CHRISTMAS ONE SHOT
Disclaimer All Twilight characters belong to Stephenie Meyers and there are direct quotes taken from her. Not sure if I need to make a disclaimer for myself, but parts are also taken from Jacob's Eclipse, chapter Fire and Ice.
Author's Note: Current time is during the Tent Scene in Eclipse.
The Memory takes place in NM, the Christmas that Bella would have been very depressed. Jacob is not a wolf yet, so he is still human.
JACOB POV
It was only a few more minutes of running with Bella tucked tightly to my chest as the snow began to fall all around us. I saw the tent just ahead on the side of the mountain. The wind shook hard, not allowing the snow to settle in any particular place.
"Bella!" Edward called, he had been pacing back and forth and ran to our side. I hated being so close to him and set Bella down on her own feet. He quickly wrapped his arms around her in a tight hug. "Thank you," Edward looked over her head at me. "That was quicker than I expected, and I truly appreciate it."
I just shrugged. This guy was so annoying, thanking me all the time. I knew that it was important to remain peaceful, but there was no way I was going to be that friendly. "Get her inside. This is going to be bad – my hair's standing on my scalp. Is that tent secure?" It was such a creepy feeling, I have felt the change in weather before, but never to this extent.
"I all but welded it to the rock."
"Good." I looked up at the black sky and the swirling snow. "I'm going to change," I said. "I want to know what's going on back home." I took the jacket off and hung it on a branch and then went into the trees to finish undressing.
The storm was worse than I had ever seen and the tent rocked violently and I wasn't able to sleep at all. It didn't help that I could hear Bella's teeth rattling inside and I could tell that she must've been freezing. I didn't know what he had inside that tent, but it was irritating that they weren't more prepared. He tried to get her to leave and for him to try and move the tent further down the mountain.
You should have thought of that before you set it up at the top of the freaking mountain.
Edward growled so low there was no way Bella could hear. "What can I do?" Edward asked, I wasn't sure if he was talking to Bella or my constant complaints out here.
I whined, wishing that there was something I could do.
"G-g-g-get out of h-h-h-here," Bella ordered again.
I rolled my eyes, I wasn't whining for me. I wasn't even cold, she was the one suffering.
"He's just worried about you," Edward translated, granted an edited version of what I said, but I let it slide this time. "He's fine. His body is equipped to deal with this."
There has to be something you can do? I complained.
"What do you want me to do?" Edward growled, clearly done being polite. "Carry her through that? I don't see you making yourself useful. Why don't you go fetch a space heater or something?"
Make myself useful, that I could do. I howled in delight as I shifted back into my human form.
"That was hardly necessary," Edward muttered. "And that's the worst idea I've ever heard."
"Better than anything you've come up with. Go fetch a space heater," I grumbled. "I'm not a St. Bernard."
I took the frozen jacket off the branch, grabbed the zipper of the tent, and tried to fit my body through the smallest opening that I could. Edward wasn't far from me and Bella was completely on the other side of the tent her body convulsing with shivering.
"I don't like this," Edward hissed as I closed the tent opening behind myself. "Just give her the coat and get out."
I saw Bella looking around at us and her lips moved, I wasn't sure if she was trying to talk or they were just chattering that badly. "The parka is for tomorrow – she's too cold to warm it up by herself. It's frozen." I dropped it by the door. "You said she needed a space heater, and here I am." I stretched my arms wide, touching both sides of the small tent.
"J-J-J-Jake, you'll f-f-f-freez-z-z-e," Bella complained pathetically.
"Not me," I said cheerfully. "I run at a toasty one-oh-eight point nine these days. I'll have you sweating in no time."
Edward snarled, but I ignored him and crouched down next to Bella and began to unzip her sleeping bag. Suddenly he grasped on to my shoulder, his ice cold skin burned my flesh and the instinct to attack was immediate and I tensed to control myself.
"Get your hand off me," I growled, keeping my teeth clinched together.
"Keep your hands off of her," Edward answered blackly.
"D-d-d-don't f-f-f-fight," Bella pleaded and her body continued to shake violently.
"I'm sure she'll thank you for this when her toes turn black and drop off," I snapped.
