(A/N: Before I began, I want to answer a question that I received in one of my reviews. ;)

"Who was the guy that wanted her out of the car and why the heck was Edward there?"

I am so glad that you actually asked me this. Thank you :D

Anyway, perhaps you don't remember but it was a very minor detail in the story. Um.. Let me see if I can find it for you…

"Who the hell are the Cullens?"

He sighs. I look at my watch. "CRAP!"

"What?"

"We have like, 3 minutes before they are due to arrive."

He nods. "I'll hear them. Bella lives right down the street, you know."

I know most don't notice, but I try to tie even the smallest details into the story. Lol. I didn't really expect anyone to notice that, I'm not that expectant, but yeah.. That's why Edward was close. Bella's house is like… six houses down and he just happened to be there. And he is a vampire with extra super sensitive senses and the ability to read minds. Oh! Does anyone remember the fact that Edward can't read Alicia's mind, just like he cant read Bella's? Coincidence… or… something more? I guess we'll all find out in due time! (Edward didn't read Alicia's mind but the carjackers... Or was he a carjacker?)

Oh, and about the guy. The only people who will know why he was there at this point and time are me and Edward. Lol. I'm not ready to reveal that tidbit of information right now. But I will say that it had something to do with Hannah… and nothing to do with carjacking.

Anyway, I think that's about all for this long authors note. I really hope that answers any questions! n.n Oh, and sorry for the recent feeling… I know it's a problem.

Note: Italics are either thinking or flashbacks. Some thinking isn't in italics though. Whatever went with the flow at the time.)

Love Like This

Chapter 10: You will learn to never doubt my abilities.

"I'm Carlisle Cullen."

"Wow… you two are nothing alike." Except for your ethereal beauty.

"It's been said before," he says in an amused fashion. "Now, are you sure your alright? You suffered from a mild concussion, I think, which is why you didn't wake up in Edwards car on the way here."

Wait, did he say Cullen?

"Oh, I'm great. So Edward managed to knock me out when I was already knocked out."

"Exactly. As soon as you get home," he gives me a mock severe look, "get right to bed. I'm sure you'll have one mean headache upon awakening."

'He wont come after you here,' Jacob had said. 'He'd be the Cullens' territory.'

"Cool. Something nice to look forward to. A present, I dare say. Or at least a reminder of my latest horrendous life threatening experience."

For the slightest of moments, concern shines clear through the amusement on his face. "So you been having a lot of dangerous experiences as of late?"

I like how he has that formal, ancient way of speaking.

"You can say that. Some stuff that you wont believe has been happening to me these past few weeks. Most of it not too great." Mr. Cullen has that doctors' charm. You know, when your getting an embarrassing exam and they talk about normal stuff to make you feel more relaxed, and it actually works even thought its one of the most awkward things in the world?

"Trust me, I can believe it."

I nod my head.

It could be all too true. Why would a vampire be afraid of trespassing on their territory… Unless they are.. What? Vampire hunters?

"Now, you are all patched up now and welcome to go home. I'm sure Edward can pitch you a ride-"

"We'll, you see, I've had about just as many bad Edward/Edward's-car experiences as I can take in two days."

"Which is understandable."

"And he said I smelled like a wet dog upon out first meeting, so I have a feeling that he doesn't like me very much."

"Au contraire, Mademoiselle.."

Oh, how the wise have fallen. But I don't say this aloud.

"I think a taxi would be a better idea. For everyone involved." I give him my most persuasive smile, and he smiles back at me.

"How charming you are, Ms. Alicia. It's a characteristic that will get you out of many a quarry in the future."

Is there any way I can turn it on more often in the future?

The taxi pulls up to my house. I sluggishly thank the already-paid (Thanks to Mr. Cullensgenerosity) driver and he pulls away. I attempt to stretch, but my muscles felt too heavy and my head too cloudy. That stuff Edward gave was definitely no mild Advil, if its what's causing this fatigue. More like horse tranquilizers or something.

I stumble towards the house door, dropping the water bottle I was carrying with me. I turn around, but don't have the energy nor the will to look for it.

Was the house always this far away? It seems as thought I've been walking for hours on end to no avail. My brain is shutting down, and I need to get into the house before I pass out, hit my head on a rock, and die.

Yes; some people imagine themselves dying from old age or a sickness. I imagine myself dying from randomly passing out and bashing my head on a huge rock.

It's just one of those things, you know?

