And we continue with cannon here for a bit. Honestly, I like the way Jacob and Bella's relationship is playing out with minor tweaks of their characters. I don't know, but to me, they feel more natural. We'll see where it goes. Anywho, enjoy!

Chapter 9: Count On Me

"Oh my God!" Bella shrieked, slamming on the brakes and pulling the truck over to the side of the road.

Jacob didn't have time to ask what was wrong before she'd jumped out of the truck. He followed, jogging to catch up and reached out to grab her arm. "Bella! Stop, relax!"

"Are you kidding? We have to stop them, one of them's gonna get killed!"

"They're cliff diving, honey," he explained in a way that made it seem like it should have been obvious.

"What?"

"Cliff diving. We do it all the time. It's a total rush. But, usually we dove from a lower ledge. We let Sam and his gang show off up here."

She watched one of the guys, Paul, she vaugely recalled, leapt into the air, twisting and showing off on the way down. A rush... "I wanna try."

Jacob rolled his eyes. "Okay, slow down, Evil Kinevil. Let's get you on a bike first, then we'll talk about cliff diving." He led her back to the truck and they both climbed in. "On a warmer day. And definitely lower down. Sam and his disciples are dumb shits for jumping from this high up."

Bella noticed the change in his voice, and lowered her hand from where she'd been about to start the truck back up. "Talk. What's going on?"

His jaw clenched and he shook his head. "They think they run this place. Acting all badass. Calling themselves 'the protectors'."

She frowned. "What are they protecting?"

"Who knows? The land, the tribe. The right to be jerks. Embry used to call them hall monitors on steroids, and now look at him."

Bella turned back to the cliff. Sure enough, Embry was with Sam, his hair short and lanky frame filled out. "Whoa. What the hell happened?"

Jacob shifted. Shrugged. "He missed some school. Then out of no where he started following Sam around. Just like Paul and Jared. They weren't even friends... now Sam owns them." He looked back at the four guys on the cliff. He looked sick. "Sam keeps giving me this look. Like he's waiting for me to join them. It freaks me out."

Anger flared in her chest, seeing her happy-go-lucky best friend suddenly turning in on himself, trying to make his large frame look small. Bella jammed the key back into the ignition. "Alright. Screw this. I'm gonna go talk to them."

"No, Bella. It's fine. I can handle it."

"Jake..."

"Seriously, Bells. It's fine. I just ignore them. It just... it sucked when it was Embry, y'know?"

"Yeah, I know," she nodded. She understood far more than he knew.

Jacob didn't say anything, just bit his lip and stared back down at his hands folded in his lap. On instinct, she slid across the seat and wrapped her arms around him. He breathed a heavy sigh and returned the hug. It took Bella by surprise, she was used to feeling Jasper tense when she got too close, but it felt nice. Maybe she needed it just as much as Jacob did. "If it gets worse, we can always go to my dad, okay? Or you can come stay with us."

"Thanks," Jacob nodded, holding her as close as she was holding him. "Y'know, if this is how you're gonna react, maybe I'll freak out more often."

"And you ruined it," she playfully groaned, giving him a shove as she slid back to her side of the truck.

Jacob laughed.

"C'mon. Let's find somewhere to test these death machines."

They found a dirt road on the Reservation, thankfully, away from any cliffs. Jacob hefted the bikes out of the truck bed, ignoring Bella's protests that they were too heavy and she could help, and set them up side by side. She straddled the seat and stretched her fingers out over the handles. "I wanna go on record sayin' this is a terrible idea, darlin'," a sweet voice whispered in her ear.

She clenched her jaw. "You were a bad idea." They both knew it was a lie. Okay, she. She knew it was a lie. He wasn't actually here, no matter how real it felt.

"Alright, one more time," Jacob said from where he sat on his bike. "Brake?"

Bella tapped it.

"Clutch?"

She squeezed the clutch.

"Right. Gas?"

She touched that one too. By now, her entire body was thrumming with anticipation. She'd always wanted to drive Jasper's motorcycle, and now she had her own. She didn't need him or his permission. It was all up to her, and in a few minutes, she'd be flying down the road feeling more free than she ever had in her life.

"Ready?" Jacob asked, and she nodded. They both kick started their bikes. "Release the clutch, slowly."

