Thank you all for the reviews, I hope you enjoy this chapter just as much as the last one. =) If ya do, feel free to review again! I'm shooting for 25 before I post the next chapter, hopefully thats not me being overzealous. =P
Love ya!
We were outside and halfway across the lawn before Paul came bounding out of the house. She smiled and threw me to the ground with enough force to knock the wind out of me.
"Here puppy puppy…" she smiled and patted her legs, Paul launched himself at her.
I knew she was too fast, at least for just one of them. She seemed to teleport just a step to the side so that as he sailed past she turned and shoved his side, sending him flying through the air and into a nearby tree.
Still, he turned to face her as soon as his feet hit the ground, and lunged at her again. She laughed loudly, grabbing one of his forearms as she moved and he sailed past her, and using it to throw him to the ground again. I heard the bone crack clearly and winced.
I got up and started looking for a stick or something to at least TRY and hurt her with, but realized there was no point when I looked up and Paul was lying still on the ground by her feet…and her eyes locked on me.
She stepped toward me and I instantly took a step back, which must have been hilarious because she threw back her head and started laughing again.
"Oh please Bella, do run. Just when I think tonight can't be any better you come up with this amazing idea!" She grinned at me and I my heart seized at the look in her eyes. So predatory…so familiar.
She faked like she was going to jump at me, one of those jerky movements people do to scare people…and it worked; I stumbled back and fell flat on my ass. She held her sides as she laughed harder.
"That was beautiful! No wonder Edward kept you around! It is hilarious watching you be pathetic and trip over your own feet," She grinned and started a slow stalking walk toward me, "too bad you living isn't an option, or I might have kept you as a pet." She licked her lips and flashed me her fangs. "Get up pet, RUN!"
I my heart pounded as I stumbled to me feet and started for the woods I was panting before I had moved three steps, not from the effort but from the fear. I heard her take a long inhale through her nose and knew she was getting off smelling the fear consuming me, but I couldn't stop and just sit and take what I knew was coming.
I tripped over my own feet and fell flat on my face; I rolled over just in time to see her coming in for the kill. I screamed and threw back my head, but she never landed on me. I looked up and found my rescue party had finally arrived. All of the pack was attacking, lunging at her from different angles, but she kept swatting them to the side like flies. My heart leapt into my throat as Jacob lunged for her and she turned to meet him. His enormous teeth locked onto her shoulder and her claws dug into him and threw him into a tree. Quil jumped next, it should have been fast enough, but she caught him too, and threw him into a snarling Sam.
She was bleeding and panting now, hissing at each of them as they tried to make a circle around her; the wolves were jumping and attracting her attention so another could launch at her land a hit, but my eyes wouldn't budge from Jacob.
She squatted and then launched herself up into the air; her escape was imminent… I saw Embry snag the vampire by the ankle and jerk her back to her ground, but he let loose when she whirled around and drug her sharp nails down his face.
I started crying in earnest as Jake got back up and stood on wobbling legs, with blood clumping his beautiful coat along his face and neck where she had grabbed him. He shook his head for a second as if to clear it, paused, and then started running full tilt at Victoria.
She whirled as if to catch him but I saw one of her hands go low, and knew she was going for his tender stomach…and I couldn't do a damn thing. His jaws clamped down on her already wounded shoulder at the same time that her arm thrust towards his underside, I screamed his name even though I knew it would do nothing.
He was hurt and could see the blood gushing from his stomach, but he didn't let her go. He swung his head to the side like a dog worrying a bone and ripped off a chunk of her shoulder the size of his huge jaws, leaving her arm hanging uselessly at her side, attached by only a few tendons.
She screamed and tossed him away from her but it was too late. Jared landed on her back, knocking her forward into the waiting jaws of Sam and Embry. I had the wonderful opportunity to see one of her arms fly through the air and Quil's huge jaws encase her head, before her body was covered in pile of horse-sized wolves. It was a beautiful and terrifying thing to see.
It seemed like I only had a second to blink my eyes before everything was silent and still. One more blink and there were four naked men standing where the wolves had been. I looked to where Jacob was laying and silently started to cry.
The others were checking the two most injured; Paul and Jacob.
"Paul's gash is bigger and I think she broke his arm and a few of his ribs into oblivion, but he will be OK. He's stopped bleeding and just passed out." Quil called out.
"Jacob's got a hole in his gut, someone go get me something to fucking wrap it up with!" Sam yelled out and Embry ran into my house.
