Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

~A/N So apparently, I still get the itch. I had this one off and on for awhile now. I scratched it and here it is. Special thanks to my gal pal, Alix for inadvertently saying something that tickled my muse. This one is dedicated to you.

Summary: Bella Swan was good at keeping secrets. She was also adept at hiding. Life had dealt some hard knocks, but also a pleasant surprise. Watch Bella embark on the toughest chapter of her young adult life. With her father's encouragement, she finally has a little faith in herself. Enter Jacob Black. He meant to help, but what if is his presence ending up hurting her in the worst way? [Jacob/Bella, AU]

Serendipity

The resounding crack proved to Bella her luck was not looking up anytime soon. Who breaks a hammer? She raised her hand and spoke to herself. "That would be me."

Bella tossed the separate pieces out of frustration. The echo of breaking glass was the icing on the cake. At least it was only the detached garage and not the actual house. A broken window out in the garage could wait, the dripping kitchen sink and the loose step she'd almost broken her neck on couldn't wait another day.

"Bells. You okay? There's glass everywhere."

"I'm fine, Dad. Come on in."

Her father stopped by often even though she hadn't even been settled a week. He was more than thrilled she relocated nearby after she settled her mother's estate. However, he was a little concerned how she spent a hefty chunk of her inheritance.

Bella was a starving artist since high school. She never could settle on another career path. Painting was her passion. She also dabbled in writing poetry and photography. Her mother and step-father's sudden deaths from an accident shook her to the core, but they left a hefty sum of money to her so she would be taken care of and she needed it given her dire circumstance in life. Her mother was another gypsy soul and would be proud of Bella's choices. She purchased a plot of land on the outskirts of Forks. She had missed out on a real relationship with her father for years and losing her mother struck a chord. Family was everything. That became more apparent after several life-altering events. She could create her art anywhere, so why not live close to Charlie? She was no longer taking life for granted and she needed the support. Only her father knew why that was so important and why this house meant so much and why this was the hardest summer of her existence.

"Bells, you're going to need that window fixed as soon as possible or you'll end up with all sorts of unwanted inhabitants. Don't you store canvases in here?"

"I know, Dad. I store lots in here because I don't know where everything should go inside yet." Bella also kept her car in the garage. The last thing she wanted was to be greeted by a forest creature or worse... a mouse when she needed to go somewhere. Bella wasn't much of an animal person. They were cute and all, but not really her friends. Her mom had a cat when she was little and she was evil. Once the neighbor let his dog loose and Bella ended up with twelve stitches on the back of her thigh after attempting to pet the animal.

She stated the facts. "I'll get to it later, but right now, I need some tools. The Realtor said the garage had plenty of tools left behind. He failed to mention they're all antiques or broken. I need one of those squeezy things and a hammer. Do you have either of those?"

Charlie rubbed his mustache. "Well, I can't say I keep any squeezy things in my toolbox, but I have a few hammers back home. You should have called me earlier."

Bella knew he was teasing her about the tool she needed for the kitchen sink because she couldn't remember what it was called.

Bella informed him about all the water that flooded out on her feet when she tried to use the sink and the fourth step was determined to kill her. This house needed to be transformed into a proper home and safe. She was on borrowed time.

"The window has to wait until tomorrow or the next day." It would probably be more like a week if she was being honest with herself.

She was hot and tired and rambling. She refused to cry. It was important to her to do this herself. Her mother had never done a damn thing without Bella or some man's help. She closed her eyes and silently apologized to her mother, may she rest in peace, but it was the truth.

"Bells, let me go back into town and get my tools. I don't know much about plumbing, but hopefully I can tighten up a loose-fitting pipe."

"No, Dad. Didn't you work the night shift? Just point me in the right direction to the hardware store and I'll take care of it. You need to get some rest. Have you eaten anything today?"

He insisted he was fine that he wasn't hungry and that he was off for the next 48 hours so his rest could wait. He commented she appeared like the one that needed rest and she understood why. If she'd known he was coming over, she would have concealed the dark circles under her eyes.

Her father had this look on his face. It wasn't disappointment exactly, more like apprehension. She knew he didn't want her to buy this old place. He had some fairly sexist and old-fashioned remarks about her choice. "It seems like too much for a single woman to take on. Are you sure?"

