Bella met Alice in the kitchen and made herself some breakfast. Alice didn't call her out earlier for eavesdropping on their conversation with Charlie. Oh, she knows that Alice knew she was awake but they didn't talk about it. Instead, Bella spent the rest of the day trying to ask Alice about the whereabouts of the rest of the family.

Bella had to make sure that her questions were revolved around the family and not just about Jasper. She was really trying her best to keep herself from asking where he was. How was he? Why was he not with Alice? Maybe it was just as well that Jasper was not here. It would have been an awkward situation if she saw Jasper and she would have launched herself at him, without realizing that he was not her mate in this past.

Alice shared that Carlisle was working nights at Ithaca and teaching part time in Cornell while Esme was restoring a seventeenth century house. Emmett and Rosalie had gone to a honeymoon in Europe but was already back. Jasper was studying Philosophy in Cornell while Alice was doing a personal research about her history that they accidentally learned during the fiasco with the nomads.

This was news to Bella. Apparently, the nomad that hunted Bella in this past had also hunted Alice when she was still human. This led to Alice finding out that she was from Biloxi Mississippi and her name was Mary Alice Brandon. She also had a sister who gave birth to a daughter, her niece, who was still alive.

Once she finds her way back, she was definitely sharing that information to Alice and Edward. For sure, they would do their own research about the matter.

It was spring break in Cornell now so everyone was spending their vacation in Alaska, with the Denali's except for one missing member, Edward. Alice was avoiding talking about him although, she would have preferred if Alice told her more of his whereabouts. She may not approve of him running away but he was still her brother and she cared for him still. Was he okay? Was he as miserable as Caleb was when he ran away to stay away from his mate?

Edward was an integral part of this story so she needed to be able to speak to him. Soon, she needed to be able to find a way to reach out to him.

The rest of the day, it was all about the Cullens and Bella couldn't help but compare their situation here with her own story. She was intrigued at every detail that was different from what she had known.

For one thing, their first move in Ithaca, they were together. Bella wasn't officially part of the family though because she was still human for the first part. She had stayed in a dormitory while she attended Cornell and took up Literature. When she turned twenty-one, when she was the same age as Jasper, she finally made the change and spent the rest of her new born years in Alaska while trying to master her restraint with human blood before she went back to college two years later.

When she graduated, Jasper finally proposed and they exchanged wedding vows in a simple wedding celebration back at the Cullen's Forks Mansion, where it all began. That was still too far down the road from where they were at right now in this timeline though, but Bella couldn't help but think that this Bella might have been able to get that opportunity just like she did, if only Edward didn't leave.

Charlie didn't get back until after dark, more worn out than before. He had to turn in early because he was headed back to the reservation for Harry's funeral. Bella stayed in the couch with Alice again for the night.

Bella did not want to do anything yet until after the funeral. Her father was still devastated by Harry's death and she didn't want him to see that anything was wrong if she suddenly was asking him permission to look for Edward when she was supposed to be recovering from a heartbreak after he left her. So, the next day, when Charlie left early to go to the funeral, she made herself busy by starting to clean the house which Bella was disappointed that it was being neglected by her counterpart.

Alice kept her company and it was her turn to ask questions about her, her school and the things going on in Forks but there was nothing that she could share because she literally didn't know what was happening. Instead, she changed the topic back to the Cullens.

"Alice... do you think the family... would it be okay if I see them again? "She tentatively asked. She initially wanted to ask the Cullens to come back to Forks but she didn't want to impose. Part of her was worried that they might not even bother with her anymore after Edward left but a small part of her trusted them that they would always consider her as family no matter what happens.

"Of course, Bella! They wouldn't want it the other way. We were afraid that you wouldn't want to see us again... after what happened." She told her.

A knock on the door interrupted them while they were in Bella's bedroom and they looked at each other.

Alice brows furrowed and she looked a little confused.

