A/N: While working on Soul Mates, I had been re-reading the end of Eclipse and parts of Breaking Dawn, trying to help the writing of future chapters by keeping canon facts straight. This came out quite unexpectedly; more an exploratory writing excercise than anything. Chapters will be parts, not always consecutive in the time line, may skip some time forward. Not within the Soul Mates universe but another AU of the imprint. Reposted upon request.
This isn't the best written and that shows. Also, the format could use a lot of work and whenever I get the time, I will go through and fix it but for now, I left it unchanged except for grouping certain sentences together rather than leaving it all as one liners in the stead of paragraphs. I tried to keep this in the present tense as much as possible and for me, this is all from Jacob's POV though in 3rd person. There's a similar key here to the one in Soul Mates:
he/his/him - Edward
she/her - Bella
Disclaimer: Everything belongs to Stephenie Meyer, the creator of Twilight.
Part 1
Jacob takes Nessie's hand and walks her to the edge of the forest. He sees her blush, smiles faintly and lowers his eyes to the ground, keeping them there.
Once they are at the edge, he turns to her, smiles wider and whispers "I'll be right back." She nods and he releases her hand and sprints off into the trees. He quickly strips, ties his shorts around his leg and phases.
He leaps out of the forest to find a very nervous Nessie, her cheeks even a darker shade of pink than before. He rolls on his back with his paws in the air, his tongue lolling out the side of his mouth and gives her a big wolfy grin. She laughs and the color in her cheeks begins to slowly fade. He rolls back onto his paws, grinning, knowing he's been successful in lightening the mood.
He barks lightly and swings his head in a slight arc, indicating she should climb on. She does, cautiously taking hold of his fur between her hands and swinging her right leg over his back. Once she's in place, he lifts up and begins to trot into the forest, away from the property, away from prying vampire eyes and supernatural hearing ears. He hears her heartbeat increase its speed in anticipation and he feels his own do the same in automatic response. Just another side effect of the imprint. He runs faster, making sure to slow down a little each time he hears a startled gasp come from behind him.
Eventually, they reach the clearing and he walks her to the edge near the trees. He drops down to his stomach and Nessie dismounts. She stands there, her cheeks that shade of crimson again. He rises and licks her cheek tenderly and she giggles. He grins and makes his way to a spot behind the bushes where he can phase.
It's an unnecessary action, considering what's about to happen, but somehow he doesn't feel right appearing that way before her just yet. This may be his imprint, the other half of his soul in her small body, but it doesn't shake off the discomfort he feels.
He unties his shorts and puts them back on, feeling around in his back pocket, making sure the small package is still there. He sighs in relief when his fingers graze the sharp edges. He runs his hand through his short hair one time in calm reassurance to himself and closes his eyes. He can do this. No, he's supposed to do this. This is what was meant to be.
He always knew this day would come. It was pre-ordained the day she was born. No. Way before that. Way before she was even conceived. Way before he even was. He knows this for a fact. The evidence is irrefutable, the imprint a solid intangible bond that cannot be broken. He should know. He's tried many times before this night. The night of her ninth birthday.
At seven, Nessie was fully matured in the body perceived to be in her very late teens. This night should have happened then. But he couldn't. He still thought of her as a child. Her child. And he just couldn't allow this night to happen. Not until he was ready. Nessie had indicated her displeasure with his decision to wait but didn't push it. She didn't force him to do this any earlier than he was prepared to. And for that, he was grateful. They decided to choose a date, a year when he might be ready to take the next step. He wanted her tenth year, she wanted her eighth. Her ninth year was agreed upon, chosen by both parties.
He took a deep breath and squared his shoulders back, opening his eyes and looking into the darkness behind him, back in the direction of the house they had just left. A part of him was more than ready, ecstatic at finally getting to be reunited with the other half it had been longing for all his life. And that part of him growled impatiently for him to do what he came here to do. The rapid thumping of his heart amidst the slight sting of possible rejection echoed that part's urgency. He took another deep breath and then turned around; setting out to do what he was meant to do, made to do.
She's still where he left her earlier, waiting for him. Always waiting for him.
