Author's Notes:

Thank you everyone for the great reviews! My apologies for the late chapter, but I've been dealing with some family stuff, so as soon as it's over I'll get back to the more regular updates.

As always, I don't own twilight or any of these characters.

Ch 10

Jacob woke slowly, attempting to keep his breathing steady as he registered the feel of two cold arms wrapped around him. His master's arms, he realized. He forced his body to remain still. His instinct was to tense with fear, and it was a hard one to hold back. It doesn't matter, does it; you know I'm awake, don't you?

Jacob heard Edward chuckle softly. "I do, but I was content with letting you pretend. I could spend an eternity holding you."

"Have you been holding me all night? I thought vampires didn't sleep." He replied, still unmoving, but opening his eyes.

"Yes I have, and no, we don't sleep." Edward answered with an oddly cheerful smile on his face.

"Oh." Jacob responded, not knowing what else to say to the fact that Edward had been up all night, awake, holding him, and not entirely sure how he felt about it either.

A moment passed, the silence stretching on from his previous comment before Edward continued, "Well, now that you're up, how about a shower? Then we can head down stairs and get you some food."

Jacob just nodded, feeling somewhat lost with how odd everything had been up to this point. The day and a half he had spent with Edward thus far had felt like a week, and it had been the most confusing time he could ever remember having.

Edward removed his arm from Jacob's waist, and Jacob detangled his own arms from around Edward. His movements were much less graceful than Edward's and he felt somewhat self-conscious before he kicked himself mentally, wondering why he cared.

Edward lithely slid off one side of the bed, and Jacob climbed off the other - trying to place some distance between him and Edward and to get some breathing room for a minute.

The distance didn't really help, it just gave him the opportunity to watch Edward move across the room to the wardrobe, his bare back and shoulder muscles rippling as he pulled the doors of the wardrobe open and took out a set of clothes from it.

"Here, these should work; they're about your size. As far as towels, there are several in the basket on the right side of the bathroom and all the other essentials should be in the shower already." Edward told him, tossing the clothes to Jacob. "Meet me downstairs when you're done."

Jacob caught the clothes with even less grace than he had dismounted the bed. He had to stumble backwards so as not to drop the pile. After a moment though, he did manage to gather them all in one, semi-orderly stack. He pretended to continue to fiddle with them, as he watched Edward pull a shirt over his head out of the corner of his eye. The tight t-shirt did nothing to conceal the muscles of his chest and shoulders, and the pants he was still wearing from last night showed the defined curves of his thighs as he walked. Edward flashed him a knowing smile as he headed out the bedroom door and Jacob just cringed inwardly, wondering how much of his staring came through as thoughts.

Jacob waited till he was sure he was gone, stepped into the bathroom, and closed the door.
He spent a moment looking around, still amazed at the size grandeur of this bathroom. After deciding the scenery was still real, he tossed the clothes on a bench by the shower, used the facilities, then turned on the water to the shower, letting it heat up as he stripped away his pants.
Jacob sat on the same velvet covered bench he'd thrown his clothes on and buried his face in his hands, trying not to think or feel - his mind and emotions were exhausted.

His attempts at keeping his emotions at bay didn't work. Flashes of Edward's body against his own came up first, though he quickly pushed them away. As he did, other thoughts replaced them - memories of the past, his family, his pack. He wondered why someone he barely knew brought up thoughts of his family, but really - Edward was the first person to show him any kind of warmth in months, he supposed it wasn't too far of a stretch.

He knew if he kept thinking about home he would either cry or shift and neither was an option right now. They were dead- everyone he knew. He had seen the news reports that listed their names "missing and presumed dead." And the leeches had gloried in telling him the tales of ripping them apart limb from limb - just to see his reactions. But thinking about it wouldn't do him any good. All that was left now was revenge.

He stood up, climbed into the shower, and let all the thoughts drift away as the warm water pounded against his flesh, stinging into his muscles. He concentrated on the feel of it, the feel of soap in his hands, on his body, and in his hair - the smooth feel of his skin under his own hands. He avoided the thoughts he would have once had in a warm shower like this, the thoughts of another man touching him, and he avoided the actions he would have accompanied those thoughts with. He was far too aware the man he would imagine would be one who could hear the lewd thoughts.

Taking a shower felt incredible anyway. He spent as much time as he could there, letting the noise and the spray pound away his frustrations. Eventually though, the water began to chill and he decided perhaps forty five minutes was pushing it. Besides, he couldn't help feeling more and more claustrophobic in the shower the longer he stayed there; it felt too much like the cells and cages he'd been kept in.

In fact being indoors, at all felt uncomfortable. All he wanted to do was to be in the sun, have space and fresh air all around him. Anything but all these damned walls.

