Jacob POV

I needed to make Bella see reason. That was all there was to it. She needed to see that I was the better choice for her, that the leech would only hurt her just like he had before. And if I had to use every cruel trick in the book to get her to realize that, I would

It was clear she wasn't in love with me. Not yet anyways. But she could. Couldn't she? I never came out and told her how I felt, just hinted at it a few times and I wanted to kick myself for being a coward. Maybe if I had told her that I was in love with her, the idea of us would be planted in her head and she wouldn't have run back into the ice cold arms of her stinking bloodsucker.

Time wasn't on my side anymore. He was back and because of that sister of his, he probably knew what I was. As his natural enemy, he would never allow Bella to see me. Would she fight him on that, I wondered.

I could still feel her lifeless body in my arms as I pulled her from the ocean. She had lied to me that day. I knew she was trying to kill herself. All for that bloodsucking leech. And she just took him back, no questions asked. That just pissed me off.

I stopped outside of Bella's open window. As far as I could smell, he wasn't there although I knew he had been, probably all night. The thought made me sick. Gritting my teeth against the anger, I threw the note I made into a paper airplane and it sailed into her window. If I wasn't so pissed off, I would be giving myself a high five for my great aim. I felt Bella's gaze on my back as I walked away. I wanted to go to her then but willed myself to wait. My rage was too much on edge to speak with her at the moment and I couldn't risk phasing too close to her. In all honesty, depending on how our conversation went later, I didn't know if I would be able to keep a cool head, even then.

Edward POV

Rosalie came out of the house to meet me as I approached the house. I immediately tensed. Hadn't she said enough? Done enough damage for one day?

Relax \Edward. I hear her think as she noticed my none too welcoming expression.

"What is it Rosalie? Another back handed apology?"

"No." She said shaking her head with a self-deprecating smile on her face. "I wanted to speak with you alone, without the others about." I tend to feel backed into a corner that way and I lash out, saying things I really don't mean.

I sighed. "So talk." I demanded unwilling to give an inch. I knew I was being a bastard but I couldn't help myself. While her actions may have brought about the reunion between Bella and I that much sooner, I couldn't easily forgive her for all that she had done and said for her own self centered reasons. I always knew she was narcissistic but she had never been cruel until now.

She looked down and I knew she was ashamed. Not something she felt too often, if ever. "I just wanted to say, that despite what you think of me, I really am sorry. I had no idea of the depth of your love for Bella, or hers for you for that matter. If I for one second thought you would go to the Volturi because of her death, I wouldn't have told you like I did. It was very callous of me."

I nodded. I couldn't disagree with her. "Yes it was."

A thoughtful expression crossed her face then. "I also didn't really mean what I said earlier about being thanked for you coming back here. It felt like everyone was ganging up on me and I reacted…badly…without thinking."

"I was already thinking about coming back." I told her. With or without your interference."

"I know. Alice told me. We had a long talk. So did Emmett and me. It made me see things a lot clearer."

"I just don't understand why you hate Bella so much." And I didn't. Bella had been nothing but kind to her and Rosalie threw it back in her face every time.

Her brows furrowed. "I don't hate her, Edward. I'm not a big fan, but I don't hate her." She sighed as she shrugged her shoulders. "I suppose much of what Carlisle said was true. Bella represents what I can't be anymore. I know what she wants and what she is willingly throwing away for that."

Unfortunately I knew too although Bella and I had yet to discuss it. If I had my way she would not become a monster like me. But unlike me, she believed I had a soul. There was a selfish part of me that was becoming more evident that wanted Bella to be like me so we could be with each other forever. I was forced to recognize that after I had seen her alive in the graveyard. Believing her dead was the most excruciating thing I had ever been through, a thousand times worse than my transformation. There was no way I could ever go through that again.

"I have no immediate plans to change her." I finally told Rosalie.

"Whether or not you have plans for it, Bella will be a vampire." Alice has seen it.

"Alice's visions can change. It's happened before."

"I don't think that this is one of those times."

Truth be told, neither did I.

Bella POV

It amazed me that for someone who didn't eat, Edward could cook so well. I knew he was concerned about my weight, that it had dropped so much while he was away but I couldn't help feeling like Gretel in the old fairy tale with the witch trying to fatten her up. I giggled involuntarily. If I was Gretel then that made Edward the witch.

I took my shower, washing my hair with the strawberry scented shampoo that Edward loved so much. I felt complete…whole again but I couldn't help the pessimistic voice in the back of my head. What if he leaves again? Would I survive a second time around when I barely survived the first? The thought would not shake from my head. How can he want you now that you're broken when he didn't want you when you weren't? He promised me, I wanted to scream at the inner voice. It wouldn't be the first promise he hadn't kept.

"Enough!" I said out loud to myself. I could feel the panic starting to set in. Mentally pushing it to the far corners of my mind, I got ready to meet Jacob.

He was standing there at the edge of the forest wearing only a pair of shorts. He looked grim and as I walked towards him he turned and went further into the woods beckoning me to follow. A wave of apprehension washed over me. Jacob was my best friend but at this moment he scared me.

There was an expression unwavering determination on his face as he stopped and turned sharply to look at me.

"So they're back?" He spat accusingly. I winced at the hateful tone in his voice.

"Yes."

"Even him?"

"Yes." I said again.

"And he is back in your life? Just like that?"

What could I say? He already knew the answer. I stayed silent letting him come to his own conclusions.

