Bella POV

I had waited for this for a long time. We had always been playful with each other but never comfortable enough to let each other's touch make us feel nervous. He still gave me butterflies, but I felt like I could let it all happen now, like I could let him love me now. I finally gave in. I'd been waiting for this feeling for a long time.

As Jake stood there, holding me, talking to Embry, I ran my hands up and down his arms, my fingertips gently caressing his russet skin. I enjoyed the fact that I could give this wolf goose-bumps. I grinned when I saw the little bumps appear on his skin. And that's when he turned to me and I just smiled and nodded. I didn't care what we were doing today as long as he could hold me like this the entire time.

So off to Emily's house we went. We planned on doing something later that night, since Jake had promised to make something of the alone time we had. As we walked (yes, walked) to Emily's house, I glanced up at Jake's face and smiled at him, reaching over to grasp his hand in mine. My fingers slowly slipped through his, and grasped his warm palm in mine. Jake took in a sharp breath and let it out in a short surprised exhale as he looked down at our hands.

"What?" I asked, looking up into his face before his eyes moved up from our hands and met mine.

"That right there is the first time you've taken my hand. I'm always the one to grab yours," Jake spoke like he was going to cry. At first I thought that was funny, this big, vampire-killing, werewolf by night guy, sounded like he was going to cry just because I held his hand. But then I let his emotions run through me and suddenly felt the same way he did.

"Ugh… Jake, don't make me cry!" I laughed, wiping my eye before a tear fell down my cheek.

"I never want to." His voice was stern and serious.

I couldn't help myself.

I stopped my feet and when Jake didn't stop, I pulled him back, cupping his cheek in my free hand and standing up on my tip-toes to crash my lips to his. My passion for him seemed to ignite more frequently these days and now that I finally admitted to him (and myself) that I was in love with him, it seemed to be easier to just let it happen. His lips parted and I seized the opportunity to let my tongue dive into his mouth, playing with his own tongue and moving my lips on his like this was the last kiss I was ever going to give him. Before I knew it, Jake pulled his hand out of mine and put both of his hands on my ass, lifting me up and taking a few steps forward to press me up against a tree. I wrapped my legs around him, now groaning into his mouth. I had dreamed of this but never actually thought it would come true. How many fantasies that run through one's mind actually do come true?

But not now. Fuck. My mind getting in the way again.

"Jake.." I moaned once his lips moved to my neck. "Jake please…"

"Oh baby you don't have to beg me…" he said, licking his way up my neck to behind my ear. "Scratch that. I like when you beg." Jake then ground his hips into me and I sucked in a breath, gasping, and before I could think, I was grinding my hips back against his.

"That's not… Jake that's not what I meant…"

"What did you mean, Bells?" He asked, still trying to sound as sexy as possible, his voice low and husky, his eyes moving to mine and leaning his forehead against mine. His hands squeezed my ass and he pressed his hips forward more, then moved them down and back up. He would have been making sweet love to me if we didn't have clothes on.

"Shit, Jake…" I breathed, trying to not get any more turned on than I already was. "We can't do this here. Jake I just wanted to kiss you…"

"Bella … you can't JUST kiss me."

"And why is that, Jacob?"

"Because your lips do things to me that make me want to-"

"Jake, sometimes I just wanna kiss you. I mean… believe me, you turn me on too but-"

"But obviously not as much as you turn me on…"

"No… I'm just not a guy." I smiled at him and Jake pulled away, finally letting me down.

"So girls don't have the needs that guys do?" Jake asked, fixing his hair that my hands had mangled when his lips were ravaging me.

"Of course they do. And we get JUST as sexually frustrated, but… but we can kiss without thinking about sex."

"Uh huh…"

"Well we can!" I said, slapping his arm.

"I believe you. I'm just kind of upset that you think every time I kiss you I think of sex."

I looked up at him for a moment before I took his hand and started along our path to Emily's again. "Well it sure seems like it sometimes."

