To say thanks for all the great reviews I thought I'd post an extra chapter today, although I'm not sure you're going to like it. Thanks anyway, Jules xx

Chapter Eleven

Bella

I tried really hard to get on with my life but Jacob after disappearing for a while suddenly appeared again and this time nothing I did or said made any difference and while the comments from some of the girls at school had ceased Lauren and a couple of the others couldn't resist a few rather nasty digs so in the end it was a toss up whether I blew my top at them or Jake. He got in the way at the wrong time so he got both barrels.

"Jake, get the hell away from me. Why can't you just accept that I don't love you, in fact I don't even like you any more. You follow me round like a bad smell and its driving me crazy. If you don't leave me alone I'm going to swear out a formal complaint."

"Don't do that Bella. Its dangerous"

"Are you threatening me Jacob Black?"

I couldn't believe my ears and I saw red, picking up a can of tomatoes from the groceries I was unpacking and lobbing it at him.

For the first time in my life I hit my intended target and the resulting mess made me equal parts happy and embarrassed. He stood there dripping tomato juice with a cut above his right eye and he looked sad not angry. What was it with Jake?

"Here"

I threw him a tea towel and he wiped the juice from his face although it continued to drip down his shorts, he'd seemingly given up wearing tops altogether! I grabbed a dish cloth and dabbed at the cut but he snatched it from me then sat me down in the chair hurting my wrist as he did so.

"Bella, I'm here for your safety, not because I want you. You've made it abundantly clear that you aren't interested in me. I feel about as welcome as a maggot on meat."

"Stop with the "You're in danger Bella" routine, its boring and I've been there and done that remember? Now just get the hell away from me".

I could hear my voice raising to the level of hysteria and I turned and ran out of the house towards the trees. I just wanted to get away from him before he made me crazy too.

Jake

How could I tell Bella I turned into a wolf and I was just trying to do my job as a guardian and protect her from the red headed vampire who still watched and waited her opportunity. We knew she wanted Bella because she spent her time getting as close to the house as she could before being run off by the pack. I wanted to explain to Bella what I was and what I was doing but Sam refused me permission and as my Alpha I had no choice but to obey him. The cut above my eye healed almost instantly and running into the trees I shrugged off my tomato stained shorts and phased, running after Bella as fast as I could. I was so close to her because we'd come across the leech's trail again only this morning close to town and I was on guard duty. Up ahead I saw a flash of red, the leech was between me and Bella, headed up hill towards the waterfall less than quarter of a mile ahead. I poured on the gas and came upon the two of them at the head of the water fall. Bella stood wide eyed and white with fear balancing on the edge of the rocks while the leech taunted her. I knew what was going to happen if I didn't act quickly, Bella couldn't move fast enough to escape so I launched myself at the leech and we rolled over but as we did Bella fell and I could do nothing to save her.

Bella

They say its not the fall that kills you but hitting the ground and I guess there's some truth in that. It wasn't the fall that did it but the rocks under the water. The rock I hit my head on, the one that changed my life for ever. As I fell I seemed to see my life flash before my eyes, Renee, Charlie, Edward, Jake, there were lots more flashes but I don't remember them all. The only thing I did remember thinking was, this is going to hurt and I was right. If I'd hit the centre of the pool at the base of the waterfall I might have avoided serious injury because it was fairly deep with a smooth bottom but Bella's luck kicked in and I bounced off a protruding ledge and then hit the water at the edge of the pool where there were several wickedly sharp rocks and I didn't remember anything else after that for some weeks.

Jake

I killed the red headed leech as quickly as I could then jumped in after Bella. I couldn't get to her in time to stop her hitting the water but I could and did dive in to save her from drowning. I succeeded in that but not before she sustained some serious injuries. Not only had she damaged her spine and broken several ribs plus her left arm and leg but she also hit her head fracturing her skull and by the time the medics got to us she had already sustained some brain damage. I rode with her to the hospital and found Charlie already there waiting. He'd been advised by the emergency operator and as she was wheeled in to the emergency room he grabbed my arm,

"What the hell happened Jacob? What was she doing in the woods?"

"We had an argument and she stormed out. Something frightened her and she ran. I tried to catch up but I was too late. I don't think she saw the edge Chief. I'm so sorry."

"I know Jake, I'm just...its been one hell of a shock."

We sat together in the reception area watching as people arrived and left and praying she would make it. If not then the leeches had been the death of her just as I'd always feared. I excused myself to ring Billy and tell him what had happened and he promised to send the pack to make sure the red head didn't have enough time to heal herself, I'd scattered the pieces as best I could under the circumstances but I had no way of setting her on fire to make sure she was destroyed, my matches were soaked once I went in after Bella.

It more than an hour before anyone gave us any news and by that time Billy had arrived to wait with Charlie. The doctor looked very grave and I knew the news wasn't going to be good. He asked Charlie to go with him, leaving dad and I to wait it out.

"Did they find the leech?"

"Yes and destroyed her. What was Bella doing in the woods? Didn't you keep her out? You knew the leech was back just waiting for an opportunity to kill her?"

"We had a fight and she ran, by the time I caught up it was too late. I daren't phase in front of Bella in case I frightened her more. Its all my fault dad, I know that but she's got to make it."

"We can only hope Jake."

When Charlie motioned for us to follow him through the doors to a private waiting area he was white.

"How is she?"

"They're operating now but its touch and go. The head injury is worrying them most and they wont be able to tell anything until the swelling goes down. For now they're going to keep her in a medically induced coma to give her brain a chance. As soon as she's out of surgery they'll let me see her but the next few days are going to be critical. I guess I'd better ring Renee"

Dad put up a hand,

"I'll do that Charlie. You stay here in case they come for you"

I went with dad to the public payphones and he took the piece of paper Charlie had scribbled Renee's number on and dialled Bella's mum.

"Hello?"

"Is that Mrs Dwyer?"

"Yes it is."

"This is Billy Black, I don't know if you remember me."

"Oh yes, Charlie's friend from the res, has something happened to him? Please tell me he hasn't been shot or something"

"No, its not Charlie. 'I'm afraid Bella's had a serious accident. She's in hospital here in Port Angeles."

"Is it bad? It must be or Charlie would be ringing me, she's not... dead is she?"

"No, but she is in Intensive Care. I don't know a lot of details but she had a bad fall."

"I'll get a flight to Seattle Billy. Thanks for ringing."

"I'll meet you at the airport if you let Charlie know your flight details later."

"Thank you Billy."

Now all we could do was wait.