Disclaimer: Shroud is a Twilight fan fiction, intended solely for the enjoyment of the readers. No copyright infringements are intended. Any original story directions and plot lines herein are the property of the author.

A huge thank you to my beta ForksPixie and my previewer DreamsOfEdward.

MOTIVES

Bella had been upset with me, for several reasons, before we left for Florida. Ultimately I guess it came down to me doing what was best for her. Of course she didn't see it that way at all.

The night I took the distributor cap out of her truck she had gone back into the house, looked across the street to where I stood in the shadows and slammed her window shut. I understood her anger, but I had been right to prevent her from going to see Jacob. I trusted Bella. I just didn't trust Jacob and until I could convince her not to trust him either, I knew I would have to continue to intervene on her behalf when necessary and that night was necessary. Had she gone to the reservation I could not have protected her without crossing the treaty line and inciting a war between Jacob's pack and my clan and that is precisely what I would have done. After thinking I had lost her in March I made a commitment to never leave her unless that is what she wanted and while she argued her right to see Jacob, she never once told me to walk away. I would fight for her one way or the other.

As I looked up at her behind her closed window, arms crossed defensively across her chest, the angry red color flushing her cheeks, I hung my head ashamed of the level I had to stoop to in order to make my point. Then a gust of wind blew across my face, carrying her sweet, floral scent. I looked up and she had raised the window. I knew she was very angry with me, for preventing her from sneaking off to the reservation along with arranging the last minute get-a-way to Florida. But I knew things she didn't and I could deal with her anger much more easily than I could have dealt with her death. So I gave her space, not wanting to incur her wrath, and let her fall asleep before I climbed in through her window and slipped into the bed next to her.

The trip to Florida had been good for Bella and her mother. I knew they both needed to see one another. I was aware the day would come, preferably later rather than sooner, when Bella would not be able to see her mother again - part of the sacrifice she was willing to make to spend eternity with me. I was still uncomfortable with that decision, not wanting her to give up one thing for me. As much as I loved her, desired her and wanted her in my life, I was still convinced I was not worth her giving up one person or opportunity from her human world to exist in the perpetual darkness that encompassed my world.

I stayed inside Renee' and Phil's house working on a term paper, my excuse to stay out of the unforgiving Florida sunshine. But I watched Bella through the window, relaxing and laughing with her mother, occasionally turning to look my way. Bella had the one thing I missed the most from my human life, a mother. Watching her and Renee' interact like two sisters, I felt a serious twinge of guilt, knowing she would someday feel the loss I had felt for so long. That was why the trip to Florida was so important, on top of the fact it provided a safe harbor for Bella while my family dealt with Victoria, who was expected in town according to Alice's visions.

The night before we left to return to Forks, everyone in the house had fallen asleep. I lay on the couch, reading 'On the Road' by Jack Kerouac when Renee came in on her way to the kitchen.

"Edward, you're still up?" she asked, moving towards the arm chair across from me.

I sat up and laid my book on the table, rubbing my eyes in an effort to feign sleepiness. "I guess I am. I was just reading and lost track of time," I said.

"Do you mind if I ask you some personal questions?"

Having read her thoughts I knew she was just a mother looking out for her daughter and the least I owed her were some answers.

"By all means, Mrs. Dwyer," I said.

"Call me Renee', please," she smiled. "I can see you and Bella are serious about one another and I assume you will be around for a while so you might as well get comfortable with me."

I chuckled. "Okay, Renee' it is."

"Edward, you seem very protective of Bella," she started. "I hope you do not smother her. I hope you understand Bella has always been an independent soul and I would hate for her to lose that."

"That is one of the things I love the most about Bella," I admitted. "She has taught me how to be more independent and to take chances I wouldn't normally take. I am very protective of her, but only because I can't imagine spending one moment of my life without her."

Renee cleared her throat and held back the smile that had begun to spread across her lips.

"Just be careful, Edward," she advised. "You are both so young and have so much ahead of you, so much life to live. Don't make a mistake and throw your lives away before you have begun to live them."

She had no idea how prophetic her advice had been, but more for Bella than me. After all, my life had been taken away centuries before. I wanted to give her what she wanted for her daughter, a long and happy life. Bella, on the other hand, was another story.

