I feel a few words of explanation are in order before you read the on. Firstly, I mean no offense to Mrs. Meyer, but I while I highly like parts of the "Twilight" series, I seriously dislike others. Secondly, in this ficlet, some of the standard werewolf/vampire rules, such as seen in UnderWorld, are the ones being followed (Namely, being bitten by a werewolf turns a human into one.). Thirdly, while I am trying to write the characters as 'in character' as I can, I do know that they will be very different from the books.
Put bluntly, this tiny ficlet is everything I liked about New Moon with everything that I disliked altered to how I would have liked it.
"Sure thing." The waitress smiled cheerfully. "Should be just a few minutes." She headed back to the kitchen, walking quickly and carefully.
Lauren. That was her name. She didn't seem to remember me—but I couldn't really blame her. It'd been a while since Edward and I had stopped by and had a late dinner. That is, I had dinner and Edward sat watching. She had been working that evening, but her hair was shorter then…
It's a strange thing, memory. I've tried so hard to memorize some things and recall them later, but failed completely. Other things… other things felt as though they were seared into my mind. I burned my hand once on the stove. It took only a split second, but a patch of my skin was literally cooked. I remember staring at the wound and wondering if it would ever go away.
This time, I don't want the burn to go away. I want to remember. I have to remember. The American couple—the man had dark brown hair, neatly trimmed. His girlfriend was wearing sunglasses propped up on her forehead, and the corners of her mouth were tugged up, as if she was grinning at some thought. The woman with the rosary, holding the cross; she had looked to be in her early forties. I remember a ring on her hand, but not which finger. She might have been married, might have had kids. They were probably high school age, like me. Studying algebra and Spanish or whatever they learned in Italian schools…
It doesn't really matter much, now. They were gone. Right about now most of their families probably are talking with police, contacting guards and officials, still calling cell phones that their now dead loved ones had been carrying. Killed. Every single one of them.
For lunch.
Somehow the thought hadn't bothered me so much, before. I guess I tricked myself into thinking that all vampires all were like the Cullens. They were all decent and kind and noble, like Edward. The rare exceptions became my image of the norm. I think I know now why veterans and police are the way they are. They've seen the worst. They've seen suffering and torment and grief and those who caused it without feeling any pain or remorse. That was why those people would die to fight it.
Quiet, padding footsteps approached and I looked up just in time to see him sit down across from me. My heart wrenched, and for a brief second, I wasn't sure. I didn't know if I really should do this.
"Hey." Jacob greeted me softly. On his face was a strange mixture… joy, uncertainty, and a strange sorrow. I forced a smile onto my face.
"It feels like it's been a few years," I commented, trying to make it sound like a joke, knowing full well that it had been less than a week. The attempt at normal conversation fell flat as soon as the words left my mouth, but I felt the need to try anyway. "How are you doing?" He still looked tired. The deep bags under his eyes were still there, the exhaustion hiding just under the surface.
"I'm better." He said quietly. "A little surprised, too. Sam thought I was lying for a few seconds when I told him."
"Ha." I shook my head, smirking every so slightly. Sam could hear his thoughts, but was so shocked he still thought Jake wasn't telling the truth. "Can't blame him."
"I'm sorry." He spoke suddenly. I met his eyes and he continued. "You shouldn't have had to see that. No one should." The sincerity in his voice was real, as was the grief tingeing his face. Looking at him, for a moment, I thought.... I thought that maybe he was more sorry about those people than I was.
Lauren chose that moment to return with my order, rolling a small cart along. Several steaks, a soup, two tall glasses of iced tea, a basket of rolls… she set it down and left, her genuine cheerfulness earning my jealously. Jake raised his eyebrows, unable to contain his surprise at all the food and fighting the urge to laugh.
I managed a real smile. "Hungry?" I asked, gesturing to the food, my meaning obvious.
"Always." He replied, picking a dish. "What's the occasion?"
"A Last Supper." I told him seriously, pausing for a sip of sweet tea. "Before I go and do something noble. Just like in the Bible." Jake took a massive bite of the roll before responding.
