In the wake of my dream, I started up my training again. I had held it off since Dad had said this was a Monster Dead Spot, but with crazy Dirt Lady wanting to sacrifice me to the Earth, I wanted to make sure I could handle anything that she threw at me. Dad had installed a punching bag in my room, and I used it almost every day. I had taken to the woods to continue training with my Scythe, to make sure that I wasn't stiff. I spent my days with Sam and his friends, learning about their Pack and how it functioned. I admit, I withdrew a little from mine and Bella's human friends and Bella, but it was for their protection. Bella, however, invited me out to the movies to relax because she could tell I was wearing myself out. She told me that it would be our friends from school and Jake. The day of, Bella and I arrived at home to see Jake leaning against a car. "No way!" Bella shouted, racing up to the boy right as the truck turned off. "You're done! I can't believe it! You finished the Rabbit!"

"Just last night." Jake said. "This is the maiden voyage."

"Incredible." The two high fived.

"So, do I get to drive it tonight?"

"Definitely." Bella sighed.

"What's up with you?" I asked.

"I'm giving up. I can't top this one, so you win, you're oldest."

"You two were competing about who was older?"

"Based on skills alone." Jake said. "And, of course, I was older." We were distracted by a suburban as it turned onto our street. "I remember this guy. The one who thought you were his girlfriend. Is he still confused?"

"Some people are hard to discourage." Bella told him.

"Then again, sometimes persistence pays off."

"I know a pair of friends who ended up together." I mused. "Granted, he was an idiot and she was the exact opposite, he annoyed the hell out of her but." I shrugged. "You love who you love."

"Hey Bella, hey Aspen." Mike greeted. He then turned to Jake, having to look up to see him.

"Hi, Mike." Bella replied. "Do you remember Jacob Black?"

"Not really."

"Old family friend." The two shook hands with more force than I expected. When they let go, Mike flexed his fingers. The phone rang inside and Bella turned to it.

"I'd better get that." She said. "It might be Charlie." Bella dashed inside. I stood in awkward silence, and decided to ignore the fact that Mike and Jake stepped away from each other. Bella arrived about five minutes later with a sullen look on her face. "Ang is sick." Bella told us as she returned to us.

"I guess the flu is making another round." Mike suggested. "Austin and Conner were out today, too. Maybe we should do this another time."

"I'm still up for it." Jake said. "But, if you'd rather stay behind Mike-"

"No, I'm coming. I was just thinking of Angela and Ben. Let's go." Mike gestured to his car.

"Hey, do you mind if Jacob drives?" Bella asked. "I told him he could, he just finished his car. He built it himself."

"Fine." Mike spat.

"Alright then." Jake's tone made it sound as if he was preening. Mike and I climbed into the back seats of the car. Bella, Jacob and I chatted until about halfway through the ride until Mike lent forward, resting his chin on Bella's seat.

"Doesn't the radio work on this thing?" Mike asked.

"Yes." Jake replied. "But Bella doesn't like music."

"Bella?"

"He's right." Bella muttered.

"What about you, Aspen?"

"This sounds really snobby, but I prefer live music." I admitted.

"How can you not like music?"

"I don't know, it just irritates me." Bella said.

"Recorded music sounds too scratchy for me." I added.

"Hmph." Mike huffed, leaning back in his seat. We arrived at the theatre not long after. Jake handed Bella a ten dollar bill.

"What's this?" Bella demanded.

"I'm not old enough to get into this one." Jake admitted. I laughed, putting my hand on Jake's shoulder.

"Bella beats you in actual age, doesn't she." I joked. "Is your dad gonna kill us if he found out we snuck you in?"

"No. I told him you were planning to corrupt my youthful innocence." We got into the movie easily, no one questioned Jake's age and we took our seats. I didn't realise what movie we were watching, and I froze. Explosions, people being stabbed. My mind went back to the Battle of Manhattan. I remembered the fighting, cutting down Monsters and fighting against my former friends. One of the explosions caused me to flinch, and my hand snapped to my shoulder, gripping it tight.

"I think I'm sick." Mike groaned beside me. He stood and bolted out of the room. Bella stood, prompting Jake and I to do so as well.

"No, stay." Bella whispered to us. "I'll make sure he's ok." We followed Bella anyway. "You don't have to come. Get your eight bucks worth of carnage." We continued through the theatre.

"That's ok." Jake assured. "You can sure pick them Bella, this movie really sucks."

