A/N: A series of scenes from the books that I think should have gone differently. This is how I would have progressed the story had I been the one writing the Twilight Saga. All words in bold and italics are from the books themselves.
Disclaimer: Everything belongs to Stephenie Meyer, the creator of Twilight.
Her smile was kind now. "That sounds quite bizarre to you, doesn't it? In some ways, you are much more mature than I was at eighteen. But in other ways…there are many things you've probably never thought about seriously. You're too young to know what you'll want in ten years, fifteen years – and too young to give it all up without thinking it through. You don't want to be rash about permanent things, Bella." She patted my head, but the gesture didn't feel condescending.
I sighed.
"Which is why you and Edward have left me no choice," she whispered faintly.
My eyes widened and I immediately shifted my eyes to her face. Her tone had changed, sounding more dangerous than it had been a moment ago. The look in her golden eyes scared me.
"Wh—"
I didn't even get the word out before she was on me, her hand covering my mouth so I couldn't make a single noise. I felt something stabbing my arm and went to yell and move away but her hands held me down. I wasn't going anywhere.
"Shh, shh, " she soothed. Her beautiful features started to swim before my eyes. "There, there, now." She sounded as if she was trying to comfort a small child and it frightened me. But it didn't seem to matter. I could feel myself fading as my vision darkened.
Edward.
It was the last thought in my head as the darkness claimed me.
...
I could hear faint murmurs around me and I struggled to open my eyes but the weight I still felt like I was under wouldn't allow it.
The sounds stopped. "She's waking up."
I didn't recognize the voice but it was deep, husky and sounded relieved.
I then felt a scalding hand laid against my cheek. "Bella?"
My eyes fought harder. That voice I did recognize. Jacob was here? How had he gotten past Charlie into my room? Through the window? Wait, where was Edward then? Who else was here in my room besides Jake?
I fought and fought and was finally able to crack one eye open. Slowly my vision cleared and I saw Jake's worried expression. I waited a minute and then lifted my other lid, waiting for that one to clear as well.
Once I could see him through both eyes, I opened my mouth to speak. A very dry "Jake," croaked out and I saw him wince. I did as well internally. I sounded worse than the day I had gone cliff diving.
I blinked several times and the area behind Jake came into focus. I saw the Pack standing in the back of Jacob's room, all watching me anxiously. Jacob's room? What was I doing here? I scanned for Charlie or Billy but found neither one. And where were was Edward? I knew he would never have let me cross the border. He was too worried for my safety.
I felt burning fingers trail down my left cheek and then turn my head gently to bring my gaze to Jacob's. He looked so incredibly scared. Had I passed out? Is it possible that Edward had somehow allowed me to visit him and the first thing I do when I get here is fall and hit my head? That was possible, the me falling down part.
"Bella, are you alright?"
"Jacob." My voice still sounded pathetically scratchy. "What happened?"
He winced and turned back to the others. "Guys, give us a second."
Sam glared at him and I noticed Jacob glare back at him. What was going on? And more importantly, how did I get here?
After a minute, Sam gave a stern nod and turned to leave, the rest of the Pack following him. The door closed behind them and Jacob turned back to me, his expression lighter than before.
I went to try to lift myself up but I got suddenly dizzy and my arm loudly protested. I hissed and laid back down, trying to get a look at what was causing such pain. I felt Jacob's fingertips brush against my shoulder, leaving fire on my skin. "Lie down, Bells," he said softly.
I turned back to him. "What happened? Where's Edward?"
His eyes tightened and he stared down at my right hand. "I don't know where your bloodsucker is."
If I was able, I would have rolled my eyes. But they still felt too heavy to even attempt the movement.
I decided to change the subject and get some answers. "How did I get here?"
He looked up at me then though his eyes didn't soften any. "The blonde leech dropped you off."
My eyes narrowed slightly. "Wh-What? Wh-Why?" Everything was still so fuzzy. Did he mean…..Carlisle?
