Bella Chooses Jacob

She stood in my doorway and again my breath was captured. How was it possible, after the day she had, that she was still as perfect as an angel. Her eyes were wide as she took in my bruised and broken body, but they were also red. Had she been crying? Damn it. If Cullen had made her cry for what happened before the fight I was going to rip him apart.

"Jacob," she whispered it so softly I almost didn't hear it. Her eyes were filled with remorse and pain. Damn it twice, she's coming here to tell me she doesn't want me. I'm not enough for her. She is planning on spending all her nights in a filthy parasite's arms: letting him love her, letting him kiss her. Something else in my body broke.

She moved cautiously over to the chair beside my bed and lowered herself onto it with her gaze firmly locked on her folded hands in her lap.

"Jake, I'm so sorry." Her voice caught a little in her throat. God, she was so beautiful, it made me ache. Well, worse than I already did. And she was sorry, fantastic. Sorry that my heart was now shattered into a million jagged pieces that were cutting bitterly into me from the inside out. This would be the death of me. No evil, immortal super creature, but this delicate, innocent girl who didn't have enough strength to punch him.

"Bella look at me," I said and was surprised by how rough my voice sounded. Shit, I was not going to cry with her right here in front of me. I couldn't. Didn't I have any dignity? I knew the answer to that, though. No. I had absolutely no dignity when it came to Isabella Swan. She cautiously raised her deep chocolate eyes to meet mine, and I lost myself in them for a moment, needing to shake my head slightly to clear it. For a moment those eyes brought me back to that God forsaken mountain, that kiss. How she grabbed my hair, how her breath caught slightly when I pulled her tighter, that absolute perfect moment of joy and disbelief when she had finally kissed me back. At least I would have that one memory.

"How bad does it hurt?" she asked, reaching her hand out to gently run along the quilt covering me. How could she do that to me? It felt too damn good to have her touch me, to have me care, which made it hurt too damn much when she left.

"It isn't comfortable, but I'm fine." I tried to make my tone light. It came out cynical, oh well. "Dr. Fang isn't sure how much pain medication I need, so he's going with trial and error. Think he overdid it." I attempted a smile, but it must have come off as a grimace because Bella dropped her hand and leaned away.

"Was he mean?" I knew I didn't have to elaborate. Bella's eyes brimmed again and she folded her arms across herself in her classic pose of distress.

"No," she said shakily after a moment. "I wish he had been."

Damn that bloodsucker. He wasn't playing fair.

"He's manipulating you, you know." I was angry now. That jackass was so much better at this than me.

"He isn't! He would never do that!" she replied, shock coloring her tiny features.

"Oh of course, your tic from hell can do no wrong, I forgot." The words came out bitter and angry, but I didn't care any more.

"At least he didn't threaten to kill himself so I would kiss him!" she yelled back. Then, as if shocked by her own words, she pulled back again. "Wait, pretend that didn't slip out. I swore to myself that I wasn't going to say anything about that."

I took a steadying breath and met her apologetic gaze. Damn she was so beautiful. "Why not?"

"Because I didn't come here to blame you for anything."

"It's true, though," and I was surprised by how even my voice was. "I did do that."

"I don't care, Jake. I'm not mad."

I smiled, "I don't care, either. I knew you'd forgive me, and I'm glad I did it. I'd do it again. At least I have that much. At least I made you see that you do love me. That's worth something."

"What do you mean, 'at least you have that'?"

"I can't believe you're going to make me say this, Bells! At least when you go running back to him and I'm left, broken and miserable, behind, at least I'll have your memory."

She closed her eyes and took a deep, shaky breath.

"I'm not going anywhere Jake."

What? "What?"

Those captivating eyes fixed on mine, and I was overwhelmed by the love I saw there. "I left him. Edward. He broke me when he left, and I clung on when he came back because I felt that if he had been the one to make me hurt so badly, then he could be the one to make it better. But that wasn't him, was it? It was you Jacob. You're the one who fixed me, who loved me when I thought I was un-loveable. I'm sorry it took me so long to see it Jake. I'm so sorry."

I froze. She was sitting beside me now on the bed. Both of her hands were wrapped around on of mine and her tears had finally spilled over, running sweetly down her soft cheeks.

All her words made sense, I could fit them together and see that they formed sentences with meaning and purpose, but my brain could wrap around them. A dangerous flame of hope began to smolder deep inside me. Happiness threatened to encase me. I fought these down and decided to be as direct as possible.

I swallowed painfully several times before I was able to rasp out, "What are you saying?"

"I-I love you Jake," she barley got the words out through her sobs.

And just like that the flood gates opened. The happiness and hope and ecstasy and elation and euphoria swallowed me whole. I laughed in disbelief and because I couldn't contain the emotions spewing from me. Tears escaped my eyes and laughter my lips. Ignoring the searing pain on my bad side I wrapped my good arm around her waist and pulled her down to me. She was conscious of my injuries as she wrapped her arms around my neck and cried into my chest. I just continued to squish her to me and cry and laugh like a manic. I couldn't believe it. After all this time, all this longing, all this wishing and imagining, could this really be happening. I realized I had been whispering her name in a most reverent lament as she turned her head to place delicate kisses along my neck, my cheek, my shoulder. God I would have walked to hell and back a thousand times just to have this one moment.

