Disclaimer: I don't own them. By the way, Paul says to tell you all hi.
I want to thank everyone for all the feedback that you have been giving me. It makes my day and makes me update faster. I'm probably driving my beta insane, but she has yet to complain. So thank you Layla.
Bella sat at the kitchen table, pen in hand, wondering what she should write. There was no easy way to put all that she wanted to say into words. Should she start off with how she was? How Charlie was?
Should she just jump right in, and tell Alice about Jacob? Should she tell them not to worry about her, and that she didn't blame them for what had happened? The last thing should definitely be brought up. She gripped her pen, holding it a few inches above the paper.
Alice,
I am so glad that you wrote me. I have been missing you and Jasper as well. I also want to put it out there that I do not blame either of you for what happened the last time I saw you. It was my fault for getting a paper cut. And I do not blame Edward either. You can tell him that. Along with anything else that I write in this letter. Emmett wants me to come to Tacoma. I don't think it's such a good idea. You see, my dad would never understand.
I want all of you to know, that I am happy. It took me four months before I was able to say that. I wasn't myself after you left. I holed myself up in my room for months, before Charlie was able to get through to me. I guess you could say that the change was for the better. I am seeing someone. He makes me feel like the luckiest girl in the world. He treats me with respect, and he gives me more love than I have ever known. I don't want you to feel like I have forgotten Edward. A part of me will always have feelings for him. Even if it isn't love. And Jacob understands that. He's also one of the most patient people I have ever met.
We haven't been together long, just a few weeks. We've been friends since we were little. I think it helps that we know each other so well, and that we had that bond before we started our
relationship. It should help that Edward has met him, and you can tell him about Jacob if you'd like.
Enough about me. You and Jasper are married? That's wonderful, I'm very happy for you. I hope that you got the wedding present I sent. Tell him that I asked about him. Charlie says that the two of you are welcome here anytime. I didn't realize that he had been talking to Jasper until a few days ago.
Have you talked to Edward recently? I'd like to know how he's doing.
Your friend,
Bella
The phone rang as she set the pen down. She didn't look at the Caller ID as she pressed the talk button.
"Hello?"
"Bella?"
"Alice, you have the best timing! I just finished writing you a letter."
"I'm in Tacoma, I saw something."
"You saw something that made you come back to Washington?"
"Are you alright?"
"Am I alright? I'm fine."
"Victoria isn't there?" Alice asked in a panicked voice.
"There is that. Laurent came here. Victoria sent him. He's dead now."
"He's dead? How?"
"My boyfriend, and his friends killed him. They're tracking Victoria now."
"What is going on? I leave for ten months, and you're dating a vampire slayer?"
"Well, he's no Buffy." Bella said with a laugh.
"Tell me about him."
"His name is Jacob. And I actually feel good talking to you about him. I just wish that you were here."
"Some other time. What is he like?"
"I explained things in the letter I wrote you. We've been friends since we were kids."
"Like kismet?"
"Sort of. Something happened with him, and it kind of hurried things along. Neither of us had ever thought about dating the other before."
"What happened to him?"
"He got sick. We didn't see each other for a month. During that month, the feelings surfaced."
"Absence does make the heart grow fonder."
A phone ringing on Alice's end was the only noise for a few seconds. Jasper could be heard from close by, letting Bella know that the phone call was over.
"You should answer your door."
"Someone's outside? Who is it?"
"I don't know. I just saw you answering the door. I couldn't see anyone on the other side. That's so strange." she said, in a distant voice.
Bella looked out the front window, seeing Jacob getting out of his car.
"It's Jacob." Bella said, breaking the silence.
"Jasper would like to talk to you." Alice said in a panicked voice.
"Bella?" Jasper said, getting on the line.
"I'm here. Hey you, I'll be off in a few minutes." she said, kissing the corner of Jake's mouth as he passed by her.
"I'm going to ask you something, and I want you to be completely honest with me. Is Jacob a werewolf?"
