AN: Hello everyone. Answering some questions? Two people commented on the impossibility of Jacob guarding his thoughts from Edward. And yes you would be right, which is why Edward still could read his mind. By now Jacob knows Edward insistently reads thoughts and he was attempting not to think of certain things. Edward found it irritating that Jacob wasn't thinking clearly what he wanted to know, and of course sending insults and messages to Edward. Edward still got it, but he had to work a little harder.
I also keep getting question about how unnecessary it is for Bella to say goodbye to Jacob. Yes I agree. I did notice through the entire saga that Bella never held back where Jacob was concerned, even if it could potentially cause trouble. So it seems that Bella is just being herself to want to say goodbye to Jacob.
On to the story….. Enjoy…..
…
I was collecting my things in a hurry. Edward was grabbing our bags to throw in the Volvo. He was moving at vampire speed, to one room and then back. He had opened the large window, the cool air made me feel relaxed.
"They can't break the treaty Bella, we should just leave. It's in their best interest as well as ours to keep secrets."
My phone buzzed. I listened to the message. "Bella I am going to do anything. Please just don't disappear."
My eyes started to water. Edward grabbed my arms; He looked into my face concerned.
"We'll leave at dawn, I already told him goodbye."
"I am going to fill Carlisle in on everything." Edward reached into his pocket.
"My phone is gone."
I saw it lying on the ground near the window. I picked up the telephone and stumbled. My whole body went forward headed straight out the window. Edward caught me, I lost my grip on the phone; it flew out the window and fell the long distance, it hit the ground sure to be cracked. A very large paw came down on top of it. My eyes widened. Sure to be pulverized. A wolf was looking up at us.
Edward chuckled. "Hi Seth."
"I'll come down."
Seth ran into the house. We went down stairs quickly. Edward half carried me down.
"How are you Seth?"
"Pretty good... Hay Bella! How are you guys holding up?"
"I'm good." I sensed he was overly concerned about me.
"Sam wants to meet with you. He suspects something."
"You are referring to Charlie?" Edward had a matter of fact tone.
"He suspects all of you. We wanted to warn you, let you all know that he is on to something."
"I take it he has approached you?''
"Charlie is asking us questions."
"You've heard Seth." It wasn't a question.
"Yes we heard. He called Billy. Me and Jacob heard what happened. I can't believe it. Does he know why? That must have been such a shock."
"No he doesn't, and yes it was a shock." Edward sighed.
"Sam doesn't want the wolf out of the bag or even this… Now that Charlie knows."
"Not really." I responded.
"He doesn't, we ask Sam and all of you not to say anything." Edward asked with civility.
"Sure, were not even talking about it with him. He's asking a lot of questions, we don't know what the best thing to do is. That's why Sam wants to meet with you. He wants all the facts straight."
"We'll meet with him, even if Carlisle or all of us can't. I will."
"Were debating just ignoring him." He chuckled at the sure to be failure of that.
Seth lowered his voice. "Why he do it?"
"I told him, I was going to marry Bella."
"Gosh. I'm sorry Bella."
"Were still getting married."
"I'm surprised something like that doesn't happen more often."
"I think usually everyone keeps secrets. We try, as supernatural creatures we can avoid such catastrophe." Edward carried a patient tone with Seth as he explained.
"Imagine if that had happened to one of us, well with us we probably would have healed in front of him… Imagine someone trying to hurt us.'' He shook his head.
They chatted a little longer. It was difficult for me to listen. My mind wandered.
"I have to go, I'll see you later Edward.''
"See you Seth, and I'm terribly sorry for the inconvenience."
"Gee Edward; imagine if you had been a regular guy." I felt myself getting emotional.
"This has affected Bella terrible."
"Sorry Bella." He looked like he felt bad about the situation we were both in. "He feels really bad about this. It will work out Bella. We'll think of something. We always do."
Seth disappeared into the trees. A wolf ran into the distance, he had fazed.
"I am going out to the reservation to talk to Sam. And I'll contact Carlisle." Edward held up his pulverized phone and snickered.
"I'm going with you."
…
"Were going to have to decide what to do."
"He doesn't know what any of this is about. I am meeting with them to discuss this."
"I don't want them to leave; they're going to change her."
"That's something that we can't be involved in."
…
Jacob (pov)
So he wanted to know the truth did he? I made my way through the trees, and stopped in the hiding place once again. I had my doubts, Charlie had seen one strange thing already. Could he handle another one?
