Chapter 9:

I wanted to believe them but I didn't. This was checkmate, and Jacob won. I could sacrifice eternal life to end this; after all it was my fault. Jacob was my problem and I had brought it on my family. I had to save them; they would do the same for me.

Edward carried me to our room and lay me on the bed.

"Edward I need a human moment," I ran in to the bathroom and got ready for bed as quickly as I could. When I was done he was not in the room, but he walked in as soon as I shut the bathroom door. I smiled and walked to our bed.

"How's everyone doing?" I asked.

"We'll be fine, don't worry you pretty little head."

"Edward I was thinking, I would like to see Charlie once more before we go. I probably won't see him again and..."

"I understand, love, we can go tomorrow."

That was not part of my plan, but it would work for now. I knew how Alice's visions worked well enough that I didn't want to make any more decisions. Edward started to hum my lullaby and I was asleep in a few minutes.

I woke up early, and Edward wasn't there. Perfect. I quickly got dressed and walked in to the kitchen were my family was seated exactly as I expected them.

"You're up early," Edward said with a smile.

"I wanted to see Charlie before he left for work." I said as I searched for a pop-tart.

"When ever you are ready I am," he said with a smile.

"Well, I was thinking, you know, it's the last time I will see my Dad, and well I kinda wanted to be alone."

Edward looked at Alice who said it would be ok, and with Alice's vision Carlisle also relented. "Can I take the Volvo," I asked pushing my luck.

"Of course, it's half yours now."

"Cool, I'll take the front half, you can have the back." I put my hand out to ask for the keys.

Edward walked me to the car and was explaining where everything was, until I got annoyed. "I know how to drive a car," I told him. A quick kiss goodbye and I was off. I must have done a good job not deciding how I was going to do this because Alice didn't stop me.

As soon as I pulled in front of the house Charlie was waiting for me. "Hey Bells, this is a nice surprise. What are you doing here? Is everything ok?"

"I wanted to see you one last time before I left," I said as I walked in the house.

"I need to leave for work in a few, but I can be a little late. You know Bella, I should have been thanking you last night, having you here was great for me as well. I am really glad we got this time together. I feel like a real father now."

"You were always a real father, and more importantly a great Dad."

We hugged for longer than we usually would.

"Thanks Bells," he said releasing me. "It's gonna be a busy day for your old man, I have a million things going and some incident down in La Push I need to call Billy about. Some days it never ends…"

That gave me an idea and would buy me some time. "Dad, can you do me a favor? You just mentioned Billy, and I wanted to say goodbye to him as well but if Jacob answers the phone that could be weird, can you call and if Jacob does answer just ask for Billy."

"Ok Bells, I heard Jake was back. Billy said he had a great vacation, some school trip, wish your school had that program, would have been good for you to see the country." He was dialing as he spoke.

"Billy, hey how are you. Someone wants to speak to you."

I grabbed the phone. "Hi Billy, it's Bella. Yeah I am at Charlie's saying goodbye and I wanted to say goodbye to you as well." Charlie walked upstairs to finish getting ready. When I heard he door creak I knew he couldn't hear me. "Charlie's upstairs, you and Jake have 15 minutes to get here, and I will sign your stupid treaty, I am not signing for the rest of my family, just me, which is what he wants anyway. You and Jake, I expect both of you, and no one else. Any longer than 15 and they will know and be here." And I didn't need to explain who they were. I didn't want to be alone with Jacob, and part of me hoped Billy could talk some sense in to him, but that seemed like a long shot.

Charlie came back down and grabbed his gun from the coat rack. "Bells, I should go. Will you call me as soon as you get to Alaska."

"Of course Dad, and you have my cell phone number, so you can call me anytime as well." I knew he never would unless it was an emergency. But at least he knew he could. "I am going to get a few last things from my room, so I will lock up."

One last quick hug and he was out the door.

