A/N: It's the moment of truth. Enjoy :)

Into the light

Be cool. Be cool. She's just a girl. Just a girl like any girl, he thought.

He continued to breathe a little faster than normal. He could feel his heart beating way faster than normal. Perspiration was building over his forehead and upper lip. He quickly wiped it away. Yeah, just a girl. Right.

Jacob arrived at the airport 45 minutes early. A huge mistake as it turns out because now he had all this time to kill. He would have tried to keep himself busy and come later but there was no way he could concentrate on anything. Bella's coming. He couldn't stop himself from thinking these words.

With loads of time still, Jacob paced the airport hallways. He got a soda. He bought some food but realized he was too nervous to eat and threw it away. He drank another soda. Back and forth. This went on for a while.

According to the schedule Bella's plane was on time. He waited in the designated area and continued to pace. He would chew on his nails if he had any left.

He tried sitting, but when his legs continued to fidget and bounce around he got up to pace again. He did this several times.

All this didn't go unnoticed.

"You look nervous," an older man in his 50's said, slightly amused.

Jacob nodded, "I am."

"Might I ask who you're waiting for?"

Never slowing his pace, "A girl I know from back home. I haven't seen her in a while."

"Ahh, a girl. That would explain it, " the man chuckled.

"What? Explain what?"

"The nervousness, the 'can't sit still for even a minute' dance you're doing. You look like you're going to jump out of your skin. Only a girl can turn a man to Jello like this. Old girlfriend?"

Jacob stopped pacing. "What? No she's...I mean... No, nothing like that. We're friends, we're just friends, okay."

"Okay, if you say so," the man said, clearly amused.

This guy was starting to get on Jacob's nerves.

"Which flight is she on?"

Even though he had the number memorized by now he looked back up at the board, "Uh, Flight 1864."

That seemed to appease the curious man for when Jacob told him the flight number the man looked at the arrival time and then to his watch. Ten minutes, the man thought to himself. I hope this kid doesn't die of a heart attack before then.

Seeing how much time was left and how nervous Jacob was the man decided to leave him alone, which suited Jacob just fine. Although usually amiable, he wasn't in a conversational mood. Too much was going through his mind.

Rebecca didn't react too kindly to the news that company was coming at the last minute. She wasn't the best housekeeper and preferred to know in advance when company came. Rebecca doesn't like surprises, and never has. On top of that this wasn't just a visit. Bella was going to be staying with them for who knows how long. This gave them no time to prepare. Add all that to how Rebecca is normally and that explains Jacob's restless night. Then he had to hear her go on and on about how she really hates Bella coming to live with them and how she refuses to go along with it. It was all Jacob could take. He stormed out of the house in the middle of the night and didn't come back until two hours later. By then Rebecca had gone to bed and only Kimo was awake.

Jacob found out that Kimo had calmed Rebecca down enough to see reason. She still wasn't happy about Bella coming but she promised she would try to behave herself while Bella was here. With Rebecca's tortuous work schedule she would hardly see Bella anyway. Jacob figured as long as Bella stayed out of Rebecca's hair, all would be fine. He realized he was probably deluding himself but he was okay with that.

Jacob yawned a huge yawn and tried to see the arrival times through tired eyes. He did a double take. Two minutes! He had lost track of the time.

He began to pace again. His heart felt like it was going to crash through his chest.

Bella's flight wasn't the only one to come in. Two other flights arrived within minutes of each other unloading scores of passengers, all looking tired, but excited, some wearing the customary leis passengers get when they get off the plane. After several minutes he noticed there was a huge rush of people coming down the corridor. Being very tall helped a lot. He scanned back and forth all along the huge hall feeling disappointment with each brunette that turned out to be someone else. Then for a brief moment he saw the top of a brown-haired girl's head that made his heart skip a beat. It had to be her, the scent was undeniable.

People continued to weave in and out obscuring his view. Then as luck would have it, she disappeared behind three very large men. No matter which way he arched his neck he couldn't see around them. Exasperated, Jacob couldn't wait anymore. He moved toward the area he last saw her and by the time he got around the passengers she was gone. Confusion and frustration set in. He thought maybe he had been wrong, he wondered if he had the wrong flight number when he felt a tap on his shoulder.

He turned and looked down to see her standing before him, smiling up at him.

"Hey, remember me?" she said breathless.

"Bella!"

Without another word from either of them he picked her up and held her to him, swinging her around. Bella wrapped her arms around his neck and held on, shrieking with delight as he spun her.

In spite of what his instincts told him he remembered to be careful and held onto her like she was made of porcelain. He couldn't believe she was here. Finally.

It felt so good to see her, she was really here - in his arms. He then realized, "Uh oh, I think I'm crushing your lei," he said into her neck, still hugging her tight.

"No you didn't," she said shaking her head. "I'm holding it. I had a feeling this might happen," grinning into his neck.

He grinned even wider pressing her harder to him. He looked over her shoulder to see a few pre-teens gawking and giggling to each other. He thought maybe he should put her down but the death grip she had on him made that impossible. He gently patted her back.

