It's been too long, darlings, but yesterday was super productive so here we have the next chapter. I hope you enjoy, and thank you for reading.

Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight or any of its characters. They are the property of Stephenie Meyer. I just like playing with them. (;

Pericles can suck my-

As well as Aristotle. And Alexander the Great. Throw in Sophocles.

The point is: I am not in the mood for school at the moment.

This was one of the reasons I stopped home-schooling. I hated not leaving the house. It made me restless, and I couldn't concentrate on anything except for ways to get out of the house and how inviting the damp woods looked.

Dammit! Why do we have glass walls?

I felt like I had been trapped here forever. When was the last time I outside? Two nights ago, I think. I came in late after a really long patrol. I came in late a lot. It was how the scheduling was working out. I was leaving the house tonight though for our trip to Seattle. That is, if Mom didn't find out.

Dad has seen me phased so now he thinks I'm as strong as him, which is true. Mom isn't buying it though. Dad says she would have been the same way if they had turned me into a vampire, and I was stronger than both of them.

I'm really excited. It's going to be a pack mission. We were going to be in the city, hunting down vampires.

I ran it by Dad, and he was fine with it. Jealous, actually. The thing is that getting permission from Dad isn't really getting permission at all. Dad doesn't know that, but Mom and I do.

I just needed to get done with school and out of the house before Mom figures it out.

A few minutes later, Edward, Alice, and Bella came in from school. Edward and Bella paused in the foyer to suck some face. Ew. Go upstairs or knock it off.

"Hey Jacob!" my aunt greeted, sliding into the seat next to me. She kissed my head and took a look at the notes I had already finished writing.

"Hi, Aunt Alice," I said, making an effort to smile at her despite my utter boredom.

"So I hear you have a little expedition going on tonight," she said lowly even though anyone would have been able to hear it anyway.

"How?" I asked.

"I don't need a vision to know what's going on. Emmett told Jasper and-"

"He obviously told you," I finished. She smiled.

"Just stay safe," she said squeezing my bicep with her tiny hand, "And if you're out-numbered, don't get all noble. You have something of a hero complex."

I smirked and rolled my eyes. I did not.

"You know what Jasper told you, right? Don't let them get their arms around you. Keep smart."

"We're just checking things out," I said.

"No, you're searching. Which means you're looking to find something. So be prepared."

"What's going on?" Bella asked, coming over to the table.

"Pack stuff. Heading out to Seattle," I said nonchalantly, knowing that with Bella, these things had to be handled with care.

"What?" Bella shrieked, her voice piercing my ears. Sometimes care isn't enough to prevent her freak-outs.

"It's just what we do in the woods but in the city," I reasoned.

"What does Seattle have to do with you?"

"It isn't a far cry from La Push. Defending the territory."

"But these are newborns. They're stronger and crazy"

"Yet you have no problem becoming one!" But I don't say that. Instead I say, "If we don't do it, who will? The police? You can't shoot a vampire."

Bella looked at Edward with wide, brown eyes.

"I don't think I have a say," Edward said, frowning at me. Like he cares about whether I get hurt. Hasn't bothered him in the past. It's probably killing him that Bella cares so much.

"I don't want you to go," Bella said.

"I'm afraid it's not up to you, honey," I said, "I can't back out anyway. I suggested it."

"Why would you do that?"

"Because I'm trying to keep people like you safe!"

"Hero complex," Aunt Alice said lowly. Edward chuckled before a glare from Bella shut him up.

The door opened and Mom and Dad came inside, hands intertwined.

"What's going on?" Dad said, smiling widely.

Damn it. Damnity damn it. Alice and Edward were keeping their lips tights, but Bella-

"We're talking about Jacob's trip to the city," Bella said. Bella didn't know it was a secret.

"What trip?" Mom hissed, "Surely you don't mean Seattle."