I tapped my hand on the kitchen table as I waited for Jacob and Billy to arrive. I hoped I had enough time before Alice figured out what was happening. I knew it wasn't a perfect plan, but I had to save my family and that's all that mattered to me. I also didn't want all the people like Sam and Emily who were so kind to me to suffer, they didn't deserve to die because of me.

I heard Jacob and Billy pull in to the driveway and so I opened the front door. Jacob had to assist Billy getting out of the car and wheel him in. Jacob looked jubilant, like he just won the lottery.

"Hello Bella?" he said grinning

"Isabella to you. Only my friends can call me Bella."

"Don't be that way Bella, I'm the best friend you have."

"Jacob if you don't stop acting so smarmy this deal is off, and I won't care what happens to you or anyone else in La Push."

"What does she mean by that Jacob?" asked Billy. We moved in to the kitchen and everyone sat around the table.

"Nothing, she's just trying to talk tough. Bella's found a new spine..."

"I am not trying to talk tough, I am trying to save a lot of people's lives, especially yours Billy. Jacob's I don't care so much about at this point." I said with venom dripping from my mouth.

"I don't understand," said Billy.

"Don't worry about it Dad, in fact, as the leader of the La Push tribe I order you not to worry about it." Billy was furious but said nothing. "Now for the treaty, I will make it simple, you sign saying you wont be changed and that will do for now. We can discuss further details in the future."

"No, this ends today one way or another. I am sick of you Jacob and your jealous pathetic ways. You agree to leave me and my family alone forever, and agree to destroy all copies of your stupid movie, than and only then will I sign anything."

"Sure, sure. And what happens when the Volturi come Bella, you think I am that stupid. They will just change you."

"No, they will kill me. That's the deal we have, I change or I die. But I don't care, and the other people in La Push shouldn't suffer because you're a megalomaniac."

"Big word, for a small girl. Doesn't change a thing."

"What movie are talking about Bella," asked Billy.

"I told you not to worry about it." Jacob said cutting Billy off.

"You may be the leader of the pack, but I am still your father, and as your father I demand you show me respect." I had never heard Billy speak to Jacob that way.

Jacob relaxed a bit. "I will explain it all once Bella signs this agreement."

"A piece of paper will not stop a girl in love from doing what she wants, just look at Charlie and Renée, they said till death to you part, yet she left him. Bella is a smart girl, this paper is useless unless she agrees with her heart, which we know she doesn't," Billy replied.

"You're wrong, with all my heart I want to protect my family, unlike Jacob." I said staring straight at Jacob.

"What are you trying to say, Bella?" asked Billy again.

"Well, Jacob made a video of the rest of my family, I am surprised he didn't show you it. He threatened to expose them..." Jacob was trying to stop me from talking but I just kept going. "Jacob, I don't care if you are the leader of your tribe, you're can't stop me from speaking my mind, you have no authority over me."

"Jacob you made a video of the vampires," Billy said concern etched across his face.

"Yup, see if I expose them, the Volturi will kill them. If they die than this plague that we suffer from, this werewolf nightmare, will end and we will go back to normal lives." Jacob was grinning proudly.

"Not if there are other Vampires in the world, this Volturi will still exist."

"Duh Dad, they are in Italy, they don't care about us."

"They will when they find out about you." I informed him.

"Ahh but you leeches won't say anything, it says that in the agreement right here." And he pointed to a line on the paper.

"And what about other vampires, the red head was not part of Bella's family." Billy said looking at Jacob.

"The other vampires have never been a problem before, it's only been this coven for the past 80 years causing all the trouble. If they leave we win, if they die we win."

"No one win's when people die this way Jacob." Billy said dramatically.

"And I told you Jacob, I am only signing for me, I don't represent anyone else. I can't control what the rest of my family does our says, especially after the Volturi kill me."

"Bella, why do you keep saying the Volturi will kill you?" Billy asked.

"Shut up Dad, Bella sign this now." Jacob was starting to get angry.

