Hello! This is just a fun little story of my version about how things would have gone if Jacob really did go to the Cullens' house that night, instead of Bella talking him out of it. The first bit of conversation between them on the phone is directly from Eclipse, but the moment Jacob hangs up, BAM, it's all mine.
.:Crashed Slumber Party:.
"Hello?"
"Hey, Jake, it's me." Alice watched me with expressionless eyes for a second, before she turned and went to sit between Rosalie and Esme on the sofa.
"Hi, Bella," Jacob said, suddenly cautious. "What's up?"
"Nothing good. I can't come over Saturday after all."
It was silent for a minute. "Stupid bloodsucker," he finally muttered. "I thought he was leaving. Can't you have a life when he's gone? Or does he lock you in a coffin?"
I laughed.
"I don't think that's funny."
"I'm only laughing because you're close," I told him. "But he's going to be here Saturday, so it doesn't matter."
"Will he be feeding there in Forks, then?" Jacob asked cuttingly.
"No." I didn't let myself get irritated with him. I wasn't that far from being as angry as he was. "He left early."
"Oh. Well, hey, come over now, then," he said with sudden enthusiasm. "It's not that late. Or I'll come up to Charlie's."
"I wish. I'm not at Charlie's," I said sourly. "I'm kind of being held prisoner."
He was silent as that sunk in, and then he growled. "We'll come and get you," he promised in a flat voice, slipping automatically into a plural.
A chill slid down my spine, and then the phone went dead.
"Wait... Jake?" I called in immediate panic. Nobody answered from the other line—just dial tone.
No... Oh no.
"Bella?" Alice was next to me, scrutinizing my face. Her brow furrowed. "Is everything all right?"
"I think..." I began, but, feeling slightly nauseated as I realized what was coming, what Jacob was going to do, I stopped my speech. What had I done? He was coming here, with who knows who... What if he and his pack brothers tried to hurt them—Alice, Esme and Rosalie? I couldn't even fathom the idea of the werewolves attacking them. Alice was so tiny… Esme so sweet and gentle… If any of them got hurt it would be all because of me.
A hiss slithered out of Alice's lips, making me jump as I came out of my thoughts. For one crazy instant I thought she'd heard what I was thinking and was angry with me. But her head snapped to the window. Her eyes were narrowed, wary.
"Why did all our futures suddenly vanish?" she asked in a low, furious voice. Her eyes left the window and landed on me. I shrunk at her steel gaze. I could feel two other pairs of eyes on me as well, adding to the pressure.
"I think," I tried again, "that Jacob might be coming here with some friends."
Alice kept her eyes on mine, still narrowed, still cautious, still angry.
"I didn't... When I told him I was being held hostage he might have taken it a little too seriously," I continued in a rush, looking at everyone with apologetic eyes. "He said 'We'll come and get you.'" Esme and Rosalie exchanged a glance, and then Rosalie stood up from the couch, her eyes peering out the window. Esme came over to Alice and me. "He hung up before I could protest, before I could say anything," I finished urgently. I don't know what my expression was showing—I felt scared and guilty... which usually means my face is showing much more than that.
Esme touched my arm softly. "It isn't your fault, Bella," she assured me.
I wasn't convinced. Alice groaned.
"I can't see anything," she complained, rubbing the side of her temple with two of her fingers. Her eyes were closed, and when she opened them again they were nervous.
"I don't like this," Rosalie said. She sounded disgusted. "What is the dog planning on doing on this ridiculous 'rescue' mission of his?" She turned to Alice. "And what are we planning on doing about it?"
"I don't know," Alice hissed; not at Rosalie, but at herself. I could tell she was frustrated not being able to use her sight.
"You're not…" I hesitated, playing out possible scenarios in my head. "You're not going to fight them, are you?" I whispered.
Alice looked me dead in the eyes. "Bella, if they attack us..."
My eyes widened in horror.
"No! You can't!"
