AN- Sorry about the POV mix-up in the last chapter. Apparently the break I had used didn't transfer from Word to the ff site. All fixed now! This chapter is told in Jacob's POV. I have been asked if I am team vampire or team wolf. The truth is, I know Bella and Edward are destined to be together, but I love Jacob. I hope he someday finds happiness and that we get to share it with him.


Jacob

I was tense. Okay, that was an understatement. I was close to puking. I didn't know if this was the right thing. I didn't even know if she wanted to see me. It seemed like she was taking forever to come inside. His shiny Volvo had pulled up long ago. Maybe she didn't want to come inside. Maybe she would wait outside until I left. Then the door opened and I smelled her just before she came into view.

She looked even more beautiful than I remembered. She was radiant. I don't even use words like 'radiant'. Damn but I still love her so. And damn if it wasn't obvious the bloodsucker made her happy. But that's why I was here too, to make her happy.

"Hey, Billy, Jacob. What brings you two here?" Bella asked, trying very hard to sound casual. Nobody bought it, but no one was going to call her on it either.

"Just here to watch the game," my dad said. I was still staring. I couldn't seem to find my voice.

"Right, well, can I get anyone something from the kitchen?" Bella asked as she walked down the hallway.

"Nah, we're good hon." Charlie called after her. My dad gave me a hard jab in the ribs. I jumped up and went after her. Now or never, I guess.

"Hey Bella," I said as I entered the kitchen. She jumped about a foot in the air.

"Jake! Oh, hi." She looked at me, "I forgot how quiet you are now."

"I prefer the term 'stealthy'." I corrected her, grinning.

She laughed. Man, I missed that sound. "Maybe I'd agree with 'sneaky'."

I laughed with her. It felt nice. Then I took a deep breath. C'mon Jake get straight. "Bella, you look," there really was no other way to describe it, "radiant."

Bella blushed and smiled, "Edward makes me really happy, Jake."

"I know." I wasn't sure I should stick to what I'd rehearsed a hundred times, but if I didn't I was sure to sound like a dork. "I saw the two of you in the woods one morning."

Bella's blush turned beet red and he eyes popped out. "What!?" she cried, grabbing the edge of the counter for support.

Before she could yell at me, I tried to explain, "I wasn't spying or anything! I was just out in the woods and saw the two of you in a clearing." I paused, the memory of it bringing a clenching sensation in my chest. "You looked so . . . peaceful." I finished.

"Peaceful?" she questioned. Her entire body seemed to relax. "Oh."

What had she thought I'd seen? No, Jake, don't go there; it won't do you any good. I tried to get back on track. "I've never seen you so relaxed Bella. You were just so . . . content."

Bella smiled at me again. She was breathtaking. "Wait, how did Edward not know you were there?"

This time I smiled. "I was down wind when I discovered you. And I didn't stay long. Stealthy, remember?"

She laughed lightly again and my heart soared even as my chest constricted. "Like I said, I'd vote for 'sneaky'."

"Bella, Charlie called Billy about Renee coming into town, but it was my idea to come over to watch the game." I needed to keep my momentum.

"Oh?" She asked, still trying to sound casual, and still sucking at it. "That was nice of you."

"I wanted to see you Bella." This was getting harder.

"I've missed you too, Jake," Bella said softly.

"No, well, yes, I've missed you a ton," I admitted, "But that's not why I came."

Bella was silent. She must have given up on the whole 'this is no big deal' thing.

"I wanted to give you your wedding presents, before it was too late." I explained. I wasn't going to rat out the bloodsucker. Let her figured out how I would know when too late was. Bella remained silent, but looked up at me in surprise. "I . . . I don't think I'll be able to make it to the wedding." I explained further.

"Jake you don't have to. . ." Bella began, but I cut her off.

"I know that, Bella, but what kind of best friend would I be if I didn't get you a wedding present?" My chest constricted at the word 'wedding' but I was able to ignore it. It was a feeling I was getting accustomed to. "This one is for you." I said, handing her the reddish brown leather pouch.

I stopped breathing as she took it from me. She looked at it, then back at me. Shaking her head she opened the pouch and dumped it into her hand. She gasped.

"Oh, Jake," she whispered, "It's perfect."

Of course she thinks it's perfect. It looks like him. But I was glad she liked it. It had taken months to carve his face into the granite. When I was finished, it had ended up as a cameo in relief about the size of her palm.

"That's the look he'd get on his face when he talked about you. I've never done stone before, so yours took a little longer." I admitted. She looked up at me blankly.

"This one is for him." I handed her the other pouch, this one a rich, dark brown.

