Your Pain is My Pain

JacobxBella

Rated M

Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight or the franchise, as it belongs to Steph Meyers

Your Pain is My Pain

Chapter 25

Bella stood in absolute shock as she stared at the woman her father had introduced as Victoire. Charlie…he had brought her to their home? He invited her inside their home?! Couldn't he see that this Victoire was actually Victoria in disguise? But of course, he wouldn't know that, because he didn't know who Victoria was, what she was, or who she was to Bella. And she couldn't fault him for that, but just looking at her, she just felt it in her gut that this was the redhaired vampire.

Charlie and Victoire looked at the brunette in confusion and a bit of concern. For whatever reason, Bella seemed to be slightly frozen upon seeing the blonde woman. Charlie wondered if it was because he had brought Victoire home to meet her after only mentioning her to his daughter once. She probably didn't expect for him to actually be seeing someone. Looking at her, he asked, "Bella? You okay, kiddo?"

Recovering from her shock, Bella gave a small, awkward smile and answered, "Uh, yeah, I'm alright. I was just surprised that you invited someone over for dinner, that's all."

Turning her attention to Victoire, Bella greeted, "Hi, I'm Bella."

"Hello, Bella. I am Victoire Delacroix," Victoire greeted in return with a kind smile, her blue eyes sparkling in her pale face. "It is so nice to finally meet Charlie's daughter. He speaks very highly of you, you know."

Charlie scratched the back of his head in embarrassment while Bella nodded slowly. This was so awkward for Bella. Not only was "Victoire" acting like she wasn't Victoria in disguise, but she was being way too nice with her fake French accent that sounded real, though obviously dulled down from living in the states for so long. Really, if this was the angle she was going for, she was doing a fantastic job so far. Even so, Bella could feel her anxiety rising on the inside, even though she wasn't showing a hint of it on her face.

Giving the two adults quick nods, she stated that she was going to get started on dinner, quickly moving into the kitchen. Charlie took this time to lead Victoire into the living room, the two of them sitting in there and talking while waiting for dinner to be prepared. Bella pulled out the appropriate ingredients to make a shrimp, leek, and spinach pasta, as well as a salad on the side, before peering out of the kitchen into the living room. She frowned at seeing just how close Charlie and Victoire looked, Victoire smiling a perfect smile as Charlie said something to her, her teeth perfectly straight and white. Moving back to the counter to get started on cooking, Bella took her phone out of her pocket and forwarded a quick, yet urgent text to Jacob.

SOS Jake! Charlie brought Victoria home!-Bella

Dinner went surprisingly well between the three of them, without a single hiccup other than Bella accidently spilling her water over on the table due to her nerves. Victoire was very jovial throughout dinner, full of life and laughter, a complete contrast to Charlie's personality. And yet, she seemed to fit very well into the Swans' dynamic. If Bella didn't know better, she would think that the blonde was a perfect match for her dad. And Victoire was really nice to her, complimenting her on the pasta she had made, telling her it was absolutely delicious and that she would love to know the recipe, considering just how simple it was to make. And Charlie, the man was obviously very smitten with her.

Bella felt that she could like Victoire, and almost felt like she definitely would like her, if only she didn't know who she really was. She had no proof that the woman across from her was actually Victoria, but the resemblance to the vengeful redhead was just too uncanny. Even her blonde curls were shaped the exact same as Victoria's, as well as her grin. It just put Bella on edge, especially because she couldn't figure out her deal in seducing Charlie—outside of most likely doing so to get closer to her—but she knew her endgame. And knowing all of this, she wasn't about to stand for it. But more than anything, she wished Jacob was there to help her.

Knocking on the front door drew their attention, causing Victoire to stop talking midsentence. Before Charlie could stand up from the table, Bella jumped up saying, "I'll get it."

Rushing to the front door, Bella practically threw it open, her chocolate brown eyes landing on Jacob's tall form. Relief flooding her body at seeing him, Bella opened the screen door and allowed him inside before wrapping her arms around him, his strong arms enveloping her in return and holding her close. As her heartbeat slowed down at feeling his lips on the top of her head, Bella listened to his steady heartbeat for a while before looking up at him.

"Is it her?" she asked him in a whisper. "Is it Victoria in there with my dad? Can you smell that it's her?"

Before Jacob could answer, Charlie rounded the corner and said, "Jake, this is a surprise. Well, I'd say it was if I wasn't so use to you being here, invite or not."

