The Return

Okay, so I'm remastering this – if your reading this for the first time, you may notice some inconsistencies in the later chapters, hence the remastering. I figured, if Disney could do it, why couldn't I.

Anyways, Love, Theft and Murder

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I used to be normal until I met these LOSERS I call my best friends

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Bella POV

I slept at Jakes again – still in his shirt, which he let me keep – my clothes were still drenched thanks to the continuing rain.

In the morning, Jake had to go shopping (under my orders) but invited me to stay for a few days. I could hardly refuse. So, I decided I would pick up some of my clothes from Charlie's – I couldn't live in his house forever, and I need a shower and a change of underwear desperately.

I left Jake's home a little after we had lunch – I really don't know how he survived. I mean, he was taller than I remember, buffer too.

Damn it Bella, keep it G-rated in there. He can probably smell you if ever got too turned on by him. Let's not give him the option.

So I drove my new old car back to Charlie's – the truck, sadly, died and went to big junkyard in the sky shortly after the second semester of my freshman year. So, since I had more money than I could use thanks to the Cullen's I splurged and got a second-hand Cooper's Mini – a yellow one. Well, I didn't decide on the colour, but Alice thought it was cute that we had matching coloured cars.

When I got home Charlie wasn't there – not that I expected him to be. He was either working, or at Sue's. She kept him fed and out of the diner for the 4 years I wasn't there. I'd have to thank her.

Thinking of Sue made me think of Seth and Leah and in extension the rest of the pack. I wondered how they were, with the Vampires gone for good – or, for a while at least. I was aching to see Quil – I had been far too long with only phone calls and short visits – the last visit being six months ago. Thinking these things, though, made me strangely nostalgic for the days when I was 'catatonic' – during the Edward-free phrase of my life that was enforced upon me.

God, I missed him.

But even after what happened with Edward, I couldn't call him. After all, it's not every day you realise that you're life is the perfect example of a Gothic Novel – with me portraying the perfect 'damsel in distress'.

Oh yeah, I had done my research about Gothic literature. It turns out some of its structures paralleled my life so closely it was scary.

If Vampires weren't enough, then it was entrapment, Damsel in distress, anti-heroes or flawed heroes, darkness and melodrama. Lots and lots of melodrama.

Yep. I could see the title now – The Memoirs of Bella Swan – A Gothic Novel is disguise. Not exactly the highlight of my life.

So, I promised myself to change. I would cast off the darkness, the damsel air I held around me, cast off my anti-hero's or the Cullen's.

I would be my own hero. Even if my life story ended up slightly superficial, with me being happy for me, it was better then a melodramatic Goth novel.

Though they had always intrigued me, I didn't want to live one. I had had my share of nightmares- I didn't need anymore.

So, I finished unpacking my belongs – as few as they were, and … wrote.

My time at college made me realise how much of my life was caught up in my boyfriends – the whole two I had ever had – life-or-death scares from Evil vampires, or my school work.

I had no life.

That really surprised my roommates.

Especially once they saw the two pictures of Jacob and Edward I ever displayed publicly.

The Edward one was at the going away party – I was smiling unsurely at the camera, Edward doing his usually, charmingly disarming crooked grin. That was in a slightly gaudy gold frame that he had given me for a present – well, at least snuck it to me and convinced me it was mine. A likely story if there ever was one. That was a few days before the accident.

The Jacob one was from our time in a relationship – we were at First Beach, the Pack spread out along the beach – Sam and Emily holding hands, walking away in the far distance, Quil and Paul were wrestling, Embry and Leah were in a death-staring competition, while Jared took the shot. Jake and I were the only two people in focus.

I was sitting between his legs, turning around at something he had said, while he had his head back, laughing, but his hands protectively around my waist.

That was a week or so before I got the call.

I remember it so clearly, much more clearly then the Edward photo.

Probably because I was truly happy.

Flashback

"What are Paul and Quil fighting about?" I asked Jake, looking at them fight for what seemed the hundredth time that day.

"Paul was being an ass. Quil's just thumping it into him."

"And Embry?"

"Oh, he thought it would be fun to try and death-stare Leah. I don't he remembers that Leah doesn't even have to try."

"That's true – I don't think I've ever seen Embry concentrate so hard in his life." I said, raising my voice slightly.

"I heard that!" He called back, still death-staring Leah, not even cracking a smile at my jibe.

"Good," I mumbled.

Jake leaned forward and whispered into my ear "Quil is really fighting about the right to hit on you first tonight," while he brushed my breast.

I whipped around, trying to be mad about his blatant pass at me, but he just threw his back and laughed, long and hard. I smacked his chest, getting only him laughing harder and my fingers stinging. He was far too solid for me.

Damn werewolf solidness.

End Flashback

My roommates Hilary and Annaliese thought it was amazing that I had had two amazing relationships with two such gorgeous men – both of them falling madly for Edward.

At that time, they were welcome to him.

And heck, they still are.

I hadn't realised what I was writing – or well, drawing by then – until it was completed.

It was a forest, well, I assumed it was because of all the trees, and there, on one side was rain, with a shadow there, standing there, it's eyes were practically glowing at me. On the other, sunshine, with another shadow, slightly bigger than the other. But it's eyes didn't glow. They looked…human.

I shook my head. Stupid over-active imagination. I was projecting again.

I had learnt – through some late-night elective classes – that people often project their emotions and desires into dreams. That was probably why I talked in my sleep. I was projecting.