Bella let out a gasp, just as she dropped the phone.
"Bells? Are you okay?" Jake asked from the living room.
"I'm fine. What do you know Jasper?" she said the last line under her breath.
"Edward just called me. Apparently, he was reading Alice's thoughts at the time. He does that from time to time to check in."
"He heard us talking about Jacob?"
"Yes. He wants to know if we need to come back."
"He heard about Victoria too apparently." she muttered.
"Yes he did."
"Jacob is handling it. I think it would complicate things if you all came here."
"You're more than right. But Edward has already asked Emmett, and I to check into things. Will you warn Jacob that we will be there?"
"Yes." Bella said as Jacob came into the room.
She was off the phone a few seconds later. Jacob grabbed a coke from the refrigerator before turning to look at her. He gave her a once over, knowing something had happened.
"Who was on the phone Bella?"
"I'm going to be honest with you, because you have always been honest with me. Keep that in mind before you freak out." she said in one breath.
"Who was on the phone?" he said as his forearm muscles tensed.
"Alice, she was calling to see how I was doing. Then Edward called Jasper, he was reading Alice's thoughts while we were talking. Apparently he does that every once in a while."
"Why would he be worried?"
"Alice mentioned that she had seen a vision of Victoria. I told you that Alice sees visions, right?"
"Yeah." he said, sitting down at the table.
"Then we got to talking about you. Around the time you pulled up Edward was calling Jasper. He knows we're together."
"Have you talked to him?"
"To Edward? Not since he left. Edward has asked Emmett, and Jasper to come and check on things. Jasper wanted me to warn you, before you or one of the other wolves attacked them."
"They're coming here?" he asked, banging his fist on the table.
Her bag, the letter she had written to Alice, and her glass of water all went flying. Jacob was able to grab the glass before it fell to the ground. The water lay in a puddle under the table.. He stood, then crossed to the counter. She quickly mopped it up with a paper towel.
"I know you're mad." Bella said, walking over to stand behind him.
"No, I'm livid." he said shaking.
"Please calm down." she said, putting a hand on his arm.
"You call them back. And you tell them not to worry about coming close to the house. Because I'm staying the night."
"Charlie will never let you do that."
"He will, if he thinks it's for your safety."
"What are you going to tell him?"
"Don't worry about that. I'll think of something."
"I'll call them now." Bella said, grabbing the phone from off the counter.
Half an hour later Charlie was home, and Jacob was talking to him in living room while Bella made dinner. She hadn't even been allowed to come into the room. She didn't know what made her more mad, the fact that Jacob didn't trust her, or the fact that he couldn't get over his issues with Edward and his family. Charlie came in, leaning against the counter next to her.
"Do you mind telling me why you're boyfriend is so freaked out that he feels like he has to stay here tonight?"
"I don't know dad. Maybe it's because he thinks what's going on in Seattle will happen here."
"I can take care of that." Charlie said, shrugging his shoulders.
"You can't always be here." Jake said coming into the room.
"It's just for tonight, right?"
"Just for tonight."
"I'm probably going to regret this later, but alright. But you're sleeping on the couch."
"He can't fit on the couch dad." Bella said with a sigh.
"Then he can sleep on the floor. Either way, he's sleeping down here. And you are sleeping upstairs. Do you understand?"
"Yes." Bella said, with a nod.
They sat down to dinner a few minutes later. Charlie did most of the talking, peppering Bella and Jacob with questions about their day. Jacob held up his end of the conversation by giving one word answers and mumbling. Bella on the other hand, stayed silent, she couldn't shake the feeling that something dangerous was about to happen.
XXXXX
Bella was upstairs working on her homework an hour later when Jacob knocked on the door. She glanced up, seeing that he had calmed down finally.
"I need help with my homework."
"My dad fell for that?" she asked, quirking an eyebrow.
"I've been stuck on the same page for the past twenty minutes. I need help for real."
"Sit down." she said, patting the bed.
