Part VI

The Scene: Bella, having just gotten home from her drive with Jacob, calls the Cullen's house. Jacob is up in Bella's room, hiding from a steaming Charlie.

"Hello?" My voice sounded curt and unfriendly. It wasn't my intention, but how could I not sound like that when he'd just gotten me grounded from La Push? This was just…, "Yes?" I grimaced. "Edward, we need to talk." He was silent, and I wondered if he had already hung up. I was about to, but then came his reply. "I'll be right over." Then the line clicked.

He wasn't even reluctant to see me again, even after the bike incident. Perhaps he didn't realize that I'd already found him out. I sighed, and then started up the stairs. Charlie was still refusing to acknowledge my presence, fuming in the living room. I silently thanked him for that. Maybe it would buy me some time.

I ran up the steps to my bedroom, closed and locked the door, and turned around to see Edward already sitting on my bed. I could tell Jacob was trying his best not to attack. He was restraining himself for my sake, sitting in the corner farthest away from the bed.

"You wanted to talk," Edward said. It wasn't a question. I nodded. "Why did you mess with those bikes?" Jacob shook his head furiously. "The real question is, why did you violate the treaty, leech? You crossed into our territory. For whatever reason, that's still against the rules."

Edward smiled. "Why do I care? I'm dead after all. And besides, it was payback for not taking back that comment." Jacob stood, and Edward did also. They were nearly nose to nose when I shoved myself in between them. It probably wasn't a good idea, but hey, I was a little upset at the time.

"Sit down, Jake. Edward, grow up and turn six! You said it yourself, you're dead, and you shouldn't care AT ALL what Jake says! And I don't care if you're dead or not, you can't go violating treaties! It's not cool." Jacob sat down on my desk chair in silence. Edward was still smug.

"Bella, there's really not much you can do about it now, is there? Telling Charlie about the treaty wouldn't be the brightest thing you've ever done, and it still wouldn't help your case. I do apologize for getting you into trouble, but it was unavoidable under the circumstances." His apology was so insincere. I clenched my jaw and balled my hands into fists. "What circumstances?"

He merely gave me a smirk and gestured in the direction of Jacob. I turned to see him shaking his head. Edward stood to leave, heading for the window, but in a low voice I asked again, "What circumstances, Edward?"

"Your boyfriend; I'm not too happy about this, you know. He's not good for you, Bella. Your idea of getting on with life is totally unsafe." He didn't look at Jake at all while he said this, but as soon as the comment was made, Jacob stood up again, eyes blazing.

"I'm better for her than you!" he growled. Edward shrugged indifference. "Depends on how you look at it," was his last statement. With it, he jumped from the window and ran off, zipping through the trees for the Cullen home.

"YOU'D BETTER RUN!" Jake screamed, along with several other colorful metaphors. I sat down, head in hands, on my bed. This was not how I'd planned to discuss Edward's actions. I could hear Charlie coming up the stairs. Jake did, too, and giving me a quick peck on the cheek, headed off after Edward. I should have stopped him, but I was in another puddle of muck with Charlie now. He was at the door, breathing hard.

Late that night, I snuck out the window. I made sure to bar my bedroom door from the inside so that if the snoring Charlie were to try and check up on me during the night, he'd be unable to enter the room. I packed pillows under the sheets to look like me just in case he managed to get in. I was all set with a back-up plan.

I probably shouldn't have pushed my luck, sneaking out of the house like that. I'd already been busted today; couldn't more mischief have waited until tomorrow? But no. I was eager to see Jacob for some reason I couldn't explain. I always loved being with him, but now that I wasn't allowed to, I felt the urge to see him even more.

I had a backpack strapped to me, and my hair was brushed, but I was still wearing pajamas. At least I'd remembered to bring shoes. That was a plus.

I was doing pretty well in the dark. I swear, I was half-way to La Push, even with my clumsiness, when I noticed that I was being followed. I was probably just too tired to have realized it before, but now, as I paused to see where the heck I was, I heard the low hum of an engine. I turned around. There was Edward, smiling from the front seat of his Volvo.

"Stalker," I mumbled before taking off as fast as I could through the trees. I was really tearing up the shrubbery, too, before I ran out of breath and discovered that I'd only run through some lady's exotic garden. I was now on a connecting street, and Edward was pulling up in front of me, his grin broad now. "Need a lift before you kill yourself?" he asked in amusement. Grudgingly, I nodded, and got in the passenger seat.

I know I said I was done, but hey, I got encouragement from people and decided to finish up the series my way. This may take a while...please R&R. :)