(Disclaimer-i don't own any twilight characters. but i wish i could claim me a little bit of wolf.)

alright, again this came later than i wanted it to. i've had this done for a while, but my parents
wouldn't let me get online to post it. so i'm putting up this chapter AND the next one, seeing as I
have no idea when i'll be able to get back on. most likely next weekend, unless i manage to get on tomorrow
and post another new one. but pleeeease don't just skip reviewing this chapter so you can get to the next one.
i really want to know what you guys guess by the end of this chapter. i'll let you know what i want you to guess
about at the end of the chapter, instead of now, otherwise i'd give stuff away.
but PLEASE review this one before going on to the next chapter. thank you!

Spineless Realizations

One day had passed since the strange incident with Kyle. Not much had been said on the topic of his unknown…ability…and it didn't appear to me like much would ever be said about it again. From what I could tell, Jacob either didn't care or didn't take it seriously. Either option was likely, seeing as nothing had really happened. I tried to view the situation objectively, to see it from Jacob's point of view rather than my own, and saw that I'd probably have had the same lacking reaction. After all, my storytelling talents were fairly crappy, and Jake hadn't been there to feel that overwhelming ease. It'd probably sounded like a bunch of overdramatic nonsense to him, and I supposed that that was understandable.

Knowing that I'd probably never run into Kyle again—at least not without Jacob there, seeing as I didn't plan on being without Jacob at all from that point on—I tried not to think about it much. There was no more to discuss, no answers I could gain from over-explaining it to my wolf boy, and no likely possibility of it ever happening again. So, sitting down at the wooden bench, I pushed it from my head.

"Hey you!" A deep voice called from over by the grill. I glanced up, cocking an eyebrow at the face that was veiled by a thick stream of smoke. "Where did you run off to? Come get your food!"

Slowly, taking my time, I worked my way back over the little strip of sand, crossing the distance between myself and Embry. He waved his tongs at me, grinning so widely that his stark-white teeth should have broken away from the rest of his mouth. He was wearing a chef's apron, one similar to the one Jacob had worn in my dream, and his foot was tapping along to the beat of music. The noise booming from the boom box beside him was loud and obnoxious, but very soothing, also, in a way. I smiled.

"So Jake tells me you've got yourself an odd little friend. Kylie, is it?" Embry pulled out a lopsided grin as he placed a hotdog in my upturned palm. I rolled my eyes, shaking my head as I looked down at the nourishment in my hand. I made a face.

"Kyle, actually."

He smirked, grabbing my other hand and twirling me. I knew that the strange clothing Leah had assembled for me to wear would draw out these kinds of reactions. It was ridiculous, the entire thing, to me. Why Leah would ever have picked out such a horrible outfit was beyond comprehension. The shirt and pants were both somehow too low, and I felt exposed and disgusting. Too much of my abdomen was showing; the shirt was shrunken down to almost the size of a belly-shirt.

I growled in annoyance.

"Shut up." I ordered when he opened his mouth to speak. In reaction, Embry's eyebrows rose, eyes glistening with humor, and his mouth twitched. He dropped my hand, returning to the art of flipping meat around on a grate.

"Just going to say you looked nice." He muttered with a smile on his lips. I shook my head. When I didn't reply with words, Embry sighed, shifting his gaze from the flame to the small surrounding party, obviously looking for someone. I knew who it was before he'd even opened his mouth to ask. "Where's Jacob?"

As if on cue, a small tan object came careening forward, and smacked right into the back of Embry's head.

Before it could crash to the ground, his quick dark hand sprung up to catch it, and he brought it into the light of the fire for identification. The two of us stood staring at it for a second, both of our faces contorted with perplexity, but there was a little grin on my mouth. A quiet laugh fell from my lips as Embry continued to stare at the wadded-up hotdog-bun that'd been used as a missile.

"What the hell?"

"Score!" Jacob snickered playfully, sauntering over from behind his friend to give me a high five. I pressed my lips together to keep from laughing, turning my face into the crook of my arm. Jacob slipped one warm arm around my waist, still chuckling like a little kid in a candy-shop.

"Stupid." Embry grunted, chucking the bread back at Jake. Holding up one hand, the portrait of ease, Jacob blocked the ball mid-air, resembling a character from the Matrix. I snorted, looking smugly back at Embry as though I'd been the one to pull off the move.

