Hey Readers! Here is Chapter two, sorry it took so long to post up- Life is being… special. Anyways, I'm in the writing mood so I'll hopefully have the third chapter up before Thursday! Maybe even today if I'm lucky!! .; Anyways, thanks for reading, and as always, your input is greatly appreciated, shoot me an email or review, I love critiques! Thanks again, and enjoy!
--
I drove for miles and miles
And wound up at your door
I had you so many times
But somehow I want more
It was pouring in sheets but that didn't stop Jake's foot from heavily pressing down on the gas peddle as he sped down the empty roads that lead into Forks. The small town was locked away safe and warm within their houses, blithely unaware of the amount of danger that surrounded them on either sides, a coven of vampires to the east and a pack of werewolves to the west.
The speedometer read seventy miles as Jacob turned a sharp corner, his tires locking briefly, but pulling to life and clinging to the asphalt below despite the drenching rains. Truly, he mused to himself in mild amusement, the worst that would come to him was a ruined automobile, he himself would easily heal. What he hadn't healed from was the pain he had endured, not physically from Bella's assault, but emotionally. He grudgingly admitted to himself that he was slightly out of line, being so crude in bring up the damn blood sucker, but still she didn't have to fly off the handle like that.
He reached the familiar neighborhood of the Swan residence, noticing with a thankful thought that Charlie wasn't in, then again had the Officer been in he would at least have a strong ally. Charlie had always been in favor of him and his daughter becoming an item. In fact Jake wasn't sure if he or Charlie was more elated at the fact of Edwards leaving… not that either of them wanted Bella in the catatonic state she had first resigned herself to, but it did present so many opportunities, a way to allow her a normal life.
Jake hopped out of his vehicle the rain plastering his loose black hair to his face and shoulders, his sleeveless black tee becoming a second dark skin against his frame. He strode easily to the door and gave a few solid nocks, shifting weight between one foot and another in a nervous gesture.
"Come on Bella, Open up the door." He whined impatiently "Cracking me one between the legs was punishment enough. You're right I'm wrong, sorry. Just please open up."
A few minutes passed and he debated ways of discreetly breaking in. Before he could set the plan of removing the hinges off the entrance way, the door opened up. Bella stood before him in the dark grey of the unlit house dry and sullen in a flannel shirt that looked one size to big for the petite figure, and some worn out blue jeans. She was gorgeous.
She didn't verbally invite him in but rather walked away from the door heading for the couch leaving the front door ajar for him to enter through and shut behind him. Jake closed the door a little louder than needs be, or perhaps it was the deafening silence that amplified the simple action. He joined her in the living room, feeling unsure of how to get back into her good graces.
Ungracefully he flopped down beside her on the couch, looking down at his inactive hands, trying to think up what to say. Before he could find the right words he was startled and pulled from his own thoughts at the sound of her voice, low and hoarse, as if she had been crying for some time. "I'm sorry" she said.
It was so far from the realm of things he expected that he took a double take, going to say something in response but realizing just what she had said. He turned, angling his body towards her, taking in the curled up form before him; she sat knees tucked up, feet on the couch, her arms resting across her raised knees and chin resting in the cradle of her arms.
Jake recovering himself gave her a chuckle and playfully nudged her. " 'S-ok Bella. Just next time use your words not your knee, it's a dirty move- hitting below the belt and all."
He didn't miss the small smirk that tugged at the corner of her lips, which only set his soul soaring. He'd gladly take a daily beating to see that smile come back to life. "Charlie would be so ashamed to know that his precious Bella fought dirty." He playfully chastised.
He received a snort from her, the brunette rolling her eyes at the statement. "I'd have punched you, but that would be counterproductive seeing as it wouldn't hurt you and would probably leave me with a shattered hand." She retorted finally looking at him and not at the point on the ground she had previously been focusing on. Her almost smile slipped away as a serious expression replaced her facial features. "Thanks… for stopping me from jumping. I wanted…. It just…" she gave a sigh and looked away again lost back into her own thoughts "just thanks." She muttered.
Jake was relieved, relieved that she was safe, and relieved that they were still friends. He scooted closer to her and wrapped his arm around her shoulders, resting his head against hers. "Yeah. Anytime Bells. Just don't make it a habit." He smiled at her small chuckle that drifted past her lips, the lips he had since longed to kiss.
