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

Okay so this is the second chapter I have posted today. Hope you all like me again! Sorry about not updating last week but my ornaments have to get out. I have a couple more orders I have to finish and then the craft show next week and then I will be all yours again on Fridays.

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.

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.

~munchkin1978



Why?

Chapter 19

The only thing Bella did was curl up on her bed. She didn't want to move. She was lost in thought. I pushed my thoughts and the other people's thoughts from my head and sat with her. She laid her head on my shoulder but didn't cry.

"Edward?" She finally spoke. "Were you going to snap Jacob's neck outside?"

Uh oh she had seen it. I hoped no one else had.

"I didn't think you had seen it." I paused looking at her. "I was thinking about it but here had already been one death. I wasn't going to make it two."

"You were agitated. Your eyes were black when you came back in. What was he doing?"

"Thinking about you and what he should be doing with you." I wasn't about to tell her all the things he was thinking.

"Jacob does that a lot. It is what turned me away from him. He worshiped me and the ground I walked on. I wanted someone that was an equal. Not one sided. I wanted you back."

"I'm sorry you had to see that today of all days."

"It was a distraction. I was curious when I saw Emmett leave suddenly to go outside. They were rather bored and my family was starting to question why they looked so beautiful and pale like Carlisle and Esme." She paused. "And you."

"What was their reaction when he left?"

"No one put two and two together."

"No my family is not that smart." You may be the exception Bella because you figured it out.

I couldn't help but grin. The Cullen's had dodged the bullet again. Bella stayed where she was and Alice came up stairs and sat on the other side of Bella's small bed. Jasper and Emmett were next to arrive. There were 3 Cullen's missing. Rosalie still was hesitant with Bella so I understood why she was not in Bella's room. She was probably outside stalking around making sure the wolves didn't return. All of us had our ears open. We would hear them and of course we would smell them.

"Would you like to come back to the house tonight Bella or stay here?" I asked quietly. I know my brothers and sisters heard but they didn't say anything.

"I don't think I am ready to stay in this house yet. But I am ready to come back tomorrow when my family is gone." Something had changed in her. She was determined.

"Okay."

I was about to help Bella pack her things she wanted when I heard them. Esme came up the stairs and the others left immediately, Carlisle leading the way.

"I'll stay with Bella." She told me.

"Thanks Esme. I'll be back soon love, please don't worry okay."

"Where are you going?" She asked frantic that I was leaving her. I hated that look. It was similar to the one she had when I left years ago.

"Dog problem." I told her kissing her forehead. Her eyes widened and she closed her mouth. The comment she was going to say unsaid.

'I know your still in there vampire. I can smell you. Come out here with the rest of them. This involves all of you.'

The comment or command rang through my mind as I kissed Bella again on her temple this time. I left her standing where she was wide eyed and worried.

"Don't worry Bella. Esme will look out for you. I will be back."

I left her there and disappeared out the window dropping to the ground with barely a thud. I took off at a run and met the others in the small forest just outside of Bella's home. She could probably see us from her window. I remembered the spot clearly because this is where I had left her that day. I remembered everything. I didn't have the luxury of forgetting details. I saw what she was wearing, the facial expressions, the crushing blow I had dealt her that was part of the lie. I shook the memory and stopped beside Carlisle.

"We are here what do you want?" I started talking, taking over for Carlisle.

Sam stepped back and changed to human form and stepped back into the formation line that was before us. I watched as he stood before us with his arms crossed.

"It has come to our attention that Jacob behaved very badly earlier."

"It was uncalled for. Especially today of all days for Bella." I stated.

"We are here to apologize for him. He will not interfere again like that. We do not wish to ruin the treaty we have signed only a few days ago."

"Dude are you for real?" Emmett asked trying not to over take my position. "He had no right to do that. Bella's father died and was buried today. He should have known better. Bella is like a little sister to me. I will protect her just like the rest of us would."

"Thank you Emmett. That is enough." Carlisle said silencing him.

"The large one is right. He didn't think. I do apologize for him. He will be reined in for now. This situation is too close to him. He will be removed from this situation. That is whey he is not here."

"He is not far off. Closer than you think Sam." I was picking up Jacob's mind like a radio transmitter. Finally the other wolves picked up Jacob's scent. Jacob was swearing up and down that he was the only on that truly loved Bella.

"Embry, Quil find him and take him back to the rez. He was excused from this meeting."

Two wolves turned and left and the others closed the formation.

"How can you guarantee that he won't try going after Bella like that? Bella has a right to choose who she wants." Alice asked for me.