She carefully and a little reluctantly put the granite carving back in its pouch and placed it on the table. Then she emptied the new pouch. Instead of gasping, she just stared. Maybe she hated this one. Then she looked up at me and I saw tears in her eyes.

"Oh Jake," she said again, "It's beautiful." A single tear escaped and rolled down her pretty cheek.

"Of course it's beautiful, Bella. It's you." I stated the obvious. This carving was in wood. I had done her face and the background in a pale ivory and her hair in a much darker brown. "Tell him I'm sorry." I apologized, "I just couldn't picture you as stone." I finished softly.

"No, Jake, this is," she paused to compose herself a little; "This is perfect."

Wow, two 'perfects', so far so good, Jake. Now comes the hard part. I had to sell it, or she'd see right through me.
"Bella, I also wanted to see you to tell you something."

She put the carving away and set it on the table as well. Then she looked up at me, waiting.

"You were right." I said bluntly. I smiled at her and she returned it.

"Of course I was," she said brightly. "About what?"

"About me, about us," I said. "I'm not going to lie and tell you I've suddenly decided I don't love you anymore." She flinched, just a little. I wondered, briefly, if it was because I still loved her, or because I had said the words 'I don't love you'. It didn't matter, I went on. "But since seeing you with him, I realized something. The two of you are obviously incomplete without each other." Bella smiled sadly at me. "That being said, when he left, you were able to love again. Maybe not as much, but the point is you did heal." Bella was now watching me closely.

"Hell, Bella, I haven't even been comatose. I suppose I'll heal someday too." Her eyes pinched with pain at the memories I was bringing up. That wasn't what I wanted. "And I also decided," I went on quickly, "that if you can manage to fall in love with not one, but two different mythical creatures, then anything is possible. I just may imprint someday." She smiled at me again.

"In fact, I was thinking that once I finished school, I'd do some traveling. Not far, of course, the pack still needs me. But there are some other reservations around that might have girls that are understanding to the whole, 'by the way, I'm a wolf' talk."

Now Bella was really smiling. "Looking for love in all the right places, eh Jake?"

I laughed, "Well, I thought girls not in love with my mortal enemy would be a good place to start."

Bella's next move surprised me. Suddenly her arms were around my waist, her face pressed against me, in a hug that was both familiar and excruciating.

"Jake," she whispered. "That's the best present you could have given me."

I sighed and put my arms around her, resting my chin on the top of her head. God how I miss this. She fits just right. I took a deep breath, inhaling her scent. It was tainted with bloodsucker. My nose twitched a little.

"Bella, do you think he . . . could I?" The words came out before the thought had finished and I could stop them.

"What, Jake?" she asked, looking up at me.

"Do you think he would let you . . . kiss me goodbye?" I mentally kicked myself. I had done a magnificent job of convincing her I would be okay. What was I trying to pull now?

"I think he would say it was my choice." She said, her warm brown eyes pulling me in.

"And what would you choose?" I whispered, not daring to hope.

"I would choose to give you whatever you wanted, to repay you for the beautiful gifts you've given us." She whispered.

I almost laughed. Whatever I wanted. Right. Then my brain heard the rest of what she had said. Us. She was already thinking in the plural. I decided I should take the act of supporting her all the way.

I leaned down and just as I neared her mouth, turned my head, pressing my lips to her soft cheek. It was almost more than I could take. Then she reached up and grabbing my face in her hands, kissed my cheek in return. I closed my eyes and savored her touch.

"I love you, Jake." Bella said. Suddenly tears were in my eyes and I had to keep them closed for a minute so they wouldn't show. Then I steeled myself and put on a happy face.

"I know," I said, "you just can't help yourself." We both laughed. "Shall we go watch the game?" I asked.

"I'll be right in," she said, smiling. "I just need to make a phone call."

"Right," I said. Of course she would call him. If it were me, I'd be doing laps around the house.

Bella's phone call was short. Then she joined us in the front room. She even watched the rest of the game with us. We all laughed and teased each other. It was just like old times and made my heart lighter. It would have been perfect if it weren't for the damn ache in my chest.

When my dad and I left, I gave Bella another goodbye hug, as well as a message for her vampire. She rolled her eyes at me, but I know she'll deliver it word for word. It's one of the reasons I love her so much. She's always honest, even when it hurts. I hope someday I can really believe what I told her tonight. I'd hate the last thing I ever said to her to be a lie. Even if it had made her happy.


AN-See? I didn't keep you waiting long at all! The truth is the rest of this story is running around in my head, screaming to get out. I think it's killing me even more than you guys that I can't just sit down and write the whole thing down at once. And I'd like to say thank you to all of my loyal readers. Especially those who have gone to such great lengths to stumble upon my story. I'm glad you're all enjoying it.