Edward thought about it for a moment and then dropped his hand from my shoulder and moved back to the other side of the tent. "Watch yourself."
I chuckled. "Scoot over, Bella," I said, zipping the sleeping bag open farther. She stared at me in shock, like she just now figured it out. How is it possible that she didn't know what Edward was protesting to?
"N-n-n-n-n," Bella tried to protest.
"Don't be stupid," I said, exasperated. "Don't you like having ten toes?" I gave Bella a quick wink and wondered if she was thinking of the same time that I was.
(* * * * *)
There was a soft blanket of snow on the ground, it had been snowing for the past three days straight and what started off as fun turned into cabin fever pretty quickly. With nothing better to do I helped Dad decorate a small Christmas tree. We didn't really have the space or the decorations for much more than the skinny 5ft tree. There were tiny multi-colored lights that we wrapped around the branches and added ornaments that were mostly hand made by my sisters and myself.
Bella and Charlie should be on their way, assuming that they could get here through all the snow. It has not been an easy time for them. Bella has been extremely depressed since the Cullens left, my dad kept telling Charlie that she would get better soon, but it has been close to two months and Charlie was freaking out. She never went anywhere, other than school, so Charlie wanted to make sure that they both left the house for Christmas. Bella really didn't want to go anywhere, so a compromise was made for Christmas Eve, we would have desert, but no presents.
So we purchased a sugar free apple pie and a regular pecan pie, and placed them in the oven to bake. I pulled them out of the oven, breathing deeply as the aroma filled the air.
There was a knock on the door. "It's open." Dad yelled from the living room.
"Jeez Billy, would it be too much to roll your lazy self to the door." Charlie grunted as he walked in the front door. There was a sharp blast of wind that came inside and I shivered for a moment. I was turning off the oven when I heard an "uffump" and the loud clattering of boots as Bella stumbled into the house.
Her hair was pulled back in a messy ponytail, her eyes had dark circles under them that matched similar dark circles that Charlie had. Despite her troubled appearance, I was still really glad that she was here.
"Bella!" I walked towards her, with a huge grin on my face that honestly even surprised me.
"What, no hello for me?" Charlie mumbled, walking into the living room with Dad.
I felt myself blush and thought about saying something, "Uh . . . Uh . . ."
Bella gave a small smile at my awkwardness and I figured that my stammering was worth that.
"Can I take your coat?" I asked, she was still standing in the doorway and seemed to be a little lost.
"Yeah, thanks." She shrugged out of her coat and I was surprised at how skinny she was. The large flannel shirt seemed to be eating her whole, draping limply over her tiny shoulders.
"Do you want any help?" Bella asked.
"Um, you want to cut the apple and I will slice the pecan?" I suggested.
"Sure."
I handed her a knife and began rambling about school, the snow, and really anything that I could think of. Bella nodded her head and gave simple answers when asked a direct question. I began to understand why Charlie was so concerned. It wasn't that Bella was being evasive to my questions, it was more like she simply didn't have any answers.
Dad and Bella both had apple while Charlie and I had pecan. We placed the pie on plates and we all ate in the living room. Bella and I settled comfortably on the couch and Charlie Brown's Christmas was on the TV. I glanced over at Bella often and I could tell that she really enjoyed the holiday classic. Bella would nibble, taking tiny little bites. It was really cute, while I was more hungry than I thought and I think I ate about half of a pie.
Bella silently gathered our empty plates and I joined her at the sink, washing the dishes. I didn't really feel like we needed to say anything as I washed and she dried the dishes, setting them on the counter. Our fingers would brush against each other slightly and I could feel my cheeks blush. Good grief, I was going to have to get a grip on myself or I knew I would completely freak her out.
"Thank you for your help." I said, pulling the plug from the sink to drain the water and grabbed a towel to dry off my hands.
"No problem. I don't know where the plates go." Bella set the last dry plate in the stack. I stepped behind her and opened the cabinet above her head. She looked up at the cabinet and her hair brushed across my shoulder and I could feel my breathing increase.
"Second shelf," I said trying to keep my voice even, but not sure it really worked.
Bella reached with the plates, causing her shirt to lift in the back showing the top of her pink panties, and I felt like my mouth went completely dry. I tried to swallow without success several times.