"Bella-"
"None of you can get hurt! This is my fault - I'll fix it."
"Calm down, Bella" Alice ordered. Esme wrapped an arm around me.
"We will try to avoid any kind of confrontation with Jacob," Esme told me. "We don't want a fight."
"What if it comes down to one?" I asked, my voice still barely audible. Jacob had a tendency to jump right into his assumptions and set things straight. What if he just came as a werewolf? What if he didn't hesitate, didn't pause to listen or say a word? What if he went straight in for the kill…?
I shuddered.
"I'm sure it won't," Esme said. It sounded too much like she was avoiding answering the question for me to feel any better.
But I knew this wasn't the same as when Edward and Jacob looked ready to kill each other. This was different. The eagerness of a battle this time was one-sided. The Cullens didn't want to kill anybody. Esme especially wouldn't want to hurt the wolves as much as she wouldn't want her own children being hurt.
I also knew that they wouldn't just let me go, either, though. Whatever Jacob's plan is to take me, the Cullens will act to keep me. But just how far will they go to ensure that?
The images flashing through my head were frightening. I couldn't allow this to happen.
"I'll go out there and meet them," I decided. "I'll set things right before Jacob and whoever he brings can act rashly."
"We don't know what they're planning," Alice said. "If you go out there it would be very simple for Jacob to throw you over his shoulder and start walking away with you. And I can't let that happen." She sighed and held up her hand when she saw me about to argue against that. "We'll all wait inside to see how the wolves decide to handle this."
"But-"
"No 'buts', Bella. If they take you forcefully how do you think I'm going to react to that?"
"That's exactly why I have to tell them myself that it's all a misunderstanding before anything happens!" I was getting frustrated. A fight could not break out between my family and my friends.
"If they give you time to talk," Alice corrected. "But, as I said before, we don't know what they're going to do. Jacob is angry and irritated and that's not a safe mix of emotions for a werewolf. You could easily be hurt or worse. Accidents happen."
"Alice…" I moaned. I was tired of everyone worrying over me.
"Sit down and relax, Bella." Alice lightly pushed against my shoulder and I stumbled back onto the couch. "I'm sure if we don't antagonize them then they'll be better behaved."
"We'll have to handle this carefully," Rosalie told her.
"Yes," Esme agreed with a sigh. "But for now we're continuing our slumber party."
Alice put in another movie and sat down by my feet, turning the volume down low. Esme and Rosalie sat beside me on the couch, but both were too tense to pass for relaxed. Alice was the only one of us who could pass for eased, though I knew she was far from it.
I paid little attention to the events happening on the TV screen despite that I was staring intently at it. I got the gist of the film, which I supposed was a romantic comedy of some sort, but anything other than that eludes me. My brain was focused on the upcoming ambush by Jacob and his brothers. Who would he bring? Embry? Quil? The whole pack? Would Sam allow this? Would Sam even know about this? No, I don't think Jacob would mention this to Sam if he could help it. I doubt Sam would approve. He wouldn't want a war to start over something as silly as this. So as long as Sam isn't in his wolf form, he won't know about it, so he can't stop it.
But what if a war was exactly the result of tonight?
What if Esme, Rosalie, and Alice don't make it out alive? There's too many wolves for them to handle alone, to defend against. And the wolves won't show any mercy. They don't care that my vampire family has spent decades doing their best to be good. Their sacrifices don't matter. To the Quileutes, vampires are vampires, bloodthirsty monsters. That's it.
And if they fight, and my family falls, what will Edward, Carlisle, Emmett, and Jasper come home to? Or, more importantly, what won't they come home to?
This couldn't be happening...
I jumped when I felt something brush my hand.
"Bella, dear," Esme's gentle voice said. She had placed her hand on mine. "You're shaking."
I realized then, as she spoke, that I was shaking. I took a deep breath to calm myself.
"It'll be all right," she assured me.
"How can you know that?" I whispered.
Then, simultaneously, before Esme could answer me, all three vampires' heads snapped to the right.
