Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of Stephenie Meyer. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.
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Monday
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As she slowly comes awake, Bella smells Jacob's scent all around her. For once, she wakes up exactly where she wants to be. In his bed, in his sheets, surrounded by his things, in his little red house. It feels more like her home than her own. She can hear him down the hall, chattering happily with his sister and father. Pleasant scents are wafting through the house. She blinks blearily at the thin light coming through his window. The rain hasn't stopped, but the storm has passed. She lifts the covers and peeks down at herself, and finds his comfy black t-shirt. Jacob gave her a tender sponge bath and redressed her after he made love to her the night before. She vaguely remembers having the muscle tone of a wet noodle after he finished with her only a few hours earlier. She giggles to herself. There is probably some evolutionary reason that most men can't have sex over, and over, and over again without stopping. Something about sexing their partners to death. She wonders if she can come up with a plausible excuse not to go to work today. Post-coital exhaustion is not an acceptable reason, accurate though it might be. Of course, if Jacob manages to get her alone during the day, she won't get any recovery time. He would just fatigue her further. And she would be so very, very happy about it.
She slips out of bed and tries to make herself look presentable, and is happily surprised to find a brush and a hand mirror sitting on his dresser, along with her jeans and one of Rachel's clean shirts. Jacob had probably taken one look at her mussed appearance and realized that if she came out of his room looking like she does right now, she will never be allowed to sleep over, ever again. She makes herself as presentable as possible, manages to slip into the bathroom to brush her teeth without being seen, and joins the Blacks for breakfast. On her way to the kitchen, she peeks into the living room. The couch cushions look disrupted, and there is a pillow mashed into the corner of the seat. She wonders when Jacob snuck out of the bedroom to make it look like he actually slept out there. Does anyone actually think he did?
Jacob is at the stove flipping an omelet over. There is an open spot at the table with a little bowl of yogurt, and a pile of fresh berries and granola to mix in. More importantly, there is a full mug of steaming coffee waiting for her. "Morning, honey!" Jacob greets her brightly, and comes over to give her a quick peck on the lips. He pulls out the chair for her, and she greets Billy and Rachel, who are mostly done with their food. She realizes she is very, very hungry. Apparently nights with Jacob burn lots of calories. She is nearly done with her yogurt when Jacob sets the omelet in front of her, as well as a heaping pile of hash browns. She is hungrier than usual, but not that hungry.
"I don't think I can eat all that, Jake!"
He grins. "Do you honestly think I have a problem finishing your leftovers?"
Rachel pipes up, "He made me a plate like that too, and then ate the half I couldn't finish. On top of the omelet he made for himself, and half of dad's." She turns to her father. "How can you afford to pay the electric bill? Does all your money go to food?"
Billy looks up from the newspaper, pretending to be in serious thought. "Yes, Rachel. Yes, it does. Although the fact that he eats all the food in the house is a good way to keep my diabetes under control. Starvation at the hands of one's ravenous son is a good way to lower my sugar levels."
Jacob teases back from his place at the stove. "Oh, hush, old man. I always make sure to at least leave you some scraps."
Billy whoops, "As if I were the dog in the room!"
Rachel's phone chimes, and she frowns at it. "This is the third text this morning." She shows it to Bella. "We're going out in four hours, and he can't wait until then? Why did I give him my number?"
Bella scrolls through the texts. Paul has apparently turned into a panicking tween girl.
Cant wait 2CU!
Do U like coffee or T?
Haven't heard from U Rach. RU OK?
Jacob looks over her shoulder and laughs. "Sorry, Rach. It's actually hard for him just to be away from you. If you aren't directly in his presence, he's going to freak out that he can't protect you."
She looks indignant. "From what? Being overfed by my bottomless pit of a baby brother? If he doesn't stop me from eating too much, I'll explode?"
They are interrupted by a knock at the front door, and Leah lets herself in. "Morning, Blacks. I'm here for my daily chaperone duties." She saunters into the kitchen, peeks at the phone and laughs. "Oh, man, is this Paul? Good luck, Rachel. I don't envy you one bit."
