A/N: In the last chapter, it slipped my mind that the barf never got cleaned up, so I revised it, lmao! I am so sorry for grossing you all out with that! YUCKY!
JPOV
After Bella and I made love, she dozed off, completely exhausted from everything that happened earlier that day. I wanted to take a nap along with her, but my mind kept going back to what happened to me today, and the feelings it stirred within me.
I recalled seeing Jane hurting Bella, saw how drained she was from so much intensive fighting, and my heart stopped when she started screaming in pain. I didn't even think, I just attacked, wanting to get Jane away from Bells. I remembered how Jane could inflict horrendous pain with her touch, so I made sure to keep her from grabbing onto me. I would tear off pieces of her here and there, but to fully destroy her, I had to go in for the kill, and I did.
I recalled the agony of when her hands touched me, but I was so enraged because she had hurt Bella that the pain barely registered. I ripped her arms off, then half of her stomach, then her legs, leaving a hissing stump behind. I turned my back for a split second to make sure Bella was ok, and that's when Jane struck, biting me in the shoulder. I quickly tore hear head from her body, flinging it as far away from me as I could. It was too late though, and I knew I was going to die and leave my Bella a widow.
The venom had hurt so terribly that I couldn't even hold onto my wolf form, and I didn't even care that I was laying there naked. I looked around, so happy that none of my family had been killed, and then I saw Bella looking around for me frantically. I could barely call out to her, but she heard my cries of pain and found me, and I will never forget the look on her face when she saw the shape I was in.
As my life slipped away from me, I could feel hers slipping away as well, her heart being torn into millions of tiny pieces with grief. I tried to be strong for her, tried to make sure that she kept on living, even after I was gone. I had to know that she would be ok, so when I felt my soul slip out of my body, I fought the pull towards the heavens, entering her body and caressing her soul with mine. I whispered that I would always be with her, no matter what, and then I was pulled away, and I struggled so hard to stay behind.
When my soul was thrust back into my body, and my heart began to beat and my lungs breathing again, I was filled with so much gratitude for being given a second chance at life. I felt different somehow, stronger, raw power running through me and it was so amazing. I was a strong wolf to begin with, but now it seemed as if my power had at least tripled, so I made a mental note to have Carlisle check my blood.
As I gazed down at my sleeping beauty, I felt like I was seeing her for the first time. Her smooth skin was flawless, her nose sprinkled with the cutest little freckles. Her nose was perfectly shaped, delicate with the cutest little curve along the bridge. Her lashes were long and dark, fanning her cheeks like tiny feathers, her lips full and pink, so soft to the touch. Every little curve of her body seemed new to me, and I sat there memorizing each and every curve, mark, dimple and scar.
I felt myself falling in love with her all over again, now at an even stronger spiritual connection. I actually saw her soul when mine entered her body, and it was the most glorious thing I had ever seen. She was so pure, so full of love and kindness, and I still couldn't believe that such a Divine woman like her loved me so deeply.
I wanted to stay there for the rest of my life, watching her sleep and holding her in my arms, but the angle of the sun streaming through the windows told me that it was getting late, and we had a lot to get done for the bonfire that evening.
"Wake up, sleepy head" I said, kissing the top of her head.
"I don't wanna get up. I wanna stay here forever" she sighed, her lower lip stuck out in the cutest pout. I flipped her over, unable to stop myself from kissing her, and my mouth latched onto hers, breathing in her little moan.
"You don't play fair" she grumbled as she stretched.
"I never do, you should know that by now" I said, taking her lower lip between my teeth and tugging gently.
"Do we really have to go? I'm all warm and cozy, laying next to the most beautiful man ever created" she said, cupping my cheek in her palm. I moved my head, kissing her hand, then sat up, torn between staying in bed with her, or going to check on the kids and getting things ready for the bonfire.
"You are an evil temptress, but we really do need to get going, honey. We still have to go to the store and get everything for the bonfire" I said, taking her hands and pulling her up. She pouted again, then got up, jumping onto my back and wrapping herself around me. I laughed, then walked to the bathroom, turning the shower on. Once it was nice and warm, we got in, quickly washing up. We left the cottage 30 minutes later, driving to the super market to get everything we needed.
When we got there, I grabbed a cart and so did she, and we walked through the store, picking out all kinds of things for the bonfire. We got hamburgers, hot dogs, chips and salsa, a huge fruit salad, several cases of beer, bags of ice, cases of soda and water, a couple bottles of wine, and a bunch of different desserts. We paid for everything, then loaded up the Charger, and I loved all the whistles and stares that the car got. I was proud of this car, and I was so happy that Bella liked it.
