The Chase

Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight. This fanfiction is for entertainment purposes only. I also do not own the novel, A Long Fatal Love Chase, by Louisa May Alcott that inspired me to write this story.

Author' Note: I know I am late with this! I have been super busy with life. I work full time, have a husband, two kids, and I am taking two master's classes (I just had two thirty page papers due last week). However, I am done with classes until January 7th so I am going to try and get more than a chapter a week out there for all to see. I will do my very best. Thank you so much to all of you who have reviewed and added this to your favorites! It means so much to me! I think you are all wonderful! Without further ado…

Chapter 9 – Desperation and Escape

Bella wakes up in Jake's arms, wrapped in a blanket, on the couch. She feels uncomfortable in his arms and she shifts awkwardly; Jake gets the hint and loosens his hold on her so she can stand up.

"How did you know we were done talking?" She asks him quietly without looking him in the eye.

Jake's voice is raw and filled with pain when he answers. "Edward told me you guys were done talking and that you were cold." He says slowly and Bella feels her heart squeeze at his concern for her. Edward had known that she wouldn't have allowed him to carry her inside, so he had sent Jake out for her. Considerate of him…and not at all what she thought he would do since he killed a man for flirting with her. She shuddered and tried to shake off the chills.

"We talked. He will be back in four weeks after his divorce is final." Bella says in a small voice.

Jake starts up and stands beside her. "You're going back to him?" He asks with disbelief coloring his tone.

Bella looks down at the sandy colored carpet as water drips from her wet clothes onto the carpet making it a much darker shade of brown. "I don't know." She answers him honestly.

Jake laughs hoarsely, mockingly. "You don't know?" He questions.

Bella sighs and looks up into Jake's eyes and sees the pain, shock, and longing in his eyes. "I don't know. I still love him, but I don't know if I should be with him." Bella wanted to say that she didn't want to be with him, but that would have been a lie. She did want to believe him. She believed everything Edward told her, but it didn't change the fact that their entire marriage had been a lie.

Jake sighs and Bella puts her hand into his own and leads him into the dining room so they can sit down at the table and not ruin his furniture.

"Jake, he promised he wouldn't hurt you. I know he won't."

Jake looks at her in concern. "What did you have to promise him to keep me safe?"

Bella looks at him in shock. She had forgotten how perceptive Jake could be when he was tuned in to what was going on. She looks down at their entwined hands on the table. "I promised him that he would not come back in four weeks and find us married."

Jake feels his throat close up. "Oh." He says softly. "So, basically, he won't harm me as long as I am not a threat to the two of you."

Bella knows that he is acting out in anger because he is hurt, but she can't help firing back at him. "Jake, I wasn't going to marry you in a month anyway! I told you that! Don't make that Edward's fault. You are my best friend, Jake, but I don't love you that way. I'm sorry. I love him."

Jake stands and throws a chair across the room. His muscles bulge with the effort and Bella stands and cowers back against the door. Jake approaches her and his eyes are hard. "Jake, please…" Bella begins.

Jake stands directly in front of her as Bella is pushed into a corner of the room. "Bella, you don't know what you want. You haven't even given me a chance to prove myself to you. You were going to kiss me; you were going to give me a chance before he showed up and wrecked everything."

Bella pushed against his chest, but it was like pushing against a brick wall. Fear prickled up and down her spine. She didn't know this Jake. His anger frightened her. "Jake, please stop." She said weakly.

Jake reached down and grasped her hands and held them over her head gently. "I just want one kiss, Bella…just one kiss."

Bella tried to push at him, but she was too weak. He leaned in to kiss her and she tried to push him off, but couldn't do anything without her hands. His lips felt too warm and wrong as they sought hers. She tried to fight him off, but he took it as an invitation to deepen the kiss. Bella shut down and did nothing…knowing she wasn't strong enough to fight him off. Jake continued to kiss her as she stayed as still as a stone, feeling nothing at all. Finally he pulled back and released her arms, only to encircle her waist and he rubbed the skin under her t-shirt on her back. Bella felt defensive. Only Edward had ever touched her there. She didn't want Jake's hands on her body.

"Jake, no!" She yelled and pushed him away. He stopped and looked her with a smile.

"See? You were into that kiss. We would be so good together, Bella."

Bella didn't even think. She reached out and slapped him as hard as she could across the face. He looked stunned, but she didn't care.

"How dare you! I wasn't kissing you, you idiot! I was trying to get you off of me!"

Realization dawned in his eyes and then pain as well. "I thought…I just wanted to…" His voice trailed off and his eyes filled with tears.

His pain made Bella feel for him. She knew he wasn't trying to hurt her. He was Jake. He had always been stubborn and he had just wanted to prove that they were right for one another. Bella knew this. While she did not condone it, she did forgive him for it. It had been wrong for her to come here and she knew that now. She knew now that her coming here had given Jake false hope. She would not hurt him any longer. She knew now that she would have to leave. She couldn't stay here with him anymore. She also knew that she could not tell him about it. He would plead with her to stay and apologize profusely.

