Author's note: I decided to do a little revision on The Labyrinth, so these are the updated chapters. Not much is changed; there were just some parts that I didn't prefer. However, the majority of the story is left unchanged. Sorry for the inconvenience.

Ch. 1

Little White Lie

Jacob:

The truck rumbled to a halt in front of the house. I sat still, staring through the fading, hazy dusk light, contemplating. It was twilight; I really rather preferred this term to dusk or evening or nightfall. It seemed ominous, yet magical, which went perfect with my plan. I let an easy, sly smile creep across my face, but even under the mask of confidence, uncertainty lingered like a bad taste in my mouth. Smiling larger, I realized bad smell would be more appropriate in this situation. Was I strong enough to pull this one off? Could I inflict this pain on the one I loved? I had to; it was my last and only chance. Reaching over the seat, I grabbed the fancy-smancy envelope and picked up the beige leather jacket, rubbing the two together to get the full effect. Finally, I was ready.

The freshly fallen leaves crackled and rustled with the wind, but made no sound under my silent tread as I walked across the short path. Effortlessly and silently, I sprang up to the roof and peered inside the dark window. It was crucial I got the timing exactly right or else this would never work. As I had hoped, there was no movement coming from the small, cluttered bedroom. The best part was a single lump covered by the old quilt. Everything how it should be. It was a go. I quickly pushed the stubborn window up and slid through the small opening, intent on my prize.

* * * * *

Bella:

I was running, from what I had no idea, but I could hear something or someone behind me. I kept expecting my feet to betray me and bring me down onto the soft ground below, but they moved in agile sync, propelling me forward. I was in La Push on the familiar beach, racing against the violent waves. Even though I knew it would be less difficult to run without the tide shoving and dragging me, I could not manage to pull myself away from its icy bite. And then suddenly, I recognized my surroundings. Abruptly I stopped, the frozen water swirling around my ankles, and stared ahead. I was at our tree. The large, dead one that Jake and I always went to. I expected the tears to come, but for some reason, I didn't feel sad. Quite the contrary, I was happy. I sensed that he was here, though I couldn't dismiss whether it was just my mind playing tricks on me. And then I heard it. The twig snapped directly behind me, and I froze, too scared to turn. Cold hands enveloped my waist, turning my motionless body to face him. I wasn't afraid anymore; I had a pretty good idea who it was. A smile lit up my face as I met his stare. It wasn't what I expected. His usually golden eyes were frantic, twitching back and forth over my calm face. His smooth forehead was replaced with tiny wrinkles of worry and anxiety, and he wore a frown.

"I'm so sorry, Bella! So very sorry . . . I tried. . . " His voice came out in a rushed whisper as he frantically searched my face. I cut him off.

"Edward, calm down. What are you talking about? Sorry for what?!" My heart stuttered to a stop as ice cold tentacles wound their way around it.

"Please listen, love. There's no time left. Remember, you're the only one I have ever loved, and I'll always love you no matter what." He looked deeply into my eyes, as though he was memorizing everything about me. "I'm so sorry. Victoria, she. . . " For the first time he was at a loss for words. "I don't even know where to begin with such limited time. I'm sorry, Bella love."

My mind scrambled. I tried to grasp what he was saying. Victoria? Victoria?! She was dead! What was he talking about? Something was not right. I could sense it, taste it, smell it. Smell . . . And then it hit me. Of course, the smell of incense was all too strong. My mind took me back to the fight in the field. The burning purple flames wafting into the sky, spreading the impossibly sweet aroma everywhere. It scorched my nose, stung my eyes, bringing tears that spilled over my lashes, though I wasn't sure if that was the main reason. Something indeed was not right. He bent quickly and kissed me. This kiss was nothing like anything I'd experienced before. The fervent need and longing was evident. But there was also something new in this kiss that he had never unleashed. Sorrow, anguish, regret . . . all of these blatant. And then he vanished from my arms. Only the smell of the strong incense lingered in my mouth, in my hair. The cold, misty wind blew across my face, and the smell only grew stronger, more tangible.

I awoke to the sound of soft scraping at my window, and I immediately knew what was happening. It wasn't Edward, for he had already left for the hunt with his brothers, and there was nobody else who would be dropping by at a time like this. Surely not Jacob—he was too angry with me still and probably miles away, moping in his wolf state—and definitely not Alice—she would be concentrating on last minute wedding preparations, to make the 'perfect fairytale wedding' yadda yadda—and Victoria was dead, so that left the unspeakable word. The Volturi. They had made it so blatant that they disapproved of our impending union. Obviously they had sent somebody to finish me off before I could say "until death do us part." I told you so, Edward. I knew this marriage thing was a bad idea from the start, but nooo, he had to have it his way. And now look where it got him . . . he'd be widowed before we even tied the stupid knot.

