Waking Up

Disclaimer: all characters and copyright belong to SM.

Caught in a Lie

Why? Why would Jacob do this to her? Despite the tension between them, he was the one person she trusted most in the world, Bella couldn't understand why he would turn on her like this.

The sting of betrayal was like acid in Bella's throat. She had trusted Jacob implicitly-trusted him with every single secret she had. He was supposed to be her safe harbor – the one person she could always rely on. Of course, things were strained right now, but she hadn't thought that the underlying foundation of their friendship had changed.

And what about Charlie? What was this doing to him? Didn't he have enough to deal with already? He was going to be so mad. Bella knew how he felt about motorbikes. To find out that she had not only jumped recklessly off the cliff, he was now confronted with the knowledge that her stupidity went even further than that, by risking her life on what he considered a death machine.

Tears stung her eyes, but they were not tears of sadness. She was mad. Livid in fact. Bella had never imagined that Jacob could be so petty, and just plain mean. Did he really hate her that much now?

Bella's head throbbed like it was about to explode with anger. Without waiting for Edward's say so, she acted on instinct, and launched herself out of the car, her hands balled into fists at her sides.

Of course, Edward beat her to it. Why did he have to be so much faster than she was? It was beyond irritating. He caught her around the waist before she had reached the driveway.

"Let me go!" She hissed, her eyes narrowing into slits. "Traitor!" She shouted the epithet toward Jacob. He looked back at her stoically, his indifferent reaction just intensifying her rage. "I'm going to murder you, Jacob Black!"

"Hush." Edward warned her. "You're making a spectacle of yourself, Bella. And Charlie will hear you if you carry on raising your voice in such an unseemly manner."

Bella glanced at the house instinctively, still seething. It seemed like the glossy red bike was all she could see. She was seeing red. Her head throbbed again.

"Just give me one round with Jacob, and then I'll deal with Charlie." Bella struggled futilely to break free from Edward's hold.

"Jacob Black wants to see me. That's why he's being so brazen." Edward informed her coldly. "This has nothing to do with you."

That stopped Bella cold – took the fight right out of her. Her hands went limp. "He's not here to see me?" Somehow, this newfound knowledge hurt worse than the betrayal over the bikes.

"No." Edward replied in the same icy tone. "He wants to talk to me."

"Talk?" Bella asked faintly.

"More or less."

"How much more?" Her voice shook.

Edward smoothed her hair back from her face. "Don't worry. He's not here to fight me. That's why he's waiting out here in the open. He's acting as…spokesperson for the pack."

"Oh." Bella felt even more deflated. So, Jacob being here was really nothing to do with her.

Edward looked toward the house again, then tightened his arm territorially around Bella's waist, pulling her along by his side as they approached Jacob warily.

Jacob lounged against the bike, his face hard and bitter, exactly the way Bella hated. He looked at her, and then at Edward. His mouth stretched into a humorless sneer, and he stepped away from the bike. He stood on the balls of his bare feet, leaning slightly forward, with his hands balled into fists to stop the fine tremors from overtaking him. Being this close, Bella could tell how much bigger he was than the last time she'd seen him. Impossibly, he was still growing. He would tower over Edward if they stood next to each other.

Edward stopped a few feet away, leaving a wide space between them and Jacob. He turned his body, shifting Bella so that she was behind him. Bella leaned around him to stare at Jacob-trying to get him to acknowledge her presence from the strength of her gaze alone.

Jacob willfully ignored her.

Bella would have thought that seeing his resentful, cynical expression would only reignite her anger. Instead, it reminded her of the last time she had seen him, with tears in his eyes. Sadness made her heart clinch in her chest. It seemed a lifetime since she had seen him, although in reality it hadn't been that long. She hated that their reunion had to be like this.

"Why, Jacob?" Bella whispered, too overcome to speak at a normal volume. He heard her anyway, wincing slightly at the sound of hurt in her voice.

"Bella." Jacob finally greeted her, nodding once but keeping his eyes locked on Edward.

"How could you do this to me, Jacob?" Bella faltered, trying to speak around the lump in her throat.

Jacob's sneer vanished, but his face stayed hard and rigid. "It's for the best."

"That's not good enough, Jake!" Bella cried. "Do you want Charlie to strangle me? Or did you want to him to have a heart attack, like Harry?" It was a low blow, Bella knew it, but she was too upset to care about his feelings. "No matter how mad you are at me, how could you do this to him?"

Jacob winced again, and his eyebrows pulled together, but he didn't answer.

"He didn't want to hurt anyone-he just wanted to get you grounded, so that you wouldn't be allowed to spend time with me." Edward murmured., explaining the thoughts Jacob wouldn't say.

Jacob's dark eyes sparked with hate as he glowered at Edward.

"Oh, Jake." Bella felt more tears forming in her eyes. "I'm already grounded! Why do you think I haven't been to La Push to kick your butt for avoiding my phone calls?"

