~A/N Thanks to everyone reading. I love reading all your comments. They always make me smile. JaneDee is super clever, she offered her beta'ing services so I can get these out faster or maybe it was because she wanted the story before everyone else. Either way, I adore her :)

Copyright disclaimer: Twilight and all recognizable characters are sole property of Stephenie Meyer.

Part 4

Bella took a lengthy shower. Emily helped care for her mark which was a hell of a lot more than the hickey she originally thought it was. It was positively primal...animalistic. If she'd heard about it previously, she would have thought, what woman in her right mind would want it? Emily knew all about what it entailed, no wonder she hesitated on receiving one. After the initial shock, she allowed herself to really stare at it in the mirror, and she eventually thought something much different. It was beautiful and mysterious...so unique and private, all about her and Jacob's love. She couldn't wait until it healed completely, she really wanted to touch it. Jacob obviously didn't want anyone else to touch it. Forever...she said it over and over.

She was just about to exit the bathroom with Emily when she heard her father's angry voice. "Bella...Isabella Marie, are you in there?"

He never called her by her full name. She gave herself a quick pep talk. She was almost nineteen years old, she wasn't a little girl and she'd been with Jacob, who was always Charlie's first choice. It shouldn't be a big deal.

Bella walked out of the bathroom feigning confidence, "Oh hey, Dad. I was just about to call and check-in."

"Oh really… well, gee, thanks. Must have slipped your mind last night, huh?"

She looked around and noticed Jacob wasn't back. Maybe that was a blessing in disguise. Her father had expected her to be out all night. Charlie was used to her staying over at the Cullen's frequently, since they started wedding planning. He'd mumble about it sometimes, but she was about to be a married woman, so he never said much.

"I realize you are grown, but when you say you're going to be somewhere, I would like that to be the truth. Dammit, kiddo… I was worried. I got the picture, eventually. Your weasley boyfriend was overreacting when he said Jacob forcibly kidnapped you from the party, but not a damn one of you answered your phones all night."

"Really? You know Jacob would never do such a thing." Edward… she knew it, of course, he tattled to her father.

Jacob and the guys came traipsing out of the woods about that time. He didn't look so hot, but Sam looked worse. All of them appeared to have been rolling around on the ground. He came to her side and she picked some leaves and grass off his head.

"Charlie."

Her father gave the group some strange glances. "Jake, is it true you took my daughter on a wild motorcycle ride last night? Still haven't learned your lesson, I see."

"Dad, it wasn't wild. Jake's a good driver."

"And yet, only a few weeks ago, he was laid up in the bed with multiple injuries. How'd you get a new bike so fast?"

"Um..." She knew he was trying to think up an excuse. "The one I wrecked was Bella's old one. That one's mine," he pointed to the Harley, "and I know the bike, Charlie. She always wears a helmet. I'm always safe when it comes to Bells. "

Quil started laughing, "Not exactly, Jake."

If Bella could hurt Quil, she would. She wanted to squeeze his neck with her bare hands. Jacob would probably get him back later.

"Huh, are we still talking about motorcycles?" The pack, minus Sam, started laughing again at their expense. "Forget it, so you ran out on Edgar." She rolled her eyes. "I mean, Edward, is that the conclusion I'm to draw?"

She wondered the same thing. She thought the motorcycle ride was an impulse. It was because the air in the club was thick and smothering. Too many spectators and he was right, they still had things to discuss. The farther she got him away from that touchy-feely skank that called him 'Jakey', the better. Bella never saw it as running out on Edward, but then he called and Jacob tossed her expensive cell phone on the road. The old Bella would have been furious. Maybe the red punch altered her sense of humor, but it was funny.

She thought back to the way he made her feel on the dance floor, the naughty things he said about how she turned him on, the heat from his lips on her neck and it was pretty obvious… she did run out. She wanted to be alone with Jacob and it wasn't for talking. The talk still needed to happen, but in private. She had several discussions to get through and the sooner her father stopped asking so many questions, the better.