"Jake-NO! Stay down!" Sam growled and pushed his friend to the ground but Jake wasn't having it. Still in wolf form he latched onto Sam like a chew toy and tossed him a few feet away. Sam growled and Jacob stared at him, standing on shaky legs.
"Lay the fuck down Jake! You're going to fucking kill yourself," Quil snarled and started to move towards him, only to pause when Sam waved a hand at him.
"Let him go, he'll be still once he gets to her. If we push him now he could make it worse by trying to fight us off," Sam whispered vehemently and stepped back with a scowl.
Jacob gave him a soft nod and took a shaky step toward me. I realized what he was doing and jumped to my feet, intending to rush towards him to make him stop, but his growl stopped me in my tracks.
"Jake, please! Let me come to you!" I cried and took a step forward only to stop again as his growling got louder and his ears flattened against his head.
"Stop Bella, let the idiot crawl his ass to you. We were all in his fucking head tonight, we all know about this stupid deal. He's trying to fucking fulfill his end of the bargain, because apparently you're fucking kisses mean more to the dumbass than his own life!" Sam yelled while he glared at the both of us; he was madder than I had ever seen him.
I sobbed, "Jake! Just let me come to you, I'll give you the stupid kiss anyway!"
He shook his head and I fell to my knees. Tears were blurring my vision and my throat was aching from crying so hard; I held my arms open.
He gave me a wolfish smile and started hobbling toward me. My heart clenched with his every step but I could do nothing but watch as his shoulders shook and he left a trail of blood behind him.
He collapsed two thirds of the way towards me and I stood up, "Fuck this Jacob, stop being an idiot!" I ran the rest of the way and fell to my knees next to him. His eyes met mine for second before he let his head fall to the ground, too heavy to hold up anymore. I looked at his wound up close for the first time and felt sick, his face and neck were sliced up, but it was his stomach that was the worst. She had shoved her claws inside him, puncturing at least one of his pink organs, and then I guess whenever she had thrown him she had just dragged her claws through him and let it rip a huge gash from the side of the hole. It was horrible…a hole the size of a hand inside him, and a huge rip that started in the hole and curved away and down along his side a good six inches…
The others were around me now, Quil and Jared had wrapped up Paul, and Embry was handing me several towels. "Uh…I don't know how…" I whispered.
"Wrap them around him; we will lift him off the ground so you can get them all the way around. Tie them off so that we can hold him together until we can get him stitched up," Sam said calmly as he lifted his limp friend into the air with Embry's help. I looked at them both for the first time and realized they all had minor cuts and bruises all over them, and one of Embry's ears seemed to be hanging on very loosely and he had a cut very close to his left eye… Jacob whimpered and my attention was back on him.
I wrapped as fast as I could, trying not to hurt him while still getting it tight enough to hold him, but it was even more difficult with him still in his wolf form. We made due and finished his bandaging quickly, Sam spoke as Quil and Jared walked over, "Load Paul into the back of Bella's truck, and we will load Jacob, we are driving straight to the reservation to get them stitched up."
They nodded and went to get Paul while Embry and Sam gently lifted Jacob away from me and put him in the truck bed. "Bella, you're riding in the back with Jake; Embry and Jared, shift and run ahead. Get the council ready for us; he will need help as soon as we get there."
Embry nodded and was gone. I climbed into the truck bed next to Jake and cradled his head in my lap, "Hang on for me Jake…you can't get that kiss if you die…"
Quil and Sam jumped in the truck and we were off. Sam drove as quick as he could, but he slowed often so that we wouldn't hit the bumps too hard and jar the wounded lying in the back.
Paul blinked and smiled at me, "Guess I wasn't too great at holding her off till the guys got back huh?"
I smiled down at Paul, "You did great Paul, I'm just sorry that I you all were hurt trying to help me."
Paul moved to touch my leg but winced and stopped midway, "It wasn't just for you. Don't sweat it."
I nodded and started crying all over again, "I won't forgive myself if he dies because of me."
Paul smiled as his eyes started to drift shut, "He wouldn't do that, if only just because he wouldn't want you to hurt later. Let's not forget that stupid promise he made you. Never to hurt you…so retarded…he thinks about it all the damn time…"
I smiled as he passed out again, and went back to holding my wolf.
As soon as we got there Sam and Quil were carrying Jacob into the home of the healer and Embry was waking up Paul and helping him walk with Jared. I slowly climbed out after them, wanting nothing more than to crawl into a hole and die.
Suddenly arms were around me, strong, feminine, nurturing arms.
