Spending the afternoon at Sam and Emily's had proven to be one of Sam's greatest ideas yet. After the initial awkwardness of breaking the news of the imprint to the rest of the pack and the tension and drama that followed with Leah, everything had settled down and the pack was hanging out all together again at a bonfire on the beach. Jacob was initially concerned for Bella, hoping that all of the social interaction wasn't too much for her, but he quickly realized that underneath that shy exterior was a rampant social butterfly. She seemed to click smoothly with everyone in the pack, she had even begun to grow onto Sam and Paul.

There was some anxiety at first, with the whole assault thing, but all was forgiven and they had actually been impressed with her unexpected brazenness. After a few rounds of poker and more money than Jacob cared to count being lost to Embry, they had decided to head down to the beach, pass a few beers around, and kick around an old football. Emily had kindly lent Bella a sweatshirt, and the two had been content to sit and chat around the fire all night.

Jacob continued to keep an eye on his new imprint, just to make sure the transition into everything was as smooth as possible. Aside from some concern surrounding Bella refusing to eat anything, content to only sip water all night, everything seemed to be going well. When Sam had asked for a private word with Jacob, his mind began to race again considering all the negative reasons he would pull him aside, but was actually surprised when Sam handed him a beer and put a hand on his shoulder.

"I just want to tell you that I'm proud of you." He said to Jacob in earnest, in hushed tones for only the two of them to hear. "I know things can be rough at the start, especially when the past is complicated... I want you to know that you can always come to me if you have questions or need to talk."

Jacob nodded his head in response, grateful that Sam was finally starting to acknowledge him like a true pack member, rather than just a stupid kid who suddenly sprouted paws. He felt as though everything was finally clicking into place for him, and everything in life had started to make sense.

"Thank you, Sam. I'll keep that in mind. I… well, I appreciate you looking out for me."

Sam nodded wordlessly, clinking the neck of his bottle to Jacob's, before the two returned to the group of guys trying to debate who could kick the ball the farthest.

Deciding to check on Bella just to be sure, he set the beer down in the sand and started walking back to the bonfire bit. Bella hadn't noticed him approaching yet, absentmindedly sitting there talking to Emily. Smiling at her perfect presence, he had almost made it halfway when his blood ran cold. He stopped dead in his tracks, noticing some of the wolves doing the same, each looking at each other to confirm what they had all caught a whiff of. Vampire.

Emily stood up right away, crossing the short distance to Sam, with Bella trailing behind her in confusion. Sam straightened up instantly, shifting seamlessly into Alpha mode.

"Seth, take the girls back to the house!" Seth turned to the group with a confused look on his face, but seeing that Sam had issued him an order he silently obeyed. Without another word he turned back to the fire, trying to herd Bella and Emily towards Sam's truck.

"Jake, what's going on?" Bella called to him, however he didn't have the mindset to answer her. The smell stung the inside of his nostrils, even in human form, its offensive odor choking him like a cloud of gas.

"Let's move!" Sam yelled, immediately shredding his clothes and phasing on the spot. The others followed suit, Jacob being among the last. He cringed at the fear he saw in Bella's eyes, however he couldn't focus on that as the smell became unbearably stronger. The leech was close...Seth would get them back safely, he knew, so with a last look at Bella he allowed the wolf inside him to spring forth, feeling his clothing shred into scraps and all four paws hit the ground running.

He caught up to his brothers in no time, his paws tearing their way through the soft dirt below, propelling him through the forest. The mind link between the pack was a chaotic stream of unrestrained thoughts.

Whoaretheywhataretheydoingherewhereisitwhendiditgetherewhyisitherehowdidwemissit

The constant chatter was still taking some getting used to hearing, so instead Jacob opted to keep right on Paul's heels, and focus on trying to spot the bloodsucker. Eventually, he caught sight of something high up in the trees, moving at an unnatural speed. Jacob let out a short bark, alerting the pack. With all eyes trained on it, they began to close in, chasing it until it had to come down from the trees. However, before they could get anywhere near it, it leapt clear across the river bordering their territory, and they could no longer give chase.

