A/N: A quick thank you to everyone who added this story in their alerts and/or added it to their favorite list. It truly means a lot to me.

Chapter 21- What comes ahead?

Bella's POV-

"You think the bloodsucker will actually turn up?"

I turned to look at Jake, shrugging in response. "He owes me."

And he really did.

He had left me behind. They all had left me behind, pushing the dagger into my back when I was least expecting it. It was only fair that they… he… did this for me. It wasn't much, anyhow.

He was a doctor; this was what he was meant to do!

Sure, he was coming here without much of a choice in the matter, but in the longer run I am definite he would come to agree with my decision and the reasons behind it. And well, if he didn't come to agree with any of the two….eh…it was not like I would be alive to witness the downfall.

I was mortal- and he was not.

For him, the regret of a decision would be recognized long after I was ash….which suited me just fine at the moment.

"He will turn up." I stated, my chin up high. "He has to."

Jake sighed, shutting his eyes tight. "Sam will not like this."

I waved him off, a scoff of sheer disbelief leaving my mouth. "To Hell with him and his rules; he was willing to let Paul die!"

I mean…seriously!

Were some stupid rules this important? Over the life of another?

The man was about to die.

The man is about to die…

Hurry up, Carlisle!

"It is not like that." Jake defended his alpha. "Sam is…responsible for the rest of us. He cares about Paul, obviously…but the situation is such that…."

"That is bull, and you know it!" I gave him a pointed look. "And stop defending him!"

He at least had the sense to look apologetic.

"Fact of the matter remains that rules are made for us. We make them; it is not the other way round. And tell me, had it been Emily or his own brother in place, would he still refuse to get them medical help?"

The man was insane, if it were to be so!

"Paul is a wolf…"

"So?" I frowned at him. "Does not change the fact that the person needs immediate help. Shape-shifter or not, irrespective."

Jake sighed, probably aware that I had a valid point. "Look, Sam is not wrong….well….not completely wrong," he instantly clarified, noticing my raised eyebrows. "He is responsible for the pack and this entire tribe. If the secret leaks out, we could all be in danger. I don't know about the others, but I would rather not be a test subject! Sure, his way of going about is wrong, but his intention isn't."

"But isn't action everything?" I protested, waving my hands in air in urgency. "Who cares about your intention? Your action is what counts."

"Bella."

"No Jake," I frowned. "Look, there is no point in debating over this. At least no point in debating over this now. Once Paul recovers, we can have all the debate competitions that you wish for."

If he recovered….

No. He had to recover.

Carlisle would be here in no time, doing what he did best- Paul making a miraculous complete recovery that nobody could have thought of.

"What after that?"

I gave Jake a confused glance. "What after what?"

He sighed, wincing almost unnoticeably. "Will you go back with them? If Carlisle offered to, you know, take you to him?"

"No." I cried out, my eyes wide in horror and disbelief. "How could you even ask me that? Don't you know me at all?"

Jeez. I called him my best friend.

Didn't he know me at all?

How could he…

"I am just curious, Bella." He put his hands up in a posture of defense. "I did not mean to offend you. It is just….Paul is an almost brother to me…."

"I am not out to hurt him," I whispered, turning to look away. "I did not ask for any of this. I did not even want it."

"I know." His eyes told me that he understood, sympathy shining in them. "Neither did he, but you got to deal with this. Today's incident- this is a proof that you will always matter to him, and he will always matter to you. It may not have been what you asked for, but it is what you have got. And you will have to deal with it. You have no other choice but that."

"Jeez," I humorlessly laughed, shaking my head briefly. "When did you become this grown-up and all-knowing?"

He smiled. "Seeing your best friend almost die, it does make you reconsider certain known facts."

I waved him off, mirroring the smile that was on his face. "I am alright. No harm done. See." I twirled for him, making my point extremely clear, a laugh leaving his mouth.

"I am glad, Bells. I really am. Just…talk to him once. You don't need to jump into anything, but maybe, you could be friends?"

