"Nicole, can you hold on for the tiniest moment while I try talking some sense into Edward?" She nodded, and I stalked toward him. "Forest. Now." I practically growled. Edward's eyebrows rose in surprise.
"You want to be alone with me in the forest? How delightful," he said, a slight smirk coming on his face. He sounded wickedly amused, but I didn't let that stop me. If anything, it was fueling the speech I was writing in my head. He was going to be read the riot act tenfold. I stomped on the way to the forest, and I looked back at my Jacob, who had a slight line of worry creased across his forehead. I smiled gently at him, and I saw him smile in response. He knew that I knew what I was doing. When Edward and I had finally gone far enough in the forest where we wouldn't be heard easily; even by the super vampire and werewolf hearing, I stopped. "So what's this little charade about?" Edward said nonchalantly. "You're going to try and convince me that Nicole is wonderful for me?" I turned.

"No." I said quietly. "I'm not going to try and convince you of anything. What I am going to do is talk, and you, you are going to listen for once in your goddamned existence." The look on his face went from amusement to wariness. He was realizing that I was serious. However, he didn't say anything. I took that as my signal to start. "You just think that just because you're 'Edward Cullen!'" I said his name with exaggerated exasperatedness, "that you can do whatever the sam-heck you please, and that you'll have no consequences. Well that's just not the freakin' case. You're not a saint, and you aren't a god, so you have no right to go around acting as such. Jesus, Edward, I have never been interested in you, and I never gave any indication that could suggest otherwise. I was simply nice to you because you seemed like a nice guy. You 'say' that you care about what happens to me, but if that was true, then you wouldn't freaking do stuff like sleep with me while I don't know about it, and also put my life in danger. Think about other people for a SECOND, Edward. Do you think it makes me happy to have to come out here to talk some sense into your thick head? Do you think it makes me happy to have to see Jacob suffer because I have to do this? What about your family? Do you think that they're really happy with having to watch you obsess over someone who will never love you and has tried to be as nice as possible? Edward, I've made mistakes in my life, and I know that. But you need to take control of your own life and get over me. I'm not effing perfect, and it won't work out. Just get over me and move on, please. Think of everyone else, and yourself. And for god's sake, make the right choice." I finished my speech, feeling much better to have gotten everything off of my chest. Edward looked speechless. He shook his head and took a deep breath.

"Wow." He said quietly. "I guess…I guess I did kind of become self-absorbed." I bit back a reply of 'You think?' and waited for him to finish. "I'm sorry, Bella." He apologized. "I really didn't think, and….that really messed things up. Do you forgive me?" I raised an eyebrow at him.

"I'll consider it. What I'm really more occupied with at the moment is what we're going to tell Nicole." I said, crossing my arms. He ran a hand through his hair.

"I guess…we can make a negotiation. One date with me for her to leave you alone. Does that sound…reasonable?" I nodded. "Let's go back then." He shuffled ahead of me while I just walked, practically exhausted by my speech. When we returned to the meadow, Edward addressed Nicole, while Jacob ran to my side and picked me up in his arms, seeing that I was close to falling.

"Nicole?" Edward said quietly, and she turned her attention to him.

"Yes Edward?" She asked, her eyes focusing on him and being oddly serious for once.

"I have a proposition," he continued. "A date with me. But, you have to leave Bella alone for the rest of her life." Nicole contemplated this.

"Do I get to choose where we go?"

"Yes."

"And the time and the length of the date?"

"Yes."

"Alright." She turned to me. "I guess that's suitable. Bella, it's been nice knowing ya." She threw a wink at me, and I nodded gently. Alice and Esme looked at me with concern, but I managed a weak smile. I was fine; it was just that when I got angry and let off steam, it took a lot out of me.

"Well then," Jacob announced. "I think there's been quite enough activity today. I'm going to bring Bella home. I trust you guys can take it from here?" They all nodded.

"Thank you," Esme and Alice said in unison, and came forward to give me a hug.

