Part 1

We all know Bella can be selfish, especially when she doesn't mean to be. One day things change for the worse. Bella gets some bad news and which causes her to do the most selfless act she has ever done, without even thinking twice on it.

Bella POV

Hard. That's how I would describe the last few days. Victoria and her newborn army had been vanquished four days ago. Jacob had been severely injured four days ago, and four days ago, I broke his heart. I told him that I loved him, but not enough to choose him over Edward. Never enough.

He didn't want to see me any more. I knew he would keep fighting for me, and I wanted him to. I didn't want him, but I still wanted him to want me. Ugh. That's so screwed up. What's wrong with me?

Edward and I were less than a week into our engagement and plans were in full swing. I had handed over the whole planning to Alice. I barely wanted a wedding, only agreeing to appease Edward. It was so important to him. I was less enthusiastic, so how could I plan it? No. It was better this way, even if Alice was more zealous then normal.

The most important people had been told, my mom, dad...Jacob...and now it was time to tell the rest. I sat at the large mahogany table in the dinning room of the Cullen's palatal home, musing over which invitations to choose. Alice had chosen the style, I asked to choose the colours. I didn't want them to be gaudy. Invitations were something that guests normally kept as a keepsake, and I was hyper aware that not everyone – in fact no one I knew – understood the Cullen's taste for the expensive look.

Alice had presented me with some positively ghastly ones so far. Gold and cream, with real gold, and pearl embellishments, red and black, with what I was positive was real rubies decorating the trim, too gaudy and Gothic at the same time.

After an hour I decided on a luxury, pearlescent card with a scalloped trim, mounted with a piece of plain black card, followed by a layer of silver crepe paper, and finally another layer of the pearlescent card which would have the details written in beautiful, flawless calligraphy. Lavish to some but positively plain in the eyes of Alice. Perfect.

"Ugh, they're so plain," Alice complained as she took in my finished work. "A pearl trim on the black card would liven these up perfectly."

"No. They're perfect like this." I replied. I had so little say in any detail that Alice usually agreed to any stipulation that I had. She huffed for dramatic effect. "Is this the final guest list?" I asked taking the piece of paper off her. She nodded.

I scanned over the fast amount of names, she has them numbered, categorised by human/non-human, bride/groom, families, and alphabetically listed. Despite the three hundred names, and the huge detail that went into organising the guests, I managed to pick out two immediately.

"Why is Jacob on the list?" I asked with a slight sharpness in my tone. She blanched, obviously not prepared for my reaction. Edward swept into the room at that moment and decided to save his sister.

"We know how close you two are," he said smoothly, I bristled slightly. "I thought you would want him at our wedding," he smiled at me tenderly, and the unexplained anger that I had been feeling seeped away.

"Jacob is in enough pain without me subjecting him to our wedding day," I replied "plus Billy is too ill for travel." I crossed them both of the list with a finality that left no room for argument.

I excused myself, feigning interest on how Esme was getting on with the floral arrangements, and stepped outside.

I breathed in the cool air and pulled my cell out of my pocket. I scrolled down the list of names until I came to my dads and hit call.

I hadn't heard much from him since I told him of my engagement to Edward. Not being his biggest fan, it pushed my dad away even further. Edward was my forever, but it didn't make leaving behind the ones I loved any easier. He answered after the fifth ring.

"Hello," his voice sounded watery, so much so I lost the inability to speak, "Bella?" he asked with uncertainty. Hearing my name sparked some coherent thought, allowing me to speak.

"Dad, hi," I spoke tentatively. "I hadn't heard from you in a few days. I just wanted to make sure you were OK?" I rambled. He sighed heavily.

"Umm, no, actually. Billy ended up in hospital again, the flu he caught turned into pneumonia, and he has slipped into a diabetic coma, they have given him two weeks at most." his voice broke at that last bit, and I felt tears pool in my own eyes. My heart was breaking, and not just for the pain my dad and Jacob were experiencing, life without Billy was inconceivable.

"I'll be right there," I said with more strength than I felt. "What hospital is he in?" I asked.

"Umm, Jacob managed to convince them to let him home," my dad stuttered, he was surprised by my reaction. "But hun, Jacob might not want you there," he said tentatively.

"Maybe not but at least he'll know I'm there." I replied. We bid goodbye, and I rushed back into the Cullen house.

I barely got five steps beyond the door when I was accosted by Edward. "Bella?" he questioned. He wiped away my tears, and I shivered involuntarily. I had forgotten about crying.

"I need to go," I said rushing upstairs to pack, only to be stopped by Alice. "Billy has gotten worse."

I managed to by pass Alice, but she joined me in the bedroom along with Edward and Carlisle.

"Surely your father can help deal with whatever is going on?" Edward asked innocently, but I raged. He just didn't get how important they all were to me, even Billy.