"I have no intentions of hurting Bella," I said. "I do truly love her. I just love her each day, as if it were our last and I am grateful for each new day that the sun rises outside her window, with the promise of a new day to share together."

Renee stood up, and started towards the kitchen, pausing to turn to me.

"You are good for her, Edward – no matter what Charlie thinks," Renee said.

I lay back on the couch and picked up my book, smiling. At least her mom liked me.

"You've been very quiet," I said, taking her hand in mine as she looked out the window towards Crescent Lake as I made my way down the curvy road between Port Angeles and Forks. "Did the plane make you sick?"

"No, I'm okay," she answered quietly, only offering me a quick glance and smile before looking out the window again.

"Are you sad to leave?" I prodded.

"More relieved than sad, I think."

I raised an eyebrow at her. That was not the answer I had expected from her.

"Renee' is so much more…perceptive than Charlie in some ways. It was making me jumpy."

I laughed. Perceptive was an interesting word to describe her mother.

"Your mother has a very interesting mind. Almost childlike, but very insightful. She sees things differently than most people."

Bella remained quiet, deep in thought. I continued pushing the Volvo towards Forks, knowing we would be home soon and she could rest in her own bed. I knew, as soon as I could break away, I would be heading to my own house to check in with the family to see what had happened over the weekend. I asked that no one call me while I was in Florida because I didn't want to heighten Bella's suspicions further. She already thought I had ulterior motives behind the last minute trip to Florida.

I pulled up in front of Chief Swan's house and Bella was still oblivious. I wished so desperately I could read her mind, to know what troubled her.

I put the Volvo in park and turned the ignition off, reaching across to brush her cheek with my hand. The softness of her skin was an indulgence of mine. One day, when she was changed, her skin would become marble like my own. She would still be beautiful because what made Bella most beautiful was what came from within, but it would be different and I knew that. When she changed she would be giving up things, but so would I. I would no longer see the pink flush of her cheeks or have to bandage up her nicks and scrapes when she got hurt. She would be bulletproof, just like me.

"We're home, Sleeping Beauty. Time to awake," I said.

Charlie had the porch light on, in anticipation of Bella's return and I could see him peeking out from behind the curtains. I still think he didn't completely trust Bella with me, that she would be safer. But she was safer with me than anywhere else in the world. The truth was, he was anxious to talk to Bella and I was anxious to take the opportunity to go home to speak with my own family.

Birds and bees, Charlie thought. I can do this.

I stepped out of the Volvo and took her bag from the trunk before I walked her to the front door.

"How bad?" she asked, biting her bottom lip.

"Charlie's not going to be difficult," I reassured her. "He missed you."

She scrunched her face in disbelief, wondering what I was holding back. It was best I did not let her know I had any inclination that Charlie was about to have the sex-talk with her.

Charlie opened the door and greeted Bella with a big hug and equally big smile. "Welcome home, kid! How was Jacksonville?"

"Moist," Bella said as Charlie followed her through the doorway, leaving me to follow. "And buggy."

"So Renee didn't sell you on the University of Florida?" Charlie asked, shooting me a glance out of his peripheral vision.

"She tried, but I would rather drink water than inhale it," Bella explained.

"Did you have a nice time?" he asked me, with far less excitement than he had shown Bella.

"Yes," I answered. "Renee was very hospitable."

"That's…um, good," Charlie said, pulling Bella close for another hug. "Glad you had fun."

Bella whispered something in Charlie's ear as I sat her bag down at the foot of the stairs and he laughed.

"I really missed you, Bells. The food around here sucks when you're gone."

"I'll get on it," she said as he freed her from their embrace. She immediately made her way towards the kitchen and I moved to follow her before Charlie spoke and stopped us both in our tracks.

"Would you call Jacob first? He's been bugging me every five minutes since six o'clock this morning. I promised I'd have you call him before you even unpacked."

Of course he did. Charlie not only made his dislike of me very clear, he made his affinity for Jacob Black just as clear. If he had a choice, Bella's choice would be him.

"Jacob wants to talk to me?" Bella asked.

"Pretty bad, I'd say. He wouldn't tell me what it was about – just said it was important."

Just then the phone rang, harkening the devil we had just spoken of.

