Author's Note: I wrote this story off of a "what-if". This is set in Eclipse. I hope you enjoy, and please review!
-J
"I'll just be away for tonight and most of tomorrow, Bella. I promise that nothing will happen to you while I'm gone. The wolves have agreed to watch over you while we are gone." Edward said as he enveloped me in a hug.
"I don't need anymore protection, Edward. Enough people have risked their lives for me." I huffed into his shoulder. It was then I realized the horror of what was about to happen. I was going to be away from Edward. I groaned.
"What? What is it Bella?" Edward studied my face, concern and anxiety written all over his face. I hated to make him worry so much.
"I just don't want you to leave me." I buried my face in his shoulder again. This is my first time being away from him in a while. And especially with everything going on with Victoria and the newborns, more anxiety and nerves consumed me. I sat down on my bed.
"Are you worried about your protection, Bella? I swear no one will hurt you when I'm away. I promise you. The wolves and-" I cut him off.
"It's not that, Edward. I'm not worried about me, but I'm worried about you. What if Victoria finds you and your family? I couldn't live with myself if-" This time Edward cut me off. He kissed me.
"Only you, Bella, would be worried about my safety when I'm the one that is jeopardizing yours." He shook his head and gave me a sad smile.
Before I could reply, Edward kissed me again. It was Saturday night, and I knew he had to leave soon.
"I need to go, Bella. Please, please don't do anything reckless while I'm away. I can't imagine a life without you." He said, his voice unnaturally serious. "I'll be back sometime on Sunday. I love you with all my heart. Goodbye." He kissed my forehead, and he was gone, leaving my heart fluttering and my stomach knotted.
"I love you too, Edward." I whispered, even though he wasn't there. I still had a feeling, however, that he heard me.
I sat down at the kitchen table beside Charlie, glad I was done making dinner. We ate our spaghetti peacefully, until Charlie broke the silence. He shifted uncomfortably in his seat.
"You know, Bells, Billy has been telling me that Jacob misses having you over. Now, I know you have been busy with Edward and everything", he grumbled. I sighed. "But I think both Billy and Jacob would appreciate you visiting them. Especially Jacob. I'm just askinng you to stay for a few hours, not even. I think it would be good for you to catch up with Jacob...".
I had to fight the urge to roll my eyes. "I know dad, I've been working out a time to see him. I'll go tomorrow to La Push, okay? But if anything happens like it did last time, I won't be going back for a while. I'm only going for a couple hours, though." I reluctantly agreed.
Charlie grinned. "There's the spirit, Bells!" He went back to eating his spaghetti and watching his sports.
It's not that I didn't want to see Jacob, it's just that with Edward out of town, everything going on, and that he already tried to kiss me, I wasn't looking forward to meeting him. Plus, with Jacob's feelings for me getting stronger, I don't know what could happen. I excused myself and went to my room. Suddenly, I found my self not hungry.
When my car reached the borderline of La Push, I could already see Jacob standing there. And of course, he was shirtless. I braked my car and slowly got out. I walked to the border and before I could even cross, Jacob enveloped me in a massive hug, spinning me around and almost knocking the wind out of me. I couldn't help but laugh.
"Nice to see you too, Jacob." He released his tight grip on me.
"Sorry, Bells. I'm just so excited to see you. How are you?" He asked.
I sighed. "Edwards out of town, so I've been better." I could see how hard trying to suppress his pleasure. I rolled my eyes. "Plus with the whole Victoria thing and the newborns, my life as gotten way more complicated."
"Well I'm here to make it less complicated. So what do you want to do today? With that blood sucker gone we can do anything!" I was getting irritated, but I guess he was right. "We could cliff dive, ride motor cycles..." He winked at me.
"Then you can drive me to the hospital!" I said in a fake cheery voice.
"I was kidding, Bells. How about we hike up the Cliff instead of jump off it?" He suggested.
I guess it was really the only safe option left. "Fine, but we better get going. We're burning daylight."
"Great! Let's go." Jacob said, already overly excited.
"How much longer until we reach the top, Jake? I can barely walk, let alone stand anymore. Is this even worth it?" I said, getting both annoyed and tired.
