Sunday gift as promised! Thanks for all the lovely adds, faves, alerts, and reviews.

I do not own any of it except the plot. The rest goes to Stephenie Meyer.

Bella rolls over and slams her hand down onto her alarm clock. Light trickles in from the open window. Pushing her hair out of her face, she looks to see the time: 6:10AM. With a groan, she pushes the covers back on her bed. The phone rings.

"Bella!" Charlie shouts up the stairs, "It's Jake. Pick up the other line!"

Sighing, she picks up her cordless phone from its charger and clicks the talk button. "Got it, Dad." There is a click from the downstairs phone as Charlie hangs it up. "Morning."

"Is it now?" There is a smile in Jake's voice. "How did you sleep, Beautiful?"

"Alright, but somewhere between you putting me to bed and now, I nearly froze to death." Bella gets up from her bed and goes to her closet. Leafing through her shirts, she finds a deep purple sweater-shirt to wear and grabs a pair of dark jeans to wear with it.

"You getting ready to come out to see me?" Jake's voice becomes slightly strained.

"Yes. I want to see you before I leave to go to stay with Esme," Bella says as she pulls out a pair of underwear and socks, and tank top. "And no, you will not change my mind."

Jake's laugh echoes on the other end of the line. "I know I won't. Maybe I don't want to change your mind, Beautiful."

"Can I get ready? I should be over by seven thirty if you let me go now," Bella says.

"Alright," Jake says. "I will see you soon."

Bella hangs up the phone and heads for the shower. After twenty minutes of standing under the hot water Bella gets out and wraps a towel around her body and hair. She runs to her room and gets dressed. Pulling on a pair of boots and running a brush through her hair, she pulls on a sweatshirt and gloves and runs down the stairs to the kitchen.

"Going to see Jake," Bella rushes to place a kiss on Charlie's head. "I'll be home late to pick up my stuff and then I am staying with Alice."

Charlie grunts and continues reading his paper. Bella smiles and runs out the front door. Getting into her truck, she starts it and heads down the road to the Rez. She looks to her radio clock and smiles: 7:01AM.

Soon enough, Bella pulls into Jake's driveway next to Billy's truck and shuts off hers. Running to the front door, she opens it without knocking. She looks into the narrow kitchen and spots Billy. She heads there to get a drink first.

"Morning Billy." She goes to the fridge and grabs two water bottles.

"Good morning, Bells."

She smiles at her third father figure. "Is he in his room?"

After receiving a look of 'Where else would he be?' Bella smiles and walks to the only shut door in the Black household. Bella opens the door and walks in to find Jacob, bare-chested and clad in boxers, on his bed nearly passed out. Bella sets the water bottles on his dresser and opens the second draw to pull out a pair of her own shorts that she left there and slides out of her jeans, sweatshirt, and sweater. After crawling into bed next to Jake, his arms wrap around her waist. Bella smiles and places a kiss on Jake's shoulder.

"You're freezing!" Jake says. His voice is husky.

The feeling of passion rises up Bella's spine again. She shuts her eyes and lays her head on his chest. "Have you spoken to Sam yet?"

Running his hands through Bella's hair, Jake shuts his eyes but is wholly awake. "That's where I went after you went to sleep." He can feel as Bella opens her mouth to speak. When she does not say anything, he adds "We had a nice long chat. Human form of course."

"And what did he have to offer to you?" Bella's voice is quiet from embarrassment.

"He said that we will both know what to do when we're ready," Jake says in a cryptic voice, one that Sam probably used. "Whatever that means."

Bella raises her head from Jake's chest. She looks him in the eyes. Since the night before, when they first spoke of the growing strain on their bond, he noticed more of Bella's frustrations and tensions pushing and fighting against his own.

Bella nods and lays her head back down on his chest. "Just like our bond. We both aren't ready yet. When the newborns are gone, we can focus more on us, instead of on me and my dangers."

Jake laughs. "I don't think you will ever be out of danger Beautiful," he says. "But that's why you have me and Edward around."

Bella smiles into Jake's chest, remembering a time when even the mere mention of Edward would send Jake's body into rolling quakes. "Get some sleep Jake. You're going to need it tomorrow."

After Jake fell asleep Bella just lay next to him watching him. Occasionally, Jake's arms would tighten around her waist but other than that, Jake slept in peace. Looking to the clock on his dresser she sighs: 12:18PM.

