A/N This is an All Human story about Bella. The rest of this AN is useless, so you don't really have to read it, it's just me rambling.
I had the idea for this story at Swim Team one day. It was a really boring day and this just popped into my head. I've been working on it for a month now and I wouldn't have had this up today if I wasn't sick. Have fun reading it!
I rested my head on Edward's shoulder as he wrapped his arm around my waist. His warm hand squeezed me closer to him. Something against my hip made me giggle.
"Edward, your pocket's vibrating!"
"Shoot," he grumbled, pulling out his phone. "It's Mom."
"Answer it. We don't want her getting any bad ideas." He gave me a gentle peck on the lips and brushed a piece of my brown hair out of my face before opening his phone.
"Mom? Yes, Mom, I'm here with Bella. . . No, we're taking a walk. . . Mom, we just got here two minutes ago. . . Mom!" Edward started wandering off.
"Edward, where are you going?" I called.
"Stay there," he demanded. "I'll be right back. Don't move!"
"But Edward-"
"Mom, we're in Port Angeles. We got here early, and we can't go to the restauraunt yet, so we decided to take a walk." Edward's voice faded as he turned the corner.
"Edward? Edward!" I knew that he'd told me to stay, but dusk was fast approaching and I didn't want to be caught out alone after dark. "Edward!!!" I stumbled around the corner in a desperate attempt to catch up to him. Even walking, Edward was faster than me, considering my tendency to fall on my face.
By the time that I'd turned the corner, Edward had disappeared around another. He must have gone around a million corners by now, I thought. I knew it was useless, but I couldn't help but wander aimlessly, trying to find my boyfriend.
As I went around the corner that I assumed would take me back to the main road out of the alleyway that I had managed to get lost in, I found myself in the back lot of a few broken down restaurants. Three men emerged from the shadows into the light of the single street lamp.
A smirk appeared on the shortest man's flattened face. "Well hello, little lady, are you lost?" His tone and expression contrasted so greatly that it was almost funny.
"I'm sorry, sir, but I'm supposed to meet someone out at the Italian restaurant. Could you point me to the main road?" I asked politely.
"Aww, come on, Dearie, don't be like that," the tallest of the three said in a menacing tone.
"I apologize," I breathed, "but I must be going." I turned to leave but was cut off by the arm of the stocky man. "Let me go."
I looked around and found at least four more men surrounding me. I tried to remember the self defense that I had learned many, many years before. Hand thrust up the nose, smash the skull into the brain, the classic knee to the groin, stepping on their foot, what else? I started panicking, knowing that with my scarce experience fighting, I had no chance to escape. I wanted to run away, but knowing me, my face would become reacquainted with the floor or wall and that would just give them another chance to jump on me.
I started hyperventilating. Air filled my lungs at a incredible rate and my throat itched to release an earsplitting shriek. With the oh-so-comforting knowledge that the pepper spray Charlie had given me was still tucked neatly in my dresser drawer, I took a weak step backwards and bumped into a too-warm wall that shouldn't have been there. SCREAM, I begged myself.
I opened my mouth and comforting arms wrapped around my waist, pulling me closer to the warm figure that owned them and releasing me quickly.
"Get behind me," the tall, tanned boy with raven black hair commanded.
"Jacob," I gasped, clutching my chest.
"Get. Behind. Me." I'd never seen my best friend like this before. His brown eyes were much darker than normal, and hard. He stood in a tense fighting stance, glaring at the men in front of us. He shook with anger. "I told you to get behind me."
"Hey, sorry, we didn't realize she was your girlfriend." The first man was shaking in his boots.
"It shouldn't have mattered whether she was my girlfriend or not. Bells, call Charlie. And if any of you," Jacob growled, pointing at the seven men, "try to run, I will personally make sure that you'll never run again."
Charlie was on my speed dial. I took a few deep breaths, trying to calm myself before calling him.
"Bella! Is everything okay? Do I have to come down and arrest Edward?" he joked.
"No, not Edward. He didn't do anything wrong. His mom called and he had to answer and I wandered off and somehow managed to get lost and ended up in a back alley and- and- these seven guys just appeared out of nowhere and..."
"I'm coming over now."
"Thanks. Jacob's got them scared enough that they could wet their pants. They aren't going anywhere."
"Jacob? Jacob Black?"
"I'll explain when you get here." The phone line buzzed with the dial tone.
Jacob growled at the men. I let out a shaky laugh and wrapped my arms around Jacob's waist, locking my hands together in front of him. When he gently stroked my hands, I closed my eyes and laid my head against his bare back. I could tell that Jacob was still glaring daggers at the men that I didn't even know the names of.
"I have to sit down." I unhooked my hands and slid down the wall that made the side of the alleyway, suddenly exhausted. My pocket buzzed. That was how this whole fiasco started, in more way than one. Today, when Edward had gotten a phone call from his mother; a month after I started school in this dismal town of Forks, when Edward had managed to get my phone number from Jessica Stanley and called me to ask me on a date. It was hard to believe that had been a year ago.
It would probably be a bad idea to ignore a phone call from Charlie.
