The Five Year Plan
Disclaimer; all characters and copyright belong to SM.
A/N-thank you very much for the kind reviews and for still following this story!
Part Fourteen
Bella's nerves set in as she waited for the pack to arrive. Seth had gone to fetch his sister. Leah appeared pensive, probably because she was about to see Sam for the first time in days. Bella felt guilty. She hadn't thought about that. Jacob was pacing back and forth. He was still feeling ambivalent about the whole thing, but it was too late to call it off now, and if he had it would have shown that he didn't trust Bella enough to handle herself. She was watching the trees surrounding his house like a hawk, eyes wide, and fingers tapping at her sides, all signs that she was worked up. Jacob knew her so well. He stopped pacing and started to go to her, but halted when he heard the first snarky comment from Paul. Lahote had arrived, and behind him were the others. Sam was in the lead. He was hiding his feelings behind his usual stoical expression. Uley never gave anything away if he didn't have to.
Jacob sighed. "Sam." He greeted his former Alpha. He tried to appear cool, unconcerned.
"I wanted a private meeting." Sam didn't bother returning the greeting. He crossed his arms across his bare chest in a defensive pose. His dark eyes flicked to Bella. "Why is she here?"
"She has a name." Jacob snapped. Dammit, he was already letting Sam get under his skin. He didn't like the way he spoke about Bella. There was no need for it. "Bella is here because…."
"Because the baby Alpha needed to hide behind a woman's skirts." Paul interjected with a sneer.
"Shut up Lahote." Jacob retorted.
"You're not in charge of me." Paul smirked, pleased that he was already riling Jacob up.
"Be quiet, Paul." Sam remonstrated with his pack brother. He didn't silence him with an Alpha order though, which annoyed Jacob immensely.
Paul made another snarky comment, Jacob was about to respond when Embry smacked Paul around the back of the head. Everything was already descending into chaos. Embry and Paul began to bicker. Quil joined in, defending Embry. Leah and Seth stood on the edges. The she-wolf's eyes were trained on Sam. He was looking right back at her, seemingly unaware of the kerfuffle going on with his pack. Jacob was getting more and more irate. This had been a bad idea. There was no way any of them were going to let Bella speak. After another insult from Paul, Jacob did lose his cool. He strode over to Lahote, fists clenched and ready to teach the tool a lesson in respect.
Leah had now turned her back on Sam. She still hadn't spoken. She was struggling being near him again. Seth glared at Sam as he went to comfort his sister. Sam swallowed thickly. He finally turned his attention to the others. Voices were raised. Jacob was in the midst of them, eyes blazing with anger, his muscles quivering. There was an electric undercurrent flowing from him. The whole pack felt it. Sam knew he needed to stop the storm from brewing but someone else got there first.
"STOP IT!" Bella screamed. Suddenly a torrent of water fell on the guys from above. The shock as the cold spray hit them silenced them all at once. They turned around, hair dripping; tan skin shining with myriads of water droplets, to find Bella standing near the house with a hosepipe in her hand. She had switched on the outside tap and directed the water straight at them. It continued to gush out in a stream as she used it to send them scattering apart. Her face was red with exertion; her brown eyes were narrowed with concentration.
Jacob stared at her. Water was dripping from his hair and into his eyes. But he didn't care. He couldn't stop gazing at her. She looked so beautiful, vital and alive. Bella was whooping now. She jumped up and down, aiming the water at Paul, who was trying to dodge out of the way. Seth had joined her. He grabbed the hosepipe and ran toward his brothers, laughing hysterically. Bella clapped her hands, still jumping up and down, as she watched Seth dive head first at Paul and bring the older guy down. They wrestled each other. Seth had let go of the hosepipe. It thrashed around wildly like an angry snake.
"Tools." Leah muttered to herself, but even she couldn't contain her smile as she grabbed the hosepipe. Jacob turned off the tap. The torrent of water turned into a dribble.
"Now are you ready to listen." Bella said loudly now she had gotten the pack's full attention. Seth and Paul stopped play fighting and regained their footing. The others, still dripping with water, approached. Jacob was in the lead. She smiled at him, but it wavered as she noticed the calculating look in his eyes. His brothers were wearing exactly the same expression. "Jake…." She said warily as she began to retreat.
"Sorry, Bells." A wicked grin lit up his handsome face as he grabbed her, hauling her across his shoulders. His skin was still glistening with water. It seeped through Bella's thin shirt as she dangled over his back. She began to protest, hitting him on the back with clenched fists as he made a run for the trees. "Sorry, honey. You can't water bomb us and not expect retaliation."
