The Twilight Twenty-Five
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Prompt: 20 (Photo of Bonfire)
Main Character/Pairing: Bella, Edward
Rating: T
Word Count: 1479

- Edward's Point of View -

"This is completely ridiculous," Bella complained loudly. "Where are you going?"

I smiled at her reaction, trying my best to hide my worries. I had assured Bella that I trusted her with the werewolves—which was true to an extent—and I wanted to carry out my promise.

"I think I'll step outside for a moment," I hesitated.

She placed her hands on her hips, scowling at me. I tried not to think about how distracting her pose and instead focused on her words. "I thought you said you were beyond this now."

"It's not that I feel any personal antagonism toward him, Bella, it's just easier for both of us," I explained, "I won't be far away. You'll be safe."

I would circle the forest a few times, occasionally dropping in to check on her, but otherwise keep my distance. If I wanted to prove to Bella that she could trust me with her friendship with Jacob, I had to start showing her so.

Bella rolled her eyes. "I'm not worried about that."

Of course she wasn't. When did she ever worry about her own safety like rational people did?

Familiar thoughts approaching closer made me look up. Jacob would be here any minute now, and though the thought of leaving Bella alone with him was excruciating, I had to get out now or I'd never be able to.

Naturally, in my absence, Jacob would try his best to convince Bella the dangers of being with me and persuade her to accept that she belonged with him.

Well, I had no intention of letting him come close to my girl.

Reaching out, I pulled Bella to me by her waist, dropping my face into soft tresses, simultaneously inhaling her glorious scent while leaving my scent across her thick strands, the gentle slope of her throat and all over her slender body.

Yuck, this place stinks. Filthy bloodsuckers. I can't believe she even hangs out with them, let alone… kisses one of them. How does she stand the smell? The cold? Disgusting…

I grinned into Bella's hair, pressing a deep kiss to her neck, and reluctantly released her.

"I'll be right back," I reminded her quietly, heading towards the door.

She looked a little miffed and she demanded to my retreating form, "What's so funny?"

I simply continued laughing gently and bounced out the door. Let him try to make a move on her now…

I just entered the forest when the chime of doorbell ringing echoed behind me.

Move along, bloodsucker, Jacob's snide thoughts followed me. I'll take care of your girlfriend for you.

My jaw clenched. "Do your business and get out."

He rolled his eyes, taunting, Afraid of a little competition? Scared you're gonna lose her? I'm not going down without a fight. Bella loves me too, even if she doesn't know it. All I gotta do is convince her of it.

His mind wandered to inappropriate and childish fantasies of Bella permanently leaving our "coven" to join him at La Push.

Although I was dying to turn right back around and settle this Jacob issue once and for all, I refused to look back, or listen to any more of his silly daydreams.

I would be the better man by respecting Bella's wishes. Bella was mine. I couldn't afford to make a mistake again. If I lose her, that would be it.

"Come in, Jake!"

I shut my eyes, hurt and fear swelling up inside of me at the eagerness in her tone, and had to remind myself that I was the root cause for their relationship.

If I had never left…

No, I told myself firmly. Now was not a good time to start thinking about foolish decisions I had made in the past. I needed to focus on the trail.

I managed to circle the perimeter of the forest twice, catching the intruder's scent immediately. Unfortunately, the smell completely disappeared about two minutes later, which meant that this was where the car had been waiting.

It was not a coincidence, I knew. It wasn't just a nomad passing by. Somebody had deliberately created the plan to avoid being tracked further.

Hopelessly, I reached up to grab fistfuls of my hair. Too many dangers were on my mind to think about right now. The Volturi, Victoria, the werewolves, Jacob, this intruder…

Would Bella and I ever live the happy life I so desperately wanted for us?

Suddenly, being away from her now was too much for me to bear and I rushed back towards the house. Jacob had had plenty of time to finish his task…

"Can I ask you something, Bella?"

I stopped dead in my tracks when the scent of fresh blood hit my nose.

Blood?

I panicked immediately, thinking the worst and cursing myself. I knew I shouldn't have left her alone with him! Even if he hadn't hurt her himself, he didn't have the capabilities to protect her as well as I had.

"What's it like — having a werewolf for a best friend?" Jacob continued.

The closer I approached, the louder Bella's heartbeat became. I let out a sigh of relief when she laughed, even if it was in response to something Jacob said.

"Does it creep you out?"

"No," Bella replied, still laughingly. "When the werewolf is being nice, it's the best."

"Thanks, Bella."

Jacob was aware of my presence. Hear that, leech? I might be her favorite soon. Have fun watching this…

He pulled her into a bear-hug, lifting her body completely off the floor. My fingers automatically reached out to grab the tree, squeezing the bark between my fingers as jealousy coursed through me.

However, their hug was only short-lived as Jacob stepped back, wrinkling his nose.

"Ugh. Your hair stinks worse than your room."

That's disgusting! What did you do, breathe all over her? And she let you?

I relaxed immediately, grinning in smug satisfaction and making a mental note to envelope Bella completely in my arms before leaving them together.

I took "marking my territory" to a whole new level, I thought with a shake of my head.

"Sorry."

Jacob was determined not to let his revulsion show. "One of the many hazards of socializing with vampires. It makes you smell bad. A minor hazard, comparatively."

Bella dismissed it. "I only smell bad to you, Jake."

And me, I thought darkly. The odor emitting from the werewolves' bodies was positively nauseating.

"See you around, Bells."

"Are you leaving?"

"He's waiting for me to go. I can hear him outside."

"Oh."

The underlying disappointment in her voice crushed me. Was she truly that distressed to see him go?

"I'll go out the back."

I immediately strode out of the forest to enter from the front. On the way, I picked up Bella's mail. A thick package with Dartmouth stamped across the front made me grin proudly. Naturally she had been accepted. I couldn't wait to see her reaction; it was such a monumental experience in her life. Bella's parents would be proud too.

"Hold up a sec — hey, do you think you can come to La Push tonight?" Jacob wanted to know. My eyes narrowed automatically, and my footsteps to the front door slowed. "We're having a bonfire party. Emily will be there, and you could meet Kim . . . And I know Quil wants to see you, too. He's pretty peeved that you found out before he did."

All these unfamiliar names… it pained me to realize that she had another life that I could not ever hope to belong to. When I had left her, she had, not only made grown closer to Jacob Black, but also made acquaintances with many people from the reservation.

"Yeah, Jake, I don't know about that. See, it's a little tense right now…"

"C'mon, you think somebody's going to get past all — all six of us?"

If he can protect you, I can too. Nobody's going to dare, with all of us present. We're tough enough to take on the leeches.

"I'll ask."

Jacob snorted. He's got all twisted up that she can't even hang out with her friends? Controlling freak…

I clenched my jaw. It was just the werewolves I had had an objection to, and for a good reason. Bella had almost been attacked by one member of the pack. It would idiotic for me to just let her put herself in deliberate danger.

But I was past that now. Sabotaging her attempts and disrespecting her wishes to visit her friends would only create a rift between us, and I refused to let anything come between Bella and me.

From now on, I resolved to trust Bella unconditionally and value her wishes. If Bella and I were truly meant to be together, nothing in the universe had the power to separate us.

Not even Jacob.