Chapter One
Bella
I had thought my life was over when the Cullens, when Edward, left, the pain was unbearable and I just wanted to curl up and die. I even thought about it once or twice and maybe I'd have tried it if not for Jake. He stuck by me through it all, through my tears and tantrums, my cruel words, my moods, and slowly he brought me back from the edge, showed me that my life wasn't over despite the pain. I knew he'd done it all because he loved me, he hadn't hidden that and I'd been as coldly truthful back, I liked him and maybe if Edward had never appeared in my life I might have been able to see Jake as a possible boyfriend but I just couldn't stop myself from remembering how much he had hated the Cullens and how he had tried so hard to break us up, how he had been the one to bring me into the world of the supernatural where vampires really existed and men turned into spirit warriors and shape shifters. This world hadn't scared me because I already knew the vampires before I found out what they were and knew they weren't as black as they were painted, not all of them at least, but finding out that my best friend was a shape shifter, that his reason for being was to hunt and kill vampires well that did come as a shock. Where Edward had seemed almost otherworldly Jake seemed firmly planted in the real world and to find out he wasn't knocked my world off its axis even more. I hadn't been trying to kill myself when I jumped off the cliff, I just wanted to see Edward again but I no longer knew quite why. The desperation and craving to be with him had faded yet I felt a compulsion, there was some reason I wanted to see him but I no longer understood it.
Jake had brought me home and I knew he wanted to take things to the next level, he always did but I found myself pushing him away as if knowing it couldn't be, Jake and I were just not going to work. His smile at my action showed he thought he knew better, he had hope and killing hope was the most difficult thing to do. If things didn't change between us, if he didn't ease off then I considered leaving Forks an option. I didn't want to run but I couldn't face the months of fighting him off, I no longer had the strength, getting beyond Edward had taken all I had and the tank was now empty.
In the event it became a moot point because the knock on the door a few seconds later heralded Alice Cullen's return and swept everything else out of my head. A Cullen at last yet I didn't feel the sense of relief I had expected, instead I felt myself tense up until I was almost sick. Jake of course was furious and I understood why but I could hardly throw her out even though there was a small part of me that thought it would be for the best. Instead I said goodbye to my friend and left him unhappy outside the front door and I knew he wouldn't go far, like me he was curious about her appearance and interested to find out if she were alone. The thought of seeing Edward alone sent shivers down my spine sand not those of anticipation. I found to my shock that I dreaded the idea of seeing him again because if he came back it wouldn't be to say goodbye again and I didn't want to hear anything else from him.
I noticed Alice seemed shocked to see me which confused me even more,
"Bella, how are you alive?"
"What?"
"I saw you throw yourself off a cliff so how are you alive?"
"I didn't throw myself off I was cliff diving that's all"
She screwed her face up in disbelief,
"Cliff diving? Where did you get that stupid idea from?"
Then she looked at the door as if as much to say I get it, that's where you got it from and that annoyed me. She and the rest of the Cullens had walked away from me without even a goodbye yet they felt they had the right to make digs about Jake who had at least stuck by me.
"Why are you here Alice? Are the others with you?"
She started as if she had been miles away,
"No its just me. I came because I was worried about Charlie. I thought you were dead."
"Why did you come though if you thought I was dead? You know Charlie hates you all."
"I just thought maybe he could do with some help, he's all alone"
"Actually he's not, he has Jake and Billy and..."
I was about to say Harry when I remembered Jakes words
"Harry's had a heart attack and it looks bad"
Alice sat down looking at me judgementally,
"Well its just as well I'm here, you look awful Bella."
I suddenly realised I'd done just as Edward said I should, I'd moved on, the Cullens had no power over me any more and I had no wish to see them again, any of them.
"Thanks Alice for those kind words. Look I'm not dead and Charlie doesn't need your help so you there's no reason for you to hang around"
"Aren't you pleased to see me at all?"
She genuinely sounded shocked at that thought,
"Well let me see, you left without a word, you never contacted me, replied to my e mails, or anything and then you swoop in like Superwoman and expect me to be glad to see you? Well much as it may stun you I'm not. I know how much the Cullens can hurt people and I don't intend getting caught up with your family again Alice so you can go back to wherever you came from and tell the others the same. I've been in hell for months and now its your turn to go there."
I opened the door and she stood watching wide eyed as Jake came in glaring at her, of course he was here ready to save me from the "leeches".
"Are you OK Bella? I was worried."
I rolled my eyes,
"I'm fine Jake, really."
He stared at Alice who gave him one of her bright grins,
"I can see he wants to talk to you Bella so I'll wait outside till he's finished. Nice to see you again cub"
Jake sneered as she went outside and slammed the door shut,
"What does she want?"
"She thought I was dead."
"What?"
"She saw me jump off the cliff and she thought I was dead"
"Oh yeah the one with the crystal ball. So why come if she thought you were dead?"
"Good question Jake, I'll be sure to ask her when she comes back"
"Why don't you just leave her out there? I don't like her being here after all you've been through."
"Jake I'm a big girl and I can fight my own battles...well I can now, so you should go"
He came close, too close, and put a finger under my chin lifting my face until our eyes met,
"Don't get involved with them again Bella, it almost killed you last time. You don't belong with the leeches."
What was happening to me? I felt myself falling into his eyes and our faces got closer but then the spell was broken by the phone ringing and Jake grabbed it impatiently,
"Swan residence"
I saw the look on his face and I knew it was one of them so I snatched the receiver from him,
"Yes who is it?"
"Bella? Is that you Bella?"
It was him! I would never forget that voice, once upon a time it had sent shivers down my spine and make my brain turn to mush but now, amazingly I just felt angry.
"What do you want Edward?"
"Bella? Rose told me you were dead, Alice saw you jump off a cliff"
"And you all thought I was so distraught at losing you that I decided to end it all? Well I'm very sorry to disappoint you but I'm alive and I wasn't trying to end it all so you can go back to whatever you were doing before your dear sister stuck her nose in,"
"Bella please, I'm coming back. I can't live without you any longer. I was coming back before this. I'll be home soon"
I couldn't believe what I was hearing, only a few short months ago I would be crying and begging him to come back as quickly as he could but now?
"Stay away from me Edward. Its too late, too much has happened."
I put the phone down to see Jake grinning like an idiot,
"Don't get your hopes up Jake, I'm off men for good so you can go home too"
He nodded still smiling,
"Its OK Bella I can wait, you'll change your mind about me now the Cullens have no power over you."
"Power over me?"
"Well yeah, they're vampires aren't they? Which means they dazzle you humans. It was wearing off and that's how I knew I stood a chance. I'll go for now but I'll see you again soon."
He left which was just as well as I was looking for something to throw at him, the arrogant dick!