"It's ok Bella, Jake will be fine" Emily whispered in my ears.
I turned around in her arms and her eyes widened a bit at the blood saturating the front of me, "Did you see him, Emily?"
She shook her head, "No, they told me it was bad… but I DO know that he would never leave you." She wrapped her arms around me again and pulled me against her chest, smearing Jacob's blood all over her too.
"What if he doesn't have a choice? I saw INSIDE of him Emily… have any of the others ever been hurt like that?" I cried into her chest.
She clutched me, "I don't know but I do know that we will get through this. Together."
I cried against her for another minute or so before I heard someone walking up and turned around. Embry was still covered in blood and looking ragged. "Emily, Bella, come with me. My house is a couple buildings down the street. Everyone else is waiting there and that's were Sam will come as soon as he is done. And I have a favor to ask one of you."
"What?" we both said at the same time, only Emily's voice didn't shake like mine.
"I need one of you to sew up my ear, someone told me it looks like it's going to fall off and I'm kind of worried. But I don't want to bother any of the professionals that are needed elsewhere, so I'd just like one of you to sort of do a rough job of it before it just completely rots off…" he mumbled looking embarrassed.
"You have been watching too many horror movies. Let's go, I'll sew you up," Emily said and grabbed my hand to take me with them. I followed like a brainless little puppy.
When we got to Embry's house I sat down at the table next to Quil and Jared who both had their own bottle of booze.
"Sit, Embry. Tell me where I can find a needle, and some thread. Bella can you get me a rag, some antiseptic, and some hot water? Or perhaps several rags." Emily was all business now.
We all did as we were told and Embry sat down to be stitched up. Emily quickly cleaned off Emery's ear and got to work. "While I'm doing this, the rest of you take turns in the shower. If you find any big wounds while you are in there that are going to need stitching then I'll sew you up next."
They all nodded silently, Quil got up to head to one shower and Jared got up to go outside for a bit.
"They are so quiet," I whispered.
"They are worried. The pack shares pain, if one of us dies…" Embry trailed off and I tried to pretend he wasn't talking about how close Jacob was to dying.
Emily got done stitching Embry up about the time Quil got back and told Jared the shower was free, shortly after which he sat back down to nurse his bottle.
Emily got up and held her hand out to me, "Come to bed with me. I don't think either one of us can sleep alone right now and I know you are just as exhausted as I am, if not more so."
I shook my head and she gave me a sad smile, "Jacob wouldn't want you to worry yourself sick, but you can come to bed whenever you are ready." She gave my shoulder a squeeze and left.
After she had gone I sighed, "I hate that we are already saying things like that. 'Jacob wouldn't want you to do this, Jacob would want you to act this way...' like he is already dead. People don't say things like that when people are still alive…it's not fair."
Jared grunted as he came in, "My mom said things like that a lot to me when my dad died. Anytime I was unhappy or out of line she would tell me how disappointed my father would be because of it."
I nodded, glaring at the table, "Emily is right, about what Jake would want. He thinks that way. But I hate that we are already acting like he is gone…"
Quil laid a hand on my shoulder. "He is a part of us. We would all feel it if he was gone." I nodded but didn't reply.
I woke up to the sound of chairs scraping across a wood floor. I blinked and sat up, wincing at the crick in my neck from sleeping on the table but looking at everyone who were all standing now. I turned and found Sam standing in the door, looking haggard and pale and…bloody.
He ran his hands through his hair and sighed, "Paul is in the clear, though one of his broken ribs punctured a lung. He's all stitched up, he'll be sore for a while, and will have to take it easy so the lung and the leg can heal up the rest of the way, but he's ok. Sleeping it off as we speak."
Quil, Jared, and Embry all nodded but we all knew that the important information was yet to come. I realized I was holding my breath but couldn't seem to let it go.
"Jake finally gained consciousness for about a minute, so we got him to phase back to human form. That helped a lot with all the stitching up. The healer says that he has done all he can, Jake is completely sewn back together, but he isn't sure his body is going to be able to cope with the stress. A human would have died within an hour after the wound had been made… thank god for brother wolf's healing, it's all Jake's got going for him right now…" Sam sat down, and I watched his hands clench and turn white as he pulled at his own hair, making the black of it and the red of the dried blood on his hands stand out brightly in contrast. "It's all up in the air. If he makes it through the next day or two, he'll be ok."
The air wheezed from my lungs painfully and but I knew Sam was just as upset as I was, and if he could handle it…then hopefully I could too. "Can I see him, Sam?"
