Chapter 3:

JPOV

"Hey, Honey?" Bella's tender voice says. My heart flutters every time she calls me honey.

"Mmmhmm," I respond.

"What are we going to do if Rhett carries the gene?" I freeze in my place and almost feel the slightest urge to phase. I fight off the quiver and try to stay composed with silence. "Honey?" Dammit, why did Bella have to know this now? I do not turn around but try to answer as best I can without losing it.

"We don't have to worry about that yet." I hope that that's sufficient enough of an answer to kill the topic.

"But, babe, we might need to have a plan for—"

"Bella, we don't need to worry about that yet. Rhett is only seven. Please. Let's not talk about it." I surprise myself by interrupting Bella. I have never done that before. What's gotten into me? In an attempt to apologize I go to kiss Bella, my Bella, on the forehead. My lips remain on her for countless seconds as I take in the most important part of my life. "I'm sorry. Just, please. We'll talk about it when we need to talk about it. I need to go down to the office in Seattle, so I'll be home a little late. I love you," I tell her. She says nothing as I leave.

On my long drive to Seattle, I start thinking. What if my precious little Rhett did carry the gene? What if he was like me… a monster. No. That can't happen. It won't happen. I will not let my own son be objected to the life of a werewolf where nothing is ever the same. I will do all in my power to give my son a normal, happy life. I'll give him the life I never got.

BPOV

Just when I think that I had cried enough, more tears fall from my eyes. I am ashamed of myself. After all these years, I am still a totaled wreck. And it is all because of him. He was everything I'd ever wanted; my world, my reason to be alive. And… he left. For months I wouldn't speak, I had lost my will to keep going. But then a shining beacon of hope appeared out of the darkness: Jacob. He was there when I was broken. He fixed me and got me to run again like one of his cars. Jake gave me a new reason to be alive: him. He was all ever wanted back then and he's still all I'll ever need. I have tried for so many years to stop this from happening to me. I have tried all my life to keep the door to my memories closed. And now here they are, knocking me down to the lowest of low. But now I am picking up the scraps of sadness that surround me and I put them back where they belong; shut away forever… never to be opened again.

I suddenly sit up from the grimy floor of the staff restroom and look in the mirror. My eyes are blood shot, bags surround my eye lids and my face is a dull gray. Out of nowhere, I chuckle. I can't believe how much I cried. Then I leave the bathroom and get back to my perfect, happy life, leaving him behind.

As I walk out the door of the bookstore, I flip open my phone to see a text message from Jake: Hello, love. I got off work early and I'm picking Rhett up from school. I'll have him in bed by the time you get home. I have something special planned for us tonight. I love you forever, J. I smile comically wide and rush to my car. Tonight, it's just the love of my life and me.

After the endless ten minute ride back to the house, I rush out of the car and unlock the front door. I excitedly peer inside the small crack. I see nothing out of the ordinary in the living room. I open the door wider and suddenly I feel my feet lift off the ground. I let out a gentle shout before my lips are crushed by Jake's. He spins me around in a circle and kisses me for a minute and then places me back down on the ground. A smile covers his face.

"Welcome home, Bells!" he cries. I must still look exasperated because suddenly he was laughing. "You should see your face!" he bellows.

"What's the special occasion?" I ask. Jake ponders for a moment before answering.

"Me apologizing for snapping at you earlier," he responds. Suddenly he covers my eyes with his huge hands. "No peeking!" he says playfully. I feel him lead me through the house then through the door to the outside. His hands leave my eyes. We are on the back porch. There are two lounge chairs set up next to a little table. On top of the little table are two wine glasses, a bottle of wine and a small black box with a little red bow on it. I feel tears start to fall from my eyes. "What's wrong?" Jake asks, alarmed. I shake my head and wipe the tears away.

"It's just… what did I ever do to deserve you, Jacob? I can't give anything back to you…" I confess, overwhelmed by the flawlessness of my life. Jake shakes his head and smiles as he envelopes me in his arms.

"Bella, you give me everything just by breathing." Oh no. The twinge of pain reshoots through me, a thousand times stronger than it did before. I break into sobs as I feel my knees give way. Jake catches me before I hit the floor and a look of panic spreads across his face. He lays me on one of the chairs and kneels beside me, stroking my hair.

"Whoa, Bells! What happened?" he questions. No, I can't tell him the truth. It would hurt him too much. I shake my head.

"It's… it's nothing…" Jake looks unconvinced,

"No Bells, it's ok. You can tell me." I take a breath and hold back my sobs. I have to tell him the truth.

"Well, that's… that's what… he used to say to me…" The sobs begin once more. A hard look captures Jacob's face. He stands up from his kneeling position and his fists ball up. I notice the angered expression on his face. "Jake?" I ask, worried.

"He's always getting in the way," Jake says through his teeth. A confused look spreads across my face as Jake closes his eyes, bringing his fingers to the bridge of his nose. There's a moment of silence. "Let me ask you something Bella. Can you honestly say that I have every little piece of your heart? Can you honestly tell me that I am the only man you truly love?" Jake taps his foot in frustration.

"Yes…" I respond hesitantly. "Jake, you know that I love—" I start.

"Bella. Look me in the eyes and tell me that you don't love Edward Cullen anymore." I wince at the mention of his name as Jake squats back down to my level. He waits for my response as his eyes burn into mine. I fight back a sob and look away knowing that I cannot say this truthfully. I feel Jake stand back up and begin to walk away. I stand up in response.

"Jake wait!" I scream after him. "Jake, you married me! You knew I was heartbroken!" Jake finally stops and turns toward me.

"Yes, Bella, but you promised me! You promised me that I was your one and only! That was what you said when you married me! I mean Jesus, Bella! I have been holding on for ten years, waiting for the day that you would be completely mine… and for what? To realize that that will never happen…" I watch as a tear rolls down Jake's face. I go to put my arms around him. He shrugs me off in a violent heartless movement. Suddenly he's running away toward the woods.

"Please, Jake! Please come back! You can't leave me!" I scream as I run after him. I hear a snarling sound from the woods and I slow down. Beneath me is a shred of Jacob's shirt. I erupt into tears and stumble back to the porch where he had set up our night together. I cry on one of the chairs for seconds, hours, days, until I open my eyes to see the small black box with the red bow on it. I reach for the box and crack it open. Inside is a silver chain with a heart connected to it. Engraved on the front of the heart is Bella and Jacob and on the back is To the Love of My Life. I put the necklace on and just cry until I slip into unconsciousness.