Sam, they're not even here anymore! We should keep after it! -Paul

No, regardless of whether they occupy the land or not, the treaty stands. We will not be the first to break it. -Sam

Did anyone recognize the scent?- Quil

Nothing that I've come across- Jared

Me neither-Embry

Was it a Cullen?- Leah

Everyone's eyes diverted to Leah, who came bounding through the trees from the opposite direction. After her rude behavior at Sam's house, she had gone back home rather than to the beach. Jacob guessed she had happened to be in wolf form when the commotion had started and caught up with the pack.

I don't think so. The Cullens have long gone.-Sam

But do you know each of their scents? What if they're making a move to come back?- Leah

I'm sure I've come across all of their scents before, and it wasn't one that I recognized.- Sam

Well, that's reassuring… -Leah

Shut up Leah! Maybe if you hadn't been such an ass earlier, you would have caught the scent with the rest of us and maybe you'd actually have something to contribute!- Paul

Don't lecture me on contributing, Paul! The only thing you contribute to is being reckless and starting fights you can't finish!- Leah

ENOUGH!-Sam

The telepathic chatter amongst the wolves stopped instantly, awaiting word from Sam. Leah still kept a large distance between herself and the rest of the pack, bearing her teeth to Paul as he scowled at her.

Jacob, what do you think? -Sam

I'm not sure. It's not a scent that I've come across before. Maybe it was a friend of the Cullens, dropping by?- Jacob

You know who I bet would know? Your leech-lover imprint. She probably knows them personally!- Leah

Red flashed across his vision as Jacob leapt from his spot, taking Leah to the ground with a sickening crash as the two growled and snapped at each other. Jacob managed to pin her torso down with his front paws and sink a deep bite into her hind leg. Leah yelped, and immediately Jacob released his hold on her, backing away as her silver leg seeped bright red blood. She snarled at him, turning to lick her wound. The leg would be sore for a few days, but not a serious injury putting her out of commission, due to the advanced healing abilities of the wolves. Jacob stopped briefly to wonder why Sam hadn't stopped the fight with a command, but after looking into his deep yellow eyes, the message was clear. She had insulted his imprint knowing it would hurt him. Jacob needed to defend her honor, and Leah needed to mind her tongue.

Jared, Quil, I want you to run a patrol along the northern border, see if you can pick up the scent. Leah, Paul, you two take the east border and make sure it doesn't cross again. Jacob, Embry, we'll take the southern border on our way back. Everyone, report back in an hour with what you've found, if anything, and we'll go from there.-Sam

The pack obeyed his orders at once, the pairs splitting off in their respective directions, and the trio heading back down the way they had come. Their ears were pricked for the faintest noises, their eyes scanning the treelines for any sign of movement. They made it back to the beach, and after an hour Sam had received the telepathic 'All Clear!' Signals from each of the wolves.

Jacob, go back to the house and relieve Seth. I want him to run patrol tonight-Sam

Sam gave the instructions to Jacob, receiving only a nod from the russet head before Jacob headed over to the Rabbit, parked in the dirt lot just off the road. He phased back into human form before retrieving the keys hidden under the seat. Grateful that he had a change of clothes in the trunk, he hastily pulled on a T-shirt and a pair of cargo shorts before ducking back into his car.

Turning the ignition, he pulled out of the parking lot and sped off towards Sam's house, eager to be back to Bella and make sure she was okay. He wasn't looking forward to explaining the situation, fearing that the mention of vampires may push her back into the depression she had just started to escape. Everything with the pair was still very new, and he didn't want to push her into a situation she wasn't yet ready for. Jacob decided that he would try and omit the part about the vampire, and only tell her the bare minimum about why they all suddenly phased.

Shutting off the engine outside of Emily's house, Jacob stepped out of the car and approached the front door. Giving a few light raps on the door, he waited in the cool night air and debated how he could explain tonight's events. Before he could come up with a decent excuse, Emily appeared at the door, allowing him to enter. Bella sat comfortably on the couch, making small talk with Seth before she realized that he was there. Seth stood up, crossing the small distance to the dining room.

"So what was that all about? Why did everybody run off like that?" Seth asked him. Jacob breathed a quiet sigh of relief, realizing that Seth hadn't caught the scent and couldn't hear their thoughts in human form.

"Sam… saw something in the woods. He wanted us to check it out." It wasn't the best excuse, and he knew it would create more questions than it answered.

