Never Again, Chapter 3: Spoke to soon

Okay, longer chapter, cuz I want all the Jacob stuff cleared up before… something else happens. *Sniggers knowingly*

Unfortunately, I don't own Twilight, or any of the characters. Not even one. I don't really own anything. Enjoy the workings of my strange mind though :)

Instead of getting out of bed early Sunday morning, I led awake in Jake's arms as he slept, thinking of the bliss that had been yesterday.

I looked at the yellowing bruises that scattered my arms, but found it difficult to remember Jacob ever doing something like that to me.

I just needed to watch what I was doing, keep him in a good mood. Simple, really. He was so lovely and sweet, and he makes me feel so special. When we're alone, he's always so gentle and caring. Because he loves me. And I love him.

How could I ever have thought that I had to leave him? How could I ever've felt scared of him? We were perfect together; he was perfect.

'We'll be fine' I told myself smugly.

All of my early morning brainpower had been wasted though. Jake was in a bad mood when he woke up.

"For God's sake, Bella, let me breath," he spat out angrily, pushing me away from him. I sighed. I muttered something about breakfast, and left the room. Just like me, get my hopes up, and have them shredded at the first possible moment. Karma. Its just one big piss-take.

I shoved some pop-tarts in the toaster, too annoyed to bother with anything any more extravagant than that. What was wrong with me? I just needed to grow a pair, and say those two glorious little words 'you're dumped'. Why was it so difficult? I'd said them before, many times, in Phoenix. This really wasn't any different.

Except it was. No other guy had hit me like that before. Not like Jacob does. No one had ever really laid into me, had never really got that strange feeling running through my body- fear. Pure, undiluted fear.

The toaster popped, making me jump. I shoved the pop-tarts on a plate and walked back up to my room with them.

Jacob was led in my bed, scowling. I sat cross-legged on the bed at his feet, picking at the pop-tart. I decided I wasn't hungry and handed him the plate silently.

"What the hell is this?" He seethed, glaring at me.

"A pop-tart." Duh.

He suddenly threw the plate across the room. It hit the window-wall and smashed, shattering everywhere. He jumped towards me, grabbing me by my neck.

I felt the pressure of his hand as it tightened around my neck. It hurt. He pressed his face up against mine, baring his teeth at me in a disgustingly horrifying grimace.

"Think you're funny do you, Bella? Think you're smart?" He wanted to know. Instinctively I tried to shake my head. His grip tightened again.

"Well you're not." He told me. "You're pathetic." He threw me to the floor, and I couldn't hold back the tears; they streamed down my face. He knelt beside me, leering over me.

"You need an attitude makeover, Bella," he told me. He drew back his fist and punched my stomach. Hard. Pain surged through me, and more tears ran down my face freely.

"You. Better. Sort. Yourself. Out," He said, hitting me with every word. I screamed out in pain. He leaned closer to me, his face mili-metres away from mine. "'Cause I don't wanna have to do this again."

I spat in his face. "Get off me, dickhead," I said as fiercely as I could manage, which, admittedly, could've been a lot fiercer.

He hit me again. I gasped as the force from his punch winded me. "Who the f**k do you think you're talking to?" He hit me again, and again, and again. He wasn't going to stop. I clenched my eyes shut. I wanted to throw up.

He hit me again, harder, it seemed. I screamed. And suddenly, he was lifted away from me.

"Bella!" that was Jasper's voice. I'd never been so happy to hear my brother's voice in all my life. Ever.

I opened my eyes, and found Jasper's panic-stricken blue ones staring into my own. I lifted my head slightly, and saw Jacob pressed against the wall by a man. A very big man; heavily muscled like a serious weight lifter.

"GBH your game, is it, kid? Think you're hard, beating up girls do you? Lets see how hard you really are, shall we?" The man dragged Jacob out into the hall.

"Emmett!" Jasper yelled. "Get back here!"

"Nah, Jazz, our little friend here wants a fight!" I heard him call.

Jazz rolled his eyes. "Bella? Can you get up, titch?" he wanted to know.

I couldn't speak. I just nodded, and Jasper helped me to my feet.

"We'll talk in a minute. You'll wanna see this." He picked me up into his arms and carried me downstairs, out towards the yard. I still couldn't speak, so I just let him.

Jacob was in a heap on the driveway. The man stood over him, arms folded, glaring. Emmett.

"Piece of shit," Emmett spat. "You should be locked up."

"Hypocrite," Jake choked out.

Emmett wasn't gonna stand for that. He picked Jacob up again, by his collar. Jake rose a few inches from the ground so Emmett could look him in the eye.

"What did you call me? Say it one more time, f**ker." Emmett dared through his teeth.

"Hyp- ugh!"

Emmett kneed him in the groin. I was beginning to like Emmett - a lot.

Emmett released Jacob's neck, and he fell to the floor, groaning. Emmett kicked him again for good measure.

"Don't you dare ever use that word to anyone, ever again!" Emmett growled at him. "No one can be a hypocrite to you! No human being would do that to an innocent girl! You should be dead, you evil monster!"

Jake tried to get up, and Emmett helped him. He picked him up again, and threw him down in the road.

"Don't you dare ever come back here, ever again. Don't you dare speak, don't you dare even look at Bella ever again. Are we clear?" Jacob nodded his head hastily. "Good. Now get outta here!"

Jake scampered, tripping over his own feet in his haste back to La Push. He ran down the street. He didn't look back.

"Good f**king riddance," Jazz muttered as we walked back inside. I hadn't realized was crying till I heard my sobs. "Oh, God, Bella, we better get you to hospital or something." He led me down on the couch, and lifted up my shirt to reveal my wounds.

"No! I'm…I'm f-f-f-fine," I told him, trying to control myself. How many times had I been in this position? And they'd want to know what happened…

"Bella," Emmett said. "You are not fine. Don't downplay this. He needs to learn his lesson."

"OK, who are you again?"

Jasper rolled his eyes. "Emmett. My new deputy."

Comprehension dawned on me. That made sense, actually, looking at him. When Dad had died, Jazz had taken over his position at the Station as Chief, and had been looking to update the force since. All three of them. (lol)

"And…you were here…because?"

"Your brother suggested breakfast here after our shift," Emmett explained. "We heard your scream…"

Jasper shuddered. "Why didn't you tell me, Bells?" He whispered.

"I'm sorry," I told him.

"You?! You're sorry? How long has this been going on?" He wanted know.

"Ages…" I shook my head, remembering the first time he'd hit me, having to cover the bruises with foundation to hide them from my own brother.

Jasper inhaled a deep breath, calming himself. "Come on, then," He said. "Let's get you to the Station. You'll need to make a statement, and-"

"No!"

"What?!" Jasper and Emmett said together.

I sighed. "Please, Jazz. I just wanna forget the whole thing."

"Forget the whole thing? Bella, he nearly killed you! Multiple times! Grievous Bodily Harm, and you want to just forget the whole thing?"

"No, I mean, I just wanna get it out of my life. I never wanna have to think about it ever again."

He sighed. "If I ever see him again, I'll have 'im." He warned.

"As long as I don't have anything to do with it." I agreed.

"She's freaking crazy!" Emmett yelled, right before he stormed from the house. Okaaaayy…

So, all that's cleared up! Yay! What's gonna happen now? Let me know what you think, people, cuz for all I know, I'm writing a load of crap. Is this even worth carrying on? :S

Reviews get a preview of Chapter 4! :) Unless you hate it...

xxx