"That's him again," Charlie chuckled, raising his hand in the air and pointing towards the phone. "I'd bet my next paycheck on it."

Bella hurried to the kitchen to answer it and I followed behind her while Charlie sat down in his recliner in the living room.

She grabbed the phone more excitedly than I had hoped for, facing the wall as she put the receiver to her hear. It didn't matter how she tried to muffle their conversation I could not escape her words, only her thoughts. I would give anything to trade one for the other because I had no doubt her thoughts were focused on me.

"Hello?" she answered.

The tone of the conversation quickly changed to one where Bella became defensive, explaining why she hadn't yet called and spewing out half-spoken sentences. I was certain the child had rudely cut her off, concerned only with his own agenda.

"That was short," Bella muttered as she returned the phone to its cradle on the wall.

"Is everything all right?" I asked her, careful to prevent my tone from giving away my true feelings for Jacob Black and how much I could care less about him. I was also careful not to let the expression on my face give me away. I was unreadable.

"I don't know," she said, hanging her head. "I wonder what that was about."

"Your guess is as good as mine," I cracked a smile, putting my arm around her shoulder, pulling her close for a hug. I nuzzled into her hair and softly kissed her ear, sending chills through her body that made her physically shiver.

I leaned against the kitchen counter, crossing my arms across my chest as Bella went to the fridge and began to put together the ingredients for their dinner. Human food really was slightly repulsive to me, but I loved to see Bella in her zone when she was domestic. I know it wasn't a modern notion, but it was one I was fond of from my time – the idea of the wife looking after her husband's every need while he went off each day and provided the means to give her lovely things and shower her with adoration.

Occasionally she looked my way, seeming to notice that I was watching her every move, hoping to discover the secret of her conversation with the younger Black.

She was distracted by whatever it was he had said to her. She stopped in the middle of the kitchen deep in thought and lost her grasp on a package of frozen hamburger. I quickly reached out and grabbed it before it hit the floor and tossed it onto the kitchen counter. I wrapped my arms around her and pressed my lips close to her ear so Charlie wouldn't hear me.

"What's wrong?" I asked.

She shook her head, as if to shake herself back into reality. It didn't work. She was still entranced by something and her focus continued to be elsewhere. I squeezed her shoulders more tightly, trying to get her to come back to the here and now, to me. Still, nothing. Finally, I shook her.

"Bella?" I asked, still in a whisper but one more anxious than before.

"I think…I think he was checking," she mumbled. "Checking to make sure, that I'm human, I mean."

How dare he? What went on with Bella and me, or Bella alone was none of Jacob's business. He was not her boyfriend. I was. He may have taken care of her when I failed to do so, but I was back now and going nowhere. He needed to understand that and accept his lot and move on.

"We'll have to leave," she whispered. "Before. So that it doesn't break the treaty. We won't ever be able to come back."

I tightened my grasp on Bella, pulling her closer against my chest. "I know."

Suddenly, Charlie was in the room, clearing his throat to announce his presence. Bella pulled away from me and continued making dinner. I leaned against the counter, trying desperately to hide the anger that was seething inside of me.

"If you don't want to make dinner, I can order a pizza," Charlie offered.

"No, that's okay," Bella reassured him.

"Okay," Charlie said, leaning against the door frame with his arms crossed. The two of us formed quite an angry/protective audience for Bella.

I took the opportunity to excuse myself to go home while Bella finished dinner for Charlie.

"I need to go unpack and get ready for school tomorrow," I said for Charlie's benefit, leaning over and kissing her softly on the forehead. "You should go to bed soon, get some rest," I smiled.

"I will," she answered. "I'm really worn out from the trip."

When I stepped in the front door of my house the whole family had gathered in the living room.

"We've been waiting, Edward," Carlisle said lowly.

Alice got up and moved towards me to give me a hug, although it wasn't with her typical exuberance. "Did you and Bella have a good trip?"

"Sure," I said, anxious to hear what developed over the weekend.

Emmett sat next to Rosalie on the couch, with his arms crossed across his chest. Rosalie sat, glaring at me, with her hand on his thigh.

I sat down on the bench of the piano and waited for the report.

"She came here, Edward," Alice said simply. "But we didn't catch her."

