Beta: Jusobele
Ch.12 When the bottom falls Out
I hadn't seen or talked to Quil since the day after his graduation party. He sent me a text saying he didn't feel well and would call, but he hadn't.
That was nine days ago.
We had never gone that long without seeing each other, not even in the beginning.
Ring, Ring, Ring
Ateara's residence
I hear a male voice answer, but it is not the voice I want to hear.
Hi, is Quil there? I asked
No, he is out for the day; can I take a message? The same unknown voice tells me.
Yes, can you tell him Bella called and I need to speak with him?
I will let him know.
Click
I hung up the phone, feeling anxious. Why wouldn't he come see me or at least call me if he is feeling well enough to be out for the day?
I refused to freak out. I would stay busy and wait for him to call like he said he would.
He loved me, I loved him, and everything was going to be ok. I just kept telling myself. I spent the next 2 days cleaning. I cleaned the house from top to bottom, scrubbed every surface, and rewashed the already clean clothes. Quil never called.
I couldn't pretend anymore. It had been eleven days. Quil was not going to call me and he was not going to come see me.
As painful as this was going to be, I needed to talk to him. I grabbed my keys, started my truck, and headed for La Push.
I pulled into Quil's driveway and sat trying to gather the courage to walk to the door.
Finally, I could not put it off anymore. I climbed out of the truck, walked up the steps, and knocked on the door.
The door swung open revealing the last person I expected to see. Sam Uley.
The moment I saw him, I knew.
I knew Quil was gone, and I was alone. I should have turned around and walked away but I couldn't.
"Is... Is Quil home?" My voice sounded shaky.
"No," he told me.
"Do you know when he will get home? I really need to speak with him."
"No."
I looked up at him prepared to try one last time, but as I looked at Sam I could see the change in his features. His face was blank, his eyes cold. It was like he was wearing a mask.
"Bella, he doesn't want to talk to you," he said in a voice devoid of all emotion.
"I … I need to talk to him. I only need 5 minutes." I was fighting the tears that wanted to fall.
"Quil doesn't want to see you anymore." His tone was final.
That was the moment, I felt my heart stop beating, my dreams crumble and hope die. Nothing had ever hurt this bad, not Edward leaving, not Jacob ending our friendship. This pain was all consuming.
"Can... can you p-p...please give him a message?" I stuttered.
"What is it?" he asked.
"Tell him it was always him. I loved him the most. Tell him, I said goodbye," I told him, turning to leave. I heard the door shut as I made it to my truck.
"Bella!"
I heard my name being called and turned to see one of Sam's groupies. I didn't know which one.
"What?" I asked.
"Figure it out yet? No one wants you… pale-face. Quil Hit it and Quit it, now he's done. Don't come back here, you just look pathetic," this unknown guy said.
I knew the tears I had been fighting were free flowing down my face.
"PAUL!" I heard someone yell.
I guessed the man who just stripped my soul, was Paul.
I grabbed the door of my truck to keep myself from falling down and started opening it so I could get far away from here.
"Bella... Wait!" Embry's voice called as he started walking up to me.
"Stay away from me!" I yelled.
I made it just outside the border of La Push before I had to pull over. I couldn't see through the tears. I felt something inside me break as I cried.
I don't know how long I sat there. My tears flowed endlessly. I finally got myself together enough to go home.
I pulled into the driveway, thankful Charlie was still at work. I went up to my room, gathered my toiletries and headed to the shower to get myself cleaned up.
I got dressed, packed a suitcase, and printed a couple of maps. I grabbed a couple of my favorite books and a few pictures of Quil and me before heading downstairs to write Charlie a note.
Dad,
I cannot stay here.
I have my cell phone, but please wait for me to call you.
I love you.
Bella
I loaded everything in my truck, and drove to the bank. I pulled out every cent of my savings and pulled onto the road leading to the highway, and out of Washington.
Sam and Pack Pov
I answered Quil's house phone. I wished I had checked the caller ID when I realized it was Bella. She had already left a couple of messages.
Ateara's residence
Hi, is Quil there?
No, he's out for the day. Can I take a message?
