No sniff of James, Victoria or Laurent. It had been almost two weeks. I was starting to think I was wrong about James. Maybe he wasn't as fixated as I thought. I was parking my car at home when I heard a howl. I spun the Viper around, tearing back to Forks as fast as the engine would go. I leapt from the car, pulling the park brake at the first intersection. The vehicle spun off the asphalt, rolling. I ran to Bella. The wolf howled again. Twenty seconds - how much damage could they do in twenty seconds? The howl shifted to a whine, and I heard Bella's scream. In that moment, I saw her too. She was crouching, cowering behind a bundle of grey fur.

James jumped. I leapt, knocking him from his lunge at Bella. The grey ball was a giant wolf. James had reached him first. I landed in front of Bella. I heard another rustle on my left, but kept my eyes on James. Bella screamed again. The wolf was a man. His head was no longer round.

"Stay close," I told her.

She wept gently, but I felt her press against my back, her hands at my waist.

"That's it," I murmured, sending her calm. I backed toward the house. It wasn't as good as the corner Carlisle had been able to guard her from, but at least no one could get behind me.

"Get the phone from my pocket. Tell Carlisle."

I felt Bella's hand in my pants as I saw red flying from my left. I took half a step to meet Victoria mid-rush. The phone was no longer there.

"Carlisle, they're here," I heard as the echo from our collision faded.

Another howl came, and I saw a black blur from the corner of my eye. Victoria disengaged, backing off. I turned back to Bella and saw a black wolf with his teeth in Laurent. The grating sound of rending rang through the yard. We were going to attract notice. Even now, I saw a door open in another yard, though I didn't see anyone come out.

Carlisle appeared from the trees, still in his lab coat. He came to my side, in front of Bella. "I've got her, Jasper." I ran out to the wolf's side, tearing Laurent from the other side. His head came quickly from his shoulders. Sam, as I recognized the wolf now, had one of his legs. I left him to the remains, kicking the head away before rounding on James. A third wolf was just inside the trees, cutting off his easiest exit.

I rushed forward, onto James' back; he tossed me. I spun in the air to avoid hitting the wolf. "There's a female, watch for her."

The wolf huffed, but I ran for James again. He was charging for Carlisle. I was only as fast as he was. Carlisle didn't evade, didn't run, just waited, seeing me behind. Bella was crushed into the house and siding buckled. Carlisle lost his head, but I had James' neck as well. Bastard was slippery though, and I ended up with shoulder and arm instead of head. I kicked him away, just as Victoria made her move. The pair of wolves met in front of me, blocking my view of her briefly. Bella was slumped, unconscious, against the foundation of the house, but her heart and breathing seemed normal. I got Carlisle's head back in place as the wolves were ripped into Victoria. The one was flying into the house while the other had his teeth in her arm. James collided with the brown body, knocking him from Victoria without her losing it. She bolted past me and they were both gone.

I continued to crouch in defence, considering running after them. The sound of sirens made my decision for me. I turned and knelt at Carlisle's side. Bella was still unconscious, but Carlisle was unworried.

Sam was next to me a moment later. "Is she okay?"

"Yes, just knocked out when her head hit the wall." Carlisle answered. "She might have a concussion. It's quite the bump, but she should be fine."

Bella's eyes fluttered. "Are they gone?" she asked Carlisle.

"Yes, Bella. They ran, but we have another problem."

A second Quileute man tapped Sam's shoulder. "He's got pants; let's go." The man was a wolf again and running for the trees.

"I'm going to the res and coming back in my truck. Jared called me when he ran into trouble." He nodded to his fallen friend. "She going to be able to do this?"

"Do what?" she asked.

"We'll get her ready. Go." Sam tied his pants to his leg and phased to follow his friend.

Carlisle was already explaining to Bella. "They can't know about us, Bella. You're going to have to give them a story they will accept. If we are the reason our kind is exposed... Do you remember the Volturi?"

She nodded, understanding. "What am I going to tell Charlie?"

"As much of the truth as you can," I said, hearing the door of the cruiser close. I nodded to Carlisle and he ran. "You were attacked. Jared heard and came to help you. I came after and chased the guy off. Jared called his friends for help. All true, right?"

She nodded and Charlie came through the gate, firearm out. He was all concentration and focus, almost devoid of emotion, although anxiety and concern broke through once. Seeing Bella and I, he holstered the pistol. He was instantly relieved. Love and worry flooded from him. "Bella!" He ran to her. "Are you okay, Bells?" He wrapped her into a hug before quickly backing up and looking her over.

"Fine, Dad. Just got a bump on my head." She put her hand to the back of her head. She was calm now, without my help. That was good, she was going to need it.

"Thank God." He hugged her again. "What happened?"

"This ... guy ... he came out of the forest and attacked me. I thought he was going to kill me." The memory filled her with terror.

"Did he have a weapon?" Charlie was angry now.

"No, not that I saw." Bella stuck to truth. That would make this easier for her. "He was big though, over six feet, and he looked like he was going to rip me apart."

"He's not going to hurt you, Bells. You're safe now." I wanted to be the one to reassure her, but her father was doing a good job of it. The remembered fear was fading. "What happened next?"

"I screamed and ... Jared," she paused on the name. "He came to help me. He got in front of me, so he was hit. I was so scared, Dad." She hugged her father again. I felt her sorrow alongside her fear. Jared was obviously dead, dying to protect her. "After Jared fell, I screamed again. This time Jasper came." She stopped, looking at me.

