Hello! I hope you're having an awesome Sunday. Here is chapter 5...quite a lot happens in this chapter and I hope you like it!

Copyright declaration: The Twilight series and its characters are the creation of and copyright of Stephenie Meyer. I own nothing and this is purely a not-for-profit work of fan fiction. No copyright infringement intended.

Author's note: I have made this as creative and imaginative as possible and if it bears resemblance to any other fan-fiction story it is entirely coincidental. There is such a huge amount of Twilight fan-fiction out there that it would be impossible to trawl through it all to see if someone has already had this plot idea and I assure you that if there are any similarities to other Twilight fan-fic stories, they are completely unintentional and inadvertent.

Chapter Five

– Birthday –

The Cullens had hired an entire hotel in Manhattan for my birthday celebrations. I didn't even dare to think how many dollars it would cost to hire out a whole hotel for a week. The three-room suite which was mine for the duration of our stay was gorgeously decadent and luxurious, with a huge bedroom, bathroom and its own private sitting room.

"Esme and Carlisle are next door," Alice said, "and Jasper and I are along the hallway, if you need anything."

"Wow, Alice," I said, shaking my head. "This is just….amazing."

"Well, it's not every day you're twenty-one, is it?" she replied, laughing in her characteristically sweet way.

"Fortunately not," I replied, with a wry smile.

The next morning, I woke up and stretched, luxuriating in the king-size bed.

"Happy Birthday, Bella," Alice danced into my room, carrying an enormous stack of presents. "I'll give you half an hour to get yourself ready and then we're all coming in here to watch you open them."

I groaned but exactly thirty minutes later, the whole party filed into the sitting room: my mom, my dad, Carlisle, Esme, Rosalie, Emmett, Alice, Jasper and Jacob. I felt tense, despite the fact that I was surrounded by the people who know me best in the world. But I smiled and nodded and said thank you as I unwrapped each gift. I wasn't surprised by Alice's gift to me: a beautiful designer dress cut in a classical empire-line style.

"You can wear it tonight," she said happily. "It will look gorgeous on you, once I've done your makeup and fixed your hair."

Jacob's present was a delicate string of freshwater pearls. "Oh, you shouldn't have," I breathed when I opened it.

"I thought it would look pretty with your dress," he said, smiling.

"That's really thoughtful of you," I said. "Thanks, Jake."

"Alice helped me choose it," he answered.

"Jacob!" Alice scolded. "You weren't supposed to tell her that!"

"Oops!" he said, flashing an apologetic smile, as we all laughed.

The time passed quickly and it wasn't long before it was time to get ready for the party. Alice fussed around me, arranging a stray curl and dabbing blusher on my cheeks. "You look beautiful, Bella," she said, dragging me to stand in front of the mirror. I looked at myself; the blue dress draped perfectly on my slim figure and the pearls glistened around my neck, making my skin look even paler than normal. I struggled not to let a tear escape from my eye at the thought of what Edward would think. Blue was his favorite color on me.

"I'll be there in a minute. Jacob's waiting to escort you," Alice said gently.

Jacob was standing outside the room, looking smart in a black suit and a blue tie which matched the color of my dress. He didn't say anything when I came to stand beside him and it wasn't until we were walking up the stairs when he spoke, his voice a little husky, "I hope you aren't sad, Bella."

"No….yes," I said, "Of course I wish Edward was here. I'm his widow and of course it makes me sad."

"Don't describe yourself as a widow. You don't fit the picture. You're a girl, Bella, at the beginning of your life. It's a sin to behave as if it were over already."

"I didn't say it was over, Jacob," I answered sharply. "I merely stated a fact."

"Let's not argue, not today," Jacob said, with a pleading tone. "I want you to be happy. That's all I have ever wanted for you, Bella."

I let the subject drop. We had arrived at the party room and I gasped in delight at the decorations. Vases of flowers were everywhere and the air was filled with the sensuous aroma of lilies and roses. The party was being held in a large spacious room with a balcony and terrace, overlooking the center of New York City in all its splendor of lights and skyline. The family had assembled in the room and although I knew I was amongst family, I felt nervous at the prospect of being the center of attention. Like my dad, I was more comfortable on the sidelines. When Alice skipped into the room, music started playing and the party immediately went into full swing. Waiters appeared, carrying trays of canapés and champagne glasses.

"Come on, Bella," my mom said, passing me a glass of champagne. "I can't believe my baby is twenty-one. It doesn't seem long since your 5th birthday party when I was handing round apple juice boxes, and now look at you, all grown up."

"Oh Mom," I said, laughing and sipping my champagne. It was pleasantly cool and the bubbles added to my already light-headed state.

The evening passed in a whirl of dancing and laughing and as midnight drew closer, I stepped out onto the balcony to get some fresh air. Despite my thin silk dress, I was flushed from the heat and noise of the party. I gazed out over New York from the vantage point of the balcony and for the first time in two years I felt nearly at peace with the tumultuous grief-stricken events of my brief marriage. I heard footsteps behind me; "Mom?"