"Honey, I've waited for years to hear you tell me that you love me. You think I would have fought for you for so long and waited for you for so long if all I wanted was sex? You kiss me and my body reacts. That's juts how it is. But when my heart's in it, all I think about it how wonderful it is that I have you in my arms."

I sighed, looking at the ground because I didn't want Jake to see how pink my cheeks were. "Were you saving up these lines to make my heart flutter at the drop of a hat or did you just think that up?"

Jake just chuckled and unlaced our fingers, letting my hand drop out of his just so he could put his arm around my shoulders and pull me into him. We walked another half a mile before we could see Emily's little house. No one was around but Jake laughed when he heard something and I had to ask.

"What?"

"I guess it's nice to have wolf hearing."

"I wish I did… would help in a lot of situations I'm sure."

"It can come in handy."

"So what's so funny?"

Jake laughed again, "Emily just yelled at Jared for taking too much food."

I laughed, "Well that's definitely Jared."

"That's definitely everyone in the PACK!"

"True."

We giggled as we stepped up to the house and walked right in. Jake followed behind me and I quickly shuffled my way over to Emily. She opened her arms and gave me that warm, welcoming smile she always gave me.

"Hello Bella."

"Remind me to tell you something later, Em," I whispered to her before I pulled away.

Emily just raised an eyebrow at me and I smirked, nudging my head toward Jacob. Her eyes widened and she grinned so wide that Sam had to come over and investigate. As soon as Emily saw Sam, though, she pierced her lips together and cleared her throat.

"What's goin' on over here, ladies?" Sam asked, one of his arms snaking around Emily's waist. The rest of the boys were already making jokes with Jake at the dining table. I glanced over at him and he looked up, motioning for me to join him. I smiled at him but turned back to Sam and Emily.

"I'm sure you're not interested in girl talk, Sam."

"Sometimes I am. And when its you, Bella, it's never JUST girl talk."

Emily made Sam look at her by taking his chin in her hand. "Sometimes it is. Leave it alone, Sam. If it were something important, I'd tell you. You know that. But Bella needs a girl to tell her secrets to and I am honored to be that girl."

"Thanks, Em," I said and walked out of the kitchen and around the table to where Jake was sitting. There weren't enough chairs for all of us to sit in, but I wasn't about to sit in Jake's lap, so I took the last chair and hoped that Sam and Emily didn't mind standing. Jake turned his head from his awed expression at how much Jared was eating to smile at me and tuck a piece of my hair behind my ear. I wanted to tell him not to, to tell him I didn't want our relationship to become a topic of conversation, but I couldn't resist him touching me, so I just closed my eyes for a moment and let those tingly feelings invade my body. My lips curled upward slightly and when I opened my eyes Paul was staring at me with a stupid grin on his face.

I wanted to ask him what his problem was, but knew he's bring up me and Jake so I just shook it off and looked up at Sam who was coming around the counter to start whatever conversation he was planning on starting. Conversation… ha… who am I kidding? No one CONVERSATED with Sam when he was talking unless it was an extremely casual event and this seemed to be more about business so I guessed everyone would fall silent soon. And so they did.

Emily came around to the table and Sam looked right at Embry. When Embry didn't move, however, "Embry, get your ass up!"

"Oh .. Uh.. .sorry… sorry Em," Embry apologized, getting out of his chair and letting Emily sit down. "Thanks so much for the food, Em. I always love your breakfasts… you're such a great cook. Sam is very-"

"Embry, shut up," Sam said with an authority I only heard a few times before.

"Sorry, Sam." Embry just let his head fall and leaned against the back of the couch that was facing the living room.

"All right, listen. I wanted you all over here today because Billy spoke with me last night," Sam started.

I looked over at Jake, who's complete focus was on Sam, and watched his concerned face grow curious.