Jacob reached over to his night stand and grabbed a glass of water. He leaned down and gently stuck his arm underneath my shoulders and pulled. He lifted me up a few inches and held the glass to my lips. "Here," he said kindly. "Drink some of this first."
I obeyed as he lifted the glass slightly and took a few sips. I was slightly uncomfortable, being this close to him, as he watched me so intently. Especially, when his arm was burning my shoulders. But I hadn't realized just how dry my throat really was. I felt the throbbing in my left arm again and when he removed the glass, I turned to look at it.
I let out a loud gasp and attempted to lift it to inspect it more closely when the pain surged through me again. I hissed and lowered it back down gingerly at the same time Jacob did the same with me onto the bed.
"It's not as bad as it looks. Sue checked it out. She says it'll be okay," Jacob assured me quietly.
The inside of my arm had the most massive bruise I had ever seen, a mix of dark colors that I don't think any painter had come across yet. It looked almost sickly and the pain was excruciating any time I tried to move it.
His fingers brushed gently across it, so lightly I barely felt it except for the heat his touch left behind. I sucked in air through my teeth and turned my head away as the fire melted into my skin and made it throb once again.
"Sorry." He placed an ice bag there gently instead and I flinched but it was starting to feel a little better.
"How did it happen?" I frowned down at my now injured arm. I was relieved though that my voice sounded better than before. The water must have helped.
"She did it. She gave you something to knock you out so she could bring you here." My eyes turned to him in confusion. "If you ask me, she was way too rough," he growled, his gaze never leaving my arm.
"She?"
He glanced back at me and nodded. "The blonde leech."
My forehead creased in thought. "Rosalie?"
"I guess, if that's what you call the leech." I ignored his continued insults of my adopted family. Had I felt stronger, I might have insisted he call her by her rightful name, but I was too tired. "She's the one that brought you to me—us."
I watched him as he corrected himself and he lowered his eyes back to my arm, unwilling to look at me.
I tried to remember but for the life of me I couldn't. Everything was still blurry, just within my grasp but still out of it. I closed my eyes and lifted my right hand to my eyes, rubbing them. "I don't-why would she bring me to you? That makes no sense. I wish I could-my head is all fuzzy."
My hair was brushed back by a warm hand. "I know. She said that would happen for a little while after you woke up. Sue said the same," he murmured.
I lowered my hand and looked up at him. He was staring at me in a way that brought back the discomfort at our close proximity. He must have sensed it because stopped stroking my hair and moved back a little. For that, I was grateful. I was confused enough as it was. I didn't have the presence of mind to make those lines in our friendship solid again.
"So, what exactly happened, Jake?"
His eyes dropped to my right palm where his finger was flirting with the skin on the side. "After I talked to you last night, I was angry. So angry that I went out for a run to clear my head. I wanted to come and get you. I didn't like that they were holding you hostage, no matter what you said. But, then I got this idea. I ran back home and phased back. I was gonna come and see you at the school today, stage a prison break. I remembered that you said the small leech, the one with the visions, couldn't see what I was planning. So, I went to bed, knowing I'd pick you up in the morning. A little while after that, I heard Sam howling for me. I phased and ran to meet him and Jared at the treaty line. While I was on my way, I could see that the blonde leech was there and you were in her arms, passed out. I ran faster to get to you, afraid she had hurt you, even though Sam and Jared both told me that you were breathing. I was gonna get you away from her and then rip her apart."
I flinched at the loathing and anger in his voice when he talked about killing Edward's sister, as if it was no big thing. I went to say something, anything, to defend Rosalie. I knew I wasn't her favorite person and that she wouldn't mind it so much most likely if Edward breached the treaty and came after me, causing a war that would hurt both sides. Rosalie wasn't concerned with such things, as long as her family's secret was kept. She had always been very vocal in her hatred of the wolves.
Jacob started again before I could utter a word.
