From The Strokes of a Pen Contest
Title: Who Knows?
Prompt: 23) Bella jumps off the cliff with Jacob. What are her thoughts? What happens if Victoria is in the water?
Word count: 3,144
Beta-reader: None
Rating: T (for language)
Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight or New Moon or Eclipse or Breaking Dawn or The Short Second Life of Bree Tanner (it makes me sad to say this).
Who Knows?
"Jake?" I called. I wondered if he was even here. The garage was full of car parts from his finished Rabbit. He was nowhere to be seen.
"He must be at Emily's." I said to myself. I walked outside, almost tripping over the steps. I had gone through a growth spurt and I was getting accustomed to my extra four inches. The strange thing was that the spurt happened in less than a week. It had me worried. No one else shared my worry.
I opened the door to my truck; probably one of the slowest trucks in the state, and got in. the engine was a comfort to me, knowing that Victoria was out there somewhere, searching for me.
As I made my way, slowly, to Emily's, there was a thud in the back of my truck. I slammed on the brakes and there was another thud. I panicky looked behind me and saw that it was only Jacob.
"You almost gave me a heart attack!" I yelled at him as he swung into the seat next to me.
"Sorry about that, but we need to get to the cliffs. Onward!" he shouted. I sighed, same old Jake.
I turned onto the road that led to the cliffs and we made slow progress to the jumping point.
"So, where were you? You said we were meeting at the garage." I asked him.
"Oh. We spotted Victoria, but she ran off." said Jake worriedly.
"Does that mean we shouldn't jump? She could still be in the area." I told him, afraid that she would find me in the water, helpless.
"Naw, you'll be fine. You've got me." He said encouragingly. Now who was I to argue with that? One wolf could so take on Victoria, when an entire pack failed to do so.
"Fine. But if I die, I get to haunt the shit out of you." I told him, keeping my eyes on the narrow, twisting road. Jake just laughed.
"I promise, nothing bad will happen to you." He told me reassuringly. I wanted to believe him, but it felt like I was heating up, like my body knew something I didn't.
"I wasn't kidding about the whole haunting thing. I will if I have too." I told him.
"Park over there." He told me, pointing to a spot next to the opening of a trail. I pulled my truck up and parked.
"Let's get walking!" said Jake cheerfully. It was as if Victoria didn't even exist! I trudged after him, wondering what we might find along the way. Jake had his small pack with him and was digging for something.
"Aha! Here are the snacks that Emily packed. And a note…Don't eat them all, Bella needs food too you know…and here I thought that this was all for me." He said. He handed me the pack. "Take what you want. I'll eat the rest." He said hungrily.
I took a look in the pack and there were muffins, strawberries, trail mix, granola bars, and grapes, all in their own little Tupperware. I took out an empty Tupperware and filled it with grapes, strawberries, and some trail mix.
"You can have the rest." I said, flashing my Tupperware of food. He picked up the pack and took out a muffin. He stuffed it into his mouth.
"Delicious." He said with a mouth full of muffin bits. I sighed.
"As soon as you went wolf, you lost what little manners you possessed." I said. He belched. Oh jeez.
"Manners?" he asked as if it were a foreign concept.
"Yes, manners. You know those things that parents tryto teach you. Politeness, not talking with food in your mouth,please and thank you, the basics." I told him.
"I think you're right. And Paul definitely was not born with those." He said jokingly.
"It's a miracle I haven't fallen yet." I muttered to myself.
"Yes. Yes it is." He said.
"Excuse me. I was talking to myself." I told him.
"Well then. I'm sorry I have better hearing than you." He said. I wonder how much longer it will take to get to the cliffs.
"So…I'm not gonna hit the water and go unconscious or anything like that am I?" I asked him.
"Not likely. But I'll be here if you do." He said reassuringly. After ten more minutes of walking, we finally reached the cliffs.
"This is it. It's now or never, I guess." I said nervously. I wanted to see Edward…but I had this connection to the wolves that I couldn't understand. Did I actually want to seehim? Or was I just kidding myself? Well, seeing him or not, we are gonna jump. I dragged Jacob here (and vice versa) and we are not gonna back out dammit!
"Here we go. You're gonna want to take off your shoes and socks." He instructed me. Well, that would be the smartdecision. I took off my blue and red plaid shoes and then my plain white socks. I joined Jacob at the edge of the cliff. It was around 50-75 feet high.
"Are you ready?" he asked me.
"As ready as I'll ever be." I responded.
"Here, we'll jump together. Take my hand." He held out his hand and I took it. We stood at the edge of the cliff and I rocked back and forth on the edge of my toes.
"We should get a running start." He suggested. We backed up a few feet. We'll run on the count of three. One…Two…Three!" We started running and jumped as soon as we hit the edge. Adrenaline rushed through me. I screamed. I sucked in a breath right before we hit the freezing water. Jake pulled me to the surface. There was a red flash and Jake let me go. He was a wolf.
I sputtered. Victoria was in the water. I felt angry. How dare she? How dare she attack Jake? I started visibly vibrating with rage. Suddenly, my hands were paws. I was paddling in the water. I saw Jake being attacked by Victoria;she was trying to get her arms around him. I launched myself off the cliff and pounced on her. I sunk my teeth into her back and she screamed.
