I locked gazes with first Jared and then Embry – I didn't like the hard way they eyed me; did they really think I would let anything hurt Jacob? – before I shut the door on them.

"They must think that if she could trust a vampire, she can't be trusted herself," Edward hissed.

Jacob was in the hall behind me, staring at the mess of blankets in the living room.

"Slumber party?" he asked, his tone sarcastic.

"Yeah," I answered with the same level of acid. I didn't like Jacob when he acted this way.

"Which means you'll want to be careful about how you treat the pup when you come back," Jasper said. "She wouldn't want you be hostile to him either."

"I'm a quick learner... I'm sure I'll pick it up," Edward said.

"Well, before the pup does at least," Alice smirked. "You're also a stubborn, overprotective idiot and that will keep you busy for a while."

"What's it to you?"

He wrinkled his nose again like he smelled something unpleasant. "Where's your 'friend'?" I could hear the quotation marks in his tone.

"She had some errands to run. Look, Jacob, what do you want?"

Something about the room seemed to make him edgier – his long arms were quivering. He didn't answer my question. Instead he moved on to the kitchen, his restless eyes darting everywhere.

I followed him. He paced back and forth along the short counter.

"Hey," I said, putting myself in his way. He stopped pacing and stared down at me. "What's your problem?"

"I don't like having to be here."

That stung. I winced, and his eyes tightened.

"Then I'm sorry you had to come," I muttered. "Why don't you tell me what you need so you can leave?"

"I just have to ask you a couple of questions. It shouldn't take long. We have to get back for the funeral."

"Okay. Get it over with then." I was probably overdoing it with the antagonism, but I didn't want him to see how much this hurt.

"Well, he's trying his hardest not to show you how much he's hurting too," Esme sighed.

I knew I wasn't being fair. After all, I'd picked the bloodsucker over him last night. I'd hurt him first.

He took a deep breath, and his trembling fingers were suddenly still. His face smoothed into a serene mask.

"One of the Cullens is staying here with you," he stated.

"Yes. Alice Cullen."

He nodded thoughtfully. "How long is she here for?"

"As long as she wants to be." The belligerence was still there in my tone. "It's an open invitation."

"Do you think you could…please…explain to her about the other one – Victoria?"

"Does he really think that she would have kept that from me?" Alice scoffed.

I paled. "I told her about that."

He nodded. "You should know that we can only watch our own lands with a Cullen here. You'll only be safe in La Push. I can't protect you here anymore."

"She would be quite safe in my hands," Alice said and Jasper looked at her worried. "Don't bother."

"I know," Jasper sighed, "but you know I can't help it."

"I know," Alice smiled at him.

"Okay," I said in a small voice.

He looked away then, out the back windows. He didn't continue.

"Is that all?"

He kept his eyes on the glass as he answered. "Just one more thing."

I waited, but he didn't continue. "Yes?" I finally prompted.

"Are the rest of them coming back now?" he asked in a cool, quiet voice. It reminded me of Sam's always calm manner. Jacob was becoming more like Sam…I wondered why that bothered me so much.

"It really shouldn't – it means he has more control," Edward said.

"But it's also farther from the way he used to be...farther from her old friend," Esme sighed.

Now I didn't speak. He looked back at my face with probing eyes.

"Well?" he asked. He struggled to conceal the tension behind his serene expression.

"No." I said finally. Grudgingly. "They aren't coming back."

His expression didn't change. "Okay. That's all."