"I love you Bella." He said after a few moments.

"I love you too Jacob. You are my best friend."

"No, Bella. I am in love with you. There is a big difference."

I knew that, of course I had known that even without him saying the words and stupidly I never told him that we could never be anything than the closest of friends. Selfishly, I had needed him too much and now I've hurt him.

"I'm sorry Jake." I looked down feeling the prickling sensation of tears. "But you know who I love. Don't make me choose because it will be him, it's always been him."

He walked closer to me; almost crowded me and I instinctively stepped back.

"So that's it, huh? He gets to walk back into your life just like that after breaking your heart and nearly breaking you and all is forgiven. I could have given you everything Bella. I still can if you just let me."

The anguish in his voice ripped into me but he had to know the truth. "No, Jake you can't. I don't think of you that way. I never have. That type of love only belongs to Edward and it always will." I swallowed past the lump in my throat. "I understand if you don't want to be my friend anymore, if it hurts too much and as painful as it would be to let you go, I would."

If anything, Jake seemed to get angrier. He barred his teeth reminding me of the wolf he was.

"You tried to kill yourself, Bella. Over a damn bloodsucker" He snarled. "Don't think I fell for that asinine story you gave me about cliff diving for fun because I never bought it." He moved closer to me then. So close, I could feel his hot breath on my face. Before I could move, his hands gripped my upper arms painfully."What happens when he leaves you again Bella? Huh?" He snarled, shaking me so hard my teeth rattled.

"You're hurting me Jake." I whispered. I didn't know if I was in more pain from his grip or from his words that played upon my own insecurities. There would be handprints bruised into my flesh. I already felt them forming. But Jake was relentless. It was as if he didn't hear me.

"And he will leave you again Bella. He will, regardless of any promises he made. What will it be next time, Bella?" He shook me again causing me to bite my own tongue. "Another cliff, a bottle of pills, Charlie's gun?" He sneered. "Because I may not be around next time to pick up the pieces for you."

"Let go of me!" I screamed at him. I felt the tears cascading down my face and tasted the blood in my mouth.

Edward POV

I need to speak with you privately I heard Carlisle's thoughts as soon as I walked into the door. I followed him into his office. Carlisle was always the most diplomatic out of all of us but the admonishment in his gaze as he looked at me made me feel like a 5 year old boy that just got caught with his hand in the cookie jar.

"I'm sorry Carlisle. For everything." I told him

"You put this family through hell." He scolded. "Not to mention what you've put Bella He through." He stopped, shook his head and sighed. "But I partially blame myself for agreeing to what you had asked of us. I knew better and did it anyway. God knows there is enough blame to go around. Alice informed me we are staying?"

I nodded. There was no way I could be without Bella anymore."I can't live without her." I said.

"You do realize what you are saying Edward." You will turn her then?

He thought I would change her to be a monster like me. "I don't think I can do that Carlisle."

"So you want me to do it then assuming she still wants this life."

"No, I love her too much to condemn her to this half life."

I don't understand "You said you can't live without her. There aren't any options left."

"I've always wanted her to live a full, happy human life. I still want that. I won't condemn her to be a monster like me. She deserves more."

"So you would condemn her to a life of growing old and frail while you stay young. You think it would make her happy that everyone thinks her mate is her son or grandson as time goes by. Is that the happy life you envision for her because it has already been proven that there could be never anything other than short term separation for either of you?"

Bella wouldn't want that. I knew this. It had always been a bone of contention for her. She wouldn't be happy. But to risk her soul?

"I don't know Carlisle. Selfishly, I want it. I want it more than I have ever wanted anything. But to turn her into a monster like me. How would I forgive myself for that?"

Carlisle was silent for a moment. "Do you think I am a monster, Edward?"

I looked at him shocked. "No, of course not."

"Then why would you think you are? We are the same after all."

"You've never killed anyone." I told him.

He chuckled then. "As much as I hate vigilantism, you have only killed those that deserved it. The prisons are filled with murderers and the Bible even they have souls."

Could it really be as simple as that? Never had I thought that Carlisle was a monster like me. But he was right, we were the same. I felt a touch of elation as I mulled over what he was telling me but I was afraid to embrace it.

I see I have given you something to think about.

Alice ran in the room then interrupting any further conversation. The panicked expression on her face erased any sense of elation I had started to feel.

"What is it Alice?" I asked her just as anxious as she looked.

"It's Bella. Her future disappears in five minutes."

The wolves, I thought with a hiss. "Where did you last see her?"

"The edge of the forest by her house."

I charged out of the office and put the front door, all rationality gone. She was meeting Jacob, I was sure of it. I cursed myself for not telling her to stay away from him last night. He knew I was back and he would be angry especially given his feelings for her. If he phased near her, she could die.

NO! I would not let that happen. I pushed myself to run faster, the branches from the trees barley an obstacle as I cut through them.

It was then that I heard him before I saw them and what I heard made me want to rip him apart.

"You're hurting me Jake." I heard Bella whisper.

"And he will leave you again Bella. He will, regardless of any promises he made. What will it be next time, Bella?..,. Another cliff, a bottle of pills, Charlie's gun?" …Because I may not be around next time to pick up the pieces for you."

I was a second away when I saw his hands wrapped around her arms, squeezing her, shaking her. I saw red. The venom pooled in my mouth and my only thought was to kill him.

"Let go of me!" Bella screamed at him.

"Get your hands off of her!" I snarled at him, shaking in my fury.