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Chapter 1

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As much as Bella wanted to change certain things, she refused to rock the boat too much- speaking metaphorically. She'd never wanted to stand out and make herself noticed if she could help it, and preferred to act from the sidelines. Changing some aspects of her 'dream self' was the first step in changing the new her. It seemed that the fates, or divine spirits- even God himself- had gifted her with a second chance, and she wasn't going to waste it pretending to be an emo ridden loner.

Even though she knew the Cullen's were vampires, she didn't distance herself from all them; she kept a safe and firm distance from Edward while she fell into easy friendships with his 'siblings.' She allowed him to talk to her only in the presence of three or more people, and never looked him in the eye for fear he'd enthrall her the way he had in her dream. Edward tried to push for more, but she put him in his place each time, much to the amusement of his siblings. He tolerated her friendship, but always let it be known he wanted more from her. For her part, she remained a friend to the entire family- despite Edward's advances.

She'd grown a backbone too, and told them what she liked and didn't like, much to Alice's dismay at the lack of shopping trips and makeovers. Her clothes were her own choice, her music was hers, her diet was her own, and her choices were her own. This time around, they appeared to respect that Bella knew what she wanted.

She'd grown closer to her father as a result of her new lease on life as well. They had a better bond now between them than she'd had with her own mother- and she loved her mother a great deal. She spent one weekend every month now going fishing with him- and Billy Black and Harry Clearwater by default. Those relationships too had grown stronger. Bella learned that Charlie named Billy as her godfather if something were to ever happen to him, and she admitted in a conversation that wasn't upset by that fact.

Her relationships with her friends at school were better now too- regardless of how much Edward told her about their 'impure thoughts.' Mike was still Mike, he still flirted with her every chance he got, and Angela, Eric- even Ben- had grown close to her. Jessica and Lauren proved to be just as two faced as they were in her dream, but it didn't bother her in the least. Her real friends were there when she and Edward hadn't gotten along at the start of the school year, they'd been there to listen to her vent her frustration when Alice threw her a surprise party like she hadn't asked, and they'd also been there when the family had 'moved' after her 'accident' at said party.

Something else that had gone different than her dream?

She and Jacob- though it was frowned upon by Edward- were closer too than they were in her dream. She made sure he knew they were friends from the beginning and Jacob, for all his teenage wisdom, had gotten over his crush more smooth and easy than she cared to admit liking. Quil and Embry too had become close to her- before Embry abandoned them at least. Bella knew what happened though, had known for a long time. She also knew that Victoria would be causing the pack to phase and change.

She sighed and rubbed the bite mark on her wrist.

The Butterfly Effect.

She snorted. Same things happening in different ways. It would become her window into the wolf pack when the time came though. She felt grateful for that at least.

The Cullen's never took her to the empty field for a baseball game with them and she was alone when she was bitten. Bella was driving on her way home from school when she caught sight of James walking down the side of the road- though she didn't recognize him at the time, due to the different outfit and baseball hat hiding most of his face. He looked like a normal man walking away from a smoking car when she'd pulled over to offer aide. She never saw the pleased glint in his eyes through the rear-view mirror. It was all a blur as he moved behind her when she got out of her truck. His red eyes bore into hers causing her heart to hammer in her chest.

She lied well and bought herself some time- even after Laurent appeared and urged him to hurry and feed. Alice saw it- claiming she'd seen Bella thinking of them, therefore the entire coven was by her side in a matter of moments. What they didn't consider was how James would react when cornered. To him, Bella was their pet- either to be turned or bled; he chose the latter, and sunk his fangs into her wrist, digging deep into the tender vein beneath her flesh. His mate Victoria watched in horror from the tree-line as James sent Laurent to find her before the coven ripped him apart. The redhead swore her vengeance on Bella Swan and the Cullen clan then and there.

Bella sighed, shook her head and pulled herself from her morose thoughts. She'd kept her knowledge of the wolf pack and Victoria locked away so far. She could only pray that those involved believed in her for a second time.

She of course knew the wolves would be upset once they learned who her friends were. She'd heard the tail end of a few harsh words thrown her way the last time she'd been on the beach with her friends just after Jacob and Embry stopped talking to her. It wouldn't be too much longer before Quil, Seth- even Collin and Brady would phase. Leah, at least, was spared this time around it seemed, having left and not looked back after she'd graduated. Sam and Emily's betrayal was still too fresh in her mind for her to stay. She moved to the east coast for college and a fresh start on life.

Another change to her second life?

She found herself staring out the window sometimes, wondering how easy it would be to slip back into her 'dream life'. She missed the Cullen's and often thought of what they'd be doing now or where they'd be. Would they try and fit in with another human? Would Alice be as bubbly to another girl with brown curly hair as she was with Bella? But then she remembered, she had friends who would worry themselves if she went catatonic or starved herself into an early grave- or even threw herself over a cliff. Death wasn't worth it to her this time around anymore.

