Chapter 11. The Museum is a Happening Place

It was a beautiful Florida Tuesday in October. While a large part of the country was already wearing their coats, Bella was still running her air conditioner. She had to admit though, as much as she loved the sun, there were times she really did at times miss Forks. She quickly tried to change her focus, because when she thought of Forks, she thought of her Dad, her life, her Jacob, and the pain was still there. She finished her psych homework, and got dressed for her shift at the museum. She looked at her reflection in the mirror, admiring the strong woman who stood where a broken girl had once been. Although she would never be truly tanned, her face had color to it now, and she looked. . . healthy. The word made her smile. Healthy. Healthy inside and out.

After a long day of tour giving at the museum, Bella checked the schedule and noted that she would be giving the 4:30 tour in about 15 minutes. She dashed to the bathroom to quickly apply lipstick and smooth her hair. She was relieved this was her last tour of the day. She was looking at her watch as she walked towards the tourists who were waiting for the tour to begin.

"Ladies and Gentlemen, welcome to the Orlando Museum of History, if you will follow me this way, we will start in the heritage section. In 1856 Orlando became the county seat of Orange County. . ." she knew the speech without thinking, and set her mind to auto-pilot. As she was speaking, she felt as if she was experiencing a déjà vu. She looked around, while she continued, "When Walt Disney began buying up orange groves. . ." back to auto pilot. She could not shake this strange feeling, and she began to look around. For a moment her heart skipped a beat, as she saw a very tall russet skinned man in the very back of the group, and she immediately thought of Jacob. She mentally kicked herself for being silly, and continued on with the tour. Her eyes continued to be pulled to the man, although she could never get a clear look at him. She felt both relief and disappointment when she noted that before the tour had ended the man was no longer with the group. Bella thanked her tourists, and walked away to her favorite part of the museum.

She always found peace on the second floor of the museum. There was an exhibit of the Native American Tribes of Florida, and the exhibit had drum music playing in the background. It reminded her of the bonfires and the drumming and singing at LaPush. She would stand there quietly and close her eyes, and let the music wash over her. She was in her favorite spot with her eyes closed when she sensed someone standing behind her. Every cell in her body immediately felt as if someone was passing an electric current through her body. She turned slowly, finding the man from her tour standing behind her, wearing a snug white t-shirt with a pair of jeans and a crooked smile. Time stood still for her.

"Hi Bells" he said softly. Bella felt tears pool in her eyes, and immediately reached for him, at the same time he reached for her. She felt as if time stood still. Jacob picked her up and swung her around, the joy of the moment washing over both of them. The air around them buzzed with electricity. This was Jacob, her Jacob. Her sun, her best friend. Her. . .

"Jake. How did you, Where, What are you?" she stammered unable to finish any of her sentences. They both laughed. She could not take her hand off of him in fear he would vanish right before her eyes. Finally, "How did you find me?"

"Well, that's a long story." He looked down as he spoke. "Strange story too" She was intrigued. "What time do you get off, I'll tell you all about it."

"My shift ended 15 minutes ago." She smiled. Jake. She could not believe it.

Bella took Jake to a quiet restaurant she knew, eager to show him some of the city where she was living. The restaurant was quaint, with a lot of local charm, and afforded them a quiet spot to talk, while music filled in as background noise.

Jake explained that the Cullen's had left Forks immediately after 'the incident' he called it. "Bells, I was lost without you, empty. All I knew was you were in the hospital, and I couldn't get any information about you at all. He then explained how it had taken a full year for Charlie to talk to Billy, and another three years until he had forgiven Jake. Jake had made good use of his time, and had graduated high school, and had attended trade school to become a certified mechanic. "I have opened my own shop in Forks, Bells. Put Dowling's out of business too. At least Dowling was ready to retire", he added sheepishly. "I've done well for myself." Jake had dated as well, though his relationships were always shallow, and short-lived. He had never told another girl that he loved her, ever.

Jake explained how he had received a strange letter about four years ago that said,

"Jacob Black,

Bella is living with her mother, she is doing well. Do not try to contact her at this time. You will see her again. Don't give up hope.

Alice Cullen"

"Alice?!" Bella asked. "But why?"

"I don't know Bella, all I knew was this was the first information I could find on you, so I didn't care where it came from, I was just happy.

"Hmmm" she wondered out loud. So Alice wasn't just ordering her clothes or sending her money, she was sending her personal sun as well. Even knowing Alice's distaste for Jacob, she did it anyway. Bella's heart swelled to think of how much of a gift Alice had given her.

Over the years I received a few letters, very short, always telling me not to give up hope. "It's funny Bella, but those letters would come at times when I truly thought there was no way I would ever see you again. Then four days ago, I received another letter telling me I would find you here, at this museum, at the 4:30 tour. I picked up the phone and made the plane reservations the same day, and well, here I am."

Bella's heart skipped a beat. She hadn't allowed herself to think of what Jacob's motives were, to wish that there was any possible way he could still love her, or that he had not moved on. But, was it possible?

When they finished dinner, Jacob explained that he was staying at the Peabody, and she quickly realized that she was not ready to say goodnight.