"I'll see you guys later, hopefully," I joked. They smiled and waved goodbye as we went toward the wolves. They looked at me curiously and I thought I saw a hint of a smile as they shook their massive heads. Jacob put me gently on the ground and went into the forest to change into a wolf, and then came back so I could climb on his back and he could bring me home. I barely kept my eyes open for the run home, but I know that I fell asleep as soon as he put me on the grass while he transformed again. The reason I know this is because I woke up as soon as he came back and picked me right back up in his arms where I belonged. I woke up on the couch in his arms when Charlie and Billy finally arrived home.

"We did it Bells!" Charlie cheered. "We found a place down here in La Push!" I smiled and stretched.

"That's great Charlie!" I said joyously. "Now all we have to do is move out and sell our house." He nodded eagerly.

"And the real estate agent said our house'll be a cinch to sell. Some author named Meyer is looking for a house down here; says she needs inspiration or something like that. You mighta heard about her on the news?" I nodded.

"Yeah, there was a short report until the power went out." I said, "But it's kind of getting late, Charlie. Are we going home or something?" Charlie contemplated this.

"Well…seeing as it is too late, and me and Billy were going to celebrate with a few drinks…maybe we should stay the night? If that's okay with you, Billy," Charlie said earnestly. "I wouldn't want to trouble you." Billy laughed.

"Of course it's fine!" Billy barked. "Charlie, you can sleep on the couch, and I'll sleep in my bed…but I don't know where Bella will sleep." His brow furrowed at the thought.

"She can sleep in my room," Jake volunteered. "She can sleep in the bed, and I'll sleep on the floor. There won't be any hanky-panky, I promise." Billy looked Jake in the eyes,

"You promise, Jake?" Jacob nodded. Billy thought it over. "I trust you. It's fine by me. Charlie?" He turned to my dad, and I looked at Charlie eagerly. His eyes scanned Jacob.

"I guess its fine. I trust you both." Charlie finally deliberated. "However, if anything to destroy that trust happens, then something like this won't happen again, you hear?"

"We hear." Jake and I said in unison. That night, we did as we were told. Jake made his bed for me, and changed into his pajamas in the bathroom while I changed into his clothes in his room. His pair of pajama bottoms were far too big and long on me and made a puddle of fabric around my feet while I pulled the drawstring as tight as it could go and slipped into an overly large t-shirt of his. I looked at myself in the mirror and laughed. I was a sight, alright. I heard a tentative knock on the door and answered.

"Come in," I said, and Jake slowly opened the door. His eyes checked me up and down in his too big clothes, and a big goofy smile stretched out on his face for reasons I couldn't fathom. The last time I checked, being in entirely too large clothing with messy and frizzy hair with an exhausted expression was not attractive.

"Heya," He greeted me. "You tired?" I nodded. "Well get your little butt into bed, and I'll tuck you in." He put some blankets on a nearby chair; to make his own little bed on the floor, I presumed. I did as he said, and he pulled the covers over me and I put my arms on top of the blankets. I took his hand and he kissed me on my forehead. "Love you," he murmured against my face.

"I love you too." I said, reaching up to give him a proper kiss on the lips. I could feel his smile in it, and he soon pulled away.

"I should make my own bed before I get too comfortable on the bed with you," he said and I smiled.

"This technically is your bed," I teased. He rolled his eyes.

"Nice try. But I don't think we should push our luck with our dads. Let's take it slow for the moment, eh?" He suggested with a smirk. I pouted.

"Fine," I conceded. "But move your bed so it's right next to mine."

"As you wish," he said. He made a makeshift bed right next to mine, and after he made it, he turned the lights out and went into it. It was quiet for a few moments until I spoke again.

"Jake?" I asked.

"Hmm?" He answered, his speech slightly slurred from exhaustion.

"Can I hold your hand? I'll just dangle my hand on the side of the bed, but can you just hold it?" I heard his sweet chuckle.

"Of course, sweetheart," he said. I smiled in the dark. I let my arm hang down and I soon felt his warm hand grasp my own. "Now let's get some sleep alright?" he suggested. I laughed.

"Agreed. Love you."

"Love you too," he whispered. It didn't take long until we succumbed to dreamland. And he was there too.