Magnets

[Author's Note:

To those of you who knew me as Ann Landers, I'm sorry – I had to change my pen name. I couldn't think of anything, so I looked up a list of notable pen names online, but apparently Ann Landers is still around. Oops! So I had to change that. Now, I'm daughterofmusic.

Just to clear that up.

Thanks to all those who reviewed my last story – I really appreciate it! You guys rock.

Moving on…

This is another rewrite of Eclipse. This time, it's a little bit of the parking lot scene with Jacob. When I read Eclipse the first time, I wondered what exactly Jacob was showing to Edward through his thoughts, and how Edward was really taking it inside. So, I created it the way I thought he would react. Enjoy!

With Bella at my side, I crossed over the parking lot to where Jacob Black stood.

Of course she's with her bloodsucker, he was thinking as he smirked and pushed away from the telephone pole. Dirty, filthy leech…if there weren't witnesses I'd –

I stopped listening. I already knew what he was going to think. Grudgingly, I allowed Jacob some credit for choosing now to talk to me – I was glad there were witnesses. I knew I could keep myself in check, but I doubted how perfect Jacob's self-control was. Actually, I didn't doubt – I knew how imperfect it was.

I stopped walking when we were about four yards from Jacob. If I had my way, we'd be yelling at each other from across a full continent. Unfortunately, Bella had no idea how very dangerous Jacob was. Shifting into a slightly more defensive position, I spoke.

"You could have called us," I said evenly, restraining from making a face at his hot stench.

"Sorry," he sneered. "I don't have any leeches on my speed dial." I very nearly rolled my eyes. We should have been able to communicate civilly by now, but of course Jacob had to be the child in the situation.

"You could have reached me at Bella's house, of course," I replied coolly, enjoying how much that bothered him. Get away from her house, bloodsucker! He's got no business there…with her… "This is hardly the place, Jacob," I continued. "Could we discuss this later?" It would hardly do to have someone hear mention of a treaty or werewolves.

"Sure, sure. I'll stop by your crypt after school," Jacob said sarcastically. "What's wrong with now?" Bella doesn't need to see us fight. And, I might not be able to take him… Already a small crowd was gathering.

Maybe they'll fight! Tyler Crowley was thinking. A fight would be so cool! We never get any excitement around here…

"I already know what you came to say," I said, already having listened to his reminder of where the boundary lines were and exactly what would happen to trespassers. "Consider us warned." I glanced at Bella, hoping she would stay out of this for once. But of course, that wasn't her nature.

"Warned?" she asked, confused. "What are you talking about?" He didn't tell her! Jacob thought, infuriated. What a creep!

"You didn't tell her? What, were you afraid she'd take our side?"

"Please drop it, Jacob," I muttered.

"Why?" he asked with the infamous teenager tone of voice. I sighed.

"Edward?" Bella asked. "Jake?"

"He didn't tell you that his big brother crossed the line Saturday night?" Jacob's eyes shifted to me. "Paul was totally justified in-"

"It was no-man's land!" I whispered angrily. Emmett had barely put a toe across the boundary line, and the werewolves went berserk.

"Emmett and Paul?" Bella asked worriedly. "What happened? Were they fighting? Did Paul get hurt?" She was going into panic mode. I whispered words of comfort to distract her as Jacob blabbered on about me not telling her anything. He doesn't really care about her, he was thinking. Anger flared inside me.

"Leave now," I interrupted angrily. He didn't.

"Why haven't you told her?" Did he think she would go into shock or something? She's tougher than he thinks… way too overprotective…I held Bella's arm tightly as she put two and two together and realized what Jacob was implying. She clutched at my arm. Here it comes, I thought, resigned. Thanks, Jacob.

"She came back for me." Bella's voice broke.

"Does that answer your question, mongrel?" I snarled at Jacob.

"You don't think she has a right to know? It's her life," he said defiantly.

"Why should she be frightened when she was never in danger?" I challenged.

"Better frightened than lied to." I disagreed in Bella's case. She got far too worked up over tiny things – she didn't need any extra worries. Her eyes were filling up with tears of fear. I wiped them away, careful to be extremely gentle. If only she knew how very fragile she was…

"Do you really think hurting her is better than protecting her?" I wondered, gazing into her frightened eyes.

"She's tougher than you think. She's been through worse." See, I'll show you… As Jacob's vivid mental image filled my mind, my lungs deflated and I felt like I had been hit in the stomach by a charging bull.

I saw Bella curled up on the forest floor. Her eyes were lifeless, her cheeks pale, as rain drizzled softly around her. She was completely unaware of any activity around her. The only sign of life was a shiver. Bella looked as if she had been torn apart completely, then crudely sewn together and expected to function normally. Her evident pain ripped a hole in me, and I jerked my head slightly, instinctively trying to rid myself of the image.

Yes, keep looking, bloodsucker, Jacob thought. That's what you did to her. You'd better learn from this – that, if you ever do it again, I'll personally tear you apart.

He was laughing.

The picture shifted. Now I saw her on the beach at La Push. Her arms were wrapped tightly around her ribs as she rocked back and forth slightly, hyperventilating. Her eyes were full of anguish now, as if some demon ate away at her from the inside out.

"Stop it!" Bella cried. "Whatever you're doing!"

I clenched my jaw. I will make you pay for what you did, Jacob was thinking. I kept my composure with some difficulty. It was all I could do to stop myself from launching at him and attacking. I restrained myself, only because there were witnesses. You'd better be glad we're not alone, dog, I thought angrily. I don't know how my self-control would have fared if it was only us two talking.

I was sure those memories would stay with me for a very, very long time.