A/N This is only my version of what I think the characters of Jacob and Edward would have been going through in these extracts of Eclipse. All characters and original vocabulary belong to Stephanie Meyer, I own nothing. Starts part way through chapter 21. Trails.
Fire and Ice
Some say the world will end in fire,
Some say in ice.
From what I've tasted of desire
I hold with those who favor fire.
But if it had to perish twice,
I think I know enough of hate
To say that for destruction ice
Is also great
And would suffice.
Robert Frost
JPOV
I was out running the La Push boundary line, in wolf form of course, when I got the message. It had been passed from Billy to Sam to me. Bella and the bloodsucker would be ready in an hour and would meet me at the battlefield where only tomorrow, I would finally be able to take out my frustrations on some parasite I'm not bound by treaty not to destroy. Embry was gonna take the perimeter over so I could go home for the things I'd need. I sniffed at the air whilst I waited for Embry to phase; it smelt too clean and it was way too quite and still. It was only like that before a bad storm hit. I remembered the last time I'd felt it that way and shivered.
Not because I was cold, I was never cold anymore; being a werewolf is like having your own sun. I shivered out of trepidation; the last time the weather had felt this way was the day that everything in my world that I loved had took a turn for the worse. It was the day Bella had gone cliff diving.
I still couldn't get over that fact that if she had just waited for me, maybe just one more day and we'd have perhaps gone together; then the tiny psychic bloodsucker would never have seen Bella jump off the cliff. They wouldn't have ever come back to Forks. Bella and I might have been out riding our bikes around La Push right now, or hanging out in my make-shift garage. There would be no bloodsuckers coming to Forks, turning my friends into giant wolfs.
I hoped this wasn't a sign of fate; that events were about to repeat themselves and somehow I would end up loosing her again. I'd made my decision; I wasn't giving her up without a fight. I was better for her than that parasite ever could be. Best of all, Bella didn't have to change anything to be with me; she could be human and beautiful, the girl I loved.
I wondered idly if the bloodsucker would think to bring Bella a jacket. Maybe I should take one for her. I felt Embry's presence then as he joined me, so i started back toward home.
"I'll take it from here Jake." He said, "You go take care of your girl."
It was just the right thing to say, the thought of soon being with Bella had me running faster.
EPOV
Bella had been preoccupied talking to Billy on the phone. Hopefully she hadn't noticed how Alice was staring at me.
Please Edward, please be reasonable! She was mentally pleading me.
She doesn't want to get married in Vegas! Her mental tone added a snarl.
No girl, in their right mind, would ever want that! She was horrified by the very notion.
She was making sense but when had Bella ever been like everybody else. Vegas was probably exactly what she wanted. All I wanted was to marry the woman I loved and not have to feel like I had to share her with every other single male in Forks. The mutt in particular. I frowned despondently as Alice mental debate continued and Bella handed back the phone.
Just let me speak to her! You'll see! I will not have my new sister getting married in OLD SWEATS!! Don't you want to see her walk down the aisle toward you wearing white?
"Billy said to tell you 'good luck.'" Bella told us, seeming a little bemused by our expressions. When will I learn; Bella is very perceptive, she notices everything. Isn't that one of the reasons i fell in love with her to begin with.
I broke away from Alice's glare. "That was generous of him," I replied.
Fine! You asked for it! Alice warned. "Bella, could I speak with you alone?" She continued aloud before I could prevent it.
"You're about to make my life harder than it needs to be, Alice," I almost growled, "I'd really rather you didn't."
"This isn't about you, Edward," she retorted.
I laughed aloud. How did she come to that conclusion? I would be the groom. I would be equally as involved in the day as Bella would be.
"It's not," she insisted. "This is a female thing." You males understand nothing! She'll only regret it later, trust me.
I frowned again. What if she was right? Would Bella be happier in the long run if I let Alice speak with her?
"Let her talk to me," Bella said, curiously. Maybe I wouldn't have to decide for her after all.
"You asked for it." I muttered the warning, laughing again; half from frustration at Alice, half at my own anticipation of what Bella would say. I was sure her reaction would be amusing. I strode out of the garage to leave them alone, but I listened in as I obtained the bag with the camping equipment from the kitchen.
