Sorry it's been so long. Hopefully it's worth it.

I had been taking extra patrols lately. Victoria was after Bella, and with her luck, the vampires in Seattle were probably a big threat to her as well. And the thought of any of them getting anywhere near Bella was so horrific that it paralyzed my muscles and cut off my breathing.

Sam lets me because he understands what it's like to need that person to be safe. I've talked to Bella some, but either Edward's there or it is just too awkward or painful. If I can't be with her like Sam can be with Emily and Jared can be with Kim, I'll be with her by being out here, protecting her.

I also linger for the chance to be out of the house. I never leave it otherwise. I can't go to Forks because of the secret. Sometimes I hang out in La Push, but it feels weird and strange now that I don't live there.

So I'm always either in the woods or at the house.

There are some advantages to always being the eye looking out.

I was the one to find her.

I came across her fresh scent. It came from the road and was leading deeper into the woods, the direction of Forks.

I sounded the alarm. Seth, Jared, and Leah were out here with me. They echoed my howls. We chased her but she kept evading us, going into thick parts of the woods where we couldn't fit through the spaces between trees. Sometimes she laughed at us when she felt really safe.

Leah was surpassing Jared who had taken point. With her speed, she could easily catch Victoria. But she wouldn't beat her if the rest of us couldn't get to the fight in time. Although Leah had done most of the work on Laurent, that was a moment where the wolf took over. It was an instinctive reaction to the danger she was in. That animal mind had left her though. Now, she couldn't be animal enough to eat raw deer.

Slow down, Leah, Jared ordered. He was second-in-command so she had to.

I can get her! She insisted.

Not alone. I'd rather lose her than lose you.

How freaking sweet, she thought bitterly. She snarled and barked, but stayed on his left side.

Sam and Paul phased soon, and the chase really heated up. But she was so fast. No matter how close our snapping teeth got to her, it was never close enough.

She jumped across the ravine and everyone stopped. I almost didn't. Why were they stopping? It wasn't the Grand Canyon; we could all jump it!

Not our land, Sam said, The treaty is still in place for us.

I noticed how he said us. It didn't cover me. I could go after her.

No, Jacob, Sam said, Not alone.

I could take her! I argued.

No, you can't, Sam said, Not alone.

Maybe they'll get her, Paul said. If that was meant to help, it didn't. I'm useless to my family now too.

We patrolled the line between Cullen land and Quileute land, so if she came back, we'd be ready. She never did though. It grew dark. We didn't know when to give up. She might be waiting for us to drop our guard.

Sam let whoever wanted to leave, leave. He, Jared, and I stuck around.

I didn't know when I could go home. Sam was adamant about me not crossing the border until he was sure I wouldn't be attacked alone. Worrying about the pack was going to drive him mad.

We all needed to go home soon. It was going to be morning in an hour. Our families were going to be worried. Mine wouldn't even know what happened.

I thought of a way to get back without possibly getting attacked, but I didn't like it. Unfortunately, I was exhausted, hungry, and out of options.

Just do it, man, Jared said. His pace had slowed over the night. He was barely trotting, Then we can all go home.

I huffed and changed back to human form. I could barely keep my eyes open, and I put my leg through the wrong pants leg twice. I willed myself to run as fast as I could until I was in the forest behind Gwen's neighborhood. All the house's lights were off, and the cars were parked. I didn't bother with sidewalks, simply cutting through backyards until I was on Bella's street.

I was so exhausted by then that I was stumbling into her yard without looking for an open curtain or even bothering walking around the safety light. Some neighbors might be up at this hour, but I was too tired to care.

"Edward!" I hissed, when I was under her window. He poked his bronze head out her window. It's still weird that he watches her every night, just saying.

"Jacob? What are you doing here?"

"Nevermind! Where do you park the Volvo?"

"I don't. I run here."

I swore, "Well, I need a ride home, and I can't run home."

"Why not?"

"Because Sam's paranoid about Victoria, that's why. Go get your stupid silver car, and drive me home."

Edward grumbled something too low for me to hear, but he complied and jumped out her window.

"I better be back before she wakes up," he warned.

"You see it every morning. And Bella isn't exactly a graceful riser."

He said something low that sounded like "Well, now it's numbered." Then he ran away too fast for me to see.

I need to find a place to hang out until he gets back. With a wicked smile, I used all the strength still in me to grab the sill and climb through her window.

