OKAY, so this is my first chaptered story, let me know what you think. Like, if I should keep publishing chapters, or just throw my computer into the garbage disposal for writing this schmuck.

The usual, I don't own characters, S. Meyer does. Well, I guess I own Rachel, but if someone wants her they can have her.

Chapter One

He had made one promise to himself. That no matter what happened he would stick to his plan, because it would make her happy, and if she was happy then he could be happy too.

He would never hurt her. Not in the same way Edward had, that no matter what happened he would be there for her.

Jacob felt so ashamed with himself. How could he be so unhappy, and so whole at the same time. He was hurting everyone involved.

After Edward had left it had taken Jacob months for Bella to even acknowledge her feelings for him. Now she had, and they were happy, or at least as happy as Bella could be. Which was good enough for him.

But now he was doing the same thing. No, he decided as he climbed the steps, it was worse.

Bella had graduated high school three weeks ago, and as a step forward had gotten her own place. She was accepted to the University of Washington in Seattle but wasn't going. Jacob couldn't leave the pack. And Bella wasn't going to leave him. She had made plans and now he was going to shatter them.

He could lie, but that seemed worse. Bella would find out of course, eventually.

No, lying wasn't an option, not really.

He was stalling. He was a coward.

He used the key she had made for him and opened the door, not before feeling the felt of the box between his fingers, but he shoved it, and the thought, back down into his pocket.

The apartment was coming along, she was currently trying to assemble a bookshelf in the middle of the room. She had an ugly brown couch that she refused to part with after seeing in the consignment store. The kitchen cupboards were open, stocked with her housewarming gift from Charlie; new plates and silverware. On the wall there was a much less practical gift from Renee, a photograph of some type of chimpanzee from Africa that was almost extinct; Bella had named him Alfred.

It was a small apartment, but had big windows. The living room and kitchen were adjoined, the bedroom was off to the left, and the bathroom just through that.

Jacob took the scene in, looking extra carefully at Bella, how unsuspecting she looked.

Bella heard the door open and found Jacob standing in it, she was so occupied with her shelf she didn't notice the look on his face.

"Hey." She said, smiling, her face brightening.

"Hi." It was weak, he was surprised she hadn't picked up on it yet.

Bella stood up and brushed the dust of her jeans.

"You want something to eat?" But before Jacob could say anything she interrupted him "Sorry dumb question. Hey, good news, guess what?"

"What?"

"I'm at zero today, well until now, but that doesn't count." Bella kept chattering about something, but Jacob didn't notice.

It was part of his plan, after the bloodsucker had left. He wasn't going to let Bella avoid the topic, or she would never get over him. He had made her tell him how many times she had thought of Edward that day. Usually it was in the double digits, high numbers he didn't like. But there had been a few zeros recently.

"Bella…"

"…so I thought, hey why not go with a yellow, right?" Finally she looked at him, she saw something was wrong and she crossed the room. "Jake, what's wrong?" She sounded concerned.

She reached up and put both of her tiny hands on his chest.

Jacob lost his voice, finding that he couldn't answer.

"Jake, tell me, what is it

She shouldn't be worried about me, he thought, she shouldn't be comforting me.

"Bella, I'm so sorry. I don't know what else to say. I never thought…really I never thought this would happen. I know that it's a dumb thing to say, but if for a second I thought it was a possibility..."

"Jeez, Jake just spit it out." Worry colored her tone now.

"I…Bella I imprinted." He sounded almost as shocked as she looked.

Understanding at once flooded her warm eyes. Then her face went blank, like she was trying to prevent herself from registering what was happening.

"Bella?"
Her hands had gone limp on his chest and she didn't say anything.

"How…when…" She was trying to form a question, but her thoughts didn't make coherent ends. What was happening, it just didn't make sense.

"Earlier. Today. I don't know why, it was supposed to be you…I don't know what happened."

Finally her brain came to the most crucial question "Who?" She choked out.

"Her name is Rachel. She was walking outside your building when it happened."

Nobody spoke, the weight of Jacob's news was like a pressure in the air. That, and Bella was a little horrified that he imprinted on someone who shared the same name as his sister.

"Oh." She said quietly, taking her hands off of him and placing one over her eyes.

"Bella?" He looked at her with concern.

"Oh god. Oh…god…" She was hyperventilating.

"Bella, please, take a deep breath, it's going to be okay." It was automatic, he reached out to comfort her, the girl he had loved for so long.

"Don't…touch me. Just get out." She moved away from him, he noticed the tears in her eyes, and felt his own get wet.

"I didn't want this to happen…I wanted it to be you but…"

"But it wasn't." She finished for him. The tears were freely rolling down her cheeks, for once she didn't try to hide them.

"Bella, it'll be okay."

"Yeah, for you. You have…her." And I have nobody. "You have her. So congratulations." Bella's voice was getting hysterical. "But I am pretty sure you promised not to leave me. That you would be with me, love me, that all went out the window now I guess. So it will be fine. For you. But just this one time Jake, just this once what about me?"

"I-Bella…please." He was desperate to make her happy. He wished he had never seen Rachel, but he was connected to her now, irreversibly, irrevocably.

"Right. So get out." Her voice cracked on the last word and Jacob left.

Bella was right, she was alone again.