"Hey, Bella, you ok?"

Bella smiled. Angela had pulled her from her thoughts again. "Yeah... I guess I'm just distracted. Jake's still sick."

Angela smiled in sympathy. "Have you tried to talk to him?"

"Yeah, I called him last night. He sounded awful though. I told him if he wanted, I'd bring him something to make him feel better, but he said he didn't want me sick too."

Angela nodded. "Well, that makes some sense. At least he's still talking to you. Ben and Eric refuse to talk to me when they get sick."

"Yeah, I'm just hoping he'll be ok soon." She sighed again.

Angela nodded. She looked at the clock and then at their nearly finished homework. "Hey, how about we go see a movie or something? I mean, we're both distracted at the moment. And we've been working hard these past few weeks. Besides, something tells me it's not just Jacob on your mind."

"How'd you get so perceptive?" Bella teased.

Angela shrugged. "I look after my brothers. I have to be on my toes with them." She laughed.

"I guess I still miss the Cullen's... I was close with them. I haven't heard from them since they moved. It's pathetic, huh." She huffed.

Angela placed her hand on top of Bella's and smiled. "'Time heals all wounds'. I know it's not what you want to hear, but it's the truth Bella. It's only been a few months. You guys spent a lot of time together- even if you didn't date Edward like everyone knows he wanted- and you were close with their family. Let's go out and catch a movie in Port Angeles to take your mind off of things... I mean it's the weekend and we're doing nothing but studying. I can call Ben and Eric if you want to have them tagging along too."

Bella smiled and looked at the clock. If she went out to see a movie now, she'd have enough time to come home and make some spaghetti for dinner. She voiced her agreement and sent Charlie a text.

"Let me just call my dad."

"Hey, no… go ahead. I'm gonna run upstairs really quick. I need to change into something more... decent or I'll never hear the end of it." She said with a roll of her eyes.

Angela smiled and nodded. "Ok. It won't take long to let my dad know where we're going." She promised before dialing her number.

Bella changed into a pair of form fitting jeans, a long-sleeved ice blue tee shirt with a sweetheart neckline and a pair of comfortable, worn in sneakers. She grabbed a black ACDC hoodie from the back of her desk chair and had to pause and inhale it, a smile tugging at her lips. The hoodie belonged to Jacob, and, at the moment, was a source of comfort for her. She was down the stairs in a matter of minutes with a smile at the ready while she waited patiently for Angela to hang up her phone with her dad.

She chuckled when she saw a message from her dad telling her to have fun and it would be his treat at the diner when the movie ended. He told her she needed a break too and relayed it to Angela.

"Well I'm glad to know that my dad appreciates my hard work." Bella mused.

Angela smiled. "Your dad loves you. Anyone can see that. The chief is a good man."

"I know he does. I love him too. I feel so bad sometimes for those summers when I told him I didn't want to come and visit. It's time I can never get back with him." She said with a sigh.

"Oh Bella. Don't be so hard on yourself. You've told me about your mom. I'm sure that had a lot to do with it. Besides, from what I hear, you've already made up for it. You even learned to fish just to spend more time with him once a week. You're not a bad person, Bella."

Bella smiled. "How'd I get such a good friend like you, Angela?"

Angela giggled. "You said hello when I started talking to you last year, remember?"

"Oh, is that all?"

Angela smirked. "It could be that I'm one of the few people you know who doesn't pry into your business too- other than Eric and Ben." She teased.

"Speaking of which… are they coming with us?" She wondered.

"Oh! I forgot to ask them. Hold on a sec!" Angela grinned before sending them both a text message. Her fingers flew over the keypad of her phone as she asked them if they were busy and if they weren't, would they want to go with her and Bella to see a movie.

"I think it's just going to be you and me. Ben didn't answer and Eric is still sick. Poor guy." Angela sighed.

Bella smiled and patted her hand. It took no less than ten minutes for them to pull into Angela's driveway and another five before Angela was ready to go. She was an organized person, the same as Bella, and found what she needed while avoiding her brothers and saying goodbye to her mom in the process.

"You girls have fun. Stay safe!" Angela's mom called from the door.

Bella and Angela climbed into her truck and smiled. They waved back and without another backwards glance were off to Port Angeles. Bella found it relaxing to share things with friends who were normal. It left her humbled to see that life didn't revolve around the supernatural like she had seen happen in her dream. Their drive was quiet, save for the radio playing soft in the background. It gave Bella a chance to think about how much had changed outside of her dream, and how pleased she was with the outcome of it.

"Oh wow... He looks good enough to eat!" Angela muttered as they stood in line waiting for their tickets.

