Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight or any of it's' characters. No copyright infringement is intended and no money is being made from this work.

A/N: Glad this is coming along =) Also, I have a website for Twilight fans: .com/penombrapersempre/index/ Take a look if you don't mind, sign up, and chat! Reviews keep me going ^_^

Bella was still sitting up in her bed when I got up to her room. She had her light purple comforter pulled up past her chest; I made sure to close the window behind me. I hardly even noticed the cold. She scooted over on her bed, making room for me. I took a good look at her. She still seemed afraid.

"You should have told me," she said quietly. I nodded. I probably should have.

"I didn't want to worry you." I shifted a little more, so my body was closer to hers. She curled up next to my side, and her slight shivering stopped.

We were quiet for a minute. I wondered what she was thinking. She still hadn't said anything about Edward; I assumed she hadn't been able to see him. I was glad for that. She shifted her body so she was laying down more, and I cautiously shifted the same way. I tried not to let the teenage guy in me dwell on the fact that I was laying in a girl's bed.

"Did Alice know about it?" she asked sleepily, yawning mid-sentence. I grinned.

"Who do you think was here keeping an eye on you?"

Out of the corner of my eye I saw Bella roll her eyes. "Figures." A beat. Then—"Thank you. For protecting me."

I chuckled. "Duh." She laughed at that. I loved her laugh.

Her breathing was slowing as she was drifting off to sleep. I turned and kissed her forehead. "Do you want me to go?" She shook her head.

"No. Stay." I smiled softly.

I should tell her now, I thought. I had no idea how to do it. Frankly, I was still terrified. I had no idea how she would react, especially since we had thought that it was all a myth. I glanced at her. She was already asleep, I realized. Any big discussions would have to wait until tomorrow anyway.

I wrapped my arm around her and shut my eyes, knowing I would have to be careful to get out of there before Charlie woke up. He liked me, but something gave me the feeling that he wouldn't take too kindly to anyone sneaking into his daughter's bedroom in the middle of the night to snuggle up next to his daughter. I silently laughed at the expression he would no doubt have on his face if he were to ever find out about this.

Drifting off to sleep next to Bella, I resolved to thank the bloodsucker at some point for coming back; Bella was safe now.

I woke up at about six-thirty, rubbing sleep out of my eyes. The hour or so I got helped, but I really just needed to crash for awhile. I slipped out of Bella's room, making sure she was tucked in. I phased when I hit the trees, running back to La Push.

Morning, Embry greeted me.

You sly dog, Paul joked. I could almost see the way he would be grinning.

You didn't even kiss her? He asked, slightly surprised. Way to get his head out of the gutter.

Nope. Perfect gentleman. He shuffled through my mind.

Geez. You cuddled. You really are whipped. I just rolled my eyes. Sadly, he was right.

Everything go smoothly last night after I left? I asked. Embry was kind enough to mentally run down everything. Boring, for the most part. Just regular patrol. I assumed things would be a little quieter with the redheaded vamp out of the picture.

I headed back toward my house, changing back into my human form as I came up on the driveway. I walked into the house, noticing my dad in the kitchen right away. He nodded his head in greeting, not looking up from his newspaper- although I noticed his slight smile. My dad worried about me, although he never mentioned anything. He didn't look the least surprised or angry to see me walking in wearing yesterday's clothes after not coming home last night. One of my brothers had obviously come by and filled him in.

"Hey," I greeted him, making my way to the fridge. I grabbed the milk carton and took a long pull from it, wiping my mouth with the back of my hand and putting it back in the fridge. I heard the old man chuckle.

"Y'know, that'll annoy the hell out of Bella," he said, still chortling. I grinned a little—he was right.

"Speaking of which," Billy said casually, "you tell her yet?" I didn't have to ask what he was talking about.

"Actually, I was thinking about bringing it up today." I fought to sound nonchalant. He nodded, looking thoughtful.