Nessie smiles meekly at him and he smiles the same smile in return. He takes her hand gently and leads her to the middle of the clearing. He takes the small backpack hanging from her other hand and opens it to find the blanket he had placed in there a short while ago. He shakes it out and lays it down on the grass.
Nessie stares down at the thin covering, never lifting her eyes up to his. He cups her chin gently and forces her lips to his. "We don't have to if you don't want to." It's a whisper but a pleading whisper just the same, coated with the perfect amount of tender care for her.
She swallows quietly and shakes her head, making the bronze ringlets move slightly around on her shoulders. "No. I'm okay. This is what I want."
The other part of him, the hopeful part, dies a little inside. "Are you sure?" She nods and that other part dies inside completely.
He lets out a gentle sigh and nods in affirmation. He grasps her shoulders softly and pulls her to him. He can hear her heart beating faster and his own working tirelessly to keep them in synchronization. Even his heart wants this to happen, knows this is supposed to happen. Traitor.
He closes his eyes and kisses her, trying to calm her with his hands rubbing her upper arms soothingly. It works. She kisses him back and begins to thread her fingers into his hair and pull him closer to her. The familiar action makes him tense up and before he knows it, he has picked her up and laid her down gently on the blanket, covering her body with his own.
She trembles as he quickly unbuttons her dress. He feels the echo of fear in his chest and he slows down as much as he's willing himself to allow. He kisses her as he does to reassure her and her shaking slows almost to a complete stop as she feels his broad, muscled shoulders underneath her pale fingertips.
Once his hands have finished their work, he brushes over her stomach lightly, trailing up to her chest, feeling the flimsy material of her bra prohibiting him from feeling the rest of her. He growls quietly and rips the bra down the middle, making her gasp into his mouth. He deposits the tattered lacy undergarment onto the ground a few feet away from them, sneering at it. No doubt the blonde gave her this to wear. She would never wear something so alluring and not her. She would never dress her daughter in anything like it at all.
He turns back to the wide-eyed girl below, bared to him for the first time. The wolf inside him smiles in satisfaction. He gives her a weak echo of its smile. "Beautiful." She smiles timidly, blushes and bites her lip.
He growls lightly and his lips are on hers again as he works the rest of the dress off her which lands next to the offending bra beside them. He breaks away to find more of the same lacy fabric on her lower half. He rips it off angrily as well and adds it to the growing heap of discarded clothes.
Jacob looks up at her and kisses her stomach, right above the area her scent is the strongest. "So beautiful." She smiles wider this time but her blush gets darker and her teeth sink deep into her bottom lip.
He can't wait anymore. If he's going to go through with this like she had wanted him to, he would need to do this fast.
He knows it's her first time. It's his as well. And he'll be as gentle as he can be, but this night needs to come to an end already. There's no use trying to prolong it anymore. There's no escaping it, no avoiding it. It's meant to happen and it will. He is meant for her and her alone. She is meant to be his.
He lowers his hand and begins to rub her the way Sam showed him one night in their shared Alpha mind. Instruction had been a necessary evil as he did not want to hurt his imprint. Sam assured him pain was inevitable the first time but relented.
Jacob picks up the pace of his ministrations as he hears her breathing quicken and gently kisses her chest. Sam has no idea just how much pain there would be. After all, this isn't something Jacob wants to do, half of him anyway, this is something he's destined to do. He doesn't have a choice.
He hears her breathy moans and sees her head arch back with her eyes closed, grasping the blanket beside her tightly. She begins to lift her back to meet him and he closes his eyes as well as she finds her release. He feels the slick warmth on his fingers and for a second wishes it was hers coating them.
The pain in his chest comes surging in a tidal wave, knocking the breath from his body, making him lay against her chest. He feels her fingers shakily entangling in his hair, her light hesitant kisses on the top of his head. He lifts up to look down at her and kisses her sweetly.
He feels her other hand begin to inch downwards towards his shorts and he gently grasps her wrist, making it still. "Let me do that." He whispers the plea into her mouth and she nods. He unbuttons and unzips his shorts, lowering them down his thighs, grateful he made the decision to before she could for him.
She reaches for him but he shakes his head. "I need you." She nods, gulps quietly and lays back down. Jacob grits his teeth, realizing the truth of his words. He did need her.
