I changed a little something ever so slightly – Jacob is older than he is in Twilight so is in the year/grade below Bella at school not two years below, born 14th January 1989, not 1990. At this point he is a sophomore with Nessie, while Edward, Bella and Alice are juniors and the Hales and Emmett are seniors. Little point, not that important. Just wanted to make it clear before people started being like, 'but Jacob's TWO grades below, Bella, not one!' I know, okay? But my fiction, my rules.
Thanks to EsmeAliceRose, BriBri, teambillyblackakaMamaWolf, dazzleglo, angietwikitten, and and (just like to say that's an awesome pen name by the way!) Some of you I really should have added to my dictionary by now! And thanks to angietwikitten and aboeglin for the favourites!
Chapter Twenty-five – Fixing up the Rabbit
The next day, Nessie woke up, got dressed in a top with long, tight sleeves with thumb holes and torn jeans (leaving the gloves behind since she was going to be working on the car), and headed down to breakfast.
"Morning, baby girl," Esme said, pouring coffee into two mugs and handing one to Carlisle. "What can I get you?"
"Nothing, thanks," Nessie said.
"You okay, honey?" Esme asked. "You look a little pale."
"Feel kind of nauseous, actually," Nessie said, taking a seat at the breakfast table.
Carlisle went into doctor mode and laid his hand on her forehead, asking when it had started. When she woke up, or last night? Did she have any pain anywhere? What kind of pain was it?
Nessie gently pushed his hand away, squeezing it to show she appreciated his concern. "There's nothing wrong with me, Dad, I swear. It's purely psychological."
"Worried about today?" Esme asked, brushing the hair away from Nessie's forehead. "Because you don't have to go. You can call and say you're not going if you want."
"But I do want to go," Nessie said. "And that is what is making me nauseous."
"One of us can go with you if you want," Esme offered. "Edward would probably be quite helpful."
"No," Nessie said, taking a slice of buttered toast. "I'm going. On my own. And I'll be fine. Or abducted again. Either way, I'm on my cell." She kissed each parent on the cheek and left to grab her duffel bag from the garage.
"So, whose taking me?" she asked, walking back into the house.
"Me," Emmett said, flicking his keys over his finger back and forth.
Nessie's eyes widened. "Oh god, no."
"Oh yes," Emmett said, an evil grin spreading across his face. "And I'm meeting him, too."
"You are not."
"Why not?"
"Because death by fright is not a good way to go for a sixteen year old boy."
"And getting knocked up is not a good lifestyle choice for a fifteen year old girl."
Nessie rolled her eyes. "I can't wait until I can drive legally."
They pulled up outside of a small red-painted house that looked kind of like a barn. "Okay, thanks for the ride, you can go now, I'll call you when I need you," Nessie said, unsnapping her seatbelt. But Emmett was already out of the Jeep heading to the front door. Nessie picked her bag up off the floor and hurled herself from the high car. She hurried after her brother but since a lot of his 6'5" frame was made up of powerfully muscled leg, Emmett got to the door and knocked on it before Nessie got anywhere near him.
Jacob opened the door, expecting to see Nessie, not the Incredible Hulk's less green big brother. His normal smile faded into one of surprise as his eyes travel up the heavily muscled form, not really hidden by the artfully faded jeans hugging Emmett's long legs and the long sleeve shirt that clung to the barrel-chest and huge biceps.
"Hey," Emmett said, smiling toothily, when Jacob got to his eyes. "I'm Nessie's big brother, Emmett." He extended his hand which Jacob shook. Nessie winced inwardly at the sound of Jacob's knuckles cracking. "So, Nessie will be calling me when she wants to come home." Emmett had not released Jacob's hand and used it to pull him closer until they were inches part, Emmett towering over Jacob. "She best be happy when she calls, or I'll be cracking more than your knuckles, understand?"
Jacob gulped and nodded.
"Good," Emmett said, letting Jacob go, who stumbled back a couple of paces, flexing and rubbing his knuckles. Emmett turned to Nessie, all nice and smiley again, and kissed her forehead. "Call me when you're ready."
