Lost and Found

Disclaimer; all characters and copyright belong to Stephanie Meyer.

Part One-Hiding

She was wedged behind the refrigerator. It was such a small space that it had been a struggle for Bella to fold her body inside. It was at times like these she was glad that she was extra small for a six year old. She was hiding. She had become good at this over the years. Whenever Bella felt threatened or scared she would run and find the smallest crevice she could squeeze her body into. She always made sure to choose a place where she was hemmed in all sides. Having little room to move and the walls pressing in all sides made her feel secure, safe. She had become an expert at remaining undetected. Bella pulled her legs up close to her chest and rested her chin on her knees. Her breath fogged in the air in front of her. The refrigerator was cold and it puckered her skin with goose bumps all along one side. But she didn't care. She preferred that to being discovered. Bella didn't want to go home; she wanted to stay right where she was.

Her plan would have been perfect except for one thing. The adults might not be able to find her, but he always could. She heard her name being called. The desperate tone to her father's voice made her feel guilty, but she wouldn't move. If she stayed hidden long enough maybe her mother wouldn't take her away again. Bella held her breath as she heard the soft patter of sneakers on wood. The floor creaked and she sighed. He was here, he had found her. How did he always know? The thin sliver of light coming from the kitchen window was blocked as a face peered into the small space where she was hiding. Bella sighed. "Jake."

"Whatya doing?" Jacob sat down in front of the gap between the refrigerator and the wall. His head was cocked to one side as he looked at her expectantly.

"Hiding." Bella replied in exasperation.

"Why?"

"None of your beeswax." It was a phrase that her father, Charlie Swan, always used when she asked too many questions. She thought it sounded important but it was obvious from Jacob's confused expression that he didn't get it.

"Huh?"

"Just be quiet, Jake. I don't want to be found." Bella put a finger to her lips.

"Why?"

"Because…." Bella paused as tears began to well in her eyes. "I don't wanna go."

Jacob's expression turned from confused to anxious. "Go where?" His dark brown eyes were wide and fearful as he glanced behind him as if expecting a monster to leap out and eat his four year old self. "You stay here."

"No, I have to go home." Bella couldn't stop the tears this time. Just the thought of leaving her father again was upsetting. She felt safe and secure with him. She didn't feel the need to hide in his house.

Jacob was perplexed. "You live with Chief."

"No, I told you many times. I'm only visiting Chief Swan. I live with Renee, my mother." Bella had never called her mom. Renee would have preferred to be addressed by her given name. It lent credence to the lie that Bella was her much younger sister than her daughter. Renee liked to appear younger than she was, and often fibbed about her age. But Bella had a habit of forgetting and spoilt the dream by calling her mother in front of strangers.

Jacob was frowning. He crossed his legs and settled himself more comfortably in front of Bella as he tried to wrap his head around what she was saying. They had known each other for precisely ten days, twelve hours and fifty seven minutes. He knew that because he had been learning how to tell the time. His mommy had been teaching him and played on his apparent enthusiasm to work out how long he and his new playmate Bella had been friends. He looked at the little watch strapped to his wrist and studied the numbers.

Jacob squeezed his arm through the tiny gap and showed Bella his watch. "What time say?"

"Twelve." Bella pushed his hand back out. She needed him to leave. If the adults saw him sitting there she would be discovered. Her plan to hide until her mother got bored of waiting would then be ruined. Renee was always so impatient. "You should go now." She hissed at Jacob, trying to get him to move. "You must be hungry. Its lunchtime. Don't tell anyone you saw me, okay."

Jacob's frown deepened if that was possible. He stared at Bella, finally seeming to pick up on the fact that she wasn't playing hide and seek like he had thought. Over the last few days they had been playing that a lot. Bella told him it was her most favourite game. She had said she was really good at not being found, but he had always managed to find her. He found her when she hid behind his daddy's big tool chest in the garage. He found her when she squeezed herself into the hollow log at the bottom of the yard. He had even found her the one time they hadn't been playing the game, but Bella had been hiding out anyway because his mean sisters were teasing her.

"Jake, please go." Bella was getting desperate. Her father's voice was coming closer and closer. Having Jacob there was like an arrow pointing to right where she was concealed. Her father had only let her come over to the Black's to say goodbye to the family and her new friend.

"I be back." Jacob darted away suddenly, startling Bella. She held her breath again as she heard him speaking to her father. He was telling the Chief that she wasn't in the kitchen and that he hadn't seen her. Bella exhaled and her heart, which had been beating ten to the dozen, slowed down to its normal rhythm. The light was suddenly blocked again as Jacob returned. He sat back down and thrust a packet of cookies toward her. He was wearing a cheeky grin and his eyes sparkled with mischief. He had obviously enjoyed distracting her father. "Lunch." He watched her take one of the cookies. "This game is fun." He declared as he took two cookies and shoved them in his mouth whole.

