Boilerplate: I do not own anything in this story – the characters belong to Stephenie Meyer and Forks, Washington belongs to itself.

Thank you for reading!

Also, I am going to India for a week and won't be back until the beginning of March. I'm going to try and get something posted before then but if I don't, please don't worry. I haven't forgotten about Bella and Jacob!

The quotation is taken from Shakespeare's "Romeo & Juliet" Act II, Scene II, with Juliet on the balcony.

***

"Bella?" asked Jacob. He raised his eyebrows in disbelief.

"Yes." Bella sniffed and reached into her pocket for a tissue. It bothered her more than she cared to admit that Jacob hadn't recognized her.

"You're human." he said, peering at her carefully. His black eyes met hers and she looked away, embarrassed.

"Yes," she replied. "I guess my lack of breath-taking beauty gave it away, huh?"

Living with the eternally youthful Cullens hadn't exactly done wonders for her never-sparkling self-esteem—especially when it came to her looks. Bella never fully accepted that Edward could desire her dull brown hair, dishwater eyes, and her increasingly bony frame. But Jacob? Hadn't he wanted her, too?

"You smell human," said Jacob, ignoring her self-depreciating remark.

Jacob's little girl tugged on his hand and he swooped her up. She rested her head on his shoulder. Bella blushed, remembering how it felt to be wrapped up in Jacob's warm arms, and looked up at him through tear-filled lashes. He wasn't even paying attention to her. Desire was replaced by embarrassment and Bella blushed even harder.

"So, you're married?" Bella started to ask just as Jacob turned to leave.

"I've got to get little Mia back to her mommy. We'll have to catch up later—my number's still the same," he said over his shoulder.

"Oh. Okay, then. I'll give you a call and we can—" but Jacob was already out of earshot and had pushed his cart around the corner "—have wild monkey sex and run away to Vegas and then your wife would hunt me down and kill me." Bella continued to herself. She sighed. Of course he was married with an adorable daughter—an adorable daughter that could have been hers, if only she hadn't been so blind. "It would still be better than my life now," she muttered to herself.

An old lady gave her a funny look.

"Just catching up with an old friend isn't against the rules, is it?" Bella asked her.

The old lady shrugged her shoulders. "I'm sure I don't know, dear," she said.

Meeting Jacob had stirred something up inside Bella—vague memories of rainy afternoons in his garage, the taste of warm soda, and a cold night in a tent, feeling his hot skin beneath hers.

His invitation burned bright in her head and in between looking at classified ads and cooking an elaborate dinner for herself and Charlie, Bella looked at the phone and imagined herself dialing it.

"But what would I say?" she thought. "Sorry about that time when I broke your heart, let's get a drink?"

She didn't call.

She found a couple of leads on jobs—nothing fancy but the thought of going out and working invigorated her more than she thought possible. At first living off the Cullens' money had been easy—an extension of living with her parents. When she needed something, it was provided for her. But after a while, the money had become just one more loop in the rope around her neck, choking the life out of her. She wanted to work and earn and contribute to society, even if just as a receptionist or clerk. Edward had never understood.

On Tuesday night, Bella stood at the open window looking out into the darkness, into the silent woods. She wasn't used to being alone like this and it scared her a little. But then she imagined Edward's cold arms coming around to hold her tight—to bind her forever to him—and the thought scared her even more and she whipped around to make sure there was nobody in her room.

The leaves of the trees sounded like whispers. "Alone," they said. "You're all alone."

"You don't scare me," she replied.

***

Edward had never been good at group activities but that had never stopped Alice from trying to organize them. If not for his devotion to Carlisle, Edward would have left his adopted brothers and sisters many, many years ago, preferring to spend his eternal existence in studied introspection and solitude. And puttering around with his hobbies. It is a testament to that devotion to the Cullen patriarch and maker that Edward remained calm and in control as Alice grabbed his hand and pulled him towards The Haunted Mansion.

"Why must I accompany you on this carnival attraction, Alice?" he said crankily. "Frankly, this entire amusement park seems rather less than…amusing."

"Oh, hush," said Alice. "Later we'll go to Main Street and you can pretend that you're back in eighteen-fifty-two."

Edward glowered at her and wished, not for the first time, that he did not need to rely on Alice's precognitive powers as often as he did. Her precocious temperament grew rather irritating after a few decades. Alice had agreed to accompany him on his search for Bella if and only if they made a few detours along the way. And, as if God was punishing him, Disney World was on the way to Jacksonville, where Bella's mother still lived. Even worse, God had granted them a rainy, overcast arrival day.

"Now, you're trying to irritate me on purpose," said Edward. "You know very well I wasn't alive back then."

"Is it working?" asked Alice. "Because it looks like you are going to ride this with me." She did a pirouette, flashing her panties at the crowd.

The thoughts of the hordes of tourists surrounding the two siblings grew dense. Edward focused on Alice's busy mind. Her thoughts flew so fast it was like listening to white noise—not quite as restful as Bella's blank mind but still more restful than the gaping maw of the human crowd. Edward caught the thoughts of two teenaged boys thinking very graphic sexual thoughts about Alice, pushing her down, shoving up her dress, and exposing her tiny body to…

Edward imagined himself ripping the boys' heads off. He imagined the blood, warm and salty and full of life, flowing down his throat as he drank deeply.