Rachel replies, "I've known him for what, two days? He's a total stalker! Is this what imprinting is supposed to be? Badgering a girl until she gives in?"
Leah reaches out for the phone. "Here, let me help."
I'm fine. My name is Rachel. I love music, romantic movies, long walks on the beach, proper English grammar, and peaceful mornings without my phone buzzing every ten minutes. I'll see you later if I still feel like it. She hits send, and then returns the phone to Rachel, who snickers.
"That was mean!"
Leah shrugs. "See if you get a few hours of peace now, and then thank me later."
Rachel stuffs the phone back into her pocket. "No, no. I'll thank you now. Text message abbreviations drive me crazy."
Just then, the house phone rings, and Billy reaches to answer it. "Yes, this is Billy. Good morning Paul, do you want to speak with Rachel?" He pauses, stifling a laugh, and gestures to Jacob, who rolls his eyes and takes the phone. Rachel's mouth drops open. Seriously? She mouths to Bella and Leah.
"Dude, what do you want? Did you not get the message?" There is a short pause. "Sure, sure, I'll pass it along." Another pause, during which Jacob tries not to laugh. "No, just lunch." He snickers into the back of his hand. "Nuh uh. Maybe some other time." Another pause. "Man, it's raining! She doesn't want to do that in the rain!" He is beginning to get exasperated. "Just ask her when you see her!" He rolls his eyes again. "Well, what time did you guys settle on?" A brief pause. "Just come then. Just take her to lunch." He pinches the bridge of his nose. "Food. Human food." Pause. "Yes, that's fine. Look, I gotta go, okay? Just calm down and be here when you said you'd be here, and don't bug her until then, okay?" Pause. "I'm hanging up now, Paul." Pause. "I'm... I'm...Paul...Goodbye!" He sets the phone back in the cradle with a smack, and the girls' barely contained laughter fills the room.
Jacob turns to Leah and points at her. "I blame you for this." But as he speaks starts to make her breakfast anyway. "He wants to know if Rachel wants to take a walk on the beach today, in the rain, and how will he keep her dry?" He looks at his sister. "And he's really sorry he made you feel uncomfortable, and are you going to make him watch a chick flick, and what kind of music do you like, because he can start learning about it, and what kind of food do you like, and is he still allowed to see you?" He huffs in frustration. "Imprinting is so stupid!"
Leah laughs, and picks hash browns off Bella's plate. "Like you're any better, Black! At least Paul has an excuse. Being inside your brain is every bit as bad. 'What's Bella doing? What's Bella wearing? Is Bella thinking about me? What does Bella want to do today? Bella, Bella, Bella, Bella, Bella.'"
Bella blushes and looks at Jacob, who looks back at her, grins, and shrugs. Leah is... accurate. But they are both so happy that neither of them can be embarrassed.
Rachel looks back and forth between them. "Okay, fine. You guys are ridiculously cute. Almost as cute as when he chased you around when he was a toddler."
Leah adds, "Yeah, it's nauseating!" But she has a big smile on her face, too, and Bella knows that Leah is genuinely happy for them. After Leah eats the omelet Jacob prepared for her, they say goodbye to the Blacks and leave for Newton's. Leah hops in the driver's side.
Jacob leans in the window to kiss her goodbye. "Tomorrow I'll take over your daytime patrol, okay honey? I have to meet with the Cullens again today, see what they know. I'll let you know. We can have Charlie over for dinner tonight, if you want, before his shift. Rachel offered to cook." And he presses another kiss on her lips.
Leah threatens to pull away and run over his feet while Jacob's head is still in the window. "Wanna see if your healing abilities can fix decapitation and two broken feet all at once? Kiss your girlfriend later. She has somewhere to be." And they tear out of the driveway. A minute later, Leah glances over. "So, enjoying the walk of shame?"
"Hey, this is a fresh shirt!"
"Uh huh. Rachel's shirt. And I'd bet a hundred dollars that every other article of clothing you've got on, you wore yesterday." Bella's silence is answer enough. "Skank." Leah declares.
Bella smacks her arm, and then regrets it. "Ow! Crap! You're almost as hard as Jacob."