"Hello?" I asked wearily.
"Bells, I've contacted the Port Angeles Police Department, they should be getting to you in a few minutes." I heard sirens coming from the main road. "Or now. Do you want them to bring you home? Should I still come?"
"I'll be fine. Jacob can take me home, but I need dinner first." I looked up and pulled my hair up out of my face. "I gotta go. The PAPD's here now."
"Love ya', Bells. I expect to see you home in three hours." He hung up again. There was an ambulance and fire truck as well as five police cars pulled up in front of the broken down restaurant.
Two women and a man climbed out of the back of the ambulance and crowded around me. I supposed that I looked horrible, considering I was slumped up against a wall.
"Are you okay? Have you been hurt?"
"Yes, Ma'am, I'm fine. I wasn't hurt. I owe Jacob big-time, I don't know what would've happened if he hadn't shown up."
"We're supposed to bring you to the hospital, as the victim, just for some tests."
"Please," I begged, "I'm not a victim of anything but a bad scare. They- they didn't get what they wanted."
"Fine, we won't bring you, but we still need to give you a quick check up just to make sure we don't need to file a lawsuit for you." I didn't bother trying to argue. I looked over at Jacob who was being questioned by an officer. He was being held from behind by another policeman, just like the criminals who had confronted me.
"Let him go!" I called out to the policemen. "He didn't do anything. Jacob was the one who stopped them!" The man holding Jacob's arms behind his back looked to the man questioning him, who nodded to let the first man know that he should let go.
The EMTs continued my checkup, flashing a bright light into one eye, and then the other asking me pointless questions.
"Did they hit you?"
"No."
"Are you hurt in any way at all?"
"A bit shaken, but I'm not physically hurt. Like I said, I owe Jacob."
"Anything else that we should know about, just for the record?"
"I have a headache, but really that's it and I know an excellent doctor back home. Jacob or Edward can bring me home."
"Okay, we'll leave you. Are you sure you'll be fine?" The nurse was so sweet.
"I'll be fine, Ma'am. I'm sure. I'll have Dr. Cullen make sure when I get home."
"Dr. Carlisle Cullen? He's a fantastic doctor. I'll write a note to let your parents know that you should be seen by him."
"Charlie already knows what happened. He's the chief of police in Forks."
"Good. I think the officers want to talk to you now." Sure enough, the two police officers were coming towards me with Jacob in tow.
"Good evening, Ma'am," the officer said. "I'm Officer Taylor and we just want to ask you some questions about what happened this evening. Would you mind telling us the events leading up to this?"
"My date got a phone call from his mother and had to take the call. I wandered off and managed to get lost and wound up back here. Then they," I sneered, shoving a thumb in the men's direction, "showed up. Jacob got here just in time and I called my dad, Charlie, the chief of police in Forks, who called you." I was starting to get tired of telling my story over and over again.
"Thank you, now can I have your name, home phone number and address?" Jacob stiffened slightly at my side as I gave him the information. "And your name?" the officer asked, this time addressing Jacob.
"My name is Jacob Black, but I wasn't her date for the evening. I happened to be in town and heard the commotion."
"So who was it that left you alone?"
"Edward Anthony Masen Cullen."
"And you have his number so that we can get a hold of his parents?" I gave them Carlisle's phone number.
"Can I go now? I need to go find Edward. He's bound to be worried by now."
"Of course. Now, we'll call you or your father if we need to know anything more."
"Thank you, sir. We'll be on our way now." I took the arm Jacob offered me and stood up. My knees gave out, but he caught me before I fell.
"C'mon, Bella. I got my drivers license a few months ago. I'll help you find Cullen."
"Thanks. Let me call him real quick." As Jacob lead me to his Volkswagon Rabbit, I dialed Edward's phone number.
"Bella! Where'd you go? You weren't where I left you."
"I'll tell you later. Can I meet you at the restaurant?"
"I'm already there. Where are you now, I'll come get you."
"No, Edward, I have a ride. I need to get dinner, so I'll just meet you there."
"Umm, well, I already had dinner. You've been gone for almost half an hour and I picked up a bite to eat at McDonald's." I stared dumbly at the phone.
"You what?" I demanded. "You were going to take me out to dinner, you leave me alone so that you can talk to your mom, even though it was almost dark, and then you get dinner by yourself instead?"
"Bells," he began, "please."
"No, Edward. When you left, I went to look for you. I got lost and these weird guys appear out of nowhere, and if Jacob hadn't cut in, it wouldn't have ended well. Goodbye, Edward." I snapped the phone shut. I could feel furious tears threatening to betray me, and my cheeks flushed crimson with anger.
"Bella?" Jacob asked gently, "Bells, get in the car, you need to eat and you should really get home."
"Thank you, Jacob," I whispered. "You really saved my skin back there."
"No problem. You're my best friend, I couldn't let them take advantage of you." I felt the stress in his voice when he called me his best friend.
"So, what were you doing here? It takes hours to get here from Forks. Were you stalking me?" I joked.
"My date ditched."
"And why aren't you wearing a shirt?"