"I'm going to die a virgin, aren't I?" Nessie said.
"Damn skippy, kid," Emmett said. He clapped a huge hand on Jacob's shoulder, making the younger man's knees buckle.
"Go now," Nessie begged. "Please. I love you but go."
Emmett smiled and strode back to the Jeep.
"So...that's Emmett when he's not wrapped up in Rosalie," Jacob said.
"Yeah," Nessie said. "He's only like that once. He's actually really easy going. Edward's the brooder – he knows how to hold a grudge."
"Wonderful," Jacob said, running his hand through his hair.
"Hey, kids," Billy said, wheeling in from the kitchen.
"Hey, Billy," Nessie said, waving. She liked Jacob's dad – like Jacob, there was something very soothing about his mere presence. It was nice to be around.
"Game's on," Billy said, explaining in two words where he would be all day. "Sodas are in the fridge. Don't be afraid to order pizza, there's money on the counter."
"Thanks, Dad."
"Thanks, Billy."
Billy waved over his shoulder as he wheeled into the living room.
"So, the garage is out here," Jacob said, leading the way to a building that was actually two sheds nailed together with their inner walls taken out.
"Your dad can't get in here, can he?" Nessie said, looking at the uneven ground.
"No, he can't," Jacob said, opening the door and snapping on the light.
"Must be nice to have one place no one else can get to," Nessie said looking around. "The grand canyon, a river of lava and a lake of boiling tar ringing a mountain on top of which you have a small place to yourself could not stop my family."
"You sound annoyed by that," Jacob said.
"Not really," Nessie said. "At least, not before they started treating me like a china doll. Before I started feeling like one. Back then, it was a nice backup."
"But now it does," Jacob surmised.
Nessie shrugged. "I'm trying to get back to the way things were. But the harder I try the more I realise there is no going back. I'm a different person now."
"Maybe you're tougher."
"Maybe I'm brittle," Nessie said, leaning against the wall. She looked at him. "How do you do that?"
"Do what?" Jacob asked.
"Get me to talk," she said, looking him up and down. "My family has been trying for six months."
Jacob shrugged. "Maybe it was just time for you to talk."
Nessie shook her head. "No, it's you. You're...comfortable."
"That's what every guy wants to hear," Jacob smiled.
"I didn't mean it like that," Nessie said quickly.
Jacob waved a hand. "It's okay, Nessie. Say what you like, I won't take offence."
Nessie nodded, taking a beat to look around the garage. "So, where's this car?"
Jacob walked to the middle of the garage and pulled the dust cover off the car.
"1976 Volkswagen Rabbit," Nessie said, running a hand down one side of the car, over the trunk and up the other side to stand next to Jacob. "A good car," she said, looking down at her hand on the hood.
"It'll be better when it runs," Jacob said. "Unfortunately, without parts we have come to a standstill."
"Good thing I brought this," Nessie said, grabbing her bag and unzipping it on the hood. She offered it to Jacob who took out a piece of metal.
"You brought a master cylinder with you?" Jacob asked, slightly awed.
Nessie shrugged. "My mother taught me it was rude to go to someone's house with a gift."
"Your mum is awesome!" Jacob said, turning the car part over and over in his hands.
"So, you like it?" Nessie asked.
"Yeah, I like, but there's no way I can take it!" Jacob said.
"Why not?" Nessie asked, taking the cylinder that Jacob held out.
"Because, car parts are expensive!" Jacob said.
"Not when you get it from a junkyard," Nessie said, holding out the part.
"I'll probably owe you a share in the car by the end."
"So, you sell the cars you build?" Nessie asked.
"Car," Jacob corrected. "I've only built this one so far. But I worked plenty on the truck we had before."
"So, what are you going to with it when we're done?" asked Nessie.
"Do with it?" asked Jacob, perplexed. "Well, drive it, I suppose."
"So, you're going to keep it?" Jacob nodded. "Don't worry about the share, then." She lifted the hood and peered in, getting to grips with what was under there and what was still to be done.