Bella didn't want to argue. She knew he worried about her. She wished he had a little faith. Come to think of it, she wished she had a little more faith in herself. Some very annoying people had shaken her confidence as well as almost broken her. Her mother's death should have been the final straw, but a letter left behind with the will kicked her in the tail and Bella decided she was a fighter. She would never give up. They would not beat her.

Her father changed the subject. "Hey, come to think of it. Do you have any coffee made?"

Bella was relieved to step away from her mistakes for a bit. She started a fresh pot of coffee and heated up last night's veggie frittata. She didn't miss her father's grimace.

"Got any bacon?"

"Nope."

"Sausage? A ham steak?"

"Dad, going meatless at least one day a week could add years to your life."

He mumbled something incoherent, but managed a smile when he told her the egg creation wasn't half bad.

"Whatcha painting these days?"

"Nothing much. I had a strange dream last night and sketched a few things before I got out of bed. I didn't let myself get carried away so it doesn't make much sense. Come to think of it, my dream was a little scary and I don't usually paint such things."

"Well don't start scaring yourself. It's bad enough you're out here far from me or anyone else for that matter. I'd still like to talk about loaning you a gun."

Bella put her hands over her ears. "No way, I told you I don't believe in guns."

"Bells, that hardly makes sense. Tell me you don't believe in the tooth fairy and I accept that, but how can you not believe in an invention that's very real? My job and the safety of Forks relies on guns. I'm not saying you have to take up hunting, just let me show you the basics. I highly doubt you'll ever need to fire it, but better safe than sorry."

"No guns."

"And no help from your Dad?"

"I appreciate your offer, I'm a big girl now. I need to take care of my own projects."

"Wait. I don't know why I didn't suggest this earlier. Hire someone."

"No thank you. You're worried about my safety and now you're suggesting I hire some stranger that will overcharge me and take advantage because I'm a woman living alone. Plus, you know I need every dime I have left."

"No way, not a stranger. I would never suggest that. My old friend Billy has a boy."

Bella interrupted. "A boy, Dad, really?"

"I say that out of habit, but Jacob is a full grown man, of course. And I do mean grown. I've known him since the day he came home from the hospital. He is a fixer. You name it and he can fix it: cars, appliances, woodworking, roof repair, he's a damn fine carpenter too. He worked for a local guy since he was a teenager, but Dowling was never going to make him a partner or give him what he deserved. Jacob's trying to build a business of his own. I'm going to give him a call."

"Don't. If he's out of a job, he'll try to run up a never-ending bill when he sees this place. I need the basics not a full remodel."

"Nonsense. Jake's almost family. He'll be fair and I just said he has his own business now. He isn't out of a job."

"I hate charity."

"It won't be charity. Damn kiddo. Accept kindness. Not everyone has an ulterior motive."

Bella wasn't so sure about that. She trusted Charlie and that was it. Oh and one other because that was inevitable, but she tried not to think too hard about that or she would definitely cry. A true handyman? It sounded almost tempting. Bella could focus on the fun parts like curtains and painting and this guy Jake could fix broken windows, loose boards and leaky pipes.

"Wait. Billy doesn't know, does he?"

"Of course not. You said you didn't want anyone to know yet. I respect that although he'd be understanding."

"I'm sure because I can't take anymore questions or certain looks. You know how hard these months are. It's like I'm ripped in pieces." Bella gave into those tears. Poor Charlie. She was whining to him about something he probably understood better than most. "I'm so sorry, Dad." He held her tight and let her cry. It wasn't the first time. It wouldn't be the last. "I have to make it work."

"I know, honey. You will. It's going to work out. I'm calling Jacob. Trust me. Give him a chance."

"Okay, but just the basics. Tell him nothing fancy. He doesn't need to prove anything out here."

Charlie laughed. "Fine. Jake's not the type that needs to impress."

"What's that mean?"

"You'll see, Bells. You'll see."