"I will." I nodded my head in agreement. "Of course, I still have to thank him for…you know…"

"And then he will have to thank you back for calling Carlisle and saving his life…. Damn…" he paused, seemingly lost in thought. "Never thought I would get to witness this awkward a conversation; can I be a fly on the wall for the duration?"

"Fuck off," I hit him on the arm, resulting in his laughter only increasing. "You…you are incorrigible!"

"You ought to tell me the meaning of that." he stated with a straight face, the laughs that left my mouth unstoppable, with him joining in, in the madness.

"Just so you know," I spoke after a few long minutes, a sigh leaving my lips, as I continued to stare ahead. "I would never agree to going back with him."

There was no clarification required for who the him in this sentence was?

"I have made peace with the fact that they left." I continued. "I loved him. Maybe, I still do. But there is no future here, and now I know that. It is ironic, you know," I let out a humorless chuckle. "Edward tried so hard to get me to understand this….that our worlds were very different from one another, and now when he has finally left….I get it. I just do. It would have ended badly. There is just no other possibility."

He sighed, simply staring at me for a few long minutes. "I am glad he left."

I nodded my head at that, no words needed to be exchanged.

I wasn't sure whether I was glad or not about him having left, but I had made peace with the fact…and that was enough, for now at least.

Jake opened his mouth to say something else, the ringing of my phone interrupting him midway. I quickly pulled out my phone from the jeans pocket, instantly accepting the call on noticing that it was from Carlisle Cullen.

"Yes." I spoke into the receiver, impatient to know what he had to say.

"I am here. In Forks. Near your house, but there doesn't seem to be anyone here at the moment…."

"We will be there."

I ended the call, raising an eyebrow as I turned to look at Jake.

"He is here."

"Yes, I heard." He sighed. "You sure about this?"

"As sure as I will ever be."

He nodded his head in agreement. "You want to come, or wait here?"

"I am coming."

I had called Carlisle here, so it was only fair that I be responsible for my actions- and if necessary, even face the consequences of it.

Jake gave me a brief nod, appearing in his wolf form as he offered to give me a piggyback ride to Forks, an offer that while I laughed at, was quick to grab.

It is not everyday that you get to ride on a wolf, you know!

It seemed like riding a horse, almost but not completely. The journey was smooth enough, with Jake not protesting even once when I pulled his fur too tight. He let me do my thing, going slow enough that I did not end up feeling nauseous, or worse.

Finally, he stopped, steps away from the house in Forks, his eyes insisting that I wait while he changed back into his other form, afraid of I have no clue what, considering this was Carlisle I was about to meet- the least violent vampire ever!

Anyhow, I complied, finger combing my hair and doing the least bit in making myself look presentable, taken time enough for Jake to make his appearance.

"Let's go,"

I nodded my head once, a soft sigh leaving my lips, two figures awaiting us as they motionlessly stood in the yard of Charlie's house, having no need to pretend to be human considering there were no humans around.

"Carlisle. Esme." I greeted the two, no sense of affection in my tone.

They turned to look at me, the urge to grab me for a long hug visible in Esme's eyes. I took a step away; we were no longer close enough to warrant that.

She sighed, almost as if she understood my reasons- and accepted them.

I turned to look at Carlisle instead, the latter's eyes fixated on Jake, a look of sheer curiousness visible on his face.

"You are a wolf, right?" he finally questioned, amazed. "The smell…"

"That is not important." I firmly protested. "We can discuss these things later as well. But first, we have called you here for a reason." I gave Carlisle a pointed look, a no-nonsense tone being my go-to.

He sighed. "I am assuming that this reason has something to do with the 'Dr.' that graces my name?"

I gave him a brief nod. "You have to save him."

It wasn't an option.

He let out a forced breath. "Take me to him. I will try my best."

I stared at him for a few long minutes, obviously the time passed having no effect on his face. "Just so you know, we will be crossing the border to La Push. But," I added before he could protest. "No one will harm you. You have the future alpha here with you, permitting you to enter."