"She might be alright with it," he said, looking back down at the sports section. "That girl will surprise you." I had to agree with that.

He was silent for a moment, and I turned to make my way into my closet-sized bedroom. His voice stopped me.

"Sam says one of the Cullens was in town again. Besides that little female."

I wheeled around slowly. I knew how my dad was on the subject of the Cullens.

"Yeah, Edward was back in town. Checking on Bella, you know."

He raised his eyebrows. "And you're… okay with this?"

I shrugged. "It was fine. Actually, he and the female helped us take care of another bloodsucker. Apparently this one had some personal issue with Bella." I noticed that I was grinding my teeth as I said this. "So, it actually turned out to be a good thing. He's gone now, anyway."

Billy nodded, still looking skeptical. "And when is the female leaving?"

"I'm not sure. But… Bella likes her being there. It's like… they're best friends. I don't want to upset her." What the hell was with the Twenty Questions, anyway? I knew he was the leader of the tribe—at least, until Sam had phased and become Alpha—but really, didn't he trust me to make the right decisions?

He seemed to be reading my mind. "I trust you, Jacob. I'm just worried. I know how difficult being… diplomatic might be, especially where Bella is concerned."

"There's no threat."

He raised his hands in front of him in a surrendering gesture. "Hey, I believe you. So long as you know what you're doing." He chuckled. "Maybe I'm just being a nosy old man."

I grinned a bit. He was just trying to help—he was concerned for Bella. I understood that.

"Well, thanks. Maybe you being an old meddler is a good thing." He whacked me on the arm with the newspaper as I passed.

Chuckling, I made my way into my room to change my clothes. I pulled off my t-shirt, tossing it into the corner. Ew. I smelled like vampire.

After changing into my slightly-less-disgusting-smelling jeans and shirt, I reappeared in the kitchen.

"Any plans for today?" I asked Billy.

"Nah. Just watchin' the game." He appraised my appearance. "Going over to Bella's already? You're actually wearing a shirt with no grease on it. I didn't know you still had one that clean." I rolled my eyes good-naturedly. He sure was a jokester nowadays.

"Yeah, I'm gonna go over there today. She comes over here often enough."

He nodded. "Maybe she'll come visit again, once the craziness dies down. I miss her cooking." I laughed, nodding. I strode out the door, waving.

"I'll stop in tonight before I head out with the pack." Billy nodded, already making his way to the living room to watch the game.

I considered phasing—it was faster—but I hadn't driven my Rabbit in awhile. All that trouble of fixing it up just for me to find a better mode of transportation. I popped back in the house and snatched my keys off the counter just inside the door. Starting the car, I realized how crazy I'd been. I was proud of this thing.

Taking the car to Bella's didn't really take that much more time than running. I pulled onto the street and put it in park. As soon as I got out of the car I could hear noise coming from the kitchen. Good, she was up. I ran a hand nervously through my now-short hair. Time to bite the bullet.

I strode to the door, knocking lightly. Barely two seconds had passed before she opened the door. She must have woken up recently—her cheeks were still rosy from sleep and her eyes looked a little bleary, although she had clearly run a rush through her hair and brushed her teeth; I could smell her minty toothpaste. She was beautiful. I smiled.

"Morning!" I said cheerfully.

"Good morning," she laughed, opening the door and stepping back to let me in the house. "I didn't expect to see you."

"Well, of course. Wanted to spend the day with my favorite person." I loved the way I made her blush. I sat down at the table. It was still pretty early; Charlie was still upstairs snoring. Bella had gone back to the oven—it looked like she was making omelets. She glanced back, catching me staring.

"Hungry?"

My stomach rumbled in response. She laughed, turning toward the refrigerator. She pulled out another dozen eggs and a larger pan and got to work. Soon the kitchen smelled of eggs, cheese, mushrooms, and ham. I was salivating. I love this girl.

"So," she said, tipping the huge omelet onto a plate and setting it in front of me, "what are we doing today?" She set some buttered toast on my plate as well. "Alice went hunting, se won't be back until tomorrow."