"Any experience with this kind of thing?" Jacob asked, leaning on the front of the car next to her.
"Stated learning when I was six. Built about a dozen cars and motorcycles in the last ten years. No idea how many I've fixed."
He gave a low whistle. "What do you do with them after?" Jacob asked.
Nessie shrugged. "Sell them to make money for the next one. Apart from one bike – that's mine. Fell in love with her when I was building her, wouldn't sell her for anything."
"What was it?" Jacob asked, curious.
"1969 Triumph Bonneville," said Nessie.
"Sweet," Jacob said appreciatively.
Nessie nodded. "It is a beautiful machine. I can't wait until I have my licence and don't have to think about when and where to ride her."
"Tell me about it," Jacob said. "I was itching to get my licence. Then Charlie bought the truck for Bella and we didn't have anything for me to drive – it'll be so much easier after the car is done."
"We should get going then," Nessie said, fishing her overalls out of the bag and putting them on over her jeans, tying the sleeves together so they stayed on her hips.
"Sweet," Jacob said again.
"Marcus, the guy that taught me about engines, my great-great uncle, gave them to me. Marcus likes everyone in his garage to match. And Mum insists on me being kept clean and oil-free."
"Billy's not all that bothered," Jacob shrugged as he laid out his tools.
"Nothing seems to bother you or your dad," Nessie said, starting to work on the car.
"I don't suppose it does," Jacob said. "Does that bother you?" he grinned.
Nessie shook her head meekly, the way James had always liked. When she realised she was leaning with her head in the hood of the car out of Jacob's sight, she spoke. "No."
"So, we are both not bothered," Jacob said. "Good."
"Jay-cob!" came a voice, drawing out the name.
"Ug," Jacob let his head fall forward onto his chest. "Brace yourself."
"Huh?" Nessie asked, but two boys were already coming through the door. One was as tall and gangly as Jacob, while the other was shorter and more muscular. Of which he seemed well aware.
"Jay-cob!" the taller one said again.
"And friend," said the other, his gaze raking Nessie up and down, openly flirtatious and admiring.
Nessie stayed by the car, folding her arms over stomach, one hand gripping a wrench. She had been too young to get looks like that from guys, then she had been with James and had been terrified of getting those looks – though skittish girls did not often get those kinds of looks no matter what James had thought and reacted badly to. Now, for the better part of a year, she had been scary, silent goth girl. She had no experience to hark back to on how to deal with what Aro termed 'amorous young suitors'. She was not Rosalie, or Alice, or even Esme whose caramel curls and sweet face still drew attention. She shifted under the interested gaze of the two boys. She should have worn makeup. Lots and lots of scary makeup.
"Nessie, this is Quil Aetera and Embry Call," Jacob said. "Guys, this is Nessie Cullen, from the bonfire, remember?"
"Oh, the one you met at the supermarket," said the burly one – Nessie knew their names now, but not who was who.
"The one you've been talking about for...how long would you say, Quil?" asked Embry, turning to his friend with mock seriousness.
"Oh, I don't know, Embry," Quil said with the same attitude. "The last month, would you say? Since he met her."
"Oh, yeah," said Embry with fake realisation.
Having crossed the space to stand next to them, Jacob now had his hands in his pockets, crimson tingeing his russet cheeks. "Nessie is helping me out with the car," Jacob said. "She brought a master cylinder with her. We just put it in."
Embry and Quil hurried over to the car to check out the girl's handiwork – Nessie slipped out of the way and looked at them as they surveyed the half-finished engine.
Quil nodded, "not bad, not bad."
"Not bad?" Nessie repeated, affronted. "Sweetheart, I've been working on engines since before you knew how to add."
Behind them, Jacob laughed at the sight of Nessie, with her hands on her hips, squaring up to two guys, the slighter of which had at least twenty pounds on her.
"Is that so?" Quil said, folding his arms over his chest, with an amused smile.
"Yeah, that is so," said Nessie. "I know a lot more about building engines than you do."