He removes the foil packet from his back pocket, tears it open with his teeth and rolls it onto his member the way Sam showed him. Jacob was not taking the chance that the same thing happen to him that happened to her. He wouldn't survive it. Even if it was meant to be and she would get it out of him eventually.
Once he's ready, he throws the empty packet near the clothes and leans forward, hovering over her. She's trembling again and he kisses her, letting his fingers probe her tight circumference. He consumes her painful gasp greedily into his mouth and begins the movement in and out of her slowly. Soon she's moaning and writhing against him, making his erection harden further. Another traitor.
He then pulls away and leans back, placing his member at her entrance. He's about to start pushing forward when he feels a shaky hand on his left forearm. He looks up, hopeful.
She smiles and looks at him adoringly. "I love you."
The dread mixed in with pain and disappointment and yet love for this girl that he just can't seem to comprehend no matter how much he tries forms a tight lump in his throat. He clears his throat quietly and looks back down at what he's trying to accomplish. "I love you, too." And again he grits his teeth. More truth. He can't lie to her. Nor will he.
He slowly inches his way inside her, hearing her suck in air through her teeth. He stops and his eyes drift upward. "Are you okay? Do you want me to stop?"
She has a pained look in her eye which increases the pain in his chest at hurting his imprint. But she shakes her head and bites her lip. "No. Keep going. I'm okay."
The heavy weight of his disappointment once again sags his shoulders. He pushes into her more, ignoring the gasps even though they tear at his heart and he begins to lean over her, one hand on the blanket above her shoulder, steadying himself. He feels the resistance and stops, looking down at her. He places his other hand above her other shoulder and leans down until he's an inch from her lips. "Are you sure?"
She grasps his back tightly and nods, biting her lip even harder. "Yes. I want this. I want you. Keep going."
He lets out a heavy breath and nods once. He lowers his head to her neck, grateful that he doesn't have to see her eyes when this happens. His chest is throbbing in pain at his resistance to the whole event but he's grateful all the same. He takes a deep breath, pulls his hips back until he's at the halfway point and pushes through her barrier quickly.
Nessie screams and digs her nails into his back, making him grunt in pain, as her body adjusts to his large intrusion. He waits a moment like Sam told him to, feeling her walls wrap around him in their warmth. It's a tight fit just like Sam said it would be and in truth, it's an amazing and wondrous feeling.
She begins to moan and move underneath him, kissing the side of his neck, letting him know he can begin the oldest rhythm to ever exist. He thrusts in and out, slowly, keeping his face buried in her neck, reveling in the tight warm feeling.
Most virgins would not last more than a minute or two but Jacob is no ordinary virgin. His wolf has a stamina that turns into steel resolve to give itself to its imprint.
In and out. In and out. This is what he does repeatedly, ignoring the soft sighs and whispers of "I love you, Jacob" in his ear. He squeezes his eyes shut and huffs with the effort of doing what she had wanted him to do all this time. He almost wishes he hadn't when he starts to see her.
Her. The one who haunts him every moment of every day. The one who he was really meant for. Before the supernatural invaded their lives and stole their destinies. The one who should be moaning and moving underneath him this night. The one who he should be buried deep within right now. The one who he should be whispering reassuring words to. But no.
She chose him. And when she did, she chose for Jacob, too. She took away his choices the moment she chose him. And then fate played the cruelest trick on him of all. He had imprinted on her daughter, a child that she should have never had. His chest burned with the pain of the thought but he continued it anyway. It was better than being present in the hellish moment he was currently stuck in.
It should be her that should be begging him to go faster. It should be her that he turns to and asks if she's alright when he hears a louder gasp than all the others. Not this girl who nods and kisses him and moans into his mouth, telling him how good he feels inside her. Not this girl who stares into his eyes and whispers shyly that she wishes she could feel every part of him and wishes he hadn't worn a condom. Not this girl who, he can see contemplates in her eyes telling him she wants to feel him, as he feels his hips involuntarily pull back, ready to pull out completely upon her request to yank the latex prophylactic off and return to her depths, giving her what she wants yet again. Thankfully, she's distracted by a spot he hasn't hit before and her eyes roll into the back of her pretty head and he takes the opportunity of her distraction and buries his face into her neck once more and pushes faster, more urgently than before.
