Authors Note: Thanks for waiting on me to update everyone! I was unfortunately rather busy this past weekend and I did not have time to even touch my computer! Thank you to everyone that reviewed thus far! It is much appreciated! I'd like to especially thank Naya for the excellent review she sent me! Also to everyone on the Lexicon for reading and reviewing! Okay and now for the much anticipated confrontation!

Werewolves and Vampires

I bit my nails nervously as I waited for the guys to come in. Looking around the room, I noticed disdainfully that everything was white. A little color never hurt anyone. I sighed and leaned back against my pillows, staring wistfully at the ceiling. What was I going to say? What was I going to do? I mentally prepared myself for the conversation. This was not going to be easy. I jumped slightly as the door creaked open.

"Bella!"

Edward raced to my bedside and looked at me with loving concern. I glanced behind him to watch Jacob stalk into the room. He walked around to the other side of my bed, glaring at Edward with hatred. I sighed, this was going to suck. Edward reached down and grabbed my hand, watching Jacob as he did it. I frowned, hating that he was using me to prove a point. Without glancing away from Edward, Jacob reached down and grabbed my other hand.

The effect on me was quite profound. On one hand, was the icy cold hand of the one I loved. On the other, was the incredibly warm hand of my best friend. I could feel Edward's hand tense up as he let out a low growl. Jacob merely cocked an eyebrow, as if inviting Edward to fight right there and now!

"Enough, you two!" I said. Tears burned in my eyes as they both looked down at me in concern. "Do you guys really want to do this to me?"

They were both silent as tears rolled down my face. I looked at both of them defiantly.

"This needs to stop."

"Nothing has to change," Jacob said. "We're going to be enemies, Bella. Accept it."

"No!" I said, angry now.

"You can't have both worlds, Bella," Edward said, his silky voice colder than normal.

"Perhaps not… but then maybe I shouldn't have either."

I felt both hands stiffen in mine. I saw the alarm in Jacob's face and the hurt in Edward's.

"Explain," Edward said softly.

"You two don't have to like each other. Hell, I don't care if you loathe each other. But please… for my sake at least respect each other…"

I turned to Jacob, trying to be as diplomatic as possible. His hair was growing back now, I noticed.

"Jacob… you're my best friend… I don't want to lose you… you promised…"

Jacob looked away guiltily.

"Things change…," he said quietly.

I turned to Edward, shocked at the pain I saw in his eyes. I gave his hand a tight squeeze.

"Edward… I love you more than anything in the world… but does that mean I have to give up my friends for you?"

Edward glared at me, his expression indignant.

"I'm not asking you to give up all your friends…," he muttered.

Jacob started at Edward's implication.

"Just the one who cares the most about her!" he retorted.

"For her safety!" Edward growled back.

"Safety? As if she would be safe with a bloodsucker like yourself."

"I'm in control, you're not."

Jacob frowned and began to shake. I squeezed his hand and glared reproachfully at Edward.

"You guys are acting so juvenile!" I said, crying angrily.

"So what do you propose we do?" Edward said, looking back at me, his expression unreasonable.

"Tolerate each other. You don't even have to see each other. However, I should be allowed to see both of you without it being an issue! And if you two don't agree then…"

"Then what…" Jacob retorted, glaring at me.

"I'll leave…" I said softly. Already a plan was forming in my mind. "Somewhere where you won't ever find me…"

"And what about Victoria?" Edward asked his voice a mixture of hurt and anger. "She'll follow you!"

"So be it…" I said, my voice cracking a little. "If I have to choose between my best friend and my boyfriend perhaps death is the better alternative."

"No!" Jacob said, his voice betraying his concern.

"I won't let you attempt this suicide!" Edward proclaimed, squeezing my hand tightly, "It's ridiculous to even think that!"

"Then do we have an agreement?" I asked daringly. "I can see both of you… without it being a problem…"

"What makes you think I still want you as a friend?" Jacob asked defiantly.

Edward straightened up and let out a snarl. I looked at Jacob with equal defiance.

"If you didn't then why did you bother saving me?" I asked coldly.

I saw both Edward and Jacob wince.

"I… I don't know…" Jacob said.

"Talk to Sam about it…" I suggested, "Ask if he would be okay with it…"

Jacob looked torn. I knew with confidence that he still treasured our friendship; it was just a gut feeling.

"Please…" I pleaded, grasping his hand tighter.

He nodded stiffly, "Alright… I'll talk to him…"

Jacob pulled his hand away and stalked towards the door.

"Wait!"

I looked up in surprise as Edward strode over to Jacob. My heart went into double time as I watched the two of them warily. Jacob stiffened up as Edward approached, his spine shuddering slightly. Hesitantly, Edward extended a hand.

"I owe you my thanks… that's twice now that you've saved her…" Edward said, his voice sincere.

Jacob looked at the hand disdainfully.

"Someone has to do it," he said, his voice dripping with malevolence.

I bit my lip, waiting to see Edward's reaction. I watched as he stiffened up slightly, but kept his hand out. Jacob eyed it and then glanced over at me. I nodded slightly, pleading with my eyes. He unwillingly took Edward's hand and held it firmly. I winced as I watched their hands tighten, as if they were trying to break them. They withdrew their hands quickly, as if disgusted by the very touch. I sighed in relief. At least they hadn't gotten into a fistfight. Edward shut the door tightly as Jacob exited, turning to face me. I had a horrible feeling in my gut that I was in trouble. He walked over slowly, sitting next to me on my bed. I noticed for the first time that his eyes were dark.