"I can't sign it until you take out the part about the rest of them, this deal is between you and me, that's it..." Jacob started to get frustrated, he scratched out the part saying the Cullen's wouldn't tell the Volturi about the werewolves. While he was doing that I said to Billy, "The Volturi are the rulers of the vampire world, they have one major rule, no human can know about vampires, if you expose them you die. When I supposedly went to LA last year I really went to Italy to save Edward, they were going to kill him, because he thought I was dead, long story. Anyway they let me leave Italy only because Edward and Alice promised them they would change me. But once they find out they haven't, they will kill me. And if they find out about you, well, they won't be happy knowing there are werewolves, that's something they will want to rectify immediately. And no, you have no chance in a fight against them, they are more powerful than you imagine."

"And you are willing to die for them," Billy didn't say their name, but I knew who he meant.

"Of course."

"Touching, very touching, but I can imagine you're bloodsucking friends will be here soon, I know the midget goes all cloudy once we show up, so they will be on there way and they won't let you sign this, so selfish they are. So sign this before I have to snap some vampire necks."

Billy rolled his chair to face his son. "Jacob, Bella and her family are not the selfish ones here. You are, and I, for the first time in my life, am ashamed to admit that I am your father."

"Shut up, Shut up Shut up, I am the leader and I am doing what is best." Jacob was starting to shake, I could see he was fighting not to phase.

"A true leader does what is best for the tribe, and not what is best for himself." Billy chided him.

"I'll do what I want, Bella sign this now!"

"Don't yell at me Jacob Black, I won't be spoken to that way by anyone!"

"Jacob, when we return to La Push, the council will meet to discuss your actions, regardless of which, you are no longer welcome in my home."

"Sign this paper Bella now, or I'll... I'll"

"You'll do what, don't you get it Jacob, you can't hurt me. It would hurt me more to not protect my family, all you have done is help me prove to them that I am worthy of their love and that I made the right choice when I chose Edward."

It all happened in a split second. Jacob snapped, he could no longer control himself and his transformation caused all his clothes to rip. The table flew back when his arm smashed into it, hitting Billy in the chest and causing his wheelchair to roll and split his head open against the wall.

I ran over to Billy to make sure he was ok. I could smell blood immediately.

"Jacob, what have you done!" I screamed.

"Bella call Dr. Cullen, please..." Billy gasped. I tried to get to the phone but Jacob blocked me.

"Really, you're going to let your own father die, you're sick."

"Jacob please," moaned Billy.

I knew Edward must be close because I could see Jacob start sniffing the air. I grabbed a towel from the sink and ran over to Billy and placed it on his head, where the blood was coming from, the smell was turning my stomach but I refused to pass out. I didn't know what I was doing but I had watched enough TV shows to know that I needed to try and stop the blood flow.

"Billy, Edward will be here soon, he's been to medical school..."

I heard a crash as the front door went flying off the hinges. Emmet and Edward came bursting through the door.

"Edward, Billy's been hurt, please we need to get him to Carlisle." I yelled.

Emmet grabbed the phone on the wall and started to dial the house while Edward went to look at Billy. Jacob, the wolf Jacob, the one I had liked so much, was standing in the corner. He was starting to shake, but not because he was phasing, because he upset.

"He's lost some blood, he'll need some stitches and he probably has a concussion, he needs to see a doctor, we have to get him to a hospital, there may be some broken ribs as well." Edward said to Emmet who repeated this to Carlisle so fast I couldn't understand.

"We will take my car and Carlisle will meet us, Emmet will stay with you. Alice is coming to clean this mess and then you can meet us at the hospital."

Edward grabbed Billy in his arms carefully and ran to his car. Jacob just stood there like a deer in the headlights.

"Either you go with Edward or I suggest you leave this house now," Emmet said with his muscles rippling, even I was scared. "I don't have the patience that Edward does...

Jacob walked toward the door, in werewolf form. I couldn't believe he was going to walk out the door like that, I expected him to phase down, but instead he ran out the door in wolf form, around the house and into the forest.

