Jealousy

"I was so worried about you, Bella!" Emmett's smile beamed down on me like a ray of sunshine. I couldn't really understand his enthusiasm, but I smiled up at him anyways. His blinding smile faded as he glimpsed Jacob standing behind me on the stairs.

"Where were you guys?" I finally stammered after a long, awkward silence which consisted of Jacob and Emmett staring at each other.

"We were doing a little tracking, trying to see if we could map out where Victoria was heading. Me and Jasper were out hunting when Carlisle told us what happened. Alice and Edward met up with us in the clearing and we followed her scent all the way to the Canadian border. She's really fast," Emmett laughed, rubbing his chin. The sides of my mouth slowly turned into a frown. I looked back at Jacob. I hated this. I hated not knowing what Victoria had up her sleeve. I hated knowing that she was out there somewhere, watching, waiting for her next opportunity.

Exhaustion punched me in the face. All this excitement made my legs feel like Jell-O. "Jacob, do you think you can drive me home so I can get some rest. I can barely stand let alone keep my eyes open." I couldn't decide if I was asking Jacob for a ride because I was tired or because I wanted an excuse to be alone with him.

"No, you're staying here. Going home is a death wish." I peered around Emmett to the source of the declaration. Rosalie stood in the same place, holding her arm across her chest. I anxiously glanced at Edward. He understood. He nodded his head.

"Rosalie's right. You are mush safer here." He never ceased to amaze me. I had just broken up with him for Jacob and yet he was still willing to let me stay in his home so he could protect me. I opened my mouth to say something but Edward interrupted me. "You don't have to say anything. Even after everything that's happened I still care about you more than you can ever know." I quickly strode towards Edward and wrapped my arms around his marble neck, laying my head on his chest. He loosely wrapped his arms around my waist, understanding and acceptance coursing between us. I knew we would always be connected no matter what happened. We would always have each other. I pulled away and touched his stone cheek.

"Thank you." It was a loaded statement. I was thanking him for so much, for letting be in his life, for loving me, for protecting me, for accepting me for who and what I was and not wishing for me to change. I was thanking him for letting me choose my own path, for choosing Jacob.

He grabbed my hand from his cheek and held it in his. He nodded his head. He didn't need to say anything. The silence hung tangible in the air like fog. Embry cleared his throat.

"I wonder what Sam and Carlisle are talking about?" Paul asked, bouncing on the balls of his feet. It was obvious he was bored and anxious for something to happen.

Before anyone could answer Sam and Carlisle walked out of the office, pulling everyone's attention back to the matter at hand.

Carlisle walked to the center of the room, taking center stage. "I know you all are probably wondering what is going on. Sam will inform the pack, and I will inform my family tomorrow after we have all gotten some rest and a break from all the excitement." Sam nodded his head and started for the front door, the pack's cue to follow. All of them waved goodbye to the Cullens as they strolled out the door into the chilly night air. I turned to say goodbye to Jacob. I didn't want him to leave, but I knew he didn't have a choice. It felt like if he left now I would never see him again, like he would evaporate into thin air. He walked over to me from the stairs and hugged me. I could tell he didn't want to leave either. It was an effort to pull away from each other. He gave me and quick peck and ran for the door, not saying a word. He didn't have to. There wasn't much to say. I watched him through the window hurry to phase and catch up with the pack. I missed him already.

Rosalie came up behind me and grabbed my hand. "You and Alice can stay in my room tonight. We can have a girl's night." I had never heard Rosalie use the words "girl's" and "night" consecutively in a sentence before. Alice stood across the room, gawking at Rosalie. I pulled my eyes away from Alice's disbelieving expression and forced them to look at Rosalie.

"Yeah, sure." It was all I could think of to say. I let Rosalie pull me up to her room by my hand. I was in a daze. I didn't know what Rosalie was playing at but it scared me.

"I'll just be a minute," Alice said as she followed us up the stairs and past us into her own room down the hall. She couldn't hide the confusion in her voice anymore than I could.

Rosalie opened the door to her room and I just then realized I had never been in it before. The walls were painted an icy blue with white, lace curtains. A huge vanity took up one entire wall, jewelry spilling out of tiny boxes resting on the top. She had a chaise lounge in the corner which I promptly sat down in while she sat in the seat at the vanity.

She gazed at herself in the mirror while I waited for her to say something or for Alice to come back. I rested my head in my hand. The silence was killing me.

"Bella Swan," Rosalie said demurely. "Bella Swan, what is it about you?" The demure tint in Rosalie's voice was gone. It was replaced with hostility.