I took a huge bite, swallowing quickly. Man, these are good eggs. "I was thinking about getting the bikes out, actually. We haven't ridden them in awhile." Hopefully, I could get her somewhere relatively quiet, maybe down by the beach. It would probably be easier to tell her about imprinting there.

She nodded, looking enthusiastic. She started on her own eggs; her portion size looked tiny compared to mine.

"Sounds like fun. We'd better just tell Charlie that I'm hanging out in your garage, though. Will Billy tell?"

I shook my head. "Nah. He's cool about it. Besides, it's not like you'll get hurt with me."

"True." I was proud that she had so much faith in me. "When did you want to go?"

"When can you be done with your omelet?"

She took a rather large bite, kicking it into high gear to hurry up. I wolfed down (no pun intended) the rest of mine, finishing it off with the glass of milk she had also brought to the table for me. While she was finishing up, I took my plate to the sink and washed it quickly.

"You don't have to do that, Jake," she protested. I shrugged, and she let it go. She took care of her plate, then grabbed the pad of paper and pen from the counter, hastily scribbling a note to Charlie telling him where she'd be, omitting the details. Then she grabbed her jacket.

"Alright. Let's go!" Her enthusiasm made me smile. I opened the door, letting her out first.

She looked surprised to see the Rabbit.

"Wow. You haven't driven your car in awhile. Kinda nice to see it." I laughed.

"That's what I thought." I started up and pulled out of the parking spot.

The ride back to La Push was short and quiet; Bella still wasn't listening to music. That was a little disheartening. I hoped I would be able to get her back to her normal self, the way she was before Cullen had left her. I had more respect for the guy now, but knowing that he put her through that kind of pain had me seething. My hands unconsciously tightened on the steering wheel, turning my knuckles white.

"Jake, you okay?" I glanced at Bella and noticed she was staring at my hands. I shot her a smile and willed myself to loosen up.

"Yeah, Bells, I'm fine," I attempted to reassure her. She looked at me for a moment like she was going to push the subject, but turned away, worrying her lower lip with her teeth.

We pulled up to my house. I could see the curtains in the kitchen move ever so slightly, and I knew that Billy was checking to see if I had Bella with me. Nosy old man.

We skipped going in to say "Hi" to Billy, instead making our way around the back of the house to the garage. I cleaned up some tools I had left lying around quickly, then turned to smile at Bella.

"Ready? You're not gonna fall again, are you?" I teased, mock-scolding her. She stuck her tongue out at me, making me chuckle.

"I think I can manage." She had a strange look on her face; happy, yet anxious. Was she afraid?

"We don't have to," I said, trying to gauge her expression. She looked up at my worried face and smiled.

"No, I want to," she assured me, walking over to her bike. I debated arguing with her about it for a moment, then thought better of it. If something was bothering her, she would tell me when she was ready to.

I hopped on my bike with her, starting it as she followed suit.

"Follow me," I shouted, starting to lead the way.

I led her out onto the highway, through a road in the woods, and down by one of the quieter beaches in the area. I came here when I wanted to be by myself. We slowed down and parked the bikes under a nearby tree. I got off my bike, taking in a deep breath.

Bella noticed the look on my face. "Jake, are you okay?" she asked, swinging her leg over her bike in a dismount. I smiled a little at the concern on her face. I held out my hand as she came around the bike to where I was standing, and she took it without hesitation.

"Walk with me," I said quietly.

We walked by the water for a minute or two (carefully avoiding any areas with too many rocks on the ground, which would certainly serve as a tripping hazard for Bella). After a few minutes, we came to a wide, sturdy log, which I led her to. Sighing, I sat down. I glanced at Bella; a puzzled look remained on her face.

"Jake, something's bothering you. Is everyone okay? No one got hurt last night, did they?"

