I laid in bed, wrapped tightly in Jacob's arms. He was quiet, and I could hear the frustration in his breathing. I knew I didn't have to, but I reached up and touched his cheek. I didn't fill his mind with words, I let him know I was confused with pictures and my feelings. His hand came up and laid over mine on his face.

"You haven't done that since you were little."

"I know, I didn't feel like asking with words." I sighed, resting my head on his chest.

"Nothing's wrong." Jacob insisted.

"Liar."

He took a deep breath before speaking. I listen to his heartbeat pick up as he fought to find the right words. I already knew what was bothering him. "Derek makes me nervous." He whispered, too low for anyone else to hear.

"Get used to it." I groaned, a little too sarcastically.

"Are you taking his side?" Jacob accused.

"There's no sides!" I yelled, sitting up to look at his face.

"Yes there is, and you're protecting him." Jacob sat up, his arms starting to shake.

"How am I taking his side? I'm just saying he's a part of this family, Jake, he's my brother. I trust him."

"Do you trust me?" Jacob raised an eyebrow waiting for me to answer him.

I hesitated, not understanding why he would ask me a question he should already know the answer to. My eyes narrowed in frustration. I leaped off my bed, away from him. "If you have to ask me that question, I suggest you leave, Jacob Black." I hissed, pointing to the door.

"Are you serious?" Jacob stood up, glaring at me.

"Yes," I could feel the hot, angry tears burning my eyes, but I kept them from escaping. "How could you ask me a question like that? Of course I trust you, but Derek is my brother now. He wont hurt me. You need to back off… Do you trust me?"

"I trust you, not him."

"That's not good enough." I sighed. "He's going to be your brother-in-law, you know."

"He's going to be the guy that lives with my wife's parents."

I threw my arms over my head, frustrated. "You're impossible. I think you need to leave for the night."

"I think I agree." My dad said, walking into my room behind me.

"Stay out of this." Jacob snapped.

"Not when you're up here screaming at my kid. Jacob you're on the verge of losing it. Go run off some steam. I will not have you talking to Ness the way you are."

"Ditto." Derek said walking up behind my dad.

"You don't need to protect her from me!" Jacob yelled, flying across the room. I leaped in his path, suddenly realizing I wasn't alone. I stood with my shoulder touching my mom's.

"Don't start." My mom growled at him.

I took a deep breath and took Jacob's hand. "I think we need to talk." Jacob nodded once and kept my hand in his, wrapping his other hand around my waist, leading me to the door. My dad touched my arm as I walked by him.

Give me ten minutes. I thought to him. He let go and let me walk out of the room.

"I love you." I whispered when we got to the sidewalk.

"I love you, too, Ness, but you have to understand where I'm coming from."

"I don't." I mumbled, looking down at my feet. We rounded the corner of my block and turned into the park.

Jacob led us over to a bench and pulled me down on his lap. I curled into the warmth of his body, resting my head on his shoulder. I listened to his heartbeat falter and lose rhythm. He was upset.

"Ness, I've seen newborns before. I've fought them. They're unpredictable."

"When did you fight them?"

"It was before you were born, before your parents were married. There was a woman, a female vampire out to kill your mother. She was human, so she couldn't protect herself. Between the Cullens and the wolf pack, we were able to piss off the leech enough where she went and started this newborn vampire army. Bella tried convincing me not to let the pack fight, but I thought I loved her, she was everything to me and I had to protect her. The pack fought alongside the Cullens. The newborns were strong, they were strong enough to break every bone on the right side of my body. And that was some tiny little leech." Jacob paused, touching my cheek. "Derek is a lot bigger than any newborn I have ever seen. If he loses his temper with you nearby he could easily kill you and I highly doubt I could stop him once he had his hands on you. It's hard for me to admit that, but if it means opening your eyes to the danger, I will admit anything. I'll admit that I'm terrified of you saying the wrong thing and having him snap. You were little, but even your mother snapped at me, but she broke Seth's collarbone." A small smirk played on the corners of his lips.

"I think I remember that day." I tried thinking of the memory, there were certain things I remember from my childhood, memories I held onto--memories I constantly played over and over again in my mind and in others minds. "I remember Mom forcing you outside, but I don't know what she was so mad at. She went for your neck, but Seth jumped in the way. It took my dad and uncles to calm her down."

Jacob nodded. "Yes, so even a tame newborn can lose her temper and snap. It's natural for them. Please know the risk with being alone with Derek. If your mother, the most tame newborn out there, can snap, anyone of them can. She's even snapped at your father and Leah."

I remembered that, but she wasn't a full newborn at the time. She was only upset because my dad wanted to take me away from her. "What did she snap at anyway? What made her so mad at you?"

Jacob grinned and hugged me closer to him. "You, she realized I had imprinted."

"Well that gives her an excuse!" I chuckled. "You imprinted on a baby she barely knew. Honestly I don't blame her, and I don't think that should count."

"It should definitely count. If she was human and I told her that, she would have been mad, yes, but she wouldn't have lounged at me to kill me."

"You don't know that."

"No, I suppose I don't, but I know the human Bella well enough to know she probably would have gotten mad and screamed at me, but that's it. She already knew punching me wouldn't do any good. She broke her hand trying once."

I rolled my eyes. "Leave it to my human mother to think she could punch a werewolf and have it hurt him… why did she punch--"

"That's not important. What I'm trying to point out is, please just be careful around him. I couldn't live with myself if something happened to you."

"Ok, I will be careful around him, but you also have to trust my parents. They also know what's best for me. And I know what's best for me."

"I will try and be more understanding with Derek, but please don't go wondering off alone with him. At least stay where your father can read his thoughts."

"Deal," I smiled, holding out my hand for him to shake it. Instead he cupped my face gently in his hands and brought my face to his.

"Come to La Push with me this summer." He whispered against my lips.

"Why?" I asked, breathlessly as I brought his lips back to mine.

"Because I have to go back for the summer and I can't think of having to be away from you for that long."

I locked my arms around his neck, pressing my body into his and tangling my fingers in his hair. "Then don't go, stay here."

"I have to go back, come with me."

"I doubt my parents would let me spent the entire summer with you, alone. Plus I would have to stay with my Grandfather. I don't want to sleep on Leah's floor."

"What if you have your whole family come? As long as they keep a tight leash on Derek."

"That might actually be a good idea! I'll talk to Alyssa about it and she can help me beg. I know she wouldn't put down a chance to spent the summer with Seth."

Jacob slid his hands up to my temples and tilted my head down so he could kiss my forehead. "I love the way you think."