Not this girl. Not Nessie. No. It's supposed to be her.
He squeezes his eyes shut to keep the tears from escaping but to no avail. His hands are trembling with the pain shooting through his veins but still he continues to torment himself.
He sees her smile, the one she gave him the day she came to see him about the bikes. It's the ghost of the smile she originally gave him that day on First Beach but it's there none the less and it's for him. Just him. He never sees her give it to anyone else. Not even to him. Only Jacob.
That's when he knows, before she does, how she really feels about him. How she's falling in love with him. Even if she doesn't know it herself.
He hears Nessie's rapid breathing in his ear and pushes faster; clamping his eyes closed even tighter, more tears fighting to escape.
He thinks about the moment in her truck that day she stupidly jumped off that cliff. He had almost lost her and he held onto her tightly, unwilling to let her go but knowing he would have to. He had thought about grabbing her chin, turning her face up to his and leaning down to kiss her. He had wanted to so badly but knew he couldn't. He knew she wasn't ready. He still had a tight hold on her and she would just push him away. But he wishes he had done it anyway. At least, maybe then, he would've had her lips on his longer than the two short times he was lucky enough to. Maybe she wouldn't have wanted to rush into the house to see the leech so badly if he hadn't opened that door right away. Maybe.
She was supposed to be with him, to choose him, become a part of his family and be protected by his pack. But, no. She had chosen his instead and actually joined his pack, his coven.
He listens to Nessie's loving whisper. "Jacob, I love you so much. This feels so right, Jake. So right. Oh my God. I love you."
He growls quietly and pushes into her even faster, keeping his face from her, deep down into her skin underneath her ear.
Jake. That had been her nickname for him. Once she started using it, he had forbidden anyone else to use it. It was hers and hers alone. Just like he should have been. Hers. And hers alone. He had always been just like he was meant to.
When he had rescued her that day from school. When he had held onto her at the bonfire as Billy recounted their tribes' legends, smiling warmly and kissing her forehead as she slept against his chest, hoping she could hear his heart beating for her and only her. When he had pleaded with her to choose him as she cradled her broken hand. When he had watched her look over him at the graduation party as she looked for him, not happy with his arrival. He was still hers.
Even when he heard him rub it in his face, declaring loudly of her acceptance of his proposal in that blessed God-forsaken tent. Even when she had come to break his heart for what they both hoped would be the final time. Even when her words had cut through him like a knife as she got defensive and declared it was none of his business. Even when she lay dying, the woman currently moaning in his ear breaking her way out of her, happily and tenderly stroking her swollen bruised stomach. Even when she had nearly torn his head off upon learning of his imprint upon her newborn daughter (sometimes he wished Seth hadn't gotten in her way). Even when he had spoken with love and admiration of her and her abilities in the field earlier that day against the Volturi, as she held her sleeping daughter in her arms and he had made his way over to her, kissing her head, proud of her, and Nessie's head for good measure so he wouldn't sense a thing out of place. He had always been hers.
He smiled at the thought of her laughing the day before as he teased her about the 6,746th time she was reading Wuthering Heights. She was a vampire now. Surely, she had time to find another book to read. Surely. Nessie had been gone for the day, shopping with the pixie and the blonde, no doubt for that set of harlotry he had ripped from her body minutes ago. He had been out hunting somewhere far with the southern one, the doctor, the motherly one and the big one. They had had the day to themselves and what a day it had turned out to be. Just like a day they were supposed to have every day if she still had a pulse and had chosen him.
They had laughed and teased and smiled and even held hands, ignoring the icy flames burning through their bodies, something they had gotten used to long ago. They were Jake and Bells. Just like they were supposed to be.
"Oh God, Jacob. I'm-I don't know-but God, you feel so good."
Tears are flowing down his face now onto her neck but he doesn't care. He just wishes it was her here underneath him. The pain surges again but he welcomes it eagerly. He doesn't care what pain comes his way. He'll never stop thinking of her. He'll never stop being hers.
"Come inside me, Jake. Come inside me. Please."