The car doors squealed as Edward raced Billy to the hospital. Emmet grabbed me, "What did you do this time little sis?" he laughed surveying the damage in the kitchen.

I tried to move but all the blood around me combined with what just happened was too much, and I passed out. Emmet caught me as I fell and carried me over to the couch.

I woke up to smelling salts under my nose. Emmet had a face that was half concern half amusement. "You were right Rose, this got her up." I sat up slowly. A blur that looked like Alice was running through the room waving. Rosalie walked in with some juice and Jasper was helping clean up in the other room.

"What's going on," I managed to mumble.

"Well, Edward is at the hospital with Carlisle. Not only did that guy have a concussion and broken ribs, he also had three clogged arteries and a fourth that was clogging, so he is having open-heart surgery right now as we speak. His getting knocked out might have saved his life. Esme is home, you might want to avoid her for a while, she is not so happy with you," explained Emmett in one long rambling sentence.

"What did I do," I asked.

"It's what you didn't do," Rosalie answered looking down at me.

"Oh I can still sign that thing, it's ok…" I said ashamed.

"No you goof, you didn't come to her for help. That's what Mom's are for, that's what she is going to tell you. And as for signing that thing, if you do, you will have to deal with me, and you won't like me when I am angry." She said smiling a beautiful smile.

"Huh?" Why do vampires have to be so cryptic all the time? I wonder if that's why people thought they slept in crypts, wow, maybe I hit my head too. My thoughts were crazier than usual.

"Bella, until such time as my brother has changed you, which I hope is soon, will you please leave the superhero stuff up to us?" Rosalie was talking but I couldn't believe the words coming out of her mouth.

"Huh?"

"We would have solved this, I do appreciate the thought. We all do. I tore up the treaty. My sister will never sign something under duress, is that the right word Jasper?" she asked.

Jasper yelled yes from the other room.

Alice ran into the room and stopped in front of the couch. "Not to mention, every time you pull a stunt like this I need to clean, and I don't like cleaning. Now if somehow I could go shopping as part of this, it wouldn't be so bad… but this time…" she walked away shaking her head.

"What about the movie, and Jacob?"

"Well we have all the copies but the one in La Push. We know people all over the country, and they were only to happy to search for some werewolves. Jacob booked their plane tickets in their own names, so it didn't take long to track then down. Unfortunately too many people, and by people I mean our kind of people, know about the wolves for their own good, but that's not out concern. Don't worry they are all safe, no one harmed them as since they turned over the DVDs without a fight, and Sam said he will try and find the other copies as well as all the tapes and computers."

"But Jacob won't…"

"He won't be stopping anyone, he's on the run again, which means Sam is in charge until he returns."

I know I shouldn't feel this way but I felt horrible for Jacob. He was in pain, because of me. I knew what a broken heart felt like and it was misery. I didn't forgive him for what he did, but I understood. Maybe if I had been nicer.

"Stop blaming yourself," scolded Jasper from the other room. "One of us needs to go psychology school for her."

"Thanks…" I mumbled.

"Drink some juice," Rosalie said. "Edward will be here soon and we need to clear out before your father gets home."

"We're done," said Alice. "Wall repaired, blood disposed of, table leg attached, and I fixed the leaky sink in the kitchen."

"How long was I out?" I wondered out loud.

"Thirty minutes." Emmet laughed.

"What's so funny?" I shot back at him.

"You talk even when you pass out, it was great. So many curse words, I learned a few new ones."

I blushed and looked away. "How are we getting home?" I asked finally standing up.

"Alice drove here, you can go back with her."

"NO SHOPPING!" I yelled. I could hear Alice groan from the other side of the house.

"Bella Cullen, you are in no position to negotiate with me," she said appearing out of nowhere. "You keep messing around with my visions and I don't appreciate it at all, so shopping we will go, and you will be happy about it."