"Jacob, would you like to see where I live?" she asked him cautiously. She was encouraged when his warm smile spread across his face.

"Sure, sure.", he nodded his head in such a cocky way. She began to see traces of the impudent youth that she so dearly had loved in her life. She almost called him a rascal, but stopped herself.

She was proud of her little house, and smiled as Jacob walked in. "So what do you think?" she asked.

"It's nice, really nice, it is very you. But I am curious Bells, do you ask many strange men that you meet on your tours home to your house" he teased smiling. She was instantly relieved when Jacob began to banter with her, in his Jacob way. "Nah, I know I'm special. I'm even 'sort of beautiful'." His last statement made her blush, which she hardly ever did anymore, as she recalled as a teenager gawking at Jacob and telling him he was 'sort of beautiful'. As if he could read her mind, he then replied, "Yeah, you know you want me.", and then imitating her voice, "Jacob is hot, Jacob is hot." As they laughed she placed her hand on his arm, and they were both nearly in tears from laughing so hard.

As they were laughing, she had not removed her hand. He continued to gaze into her eyes, his expression changing from laughter, to one she could not decipher. He held her eyes, and suddenly he looked very sad. He placed his hand on top of hers and stepped towards her. Her breath stopped for a moment, as she looked at him, for he really was beautiful. He had grown into such a handsome man that he took her breath away. His muscles were ripped under his shirt. He had the best cheekbones, girls would LOVE to have his cheekbones, and such a strong jaw. Without thinking she lifted her finger and traced his jaw. She saw him inhale quickly.

"Bella, how are you really? I am so sorry for any part I played in. . . the incident. You have no idea how sorry I am, or how heartbroken I have been", his words began to flow and run together.

"Jacob, really, I am fine. My breakdown was years ago, I am not the same person I was back then. I had to learn a lot about myself, learn who I was, and not try to define myself through other people. I like myself now, and I am strong. I am even going to school so that I can eventually help others who go through traumatic events.", she explained.

He smiled at her proudly, and shook his head knowing that she really was okay now. "You have grown into a beautiful woman Bells", it was his turn to run his finger across her cheek. The sensation made her stomach fill with butterflies. He leaned in towards her, she could smell him, his woodsy Jacob smell, and she began to lean towards him as well when the phone rang and startled her, making her jump.

She answered the phone, "Hi Bella, It's me Dad. Just wanted to check on you, see how you are doing?" He sounded concerned, and Bella thought it was strange, he never called on a Friday night. "So, did Jacob make it there okay?" he asked.

She whirled around to Jacob with a confused look on her face. "Yes, Dad, he is right here." She continued to reassure her father that she was ok, and then after she hung up she turned to Jacob for some answers.

"I went to see your father two days ago and told him I was coming to see you." Bella ran her fingers over his chest, turned him around and did the same thing to his back.

"No bullet holes I see. So it went well?"

"Yes, Bella, I told you that Charlie forgave me about a year ago. I slowly had begun talking to him about you, and he began to understand. The only obstacle I had left was that he refused to tell me how to find you. I knew I couldn't push him. After I received Alice's last letter, I explained to him that I found you, and was coming to see you. He realizes that I love you and would never hurt you."

Her heart stopped beating. "You. love me?" Jacob. Loves. Me. My Jacob. She felt as if her entire world tilted in that moment. Her heart sprang open, knocking down all the walls that she had so carefully built over the years to protect herself. She felt as if she had just won the lottery. "You love me?" It was barely a whisper.

Jacob looked at her strangely. "Yes, Bella, I never stopped loving you. You have been missing in my life everyday. You were my first thought in the morning, my last thought at night, and part of many thoughts during the day." His eyes suddenly filled with tears, "Bella, my life has not been truly lived without you these past five years. I tried to move on after you were gone for a few years, but no one could ever matter to me the way you did."

Bella's eyes began to fill with tears as well, listening to Jake declare his love for her. She couldn't speak, and she saw him hesitate and his face fill with doubt when she did not reply. Bella chose to answer him in another way. She leaned in, and let her lips brush across his.

'ohmanohmanohmanohman' Jacob heard the 16 year old boy from his past saying in his head. But Jacob was no longer a boy. He stepped in, and confidently brought his lips to hers. In that moment, every moment that they were apart, and every tear that had been shed, and every dream that had been dreamt all swirled together until there was nothing but pure light. Jacob thought he might go blind from the intensity of the light inside his head. This was even better than when he was 16, he chuckled to himself. Bella began to kiss him fervently, and ached for him in a way she had never ached in her life. Jacob returned her kisses, and felt the passion between them threaten to overtake them.

Jacob lifted her up, and she wrapped herself around him as he carried her to her bedroom, never breaking the contact of their lips. There was no hesitation, and no doubt. He smiled as he entered her room and saw a beautiful painting of a wolf hanging over her bed. He knew in that moment that he truly was the love of her life. The love they shared was the most natural, and the most honest thing either of them had ever known. Jacob made love to her several times that night, knowing that now he was with Bella, he was finally home.