That's what I'm Doing these Days

What happened if, years later, Jacob and Bella meet again? What if Bella didn't comeback in New Moon, and ran away with Edward, with only Alice and the Cullen to break the news to everybody? What if she is still human?

Hey Baby, is that you?

Wow your hair got so long

Yeah, yeah I love it, I really

Norma Jean, ain't that the song we'd sing in the car

Driving down town, top down

Making the rounds

Checking out the bands on Doheny Eve.

Brown hair – the same colour, the exact shade as her. But it couldn't be.

Jacob turned his head to get a closer look. Petite body, pale skin, layers and layers of clothes, chocolate brown eyes…

Before he could stop himself, the name left his lips, "Bella,"

And she looked up, just like she had all those years ago.

She hadn't changed. At all – she was still human.

"Bella, is that you?"

"Jake?" His heart – to his disgrace – still reacted the same way to her voice. "Jacob Black?"

"Wow, your hair got long," he said, as she walked closer to him. He noticed that she still walked cautiously – she obviously hadn't discovered her balance over the years.

"Oh Jake," she breathed, hugging him tightly. And, to his surprise, he hugged back. IT was like a dream – one he'd had for too long – one he'd had since she left. When he was sixteen.

A song came on the radio, but Jake was paying attention – he busy trying to not break down in front of her, or not slap her – whichever come first.

"Hey, it's our song," she said softly, looking up at him.

Jake looked at her – they had a song? But she hated music.

She smiled at him, "You don't remember – I suppose it wouldn't mean as much to you. But this was the song that was on the radio that night in garage – when we had so make Coke's…"

He grinned as he remembered, "That we both danced until we were exhausted,"

"And so you thought we'd go driving the rabbit – looking for buskers – at 2 in the morning."

He grinned. He'd forgotten about that. Probably for a reason. That was just before…

Yeah Life throws you curves

But you learn to swerve

Me, I swung and I missed

And the next thing you know

I'm reminiscin'

Dreamin' old dreams

Wishing old wishes,

Like you would be back again

The questions burnt at his lips – why are you here? Does Charlie know? Why are you human? Did the bloodsucker leave you?

But instead, all he said was, 'Wow, what a curve ball,"

Bella grinned and fully released him. He felt lost without her arms where they should be – around him. "You still speak with sporting terms?"

He bit back his reply – 'I missed this curve tho – swung and missed.' "At least you remembered."

"How could I forget?"

"So, are you back?" He cursed himself – that wasn't supposed to come out. Of all the things to say…

"No, just for today and tomorrow. I've gotta run now, but we'll catch up tomorrow, yeah?"

"Sure, sure," he replied, and she gave him a quick hug before she walked away.

Walked away again.

From him.

I wake up and teardrops

They fall down like rain

I put on that old song we danced to and then

I head off to my job

Guess not much has changes

Watch the clock

Head for home

Check the phone, just in case

Go to bed, dream of you

That's what I'm doing these day

Jacob wake up to the rain pouring outside his small flat above his garage, the tears he cried silent in comparison to the storm that raged.

He had worked himself insanely hard that afternoon – trying to keep himself occupied, to stop thinking about Bella, in all her returned glory.

He rubbed his eyes, and put on the much-abused copy of that song, the song where they had hugged in her truck when life was good – when they were just Bella and Jake, when he could coax her to get up and dance, in the middle of an empty parking lot, to that song.

He could remember so much – and his suppressed memories that been suppressed for a reason, all came flooding back.

He was reminiscing, about the old days – heck, he wasn't even 25 yet, but they were the old days – when they were good.

Yeah that's what I'm doing

He missed them, and would do anything to go back to that night, to have called Charlie and told him that Bella was staying the night at his house, where that leech hadn't been waiting for her, to take her Italy, Italy to save that monster.

But he still loved her.

And that scared him

Someone told me

After college, you ran off to vegas

You married a rodeo cowboy, wow

That ain't the girl I knew

Me, I've been a few places

Mostly here and there, once or twice

Still sorting out life but I'm doing alright

"So, you got married in Vegas?" Jacob asked politely, as if he were talking to someone he barely knew, not the girl he had fallen in love with so many years ago.

Bella blushed, making his heart jolt. "Yeah, after College – Edward put me through."

"That doesn't sound like you – getting married in Vegas."

Her blush got redder. "You been anywhere near there?" She aske,d trying to divert the conversation.

I let her have that one. "Yeah, here and there, I was in Arizona for a few years, doing my degree,"

"Really?"

"Mechanics – you can't anything these days without a piece of paper."

"I know. Anywhere else?"

"Around, north once or twice."

"You went to Canada?"

"For a holiday," I flashed her my grin – the grin that I saved for all, the grin I hadn't grinned since she left.

Yeah it's good to see you too

Well hey girl, you're late

And those planes they don't wait

But if you ever come back around

This sleepy old town

Promise me you'll stop in

To see an old friend

But until then…

"Crap, I gotta go – I'm late for my plane."

"Yeah, they don't wait for anybody,"

She smiled at me. "Tell me about it."

"So, if you ever come back, around here,"

"To Forks?"

"I know it isn't as exciting as Italy, but if you do come back, just for a fly-through, look me up – we have a lot to catch up on,"

Like the fact you're still human. Like the fact that that leech isn't here,

"Will do Jake. It was great, catching up with you,"

"You too Bells,"

I whispered her nickname, and I saw the light catch her eye – she had tears welling there.

Oh Gods, she missed me too. She gave me a quick peck on the cheek.

"Good bye Jake," she told me, her voice cracked and choked up with emotions.

"Bye Bells," I murmered, to her retreating back.

I wake up and teardrops

They fall down like rain

I put on that old song we danced to

And then

The heavens opened then – gotta love Forks Weather.

But I wasn't going to let her go, not now, not after all these years of nothing. I was going to fight for it.

Fight for her.

I wake up and teardrops

They fall down like rain

I put on that old song we danced to

And then

That song was on the radio as I ran to the airport, hoping I could just catch her, kiss her, beg her not to leave – beg her stay.

I wake up and teardrops

They fall down like rain

I put on that old song we danced to

And then

I arrived, I saw her, I see her,

"BELLA!" I yell.

She turns to me. "Jake," she mouths, when that bloodsucker touches her arm.

"Bella? You alright?" He asks her softly.

She shook her head at him and looked back at me.

"Sorry," she mouths and walks off with him.

And, with every step she takes, she breaks my heart a little more.

Yeah, not much has changed.