Disclaimer: All characters and things associated with The Twilight Saga belong to Stephanie Meyers. This writing is for pure entertainment only.
Summary: Set during New Moon. After Edward leaves, Bella is miserable and Jacob is there for her until things go too far between them, leaving Bella in an unexpected condition. When Edward returns how will Bella explain her situation to him? B/E B/J pairings
Chapter 37
Edward moved quickly into Carlisle's office, his mind racing. He found Bella and Jacob sitting on the edge of Carlisle's desk, J.J. in Jacob's arms. He stopped short in the door causing the two parents to glance up at him.
Bella moved to Edward's side in half a second, using her new vampire speed. She could see it on Edward's face, something was wrong; his expression was scaring her.
"What is it?" Bella locked her red eyes on Edward's golden ones as she stood in front of him, her cold hands on his cold arms.
Edward looked away from Bella, his eyes locking on Jacob. "They…they are here."
"Who?" Bella asked as Jacob stood up behind her in anger.
"The pack." Jacob answered, handing J.J back to Bella and sniffing the air. He could smell his brothers. They were close.
"What?" Bella looked back to Edward for confirmation.
Edward nodded, still looking at Jacob, thou his hand had moved to Bella's shoulder. "They just got here."
"We need to fight." Jacob said simply, his mind was set. He could die for J.J. if he needed to.
"You can't help." Edward told Jacob, reading the werewolves thoughts. His voice was not angry or proud as he spoke to Jacob, it was simple. He wasn't asking Jacob anything; he was just stating a fact.
"I have to." Jacob's voice was alive, a mix of anger and fear. He didn't understand why Edward would want to stop him. "I don't have a choice…"
"You can't even phase." Edward reminded Jacob. "You would be slaughtered."
"It doesn't matter." Jacob's eyes fell to J.J. and he knew instantly that protecting his son, giving his son the chance to live, was all that mattered. He knew now, the Cullen's meant the child no harm, not like the tribe did, not like the pack did. J.J. would be better off where he was, and Jacob would do all he could to make sure his son lived.
Edward read Jacob's thoughts and stepped away from Bella, placing a hand on Jacob's shoulder. He was surprised when the wolf did not flinch. "Jacob, you did your part. Now let us do ours. J.J. should know his father…his real father…he should know you. Dying today won't let him do that…"
Jacob glanced up at Edward, his jaw set. "I'll do whatever it takes to protect him."
"Then stay here. Let us do this…you have his whole life to protect him, and you've already done so much." Edward said, meaning every word. He knew he and Jacob were on the same side, they both cared about Bella and J.J.
Jacob said nothing, but his thoughts did not reflect he was thinking any differently then Edward, which was a relief to the bronze-haired vampire.
"What…what are we going to do?" Bella asked.
Edward turned to the woman he loved, the woman who had become a vampire to be with him. She was beautiful.
"you and Jacob stay in here..." Edward glanced back at Jacob. "Get ready to run."
"What?" Bella did not like the sound of that plan.
Jacob, however, just nodded. He could not argue that moving J.J. away from the cabin was a bad move at all.
Sam, in wolf form, howled loudly. He could smell Jacob's sent as well as the sent of vampire's all over the place though there seemed to be one problem. He could only hear two heartbeats coming from inside the cabin. That meant either Bella, Jacob, or J.J. was missing. Sam turned to see the rest of the pack on his flanks, though none of them looked truly happy to be there.
Keep an eye out. Jacob may be in the woods. I can't hear three heartbeats inside. Sam thought.
Seth liked the sound of that. It meant that Jacob could potentially be waiting to attack. Seth hoped he would, and would do it too quickly for Sam to order any of them to do anything about it. Seth did not want to be forced to stop Jacob.
Shut up, Seth. Embry's thoughts growled as he eyed the smaller wolf.
Seth realized his thoughts had been heard by the whole pack, and Sam was snarling at him.
We move now. This is our moment. Sam thought.
The rest of the pack tried to fight his will. They knew he was certain of the moves they were about to make, but none of the other wolves could be sure anymore. Now that they were standing there, ready to slaughter one of their own pack members, it seemed like a bad dream that they all just wanted to wake up from.
Emmett, Jasper, Alice, Carlisle, and Esme moved swiftly toward the front door, followed by Edward and Bella, who was holding J.J.. Jacob and Rosalie took up the rear.
"We can take them. There isn't many of them." Emmett said, looking out the window.
"There is five of them." Jacob said.
"Excellent. There are eight of us." Emmett grinned.
"Jacob's not fighting. Neither is Bella." Edward said.
"What? Why?" Emmett glanced Jacob over.
"He's hurt. He wouldn't be able to phase. It would just be a liability." Carlisle explained.
"Well, still six of us…" Emmett said.
"I'm not fighting either." Rosalie spoke up.
Emmett glanced over at his soul mate. "What?"
