Lively.

sequel to recovery.

CHAPTER ONE.

Everything is completely back to normal. Victoria and Laurent are gone, surely sparing me the
heart attack that was definitely not going to evade me. Edward had insisted that it was
unnecessary for me to think that, but I silently disagreed, and I just nodded in faux agreement so
he would be appeased.
I'm still pestering Edward to change me into a vampire as soon as possible. Because of one
short fact.
Someone like me should not be human. There are just too many risks with it. Once I was an
immortal, all those problems would disappear. That was all I wanted. Just for my problems to
disappear.
And to be with Edward forever. I smiled.
Of course, Jacob was not happy with this at all. In fact, after the fight last week, he completely
blew up. Literally. It was just luck and a couple of indestructable vampires to calm him down.
"Jacob. . . I have to tell you something," I said hesitantly.
"What's wrong, Bella?" He demanded. Maybe this wasn't the best time for this. He needed to
chill out.
"Well, I was hoping I could break the news to you in a different situation. And maybe a bit
more..." I trailed off, searching for the right word. Then I found it. "Smoother."
"What's going on?" He glared at Edward, who kept his face neatly composed. This conversation
was not about him, it was about me. I squared my shoulders and turned to face Jacob again.
 "They're going to change me," I said flatly. I showed no emotion, fearing that if I frowned or
smiled it would just make things work.
"What?!" He yelled. "Bella! You're not going to be one of them! Do you know what this
means?"
I inhaled slowly. "War." I tried to sound brave, but my voice shook. I hope he didn't notice.
"Yes, war! Bella, I'll have to kill you and your bloodsuckers!"
I cringed into Edward's side. He stood up. When I looked up at him, his face was composed, the
anger hidden behind his golden eyes.
Though his face showed no emotion, it was still intimidating. He looked like a vampire.
"Listen, mongrel," he snarled. "This is not your choice. If Bella wants to be one of us, she will
be. And there's nothing you can do to stop her decision."
I heard Jacob's teeth grind together audibly.
"Jake . . ." I said, reaching for his hand. He snapped it back so fast that it was a blur.
"Bella, step back. He's losing control."
With that statement, Jacob composed himself. He took a deep breath.
"Shut up, bloodsucker. I don't need your assumptions." His hands turned into fists, and Edward
shifted his body so that I was behind him. His arms were shaking convulsively, and I saw how he
struggled to calm himself down.
"Jacob, breathe. It's going to be okay," I said. I wanted to hug him, to prove to Edward he
wouldn't lose control.
"Jacob, you're either going to calm down or get out of here," Edward growled. He gestured
toward the door, and Jacob's gaze didn't falter. He was still staring at me.
"When are you getting changed?!" Jacob demanded, ignoring Edward altogether.
"Um, in about six or seven months." I sighed quietly, afraid to make a loud noise.
"Months," Jacob repeated flatly.
"That's it! Jacob! Calm down! I know you don't like my decision, and that's fine, but it's my
decision, Jacob. You don't choose for me."
"Shut up, Bella. Just shut up."
Edward growled menacingly.
"Stop it," I whispered to Edward.
I stood up and walked towards Jacob, arms outstretched.
He just stared at them suspiciously.
"What? Am I supposed to just hug you Bella? We'll hug and everything will be okay? No. It
won't ever be okay. You know why?"
I had a sudden sinking feeling that I didn't want to know why. Not at all.
"Why?" I asked.
"Because, I'm in love with you, Bella. Really. If you loved me, you wouldn't change yourself
into one of them." His gaze flickered to Edward's perfection, and then back to me.
I had no idea what to say. I felt Edward stiffen beside me.
"Jake..." I whispered. "Why do you do this to me?"
"Woah! Why do I do this to you?! You're so selfish, Bella! How can you believe that I'm
hurting you? Everyday, I see you with that parasite, and I don't say a word! I just stare at the
ground, saying nothing. It's like you used me for that year when Edward left and then you just left
me! How could you do that to me?"
 "Jacob," Edward began.
"No! Shut up, you stupid leech. Just shut up. I don't need your superior knowledge on what you
think is best for her. Let her choose. You don't choose for her," he said, echoing my words from a
few minutes ago.
I just stared at him, openmouthed with shock.
"What? He does, doesn't he? You're going to let him choose for you? That's really nice. Just
throw our friendship out the window, Bella."
"Jacob!" I screamed. I have had enough. "Okay, first of all, nobody chooses for me. I'm
independent. I don't need you coming in my house trying to make me feel guilty about something
I didn't even realize I was doing. And you know what, Jacob? I am going to be a vampire, and
there's not a hope in hell that you could change that." He had made me so mad, I started saying
really mean things that I automatically regret.
And with that, Jacob bursted out of his clothes. In his place was a red-brown wolf with a
terribly, terribly sad forlorn expression. Edward pushed me roughly into the couch, and slammed
the couch into the wall. I closed my eyes automatically. Then I stood up, ignoring the throb of
pain in my ankle.