Charlie pulled out his cell phone and tossed it to Jacob and told him to call Billy to let him know he was still alive. "For now, at least."

"Dad, can you please stop? You're being ridiculous. We all know how much you like Jacob. I actually have to go to the Cullen's. I have some things to explain."

He kept looking at her funny. She knew he was happy about the turn of events, but did he know what she and Jacob had been doing? Was it obvious? The more he looked at the two of them, she sensed he was becoming slightly uncomfortable. He asked a couple more questions, but then he noticed her bandage. "What happened there?"

"Oh, I ran into something." That was the first thing that came to mind. "It's no biggie. Emily took care of it."

He asked why she had to go to the Cullen's right then. He also told her she should call her mother and let her know the wedding was off. Ugh, another talk… the list kept getting longer.

Seth asked her, "Is it, really? You're not marrying Edward?"

Bella didn't answer. Sam shockingly spoke up. "That's not even possible kid and you should know why." He tipped his head to Jacob and went inside with Emily. When they first came out of the forest, it seemed like they'd been fighting, but Sam had just given Jacob an acknowledgment of some sort.


They waited until Charlie had left before they got on Jacob's motorcycle. He drove extra slow. Bella held tight to his torso. She wished she didn't have to wear the helmet so she could rest her head against his back. He wouldn't let her ride without one after her first mishap. Jacob didn't drive too close to the house, but they had to know, they'd arrived. "If he starts to act up, we're leaving immediately. Okay, honey?"

"Yeah, but please, don't fight and try and keep your thoughts, well… protected." He said he'd do his best.

Edward rushed out the door and acted like he was going grab her. Jacob stepped between them.

There were several growled threats and insults being hurled, so she rubbed her hand across Jacob's back. "It's okay… let me say what I need to say."

They went inside, and she knew it was making Jacob even more uncomfortable. He might have asked some of the guys to stand watch outside. She was pretty sure he had.

"Do you have any idea of the turmoil you put me through? What happened to you? Were you inebriated? See, I told you, you should've listened… no alcohol."

She was surprised how weak her voice sounded after she'd rehearsed exactly what she'd say. "No, I wasn't drunk. Edward, you know how leaving Jacob after the battle affected me. Remember, you were the one that said, maybe I'd made a mistake?"

"Yes, love, but you emphatically denied that it was. We moved forward. We're getting married."

Jacob interrupted and said, "Think again."

She should have known he would get angry and let some of the events slip. Edward's eyes grew larger. He sneered, then grabbed her arm tightly and yanked her away.

"Filthy beast. How dare you do those things to her. Bella, you must let Carlisle examine you."

"Huh? No, I don't need a doctor. Stop. I'm sorry, you had to find out like this. There's not really an easy way." Rose looked as happy as Bella had ever seen her. Emmett whispered something to his wife and Edward shot him a dirty look. She didn't know what they were saying, but she had a good idea what they were all thinking.

Before she had time to say more, Alice was at her side acting as if the world was coming to an end. "You poor thing. Lucky for you, Carlisle has everything imaginable on hand." She handed Bella a tall glass of water and a little white pill. Alice was always giving her something: vitamins when she thought she was deficient, Tylenol if she rubbed her head. She thought it was annoying the way she was so presumptuous, but Bella usually took whatever without question. She moved the pill towards her lips without thinking. Jacob reached around and slapped the bottom of her hand sending the tiny white tablet hurling across the room.

"Are you fucking nuts, Bells? Don't take pills from them, when you don't even know what it is. I've said it before and I'll shout it from the rooftop, you fucking leeches do something to her. You keep her drugged, is that it?"

"No, you dog...it's the morning after pill. We take care of Bella, unlike you. Stupid careless mutt."

Bella shook her head dazed and confused. "Oh my God! You were giving me that without my permission! What's wrong with you, Alice? I thought we were close friends."

Carlisle joined them. He looked at his children with annoyance. "Bella's right. I never would sanction such a thing without full explanation. Stay out of my medical supplies, Alice."

