This story begins as New Moon ends.

The bold/italic print are excerpts from the actual book, but I've edited some for space and storyline purposes.I do not own these characters - like I said the print in bold belongs to SM, I'm just borrowing a bit of it. Oh, and the characters belong to her as well, but if you see Jacob Black, let him know that I'm a little in love with him!

The italic print will be used a lot in the story, for both memories and lyrics. The difference between memories and lyrics will hopefully be obvious.

There is a little bad language, but there will also be strong adult story lines - you've been warned!

Edward is in the story a little, but it is mostly a J/B storyline.

Please enjoy and PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE REVIEW!

I have additional chapters ready, so let me know if you would like them posted!

Chapter 1

He sat a chair in the dimly lit hallway, his head buried in his hands. This was all his fault. Everything was always his fault. How could he be so stupid?

He slowly closed his eyes, hoping when he opened them, everything would have disappeared….

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She jumped out of the car, launching herself toward the trees with her hands already balled into fists for the first punch.

He caught her around the waist before she made the path.

"Let me go! I'm going to murder him! Traitor!" She shouted the epithet toward the trees.

They didn't have to go far; Jacob waited just a short ways up the path. He lounged against a mossy tree trunk as he waited, his face hard and bitter, exactly the way she knew it would be. He looked at her, and then at Edward. Jacob's mouth stretched into a humorless sneer, and he shrugged away from the tree. He stood on the balls of his bare feet, leaning slightly forward, with his trembling hands clenched into fists. He looked bigger than the last time she'd seen him. Somehow, impossibly, he was still growing. He would tower over Edward, if they stood next to each other.

"Bella," Jacob said as a greeting, nodding once toward her without looking away from Edward.

"Why?" she whispered, trying to hide the sound of the lump in her throat. "How could you do this to me, Jacob?"

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

"What is that supposed to mean? Do you want Charlie to strangle me? Or did you want him to have a heart attack, like Harry? No matter how mad you are at me, how could you do this to him?"

Jacob winced, 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 eyes sparked with hate as he glowered at Edward again.

"Aw, Jake!" she groaned. "I'm already grounded! Why do you think I haven't been down to La Push to kick your butt for avoiding my phone calls?"

Jacob's eyes flashed back to me, confused for the first time. "That's why?" he asked, and then locked his jaw, like he was sorry he'd said anything.

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

"Stop that," Jacob snapped.

Edward didn't answer.

Jacob shuddered once, and then gritted his teeth as hard as his fists. "Bella wasn't exaggerating about your... abilities," he said through his teeth. "So you must already know why I'm here."

"Yes," Edward agreed in a soft voice. "But, before you begin, I need to say something."

Jacob waited, clenching and unclenching his hands as he tried to control the shivers rolling down his arms.

"Thank you," Edward said, and his voice throbbed with the depth of his sincerity. "I will never be able to tell you how grateful I am. I will owe you for the rest of my... existence."

Jacob stared at him blankly, his shudders stilled by surprise. He exchanged a quick glance with Bella, but her face was just as mystified.

"For keeping Bella alive," Edward clarified, his voice rough and fervent. "When I... didn't."

"Edward-," she started to say, but he held one hand up, his eyes on Jacob.

Understanding washed over Jacob's face before the hard mask returned. "I didn't do it for your benefit."

"I know. But that doesn't erase the gratitude I feel. I thought you should know. If there's ever anything in my power to do for you..."

Jacob raised one black brow.

Edward shook his head. "That's not in my power."

"Whose, then?" Jacob growled.

Edward looked down at me. "Hers. I'm a quick learner, Jacob Black, and I don't make the same mistake twice. I'm here until she orders me away."

She was immersed momentarily in his golden gaze. It wasn't hard to understand what she'd missed in the conversation. The only thing that Jacob would want from Edward would be his absence.

"Never," she whispered, still locked in Edward's eyes.

Jacob made a gagging sound.

She unwillingly broke free from Edward's gaze to frown at Jacob. "Was there something else 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 kept his eyes on Edward "I just needed to remind your bloodsucking friends of a few key points in the treaty they agreed to. The treaty chat is the only thing stopping me from ripping his throat out right this minute."

"We haven't forgotten," Edward said at the same time that Bella demanded, "What key points?"

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

It only took her a second to grasp the distinction, and then Bella's face was as cold as his.

"That's none of your business."

"The hell it-" was all he managed to choke out.

Bella's 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. His face turned sallow green under the russet skin.

