AN: thanks for the reviews and PMs, thanks for liking the story and giving me the confidence to keep writing it :)

Chapter 21

Bella and Jacob sat huddled together; her father arrived soon after and sat with them. She couldn't think or talk, she was too scared. What if she was changing too much of the past and this was her warning? She was trembling and feeling really upset.

"Bellabell!" She heard and she looked up to see Jared walking towards them. Without thinking she stood up and let him hug her. "Bellabell are you well?" His warmth soothed her, it reminded her of her Jacob post-phase and she closed her eyes for a moment.

A throat was cleared and she realized that Jacob had stood up as well and was glaring at Jared. She blushed and moved to stand next to Jacob.

"Jacob, Chief Swan." Jared greeted them and then he sat on the chair that was on the other side of Bella.

After a moment of tension Bella sat as well, and Jacob did too. He was still glaring at Jared, while the new wolf was sitting quite relaxed. He turned to smile at her then. "Sam sends his love; he says that he wanted to be here as well but you know how it works..." Bella knew that Jared had to leave in order for Sam to be able to come and she nodded. She wondered how they were sharing the patrolling time, seeing as they were just two. "There's a new addition..." Jared added and her eyes widened, she knew that Paul had phased.

In her previous life she had arrived in their lives much later so she didn't really know if the time-line for their phasing was correct. Weren't they phasing too close to each other? Was there a danger that there wasn't in the other reality? Or did her messing with their lives accelerate the phasing? There were too many questions and she didn't have any answer, maybe she needed to visit Old Quil again.

"Is everything under control?" She asked knowing how difficult Paul could be.

Jared grimaced. "Paul is... special... so I think Sam will need some help soon."

She nodded, knowing that Paul was going to be the most troublesome between the wolves.

"Bells, let's go to the bathroom." Jacob said softly but she was startled anyway, she had been thinking too much again. She looked at herself still covered in Angela's blood and nodded; Jacob passed his arm around her shoulders and took her to clean up.

Bella didn't even look into the mirror; she didn't really want to see how she looked. Jacob was waiting outside and he had given her his jumper to change into. She washed her hands and then she took off her t-shirt then she wore his. The smell of Jacob reached her nostrils and she relaxed slightly, it was a comfort to be enveloped in Jacob's scent. She knew he was still furious with her, and he probably didn't like her friendliness with Jared but at the same time she was confident that they were going to get through this rough patch. Their love was too important for both of them.

She got out and he pulled her again into his arms, she sighed and placed her head next to his heart. "Thank you for being here."

"Bells, I'll always be at your side. I talked with the Elders and then I talked to Sam, I can't say I'm sorry that I left you because I needed time to think things through but you must have known that I couldn't really stay away from you. You mean too much to me, but I'm scared Bells and I can't imagine you being with me after... after I turn into a huge monster. And I didn't like that you lied to me either." He whispered.

She held him tight. "Jake, I'm sorry about omitting some information, but it wasn't my secret to tell. And don't even think about me leaving you because you phase! I don't care if you turn into a giant wolf; I just want to be with you. And you're a Protector; you keep the Cold Ones away from your tribe, I'm just proud to be your woman."

"You make it look like a good thing, but I'll be tied to this place forever, don't get me wrong I'll be the Chief so I knew that I was coming back to the Res, but any chance to leave even for a small amount of time is out of the question now. What will we do when you want to go to University and I have to stay here? How many new people will you meet? We need to talk more Bells; I need to know as well how you found out. I need answers..." Jacob said stubbornly.

"I know... and I'll tell you what I can." She knew that she couldn't really reveal to him her previous life and the choice that Samira had given her, but she could be as truthful as she could.

"Bella!" Her father called her. "The doctor is here!"

Bella and Jacob got back to her father and there they met Angela's parents. The doctor came out and walked closer, her heart was exploding in her ribcage.

"Mr and Mrs Weber, when they brought Angela in, she had multiple injuries due to the van hitting her. We managed to block the internal bleeding and we put a cast on both her legs. Tomorrow will be critical, she hasn't woken up yet and we'll keep it that way until tomorrow night. Then if she wakes she'll be out of danger, but the recovery will be long. Both her legs were shattered in the impact; she has a broken harm as well. We'll keep you informed, but as of now there's nothing more that we can do. You should go home and rest, our staff will take care of her and you'll see her tomorrow." The doctor said seriously.