Sam looked at me and shook his head, "Not for a few hours, they are trying to give him peace to recoup, no visitors allowed, not even Billy. I'm funneling all the pack energy straight into him and it feels like he's just sucking it in, but the hole never fills… I'll take you to him after you sleep."
I started to argue but the bleak look on his face made me nod, it was kind of scary to see Sam shaken.
"It's 7am now. Rest till noon or something and I'll take you over there. When you are done the pack can give him a quick visit, and then we'll all have to leave." He was almost mumbling to himself now.
I glanced at the others and realized they were looking drained as well, was it from the fight or from Sam taking little pieces of their energy and feeding it into Jacob? I touched Sam's arm, and then pulled it back, suddenly feeling like the child amongst adults. "Thank you."
He took a deep breath and nodded before giving my shoulder a gentle squeeze, "Go, lay with Emily. We will spread out in here."
I nodded and found my way back to the dark room where Emily was sleeping, thinking only of all the new worries that would join in on the old ones tonight in my nightmares.
I woke up with Emily gently shaking me, "Bella, it's twelve thirty, wake up. You need to go call Charlie and then see Jacob."
I bolted from the bed, "He made it through the night?"
She smiled at me, "Honey you have only been asleep for the last five hours, all of which were daylight. I'm not sure I would call that the night. But yes, he is still fighting for you."
I nodded quietly and moved into the hallway. Sam nodded at me and waved towards the phone. I sighed, wanting to go see Jake more than anything, but I knew that Sam wouldn't budge on this one.
"Hello?" Charlie answered.
"Hi dad," I mumbled.
"Bella! Are you ok? Where have you been all day? Did you sneak out last night? Why was your bedroom window busted?" he asked quickly in his usual stern, and now slightly panicked, tone. God, I was hard on everyone I was around.
"I'm fine dad. I'm on the reservation with Jake's friends. He got into a really bad car wreck last night…and I don't want to leave him yet…" I swallowed and blinked rapidly; trying to hold back the tears I never seemed to run out of.
"Oh God honey, I'm sorry. How bad is he? Do you want me to come down there? Never mind, I'm coming, Billy will need the distraction." I could hear rustling in his background and knew he was pulling on his coat and getting ready to walk out the door.
"Yea…ok… call Billy and ask for directions to the house…I'll see you when you get here," I forced myself to say the words when all I wanted to do was scream and run to Jake.
"Stay safe," he urged and I mumbled something along the lines of 'ok' and hung up.
"Good job Bella, now let's go see him," Sam said softly and I nodded and followed him out the door.
We walked a few houses down the street to the place they had taken Jake into last night and went inside. Many people were gathered in the living room and kitchen area, speaking in hushed tones, praying and comforting each other. I shivered and followed Sam down the hall and stopped before a door just as a tall man stepped out.
"Oh, hey Sam" the man mumbled pushing his glasses up the bridge of his nose.
"How is he?" Sam asked softly.
The man sighed as he pinched the bridge of his nose in frustration, "I don't see any improvement, but he's also not getting worse. Not surprising though after three hours of surgery, even a werewolf would have trouble with that." He took another deep breath and looked at me, "And you are Bella, yes?"
I nodded. "Are you the healer?"
He smiled, "You were expecting an old medicine man in loincloth weren't you?"
I blushed but nodded.
"Sorry to disappoint you. The last real healer of our tribe died years ago. I've gone to med school and graduated, but I'll never be the magician that woman was. Anyway, go on in, but stay quiet and don't get him excited." The man gave us both a smile and then slipped past us.
Sam opened the door for me and then gave me a nudge inside. Suddenly I didn't want to go. I dragged my feet but he just pushed a little harder and then shut the door behind me.
Heart in my throat, I looked around the room for the bed, and found Jake peacefully sleeping on it. I walked over to him, and the closer I got the less peaceful he looked. His beautiful tanned skin was pale and covered with the sheen of sweat while his jaw clenched and unclenched in the pain that reached him even through his sleep. I touched his arm, just wanting to feel some sort of pulse, and was shocked to feel his skin almost as cold as Edward's. The Sun should never be this cold…
"Jake…can you hear me?" I whispered as I grabbed another blanket from the foot of the bed and spread it over him. "I wish you could say something…I'd even listen to you bash the Cullens if you would just wake up and be ok. You could tell me I was stupid and Edward is a complete prick…you would like that… so just…be ok…please…"
Not even his eyes moved. I took a deep breath and climbed onto the bed with him, making sure to snuggle the side that wasn't wounded. He was making me cold and damp but I didn't move, hoping I'd make him a little warmer in the process. "I would let you stay at the house with me every night…" I mumbled, "I'd let you sleep in my bed!" I kept remembering all the times when he had touched me and I had pulled away like he had some disease I didn't want to catch. "I'm so sorry Jake…this was all my fault…I should have tried harder…should have treated you better…I'm so sorry…" I cried silently against him, my face buried in the blankets covering him.