"She poured a gallon of water on me. I don't even know why I bothered to go out with her." I bit my lip and the phone in my pocket seemed to weigh fifty pounds. "So where do you think Cullen is?"
"I don't want to look for him."
"What's wrong? Why not?"
"He isn't worth looking for. I never want to see him again." I started grumbling under my breath. "I can't stand him. That jerk."
"You dumped him over the phone?" Jacob asked incredulously with the slightest hint of respect. "Harsh. What happened?"
"You know how I said that I wandered off? Why would I decide to go into an alley when it was getting dark? I'm not stupid. Edward was the one who left, I don't think he meant to, but then, instead of looking for me, he decided to get dinner. Sometimes, I don't think he actually likes me. I don't think it's really love." Tears splattered on my skirt and I tried to wipe them from my face before Jacob could see them.
Unfortunately, Jacob noticed that I was crying and pulled me into an odd, one-armed hug around the stick shift. "You deserve way better than Cullen. Should I go beat him up for you?" A breathy chuckle escaped my chest.
"No, Charlie would arrest you."
"C'mon, I gotta bring you home now. Charlie'll be mad." I sighed and looked up again.
"It's just so weird. Not three hours ago, I thought that Edward and I would get married some day, have kids, and grow old together. Now I want nothing more than to punch him in the face." Jacob laughed loudly.
"Incredible. Just completely unbelievable. One skipped dinner makes you hate him as much as I do." His eyes widened to the size of saucers. "Sorry, sorry."
"I don't mind right now. And it was more than one thing. It was a series of events, dinner was just the straw that broke the camel's back." True, I hadn't complained that Edward was never on time to pick me up, was always late when we met for lunch outside of school, that even though we never made it a secret that Edward and I were boyfriend and girlfriend, every girl in school went after him and he never complained. That didn't mean that I wasn't upset on the inside. "I never want to see him again."
Jacob didn't say anything about what I admitted but pulled me even closer to him. He could tell I was still upset over what had happened today and was trying desperately to help me relax. I smiled and tried to lean into him even more, but was blocked by the stickshift.
"Lean your seat back," Jacob chuckled. "Sleep. I can tell you're tired." I pulled the lever that adjusted the back of the seat and laid it almost all the way down. Jacob intertwined his fingers in mine and squeezed my hand; it was warm and I held it as close to me as I could.
It felt perfect, my hand in his; it was what felt right. I never wanted to move, unless it was to close the gap between the two of us.
With this thought, an electric shock flew up my arm and through my core. I flinched, not expecting the spark between me and my best friend. Jacob released my hand and pulled away gently.
"No, it's fine." I reached toward him again and fell asleep with our hands locked together.
My dreamless sleep was interrupted by a gentle shake.
"We're here, Bella. Charlie looks surprised to see me instead of Cullen." I took the moment when he turned back to the dining room window to shake the sleep from my head. "Charlie's gone upstairs."
"What?"
"He's gone upstairs to bed."
"Why? He would always come out when he heard Edward's car come up the drive and meet me at the door, no matter how late it was. He liked Edward, but he never let him bring me inside."
"I'm not Cullen." I took the hand he offered and pulled myself out of his car; he placed a hand on the small of my back to guide me to the house. Being me, I managed to take two steps before finding a minuscule crack to trip over and Jacob's hands shot out to catch me. We were incredibly fortunate that Charlie wasn't watching us; Jacob had one hand on my chest and the other arm wrapped around my waist holding me up, I with my head up against his stomach and my arms flung around his legs. Charlie would be out here threatening to arrest Jacob and ground me for life.
I felt the blush stain my face as a new pair of headlights shone up our driveway. I unhooked myself from Jacob just in time to see Edward's Vovlo pull up next to the Rabbit. He threw the door open with such force that it dented and scratched the passenger door of Jacob's car.
"What the heck is going on!"
"Didn't she make it clear to you, Cullen? She doesn't want you as her boyfriend any more. That phone call earlier? She was dumping you, wasn't it obvious?"
"She can speak for herself, you little-"
"He's right, Edward," I interrupted. "Leave me alone."
"But Jacob?" he yelled.
"J- Jacob?" I stuttered.
"Yes, Jacob Black. Look at you. You got over me pretty quick," Edward explained sarcastically. I became hyper-aware of how Jacob had put me back on my feet. He'd moved his arm to my shoulders and I'd absentmindedly raised my hand to his waist.
"Jake's my best friend. I tripped and he caught me. What do you care? It's none of your business any more. Go away."
"One mistake!" he demanded. "One mistake and you leave me for him!"
"No. It wasn't just one mistake. I've put up with you for long enough. Your shameless flirting with girls was a big part of it. Everything added up and this was just too much."
"I'm only human."
"She said, 'Go away', Cullen." Edward growled at Jacob, who wrapped his arms around me protectively, angling away from Edward. Jacob started to lead me to the door again.
"I'll never forget this, Bella. Never."
"I don't care. Just leave, Cullen," I hissed.
"Since when do you call me 'Cullen'? Is he rubbing off on you?"
