Her Front Door

by goldengirl2707

J/B - O/S: WINNER OF THE "MY FRONT DOOR" CONTEST ON JBNP. - Every time he knocked on her door, their lives changed completely. Will this time be the last?

A/N - I wrote this for a little contest over on JBNP called "My Front Door".

Please read and enjoy!

~*~Present Day~*~

He stared at the closed door, surprised at the fact that he had the balls to be shocked that she had slammed it in his face. What had he expected showing up like this after all this time? He didn't deserve her time or attention, not after the way he had treated her. He had taken her love and friendship and destroyed it, stomped on it, trashed it, and then left her behind. He didn't deserve anyone's forgiveness for his behavior, especially not hers.

He had loved her, that he couldn't deny, but 25 year old Jacob Black was never one to express his feelings well, and he had just shoved it deep inside, where he had hidden all of his other pains and weaknesses. It was easier to pretend that he hadn't cared about her in that way – if Bella had his heart that meant she could hurt him – and he just couldn't bear the idea that someone else could possibly have the power to break him.

But that was a long time ago. He had moved on, realized his mistakes, and learned from them. He had been an angry, bitter, broken teenager, but now he was a man, and he was ready to own up to what he had been and explain what he had become. The funeral had simply given him a reason to come back – he hadn't been able to find one on his own. The fear of rejection had kept him away. But when Billy had called to tell him about the death, he knew he couldn't wait any longer. Bella may not want his support in these dark times, but he had to be there to offer it anyways.

But he hadn't expected it to be like this. He had predicted anger and bitterness, and a tiny bit of him had dared to hope that she would be pleased to see him. But he had not expected this level of deceit from the woman he had loved for so long.

But when the moment had finally come, it hadn't been anger that had greeted him – it had been fierce coldness, and she had been passive, distant. There had been nothing in her eyes when she had shut that door, and that broke his barely mended heart more than her fury ever could have.

The worst part though, had been that little voice. The one Jacob heard from the kitchen, just before she had slammed the door in his face. When those tiny, dark eyes met his gaze, it had sent echoes of astonishment ricocheting around his brain. He froze, stunned, unable to move. His eyes widened in surprise and he turned to look at her for some kind of explanation, but she gave none. Instead, she had given him her answer by showing him the outside of her front door once more, the lock slamming home with a finite click.

He was too shocked to do anything but slump to the wood of her weathered front porch, his back folding to meet the old railing. His heart pounded painfully inside his chest, so hard that he almost feared it would break open his rib cage, burst out from under his breast bone. He felt hurt, stunned, and afraid, but most of all, he felt betrayed. Her knife of deception had cut him so deeply that he didn't know if there was any way to recover from it.

How could she have done this to him?

~*~1990~*~

*tap tap tap*

His small, 5 year old fist hit her white front door, and his feet danced impatiently. He had waited until 10am when his dad was finally ready, and she was taking forever opening the door.

Jacob heard the patter of her shoes on the hardwood and his heart soared with excitement, but when the door swung open, he was greeted with a very sour look. It dampened his enthusiastic mood and left him feeling uneasy. Bella's disposition could change in the blink of an eye, and that was something that was obvious even to his child mind.

"What's wrong, Bella?" He asked slowly, his feet shifting uncomfortably in his small Reebok sneakers. "I thought you wanted to go fishing today."

Her 5 year old eyes rolled in their sockets. "I hate fishing, Jake." She sniffed disdainfully. "I know you like it though."

He struggled to keep his lower lip in place but it slid out involuntarily. "Don't you want to have fun with us, Bella?"

She shrugged, the two braids on her shoulders twitching under the gesture. "I don't want to go if you're going."

Jacob's mouth fell open. "That's mean, Bella. I don't say mean things like that to you." He fought away the tears that threatened to fill his small eyes.

Bella took a deep breath and sighed heavily. "I'm sorry, Jacob," she said softly, her eyes focused on the wood slats his feet rested upon. "It's just…" She sighed again.

"What, Bella?" He asked anxiously. "I'm sorry, whatever I did. I didn't mean to! Please don't be mad at me!" He pleaded with her earnestly.