He growls. The blonde is definitely responsible for the words making their way out of her mouth. Guaranteed. The blonde would pay for that one later.
"Please. Jake. I want you to come inside me."
He bunches the blanket into his fist tightly at her side and doesn't let go. His body begins to tighten in response, well before he's ready to, and he feels the trigger of his release. He fights it, tries to keep it from happening by slowing to a stop, his back arched, his head up high towards the sky, his eyes screwed shut.
It's a useless fight. It's what she wants. Just another thing out of his control. Just another choice taken away from him. His body isn't even allowed to orgasm of its own volition.
He instead buries his head back into her neck as he feels the throbbing and swelling of his member. He keeps his eyes shut and thinks of her, here, beneath him, begging him to come inside her like she should have been all along. He imagines her fingers to be the one digging into his back, moaning into his ear, begging and pleading with him to let her feel it. He pounds into her, grunting and moaning into the hair that doesn't have her scent but he imagines it does. He feels it. The final pulse. The pulse that's for her and him alone.
He lifts his head back to the sky, his mouth hanging open, his eyes clamped shut, his back arched as he releases into the condom. "Fuck yes!" He growls and in a flash, bites down on Nessie's neck hard, making her yelp and at the same time, impossible for him to cry out her name.
He shudders with the orgasm, reveling in the amazing feeling that he only knew from the times he needed to relieve himself in the past but this time imagining it's going inside her, expending all his energy inside her body.
As his jerking stops, he collapses, spent, removing his teeth from her neck. He feels a trembling hand stroke his back tenderly. He imagines it's hers. And all he wants to do is kiss her and tell her how much he loves her. How even more amazing their next time will be, that they'll make love all sorts of ways, that it's their destiny to make love to each other like this for the rest of their lives. How they fit together perfectly.
He lifts his head and slowly opens his eyes, expecting to see her and being hit with a wave of disappointment when he doesn't. Nessie looks up at him, eyes wide, mystified at what has just occurred between them. She lifts her other trembling hand to his cheek. "I love you."
Jacob smiles a tight thin-lipped smile and nods, burying his face into her neck again, not wanting to look at her, not wanting the nightmare to be real the way it has every day for the last nine years.
He feels the pain in his chest once again, roaring at his thoughts and not returning her declaration after such a momentous event added in with the small wave of hurt she now feels. He doesn't want to say it but he does. "I love you, too." He doesn't even grit his teeth this time. He knows it's the truth. A half-truth but a truth none the less.
And then he bursts into sobs, holding her tightly to him. It's supposed to be her he's saying that to. It's supposed to be her that he's still buried deep inside of. It's supposed to be her that shushes in his ear and rubs his back tenderly. It's supposed to be her!
He feels his heart swell knowing that hers is, too. She must think he's crying because of what transpired between them. He is, but because it was supposed to be her, not her! The pain roars in his chest and he growls back at it in between sobs.
Nessie hugs him tightly, placing gentle kisses on the side of his neck. His sobs grow louder and his body shakes from the force of them. How could she do this to him? It was supposed to be her. Always her.
-STB-
He holds Nessie's hand gingerly in his as they walk back to the house. They're both fully dressed now, making their way home reluctantly, both for different reasons. Nessie wants to be with him longer. He doesn't want them knowing what they did but they will as they always do. There's no denying their co-mingling scents. Not that they didn't expect it but this was one thing Jacob wanted for themselves alone. He knows this is an impossibility, though. There's no secrecy with this vampire family hanging around.
Once they reach the top of the stairs at the front door, Jacob stays a step below and Nessie turns to look at him, blushing and smiling shyly. He heaves a heavy sigh, raises her hand and kisses it gently. She looks into his eyes, willing him to tell her what she wants to hear. "I love you, Nessie."
She smiles wider and leans in to kiss him. "I love you, Jacob." He kisses her back and she moans slightly. "Jacob. My Jacob."
She smiles, kisses his lips one more time, and then retreats into the house, knowing she doesn't need to tell him she'll see him tomorrow. She will. Like she always does. She knows it and so does he.
Her Jacob. Her Jacob. Two parts of the same man who would never co-exist peacefully or reconcile their differences. Two halves in love with two different women. Jacob is in Hell.