"He has been worrying a bit about… well, about ALL of us after what happened last week and I think we owe it to him and, hell, to the rest of your parents and well… the entire res, to … to assure them that we are protecting ourselves as well as protecting them." Sam looked straight at Jacob and exhaled a breath he'd been holding in. "You. You, Jake, are in need of some serious prioritizing."

I sat there in my chair, having no idea what Sam was talking about and worrying my ass off that Jacob was in serious trouble. The way Sam spoke to him made me want to stand up for my Jacob, but I knew that would not only embarrass him, but also do little to help.

"You had no right to do what you did last week and I am not going into detail because you know what happened; we all do, but I feel like the situation needs to be handled and you need to understand that for the safety of ALL of us, nothing like that can happen again." Sam stared at Jake like he was about to shoot beams from his eyes and zap him into oblivion. I couldn't stand it anymore. I had to do something.

No, Bella. Fuck you, conscience! I don't have to listen to you! Yes you do. You love him. Don't do anything rash. Oh, so now you're trying to sound like Edward, are you, conscience? You can't tell me what to do! Of course I can't. But I can suggest things. And you know I'm right.

I sighed, giving in, but did something bold anyway. I reached under the table and put my hand on top of Jake's that was resting on his thigh. I squeezed it, hoping he'd find some sort of comfort in that and loosen the tension in his body a bit.

"I am still learning, Sam. I know I shouldn't have gone off on my own but it was too tempting and I didn't see how dangerous that leech was and-"

"I know, Jacob. But the need you feel to establish yourself as the most amazing wolf in this pack-"

"Excuse me, Sam, but I do not feel that way at all!"

"Perhaps you don't feel that you but you certainly act like you-"

"THE THING WAS RIGHT OUTSIDE HER FUCKING HOUSE, SAM!"

Everything stopped then. No one said a word. Jacob was looking at Sam but everyone else (Paul, Jared, Embry, and Emily) was looking at Jacob. For an entire minute, Jacob's scream rang inside the house, hovering over us like a cloud that just wouldn't move. It didn't hit me until that minute was over what exactly Jake had just said. I felt so uneasy, I thought about making a run for the bathroom to throw up.

"Does that mean you'll do it again if something comes near her house?"

"I can't believe you'd ask such a thing, Sam!" Jake suddenly stood up from the table and my hand was ripped from his. "I wouldn't even think about it. And FUCK YOU for telling me I've got PRIORITIZING to do! My job is to protect and my FIRST priority is HER!" Jacob pointed at me and then stormed off, out of the house, walking down the road towards the beach. I wanted to follow him, but Emily had her hand on my shoulder before I could get up. I looked up at Sam and gave him a sympathetic look.

"I'm sorry he spoke to you like that, Sam. I feel a little guilty here."

Sam looked at me, then Emily, then back at me. "I guess I understand him. I have just never been in a situation that he is in now. We are constantly finding vampire trails near your house, Bella. I guess I will never understand what it is to feel that the one person you love most in the world is in the most danger. And the only thing to do to protect them is to stay awake all hours of the night patrolling by their house to kill any threat to their safety. I have just always made my pack my first priority. Besides Emily of course. And it hurts me to see Jacob hurting. Actually, it hurts all of us. We share in his emotions. We fear what he fears and to know the only way to keep him happy is to know you're safe … sucks."

I was dumbfounded. I never knew Jacob patrolled so much around my house. I knew he did every so often, but all the time? What about last night? He was asleep on my couch! Or… was he? I'm sure he didn't move. He was deep asleep. Then were other members of the pack out there right outside my house? In some ways I felt extremely protected and safe and happy that I had a sort of family that kept me out of danger, but I also almost felt… violated. Were they constantly around my house? Was I never really alone? I guess that was a very trivial thing to think right then, especially when vampires were coming around my house-

Holy shit.

Who? When? How? What kind of vampires? Victoria?