"Well," Rosalie said slowly, "we're about to see for ourselves."
My stomach knotted as my heart sank into it.
I don't know what I was listening for. Paws thudding against the earth, maybe? Howling? I kept perfectly still, stiff, my ears open and alert. All that could be heard in the room was the low movie playing and my frantic heartbeat, loud even to me. The three vampires in the room didn't move, which kept me frozen in place as well. I tried to hear what they could, but, of course, it was a wasted effort.
"Esme," Alice addressed so low that I wondered if I imagined her speaking at all.
But then Esme rose from the couch, silently moving for the door. What was she doing? My eyes widened, but Alice stood, her palm up and facing me as if to keep me from speaking or moving.
I nearly jumped fifty feet off the couch when something pounded against the front door.
Esme was out of view now, and I heard her open the door. "Hello, Jacob."
"Forget the pleasantries," Jacob's husky voice spat, making me cringe. "Where are you keeping Bella?"
Alice looked at me and gestured that I go speak to my friend now.
I scrambled up from the couch, my foot getting caught on the rug under the coffee table in my haste. Alice caught me, rolling her eyes.
"Keeping her?" Esme asked, sincerely confused. "She's right here, if you'd like to speak with her."
"Yes. I would." I heard Jacob's hostility waver at Esme's kind sincerity. I turned the corner just as he stomped across the threshold into the house, maneuvering past Esme and the door. Esme stepped back, not seeming insulted at all by his rudeness. I noticed Quil and Embry just outside. Both of theie expressions were wary and their frames were trembling. It didn't help when Jacob came inside. Their eyes shot wide, blazing, and their hands clenched into fists. They looked like they wanted to protest but were afraid to say anything.
Jacob had his eyes on the motherly vampire as he walked in. He turned his head just in time, and abruptly stopped before he ran into me.
"Jake," I said quickly, "what are you doing here?"
"I came to spring you," his eyes left me as he spoke, moving around the house. His gaze hovered on Alice and Rosalie behind me.
"I don't need springing, Jake," I said.
He snorted.
"I'm serious."
"So am I. The bloodsucker has no right to keep you from seeing me if you want to. I'm not letting him get away with this."
"Well, I am." I tried to shove him back out the door, but he didn't even budge. It was kind of pitiful and I hoped he couldn't tell how much strength I actually put in it.
Jacob finally took his eyes away from the Cullens to stare down at me with an incredulous expression. "You can't honestly tell me you appreciate being babysat like a toddler."
I grimaced. "Of course not. But this isn't the way to do this. I'll talk to him-"
"Like that arrogant leech will listen to you," he scoffed. I gave him a warning glare but he paid me no attention. "Do you think he'll even hear you out? He not going to change, Bella, he's a living stone, frozen and cold. That's who he is. He's an annoying, controlling parasite who doesn't give a damn about anyone but himself!"
Someone behind me hissed, quick and fast, making Jacob's muscles ripple and coil as he tensed, his black eyes shooting up. Outside, Embry and Quil readied to spring into the house. Esme had a watch on them from the corner of her eyes.
"Watch yourself, mongrel," came Rosalie's voice, cool and menacing. "Or have you forgotten who's home you're in?"
"Hard to forget the stench," was Jake's cold reply.
"You could always leave." Her suggestion came out sounding more like a warning, a threat.
"The sooner the better. Come on, Bella."
He went to reach for my hand when he suddenly tensed, along with his friends. Alice had skipped forward, stopping beside me, interlocking our arms. Her expression was sweet, innocent, like a little girls. "Bella can't go with you, we're having a slumber party. Maybe next time."
Jacob was leaning back, glaring at Alice. "Don't think I'm an idiot. I know damn well that bloodsucker of yours is having her kept away from me. That filthy leech thinks he has some kind of rule over her, when he doesn't!"