Her brown eyes slowly rose to meet his, her gaze full of uncertainty and distrust. "I don't know, Jacob… Rachel said… stuff."

His small brows knitted together in confusion. "My sister?" Then his eyes narrowed in anger. "What did she say?"

Bella shrugged again. "You know… stuff." Then she began to mumble. "Likehowyouareinlovewithme."

Jacob's eyes widened. "What?" He practically yelled, his 5 year old brain spinning. "I don't even like girls Bella! You're my friend." He waved his hands back and forth to symbolize the finality. "Not like that." He wrinkled his nose in disgust. "Gross."

A small smile graced her cheeks and he saw the relief as it lit up her eyes. "Good." She said firmly. "'Cause I wouldn't want to have to marry you and all that just 'cause you thought you loved me or something."

He gave her a snort in return. "Geez, Bells." He reached out to smack her in the arm. "Why would I go and do something stupid like that?"

And then she laughed, and he suddenly felt like his whole world was alight with joy…

~*~1999~*~

*….knock….knock….knock*

His fist was hesitant, and 14 year old Jacob waited impatiently on the dark porch for someone to answer. He was nervous once again, although terrified was probably a better descriptor for the rampant anxiety that was raging through his hormonal veins. It was homecoming, and for a reason he had yet to understand, he and Bella had agreed to go together.

They were both popular in their high school - Jake as the captain of the junior varsity football team, Bella as the only freshman to make it onto the cheerleading squad. They could have had their pick of any member of their freshman class.

Although, he was certain that any guy in their high school would have been more than happy to be Bella's escort. His eyes narrowed at the thought, and it made his skin tremble with barely contained rage. Jacob hated the idea of those creeps' disgusting hands touching Bella.

His Bella.

His feelings towards her never ceased to confuse him. As a child, she had been his constant companion, but over the last year, she had begun to change, and his emotions along with her. Her body had grown new curves, her eyes sparkling with a new light, her lips twitching with the long held secrets of the female gender. This new Bella was a strange creature, and she intrigued him. He felt his body stir with desires towards her that he never imagined would ever, ever develop towards her. It was scary, torturous and exciting.

He heard the stomp of boots as Charlie approached the door and he fiddled with his tie anxiously. As strange as it sounded, he wanted nothing more than to impress her tonight. He wanted her to see him the way he saw her.

The door finally swung open, and his nervous eyes met Charlie's. He saw the older man smile, and it made him smile back. "Hey, Chief Swan," he said quietly, wiggling his toes inside his dress shoes to relieve some of his pent up tension.

"Hi there, Jake," Charlie said easily, stepping aside so that he could enter the house. "Bella is almost ready. Come on in. The game is on, if you want to watch for a bit."

Jake nodded, and crossed the threshold uncertainly. He felt awkward, and didn't know why – he had spent just as much time in this house as he had his own. He jumped as a large hand clapped down on his shoulder. He heard Charlie laugh. "Jake, take it easy. I know this is your first date-" Jacob cringed at the use of the word, which only made Charlie laugh again. "But you two have been friends for years. Don't let the fact that this is a high school dance change anything between you. Just have fun – you don't need any expectations making things uncomfortable."

Jacob nodded again, letting out a lungful of air he didn't know he had been holding. "Thanks, Chief Swan," he breathed out gratefully. "I was worried that it might…change things between us."

Charlie stepped back, looking closer into the younger boys' eyes. "Do you want it to change things between you?"

Jacob started to shake his head, but after the first rotation of his skull, he stopped suddenly. "I… I…" He struggled to get the thoughts from his brain to his mouth, but then all mental activity ceased as he heard the tip, tap of high heels on the stairs. He swung around to see Bella approaching them and he couldn't stop his mouth from falling open in surprise.