She sagged in Jacob's arms then, Angela was still alive even if barely and she would do her best to be next to her as much as she could. She felt guilty but at the same time she knew that it wasn't her fault, she had tried to save her but Edward had stopped her so her conscience was quite appeased. It was overall Edward's fault.

Charlie looked at Bella. "Bells, you need to get home. I've got an extra shift tonight so I'll see you tomorrow morning."

"Okay dad, can Jacob stay with me? I don't want to be alone." She whispered.

Her dad glanced at Jacob who was still, like he was shocked that she had asked her father if he could stay the night. Charlie blushed and Bella thought that he was going to say no, but then he cleared his throat with his eyes fixed on Jacob. "He can stay, but the door of your room stays open."

Bella blushed deeply and she heard Jared snort. She glanced at Jacob and she noticed that under his tanned face a blush was visible as well. She almost smiled; he was really cute when he was embarrassed.

"Okay Charlie…" Jacob whispered passing a hand through his hair.

Charlie looked at him a moment longer and then nodded. "I have to go; do you need a ride back?"

"I'll drive Bella and Jacob to the school to get her truck, Chief Swan." Jared said.

"Fine with me, Bells take care." He kissed her forehead and then left.

Bella, Jacob and Jared found themselves alone. An embarrassing silence fell, until Bella decided she had enough. "Okay guys, you're on the same side of the fence here. I know, Jake, that you're upset about the whole deal, but Jared didn't do anything wrong. He's a friend to me like Sam; he's like a brother so stop antagonizing him."

Jacob studied Jared; the new wolf looked back at him with his dark eyes. "I like your girl, Black, that is obvious for anyone who's got eyes to see, but I respect your relationship with her and she's actually crazy about you. Now that we've got this sorted out can we move on and try to be friends?"

"Have you realized that you just admitted to wanting my girl?" Jacob replied looking ready to murder him.

"I know what I said and it's better I tell you now rather than you finding out through the pack-mind when you phase. And as I said she's crazy about you and that's the end of it for me." Jared admitted candidly.

Bella looked at Jacob pleading with her eyes to just try to understand. "Jake… I would be furious too if a girl came to me and told me the same thing about you. But he won't overstep the boundary of friendship that I set and you need to trust me, I love you and no one else."

Jacob looked away. "It's a little bit hard to trust you after all you lied to me."

She felt the stab of pain right through her heart and tears formed in her eyes.

Jared took a step forward. "She doesn't deserve your words Jacob."

Jacob looked at her again and sighed. "I'm sorry Bells; I guess sometimes I'm a stubborn mule. I'll try to get along with Jared, only because I love you."

She took a deep breath and then nodded. "Thank you."

After that they left with Jared, while he was driving his mobile phone started ringing and he passed it to Bella. "Can you answer Bellabell?"

"Hello?" She said.

"Bell! Thanks God I found you, how's your friend?" He asked her.

"She's still in critical conditions, but she might make it. What's up Sam?" She replied.

"Can you please come to my house? Paul is rather difficult to deal with and I'm at my wits end. It seems he won't be able to phase anytime soon, he's a damn stubborn son of a… well you know what I mean…" Sam told her.

Bella was torn, because she wanted to go home, take a shower and finally spend some needed time alone with Jacob but fate was always getting in the way. "I'll be there as soon as I get my truck."

"Thanks Bell, I'm going back in the forest before Paul makes some mess." Sam said and then the line went dead.

Bella turned to look at Jacob and he shook his head. "Whatever it is, I think you should just deal with it tomorrow."

She grimaced, she wanted so much to agree with Jake but she knew that eventually when he would be Alpha and then he would understand that she was doing everything she could to look after his pack. "Jake… I need to go; can you please come with me?"

Jacob sighed and pinched his nose. "Okay Bells, I'll go with you to Sam's house… I'm your boyfriend so I'll stick with your decisions from now on. It'll be my pack soon, so I guess I should start getting used to people barging into our time together."

Jared left them at the school parking lot, Bella and Jacob got into her truck and followed him back to the Res.

Bella had no idea of what she would have to face, but knowing Paul the way she did, she knew that he was trouble.

AN2: ready for Paul? :)))