"J.J. needs protection…" Rosalie said, but sounded unsure as she glanced over at Bella.
Bella nodded quickly. She liked the idea of having another supernatural person with her, since she was still unbelievably new at the whole vampire thing, and Jacob was hurt. The more people who would protect J.J. the better.
"That's a better plan." Edward nodded. He liked it as well. "If anything happens to us…you all need to move."
"Move before something happens." Jasper said, his back rigid. "If we look like we are going to lose…"
"Nothing's going to happen." Bella told her new family though the nerves could be heard in her voice.
"Sam is looking for the kill…" Jacob glanced down at J.J. who was nestled in Bella's now cold arms. "He wants J.J. dead, and he will kill anyone who gets in the way."
"Comforting…" Alice smiled sarcastically.
"But…the rest of the pack doesn't seem to want to fight…at least I don't think they do." Jacob added.
"So why do they?" Emmett asked.
"Sam's orders. He is there alpha. What he says goes even if they don't agree with it." Jacob said, glancing out the window to see Sam howling.
"But Sam's your alpha as well…how did you get away?" Jasper asked, curious.
"Sam was never my real alpha. I am my own alpha. I should have been the alpha of them…" Jacob jerked his head in the direction of the wolves. "But I let Sam…"
"But you broke his hold on you…" Edward was reading Jacob's thoughts.
"Yes." Jacob nodded. "The others tried, but it was too late to follow me. If he makes them fight, they will fight, but they won't like it."
"You know we may have to kill one of them…" Emmett said what no one else would.
Jacob nodded, his eyes falling to the ground. "I know."
"But we will try our best not to." Esme spoke quickly, glaring at her family members as a warning.
Jacob laughed a little bitterly. "You're too kind to me…but this is my son we are talking about…" Jacob's eyes moved to J.J. "Do whatever it takes to keep him safe."
"We will." Edward told Jacob. "And you do the same…"
"Can't do much side-lined…" Jacob said, bitterly.
"J.J. will need his father." Edward placed a hand on Jacob's shoulder. He knew it was important he be the one to say that to Jacob. "And that's who you are."
Bella smiled lovingly at Edward, though her thoughts were broken up by Sam's loud growls. Her eyes shifted nervously to the wolves outside, then back to Edward. His usually golden eyes were now black, and burning with everything he did not need to say to Bella. It was as if they had a full conversation in the amount of two seconds, and neither moved their mouths. Bella knew, by the look on Edward's face alone, that he loved her more then anything in the world, and that he would do whatever it would take to keep her safe, even if it meant risking his own existence. Instantly, Bella shot forward, gathering Edward in a hug.
Edward hugged Bella back, though carefully since J.J. was now positioned between them. He pulled them both in for a hug and kissed Bella passionately.
"You come back to me…" Bella seemed to command, her voice a whisper.
"Always." Edward kissed Bella once more on the head before turning back to his family. "Lets go."
Everyone nodded and followed Edward out of the house, flanking him on each side as Rosalie closed the door behind them and turned to see Bella, with J.J. in her arms, and Jacob, nervously watching out the window. Rosalie then turned to watch as well.
Sam growled again as the Cullen's emerged from the house, his eyes darting over the forms of the six vampires.
They are a few down. Sam thought, almost excited. He could instantly see Bella was missing and so was the blonde one, though he knew Bella would not fight. As far as he knew she was human.
Doesn't mean anything. Seth spoke up, and he hoped he was right. He was ready to die if he had to, and he would do his best to refrain from following Sam's orders, though he knew it would be practically impossible.
"Its alright, Seth." Edward spoke calmly. He could read their thoughts, and he knew Seth wanted more then anything to be on Jacob's side. He felt sorry for the young wolf.
Don't speak to him! Sam's thoughts screamed at Edward.
"Fine, then I want to speak to you." Edward said to Sam, equally as calmly.
There's nothing to speak about. Sam told Edward. I've come for that child…give him to us and we won't rip you into pieces.
"I'm not giving you one hair from that baby's head." Edward spoke loudly.
Emmett growled next to Edward, only able to guess what Sam had requested of his brother.
Sam, talk to him…Paul thought.
Edward was surprised. He had been certain Paul would be one of the few ready to kill the Cullen's.
There is no reason to talk. Sam growled at Paul.
"What are they talking about?" Alice leaned closely to Edward to ask.
"They are arguing. None of them want to hurt J.J." Edward said so quickly that his mouth hardly seemed to move at all.
"That is good for us." Carlisle said under his breath. He had heart Edward as had the rest of the Cullen's.
Edward shook his head. "No. They won't have a choice…"
"Sam…" Esme's voice spoke up, startling everyone, including the wolves.
Sam turned his big black to face Esme, her golden eyes pleading with his black ones. He growled at her. What does she want?
Edward turned to his mother, unsure of what she was doing. "He wants to know what you want."