"Saw something like what?"

"Sam wants you to run patrol with them tonight, I'm sure he'll fill you in on the situation." Jacob said dismissively, hoping that he wouldn't press further for details. Seth looked like he was about to ask another question, but a firm look from Jacob silenced him.

"Oh...okay then, I'll get going. See you later, Bella! Bye Em!" With that, Seth walked out into the woods, and a few moments later his small brown frame was visible as he ran toward the beach.

"Are you ready to go, Bella?" Jacob asked, turning his attention back to her. She nodded, handing Emily back the loaned sweatshirt.

"Yeah, it's getting a little late. Thanks for everything Emily, it's been fun hanging out. I'll see you around."

"You're always welcome," Emily replied with a smile, "that is if Jake here ever decides to share you." Jacob gave her a playful eye roll before holding the door open for Bella. The two got back into the car, pulling out of the driveway and heading back to Billy's house.

"What happened, Jake? Everyone looked worried, then you all just disappeared…" Bella asked, looking at him with concern in her eyes.

"It's like I told Seth, Sam thought he saw something. It's the pack's responsibility to keep the tribe safe, so if Sam sees something out of place we have to follow and make sure. It's nothing you need to be concerned with though, it ended up being a false alarm." Bella stared for a few moments, trying to read the expression on his face. She was inclined to trust him if he said it wasn't anything to worry about, but he didn't sound convinced as he explained. Deciding to drop the topic for a while, the two sat in comfortable silence for the rest of the car ride.

They reached Billy's house shortly after, heading back into the house just as a slight drizzle started to come down. Bella checked the clock fixed above the stove, noting with surprise that it was almost 10:00 at night.

"Getting sleepy, Bells?" Jacob asked her as he followed her towards his room once again. She looked back at him about to deny it, before she let out a deep yawn.

"Maybe a bit. It's been a busy day."

"I'll see if I have some fresh clothes for you to sleep in." Jacob passed her, going to his dresser and finding a different pair of sweatpants and an old band t-shirt. He handed the clothing to her, feeling his heart skip a beat as she took the items and smiled at him.

"AC/DC , huh? I didn't take you as a fan."

"Oh, absolutely. Music was so much better back in those days."

"Old trucks, old bands, old movies… you need to get with the times." She teased, before heading into the bathroom to change. She took the opportunity to finger-comb her hair and borrow some mouthwash from the cabinet. After getting herself situated, she returned to Jacob's room to find he had changed into just a pair of basketball shorts. She averted her gaze, feeling her cheeks flush. It didn't go unnoticed by Jacob, who raised a questioning eyebrow at her.

"See something you like, honey?" Jacob smirked, scooting back on the bed to allow her to sit.

"I… I mean, yes but- but I wasn't looking on purpose… you just surprised me is all." She stuttered her answer, tucking her hair behind her ear. She allowed herself to relax against the wall behind the bed, spreading the blanket over her lap.

"Jake, I… I really appreciate this weekend, and I'm glad we've gotten to spend so much time together. But I just want to make sure I'm not sending the wrong message." She bit her lower lip, feeling the anxiety come flooding back as his smile morphed into a look of concern. "I know how you feel about me, and I feel the same way. I do. I just… I want to take things slowly, for a little while at least. Everything has happened so fast… I just want to make sure we're not rushing into this."

"Of course, Bella. I won't push you into anything you aren't ready for." Jacob stood, grabbing a spare t-shirt from his dresser and hastily pulling it over himself. "Do you want me to sleep on the couch for the night?"

"No, no… I want you to stay. Just...nothing like that, for a while at least." She looked to the floor, averting his gaze and cringing at the awkward silence that followed. She was surprised however as Jacob made a deep, exaggerated gasping sound. She looked at him, and he had a hand on his chest, trying his hardest to look offended.

"Miss Swan, I'm sure I don't know what you're talking about. Charlie would have my hide." She laughed, allowing herself to meet his eyes.

"You're a goofball," She said, playfully smacking his bicep, before adjusting her pillow to lie down. "Plus it's nice to have a huge space heater right next to me all night." Taking that as permission to touch her, Jacob swiftly clicked his bedside lamp off before curling around her small frame. The light rain outside gave off soothing white noise as he cuddled her for a few minutes. Judging by her lack of fidgeting and her deep, even breathing, Jacob took that as a sign that she was asleep before allowing himself to drift off as well.

