Disclaimer: I don't own any of these characters. No dirty warnings in this chapter more filler stuff. Enjoy!

Chapter 3

The way Bella saw it she really only had one option: pull the vehicle over and face Edwards's silent wrath. Her mind shouted at her to push the pedal to the floor and zoom right on by him, but that would have been futile considering he would just catch up and physically stop her then.

As she neared his familiar silver Volvo she eased of the gas pedal and slowed to a crawl as the ancient truck crossed over the territory border. Pressing the brake firmly she parked the truck and met Edwards golden stare. With a huff she opened the door and dropped down onto the pavement leaning against the truck door for support.

"Bella," Edward said on a breath "Just what are you doing?" Neither his voice nor his eyes gave off the slightest wave of anger as he continued to just lean against the car. "Alright, I'll drive you home."

He moved in large strides to stand before her as he took her hand in his own and eased her back up into the truck without force. Silently Bella scooted across the seat and stared blankly out the window. This day was full of surprises…

"Who is going to drive your car home?" she asked turning to look back at him as he eased the car into drive and took off down the roadway. She hoped to god that she only smelt like wolf and not sex which would have been a walk of shame.

"Alice."

And sure enough as Bella glanced out the window back to the car already following closely behind them Alice waved sheepishly from the driver's seat. "Ah."

The journey home was coveted by mostly silence. Occasionally Edward would reach over and change the radio station to something different, probably hoping to spark an un-awkward conversation with Bella.

Soon enough they reached Charlie's house and he cut the engine. He was silent for a moment before he turned to face Bella. "Is there something that you need to tell me Bella?" he asked softly, reaching over to turn her face to his.

Bella shrugged away from his touch. "Sometimes I just need space that's all. If I want to go visit Jake you shouldn't have to worry about it."

This is what was bothering him lately. More and more often Bella wanted space from him. He had nothing but time and space to offer to her if that is what made her happy, but she did travel all that way to bring him home. Patience was a skill that had taken many years to perfect and if she wanted him to leave her be for a while to sort her thoughts out that was exactly what he was going to let her do.

Edward was out the door and around the side of the vehicle to allow Bella out in a blink, and she took his hand to get down. "Just give me a few days okay?" she said softly giving him a quick hug. "Don't fret and don't worry."

"I do though," he said as he leaned down and gave her a gentle kiss. Then he was gone into the night.

Slowly the days past as Bella did normal things and the end of summer break drew near. She worked and came home to spend time with Charlie, most of all she thought about the difficult choices she was going to have to make.

Bella couldn't pretend that life threatening vices were gone, mainly one red headed vampire named Victoria, but she couldn't let that bother her at the moment. What she had with Edward was straight out of fairy books, a classic prince charming with lots of money and good looks with nothing but time to spare. Jacob however was her savior. He made everything right in the world when she thought there was nothing left to hang onto. There was no denying how she'd hurt his feelings that day and she tried to push that memory aside.

The doorbell rang and it startled her. She wasn't expecting anyone, and she had told Edward to give her peace, which he had done.

Slowly Bella rose and made her way through the living room to the door. "Who is it?" she called out placing her hand on the door knob.

"Uh, it's Jacob." The uncertain voice called out from the other side.

"Jacob!" Pulling open the door Bella gave him a truly genuine smile. "What a surprise, you didn't call." She said allowing him to move into the hallway as she shut the door behind him.

"I missed you." He said with an odd grin back. "I know we left on interesting terms last time, but I thought you would have been back by now to see me, I was starting to worry."

A crease formed in the middle of Bella's head at his words. "Is that all everyone does is worry about me?"

He laughed, and she liked that too. "Come on in and sit down."

Before she got completely away from him he reached a long arm out and snagged her by the wrist, pulling her back to him and up against his body in an awkward hug.

Bella didn't pull away as she leaned into Jacobs's warm body to respond to his hug. "I could tell you I'm sorry a million times-"

"Its fine, don't worry about it anymore. Bella don't think that I didn't enjoy what happened, it just got away from me that's all. I'm truly embarrassed now…" He let go of her and leaned down to give her a small kiss before he moved past her into the living room to sit on the couch. He gave her his huge Jacob smile as he motioned for her to come join him.

They watched TV together for a while and as the sun set Jacob dozed off with small snores.

Bella sat quietly and watched him instead of the show on the TV; she studied his face, memorizing each little detail. She needed to do something about the growing problem she was causing. Edward had told her that he would stay as long as she wanted him, until she chose to send him away. Would it be that simple? Could she tell the man she loved to move on without her? Hadn't her true heart's desire been becoming a vampire with him?

She loved Jacob too though. When she tried to compare the feelings it was a tossup. The things she loved about each of them are what set them apart. She loved Edward for his patience and devotion to her and Jacob for his true love of life and happiness. How was she going to do this?

If she told Edward how she felt about Jacob it would start nothing but chaos and war, but she had already blurted out her feelings to Jacob and she needed to start proving that those words were true. As long as they continued to not know about her sexual relationships with each of them, she could put off deciding for now.

"What are you thinking so hard about?" Jacob asked sleepily as he reached out to rub her eyebrows where the knot had formed.

"It's nothing…" she said.

Days turned into weeks, and before soon a month had past. Bell spent equal amounts of time at home, the Cullen's and the Black's. It wasn't however until one day she was sitting in the pristine living room of the Cullen's with Alice when something startling happened.

They had been watching a movie when Alice's face turned into her dreamy, far off, vision seeing face that captured Bella's attention. She set down the school supplies list and her books that she was attending too.

"What do you see?" Bella asked nonchalantly as she stretched and leaned forward to look at Alice.

"Nothing. I can't see anything!" Alice jumped from the couch and her brown baby doll dress swished with the movement. With a un-Alice like look she turned suddenly and stared at Bella.

It made her instantly alarmed, "Who are you looking for?"

"You! I CAN'T SEE YOU BELLA?!" Alice was shouting now in her tiny voice. Suddenly she clasped her hands over her mouth. Surely anyone home would have heard her and then she would have to be ransacked with questions by everyone. However most of them, save Esme had gone hunting this weekend. "Bella, Why can't I see you?!"