*Bella*
Jake had been acting weird every since I told Charlie that we would be hanging out. I wondered if he didn't want to for some reason. A wave of panic washed through me if as I thought I may be too late. What if he had found someone who would make him happy and that someone wasn't me. I took a deep breath to try and calm my nerves and prepare myself for what I was about to do. Right or wrong, he needed to know how I felt, even if I was too late. I had made a conscious decision last night to give Jake and me a chance. It wasn't fair to either of us. I was holding back, but I knew he would help me to open up again, and the only way that my heart would ever move on was to try. To find some one that I had feelings for, someone who gave me goose bumps from the simplest touch, someone who cared deeply for me, and someone who was selfless enough to still love me, even though he didn't think those feelings were being returned. Besides as it would seem, Mythical Creatures were kind of my thing, first a vampire, then a werewolf. Damn Bella, kinky much? I laughed silently to myself as I pulled Jacob up the steps, and I really had to pull, what was his deal?
I shut the door quietly behind us then turned to Jacob. "Jake are you okay?" I asked. "You don't have to stay and hangout if you don't want to!" I said. "What?" he shouted. I jumped then stepped closer and placed my finger softly against his lips. "Shh, Jake, Are you okay?" I asked again. "I'm fine Bella!" he said much more quietly. "Then why are you so quiet?" I asked him. "I'm just…..confused!" he said. "Why?" I asked sitting down on my bed then patting the empty space next to me. Jake sat down before starting to speak again. "I'm just wondering what's going on between us. You've never been so receptive to my advances before!" said Jacob. I took a deep breath, well here goes nothing! But Jacob spoke before I had the chance. "It's okay Bella. I know you don't feel for me, the way I feel for you. I'm okay with it, I swear I am. I just want to see you happy, I swear that's all that's important to me!" said Jacob rambling on. I just stared at him while he rambled, finally he stopped. "Are you done yet?" I asked. "Uhm, sure!" said Jacob. I took another deep breath before starting to speak.
"I guess…..I could probably show you better than I could tell you!" I whispered. Confusion washed over Jacobs face, well I guess if nothing else I would catch him by surprise. I readjusted myself on the bed, and quickly before I lost my nerve leaned in a kissed him. I'm not sure what I expected to feel but rejection wasn't it. He didn't respond, at all. It was like kissing a brick wall. "Oh!" I said pulling away. "Sorry Jake, I…..." I started with my apology but I was cut off. His lips were on mine again and he was kissing me hard. He parted my lips and our tongues met in a dance that had my head spinning. He pulled away first and leaned his forehead against mine, his hands on either side of my head. "Oh Bella!" he breathed. "Wow!" was all that I managed to say. "You can say that again!" said Jacob.
After a minute my head had finally cleared and I was able to speak again. "I didn't know what to say, or how to tell you!" I said. Jacob laughed quietly. "That worked!" he said. He kissed me softly again then pulled me against his chest. I laid there for a minute before sitting up again. "I want to do something!" I said. "Anything!" said Jacob. "I'll be right back!" I said. He simply nodded. I headed towards the bathroom and changed into my pajamas, which consisted of a pair of shorts and a short sleeved shirt. Not my normal choice for bedtime during the winter but when your cuddling with a man that ran a temp of 108.9 all the time, it was going to be a little on the warm side.
I walked back into my bedroom and past him to the head of my bed. "Let's go!" I said. "Go where?" he asked. I laughed lightly. "Jake!" I whined. I was going to use this to my advantage. "I mean, if you don't want to cuddle with me then by all means, stay down there, I can lay in bed by myself," I said pulling the quilt back and readjusting my pillows. "Oh, no ma'am, you will receive no arguments from me. I'll hold you all night long if you want me too!" said Jacob. I smiled. "That would be nice, only one problem!" I said. "Charlie is not a problem. First of all he would never kick me out of this house, especially if I told him you wanted me here!" said Jacob. "Secondly, you have a window; I'll leave in a little bit, then sneak back in. He'll never know!" said Jacob. I smiled. "Well what are you waiting for?" I asked. Jacob stood up and walked to the head of my bed. He kissed me softly before sitting down and propping the pillows up behind him. I lay down with my head on his chest; he wrapped his arms around me and pulled me up against him.
"Is this really happening Bells?" he asked breaking the silence. I looked up at him and smiled. "May I convince you that it is?" I asked. "Please do, because I feel like I am dreaming!" said Jacob. I sat up and kissed him again. "I decided….." I said between kisses. "That I couldn't hold back from you any longer," I said. "The way I feel in you arms, so perfect," I said. Jacob broke the kiss and started leaving a trail of kisses down my neck. I inhaled sharply, "the reaction my body has to your touch!" I said. He made it down to my collar bone and started to work his way up the other side of my neck. "Your body responds to my touch does it?" he asked. I couldn't answer so I nodded. "But most of all," I said pulling away from Jacob. "The way I feel in here!" I said taking his hand and placing it over my heart. "You make my heart soar. Just the sound of your voice makes my heart feel like its flying!" I said. Jacob simply smiled. "I knew you would finally come around!" he said kissing me softly. I smiled. I knew what he was referring to but I decided I would rather not get into that right now. Edward was a conversation I never wanted to have with Jacob again. I would never cry over Edward again. "I can love you more that he did!" he said softly tracing his thumb over my cheek. I believed him, I truly did. "I know you can, and I want you to!" I said.
