Beta: Jessipooks

Pre-readers: Mist/LuvinJ

A/N: One chpt to go and a small eppy. Hope you guys are enjoying the story and gone to see the video. I hope I did it justice. Thank you guys for being so supportive and for taking the time to read and leave such wonderful reviews. xoxo A

Song Inspiration: Tomorrow by Avril Lavinge

Chapter 3:

Edward waited at the border. He wondered if Jake had changed his mind .It had taken quite a lot to get Jake to even consider a meeting but at last he agreed.

Edward couldn't read Bella's mind but he could read her like a book nonetheless. He knew something intense had happened between her and Jake than a bonding of friendship. No, something far more intimate had occurred, he was sure of it. He hated to believe it or even consider the possibility that Jake had stolen his girls virginitybut he couldn't deny what he saw.

He understood that Bella was in her teen years which entailed the hormonal rush to experience sex. He however, held onto his past belief that sex was supposed to accompany marriage. He was firm with his convictions on the subject and it hurt like hell when he had to push Bella away when she grew too aggressive. He knew she took it as a personal sign of rejection but that was far from the truth.He adored her and he wanted to ravish her someday but only when she became his wife.

He could hear Jake approaching on foot. He tried to read his thoughts but Jake was somehow managing to block them. He wondered why? Normally, Jake found it cruelly fun to let Edward hear every horny thought and share any private moment he had with Bella. Today, however, he was hiding something and it bothered himto know there was only one reason he would hide it. Jake was protecting Bella.

Smiling sadly he turnedand found Jake a few feet from him standing in the treeline with his arms acrossed overhis chest and his legs slightly apart. He lookedlike he was preparing for a battle with Edward instead of the conversationhe had in mind.

"Jake, thanks for coming."

"What do you want? I'm busy."

"I wanted to tell you how grateful I am that you took such good care of Bella while I was away and for helping us destroy Victoria and the others."

"Um...Okay. You couldn'tsay that over the phone? " Jake frowned at him. He wasn't stupid. He knew Edward was here to discuss his time with Bella while hewas away. Jake knew Bella wasn't about to tell her frigid boyfriend how she had enjoyed Jake's being between her legs when he abandoned her.

"I also want to talk to you about Bella. I know she invited you to our graduation party."

Edward caught the flinch in his jaws and the way his eyes darkened at the mention of the party and his usage of "our" in the sentence. Jake didn't approve of their relationship. He never did, even before he phased or learned of the truth behind the legends of the cold ones.

"What, you don't think I'm good enough to come?" Jake's tone was cold and harsh.

"That's not it. I hope you do. I just think that you're upset that Bella chose me over you. I get that. I would be just as upset as you are, if she had chosen you over me. I think that you two share a close friendship and it hurts me to see you two fighting."

"Why do you care about our friendship when you are just going to kill her soon. Yeah, I know about it. I also know it's the only reason she chose to go back to you."

"I think she chose me for more than that. She loves me Jake."

"Really? Because when you were gone, she had no trouble forgetting you once we ….just trust me on this." Jake tried to remain calm. He knew if he got too upset then the mental guard would shatter and Edward would see everything he had shared with Bella while he was away.

"What are you hiding from me Jake?" Edward stared hard at Jake.

"Trust me, you don't want to go into my head." Jake glared back.

"I know you love her but I don't understand why you think she doesn't love me for just me?"

Edward was not ready to let this had to understand why the girl he loved had changed in the short time he was away. She held a secret. She never kept secrets from him before. He knew that she was hiding it for one of two reasons. One, to keep him safe from something or two, she knew it would hurt him. Either way he had to know. He couldn't see them moving forward with her outrageous plans of changing her until he knew everything.

"Bella is more impressionable than she would like to believe. You came along and she experienced her first taste of love. She adores your family. She knows that in order to stay with them and you she will need to be one of you. What she refuses to consider is the cost. She will sell her soul to live forever and be powerful. Sure, right now that sees like a dream come true but in three or ten years will she feel the same way? Think about it. If she won't even marry you Edward what makes you think she plans on staying with you for all eternity? She is a teenage girl. Her heart is fickle."

"So if I left again Bella would do what, fall in love with you?" Edward hated to sound so petty but Jake always managed to bring the worse out of him.

