Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

A/N: I am on a freaking roll with these updates!

Guess the thought of cake and prezzies lit a fire under my ass!

Bella blinked groggily, giving her head a shake to clear the cobwebs from her mind. She was in bed, but the comforter felt different, heavier, surrounding her in the scent of freshly cut cedar.

I know this scent, she realized, pushing the plaid fabric off her shoulders and sitting up. The bedroom she was in was smaller than her own, the large bed dominating most of the floor space, tidy yet at the same time messy, with an mixture of mismatched (and heavily scruffed) furniture.

This place looks familiar, she thought, but with her mind still heavy with sleep, she was unable to make the connections.

She swung her legs over the edge of the bed and slid her feet into the slippers that rested on the carpeted floor.

Spotting a door, which she instinctively knew led to the bathroom, she shuffled over to it. Pushing it open, she flipped on the light, blinking rapidly as her eyes adjusted to bright glare.

She didn't think it was possible, but she was more surprised at the visage that greeted her than she had been when she saw herself as a vampire.

She was older, she noted, touching the beginnings of crow's feet at the corner of her eyes, by almost twenty five years if she had to hazard a guess. The rest of her still pretty much looked the same, her hair was a few inches shorter, her body a little softer in certain places.

I make a pretty good looking older woman, she decided with a grin as she fingered the beginning hint of silver at her temple. She caught a flash of gold in the small bathroom mirror and took a moment to study the simple ring on her finger, a small but standard diamond in the center of it. It was definitely less ostentatious than the ring Edward had given her and spoke of someone who didn't necessarily have the money to spend, but still made the effort to get her something nice.

Now to find out who had given it to her.

Going back to the bedroom, her eyes were drawn to a large picture frame propped up on the small dresser shoved in the corner.

Picking it up, she wasn't the least bit surprised to see herself in a wedding dress nor was she surprised by the beaming groom beside her.

Though her mind hadn't connected the pieces immediately, she had known the minute she'd opened her eyes whose room she was in. It hadn't changed much since the last time she had crashed here.

Jake, she thought fondly, tracing a hand over his face. They must of gotten married young, She looked to be about twenty in the picture and Jacob, well, he looked the same as the last time she had seen him in the real world four days ago, but she assumed he had simply aged well and wasn't far behind her.

Her heart twinged when she realized that, because they obviously still lived on the reserve, it meant she probably didn't see the Cullen's very often – if at all. The portable phone beside the picture rang suddenly and for a brief moment, she hoped it would be one of them.

"Hello?" she greeted.

"Hey, Bells," her father's gruff voice answered. "I was wondering if you were still on for dinner Friday?"

"Um... of course?" she stuttered out.

"Great! Sue's already planning a feast."

Her brow furrowed. "Sue? Sue Clearwater?" she questioned, stunned.

There was a heavy pause on the other end. "Last I checked, she's been Sue Swan for the last 15 years." Another pause. "You feeling okay, Bells? I know things have been a little difficult with Jake lately –" Bella frowned. They have? " –but I'm here to talk if you need it."

"Thanks, uh, dad, but I'm fine. Guess I haven't woken up completely yet."

He chuckled. "Sounds to me like you should go back to bed. See you Friday."

Bella stared down at the phone as the dial tone hummed in the background. Charlie married Sue? Her kids – one of which could barely stand her – were her step-siblings? She really shouldn't be shocked, she decided calmly as she finally disconnected the call. Charlie and Sue seemed to be dancing around an attraction in her reality as well. Though it was a little too soon after her husband's death, perhaps they were on a similar path.

She smiled, genuinely glad for Charlie and the proof that they seemed to have a closer relationship here. Speaking of relationship, that reminded her of what he'd said on the phone. Her and Jake were having problems? How? They seemed so happy in the picture.

Her ears picked up the creak of a door opening downstairs , followed by the sound of bare feet padding up the stairs. The bedroom door eased open and a shirtless figure quietly entered the room, pausing in surprise when he saw Bella staring at him.

"You're awake," Jake greeted with a small, uneasy smile. "Good."

This isn't possible. The man in front of her was definitely Jake, but he was exactly as she remembered him. Should amend that man to boy, she thought, stunned as her knees gave out beneath her and she collapsed heavily onto the unmade bed.

