A/N: Thanks so much for your reviews! Not as many as I had hoped, but I'm sure it'll get better as the chapters get more interesting. I greatly appreciate those who do take their time to click a button and type some words. EVERY little bit counts. Also, please continue to give suggestions. I don't usually do much planning -save the basics- beforehand. Until I get a concrete idea of where I want to go, it's all up in the air!
Also, in case you were curious, the reason Jacob imprinted on Bella so late is because after the Cullens were gone for good, the fate was changed and Renesmee would never exist. Therefore, Jacob's best match then became Bella, and so Jacob imprinted on her then. Just thought I'd share my own reasoning. Makes sense, doesn't it? :D
I'm sorry if the switching back and forth between points of view gets confusing, I just kept seeing the scene from each of their perspectives and it just came out this way. I hope you understand.
Please enjoy this chapter! REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW.
By the way, one more thing: HAPPY THANKSGIVING! I hope you ate lots and lots! I know I did. :)

-Chapter 3-

Bella's POV

The drive to Emily's little house was very quiet after that. Neither of us had much to say. But it was a comfortable silence. Jacob seemed happy. I guess I knew why.

It was so easy with him. I could be completely honest without any hesitation. It was such a wonderful feeling; to not keep secrets. To not hold back anything or be careful or worry about whether or not I was good enough. He was different. I was beginning to let myself hope.

It wasn't long before we pulled up in their driveway. I didn't know why they were being so hospitable. Was I really that pathetic?

Jacob helped me out of the car and up the porch stairs that seemed to never end. I was already winded far before we made it all the way. When I finally reached the top, I saw my reflection on their glass door.

Oh God.

The girl in front of me was an alien. She probably weighed 90 pounds; her legs were twigs, her face pale and sunken, dark circles under her eyes, and an expression that was so pitifully depressed it hurt to look at. She wasn't me. She couldn't be.

All the hope left. All the possibilities of Jacob loving me, of anyone loving me, vanished with a trace so nonexistent I started to believe it had never been there at all.

Jacob followed my gaze and flinched. Then he pulled me closer into his embrace.

"It's okay," he whispered, "we'll be fine," He spoke in a way that suggested my happiness was in any way proportional to his, which I couldn't let myself believe. He kissed the top of my head, something he had to bend pretty far down to accomplish. I was over a foot shorter than him.

We didn't have to knock for them to rush to the door. Emily was close behind Sam; her wary face outlined by her scars. I barely noticed them anymore; her beauty shined through anything.

I noticed that Paul and Embry were inside, too. Neither had an imprint to spend time with, so they stayed here, where they were welcome and didn't have to feel the wrath of their misunderstanding parents, berating them about throwing their lives away in some kind of gang. If only it were that simple.

Then I noticed that everyone was looking at me.

Paul and Embry had stopped stuffing their faces with what looked like a pretty big spread on the dinner table. Sam gulped uncomfortably, and Emily looked like she was about to cry. I felt so horrible. I was putting a damper on a perfectly good day. I looked down in shame, not wanting to meet anyone's eyes.

"Come on in," Sam smiled, shaken, but full of welcome.

Their reactions were even worse than I had anticipated. How had I gotten so hideous? How could Jacob stand to be around me? I didn't deserve his love. If that's what it was. It was most likely pity.

Yes. Pity for the poor, broken girl. He would stay around until he was sure I wouldn't kill myself, and then he would bolt. I didn't blame him one bit. I was just thankful for his charity for as long as I had gotten it.

I wasn't being fair to him. I needed to let him know that he didn't have to put up with me anymore. I would lie and tell him I could deal with the pain as long as he was happy. And I would try to live and move on, for Charlie.

Even though I knew in the back of my mind that I couldn't; this pain would eventually have to be ended, and not well.

But until then, I would hold on as long as I could.

Jacob's POV

There are no words.

There are no words to describe how hard it was to watch her struggle up that tiny flight of stairs. Five stairs, five stairs, had caused her legs to shake with effort.

No one else had helped either; they were all staring at her like she was some kind of freak; like she wasn't the sickly but beautiful little angel she so obviously was.

They quickly ushered us in, and stopped staring after I shot each a warning glance.

Emily gave Bella a warm but gentle hug. "How about something to eat?" She gestured to Paul and Embry to scoot over, to which they quickly obliged.

I smiled and led Bella over to the table where she sat very carefully, and I took my place beside her.

I was happy when Bella took some and began to nibble. No one else ate; seemingly out of a mixture of guilt if they had and loss of appetite anyway.

Soon, Bella's bites became larger, and her appetite returned. I beamed.

Some gentle, relieved conversation ensued while we made sure the friend in need ate her fill. She seemed to eat until she was full, which was hardly anything by my standards, but it was a start. After she finished, even Bella began to make casual interjections- even a joke or two. They weren't funny, but everyone laughed anyway, if only to build her self-esteem just a little. She could bring out the kindness in anyone. She was so wonderful like that.

At about 9:00 Bella started yawning, and I decided it was best to take her home. She waved, but everyone got up and gave her a hug, even Paul. I saw a smile on her face, and my heart melted.

On the drive home, I held her close to me. She cuddled even closer, almost sitting on my lap. Her breathing became more steady, and I realized she was asleep. I listened, knowing she always talked in her sleep. It was mostly unintelligible, but some murmurs stuck in my mind.

