Hello, it's been awhile since my last update! I'm on holidays at the moment so I'm hoping to catch up on my writing.

I'm following pages 531 – 536 of Eclipse.

I don't own Twilight.

Possession – Part 7

I was waiting for Bella to return from chasing after Jacob. Being restless, I'd wandered out of the tent, unable to sit still. I wondered how my family was faring, as well as the wolf pack. As much as I wanted to be with them, Bella's wants were my first priority. If she needed me to be with her then that's where I would be.

Now, if only I knew where she was.

Idly, I picked up pebbles and watched as they were pulverized into dust between my fingers. Then, all at once, Bella's scent assailed my senses. I followed the scent back to the tent where I found her, facedown, on the sleeping bag.

What had happened? Was she hurt? Had that dog done something to upset her?

Quietly, I went up to her and gently stroked her long hair. She jumped at my touch.

"Are you alright?" I asked, worried.

"No," she sounded dull, "I want to die." My lips tightened at that. My mind was in turmoil, just what had transpired while she was gone?

"That will never happen. I won't allow it," I told her.

"You might change you mind about that," she whispered.

"Where's Jacob?" I asked, it was unlike him to not take an opportunity to be around Bella.

"He went to fight," she said, somewhat incoherently, still refusing to meet my gaze.

Seth was still outside the tent, and he had heard our conversation. In automatic response to our words, his mind went back to what had occurred between Jacob and Bella.

Unwanted images flashed before my eyes. I heard Jacob threaten to go off and get killed, I saw Bella's desperate attempts to make him stay. The words that put a knife through my unbeating heart, Kiss me Jacob. Kiss me, and then come back. I watched Jacob's eager compliance to her request.

My hands clenched when I saw him hold her too tightly, too possessively. Bella was fighting against him, then, abruptly, she was responding to him. They kissed with a passion that could never exist between us. I felt Jacob's triumph at finally having Bella admit he was right, she did love him too. I had suspected as much but to have it confirmed, was like walking through fire.

"Oh," I finally said. Bella looked up at me, but the images were still going through my mind. Fearing the worst, she turned her eyes back to the floor.

Despite the anger I felt at Jacob's blatant manipulation of Bella, I had to laugh. Jacob had accused me of having too many advantages, it seemed there was no boundary he was unwilling to cross.

"And I thought I fought dirty," I remarked. "He makes me look like the patron saint of ethics." I lightly brushed my hand against her cheek as I added, "I'm not mad at you, love. Jacob's more cunning than I gave him credit for. I do wish you hadn't asked him, though."

"Edward," Bella's voice was breaking, "I…I, I'm…"

"Shh," I quieted her, realizing she mistook my meaning. "That's not what I meant. It's just that he would've kissed you anyway – even if you hadn't fallen for it – and now I don't have an excuse to break his face. I would have really enjoyed that, too." I perhaps put too much emphasis on the last few words. It was true, I really would've liked to punch Jacob squarely in the face.

I could've told him that forcing Bella to face her feelings would only hurt her more. I saw the confusion and guilt that was tearing at her. I couldn't be angry with her, she'd had no idea that she even felt that way towards him. I was, however, furious with the dog. I don't care that she does love you, you should be punished for making her so upset.

"Why aren't you angry with me?" Bella asked. "Why don't you hate me? Or haven't you heard the whole story yet?" She looked at me warily.

"I think I got a fairly comprehensive look. Jacob makes vivid mental pictures. I feel almost as bad for his pack as I do for myself." Outside I could hear Seth's affirmative growl. Amen to that!

Bella only sagged farther into the sleeping bag, obviously hating herself for everything that had happened.

"You're only human, Bella. And, as much as I might wish otherwise, so is he. There are holes in your life that I can't fill. I understand that." But I hope with everything I am, that you choose me over him.

"But that's not true. That's what makes me so horrible. There are no holes." She protested.

"You love him," I stated, forcing the words out of my mouth. I needed to be fair; she did love him.

"I love you more," she said. I knew this, but it didn't necessarily mean she would choose to stay with me. If she didn't love me above Jacob, she wouldn't have been so blind to how she truly felt about him.

