But I've been screamin' and fightin'


and kissin' in the rain.

And it's 2AM and I'm cursin' your name


You're so in love that you act insane, 


and that's the way I loved you.

THE WAY I LOVED YOU, TAYLOR SWIFT

Cupid's Chokehold; Chapter Thirty-One. Jacob.

part one

It was too much. I could have lost control with her. I was so stupid. I could feel all the symptoms; I could feel all the changes wanting to happen and instead of leaving the situation I stood and argued with her. I loved her, with every fiber of my being I loved her, but she could be so dumb sometimes. Edward could have killed her; Victoria could have gotten to her.

I ran for hours before Sam caught up me. I growled, Go away. I don't need you right now.

You could have killed her tonight.

She was so stupid. Leaving the house in order to go see the jackass that broke her heart. He left her to die in the woods, Sam!

Jacob, I'm aware of her unwise decisions. I can't believe that is the only reason you are mad at her.

She left. She wasn't here, I ran faster in to the woods. My paws hit the ground hard and it hurt, If she had just been here—if she had just been here—

Then what, Jacob?

I turned and attacked. Then Dad wouldn't have died! Sam was bigger and stronger and in better control of himself. He quickly grabbed me by the skin of my neck and I was down. His teeth dug in painfully.

Don't blame this on her, Jacob. You know she couldn't have done anything.

I know. I can't help it.

There is nothing she could have done, if she had had any forewarning and tried to save your Dad then she would have gotten hurt. You know there's probably nothing any of us could have done.

I growled. I knew what he was saying was true.

Your father was a good man and he passed too soon, but there is nothing we could have done. We were in the wrong place at the wrong time, but we learned from that. No more group meetings like that, we'll spread out more. With the Cullen back in the area we can't go in to Forks anymore. It means that the town is in danger, but it also means we can be more concentrated here. Keep Bella here, keep Charlie here and they'll be safe.

I know, Sam. I know Bella couldn't have done anything. I was just so angry-- if anything had happened to her! I couldn't finish the sentence.

I know, Jacob. No one expects you be completely rational right now. And you did the right thing by leaving; you could have seriously hurt her if you hadn't gotten out of there on time.

I know, Sam. No need to guilt trip me.

Go for a run, change and tell her you're sorry. Don't think that because you've imprinted you're allowed a few screw-ups. If anything the women are worse when they're angry. His mind wandered in to territory I didn't want to know about Sam and Emily.

I started to run deeper in to the woods, curving back around towards the house though. I slowed down when I saw the garage and changed back in to my human form. I hadn't worked on anything in the garage since Bella had worked on her report. The door was still unlocked though and I knew I had a spare change of clothes somewhere in there. I also had my project in there.

After getting dressed and checking on Bella (who was sleeping) I picked up the small piece of smooth wood. This was not an easy task. I had to gauge her finger size when I smoothed out the inside of the ring. Now the hardest task was smoothing the outside, doing the carving and making sure it didn't get thin enough to snap. It was no rock, but hopefully the love I put in to it would make up for that.

The sun was peaking in between the trees when I was finished. The dark wood had been transformed into a delicate wooden ring with a heart etched into the top of it. If begging didn't get Bella to forgive then maybe this ring would. Women loved jewelry, but Bella wasn't just any women. She was the women I loved and leave it to me to fall in love with the women who tended to break all the rules.

Bella was still sleeping when I went back in to the house around 9, I grabbed the box of Pop Tarts from the kitchen and went and sat down next to her in the bed. She looked so small and lonely, the way she was curled up inside my sweatshirt and the blanket made me want to hold her. I felt terrible about last night, although I could already hear what Bella would say. It's fine, Jake. You couldn't help it.

She'd be right, but, to me, that didn't really matter. I hadn't cared this much about anything in my entire life; I had never been so passionate about anything or anyone. I wanted to be perfect for Bella.

Everything I need is right here by my side.

I'M ONLY ME WHEN I'M WITH YOU, TAYLOR SWIFT

Cupid's Chokehold; Chapter Thirty-One. Bella.

part two

I woke up when the bed sank down from Jacob's weight. I didn't open my eyes though. I was happy he returned, not that I didn't think he wouldn't, but it was a relief nonetheless that he came back and didn't seem angry with me. I hated that he was upset with me, but I wasn't remorseful about what I had done. I trusted Edward, to some small extent. Not with my heart, Jacob held it very safely now, but Edward did want the best for me, of that I was certain.