There was visible fear in her eyes. She started thrashing in my grasp, trying to reach behind her, to get a hold of me. I clamped my teeth down hard.
(Bella, Jake, Sam, Paul)
Bella! Swim for shore! Don't let go of her!
Why the hell would I let go?
Just don't. I'll follow you to shore.
Jake? What's going on?
Bella's a wolf. But don't ask. She's got Victoria trapped in her mouth.
I was struggling to keep hold, but we were almost to shore. If I could just make it to shore, Victoria would finally be gone.
"Bella! I'll kill you! I'll kill you and I'll kill your precious Edward to!" she yelled. I clamped down tighter on her. She screamed out in pain.
She's a wolf? She got Victoria. We'll be at the beach in a minute.
Bella! Hold on! Sam's coming!
I know. I can hear him to Jake. Goddammit! Why can't she stop moving!
Bella? You're a wolf! Holy fucking shit! That's amazing!
Shut up Paul! Bella's caught Victoria. Get your ass down to the beach!
I made it to the beach and Victoria really started to struggle. She couldn't reach me with her hands in the position I held her in. Sam and Paul were on the beach in wolf form waiting for us. Jared was there in human form, starting a fire. I could see Jake's body come up behind me.
Just hold her. We'll do the rest.
Sam dashed forward and twisted and ripped one of her arms off and tossed it aside. Jake came up behind us and ripped a leg off. Victoria screamed and I tightened my hold on her. She started thrashing more.
"No! You flea bitten mutts can't do this! I have to kill her! I have to…" she screamed. Sam and Jake ripped her remaining arm and leg off. She couldn't move anything but her head. I dropped her, held her with my paws, and ripped off her head.
The boys were collecting parts of her and tossing them into the fire. I shivered as I realized what had happened.
Oh my god. Oh my god. Oh my god. WHAT THE HELL JUST HAPPENED? I'm a wolf and I killed a vampire. HOW THE HELL IS THAT EVEN POSSIBLE!
BELLA!
WHAT? CAN'T YOU SEE HOW IMPOSSIBLE THIS SHOULD BE?
Try to calm yourself. We're gonna bring you back to Emily's and get you back to normal. Paul, go to Emily's and tell her that Bella needs clothes. Then call her father. He has some explaining to do.
Yes sir!
Follow me, Bella.
Yeah, yeah. This isn't natural. Mom is from California…unless she isn't really my Mom. Or is Dad not my real Dad? This is so fucking confusing!
I followed Sam's black form into the woods and we ran to Emily's. We were there in no time. Emily was outside, waiting for us.
Go around back. I'll instruct you from waaayyy over there.
Good plan.
I walked to Emily. She bent over and tied some clothes to my leg. I nodded to her.
"You'll be fine, Bella. I know you will." She told me. I walked around to the other side of the building, into the woods, and behind a tree. There was no one around.
Now, what the heck do I do?
First, you must calm down. Take a deep breath and think about things that make you happy.
I thought about Jake, the death of Victoria, the safety of my friends, and Charlie. I felt my bones painfully shifting and changing. I was suddenly, no longer a wolf, but a human again. And I wasn't wearing any clothing. I put on those clothes in record time and walked out from behind the tree and into the house. Everyone, and I mean everyone, was waiting for me.
"Dad?" I asked.
"Bells, I was hoping this day would never come." He said.
"Dad? Why is this happening?" I asked.
"I think we'd all, like to know this." said Sam.
"I honestly, don't know why, but here's what happened. When Renee was pregnant, she had a miscarriage, and was depressed for a while. Exactly a week after, we found you on our doorstep. There was a note, saying where you were from, and that your name was Callie. We changed your name and posed you as our own." He said.
There were several emotions going through my head. "Dad, did the note say what happened to my real parents?" I asked, tears springing from my eyes.
"No. I'm sorry. All it said was that you're descended from the Uley line." He told me.
"Why didn't you tell me?" I asked, tears silently streaking my face.
"Renee threatened me. She told me that if I ever told you, I'd never get to see you again." He told me. "I couldn't let that happen."
I didn't know what to do. I couldn't go home. I needed to be alone. As if on cue, people started to leave until only the wolf pack and Emily were left.
"Bella…you can stay here for a while, if you want." Emily offered. I just nodded. I sat down at the table; I couldn't find the strength to stand. Who are my parents?
I dried my tears. If I am going to figure this out, I'm going to have to be strong. But first I need some sleep.
"I call the couch." I muttered and flopped down onto it. I fell asleep instantaneously.
I woke to find myself covered in a blanket and there was one thing I was certain of…I smelled bacon. My stomach growled very loudly. I got out of my makeshift bed and walked over to the table.
"Good morning, Emily." I said.
"Good morning, Bella. How are you feeling?" she asked me.
"Hungry." I replied. I laughed at myself.
"Good. I've made a huge batch of bacon and eggs. You'd better get it before the others get here." She told me and laughed. She put two bowls of bacon and eggs on the table. I took a plate from the cupboard and heaped on the bacon and eggs.