After I'd finished my hotdog, I returned to the table Embry'd dragged down from Jake's garage. For a couple of minutes I sat alone, chin resting lightly on my forearms, as Jacob and his friends, the people I knew and loved, danced and talked around a fire—well, except for four. Those I didn't love, because I didn't know them. I thought three of their names were Deana, Caleb, and Grace, but they didn't seem to be any more than acquaintances of Embry's, sent here to liven the party up a bit.

I didn't waste my time getting to know them.

The other stranger was currently sharing a hug with my son, dancing with him. Her name was Jenna, and she was about the size of Alice. She had pale skin and hair so blonde it could have been mistaken for white. Centered perfectly on her porcelain face was a set of sky-blue eyes, a lighter and much more striking shade than even Kyle's. She was absolutely beautiful, and absolutely opposite of Junior.

It was odd, watching them, seeing how the pale girl clashed so strangely with the dark boy. He was much more than a foot over her head, his palm nearly the size of her entire face. And when they looked at each other, even I was moved by the intensity of their moment, and constantly felt the need to look away from them, feeling like an intruder.

What was even stranger was that I hated her. I hated her and distrusted her more than I'd ever hated or distrusted any one person, and the worst part was that she'd done not even one single thing to make me feel that way. She was sweet and polite and charming, but I found myself glaring at her like she was the spawn of Satan.

I knew a large part of that was somehow maternal instinct or whatever—that thing mothers get when they feel threatened. I'd just basically met my child—he was just born for me, still somehow my baby, though the thought made me gag. I didn't want him taken from me so soon, and the look that came into his eyes when he watched her was enough to have the panic rising in my pulse. But another part of my hatred, I was sure, was fear.

I was afraid for her. It made me angry that she would be with him, that she would do that to the two of them, put them both at risk that way. It was obvious to me that of course she wouldn't know what kind of danger she was getting herself into, but it didn't matter. She was still being stupid in my eyes. I couldn't just look past the fact that she didn't understand what would happen if Junior imprinted. I hated her for the possibility.

Because Junior could imprint, and he hadn't imprinted on her. By the way they acted with each other, I could see that this newly-budded relationship was going somewhere, possibly even marriage, and that likelihood almost had me chewing my nails. If Junior imprinted, there would be no stopping the heartbreak that he and Jenna both would undeniably feel. And I doubted that anyone here was really interested in having another Sam/Leah situation.

No, I argued with myself. That isn't fair. Sam and Leah's relationship was different, because Leah had turned into a werewolf, too. There was no escaping Leah's saddened thoughts for Sam. They had no where to run. They were stuck with each other, able to hear each mournful thought every time they phased into wolves, and unable to so much as even avoid seeing each other. But Jenna was definitely not going to turn into a werewolf, so Junior wouldn't have to hear the pain in her thoughts every day, feel the grief of those thoughts, knowing that'd he'd caused them.

But he would still feel it.

Warm lips planted themselves at the top of my head, causing me to yip like a puppy in an instant of shock and terror. Then Jacob's fingers curled over mine, and I calmed down again as he sat beside me at the table.

"Think there's a chance they'll get serious—like marriage or something?" I asked him, working hard to rid my tone of any anger or anxiety as I pushed my chin in the direction of my son.

Jacob's eyebrows creased, glancing over at the couple. "I hope not." He replied. Then the black orbs flickered back to me, and he cocked an eyebrow. "Why?"

Sighing, I leaned back, resting my head against his broad chest. He nuzzled his face into my hair as I spoke. "Don't you think it'd be weird, having a daughter-in-law who is, well, the same age as your…er…" I paused, unsure of what to call myself. We'd discussed the marriage thing last night, and though he insisted that we were still practically wedded, the marriage certificate was more than likely expired. It'd been over two-hundred years, and normally, marriages didn't last that long. Because normally, people didn't live that long.

Jacob's excellent fix to this problem, of course, was to get remarried. Remarried.

I knew it was horrible, but I'd been happy that I couldn't remember marrying him. The idea of marriage in itself was nauseating to me, something I'd never wanted to go through with in all of my life. The fact that I'd gone through with it already was horrible, but it didn't really affect me, seeing as I couldn't remember a single thing that happened. So I'd viewed my amnesia as a case of really, really good luck. If I didn't remember it now, but I'd already gotten it done and over with, I figured it'd just be one horrible experience I'd never really be forced to endure. But apparently, I would get no such luck.