I reached out to the wolf instinctively. "Jacob..."
He ran out the door, and I heard his peculiar gurgled cry.
What have I done? Why do I hurt the ones I love?
CHAPTER TWO.
I automatically started walking towards the door. Edward darted over to me, grabbing my waist
and taking me back to the couch with him.
I started to sob.
"Oh, Edward. I'm such a bad person. It was completely unnecessary to say those hurtful things."
And it was. Even though I did not feel the same way about Jacob, I loved him in a way. His pain
was my pain, even though we were seperated for a few months. My heart ached all that time,
yearning for him.
I could see why he thought I was just using him. But John had forced me to leave him.
"Bella, stop. It's not your fault."
"Yes, it is! It's always been my fault. And Jacob's right. I have been hurting him. I.. I..." I
stuttered, not knowing what I was going to do or say. I just squirmed out of Edward's arms and he
let me go.
"Where are you going?" He asked.
"To find Jacob."
"No."
"Why?"
"Werewolves are unstable, Bella. He could lose his temper because of the slightest thing you'd
say."
"He won't lose his temper, Edward. Please trust me. Just this once."
He groaned. "Then please allow me to drive you to the boundary line, and to give you a
cellphone. And you need to call me if there's any problems. Any at all, Bella."
"Sure, sure," I agreed, trying to reach for the phone.
He held it up high so I wasn't able to reach it.
"I mean it," he warned. "If I hear the slightest scream from you, I'm coming. Understand?"
 I just laughed. "Yes, sir," I said, saluting.
Edward chuckled and tousled my hair. He led me out the door.
He lifted me into his car with one hand, and darted for the driver's seat. He gave me the phone
and I didn't look at it, I wanted - needed - to see Jacob. To explain myself.
It seemed like no time at all we were at the boundary line.
That's when I heard Edward hiss through his teeth. I froze instinctively. It was something I did
when I was abruptly stressed. I picked it up from Edward.
"Edward, what's wrong?" I asked, leaning into him. Trying to calm him.
"It's Jacob. He's thinking of..."
"What?" I demanded, wanting to know.
"Bad things." He looked at me. "I have to get you out of here." The engine revved.
"No, Edward!" What could Jake be thinking that upset Edward so much? "What's he thinking?"
Edward looked like he was about to throw the car's door open and rip Jake's head off.
"Very inappropriate things. I could kill him." His hands clenched into fists again, and I glanced
out the window, hoping Jacob was within running distance from Edward.
"Edward! What the hell is he thinking?!" I shouted.
He explained it to me then, scrutinizing my face as he talked. I inhaled in shock multiple times,
unknowing that Jacob was capable of thinking that way.
It's disgusting. I'm not apologizing to him. It was all a lie, just to get me to go to La Push, away
from Edward. Away from protection.
I silently made a promise to myself to never talk to Jacob again. No matter what happened.
Now that Edward told me what Jake was really thinking, I have lost most of my respect for him.
Now, I view him as werewolf, and nothing else. I know it sounds selfish, but it's true. He was
thinking about doing disgusting, repulsive things to me that only a monster would do. Seeming to
know I needed reassurance, Edward took my hand and squeezed it.
"Edward, I think I'm officially done with Jacob," I said.
Inside, my heart was shattered.
"Good," he said in an ominous tone, and that automatically made me suspicious.
Was Jacob really thinking that? Or is Edward trying to keep me away from him for a reason?
Oh, well. I'll figure it out eventually. I squeezed Edward's hand back, and he smiled over at me.
CHAPTER THREE.
The sun was buried so deep behind the clouds that it looked like a bright shadow. It was slightly
disorientating, but I wasn't focused on that.
My mind was on other things.
Jacob. Was he really thinking that?
Edward. Was he lying about Jake's thoughts? To keep me from going to La Push?
I decided to just ask.
"Edward?" I asked politely, fidgeting. After a short internal debate, I decided that I wouldn't be a
coward. I would ask him straight up if he did or didn't, and he should tell me the truth.
Right?
He looked at me, obviously suspicious of my tone. "Yes?"
"Was Jacob really thinking those things, or were you just trying to keep me from going to La
Push?" I asked warily, enunciating each word. I instantly regret asking him. He looked angry, and
it shocked me.
 "No. He was really thinking those things."
"Oh." I let it drop. Not only because I was afraid of asking more questions -not that he would
hurt me-, but his tone still sounded suspicious.
Ugh. This is killing me.
The only solution was to ask Jacob what he was really thinking.
I don't think I'm ready for that.
I had bigger problems to face, and I don't need more stress to add on to it. Edward wouldn't lie
to me about what Jacob was thinking. No doubt that it was genuine angriness on his face. It
wasn't an act.
I just had to believe that.
"Bella," Edward whispered. "We're home now." He took my hand and lifted me over his lap out
the driver's side.
"Yeah. Home," I whispered, looking down at the ground. He put his arm around me and led me
into the house. Alice, Carlisle, Jasper, and Esme were the only ones there.
