It's been three long years since Edward left Bella, and things within The Cullen family have changed epically. After Edward's final stand off with Victoria, Emmett is left heartbroken and alone. A chance vision sends him back to Forks, and into the healing arms of the one person he never expected. Why fight with fate?

 New Moon AU - Bella/Emmett.

You know those fics where Edward doesn't come back and Bella forgets about him and five seconds later she's in bed with Jacob and none of it makes any damn sense?
Yeah, this isn't one of them.

This story picks up from the moment in New Moon when Jacob has driven Bella home after the cliff diving incident, right before he catches the scent of Alice. Only in this telling, Alice wasn't looking, so there's no sudden appearance at Bella's house, no Rosalie calling Edward and sending him on a suicidal mission to Volterra, and no reason for Bella to do anything but believe that Edward didn't love her anymore. This is simply a story of what might have happened if everyone stayed mostly in character and Edward's return was delayed. Yes, delayed. Because we all know that he was "this close" to coming back on his own anyhow.
So what would have happened if Bella had tried to move on with her life?  Would she have found happiness with Jacob?  And would Edward be too late?

* First in a series of stories

~I thought of Jacob’s warm arms wrapped around me, his infectious laughter, and his ability to keep me from falling to pieces again… The pain choking my heart relaxed and I could breathe.~

~“More than anything,” I whispered, not caring what I'd just agreed to. When it came to Bella, it didn't matter what the question was. I just wanted.~

Winner of:

Best Author, Most Romantic, Favorite Jacob, Most Suspenseful, & Best WIP in the Wolfpack Awards | Best Non-Canon Pairing (Incomplete) and Best WIP in the Moonlight Awards | Best During the Series in the Razzle Dazzle Awards | The Storyteller Award in the Shimmer Awards | Best JacobxBella in the Silent Tear Awards  

What if Bella's decision to choose Edward over Jacob had not been so sure? What if she couldn't bear to break Jacob's heart? Would she choose a different path to satisfy the needs she never knew she had? Will her choices ruin everything that she's fought so hard to protect? Set at the end of Eclipse, after Bella tells Jacob of her need for Edward, she makes a plan that could put everything in jeopardy. An Edward & Bella story, with a little Jacob confusion & angst thrown in. I promise Edward/Bella fans, if you stick with me, you'll be happy. RATED R for language and suggestive themes.

What if Edward never came back, Alice never saw Bella jump from the cliff, and Jacob had his fair chance with Bella? Bella and her werewolf friends are left to defend themselves against Victoria, and Bella's life lays in Jacob's hands, in more ways than she will ever know.

FYI: Bella x Jake. . . I have read some of the raunchier stories, and I see that many of them are OOC, majorly. Bella and Jake are two inexperienced teenagers. They don't use dirty language, they don't talk nasty to each other, they don't call each other "baby." They are clumsy, they are hormonal, they make mistakes. It is rated NC-17 because there is sex. However, the sexier scenes of this story will be free of vulgarity and nasty words, and will read more like a romance novel than a porn script. Please please please review and let me know what you think!

P.S. Like the banners? Want one, too? Contact me with details [who you want in it, what you want it to say, etc.] and emails! I will make it happen!

I am a member of Project Team Beta. If you would like to join or are seeking help, you can find the info at: http://community.livejournal.com/ptb_twilight/

Bella never thought things would get this way. It had never crossed her mind. The hurt and betrayal from all parties stung like constant bee stings, but something more important is at stake.

**Rated for violence and rape and takes place between New Moon and Eclipse.**