"No, no, nothing like that," I reassured her. I should have known that would be the conclusion she would jump to. "No, I just wanted to tell you something." She sat, patiently, waiting for me to continue. I was grateful for her patience.

"You know how there are some stories about werewolves? Myths and stuff," I started. She nodded, not speaking, allowing me to say what I had to say.

"Some of them are kinda weird. Like being so strong and fast, or being able to heal quickly." I looked up at her face; she was still watching me, waiting.

"Some of them are weirder." I took a breath. She still didn't say anything, but I felt her slip her hand more securely into mine, and for some reason that encouraged me.

"See, for werewolves… certain relationships can be a little weird. Sometimes, something called 'imprinting' happens." I was trying to explain as best as I could; even for us werewolves, the subject of imprinting was a little weird to discuss. It wasn't the most simple to describe. I glanced up at Bella; she was still looking at me.

"Basically, we… we become tied to one person when we imprint. It's like falling in love, but stronger. Way stronger. It's like that person becomes the center of the universe, and nothing else matters. Sam and Emily are imprinted," I added. This seemed to make sense to her so far. She didn't look panicked, merely thoughtful. "He saw her and never saw anyone else again."

"Sort of like love at first sight," she mused. I smiled; she got it. Good, she wasn't running away, yelling to me that I was a lunatic.

Her brow creased a little. "But why are you telling me this?"

Ah, the catch. "Well, like I said, it happens with werewolves." I glanced at her. "It happened to me."

She was quiet. She looked away for the first time, and I thought she looked sad. Why?

She looked back at me after a moment, then forced a smile. "So, who is it?" she asked, attempting to sound nonchalant. I might have rolled my eyes if I hadn't been so astonished. Was she blind?

"You, Bells."

I risked another look. She looked slightly shocked. I waited for a moment.

"Um… wow." She said softly at last.

"Completely involuntary, I assure you," I said quickly. She glanced at me, and I realized how that might have sounded. I explained what I meant hurriedly.

"I mean, I loved you anyway. This just makes it a little different."

She was silent. I still waited with bated breath, praying she wouldn't start yelling at me. She looked at me, and I was surprised when a bark of laughter suddenly burst from her lips.

"You look absolutely terrified," she giggled. I couldn't help myself—I grinned with her.

"Well, yeah," I said, laughing.

She shook her head, still giggling. "So how long ago did this happen?"

"You remember that morning you came to my house, right after I became a werewolf?" She raised her eyebrows in surprise.

"That long, huh?" I was shocked. She was taking this extremely well.

"Well, like I said, it happens when you see the person after you phase."

She looked at me. "Why did you wait so long to tell me?"

She hadn't gotten upset yet—might as well tell her the whole truth. "I was afraid you'd be mad at me."

Confusion again. "Mad at you? What for? It's not like you can control it."

I chose my words carefully. "No… but I love you. Always have, really. And I'm willing to give you all the time you need, but I'm hoping, eventually, you'll love me too."

Now she was very quiet. I could almost see the thoughts in her head. I reached out and lightly stroked her cheek.

"Bella. I know you love him. I get it, I swear I do. But I love you. If I have to wait forever, I will. I think I could be really good for you. I'm strong enough to take care of you. And we get along so well… most of the time," I added as an afterthought. She smiled at that.

"I just… don't know if I'm ready to give up on him," she whispered. I thought I heard something snap in my chest at her words. But I understood.

"I get that. Just... think about it? I really don't think he's coming back," I added as gently as I could. I felt the old hatred of him surge through me again; regardless of how he had helped me protect her, he had still broken her like this. I would never forgive him for it.

I stood quickly. Looking down at her, I smiled, and leaned down to kiss her on the forehead.

"You'll have all the time in the world to think about it—I'm not going anywhere," I smiled. "Nothing's changed, except that now you know. Don't think about it for now. Come on," I said, offering her my hands to help her to her feet. "These bikes are gonna waste away in my garage the way we've been neglecting them." I led her back to the tree under which our bikes rested, hopping on and taking off again.