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

So the last chapter was the funeral. I don't know how each family treats a funeral so this is a little bit of how my family does. I also kind of took the funeral scene from Spiderman of Mr. Osborne's funeral. So a little bit of this and that. The reception which is to follow is something that my family does. My husband's uncle just passed so I actually re-wrote some of this chapter on the fly.

Hope all of you are having a good Thanksgiving in the US. I am home sick today so I got some typing in. It is ornament season and I am taking a break for a day or so. I have a big craft show next week so I am in preparations for it. That is why I haven't been online updating for all you wonderful reviewers. I have Fridays off for December so hopefully I will have lots of updates for you all-

Here is the last little bit from the previous chapter.

People were leaving as the last gun went off. Then rain turning to a pour. The heavens didn't want to co-operate today. I rose from my chair and surveyed the remaining people. Bella didn't rise right away but finally she did and clutched to my side. Carlisle and the rest of the Cullen's had headed back to the cars letting us be for a moment.

"Come my love, I'll get the umbrella for you."

I lifted the umbrella up that was left for us. She didn't budge at first as I took my first step away. She wanted to stay with her father. I looked back and she followed my lead. It was already a rough day for her I was not going to push her to leave. I put the umbrella over both of us as we left the white tent. She looked behind moments later as we reached the path. Her final glance back was riddled with tears. We reached the car and I placed her inside so she would not get wet. I took the umbrella down and got in myself and closed the door, signaling that we could go.

As we drove away I watched Charlie's grave the dogs stood over it watching us as we left. Sam's thoughts and words echoed in my head.

'Cold one she will be alright. She is well looked after by you. Let us look after Charlie now. We will protect his body.'

Sam was taking over, putting aside his anger and hatred for us. I turned away back to Bella and held her close. I would be watching over her always. I wouldn't leave her side.

~munchkin1978



Why?

Chapter 18

Carlisle pulled up to the house and I got out first. I helped Bella out of the car only to catch her as she stumbled and started to fall. Carlisle got out of the car quickly and when he saw how distraught she was he backed off with Esme behind him. I held her up and placed her on her feet again and made sure she didn't stumble again. Her emotions were displayed all over her face. She didn't want to go forward. She wanted to go back.

"Bella you can do this. I know you can." I whispered into her ear.

"You can't leave me." She finally said moments later.

"I won't leave you."

I took her into a hug and I held her under the umbrella I had popped open for her. It was still pouring. Then I heard the thunder. I stopped as Bella stopped. She was remembering the last thunder storm that we were together. The game. She broke down and cried again. She had left Charlie that night in response to James coming after her. To keep Charlie safe she had left. I inched her closer to the door. I had never really gone through the front door that often when she was here. I always would sneak in through the window. She stood on the porch and held her hand over the handle not really knowing if she wanted to go in or not. I waited a moment as she slowly decided. I watched the emotions change on her face as she remembered coming back only a week or so ago. The first day she came to go to high school here and to live with Charlie. She finally opened the door to see her mother standing there waiting for her. Bella shrank back towards me and I gave Renee a soft smile. Bella didn't want to enter the house. Her eyes told me she wanted to leave the place where all the memories of her father were.

Bella finally went into the house but only stood in front of her mother. Behind her mother stood Jacob Black. With all the other minds I hadn't picked up his. I hadn't picked up his or his scent. I didn't quite shrink back and growl but I wanted to. I wanted to rip him to shreds for earlier. Jacob was smug that he was here but his facial expression changed when the rest of the Cullen family arrived in the door. Jacob in turn shrank back. He was out numbered. We stood in the doorway all 7 of us glaring at him.

His thoughts were horrid. They were taunting me to hurt him as he showed me the way Bella was when I was gone. How he had intervened and how he was the only one who could love Bella unconditionally. How he would never leave Bella like I did. I was going to growl at him but Bella glared at him again.

"Stop it Jake. I know what you're doing. Stop it. Not today. Don't ruin today." She pleaded with him around her mother.

His thoughts continued and she saw right through them. It was as if she could read what he was saying in his mind like I could.

"If you won't stop Jake I will ask you to leave this house and not return ever."

He looked at Bella sheepishly but still continued. He was being very descriptive and showing Bella that he stopped. I was past the point of being childish with the dog so I didn't say anything but let out a small growl that Bella apparently didn't hear.

Bella went into the living room following her mother finally. I stayed back with the rest of the Cullen's. They really hadn't come in contact with all of people in the last little while so they were going to stay in the outskirts of the reception. Outside if possible. They did not want any temptations today. Jasper headed outside immediately. He was not going to tempt himself with Bella's family and he needed to keep his wits about him. He was trying to keep Bella calm for me.

Later on I had headed outside myself so I couldn't be questioned about Charlie for a few minutes. No sooner had I come outside Jacob Black had as well.

"You shouldn't be here dog."

"I was invited." He said smugly turning to face me.

"You should have declined the invitation to come to the house."

"I have come to keep an eye on your so called family. You are with humans. You are not to harm a human. I am here to make sure the treaty stands."