Jacob got out of the shower, toweled off quickly, and got dressed. He left the bathroom, not sure where he was going, but just hoping wherever it was, it would spacious and open. Even though it was an incredibly large bathroom, it still felt too small right now.

As Jacob left the room and hurried down the stairs, he wanted to push at the banisters and make more room around him. He wasn't sure why the being inside was bothering him now. Perhaps it was just the memories of being trapped. But at any rate, he rushed down the stairs. And at the last few he turned quickly - running smack into a wall.

Or at least, he'd thought it was a wall. Looking up - he saw the bright golden eyes of a pixie looking vampire, thin with short black hair. Fuck.

Jacob stood completely still, stunned to have run into another vampire of this household and not at all sure what to do. After a moment, she settled the situation for both of them.

"Watch where you're going scruffy, we've got a million things to do and very little time to do them in," the black haired, vampire said, fluffing his ruffled hair before moving off at super human speed up the stairs.

After a moment of standing there awkwardly, Jacob moved forward again, this time more carefully. He thought Edward would likely meet him in the sitting room or kitchen, and he didn't care which as long as he could get out of the small space of the foyer and away from the possibility of meeting more of his kind. When he reached the sitting room however, the second hope was thwarted. There were two vampires seated there going through a stack of papers. He shied away from them, looking for Edward but when he tried to pass them - both looked up. The male ignored him after a brief glance, but, the blond female glared at him.

"I'm uh, looking for Master Edward." Jacob said after a moment.

"Then what are you doing in here? He's been waiting for you in the kitchen, for a while now." The blond responded with an annoyed tone. When Jacob just stared at her blankly, she shook her head, "Go."

He rushed off, not wanting to give the woman a chance to change her mind. When he reached the kitchen, he was breathless, confused, and agitated.

"Is everything ok?" Edward asked, moving from the stove toward the hallway, when Jacob rushed into the kitchen.

No. Jacob thought, before he could stop himself.

"What's wrong?" Edward questioned, moving over to Jacob, and resting a hand on his shoulder.
Jacob fidgeted nervously on the edge of panic, both from the other vampires nearby and from the claustrophobia that was still bothering him. "Can we just get out of here, Master?" Jacob said, trying his best to be respectful, anything to just be out of here.

Edward studied him, but after a moment nodded, "Yes, come on." he said, putting a gentle hand on Jacob's back. He led him through the kitchen, grabbed a plate from the counter that Jacob hadn't noticed before, and led him through a doorway that Jacob hadn't yet been through.

They walked through it, and Jacob was happy to find himself in a small sun room that led out onto a garden path. He was also glad that Edward continued to guide him forward, opening the door that led outside.

He didn't question it, didn't want to make it go away. He hadn't been outside in a place with living things for far too long, and he wasn't going to jeopardize the opportunity. Instead he just looked over his shoulder, wondering what was on the plate Edward had grabbed. His mouth salivated at the sight and smell that hit him as he turned his head. Bacon, eggs, and toast. Did vampires eat?

They walked through the garden, along a stone path that was lined with sets of flowers. The path led to ornate metal table and chairs set in the middle of the garden, and Edward moved forward till they reached it. Then set the plate down and motioned to the chair in front of the plate, "Sit, eat. I'm sure you're hungry."

Jacob just looked at the plate and seat dumbly for a moment, not expecting his master's comment that, 'we'll find you something to eat', would have meant Edward was going to cook him breakfast. He looked at him nervously, but sat, waiting for some trick or some catch to the offer.

None came, though he waited for several moments. He vaguely wondered if it was possibly poisoned, but then again, he didn't see any use to poisoning a slave that was just bought.
The wonder left his mind however as the smell of the cooked food drifted in his direction, and he didn't waste any more time thinking, instead grabbing the fork that was set on the plate, and eating quickly, shoveling fork-fulls into his mouth.

"You know, you have plenty of time to eat, no need to choke yourself on it." Edward said simply, pulling out the chair across from Jacob and sitting down.

Jacob looked down awkwardly. Half the food was already gone, and he hadn't tasted it much of it. He chewed what was in his mouth and swallowed, and waited for a moment before taking another bite, well aware of Edward's eyes following him.

"I suppose it tastes alright if you're eating so quickly," Edward said, waving a hand, "I haven't had the need to cook for some time, but bacon and eggs seemed simple enough."

Jacob nodded, staring at his food to avoid looking at Edward and having to think of the implications of his kindness. "Yeah."

Edward didn't say anything, and Jacob didn't look up to see if he could read any emotions or thoughts from his face. He just continued to eat, finishing the rest of the meal more slowly.