"Yes, I know that, too. But…when I left you Bella, I left you bleeding. Jacob was the one to stitch you back up again. That was bound to leave its mark – on both of you," I paused to take a breath, "I can't blame either of you for something I made necessary." Forgive me, Bella, for entertaining the notion that we could live without each other. How I wished I could take it all back and save her the hurt she was experiencing now.

A vision went through my mind, Alice. Victoria and her army of newborns were approaching. Alice's vision was clear, there was no doubt that we would win, but the specifics were still hazy. We're fine Edward, her mental voice was faint, Just getting ready, they'll be here any minute now.

"It's getting close," Bella said.

"Yes, a few more minutes now. Just enough time to say one more thing…"

Bella was looking at me with trepidation, as she waited for me to continue.

"I can be noble Bella. I'm not going to make you choose between us. Just be happy, and you can have whatever part of me you want, or none at all, if that's better. Don't let any debt you feel you owe me influence your decision." I meant every word I said. There wasn't anything I wanted more than her happiness, even if it spelled misery for me. If she wanted to be with Jacob, then I wouldn't stand in her way. Perhaps, it would even be better if she did choose Jacob. She could have a normal life, free of threats like Victoria. He could give her things I never would be able to.

Make the decision and I'll be able to let you go. At least I hoped I'd be strong enough to let her go.

To my surprise, Bella chose that moment to turn spitfire.

"Dammit, stop that!" She shouted at me. I was bewildered, did she think I was trying to placate her?

"No – you don't understand. I'm not trying to make you feel better, Bella, I really mean it." Please believe me.

"I know you do! What happened to fighting back? Don't start with the noble self-sacrifice now! Fight!" She was on her knees now, glaring at me.

"How?" What did she want me to do? Go out there and tear Jacob from limb to limb? As much as I wanted to, it would only cause more pain for her.

Bella launched herself at me. Before I knew it, her arms were around my neck, and she was sitting in my lap.

"I don't care that it's cold here. I don't care that I stink like a dog right now. Make me forget how awful I am. Make me forget him. Make me forget my own name. Fight back!" She didn't give me a chance to respond as she crushed her mouth against mine.

I could feel the desperation in her kiss, in the way her hands clutched feverishly at my hair. This wasn't right.

"Careful, love," I murmured against her mouth.

"No." She tried to resume the kiss but I pushed her back so I could look at her. Her eyes were tortured, showing me she wasn't thinking clearly.

"You don't need to prove anything to me." I told her.

"I'm not trying to prove something. You said I could have any part of you I wanted. I want this part. I want every part." With that proclamation, Bella resumed her attack of my mouth.

The animalistic part of me wanted to give in and claim her as my own. If we succumbed now, it would be something Jacob could never take away from me. But I knew it'd be for all the wrong reasons. It'd be solely out of reaction to the day's events. I'd regret it and, worse, Bella would regret it.

I took Bella's arms from around me, pushing her back firmly.

"Perhaps this isn't the best moment for that," I said. Bella immediately dropped her arms in defeat.

"Why not?" She huffed.

"Firstly, because it is cold." I bent down to gather the sleeping bag and wrapped it around her shoulders.

"Wrong. First, because you are bizarrely moral for a vampire." I chuckled; I couldn't deny it.

"All right, I'll give you that. The cold is second. And thirdly…well, you do actually stink, love." Jacob's scent was, indeed, all over her, but that was more of an excuse than anything. "Fourthly, we will try, Bella. I'll make good on my promise. But I'd much rather it wasn't in reaction to Jacob Black." God knows you're tempting enough to make me want to fulfill my promise now, but it's not the time. That was, of course, assuming that she chose to stay me over Jacob.

She winced then, and buried her face in my shoulder.

"And fifthly…"

"This is a very long list," Bella commented.

"Yes, but did you want to listen to the fight or not?" As if on cue, Seth gave a piercing howl outside the tent. The sound of it even made me stiffen, much as Bella had beside me.

The fight was beginning.

A/N: Reviews make me happy and want to write (ie update) more quickly. Show me some love!