A/N: PLEASE READ! SO… I'm going to cross my fingers here, and hope you all don't hate me forever. This may be a particularly long A/N, but you all deserve a life update, and an explanation, and I PROMISE we will get to a chapter immediately following. I need you all to know how much I love you. Truly, and I'm not just saying that to say it. For the longest time, this site, and this community, kept me going in my everyday life. I've grown up here. I started off an awkward 12 year old girl, just writing because I loved these characters so much, and here I sit now… 25. Yikes. As to where I've been, I'll be frank: life has knocked me on my ass. Last update, I had just graduated college. Now, I have a masters degree in the literal Hunger Games. I had my dream job, and I left it for an even bigger dream in the publishing world. I failed. Then I failed again. And again. And made the wrong career decisions, becoming very depressed. It seems to have been a theme from my teen years to now. And now, I finally seem to have it figured out. I have felt like a shadow of myself most days. I haven't felt that my writing has been good enough for a long time, and I've failed to remember what it felt like to be whole. And I realize the last time that I was as such was when I sat here with all of you every week, letting our favorite characters adventure. I THINK that I am finally back now. I hope you'll give me grace, and that you still love me just as much as I love you. I want to haul myself out of this hell I've been in with you all by my side. I promise I will work on being the me that you all love again. I've missed her too. But most of all, I've missed you guys. Let's fucking do this thing.

Disclaimer: I'm nowhere near as talented as Stephanie Meyer. I don't own these characters. Just play with them.

Bella POV: "Are you insane?!" I shrieked at Embry while he stood in the doorway of the hospital room. No doubt the doctors and nurses could hear, but I'm pretty sure they were still just flabbergasted by my return from the land of the dead. They wouldn't come in. "You're going to fight today? Do you have any idea who you're up against? What you're up against?"

I could see a muscle in his jaw twitch, and he gulped. "Of course I know that," his voice was thick. "Of course I know their coven is older and stronger than us, but if we don't fight, he'll kill you Bella, and he'll kill my people," his voice broke and dropped to a whisper. "I can't face either of those realities. You have to understand that."

I tried to search his face for any sign that there might be a loophole in all this. But in all the time I had spent loving Embry, I knew every one of his facial expressions backwards and forwards. There was nothing but utter defeat in his eyes. He couldn't let his people die. And he sure as hell wouldn't let me go.

"Okay," my eyes filled with tears and I nodded my head. "Okay, fine, but please be careful. You have to promise me you'll be careful. And that you'll come back to me."

Em let out one hollow laugh and smiled, striding towards me and kneeling down to cup my face in his hands. "I will always come back to you, Bella. You are everything."

I kissed him then, with everything I had. I did everything I could to convey to him in that kiss just how much I loved him; how much I needed him. Fireworks exploded behind my eyelids, and I could hear my heart rate speed up on the monitor.

Just then, there was a knock at the door. We jumped apart to find Jacob standing in the doorway, smiling softly. "Mind if I cut in here, dude?"

"Yeah of course," Embry smiled back and then turned to look at me. "I promise I'll see you after the fight, Bells, I love you." he kissed my hand before getting up and walking out the door, clapping Jake affectionately on the shoulder as he passed.

When we were finally alone, Jake eyed me sheepishly, his eyes were clearly watering as he came to sit next to my bed. "Listen Bells," he murmured, "I'm sorry that I haven't really been here… or been supportive at all, really. I was an ass about you and Embry being together at first, and an ass about the bloodsucker and I just –"

"Jake," I laughed, cutting him off by cupping his cheek. "I get it. There's really not a reason to apologize. You're the sun to me, always. You're my best friend."

He smiled softly. "Thank you. I don't deserve that."

I shrugged. "People make mistakes. That's part of being human," I laughed bitterly. "To think I almost gave that up… for him. God, I was so stupid."

"People make mistakes," he echoed, grinning at me. "All that matters is that you survived this, Bells. You survived him and you're happy now."

"But will you survive him?" I asked. "They're all so strong. They can take out the pack no problem."

"I'd like to see them try," he scoffed.

"Jake," I admonished. "I'm serious."

"So am I," he countered. "You have to trust me. You have to trust Embry."

"I do, but you have to promise me to be careful too, please."

"Ah you know me," there was that classic Jacob sarcasm dripping through. "I'm always careful."

I nodded, fighting off the lump that was rising in my throat. "And you have to promise me something else, too."

"Anything."

"You have to protect Embry. Whatever it takes."

####

Embry POV (phased): So we'll wait for them here, I projected my thoughts, to the pack, the alpha command dripping through my tone. We were in the middle of the woods between Forks and La Push. I wanted us as close to our turf as possible, but also close enough that I could reach Bella quickly, if needed. The spirit link would alert me if she was in distress. I silently prayed to Taha Aki and any other existing elder in our lineage that it wouldn't get that far. How much longer till they arrive?