"Jacob, stop." He was trembling again. It made me nervous. My heart was ready to leap from my chest in a panicked frenzy. "Edward's just trying to protect me, that's it. He just goes a little overboard sometimes-"
"That prejudiced bastard thinks I'm dangerous enough to ever hurt you," he snorted.
"You're not one to talk," Rosalie said. She had moved closer to us, too. Watching Alice's back, I presumed.
"He already has hurt her," - I flinched - "and I would never do that. But I can't say I'd do the same for any of you," Jacob snarled at her dangerously.
"You're in our territory," Rosalie reminded him coldly.
"I wouldn't mind a war."
My anger flared. "Jacob Black, nobody is going to war. Do you hear me?"
He ignored me, his piercing black eyes still fierce on Edward's sister. Quil and Embry were both intent with concentration. Their bodies, like Jacob's, were shaking. Esme had taken a couple inconspicuous steps away from them. Her gentle face was smooth, but her eyes held the same anxiety I felt inside me.
"Don't tempt me, dog," Roslalie sneered.
"Rosalie," Esme said, "we don't want a fight with the pack."
"Because you know the battle will rule in our favor," Jacob said. He still hadn't taken his eyes off Rosalie.
Esme, expectantly, wasn't affected by his words. She continued on calmly. "This can all be settled peacefully. Surely no one has to get hurt over this."
"Esme's right. Listen to Esme," I said hurriedly. My veins were still running hot with adrenaline. I wished I had the convenient ability to keep cool and collected in situations like these. I also wished Jacob had that gift, as well.
"There's nothing to settle. Bella's coming with us."
"I'm sorry," Alice smiled apologetically up at Jacob. Her tiny arm extended out across my stomach, and she pushed me behind her. My heart sank to the pit of my stomach at her action, knowing Jacob wouldn't take it well.
His lip curled up, exposing his teeth. "You have no say in what she wants to do," he growled. His body moved forward, towering over both Alice and I.
"Stop! Stop this!" I tried, unsuccessfully, to push my way past Alice, and between her and Jacob. "Don't be like this, Jake. They're just trying to keep me safe."
He growled again, and I scolded myself for the wrong choice of words.
"I know it's silly, but their hearts are in the right place."
"Their hearts!" he scoffed.
"Please, Jacob."
"For your own safety? Is that what they told you, Bella? Well, I have something about your safety. Why should I leave you here when one of them could take a snap at you at any moment? Huh? If this is about your protection, they're more dangerous than I am. I bet they wouldn't even mourn your loss if they slipped."
"We have decades of experience over you," Alice said, her posture stretching as she raised her chin higher. She wasn't being kind anymore, it seemed. "You are still a new werewolf, Jacob Black, and any wrong word out of Bella's mouth, no matter how unintentional the offense, could trigger your temper. This isn't about you."
"Yeah right."
"How do you not even acknowledge the threat you pose to her?" Rosalie asked incredulously. "We at least take what we are seriously."
"Don't start lecturing me, Blondie! You don't know anything about me!"
"Nor do I wish to," Rosalie sneered. "An utter waste of knowledge that would be."
"Bella," Jacob addressed through gritted teeth, "Lets. Go."
"Jake..."
"Now!"
His arm reached out to grab me for the second time. When his fingers wrapped around my wrist, Alice's pale hand was right there over his. He yanked his hand out from under her grasp sharply, never letting go of me. I almost went stumbling into him but I felt, rather than saw, someone's arm come around my waist at the same time something slapped at Jacob's hand on my wrist. The next thing I knew I was by the couch, my back toward everyone.
A guttural snarl echoed through the air, instantly followed by a frightening tearing sound. I gasped as I fell to my knees as the house shook abruptly with the loud crashing and shattering of glass. I jumped back to my feet, spinning around.
