I DONT OWN ANY OF THESE CHARACTERS. :(

Chapter 12: Jacob

IT HAD BEEN THREE LONG DAYS SINCE I LAST SAW EDWARD AND I COULDN'T WAIT ANOTHER MINUTE. I GOT UP AND SHOWERED as quickly as I could and left for the Cullen's house. That ended up being a bad idea. Alice was there to greet me when I got there and said that we had a lot of work to get done if we were going to pull this wedding off in a week. I grumbled my oks and went in search of Edward.

I looked everywhere for him and then went to the last place I thought he would be. Sure enough when I opened the door to his room there he was. He was on his bed listening to classical music so I went and turned it off so that we could talk.

"Edward, is everything ok? You weren't downstairs waiting for me like you usually are."

"I'm fine. I'm just avoiding Alice right now. She is going even crazier than she usually is. I couldn't handle it anymore. I don't know how Jasper puts up with being in the same room as her right now. Her emotions must be crazy. I know her mind is on caffeine. It is going about a gazillion miles a minute as soon as one thought comes it is gone and replaced by another. I tried to tune it out but it is screaming at me like a certain werewolf we all know and love."

"Maybe that is why I can't read her subconscious right now. It is blank because she is letting everything float into her conscious."

"I guess so. It must be nice for you. So what would you like to do until Alice comes and whisks you away from me so that you two can finish her mile long list of 'to does' before the wedding?"

"We could stay here and practice dancing while we listen to music."

"Sounds good to me but I don't think you need the practice anymore. You are a vampire now and with that comes the grace and balance you lacked as a human. You will be able to dance like a professional now without the fear of falling."

"I know that but if we are dancing than maybe Alice will leave us alone for a longer period of time. I really don't see what could be left to do. We took care of everything over a month ago. All that should be left is set up."

Edward then gave me look that meant exactly and then the music was on. We are going to be dancing to the lullaby that he wrote for me and so that was what was playing on the CD player now. He took me in his arms and we were swaying to the music when he asked me what kind of dance I wanted to do for our first dance.

"What do you mean what kind of dance do I want to do?"

"Well, I made several recordings of your lullaby to go with different forms of dancing. We could do a classic Waltz or a foxtrot or a Rumba, or one of the other ballroom dances. Just take your pick."

"I don't know. Let's try each one and then decide."

He agreed and we moved the bed so that we could dance. Once it was out of the way we started to dance. I had no idea there were so many different forms of ballroom dancing. He would tell me what each one was when we started the song over and started a new dance. About an hour later we had done ten different dances and were now trying to decide which one we wanted to do. We were debating between the Viennese Waltz and the Foxtrot when Alice burst through the door.

"You two will do a Viennese Waltz for your first dance as a married couple and then later in the night everyone will insist that you two dance again and you will do a Jive. So, now that that is all cleared up I am stealing Bella. It is my turn and we have a lot to get done and not nearly enough time to do it all in."

As soon as we were downstairs the nightmare began. I could have handled a dress fitting or a hair styling session but not what I came down to. It was a though anything that wouldn't get destroyed by being set up early was here. There were over five hundred chairs in the living room along with the seat covers that were to go on them. In the back yard were forty five round tables and eight long tables, arches to be set up and tents that needed to go up. In the kitchen were all the table cloths candles and lights that needed to be set up once the tents and arches were up. I gave Alice the 'you're crazy' look. Why in the world did we need to have things delivered today?

"Bella your wedding is in one week. We need to start getting things set up or it won't be done in time."

"Alice we are vampires we have super speed we could have this all done in a couple of hours."

"We could if we were able to us the speed. There will be people in and out of here all week. They will notice something is up if we don't work at human speed and strength. We can't chance getting caught. That means that the guys are going to have to work together on getting the tents and arches up and they need to get started the floor for the tent is going to be delivered this afternoon so that needs to be put up first."

"Alice I get it but if you want Edward's help you are going to have to calm down a hair. He is going crazy from being around you. He has shut himself in his room with the music blaring just to drown out the frenzied pace your mind is going at. It is going so fast that if you were a normal human you would be dizzy from it all."

She gave me an apologetic look obviously not realizing how fast her mind truly was going. That's Alice for you though, forever hyper and not noticing when she goes into overload.

"I will try my hardest to keep my thoughts at a rational pace and Edward can yell at me when they start to get to fast. I never realize when I do that. I am going to need his help to keep me in check. I will ask Jasper to try and help keep me calm also."

