7. Awakening

As we got closer to home, my father slowed down to a walk. I figured Em, Jazz and Alice had left. My crying had stopped, and I know just stared into space, blankly. My hands felt numb, and the terrible smell of his blood hurt my nose. I couldn't really feel my legs either. What was wrong with me? It was so stupid, what kind of person tries to revive her lover's murdered?

"Jake's not dead yet, hon." Dad said. I looked up. He was looking at me, and he looked sad and concerned. Maybe I was going crazy. I couldn't stand being without Jacob.

I then realized we'd stopped. We were at the very edge of the forest. Dad put me down, but kept supporting me by grabbing my elbows, while I grabbed his. He put his gaze in mine. He didn't do this very often. This meant he was either going around my brain looking for interesting thoughts or talking serious. He sighed.

"You know…about ten years ago, I felt the exact same way about your mother. When I left her."

This revelation surprised me. I had only ever heard my mother's side of the story, or Jacob's. It was true I didn't spend as much time with my father than with my aunts and mother. Or Jacob.

"When I thought she'd died, I…felt empty. Useless, shapeless, dull. Like a vase without flowers and water. Or like…a frame without the picture. I wasn't complete. I needed your mother, and I could not even stand the possibility of her death. I didn't even try to rethink my decision to go to Voltera. I ran through. Just like you…"

He paused, waiting for a reply. It was strange for me, feeling this close to my father. Of course, I'd figured the separation must have been unbearably tough on him, but he and I… we didn't have a person to make us happier.

He smiled weakly, and putting his hand in my messy hair, he ruffled it, making my curls bounce.

"You're more like your old man than you think, kiddo." He smiled. He put his arm around my shoulders and led me home.

We opened the door to a rather strange scene.

My mother was rushing upstairs with Carlisle, expressions of concern on their faces, where we could hear Esme's alarmed cries. Alice and Jasper were almost to the staircase, holding hands and running along, Emmett was climbing through the bars of the stair ramp, and Rosalie was trying to get him down.

Dad ran towards them after a second of staring, baffled.

I sat in the doorway and closed to door.

"Carlisle, hurry up, he's CHOCKING!" I heard Grandma scream.

"I can't go much faster, he's intubated! One wrong movement and no more vocal cords!"

My mother, Alice and Emmett were emitting terrified yells of directions and encouraging making Carlisle go faster. Rosalie was groaning. As for Jasper, I could see him outside the door, looking inside the room.

And above all the noise, I could make out loud grunts and retching sounds, and the metal screeches of a hospital bed being rumbled.

Jacob…was up.