Summary: Embry/Bella. When it all falls apart he's there to right wrongs and pick up the broken pieces left behind. T rating. Hurt.
Written for Tricky Raven's Weekly Drabble Challenge. Week 8 Word Count: 494
For the second time, she watched everything slip away. She could feel the pieces of her mended heart crumble. A rubbled pile of broken pieces filled the hole where her heart should be.
Alone.
Not good enough. Never good enough.
Jake didn't leave her abandoned in the woods. He didn't run away. He sat starring open-mouthed at his newly aquired imprint. Bella was forgotten, she was nothing to him now.
Eventually they all slipped away, leaving the broken, catatonic girl staring into the fire.
He watched the defeated girl shiver, knowing she was cold Embry went home to pull the quilt from his bed. He wrapped it around the both of them, trying to trap his warmth against her.
She watched the fire, expressionless.
She remembered Jake telling her about imprinting, and how it would never happen to him.
She felt Emby pull her agianst his lank body. Felt his warmth seep into her weary bones. She turned her face towards him, to thank him for not leaving her too. The words didn't need to be spoken. He understood abandonment.
He pulled her tighter, letting a kiss linger on her forehead.
Unspoken words on the tip of his lips.
If he had just told her months ago, not tried to spare his brother's feelings, maybe …
Maybe it would prevented her heart breaking agian. The guilt bubbled up in his stomach. This all could have been avoided.
He leaned forward to stoke the fire, watching the flames lick the cool autumn sky in a seductive dance.
She whimpered, "Please … don't … leave me …" Broken words from his broken imprint.
The tears tracked down her face in slow progression like a funeral march. He pulled her closer.
"Never. I promise, Bella. I'm sorry." He hugged her to him, wrapping the quilt tighter around them both.
He wouldn't tell her tonight. He'd give her time to mourn her losses. She needed that. Deserved it, but he'd be there every step of the way, holding her close and never letting her doubt she was loved. Cherished.
They clinged to each other in the fire's warm embrace. Eventually finding sleep and comfort beneath the quilt and the light of the full moon.
Jacob sat down across from the sleeping forms in the early mornings light. Trying to form an apology into words. He owed them so much more than just words.
Embry's eyes fluttered open. He sat up a little, trying not to disturb Bella.
"I'm sorry brother..." Jacob spoke. "I was so damn selfish. I should have listened to you. Should have seen that you were better for her. I still love her. I can feel it beneath the imprint. I don't know how you could stand back, not do something … Take care of her, love her like I should have, and please … tell her I'm sorry … I'm no better than Cullen.." His eyes watered as he stood, defeated and walked away.