With that she called everyone down to help. She became drill sergeant Alice. Rosalie and Edward were sent to get the tent up so that it was ready when the dance floor was delivered. The rest of the guys were sent to get started on the arches that were to go at the openings of the tent and around where the ceremony was to take place. That left Esme Alice and I to sort the chairs and things into where they needed to go so that once the floor was put down and the arches were up we could get them set up faster.

A couple of hours and a few fights later the tent was up and waiting for the floor. Half of the arches were put together and moved to where they were needed. The other half lay in pieces waiting to be assembled. The chairs were split into two groups and the covers that went with each group were set with them. The candles and lights were also sorted into piles for their respective places. That was when the floor was delivered and we all took a break to help lay it in the center of the huge tent.

Esme disappeared during this and when we were done she showed up with a CD player and a set of speakers. We all decided much to Alice's dismay that a break was in order and turned on the CD player and started to dance. Before long Alice was dancing with us and having fun. She let this go on for about an hour and then put us all back to work. By five that evening we had all the arches put together and set where they needed to be. I decided it was a good place to stop for today and let everyone know. I then said goodbye and left to make dinner for Charlie.

I was not expecting the sight that greeted me when I got home that evening. Charlie was on the couch with his face in his hands. He seemed really worried and stressed. I went and sat next to him and he didn't even notice I was there until I put my hand on his back and asked him what was wrong.

"Billy called earlier today. Jacob is gone. He just took off."

"dad, I don't know what to say. Are they sure he is gone?"

"Billy said that Jacob hadn't been himself for a couple of days and that he just up and left this morning. He didn't know that Jacob was gone until Sam came and let him know."

"I'm going to call Billy and see if he has any idea why Jacob would leave." I then got up and went to the phone. I quickly dialed the familiar number of the Black home and waited for the all too familiar voice of Billy. When he answered it sounded as if he had been crying.

"Billy, it is Bella. Do you have any more information about Jacob?"

"He is gone Bella. He received the invitation to your wedding three days ago and hadn't been the same since. It came with a note from Edward. I don't know what was in the note but it seems that that was what set him off. Maybe he will have an idea as to why Jacob would just up and leave like this."

At these words if tears could have fallen they would have. I thanked Billy for the information and hung up. I then called Edward because I wanted to know why in the world he would do something like this and what was in that letter he included in the invitation that he sent over there. Edward answered the phone and said he was on his way over. I hung up and waited for him to show up. I knew it was going to be a long conversation.

I was waiting outside for him to show up. I had ordered a pizza for Charlie because I didn't have time to cook I had more important things to take care of now. I watched as Edwards car came 

down the street and was up on my feet when he came to a stop. He got out of the car and ran to me.

"Bella, I am so sorry. I had no idea he would do this."

"What was in that letter? I can't believe you would do this behind my back Edward. When were you going to tell me that you invited him?"

"I was going to tell you today but Alice kept us separated all day so I didn't get a chance. Like I said I am really sorry. I just thought he deserved the choice. I would have wanted it. As for the letter well here is a copy."

Jacob,

I thought you would want a choice. I know Bella only wanted to save you from the heart ache of our wedding and that was her sole reason for not inviting you. I didn't think it was fair and so here is an invitation from me to you. It is all that I would have wanted if it was you marrying her and not me. Please understand that I am not doing this to hurt you but to extend a hand of friendship. I know you have talked to Bella and told her that you want nothing more than to remain friends for as long as possible after the change. You really do need to talk to her. She has been trying to get a hold of you since we got back from Utah three weeks ago. I am not going to tell you what to do but if you could talk to her she really wants to talk to you right now.

Edward

"Edward how could you? He thinks I don't want him there now. That was never the case but that is how he is going to take it. No wonder he left. How could you do this to him? How could you do this to me? The one best friend I had left outside of this family. How could you do this Edward?"

"Bella, I am sorry can you ever forgive me? I don't want to spend all of eternity with a wife that is mad at me."

"You want me to forgive you then get him back here before our wedding. Get him to talk to me and then and only then will this wedding take place. You better get started. Tell Alice I am sorry but I will not be at the house until I find Jacob."

I turned and went into the house then and ran to my room. To my surprise the hole in my heart that I thought was healed now tore open bigger than ever. It was then that I realized exactly how much I cared for Jacob. Not in the same way that I did for Edward but as a brother a best friend and as a personal savior when the light to my world had disappeared. I threw myself on my bed and let the dry sobs take over my body.

I don't know how long I had been there before Charlie came in to check on me. "Bells, are you going to be ok?"

"I don't know this time. He was my best friend and now he is hurting so badly that he left and it is entirely my fault. I don't know if I can live with that kind of guilt."

