Wolf Boy

Disclaimer; all characters and copyright belong to SM.

A/N-thank you for the kind reviews!

Part Forty-Five

Bella woke up as she felt someone get on the bed. She opened her eyes groggily and looked over to see Jacob getting into bed with her. She burst into tears and threw her arms around him. She had never been so happy to see anyone in her life. He hugged her back tightly, stroking her hair, rocking her gently as he pressed his lips to her neck. Bella tangled her fingers in his hair and didn't want to let him go. She never wanted him away from her again.

"I've been so worried. You were gone so long." She was sobbing with relief.

"It's okay now, Bells. Everything's fine. She's gone. Victoria can't hurt you anymore. How are you feeling?" Jacob asked softly as he pulled back to look at her. His gorgeous dark eyes were looking at her all concerned.

Bella smiled and kissed him, pressing herself to him tightly. Trust Jacob to think of her first and not himself. He smiled against her lips and pulled back again.

"I'm fine. I'm so pleased to see you." She promised, tracing her hands down his beautiful face. Jacob ran his hand through her hair, just looking at her tenderly for a few minutes. "Is it really over?"

"Its really over." Jacob assured her again. He buried his face in the side of her neck. "We can start living our lives now, Bells. We're free to do whatever we want."

Bella let out the breath she didn't realise she had been holding and relaxed. This was real. This wasn't some dream. The nightmare really was over. "What are we going to do with all this free time?" She teased lightly.

"I don't know." Jacob's breath was hot on her skin as his hand trailed down toward her stomach. "What do you suggest?"

Bella responded by giving him a fiery kiss, making him growl low in his throat and tug her closer. He was the first to pull out of the kiss. Bella pouted and he laughed, flipping her onto her back and hovering over her.

"I love you, Bella Swan."

"I love you, too."

Jacob bent forward and kissed her, softly, tenderly, making her feel like the most loved and special girl in the world. From today they could make a fresh start, there was nothing left to hold them back. Bella was determined to forget everything and look to the future-her future with Jacob.

One month later;

"Are you okay, Charlie?" Connie looked at him in concern. He had been acting weird all day. She was wondering if he was coming down with something. He was looking a little green around the gills and his forehead was shiny with perspiration. "We can skip dinner if you like and stay here." She suggested.

"No!" Charlie said in a strangled tone. "We can't skip dinner. We've got reservations and everything."

"We can always re-book." Connie patted his hand comfortingly. "I'll call the restaurant…."

"You can't do that." Charlie was breathless as he practically snatched Connie's cell out of her hands.

"Charlie!" Connie looked at him confusion. "What is wrong with you?"

"Nothing." Charlie tugged at the sedate tie he had chosen for the occasion. He felt like it was strangling him. He was getting short of breath. He wished he had listened to Bella now and worn something more casual, something he felt comfortable in, not this confining suit. But he so wanted to impress Connie!

"Then why are you acting so weird?" Connie was getting impatient now.

"We just need to get to that restaurant." Charlie smiled but it came out more like a grimace. "Its important we get there."

"Why?"

Because the expensive string quartet he had booked to play while he got down on one knee and proposed would be arriving soon. They had already warned him they were on the clock. If he was late, or if things overran, then they would move on to their next gig, and there would be no refund.

"Charlie, are you going to answer me or not?" Connie demanded with hands on hips.

"Yes, my dear." Charlie took one of her hands and raised it to his lips.

"My dear?" Connie echoed him in disbelief. "Since when do you bother with endearments. My dear makes me sound ancient. I'm still in my thirties you know."

"Um…oh….um…" Charlie began to panic. He was screwing this up, just like he knew he would. "I thought you might like it. Jake calls Bells honey all the time."

"Well that's different." Connie answered without explaining why that was.

"Oh." Charlie felt a headache beginning to form over his eyes. "Well, sweeth…my dea…Connie…we should go or we'll be late and they'll give our table to someone else."

Connie rolled her eyes, giving in. She already had visions of him hurling all over that ridiculously expensive suit he was wearing. He looked that green. She was all for romantic gestures but Charlie was going over the top. He was so far out of his comfort zone that it was making him ill.

"We can just go to the diner if you'd prefer." She offered again. "You can take off that suit. You're clearly feeling uncomfortable in it."

"I'm not." Charlie denied as he tugged at the collar of his shirt.

"You keep fidgeting and fussing with it." Connie pointed out reasonably. "Go and change, Charlie. I don't mind if you want to dress casual. I didn't fall in love with you for your sense of style." She joked.

"I bought this suit and I will damn well stay in it until I get the damn job done." Charlie barked at her.

Connie's cheeks turned red with anger. "Don't you speak to me like that, Charles Eugene Swan. I won't stand for it. I refuse to go out to dinner with you when you're acting like this."

