The Best Man
Disclaimer; all characters and copyright belong to SM.
A/N-a nagging plot bunny I needed to rid myself of after re-watching the dance scene in Breaking Dawn where Jacob tells Bella he is the best man.
Charlie tugged on the collar of his morning suit. The thick material was biting into his neck. It was supposed to be made to measure, it was certainly expensive enough. Perhaps it wasn't that the suit was ill fitting but that the chief of police was feeling strangulated by the fact that he hated the man his only daughter was about to marry. He imagined himself arresting Edward Cullen at the altar. Putting cuffs on the smarmy prick would wipe that triumphant smile off his face for sure. It would certainly stop the wedding. Talking about stopping the wedding, where was he? Charlie glanced around nervously; worried that he would be discovered. He was due to walk Bella down the aisle any second. He tugged on the collar of his shirt again as his forehead broke out into a cold sweat.
"Where are you, Jacob?" He muttered under his breath.
"Right here."
Jacob's deep husky tones made Charlie jump. He coughed, trying to recover his composure. How did his best friend's son manage to creep up on him like that? He could move quietly for such a built guy. Charlie narrowed his eyes as he inspected Jacob keenly. He huffed when he saw that Jacob had teamed his smart white shirt with a pair of ratty old jeans. He'd even rolled the shirt up at the elbows; the collar was unbuttoned revealing the smooth expanse of his muscular chest. "I told you to dress smart."
"This is the best I could do at short notice." Jacob retorted irritably. He was hyped up and was desperate to get his first glimpse of Bella in weeks.
"Well if you hadn't run off like you did putting me, your father, Bella and all those who care about you through weeks of worry and stress, then…" Charlie began heatedly.
"Alright, I'm sorry." Jacob interjected hastily before Charlie lost control completely. "We've already been through this. Time is running out."
"Humpf." Charlie huffed. "You'll do suppose. This better work, Jacob, or I might have to resort to arresting that little piece of shit after all."
"I would love to see that." A glimmer of a smile lit up Jacob's handsome face. He ran his fingers through his tousled hair restlessly. "I promise as soon as Bells sees me it will all work out perfectly."
"You better be right. I'm taking a big risk here." Charlie tugged on his collar again as he began to perspire. "Bella might never forgive me if it all backfires on us."
"It won't." Jacob's dark eyes gleamed with a fierce determination.
In the distance the wedding march fired up. Charlie grimaced. "That's my cue. Get into position, kid." Jacob saluted Charlie before running off into the trees. The police chief looked up at the heavens. "You owe me this one, god." He wagged his finger at the sky while tugging at his collar again.
Charlie wasn't the only one who was sweating. Bella felt the dress cling to her slight frame. Alice had forced her into a tight corset, it may nip her in at the waist and give her the hint of a bosom, but she could barely breathe. It wasn't helping that Charlie was late. Alice was having trouble seeing where he was, which was weird. It was like something was blocking her visions.
"I told Edward not to invite Seth Clearwater." She said disapprovingly. "It must be him." She clutched her posy of flowers in one hand while she adjusted Bella's veil for the hundredth time. "Please don't scrunch your face up like that, Bella." She tutted. "It will ruin the photos."
"I can't help it. I can't breathe." Bella gasped. "It's this corset."
Alice rolled her eyes. She thought Bella was going over the top. She skipped daintily around the bride, fussing with the dress. She was Bella's only bridesmaid. Rosalie had refused to have any part in it. She thought it was enough that she was being forced to attend at all. "Try to smile." Alice advised. Bella grimaced. "Oh, that will have to do."
"There's dad." Bella sighed in relief as Charlie marched toward them awkwardly. He was yanking at his collar, his face red with exertion.
"Like father, like daughter." Alice muttered under her breath as she gracefully took her place behind Bella.
The band drowned out any small talk. Charlie held out his arm and Bella carefully placed her had in the crook of his elbow. She tried to see him through her heavy veil, but it was so thick she could hardly make him out. She clung to his arm as they moved slowly forward. He was the only thing keeping her upright. The guests were like ghosts as she slowly moved forward. Her throat felt tight and her skin burned. Bella tried to breathe, but the suffocating veil and tight corset made it impossible. The band upped the ante. The music swirled around her, making her dizzy.
"You can still back out." Charlie said in an aside to his daughter.
Bella could hardly hear him. "What did you say?" She asked loudly, trying to make herself heard above the music.