The sound grew louder as I realized that my window was being opened. Someone was definitely trying to get in, and they were succeeding too. That window was obstinate for anyone who didn't possess mythical strength. So someone was after me again. It would never stop. With frightened, wide eyes I glanced toward the window and saw the hulking figure looming just outside. And then he was there at my side, cradling me in his arms, the burning heat searing my flesh. Confusion and happiness filled me, and I longed to wrap my arms around him, forcing him to stay with me forever. I gripped his shoulders, pulled him closer against me, and kissed him softly on his hot cheek. But even through all my happiness, I felt and sensed something was not right, just like in my dream. Jacob had left filled with hurt and anger. And suddenly he was back here with me like nothing had ever happened. Something had transpired; I knew it. Hastily, I pulled back, gazing into his eyes, searching to see what they held.

"Jacob," I whispered. "What's going on? What's wrong?!" He looked at me without saying anything, and there was something in his dark eyes. Something I couldn't place my finger on.

"Bella, I . . . I'm sorry." He whispered into my ear, his warm breath tickling my skin.

"It's ok, Jacob. I understand why you had to leave. It's fine. I'm just glad you came back; I've missed you." I regretted that last part—I knew it would only hurt him— but my mind wasn't working well enough to stop before I muttered that last bit. I clung to the last shred of hope that I was overreacting, that all I sensed was just Jacob's happiness to see me, maybe worry that Edward might find him here and be angry. Maybe even sadness that he had left me for so long . . . but deep down inside I knew I was wrong. I was just trying to cling to some kind of hope.

"No, Bells, listen to me . . . please." His chocolate eyes pleaded with me, filling me with another round of worry. "You have to listen. I'm sorry I have to be the one to tell you this, but they wouldn't have it any other way. He requested it. . . " He paused, apprehension clouding his face. "Edward, he. . . " Another long, drawn out pause as he gathered what little courage he could to say what I was now dreading. My heart stopped just like in my dream as he spoke of Edward. My Edward.

"Edward? Jacob, what are you saying? Edward what?!!" I barely whispered. "The hunt tonight, it went terribly wrong. His blo . . . uhh, brothers tried, but they were too late. . . " His voice faltered. Before he could continue, I cut him off again.

"Jacob, spit it out!" My voice grew frantic and hysterical. I wasn't sure if this was another one of Jake's cruel jokes or if perhaps he could actually be telling me the truth, some dreadful fact that I didn't wish to know.

"I'm sorry, Bells . . . Edward, he . . . he's gone. He's dead." His voice broke at the end.

"What the hell, Jake?!! That's not funny! Why would you even joke like that?!!" I was angry now, fury emanating from my eyes.

"No, Bella, it's the truth. Victoria, the fight . . . it was all a ruse." His voice was barely a whisper now, but I could hear the horror.

"N-no, Jacob . . . I was there. I saw him t-t-tear her apart, burn every piece of her. Riley and the others, too. I don't know what you're trying to do, but—to think I actually missed you! Ugghhh . . . You're such a pain, Jacob." Though I wanted to kick him out of my room—preferably the second story window— I couldn't until I found out what he was up to with this mean joke of his. A very small part of me actually believed him, and that part was growing larger by the second. I could feel the lump in my throat; the rush of tears wouldn't be too far away. I could no longer contain my anger and anxiety. All of these mixed emotions were leading to a breakdown. I knew my father was bound to wake up any second now with our growing hysterics.

"Bella, that wasn't Victoria. She had all of us fooled. Never . . . Never would I have guessed her true plan. That deceiving, cunning leech . . . She devised the perfect plan, irrefutably flawless. She would be watching from the side lines as her army, led by her sister, fought the Cullens. She wouldn't even have to execute her own scheme." A bitter, slight smile tugged at the corners of his mouth. His eyes bored into mine, detecting the confusion evident in my bewildered expression. "You don't understand me, do you?"—It was more a statement than a question—"Identical sisters. . ." He paused, hoping I would catch on, but my brain refused to work. Momentarily idle, like my lungs and my heart. "She's a twin, Bella." He stopped, letting this piece of information sink in. "She just never expected her to be defeated by your bloodsucker. Not that that even upset her . . . a little sacrifice for the ultimate prize."—Another hint of a smile—"And then tonight, they thought everything was fine. There was nothing to suspect . . . nothing to worry about, what with the assumed Victoria dead, but she came out of nowhere, attacked him . . . He's gone, Bells. I'm so sorry. I know this is hard to believe, but you have to understand. I would never wish for this to happen. I love you . . . I don't want to cause you pain." He slowly leaned forward and lightly brushed his lips across my forehead. The sincerity in his voice, in his manner, was unmistakable.

