Chapter 25: Bait

~Bella~

Something I noticed not long after we arrived back in Forks was how much more comfortable the wolves seemed around us. It wasn't just Jacob and Seth, but along with them, Sam, Quil, Embry and to some extent Leah Clearwater. It was that way whenever there was something we all needed to work together on solving, and Charlie's house had become the meeting spot. As I helped Esme in the kitchen one evening while Edward and Carlisle had gone out hunting and to see if they could pick up on anything, Jacob arrived with Anna. She surprised me by shaking my hand and greeting Esme with a hug. I glanced over at Jacob seeing the pride in the way he glanced at her.

For a while we all sat in the Den not talking about anything too serious. There was a little more silence before Anna let go of Jake's hand. "I have something to say, and well, I know you won't like it Jacob but I'm old enough to try," Anna announced as she stood up from the sofa and walked in front of where I was sitting. It seemed like she was trying to find an ally, though I remained still watching her and quickly glancing at Jacob without either of them noticing.

"I think Paul was right when he said we need bait. I think you all should let me be that bait," Anna said glaring at Jacob who was about to say something but closed his mouth the moment Anna gave him her glaring look. "I know what Lily did to me was bad, but I wasn't prepared because she looked so innocent. You all think she's not a true immortal child, so if she's not maybe what she needs is someone a little older who can gain her trust," Anna finished. When she was she sat down on one of the other sofas by herself.

Esme must have seen the same pained look in Jacob's eye as me, so when she stood up and walked over to Anna, Jacob and I stayed where we were. "Anna, you are very brave for suggesting that, but we will find another way," my mother-in-law began, but already Anna was shaking her head.

"I'm not doing it to be brave or to be recognized. What if we don't catch her and she goes someplace where we can't find her? Some other little girl will end up getting hurt or worse." We had all come to that realization, but at least for myself, I wasn't in support of letting Anna do something that would get her hurt.

"What about your family?" I asked as they all looked at me.

"It's just me and mom, and Jacob," she mumbled.

"How would they feel if something worse happened to you?" I got up and walked over to Anna, sitting next to her on the sofa. Anna didn't move away or flinch. The funny thing was, she had a lot of my stubbornness, and if it would have been me human with all this happening I would have fought for the same thing. "Anna, we will figure something out that won't bring any harm to you or anyone else. It's just going to take more time. Right now you have to be responsible for your safety and for those around you who love you most," I tried.

In the end when they left, I could tell Anna was disappointed. I winked at Jake, having a feeling he would come back later to talk, and I didn't mind so much.

"She was a very determined young woman," Esme observed once Jacob had driven away.

"I don't blame her for that idea. I might have been willing to sacrifice myself if I didn't have Edward or our babies, but now I can understand why that kind of sacrifice could be worse," I said missing Renesmee and Anthony. They hadn't cried when we left, both ecstatic at having their aunts and uncles there with them. So far everything on the Island was going good. Renesmee was doing everything they asked, and Anthony was enjoying the sand a little better.

~Anna~

If I got hurt or died, Jacob would be crushed. I knew that from what Kim had explained the day after I got home from the hospital. Even knowing that, it was hard for me just to go on about my day as if nothing at all was wrong. My determination to find a way to communicate with Lily hadn't gone away either and one day while I was cleaning out my closet, I found my old tea set and my favorite doll. It didn't take me long to figure out what I was going to do with them. The only problem was how close Jacob and the other wolves were looking after me along with the other girls my age and the younger kids.

My mom was sitting in the family room working on her knitting when I walked out caring a blanket and a book along with my satchel. "Mom, do you think I can go sit out back? Jacob or one of the others shouldn't be too far away, and it's real sunny out," I added.

"Stay close to the house, don't go out to the tree line," my mother told me.

After hugging her I went around to the back of the house. The place where our backyard ended and the forest began was twenty feet away. I knew Lily wouldn't come close to the house and set up my blanket almost at the halfway point. If my mom came out to check on me, she would tell me I was too far off, but I didn't care. After setting my book down on the blanket I shut my eyes, took a breath, and ran. My heart was pounding hard and I hoped that no wolf would be listening that close to me. When I got to the edge I put the stuff out under a bush. "Lily this is for you," I whispered and ran back to the blanket pulling it closer to the house. If Lily did come back what would she do to me?

A few minutes later my heart didn't feel like it was trying to get out of my chest. My book was good but I remained on alert just in case she showed up. Just as I was about to turn a page I felt the hairs on the back of my neck stand up. Slowly I looked up and over where I'd put the toys and saw her. Lily was already hugging the doll and had the small pink bag the tea set came in held in her other hand. For a long moment we just stayed like we were, her looking at me, me at her. Lily smiled and without me blinking she just wasn't there anymore.

It only seemed like two breaths before Jacob was there gathering my stuff while I stood up. "We caught her scent, well Seth did." He was explaining as he led me into the house. My mom was there and I hugged her, not feeling afraid like I should have been, but happy because maybe Lily just needed me to understand.

Going to bed early had never been easy for me. I liked staying up late, mostly spending my time buried in some book, or even writing stories of my own in a notebook. Tonight it wasn't those things keeping me awake, but the excitement I felt toward knowing that maybe Lily was starting to trust me if only a little. What I really wanted to do was write down what I was feeling, only I was afraid someone like my mother would find it. If they found out I would never be able to help Lily, or worse yet I'd be grounded for the rest of my life. Tomorrow Jacob had agreed to take me to Seattle because I wanted to check out some bookstores there. My main focus was on finding anything I could about Vampire legends, and I still didn't know how I'd do all that and keep Jacob from asking me what I was up too. Granted I was his imprint, and I knew he was supposed to keep me happy, but I didn't want to push my luck.

As I was finally beginning to get tired I felt the same sensation of the hairs on the back of my neck standing up. Glancing around my small room I didn't see anything that wasn't supposed to be there, but somehow I knew Lily was with me. "Don't be afraid. I wont tell this time, and for what it's worth I'm sorry."

I felt something cool against my forehead and it was like looking at a TV, or a movie screen of something completely different. What I saw was a small cabin in a forest someplace, and the strange part was that I could hear a river close by. I felt pulled to find that place and before I could think about anything else the coolness on my forehead was gone and I was in bed still looking around my room. Maybe I would figure it out if I slept. That thought crossed my mind as I leaned back against my two feather pillows. Before my eyes could shut I felt chilled on my left side, and smelled something very sweet. "You can't stay here," I whispered having a strong feeling it was Lily even though I couldn't see her.

"I'll hear them," came her whispered response. "I am not angry any longer," she added.

There were so many emotions going through my mind, the strongest of them was protecting her and finding a way to keep the pack from killing her or for that matter the Cullens. "How old are you?"

"Nine and a half," Lily whispered before the coolness against my side was gone. Remaining calm was hard to do and by the time Jacob got to me I was hardly able to keep my eyes open.

"Anna, you need to come with me," he whispered as he began getting things out of my dresser, stuffing them in a bag. When I sat up my mother was there helping him, tears in her eyes. I got up and went her letting her hug me.

"You need to go with Jacob. They think that child was here with you."

What I wanted to do was to admit that she was, but Lily needed me to keep her visit a secret and I would no matter what.

~*~

AN: Alright everyone, I realize how short this chapter is, but I wanted to go on and get it out. I'll try and add a longer chapter with more happening sometime this week, but no promises because I'm moving again. Thank you all for sticking with me and thanks for the amazing reviews. Happy Spring, and Easter to all of you.

~Ella~