Disclaimer: All the Twilight stuff belongs to Stephenie Meyer. No copyright infringement is intended. I'm just playing in her sandbox.

Author's Note: Okay, so, I am absolutely hopeless at holding back chapters. I remember how upset I always got when kismetan used to take more than a day to update - and her stories are my absolute favorite - all of them - , or savage7289 when I was reading Hide and Drink, or bettygale when she was in the middle of the drama on the Pattinson Project. Let's not even talk about how anxious I get to read MOTU by snowqueen icedragon! Anyway, here it is . . . let me know what you think. Soon, chapters aren't really going to relieve the stress - it will take awhile . . .

Chapter 60 Encounter

. . . Victoria. We could not yet see her in the crowd, but we could smell her and she was close . . . really really close.

Jasper POV

We all seemed to simultaneously notice the smell, the scent was unmistakably the same that I had smelled down by Mirror Lake where the recent murder/feeding had occurred. I knew Victoria's scent myself, having been there on the baseball field when we first met her and the other scent that had been with hers at Mirror Lake was here as well.

I immediately evaluated the direction the wind was coming from and the intensity of the smell. She was near, very near. My military training always kicking in, I looked for a vantage point, somewhere that I could get a good look at the crowd without making a spectacle of myself, like climbing up the tree just down from us or something else not exactly humanly possible. The hotel just up the block had a roof observation deck and it was about three stories above us, high for anything built in the town of Highlands and I glanced over to it.

She was there. On the observation deck . . . smiling down towards us. The redheaded bitch was staring at us and smiling. Edward picked up on my thoughts instantly and looked towards her as well. Humans would not have been able to pick her form out of the crowd, there were tall trees partially obscuring the view and it was getting quite dark out, the time for fireworks approaching.

"We're just going to go check on the bikes," Jasper said as he took Alice by the hand.

"Hold up and we'll come with you," Emmett added, Rose moving to go with him.

It wasn't a coincidence, of course, we had spoken to each other so rapidly that the humans had not heard. It was decided that Esme and Carlisle would stay with Edward so that there were three of them to protect her, while the rest of us would go after Victoria and Riley, using checking on the bikes as an excuse. We had only spoken words loud enough for everyone to hear that would explain to Charlie and Sue why we were leaving them for a few minutes.

Edward's reaction had been immediate, moving even closer to Bella, his arm protectively around her while Esme stood to her other side and Carlisle stood behind her. Charlie and Sue were facing her, still chatting about town, the fireworks that were about to start and how Billy had never really liked fireworks when he was alive, too loud he had always said.

She saw us approach. There was no way to conceal our movements in the crowd and no way to nonchalantly drift away from the rest of the family. I had made direct eye contact and the only way to handle it was to head straight for her and hope that we got there before she could get down the stairs and out of the building. She would have to move at human speed as well, as there were just too many eyes everywhere.

We stole through the crowd fairly quickly as we approached the hotel. There were many ways down from the top floor and she could have gone East or West on Main Street when she got to the ground floor. It was infuriating, like looking for a needle in a haystack.

As vampires, our sense of smell was probably the most acute of our senses, so we all stood in front of the hotel, trying to get a read on which way she had gone. Nothing, absolutely nothing. Her scent went both ways on the street like she had been roaming around town all damned day. Alice saw a flash of something, a vision of Victoria passing the pet store which would mean she had gone West, down the street. We hurried off, anxious to find her and determined to make it a surprise this time, giving us the advantage. I just wasn't sure how much fight they were going to put up if there happened to be humans around. We would have to lead them off to a secluded area to rip them into pieces and burn them. Perhaps the fireworks would muffle their screams, I mused.

We continued on, having the scent now as we tracked her. Rounding the parking lot, we saw them get into a late model Mercedes and pull out into traffic, heading towards the road that would take them down the mountain to Franklin. We ducked behind the buildings and ran, crossing the street to where we had the cover of woods, heading out of town. We waited just outside town in the center of the road around a deep almost switchback curve, the road virtually clear of cars as everyone was waiting to see the fireworks show light up the sky in town.

