AN: Another chapter for your delight.

Chapter 6

March 21, 2005

The last two days I had spent with Jacob had been a dream. Charlie could tell something was going on but since he knew and trusted Jacob. He really knew when he caught Jacob kissing me goodnight by the basement door. That was last night and all three of us were blushing. Charlie coughed and looked away.

"By Mar see you tomorrow?" I looked over at Charlie and quickly kissed him on his cheek.

"Sure come over tomorrow for breakfast before school, or maybe after school?"

"Breakfast before seven if you can do that?"

"Course I get up around six so thats no big deal." He left Charlie watching him as he went. I watched Charlie get out of his car and crook a finger towards me. I sighed and walked into the main house with him. He took off his coat and belt hanging them up on the hooks. I had a plate of chicken dinner in his microwave. I warmed it up as he sat on the table. I set it in front of him and watched him eat somewhat worried.

"So Jake is it?" I flushed and looked down at my hands clasped on the table.

"Yeah, it's just, we've known each other for a long while and both of us have liked each other for a while. He's really sweet and we have so much history together." I didn't mean to say anything but a basket full came out.

"I know Jake Marra, I'm just surprised, it seemed like Bells and him were getting close. I guess something went wrong. I'm happy for you, I've noticed you don't have to many friends around you and everyone needs someone."

"Thanks, how are you doing? I went to go see Sue on Sunday but she wasn't home."

"She was visiting relatives, if you want to go over today she should be there. I'm doing okay, its hard. It's hard when you grow older, people start dying on you, it's not an easy thing to deal with." I nodded, I didn't exactly understand because death had only touched me lightly before this. Mom had died giving birth to me, however much I could miss her I didn't know her. It was like missing the mother figure I wished I'd had. It wasn't this raw real thing that Charlie was talking about.

"I might not fulling get it but I'm here to listen if you need to talk." He smiled at me real affection in his eyes.

"Your a good girl Mar your Dad is lucky to have you." I laughed a little.

"I think the only thing Dad is grateful for are his instruments and the marine life he studies."

"It may seem that way but when we talk he tells me how proud he is of you. He may be neck deep in what he's doing but I'm sure he thinks of you." I gave him a wan smile but let it go.

"Thanks, well I'm tired so I think I'm going to bed."

"Alight I just have one more thing to say." He took a breath and looked me straight in the eye. "Marra be careful however much of a good guy Jake is, he's still a boy and he's not perfect. I'm not sure what's going on between him and Bells but don't settle for being second fiddle if he's still interested in her." I was surprised but also knew Charlie saw more than I thought he did.

"I will and thanks for the advice, have a good night." He nodded and went back to his thoughts. I went downstairs mulling things over in my mind. I needed to talk to Jacob and see how he really felt about Bella, if he was just using me to make her jealous, or just distracting himself with me he would get the talking to of his life. I didn't want it to be true but I guess I would find out in the morning.

I did a bit of calculous homework then went to bed fed up with it. That night I dreamed of running on air, of diving through the water so fast it was all a blur. Then forest and smelling the trees as I ran. A thought niggled at the back of my subconscious. If Jacob could change, could I? Those late night eavesdropping sessions floated in my dreams so I wondered.

o0O0o

That was last night and all I knew was I had weird dreams and I wracked my brains trying to remember it. I made eggs, hash browns, biscuits and gravy, and sausage for breakfast. I was nervous waiting for Jacob needing to ask him. What Charlie had said last night stuck with me and I probed it like I would a sore tooth. It hurt to think about but I wouldn't shy away from reality. I heard him pull up in his motorcycle and felt a twinge of anxiety. I heard him open the door and then his footsteps come into the kitchen. I was putting a pitcher of orange juice on the table so my back was to him.

"Smells good, how did you sleep?" I turned he looked good in a pair of jean shorts with a black shirt that had Daughtry written on it.

"I slept okay, how are you?" We sat down and I started eating since I had made up the plates before hand.

"I'm doing good, slept fine, any plans for today?"

"Not much just homework, maybe go do some exploring." I couldn't hold it in so I asked. "I need to know, do you like Bella? Am I just a way to make her jealous? Is this real what's between us?" Jacob's fork paused halfway to his mouth. He set it down and looked at me.

"Why are you asking? Did Bella or Charlie say something?"

"Charlie said you and Bella were getting pretty close the last few days before the funeral." Jacob sighed.

"We were but she made it very plain that she doesn't want me. I tried to kiss her after I saved her when she went cliff jumping. She's obsessed with Edward, she can't choose me because she's already chosen who she wants. You on the other hand want to be with me and I've had feelings for you for a while. I know to some it might be sudden with what's going on between us but we have history together. A lot more history than I ever really had with Bella, so if your still willing I want to date you." I took a deep breath, that was a lot to take in. On one hand I was frustrated that we hadn't had this conversation before. On the other at least he had been honest with me when I asked him. He was right we did have history with each other and this felt right. I took another deep breath and looked into his eyes.

"Okay, yes, but I have rules. We have to be honest with each other about everything. If we have something we can't share fine but at least admit it. If your with me, your with me one hundred and ten percent okay,? Because I will do the same for you. We also need to talk about boundaries and how we feel about intimacy because my tanta Gretchen is right about this much. If you can't talk about sex openly with the person you may have it with then neither of you should." Jake's expressions flitted from surprise, happiness, understanding, to shock at that last bit. I laughed a little and went back to my breakfast to let him think. I was there quarters of the way through my breakfast when he spoke up.