The expression on my face must have changed because Sam looked at me with more intensity. "Trust me, Bella. You are safer than anyone else in the town of Forks. Or La Push for that matter."

"But I don't want you all to feel like you need to-"

"Bella, the woods around your house have been the only places where we have tracked a vampire scent for the past six months."

"Perhaps you're just smelling the … the Cullens. They were over at my house a lot before they-"

"No, Bella. These are fresh tracks. I guess Jacob didn't tell you, obviously, but he killed one about two hundred yards from your bedroom window last week. We told him to not go alone, but he couldn't stand that it was so close to you."

"Well, of course he couldn't, Sam. He loves her," Emily made sure that she made her point to Sam before turning her head to me and smiling at me, reassuringly. "You've got a very strong man, Bella. Don't let him go."

"Yeah, and stop breaking his heart. It hurts like hell to feel all that crap emotion from him when we're out patrolling!" Jared finally spoke up. Sam looked at him as if to say 'butt out' so he just leaned back into his chair and put his hands up defensively.

"You all won't have to worry about that anymore. I think he's pretty happy with me."

"Did you finally give him some?" Paul asked now, obviously curious.

I didn't know what to say to that so I just stared him down and tried to make it look like nothing at all sexual had ever happened between Jake and I.

Sam knew this whole thing was going the wrong way so he backed away into the kitchen and got himself a glass of water. Emily spoke for me this time, "She obviously means that they're together, you guys."

I looked at Emily like 'NOOOOOOOOOOOOO!' but I couldn't say anything. "I…. I um… well we-"

"Well DUH did you see the way she was holding his hand the whole time through Sam's interrogation?" Jared spoke up again, almost laughing. I blushed, not thinking Jared had seen that.

Fuck. So here begins the Jacob and Bella talk.

"So how long you guys been-"

"I need to go talk to Jake," I interrupted Paul to get up out of my seat and literally run out of the house, attempting to find Jake by running the same way he did. I hope he hadn't phased. Little did I know I was being followed. After a few minutes of hearing erratic footsteps behind me, I turned around, and gasped.

"Sam!"

"Hi. Look, Bella, you're not the one that should be talking to Jacob right now. I should be. He needs to know that I said what I said for his own safety and-"

"I'm sure he knows all that, Sam. And I'm sure he's sorry for speaking the way he did-"

"You don't need to apologize for me, Bella." Jacob came walking out to the trees behind us and stepped forward, standing next to me, then after thinking about it for a second, took a step in front of me. I moved my head to look around Jake's shoulder at Sam.

"Um… I can go back to the house if you guys need to-" I started, but was interrupted by Sam putting his hands up and reassuring me.

"No, Bella, you should probably hear this too." Sam took a step toward Jake and sighed.

"Sam, let me talk first. Look, you know how hard it is for me. We've had this talk. I would just appreciate it if you didn't fucking say it all the damn time in front of everyone!"

"Jacob, they all hear your thoughts when you phase, anyway. And they've known for a while that you're in love with Bella."

"I know, I know, but… but do you have to make such a big deal of it? Everyone has told me over and over and over again what a bad idea that was last week. I don't care. If something would have happened to Bella… fuck, Sam, I'd probably kill myself."

"Jake-" Sam and I both said at the same time.

Jacob turned around to look at me. He took my face in his hands and stared intensely into my eyes. "You have no idea how scary it is to constantly smell those damn leeches around your house. That one was so close I almost thought I wouldn't make it there. You know my feelings for you. I would have died if that thing had hurt you. I can't even bare to think about it. Please don't tell me I don't have to worry about you because I do. Let me have that. Let me have the knowledge that I'm the one protecting you. And that you're letting me protect you."

Sam stared at us as Jake was speaking to me, and it seemed like his eyes grew softer as he heard Jake's words.

