Disclaimer: I don't own them.
This takes place three months after the last chapter. So a lot more happens in this chapter than the last one. I also had problems writing withdrawn Bella. As always let me know what you
think. I'm not writing her trip with Jessica into the story because I don't really want to.
I want to say thank you that has favorited this story, added me to their alert list, posted reviews. All of you are so great, and I can not say thank you enough.
She couldn't believe what she was hearing. Charlie was talking about calling her mom. That he wanted her to move to Florida. She didn't want to leave. He had to see that.
"Dad, don't call mom."
"You'll be better off with her."
"No I won't. I want to be here."
"You've closed yourself off from everyone. Including me."
"I'll change."
"I've been waiting three months for that." he said, giving her an even look.
"If that's what takes for you to let me stay, I'll go out more. I'll go to parties. I'll come home drunk. I'll get a tatoo if you want." she said giving him a teasing smile.
"Going out with your friends and to parties is enough." he said smiling at her.
"Then don't plan on me being home this weekend."
"Good. 'Cause I won't be here either." he said with asmile.
XXXXX
Jacob was in the garage when he heard someone pull up. He wiped his hands on a rag, before slowly making his way around the house. He couldn't believe what he was seeing. Bella was getting out of her
truck as he took off at a run.
"Bella!" he said, getting her attention.
"Hey Jake." she said with a smile.
He bum rushed her, picking her up and tossing her over his shoulder. She let out a yell before he took off running with her. She was laughing by the time he sat her down in the garage.
"Having fun?" she asked, when she finally got her breath back.
"Yeah!" he said with a laugh.
"So this is the Rabbit?" she said, turning her attention to the car behind him.
"This is her."
"It's a girl?"
"Her name's Baby." he said, smiling proudly.
"When will she be done?"
"A few more weeks."
"Do you want some help?"
"From you?"
"I don't know much. But I know which tools are which. I used to hand Charlie tools when he needed them."
"I'd appreciate it. I can't manover my dad's chair through the yard. And Quil and Embry rarely ever come over anymore."
"Quil and Embry?"
"My best friends. We've known each other since we were in diapers."
"Oh." Bella said with a nod.
She couldn't say that she had known anyone other than her parents that long. Except for Jake. The six years that they hadn't seen each other hadn't changed things once she moved back to Forks. They picked
up an easy rythym that even Edward couldn't match.
They both started talking at once. Then started laughing, because they were being ridicules.
"So what has been up with you?" Bella asked once they calmed down.
"I've missed you like crazy." he said, shrugging his shoulders.
"Well, now I'm back. What else?"
"I'm totally freaked out by Sam Uley and his best friend Paul."
"Sam Uley? The guy who saved me?"
"That's him." Jake said with a nod as he leaned over the hood of the Rabbit.
"What does he do to freak you out?"
"He's always staring at me. He follows me and my friends around."
"He follows you around? That is creepy."
"Hand me the wrench." Jake said, holding out his hand.
Bella found it, and their hands brushed as he took it from her. An electric charge that she had only felt with Edward coursed through her arm. His hand lingered, as he used his other hand to tighten something
under the hood. It was nice. Confusing, but nice.
"So back to what you have been up to. Fill me in." she said, turning to lean against the bumper.
"Nothing much. I'm failing math, and science."
"I can help you. Science is my best subject. I'm not so great at math, but I'm not failing."
"Does this mean that you'll be coming around more often?"
"I have to spend time with my friends from school. But on the weekends I'll be here. Helping you with the Rabbit and your homework."
"Just the weekends?"
"You have to spend time with your friends too. Plus, you'll be at my house with Billy at least twice a week."
"That's true. You've got yourself a deal."
"Shake on it?" she asked, taking hold of the hand that was still on her arm.
"Nope. Hug." he said, sitting down the wrench before wiping off his hand and arm.
He engulfed her in a hug, and she wondered how she had gotten by without him. He had been her friend for years, and she had pushed him away.
"I'm sorry for being so stubborn. You were just trying to be my friend."
"It's over now. That's what matters." he said into her hair.
Someone's laughter from outside made them turn. Two boys about Jake's age stared at them grinning ear to ear.
"Speak of the devils." Jake said with a smile.
"Yeah well, I got a call from your dad. He said I should come over as soon as I could. Quil was at my house so he decided to come too." The one with longer hair said.
"Is he the only one who gets a hug?" The muscular one asked.
"Yes. Seeing as I don't know you."
"He's Quil, you've guessed that. The other one is Embry."
"Now you know me." Quil said outstreatching his arms.
"Just give him one. I'll pull him off if he tries anything." Jake said with a laugh.
