Disclaimer - I own nothing about these Characters - I just own my twisted thoughts behind this particular plot ;)
A friend in Need
She doesn't remember the smell of dew dipped grass being so intense in this area of Forks. As Bella turned onto the last street before her house she could hear the growing cheers and rants from the fleeting crowd growing more faint as she increased the distance between them and her. Football wasn't really her thing, but to please her sport fanatic father she attended the occasional game to keep him company. Not that he needed it; Charlie spent most of the game on his feet in either bliss or rage pending on the score. Bella spent more time hiding her face from the crowd who grew more intrigued with her father dance about on his chair than on the game itself. So when Charlie had offered to take her for a few Daddy Daughter celebration brews Bella had kindly opted out, instead coaxing Charlie's best friend Billy Black to take her place. Billy was never one to turn down a drinking opportunity so it wasn't a big effort on Bella's part to escape the invitation. At 27 Bella still had to promise her father she'd go straight home, and lock the doors behind her.
I really need to get my own place she thought to herself as she waved off their continuous stream of protective orders.
Wrapping her arms around her she picked up the pace as Bella noticed the chill setting into the air. Cursing at herself for not taking the extra 40 seconds it would have taken to go back into the house and grab the extra jacket instead convincing herself it was a warmer than usual night. She began to fumble through her jean pocket for her house keys as her porch light came into view in the distance. Bella relaxed her muscles a little knowing warmth was only a few yards away. Glancing up at the sky Bella wondered what on earth she was still doing here in Forks. Not a star in the sky, hidden beyond a grey velvet blanket. As it were most nights here. The weather is certainly not something that can attract anyone to live in such a damp, cold miserable place. She remembers in high school joking with friends about how this town was the asshole of the earth, it was much funnier back then when everyone held dreams of big escapes, and lavish lives. Bella was one of only a very small handful of those friends who never made it onto the freedom bus.
You're still young Bella she thought to herself, not all the doors have been clo-
Bella's pocket began to vibrate; interrupting her thoughts. She quickly fumbled for the answer button to stop the loud ringtone piercing through the night's silence.
"Bella Swan?" A middle aged sounding man asked.
"Yes?" replied Bella "Who is this?"
"My name is Thomas, I'm calling form Forks Base Hospital" the voice continued
Bella could not help the sigh that followed, the all too familiar dialogue continued between the two.
"Is Jacob ok?" Bella asked, the conversation was almost routine now.
"He is fine" the voice took on an empathetic tone, he too had made this call to Bella before "But we're keeping him in for observation; I'm afraid he's been asking for you Miss Swan"
"I gathered as much" Bella answered "I will be there soon"
And with that she hung up and tucked the phone back into her pocket. Bella hissed into the night, her feet took on a more of a stomp than a walk as her anger got the better of her. She turned the key into the lock of her front door and kicked it open. Curling her fingers around her jacket hanging by the door she spun on her feet and sighed heavily as she left the house again.
As Bella drove towards the hospital the oversized pick up roared in protest with her. It too was sick of this journey. Pulling into the car park Bella managed to find a spot not far from the main entrance. It was not busy this late at night and the vastness of spaces almost mocked her as she pulled her truck into the spot and let the engine grind to a stop. Pausing behind the wheel Bella fought with her emotions to gather composure before she had to see Jake. With her hands gripping the steering wheel she lowered her forehead to rest on them, breathing deep.
C'mon, get a grip he needs you she told herself
Images of her best friend Victoria flashed through her mind, she winced and closed her eyes even tighter in an attempt to push them from her memory but she already knew that wouldn't work. She'd tried many times before. Exhaling heavily Bella stepped from the truck, making the all too family trip through the front doors of the hospital. Staff glanced at the young lady, no longer a stranger to them. She saw the looks of sympathy on their eyes and avoided making eye contact as best she could. As she approached the desk the silence was broken fiercely by Jacobs bellowing voice.
"The Fuck I do! Get that shit away from me you bitch!"
Bella nodded to the receptionist, there was no need to ask where Jacob Black was, everyone in the hospital already new. She turned and made her way into the examining room off to the right. Smiling politely at the Officer standing at the door she took a deep breath and entered the room.