Her long dark hair was swept up into a simple French twist, a few pieces draped across her forehead. Dangly silver chain earrings adorned each ear, and Jacob thought they accented the beautiful blush that was slowly spreading across her cheeks. She wore more makeup than usual, but it only highlighted her delicate bone structure and dark eyes. His gaze drifted lower, across her collarbone and the diamond pendent that hung there, to the lapis colored strapless dress that swirled to just above her knees. He felt dirty and vulnerable as his eyes followed the curve of her knee, the swell of her calf and the silver stilettos she wore. Her skin practically shone under the soft satin of the dress and Jacob felt his mouth go dry.

There were several moments of silence as he stared at her, and Charlie watched as she stared right back, her brown eyes drifted along the growing width of his shoulders, the strengthening line of his jaw. He smiled gently as the two teenagers he loved so much were suddenly staring at one another like they had never seen each other before. He and Billy had dreamed so long of their children finally realizing the importance of their relationship, and he hoped that tonight could be the start of it.

He glanced at his watch as he remembered their dinner reservations. As much as he hated to interrupt their moment, he cleared his throat. Both Jacob and Bella jumped, their skin reddening furiously at having caught themselves experiencing such a typically awkward teenage situation. "You two might want to get going," Charlie said gruffly, feeling emotional over the idea of his daughter leaving for her first high school dance.

After the obligatory photos, Charlie walked the still silent pair to the door. "You kids have fun now," he mumbled, still pleased to see the adoring looks still plastered to both of their faces. Bella nodded numbly, her gaze never leaving Jacob's. Their eyes were glowing, lit with the fire of newly discovered love…

~*~2002~*~

*KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK*

Jacob's fist hit the door hard, the wood shuddering under his ministrations. "Bella!" He bellowed excitedly. "Get your tight little cheerleading ass out here!"

He could hear her grumbling on the other side and it made him smile. The door swung open and she scowled at him. "Really, Jacob?" She spat out. "If you don't watch that filthy mouth of yours, this tight ass won't be near you anytime soon."

He gave her a giant grin, and it made her angry glare falter. "You like my filthy mouth," he whispered suggestively, wiggling his eyebrows at her.

A slow blush crept along her cheeks. "Fine." She muttered, stepping back to allow him entrance. "But you shut that trap, Mr. Football Star," she warned, wagging a manicured finger at him. She tapped her hip. "Or I really will keep this fine ass away from you."

"Is that a threat?" Jacob growled at her playfully, and she shrieked in delight, turning to run from him, but his large hands grabbed her lean waist before she could get more than a few paces from him. "Jacob!" She squealed, squirming in his grasp as he spun her around, and his large body moved quickly to pin her smaller one between him and the wall. She gasped as the entire front of him came into contact with hers.

He froze then, realizing their physical proximity. They were both panting, their skin flushed with the heat of their hormones. She watched as his pupils dilated, their depths swirling with an emotion she was not used to seeing Jacob's eyes, but she was quite certain it reflected what was on full display in her own. The sexual tension between them was always quite obvious, the static between them palpable, but they had done their best to avoid putting themselves in situations where they would be alone. Their dads had made it quite clear that neither of them would allow hanky-panky under their roofs, and Jake and Bella had struggled to abide by those rules, afraid that breaking them would mean restrictions on their time together.

But it had been difficult, so very difficult, to ignore the heat they felt when their bodies were near, to ignore the painful pressure they felt in their groins whenever their hands strayed closer than intended. It was natural, their desire for physical intimacy, and Jacob was fairly certain that he had reached his breaking point. He felt like he had been waiting, dying, squirming since that homecoming dance 3 years earlier.

"Bella…" He whispered softly, his gaze never leaving hers, their noses just barely touching.

She whimpered as she felt his hot breath dance across the sensitive skin of her neck. "Please…" Her small fingers tangled in the collar of his shirt, struggling to pull him closer.

He closed his eyes then, reveling in the feeling of her warm body so close to his, the way her hips pushed unconsciously against his. His lips nuzzled her neck gently, and he heard her gasp – it made him smile. He loved her, and he loved the way she loved him in return. They had waited for so long, but he didn't want to anymore.