"Are you ok Aspen?" Bella asked me, placing her hand on my arm. I blinked.

"Just…" I trailed off. "PTSD, I...didn't realise it would get me." We walked out of the theatre, unable to find Mike in the hallway. Jake walked into the men's room and came back in a couple seconds.

"Oh, he's in there alright." Jake told us. "What a marshmallow. You should hold out for someone with a stronger stomach. Someone who laughs at the gore that makes weaker men vomit."

"I'll keep my eyes open for someone like that." Bella said.

"I'm gonna head to the bathroom myself." I said before scurrying off. My heart was pounding. I took my purse on the counter and stared at myself in the mirror. I could see the sweat dripping down my forehead. My eyes squeezed shut as I was thrown back into a memory.

FLASHBACK

My back pressed up against Thalia's as we fought together, her spear and my Scythe working in tandem. "Never thought I'd fight alongside you again Zippy." I commented.

"Same here Tulip." Thalia responded. We separated and continued to fight. I felt a searing pain in my shoulder and I screamed, dropping my scythe. I looked at my shoulder and saw an arrow protruding from it. "Aspen!"

FLASHBACK END

I was pulled out of my thoughts when the door opened. I shook myself out, grabbed my purse and scurried out of the bathroom. I saw Mike clutching a popcorn bucket, with Bella leading him out. I hurried after them. "Is Mike ok?" I asked, stepping next to Jake. I then frowned, I felt some serious heat coming from him.

"He caught something." Jake said. I wrapped my arms around me to try and keep warm, but Jake felt as if he was standing in the middle of the Hearth at Camp, he was blazing hot. We got back in the car. I was pressed against the side of the car, away from Mike. I was staring out the window and didn't move until we got back home.

"Bella, tell Dad I'm taking Mike home." I said to her as we got out. "And tell him I'm taking Jake home, and I'm gonna stay at his place, he'll know why." Bella nodded. I took Mike back home in his suburban, and then I forced Jake into the passenger seat of his rabid and drove him home myself. Jake was vibrating as soon as I pulled up to the forest. I shoved Jake. "Out, out!" I shouted. Jake almost ripped the door handle of his car before he fell out. He shook, and then exploded. In his place stood a large reddish-brown wolf. "Jake, get to the woods, now! I'll get someone to come." Jake whined, bolting into the woods. I hiked up my skirt and ran towards the Black household. I raced through the house to the receiver. Billy was waiting in the kitchen. He tried to talk to me but I grabbed his phone and dialled the Uley house.

"Uley residence." Sam said in greeting.

"Sam, get to the woods now." I ordered. "Jake shifted, he needs the Pack, now."

"On it." I slammed the phone onto the receiver and turned to Billy who was looking at me with wide eyes.

"What?" He breathed. I walked over to him and pulled out a chair, sitting down to talking to him. We turned to the window as a quartet of howls pierced the air.

"As we were leaving the movies, he got really hot and he started shaking." I explained to him softy. "I got him here as soon as I could."

"Thank you." Billy said, reaching over and taking my hand.

"He'll be ok." I wrapped my hand around his. "Sam, Jared and Paul are out there finding him right now." We waited for an agonising half hour until the phone rang. Billy rushed forward and took the phone off the receiver.

"Hello?" He asked wearily. "He's here...he was...too sick to call. He's not feeling well right now...No! No, we're fine, Aspen's here to help me, she'll be staying over to ight, let your dad know. You just stay at your place...by Bella." Billy hung up. "She's asking too many questions." Billy muttered angrily.

"It will be ok." I assured. "She'll forget about it. The important thing right now is that Jake will be safe. I can track him too if you want."

"No, you need to stay here until he gets back."

TIMESKIP

It was early the next morning that Jake returned home with the others. I was a little surprised to see another person with them. "Oh Jake." Billy sighed, wheeling forward to greet his son.

"What happened to me." Jake breathed, falling to his knees.

"It's ok, Jake." Billy soothed. "Everything will be explained soon, I promise." I knelt next to Jake, putting my hand on his tattooed shoulder.

"Look, Jake, your life has changed significantly in the past couple hours." I explained softly. He looked over at me with weary eyes. "There's a lot of information, but we'll help you, we promise."

"Thank you." Jake breathed, leaning towards me. I wrapped my arms around him and hugged him. His entire life was going to be turned upside down.