SM Owns Twilight

PART 4

CH #1

XXX

"I prefer red wrigglers to boilies. They're just better bait. I catch at least three or four fish anytime I use the red wrigglers," Charlie said as he put a piece of steak in his mouth, "What do you think, Billy?"

" I prefer bait fish...you just can't go wrong with bait fish," Billy replied back in argumentative tone.

Sue disguised her laugh as a cough. As far as she was concerned, her beloved husband his best friend were the worst match makers in the world.

Charlie and Billy spoke over the phone for an hour, creating a list of 'ideas' that they had planned on trying out at dinner. Unfortunately, Charlie and Billy could 'talk the talk, but couldn't 'walk the walk' and after one look at Bella and Jacob-who were sitting across the table from each other, eating their dinner in silence—decided that it would be less awkward to talk about fish bait.

Jacob kept glancing at Bella, and Bella kept glancing at Jacob; they never made eye contact.

When Jacob entered with Billy, Bella stood in the living room, waiting for him to come to her: to sweep her up in a bear hug, to kiss her senseless, to hold on to her like he never wanted to let her go.

He did come to her.

Jacob raised her chin with a finger and kissed her sweetly, before giving her an affectionate hug.

"Missed you," he murmured.

"Missed you too," she replied back.

XXX

Charlie and Billy, realizing their massive failure at getting 'the job' done, decided to share embarrassing stories about Jacob and Bella when they were kids.

Unfortunately, they were the only fools laughing.

Jacob ate his apple pie and bread pudding unenthusiastically. What was he supposed to do? Breaking up with Bella for her own good had been Edward's M.O., and it turned out to be a complete disaster.

He told himself that he wasn't breaking up with her so she could go be happy with someone else. He wanted her...all of her. He loved her, and he wanted her to love him. It wasn't fair, to either of them, if she continued to be with him, to give him his chance, if she never felt it.

'Okay, look, I know I've been beatin on you this entire time, but don't do anything stupid. It's just taking her some time. You know, she's stupid. It takes her stupid brain a long time to figure things out. She loves you, okay? She freaking loves you, you stupid, pathetic, jerk-off, so don't go and fuck this up! You can't have your cake and eat it too! You told her to come to you when she was ready, and now, you want to bail because she's not coming fast enough? 'Tool,' my friend, that's what you are.'

Bella ate her second piece of pie (Sue thought there was something wrong with her vision when she saw Bella reach for another piece of pie...Bella didn't usually go for seconds), and watched Jacob with a keen eye. She remembered their unusual reunion last year, their reunion this year, the bookshelves, the look on his face when she came downstairs in her underwear and bra, the declaration of love, their kisses, the adoration, the teasing...but most of all, she remembered the warmth.

It had nothing to do with his supernatural abilities.

He had always been this beacon of light in her life, her sun, showering her with friendship, patience, compassion...and love. Jacob warmed her from within.

How could she be so dense?

She put a huge piece of apple pie in her mouth when Billy started reminiscing about Jacob working days and nights to finish her truck before she arrived from Phoenix, all those years ago.

"Charlie, I told him to just make sure the truck got her to school and back, but this guy argues with me at two in the morning, about wanting that truck to be perfect for Bella..."

"I love you, Jacob," Bella announced, as some apple pie fell out of her mouth and on to the table.

XXX

Billy shut the hell up.

Charlie swore he heard some words coming out of Bella's mouth...

Sue cried happy tears...

Jacob looked up from his plate. He could feel his heart beating out of his chest, as his breath quickened.

Bella watched as he blinked once, twice, and then his eyes just stayed glued to her face. She looked right back at him, hoping he could see it in her eyes.

A few seconds later, panic sunk in, and Bella did what she did best.

She ran away.

XXX

'Stupid, stupid, stupid girl! You told him you loved him with your mouth full of apple pie! In front of the dads and Sue! Oh, and let's not forget the epic regurgitation of the apple pie.'

Jacob got up and ran after Bella.

'She said it! She said it, you idiot!'

"WE DID IT!" Charlie yelled as he got up and ran around the table to high-five Billy. "We did it! I knew our ideas would work!"

Sue let out a laugh, catching their attention.

