~This one's a little short but the next one is quite lengthy. I'm always happy to hear people say their interested in new stories of mine. Thanks a bunch.

Chapter 2: Stepping Out of the Grave

Why in the hell did she respond? It was the dumbest thing she'd ever done. Well, that wasn't true, but the dumbest mistake in a long time. She should hang up and destroy the phone immediately, but something happened within her when she heard his voice. It had been so long. She knew he called occasionally and suspected it had something to do with her voicemail. Bella felt the same way. She wished, once he'd leave her a message, but that would be odd since he thought she was dead. If she was lucky, sometimes she heard him breathing or background noise. Once, she swore, she heard a woman in the distance. Bella played that short recording over and over, never being able to decipher what was said. It could've been the television or the radio, but something told her it wasn't.

"Bells?"

Silence on her end.

"Bella, is it really you? Hello, say something." She heard a loud banging and him swear under his breath. "Who am I kidding? I'm drunk, having a conversation with a ghost."

She panicked that he would hang up even though that's what needed to happen. "Jake, wait. It is... it's really me. You're not talking to a ghost or at least not the type you mean."

No more hesitation, he shouted. "FUCK! I knew those damn leeches couldn't be trusted. Where are you? What have they done to you, Bells?"

Of course, he'd think this was all the fault of tricky vampires. He, honestly had far too much faith in her since the beginning. Bella wasn't sure she had the guts to admit the entire scheme was her idea, start to finish.

She tried to speak, but it took several tries for actual words to come out. Finally, she said something. "I'm okay and I'm here in Los Angeles. I guess you are too. Strange, huh?"

He bombarded her with questions so fast, she couldn't begin to answer, but she eventually got around to asking if he could meet her at the cafe. She rattled off the address and simple directions. "I get off at 4:30 tomorrow. Not sure why you're in town or if you're busy, but there's too much to go over on the phone. Will you come?"

"Are you kidding? Of course, I will. I'll come to wherever you are right this second, but I'm confused."

Bella heard just as many questions through the wooden door. Barry wanted her to ask if he was still single. Monica wanted to know what he did for a living. She held the phone away from her mouth, "Knock it off, go away." She tossed an empty plastic water bottle to startle them.

Jacob's panic was evident, "Bella, what's going on there? Is someone threatening you?"

"No, more like annoying me. Look, I told you I'm okay. I'm not in danger or anything like that. Tomorrow." Of course, she was taking a huge risk, but she couldn't turn back now unless she enacted her emergency fleeing plan into motion. She'd already given him her work address.

"Okay, tomorrow. I have a conference, but I'll be out by 3:30. I'll see you when you get off. Will you be alone? You said you're working? Where's the leech?"

"I'll explain everything to you tomorrow, but please don't say anything until we talk. Okay?"

"Sure, sure."

She said she was hanging up, but he lingered. She had trouble breaking the connection too, but after several seconds of silence, she hit the button to end the call. She tiptoed to the door and twisted the knob and pulled as hard as she could. They both fell onto the hardwood floor just inside the door frame.

"Ever heard of privacy? That's so rude."

Barry pulled himself up first, then he helped Monica. Those two were roommates first, but he and Bella were thick as thieves. They fit perfectly as friends. He was entirely too overprotective and fussed over her like a parent most days and she assumed she let him because she missed what she'd left behind... her family.

"Nope, you don't get to act pissy now, darling. You opened this can of worms. How many times have Monica and I listened to the speech? You can never face anyone from your past. It's too late, it might be dangerous. Things are better this way... etc. etc. It was him, wasn't it? The guy? Your one." Barry had this crazy notion each person had a one. He agreed everyone could find happiness with several prospects and the fact was only a few ever found their one. However, if you were lucky enough to find your one, never let go under any circumstance. She and Monica had both told him he was nuts when it came to his philosophies on love.

Monica pulled her back to the bed, and wrapped her up in a hug. "Simmer down, Bar. Can't you see she's rattled. Oh, sweetie, you're getting all blotchy." She told Barry to get her a cool rag. Bella said it wasn't necessary, but she could feel her face flushing and her heart racing. Barry was silly about this one business, but connecting with Jacob over the phone had affected her more than she imagined it would.

Bella needed to get a grip. She was going to class no matter what. She'd worked too hard to screw up this last semester. "No way, you can't possibly go to class tonight, you're too emotional." Barry suggested driving her, but she really wanted to be alone to think.

"I'm fine." Bella was honestly surprised she handled it so well. She was even more surprised Jacob calmed down as quickly as he did. It was almost like he never believed the story in the first place and it was true, he called her phone many times after all these years. She imagined her fake death would free him, but for some reason, he still clung to hope. That didn't make it any easier. Nothing about her decision had been easy. She still had all the hard stuff to explain, the things that would possibly make his blood boil and hate her forever.

Barry dabbed her face with a scented cool cloth. He was a cosmetology god. She and Monica were the recipients of every spa treatment known to man on a regular basis. They both had great hair and baby soft skin.

"Better?"

"Much, thanks guys and yes, that was Jacob. He's in town. We're going to talk."

"Why now? What changed your mind?"

She couldn't answer them, because Bella was fully prepared to hang up after he answered, if he answered, but once she heard that deep, familiar voice, she couldn't. Bella had run for eight years, but being confronted with him finally stopped her. She had to come out of hiding, at least long enough to give him an explanation. She owed him that much and if she was totally honest for once, she wanted to see him so badly, it hurt.

She managed to get herself together, so she could attend her night classes. Of course, on the way home, she was tempted to drive around his hotel. Temptation led to action and she actually made the block several times. What if she parked and went inside? It was past ten but not incredibly late. She didn't know his room number, but she could call again and say, "I'm downstairs, wanna talk now?"

After her thirty minute circumnavigation, acting like a teenage stalker, a saner version of herself prevailed. Bella knew going to his hotel would be a tremendous mistake and she'd made way too many mistakes. It was time to do something right. She intended to tell him the whole truth and nothing but the truth. He'd be hurt, she was prepared for that. He'd be angry, that she deserved, but once it was said and done, maybe, just maybe he'd have some closure. Bella knew this new plan of hers had nothing to do with begging for forgiveness, she was setting Jacob free.

She stopped in front of her house and sat quietly in the dark a few more minutes. Jacob being free to live his life fully was all that mattered, she'd told herself that over and over. The saying was true, If you love someone, set them free... The rest of the proclamation didn't apply. He wouldn't come back once he knew and he was never hers to begin with. None of those truths kept her from feeling a horrible pain in the pit of her belly. She knew for certain, the meeting tomorrow would be the last time he ever spoke to her?

~Thanks for reading.