M I S T A K E N

Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight, New Moon, Eclipse, or any of the characters.

Wow! Thanks everyone for all the encouraging reviews. Last actual chapter! Next is the epilogue. Enjoy!

24) mistaken) JPOV )

I tried to talk her out of going back home, but I knew her mind was set. She was a confusing thing.

"Jacob…" The entire trip she seemed to be struggling with something.

"Yeah?" I turned to face her. She just shook her head and looked away.

"You know how… You know what love feels like, what it supposed to feel like. I don't."

I blinked – more than confused. I was way past confused. Ari focused on the lawn behind me. I took her chin in my hand and forced her to look at me. Was she embarrassed to admit what was on her mind? "I told you we'll get there," I sighed without meaning to. Women. "Eventually…"

"I'm not talking about us, I'm talking about me. I-I want to feel it myself, with someone."

"Ari…" She was babbling nonsense. What did she want to feel?

"Wait, Jacob, I'm not done. I know I'll feel it with you, maybe I already am and I'm scared. I'm scared because this is all new to me. But I want to feel it without it being influenced by all this imprinting. I want to find it myself, without you."

I narrowed my eyes, suddenly understanding. She was crushing whatever it was that had started to grow between us – either she was scared or she just didn't want me. How pathetic did I have to be if the girl I imprinted on was rejecting me? "So you don't want us…"

"I do!" She pulled my hand away and squeezed my fingers. "Jacob, I do, but I want me first! I want to have 'us' with someone else, like you did. Is that a problem?"

"Well, no, but-" It wasn't, really. It made no sense to me. If she knew that we were going to end up together why was she going to bother to look for someone else? Did she want to stall it?

Was she afraid or something?

"But what? You know you're the only person I could ever want. What's the matter?"

"What if…" Now I felt stupid for even bringing it up. I was just being paranoid. I hadn't imprinted on Bella, and she had always loved that vampire of hers. Ari wouldn't fall in love, I was sure. But she was pretty, and nice, and smart… If you tried hard enough you could fall in love, couldn't you?

"Just tell me, Jacob. I know it's selfish of me to just… dump you like this, but I'm-"

"What if you fall in love?" I blurted out. I blinked, then looked down at her. She was surprised?

"Oh," Was all she said. She looked distraught at my idea of her falling in love. Had she really not expected it? That was basically what she was telling me – that she wanted to fall in love with anyone other than me. Now she looked like she could crawl underneath a rock and die. She must have been thinking about Bella, like I was.

"Oh? You're telling me you want to feel love but you didn't think that you could fall in love?" I had to keep myself from sounding patronizing, but I was sure I wasn't doing a good job. "That makes no sense. It's both ways or you're not really feeling it."

She scraped her shoe against the sidewalk and shook her head. I laughed at her sulking appearance. "Seriously?"

"Seriously, Jacob. I want to do this."

"You need me," I said softly, my eyes widening. "Don't you?"

"Yeah, I do. At least I think I do. And you think you need me, but you don't want me." When I didn't answer, trying to come up with something to say without admitting myself to her, she snorted. "You want her. How can I expect anything from you if you just want her?"

"I told you I'll get over it." I could want her. Maybe I didn't want her just this moment in time, but the more I looked at her, the more I felt that she wanted me to want her… Stupid imprinting, it made everything so difficult. How was I supposed to know whether or not what I felt for her was real or just what she wanted me to feel?

"Get over it now. I need you and she doesn't. She's not alone like I am."

"Ari…" I was mad at her childish attitude. How could she just expect me to get over a broken heart because she demanded it? She was asking…not the impossible, but pretty close. I was here for her – as a friend. My heart wasn't open just yet. Besides, she was reserving hers now, wasn't she?

"Jacob, I'm serious. This is driving me crazy." She grabbed her bag. "Forget I said anything, okay? I guess I'll just go to Mrs. Neil's, and-"

"Make me want you, then," I mumbled, forgetting that she could hear me. "Ari!"

"I'm going!" She shouted, starting off. I grabbed her arm and pulled her close to my chest, ignoring her growl and command for me to let her go.

"A kiss and you'll always be with me," I smiled at her look of outrage and surprise. She hadn't thought I'd remembered. "A friend of mine told me that."

"Dumb friend," She mumbled as she raised herself to give him a kiss. Her lips brushed against mine, light and hesitant. She dropped her bag at our feet and let her arms slip around my neck. I stood motionless as she pulled my hair loose and let her fingers get tangled in it. I tried to pull away. "Ari…"

"Shut up," She growled. She pulled me towards her forcefully, breaking my determination to stay where I was – planted to the concrete. She gasped softly as her back hit the metal frame of the Rabbit. I frowned as one of her hands fell onto my shoulder. I was sure my relief was visible as she broke away.

