Sorry for taking such a long time in reviewing! I did not realize that so many people were actually still reading my story. xD

I was actually in the middle of revising and editing this piece and well, I guess it's okay to show you guys the rest of this one since my revised copy actually ends a bit differently. Anyway, thank you so much for all the kind reviews!

They walked back in complete silence. Jacob had been empty of thoughts, having told her everything. His heart felt lighter and he felt freed of Bella, the girl he once loved, and perhaps still loved as a friend. It made him feel foolish to think that he could give his life for her when the girl standing right next to him was his true soul mate. She had listened to every word, silently taking in each word and murmuring soft responses whenever she felt like he needed to hear them.

On the other hand, Ruby's mind had been occupied of thoughts. The entire story, much to her chagrin, was perhaps too much for her to handle. Bella coming to Forks and meeting Edward and how their story progressed... and Jacob's place in this triangle made her feel like an outsider, but the grip of his intertwined fingers with hers made her think otherwise. Now all pieces of the puzzle fell together, why Jasper was so jittery around her and why Billy was so hesitant to let her stay. Ruby suddenly found herself in the middle of the story when she was once looking in from the outside.

How was she going to write the story now? That question didn't occupy her mind. What occupied her mind was how she would fit in Jacob's life. He had one year of school left and she had no hope of finishing this story to save her career except to ruin his life. All that was left was... No, she didn't want to do that. Jacob, having sensed her distress, looked over and asked, "Are you okay?"

"I think so," she said, "Thanks for pushing my bike back."

"Not a problem," he shrugged.

"You know," she hummed, trying to lighten up the tension, "This half naked thing isn't going to work." He raised an eyebrow and she continued, "One of these days, you're going to meet a girl who has randomly stumbled upon this town and she's going to see your fantastic chest and fall heads over heels with you."

A grin broke across his face, "Oh yea? That sounds like a pretty good deal."

"I imagine it is so for you, but I do recall you saying something about being devoted to some person... and I'm not sure she'd be happy if you had a person who was crazy about your fantastic chest and would be hanging around you all the time, you know." Ruby looked up at the sky in deep contemplation, "It's not like that other person to whom you are devoted walks around half naked. How would you feel if she did that?"

Jacob chuckled before sobering and responding gravely, "Not good at all."

"And I mean, how are you going to have any resemblances of a decent future if all you can't afford to buy a simple shirt? What is it? You spend it on your cars?" she smirked.

He laughed this time, drawing mirth to her eyes, "It's okay. I've saved up enough for both of us, working in that garage." She stopped suddenly, causing Jacob to stop laughing. Us. Both of us. Did he really say that? Did he really intend for her to stay in his life after all of this was over? "What's wrong?"

"It's nothing," she smiled, a hollow smile, at that, but Jacob didn't ask. He knew that she wasn't going to tell him.

Before they had reached his house, Jacob already smelled it. It was standing right at his front door and it made him curious as to how Sam and the others weren't already there. Surely just because he wasn't in the pack meant that he was food to the bloodsuckers? When he neared the house, his grip on Ruby's hand tightened so hard that she quietly pulled away, much to his chagrin, and didn't hold his hand again for the rest of the time. When its blond hair came into view, he pulled her towards him with one hand while the other one gripped her bike and pulled it towards the forest.

"Jacob, what are you doing?" she demanded, trying to pull away from him.

"The bloodsucker is here," he responded, eying the front door. "It's him."

"Him?" She peeked over the bush and when she saw it, the words left her mouth before he was even prepared for it, "Dr. Cullen? Is that you?"

He whipped around quickly, still not seeing her, fangs extended and eyes hardened, having turned into someone she didn't even know. Ruby's heart quickened and out of the corner of her eyes, she could see Jacob shaking. His teeth were bared in such a ferocious manner that it scared her. Only when he growled dangerously did she realize that he was about to phase. She was scared, oh how scared she was to have lost her mind completely when she launched herself to him. Jacob barely retained his grip on reality when he felt her body against his. Shame filtered through him, leaving him feeling useless and angry at himself.

Carlisle found them standing in the bushes, and he couldn't understand the scene in front of him. Raw sobs left the seventeen-year-old's lips while he wrapped his arm around the girl next to him. Her face was hidden in his shoulders while her arms were tight around his torso. The older man could only guess that the inaudible words she was whispering to the younger teen were that of comfort, as his breathing slowed down to a more calming pace. The intimacy made him want to blush, and such was not easy for centuries-old Carlisle Cullen. The youngster's brown eyes were fixed on him, as if prepared to kill him if anything were to happen.

What did you think?

I tried to embody all the pent up passion between the two, passion that was both known and unknown, including the compassion that Ruby feels for Jacob in spite of knowing about his new identity. It's supposed to be a clumsy scene but it was trying to show the trust that she has for Jacob when it comes to him caring for her.

I hope you liked it!