Leah snorts. "Dammit, Swan, you almost made me make a 'That's what she said' joke. Only I'm a girl and it wouldn't make any sense."
"Plus it would be the lamest thing that ever came out of your mouth!"
"Guess I'm spending too much time with Quil. This is why I need female friends, Bella." Leah looks at her askance. "Although, you're apparently as kinky as Paul, so that doesn't help me at all."
"Leah!" Bella blushes scarlet. "I am not!"
Leah cocks a brow. "Okay, sure you're not. It's not like you like to be ordered around or anything." Bella groans and slides down in her seat a little. "Blame Paul. That's the memory he let slip to Edward. Overhearing you guys in the garage before I dragged him away." And now everything is a little clearer to Bella.
"No wonder Edward lost it. I was wondering."
"I almost felt bad for him. Would have, had he not been a perverted hundred year old corpse trying to seduce a teenaged girl."
"He's not a corpse!"
"Fine. Reanimated corpse."
"Okay, he's not a zombie either!"
"Pretty close, though."
"Says the werewolf!"
Leah grins. "Touché. Anyway, Quil genuinely wants to know if a vampire can get an erection. We had a debate. There's no blood flow, so that's a strike against. But they are hard as stone to begin with, so that's one for. We have no one to ask except for you, unless one of us decides to call them up and just ask."
Bella laughs. "I can't believe one of you hasn't convinced another one to do that, like on a dare."
"Like from middle school? Like a double dog dare?"
"Exactly. You know this is true. Get enough guys together in a casual group, and no matter how mature they are, once they get comfortable enough with each other, they degenerate into twelve year olds."
"Yeah, that's completely true. But you're evading the question."
"What question?" Bella fails to redirect Leah.
"Can they?"
"Are you gonna make me say it again?"
Bella snorts. "Yes. If you're going to make me answer it, I'm going to make you ask it again."
"Fine. Can a vampire's dick get hard?"
"Leah!"
"What, you made me repeat it! It's your own fault!"
Bella huffs, and then admits, "Okay, okay. Yes. It can."
Leah's eyes get wide. "I didn't think you actually knew the answer!"
"Why not?"
"Isn't Jacob your first? I thought you were a virgin before Jake?"
"Oh! Of course! Oh my god, yes I was."
"So you guys just fooled around a little?"
"What? No! Never! Like we talked about before, he wouldn't touch me. We just made out a little. I was really... frustrated."
Leah snorts. "No shit, Swan. Where did you think all those kinky dreams of Jake came from? But wait, so how do you know?"
"It was actually kind of scary. One of those nights he was in my room and I was dreaming about Jake, he overheard me, because, well, of course he did. I must have never actually said Jake's name out loud, because I woke up in the middle of one, and he wasn't upset. I was being, um, kind of loud, I guess, and I woke up Charlie. Edward woke me up. He was sort of turned on. He was lying on me and had his hand over my mouth, trying to keep me quiet, and I felt it."
Leah is nodding. She can't decide if she is horrified or impressed. She decides she is both. "And?"
"And what?"
"How did he, you know, compare?"
"To what?"
"To what? You moron, to Jake!"
"Oh!" Bella does feel stupid. What else could Leah have meant? This conversation is just turning her brain to mush. Or maybe all of the sex she is having with Jacob is turning her brain to mush. "He didn't. Not really."
Leah nods. "Thought so. Bet you're glad you didn't go through with it, huh?"
"Yes, obviously."
There is a brief pause. "So, how big is he?"
"Edward?"
"Yeah. I'm curious. So sue me."
Bella isn't really sure since it was only pressed against her thigh briefly, and she can't believe she is going through with this, but she holds her hands apart.
"Wait. That's not that small."
"It's not?"
"Nuh uh. It's above average, I think."
"Bigger than most of the pack?"
Leah shrugs. "Well, no, probably not. Although it's difficult to say. I'm up close and personal with them, but not while they're all hot and bothered. I doubt it, but I'm also pretty sure the pack is oversized in general. You know, compared to regular guys."
