"There is nothing so strong or safe in an emergency of life as the simple truth."

CHARLES DICKENS

Cupid's Chokehold; Chapter Seven. Jacob.

Bella.

It had been hard to focus on school ever since I had imprinted on Bella. She was all that was ever on my mind, in some way or another whatever was said to me I could relate it back to Bella.

We had been learning about black holes in science today and everything the teacher said, at least everything I caught, was immediately related to Bella.

"A black hole is a region of space whose gravitational force is so strong that nothing can escape from it. A black hole is invisible because it even traps light," the teacher drawled on about 'the wonders of space' as I zoned out.

Like Bella, whenever I was around her now I felt like I was being sucked into her. Like she was the only one who existed in the world and that without her the world would be dark and dull.

Sam had had it so easy. He had gone to school with Emily and had been able to be with her nearly every moment of every day, he had known that even in the classes without her he would see her soon during passing period. He had been in most of her classes anyway. He didn't have years of high school ahead of him when he met Emily, only a few months. I still had two years of attempting to focus.

Sam had said that it would get easier as time went by and that I would learn how to be what Bella wanted and needed. Sam said that the relationship would become less complicated with time, but I found that hard to believe. I still wanted Bella to love me like I loved her at this time. I still had hold of that string of hope that her heart would change.

Sam promised that as the imprint between Bella and I grew stronger my selfish impulses and wants would disappear; if her heart wouldn't change I could do my best to fix it, to mend it. I wanted to be able to make her happy again; I wanted to see that genuine smile on her face again, I wanted to her hear her laugh again.

The bell rang and I fought my way to the door and to my car, the sooner I got home the sooner I could call Bella and talk to her about her day. If only we both had cell phones I would be able to reach her right now.

I could hear the phone ringing from the driveway and I quickly turned off the ignition and raced to the phone, "Hello?" I heard her cry before she started talking.

"Jake, please come pick me up," Bella cried. My heartbeat surged with my adrenaline and I began to shake. Whoever was causing her this terror was in serious danger of me ending them.

"Where are you, Bell?"

I began walking to the door with the receiver in my hand as she gave me the street name she was on, "Please come get me," she cried before I could ask her why she wasn't at home.

"Of course, Bells. I love you," I hung up the phone and flung it towards the couch. I was out the door before I could see if it had made it. I quickly got into my car and drove recklessly to where Bella was. My Bella. My terrified Bella.

I couldn't imagine what was making her so scared, so terrified, but I knew that once I was there I could do anything and everything in my power to extinguish her terror.

I found her eyesore of a truck quickly and pulled up next to it, I got out of my car and looked at Bella behind her window. Her knees were pulled up to her chest and she was shivering, her small hands were clutching the steering wheel like a small child holding on to a kite during a hurricane. I knocked on her window and she jumped and screamed, fear shot through by body as I went through the possibilities of why she was so terrified.

I prayed that any of the horrible people that had hurt her weren't come back, especially now since I knew exactly what they were. It would take more than orders from Sam to stop me from hurting them if they were to appear again.

A look of intense relief took over Bella's face and she quickly tripped out of the truck and fell into me. I sat down on the hood of my car and held her, her feet still on the ground and her head on my shoulder. I was terribly confused but had no idea what I was supposed to do, certain things had been ingrained into me; how to morph, how to hunt vampires. But curing a girl's broken heart still remained a mystery.

Her hands gripped my shirt as her tears dripped onto my shoulder. It was then that I noted that her truck was steaming from the hood, I frowned. Was this all over her truck?

"Bella, what's wrong?"

"The truck broke down and I couldn't get a hold of Charlie and then I realized that you're the one who fixed this truck and you could do a lot more good than Charlie could and then you weren't answering your phone and I was scared," she said quickly, her eyes were red from crying and her lips were puffy from biting them. I felt terrible for thinking it, but I desperately wanted to kiss her senseless. I knew this wasn't the time to impose my racy wishes on her though.

"Is that all?" I questioned.

She looked away, but I saw her eyes widen, "Can we please just call a tow truck and go to your house, I don't want to be home alone right now."

"Did someone hurt you?" I began to shake again.

She shook her head furiously, but doubt penetrated me. Bella would protect someone she knew, even if they had hurt her. That's why she never had a mean thing to say about the monster that broke her heart.

"Jake…"

"Come on," I helped her into the front seat. I couldn't determine if she was cold or I just wasn't used to normal human body temperature. I grabbed her backpack and found a sweatshirt shoved behind the back of the seat. I locked her car and got into my own, I would be able to send someone from the pack up here. Sam could order them if that was what needed to be done, he would understand that I needed to be with Bella. And if Bella wanted to be at my house, I wasn't planning on leaving it for anything short of an apocalypse. And even then, we had a cellar.

I tossed her backpack into the back of my car and passed her the sweatshirt, "Are you going into shock?"

She shook her head, "I don't think so," but she still put the sweatshirt on.

I drove back to the res quietly and slowly, but I couldn't help but wonder, "Bella, the truck breaking down isn't the only thing upsetting you is it?"

She wiped her face with the sleeve of her sweatshirt and shook her head, "I just want to get home—to your house, Jacob. Please," she curled her legs under her and rested her head against my shoulder. It was five minutes before she started talking again, "Oh God, Victoria. No. Jacob!" I tore my eyes away from the road and saw that her eyes were closed, if it weren't for the terror in her voice I would have smiled. I found her sleep talking adorable and wondered what kind of trouble I could get her into with that, I knew some sleep talkers could be manipulated into giving up dark secrets in their sleep. "Edward?"

His name caught my attention and I began to drive just a little bit faster towards my house, besides if anyone pulled me over I could simply say that the chief police's daughter was terribly sick and my house was closest.

I pulled into my driveway for the second time within the hour and slid Bella out of the car, she stiffened when she woke up and opened her eyes, "Jake," her eyes were filled with terror again. She wrapped her arms around my neck and laid her head down, I pulled her legs around my waist and walked towards the house.

I had no idea what to do at this point, did she want to go back to sleep again, did she want something to eat, did she just want to do her homework and discuss whatever had her so terrified on her own terms. I hoped it wasn't the latter, my patience wasn't the best but it seemed that Bella was going to give that virtue a work out.

"What do you need Bella?" I asked, still holding on to her tightly.

"I just need to sit down," I walked over to the couch and put the phone receiver on the table. I laid Bella down and grabbed the nearby unused blanket, a leftover of Mom's attempt at decorating. Bella smiled but shook her head and pushed the blanket away. Her tears had stopped and her breathing had clamed down, the ten-minute nap had done her well.

"Bella—"

"We have a problem," she started out, I grabbed her hand, whether it was to support her or myself I wasn't sure. Knowing what I did about Bella's past I didn't like hearing those words come out of her mouth, "There's a new vampire in town. Victoria."

AN: Thank you to everyone who reviewed the last chapter, I think I sent almost everyone the quote. Now that I'm back home I'll be able to respond more diligently to the reviews, so keep 'em coming. I love when people keep me on my toes!