Moonlight in Forks

Disclaimer: all characters and copyright belong to SM.

Uninvited Guest

Bella told Jacob she didn't want to discuss what had happened at the school. At least not for now. She just wanted to forget everything for a while.

"C'mon, Jake. Let's ride the bikes like we used to."

"Are you sure you're allowed?" Jacob raised his eyebrows, surprised at her suggestion. "Considering what Charlie said and the blood – him."

"Edward doesn't get a say….and dad…" Bella paused. "Well, he doesn't have to know."

Jacob grinned her grin, and he was suddenly the Jacob she missed the most, sunny and warm. He scratched the back of his neck, indicating he was nervous. "Hey, I never did apologize officially for that stupid move with the bikes. I'm really sorry about ratting you out to Charlie. I wish I hadn't."

Bella sighed. "What's done is done." She said, deciding to be magnanimous. "You're forgiven."

Jacob's dark eyes sparkled with relief. His ran his fingers through his hair, which he was growing out again from its short crop. "Thanks, Bells."

"Its fine. Now that's out of the way, can we go riding?" Bella persisted.

"Sure, sure." Jacob laughed, leading the way to the garage where he stored the bikes.

Bella and Jacob rode the motorcycles on the back roads around La Push until the rain made them too muddy and Jacob insisted, he was going to pass out if he didn't eat soon. Bella was a bit worried about going inside the house, she was concerned about Billy's reaction upon seeing her. He must feel just like Jacob did, that she had betrayed them all by getting back together with Edward, and aligning herself with the Cullens.

But to her relief, Billy didn't seem to bear a grudge, he greeted her easily when they got to the house, as if her sudden reappearance meant nothing more complicated than that she wanted to spend the day with her best friend. She offered to make lunch, which he and Jacob both gratefully accepted. Rifling through the cupboards, Bella found enough ingredients to throw together a simple pizza, making up some sandwiches as well for Jacob to consume while the pizza cooked.

When lunch was over, Jacob and Bella went out to the garage to clean up the bikes. Bella hadn't been there in months-since Edward had returned-and she felt a rush of nostalgia as soon as she went inside.

"I've missed this place." She admitted honestly when Jacob pulled the warm sodas from the grocery bag he carried with him.

Jacob glanced up overhead, looking around at the plastic sheds bolted together. "Yeah, we had some good times here." His tone was wistful, a hint of sadness underlying it. "Life seemed so simple back then."

"Yes, it was." Bella agreed, taking a small sip of her soda.

Jacob was quiet for a minute, his gaze far away, as if lost in memories. "Do you remember the last time you were here?" He asked eventually.

Bella took another sip from the soda can, nodding slowly. "It was last Valentine's Day."

An odd expression took over Jacob's face. "Yeah, it was. I didn't think – "

"You thought I'd forget?" Bella interrupted him.

"Maybe- I don't know." Jacob hung his head.

"Of course, I remember, Jake. I traded a lifetime of servitude for a box of conversation hearts. I still think you got the better end of the deal, though." Bella teased lightly.

Jacob raised his head again, Bella's tactic working on his melancholia. "That's right. Hmm, servitude. I'll have to think of something good." He paused again, dipping his gaze to floor. "It feels like it was years ago. Another era. A happier one. I wish we could go back."

Bella hated that he felt so downcast, knowing that she was the reason behind it. She didn't know how to answer that. It wasn't possible to go back. In her eyes it was pointless dwelling on something that couldn't be changed. But she had to admit to how many things she missed from her own personal dark ages. She stared through the gap in the doorway at the murky forest. The rain had picked up again, but it was warm in the garage, sitting next to Jacob, he was as good as a furnace.

Jacob gazed at Bella with soft eyes. She was so beautiful like this, lost in quiet repose. His heart ached as he continued to look at her. It wasn't just her aesthetic beauty that drew him to her, it was the way she cared so very much about others that made her so perfect in his eyes. That she saw him for who he was, that she showed how special he was to her, despite everything they'd been through. That's what got him for life. She wasn't just beautiful, she made the space around her beautiful too, she affected others and brought their beauty to the surface. And she did it with ease, unknowingly. It was just who she was. She was like a flower that made others bloom, that made him bloom.

He had been so hurt when she had run off to Italy. His emotions had been bruised, the same way as with a physical bruise, they took time to come up and really show themselves. Yet during their separation, he had a chance to mitigate them, reduce them, render them more manageable. So... as hard as it had been initially to drag his ass out the door for some endorphin raising exercise, to put her perceived rejection into the proper context, he guessed it was a form of self-medication, but there were worse ones to choose. Keeping his distance until he was in a good place mentally was a healthy coping strategy, he guessed.

Now he just wanted to move on from the whole thing, but he still had one burning question to ask first.

"Hey, Bells." Jacob said quietly.

Bella slowly turned to face him. "Yeah?"

"Can I ask you something?"

"You can ask me anything." Bella affirmed.

