So, first off, I know Jacob hasn't imprinted on Bella according to Stephenie Meyers. But hey, a girl can dream right?

I looked at myself in the mirror, like so many I had seen do in movies or bridal commercials. But Alice had seriously outdone herself with this wedding and even though I swore to myself to kill her after the ceremony, but I just couldn't bring myself to be angry with her now. In truth, I was actually quite grateful.

I realized that this wedding is exactly the kind of wedding every single girl has dreamt of since she hit puberty and hormones ran high. Aside from the fact that it was overcast, surprise surprise, the setting was perfect. The decorations, bleach white and blue, were the very definition of elegant, and something about the intoxicating scent in the air made the whole scene very comforting as I breathed it in.

I had read about this kind of happiness in novels. Truly I felt like Elizabeth Bennet right about to marry Mr. Darcy. Or even like Elinor who just realized her future happiness with her dearest Edward. I felt like I was in a Jane Austen novel too, drama and all.

But eventually reality came back to me as I looked back into the mirror, my short figure curved in a very fitting dress, it sparkling white like Edward's skin in the sunlight. I sighed remembering the very few times I'd seen him like that. By the feel of the dress I guessed Alice had gone personally to Paris or Italy especially to get it.

I fingered the satin gloves resting on the chair next to me, when I heard the door silently creak open. I threw a glance over my shoulder, wondering who would bother me after I specifically asked not to be! About to yell at my intruder, I was muffled by surprise.

There, peeking through the door was Emily Young, Sam's fiancée. Her dark eyes found her way to me and she smiled that warm, motherly smile at me and I immediately relaxed.

"Come in! Please." I managed through my shock. I never thought anybody even associated with the pack would come to my wedding, let alone the fiancée of the pack leader. Something about Emily's presence made me feel more comfortable, somewhat closer to home. I didn't know what that meant, but in any case I liked it.

"Bella," Emily began her eyes taking me in softly as she gathered my hands in hers. "Sweetie, how are you?"

"I'm great." I lied, "Couldn't be better. It is so good to see you, Emily."

But she continued to pin my eyes down under hers. "Are you sure you want to do this?" she said so frankly it almost took me aback.

No matter how much of a sister Emily was like to me, I felt anger bubble up in me. Why did people always feel the need to ask me that? Of course I wanted to do this. I love Edward and I want to make him happy. I want to be with him. Forever.

"Yes Emily." I retorted sternly, "It's a little late now isn't it?"

"Oh honey, it's never too late." Emily bit her lip and unlocked her eyes to look down at her hands, and then resumed her position staring into my eyes.

"I actually came here to tell you something." Emily continued. I could see the pain in her eyes pulse with every word she breathed. "Sam didn't want me to come. He didn't want me to tell you. And I know I'm betraying Jacob too."

His name stung in my mind. I hadn't seen him since the day I had watch him lie broken, both physically and emotionally.

Seeing my agonized reaction to Jacob's name, Emily immediately wrapped me in a warm hug, as I fought back the tears. Then she pulled me away and led me to a sofa near by.

"Bella," Emily hesitated a little and took a deep breath, "Bella, Jacob has imprinted. He-"

But I cut her off before she could continue, "Emily! Don't you see? This is great! All this time I've been tearing myself apart because I thought my Jacob would be alone…" Crap. It slipped out again. My Jacob.

I noticed Emily's eyes widen at this. "I knew this was going to be harder than I thought." She muttered to herself.

"What? What is it, Emily?" I asked almost frantically, now.

"Bella, Jacob has imprinted on you." Emily said quietly, anticipating my reaction.

My whole body went numb, my hands dropping limp into my lap. Jacob imprinted on me. How could that be? He said he hadn't. It was only Sam, Jared, and Quil. No, No, No, No! My mind went still when I remembered something Jacob said to me his voice resounding clear in my head as if he was there in front of me still, "I was the natural path your life would've taken…"

How could I have been so stupid? All those things he had said to me, about him being the sun and air to me… they had all been true. But why hadn't he told me? Maybe it would have helped me better understand why he couldn't just let me go.

It was if Emily could read my mind and wanted to rid my mind of the questions that plagued it. "Look," she said gently, "there is something else I need to tell you. Jacob doesn't believe he has imprinted on you. But Sam knows. I know. We believe the reason is it is because he may have imprinted on you beforehe changed into a werewolf. It is so rare, almost like a myth. You see, he's always felt the same way about you from the moment he saw you. He always felt like life couldn't be lived without you there beside him. I know, because I feel the same way about Sam.

"And I know you feel the same way about Jacob. Don't you see? You might as well be killing him. He cannot live without you. And I wanted you to know that. I wanted you to know it's never too late."

I breathed in a stifled breath. I still couldn't feel myself. For all I knew the world could've been miles away and I wouldn't notice. But I still wanted to know more. I wanted to know why.

"Emily," I asked once I gained enough consciousness to speak, "Emily, why didn't he tell me he might have imprinted? On me?"

"Well," she started, deep in thought, "I suppose it's because he wanted you to choose him. Really choose him though and not feel obligated in any way. He knew it would have helped him if he told you, but he also knew it would hurt you both if you still chose Edward. Maybe hurt you beyond repair."

"Well," I said blinking hot tears from my eyes, "he was right." It hurt me to see Emily's face wash over in concern and something that looked like- disappointment? "Please Emily, if you're done I would like you to leave. I need to get ready for my wedding." I could feel the cold dripping from my lips and the apparent hurt in Emily's face. She nodded to herself, got up and left.

I waited until the door clicked before I sat back down on the couch and cried freely with no one to judge me. Why was it so hard for me to decide? I love Edward with all my being. But still, I love Jacob all the more now. Could I stand a world without either? And yet, Jacob, my Jacob, can't last forever. Not like Edward. Do I really want that for myself? Could I live forever with Edward knowing that Jacob had surely died miserably? All the same could I grow old with Jacob and know Edward was out there in the world, anticipating my death, so when I do finally die, he too can take himself from the world?

I felt a tremor go down through my back. Could I live without kissing the cold? Would I survive without caressing the heat once more? They say time heals all, but sometimes I doubt the truth of that statement.

I held back my tears for a moment and sniffed my stuffy nose. I got up and looked back in the mirror. And for once in my life I really saw myself. A mess. My eyes were red-rimmed from crying, black rivulets of mascara running down my blotted cheeks. My over-priced dress was wrinkled in the places my fists had clenched around it. My once professionally done intricate hair was in disarray around my head.

But I didn't care. I actually did not care.