"I think... I have a good idea who your visitor is" There was only one thing that would cause Alice to guess, her vision was now being blocked by whoever was on the door. There was no reason that the rest of the pack would be here, but Jacob would.

"I better give you time alone. I'll just be outside. "Alice stood up.

"Wait, you don't have to go... you're my guest here" Bella argued. Besides, they might as well start learning to tolerate each other's presence without trying to kill each other but Alice only shook her head.

"I believe it's best for everyone if I step out for a while. Don't worry. I'll be nearby. "Alice assured her and Bella was suddenly all alone on her room. She huffed and finally went down.

She opened the door and was greeted by a tense Jacob. He stood back a few feet from the door, nose wrinkled in distaste and his car sitting idly by the curb. Two of his wolf friends were sitting at the back of the car, eyeing her suspiciously.

Really, she just found their reaction ridiculous and a bit annoying.

"Can I talk to you for minute?" he asked. He tried to keep his posture straight, trying to show her that he was trying to keep his emotions neutral but the trembling in his hands kind of gave him away.

"Sure, come on in" Bella ushered him inside. This was much better; she didn't have to go find him in the reservation instead.

"You're alone? "He asked looking at the door suspiciously.

Bella couldn't help but roll her eyes. "Yes I am. So, are you coming in or not? "Jacob didn't look like he was ready to budge so she shrugged and turned her back on him. If Jacob was trying to be difficult in this situation, she was having none of it.

"I'll be inside if you really want to talk" she called out to him from inside the house, leaving the door open.

Bella found the pack's hostility towards the Cullens as a bit excessive. They say that they were natural enemies but knowing that in her reality, they were able to coexist made her believe that they might be able to coexist here as well. If only the wolves could just stop themselves from acting like they're ready to bite the Cullen's head off whenever they see them or even just talking about them.

When she thought that Jacob won't follow her, he stepped inside the house and couldn't help but sneer at the sight before him.

"Looks like you're having some fun with your sleepover" he commented and Bella glared at him.

"Was there something that you need to talk to me about Jake? "Irritation was starting to show in her voice as she tried to keep the conversation on topic. What she does in her house was none of his business. She was suddenly missing the Jacob that she knew who was much more level headed than this one.

Jacob looked like he was ready to bolt. He was fidgeting and his eyes were darting around the house. He walked towards the kitchen and started pacing back and forth. His nose was still wrinkled in disdain and Bell could imagine that he was still smelling Alice's scent in the house.

"Jake, why don't you calm down a bit and tell me what's going on?" her voice turned softer. She wanted to stay irritated with her friend but she can see Jacob's uneasiness. Jacob was still new to this shapeshifting business and they were still too young. Judging by the timeline, Sam was still the Alpha and he hasn't taken the mantle yet. This must be all too much for him.

"There's one of them staying here with you" he stated.

"Yes, Alice Cullen" she said in the same tone.

"And how long will she be staying?" Bella sighed at his tone. "Whenever she wants to"

"Then, can you tell her about that vampire that's after you?"

Victoria. That was the name of one of the nomads in the clearing. She forgot to tell Alice about her.

"I will. Thank you for reminding me."

"Will the others be coming back? "

Bella wasn't quite sure with the answer to that though. She was still working on asking Alice if they would come back to Forks or if she would ask her to bring her to them but with Victoria on the loose, she could only wait for their decision and not hers.

"I'm not sure yet but I will be relaying the situation about Victoria to them and if they decide to help, which I'm sure they will, then yes, they might come back" this was not the answer that Jacob clearly wanted to hear.

"You should know that with the Cullens here, we can only protect you in our lands. We'll only be able to protect you in La Push"

"I understand and I'm grateful for your protection, really but I'll be okay. We never wanted the burden of hunting Victoria to be in your hands. She was our loose end and we'll make sure that she'll be taken cared off"

Jacob looked at her in surprise. "You already sound like your one of them" he couldn't help the coldness in his voice and the fact was, he was right. Bella was already one of them. Just, not on this body and not on this time... Yet.