The sound of the Mercedes could be heard approaching as Emmett, Rose and I braced for impact, determined not to let the car pass. Alice perched in a nearby tree, making sure that it was indeed the car containing Victoria that we were about to smash. Victoria saw us, just as she came around the bend in the road and the force of the car hitting us, virtually immovable objects when we wanted to be, hurled it off the road and down the ravine to the right.

We leaped from the road and down the ravine, intent on reaching them while they were still trapped in the car, but they had already ripped the doors off and escaped the confines of the mangled metal.

He was a bit faster than she was, but Victoria had taken to the trees to make her escape. Moving at top speed since we were in the woods and not directly where anyone could see us, well, see anything but a blur, as we gave chase. Alice took to the trees to follow Victoria as the rest of us stayed on the ground, keeping both of them in sight.

When we came to the bottom of the hill, Mirror Lake loomed in the darkness. Riley jumped over the narrower portion with no problem, continuing his escape with Emmett close behind but since Victoria had been in the trees, she had to jump down first before she stepped back a few paces to have enough start to clear the lake. It was just enough time for Rosalie to grab hold of her foot, tossing her to the ground. Alice and I were there in an instant, trying to get her cornered and cut off any idea of escape.

"You should have just let go of it, Victoria, after we ended James," Rosalie told her, "We did you a favor getting rid of that piece of scum for you."

"That piece of scum as you called him was my mate, bitch. We had been together longer than you have walked this earth and I would be with him still if not for your piece of shit brother and your family's inane need to protect a human," Victoria told us, almost spitting the last word as if it left a foul taste in her mouth.

"We told you she was with us. There was no good reason for James to go after her, she had done nothing to him, nor had any of us," Alice told her. "I didn't enjoy ripping your mate's head off, but he left us no choice but to burn him, you two just wouldn't leave it alone, go your own way and leave us in peace," Alice stated, her teeth clenched as she tried to control her rage.

We kept circling, jockeying for position, teeth bared, crouched and ready to spring in an instant as Alice distracted her, trying to gain her full attention and unsettle her.

"No, and I will never leave you in peace till at least that little human bitch is dead and that halfbreed baby, if you can call the mutant a baby. An eye for an eye as they say. You think you're so much better than I am with your houses and your cars, openly mingling among humans every day. I might just hang around to end more of you for the extra trouble and effort you have caused me as well," she snarled. "I ended that dog, the head of the pack in La Push for killing Laurent and I never really cared for Laurent," she boasted, her teeth glistening in the moonlight.

"You will never hurt her, do you understand . . . never," I said defiantly as I lunged for her. She jumped backwards into the lake, my hand still grasping the long coat she had been wearing. "We'll get her, Jasper, you keep watch to see that she doesn't get out of the lake," Alice said as she disappeared into the water, having nodded to the area of the lake near the bridge.

I stood on the bridge for the longest time, no cars passing and few noises coming from the forest around the lake. There were several houses in the distance whose lights could be seen reflecting off the lake water and my hearing was acute enough to pick up voices in the houses. There were no noises from our chase, though. No ripples of water, no sounds of Emmett or Riley to be heard in the distance. Alice stepped out of the water at the edge of the bridge to tell me that the lake was so murky and filled with pond lilies or their stems waiting for next year to grow, that it was impossible to see anything. I asked her to wait on the bridge as it was the best vantage point for most of the lake as I did a lap around the lake to see if there were any signs that Victoria had left the water.

I found nothing.

I went back to the bridge where Alice and now Rosalie were standing and we decided to find and follow Emmet's trail on the other side of the lake, perhaps he had gotten a hold on Riley. Though I knew that the young vampire would be no match for Emmett, we went to check none the less to make sure everything was alright. As we got to the lake and picked up the scent where Emmett had jumped across, we heard him approach.

"He jumped in the window of a car passing on the road about seven miles down the mountain, threw the driver out and took off. I waited to see the guy stand up and walk off so that I knew he could get help, then I headed back here," Emmett said as he stomped the ground in his outrage, that Riley had gotten away.