Embry laughed, looking from Quil to Nessie and back again.
"Oh ho, really?" Quil peppered her with questions. She answered every one, not getting caught out by the trick questions he threw in.
"Alright," Quil said, running out of questions. He held out his hand. "You know your stuff, girlie, I'll give you that."
"My name is Nessie," she said, shaking his hand, "not girlie. Nessie."
"Alright, Nessie," Quil said. "You have an impressive knowledge of engines, Miss Cullen."
"You have intelligent questions, Mr Aetera."
"Who wants pizza?" Jacob asked, thinking it safe to bring in throwables now hostilities were over.
"Woo," Embry said, looking cheerful, "large and loaded?"
"Sure, Dad left a twenty on the kitchen counter," Jacob said.
"We'll need two for the four of us," Quil said, looking between the lot of them.
"We've only got twenty-" Embry said.
"I'll get the pizza," Nessie said.
"You don't have to," Jacob said.
"I'll make up the difference so we can get two," Nessie said. "No way is one quarter - the smallest quarter no doubt – of a pizza enough for me."
"My kind of girl," Embry said, nodding approvingly. "To the phone, Mr Black?"
Jacob swept his arm through the air indicating the door. "After you, Mr Call."
The four of them trooped into the kitchen so Nessie and Jacob could clean up while Quil called the pizza place.
Forty minutes, later Nessie gave the delivery guy thirty dollars and kicked the door shut with one foot.
"Plates?" Nessie asked walking back into the kitchen. Quil, Embry and Jacob looked at her like she was crazy. "Does your dad want some pizza?"
"Good point," said Jacob. "DAD?"
"YEAH?" came Billy's voice from the lounge.
"PIZZA?"
"NO THANKS!"
"He's good," Jacob said, flipping open the boxes. He took a huge bite of pizza and, seeing the smile and shake of Nessie's head, asked, with his mouth full, "what?"
"Just reminded me of my brothers and dad," Nessie said.
They ate the pizza; the boys around the table, Nessie sat on the counter, arguing the pros and cons of various makes and models of cars. When the pizza was done, Jacob threw the boxes into the recycling and they walked back into the garage. Nessie went back to working on the car with Jacob as they talked with Quil and Embry – Nessie found it easier to keep calm about being alone and making conversation with three boys when she had something else to focus on. Maybe that was the key, to put her nervous energy into something.
The conversation was punctured by the shrill ring of a mobile phone. Catching the rag Jacob threw at her, Nessie hurriedly wiped her hands and fished the phone out of her back pocket. "Hello?"
"Hey, Loch, it's Emmett. Are you ready to come home yet?"
Looking at the guys and the progress they had made, Nessie considered. "I suppose so, yeah. Why?"
"Mum and Dad want you safely home before they go out," Emmett said. "Sunday night is date night, remember."
"But they don't go out before seven," Nessie said. Esme and Carlisle went out, just the two of them, every Sunday – helped keep the spark going. At least they had...before. This was the first date they had had in months and had taken this much time to convince that they could leave their children alone for a few hours without one of them disappearing.
"It's six pm, Loch," Emmett said. She could hear the smile in his voice. "You've been over there for seven hours."
"I can't have been," Nessie said. She could only have been here two, three hours tops. But she took the phone away from her ear to check the clock on the screen and low and behold, Emmett was right – it was 5.56pm. "Oh, wow, yeah, you better come get me."
"I'm already half way to you, kid," Emmett said.
"So, why call? Why not just show up?"
"I wanted to give you time to get yourself together in case you were...doing stuff," Emmett said smirking.
"I'll see you in twenty," Nessie said over the sounds of her brother laughing.
"Or, less. Bye," Emmett said, still chortling. They said their goodbyes and hung up. Turning back to the three guys looking at her, Nessie said, "that was Emmett. He's on his way to pick me up; my parents are going out at seven and they want me home by then."
"Okay, cool," Jacob said.
Nessie untied the sleeves of her overalls and pushed them down her legs, rolling them up and stuffing them in her small duffel bag.
