Stay With Me
Chapter Thirty-Three: Perfect
Sam's POV
"Jacob!" Bella shrieked as we approached the house. "I can't believe you just did that…"
"Neither can I actually," He laughed, "You know, I was actually just going to mess with you for a while, and make you think I was going to do it… but then I actually lost my grip. I figured I'd just play it off, but it's just too damn funny so I had to tell the truth."
"Ugh!" She grunted. "You are such a guy Jacob Black!"
"I'd be honored to take that as a compliment Bella, but I honestly have no idea what you're talking about, so you're going to have to educate me."
"Educate?" She asked him. "Okay, fine! You are a guy, guys rough house… do I need to say more?"
"Oh, you mean by making fun of you and laughing at you and then messing with you and then epic failing?"
"Yeah, that," She laughed. "Ugh! Jacob! What are we going to do? My Dad is going to be pissed!"
"Probably, but, if you want I'll take half the blame for you. Seeing as it's-"
"-Half your fault?" She finished for him.
"Half my fault!" He gasped, "Half? In your dreams, I claim no more than a fourth, at most."
"A fourth! What planet is that logic from?"
"This one. You see, you slipped and doused me with a pot filled with ice-cold water first. So, if you look at it logically this is all your doing."
"Seriously Jake?" She asked him. "Is that seriously what you believe?"
"No, I don't believe it," He chuckled, "I know it." He told her. "And I know it because if you hadn't spilled water all over in the first place I wouldn't have felt obligated to retaliate. Or, at least, you know, pretend…"
"Okay, you know what, whatever, fine, can we just please get up and try to get a majority of this place dry before my Dad and Sam get back?"
"Yeah, that sounds fair," Jacob sighed, "I'll be in the living room, come get me when you're done. Oh, but before?" He asked, and waited as Bella remained speechless. "Can you hand me a soda?"
"What do I look like to you?" She asked after a moment.
"Do you really want me to answer that?"
"Hey guys, what's – whoa!" Charlie said – oblivious to their conversation as we entered the water-filled kitchen. "What the heck happened in here? Bella… I told you not to listen to music and cook at the same time, honey. Now the floor boards are going to get warped."
"What!" Bella gasped as she looked over at Jacob, who was shaking from his laughter and unable to speak. "Me? You automatically think it was me!" The two were on the floor, facing each other and supporting themselves with their elbows.
"Well," Charlie said with his eyebrows raised as he did a little motion with his head.
"You know, this could have been Jacob's fault just as easily as it could have been mine."
"It was you!" Jacob shouted, now able to control himself. "You tripped and spilled water all over me, and the floor!"
"Because I tripped over your foot!"
"Yeah, damn your big feet Jacob." I said as I knelt down beside Bella, who looked over at me with a smile before I leaned in to kiss her wet lips.
"You're just jealous, Uley." Jacob retorted as he wiped his hand down his face.
"Yeah, you're right," Sam said as he brushed hair away from my face and hid it behind my ear. "I'm so jealous that I don't have to compensate."
"Okay," Charlie said awkwardly as he threw his hands into the air and navigated his way across the small lake that was once the kitchen. "I'm out of here, that's one too many awkward comments for my taste. Jacob, Bella, please get this place dry before the floor soaks too much of the water up."
"Yeah, no problem Charlie," Jacob said with a wicked smile at Bella, and waiting for Charlie to go out of sight added, "You heard him Bella, get to work."
"Sure," Bella smiled as she pulled herself back up to her feet. "You know, you're right. You can just sit back and relax, Jake. After all, you have been so busy lately, what with Edward and Victoria, and oh not to mention that Vision Quest, that must have been a real trial."
"Seriously Bella?" Jacob asked with just as much shock in his voice that was on my face.
"Yes, I am serious," She nodded with her back towards me as she turned on the faucet and grabbed a large bucket from under the sink. "And you know, I might as well go ahead and add some soap to all of this water, might as well get the dirt and grime up while I'm at it right? I mean if you're going to do a job you should do the best you can."