Bella turned back, completely oblivious to what had happened, but as she turned I realized that I was in her personal space. "Um, sorry," I took a step back.
"It's alright." Bella shrugged.
"Do you want something to drink?" I asked. My mouth was still dry and I knew I needed something. "We have. . ." I opened the refrigerator. "Eggnog or cider and hot chocolate packages in the pantry."
"Cider please. Where is it?"
I pointed to the pantry and I grabbed the teapot and filled it with hot water, placing it on the burner to heat. Bella was still looking through the pantry, it was on the top shelf and I knew she wouldn't be able to reach it without a chair.
"Here," I reached over her and grabbed several packages from the shelf, looking through them until I found the cider.
I started to hand it to her, as she reached out for it and I kept moving it so that she would miss each time. We both started giggling and Bella started to reach for it and I flinched it the other way, not seeing her other hand until she quickly grabbed it out of my hand.
"Nicely played." I smiled.
"Thank you."
I poured the eggnog for Dad and Charlie, added the spiced rum that I knew that they both liked and brought them their glasses, while waiting for the water to heat. Bella and I moved around each other easily, as Bella searched through the cabinets and drawers for mugs and spoons. She opened her packet and added the powder to a mug and I opened a hot chocolate package, once the whistle blew I added the hot water to both mugs and Bella stirred.
"You know, we make a pretty good team." I said, smiling.
"Yeah," Bella said like she was just now thinking about it. "Yeah, I guess we do."
Together we walked back to the living room and settled back on the couch, being careful not to spill our hot drinks. As we sipped our beverage I asked her about some of her family traditions and found that Bella could talk pretty easily about her time with Renee and some of the crazy things that they did together. I wasn't sure if it was the heat from her cider, but she seemed to get more color in her cheeks and Bella had taken her hair down and it fell across her shoulders. She looked really beautiful to me.
"What?" Bella glanced at me, making me realize that I had been staring at her more than I should have.
"Um, nothing." I shook my head, but then felt like I should say something. "I like your hair."
Bella looked at me sort of confused. "Thanks," she mumbled, biting her lip.
Great, now I just made her really uncomfortable. What in the world is wrong with me? I know that I have thought about her off and on for basically all my life, but she has always seemed to be out of reach for some reason. As we watched TV and ate, I was taken back to the time we had walked together on the beach and remembered her flirting with me. I had told Quil and Embry about it and they didn't believe me, but I know she did.
I felt Bella flinch and she began to shift uncomfortably, coming out of my day dream I looked at the TV screen, there was a couple kissing. It wasn't just an innocent peck, it was a lovers kiss with their bodies pressed together and his hands in her hair. They continued to kiss and kiss and I glanced at Bella. Her eyes were darting around the room looking everywhere but at the screen and she had curled up with her arms wrapped around herself. She was shaking from head to toe and I didn't know what to do.
There was a blanket over the back of the couch and I grabbed it scooting closer to her in order to drape it over her.
"Thank you." She said, tucking it around herself and then patted my hand that was resting on my knee.
I gasped for a moment, her hand was extremely cold almost like ice. "Wow, Bella," I put my other hand over hers, "you're freezing." I whispered softly.
Bella shrugged. "I kind of like it."
"Why?"
"Reminds me of someone." Bella closed her eyes and swallowed slowly. I didn't know what she was talking about, but whatever it was it surprised me that she would like thinking about it from the way she reacted to it.
She looked so sad and I wanted to do something, it also didn't help that I could see Charlie glancing at us every chance he got.
"You want to come outside with me? I could show you what I'm working on." I offered.
"Sure." Bella said, standing from the couch. The blanket fell to the floor and we both reached down to pick it up, bumping our heads together.
"Umph, sorry." We both mumbled to each other.
Together we folded it and I carried it with me knowing that the garage would be pretty cold from all the snow that we have gotten lately.
I went to my room to get my coat and as I walked back I heard Charlie sigh and my dad mumble to him, but I didn't catch what he said. Dad and I made eye contact for a moment and he nodded his head towards the door, so I took it as a sign that he thought it was a good thing I was taking Bella out.