"I didn't see a weapon either, Chief Swan. I took a swing at the guy, but he ran. I don't know what scared him off." I could lie much more easily and better than Bella.

"You both got a good look at him?"

"Yes." Bella nodded as I answered aloud.

A second siren was heard out front. This time emergency technicians came through the gate. They didn't spend much time examining Jared. "Blunt force, Chief. Take him in?"

"Let me get photos first. You going to be okay, Bells? I'm going to need you to come in to the station, okay?"

She nodded, eyes still glassy. Her emotions were a mess of remorse, relief, fear and love. Love? I shook it off. "Would it be all right if we walk there, Charlie? While you finish here? Might do us both some good."

He smiled and nodded at me. "That's a great idea, Jasper. Keep her close."

I stroked her hair. "Won't let her out of my sight," I promised him. I felt his affection for her and his gratitude for me. We walked away, the neighbours watching from the front steps.

"Are you all right, Bella?"

"Fine, Mrs. Peterson," she answered. I felt the woman's curiosity as well as her eyes on me. She had seen something she shouldn't have but didn't quite believe it herself.

"He's gone?" she checked.

"I think so, Mrs. Peterson. I saw him run."

"Run, yeah." The woman shook her head and went back in her house.

"Do you think she'll say anything?" Bella asked.

"No. If she believes what she saw, she knows no one else will believe her. Chances are she will assume she was hearing and seeing things."

Bella shook her head. "I feel bad for her."

"No, it would be worse if she knew. Think of how frightened you are knowing James is out there."

Bella nodded slowly. "What are we going to tell Charlie? More of the same?"

"Yes, and a description of James. Your father is smart enough not approach someone who just killed a man, right?"

"Right," Bella answered immediately, anxious. "No, he is. He is." She tried to assure herself. I added some strength to it.

We beat Charlie to the station. His deputy, Mark, escorted us to his office. "He's just taking the body to the hospital. He'll be here soon."

I took the chair while Bella paced. "Don't worry, darlin'. Everything is going to be fine."

She stopped and turned to me. "Did you just call me 'darlin'?"

I snorted. "I guess I did."

She knelt astride me. "I like it." She pressed her hot lips to mine.

I steadied her hips, feeling her balance wobble. "We're in your father's office," I reminded her.

"I know." She tugged on my shirt.

"You just had a traumatic experience."

"I know." She put her tongue to my lips, demanding entrance. I met her tongue with my own, guiding her away from teeth. She had dared me to let her try this once, and I, being a fool, had accepted. I felt her hands on my belly, her hot fingers tracing the hair to my belt.

"Bella," I chided.

"I know." She sighed and hopped down.

I jumped up and pressed her to the desk, grinding my crotch into hers. I felt her excitement rise again. I slid my hands into the back of her jeans, cupping her and pulling her up onto the desk's edge. She perched, wrapping her legs behind my knees. "You know?" I teased, rubbing myself into her.

"I do now," she said with a smile.

I heard Charlie's boots come in the front door and pulled her off the desk into a hug, my hands now on her lower back. "He's here," I whispered before letting her go as Charlie opened the door.

"All right. Bella, I need you to tell me everything again, from the beginning. Jasper, will you wait outside?" He sighed as he hung up his jacket. He was tired and dreading this. I gave Bella's hand one more squeeze before leaving her with her father.

I called Carlisle while I waited outside. "Thanks."

"What else was I to do? How's it going?"

"She's talking to Charlie now. She's doing well." I remembered her antics in his office. "Up to her old tricks."

Carlisle laughed. "Getting any better at them?" he teased me.

"How are you?"

"Fine. We have the Quileutes here. Sam is telling Jared's family. Paul broke his leg and I had to reset it. Do you know how quickly they heal?"

"No, but you do."

He laughed again. "It's quite remarkable. I think if Jared hadn't died so quickly he might have recovered."

That gave me pause. I heard the door to the office open. "I have to go, Carlisle. Come tonight?" I wasn't leaving Bella's house unguarded for a moment, and the wolves deserved the night off. They had lost a commrade.

"Of course."

I wasn't happy having Bella out of the office for my conversation with Charlie. I had to content myself with hearing her pacing outside. I didn't add much to what I had told Charlie before. I'd taken a swing, it hadn't connected, and the guy ran. I gave a detailed description, apparently even more so than Bella had. "You'll be careful, right, Chief? I mean, I never saw a weapon. This guy must be fast."

Charlie just nodded. "We'll make sure we get him."

That was not what I wanted to hear. Charlie could not be trying to take James. Thinking fast, I tried to come up with another way to keep Charlie safe before he sent me away. "I think he might have been on something. Some sort of drug. He was really twitchy."

I felt Charlie's anxiety grow and knew I'd made a hit. "That's good to know. Thanks, Jasper."

"Do you mind if I walk Bella home?"

"No. Say ... do you know who drives a blue Viper with the plate 253 CRF?"

Shit, my car. "That's mine, sir. I ... I had a little trouble getting home today. That's why I was headed to your house. Get a ride from Bella?" Would he buy that?

"It was pretty wrecked. You seem to be fine. Are you sure you're all right?" He looked me over.

"Yeah. I was lucky. Seatbelt saved me." I pushed him to believe me.

"Yeah. Well, make sure you have your Dad take a look at you, okay? Bella's really attached to you, but you already knew that."

I smiled and looked down. "Yeah. I knew that. She really attached to you too. Be careful out there." I tried to add to his sense of anxiety.

"Always."