"Yea, the redhead jumped into the lake and Alice and I swam around the whole thing looking for her but nothing. Murky, duck shit filled water all over me and nothing to show for it," Rosalie snapped, wringing her clothes in disgust.

No sooner than she had finished speaking, we heard a car approaching the bridge and saw a figure run from the water and jump, grabbing onto the trunk of the car and getting away down the road, just as Riley had.

"Damn, they must have rehearsed that move, or planned it just in case," Emmett speculated as we turned to head back to the house for dry clothes. We couldn't very well show up in town with Charlie there dripping wet and not be shivering in the middle of winter. No use in explaining some stupid story about falling in the water if we didn't have to and our leather jackets would dry on the run home.

Alice had the same idea I did, "Just put on something similar to what you were wearing, same colors . . . Charlie is not apt to notice clothing unless there is some major change! Leave on the riding boots, though. You know what a stickler he is for safety."

Jacob had heard our voices and we were not attempting to disguise the noise of our rapid approach as we neared the house. It took only moments to explain what had happened and where Jacob could pick up the trail. He had nothing better to do the last couple of days and had occupied himself following trails and trying to pick up her scent out away from town. Here was his chance and he was not about to let it pass. We didn't need Edward there to know that Jacob was headed to try his hand at tracking Victoria.

We were all changed and running back to town in no time, the fireworks just having started over the hill. We would barely have missed any of the show by the time we got back to the rest of the family and at least Jacob would still be trying to discover if there was a place on the road where Victoria and Riley's scents crossed, or any other trace of them.

I could hear Charlie as we approached where the family was standing, Edward still scanning the area protectively as were Esme and Carlisle, tension thick in the air.

"Wow, would you just look at that! That's really something that is," Charlie went on about the fireworks display that the town of Highlands was putting on. "Well, it is the end of a year, after all, and we all have a lot to celebrate in our lives," he said as he eyed Sue as well as Bella.

~oooOooo~

EPOV

"Well, it's about time! I was beginning to think you all got lost and I would have to put out an APB on you!" Charlie roared as my siblings joined us.

"Wow! Did you miss me that much? What the hell is an APB, Charlie?" Emmett asked, absorbing the nudge Esme gave him for language.

"All Points Bulletin, Emmett. Police jargon for getting the authorities to actively search for you," Charlie laughed. Bella just shook her head laughing. I guess, being a Police Chief's daughter, she could not imagine anyone not knowing what that was.

My siblings were covering it well, adept at hiding things from humans, but they had indeed caught up to Victoria. Rose and Jasper had actually managed to get their hands on her at one point and they had confronted her. The words they had exchanged made me bristle as I fought to stifle a growl. Bitch indeed, where did she get off calling my wife a bitch and my child a . . . mutant? She called my unborn child a halfbreed mutant and threatened him? . . . and she expected not to die in the most painful way I could come up with? Stupid, stupid woman.

She and the boy Riley had obviously discussed scenarios though, they were prepared. We would have to come up with something ingenious to trap them . . . and soon.

I tried to calm myself, Bella's small hand tracing circles on my lower back, her arm around me helped. She knew something had happened, though she had no idea what it was yet, Charlie had remained to close to us for me to be able to tell her.

Everyone enjoyed the fireworks display and the brilliant light from some of them lighting up the shadows of the mountains looming behind them added a magnificence to them that would not have been noticed on flat ground. Had the danger from the redhead not existed, it would have been a thoroughly enjoyable evening . . . for everyone.

We headed back to the bikes and the car, the huge crowd all milling towards their respective vehicles or hotels, or perhaps to go and grab a bite to eat in one of the local restaurants that had uncharacteristically stayed open late, the lure of additional customers too much for them to close their doors at the normal time this evening. As a whole, the town of Highlands normally rolled up the sidewalks and locked everything by six or seven pm, the epitome of a sleepy little mountain town.

