Disclaimer: I don't own the characters, they belong to Stephenie Meyer.
AN: The story is AU. Time frame: during New moon.
Set me free
Bella woke up that particular day telling herself that she was going to be better, that his absence was not going to make her miserable.
He had left, he wasn't coming back and her heart had to accept it.
So she decided that after school she was going to La Push to see Jake. She would finally tell him that she was starting to patch her heart. She wanted to let him know that she cared for him and that if he was a bit more patient she was willing to try to move on with him.
Yes, on that particular day, Bella was sure that it was finally time to let him go.
She didn't expect to stumble and to fall on the floor. She didn't expect to see a board trembling. She curiously opened it and found the CD, the tickets and the pictures. He must have hidden them inside it before he left.
Bella sat there with the memories of her lost love and cried. She cried for what wasn't and for what it could have been.
But most of all, for the first time she cried out of anger.
The day that she had finally thought that she was finally moving on, he had to make an appearance again.
To remind her that no matter what, she would never be free.
She sighed and then stood up. She knew that she couldn't go to see Jake today, that he would have to wait some more, while she sorted out her turmoil. Her patched heart had just been broken again in tiny million pieces.
She didn't know if she had the strength to fight her desperation.
How she managed to get to school, she didn't know. She felt like taking her truck on the motorway and leave. She didn't have a destination in mind. She wanted to drive, and drive, and drive. Until she forgot everything.
'It will be like I never existed' he had said that to her.
But he lied.
Everywhere she went, he was there. Not in flesh but in spirit. Her house, her bed, the school, the cafeteria… He was keeping her heart captive. There was nothing she could do to let him go. The only thing she wanted was to see his eyes, his smile, to feel his cold touch.
But she knew that he was never coming back.
And then the anger reared in her heart again.
He had left her, he had made his family leave her without a goodbye. Poor Jasper was probably drowning in guilt. And Alice, she was probably missing and hurting as she was.
In that moment, she thought that he had been selfish. He never asked what anyone wanted. He assumed that he was right and decided for everyone.
She took a deep breath. And she realized something.
Jake had always tried to tell her what was best for her, but when she had disagreed with him, they had fought. And discussed and fought again. Until one of them won. But she was never one sided. With Jake, she knew she was his equal.
She knew that her best friend had never left her, even when she asked him. Even when she deserved to be abandoned. He had stood with her, fought with and for her. He never took anything for granted, he never took her for granted.
She closed her eyes and she saw Jake. She finally saw him. A boy who had grown up before his time and fought a war that wasn't his but hers. He had protected her from Laurent and Victoria, he was still doing it.
When she had gone to him with the bike, he had seen through her and he had helped her anyway. Every time she had cried because of Ed..Edward, he had offered his shoulder.
He loved her but he never expected anything back. And it wasn't right. He was a goodhearted boy and he deserved to be loved. Totally.
She had been selfish, she had taken him for granted.
But no more!
She finished quickly her lunch, and decided to skip the afternoon's lessons.
She run to her truck and then drove to La Push.
When she parked in front of Jake's house she didn't get out at once.
She took a deep breath and she checked her heart.
Was she really going to be okay?
Yes.
She got off her truck and she saw Jake coming out of his house.
He was smiling and starting to go to her when he saw her face.
She didn't know what he saw in her eyes, but he stopped.
He was looking at her and he seemed unsure.
She took a moment to really look at him, her Jake, her personal sun.
She finally smiled as she slowly walked up to him.
'Hey Bells, what brings you here?' he said.
'I am here to tell you something Jake.' She replied.
He looked at her determined expression and he started to say something, but she closed the gap between them and put her hand on his mouth.
'I love you Jake. I am sorry that it took me all this time to realize it. But here I am with my patched heart, the heart you healed with your warmth and with your love. I am here to tell you that if you still want me, I am yours.'
He looked at her to be sure that she meant every single word and what he saw must have convinced him because he took her in his arms.
He smiled one of his warm smile and then he kissed her.
In that moment, in his arms she knew she took the right decision.
She would always remember Edward, but her heart now belonged to Jake.