"Since now. I want you to leave me alone. I'm hoping Alice will forgive me for dating you, but don't expect me to talk to you any more." He stormed to his car and sped off.
"I don't think he'll bug you again, Bells." Jacob squeezed my arm and walked me to the door. "Who's Alice?"
"Edward's sister. We've been friends for a while."
"Oh. Will she be mad that you broke up with her brother?"
"No, she shouldn't be. She always thought he was an idiot. She was actually upset that I started dating him."
"Well, she doesn't sound too bad. I hope you'll stay friends." He gave me a quick hug.
"He made me think," I mumbled, half hoping Jacob wouldn't hear.
"What? You aren't gonna go running back to him, are you?"
"No! No. I'm done with him forever. Don't think I'm even going to talk to him any more. But you seemed. . . different." Jacob looked at me, a confused expression plastered on his face. "You were a different Jacob. Not just 'Jacob Black, Bella's best friend', but almost like you had a mask on and you took it off."
"Are you feeling okay, Bells?"
"I'm fine. I really am. But you always seem tense around Edward. Like you're hiding something. Like you want to tell me something but can't. Like you need me to ask before you can tell me whatever it is you want to tell me." I hesitated, my breath shaking. Jacob stared at me intently, apparently trying to memorize the look on my face. "Jacob, do you. . . love me?" My heart tried to escape my chest, pounding in my ears almost to the point where I couldn't hear anything.
"I've known you since we were little, Bella."
"You're avoiding the question. Do you love me?" He didn't answer, but I stared into his smoldering brown eyes and found the truth. "Answer me. Answer me, Jacob." My eyes brimmed with fear-filled tears. "Answer the question you idiot!"
"You know the answer."
"I need to hear it from you. Just tell me what I already know!" I threw my arms into the air. "Please, Jacob! For Pete's sake, just say it! Do. You. Love. Me." Jacob took a deep breath and closed his eyes.
"Yes," he whispered. "I started liking you the last time you came to visit and I've loved you ever since you came back last year." A single tear slipped down my cheek and onto the welcome mat, but I was smiling. This was what was right, not the fake sense of happiness I felt with Edward. Jacob leaned down to wipe the tear trail and held my cheeks.
"I've loved you for over a year now and I always will," he whispered. I lifted my face to look at him. There was nothing but pure love and truth in his eyes and my world disappeared. It was only me and Jacob. In the instant I admitted it to myself, he became my whole world.
"Jacob Ephriam Black," I began. His eyes widened in fear that I was about to tell him off and I stifled a giggle. "I love you too." He stared at me and I shook with laughter.
"You're so beautiful," he breathed, and I paused.
"What?"
"You're cute when you smile," he told me, playing with a strand of hair in my face. "I haven't seen you laugh since you and Edward started dating."
I wrapped my arms around his neck and looked up at him.
"And you're cute, too." My feet left the floor and I screamed, but silenced myself when I felt Jacob holding me in a loving hug, twirling me around. I laid my head on his shoulder and adjusted my arms so I knew I wouldn't fall.
"So you really meant it?" he asked.
"Every word," I assured him, snuggling closer.
"It always seemed you liked me like a little brother."
"Not any more," I said into his chest, and it was true. I truly loved Jacob, but he didn't seem to believe it. I stared him straight in the eye, but he refused to meet my gaze. I sighed shakily, not sure what to do and pressed my forehead to his. He finally had to look at me and I knew what I had to do. "I love you, Jacob."
I leaned back a little to look at his whole face. He was a little kid who had just been told "no". He was about to put me down when I pressed my lips against his.
We were surprised with ourselves. Jacob hadn't expected that I would actually kiss him and I didn't think I could; Edward always kissed me, not the other way around.
He was the first to get over the shock, pulling me out of my surprise too. Edward's kisses had always been too rough or bearing no emotion, but Jacob's lips were clumsy and I wondered if this could possibly be his first kiss. Jacob's kiss was unlike any I'd shared with Edward. I scolded myself for comparing the two.
It hadn't been long before I vaguely heard a door slam and I peeked at Jacob through my eyelashes. He was frozen in fear and I pulled away from the kiss gently. My fingers trailed down his cheek and he placed me back on my feet.
"Are you okay, Jacob?" I saw him raise his hands slightly and I turned around slowly. Charlie was in the doorway, clad in only a bathrobe and holding a baseball bat and gun.
"Get away from my daughter," he growled.
"Put the gun down," I requested as calmly as I could. "Please, Dad, you're scaring me." He didn't move so I gently pulled the gun from his hand and made sure it wouldn't go off before throwing it into the grass. "Dad?"
"Get off my porch," he spat at Jacob. He pushed me out of the way and raised the bat above his head. "Didn't you hear me? You're tresspassing. Get off my property."
"Dad!"
"No, I'll go," Jacob told me, his hands still held high. "I don't want any trouble. See you tomorrow, Bells." He walked sadly to his car, inspected the damage on his door swiftly, and got in to leave. Charlie dragged me inside.
"What was that about!" we shouted at each other. "What was what about?" we asked again in synchronization.