Quil engulfed Bella in a hug as she laughed nervously.
"Who are you?" he asked looking her in the eye.
"Bella." she said not able to hold back a breathy laugh.
"Bella. We've heard about you." Embry said from under the hood.
"From who?"
"He says your his girlfriend." Embry said gesturing with his head to Jake.
"No. I said that she was a girl and that she was my friend."
"You can put me down now. I won't leave." Bella said, giving Quil a smile.
Quil put her down and the three boys gathered around the car.
"Bella, can you hand me the quarter inch ratchet?"
She found it than handed it to him before going to sit in the Rabbit.
"Jake?" Billy called from the house.
"Yeah dad?"
"Is Bella out there with you?"
"Yeah."
"Her dad's here."
"I've gotta get home. I'll see y'all later. It was nice meeting you Bella." Embry said with a wave.
"Bye Embry." She said with a smile.
"I better get home too. My mom will freak if she found out I left."
"You're grounded again?"
"She found out that I went to that party in Port Angeles last weekend."
"See you later." Bella said as he walked out.
"Come on." Jacob said, draping an arm over her shoulders, as he led her out of the garage and back to the house.
They walked through the back door, seeing Billy at the stove stirring a pot. Charlie sat at the table watching the two teenagers interact. Bella sat next to him as Jacob helped his dad.
"Did you not see my note?"
"I haven't been home."
"I need to invest in a cell phone."
"I guess we both do. We'll look into it this weekend."
"I don't think so. I've already called her for this weekend." Jake said, grabbing a jar of tomato sauce out of the cabinet.
"I'm helping him with his homework." Bella said when Charlie gave her a questioning look.
"Next week then."
Bella nodded with a smile.
"Is there anything that I can do to help?"
"Nope. Jake and I have got this. You've got the night off from cooking."
Bella smiled when Billy said that. She couldn't remember the last time someone had cooked other than her. If she didn't cook, they usually had take out. It was nice.
"Jake I'm sure Charlie can help me. Why don't you and Bella go back outside and we'll call you when it's done."
"You don't have to tell me twice." Jake said handing the spoon he was using to stir the noodles to Charlie.
Bella sat in the Rabbit while Jake worked under it. The radio played softly from the floor. A song Edward used to sing to her came on and she dashed across the garage to turn it off.
"You don't want the radio on?"
"I don't like that song." she said, shaking her head.
"That's cool. We'll talk to fill the silence."
"Sounds good to me."
"What have you been up to?"
"Besides going senial? Nothing. I'm lucky I'm not failing. No offence."
"None taken. Do you still talk to any of your friends from school?"
"Not yet. I'm still a social leper at school."
"So, I'm the privlaged one?"
"Looks like it."
"I can live with that." he said, sliding out from under the side of the car with a smile.
She smiled back at him, wondering why she had ever pushed him away. They maintained eye contact, not noticing that Charlie was standing at the door of the garage. He smiled before clearing his throat. They
both looked up at the same time, seeing Charlie grinning from ear to ear.
"Dinner's ready."
"We'll be there in a minute." Bella said blushing.
Charlie nodded before walking away. Bella and Jake had always been close. Edward had put a wedge between them. Luckily, they had been able to pick up where they had left. The two of them had been very
close when they were younger. Jake had been hazed by his sisters because of it when he was younger. Now he would be able to rub it in their faces when they saw him again. But Charlie knew that Jake would
never do that. Bella would never forgive him if he did.
Jake washed his hands in the spiget on the side of the garage while Bella stood next to him quietly. He splashed her, and she gasped from the shock of cold water. Jake laughed as she cupped her hands to gather
water.
"Uh uh." he said with a laugh.
"Oh come on! It's okay for you to get me wet, but I can't get you?"
"You were off in your own little world."
"Fine." she said, rolling her eyes.
"I'll get you a dry shirt." he said as they walked through the back door.
She didn't want to tell him that she had been thinking about him. She would keep that to herself.
XXXXX
Her screams made Charlie bolt upright in bed. He raked a hand over his face as he flung his feet over the side of the bed. He poked his head in her door, hoping that she had calmed down. She was tossing and
turning like she was trying to get away from someone.
"Bella?" he asked, gently shaking her.
She gasped, as she bolted upright in bed.
"What was this one about?"
"Jake..."
"Jake?"
"And Edward."
"What happened?"
"Edward came back. He found me with Jake. They were fighting. Edward shoved Jake off a cliff."
"Baby that would never happen. Jake can take care of himself."
"It was so real." Bella said, raking a hand through her hair.