(* * * * *)
I finished cramming my body into the bag and brought the zipper back up. It was extremely tight, however the moment my body heat reached her, Bella lost what little resolve she had to try and fight it. I rolled onto my side and wrapped my arms around her, pulling her tight to my chest. It would have been fantastic feeling her body pressed to mine, but I cringed when her icy fingers grazed my skin. I flinched , not from the cold feeling, but because she was almost as cold as Edward when he had touched me. With her cold skin, stiff muscles from not moving, and the sick smell throughout the tent, it was a vivid reminder that she would be like him soon. It made me feel sick and I hated it.
"Jeez, you're freezing, Bella."
"S-s-s-s-sorry," she stuttered.
"Try to relax," her body was so tense from being so cold and another violent shiver shook her body, I wanted her to be the soft warm Bella that I loved and not this frozen rock as quickly as possible. "You'll be warm in a minute. Of course, you'd warm up faster if you took your clothes off."
Edward growled.
"That's just a simple fact," I defended. "Survival one-oh-one."
"C-c-cut it out, Jake," she said angrily, but stayed glued to my chest. "N-n-n-nobody really n-n-n-needs all ten t-t-t-toes."
That wasn't what she said last time we were warming each other up. "Don't worry about the bloodsucker," I suggested smugly. "He's just jealous."
"Of course I am, you don't have the faintest idea how much I wish I could do what you're doing for her, mongrel." His voice was controlled and the worst sound ever, I hated his voice.
I hadn't really expected him to answer honestly. "Those are the breaks," I said lightly, Bella moved brushing her cold hand against me once again reminding me again of what her future would be with him. "At least you know she wishes it was you."
"True," Edward agreed.
Jerk. I thought.
I sighed, you know it wasn't all that long ago that it was me.
(* * * * *)
We walked silently to the garage, after Bella stumbled once and I grabbed her hand to steady her, dropping it once she was steady "Sorry," she mumbled.
"Don't worry about it, it happens to me all the time." I admitted not sure if I should have.
"Really?" Bella asked, seeming surprised.
"Yeah, I guess it is this growth spurt or something. I'm always tripping over my own feet."
Bella smiled. "Me too."
And then as if to illustrate that point I hit a long patch of ice and it seemed that in an instant I was on the ground tangled with Bella.
We were both on our back with my head on her shoulder. "Ugh . . ." we both groaned, moving our legs to get them detangled.
"Sorry, I'm such a klutz." Bella frowned, rubbing the back of her head.
"Actually I think that was me." I grimaced, sitting up, feeling the painful impact that my backside took when falling.
"Are you serious?" Bella asked, sitting up as well so that we were both sitting in the cold snow facing each other.
"Unfortunately, yes." I couldn't quite look at her, not wanting her to see my utter embarrassment. I couldn't believe I was being such an idiot. Then suddenly the best sound ever rang, as Bella began to laugh. I wanted to be insulted that she was clearly laughing at ME, but seeing her eyes glow and her cheeks flushed from the cold evening air, I couldn't do anything but stare and grin.
Slowly Bella got off the ground, brushing the snow from her body and I did the same. I took her hand and kept it this time as we walked successfully to the garage. I showed her the great heap of metal that would one day be my car. She nodded her head and kept a small smile on her face, but I could tell that she really had no idea what I was talking about when I would mention this part or that.
"Would you like to come on a walk?" I asked, not really wanting to go back inside.
"Are you sure it's worth the risk?" Bella countered, walking carefully around the random car parts towards the front of the garage.
"Yeah, I think it's worth it." I smiled and Bella looked over at me and smiled back.
As we headed out a strong wind came through and Bella shivered. It was then that I remembered the blanket that I had carried and I walked over to Bella and clocked it around her shoulders.
"Thank you." Bella said, holding the blanket closer to her.
"No problem." I placed my hand on her back and we began to walk through the trees.
The branches drooped from the heavy snow and our feet crunched loudly in the snow that had a small layer of ice on the top that had frozen over as the temperature continued to drop. We talked easily, both of us sliding and catching our own balance or sometimes grabbing onto each other. It was kind of fun for both of us to be around someone that was as gracefully challenged as we both were. After several near falls we stopped letting of our hands, and casually walked along. Or at least Bella looked like it was casual, my heart was racing and I wanted someone to take a picture to use as proof that it was real.