"Jake, I was thinking" Bella began as we drove home.
"Oh no, it's the end of the world! You're thinking!" I said, my face completely deadpan. She smacked me in the arm, and growled at me.
"Ha ha, you're hilarious! Seriously though, I was thinking about asking Ariah to live with us in the guest room, since Justin Imprinted on her….what do you think?" she asked.
"I don't know, Bells…do you think it's such a good idea? Forget I said that, it's fine with me. Life is way too short to worry about trivial things anymore. She can move in, but we need to let all of the kids know what the rules are, ok?" I said, my heart feeling lighter than it ever had.
"Ok, we can tell them at the bonfire" she said, taking my hand and giving it a squeeze.
When we got to the house, we honked the horn to let the kids know to come out and help us. They all filed out, each of them grabbing several bags and bringing them inside. The only one of our children that was missing was Joey, and I knew she was over with Edward. Now that they were human again, I knew that they had a huge adjustment ahead of them, and Joey was perfect for helping them out. Knowing how Edward was, I knew that he would need her help more than ever to get through minor little daily things.
Once everything was unpacked, I called Embry to get his ass over and help me get the fire going while everyone else got to work making salads, getting coolers filled, calling Charlie, Renee, my dad and Sue and having them come over, and whatever else needed to be done. When I hung up with him, I went outside to see what Mahara and her group was up to. They were sitting on the patio chairs, talking quietly.
"Hi Jacob, how are you feeling?" Mahara asked, smiling.
"I feel fantastic, better than ever" I said.
"That's great to hear. You really scared us earlier and I'm glad that the Powers brought you back. You are one of the best leaders I have ever had the honor of working with, and I am looking forward to working with you when the new Councils are put together" she said. I felt myself blush at her praise, and she gave a little chuckle at my reaction.
"So, are you going back to India then, or are you going to stick around for awhile?" I asked, thinking about how much Charlie liked her.
"Unfortunately, I will have to go back until I choose a new leader to take over for me. Once that is taken care of, would you be opposed if I came back to help you out?" she asked. I saw the rest of her people get up, giving us some privacy.
"That would be great, Mahara, but do you really want to leave your people behind? I'm sure they can use your leadership when the Council in India is built" I said, wondering what was going on.
"I wanted to talk to you about that, Jacob. I know you wolves have something you call Imprinting, and it's very similar to what we experience when we meet our perfect mate. We believe that when we are born, our souls are split into two separate beings, and when they find each other, they Fuse. Your son Charlie is my Split Apart, and I cannot leave him. I hope this doesn't upset you" she said, looking at my face to gauge my reaction.
I had a feeling that something like that had happened between them, only because of Charlie's reaction to Mahara and how close they had gotten in such a short time. At first, I thought he had Imprinted, but when I asked him, he said no. He told me that he was very drawn to her, and that he wanted to be with her for the rest of his life, but he couldn't explain why. Now it all made sense.
"No, Mahara, it doesn't upset me at all. Does Charlie know this?" I asked.
"Yes, I explained some of it to him, but not in great detail. He caught on quickly though, because he understands Imprinting, and he is actually nervous about how you would react. I can assure you, I may be a few years older than he is, but my intentions are completely honorable. I have never had a relationship with anyone before, because I have been seeking my Split Apart, so you can rest assured that I will not be corrupting your son" she said, her face blushing. I let out a loud laugh, because I knew my son was a total ladies man, and she was worried about corrupting him!
"Mahara, please, I know you are a wonderful person, and you are exactly what my son needs. You are more than welcome to come back here. While you are gone, I can try to find work for you, or anything else you might need. Just let me know, ok?" I asked, hugging her.
"You are a great man, Jacob Black, not because of your acceptance of my relationship with your son, but because of your deep understanding of all things. Your soul is pure, and your honor makes you great. I have heard about your great grandfather, Ephraim Black, and I know that he is very proud of the leader you have become." she said.
I was so flustered by her praise that I didn't know what to say in response. I was also floored that she knew of my great grandfather, even though she lived all the way in India. I hoped she was right, and that he was proud of me and the man I had become, because I had some pretty big shoes to fill when I became Alpha and reclaimed my birthright.
"So, can I help you with anything? I know that we need to move a lot of wood down to the beach, so we will help you with that" she said, calling her people back.
"Thank you, Mahara. For everything" I said, hoping she knew what I meant. She gave me a wink and a smile, and I knew that she understood. They began grabbing arm fulls of wood and carried them down to the beach, and by the time they were finished, Embry had finally gotten his mangy ass to the house.