"Yeah, we should head out, too, now the hot girl's leaving," Quil said, tapping Embry with the back of his hand on his chest and getting up from where they were sat. Nessie gave a start but no one else seemed to pay attention to Quil's comment.
"Aren't you grounded?" Jacob asked Quil.
"Yes, which is why I should get home before curfew," Quil said, completely unabashed. But he and Embry didn't leave which meant Jacob had to ask his question in front of an audience.
"So," he began, slapping a wrench into the palm of one hand over and over until he realised it could be construed as threatening so he let it hang loosely by his side. "Um," he scratched his head, wishing his friends were gone instead of stood there, smirking at him. "You want to do it again? Work on the car, I mean?" he said quickly. Quil and Embry's grins got wider and Jacob was about to throw the wrench at them when Nessie looked at him.
"Yeah, okay. The car's got a lot of work to do but with the two of us it should only take a couple of months."
"Yeah, that sounds good. So, during the week then? Or is this strictly a weekend thing?"
"I've got to keep my grades up so I'll probably only be able to come over once a week." Nessie didn't look too happy at that, which Jacob found cheering.
"Is that like a parent thing?" Jacob asked.
"No, it's like a school thing," Nessie said, grimacing. "I maintain a 4.0 grade point average for the whole year or they kick me out."
"That's a little harsh, don't you think?" Embry asked, looking at her.
Nessie shrugged. "They didn't have to let me in. Some stuff happened to me which meant I didn't finish my freshman year. This was the agreement we all made – me, my sister, my brothers – and I'm doing okay."
"How do you keep a 4.0 grade point average?" Quil asked stunned.
"Three words: priority extra credit," Nessie said. "I live for extra credit."
"How do you have time for anything else?" Jacob asked.
"I never really do anything else anyway. It's only for this year. A few more months of this and I'm home free," Nessie said.
The rectangle of light spilling in through the open door was abruptly cut off, gaining their attention. Emmett stood there, alarmingly huge to the two Quileutes who had only seen him once from a distance. To Jacob, who had been threatened by him only that morning, he seemed huge and scary.
Frankly, Emmett was stunned. His baby sister, who had been so fucked up she barely spoke even to her family for most of a year, was freely and easily conversing with three guys she didn't really know. Even the Nessie she had been before meeting James would not be as at ease as she was now. She was toughening up, finding herself. "Hey, Loch, you ready to go?"
"Yeah, sure," Nessie said, slinging her duffel over one shoulder.
"So, next Sunday?" Jacob asked.
Nessie bit her lip. "I'm not sure if I can, I've got one of those extra credit assignments due for History. Can we play it by ear?"
"Sure, sure," Jacob said. "It's cool."
"Okay, I'll give you a call and we'll see when we can do this again," said Nessie.
"Sure."
Nessie was about to walk out when Quil pitched in, "you're going to need his number."
"Oh, right." Nessie handed Jacob her mobile so he could put in his number as they walked to Emmett's Jeep. "You got a piece of paper and a pen?" She asked her big brother. He raised an eyebrow by got in and rummaged through the glove compartment as Nessie got in the passenger seat. "Here," he said, handing her an old faded receipt and a pencil. Quickly, Nessie scrawled two numbers on the back and handed it to Jacob who was leaning against her door. "The first is my home, the second is my cell. In case you need to call me instead."
"Okay, great. Well, I'll hear from you at some point," Jacob said, stepping back so Emmett could reverse out of the drive. Jacob raised a hand in goodbye and Nessie waved.
Quil plucked the piece of paper out of Jacob's hand as his friend stood looking after the truck.
"Hey, give that back!" Jacob said, lunging after his friend.
"Aw, Jaky got a girl's number!" Quil cooed. Embry laughed and Jacob dragged the both of them into a tussle until he got the receipt back. "That's it, off my land!"
Still laughing, Quil and Embry walked away down the street as Jacob walked into his house, looking down at the neatly written numbers.