"You have to know, it's the right choice for Bella. She can't risk having one of this creature's offspring and live with us."

Jacob called Edward and Alice a string of very creative curse words. Everyone was yelling at once. She held her hands over her ears and shouted, "Stop! Shut up, all of you just shut up!"

"Okay, yes… since you all know, I had sex with Jacob and we forgot to use birth control. Stop acting like he forced me. It wasn't like that. I wanted to be with him. I'm sorry, but the wedding's off. I can't marry you, Edward." How she found the guts to spit it out, she wasn't completely sure, but she was happy Jacob had insisted on going with her.

Edward wasn't accepting that just yet. He said she was emotional and confused. He said they could postpone, but he begged her not to destroy what was left of his heart.

"You don't have a heart, you ice cold corpse."

"Jake, please."

"No, Bells… don't you see how twisted and controlling he is? He was going to force feed you emergency birth control without even telling you. He's a calculating son of a bitch and he thinks he owns you."

Alice interjected. "Bella doesn't want children. We were only trying to help. Time is of the essence in these situations." She never said that to Alice. Bella was rethinking their supposed friendship.

Edward pleaded with Carlisle again. "Do something… you're a doctor. Give her the facts. Make her take the pill."

"Edward, I would be more than happy to give Bella all the facts, but I swore an oath and I would never force a woman to make any choice about her own body. It happens to be against the law."

Bella turned towards Carlisle and smiled. She told him, "Thank you." Maybe she would speak to him, but it had to be in private. She couldn't take what was going on out in the open in front of everyone… first the pack, then her dad, now the Cullens.

Edward caught sight of her dressing. "He assaulted you." His hand reached up towards her mark and Jacob jumped him in an instant. The two of them started tossing each other across the room, breaking things left and right. Bella screamed for them to stop. She looked out the window to see the pack had moved from the woods. They were all approaching the house. It could break out into an all out war, if she didn't put a stop to it.

Emmett and Jasper got Edward contained. Bella rushed to Jacob's side and told him he should get outside into the fresh air. "I need to speak to Carlisle, so I can make an informed decision."

"No, Bella...I'll take you to a drugstore if that's what you want, but don't stay here any longer. Please I'm begging you."

"I trust Carlisle. You heard him. He won't force me to do anything. Go outside and wait with the pack."

Edward started to follow them back to the office and Bella yelled at him, "Go away, Edward this doesn't concern you."


Bella sat down on her bed with Jacob. She had the package in her hand.

"I have 72 hours, but the sooner the better. I take one pill, wait 12 hours, then take the other."

"Okay, so you want to take them? Is that what you're saying? I support you, if that's what you want. I'm sorry I created this dilemma in the first place."

"We both did, so don't put all the blame on yourself. I really can't believe I was going to swallow this pill without even asking what it was."

"Do you believe me now?"

"Yeah, I think I do. I must be weak-minded, I guess."

He hugged her and told her they were freaks of nature. They had no way of knowing all that they were capable of and it wasn't her fault. Jacob had a knack for making her feel better when she was truly feeling rotten.

She made them a late lunch. Charlie and Billy went fishing, so they had plenty of time alone to have their talk, finally.

First things first, "Are you alpha?"

"I think so."

She laughed, "You fought Sam, didn't you?"

"Yes. He pushed me. I felt played after it was all over. I'd been insistent, I never wanted it. I guess the wolf made me eat my words last night."

"When he wanted you to mark me?"

"Yep, I'd never heard him so loud and clear."

"Jake, do you want me to take this emergency birth control?"

"Unlike, the bloodsucker, I would never tell you what to do, honey."

"That's not what I asked. I have this feeling you wish that I'd let it happen if it was meant to be." The look in his eyes was unmistakable, but he kept silent. "We don't have to share a child to make sure I don't leave you, Jacob. We're probably not ready."

"But...you're hesitating too. Why? If you were so sure, then you would have taken the pill already. We've been back almost two hours."