He reached his long arms around her, his thumbs dipping inside her dark jeans, skimming the supple skin that lay just hidden beneath the soft fabric. His body stiffened as he felt her flesh tremble under his touch. He took it as an invitation to reach further, sliding his large hand into the back of her jeans, cupping her ass gently, and he groaned at the feel of her warm skin in his hand.

"Oh God, Jacob," Bella murmured, clawing desperately at his broad shoulders, her eyes closed against the pleasure of his touch. "I don't think I want to wait anymore…."

He froze. "Are you sure, Bells?" He whispered back, his full lips grazing the delicate skin behind her ear. "I'm not sure I can stop myself this time…. And I don't want to do anything you don't want to do…."

She nodded fiercely, her small pink tongue darting out from between her lips, and it made him harder, imagining all the things that she could with that soft appendage. "I need you, Jacob Black…" she moaned, and then turned her head sharply to push her mouth to his, her lips wet with want.

He groaned as he felt the full assault of her desire, and scooped her up, wrapping her strong, lean legs around his waist. Without breaking their kiss, he carefully ascended the stairs, keeping her smaller body cradled in his. Each step towards her bedroom made the situation more real to him, and he was harder than he had ever been, even in his fantasies.

Jacob didn't stop moving until his knees bumped the mattress, and he slowly lowered her to it, keeping his position over her. Their mouths move in sync, their skin smoldering with the heat of impending intimacy. She whimpered each time his tongue made its journey across her bottom lip, and he thought she tasted amazing – like sunshine and honey and the wind on a summer day.

Her breath came in gasps, and she reluctantly pulled her mouth from his. "Jake…" she breathed, realizing for the very first time that he was her whole world – the only man she would ever… could ever love. She would be giving him a part of her today that she could never take back, never give to another man, and it would be a moment she would never, ever forget.

He smiled at the love the flowed through her eyes, and he knew the expression mirrored his own. "Bells…" he whispered back, reaching up to carefully brush a stray hair from her forehead.

They watched each other for a time, their quiet breathing the only sound in the room, their eyes never parting. They needed to freeze the moment, commit it forever to memory, as if they were almost terrified if they moved, blinked, spoke, that it would vanish and they would not be able to get it back.

It was Bella who broke the quiet, placing her small palm on his muscled chest, pushing him back until he sat on his knees at the edge of the bed. He watched in awe as she reached for the hem of her shirt, slowly pulling it up until the black lace of her bra was revealed. Before she could be embarrassed, she yanked the shirt up and over her head and reach around to unclasp the last piece of fabric that separated her bare chest from him. Her skin was pink with a soft blush, and Jake couldn't stop the sigh that slipped from his mouth. "Wow, Bells," he gasped reverently. "You're more beautiful than I ever could have imagined." Her blush darkened, and her fingers trembled as she reached for the buttons on her pants. "No," he said, moving down to stop her. She froze, terrified that he was rejecting her. "No, honey," he continued, replacing her fingers with his own. "I want to help…" He smirked at her, and her face broke into a shy smile.

His breath caught in his chest as he gently unbuttoned the only button on her jeans, and slid down the zipper with excruciating care. Jacob's large fingers traced the band of blue cotton underwear he found as he opened the zipper, and he was pleased to see the muscles of her stomach jump in anticipation. Slipping his fingers under the waist of the jeans, he looked up into her face, silently asking for her permission. Bella nodded, slowly, the blush deepening even further.

"Beautiful," he whispered again. He looked up to meet her eyes. "Simply beautiful."

"You're the beautiful one," she responded, and reached up to tug his shirt off his head, revealing the result of hours of time in the weight room before and after practice. She traced one finger through the grooves of his abdominals. "You have no idea how beautiful you are…" He grinned, and her breath hitched in her throat. It was her smile. The only she knew was reserved for only her, and it made her heart skip a beat each and every time, no matter how often she had seen it over the years.

