Chapter 11: Broken Treaty
Disclaimer: S. Meyer owns Twilight
Edward was cursing himself for his own stupidity. He returned from a disastrous sojourn in Alaska, and now, kept watch at the Cullen mansion. He overhead the thoughts of his Terros family, and had to accept the fact that Bella had crossed over and even went so far as to accompany Eddie to her home planet. The vampire was crushed.
His doppelganger was correct. He was dying slowly, being away from the girl all this time. In desperation, he sifted through the minds of anyone he came in contact with to glean information that would help him in his cause, either to reunite with Bella or let fate destroy him.
Edward discovered that Billy's son had somehow survived on Terros II and had been given the eCod from Bella. He'd also learned the story of how Eddie had gone to Volterra to die. He could not live without her love, so maybe that would be the only way to end his own misery. Not wanting to bring the Volturi down on Bella, or disrupt her present happiness, he thought about what else he could do to extinguish the ache in his heart.
While it was true that he could just as well face death there on Terros II at the hands of the La Push wolf pack, it was also true that perhaps he could escape them during his journey on Earth and see his only love for one last time. If he could just see her, maybe he could change her mind, and Bella would take him back. It was risky, but a risk he was willing to take, or die trying.
Outside Bells' bedroom window, he listened in on the phone conversation with the wolf boy. She would meet him the next day in La Push. Apparently this Jacob person was to visit Billy Black on Earth. Edward determined that he would be there when they traveled through the portal. With his speed, he could easily pass through to the other side before it closed, and be virtually undetected as well.
To hell with the treaty; consequences be damned. He followed the rusty truck to La Push, and waited just outside the treaty line until he glimpsed the bright glow of the tunnel and heard the hum from the device.
Bells and Jacob had passed onto Earth, and unbeknownst to them, Edward sped onward a few seconds before it shut him out. He kept downwind knowing full well that the shape shifter had a keen sense of smell. What he didn't count on was that the pack was already onto his scent. The vampire had nowhere to run. He was surrounded in minutes. He had broken the treaty, and they had every right to demand his execution. He dropped to his knees, resigned to his fate, and welcomed his imminent death. It wouldn't be long now.
A large brown wolf lunged at him, snapping with gaping jaws, then his canines clamped onto his throat, and Edward was no more. His last thoughts were of his Bella and what might have been if not for that one crucial choice to leave her.
# # # # #
Sam took charge, and soon, all parties were dressed and silent for once, except for Bells who was still sobbing. Jacob sat beside her, pulling her close, attempting to comfort her as best he could.
"I think it would be wise to call Chief Swan," Sam directed.
"That's what I was trying to do before you idiots ruined everything," Bells shouted.
Whining in apology, Embry said, "I'm sorry, we didn't know."
Leah hugged her man and kissed his cheek. "It's okay, sweetheart. It was a tough call. Anyone could have made the same mistake."
Paul crouched down beside them. "What were we supposed to think? You two appear from out of nowhere, and that bloodsucker, Edward Cullen, sneaks across our border. We thought you'd brought him here."
Jacob lifted Bells' chin, turning her face in his direction. "Bells, please, don't tell Bella. As far as she knows, he's in Alaska on Terros II."
"What are you saying?"
"Remember the purple smoke?"
Bells gasped. "Oh no … you mean—?"
Sam interceded. "Cullen defied the treaty. It was his decision and he was aware of the consequences. Unfortunately, he chose to ignore it. I'm sorry, but we have no regrets."
Whispering to Bells, Jacob added, "You'd better keep it a secret from Carlisle too. What he doesn't know won't hurt him."
# # # # #
Leah and Embry went into Billy's house and told him they needed to borrow the phone. Billy was confused. There was little privacy, and Billy heard the whole conversation. "If Bella's at the house with Charlie, then how can she be in La Push at the same time?"
Leah smiled and patted his hand. "We're all confused, Billy. Let's have Charlie and Bella explain it. But there's more to come. As soon as Chief Swan gets here, hopefully this whole incident will be cleared up."
# # # # #
Charlie drove up in the cruiser with Bella beside him. He motioned for Jacob and Bells to follow. Poor Billy blinked in amazement as two identical Swan girls stood before him.
While Bella and Charlie started in on the incredible happenings, Bells asked Billy, "Do you mind if I clean the cuts on Jake's face?"
"Sure, sure. The bathroom's—"
"I already know where it is, but thanks."
Bells dabbed at the cuts and bruises on his cheeks and jaw with a wet cloth. "Oh god, your beautiful face. I could just kill those two."
Looking up at her, he tried to ease her concern. "Hey, it's okay. I heal fast, and soon I'll be as irresistible as ever."
"Ha, ha, that's all very well, but this is not a funny situation. We're stranded here, Jake."
"Don't remind me. At least, our Dads are here too."
She applied some ointment she found in the medicine cabinet to the gashes, and a band-aid to his nose. "I guess you're right. There's not much we can do about it anyway."