Jacob looked confused for a second. "That's why?" He asked, and then locked his jaw, like he was sorry the words had slipped out.

"He thought I wouldn't let you, not Charlie." Edward explained again.

"Stop that." Jacob snapped.

Edward just shrugged, looking back at him coldly.

"Well thanks to you, I'm going to be out on the street." Bella pushed Edward's hands away when he tried to stop her walking around him. She was getting a crick in her neck from peering around his body at Jacob.

Jacob gritted his teeth as hard as his fists. "Charlie is just trying to protect you."

"He's being unreasonable." Bella argued.

"Is he?" Jacob questioned, his eyes darting to Edward. "Anyway, you won't be out on the street, I assume you'll be staying at vamp central."

Bella glanced uneasily at Edward. "Not exactly." She muttered.

"Bella, please." Edward put a gentle hand on her shoulder. "We'll smooth things over with Charlie. You'll be sleeping in your own bed tonight."

Jacob gazed at Edward thoughtfully. "You don't think its safe in your crypt, do you?" He spat sarcastically. "And you would be right!" His gaze shifted to Bella. "You can sleep in my room, Bells. I'll take the couch."

Edward shot Jacob a hostile glance. "That is never going to happen."

Jacob raised one black brow. "Do you always answer for Bella?"

Edward scowled. "Bella knows its not appropriate."

"There you go again, speaking for her." Jacob looked over at Bella, his eyes rolling. "The offer is there if you want it."

"Thanks, Jake." Bella mumbled. She turned to look at Edward and immediately became immersed in his golden gaze. He shook his head subtly, and she sighed. "Unfortunately, its out of the question. Sorry."

Jacob made a gagging sound.

Bella unwillingly broke away from Edwards gaze to frown at him. "Was there something you needed, Jacob? You wanted me in trouble-mission accomplished. Charlie might just send me to military school. But that won't keep me away from Edward. There's nothing that can do that. What more do you want?"

Jacob shook his head, a hint of frustration and sadness showing on his face. "He really has you in some kind of chokehold, doesn't he? I hardly recognize you as the same girl I spent all summer with. Why are you letting him control you like this, Bella? Where's your backbone?"

"You've said enough." Edward intervened, pulling Bella behind him again.

Jacob sneered, his eyes turning hard again. "You make me sick."

"Just say what you need to say." Edward retorted icily.

"I just need to remind you of a few key points in the treaty. The treaty which is the only thing stopping me from ripping your throat out right this minute for what you've done to Bella."

"We haven't forgotten." Edward snapped at the same time Bella demanded. "What key points?"

Jacob still glowered at Edward, but he answered Bella directly. "The treaty is quite specific. If any of them bite a human, the truce is over. Bite, not kill." He emphasized. His eyes were cold.

Bella went faint at his insinuation. "That's none of your business."

"The hell it – "was all Jacob managed to choke out.

Her answer sent Jacob into near convulsions. He pressed his fists hard against his temples, closing his eyes tight and curling in on himself as he tried to control the spasms.

"Oh, Jake." Bella felt utterly ashamed. She ran out from behind Edward, arms outstretched toward her best friend.

Edward caught her again before she got very far. "Careful! He's not under control." He warned her.

But Jacob was already somewhat himself again, only his arms were shaking now. He scowled at Edward with pure hate. "I would never hurt her."

Neither Bella or Edward missed the inflection in his voice, or the accusation it contained. A low hiss escaped Edward's lips. Jacob clenched his fists reflexively.

"STOP IT!" Bella yelled, slipping out of Edward's stranglehold, and placing herself between them, arms outstretched. "YOU CAN'T FIGHT. NOT OVER ME!"

Just before it had a chance to escalate further, Charlie stepped out on the front porch. They all froze, turning as one to face the irate police chief.

"I see you're sticking with your choice." He said curtly, his eyes narrowing in Edward's direction. "I take it this means you'll be leaving."

Bella felt her heart flutter like a baby bird in her chest. "You've already packed my bags, haven't you? So, I guess that means you made my choice for me."

"What?" Charlie simmered down, looking confused. "Why would I have packed your bags? We haven't discussed your decision yet."

Bella froze in place, only her head turning in Edward's direction. He looked back at her, his expression pained. He had been caught out and he knew it. "You lied to me." She said accusingly.

"I didn't lie." Edward placated her. "The thought was there. I was just interpreting what I saw in his head at the time."

Ice shot down her spine as Bella looked from him, to Jacob, to Charlie. "I'm going in now."

"Bella?" Edward questioned, looking uneasy.

"Go home, Edward." Bella said stiffly, before turning the full force of her gaze on Jacob. "Go home, Jake. I need to speak to my dad."

Then without further ado, she walked up the driveway, not looking back at either of them as she slipped past Charlie and into the house.

A/N-thanks for reading!