"Jake? You okay?" she asked anxiously.

She took a half-step toward him, then Edward caught her and yanked her back behind his own body. "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. "Ugh. I would never hurt her."

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

"Just one more thing," Edward said to me, and then he looked at Jacob. "We've found no trace of Victoria on our side of the line - have you?"

He knew the answer as soon as Jacob thought it, but Jacob spoke the answer anyway. "The last time was while Bella was... away. We let her think she was slipping through - we were tightening the circle, getting ready to ambush her - But then she took off like a bat out of hell. Near as we can tell, she caught your little female's scent and bailed. She hasn't come near our lands since."

Edward nodded. "When she comes back, she's not your problem anymore. We'll -"

"She killed on our turf," Jacob hissed. "She's ours!"

"No -," Bella began to protest both declarations.

"Let's go," Edward said.

She looked back at Jacob, torn. Would I see him again? She wondered.

"Sorry," he whispered so low that Bella had to read his lips to understand. '"Bye, Bells."

"You promised," she reminded him desperately. "Still friends, right?"

Jacob shook his head slowly, and the lump in her throat nearly strangled her.

"You know how hard I've tried to keep that promise, but... I can't see how to keep trying. Not now..." He struggled to keep his hard mask in place, but it wavered, and then disappeared. "Miss you," he mouthed. One of his hands reached toward me, his fingers outstretched, like he wished they were long enough to cross the distance between them.

"Me, too," she choked out. Her hand reached toward his across the wide space.

Like they were connected, the echo of his pain twisted inside me. His pain, her pain.

"Jake..." Bella took a step toward him. She wanted to wrap her arms around his waist and erase the expression of misery on his face.

Edward pulled her back again, his arms restraining instead of defending.

"It's okay," she promised him, looking up to read his face with trust in her eyes. He would understand.

His eyes were unreadable, his face expressionless. Cold. "No, it's not."

"Let her go," Jacob snarled, furious again. "She wants to!" He took two long strides forward. A glint of anticipation flashed in his eyes. His chest seemed to swell as it shuddered.

Edward pushed her behind himself, wheeling to face Jacob.

"No! Edward - Come on!" Her voice was panicked. She tugged on him and he relaxed a little. He pulled her back slowly, always keeping his eyes on Jacob as they retreated.

Jacob watched them with a dark scowl on his bitter face. The anticipation drained from his eyes, and then, just before the forest came between us, his face suddenly crumpled in pain.

She knew that last glimpse of his face would haunt him until she saw him smile again.

And right there Bella vowed she would see him smile, and soon. She would find a way to keep her friend.

Reaching the car, she scowled at Edward. Noticing, he pulled her close again, assuming that Jacob was again the cause of her unhappiness. "It's ok, love," he soothed, his lips moving gently against her hair. "I'm sorry he has hurt you again, but-"

She shoved against him, pushing herself away more than him, her small fists colliding viciously with the cool marble of his skin. She winced slightly, rubbing her palms over her now sore knuckles. Edward sighed, and reached for her hands, as if to again offer comfort. She moved out of his reach. "He hurt me?" The tone of her voice rose dramatically, becoming loud and high pitched. "He's not going to hurt me! At least not physically! When are you going to get that? When are you going to stop with this ridiculous jealously and allow me to be with my friend!"

He stared at her, startled. "Give me the keys," she demanded, holding out her hands. When he didn't move, she became louder. "Give me the keys! I need to be alone!"

Wordlessly, he dropped them into her empty hand. She snatched them angrily, and stomped the car. He almost smiled as she punched numerous buttons on the tiny keypad before finally unlocking it. She revved the engine and the tires screeched viciously as she hit the gas.

But as Edward, and Jacob, as he still watched from the trees, stared in horror, almost frozen, too shocked to even begin to use their unnatural speed, as she flew around the corner, the car fishtailing violently, spun, and finally smashing into a large tree.

Glass shattered, metal screamed and the horrid hissing of the engine filled their sensitive ears. They flew to her, desperate to be the one that would be there first...

He blinked and looked around, confused about where he was. Then he saw the empty gurney and the nurse at the end of the hallway, a doctor in his scrubs, carrying a clipboard.

He groaned and put his head back down.

Through his splayed fingers he saw a pair of shoes stop in front of him. He looked up and saw a nurse standing there, looking very serious.

"Jacob Black?"

"Yes?" He said, and suddenly, his stomach turned and he felt like he couldn't breathe…