Chapter 22

Finished

As everyone stared at Collin, I really looked at him, taking in every detail. He looked like a normal fifteen-year old boy should, instead of a twenty-five year old man. His muscles no longer prominent, his face no longer angled, but rounded like it should be. Instead of being seven feet tall, he was around six. Still big by my standards, but no longer huge, like Jacob. Most importantly, the crescent scabs on his shoulder stood out like black on white, emphasizing the fact that they were still there.

"Collin," I said numbly, stepping forward. My hand was stretched out to feel his forehead, waiting for permission. He nodded once and I pressed my hand to his head. I closed my eyes sadly. "less than one-hundred degrees," I stated. "I think…I think he's…human." I said, whispering it; they all could hear.

"What'd you say, Bella?" Well, all but one could.

"You're human, Collin." I said, tears starting. This was all my fault. "I'm so sorry. This is all my fault!" I cried, turning to run. I crashed into Jacob, throwing my arms around him, sobbing against his chest. He just sat there, unmoving. No one said anything when Collin collapsed,, beating his fist on the ground repeatedly.

I felt myself being lifted up, but I was too wracked with guilt to notice anything else. It seemed like a long time before I felt something besides Jacob's arms beneath me. I looked up, and we were in Jacob's room. He was sitting next to me, both arms around my slumped form.

"I'm so sorry Jake." I cried. "I'm so sorry, this is all my fault." I continued, burying my face in his chest again. "Bella, shh. It'll be okay Bells." he said, but his voice cracked, betraying the truth. "At least Collin is alive. That is better than what could have happened. Bella, if you hadn't been there, Collin wouldn't' even have that. If it weren't for you, he would have died."

"If I hadn't been here, none of this would have happened!" I wailed, refusing to listen to him comforting me.

"Bella, this is Victoria's fault, not yours." he told me, as firmly as he could manage. "You didn't ask Victoria to hunt you. She did that herself. The only thing you are responsible for, is saving Collin's life." he said, his sincerity helping calm me.

I had stopped sobbing, and was able to look at Jacob. His soft, nearly black eyes bore down into mine as he asked, "Are you okay now?"

"Yes. Thank you Jacob. I don't know how I would ever deal with myself alone." I whispered, tears still clouding my voice.

I don't know when or how I fell asleep, but when I awoke, it was early morning light, the clock reading seven a.m. Jacob was leaning back on the wall, snoring, and I was leaning against his chest, drooling. Ew. I wiped the drool off gently, careful not to disturb him. He woke up anyways, with a jolt, and looked around the room, completely disoriented. "Bella?" he asked.

"Yeah, Jake, I'm not the boogeyman." I said, smiling.

"Oh. Yeah. Bella, I know it may not be the best time, but I have something really important to ask you." he said, wide awake now.

Getting up, he crossed to his dresser, reached inside and pulled something out, keeping it closed inside his fist. Crossing back to the bed, he knelt down beside me, on the floor. Taking my hand, he looked into my eyes as he held up what he held; a white gold ring with a small diamond set in the top. "Will you marry me? I love you, and after yesterday, I realize how easy it would be to lose you. I never want that. Will you marry me?" he asked again.

My eyes were wide with shock and I couldn't breathe. I sat there, staring dumbly at him, trying to suck in a breath. "Bella?" he asked. I regained some control, and air exploded into my lungs. "Jake," I managed. Renée would kill me! Early marriage was higher up on her black list than burning live puppies. Charlie wouldn't mind, he'd be down right happy, in fact, but Renée! "Jake, I-" I couldn't continue.

He waited until I could talk again. He had moved to my side on the bed, just waiting for me to speak. I pulled in several deep, calming breathes before starting again. "Jacob, you are sixteen-"

"Don't give me the 'you're too young' crap Bella!" he interrupted me.

"Jake." I paused, waiting for him to listen. "Don't interrupt me, okay? Let me finish. Now, you are sixteen, still in high school. I am going to college in a few months." I said, speaking slowly. "You need to finish high school Jake. You can't legally get married yet anyway."

"Bella, I don't need-"

"Jacob!" I cut him off. I took his hand, closing it over the ring. "I will marry you, Jacob Black, but only after you have finished high school. I will have some of college out of the way, and I will hopefully be ready to settle down." I explained, his fae lighting up as I continued. "So you will marry me?" he asked, his voice cracking.

"I will." I promised. I barely got the words through my lips when Jake crushed them. He was kissing me with such a joy, I was stunned. I had never seen him this happy before, and it was infectious, like he always was. As I kissed him back, my mind wandered to the distant future;

I could see Charlie and Renée mixed into a strange collage with Billy and Sam and La Push. I could see the years passing, and meaning something as they passed.

I could see the enormous red-brown wolf that I loved, always standing as protector if I needed him. I then saw the bobbing heads of two small, black haired children, running away from me into the familiar forest.

As they disappeared, so did the vision, leaving only Jacob, and the thought of our future.

END