"Jacob, I love you, Jacob, Jacob, please… stay…"

It hurt to hear her say that, but her trust had been broken through no fault of my own. I wasn't sure if she could ever trust again, but if anyone had the persistence to earn it back, it was me. I just had to believe that.

But most importantly, she said I love you. She said it! I had always known it, but she said it! I couldn't contain my elation. My heart swelled, and my lips pulled back into a smile so big my face hurt.

"I love you too, Bella. I love you so much. I'll never leave. I'll always be here," I whispered to her, hoping it would enter her dreams.

She smiled a little, so I guessed it had.

When we reached her house, I picked her up carefully and got out swiftly, trying not to wake her up, and then closed the door behind me with my foot. The slam made her flinch a little, but didn't wake her up entirely. I breathed a sigh of relief.

I walked up to her front door with as much ease as I would have if she wasn't even there. Of course, I would have felt the same with someone who weighed 250 pounds, but still, she was so light. She was like a delicate, beautiful porcelain doll. I wanted to kiss her and hold her, keep her warm and safe and make her mine forever. After she healed.

I opened her door, which was unlocked, -we needed to have a discussion about that- only to find that Charlie was still asleep. I took that as forgiveness for Bella being back late, and took her silently up to her room.

She only woke up when I set her down on the bed and tried to pull the covers over her. Her eyelids fluttered a little and she said groggily, "Jake?"

"Shh, honey. Go to sleep. I'm right here,"

"It's so cold," she shivered.

Without any hesitation, I kicked my boots off and slipped under the covers with her.

"Come here," I said, opening my arms. She gratefully climbed in, and the effect of my body temperature was almost immediate.

"Mmm…" she sighed.

I rested my chin on her head, perfectly content with never leaving this moment, right here.

Bella's POV

"Hey Jake?" I whispered, fully awake now and realizing what I had to do.

"Hm?" he grunted, almost asleep himself.

"I have to be serious for a sec. Wake up," I nudged him.

"What is it, hun?" His eyes were wide open now.

"I know what you're doing, but you don't have to keep pretending for me. I'll be okay," I made a face that was as close to a smile as I could muster.

"What are you talking about?" He looked shocked.

"I know that you've been hanging around me out of pity lately. I can never repay you for all the kindness you've shown me. I also know at one point you really thought we had some potential for being more than this, but I've completely shut you out. I don't blame you for giving up on me now, so you can. I can let you go; I can let you live your life. I'll learn to suck it up and deal with life, and I'll let you move on with yours. I'm not being fair to you at all. I love you, so I want you to be happy. I've given up on myself, so I'm giving you the chance to do the same," I was on the verge of tears. I couldn't cry, I couldn't show him that I was lying. I had to be strong for him.

He sat there with his mouth open for a very long time. Finally, he spoke.

"Bella, is that honestly why you think I'm sticking around? Pity?" He shook his head.

"Isn't it? I mean, why else would you? No one wants me. I don't blame them,"

"Bella," he took my hands, "I love you with my heart and soul, every bone and muscle in my body. I am not going anywhere, because you are everything to me,"

I didn't believe him. How could he possibly feel that way? Who could possibly feel that way about me now? I had hurt so many people, I was so broken, I was a broken shell of a human being, unneeded by the world. I wanted to hide and never emerge again. It wasn't self-pity, it was self-hatred; well-deserved self-hatred.

"Look, I know you're lying, and words can't express how wonderful you are or how much I owe you for trying like this, but really, you don't have to pretend anymore,"

He looked so intense then. He was almost angry.

"Bella. You look right at my face and read my lips. I. Love. You. You are beautiful and special and I don't ever want to hear you talk about yourself like that again. Sure, you're not well right now, but I'm here for you, and you're just going to have to deal with it,"

I started to believe him. I was shocked, but I did. There was some kind of undeniable truth in his words. I couldn't ignore it.

"I'm sorry," my voice cracked, "but either your lips are speaking a different language or they're just trying to beat a dead horse," I smiled halfheartedly. "Really, you don't have to be this persistent,"

"Really? You can't read them? Well, maybe they speak this language,"

He pressed his lips to mine, forcefully but not painfully, and everything was on fire.

It ripped through my entire body, through every vein and artery, from my chest to my fingers and toes, and I felt whole. I felt real, I felt right, and I felt Jacob. Oh, did I ever. I thought I knew him, I thought I knew every supple curve of his russet body, but I didn't know half. This was him. This kiss was like a joining of souls, locking in place and dancing together in some delightful waltz that never ended or began. It was eternal, like we had just met, but at the same time, we had never left since the beginning of beginnings.

"You feel that," Jacob said, panting, "that's what two halves of a soul feel like," He pressed his lips to mine again, and I didn't hold back any more than he did.

I had heard the metaphors before, the ones about you not being a soul, but half of one, that could only be made whole by your perfect match. This was what they meant. This, right here, was the half that I had been missing.

I had never felt this way with Edward. Never.

I almost laughed out loud at my ability to think is actual name without an ounce of pain. None at all. I was whole again. No, more than whole, I was doubled. I was part of something I never knew existed, but now that I had it, I couldn't live without it. He was mine. I was his. All thoughts of ridding myself of this life were history. This was the most incredible form of euphoria I had ever known or cared to know, and I wanted to live it every moment of every day for the rest of forever.

"Now that language," I rasped, "I think I know,"

"From somewhere long ago," Jacob whispered dreamily, completing my thought.

And our souls danced their waltz again as our lips did the same.