"I love you, Bella." It was all I could think to say. Well that's not true. I had a million things to say, a million questions to ask, but for now, I just held my angel.

She spent every day here while I was recovering. I hated to be stuck in bed when all I wanted to do was cradle her in my arms. She set firm boundaries, insisting that she would not let me hurt myself any more for her, which was adorable and annoying as all hell. She wouldn't kiss me for more than a few seconds because I did not seem capable of lying properly still while her soft lips were brushing mine in that sweet way of hers.

The Cullens had moved to Dalia. Billy told me one night after Bella had left. Only the doctor was still here, just to make sure I healed before he joined them. Bella made sure to not be there when the doc was and we never talked about them. She had chosen me, but I knew a part of her would always love him and a huge part of her would feel guilty for loving me. I wanted to assure her that none of this was her fault, but I didn't want to upset her.

I was totally blessed out and it wasn't long before Dr. Dracula visited for the last time. He cleared me to move around and told me he wouldn't be coming back again, and they were out of our lives for good. At least that's what I thought.

"I brought you a milkshake. I don't know what it is about the powers of chocolate ice cream that always makes you feel better, but who am I to question such long proven methods of spiritual healing?" Bella glowed as she walked in. I didn't say anything for a moment, just watching her walk over, place the to go cup by my head and straighten my quilt.

"What?" she asked, noticing my gaze.

"You are so beautiful," I was always embarrassingly honest with her, but I would always be if I could bring that charming blush to her cheeks. I pulled myself into a sitting position and she fluttered around me, trying to help me, although I didn't need it.

"Come here," I invited, moving over and holding out my arm for her to come settle against my side. I had Billy bring in a few more fans so she would be more comfortable when I clung to her like this. I held her firmly with one hand and stroked her hair with my other. "So after I'm cleared to walk around by the doc," I said slyly, "can I take you on a real date?"

"Hmm," she said shifting to look up at me. "Like where?"

"I don't know. Some place lots of people will see me. I want to show you off," I said, playfully tweaking her cute nose.

Sensing what I wanted, she shifted upwards so I could reach her mouth. I kissed her whenever I could, reveling in the fact that she wanted me to now. With one hand cradling her head, I kissed her hungrily, knowing she would pull back all too quickly, but she surprised me by kissing me back just as fiercely. I gasped as she pressed herself against me and I greedily ran my other hand all up and down her soft curves. I pushed my tongue into her mouth and when she opened her mouth wider against me I let out a deep moan. Immediately she let go and pulled back.

"I'm sorry Jake," she said slightly breathless. I was panting pretty hard myself. "What hurts?" What hurt was the absence of her mouth against mine. I moved my hands to try and pull her back against me, but she stood up and started fussing over me like a mother hen. Damn.

"Nothing Bells, stop worrying. I was trying to tell you that I'm off bed rest."

"Really?" she asked excited and threw her arms around my neck. "Oh Jake, I've been so worried about you. Thank God for freaky werewolf healing powers!" I chuckled as I hugged her back but some movement outside of my window caught my attention. Some one was watching up. Someone tall and pale with copper hair. Shit.

He was gone again in a flash, but I knew I hadn't been mistaken. Well Cullen, look how the tables have turned. A couple of hours later Bella left with a kiss and a promise to be back tomorrow.

I listened until the roar of her truck retreated, then sighed and eased back into my pillows. I let my eyes drift close, thinking of my beautiful, amazing, sexy girlfriend. All of a sudden my body stiffened and my instincts made me jump, albeit unsteadily, out of bed as the sickly sweet sent filled my nostrils. He was there, in my corner. He was in my fucking room!

"Hello Jacob," he said in that exasperatingly polite tone of his.

"Hey Leech. Aren't vampires forbidden to cross your threshold unless invited?" It didn't come out with much venom. I sort of felt sorry for the shmuck. Lord knows I'd been without Bella for way to long and it nearly killed me every day.

"Urban legend." Jeez, he looked like hell. His face was drawn in, his eyes completely flat, and the circles under them were darker than I was used to seeing.

"So what are you doing here Edward? She dumped you," he flinched as I said the words, but I didn't apologize.

"I came here to warn you," he replied in a flat voice. Warn me? Who the hell did he think he was? He was alone, I could have an entire pack here in seconds, not that I wouldn't love to take this guy on myself. "When you hurt her, Jacob Black, I-"

"Listen douche, I'm not going to hurt her. You know what's in my head. You know perfectly well I worship the ground that girl walks on, which is precisely what keeps me from ripping your head off right now for coming into my home without my consent!"

"Yes I know what is in your head, which is why I don't skin you alive for laying a hand on her. But I'll say again, when you hurt her, not if, when, you hurt her, I'll be there. I'll always be right here waiting. I'm not going anywhere. This war of ours, it isn't over."

And he was gone.

Alright Cullen, game on.