Unable to stand the distance between them any longer, she reached up towards him, and he accepted her invitation, his large hands tightening around her hips, pulling their centers closer. She gave a soft moan as the skin of their chests came into contact and she squirmed, struggling to be closer. He laughed, low in his chest, the tone husky. "Slow down, Bells," His lips moved gently against her mouth. "I know for a fact that Charlie won't be home until after midnight." His tongue darted out to taste her again and she gasped again. "And the guys won't care if we're late for the bonfire…"

"I think you're talking too much," she murmured in reply. "Kiss me, Jacob Black…"

And he smiled, reaching for her, more than happy to oblige, his heart full to bursting…

~*~Present Day – Jacob's Arrival - 20 minutes earlier~*~

*knock knock knock*

It had been 5 years since he had last set foot on this porch, and his guilt weighed heavy in his gut, twisting it in knots. He felt dizzy, sick, and more scared than he had ever been in his life. He wasn't sure if he had the courage to do this, but he could not wait any longer. He had dreamed of her every night he had been gone. It had not been easy for him to leave her – but after the way he had hurt her that night, he could not bring himself to stay. The rage inside had been frightening, and he could not live with the knowledge that he could hurt her again. He had believed in the beginning that she would be better off without it, but as time had passed, he learned otherwise.

While in the moment, his actions may have been cowardice, but his absence had been devastating treachery. He had been wrong to leave her, he had been wrong to leave home, and he had been wrong to think that going away would fix anything. But once he had gone, he had not had the courage to return and face his demons.

But now things were different. He had grown up and realized that he needed to apologize, and that she had deserved better from him. Bella had done nothing love him. She had cared for him when he needed her most and he had repaid her by mistreating her in the worst possible way.

He was back now though, and he needed to make amends. He didn't suppose that things could go back to the way things had been. She would not love him as before – he was not so stupid as to think that. But he hoped that at the very least she could forgive him. He had been afraid to come here, but with the funeral tomorrow, he thought it only right that he offer his support, the way she offered it to him so many years before.

He heard her feet thin, slapping across the wood, muffled by the hallway rug. She pulled it open, her gaze unfocused, tired. His breath caught in his throat – even in her grief, she was more beautiful that he had remembered. His gaze tripped quickly over her body, noticing the subtle hints of womanhood that had taken over the lithe form he had remembered from his teenage years. Her hips had widened, a new swell to them that had not been there the last time he saw her. Her thighs were rounder, as muscle and time had softened her skin. Her breasts were fuller, more ripe and weighty than before. His breath came faster and he could not tear his eyes from her.

Bella did not move as she stared at him, pain and joy practically paralyzing her. She had not expected to see him ever again, in this lifetime or the next, and she found she could not find words to speak to him. Even in his fear, he was more beautiful than she had remembered. Her eyes focused on his face, his features hardened with time and experience. His shoulders were broader, chiseled from heavy labor. But his eyes… that was the part of him that she could not ignore. They were scarred, bearing the years of agony that could not be hidden. Despite all the time that had passed, she still felt a tug in her heart to see pain in them. She didn't want to, not anymore, but no matter how much she ignored it, it was there, all the same.

His despair angered her – what right did he had to look at her with such pity? "What do you want, Jacob?"She was thankful that her tone was flat, toneless, and did not give away the torture that twisted her insides.

"I wanted… to see you," He said softly, all of his confidence drained away.

Bella scoffed at him, rolling her eyes away from his. "I don't care what you want," she replied frostily. "What I want is for you to go away."

"Mama?" Jacob heard a soft sound from the kitchen, and he felt his heart clutch in his chest as the owner of the small voice met his gaze. His world spun, fuzzy along the edges. He looked at her, shocked, unable to think, unable to speak, unable to move.

And then she shut the door, and the warmth from the house faded as he was once again in darkness…

~*~January 2005~*~

*tap… tap… tap…*

This time the knocks were slow, wet with the rain and heavy with sadness. The sound was full of unsaid things, and it made Bella's heart skip a beat. She ran to the door, but then paused, her hand frozen inches from the knob. Her head spun and she felt faint. The knots in the pit of her stomach told her that she did not want to open the door, but she couldn't stop her wrist as it turned sharply and yanked the wood from its frame.

