My entry for theairthesun drabble shot contest. Entries had to be under 1,000 words, be jake/bella, and use the song prompt, Crawling Back to You by Daughtry.
I said no initially, because I don't often write JB stories, and I was trying to avoid fanfic... lol
I have been nominated four times in the shewolfawards. Please go vote at shewolfawards. blogspot. com. au/ for your favourite Leah stories and graphics.
Disclaimer: the characters and all recognisable situations belong to Stephenie Meyer - this is a work of fan fiction, except for the legends and histories of the Quileute that, of course, belong to them. I pay my respects to their gods.
Bells.
Insides. Chaotic with panic and grief.
Breathe.
In.
Out.
Keep moving.
Dance.
First one foot; then the other.
Smile.
Nod.
Notice Edward's worried expression.
Jake.
NO.
Must dance. Must not think of Jake.
Bella and Edward, now. Joined. In matrimony.
Isabella. He called her Isabella or Bella.
Her Dad called her Bells. And Jake.
People who loved her.
Bells? She went with Jake. Jake and Bells.
NO.
Jake loved her.
He had come to her wedding. She didn't know he was that strong. She had broken him; again and again. He had lain on his little bed with half his bones broken and she had broken him some more. Told him she loved him, but didn't choose him. Then cried her heart out all night. Petrified Edward.
She couldn't have done it. Gone to his wedding. If it was reversed. He had even danced with her. Hugged her. A signature rib-crusher hug. A Jake hug.
Not now. No more dancing.
So angry.
He wanted to kill Edward. Told him he would, if Edward hurt her when they had sex.
Sam and Seth dragged him away. Edward dragged her.
"Sorry," she told wolf Quil. And she was.
Sorry she didn't run after him?
"You need to go now," Alice reminded them.
She blinked. "Yes."
Alice froze.
"Love?" Edward checked.
"Have to go now," she repeated.
Cold hand. Edward's hand. Closed around hers. He kissed her. Alice dragged her away from him.
Esme and Renee were waiting. Renee was crying. They undressed her, pulled her hair out and let it fall loose down her back. She wore Alice's perfect blue ensemble. She hugged her mother. They said they loved each other. Different kinds of love.
"Bella?" Edward asked.
"Dad?"
"He's over here," Edward pulled her towards Charlie.
His red-rimmed eyes explained the hiding.
"Oh, Dad!" Her eyes streamed.
Breathe. Blink.
The tops of her arms hurt. Where Jake had grabbed her. Shaken her like a kitten.
Hurt. Throbbing. She pressed it again with her own fingers. Hands so large they wrapped right around her arm.
She farewelled her family. Together for once; Phil, Renee and Charlie. Said she loved them. "You too, Bells," said Charlie.
Bells.
Different kinds of love.
They went to the car. Edward sheltered her from the thrown rice. She saw new designer shoes strung behind it.
Silence as they drove down to the highway. Edward turned onto the road.
She heard it then.
Heartbroken piercing howling.
She bit her lip.
A tear escaped.
Then another.
She turned to look out the window, to hide her face. It was a mistake. She saw a wolf; running easily next to the car. She couldn't see the colour.
"Who?"
"Quil."
"Quil?" Surprised.
Breathe. Don't sob. More tears. She wiped them away. She knew he would be able to tell her what Quil was thinking. But she didn't need to ask. She knew. 'Was she really sorry?' That was what he was asking. More tears. Faster now.
The car had slowed. She hadn't noticed.
She wiped the tears away, hurriedly. She glanced at Edward.
He looked grim.
The car jerked as he put the brake on.
He kept looking out the front windscreen. "I love you," he said.
He reached past her body and opened the door.
The wolf whined.
Blink.
Breathe.
"Go."
She wiped more tears. "W-Why?"
"You love him."
"I l-love you, too."
"It's different."
Different kinds of love.
She couldn't move. She let out a strangled sob.
Edward sighed. He didn't need to breathe. "The happiest you were all evening was when you saw Jake arrive."
"I… I," she tried to deny it.
"I checked with Jasper."
"Ah." Of course he did.
"And Alice," he added.
Silence.
"I'm sorry." God, was that all she could say?
"I know." He looked at her then. "I'm sorry, too."
He jerked his head towards the open door. "You need to go now," he echoed. "It's all arranged. He's coming. I will make the other arrangements."
"He is?"
A nod.
"Thank you. I will always love you."
"And I you." A pause. "Live, Bella."
He held his hand out flat. She placed the rings in it.
She kissed him. Somehow she climbed out of the car. She stood there. Shaky in her heels. The first drops of rain hit the windscreen. The motor started. He drove away.
She closed her eyes.
She listened as the motor faded.
Breathe.
The rain got harder.
She inhaled. The tightness in her chest was gone.
She was still crying.
"Stop blubbering, Bells," a husky, familiar voice came from the darkness. "It's just me."
The rain was torrential now.
She turned to face him.
He stood, watching her. He looked… incredulous.
His hand reached out and brushed her arm where he had bruised her. "Sorry."
"Jake?" She couldn't believe he was really there, either.
"Bells."
Breathe.
They seemed to step towards each other simultaneously. She reached up to put her hand on his face.
His warm arms slid around her body. He pulled her up against him. She breathed him in. He held her. He held her tighter. She moved. A step and then another. He followed her. They danced in the rain.
"Stop blubbering, Jake. It's just me."