"You're not comfortable with the wife terminology yet." He chuckled, rubbing at my shoulder. "'Kay. That's fine. You need time to warm up to it. It took me five years to get you to marry me back then. I can wait this time around, too. As you know, persistency's my expertise. But anyway, weddings aren't so big for me, either. I'd just gotten used to calling you my wife. That's all."

Biting my lip where he couldn't see, I nodded my head, thankful and curious. Again, his words ignited fire beneath the thousands of questions in my head, causing them to spill up to my lips. But the talk of weddings was too dangerous, and I still wasn't ready for the truth. I'd ask him later tonight, I decided, when we were alone.

"Weddings aren't exactly on my list of priorities. Not at least for another ten or twenty years." I sat silently, listening to him chuckle, before adding something else on. "Ours or Junior's."

"You're really that worried?" Jacob took my shoulders in his hands, turning me around to face him. His eyes were warm and serious, with just the teensiest edge of humor, something that would probably always be there. "It's more than the age, isn't it? You're not so worried she'll be the same age as you. Your own son is more than a hundred years older than you, and that doesn't bother you much. What's the real thing, Bells?"

"…The risk." I admitted, sheepishly looking toward my lap.

Jacob asked me something, probably what I meant, but I purposely tuned him out, listening to the shouts of his friends and family in the distance instead. Junior sounded closer than before, and I glanced up quickly, perhaps just biding time so I wouldn't have to continue the conversation with Jake, and saw that I was correct. Junior was on his way over.

"What risk?" Jacob demanded, snapping his fingers to get my attention. This time, the words weren't as easy to ignore. I sighed.

"If he imprints. She'll be hurt. So will he."

Jacob's face went blank with understanding, and he blinked at me. There was more understanding in his expression than went with my words. He understood the similar but distinct fear behind my words, too, comprehended the hidden meaning in them—the emotion I tried to conceal. He saw the tender fright, the delicate piece of my heart that feared for the two of us, as well. And I could see, just as he could see, that the conversation was no longer about Junior and Jenna, but about Jacob and me.

I clenched my jaw.

"Hey guys." Junior called, plopping down beside us. Neither I nor Jacob replied to him, still too wrapped up in our wordless conversation.

Jake was reading my face intently, his eyes sad and desperate, sympathetic. I knew he'd see the poorly veiled fear in my expression, the vulnerability. And as I watched, I could see the subtle doubt in his, too. It would be exactly our luck to be reunited here, to be given this simple happiness, just to have it taken away by some kind of mythical love-trick.

I was the first to break eye contact, feeling like a coward, when I pulled my chin down into my chest. When I did so, Jacob stood quietly and crossed the sand to his friends, leaving me to my spinelessness and my curious son.

"What was that all about?"

"Nothing," I said quickly, hoping Junior wouldn't press on the subject. Thankfully, he didn't. Instead, he nodded, seeming to realize that he wouldn't get any more of an answer from me. Maybe he'd try to ask Jacob later on. I supposed that was what kids did when one parent said no—they went to the other one.

"Okay… Well, whaddya think of Jenna?" He let loose a giant grin, flashing me his pearly-white jewels, and stuck a thumb out behind him, gesturing toward the blonde water nymph sitting by the fire. I risked only a short glimpse in that direction, afraid to see Jacob sitting sullenly off by himself. I saw him anyway, though, and sure enough, he was sitting off by himself, but he had two hot dogs in his hands. That was a good sign. At least I hadn't upset him enough to strip away his appetite.

When Jacob's gaze met mine from across the beach, I looked away again.

"Pretty," I answered a beat late, hoping Junior didn't notice.

"Pretty?" He snorted, scoffing at the word. "She's gorgeous. But that isn't what I meant. What do you think about her and me together?"

I flinched at the question, feeling the sting of the conversation I'd just backed out of with Jacob, but tried to answer him anyway. "I think you like her, and she feels the same for you. Just…be careful. I mean, well, you know…the imprinting and…stuff. I don't want…well, you know." As I struggled with the words, uncomfortable and awkward, I realized something. I was just like Charlie. Just like Charlie. I had the same amount of difficulty speaking to my son as Charlie'd had speaking to me. I guess I'd never given him enough credit before.