"She already has." Jake sighed loudly, his eyes locked with Edward's.

"NO. She loves you like a friend, Jake." Edward shook his head, his lips curled into a sneering grin.

"Really? If that is what you need to tell yourself." Jake laughed sarcastically.

"Tell me! Tell me what you two did? I deserve to know the truth." Edward shouted unexpectedly.

"You deserve nothing from me or her. You left her. You might have had good reason to do it but you did it all the same. What I shared with Bella is OURS. I don't have to tell you a damn thing." Jake shouted back.

Both men were suddenly face to face, both of their eyes flared with jealousy and anger.

"You did it. You took it. You had no right." Edward's voice was as cold as his body temperature.

"I had every right. It was given freely." Jake simply replied, his voice remaining calm but his body was trembling in rage.

"I should kill you." Edward spat.

"Try it. I dare you." Jake challenged.

"I don't believe you. I can't." Edward dash back to the side of his car, putting safe distance between him and his enemy.

"Then fine. Look into my head. If this is what it takes to make you let her go then I'm willing to suffer with her anger. I love her and I'm not willing to let her sacrifice herself, not for you."

"I don't need to look to know." Edward opened the car door and in a blink of an eye he was racing back to Forks.

Jake stood there contemplating if he should give Bella a heads up and found himself realizing this was her problem now, not his. She made her choice now she had to sufferthe consequences.

XXX

"Are we still planning on going to Bella's graduation party?" Embry marched into the garage with a easy going stride. Jake wished he could feel so carefree and light again. He had a bad feeling that his life would never go back to that innocent period he once took for that he had tasted his first heartbreak he doubted he would ever look at love the same way.

"I doubt it. I'm not in the mood." Jake replied, continuing to keep his back toward him while he work on the carburetor in front of him.

"What? Hello, Bella time. It's an opportunity to prove to Bella she made the wrong choice." Embry exclaimed.

"Look, Bella made it,whether it was wrong or right it was her choice. I'm done." Jake's voice slipped into a deadly tone.

Embry watched as his friend struggled to keep his wolf safe within. He understood Jake's pain. It was hard to believe even to them how Bella had thrown them aside so easily once the Cullen's returned to town. Still, he hoped she would wake up and see how much better they were for her, now that she had spent more time with the other side of the supernatural world. They were the good guys, who wouldn't want to stay on the good side?

"Are we at least going to her graduation?"

"I doubt it."

"Jake, you made her that gift. Don't you remember? You worked so hard on it for months. You should at least give it to her." Embry brought up the bracelet Jake had designed for Bella after she had found a way to learn about their existence. Embry knew it was suppose to be a symbol of his love for Bella. It wasn't exactly a collectors item but love had gone into the gift. He knew Bella would recognize that, if Jake ever got the balls to give it to her.

"Why? She doesn't care about us,Embry. She never did." Jake's voice crackled.

"Yes, yes she did." Embry disagreed.

"Then you can give it to her. I can't. I won't." Jake's shoulders sunk and tears spilled from the corners of his eyes.

"I'm going to go to her graduation with or with out you. She is my friend even if she is a selfish friend." Embry announced boldly.

"Fine." Jake sobbed.

Embry wanted to reach out and hold his friend but he knew that Jake would only resist his sympathy. He did the only thing he could do for him and that was walk away. Jake needed time to think and hopefully once he did, he would make the right decision.

XXX

Filled with relief that graduation was over, Bella drove over to the Cullen's house.

Walking into the house she was once again in awe of Alice's decorating skills. The house hardly look like the cold sterile place she once first entered nearly two years before.

"Hey." Bella called out wondering why Edward had not offered to pick her up for the party.

"Hey." Alice and Rosalie entered the room with big smiles across their faces. Bella sensed something was off. Alice smiling was normal but Rosalie smiling was not.

"Are we ready? People will be heading over soon." Bella remind them the party would begin as soon as the first guests arrived.

"Yes." Alice clapped her hands eagerly.

"What's wrong with you?" Bella asked Rosalie directly.

"Nothing." Rosalie replied sweetly.

Now Bella knew something was up. She hated surprises and hoped that neither Edward or his family had gone out of their way to get her a graduation present. She told them the party was more than enough.