"I can do that, and who is this tanta Gretchen?" I snorted and choked on the orange juice I was drinking. Jake was by my side patting my back as I coughed.

"Out of everything I said that's what you ask?" I choked out laughing and trying to breath at the same time.

"Yes?" He asked smirking at me.

"She's an aunt from Germany, on my grandma's side of the family. She'd remarried four times before her last husband. She was very inappropriate with her jokes and comments, or so grandma would complain. I loved her but she passed away three years ago." I could speak now without coughing so Jacob went back to his seat.

"She sounds like my Dad. With his keeping it real and all the other lingo he tries to impress me with." I laughed again this time without choking.

"Yeah they would have gotten along like a house on fire. Thank you for being honest with me Jake." I leaned over the table and caught his lips with mine in a quick kiss. He smiled gently at me.

"Your welcome Mar, you have guts for asking so I should be brave enough to answer. I should go though since school is starting in an hour." He gulped the last bit of orange juice and stood. I did likewise walking him to the door. I was about to open the door but he stopped me by bending and kissing me. He backed me against the wall and leaned into me. I felt giddy and ran my hands through his short hair not wanting him to let me go. He ran his hand up and down my arm slowly. His other hand tailed in my hair a thumb caressing my cheek. He groaned and back away a little. I clung not wanting him to go.

"Its not fair what you do to me." I gasped a little my heart thudding blood rushing through my veins.

"You have no idea how hard it is not to stay here and, well." He looked away hunger of another sort in his eyes.

"I know but I want to be dating for a while before we go that far. I love kissing you Jake, fI want us to get there but I don't want to be pressured, or to pressure you. I'm open to it, you would be my first, are you fine with waiting?"

"Yes, I don't want to be cheap when it comes to intimacy. We can take our time and explore I don't want to pressure you at all so you will set the pace for us." I leaned in and kissed him swiftly.

"Thank you, I'm glad we have some ground rules, and I don't mind exploring with you." I said looking down feeling somewhat shy after my bold statements. He tipped my chin up with a finger.

"Your welcome, I'm glad we talked about this too." He gently kissed me but stood back after a few seconds.

"You better get going you don't want to be late fore school." He laughed.

"Its weird you know? With all the supernatural stuff going on school still has to happen. I'm actually happy for it, doing normal things seems to ground me a little. You also help, you, your food, and your mouth." He kissed said mouth again and opened the door.

"Are you going to come over this afternoon?"

"Yeah but only for an hour or so since I have patrol at five."

"Okay I'll have an early dinner waiting then?"

"Thank you if you don't mind." He picked up my hand and kissed the palm sending shivers through my body.

"Your welcome, now shew." He shewed and I went to clean up breakfast while thinking of these kisses. I went downstairs and decided to bake some cookies like a good girlfriend after sending off the finished math homework. I'd had a brain wave after breakfast and finished it in record time. So by mid morning the cookies, chocolate chip to be precise, were cooling on a rack. I was watching Psych and eating a grilled cheese and tomato soup lunch. I got bored and so decided to dust off my rusty Judo skills.

I had learned a little when my Dad joined a team who was exploring new marine species near the Mariana Trench. One of them, a woman, was a tenth degree black belt and decided I should learn. So she taught me for the six months we were there. I made sure to practice but of late I had forgotten. So I practiced until I was covered in sweat and aching a little in my everywhere. I snorted at my own joke and reminded myself I needed more fiends.

I had finished changing out of my workout clothes when the door upstairs was opened and closed. I quietly walked up the stairs and heard voices. I opened the connecting door and stepped into the entryway. Bella, Alice, and another guy stood in by the front door, when I came up they all looked at me.

"I didn't think you would be home." Bella said lamely looking between Alice, the guy, and me.

"Yeah I had homework to do so I'm here. I thought just you and Alice were going on a road trip?" I questioned looking the guy over. He was similar to Alice in some ways, pale, amber eyes, and unnaturally beautiful. He must be one of the Cullens. That had been an interesting conversation with Jacob. He had told me more about them. How they would burn quickly if set on fire, how they were unnaturally fast, and how Edward could read thoughts. This last he had learned from Billy since Carlisle had told him his family's gifts. Bela tore me from my thoughts as she moved closer to the nameless guy.

"Yes, well, this is Edward, its complicated." I zeroed in on Edward, the guy that had torn Bella's life apart and now who waltzed in here like nothing had happened. Anger at the hurt he had caused both Bella and Charlie bubbled up. He spoke two words which changed the way Alice looked at me.

"She knows."

Of course I know you bastard. You fucked her up and now your back all hunky dory when you left her in pieces. How dare you come back here as if everything is fine. I screamed these thoughts at him hoping it would give him a headache. He did wince a little but most likely at the volume. I wondered how Jacob would deal with that and I saw a flash of anger pass over Edward's face.

He's mine so don't you dare lay a finger on him. I mentally snarled wanting so bad to hit him. I mean he was probably a great guy but great guys don't leave girls in the state Bella had been in.

"I think maybe Edward and I should go Bella. We'll see you tomorrow for school though, Edward and I will pick you up." Bella clung to Edward but before they could go a car door slammed and I heard the roar of a motorcycle pull up to the house.

"Shit." Alice said in her high voice. Edward looked pained and I felt a little better knowing the shit was going to hit the fan in the next couple of minutes. I didn't know how to feel about Bella, but Edward, I felt plenty for him. I waited as two sets of feet climbed up the stairs. Things would definitely heat up really soon.