Minutes passed by like seconds but I finally stopped crying, knowing the others were waiting. I took a deep breath and I wiped my face free of tears. Sam opened the door, somehow knowing I was ready, and the boys slowly started filing in.
The four of them were all quiet as they walked in and moved towards Jake. It made me nervous to see them all acting like adults.
Quil took a deep breath and put his hand on Jakes shoulder, Embry stepped up and placed his on Jake's feet, then Jared stepped up and rested his hand on his hand on one of Jake's knees. I watched, vaguely confused as Sam walked up to the head of the bed and gently rested his hand on Jake's forehead.
"Touch him Bella, move next to Quill and put your hand over his heart," Sam mumbled as his eyes slid shut. I looked at the others and found that they all had their eyes shut.
"What else do I do?" I whispered as I moved between Quil and Embry.
"We are trying to push more energy into him, heal what's inside…if he lets you in, you will feel the pack mind and almost be a part of it. As if you were one of us." Sam murmured quietly.
I was nervous, and wondered how I would know if it was working or not, but as soon as I touched his bare skin I was thrown out of my body. I was running through the woods, the wind was stirring up the scents of all the life around me, and the sight of the moon above me made my heart ache and at the same time leap with joy. I was running on four legs and I looked down to see the white fur that covered my skin. I was a wolf…
Take it Jake, relax and let us help. I heard the voice inside my head, but my instinct told me that it was the black wolf running in front of me that was speaking.
Let us help...please man. Quil whispered, and I felt the others pushing the same idea at him.
Bella… the voice was so familiar and uplifting that I almost stopped moving with the pack. Run with me… It was like he hadn't even heard them speak.
I looked to my side and saw Jake's huge wolf form looking at me. I was mesmerized by the concept of standing in front of this huge animal as an equal. Suddenly we weren't running. The others had formed a huge circle around us and Jake's wolf was staring at me. Stay with me.
I shook my head, heal Jake, wake up, and come back to us.
He frowned at me, I'm already with you. Stay. Run with me. In this world He has never existed. And He hasn't hurt you or me. I felt a growl rumble through his mind as he thought of Edward.
I blinked. Memories of Edward flooded me now but for the first time since he had left me my heart didn't ache with each thought, it didn't ache at all. I knew all that had happened but the pain was gone, and so was the love that had been causing the pain.
Jake stop. Sam growled at him, she's here to help you. Are you going to hurt her and her father by holding her in this place?
Jake's growl seemed much louder than it should have been and this wild animal that now seemed to be me wanted to roll onto the ground before him with its belly up. We could all feel his anger at Sam, his need to fight. Jacob was the boss here. This is as it should have been, he snarled, she wants to stay.
I was crying now, not the wolf, but the human inside the pack's mind, and I knew they could all feel my desire to make both him and myself happy. I wanted to be here, I wanted to smile and run with him. It was perfect here…there was no pain. Yes, I want to stay…
Bella. Think about Charlie and Billy. Remember where we actually are, standing in a room around his body, trying to help him. Help him now, make him come back. He's past my reach here. Make him do it; this place was made for you and you can control it. Sam commanded.
My heart swelled, full of the love that Jake was offering me, a world all my own...but still not the real world. We both needed to return to our families at some point, too many people had cried tonight already. It's beautiful here, Jake, for us. But I remember a whole house full of people who aren't here…who are crying and aching for you…
I felt his pain then and I wasn't sure I liked being in the pack mind anymore; everyone felt every emotion that was felt by another, and everyone knew what everyone was thinking. But his mind quickly resolved and his cares for the others faded, only to be replaced by something else.
Stay Bella. Please. His voice was low now, as if he was ashamed that he wanted to beg. And then I realized that he was ashamed, he did want to beg, I felt them both with him.
I clenched my jaw and raised my wolf tail along with my determination, Stop being an idiot. Let them help you, or…or…I'll be upset. I'll think you are a liar…because you broke your promise to me…You said you would never hurt me and you're going to hurt me if you stay here. It will be like you are leaving me, just like he did. I knew he would feel the pain that I felt whenever I thought of him leaving me, the fear that I always felt now, because I honestly thought he would leave me. I felt his wince in my mind.
