Unexpected
Disclaimer; all characters and copyright belong to SM.
A/N-thank you for the kind reviews! This chapter was co-authored by NikkiB1973.
Chapter Two-Cooking
"I ran into Quil today. You remember your friend, Quil? Yeah, he's terrified." Bella accused as she followed Jacob back toward his house.
Jacob whirled to face her, his expression pained. "Just let me explain, Bella."
"He's worried about you, Jake. He's completely freaked out by what's going on. He can't understand why you and Embry have just cut him off like he doesn't exist. What you're doing is cruel. And I never thought that I would ever accuse you of being that."
Jacob stared at her with desperate eyes. "I had no choice."
"You keep saying that." Bella continued to goad him. She couldn't stop herself. Even though she was talking about Quil, really she was referring to her own feelings about the situation. "He's frightened that he's next."
Fine tremors ran up and down Jacob's arms. He paused, stopping to clutch at a tree for support. "He won't be next. It's over now. This shouldn't still be happening. Dammit." His balled fist slammed against the tree.
Bella stepped back in alarm, her eyes wide with panic. The tree, so slender and only slightly taller than Jacob, gave way and snapped under his heavy blows.
"What are you doing?"
The fear in her voice stopped Jacob in his tracks. He stopped his assault on the tree and stared at the sharp, broken point with something akin to horror. "Bella, I never-"
"This isn't you, Jacob." Bella couldn't stop shaking. "Since when did you get so angry all the time. I don't understand."
"I can't help it. It's ingrained in me." Jacob yelled as he raised his hands to his head. His fingers scraped the velvety surface of his shorn hair. "But I'm in control, Bella. I am. I would never hurt you. Never."
He took a step forward and Bella took a step back.
"Don't look at me like that, honey." Jacob pleaded. "Don't look at me like I terrify you. Please, don't quit on me now. I need you. I need you to understand."
Tears welled in Bella's eyes. She sucked in a sharp breath as she saw the agony on his face. He reached out a shaking hand toward her, begging with his eyes for her to take it. She swallowed thickly, her heart racing at a hundred miles an hour. After a minute of indecision she took his hand in hers. She watched his face relax.
"You're my friend, that's what you are. Despite how much you hurt me, I want to believe that's true."
"Bells, it is. Oh, believe me it is." Jacob said fervently. Then suddenly she was crushed against his chest. He squeezed her tightly with his cheek pressing into her hair. "Just come to the house and I'll explain."
With trepidation he waited for her answer as he eased his hold on her a little.
"Okay." Bella agreed after careful consideration. "But I want the truth, Jake. No more lies."
"I promise." Jacob agreed hastily without thinking things through. "No more lies."
They walked toward the house together. Bella stared at the little house. Inside was the rest of Jacob's friends. It looked too small to hold so many large boys. She saw the curtains twitch and a pair of eager eyes looking out.
"Who's that?" Bella whispered to Jacob as they reached the front porch.
"Paul." Jacob scowled. "Whatever the creep says, ignore him. He has no filter."
"Charming company you keep these days." Bella muttered.
Jacob shrugged disarmingly. "You'll understand more when I've explained everything."
"So you keep saying."
"It will be alright, Bells." Jacob's hand was warm around hers.
"Fine." Bella mumbled as he opened the door for her to let her go in ahead of him.
Bella cowered into Jacob's side, her brown eyes scanning the room. Several curious eyes peered back at her. She stared back at them, thinking once again about how much they looked like brothers. They had the same long round muscles, under the same red-brown skin, all of them had cropped hair.
Sam was the biggest, though it wouldn't be long before Jacob caught up with him. He stepped forward. "You don't need to be so afraid, Bella."
"We're not going to eat you." The one called Paul spat sarcastically. "Not like your precious bloodsuckers, vampire girl."
"Fuck off, Paul." Jacob growled as he let go of Bella's hand and lunged for him.
"Hey, not in here." Sam ordered as he got in Jacob's path and shoved him backwards. "Paul, apologise."
"I'm sorry." Paul muttered through gritted teeth.
Bella felt uncharacteristic anger burn her insides. She shook with the intensity of the emotion. "Stuff your pathetic apology where the sun doesn't shine. How dare you? You don't know me and I sure as hell don't want to know you, so piss off."
A deathly silence followed this outburst. The guys just stared at her, their faces registering shock. Bella's glare swept across them all as she raced for the Black's tiny kitchen and slammed the door.
A few minutes later Jacob followed her inside. His face was full of regret. He found an angry Bella hunting through the kitchen cupboards. On the counter were several cooking utensils. He watched her curiously for a moment, wondering what she was doing.
"Um..Bells...what are you doing?" He asked eventually.
"Cooking." Bella slammed a skillet down on the counter next to the other utensils.
"Cooking? Now? Really?" Jacob felt bewildered.
"Yes." Bella seethed as she ducked down and opened the cupboard by the sink. She pulled out a bag of potatoes. She knew the Black's kitchen well. She had cooked here a few times when she and Charlie had come over to La Push to visit Billy and Jacob-usually when there was a game on.
"You don't need-"
"I do." Bella cut him off as she swung around to face him. She had a knife in her hand in readiness to peel the potatoes. "I need to cook. It gives me something to focus on. Otherwise I might just stick this into that goon next door." She threatened.
"Wow." Jacob held up his hands as he fought not to smile. He had never seen this feisty side to Bella before, and he was enjoying it. "Do you need any help?" He offered instead.
"You prep the veg. As much as they don't deserve it, I'm gonna cook for them idiots you call friends and then we are gonna sit down and talk. Do I make myself clear?" She brandished the knife in his direction again.
"Crystal." Jacob eased his way around her to reach the vegetables.
"Good." Bella began to calm down as she fell into the familiar rhythm of combining, mixing, and heating the ingredients to prepare a culinary meal.
A/N-thanks for reading!