I came out and walked towards the house. Charlie came out of the house unto the porch as soon as he saw me.
"What do you want Jacob?"
He reminded me of Bella when she was mad, except scarier.
"You want to know what is going on?" What this is all about?"
"Are you going to tell me?"
"No."
I was still under orders, technically, not to tell about vampires.
"You better go Jacob. I'm watching you, all of you." He pointed his fingers towards his eyes, and then at me.
"Charlie there's strange things in this world." Charlie had seen a strange thing first hand.
"Strange things?" His eyes lighted up. He took a step forward.
"Ya, were all different."
"What is it about Edward? What is he?"
"No. I'm talking about Me, Sam, and all of us." I hope Charlie's gun wasn't on him; he might get put out again.
His eyes narrowed.
"What are you talking about?"
All the things I planned to say, suddenly sounded weird.
"You're not going to believe me."
"I've seen something bizarre." He stood completely strait and walked right up to me purposely.
"Try Me."
I took a few steps back and fazed into a wolf. I jumped forward through the air to add emphasis, so he could see what I am.
…..
There was a place at the reservation that Edward had agreed to meet at. I insisted that I come, and Edward had agreed. I was going to be one of the Cullen's soon. We arrived much earlier. Edward and I sat down on a large boulder to wait. My phone buzzed.
"Hay Bella."
"Hay Emmett."
"Wow everything good? Can I talk to Edward?"
"Everything is fine. Here's Edward, you're on speaker."
"Hay man, why aren't you answering your phone."
"It met a tragic end."
I'm sure I was blushing.
"What's going on Emmett?''
"I thought you left already."
"Not quite yet."
"Wow! We're staying close, in case something comes up."
"Alright thanks."
"How are the wolves holding up?"
"I don't know what's going on with the wolves. They wish to have a meeting with Carlisle."
"Keep us posted."
"Sure thing." Edward hung up.
He gave me back my phone. "Bella you might have to recount the events that transpired."
"That's ok, I'm sure they already know a lot of it."
Sam walked into the clearing.
"Edward." He greeted. "The wolf pack will be here soon, we wish to ask Carlisle some questions."
"Carlisle will be here soon. If Carlisle is not present, I may speak in Carlisle representation until he arrives."
Sam nodded. "If we need to speak with Charlie again, perhaps you should be there to tell us what he is thinking.''
Edward rubbed his hand through his hair in frustration.
"That won't be necessary."
Carlisle walked up to our little group. Edward and Carlisle smiled at one another.
"Our intentions of leaving is to avoid our exposure. We didn't know your secrets would be in danger as well."
"Not exactly. I believe he suspects us of being witnesses to it all. He thinks we have answers." I could tell he considered this to be a problem for the wolves.
"It is important that no human finds out that vampires exist."
"It's too late; he has already seen what you are."
"No, he doesn't technically know what we are. If he did, he would be in terrible danger as well as all of us."
Carlisle explained about the Volturi.
"Vampire law insists that no human know of the existence of Vampires. It must remain a secret. Any human that knows will be killed. No exceptions."
Sam eyes unperceptively widened, they flickered briefly in my direction. "We will keep are end of the bargain.''
The wolves came into the clearing.
Jasper and Alice sprinted up.
Seth came running. "Charlie is coming."
We all took a double turn in shock.
"What made him come here?" Sam asked angrily.
"Jacob is coming too."
Jacob came up; he had a smug look on his face.
"It's all been taken care of."
"What's been taken care of?" More than one person asked at the same time.
"We can tell him everything now."
"What did you do?" Sam's voice was neutral; even though I was sure his mood was not.
"I told him...
My eyes popped wide open.
"…I told him there are strange things in the world." He was quiet then.
"What else?"
"I didn't say anything else." He grinned. "I transformed into a wolf and came here."
"That hardly qualifies as telling him, I'm sure he's assumed something strange is happening." Sam's posture was once again at ease.
Edward was glaring at Jacob.
"I shifted in front of Charlie."
Complaint and howls erupted. The wolves were staring at Jacob.
"You could have given him a heart attack." I yelled.
"You were under orders...'' Sam started.
"Technically you didn't order me not to tell Charlie."
"To keep the secret, were all supposed to keep the secret.''
"I wasn't technically under orders not to faze in front of Charlie.''
"Was he alright? This would be a shock." I couldn't believe my Dad saw Jacob turn into a wolf, after he had just been a witness to Edward's invincibility.
"Ya, he did look pretty out of it."