"You were going to shoot him!"
"The gun wasn't loaded."
"So?" I demanded.
"He needed to know that he'd never set foot in this house again." I was surprised by this. "I thought you knew better."
"Why do you hate him!" I blurted. "You always act weird around him!"
"I don't hate him. I always thought he would be better for you than the Cullen boy, but you always looked at him like he was your brother and nothing more, so I tolerated Edward. Now you leave on a date with your boyfriend, come back with Jake, and I find you two kissing on the porch and he doesn't have a shirt on! What am I supposed to think?"
"His date poured water on him," I told Charlie.
"And what about Edward? You liked him. Why'd you let Jacob kiss you?" He ran a hand through his graying hair.
"He didn't kiss me, I kissed him." Charlie froze.
"What?"
"I already broke up with Edward. It wasn't working."
"And Jake just happened to be there," Charlie accused.
"No! Well, sort of," I admitted. "He saved me and then brought me home. And when he held my hand, there was just this- this- spark- that was never there before or with Edward and that only showed up when I looked at him and admitted that anyone- including him- could be the one. I know he's only sixteen, but this is it and it was like we were the only two people in the world, no- in the universe. Then when we kissed..."
"Okay- stop!" I couldn't believe what I was saying to my father. Just thinking about Jacob sent me into a trance, and I flushed a bright crimson.
"I love him, Dad."
"No, not that," he replied, frowning. "He's still only sixteen." He looked at me for confirmation.
"Yeah? So?"
"You can't- you aren't allowed to date him."
"I'm eighteen, I'm an adult. You can't tell me who to date!" I puffed my cheeks out angrily.
"You will not go out with him while you live under my roof."
"Fine." I crossed my arms.
"You'll stay away from him? You won't-"
"I didn't say that. Now, before I go pack, would you tell me what's wrong with dating him?"
"He's a minor. Technically, even that kiss was illegal, but-"
"I don't think Billy will mind," I said with a shrug. "He'd been hinting that he thought me and Jake-" I swallowed heavily and stopped. "He was always asking us when we would start dating." My blush became even darker. "Besides, Jacob's old enough to decide for himself if I can kiss him. He's sixteen, that's the age of consent, isn't it?"
Charlie reached into the coat hanging on his chair and pulled out a book, flipping through it quickly.
"Well I'll be darned. How'd you know that?"
"You taught me to read with those law books," I explained, rolling my eyes.
"I don't like it. At all."
"I'm going to bed," I grumbled. I crawled into bed and pulled the covers over my head to wait for Charlie to go back to his room. I finally heard the clatter of dishes that meant Charlie had put his coffee mug in the sink and climb the creaky stairs to his bedroom. I sighed quietly and scrambled to fill an overnight bag with a few outfits, some pajamas, and a few photos, then tiptoed to the bathroom to throw my toothbrush and comb into the bag.
"I'm sorry," I whispered to no one in particular. I slipped out the door to my truck- the same one Charlie had gotten for me from the Blacks- and started it up.
I was unsure where I was going or for how long, but I knew this would be a new life.
I'd driven in aimless circles for over an hour and spent another twenty minutes in the parking lot of the Newtons' local camping store, just thinking, before I found myself passing a beach. First Beach. I gasped with realization.
"Jacob! Why didn't I think of it before?" I threw my head back against the headrest and coaxed my ancient truck over it's personal sixty-five speed limit- it died, most likely permanently, just as I pulled into the driveway.
"Shoot!" I shouted. I slammed the door, kicked the side of the truck- probably breaking my toe- and yelped. The door to Jacob's house opened and a man in a wheelchair rolled out, raising a baseball bat above his head.
"What is it with you guys and baseball bats!"
"Bella?" he questioned. "Is that you? You nearly gave me a heart attack!"
"It's me," I confirmed. "Is Jake home?" I was slightly uncomfortable talking to Billy, considering he was Jacob's father.
"Not now, but come inside, anyway." The way Billy was acting implied that either Jacob hadn't told him anything that had happened or he didn't care. I yanked my bag from the passenger seat.
"Stupid truck." Billy laughed.
"Don't let Jacob hear you say that." He looked at my bag skeptically. "You want to stay the night? What's going on?"
"Charlie," I sighed.
"Right. Jacob told me what happened." He pursed his lips and tipped his head toward the stairs. "Upstairs, turn left, first door on the right." I followed his instructions and immediately wondered if I was in the wrong room.
The bed was unmade and debris littered the floor. The desk had all of the tell-tale signs of someone having used it. Five textbooks, multiple papers, and a bulletin board were housed on it. This wasn't a spare room. Someone had lived in it recently.
"Are you sure it's okay if I stay here?" I called out the door.
"Don't worry, Bella. There's no problem. Just get settled." I gingerly placed my bag on the desk chair, locked the door, and changed into my black tank top and red flannel pajama pants. I hesitantly sat on the beanbag in the corner and looked more carefully at the things my eyes had skimmed over as trash. Most of them were mangled pieces of metal or tools.
