Impasse

Disclaimer: all characters and copyright belong to SM.

Two Shocks for Charlie

Leah's eyes were as immobile as the rest of her face, as if she was finding Bella's words impossible to absorb. She was frozen for maybe three whole seconds before the corners of her mouth finally lifted into a wry smile.

"You just love being right, don't you, girl?" She said grudgingly.

"You know it." Bella countered with a wry smile of her own. "Now get out of here and go claim your man and put him out of his misery."

Now that she had been spurred into action, Leah wasted little time in waiting to do as Bella suggested. She tore out of the bedroom, thundering down the stairs as if being chased by the hounds of hell.

Charlie, disturbed by the loud noise, sauntered into the hallway from the living room, his eyes opening wide in surprise when he saw Leah fly straight past him and out of the house.

"Hi, Charlie. Bye, Charlie." She said as the front door banged shut behind her.

"What the hell?" Charlie exclaimed as he scratched the back of his head in confusion.

"I wouldn't bother, Dad." Bella laughed from her position at the top of the stairs.

"But where did she come from?" Charlie asked. He was totally bewildered.

"She was in my room." Bella shrugged as if it was no big deal.

"But I didn't see or hear her come in." Charlie stared up at his daughter in bewilderment.

"She got here before we did." Bella revealed. "She used the spare key under the ledge."

"You mean she let herself in?" Charlie gaped at her indignantly, not happy that all and sundry felt like they could just let themselves into his house whenever they felt like it.

"You know, Dad, you really should re-think your security on this place. You're the police chief, you should be setting an example." Bella chided him instead of answering his question directly. "You shouldn't just leave random keys lying about for anyone to use. Goodnight."

Charlie's mouth fell open as he tried to think of a counter argument, but couldn't come up with one. He settled for muttering under his breath instead, shuffling off back to his recliner so he could finish watching the rest of the baseball game in peace.

As Bella re-entered her room, she got her second shock of the evening when she found Jacob sitting on the end of her bed. She paused mid-movement, staring at him in stunned silence, not really willing to believe he was real.

Jacob stood up as she entered, his facial expression unsure. He hesitated a few feet from her, his dark eyes watchful.

"I hope you don't mind me showing up like this." He apologized.

It took Bella longer than it should to respond. Then she ran to him, quickly closing the gap and flinging her arms around his waist.

"Oh, you are real." She murmured in relief as her head sank against his chest. The familiar heat from his body encompassed hers and she tightened her hold on him.

Emboldened by her reaction upon seeing him, Jacob's right hand traced its way down to her waist. He was thinking of their near kiss on the beach before they were interrupted by Paul. His burning hand found the skin at the small of her back, and he pulled her closer, bowing her body against his.

"We got her, Bells. The red head is dead."

It took Bella a second to grasp what he was saying. She pulled back, raising her head so she could get a good look at his face. He was smiling, his facial features now relaxed, his body at ease. This was proof enough to confirm the truth of his words.

"She's really gone?"

"She's nothing but a pile of ashes. The threat is gone, Bells. Its over."

Bella held very still, holding his gaze, as his hands caught her face and his lips finally descended on hers with an eagerness that rocked her world. One of his hands moved to the nape of her neck, his fingers curling through the lustrous strands of her hair. The other hand caught her shoulder, drawing her impossibly closer.

Heat shot through Bella at his every touch. She couldn't see, think, or feel anything that wasn't Jacob. Feeling dazed, her arms automatically reached up and encircled his neck. All the while his lips, so soft and warm, gently coaxed a response out of hers.

And then she was kissing him back. She grabbed two fistfuls of his shaggy hair, pressing her mouth harder against his as passion took over.

With a wild gasp, Jacob's fingers clutched frantically at the skin of her waist, while the forceful jolt of her desire unbalanced Bella's tenuous hold on self-control entirely. His ecstatic response overthrew any of her feeble attempts to resist him. She forgot that her father was just downstairs. Her brain disconnected from her body as she met him kiss for kiss.

This was nothing like she had ever felt before – not that she had much experience in that department. Against all reason her lips were moving in strange, confusing ways they'd never moved before -because she didn't have to hold back with Jacob, and he certainly wasn't being careful. Her fingers tightened in his hair as she pulled him even closer.

He was everywhere. The heat of her passion turned her eyelids red, and the color fit, matched the desire they felt for each other. She was burning from the inside out, but it was a pleasurable burn.

The tiny piece of her brain that retained sanity screamed at her.

You need to slow down, girl? Charlie is just downstairs, and the walls are thin. Tone down the noise – as a low moan left her parted lips. Ah, she couldn't find the desire or the will to stop. That her hands clung to his shoulders, and liked that they were wide and strong. That his hands pulled her too tight against his body, and yet it wasn't tight enough.

The thoughts were fleeting and stupid, because she knew that the risks were all worth it. She had been waiting a lifetime for this moment and she was going to enjoy every moment.

Jacob had been so patient. He had stuck to being her friend because he knew she wasn't ready for anything else. She was definitely ready now. Her enthusiastic reaction to his impromptu kiss confirmed that. He loved her. She loved him. They were in love with each other. And finally, there was nothing and no one standing in their way. They could enjoy each other in peace- with no interruptions – nothing and no one could separate them…

Except one angry police chief.

Charlie thrust the bedroom door open, alarmed by the noise of Jacob and Bella's passion. They weren't holding back and not being exactly silent. Troubled by the unusual sounds coming from his daughter's room, he had decided to check in on her.

Bella, with her back to the door, and completely oblivious to the looming catastrophe coming her way, continued to kiss Jacob. She was lost, her mind spiraling. For one brief, never ending second, she got a glimpse of one possible future. She could see Charlie and Renee mixed into a strange collage with Billy and Sam and Leah in La Push. She could see years passing, and meaning something as they passed, changing her. She could see the enormous red-brown wolf that she loved, always standing as protector if she needed him. For the tiniest fragment of that second, she saw the bobbing heads of two small, black-haired children, running away from her into the familiar forest. When they disappeared, they took the rest of the vision with them.

And then, quiet distinctly, she finally became aware that eyes were upon her. Jacob's lips were still before hers were. She opened her eyes and he was staring at her with a mixture of wonder and elation…and another emotion she couldn't quite place.

"Bella, I have to leave." He whispered huskily.

"No!" Bella protested, gripping his wide shoulders tightly.

Jacob smiled, pleased by her response. "I don't think I have much choice, honey. But one thing first."

He bent to kiss her again. This time it was different. His hands were soft on her face, and his warm lips were gentle, unexpectedly hesitant. It was brief, and very, very sweet.

His arms curled around her, and he hugged her securely while he whispered in her ear.

"I'm sorry that I'm leaving you to deal with Charlie all alone. But I better go before he gets his shotgun. That kiss was so worth it. Bettler late than never. Love you."

Startled, Bella suddenly felt the loss of his heat as Jacob sidestepped around her and bolted by an apoplectic Charlie.

"Hi, Charlie. Bye, Charlie." He yelled as he ran silently down the stairs and out of the front door before Charlie had a chance to catch him.

Bella's brain stuttered for a moment and her chocolate brown eyes took in more light than expected, every part of her going on pause while her dazed thoughts tried to catch up. After the wash of cold from Jacob's absence finally sank in, she raised her head to meet Charlie's livid stare.

"Oh, hi, Dad. I didn't see you there." She apologized with a sheepish smile, her cheeks blazing fire engine red as she shut the door in his face.

A/N-thanks for reading!