XL. Same old.

Friday afternoon Edward took me to the field where they had decided the tight would take place. I was wearing my engagement ring on a necklace, tucked into my shirt. I had many reasons for it, the first one being that I did not want to risk losing it while moving around so much. Second, I want to tell people before they see the ring. Third...I was dreading Jacob's reaction.

I pulled a small pocket knife from my jacket pocket and looked at Edward, who hovered close by. "You sure you want to be here for this?" I asked him softly as I raised my eyebrows.

"I've told you before, your blood doesn't bother me," Edward assured me as he shook his head.

I nodded quietly in response. I held open the palm of my previously broken hand. Carlisle had taken off my cast yesterday morning and I was finally free to move my hand again. I held the blade to my palm. I glanced at Edward and noticed him looking away. Not because of the blood but because he couldn't bear seeing me hurt myself.

I gritted my teeth and took a deep breath as I cut a small line across the inside of my hand. It took a second before the blood started seeping through the broken skin. I didn't look down at the blood. Blindly I used my free hand to wipe up the blood and began smearing it across trees and onto the glass below my feet.

"Won't it affect the others?" I asked Edward curiously as I moved around to smear more blood across any surface I could find. My breathing was a little heavy and I was careful not to look at the blood. But knowing it was there, was enough to make me feel a little dizzy.

"No," Edward replied as he watched me, following behind me. "They've gotten quite used to you now and their heads are focused," he explained, shoving his hands into his pockets. "Unlike the army's will be," he muttered. "You're going overboard," he told me.

"If this is all I can contribute, I want to be thorough." I insisted as I continued to move around and smeared blood where I could, still careful not to catch a glimpse of red.

"The newborns will be frantic." Edward scoffed softly as he stepped up to me. He pulled a roll of bandages out of his pocket and took my hand in his. Deliberately I looked up at the sky to avoid looking at my hand. "Now let me put a bandage on that."

Edward was careful to wrap the bandage around my hand, making sure to cover the whole cut and letting not even a drop of blood show. When he was done, he brushed a soft kiss on my bandaged palm before turning his gaze to me. I locked my eyes with his.

"You're not wearing your ring," he noted softly as he looked down at my left hand, frowning at my empty ring finger. I had it on just this morning, and now I didn't, and he was confused.

I tugged at the silver chain around my neck, pulling out the ring that was tucked into my shirt. "I put it on my necklace for the time being. Until we tell people." I explained softly, and Edward reached out, cradling the ring between his fingertips. "I also didn't want to risk losing it," I added and he hummed in understanding.

"Or risk Jacob seeing it?" he asked me softly as he raised his eyebrows.

I sighed softly and briefly diverted my eyes before looking up at him again. "Do not start with that." I pleaded softly with him as I shook my head.

"We both know he's going to throw a fit," Edward replied understandingly as he reached up, brushing a hand across my cheek. "That's why you're not wearing it." He commented softly.

"Yeah," I admitted softly as I nodded my head. I took both his hands in mine and held them. "That's why I think we should wait to tell him. I mean, at least till after the fight. He's going to ruin everything if he gets into a hissy fit." I explained my reasoning.

Edward seemed to think about it for a second. I could tell he didn't like the idea. He didn't care to protect Jacob's fragile emotions. He looked off to the side and reluctantly nodded. "You're right," he muttered softly.

"I just want him to have a clear head," I explained softly as I frowned up at Edward. I knew what this must look like, me protecting Jacob's feelings. But no, I was trying to protect everyone else. Jacob was a hothead and I didn't want him to snap in the middle of the fight and get anyone else hurt.

"Whose head is unclear?" Jacob questioned from behind Edward as he approached.

I sighed softly, sharing a pleading look with Edward. He remained silent and I looked at Jacob. "Nobody's, I hope," I replied, tugging my ring back into my shirt before crossing my arms over my chest.

Edward turned to look at Jacob, his mood visibly soured. "Alice says there's a storm coming," he muttered.

Jacob nodded his head as he looked up into the air before looking back at me and Edward. "Yeah, I can feel it. We should get going," he said.

Edward nodded in agreement. "I'll take the longer route. But I'll get there first. Set up camp." he said as he looked at Jacob, his jaw tight as he clenched it.

Jacob raised his eyebrows. "You're not fighting?" he questioned and Edward squeezed his eyes shut for a second before shaking his head. Jacob scoffed angrily. "What, you pull a muscle or something?" he asked tauntingly.

"He's doing it for me. Okay?" I snapped at Jacob in Edward's defense. I glared at Jacob while shrinking into Edward's side and he automatically wrapped a protective arm around my shoulders, rubbing his hand up and down my arm.

"Whatever," Jacob muttered as he rolled his eyes. He nearly sneered at the mere sight of Edward holding me. I was right to dread his direction that I was marrying Edward. Jacob looked at me. "You ready to go?" he questioned impatiently.

I sighed heavily and pursed my lips. "Yeah." I agreed softly before turning to face Edward. "I'll see you later," I told him softly before cupping his cheeks and pressing a kiss to his lips. He let his lips linger for a second before he pulled away.

I gave him a longing look before turning to Jacob. I was tense and rigid as he stepped closer and scooped me into his arms. Awkwardly I wrapped my arms around his shoulders as he began walking. He could have easily run with me and ended my suffering quickly. But he decided to walk most of the path, drawing this out.