Slowly, I realized why she had seemed so different that day in the field because it hadn't been her. The innocent, childlike voice that had seemed so strange to me coming from her wild face made sense now. It wasn't her voice. It wasn't the voice I expected because it wasn't Victoria. So she had won after all.

"No, Jacob . . . Can't be true. You're lying. . ." I mouthed the words, cringing to myself. My head was spinning, and I could already feel the bile rising in my throat.

"It's the truth, honestly, Bella . . . Look, you can't stay here anymore; it's not safe. With her back, she's gonna be after you again . . . Carlisle, he wants me to take you away. And, well, I agree . . . We have to leave tonight. . ." He sighed.

"Here, they wanted me to be the one to give this to you. I'm sorry, Bella, honey." He set an expensive looking envelope on my knee, and I recognized the stationary Alice had picked out for the wedding. Although I had refused to be part of the wedding planning—that gene must have skipped me, the one that predisposes women to actually enjoy decorating, shopping, and other girly crap—I knew that stationary all too well. The vile paper had been lying strewn across my jumbled floor for weeks now. Apparently, I was expected—and demanded of—to write thank-you letters for every gift received. Like I had asked for them. I had grown embittered towards the elegant paper due to the amount of gifts that had suddenly accumulated. And they, mainly Alice, expected me to write every single letter within a deadline of three weeks. Procrastination was always my strong suit. However, despite our sour relationship, I fondly stroked the smooth envelope, lingering over the smudged ink. On the front, Edward's elegant cursive spelled out my name, but it wasn't my name. It would have been my name . . . tomorrow after the ceremony. My blurry eyes came to rest on the beautifully scrawled Isabella Cullen.

"Edward. . ." I murmured faintly, hearing his name drawn out with my sad sigh.

"He left it for you. He was going to give it to you . . . on your wedding night. . ." Jacob trailed off, and I could see faint disgust in his eyes, though it seemed like he was trying to hide it for my sake.

I flipped the envelope over, tearing through it to get to his words as the stinging tears began to fall freely now. It smelled of my Edward, the sweet incense filling my nose and mouth. I pulled away from the comforting warmth of Jacob's embrace and stumbled over to the open window. The silvery moonlight filtered in through the fluttering curtains, illuminating the ivory paper clutched in my rigid hands.

My only Love,

Well, by now you are my wife, and you haven't any idea how thrilled I am. I know how reluctant you were to enter this sort of commitment, but I promise that you shall not regret it. I love you, and I just want to stake my claim on you. Bella, my love, you belong to me as I do you. The first moment I realized I could not live without you, that I had fallen in love with the prey, which is utterly inexcusable for our type, was that day in the parking lot at school. In that split second, my life flashed before my eyes, one without you present, and I knew. My life would never be the same without you; I had to have you, had to be with you. My mind and my heart warred against each other, and finally my heart gave in. My body had a mind of its own, and then you were in my arms, safe from harm's way. In that moment while I stared into your eyes, I fell for you, the hardest any man in history has ever fallen. You have given me the strength, the will, the desire to live. So I have a purpose after all. It appears I do have a soul. Thank you, love, for making these last few years meaningful.

Now, I know you will fight me for this, but it has to be said. Bella love, if anything should ever happen to me, I request (and this is my last request, note) that you move on, continue to be happy, and there's only one person you can do that with other than me. Jacob Black. Please, Bella love, I have seen how much it hurts you, how torn you are between the two of us. If, God forbid, something happened to me, I have asked of your Jacob to care for you. It was quite simple; I knew the lovesick pup would not oppose. He loves you, Bella. And if I cannot be there to love and cherish you, then my only wish is that you are cared for by someone I know truly loves you. Please take him without a fight, Love. I couldn't bear to have him know anymore pain because of me. Having been on the receiving end, I know it is not pleasant. If he truly loves you (and he does), then I will concede, only for your happiness.

I love you. I love you. I love you.

Your rapturous husband,

Edward.

Still charitable even now. My legs grew weak under my weight just as I sensed the floor suddenly rushing towards me. Before I could feel the impact, I was being lifted and carried back to my bed. I let the tears fall, making a futile attempt to hide them, and buried my head in Jacob's burning chest. He received the full brunt of it though, as his bare chest was quickly becoming soaked, but he didn't seem to take notice. Just as I knew he would, he wrapped his arms around me, comforting me even as I cried for another man. I knew he would only because he had won finally, so he would be tolerant.