I heard Jacob open a plastic package and squinted my eyes open. Pop Tarts? The innocence of it made me smile. Groggily I asked, "Can I have one?"

He startled and looked over at me, half a Pop Tart hanging from his mouth. He looked adorable in his grease stained shirt and his raggy hair covering his sad eyes. "Did you want me to toast it?" he asked through his Pop Tart.

I shook my head, "Can't you just huff and puff and heat the thing up?" I laughed and so did he, but then he grew somber.

"I'm not the Big Bad Wolf, Bells."

"I know, Jake. I'm just making a joke. You remember those, right?" I took the Strawberry Pop Tart from him. Our fingertips brushed and as cheesy as it was, I felt like an electric spark went through us.

He smiled and mumbled, "Come here," he pulled me over and I melted in to his side, his arm coming around me and rubbing my arm up and down. The box of Pop Tarts fell between our legs. "I'm so sorry, Bells. I—"

"It's fine, Jake. You couldn't help it," I consoled. I didn't want him to feel sorry about something that he really couldn't control. He chest rumbled with a deep laugh and I turned around to face him. He went from apologetic to laughing to 2.4 seconds; it through me for a loop. "What?"

"That's exactly what I thought you would say. I know what you're saying, Bells. I appreciate it, your trust and loyalty is… too much though. Besides, I don't think I'm talking about me almost killing you last night—"

"You wouldn't have killed me, Jake. I don't believe that."

He groaned, "I'm not getting in to that right now, Bella. I love you," he grabbed my hands and looked directly in to my eyes, "I care about you, I don't want you to get hurt, ever. And," he ran his hand through his hair and appeared to be frazzled, "I'm not talking just being beaten up by some vampire or jumping off a cliff in to the ocean, I'm talking something as frivolous as getting an F on a math test. I want to take care of you in any way I can, I can't help you in math… or anything involving school… but I can keep you safe Bella and I want to do that. No offense, but it's not really your strong suit." He wasn't trying to mean, just stating what was sadly the truth.

"I can't promise to call you and let you know my whereabouts at all times, Jake. I love you and I understand your desire… your need to protect me, but you're not my keeper and you're not in control of me. I need my freedom, I do promise that if I decide to do something that may be dangerous—like meeting up with my vampire ex-boyfriend—than I will let you know. But I won't ask for permission Jake."

He seemed fine with this compromise. We finished our Pop Tarts quietly and then just sat in the bed. Just after Jacob fell asleep the phone rang. I slipped out of the bed and quickly picked up the handset.

"Black Residence."

It was my counselor at school. He wanted me to come in before school started to talk about graduation and college. Two things I was totally dreading. I agreed though and quickly got dressed in a clean pair of jeans and one of Jake's old sweatshirts from middle school. I liked wearing his clothes, but I was starting to think he had never heard of sending stuff to a thrift store.

I picked up the Pop Tart trash and box and set them on the milk crate nightstand, "Jake," I whispered in a weak attempt to wake him up. "Jake," I shook him. He opened his eyes slightly.

"Yeah, babe?"

"I need to go down to the school for a bit."

"Hm?"

I smiled; I was amazed at how fast he fell in to a deep sleep.

"This is me telling you where I'm going. I'm going to school. I'll be back in a little bit, I think Charlie's down at the station, he said there was a game on or something. Remember, your sisters are coming over for dinner tonight before they head back out. I'll be back before lunch though."

"Mmm, kay," he leaned up towards me, eyes closed again. I smiled at his puckered lips. He was so adorable. I kissed him quickly before he went back to sleep and I left the house to head up to Forks High.

AN: Almost done! Probably two more chapters, omg.

Kay, here's the thing. I'm posting at 10:30 on October 3, 2009. That means it's still my birthday for another hour and half, it would be an amazing present to get some reviews for this. Reviews make me happy, being happy makes me want to be diligent and do my homework, which gives me more time to write, which gets you the rest of this story faster.

I know last chapter I said a review would equate to some sort of response, it took me longer than expected to write this chapter so that didn't happen. This time though I will send a small clip from my next fic that I'll start posting in December. It's called Love It Forever, it's AU/AH and involves time travel!!!

Review and I'll send you something sweet for your sweetness!