Her watering eyes found the form of a soaking wet Jacob, his large body draped brokenly against the porch railing, letting the rain pour over him. His eyes were red and swollen, his chin trembled in defeat, and his shoulders sagged, shaking with the power of his sobs. She ran to him, ignoring the icy rain, wrapping her arms around him. "I'm sorry, Jacob," she murmured softly, rocking him gently, clinging to him, wishing so desperately for the ability to wipe the pain from his eyes. "I'm so sorry."

"She's dead," he murmured, and the anguish in his voice caused the deep fractures in her heart to pull apart completely, and she had never known such agony. "She's dead."

And she just held him, unable to offer any other comfort. She prayed to be strong for him, to ignore the pain in her chest for just a little while, knowing that the shock of his mother's death would be too much for him to handle on his own. She knew that in the days to come that she had to be the rock in his world – Billy was too injured to even understand what was going on. The doctors, according to Charlie, believed that he would be bound to a wheelchair for the rest of his life, if he was lucky enough to awaken from his coma. His sisters were on their way home, but she knew they would be devastated that they had not been there for Jacob when the news had come.

She had wanted to stay at the hospital around the clock with Jacob, but the doctors told her she couldn't stay beyond visiting hours, and he had been too much of a zombie to ask them to bend the rules for her. She had left reluctantly, only to pace the floors of her house for hours, calling Charlie every 15 minutes for updates.

But Bella knew when her calls went unanswered that something had gone wrong. She had prayed that it wasn't true, that Sarah wasn't gone, but it hadn't been enough.

Now all she could do was hold him.

They sat in the rain for what seemed like hours. She was freezing, her skin prickling with goose bumps, but she held fast. She couldn't, wouldn't, leave him now, not when he needed her the most. Finally, after the heaving shudders of his shoulders finally slowed, he turned to her, and she suppressed the urge to cry out at the agony that was etched across his handsome features. "Bells…" he said thickly, his lips barely moving. "Please take me inside."

She was more than happy to oblige, hoping that the gesture might ease some of the pain from his face. He leaned against her heavily, and she fought her knees to stay upright. Once inside, he slumped down again, and she could not hold him. She sank down to the floor beside him, nudging the door closed with her left foot. He sagged against it, and he closed his eyes, struggling to fight off the overwhelming weariness that threatened to consume him.

She heard him groan, and her frantic gaze traveled him body furiously. "What's wrong, Jacob?" His eyes darkened and she immediately knew her mistake. "I'm sorry!" Her hand flew to cover her mouth. "I misspoke! I-I… didn't-"

Before he could stop it, he leapt to his feet, hauling her up by the collar of her shirt, his palm flying across her cheek with a loud smack. "SHIT, Bells!" his voice was full of rage, pain and utter, complete defeat. "What the fuck is wrong with you?"

Tears filled her eyes and poured down her cheeks, mimicking the thudding rain on the roof. Her fingers jumped to the skin on her delicate face and she forgot to breathe. The sting of his assault was more than just physical and it burned through her like an all consuming fire. If she had ever thought she'd known anguish before…

She had been wrong.

His eyes then drained of their furious fire and his face was ashen. "Bells…" he whispered, taking a step towards her.

Bella's eyes widened and she moved backwards, holding up one hand. "Don't touch me," she hissed, and her face crumpled. "Don't you ever touch me again."

"Please…" He implored her, his feet shifting anxiously beneath him. "Please don't turn me away…. I have… nothing without you." His voice faltered, and he fell to his knees, his hands held out towards her, palms up. "Please."

Her tears spilled over again, and she could not stop her shoes as they crossed the room to him, dropping down in front of him, cradling his sweat slickened face. "I love you, Jacob Black," She growled fiercely, and her lips captured his, demanding payment for her injustice.

And he gave it, as he always did, for she was the only sun in his world…

~*~ June 2005~*~

*KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK*

"BILLY!" she screamed, her voice hoarse and desperate with fear. She heard the squeaking of metal wheels coming down the hallway, but she heard them slow down as he approached, and the door did not open as quickly as she would have liked. "Billy Black! You better open this goddamn door, right now, or I swear on-"

The door flew open and Billy dark eyes scowled out at her, his face drawn and empty. "What do you want, Bella?" He grunted, his arms shifting uncomfortably on the sides of his newly acquired chair. "Jacob's not here."

