Thank you so much IamTheAlleyCat for beta'ing and Ncsupnatfan for pre-reading.

It's Saturday again so it's… Update Day! I look forward to this all week. Sorry for the confusion with the third chapter alert last Sunday. I was trying to update C15 to remove the begging note I'd left, but I ended up posting it as a separate chapter.


Chapter Sixteen

Bella

Two days after I got out of the hospital, I set out for Forks with Charlie. I hadn't seen the Cullens again, though I had exchanged texts with Carlisle and Alice, as I didn't want to risk Charlie crossing paths with them. Edward had seen the fallout from him leaving me in Charlie's thoughts when he returned to Forks, and Charlie had his chance to vent at him. I didn't think he needed to do it again with the rest of the family.

We arrived in Forks in the afternoon, and I smiled out of the window as we passed through the town, seeing familiar sights. It had been a while since I'd been back as, being the junior still, I had pulled shifts over Thanksgiving and Christmas. I was looking forward to being back and seeing my friends, not to mention Renee when she arrived.

There was a certain level of trepidation, though, as I knew the pack would hear about the Cullens being in Oregon before long. Jacob especially was going to be pissed as he, of all my La Push friends and family, hated them the most.

When Charlie pulled up in front of the little white house on the edge of the forest, though, I wasn't thinking about the wolves and the drama that was to come. I was thinking about how good it felt to be home.

The front door swung open just as Charlie cut the engine, and Seth bounded out and down the steps, leaving Sue standing on the threshold. He opened my door and held out a hand to help me out. I took it gratefully, feeling the heat of his hand, and smiled as I climbed out.

"Hey, Bells," he said. "How are you doing?"

"I'm good," I said honestly. "Bulletproof vests: everyone should have one."

Seth grinned, and Charlie harrumphed.

Seth offered me his arm, and though I was quite steady, I looped my hand through it and allowed him to lead me up to the house.

"Hello, Bella," Sue said, patting my arm, a crease of concern on her brow.

"Hey, Sue."

Charlie took my small bag from the trunk and followed us up the steps and into the house. I took a seat in the small lounge, and Seth sat down beside me, Charlie sinking down into the recliner.

"Would you like anything?" Sue asked. "Juice? Coffee?"

"A coffee would be great," I said.

She left the room, and I turned to Seth. "So, what's been happening?"

He shrugged. "Nothing really. Things have been quiet."

I took that to mean things had been supernaturally quiet for the pack. I was glad, though I knew some of the wolves, the younger ones, in particular, would be disappointed.

"How's Leah?" I asked.

Sue came into the room then with a tray of drinks. "Working hard," she said proudly. "She's stayed in Seattle for summer classes again this year."

I was pleased for my recently gained sister. The year after the fight with Victoria and the newborns, Leah had gained enough control over her phasing to apply to college. She was accepted to Seattle Central to study nursing, following in her mother's footsteps. I knew Charlie was proud of his stepdaughter, too, even though he didn't know the whole story when it came to her anger. He thought it was all down to the death of her father that she'd 'gone off the rails a little'.

"And you?" I said to Seth. "How was graduation? Sorry I missed it."

"No worries," he said easily. "It was cool. I'm helping Sam and Jake at the garage at the moment, trying to decide what I want to do next. I've been thinking about law enforcement," he said with a sly glance at his mother whose mouth pressed into a thin line.

I understood that she'd find the career choice unpalatable given what had just happened to me. I hoped Seth wasn't joking, though—he'd make a great cop.

To change the subject, I was sure, Charlie said, "Renee will be here tomorrow. I've got her a room at the Pacific Inn. I wasn't sure if you'd want to stay here or with her. Seth's happy to bunk on the couch,"

"I'll get a room, too. There's no need to turf Seth out of his bed."

"I don't mind," Seth said.

"It's okay. Besides, it means Renee won't be alone there."