She rolled forward an inch. Then another.

"Please, darlin'."

Ghostly fingers wrapped around her own and she looked up to see Jasper standing before her, worry lines creasing his brow. She gasped and her hand slipped off the clutch, making the motorcycle buck out from underneath her and land on top of her.

"Shit!" Jacob hissed, jumping off his bike and running over to lift Bella's off of her. "Bella! Bella! You okay?" He put his hands lightly on her shoulders and searched her face. "Bruises? Breaks?"

She shook her head. "I'm good. Let's go again."

"Yeah, I don't think that's a good idea. Why don't we..." his voice trailed off as Bella hopped up and got back on her bike. "We're going again. Okay. Good. Great."

He jumped back on his bike and gave her a stern look. "Now, what are going to do?"

"Release the clutch. Slowly."

"Right. And what are we not gonna do?"

Bella stuck her tongue out at him. They both kicked started their bikes again and started to go forward, slowly gaining speed as they went. As Jacob fell behind, Jasper appeared. She passed him one, twice, thee times, what looked like a proud smirk pulling at his lips.

She didn't see the bend in the road until it was too late. She went flying off her bike and hit the ground. Hard.

"Bella! Are you okay? How many fingers am I holding up?"

She batted Jacob's hand away and went to stand. "I wanna go again."

"Yeah, right. I'm revoking your motorcycle privileges," he ignored her scowl and gently turned her head to the side. "Damn, your head..."

Before she could freak out, he pulled his shirt over his head and pressed it against the cut near her hairline to stop the bleeding. Forget her head, since when did Jacob get so attractive? And holy hell, hello eight pack!

Jacob chuckled, a lopsided grin flashing across his face. "I'm attractive, huh?"

She winced. "I said that out loud?"

"'Fraid so. How hard did you hit your head?"

She caught herself staring at him again. "Oh, um, I don't know. Pretty hard, I guess."

"I'd say so, judging by the blood. I'm gonna have to throw away this shirt," he teased, then held out an arm to help her up. "C'mon, let's get you home. I'll let Charlie drag you kicking and screaming to the hospital."

She grabbed his hand to stand, but didn't let go. "Jake, you're hot."

"Upgraded from attractive, huh?"

"No, temperature hot," she said, using her other hand to feel his forehead. "Shit, you're burning up."

He shrugged. "I feel fine."

She watched him carefully for a minute, eventually conceding and stepping back, but Jacob kept a hold of her hand. "Jake..."

"I can't hold your hand?"

"It means something different for you."

"One, that's my problem. Two," he stepped closer, taking her hand in his again, "we have fun together, you think I'm good looking..."

She stepped back again and crossed her arms over her chest. "Slightly more attractive than average."

"I know you like me."

"Of course I like you! More than anyone. But that's all."

"Because of Hale?"

Whitlock, the familiar voice in her head growled, but she shushed him for now.

"Look, I know what he did to you. I can see it in your eyes every time his name comes up even though I know you try and hide it. But you need to know I would never ever do that to you. I promise I will never hurt you. You can count on me."

"That's just it, I already do! You don't know how much," Bella pleaded with him, desperate to make him understand. At some point, they had drifted close enough that they were holding hands again, and now she gripped them tightly. "I don't know what I'd do without you. You're my best friend. But I don't think my feelings will ever change."

She watched his face fall and she honestly wished she had hit her head harder so she could be blissfully unconscious instead of this hell.

Then, he suddenly went pale and closed his eyes. He took a deep breath. Bella briefly panicked that he might pass out instead. "Jake, what is it?"

He shook his head slowly. "I don't know, I just... I feel weird."

"Well yeah, I told you you have a fever. Probably a pretty high one. I bet it's that flu that's going around."

"No, this doesn't feel like the flu. This feels... different." He ran his hands over his face and sighed. "Let's just get you home, then I'll sleep it off or something."

"Yeah, okay." Numbly, the both shuffled to the car. Jacob helped her into the passenger seat, then went to retrieve the bikes. He climbed behind the wheel and Bella placed her hand on his arm before he could start the truck. "Still friends?"

He gave her a small smile. "Always. I meant what I said, you can count on me."