Bella looks to Jake's bedroom door as muffled voices carry under the gap of the doorstop. She rolls out from under Jake's arm and walks into the living room to find Sam, Quil, and Emily sitting around talking in hushed voices with Billy.

Emily looks to Bella with a knowing smile. Bella crosses her arms over her chest and tugs on the hair hanging around her shoulders. Awkwardly, she smiles to the occupants of the living room. "I feel like I just walked into a conversation that was about me and Jake."

Sam looks down, Billy smirks, Emily stands and goes to stand with Bella, and Quil shrugs. "No. We're talking about what to do with him while you're at the Cullens'."

"But he planned for me to be at the Cullens' with Esme. He-" Bella is cut off by Quil.

"We know but what he didn't tell you is that he is going to go nuts until the fight begins." Quil smirks. "He kinda reminds me of Jared when he first imprinted. Couldn't keep his hands off of that damn girl."

Bella smiles slightly. "Oh."

They all nod. A creak makes everyone aware that Jake has joined the land of the living. "Bella's go-…Oh, hey Bells. I thought I had to call on the patrol squad. Why's everyone staring at me…?"

They all shake their heads. "Go back to bed Jake." He does not move. "I'll be in to lay back down in a few."

He turns and shuts his door. Bella sighs and sits down on the couch next to Emily. "Feel suffocated yet?" she asks, the smile on her face seems to be pushed to Sam.

"It just gets to be a little unbearable to lay with him." Emily and Sam share a knowing look. "Stop sharing those damned looks, please. Can Jake and I just figure this stuff out on our own?!" With that Bella stands and goes to Jake's room. She shuts the door and sits on the edge of his bed.

"Okay faker, you can open your eyes," Bella turns to Jake as he does so.

"Damn, you're getting brave standing up to the Alpha Male," he says with a smile. He pulls her into his arms on top of the blankets. With a sigh, she leans her head down onto his shoulder and places a kiss there.

"Damn straight," Bella says. She feels Jake's lust flare. The heat spreads over her body and she tries to remain above the sea of heat that is Jake. She places her hands on his chest, pushes him onto his back and leans on her elbow to support herself. She traces her right index finger from his chest up to his neck and stops at his lips.

Leaning down, Bella presses her lips none too gently against Jacob's lips. The heat makes a crescendo around them as Jacob places his hand on the bare skin of Bella's hip. Bella's hands fall Jacob's shoulders as he guides her right leg over his body as she straddles his waist, lips still attached. The kiss deepens and Jacob's tongue reaches out to glide against Bella's bottom lip. A whimper escapes Bella's lips as she opens her mouth to Jake's explorations.

Jacob pulls away from Bella's lips and places his left hand behind Bella's head and brings her neck to his lips. Nibbling on a tender spot just under her ear, Jacob smirks as Bella trembles. The passion and lust envelopes the room. Jacob's hands slide down Bella's back.

"Jake," Bella's voice is a husky whisper.

Jake looks into Bella's eyes and sees her ever-growing tension. He leans up and kisses her cherry red lips gently as he pulls her down to his bed to lie beside him. Bella pulls away from Jacob's lips a mere centimeter.

"Told you so," Jacob's voice is rough with lust.

Bella smiles softly. "I know, but I don't know how to not stay away from you."

"I love you, Bella." Bella's eyes open instantly. She sits up and looks to Jake's door. Tears prick at the corner of her eyes.

The sudden change in the room unsettles Jacob. He sits up and moves so that Bella is sitting between his legs. Pulling her back into his bare chest, he places a kiss on her shoulder. "What's the matter, Beautiful?"

Bella shakes her head.

"I can't help unless you tell me what's wrong." Jake replies. Getting no reaction, he adds, "Please, Beautiful, tell me what's wrong."

"Jake, don't go, please..."

And there's another cliff hanger. I am sorry I do not tend to do cliffies...

It's a long chapter for everyone to make up for the fact that I will not able to get an update up for two weeks. This coming week is the last week of classes. Next week I have finals on Monday and then will be with family ... There is a lot of family stuff going on right now. I didn't actually think I would be able to get this out to everyone as planned but...I took a lot of homework breaks.

Thank you to all my faithful readers,
~Kaleigh