"No, you have to!" Charlie was regretting his sharp outburst. He looked at Connie pleadingly. "This restaurant is one of the most expensive in Port Angeles. It's so hard to get a table there. I had to pull in a few favours. It's supposed to be a special night. I've gone to a lot of trouble to get things just right. Please, Connie, you have to forgive me."

"I don't feel like it." Connie sniffed. She began taking off her jacket.

This was all going completely wrong. Instead of a romantic proposal all he had managed to do was insult her, shout at her, and make it sound like she was getting old. Charlie opened his mouth to beg Connie to reconsider but she wouldn't listen.

"I don't know what has got into you, Charlie. This is not like you at all." Connie shook her had sadly. "I thought with everything finally going back to normal that you would be less stressed, but you've been tense for days. I don't pretend to understand it. I mean Jake and Bella have been living in their own little romantic bubble, it's so cute and adorable to see. Even my Colin is dipping his toe in the dating pool. It's early days but Ginny seems like a sweet girl. You know I hoped we'd be the same. I was envisioning long romantic walks, lovely dinners in front of a roaring fire, waking up together on a…"

"No, Connie, you've got it all wrong. I am trying to be romantic. I promise you." Charlie pleaded. "I've organised this whole thing just to show you how romantic I can be. It cost me a fortune."

"There you go again. With you its all about the money." Connie snapped. "I enjoy the little things, Charlie. I don't expect my man to spend a lot or make grand gestures. I thought we were on the same wavelength. Clearly not…I…"

"Can you just stop and let me speak for a minute, woman?" Charlie demanded hotly. "I am trying to propose to you."

"What?" Connie's dark brown eyes opened wide in surprise.

"I…I…I…I…" Charlie suddenly lost the ability to speak again. He was feeling quite faint. This wasn't how things were meant to go. One glance at his watch told him that the string quartet were a no go. Even if they left now and he drove like a madman to Port Angeles, they would be leaving for their next appointment. The whole thing was a disaster!

Connie had no idea of the crazy thoughts rebounding in his head. She stared and stared at him for a long minute, before she suddenly came back to life as his words finally sank in. "Oh, Charlie." She gushed, her eyes shining. She launched herself at him, grabbing his shocked face and kissing him wildly. "That's the most romantic proposal ever. You gorgeous man."

"Huh?" Charlie was completely flabbergasted.

"You know I was going to propose to you myself." Connie continued with a wistful sigh. "I had it all planned out. I was going to take you to one of the local games and ask you to marry me in front of the whole crowd and our families."

"You were?" Charlie's eyes bugged out of his head at this news.

"I was." Connie squeezed his cheeks and giggled at the funny look on his face. "But you know this is so much better-a passionate, spontaneous proposal. I love it."

"You do?"

"I do." Connie smiled tenderly. "And my answer is yes." She said, pecking him on the lips.

"Is it?"

"Yes."

"Wow."

"Yes…. wow!

"We're getting married." Charlie said, grinning goofily.

"We are, silly man." Connie giggled.

"Woohoo!" Charlie grabbed Connie around the waist and twirled her around in a circle. At least he tried until his back gave out and he was forced to put her down. "Ow!" He muttered, pressing one hand on his lower back.

"Are you okay?" Connie asked in alarm.

"I'll be fine." Charlie groaned. "It's in my left pocket."

"What is?"

Charlie gave her a look and Connie laughed, blushing. She dug her hand in the left pocket of his suit jacket and pulled out a bill for the string quartet he had hired.

"What's this?" She asked, frowning in confusion before realisation dawned. "You spent how much?"

"Connie, ignore that. The ring is the inner pocket." Charlie said sheepishly.

"Oh." Connie blushed again as she abandoned the bill and dug around in his inside pocket. She withdrew a small, black velvet ring box. "Shall I?" She squealed in delight.

"Hang on." Charlie winced as he lowered himself down on one knee. His back creaked in protest but he was determined to do it. Taking the box from Connie, he opened it up and rested it in the palm of his hand. "Connie Louise Littlesea, will you do me the honour of becoming…."

The front door burst open and Jacob and Bella walked in, followed close behind by Colin and his new girlfriend, Ginny. They stopped short when they noticed Charlie down on one knee in front of Connie.

"Dad, you can be such a cheapskate." Bella complained in disgust.

"I thought you were taking her to some fancy eating place." Colin said in confusion. "And please tell me that's not the ring you fished out the toilet."

"Dad!" Bella gasped. "Please tell me that's not true?"

Jacob was doing his best not to laugh. Poor Charlie looked mortified. He decided to take pity on the older man. "Let's leave the lovebirds to it, guys." He grabbed Bella's hand in his before she could protest and pulled her toward the kitchen, motioning for Colin and Ginny to follow.

When they were gone from view, Connie looked at Charlie and he looked at her for a minute, before they busted up laughing.

A/N-all's well that ends well. Just the epilogue to come. Thanks for reading!