I don't want to hurt you…I want you to stay… he sounded so small now, conflicted.
It was weird how he reacted here. It was like all of his emotions were amplified, and his thoughts ran along more instinctual lines.
You're dealing with the wolf more than the man. Stop thinking so much, you will make it worse. Sam cautioned me…in everyone's mind. I felt vaguely embarrassed and then more so when I realized everyone could feel that too.
Suddenly the others were gone, and it was just me and Jake.
Jake what happened?
You didn't want them here, so I pushed them out. I won't let them hurt my mate, physically or mentally.
The possessive wave he was feeling washed over me tickling across my skin, making the human inside me blush.
Mate? I whispered nervously.
A soft growl filled my mind; there is no reason for you EVER to fear me. I was made to protect you. To love you…
I took a deep breath. This world was getting more confusing without the others here to ground me to reality. Jake's words surrounded me and made my heart warm in places I had thought dead for a while now. I felt his pleasure as he sensed that what he was saying made me happy. His heart was glowing because mine was. Stop Jake. Let me think.
I felt his frown. I don't want you to think, I want you to feel. Feel the wind around us, the solid ground under you, feel my body next to yours, and know it's not going anywhere. We are safe here.
Somehow he pushed the image of his wolf running alongside mine own in a dark forest into my mind, we were powerful and wild and together. I blinked, trying to focus. You don't want me as a human.
He snarled. I want you any and every fucking way you will have me. The image of two human and very naked bodies rocking against each other, one as pale as the moonlight and the other dark like smooth milk chocolate, popped into my mind.
My heart pounded in my ears as I watched Jacob move between my spread legs, my whole body flushed…with both embarrassment and something else entirely. He was beautiful and so was what he was doing to me in the image, I heard the vision me moan while Jacob kissed down my neck and moved his hips with purpose. Heat pooled between my legs as they seemed to be getting too weak to hold me up, I shoved the image from my mind. Damn him, it must be this place, I wouldn't feel this way if I were home….I didn't think so anyway.
I growled into his mind. I'm leaving, I'm going home. And you are coming with me if you want to see me again. You may come here to rest but you cannot stay. Open your mind and let the pack help you, only then will I talk to you again.
Bella… his voice was anguished but I pushed my will at him harder and suddenly everything was gone.
I blinked and looked up at Sam and the others; how had I ended up in the floor?
"Are you OK? We weren't sure you would ever come back!" Quil asked hurriedly.
I nodded; my mouth so dry it hurt.
"I am sorry, Bella. I had no idea how much the wolf had taken him over, if I had…there's no way I would have let you touch him while we were all joined…." Sam said, looking truly worried about me.
I sat up with their help and Embry handed me a glass of water. I nodded at him and took it, gulping the whole thing down before stopping to breathe. I handed the glass back and stood up while leaning on Quil.
"What do you mean the wolf had taken him over?"
Sam sighed and sat down on the edge of the bed, "I think it's just because of all the trauma. In the fight Jake sort of stopped thinking and started killing. We all felt the shift; it's not entirely irregular for one of us to switch to the wolf brain in times of immense stress and determination, or fear. But I hadn't realized the extent of it, he didn't act like himself in that place, maybe the wolf is what's helping him hold on and heal, but I feel like Jake has finally let in his instincts. He hadn't really accepted the wolf since he was changed, just used it to his benefit while thinking of it as a curse…" He trailed off when he realized he was thinking out loud.
"You think he will act differently now?" I whispered.
"There will be some changes but I'm not sure how much. I guess that depends on the level that he and his wolf are tied now," Sam said as he stood up and looked at me. "We will all have to adjust, him more than anyone else. Let's leave for now."
"How about you get this healing shit over with instead so Bella will talk to me again," the words were just like him but his voice was quiet and weak, and I suspected it had taken a lot of energy for him say them without pausing or panting.
"Jake!" Quil exclaimed as we all walked over to him.
Sam raised an eyebrow at me and a smile tugged at the corner of his lips, "We will heal you, but Bella has to leave. I don't want her here; there is no telling what could happen."
I saw Jake clench his jaw and turn a weak gaze on Sam but before he could open his mouth to say something rude I spoke up, "I agree. I'm going to go eat and see Charlie and Billy so I can tell them you woke up. I'll be back in a little bit."