My eyes were different though. I had to decide right now if I was going to give up that whole selfish 'don't worry about me' crap, and finally let someone else in. Finally let someone else be responsible for taking care of me. I was never used to that and didn't think I could handle being that vulnerable, but if it made Jacob happy and if it proved to him how open my heart was to him, then I would do it. "Yeah, Jake. I trust you. I know you can protect me. I want you to. But you also have to protect your pack and … so … I think you should have a talk with them about changing patrol shifts or … making up some sort of buddy system so you guys never have to fight alone or-"

"Bella. I AM the alpha, you know. I make the decisions." Sam said, obviously annoyed.

"I know, Sam, I meant no disrespect, I just… don't want Jake getting hurt."

"None of us do, Bella. I will talk this over with the pack later, but rest assured, Jacob, you won't be patrolling near Bella's house alone ever again. You get too ancy. AND BEFORE you start that…" Sam said, cutting off Jacob before he could speak, "I know why you get ancy. I'm in love too, you know. She just doesn't have vampires following her all the time. Guess she smells too much like a werewolf for them to come near her." Sam looked at us and grinned.

"What's that evil grin for, Sam?" Jacob asked, his hand running through his hair.

"I just thought of what Paul would have said right now if he were in this little conversation."

"What?" We both asked at the same time.

"That perhaps then you should start making Bella smell more like a werewolf," Sam laughed and turned around. "I'll see you guys back at the house."

I just shook my head and looked up at Jacob who was watching Sam walk away. "Let's not worry about this, all right? I want to have a good time today and YOU still owe me that date remember?" I was trying my hardest to get Jake's mind off of the previous conversation. I hated seeing him in a bad mood.

Jacob finally looked down at me, just smiling and taking my hand, leading us back to Emily's house.

We stayed there for a few hours, Emily and I talking about boys and the boys talking about new plans for patrols. I was proud of Jake for finally admitting that he needed help and that he couldn't just go after all the vampires he wanted by himself. Everyone made their way out to the beach after we'd had lunch and while most the boys headed up to the cliffs to do some diving, Jacob stayed with me on the sand, watching the waves come in.

"So what do you wanna do tonight?" He asked me, raising an eyebrow as he turned his head to look at me. I leaned to my side, letting my head rest on his shoulder as I took one of his hands in mine.

"I dunno. Didn't you have a plan?"

"Oh I have a plan. I was just wondering if there was something you really wanted to do. I could always change the plan."

"No, Jake, I wanna do what you wanna do."

I heard a soft sigh escape his lips right before they were placed on the top of my head. "All right, baby."

"Awwww don't you two look precious."

Jake's head snapped up and looked around. "Ugh… hey, Leah."

I perked up after that. "Hey Leah!" Leah and I had always been family friends but were never really close or even ever went out together shopping or what-not. I still, however, felt like she was a girl I could talk to. One of the few in this testosterone-charged place I'd been spending most my time these days.

"Hey Bella. Perhaps I'll leave you two alone. You looked quite cozy."

"Quite," Jacob assured her, resting his head on mine.

"We'll have to catch up later, Leah," I told her, giving her a wink.

"Oh I'm sure we will." Before I knew it, Leah was off running towards the cliffs where now all the other boys were.

"Jake? Can we go back to your place? For some reason I'm feeling extremely tired."

Jacob looked down at me, confused. "Well, sure, babe. You feeling sick?"

"No no… I just… didn't get much sleep last night and getting up and going this morning and then with all this just made me kinda exhausted. It's a lot for one day already and I think I just need to rest my mind a little bit."

"Emily knows a lot of cool yoga sutff if you-"

"That's not what I meant, Jake," I laughed, leaning my head against his shoulder. "I probably just need a nap."

The next second, I was swooped up and carried back towards Emily's house where Jake told her that I needed to go rest since I had a 'big' night that night and needed all my energy. Emily shook her head at Jacob and just shooed him away. Somewhere on the walk back to Jake's place, my head snuggled into Jake's chest, I fell asleep in his warm arms.