Prt. Three
"How long will it take until he comes around Alice?" I asked. She closed her eyes for a few seconds and became exceedingly still.
"I can't be exact, but it will probably be a few minutes…Bella?" I looked up. "Where is Edward?" My heart felt like mush again as soon as she reminded me that he was gone. I had been so involved with making Jacob feel better that I had completely forgotten.
"Alice," I began. "I was hoping I could ask you. I haven't seen him the night of the incident…He yelled, "stop" at Jacob, and then…"
"And then what?" she urged.
"And then he took off. I hope he's alright...Alice, could you check in and find out where he is?" She nodded and became a statue again.
"He's far away from here, that's for sure. He's still close enough to protect you within minutes of course…"
"Is he alright?" I asked.
"Yes, he's just fine."
"Can you tell me the next time I'll see him and where that'll be?"
"In a few hours…at your house." I sighed in relief and thanked her. Just as she was about to say "your welcome," Jacob's eyes sliced open and he looked around wondering where the fire was.
"Bella? Bella?" he cried.
"Jake, I'm right here. Don't worry. Everything's fine now." He relaxed a little and sighed.
"Where's Seth?" his voice sounded both flat and stern. Seth answered by peeking from behind Jared and Leah. He was on crutches now, but only for a small amount of time considering how fast werewolves heal. He limped to Jacob and rushed everything out.
"Jacob, I only did what I did because I couldn't just stand there and watch! And I hate being helpless, and--"
"Hush Seth. You know how serious it is to ignore an order don't you?" Seth looked down at his feet and nodded. "You should never have done what you did…but I'm glad you did." Seth's head snapped up and he grinned hugely. "You nearly got yourself killed though." Jacob beamed now, and it sent my heart thumping unevenly. Alice seemed to notice.
"Aww Jake! I did better than you did at first! I must have taken out all the breath in them to finish like you did." I didn't listen anymore. I turned to Alice when I noticed her eyes wide and unfocused. She was no longer seeing anything in the present. She was seeing the future.
"Alice!" Jasper's voice came from the forest behind us. I didn't notice he was here. He ran to us a bit faster than human velocity, and grabbed Alice's hands. He leaned down so that their faces were on the same level. Alice did not comeback to us, she just collapsed toward the ground. His arms were around her waist in an instant before she could even fall completely.
"JASPER! WHAT'S WRONG WITH ALICE?" I shrieked.
"This has only happened once before…Alice has worn herself to the bone seeing too many things from the future."
"What?? I didn't know! I wouldn't have--"
"Bella, it's not your fault. Alice has been seeing things that come and go. Not ones that she meant to happen. She will come around in an hour or so." His voice sounded untroubled so I calmed down as well. But then again, I never trusted my feelings with Jasper in the same place.
Alice was lying against Jasper's shoulder. It had been about half an hour since she passed out. I was worried to the bone, and even more upset when I didn't have Edward's hand there to comfort me. When I started pacing back and forth, Jasper would release a fresh wave of calm around me. It was impossible not to be relaxed, even when I'd been the one to ask him to do it. After a few more minutes, I told him that I would be in the other room to check on Jacob and Seth.
I tapped on the door to Seth's room first. When no one answered, I mumbled, "Seth?" the answer was a piercing snore. I'll come back later. I thought.
I tapped on the second door and the answer was a quiet, "Come in." I opened the door and sat down on the small rocking chair beside his bed.
"How are you feeling?" I muttered. It took him a second to answer, and then it all came out.
"Bella, I'm so sorry. Sorry for always acting like a jerk and for what I did to your bloo—Edward. I…I'm terrible, aren't I?"
"Yes. You are. Jake, I'm the one that's really the ass. I always rip you and Edward to shreds. Sometimes I really do wish that the ones who have me on their death list did kill me. That way I wouldn't hurt either of you any--"
"Don't talk like that Bells. I…I was waiting for you to come in here so that I could tell you how much I really, truly care." This was the side of Jacob that the definition "sympathy" fell under. "I love you, Bella. And that's why I'm going to give you up. Because I love you more than him." I felt my eyes fill up with tears. Give me up? I didn't want him to give me up! I'm so selfish! I want him and Edward…can someone really be so self-sacrificing?
"Jake…I--" he put a finger to my lips when I began to sob. He rested his hand on my cheek, and brushed hesitantly against it with his thumb.
"I wish I could be with you Bells, but I'm not the one. He is. Edward is the right guy for you." He leaned up and kissed my lips for the final time. I kissed him back, trying to be as gentle as he was, but failed easily.
"Well that's one thing I'll never forget!" he laughed. "You kiss like an angel Bells."
"I love you Jake…" I whispered.
"I love you to Bella."
"Good. Let's keep it that way."
"Sure, sure," he smiled. "Now hurry up and go see your physic leec—uh, Alice, before she gets up."
"Okay Jake."
He brushed my tears away with his thumb, and let me go. He closed his eyes as I shut the door behind myself.
After making sure there were no traces of tears left I hurried back into the living room where I found Edward next to Jasper whispering something too fast and low for human ears. I felt my heart jump out of my chest. Was he here with all of that kissing just now? Oh please don't let him have heard that!
"Edward!" I cried unthinkingly. His head snapped up. I didn't even have to watch to know that he was running to me. I felt his arms around me instantly, and it wasn't long until I started crying. He let me soak his shirt until I felt another wave of tranquil swim over me. Jasper.
"It's alright Bella. I'm here now. I shouldn't have run off like that…"
"Edward! You had me worried sick! Where were you?" I demanded.
"Just a little further than our meadow. I would never be too far, love."
"Jacob apologized for what he did."
"Yes," he agreed. I tried to swallow the uneven lump in my throat.
"You heard him?"
"Don't worry, I'm not mad. I know how hard it was for both you and him to give up one another…and I must ask, are you sure love? I don't want to make you feel like you have to choose me just because I'd like you to. I want you to choose who you really want."
"Edward, I know how much I need you, and I know how much I need Jacob. Jake will always be in my heart, but I can be friends with him. I can't just be friends with you. I love you and Jake…but I can't live without you. And I love you more than you'll ever know." He beamed, bent down, and kissed me deeply.
"Ugh…Jasper?" Alice moaned. He giggled.
"Alice," he groaned. "I'm not going to change their emotions."
Edward and I broke apart quickly and went over to see her smiling face again.
"Alice!" I sighed in relief. I bent over to hug her, and she giggled.
"What'd I miss?"
"Nothing much." I whispered. They all beamed.
I would never forget any of the smiling faces of my friends. Especially Jacob.