Yes, can you tell him Bella called and I need to speak with him?
I will let him know.
I hung up the phone and looked at Embry. He looked how we all knew he felt. We could hear Quil upstairs, as he heard Bella's voice on the other end of the phone. Quil had phased 9 days ago, and was not taking the order against seeing Bella well. He was angry and heartbroken, and felt betrayed by everyone.
Embry had sent her a text from Quil's phone saying he was not feeling well and he would call. I didn't know if he thought it would help or not. I didn't think he knew what else to do. So far, we had managed to keep Jake and Quil apart, but at some point they were going to be thrown together. We were all dreading what would happen when that time came.
Everyone felt bad for the situation, aside from Paul. He hated Bella because of the bloodsucker. He also felt she was responsible for the whining he said he had to listen to from Jake, and now with Quil phasing Paul was in rare form.
Quil's grandfather sent Quil's mom and dad down to the Makah rez to visit family while we got Quil under control. Quil refused to see or speak to Old Quil.
I finally let Quil stay at his house, but we were still checking on him daily.
Jake and Jared were in school. Paul was on patrol. Embry and I had come to check on Quil. It had been eleven days and he was still refusing to do anything without an order. We had just walked in the house when we heard Bella's truck pull into the driveway.
"Quil, you have to tell her you can't see her anymore," I told him.
"Fuck you! You placed the order; you look at her when her heart breaks. I can't do it. I won't do it," he spat back at me.
"Em, take him upstairs and keep him there," I told Embry. I watched as he practically carried Quil up the stairs.
Bella had pulled in about 5 minutes ago but had not come to the door yet. Finally, I heard a soft knock and went to answer. I swung open the door. The moment her eyes landed on mine, I could see realization in them. She knew it was over. Just seeing me told her Quil was lost to her.
"Is... Is Quil Home?" she asked with a shaky voice.
"No," I lied.
"Do you know when he will get home? I really need to speak with him," she pleaded.
"No."
The look on her face was killing me, so I put on a blank emotionless face to get myself through this.
"Sam, I only need to speak to him, for 5 minutes," she said.
"Bella, he doesn't want to talk to you," I told her, trying to ignore the heartbroken cries coming from upstairs.
"I ... I need to talk to him." She was fighting tears I could already see and smell.
"Quil doesn't want to see you anymore." I knew it was killing both her and Quil to hear this.
"C... can you p-p...please give him a message?" she asked.
"What is it?"
"Tell him, it was always him. I loved him the most. Tell him I said goodbye." Her eyes were so dead as she spoke that they sent chills down my spine. It was worse than when I found her in the forest. There was nothing left of Bella Swan. I closed the door quickly, trying to keep myself together. The look she gave me had no life in it. Gone were the smiles and easy laughter she had found with Quil.
I watched the shell of Bella Swan walk to her truck. I couldn't look anymore.
Embry came down looking like hell. I leaned into him. "Follow her, make sure she gets home," I told him before walking to the stairs to deal with Quil.
I had entered Quil's room when I heard Embry yell Paul's name and then call out for Bella to wait. I heard her yell to stay away from her and then listened as she started her truck and left.
"I'm sorry, Quil," I told him.
"Tell me you're sorry when you go home to your Emily. Tell me you're sorry when you marry her or when you have babies with her," he said. "Do you know what this is going to do to her?" he brokenly asked.
"Quil, I truly am sorry," I tried again.
"I love her, Sam. She was going to be my wife, the mother of my children. She was the best thing that ever happened to me." Tears were falling down his face.
There really wasn't anything I could say to make this better. Paul walked in rolling his eyes, but had the good sense to keep his mouth shut.
"Who's on patrol?" I asked.
"Jared, Jake's at home with Billy," Paul told me.
Embry came storming in the door.
"You mother fucker!" he screamed at Paul and nailed him in the face. The sound of bones cracking filled the room.
"STOP!" I yelled the order.
Embry was the most even tempered person I knew. Whatever had him fired up must be bad.
"What the hell?" Paul yelled.
"Sam, can you come outside with me?" Embry asked. I nodded my head and walked outside with him.