He still looked seventeen, the russet features of his face unlined and untouched by time. Does this have to do with his werewolf genes? she wondered wildly. She couldn't believe that the exact same thing she feared with Edward – growing old while he stayed young – was happening with Jake as well.

"You –" she managed to choke out, curling her fingers tightly into the bedspread beneath her.

He was immediately at her side, concern etched on his face. "Bella, are you alright?"

"Fine," she replied, forcing a smile. As fine as a woman can be sitting beside her jailbait husband. She pushed back the bark of hysterical laughter that threatened to bubble out.

"You know don't you?" he asked, solemn dark eyes searching her face.

"Know?" she repeated dimly.

He stood and began pacing the floor, the tattoo on his shoulder flexing as he ran a hand through his short black hair. "I didn't want you to find out this way. I tried so hard to fight it, Bella," he muttered brokenly. "But I couldn't."

He dropped to his knees and grabbed her hands. "I wanted so badly for it to be you and I thought that because I love you, so much," he stressed, "that it would happen in time. But when I didn't age and when I couldn't give you what you and I so desperately wanted, I couldn't ignore the truth."

"What I wanted?" she echoed mechanically, completely confused at where this was going.

"Children, Bella," he whispered. He laid his head against her knees. "I lied to you, Bells," he whimpered. "I told you that the wolf wouldn't let me age – and that was true – and I let you believe that it would be difficult for us to have children for the same reason. But the truth is," he exhaled shakily. "The truth is, that I can't give you children. Ever. I can only give my mate children."

"And I'm not your mate," she finished hollowly, knowing it wasn't a question. Her heart bled as she was once again denied true happiness. Once again denied real love.

"No," he whispered. "I had wanted you to be so badly, but..." he trailed off.

"But you've met her haven't you?" she guessed, knowing they wouldn't be having this conversation otherwise. Jake had been ridiculously loyal to her and knew he was the type of person who would stick it out with her, even knowing she wasn't his other half.

He nodded. "Yes. I imprinted yesterday on Eden, she just moved here last week. You remember she –"

She smiled wryly, cutting him off. "I'd rather not hear anymore. Not right now."

"I'm sorry," he whispered again, a tear trailing down his cheek.

"Jake," she murmured, brushing it away with her thumb. "You'll always be my friend," she swore, even as she felt tears well up in her own eyes. "Promise."

-oo-

Bella came awake slower this time, a twinge of wistfulness lingering as her dream faded.

It was nice knowing that she seemed to get twenty wonderful years with Jake – and she had absolutely no doubts that she had been happy with him – but disappointing at the same time, knowing it wouldn't last.

Had her look not been misinterpreted in the bedroom, she had the feeling that he wouldn't have said anything – content to stay with her because he loved her, even if his wolf half desired another. But she was glad it would never come to that. The falseness of it would have been just as bad as the actions she'd witnessed in her supposed future with Edward. And like she had grown to hate Edward, even in that short span of time, Jake would eventually grow to hate her as well.

She knew very little about imprinting – it was considered a bit of a taboo subject to anyone that wasn't part of (or associated) with the pack – but Jake had mentioned it offhandedly once, likening it to the equivalent of soul mates. There had been something in his eyes at the time, an emotion that hadn't registered until this very moment.

Hope.

By saying it out loud, he'd been hoping that things would click between them. That she'd hear the word, forget about Edward and suddenly realize that they were meant to be together.

Shame flooded through her and tears prickled her eyes as she recalled the months that she had taken him for granted, using him as little more than a place holder until Edward had swept back into her life and she forgot all about him for a while. She had loved him – did love him – but not like that, even though near the end she had desperately tried to. Had, on some level, wanted to.

I'm so sorry, Jake. I'm sorry I couldn't be that girl.

When she finally got her head straight about Edward, she would work on her and Jake's friendship next and make sure that the promise she had made to him in the dream would always hold true.

A/N2: Huh... editing this chapter made me realize it sounds like I was rooting for Jake in the irritating triangle that comprised Twilight, but to be honest, I really didn't care for his character either. But I DID think he got a bit of a bum rap and Bella DID use him, so, I guess I kinda felt sorry for the poor guy. And no, being paired with Renesmee did NOT make up for all the BS she put him through, nor did it make a lick of sense... but whatevs.

Chapter title from: HELP ME GET OVER - JANALYN VIRAY

And hey, after reading this chapter (and all the others) if it brings to mind a certain song for you, I'd love to hear which one!