Told ya so!

By Lady of Spain

Chapter 1: A Lesson in Reality

Disclaimer: S. Meyer owns Twilight.

A/N: FYI, this story will be only a few chapters long, since I just had this tiny inspiration, that was a teensy bit too long for a one shot. But ... we'll see. Warning: this is a Jacob/ Bella story. If you're an Edward fan don't read, and then flame me for it! LOL.

Edward was quietly twining a finger around a strand of her hair. She looked up from her book and smiled at him.

The flowers were in bloom amidst a soft carpet of wild grasses. The blue of the lupine and yellow of the columbine combined in a pastel tapestry of summer. It was his meadow, the first place he had actually felt he could love Bella, and right now, he wanted to love her as a man, with his whole being. It was so difficult to resist her. She'd been hounding him to make love to her. He had always restrained himself, but they were currently engaged, and the need in him at that moment was overwhelming.

"Bella, love," he murmured, as his lips climbed up her throat toward her ear. "I don't want to wait any longer. I want you right now—right this minute."

Finally ... His advances were making her squirm with anticipation. She had been waiting forever it seemed for this to happen. He had always declined, saying it was too dangerous. But how could an expression of love ever be dangerous? Bella jumped at the chance, eager to experience physical love.

With their clothes thrown to the ground haphazardly, her arms were immediately about his neck as she pulled him onto her. Things went well at first, but suddenly began to get out of hand. Edward tried to be careful, but in his frenzy, his strength was too much for her.

She attempted to silence her cries of pain, but they slipped out again and again. It was bewildering. Is this how it was going to be? She thought of screaming at him to stop, but could he? It was like endeavoring to prevent the waves from crashing on the shore.

He had to recognize that this wasn't going so well. He was a mind reader, wasn't he? Too bad he couldn't read her mind. He had to have heard her with his sensitive hearing too, but then, she should have realized that there would be no stopping him after he started.

Thankfully, it didn't last very long. She was a mass of bruises, and was torn and bleeding, when it was over. Why did she have to be such a martyr?

Her remorseful lover hung his head in shame, feeling like a sex-crazed monster. If he could cry, he would have. "I'm so sorry, Bella. Please forgive me. I ... I never should have done it. I promise I will never touch you again until you're changed. Let's go back to the truck. You need to get home to shower and rest."

He helped her get dressed, and still she said nothing. What was there to say? By the look on his face, he was aware that their first sexual encounter was lacking to say the least. She didn't have to rub it in, but she never wanted to go through that horror again and he should have followed his own admonition.

Edward carried her on his back to the vehicle. Kissing her cautiously, he said, "You go on ... I'll run home by myself." He couldn't face her, not after that debacle. What had he been thinking?

He was gone in a flash even before the key was turned in the ignition. That's when the dam burst inside of her. This was not her dream of being loved. She ached all over. She was not looking forward to another bout of Edward's lovemaking while still human, but then she thought about the alternative in her future. When would he change her? When she was thirty? Thirty-five? What kind of a married life would that be, if he wouldn't touch her 'til then?

That realization hit her with the force of a hurricane. Her chest heaved, the tears raining down. Pulling Edward's ring off her finger in disgust, she threw it into the cup holder. She started up the truck, but didn't go home. She went straight to her best friend's house in La Push, sobbing all the way.

She hadn't seen him in quite a while. He was aware since that time on the mountain that she had agreed to marry the leech. Would he even speak to her? It didn't take long for her to find out.

He must have heard her weeping, because he came barreling out of the Taj, and practically tore the cab door off its hinges. He gasped as he took in the sight of her deplorable condition. The short sleeved blouse she was wearing didn't cover the black and blue splotches on her arms, and he could smell the blood dripping down the inside of her thighs.

"What the hell happened to you, Bells?" That was a dumb question. It was obvious. Edward's sickly sweet scent clung to her. He did this to his Bella. Damn, he wanted to rip the filthy tick's head off.

She couldn't get a word out due to her constant sobbing. He took her gingerly in his arms, carrying her into the house and laid her on his bed. Jacob lay down beside her, but was afraid to get too near. Those bruises looked nasty. He ran his hand over her hair and face to comfort her. At least those parts of her body had come away unscathed.

Bella turned and snuggled up closer despite the pain, her hands at his neck and her head at his shoulder. "Jacob ..." she sniffled, between hitching breaths. "I ... I ..."

"Shh ... it's okay, Bells. You're safe now. He'll never hurt you again, 'cuz I'm gonna kill him."

"No, Jake, it's not his fault. It's not what you think. He didn't rape me. This was my doing. He warned me ... you warned me. I thought it would be okay. I just didn't listen to either one of you!"

She began to blubber once more. "Oh, Jake ... it ... it was awful. It hurt so bad. I can't go back to him ... I can't."

Jacob was beside himself. How could anyone who loved her, do this to her? "Why didn't you stop him?"

She spoke in a small voice. "I didn't think I could, so I just waited for it to be over."

"Jeez, Bells, how could you let him hurt you like this?"

"I don't ... I ... don't know!"