I sighed heavily, and tried to escape the clutches of the monstrous beanbag before flopping down on the bed. I sat up straight when I heard the creak it made and noticed the one thing I'd overlooked before.
There was a home-made night table by the bed. Four framed pictures were sitting under a lamp. I skipped over the family picture, the one of Jacob's older sisters- Rebecca and Rachel- holding a baby that looked like Jacob, and their mother's photo. The last picture frame had been knocked over, so I picked it up.
I gasped, almost dropping it. It was a picture of me and Jacob. My truck had run out of gas on the road and Jacob and Billy had been coming by. Jacob helped me push the truck to the nearest gas station- nearly two miles away- and Billy had gotten a picture without me noticing. In each corner, there was another picture. My two most recent school photos and one that Charlie had managed to take when I had first gotten my truck. The top corner held a hand-drawn penciled picture.
This was Jacob's room.
I swung the door open and burst into the hall, shouting, "I can't stay he-" I slammed into Jacob on the top of the stairs.
"Sorry?" I squeaked. Jacob stared at me in shock and I bit my lip.
"Bella?" he finally asked. "What's? When did? Pajamas?" His eyes were darting around and locked on his open door. He made a sound like he was choking and managed to croak, "Why are you here?"
"Charlie wouldn't let me stay at his house. I think his exact words were, 'You will not go out with him while you live under my roof.' So I left. It took me a while to think of coming here but when I did, Billy sent me up to your room."
"My room?" Jacob's face was priceless.
"I didn't know it was your room until I saw my photo. You did a good job with the drawing."
"Dad?" Jacob called down the stairs. "Why did you tell Bella to go to my room?" My heart plummetted, almost crashing to the floor to break into a million pieces for the second time that night.
"You don't- want me?" I asked, not sure if I wanted the answer.
"Oh, God, Bella. That wasn't how I wanted it to sound," he tried to reassure me. It was only half working. "Even if you were blind, deaf, in a wheelchair, and disfigured from some accident or another, I'd still want you." I breathed a sigh of relief.
"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have-"
"It's okay. I wasn't thinking right."
"Hello? Dad right here." Billy was holding his arms up in frustration. "Do you want to know what I was thinking?"
"Okay, what were you thinking when you sent me to Jake's room." He said something Charlie would never think of saying.
"I trust you," he replied with a shrug. "I trust you guys and I figured you'd rather be there than anywhere else. Bells, you can stay here as long as you want."
"Thanks?"
"No problem. I know you'd do the same for Jacob. I'm heading to bed now. You be nice to her, boy."
"Sure, Dad." I watched silently as Jacob went back to his room. "You coming?"
"I- I could take Rachel or Becca's old room if you'd rather." He rolled his eyes.
"Seriously, Bells. Just get in here." I stepped forward timidly. "Do I have to carry you in here?"
"Maybe you do," I joked, half serious. He sighed and before I could react, he'd scooped me up into his arms again. "Put me down," I complained.
He ignored me, simply walking to he bed and laying down resting me on top of him. I laid my head on his chest, only now taking my eyes from his face. I started giggling uncontrollably.
"What?" Jacob asked. "What's so funny?"
"We match," I explained. He was wearing a t-shirt rather than a tank top and his sweatpants were the exact shade my pajama pants were.
"I didn't notice before. I wasn't paying attention to what you were wearing. You're too pretty." He smiled and closed his eyes, drifting off, but I couldn't fall asleep, something was weighing on my conscience.
"Stop fidgeting, Bells," Jacob groaned.
"Sorry. It's just.. never mind. OOF!" I hit the floor with a thump that knocked the breath out of me. He'd adjusted so that he was leaning on one elbow, making me roll off the tiny bed.
"Whoops. What's wrong?" He swung his legs off the bed and offered me a hand to pull me into his lap.
"I just- this feels wrong." Jacob pulled his eyes away from mine, but I put my hands on his cheeks to look him straight in the eye. "I mean- I feel like we've done this wrong," I clarified. "We haven't even been on a date yet and we're sleeping together- erm..."
"I know what you mean." It seemed like this would be the end of the conversation, but instead, he took my hand in both of his and knelt down on one knee. "Isabella Marie Swan," he began dramatically, "will you go to the movies with me tomorrow?" I giggled.
"Its a Date." I sealed the promise with a gentle kiss and climbed back into bed with Jacob.
Epilogue:
1 Day Post Edward (P.E.)
"Chief Swan," Jacob said. It was the day after my last date with Edward and I had to go back home to pick up something to wear for Jacob's and my first date together. I also took the chance to gather up some more of my stuff.
"Jacob." Charlie refused to make eye contact with either of us. He was upset that I'd run out on him in the middle of the night.
"I need to get some things from my room. I'll be back in a few minutes." When I came back down, I'd already changed into some nice jeans and a long-sleeved, v-neck t-shirt that Edward had always hated and carried with me four big bags.
"You look fantastic," Jacob told me, taking three bags from me. Charlie asked me if I'd found somewhere to stay and if I was sure I wouldn't move back in, and almost had a panic attack when I told him where I was staying. His horrified face nearly killed me to see.