Jacob and Alice were growling in each other's faces, Jacob's giant russet hand clenching the collar of Alice's shirt, and Rosalie was suddenly there beside them, her face looking gloriously like a vampire's for the first time. But that scene I gazed over for not even a fraction of a second was not what made my heart sprint into panic or my blood boil with fear. It was the giant brown wolf now ready to spring at my sisters, standing where the entire front entryway wall used to be but was now torn and ruined, dust and debris still hanging in the air. His hairs were sticking straight up and he snarled, a row of razor teeth glistening dangerously, like his eyes intent on the kill. Before I could claim anything else to sight, the shredding sound ripped through the air again. My eyes followed the noise and landed on a blurred image of Embry before he, too, was a monstrous wolf. This one scared me further, because his bristly snout snapped at Esme. She was quick to move out of the way, jumping back to where Edward's piano rested on the loft. But her mind wasn't on herself. The frantic movement of her gold eyes told me the position her adoptive daughters were in had her fearful.
"Get your hand off me," Alice seethed. I'd never heard Alice speak that way before. The distinct threat in her growling voice chilled me. I felt the sudden urge to protect Jacob, however ridiculous that sounded. But if I didn't do something, someone would get hurt. I didn't want anyone here hurt. The two wolves' claws rooted deeper into the floor, tearing tile and preparing them for action. The thought of them attacking motivated me. I forced myself out of my frozen state and stepped forward.
"Bella, stay where you are," Esme ordered quickly. My body obeyed immediately, but my mind screamed that I had to do something! She had to see this!
Nobody else was paying attention to me, though.
"Then don't touch me," Jacob responded to Alice, his black eyes filled with hate.
"If I were you and your pack of mutts, I would leave. Now." Rosalie said.
"Then it's a good thing you're not us, or we'd be cowards."
Both werewolves growled abruptly, making me jump. I realized Esme had taken a step toward the three in the middle. She halted her advance upon the wolves' warning, but I knew she was going to take my place as peacemaker, because she could not do nothing while her family was in danger.
"Alice, Rosalie...Jacob, please step away from each other. Lets not fight about this. We can resolve this differently," she said. She began to slowly approach them again, holding her palms up to the wolves as a sign of amity. "We do not wish any harm on anyone, and I know Bella's safety means much to all of us. For her, perhaps, we can at least try to talk this out. Maybe a compromise is in order here."
Everyone continued to glare. I worried they weren't listening to her, that they were ignoring her the same way they ignore me while they're too focused on killing each other. Esme must have seen a more positive outlook, because she stopped walking and relaxed a little, dropping her arms to her sides.
"Neither of us would ever dare bring harm to Bella, though it's understandable our concerns." She sighed. "Bella," I was surprised when she turned her attention away from the conflict and toward me. "What if you see Jacob tomorrow, after school?"
"Esme, Edward-" Alice started, her head turning away from her captive and to the motherly vampire to her right.
"Edward's not here," Esme stated. I could tell it hurt her to go against his wishes behind his back. "He won't be home until Saturday morning, so Bella has all Friday evening to herself. If she wants to be with Jacob during those hours, she has the right." I caught the disapproving expression that came over her face when she scanned the three boys. I always wondered if Edward was just extra prejudiced against the Quileutes, but it seemed all the Cullens thought it was extremely dangerous to hang around a pack of werewolves. I could trust Esme's judgment more than Edward's simply because she had enough love in her to love every ounce of every thing. If she was afraid of me being with adolescent werewolves then it was genuine fear, not prejudices. "Bella?" she questioned again, asking for what I thought.
"I- that would be fine by me," I stuttered out.
"Jacob?" Esme turned to him.
Jacob's lips curved down tightly. He seemed reluctant to respond. "Fine," he finally said after a minute. His fingers unwound, letting Alice's shirt loose. Alice and Rosalie didn't move an inch. Jacob started taking steps back. And through it all, still, their glares held.
I watched anxiously, waiting for this to be over, and hoping it would never ever come close to happening again.
Suddenly a whine slipped out of Quil. I looked to see his head bowed, and he was backing away slowly. Embry was doing the same.
