Hello! Surprised that I updated soo quickly? Me too! but I've decided to update more freqeuntly as I have many chapters written and I know the direction I want to take this fic... So, here we go.

As I said in the last chapter, I decided to go with what some of you said 1) Bella was more infatuated than in love (I take two roads with these, as I expalined) and 2) It was Alice's fault that Edward went back to Forks (Though it was not her fault what he decided to do with that decision)

Enjoy and Stay Safe!


KISS PROTOCOL


CHAPTER 8: CLOSURE?

Jacob didn't have time to check if she had any injuries (which would have resulted insulting for Jared and Paul, as if they would allow her to get hurt).

Edward and Bella were in the kitchen, Paul was nearest to Bella, not necessarily blocking her, but in the way if Edward decided something.

She had put the kitchen island between their bodies. It might not necessarily block an attack, but it gave her some sense of security. She felt herself relax now that he was here. She wasn't precisely afraid of Edward, and she didn't doubt Jared's and Paul's capabilities, but there was something reassuring in knowing that he was here with her, safe.

Despite all that talk about girl power and all that, and Jake telling her she was all she needed, some things were just the way they were. Jacob was strong, and he could face Edward on equal ground.

Now, it was two against one. Hopefully, things wouldn't get to that. Three, if you counted the fact that Jared was still lurking outside.

Despite Jacob's protective stance he didn't say a word, letting her talk and get it out of her system, just as Paul had been doing.

Edward flinched in pain as soon as Jacob barged in. "I'm here to fix that." He answered to whatever Jacob had shown him.

"There is nothing to fix. She is not an object that needs changing. She makes her own choices. You should respect that." Jake growled.

"Then let her make them."

She understood enough and had heard enough. She hated when someone spoke of her as if she wasn't in the room. It had happened when James had tried to attack her at the baseball field. At that moment, she understood that there was no way she could conjure a strategy as neatly as they could. But she had people to care about, starting with her dad, people that would worry if she just disappeared after spending an afternoon with them.

She could only recall that one moment, but she suspected that there had been some more opportunities in which that had happened, especially the days after her horrific eighteenth birthday. It had certainly happened when the decision to leave and leave her behind had been made. However it happened. She supposed she could thank Edward now for it, because she found her way and found strength to live for herself and her loved ones, but she could have done it without the heartbreak, the nightmares and the months of torture hearing his memory speak to her.

She stood next to Jacob, between himself and Paul.

"I have nothing else to tell you. Alice conveyed my message with enough clarity." She spoke more clearly than she had since he barged in her house. "Now, leave my house, my life and Forks. I don't want anything from you. Not anymore." Jared was listening to everything from his position outside. He congratulated Bella for finding her voice again and telling him off.

It was clear she got strength from Jacob. As she had thought, she didn't stand a chance if Edward decided to do something. No matter how many wolves were there, if he avoided them for a second, she was done. That frightened her. She didn't want to lose Jake in way or form.

Edward's face contorted in pain again, whether from her words or from another mental image from Jacob. Edward moved around the island and Jacob moved to match his position, now shielding her with his body. This was not going to happen, she thought, alarmed. Not now, not never. She touched Jake's arm and he turned around to see her shaking her head, warning him not to let Edward start something, and less of it all in her dad's house.

Paul moved closer to Jake. Bella had been effectively put behind by the two wolves.

Edward noticed. Paul kept his mind on everything else, picturing the most boring things he had done. The three girls he had had sex with. On repeat. Edward frowned in disgust.

He was so focused in trying to get Jake riled up, and maybe get Bella, that he didn't realize that he had answered to Jacob's thoughts, and mental images, and that he was being taunted by obscene thoughts coming from Paul. The last pack hadn't known that certain vampires could have particular gifts, like Edward's telepathic abilities. Bella had told the wolves everything. If the vampires had wanted trust and peace, they would have shared that piece of information with Ephraim Black's pack.

The fact that Jake and Paul were still at ease, was because despite the few steps towards Bella, he hadn't tried anything.

"She doesn't love you. She'll never love you." Edward spat. Playing with the fact that he saw their fight from a few days ago. The fact that she still hadn't said it.