"Ari," I pursed my lips as I rested my hands on the Rabbit to prevent myself from falling on top of her. I tried my best to keep my body stiff, unfeeling. Maybe she'd get the hint that I didn't want this, at least not yet.

"Shut up," She repeated, tears ran down her face. "When I walk away I have to pretend none of this ever happened. You and me… the vampires… Everything. I don't know how my parents died, how Aki died… I have to act ignorant. Do you know how hard that will be? To stand at their graves and apologize?

"Because I wanted answers, my family is dead. Now I'm curious again and I'm hurting you."

"No you're not," I mumbled, not really trying to be persuasive. I was too busy trying to sort my feelings for her. Was I feeling it for real or did I think I was feeling it?

But I had told her to make me want her. She was doing a pretty good job.

She kissed me with a force I didn't think she was capable. I could feel the frustration in her lips, sending a static energy through me as it was met of frustration of my own. I could feel how upset she was, how angry she was – how angry I was. It was rage building upon rage until…nothing was left. Nothing but passion – passion to prove me wrong, passion to prove her wrong, passion to make her stay, passion that turned into longing and fear and joy. I let my arms settle on her waist. As she kissed me, my fingers wandered upward, pressing against her shirt. My fingers ran over the slightly scarred skin on her stomach. I pulled away.

"You couldn't help that," Ari breathed, her voice full of nothing but seduction. I wondered if she was doing this to me on purpose, or if she had no idea how wonderful a sound she was gifted with.

"Whatever," I smiled, a bit disappointed that I had been the one to end such an amazing kiss. I could have gone on for two hours without breathing. "So?"

"I'm always here," She showed me the ring I had made for her. My promise. "You made a promise."

"Sure, I guess. How long do you need to…satisfy this curiosity of yours?" I couldn't think of anything else to call it. Maybe she was just playing with me and this was all just a mistake. But who could mistake a kiss like that? It hurt me to even think it, but… It was a lot better than the one I had ever had with Bella. Maybe it was because I hadn't had to trick it or force it out of her. Maybe it was because from the very beginning, Ari had been willing.

Damn her curious mind.

"Um…" She narrowed her eyes as she thought. I felt my heart pick up pace. Maybe it was all just a stupid fancy. Maybe she'd change her mind. "How about four months?"

"That long?" I sounded like I was whining, but I couldn't help it. A sudden possessiveness had fallen over me, and now I didn't want to give her up. The thought of her with some other person now made me angry. I should be the only one for her. I should be the one to fill her curiosity, not some random-

"Hey, you can do some soul searching, too." She grinned. "Make me jealous."

I shook his head. I couldn't imagine anyone that could make her jealous – if she even caught the green bug.

"Nah, you don't seem like the jealous type."

"You'd be surprised," She kissed my jaw and let her fingers run along my cheek. "If it counts for anything, I don't think I'm going to find what I'm looking for."

I'm glad, I found myself thinking. I was what she was looking for. I just had to wait four months for her to realize it.

"Later," I murmured as she took her things and started down the street. I sighed as I hopped behind the wheel of the Rabbit and started the car. I waited for ten minutes before finally heading back to La Push. Four months wasn't that long. In that time I was sure I could get over Bella. And by then I'd probably think up a dozen ways to get Ari to fall for me – before then, if possible.

Was it possible that she could have convinced me with one kiss, or was I mistaken? Could she do to me what I hadn't been able to do to Bella? Maybe I was just thinking too much into it, but the feel of her lips caressing mine and her fingers in my hair…

I drove slower, in no hurry to separate myself from her – but I'd have to give her space, like she'd asked. I'd give her time to put that phase of her life to a close, and then…

I'd heal my heart, she'd heal hers, and we'd live happily ever after.

As long as she didn't get curious again. And as long as she didn't fall in love. I was more than sure that I wouldn't be able to deal with that again.

Done! Um… yeah, that's it. Please be sure to either leave a review about a sequel or vote in the poll on my profile. I really don't want to leave it here, and probably will get around to writing a sequel… I've actually started writing the first chapter. Whether or not I actually get it up tomorrow, next week, or next year depends on how badly everyone wants it. But don't worry – I do plan on continuing this. I can't just end it like this! Thanks to everyone who's been patient with my typos, and nonsense, and whatnot. I really appreciate it!

--Blessed.