Jake's gaze locked with mine and the hard glint softened, "Hurry."
Damn my stupid heart. There must be some sort of lingering effect from being in his mind so long, because my heart shouldn't be pounding like this and I definitely shouldn't want to say 'never mind about that leaving thing.'
Sam nudged me towards the door and we all heard Jake's quiet rumbling growl. I looked over my shoulder at him and shook my head. He looked too weak to argue and I decided that this was good time to make my exit.
As I heard the door shut I heard him mumble a soft 'sorry' to them before Sam shushed him and they all fell into silence.
Charlie hugged me like I had been gone for years; this amount of affection from him made me nervous but I understood the reason behind it. I briefly wondered how he would act if he ever found out how close he had come to losing me last night.
"How are you baby?" he asked into my hair.
"I'm fine dad, let me go I have good news" I tried to pry his arms open to no avail.
"What news?" Billy asked softly. Charlie let me go and looked at his best friend.
"Jake woke up, the pa…uh..the others are funneling energy into him as we speak, they think he's going to be ok now," I said excitedly.
Billy looked relieved. But Charlie raised an eyebrow, "Funneling energy?"
Billy gave him dim version of Jacob's smile, "It's an Indian thing."
"Oh. Well at least you can go see him now Billy," Charlie squeezed his friend's shoulder.
I raised my eyebrow but Charlie shook his head at me so I stayed quiet.
We all drove back to the Doctor's house together, and Charlie and I waited while Billy went in to sit with Jake. Time flew by as my dad spoke to all of Jake and Billy's friends and family in the tribe, I ended up snuggling down on the couch to wait.
I woke up to Charlie gently shaking my shoulder, "Billy is done and I think he is exhausted. This thing with Jake is taking a lot out of him…" he trailed off and started back up after I kept blinking at him. "I'm going to take him home, you're welcome to come with us or stay with Jake and sleep with Emily tonight."
It felt weird that my dad was suddenly sort of caught up on where I have been the last day and a half. "I'll…uh…stay here."
"Ok. Give me a call sometime before you go to bed, I'll be at Billy's tonight" Charlie kissed my forehead and they left, I saw Billy and knew my dad was right; my father's best friend had never looked so old and haggard. "And the doc said that Jake needed silence to rest, so better leave him be till tomorrow."
I nodded and gave him a sad smile, "Drive safe."
After they had left, and I was sure that everyone else was asleep or gone, I started heading for Jake's room.
"Be careful," Sam murmured and I looked over my shoulder to find him sipping on a cup of coffee.
I sighed; he was just as sneaky as the vampires. "Do you think it will hurt him to have me sleep in there? I mean…not WITH him…but in the floor or something…" I was suddenly thankful that everyone in the pack couldn't read my mind anymore.
Sam smiled, "I think it will do him good, and the bed would be a lot more comfortable than the floor."
I nodded and slipped into the quiet room that Jake would be resting in for probably the next week before they took him home. He was silent and still on the bed and it made my heart clench; why had I expected any different? I walked over to him for a closer look, hoping for any sign that would show that the pack had helped him.
Perhaps his skin was a shade or two closer to its natural color, but he still looked terrible… The scratches on his face and neck looked a little better, still open but less red and puffy. I tried to take some comfort in that.
I climbed on the bed next to him, and cuddled against his good side. Had he been awake or at his usual strength I wouldn't have felt comfortable snuggling against him like this, but shamefully, I could let my guard down with him now and both take and give comfort.
I gently traced the scratches that Victoria had made; starting just below his eye, then down his cheek to his strong jaw, then they ended and new set started up, going the rest of the way down his neck and ending at his collar bone. My eyes wandered over his collar bone then down to his pecs, God he had grown over the last six months. My eyes started to slide shut as my hand stilled to rest over his heart.
A gentle shaking to my shoulder woke me and I decided that I needed to start setting alarm or something so that I could stop being shaken awake by others.
"The healer is making a cup of coffee, and when he gets done he will be heading in here. Now I respect him and his wishes, but since I have been inside Jacob's head more than once, I knew that he needed you here. So I let you stay. But…now that he is awake…it would be best if you would go stay at Embry's until the healer deems that Jake can have visitors again," he smiled at me. I think that that was most that he had ever said to me in one sitting since the day I had met him.
I nodded and got up, trying not to be embarrassed that he had found me sleeping next to Jake like some huge teddy bear. I mumbled a 'see you later' and slid out the door with my tail between my legs. I barely made it to the living room before the healer came out of the kitchen holding his cup. He gave me a smile before heading towards Jake's room.
