Story Title: Saving Grace

Summary: You can't run from your past. It will eventually find you. A story of love, redemption, and second chances.

Pairing Jacob/Bella...eventually.

AN: I get story ideas all the time but a lot of them get discarded because I can't make them work. That was not the case with this one.

If you asked Bella Swan, life was as perfect as perfect could get. She had a fiancee who would do anything for her and loved her so much that he was willing to sacrifice everything to be with her. She considered herself lucky. She and Edward had not had an easy road to get where they were. She had given up a lot to be with him and would be giving up more in the coming months.

She couldn't wait to be Mrs. Edward Cullen. Not only for the obvious reasons but also beccause she wanted her own small piece of forever. Her life wouldn't be complete without him.

The only hitch in her happiness was that she'd hurt her best friend so badly that they had left without saying goodbye. She knew she never should has asked Alice to send Jacob a wedding invitation. She had hammered the final nail in the coffin of their friendship and she wished that she could go back and make things right.

Alice took the reigns when it came to the wedding plans because it wasn't something that Bella wanted. She had wanted a small wedding with only their families present. Edward had given Alice the go ahead to invite her friends from school and the pack.

Bella's reluctance to be a part of the wedding plans had been the first red flag that Edward noticed. The second happened the day that Charlie had brought home the missing posters. Granted Bella had no part in it but Charlie had made it loud and clear whose side he was on. No one would replace Jacob in Charlie's eyes. Bella had taken Edward's side but he knew that the third strike was coming.

Bella came home from work to find Edward's car in the driveway. He met her at the door holding an envelope in his hand. His face was a mask of hurt and betrayal before he turned on his heel to walk into the living room. Bella sat on the couch while he sat in Charlie's recliner.

"Alice couldn't hide it from me any longer. You got in," he said flatly.

He held out the envelope to her and she saw the University of Mary Washington logo. She hadn't liked asking Alice to keep it from him but she hadn't thought she would get in.

"Virginia, Bella? Really?"

"I applied to appease Charlie. He doesn't have a lot of money to pay for college and they have one of the best English departments in the country."

"It's a little late in the year for you to be applying," Edward observed.

"I've been on the wait list since April. Why does it matter? I'm not going," she reasoned.

"It matters because you kept it from me."

"You've kept things from me too. So, you're the only one who can do that?" she asked credulously.

"I think that you should go. We've only sent out the invitations to the people in Washington. It'll be easy to call it off."

"I don't want to call off the wedding!" she protested.

"It's for the best. I'm holding you back from so much," he said regretfully.

"I don't care about what I'll be missing out on. I only care about you. Please don't do this, not again," she pleaded.

"It's already been decided. I leave in the morning. I love you so much, Bella and I know that you love me too but sometimes that isn't enough," he said before standing.

Bella stared dumbly at where Edward had been sitting. She didn't hear Edward leave but she did notice Alice when she came in with Esme. They sat on either side of her with their arms wrapped around her.

"I didn't see what would happen until it was too late. I'm sorry," Alice said in remorse.

"It's not your fault. I never should have asked you to lie for me."

"If it makes you feel better I see you giong to college in Virginia. You'll make a good life for yourself Bella," Alice reassured her.

"Carlisle found you a therapist close to campus. You need a break Bella, you're due for one," Esme reminded her.

"Can I still keep in contact with you all?"

"Of course! We'd love to know how you're doing," Alice agreed.

"You'll be fine, you just need to take time to heal," Esme said before kissing her temple.

With the next four years of her life decided she felt a little better. She was being forced to move on, but she refused to go down the path that she'd gone down the last time. She couldn't put her parents through that again.

XXXX

Edward had been gone for a month and what would have been their wedding day had passed with very little fanfare. Bella would be leaving for college soon. She was spending as much time as possible with her dad, the Cullen's, and her friends from school. Charlie didn't like that she was moving across the country for college but he was in agreement that she needed some distance from not only the Cullen's but Jacob. He had come back but had yet to come and see Bella. Billy had informed her that Jacob needed time and she was willing to give it to him. She just hoped that Billy had given him the letter that she had written him.

