Chapter 9 – Apologize

I was shocked at Quil's exclamation. He never thought before he spoke before, but it still caught me off guard. Everyone in the room went silent. You could hear the singular midget floating around by the bright window. Suddenly, Emily jumped and screamed. She ran to the oven and grabbed a mitt. I smelled something sweet; which Emily confirmed by taking out a large tray of muffins. She placed them on the table, and all of the previous tension in the room evaporated.

"Come here, Bells" Jake whispered and patted the empty stool next to his. "Eat a muffin. Emily's are the best. We'll talk about things afterwards. You need to eat something; I mean I'm sure your stomach is empty now…" His words drifted off as the hunger overcame me. I hadn't felt hungry like this in weeks. I sat down and allowed Jake to place a muffin in front of my, which I promptly devoured.

"Okay, Bella, I guess we have some explaining to do…" Sam started to speak. Emily shushed him but he held up a hand and she faltered slightly. "If things had gone better today," he glanced at Paul. "Well, we were going to allow you into our lives anyway. My decision to tell you everything was supremely influenced by the three infatuated teens over there and also by your involvement in... some other things that concern us. I think you have some explaining to do yet, Bella Swan." As Sam spoke, I looked at Embry, Quil and Jacob, who were all blushing underneath their dark skin.

I was curious as to what 'things' Sam had been talking about but I let him continue anyway.

"That day on the cliff, as I'm sure you've guessed, that was Jared and I who chased and killed that vampire. I don't know if he was a friend or foe but as soon as you cut your leg, the situation changed. I knew he was going to strike, we had to intervene."

"I would have been there too, but…" Sam raised his hand again to stub out Pauls addition to his speech. I could see Sam wanted to have his say first. It was as if he was their father, telling them a story and did not want to be interrupted. They all seemed to watch him with weary eyes.

"But Jacob, Quil and Embry had been close by where we were following the bloodsucker. We had primarily been concerned with their reactions to his scent. They all showed signs of being about to phase. Of course, when they did, all hell broke loose. Bella, the changing process is difficult for us wolves the first time. It was hard for me hear their screaming thoughts in my head as soon as they all phased. I knew then that you were on the cliff alone. Though they didn't know what was happening, I cut myself away from them and chased the cold one alone. Jared followed, after of course one of the guys tried to take him down."

Embry coughed and glanced at Jared, who laughed back at him. So Jared had been the wolf that had watched me closely on that hill. I had a strange feeling Sam was about to ask me how I knew Laurent. I didn't want to talk about the Cullen's. I sat tight with a blank expression on face. This was too much information. If he had much more to say, I was sure I would be out for the count for the second time today.

"I know this is strange for you, Bella." Sam continued, obviously picking up on my discomfort. "But there have been more vampires in the area since that incident. They are all searching around and I'm sure you know something about this. I have very good hearing and I knew Laurent was threatening you with another vampire. Whether he was lying or not I don't know, but tell us, what do you know about this?"

There it was. With no time to process all of this information, they expected me to spill my innermost fears and thoughts on the scrubbed wood table. I hesitated for a minute, gathering my thoughts. I deduced that Sam and the guys were not friendly with the Cullen's. I knew Jake and Billy never had been anyway.

I sighed. "This is a lot for me to process right now. I'm not sure what you're asking me so stop me if I'm wrong. Laurent was not a friend. Well, he was. He had tried to become like the …Cullen's. He was unsuccessful. Obviously. I don't know what he was doing in Forks. But he told me he had come for me. He told me there was another, Victoria, coming for me too. Her mate was killed by …Edward…" I fought the word out. "…last year. Her mate had bitten me. He was right to kill him. She didn't think so. She wants me because she wants Edward to feel how she does. But I don't understand. I'm not with him. He told me everything was going to be as if he never existed. How could he leave me here with nothing…?"

Jake put his hand on my arm and rubbed it gently. I felt the tears come to my eyes as I realised I had said his name. I hated dragging up those thoughts, those thoughts that had been dormant for so long. I brushed away the escaping tears and looked around the table at the witnesses to my digression. I knew that they would not tell a soul about my fears but I was embarrassed at how easily I had opened up.

"I think we'll leave you to think about this. Boys, we will have a meeting tomorrow…here. You're welcome to come along Bella. I know you have a lot to learn and adjust to. But don't tell anyone our secret. You are an outsider allowed into our world. Treat that with respect."

Emily squeezed my shoulder from behind as same spoke. She smiled warmly at me as I left with Jake, Quil and Embry. I was a little shaky on my feet. My truck was outside the house. I looked around me for the first time as I wondered how my truck had gotten here. The house was a little ways into the forest. It was engrossed in wildlife. It looked like whoever lived here spent all of their days outside taking care of the small garden. It looked homely, just like the inside of the house.

