Breaking Dawn

Chapter Four: Friday, August 11th

"Have you decided yet?" Jake asks.
"Do we really need to talk about this?"
"Yes, I'm running out of time. It's Friday, and your wedding is Sunday."
"Jake, please don't keep doing this. It makes it so much harder for me."
"Bella," he shifts his weight awkwardly from one side of his body to the other. "I need you. I can't live without you."
"What about how you don't age and I still do, how will that work? I'm going to be old and gray, while you're still a teenager."
"How were you going to make that work with Edward?" He asks.
"Are," I correct him, "and he's going to change me after the wedding."
"Right after?"
"No, after our honeymoon..."
"Why bother? It's not like it'll be a real honeymoon," he retorts.
"It's going to be as real as anyone else's," I counter.
"That's a joke," he says angrily. "You have to be kidding me, Bella. While you're still human?"
"Jacob, please calm down, it's really none of your business," I tell him.
"Yes, it is! It's the pack's job to protect the people of Forks, and I swear I'm going to kill that bloodsucker."
"No, you're not Jacob. Bella won't be of our concern then." Sam says roughly, walking towards us.
"The treaty says-"
"I say, Jacob," Sam's expression is hard and cold. "I say."
"Are you serious? Sam, I've imprinted, have you forgotten that? I thought that one we've imprinted on cannot be harmed!" Jake slams his foot on the ground, and his body is trembling slightly.
"Jake, calm down. You don't want to accidentally hurt Bella, do you?"
His trembling stops immediately, and he looks at me with extreme concern. "I'm so sorry."
"That's what I thought. Remember that next time, Jacob." Sam walks away, leaving us alone again.
"It's okay, Jake. It's my fault," I tell him.
"No, it's not. Please don't ever blame yourself, you didn't do anything wrong."
"Stop doing that, please," I ask him.
"Doing what, caring?"
"I-no," I stutter, "just stop saying those kinds of things. You're trying too hard, Jake. It's really rather bothersome."
"How am I trying too hard, Bella? All I really want is your satisfaction, am I trying too hard to satisfy you?"
"Can I go home?" I ask, changing subjects quickly.
"I'd rather not," his face grows cold, and his shoulders tensing. "I know your bloodsucker will be there."
"You can't stop me from seeing him, and you can't stop me from leaving. Goodbye, Jacob." I turn my back to him and begin walking away, but I feel a hand on my shoulder, stopping me in my tracks.
"Please, Bella, don't go," Jake whines.
"Let me go, Jacob. I don't want to be here."
"I want you to be here, please stay."
"I've been here long enough, I really just want to go home."
"What, so you can get harassed by Edward? So he can ask all about your visit, and grow an even stronger hatred for me? What if he gets so pissed that he just lashes out? He could hurt you, Bella. I don't want that to happen, please stay."
"He has years of experience of self-control, while you're showing none!" I yell, slapping his hand off me and turning around to face Jake. My hand hurts a little, but I just cringe.
"I'm sorry," his voice is soft and broken.
"Don't be, just bring me home."
"Please stay."
"I can have Edward come pick me up if you'd prefer that," I say, getting annoyed.
"Hey, I can drive you home if you'd like," Jake suggests.
I fake a smile and nod. "Thank you."
"Do you really want me to drive you straight home? We could go do something," Jacob offers.
"I just need to go home, I want to spend some time with Charlie."
"Come on, Bella, stop lying. Charlie's at work, and it's summer! Have you even gotten out of the house yet?"
"Of course I have," I say quickly, feeling hurt.
"Other than when you go see Edward?" He asks.
"Jacob, if Edward doesn't count then you don't count. So in that case, no, unless you count Alice."
"Well I can make myself count," he grins, "let's go do something. Let's go bowling, or swimming, or hiking, or even just a walk. Bella, come on! Let's go do something!"
I shake my head. "I really just want to go home," I tell him. Truth be told, I just want to get away from him. I love Jacob and all, but too much of Jacob is really annoying.
"I don't feel comfortable with you being home alone," Jake tells me as he pulls into my driveway.
"I'm an adult, I can make my own decisions. Maybe I'll call Jess and ask her to if she wants to go see a movie."
"Why hang out with Jess when you can hang out with me?"
"Jacob, enough."
He grins.
"Goodbye, Jake, and thanks for bringing me home," I smile, getting slightly annoyed.
"And what do you want?" Jacob says as I reach the door of my houses. I turn around and see Edward standing right next to Jacob's car, talking to him through the window.
"I want you to stop harassing Bella," Edward says coldly.
"If anyone is harassing Bella, it's you. You're kinda cruel, you realize that? You are actually going to seduce her, while she's still a human? You'll kill her!" Jacob's door flings open, and Jacob is very quickly standing right in front of Edward, clenching his fists.
"This is none of your business," Edward tells him, baring his teeth.
"Yes it is, you're going to kill the one thing, the one person I love! Do you realize what you're doing?" Jacob's starting to tremble slightly, his voice quivering.
"I would never do anything that would harm Bella," Edward informs Jacob.
"Then why the hell are you going to-"
"Jake," I interrupt, stepping behind him and resting a hand on his arm.
"Let's go inside," Edward says.
"How about you don't tell her what to do, devil." Jake spits.
"I will not tell her to do anything, but I can ask whatever I want of her. It is her decision whether or not she wants to do so. I am not forcing her to do anything." Edward grabs my hand, tugging me towards him.
"Bella," Jake says quietly. "Don't go."
"You act like I'm deciding between life and death, you two need to stop!" I say harshly.
The two of them stare at me, Jake's trembling has stopped and Edward isn't baring his teeth. They look like they're both ready to bombard me with offers, such as 'let me carry you inside,' or 'let me cook you dinner.' They both look beyond sorry, but neither of them says a thing.
"I'm going inside, I want both of you to go," I tell them. I should be more sympathetic, as both of them are struggling right now, but I am too, and their endless fighting doesn't help.
Edwards' hand grabs mine, and he kisses my forehead gently. "Do you really want me to leave?"
I stare him in the eyes. I can't be rude and just say no, so I hope he will get the hint that I really do.
"She obviously wants you to get lost," Jacob scoffs, quickly looking at me to make sure he didn't upset me. "But she wants me to as well."
"I'm sorry," I say to them, turning around and walking inside.
"Hey," I say.
"Oh, um, hi," Alice says. "I didn't expect you to come home so soon."
"Might I ask what you're doing?"
"That's what I'm wondering," she says. "I had an instinct that I should be here, and I followed it."
"What did you see?" I ask, knowing that she must have seen something.
"It's nothing," she insists.
"Alice, tell me," I grab her arm and shake it a little.
"Victoria has a friend," she says quietly, pursing her lips.
"When you say, friend..."
"There's another vampire after you."