To say Bella was shocked to see Jacob in Charlie's house would be an understatement. She hadn't anticipated seeing him again after the wedding, truly, especially after the way things had ended. He looked completely surprised to see her as well, and she supposed she couldn't blame him. He must have expected vampire Bella instead of human Bella.

"Bells!" Charlie enthused, walking around Jacob to come hug her. While they weren't usually demonstrative with their affection, she found herself hugging him back with enthusiasm.

"I missed you, Dad," she said, smiling as they pulled away.

"I missed you too, Bells," Charlie said, clearing his throat after a moment. "Now, I know you hate surprises, but I figured you would like to see Billy and Jacob."

"Of course," Bella agreed warmly. She smiled at them over Charlie's shoulder. "It's good to see you both."

Jacob's eyes were bright, and he smiled softly. "It's good to see you too. You look…really good."

Bella blushed, looking down at her little ensemble. She had gotten used to Alice stocking her closet now, and even if she was slightly uncomfortable with the number of dresses she had been wearing lately, she found it easier to put together something that gathered the Alice Cullen Seal of Approval. This was one of those outfits—a green sweater dress with (what she had been informed was called) a cowl neck. Complete with dark hose and black flats, her hair down slightly curled, and makeup lightly done, she actually felt quite pretty. (Edward's intense response when he initially saw her in it definitely boosted her self-esteem as well, a pattern that had been in place since Isle Esme; her confidence had grown steadily as of late.)

"Thank you," she said.

"Well, come in, kids," Charlie motioned towards the kitchen. "We don't want the food to get cold."

Edward took their coats and hung them up on the hooks in the hall. Bella took a moment to cast an appreciative gaze over her husband, taking in his form—he had on slightly tighter pants than usual, a pair of dark-wash jeans Bella found particularly attractive on him; paired with a red button-down, sleeves rolled up to his forearms, she found him utterly irresistible. He caught her heated look, of course, and gave her one back, a promise of 'later' in his crooked smile.

He kissed her cheek before wrapping an arm around her and heading to the now-cramped dining room.

As soon as everyone got a plate, they took their seats around the little table.

"So, Bella," Billy began, "tell us about what you have been up to lately. Charlie tells stories, but I'd like to hear some from you."

"Oh sure," Bella said, swallowing the bite she had been chewing. "Well, Dartmouth has been absolutely amazing! I'm currently studying English, and Edward has been working on a double-major since he hasn't decided which occupation he wants to pursue yet."

"I wasn't aware you added a second major," Charlie interrupted. "What're you studying now?"

"I'm doubling with music and neuroscience," Edward explained, folding his napkin next to a now-mysteriously empty plate.

"Those are…pretty different," Charlie noted. Bella appreciated that he was putting in an effort to be courteous; he had seemed to warm to Edward more after the wedding.

"Well, music is my passion," Edward told him, "but I'm also thinking of going into medicine. I figured, as long as I can manage the course load, I might as well study both."

Charlie nodded. "Neuroscience could certainly pay the bills." He cleared his throat. "Well, I'm sure Carlisle must be very proud you want to follow in his footsteps."

Bella grinned, resting her hand on Edward's on the table. "He really is! You should have seen his and Esme's faces when Edward told them!"

Bella caught Jacob's eyeroll. Her eyebrows drew together as she found herself mildly irritated. Something was off, but she couldn't lay her finger on it. She decided to ignore it for the time being.

"I can imagine," Charlie smiled, presumably at his daughter's excitement.

"As far as how the rest of college is going," Bella continued on, taking her eyes from Jacob to Billy, "the classes are hard but manageable. I've made some friends in my classes, and we go study at the coffee shop in the library on Thursdays. Living with Edward's siblings is weird, but it's good. Well, except when Emmett and Jasper got in their pranking mood. I could have lived without that," Bella chuckled, mind going back to the two and a half weeks of pure madness.

"Really? I thought it was quite amusing actually," Edward's chiming, quiet laugh seemed to fill the space.

"You're such a guy," Bella scoffed. "Of course you'd like it! Meanwhile I got caught in the crossfire!"

"Yes, but then you made them apologize and stop! Not many people can put those two in their place, much less end an ongoing Cullen prank war," Edward grinned, pride and humor clear in his voice. "Truly, you were amazing."

Jacob felt nauseated. He didn't think he could have seen Edward and Bella being more "lovey-dovey" than they had been before, but evidently, he was wrong. Here she was, the love of his life, looking alive and more beautiful than ever, and yet she was all over the bloodsucker. But Jacob assured himself, noting her continued mortality, there was obviously a reason she hadn't been turned yet. He felt in his heart of hearts he knew the reason why; there was a part of her that was still in love with him and wasn't ready to let go yet. As long as that part was there, Jacob had hope. He knew a part of her was still his—a caring, humane part of her—and he planned on finding a way to unlock it. Afterall, there were certain things only he could give her, and he would remind her of that. Adult or not, she was still a teenager, and there were certain things she would be desiring.

"So, how long are you in town for?" he asked.

"Till just after New Year's," Bella said, much to his delight.

"That's great! We can take some time to catch up then, yeah?"

"Sure, Jake, that would be nice," Bella agreed.

Jacob grinned, excitement flooding through him. "That won't bother you, will it, Edward?" he asked pointedly; perhaps his excitement had him feeling a little vindictive.

"Why would it?" Edward asked. "My wife has friends and plans outside of me. I don't need to give her my permission."

Wife. The word went straight through Jacob, just like Edward probably thought it would. As though theirs is a real marriage when they can't even consummate it, Jacob thought, a bit smug he could give Bella what her so-called husband couldn't.