The others immediately followed him in one fluid motion. Bella was astonished to see even Sam smiling as they thundered after Jacob. Despite her unusual position Bella was quite comfortable. She had an amazing view of the pack as they ran swiftly through the trees. They were so graceful despite their size. They jumped over rocks, weaved through the trees, without once breaking stride. This was so different then riding astride Edward's back. Then she hadn't been able to see anything. But Jacob was going at a comfortable pace, probably for her benefit. The wind whipped her hair crazily as she bounced around, but she found herself laughing, caught up in the unexpected joy of just cutting loose and letting go.
Bella squeezed out her hair. It was saturated with sea water. When Jacob and the others had reached First beach the first thing he did was throw her into the sea. She had squealed in shock as the cold hit her. She had gone under, but Jacob had already dived in. He grabbed her, hauling her upright, pressing her against his hot body. She had gasped, grabbing at his wide shoulders to steady herself. The others were laughing as she cursed at Jacob. Then they all followed, diving in like graceful birds, one after the other. Even Leah followed. She rose above the waves, hair slick to her head, tank top clinging to her athletic body. Then she was under again as Embry appeared out of nowhere and grabbed her. They stayed in the water for ages, just play fighting, relaxing and having fun. Jacob made sure to keep close to Bella. With his body wrapped around hers she didn't feel the cold. She was laughing, arms circled around his neck as she watched the antics of the others. She hadn't felt so carefree in forever. Jacob adored seeing her so happy. The urge to kiss her was so strong, but he held back. Now was not the right time. Instead he enjoyed the feel of her lithe body in his arms, her breasts pressed to his heated chest, her laughter like music to his ears. It was sweetest torture known to man.
They built a bonfire. It was so huge it blazed like a beacon in the dark night. The sky was clear for once. The stars shone down from the heavens like beautiful diamonds adorning a thick black blanket. The moon hung like a round disc in the sky. It was so low they felt like they could touch it. The flames from the bonfire lit up the eager faces of the pack and Bella. Billy had joined them now, along with Old Quil, Sue Clearwater and Charlie. Bella gazed at her father's face as he listened to the tales spun by his best friend. She wondered what he was thinking. Occasionally he would catch her eye and then smile. Jacob had gone back to his house and retrieved a thick blanket. It was wrapped around her. He was holding her close, one arm slung across her shoulders as he listened with open fascination to his father's stories.
It was a magical night. Bella had never thought it would turn out like this. It was a far cry from what she had expected. The pack held no animosity toward her. Like before, they had embraced her, holding fast to their faith that she wouldn't turn away from them again. No apologies had been made. There was no need. Somehow, despite everything, they knew how sorry she was. They saw it in every look she threw their way, in every line and curve of her body. Jacob and Sam went off alone to talk. They were gone a long time, but when they returned it was apparent an agreement had been reached. The packs would remain severed for now. Sam was willing to relinquish control of the others, but on his terms only. Jacob needed to prove himself capable of being a good leader, only then would Sam promise not to dispute his authority and the pack would become one again.
Old Quil made himself comfortable as he sat down beside Bella. Jacob was helping his father get ready to return to the house. Charlie was walking Sue Clearwater home. The others were dousing the fire, putting out the last few remaining embers. It was getting chillier now. The clouds rolled in, obscuring the stars and racing across the moon like wild horses. "I see you have been putting my advice into practice." He said with a smile.
Bella gazed at the elder curiously. She didn't think she had done anything at all. She certainly felt lighter of heart, but events had superseded what she had initially planned to do. She pulled the blanket closer around her body to ward off the cold. "I didn't really do much at all." She confessed.
"Really." Old Quil raised his brows until they were lost in his hairline. "From what I observed tonight I think you found a part of yourself that you thought gone forever. Have a little more faith, Bella Swan." He laughed throatily before hauling his huge bulk upright. "Goodnight, my dear." He ambled toward his grandson, Quil, who was waiting to take his grandfather home.
Bella stared after him thoughtfully, mulling over his words. Was he right? Had she found something tonight? It had been a long time since she had really let herself go and have fun. With Edward that was impossible. She couldn't remember ever really laughing or just being a dork. He was always so serious, reserved. All the Cullen's were, apart from Emmet. When she visited Jacob, for sure they goofed around, but there had always been an undercurrent of tension behind it, usually because of the shadow of Edward hovering above them. But today that was gone. It was just them and their wider circle of family and friends. There was no judgement here, and Bella hadn't had that in a long time. So maybe Old Quil was right, she had found something.
"Ready to go, Bells." Jacob was holding out his hand toward her. Billy was sitting in his chair beside his son, smiling.
"I'm ready." Bella returned the older man's smile as she placed her hand in Jacob's. He helped her to rise. "Let's go home."
"Yeah, home." Jacob agreed happily, his eyes sparkling. Bella tucked her arm through his as he began to push Billy's wheelchair across the sand.
A/N-thanks for reading! I bet none of you expected that, huh?