"There you are." Esme entered the room with a tray full of food in her hands.

"Want to help me?" Esme ask.

"Sure." Bella was happy to leave the room. Rose and Alice was really starting to creep her out.

XXX

Bella wandered amongst her fellow classmates, greeting them as if they had been friends all their lives. She was relieved to notice that Alice, Jasper, and Emmett were joining in on the festivities like normal teens. Rosalie and Edward however, were missing in action. She had a bad feeling those two were in cohorts and it had to do with Rosalie's strange smile earlier.

She started to go find Esme to see if she could squeeze some hint from her but before she could, her eyes landed on three young men who had just entered the house. The three of them were so tall, dark and distinguished. It was strange how no one else could just look at them and not feel the power they carried within. It seemed easy for everyone in Forks to suspect the Cullen's of being different but no one ever blinked an eye when a pack member was around. How could they not feel the magical waves of electricity that filled the room when they entered?

Bella could feel it. Covering her arms over her chest, she sucked in a deep breathe and savored the aroma of pine needles and earth. She could never quite smell the scent of the vampires like the wolves could but she could always pick up a hint of the wolves. It stirred her blood and made her head dizzy with desire. It was so weird and yet it felt so natural at the same time.

"Jake." Bella called out. She watched as he scanned the room and when his eyes finally located her, she could feel her body instinctively respond. It was as if she was having sex with him all over again. No, scratch that, making love. Jake had no qualms abouts having sex with her but he preferred to take his time and tenderly touch every inch of her body. Each time they experienced sex, they grew closer and their bodies reacted like a nuclear bomb. She stopped counting the multiple orgasms that Jake gave her.

She knew her choice to walk away from him was probably going to haunt her for the rest of her life but she couldn't stand the thought of him staying young while she grew older. Both of her lovers had the gift of immortality, while she was nothing more than an ordinary teenage girl. There was nothing special or magical about her. She was plain old Jane. She could not fathom why either of them ever looked her way twice.

Jake made his way toward her. Quil and Embry followed him but stayed a few steps behind. He looked like their leader. Thinking back she wasn't too surprised that he had first choice to be the Alpha. He had many talents and loads of compassion.

"I'm surprised you came at all." Bella found her mouth opening and words tumbling out.

"You invited me." Jake pointed out.

"I did. How are you?" Bella fought the urge to look away but couldn't.

"Good. You?" Jake was trying to keep their conversation as simple as possible. He only came after Embry nagged him to death about how this could be the last opportunity he might have to see Bella as a human. He also pointed out to Jake that if he gave Bella the gift it might remind her of what she was walking away from. Embry had this strange view of Bella. He felt confident that Bella loved Jake more than Edward and that she wanted to be chased. Jake was not entirely so sure about the chasing part but he did want one more shot at proving to Bella that she was making the wrong choice by leaving him and her old life behind.

"Fine." Bella's eyes lowered and stared at his chest. The shirt he wore looked as if it had been melted and poured over him, every muscle was perfectly outlined against the cotton material. She knew once other girls saw him, they would want him. How could they not? He was sinfully perfect.

"So what's next? Charlie mentioned you might be going to see your mother for a month." Jacob really wanted to ask her when the date was set for her to die.

"I am. I want to spend some time with her. I've barely seen her the last two years." Bella wanted one last chance with her mother before she walked away forever.

"She will enjoy that. I have something for you." Jake reached in his pocket and pulled out a small velvet pouch. Pulling the strings, the pouch loosen and Jake reached inside. Jake open his hand and inside the palm of his large russet hand was a delicate bracelet with a small wooden caved wolf hanging on it. Bella let out a long deep breathe. Her skipped a extra beat when she noticed it was an exact replica of his wolf.

It was obvious that he put a lot of attention into the gift. He wanted her to have something to remind her of him. Her chest ached as if a giant elephant had sat on top of it. Placing it on her wrist, their eyes locked and the room was suddenly so quiet, like they were the only two people in the room.

"Thank you Jake. It's ….beautiful." Bella touched the wolf and felt a zing of heat shoot up her fingertips, to her wrist and then up the rest of her arm.

"Just like you." Jake replied automatically. He could not tear his eyes away from her while he thought "What if this is the last time you ever see her alive again?"