I balled up the picture and threw it at the trash can. I was a little old for sketching if it wasn't by trade.

Yep, I was 23, done the whole college thing, and I was back home.

Who says there were no circles in life?

I grabbed by necessities and went to bathroom. I had a long hot shower. Even though summer was on the way, it was still cold.

I got dressed and stuffed some clothes into a small bag and scribbled a note to Charlie, letting him know I was with Jake 'catching up'.

I put my stuff in the Mini – I called him (it was a he) Oliver. He looked like an Oliver. Possibly an Oscar – and drove back down to Jake's place. I prayed that I remember the way there.

Instead, I ended up in front of Billy's place.

I think Jared and Kim were living there now. God, it brought back memories.

I couldn't remember why Jake hadn't decided to stay there.

But, maybe the memories were too painful for him.

I put the mini in reverse and was about to back out when I saw something I hadn't seen I 4 years.

A werewolf.

A familiar one.

I stopped the car and jumped out of the car.

"Seth?" I asked incredulously.

He was a lot bigger than the fifteen year old I remembered from before I left.

God, he was nineteen now and still phasing.

He cocked his head to one side (reminding me of Hilary who was your typical ditzy blonde – except for the fact she was a musical prodigy) and yipped questioningly at me.

"Seth?"

"Seth? Who is it?" Another familiar voice called form the house.

I turned around and saw Jared standing on the porch, staring at me.

"Bella?" He breathed, but I could hear him.

"Hi," I said meekly.

He grinned at me. "Leah is gonna love this," he called to me and I could have melted. Leah. I wonder if she was still a bitch.

During this whole time Seth had changed back and was wearing the signature cut-offs.

I didn't realise until he crash-tackled me with a hug.

"Bella! You're home!" He said, spinning me around.

"Seth! Can't breathe!" I managed to get out. God, he reminded me of Jake when we were younger.

"Sorry," he said, dropping me and blushing slightly.

"It's alright. Man, you got tall," I told him, craning my head back to look at him.

He grinned. "Yep – and I got ripped as well," he said, flexing his arms. I chuckled. He was still a teenager. I prayed that he never loose that innocence.

"I think that comes with the territory – you know, wolf and all."

He grinned and nodded. "But still, come on! I'm one of the most eligible bachelor's on the Res!"

I grinned and shook my head. "How's Leah?"

"She's mellow, don't worry. She found a man – well, a boy."

"Huh?"

"Well, you know how Quil imprinted on Claire?"

"Yeah,"

"Well, Leah done the same thing – on Sam's son."

"Sam's son?"

"Yeah, Matt."

"How old is Matt?"

"He's about two now."

'How old when…?"

"About 2 days."

"2 days!" Wow. I mean, wow. Then I grinned. I remembered all the shit that Leah gave Quil for being a Pedo.

"Has Quil dished it back?"

"Like you wouldn't believe. He makes what Leah did seem like vanilla ice-cream."

I laughed out loud. Leah didn't hold back. "So, I suppose Sam and Emily save on baby-sitting bills?"

"Oh yeah – she and Emily are real close now – closer then before the imprint. She's changed, but she still holds some grudge against you – Jake was a bit…out of it when you left."

"Wait, what?" What had happened that they hadn't told me.

Seth shot Jared a look. Jared sighed. "I'll call Quil and Embry. If they're not with Jacob, they'll come over and tell you all about it. While that's happening, do you wanna come in? Kim's in the middle of planning our wedding."

"You're getting married?"

"In the Summertime baby," he sang cheesily as he walked inside.

Seth walked beside me. "Bella, you're not gonna like what you're gonna hear. It was…painful to say the least."

"I don't understand." What had Jake done?

Seth looked at me, bleakness in his beautiful eyes. "He tried to kill himself."

I stopped, mouth open, staring at him as if the sun had gone out of the sky.

"He WHAT?" I screeched, like a, well, like a girl.

"Bella, to him, you chose death over him – he didn't want to live with that knowledge. But that was towards the end. About two years ago. It didn't start with suicide attempts."

"How did it start?"

"Like it always does in generic Hollywood movies – booze, drugs and girls."

"How bad?"

Seth sighed and scratched his head. "Quil and Embry can tell you more than I can, but, essentially, he went searching for his imprint, when he didn't find that, he went searching for another you. Then it was booze, to forget, then drugs to get over the booze, then girls. Believe it or not, it was Quil who got him off the girls."

I shook my head. Jake was my first – I was his.

"I hope you know I'm gonna kill him."

Seth smiled at me, but it wasn't his trademark one that reached his eyes. "We wouldn't expect anything less. But you know what Bella?"

"What?"

"The turning point for him was after his Billy's death. Quil got him off just before the funeral – he was sober, clean and blue-balled, but he stepped up. The cancer didn't help things with Jake in the beginning – it was just another excuse. But seeing you at the funeral, alive, not undead, I think kept him clean, sober and blue-balled. I mean, he hasn't had any in almost two years - none of it. Not an aspirin, not a celebratory champagne, hasn't even set eyes on a girl. Of course, he hasn't phased – not really – since then either. It's strange. I mean, he's Alpha and all, but."

"Wait, he's Alpha?"

"Have you talked to him yet?" Seth asked me, eyeing me up nervously.

"Kinda. I mean, I've spent the last two days with him – nothing romantic mind you, purely platonic," As much as I wish it was anything but, "but he never mentioned this – any of this. He only talked about things since after the funeral."

Seth shook his head. "Then are you in for a surprise."