Chapter 5: Confessions

{Damon POV}

We had been listening intently to Bella's story for about an hour. Every time I heard the name Cullen, a shock of familiarity hit me. I had heard that name once before…but where?

I remembered that Bella had mentioned a group of vampires known as the Volturi once or twice. I had heard of them as I was passing through Volterra a few months after my transformation. I think I may have heard the Cullen's name there, too.

Just then, I heard his thoughts again. I have to find a way to talk to Bella alone, but I need to find a way to get rid of those other leeches first. How did he know what we were? What did he want with Bella? I started to become very angry and I felt the need to protect her.

"Damon?" she asked, putting a hand on my arm, "Are you okay?"

"Yeah I'm fine. Why?"

"Well you just all of a sudden got this pained look on your face…was it something I said?" she asked.

"No. you didn't say anything. He did." I said referring to the dark figure we had encountered earlier.

"What did I say?" Stefan demanded.

"Not you! That guy we saw earlier."

"You mean Jake?" Bella asked.

Stefan and I turned to look at her.

"You know him?" I asked.

"Well, I sort of put two and two together."

"Two and two?" Stefan asked.

"Well I found this on the ground…"she put her hand in her pocket and pulled out a small wolf figurine carved out of wood. "Jake gave this to me as a graduation gift. A few weeks later I got really mad and threw it at him."

"Do you know what he wanted?" I asked.

"No, not exactly. Either to apologize or to finish me off."

I cringed as she mentioned the second part. I wouldn't let him hurt her. Why do I, all of a sudden, feel the need to protect her? Am I…

"Apologize for what?" Stefan asked.

"Remember when I told you that someone pushed me out of the way just before I was about to reach Edward? Well, that was Jake."

"If he prevented you from saving Edward then probably not." I stated bluntly.

"Well then, what does he want?" Stefan asked.

"He wants to speak with Bella…alone."

"Alone? Did he happen to say anything else?" She asked with a bit of worry on her face.

"No." I replied.

There was a moment of silence. Then Bella lifted her head and began to speak.
"Where do I meet him?" she asked confidently.

"You're not seriously going to meet that guy, are you? Stefan asked.

I was hoping to hear her say that she was just kidding. But…no such luck.

"His name is Jacob. And yes I am going to meet him."

"No you're not." I said curtly.

"What do you mean 'No you're not'?" she asked

"I mean exactly that. You're not going." I explained.

"Damon, care to elaborate on why she can't go?" Stefan asked.

"It's too dangerous."

"In case you haven't noticed, I'm a danger magnet. Besides, it's my decision isn't it?"

"Well yes, but…" I started to explain, but she cut me off.

"But nothing. It's my decision and I've already decided that I'm going!" She began to shout.

"At least let us come with you." I suggested, I realized I was starting to become a little bit more protective than I should have been.

"I would if I could, but I can't so I won't." she said a little too gleefully.

"Care to explain why we can't come with come with you?" I asked a little aggravated.

"If you guys come, he'll know," she began to explain. "He's a werewolf."

"That's an even better reason for you not to go!" I shouted.

"He's not going to hurt me." She said.

"Just like he 'didn't' hurt Edward?" I asked, regretting it the moment I said it.

Bella's face immediately fell. I can't believe I just said that! Stupid! Stupid! Stupid! I scolded myself in my head, not the change in our surroundings.

"Stefan, where's Bella?" I asked.

"While you were off in dreamland, she left to go meet with Jacob." he replied.

"Why did you let her go?" I shouted.

"I thought that she had a good reason to meet him." he explained.

Just then, I heard his thoughts again. I guess it was easier to get Bella away from those other leeches than I thought. Now I'll go find her and put my plan into action.

"Damn it Stefan!" I said as I ran for the door. Stefan didn't follow.

I went in search for Bella. I was trying figure out where she could have gone. As I thought about it I remembered her story. She had mentioned a meadow that both her and Edward had claimed as their own.

The closest thing to a meadow here in Fell's Church is the forest I thought to myself. I changed direction and headed there. I kept an ear out for his thoughts…nothing. Then I remembered a place that resembled a meadow perfectly. The middle of the forest. Next thing I knew, I was behind a tree about three feet behind Bella. I waited for the right moment that I would rush in to save her.

{Jacob POV}

I guess it was easier to get Bella away from those other leeches than I thought. Now I'll go find her and put my plan into action. I thought to myself as I saw Bella running out of the boarding house across the street.

By 'plan' I meant confronting Bella about that night and how I had a good reason for pushing her away from Edward. Saying his name made my stomach churn. I had hated him for being a vampire AND getting Bella, but now I hated him for what he did to her.

I should have known that Bella would find those vampires the moment she arrived in Virginia. But did she know they were vampires? Of course I knew, but their scent is so much more potent than the Cullen's had been. Could it be that there were different species of vampires? Great, just what I needed…more vampires.

Just then my nose began to burn. It was Bella's scent, but it was mixed with a much more potent one. So, she hadn't come alone. What was I going to do now that she was with one of them? Should I talk to her in front of him? Or should I wait until she was alone? These questions swirled in my mind until I reached the middle of the forest. It was then that I realized that she was alone. But, where was the other guy? I kept wondering this until I saw her head perk up-I forgot her hearing improved when she changed.

"Jacob?" She asked.