It wasn't long before Jacob awoke with alarm to the sound of screaming. He sat straight up in his bed, quickly looking around to find the source of the noise before he realised it was Bella. She was curled in on herself, clutching the blanket in a vice grip with tears running down her face. Jacob quickly pulled her into his arms, shaking her awake.

"Bella…. Bella! Wake up, Bella!" She snapped awake, her breath coming in short pants as her eyes shot open. Looking at Jacob with watery eyes, she quickly got her bearings before sitting up against the wall, wiping her eyes and taking a few deep breaths. Jacob turned the light on once more, before turning his attention back to her.

"Oh god, I-I'm sorry, Jake. I'm really sorry. I didn't mean to wake you up." She looked away from his concerned gaze, shame burning across her cheeks as she drew her knees into her chest. She was so embarrassed… Even when she finally started to feel better, when she finally let everything go and had been honest with herself, it seemed that fate was quick to re-open her wounds.

"Hey, it's okay… You're okay, Bella. You didn't do anything wrong." He rubbed her arms, pulling her softly into his grasp and out of her thoughts. "Was it a bad dream?"

"What gave it away?" Bella said listlessly, sarcasm evident in her tone. To her surprise, Jacob chuckled at her statement.

"Yeah, you're right, that was a dumb question. But are you okay? Like, do you need anything?"

She shook her head, before laying her head back down on the pillow. "No, I'm fine. I just want to go back to sleep."

"I think I may have an idea," he said softly, before turning around and opening the drawer to his nightstand. He pulled out the small artifact he had been searching for, before reaching over Bella to fix it to the bedpost.

"It's a dream catcher my grandfather gave me. It's supposed to only let good dreams come through." She eyed the object, smiling softly, before turning her body to give him a side hug.

"That's… actually kind of perfect. Thank you." He turned off the lamp once again, giving her a small kiss on the top of her head.

"Sweet dreams." He whispered, before settling back into the mattress. He waited for a few minutes, checking to make sure she was asleep, until finally he was able to fall asleep as well.

Morning came sooner than either would have liked, Jacob's body attuned to waking up early. He rubbed his tired eyes, trying to erase the drowsiness from them. Although he would never admit it to her, he had gotten a pretty restless sleep after his sudden awakening during the night. Deciding that a cup of coffee would be enough to perk him up, Jacob stretched and removed the blankets from his lap, being careful not to wake Bella as he climbed out of bed. Jacob watched her for a moment, noting with concern how her brows furrowed and her lip curled in on itself. She looked upset, but was still sleeping more peacefully than last night. Deciding it would be better to leave her be, he made his way into the kitchen and started the coffee maker. As the smell of roasted coffee beans filled the air, Jacob pondered the events of this weekend.

He was relieved that after all of the lies, pain and heartache that he and Bella had finally made amends and that he didn't have to keep his true nature from her anymore. It was new territory that he wasn't sure how to navigate, and Jacob somewhat wished that he would have had more time to explain, rather than piling it on to her already massive heap of problems. Then again, he hadn't been given much of a choice in the matter. Before he had phased and joined the pack, he had told Bella about Sam and his "disciples", how they had dropped out of school and did whatever Sam told them to.

Before he had known the truth, he had a very poor image of Sam, seeing what he had done to his friends and hearing rumors about what had occurred between him, Emily, and Leah. He had thought Sam was a controlling, manipulative bully, taking whatever he wanted no matter who he hurt, and he kicked himself for giving Bella his biased opinion on him. After hearing what a bad guy he was, it was no wonder Bella harbored Jacob's resentment, and seeing he had joined Sam without knowing the context had spurred her into acting without thinking.

In a way, Jacob was honored that Bella had been willing to stick up for him, going so far as to confront Sam with no regard to her own well being. Although rationally, he was frustrated that the whole "sworn to secrecy" thing had put them in that position, putting Bella directly into harm's way when she smacked a werewolf across the face. He didn't think twice about breaking Sam's order at the time, seeing Bella on the ground in the pouring rain with a wolf growling in her face had snapped something in him. Sam's order be damned, he wouldn't let Bella get hurt, and without thinking clearly he phased right in front of her and inevitably scared the hell out of her.