"Please, please, tell me you aren't- you aren't-"
"Dad," I'd whined. "Don't you trust us?" I conveniently forgot to mention that we were sharing a bed. Charlie sighed and reluctantly let us go. Then again, there was nothing he could do to stop me.
1 Week P.E.
"Dad, are you okay?"
"I'm just frustrated," Charlie told me. "You really shouldn't be living with him. I'd pay for your rent if you moved to an apartment, but you insist on living there."
"Technically, I'm living in Billy's house and he said I could stay as long as I wanted. You know that they're like family." And may be family one day, I added in my head, my heart spluttering. Jacob came running down the stairs and careened into the kitchen, wrapping his arm around my shoulders and pulling a chair up to sit in.
"What'd I miss?" he asked.
"Nothing. Nothing at all." I had already packed everything I would need and fit it all in one small bag. "So are you ready to go?" At any other time, I would have been fine, but with Charlie sitting right in front of us, I was a bit uncomfortable with how close Jacob and I were. I stood up and slung the bag over my shoulder.
"I've got everything," I replied. I really hoped that for once, he wouldn't embarrass me in front of Charlie.
My hopes were useless. He wrapped his arm around my waist and led me out the door.
"Bye, Dad." I tried to smile at him but found it impossible.
"Bye, Bells." He was grinning, but it didn't reach his upset eyes. I dug my heels into the ground and turned around.
"I'll see you tomorrow?"
"Don't bother. You have school and I have work." He said it as kindly as he could, but there was an undertone to his voice that said, "Get out." I let Jacob herd me to the passenger seat of his car where I sat limply.
"You should put your seat belt on, Bella." I looked at him with half-dead eyes and he leaned across me to grab the buckle and close it. He placed a kiss on the side of my mouth and sat back to pull out of the drive way. "What's wrong?"
"Hm?"
"You're upset about something. That could have gone worse. He could have kicked us out of the house."
"He did. That was his way of saying to leave him alone." I leaned over to put my head on his shoulder. I wished Jacob hadn't put a stick shift together. I wanted him to hold me and tell me everything would be okay.
2 Years P.E.
"The End," flashed on the screen, staying for a good fifteen seconds before someone in the audience clapped quietly. By the time I'd wiped my tears from my face and stood, the entire movie theatre was following that first person's lead. The show had been a romance, comedy, and drama all at the same time, and it had me crying the whole time. Jacob had brought me here for his eighteenth birthday.
"Stay tuned after the credits," a voice said over the intercom. "There will be an extra-special event that only you will see." I felt Jacob stiffen by my side.
"Jake? You okay? Do you want to leave."
"No. We're staying. I just wish that the intercom guy had waited for another minute when some people had already left the theatre."
"You're not going to tell me why, are you?" I asked.
"Nope." I reached my face up and kissed him. Now, even if Billy changed his mind and didn't want us dating, he couldn't stop us. I leaned my head on Jacob's arm and closed my eyes, waiting for the credits to be over. When they were, he stood abruptly, nearly yanking my arm out of its socket pulling me away from the chair.
"Ow! Jacob, why are we leaving now? I want to see what's going to happen." He stopped in the front of the theatre. Someone from the projecting room shone a light on the two of us. When Jacob turned around to face me, his hand was in his coat pocket and he held both my hands with his other.
"Bella, I have known you since we were just yea high," he told me letting go of my hands to gesture towards the floor. "We would make mud pies together and even when your dad dumped you at our house so that you would play with Rachel and Rebecca, you would always end up playing with those little model cars with me." He pulled on out of his coat. "This is one of them."
"You kept it," I whispered. It was a little paint splattered one. I had gotten it for Jacob's birthday one year and decided I didn't like the color.
"Yes, I did. Three years ago, when you moved back to Forks from Arizona, I didn't know what happened, but I was always happier with you around. It took me a while, but I realized I loved you. I loved you enough that if being with Edward was what would make you happy, I was willing to let you do that. But he was bringing you down. You didn't smile as much and I could tell you weren't happy. I was thrilled when you kissed me those two years ago, after you dumped Cullen." I heard a loud whoop from someone in the audience and realized that Jacob's voice was strong and powerful and carried to the back of the room. "Bella, I've waited two long years for the day that I could ask you this important question."
Jacob pulled out a small velvet box from his coat and got ready to kneel. Everything clicked.
"Yes! YES!!!" I shrieked. I flung my arms around his neck and started kissing him. I began crying again. I finally unhooked myself from him.
"You didn't even let me ask the question."
"Sorry." I bit my lip in anticipation.
"Would you help me propose to Jessica Stanley?" he asked. All color disappeared from my face and Jacob burst into laughter.
"You!" I complained hitting his shoulder playfully. "Now just ask me for real so I can kiss you, you idiot!"
"Isabella Marie Swan, would you marry me?"
"What would make you think I wouldn't?" I asked before flinging myself at him again. He swung me around and the audience responded with loud cheers of approval.
"I love you so much."
