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

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Chapter 5 Posters and Crews

Jacob POV

Seattle was the closest place. Too close. Though Bella was of age, we didn't want to be found. We couldn't go very far on small bikes, just a notch up from trail bikes though the engines had been bored out, compression elevated and they would fly - they were not meant to endure long rides on. They were for trails and our butts would pay the price on an extended trip.

Calgary then. We passed a poster as we turned onto the expressway near the airport in Seattle that had an ad and a man's photo on it. Much to my surprise, it was my friend Dale on the billboard bigger than life! Dale and his team drag racing Harleys. Dale was a friend and there might be a job in it for me as a mechanic if I could get in touch with him.

We stopped at a small diner close by and both stared out the window watching the cars pass by on the highway leading to Forks. Neither of us spoke. We ordered dinner and just stared out the window. A beautiful blue R8 pulled over momentarily, then was gone. It struck me for a moment, seeing the R8 and the Harley racing billboard at the same time, that if I couldn't reach Dale, maybe a job in an auto repair shop would do for now. I liked fast cars after all and I was almost as good with a wrench on cars as I was on bikes.

Our food came and we ate dinner as I called information and got the number to call Dale. After a few minutes on the phone I had gotten the go ahead to come on up and he would give me a try. It must be the thing to so as it was so easy, it just kind of fell into place! Now the hard part.

"Bella, Dale says he will give me a try in his garage. Very little pay but I can stay in the room in the back of the shop. I'll be alright, Bella. I'll ride with you almost back to Forks to see that you get home safe. It won't be any place for you living in a garage."

"Jake!" she said looking at me as though I'd slapped her, "I'm not going back. There's nothing for me in Forks. You know you're the only thing that has kept me going since . . . he left. I can't go back, I won't be alone with no one there for me, I want to be with you!"

She was starting to tremble as she spoke and her arms were slowly wrapping themselves around her chest, like the beginning of a full blown panic attack. Oh God!

"Okay, alright! Jeez Bella, you can come already. Don't go all upset on me right now It's too much for me to handle, too! We'll do this together, deal? If it isn't a great place to be, we'll move on till we find something else."

We finished our meal and checked into the hotel next door for the night, being careful to hide the bikes from view. Tomorrow we would head to Calgary, Alberta, to find Dale and to a new life that hopefully, would somehow bring us both some peace.

"I'm up all ready! Quit with the ice!" I almost yelled.

"Well, get up then! Quit your drooling and lets get going. We're way too close to home. Charlie will be looking and there is no telling how far he will go to find us - you're still under age, you know! I hope I don't get in trouble for contributing to the delinquency of a minor!"

"You wish! What are you now, like 40 or something?"

The playfulness stopped. I knew I had struck a sour note, she was always so uptight about age. I wasn't even allowed to mention her age without her getting completely sulky and withdrawn, or mad. Mad was better, at least I could understand that.

"Let's go then, off on our mad adventure!"

"Jake, you really may just be cracking up instead of me this time, you know that?"

We gassed up and headed for Calgary.

Crossing the Canadian border proved to be no problem. We only had backpacks with us and told them we were just out on a day riding trip. They had no reason not to believe us and anyway we weren't doing anything wrong, at least not legally.

It was a beautiful ride, the northern rocky mountains in the distance containing Baniff and Jasper National Parks, and the cool wide river flowing down from them through the middle of the town. It was a town even more rugged and rustic than Forks, driven by cold and snow in the winter and filled with thousands of visitors in the summer months. Visitors to the famous zoo covering the island in the middle of the river downtown, hikers stocking up on supplies to go off into the forests to hike, camp, fish and hunt, and the ever famous Calgary Stampede, the largest midway-fair-carnival-race in that part of the country. People came from all over Canada and the United States to participate in the stamped.

Dale and his race team were no different. They had come here for those two weeks in July a few years ago and loved it here so much they decided to make it their home base. The All Harley Drag Racing Association (AHDRA) events ran from February thru September each year, and they spent the off time here, working on designs for the bikes and tinkering with all the settings and mixes to get just the right combination that they could win races with.

Dale Racing was pretty easy to find, just at the outskirts of the city. The front of the building was modern and sleek and gave the feel of winners when you approached it. I don't know how else to describe it.

I had know Dale all my life. We both grew up on the reservation and he had taught me to work on engines. I hadn't spoken with him in the couple of years since he had left, but I knew of his success in the drag races and I knew he had his own shop and team.

All Harley Drag Racing Association AHDRA

Screamin' Eagle Performance Parts Florida Bike Week Nationals

Feb 27-28 Orlando Speedworld

"I guess this is it then, Dales' name is out front. Are you nervous, Jake?"

"What's to be nervous about, I grew up with Dale. He knows my mad skills! If he has the room, I know he'll give me a try and at the least, a place for us to stay for a few days. Just let me go in and see if he is here, Bella."

I went thru the door and to the counter, as the guy behind the counter was asking me if he could help me, a familiar voice called to me.

"Jake! Jake man, get over here," Dale called out excitedly. "God, you've grown! You tower over me now, what the hell? You're like, 6 years younger! What are you, 6'2 or better?"

