All the events after I left the clearing were blurred by pain. Why did I have to get hurt? I vaguely remembered being carried through the woods and being set down inside the house. There were familiar faces- Esme looking concerned, Alice cursing and yelling before disappearing, pack members asking questions. I faded in and out though.

The next thing that I remember is Carlisle coming in and the pain worsening tenfold. Having bone by bone broken again by my cold, apologetic grandfather. Somewhere in there I passed out. When I woke up, I was greeted by two big red eyes.

"You're brave, and you're an idiot," Adrian greeted softly with half a smile.

"Hi," I said. My voice was slurred. Also my head was pounding. Half of me felt all tingly and the other was heavy as lead.

"Carlisle gave you the good stuff. I think he went a little overboard," she chuckled, "You've been delirious for a few hours. Mumbling about the strangest things. Something about a whale."

I was struggling to find the use of words so I just stared. I was lying in my bed, and Adrian was sitting on the edge.

"The thing with the Volturi went well. Jasper's lie worked perfectly. They think your family changed you. Jasper said they won't show up again for a long time. I hope so. I don't like them."

Her eyes unfocused for a bit, and I wondered what she was thinking.

"I have to go soon," she said, "They don't trust me." She smiled without humor. "I don't blame them."

"Don't," I tried to say, but I couldn't hit the "t" sound.

She laughed again, "Not now. I'll stay until you fall asleep. Nothing permanent, Jake. Nowhere far. I'm sure you'll manage to be fussy enough to follow me. When you're all healed up though. Get better, Jake, please. Do it for me."

She was being extremely vague. I felt that I would be lying here confused for a very long time. I wondered if I could will my body into healing faster. I imagined my bones moving back into place. I knew I was a quick healer, but I didn't know how long it took on big bones.

I focused my eyes on Adrian. I hadn't really seen her before. It was weird. Like obviously I recognized her, but I didn't notice the changes. It was like imprinting. You see the soulmate, but you don't see someone familiar. You see the beauty, and it wouldn't matter if her face was covered in boils. She'd still look beautiful to her imprint. Even with the different face, she was still Adrian.

She did look different though. Her skin was very light like someone had put a lot of milk in the coffee. Her face was sharper, more symmetrical, and she was gorgeous. She always was, just differently now. Her eyes were a dark red and didn't look so wild and dangerous on her.

"Curls," I mumbled. I always saw her with straight hair or she'd braided it or something. She laughed the loudest yet.

"Yeah, curls. That's what's new," she said flatly. She leaned down and her hair curtained my face. She did smell pretty awful, but I didn't care. As long as she was near, I'll take the bleach in my nose.

"Pretty," I said, but I just couldn't talk right. Two syllables seemed to be my limit.

"You need to go back to sleep," she said a bit sadly, "Rest up. Carlisle's going to give you some more painkillers so you'll sleep."

She turned her head to the door and frowned, "I'm running out of time. They think I'm going to go crazy. I won't. Not with you."

"Dats good," I said.

"Yeah, I'm losing you," she said, "Too bad. You've got a group waiting downstairs. The pack plus probably like half of the reservation. It's sweet. I wish I could thank them without going into some kind of frenzy."

I made an attempt at a laugh then flinched at the pain in my chest.

"Adrian?" said a soft voice. I moved my eyes to look at my grandfather, smiling kindly at Adrian.

"Hi Carlisle," she said, "Come to tranquilize him again?"

He smiled and nodded. Then Mom pushed past him into the room. Adrian got off the bed, and Mom took her spot.

"Hello, sweetheart," she said to me, pushing my hair back like she always did.

"He's not so good with the words," Adrian said pulling my desk chair over to sit on the other side of the bed.

"How are you feeling?" she asked anyway.

"Okay," I said with a half-hearted smile.

"You look awful," she said with concern.

"Thanks," I said with a short laugh.

"This is worse than the last time," she said.

"In Phoenix?" Adrian asked. Mom nodded.

"What is it with you and near-death experiences, Jake?" Adrian asked.

"I ask myself the same question," Mom said, and they shared a laugh.

"Don't even get me started on the time he ran away," Mom said, "I'm sorry- the second time."

Adrian's mouth dropped and her eyebrows rose, "What's the matter with you, Jake?"

"It was necessary," I tried to defend myself. I looked at my grandfather, and he held his hands up, very clearly communicating that I am on my own.

"You're kind of stupid," Adrian said then added, "But for good reasons."

"Thanks," I said not sure whether I was being commended or insulted.

"With an overwhelming hero complex."

"Brave idiot," Adrian said fondly.

"Brave idiot," Mom seconded.

"Put me under, Doc," I said with as much of an eye roll as I could muster.

He chuckled and came over with a very long needle. My stomach filled with dread.

"Oh," Mom said.

"What?" Adrian asked.

"He's afraid of needles," she said with a laugh. Adrian laughed with her.