Charlie nodded. "I'll give them a call and reserve you a room." He heaved himself out of the chair and made for the kitchen. Sue followed him out, and I leaned against Seth's arm, and said, "So what else is new?"


That evening, Seth drove me to La Push. I was expecting us to go straight to his old house where Jacob, Quil, and Embry were living now, but he carried on right past the small house to the beach. He pulled to a halt and raced around the car to help me out. I didn't need the help, but it was sweet of him, so I didn't complain.

We walked through the trees that hid the beach from the parking lot, and I heard the murmur of voices and the crackle of flames. Smiling, I walked a little faster.

As we broke through the trees, I saw a large bonfire built on the fire pit and people standing around it and sitting on lawn chairs.

The wolves naturally heard us coming, and as we walked forward, Quil drew the attention of the group, shouting. "Here she is! Bulletproof Swan!"

Jacob punched his arm and muttered something that made Quil look chastened.

I laughed and then winced as my ribs protested.

"Sorry, Bella," Jacob said as I approached the group. "We still haven't beaten the stupid out of him yet."

I grinned. "I'm sure he'd say the same about you."

I held open my arms, and he drew me into a gentle hug. I felt his familiar heat and smelled his woodsy scent, and I felt at home.

"You need to sit?" he asked.

"No," I said. "I'll be okay a while yet. Besides, I haven't said hi to everyone yet."

I looked around and saw a few new faces. A few were younger members of the tribe that were now old enough to be invited to an adult party, and others were unfamiliar. I noticed one of them, a girl with waist-length ebony hair and russet skin particularly, as Jacob's gaze was on her. There was something about his expression that was familiar, but I didn't have time to pursue the thought as other friends came to greet me.

Emily was first, her smile wide and her hands cupping her rounded stomach. "Bella," she said happily, "it's good to see you."

"You, too," I said. "Look at you! How long do you have now?" I had known she was expecting from the emails we exchanged, but I hadn't realized she was so far along.

"Two weeks," Sam said, sliding up beside her and laying his hand on her stomach tenderly.

"Can't come soon enough," Emily said. "I am ready to meet this baby."

"I'll bet," I said. "And Lucy? How does she feel about being a big sister?"

Lucy had been born when I was in college. Unbeknownst to us, the day Victoria and the newborns had come was the same day Emily had found out she was pregnant. When Sam had come home injured from the fight, Emily had faced the possibility of losing not just her husband, but the father of her child, too. Thankfully, werewolf healing and Sue's expertise had saved him.

"She's delighted," Emily said. "She asks me each morning if the baby will be there before bedtime."

I grinned. Just then, Jared and Kim came over with Paul and Rachel, and I was greeted all over again.

An hour later, I was sitting in a lawn chair, watching the fire and listening to the music playing from the CD player someone had set up. I was quite content. The only cloud on my horizon was that sooner or later I was going to have to tell Jacob and therefore the rest of the pack about the Cullens being back in my life. It was better that it came from me, though, and not Charlie, or Sue when he told her.

But when Jacob appeared beside me and said, "You good for a walk?" in a solemn tone, I guessed he must already know.

"Sure," I said, getting to my feet.

We walked away from the fire toward the driftwood tree that had been claimed as our own a long time ago. I perched on the trunk and Jacob sat a foot away from me.

"Look, Jake…" I started at the same moment he said, "Bella, I need to tell you something."

We both laughed. "Go ahead," I said.

He drew a deep breath and said in a rush. "Bella, I've met someone. Her name's Melanie, she's from the Hoh reservation, and… I've imprinted."

My eyes widened. "Oh wow. Jake, that's…"

"I know," he said quietly. "I can't believe it. I mean, I always thought that if it wasn't you, it'd be no one, and then she came and I just… Gravity shifted."

I reached over and touched his arm. "Jake, I'm so happy for you. Really. You deserve all the good things. How's she taken the news?"