Jacob and I laid in silence for awhile. He was rubbing circles on my back with one hand, and his other was laced with mine. "Bells!" he said softly. "Hmm," I asked. I was so comfortable that I didn't want to get up. I never wanted to move again. But I knew it was getting late. "We have a little show to put on!" said Jacob. "I mean, unless you really do want me to leave!" said Jacob. "No!" I said. He laughed. "Well then, why don't we go let Charlie know that I am leaving?" I nodded and stood up reluctantly. I stretched and grabbed my Whitworth College Hoodie that was lying over my bed post. "Hey!" said Jacob coming up behind me and wrapping his arms around my waist. "When I get back, let's talk about the whole college thing!" said Jacob. "Okay!" I said yawning. "And then my beautiful Bella needs to get some sleep!" said Jacob. I nodded. "You won't leave?" I asked. "I promise!" he said kissing me. "Is your window unlocked?" he asked. "No!" I said walking towards it. It used to stay unlocked; there was no reason to lock it. He was always there, but about three months ago I had locked it, perhaps it had been a turning point, maybe I had just done it out of anger, I wasn't sure. I unlocked the window then walked over to Jacob and laced our hands together before opening my door.
*Jacob*
Bella walked me to the front door. I was on cloud nine, I had finally gotten what I wanted, and I was never letting go. "Goodnight Charlie!" I said Bella's hand still in mine. Charlie was kind of slow when it came to some things, so unless Bella and I came right out and told him about the status change in our relationship he might not pick up for a few weeks or hell maybe a few months. "Night Jake!" said Charlie from his recliner. "See you tomorrow?" he asked. "You can bet on it!" I said giving Bella's hand a quick squeeze. That was it for Charlie. He didn't see me kiss Bella goodnight. He didn't see me come back for another kiss, even though it would be less than a minute before I would see her again. Finally I turned my back on the door and she shut it behind me. I was torn, I wanted to phase so I could tell my brothers that I wouldn't be coming home tonight, and more importantly why I wouldn't be coming home tonight, but I also wanted to be in Bella's nice warm bed when she got upstairs. And I would prefer to be nice and warm, and running around in the snow was not conducive to staying warm. Ahh it could wait, they would find out soon enough. It wasn't my night to run patrols, and ever since THEY had left, we really hadn't been expecting to find much. We ran patrols once a night though, around Forks and the surrounding areas, ranging about twenty five miles out. Just to be safe.
I climbed swiftly into her window and back into her bed. I stretched and mentally prepared myself for the best night of my life. I climbed into Bella's bed adjusting the pillows so that we could lie down and go to sleep after our little talk. I wondered how our talk would go; she didn't seem overly thrilled with the idea of staying in Washington earlier. Charlie seemed to have the same idea as I did, keep her close. I could only assume that's where the Whitworth College sweatshirt came from.
Bella broke me from my thoughts when she walked back into the room. "Hey you," I said. She smiled and climbed back into bed lying with her head against my chest. I pulled the blankets around us both. "I could get used to this," I said kissing her lightly on the neck. "Plan on it!" said Bella. I smiled and leaned down and kissed her softly. "So….college?" asked Bella. "I want you to know that I want you to be happy, if I have to run to NYU twice a month to see you I will. But I would rather you stay close!" I said. She stayed silent. I was worried she still had her heart set on NYU, or worse Hawaii, I would never see her if she went to Hawaii. "Bells," I said after she still hadn't spoken. She smiled, "So how often would I get to see you if I stayed in Washington?" she asked. "Everyday," I said. "Promise?" she asked. "Someone has to keep you safe Bella!" I said smiling. "What about the pack?" she asked. "We'll figure something out. I'll run patrols while you're in class!" I told her. "Okay, I'm sold!" she said. "Are you sure? I just want you to be happy!" I told her. "I am happy Jake! And wherever I can go that I can be with you, will make the happiest!" she said. I smiled. "Good, Whitworth College it is!" I said. "Wait, why Whitworth, I was accepted to three colleges in Washington!" she said. I didn't speak but merely pointed to the sweatshirt she was still wearing. "Oh, well yea it was my favorite campus!" she said smiling. "So will I get the pleasure if sleeping in your arms every night at Whitworth?" she asked. "Bells, its still Washington, you're going to need someone to keep you warm!" I told her pulling her closer to me. "Mmm now I'm really sold!" she said. I laughed quietly and turned to turn out the light. I kissed her softly then said, "Sleep my beautiful Bella!" I fell asleep that night positive that I was the happiest that I had ever been in my entire life, sleeping in the arms of my one true love…..finally.
April and May passed in a blur. Running patrols, spending time with Bella and trying to stay on top of my school work were all keeping me busy. Thank God for Bella making sure that I stayed caught up on my school work, and Thank God for Bella's love. Every night I slept like a baby with her in my arms.
Things were good with the Pack too; all my brothers were thrilled to finally see me happy. Emily and Bella had become good friends, and it was so good to see my Bella happy. She was constantly glowing, she was always laughing with me, with Emily, with the guys, and they all loved her dearly. We hadn't come across anything on our patrols either and that made me very happy for two reasons. For one, my Bella was safe, there were no sadistic vampires trying to kill her on my watch. And two he wasn't coming back. None of them had been back since they left, which made me VERY happy.
Before I knew it June 17th was upon us and Bella was graduating. That meant in exactly 63 days Charlie and I would be making the trip up to Spokane, Washington to move Bella into her dorm. As smart as she was, she was awarded a full academic scholarship. I was trying to keep my new obsession from the guys. I had only been to Whitworth once, but I was planning on patrolling it at least once a week from here on out.