"Jacob how could you?''
"It will be better like this, and you'll be happier."
Edward growled.
"Any human is destroyed by their vampire law, if they discover the truth of their existence. Charlie could be in real danger, or us." Sam was exasperated.
Jacob looked at me concerned. "I didn't tell him about them, just us."
"You're going to have to decide whose side you're on." I wasn't sure what Sam was referring too.
"I didn't realize, I wanted to avoid him asking questions."
"Charlie knows what we are, he will discuss this."
"He should be here any minute." Jacob informed us.
"Very well, we'll all have to tread carefully, Watch our words." Sam returned to his calm demeanor.
I don't know if I could handle speaking in double meanings. But I knew I couldn't give anything away.
Jacob was looking at me. "Now they don't have to leave." He told me.
Edward snorted.
Jacob was watching me and Edward. Edward's arm was around me.
"You can't break the treaty." He was addressing Edward.
"You broke the treaty first." I snapped.
"What did you do Jacob?" Sam asked.
"It was partly my fault." I felt guilty for accusing him. "I asked him about it, the Cullen's."
"I didn't know it was real at the time." Jacob was sheepish.
"You violated the treaty?" Sam looked at Carlisle.
"We have chosen not to act on this unfortunate misstep on the part of the young Jacob Black."
"Thank you Carlisle, we will work together as comrades and resolve this situation.''
Jacob rolled his eyes.
"Charlie is coming.'' Edward warned.
We heard a car in the distance. I knew it was his cruiser. Did he know we were in this clearing?
After a few moments Charlie approached.
We were all silent. Charlie was staring at us all. His eyes shifted significantly to Edward. My grip on Edward tightened. He looked at the wolves.
Sam said something first.
"Hello Charlie."
"Hi Charlie." Jacob smiled, with a wave.
His gaze shifted to Carlisle. He looked uncomfortable to see the Cullen's. He nodded at all of us.
He focused on me. "Bella, Why are you here?"
"Dad you shouldn't have come."
"I have to. I needed to see you and Edward.''
"Dad, I love Edward."
"It doesn't matter; I have to be sure that you will be safe. That's why I'm here."
"I am alright."
"I'm going to turn myself in Bella…"
"..Dad you can't, you'll turn in the Cullen's. Their secret!"
Jacob snorted.
Charlie was quiet; he looked around at the wolves, then to Jacob.
"So all this time Jacob, you've been a wolf?"
Jacob looked embarrassed. "Well I'm still kind of a better choice for her." He pointed at me.
Charlie looked like he wanted to pull out his gun again.
"Carlisle what's going on? Sam what is happening?" Charlie asked questions, but he didn't want the answers.
"I'm afraid I can't tell you that. Suffice to say that our world is not as conventional as one might believe." Carlisle answered politely.
"It is important that you do not repeat this to anyone." Sam said adamantly.
Charlie looked like he wanted to say more; instead he just focused on Edward.
"Edward your something else, you're not a regular person?"
"Yes."
"You can't be good for Bella."
I wanted to say something, anything. Edward gently touched my arm. Charlie was speaking directly to him. Edward wanted to say his peace."
"That's why I left.''
"Yes I see." Comprehension filled Charlie's eyes. Like suddenly a puzzle made sense.
"Maybe you were right.''
"I made a mistake to leave."
"There's something to that, but how could anything be normal? Nothing could be right, even a marriage, you must realize that."
"I promised never to decide anything for her again."
"You may not be who I thought, but you're still... different."
"I pick Edward, I don't care what he is. I'm picking him."
I could sense the wolves reacting to my response.
Charlie was unhappy with everything. "I don't want you to leave Bella.''
I was about to respond when I sensed tension. Jacob was glaring at Edward, he looked furious. Edward's eyebrows rose.
"You're not leaving.'' Jacob sneered.
"Who's going to stop us?"
"I am."
"Jacob I order you to….."
Before Sam finished his sentence, Jacob flew throw the air. He came toward us. Edward was airborne, and it was like two boulders crashing. Everything happened so fast I barely registered it. Jacob was thrown backwards, Carlisle was moving Edward back, he was uncharacteristically furious. Jacob was flat on the ground, phased into wolf form. I looked next to him, Edward's arm was on the ground, I screamed.
Edward's arm.
All the wolves were crouched flat on the ground, Sam was in wolf form. He had given an order. Seth came running up to us wining. I looked to where I saw his… I couldn't think it. I frantically looked around. It was gone. Jasper and Carlisle were by Edward's side. I ran to him.
