Author's Note:
This story came to me while reading several Imprint fics, and having always been a huge BellaxJacob fan. In the books, I felt that Bella had so much more personality when she was with Jacob. When she was with Edward, she was like a ragdoll, bending and twisting to anything Edward said. An unhealthy relationship, I thought. Bella seemed so much more of a Jacob girl to me. This story is loosely planned out, and will be shifting from both Jacob's and Bella's point of view, and maybe others. We'll see.
Summary:
While Bella was running from a vampire that wanted to kill her and in a hospital in Phoenix, Jacob Black experienced his first Phase. He adjusted to life as a werewolf, but he suddenly missed his friend from Forks more than anything in the world. Bella Swan, who he had had a crush on ever since his walk with her at the First Beach. When he hears that she's gone missing, he runs over to look for her, and the rest of his pack comes to help him. He looks the forest for her, the smell of parasite reeking, and leading him right to her. When she opens her eyes and looks into his, the world moves, and he looks into the eyes of his soulmate.
. ... .
"Bella, I don't want you to come with me." Edward spoke the words slowly and precisely, his cold eyes on my face, as I absorbed what he was really saying.
There was a pause in the air, as the true meaning behind the words hit home. I put a hand on my chest, trying to stop the pain that was slowly building up there.
"You…don't…want me?" I said, confused. The words sounded odd to me, out of order. Still, they hung in the air, waiting for a response.
"No."
There was another pause. My hand dropped from my chest, and the pain stopped. In its place was a great numbness, and I wasn't sure which was worse.
"Well, that changes things." My voice was calm, reasonable. The full severity of the situation lost on me. It made no sense.
He looked away from me, his voice cold. "Of course, I'll always love you," he paused, and my heart hammered for a second, before suddenly crashing again, "…in a way. But what happened the other night made me realize that it's time for a change. Because I'm…tired of pretending to be something I'm not, Bella. I am not human." I looked at him, and I agreed. His perfection, his beauty, they were not at all human. "I've let this go on for much too long, and I'm sorry for that."
I blinked, saying nothing. What was there to say? I didn't understand what he was saying. Should I laugh? Get down on my knees and beg him to stay? Or at least beg him to kill me before he left…? Because that's what he was doing, I realized. He was leaving me.
Edward smiled at me gently. "Don't worry. You're human--your memory is no more than a sieve. Time heals all wounds for your kind."
I looked at him, and suddenly a rush of something flooded my stomach. "And your memories?" I asked, the sound coming out forced, like I was trying to talk while swallowing.
He smiled, his razor sharp teeth gleaming even in the poor light of Forks, "I won't forget. But my kind, well, we're easily distracted." There was a tone in his voice that cut me, straight to the bone. It was almost as if he were taunting me.
"I do suppose there's something better out there to distract yourself with then me," I agreed, as tears pricked my eyes. I looked down.
He didn't respond to that, deciding to step away from me. "That's everything, I suppose. We won't bother you again."
I looked up at this, the plural catching me off guard. "Alice…" I said, my heart breaking more, "she's gone, too, isn't she?"
"Yes, she's gone. Carlisle, Esme, Emmett, Jasper, Rosalie, Alice, they're all gone. I stayed behind to tell you goodbye."
"Alice is gone?"
"She wanted to stay behind to tell you goodbye, but I convinced her that it would be best this way," he told me, quietly.
"Yeah, because you always know what's best for me, don't you, Edward? Damn you! If this is about my soul, take it! I don't want it! It's nothing without you. It's already yours!" I half-yelled at him. Emotion was finally breaking through. Anger, white and hot.
He again ignored my outburst, "Goodbye, Bella," he said, in a quiet, peaceful tone.
"Wait!" the word ripped from my chest, as my arms reached for him.
He took me, then, wrapping his arms around my shoulders as he pulled me close. Breath left my body in a whoosh, but I quickly recovered, inhaling deeply so I would never forget his scent."I'm sorry, Bella. It's best this way." His tone was as if he were a parent talking to a child that required great patience. It cut me again.
"Then leave!" I screamed, shoving against him, "Leave, then, if it's best!" My hands hit his sides, hurting me more than it hurt him, I know, but it was enough for him to pull back in shock. I had never reacted so violently to anything in my life. But he was leaving me and ripping my heart out so he could take it with him. It hurt, and I wanted to hurt him even more. It was a human thing to do, and if he wanted me to be human, then I wanted him to face the consequences, even for a minute.
"I hate you!" I screamed it right into his face. The hurt was blinding, like hot oil all over my skin. "You come into my life, make me fall in love with you, get me kidnapped and tortured by some crazy vampire, and then leave me! Fine! Go! Leave and take all your freak shit with you! I never want to see you again!"
For a second, I saw a flash of pain cross his features. And then he was gone.
I stood still for a moment. "Edward?" I called, fear flooding my senses. No response. "Edward?" Silence.
Fear hit me hard now, and I surged forward. "Edward!" I yelled, as I ran, tripping and stumbling over branches and roots.
I think I was running in circles, but I didn't know where else to run. I yelled his name over and over. Sobs wracked my chest, and the next time I fell, I didn't bother getting back up. I curled my body, lifting my knees to my chest as I wrapped my arms around my chest.
Night fell, and there was complete darkness. Figures. A new moon. The sounds of the forest were quiet, and I was completely alone in my misery. Pain replaced blood and every time my heart beat, it pushed it through my body in a repeating cycle.
I think I slept. When I woke up, I was in someone's arms. They were strong, and my heart soared as I thought for a brief, split second, that Edward had come back to me. Then I noticed heat; something that Edward lacked. And not just any heat, but very, very hot heat. I opened my eyes, blinking rapidly from the pain of all the grit and dirt that had gotten trapped in there during my slumber, and allowing my eyes to adjust.
"Bella…" it was a familiar voice, one that enveloped me in comfort. A friend.
"Jacob," I said, my throat raspy and sore from all the yelling I had done. I looked up at him, meeting his eyes.
For a second, his eyes were relieved, that he found me, I'd assume. But then, a split second after I looked into his eyes, the look changed to a look of wonder and awe, and he swayed a bit. I tensed, preparing for him to fall, but he didn't. He regained his balance.
"I'm going to take you home, okay? Charlie's worried sick about you."
. ... .
Please review. I don't want any Jacob Hating, though. I don't hate on Edward, when I read his fics. Give me the same courtesy, please. I'd love to hear from you.