Thinking about it made his heart ache, his body was experiencing flu like symptoms, but the worst part was he would gladly endure it, if it meant he had a chance to change her mind about becoming a cold one.

"We should step outside." Bella gulped hard, looking around the room to see if she could spot Edward but came up clueless again to his where abouts.

Bella took Jake's hand and led him out the back. She knew they could have some privacy out by the creek. She needed to thank him properly for his gift and for coming to the party when she knew it was the last place he wanted to be. It was just like Jake to be so unselfish while she was the exact opposite.

"Where are we going?" Jake laughed uneasily as Bella look back and forth for any signs of them being followed.

"Here." Bella stopped a few feet from the creek.

"Why are we here?" Jake frowned at her.

"I want to thank you Jake, not just for the gift but for everything you have given to me." Bella slid her hands over his chest and around his neck with casual ease. It was always so easy to be this physically close to him.

Jake grabbed her hips and jerked her closer while his mouth covered hers, their kiss filled with longing and hope.

Bella honestly did not want to end the moment between them but she knew eventually Edward or someone else would come in search for her. Reluctantly she pulled away, catching her breathe she smiled sadly at him.

"Bella, please don't go." Jake's pleaded hoarsely.

"I have to get back inside or they will look for us." Bella knew that wasn't what he was implying to but she didn't want to bring up the other subject and ruin the moment between them.

"Answer one question before you go." Jake stood firmly watching her with desperate love in his eyes.

"Okay." Bella nodded her head, chewing on her thumb nail as she braced herself to hear his question.

"Why do you think what we shared, still share between us, is not worth growing old for?"

Bella pondered the question before she spoke from her heart.

"I do love you Jake and probably always will but I have to wonder if you would still want me twenty years from now when you still look far younger than me?" Bella wiped away a tear that had escaped the corner of her eye.

"That is a stupid question Bella. Anyone who understands what it means to love someone, really love them, would know the answer to that question." Jake gave her a bittersweet smile before he left her to consider what he said.

He located his buddies who were trying to pretend to be enjoying themselves despite the uneasiness of being in a house full of vampires. He was grateful that they had come along. He needed to leave the house and find away to release these feelings that were tearing him apart. He loved Bella and always would but he could not understand how she could think so little of herself and the people who love her the most.

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Bella stood outside for several minutes trying to regain her composure before she went back inside. She didn't want to give anyone a reason to think she wasn't happy or not enjoying the party. Touching the wolf that dangled from her wrist she felt the warmth of Jake's love engulf her.

She knew that he was right. He would love her no matter what she looked like now or twenty years from now. Jake's heart was filled with warmth and compassion. He was a good guy. Jake always let her lead thing in their relationship. He was the perfect gentleman when it was needed but he could also be stubborn and brutally honest as well.

After she return to the party, she wasn't surprised to see that Jake and his friends had evacuated the house.

She was starting to feel uneasy with how little attention Edward was showing was busying himself with the role of host. They both knew that was Alice's role for tonight's event. She had a sinking feeling that Edward knew the truth about her and Jake. It was only a matter of time before he confronted her about it.

She stood watching everyone enjoying themselves when it hit her how she would honestly prefer to be with the pack at a bonfire on the beach. She was happy with the party and very grateful for it but the truth was, most of these kids she barely knew.

Looking back some of the most fun filled days and nights she had were spent with the pack and their girlfriends. Everyone was so down to earth and filled with energy and light.

She look at the Cullen's and although she cared deeply for them and appreciated how they had treated her, she knew it was also difficult for them to be near her and not wonder how her blood might taste. If she was truthful with herself one of the reason she wanted to become a vampire was to help ease their suffering when she was around. Although Jasper had only tried to attack her that once, she knew that as long as she remained human, she ran a risk of one of them accidentally killing her. They loved her but according to Edward that wasn't always enough to stop their true nature from wanting to rip her throat out.

Bella realized that people were starting to leave the party and wondered if Edward would offer to take her home. She needed some alone time with him. After sharing a passionate kiss from Jake earlier, she felt her love for Edward starting to fade. She was starting to reconsider why she was with him at all. She needed him to give her some reassurance that when she chose him over Jake, she made the right choice for her and their future together.

XXX