"Edward!"
Jacob got up slowly, he fazed back. He had a wound on his shoulder. It healed immediately.
"Just a moment." I heard someone whisper.
Had I imagined it, Edward was back to normal. He looked extremely angry. He was still glaring at Jacob.
"Jacob you will not declare war." Sam was in human form again.
Charlie was frozen staring at Edward and Jacob. Just when it looked like he was going to accept things, he sees something like this. He just kept looking back and forth between Edward, Me, Jacob and the Cullen's.
"Dad." He put his attention on me.
"Bella."
"Dad are you okay?"
He looked back at the wolves.
"Jacob you had no call to attack." Sam scolded.
"Why don't we just fight and then Bella can pick whose left." Jacob was vibrating.
Edward hissed.
"That will be enough Edward." Carlisle scolded. "No fights."
"I should have killed you." Jacob growled.
Edward didn't respond.
Charlie started to approach Jacob.
Sam put his hand up. "You should keep away."
Charlie's hand was extended towards Jacob. He lowered it.
"Jacob, Bella picked Edward.''
Charlie's voice was extremely mature, and he looked at Jacob with a mixture of compassion and anger.
"For Bella's sake we should discuss this rationally.'' Carlisle was directing his attention to the wolves.
"Jacob is not coming near." Sam ordered.
"Edward remember yourself." Carlisle told Edward gently.
"Yes." Edward looked ashamed.
"We should accept Bella's choice." Charlie said. He was talking to Jacob again.
"Just take a minute to pull yourselves together." Charlie looked at Edward's arm; it was back in place, as if nothing happened. He blinked. I think he was wondering if he had seen right.
"For Bella's sake we have to get along." Charlie continued. I couldn't help the surprise I felt, at Charlie mediating the situation. "Jacob they have chosen each other."
"We should all respect Bella's choice." Sam was addressing the tribe. He was probably referring to my choice of becoming an immortal.
Edward grabbed my hand. "A lesson to us all.''
"Bella I don't want you to leave, this can be worked out."
"There's no reason to leave now. We'll stay." Carlisle told Charlie.
"We are getting married please, try to understand that." I was talking to my dad and everyone else. I didn't know who else was going to object.
"Yes Bella, we've accepted your decision, we are not at odds with the Cullen's." Sam said in the most civil tone I had ever heard from him.
"Jacob." Sam looked pointedly at Jacob.
"Me, I don't accept her final choice."
"Jacob you will… I say..."
"Sure! I'm calm now."
"Jacob don't hurt me like this." I told Jacob sadly. Did he realize how painful it was for me to see them fighting.
Jacob looked away from me ashamed.
"I'm not going to do anything Bella." He said in a neutral voice.
"There's things here I don't understand." Charlie was asking Sam. "All this is beyond what I know, won't you tell me?"
"We would have to discuss the nature of our being. We are werewolves, but even then we could not explain everything of our existence to you."
I could see Charlie was uncomfortable with the topic period. He didn't look like he enjoyed hearing about the details.
"We are incapable of discussing certain things with you. But you have my word if something becomes necessary for you to know, I shall personally inform you." Carlisle told him in a kind voice.
It took a moment; he just kind of thought about things as he looked around, before it looked like he was accepting things.
"Bella, I accept your wedding."
I looked at my Dad. I didn't know if I wanted to smile or cry.
"Stay, Bella?" He asked gently.
"We don't have to leave now, what do you want?" Carlisle asked me.
"I'm staying Dad."
"That's good! Please know that you can come home whenever you want."
"Yes Dad! I will."
Charlie became formal. He looked at the crowd and looked at Carlisle, Jacob and Sam.
"I don't ever want to talk about any of this again."
They nodded there acquiesce.
He took one last look at me, and then walked away from all of us. We heard his cruiser start up in the distance and drive away. The wolves started to drift away. Sam and Carlisle exchanged some words. Jacob had a sad expression before he left. We all started to say our goodbyes. Seth talked a little with Edward.
Alice was ecstatic. "Oh wait." Here."
She passed out some white envelopes.
"I just wanted to make sure I gave all of you these. The wedding invitations." She passed out the envelopes to Seth, Embry and Quil.
I rolled my eyes. Edward guided me back to the Volvo. We didn't say anything. Edward started the engine. I put my head down on the dashboard. Was it really over?
…..
AN: There's not much left now. Let me all know what you think…..Smiles