Everything is Perfect Now
Disclaimer: all characters and copyright belong to Stephanie Meyer.
A/N-this story was inspired by a picture I saw on Twitter of Jake and Bells at the wedding. The caption read 'Everything is perfect now', as they held each other dancing. Nikki :)
It was quiet in the little clearing. The music from the band was faint in the distance. Jacob waited impatiently for Edward to bring his new bride to see him. It had been weeks since he had laid eyes on Bella and Jacob was even now beginning to second guess his rash decision to attend the wedding and see her one final time. He had missed her badly during the weeks he had gone wolf and hidden away from the world, as he tried to deal with the fact that the girl he loved was headed for certain death. He couldn't comprehend that she was really intending to go ahead with the change. Right up until he had received the wedding invitation he had hoped that she would come to her senses, but holding the ornate card in his hand had killed his last hope and he had run, determined to shut off his human side and numb the pain. But he couldn't run forever...
Finally Edward's familiar sweet stench announced the leech's arrival. Jacob pulled his hands out of the pockets of his black trousers and stood straight, his eyes straining for his first glimpse of Bella.
"I have a surprise for you, my love." Edward's voice floated through the trees as he led Bella toward the clearing.
"Another one. You spoil me." Bella sounded weary.
"You'll like this one." Edward laughed softly as they both finally emerged into the open.
Jacob saw Bella turn from her new husband and look his way. He would never forget how her face glowed with happiness when she saw him. Bella immediately tore away from Edward and ran over to him. She literally threw herself into his waiting arms. "Jake, you're here. You are really here."
"I'm here." Jacob held her slim body close to his for a moment before looking over her shoulder at Edward.
"Rosalie owes me a dance." Edward smiled gently at Bella.
"Thank you, Edward." Bella whispered as she turned fleetingly to smile at him.
"My pleasure." Edward nodded at Jacob before disappearing within the trees.
Jacob took Bella's hands in his own as she smiled up at him, her heavily made up eyes glinting with tears. "I can't cry." She whispered. "I'll ruin Alice's work. But Jake, I am so happy to see you. How have you been?"
"That's not important now. Dance with me?" Jacob let go of her hands and placed his around her slim waist. They began to sway slowly to the music.
Bella put her hands on his broad shoulders and studied him for a moment. His dark eyes looked sad even though he was smiling at her. His hair was cut very short again. The last time she had seen him he had been growing it out. "Where have you been?"
"Different places. I ended up in Canada." Jacob shrugged his shoulders.
"I've been so worried about you." Bella confessed.
"You didn't have to. I can take care of myself." Jacob took her hand and whirled her round suddenly, making her giggle as she nearly tripped. "Still have two left feet."
"I won't miss tripping over everything that's for sure." Bella said unthinkingly.
Jacob's expression darkened. "That is one of the things I love about you. Why are you so intent on changing who you are? What is wrong with being Bella Swan?"
Bella sighed as she rested her head on his shoulder. "It's not about changing who I am, Jake."
Jacob slipped his hand down to the small of her back and pressed her closer. "Isn't it?"
"No. Please let's not argue." Bella begged. She lifted her head and looked at him imploringly.
"Fine." Jacob released her and twirled her round again before drawing her back to him. "You look beautiful by the way...but that dress isn't you."
Bella looked down at her wedding gown. It certainly wasn't to her personal taste. It was something a bride from the early part of the last century might have worn. However it pleased Edward, his eyes had lit up with joy when he had seen her walking down the aisle toward him. That alone was enough to make her endure the uncomfortable material and the long skirts which impeded her when she walked.
"You look handsome yourself." Bella complimented Jacob. He was wearing a white shirt, open at the neck and with the sleeves pushed up to his elbows. He had teemed it with a pair of black trousers.
"I had to borrow the shirt from Jared." He told her as they began to sway to the faint music again.
Bella smiled softly at him as she rested her head back on his shoulder. Jacob drew her nearer, his hand gliding down her back and resting just above the curve of her waist. He dropped his head to her shoulder and closed his eyes. "What would you have worn at our wedding?" He whispered.
She was taken by surprise at this question. "I have never thought about it."
"Never? Not even once?" Jacob sounded hurt.
Bella quickly backtracked. She hadn't told him the truth. She had imagined it once, months ago before Edward had come back into her life. Back then she had slowly started imagining a life with Jake but it all came to naught when Edward had returned. "Maybe once." She confessed.
Jacob relaxed again. He tugged her closer. "Tell me about it."
"Um...I'm not sure that..."
"Please Bells." Jacob pleaded with her.
"Okay." Bella caved in. She couldn't bear to cause him pain. "I saw myself in a simple white dress, plain with spaghetti straps. It would fall to my feet to hide the fact that I wasn't wearing shoes."
"You didn't want to risk tripping?" Jacob chuckled and Bella laughed along with him.
"Exactly. Anyway high heels would not be appropriate on the beach."
"Beach huh?"
"Yeah. I always saw us on the beach. I would be make up free, my hair loose down my back and I would be holding a simple posy of wild flowers." Bella continued dreamily.