He smiled sheepishly. "Pretty well. She was calmer than some of the other guys' imprints have been. She just listened and then asked to see my wolf. I guess you're not unique with the good-with-weird after all."

"Apparently not," I said. "Do I get to meet her?"

"You want to?" he asked.

"Of course. Why wouldn't I?"

"I thought you might be mad," he admitted quietly.

I frowned. "Why? You and I were over a long time ago, Jake."

"I imprinted," he said. "And I thought maybe that you'd be mad I pushed so hard for you when I shouldn't have. If we hadn't broken up, I'd be ruining all that now."

I pressed a finger to his lips to silence him. "Imprinting was supposed to be rare, Jake. You had no idea it would happen to you, too. Besides, we did break up. Sure, I'd be mad if we hadn't, but you were living your life. Being a wolf has been enough of a trial for you. Giving up love on the off chance you might meet your perfect match would have been unfair."

He grinned. "Thanks, Bella. I should have known you'd understand,"

"Yes, you should. Now, are you going to introduce me?"

"Sure," he leaped to his feet and waited for me to stand then led me back towards the fire.

The girl I had seen him watching before was standing with Emily and Sam and when she saw Jacob and me approaching, her smile lit up her face. She seemed just as enamored with Jacob as he was with her.

"Melanie, this is Bella," Jacob said. "Bella, this is my Mels."

"Great to meet you," I said.

She smiled shyly. "Likewise."

"You guys want a drink?" Jacob asked, then went on before we could answer, "I'll get you a drink." He rushed away and Emily drifted off to talk to Sam.

Silence fell between us, and I rallied for a something to say. Before I could speak, though, she did. "You're a big deal around here, you know?"

"I am?" I frowned. "I guess. They're my friends."

"It's more than that. They just about lost their minds when they heard you'd been shot. Jacob was really upset," she finished quietly, glancing at me before lowering her eyes.

I thought I saw what she was saying, and I hurried to reassure her. "Jake's my best friend. We've been through a lot together. He worries is all."

"You were together once."

I nodded. "We were, but that ended a while ago." I sighed. "I don't think Jake could have done a very good job of explaining imprinting to you. When a wolf imprints, their whole life adjusts to their imprint—to you. Jacob will be whatever you need in your life. If you need a friend, Jacob will be the best you will ever have. If you need a lover, Jacob will be that. He will adjust to you at all times, and he will never break your heart. He physically can't. Your needs come first at all times."

"Sam hurt Emily, though."

"I'm not the person to talk to about that, really. You should ask Emily. But I know Sam never intended to hurt her. It was an accident, and Sam was still new to the wolf thing then. Trust me," I said, "Jake will take care of you. He loves you more than he ever could me."

She sighed, and I thought I could see relief in her eyes now. "Thank you, Bella. I've been so nervous about meeting you. You're nothing like I thought you would be."

"No," an angry voice spoke behind me. "Bella manages to catch us all off guard."

I turned and saw Jacob standing with a face like thunder.

Melanie looked confused, but I understood at once.

"Excuse us, Melanie," I said. "I need to borrow Jacob for a minute."

I walked away without looking back, knowing Jacob would follow. I felt eyes on me and knew others in the pack were also aware of the Cullens' return to my life. I went back to the driftwood tree and sat down. Jacob came to a stop in front of me, his arms crossed over his chest and a scowl on his face. Sam appeared beside him and Quil his other side.

"Is what Charlie said true?" Jacob asked at once, his tone tight with anger. "Are the leeches back?"

I held up a finger, "Okay, first off, you can quit that crap. I have done nothing wrong, and I refuse to listen to you talking to me as if I have. Carry on, and I'll walk away."

Jacob took a deep, hopefully calming breath, and said, "Is it true the Cullens"—he sneered the name—"are in Oregon?"

"Yes," I said simply.

"And you didn't tell us because?" Sam asked.

I raised an eyebrow. "Because I have been back a matter of hours, because I didn't want to ruin my time with you all with crap like this, and because it's none of your business."