"If Bella chooses to be with one or the other that is her choice. I will not interfere, nor will this pack. We saw today how much you care for her and want her happy. We will not interfere."

Jacob came angrily to the line dragging both Quil and Embry in human form. Jacob in wolf form barred all his teeth and snapped them.

"Stop Jacob. You have no right to Bella. The vampire is right. As much as I hate to say it she is right."

"Of course she is right." A female voice said from behind me. Then her scent wafted over me. Bella you should have stayed in the house.

'Sorry Edward she wasn't going to stay behind. I tried.' Esme's thoughts said as she appeared with Bella.

Jacob shook Embry and Quil off and inched his way towards Bella. I stepped in front of her and Sam did the same. He didn't want an altercation as much as I didn't. I heard Bella's hear beat speed up as she peeked from around me. She was curious to see what was happening but she should have stayed in the house where she was safe. If Charlie ever knew he would roll over in his grave and die all over again if Bella got hurt. I was keeping my promise to watch over her. Now and Forever.

Sam was trying to hold off Jacob. He was pushing and throwing away anything that Sam did so Quil and Embry bounced back to help.

"Enough Jake." Sam told him raising his voice. As an alpha Jacob should be listening and curbing his anger.

That didn't stop him. He made his way by Sam and was an inch from me before he skidded to a halt taking a swipe at me again like he had earlier. He barely missed me and the now scared Bella. I heard her heart beat pick up going faster than ever. I sensed her shrink back away from the situation she was almost in. I was glad she was heading backwards. Emmett and Jasper with Carlisle and myself had made a tight fit line in front of Jacob. I was making sure he didn't pass.

I heard Bella gasp as Jacob started forward again trying to break through the ranks of the four of us.

"Jacob stop this." I heard Bella scream in a fairly low voice. She was trying not to alert her mother in the house.

For a split second Jacob did stop moving. He bore is teeth and continued moving forward trying to reach Bella.

"Stop it Jake. I'm not yours. I never was. We were only friends, nothing more."

Jacob stopped at Bella's voice again. Sam was coming up on his left side to block him with Quil and Embry on the right. Jacob closed his mouth as he watched her through the line the Cullen men had made. Rosalie, Alice and Esme were protecting Bella just incase he got through us.

"Listen to me Jacob Black. I was and always will be a friend. I know Charlie was like a second father to you. He was my father. Please stop this. I can't take much more of this today."

Bella sounded tired now. I was going to step back but stopped as I heard the thoughts ringing in my head.

'Jake needs to cool down. We will take him back to the rez. Please give my apologies to Bella and her family.'

It was Sam. He didn't want to agitate Jacob. I nodded and motioned for all of us to leave. Bella being protected from all sides. I wrapped my arms around her waist and we headed back to the house. I scaled the wall and placed her back in her room. The shock evident on her face.

"Sam is apologizing for all of this." I told her watching her.

I watched as the blank shocked facial movements changed.

"Bella, love, what's wrong?"

"How dare he ruin today." She spat out. Anger was coming up. "How dare he claim Charlie as a second father and then turn around and do this on today of all days."

"Bella…."

"Don't Edward. I'm mad. I should be upset with today but I'm mad at him. I don't want him anywhere near me. I don't want him near this house. Or the Cullen house. He will just cause me more problems."

"I can arrange that. I can arrange a lot of things. Just say the word." I could go back and snap the pup's neck for her upon request and I would be happy to do it.

"No that is alright. I want to talk to Sam. I want it in the treaty since I am apparently in it too."

"I don't know if they will allow that Bella." I couldn't believe I was going to let this happen again. I knew Sam wouldn't hurt her.

"Sam will allow it. Even if I have to speak to Emily first." Ahh Sam's wife. She had quite the influence over her husband. I could just imagine what that conversation would entail. Bella was being bold and I liked it. She was standing up for what she wanted. I was proud of her.

"I will see if a meeting can be arranged for you to talk to Sam on one condition."

"That is?"

"Not without Carlisle or myself okay."

"Okay."

I can't believe what I had just agreed to. I had agreed to take Bella to the border to walk into the lion's den to save herself from the misery that was Jacob Black.


Well what did you think?

Kind of a filler chapter. I am trying to catch up a couple of chapters before I have to disappear again to make more ornaments. Please let me know what you think. I want to have a couple more reviews. If I get more reviews I might just have to type up another chapter! There is only 5 more chapters and an epilogue left.

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

~munchkin1978~