"Oh Jake... I know you are only protecting your tribe but the Cullens, they didn't do anything wrong, why do you hate them so much?" Bella asked him and she tried to reach out to him but he moved away.

"Because they exist" he almost spat out the words.

"If you only knew, almost all of them would trade their immortality to be human again but they can't be, so they make do with what they can to live with whatever existence was given to them but you wouldn't know that because you didn't bother trying to know them for who they are" she defended them.

"And why should we bother? They kill people Bella! Why are you trying to defend them! They're our natural enemies! It's in our nature to hate them!" Jacob argued.

"No. I don't believe that. Yes, you protect your tribe from those that will cause you harm because there are others out there that are willing to kill, like Victoria.

The Cullens however, they made a treaty with you because all they ever wanted was to coexist because even if it's in their nature, they've gone against it for the longest time because they value human life as much as you do.

No, I don't believe it's in your nature to hate them, you just hate them because of what they are" Bella pointed out sadly and Jacob looked at her disbelievingly.

"You sure are an advocate of their cause. You act as if they never left you all alone and broken when all I could hear from you was how much you wanted to be with them "Jacob told her and it must be confusing for Jacob to see a Bella that was empty and broken and crying for the loss of a family one day, to her now that was casually talking about them and defending them like they never left at all.

"They left all right but that's for me to straighten out with them. My issues with them shouldn't even be considered when it comes to the packs opinion about the Cullens"

"Not when we're left to clean out their mess" his tone was hard, hurt and betrayal showing on his face and Bella knew, he wasn't just talking about the mess with Victoria.

He was there to pick up the pieces for Bella and she felt sad that it had to go down like this. This was her opportunity to try to make things right.

"Jake... I'm really sorry. You've always been there for me even when you didn't agree with my decisions but you were always there to support me. Our friendship means so much to me and I hate seeing you like this" Bella was speaking based on what she truly felt for Jacob and not just trying to make up something based on what Charlie shared about them, because Jacob was indeed there for her, in her timeline and in this timeline as well.

She did however, used some of the things that she knew had happened because Bella couldn't deny that if Jacob wasn't there to help, this Bella might have ended up like Helena. She will be forever grateful for that.

"These last few months, you were there for me and I... I don't know what would have become of me if it weren't for you" Jacobs body started to relax and he moved closer to her. His expression finally turning softer, his anger melting away.

"Bella... I'm sorry... I'm screwing this up again... I broke my promise to you... It's just that... with them back... I should have already expected... "he didn't continue, instead he sighed and he lifted his hands to her cheeks. "It just took me by surprise but I don't understand... how could you easily run back to them just like that. You act like they never even left you at all and it baffles me"

That was because for me, they didn't. Bella thought but she couldn't say it to him, not yet anyway.

"It's hard to explain but I've realized that whatever this is that we're trying to build...it's not going to work. We know for a fact that it will just end up getting both of us hurt."

"Why? Because you're supposed to be with that bloodsucker?" Jacob was trying hard to remove the acid from his tone but he was failing.

"Yes, and you know all too well that we're not meant for each other." She tried to tell him but he was shaking his head.

"You can't say that. You're not even giving it a chance"

"Yes, I can because one day you will imprint and I know that I'm going to be left heartbroken again when I see you choose your imprint over me and I wouldn't have any choice on the matter because I could never get in the way of that kind of unconditional love." She told him sadly. She could still see the denial in his eyes.

"I won't imprint"

"You sound as if you have any control over it. What are you going to do? Stay in the reservation, hide from everyone else so you wouldn't meet her?"

"I would if I have to"

"Then you're just denying yourself the chance at true happiness." Bella lifted her hand this time on his cheek and he leaned on it, closing his eyes.

"Why can't I be happy with you?" He asked softly.

"Because we can't. The truth is, I'm your back up girl while you wait to cross paths with your imprint and you're my rebound guy after being left and we deserve so much more than that" She knows those words were harsh but she needed Jacob to see the reality of their situation.

