February. The end of winter and Port Angeles was freezing. Fortunately, I didn't have to suffer too much but I kept the zipper on my jacket to the top, hoping my body heat would keep the temperature of the bacon rolls I had stuffed down my inner pocket.

I reached the motel and climbed the stairs three at a time, holding back from sprinting across the balcony to the room at the very end, facing the forest. I didn't need to worry. The café had only been across the road – the door to the motel room in constant view. I'd even been able to hear her heart from across the road; the steady, rhythmic beating reassured me she hadn't realised I'd slipped out to collect breakfast and was still lights out.

I brushed the snow from my jacket and wiped my boots on the mat before ducking in, quickly unfastening the laces to make my steps to the bed as gentle as possible – but it'd all been for waste as by the time I reached it, her eyes were wide open.

"You're up? It's not even six AM."

Nessie rolled onto her side and snuggled deeper beneath the blankets. "Couldn't sleep." She mumbled, "And I could smell the bacon."

I huffed a laugh and withdrew the rolls from my pocket, handing her one which resulted in a wide, gleaming smile and she bolted upright. I sat back in the armchair by the window and ate in silence. Watching her there in that bed reminded me of just how small she was. She'd been born just over a year ago – but looked almost seven. Her small, elfin frame curved in on itself, out of place with the wide-set brown eyes that narrowed at the roll, analysing the next perfect bite. I savoured the taste of the BLT and Nessie handed me her tomatoes. She hated tomatoes.

A thump from the next room had both our heads snapping in the direction of the door; every cell in my body vibrating with the want to phase, to be better prepared to defend her but a second later we heard the jingle of keys. It had been a door. I hated this, being so out in the open again. We'd spent the majority of the year as nomads in Peru, welcomed by the indigenous Ticuna people who – after recognising Nessie as something…special – happily shared with us their legends and stories. It'd been a quiet time; all worry of the battle and what had happened to our friends and family were overcome by the information Nessie learned. She spoke their native language fluently within hours whereas I'd only managed to ask the nearest place to take a leak.

Now, back in the States with big cities only miles away, it seemed all I could do was worry we'd be found. I had the money for a better place for Nessie to live. Heck, with the money the Cullen's had left, I could have bought an entire town of houses for Nessie, but we had to stay quiet, inconspicuous, especially when we hadn't a clue where to go from here.

What I did know, was how we were getting there.

"Come here," I instructed, heading for the window. Nessie frowned and skipped through the air, peaking through the glass at the parking lot. "There, that one." I pointed to silver Volkswagen Scirocco. She let out a whistle and I laughed.

"Sent the money to an old friend. Had them drop it off for us in the night."

Her small fingers grazed my own, conveying the question 'Friend?'

I shrugged, "Don't worry about it."

I didn't tell her who because I knew it'd upset her. After all, that friend was her grandmother. By love, that was. Sue Clearwater and Charlie weren't technically married but they were together and had been for some time now. Nessie had grown up knowing Sue to be Charlie's partner and loved her just as much as she loved him, as she loved Carlisle and Esme. Sue had been thrilled to hear from me and it'd been amazing to hear her voice – tinted in pain as it was, still mourning the loss of her kids. She'd wanted to tell Charlie we were close but had understood when I'd requested her favour to only drop off the car and stay away. If Nessie reunited with them now, it'd be ten times more painful for her when the time came to leave again.

Asher's Note:

In this chapter, we get a snippet of Jacob and Nessie's relationship and how the events of the Winter Battle influenced them. There were no reviews on the previous chapter to respond to. Stay Safe.

~Asher~