"What are you talking about Bells. Do you know why he left?"

"He left because I wasn't going to invite him to the wedding because I didn't want to hurt him any more than I already had. Edward I guess took it upon himself to invite him feeling that I wasn't being fair to Jacob. He let him know in a letter that I just wanted to spare his feelings but I guess the fact that I wasn't going to invite him to the wedding was too much and he left anyways."

"Bella, I am so sorry. I do have to say one thing though. Edward did the right thing. He may not have gone about it the right way but he was right to invite him. He deserves the chance to decide for himself what he wants to do about your wedding. It isn't fair for you to decide for him."

"I know but I didn't want to hurt him and because of that he is gone and there might not be a wedding."

"What do you mean there might not be a wedding? Did Edward call it off?"

"No, Edward didn't call it off. I gave him an ultimatum. I told him that he had to get Jacob back here and let me have the talk with Jake that he deserves. The wedding is off until that happens."

"Bella, you were so excited for this though."

"I know but I can't do this with what has happened to Jacob. I need to fix things with him if I am ever going to be happy with Edward."

"Bella, are you having second thoughts about Edward?"

"No, it is just that Jacob is my best friend and has become like a brother, an over protective brother but a brother none the less, to me and I need to make everything right with him before I can marry Edward."

Feeling satisfied my father left. Not long after Edward showed up in my room to let me know what was going on. He had somehow gotten a hold of Sam and let him know what was going on. Sam was now out looking for Jacob and had two ticket vouchers so that when he found him they could fly back to Port Angeles. That was where Edward would meet them with the two motorcycles and Jacob would come here to talk to me. Now it was all up to Sam. He was the only hope that was left. What would he say to Jake when he found him?

Edward left and I was alone again. It was the most alone I had felt since Edward had left me almost a year ago now. I sank into my bed wishing now that I could sleep just so that I could wake up and find that this had all been a dream.

I don't know how long I had been in my room. It must have been a few days because when the knock on my door came it wasn't who I expected it to be. Renee was on the other side. That means that I had been sitting here wishing for sleep for three days and that my wedding was only a few short days away. I hope that Sam finds him in time. I don't want to disappoint anyone.

Renee didn't feel a need to say anything to me. She just came and sat next to me and put her arms around me. It was all I needed and she knew. It made things seem better somehow. That simple gesture gave me the hope that I needed. I snapped back into reality and gave her a hug to 

let her know that she had done the one thing I needed. She smiled at me and we talked for a while before she had to go and get settled at the hotel.

Over the next couple of days I went through the motions of getting ready for the wedding. I still had Jacob getting back on my mind and so couldn't focus on what we were doing.

It was now the day before the wedding and Jacob still wasn't back. Edward was spending the day with me being as tomorrow he was to stay away until the ceremony assuming that Jacob was back. We were sitting trying to make small talk when his phone rang.

"Hello."

"Edward it is Sam. I found him and convinced him to come back. We will arrive in Port Angeles at six this evening."

"I will be there."

Then he hung up. I threw my arms around him. Jacob was coming home. Somehow Edward and Sam had done it. Now all I had left was to talk to Jacob and convince him that I really wasn't trying to hurt him with this. I don't know how to do this.

Edward sensing my anxiety told me that it would all be ok. Sam had told him what happened when he left and Jacob knew that I never wanted to hurt him but protect him. All I had to do was reiterate that and tell him what happened. He then asked if I could come to the house now that the wedding was going to happen and help set things up.

"Alice decided to wait to set anything else up until we knew for sure that there would be a wedding. She couldn't see anything in a vision because it involved the wolves yet again."

I took his hand and headed for the door. We asked if Charlie and Renee would mind helping. The more man power we had the better. We explained and answered questions on the way to the Cullen's house.

"I take it Jacob has been found and is on his way home."

"Yeah, Sam found him he was in Canada. Their plane will land at six this evening. Edward is going to meet them there with their bikes."

"Will we have the pleasure of Jacob's company than this evening Bella?"

"Yes, I have some explaining and apologizing to do. Edward was right. We should have invited him in the first place and let him make the choice on his own."

The conversation came to an abrupt end when we reached the house. Alice was pulling us all out of the car and rambling on about how there was so much work to do and how glad she was that we brought extra help. Soon we were all working and in no time the chairs were in rows and waiting to be covered over where tomorrow Edward and I would exchange vows. While the girls covered the chairs the guys went and set up the tables and put the chairs around them. Then they got the arches into place so that Alice was happy.