"Phase with me," he said, phasing instantly.
I phased and waited to find out what the hell was wrong.
Who's phased right now?-Embry
Just me-Jared
Can you phase human for 5 minutes?-Embry
Uh, Sam?-Jared
Do it-Sam
We waited for the shimmer that always signals someone has phased.
Watch-Embry
I watched as Bella heard her name being called. She turned to see who it was. You could tell she didn't know his name.
What? she asked.
I heard Paul speak.
"Figure it out yet? No one wants you… pale-face. Quil tapped you, now he's done. You know the saying 'Hit it and Quit it' Quil Hit it and Quit it, now he's done. Don't come back here, you just look pathetic."
I watched as her eyes filled and tears fell. There were no words to describe the broken girl I saw through Embry's eyes. I listened as Embry yelled Paul's name, and then called Bella's name and asked her to wait.
"Stay away from me!" she yelled, climbing into her truck.
I watched as Embry followed her truck outside the border of La Push, where she pulled over. I watched as this broken girl with dead eyes put her head in her hands and sobbed, her entire body shaking. After a few minutes she wiped at her face with her hands and drove off.
Embry DO NOT think of this while phased- I immediately gave the order. If Quil sees this he'll kill him.
Maybe you should let him-Embry
Phase back and check on Quil, I'll get Jared back on patrol-Sam
I walked into Quil's house and dragged Paul outside.
"You crossed the line this time," I snarled, barely keeping my own temper in check. "You don't phase till I figure out what to do with you. Go home, and don't leave your goddamn house. And DO NOT think of what you said to Bella Swan while phased," I told him using the Alpha Command.
I walked back in the house, seeing Embry and Quil in the kitchen. I had just sat down as the phone rang.
"Am I allowed to answer the phone?" Quil asked.
"Let the machine get it," I told him.
On the third ring the answering machine picked up.
You've reached the Ateara's; no one is available to take your call.
Please leave your name and number and we will return your call.
Quil's mom's voice filled the air.
This is Chief Swan, we heard.
"Fuck!" Embry hissed.
"Pick it up," Quil said, looking at me.
"Chief Swan?"I picked up the phone.
"Is Quil home?"
"No, he's out right now, can I take a message?"
"No you can tell me how to reach him. I need to speak with him right now." He sounded pissed.
"Uh, Chief I'm not sure how to reach him. This is Sam Uley, is there anything I can help you with?" I asked him.
"I want to know what the hell happened. I came home from work and found a note from Bella. She's gone, all the note said is to wait for her to call. I checked her room and her clothes are gone. If he's done something to my daughter so help him."
Chief Swan was yelling by the time he finished talking.
"Chief, I don't think Quil would do anything to hurt Bella, but they did break up," I told him, hoping that would soothe his anger.
"You better hope I don't find out different." He hung up.
I turned to face Embry and Quil. There wasn't anything I could say. Quil looked tortured. His eyes were red and tears were falling freely. I was looking at a 6'4 muscled werewolf, fall apart.
"If something happens to her, I will blame every one of you until the day I die," he said coldly. I watched as Quil's face changed, his body went rigid and his eyes turned black.
"What did Paul say to her? I heard him call her name, what did he say?" Rage was pouring off him so strongly you could smell it.
"Quil listen to me. I believe she was going to leave before Paul said anything," I told him urgently.
"What… the... Fuck… did … he … say … to …her?" Quil demanded, as his body shook.
"Quil, first you have to calm down. I will deal with Paul," I told him.
Quil slammed his fist into the table, sending splinters of wood everywhere as the table buckled under his strength. He stormed out of the house.
"FUCK!" Embry and I yelled at the same time.
"Embry, phase and send Jake on patrol. Get Jared, then you and he meet me at Paul's. Phase back and stay human. Do not let Jake know about this until we calm Quil down." I told him, taking off to Paul's before Quil could do too much damage.
I got to Paul's house in time to see Quil tumble out the back door with Paul.
"STOP!" I Alpha commanded.
Both Quil and Paul stopped in their tracks. They couldn't disobey the order no matter how much they wanted to.
