Part IX

The Scene: At Billy's house, about an hour or so after Bella's fit.

I awoke to find both Emily and Jacob standing over me. A wet rag had been placed on my forehead, and I was lying on Jake's bed. It was a little embarrassing, to be honest, but nobody seemed to notice that I was blushing. I guess I was a little too pale to blush properly.

"Bells, you all right?" Jake asked me, when I had officially announced my consciousness with a groan. I managed a nod, and Emily smiled. She took the rag off and stood. "I'll leave you to in here, then," she said quietly, and closed the door behind herself. I sighed.

"Jake, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to…" I began. He laughed. "Didn't mean to faint? It's fine, Bella, you don't need to apologize." He bent over and kissed me on my damp forehead, but when he drew back, he looked troubled. "What's wrong?" I asked.

He shook his head. "Bella, I don't know what to do. That bloodsucker comes onto our turf AGAIN, tells me my girl has to become a leech just like him, and then warns us that we're all gonna die unless we join forces together."

I sat up abruptly, feeling extremely guilty. It hadn't been too long ago that I'd wanted to become a vampire with Edward, to be with him forever. Plus, Victoria was coming after me. She wanted to kill me. She was bringing an army to help kill me, and anyone else who was in her path. It was my fault, all my fault. If I hadn't fallen in love with Edward in the first place, Jake would happily be prancing about the place, singing my praises, and I'd very well be astride him, forever content to love a werewolf.

Anger quickly passed through me, replacing the embarrassment. Had Edward not gone to Italy in the first place, the Volturi very well may not have bothered about me at all.

"That's never going to happen," I whispered, hugging him. After a few moments of lying in his arms, I stood and left the room, a scowl on my face. "Where is he?" I asked Jared and Paul, who were sitting at the kitchen table with bottles of Gatorade.

"Jake's with you, isn't he?" Jared looked very confused. Paul interpreted the look on my face and punched him in the arm. "The bloodsucker's outside, talking to Sam. It's a bit testy, I wouldn't go out there if I were you," he said solemnly, but I was already heading for the back door. "Speak for yourself," I muttered. Paul was usually the testy one.

Sure enough, I found Sam standing with Emily, talking to Edward, just outside. They all stopped talking as soon as I approached. "What do you think you're doing?" I asked Edward, walking right up to him. Sam and Emily, sensing a storm, nodded to him and left the premises. Edward smiled at me. "What do you mean, Bella?" I rolled my eyes at him and folded my arms across my chest.

"You know perfectly well what I mean. What are you doing here?" He gave me a puzzled look. "I should think you of all people would know. I'm here to protect you, Bella. That has always been my intention. I have never wanted any harm to come to you." He flashed me that half-smile that I used to love. Perhaps it may have dazzled me in the past, but now it just annoyed the crap out of me.

"Yeah, well, so much for that. The ship of which you speak has sailed, Edward Cullen. You've brought more harm to me in a year than James did in a few days. I told you to get out of my life, didn't I?" He winced, but I couldn't have cared less. "What's more is that when you took your little 'suicide' vacay to Italy, I happen to know that you stopped to speak with the Volturi. Told them all about me, didn't you? Yeah, it's because of you that I'm gonna have to become a vampire, but of course, that's what you want, isn't it?"

His eyes were quickly changing to black. I knew I should back off, but I didn't. I had to let it all out.

"So I hope Victoria comes, and I hope she kills you. That would be preferable to the alternative, having you stalk me until kingdom come!" Ouch. I knew after I'd said it that it had struck a nerve. It was too harsh, I'd gone too far. Edward's lip quivered in anger. I took a few steps back. "Just go away," I whispered, and ran. Actually, I had planned to run, but I collided with Jake when I turned around. Thankfully, he didn't notice that I'd hit my head hard on his chest. I rubbed it and watched as my wolf-boyfriend approached Edward.

"Is there a problem, Sparkles?" he asked in a very low and dangerous voice. I'd discovered what had made Edward so mad that Jacob had thought in Seattle just the other day. He'd said, quote on quote, that 'only gay men sparkle,' and after a fit of laughter had developed the name of Sparkles for whenever Edward came around. Jake loved it.

Now, however, Edward looked like he wanted to kill Jake. He never once glanced at me, just stared at Jake with an awful look in his eyes. They were almost nose to nose when Edward said, "Nothing at all, Lassie."

I screamed as Jacob lunged at Edward. I couldn't hold him back if I'd tried. They grappled for a little while, until Quil and Embry came over, noticing the fight, and were able to haul Jacob back before he changed into a wolf. Edward was panting and smirking horribly. Jake strained to get at him again, but it wasn't gonna happen. His two BFF's had tight grips on his arms and shoulders.

Just then, Sam trotted over. "Dumb and Dumber, get your butts over here pronto. We've just spotted the redhead, and she's not alone." Jake stopped fighting his friends and caught my eye. We exchanged looks of shock and horror.

Well, I had to add a bit of humor to this part. At least, I laughed. Anyways, I know the timing is way off from the book, but hey, I'm going to try to make it work. R & R if you wish.