Twilight belongs to Stephenie Meyer. Wren belongs to me. Title means "Terrible Night."
"You're not supposed to be here," he says flatly.
She doesn't say anything. She's fairly certain of that, given the circumstances.
He turns away to look out at the sea, his arms crossed against the chill. "I died a little more every time I saw you with him, you know," he says conversationally. The ocean wind ruffles his hair. "Every time, I hoped you'd come back to me. I've loved you...gosh, since we were kids. But each time you smiled at him a little more of me died. And then you sent the invitation, and that was it. There was nothing left."
"But you came," she says. It's half a question.
He sighs. "I came so you'd remember me. So you could have one last memory of me. So that maybe one day you'd look back and figure out why I almost fought your groom. But then again..." He shrugs and faces her. "You weren't supposed to be here."
"Don't do this. Please." She whispers it.
His face twists into a half-smile, half-grimace. "You'll only have forever to forget me, Isabella Cullen."
Her name hurts.
"Just know this—wherever I end up, I'll love you just as long as he will."
He steps backwards and disappears over the cliff's edge.
She screams.
And screams.
And screams.
"Jake!"
She sits straight up. She scrabbles through the covers. She's alone. No.
"Jacob!"
"Bella? What's wrong?" There's a pounding of feet in the hall, and he skids into the room, fear and worry on his face.
She bursts into tears.
There's a creak as he sits down on the bed, and warmth as his arm goes around her shoulders. She leans into him.
"Which one was it?" he asks. It's not the first time this has happened.
"I-I married Edward Cullen," she stutters, gulping back another sob. "And you...you...Jake, you jumped off a cliff." She starts sobbing again.
"Ah. C'mere." He pulls her closer and kisses her head. "Feel that? I'm alive. I'm right here. We're alive together. Don't ever let your dreams tell you otherwise."
Someone cries in the next room.
She snorts wetly. "And I've woken Wren too." She looks up at him, something catching her thoughts. A smile steals onto her face.
"Jacob Black, were you sleeping curled up next to her crib again?"
The guilty look he gives her is quite adorable.
"Come on, guard dog," she says, standing up and attempting to pull him up as well. "Let's go take care of our daughter."
"I love it when you get bossy," he says. He kisses her.
She never has that nightmare again.