Title:An Unkind Fate

Rating:PG (T)

Pairings: Ultimately Bella & Edward but first we have to show what happens with Jacob

Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight or any of the Twilight series. They are the property of Stephanie Meyer and are not my intellectual property. There is no financial gain made from this nor will any be sought. This is for entertainment purposes only.

Set: Alternative Universe to New Moon. Edward doesn't think Bella died. Edward doesn't go to the Volturi nor does he come back to Bella.

A/N 1 – Thank you to those who reviewed. It's great to hear your comments on the story or any feedback on the quality of the writing. I think I still have the present/past errors so be patient. This story has no beta. Not sure how the beta thing works but if anyone is interested – please contact me.

Chapter 10 – Radio Silent

Monday.

Tuesday.

Wednesday.

Thursdsay.

It was Friday, and Jake still had not called. I didn't know what to think. Jake hadn't been phone silent like this since he went through his first phasing and Billy had told me that he had Mono. I didn't want doubts to creep in but I had started to feel a bit insecure. I had called his house phone every day this week with no answer. I had left messages on his cell phone and still hadn't received a phone call back.

I planned on driving by Jake's house after helping Emily with the cooking for the shut in deliveries on Wednesday but she called and told me she could handle it on her own. I decided to cook some lasagna to distract myself from my own thoughts and worries. I had just pulled the second tray out of the oven when Charlie came into the house. He hung his jacket on the coat rack and secured his weapon in the gun safe in the closet under the stairs.

"Hi, Bells. Something smells good." Charlie came up behind me and squeezed my arms as he looked over my shoulder at the two trays on the counter.

I smiled. I could always count on Charlie's enthusiasm for my cooking.

"Thanks, Dad. I made lasagna."

"My favorite."

"Yeah, yours and Jake's. I thought I might bring a tray over to Billy and Jake."

Charlie looked at me funny. "Didn't Jake tell you? Billy's with his daughter in Hawaii."

Jake was on his own?

"Oh. I haven't really spoken to Jake in a couple of days." I tried to sound casual but Charlie knew me too well.

Charlie stared at me for a moment and then sat at the kitchen table. "Is everything okay with you and Jake? I didn't expect you to stay home tonight. I figured you kids would have some plans. Did you guys fight?"

"No, everything is fine. I guess he's been busy." I ladled a slice of lasagna on to a plate from the first tray that had cooled and placed it in front of Charlie. "Maybe I'll drop off the extra lasagna tray to Jake tomorrow."

"Yeah, I'm sure he'll appreciate that."

I ladled a slice for myself and sat across from Charlie but I had lost my appetite. It just wasn't like Jake to not call when he promised. I spent the rest of the evening cleaning up the kitchen and then watched a game with Charlie. Nothing really held my interest. I kept looking at the phone willing it to ring but the phone just stayed stubbornly silent.

XXXXX

The next morning I debated whether I was making the right decision to drive out to Jake's without hearing from him. Maybe Jake needed space and I should just wait until he decided to call. I didn't want to crowd him. Was I smothering him? Was I too clingy? Did he regret sleeping with me?

After a week of silence I realized just how much I depended on him since Edward had left. Without Jake's sunny presence I started to feel that aching cold emptiness again. I spent another hour in inner debate. When I couldn't take the uncertainty anymore, I ran upstairs. I changed clothes three times trying to find something attractive that didn't scream trying too hard. I put the tray of lasagna into a travel holder and drove out to La Push.

I parked my car in Jake's driveway and noticed the place looked deserted. I grabbed the lasagna and nervously walked up to the front door and knocked. No answer. Calm down Bella. Why are you wound up? You're just visiting your boyfriend. You have every right to drop in at your boyfriend's house. I'm sure he'll have a great explanation for why he hasn't called.

I knocked again but still no one came to answer the door. I looked in the side window but all the lights were off. More importantly, the television was off. I don't remember ever seeing the television off when I'd been to the house. I used to tease Jake about it and he said he liked to keep it on for background noise.

I tried the front door knob and was surprised to find it locked. That was unusual as no one seemed to lock their doors on the reservation. Crime was virtually non-existent since Sam and his pack started patrolling the reservation. Families were so closely connected here it was common for neighbors to just let themselves into each other houses after a courtesy knock.

I walked to my truck disappointed and drove back towards the highway. I passed the reservation convenience store and noticed Embry standing outside talking to Paul. I made a quick decision and pulled into the lot. I parked my truck and walked across the shell lot to the front porch of the store as casually as I could.

"Hi, Embry. How's it going?"

Embry looked startled to see me. "Hey, Bella."