Alice was playing wounded, going to sit on the hood of her beloved Porsche looking crestfallen. It was all a ruse of course; she could see this was the best way to appeal to Bella's compassionate nature. I shook my head in disapproval; the newborns weren't the vampires Bella should fear most, they were tame compared to the cunning of her soon-to-be-sisters mind. Alice could be unscrupulous when it came to something she wanted. Then just like that my mood was souring again, remembering last night with Bella in my arms, my mothers ring on her third finger, left hand, just like the song says.
Bella looked worried as she approached; that adorable little furrow between her brows. She leaned against the Porsche bumper beside Alice.
Got you right where I want you! Alice thought triumphantly, but none of this leaked into her voice.
Miserably she began, shifting so she was curled into Bella's side. "Bella?"
Bella wrapped her warm arms around the little pixies shoulders in an attempt to provide comfort.
"What's wrong, Alice?" she asked.
Your mind doesn't work right, that's what! Alice thought, but she continued in that same dejected tone. "Don't you love me?"
"Of course I do." Bella replied, shocked, just as Alice wanted. "You know that."
"Then why do I see you sneaking off to Vegas to get married without inviting me?" Alice continued, a flash of images filling her mind; Bella and I exchanging vows before a minister doing a terrible impersonation of Elvis Presley. I chuckled.
"Oh," Bella muttered, turning the most beautiful shade of crimson. Her tone turned defensive, "You know how I hate to make a big deal out of things. It was Edward's idea, anyway." Great now they were ganging up on me.
"I don't care whose idea it was. How could you do this to me?" Alice was truly upset again now. "I expect that kind of thing from Edward," she growled my name, "but not from you. I love you like you were my own sister."
"To me, Alice, you are my sister." Bella said emphatically.
Then why would you do this to me? "Words!" she growled.
"Fine," Bella conceded, "you can come. There won't be much to see."
Now we're getting somewhere, Alice thought hopefully, but continued to scowl at Bella.
"What?" Bella exclaimed.
"How much do you love me, Bella?" Alice started to implore.
"Why?" Bella asked apprehensively.
Alice pulled out her most devastating expression, one she had mastered throughout the years. She often used it on Jasper, he could never deny that face; not that he deprived her of anything she desired to begin with.
"Please, please, please, please, Bella," she whispered intensely, "please – if you really love me... Please let me do your wedding."
"Aw, Alice!" Bella groaned, pulling away from her. Her expression was alarmed but also hilarious. I couldn't help laughing at the same time as becoming anxious for her happiness; maybe I should have prevented Alice's meddling after all. "No! Don't do this to me," she complained.
"If you really, truly love me, Bella." Alice knew she had found her route to victory.
Bella folded her arms across her chest stubbornly. "That is so unfair. And Edward kind of already used that one on me."
Agh another weakness! Alice pounced on this new revelation. "I'll bet Edward would like it better if you did this traditionally, though he'd never tell you that." That was true at least, Bella's happiness was more important than my own. The vision of Vegas shimmered slightly as Bella's determination wavered. I gasped and Alice pushed her new found weapon. "And Esme - think what it would mean to her!" The vision shimmered again.
Bella groaned, "I'd rather face the newborns alone." I stiffened at this idea.
Alice ignored it and continued pleading. "I'll owe you for a decade."
"You'll owe me for a century!" Bella retorted clearly upset now. The vision became even more indistinct.
"Is that a yes?" Alice cried, getting up and approaching Bella slowly.
"No! I don't want to do this!" Bella complained.
"You won't have to do anything but walk a few yards and then repeat after the minister." Alice promised.
"Ugh! Ugh! Ugh!" Bella sounded utterly disgusted and was shaking her head as though trying to dislodge an unpleasant image.
"Please?" Alice started bouncing on the spot. "Please, please, please, please, please?"
"I'll never, never ever forgive you for this, Alice." Bella warned. The vision totally disappeared.
"Yay!" Alice exclaimed clapping her hands together, a new vision of our home decorated in hundreds of flowers filled her mind. Alice cut the vision of before I could see anymore.