"Where are Rosalie and Emmett?" I asked, looking around for a sign of them.
"They went on another honeymoon," Esme answered. She smiled at Edward's arm around me.
"Oh." I was relieved. Not because I didn't like Rosalie, but it's just that she doesn't like me.
Because of the choice I'm making.
All of a sudden, - despite the treaty - Jacob burst through the doors of the Cullen house,
looking infuriated. He was staring loathingly at Edward, and he kept his face composed and
serene.
"Jacob? What's wrong?" I asked. Edward took my hand protectively, and he was crouching
forward just a bit.
Jacob looked like something was seriously wrong. "Bella, I'm so sorry."
"I don't need your apologies, Jacob." I frowned.
Like something hit him, Jacob charged towards me like a raging bull.
"No!" I screamed. Edward had no choice but to slam me into the wall. Luckily, Esme caught
me before I got seriously hurt.
Alice took Jacob by his throat and tried to get him to go outside.
He threw her into the couch with earsplitting force.
Carlisle had to hold Jasper back from killing the werewolf.
Edward turned to Alice and helped her up, nodding at something. Edward sprang at Jacob,
knocking him onto the floor.
He got up easily.
"She's mine, bloodsucker! Keep the hell away from her!" Jacob screamed. He pushed Edward,
but he didn't move an inch.
Instead, he grabbed Jake's arm, swung him around and threw him out of the window. The
window broke of course, and I cringed into Esme, who was still holding me protectively.
Jacob stalked towards us and Jasper somehow evaded Carlisle and took Jacob by the leg,
throwing him against the back wall and lunging for his throat.
Although I was really displeased and angry with Jacob right now, I didn't want him to die.
"Jasper! No!" I started tearing up. "Please, no!"
Jasper had his mouth bent forward to the werewolf's neck, and he froze. He looked up at me.
"Right. I'm very sorry, Bella. I should have been more careful."
 "It's okay, Jasper." I smiled a forced smile at him. I looked at Jacob. "Jacob? Are you okay?" I
asked frantically.
He sighed heavily. "Come here and help me up, Bella."
I squirmed out of Esme's arms automatically.
Edward shielded me from even looking at Jacob.
"No, don't go near him Bella."
"Why?" Jacob taunted, staring at Edward's arm in front of me. "Let her go! She wants to!"
"No." His tone made it final, and Jacob let it drop. I looked at him apologetically.
He glared back.
It's not my fault, I mouthed. Surely everyone in the room could hear me, but nobody looked at
me. Everyone was focused on Jacob.
He charged at me again.
CHAPTER FOUR.
Four things seemed to happen simultaneously.
Edward crouched in front of me, hissing menacingly.
I cringed back from Jacob, more terrified of him than I have ever been.
Jasper blocked my path from Jacob's while Edward tossed him into a wall.
"No!" I screamed. "Edward, Jasper, don't!" I ran over to Jacob, standing over him.
He grabbed me and pulled me roughly against him. I felt his hot breath in my ear. He wrapped
both of his arms around me, and I just stared at Edward - who was staring at Jake's arms - in
horror.
"Jacob, are you okay?" I asked, trying to squirm out of his arms.
"Let her go!" Edward growled, about to lose control.
"No," I whispered. "Edward, stop."
"Ugh!" He groaned, and I cringed into Jacob instinctively.
Things took a wrong turn.
Jacob flipped me over, so I was laying on top of him. He grabbed my face roughly and bent it to
his. Then he began kissing me so violently it hurt.
"No," I said under his lips, slapping his face. He held my arms down easily.
"Edward!" I screamed.
As soon as I got out the first syllable of his name, Edward grabbed me out of Jacob's arms, and
kicked Jacob out of the house - literally - for the last time.
"BLOODSUCKER!" he screamed. "How did you like watching that? Me kissing your Bella?
Ha." He stalked off toward the trees, snickering the whole way.
"Bella?" Edward asked frantically, scrutinizing my face. "Are you all right?'
"Yes." I sniffed. "Edward, I'm so sorry. I should have let you get me. . . . I should have."
"Shhh," he hushed me. "It's okay." He smoothed the back of my hair, kissing my forehead.
I vowed to myself that I wouldn't talk to Jacob again.
Ever.
I started to cry. "Oh, Edward. Why am I so stupid? Why did I let him do that to me?" Edward
wrapped his arms around me and rubbed my back.
To my surprise, he chuckled. I pulled away from him to look at his face.
"I told you so," he whispered.
"What?" I asked, confused.
 "I told you. He really was thinking those things," he sighed. "Why did you have suspicions
about that?"
"Not sure." I shrugged. "I guess I was just paranoid." I smiled weakly.
He chuckled again. "Shall we go to our meadow?"
"Yes," I whispered. "I guess I don't need to hide anymore. Unless another vampire tries to stalk
me." I nudged Edward lightly and laughed.
He laughed.
"I love you, Edward." I smiled up at him.
"I love you too," he told me.
I tightened my grip on his hand and we walked off to our meadow.