He was thankful that the universe had picked that exact moment to bestow their imprint upon them. As Bella's eyes locked to his, there had been a surge of energy between them. It had been an extremely pleasant feeling, he felt the power of it take hold of him and fill him with confidence, security, and purpose. He wasn't sure what it felt like from Bella's point of view, but apparently it had been a good thing because she stopped being afraid as he roared and charged Paul, letting his protective instincts take over. The whole encounter had been tense and frightening, and he knew he had added a whole layer of fear and confusion onto Bella, but what was done was done and at least now everything was out into the open.

Jacob would have preferred to imprint on her differently, reveal his true nature differently, and given Bella the time and space to fully take it in and process the situation rationally. But as chance would have it, it had been done the hard way and left the couple reeling. He chuckled to himself, as he sipped at his drink, that of course it couldn't have gone over easily. This was Bella he was talking about. No wonder it had gone awry and it had been as awkward as possible. From the beginning, his feelings for Bella had never been easy to navigate, and their relationship had been turbulent from the start, it was only fitting that their imprint would be the same. But at least it was over now, the pack had been very understanding of the whole situation, and Bella had taken everything in stride. Now all they had to worry about was their future moving forward.

Jacob wished more than anything that Bella felt the same way as him, and that they could forget the past and begin dating like he always wanted. She reciprocated his feelings yesterday, and he had finally gotten her to say the words he had desperately longed to hear.

"Yes, Jake. I'm sure. And I was an idiot for making you wait so long. I love you Jacob."

He had never felt so relieved as he had in that moment, feeling like all of his insecurities and doubt had been whisked away. It was everything he had ever wished for hearing those words, but over the course of the weekend he could see that she was still very guarded. Bella had told him that she wasn't ready for a relationship just yet, and that she wanted to take things slowly. As impatient as Jacob could be, making sure that he took things day by day and allowing her to choose would be the best thing for her.

Jacob set his cup in the sink, taking a calming breath. Everything between them was new and confusing, but they would navigate it together. He meant what he had said about not pressuring her to define their relationship, and he intended to keep his word, but the line between acceptable and not was blurred when she did things like cook for him and sleep next to him. He decided over the course of the next few weeks that he would give her the lead and allow her as much room as possible to decide what she wanted.

He heard Bella stir in the next room, the rustling of blankets and the squeaking of his box springs indicating that she was awake. Jacob headed back into his room, standing in the doorway and looking at Bella as she rubbed the sleep from her eyes.

"Morning Jake." She said, taking a moment to stretch her arms. She didn't look very well rested, her nightmare leaving visible traces of fatigue in her features, but if she was as exhausted as she looked she pushed past it.

"Hey Bells, sorry if I woke you up when I got up." She looked at him, scoffing at his apology.

"I should be apologizing to you again for waking you up, Jake."

"Like I told you last night, it's not a problem at all Bells. I was wondering what you wanted to eat before you have to go."

"I'm not really hungry," she said, standing from the bed. "But I'd like to take a shower before I head back." He nodded, turning around to grab her a fresh towel from the linen closet.

"I'll have breakfast waiting for you." He said as he handed her the towel. She rolled her eyes as she took it, stepping past him.

"Seriously, Jacob, I'm good. Thank you but no thanks." She didn't give him an opportunity to respond as she entered the small bathroom, locking the door behind her. She removed Jacob's clothing, setting it in the dirty hamper in the corner of the room and turning the hot water knob in the tub. She looked in the mirror, once again making use of the mouthwash on the counter to freshen her breath. She saw the bags under her eyes again, and the weariness of last night catching up to her. Bella sighed, frustrated that no matter what she couldn't seem to escape her nightmares. She was embarrassed that she had woken Jacob up with her screaming, but thankful that he had been kind about it. He insisted it wasn't a big deal, but as Bella stepped into the hot spray, she couldn't stop thinking about how significant it had been.