"Okay." Jacob took a deep breath to steady his nerves. He needed to keep calm and composed, especially if the answer she gave was something he didn't want to hear. "You know that day, I brought the bikes over…. were you just being stubborn because you were mad at me, or were you serious?"

Bella's face paled-this wasn't the question she was expecting-but this was Jacob, he always got right to the heart of the matter. She tried to stall. "About what?" She whispered faintly.

Jacob frowned. "You know, Bella. When you said it was none of my business…if he-if he bit you." He had to breathe deeply again to remain calm. Just the thought of the possibility made him feel sick.

Bella was feeling just as sick. She looked at Jacob, then looked away. Her stomach rolled. What was she supposed to say? Of course, at the time she had meant it. Changing had always been part of the plan. In fact, she had been the one to be insist on it, when everyone, including Edward, was begging her to reconsider and wait. And with recent events…. now…. now she wasn't so sure.

"Honestly?" She said. "I don't know."

Jacob inhaled again, slow and deep. "You're reconsidering?"

Bella stared at his face, agonizing. "I'm just giving things more thought."

Jacob's eyes flashed; their black depths full of hope. "That's good. That's really good."

In his relief Jacob leaned forward and pulled Bella into a hug. There was something so warm, something that felt right, smelt right, with his arms tight around her. Bella let her body sag; her muscles become loose. He gave her the respect of an equal but cradled her like a cherished child. In that embrace she felt her worries lose their keen sting and her optimism raise its head from the dirt. Perhaps the hope had been there all along, but without some love it was trapped, like crystals in a stone. She felt him brush her hair back with his warm fingertips, his cheek finding its resting place on top of her head.

Charlie peeked through the front window when he heard Bella slam the car door shut-Jacob had brought her home in the Rabbit. His face brightened when he saw who she was with. He waved enthusiastically at Jacob, then went to open the front door for Bella.

"Been spending time with Jake?" He stated the obvious.

"Yes." Bella rolled her eyes.

"Did you have fun?" Charlie asked as he followed her into the hall.

"Yes."

"Care to elaborate?" Charlie was getting testy from her one-word answers.

"Nope." Bella started for the stairs.

"I'm just trying to take an interest in your life." Charlie complained.

But Bella ignored him. She ran up the stairs, tripping as usual on the way. She knew the laundry was building up, so once she had changed into her PJ's, she threw her dirty clothes in the hamper, then went to strip Charlie's bed. She left his sheets in a pile at the top of the stairs and went to get her own.

Bella paused beside her bed, cocking her head to the side. Something was different. Where was her pillow? She turned around and around scanning the room. No pillow. She noticed her room looked oddly tidy. She was a neat freak-but not that bad. Hadn't her sweatshirt been draped over the low bedpost on the footboard? And she could have sworn she had left her favorite red shirt draped over the rocking chair.

Mmmm….

She spun around. The hamper in her room wasn't empty, but it wasn't overflowing, the way she thought it had been. Charlie couldn't be behind it. There was no way he would do the laundry voluntarily. But she checked anyway.

"Dad, did you start the wash?" Bella yelled down the stairs.

"No." Charlie shouted back. He still sounded annoyed about her brush off. "Was I supposed to?"

"No, I got it. Were you looking for something in my room?"

"No. Why?"

"I can't find…a shirt…" Bella spun around again to double check she hadn't missed it.

"I haven't been in there. I wouldn't dare." Charlie shouted back.

Then there was a knock on the door. Bella heard Charlie's heavy tread on the wooden floor of the hallway as he went to answer the door, then his surprised voice as he greeted the caller. "Oh, hi, Jake."

"Hi, Charlie. Can I talk to Bella, please? I forgot to ask her something."

"Yeah, sure." Charlie said easily, stepping back to let Jacob inside. "Its good to see you, kid? How's your old man?"

"He's good." Jacob sounded distracted.

Charlie waited for him to elaborate, and when he didn't, he became irritated. "Bella's upstairs." He said, waving his hand in a gesture of annoyance.

"Thanks, Charlie." Jacob was totally oblivious to the older man's mood.

Jacob took the stairs two at a time, soon reaching the top. He found Bella in her room, in the process of ripping the sheets off her bed.

"Hey, Jake." She greeted him. "You caught me in the middle of doing the laundry. Its so weird. Its like half my stuff has gone missing. I can't find my pillows. My favorite shirt has gone walk about. Charlie reckons its not him-so maybe its me."

"Bella!" Jacob interrupted her mid-flow. His brows were drawn down, his expression serious.

"What is it?" Bella looked at him, finally noticing the dark look on his face. "Jake, is something wrong?" Her heart began to race in fear.

Before she could compose herself, Jacob put his arm around her waist and pulled her swiftly into her room. His eyes darted around, and he held her against his hot body as if he were shielding her from something.

"Someone's been here." He said close to her ear.

Bella froze, staring up at his harried face. "You mean...?

"Vampire." Jacob finished for her.

A/N-thanks for reading!