"Like the ones I brought you when you had the flu at Christmas." Jacob reminded her.
"Yeah like those."
"What else?"
"There would just be a few guests, the pack, our parents and a few close friends. My dad would walk me down the beach toward you. You would be wearing pretty much what you are now, the whole wedding would be really informal. I can't imagine the pack wanting to be overdressed, you are all so hot." Bella laughed.
Jacob smiled as he pictured everything in his head. "True." He agreed.
"Then when I reached you, my dad would place my hand in yours and we would then say our vows." Bella whispered.
"Which are?" Jacob raised his head and looked straight into her brown eyes.
"I don't know. I never got that far." Bella tore her eyes from his and looked at the floor.
"I did." Jacob released her waist and put his hands on her face instead, forcing her to look into his eyes again. "Bella Swan, you came crashing back into my life when I least expected it. You took my heart as your own the first day you smiled at me with those pouty lips and your beautiful brown eyes. From that day forward you were the only girl I ever saw..." he stopped when he saw Bella frown. "What is it?"
"Why did you say that?"
"What?"
"That I was the only girl you ever saw?"
"Because it's true." Jacob shrugged nonchalantly.
"You said that once before."
"I did?"
"You know you did, Jacob. On First beach when you told me about imprinting." Bella sounded suspicious.
"Where are you going with this?" Jacob watched her reaction intently.
"I should be asking you that." Bella pulled his hands away from her face and stepped back from him. "You were lying that day, weren't you?"
"About?"
"Stop being evasive." Bella snapped. "I asked if you had imprinted on me and you said no. Then moments later you were telling me I was the only girl you ever saw. I can't believe I didn't see it."
Jacob shrugged again. "I gave you a hint but you didn't pick up on it."
"You should have made yourself clear." Bella's small hands curled into fists. She felt so angry at him that she wanted to punch him.
"What does it matter now?" Jacob crossed his arms defensively. "You got what you wanted in the end. You're married to your leech."
"Of course it matters." Bella cried passionately. "It's over isn't it? My marriage to Edward is over."
"That would be your choice. Yours. I never took it away from you." Jacob yelled back at her.
"But you did. I know what will happen now if I go ahead with the change. I am your imprint and you could die, Jake. You should have just told me." Bella began to pace in front of him.
"And what? Keep you by my side out of guilt? Yeah that's a great relationship." Jacob said bitterly.
"You never gave me that choice though, did you? You kept it from me." Bella forgot herself and tried to hit him. Jacob caught her hand before it could connect with his face.
"I want your love, Bells. Not your damn pity. I never wanted to be second best." Jacob let go of her hand and began to walk away from her.
Bella lifted the long skirts of her wedding dress and began to follow him. She cursed as her feet got tangled up and she nearly fell. "Get back here, right now. I order you." She screamed at him.
Jacob stopped walking. He spun round and glared at her. "You cannot order me."
"That's how it works, isn't it? You are supposed to do as I say to keep me happy." Bella said smugly.
"In your dreams." Jacob snorted. "I take orders from no one."
"You were the one who told me that if you imprinted then you would become whatever the imprintee wanted." Bella reminded him.
"Exactly." Jacob retorted. "And I know for a fact that you don't want some lame puppy dog that wags its tail every time you want something. We are Jake and Bells, this is how it works."
"You mean I want an arrogant, self absorbed, cocky guy who argues with me constantly?" Bella said in disbelief.
"Yes." Jacob laughed at her bemused reaction. "You also want a guy who adores you and loves every bit of you for who you are and will fight to the end to get you to open your eyes to what has been in front of you the whole time. All you have to do is let go of your stubbornness and realise that you were over the leech months ago and it's me you really love. But you're Bella Swan, you have to do things the hard way."
Bella stared at him as she tried to get her bearings. Was he right? Really? She had gone through this whole charade of a wedding because she was stubbornly clinging to the past? "Did you come back because of the imprint pull? Did you know that I was ready to accept it if you came back?" She asked him.
Jacob nodded. "Yes. For the first time I felt you calling me back."
Bella slumped to the ground, the white dress became covered in mud as she irritably tried to get the voluminous skirts out of the way. Jacob knelt down to assist her. He yanked at the material and it came away in his hands. Bella gasped as she stared at the torn dress. Alice was going to have a fit. She looked at Jake who was trying to hide his laughter.
"You did that on purpose." She guessed.
"So? It will be a great story to tell the others later." Jacob grinned at her.
"You're awfully sure of yourself, Jake." Bella retorted. "I have not said that I am going anywhere with you."
"You don't need to say. I know." Jacob said firmly.
"Because of the imprint?"
"No, because you are my Bella." Jacob reached out and took her hands, hauling her back onto her feet. He put his hands on her waist and tugged her closer, so her body was pressed close to his. Bella rested her cheek on his shoulder and he lay his next to hers. "Everything is perfect now." He whispered.
Bella nodded as they began to sway to the beat of their hearts.
A/N-thanks. This was supposed to be a one shot, but I feel it could stretch to one more chapter! Maybe?