"I'll drive for you, Bells. Where to?" Jake brought me out of reverie. i felt his strong hands wrap around my waist. He was really taking this best friends thing to heart. I hoped it wasn't too deep.

The boys told Jake to bring us all to the beach. The four of us. Just like before. I had a feeling that this would work out this time. I let all of my inhibitions in the truck as we began to pace up the empty beach in the mist.

"Sorry, Bella. We saw how badly you took it. But at least you're back now, yeah? We're back. We won't leave you on your own again. Who knew you were in league with the vamps anyway?" Embry stopped his not too sensitive apology abruptly as he saw my face. Instead he picked me up in a hug and swung me round and round the beach. I found myself laughing again; I had forgotten how good they made me feel.

We talked for hours. The day passed and I had forgotten to ring Charlie. I hoped he was talking to Billy. I was worried about having more secrets to keep from him. The guys explained to me about their picnic idea for the hike. They wanted to surprise me. They thought they left the food in the trees closest to the clearing but they hadn't. they didn't find it in the end. They guessed Sam or Paul or Jared had gotten it. I told them more about victoria and Laurent. I wouldn't answer their questions about the Cullen's. It felt as though those questions were too personal. I knew if I told them secrets about the Cullen's, it would mean I had nothing to keep to myself anymore.

Quil and Embry left the beach to go for a run through the woods. I had wanted to see them as wolves but Jake wouldn't let me. He told me I could have gotten hurt by just being near them. I appreciated his concern, but didn't he know who I had hung out last year?

Jake took my hand again and led me back up the beach towards my truck. I wasn't ready for this day to end. I was afraid it would become another dream or nightmare. I watched around us anxiously as I thought of victoria again. Her blazing red hair was all I remembered of her. That fire would be the one to take me out in the end; I knew that now. Jake didn't know anything about vampires. He couldn't possibly if he thought he could kill them.

"I'll look after you, Bells. You don't have to worry anymore. All of us are here for you. It's the leeches fault that we're like this so they can deal with the consequences." He started to shake as he finished his sentence. I let go of his hand and moved away. I knew from earlier experience I didn't want to be near Jake if he was about to burst into a huge wolf.

As he saw me cower away from him, he stopped shaking. He came to his senses and rushed over to hug me. He held me for a while. It felt like it was just the two of us; in our own world on the beach. I wished it was. I really did love Jake, as a friend…

We arrived at Billy's later that night. Charlie was there too. Billy winked at me as we came in. I forgot I had been holding Jake's hand. Charlie looked from our faces to our hands that met in the middle and he chuckled.

"Lover's tiff?" I had hit him on the arm playfully while I felt myself blush pure beet. It didn't faze Jacob; he just stood there looking huge and smug.

We had a great evening in the Blacks place. I didn't want to be anywhere else but here. This was what I had been pining for all those weeks. Silly Bella, I had doubted Jakes feelings for me. I knew better now. I knew this was how it was supposed to be. This was natural. I felt myself warm even more in Jakes presence. He was still my sun. he hadn't changed just how big he had gotten. He really didn't look sixteen anymore. He looked older than me.

I got up to leave as Charlie finished his last can of beer. I would have to drive him home so Jake and I didn't even get a chance to be alone again. And I had been counting on that.

"Bella!" He called out as I left. "Wait!"

I turned and saw jakes beautiful handsome face inches from mine. His eyes searched through my features hungrily. I thought I was ready for this. I definitely wasn't. Jake was murmuring softly under his breath. He was telling me he missed me. I missed him too. But I did not want to kiss Jake. Not now. Not yet.

Yet. I found myself thinking about how things could be between Jake and me. But in that second his hot hand clamped around my jaw. He raised his lips to meet mine and I pulled back. He sighed and kissed my forehead. Leaning his mouth there, I was probably hurting him. Well, he had hurt me. But that wasn't what this was about. I felt some sort of connection with Jake. I didn't know what but something was definitely there. It just needed time to progress.

"See yam, Bells…" Jake spoke with a tender, loving voice. I knew how much he cared for me.

I got in the truck to a silent Charlie.

After a few minutes into our drive I heard Charlie start to mutter. Always when he has beer, I thought fondly to myself.

"That's it, Bella, you make him apologise first…"

I had to laugh at my father's protectiveness over me. It was flattering. But he didn't know exactly what Jake was...

I wasn't even so sure anymore. Maybe that boy did have some grovelling to do, before I would ever consider kissing him anyway.

A/N - I hope you're enjoying the story...

Some more action coming soon.. I promise!

Review if you get a chance please! :)