But the fact that she hadn't said it, didn't mean she didn't feel it. She almost face palmed herself. She was an idiot. Of course, she loved Jake. Why wasn't she ready to say it? She was ready to yell it to the world. Of course, they had been together for 5 to 6 days, but her feelings for him dated back to when they started hanging out.

Bella saw a glint of mischiev on his face before he turned to Edward, who growled, angrier than she had ever seen him. Jacob was showing their romantic encounters. He didn't need the words to know how she felt. They hadn't had sex yet, but the playful session on the kitchen the other day had him still running high. Edward was aggravated by that. She had clearly moved on, but how could he accept that, when he knew she loved him so much?

He wanted to fight him or get Bella and run away, or both. What was the right decision to make? Leave her be, despite knowing that she loved him, or get her and run? It was going to be very difficult trying to circumvent two wolves with Bella on his arms, and a third that was very eager to rip him to pieces. He didn't have to think much, because soon a few other guys entered the house.

Bella thought that these supernatural creatures had trouble understanding the concept of privacy, but she couldn't bring herself to care this time. The more wolves, the merrier.

Quil and Embry came in with Jared in tow. She didn't have time to process the fact that she didn't know Quil had phased. The five of them posed menacingly, Edward didn't stand a chance in hell. He hadn't before either, but now he had no choice but to leave; tail between his legs. He finally ran away, without Bella. Jacob was sure this wasn't going to be the last they see of him. They'd be on guard.

In the meantime, they could relax. Besides, the pixie was on their side. Even if it was her fault that Edward was here again.

Jacob kissed Bella's head and she hugged his waist, finding comfort in him. Quil shifted from one foot to the other, a little uncomfortable with the display of affection, he still didn't know the full details about Bella's feelings for Jake. Last he knew, she was mad at him for abandoning their friendship, but there hadn't been romantic feelings involved.

Bella giggled watching Quil. "Welcome to the gang?" She asked shrugging her shoulders. He snorted but laughed. "When did you phase?"

"This morning, I almost beheaded my grandpa. Sam came for me, and he tried to get me to phase back to human but I was too shocked to work it out." She could tell there was more.

Embry laughed. "The only thing that snapped him out, was hearing you were in danger." Jake smiled inwardly, his friends had been quite taken with Bella since the first time they met her. She stepped away from Jake to hug Quil, thanking him in a whisper.

"It's nothing. But I really want to know how the hell did you two ended up teaming against the leach. Weren't you in love with him?" Jake would forever hate her past with him and the scars, both physically and mentally that he left.

"I was in love with him. But when he abandoned me in the woods, he killed whatever trust and love I had for him. I was so broken, so angry at him. I started doing stupid things. But I needed someone to help me do them. Luckily, Jake likes ding stupid things too. It was just a matter of time…" She cast a smile at her boyfriend, who winked in response.

Paul rolled his eyes. He was happy that Jacob was happy, even if he still annoyed him. But he really loved Bella like a sister. At first, he was very annoyed with her presence, but eventually, he started to enjoy her company and he discovered he liked to tease her about the baby alpha. She would blush and stutter, and try to explain herself, but in reality she ended up sinking herself deeper. He offered to train her in kick boxing if she ever got interested. She promised to think about it.

"Yeah, all lovey-dovey. Can we go to the beach now? Emily said she was baking cupcakes." Paul winked. "And those cookies smell heavenly."

"You and your food." She teased back.

"I burn a lot of energy. I need fuel." He complained back.

"What? You call burning energy to being a dog and chasing your tail?" She snapped back at him.

Paul snorted. That was a good one. Dog jokes. Never gets old.

"Cute pale face. You wish you could be me."

"In your dreams, fido." She smiled at him, and he rolled his eyes.

Jake intervened to tell her to get changed with a swimsuit. They were going to the beach for the rest of the afternoon. It was better to be safe than sorry.

While she changed, Jake thanked Jared and Paul for holding down the fort. They dismissed it. Bella was pack, they didn't see it as a duty. And on that note, everyone but Jake got in the bed of Bella's truck.

Jake wandered around, opening, and closing cabinets looking for a container to put the cookies in and bring them with them. He might or might not have stolen a few while he searched. It was not his fault that they were calling his name.