Bella had moved. She was no longer camped out behind the refrigerator; she was curled up in Jacob's wardrobe, hidden under a pile of clothes. The adults had left the house after an exhaustive search, and were now outside hunting for her. Once the coast was clear Jacob had helped tug Bella out of her hiding place and found another. This was one was even better. Jacob was getting good at the game. She praised his hiding skills and he puffed out his chest with pride. He was now acting as her look out while she stayed concealed in his room.

Jacob climbed up onto the windowsill and shoved the curtain to one side so he could peer out. He saw his parents, their hands curled around their mouths as they yelled Bella's name. Even his mean sisters were joining in. But Jacob knew Rachel and Rebecca were only helping out of spite. They wanted to get Bella in trouble so they could watch her getting a telling off. Jacob noticed the Chief. He looked scared out of his mind. For a big, brave policeman, he seemed suddenly nervous and unsure. He was yelling his daughter's name louder than everyone else, and his eyes were glistening. Was the Chief crying? Suddenly the game didn't seem so much fun. Jacob left his perch and went back to tell Bella what he had seen.

Bella was now staked out in the hollow log. The adults were back inside the house tearing it apart looking for her. While they had been in the front room she had slipped out of the back with Jacob's help and retreated to the log. Things had gotten worse. Renee had arrived. From her vantage point Bella had been able to peer through a knot hole in the wood and saw her mother drive up in a dark hire car. The car was black which matched her mother's mood. Bella watched as Renee stalked up to her father and began issuing threats. She warned him that if Bella wasn't found then this would be the last time he would ever see her. This sent Bella into a blind panic. Staying with her father occasionally was her only respite from living under Renee's roof. The roof changed a lot. Renee didn't like staying in any one place for long.

"I brought dinner." Jacob made Bella jump as he squeezed his bulk into the hollow log next to her. It was a tight fit. He may be only four but he was already taller than Bella, and much stockier. He passed a bag of toffee to Bella. He only took one for himself, which was a huge thing for Jacob. Bella was touched by this gesture. Jacob loved his food especially sweets. They both sat and chewed on the toffee as they kept watch on the adults outside.

Bella was now camped out under Billy Black's truck in the garage. It wasn't strictly a proper garage, more like two metal sheds bolted together to make one big space. But it did the job. Bella liked the garage. It was full of old and interesting things, mainly car parts and old twisted bits of metal and stacks of wood. There was even an old couch in there, the springs were coming out, but if you avoided them it was still comfy to sit on. It was dark in the garage, night had drawn in. The adults had widened the search. Her father had called her in as a missing person and his colleagues had now joined in to look for her. All the men were scouting further afield. The women, including her angry mother, were in the main house. Jacob's mother, Sarah Black, had the hard task of comforting Renee. Bella felt sorry for her. She liked Sarah; she was pretty and very kind. She had braided Bella's hair and called her sweetheart. Renee never called Bella anything except a nuisance.

One of the large metal doors squeaked as it was pushed ajar. Bella froze, panicking it was one of the adults and that she was finally going to be discovered. But it wasn't. It was just Jacob. She saw his small shadowy figure shuffle across the floor until he reached her. He slid under his father's truck and grinned. His teeth shone white in the darkness. Bella felt better now that he was there. He was holding a sloppily made sandwich in his hand and a can of soda.

"I brought you tea." He handed her his treasures, only taking half the sandwich for himself.

"Thanks." Bella popped the can open and drank the soda. It was warm but to her it tasted like heaven. She passed the can to Jacob so he could have some then she began to tuck into her sandwich.

The night wore on. It was getting cold sitting underneath the truck. Bella and Jacob whispered back and forth as they tried to think where to hide next. In the end they climbed into the truck and shut the door. Being inside the cab meant that it kept the chill out of the air. Eventually Jacob heard his name being called by his mother. Sarah sounded frantic. It was way past his bedtime. His mean sisters were supposed to be keeping an eye on him but he had managed to evade them easily. But now his mother had noticed he was gone.

"You better go before she comes in. I don't want to be found." Bella whispered.

"K." Jacob looked worried. He opened the driver's door and jumped nimbly to the ground. "Night, Bells." He said quietly.

"Night, Jake." Bella waved at him and smiled sadly.

Jacob reluctantly shut the truck's door, effectively sealing her in for the night as he scampered off to join his mother.

A/N-thanks for reading!