I plowed into my bowl of deliciousness. Just then, Paul,Embry, Seth, Jared, Jacob, and Leah entered the threshold.
"Hey, look who's up. You went out like a light yesterday, Bella." said Jared, grabbing a fistful of bacon off of my plate.
"Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa. MY. BACON. Get your own." I said dangerously. I was hungry and he was NOTgonna steal my bacon.
"Why?" he asked threateningly. Oh, he is going to get it and get it good. I punched him in the nose, feeling it break on impact
"And that is why you do not steal a woman's food." said Emily jokingly.
"Point…taken." said Jared, holding his nose, which was bleeding all over Emily's nice, clean kitchen floor. I smiled and went back to my food as if nothing had happened.
"Way to go, Bells." said Jake. Jared was holding his nose in a way so that it would not heal crooked.
I looked around the room…these were my pack-mates. I passed over each of them and stopped when my eyes met Seth's. All I saw was him, like nothing else mattered except for him. It seemed he was going through the same feelings.
Emily noticed the way we were looking at each other first. "Sam, look." she said, motioning to me and Seth.
He looked at us and smiled. "Looks like someone's imprinted." He said curtly. Jake looked from me to Seth and back again. He looked…broken and angry. He started shaking violently. Seth saw what was happening and ran around the table and pushed Jake out the door. There was a ripping of clothing and the sounds of a fight. I ran out the door and saw flashes of Jake's Russet fur and Seth's sandy fur clashing against each other. I didn't waste a second and changed into a wolf. I ran into the fray and tried to get Jake off of Seth.
(Jake, Seth,Bella, Sam)
How dare you take her from me!
Jake! Stop! Please! Jake was trying to pin Seth, but he was too fast for Jake. Sam ran out the door and changed.
Jake! Seth! Stop this at once! They immediately stopped fighting with strain in their eyes. Tears threatened to spill over my eyes.
Jacob Black. How could you? I ran off with pain in my heart.
Bella! Come back! Seth was running after me. I slowed my pace. I couldn't hear Jake or Sam so I figured they were human again. I didn't have clothes with me, therefore I couldn't change back. I stopped walking all together and Seth was immediately at my side.
I can't believe he would do that.
I can. You were all he ever thought about.
I feel so bad, but I don't…it's confusing.
I know. He was my idol back then. Not anymore though. We stared into each other's eyes for a while.
I love you, Bella. I won't let him hurt you.
I love you too. But I don't think it's me you need to be worried about. He seemed more pissed at you than at me.
Point taken. Oh, and Emily gave me some clothes for me and you.
What would we do without her?
Wither away and die?
Ha-ha, most likely.
I'm going to go change. I'll be back with your clothes.
Sounds like a plan.
Seth disappeared into the woods. Three minutes later, he reappeared with a small bundle of clothes with him.
"Here you go. I'll see you in a few." He told me and tied the bundle to my right foreleg. I walked into the woods, so he wouldn't be able to see me change. I thought of things that made me happy: Seth and Victoria's death. I felt myself change into a human and I quickly put on the clothes that Seth had given me.
I walked back to Seth and he hugged me. "Let's get going." He said.
"I wonder how Jake is holding up." I said. I was genuinely worried about him. He nearly blew a vein.
"I think he'll be fine." said Seth reassuringly.
"I don't think so. He wanted me and him to be a thing. You know. I feel like what happened to your sister is now happening to Jake." I told him.
"He'll get over it." said Seth.
"I hope your right." I told him. I really hoped that he was. We reached the house to find that Leah was sitting down with Jake and talking with him. I hoped that she was helping him. I wanted to go talk with him, but I knew that I would just be making things worse for everyone.
We walked into the house, without stopping to talk to Jake. And, being Bella, I tripped over air. How the heck do you trip over air? Well, I didn't fall completely. Seth caught my arm before I could face plant Bella style.
"Thanks." I told him.
"No problem." He replied. Emily was carrying a load of laundry to the basement.
"Hey, Emily! Do you need any help?" I called to her. Since I'm staying here, I might as well help out a bit.
"Yeah, can you get the other basket of laundry? It's in the living room." She asked.
"Got it!" I walked into the living room and found a basket overflowing with boys clothing. I picked it up by the handles and it was a little heavier than I anticipated a basket of clothes to be, but I brought it into the basement without falling.
"It's a wonder they haven't ripped these clothes up yet." Emily muttered.
"Yeah. Oh no. I'm gonna have to stock up on bras. This is going to be a nightmare. I'll be in there every couple weeks!" I realized, horrified at the thought.
"Don't worry. We'll take care of you." said Emily. We were separating the whites from the darks so that the whites wouldn't become dingy.
"Thanks, Emily. It means a lot to me." I told her. "How's Jake doing?" I asked.
"He's…better. He doesn't seem as angry as he was before, but he is still upset. He used to talk about you all the time. I wish there was something I could do for him." said Emily.
"I wish I could do something to help too, Emily." I told her.
(tab) "EMERGENCY! RED ALERT! VAMPIRE IN THE AREA!" screamed Paul. I ran up the stairs and out tbe door.
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