Hey everyone I am so sorry for the mega long absence. I had some drama to deal with. But I got bit by the motivation bug and I am back. Classes started up again but I should have another update in about two weeks. So, enjoy!

This chapter is dedicated to PiNkGuItArGiRl99. I will keep writing. Thank you.

I do not own anything.

Bella and Jake arrive at Bella and Charlie's home without incident. Bella unlocks and opens the front door. She looks back to Jacob and smiles. They head up the stairs. Bella goes straight to her closet and grabs a bag. She throws it at Jake who catches it and opens it on her bed. He sits down next to it as Bella walks around her room picking up necessities.

Bella goes to pick up a glass of water that had been sitting on her desk. "I'll be right back, you want anything?"

Jake shakes his head and watches Bella leave the room. The stairs creak and then he hears a load crash of glass breaking. He sighs and walks down the stairs and sees Bella on her knees picking up the bigger pieces of glass.

"Klutz…" Jake mutters and goes to grab the broom. He taps Bella on the bum with it as she passes him. Bella giggles and walks to the kitchen and dumps the glass in the garbage. Walking back to the stairs, Bella watches Jake as he cleans up her mess.

The front door clicks open. "Bells? You home?" Charlie calls from behind her and Jake. Bella turns to the front door and smiles at Charlie as he hands his holster and jacket on the hooks beside the door.

Jake walks around Bella and walks into the kitchen with a nod to Charlie. "Hey Dad," Bella says. She hugs Charlie then veers off into the kitchen and grabs a beer for Charlie and two sodas. She pops the tops of each can and places them on the table. She takes a seat and motions for Jake to do so as well.

Charlie sits down with a plop after Jake had sat down. Bella smiles as her thoughts drift. How the times have changed. Her mind follows the path from Italy backward to La Push and the motorcycles, all the way to the Edward's time while they were together early on in the school year. Bella's gaze falls to Charlie and Jake talking and laughing together. Family.

"Right, Bells?" Charlie asks.

"What was that?" Bella breaks from her reverie and looks from Jake to her father with raised eye brows. Charlie smiles and Jake smirks.

"Just saying that it's a change to see you so spunky," Charlie reiterates. Bella smiles slightly and raises the soda can to her lips and takes a sip. She places the can back on the table and nods.

"I take full credit for it, of course," Jake barks. "Time in La Push has done her well. She even has tan lines!"

Bella giggles loudly and shakes her head. "You two are impossible. I can only imagine what you two will be like when we get married…" Bella mutters. As soon as the words slip from her mouth, her eyes are immediately on Jake wide with shock.

Silence surrounds the kitchen like wildfire. Jake's eyes smolder with indefinable emotions. Bella drops his heated gaze to look at her folded hands nervously. Charlie's laugh rings through the kitchen as it rumbles from his chest.

Jake looks to Charlie and his smoldering gaze turns to confusion. "What's so funny about us being married?"

Charlie swigs his beer and coughs as another laugh tries to escape his resolve. "It isn't the idea of you two being married. I like that idea, don't get me wrong, Jake, but Bella has been…" He trails off and looks to Bella for help.

"I haven't exactly had the best model of marriage. I've been subject to Rene's rants on legalized slavery," Bella says. "The whole thing started when Rene left saying she couldn't stay caged up in the small-town drab. It's not something I'd like to make a repeat performance of again."

Jake smiles. "You aren't your mom, Bella."

Bella nods and gets up. "I need to get packed up. You two stay out of trouble, I should only be a half hour." Bella puts her soda in the fridge and runs up the stairs. She goes to her closet and pulls out a couple sweatshirts and a couple plain long-sleeve shirts and folds them before placing them in her bag. She grabs her underclothes from her dresser and does the same. Bella grabs a few pairs of jeans from her shelf in her closet and plops them into her bag and shoves the bag closed. With a sigh she falls back against the covers of her bed. Bella feels the familiar presence of Jake.

"What are you sighing about?" Jake asks from the doorway. His sneakers tread lightly against the floor. Jake sits down and places a hand on Bella's knee.

"Nothing," is Bella's automatic answer. "I'm just tired of this."

Jake nods and withdraws his hand from her knee and lays on his side facing Bella. He places the back of his hand against her cheek. "Beautiful," his voice is husky, "Relax." When Bella gives a slight inclination of her head, Jake looks to the open door. He gets up and closes it. As he comes back to the bed, Jake watches Bella lay on her bed. He resumes his previous position.