Jacob's eyes snapped to hers as she walked towards him. Bella was instantly overcome with sadness. Where was her Jacob, her childhood friend, her protector? Looking towards the bed she only saw a shell of his exhausted remains. His beautiful tan skin and towering height remained. But his eyes were empty. His facial features were sunken and shallow and his adorable smile now just a distant memory. Bella opened her mouth to say something to him but promptly closed it again. There was nothing to say, it had already been said many times before. For 8 months Bella had watched the man she loved as much as a brother slowly destroy himself. His tattered shirt stained with the remminants of fresh vomit, the smell scorching her nostrils. His arms showed the evidence of his reason for this hospital visit. Jacob saw her staring at the fresh tracks down his arms and changed his position in order to hide them from her.
"What are you doing here Bella?" he growled. But his voice took a tone of relief, he won't admit it but she knew he was glad to see her
"Well who else do you think is going to show up Jake?" she replied, it was harsh but they both knew it was truth. Billy Black, Jacob's father no longer answered these late night calls. Jake had not spoken to him in months. Billy had told him he refused to watch his son killing himself.
"Mr Black, it will help with the pain, and you can sleep" the young nurse pleaded, holding the syringe just out of his reach.
It was then Bella noticed the large white bandage across the top of his thigh. It was thick and had extra padding beneath it.
"What happened to that?" she asked, nodding towards the noticeable wound.
"Stabbed myself" Jake smirked.
Jesus, he is proud of himself Bella thought
"You put that thing near me and I'll stab you with it" He snarled at nurse, who promptly rolled her eyes in frustration and walked out of the room.
With the two of them left in the room Jake sunk into the bed, his heavy shoulders falling slightly. Bella saw him look away from her and this is where she knew his guilt had begun to set in. Slowly she approached the bed, sitting beside him she reached down to touch his hand.
"Jake" she whispered, barely audible
It was then Jake began to sob. Bella curled her fingers around the back of his neck, pulling him into her. Jake reached out; cupping her hips in his massive hands he pulled her to him. He buried his head into her shoulder and wrapped his arms tightly around her. His sobs growing louder as Bella too now wiped her own tears into his shoulder.
"I'm so sorry" he sobbed
"Shhh" Bella whispered "It's going to be ok"
But Bella was not sure it would be ok. She had watched her closest friend destroy himself with drugs for too long now. Bella had tried everything she could possibly think of to help Jake. But in the end she has resigned to the fact that she will just have to be here to pick up the pieces until the day Jake decides to help himself. She felt his body shaking beneath her and she knew he was having a hard time coming down off his latest fix.
"Why won't you take the pain relief?" She asked
"It's not relief, they want to sedate me" he snapped "Like some wounded animal"
"Jake what the fuck are you doing stabbing yourself with a knife?" Bella scorned "You could have killed yourself"
"Who said it was a knife?" Jacob replied
"What?...well what did you use?" Bella sat back up, looking him in the eyes. She tried to blink back the tears she'd already been soaking into Jake's shoulder.
"Wooden stake" Jack answered "They had to go cutting into it to get it all out apparently"
Bella cringed.
"Yeah ok, that's enough" she replied
Reaching up Bella wiped away the fresh tears that had formed droplets against Jake's cheekbones. He wasn't the same man, the same friend. Eight months of torturing himself for not dying with his wife Victoria, Bella's best friend had taken its toll. Her face was again in the front of Bella's memory. Her beautiful red hair falling in curls around her porcelain face. Her smile so infectious and genuine. Bella wish she had refused to identify her for the police. The picture of her lying on the cold slab of metal, her face bruised and battered, her hair stained with blood, her beautiful red lips so cold and blue has haunted Bella's sleep since the day it happened.
"I miss her so much Bells" Jake sobbed
"Me too sweetheart" Bella smiled softly back at Jake
AN - I have skipped the prologue and jumped straight into the story, it's not going to be an overly large novel.
Edward is on his way, promise ;)
Please R&R - I always value opinions.