They were almost done, when her phone rang twenty minutes later.
"Go ahead. I've got the hang of this now." Jacob said, not looking up from his notebook.
"Hello?"
"Hi Bella."
"Alice, twice in one day? I feel so important." Bella said with a laugh.
"I have something I need to talk to you about."
"Okay."
"Has Jacob told you about our treaty?"
"The treaty? You mean the one where you can't come on their land, and they can't come on yours?"
"There's more to it than that. If we change someone, there could be a war."
"Are you planning on-"
"No! We would just like to consider the treaty moot, since we won't be coming back to Forks."
"I'll talk to him about it."
"Thank you. I knew you would understand."
"I'll talk to you later."
She hung up the phone with a sigh.
"She told you?"
"Her family wants to consider the treaty moot, since they won't be coming back."
"I'll talk to Sam about it."
"Okay."
"You two done?" Charlie asked, standing at the door.
"We're just finishing up now. We'll be down in a minute." Bella said, loading her books back into her book bag.
Jacob grabbed her hand as she rose from the bed. She looked down at their intertwined fingers, wondering what he was thinking.
"I'm sorry for earlier. You have to understand where I am coming from, Bells. I don't know what I would do if I lost you."
"You're not going to lose me."
"You're sure that they aren't coming back?"
"Alice said they weren't."
"Okay." he said, pulling her to him.
"We haven't got very long. Charlie could be up here any second."
"Super sonic hearing, Bells." Jacob said with a laugh.
"Right." she said, wrapping her arms around his neck.
He leaned down gently brushing his lips to hers. Her fingers played with the hair at the nape of his neck as the kiss deepened. Their tongues glided over each other as his hands pushed up the hem of her shirt.
She felt herself mold into him as his hands moved to the small of her back. He groaned before lifting his head.
"Do you know what you're doing to me?" he asked, with a groan.
"No, I can see it." she said, gesturing to the front of his pants.
"Go downstairs. I'll be down in a few minutes. I need to take care of this." he said, running his hands through his hair.
She quickly kissed him, before walking out of the room. She liked knowing that she could bring out that kind of reaction in him. He thought of her as someone desirable. It felt empowering. It also turned her on to know that even though they hadn't even been to third base yet he was already having a problem.
XXXXX
Charlie had gone upstairs at ten. Not before he told them that he was setting his alarm clock for two, and if Bella was still downstairs when he came down, Jacob was getting thrown out on his ass. He also warned them that he would be sleeping with his door open. So that meant no funny business. They both had cracked up laughing after he had gone upstairs. They were watching a movie when Jacob's phone rang. He quickly grabbed it not wanting to wake Charlie. Sam's name flashed across the screen.
"Yeah?"
"Everything quiet on your end?"
"Yeah. Everything's fine here. No sign of Victoria?"
"No. We caught the scent of the Cullen's a little while ago, but that's it."
"You didn't talk to them?"
"No. I started to, but they asked me to keep a safe distance. They wanted me to let you know that they appreciated that Bella has someone that was willing to look out for her the way you do."
"Thanks for calling."
"Don't mention it."
Jacob pulled Bella closer to him, and she rested her head in the crook of his shoulder. She breathed deeply taking in his scent. It was woodsy, masculine, with a hint of her mixed in. She closed her eyes fighting off sleep.
"If you're tired you can go upstairs."
"I want to stay down here as long as I can." she said sleepily.
"Go to bed Bella." he said before kissing her forehead.
She reluctantly went upstairs a few minutes later. She was changing when her phone vibrated. She flipped it open as she got situated in bed. Jacob had sent her a text message.
I'll be dreaming of you tonight.
She smiled before she texted him back.
I'll be dreaming of you. I love you.
She drifted off to sleep a few minutes later. She felt safer knowing that Jacob was there, she always worried about him when he was on patrol. The nights he didn't patrol he would come to see her. Even if he couldn't come upstairs, just having him there eased her worries.