I blankly stared ahead of me as I chewed on the insides of my cheeks. My eyebrows were tightly knitted together and my lips were turned into a frown. Jacob looked at me with a curious look in his eyes. "Something up?" he questioned as he quirked an eyebrow.

I looked at him blankly as I raised my eyebrows. "A bunch of vampires trying to kill me," I replied as I shrugged my shoulders.

"Same old, same old." Jacob mused and I actually scoffed in amusement as I gave a small smile. We were silent for a moment before he spoke again. "You gonna ask me to sit out the fight, too? Or don't you care about my safety?" he asked me.

My smile fell rather quickly as I blankly looked ahead of me again. "Firstly, don't start with me," I warned him in a low voice. "And secondly, he's only doing this to keep me away from the fight. It's either he's up there with me, or I'm down there with him." I muttered.

Jacob scoffed softly as he rolled his eyes. "At least he's good for something." He grumbled bitterly.

I shot Jacob a pointed look as I frowned. "Besides, we both know you won't agree if I asked you to sit out," I commented with a roll of my eyes as I shook my head.

Soon, we arrived at a clearing on the top of the mountain. A small layer of snow had settled on the ground and it was incredibly cold. Edward had set up a tent and started a small fire for me. He was waiting with a thick wool blanket.

Jacob set me down on my feet, and Edward wrapped the blanket around me before pulling me to his side. "Thank you," he told Jacob with a curt nod. "You should get back before the storm hits," he told Jacob.

Jacob shook his head. "No, I'm staying." he insisted as he crossed his arms over his chest. "You'll need my connection to the pack, to keep tabs on what's going on," he said.

My eyebrows furrowed. Wasn't that what Seth was for? I'd prefer Seth. I raised my eyebrows at Jacob. "You're not going to fight?" I asked him as my eyes squinted and my head tilted to the side.

Jacob didn't answer directly but did continue talking. "Seth will spell me in the morning. He's not happy about missing the action, but it'll keep him out of trouble," he explained as he shrugged his shoulders.

When it grew later and colder, Edward rushed me into the tent and laid three thick blankets on me. But it was still rather cold up so high in the mountain. I lay on my side, facing Edward as he sat on the floor of the tent. Only a small oil lamp lit up the tent.

"I should have chosen a site lower down," Edward said softly as he frowned, reaching out to run a hand over my hair. He frowned deeply as I let out a slight shiver.

It wasn't cold to the point where I was trembling uncomfortably, or my bones were aching, and my lips were blue. But I've only been lying down for a few seconds and have yet to adjust my body heat.

"No, It's fine. I'm okay." I replied softly as I shook my head.

Edward scooted closer to me, placing his hands on top of the blankets on my arm. He knew, unfortunately, his cold touch would do little to warm me up. "What can I do?" he asked me desperately.

"I'm fine, Edward," I assured but did, in fact, shiver again, and Edward's frown deepened. "I'll warm up soon enough," I told him as I offered him a small smile of assurance.

The tent flap ripped open and Jacob stepped inside, drawing both my and Edward's attention to him. "I can't sleep with all that teeth chattering going on," he complained as he squinted his eyes.

Edward stared at Jacob for a second before his lips pulled back into a snarl. "Forget it." he gritted out through clenched teeth as he glared at Jacob.

My eyebrows furrowed in confusion. "Forget what?" I asked as I looked between Jacob and Edward.

"She may need her toes someday," Jacob argued, and then it slowly dawned on me. He wanted to heat me up. He was after all, naturally an inferno. "And let's face it... I'm hotter than you." Jacob added tauntingly.

Jacob crouched down beside me and reached out, placing a hand on my side. Edward snapped forward, grabbing Jacob's arm and pushing him away with force. Jacob ripped his hand free from Edward's hold. "Get your hand off me." he snapped as they both shot up to their feet, glaring at each other.

"Get your hands off her." Edward snapped back at Jacob as he breathed heavily, trying to calm himself down as his hands clenched by his sides.

I lifted my head to look at the two of them. I frowned deeply, eyebrows furrowing. "If you're going to fight, do it somewhere else," I told them with a scowl as I laid my head back down on the pillow and curled into myself.

Jacob looked down at me and then turned to glare at Edward. "She gets sick; it's on you," he warned his voice tight. They had a silent stare-off for a second before Edward reluctantly stepped aside. I gave Jacob a guarded look as he climbed onto the mattress behind me. He was respectful enough to remain on top of the blankets. I tensed as he draped one arm over me, but I could immediately feel his warmth. "Why. you're freezing, Ana." he teased and I shot him a glare over my shoulder. "Relax, You'll warm up soon. Faster if you took your clothes off."

"Jacob," I warned sharply.

"Survival one oh one." Jacob continued tauntingly as he looked at Edward who quietly sat down beside the mattress.

"Don't start with him." I snapped at Jacob, sending him a sharp glare before turning to look at Edward. I pulled one of my hands out from underneath the blankets and held it out to him. He reached out, taking my hand and I intertwined our fingers.

Edward silently stared at me, a frown tugging at his lips. "You're worried," he noted softly, feeling my emotions strongly inside his own chest.

I sighed softly, pursing my lips. "Vampires are trying to kill me," I told him softly.

"No one's going to hurt you, I won't let them," Edward assured me softly as he shook his head. He leaned forward, pressing a soft kiss to my cheek. "Now, get some sleep," he whispered.