a/n-wow, you guys, thanks for the reviews. well, its not like i got a lot, but i have 40, and thats more than my other stories. so thanks for making my day(: and the hits on this story are amazing, too, by the way. you guys make me happy. oh, and for those of you who were expecting a lemon, sorry, its not exactly my thing. but if you want one, write on up and PM it to me, and i might post it as the missing one shot, or something or other. well, enough of my babbling. on with the chapter!

Chapter 6

Bella's POV:

It took me a few minutes to compose myself after Jacob ran off. Too many things were going through my mind at once. The Volturi. Jacob. Hurting Edward. Hurting Alice. Making Jasper and Emmett hate me. Scaring Charlie. Being with the pack again. It was a lot to take in in a matter of days, at least it was for me. When I finally calmed my mind down enough, I knew that Jacob had left La Push already and was headed off to where ever this urgent meeting was taking place. A long, anguished sigh escaped my lips.

"This isn't fair," I muttered, giving voice to my thoughts.

Billy wasn't home, so it was just me. I had this strange thing against being alone ever since Edward left and Victoria came. I didn't quite understand it, but I simplpy could not stand to be alone in a house anymore. I knew Jacob wouldn't leave me unprotected in La Push, though. I threw on a pair of jeans, one of Jacob's old thermals from before he phased (because let's face it, he did not need them anymore), and of one Jacob's coats. When I got to the front door, I jumped into the boots that were sitting there and headed outside into the icy weather that always seemed to occur in Forks. I looked out to the trees on the side of the house. One of the guys had to be out there. I took a few steps towards them and faintly heard a twig crack under pressure from being stepped on.

"Just come on out!" I called. "It's cold and lonely inside."

About a minute passed before Paul walked out from the trees wearing only his normal pair of jean cut-offs. I shivered merely at the thought of being dressed like he did in that weather.

"You're insane, Paul," I informed him as the two of us walked back into the house. "It's freezing out here."

"Only to you, Bella," he chuckled.

"I'm sorry I'm not a freakishly hot werewolf like you. Some of us just aren't so lucky."

"I'm glad you think I'm hot."

I felt my cheeks heat up at the double meaning of my words. This only made Paul laugh.

"I'm just messing with you, Bells," he said, still laughing.

I mock glared at him, causing him to shake his head as he gave a final chuckle. I sat down on the couch, pulling a blanket tight around me as I did so.

"So, did Sam oder you here," I asked, "Or Jacob?"

He cleared his throat, clearly uncomfortable at how the convesation had taken such a drastic turn. "Jacob," he mumbled.

"I thought so."

"He's kinda', um, protective of you."

"Yeah, I know. I hate it."

"Why? I mean, the kid loves you to death."

"And to death is exactly the problem. I'm not letting him get hurt because of me."

"He'll fight for you, Bella. No matter how much you tell him not to, he'll still do it. Because he loves you. So deal with it."

I sighed. "But he won't tell me what's going on."

"None of us know what's going on. Well, knew, I guess. Look, I'm sure he'll tell you when he gets home."

"Sure, sure."

"Great, you already smell like him, now you're starting to talk like him, too."

"Wait, smell like him?"

"Trust me, if any of the guys even come near this house, they won't need Jacob's thoughts to know what happened here last night."

This time, I did more than just blush. My face turned beet red; I even felt it spead to my ears. Paul wasn't joking with me this time, though.

"Seriously, get some Fabreez or something," he continued. "It smells like sex in here."

"And candy," Jacob said as he stepped through the door.

I looked up at him and smiled. He had a huge smile plastered on his face, the kind a litte kid gets when he steals a cookie before dinner.

"I smell sex and candy here!" Quil sang loudy as he followed through the door.

Paul burst into a fit of laugter, which the rest of the pack joined in on as soon as they phased back. I burried my head in the blanket.

"You guys are so mean!" I teased.

I felt the sofa cushion next to me shift under weight and a strong arm wrapped around my shoulders.

"I'm sorry, baby," he murmured.

I decided that he should pay for making the entire pack laugh at me, so I said, "No, you're not" in the saddest voice I could conjur up.

"I am, really, Bells. I didn't mean to embarrass you; I was just messing around. I'll never do it again. Promise."

I looked up at his now distraught face and smile. "Got ya!"

He smiled, too, and in the next second, I was on the ground and he was on top of me, tickling me everywhere he could. I squealed out an "uncle" beofre he finally let me go. Of course, he didn't really let go of me. He just went from tickling me to death to scooping me up in his arms and holding me in his lap. I smiled, happy that I could have some normalcy in all of this chaos. For that moment, I didn't care that the Volturi were coming, that the love of my life was in danger because of me, or even that I'd broken my first love's heart. No, all I cared about was being with Jacob and spending as much time with him as I could.

sorry its so short. its mainly a filler chapter, and i thought y'all deserved a chapter. _Jess