Chapter 7- Ice & Fire

"Edward. I've never stopped loving you." Tears were streaming down my eyes. "I –I just had to deal. So I started picking up the pieces, but the hole in my chest hasn't ever healed. Jacob has helped me so much there. When I'm with him it helps me feel human again, and I love him."

"Jacob Black?"

"Yes." I sniffed. Edward tensed and hissed.

"I knew it. The second you walked in I-"

"Knew what?"

"He's a wolf isn't he?"

"How could you possibly know that?"

"The smell. You kind of smell like wet dog Bella," his half smile lit his face for the briefest of seconds.

"I do?" I sniffed my shirt and smelled nothing but fabric softener.

"You wouldn't be able to smell it with human senses. I knew what the smell was because it's the same smell as before, with Ephriam Black and his wolf pack."

"Oh." Edward sighed then groaned.

"Out of all people for you to fall in love with when I leave you choose a dog!"

"He's great." I said feebly.

"He's dangerous! Do you have any idea how much danger you are in by being with him!"

"Jacob is not a danger to me he's been protecting me!"

"What?" I explained all the problems I had encountered with Victoria and Laurent when he was gone and how the pack saved me. If it was possible, Edward looked even whiter. His eyes blackened further and he was frozen in a rigid pose.

"You're hungry." He just groaned and slumped into my lap.

"I can't believe I didn't see that coming, especially Alice!"

"It's over, we're all safe, let's not think about it." Edward sat up and his eyes locked on mine. He was slowly leaning towards me, eye's completely open. My will slowly crumbling, I leaned forward. 'Jacob, you chose Jacob.' Our lips met. His icy lips crushed into mine more fiercely than I remembered, less control was used. His cool breath moved to my neck and he worked his way up. His lips brushed across my jaw line, my shoulder, down to my wrists and back up. 'This is wrong.' My hands were in his hair, I tried to pull his body near mine, he got the message and pressed me closer to his stone body. Our lips met one last time before he pulled away too soon, just like before. It was all too similar, as if he had never left. He untangled himself from me and wrapped a blanket around me, was I shivering? 'But he did leave, and there have been consequences.' "Edward," I whispered, ashamed of myself.

"Is it that you've moved on, as I intended? I won't be able to argue if you no longer want me, of course." I could see the pain etched in his face, though he tried very hard to maintain his cool mask.

"I love you Edward Cullen, but, I've grown to love Jacob too. It's not fair to him. I can't believe what I– I'm so sorry. Edward I-" I began to sob. Hard. Edward just held me and endured. I woke up the next morning under my sheets, alone. Last night felt like a dream until I heard him.

"Bella?" Edward was leaning against my door, giving me my space. How strange it felt, to not be able to hold him like before. I was taken, and not by him.

"Good morning," I said softly, unsure of myself.

"I know you have a tough decision to make. I don't want to pressure you one way or the other. I just would like to say one thing." I stared, already starting to well up again. "I love you Isabella Swan, I want you to choose what is right for you. Always know that all I want for you is the best. I will be here for you for as long as you will have me and I promise to never leave you again. It is my deepest regret that I went to such measures to protect you, I know now that I was wrong." He walked over and kissed me on the forehead. I shut my eyes. "Call me when you're ready to talk."

"K," was all I could say. The second he was out the window I began to sob again.

"Bella?" I jumped and whirled around dropping the bowl of soup I was putting in the microwave. Jacob caught it easily and sighed as he mopped up the contents that splashed onto the ground with a towel on the counter. "So…it was your leech then? He came back?" I just nodded, too exhausted to tell him to watch the name calling. He shut his eyes. "You know I'm going to fight for you Bella."

"You shouldn't have to. I chose to be with you," I started tearing up. "I'm so confused."

"Yea I know, it sucks doesn't it?"

"Kinda yea," I sniffed as he pulled me into a tight embrace. I recoiled a little and it seemed to sting him. "I kissed Edward."

"Yea I know," he mumbled.

"You do?"

"Wasn't hard to guess the outcome of that visit." He said softly his voice full of misery.

"I'm so sorry Jacob. I never meant to hurt you, but that's all I ever seem to do. Are you sure you even want me?"

"Well I'll have to think about that." My eyes widened a little. "Absolutely." He grinned at his little joke in a moment that was so not funny. Noticing I was not impressed he moved on. "Bells, as much as I completely despise it…he was your first love. You are mine…and I know how outright unbearable the thought of losing you is. I get how hard that must be. But I am truly better for you in every way. I can protect you in every way that he can protect you and still be human…most of the time. With me, you don't have to sacrifice anything. Your family, your friends, your life." He took my hands. He placed one over my heart and the other over his. I felt a soothing thump that matched my own. He slowly bent down and kissed me with so much passion, that I was literally swept off my feet. I could feel both our hearts speed up under my palms. He held me tightly to his warm body and traced my lips with his tongue. His hands twisted into my hair as he held me securely to him. My hand moved from his chest to his neck, and then to his face. My lips parted and our tongues began to dance. He wrapped my legs around his torso and pushed my back into the wall. His tongue moved down to my neck, giving me a moment of air, before it traced back up to wrestle with mine. Finally he pulled back, his lips at my ear, "And I bet Edward can't kiss you like that," he whispered.