"When I got there, I phased and told her to let you go or I'd kill her myself. She just smiled at me, telling me she'd love to see me try but it would have to wait. She said she was running out of time, that her family was already on their way, she was sure of it. I didn't know what she was talking about but she then offered you to me." He sighed angrily and then turned to look at me. "I admit it, Bells. I didn't trust her, not one bit. But, I could see you were unconscious and your arm…." He glanced at it quickly and swallowed before continuing. I took you from her, with Sam and Jared right next to me, and then we stepped back. We didn't trust her for a second. I demanded to know what she had done to you and she just flat out told me." I could see some of that admiration back in his face that he had held once for her back when she had protected Emmett from the wolves.
"She said that you didn't know what you were doing, what you were giving up. That you were too dazzled by your bloodsucker that you couldn't think straight. Whatever that means." I knew what it meant, but it simply wasn't true. I loved Edward. I was becoming a little irritated. Who was Rosalie to judge what was best for me and what wasn't? "She said that since you and your leech weren't thinking it through, she was left no choice but to give you that time to think." Jake's face darkened. "She doesn't exactly like us. She'd rather see us all dead but based on everything she's been told by the small leech, your leech and the head leech, she thinks I'm your best bet." His eyes turned to mine. "To convince you, that is, to make the right choice and live."
I felt the heat rush to my cheeks. I was angry. I was eighteen years old. I was perfectly capable of making the choice to live my life the way I wanted to. Even if it meant joining Edward's vampire family for eternity. I wasn't some child to be corrected and lectured.
Jacob could see I was losing my temper and fast. He laid his hand on my shoulder. "Bells," he said softly but with determination. "Let me finish telling you the rest."
I gave him a quick nod, telling him to continue.
"I wanted to know what she had done to your arm and she said she had shot you up with a tranquilizer of some sort. I was angry but I wanted to know the name so I could tell Sue because that is exactly where I was taking you as soon as I left. She told me and then tossed your book bag at us. I thought it was your clothes and Jared picked up the bag but the leech said you didn't have anything. She had no time to pack for you. She said that there were passports in there and money, a lot of it. She told me to get you away from Forks and take you somewhere. Somewhere they wouldn't be able to find you for a while. The future-telling leech wouldn't be able to see you as long as you were with me and your bloodsucker couldn't read my thoughts once we were far enough away. I just had to mask your scent somehow and leave right then. She figured the longer you were away from your leech with no contact, the more you'd come around. She said that was how it worked."
I scoffed. What on earth had Rosalie been thinking? She had practically kidnapped me – no she had kidnapped me! And that's when certain snippets came back. The look on Rosalie's beautiful face as she told me her story. Her eyes focusing intently on me within a moment. Her shushing me as she held her hand over her mouth as I began to black out.
"I thought she was nuts or trying to set us up in a trap or something. But Jared brought the bag over to me and I looked in there, and sure enough, the money was in there, along with our passports."
I frowned. "Where 's the bag?"
He inclined his head in the direction of the corner of the room where the offending bag sat. I glared at it. "And then?"
Jacob turned a glare on me at my icy tone. "I was going to take you, like she said." I felt more heat pool in my cheeks as I gritted my teeth and looked away from him. "Don't even, Bells. You know I would do whatever I need to keep you safe. You think I want you to become like them? To be one of them?"
"That's not your decision," I ground out.
He snorted and sat back in his chair. "Yeah, so I keep hearing. " I turned to see him glowering at the floor. "Doesn't matter, anyway. Sam forbid me to go once she left. Said we needed to figure things out first, talk to the Council and the Pack, that it could mean war, blah, blah, blah."
I let out a breath of relief. We stayed silent for a minute, never looking at one another. I had no idea why Rosalie felt that she needed to save me. I understood her points where I was concerned and what I would be giving up. But, didn't anyone understand that I was getting so much more in return? That I did understand what I would be giving up? I lifted my eyes to one of the biggest things in that category.