Bella forced her father to leave after he yawned into his second cup of coffee. She cleaned up the small mess in the kitchen and swore when the sink leaked again. She slept awful the night before. The truth was she was sleeping terrible each night all alone in that big house. Charlie promised to call Jacob Black. Maybe everything could wait until tomorrow. She wasn't sure when he'd make it out, but he'd call first she assumed. Her dad would probably give Jake her cell number. She wiped up the mess under the cabinet and put a bucket to catch any other drips.

Bella passed the room next to hers. She decided after moving in to keep that door closed. Part of her wanted to fix it up, the other knew it would only cause her more pain. She pulled out the strange sketch from behind her bed. What the hell was she thinking? Bella was afraid of tiny dogs and she'd constructed this wild animal from her dream. What was it even? A German Shepherd? A fox? A coyote? She should trash it, but in her sleep-deprived state, she used one of her most expensive canvases.

Bella studied the outline once more. "Holy crap. This is a massive wolf. You are officially deranged, B." She meant to paint this canvas with something special, reflective of her style so she could hang it over the mantle. Maybe she could play with the idea and sell it instead. There were probably plenty of people in this wooded community that like nature paintings. All money would be useful so Bella closed her eyes and recalled bits and pieces of that dream. She briefly got lost in the details and pretty soon she had the makings of a very realistic wolf sketch, but for some reason the background wasn't coming to her. She knew full well how to paint landscapes, but the woods didn't fit. Why the hell not? She saw a large wolf in her dreams. Wasn't it in the woods out back? She coudn't remember. Bella focused on the eyes. They should be wild and feral on a beast this size, but when she assessed her work, they weren't. Those eyes comforted her for some reason. That was enough, she had to rest her own eyes for like fifteen or twenty minutes tops.

Bella slid the canvas back behind her headboard again like it was a huge secret even though no one would even see inside her room. She fell face first on the mattress and let exhaustion overtake her. Maybe thirty minutes would do the trick.

She was in her favorite place with her favorite person and all was right with the world. Darkness descended and Bella heard a knock. She panicked. A voice whispered, "Should we hide?"

Yes, they should but it wouldn't work. It was over. They were here.

Bella tossed and turned. She woke up in a crumpled heap, sweating and disoriented. It seemed dark out. That wasn't possible. She fell asleep around three, she thought. It was only possible for her to rest in thirty minute increments. No way in hell was it dark. It was a pop-up Washington storm instead. It had to be. She tried to get her bearings when a noise startled her from downstairs.

**Knock, knock**

First, it was the sound of a knock then an actual person voiced, "Knock, knock." It was a clear booming male voice, not through the door. Someone was inside Bella's home. She gasped at air and searched the room for some form of defense. She had a paintbrush and bag of hangers. Damn her and her fear of guns. Bella didn't even have a baseball bat. She was far from anyone and her phone was in the kitchen.

Scream idiot and no one will hear except the murderer who's come to torture and kill you.

She could barricade the door perhaps, jump out the window, break both her legs and drag her body into hiding. It was her only hope.

She pressed her ear against the wood. She swore she heard the creaky front door, but then, "Bells, hey Bells. You home?"

Bells? No one on earth called her Bells but Charlie and it was definitely not him.

She heard the door click and nothing else. Bella wasn't sure what came over her, but she sprinted down the stairs no longer afraid, prepared to investigate. She swung open the door to find a man. He turned around at once.

Holy hell. Who was that?

He smiled wide with a full set of pearly whites gleaming against the porch light. "Bella, I presume?"

She had forgotten every single detail of the day. Bella was awestruck, dumbstruck, still dreaming or she'd died in her sleep. This was not reality. She had never seen such a gorgeous hunk of man and he called her "Bells" before. Proof he wasn't real.

"Hey, hello. You there?" He waved his hand in front of her. "Were you asleep? Sorry, I know the feeling. You fall asleep in the daytime, wake up and it's dark and you don't even know what day it is. I'm sorry. Charlie said I should stop by. I hope you don't mind, but I already looked around the outside. This place is a trip. I had no idea it was even out here."

Finally, it all clicked. "You're Jacob."

"In the flesh. Nice to meet you, but I swear we might have crossed paths as kids according to Dad. Sorry, I don't remember. I must have been really young because you strike me as memorable."

"Did you come in my house?"