"It is our business, though," Quil said, his tone reasonable.

"No, it really isn't. The fact they are back in Oregon has no effect on you. They are not a risk to you there. They weren't a risk when they were here, even."

"That's where you're wrong," Jacob said angrily. "They're the reason we phased."

"True," I conceded. "They're the reason some of you phased. But my point stands. They're not in your area anymore, so they aren't going to trigger the gene. They're a four-hour drive away, dammit!"

"And what about the risk they pose to you?" Sam asked with a stiff set to his eyes.

I was disappointed in him. I thought he would take the news better than this, that he would see the logic in the situation.

"The only danger they pose to me is to my heart, and that's down to me to protect."

"Oh my God!" Jacob snapped. "You're still in love with him!"

"You don't know that, Jacob Black," I said testily. "I don't even know what I am, so how do you?"

"I know you, Bella," he said.

"Apparently not well enough to treat me with more respect," I snapped. I got to my feet and started walking away.

"Bella," Sam called after me. "We need to talk about this."

I turned to him and a frown creased my brow. "No, we really don't. This is not about you and the pack this time. It's about me and my heart."

"We care about you," Quil said a little sadly.

"So do they," I said, walking away.


Charlie went to the airport to meet Renee the next day while I helped Sue prepare some meals for Emily to put in the deep freeze for after the baby came. Though the wolves were older now, and even the youngest, Brady and Collin, could fend for themselves, they still used Emily and Sam's house as an unofficial base, and that meant a lot of food was needed there. We were preparing lasagnas and casseroles that could easily be defrosted and heated.

I liked working with Sue. She was a peaceful person, a lot like my old school friend, Angela, was. We worked in practical but comfortable silence, only speaking in the context of the food, until Sue cleared her throat and looked at me with uncharacteristic solemnity.

My relationship with Sue was much like my relationship with Phil. I loved them for the happiness they brought my parents and liked them for themselves, but neither fit the mold of a stepparent.

Phil had been too young for me to form that relationship with him, and I had been too old with Sue. I had been in college when they started dating, and in the academy when they married, so I had never lived with her for an extended period of time, either.

"I spoke to Billy this morning," she said. "Jacob is very upset."

"He's not the only one. I knew they wouldn't take it well, but this is just stupid. The Cullens are no threat to anyone."

"But you," she said quietly.

"But me," I agreed. "And that's my problem."

"They feel like it is their problem, too. They care about you."

"I know that, and I appreciate it. You know how much they all mean to me, Sue, but they don't have the right to dictate to me or interfere. I choose to have them back in my life, and that's my choice to make. If I get hurt again, that'll be on me."

"Do you really want to risk being hurt though?"

I switched off the burner and turned to face Sue fully. "Sam hurt Emily because he lost control once. When she was in the hospital after that, did you tell her to stay away from Sam in case it happened again? And then when Jared imprinted on Kim, and Paul on Rachel, did you tell them to stay away from their wolves in case they were hurt?"

"That's different," she said, a bite of anger in her voice.

"Why? Because it hurts the wolves to be apart from their imprint? It hurt Edward to be apart from me, too."

"Then why did he leave?" she asked,

"Because he thought it was the best, safest option for me. He thought I would have my human life and be happy. He had no idea what would happen."

"Vampires are dangerous."

I just looked at her. Wolves were dangerous, too, and she knew it. Emily was proof of that. They had never hurt me, and the vampires had never hurt them. We were on even footing risk-wise.

"Your father doesn't want this for you, Bella."

I smiled. "My father doesn't get to make the choice. The Cullens are in my life again. They will be until they decide to leave it, if they ever do. No amount of angry werewolves or overprotective parents is going to change that for me."

The door opened then, and I heard my mother's voice calling to me.

"I hope you know what you are doing, Bella," Sue said in a hushed voice as I made for the door to greet my mother.

I didn't answer, though my thoughts were moving along the same lines as her.