"Bella!" I turned to see Alice, my pixie of a best friend, dancing down the stairs. "Isn't it wonderful! Jasper proposed to me yesterday!" We pulled each other into a hug and jumped up and down squealing. "Maybe we could have a joint wedding!" Oh no.
"I don't know, Alice. It's not that I wouldn't love that, but I don't think so." Alice's face fell.
"But you can plan the wedding," Jacob added. Alice grinned mischievously.
"Jake, you have no idea what you just got us into."
"Honestly, Bells, I don't care. As long as you're there, it'll be perfect." He kissed me quickly. We waited by the exit where everyone in the theatre gave us their congratulations. The last person down the stairs was Jasper.
"Jazzy! They said I could plan their wedding!" He raised his eyebrow in a very "Mr. Spock"- like fashion.
"You have no idea what you just got yourselves into."
"That's what I said," I told him.
"Well, congrats, Sis," he told me, giving me a hug and kiss on the forehead. I smiled at the nickname he used for me. Alice nd I were as close as sisters and I was glad that Jasper accepted me as family too.
"Thanks, Jazz." Alice pulled me away to talk about the wedding, but I whispered, "Later. I want to be with Jacob right now." She sighed and we returned to our fiancees. We giggled to announce our presence. When we left the theatre, Jacob and I were bombarded with gift cards and congratulations and free movie tickets from the employees.
"So what are you going to tell Charlie?" Alice asked. I paled again.
"I don't know," I admitted. "I haven't seen him in a while. I spend all my time at La Push and we haven't been getting along too well. I'll invite him for dinner, I guess." I sighed into Jacob's chest. My perfect evening had just been ruined.
One week Later
"We have something important to tell you, Dad," I said across the table. He frowned and Jacob squeezed my hand reassuringly. "I-I-" I couldn't finish.
"You're pregnant, aren't you!" I stared at him blankly for a moment.
"No! NO!" I glanced at Jacob, hoping that my fleeting look would tell him I couldn't do this.
"Charlie- Mr. Swan- I love your daughter so very, very much. I know that I've done this a bit backwards, but Bella is not a child any more and neither am I and you can't control her life. I've asked Bella to marry me."
"I said yes," I cut in quickly. Charlie did something unexpected. He started laughing.
"Good for you, boy." He sobered up. "I'm not saying I like it."
"I know, Dad."
"Thanks for dinner," he told me, tossing his napkin on the table and walking out. I dropped my head on the table and sighed.
"At least he didn't shoot me," Jacob added. I gave a halfhearted chuckle and sat back up.
3 years P.E.
I was walking down the aisle in a gorgeous white dress Alice had picked out for me. Edward stood next to Jasper, near my perfect Jacob. I reached the end of the aisle crying, despite the fact that Alice was there next to me. Renee raised my veil and kissed each of my cheeks. Charlie wasn't there.
8 years P.E.
Charlie is dead. I'm sitting next to my Jacob, holding baby Cade in my lap. Jacob hold's our five-year-old daughters, Sarah and Susan, one on each knee. I don't want this to be happening, I want to be at home, as happy as we'd been before we got the phone call from the hospital that Charlie had had a heart attack. He'd died two hours later. Alice is sitting on my other side and I see her smudged mascara and soggy eyeshadow. I haven't cried yet. I'm still in a trance, living outside my body, looking upon myself as though I'm no more than a spirit floating through the air.
Alice takes the giggling Cade and cradles him to her chest. He quiets down, just like her baby daughter, Lauren, who Jasper is holding. Jacob passes Susan on to me and she hugs me close to her. I smile and bury my face into her dark, wavy hair, the same color as Jacobs, and almost exactly the same as mine had been when I was her age. Everyone is filing out towards their cars but Alice, Jasper, Rachel, Paul, and Rebecca and her husband are staying behind with my family.
"Jacob, Bella," Billy called. "Would you come here?" Sarah and Susan cling to Jasper and Alice's legs.
"Is everything okay, Dad?" Jacob asks. I am silent.
"Charlie gave this to me the day after your wedding for me to give to you." He hands us an envelope.
Bella, Jacob, it reads.
I am so sorry that I had to miss your wedding and ruin your special day. I do not know when you will read this letter, but know that I did not want to miss your wedding. I am not completely sure what happened myself, all I remember is getting ready to come, and then waking up in the hospital. They say that I could have died that day, that my heart had stopped, and started again. They say I managed to call them before collapsing again, at which point they brought me with an ambulance to the hospital. I understand that you probably hate me right now, and nothing can ever make up for missing the most important day in your life, but I want to try to make up for it, even if not completely.
I love you, Bella, and I'm sorry, both of you.
Charlie.
"It's the deed to the house," Jacob gasps. I still can't speak. "He's given us his house." I drop down to my knees limply. Jacob pulls me into his arms. I don't care that my children are standing right there, that my almost-sister and her husband are watching them and us as I begin breaking down.
I finally let the tears that I've been holding back for the past five years come.
A/N So, do you love it? Hate it? This is my first Bella/ Jacob fanfiction and my first AH fanfic also, so I want some feedback.