Disclaimer: ok, we all love Stephenie for her amazing characters.

PLEASE RR!! Like always :)

A/N: Um, ok, I need input: should Jacob imprint on Bella or not? I'm putting this to a vote; I wanna know what you guys want. Tell me!

On with the show…

I bit my lip. Edward's expression wasn't shocked or surprised. It was more of less resigned. I waited for him to say something, but he didn't. I sighed. "It's not because you're a vampire – well, not totally because of that. I still love you, but it's hard to love someone when… you're dead. I don't know how to explain it exactly."

Edward half-smiled, but the humor didn't reach his topaz eyes. "I know what you mean, Bella."

Relived that he understood, I added, "You know, we could still be friends. I don't want this problem to stop everything." I gave him a half-smile of my own.

Edward shook his head. "I don't want to run the risk of something like that happening again," he said as I opened my mouth to protest. "Everyone else has already left," he told me sadly. "They send their best." I shut my mouth and nodded numbly. Edward sighed, "Goodbye Bella." He turned and strode swiftly out the door.

"Bye," I whispered after him. I sat down heavily in one of the kitchen chairs. Part of me was thankful – it could have gone worse. Another part yelled, "Why did you do that?! You're never going to find someone like him again!" I groaned and tuned that part out. I trudged up stairs and glanced at the clock as I went into my room. Seven o'clock. That went much quicker than I had thought it would.

I groaned again. It was Friday night, and I had nothing to do; and I had just pushed away one of the most important people in my life.

My brain unconsciously flashed back to when I first found out that Edward was a vampire. "There's always a risk for humans to be around the cold ones, even if they're civilized like this clan was," Jacob had told me. I had no idea how right he would be.

Hey. Jacob. I could go visit Jacob. It had been a while, and I obviously wasn't planning on doing anything.

With renewed vigor, I skipped downstairs, catching myself on the railing as I tripped on the last one. Something told me I shouldn't be this happy after what I'd gone through earlier, but I was determined not to dwell on it too much.

I pushed my arms roughly through the sleeves of my jacket and took the keys out of the pocket. Locking the door behind me, I ran out into the rain and jumped into the chilly cab of my truck.

I carefully ignored the shiny stereo as I backed out of the driveway, and drove down Fork's only main road to La Push.

I slowed down as I drew nearer so I wouldn't miss a turn or something. I finally made it to the Black's little house without trouble. A flash of light shown from a window as I drove up to the house and killed the engine.

Jacob's tall frame blocked the light that flooded out of the door for a moment before he ran out into the rain to meet me. "Bella!"

"Hey Jacob!" His enthusiasm was contagious. I hopped out and we ran back to the house.

Billy handed a towel to Jacob. "Hello Bella," he said, his deep voice rumbling.

"Hi Billy," I replied, my enthusiasm fading a bit. The last time I saw him, he was telling me to stay away from Edward and his family.

"I'm sorry about the Cullen's departure; I know you were close to one of the… boys," said Billy. He didn't sound very sorry to me.

I nodded and looked away from his gaze, examining the linoleum floor of the little kitchen. "Dad!" I heard Jacob whisper sharply. A hand fell on my shoulder, steering me into the living room. Jacob sat down on the old couch and pulled me down with him. "I'm sorry about that," he said.

"It's alright, Jake," I muttered, pulling at the edge of a blanket next to me.

Jacob sighed. "He can be so insensitive sometimes." Then he groaned, leaning forward and rested his forehead in his hands.

"Jake? You okay?" I reached out and touched his shoulder. "Whoa! Jake, you're burning up!" I exclaimed.

Jake moaned.