The Painful Truth

Disclaimer; all characters and copyright belong to Stephanie Meyer.

A/N-thank you for the kind reviews!

Part Three

Bella sat on the old upturned crate that she used as a seat whenever she was in the Taj with Jacob and watching him work. He was doing so now. The hood of the VW Rabbit was up and he was bent over the engine, his face full of concentration as he tried to work out why his beloved car wasn't working to full efficiency. After her dramatic show down with Charlie, Bella felt she needed some space from him. She had fled the house and headed straight for her old sanctuary so she could hide. To her surprise Jacob had followed her. He didn't speak when he saw her sitting in her usual spot with her knees pulled up to her chest, instead he just gave her a brief nod of acknowledgement and began to work on his car. An hour had gone by like this. Bella just sitting, gazing at Jacob's broad back, watching as his incredible muscles bunched under the tight material of his t-shirt as he moved. Jacob just continued to work on the Rabbit, never turning around to look at Bella or engage in conversation. It was relaxing, but also odd to Bella. In the past they would have spent the time joking and larking around, but now neither seemed to know what to say.

As more time slipped by Bella began to wonder why her father hadn't come looking for her. Maybe Billy had stopped him and told him that she needed space to reflect. Jacob's father could be astute like that. She was certain that's where Jacob got his perceptiveness as far as she was concerned. He had always been able to read her well. Bella knew that she really needed to call Edward back, but right now she didn't feel like putting on an act and trying to diffuse a difficult situation. So she remained where she was, curled up on her crate, her eyes never leaving Jacob as he moved around the garage on silent feet.


"Bella." Bella woke up with a jerk. She hadn't even realised she had dozed off. She winced at the crick in her neck and rubbed her aching muscles vigorously with her hand. Jacob was hunkered down in front of her holding a can of warm soda. "I brought you this." He held it out to her and Bella took it from him. Their fingers brushed and she let out a surprised gasp at the contact.

Jacob frowned as he stood up and opened his own can. He watched Bella warily as she popped open her own and began to drink thirstily. She had been asleep for quite some time and had no idea that she had been talking aloud while she dreamed. He knew from past experience that Bella sometimes talked in her sleep. He had witnessed it once when she had first brought the bikes over and they had stayed up late working on them. Like today, she had dozed off, and he had been stunned to hear her mumbling to herself. Back then he had no idea what she had been talking about. Now he knew everything. He knew he should probably tell her what she had said, but he didn't want to rock her already fragile emotions.

"You finished." He asked when Bella finally put her can down. She nodded and he picked up the abandoned can and lobbed it into the trash can. It fell to the bottom with a clang. The noise seemed to make Bella smile. "What's so funny?"

"I dunno. I just wish I could do that." Bella shrugged.

"Oh." Jacob looked toward the trash can and then his own finished drink. "Go on then." He held his soda can out to her.

"What?"

"Lob it in the trash." Jacob urged her.

Bella took it from him carefully. Their fingers brushed again and she felt the same familiar jolt. She knew Jacob did too by the way he jerked his hand back and appeared perplexed. Bella decided to ignore the weird tension. She crushed the can with both hands before closing one eye, trying to assess the distance between herself and the trash can. Then with one quick flick of the wrist she chucked the soda can. It flew through the air, flipping over a few times before it landed directly in the bin. An astonished smile lit up her face. She had done it. Bella clapped her hands like an excited child, before blushing when she remembered she had an audience. "Sorry." She mumbled.

"You apologise for the weirdest things." Jacob said. He was still frowning. "You did the same when you had that bike crash. You apologised for bleeding. It wasn't until later I knew the real reason why." He couldn't keep the resentment out of his voice as he recalled that memory.

Bella's smile faded. Their short moment of calm was gone again as reality came crashing back in. "Jake, I…."

"Doesn't matter." Jacob held up his hands as if warding her off. "You should go back to the house. Charlie wants to see you." Before Bella could respond he strode out of the garage, leaving her feeling more bereft than ever.


Bella trudged slowly back to the house. Even though she had slept, she was still feeling tired. She was upset over Jacob's reaction to her. Just having that brief glimpse of how easy things used to be had given her hope. But it had dissipated as soon as he put the shutters down and blocked her out. In the past he would have comforted her. Now all he seemed to want to do was escape. When she reached the house and headed inside she found Charlie and Billy in the kitchen drinking beer. Typical, Bella thought in her head when she saw the bottle in her father's hand. When stressed reach for the alcohol. Charlie caught her looking at him dubiously and his skin flushed. He put the bottle down on the table abruptly as if it suddenly burnt his fingers.

"You feeling better, Bells." He asked, clearing his throat.

"A bit." Bella conceded. She folded her arms across her body as she stayed rooted to the spot and stared at the two men. They looked like two psychiatrists arranging an intervention. A flutter of panic began to make itself known in her stomach. "What's going on?" She said warily.

"Sit down, Bella." Billy motioned toward one of the spare chairs.

"Why?" Bella didn't move. She wasn't sure she wanted to hear what they had to say.

"Please, Bells. Sit down." Charlie pleaded. "We really need to talk."