"Oh." Bella doesn't know what to say. Leah pulls up to the back of the store and shifts the car into park. Her eyes flick to the window quickly. She can't resist.
"Wait, so how big is Jake?"
Bella blushes even harder, and holds her hands apart quite a bit farther.
"You're kidding." She freezes as she reaches to take the keys out of the ignition.
"No, why would I kid?" Bella opens her car door.
"Dear lord, Swan. How can you walk?" Leah says this unnecessarily loudly, and when Bella gets out of the cab, she understands why. Mike Newton is standing at the back alley, gaping at them.
She turns back to glare at Leah, who is doubled over, trying to hide just how hard she is laughing.
She spends her entire shift trying to avoid Mike, a difficult feat considering that he is, for most of the day, the only other person in the store.
Leah, thankfully, has had her fill of teasing Bella by the time she comes back bearing lunch and Peninsula College course catalogs in her hand. It is still drizzling outside, so they eat in the break room. Mike has recovered his compoure by then to go back to his original state of discomposure around Leah, and spends the hour making up excuses to come and interrupt them.
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Jacob's morning is less humiliating than Bella's. He patrols LaPush until it is time to meet the doctor at the treaty line. He has Brady stick close to the ocean. The newborn, of whom they have heard nothing since he returned, and Edward Cullen both know that the water is their weak spot. Jacob himself patrols the rest of LaPush. He would rather be with Bella, and plans to take that patrol whenever possible. But he trusts Leah almost as much as he trusts himself. He knows she would put herself on the line for any of her brothers, and she would do the same for Bella. Already has, in fact.
He has immense gratitude for his pack's willingness to go so far out of their way to protect the woman he loves. Although Billy and Old Quil stood behind him in the council and defended his relationship with Bella, going so far as to place it in a position of importance due to the significance of their dreams, he knows better than anyone the risk his pack is taking on to protect her. He wasn't lying when he told Bella that he didn't blame her for the trouble she is in. He really does blame the Cullens. They should have known better than to lure into their world an unsuspecting human girl.
As he patrols, he doesn't have much to think about other than the Cullens, the Volturi, and the risk to Bella. It would be more fun to relive his night with Bella, but he isn't alone. He doesn't want to share his experiences with Bella with anyone. Paul's memory of them was bad enough, and nearly prompted an irreversible crisis with the Cullens. He reviews his decision to let Edward live, and can't help shake the nagging feeling that Edward will be back. In all honesty, he would feel a lot more comfortable if Cullen was dead. But there was no right decision to be made at the time, just a lot of bad ones. He hopes he picked the best of a set of poor options. He has no doubt that the Cullens would have all jumped over the line to defend Edward had he ripped his head off like he really wanted to. Even the blonde leech, who seemed to think it was funny when he kept Edward's hand. He hopes that will be enough to keep Edward at bay. After all, Jacob knows what it is like to love Bella Swan. Edward's feelings for her aren't going to disappear, no matter how destructive they are.
His thoughts get increasingly somber as noon approaches. When Sam phases in, they head toward the treaty line, leaving Brady on patrol in LaPush, and Leah covering Bella. They have asked any available members of the pack to phase in, just in case, but not to join them. Jacob phases to human so he can speak with them, and Sam stays in wolf form to be able to communicate easily with the pack. Carlisle and Alice arrive minutes after Jacob and Sam.
Carlisle greets them formally. There is a tension on his face that is usually better hidden than it is today. Even Alice isn't her usual, hyper self. Jacob gets right to business. "Is there any news?"
Alice nods. "The Volturi do plan on coming. They know that Bella wasn't to be changed until after the wedding, and had no intention on checking until after that time. But they haven't chosen a time yet. I don't know what the variables are, but the decision keeps shifting."
"So what do you see?"
Alice looks uneasily at Carlisle, who tells her to tell Jacob everything.
"There are several futures, shifting back and forth. I can't see much, probably because you're involved." She smiles a sad, little smile. "Some of them, well, they would make you very happy, Jacob. They would make Bella happy. What little of them I can see." Then her face falls. "There are others, quite clear, in which she is human. But I can see her easily." She says the last part very carefully.
