"I do not like the way things are."

Jacob freed one arm so that he could cup his big brown hand under my chin and make me look at him. "Yeah. It was easier when we were both human, wasn't it?"

I sighed.

We stared at each other for a long moment. His hand smoldered against my skin. In my face, I knew there was nothing but wistful sadness-I didn't want to have to say goodbye now, no matter for how short a time. At first his face reflected mine, but then, as neither of us looked away, his expression changed.

He released me, lifting his other hand to brush his fingertips along my cheek, trailing them down to my jaw. I could feel his fingers tremble-not with anger this time. He pressed his palm against my cheek, so that my face was trapped bewteen his burning hands.

"Bella," he whispered.

No! I hadn't made this decision yet. I didn't know if I could do this, and now I was out of time to think. But I would have been a fool if I thought rejecting him now would have no consequences.

I stared back at him. He was not my Jacob, but he could be. His face was familiar and beloved. In so many real ways, I did love him. He was my comfort, my safe harbor. Right now, I could choose to have him belong to me.

Alice was back for the moment, but that changed nothing. True love was forever lost. The prince was never coming back to kiss me awake from my enchanted sleep. I was not a princess, after all. So what was the fairy-tale protocol for other kisses? The mundane kind that didn't break any spells?

Maybe it wouls be easy-like holding his hand or having his arms around me. Maybe it would feel nice. Maybe it wouldn't feel like betrayal. Besides, who was I betraying, anyway? Just myself.

Keeping his eyes on mine, Jacob began to bend his face toward mine. And I was still absolutely undecided.

The phone rang suddenly, breaking Jacob's focus. I reached behind me to grab the phone off the reciever and he moved away, to the other side of the room.

Turning as I placed the phone to my ear, I heard horns blaring from the caller's end. "Hello?" There was a sharp intake of breath but no answer. "Hello? Is anyone there?"

Whoever was on the other end, sighed. "Lo siento. Adios, Bella." My heart stopped.

Edward. I was talking to Edward. "Edward...? Is that you?" The dial tone was what I recieved as an answer. I dropped the phone and stood there, shocked. "Edward..." Sobs ripped through my chest, breaking my composure. Jake supported me as I collapsed and turned me so I could bury my head in his shirt.

He whispered sweet nothings in my ear and each quiet sentence comforted me more than the last. "Bella," Before I could react, he raised my chin and pressed his lips to mine.

The feeling that rushed through me when I kissed Edward was nothing compared to this. As his fire-hot lips danced against mine, I felt what I knew Jacob had felt for me all along. Love. The walls around my fragile, glass heart collapsed and all that I was confused about two minutes ago was now solved. I pulled myself away from him and looked into his deep, brown eyes. Before, when I looked at him, I recognized him as my best friend. As a friend that had been there for me through out everything. But now, I saw him in new light. My eyes took in every detail of his strong, muscular, tan face and I was in love with every single inch. "Jacob...I love you." I hugged him tightly and he returned it, just as euphoric as I was.

He looked down at me and smiled. "You mean it? You really mean it, Bella?" I nodded eagerly and burried my head in his chest. "Oh, Bella. I love you so much, I-" He cut off mid-sentence and growled toward the front of the house.

I pulled away and looked toward the door to the kitchen. "Jake? Is there something wrong?" My question was answered when Alice walked in. "Alice...I-"

She held up a hand to cut me off. "No, you don't have to explain. You deserve to be happy and my brother was causing you too much pain for you to be truly happy. I'm so glad you found where you belong. I'll be leaving now." She smiled and ran across the room at a failry slow pace to embrace me. "Goodbye, Bella. Keep in touch."

A tear ran down my cheek as I hugged my best friend for the last time. "I will, Alice. I will." She released me and disappeared around the corner.

Jake gathered me in his muscular arms and held me gently, his skin was on fire and I could hear his heart thudding in his chest a mile a minute. "Bella, let's go back to La Push. Just you and me, we can live there, together. Charlie can come too."

My eyes searched his for any doubt anything that resembled less than love, I ended my search because, really, who was I to doubt Jacob? He had loved me since he first met me and had to watch me love another man. Well, not man, but...you get the point. My face broke into a smile and I hugged him tighter. His question didn't need a spoken answer, my head nod was enough. He smiled and grabbed my hand to escort me out the door. We walked out of the house and before I could take another step, Jake stopped me in my tracks. I saw tremors run through him and a growl that was more menacing than any vampire I had heard. I stepped behind him and gently placed a hand on his shoulder. "Jake," I whispered. "Who is it?"

A figure stepped from the woods, revealing a small girl. She carried herself with elegance and poise, not typical for a girl her age. Her eyes were dark and hateful, it was obvious that this girl was a non-vegetarian vampire. Jacob ceased growling almost immediately and took a step toward the petite girl. "Finally," he muttered. Her eyes that were previously filled with hate and hunger had softened and now showed happiness and longing.

"Jacob, don't! She's a vampire!" I grabbed his arm to make a small attempt to hold him back but all failed. He pulled out of my grasp easily and ran to the small girl, embracing her. My heart shattered. Though I didn't know what it felt like, the only reason Jacob would willingly hug a vampire would be if he had to. And now he did have to because he had just imprinted on this girl. Before I knew what hit me, I was on the ground, ignoring the gravel and small rocks stabbing into my hands and knees, sobbing. My best friend had left me and now I was alone, again.

Footsteps pounded against the gravel. "Bella!" Two warm arms embraced me. "Bella..."

I pushed him away with as much strength as I could muster. Before a sentence left my mouth, Jacob's new girlfriend appeared before me, eyes pitch black. She seemed familiar, had Edward metioned her? He mentioned a few vampires, the Denali and the Volturi. The Denali were vegetarians so was this small child part of the royal Italian family? "The Volturi..."

She smiled a bit and giggled. "Ah, so you've heard of us? Tsk, tsk. That means I have to kill you." She smiled which evoked a shiver from the top of my neck to run to the base of my spine. "Or turn you, at least." Jacob grabbed her arm. "No, Jacob, this is Cullen territory, correct? That means you can't defend her. I may be from Italia but I'm not naïve." Jacob growled. She giggled and closed the three inches between us. "I'm not going to lie, this is going to hurt...a lot."

Her teeth moved to my neck and pierced the skin in moments. I gasped in pain and as she delved into the flesh of my neck, seeking more blood I screamed. There was a frightening burn emanating from the bite wound and I knew it was her venom beginning to spread throughout my body. The feeling was just as I remebered when James had bitten me, excrutiating and fire hot. "Jane, get away from her!" Alice's voice cut through my screams of torture and I was released from the death grip of Jane's teeth. I collapsed on the ground and thrashed, trying to escape the burning pain in my neck. I was emmitted to darkness before anything else could happen.