Title: I Am Not a Robot
Author: cloudsongs
Genre: Twilight. Bella x Jacob
Rating: PG-13
Summary: Isabella is a new android model with an updated Artificial Intelligence in the "Home" line of androids sent as a gift to Jacob Black, a man grieving after the death of his wife.
A/N: All human…sort of, considering this is a story about androids. Inspired by I Am Not a Robot by Marina and the Diamonds.
1
Jacob wanted to move far away. If he could have, he would have. At least, that was what he told himself whenever he thought about his wife. It made him wonder what could have changed if he had taken it upon himself to make the first move and say, "Honey, I fucking hate this place, let's go," while packing the first bag instead of making snide comments every other day to her rolling eyes. He wondered whether she would have been alive if they had left or whether the universe would have used some other grand gesture to take her away from him.
Sam told him he understood. When Emily had been mauled by that bear so many years ago, he said he had nearly lost it in anger and grief. Jacob knew Sam meant well but all his mind could think was "yes, she almost died, until she didn't." Billy, his strict but loving father, if he had still been alive, would never have said he understood. But Billy would have understood. For what was more poetic than a succession of Black men losing their wives too early?
The bottle in his hand paused at his lips when he heard the carefully timed knocks on his front door. He sighed and considered sitting still and waiting for the person to leave. It was probably Quil or Embry trying to get him to come back to work at the garage, but he trusted at least Embry, the unofficial accountant, to run the place until he was ready. If he could ever be ready.
Three knocks hit his door again with another courteous pause after. It was a stranger. His friends and family knew that his doors were never locked during the day and that a single knock was considered plenty before barging into his house. A whole minute passed, and the same three identical knocks were at his door again, no more impatient than the first two sets.
He shuffled tiredly to the front door and opened it with a wary look on his face. His mouth opened, ready to scare off whatever Evangelist or marketer dared to stand at his front steps. His jaw hung open when his eyes settled on a beautiful woman with skin as pale and sweet like a petal and auburn hair pulled back into a tight ponytail. She wore a long-sleeved uniform, a deep navy blue with the familiar crest with the lion and hand on the left breast.
"Hello, Mr. Black. I am Isabella. I am here to take care of you and your home." The woman held her hand out to shake his, but Jacob just looked down at it dumbly. "May I please come in, sir?"
He recognized her. Who wouldn't? Isabella was the first human-android prototype presented by Cullen Enterprises by the genius Edward Cullen, modeling it after his late wife who died in some freak accident during childbirth, both previous residents of the neighboring town of Forks. Jacob had been friends with the girl when they were both young, innocent, and found pleasure in playing with mud. The Cullens had released several series of androids before bringing back their original Isabella with updated technology. He had seen the commercials of various models with Isabella Swan's face on very few androids, with the Cullens choosing to make her a "rare" model.
Now, seeing her nearly eight years later with the exact same youthful face he had adored when he was sixteen on this…machine, his stomach rolled in disgust.
"Who sent you?" he asked hoarsely.
The android smiled politely. "I was leased by Mr. Embry Call and Mr. Quil Ateara for a duration of one standard month plus one day. What is the first task you would like me to complete?"
Those idiots, Jacob thought. "I don't need an android. You can leave."
The android only continued to smile and for a second Jacob thought he saw it strain to do so. "I respect your wishes but that is against my orders. I will wait here until you choose my first task."
Jacob stared at it for a second before he slammed the door in its face and walked back to the breakfast table and swallowed the rest of the bottle. His hands searched the messy table for his cellphone and clicked speed dial for Idiot # 1.
"What's up?" Quil's familiar voice answered. Jacob internally groaned. Quil must have known already that the android arrived. His usual answer to Jacob these days when he called him was "Hey, asshole, when are you leaving the house?" Most people would have found that to be insensitive, but Jacob would have felt more out of place if Quil had told him to take his time.
"What the hell were you two thinking leasing an android?" He waited for an answer but then changed his mind and continued. "And what the hell is it doing at my door?"
He could hear Quil swallow nervously on the other end. "Jake…buddy, we all chipped in for this. You need someone to take care of you for a while, you know, get your shit in order until you're ready to get back to the real world. You understand, right?"
"They sent an Isabella model."
A lengthy pause. "Oh shit, are you serious?" Quil let out a nervous giggle. "Shit…like Chief Swan's Isabella or like the new version of the android?"
"Chief Swan's Isabella. Looks exactly like her."
Quil groaned. "Oh man, Jake we did not mean to get her. We didn't even think we would get her -she's supposed to be the rarest one or whatever. Oh man. Okay…okay, let me figure out if we can do an exchange –"
"I don't want an exchange," Jacob interrupted. "I want you to return it." He peeped out of the kitchen window with a good view of his front door. The android stood unmoving with her back facing the door. It turned her head and, through the tinted window, looked straight into his eyes. He shivered. "ASAP."
"Non-refundable," Quil deadpanned.
"You've got to be kidding me," Jacob groaned. "It's standing at my front door. It won't leave."
"Just invite her in, man. She'll clean up the place. I heard she's supposed to know how to cook like a million things. Hell, she can probably lift you up and carry you to bed if you so please…."
"Shut the fuck up, Quil." Jacob rubbed his jaw anxiously and stared at the android again, who, this time, had a smile creeping on its face now that it knew he was looking at it. He quickly pulled the blinds closed. "Okay, so there's no way to get rid of it."
"Nope," Quil said, popping the 'p.'
Jacob let out a loud exhale. "I hate you all," he said before hanging up. He peeked through the blinds again to see it staring at the front lawn, taking in its surroundings. He'd seen the demonstrations on television: The Home androids scanned the owner's surroundings and made judgements about what tasks it could take care of without the owner's commands.
A sliver of sun peeked up unusually from the thick cluster of clouds and hit part of its face. He felt a sudden pang in his chest. It really did look like Bella. It had its face turned toward the sun as if to feel its warmth. He remembered how much she enjoyed a sunny day in Forks and La Push -days when she wore a genuine smile. For a second, he could really believe it was Bella herself standing on his front door. That was until it turned to look at him again and the sunlight hit it right in the eye, reflecting the light back like a mirror, nearly blinding him.
Without understanding why, he went back to the front door and opened it. The android turned around obediently, the same polite smile on its lips. "What can I do for you, Mr. Black?"
He stared into its bright yellow android eyes. "Come on in."