I snickered a little, and she stirred, murmuring words. I forgot about her sleep-talking. Takes me back to last spring in the hotel room.

"Edward..." she murmured. Typical. He was already her every waking thought. Why not take the sleeping ones too?

"Jacob!" she said very loudly. I grinned and balanced half of my body in her bed. All of me couldn't fit.

She reached out her arm, and it fell. Then she grumbled, and her eyes fluttered open.

"Jacob?" she said, looking up at me, confused.

"Good morning, Sunshine," I teased. Her eyes were squinty and her hair was knotty. Even Bella was no Beauty Queen at this hour.

"Where's Edward?"

"Getting his car. I needed a ride and couldn't run."

"Why not?"

"Victoria ran on to Cullen land, and Sam wouldn't let me go there without knowing she was gone."

"Good," Bella said. She yawned, "Is this real life?"

"I understand. Sometimes I'm so good, it's hard to believe you're not dreaming."

But Bella had closed her eyes. Now watching her sleep made me tired. I fought to keep my eyes open, but...

I was surfing on First Beach when a wave pulled me under, and all I could see was blue.

Then I woke up.

"What the hell?" I said loudly. Bella and Edward were standing over me, and I remembered where I was. Bella was fully awake, fully dressed, and fully aggravated. Her cheeks were very red. Edward was just pissed.

"Bella?" Charlie's voice called from downstairs, "Everything okay, hon?"

"Yeah, Dad. I'm on the phone with Alice," Bella yelled down unconvincingly. You'd think she'd be better at that by now.

I started laughing, covering my face with a pillow so Charlie wouldn't hear.

"At least, he didn't start snoring. Charlie would have thought a chainsaw murderer was attacking you," Edward said without humor.

I laughed harder. I didn't need the pillow. The sound was gone. He was so mad at me, and I loved it.

"Jacob, you need to get out of here," Bella hissed.

"Ah, I can't stay for breakfast?" I said.

Edward grabbed my shoulder and roughly pulled me out of Bella's bed. He was getting way too worked up about this, in my opinion. It was a rather hilarious accident.

"Bella, I'm afraid I won't be able to drive you to school," Edward said. She pouted. He cupped her red cheek with his cold, white hand. It cooled down and only the left was flushed. A wave of nausea hit me.

"I'll wait until Charlie leaves. Then we'll sneak out when no neighbors are looking," Edward said

"Will you be late to school?"Bella asked.

"Not if I rush."

Bella grabbed his shirt, and her lips collided with his. The kiss lasted so long that her lungs must be suffering. I scowled at the ground. Good thing my stomach was empty.

Bella grabbed her backpack and left the room. I heard her chat with her dad before she headed out the door in a rush.

Edward was scowling at me. "You're not funny."

"I find myself hilarious," I said.

"...Forcing yourself on her," he muttered.

"Force?" I asked, "Who was forced to do anything?"

"Bella. You snuck into her bed and put her arm on your chest," Edward said.

I laughed once, "I fell asleep sitting on the edge of her bed. Bella must have done that out of her own accord."

"I don't believe you," Edward said.

"You know I'm telling the truth; you're just denying it," I teased, "Afraid Bella likes a warm bed? Or should I say hot?"

His hands turned into tight fists so I didn't push him farther, but I did brace myself in a good position. I'd love to settle who Bella loved with an old-fashioned duel. I was a good fighter. But I'd rather a venue that wasn't Bella's tiny bedroom.

Edward closed his eyes and went really still. He stayed like that until we heard Charlie leave. Then he opened his eyes and said, "Let's go."

We climbed out the window and ran very sneakily to his car which was parked around the corner from the house.

I yawned widely. My short sleep in Bella's bed wasn't exactly rejuvenating.

Edward drove like a madman to the house. He kept his eyes on the road the whole time. I leaned my cheek against the cold glass. I tried to doze, but Edward made every turn sharp. I would bang the side of my head on the window every time so I never fell asleep.

When we got home, all I wanted to do was fall asleep. But I had some explaining to do. I had given everyone a good scare for the ten-thousandth time in my life. I told them how I couldn't have gone home because Victoria might have gotten me. So I went to Bella's house so I could get a ride home from Edward. And how I fell asleep and we had to wait for Charlie to go.

Mom said I should have just called, and I said my brain was not operating very well. So she told me to get some sleep, and I happily complied. I barely made it up the stairs to my room before I collapsed on the bed.

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