If the Cullen's had heard from Edward they hadn't mentioned it to Bella. Rosalie was semi-cordial to her now. She was glad that Bella had been given another chance at life but she didn't like that it had come at such a high price. Bella couldn't please her if she tried so she had stopped trying.

The Cullen's had decided to throw her a going away party but she was reluctant to go. Her dad had talked her into going as long as he went with her. She could think of better ways to spend her last night in Washington. This would be Charlie's first time going to the Cullen's house and he'd had the same reaction she'd had when she'd seen it for the first time.

Alice let them in and pulled Bella who latched onto Charlie with her other hand up to the second floor living room. The mood was subdued since Jasper was working his magic on Rosalie. She sat by herself with her arms folded over her chest. She obviously was not happy about being there.

"Welcome Charlie, it's good to see you. This is my wife Esme, our daughter Rosalie and our boys Emmett and Jasper. You know Alice," Carlisle said cordially.

"It's nice to meet all of you," Charlie said politely.

"Emmett, Jasper, will the two of you help Billy?" Alice asked.

"You invited Billy?" Charlie asked.

"We invited Jacob as well; but Billy informed us that only he would be coming," Esme explained.

Emmett and Jasper carried Billy's chair up the stairwell and into the room. Pleasentries and introductions were exchanged and Billy nodded politely. He wheeled himself in between Bella and Charlie when Alice brought in a cake. Bon Voyage, Bella was written in pink frosting across the white sheet cake. It was served and Charlie and Billy each ate two slices to Bella's one. After Esme's had packed up the leftovers so that Billy could share them with the pack Alice announced that it was time for presents.

"You didn't have to get me anything," Bella admonished.

"What is a going away party without presents?" Alice asked.

A heavy, rectangular box was placed in her lap and Esme announced that it was from her and Carlisle. They had gotten her a new Macbook since hers was outdated.

"Your dad can use yours, that way you two can keep in touch.," Carlisle explained.

"I don't know anything about computers," Charlie dissagreed.

"That's okay Sir, I can help you," Emmett answered.

"Emmett's a genius with computers Dad," Bella agreed.

"I guess it'll be okay then," Charlie relented.

Emmett had given her an Ihome to go with the new Ipod touch that Rosalie had gotten her. Jasper had gotten her a updated version of Webster's Encyclopedic Unabridged Dictionary while Alice had given her a beautiful plaid wool peacoat.

"To keep you warm, it's a lot colder in Virginia than it is here. I hear it snows a lot more too," she explained.

Bella caught on to what she was implying. Alice was informing her of a vision, she was grateful for the warning. Billy handed her a medium sized square box and she found a picture of her, Charlie, Jacob, and himself. It was a fairly recent picture, it looked like it had been taken just before the newborn battle.

"So you don't forget the people that love you," he explained.

"Thanks, Billy, this is really nice," she said, running her fingers over the glass.

"We have a gift from all of us; great minds think alike," Esme said holding out an identical box.

The picture of the Cullen's was recent as well but not so recent that Edward was missing. His topaz eyes smiled back at her making her sigh. She couldn't help but feel guilty since he had left because of her.

"There's one last present. It was supposed to be your wedding present from Edward but he mentioned that he still wanted you to have it," Carlisle explained.

Emmett led the way to the garage and her draw dropped to the floor. In the middle of the garage sat a shiny blue Ford Prius. He had taken her words to heart when she had complained about the tank that she had been forced to drive after Clementine had bitten the dust.

"It runs on a power cord, not gasoline. Whoever heard of such a thing?" Emmett asked with a scoff.

"I love it, it's just what I wanted. Will you thank him for me?" she asked Carlisle.

"Of course," he promised.

Emmett loaded Bella's presents into the car while Jasper and Charlie helped Billy into his truck. Bella dreaded saying goodbye to the people who had treated her like family since she had first met them. It wasn't going to be easy leaving them but they understood that she needed a fresh start.

