All characters are Stephenie Meyers. I don't own them I wish I did ;o)

Please read the next chapter and tell me what you think. I kind of left it with a cliffy last night so here it is the chapter you all told me to hurry up on. Hope you like it. I'm not telling what happens. You will have to read it to see.

Here is the last little bit from the previous chapter.

Bella slipped her hand into mine making Jacob shake with hatred again. His thoughts were yelling and screaming that he should be the one comforting Bella, not me. I smiled a small smile and looked at Bella. She smiled back and I pulled her in closer.

"You were right." I said only for her. "You were right about helping."

"I told you so." She said laying her head down on my chest.

"Yes you told me so, happy now?"

"Yes I am happy. I'm with you and you don't have to leave again. When you do, I want to come with you this time."

"I wouldn't have it any other way."

I knew Jacob could hear us. His hearing was almost as good as ours was. Bella and I turned to go and we walked away only to be stopped moments later. I held onto Bella and turned only to see Jacob burst into a wolf and come directly at us.

~munchkin1978



Why?

Chapter 13

Bella screamed out as I blocked Jacob coming at her. He slammed into me but didn't knock me down. He bounced backwards and fell to the ground. Alice and Jasper took Bella from me and I turned my full attention back to Jacob. He turned back from a wolf to a human and came at me again.

"You will not win Jacob. Bella has a choice." I growled out waiting for his next move again.

"You forced that choice."

"No. Bella can make her own decisions. She has done so and continues to do so."

Jacob came at me again and I pushed him back. He bounced back up again and continued to come at me once again. This time I grabbed his throat and held him in place off the ground.

"Stop this. Bella is grieving for Charlie. If you come to the funeral this will not spill into it. I will protect her at all costs. You will not disrupt it. Do you hear me dog?" I didn't wait for a response. I was not in a giving mood now. "Now stop this before you get yourself killed. I know Jasper would love to get his hands on you and so would I. I can snap your neck like the twig it is. I am much stronger than you are dog. Get that through you tiny skull."

I released him and let him drop to the ground. "Also put some clothes on." I turned to see Bella watching wide eyed. She was itching to run to me, to make sure I was okay. I was always okay. It was going to be the dog that wouldn't be if he didn't listen. Alice was holding her and when I was about half way to her she let her go. Bella ran into my arms and stopped me from going forward.

"We need to go love." I stated to her. I didn't look back. She nodded and took a quick glimpse behind me. She turned her head around and I heard Sam start to lay into Jacob. We caught up to Alice and Jasper and I had to ask what happened.

"What happened?" I ordered the answer with my growled out question.

"The wolves crossed the border claiming we were breaking the treaty. They were waiting to start a battle. Carlisle stalled them till you got there." Jasper told me, his thick southern drawl standing out in the quiet forest.

"How did they know when Charlie passed?" I certainly didn't say anything to any of the staff at the hospital. I waited to hear the answer instead of getting it myself from his head.

"From Jacob Black." Alice said for Jasper.

Bella's head whipped around as the words came out. "How did he find out Alice?"

"He went to the hospital." She paused. "He apparently tried the house first. Then he found your cell phone number and tried to call this afternoon."

Bella had a call earlier. Alice said there was a call. That must have been the dog. She must have sensed it. "Your phone Bella."

"I didn't know who was calling. I don't answer it if I don't know who it is. Out of safety now."

"It was good that he found out. The treaty was handled with out much of an argument. Well till the end anyway. "Alice said looking behind her.

"I guess so." Bella said quiet now.

"Bella, love are you alright?"

"Yes I just wish he still didn't have the issue with you and I together."

"My only worry is that they contain themselves if they come to the funeral."

"I'm sure Sam will keep them in check Edward. He is the pack leader. He has the authority." Jasper said.

We picked up at a run and headed for home. I had Bella on my back again and she was hanging on with a lighter grip than before. When the house came into view I slowed letting Alice and Jasper catch up. I took Bella's hand and we walked slowly towards the house. I knew Bella was thinking. She was always quiet when she was thinking.

I took her in the house and she sat in the kitchen and put her head in her hands and the tears started to fall. The day was starting to catch up to her. I sat beside her and pulled her closer.

"Bella, love, it's alright." I said stroking her hair.

"No…….it's………not……….Edward." She blurted out between sobs. "The funeral is for Charlie. They will turn it into a battle ground. I just know it now."

I wiped the tears away that were on her cheeks. I turned her tear stained face towards me and held it in place. "Bella I wouldn't let anything happen at the funeral. I'm sure Sam will keep Jacob in check. Jacob should have enough sense to hold in his anger till everything is settled."

"How can you be so trusting of that? When he has acted like he has towards you and I?"

I didn't trust the dog. I never would. I would have preferred to snap his neck right then and there but Bella had been through enough at this point. "I am going on a little bit of luck Bella. Sam was the one who found you after I left. I will forever be thankful to him. It was unfortunate it was a dog that did but I am still thankful."

Bella stopped crying as she took in my words that I was telling her. It was a long day for her and she was starting to look tired. She must be hungry as well.

"Are you hungry?"

I rose a few moments after she nodded. I made her a quick dinner and she ate every last crumb. She still watched me, amazed that I could cook when I didn't eat food at all.

