Bella PoV

"You know, he should probably use the door next time. I don't know how long the tree can bear all this climbing." Charlie stood in my open doorway, a can of beer in his hand, the other buried in his trouser pocket.

I flinched. I didn't hear him coming up the stairs and into my room. I must have been so focused on Jacob and the others that I hadn't heard him. Quickly I turned around, an innocent looks on the face. "What do you mean?"

Charlie sighed and took a sip of his beer. "Look Bells, I am not stupid. I know that he comes up to your room sometimes when you think I don't notice and that he sleeps here. I have three simple rules: Always home before dark. The door must always be open and either I or Billy must be around. And no fooling around." With that he came up closer and looked me up and down. His gaze softened and with the back of his hand he caressed my cheek.

"My beautiful Bella. It has been so long. You are and always will be my little girl and it's hard to see the amazing woman you've become. I feel like I have to protect you, but I see that you don't need my protection anymore. You are growing up and ready to live your own life, make your own decisions. And obviously you are very much in love with Jake. More than you've ever been with the Cullen boy. I know it's time I let you go, as hard as it might be." He had put his can on my desk, a small smile on his face. "I love you Bella and you will always be my little girl. I will always be here for you whenever you need me. But I realize I have to step back a little so you can become the amazing woman I know you'll be. I trust you, Bella. I know that you are responsible. As long as you promise me that you'll be careful in whatever you are doing, I let him use the front door. And even stay during the night. As long as the door stays open. A little", he added and if I hadn't known better, I'd swear I saw a tear forming in the corner of his eye.

I looked at him stunned and unable to proceed what he was telling me. Did he mean he gave his okay for me seeing Jacob? Here in my room? And let him stay during the night? I stepped forward and put my arms around my dad which caught him totally off guard. He hesitated before he returned my embrace, awkwardly patting my back. "I love you, dad. And I promise I'll never do anything stupid. And always be home before dark", I joked as I let him go and stepped back.

"Alright, alright." Charlie took his can of beer and sighed. "I guess he's outside and waiting for me to go to sleep so he can come back right in again?"

I blushed, looked down, hesitated, and nodded. I didn't want to lie to him, not after everything he had just said and did.

"So, get him in already before he catches a cold or something." Charlie muttered before he went back in the kitchen to get himself a snack before watching TV.

Warm night air greeted me as I stepped outside. I wore only a white T-Shirt and one of Charlie's shirts above it but I didn't feel cold at all. My thoughts were racing and my face still red from excitement. I was practically running towards the woods where I knew I'd find him. I didn't worry about him catching a cold but now that Charlie had given me his permission, I couldn't wait to have him at my side again.

I had barely set one foot inside the dark forest when something grabbed my upper arms, and I was yanked against a hard chest. Warm breath met my face as he began to talk. "Bella? What are you doing here? Is everything alright with Charlie?" He sounded so concerned and yet there was absolutely no reason to be.

"Heletsyouusethefrontdoor", I answered so quickly that I doubted that he could understand one thing I had just said. Indeed, he seemed quite puzzled in the pale moonlight as he looked at me like I had gone crazy. "What did you say?"

"Charlie. He knows that you sneak in my room sometimes and he now gave you the official permission to come in through the front door." I jumped up and down from excitement. "Jake, he even lets you sleep in my room for the night. As long as we keep the door open a little. And not do anything stupid." My eyes shone and I couldn't stop jumping.

It took him a few minutes to let everything I had just said sink in. "Bells, are you sure that's what he said?" He sounded unsure and I could understand that. It was so unlike Charlie to allow something like this and yet he had. "Yes. He gave his okay because he trusts me, he said. And because he wants to spare the poor tree any further climbing." I grinned and threw my arms around Jake's huge body. He returned the embrace, still unsure if he had heard right. "I still can't believe it. What has gotten into him?" he asked quietly and I giggled. "Who cares? You can come in anytime you like now without worrying that he might see you." I breathed in his chest which was warm and strong and so Jacob. "Come on, it's time to go." I spoke happily, took his hand in mine and drew him back to my house.

Charlie didn't seem too happy to see Jake entering the house through the front door but he didn't object and even greeted him with a short wave of his hands before I led Jake back upstairs into my room. As Charlie had wanted the door stayed open a little, just enough that you could see some of the bed but not everything. I figured it might still be weird for Charlie to see us in bed together, even if we were just sleeping and I wanted to spare him this experience.

I quickly went into the bathroom, took a shower, brushed my teeth and my hair, changed into my pyjamas, and then went back into bed where I waited for Jacob to finish his turn in the bathroom too. I had given him a toothbrush of his own and also a towel since he first started to spend the nights with me. It was much easier this way and for me it was another step in our relationship. Even if we weren't living together, some part of him still stayed at my house when he left.