You'll have to wait and see Edward! She told me silently.
"That's not a yes!" Bella cried, distressed.
"But it will be," Alice sang in her high soprano, delighted with herself.
"Edward!" Bella screamed, stalking out of the garage. I took a deep, unnecessary breath, retrieved the bag from the kitchen counter, and sped outside to meet her. "I know you're listening. Get over hear."
"Thanks so much, Alice," I groaned acerbically at the still clapping Alice. Bella turned to face me, a look of determination on her beautiful face. Her deep brown eyes widened as she seemed to read my worried expression and her determination faltered. Eyes watering, she threw her arms around me, burying into my chest. I wrapped my own arms around her waist and whispered my reassurance in her ear. "Vegas," I promised.
"Not a chance," Alice gloated. "Bella would never do that to me. You know Edward, as a brother, you are sometimes a disappointment."
I scowled over Bella's head at her.
"Don't be mean," Bella protested, "He's trying to make me happy, unlike you."
"I'm trying to make you happy, too, Bella. It's just that I know better what will make you happy," Don't you dear even think of protesting that Edward, you know I'm right! She added mentally, "in the long run. You'll thank me for this. Maybe not for fifty years, but defiantly someday."
"I never thought I'd see the day where I'd be willing to take a bet against you, Alice, but it has arrived" Bella assured her.
She only laughed delightfully. Unperturbed, she skipped forward reaching for Bella's left hand.
"So are you going to show me the ring?" she asked.
Bella's face contorted in horror as Alice swiftly examined her ring-less fingers.
"Huh." Her thought became confused. I'm sure I saw... yes his mothers ring. "I saw him put it on you" A flash of memories from last night passed through her mind. Bella and I on my recently acquired bed examining the ring she had finally accepted, kneeling before her as she officially accepted my hand in matrimony and I kissed her delicate fingers as well as the ring on her third, which now belonged to her. "Did I miss something?" She concentrated now on the future and I saw more of our wedding day. More flowers and indistinct faces of the guests we would invite; vague maybes as they had yet to decide. The only clear faces were those of my family and I stood before a minister, Carlisle at my side as my father and best man. "No. Wedding's still on." Alice answered herself.
I grinned at the images I had seen; they pleased me immensely, more than I thought they would. Maybe Alice was more right than I'd first assumed about me taking more pleasure in the more traditional customs.
"Bella has issues with jewellery," I explained the rings absence to her.
"What's one more diamond?" She started to prattle, "Well, I guess the ring has lots of diamonds, but my point it that he's already got one on..."
"Enough, Alice" I cut her off sharply, before she could continue.
What?! She exclaimed. I glowered at her fiercely for almost telling my secret; Bella defiantly wouldn't wear my gift if she knew it was a real diamond. I wasn't having that. It was a relief to finally be able to give her something she would accept.
"We're in a hurry." I continued so Bella wouldn't become suspicious.
"I don't understand" she said as she pulled away from me, looking confused. "What's that about diamonds?"
I continued to glare at Alice, warning her with my eyes.
Fine! I won't tell her. Yet. She amended silently before saying to Bella, "We'll talk about it later. Edward is right – you'd better get going. You've got a trap to set and make camp before the storm comes." Her expression became anxious as she tried once again to look at what would occur tonight; she couldn't see a clear picture because we would be with the dog by then. Alice wasn't comfortable with being blinded; it made her feel hopeless and normal. "Don't forget you coat, Bella." She said fretfully, "It seems..." Flashes of violent winds and heavy snow filled her mind for a fraction of a second before it disappeared. "Unseasonable cold," she finished.
"I've already got it," I assured her, no longer annoyed at her for her almost slip; I couldn't stay mad at anyone who loved Bella for long. It's one of the reasons I put up with the werewolf's presence.
"Have a nice night," she called back as she flitted into the house.
A/N Song Edward reffers to - Martha Reeves & The Vandellas - Third Finger, Left Hand, youtube it - /watch?v=8zpAtCBoYzI.
I'd love reviews people or any ideas you have about how you saw these chapters unfolding :)
love muchas :D