Author's Note:

Hi everyone! Sorry about that cliff-hanger there, haha. I'm just shifting gears a little bit - the next few chapters will be narrated through Jules' eyes, in part paying homage to how Stephenie Meyer organized the original book and also just for myself because I love Jacob and Jules, haha. A little heads up, things are going to start deviating quite a bit from the original Breaking Dawn from here on out but I hope that it will still work out for you all and you'll be able to see the story through with me. I also wanted to mention that I also got a few comments/speculations/questions about a specific plot point - I won't put any spoilers here, but I just wanted to say that they will be answered and addressed within these next couple of chapters so stay tuned, I'm excited to hear what you all think!

As always, thank you for reading and I hope you enjoy :)

Book 2: Jules

16. HOMECOMING

The rain was coming down in sheets but hey, what else was new? Everything in the world was gray. Maybe it'll always be that way for me too, who knows? I sat down opposite of Mom's wheelchair in our small dining room, scooping some of the salmon I made onto her lunch plate and putting it in front of her before heading back to my own seat. With an elbow pressed firmly against the table I mashed up my own helping of the fish into the bed of rice it sat upon with my fork and let out a sigh.

"Jules?" Mom's voice was hard; concerned.

"What is it?" I asked, not bothering to look up from the mess I was making.

"Jules."

"What?" I shot back, biting the inside of my cheek. I was in no mood to talk. I haven't been since that day, like time had stood still. Eyeing the stupid, ridiculously-uncomfortable purple heels from here shoved way back on the bottom shelf of the shoe rack by the front door, I turned my salmon to mush, a rush of anger, then sadness, then a few other things I didn't want to admit to myself fueling my path of destruction. I wished I could do away with those walking death traps, reminders, similarly, but I spent a whole month's allowance on them and it was a final-sale item, which really sucks for me.

"Stop playing with your food. Eat." Mom sighed. I didn't answer her and only sighed right back.

"What do you think they're going to say, Mom? That he fell off of a cliff? Got run over by a car? Flew out the window tripping on his way down the stairs again, only this time he wasn't so lucky? You know, maybe he got eaten by sharks. The possibilities are endless." I scoffed, shaking my head. "The worst part is, whatever they come up with, anyone who even remotely knows who Beau is will believe it. Hell, I would believe it too if I didn't know any better." I threw my fork down, kicking up some rice from my plate as the fork clattered against it and I threw my chair out behind me, pressing my palms to the table. It just made me so angry, and upset, all over again.

"Whatever happens to him is none of our concern anymore, Jules. Understand that." Bonnie tried with an exasperated, possibly-sympathetic sigh. I ignored her. There's no way I ever will understand it, I knew that for sure.

"I'm going out." I shook my head hard and, covering my plate with plastic wrap, swung open the fridge and pushed it all the way towards the back. Just as I was about to duck out of the doorway of our small red house, Bonnie wheeled herself after me, stopping at the far end of the hall.

"Jules." I turned to Mom, leaning up against the doorframe. She was looking right at me. "They came back early. Two weeks ago."

I felt my eyes go wide and my heart dipped a little in my chest. What should I expect now?

"What do you mean? What happened? Is Beau alright? Is he sick? Does Charlie know?" Bonnie shook her head at all of my questions.

"He's at the Cullens."

The Cullens. My jaw clenched and I turned around, running out into the pouring rain. I threw off my shirt like I was going to go swimming and phased, breaking through the sheeting rain and kicking up splatters of mud behind me with every sprint, my feet coming in towards my torso and kicking back out again in quick, even strides, faster and faster through the endless forest.

I knew where I needed to go.

…

When I reached that familiar stretch of road which led up to the Cullens' big white house, I phased back to my normal human form and sprinted towards the glass door that separated me from those bloodsuckers, knocking thrice on it. Carine came out in two seconds, letting me in.

"Hello, Julie." she greeted with a polite smile but her eyebrows were furrowed in concern. She stood in the doorway warily, but I pushed past her.

"Where's Beau?" I frantically asked, calling his name out twice.

