, physically, hurt. I couldn't even imagine how this would be for him. I'd never lost someone dear to me. To loose a parent... Jacob had lost his mother already.

Several times I was on the edge of crying but I stopped myself. There was no time for that now. I needed to get there, to get to him, to be there for him. If it happened. When it happened. I pressed myself further, running as fast as my half-human body was capable of running. The threatening dark clouds that hung on the sky above me seemed suddenly deadly ironic.

I reached the open area nearby the hospital, and had to slow down to run human pace. Just in case someone was watching. It was a nightmare, having to slow down. How did normal humans cope with running like this? I reached the parking lot, but couldn't see the the Rabbit anywhere. He had been running too, then, as I suspected.

At the entrance door, I caught his scent. He'd been here just now. When I got inside I didn't bother to ask for help, I just followed his scent throughout the hospital. Up two stairs, down a white hallway, and then down another one. Everything was so white and sterile. People were buzzing around me everywhere, but I didn't take notice of them.

I fumbled forward, half running half walking. As I reached the white windowless door that swallowed his scent, I paused. It was closed. Was Billy in there? Was Jacob? Should I enter? I heard a soft sobbing coming from inside. It sounded feminine, and was not what I had been expecting. I took a hesitant step towards the door.

"Nessie"

I spun around, and was surprised to see Paul. His face was grave, quite uncharacteristic, and my suspicions were confirmed.

"Is he..?" He knew I meant Billy.

Paul just nodded, and I felt my heart fall in my chest like a stone.

"He just past away. Coronary" Paul elaborated. "I need to go back inside, Rachel is in there."

I realized who the soft sobs came from. Paul walked past me, and was about to open the door. I felt numb. I had to blink a few times to regain my focus, and forced myself to stay in the present.

"Is Jacob...?" I managed to squeeze out. Paul paused, and his face grew worried.

"No. He left, just now. You should find him. I have to stay here, Rachel..."

As soon as he said Rachel's name, he seemed he forgot he was talking to me. He walked inside the room, and closed the door behind him.

Jacob. Had. Left. I felt cold, for once. Where? Hadn't I just followed his scent up here? He must have gone back the same way he entered. He must have left right before I arrived. I needed to find him. He must be beside himself. I woke from the numbness, and with one last look at the firmly closed door in front of me I started to run down the white corridors. I fumbled back down the hallways, cursing my sluggishness and slow pace.

I wished Carlisle was still working here.

I burst through the entrance door. It was raining now, but Jacobs scent was still distinct. I followed it as best as I could. It led me away from the parking lot, back into the forest behind the hospital. If he was running wolf I wouldn't have a chance to catch up with him. As I thought about it, he most likely would have phased by now. He'd told me once it was easier to feel pain as a wolf than as a human. With so many raging emotions inside, he wouldn't have managed to keep them in control. Not even my Jacob. But I followed him anyway. What else could I do?

His scent lead me further and further inside the forest, in the opposite direction of La Push. The phone called. It was my dad. He had probably spoken to Alice. I turned it off. Not now. My clothes had gotten all wet from the rain, but I didn't even notice. My phone would probably get ruined. Didn't care. I just followed his scent. I had to find him. I just had to.

I saw him then, a short distance ahead. He had slumped down on the ground, against the root of a tree. He was sitting hunched forward, his elbows folded over his knees and head slung forward looking down. His hair was wet with rain as well as the rest of him, and raindrops were pooling down his face and neck. He was rocking slightly back and forth. He didn't look at me, he was staring at the ground in front of him and he looked just like I felt. Numb. Paralyzed. I carefully went over to him.

"Jacob?"

He closed his eyes, but other that that did not make a sign he'd heard me. I had no idea what to say, but I couldn't just stand there. I knelt down on my knees close beside him. I wrapped both my arms around his shoulders and hugged him tightly. He didn't react, but he didn't push me away either.

I sat like that, arms around him, hugging him for a long time. Then, suddenly his body seemed to wake up, and his shoulders started to shake. He leaned his head against my neck and I could feel hot tears land on my collarbone. We sat like this for a long time, while he cried silently. He kept his face hidden against my neck, and I held him as close as I could.

I didn't know what to say, because nothing I had to say could help him right now. So I hugged him to me instead, and he rested his forehead against my collarbone. I could separate the cold raindrops from his hot tears. For the first time in my life, I felt grief. Both Jacob's and my own. I had never felt that before, not like this. Not for the loss of someone else, the loss of a life.

I don't know how long we sat like this. The noises from the streets were muffled by the forest, and belonged to a different world, a different time. It grew darker around us, and the rain kept pouring steadily. We were both soaked, but it didn't matter. I waited until his muted sobs stopped, and his shoulders stopped shaking. His hot tears did no longer fall against my neck. I bowed my head to rest it against his ear. It was wet with rain, just like everything else. Carefully I put my hand on his cheek, and tilted his head upwards so that I could look at him.

He let me do it. His eyes were red-rimmed and his cheeks were wet both with rain and tears. He met my gaze, and we stared at each other for a moment. He looked exhausted, and his eyes were all empty, lifeless, like if he'd given up. Not before he lifted his hand to wipe away something wet under my eye, I realized he had not been the only one crying.

