Chapter 5: Draggin' My Heart Around

Disclaimer: S. Meyer owns Twilight.

A/N: Do not worry, this story will not end like BD. No way, no how. Have faith in me, guys. Jake will not imprint on a spawn, hint, hint.

Jacob went into his room, and flopped onto his lumpy old bed. He was exhausted, not physically, but the emotional toll was weighing him down. His limbs felt as heavy as the organ that was steadily pumping away in his chest. Sleep overtook him quickly. It was a short nap, and when he awoke it was to Billy's conversation on the phone. He couldn't help but overhear what he and Charlie were discussing:

"Jacob told me you were worried about Bella's behavior. Now, don't get upset—but my son knew all along what the problem was.

"Because he didn't feel it was right to tell you, that's why. He was hoping that Bella would do that.

"Yes, that's why I'm calling. Just promise you won't go off half-cocked, in cop mode, eh. No ... I'm sure she's afraid to talk to you. Yes, it is that serious.

"No, no—it's not drugs.

"Just calm down and I'll tell you. Charlie ... Charlie ...! Hold up there just a gol-darn minute ... Now you listen to me. Andlet me make this perfectly clear—this has nothing to do with Jacob. In fact, your daughter came to him for help. We've been friends for a long time. You know better than that. My Jacob would never hurt Bella.

"Well, if you'd stop interrupting me, I might be able to say something. Okay then, that's more like it ... So here it is: seems she and Edward got carried away. Yes, that's what I said—carried away. What do you think I mean? Do I have to spell it out? Yes, they had sex. S.E.X ... sex. I guess he lost control of himself. Jacob said she was bruised and bleeding when she came to him.

"How should I know why she wouldn't tell you? Maybe she was afraid you'd go gunning after the guy. That'd be my guess. Anyhow, she let Jacob know that she gave Edward her permission, so it was partly her fault. Why he couldn't control himself is another matter.

"Now the big problem is, she won't let Jacob or any boy get close to her. I want you to understand that my boy is crushed. He's in love with her, and I believe she loves him too, but this has built a huge wall between them.

"Do you think that would help? But would Carlisle speak to you? That's true; he does owe you that much. Well, get back to me if things get better for her. Bella's not the only one who got hurt in this mess. Jacob's not been himself either. He misses her. Yes, I'll let him know. Thanks, Charlie. Hey, we still on for this Saturday? I hear the fish are biting up at Lake Pleasant. All right—see you then. Bye."

Jacob waited a few minutes to make his appearance in the living room. He stood behind the couch, and brushed away a piece of lint from the back of it. He looked up at Billy. "I heard you talking to Charlie. Thanks, Dad."

"Anytime, Son. Next time though, I would hope you'd come to me sooner. Maybe all this might have been put behind you already."

"Agreed!"

Charlie wasted no time to seek out Carlisle. He took the cruiser to the hospital in his hurry to get things straightened out. It was lunch hour, and he caught him in his office pretending to take a lunch break.

He popped his head inside the room. "Dr. Cullen, I need to speak to you. It's urgent."

Carlisle looked up from some papers he had on his desk, but he was aware that Charlie was coming down the hallway well before he hit the door. "Come in, and sit down. What can I help you with?"

"It's Bella. She's in a bad way."

Nodding, Carlisle remarked, "That's understandable. She and Edward broke their engagement."

"Yeah, well, that's not all that's been broken. Bella and your son had intimate relations a few weeks ago, and he lost control. To say things got a little out of hand is an understatement. I just found out that she went to Jacob Black for help. He says she was covered in bruises, and well, you can just imagine the rest."

Carlisle's eyes got big. "I can assure you that Esme and I had no knowledge of this. We did not raise our son to be so irresponsible. You have my sincerest apologies, and I'll see to it that this doesn't happen again."

Her dad could tell that the good doc was appalled by this disclosure. Carlisle's son wasn't the angel he thought he was.

"You're damn right. If I catch Edward anywhere near my daughter, he'll be taking up one of your beds here. That's a promise I intend to keep. In the meantime, what can we do about Bella? She won't let any boy to even look at her now."

"I'll see what I can do from my end. And thank you, Chief, for bringing this to my attention. Again, I'm sorry for all the pain Edward has caused your family."

Charlie left Forks hospital, with a knot still twisting in his stomach. He had a faint hope that Carlisle could change the atmosphere at the Swan home, and that Bella would soon be her old self again.

School was out, and Bella was ready to get in her truck, when Carlisle showed up in the parking lot. That was odd. What was he doing here? Please ... he wasn't going to try to talk her into going back to Edward, was he? He smiled, waving at her and slowly approached her truck. "May I talk to you for a minute?"

The doctor looked at her, concern in his golden eyes. He knew, didn't he? She wondered if Edward had confessed. What could she say? It wasn't Carlisle's fault that she was so messed up. He was a gentle soul.

She readjusted the strap on her backpack. "I guess. What did you want to talk about?"

"I think you know. I'm here to apologize for my son's reckless behavior and make amends. It's too late to repair the physical damage, but maybe you could come see me during your lunch hour, and again in the evening after my work schedule, to discuss what happened that day. It may make you feel better. You'll never be back to normal if you keep this all bottled up inside of yourself.

"No one needs to know. I won't tell your father and especially not Edward. Do you think you could do this?"

"I don't know, Carlisle."

