Reborn:
Chapter Eight

Author Note:
Just to clear up some questions people had before this chapter. The story follows the Twilight timeline right up to Book 4, simply excluding Renesmee and making most of the books irrelevant to this plot line. Jacob and Bella have shared a lot which I hope shows in this chapter but have never been together in any kind of relationship.

''Why don't you just show up at Jake's and tell him you want to be with him?'' Leah wondered, glancing at the girl in the seat beside her who was biting her lip viciously and radiating a nervous energy.

''What the hell would you do if you were Jake and I did that?'' Bella retorted as Leah rolled her eyes, concluding that Bella did have a good point in mind. If she was Jake and didn't know what she knew then she would go ape-shit at Bella. She'd rant and rave before telling her how she wasn't welcome on the reservation.

''Okay, you make a good point so why don't we just go to Sam's? Do you think I'm going to let anyone hurt you? I've got your back on this, Swan so have a little faith'' Leah responded, spearing Bella with a nonsense look that spoke volumes.

''Did you forget that you pissed off Cullen? I can't keep something like that quiet for much longer. If someone gets a glimpse of that while phased with me and runs to Sam, I will ordered to stay in La Push which would make looking out for you harder. I don't want to go as much as you don't but it's unavoidable'' Leah reasoned, reminding Bella of the most important reason for their visit to the Reservation.

Neither girl was looking forward to facing the Quileute pack but at least they were going to do it together.

The drive seemed to drag on, the silence between the girls growing in tension as each was engrossed in their own thoughts and worries about how their appearance would be taken by the wolf pack.

''The turning for Sam's place is coming up. You ready?'' Leah questioned, sending Bella a half-smile to which Bella shook her head and turned to look out the window. ''Sam's got a pretty long winding driveway so we're going to park quite far back. That'll keep us downhill so they won't be able to identify us by scent. It'll be okay, Swan.''

Bella nodded, closing her eyes and taking a deep breath as Leah pulled off the road and headed down the long driveway to Sam's. Leah was silent as she crawled up Sam's driveway at a snail's pace before finally shutting off the engine and giving Bella a nudge.

The walk to Sam's was quiet, the only noise being the pack voices from within the house. Leah stopped outside the door and looked over her shoulder at the human girl who was taking deep breaths to keep herself calm. Bella smiled half-heartedly at the she-wolf, moving to stand beside her outside Sam's door and praying this wouldn't be a total loss.

Leah could see just how difficult for Bella and how she was fighting with herself, edging towards the direction of the car as she mentally listed just who was in the house. Leah grasped Bella's wrist, drawing her attention as she shook her head before raising her hand and knocking on the door twice.

''I'll get it'' shouted Emily, her footsteps heading in the direction of the door before it was opened to show a smiling Emily who froze at the two figures in front of her. Emily's smile slipped, her eyes becoming wide as Leah heard her heart rate rapidly spike as she processed exactly who was at her door.

''Do you want to come in?'' Emily asked, pointing behind herself although she made no attempt to move from the doorway. Leah nodded her head, taking a step forward and grasping Bella's hand, pulling her along as she moved past Emily.

Leah took a deep breath and stepped fully inside, keeping hold of Bella as Emily shut the door and moved ahead of them towards the living room. ''Everyone's in the living room'' Emily warned, smiling sadly at Bella and placing a hand on her shoulder before changing direction and heading towards the kitchen.

Bella swallowed loudly, knowing that every single wolf was waiting in the living room. Leah let go of her hand and grasped the door handle, turning it quickly and walking in first. Bella followed, staying behind Leah as she heard several growls directed towards her and saw Leah tense up, taking a step back which in turn sent Bella stumbling into the wall behind her.

''What the hell is that bitch doing here?'' Paul roared, jumping up from the couch and stalking towards Leah who remained in front of Bella, glaring at the angry wolf who was violently shaking as he glared daggers at the terrified human.

''Back off, Paul so I can tell you why I brought her here'' Leah growled, keeping as wide a distance she could to Bella without leaving her open for any attack, human or shifter as she began to shake in response to Paul's proximity and the threat to Bella's safety.

''Why the fuck would I listen to anything regarding that bitch? I'd be far happier ripping her throat out for all the hurt she's caused Jake. Why the hell are you protecting her after everything she's done, all the drama she's caused?'' Paul yelled, his body tensing as he prepared to pounce and dive at Leah.

''Stop it Paul'' Kim pleaded with the hot-headed wolf, shooting Jared and Sam a pleading look as her heart went out to Bella despite all her choices. She didn't like the choices the girl had made either but she did want to know why she was here. Leah wouldn't be on her side or defending her if it wasn't something major.

Jared moved in front of Paul, shoving him back towards Sam who seemed to have snapped out of his own shock and disbelief at seeing Bella and Leah together as he stepped in front of a now silently seething Paul. ''I think we should hear Leah and Swan out'' Jared injected, throwing a look towards Paul as Leah nodded and took a deep breath, standing to her full height.

''Do you really think I would bring Bella here if I didn't have a good reason to?'' Leah questioned, holding her chin up as her eyes swept over the crowd of shapeshifters and human who were watching her every move.

Sam held up a hand, muttering a quiet order to Paul that should keep him in check as he steps forward towards Bella and Leah. ''Tell me why you brought her here'' Sam demands, nodding his head towards Bella as he orders his words at Leah.