Jacob glanced behind him briefly. "Crap," he cursed. "Is it Sam?"
Embry bobbed his head before spinning on his four heels and darting away, into the night shadows of the forest. Quil stayed, whining at Jacob. Jacob sighed roughly, then turned to me. "Tomorrow, Bella. Remember."
I just nodded stupidly.
Jacob looked at Esme, shot one last glare at the Cullen sisters, then darted after Quil, who had just reached the edge of the woods and disappeared. It was only a couple seconds before Jacob joined him.
Even with the wolves now out of sight, it brought no instant rest to my anxiety. I stood, frozen, staring off into the space Jacob and his friends had disappeared in.
"Filthy dogs," Rosalie spat after a moment. All three vampires were visibly relaxed now, unlike me. "Come into our home and insult us like we're lower than the dirt they walk on. A little bit of torn limbs here and there would have done them some good."
"Rosalie," Esme chastised in a sigh, shaking her head. "Why don't you help me clean this place up?"
"Of course," Rosalie said, though she looked irritated at having to deal with the destruction the wolves caused.
"Bella, honey?" Esme came over to me. She took me in her arms and hugged me. "Are you all right?"
"Yes. I'm fine," I said feebly. "I'm really sorry about all this. I didn't mean for this to happen."
"It's not your fault, dear. Misunderstandings happen."
"Too much these days, if you ask me," Alice muttered. She came over to us with her hand raised, revealing her tiny silver phone. "Here you go, Esme. Don't worry. He won't be angry with you."
It wasn't hard to guess who she was talking about. Of course, the idea of Edward being upset with Esme over anything wasn't one I could easily imagine.
Esme sighed as she took the phone. "I can't see that he won't be at least a little put out with me for this one, Alice, but I'll take your reassurances."
"Don't feel guilty over this, Esme," I heard Rosalie from the kitchen. It sounded like she continued, but I couldn't hear what was being said. Esme laughed once at whatever my human ears failed to pick up from Rosalie.
"I suppose this means he'll answer, Alice?" Esme wondered.
"No, sorry. You'll have to leave a message; keep it brief, it'll make him worried enough. He'll call you back tomorrow morning." Alice smiled at me. "Ready for bed now, Bella?"
I groaned. "How can I sleep after that?"
"Nothing happened," she laughed. Contrary to her words, her hand came up to her collar and she frowned down at the stretched out, wrinkled part of her shirt. "Well, I could've killed him, it's true." She perked back up and grinned at me again. "But I love you more than this shirt."
"Wow. That's good to know."
"Of course, if it was that brand new shore chic halter I just bought, then he would've lost more than his hand, Bella, I kid you not."
"Alice," Esme sighed as she disappeared into the kitchen, the phone to her ear. It made me wish I could be here in the morning, or awake, or whatever, when Edward called her back. So I could hear his voice. I remembered, then, that I was supposed to be mad at him for having Alice hold me hostage, but after what just happened I felt a very strong need to be in his arms.
"Well, it's nice to know we got lucky on your shirt choice today," I said. "Now, I think bed does seem like a good idea." I really was tired, though I grimaced as I thought of the couch.
As an icy wind hit my face from the outside, it reminded me of the gaping hole now decorating the Cullen house. "I should-"
"We have it all taken care of, Bella. Don't worry yourself," Alice said. "I'll show you where all your stuff is."
I knew there was no point in arguing so I let her follow me up the three flights of stairs to where Edward's room was. When I opened the door and stepped inside, at first, I thought I had the wrong room. I blinked a couple times.
Alice giggled.
"I- What the hell is all this?" I spluttered.
"You didn't honestly think he'd make you sleep on the couch, did you?"
Haha, take that, Bella! A bed!
The rest of Eclipse more or less stays the same, mind you. I might add one more chapter to this in Edward's point of view, about Esme's phone call and when the guys come home, but I'm not sure yet. In any case, I hope you liked this little twist to the slumber party chapter. I had fun imagining it up.