"Not much longer. The view is amazing, I promise. Want me to carry you?" He asked.
"I'm fine, Jake. Are we even getting-" All of a sudden my knees buckled, and Jacob caught me before I hit the ground.
"Looks like you're not fine, Bells. C'mon, I'll carry you. It's just a little bit more." Jacob pressed.
"Whatever, I guess." I grumbled. I didn't even blink before my feet were suddenly off the ground. Typical Jacob. I sighed. "Thanks, Jake. I do appreciate this." I smiled at him.
"You got it, Bella. We'll be there in no time." He said. To my disbelief, Jake started running up the hill. In less than five minutes, I was back on the ground.
"Gee Jacob, what I great view! I can really see the beauty of this tree in front of me. What a sight to see!" I said sarcastically.
"Turn around, Bella." Jacob said, annoyance in his voice.
When I turned, I gasped. I walked to the edge of the cliff. It was beautiful. I could see the sun setting, it's golden rays still peaking out from underneath the horizon. The lake sparkled with orange and yellow, it's soft currents pushing against the shoreline. The birds were singing all different types of songs, and the trees shivered in the wind. Jake was right. This was worth it.
I turned back around to Jacob, to thank him for this. Instead, I felt a strong pair of hands grip my face and rough lips forcefully press against my own. I shrieked from underneath Jacob's lips, and tried to push him off me. When I finally felt the strong pair of arms release me, I stumbled backward. That was when I felt wind pushing against me, and the strange sensation of me flying. My body loved the feeling of floating, of being free. But my mind realized what was going on. I was falling. Falling to the water, to my doom, to my fate. Panic was the last feeling I had before I went blank.
I felt like I was being trapped, being suffocated. There was no escaping this pain. My head pounded and my lungs were tight. My mind wanted me to open my eyes but my body wouldn't let me. Edward. Edward was all I could think about while I lay motionless. I could hear muffled voices in the background. Though my eyes wouldn't open, I could feel where I was. I was laying on a cushion. I knew it wasn't a hospital bed. This cushion felt familiar. It was Edward's couch. It was then I could finally make out the voices. I could recognize Carlisle, Edward and Jacob. Edward was yelling. Yelling at Jacob, I guess. I could also make out Carlisle's soothing voice.
How could Jacob do this? Again? I knew Edward would be furious, I just hope that Edward wouldn't do something he would regret. Or I would regret. When I started to hear banging, though, I forced my eyes to open.
At first my vision was hazy. I could only see a blur of bodies in front of me. One body pinned against a wall, an other holding them against it, and the other pushing them apart. I soon recognized each body as my vision cleared. No one realized I was awake, or even aware.
"Edward. Edward?" I tried to speak, but my voice came out raspy and broken.
Everyone in the room whipped their heads around. Suddenly, Edward was knelt down in front of me. One hand stroking my face, the other lightly holding my hand. I looked into his eyes, which were clouded with concern, hesitation, and anger.
"Bella? Can you hear me? Please, please be alright." Edward whispered in agony.
I felt a whisper of a smile on my face. "Where am I? What happened, Edward? Where's Jacob?" I asked quickly, looking around but then regretting it. My neck and back erupted into flames. Edward gently laid me back down.
"Shh, shh, my Bella. Everything is going to be alright. Relax, Bella. You're in my room. You fell off a cliff after Jacob forced himself on you," he said in a hard voice, eyes going blank. Jacob called me after he pulled you out of the lake, and we brought you here. This shouldn't of happened to you, and now, Jacob will pay the consequences."
I put my hand on his cheek. He visibly relaxed. "Hey, I'm fine. I promise. I'm just a bit sore and choked up. This is nothing compared to what I've been through before."
Edward winced. His eyes tightened. "Jacob fled right before you woke up. The others are looking for him. If he ever returns, though, I swear I will-" I cut him off.
"Edward, don't. I've decided I will never see or communicate with Jacob every again. I though I could trust him. He will never be part of my life, and if he ever does come back, he is better off left alone. I will not allow anyone to hurt him." Edward started to interrupt me. "Let me finish. I will never talk him again. And he no longer has a place in my heart. For I have someone who I love big enough to fill two spaces in my heart." And with that, I kissed him.