"I SAID YOU CAN STILL BACK OUT." Charlie raised his voice. "I'LL DEAL WITH THE LITTLE PRICK IF HE MAKES A FUSS."
The music stopped abruptly. Charlie's words sounded loud in the tense silence. Faint laughter could be heard from the assembled guests. Bella blushed red under her veil while Charlie tried to act nonchalant and failed. At the end of the aisle Edward glowered, while beside him Carlisle remained calm and dignified. The music started up again. Bella wanted a hole to open up and swallow her whole. She felt completely mortified at her father's behaviour. They were nearly there, although the walk felt like it was a thousand miles. Suddenly a tall figure darted out of nowhere and stood beside the shocked groom. Even through her thick veil Bella knew who it was. There was no mistaking that glistening tan skin, that hot body, that sunny smile, that….
"Jacob!" Bella cried, throwing back her veil and nearly ripping it in her excitement. Suddenly her shoes were off, her bouquet abandoned and she was running barefoot through the springy grass toward him.
Charlie watched in delight as his only child threw herself into Jacob's arms. She was laughing and crying at the same time, completely ruining her makeup and soiling her dress. Jacob spun her around, laughing along with her. Edward was like a statue beside them, seeming completely thrown by this unexpected intrusion and his bride's reaction to it. The crowd was having a fun time watching the drama unfold. They thought it hilarious that the bride had run into another's arms at the altar with her groom standing right there. Some of them stood up and began to film the joyous reunion on their cell phones.
Billy, having spotted his son, joined the fray, along with Seth and Sue Clearwater. The groom was pushed further aside as others appeared. Quil and Embry, Jacob's best friends, jumped on him, wrestling him to the ground as they celebrated his return to the fold. Sam Uley and the others emerged more slowly; the pack had been on full alert, watching the ceremony unfold from afar just in case Jacob did try to do something on the big day. They hadn't expected this. Bella was in the middle of the fracas being scooped up into a group hug and it was all captured on camera.
"The best man has certainly arrived." Charlie said with a grin as he finally went to join them.
Edward was livid. He couldn't even get near his bride. Bella seemed to have forgotten they were supposed to be getting married. She was acting like an excitable child. One minute she was scolding Jacob Black for running off and worrying her to death, the next she was hugging him and telling him how much she missed him and that she was so happy that he was back. It was galling and deeply humiliating. He was at a loss what to do. He could hardly eject the dog in front of the gaping crowd. He looked toward Carlisle for help, but his mentor shrugged helplessly. Paul Lahote and Quil Ateara had broken open some of the bottles of expensive champagne. To Edward's horror he watched as Paul shook one of the bottles, fizzing it up. He then popped the cork and the showered the entire contents over Jacob and Bella as if they were the bride and groom.
Bella was soaked to the skin. The champagne fizzed in her hair, making it sticky. She had lost her veil, she didn't know where. Her dress clung to her slim frame, dirt streaked the hem. The makeup that Alice had carefully applied that morning had melted away leaving her skin bright and shining. Two spots of red coated her cheeks as she looked up at her best friend in awe. "I can't believe you came back."
"I was always coming back." Jacob said softly. He cupped her face and used his thumb to wipe away the remaining remnants of thick red lipstick from her mouth. Bella's lips, now smooth and baby pink, parted slightly. He longed to kiss them until they were red and pouty. He resisted the urge and leaned closer instead. "You can't get married without the best man." He whispered next to her ear.
"No." Bella's voice was faint. Reality was going to sink in soon. She would have to face Edward, Alice, his whole family. She would have to deal with his hurt and disappointment. But right now she couldn't tear her eyes away from the handsome man in front of her. Jacob was a man now; there was nothing boyish about him anymore. "I'm so happy you came back." She said thickly as she gazed up at him from under her thick lashes.
Jacob relaxed. Around them everyone they knew and loved was still celebrating. The pack had taken over the reception area. Food and drink was being passed around. Billy and Charlie were in high spirits as they toasted each other with sparkling glasses of champagne. The other guests mingled with and around them, joining in with the impromptu party. But Jacob and Bella saw no one but each other. She melted against him, closing her eyes as they began to sway to their own beat. Above them, the sun broke through the clouds, bathing them in a shaft of light. Bella smiled to herself. Alice's prediction had been wrong; the sun was shining after all.
A/N-thank god I got that out of my system. Thanks for reading!