"Yea, something like that."

"Sorry to hear about your old man. He and your mom had just had that accident the fall before I left the reservation. I knew Billy was in a wheelchair, but I'm sorry to hear you lost him. What the hell happened to him, anyway? I thought that old goat was tough as steel or something. He used to terrify me when I was little!"

"Yea, I know. I thought he was indestructible, too. Anyway, Dale, I needed to get away from the res, there's nothing there for me now and I just couldn't stay."

"It's alright man," he said as he put his hand on my shoulder, "I got a place for ya, and your girl. It's not the Ritz, but I think you'll be comfortable there. I built it for when I worked late, or had a visitor or when I thought I needed a break from Tammy, but I haven't used it in over a year now. She and I are expecting in a few months. You'll really like her, Jake."

"So where is this girl that you have with you? She's over 18, right?" he continued.

He walked out the front door with me to where Bella was waiting, leaning patiently on her bike.

"Wow, you rode all the way from Forks to here on THOSE? How . . . your arses must be killing you! Those aren't even designed for street use, its a wonder the cops didn't stop you!"

"Dale, this is Bella. Bella, Dale," I moved to stand beside her as I introduced them.

"Nice to met you Bella, we need to get Jake to provide something more suitable for you to ride in the future, I just can't believe you made it all the way here on those! Didn't they shake you to death at anything over 50 miles an hour, Jake?"

"No, not really. I modified them myself. Try one."

"You're serious. Well then, I guess I can play with toy's too! I'm just used to something about 3 times heavier and many times faster, we're trying to break 200 miles per hour out there!" he said with a snicker, looking at the bikes like they were toys.

"Just ride the damn thing, we're only talking about it shaking over 50, not breaking the sound barrier here Dale!" I laughed.

I glanced at Bella out of the side of my eye as Dale took off. She had confidence in my skills and he was about to be made a believer. I was not proven wrong. Dale returned and rode the bike directly around back and into the shop area yelling for his mechanic to get over to where he stood with the bike.

"Jake!" he yelled, "Meet Marvin. Marvin is my head mechanic. Please explain to him how the hell you made this piece of shit bike run that fast and smooth as glass! It's just unbelievable!"

Marvin eyed the bike with disbelief, but proceeded to listen as I explained to him the modifications I had made to the engine. Dale left and went around front, presumable to get Bella and the other bike. They appeared in moments, Dale pushing the other bike for Bella and parking it beside mine.

"Let me show you guys to the room you can use in the back and we can discuss salary and get started working in the morning, sound good?" Dale said, still eying the bikes.

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BPOV

I had to admit, I was really tired and ready to soak in a hot tub. I figured there would be no tub, but I was hoping for maybe a shower with warm water and a clean place to sleep. Dale seemed nice enough, same russet colored skin as Jacob. His black hair hung thick and straight and shiny past his shoulders, not as far down his back as on Jake. He had the same dark eyes and friendly disposition. I could see him being a friend of ours.

I was pleasantly surprised when Dale opened the door and showed us into an amazing little studio. The entire apartment was fresh and clean and newly decorated with the latest of everything. It had a small but fully functional kitchen, cafe style eat at bar and a sofa and flat screen television set up as sort of a sitting area with the huge bed at the rear of the room.

"Well, this is it you guys, it's not much but its yours for now, I never stay at the shop anymore with the baby on the way and all. You should be comfortable here, there are towels and sheets in the closets and the kitchen has dishes and cookware and glasses."

"This is great, Dale, I really appreciate you helping me and Bella out. I just had to get away from the res for now."

"No problem. Besides, you're helping me out. If you can make those clunkers you rode in on ride that smooth, I can't wait to see what affect you can have on the kind of bikes we race with."

Dale was still talking to Jake as I excused myself and went to check out the attached bathroom. I was not disappointed. I closed the door, checked for an available towel, soap and shampoo, and filled the tub with hot water. Locking the door, I climbed in. I was much sorer and more bruised than I had realized. It was amazing just how many points the bike could rub, burn or bang against you and cause cuts, bruises and burns! Not to mention I still had bruises from the waves bashing me against the rocks at the foot of the cliff at First Beach where we had gone cliff diving the week before.

Amazing how life could turn in the blink of an eye. Last year at this time, my life was set with him. I was going to be with him forever and join his family. I was happy and in love. In the blink of an eye, that bubble had burst and the nothingness set in. I still pushed the limits in order to see him . . . to hear him. At least in those fleeting moments, it felt like he was still with me and still cared about me.

I still had nightmares.

Jake had helped close the hole in my chest, but it was still there, maybe just not bleeding as much. And now Billy had died. Jake needed me and the least I could do would be to be there for him, to help him like he had helped me. He was my best friend and I needed him just as much as he now needed me.

I wondered if Jacob could ever be more than a friend to me. He seemed like he wanted to, in fact I always felt like I was hurting his feelings because I shied away from even simple things like holding his hand. It would mean something completely different to him than it did to me. I cared for Jacob, he held a small piece of my heart . . . but the majority of my heart remained with him, wherever he was. It didn't matter that he no longer wanted me. My feelings for him hadn't changed, couldn't change . . . could they?

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