When I'd come into Charlie's life, I'd basically been grown-up already. He'd not had much experience parenting me, and hadn't had the time to get comfortable discussing his feelings with me, either. And it was the same for me and Junior. Almost exactly the same. Oddly, it was a little comforting knowing that I wasn't the only parent who had no idea how to behave around her child.

"Don't worry." Junior soothed, placing a hand over mine. It was hard to look at it, the way that his palm was almost double the size of my own. He was so big and adult, so smart and understanding. And here I was calling him a baby and a child. My baby, my child.

Though I was getting used to it now, I still made a face.

"Can we change the subject, please?" I requested, staring at the napkin sticking to the table. I could see the patch of yellow where the mustard had soaked through it, causing it to cling to the table even in the gentle breeze. That was what I needed—a little splotch of mustard to keep me stuck here in reality. All the emotions were pushing me dangerously close to the insanity I'd been accused of.

"Sure, sure." He said, looking back over at his lady-love. I grinned to myself, hearing so much of Jacob in his voice and vernacular. What a perfect son I had.

The feeling of adoration completely disappeared with his next words, though.

"Wait. I just have to say one thing. Sorry. I…I know you worry about me. I can tell. But I just want you to know that even though you weren't there for the…well, the first two-hundred-something years of my life," He glanced quickly over his shoulder, making sure none of the humans were around to hear him. "You're still my mother, and I still want to be close with you. So we'll just have to get used to the fact that we're family, that I'm your son and you're my mom. Even if I am older than you by at least one-hundred-eighty years." Junior smirked, poking me in the ribs. I jumped back, grinning as well.

"Not tonight." I reminded him. "Tonight I'm your brother's fiancé."

I'd laughed earlier when Jacob had told me this. Due to the fact that Jake and I both looked the same age as our son, we had to pretend Jacob was Junior's brother when we were around humans. It'd seemed funny at the time, but now it was just maddening.

I shook my head, wondering how I would keep up with all of the lies. "This is really strange, you know." I admitted, sighing.

"Yeah. It's understandable. How do you think I feel, though? I hit on you the first day I met you." He shook his head, shuddering at the memory while I laughed at his shame. "At least my mom is pretty." He chuckled.

"Er, thanks."

"Are we still on for tomorrow?" He asked, cocking his head to the left, lifting my hand and pulling me off of the bench. My eyes widened at the sudden movement and I swayed a bit before I caught myself on the table.

"Uh…yeah, of course. Cliff-diving and such. Great pastimes."

He snorted. "We could go shopping if you'd prefer it. I know how girls like malls and crap."

"Ha. No thanks, I'll stick with the cliff-diving. Anything else on the agenda?"

"Oh, yeah, you know, white-water rafting, crocodile hunting, tornado chasing. The works." He grinned at me, stepping away from the table and looking toward his father, who was currently making his way back over, hands in his pockets, eyes on the ground. "Guess I'd better leave you two alone." Junior decided, flicking me a knowledgeable glance.

How was it that both Jacob and his son could read me so easily? It was annoying.

"Where do you want to go?" Jacob murmured as he reached me, lifting me off the ground. I gasped a little as he crushed me to his chest, my eyebrows knitting in confusion. The silken waves of his hair tickled my bare arm as they bounced over his shoulder.

"What do you mean?"

"We're leaving."

"But, wait—what? Why?"

"I need to be alone with you." He insisted, pressing a kiss to my lips. My eyelids dipped, entrenching my world in a russet darkness as my mouth moved with his. I could hear Embry distantly, immaturely suggesting we get a room, but I ignored it. Right now, I was all Jacob's. Every ounce of my attention was zeroed in on him. I was the archer, and he was my target. Or maybe it was the other way around entirely, and he'd flown his aero straight into the bull's-eye of my heart. But that sounded corny, and I didn't want to cheapen or devalue the moment.

Just as he pulled away, his mouth opening to speak, a figure stepped out of the shadows behind him, pale and almost iridescent in the moonlight. Noticing the shock on my face, Jacob turned around, facing the direction of the man. My eyebrows met in perplexity, and I sucked in a deep breath, trying to calm the sudden thumping of my heart.

What was he doing here?

(author's note: okay. so guess who it is! i'm curious as to what you'll guess, and to see who is right.
DON'T GO ON TO THE NEXT CHAPTER WITHOUT REVIEWING! thanksss! D)