"You need to talk to someone, Bella. Just think about, all right? If you decide to pursue it, then drop by this evening at my office. I'll wait for you."

Carlisle left, and Bella drove home. He was right; she couldn't live like this any longer. She kept seeing the look on Jacob's face when she shied away from him. He was hurt from her actions, through no fault of his own. He was innocent. He didn't deserve to be treated this way. He was in love with her, for Pete's sake. She had loved him too before this awful feeling got a grip on her heart. She decided she had to do something; she'd do what Carlisle suggested. What could it hurt?

And so that evening, she started her therapy sessions with Dr. Cullen.

She continued her meetings with Carlisle, and started to feel so much better, if it weren't for stomach problems, but when Friday came, she felt life crumbling around her again. She went into the backyard and out through the gate, placing a trash bag in the bin outside her yard. She collapsed onto the ground, crying. She drew her knees up to her chin, and sat there, her mind filled with ugly thoughts. What was she going to do? Her future looked gloomy. She wondered if Carlisle could do anything to help her now.

Nothing seemed to change during that week, but then on that Friday, Jacob got a surprise call from the girl who had been MIA for so long.

"Bella?" He couldn't believe it. There she was on the phone actually speaking to him. She didn't sound any more animated though, and that made him a little nervous, but still ...

"Can I come over?"

Was she kidding? "Jeez, I'd be a total idiot if I said, no."

"I'll be there soon. Will you meet me in the garage? I don't want Billy around eavesdropping."

"Sure, sure."

"Okay, I'll see you in a few minutes."

His heart skipped a beat. She was coming to see him—with no coercing. She was doing this of her own free will.

As promised, the rusted behemoth rumbled down the road and pulled into his yard, beside the Taj. He cautiously stepped forward to greet her, but to his amazement, she popped open the door to the truck, and came barreling out, throwing herself into his arms. Poor Jacob was thoroughly confused. What brought this on? One minute she was cringing in the corner of her bed and now she was clinging to him like her life depended on it.

Jacob lifted her chin so he could look at her face. Her eyes were red and swollen—not a good sign.

He walked with his arm around her waist, until they entered his safe haven. "Uh ... Bells, not that I'm not happy to see you, but ... jeez ... what the hell? I can't keep up. You've got me on this emotional roller coaster.

"I take it you're ready to talk to me now?"

He heard her heart flutter inside her chest, as she pulled away. "I've really hurt you, and I'm so, so sorry about that. I don't know what happened. This whole situation just hit me all of a sudden ... and I got scared. I didn't want any guy to touch me. Every time a boy got too close, I could imagine seeing that look in Edward's eyes."

"So how did you—"

"I've been talking to Carlisle. He's had lots of experience in psychology. He told me I needed to face my problems head on and not run away from them, or shut myself down. I've seen him twice a day, every day, for the last six days. He sees me on his lunch hour at his office, and then I go after he finishes his shift. It's really made me think more clearly, and rationally, you know?"

Bella took in a breath, and paused. Jacob started to say something, but she covered his mouth with her fingers to stop him. "But that's not the only reason I came. I'm here today to be fair to you, and because I have something important to tell you about. I ... I don't deserve you Jake."

He began prying her fingers from his lips. "Please, let me finish.

"And if after I tell you why I came here ... I mean ... if you decide to never see me again, I'll understand."

She gazed up at him with her big chocolate eyes, all bloodshot from crying. Jacob held his breath, waiting for the next blow. Why did his life have to be fraught with complications? What catastrophic wave was she going to drown him in now? He swallowed hard and closed his eyes.

"Just spit it out, Bells," he groaned.

"Jake ... I'm ... I'm pregnant."

Sh**, sh**, sh**! If it had been his baby she was carrying, he'd be in shock, but still happy. As it stood, he was in shock, but decidedly—not happy. There was a used spark plug lying on the garage floor. Jacob kicked it across to the far wall in frustration. It burst into a million pieces mimicking the way his heart felt at that moment.

How was this even possible? Edward was a vampire for cryin' out loud. But he should have protected her. Couldn't he have at least worn a damn condom? Oh right, his icicle probably would've frozen the latex, making it splinter to pieces. Jeez, he ruined her physically and mentally, and now he left her holding the amniotic sack? Freakin' bloodsucker!

Jacob inhaled and exhaled slowly, calming himself. He stood in silence, processing the horrible news. As his mind mulled it over, one thought kept crowding out all the others. I wanna kill him. I wanna kill him. I wanna kill him. Then as an afterthought, I wanna tear him into tiny freakin' pieces of glittery confetti, seal it up in a giant envelope, and send it airmail to Volterra.

Bella took his silence as, I'm done with you. She didn't blame him in the least. If she was in his shoes, she'd have been tossed out on her ear by now. She made her bed with the vampire, and now she was forced to sleep in it, even if he didn't.

Could things get any worse? Her best friend and almost lover received the news badly. How would she explain this turn of events to anyone else? Her life literally sucked!

Unable to face him a minute longer, Bella raced out of the Taj, leaving Jacob staring at the floor bewildered. She climbed into the cab, and started the engine. As she did so, Jacob snapped out of his trance, and running from the garage, caught sight of her truck pulling out onto the road.

A/N: In this story, Bella will have a normal pregnancy, up until a surprise happens, and I'm not tellin', but it will be totally plausible.