Okay, I lied. Chapter 13 wasn't the end.

This is dedicated to kittennic, irisheyessmiling, and lylly. Ask and ye shall receive.

Because we all need a little fluff in our lives…besides, it's snowing out. What else do I have to do?

***

This is the mystery of the quotient—

Upon us all a little rain must fall.

-Led Zeppelin, "The Rain Song"

1. June

I woke up to a gray, hazy light. My heart pounding. A cool breeze fluttered the curtains and rustled the papers on my desk. I was in my room; I was safe. I didn't much remember my dreams anymore but I still woke Charlie with my screams from time to time. Not as often as before—last year—when Edward left the first time. I was getting better.

We were going hiking today. Jacob and I. Ever since my—confinement—at the Cullens' house, being indoors made me anxious. I liked to smell the damp earth and hear the rustling of the trees. Books were too quiet. My mind wandered to dark places.

Besides, it was summer and I'd be spending enough time re-reading Romeo & Juliet next year when I repeated 12th grade. My take on it has changed a little since the first time around—killing yourself for love? Not romantic.

I got up and got dressed: jeans, a tank top, and a hoodie. Just because it was summer didn't mean it wasn't chilly and it was supposed to rain later today.

Charlie was drinking coffee in the kitchen and he gave me a worried look as I poured myself a cup, too. He worried a lot these days. I didn't blame him. I had been gone—held hostage—for two weeks. He blamed himself for not protecting me. I know he did. So, I knew that what he wanted to say was, "Please don't leave me again," but what he actually said was: "Morning, sweetie."

It's just how we Swans handled complex emotion.

"Morning, Dad." I replied.

"So—you going out with Jake again today?"

"Yup. We're hiking up past Owl Rock."

"Well, you just be careful. And be sure and check in a couple times during the day—just to be safe."

"I will."

"That's my girl."

***

Owl Rock was the goal.

I can do it… I can do it… I chanted under my breath. It was steep going but I kept Jacob's broad back directly in my line of sight. He wasn't wearing a shirt and I watched a bead of moisture trace its way down his shoulder blade and down to his back to—

"Ow!" A rogue tree root interrupted my reverie, leading me to graceless but not out-of-character faceplant.

"Bells! Are you okay?" Jacob turned around, his face full of concern.

"I'm fine—well, everything except my ego." I blushed and sat back on my heels. It's a good thing I don't own any nice clothes, I thought as I brushed the dirt off of my arms and shirt.

Jacob crouched down beside me and licked his thumb. He ran it slowly down the side of my face. I blushed again but not from embarrassment.

"You had dirt on your face," Jacob said, his voice soft and low. "I can't take you anywhere." He met my eyes and butterflies filled my stomach.

Jacob stood up and reached down towards me. I took his hand and he pulled me up. He didn't let go and I didn't want him to.

"You'd better be careful, Bells, or I'll have to carry you the rest of the way." He grinned at me but I remembered the last time I was carried through the woods. And where I ended up.

I dropped Jacob's hand and looked away. "We should keep walking," I said.

I felt the first drops of rain hit my head.

"If that's what you want," Jacob replied.

And when I turned around again he was already trudging ahead into the woods. I pulled my hood up and followed him.

***

2. July

"Are you sure it's okay that I come?"

"Are you doubting my authority as Alpha?"

"No, but—I don't know. Everybody looks at me weird—like they don't trust me or something."

"You're just being paranoid. Come on! It'll be fun. I promise."

"Okay, okay! If you promise there will be fun—"

"Exactly. I promise. So, I'll come pick you up around 8?"

"Sure, sure," I said. "See you then."

A bonfire on the beach. With the pack. I sighed. Things would be a lot more fun if Leah didn't shoot me poisonous looks every time we crossed paths. And Quil and Embry started joking around with me again. And Jacob—well, at least he hadn't given up on me.

It's just that I knew that they all blamed me for what happened to Emily and Sam—and Jared. Okay, maybe 'blamed' is too harsh a word. But if hadn't been for me, Victoria would never have—and then she couldn't have—

If I was being honest, I kind of blamed me, too. But what could I do?

***

I was waiting outside when Jacob pulled the Rabbit into the driveway at 8:15 that evening.

"Bye!" I called into the house. "Jake's here!"

"Call if you need anything," came Charlie's response.

I smiled and ran down to the car, keeping a tight grip on my paper grocery bag.

"Hey!" I said cheerfully, as I clambered in.

