9.0

"Dammit, Jacob just pick up the phone. I know what happened and I know Sam told you about me so please, call me back. I'm sorry," Kate said into the receiver.

After the movies Kate had called Sam and let him know that Jacob was phasing. The pack had gotten to Jacob's house just in time apparently. Paul had called her later that night to tell her what had happened.

"We got your pretty boy out before he tore up the house," Paul laughed on the phone. "You should've seen Billy. I don't think the man has ever been prouder or happier in his life."

"It's not funny Paul. How is he?" she asked him.

"About as scared as Embry was. Although I did think it made it easier having Embry there with Sam talking him through it."

Kate gave a small smile, "Don't hurt him too badly."

"For you, Princess? Never," Paul barked out a laugh.

"When can I see him?" she almost begged him.

She heard Paul pull the phone away from his mouth to talk to someone. There was a shuffling on the other line and a mixture of voices that she couldn't hear. Kate waited patiently for an answer. Some more shuffling occurred before a voice came over the other end.

"Kate?"

"Sam. Thank God you got there in time. Paul says he's alright when can I talk to him."

Sam's voice sounded strained on the other line, "Kate, stay away from here."

"Why?"

Sam sighed, "He doesn't want to see you."

"What? No, Sam you have to let me..."

"I have to do what's best for him first."

Kate didn't know what to say for a moment.

"What did I do?"

"He's angry and doesn't want to see you."

Kate swallowed a huge lump that had formed in her throat, "Fine."

She hung up the phone before throwing it across the room. She didn't know what to do. That same invisible force that had made her feel so happy was now hurting her. Kate sat on her window seat and looked at the drawing there. She picked them up and watched as tears hit the paper. She looked at a drawing of Emily's house before she threw them down in anger.

How dare he be mad at her? She did all of this to protect him and now he was mad at her? Wouldn't he lie to protect those he loved? Isn't that why she pushed him away in the first place?

Kate looked out the window and stared at the forest beyond it. She wondered what his wolf form looked like. She wondered how he felt when Embry told him the truth. She wondered where they would go from here.

It had been a week of silence from Jacob. While Kate was angry with Jacob, Bella was hurt at how her best friend was suddenly ignoring her. Kate couldn't tell Bella no matter how much she wanted to without exposing the pack.

"Okay we should be back around three," Charlie told her coming into the living room with Harry both in their fishing gear. "Where's your sister?"

Kate turned to look at them, "Upstairs."

Charlie gave her a sad look, "Hey, look, I don't have to go fishing today."

"Yes you do," Harry told him.

Kate gave them a small smile, "You heard the man. Go, I'll be fine. You know me, I'll just watch some movies or something. Go, but be careful, the both of you."

"Always am," Charlie said to her.

Harry walked up to her, "Those bears won't get the drop on me, Kate. My Kung Fu is strong."

For the first time in a week, Kate gave an actual laugh. Harry smiled fondly down at her and left to follow Charlie. As they left, Kate looked back at her phone and gave it a glare. She waited until Charlie and Harry were gone ten minutes before jumping in her car and driving down to the reservation.

The drive didn't take her long and when she pulled up to Billy's house she saw the boy she wanted to talk to walking shirtless in the rain. Kate sat in her car for a moment before following him out onto the wet lawn.

"Jacob!" she shouted after him but he kept on walking.

"Jacob, hey! I'm talking to you, dammit."

He stopped walking but refused to turn around. When she got up to him she grabbed him arm but he still wouldn't budge. Kate used her supernatural strength to pull him around and face her. When he looked at her his face was set in a glare but once his brown eyes met her green eyes his whole face went slack. Jacob's mouth went open slightly as he just stared at her. Many emotions flitted across his face: shock, fear, amazement, wonder, and more that she couldn't name.

Kate shook her head as he stared at her still.

"I'm sorry I lied to you. I'm sorry that I couldn't tell you but don't you understand why I did it? I had to! I know Sam showed you everything that we've done since I turned. You know what I can do and you know that I could hurt you. I meant what I said that night. It would kill me if I hurt you,"

Jacob opened his mouth to speak but she cut him off.

"Look, I don't care if you never speak to me again or if you hate me. That's fine. I'm used to it. But you will not do this to Bella. She's crushed losing you. I won't let you push her back into her depression and if you think I will then you're dead wrong."

She glared at him as he still stood there in shock. A shout caught her attention and she saw the wolf pack in the woods behind them.

"And tell Sam I said thanks..." she said bitterly.

Without waiting for Jacob to respond, she ran back to her car and drove off. Looking in the rearview mirror she saw Jacob standing in the same position watching her drive away. Tears finally fell down her face and the mixed with rainwater as they fell.

When she made it to her house, Kate sat in her car and cried some more. She didn't understand what she was feeling but the force in her chest was back stronger than ever making her heart contract in her chest. She couldn't stand the pain. She sobbed having them shake her whole body. Looking in the mirror, she saw she looked like hell.

"Get your shit together," she told herself before going into her house.

She closed the door and leaned against it closing her eyes for a second. She heard footsteps and saw Charlie come into the entranceway. He gave her a pitying look that he usually reserved for Bella.

"Billy called," Charlie told her.

Kate gave a short mirthless laugh.

"He said you and Jacob had a fight."

Kate pushed off from the doorway and walked toward Charlie, "Yea that's one word for it."

"I'm sure you guys will work it out. I've never seen a friendship like yours. Something like that just doesn't go away."

Kate nodded and pushed past Charlie, "I'm going to change." She paused halfway up the stairs before running down them and giving Charlie a quick hug.

"Thank you," she whispered before pulling back.

Charlie gave her a warm smile, "It's what I'm here for."

Kate went up the stairs and knocked on Bella's door. She heard a voice from within calling her in and she stepped into the room. Bella was laying awake on her bed doing some homework.

"What happened to you?" Bella asked.

Kate sighed, "I went to see Jacob."

"And?"

"I don't know. We got into a fight. Honestly, I just want to hit him right now."

Bella gave Kate her signature awkward laugh.

"Well I'm here if you want to talk," Bella told her.

Kate smiled, "Yea right. The day I come to you to 'talk' is the day I become the Dalai Lama."