I walked down the street and to Embry's house so that I could call Charlie.
"Black residence," my dad answered.
"Sorry I forgot to call last night, I fell asleep again right after you left," I said.
"It's ok, how's Jake doing this morning?"
"He's ok, I didn't really get a chance to look at him after Sam woke me….up" I trailed off and smacked my forehead.
"You slept in there with him?" he had taken on that tone that all fathers get when their 'baby girl' is in trouble.
"Yeah…but he never woke up…it was just sleeping….the whole time…" for some stupid reason my mind went back to the night before when I had been admiring Jake's chest. I sighed.
Charlie grumbled for a minute before actually speaking something intelligible, "I'll let it go this time, since he is knocked unconscious. But next time I'm going to have to give him a talk."
"Dad! I was the one who did it!" I squeaked and then glanced around to see if any of the people wandering around in the house had heard me. After the all clear I started again quieter, "I'm sorry, but nothing happened, and nothing will, Jake is so young…" I trailed off frowning, grateful that my dad didn't know the age of my last boyfriend.
"He is…and so are you… and young people act stupid," dad mumbled, "If I really need to have this talk can we schedule it for sometime next week so that I can make up a game plan."
I blinked, "Game plan?"
"Well I haven't ever had to give someone THE TALK before, so you will have to forgive me for not being good at it right off the bat…maybe I'll call your mom… Do you think she can do it instead?" Charlie was talking to himself now and my eyes widened when I realized he was talking about me and Jake having sex.
Oh dear lord. "No! Dad! No! Mom and I had the talk a loooong time ago. Please stop!" I was blushing so hard my face was on fire.
"Oh! That's great…really good… ok so you'll call me later tonight to check in?" He said hastily and I could hear the relief in his voice.
"Yes, of course" I'd say anything to get him off the phone.
"Ok, take care" he said and before I had fully mumbled out a reply he had hung up. Obviously he had felt the same way as I did about that phone conversation.
I spent the rest of the day with the pack before sneaking back to Jacob to fall asleep. He had woken up once that day and the doctor had managed to force feed some soup into him before he passed out again. It bothered me a little that I hadn't been there when he had woke up, but I knew it was stupid. The next four days passed by all pretty much the same way. Jake would sleep, he would wake up for a minute, he would eat, and then he would fall right back asleep before I could see him. Though Sam had been there once and had told me that Jake had asked for me. Billy and Charlie visited everyday and I could see Billy was feeling better each time, though Charlie still stayed with him.
As Jake healed, so did all the people around him, each day he would wake more often and each time he would eat more. The pack was talking and smiling again, Paul was up and walking, Billy was himself again, and I felt less like crying every day. It was on this fifth miraculous day when I climbed into bed next to Jake that something amazing happened. I snuggled up against his side, and one of his strong arms moved behind me to wrap warmly around my shoulders.
I blinked. "Jake?" I wiggled until I could sit up and look at him. His dark eyes smiled up at me.
"Hey Bells."
"You're awake? Really?" I leaned closer; my heart started racing at his weak smile.
"Sam told me that you crawled in bed with me every night. So…I told him to come wake me up when he saw you heading over tonight," one side of his mouth picked up to give me that crooked smile that I had always thought was cute.
"You had him wake you up? Why? Jake you need to sleep!" I gushed and he tightened his arm around me. I saw his jaw clench and knew the action had cost him, after a second he let the arm hang loosely around me.
"All I do is sleep, or eat that fucking soup the doc keeps shoving at me" he sighed. "If I wanted to have someone wake me up for ten minutes so that I could talk to you, then I don't see the problem. It won't hurt or kill me."
I sighed, "Stop being difficult and go back to sleep."
He raised an eyebrow, "I will if you will lie back down."
I rolled my eyes and grudgingly lay back down next to him, only to have him growl as soon as I got still.
"Like you were before Bells, I'm not going to bite you," his voice was deep and I couldn't help but shiver.
"But Jake…" I whispered only to have him interrupt me.
"If I rip a stitch trying to pull you closer to me then the healer is going to be pissed. So just lay like you were before," his eyes showed clearly that he had made up his mind and I sighed and moved closer. He didn't stop looking at me with that determined face until my entire body was pressed against the side of his. Then he rewarded me with such a bright smile that my stupid heart started beating double time.
"Thank you," he mumbled, his hand gently squeezed my arm and then he let go. The next time I looked up his eyes were shut and I could suddenly breathe again.