The weather takes a terrible turn and it begins to rain, and I grumble. I had to have been walking towards the door for like, five hours now. Either that, or I'm stuck in some kind of time warp where everything goes slower than it should.

And I'm just willing to bet on the later.

Unexpectedly, my arm is grasped and I am pushed into the present. I am walked briskly, or so it seems compared to the speed I was just moving, towards the door and sat on the doorstop. I move my head too fast to see who's assisted me and everything goes all blurry and blended together, like when you take a picture and move the camera at the last second. I take a moment to gather myself before opening my eyes again. Even thought his features are muddled under my heavy lids, I automatically distinguish the delicately handsome face and darkly worried eyes, if only for a moment.

"J-Jacob?" My mouth doesn't work right but I still manage to get out his name. I probably always will.

"Jesus Alicia how long have you been standing there? Your soaking wet and burning up at the same time. Do you have a fever? Where were you earlier?"

I blink at him, uncomprehending. His words blended together so effectively, the only part I caught was 'Jesus.'

"Jesus?" I try to say. Instead It comes out more like 'geezubs?' Even I know that was unintelligible.

"Geezubs?"

I nod. He takes it in stride.

"Okay. Your parents don't seem to be home, so I'm taking you inside, understand?"

He speaks so slowly I want to scold him for talking to me like I'm stupid. But I can't. Involuntarily, my eyes are drifting close.

"You're not dying, are you? I swear Alicia if you die on me I'm gonna go to the afterworld and drag you back with me. You hear? You hear?"He shakes me a little, but it does nothing to break my stupor.

I manage to drowsily blink at him before no longer being able to respond. I guess that's the second time I've past out today. It's like I'm going for a record or something.

I open my eyes a crack, and at first I am uncomprehending. It takes my brain a moment to send the signal, but I manage to lift my hand. It passes like a dream before my face, all blurry and unfocused. It takes a great deal of effort, and my hands flops back down besides me without my permission, and refuses to get up again.

I panic, the gears in my mind and the greater part of my imagination shifting into overdrive.

OMG, OMG, OMG! Am I paralyzed? Did I just use my last bit of energy, for nothing? Am I in my death bed? Did I fall and bash my head on a rock? Where am I?!

I manage to open my eyes completely and I immediately feel the idiot inside of me rear her head.

I am in my own room, in my own bed. The reason I didn't recognize it is because out of all the weeks I had been living in Forks, Washington, I had only ever slept in my new room twice. Once on the first night, to appease Dad, and last light after finding out that Hannah was back. Ever since then I had either been sleeping at Sam's or on the living room pull-out sofa. The lights in the room are dimmed, and shadows fall around the room in a very ghostly fashion. I feel a hand tightly squeeze my limp hand.

"You're awake."

"Jacob?"

"Yes." He fondly pushes away a lock of sweaty hair. "You passed out. You have a fever. Don't move around too much."

"Again today?"

"Again today what?"

I put a sock in it, not wanting to worry him further. "I dunno."

He chuckles, and I wish the sound would go on and on forever. "You've been straining yourself too much lately.

"Have not," I insist stubbornly. "I've been having fun almost dying all the time." Even as I say it, I realize it's true.

"Well, its not fun for me, having you almost die all the time."

"Don't lie," I start, in mock argument. "You can't wait to have me done away with and gone--"

"Ssh. You talk too much."

O.o

I sit quietly, and he glares down at me, annoyed. "What?"

"Why'd you just suddenly go quiet on me?"

I sigh. "What are you doing here?"

"I was looking for you. I came by earlier but you weren't home. Where were you?"

It's then that I decided to not tell Jacob of the events that transpired.

"Running some errands for dad. He sent me on a search for kosher flour. I didn't find it."

"How odd… Does that even exist?"

I shrug, the lie sitting on my shoulders like a heavy bag of potatoes. One, I subconsciously count. "I've heard of the pickles."

Jacob laughs, and open laugh that I am starting to get used to. My heart thrums away at the sight of him, at how beautiful he is. It makes my heart ache. I reach out and press it against the side of his face. I had almost forgotten how it felt to touch his scolding skin, and with a start, I realize that I never want to be without that feeling. Jacob stops laughing, and looks down at me, his eyes twinkling. I remember a time not so long ago when his eyes were always faraway and sad. Now, they twinkle and glisten like diamonds.

"Tell me, Jacob Black. What is it that makes you tick?"