"We owe ourselves that... You've seen how Sam looks at Emily with love and devotion and I've seen how each of the Cullens look at their significant other like they're the most important thing in the world... I want that for both of us but we're not going to find that with each other... I found mine already... with Edward" Once she talks some sense out of him. She added in her mind.

"And It's just a matter of time before you'll find yours as well and when you do, you'll understand"

Bella dropped her hand back to her side and Jacob was silent for a long while but she could see that he was considering her words.

"You are still important to me Jacob... you're as much as a family to me as the Cullens and it hurts to see you so angry with them and always in the verge of trying to pick a fight. I really just hope that you could get along..."

"That's asking for too much of me Bella and I don't think Sam and the others would agree to the sentiment."

"I'm not asking you to be best buddies with them Jake... I only ask you to at least give them the benefit of the doubt."

Jacob gave a huge sigh

"I can't promise anything. Ugh, things weren't this complicated when we were just regular humans." Jacob commented and Bella couldn't agree more. Who knows, maybe in another reality, there was a Bella Swan who lived in a world where supernatural creatures don't exist, therefore, the Cullens not existing in that time. Maybe in that reality, Bella and Jacob would have ended up together.

Their conversation was interrupted by the phone ringing and Bella raised an eyebrow when it was Jacob who grabbed the phone and answered. They were still standing so close to each other and Jacob was eyeing her tentatively.

"Swan Residence" he said in a gruff voice. He was silent but then his posture suddenly changed. He stood rigid, hands holding the phone tighter than usual and expression one of masked indifference.

"He's not here" His voice was cold and Bella has seen enough of Jacob's reaction to guess that the person on the other line could be a Cullen.

Before Jacob could even say another thing, Bella finally interrupted.

"Give me the phone Jacob." Bella held out her hand for the phone and Jacob looked like he was debating on whether he should give it to her or not, all the more that Bella wanted to take the phone from him.

"The phone Jake." Her voice was stern and Jacob finally spoke as he placed the phone on her hand.

"I told you I can't promise anything right?"

With that, he moved away from her and even before Bella could turn to see where he went, she heard the front door closing. So much for talking. Bella sighed then focused her attention to the phone.

"Hello?" She tentatively answered. There was no one speaking on the line and she wondered if the caller had already hanged up but she could faintly hear some background noise and knew that the caller was still there listening.

There was no other Cullen that Bella could think of that would even bother calling her house. She tried to pretend otherwise that the person on the other line was the one man that she wanted to hear badly but that was not the case. This was a different Bella Swan's story.

"Edward..." She finally spoke the name.

She thought that no one was going to respond but after several breaths...

"Bella..." The voice spoke her name like a drowning man clinging to his lifeboat. She's never heard this tone from Edward before, not in her lifetime and it broke her heart.

"You're alive..." she could hear his relief on the other line.

"Of course, I am. Why do you think otherwise? " Bella asked, confused at his statement.

"They said that... you jumped... " Bella was surprised that he knew about that. That was probably the reason why he called.

"I wasn't trying to kill myself if that's what you're leading. I was in the Quileute reservation and the Quileute's can block Alice's vision so she didn't see that I actually came out of the water" Bella explained. She was glad then that she was talking to Edward or who knows if things might have blown out of proportion if he really believed that she died.

"Where are you?" Bella asked him. She heard him sigh.

"Somewhere far away where I couldn't hurt you" His voice was almost a whisper and she strained to hear him from the phone's reception.

"It didn't really make any difference because you leaving, only hurt me more than you know" she told him sadly. She wanted to say 'this Bella' but that was a conversation for another time.

"All I wanted was for you to have a normal life. I didn't mean to be the cause of your pain. I can't be selfish and take that away from you just for me to be happy" he said in an anguished tone.

Bella suddenly remembered a similar conversation she had with Jasper.