"Now that was just a nice display for New Years, wasn't it Sue?" Charlie asked as he held the car door open for Sue to get in. Esme had slipped in from the other side so that Bella could sit between Carlisle and I in the front seat.

"It was beautiful, Charlie. Edward, Bella, thank you so much for inviting me to come for a visit. I really appreciate the ticket and the opportunity to spend time with your family, Edward," Sue said as Carlisle started the car.

"I appreciate it, too. Much as I would have liked to unload my revolver in your direction this time last year, I have to admit Bella chose well. You're a good boy, son," Charlie said as he grabbed my shoulder and shook it slightly. Bella looked up at me with a smile, gripping me tighter with the hand that held onto my thigh.

"You're both welcome," I told them, looking back over my shoulder to where they sat, "We'll have to have you both back soon. Are you looking forward to getting home tomorrow, Charlie?"

"Yea, yea, back to the grind. Hope the town hasn't fallen apart without me!" he laughed. "Of course I'll be missing Sue again. Just when I'm going home and she's not going to be there, stopping in Denver and all," Charlie added.

"Denver?" I asked, turning slightly to look at Sue. Her mind and Charlie's already told me everything I needed to know and Esme had already handled all the arrangements, but it seemed normal to them that I was yet uninformed, so I had to ask.

"Oh, Edward! Bella! . . . I guess I thought . . .," Sue stammered.

"Not to worry, Sue. I handled all the flight changes and arrangements. Edward and Bella have had so much going on, I guess I neglected to mention it to them. Everything is taken care of and it was no trouble. Your flight leaves less than an hour after Charlie's, so there is only one trip to the airport," Esme told her.

"Excellent. Thanks for taking care of that, Mom," I said.

"You are very welcome, son. Sue, we have all enjoyed your visit. I hope you really do come back to see us and I hope your friend makes a speedy recovery," Esme told her.

"Cousin," Sue corrected, "It's a cousin that's ill."

I had to laugh, Esme was so in on all of this and so good at it. She knew full well that the story was that it was a cousin, she just made it more believable and normal to Charlie by having Sue correct her. Brilliant, God I admired my Mom.

The bikes made it home before we did. We heard them roaring through the still night air as we descended the road around Satulah, headed for our homes that were slightly down in the valley. I knew that we all needed to talk together, but I was uncertain as to how that would happen with Sue and Charlie with us. I listened in on Charlie and Sue's thoughts for a moment, then it came to me.

"Dad, are we still toasting the New Year at your house this evening?" I asked. Carlisle looked at me like I had lost my mind, but picked up on where I was going with it, replying, "Yes, of course son. Every New Year!"

"Carlisle," Charlie said as he exchanged glances with Sue.

Bingo.

"Would you mind if Sue and I bowed out and just went to the house, we both have to pack and your family needs to do some things just as a family," Charlie told us.

"You are always welcome, Charlie, you know that," Carlisle said to him, "Tell you what, let's make use of that new gazebo that the kids built for Bella. There is a path to it cut in the woods from our house as well. I'll drop you all off at Edward and Bella's and we'll meet you there in say, twenty minutes? That way you can walk down if you want to."

Brilliant. We could keep an eye on the house where Sue and Charlie were from the gazebo and it was far enough away from the house that they would not be able to see the large wolf that would undoubtedly like to attend this meeting!

We walked into the house, Bella asking if Charlie or Sue needed anything before going to pack. They thanked her, wishing us a Happy New Year and heading upstairs.

I turned to my wife, stopping to hug her to me, her arms around me as well. "Happy New Year, love," I said as I kissed her.

"A very Happy New Year, sweetheart. I love you," She told me softly, he lips moving against mine as she spoke. I dropped my hands to her belly, rubbing circles on each side of it.

She looked at me with such longing, she wanted the baby so badly and I knew that it was in part that she wanted to give me a child. Bella was scared, she didn't know if I was going to let her carry the baby longer or not, though she would have put up one hell of an argument had I wanted to terminate the pregnancy, I was sure of that. I didn't want her to worry when I had information that would calm her, calm us both, really.