We all took a break then so that Charlie and Renee could have something to eat. After they were done we turned on music in the tent and went to work with the table cloths chair covers and decorations inside the tent. Once that was done it was time for me to get to the house so that I would be there when Jacob got there. Edward left for the airport at the same time. Alice assured me that they would finish with the things they could do before tomorrow. In the morning we would take care of flowers and then that afternoon the food would arrive and all we had to do was direct them as to where to put it and then tell the servers what they needed to do. After the food is in place the flowers that go on the table will be placed so that it looks right.

It was about six fifteen when I got home and I knew that Jacob would be here soon. I waited outside for him. He still didn't know about my change and that was one conversation that I wanted to have with him outside. Sam knew but that was because he had talked to Edward.

I heard Jacob's bike before I saw him. His bike came to a screeching halt in front of the house and he jumped off and ran to me pulling me into a bear hug. When he set me down he took one look at me and the questions started.

"When did you change?"

"It happened when we were in Utah. It was the only way to get Carlisle back from them."

"I figured that it had happened. My dad never let me talk to you after you got home. Why weren't you going to invite me? It hurt that you thought that I was so weak."

"I know and I am so sorry. Edward was right we should have invited you. I'm just sorry it had to happen this way. I didn't know he had sent you an invitation until I found out you had left."

"Bella, is it true that you"

"Yes, I was so upset when I found out that I yelled at Edward and told him to get you back here or the wedding was off and then I didn't really talk to anyone until I found out that you were ok and that you were coming home. How did Sam find you?"

"It is a long story."

"That's ok I have time."

"I had just decided I was never coming back and that I was going to be a wolf forever. Then I heard a voice. I tried to ignore it but it kept pestering me and finally I listened. It was Sam. I wondered why in the world he was trying to talk to me. He was the one that told everyone to fall back and leave me alone. Then we talked. I asked him what he wanted and he told me that he wanted me to come home. I asked him why I should you were lost to me for good now that Edward was back and so there was nothing left for me there. There was nothing left for me if I was even human. The one girl I ever loved was marrying my enemy. That was when he ordered me to come home. I got really mad and said no and then dared him to come and get me if he wanted me home so bad. That was when he showed himself. He had been following me for days just listening to my thoughts so that he would know how to handle my condition. I had lost track of time and didn't know how long I had been gone. I asked why I should go home and he told me that you were worried about me. He told me how Edward came to him and told him 

what was going on and had given him tickets to get us home. He then told me how you found out about the invitation and that you wanted to talk to me about it. I was mad and told him you could deal with the guilt. He called me a jerk for that one. He was getting ready to leave and I called to him. 'Wait, what day is it?' he answered and told me 'It's the 12th, Bella is getting married tomorrow. Don't you want to see her one last time before?' I wondered why he had to ask the one question that I wanted to avoid. Of course I wanted to see you but I was hurt and angry and kinda wanted to stay that way. He asked again and I yelled at him that I wanted to see you but that I was a weeks run away. That was when he pulled out the tickets. That was when I became human again. Sam did the same and gave me some clothes to put on. I asked why Edward sent the tickets. He then told me what you had gone through when I left and that it was comparable to when Edward left you. He also said that Edward was upset that I left you without saying goodbye. For the first time I felt hope and couldn't get to you fast enough. It showed me that you did want to remain friends even if your actions and what you said to me said otherwise."

"Wow, I didn't realize how cold I had been towards you lately. I am really sorry. I am happy you are home now though. Will you come in and have dinner. I know Charlie wants to see you and so does Edward. He feels guilty for doing things the way he did."

Jacob came in and after calling his dad spent the evening with us. Charlie ordered pizza and we played games and talked. Around eleven Jacob decided it was time to go and face Billy. He promised to be there for the wedding before he left. He gave me a big hug and then he was gone.

Edward left soon after on Alice's orders. I needed my "sleep" so that I was ready for tomorrow according to her. I knew what that meant. She would be here all night doing my hair and making final tweaks to how I was to look.

THIS STORY IS QUICKLY COMING TO AN END. THE MORE REVIEWS THE FASTER I UPDATE. ALSO I AM TAKING IDEAS FOR STORIES. IF I GET ENOUGH IDEAS I WILL GO THROUGH THEM AND HAVE A POLL UP WHEN I PUT THE NEXT CHAPTER UP. I HAVE TO MANY IDEAS AND DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU WANT TO READ. SO LET ME KNOW WHAT YOU WANT. THERE ARE TWO CHAPTERS LEFT TO THIS STORY AND AN EPILOGUE. LATERS!

TWIROSE