"What's in the bag?" asked Jacob, with a smile.

"Something for the bonfire."

"Wood?"

"No!"

"Um—marshmallows?"

"Uh-uh. And I'm not telling. Yet." I twisted an imaginary key over my mouth and threw it away.

"If that's the way you're going to play it, I get to pick the music," said Jacob, with a mischievous look in his eyes.

"Not Mix 3! I'm so tired of—"

"I didn't think you could take once you had thrown away the key," quipped Jacob as he cranked Driving Mix 3 and started singing along.

We reached the beach not a second too soon.

Jacob took my hand and led me down the dark path to the beach.

"I can carry that bag for you—I mean, if you wanted to free up your hands or something."

"My hands are good where they are."

He gently squeezed my hand and little sparks of pleasure shot up my arm and settled in the pit of my stomach. I moved a little closer.

Everyone else was already gathered around the fire, beer bottles in hand. Jacob let out a wild whoop as we approached and the pack answered. Quil came running and pounced on Jacob, knocking him down into the sand. And me, too, by proxy. I fell backwards onto my butt and laughed at the sight of Quil and Jacob wrestling like overgrown puppies.

"Bella!" called a familiar voice. "Over here!"

I squinted towards the orangey glow of the fire. Sparks reached up towards the sky. A figure was waving her arms. I stood up, brushing sand off my jeans, and she ran towards me.

"Angela?"

"Hi," she said shyly.

"What are you doing here?" I asked. "Not that I'm not happy to see you."

"Oh, I'm here with Lee—I mean, I came with Leah."

She looked over her shoulder back towards the fire and I saw Leah looking at us with a nervous look on her face.

Angela's face was flushed.

"What's in the bag?" she asked. I opened it and let her look inside.

"Do you think they'll like them?" I asked, suddenly nervous.

"I know they will," said Angela and she looped her arm through mine and led me over to the pack. "Who doesn't like chocolate chip cookies?"

***

The rain tapped quietly on the roof of the Rabbit as we drove home.

"So," said Jacob, "Are you going to make those cookies again? Because Quil really liked them."

"Quil liked them?"

"Yeah."

"I guess I'll have to make them again, then—for the next meeting. And maybe peanut butter ones, too."

"I think he'd like that."

And somehow, I didn't think were talking about Quil.

And it wasn't the remembered warmth of the fire that spread over me when Jacob hugged me good night.

***

3. August

"And then, this giant demon comes out of nowhere, right, and so she just—" I punched the air furiously. "But he's feeling guilty so he comes running back but when he gets there she's already killed all the bad guys. And she's all, 'Did you need your butt kicked, too?' And he's all like—"

"Whoa, wait a second," said Jacob, looking over at me. "I have two questions. One: How much soda did you drink today and b: what are you talking about?"

"Jake!" I squealed. "You weren't listening?!"

"Hey," he said, with a grin. "It's your truck I'm working on—you have only yourself to blame if I get distracted and end up connecting the brakes directly to the wipers or something."

"I was talking about this idea for a story I had—but if you find me distracting, then I guess I can find something else to do. There's probably something good on TV."

I made like I was getting up to storm out but before I could reach the door, Jake's strong arms swooped around to catch me from behind.

"Don't go," he said, softly. I could feel his warm breath on my ear. It tickled.

"I don't know," I said, pretending to think about it. "What's in it for me if I stay?"

My heart was pounding.

"A shiny nickel?"

His was, too.

I turned around to face him and he let go.

"You have a smudge on your face," I said, the caffeine and sugar of all the sodas I drank that afternoon making me brave.

"Where?"

"Lean down and I'll get it."

Jacob looked at me skeptically.

"Don't you trust me?" I asked. I licked my lips.

He bent down so I could reach his face and I wiped away the imaginary dirt on his cheek.

"Are you done?" he said.

"Not yet—close your eyes."

Jacob obeyed.

And then I kissed him on the lips.

He kissed me back.

***

4. September

"This is so embarrassing!"

"Well, sweetie, on the bright side, you get a second chance at all those assignments you didn't do."

I sighed. Why did Charlie have to be so reasonable about school? I got out of the cruiser.

"See you tonight," I said, waving.

Charlie flashed the lights as he drove out of the parking lot.

It was embarrassing.

But sweet.

Kind of like my life.

A couple of fat raindrops hit my head as I headed in to Forks High School to face my senior year—again.

***