It was a reoccurring thought in his mind, to be able to kiss Isabella Swan, to be able to hold her close to his body and have her spirited mouth used for things other than quirky witticisms and insults. The pack constantly put up a fuss about having to see Bella in that light, putting up with his fantasies that often crossed his mind on late night boarder patrols. Damn the fact that he had no privacy, it was bad enough that he had to pine away after Bella without having to broad cast it to all his brethren in great and graphic detail. Then again, they were all guilty of it, of sharing their inner most thoughts, it was a crime that they couldn't help but committing. Jake couldn't count the number of times he had seen passionate thoughts of Emily thanks in courtesy to Sam, the head of his pack. It was a fact that couldn't be helped. He wanted Bella, emotionally, physically, and wholly—he wanted her to the point that it physically hurt sometimes.
"—he's dead."
Jacob snapped out of his thoughts, not having noticed Bella talking until the tail end of the conversation. He looked down at her with question. "I'm sorry what?"
"The funeral for Henry… I just can't believe that he's dead." She restated looking at him, a different level of sorrow etched upon her features, quite different, perhaps more humane than her regular level of consumed despair she sometimes exhibited. Jake frowned deeply. His father, Billy Black, was taking the death pretty hard. He and Henry Clearwater had been extremely close. Had it not been for Bella's stunt he would have been at the funeral, in some ways he was glad that he had had Bella as a distraction.
"Yeah, the reserve will miss him." He acknowledged, his voice low, they both speaking in a hushed tone, in complement to the dark mood of the day, and the dark grey of light. He felt her settle into his embrace and he casually wrapped his other arm around her holding her to him lightly. How many times had he held her this close? It was always a new experience and new joy. She was so vibrant and warm; he at the moment had a strong dislike of her wardrobe choice that kept his heated skin from touching hers. How could she have thought to give that up? Did she really think she could stay with Edward and let the years go by while she aged and he didn't? The only option would have been to become one of them. He inwardly winced at the thought, Bella, a stinking corpse, no longer warm and alive and soft, but cold like death, her body a cast of granite like that of a tombstone.
She must have felt his body tensing at the thoughts locked away in his silence, for she shifted to look up at him. "Jake?" called the soft voice, her brown eyes taking in the pensive, stoic look of the younger but much matured Jacob Black.
He turned his head to look down at her, eyes locked with hers for what felt like an eternity. Her eyes, they wouldn't be this warm brown like that of the newly turned earth, they would be that false and unnatural amber gold like his or maybe blood red like that of Laurant's, the filthy tick that he and some of the pack had saved Bella from. Bella was in danger, a vampire named Victoria was after her, and she wanted her dead for the death of her mate. Jake was more than happy to play the hero to Bella's dramatic play that was her life, still he much preferred her not being hunted down by a blood thirsty menace of a woman bent on revenge. Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned, evidently dead reanimated woman were no exception.
How could she want to become that, how could anyone love that? To become something so dead and unnatural, something so cold which had the purpose of sustaining itself on the life of others? Who would willingly wish to become a parasite a taker of life?
"Bella…" he started, voice thick with emotions derived from quiet thought. Her upturned face was so close, the scent of her enticing and alive, his throat went dry with want. Some how his hand had come to rest on her cheek, thumb gently stroking back and forth across the frail bone structure. He was centimeters from closing the distance, and in this moment of turmoil, gratitude, grief, and friendship, he was positive that if he kissed her she wouldn't pull away.
He began to bring his lips closer to hers, the intent clear, and she didn't seem to be pulling away, now weather it was out of want of this or the fact that she was stunned was unclear to him, all he knew was that he was about to kiss Bella Swan, the woman of his dreams. Just seconds before their warm lips could touch, the shrill sound of the phone ringing broke through the tense silence, shattering the intimate bubble of that one moment. They both jumped apart as if lightning had shot down their spines, and when they could register that it was indeed the phone that had violently lit the house with sound, a very red and blushing Bella hopped up from the couch dashing to answer it, leaving Jake alone to ponder his unfortunate luck. In his mind he had replayed different versions of this moment but it had never come to fruition, and in this moment it had become so perfectly tangible. And now it was gone. That phone call better be damned important.
Jake heard the sound of a gasp and the sound of the phone clattering to the ground. In an abnormal show of speed he stood, looking into the dimly lit kitchen, Bella stood in a look of torn shock, mortification flowing from her in waves of tense anxiety. Her hands clutched at her sides her mouth slightly agape and breathing ragged.
"He….He's coming back, Edwards coming back..."