"No. He can't. Billy has only been given two more weeks to live." I snapped. I explained what my dad had relayed to me, only Carlisle showed understanding.

"But the wedding is in just four weeks, so much will need to be done," Alice said.

"The wedding will have to be put back then," I barked. Edward decided to intervene.

"I am sure that is not necessary, my love. I will drive you two and from the hospital each day, and Alice can continue planning the wedding. Each night you can go over the details and let her know of any changes."

"He's not in hospital, he's at home. It's what Billy always wanted."

"OK, you're not seriously asking me to let you travel to La Push every day?" he asked incredulously.

"No I'm not," I replied. He smiled in relief. "No permission is required." I replied simply. The smile slipped from his face. I sipped up my bag, and made my way down to my truck.

"Bella," he snapped stopping me. I snarled at him and wrenched my arm free of his tight grip. "You can't seriously be stopping our wedding for him?"

"I'm not, I'm stopping it for Billy, a man who was like a father to me, and is in his final moments of life."

"Yeah, a father you were willing to give up to become a vampire," he seethed. I finally snapped.

"Not seeing him for the rest of my life due to me being a vampire, and not seeing him because he has died, are two very different things. What separates them is a human emotion that you seemed to have long forgotten. And if you can't understand my need to spend time with Billy before he goes, then the wedding is off indefinitely. I need a break, don't call me, I'll call you." I pulled the ornate engagement ring off my finger and handed it to him. I then clumsily climbed into my truck, started the engine and sped off without looking back once.

XXX

Nerves hit me with full force the closer I got to Jacobs, going into overdrive when I crossed the boarder into La Push.

My dad's words were ringing in my head and I was unable to shake them. What if Jacob refused to let me be there? I didn't know what I was going to do.

I arrived to the surprise of finding the entire pack standing in front of the little redwood house. Jacob's face showed it's shock at my arrival, but he quickly replaced it with a stoical mask as I exited my truck.

"What are you doing here leech lover?" Paul snarled. I blanched. It wasn't the first time he said it, but it was the first time Jacob hadn't defended me, and it stung. Jacob said nothing, but looked at me and waited on an answer.

"My dad told me what happened, and I had to come?" I replied quietly. Jacob didn't respond.

"Why?" Paul snapped. "Why do you care about Billy?"

"I love Billy," I replied indignantly. "he has done a lot for me, and I have done little to repay his kindness. He treated me like a daughter, and if I had have known he was so ill, I would've been here sooner."

"I see, so you've come to assuage some of your guilt," he growled.

"Leave her alone, Lahote," Jacob snapped. He stepped forward but kept a distance. "He's in his room, Sue has assessed him and thinks it's a matter of days rather then weeks," his voice broke for the first time, and I longed to comfort him.

"Then that's where I'll be," I replied. He nodded once and turned to leave. "Jacob?" I asked, he stopped but didn't turn back to face me. "I won't be leaving, at all. If you want me to go then I am afraid you'll have to physically throw me out." My voice held more strength and finality than I felt. I turned, and without waiting for a reply I sauntered into the house.

I quietly made my way to Billy's room. I braced myself for the worst and opened the door. What I was faced with was worse. Billy was lying in his bed, his pallor was a pale, sickly yellow. His face sunken so that his skin hung loosely. His breathing, rapid and shallow. I stood at the door and cried for a good few minutes before making my way to his bedside. I grabbed his hand as I sat down and gasped at how cold it was.

"Billy, it's Bella," I said to him. I gulped back my tears as I became aware of Jacob hovering outside the room. "What are you doing? You're the strong one Billy. How can you be leaving us so soon?" I gulped down the last of my tears as Jacob crept into the room.

I turned to Jacob, the stoic mask had slipped and his tears ran freely down his cheeks. I went to stand, to comfort him, but as I released my grip, Billy's hand tightened on my own. I paused, Jacob noticed the reaction and was by Billy's side immediately.

"Dad?" he asked weakly.

Billy's eyes opened briefly, he turned ever so slightly and looked at me, before shutting his eyes again.

"You came home, little chica," Billy wheezed. Jacob gasped.

"Did you ever doubt I would?" I replied a bit watery.

"A little," he breathed out heavily, and the smallest smile formed on his face before his eyes closed once more.

"Dad?" Jacob called to him, but there was no more movement. We waited with baited breath, but Billy's breathing slowed and became more shallow. "He was waiting on you," Jacob said in disbelief. He looked into my eyes properly for the first time, and I saw something that I hadn't seen for days. Something that I didn't know I had been missing until that moment.

Jacob took a deep shuddering breath and crumbled.

A.N. I initially intended on this being a one-shot, but there was too much to put into one chapter. It will be three chapters at most. I hope you like.