"I...I don't know. Everything's happening so fast. My brain hasn't caught up. Last night was magical. I'm still trying to wrap my head around it. Maybe, it was for reasons that we don't fully comprehend. I don't want to be rash."

He scooted closer and put his arm around her. His other hand lifted her chin. "I love you so much."

"I know and I love you too, but I need to stop making my life about either Edward or you. I don't even have a clue where I go from here. I don't know what I want to do tomorrow. I never made real plans for school. I quit my job."

He interrupted her, "I'll take care of us."

She didn't think he caught his was already planning their family. He kissed her. That was all it took, minutes later, she was halfway undressed and he was climbing in between the space she'd made with her legs.

Bella stopped. She put her hand on his chest. "Wait… stop, we can't."

Jacob rolled over, breathing heavily. He started apologizing again.

"I'm guessing you didn't come prepared. I don't have anything, obviously."

"No, we were at the crypt, then straight here. I can go into town and be really quick though."

She didn't think an afternoon tossing about in her bed was what they needed, no matter how much her body betrayed her. In fact, it was becoming clear, being with Jacob made her somewhat lose her senses, not the same as with the Cullens, but she had too many things to sort out. She could so easily be swept away with him physically, it would be easy to temporarily forget the rest.

"I think it'd be best if we put some distance between us for a little bit."

They'd sat up by then and she put her shirt back on. Jacob jumped off the bed and pounded a wall. He was so quick tempered lately. She thought it could be partly her fault, but also the shift in the pack might have something to do with it.

"What? Why? You've finally given the leech the heave-ho and now you want to get rid of me too."

"No, that's not what I meant, but I need space to think."

He asked if she told Edward the same thing? She hadn't put it so bluntly. Surely, the wedding was off was enough of a hint. Jacob told her he'd probably be sulking around by nightfall.

She wanted to have a simple, teenage romance with Jacob. Why couldn't they just be carefree? Why did it all have to be so complicated? Was there a rewind button? Could she go back before she knew all the supernatural truths? She should have stopped her stupid flirting with him that one night and tried to get to know him for real. She knew something was off about Edward from the beginning. Jacob was a sweet teenage boy and she thought he was cute. Normal girls would have run the other way from something that seemed dangerous. She was drawn to it like a moth to a flame.

Bella, you're an idiot, she admonished herself.

He begged for her not to push him away. She promised that wasn't what she was doing.

"I love you, I promise." He kissed her gently, before he reluctantly left her alone to get started with thinking. He told her before leaving, he'd be waiting until she wanted to see him again, but he was sending one of the guys or Leah to watch out for her window at night. If he wasn't going to be around, neither was that creepy stalker.

She decided it was best to write Edward a detailed letter. He didn't let her do much talking at the house. She never set out to hurt him so deeply, but he was a self-righteous bastard when he wanted to be. She hated the things he said about Jacob. He made a lot of incorrect assumptions. Bella apologized, but she also stuck to her guns. She wasn't going to be a victim of his manipulation again. She walked the letter to the mailbox and texted Rose to come get it. She texted back how proud she was of her and promised to do her best to make him respect her wishes.

She decided to cook a nice meal for her father. As the night moved forward, she realized it might have been her guilty conscience. She'd put him through quite a bit since moving there. Bella was pretty sure what she'd decided was going to only add to it. Even if Jacob and Edward both gave her space, she wasn't sure it was enough. She really needed to find herself and a change of scenery might be the only way. Of course, her mother begged her earlier to come home for a visit after she broke the news, but that wouldn't be beneficial to her for many reasons.

She attempted to sleep, but she tossed and turned. Finally, she was convinced of the right decision. She texted the unlikely recipient.

What the hell do u want?

Bella explained it after calling back. It was too much information to text. She was almost certain to be turned down, but it wasn't the case. She fielded a few questions. The when would have to be super early, before daylight. Charlie had an early shift. The how was simple, she had the car and a credit card with no limit. The why she didn't have an answer to. That's what the journey would be about… finding herself and her true path.

~Thanks for reading.