I pinched the bridge of my nose, exasperated. If I had been here I could have stopped Victoria. I had spent enough time hunting her that I knew her pretty well. However, I had to be with Bella in Florida in order to protect her. I was frustrated that the red head was continuing to evade us and threaten Bella's existence.

"On Saturday afternoon we caught her scent in the woods near the treaty line," Carlisle explained.

The treaty line. That was why Jacob was calling. He wanted to mark his territory with me. It had nothing to do with Bella.

"We chased her back and forth across the river and throughout the woods," Carlisle continued. "Until she crossed the treaty line drawing Emmett and Paul from the wolf pack into neutral territory. There was a bit of an altercation, but we all handled it and moved on. However, Victoria used that hole in our defenses to escape once again."

Everyone sat quietly, staring at me, waiting for some response, some plan.

Tell us what do Edward. What do we do next?

"We have to continue to protect Bella and keep a close eye on Charlie," I said. "Until we kill Victoria. She'll come back. She intends to finish what she has started.

"Bella and Charlie are safe," Alice promised. "I know it."

"If the wolves understood how dangerous Victoria is, they would quit worrying about treaty lines and decade's old promises and focus on keeping Bella safe," I said angrily.

"Edward, regardless of when the treaty was made, it was for a reason and we are men and women of our words and we shall honor that treaty," Carlisle said. "There are ways to accomplish our goal without breaking the treaty."

"Okay, well, since Victoria is still around, I definitely need to get back to Bella's house," I said, getting up to run to my room and quickly change my clothes.

I sat in the rocking chair at the end of Bella's bed and watched her sleep, hoping she would talk in her sleep and give up the secrets of her conversation with Jacob Black. When I held her she slept peacefully and while I wanted to provide her a good night's rest, I wanted to know what Jacob Black had up his sleeve.

A few hours after I arrived, she pulled at her blankets and tossed her head.

"Please don't go Jacob," she muttered. "I'm here. I'm always here."

Her words stung. Did she mean she chose him over me? That she had come to her senses and chosen what would pass as a human life instead of an eternity of darkness and despair? It killed me not knowing what she was thinking, not knowing what she and Jacob talked about, not knowing what it all meant for me. No matter how much it hurt, I deserved every bit of it and more for the pain I caused her when I left her.

I got up from the rocking chair and moved to the bed, where I crawled up beside her, wrapping her in a comforter before I wrapped my arms around her. I had heard enough, more than enough. Now she could sleep peacefully and I could suffer in my self-induced punishment.

What turned into a peaceful slumber for Bella allowed to me to relax and breathe her in, just enjoying her sweet smell and soft skin. I couldn't get enough of her. I would never tell her I was worried about how the change would make things different. I would love her not matter what, but I loved this. I loved the frailty of my human Bella, when she needed me to protect her. What would it be like when Bella no longer needed me?

On our way to school in the morning I made jokes about vampires walking into bars and sparkle proof sun block. I was doing everything in my power to distract Bella from wherever her mind had gone.

Just as we made the final approach to Forks High School my jovial mood was squelched by a familiar stench emanating from the parking lot. It was a wet dog smell. That could only mean one thing. Jacob Black.

Oh, good. Here comes Cullen. Now I can lay down the law for him.

"If I asked you to do something, would you trust me?" I asked Bella softly, in sharp contrast to the tight grip I had on the steering wheel.

It was Jacob Black's thoughts I heard. Oh how I wished I could turn my ability on and off. Jacob would be on permanent mute.

Bella looked hesitantly at me as I put the car in park. "That depends."

Mano a mano Cullen. Let's see how you handle yourself when Bella realizes you aren't her superhero.

"I was afraid you'd say that," I sighed in frustration as she looked skeptically at me.

"What do you want me to do, Edward?"

"I want you to stay in the car," I said, pulling in to my usual parking spot, turning the engine off. "I want you to wait here until I come back for you."

Jacob wanted me and it was between us. There was no reason for Bella to be involved. He only wanted her there in an effort to discredit me.

"But…why?" she asked. As soon as the question left her lips she noticed Jacob, waiting across the parking lot, leaning against his motorcycle. Nice touch. He wanted to rub it in to Bella that she no longer had a two-wheel death machine.