She laughed, a bitter, acidic sound. "I am not here to talk to Jacob," she spat back. Her eyes rolled back in her skull and she looked wild, crazed. "I'm here to talk to you!"

His gaze was fixed on the ground at her feet. "I am not feeling well, Bella," he said softly, and his chair turned to move back into the house. "Perhaps another time. I have only been home a few days. I need… space."

She scoffed at him, her eyes dark with anger. "Well, I don't have time to wait for you. Now, I only have time for this!" She jerked apart the buttons of her jacket, spraying them in all directions. "Look at me, Billy! Look what your son has left behind!" She hissed, and the tears fell again, for what she felt was the millionth time in the last six months.

His eyes shot up from the ground, taking in her form as they moved from her legs up her torso and to her face. They were only slits, but widened as they traveled. "Bella…" he breathed, his body frozen in shock.

"Yes, Billy… Yes…" and she crumbled then, her knees to the wood of the porch. "Help me," she gasped, the light fading from her eyes. "Help me…"

~*~Present Day - Continued~*~

*KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK*

"BELLA!" he could not stop his voice from rising, soaked with pleading tones. "Please don't shut me out!" He hit the door again, the skin of his fist tingling with the impact. The tears flowed down his hot cheeks, and he could hear the soft gasps of her cries from the other side of the door. "I know that you're there, Bells," he continued, quieter this time, stroking the old wood of the door, wishing it were her soft skin instead. "And I want you to know that I'm sorry. And that I was wrong to treat you the way that I did. That leaving you was the worst decision I have ever made in my life." He paused then, choking on his words, a baseball sized lump in his throat. "I love you," he whispered. "And I am sorry about… Charlie," The last word was hard to speak. He couldn't believe that one of the best men he had ever known was gone, and it tugged at his heart strings, reminding him when that it not been long since his own mother had passed. "But that's not why I'm here. I love you. And I will spend every day of the rest of my life proving to you that you deserve better. When I looked into your eyes tonight, I saw an open door - the first window of light that I have seen in five long years. I believe now that my life has purpose, and that you are the first moment of the rest of my life." He shook his head vigorously, not caring that the tears continued to fall. "I know that you may never forgive me – I do not deserve that luxury. But I will love you just the same… until your heart stops beating… maybe even then."

The door flew open then, and it made him gasp. He leapt to his feet, her eyes were on fire, and she grabbed at him, pulling him inside. Bella's lips were on him before he could say another word, and she yanked his body towards hers, demanding the apology in a more physical form. Jacob groaned at the taste of her, her mouth hot and sweet. Her taste had not changed, and her liquid sunshine flowed over him, soothing his aching heart. He kissed her back, his tongue drifting gently over hers, the sensation overwhelming. His hands reached up to tangle in her hair, and it was just as soft as he had remembered. The force of her mouth against his was aggressive, but it placed on display all of the emotion she had kept locked down in the recesses of her soul for so many years. She was ready for him to acknowledge the pain, ready for him to make amends.

Bella pulled back from him, panting. "Jacob," and her tone was full of unsaid things. The tears reappeared in her eyes, and he leaned down to kiss them away, but she stepped backwards, her gaze turning towards the kitchen. "There's someone you need to meet."

Nothing could have prepared Jacob for what came around the corner from the kitchen. A small boy, his skin bronze in color, his eyes a deep onyx, his hair shaggy and black moved into the light, only feet away. A shocked moan rumbled in his chest and he forgot to breathe.

"Jacob," she whispered again, putting her arm around the child. "Meet your son."

He should have felt anger, he should have felt betrayed, but instead Jacob could not stop the smile that tugged the corner of his mouth, and he leapt towards her, a happy sound bursting from his lips. He pulled her surprised form into his arms, hugging her to him. "I love you, Bella Swan," he murmured fiercely. "And I will love you for the rest of my life."

And then she laughed, and he suddenly felt like his whole world was alight with joy…