I hated to do this but I needed some answers. "You wouldn't happen to know where Jake is, do you? I just stopped by his house but no one was home."

Embry looked at Paul and I could see him give a slight shake of his head to Paul. Paul looked like he wanted to say something but Embry gave him a pleading look so Paul just stood there.

"Is everything okay? Is Jake on patrol?"

Paul gave a smirking laugh and said, "No, he's not on patrol."

Embry glared at him and then finally said to me, "I think he's with Quil at the Makah reservation."

"Again? Did Quil need another ride this weekend?"

Paul smirked again. "Yeah, I don't think its Quil that's making him drive out to the Makah reservation."

Embry shoved his shoulder into Paul's shoulder in an obvious attempt to shut him up.

I felt like I was missing something important. Embry wouldn't make eye contact with me and Paul just kept smirking. Did Jake say something about last weekend to them? Oh, God. I forgot about the phasing. If Jake phased since Saturday, then all of them must know what we did. Is that it? Was Paul smirking at me because I finally slept with Jake? I could feel my face turning red.

Embry turned back to me and said, "Look, Bella, I'll tell Jake you were looking for him and ask him to give you a call."

I stood there uncomfortably. They obviously weren't going to give me any of the answers I had come out her looking for. "Okay, well, thanks. I guess I'll see you guys later."

"Unlikely," Paul said under his breath. Before I could say something he just gave me a pitying look and walked back into the store.

Feeling like I made a big mistake in stopping, I said goodbye to Embry again and drove back into town.

xxxxxxx

Another two weeks went by and Jake was still ignoring my phone calls. I didn't have anyone to talk to about what was going on in my life. Jake was my best friends and he was the one I usually confided in. The only girl I had ever gotten close to besides Alice was Angela and she was away at college. I felt so cut-off.

Billy was back from Hawaii and when I called the house he wouldn't say anything beyond that Jake was out and he would give him the message to call me. When Jake still hadn't called and I phoned again, Billy said, "Bella, I'm really sorry. Why don't you give Jake a few more days to work everything out and get in touch with you?"

I felt like a stalker.

"Sure, Billy. I'm sorry for calling so much. I'm just confused and worried about Jake. This isn't like him."

"I know, Bella. He's just got some issues he needs to work out. "

"Ok, well, tell Jake I hope to hear from him soon." I hung up and went up to my room. I was so angry and so hurt. I was angry at myself for allowing myself to be so vulnerable again. I wanted to confront Jacob to understand what the hell was going on. The not knowing was killing me. I wasn't sure what to think anymore. What did Jake have to work out? How to tell me, Thanks for the lay but I don't think it's really going to work out.

I saw Jessica go through this with Mike Newton. As soon as they finally slept together he started to ignore her. I trusted Jake but I felt like a fool. He said he loved me and would never hurt me. Well this was hurting. It was hurting almost as much as when Edward left me. I cried myself to sleep that night.

xxxxx

I stopped calling Jake's house and his cell phone.

I went to school, I went to work, I cooked for Charlie, but the life was sucked right out of me. I offered to help Emily with the meal deliveries but she said she could handle it. School was out on break so there was no tutoring. I felt shut out of everything related to Jacob.

I knew Charlie was worried about me. I didn't let him see me cry but the dark circles from the lack of sleep and the weight loss from the missed meals were not as easy to hide. I knew he worried that I would return to that catatonic state I was in after Edward left. I tried harder to act like I was alright but he saw through it.

After the fourth week, Charlie got involved. I came in from my evening classes in Port Angeles and I overheard Charlie on the phone.

"What's going on Billy? Why isn't Jake answering Bella's calls? For the last year I couldn't come home without tripping over your son in my kitchen or sprawled on my couch. Suddenly, he disappears with no explanation?"

"I don't want to hear about his tribal obligations. That boy called Bella everyday two and three times a day and now nothing? I think Bella deserves an explanation. "

"Well that's not good enough. Tell your son that I expect him to man up and get his ass over here to explain why he has been such a jerk to my daughter."

I was mortified that Charlie felt like he had to get involved. What was the point if the only way Jake would talk to me is if my father made him? Regardless, the threats hadn't worked. Jake still stayed away.

My self-imposed isolation angered me. Almost my whole life had been tied up in Jake, the reservation and his friends. The need for secrecy isolated me from my former classmates from high school and my new classmates in college. I spent so much time either with Jake, commuting, or working I hadn't really made any effort to make new friends at Peninsula College. Once I was pushed out of the pack life I realized how alone I was.

A/N – Thank you to those that have set up this story to follow or as a favorite. I really appreciate the interest. Reviews are highly motivating and I would appreciate any feedback you might have on the story or the writing. Please tell me what you think.