"Oh," she quietly answered herself.

"You jumped to the wrong conclusion last night," I said softly to her. "He asked about school because he knew that I would be where you were. He was looking for a safe place to talk to me. A place with witnesses."

"I'm not staying in the car," she said, reaching for the door handle. I realized there was no keeping Bella down.

I groaned in defeat, unlocking the doors. "Of course not. Well, let's get this over with."

I took Bella's hand and we made our way to Jacob, who stood with his arms across his constantly growing chest and jaws clenched. He always seemed ready for a fight. One day the boy was going to get just what he was asking for and it wouldn't be as easy as he thought it would be.

I stopped with Bella several feet away from Jacob. He was not in total control of his emotions and I didn't need Bella in danger. I could hear him just fine from where I was standing. I moved her behind me with my hand.

"You could have called us," I said in a harsh voice, emphasizing the us. There was no her and me any longer, just an us and Jacob needed to understand that.

"Sorry," he answered sarcastically. "I don't have any leeches on my speed dial."

"You could have reached me at Bella's house, of course," I said.

You might have her now Cullen, but don't get too comfortable.

His jaw flexed along with his biceps. The students walking around might have been intimidated by the body builder show, but I knew what I brought to the fight and he had nothing on me.

"This is hardly the place, Jacob. Could we discuss this later?"

"Sure, sure. I'll stop by your crypt after school," he snorted. "What's wrong with now?"

He was such a child and I found it incredibly difficult to deal with such immaturity. I only dealt with him for Bella's sake.

I came here to deliver a message to you Cullen. I think you need to be reminded of the promises you made and the consequences of breaking those promises.

I scanned the crowd and squeezed Bella's hand. I could tell the students of Forks wanted nothing more than to see Jacob Black and me getting in to a fight, believing, falsely, that he would wipe the floor with me. I heard Newton's thoughts on that. I needed to diffuse the situation. All Jacob needed was a little encouragement and he would lose control, exposing both of us to the human population.

"I already know what you came to say," I growled lowly. "Message delivered. Consider us warned."

I looked back at Bella briefly, hoping she had reconsidered my plea with her to stay in the car. Perhaps she would go on to class and leave Jacob and me to our business.

"Warned?" she asked. "What are you talking about?" she asked Jacob, shooting a glance at me.

"You didn't tell her?" Jacob sneered, full of himself. "What, were you afraid she'd take our side?"

"Please, drop it Jacob," I said in an even tone, careful not to show my temper because that would only incite his own temper.

Afraid she will know you're a liar?

"Why?" Jacob challenged.

Bella pulled on my hand to make me look at her again. "What don't I know? Edward?"

I shot my head around at Jacob and glared at him. He was crossing the line. If he would just be a man about it and discuss his issues with me. Bella had enough to worry about without his ego getting in the way.

"Jake?" she asked.

Jacob diverted his eyes from me and looked directly at Bella. "He didn't tell you that his…big brother crossed the line Saturday night?" he asked, full of sarcasm and self-righteousness. Then he turned his eyes back to me. "Paul was totally justified in –"

"It was no-man's land!" I hissed, pulling against Bella, trying hard not to wrap my hands around his neck and crush his windpipe.

"Was not!" he shot back.

Jacob was shaking. I had to get my temper under control in order to get his under control before something happened we would all regret.

"Emmett and Paul?" she whispered. She knew both Paul and Emmett were both fighters and she probably thought it was much worse than it actually was. "What happened? Were they fighting?" she began to panic, tugging harder on my hand. "Why? Did Paul get hurt?"

I turned to her and whispered in an effort to calm her. "No one fought," I said. "No one got hurt. Don't be anxious."

Jacob looked at both of us, amazed that Bella was not running to take his side. "You didn't tell her anything at all, did you? Is that why you took her away? So she wouldn't know that -?"

"Leave now," I snapped, cutting him off mid sentence. The venom was flowing in my mouth and rage was overcoming me. If he didn't leave soon I knew I might not be able to control myself, then I was no better than a dog.

"Why haven't you told her?" Jake asked.

A crowd was forming and I heard mutterings.

I've got money on the Indian.

No way, I put my money on Cullen – if looks could kill right now.

