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

Author's note: Here's a pre-weekend treat for you! Enjoy this chapter.

Chapter Nine

– Apology –

I knew it was Jacob even before I picked up the phone and said, "Hello, Bella Cullen speaking".

"Bella," he said, and then there was silence, as if he was stumbling over the words in his mind, trying to form a complete and coherent sentence.

"Hello Jacob," I replied, trying to keep my voice from shaking.

"You sound so tired."

Whatever I had been expecting him to say, it certainly wasn't that.

"Of course I'm tired, you idiot," I snapped into the phone. "I haven't slept this bad since…since Edward died."

"I know, I know. And I'm sorry."

"I don't understand you, Jacob. What the hell are you phoning me for? You made your feelings clear yesterday. Can't you just leave me in peace now?"

"I want to say I'm sorry."

"Oh really? And I suppose you want me to accept your apology and then you'll say that you've decided that you really do want me after all. And you expect me to just come running to your side when you call for me? Make up your mind, Jacob!"

There was a brief pause before he spoke.

"Bella, I behaved badly yesterday. And I really am sorry for what I said to you. I just…it was just such a shock to me. I've been fighting against my feelings for you for so long."

"I don't understand why you didn't reciprocate anything I said."

"I don't know. It's hard to explain. But I worry about what could happen between us if we have a relationship. I can't give you what Edward could. I'm not college-educated, I'm not wealthy, I still live with my dad…"

I interrupted, "I don't care, Jacob."

"But you might in the future," he said sadly. "Look at your mom and dad. Renée left Charlie because she didn't like the whole 'small town, marry your high school sweetheart' type of thing. And I imagine the same thing happening if we were married."

"It wouldn't," I said emphatically.

"How can you be so sure?"

"Because I'm not Renée and you're not Charlie. We're not the same. Our lives are totally different."

"But I might not be able to give you what you want."

"Jacob, since when are you so insecure? I want you. I don't care about fast cars and money. Please…I need you."

"I need you too, Bella," he said quietly.

"I'm coming to La Push," I decided abruptly. "Stay right there."

I was still in my pajamas. My hair was a mess, my teeth weren't brushed and I had black smudges of mascara smeared all over my face. I ran to the bathroom and showered before throwing on an old pair of jeans and a scruffy T-shirt. A hurried brush of eye shadow and flick of mascara and I was good to go.

When I arrived at La Push, it felt like déjà vu.

"Take two," I joked as I walked through the door. "And…action!"

Jacob was in the kitchen, making sandwiches.

"Sheesh," I grumbled melodramatically. "This really is like déjà vu. How can you be thinking of something as mundane as lunch when the love of your life just walked through the door?"

"I'm hungry!" Jacob protested, laughing.

"Well, that can wait. I want you to listen to me."

"Yes, ma'am," he saluted me.

And it was at that moment, with Jacob laughing and goofing around, that I knew I was making the right choice. His eyes met mine and suddenly no words were needed. We kissed slowly. His lips were soft and his kiss was so gentle and tender that for some inexplicable reason I felt tears pricking at my eyes. My heart beat increased and my hands moved to his shirt buttons. He broke off the kiss before I could get very far.

"Let's do this properly, Bella," he spoke, with mock sternness in his voice and I rolled my eyes as he bent down on one knee. "Will you marry me?"

"I will."

He smiled, beaming with happiness. "I can't believe this is happening. It's like a dream."

"Oh, I can show you it's absolutely not a dream," I said tenderly as my hands moved to his shirt again.

"Bella," Jacob said, nodding towards the door. "I don't think this is a very good idea right now."

The kitchen door had opened and Jacob's father, Billy Black, sat in his wheelchair as my father pushed open the door and helped Billy through.

"Bella!" Charlie and Billy said in unison with surprised voices as they noted the position in which Jacob and I were frozen: his hands clasped around my waist and mine on his shirt. We jumped apart awkwardly, both of us speaking at once.

"We were just about to eat lunch," I said quickly, gesturing towards the half-prepared sandwiches.

"Can I get you and Charlie any lunch?" Jacob said.

"Yeah, that would be great," Billy answered. "So, how are you, Bella? I haven't seen you round here for a long time."

"I'm really good," I said, euphoria threatening to overflow and making my voice sound higher than normal.

"Are you sure you're okay?" my dad asked.

"Yeah, why wouldn't I be?"

Jacob brought the sandwiches to the table and spoke: "Bella and me have an announcement to make."

"You're pregnant," Charlie said to me immediately with a concerned expression on his face.

"No, Dad, I'm not pregnant," I laughed, before quietly whispering to Jacob so that no one else could hear, "although if Charlie and Billy hadn't come in the door at that moment, I probably would be pregnant by now."

Jacob snorted into his sandwich and we both collapsed in fits of laughter. Charlie and Billy looked at us in bemusement.

"We're engaged!" I blurted out. "Jacob and I are going to be married."

There was silence for a moment as the news sank in and then Charlie grinned. "I am so pleased for you both!" he said as he hugged me tightly and we smiled at each other. "Have you decided on a date for the wedding yet?"

"Hey, give the girl a chance," Jacob said, laughing. "We only just got engaged."

"I don't want a big wedding though," I said, "so it will be within the next few months."

"That's great news," Charlie said happily, before he left the house to return to his afternoon shift at work. "See you later, Bells."

Billy had been silent throughout this conversation, his face grave. Jacob and I both knew what he was going to say and we stood beside each other, waiting.

"I'm not going to pretend that I am not happy for you both, because I am happy," he began, "but this decision you have made is not going to be an easy path to follow. There's no need for me to repeat what Sam has already said but I want you think very carefully about what you are doing."

"Neither of us is changing our minds," I said.

"I am not trying to get you or Jacob to change your mind," Billy said, "but something needs to change. As long as he regularly phases, Jacob could imprint on someone and then your future together wouldn't be a future."

"I know, Dad," Jacob said. "But..."

Billy interrupted. "There is a way to resolve this. It would mean you moving away together, away from any vampire covens. The presence of vampires makes it possible to phase and imprint but when their presence is removed Jacob will cease to have the ability to phase. He will become a normal human again."

"But you can't manage if I'm not here, Dad," Jacob said, his tone anxious.

"It would be difficult," Billy acknowledged. "But I have plenty of friends in La Push who can assist me when I need it."

"I should go," I said, sensing that Jacob and his dad needed some time to talk. "I want to tell the Cullens the news."

"Don't stay too long," Jacob responded, kissing me lightly on the lips before I walked out the door.

I jumped in my car and drove away with a huge smile on my face; a huge contrast from the scenario yesterday. But something was niggling at my mind and I realized I was worried about my mom's reaction. She was fine when I told her about my engagement to Edward but that was different somehow. Edward was rich, college-educated, intoxicatingly handsome… Now I was engaged to a mechanic from La Push with the intention of settling down and keeping house. I dreaded to think what Renée would say about that.

A/N – although it might seem like everything is working out for Bella and Jacob, there's plenty more drama in store for them! Chapter 10 will be up very soon.