"Which means I'm not there. Which means I'm dead." It comes out more easily than it ought to. He can sense Sam stiffening behind him. But he was expecting to hear as much. He already knew he might not survive whatever comes next. But as long as Bella does, he can accept it.
Alice's voice is very quiet. "Yes. But one future is different. But still quite unclear." She pauses, unwilling to go further.
Jacob can feel his heart pounding in his chest. "Just tell me," he growls.
"There aren't any versions in which she is entirely dead, so let that count for something, all right? And it isn't set in stone, not at all. Keep that in mind, okay? And the one that I used to see, the one of her as my own sister, content with Edward, well, it doesn't exist anymore."
"What is it? Just spit it out!"
"In the other future, she is a vampire. A vicious one. Angry. But I still can't see much of it."
Carlisle prompts gently, "Tell him why. Tell him why you still can't see very much."
Alice nods. "In that vision, her eyes aren't red. So she doesn't kill humans, Jacob. But I can't see much else. I think that even if she gets turned, I think she is still with you, Jacob, or with the pack in some way. I can't think of any other reason I wouldn't be able to see her. Whatever it is you have with her, it doesn't end. I know it isn't what you want, and it isn't what she wants. But whatever happens, if you survive this, you're still with her."
Jacob feels dizzy, and almost sways on his feet. He wants a real, human future with Bella. Not some twisted, sick, monstrous version. But he also sees truth in what Alice has said. What he and Bella share is strong. Too strong to be broken, even should she be reborn into his mortal enemy. If he had to choose between his pack, his life, his family, his home, and leave to be with her, vampire or no, the answer is clear. He would walk away from all of it to be with her.
Carlisle adds, "Jasper has been expending enormous amounts of energy keeping Edward calm, and reading his mood. He thinks that if it weren't for Alice's visions, which Edward has been able to read, he might have tried to forcibly change her by now. But now that he knows that she chooses you either way, even if she is turned, he won't try. Not as long as he thinks she will still choose you."
Jacob doesn't know whether to laugh or to cry. So instead, he squares his shoulders and takes calming breaths. There are still alternatives. Amongst all the despair, there is still a chance for him to have the life he wants. The one with a living, breathing Bella by his side.
"And your upcoming plans?"
"If it is acceptable to you, we will leave as previously scheduled. As I mentioned, I still have shifts at the hospital, and we all agree that separating Edward from the rest of the family right now is a bad idea."
Jacob would rather he be gone immediately, but Carlisle's reasoning is sound. It would appear that Jasper, in particular, is necessary to ensure Edward's good behavior. "Once you go, you will be allowed back only with permission, as I stated yesterday. But Edward is not allowed to return under any circumstances. He has shown himself to be unable to control his violent urges. And the fact that he has considered changing her against her will only reinforces my decision. If Bella wants to see him, that will be her choice, but it will not be here on the Olympic Peninsula, and I would plan on accompanying her for her protection."
Alice looks a bit crestfallen. Her dreams of Bella as her sister have slipped away entirely.
"If those terms are acceptable terms, I will draw up documents for signature."
Carlisle asks, rather tentatively, "And Edward's hand?"
Jacob growls. "Don't push your luck. He's lucky I let him live. He broke the treaty, and I had every right to rip him apart and burn the pieces. I'm keeping it until the day I think Bella is safe from him. Then he can have it back."
Carlisle protests, "It doesn't cripple him, exactly, but he can't blend in without it. It doesn't look like a normal human amputation. Without his hand, he can't go to school with the others. He won't be able to associate with people."
Jacob is having a hard time phasing, he is getting so angry. "That's the idea! He shouldn't be associating with humans! I'm not going to leave him with the ability to lure some other unsuspecting girl into his clutches. I'll let him live, but I'm not going to help him ruin some other girl's life!" He closes his eyes and tries to calm down. "Anyway, you're the doctor. Can't you get him a prosthetic?"
Carlisle makes a placating gesture with his hands. "Of course. I shall. And we appreciate that you have not destroyed it. Should the day come when you see fit to return it, I can always reattach it."