He was still scowling, clearly irritated. I turned my eyes up to the ceiling, choosing instead to study the paint up there. I wondered where Edward was and why he hadn't forced his way onto the reservation to find me. I was relieved he hadn't because surely the wolves wouldn't let him get that far or the wolves would be hurt in their attempt. Either outcome was not desirable in the least.
And what about all of this with Rosalie? Talk about going to the extreme. I hope Edward hadn't hurt her in a bid to come and get me. He had to know I was here by now, being able to read her thoughts. No, Emmett would protect her. I made a face. I sincerely hoped the brothers hadn't been fighting.
"You know how much I hate to admit it, but she's right."
I felt my anger flare and my eyes fell back on him. "She is not right!" I snapped. "I know exactly what I'm giving up and it's not easy but I'm doing it. It's what I want! Edward is what I want! And no one is going to convince me otherwise."
His jaw clenched and his lips formed into a tight thin line. "So, that's really what you want? To become a monster like them?" I refused to answer, never mind look at him. I was exhausted and I wanted to go home. "What about your parents, Bella? What about Charlie? What about…." He dropped his head again. "Me?" He said quieter than all the rest.
My heart twisted inside my chest. I hated it when he hurt. His pain was my pain, just like it always had been.
"Jake," I began soothingly. He slowly raised his eyes to mine. I could see the pain reflecting back at me, nearly toppling me with its intensity. "I-"
The door opened with a bang and both of our heads snapped in its direction. Sam stepped in and eyed Jacob and me. "Their leader is at the treaty line. He wants to speak with us."
"So, go. I'll stay with Bella," Jake snapped.
Sam shook his head but remained calm at Jacob's rebellious tone. "He wants to speak with you as well as me. They know she's here but they don't want to come over the line and start a war." And then Sam turned his gaze on me solely. "At least not yet."
I cringed inside. I didn't want a war between them. I cared about everyone on both sides.
Rosalie, what have you done?
Jacob sighed heavily and got to his feet. "Quil!"
Quil appeared in the doorway a moment later. "Yeah, Jake, what's up?"
Jake inclined his head towards me. "Stay with her and take care of her while I'm gone."
Quil looked to Sam and Sam gave a nod before walking out of the room. Jacob glanced down at me before turning to leave.
"Jacob."
He stopped and turned back to me.
"Why don't you just take me to them? This way they can see that I'm okay and you haven't run away with me. There won't be any need to fight."
Jacob crossed his arms and I knew his answer before he spoke it. "No. " I should have known it wouldn't be that easy, that he would be that stubborn, especially after hearing Rosalie's spun tale about dazzling. Whatever made her think that Edward was dazzling me? Maybe she had gone insane like Jacob had said. Was that even possible, for a vampire to lose their mind?
"Jacob…."
"No, Bells. You need to rest. I'll tell your bloodsucker hi for you, okay?"
I glared at him. "Oh, so now you're kidnapping me?"
He snorted. "Not at all. We didn't take you from anywhere."
"Oh, so I'm allowed to leave then?"
His dark eyes narrowed. "I wouldn't say that just yet." I went to say something but he cut me off by cocking his head towards Quil. "She stays here. No phone calls and you do not leave her alone. Not once. Something happens before we get back, raise the alarm and we'll be here in three minutes."
Quil nodded and Jake gave me one last scowl before walking to the door.
I was so angry I didn't know what to say first.
"Oh, so I'm not a prisoner, huh? No phone calls? What is that, Jacob Black?" I blurted out, half yelling. I was surprisingly strong for someone who had been knocked out hours prior and had only woken up a few minutes ago.
"It's called saving your life, Bella. If you won't do it for Charlie or even for yourself, then I'll do for it you. You've left me no choice." He didn't look back once as he said it and walked out the door.
You've left me no choice.
Hadn't Rosalie said the same thing before she attacked me? Since when was it about their choices or lack thereof? This was my life, why was that so hard to understand?