"Bella... you know what I am... you know what I've done in the past. I want you to have a normal life, away from all of this... I'm afraid that I might hurt you in the long run... accidentally... or even intentionally. But I am a selfish man and I've waited for so long to finally be with you ever since Alice told me about a girl that's waiting for me in my future..."

"I want you to be selfish. You can't keep blaming yourself for all the bad things that have happened to me or will happen to me. You've waited so long to find happiness. You're not the only one who's feeling it. I do too and I want that same happiness that's why I will always take the risk just to be with you... "

Bella spoke those words to Jasper a long time ago and now, she realized that she had spoken it out loud to Edward as well which for her, just felt so wrong.

"You can't make that choice" she couldn't believe Edward! He was so hell-bent in protecting this Bella that he can't even see the pain that he was causing her and couldn't he hear himself? How could he allow himself to feel the pain when he knew he could have avoided it in the first place by just being with this Bella?

"Yes, I can, I will and I am... making that choice. That's why I want you to come home... to me... to your family. Stop denying yourself that happiness because you're also denying mine as well too" Bella gripped the phone tighter. This Bella, he was denying this Bella a chance of happiness by staying away.

She wanted to tell him how much she loved him, how she can't live without him, how she's just as broken as him when he was gone but she couldn't bring herself to say those words because he was not Jasper, he was not the man that she shared her vows with. Those were the words that this Bella should say to him, not her.

She'll have to leave it up to this Bella to convey those words once she returns to her own body. They were long overdue for a heart-to-heart talk anyway.

However, she might not be able to convey her undying love to a man that she treats as a brother than a lover, but she does care for him enough to want him to return to his family.

"Please Edward, don't make this any harder than it is." She pleaded.

"Oh Bella... "she can hear the indecision in his voice and hope flurried in her heart that he would finally give in.

"It's better this way... "

"Ugh! " Bella groaned in frustration. She thought that she was finally getting through to him! She wanted so much to smack him right now. Her mood suddenly changed; she was no longer feeling sorry for him. It was hard not to feel irritated at what he was trying to do.

Bella saw movement in her periphery and she turned to see Alice staring at her as if she was waiting to see what she was going to do next.

She wasn't going anywhere with Edward if she continued to appeal to him this way. He was too stubborn and too adamant to stay away as his twisted way of trying to protect her so she decided if he was all for protecting her, why not give him the incentive.

"Look, if you're not going to get your butt back here, I'm going to have Alice take me to whatever corner of the world you are in right now and drag you back where you belong... Here with me..." She couldn't believe that Edward was this stubborn but then again, the Edward that she knew didn't have this issue with his mate because Alice was already a vampire.

She saw Alice grinning and nodding at her with approval.

"If you really want to protect me" she added for good measure "then... Come back. Because Victoria is here trying to finish what James started." There. That should get a reaction from him and it did. She could hear a snarl coming from the other line. Alice also registered surprise in her face, only hearing about it now.

"no... I shouldn't have stopped looking for her. I can't believe I left you unprotected from her! I was such a fool! " He was berating himself this time. She wanted to tell him not to be too hard on himself but she couldn't. Maybe this was what he needed to finally snap out of it and finally return. She needs to get back to her future and this Bella needs her happy ending.

"There's something about me that you need to know as well, something that happened that I would need your help and the rest of the family. If you want to stop Victoria and find out what it is, then you know what to do" Bella said in finality and before he could say anything else, she hangs up the phone.

Alice was looking at her in awe.

"Alice?" Bella prompted and she didn't need to ask the question as her vampire sister's eyes went out of focus and when she stared back at Bella a few seconds later, she was smiling triumphantly.

"He's coming home"

Author's note:

So... that just happened O_O. I initially wanted to include the Volturi scene but hey, since this Bella is from a different timeline and doesn't know what was supposed to happen, it wouldn't be a surprise that she would disrupt the natural flow of the story but at least Edward gets to come home XD

Thank you all for reading and liking and bookmarking. It means so much to me so I can keep the story going.