Dinner was an awkward affair. Bella sat at the side of the table, in the middle. Charlie sat at the head, Edward was squeezed in beside her on the closer end to Charlie, Jacob was opposite them and Jacob's father was at the other head. Billy Black did not look impressed.

"Geeze Bella, thanks for inviting us to dinner." Jacob grinned as he tore a hunk of chicken off the bone. Billy threw his son an unreadable look but Jacob was oblivious. He was still at the stage where he thought the Cullens were alright folk. Edward picked up his fork and toyed with it. He then pretended to drink from his glass of water.

"Sure was a surprise to see the company." Billy commented; attempting to be civil and failing completely. Charlie threw him a look and a sheepish expression passed over his face but it did not make him apologize. "Say Cullen, you haven't touched your food."

"You don't like Bella's food?" Charlie said sharply. Edward visibly blanched.

"No, er, it's wonderful." He complimented hastily and quickly choked down a large mouthful. Everyone at the table save for Bella stared at his odd reaction to the taste.

"God, no need to analyse how he eats." She muttered under her breath. Jacob took another bite of his chicken; smiling widely at her.

"This is great!" He enthused. "Not a chicken fan huh Cullen?"

"I, uh, tend to eat a lot of wild game at home." Edward muttered under his breath.

"I bet you do." Billy Black pulled a face. "Well Bella, I can't help but wonder if you invited us all for a reason."

"No, no," Bella said hastily. "Just like having my favourite people in one place."

An uncomfortable silence blanketed the table except for Jacob who was still happily gnawing at the drumstick in his hands. Bella watched him with fascination as Edward scowled in the general vicinity of both Blacks.

Bella had surprised the lot of them when she had invited the three diner guests. Charlie had been completely perplexed at why she would purposefully put a Cullen and Billy Black in the same room together; Jacob had been thrilled with the invite and Billy… he hadn't known about the additional guest until he'd arrived. Edward had assumed he was merely around until the Blacks got there until his departure had been prevented by a determined Bella. Evidently she still held the book thing against him.

She'd been mulling over this book the whole time they'd been at dinner and an unpleasant thought had occurred to her; Bella was very well aware that Alice, Edward's sister was clairvoyant. It was entirely possible all the events in those four books were plausible. The thought chilled her as a speedily encroaching one was her possible demise, broken leg and punctured artery. And after that, Edward would leave her, only to try and kill himself when she jumped off a cliff. Then they would marry and she would have a half vampire-half human spawn.

She wasn't exactly looking forward to any of this.

"How's that new school Bella?" Jacob asked, apparently being the only talkative dinner guest. "One of the reserve guys has a friend up there. Says you're getting swamped with attention from boys, or were." With this he threw a dark glance at Edward. "Someone scaring them off?"

"Bella can see others if she wishes." Edward narrowed his eyes at him. Then he realised what he'd said. "Not that I want her to!"

Jacob was thrilled.

"So you wanna see a movie this weekend?" He asked Bella. She gaped at him and then remembered he was a shape shifter.

"I hear there's a good one about a teen werewolf." Edward interjected hastily. Billy Black threw down his fork.

"Enough!" He roared; wheeling himself out from the table. "Jacob, we're leaving."

"But dad-" Jacob was torn; he really wanted to finish his chicken.

"Now Billy, let's not let feuds between the reserve folk get in the way of a good friendly dinner." Charlie admonished. His glowering friend reluctantly shifted back to the table but steadily avoiding looking at Edward.

"I uh, don't think I can Jacob." Bella muttered in embarrassment. "Maybe another time… but as friends." She added firmly as she registered Edward stiffening beside her. Suddenly her boyfriend choked on the water he'd nonchalantly swallowed.

"Hell, boy!" Charlie gasped as Edward continued to choke. "Go cough it up!"

Edward didn't need to be told twice. He sprinted to the bathroom –as fast as human eyes would allow- and rather attractively threw up the chicken and water he'd swallowed. A bit of blood came up too and Charlie, who'd dashed after him, panicked.

"Honestly, I'm fine!" Edward insisted as Charlie sat him down and handed him another glass of water.

"No one just coughs up blood." Charlie ranted as Billy almost freaked out as well. As it was, Bella's father completely missed the scene acting out behind him of Jacob excitedly asking if her boyfriend's imminent demise meant she was going to be single and Billy Black fighting to remain calm in the vicinity of a vampire. Edward tried to avoid drinking the water but was forced to by Charlie. He threw a look of agony at Bella.

"Dad, I'm sure he's okay." Bella said, wringing her hands as Charlie started asking Edward if he was having any trouble breathing. The vampire muttered something about 'mouth ulcers' but it was proving hard to convince the officer.

"I've done a training course in first aid." Charlie announced to no one in particular. Billy muttered something about the blood not being Edward's own and Jacob threw his father a confused look, then continued eating his mixed vegetables. Everyone else's dinner was abandoned. Edward was still attempting to drink the single glass of water; visibly shuddering.

"His father's a doctor!" Bella finally cried out. "Let's call Carlisle; he'll know what to do. Didn't you say it flares up now and then, darling?" She directed at Edward. Edward nodded and then said:

"Yeah, the tuberculoses."

Charlie leapt as far away from the boy as he could get. Billy stared at the scene as though he was in a house of madmen.

"How contagious are you?" Bella's father demanded. "And why didn't you warn us?"

Edward could have slapped himself for randomly picking such a weighted illness. He shared a look with Bella and quickly tried to come up with something.

"Carlisle said it's bacterial and most people around here have a natural immunity. It's the damp."

Both fully-grown men stared at him as though they were quite aware he was trying to pull the wool over their eyes. Jacob finished his meal and happily wandered over.

"Yeah you look real pale Cullen. Sick." He informed him. Bella tried not to roll her eyes.

"I'm, er, lacking in iron." Edward shrugged.

"Yeah," Billy finally called out. "Something wrong with all that blood."

The dinner party was basically over after that.