Even with Jacob curled protectively around her, his scent surrounding her and his touch reassuring as he held her, the nightmares had still come back to plague her sleep. Upon awakening, she still felt the effects of it as she felt exhausted and her stomach was in knots. She hoped that with time, they would eventually fade away, but internally she debated taking the caffeine pills again to avoid sleeping. She knew she had promised Jacob that she wouldn't do reckless things, but she would do anything to get the nightmares to stop. If the nightmares would haunt her when she was with Jake, it was a given they would come back when he was gone. Maybe if she only took one or two, they would be enough to keep her going without going overboard…

Bella washed her hair thoroughly, trying to erase all traces of her sleepless night. She remembered the first night that she had stayed with him, no nightmares to scare her and no screaming, and hoped that maybe with time they would fade away. Until then, she could sacrifice a few hours a night to avoid them. Being in Jacob's presence had done her tremendous good this weekend, and now that everything was out into the open they could resume spending time together like they used to. She briefly wondered what she would say to Charlie about this weekend, and how she could talk him into letting her spend more time here in the future.

Her cheeks flushed as she considered what Charlie would think… Her and Jacob hadn't done anything "wrong", but for someone Charlie's age it would come down to the simple fact that his teenage daughter spent the entire weekend with a teenage boy. He would likely have his own assumptions, but Bella was hung up on how to explain their relationship to him when she didn't have an explanation herself. She took a moment to turn off the water and towel off, deciding that she would cross that bridge when she came to it. Knowing her father, it was likely that he wouldn't ask at all and just appreciate that Bella was acting like her old self again.

Pulling on the same pair of jeans and the same oversized sweatshirt she had been wearing, she stepped out into the hall, ducking into Jacob's room to grab her socks and shoes. Once she was fully dressed, she returned to the living room to see that Jacob was waiting at the kitchen counter. Set in front of him, she saw that he had laid out a cup of coffee and two slices of toast, covered in butter and jelly.

"I thought I told you not to make me anything." She remarked, giving him a look of slight annoyance.

"You did, but you also told me that you would try. You barely had anything to eat yesterday. Just take it and make this easy." He countered, pushing the plate closer to her. She rolled her eyes at him, taking the mug of coffee in her hands.

"I don't need you babying me, Jake. I can take care of myself just fine." Bella said as she took a sip of coffee. She tried to hide her grimace, noting that Jacob had put twice the sugar and half of the creamer that she was used to. It was extremely sweet, as if she had just poured liquid sugar down her throat. She kept it to herself, not wanting to hurt his feelings, and took another large swig. It was still better than the "toast" he had prepared, as she observed it was more of a mound of jelly with a thin piece of bread. Sweet things didn't sit very well with her, making her nauseous and turning her stomach. She was content to sip the coffee as Jacob went around the counter, grabbing a jacket and pulling on his own shoes.

"I meant the toast, Bells. Coffee isn't breakfast." He said without even looking as he did up his laces.

"It's not so much toast, more than a heaping pile of sugar. Are you trying to give me diabetes?" She remarked, looking at him quizzically.

"I forgot how stubborn you can be." Jacob commented, gathering Bella's backpack from beside the door. "I wouldn't have to baby you if you would just do it."

"Fine," She grumbled, taking a massive bite out of one of the slices. The slimy jelly smeared along her fingers and dripped down her chin as she tried to swallow it. Finally managing to get it down, she grabbed a napkin and cleaned herself off as Jacob looked at her with an amused expression. "There. Happy now?"

"A little," he remarked, handing her her backpack. "Here, we should probably get going."

Bella took her backpack, following Jacob out of the house towards her truck. She was surprised to see Jacob getting into the driver's side, but said nothing as she joined him in the passenger's seat. Setting her backpack on the floor by her feet, she fastened the seatbelt and relaxed into the leather. Jacob turned on the ignition, wincing at the sound her truck made before it roared to life.

"Jeez, Bella, what'd you do to this poor truck?" He looked over to her, but all she offered was a shrug.

"I don't know what you're talking about, Jake. Sounds fine to me." At this, Jacob only laughed, reversing out of their spot and heading back towards Forks. He tested different speeds, noting with concern that the truck made gurgling noises as it increased in speed.

"You're gonna have to let me take a look at this at some point, Bells. It's not supposed to make noises like that. When was the last time you had the oil changed?" Jacob asked, keeping his tone light and his eyes on the road. After a moment of silence, he glanced at her. "Bella?"

"Sorry, what?" She asked, as she turned her head from staring out the window.