"Happy New Year to you, too Masen," I said as she looked at me. I couldn't tell if she thought it was cute or she thought I was genuinely loosing it and I had to tell her. It just could not wait any longer.

"Bella, I spoke to Masen last night and . . ."

"Edward, you spoke to him?" she asked with a look of amazement on her face.

"Yes. I spent most of the night communicating with him. Bella he has a tremendous vocabulary and use of the language. He hears us as we speak right now and he understands us," I told her, cocking my head to pick up on something Masen was thinking.

"Bella . . . he wants you to know he's sorry he hurt you. He didn't mean to and he will try not to stretch or move suddenly anymore . . . oh," I laughed, "and he says he promises he won't bite you either, just like Daddy doesn't bite you."

Her jaw dropped as she grasped her belly, her hands on top of mine. "Edward, you're serious?" she asked, an incredulous look on her face.

I gave her the hundred watt crooked smile that I knew she loved as I answered, "Yes. I'm perfectly serious. He can't seem to help me know if he is physically able to be delivered yet, but his ability to control his movements and his understanding that he needs to, is a huge factor in your being able to carry him longer."

I paused . . . "It might just be okay, love," I whispered in her ear.

"You mean if I talk to him, he understands?" she asked.

"Yes. He understands, Bella," I reassured her.

"Oh my sweet little baby boy," she said rubbing her stomach, tears flowing down her cheeks, "I guess I never thought about talking out loud to you, but I will now. Daddy and I love you so much and I know you don't mean to hurt me. You have the best Daddy and the best family in the world waiting for you. Just get bigger for us so we can have you out here to play with, okay?"

There were tears in both our eyes as we hugged, realizing that we just might be able to do this.

~oooOooo~

Jacob POV

Twenty minutes, I heard the bloodsucker say twenty minutes. Damned doctors, even leech doctors can't fucking be on time. I continued to pace back and forth at the edge of the trees by the gazebo as I saw them finally approaching.

Edward and Bella were heading out the door of their house on their way here as well, I smelled her tears from here . . . bloodsucker had better not have done anything to upset her . . . unless . . . she probably knew about Victoria. I knew her, no matter how brave she tried to play, she had to be scared. I walked out to meet them and rubbed my muzzle against her face in an attempt to wipe the tears away.

"I'm okay, Jacob. I'll explain later, okay?" she said to me. I nodded up and down, not wanting the leech to have to answer for me.

Everyone gathered in the gazebo and Carlisle started.

"Alright, what happened?" Carlisle asked.

Jasper told the story -

"Victoria and Riley were on the top of the hotel, by the time we got to the front entrance, they had headed West down Main Street and we followed them. They got into a black Mercedes and headed down the road to Franklin, We ran ahead and blocked their car as they came around the hair bend curve, causing the car to crash down the hill. They escaped the car and we gave chase, Victoria in the trees. Riley jumped Mirror Lake and Emmett followed him till he jumped through the window of a moving car, threw the driver out and got away. When Victoria jumped down from the trees to get her footing and jump the lake, Rose grabbed her. The three of us circled her and when she jumped into the lake. I grabbed, getting only her coat. Rose and Alice swam the lake while I watched to see that she didn't surface. They met me back on the bridge after realizing the lake was too murky to see anything, we started to walk the shore to see if we could pick up on Emmett's trail and saw her run out of the water as a car crossed the bridge, jumping onto the trunk and getting away."

"Tell everyone what she said, Jasper," Edward requested.

Jasper recalled it for them -

I will never leave you in peace till at least that little human bitch is dead and that halfbreed baby, if you can call the mutant a baby. An eye for an eye as they say. I might just hang around to end more of you for the extra trouble and effort you have caused me as well.

"That's what she said, in addition to a few other repeats of the same threats," Jasper said.

I couldn't stifle the growl that erupted from me and I heard Edward growling fiercely as well as I turned to him, getting him to listen to me at that moment.

"Jacob has somethings to add," Edward told them.