Bella looked up and saw Jared and Paul standing by the movie theatre doors. Her mouth hung open when she saw Embry and Jacob standing in line to buy tickets. She shook her head when she saw Jared fidget and avoided looking at Paul all together.

"Bella, isn't that Jacob?" Angela asked in a hushed whisper.

Bella sighed. She knew this too had to happen, but it would be no less fun. "It is."

"Wow… he looks so... different." She mused.

Bella nodded. "He does, doesn't he?"

Angela smiled and wrapped her hand around Bella's, showing her silent support. Bella was grateful for it; She needed it at the moment. The shock and guilt on Jacob's face only made it that much harder to turn and look at him while they waited in line.

"You gonna say anything to him?" Angela pressed in her quiet way.

Bella shrugged. "I don't know if there's anything to say. He looks better to me. If he wanted me to know about it, he would have said something." She said with a shrug. "He'll talk to me when he's ready, or he won't. It's his choice."

The indifference caught even Embry off guard and he turned to give her a questioning look, to which she pointedly ignored. He made his way over to Jared, Paul and Jacob and told them what he'd heard her say- not that they hadn't heard it for themselves to start. The four watched her pay for her ticket and walk inside without so much as a backwards glance in their direction.

Jacob shook his head. He knew how deep his silence and distance had to hurt her. She'd told him about her friends- how they'd just walked away without a backwards glance and still hadn't called her. It was as if their friendship hadn't existed once they'd told her they had to move. Now that he knew what they were… it made sense that they'd stop talking to her, but it didn't hurt him any less to hurt her now though.

Sam's orders were concrete though. He had to get some distance between them in order to control his wolf. He'd planned to see a movie then go home and call her to say he felt better but couldn't hang out due to a few things going on at the time. Seeing the dead look in her eyes… it hurt him. He didn't want to do that to her. She was a sister to him and he'd hurt her.

"Cheer up, Jake. She'll come around soon enough." Embry told him.

Paul rolled his eyes. "She better not. Leech wannabe isn't allowed around anymore. Even Sam said it's for the best."

Jacob growled at him. "Shut it, Paul. You don't even know her! She's still my best friend. Nothing you say will change that."

Paul smirked. "The look she sent you says otherwise. And I don't need to know her… I don't want to know her either… she hung out with vampires… she's stupid and reckless. What else is there to say or think?"

"Come on guys. I want to try and pretend to be normal for a while. Don't fight." Jared huffed. "And Paul, we don't know that she knew what they were. So... don't judge too much."

Embry had to agree. He hated them fighting.

Paul rolled his eyes. "Whatever. Just find us some damn seats."

It was no surprise to Jacob or Embry that Bella sat only two rows down from them- not that she noticed at all. Given the choices, she'd pick action over romance, and he knew her friend Angela would go along with her too as a show of support. He couldn't help but glance her way throughout the movie- at the way she'd laugh at the funny parts, or cringe at a gruesome explosion. He missed her and wondered, not for the first time, how she'd gotten involved with vampires in the first place.

By the time the movie ended, his pack mates could see Jacob itching to talk to Bella and he took the chance when they caught up with her outside of the theatre. Angela was already in the truck when Jacob grabbed her arm. He wanted to tell her so many things.

All he said though was, "I'm sorry."

"It's fine Jake. I'll be by later this week if you want." She shrugged.

Jacob shook his head. "No… it's… maybe… you shouldn't come by yet. There's a lot going on right now."

"I see." Bella sighed. "Well… call me I guess. I've got to get home."

"You're not… just like that?" Jacob's brows furrowed in confusion, wondering why she wasn't demanding answers from him, screaming at him, calling him an ass… something other than being so passive in her acceptance.

"What would you have me do, Jake?" She finally asked whirling around to look at him. "Should I beg for your time? Last time I checked, friends didn't have to do that. So, when you get what you need done, call me. I'll talk. Until then…see ya."

Jacob looked away. He hated seeing the defeat in her eyes. "I'm sorry, Bella. You're right. I just… I wish it could be different."

"It can be. You just have to trust me." She told him.

"I do! I trust you with my life! But, it's not my secret to tell."

Bella smiled. "I understand, and, I get it."

Jacob's head whipped up and he looked at her. "What?! How?!"

"I have secrets too, Jake. Some that aren't my own to share. Just… Call me when you're ready to talk… Embry too. I have to go." Bella told him.

Jacob sighed. He'd done what was asked of him. He'd told Bella to stay away. He watched her pull away shook his head. In her own way, she'd just told him she knew something wasn't quite right. In her own way, she'd also just told him things would be fine.

"Come on Jake. You've got patrol when we get back." Jared reminded.

He rolled his eyes. "Yeah, yeah."

He sighed. What he wouldn't give for things to go back to being normal again.