Jacob covered her palm with his own as she stroked his cheek. "I'm sorry I brought you with me. It's my fault. I didn't think any of this would happen."
"It would've been far worse for me if you went alone and never returned. Think about it, Jake. I'd wonder for the rest of my life what had become of you. I could never get over it, or move on."
"Then I'm glad we're together. C'mere, honey."
He drew her onto his lap, while seated on the commode. She wound her arms about his neck, and he plunged his fingers through her hair. Their lips met, in a tender rush of compassion and love. Jacob was reluctant to let go of her, but there was a knock at the door, and Bella's voice sounded, "I know what you two are doing. Just stop it. You need to come up for air and join the party."
They trudged out the door and headed to the living room.
# # # # #
His dad listened intently to the story, but Jacob got up from his chair quietly toward the end, and said in a low steady voice, "There's another Billy on Terros II, but his son, Jacob, didn't die." He hesitated, the words caught in his throat. "Dad … I'm Jacob."
Billy bowed his head, covered his face with his hands, and wept. Jacob dropped onto his knees, wrapping his arms about Billy's shoulders. His second father looked up into Jacob's face, and murmured, "You have Sarah's eyes. My god, Jacob, I can't believe it. You're real."
"Yeah, I'm real." Jacob got up from his knees and sat on the couch next to Billy's wheelchair. "I brought some pictures. Would you like to see them?"
Sniffling, Billy asked, "Can I?"
"Sure, sure."
# # # # #
Leah went back home, and she and Sue cooked up a feast for everyone. The whole pack, plus Charlie and Bella, made a party of it, eating and joking. All the guys were crowded around the album, in between scarfing down food, amazed that they were in the photos.
"This is so weird," Quil said. "You and Embry and I were best friends?"
Jacob grinned. "Yeah, you guys were always in my Taj, helping me with The Cherry Bomb, or some dead motorcycles Bells picked up for me to fix. We were like the Three Musketeers."
Paul horned in on the conversation. "What about me?"
"Well, Paul, your double is a real hot-head, and from the looks of things, that makes two of you. Soooo, let's just say, we weren't freakin' BFFs. We were always gettin' into it."
Quil nudged Paul with his shoulder. "Guess he told you … hot-head."
"Phft! Like I give a rat's ass …
"Bunch of pansies," he muttered as he went off to grab more food.
"And stay away from my sister," Jacob yelled after him.
Paul scratched his head. What the hell was that supposed to mean?
# # # # #
After the meal was eaten, Charlie and Bella cornered Bells, who was sitting alone by the front window. Charlie coaxed her, "You look so sad. This should be a happy occasion. What's the matter, kitten?"
"I can't get back to Terros. Embry broke the what-cha-ma-call-it."
"Oh," Bella commented; her face scrunched up in concentration. "You know Charlie and I would let you live with us."
Her dad butt in, "Sure, It's no problem, besides we couldn't let you roam the streets, homeless. You are my own flesh and blood … in a way, and I would bet that Billy would be more than glad to have Jacob stay with him."
Bella's eyes suddenly brightened. "Wait a minute. Eddie told me that Carlisle has built another transport machine. I'm sure he'd let you borrow it."
"Could you ask him, please?"
"I don't see why not."
The pack left Billy's home one by one, only Charlie, Bella, Bells and Jacob remained.
Looking at Jacob, Billy asked, with recurring tears in his eyes. "Do you have to leave today?"
Bells piped up, "There are people waiting for us back home, but Jake can come back every weekend to visit. How would that be?"
Jacob nearly fell off his chair. Where did that come from? The eCod was lying in the dirt and leaves, bits of smashed metal and circuits. Was she losing her mind?
"I know what you're going to say, Jake, but Bella told me that Carlisle made a back-up thingamajig."
"No kiddin'. I guess he's not that crazy after all, huh ..."
Billy grabbed Jacob's hand. "Can you make an old man happy and see me sometime?"
"Sure, sure, just like Bells said."
Charlie waved a hand in the air. "Come on then, people. Let's make a visit to Carlisle."
# # # # #
Jacob stayed in the cruiser, saving his nose from the concentrated aroma of closely packed leeches. He thought about braving the stench to ask Carlisle's advice on revving up Bells' old truck, but dissed the idea. His nose would be burning for hours after that encounter. No thanks. Living with the slow moving behemoth was annoying, but he could put up with it for a little while longer.
His knee began bouncing again, and only stopped when Bells came out of the house with a silver, oblong object in her hand. Her smile was confirmation that the mission had been a success.
Bells handed the transport device to her sweetheart. Bella stood by, nodding her approval, as her double dragged him out of the cruiser. "Carlisle said we could keep it. He's working on another one for his own use. I'll say this for him, he sure stays busy."
Rolling his baby browns, Jacob snickered. "Jeez, doesn't that guy ever sleep?"
Bells and Bella both truthfully replied. "Nope."
"Whaaaat? You gotta be kiddin' me."
Shaking their heads, they reiterated, "Nope."