"I am well aware of that." I said the shortness in my voice evident.

Our family never hurt humans. We were vegetarians to other vampires. He knew that. He knew we don't go hunting for humans. He was here to step in to remove Bella from our family.

"She doesn't belong with you. She is not your kind." He said as more thoughts rang out with his comments.

Before Jacob could even think another further thought I had picked him up by the neck and slammed him into the ground with a thud that rumbled the house slightly. I held him there pinning him to the ground as I listened for anybody questioning the thud. The growls escaping my mouth as the only thought were the dogs. The hate was evident in my eyes as I felt them go black. I was ready to snap his neck in half killing him. I needed to stay in control. I chose my words very careful as I spoke in a growl he could understand.

"Bella is not yours nor is she mine. She is her own person. She chooses who she wants to be with. Her choice was me. If you ever come near her again Jacob Black then so help me I will destroy you."

I heard Emmett come outside and Jasper followed from the side of the house.

"Look Jasper we missed all the fun."

"It looks like we did. But that can change."

It wasn't fair advantages but I was past the point of being fair. The dog's thoughts had been eating at me all day. Thoughts he shouldn't be having of Bella. He took a swipe at me as I still had him pinned to the ground. Emmett and Jasper joined me at my sides in an instant. I tightened my grasp around his sorry excuse of a neck and could feel the bones starting to shift under my hands. Anymore pressure and it would snap the bone. The thought crossed my head of ending his life but I backed away from it. I was going to stay in control for Bella's sake.

"Leave or so help me I will destroy you. I'm sure my brothers here will do just about as much damage or more when I am done with you." I growled out at him again.

I picked him up by the neck and released him letting him fall to the ground in a heap. I turned and headed back inside. I didn't want to know if he got back up. I would do this another day. I left Emmett and Jasper there to make sure he left. I didn't have to go far inside before I ran into Bella. She was sitting in the kitchen by herself. Esme was not too far away. She was keeping an eye on Bella for me while I was outside. She knew what had happened. She heard every word that was growled and the arrival of Emmett and Jasper.

"Bella, love, your not with your family?"

"I couldn't take anymore stories. They all knew him so much more than I did. I never really knew my father did I Edward?"

"I think you knew him in your way. You may not have spent everyday with him but you did the best thing for him." I paused to look at her. I turned her head to me and made her look in my eyes and continued. "You came to stay with him. You were the best thing for him Bella. He is a part of you. Nothing will change that. In fact you have a lot of Charlie in you."

I pulled her up from the seat she was sitting in and hugged her. Esme backed off for the moment when she realized that I was back. She let me take over. Bella didn't pull back and when her mother started to come in she stopped, watching the two of us just standing in the kitchen holding each other. I let Bella go and she looked up and saw her mother standing in the doorway. Esme came and pulled Renee away from the kitchen with a grace only she would have.

"Renee come I think some of the flower arrangements have arrived."

I silently thanked Esme and turned my attention back to Bella.

"Where did you go?"

"I was outside for some air. Lots of people were asking about Charlie and I can't tell them the details."

"I'm sorry my family asked."

"It's alright Bella. I didn't mind at first. I picked it up from their minds first before they asked it."

We headed out of the kitchen so Emmett and Jasper could come back in. They told me that the dog was gone, not returning tonight for the time being. I silently thanked them as well.

By time family had started to leave Bella was curled up in her father's chair. I said goodbye to her family and went and joined her in the living room.

"Come lets get some more of your things Bella that still remain and we will take them to the other house."

She rose from the weathered seat and let the hinges rock the chair back and forth. When it settled in its final place she turned her head as the single tears slipped down her face. She walked up the stairs with me. She tried to avert her eyes from her father's room but as soon as she reached the top step it was in full view. I steered her into her room and she sat on the bed and looked around. Anything that was out of place she didn't note. I stood by the window letting her take in her room. She was hesitant. She didn't want to move yet she knew she had to.

While she did that I compared Alice's vision and the actual events of today. They were different but similar to each other in some ways. Alice was usually right in every sense but there were rare occasions where she was wrong sometimes. So I ran the events of today through my head again. Trying to see if anything was out of place. Again it was not.

The arrival was fine. The pack kept their distance at the funeral. They didn't cause an altercation. The only altercation was Jacob's thoughts. He wanted Bella. He wanted her to love him not myself. He wanted to be the one who held her close to comfort her. To sleep with and cuddle up to. He wanted to be me. In a way I was flattered but I was not going to let this young pup take Bella away from me. She loved me still even after all the years apart. I smiled at the thought of almost snapping his neck. I would have taken great pleasure in doing so, but I knew there had been a death already. Charlie.

I didn't want to jeopardize the family's treaty. If I could have one lapse in judgment I would kill him on the spot. Just for thinking about Bella.


Well what did you think?

So Edward almost killed Jake. I'm sorry I am not a Jacob fan. I don't think I ever will be. I went and saw New Moon last Saturday. I liked it but it didn't turn my decision to be a Team Edward girl. I am Team Edward all the way. How many of you out there have seen it?

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

~munchkin1978~