There were so many questions I had swirling in my mind, but my mouth couldn't form the correct words. It opened and closed rhythmically with no sound emitted. Why hadn't the Cullens told me? Alice? Where was she? She wouldn't have left me in this time of need. And why had they sent Jacob? How had they found him? The pack hadn't even been able to convince him to return home, so how had the Cullens managed? I still didn't understand fully what had happened; the words he had spoken just a few minutes ago didn't seem real. It couldn't be. My life couldn't be falling apart. Edward . . . He was invincible. This just couldn't be. My body felt foreign, like a detached appendage.Somewhere in my mind, I could feel it shutting down, repressing my horrible emotions—so many various kinds—before they could tear my heart completely to slivers.

"Don't you see, Bella? We can be together now. I love you so much. I would do absolutely anything. . ." Jacob murmured against my lips as I drifted away into unconsciousness. His husky voice became a blur along with the rest of the night's events. The memories were already tucking themselves away in some forgotten pocket in the depths of my mind, lost indefinitely.

*****

Jacob:

It had worked . . . I had pulled it off . . .

I hadn't actually thought she would believe me; I figured she would demand to speak to the Cullens, which would obviously ruin my whole plan. I hadn't really prepared for that, so I was glad she had passed out in my arms when she did. That would give me enough time to move ahead with the rest of our plans. Our plans . . . I smiled. I was pretty devious, but I had to be nowadays. She would thank me after awhile . . . once she realized that I had saved her from making a terrible mistake . . . once she grasped that I was the one. And she, mine.

It had worked out perfectly, better than I expected. Actually, Bella had helped out more than she knew. I had gotten the stationary from her room—I think some sort of wedding stationary?— a jacket of Edward's off her cluttered floor, and a sample of his handwriting . . . put it all together, and it's a recipe for a bloodsucker. I had the smell exactly right, his flawless handwriting spot on, and voila, she had believed me one hundred percent. Now, to put part two of my plan in action. I had to whisk her away without Edward suspecting anything, just before the big day tomorrow. I knew he wouldn't be coming around tonight; it was against Alice's old-fashioned rules. 'Cannot see the bride before the big day' . . . blah blah blah. Whatever. But it worked out great for me, since I wouldn't have to worry about him stalking her. And with the unaware Alice, who thankfully couldn't see werewolves in her visions, he would never imagine this could possibly be happening.

With the utmost care, I released Bella's clenched hands from around my neck, laying her back down on the bed. She looked peaceful now after her sobbing fit. Her thick, dark eyelashes were drenched, and her pale skin was tear-streaked. Just as I was reaching down to wipe a lone tear away, I heard the bedroom door creak. Worriedly, my eyes darted towards the now open door. A pajama-clad Charlie stood in the small hallway, his hand still resting on the doorknob, eyes staring intently at Bella's unmoving form. Then they flickered to me, and he motioned for me to follow him.

"Come with me, son. We need to talk." His hushed whisper sounded stern, and for a moment, I was frightened of Charlie. Without another glance at Bella, I silently stood and followed his retreating figure down the stairs.

When I reached the kitchen, he was sitting stiffly at the table, staring absently out the window. Warily, I sat across from him, waiting for the impending lecture. I tried to come up with some excuse as to why I was in his daughter's bedroom the night before her wedding. I came up blank. His weary eyes shifted toward me, and I suddenly noticed how old he was beginning to look. It had been a trying year for him, definitely adding some wrinkles to his worn face.

"Poor kid. . . I knew this would happen. How's she handling it? Agghhh, never mind. . .rhetorical question. I know how she's doing. It's that bad, huh?"

"Um, y-you did? Uh, okay. Yeah, she's not doing that good. She's hurting pretty bad." I had absolutely no idea what I was referring to . . . or what he was referring to. It was possible he had heard everything I had said, and if so, my whole plan was in shambles. If he thought Edward really was dead, being the sheriff of Forks would come in handy. It would only be a matter of time before he learned that his future son-in-law was in actuality alive—figuratively speaking—and well. And then I would have some major explaining to do. The prospect of having to deal with that worried me even more, and I could feel a bead of sweat swiftly slide down my back. Having this increased internal body temperature was not such a good thing, especially at a time like this. Damn the Quileute legends . . .