Bella realized what she had done. She raised her brows and looked at me apologetically. Her face had quickly turned red. I love her so much that I didn't have to think to forgive her. Even if she had meant to get me in trouble, I couldn't refuse the big browns.

"Um, yeah, Mom. Pack stuff," I said.

Her blonde eyebrows raised into her hair. "I don't think so."

"Mom, I have to. I'll be safe, I promise."

"They did take out Laurent," Dad said, "The only ones in danger are the vampires in Seattle." He smiled at me proudly, and I nodded with a grin.

Mom glared at Dad. "Idiots," she mutterred, "You aren't ready. You haven't had any training. And these are newborns, a completely different story."

"There will be eight of us. The newborns won't even know what's happening if we have to change. We're just going to scope it out. Nothing dangerous."

Mom stared not at me but through me for a long time. I kept my eyes locked on hers even though I wanted to shrink back.

"Fine," she said through pursed lips after a long time.

I smiled widely. "Really? Thanks, Mom. I'll be careful. I promise."

"Mmhmm," she said, and she smiled at me before leading Dad upstairs.

"I'm sorry, Jake. I thought she knew," Bella instantly apologized.

"No harm done," I said, shrugging.

"I just- Don't get hurt, okay?" she asked.

"Sure, sure," I said, turning back to my work. I was sort of mad at her for caring. Why does she get a say over what happens to me? It would be so easier if she rejected me and stopped caring. I could stop hoping and maybe even get over it.

Bella went upstairs. Edward was two steps behind which much feel agonizingly slow. He looked at me and locked my eyes so fiercely that I couldn't turn away.

"Please," he said. Then he followed Bella.

I started writing definitions again, but I broke through the page because I was just so mad at the two of them. She says she cares about whether I get hurt when she's piling on all the pain. And he always takes her side.

I stopped trying to write and just stared at the printed words in my textbook for an hour. I was mostly doing this schooling independently, but Mom gave me tests when I told her I was ready for them. Jasper had been helping me a lot, but he was visiting his friends Peter and Charlotte to see if they had heard any rumors about an emerging newborn army. The problem is that they don't have cellphones so he has to track them down. I wish I got to see them. I've met them twice, and they always have amazing adventure stories. I never factored their non-vegetarian status into my opinion of them. My family, Grandpa especially, always told me that we were the exception not the rule.

There was a knock on the door in the late afternoon.

"Jacob, you better answer that!" Aunt Alice called from upstairs.

I closed my books and went to the front of the house. Paul was grinning mischievously on the other side of the door.

"Paul? Why are you here? Couldn't you have called or something?"

"This is way more fun," he said with a cocky grin.

"Are you brave or stupid?" I wondered out loud. My mom appeared next to me without sound.

"Are you going?" she asked. I nodded. "Be safe. Don't go after anyone you can't beat. Don't let them get their arms around you. I love you."

"Love you too, Mom," I said, "You worry too much."

"Oh, yes. You're just having a night in the city looking for the world's most dangerous predator when it's at its most dangerous age."

"Exactly," Paul said. She looked at him with raised eyebrows.

"Who are you?"

"I'm Paul Lahote," he said, smiling like a smartass.

"Oh. You're the one who did that imprint thing with Gwen."

Paul chuckled. "That's me."

"Too bad. I liked her," Mom said, "Keep track of her." She sent me a pointed look, and I understood what she was thinking of. She was remembering last spring, when I thought James and Victoria were holding her hostage while she was really in California. I snorted.

"Okay?" Paul said, confused. He laughed nervously.

"Long story," I said, "Let's go."

Paul hooted. "Let's go!" He ran from the house, howling without phasing,

"Bye, Mom," I said, running after him. She smiled sadly and closed the door. But I felt like she was watching me until I was gone.

I hope I have sated your thirst. Please, please, please review. Also, a question of the day: What other fandoms do you reside in? I fancy myself a Potterhead, Hunger Games fan, Gleek, Nerdfighter if that counts as a fandom. I'd love to hear what you have to say. (: Have a great one!