FAGE… The 13th.
Title: Picking Up the Pieces
Written for: Jadiona
Written By: NCChris
Rating: M
Summary/Prompt used: Post-Twilight/New Moon AU - Jake/Bella/Paul MMF tragic romance; I do my own beta'g and banner making, so any errors or lame banners are all mine. I do not own Twilight or any of the characters, nor do I make any money from writing this story. Twilight belongs to Stephanie Meyer; I'm just playing in her sandbox. This is not an overly lemony fic, but there are a few scenes. Please do not read if you are under 16. Thanks!
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Chapter 3 – Back in La Push
Disclaimer: Twilight and all its characters belong to Stephanie Meyer. This is a work of fiction based on her world and characters. I don't own any of it, except my plot bunny. This isn't an overly lemony fanfic, but there are some adult scenes. Please don't read this story unless you are old enough; 18+ would be best. I hope you enjoy this short story!
Bella was sitting on the steps in front of the house, dark glasses covering her eyes, when a truck pulled up. Bella had learned that people seemed bothered by her eyes, the warm chocolate brown still lovely, but unfocused, so she wore the glasses when she was in public. She stood and slung the backpack at her feet over her shoulder, taking his elbow as Sam Uley greeted her and came over to help her into his work truck.
Sam had started a small construction business after his weird disappearance a couple years ago, something he still wouldn't talk much about, and he had come to get her on his way home from doing a kitchen renovation in Forks.
Bella liked Sam, mostly. She knew he and Leah had some troubles, but high school romances didn't always work out and his new fiancé, Emily Young, seemed to suit him and Bella liked her, too.
Jake, Embry, & Quil seemed to have gotten over their worries about "Sam's Gang" on the reservation, so Bella didn't hold that against him either. Her dad, Billy, and Harry all seemed to think Sam was doing a lot of good on the reservation. He had a lot of the younger guys doing things to help the tribe. He'd even straightened out Paul Lahote, something of a miracle all on its own according to prevailing gossip around town. Bella heard the truck door open as Sam guided her. She wondered which of the La Push guys was with him. Jared Cameron greeted her, getting in the back of the truck bed to make room for Bella in the front. Bella smiled toward him. Jared was always in a good mood and took odd jobs with Sam sometimes.
She asked about his girlfriend, Kim, and could practically hear the love for her in his voice as he told her that they'd just found out the week before that Kim was pregnant. They were moving the wedding up so they could get married before the baby was due.
Bella was content as Sam closed her door with a solid thunk and started toward La Push. Sam was quiet like Bella was, so the silent 45 minute ride wasn't awkward as the radio played softly.
Sam pulled up outside the small red Black home and Jared hopped out of the truck bed and opened her door. They'd be at the bonfire later, so she thanked them for the ride and got out. The two men waited as she made her way to the front door and let herself inside, calling for Jake and Billy.
Billy answered her from the living room where he was watching the news on their ancient rabbit-eared TV. Jake was out, but would be home before they had to head to the bonfire. She thought that was a little odd since he'd been so sick, but she just nodded and walked over to the worn sofa to wait, putting in her earbuds and cuing up an audiobook to pass the time.
Jake looked down at her, something tugging at his heart while she slept. She looked fragile and pale and his wolf wanted to protect her. Carlisle Cullen had assured Sam that they had killed the leech that did this to her before they had left Forks to move on to somewhere in Alaska, but some days that wasn't enough. He wanted to make that bastard suffer.
She was brave and loyal, his Bells. She never even let out a peep about the Cullens' secret nature. She told everyone the same story. She had a fight with Edward and Charlie. Jasper and Alice drove her to Phoenix to cool off and rendezvous with Renee. She'd left them at the hotel to get some air. When she didn't come back, Jasper and Alice got worried and went out to look for her. She was mugged. She hadn't really gotten a look at the man, but he had been strong; he choked her and ran away when Jasper Hale and Alice Cullen found her. Jasper had given her CPR until the ambulance arrived.
As cover stories go, it was a good one. It was a lie; Jake knew the truth now that he had phased and Sam had let him, Embry, & Quil in on the secret, but Bella hadn't betrayed the Cullens. The doctors felt that her hemodynamic stroke from her near fatal strangulation accounted for the lack of additional details. She had some permanent memory loss surrounding the events, so most of the story came from the Cullen family anyway. No one wanted to press the traumatized young woman, so they didn't ask much more. Her attacker was officially "still at large", but Jake knew he would never be found.