We made it to a small pond that Quil, Embry, and I would often skate on. Okay, so we didn't have skates, but we would run and slide across on our shoes, same thing, right? Bella walked to the edge and looking around at the sky that had darkened into night and the stars shown bright. Thick clouds streaked across the crescent shaped moon.
I stepped out onto the ice and Bella gasped. "What are you doing?" Her eyes large with wonder.
"I wanted to test to see if it were ready."
"Ready for what?" Bella asked confused.
"For sliding of course."
Bella's eye somehow got even larger in amazement. "You mean you go out there, on the ice, on purpose?"
"Well yeah, of course."
"What about the klutzy guy that I have been walking with this whole evening."
Well that was really nice. "What about him?" I nodded my head towards the ice. "If I fall, I fall. It's no big deal."
Bella nodded her head slowly, seeming to really be thinking about it. While she pondered, I assume the pros and cons of going out on the ice I slowly walked from one side of the pond to the other and back.
Once I came back I took Bella's hand. "You ready?" Bella nodded her head slowly. "Oh here, lets leave this." I took the blanket off her shoulders. "I don't want us tripping over the portion dragging on the ground." I placed the blanket in the branches of one of the trees and then came back and took her hand.
Bella was breathing nervously and I could see the rapid rise and fall of her chest. Her nervousness was making me nervous as well and I took a deep breath and squeezed her hand as we stepped together onto the ice.
"Don't let me fall," Bella whispered nervously.
"Not gonna..." I was going to say 'happen' when suddenly Bella disappeared. I looked around and it was her smacking me in the knee cap that made me realize that she had already fallen. I could only imagine the shock on my face, mixed with embarrassment and concern as Bella looked up at me and began to giggle. ". . . happen." I said with a sigh, rolling my eyes.
"Sure, it isn't." Bella chuckled and I reached out and took both her hands to help her up.
Slowly we both got more comfortable on the ice and we were able to slide from side to side. We laughed and held hands as we glided across the ice and I felt confident that this was the best Christmas I have ever had.
"I'm going to take a break for a minute." Bella sighed, when we slid over to the side again. She dropped my hand, rubbing both her hands down her own arms, shivering.
"Yeah it really is cold. You want to head back?"
"Not really, I haven't had this much fun in awhile . . ." Bella sighed. "I'll just watch you for a little bit."
I would much rather just stand there with her, but if she would rather see me sliding around I would do that instead. I continued to slide, running back and forth so much that I actually got pretty warm and took my jacket off, hanging it in the same tree with the blanket.
(* * * * *)
Bella was very slowly warming, I was surprised that it was taking this long and I would rub her back trying to help her to warm more quickly.
"There," I said, pleased. "Feeling better?"
"Yes." She said for the first time not stuttering.
Her body's shuddering stopped and I watched her starting to relax, but her face was still really cold. "Your lips are still blue," I mused. "Want me to warm those up for you too? You only have to ask."
Edward sighed heavily and I bit my cheeks to try and keep from smirking, but it didn't work.
"Behave yourself," Bella muttered and pressed her face into my shoulder. It was really cold and I flinched, but still loved having her soft lips against my skin. It didn't take much longer for Bella to get warm enough to kick her boots off and pressed her icy feet against me, I have never felt a person as cold as Bella was. I tried to cover her with as much of me as I could and rested my cheek against her ear.
As Bella dethawed, she began to relax and I rolled over to my back and tucked her into my side. Her head rested against my chest, with one arm wrapped around my waist and one of her legs over mine. I rested my arms around on her back and for a moment I thought she had fallen asleep. "Jake?" she mumbled sleepily. "Can I ask you something? I'm not trying to be a jerk or anything, I'm honestly curious."
"Sure," I chuckled remembered using the same words to her.
"Why are you so much furrier than your friends? You don't have to answer if I'm being rude."
"Because my hair is longer," I said, amused, shaking my hair.
"Oh." She seemed surprised by such a simple answer. "Then why don't you cut it? Do you like to be shaggy?"
Such a simple question, with such a complicated answer. I remembered how sad it seemed to make Bella when I had cut my hair and I got the impression that she liked me better with longer hair.
Edward laughed. Stay out of my head!
