Chapter 28:

After a good hour of talking, it was obvious Bella needed to get back before her friends and Damon had coronaries wondering where she was, likewise for Jacob's friends and family. "You never did say what you were doing all the way out here," Bella pointed out.

"I ... I guess I needed some space like you. Now Sam's a father, he's been trying to give up Alpha duties for a while now, stop phasing. I'm still not sure I'm ready, so I've been putting it off. Today was the pack meeting, and I just couldn't do it, so I phased and started running."

Bella frowned, but she knew he had been conflicted about becoming Alpha ever since he first phased. He was the true alpha of the pack; he just hadn't wanted it at first so Sam carried on. "Jake, I know you can do it. You're one of the strongest people I know. You were made to do this. It's in your blood."

"That's what Leah keeps saying." He replied. A smile came upon Bella's lips when she realised, causing Jacob to roll his eyes playfully. "Yeah, it's Leah. We were both kind of lonely, you know, and so we just grew closer. But it's been pretty casual. Neither of us wants to get in too deep, in case the other imprints."

"If you love her, you should tell her. I know she never liked me, and I can understand why, but I want her to be happy as much as you. She deserves that, after everything."

He nodded, "Thanks, Bells."

"Will you ... will you ask Charlie if he wants to see me? I'll visit whenever he wants me. I miss him so much..."

Jacob smiled and nodded again, "Of course. But you know he'll want to see you whatever. He's been waiting for you ever since he found out you're still alive."

Bella smiled and thought of something she wanted to ask him, but wasn't sure if it was too selfish or not. And she didn't know how Damon would react. But Jacob was her best friend, even now, and she knew she could ask him anything. "Do you want to come back with me? It's not as far as back to La Push, and ..."

Jacob smiled as she trailed off, "I was already planning on it. Someone's gotta check out this new guy. Charlie would expect me to."

They left the trees separately, divided by their supernatural statuses, but both felt whole again. Bella had her best friend back. She had, she hoped, made amends for everything that had torn them apart. She knew it would take time, but luckily, she had a lot of it. And the chance to see her father again put such happiness inside her; she didn't think she would ever be unhappy again.

"Where the hell are you? Are you okay? What happened? Elena's back. She's fine. Please, call me back." Bella grimaced, knowing the other fourteen missed calls were also from Damon. But she was half an hour away from Mystic Falls at the most, so she hoped waiting to tell him in person she was alive would be enough. Bella hadn't forgotten about him, but she had been too caught up in seeing Jacob and thinking about meeting Charlie again to remember she had been away from Mystic Falls for at least a day.

It was the early morning when she and Jacob arrived in Virginia, racing through the forest to get to the small town. When she reached the Boarding House, she ran on ahead whilst Jacob phased back, finding Damon pacing around the living room like a caged animal. Stefan and Elena were also there, sat on the couches, and all three turned to look at her when she burst into the house.

"Bella!" Damon had never sounded more relieved. He stopped halfway as he raced over to her, seeing the tears in her eyes. "What is it? What happened?"

She smiled and closed the gap, almost flinging herself at him and kissing him. He was still shocked and confused, but Damon would never deny a chance to kiss her. "Happy tears, they're happy tears," she whispered to him, parting their lips.

"Where have you been?" he asked.

"I sort of ... ran to Colorado," Bella replied, giving an innocent yet sheepish smile, "And I met an old friend."

"This old friend didn't happen to have fur, did he?" Damon raised an eyebrow.

She nodded, smiling wider. Damon was happy she was happy, and alive, but there was a growing jealousy inside him at this hairy man he had yet to meet. Bella saw that, she knew that would be his first reaction. So she explained further, "My dad knows, Damon, he wants to see me. I get my dad back."

She chuckled when Damon relaxed a little. There was a very keen Elena waiting to grab Bella from him, preparing for the swapping of information on everything that had happened, but it would have to wait. Jacob stood awkwardly in the doorway, assessing the two vampires and human, but mostly just slightly glaring at Damon.

Bella stood back and pulled Damon over, Jacob walking further into the porch. "Damon, this is Jake. Jake, this is Damon. And that's Stefan and Elena."

The slightly dramatic side to Bella was disappointed within seconds. She had expected severe animosity between vampire and werewolf, just like she had experienced in the past. But this meeting was completely different. Damon and Jacob simply nodded to each other, shook hands, and then settled into a comfortable – even if slightly strained at some points – conversation.

It was almost typical of normal human males, a big build up and then nothing actually happening.

Bella rolled her eyes, men.