He smiles gently down at me, not answering. I'm completely fascinated at the changes in him. What happened? What made my sad eyed boy change so dramatically over the days? Can I bottle it and sell it on eBay?

"What an unusual girl you are. I've never met anyone quite like you."

I feign injury. "You calling me weird? Is that an insult, wolf boy?"

"No. Not al all." His hand finds my face and his long fingers trace a tickling trail down my jawbone. "What am I doing; you're sick." He begins to retract his hand but I snatch his fingers up in mine, my grip strengthened by nothing but sheer determination.

"Don't stop."

He grins.

"But also don't let it get to your head."

He continues to trace his hands up and down my face. At first, I keep my eyes closed and I am pulled into an almost trance-like state. "Jacob?"

"Yeah?"

"Are you still in love with Bella?" I squeeze my eyes closed even harder still, bracing myself for his reaction. His hand crawls up my face and he slowly lifts open my eyes, one by one. I let him.

"Silly girl," He says, his breath fanning across my face in short sweet burst. "How can I possibly still love Bella, when I've imprinted so uncompromisingly upon you?"

"Imprinted? What's tha--"

His hot lips touch down on mine in a way that is sweeter than any candy I've ever tasted before. Its so brief, that when he pulls away, I hungrily try to force myself after him, but I don't have the strength to do so.

"You tease," I began. "You give too little. Stingy-"

"Ssh." He presses a hand firmly against my lips, and then traces them the his lithe fingers. "Your sick." He pushes the stubborn hair out of my eyes for the second time. I bite my lip at his sudden tenderness, nearly overwhelmed. My eyes fill with tears, and I try to blink them away.

"What's wrong? Here, drink this." He sits my head up on his lap and gives me a bottle of water. I drink and wait before my tears dry up before speaking.

"It's nothing, it's just the sickness is getting to me, " I lie; Two.

"You hungry?"

"N-" I start to go for they lying-to-Jacob record, but my stomach growls hungrily in reply. How many times must thou betray me, ye who growls a lot,I mentally scold my stomach. It grumbles back, accusing me of lying about pancakes that morning and telling my eyes to shift towards the clock. Being the traitors they are, they obey him and stomach further complains that it is 6:OO pm, and nearly 24 hours after he had last eaten

Or.. Something like that happens in like, less than a second.

…

"Yeah. I guess I am."

"Good. Because I wouldn't want to waste this." He spoons up a bit of brown and red stuff and begins to blow on it. "I found it in your refrigerator and thought I'd heat some up for you--"

"No, don't eat that!" I slap the Hamburger Helper violently out of his hand and the spoon goes flying, circling speedily around its center of mass, into the opposite wall where it leaves a red streak on the wall.

"What the heck was that about?"

"Erm. It's poisoned. I think."

"You think?"

"Hannah tried to poison me this morning."

"She made you Hamburger Helper this morning? Eww, who eats Hamburger Helper first thing in the morning?"

"That's what I said! But she originally made Oatmeal, except that I wasn't awake to eat it."

"But you hate oatmeal."

"Exactly! Wait.. How'd you know that?"

"You didn't eat breakfast the one time Emily made Oatmeal. Said it was cuz you weren't hungry, but your never not hungry."

"I am so not hungry sometimes!" I lie. "It never ceases to amaze me. All those little thing you remembered about me in such a short time. Hannah had been living with me for 16 years and to her I mind as well be some person she randomly passes on the street."

Jacob shrugs, looking a little embarrassed. "It's a newly developed talent, I guess." He leans over me and begins to stroke my face again, and my thoughts are quickly turned away from hating Hannah, to loving Jacob--

Loving Jacob? Do I love Jacob, so soon? What is it they say about love… try to imagine yourself living without that person and if you cant, there's just no way in hell that you can be without that person, then you love said person.

Can I continue to live without Jacob..?

N--

I push the answer into the back of my head. Crazy thinking, is all. Crazy-ass, hunger stricken, fever induced thinking.

How can I possibly still love Bella, when I've imprinted so uncompromisingly upon you?

Imprinting? What…?

"Jacob, what's imprinti--"

"Come on. Lets go get you something to eat. I'm sure there's something in your kitchen that Hannah hasn't poisoned yet. Perhaps a can of soup?"

"Wait. What's imprint--"

Sa-Woop! Jacob scoops me up and holds me to his chest. Its not the first time he's done it, but my face burns like it is. I can practically feel his brain sending his toned muscles the signals--

"Its not good to be hungry and sick at the same time."

