When Bella goes cliff diving. (Y'know, when Edward was gone, and Jacob was off chasing Victoria?) What SHOULD have happened.

"Cliff diving huh?"

It didn't seem fair to Bella that the supernatural creatures got all the action. She peered over the edge of the cliff. The choppy sea didn't seem so far down.

"Don't, Bella," Edward whispered in her ear.

And those were the very words.

She walked back a little, her heart thumping against her ribs. It would be easier if she ran and jumped.

"Bella."

Three.

"Listen to me Bella, don't."

Two.

"Isabella Marie Swan, don't you dare-"

One.

She ran, her eyes squeezed shut, all the better not to see the sudden drop of the cliff, the grey-green waters that would swallow her and –

She fell, and a scream of joy burst from her mouth, adrenaline surged in her body, and her heart pounded even harder –

Crack.

And then she jerked to a stop; she hadn't hit the water yet. She was very close though, she could taste the salt in the spray of the waves…

She opened her eyes and saw that she was suspended just before the foam-crested waters. She looked up and saw that her left foot was caught on a tree branch jutting out of the cliff.

"Oh fuck," she cursed while Edward chuckled.

"I did tell you not to," he said, still stifling his laughter. She pictured his gold eyes lit up with amusement, smiling his crooked smile.

"Shut up!" she yelled out loud.

"My my, what picture." Someone giggled. She didn't recognize the voice. Slowly, she turned towards the direction to where it had come from.

Red hair and ruby eyes, bright as flames. Victoria hung on the side of the cliff, a tight smile on her lips.

"You are quite and amusing human." Her voice was high, tinkling; the voice of a soprano singer. Nothing like her feline appearance.

Bella's insides froze, she could almost feel an icicle form in her throat.

"Please," she pleaded. Edward snarled a warning, but Victoria couldn't hear him, no one but Bella could hear him because Edward was just an illusion, he couldn't help her. The real Edward was gone, gone far away, and besides, he wouldn't save her even if he were here, Edward –

"I was hoping to make this more painful," Victoria murmured, more to herself than Bella. "But I haven't got much time."

She took Bella's left hand and raised it to her lips. James's teeth marks glittered weakly in the last rays of the dying sun. A gasp escaped Bella's lips, she could feel sobs racking her body.

"James," Victoria whispered, the name falling like a sigh from her parted lips. For a moment, Bella thought that Victoria had forgotten her, and all thoughts of revenge, as the vampire's expression softened, and for once, she looked unexpectedly vulnerable and fragile.

Then a flash – Victoria's mouth opened and she bit down hard on the scar. Her eyes glowed red for the briefest of instances, and then she was gone, leaving Bella alone.

The first thought that struck Bella was the pain – she had forgotten how much it burned.

"Oh god," she gasped.

She didn't realize she had been thrashing around and by doing so, her foot slipped from the overhanging branch. She didn't realize she was falling until she hit the icy-cold water. Even then, she wasn't aware of anything but the pain, the pain, the pain…

She opened her mouth to scream. Water only gushed in, and whatever sense that remained in her that wasn't distracted by the burning in her hand told her to kick, kick towards the light –

She broke out of the surface gasping, coughing out the salty water, and that was when she began to scream.

This time, Edward wouldn't be here to save her. Edward was long gone, and Jacob, Jacob, she didn't know where he was –

"Hold on Bella," Edward whispered in her ear. She calmed down, just a little, but now, she was more aware of the pain.

The current was pulling her further from shore; she was vaguely aware of that, but it didn't matter, nothing mattered, nothing, except for the pain.

Someone someone please someone help ohgodithurtsithurtsithurts SOMEONE

"Bella!" The cry wasn't Edward's, no it was Jacob's husky voice, Jacob, Jacob swimming frantically towards her, his powerful arms cutting through the water.

"Hold on Bella!" he yelled. She was too distracted by the pain to laugh at the irony of the situation.

She didn't realize she was being pulled to shore, didn't realize, didn't notice, wasn't aware of anything, nothing, oh god, she wished so much for the old numbness, the oblivion of before –

"Why's she screaming?" The voice was Paul's.

"I don't know," Sam answered, anxiety tingeing his usually calm voice.

"PUT IT OUT!" Bella managed to screech. "Put it out, oh god, the pain somebody put it – "

"She's been bitten," Sam realised, revulsion in his voice.

Bella barely realised she was clutching her hand; she could feel her fingernails tearing open her skin. Jacob would know what to do, Jacob would stop the pain, suck out the poison, Jacob –

"I'll make it quick," Sam said.

"No. I'll do it," Jacob said.

Jacob, Jake, Jacob, please ohgodicanticant

Jacob pulled her in an embrace.

"Sorry Bells," he whispered, his black eyes wet with unshed tears.

His hand shook, but he didn't hesitate, didn't hesitate once when he plunged the knife into her heart.

"Sorry."

--

I'm not a Jacob fan (Jasper's my favourite) but I just don't like Edward's annoying perfection. A character HAS to have flaws.