What if Edward hadn't been in the tent with Bella and Jacob that night before the newborn battle? What if Bella had allowed Edward to fight instead? What would have really happened in the tent that night? Bella/Jacob, MA content, one shot. Please R&R

The Difference between Fire and Ice

I lay in the sleeping bag shivering. It was blizzarding outside which didn't make sense. Forks was known for having dreary weather, but snow? In June? It didn't make sense.

Jake was sitting at the other end of the tent…shirtless. I had told him he couldn't come closer to me. I knew what he would try with me, especially because Edward wasn't here to stop him. I would pretty much be defenseless against him. He could try anything.

"Bella, will you please let me lay there with you?" he asked. "You're going to freeze to death."

"No J-J-J-Jacob." My teeth were chattering so hard I thought they'd break. "I know w-w-w-what you're g-g-g-going t-t-t-to t-t-t-try."

"Bella, you're going to get frost bite or hypothermia. Please let me keep you warm."

"J-j-just g-get m-m-me another b-blanket." I said stubbornly.

"You won't be able to stop me." he said. "I'm not going to let you die out here!"

He crawled over to me, he couldn't stand to his full height or his head would go right through the top of the tent, and unzipped the sleeping bag. I gasped as the cold hair hit me, but the cold air was soon replaced with Jacob's werewolf warmth. Contrary to what I wanted to do-which was to try and shove him out of the sleeping bag-I sighed in contentment. Jake was so warm, it was unbelievable.

"You'll be sweating by the time you wake up." He chuckled, putting his arms around me.

"Jake, you're so warm." I said quietly.

"He could never do this for you." he whispered. "I'm fire…he's ice. Please, let me show you the difference, Bells."

"Don't do this." I said. "Please, Jacob, don't do this."

"So you're going to deny your own feelings?" he demanded angrily. "You love me, Bella. We both know it."

"Jacob…" I whispered.

"Let me show you the difference between us." He whispered. "With me, it would be easier than breathing. You wouldn't have to worry about getting your blood drained every time we kiss. You wouldn't have to change for me, Bella."

"Jake, please stop this." I said. "I'm with him."

"You're with someone who wants to suck the life out of you!" he growled.

"Who says I don't want that?" I asked. "I want to change…I want to be like him."

"You don't know what you're doing." He insisted. "You don't realize the life that you're throwing away."

"I know what I'm doing." I said. "I know exactly what I'm doing with my life. I want to be with him forever."

"Bella, you won't even think to try anything else! He has you on such a short leash that you're scared to try. I hate to say this to you, but I know he's your first love…maybe first isn't always the best choice."

"I love him." I insisted. "I don't need to try anything else."

"You love me too, and you won't give me a chance." He said.

My breath caught in my throat as I realized that he was right. Jacob was right. I should see what my options were before sealing my fate with Edward. I looked up at Jake, and I could see how much he wanted me to agree with him. He wanted me to give him a shot.

Could I? Was it wrong to love both of them? How could I be sure that I loved one, without seeing how it was with the other one? How could I do that to Jake?

He leaned close to me, our mouths merely inches apart. He looked at me, asking with his eyes if that was okay. I nodded, and his lips connected with mine softly.

I broke away from him quickly. "Jacob, it's wrong."

"Please, Bella." He whispered. "Can't you see how much I love you? Can't you see how much you mean to me? I don't want to see you die! He's going to take your life, don't you see that?"

"He doesn't want to turn me." I muttered. "He wants me to stay human, but I want to be like him. Can't you see that?"

"So you'd rather turn into a monster?" he demanded. "What is wrong with me, Bella? What is it? Tell me now."

"There's nothing wrong with you, Jake." I said. "It's just he's…I don't know. He's different, ya know? I love him."

"You love me too." He accused. "You just don't want to admit it. He knows it too, Bella. He knows that you could leave him at any moment for me. He would let you go. He wants you to be happy. I know you well enough, Bells; I know that you aren't entirely happy with him. When they left and you came to me, I've never seen you happier. Charlie noticed it too. He saw a difference in everything about you. And now, since they've come back, you've been completely different. You used to smile when you saw me…now it's like you're scared that he's going to find out that we were just hanging out. Please Bella, don't be stubborn. Please, let me show you how different he and I are."

His mouth connected with mine again, and this time I didn't stop it. I didn't break away from him…and I didn't punch him in the jaw as I had once before when he kissed me.

Our mouths moved with each other slowly and softly. There was no urgency in this kiss, it was just slow passion…and love.

His tongue traced my bottom lip, silently asking for access to my mouth. I opened my mouth against his and our tongues danced with one another.

During our kiss, I had some sort of vision of my life with Jacob. I could clearly see two, maybe three, children with raven black hair running around a front lawn. I could see Jake and me, sitting together, watching over our children. He had his arms safely wrapped around me, and we were happy and smiling. A future with Jake would be warm and happy…a future with Edward would be cold and scary.

Jake's hands found the zipper of my jacket, and unzipped it. With our mouths still connected, I slid out of the jacket, and Jake began working on the numerous layers of clothing I had on. Finally he got to the thin tank top I had on, and he slipped it off of me. He helped me get out of the warm sweatpants I was wearing and soon I was just in my bra and panties in front of him. You'd think I'd be freezing cold, or embarrassed to be like this, but I wasn't. I was comfortable with Jake.

I always would be.

I helped him out of his running shorts and he was fully on display for me. My eyes widened slightly at his size, but his mouth slipped my bra away from my chest and his tongue circling around my hardened nipple distracted me. My back arched in pleasure, and I closed my eyes.

"You're beautiful." He whispered.

I felt my skin flush, but that didn't stop Jake. He slid my panties off of me, and bent his head down to my heated core. He took one long lick of my wet folds and smiled up at me.

"Are you okay?" he asked, propping himself up on his elbows.

I nodded.

"It might hurt." He said. "But I'll be careful with you, I promise."

I nodded. "Okay."

He moved a bit so he was positioned at my centre. I bit my lip, anticipating the sharp pain that was sure to come from this. I grasped his shoulders, and closed my eyes. In a second the pain came and gone, and was soon replaced with pleasure. He paused slightly to allow me to adjust to his size, before proceeding to slowly move inside of me. Jake and I moved together, finding our own rhythm.

I realized now everything Jake had been saying to me. He was right. I should have given him a chance. He could be with me without hurting me. As we both reached our orgasms, I cried out and held onto him, feeling so connected with him that it was unbelievable.

He slid out of me, breathing heavily.

"Are you okay?" he asked, voice husky.

I nodded.

"I love you, Bella." He whispered.

"I love you too, Jake." I whispered.

He enveloped me in his arms and I fell asleep on his shoulder, not worrying about what tomorrow would bring.