"Yeah, I bet she's beating herself up. Always was a martyr. Look, I'm not quite sure what to say, but . . . I think of you as a son, Jake. You're a good man. And you're good to my Bella; I see how you would be perfect for her. It's just difficult . . . complicated. Seems like that's how it always is for Bells." He smirked, rubbing his forehead and leaning back in his chair. "But then there's Edward . . . who I've only now just begun to warm to, partly because I'm forced . . . But he's good to her also. I know he loves her and deeply regrets all the pain he caused her in the past. I see that. I'm more aware than she thinks I am . . . I'm torn between the two of you. I just want Bella to be happy; whichever path she decides to take, I'll be there for her . . ."

"Er, thanks Charlie . . . You're like family to me too." I was uncomfortable. He wasn't giving anything away, no clues or hints as to what he was talking about. What path is he meaning?

"Thanks for coming back, Jake . . . Although, you should really consider using the front door. The key's where it has always been. I have no idea how you and Edward manage to crawl through that stubborn window of hers. Some things never change no matter the generation." He chuckled lightly to himself as I cringed—the things parents were able to find out. And we had thought we were being sneaky. "Man . . . I just never thought she'd get cold feet the night before her wedding. Gotta be hard . . ." He mumbled more to himself than to me, lost in thought. My head jerked up, eyes widening considerably.

"Cold feet. . .?" My voice was no longer a subdued whisper.

"Yeah, she's got cold feet, right? I mean, why else would she be sobbing like that. Haven't seen that kind of behavior since . . . well, since Edward left. And we all know that isn't happening anytime soon . . . Obviously, she's finally realized she loves you, Jake. It was hard on her when you left, but it must've opened her eyes to the truth. Everyone saw it; Billy and me, we were just hoping the realization would come after the wedding. She'd be safely married, and both of you could just move on. But clearly, fate—or whatever you wanna call it—stepped in. She's torn between two loves and doesn't know which to pick . . . which to ultimately hurt. I wish I could help her more, but this isn't my area of expertise, not in the least bit." He sighed and looked up at me.

"Oh . . . uh, right. Cold feet, yeah. Um, Charlie . . . what if she's already made her choice . . . I mean, uh, what if she did choose me?" I paused, deliberating where I was going with this. His forehead creased slightly, but his eyes stayed glued to mine. "Uh, Charlie? She . . . well, she chose me. Said she thought about it long and hard, but she just isn't ready for the whole marriage thing . . . Thought she could handle it in theory, but she realized that wasn't her. Said she didn't want to end up like Renee—sorry, I don't mean to hurt you Charlie. I think you deserve to know what exactly is going on with her. And that's what she said, word for word . . . The verdict—she wants to be with me. Charlie . . . she doesn't want to stay here right now. She's so confused and angry with herself . . . She said she needs a break, a vacation to get away from all the stress surrounding her life here. If you don't let her go, she's just going to leave on her own, and I don't think she needs to be alone, not now. . . You saw her emotional state up there—she had just passed out before you came in. I really think it'd be good for her, to take a little break, get away from town for awhile, especially with the wedding getting canceled . . . everyone will be talking, you know she'll lose it. I'm going to take her somewhere . . . We can leave early in the morning before all the drama starts. I think this is best Charlie. I love her, I do. . . " I hoped my tone and expression were sincere. If it had worked with Bella, it had to work with her father. Hopefully.

Silence.

"Um, Charlie. . . Were you listening?" I tilted my head to peer at his face, which was now angled downward, his eyes staring listlessly at the old wooden table. Slowly, he lifted his face to peer at me.

"I'm not sure what to think right now. . . hmm, well, I can see she's an emotional wreck, but leaving? I don't know, I don't know. . . maybe. Perhaps it would be good . . . Uh, yeah. I think I agree with you. This place is going to be pretty unfriendly with all the small-town gossip. You're right. . . She needs a break. Alright, I'll let you take her, Jake 'cause she sure as hell won't be able to face the Cullens, not after this. . . Probably best to leave as early as possible to avoid confrontation. I'll talk to them myself, explain everything." More worry lines creased his forehead.

"Thanks. I really think this will work out fine. She'll be fine. We all will. I'll be over here at 7:00. . . That should be early enough. Make sure she gets packed? And Charlie, don't bring this up with her, okay? Please don't even mention the wedding or Edward. . . none of it. It'll only upset her."

"Yeah sure. . . won't mention it. Alright Jake, get on home and get some sleep. . . and use the front door if you don't mind." He stood stiffly and followed me to the door, waving goodbye as I climbed in my car.

I was successful. My plan had worked even on her father. I couldn't believe my improvisation in there. This will work, and we'll finally be together. I started the engine and drove home in a peaceful, contented state. Nothing could ruin this for me now.