"Oh. Well, not exactly. I knocked a lot. Charlie said you were home that you're always home so I stuck my head in. It wasn't locked."

"That's breaking and entering."

He laughed. She did not. Bella was serious. That kind of thing annoyed her. She had met too many men that thought they could do whatever they damn well pleased.

"Oh, shit. You're serious? I'm sorry. I didn't think..."

"No, you didn't. I'm a woman alone in a new place. You're lucky I didn't shoot first and ask questions later. Look, Mr. Black, Dad jumped the gun. He worries unnecessarily. I don't need a handyman. I've got everything that needs done on a list. Money's tight and I'm plenty handy myself." She paused her lies. Bella pulled excuses out her ass right and left. She hoped the signal got better out there so she could finally watch an entire YouTube tutorial on fixing a leaky faucet. But there was no way in hell that guy was going to come over and hang around her house day after day. No fucking way. Bella had issues in the past. She had been sucked in by the worst kind of sexy, charming men. That wasn't her, not anymore.

Jacob needed to go. She never should have laid eyes on him, but he showed up without asking. That made him even more dangerous.

"You have a sink problem?"

"Um, no. I mean it works. I use it. What did Dad say?"

Jacob pulled out his phone in front of her. "Bells has a giant leak under the kitchen sink, pours water out every time she uses it. Might check for mold under there as well. She is going to bust her ass on the fourth step. There's a water spot on the ceiling in the upstairs hallway. She also has a broken window in the garage. Just between you and me, the thought of her handling a pane of glass sounds deadly."

Bella listened disbelieving. She waved her hands because he seemed like he had more. "Stop. That's enough. No way did Charlie Swan send that long of a text."

"I didn't say he did. He called. I take notes in my phone so I don't confuse jobs. His list was so funny, I copied it verbatim. I've had time to check things out for myself as well."

Jacob began to add to her growing list. He said things about some rotten boards at the eaves, roof repairs and a poison vine taking over the back fence.

"Poison? Oh, can you get rid of that? I don't know anything about plants."

"So you do want me to take care of things?"

"No. I didn't say that. I don't know. Do you really think I need a new roof?"

"Not sure until I get up there. Hey, whatcha plan on doing with that old tractor?"

"Nothing, it looks ancient."

"It is, but I bet I can get it running. I could clean up the property a whole lot faster with that instead of the mower I planned on borrowing from a buddy of mine."

Bella wavered. He seemed nice, way too good-looking and a bit over-confident. Jacob played on her weaknesses without seeming to try. God knows she was lonely as hell.

"Hey, have you had dinner yet?"

"A little snack on the run. Why? You offering?"

"Maybe. I don't have a fully-stocked kitchen yet, but I could whip up a few BLT's. There's one catch."

His lip curled with hint of a smirk, "What's that?"

"Don't tell my father I actually buy bacon. I lied because he doesn't need it everyday like a food group, so I pretend when he's over, I only have lean protein and veggies."

Jacob twisted his thumb and finger over his lips like the secret was locked away. He had nice full lips. Bella couldn't even remember the last time a man kissed her. She was in a damn fool inviting him inside, cooking for him, reconsidering hiring him as her handyman, but she was doing all those things in spite of her prior promises to herself. He opened the door for her and let her pass. She brushed against him slightly.

"Ouch. You shocked me."

"No way.You shocked me."

"Whatever. Come on. You can check out the malfunctioning sink while I cook. Do you like a little or a lot of bacon?"

He pointed out his large stature and laughed. "What do you think, Bells?"

She liked that he took the liberty with her name. She also liked that he looked even better in the light. His lips were the best shade of pink too, so kissable. Bella had to stop looking at his mouth.

"Gotcha, Jacob likes extra bacon on his BLT. Anything else I should know?"

"Nope, I'm a simple guy. What you see is what you get?"

Bella tried to hide her nervous gulp. She had one focus and little time to accomplish her goals, so damn her traitorous dormant libido. It picked a fine time to reemerge. How long had it been since she kissed a man? She asked herself for a second time.

~Thanks for reading.

My hope is you all can hire a Jake-like handyman if you ever need something fixed. LOL! Any guesses on what's up with Bella? I'm interested in all your feedback.