"You're thirsty…" I commented, touching his hand gently.

"It's nothing I can't handle…," he said softly, avoiding my eyes.

I swallowed hard, waiting for him to yell at me. When the silence continued, I looked at all the monitors, not wanting to meet his eyes.

"Please say something…" I said timidly.

He stayed silent, bringing a hand up to cover his eyes.

"I'm… I'm a failure…"

My jaw almost dropped. This was the last thing that I had expected him to say.

"How do you figure?"

Edward rose up and looked at the ceiling, clearly frustrated with himself.

"I almost lost you! Again! What was I thinking, just letting you go? Then to have to have that… that dog be the one to save you from Victoria? It's almost unbearable!"

Within a second, he was beside me again, his eyes burning into mine. I felt my breath stop as he held my chin, forcing me to look at him.

"And then… seeing you lie there unconscious… Having to wait in the lobby amongst werewolves and knowing that I was indebted to them? I just… Damn't Bella I don't want to lose you!"

My breathing was extremely unsteady and my heart was racing. I had never seen him look at me the way he was doing now. The passionate pain in his eyes was nearly killing me.

"Edward…" I whispered, bringing a hand up to stroke his perfect face. "I'm… sorry… And you are not a failure! It's not your fault that if there is danger in a ten-mile radius it inevitably finds me! You can't keep beating yourself up just because I'm an idiot…"

He closed his eyes, resting his forehead against mine. I closed my eyes as well, breathing in his heady scent.

"Look…" I said finally, "It's my fault for over reacting…"

Edward sighed, hitting me with his dizzying scent.

"I hated fighting with you…," he admitted, his voice cracking a little.

"Me too… let's not do it again," I said, attempting to lighten the mood.

It worked. Edward laughed and kissed me on the forehead. I quivered as his lips traveled down to mine. My stomach flipped as he pressed himself against me with unusual vehemence. I could distinctly hear the heart monitor begin to speed up as he pulled me to him overpoweringly. My breath came out in gasps as he moved his lips to my neck. I closed my eyes, exhilarated by the effect he had on me. As his lips returned to mine, I couldn't help throwing my eyes around him enthusiastically. I grasped his hair and pulled him closer to me, and for once, he didn't pull away. He leaned into me eagerly, his lips parting slightly. I grabbed his back, hoping that he wouldn't stop kissing me. All too soon, he pulled himself away quickly.

"Bella," he said, his voice strained. "We need to stop…"

I was conceitedly happy to see that I was not the only one who was breathing harder. Edward's breath came out in ragged intervals, as did mine.

"Must we?" I asked weakly.

He chuckled and pushed my hair back out of my face.

"Unfortunately, otherwise I may end up doing something that we'd both regret…"

My heart beat wildly at the implications that his words could mean. Edward merely smiled his heartbreakingly handsome crooked smile and gave me a wink mischievously. My heart pounded and the heart monitor beeped crazily as if to prove it.

"I need to leave… I must hunt if I am not to leave your side." He said, "Will you be alright here?"

I nodded, slightly annoyed that he thought that I could possibly get in an accident in a hospital. He began walking towards the door, much to my disappointment. I laid back against my pillows, pouting slightly. In a flash, Edward returned to kiss me one last time. The heart monitor wailed crazily as I felt my heart skip a few beats.

"Stay safe," he said, smiling at me.

I nodded like a drunken idiot. I was feeling a bit worn out from all of the excitement. Settling back against the pillows, I went over all the excitement in my head, dwelling extra long on my 'conversation' with Edward. The door creaked open again and I looked up, surprised to see Charlie.

"What did Mom say?" I asked, dreading the answer.

"Huh?" he asked, clearly distracted, "Oh right… I was supposed to call her…"

I raised my eyebrows in surprise. How could he have forgotten so quickly?

"Is something wrong?" I asked, instantly concerned. "You seem distracted…"

Charlie blushed a dark red color. My eyes widened in surprise. I had never seen him blush before, although now it was clear where my blushes came from.

"Dad?" I asked, laughing in surprise. "Seriously, what's up? You're blushing!"

"Am I?" he asked, his blush deepening, "I wouldn't know why…"

"Did I miss something?" I asked, shaking my head in amazement.

"Well…" he said, rubbing the back of his neck, "I was going to call Renee… but then I ran into someone in the lobby… we got to talking and uh…"

"Who was it?" I asked, as he trailed off sheepishly.

"Well it was this real fine lady," Charlie said, refusing to meet my eyes. "And well… uh… she's new around here and I… uh… offered to show her around…"

"You have a date?" I asked, shocked.

"Well I wouldn't say a date, per se," he said, his blush still fervent on his face. "I just offered to show her around and everything…"

"What's her name?" I asked, surprisingly excited. It had been too long since Charlie had been on a date.

"Well, she's here visiting from Alaska… her name is Kate Denali," he said, his face brightening at the sound of her name.

My heart felt as if it had fallen into a bottomless whole around the vicinity of my stomach. Kate Denali? My father was going to be dating a vampire!