He turns around and descends the stairs, slowly making his way off the property in the direction of La Push, each foot step heavier than the last, carrying a great burden on his shoulders weighing him down. As he makes his way deeper into the woods, he hears the tinkling bells he's been wanting to hear for the last two hours while at the same time dreading it. "Hello, Jacob."
His head jerks to the left and there she stands, staring at him, her arms crossed, anger clearly on her face. He glares at her, furious yet grateful all at the same time for her presence. Furious because he knows why she's here. Grateful because she's near, unknowingly providing a soothing balm to the ache in one half of his soul. "Bella." He gives her a curt nod in greeting.
She takes a step closer, wrinkling her nose, holding her breath but stays where she is. "So you two made it official." It's a statement, not a question, as he knew it would be.
He crosses his arms, his glare still settled on her. "We made it official a while ago, Bells. Remember?"
She scoffs and looks away. "Yeah, I remember. But I'd say things are more...involved now, wouldn't you say?" She turns to sneer at him.
He doesn't flinch. "You might say that."
He sees the pain there, flickering, just for a second and then it's gone. "Hmm, well, I guess we'll be hearing about a proposal sometime soon." Again, another statement, not a question.
He doesn't even try to deny it. "At some point." She scoffs again and looks away. He glances down at her arms and wonders when in the conversation they went from being crossed to holding her body tightly. Just like she used to when he left.
"I didn't know it would feel like this."
He frowns at her whisper and lifts his eyes to her face which is still staring off into the distance. "What?"
She swallows. "This. I didn't know..." She slowly brings her eyes back to his and he sees the pain there, the regret. She's pleading with him but he can't seem to put his finger on what for. She stares at him sadly. "It should have been me."
His breath leaves his body in a giant whoosh and all the anger he felt before went with it. "It was supposed to be you." He whispers it to her, afraid that if he says it any louder, it will burst the bubble they're in and bring them crashing back into the nightmarish hell of a world they call their lives.
She looks like she's in so much pain, so tragically sad, that he's sure if she could cry, she would be. She flashes over to him, still holding her breath, and gently lifts a hand to his temple, slowly trailing her fingers down his cheek in a tender stroking motion. "My Jacob."
He hears the grief coating her tone and he can't bear it. The tears from before begin to roll down his cheeks again. "Yours. Always yours." He chokes out a sob and grabs her hand and places her palm to his wet cheek, hoping she'll feel his hot tears that are spilling for her, for them, and what would never be.
With her other thumb, she reaches up and brushes his tears away. She gently pulls him down to her and places a tender kiss on his forehead, letting her lips linger there, searing themselves into his skin, his soul.
He grabs her and hugs her tightly, not caring how strong her daughter's scent is on him. She's a vampire, she doesn't need to breathe. He needs to feel her against him, just feel her.
She wraps her arms around him and softly strokes his scalp, shushing and soothing him in his ear. He buries his face into her neck, sobbing, his heart rejoicing when he catches the faint trace of her scent, ignoring the sickly sweetness that accompanies it. "I love you, Bella. You. Always you. I never stopped. I love you."
With an inhuman speed, he pulls back and places kisses to her cheeks, her forehead, her nose, her eyelids, her temples, her jawline, her chin and then her lips. Her lips are cold, like ice, but he doesn't care. It's still her. Still her when she kisses him back, entangling her fingers in his hair to pull him closer. It doesn't even enter his mind that he had just consummated his relationship with her daughter not that long ago. All that matters is…her.
A whimper of pleasure escapes him when she does this. He knows it's her touching him this way, kissing him like this. His hands grasp at her lower back as they had done so long ago.
She pulls back, gasping for air unnecessarily. "Jake, we can't. You're with Renesmee now and I'm-I'm with him. We can't."
He nods, staring down at the ground between them.
She moves to step away from him but he snatches her wrist in a lightning fast move and spins her into him. She could fight him on it but she doesn't. Instead she stares up at him expectantly.