"I want him to show some compassion. That is a little child that you want so desperately to kill. A baby; he can't even defend himself. How could you take an innocent life like that?" Esme said, passion filling her voice as she motioned to the house behind her.
Edward glanced at Carlisle who was watching his wife with a sharp eye. He knew what she was trying to do, as did Edward, who could read her thoughts. She was playing the mother-card in full force, and she was good at it, because she believed every word she was saying.
He's not innocent. Sam growled.
"He says that J.J. isn't innocent." Edward told Esme.
"How could you say that?" Esme asked. "He's hardly been alive two months…he's a new born. He has done nothing to anyone, except brought love into our home."
"He can say it because he's a dick." Emmett responded to Esme's question.
Sam growled at Emmett, baring his teeth.
"Or a coward." Alice added. "Only a coward would take an innocent life."
He is an abomination. Sam's thoughts screamed.
"No. He isn't." Edward knew there was no way to reason with Sam now, the wolves thoughts were too rapid. He stepped toward Sam. "And if you would just take a minute to see that."
Stand down, bloodsucker. Sam growled. We just want the child.
"You can't have him." Edward said, his eyes black as he continued to walk toward the big wolf.
Sam, please... Embry's thoughts pleaded.
Sam glared at Embry, and then, as if it were punishment, gave Embry the order first. Embry…attack.
Embry's knees buckled as he tried to fight the pull Sam's orders had over him, but he could not, and soon, Embry found himself racing full forced at Edward Cullen, who seemed ready for the wolf.
Bella held J.J. close to her chest as she watched the Cullen's and the wolves from the window of the large cabin. J.J. was awake, but silent, as if he knew it was not the time to be screaming his head off. Jacob and Rosalie stood silently next to the mother and child, all watching out the window as a wolf charged ahead.
"Damn it! He must have ordered Embry to attack!" Jacob slammed his fist down on the windowsill. He recognized the wolf charging at Emmett, and knew Embry would never do such a thing without being forced. Embry had stood by him since the beginning.
"What?" Bella was shocked as the rest of the wolves went after the Cullen's.
"They are trying to fight it." Jacob could see now that only Sam was really fighting at full force. The rest of the wolves were trying their best to ignore his alpha orders, though Jacob knew that was impossible for them to do.
"What does that even mean?" Rosalie asked, watching as Sam circled Edward.
"It means someone is going to get killed. The wolves are trying not to fight, but they can't fight Sam's orders…it just means they will be forced to fight against their will, the more they fight that, the more vulnerable they are to the vampires…" Jacob explained.
"Edward can hear their thoughts. He will know they aren't trying to fight." Bella assured Jacob.
"It won't matter." Jacob said, noticing that Sam had Edward alone. "Because Sam is fighting in full force…" Jacob knew that Edward was in trouble. All of the other Cullen's were occupied with wolves that didn't want to fight and it seemed more then they were really able to handle. Jacob did not know what Sam would do to Edward if given the chance.
Bella could see Edward being cornered by Sam and she felt herself pull J.J. unusually close. "Edward…"
"I've got it." Jacob said before Bella or Rosalie could stop him. He bolted toward the front door, jerking it open.
"Jacob! No!" Bella chased after him, but Rosalie grabbed her, pulling her away from the opened front door and slamming the door.
"Bella! You can't help him! You need to keep J.J. safe!" Rosalie struggled against the new vampire for a moment.
Bella knew Rosalie was right, but she didn't care. Now Edward and Jacob were in trouble. She couldn't lose them both, she jerked against Rosalie's grasp and opened the door, stepping out onto the front porch with J.J. in her hand just in time to see Edward get taken down by Sam.
"Edward!" Bella screamed.
All eyes turned to see Bella on the porch, clutching J.J. and Rosalie stepping out behind her. Silence fell among the fighting wolves and vampires for a split second.
And it only took Jacob a second. Despite the fact that it felt like his broken bones were being re-shattered, she phased into his wolf form, crashing down on top of Sam's dark wolf-body and ripping the black wolf off of Edward, tossing him fiercely against a tree.
Sam lost his concentration for a split second and it was enough for the rest of the wolves to break from his Alpha command and phase back into their human forms, tossing their clothes on quickly as they and the vampires all turned their eyes to Sam and Jacob. Sam was snarling, gathering his wolf form up and Jacob was growling back, placing himself between the pack, the Cullen's, and more important between Sam and Bella with J.J. in her arms.
"Jacob, no!" Edward scrambled to his feet. He could read Jacobs' thoughts. He knew what Jacob was going to do, and he knew it wouldn't end well.
But Jacob's mind was made up before Edward stood a chance of stopping him and Jacob lunged at Sam, jaws chomping. A second later, the cracking of bones could be heard for what seemed like miles and a whimpering Jacob was thrown aside like a ragdoll.