"Sorry," Bella paused to yawn. "I didn't mean to pry. You don't have to tell me."
I knew Edward heard it all. "Oh, he'll tell you anyways, so I might as well . . . I was growing my hair out because . . . it seemed like you liked it better long."
"Oh," I could feel her tense some from being awkward. "I, er, like it both ways, Jake. You don't need to be . . . inconvenienced."
I shrugged. "Turns out it was very convenient tonight, so don't worry about it."
She relaxed against my shoulder and I could feel her body soften as she was getting more sleepy. "That's right, honey, go to sleep," I whispered.
"Seth is here," Edward murmured to me.
"Perfect. Now you can keep an eye on everything else, while I take care of your girlfriend for you."
"Stop it," Bella muttered as she settled deeper into me, she shifted to get more comfortable causing her body to rub against me as she settled back against me with one arm draped over my waist. I closed my eyes and began to remember a time when I was able to hold her like this and to really feel her. I ran my fingers through her hair and thought about a time when she had taken her clothes off.
"Please!" Edward hissed. "Do you mind!"
"What?" I whispered back, surprised that he was paying attention.
"Do you think that you could attempt to control your thoughts?"
"No one said you had to listen," I muttered, I had sort of forgotten he was still here. Or not, maybe you would like to know what you missed while you were gone.
(* * * * *)
I was in my own happy Bella world, when suddenly I fell over something in the middle of the pond landing hard on my side. I wasn't sure if it was Bella apologizing or the ice cracking beneath me that made me more panicked.
"Oh gosh, Jacob, I'm so sorry. I didn't realize you didn't hear me coming, and . . ." Bella started to stand back up and without thinking I wrapped both arm around her waist, pulling her into me.
"Bella stop."
"Jacob, what are you doing?" She pushed away from my chest.
"Stop moving, Bella." With each squirm I could hear the creaking of the ice beneath us. "The ice is breaking."
Bella's eyes grew to the size of saucers and she clung to me with both arms around my neck. "What do we do?" She whispered.
"Give me a second I need to think." About something other than how amazing it felt to have her arms around me and our bodies pressed together.
"Alright." Bella no longer moved, taking long deep breaths.
My heart was hammering like a jackhammer and I could feel Bella's warm breath against the side of my neck. With each of her breaths I could feel my brain shrinking, when I really needed it the most. Oh dear God, I'm going to die, a very young and happy teenage death, but die none the less.
"Do you think we should stand or try to crawl back to the side?" I asked.
"I don't know. I thought this was something you did." Bella said.
"Right. . ." Of course this was my bright idea.
I moved both my feet to get them stable and with each movement I could hear the tiny movements in the ice and I could tell that Bella could hear them too. Bella mimicked my movements and got her own feet planted under her to be able to stand.
"You stand first." I told her. If the ice was to break I wanted to go in first to be able to catch her.
"Okay." With painfully slow movements Bella stood up, her whole body shaking and her shoulders were so tense.
With my feet already securely in place I swiftly stood, grabbing onto Bella again as soon as I was fully upright. Once again we clung to each other, breathing heavily too scared to go anywhere.
"We need to get out of here." I whispered, too nervous to try and speak normally.
"I'm not walking across here without you." Bella said, her eyes were so fearful that I couldn't refuse her even if it would have been better for us to move one at a time.
"Okay, on three. One. . . Two. . . Three." We stepped together and immediately the ice caved and we both plunged into the icy water.
My breath was caught in my throat as I was fully submerged into the freezing cold water. There were bubbles all around me from me blowing what little oxygen I had out and Bella's scream was also turned into garbled bubbles. My boots hit the bottom of the pond and I felt Bella brush past my arm as I reached for her, grabbing anything to keep her with me. I stood up, pulling her to me and both of our heads out of the water. Bella wrapped herself around me like a koala bear to a tree and I don't think I could have moved it I wanted to.
"Ooh mmy ggodddd, Belllla! Arrrre yyyouuu aalalriiiighttt?" My voice was shacking and we were both trembling together.
"I ththinkkkk sssooo."
I was still waist deep in the water and my legs burned from the freezing cold water, but I couldn't move with Bella clinging to my chest.
