Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight.

Edward stood in front of Jacob with his arms folded across his chest. Jacob wanted to punch the condescending smirk off of his hard as stone face, but Bella was standing next to him with a hand on his arm to keep him calm. It was amazing how the smallest of gestures from her could calm him down.

"I knew that you would ask for help eventually. We have a plan." Edward said, still smiling.

"What kind of plan?" Jacob asked with a quizzical look.

"Jasper has fought newborns before. He knows how to dispose of them. He is willing to teach us."

"When can we start?"

"It is best for us to work at night."

"The wolves usually run patrol at night." Bella said calmly.

"We'll work it out." Jacob said as his lips formed a straight line.

Edward nodded before looking at Bella's hand still on Jacob's arm. She had never touched him like that. He would never have let her. Jacob wasn't as cautious as he was, he knew that for sure. There was always that risk that he would lash out at her. Bella had to see that. Edward would have to try harder to get her to see his side of things.

"What time should we meet tonight?" Jacob asked giving him an even look.

He had been listening and heard what he had been thinking about.

"Nine, there's a clearing in the mountains. It's surrounded mountains on three sides and a waterfall on the other."

"I know where it is." Jacob said with a nod.

Edward looked at Bella with a hurt look.

"It's where they have pack meetings." she said quietly.

"Don't be late." Edward said before turning and walking quickly back to his car.

Bella pulled her hand away from Jacob and he looked down at her giving her a questioning look.

"What?"

"What was that look that he gave you for?"

"The clearing is where we first met Victoria."

"That's why you won't go there with me." Jacob said in understanding.

"I haven't felt comfortable going there. But since it would be for a good cause I would be willing to go tonight."

"I don't want you coming with me." he said with a shake of his head.

"Are you telling me that I can't come?"

"No, I'm asking you. Bella please, just this once, don't be stubborn."

"I'm going to go inside. I'll see you later." she said walking away from him.

"I'll come by afterwards to tell you what happened."

She nodded as she walked up the pathway leading to the stairs.

"Bells?" he called.

She paused at the bottom step to look over her shoulder at him. He had worry etched across his face.

"I love you." he said with a small smile.

"I love you too." she said with a reassuring smile.

He nodded before turning to run home. She knew that if she were close to him he would more than likely have burned her. It had happened more than once since the Cullen's came back. She really needed to talk to Edward.

XXXX

The clearing was filled with artificial light from the headlights of Emmett's Jeep and Edward and Jasper's cars. The pack came through the clearing in wolf form to see the Cullen's near the far corner of the clearing with their backs to them. Jasper turned first and walked towards them. He stopped in front of Sam with a kind smile.

"Thank you for coming tonight. I know that we all want to be rid of the problem that we are having right now. Not for our sakes, but Bella's. She is an innocent bystander who should not have to be going through this. It's good that you came in wolf form, that will be the best way that you can defend yourselves and ward off advances from the newborns." Jasper said calmly.

"Edward, would you translate for us?" Carlisle asked as he joined Jasper.

"The dark gray one is very hostile. He says that he doesn't want to be here."

He has a name. Jacob said with a growl.

Easy, Jacob. Sam said in a calm voice.

"Do you mean Paul? Carlisle asked.

"Yes." Edward said with a nod.

"Maybe I could work with him first. That way he can leave if he chooses." Jasper said looking at Paul.

"He says that is fine."

"I'm going to need you over by the trees Paul. I'm going to come at you, but I don't want you to actually kill me. I'm going to talk you through it."

"He says he's not an idiot."

"Sorry. I didn't think that you were." Jasper said patting Paul's head with a light laugh.

Paul immediately moved away from him.

Who does he think he is? Paul asked.

Keep your thoughts to yourself for right now Paul. Sam thought.

Don't you have somewhere you need to be? Jacob asked Edward.

We would like to be alone for right now Edward. We have stratagy of our own to discuss. Sam said politely.

That is the correct way to ask someone to leave. You could learn a lot from him Jacob. Edward said with a sneer.

Jacob's hair stood on end as a growl came from deep in his throat. He moved to leap at Edward and Sam stepped in front of him.

Attacking him is not the answer Jacob. Sam said calmly.

I am not going to let him get away with that.

Be the bigger man and walk away. Sam said sternly.

You had better do what he says. Edward thought as he folded his arms over his chest.

Not before I knock that grin off your face. Jacob thought as he moved to walk around Sam.

"We have a guest." Alice said brightly.

Edward searched her thoughts and immediately hung his head in dismay. Jacob growled when Edward sent the vision to him. Seconds later Bella came out of the trees on the other side of the clearing. Jacob crossed the clearing, the way his body was tense and his hair stood on end let Bella know that he wasn't happy. He nudged for her to go back the way she had come and she shook her head defiantly.

"I want to be here. I am not about to let all of you put yourselves in danger while I sit around and do nothing."

"It wouldn't hurt just to let her watch Jacob." Esme said as she crossed the last few feet to stand with them.

"I intend to do more than that."

"Do you mean that you want to fight with us?"

"Yes I do."

Jacob shook his head violently and a few seconds later Edward was at Esme's other side.