"Hey, I'm going to put you down, okay?"

"Do you have to?" she said begrudgingly. He thought he felt her grip tighten.

A smile escaped Jacob's lips and he squeezed her tighter instead, rubbing her back and breathing her in. He darted another look over to the giggling girls who continued to snicker louder, texting furiously. Feeling self-conscious he said, "I think I'd better before we become a featured video on youtube."

Bella laughed.

He plopped her down to her feet and stepped back to look at her, taking in all the changes.

Her hair was shorter, the shortest he had ever seen it. He didn't know if this was a consequence of her situation or her wanting a new look but he liked it. The shoulder-length layers suited her, more grown up. She looked tired but figured it was from the flight. But tired or not, to Jacob she was the most exquisite creature ever born. The sight of her adoring eyes looking up at him filled him with such emotion. Her scent, the softness of her hair, remembering the warmth of her body next to his made him ache to touch her again.

Bella noticed some things, too. She looked into Jacob's face and saw the same old Jacob, extraordinarily tall with the same gorgeous smile, but something about him was different. She quickly dismissed it, remembering how he looked the last time she had seen him when he looked gaunt and almost sickly. It was good seeing him look so healthy and fit again. His tan had deepened, and he wore a necklace of a shark's tooth surrounded by wood and shell beads worn close to his neck just under his Adam's apple. She wondered if he made this, too. He was still massive she noticed. The shirt he wore clung to his body like it was made to detail every inch of his torso. Bella couldn't help but appreciate this. She could see every muscle and hollowed curve her eyes fell on. The grin she was so used to seeing him wear and had fallen in love with had thankfully returned, but there was something about him she just couldn't put her finger on. She continued to stare at him trying to figure it out: Maybe it's his hair, it is longer than normal, she thought, a razor cut, or maybe he's just gained weight since last time. No, that's not it. Something's different.

It was a lot to take in all at once, overwhelming actually; the excitement of the day, new places, so many people. Their eyes connected and feeling so happy to see each other again, they put their questions and wonderings aside and wrapped each other in a quick hug. Squeezing harder than last time, Bella didn't care if she broke, and Jacob being much more practiced now, made sure she didn't.

Pulling apart, "It's so good to see you" he said with eyes smiling.

"You too," she said unable to tear her eyes away from his.

Neither of them noticed at first but all the arriving passengers had moved along. None of the passengers Bella had grown accustomed to seeing on the plane, nor even the old man Jacob was talking to remained in the hall. It was just them, for now. Even the flight attendants and pilots abandoned their posts and were hurrying past the reunited pair.

They both realized even without a crowd to crush them anymore they were still standing very close, holding onto each other. It stirred something inside him, something familiar. He was the first to break the moment.

"So..." He let go of her, looking away.

"So..." she said. She wondered why he stopped so abruptly.

"Well, we should get your bags," he said finally.

Bella nodded. "Yeah, good idea."

In spite of their joyful reunion there was an awkwardness between them. Jacob only had about a million and one questions but didn't feel the airport was the right place for any of them. He grabbed the carry-on she was toting and slung it over his shoulder as if it weighed nothing, while instinctively taking her hand in his, leading her.

She took a step or two and then paused, looking at their hands. When she stopped, he did also.

"Oh I'm sorry," he said and instantly let go. "I don't know why I did that. I guess... old habits die hard." Things are weird enough without me making it weirder, he thought.

"It's okay. I didn't notice at first either. I guess it's instinct."

Feeling tense again, they both said in unison, "The bags."

They chit chatted through the halls. They chit chatted while waiting for her bags at the luggage carousel. They chit chatted about the weather and the island and even her flight. By the time they were just about to leave the airport they had run out of chit chat.

As they walked, Jacob then saw something and turned to face her, "Oh, I almost forgot, I want to show you something before we leave."

Bella looked at him curiously.

Jacob turned from the direction of the main exits and went into another part of the airport with Bella following him. Bella noticed the signs but didn't think that's where they were heading until they reached the glass doors and walked outside into the sun. The open air environment of the Honolulu Airport Gardens and the warm Hawaiian breeze took Bella's breath away. She was glad to be outside again to thaw, airports always feel like you're inside a refrigerator. She automatically tilted her face up to the sun to let it bathe her. It rejuvenated her in a way she didn't allow herself to acknowledge she was missing before, not for a long time. She had missed the sun.

Before them were steps that led down to a serenity path that traversed the entire garden. The lush green flora of the Japanese garden was different from the green she'd become accustomed to in Washington. Nothing here was covered in moss unless it was intentional. Amidst the trees, ferns, and some impressive palm fronds were colorfully distinctive looking flowers that ironically looked like aliens from another world; ironic because unlike the flowers, Bella felt like an alien from another world. The colors were so intense that she failed to notice the smells around her. A light breeze moved past her and brought with it the aromatic mixture of earthy soil, luscious green plants, her own lei that she had all but forgotten about, and the sea, which was on the other side of the airport.