Bella seemed to suddenly realize what she was doing and started to lower her legs that were wrapped around my waist, but her only option was to put them back in the frigid water.
"Wwwe nnneedd toooo ggget outtttt of hhere." She stuttered.
I grabbed her by the hips, breathing heavily from the cold. "I'm going... ttto ppput you... bbbackk dddown on... the ice. Crawl away... ffffrom here... as qqquicccck as yyyyou... can." My breathing was still labored and taking short rapid breaths. "This pppondd... is only abbbbout 4ft... sssoooo ifff you fffall innn... aggggain dddon'tttt ppppaniccc."
"Okkkkay." Bella took a shaky breath and I placed her back on the brittle ice. She crawled quickly, her wet clothes sticking at times to the icy surface.
The moment Bella was back on the other side I tried to lift myself out of the water, by pushing down on the ice, but it kept crumbling and my arms kept falling back in. My legs were completely numb and I could hardly move them at all.
"Oh mmy goddd, JJJacccobbb." Bella searched around and then took off her soaked jacket and held one sleeve and threw the other one towards me. I didn't think there would be any way at all that she could drag me out of here, but she was stronger than I thought and offered enough strength for me to pull against the jacket until my chest was on the pond surface and I rolled my legs out of the water. I rolled a couple more times, moaning loudly, until I was completely off the pond.
My entire body was convulsing it was so cold and I felt like I was almost going to pass out.
"Oh, nnno yyyou ddon't!" Bella screamed. She started frantically unbuttoning my flannel shirt, and flicked the snap on my jeans.
"Whwhwat the hhhell are yyyyou ddddoinggg?" I about bit my tongue off spitting the words out of my trembling lips.
"I'm ggettttting ththese wwwet clclclottthes offfff of yyou. You knnnnow . . . survival one-oh-oh-oh-one."
My brain told my feet to start kicking my boots off, but instead my legs did nothing, they were so completely numb. So my brain went to plan B and my hands began to unbutton her shirt.
"Whattt are yyyyou dddoingg?" Bella shrieked, holding her shirt closed at her chest.
"YYYYou are jjjusttt as wwwettt as I ammmm, if mmmy clothththes are ccommmming off, thenn sssoo are yyyourrrssss."
"Alrrightt fffine, bbbut ttakkke yourr own clclclothesss oofff." Bella pushed away from me and began to unlace her boots and I did the same. My fingers were so cold that moving them to remove my clothes hurt and I cringed when bending my legs to get my wet jeans off. I glanced over at Bella now in her red and white bra and pink panties and I swear my heart stopped.
"Oh, Jacccobb, yyou're sso pppale."
"Me? YYYou're theeee oone ththatttt blblends in wwittth the snsnsnow." Both of us were shaking uncontrollably and I tried to move, groaning again. Bella started to move towards me and then looked at the tree above our heads at the blanket hanging in the branches. She reached up for it, but it was too high and she couldn't reach.
"CCommme hherre," I moved one hand gesturing for her to come to me and with the other arm I was able to touch the blanket with tip of my finger.
Bella moved and pushed me up with her shoulder towards the blanket as I reached as far as I could, grabbing the tip with my fingers and gave it a good yank. The blanket budged, but so did the snow and Bella shrieked, moving right up against my chest, as we both got powdered with white flakes.
She actually felt warm against my freezing body. "JJeez, Jaccobb, yyou're frfrfreezzzing." She moved closer burring herself into me and arranged the blanket so that it covered us.
I took a deep breath and then rolled us over so that I was on top of her and she looked at me with caution for the first time. "Whatt are yyyou ddoingg?"
"GGivvee mme a sseccc," I took several rapid breaths and then rolled us both a couple more times, rolling the blanket with us so that it was now wrapped tightly around us both. "BBBettttterrr?"
"Yyeah." She nodded her head, moving her cheek against my chest.
We both continued to shiver and shake, our bodies trembling together. Our legs were tangled together and Bella had her arms curled up to her chest and I wrapped my arms around to her back, holding her close. Her skin was warm and smooth and I wished that my hands weren't so freezing cold so that I could touch her. Neither of us said anything for a while, probably in fear of us biting our tongues off in the process. Bella shifted her arms, wrapping one around my back to my shoulder and her very cold chest pressed into mine. I closed my eyes, holding in a groan. I swear someone evil and someone angelic were conspiring against me to have my wildest dream come true, yet not live long enough to be able to tell anyone about it. The more Bella trembled the more THEY rubbed against my chest. Bella rubbed her hand up and down my back, across my shoulders, and down my arm in constant movement. I wasn't sure that a heart could actually explode, but I knew that mine was getting pretty damn close.
