Title: Elements
Rating: T
Summary: The very nature of their relationship is that it contains all the elements. Jacob x Bella.
Timeline: In an alternate universe where Jacob and Bella are living happily ever after in the end. (I have no clue which one this is. You make it up.)
Characters: Bella, Jacob, Emily, Sam, Kim, Jared, Embry, Leah, Seth, Paul, Rachel, Edward, Claire, Quil.
Couples: Jacob x Bella; Emily x Sam; Jared x Kim; Embry x Leah; Paul x Rachel; Claire x Quil; Edward x Bella
Words: 2,754
Beta-Read: None.
Elements
-ice-
Ice makes me feel numb.
And numbness is the only feeling I can feel as his lips—hot, moist, passionate—meet mine, kissing, wanting. I feel numb—I can't move, I can't return the feelings I've always known he felt.
I'm as still as a statue as his hands roam, his skin so hot, yet so cold. My heart is numb—I love Edward, I love Edward, I love Edward—but for some reason, as I try to stop myself from kissing back, my mind is dully chanting the same mantra—I love Jacob, I love Jacob, I love Jacob—and I want to hurl when his lips leave mine and he's staring into my eyes. His eyes are so warm, yet so cold, and all I want is for him to heal the dull ache in my heart like he did before.
He's my ice.
-fire-
Unnaturally hot, his kisses on my skin burn like fire.
The trail left by his lips—on my neck, my cheek, my shoulders, my nose, my lips—feels like I've just been burned by steaming coals. There's nothing left of me as I melt into piles of ashes at his feet.
His kisses are wet with need, with want, and I can feel my hands running down his arm, through his hair. My hands are everywhere, mirroring his own, and I open my eyes and see him watching me, his gaze filled with passion and fire.
I'm pressed against a wall, my leg crawling up to be wrapped around his waist, and he's moaning my name and I'm feeling raw.
It's hot and it's like fire and I can't help but want more.
-water-
I watch as the tide washes through my feet, soaking the bottom of my jeans. He's standing beside me, his voice silent for once. Biting my lip, I take a glance at him through the corner of my eye.
He's watching me, his eyes calculating—loving. I gulp as I struggle to stomp on the guilt of never really being whole enough for him. It's what he deserves.
The water tickles my feet just when he takes my hand in his, rubbing small circles on my palm, the silence saying all the things I knew he'd say otherwise.
I love you, Bells.
The water swims up again and I look in his eyes and the quiet whoosh of the water as it flows is answer enough.
I know.
-air-
It's like taking a fresh breath of air.
After being sheltered and watchful and cautious with the other, being able to be free and casual is so refreshing.
But it's like taking a fresh breath of air whenever he comes home, knowing he's watching out for me, knowing he wants to protect me.
Seeing him alive and laughing, throwing something across the room at Quil makes it all so much better knowing he isn't hurt.
As I lean against the counter—watching Emily serve Sam pasta and Kim giggle sitting in Jared's lap as the latter teases Embry about dating Leah, while Seth glares daggers (Leah's saying nothing, her face beet red, muttering curses at Paul who's hand is around Rachel's loosely)—the feeling of home and family and love is never more evident in my mind as I see him glance up at me, his eyes mirroring all the feelings in mine.
I let out a breath I didn't know I'd been holding since Billy told me they'd been hunting a vampire, the smell of home and warmth and family filtering through my nose.
The air's pleasant with the pack—nothing harms family.
-earth-
My back's to a tree, the dirt's staining my clothes, but I don't care about my clothes or my body because my heart's broken and stained and empty and that's more important.
The hole aches and rips and tears at me from the inside out as I gasp for breath. Fingers tearing in the ground, the rocks cutting my skin, I hastily wipe away tears, only to sting my eyes with the dirt.
The hole grows larger.
He's gone and he's not coming back and I'm alone and there's nothing left in me at all. No cold arms to carry me home, no firm lips to touch mine.
And suddenly there're warm arms around me, holding me, loving me. The hole in my chest only aches more, only pains more, but the tears are falling harder. The salty liquid stains his shirt, and when he picks me up gently, the dirt falls on his clothes also.
But he doesn't care because he's holding me—hurting, paining, crying me—and I'm more important to him than some silly dirt on his clothes.
I can't help but wish to stick my tongue out at the earth, proving there're things more important than getting us dirty.
-lightning-
He—Edward, I tell myself, forcing myself to say the name, forcing myself not to wince in pain—was, still is, as fast as lightning when he runs.
