Bridges
(Paul's POV)
I'm not like you, your faceless lies
Your weak dead heart, your black dead eyes
I'll make it through but not this time
Your hope is gone and so is mine
(Lyrics To Song: Crawl: Artist: Breaking Benjamin)
The scent of Vampire, a scent that up until now had only been a brief figment of my imagination as I drifted in and out of heavy lethargy and grogginess. I rubbed my face and tried to force my mind to focus, the attempt only pushing me back into sleep temporarily.
"Paul," A voice called as there was a gentle, warm pressure against my shoulder, "You're safe, just give yourself a chance to wake up." The voice sounded familiar but my mind was so foggy that I couldn't process the source or who was speaking.
'Wake up from what? Everything is so vague and it hurts to even move. It stinks of...' I drifted once more into sleep as whatever was keeping me drowsy strengthened briefly. 'Got to wake up, the scent of bloodsucker…my body hurts all over…what? Why am I so tired, I have to…' The inability to shed the heavy grogginess for more than a few brief moments at a time was only aggravating my frustration at my sudden helplessness and the almost overwhelming pain that seemed to encapsulate my body like an evil shroud. My eyes blinked open just long enough for me to notice the presence sitting next to my bed.
"Easy Paul, you're working yourself into a fever, relax," It was then that my awareness finally returned enough for me to recognize the voice.
It was Jake of all people, 'that bloodsucker loving traitor…what makes you think you have any business even speaking to me…wait, but if he's here then where….' My gaze focused then upon him, the scent of Vampire now very obvious even though it was somewhat distilled by the acrid medicinal smell that always accompanied every hospital I'd ever been in. "What the hell? Where am I and why are you… Get away from me, you no good traitor." It was my automatic response to Jake's presence even before I realized that I wasn't in a place that I recognized as friendly or normal.
"You really should be thanking me about now because well, I could've stopped Carlisle from even treating the wounds that you and Jared took from a one-sided tussle with Sam." He blotted my face with a damp rag, trying to keep my irritation at his presence from aggravating my injuries and the pain that went along with them.
I blinked, my momentary confusion very evident as I wasn't certain I'd even heard him correctly, "Just where the hell…" My voice faded as my gasping in response to the pain, interrupted each and every conscious thought, "am I?" I finished; my irritated glare coming to bear on him even though most of the irritation was directed at Sam for what he had done. It angered me that Jarred had been injured only because he had tried to provide me assistance, 'What kind of Alpha does Sam think he is? Damn him!' My thoughts were turning violent as my mind replayed the confrontation earlier with Sam-a confrontation that up until this point, my mind had been too medicated to remember even happening.
"Paul, calm down," He insisted blotting the sweat from my forehead as my irritation only fueled what had been a low-grade fever. "You've got to take it easy or you're going to only do yourself more harm. Right now, I need you and Jared healthy so that you two will be able to keep an eye on the younger pack members until Dad gives Sam back his Alpha status."
"What?" I questioned my voice husky and strained.
"The packs have been combined, under my command, until this mess with Ulysses is taken care of," He revealed watching not only my condition but also for any signs that Jared might be beginning to regain consciousness. "Look I know the relationship between you, Jared and I hasn't been exactly the best since the split, and I know neither one of you have any love for the Cullens' but if we're going to defeat Ulysses we're going to have to put aside our own differences."
I nodded my head beginning to pound as my fever spiked. The pain had intensified and I squeezed my eyes shut in response. As much as I despised Jake's love and relationship with the Cullens, I could not argue with him as far as the need for everyone to pull together if the battle against Ulysses was going to be won. I sucked in a heavy breath as my attempt to shift positions only aggravated the discomfort even further. "Is…Jared okay?"
"He will be," Jake answered as Carlisle moved to examine me. I pulled away from his touch, my natural instinct to refrain from any contact with a bloodsucker unless I was providing them with a swift demise, automatically kicking in even through the now intense pain radiating from my wounds. I watched him warily as he adjusted the drip sequence of the IV and injected medications into the port in my arm.
"Rest Paul, the pain should ease relatively quickly with the medication," Carlisle revealed adjusting the blanket covering my lower body before once again leaving Jake and I alone as he moved to check on Jared.
For what seemed like a long time, all I could do was just rest and try not to focus or move. I could feel my awareness drifting back into sleep as the pain began to gradually dissipate into relaxed numbness. Finally, I managed to harness enough strength to once again open my eyes and focus on Jake. "What does this Ulysses want with the Cullens' anyway and…why is he…?"
"His sister was Victoria," Jake answered figuring that I could assimilate the rest of the answer to my question without further explanation. "Ulysses is a rogue. He wants to avenge her death."
"Why is it that bloodsuckers always want revenge? Geesh just let it go!" I answered my voice growing hoarse and soft as the medication began to overwhelm me.
"Nature of the beast, I guess," Jake mused blotting my face again with the rag, "It's okay, we'll figure it out, for now just rest." He insisted as my eyes slowly sagged shut and my breathing eased into the deep, calm respirations of sleep.