I push the empty bowl away, only slightly embarrassed. Satisfied and at 100 again, I gulp down the pulpy orange juice in one swig. Then, I take a chance at looking at Jacob.

"You almost put me to shame. Is that all it takes for you to come back from the dead?"

My face burns with the intensity of a thousand suns. "Shutup."

He laughs, his long smooth hair moving when he throws his head back. Smiling, I lead forward and run my hand through it. "Im jealous. What conditioner do you use?"

"You wish I'd give up my secrets that easily." He grabs my hand from his hair and kisses the back of my fingers. Lightning shoots up and down my arm. Keeping his eyes trained on mine, he interlaces our fingers. His kisses move slowly up my arm, to my elbow, where he kisses the sensitive skin there.

"Thank you for taking care of me," I say, in between breaths.

"No problem. Alicia, where are your parents?" He pulls me to him and nuzzles my neck, his fingers tickling.

"Wha..?" I am rendered unable to comprehend while he is doing that.

He stops, albeit temporarily. "Your parents. How come they aren't home?"

"Uh.. I don't know. Maybe they left a note or something? Oh! Did I tell you that I told Hannah I was going to kill her in her sleep if she told my dad about last night?"

"Really?"

"Heck yeah! She scrambled up those steps so fast… I don't even have a simile for it!"

"Wow. That must've took courage. I'm proud of you." He really sounds it, too. Odd.

I stand up to look on the counter for a note. There isn't one. Unusual: even when Dad went for a half an hour jog he always left a note: he was just OCD that way.

I turn back to Jacob, the anxiety written like a picture book across my face.

"Hey, hey. Don't worry. I'm sure he's fine."

"Yeah, but you don't know my dad. He's an idiot, and I say that in the most affectionate way. He chased around butterflies in the streets of NYC to get a money shot, even thought he worked for Vogue, which happens to be a fashion magazine."

"So maybe he forgot to write a note."

"Not like him either; he's a mix between being moronic and neurotic. I should check his room just in case he's knocked himself out. And then his dark room to make sure he didn't accidentally inhale too many chemicals and knock himself out."

Jacob raises an eyebrow at me, and its one of the most adorable things I have ever seen. He picks an apple out of the fruit basket and takes a bite. "You have this thing about being knocked unconscious, don't you? But okay. I'll help."

"If you're doubting that he's that simple, then you're wrong. The dark room is just right over there; used to be a bathroom. And don't eat all my apples!" I run up the steps, nearly tripping on the top one and having to do it all over again. Run up the steps, that is.

"Be careful!" Jacob calls from the kitchen.

…

I turn on the light in the hallway and walk towards my Dad's room. The lights are off inside, but I still tug at the door.

It's locked.

I go into my room in search of a bobby pen. Successful in my search, I walk back towards the room.

"He's not in the dark room--"

"GAH! Would you please make a noise when walking up the steps or something?"

"Oh; Sorry." Jake sheepishly scratches at his head.

"Watch this." I put an ear to the door, just for show, and then twist the lock.

"Its locked," Jake obviously points out.

"I know that, Just watch."

I flatten out the bobby pen, and in less than a minute I mold an oddly shaped contraption.

"Master key," I say proudly, holding it out for Jacob to examine.

He snorts. "How rude. Just you wait and see, I'll show you. This is a special New York Technique that only New Yorkers know. We learn it at the Academy: You know, the same place where we learn kill and destroy?

"I remember you mentioning that to me that night in the forest."

"Elephant."

"Just open the door."

"Oh, yeah." I twist the door slightly to the right and stick the contraption into the keyhole. I feel around, and there is a beat of silence before I snap it quickly to the right.

The lock gives.

"You will learn to never doubt my abilities."

"I didn't."

"Don't try to save face." I twist the knob and open the door. I flip on the light switch.

"Oh, my God!! Dad! DAD!"

(A/N: Bit of a cliffy, I know. This chapter sucks, I know. But I had to had a bit of fluffy filling,. The next 2 chapters are already written, and I promise that they are action filled and beneficial, not all fluffy and boring like this one. Hell, If I get 4 reviews I promise to put the next one up within the next 3 days!

In any case, thanks for reading!

Disclaimer: I do NOT own Twilight/New Mon/Eclipse. I am simply borrowing Stephanie Meyers' to create a new song and dance. ;)

I own Alicia Cannon, though. She's ALL mine.

Yonnabelle.)