Jacob took the lei from her hand and gently placed it over her head onto her shoulders. "Aloha," smiling warmly and placed a small peck on her cheek. As the lei rested gently in his hand, he said, "They're made from fresh plumeria. Here, smell." He bunched the flowers up into his hand lightly pressing it to her nose and cheek. Bella moved her head lightly back and forth letting the flowers caress her face.

The softness of the petals against her skin soothed her and the smell was just as he described - smelling of florals, peaches and citrus but there was also a hint of something else just as intoxicating. Mixed in with the flowers was a slight musky scent with just a faint hint of something familiar, something masculine and rugged. This hypnotic combination made her close her eyes, entranced. Realizing what it was, her heart fluttered and she gasped.

"What's wrong," he asked. "You don't like it?"

"I, of course I do, I love flowers," turning away from him blushing.

"Do you come here often?" She knew that was stupid but anything to distract Jacob from the fact that it was his scent that was now making her perspire.

Jacob chuckled. "To the airport? Uh on occasion. Oh I see, you're wondering why out of all of Hawaii I would bring you here first?"

Turning back to face him, "Well now that you mention it, yeah. I mean it's beautiful and all but..."

"But not exactly on most people's travel itinerary, huh," he said smiling. "Well maybe it should be. I brought you here because to me, THIS is Hawaii."

She looked at him like he was crazy. "Okay."

"No, no, no. Ok listen. Have you ever been to the islands before?"

She shook her head no.

"I brought you here to sort of help you get into the mindset. People come here with preconceived notions all the time. What people don't get is things are different here, slower. Most people aren't prepared for how laid back it is. If there's any place on Earth you can stop and smell the roses, it's Hawaii. This is just my little introduction to Hawaiian thinking so you can transition better, to learn to slow down and take it all in. Piece by piece, moment by moment. But I don't know why I felt the need to try. You're different than most people, you never had a problem with adjusting to things. You're already the most casual person I know," he said smiling. "I guess I just wanted to make sure you enjoyed your time here."

Maybe even be temped to stay, he thought.

Bella smiled gratefully.

"I know you're here under what I can only imagine are some pretty bad circumstances, but I won't let anything happen to you." Jacob stepped close enough to wrap his warm hands around her shoulders, his thumbs caressing her skin. "You're safe here."

"Wow," she said. "Are you really Jacob Black? You seem so...grown up. When did that happen?" she joked.

He grinned his mischievous grin. "Hmm, well let's see..." and looked at his watch.

Bella laughed and so did he.

"I've missed you," Bella said biting her lip in true Bella fashion.

"I've missed you too, Bells." He wondered if it was weird how just watching Bella bite her lip made him happy. "So without further ado, let's get ya home."

Stuffing Bella's bags into his sister's Prius was a challenge. "I didn't know you had so many clothes, Bella," he grunted.

Bella grimaced, "Yeah I don't really. Most of that's Alice's. She loaned them to me. She knew I didn't have any summer clothes, nothing recent anyway and well, she's got more clothes than Macy's."

"Dang!" The entire car moved as Jacob put in the last suitcase and using his super strength to get them to fit. He even had to pull it all out at one point, rearrange them and reload them, making Bella cringe.

"Okay!" he exclaimed and put the trunk lid down. He hopped into the car and they were on their way. "Here we go!"

Jacob pulled out of the parking lot and handed the parking ticket to the attendant.

While waiting for his turn to pull into traffic he asked, "So do you want to go straight to the house or take a detour?"

"A detour?" Bella yawned.

"Yeah you know, to see the sights?"

"I think to the house. I would love to see everything there is to see, and I will, but I've been flying nonstop for, well, a day," she snickered.

"A day, a whole day?"

Bella nodded.

That's why she looks so tired, he thought. "Why would it take a whole day to fly from Washington to here?"

"It wouldn't, if I started out from Washington."

"What do you mean, where did you fly out from?"

Bella sighed, "Canada, the Northwest territories to be exact."

"Why in the hell were you all the way up there?"

"Oh Jacob, it's a looong story." She looked so weary as she said this, as if just saying the sentence aged her 10 years. Jacob pursed his lips. There were so many questions to ask, some really important, some not so important. But he wanted to know. He needed to know everything she could tell him even if it was hard to hear.

He let out a sound like he knew he was in for one hell of a tale. He gripped the wheel just a little tighter than normal.

"The traffic around the airport's unforgivably slow this time of day," he said. "Plus it takes a good 35-40 minutes to get to Haleiwa."

He shrugged his shoulders, "I'm listening."

Bella closed her eyes and let her head fall gently against the headrest. She let out a sigh and said, "Where do I begin?"

"Wherever you want."

Bella sat in silence for a few minutes before speaking again. "Have I ever told you about Demetri?"

Jacob arched a curious eyebrow.

A/N: Thanks Jakejunkie for giving me some great insight and for helping me give this chapter the "oomph" it was needing. I appreciate it! Readers: This is just your first dose of Jacob & Bella. There's more to come...much, much, much more :D

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***Disclaimer: The characters setting and familiar situations belong to Stephenie Meyers. References to films or music also do no belong to me. No copyright infringement intended. I'm not making any monetary profit from this.***