After supper I took her upstairs and told her to get some rest. I placed the documents in the safe with the jewelry that was in my closet. I came back out and Bella had curled up on the bed and had fallen asleep already.

"Good night my love." I whispered.

I let Bella sleep. She still needed her rest. I pulled out an old journal I had and started to read while Bella slept. It was a time when I was a young vampire. It was also the time when the Cullen's had signed the first treaty. Alice and Jasper were not with us yet. Jasper would have been an influential help at the time. After re-reading the original treaty time I realized that this treaty was un-needed. We had proved that we had not killed humans. We were not like the other vampires. I tossed my journal aside and watched Bella sleep like the angel she was.

Bella awoke early in the morning to me sitting beside her. She smiled up at me and realized that she had to finish the plans today. Her face went blank and her eyes glistened over again.

"Let me take care of today Bella."

"I need to do this Edward. I need to do this for my father."

"You are upset and grieving. Let me look after it. Everyone will understand. I want you to rest. Stay with Alice and Esme today. I'm sure Rosalie will join you for the day."

I hoped Rosalie would be there. I knew she didn't like Bella much and she was the cause of us leaving in the first place. I was sure Alice would know. Bella finally nodded. She knew I was right. She needed a day of rest and someone or multiple people to distract her. I would take over everything for the day. I am sure Alice would love to spend the day with Bella cheering her up.

Bella rose from the bed and showered then changed. She gave me her notebook so I could write things down for her. I watched as Alice came in and got her. She was taking her to her room. Jasper had vacated it and came to visit with me. No sooner had he done that Emmett was with me too, and Carlisle soon followed.

"The ladies are cheering Bella up." Emmett said. "Which leaves us out of today's festivities."

"Emmett they are probably going to do girly things all day. I have a funeral to arrange for."

"Let us help. We love Bella too. She is our little sister."

"Okay but on one condition. This is serious, no joking around for a while." I said to him watching him.

"Okay, okay."

I started the phone calls to the police chief and found out the planned details of the gun salute and the officer's funeral. Charlie was one of the longest police chiefs they had so it was going to be a big to do in the city of Forks. Emmett called the newspaper and put the notice in that Charlie's funeral was this coming Friday and the wake was on Thursday night. Carlisle arranged for the body to be moved to the funeral home for Thursday. Bella would have to go to the house tomorrow to get a suit for Charlie. I was about to make another call when Alice's thoughts rang out in my head.

'We are taking Bella out for some air. Plus she needs some new clothes and a dress for the funeral.'

Good that will distract her enough.

'We are leaving now. Should be back in a bit.'

Thanks Alice.

"The ladies are taking Bella out for some air and shopping apparently." I told them all as they looked up from what they were doing.

"We should go hunting before the funeral." Emmett said.

"I agree." Carlisle said. "Just to be on the safe side. We want to be calm if we are going to be with the wolves for part of the day."

I made the last phone call I had to make to the hospital. I had paper work I needed to sign. I would have to go in to sign it tomorrow. I hung up the phone and with the Cullen men we headed out to hunt.

I ran ahead of them all turned and stopped waiting for the others to catch up. I ran ahead again as they did catch up. I always treated it like a game. I was the fastest and always would be. I loved running with the wind in my hair and the feeling of flying across the earth. I stopped catching the scent of the mountain lion. I followed it for a minute and caught it off guard making it a clean kill before the others caught up to me finally.

"No fair you bagged one before we even caught up." Emmett said pouting like a small child.

"Don't worry Emmett there is still lots for us." Jasper said punching his arm.

Right now was like it used to be before Charlie had died, before I had left Bella. I sat back on a tree trunk and watched as Emmett played tag with his food, Jasper went after it military style and Carlisle….. Well Carlisle was still reserved. From the first day he taught me he was always reserved. I admired him for it. Most people, well vampires could not live the life style he does. Jasper was the test, and right now he was acing the test. The only mistake he'd made was at Bella's fateful party.

'Edward what is wrong? You're not hunting.' Jasper said through his thoughts.

I picked up Emmett's thoughts first before I answered Jasper. Emmett was playing tag with his food and hopping around like a child on Christmas morning.

"I was thinking when the last time we had actually did this together."

Jasper stopped and I had him thinking as well. I knew he would settle on the party. He had been doing that for four long years. His thoughts bounced around till it finally came to just before the party. We had all of us gone hunting the day before Bella's party. Jasper had been doing well with Bella in the house all the time. Plus all of us where very excited about the party Alice had planned for Bella.

"It was before the party Edward." He finally said out loud.

"It's not your fault Jasper. Please don't think it is. I've been telling you for four long years it is not your fault." I said earnestly.

"You tell me that but all the same I still think so."

I looked at him and watched his expression change. He was trying to influence himself with his emotions. He was conflicted now but changed moments later. I wondered if he would forgive himself. I hoped he would. I wasn't holding my breath for right now.


Well what did you think?

Well the funeral planning is completely completed. I told you it was coming tomorrow. Another chapter tomorrow hopefully. Depends on my son who has been getting up in the middle of the night.

Please read and review. Let me know what you think!

~munchkin1978~