''I'll explain'' a small voice whispered from behind Leah as Bella stepped from behind her protector and stood up straight, facing the angry pack of wolves without someone protecting her.

''You best have a good reason for making me even look at you'' Embry snarled, the harshness of his tone making Bella jump back and wrap her arms around herself.

Quil shot his friend a look, knowing that Jake wouldn't want them to be speaking to Bella in such a way even if she had broken his heart. He too felt sorry for the poor girl in front of her, admiring the fact she was standing in the middle of a room surrounded by people who felt betrayed by her and for good reason. He was angry at her for hurting Jake but it was clear as day that she was hurting just as much as Jake.

''Jake would want us to hear her out'' Quil reminded, his simple sentence reminding all the wolves that regardless of what they personally thought of Bella, she was pack and pack is family.

'' I know that you must all feel betrayed by me and hate me for the hurt I've caused. I never wanted to hurt anyone, especially Jake and I hate myself more than any of you possibly could. I know I've been selfish and cruel, that I've acted like a terrible person but I truly am sorry. Edward and I are finished, it's over for good. I ended it and I'm sorry that it took causing all this drama to see what I would be losing'' Bella whispered, breaking down into tears towards the end of her little speech.

Leah turned to comfort Bella who moved back, bumping into the wall as she continued to cry. ''I thought I knew what I was getting myself into. Jake tried to tell me so many times and I refused to listen'' Bella sobbed, using her hair to hide her face while Leah sent a pointed look to every wolf in the room.

''Cullen's spat his dummy out and is threatening to come after her now. He showed his true colours to her, making it clear that he intends to either kill or change her unwillingly. Are you really going to turn your back on her because she's made a few bad choices? I know that every single choice she has made has hurt Jake and us lot but she's human. Someone who we all know has been used and manipulated by those monsters who masquerade as being compassionate and whom they allowed to be dragged into this supernatural fucked-up world we live in. You want to blame someone then you blame Cullen for this. I know Jake does'' Leah reasoned, hoping deep inside herself that they would see that Bella could not be blamed for the decisions of others.

Quil stood up and silently walked over to Bella, wrapping his arms around her as he admitted'' I'm not happy that Jake's hurting because of you but I can't hate you. He needs you just as much as you need him but this has to be truly be the start of you and Jake. He's my best friend but I don't want to see either of you get hurt.''

Bella nodded, meeting Quil's gaze for the first time since she'd entered this room and sending him a small smile. Quil nodded, kissed her forehead and moved back to his previous place as Embry glared daggers at him.

''How can you seriously say that shit to her right now?'' Embry snapped, switching his gaze from Quil to Bella as he glared at her. Quil shook his head at his best friend, knowing that Jake would be kicking his arse at some point for the way he was speaking towards Bella.

Before anything else could be said, Emily came storming into the room with a skillet in her hand as she walked over to Bella. Emily grasped Bella's hand in her own, sending her a small smile before motioning for Bella to follow her out of the room. ''I am tired of hearing all this arguing and bullshit about Bella. She's human just like all of us lot and she's made mistakes. If you want to start holding people accountable for mistakes they've made that have hurt other people then you lot should be hating me. I hurt my own family, my own blood and through it was never my intention to do so, it happened. Bella hurt us all, especially Jake but she's human. We make mistakes all the time because that is how we grow and learn as human beings'' Emily ranted, pointing the skillet slowly at each wolf, barring Leah, in turn before walking out with Bella.

''Em has a point, you know. I understand why Bella was taken with the Cullens, I really do. Do you have any idea how lonely it is being an only child? If I hadn't have met Embry and Jake, I would have probably turned out the same way as Bella has. She's not some heartless bitch, she's a honest and caring person who has made plenty of mistake like we all do but we are fundamentally first and foremost human beings.

''How can you seriously defend her after everything?'' Embry growled, his entire frame shaking as he spoke to his best friend.

Quil shook his head, knowing that Embry was holding onto his anger at Bella because he was stubborn but still hurting himself at her betrayal. ''Nothing against Chief Swan or Bella's mother but what kind of family did they give her growing up? A father who's married to his job whom she barely knows and a hare-brained mother who's incapable of being the adult in their relationship. What kind of childhood is someone meant to have if they are constantly being shipped back and forth between two parents because they can't decide what's actually best for their child. She was an easy mark for the Cullens because she honestly believed that no-one gave a damn about her or cared enough to miss her if she was gone. Regardless of how much I respect Chief Swan, the blame for that lies solely with himself and her mother. I hate those bloodsuckers for forcing their way into her life, for coming between Jake and Bells but it's over and done with. She's with us now and she's pack. It's time for us to show her how true family really is.''

Everyone left in the room was silent, taking in Quil's words before clapping drew their attention to Leah. ''You are full of surprises. Who knew you could be that deep, eh?'' Leah remarked, flashing Quil a grateful smile which he returned.

Leah walked over to the door, grasped the door handle but turned back towards her pack as she confided'' Do you think I would have brought her here if I didn't believe in the sincerity of her words? I've gotten inside her head and I now have a better understanding of why she does the things she does. She hasn't had it easy, none of us have but she's never judged us by our behaviour or our pasts so why are we allowing ourselves to crucify Bella when none of us are perfect? She knows she's got a lot to make up for but at least she's accepted her mistakes. Too bad none of us can say that'' before opening the door and walking out.

Author Note:
Sounds like some people have come full circle with their thinking
There's still more to come.

Till next time,
Sal