While I stared Jacob down, I felt Bella's hand pulling on mine almost as if she were losing her footing. Suddenly she was gasping for air, almost hyperventilating.

"She came back for me," she gasped. She understood. She knew what I had tried so hard to protect her from, that Victoria had come for her.

I pulled her tight against me and held her close, hoping my touch would soothe her. She was shaking. I bent down and took her face in my hands, brushing my lips against her forehead. "It's fine," I whispered. "It's fine. I'll never let her get close to you, it's fine."

It's not fine. Quit lying to her Cullen. This whole situation is your fault, you and your fellow bloodsuckers.

"Does that answer your question, mongrel?" I growled lowly at Jacob.

"You don't think Bella has a right to know?" Jacob challenged. "It's her life."

"Why should she be frightened when she was never in danger?" I demanded.

"Better frightened than lied to," Jacob retorted.

I could feel the dampness from Bella's face through my shirt and reached to wipe her tears away. Jacob played dirty. He could have had the conversation with me alone, but he intentionally brought Bella into it to turn her against me. All he accomplished was scaring her.

"Do you really think hurting her is better than protecting her?" I murmured.

"She's tougher than you think," Jacob said. "And she's been through worse."

Suddenly Jacob's thoughts were filled with memories – memories of Bella from when I was gone.

I saw Charlie carrying her, weak and incoherent from Sam's arms as he brought her from the forest. I could see Bella curled into a fetal position so many times, with her arms wrapped around her legs, other times, with her arms wrapped around her waist as if she were struggling to hold herself together, to keep from breaking. I saw her face, absent of all color, except for deep purple bags under her eyes. I saw her eyes. Her eyes were dark and dull, empty. There was no light in them, no happiness. I saw Jacob touching her scar, the one from James – a reminder of the dangers of my world.

Suddenly Jacob had his arm around Bella, at a movie theater. "I know you're unhappy a lot. And maybe it doesn't help anything, but I wanted you to know that I'm always here. I won't ever let you down – I promise that you can always count on me. I would never, never, ever hurt you?" And her voice, a Bella I hadn't known, voice cracking and weak, "Yeah, Jake. I know that. And I already do count on you, probably more than you know." His thoughts, showing me her pain, showing me that he had been there for her when I failed her hit me harder than I had ever been hit physically. The emotional pain wracked my body and I fought to hide the pain from showing on my face. I knew I hurt her, but seeing it was more difficult than I ever imagined. I was more certain than ever that I would never walk away from Bella again.

Just for good measure, Jacob threw out a few more memories, of a happier Bella. He showed me the two of them walking on the beach, holding hands, he showed me Bella, laughing while he taught her to ride the motorcycle, then he showed me the most difficult memory of all. Bella was lying on the beach in LaPush, blue in the face, soaking wet, not breathing. Jacob was over her, pumping her chest, breathing in her mouth, begging her to respond. It must have been when she dove off the cliff in an effort to hear my voice. Because of me she had died and Jacob had brought her back to life. He returned her to me and knowing I had failed her so completely was devastating.

Jacob was well aware of the pain he was causing me and smiled with pleasure.

"That's funny," he chuckled.

Bella looked, wide-eyed at my face and back at Jacob's. As hard as I was trying to hide the pain, I knew she could see it. And she could see Jacob gloating.

"What are you doing to him?" she demanded of Jacob, holding on tight to me.

"It's nothing, Bella," I said quietly, careful not to let my voice give away my pain. "Jacob just has a good memory, that's all."

Then I saw his memory of holding her face in his hands, lowering his lips towards hers and she wasn't struggling.

I looked at Jacob, hoping he would stop, hoping he understood he had punished me enough. He grinned and I cringed at the thought of Jacob having any intimate knowledge at all of my Bella.

"Stop it! Whatever you're doing," Bella demanded at him.

"Sure, if you want," he shrugged. "It's his own fault if he doesn't like the things I remember, though."

Bella glared at Jacob, like a mother scolding her child. He shrugged and acted as though it had been no big deal, he meant no harm. But that was hardly the case. He meant a great deal of harm.

"The principal's on his way to discourage loitering on school property," I murmured to Bella. "Let's get to English, Bella, so you're not involved."