I was sure I was doing the right thing having them in my life, but I wasn't sure of my next step.


Renee had clearly been primed on the Cullens situation by Charlie on the way to the house, as she had done little more than greet me and Sue effusively before saying she felt the need to be in the open air after her long journey and would I mind sitting outside with her so we could talk.

She didn't immediately launch into talks of them, though. We sat on the porch swing, and Renee took my hand in hers, squeezing it hard. "I knew you being a cop was a bad idea."

I had known this was likely to come, and I had my defense ready. "Mom, I was barely hurt."

"You were shot, Isabella!"

"My vest was shot, not me," I said calmly.

"Don't make light of this. You could have been killed."

"I could be killed crossing the street. What happened was a one in a million chance."

She narrowed her eyes at me. "I don't want to see you hurt again."

I pulled my hand free of hers and patted it. "I won't be. Trust me, Mom." I used my most soothing tones, the ones I had perfected after years of Renee's hair-trigger anxiety and my propensity for accidents. She didn't look appeased, so I moved to resolution. "I'm not giving up the force, Mom. I am good at what I do, Mom. I protect people."

"Who protects you?" she asked.

"I do," I said. "And my friends. We take care of each other."

"Friends…" she said, and I knew what was coming next. She could have had no expectation that she could talk me out of my career choice, as it was an argument we'd had before, so now she was moving onto something she apparently had more hope with. "I heard the Cullens are in Astoria, too."

I decided enthusiasm was the way to go. "Yeah! They moved there in the new year. I just bumped into Carlisle at the hospital. What are the odds?"

"Probably about one in a million," she said pointedly. "You know, there are jobs for cops in Florida, too. I looked some up. There's even vacancies in Jacksonville."

I raised an eyebrow. She couldn't seriously think I was going to move to avoid them. Even if I had decided I wanted no part in their lives, I wouldn't abandon my home to be away from them.

"I like Oregon," I said stubbornly.

"You could like Florida."

I rolled my eyes. "Mom, I am not a child anymore. I like my life, and I like where I live. I understand what happened when they left was hard for you and Charlie, and I'm sorry I put you through that, but I am not eighteen anymore. I won't let myself be hurt like that again. Having them back in my life is a good thing."

"That boy ruined you!" she snapped.

I bit back an angry retort about the damage she had inflicted when she had left Charlie, taking me with her. It had taken many years for him to get over her. He had been pretty much ruined, too.

"He won't do that again," I said.

Her eyes widened. "I didn't realize you were actually together again!"

"We're not," I said honestly.

"You love him!"

"Why do people keep saying that?" I asked. "I don't even know what I feel."

"Because we know you, Bella. You are in love."

"Maybe I am, that doesn't mean I am going to act on it. You and Jake seem to think I have forgotten what happened last time. I haven't. I remember how it felt and what happened when he left. What makes you think I would risk all that again?"

"Because you're in love," she said plaintively.

I shrugged and then regretted it as my ribs pulled painfully. "Maybe I will. Maybe he will hurt me again. But can you honestly tell me you wouldn't risk it for yourself if it was Phil?"

She stared into my eyes, and I saw the answer there. Despite the fact I didn't understand it myself, Phil was her Edward, and she would risk pain to be with him.

"I should go help Sue again," I said, getting to my feet.

"Bella, don't do this," she begged.

"I haven't done anything yet," I said.

Though I was pretty sure now that I would. The people that loved me were acting out of my best interests, I knew that, but I thought it was too late.

They had only reminded me of the risks. I already knew them. It was the chance of true happiness I saw in Sue and Renee's words. They already had the ones they loved. I could have that, too.

"Bella," Renee said sadly. "Don't let him hurt you again."

"I don't think he could," I said honestly. "I think that he would destroy himself to avoid it."


So… Bella has caught up at last. Make sure you're here for the next chapter as we'll finally have them coming together.

Until next time…

Simaril xxx