"It's over now. You think you'll be able to go back to sleep?"
"Yeah. You go back to bed." she said falling back against her pillows.
Charlie paused at the door, seeing that Bella was already settled under her blankets, and he turned out the light. The dreams came every night. Always about Edward. This was the first one that Jake had been in. If
this didn't stop soon, he was going to take Bella to a therapist. They were both losing sleep over this.
XXXX
Jake had dropped Embry off at home last night before they could even go to the movies. He had complained that he was feeling sick, which wasn't like him at all. He never complained about anything. When he
wasn't at school that day, Jake was worried. He made the decision to go by Embry's then go by Bella's. His dad told him that he shouldn't go by Embry's, but Jake wouldn't listen. Miss Call answered the door and
motioned for Jake to move back. She quickly stepped out the door, but not before Jake saw Quil Sr. in the hall. What was he doing there?
"I don't know what's wrong with him. He's sweated through three different outfits today. I had to help him change, because he no energy whatsoever He's not throwing up, so I don't think he's contagious. Quil doesn't
want anyone here though. You should go."
"Call me when he's better?"
"Sure hon. Absolutely." she said, nodding sympothetically.
Jake looked over his shoulder once he was at the bottom of the stairs. Quil Sr. opened the door and let Miss Call back inside. He nodded at Jake as Jake got back in his dad's truck. Jake waved with a small smile,
before pulling out of the driveway. Something weird was going on. He'd ask his dad about it when he got home. Maybe Quil would want to go with him to Bella's. Quil had been asking about her ever since the day
they had met.
XXXXX
Bella got out of her truck, seeing Billy's truck coming up the road. It pulled to a stop a few feet from hers. Jake and Quil got out and met her at the door. They followed her inside, while she checked the answering
machine.
"Where's Embry?"
"Sick." Jake said, grabbing a bottled water from the fridge.
"Quil if you want something to drink go and grab one. He has no manners." Bella said, gesturing to Jake.
"Aha!" he said before taking a pull from his water.
"I'll be back. I'm gonna go put my bag upstairs."
Quil grabbed a bottled water before following Jake into the living room.
"So you went over to Embry's?"
"Yeah. You're grandad was there."
"He was?"
"Yeah, it was weird. Miss Call wouldn't even let me in."
"That is weird."
Bella came back down, and could be heard in the kitchen. She came into the living room carrying a bag of chips and a bottled water.
"Here you two. Have at it." she said, tossing the chips at them.
"Thanks." Quil said before grabbing a handfull of chips.
"Why did you get out of school early?"
"There's a flu epidemic. Half of our school was out today." Jake said between handfuls of chips.
"Embry being one of them?"
"His mom doesn't think so. She doesn't know what is wrong with him." Jake said, shaking his head.
"You tell him when he gets better he can come over whenever he wants."
They fell into silence as the three of them watched TV. Jake couldn't shake the feeling that what was going on with Embry was strange.
XXXX
The table that she had been sitting at ever since the Cullens had left was empty. She started to sit down, but happened to look over at Angela. Angela's eyes met hers before quickly darting her head towards
an empty seat beside Mike. Bella smiled, grateful that Angela somehow knew that she was contemplating sitting with them. She silently took the seat beside Mike, hearing them talk about Bears that Angela had
seen while hiking that weekend.
"She's right. Someone came into the store the other day and was talking about it. Right Mike?" Bella asked, looking at Mike.
MIke stared at her with wide eyes before turning back to the group.
"Yeah, there was."
Conversation continued as Bella opened her bottled water. Jessica watched her with questioning eyes. She didn't know weither to trust Bella or not. Now that Edward was out of the picture, there was a chance that
Mike would start flirting with her again. As of right now he was ignoring her as Angela peppered her with questions. She answered as best as she could. She didn't know where the Cullens were, she hadn't even
talked to them. Jessica thought that was odd. Edward had claimed to be in love with her. Why would he up and leave without telling her where he was going? Something had happened to make his family leave.
But what?
"So, I was thinking of going to the movies this weekend. Do you want to go?" Mike asked, breaking into her thoughts.
Jessica almost started to nod when she saw that he was staring at Bella. Of course he was.
"Sure. Maybe we could make it a group thing. Does anybody else want to go?" Bella asked, looking around the table.
"We'll go." Angela said, looking at Eric.
He nodded in agreement as Jessica found herself opening her mouth.
"I'll go."
"I guess it's settled. Friday?" Bella aske, looking around the table.
"Friday it is." Mike said. sounding defeated.
So Mike had planned on it being just the two of them. Points to Bella for not falling for that. Maybe she hadn't changed.