We snuggled together under my light blanket. I knew with the blanket and his hot body beside me I would most probably sweat like hell but I just couldn't sleep without anything covering my body. I turned off the lights and let only the pale moonlight illuminate the room. I felt his warm body beside me, his hand resting lightly on my hips, drawing small circles on the bare skin. For some time, I simply enjoyed the moment, the realization that we wouldn't have to hide anymore. Charlie knew and it felt like a huge stone was lifted from my shoulders. One problem solved I thought and traced the outlines of Jake's beautiful face. He smiled, turned, and placed a kiss on the palm of my hand. "Everything alright?" he asked softly, and I nodded. "Everything's perfect." I bent forward to kiss him and even though I had intended the kiss to be light and soft it didn't stay that way.

His lips were, as they crushed on mine, hot and demanding and he used his hand on my hip to pull me closer to him, so our bodies lay side by side. They fitted perfectly like two pieces of a puzzle made for each other. Through the thing fabric of my pyjama shorts I could feel how much he liked my kissing and this in turn turned me on. I moaned in his mouth as he cupped my face and then began to kiss his trail further down. Downstairs the TV still sounded, so there was no risk of Charlie finding us. My mind began to drift away as I felt his hot hands exploring my body, caressing every bit of flesh over and under my pyjamas. In turn, my hands began to travel too, exploring his bare upper body which I had already felt so often and yet each time I discovered something new. Like the small scar just below his neck which I had never seen or felt before. My hands went further down, reaching the hem of his shorts and then went further down. He stilled for a moment when I touched him but relaxed instantly and smiled.

We made out for some time, exploring, touching, and moaning but didn't go all the way. I would be weird with Charlie downstairs and the risk of being discovered was too great. Still there were some nice things we could do and which we did.

Afterwards we lay on the side, looking at each other, totally relaxed and happy. His hair was damp as I ran my fingers through it and his chest was covered with a layer of sweat. I wasn't any different, but it didn't matter.

"I love you" I whispered and yawned.

"I love you too", he whispered back.

And that was that.

It took the Cullens four days to arrive. They must have travelled at full speed to get to us this quick. It was just getting dark, and Charlie had gone to his room when something tapped lightly against my window. I had closed it before to block out the too warm summer air and drawn the curtains. Jacob was at the woods, phased, to talk to Sam and his brothers, so I was all alone in my room.

I was sitting on my bed, reading a book I needed for school and startled when I heard the tapping. At first, I thought I had imagined it but when the tapping continued, I frowned, put the book down and went slowly towards the window.

Carefully, always ready to fight or run, depending on who (or what) was outside, I drew back the curtain and looked outside.

A cloud had darkened the crescent moon. but the six white figures were still clearly visible against the shadows. They seemed to look up at my window, as if they were waiting for something.

My body stiffened. I stood as still as I could, trying to calm down my nerves. Please, let Jacob stay in the woods just a little bit longer...I prayed. I didn't know how I found the strength to change into a pair of jeans and a sweater and go outside, opening the door softly, careful not to alarm Charlie.

I found them standing exactly where they had been before. Six people, white and still as marble stones, looking at me with stone faces. Neither of them showed any emotions at all, not hatred, disgust, joy or sadness. I tried to look the same, stone faced like I didn't care whether they were here or not but the fast beating of my heart must have betrayed me. All of them but most especially Jasper were very good at sensing emotions and mine were twirling all around.

Seeing them again, unchanged brought back so many memories. Bad ones, yes, but mostly good ones. Like the day they had tried to cook for me when I had first visited them. Or the day they took me to their baseball game (even if it had ended badly). Or they day I had first seen them, beautiful like angels, walking in the cafeteria, sitting all together on one table, pretending to eat when in fact they didn't. I saw Alice sitting on my bed, chatting along while I sipped my tea. I saw Carlisle treating me when I was at the hospital after my near accident with the truck. I saw Esme smiling happily as she saw me and her son together. I saw Emmet and Jasper, joking and laughing. I saw Rosalie, beautiful, angel-like Rosalie looking ever so lost, although she would kill me if I admitted I had seen her this way.

They were all here, they had come back, to Forks, to me and it was like nothing had changed, like it was only yesterday I had been at their house on this fateful day, celebrating my birthday which had ended badly too. Just one like paper cut had changed everything. I knew Jasper had been sorry from the moment he had come back to his senses and I didn't hold it against him. They tried so hard to be different, tried not to be the monsters nature had intended them to be. Fate had thrown them all together and now they lived as a family as best as they could.