A cold hand on his arm shook him out of it.

"No," he said firmly. "I will not listen to Satan."

"I told you not to call me that," said Alice with a grin. "But look—do you see?"

"See what? I think we should leave—this crowd is—overwhelming." Edward placed a hand on his alabaster brow and tried to block out the thoughts of the group of young girls ogling him.

"Over there—a vampire. Volturi?"

Edward followed her gaze. There was a suspiciously pale and beautiful man working the gate at The Haunted Mansion. Despite the gauche outfit the man was wearing, Edward could tell that he had a well-muscled and perfectly defined figure. He tried to listen to his thoughts but the din of the crowd was too loud.

The tall man leaned down and spoke into the ear of a plump blond girl. She leaned in, under his thrall.

"I can't tell from here. We'll get closer."

"Can't tell what?" came a voice from behind him. Jasper. "Hey, did y'all check out those bears? What will they think up next? Reminds me of the time me and fellas dressed up and—"

Alice wrapped her arms around him. "We have company, Jazz," she said. "Vampire."

"Well, now," said Jasper, "this trip is about to get mighty entertaining."

***

"Dude," said Embry. "You seriously told her to call you?"

"It just slipped out," said Jacob, putting his head in his hands. "I couldn't help it."

They were sitting in Embry's living room, drinking beer while he graded papers—a Sunday afternoon tradition. Embry didn't have a lot of free time during the week, one of the many downsides to being a high school teacher, as Jacob was quick to point out. Embry usually liked to bring up the fact that at least he was getting paid, unlike some people who were living at home with their sisters.

"So, how are you going to get out of it? I guess you could just have Rachel answer the phone for the next couple of weeks. Bella might be dense but even she can't misunderstand Rachel's 'bitch, please' voice." Embry had once spilled purple drink on Rachel's favorite sweater. He knew what he was talking about.

"Well—I was thinking that maybe—if she called—" Jacob didn't quite meet Embry's eyes.

"Are you freaking kidding me?" said Embry, raising his voice. "She married a vampire. Married, meaning she's been boning an undead guy for the last 10 years. You do not want to get messed up in that shit again."

"I don't know," said Jacob. "You didn't see her. She looked broken—and very human."

"And you're going to fix her. Again." Embry sighed. "It's your funeral, bro. Just don't expect us to pick up the pieces again."

"It's not like that," Jacob replied. "I just—"

"You're just unemployed and need something to do," said Embry laughing. "Well, I guess this will keep you busy. Why can't you just go down at hunt for chicks at the bar like any normal guy?"

Jacob grinned. "That scene is so played—hasn't been anyone new over at Mill Creek in a month."

"Just tell me you didn't sleep with Sadie," Embry begged.

"I can tell you that but it wouldn't be true," said Jacob, grinning even harder. "You wouldn't want me to lie now, would you?"

Embry let out a huge groan. "It would serve you right if Bella did call," he said. "You are way too cocky."

"I can't help it if the ladies all want a piece of this," said Jacob, taking a huge swig of self-congratulatory beer.

But Bella didn't call—not Sunday. Not Monday, either.

Jacob called Embry on Tuesday.

"Should I just call her?" he asked.

"I don't care," said Embry. "I'm trying to figure out how to make Reconstruction interesting."

Jacob couldn't take the waiting.

"Maybe Embry is right," he thought. "I need a job. I wonder if the old Kirkwood place is still for sale—this town needs a decent mechanic."

He was crawling out of his skin—literally. Wednesday night, Jacob phased for the first time in months.

His human cares and worries shook themselves away as he raced through the woods, chasing the gamy scents of deer and rabbits. The packmind was silent. With no vampires in Forks for the last 10 years, the need for patrols had disappeared and the pack had mostly settled in to human lives.

Leah was making pottery; Embry was teaching history at the high school; Paul had joined the Clallam County police force; and Sam and Quil had their own construction business. And Emily was as sweet as ever.

Jacob ran and ran not thinking about where he was going. Muscle memory took over and he traced his way along some of his old haunts, sniffing out the border out of habit.

And because the wolf had even less self-control than human Jacob, he took off towards the Swan house.

The light was on in Bella's room and her figure cast a dark shadow as she stood and looked out over the lawn. She was talking to herself, no, reciting to herself. Jacob crept closer and Bella's small voice drifted on the breeze.

Thou know'st the mask of night is on my face,

Else would a maiden blush bepaint my cheek

For that which thou hast heard me speak to-night

Fain would I dwell on form, fain, fain deny

What I have spoke: but farewell compliment!

Dost thou love me? I know thou wilt say 'Ay,'

And she looked so cute and earnest that Jacob gave a little bark of laughter.

Bella paused. "Hello?" she asked warily. "Is anyone there?"

He stayed silent. Maybe if she didn't see him...

"Jacob?" He stopped breathing but he didn't move. "I guess it was just my imagination," she sighed, disappointed.

And the little seed of hope buried deep in Jacob's heart, so deep he had forgotten it was there, unfurled a little leaf. She hadn't forgotten him after all.

***