Jacob shudders with disgust at the thought. "Fine. If there is nothing else, then we're done here. I'll come to your office with the papers later today."
Alice clears her throat. "I'll plan on keeping you informed of anything I learn. And I'd like to see her before we go."
"Then call her. Like I said, I'm not stopping her from seeing you. But if you think she's coming within a mile of that monster you call a brother, you're dreaming." Alice nods, and in a flash, they're gone.
Jacob's shoulders slump with fatigue. He wants so much for that to be the last of the Cullens. But he knows it is not to be. Now he just has to find a way to stay alive. And for Bella to stay alive.
He spends the next two hours at Embry's house typing, erasing, and retyping up new language for the updated treaty. Is it still called a treaty if one party is basically kicking the other party out of town? Is there proper terminology when referring to a dismembered hand? Will the other party consider the treaty void if he refers to them as "goddamn fucking bloodsuckers" in the text? And why does anyone think that this flimsy piece of paper will stop either side from doing whatever the hell they want to do?
Jacob sighs and stabs at Embry's computer keys. "No wonder lawyers make so much money, man. You couldn't pay me enough to write this shit up for a living."
As the document prints, Embry replies dryly, "Don't worry, no one's going to pay you a cent for any of this. Want me to run it to Dr. Fang?"
"I'd better go in person," Jacob sighs. All he really wants to do is go home and hug Bella and never let her go. "I'm probably supposed to sign it in front of him or something. Maybe in my own blood. That's how this works, right? But I should bring backup, just in case."
So they head to the hospital, which at least has the advantage of being relatively neutral ground. But it also has the disadvantage of being filled with skeptical staff who aren't interested in paging Dr. Cullen out of whatever he is doing to come meet them. Embry jokes to Jacob that one of them can break the other's leg in the waiting room of the emergency room, and then maybe they can finally get his attention. But he emerges out of nowhere, saying, "That won't be necessary," and leads them into his office. They take care of their business as efficiently as possible, and amongst themselves, hope not to have to see Dr. Cullen for a very, very long time.
When Jacob finally arrives home, Bella is already there, her suitcase propped by the front door. He smiles at the sight. He wants her to bring all her things over to stay. Permanently. He feels sappy, and in his mind starts building a little house for her right here on the rez. It should overlook the water, but be close to the treeline so he can phase. He would give her a nice, large kitchen to cook in, a cozy bedroom just big enough for a king sized bed, and a bathroom with a huge tub so he can bathe her after he makes love to her in the aforementioned giant bed. The little house could get bigger every time they add to their family. He could add to it over the years. Build a swing set in the back yard. That is the future he wants. Not the twisted one in which he leaves everything behind to follow the half dead shade of the woman he loves, or leaves her to fend for herself without him. Staring at her suitcase, and listening to her laugh with his sister and Leah in the next room, he resolves to give her the future he wants. The future he knows she now wants. With him.
By the time Jacob enters the kitchen, he has a soft smile on his face. He will keep his goal forefront in his mind. The little house with his Bells inside. He greets everyone and sweeps Bella up in his arms, and gives her a soft kiss. It ends abruptly when Rachel smacks him in the shoulder with a spatula, and says, "If Paul ever gets like that with me, spray him with water. Like you do with a misbehaving pet."
He sets Bella back down and tucks her under his arm. "Things went that well on your date, huh?"
"It wasn't a date! And no, they absolutely did not!"
"So what happened?" Jacob sits on a chair and pulls Bella into his lap.
"Yes, do tell," says Leah, leaning against the kitchen counter.
"He has no concept of personal space." Now Jacob frowns. If Paul is putting the moves on his sister and making her uncomfortable, Jacob will rip off both his arms. Rachel sees his expression and clarifies, "Not like that. He's just... a close talker. Like from Seinfeld. You guys remember the episode about the boyfriend of Elaine's? The one who stands, like, eight inches away when talking to someone? It was like that. Every time I turned around, he was right there." She holds her hand in front of her face in order to illustrate. "And he's quiet. Stealthy, like a cat. It was like he was sneaking up on me. Scared the crap out of me a couple times."
