A/N: Review!

Always Chapter 10- Dawn Anders

I got off of work very early in the morning. I haven't had a day off since I graduated! I didn't find it fair. Not in the least, but I needed the money, so I didn't complain. My parents were gone. Left me when I was sixteen. I had Dani beg Charlie not to send me into foster care. He couldn't deny that kid anything when she was fifteen. He hadn't progressed very much since then, even though Dani turned 16 over the summer.

Anyways, back to me working all night. I guess I knew, deep down that I was too tired to drive home, but I was a stubborn little bitch and I wanted to prove myself wrong.

Ladies and Gentlemen, I would like to point out the obvious and say- I fell asleep at the wheel. I swear, I only closed my eyes for a second, but it was way more than enough to fall asleep. Then I seemed to remember that Forks was in the middle of freaking nowhere and not a lot of people drove by and if I died it would be a while before I was found. I snapped my eyes open.

And screamed, slamming on the breaks. There was a massive-I repeat- MASSIVE russet colored wolf in the middle of the road. The roads were soaked, so my stupid car spun out of control, swiping the wolf's leg on one of it rotations. When the car stopped, I didn't wait for my world to stop spinning before getting out of the Prius.

I liked wolves. I hope I hadn't just killed one.

The wolf was limping away through the trees, whimpering softly.

"Wait!" I jogged up to it slowly. It growled and I froze. "Easy. I hit you. Can I see?" Note to self: Visit Dr. Cullen-You're talking to a huge ass wolf as though it was a person. In the words of Tony-DA FUCK IS WRONG WITH YOU!

The wolf lowered it's head and put out it's front left paw. It was cut badly, with blood oozing out of it.

"You poor thing!" I looked back at the road and noticed that we were a lot closer to my house then I thought. I could actually see my driveway through the trees. "Okay, come on. I'm gonna fix you up."

The wolf whimpered again as I got close to it's side. I threaded my fingers through it's fur, leading it to my home, and then around to the clearing that was out back.

"So no one sees you." I told it, when it looked at me strangely. "Stay here. At least until I fix you up."

I watched the wolf lay itself down, swinging it's tail anxiously. I smiled and ran into the house to get supplies- A bowl of water, a cloth, a bottle of Iodine from when I had a dog with a bite wound, some anti bacterial soap, bandages- and looked out the window. The wolf was still there, swinging his tail and looking up at me.

I went back outside and sat on the grass, not caring about my work uniform getting wet or dirty.

I was quiet while I worked, only taking the time to hush the wolf when he started crying and whining. When I was finished, I sat with his paw in my lap.

"There you go."

The wolf gave a little yip, licking the side of my face. I scrunched up my face, groaning.

"Yeah, your welcome."

I got up and went into the house to make my dinner...er...breakfast? Every time I looked out the window the wolf was there, snoozing in the grass. I chuckled and grabbed my plate of eggs and bacon(Lots and lots of bacon-I'm shocked I'm not fat) my phone, and a blanket, and went back outside.

The wolf opened one eye, watching as I lay the blanket on the grass and sat in the middle of it. It was supposed to be a pretty warm day today. If the wolf was going to stay, who was I to leave him alone out here.

We had a staring contest as I ate. I won when I ate my first piece of bacon. The wolf stared at the meat longingly. I smiled and took two more pieces off for myself and dropped the plate in front of him.

"Eat."

I didn't need to say anymore- the wolf gobbled up the bacon before I even finished speaking.

When the plate was cleaned off, I put it on the porch, before laying on my stomach in front of the wolf. He made a growling noise, standing up and placing himself next to me, alert.

"Are you gonna protect me while I'm sleeping?"

Another growl so I took that as a yes.

"Well, you need a name, if you're gonna guard me, Wolf."

A whine.

"Hmm." I took a good long look at the wolf, looking into it's eyes. I noticed it's eyes, a familiar intelligent, dark eyes. "I know this guy. Your eyes remind me of his. How about I call you Jake?"

I watched the eyes widen just a fraction, and then the wolf-I mean Jake's tail began thumping excitedly.

"You like that name? Good." I yawned quietly. Jake lay down next to me, pushing his wet nose into my neck, before he snuggled close as I drifted off.

I was awakened a few hours later by my phone ringing. Jake lifted his massive head as I groaned and sat up. I rubbed my eye as I answered.

"Hello?"

"Dawn?" It was Daniella.

"Dani, hi!"

Jake's head perked up even more as though he knew who I was talking to.

"I was just calling to tell you you didn't have to come into work tonight we have a new waitress. Sofia."

"I'm back in the off days rotation?"

"Yep, with the same pay as constant rotations. Cool, right?"

"Yeah! Oh, hey! You going to La Push on Saturday with Mike and them?"

"Yeah, you?"

"Yeah." I grinned, standing and stretching. Jake turned his head away when he saw my shirt riding up. "Is Bella going?"

"No." Dani sighed. "Sofia is though. She needs to know more then Jess, Mike, Tyler and Eric. I know Angela's a good influence, but the rest-" Dani faked a shudder, and I laughed. That group was one of the dim ones. I'm shocked Dani and Bella haven't lost their brains.

"I'll see you then!"

"Great!" Dani hung up. I picked up the blanket and scraatched Jake behind the ears. I could hear a car pull up in the drive-way. Jake's ears perked forward and he snorted, backing away into the trees. I sighed, picking up my abandoned plate and walked around the front of the house. Ironically, it was Charlie.

"How can I help you cheif?"

"Dawn, did you know Riley Biers?"

"Riley? Yeah, I went to his senior prom with him. Why?" I let Charlie in.

"Well he went missing in Seattle last year. Dani only recently told me she remembered him. He graduate when she was a Sophmore, correct?"

"When I was a Junior, yeah."

"Well, he either was kidnapped, or he ran away. If he attempts to contact you, let me know, okay? But...Don't expect anything."

"Of course, Charlie."

Charlie left, and I sat in my living room, shocked.

Riley was missing. Maybe he was dead.

I had really liked Riley. He had been my first. My first everything-Date, boyfriend, kiss, lover- everything. I should have know something was wrong. Riley and I had been talking every day up until about a year ago-Right after Bella and Dawn came home from Pheonix. Then he just stopped, with no reason, and that wasn't like him. I let tears fall down my face.

Outside, as soon as Charlie's cruiser couldn't be heard, I heard a bark at the back door.

My Jake wolf was out there. I opened the door and flew down the steps, not really caring if he was a wild animal. I wrapped my arms around him and cried over the loss of someone I cared deeply for. And my wolf stayed there with me, unmoving, being my rock.