He places his forehead against hers and stares into her golden eyes. "I love you. I have since I first saw you and that hasn't changed. And it's never going to. Regardless of anything. You were meant for me, Bells. You know it. I know it. The rest know it. And I was meant for you. Meant to be yours. The only reason I even imprinted on Nessie is because you died when she was born and she was the only part of you left. That's it. But no matter what happens, I'm never going to stop loving you. Never going to stop dreaming about that vision you told me about. Vampires, wolves, imprinting and all that stupid shit is not going to change how I feel about you, not gonna stop me from hoping that maybe one day, you will choose me. Just like I chose you long ago. Just like I choose you every day. Just like I will every day after this no matter what you say, no matter what happens."
Her eyes are wide in the wake of his heart-felt confession. She grabs his hand and notices its shaking. She stares at it intently then lifts her eyes to his. "You're in pain."
He doesn't blink. "Every day you're not with me like you're supposed to be, yes."
She kisses his hand reverently and looks up at him. She raises her other hand to his cheek and he nuzzles it affectionately before turning back to her. "That vision can never come true. You know that."
He sighs and places his forehead against hers again. "Not technically. But that doesn't mean we can't have a life together, be together. You know that, Bells."
She kisses his nose and smiles sadly. "You're imprinted, Jake. On my daughter. She's your mate and...Edward's mine. Two unbreakable bonds. No matter how much you love me, you know it's true. No matter how much I may...love...you."
He closes his eyes. "Say it again, Bells."
"Jake, I don't think-"
"Say it."
"I love you."
He smiles and pushes his forehead into hers more. "It's been such hell these past years and yet, somehow, you say that to me and it makes it all worthwhile. God, I love you, Bells."
He crushes his lips to hers without hesitation and she melts into him. She moans into his mouth and it drives him wild, into a frenzy and he's kissing her harder.
He pulls way, gasping for breath this time. "Meet me later."
She shakes her head. "You know I can't."
He groans. "Please, Bells. Please. You're killing me here. It's just for a little bit. We need to talk. Please."
She looks uncertain, contemplating giving him what he's asking for or if she should just turn and run as far as she can get.
He doesn't give her the chance. He kisses her nose. "Meet me."
She gulps and he hears it. He knows he has her. "Where?"
"Our spot."
Her eyes widen. "But Jake, I can't go-"
He covers her mouth gently with his hand, silencing her effectively. He removes it and kisses her lips quickly before putting his forehead back up against hers. "Don't worry about that. I'll handle it. Just say you'll meet me."
He hears her sigh and she stares up into his eyes. He strokes her hair tenderly, smiling warmly at her. Amazing how touching her seems to calm him.
"Okay. But only for an hour, Jake. That's all I can give you. Any longer than that then they're going to come looking for me. Got it?"
He nods, grinning like an idiot. "Got it." He kisses her forehead and buries his face into her neck. "I love you, Bells."
He hears her sigh again and feels her arms tighten around him. "And I love you, Jake. But, please, don't get your hopes up. I don't want to hurt you but I can't promise you anything. This doesn't mean I'm making a choice. I'm still with Edward and you're still with Renesmee."
He nods, agreeing to whatever she wants to say. He told her he'd love her no matter what. That nothing was going to change. He pulls back and kisses her lips one more time. "I know. Just meet me, Bells. Promise?"
She nods. "I promise."
He smirks. "Good."
She smirks back and shakes her head. "You're relentless, Jacob Black. Do you know that?"
He laughs, his first full laugh since the other day. He throws an arm around her and starts walking them back in the direction of La Push, knowing she can turn and be home in a matter of a minute anytime she chooses to. "I believe I once told you that persistence pays off."
Her brows mash together, grasping for the fuzzy human memory and then laughs when she finally reaches it and it plays throughout her mind. "Typical, Jake."
He smiles and kisses her head. "Yep. I'm annoyingly persistent." He lowers his arm and sneaks his hand down to hers and intertwines their fingers.
She stares at their hands sadly. Today she won't choose him. He knows it. She knows it. She won't choose him tomorrow or the next day, either. She won't choose him within the next week, never mind the next month. But someday, she will. Someday, she'll be his like she was meant to be and he'll be hers. Just hers. Like it was supposed to be.
It won't break the imprinting but he'll deal with the pain for the rest of his life, battle with the wolf inside daily, if it means an hour at her side as hers. An hour as his and his alone. Just like it was supposed to be.