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She shook her head absentmindedly so I asked her "Do you want to talk about it?" Her gaze lifted to mine and she swallowed, the words stuck in her throat, but I saw the answer screaming out desperately in her eyes: yes.

Katie's POV:

I'd never wanted to talk to anyone about my past before. No one, not even Bella or Uncle Charlie. But when Jacob asked, I found myself wanting, no, needing to tell him.

He looked at me gently, but without the pity I'd expected. He still looked at me normally, tentatively, but as if I was still me. Not with the kicked puppy pity look. It made me trust him so much more and realize that Jacob was exactly right for me in ways I can't explain. So I swallowed the lump in my throat and said "yes".

So I told him. I told him everything. I told him about not knowing my mother and having a stepmother who hated me but kept my father in control. I told him about how the hitting started. I told him how I would sneak to school and steal concealer from the drama department to cover up the bruises. I told him about how my father turned to alcoholism and abuse with me as the primary victim. I told him about going to school early and leaving late to stay away from him. About how I learned to jump out of my window so he wouldn't see me leave. About the verbal abuse that sometimes hurt worse than anything physical.

About all the times I learned to cry myself to sleep without making a sound.

About the first time he put a cigarette out on my arm.

About him cutting me when he threw beer bottles at me.

About the first time he took a whip to me.

About finally snapping and leaving.

It was a long story and sometimes I grew quite and silent tears slipped down my face. But Jake was there wiping away the tears. Never once letting go my hand. Our fingers were intertwined and his hand was so warm and strong. His knuckles were red, but healing far faster than anything I'd ever seen.

By the time I had finished it was fully nighttime, the sun had disappeared and with it, any warmth in the air. The night was clear and the stars came out, making the world so much bigger. The beauty was semi ruined by the cold. But again Jake was there.

He noticed my shivering and wrapped his arm around me, pulling me into his side. My God, he was so warm. And strong. I could feel his muscles as he pulled me to my feet, his arm still around me. I looked up at him expectantly, he noticed my gaze and said "What?"

"Aren't you going to say something?" I asked him. He looked deep into my eyes, making my stomach flutter and my breathing hitch.

"You told me your story and I'm grateful and honored that you trust me enough to tell me. But that doesn't change who you are to me. You are the same girl I meet when you were kicking the shit out of those assholes in the woods. The same girl who can climb trees faster than anyone I've ever met and can crack jokes and sarcastic comments better than anyone I know. You're the girl who plays more sports than should be allowed and is incredibly intelligent. You are still you Katie. This changes nothing to me about you. Except the fact that I really want to beat up your dad."

He smirked at the end of his monologue and my heart melted into my shoes. Some ragged piece in my chest smoothed out at his words. That blind fear that people would see me differently based on my scars vanished with him.

He squeezed my shoulder, his delicious warmth seeping into me and said "We should probably get back" I nodded in response and we started the walk back to my real home with my real family.

Holy shit. That was all I could think. Holy flipping shit. After Katie ran off and Jacob followed, Charlie got the boys to stop whaling on Katie's dad. I could tell he was shocked and disgusted and deeply, deeply sad that this had happened to his favorite niece.

Katie was practically his daughter and in some ways they were closer than me and Charlie were. My mind flashed back to when Katie was a little girl, her red hair curly and wild as he chased her around, both of them laughing like maniacs. He was the one to teach her how to throw a football and play basketball. He gave her the first pair of running shoes she's ever had.

I zoned back in as Charlie shoved Katie's father into the back of the cruiser with handcuffs on him. He was shouting and cursing at Katie, calling her the most vulgar names. I could see how much it hurt Charlie to do this to his own brother, but they were never close until Katie showed up.

I walked over to Paul and the boys who looked absolutely murderous. His intense glare fixated on me. "Did you know?" He asked me, his voice deathly soft. It was scarier than him yelling. When I didn't answer he took a step closer and lowered his head to me "Did. You. Know." He looked so terrifying that the words tumbled out of me. "No. No of course not." I stuttered.

Quil and Embry came up beside him and pulled him back. They had lost the angry look and now just looked so sad.

Charlie walked over once he had Katie's dad in the car and secured. "Please get her to the Cullens house when she comes back." He said to Sam. The boys around me suppressed their growls and I asked "Why the Cullens?" He looked at his feet and brushed at his cheek, "He's a doctor Bells, I think she needs to get her back checked out along with a regular physical." He sniffed again, but obviously overcome with emotion and said "I'm gonna take him down to the station and fill out some paper work, I'll drop you off at their house and then meet you there. Bells could you go ahead and ask Carlisle to do us this favor?" His finished his voice raspy. "Yeah, of course." I whispered.

We walked to his car and I glanced back at the boys. They all looked distressed and I realized that Katie was a part of their pack. She was a part of their family in a way that I never could be and although this was a horribly depressing day, I smiled a little. Katie always wanted brothers.

Charlie dropped me off at the Cullens long driveway in the woods and then sped off to get Katies dad to the station. As soon as the car pulled away, Edward appeared in a blur in front of me. He touched my face, his icy fingers soft and concerned "What happened Bella? Charlie isn't thinking clearly, all I'm getting is distressed." I leaned into his touch and said "Its a long story" he picked me up and in one nauseating blur, we were inside his house.

I told him everything I knew. About how Katie was abused and how she would be coming later. He held my hand comfortingly and listened silently as I told him all my suspicions and fears, especially that this had happened her whole life and I had never noticed. At the end of the story Carlisle walked into the living room where we were talking. He saw me and smiled "Ah Bella, Edward said you had a favor to ask me. What can I do for you?" By said, he meant mind to mind. I turned to Carlisle and retold the story, his beautiful face grew troubled and said "Oh course. I will gladly help her and you in any way I can." I smiled at him and gave him my thanks.

I waited with Edward for a while, the sun had gone down, and Charlie had arrived. He was pacing nervously as Carlisle briefed him on everything he should be prepared to see, and just as I thought they wouldn't come. Edward looked up and said "they're here" softly enough that only Carlisle and I heard. Then the doorbell rang, Edward walked over to open it and I saw and exhausted looking Katie, with tear tracks down her cheeks, but her eyes currently dry, wearing Jacobs sweatshirt, Standing next to a very tense looking Jacob.

Charlie pushed through everyone and pulled Katie into his arms in an unusual display of affection from his normally stoic look. If it was possible Jake tensed up even more. Katie flinched when he first touched her but then slowly relaxed into the hug. Carlisle approached and said "It's a pleasure to make your acquaintance Katie, I'm Carlisle." He stick his hand for her to shake and she spared a concerned glance at Jacob before shaking it. Edward looked hard at Jacob and said "What are you doing here Jacob?" He asked his voice soft and deadly. This time Katie stiffened and stepped closer to Jake in an almost protective way and said "I asked him to come. Is that a problem?" Carlisle, ever the peacemaker, said soothingly "No, of course not, any friend of Bellas is a friend of ours. So Katie I heard you need a checkup." Katie nodded mutely, still standing super close to Jacob and it took me a moment to realize that he had a reassuring hand on her lower back.

"We should go up to my office" Carlisle said, breaking the awkward silence and Charlie followed him up the stairs and Edward and I followed leaving Jacob and Katie to come up last.