I opened my mouth to speak, but my lips were trembling as Bella moved even closer, her face just an inch from mine. Our noses brushed against one another. "Evven yyourr nnnose is frfrfreezzingg." Bella mumbled.
I wanted to respond, but by now my brain had shrunk to the size of a gnat and I don't think I could speak to save my life. I gave her a trembling smile and squeezed her closer to me, her lips brushing across my own.
Both of our eyes widened in surprise. "Sssorry." I mumbled out.
"S'ookay." She glanced into my eyes and then pressed her lips to my own. I wanted to demand to have my brain back so that I could think properly to give her a good kiss, but apparently it wasn't only my body that had gone numb. "I'm not kissing you." Bella mumbled, pressing her lips to mine again.
"Hhmm..." Was all that I could mumble out. I had no idea what she was talking about, it sure seemed like kissing to me, but I didn't really care what she called it as long as she kept doing it.
Finally I was able to salvage enough brain power to get my lips to move in a more organized manner and I pressed my lips into hers. If she didn't want to call this kissing, I was completely fine with that, it is not like anyone would believe me if I told them that I spent Christmas Eve, making out with Bella Swan in our underwear. But I swear that is what we did. I couldn't tell you if it was five minutes or five hours that our lips continued to caress and massage against one another. We would gasp for air, but that didn't stop us from continuing right where we left off.
Then suddenly, Bella pulled back, looking into my eyes. "Better?"
"Huh?" I mumbled confused.
"I don't know about you, but I'm not cold anymore."
It was then that I noticed that her voice was even and no longer trembled. At the same time I noticed that I had legs and arms that could move comfortably, touching most of Bella's bare skin should have been a good sign, but to say I was distracted would have been an understatement. If I had been able to breathe at all, it would have been steady and smooth.
"Huh," I said again. "Well, how about that."
Bella grinned and moved back a little, however kept her body close to mine.
"So . . . that was . . . ?" I asked, referring to our little make-out session.
"That was warming us up."
"Huh..." I said for the third time in a row. "So it wasn't kissing?"
"Nope." Bella said confidently.
"Sure, sure." I sighed, rolling my eyes. I may not be the smartest guy ever, but surely I can tell when someone is kissing me.
"Alright, well if you ever need warming up again, you let me know." I smiled.
Bella laughed and slapped her hand against my chest. "Be nice."
I grinned and shrugged. "I am just offering my heating services, you know, just in case."
Bella shook her head and we laughed together, until we heard Charlie's voice. "Bella! Jacob!"
"Oh my god!" We both gasped together.
(* * * * *)
It turns out that it was still the best Christmas of my life and despite many near death experiences that night, I lived to tell about it. I stroked my hand through Bella's hair softly and took a deep breath, the stench in the air reminding me of where I was. I glanced over at Edward and he wasn't happy, which should have pleased me, but it was irritating that he was in my head to begin with.
"Get out of my head." I glared at Edward.
"I wish I could. You have no idea how loud your little fantasies are. It's like you're shouting them at me."
Fantasies, you wish! "I'll try to keep it down," I whispered sarcastically, like there was really a volume control on thoughts. He was just jealous because I actually did do something with Bella without actually killing her.
"Yes, I'm jealous of that, too." He answered my unspoken comment.
"I figured it was like that," I whispered smugly. "Sort of evens the playing field up a little, doesn't it?"
Edward chuckled. "In your dreams."
"You know, she could still change her mind," I taunted. "Considering all the things I could do with her that you can't. At least, not without killing her, that is."
"Go to sleep, Jacob," Edward murmured. "You're starting to get on my nerves."
"I think I will. I'm really very comfortable." I held Bella a little tighter and thought about going to sleep, but it really bothered me that he kept poking around in my head and I couldn't get into his. There were so many things that I would love to ask if given the chance . . .