"Yeah, that's really nice of you Bella," Jacob smiled as she flipped the stream off, and turned with a devilish, sexy grin on her face with the full bucket hugged between her hands. She winked at me and began slowly tilting the bucket towards Jacob as he continued with, "I think Charlie will really app-"
Bella, smiling with satisfaction now, set the bucket back into the sink and walked towards the refrigerator. "Here," She said while handing Jacob a soda, "You said you wanted one, didn't you?"
"Yeah," He nodded slowly with water streaming down his face, "Yeah, yeah I did."
"I thought so," She smiled with a sigh.
"So, you… you wanna help me with this now?"
"You shouldn't have helped him," I suggested while setting my keys onto the counter and turning to lock the front door. "It's not like he wouldn't have had it coming, after those things he was saying to you."
"Yeah, you're probably right," She nodded as I followed her up the stairs. "But still, it was a lot of fun, and plus I know he wasn't being serious."
"True, but you do also know that if you had been serious about cleaning it yourself he would have let you, right?"
"I do," She agreed as we closed ourselves in the bathroom and flicked on the light, "But," She went one while stripping off her wet clothes. "If he had done that he would have probably gone home and changed into a pair of dry clothes, and then come back –to check on my progress. And when -in this scenario- he did come back I would have just got him again. So, either way, it would have been a win-win."
"Wait, I understand how it would have been a win for you, but why Jake?" I asked as I began pulling off my own clothes.
"Well, it's simple; he doesn't really care about being wet, other than it being a minor annoyance, that is. And if I had gotten him I would have had the pride of getting him three times, and he still wouldn't have to help me." She smiled as she sat on the side of the tub to peel off her socks. "Either way, he got to spend more time with me. Which I think is pretty awesome."
"Yeah," I smiled as I walked over to her and lifted her from the tub into my arms. "That is pretty awesome; I'm jealous."
"I guess you'll just have to make it up now, then," She smiled with her legs wrapped around my hips and her arms around my neck as I stepped us into the tub and slid closed the curtain. With my back facing the shower head –to protect Bella from the possible too extreme temperature- I reached a hand back and turned on the stream.
"I guess I will," I agreed before bringing my lips to hers; her fingers sliding into my hair and pulling on it softly.
"I need to take some of these back," Bella said softly to herself as she sat crouched down in front of her small stack of DVD's.
"Why?" I asked as I came up behind her and wrapped my arms around her while sitting myself onto the floor.
"Because," She told me, "We don't watch half of them anymore."
"Yeah," I agreed as I bent my head down to kiss her neck. "But we also haven't watched half of them."
"That is also true, but still, my Dad's selection is so miniscule it's depressing."
"Maybe you can give him a few?" I suggested as she sighed and snuggled up tighter into my chest. "Just a couple, ones you don't really care too much about. And you can always borrow them from him later."
"But then I'll have nothing on him; nothing to tease him about."
"That's not true," I whispered as I leaned down to kiss her. "He did break his hand just by punching someone."
"Yeah!" She laughed. "Someone who was made out of granite."
"Granite?" I asked. "I was going to say coal."
"Coat is breakable; it shatters easily."
"If you ask Jake I'm sure he'd say the same thing about Edward."
"Yeah, well, that's different."
"How so?" I wondered as she turned her head to look up at me.
"Jacob's a werewolf; he isn't exactly built like me or my Dad. He's not as fragile. And, anyways, how did we get from discussing my movies to Edward's toughness?"
"You were saying how you'd have nothing on your Dad anymore if you gave them to him." I reminded her as I brushed back a chunk of hair from her eyes.
"Oh yeah…" She mused. "And no, I wouldn't have that on him. I would probably have worse damage if I'd have ever hit Edward, or, any of the Cullen's, for that matter. They're vampire's, they're built differently."
"They are vampires," I sighed. "I know that, and you know that… but does he?"
I heard her lips curl into a smile as she let out a soft chuckle. "I guess not… so, what movies should we surrender?"