Any minute, Jake thought back. They're about 10 miles down, in their hovel. They're arguing, Most of them don't seem to want this fight; Just him and the crazy blonde bitch.

That might make them weaker, Sam cut in. If most of them don't even want to be here, they may surrender. We may just have to deal with Edward and Rosalie.

Her big bloodsucker-himbo boyfriend won't let her fight alone, Paul added. But I can take him.

Shut up, I commanded, and Paul fell back on his haunches. I hadn't meant to use the alpha order, that was a tricky thing to get the hang of. Sorry man. I just meant we can't think like that. It's more than likely none of them will abandon their family. My tone leaked with disdain. We have to be prepared for the worst. Seth, are you with Bella?

Yup, he thought back, all chipper. I'm close by, I can hear her sleeping. It's a good thing the doctors have her hopped up on pain meds right now, or she would be a mess.

I winced internally at the thought of my girl in the hospital, sleeping off the pain these leeches had caused her. Yeah, thank Taha Aki for that.

Everyone be careful of your thoughts now, Jake warned. They're leaving the crypt. We have two minutes.

And just like that, we fell collectively silent. Sure enough, the Cullen clan emerged moments later. For once, Carlisle Cullen stood at the back with his wife, a somber expression on his face.

Instead, he was at the head, blondie stood next to him, her expression murderous. A low rumble rose among me and my brothers, and Edward chuckled mirthlessly.

"You know," he said, his eyes turning black. "None of this would have happened if you had just let me have what is rightfully mine."

Fuck off, I spat. I knew the freak could hear me. She doesn't want you anymore. That's no one's fault but yours. Just walk away.

"I could," he relented before a sick grin spread across his face, "But honestly, I would rather just kill you."

And then he charged right for me, the growl that escaped him sounded all too much like a mountain lion, and I howled, signaling the pack into action. But before I could strike Edward, Jacob lept in front of me.

Let me take this fucker down, he snarled. I've got your back. I let him have it. God knows he had been waiting long enough.

The rest of the pack was locked in on their respective Cullens. Paul had Emmett, who seemed only to be hitting them with defensive moves, protecting his psychotic blonde girlfriend. She was entangled with Leah, and couldn't seem to strike her. Leah was too quick, and bit down on her shoulder. The bitch screamed out in pain, which was just enough to distract her mate long enough for Paul to pin him down, snapping in his face.

Jared had backed Carlisle and Esme into a corner, poised for the attack, but for whatever reason, Carlisle was trying to reason with him. Bella had told me he was a pascifist, but I couldn't hear what he was saying.

I rushed to Quil's aid, where he stood face to face with Alice, who would dance just out of his reach with every attack move. Her mate, Jasper, noticed me coming and immediately lept into a protective stance, clearly ready to pounce. Even in battle, he looked like he was in pain. He could feel our rage, and no doubt that of his "siblings", but there was something in his face. He was nervous.

MOTHERFU–

And just like that, pain exploded in my brain, and all of ours, at once. Edward had managed to grab a hold of Jacob, crushing him ruthlessly and unhinging a tree from its roots, knocking it on top of him before he took off in the clearing.

Jake! I yelped, abandoning any hope of a fight against Jasper in that moment. Are you okay?

Argh! This fucking hurts man, his wolf form whined. I can't get myself out, my arms are broken. And that fucker got away!

In that moment, I noticed that all the Cullens, aside from Rosalie, had stopped any sign of a fight. She was still snarling at Leah, attempting to get one good swipe in.

WHAT!

"He went to Bella," Alice's windchimey voice cut in behind me, panicked. "This was all just to distract you so he could get to her. He's going to change her. You have to go."

Panic set into me, and somewhere in the back of my mind, I could hear Jacob's thoughts, semiconcious, panicking too.

"Embry," Carlisle stepped forward quickly, his voice even, but urgent. "We never wanted to fight you, none of us. Bella will always be a part of this family, whether she is with my son or not. We just want her to be happy. I will take care of Jacob, but you must go. You must stop my son, by whatever means necessary.

I was in a trance. I couldn't move or breathe. All I could think of was Bella.

"You fucking traitors," snarled Rosalie, who was still hopelessly trying to gun for Leah. "Bella Swan has destroyed this family. She needs to die."

I almost turned around and ripped her head off.

"We'll take care of her too," Emmett piped up, sounding somewhat hopeless. "Just save my sister."

Embry, Sam broke through my thoughts like a knife. Go now.

That was all I needed. I shot off like a bullet just as I heard Seth howl. He wasn't going to take Bella from me.

A/N: Okay! Sorry if that fight scene sucked, I'm not great with group fight scenes and I'm a little rusty. But good news! We have one more chapter – the big one on one fight with Edward and Embry – AND THEN the epilogue, which I'm currently writing. I promise not to ghost you again. I LOVE YOU GUYS, LEAVE A REVIEW AND TELL ME YOU'RE NOT MAD AT ME PLEASE. BYEEEEEE