A/N: Thank you for reading my latest story. This was based on prompts from Tricky Raven. Let me know what you think! :)
Disclaimer:All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.
Misty Woods
"You've made yourself perfectly clear, Bella. I love you and you love me, but not enough. Fine. Be happy with the life you've chosen because I don't want any part of it," Jacob says to Bella.
"But, but…" Bella says stuttering.
"Good bye, Isabella," Jacob says and closes his eyes, effectively ending their conversation and relationship.
Bella just sat there staring at Jacob laying in his bed recuperating from the Newborn fight. She was shocked that Jacob just stopped fighting for her. He promised. He promised!
"You promised. You promised!" Bella chokes out through her tears.
Unable to take the clear cut out of Jacob's life Bella runs. She runs out of the room, the house, past the Pack who parted like the Red Sea to let her pass. Once clear of the completely silent Pack, Bella continues to run into the woods behind the Taj. With tears blinding her, Bella never notices the fog that closes in behind her.
Stumbling through thick vegetation, Bella trips. She picks herself up and realizes that she's no longer in the familiar woods behind Jake's house. Bella looks around, turning in circles and knows without a shadow of doubt that she was lost. Despair creeps into her mind.
Bella collapses down to the ground. She wraps her arms around her legs and begins to weep. While she's weeping, Bella never sees the shadowy figures watching her. Their eyes glowed in the dim lighting, hunger rumbles in their bellies. The one in front decides that she was it's prey and the others slinked back into the growing darkness. The being begins to walk towards Bella; purposely making noise to further disturb and startle the delectable meal in front of it.
Once the rustling noise reaches Bella's ears she looks up and around. At first she sees nothing. Then on the back of her neck, she felt a sudden gust of cold wind, like someone was breathing down her back. Scared beyond thought, Bella jumps up and starts to run.
Bella races through the trees, yet the feeling of being followed never leaves her. Bella looks around hoping to find something familiar when she trips over a hidden root. Maniacal laughter rings through the woods like wind through the leaves. Bella looks up into a pair of bright neon green eyes. Bella scrambles back and the being continues towards her at a steady pace.
'I'm not going to die without a fight,' Bella decided.
"What are you and what do you want?" Bella asks.
"You," the being simply states.
"Mmm mmm me?" surprise and fear taking away any coherent thought or response.
"Yyy yyy yes. You!" the being throatily laughs completely enjoying its prey's maelstrom of feelings.
"I don't understand. What do you mean?" Bella asks now that she sees that the being isn't going to just outright attack.
"Well, dear, simply put I am your worst fear and I want you," the being replies.
"Huh?" asks Bella confusedly.
"I am ancient. I feed off of despair and anguish. I delight in it and yours is quite frankly a delicacy," the being tells her.
"Oh, please not another supernatural thing after me. I can't take much more, what's next witches and the Fae will be after me too?" Bella scoffs.
"Hmm, be careful what you ask for. No, I am the reason why you pine for the walking dead, why you can't see what's right in front of you and now why your wolf protector finally walked away. You are a rare human. One who is more than what they seem. Your hopelessness, despair, and unrequited love is soooo delicious," it chuckles.
"I…" Bella says at a loss for words.
"Oh, don't strain your feeble mind trying to figure it out. Come. Walk with me," it says.
Having no control over her limbs, Bella rises gracefully, for once, and follows after the being.
"Where are we?" Bella asks.
"Misty Woods. Appropriate, don't you think?" It snickers.
Saying nothing else, Bella continues to follow the skulking form in front of her.
"Whose house is this I think I know. His house is in the village though. Well, reservation in this case. He will not see me stopping here to watch his woods fill with snow…"
"Great! Just great! I had to come across a poet shinigami!" Bella says under her breath.
"Little girl, it would be wise to hold your tongue, before I rip it out when I am done. You see my dear, I want you to watch me destroy you. I want you to see that no one will fight for you. Now come along, you don't have all day," It says.
Time seemed to have frozen while in the woods. The figure stopped suddenly. Bella was speechless at the sight before her. The being started to shimmer. Its form changed into a long raven haired beautiful Quileute girl. Bella felt bile rise up into her throat. Fear like none she's ever felt before grips her hard.
"The woods are lovely, dark, and deep. But I have promises to keep. And miles to go before I sleep. And miles to go before I sleep. Do you finally understand what I am?" she asks.
Bella could only stare and hope against hope that what she thinks isn't true. The girl beckons Bella on and again she has no choice but to follow. Time seemed to restart. Bella could clearly see Jacob's house and the Pack still hanging around. Anyone could see the agitation and fear on their faces and in their body language. The girls stopped just beyond the tree line.
"Let me explain something. You see we don't have corporal bodies until we find a host or someone like yourself who's fear of real love, commitment and everything else that makes a relationship. You see your relationship with Jacob has always been destined, but free will also has a hand in how it goes. Wolves, especially those in front of us, need something to protect. We, ancients, need people like you and Emily and precious little Claire in order to come alive. So…thank you for destroying a good man. I appreciate it. Let's go so that you can introduce me to my imprint," she smirks.
Bella jumps up screaming. Charlie races into the room somehow knowing that this time something was different, off even. As Bella never confided in him Charlie felt at a loss of what to do. He could not help nor take away his only daughter's anguish. All he could do is stand outside and look at her life like a window shopper.
"Bells, Bells! Wake up!" Charlie says as he shakes Bella awake.
"Jake! Oh, God! Not, Jake, please!" Bella sobs.
Without much thought Charlie grabs Bella into his arms and runs through the house straight to the cruiser. Determination lit a fire in his eyes and belly, he refused to let Bella return to her zombie phase. With sirens blaring Charlie races to La Push. Charlie barely stops the cruiser before Bella jumps out and runs to up the ramp and through the, surprisingly, open back door. Not caring who's in her way, Bella runs straight to Jacob's room and stops.
"Isabella? What are you doing here? Why are you in your pajamas? Does..." Jake asks in succession.
"Who is she?" Bella responds ignoring his questions.
The girl with the long raven hair smirks.
"Oh, you've forgotten me already? I'm Rie," she replies.
"Well, since you're here, I might as well introduce you to Rie properly. Rie this is Isabella, my former best friend. Isabella, this is Rie...my imprint," Jacob says.