"Yes Jacob, I am."

"He's right, it isn't a good idea."

"What is he saying?"

"He doesn't want you being put in harm's way. What if something happened to you? All of us would feel guilty Bella."

"If I learned to defend myself nothing would happen to me."

"You can't help us, you would get killed." Esme said calmly.

A wave of calm washed over Bella before she knew what was going on.

"Bella, it is very admirable that you want to help us, but you have no idea what you are saying. There is no way that you would be able to help us. You don't have the strength that we do." Jasper said before putting a hand on her shoulder.

"Fine." she said with a sigh.

"Jacob, why don't you and Bella go and sit down until Jasper needs you?" Esme said kindly.

Bella followed behind Jacob until they reached the boulders surrounding the waterfall. She sat on one and he sat at least ten feet away with his head resting on his front paws. She looked at him sadly wishing that they could talk.

"Jacob?" she said over the roar of the water.

He ignored her.

"Jake?" she asked with a sigh.

Still no answer. She slid off the boulder to sit a few feet away from him.

"I wish I knew what you were thinking. I can guess that you're mad at me. It doesn't take a genius to see that. I'm not sorry for not listening to you. I may not be able to help, but I am safer here than I am anywhere else."

Jacob looked over at her with sad eyes. She stood to walk the last few feet to him. She sat next to him and his head was in her lap before she could get situated. Her fingers threaded into his fur and he leaned into the touch. He licked her arm gently and she smiled down at him.

"I love you too." she said as she hugged him.

His head slid out of her lap and he moved to lie on back down. She lay on her side with her head resting on his stomach. She ran her fingers through his fur lazily and he let out a sigh of contentment. Neither of them heard someone walk up to them.

"Jasper needs Jacob." Rosalie said quietly.

Bella reluctantly sat up and Jacob stood to walk the short distance to where Jasper stood.

"You don't need to sit on the ground. You could have stayed on the boulder." Rosalie said.

"We needed to work things out."

"Do you always have to go to him to work things out?"

"I was the one who was wrong."

"You both were. He should have met you half way."

"Why are we talking about this? It isn't your business."

"I am just giving you advice. You shouldn't be so subservient to him."

"I am not subservient."

"Rosalie, just because Emmett worships the ground you walk on and is always the first one to apologize doesn't mean that everyone should be that way." Esme said in an admonishing tone.

"I was just giving her some free advice. She can take it or leave it." Rosalie said with a shrug of her shoulders before walking away.

"She doesn't know what she's talking about Bella. You were right to do what you did. Especially since Jacob couldn't communicate with you the way he wanted to. I'm glad that the two of you worked out your differences."

"I am too."

"I think I know the real reason why you wanted to fight with us."

"You do?"

"You feel like everything that is happening is your fault."

Bella looked down at her feet in shame. She hadn't realized that anyone had noticed that she felt that way.

"Sweetheart, none of this is your fault. This is Victoria's fault."

"She wouldn't be here if her clan hadn't found me and James hadn't tracked me down."

"Yes she would. She wants revenge because Edward killed her mate. So she wants to kill his mate."

"But I am not his mate. We aren't even together anymore."

"That may be, but she knows that it will be a devastating blow to Edward if you died."

Jacob came to stand in between them in human form and took Bella's hand.

"I thought that Jasper needed you."

"I'm going to the Cullen's tomorrow to have a private lesson. Are you ready to leave?"

She nodded her head and Esme put a hand on her free wrist to stop her.

"Remember what I said." she said with a smile.

"I will."

They were at her house when Jacob finally let go of her hand.

"She was right." he said breaking the silence.

"Who was?" she asked as she turned off the truck.

"Esme, I should have told you that sooner."

"I feel useless."

"You're doing everything that you can."

"Which is nothing."

"You're lying low and making the packs job easier. I rest easier at night knowing that you are safe."

"I wish that there was more that I could do."

"You could be more grateful." he said as they walked into the house.

She turned to face him and wrapped her arms around his neck. She leaned up as he wrapped his arms around her waist. Their lips met in a fierce kiss that had her begging him for entrance. His hands fisted in her hair as her tongue passed his lips. She tightened her grip on him and he picked her up to carry her towards the stairs. She wrapped her legs around his waist to keep from falling as he made his way upstairs.

In her room he placed her gently on the bed before lying on top of her. His weight rested on his arms until she pulled him to her. He bit back a groan as she pushed up the back of his shirt to let her hands roam over his skin. His hands pushed up her shirt to cup her breast through her bra. She pulled away gasping for breath. He moved his hands down to her stomach to follow the lines of her ribs.

"You're welcome." he said with a grin.

She shook her head with a grin of her own.

"Just don't thank anyone else like that."

"I'll save that just for you."

He rolled off of her but kept one of his hands on her stomach. She turned her head to look at him with a content smile. She didn't miss the look of adoration that he gave her before he closed his eyes. His soft snoring filled the room a few minutes later. She turned on her side and his hand slid over her back in his sleep. She got as close to him as she could and soon fell asleep herself. All of her worries and fears could be put off until tomorrow. Right now she had everything that she needed.