"What the fuck did you say to her?" Quil screamed at Paul.
"Fuck you, pup!" Paul shouted back.
"You bastard! What the hell did you say?" Quil demanded.
"I told her the truth. That you Hit it and Quit it," Paul said, smirking.
He was more stupid than I thought.
Quil burst into his wolf and lunged for Paul. Paul barely phased in time. Before I could even phase myself we heard a howl come from deep in the forest.
Jake…
"Em you and Jared head him off," I told them as I began my phase.
Paul was pinned to the ground as Quil sunk his teeth into his shoulder.
You son of a bitch-Quil
Get over it-Paul
Everyone stop and phase NOW-Sam
We all phased human where we stood in Paul's back yard.
"That's enough!" I commanded. "Paul, go inside now. I'll deal with you later."
We could hear him mumbling something about stupid leech loving pale face.
Jake chose that moment to come into the yard. With Paul gone, that left me, Jared and Embry to deal with him and Quil. Jake was glaring at Quil and I knew they were about to get into it.
"Jacob, don't start," I told him.
"Fuck that, why are you coddling Quil? You sure as hell didn't me. Now he knows what it feels like!" Jake yelled.
"Jake, now is not the time," I told him again.
"Fuck you Jake! It's not the same thing," Quil shouted.
"You're right, your best friend didn't make a move on your girl," Jake told him bitterly.
"You fucker! She was never your girl," Quil shot back at him.
"She could have been," Jake said stubbornly.
"Did you once think about her, you know the girl you say you love? It's all about you. What you feel. Just once think about Bella, and how she feels you selfish prick!" Quil screamed. "You have no idea how this feels. We love each other, it's different." Pain was the only feature on Quil's face.
"Only because you got her drunk," Jake yelled.
Quil turned and tackled Jake, the two of them falling to the ground. The three of us stood watching as Jake and Quil traded punches.
"Uh … are you going to stop this?'' Jared asked.
"Not unless it gets out of hand. Maybe if they beat the shit out of each other, it will be over," I told him.
After a few minutes and what looked like a couple broken noses and a dislocated shoulder, I made them stop.
"Feel better?" I asked.
"NO!" They both yelled it.
"Fuck you, Jake. I'm sorry she didn't love you back the way you wanted her to. But I'm not sorry she loves me. You know, Bella told me she loved you and trusted you more than anyone else because you were her best friend. But you piss on that because you didn't get what you wanted," Quil told Jake.
"You were my best friend. You knew how I felt about her. You knew she was off limits," Jake fired back at him.
"I didn't go after Bella to get back at you, no matter what you think. You arrogant mother fucker. It just happened! Neither of us did anything with the goal of hurting you, but I'll be damned if I feel guilty for loving her and her loving me back," Quil stated. Turning to me, he said, "I'm going home."
"Jared, go with him," I said.
"Why is it ok for you to feel bad for Quil, but you didn't care when I lost her?" Jake asked me.
"Jake, first off, I did care, I know you love her, but no matter how unfair it may be, it is different. Bella told you all along she only saw you as a friend. I know that doesn't change how you felt and it doesn't make your pain any less real. But just try to look at how Quil feels, Jake. He and Bella both lost their only friends. Somehow, they found each other and in the process they fell in love. She loves him back Jake and now he is being forced, as you were, to cut all ties. The difference is he knows how it feels to be with her. It was not just him that loved her, she loved him.
"Did you know, the night before he phased he gave her a promise bracelet. He planned to marry her. Imagine if you loved her like you do now, only every fantasy you ever had about the two of you was real, and then you had to say goodbye," I explained.
"Fuck." Jake's face was stricken.
"Yeah, that's what Quil is feeling," I told him.
"It still hurts," he said.
"I'm not saying it won't. I'm not saying your pain isn't real. I just want you to think about how the guy who used to be your best friend is feeling," I urged him.
"How am I supposed to forget how I feel?" he asked.
"Jake no one said you had to forget, not even Quil," I pointed out to him. "Let's go. I have to deal with Paul, before Quil gets to him again."