But so is he—my sun. He's as fast as lightning as he sprints to confront the vampire who's staring at me, her eyes wild, fierce, the smell of my blood burning her throat.
He's as fast as lightning when he quickly howls to get the attention of the rest of the pack, as fast as lightning when he tackles the bloodsucker, his teeth reaching for anything to pull on.
He's as fast as lightning when after all is said and done, and the vampire is burned into ashes after reinforcements have arrived, to pull me close to him and whisper comforting words into my ear. I love you, don't worry, I'll always protect you, I'll never leave you.
When I kiss him to reassure him that I'm fine, there's lightning sparks.
-shadow-
I can sense the shadows behind his pupils when he tells me the news.
"They're back. The Cullens—they're back."
Those words send my world into a tailspin as I abruptly sit down, thankful the pack allowed him to tell me himself.
I look into his eyes for hours, minutes, seconds, trying to decipher the look in his eye. He's not smiling nor is he frowning, his face carefully impassive as he tries to gauge my reaction. My insides are a swirl of jelly, indecisive and scared.
There's shadows around every corner—every corner of his eye, every corner of mine.
We both dread the moment that will come inevitably. I don't know what to do.
He kneels in front of the couch, in front of me, his finger lining my cheek. He studies my face while I study his eyes—I see the tiredness of long shifts, I see the love and caring for his family and friends, I see the hope of a safe and happy future and I see the pain and fear and the dread of what could possible happen.
A small, minuscule smile floats onto my face, but it doesn't reach my eyes and he knows it. He wraps me in his strong arms, his heat radiating off of me, keeping me warm though inside I'm freezing. I lean into him, moving my lips to capture his to reassure him—though I'm trying to reassure myself too—as the shadows cross us from the dim light of our small house.
The shadows haunt us like the near and far future, and I wish I could say we'd never let them get too close.
-space-
Even though I know he's with his family—my family—and that he'll be safe because he knows otherwise they'll be hell to pay when I got my hands on him, there's an endless amount of space between him and me and I don't like it. I don't like not being able to know whether or not he's safe or if he's hurt or injured or even dead.
I sit in Emily's kitchen, sipping some beverage or another, Kim across from me, Emily standing by the stove stirring. I feel their pain as we take glances at the clock, silent, listening for sort of signal or howling. I worry with them as we desperately hope that our men come back in one piece.
I envy Leah at times like these when I'm left sitting, waiting, hoping, while she's running around with the rest of them. She doesn't have to worry about Seth or Sam or Embry, wondering if they're okay or if she's going to be only child or lose one of the men she loves. I envy Claire for being so youngand not knowing why Quil disappears during nights like these, blissfully sleeping, unaware that herQuil might not make it home.
There're miles and acres of space between my presence and his as he fights the bloodsucker. But my heart is merely inches, centimeters, from his as I miss him, hoping, hoping.
When he arrives home, safe and sound and laughing and joking, space is merely an element as I cross over to him and hug him, my arms around him, not willing to let go. Space is merely a word when our lips meet and I feel better knowing I'll have him for another day, at least.
-power-
The power spreads from the tip of the stone, struck at my stomach, the blood pouring out. The leech is staring at me with his eyes pitch black, taking steps closer and closer.
I feel nothing but pure power at knowing that I'd finally done something to save them. I'm protecting him and them and the realization is nothing but pure power.
They're all staring at me, eyes wide in shock and horror. He's immediately at my side, but I push him away, gasping for him to make his move while the bloodsucker's distracted.
He refuses to leave my side, as I pull out the makeshift dagger from my stomach, the power still pumping through my veins. Sam and Jared quickly tackle the vampire while Paul and Quil tear at him. The beat up remains are thrown into a pile and quickly burned while he and Leah attend to me.
There's nothing to attend to, I tell them. The smile of pure power hasn't left my face yet, and I can see that he's starting to worry. It's fine, don't worry, I saved you! I'm nothing anyways, I'm worth the sacrifice. He keeps shaking his head though, as though my words mean nothing.
A frown sets on my face as I try to tell him to leave me and to be happy for me. The others have crowded around me now, their faces ranging from confusion, to dread, to shock, to horror.
I'm blissfully happy as the power spreads through me until I wake up and find myself at the hospital.
A week later and I'm sitting next to Kim watching the news, waiting for them to come back, and the power's gone.
-thunder-
I hate thunder.
Loud and disgusting, the sound, the noise—it frightens me, plain and simple.
When I was younger, I'd hide under my bed sheets, curling up into a little ball, pillow covering my ears, trying my best to block out the sound. Renee would come in and watch me when I was tiny—as I grew older though, she gave up on that and I was left on my own.