"He's in the living room. Would you like to borrow one of Edythe's shirts?" Carine gently asked. It was only then I realized I was still in a swimsuit top and a pair of spandex PE shorts and I sighed. Having to borrow Edythe's clothes was the last thing I wanted to do, but they were probably the only ones that would fit me – we were the same height, me and her – and I didn't really want to freak out my best friend today, so I guess I kind of had no choice. I made a mental note to bring a spare with me next time.

"Thanks." I muttered, not sounding very grateful in the least. Carine was up and down and back again at my side in a matter of seconds.

"Here you go, honey." She handed me a white Henley top, heading back upstairs again right after. I slid it on, leaving the top two buttons undone - that was how Edythe wore it, I knew. Cutting across the wood tiling, I made my way into the living room and found my best friend curled up on the couch with a book – one of his favorites, Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea. I felt a smile flash across my face and my heart beat twice as fast in my chest which welled up with a sort of warmth when I saw him there like that: He was back, he was still human, and he was still alive. My world was, as of yet, still perfectly intact.

"Hey." I said, trying to hide my excitement. I looked to the floor and back up at him again. He slammed the book shut.

"Jules." he said in a voice filled with relief like he really was happy to see me and got to his feet, holding his arms out awkwardly to either side of him like he was debating whether he should give me a hug or not.

"Wow. You didn't die." I said very slowly, biting back a smile.

"Nice to see you again too, Jules." He laughed and came right up to me, still holding his arms out. Taking the bait, I fell right into them and he gave me a big hug. I wrapped my arms tight around him, leaned my head on his chest. It was the best feeling in the world; the best place to be. I missed him. I missed him so much.

"I'm sorry." he whispered into my hair.

"I'm sorry, too." I couldn't meet his eyes. I touched his arm instinctively; tenderly this time. If there was anything from that night I could take back, it would've been hurting him like that.

"So, I heard you had to cut that honeymoon short. I would say I'm sorry, but that would be kind of a lie." I teased through a tight throat. His eyes fell a little and I sighed. "Sorry again. What exactly happened?" I asked, serious this time.

"A call – actually, a few calls – from Archie."

"Archie?"

"Yeah. He, um, saw something. You know, about me." A sense of dread lanced up my back when he said that and it made me shiver.

"Bad?" I asked, but I already knew my answer.

"Yeah. So, I'm basically under house arrest right now." He shrugged helplessly, brows flicking up then down. He tried to laugh, but it didn't come out right.

"Where's Edythe?" I asked, not particularly wanting to bring her up but feeling like I probably should. I wondered what her part was in all this.

"She's out hunting with Archie. Technically, it's just us and Carine here – Earnest and the others are up at another hunting ground. When everyone else heard we were coming back though, they said they'd start heading back down here too so it won't be long now."

"But you're feeling okay?" I asked, concerned. He shrugged.

"I mean, physically I feel totally fine, I'm just a little worried is all. About everything." He pressed his lips together, making a hard line with them. I wasn't very good at the whole "comforting others" thing, but I did make an honest effort because I knew he needed that from someone; anyone. And I didn't mind being that person, not at all. Raising my hand, I pressed it to his back, patting it. "It's all gonna be okay, alright? I won't let anything happen to you." I said, showing him a smile I hoped was reassuring on some level.

"Thanks, Jules." He gave me another big hug.

"Yeah, yeah." I chuckled, pulling him tighter to me. Then he put his hands on my shoulders and smiled my favorite smile, the one that reached his eyes and made them crinkle.

"Hey, that's Edythe's shirt." He laughed, taking it in.

I shrugged, already feeling the blush creeping up my neck. "Yeah, I guess it is. Not that I wanted to wear it, just so you know."

"Well, it looks nice on you." I looped a lock of hair behind my ear and looked out the window to avoid his gaze, my cheeks feeling hot. He still had that effect on me, which of course wasn't good at all. But I just couldn't help it. Feelings don't just pick up and leave overnight, and I knew I had a long journey ahead of me. I took his hand. He squeezed mine back.

Just then, the front door swung open with a clatter.