Preface
It wasn't as wonderful as I had wanted it to be, or as smooth as Edward had wanted, but it was happening. Edward picked himself off the ground and crawled to where I was huddled against a tree. My heart leapt as he lowered his mouth to my ankle, and gently raked it with his teeth. I felt the fire running ever so slowly up my leg, and I looked at Edward, but he was gone, and in his place was the glowering adversary.
Edward managed to stand, "Run Bella…"
1. Consequences
"Charlie's got something to tell you." Edward told me.
"What is it?"
"I don't know, he's not thinking about it. He's just reminding himself that he needs to tell you something."
"Great." I said, obviously annoyed.
"Bella," he said, leaning forward to kiss me, "It's OK, he's not mad, I'll wait for you in your room."
I got out of my truck without saying anything, and walked up to the door. There was Charlie, watching some game, I didn't bother seeing what it was as I walked up to my room.
"Oh, Bella," Charlie called from the couch, "Billy called, he wants to talk to you."
"Okay." I called back as I went to the phone.
"He said they've been having trouble with the phone for the last couple of days, so you ought to go down there."
"Now?" I asked, glancing at the clock, 9:30.
"You don't have to go now." He replied, although I could tell he wanted me to go now, "But Billy seemed kind of concerned on the phone earlier."
I thought for a moment, why would Billy want to talk to me so urgently, and so late, "I'll be going in few minutes."
"Alright, Bella, see you when you get back."
I ran up the stairs to my room, and there was Edward, sitting on my bed.
"Go." He said as I walked in.
"What?" I asked without thinking, and then I remembered, Edward couldn't hear my thoughts, but he could hear Charlie's, and they were usually what he was thinking.
"Go to La Push, Billy sounded like he really needed to talk to you." Edward restated, and thought for a moment, "Charlie has a good memory."
"Oh." I replied, "Are you sure you want me to go over there?"
"It'd be better if you did, Bella."
"What did you do, Edward?"
He hesitated for a moment, drawing in a breath and letting it out before answering, "You'll find out, just go."
I was too angry to listen to him, "No!" I almost shouted.
"Bella?" Charlie shouted, he had heard me, "Is everything OK?"
"Yes, Dad, I just dropped my bracelet." I waited, his silence told me he believed my excuse, and I turned back to Edward, whispering, "You tell me what you did!"
"No." he replied, "Billy will be less evasive about it, and I won't tell you the whole truth, you know that quite well."
I did know that well, Edward never really told me all of anything if he thought it would be uncomfortable to me. I exhaled rather slow, a sigh really, and walked out of the room.
"Bye, Dad." I shouted to Charlie as I walked out the door to my truck. I was little surprised to find Edward in the passenger seat.
"Get out." I told him, "I'm only going to pester you all the way to the boundary line."
Edward stepped out of the truck, I started it up and started over to La Push, only to see Edward running alongside, grinning the whole time. I tried, and failed, to ignore him until we got to the boundary, where he could go no further.
Jake didn't meet me at the boundary like usual, but then again, Jake didn't know I was coming.
I pulled up in front of Billy's house and got out of my truck, I wasn't sure if he was awake or not, so I went to the door.
"Come in, Bella." Billy beckoned from inside as I raised my hand to knock.
I Opened the door and stepped in, to a seemingly empty room. I spotted Billy sitting behind a half splintered table covered in some papers.
"Where's Jacob?" I asked.
"Have a seat, Bella."
I sat down opposite Billy, on the splintered side of the table.
"Jacob's not here." He continued.
"So, Billy, Charlie said you were pretty distressed when you called." I said.
"I guess, Jacob's gone, Bella."
It was only then that I realized what he meant, and the paper on the table started to look familiar. I picked up the envelope and opened it, to my horror it was a wedding invitation, to my wedding.
I gave a shuddered exhale, "What happened?" I asked, breathlessly whispering.
"He read a special note in the invitation." Billy pointed to the table where I was sitting, "And ran off."
I stood up, suddenly afraid.
"Sit down." Billy commanded, "Your vampire is in no trouble. Sam came by and said that Jacob ran away, far away, he will not be around to harm the Cullens anytime soon."
"I'm so sorry." I cried, a tear rolling down my cheek.
Billy pulled himself around beside me and laid his arm across my shoulders, "Bella, it was a long time in coming, you must know. It was your choice, and you have to live with the consequences, but just know I'm not holding it against you."
That was all I heard, I was vaguely aware of the slamming of my truck door, but I remembered nothing until Edward was sitting next to me.
"Pull over." He commanded, in his velvety voice.
I obeyed without thinking, and he came around, opened my door, and scooped me into his powerful, cold arms. He set me down in the passenger seat, and buckled me in before shutting my door and whipping around to the drivers seat.
If I wasn't so out of it I could have screamed my voice away at him, and I could see he knew it. The rest of the ride home was silent, and when we arrived at home he lifted me out of the truck and carried me to the door. Charlie met us as we came in.
"What happened?" Charlie asked, obviously trying to restrain himself.
"She's in shock, Some of what Billy had to say, I think." Edward explained as he carried me to, and lay me down on the couch.
"Bella, can you hear me?" Charlie asked, concern dripping off his every word, this wasn't the first time he'd seen me like this.
"Yes, dad." I managed to whisper.
"What happened?" he asked, as Edward slipped out, much to Charlie's relief.
"Jake's gone," I croaked, "And it's my fault."