Jacob gave the older man an amused grin and greeted with a wave, "Hey Charlie. How've you been?"

"I've been well, just the same old, same old for the most part." Charlie beckoned him further into the house, and Jacob followed him into the kitchen, Bella close on his heels.

As soon as they entered the kitchen, Charlie introduced Jacob to Victoire, stating he was his friend Billy's son, as well as Bella's best friend and boyfriend. Victoire looking Jacob over with an impressed look on her face before looking over at Bella saying, "You sure picked a hunky one, Bella."

Laughing, Jacob simply replied, "You're just as pretty, Ms. Victoire."

"And he's a polite sweetheart, too! He's definitely a keeper, Bella."

"Thanks," Bella mumbled, Jacob simply laughing while Charlie invited him to eat. Jacob declined, but sat at the table as conversation continued. Victoire talked about how though she had been born and France and lived there for a bit, she and her mother moved to the states not long after she turned ten years old. It was the same relocation story that Charlie had told Bella upon first bringing up Victoire. As it turned out, her father was American and was in love with her mother but had to leave France as he was only there for business and had to return to work. He had tried to stay in contact with her mother, but her mother had moved from the home he was familiar with and had a different phone number, thus he had trouble trying to contact her, let alone find her. He didn't know about him fathering a child with her mother until she was eight years old. Her mother and father finally reunited when she was nine when he went back to France, meeting her for the first time who stated that she looked like his father's big sister—who had gone missing at some point—even having her blue eyes, and a year later, she and her mother left France and moved to the states to be with her father, and their family had been complete ever since with a few more additions. It was a nice story, but one that Bella wasn't too sure was true, though both she and Jacob listened intently to it.

Eventually, Victoire had to go home and bid everyone 'goodnight', Charlie leaving with her to take her home, as she had come with him in the police cruiser. The moment the two of them were gone, Bella to Jacob and asked, "Well? Is it her?"

Jacob was quiet for a while before finally saying, "While she does resemble the redhead, as well as there being a lingering scent of leech when I got here, I genuinely think the lady is human."

"Really? Are you sure?"

"Yeah, I'm pretty sure. And you heard her backstory, Bells. She apparently looks like her dad's missing aunt, even having her eyes. It could be that she's simply the redhead's descendent that she never knew; it's not impossible. But I can definitely say that she isn't the leech trying to pull a fast one on Charlie."

The brunette nodded before letting out a sigh of relief. Boy, did that make her feel better, especially knowing that her father wasn't in any danger. Letting out a small, breathless laugh, Bella ran a hand through her hair before she said, "That's a relief. I almost feel silly for getting so worried over nothing."

Wrapping his arms around her in a hug, Jacob told her, "Never feel silly for being genuinely concerned about Charlie's or anyone's safety, honey. And that includes your own, as well."

He smiled down at her and pressed his lips against hers, kissing her sweetly as she returned the kiss. Pulling away, he grinned at seeing the blush on Bella's face from his kiss. Kissing her once more, he then apologized for not coming as soon as he got her text. "I was in a meeting with Old Quil and a few Elders and couldn't leave," he told her.

"It's okay, Jake. And what was the meeting about? Is something wrong?"

"No, not really. It's just that…apparently the Elders are concerned because I haven't Imprinted like the others, but am dating you, as well as that I've made no move to try to take up my birthright as Alpha of the Pack."

"But that's not their decision to make for either of those situations. You take up being Alpha when you're ready, Jake. Don't let those old geezers pressure you into it."

Jacob couldn't help but laugh a little at that. "Thanks Bells. But Sam isn't just going to hand the position over. When I phased, he told me about my birthright and asked me if I wanted to be Alpha. It was his only offer, and I refused. He's not just going to hand it to me, not without a fight."

"Then fight for it when you're ready. If you really want to have it one day, then you take it, whether Sam backs down willingly or not. No one can stop you, Jake."

She pressed a sweet kiss on his cheek, glad to see her words of encouragement touched him. Thinking about the other part of his earlier statement, she asked, "And what the Elders think of you not Imprinting?"

Jacob placed his head on hers, holding her to him comfortingly as if to comfort himself, before saying, "I told them that I wasn't going to Imprint, not unless it was on you. They didn't like that, though Billy and Old Quil didn't have any real objections. The only thing that dad is concerned about is if I'm letting my feelings and relationship with you cloud my judgement to the protection of our lands and people, as is my duty as a Shifter. But it's not, and I know it's not; I just have one more person that I care about enough to want to protect, and that's you. As for Old Quil, he let me in on a secret as true Alpha."