"Hey, Jake, good time?" his father asked, wheeling in from the living room.
"Yeah, it was. Quil and Embry turned up but were of no help on the car. They just ate half the pizza."
"And acted as a little competition," Billy smiled.
"There's no need for competition," Jacob said, taking the soda his father handed him and popping it open.
"I think she's a nice girl," Billy said. "You get on well together." It was as much approval as Billy needed to give and Jacob needed to hear. Jacob took a long draught of cold soda and nodded as he stared at the can he was now revolving slowly with his fingertips.
"Bella likes them, according to Charlie," Billy said. "So does he."
"Well, if the Chief of Police likes them, they must be good company," Jacob joked. Billy raised his beer in agreement.
"Giving him your phone number, huh?" Emmett said. "Most people do that before the first date."
"It wasn't a date," Nessie said, bored. She flicked on the radio and Emmett's favourite type of loud, energetic rock came on – he said it was good to box to.
"Don't want to talk about it, okay," said Emmett, grinning. "But I want you to know, Nessie, as your eldest brother it is my responsibility to make sure you know how to take care of yourself."
"That's what the self defence and therapy is for," Nessie said, still not interested in being a part of this conversation.
"So, will you call him?" Emmet asked.
"Yeah, to see when we're both not busy, to work on the Rabbit."
"Seriously, Nessie," Emmett said, dropping the smile for a moment. "Were you okay today? I thought it was going to be just you and Jacob. If I have known another two guys were going to show up I wouldn't have left you."
"Why not?" Nessie shrugged. "No one knew they were going to turn up; they're Jacob's friends so they just did. Like they would any other time. Truth be told, it was nice. No one made a production of it, or kept asking if I was okay. It was...normal."
"Is that why you want to go back? Because it's normal there?"
Nessie shrugged, looking out of the window. "He's building a 1976 Volkswagen Rabbit."
"You usually build them on your own – your 'alone thinky time'."
"Sometimes it's nice to share your interests."
"You could share it with one of us."
"Why is everyone but me allowed friends from outside the family?" Nessie demanded.
"You are allowed, Nessie," said Emmett, looking over at her. "I was just looking out for you."
"Well, I wish everyone would stop treating me like fucking glass! If I haven't broken yet I'm not going to!"
"No, but you might snap our heads off," Emmett pointed out fairly.
Nessie covered her eyes with her hand. "I know, I'm sorry. I shouldn't get so touchy, but..." she bit her lip. Emmett took her other hand, running his thumb across her knuckles in comfort. "I just want this. I know things are different but no one will leave it behind. It's like no one trusts me anymore."
"Okay, more trust, we can do that," Emmett said. "Can I tell you a secret?"
"Sure," Nessie said.
"It was really hard leaving you today."
Nessie took her hand away from her suddenly open eyes and looked at her brother. Emmett was starring at the road ahead, his jaw tense. "What do you mean?"
"I mean the last time I left you, you disappeared for two months. And I've never forgiven myself. If I had just said to James what I had said to Jacob then maybe he wouldn't have taken you."
"It wasn't your fault, Em. It wasn't anyone's fault."
"It doesn't make it any easier," Emmett said. "I know it feels like we don't trust you because we don't leave you alone, Ness. But the truth is...we don't trust ourselves. Our family couldn't survive losing anyone else. Especially you, not again."
"Of course you would survive."
"Yeah, well we don't want to." Emmett looked at her and Nessie saw something she never thought she would see in Emmett's eyes – fear. Her indestructible, immovable, incomprehensibly happy bear of a big brother was afraid. "We only hold on so tight because we can't bear to let you go, Loch."
Nessie fought back the tears that Emmett's declaration caused – he didn't say how he felt very often, but damn it when he did. Awkwardly, because of the seatbelts, Nessie leant over and hugged her brother. He wrapped an enormous arm around her comparatively tiny waist and hugged her close.
She wanted to stay like that longer, safe in the circle of her brother's arm, but Emmett had to change gear.
Review please. Seriously. Because you guys are doing really well at that!