She lifted her head, her chocolate eyes brimming with tears, and confessed, "I wish it would have been you for my first time. I should've chosen you."

Oh god, Bells. I hate to say it, but I told ya so!

Jacob jerked slightly. "What do you mean should've? I'm here. I've never left; you can still choose me."

A tear trickled down her cheek. "But I'm so stupid. I'm damaged goods now. Why would you even want me after all this?"

He wiped away the tear with a fingertip. "'Cuz, I'm in love with you, that's why."

He was a saint. How could he stand being around her after what she'd just done? Jacob deserved so much better. Bella started bawling again.

Slowly pulling away from her, Jacob muttered, "I'm gonna get you a wash cloth and one of my sister's Kotex." He thought about offering her a shower to get rid of the leech's stench, but she didn't have any fresh clothes with her, so what was the point?

"Don't leave me," she wailed.

Kissing her hair, he told her, "I'll only be a minute, I promise."

He handed her the pad and the washcloth, then went to his dresser and pulled out a long-sleeved sweatshirt. "I'll step outside while you wash up, and put this on. Can't have Charlie seeing you all black and blue."

A half-smile appeared on his face, but it was a sham; he was still holding back the boiling rage in his gut—with fricasseed leech on his mind.

He went into the kitchen and poured some juice into a couple of glasses. He padded back and knocked on his bedroom door.

"You can come in now," she said.

She was just pulling down the over-sized sweatshirt over her waist. Jacob closed his eyes and winced. The tell-tale purple handprints covering what little skin he saw, made him sick to his stomach. His teeth ground together involuntarily. He took a deep breath to calm his agitation and walked up next to the bed.

"Here, I brought you some juice."

"Thanks." Reaching for the glass, Bella tipped it up to her mouth, taking a sip. Jacob sat beside her, doing the same.

"So, where do we go from here?" she asked, sniffling.

Jacob drained the glass and set it on his dresser. His warm brown eyes questioned her.

"You tell me, honey."

Bella swallowed another mouthful, and looked up at him with red, swollen eyes. "Well ... remember our kiss on the mountain?"

Puffing out his cheeks, Jacob blew out a stream of air. "How could I forget? It still gives me the hots after all this time."

"Let's take it from there, and pretend that none of this other stuff ever happened. I need to talk to Edward though, and tell him I've changed my mind." Bella's eyes dropped to the floor as she added, "This is all my fault. He's going to be crushed." The waterworks started up once more.

Better for you to crush him than me. I'd like to pound him so hard, he could be sold as glitter at a scrapbook store. "Okay then—drink up, and I'll take you home."

Her free arm touched his sleeve. "I'm afraid Edward will come to the house. I don't want to see him yet, Jake. Will you stay with me until Charlie comes back from work?"

"Sure, sure, anything you say."

Jacob thought she looked adorable in his shirt, but it'd be a little suspicious if Charlie saw her in it. So, she went upstairs changing into one of her own sweaters and put the other shirt in her closet. She'd give it back to Jacob the next time she visited La Push.

Starting dinner, Bella had Jacob get down the bowls and whatnot she needed from the cupboards. Then he set the table for her.

While the meal was cooking, they sat on the couch. Jacob was leery yet about getting too close, but Bella finally asked him, "I'm still feeling a little shaky. Do you think you could hold me for awhile?"

He hated to say no, but considering how she was covered in spatters of blue and purple, he was pretty reluctant. "I don't think that's such a good idea. I mean—don't get me wrong—I want to. It's just that I'm afraid I might hurt you worse than you already are. You're ... like ... one big bruise."

"I'm not hurting that bad."

He frowned at her. "Who are you kidding, Bells? This is me, Jake. I watched you go up the stairs. You could barely move."

"Oh, for Pete's sake." She stood up and climbed onto his lap, latching onto his neck with her little hands.

They sat there quietly, her head on his broad shoulder. He listened to her steady breathing, content.

He'd noticed for some time now that the grotesque bauble that had adorned her left ring-finger was now visibly absent. It was hard to admit, but in all this horror, he actually came up a winner. It almost made him feel guilty—almost, but not quite. All was fair in love and war; only he didn't have to do a thing. The bloodsucker dug his own grave. Too bad he was one of the undead; Jacob would've loved to kick the dirt in on top of his coffin. Hell, he'd even plant the lilies.

The sound of the cruiser's engine filled his ears, along with the gravel's crunch under its tires. Jacob moved his legs, jostling Bella gently. "Hey, Bells ... your dad's here. Maybe you should get off my lap now, huh?"

Bella looked up at him. "Why? He won't mind."

"Yeah, right. That's easy for you to say. You're not the one that's highly allergic to lead."

Too late. Charlie came waltzing through the front door. He didn't raise an eyebrow at the sight of his daughter sitting on a guy's lap—maybe because it was this guy. It was no secret that Charlie favored Jacob over that pasty-faced parasite.

He actually radiated a huge grin. "Hey, Jacob. Haven't seen you in a while. You staying for supper?"

"I don't kn—"

"Yes, he's staying," Bella answered for him.

Charlie hung up his jacket and holster, then blared, "I'll set out another plate."