"Shouldn't you have invited a lot more people, if you were trying to mimic that?" He asked teasingly. "I'm sure Sam and Paul and Jared would be happy to help out—" I smacked him on the arm, making him burst out laughing.
"Hey, I barely had enough cash to pay for this." I informed him in mock anger. "But the main idea is the same." Jake held up his hands in surrender.
"Yeah, I get it. Don't attack me again," He told me, grinning. I lowered my hands and he relaxed, gulping down a huge piece of the steak with minimal chewing. I looked around again, trying to memorize every detail of everything and everyone. I wanted to remember this evening forever.
And I'd have forever to remember it.
"You don't have to do this." Jake warned me again as we approached the tree line. "I won't think any less of you if you change your mind, I promise."
"I said I would." I told him, trying to fight the weak, jittery feeling creeping up my back. I wondered slightly if Alice would still be my friend after this.
"People do things sometimes, on the spur of a moment, and regret them later." Jake countered. He was trying to be the good friend again, but I could see it on his face—the eagerness, the excitement.
I forced down the feeling of doubt. I knew what I was doing. I was sure of it. The old Bella had gone to Italy, still doubting herself, feeling like she could wreak everything up in an instant…
I wasn't that Bella. She had stayed behind, vanishing and crumbling away as the screams of those poor victims, murdered by the Volturi and their guards, wafted through the air.
"It'll be a lot faster for you than it was for me." Jake said, sounding like some sort of instructor. "But it will hurt. A lot."
"It's worth it." I stated, trying to sound entirely confidant. I remembered his earlier warning and removed my shoes, then tossed away my jacket. I was now wearing a sweatshirt and pants, with my nice cloths several blocks away in my truck, just in case. I turned away, squeezing my hands into fists. "Do it."
"You're sure?" He verified, again. I nodded.
"I have to." I told him again. "I can't just stand by, knowing what's happening. I can't."
"Okay." He said, the warning tone gone. "You want this. That's why I'll do it. No other reason." He fell silent.
"Thank you." I whispered. I heard a soft noise as cloth hit the ground. The air then abruptly whistled past me.
Directly behind me stood the enormous wolf, staring calmly at me, his head just above mine. I gingerly held out my arm, rolling back the sleeve. The anticipation of the pain was probably worse than what was going to happen. The huge jaws opened, and it took all my willpower not to run.
"Just do it." I said, closing my eyes. I could feel his breath, and pain suddenly shot through my arm. I stumbled back, holding my arm, warm blood dripping down to my fingertips. The throbbing pain suddenly flew up my arm like a jolt of electricity and grew worse. I opened my mouth to scream but lacked the strength to force the air out. The edges of my vision grew black and started growing as my knees gave way and the ground rushed up to meet me…
The room was bright, even with the shades closed. I blinked again, groggy, licking my lips, realizing how dry my mouth was.
"Good morning." A warm voice greeted me. I rolled over enough to see Jacob sitting at my desk. He gestured to the glass filled with pink liquid next to him. "Care for some gatorade?" I forced myself into a sitting position. I was still wearing the same sweats as that night. I glanced at my right arm, half expecting to see torn flesh—
—it was perfect. I couldn't control the grin spreading on my face.
"You might want to take it easy at first." Jacob warned. I laughed and experimentally picked up my bed, raising it entirely off the ground with one hand.
"It worked." I crowed. "It worked completely." I had plenty of hard work ahead of me, but I was rejoicing for the moment. "Wow!"
"You didn't phase after you collapsed." Jacob tried to get my attention. "So, you really should keep a change of cloths in your backpack. If you started feeling ill, you need to get to privacy, fast."
I yanked the door open and ran down the stairs at an insane speed. Behind me, I could hear Jake groan and give up on his warning speech. The driveway was empty and the wall clock declared that it was late afternoon. I had slept for thirteen hours…
"Come on!" I challenged Jake from the front porch. I dashed to the mailbox and back. It took me less than three seconds to cover the forty feet. "Let's go cliffdiving!"
"Why not?" Jacob laughed.
"Race you to the beach!" I challenged.
Jake grinned. "You are so on!"