"I know you are sorry, Jake. I forgive you…but, you need to hear me. You are my best friend, Jake, but I am in love with Edward – even if that is crazy."

He nods dejectedly and looks down. "I know you don't want me, Bella, but I am going to do everything in my power to make sure you don't go back to Edward. You desire more than him."

She knew he was being protective of her, but she also knew that Jake would never stop pursuing her as long as she was here; it was cruel of her to stay and she knew she had to move on. She stepped forward without saying anything and hugged him. He hugged her back tightly as they clung to one another silently for several minutes. Jake relieved they were still friends and Bella silently saying goodbye to her best friend.

Later that night, Bella sat down to write Jake a long letter. She wanted him to know how much she appreciated him and also to reassure him that she would be okay. She took the money that Jake had given her for clothes with her, while promising herself she would repay him one day. She left the note on the kitchen table and on silent feet; she made her way to the door. She opened it and hurried out, closing it silently behind her and she ran off into the night.

Edward was immensely relieved. The divorce was final. He held the papers in his hand as he knocked on Jacob Black's door. The door opened to reveal a solemn Jacob. His eyes were bloodshot, from either tears or lack of sleep, and those same eyes narrowed in anger when he saw Edward.

"I'm here to see Isabella." Edward said calmly. Bella probably turned him down again and he was stewing over it.

Jake laughed bitterly and opened the door to allow Edward into the house. He walked over to the bar and poured himself another drink. He ignored Edward's presence. Edward's sense of relief vanished when Bella did not come into the room. Jacob was ignoring him.

"Where is Isabella?" He asked cautiously with concern.

Jacob made his way back over to Edward and thrust a piece of paper at him.

Edward opened it immediately and saw that it was from Bella.

Jake,

I have to leave. I can no longer linger with you. You will never move on and find the love of your life if I am living here. You deserve happiness and I want that for you. I forgive you for what happened tonight, but I am never going to allow it to happen again. I will not continue to lead you on when I have no intention of staying with you. I can't marry you, while I love him. I am in love with Edward. I know that it is crazy and lacks any sense at all, but I love him. I also know that I can't be with him. He is dangerous for me. When I am with him all sense of reason flies out of my head and I can't think clearly. I can't think straight in his presence, so I am going to go at it on my own for a while. I need to clear my head and start over. I know that I will always love Edward, but I am afraid of him all the same. Please show him this letter and tell him to move on without me. You are both better off without me. I made you into a person I didn't recognize tonight, Jake…and I made Edward a murderer because he was jealous of a stranger I should have had the sense to stop before Edward saw it. I can't be this person. I can't be responsible for all these things…I need to leave. Please don't try and find me. You are both better off without me. Please give this note to Edward. I want him to know that I love him and that I am also sorry for what I made him do. Jake, I love you. You are my best friend. Find happiness. You deserve the best. I know you will find it.

All my love,

Bella

Emotions swirl around Edward after reading the note. She blames herself for that bastard's death, when Edward's jealousy rage was to blame. She loves him, but is frightened of his effect on her. She left both himself and Jake to protect them from her. It made no sense at all. It didn't sound like his Isabella. What had Jake done to her? She said she forgave him for what happened…said he changed into a person she didn't recognize. What the hell had happened?

He turned on Jake then in rage. "What did you do to her?"

Jake looks at Edward with vacant eyes. "I kissed her…she tried to stop me, but I…"

He trails off and Edward has to close his eyes and take deep calming breaths to keep from snapping his neck. He had promised Bella he would not hurt Jacob. He knew that if he killed Jacob now, then he could kiss any future with Bella goodbye. He knew somewhere inside of himself that whether it was intentional or not, Bella was testing his promise. He would not break this promise to her even though he wanted to kill Jacob Black for taking advantage of his beloved.

"What did she say after?" Edward managed to choke out.

Jacob sighs and then turns his back on Edward and the sadness in his voice is evident. "She told me that I was her best friend, but that she only loved you."

Edward felt his heart soar and then plummet when he remembered she had gone. "How long ago did she leave?"

Jake turned around to face Edward with tears in his eyes. "This all happened the day you were here. She was gone in the morning."

Edward felt fear squeeze his heart. He had felt safe leaving her here because he knew Jacob would protect her, but his Bella had been on her own for four weeks now. Where was she? Was she all right? Had anything happened to her? He knew he would find her. He would not rest until he found Bella and then he would prove his love to her in any way he possibly could. She was his life and he was not willing to let her go.

I would love to know what you all thought of this chapter. I hope you enjoyed it. The next chapter will be where Bella has been and what has been going on with her. She has run into some unsavory characters and may require Edward's help. Interested? I would love to hear your thoughts! Please review and let me know what you think! I know some of you were concerned she would settle with Jake…never going to happen in my story. However, I do like Jake and Bella as friends.

Thanks again and please review!

Bookworm 722 –