Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight.

Her POV

I stood before the building and looked up at it's looming darkness as I psyched myself up to walk in.

"Damn you, Jake," I muttered as I paced back and forth before the ER doors, trying to find my nerve to enter. I would take a step closer only to stop.

I can't do this.

"I don't know why you worry so much," I laughed as I ran a hand through my hair, shaking it loose from the hair tie I had used to pull it back.

"I'm not worried about you," Edward assured me as he pulled me into a warm embrace. He buried his face in my hair like he always did, breathing in deep before loosing his hold on me.

"It can't be Jake," I laughed out loud over the idea of Edward being jealous of him.

"I mean, come on," I chuckled as I turned to face him. His eyes were bright, but completely serious, which only made me laugh harder.

"We're just friends," I assured him as he shook his head at me.

"He wants you to believe that," he said slight, humorless chuckle as she shook his head at me, earning an eye roll in response.

"What are you implying?" I asked him as he stood his ground.

"I'm saying that he's interested in you," he said firmly as I shook my head no.

Edward was always known to have a flare for the dramatics, and this was no different. He had no idea about Jacob Black. He didn't understand our friendship or the connection we shared.

"I'm like a sister to him," I corrected.

"A sister he'd like to bone," he said with a crude laugh and sad shake of his head.

"You're gross," I laughed at him as I poked him on the side just as he grabbed me to pull me closer.

"Maybe, but I'm not wrong," he snickered before pressing a kiss against my lips.

"Just friends," I reminded him as I spoke against his lips, refusing to be silenced.

"Just for once, trust me," he cooed before kissing me again. His lips were soft and tasted of coffee.

It was almost enough to get lost in.

Almost.

"I think it's adorable that you're jealous," I teased causing him to laugh out loud once more.

"I'm not jealous," he assured me as I snickered at him. "You're mine and he doesn't stand a chance with you."

"I just know him and… he wants you."

"As a friend," I corrected him.

"No friends. He wants you," he said simply before pressing a quick kiss against my lips.

"Doesn't matter what he wants," I reminded him. "I want you and that's not changing."

"Hey!"

I looked up to find Embry standing in the doorway waving me down.

I had no choice, but to enter now.

"The surgeon is on the way," he said as I nodded my head. I swallowed the bile in the back of my throat as he rambled on while waving at the admin behind the glass to grant us entry to the back.

My footsteps faltered as I felt a dizzy spell wash over me, leaving me grasping the wall behind me to steady myself.

"He's going to be ok," Embry assured me in a soothing tone.

It was a nice gesture, but this had nothing to do with Jake.

I walked in a rush past the nurses' desk, avoiding eye contact as I made my way to the room. Embry opened the door and I stepped in to find Jake laughing while cradling his hand that was attached to a small wooden board.

"I'm fine," he assured me as I stopped and stared at him in disbelief.

"They called a hand surgeon," he said in a rush as he waved his free and in what was clearly a dismissive manner.

"Did you know there was a surgeon just for your hand?" he laughed off the scene before me.

"Why didn't you go to Mercy?" I asked him.

He knew I hated this place.

"Because this was where the ambulance took me,' he said with an edge to his tone that didn't bother to hide his irritation.

"Embry, could you give us a moment?" he asked of his friend, who nodded and stepped out of the room quickly.

"You know…" I began in a low tone as I felt the anxiety slowly start to swallow me whole.

"I think…"

"You know... You know... You know…" I stuttered over again as he tried to talk over the top of my quiet melt down.

"It's been eight years," he yelled in a thunderous voice that silenced me with its rage. I could see the annoyance in his dark eyes as he looked at me. Long gone was the empathetic warmth that had convinced me that he was a good escape from this mess.

The nurse stuck her head in the door and asked if everything was ok. The calm demeanor of her tone did nothing to hide her concerned look as she waited for my response, not his.

I wiped at the tears that had slipped down my cheeks and nodded as she watched me skeptically before turning to Jake to remind him, she was just outside if we needed anything. There was a warning in her tone that made him look down in embarrassment.

"I am trying to be patient here, but…" he began slowly after waiting a moment after the nurse stepped out.

"But what?" I demanded from him.

"But maybe it's time to let things go," he said slowly, his annoyance was tucked back behind his concerned look that did like to convince me that he was actually worried.

"I lost my child," I growled in a low tone as I watched him nod accordingly.

"I know you did, but…"

"But what, Jake?" I practically yelled at him, daring him to tell me how my grief should be done.

I should move on.

Enough was enough.

Or whatever other bull shit comment that people who have never experienced loss like to tell those of us who have had a loss that brought us to our knees.

"Edward has," he replied simply as I gasped in response.

Edward was off limits.

He was never to say this name.

Never.

"He's getting married," he said as I remained silent, struggling to breathe.

"So, he's moving on," he finished before taking a deep breath only to let it out slowly.

"Why didn't you tell me?" He asked as I looked away. "Why did I have to hear that from Embry?"

"You don't get to speak his name," I said in a soft breathless tone.

"Oh yes, your precious Edward," he snickered darkly as he shook his head.

His words stung.

He knew how I loved Edward.

He had known from the beginning.

"I know I'm not him, but I will do my best to make you happy," Jake said as I looked around at the apartment.

Edward's stuff was everywhere.

His books.

His clothes.

After tonight I would need to be gone.

I was on a mission to save Edward and that would happen, with or without Jake.

"I just need to get out of here," I said, refusing to acknowledge his offer of happiness.

"I have been patient," he repeated as I shook my head.

"I have tried to make you happy," he said as I turned to look at him incredulously.

"You do not get to act like taking me on was some selfless act of love," I countered back with a hollow laugh that made his shoulders tense and slump for a moment.

"I never asked you…" I began only to have him talk over me once more.

"You weren't happy in Florida," he talked over me, denying my claim.

"You aren't happy here," he finished as I shook my head.

"You're never happy," he sighed as I wiped at the tears that escaped down my cheeks.

He wasn't wrong.

"I was happy once," I whispered as I wiped the stray tears that had escaped down my cheek and walked out of the room.

AN:
Thanks for reading!

Sorry for the delay. I was busy with the election and now I'm busy trying to save Iowa from itself. For those interested, I live in 1 of 6 blue counties in the greatest fly over state in the nation.

Stay healthy & safe!

Xoxo

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