She looked like she had on that day, only more beautiful. She wore her brown hair down and her eyes were memorizingly golden. They reflected the pain from that night. Her skin was as pale as ever. It suited her, but I hated it. It only reminded me that she would no longer be the Bella I had fallen in love with. It was his Bella.

"Bella?" I asked, though I already knew it was her.

She just nodded in agreement. She didn't give me a smile that made my heart nearly jump out of my chest. But I understood.

"What do you want?" She growled.

"I would like to explain myself…if you'll give me a chance." I replied walking towards her. She took a step back.

"You didn't give me a chance, so, why should I give you one?" She snarled.

"Please Bella. Let me explain why I did what I did." I pleaded.

"You've got 15 minutes. Starting…" she began.

"Can we talk some place more private?" I asked, searching the trees.

"What can be more private than a forest?" she asked.

"It's not so private when your friend is listening to what you're saying." I said still scanning the trees.

"What do you mean my frie…Damon!" she shouted as she turned to face the tree behind us, there was no answer.

"Damn it Damon! I know you're there and if you don't get your ass out from behind that tree right now, I'll never speak to you again!" She shouted-if she had been human she'd be out of breathe. Then again if she had been human, we wouldn't be here.

'I'll never speak to you again' seemed a little bit juvenile, but it worked. He stepped out from behind the tree, with a look that resembled a child who had just been caught with his hand in a cookie jar. there was also another emotion on his face that I'd seen before…protection.

"Why the hell did you follow me?" She fumed.

"I just wanted to make sure you were okay." He replied.

"I'm fine Damon. I can take care of myself." She shouted.

"I feel terrible about what I said earlier and I'm sorry." He said as he lowered his head in apology. What did he say to make her so upset? I thought to myself.

"Well, you should be sorry. That comment really hurt. But that's still not a good enough reason for following me," she said as she began to calm down.

"After you left I heard him say that he'd put his plan to action now that you were alone." He explained, turning to glare at me. I realized that he was referring to me.

"I never said that!" I shouted.

"You're right you didn't, but you thought it." he said with a sinister smile.

"You can read minds?" I asked.

"Yes, and I can influence people's decisions. That is, if I want to. Is that going to be a problem…pup?" He asked mockingly.

"What did you say?" I asked.

"I just called you what you are. You call me a leech and I call you a pup. Now, be a good dog and speak so I can give you a treat." He mocked.

That comment put me over the edge. Next thing I knew, I had him pinned against a tree.

"Take it back!" I shouted.

"Aw…did the big bad wolf get his feelings hurt?" he joked.

My arm slowly moved up until it was on top of his neck. I began to press down when something cold touched my other arm. As a reflex I threw my arm back. And heard a thud followed by a loud snap. I turned to see Bella across the clearing on the ground with a tree trunk across her legs. Within second I was on the ground and Damon was on top of me with his arm across my neck.

"If you EVER hurt her again, I'll kill you." He threatened.

He got off me, walked over to Bella and pulled the tree off her legs I could tell that he wanted to throw it at me but he threw it aside. As she got up she glared at me and my heart just sank.

"Y-you've got t-ten minutes to explain yourself, Jake." She said breathing heavily.

"But you said earlier you said that I had fifteen minutes." I replied.

"You're lucky that she's letting you explain at all." Damon snarled as he put an arm around her shoulder.

They both walked over to a log and sat down, while I stood in front of them and began to explain.

"Should I start at the beginning?" I asked, looking at Damon.

"No Jake, I've already told him about that. Just start by explaining why you pushed me away from him," she said. I had a feeling that she didn't say his name because it still caused her pain.

"My explanation is simple; I did it to save your life." I said.

She opened her mouth in protest, but Damon stopped her.

"Let him finish." he said-he had read my mind-I nodded my head in thanks and continued.

~Flashback~

"I've said it once and I'll say it again, You're LYING! There is no way that scrawny little Bella could ever overpower me! Just to prove that she doesn't have a fighting chance, I'll let her go. If she can make it to Edward before I do, he lives. If not, then you all die and she'll watch." Sam said to the Cullens, "Quil, release her!" he shouted.

Sam was already a fourth of the way to Edward when Bella was released. He had transformed and began to think If she makes it to him I'll kill her first, then them. If not then she'll just watch. Either way the Cullens will die. At that moment I bolted from the trees and pushed her to the ground. Leah then pinned her to the ground like I had asked her-I didn't want Bella to get up, run to him and be killed -I knew that she would hate me for all eternity, but at least she would be alive.

"I hate you!" she screamed. "I thought you were my friend, I-I thought I could trust you. But you're nothing but a lousy dog!"-that one was a stab to the heart-"Jacob, y-you just used me. I was so stupid; you just wanted to know the Cullen's secrets, their weaknesses."-that twisted the knife that had just been embedded in my heart I didn't know how to respond.

"Shut up!" screamed Leah as she whacked her across the head. I almost jumped her, but they might have killed Bella as my punishment.

"I am you friend Bella! I-We're doing this for your own good!" I yelled, trying to hide any emotion.

"My own good! What good will come of this? I'm already a vampire, and there's no going back!" She yelled.

Within minutes the Cullens were no more. I felt both gratitude and shame. I was grateful that Bella was alive, but I was ashamed that I had helped scar her…for eternity.

~End Flashback~

Next Chapter: Forgiveness