A/N: In this chapter, we backtrack in time to where Bella is about to jump off of the cliff ledge. My story line doesn't follow the exact time of New Moon. In Obsidian Sky the time will start in August. :) Enjoy!

Not my story, SM owns.

Chapter ONE: Power


My toes curled over the rocky edge. I didn't want to look down, or I would lose the will to do it. I faced the sky, tears streaming down my face.

Edward...where are you? Speak to me! Please...

Nothing but the sound of the crashing waves below and the wind in my ears returned my plea.

I gathered up my courage and lifted my arms, the wind was buffeting the tank top and shorts I was wearing and chilled me to the core. But I was numb already.

At that moment, the sun peered through the clouds and a shaft of light illuminated the sea in front of me. Maybe this was the sign I had been waiting for? I crouched slightly, ready to leap.

Edward, don't be angry...I just want to feel...

"NO! Bella! Don't"

Finally, the voice I had been waiting for. Tears turned to sobs. Before my feet left the ledge, two large arms wrapped around my waist, crushing me to the ground.

Jacob. It was Jacob's voice I had heard, and Jacob's arms around me, not Edwards. A feeling of despair and nastiness came bubbling to the surface of my throat.

"Jacob! Let me go!" I sobbed, turning to pound his chest with my balled up fists.

He only held me closer, cradling me to his body. My fury began to rise and I struggled in vain against him.

"Jacob!" I screamed. "You don't understand! He's out there! He's talking to me! He can hear me! Damn you! Let me GO!"

With a feeble attempt, I twisted away from him, but he had lifted me up and was carrying me down the cliffside path. I glanced at his face. His eyes were hard and facing forward and his jaw was set. I couldn't physically outmaneuver him and I was beginning to feel exhausted from my attempts. I lay limp in his arms, seething with anger and frustration.

After a moment of silence he finally spoke through a clenched mouth. "Bella, why? Why would you do such a stupid, insane thing? You know better! I told you to wait for me!"

I had never seen him so angry. He didn't even look at me. Tears welled up in my eyes again.

"I don't have to explain anything to you, Jacob! I knew what I was doing. Maybe you should back off and stop trying to patronize me!"

We were at the bottom of the hill and Jacob set me down, but still had a firm grasp on my wrists. His eyes were angry black slits.

"Bella, it takes skill and training to cliff jump," he hissed bitterly. "Don't you understand that you could have been killed a dozen different ways, just taking off like that?" He shook his head, than looked into my eyes, softening. "Don't you realize that if something happened to you, so many people would be effected? This isn't just all about you and your precious Edward!"

The fury in me unleashed, I wrested my right had free from his grasp, drew back and slapped him hard in the face.

"Go to hell, Jacob!" I shouted, turning on my heel away from him. "Leave me alone! Don't call me, don't write, NOTHING! I never want to see you again!"

I ran blindly to my truck parked off the road and quickly climbed in the cab. I turned to see him, standing where I had left him. One hand extended toward me and the other on his cheek.

Before the guilt and hurt of what I had done to him could catch up to me, I turned the ignition and shoved the gear shaft into position. I left a trail of dust unfurled behind me as I took off home as fast as the truck could carry me. Jacob Black had ruined everything.


Once at home, I flew up the steps past Charlie sitting on the couch. I didn't want to explain anything to him, so I ran into the bathroom and set the shower to its hottest setting and climbed in. I let the scalding water warm my bones as I leaned against the shower stall and sobbed. I have never talked to Jacob like that, much less want to cause him physical pain. My hand still ached from slapping him. Still, my anger at Jakes "rescue" was more overwhelming than the feelings of guilt. Once the tears had stopped, I exited the shower and wrapped the towel around my red blotchy skin. There was no way I was going to look in the mirror, from the way my body looked.

Once I exited the bathroom, Charlie was waiting for me, leaning against the wall across my bedroom, his face full of worry.

"Jacob?" He asked, his eyes full of concern.

"This is the last thing I want to talk about right now, Charlie." I went into my room and shut the door, leaving my father with a confused and hurt look on his face. I sighed sadly and dressed in my sweats. I flopped on the bed and grabbed my i-pod. Immediately I changed it from Coldplay to Linkin Park. I needed a better distraction. I took out my worn copy of Pride and Prejudice. I only got through a few sentences when I heard a knock at my door.

"Charlie! Seriously not in the mood!" I shouted.

To my great annoyance, the knob turned and the door slowly opened. My eyes widened in surprise as Jacob cautiously entered. My fists clenched. The guy had some nerve!

"Jake, no. I don't want to talk--"

"Bella, please," he cut me off, "I'm just here because I want to say one thing, then I will leave."

I folded my arms and leaned back against my headboard, waiting for him to go on. He took a deep breath and seemed to steady himself for a moment.

"Bella, I didn't come here to apologize. I still think what you did was incredibly stupid."

I scoffed and shook my head ready to shriek at him to leave. He continued, a look of determination on his face.

"Bella, the truth is I um, have feelings for you, you know? I just can't imagine something happening to you. I was scared. And when I found you up there, ready to jump, I did the first thing that came to my mind."

He was looking at me with apprehension and a great amount of vulnerability, and I knew he had poured his soul out to me just then. Something new surged within me at that point. A feeling of power over Jacob. If I really wanted to make him happy at this moment, I could. But he had chosen the wrong time to reveal his feelings for me- perhaps the worst time. I was still angry it clouded my mind and every thought. My jaw tightened and I stood to face him, my finger pointing cruelly at his chest.

"Oh, you um, kind of have feelings for me?" I mocked his words. "Well, Jacob, that's a lovely sentiment in all, but I truly doubt you know what you really feel. You are a 15 year old BOY, you don't know what you want for breakfast; let alone what you choose to feel about me. Why don't you walk back out of here and go back to your friends and find a nice "rez" girl to have feelings for."

I couldn't comprehend the look on his face because I had never seen it before. It was a mixture of hurt and disbelief, and then to my surprise he smirked.

"Fine, Bella. Since you seem to know SO MUCH about how I feel about you, I won't try and argue. But, just know, you are wrong."

Then he left. It wasn't till later that night that I finally broke down in guilt and cried into my pillow. What had I done to my best friend? One thing I did know: I didn't deserve him.

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