"Jake man, how goes the resurrection? Did you follow the light?" he asked, punching me in the arm.
"I'm great, Em, better than ever. I saw your grandma while I was up there, and she said to quit jerking off in the bathroom when Angela withholds sex from you for being an asshole" I said, punching him back.
"Ha ha, real funny. So, what needs doing? Put me to work, arisen one!" he laughed, and I chased him around the house, threatening to beat his ass. When we got around to the garage, we each grabbed a cooler full of beer and stuff, then lugged them down to the beach. I had all of the boys grab a bunch of blankets and stuff, along with 2 long tables to set all the food out on. Once everything was set up, we went back to the house and I saw Joey and Edward pull up in her convertible.
She looked so beautiful, just like her mom. The outfit she was wearing looked really nice on her, and the blush of love on her face made her even more breathtaking. Edward looked nice, too, his skin no longer as pale as it once was, and his clothing casual. He hopped out of the car, running around and opening her door for her, and I smiled. He really wasn't such a bad guy, after all, and now that he was human and could give Joey everything she deserved, I found myself at peace with their relationship.
"Hi dad!" Joey said, running up to me and giving me a hug.
"Hey kid, I'm glad you're here now" I said, hugging her hard. When I let her go, I walked to Edward, extending my hand.
"Hello, Jacob, how are you doing?" he asked as he took my hand, and I noticed how warm he now was.
"I feel really good, thanks. How about you? How's the adjustment to being human again going for you?" I asked, unable to comprehend what he and his family must be feeling.
"Oh, it's going to take some time to get used to it, but I think I'll manage. Joey was a huge help to me today, showing me how to do menial things like brushing my teeth. It's quite humbling" he said, flushing slightly.
"I bet! How did food taste? Have you eaten yet?" I asked, curious to see how he reacted to it after feeding on blood for so long.
"Food is….strange. I don't remember what I liked when I was human before, so I have to re-learn what my taste is. It's actually really weird. My family, on the other hand, ate everything in sight today." he said, shaking his head in amusement.
"Dad, oh my God, it was so funny! When I got there, Alice, Rose and Esme were chowing down on giant chocolate bars and eating tubs of ice cream. I thought Sarah was bad when she would be going through PMS, but wow, it was nuts" Joey said, cracking up. I laughed along with her, understanding fully how much women loved their chocolate.
"Well, come on inside and grab a drink. I have beer, soda, water, juice, wine, whatever you want. Joey, you can have a beer or two if you want. It's a special occasion" I said, leading them inside.
"Actually, Jacob, Joey and I wanted to talk to you and Bella for a minute, if that's ok?" Edward asked.
"Sure sure, let me go get her" I said, going to the kitchen and flinging Bella over my shoulder.
"What the hell, Jake! I was making pasta salad and you have to go all cave man on me, ugh!" she snarled, not at all serious.
"Our daughter and Edward need to talk to us honey, besides, you need a break from all that work. Angela can finish up for you" I said, sitting her down on the couch and taking her hand into mine.
"So, mom, dad, Edward and I would like to get married soon, and were thinking about having our wedding in Hawaii…." Joey said, watching me closely to see if I threw a fit. I didn't, of course, because I knew it was inevitable and I was happy for them.
"I think that's wonderful! I have never been to Hawaii, and I think it will be a beautiful wedding! Have you decided when?" Bella asked, getting up and hugging them both.
"We were thinking in about a month? And no, I am not pregnant, so don't even start, dad" Joey said, giving me a stern look. I threw up my hands in surrender, chuckling at her reaction.
"Wow, that's pretty quick. Do you think we can get everything arranged by then?" Bella asked.
"The flight wont be a problem, because we can use the private jets to bring us all there. I'm going to talk to Carlisle and Esme when they get here to see about getting the rest done. Alice will make the dresses, of course, because God forbid we actually buy a wedding dress" Edward chuckled.
"Let us know what you need done, ok? We can talk more about it tomorrow, and get the plans in action. Congratulations, both of you." I said, hugging both of them. They all looked at me like I was insane, and I was sure they were expecting me to fly off the handle.
"Hey, I have been given a second chance at life, and I fully intend on making the best of it. If that means letting go of things I have no control over, so be it. I know you both love each other, and I know, Edward, that you can give her the life she deserves. Remember though, she's still my little girl, so don't make me have to hurt you" I said, giving him a little glare, then chuckling as his face paled.
"Now come on, we have a celebration to get started!" I said.