"What did you guys do?" Leah asks.
"Ugh. Went to a cafe."
"What's wrong with the cafe?" Bella asks, giggling a little as Jacob nuzzles a ticklish spot on her neck with his nose.
"The waitresses," Jacob snorts, while Leah snickers.
"Why did he take you there, then?" Leah wonders.
"It was my choice. He was trying to get all fancy and go for some big, expensive meal. I wasn't up for that kind of a production, so I asked to go there. He tried to steer me away. Now I know why."
Leah adds, "The rest of the pack steers clear of that place now. It's too uncomfortable for us since we know that we might run into them."
Bella is a few steps behind. "Wait, what's up with the waitresses?"
Rachel looks annoyed, so Leah clarifies. "There are two of them. No one knows their names, so Quil named them Moxy and Roxy."
Rachel breaks in. "There is no excuse for not knowing their names. They wear name tags! Their names are Miranda and Elle. And Elle is a very sweet girl."
"You're kidding. Sweet is definitely not what we got from his brain," Jacob states.
"That's because he's a pig! And admittedly, Elle is a little gullible."
Leah rolls her eyes. "You mean that she's easy."
"He's been manipulating them. They were good friends before he came along and screwed things up. Elle thought she was his girlfriend. Miranda, not so much. And he couldn't even be bothered to learn their names!"
Bella asks, "How did they not notice that?"
Jacob contributes, "He calls them all 'baby' or 'babe'. The smart ones notice, and kick him to the curb."
Rachel looks disgusted. "If he ever calls me 'babe', kick his ass for me, will you Jake?"
"Do I have to wait until he calls you 'babe'? I'd love to get an excuse."
Rachel sighs. "He was actually okay today. Although he started to get angry when Elle came over to seat us. She clearly didn't know what to think of me. I'm guessing he is usually smarter than to take dates there. He tried to introduce me as his girlfriend. She looked absolutely shocked."
"But she knew about Miranda, right? She must have," asks Leah.
"Miranda, yes. All the others, no." Rachel pauses. "How many others are there?"
Leah puts up her hands in a 'don't look at me' gesture, and Jacob looks up in the air and away from his sister.
"Fine. Anyway, Elle was nice enough, but seemed pretty disappointed that he was there with me. Miranda, well, don't even get me started. It's just, no. Just no."
Leah prompts, "Oh, come on. You can't leave it like that. What did she do?"
Rachel turns red. She doesn't want to talk about this in front of her brother, but as soon as he phases in with Paul, he will know anyway. "She thought I was there for her."
Leah snorts. "You're kidding."
"Nope. Guess I wouldn't be the first."
Bella is still a couple steps behind. "Wait, I thought she was seeing Paul too. Why would she want a date with you?"
Jacob thinks it's infuriating an hilarious all at once. Paul is a dead man. And he doesn't need to do it himself. Rachel has him by the balls. "Um, a date with both of them at the same time. Paul and Miranda and Rachel."
"Oh." Bella figures out what Jake is referring to, and her eyes get wide. "Oh!"
"That was the end of lunch, as far as I was concerned. But Paul didn't quite see it that way."
"Are you seeing him again?" Leah asks.
"I don't know. We're not going on another date, I'll tell you that. But he was awfully desperate to see me again. And it isn't as if I'm going to sleep with the guy, so what do I care if he's a slut? I care that he's a user."
Bella pipes up. "Maybe that's what your imprint is for. You'll stop him from being such a user. Help him grow up a little."
Leah smirks, "Can't make him any worse."
Rachel looks to Jacob. "What do you think I should do?"
He shrugs. "You've got him pegged, that's for sure. You know where he's coming from. Question is, where's he going, and do you want to go there with him?"
Rachel sighs. "This would be so much easier if he was a normal stalker. What happens to him if I refuse to see him again?"
Leah and Jacob look at one another uncomfortably. "Well, he has to abide by your wishes."
"Right, but what happens to him?"
Bella feels Jacob's grip tightening around her waist. "Well, pain, basically."
Rachel shakes her head. "It really just doesn't seem fair."