Eventually I wasn't scared anymore. Now I just get annoyed at it.
Thunder makes me shiver and makes me want to melt into liquid and never surface.
When he leaves one night with Quil and Embry to do rounds, it's storming. There's lightning and buckets of water falling from the sky and the thunder is louder than ever.
I stay with Kim that night—she's not as afraid of the storm as me, but she rather have company, and Jared welcomes me before running out himself. Shivering, I flinch dramatically every time the thunder hits.
BAM.
Water droplets fall on the pavement as I force myself not to look out the window.
BAM.
I hear the roof creaking slightly, and I hope a tree doesn't fall and crush the house.
BAM.
I hear footsteps and a few mutterings. The door is thrown open and Kim and I leap up and into their arms.
BAM.
I shudder, and he remembers that I'm afraid of thunder. I spot him smirking, so I frown as he leads me outside.
BAM.
I immediately hit him—softly, I don't want to break my hand—and tell him to come in and wait until the storm gets a little better. He shakes his head and lifts me into his arms, carrying me over to the car.
BAM.
I almost scream, but instead I bite my tongue in the last moment. He sits me down on the hood of the car, leaning back against the bumper.
BAM.
Since his arms are wrapped warmly around me, it's almost impossible for me to flinch. His smirk widens as I realize this and suddenly I get his point.
BAM.
I snuggle into his embrace, happy and content and never wanting this moment—even though the rain is cold and soaking my clothes and even though the thunder is so loud—to end.
BAM.
When I look into his eyes, which are twinkling in amusement and glee, I smile before leaning in a giving him a kiss.
BAM.
Maybe thunder isn't so bad after all…
-metal-
His arms are as hard as steel and as solid as iron when they're wrapped around me and I can't but feel protected.
It's rock solid, his protective nature for me. It gets annoying, I can say that confidently, but it's nice sometimes. It's not as overbearing as his protective nature was. He overacts, fears, wants me to stay out of the way.
But I know how to bend him. He'll do anything I say.
He can be as strong and as determined as steel one moment, then flexible and as willing as aluminum the next. I know he does it for me—sometimes nothing I can say or do will persuade him. And to be honest, I'm glad he wins sometimes.
It's nice knowing someone cares.
As his arms protect him, lovingly and caringly, with overbearing and with determination, I hear him chuckle slightly when I hit him with the metal pan.
It doesn't even make a dent.
-light-
It's an envelope of light and it's all around me, consuming me and there's nothing I can do about it.
My eyes flutter open and I feel blind as I squint to catch his face. He's smiling grimly, not happy at all, but trying to be for me. I reach a feeble hand up to touch his wrinkling face, trying to reassure him that it's part of life and that we all die someday, and I'm old and wrinkly and he wouldn't want me around anymore anyways.
He shakes his head and squeezes my hand affectionately. He's no longer as warm as before, back when he still phased, but he's still warmer than me and it soothes me as I feel my eyelids grow heavier and heavier. I let my smile take control of my face and I can idly hear a hitch in his breath. I open my mouth the tell him I love you and I'll see you on the other side, but he puts one finger on my lips, telling I know, you don't need to waste those last breaths.
I want to though, I tell him and he lets me mutter I love you, I love you, I'll see you soon, don't worry, at him before I feel weak and suddenly I'm asleep.
Or at least that's how it feels until the light swallows me whole and suddenly I'm younger and more beautiful and I see him standing in front of me, his arms open and ready. I run to them, I'm faster and no longer clumsy, and embrace him.
There's warmth and light everywhere and I can't feel anything but happiness as I feel his warm warm warm arms around me and my heart is pounding louder and louder and louder and I kiss him. There's no feeling on my lips, but I know how it is.
And then suddenly time has passed and he's standing next to me and it's really him, I know it is, and I only grow happier.
We follow the directions to light, taking all the time in the world.
Author's Note: So for one, my writing is really…wordy in this piece, but I guess it works.
Now I hope you enjoyed my first Twilight one-shot (I think I may write more…). But I only have one request when you review.
Please don't tell me you hate Jacob/Bella or Edward/Bella or Edward or Jacob or Bella anywhere in your review. I like them all. (Well, except Bella, but that's a different story and it's still not allowed.) Flames about writing a Jacob/Bella will get used to be thrown at Gudami and Benny. :D
EDIT: 8/14/08 - Thanks goes to Gudami for reminding (without meaning to) about metal. I totally forgot about it and just needed to add it in. So that's why you may have gotten the alert for it.
Now please press that purple button.