Chapter One

I phase in, ready to take over patrol. As soon as I link minds Seth is shouting in my head "SHE'S BACK! SHE'S BACK!"

"Who is back?" I question, trying to get some sort of coherent answer from the overly hyper pup.

"Bella, shes back and she's human!" Seth yells.

"How do you know this?" I ask.

"Charlie he just left my house. I heard him telling my Mom that she called late last night and asked if she could come home" Seth explained. "Jake, man, she's back!"

My thoughts drifted back to that day, the day that changed everything. It's something that has replayed over and over in my head. This is something I never thought i'd hear since I walked away from her, hoping to force her into choosing. Oh, did she choose..

Seth broke through my thoughts and practically demanded I go to her.

"Jake if you wait, it's just going to drive you crazy, go, go to her now, you've waited so long. I'll take over your shift."

Seeing my reluctance Seth continued on..

"You need to see her, Jake. Maybe you can even tell her, you know, about the imprint."

"I'm not telling her, Seth. I can't!" I snapped a little too harshly.

I didn't even feel Leah phasing in, but she let it be known that she had.

"Jake, why don't you stop being a pussy, all we've had to hear from you, when you're phased with one of us or someone dares to be around you when you're not phased, is your incessant ramblings about Bella. why wasn't I good enough for her? why did the gods do this to me? why can't I just see her? why can't I just hear her voice? Chirst, Jacob! I was to the point of wanting to jump off a cliff if i had to patrol with you one more time. So, do us all a soild and go see her, she's home, stop being a bitch and go" Leah urged in her no nonsense tone.

Now I find myself standing in the treeline, staring at her house. I try and give myself a pep talk because my legs and feet don't seem to be carrying me from this spot.

"It's now or never, Black, just man up and do it." With a sigh I step out of the trees and head toward her house.

Walking to her front door seems like its taking an eternity. I have to laugh at myself because this is Bella and you'd think I was walking to my death. As I get closer I can hear her talking to herslf. I still to try and make out the words and just then the door swings open and there she is, standing before me.

"Jake, What are you.. I mean.. Hi." Bella says in an almost too high pitch voice.

"I heard you were home, I guess i needed to see for myself." I try and play it off like this isn't the single most exciting day i've had in months.

I take a step forward, breathing her in and she says "I'm still human, Jacob."

As if i wouldn't have known that fact the second I approched her house.

"I know, I mean, Charlie, he told Sue." I said

"Oh" She replied. "Um, do you want to come in?" she didn't wait for an answer just turned around and headed back in the house. I followed her into the kitchen and sat down staring at her. My thoughts drifted again to the day she chose the leech.

Suddenly, I snap back into reality, trying to push the thoughts of Edward Cullen from my head. Here's Bella, standing before me, after sixteen months of not knowing if she was still human. Sixteen months of agonizing pain and torrment. Sixteen months and finally my heart feels whole again. I notice she's looking at me with a mixture of emotions bleeding from her eyes. I'm almost afriad to ask her anything. Silence has filled the room and i'm not sure what to say, we both open our mouths to speak at the same time and let out an awkward giggle.

Great! I'm giggling like a teenage school girl.. This is what she reduces me to. I laugh to myself and she looks at me curiously

"Jake, whats so funny?" She asks.

"It's nothing Bells." I replied trying to retain my nonchalant attitude.

" I don't want to sound rude, but.. Why are you here?"

"Because this is my house, Jake. Why are you here?" she replied with snark.

Anger I didn't know i was holding at bay, rose up into my voice and with what sounded like hatred I yelled "No, thats not what i meant.. Why did you come back? You chose Cullen, You chose to leave behind your family and friends and just when we all get used to the idea of your absence, here you are. Like i said, not to sound rude, but I guess there is no other way to make it sound, Bella. I just want to know what changed? Is this just a trip down memory lane, before you make the biggest mistake of your life? Did you come back to see the pieces of all those you left behind? I can't let you hurt Charlie again."

She was stunned into silence. I had never yelled at her. Not even when I told her I had enough and she had to choose me or him. I surpirsed myself too.

After a few more moments of quiet, the flood gates opened. She was now sobbing, she had wrapped her arms around hersef like she was trying to hold herself together.

Between sobs she said "Jake, I am so sorry, I didn't want to hurt anyone, I didn't want to hurt you. I messed everything up. I understand if you hate me. I hate me. I need you to go. I'm not leaving again, you don't have to worry about Charlie."

I stepped to her, needing to comfort her, the imprint was killing me, I needed her to know everything would be alright. As I reached my arms out for her, she took a step back and said "No, Jacob! I need you to go. I'm sorry.."

I didn't let her finsih, I was out the door and the tattered pieces of fabric that used to be my clothes floated to the ground behind me.

a/n

Hey all, thanks for reading. I've got the second chapter almost complete. Let me know if you're liking this so far and if you want to read more. This is the first fic i am actually posting. I've been writing for a long time, just never shared with anyone, but a few close frirends.