"Hm," I contemplated. "How about… Mrs. Doubtfire?"
"Never," She said quickly.
"Bella, we've watched it like five-hundred times, I think you can give it up."
"No, never," She said again while shaking her head. "That movie is the love of my life."
"I thought I was the love of your life."
She laughed softly, "In – your – dreams," And looked up at me with a sweet smile playing across her lips, which I couldn't help but to kiss.
"I love you," I whispered softly as our lips parted.
"I know," She whispered back, and I pulled my arms from around her and began gently poking at her sides, where she then began to squirm around and giggle uncontrollably.
"Sam, Sam!" She laughed. "Sam please! Please stop!"
"Not until you say it," I smiled while continuing to tickle her.
"Okay! I love you, I love you!" She gasped, and I ceased my attacks before wrapping my arms around her once more. "I love you."
"You better." I said as I leaned my head down and kissed the top of her head softly; her body still vibrating from residual giggles.
"Face it," She said, "You're stuck with me."
"A punishment I take with open arms."
"You better."
"Okay, lights are off, movies in, fires started, blankets are ready, popcorn is popped… am I forgetting anything?" I asked as I stood equally between the couch and TV, waiting any last minute details.
"One thing," She nodded.
"What?"
"My space heater is too far away."
"Oh," I said with a smile as I walked over to her, "I apologize, ma'am." She giggled as I sat down next to her and pulled a loose blanket over myself; my arms wrapping around her automatically as she laid her head onto my shoulder and rested her arm along my stomach. "Are you comfortable?" I asked as I ran my fingers through her hair and kissed her temple.
"I'm perfect," She said contently as the previews began playing.
"I'm glad," I whispered before running my hand down her shoulder and holding her once more. "You know how I went out with your Dad today?"
"Yeah."
"Well, when we were out walking I started asking him for his blessing to marry you," I began telling her as she tilted her head to look up at me. "But, I guess I was being kind of obvious because he said yes before I was even able to get the words out."
"He said yes?"
"Yeah… he also asked me to call him Dad."
"My Dad loves you," She told me with a smile as she reached her hand up and took hold of mine. "I didn't think you'd actually ask him, though."
"Why wouldn't I?" I asked her. "I love you, and I want to do everything right for you, Bella. I am not taking any shortcuts." We took a moment of silence, just looking into each others eyes before I went on with, "I was going to talk to Jacob tomorrow… about being my Best Man."
She laughed softly, and I couldn't help but laugh too from the joy her radiant beauty brought me. "What?" I asked.
"Nothing… I just don't think he'd let you ask anybody else."
"I don't think you're wrong." I laughed. "Have you thought about it at all? About who you are going to ask to be your Maid of Honor?"
"Yeah, I have actually…" She trailed.
"Who?" I asked as I continued looking down at her.
"I was going to ask… Alice…"
"Cullen?" I wondered thoughtfully, recognizing her apparent shyness.
"Yeah, Alice Cullen."
"I think that's great." I smiled, and she looked up at me with relived eyes.
"You do?" She asked for certainty. "I mean you don't think it's weird or anything?"
"Bella, if it's what you want; if it's what makes you happy I am not going to stop you." I told her honestly. "And besides, it isn't up to me, and even if it were I'd tell you to go for it because I know how much you two care about each other; how much you care about her."
"I love you Sam," She sighed. "I don't know why I thought you'd be upset; you've never given me any reason to ever doubt you."
"And I never will." I told her as I leaned down to kiss her forehead. "All I want is your happiness Bella, and if she is who you want to ask, then ask away."
"You're so perfect." She said as she snuggled herself back against my chest.
"Perfect?" I asked with a smile as I looked down at her small form. "I'd just say I'm in love."
"Sam?" She asked after a moment had passed as she pulled her head away from my chest and began looking around the room.
"Yeah Baby?"
"Where's the remote?"
I threw my head back and groaned. "I knew I was forgetting something!"
TBC