Bella smiles and closes her eyes. With Jake so close, it was as though everything was going to be okay. Bella concentrates on the bond they share and focuses on the slight caress that is Jacob in her mind. She reaches out and touches Jacob's presence. She feels Jacob's peaceful sigh before she hears it. The more Bella fondled with the bond, the tighter and unbearable it became. The edge of their connection blurs and Bella opens her eyes unable to not look at the man that lay beside her.

Jake's brown eyes are clouded with desire as his eyes refocus on Bella. He raises an eyebrow. "What was that?" He asks in a husky whisper.

Bella smiles at Jacob and closes the gap between their bodies. "That is our bond."

Jake raises his eyebrows. "That… What you did… You were touching our bond?" Bella nods her confirmation. Jacob sits up and shakes his head to clear it. "Are you all packed?" Bella nods again. "How 'bout that walk Beautiful?"

Bella nods and gets up. She grabs her bag and follows Jake down the stairs. "We're going for a walk; we'll be back in a bit!" She shouts toward the living room. She grabs her coat and allows Jake, who had taken her hand at the bottom of the stairs, to lead her away from the house. Bella throws the bag into the cab of the truck as they pass it.

The two walk in the vicinity of the neighborhood. Jacob caresses the back of Bella's hand at random intervals. As they round the corner, Bella notices a little park across the street from where they are walking. Bella smiles and tugs Jacob towards the park as it starts to drizzle. The two run towards a pavilion that sits on the other side of the jungle gym. Bella laughs as they take their cover and shakes her hair out.

Jacob watches Bella and then turns his head to watch the rain come down. "I love the rain," he says.

Bella smiles and shakes her head. "I don't like anything cold…and wet..." Jacob laughs. He sighs and steps out into the rain and closes his eyes. His face lifts to the sky. Bella watches as he takes in the nature surrounding them. She steps out from the dry cover.

"I've never been kissed in the rain."Bella's voice blends in with the sounds of the rain but she knows that Jake can hear her. She looks to the ground slightly embarrassed by her admission. A finger slides under her chin and Jacob's lips are soon on hers. It's a feathery light kiss that leaves her wanting more. The strain between the two becomes even more apparent. Bella's eyes, which had shut when Jacob lifted her chin, remain closed as Jake pulls away. The feeling of being so close but not close enough is too much for Bella and she steps away and back under the cover of the pavilion.

Jacob watches Bella as she takes cover once again. The tension sits on his chest like a ton of steel. He sighs. He continues to watch as Bella finally opens her eyes. "We should get going. Esme will be worried if we don't get there soon." She says.

Jake nods and holds out his hand to Bella. Bella takes it and they walk in an uncomfortable silence back to Bella's house. Bella bolts up the stairs and opens the door to it. "Dad, Jake and I are leaving! I'll see you tomorrow night!" She hears the tell-tale grunt and shuts the door. She turns to the truck and takes notice of Jacob already sitting in the driver's seat.

She walks around to the passenger's side and hops in. Jake starts the truck and pulls out of the driveway. It's going to be a very long night, Bella's thoughts run along that path.

As they pull into the long drive of the Cullens' home, Jake takes Bella's hand and laces their fingers together as the truck inches closer to the house. Bella sighs as Jake puts the brakes on, turns the key, and shuts the truck off. Bella opens her door and no sooner than she places a shoe on the ground Alice and Esme are in front of her.

"Hi Esme," Bella says with a slight smile. Bella embraces Esme. She turns to speak with Jacob but he is already heading to the woods to do patrol. Her smile falters and her gaze turns to Alice. "Has Emily arrived yet?"

Alice shakes her head. "She did call though. Sam is running her by. She should be here in a little while. Let's get you inside."

Bella grabs her bag and takes one last look to the woods where Jacob was last seen, and allows Esme and Alice to lead her inside. Alice leads Bella to a room on the opposite end of the house from Edward's room. Sensing the need to be alone, Alice leaves Bella to her thoughts. She stands in front of the window facing another side of the wooded area surrounding the Cullen home looking for any sign of Jake. Her mind shuts down as she stands there.

Thank you for all the support everyone,

Kaleigh