"Yes, your conversation about bait fish was absolutely riveting, and your trip done memory lane was fascinating. I'm sure Bella needed to tell Jacob she loved him before she dropped dead of boredom!" Sue said, laughing at her husband's naivety.

XXX

"Bells!" Jake yelled.

As soon as Bella heard his voice, she spun around to face him, her heart beating rapidly, screaming for her to let it all out.

"I love you!" she yelled, surprising herself.

He inhaled sharply.

"What?" he asked, hoping he heard right.

Bella looked up at him, tears forming in her eyes. Her initial declaration had been far from perfect.

Perhaps, this declaration could make up for it.

"What did you say Bells?"

She placed her hand over her racing heart, and exhaled, trying to get a hold of herself.

"I love you," she whispered. "I love you, Jacob Black. I always have. When we were in high school, when I was in college, when we weren't together, I've always loved you. I...I love you, I'm in love with you."

He exhaled loudly.

"I can't think when I'm away from you, I can't sleep if I'm not in your arms. I don't feel anything unless you're touching me or kissing me. I'm stupid, okay? I've been stupid all these years, and I'm still stupid, but I love you. I loved you yesterday, I love you today, and I will love you tomorrow. I'm in love with you, Jake, she said, raising her hand to wipe away the tears that continued to fall.

She breathed a sigh of relief. Finally, everything was out in the open. She would have to try for a 'perfect moment' some other time.

"What about the day after tomorrow?" Jacob whispered, his voice thick with emotion. His eyes glistened in the porch light.

She let out a little laugh.

"Yes, I'll love you the day after tomorrow, and all of the days...for the rest of my life," she replied.

At that moment, a shift occurred inside of her heart, cementing Jacob's place in it. The piece that held Edward sealed shut...for good. She could feel it in her bones...this change.

She would always love Edward, but now, she kept that piece of her locked away, buried it deep inside herself to remember on another day, when she was old and gray. The eighteen year old girl with aspirations to become a vampire died, and the twenty-four year old woman emerged, having finally chosen her path in life-a human life.

Jacob couldn't help it, he cried. It was happy tears for the most part, but at the same time, it was tears for finally, finally getting something he had wished for since childhood. The love of his life.

"Say it again,"

"I love you."

"Again."

She stepped closer to him, putting her hands around his neck and burying them in his hair.

"I love you, Jacob Black," she whispered, as her breath touched his skin.

He cupped her cheeks gently before putting his lips gently on hers, mumbling,

"I love you, Bella Swan."

Then, he kissed her like he had wanted to for so long.

He was gentle, loving, passionate, tender...and they both cried as they kissed, over and over.

"It's about damn time!" Charlie yelled.

Jacob and Bella broke off the kiss and looked around to see Charlie, Billy, and Sue at the front door, staring down at them with amused expressions. Sue was wiping the tears from her eyes.

It looked like they had an audience to their love-story.

"Now get back inside," he yelled. Sue smacked him lightly and then whispered in his ear. His face turned red before he turned back to them.

"Take your time to...you know...whatever," he replied before shutting the front door.

Jacob grabbed Bella by the waist, twirling her around.

"You love me," he said breathlessly.

"Yeah, I do," she said, kissing him again.

"Why did it take you so long?" he asked.

"I meant to say it for a long time, but it was never the right moment. I wanted to say it in a perfect moment," she whispered against his lips.

"Screw perfect moments, they're over-rated. The only thing perfect is this: you in my arms, and your lips on mine," he said before deepening the kiss.

After a few minutes of kissing in her front yard, Jacob picked her up to carry her inside.

"I may need to hear you say it again and again."

"We have all night," she said, kissing him on his cheek. "I'm in love with you Chief Jacob. I love" kiss, "love," kiss, "love," kiss, "you," kiss.

Jacob wanted nothing more than to take her upstairs and make love to her all night long. He knew it would be impossible to do since the dads and Sue were in the house.

He didn't care as long as she kept saying it all night long.

XXX

A figure stood in the tree line, witnessing the entire event unfold. It watched the couple enter the house.

The figure's scent had not yet been detected since it stood downwind.

It's frozen heart was at peace, after hearing the declarations of love.

Bella Swan had chosen a mortal life after all.