"Are you okay, Bella?" Jacob answered.

"Oh! I thought you were Renêe," I said. "Yeah, I'm just getting some air. It's so hot in there."

Jacob stepped a little closer and for some stupid reason, I felt my heart rate increase. Why? I thought crossly. Whydoes my body have to do this?

"I hope you have had a good birthday, Bella," Jacob said quietly.

I nodded my head, without speaking. Suddenly…I don't quite know how it happened…we were facing each other, just two paces apart, and in one swift movement I was in Jacob's arms and his face was close to mine…too close, I thought hazily as our lips touched. I don't know whether it was the NYC atmosphere or whether it was my intake of champagne which caused my unsteady woozy state but suddenly everything was behind me and the only thing I was conscious of was being held in Jacob's warm embrace.

Then I became aware of a presence in the doorway: Alice had appeared. Returning to reality, I abruptly pulled away from Jacob, realizing what I had done.

"Alice!" I said, my voice breaking and then rising in tone. "You planned this, how could you? How could you let me betray Edward's memory like this? I knew it! You've all been plotting for this to happen, haven't you?"

My angry voice cut through the air and Alice came to stand beside me, her usually cheerful face looking irritated. "No, Bella," she said. "I did not 'plan' this and you did not betray Edward's memory. I think you should acknowledge your true feelings…"

I interrupted, "Acknowledge what 'true feelings' exactly?"

Alice continued, "It is what Edward would have wanted for you. He will always be your first love and he will always be in your heart but you mustn't feel as if you can't have a life now. You have to stop denying your emotions, Bella."

I became aware that tears were rolling down my cheeks and I pushed past Jacob, wiping my cheeks angrily. "I'm going to bed," I said. "Thanks for the party, but I'm tired now."

I couldn't just leave and run to throw myself into my bed and curl up into oblivion. I wanted to do that. I desperately wanted to return to my room to find some peace and a space in which I could let the tears pour down my face. But inside, away from the balcony, the party was still lively and active. It would have been rude if I had left so abruptly. I composed myself as best as I could but I've always been a bad liar and I know I wasn't putting on a convincing act. No one said anything, however. Apart from Alice, Jacob and me, nobody knew what had taken place outside on the balcony. They probably just thought I had imbibed a glass or two too much of champagne and was becoming drunk and emotional.

Finally, the party started to wind down and at 3 am I crawled into bed. My mind was full of conflicting feelings. I was angry at myself for letting myself give into the feelings which had propelled me towards Jacob but in the back of my mind, a little voice whispered to me about how rightit had felt. I quickly dismissed it as I restlessly tossed and turned in bed. The hotel room was hot and I kicked back the sheets but at 5 am I finally gave up on being able to sleep. I got up and put on my bath robe. I planned to go see Alice and talk with her as I desperately needed someone so that I could vent and let out my jumbled emotions. I tiptoed down the hotel corridor: I didn't want the other Cullens to come join Alice and me in our early morning soiree. Alice's bedroom door was ajar so I pushed it gently and it swung open. Maybe this was a bad idea, I thought to myself. I had totally forgotten that she was, of course, sharing a room with Jasper, and I blushed to myself as I realized what I might be interrupting. Then I heard a noise. A snore? It was definitely and unmistakably the sound of someone snoring. Jacob. The door had fully swung open and I saw him peacefully asleep. I don't know what made me do it; maybe it was the champagne, but I neededto be close to someone and so I sat down on the comfortable couch and watched Jacob sleep. Before long, the warmth of the hotel room, the faint noise of the traffic outside and Jacob's rhythmic snores lulled me into a champagne-and-tiredness fueled stupor.

"Bella?" Jacob's voice broke through the fog of my sleep. At first, I thought I was dreaming. "Bella, are you okay?"

"What the…?" I began sharply, before the realization of last night hit me, along with a thumping headache. I remembered walking along the corridor to find Alice's room but anything beyond that was a complete blur. I guess that's what you get when you overindulge with champagne at your twenty-first birthday party. I sat up on the couch, rubbing my eyes as my head throbbed, and awkwardly avoiding eye contact with Jacob. There was an uncomfortable, uneasy silence between us.

"I'm not complaining or anything, but what areyou doing in my room?" Jacob said.

"I…uh…wanted to talk to Alice last night and I think I had too much champagne, and yeah, I somehow ended up here," I said, stumbling over my speech.

"Oh."

I wasn't sure how to respond to his monosyllabic answer so I got up from the couch and hastily headed to the door.

"See you later," he said.

"Yeah," I answered, feeling awkward and embarrassed as I left the room. Oh my gosh...what have I done?

Author's note: Yes, Bella, what have you done?

What do you think of the latest development in the story? I'm going to offer an incentive to those who leave reviews...for everyone who reviews the story I will give you a little sneak peek of what is to come in the next couple of chapters.