Bella reluctantly complied. She sat in the chair nearest the door so she had the way out firmly in her sights at all times. "What do you need to say?" She clasped her hands in her lap to stop them shaking.

Charlie exchanged a worried glance with Billy before returning his attention back to his nervous daughter. "You know why I brought you here." He began.

"Yes. But you can't keep me here." Bella pointed out again. "I have school. This is an important year. I'm due to graduate. So it's pointless you trying to stop…"

"I've already informed your school that as of today you won't be returning." Charlie interrupted her.

"What?" Bella said in alarm. "You can't do that."

"It's done." Charlie gripped the edge of the table as he tried to keep his cool. After their last confrontation he wanted to make sure he didn't rise to Bella's bait and end up saying hurtful things they would both regret.

"It's not fair. You can't control my life." Bella raged as she shoved her chair backwards, scraping the legs along the floor.

Charlie ignored her last comment and motioned for her to sit back down. Bella glared at him fiercely for a few seconds before she eventually complied. "I'm hiring a private tutor to coach you during the last few months until you graduate. You're a bright girl, you'll do fine. He will come here every day to teach you."

"This is insane." Bella's fists curled in her lap and she continued to glare at Charlie.

"No more insane than you throwing your life away to live with that creature." Charlie snapped as he lost control momentarily.

"I thought we turned a corner. You hugged me and told me not to doubt your love for me. That didn't last long, did it." Bella fumed.

"It is for that very reason that I am doing this." Charlie retorted. He breathed in and out a few times to calm himself down. Billy gave him a warning look. "I've already packed your things. They are in the back of the cruiser. I have decided instead of moving away that we will rent a house on the reservation for the duration until things have been sorted out. Until I've found a suitable house we will both be staying here. Billy has kindly agreed to put us up. In exchange Jacob and his brothers will be here during the day as they will be coached by the same tutor. I understand their education has been suffering because of so much missed schooling."

"You're putting me under house arrest." Bella said in disbelief. "With the pack here I won't be able to just leave. You've really thought of everything."

"See it whatever way you want." Charlie replied with difficulty. He held out his hand toward Bella. "Now give me your cell."

"NO." Bella yelled at him as she got up and began to back out of the room.

Charlie got up from his seat as if to chase her but Billy stopped him. "No, Chief." He advised him. "Give her some breathing room. I have a feeling she'll surrender it herself." He said as he watched Bella tear out of the house.

"How can you be certain?" Charlie questioned as he sat back down and ran a hand over his face. He had never felt so tired in his life or so desperate.

"Just a feeling." Billy pushed Charlie's beer over to him. "Finish your drink."

Charlie sighed heavily as he picked up the bottle and gulped the beer down. He could use another, but then he remembered the look on his daughter's face when she had first come into the house and saw the bottle in his hand. No, he had to show her he was willing to change. He got up and threw the rest of the beer down the sink.


Bella ran outside with her cell already in her hand, poised to ring Edward. The sun had broken through the clouds and a shaft of light illuminated the scene in front of her. Jacob was standing outside the Taj. He had his back to her. As she watched in mesmerised silence he tugged off his t-shirt and threw it on the ground. He then bent down and used the outside tap to fill up a bucket of water. When it was full he stood up, lifted up the bucket and then tipped it over his head. The water gushed over his face and ran in rivulets down his body. Bella was fascinated as the water droplets sparkled in the weak light. His short black hair was plastered to his head. Jacob dropped the bucket and ran his fingers through the wet strands lightly, making them stand up in spikes. As he moved the water continued to drip down his back. It made his tan skin glisten and highlighted the taut muscles along his back and shoulders. Bella couldn't take her eyes off of him.

Jacob picked up a towel and began to dry himself down. He rubbed it over his head and then used it to wipe down his upper torso. It was only then that he seemed to become aware of his audience. His head snapped round and his dark eyes met Bella's. They stared at each other for a long moment. The air was crackling with tension and a strange heat that hovered between them. Abruptly the clouds covered the sun and the moment was gone. Jacob appeared confused as he broke eye contact, picked up his abandoned shirt and disappeared into the Taj.

Bella let out a breath she hadn't realised she had been holding. It was like the world had stopped turning for a while, and it was only her and Jacob left on the whole planet. Her hand shook as she stared at her cell. Edward's number flashed in front of her. She had been about to call him. Bella looked toward the Taj again, biting down on her lower lip as she suddenly switched off her cell and began to stride purposefully back to the house.


"This won't work." Bella said stiffly as she handed her cell to Charlie.

"It will, Bella. I'm doing this for you." Charlie hid his surprise that Billy's feelings had been correct and Bella had willingly given him her phone. He had expected another fraught conversation or Bella trying to escape.

"You keep telling yourself that." Bella replied irritably. "I'm going outside to get some fresh air." She flounced out of the house as she tried to retain her dignity.

"Well that went easier than I expected." Charlie said to Billy as he shoved Bella's cell into the inner pocket of his jacket.

"The first crack has appeared." Billy pointed out with satisfaction.

Charlie just smiled.

A/N-thank you for reading!