To me, they weren't monsters. Never had been. They were people, dangerous yes, but still loving and caring and good.

He was not with them and I briefly wondered where he was. Did he even know they were here?

"Bella" Carlisle began in his soothing, quiet doctor-voice and took one step closer to me.

I smiled weakly, still too disturbed by their presence. "Hi"

"Alice told us you need our help defeating Victoria" I had always liked this about him. He always said the things straightforward as they were.

I nodded. "She has gathered an army. They are too many; we can't fight them by ourselves."

"That's why we are here. We've come to correct the mistake we made by leaving Forks. We thought she would leave this town alone if we left but this wasn't the case."

I nodded once more.

"Bella, we are so sorry about all of this." Esme had stepped up beside her husband and smiled sadly. "If we had known we would have come sooner."

"You couldn't know." I answered. "And you are here now, that's all that matters. With your help, we can defeat Victoria once and for all."

"Hell yeah." Emmet shouted from behind the two vampires. "We'll kick her butt so hard she'll never be able to sit again."

I shook my head. They hadn't changed one bit.

The tension that had prevailed between us, vanished and now the whole clan came forward to greet me. Alice took me in a cold embrace, Jasper shook my hand and Emmet patted me on the shoulder. Rosalie nodded briefly but she'd never done anything else, so I didn't feel offended. Esme hugged me too, a loving, motherly hug and I felt myself relaxing. All the anger I had feared to feel when I saw them again evaporated into thin air and I began to feel at ease with them. I realized I had forgiven them long ago about the way they had treated me by fleeing in the middle of the night. They had thought they would protect me by going away.

"Bella, we need to talk with them. Alice hasn't been able to see when Victoria plans to attack yet but it will only be a matter of days now. We need to form a plan if we want to win this fight."

Only then did I remember Jacob who must still be in the woods somewhere and who wouldn't be pleased at all if he saw me out here, familiarizing with the vampires while he was away. I swallowed and turned towards the dark forest. "Stay here. I'll let them know you've arrived." I ordered them. Not one of them tried to stop me or said anything as I made my way into the dark forest, softly calling for Jacob.

I didn't have to wait long. I could feel him before I saw him, a big red wolf watching me with dark eyes. He hadn't phased back and when I saw him sniffing the air and growling quietly, I knew the reason why. He sensed his enemy and was prepared to fight. He wouldn't phase back until he knew that it was safe for me and for him.

I nodded. "They are here. Tell Sam that Carlisle wants to meet with him. They must form a plan if they want to win." Jacob narrowed his wolf eyes and growled once more but then he turned his head a little and I knew he was talking to Sam and the rest of the pack in his mind. After a few minutes he lowered his head a little. So Sam will come

Jake looked at me then shook his fur before he went on in the direction of my house. Obviously, he had decided it was safest for me if he accompanied me in his wolf form. I frowned but followed him the short distance to our front yard.

Carlisle and the others had retreated a bit so that they couldn't be spotted if Charlie decided to take a look outside. When they saw me coming back, a huge red wolf at my side they came forward. Alice must have told them about the pack of werewolves on their way here because none of them seemed too surprised to see him at my side. But Rosalie, Emmet and Jasper narrowed their eyes a little, their natural animosity taking over. Only Alice, Esme and Carlisle stayed still and managed to look Jacob calmly in the eyes.

"You are one of the Quileute wolves", Carlisle began, speaking calmly. Jacob growled, baring his teeth a little. I put a hand in his warm fur in an attempt to calm him down too. I know that vampires and werewolves hated each other but an open fight would help no one.

"I, we, have to thank you for keeping this town safe when we didn't. And Bella." The pale, blond vampire lowered his head a little. Jacob snorted to show them how little he felt of his gratitude.

"Jacob, please. They are good people." I knelt down and placed my hands on either side of his huge head. "And you know we need them. Until the fight is over and Victoria dead we need them. I need you at my side in this one. It will be already difficult enough for the rest of the pack to fight alongside them, so at least you have to trust me. Trust them. They won't turn on you. They know they've made a mistake and they are here to fix it. Please Jake," I added, letting my head fall forward until it laid against his warm body. "I love you."

Jake didn't move. His gaze was locked on me, his look soft. He lowered his head and pushed it lightly against the palm of my hands. I understood and, grinning broadly, began to strike and pat him as if he was a big puppy and not a lethal monster.

The vampires had stayed still and watched me as I knelt beside Jacob and talked to him before I began to strike his fur and rise up again. "It's alright," I told Carlisle. "They'll come and they'll listen. We will fight together. Victoria won't stand a chance."