Esme pulled Bella to her first. She held her tightly and Jasper put a hand on each of the their shoulders. Bella smiled her thanks before moving on to Carlisle. He handed her an envelope which she guessed more than likely held money from the feel of it. He patted her back reassuringly before passing her off to Rosalie who gave her a limp hug. Emmett picked her up off the floor, spinning her around. He gave her a wide grin when he finally set her down.

"Thanks Emmett; I needed my back cracked," she deadpanned.

"Anytime, Bells," he said with a bark of laughter.

Alice pulled her close holding her in a desperate grip.

"Call and write because I can't visit," she said in a small voice.

"I promise," Bella said with a nod.

"Allie, let her go. She's got to be up early and she's got a long day ahead of her tomorrow," Jasper said gently.

Bella found that her car had been pulled out of the garage since she had trouble backing out of tight spaces. The whole family had come into the yard to see her off. She looked into her rearview mirror just before she made the last turn to see Esme, Alice and Carlisle wave one last time. She heaved a heavy sigh, knowing that this would the last time she would ever see them. She didn't know how she knew but she could feel deep in her gut that she had closed the chapter in her life that included them.

XXXX

She and Charlie were on the road by seven the next morning. He'd had trouble finding a way to attatch the car to his truck so that she didn't have to follow him. Sam had been able to lend him a trailor and loaded the car on it for them. By five that afternoon they had been driving nonstop and were in San Antonio. They decided to stay the night there and head out before the sun the next morning. As it was they would pushing it if she would make it to freshman orientation.

There wasn't much to be said since neither of them were good with goodbyes. She knew that he would miss her without his having to say it just like he knew that she would miss him. She needed to try to make a go of it on her own. Even if the idea of being on her own did scare the living daylights out of her.

They made it to the school with an hour to spare. They found her building and dorm room before Charlie told her that he could bring up the stuff on his own. She found the auditorium and found a seat in the back with a few minutes until orientation started. She felt herself relax as the Dean welcomed them and gave a speech about what was expected of them as students. Her life really was begining and she couldn't wait to find out what happened next.

XXXX

Jacob Black was a glutton for punishment. That's what he got for falling in love with someone who loved someone else. Yes, Bella loved him too; she had even admitted it but not enough to choose him over Edward. He hadn't come back for her, despite what everyone thought. He had come back because he was tired of running from his problems. Not only did his dad need him but so did the pack.

He hadn't been surprised when his dad told him that Edward had called off the wedding. He had been surprised to find out that Bella was leaving though. He had hoped that given a little time that he and Bella could make a go of things. He needed time to himself and she had respected that. Now he had missed his chance; because why would she come back to small town life after living away?

His dad had lectured him for three hours the night of her going away party. How could he have been so stupid? All because of his wounded pride. He pulled the letter she had written him out of a copy of The Adventures of Huckelberry Finn that she'd given him for his birthday that year. It was worn from where he had read it over and over in the week since his dad had given it to him.

Jake,

I know that I've made a mess of things and I hope that you can find it in your heart to forgive me one day. Like you, I need time for myself right now. I'll never forget all of the time that we spent together and just know that I'll never meet anyone as special as you.

I really made a mess of things didn't I? I can't tell you how sorry I am for everything I've done. I'm sorry for being so stubborn and not telling how I really felt sooner. Maybe if I had things would be different. I don't know if I'll ever see again so this is my telling you goodbye and I hope that one day you meet a girl who is even more important to you than I ever was.

I love you,

Bells

He shook his head in frustration. He would never meet a girl who measured up to Bella. If he ever imprinted the poor girl would just have to adjust to living with the ghost of Bella always in the picture. Maybe if he hadn't pushed her away they could have worked things out and salvaged their friendship. There wasn't a chance of that now.

AN2: I want to point out that there really is a University of Mary Washington. Back when I was in high school it was where I wanted to go to college. Due to lack of money and a family situation I put it on the back burner. One day, I will go to college, but right now isn't it. So let me know what you all think because I can't improve on my writing if no one tells me if I'm doing something wrong.