"Overprotective, isn't he?" Jacob asked Bella, as though I were not right there to hear him, talking right past me. "A little trouble makes life fun. Let me guess, you're not allowed to have fun, are you?"

I clenched my jaw and showed my teeth to Jacob. I had just about enough of his sabotage.

"Shut up, Jake," Bella said.

Jacob laughed, disrespectfully. "That sounds like a no. Hey, if you ever feel like having a life again, you could come see me. I've still got your motorcycle in my garage."

Bella stopped and shot him a look of bewilderment. "You were supposed to sell that. You promised Charlie you would." How could he have kept that bike after so thoroughly ensuring she would never get to ride hers again?

"Yeah, right. Like I would do that. It belongs to you, not me. Anyway, I'll hold on to it until you want it back," Jacob promised.

"Jake…" Bella started. He had some kind of hold on her. She couldn't just walk away from him, as much as I wanted her to do just that.

He then had the nerve to lean forward, close to Bella's ear. "I think I might have been wrong before, you know, about not being able to be friends. Maybe we could manage it, on my side of the line. Come see me."

And there is nothing you can do about it Cullen. If she wants me, and she does, she will come to me and you can't be there to tell her what to do.

I held on tight to Bella, not moving. I wanted nothing more than for Jake to get on his bike, ride away and become the victim of an unfortunate accident.

"I, err, don't know about that, Jake," she muttered.

The sarcasm and angry demeanor left his body and he became different, like a puppy.

"I miss you every day, Bella. It's not the same without you," he said.

"I know and I'm sorry, Jake, I just…"

Bella was doing a fine job of bringing him down a few notches. There was no need for physical violence. He used emotion against me and she was doing the same with him. Rejection was a very painful thing to endure.

"I know. Doesn't matter, right? I guess I'll survive or something. Who needs friends?" He grimaced, as though he didn't care. But he did. He cared as much as I did and he felt as much pain as I did. The thing was, I didn't care.

I pulled Bella as Mr. Greene pushed his way through the crowd, towards us.

"Okay, get to class," Mr. Greene demanded. "Move along, Mr. Crowley."

"Go to school, Jake," Bella whispered a warning to him as the principal made his way towards us.

I let go of her, taking her hand and pulling her through the crowd, away from Jacob.

"I mean it," Mr. Greene threatened. "Detention for anyone who's still standing here when I turn around again."

The crowd quickly dispersed, realizing there would be no physical confrontation.

"Ah, Mr. Cullen. Do we have a problem here?" Mr. Greene asked as he met up with us.

"Not at all, Mr. Greene," I assured him. "We were just on our way to class."

"Excellent. I don't seem to recognize your friend," Mr. Greene said, turning his glare at Jacob. "Are you a new student here?"

"Nope," Jacob said with a cocky grin.

"Then I suggest you remove yourself from school property at once, young man, before I call the police."

Bella smiled and so did Jacob. Charlie was the police and there was nothing he would do to punish Jacob. He would certainly be quite pleased Jacob was fighting for his daughter.

"Yes, sir," Jacob said, snapping his heels together and saluting Mr. Greene. He then climbed onto his motorcycle and peeled out of the parking lot. Jacob was gone. Now I had to do damage control.

"Mr. Cullen, I expect you to ask your friend to refrain from trespassing again," Mr. Greene said.

"He's no friend of mine, Mr. Greene, but I'll pass along the warning," I promised. And I would. I would warn Jacob against ever stepping foot near us at the high school again.

"I see. If you're worried about any trouble, I'd be happy to -," Mr. Greene began to grovel to me. That was always how those things ended. I was such a good student and never caused any trouble.

"There's nothing to worry about, Mr. Greene," I promised him, squeezing Bella's hand. "There won't be any trouble."

"I hope that's correct. Well, then. On to class. You, too, Ms. Swan."

I nodded at Mr. Greene, in appreciation of his offer to look out for me and pulled Bella along towards the English building for our first class.

"Do you feel well enough to go to class?" I whispered to her. As much as Jacob had hurt me, I wondered if Bella was hurting as well.

"Yes," she whispered back, patting my back reassuredly.

We got to class a few minutes late and Mr. Berty was already reciting The Road Less Taken by Robert Frost.