"So happy this is funny for you," I said.

"Big bad wolf is afraid of needles," Adrian teased, "Very interesting. Have courage, my brave idiot."

She added without tease, "Just look away and you won't even feel it."

I complied and turned my head to smile at her.

"I missed you," I said.

"Me too," she said, "I'll see you later."

I frowned. "I've heard that before."

She smiled sadly, "No one can hurt me. I'm a big bad vampire now. I laugh in the face of danger."

"Don't go," I said, my words turning into yawns.

She didn't answer. My eyes were getting very heavy, and I didn't want to fall asleep. I tried my best to stay awake, but eventually the painkillers won out.

Adrian POV

Jacob started snoring very quickly. My shoulders sagged as I stood and stepped away from the bed.

"I have to go now, right?" I asked, turning to Rosalie. She nodded.

"Can he come with me?" I asked sadly because of course I already knew the answer.

"When he's better, I don't think he'll be able to stay away," she said.

I nodded. "So where am I going?"

"Not too far," I said.

"But not too close," she mumbled.

"Sorry. The dogs are being surprisingly supportive of an interspecies imprint, but a newborn in the area makes them wary."

"I understand," I sighed, "When do I leave?"

"Well, we were discussing who should go with you. Come downstairs." I followed her, flashing down the two flights of stairs to big white living room. Everyone was relaxing post-battle, looking very relieved despite their very injured member upstairs. Maybe they had anticipated worse. Esme walked into the room and over to me.

"I'm so overjoyed to have you back, dear," she said enclosing me in a tight hug. I wrapped my arms around her neck and inhaled her clean, honey scent. I rested my chin on her shoulder and leaned my head into her lush, voluminous hair. My skin was now the same hard marble as hers so relatively she felt soft now. Not as soft as Jacob, but more of a natural feeling I couldn't help comparing it with the last hug I received from Kyle. Could that have been this morning?

"Thank you, Esme," I said emotionally. She was pale and perfectly put together, but she reminded me so much of my mom. I saw pieces of her in Rosalie too.

"We promise that you won't be alone again. You're so brave and so young. I can't imagine what you've been through," she said. She was piling it on thick, and part of me wanted to embrace. I think I deserved to. It had been a rough few weeks.

Most of me was embarrassed though. I sheepishly mumbled some variation of "was nothing."

"We were discussing who should go with you to the cabin. We were thinking Jasper-"

"About that, I want to go," Jacob's dad interrupted. He smiled broadly and came over to stand by me.

"You do?" his wife exclaimed.

"Yeah. I think I can handle one little newborn. A tiny one at that."

I hissed at him. Everyone in the room tensed except him. Instead, he laughed.

"Just checking to make sure you are actually a vampire. You're so calm. Except when you jumped on that girl from out of the air. Big fan."

I laughed. I see where Jake picked up his humor.

"You want to come with me?" I asked. I knew myself well enough that when I made the diet switch, it wasn't going to be pretty.

"Sure. How much trouble can you be?"

"Um, a lot," Jasper said, "No offense."

"None taken," I answered.

"Is it okay, Rose?" Jacob's dad asked, turning to his wife. She had her arms crossed and looked pretty ticked. I assumed he hadn't talked to her about it. Her look softened.

"Fine. I'm staying here with Jacob though."

"I figured as much."

"You don't want to be with him?"

"You know I do. I think Jake would want me to be with her though. Look out for her. She's our kid too."

Mrs. Cullen's icy exterior completely melted. She smiled and nodded in agreement.

"So all in favor of me going to with the squirt?" Emmett asked. The vote was unanimous although some looked uneasy about trusting Emmett. I raised my hand with more assurance.

"Great!" he said. He turned to me with a wink. "We are going to have so much fun."

"I'll go pack you a bag," Alice huffed. Rosalie, Carlisle and Esme followed her up the stairs, but I'd guess the former was going back to see Jacob.

"Emmett?" I asked.

"Yeah?"

"Please don't let me kill someone again," I said seriously. Too many had died already. I wanted an end to it. It was an impossible dream (especially for a vampire), but I was hoping my eternity would contain as little bloodshed as I could manage.

"I won't."

"You promise? I trust you, you know."

"I know. C'mon, we've got some deer to eat."

Eternity of them, I hoped. I was tied to the Cullens and Jacob forever, and even though I was stuck in this body and this nature, I felt very in control. I knew exactly what I needed to do and who to do it with. There were still things I wanted-to have my brother back would be nice- but I knew the only thing I needed was never getting away from me again. I have a steel grip and a big, loving new family to back me up with that. I started this journey on a dark street corner talking to some weird teenager with dreams and worries. I am dead and most of those dreams would never be fulfilled now, but whatever I do, I would be doing it with people I loved. The who is a lot more important than the what, and as long as I was certain of the first part, I felt ready to tackle whatever the second may be.