"I said, when's the last time you had an oil change?" He repeated himself. Bella thought for a moment, her brows furrowing.

"I can't remember… you were probably there." Jacob took his free hand and planted it to his face, earning a small smile from her.

"What are you thinking so hard about over there, anyway?" Bella let out a breath, taking a moment to sit up straight in her seat.

"I was just thinking about Charlie. I mean, I want to start spending more time with you, I'm just not sure what he's going to think."

"I don't think he's going to mind." Jacob replied with a shrug of his shoulders. "He already likes me, plus it will be a good excuse for him to start hanging out with Billy again. I don't think he'll condone more "sleepovers" though…"

"Well, that's not the sort of thing I had in mind." she confessed. "I was hoping that we could do more… public things. If we're going to give this a real try, I want to go back to the beginning. Maybe start with a few dates."

"Anything you want, Bella," he said as he turned onto her street. "I have a lot of pack stuff these next few days, but I'll let you know when a good time would be."

Pulling up to her house, Jacob put the truck in park and was out of the door before Bella had even unbuckled her seatbelt. Opening her door for her, she less than gracefully plopped out of the truck and onto two shaky legs. Slinging her backpack over her shoulder, she checked to see if Jacob was following. The two walked leisurely up to the front door, allowing Bella to unlock the door. Jacob spared a glance to the driveway and noted Charlie's police cruiser parked there.

As Bella turned the handle, she was startled to see her father's figure in the doorway right in front of her.

"Hey Bells," he said nonchalantly, looking over her shoulder at Jacob.

"Geez Dad, you surprised me." Bella sighed, before stepping inside. "Jake wanted to say hi."

"It's been a long time, son," Charlie remarked, giving Jacob a pat on the shoulder and gesturing for him to come inside. "How's your old man?"

"He's good. Keeping busy these days." He responded, shutting the door behind him as he followed Charlie to the living room.

"Yeah, no kidding," Charlie retorted. "Too busy to catch a game, fish, or give me a call back. You tell him to give me a shout when he gets a chance."

"I will, Chief Swan." Jacob said with a smile. "Thanks for letting Bella stay over. That was a nasty storm we had."

Bella gave the two a small smile and gestured that she would be heading upstairs, leaving the two alone for a moment.

"I'm glad she was safe," Charlie answered gruffly. "It's…nice to see her out again. I'm not sure what happened between you two, but I know she's been missing you bad. She hasn't acted like herself in a while."

Jacob cringed inside, once again faced with the consequences of Sam's stupid gag order. Whatever flack he caught from Charlie, or Bella for that matter, was deserved and he would take it like a man.

"The whole thing was stupid, really. We had a fight after that awful movie night. I was going through a rough patch, was meaner than I should have been to that Newton kid. And Bella for that matter… I'm glad she reached out and we could make up. I'll always regret the way I treated her, even if she forgave me."

"It takes a big man to admit when he's made a mistake, son. We all do things we regret and we all say things we don't mean. I've known you since you were a toddler, you've always had a short fuse. Bella knows that."

"Doesn't make it right…" Jacob said with a sigh. "I don't ever want to be that person again. I'm going to make sure she knows how important she is to me and how sorry I am for saying those things to her."

"I'm sure you will, Jacob. She can never stay mad for long, seems like she's long over it."

"I hope you're right. Of course I also picked the worst timing possible to fight with her."

"Oh yeah. That. I'm so glad the Cullens skipped town. Never liked them… I know Billy wasn't a fan of them either."

"None of us are. I could look past everything else, but what that jackass did to Bella will make me hate him and his whole family for the rest of my life."

"Agreed. If you ever break up with Bella like that I'll kill ya. I mean, I might anyway, but what that boy did was just cruel."

"Oh, uhh… we're not dating, Charlie. It's not like that."

"Uh huh. I wasn't born yesterday, son. In the five minutes I've seen you, you haven't taken your eyes off her. She came home smiling. It doesn't take a genius to see it." At that, Jacob could only shrug in begrudging agreement.

"We're at least not there yet. No labels. I'm going to get this right, take her on dates and treat her the way she deserves."

"I'm counting on it." Charlie replied, making a gesture from his own eyes to Jacob's. "I'll be keeping my eye on you."