"When you guys came running back and told me what had happened, I headed down to the lake and got her scent where she jumped on the car. I was lucky that no other cars had passed and I could follow the scent of the car she was on, her smell lingered in the air with her blowing in the breeze as she must have been on the back of the car," Edward told them for me.

"Damn it, of course!" Jasper exclaimed, "I should have realized with her out in the wind we could follow her scent! Shit!"

"Anyway," Edward interrupted for me, "She must have hung onto the damned car quite awhile because her scent turned off the road just before the car got to the town of Franklin, all the way down the mountain and her trail appeared to head into the Huddle House restaurant there."

Edward stopped in almost mid sentence, "Jacob. Esme is here you know, language."

"Don't give it a second thought, son. Just say it the way Jacob is thinking it. I would like to end the bitch myself," Esme said. All eyes turned to stare at her. "What?" she said, "I curse occasionally, when the situation warrants it."

"Anyway," Edward continued for me, "I couldn't exactly sniff my way all the way to the door and shit, there were people there and I would have been seen. I sniffed around and found another fresh trail leading in a different direction and I followed it up to the Walmart parking lot where I saw her and the guy I presumed to be Riley opening the door of a silver late model Volvo and heading towards the expressway. I had to go the back way to keep from starting a riot and having one of the shotgun toting rednecks that were hanging out there take a free shot at me and by then they were gone."

"So they have rendezvous points set up. Bitch is thorough," Emmett added.

"Good work, Jacob. All of you. At least we have a better idea of how she functions and what she is capable of," Carlisle said, "We just have to all be on our guard, she is obviously growing impatient to make a move."

"I know that Charlie flying home and being away from here and out of danger will be one less thing to think about, but will Sam arriving tomorrow complicate this, Carlisle?" Edward asked. I snorted, knowing the answer to that one.

"Sam hates vampires and vampires that feed on humans would be on top of the list, probably way above us, wouldn't you agree, Jacob?" Carlisle asked, I think he might be inclined to help us find her, if Jacob and Sue ask him."

Edward just shook his head. He was having a hard time with my language and I really could care less. Just tell them what I'm telling you, bloodsucker.

"Fine, fine, Jacob," Edward sighed, exasperated. Jacob says, "Hell yea, he would hate the bitch and her friend. Sam may not like you leeches, but he knows how Billy felt about Bella and he would shit to know that the bloodsucking bitch is after Bella!"

I looked at Esme, not having remembered to watch my mouth. They didn't all know that I used the bloodsucker word as a friendly term, a joke between me and Edward. Leech, too. I must have looked sorry because she nodded and mouthed, "Don't worry about it" towards me.

"Jacob, there is something else," Jasper said slowly, something you should know. You have a right to know. Something that Victoria admitted to when she was taunting us at the lake . . . "

I looked at him, wondering what the hell was so hard to say to me after all the shit he had just told us she said about Bella and the baby. I saw Edward wince, knowing he was reading Jasper's thoughts as well as everyone else's.

"Jacob would like you to just say it, whatever it is," Edward translated, cleaning up my language as usual. Jasper still hesitated, glancing from Alice to Edward and back to me. Patience had never been my strong suite, so I repeated my thoughts to Edward.

This time he translated verbatim, "Jacob would like you to just say whatever the hell is and be done with it."

"Jacob, Victoria bragged about killing Billy," Alice finally blurted out.

Jasper just looked at the ground, "I'm sorry, Jacob. You had a right to know that your Dad was murdered and who did it."

I was stunned. I didn't know what to think or feel at the moment, all I knew was that it was time to step up and handle things. This was going to get interesting . . .

~oooOooo~

Charlie POV

Sue and I headed upstairs to pack and get ready to make our planes tomorrow, but it digressed into kissing . . . and more. We would not be seeing each other for a few days and I had wanted to give her a proper goodbye. She was just dozing off as was I, my arms around her, when we heard the most blood curdling howl . . . loud, like it was right outside the house in the woods nearby.

She stroked my cheek softly and told me to go to sleep, not to worry about it. I could only wonder if they were going to have the same trouble here as we had down near La Push last year with those wild animals . . .