When he finished, Edward finally spoke, "What was wrong a few minutes ago? You seemed rather spooked for someone who was supposed to be taking a relaxing shower."

Jacob looked to the side, down at the grass, if I don't tell him; he'll just read my fucking thoughts anyway. I wonder how long I could keep from thinking.

"Jacob, enough of that, I can't keep you out of situations that make you uncomfortable if you won't tell me what they are." Edward said firmly.

Jacob just looked up at him with a glare, his face and thoughts blank.

"Fine," Edward said, standing, "Come on then, we're going back inside."

"No," Jacob responded with a growl, remaining in his seat, "You go back inside, I'm staying out here."

Edward huffed - his expression angry. He came over to Jacob's chair, pulled it out from under the table with Jacob still on it, and lifted Jacob into the air, tossing him over his shoulder.

Jacob pounded on his back, struggled, cursed, but nothing was helping. Edward seemed like an unstoppable force in his movement back to the house.

"No. Fuck. Let me go!" Jacob screamed.

"I need to talk with the coven, and you are going to come along, kneel at my feet. Be there in the small sitting room with a full coven of vampires surrounding you. Is that what you want Jacob?" Edward asked simply, holding Jacob tightly as he neared the door to the house.

"No! Please. No. Don't. Look, I'll talk okay? Just please..." Jacob said, choking somewhat on the last words, trying to keep from sobbing as well as panicking.

Edward pulled him back over his shoulder, setting him down on the steps to the sunroom, and then looked at him expectantly. "Yes?"

Jacob looked up, wanting to keep quiet, but fearing Edward's proposed scenario more than his vulnerability, "I feel claustrophobic inside alright? And being so close to so many vampires freaks me out. Especially ones that aren't-" Jacob stopped, not wanting to say 'you' and reveal more than he was already being forced to, "Especially anyone I haven't met yet."

"Then you can meet them out here," Edward said simply, moving forward to step around Jacob, seemingly headed inside to get them.

"No. Fuck. Please." Jacob said desperately, grasping onto Edward's calf as he moved to his side. "This is fucking hard for me alright? I don't tell anyone what's going on with me, I never have. Give me a fucking break would you?"

"Let go of me Jacob," Edward said evenly, then took the doorknob in hand.

"You. Okay? Are you happy now? Especially ones that aren't you. Vampires that aren't you freak me out." Jacob sputtered, in full panic.

Edward let his hand fall from the doorknob. He turned back around and placed his hand instead on Jacob's shoulder tenderly.

"Well in that case, we'll work up to being near other vampires slowly." Edward said, sitting on the step behind Jacob and wrapping his arm around his waist - using the other arm to wrap around his chest and stroke the side of his face gently.

Jacob shook slightly, adrenaline still coursing through his veins. He didn't know what to say or do, only that he'd just told Edward enough information to destroy his mental state, to torture him until he broke underneath the pain and fear. He was so close to being gone, a thin wire of his former self. And he wouldn't be around much longer. He mourned internally for what he'd just given up for a few more moments of peace.

"Shh," Edward whispered in his ear, rocking him back and forth slowly, "It's alright. You don't need to be afraid; I'll never use what you tell me against you."

Edward held Jacob against his chest, still rocking, "Relax, I'm the only one here, we're in a nice open space and we're not going to go inside until you're ready. Just relax."

Jacob realized his hands were clung tightly to Edward's forearms, his whole body stiff. He forced his fists to unclench, but that was about all he could accomplish, his breath was still pained, his muscles tight.

"You're fine, and your safe," Edward continued, moving his hand from Jacob's face to rub his chest comfortingly.

Jacob didn't particularly believe that, but the motion of Edward's hands was calming against his chest and it made him feel less on edge.

Edward continued holding Jacob for several minutes, not saying anything more, but caressing him gently. Jacob slowly began to get a handle on his tense muscles, letting them relax one by one, and trying his best to calm his mind and frazzled nerves.

"That's it Jacob, good." Edward said after a time. Jacob just listened to the cool deep of his voice, it was hypnotic, comfortable.

They sat like that for a while, neither saying anything. But after another few minutes, Edward gently sat Jacob up to a more straight position, removing his arms but leaving a chill hand on his back.

"Jacob, I need you to go sit over at the table, quickly. Stay there, unless I tell you otherwise." Edward said briskly.

Jacob didn't understand what was going on, but he didn't feel like arguing. He moved over to the table, sitting in the far chair and watching Edward carefully.

Only another short moment passed, before the Vampire he had met earlier, the one that went by the name Carlisle, came through the kitchen door into the sunroom. Edward held up a hand, motioning for Carlisle to remain inside, and went in to meet him there.