For some reason, Edward seemed to bite back a laugh; it confused Jacob, but he decided not to dwell on it. He'd figure out that mystery later. For now, Bella had to be his focus.

"I'm his spouse, not his daughter," Bella interjected. "My okay was enough, Jake." Bella was glaring at him.

"Sure, sure, you're right," he agreed, somewhat contrite; maybe he went a bit overboard in his excitement. "Sorry, Bella."

"Now that that is settled," Charlie coughed, "anyone want dessert? We have ice cream."

"That would be great, Dad," Bella said, smiling once more. "Let me get it though? You've done a lot today."

"I won't fight you on it, Bells, but you don't have to."

"It's okay, Dad, really. Besides, it's not like Edward won't help me," she laughed, shooing him and Billy into the livingroom; Jacob insisted on staying. Despite her irritation with him, Jacob still found her the most beautiful girl in the world. Besides, he loved that she was feisty.

That thought started leading his brain down another path entirely, especially as she got up to serve the food. She seemed a bit more graceful than she had before somehow, and Jacob couldn't keep his eyes away from how her dress hugged her figure, accentuating her curves. Those translucent tights brought attention to how long her legs were as well. Somehow the impossible had happened, and she had gotten prettier in her time away, her face slightly more mature, curves fuller, calves and thighs more defined. It was difficult to not get hard as he watched her. He heard a low hiss and saw Edward glaring at him from across the table.

He smirked. Stay out of my head then! She's gorgeous. How could I not notice?

Edward watched him with a calculating gaze for a moment before getting up, walking to Bella in the kitchen.

"Can I help you, Mrs. Cullen?" he all but purred in her ear, hand on the small of her back in a very intimate way.

"Of course, Mr. Cullen," she giggled, flirtatious.

You still don't play fair, do you? he snarled mentally; if he thought he felt sick before, this perversion of affection here took that over the top. I wonder how Bella feels about that. She's so sweet, and you're just…not. I'm still her best man. Do you think that she would be pleased if she knew what motivated that comment?

Edward didn't respond; instead, his hand crept from the small of her back to her left hip with an obviously light touch.

"What would you like me to do?" he murmured, mouth close to her ear. She shivered, and Jacob desperately hoped it was from the cold; he would never make her cold.

"Many things," she responded, voice husky, and Jacob simultaneously felt shock and an almost-sense of victory. He was sure some of those things would be impossible since she was human—unless it was with him. "But for now," she turned in his arms, and found they were chest to chest. Jacob could hear when her breath caught in her throat. The blush on her cheeks and the fire in her eyes caused red-hot jealousy to shoot through him; she should be looking at him that way!

"For now?" the leech asked, voice smooth as he leaned in close to her, eyes darting between her eyes and her lips. "What do you want, my love? What do you need?"

Beguiling, he thought. That was that fancy word for how he must sound to her. Beguiling. What a disgusting term. Not as disgusting as what he is doing to her though. You can stop now!

Bella moved quickly and with much more finesse than Jacob would have expected out of her. One moment she was frozen, breath caught, and the next she was kissing Edward with more passion than Jacob had seen out of her before, even when she was kissing him, convincing him to stay alive. And, to his utter shock, Edward kissed her back with nearly the same enthusiasm.

You're being fucking careless! He screamed mentally, watching how close she got to his teeth, how he held her tighter, left hand grasping at her hips while his right came to tangle in her hair. Then the new scent hit him, one he had never smelled before, sweet and slightly musky, and it touched something primal in him. He couldn't place it at first.

Memories, then, ones he wasn't supposed to see from Sam's mind, of him and Emily.

Bella was turned on. He was smelling her arousal, and it was for someone else.

Jacob was out of his chair, and into the livingroom quickly, forcing the shudders of an impending change away. He won't fucking break me, dammit, he promised himself, breathing as lightly as possible. He was cursing Edward in his head constantly.

"Whoa, Jake, you okay?" Charlie asked, turned away from SportsCenter. Billy watched with knowing concern.

"Oh yeah," Jacob said, unconvincing. "Just can't stand being around lovebirds and all that. Newlyweds, can't keep their hands off each other, that's all."

Take that, he smirked as a red-faced Charlie got up and headed towards the kitchen. Just as he was about to walk through, there was Bella and Edward looking composed, holding bowls of ice cream in both of their hands.

"What's up?" Bella asked, and if it weren't for the slight swelling of her lips and the still-lingering scent, Jacob might have believed nothing had actually happened. He glared at Edward.

"If you don't like what you see, don't look, pup," Edward said, but Jacob couldn't even see his lips move. He knew none of the others would be able to hear him, as quietly as he spoke.

As if you didn't put on a show just to mark territory!

Edward just ignored him, though his eyes seemed to glimmer with victory.

I haven't given up yet. Turns out you haven't actually won, Jacob insisted, trying to ignore the part of him that could never not see the rings on Bella's left hand.

"We'll see about that," Edward murmured again, but smiled towards Bella in what Jacob couldn't deny was a loving manner. "She's still mine, Jacob Black. She chose me, and I chose her. You can try to change that, but it won't happen."

Bella was handing Jacob his bowl of ice cream now.

"Thank you," he said, smiling up at her. She smiled back.

"You're welcome!"

Maybe, Jacob thought, or maybe you'll see she was never truly yours in the first place.

As Bella laid in bed that night, falling asleep to Edward humming her lullaby after several rounds of lovemaking, she realized what had been bothering her before.

I'm not drawn to Jake the way I was before. I love him, but I'm not in love with him. I don't feel like I have to be around him all the time.

She fell asleep with a smile on her face, happy she could finally just have her best friend.