I reached out and kissed his forehead tenderly. Then I laid my cheek next to his and whispered "Come. Let's go back to the cottage". I didn't know if he would like to go home to La Push just now – maybe that would make it worse being surrounded by memories of his father. He nodded. I loosened my arms from his neck only to grip his hand firmly. I stood up, and dragged him up on his feet as well. Then I wrapped my arm tightly around his waist. He put his arm over my shoulder, and we started to walk through the forest in the direction of our little cottage.

We didn't speak. I didn't know what to say to him that either he didn't know on beforehand or was just trivial chatter, so I let it be. I had the feeling he liked it best like that right now. Words weren't necessary. He would talk when he felt like it.

We were walking human pace, so it took a while before we reached home. Not that it mattered, we weren't in a hurry. And he must be exhausted. I knew he hadn't slept last night; he'd been running patrols. And now this. Poor thing. As we approached the house, my parents came outside. My dad must have heard us arrive, and I guess it would be fairly easy to him to see what had happened. My mom went over to Jacob and hugged him immediately, whispering how sorry she was. My dad did the same. He must have told her as they heard us approach. My dad's face was pained, I guess after listening to Jacob's thoughts. It made me wince.

"I'm so sorry" he whispered, looking at Jacob.

Jacob seemed paralyzed, still numb. He didn't answer, he just kept staring at the ground in front of him. My dad gave me a long hug before he kissed my forehead.

"Bella are going home to Charlie, give him some support " he whispered. "I'll go back to the main house, leave you two alone. " I understood. It would give Jacob the privacy to grief alone in his own mind, and at the same time spare my father for Jacob's great sorrow and loss. I knew Jacob wouldn't want someone to listen in on a time like this.

My dad gave a tiny nod before he kissed my forehead. My mother did the same before she hugged Jacob again. And then they left. I looked over at Jacob. He was still standing there, staring numbly at the ground in front of him. I grabbed his hand and led him inside. He didn't object .

I led him to my bedroom, and found a pair of dry sweatpants that I normally used to sleep in. We both needed to get out of our soaked clothes. Jacob was standing silently beside me, following my every move. I handed him the sweats, and found some dry clothes for myself. I went into the bathroom to change, and when I came back he had as well. He was sitting on my bed, looking down at his hands resting in his lap.

I sat down beside him and wrapped my arms around him. Then I made him lay down on the bed beside me, wrapping the covers over us both. I crept close to him, and he put his arm around me as well.

"I'm so sorry, Jacob" I whispered.

He didn't answer, but leaned his cheek down to rest against my forehead. I could feel him tremble slightly. I felt something hot drop against my forehead, and held him even closer.

It took a long time before he finally fell asleep, and even longer before I did. When I woke next morning, he was already awake. He was laying on his back with one arm resting under my head, looking up at the ceiling.

"Hi" I whispered.

He turned to look at me.

"Hi" he said quietly

Then he unexpectedly leaned down and kissed me. It wasn't a lustful kiss, but it wasn't a sweet one either. His arm around my shoulder tightened, bringing me closer. When he broke away, he leaned back to look at me. He seemed thoughtful. His face was like a sad mask. I wondered how long he'd been awake.

"I have to call Rachel" he said. His voice was hoarse.

I just nodded. I guess they had to talk about what was going to happen next. He didn't look very happy about having to call her, though.

"Do you want me to call her for you?"

He sighed and shook his head, but I could see the flash of hope and relief in his eyes. That was all I needed. I reached out for the phone laying on the bedside table, and dialed her number. It was Paul who answered.

"Hi" I said " it's Nessie"

I could hear some muted noises and the closing of a door, and realized he had moved to talk privately away from Rachel.

"She's asleep" he explained. Right. I had forgot it was still early.

"Where are you?"He wouldn't have taken her home to Billy's, would he?

"We're at my place"

"Oh." I said. Of course. "Have you called Rebecca?" It didn't hit me before now that Jacob's other sister, Rebecca, should be here as well. She was still living with her husband in Hawaii, and I'd only met her a few times. Not more than I could count on one hand.

"Charlie called her yesterday" Paul said "She'll be on her way today, or as soon as she can". I guess it took a while to travel all the way from Hawaii.

"Okay" I said. Then I paused, and so did Paul. I had a feeling we understood each other; we were both outsiders to a very personal grief for the loss of a father.

"So, what now?" I asked, fumbling, sending Jacob a sideways look. He was studying me intently. It was silent while Paul though about what to say.

"We should meet." he said finally. "They have to go to the hospital and sort things out. And also maybe we should go to Billy's house. Rachel doesn't want to, but I think the sooner the better. It will only make it more difficult if we wait. Maybe we should go there first"

I looked over at Jacob again, but he didn't meet my gaze this time. He was looking down at his hands. I removed the phone from my ear.

"Is that okay?" I asked him. He drew a deep breath and then he nodded. I waited until he met my eyes before I put the phone back to my ear.

"That's fine" I said. "Should we do it now?"

"Okay. We'll meet you there"

And then he hung up.

A.N: Don't shoot me, please. But I had planned for this to happen all since I started writing the story, so it did, even if you don't like it. Sorry! But I will make them smile and snuggle again, promise:) Please consider leaving a review, it means a lot to me.

And I'll make you a deal. A few people has been asking me questions about what will happen in the story, but I can't tell you everything that's going to happen can I? But all right. If there's something you're burning to know, you can leave one question in your review(you only get one question each!) and I'll answer it. Can't promise to answer everything, but I'll give you something. Deal? And questions like "What's going to happen?"...No, I wont answer those;)