Intrigued, Bella looked up at him. "And what's that?"

"Because I'm the true Alpha, I can have my pick of an Imprint. I can choose who I want to be with rather than let it be done for me."

"Really?" Bella was in awe of his words, her heart beating double time in her chest at what this information could mean.

"Really," Jacob replied with a grin. "Of course, the only thing is that an Imprintee, especially the one for the Alpha, has never been a paleface, but I don't care about that. I care about you, Bella; I always have. I know I do some rather unconventional things by spirit wolf standards, but I've always followed my heart, and my heart leads me to you in the end." He smiled and pressed his forehead against hers, looking into her chocolate brown eyes. "I love you, Bells, and I'll choose you every time."

Gasping softly, Bella stared at Jacob in shock and awe, not believing what he had just confessed. Jacob loved her, he really loved her. She wondered how he could, especially after she had such a hard time loving herself, but she supposed that didn't matter. For whatever reason, Jacob loved her, flaws and all, and was willing to fight for her in any way necessary. This man, she really didn't deserve him, and yet she still wanted to be with a liked him so much. She thought perhaps she'd end up loving him one day, but she definitely knew that right now, she couldn't be happier. Of course, she felt bad that she couldn't return his heartfelt sentiment just yet, but it seemed Jacob understood that, as he simply kissed her and told her he'd wait to hear her return those words to him when she was ready.

They kissed once more before Bella remembered something from when he had been there earlier. "You said something was wrong on the Reservation before you left before. What happened?"

"Oh yeah, that. Well, Seth phased into his wolf."

"He did? Is he alright?"

"Yeah, he's okay. But the strange thing is, so did Leah."

"Leah did what? Phase?"

At Jacob's nod, Bella's eyes widened in shock. "What?!"

"It's surprising for us, too, as well as the Elders. There has never been a female Shifter in our history; Leah is the first."

"But why did she phase in the first place? What happened?"

Sighing, Jacob told her about how Leah and Harry had gotten into a fight about how he didn't care about her enough to tell her that he knew that Sam had left her for Emily. They fought about how he didn't stand up for her about it and just ignored the fact that her cousin had shacked up with the man that she loved, acting like nothing was wrong and that it was normal. It had gotten so explosively bad, that Leah had gone outside, Harry following to reprimand her about her attitude and about her needing to let the situation go, only for Leah to explode in a fit of anger. And Seth, having seen how upset and angry his sister was, got angry at Harry on his sister's behalf as well, and he too phased. The whole ordeal scared not only the Clearwater children, but Harry so badly—as it was so unexpected, especially Leah—that he had gone into cardiac arrest. Luckily, Harry survived his heart attack, but was currently going to stay in the hospital to be monitored until further notice, especially with his health being so poor. Bella, while glad to hear that Harry was alright, wondered how Leah and Seth were coping. Hopefully they would integrate the Pack okay, but she knew Leah wasn't going to like sharing headspace with Sam from now on.

The two of them spoke some more for a while before Jacob had to leave again, kissing Bella 'goodnight' while telling her that he'd see her tomorrow. Bella watched him leave once again, this time having come on his motorcycle, until he was out of sight. And as she closed the door of her home, she couldn't help but feel how her heart still fluttered at Jacob telling her that he loved her.

That night, Bella slept peacefully in her bed, Charlie busy snoring in his own bedroom. The brunette dreamt happily, her dreams filled with Jacob and a future she could only ever hope to have. Suddenly, in the midst of her dreaming, she felt something cold press down over her face, closing off her nostrils, obstructing her breathing.

Eyes snapping open, Bella looked around frantically before her eyes landed on Victoria, the real Victoria, looming over her with a sinister smirk. She tried to let out a scream, only for the scream to be muffled by the vampire's hand over her mouth. The redhaired vampire merely chuckled at the brunette before leaning her face in close to the pathetic human's their noses practically touching as she did. Red eyes looked over her for a moment before she said, "I hope you had a nice time with my great-niece, as well as your father and pet wolf tonight, Bella Swan. I hope you did, because it was the last time that you ever will."

In a second, Victoria grabbed Bella and quickly disappeared with from her bedroom, out of her window, and into the night. And as she did, Bella couldn't help but feel frightened at what was happening. Victoria had kidnapped her from her home! Oh, how she wished Jacob was there! But now she couldn't help but think that she would never see him, or Charlie, ever again.