"TWO roads diverged in a yellow wood,

And sorry I could not travel both

And be one traveler, long I stood

And looked down one as far as I could

To where it bent in the undergrowth;

Then took the other, as just as fair,

And having perhaps the better claim,

Because it was grassy and wanted wear;

Though as for that the passing there

Had worn them really about the same,

And both that morning equally lay

In leaves no step had trodden black.

Oh, I kept the first for another day!

Yet knowing how way leads on to way,

I doubted if I should ever come back.

I shall be telling this with a sigh

Somewhere ages and ages hence:

Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—

I took the one less traveled by,

And that has made all the difference."

Bella immediately sat down and ripped a sheet of paper out of her notebook and began to write a note to me while I attempted to make Mr. Berty believe we were paying attention to him.

What happened? Tell me everything. And screw the protecting me crap, please.

Her handwriting was more illegible than normal and I knew she was angry that I had kept things from her. She had a right to be angry but I still wouldn't have told her a thing if Jacob had kept his mouth shut. I knew what I was doing and I did it much better without Bella knowing what was going on.

Alice saw that Victoria was coming back. I took you out of town merely as a precaution – there was never a chance that she would have gotten anywhere close to you. Emmett and Jasper very nearly had her, but Victoria seems to have some instinct for evasion. She escaped right down the Quileute boundary line as if she were reading it from a map. It didn't help that Alice's abilities were nullified by the Quileutes involvement. To be fair, the Quileutes might have had her, to, if we hadn't gotten in the way. The big gray one thought Emmett was over the line, and he got defensive. Of course Rosalie reacted to that, and everyone left the chase to protect their companions. Carlisle and Jasper got things calmed down before it got out of hand. But by then, Victoria had slipped away. That's everything.

She read it carefully; a couple of times over, it appeared and frowned. I knew her well enough to know what she was thinking. She didn't think she was worth it, worth everyone risking their lives.

What about Charlie? She could have been after him.

I shook my head at her, before she ever finished writing her sentence. I might not have been able to read her mind but she was quite predictable and I knew she would be worried about her dad. I held my hand out, to take the note from her and respond, reassuring her Charlie was never in danger but she kept it and continued writing.

You can't know that she wasn't thinking that, because you weren't here. Florida was a bad idea.

I pulled the paper from underneath her hand before she could continue on.

I wasn't about to send you off alone. With your luck, not even the black box would survive.

My attempt at humor seemed to have ignited a fire in her because she began to write furiously, shoving another note at me.

So, let's say my bad luck did crash the plane. What exactly were you going to do about it?

Why is the plane crashing?

I fought back a smile. I had managed to distract her from the unfortunate incident with Jacob.

The pilots are passed out drunk.

Easy. I'd fly the plane.

This was like playing chess and I was clearly winning. She pursed her lips and wrote again, with more determination.

Both engines have exploded and we're falling in a death spiral toward the earth.

I'd wait till we were close enough to the ground, get a good grip on you, kick out the wall, and jump. Then I'd run you back to the scene of the accident, and we'd stumble around like the two luckiest survivors in history.

She stared at me, dumbfounded.

"What?" I whispered, pretending not to know she was at a loss.

She shook her head. "Nothing," she mouthed.

She had one more thing to write though.

You will tell me next time.

I looked at her, her eyes still moist from the tears, her face still white from the cool air. I might have distracted her for a moment, but she never forgot and I knew lying to her, no matter how good my intentions, was not the way I should have done things and wasn't the way I could do things in the future, not if we were to have a future. I nodded.

Thanks.

I quickly slipped the note away from her before she noticed; knowing Mr. Berty was making his way down the aisle towards us.

"Is that something you'd like to share there, Mr. Cullen?" he asked.

"My notes?" I asked innocently, hiding our note under my book before he noticed and showing him my complete notes, with the entire poem written out.

He scanned my notes and had nothing further to say since I covered everything he had gone over in class. I was very good at multi-tasking.

Mr. Berty turned and walked back to the front of the class in frustration. I turned to Bella and winked. She smiled slightly. I hoped, soon enough, this morning's incident with Jacob would be forgotten.

A/N: Please review and let me know your thoughts.