Leah adds quietly, "Not to either of you." It's a point that everyone in the room can agree on.
The newly somber mood is broken when they hear a car door slam, and Charlie rolls Billy into the house. Billy calls out, "Look what I found wandering around outside, starving and pathetic. Can we feed him dinner, kids, before I release him back into the wild?"
"Hey! Who are you calling pathetic, old man?" Charlie laughs.
Jacob replies, "You know he'll just come back again if you feed him, dad. You always taught us not to feed strays."
"Well, if this is the kind of welcome you give guests, maybe I'll take Bella and go home!" Charlie frowns in mock anger.
Jacob says, "Wait, if I feed Bella, will she come back like a stray kitten? Is that what I should have been doing all this time? Plying her with food?"
Rachel chimes in. "You're getting her mixed up with yourself, Jake. The way you eat, clearly the way to your heart is through your stomach."
Jacob kisses Bella on the crown of her head. "Good thing Bells is such a good cook, then."
Jacob pulls a card table out from storage so they can all eat in the small kitchen together. Leah stays for the meal, and conversation flows freely. Rachel turns out to be an excellent cook. As Bella leans back in her chair, stuffed to the brim, she smiles at the laughing faces around her. So this is what a happy family feels like. She knows how lucky she is to have them.
She glances up from her reverie to see her father looking at her warmly. The exhaustion she has gotten so used to seeing on his face-it's gone. He is happy. She realizes she has made him happy, just by smiling. She feels Jacob squeezing her hand where it rests in her lap. He sees it too.
She finally understands. For once, she pities the Cullens. This is the experience that Esme wanted to replicate for Bella the night she cooked for her when they first met. She had tried so hard. Every day, she tries so hard. But although the Cullens have replicated as much of this as they can, have created a more traditional family unit, in fact, with a mother, a father, and a brood of children, but they missed one important element. The soul. They have collected together a group that they call a family, that is the closest they will ever have. But do they ever sit like this? Meet like this? All of them, around a table, laughing and joking and yelling at each other? She has never seen it. The closest they ever got was playing baseball together, or throwing a party. The pairs are always off doing their own thing. Esme tried to force it, hoped Bella would be the missing ingredient that pulled it all together.
She spent so much time longing for just this. Exactly what she has in front of her. What was always waiting for her, right here in LaPush. It isn't picture perfect the way she thought the Cullens were, so she didn't recognize it at first. The furniture is pushed hastily together. The chairs don't match. There are absent members who should be at the table. Rebecca. Renee. Sarah. But there are others who could easily join. On another night, Seth will be here, and Sue. Sometimes Embry. Maybe even Paul, someday. But the core is here, has been here, waiting for her the whole time. The people who love her more than anything, who have loved her for years. Others will come and go. The family will expand, contract, and shift. She will find new friends here, and old ones will come to visit, and maybe someday, if she and Jacob can find their someday, they can add permanent members to the family.
When Charlie has to leave for the station, Jacob walks him to the door. Bella hears Charlie's voice, gruff and low, and sees out of the corner of her eye her father reaching up to clap Jacob on the shoulder. "Thanks, son. Thanks for bringing her home."
And Jacob aims his bright, sunny smile at Charlie, and simply says, "Sure, sure."
The warm glow lasts after Leah has gone home. Rachel is curled up on the armchair in her pajamas. Billy is in a fine mood, and is sitting up with them in the living room, chatting happily, beer in hand. He is telling them a story of his courtship with Sarah, eyes shining with memories, voice soft and warm with a sad nostalgia. Bella is stretched out on the living room couch, Jacob is seated on the floor in front of her, long legs sprawled across the floor, head resting on her thigh. She runs her fingers through his hair, and he hums happily. Billy's audience is rapt with sad fascination.
And then, a little before midnight, just as Billy is launching into the story of how he proposed to their mother, the kitchen phone rings. Jacob frowns. It's awfully late to be getting a phone call. It can't be a wolf with an emergency; they would just howl.
It is Carlisle Cullen. "Jacob, I'm so sorry to bother you so late tonight, and with worrying news. It's Edward. He's gone."
