"Bella? Bella, honey, wake up." Jake's rough voice shook me awake. I opened my eyes slowly, letting the light filter in. We were in a car in front of my house. Abruptly, the memories of Italy flooded in, making me nauseous. I remembered Sam's eerie death---apparently, vampire venom is deadl to werewolves---and shuddered. After Jacob and I had kissed for a while, the pack told us to get out of each other's faces, and to head to the airport. We had all boarded the plane.

The plane ride was somewhat of an experience. The tourists had stared at the pack as if a gang had boarded the plane. They saw over ten enormous Native Americans sitting beside each other, with one pale girl amidst them. Me.

I smiled a bit, remembering the goggling eyes and how the flight attendants spoke carefully to us, as if afraid of them. The pack had wolfed down a myriad of those small food packages, eating enough for a year.

"How'd I get here?" I asked groggily.

"You fell asleep on the plane, but I didn't want to wake you up, so I just took you to the car. Alice and Edward went to their house." he shrugged. "I'm pretty sure Charlie wants to kill you though."

"How nice." I grimaced. I took in a deep breath, bracing myself for Charlie's wrath. Exhaling, I placed my hand on the door handle. "How do I look?"

"Beautiful." he said without skipping a beat. "As usual."

"What's my story?"

"Hm…" he was pensive. "I really don't know."

"How about…my werewolf boyfriend and vampire girl friend took me to save my suicidal ex in Italy?"

"Nah." He played along. "A little too dramatic."

"Help me, Jacob. Please?"

"Okay…then I guess I took you on a spontaneous, whimsical trip to Italy as a graduation present."

"Early present." I added. "Besides, I don't think he'll mind my being with you. He likes you."

He chuckled. "Good. Well, I have to go back to La Push. The---I mean, my---pack needs me."

"What's going on?"

"Nothing. I just have to be the one to tell Emily and Leah about Sam."

"Wasn't Leah at Volterra with the rest of the pack?"

"No." he sighed. "She stayed with Seth and the other kids to guard the place. One Cullen comes back, you might not know when the rest show up." His fists were clenched. "I'll have to break the news to them."

"I'll go with you."

"I don't think you can." His face was taut with agony, as if the entire burden of the pack was resting on his shoulders. He looked at me with his deep, dark eyes, as if there was a conflict.

"What?" I whispered, afraid to know what he was thinking.

"The pack thinks it's dangerous for me to be with you."

"What?" This time my tone was almost a shriek, demanding.

"It's just that werewolves are bad things to be around." he said. His voice broke twice, and it seemed like he was on the edge of bursting.

"What's that supposed to mean?" I snapped. "First, Edward Cullen is a bad thing to be around, and then it's you? I thought we agreed that werewolves and humans were supposed to be together."

"I'm not saying I won't." He shook his head. "I'm the Alpha. I can do what I want."

"But you feel bad for it." I said slowly, reading his face. "That's what bugs you, isn't it?"

He nodded, smiling the bitter simper that was a mockery of my Jacob. "It feels like I'm just abusing the position. You're not supposed to be with a human if you haven't imprinted on them."

"What do we do, then?" I asked quietly, "I can't live without you."

"I'm going to be there for you, Bella." he said. The thick lashes that framed his eyes looked stunning. "No matter what."

"Why does it even matter?" My voice was arching. "You're just going to batter yourself the whole time we're together!"

"Sam hated us!" he shouted. "He hated that we were together, hated that I loved you, hated you more than anything else. He hated you more than he hated himself!"

I felt angry tears sprout in my eyes, fogging my vision. Sam hated me? I knew that too well. He thought I was a traitor---jumping from the creature he loathed so much to his friend. Somehow, having Jacob say it aloud hurt more than anything. The edges of my heart throbbed.

"Bells?" Jacob's eyes widened as he took in my expression. "I'm so sorry!" His features softened as he put his hand on my cheek. "Dammit. I promised myself I wouldn't say that to you."

"Don't worry about it, Jacob." I muttered. "It's just the truth."

"Sam was wrong for hating us."

"It's okay. I understand why you want to do what Sam wanted you to do." Even my words sounded like a lie to me. Then again, I was horrible at lying.

"Bella." He looked disgruntled. "What do I have to do to get you to stop being so selfless?"

"You're the selfless one. You're always so self-sacrificing." I fumbled for words. "And you care too much about me…you're basically going against Sam's words for me. Which is stupid."

"You're worth it." He wrapped his hands around mine. "I love you with all of my heart, and I'll never let anyone hurt you. And I'm sorry if I ever cause you pain. I have to watch I say." He bowed his head down, his eyes saddening. "Forgive me?"

"Aw, Jake!" I sighed. "I think I should be the one begging for forgiveness."

"There you go again. Being all self-less." Jacob flashed a white smile.

"Compromise, then. We'll forgive each other." I amended.

"Hm…what should I be forgiving you for, then?"

"Being a weak, emotional human girl. I shouldn't have let myself come between you and Sam. I didn't even know what I was doing."

"That's love, Bella."

I opened my mouth to speak, but a shout interrupted my thoughts, "ISABELLA SWAN!"

Charlie.

"Oops." I glanced at Jacob apologetically. "I think I'm in for it."

"Let's go." He leaned across me, flicking the door open, then went out his own door.

"Thanks." I mumbled a second late, stumbling out of my door and onto the driveway.

"BELLA!" Charlie bellowed, storming from the front porch to step. "Do you have any idea what you've put me through?"

"Um. Yes." I nodded. "I'm sorry."

"Jacob, I think you can go to Billy. I'll deal with Bella." Charlie said in a softer tone to the towering Quileute.

"Actually, you can blame me for Bella's escapade." Jacob smiled wryly, winking at me.

"What?" Charlie seemed miffed.

"I took her to…New York. For three days." he recovered. "It was a graduation present."

"And you had to go now?" Charlie squinted.

"Yep. I had to do what I had to do to get her to see that she loved me." he shrugged nonchalantly. "We're together now."

"No way!" Charlie smiled widely, eyeing the distance between us happily. He seemed happier than I had ever seen him. "Jacob, you must've done something right."

"I've been known to do that once in a while."

"Bells, you should've told me you were running off with him." Charlie teased me. "Doesn't matter, anyway. Come inside. I think we can order pizza or something. I'll call Billy up."

"I don't think we can do that." Jacob scratched his head. "I have to go with my friends."

"Go ahead." Charlie patted Jacob on the shoulder. "Good job, though."

Jacob ducked his head, pecking me full on the lips before turning and running, laughing loudly as he saw Charlie's expression.

Charlie stiffened, then grinned, "You made the right choice, Bells. And in the end, that's all that matters."

"I know." I said, letting the meaning of his words sink in.


Ugh, my internet was down for the past couple of days. So, I couldn't update. I'm extremely sorry for all of those who were expecting a chapter. Anyway, this chapter is a shortie, just closing in the whole Volterra trip.

Some were wondering about my school. Well, I'll give a hint to you stalkers. It's in Florida, in case you couldn't tell from my Profile. I live in the sunny, rainy state. Yes, didn't you know? Florida's weather is severely bipolar.

Oh, and I was considering having some chapters in Jacob's point of view. What do you think? In your review or PM or whatever, let me know if you like the idea. We're almost at 250 reviews, people! I know, isn't that extremely exciting? The 250th reviewer gets a shout out in the next chapter. Hm...do you think we can push for that much? Maybe.

-Alice