He thought about all of that as he looked down at her. She wore her dark glasses to cover her eyes even while she dozed, still uncomfortable with anyone seeing the changes in her irises. Jake sometimes dreamed about the exact shade of chocolate brown they had been. He'd been in love with her all his life; finding his wolf side hadn't changed anything. His wolf had simply accepted her the way the man always had. She was his Bells. It was as indisputable as the sun rising in the east and setting in the west.
His dad rolled over and patted his arm before rolling toward the door. Billy knew how Jake felt about the girl. He'd watched them grow up together and he could see that Jake had chosen. He hoped it wouldn't lead to heartache. Maybe, they would imprint. He hoped for his only son's happiness and an imprint on the girl he already loved would be easier on everyone. Besides, he and Charlie were practically already family. They'd joked about marrying the kids off to each other since Jake was still in diapers.
Jake touched Bella's shoulder gently, waking her. She held his elbow as they walked out to the truck. Jake helped her in first & then helped his dad, putting Billy's wheelchair in the truck bed. He knew how to take care of the people he loved. He'd been doing it his whole life. It was part of who he was.
The bonfire was in full swing when the old beat up truck parked in the beach lot. Sam and Jared helped carry Billy, in his chair, down to the sand while Jake guided Bella. Quil had just settled his grandfather, Old Quil, in a folding chair at the head of the semicircle surrounding the fire. Sam and Jared settled Billy at his side. Harry Clearwater was frying fish off to the side; Sue was keeping the wolves at bay near the rest of the food. Jake made sure Bella was comfortable and went to find her a drink so she could take her medications before they ate.
Paul Lahote watched all of this from the fringes. He was always just outside the group and he didn't mind it that way. Jake and Bella both intrigued and annoyed him. They were too perfect, too saccharine, for his tastes, but they were also perfect, like peanut butter and jelly, Jake and Bells. He watched and he waited. He was a strategist. He knew they both needed a challenge; someone to bring a little drama to their predictable puppy love. Paul watched Bella reassure Jake that she would be perfectly happy sitting near the fire while Jake joined the touch football game. The baby alpha finally took her at her word and jogged over to the others. Paul waited for a couple heartbeats and walked toward where the fragile young woman was sitting.
Bella tried to decide how to react when Paul came up and asked if he could sit with her. She commented that she thought he would be playing ball with the others and his low chuckle made her smile in return when he said he'd rather watch. Paul made Bella a little nervous. Paul knew he did and his wolf liked it. He was experienced enough to know that a little nervousness was what Bella needed and Jake was like a comfortable pair of jeans to her. Paul was her tight leather pants. Wearing the jeans didn't make you nervous, but the leather pants, well, they were a whole new ballgame.
Sam noticed Paul with Bella, but he didn't intervene. Paul had a bad reputation, but Sam knew most of it was completely unfounded. Someone always had to be the scapegoat. Paul had slept with most of the Olympic Peninsula. That part of the gossip was true. Male or female, Paul was equal opportunity, but he never forced the issue and he never promised more than that night. Sam had never seen Paul actually care about anyone, but Sam was observant. Bella was different for the hot-tempered wolf. Sam's only concern was that the two wolves might fight over the girl. She was a nice girl, innocent and sweet. He liked her and felt protective. She was a sister to most of the pack and, as alpha; it was Sam's duty to take care of all of them.
No one had imprinted on her and Sam, of all the wolves, knew how badly it could end, if a wolf imprinted on someone outside a current relationship. His eyes drifted away from Paul and Bella and came to rest on Leah across the bonfire. Emily took his hand and squeezed gently, feeling his sudden melancholy through their bond. He turned and tenderly kissed the ruined side of her face. Penance and love warring within him as it often did.
Leah was fighting with her mother again. She was so tired of trying to explain why she hated coming to these damn bonfires. She forgave Sam and Emily; it was impossible not to once she phased and could see what the imprint meant, but it didn't mean it wasn't painful. It hurt to see them together and in love when she was alone. It was torture to constantly have her lost love near her and know that he was happy with his new love. She finally gave up trying to explain and just turned on her heel and growled that she was going to patrol. Her clothes fluttered to the ground like confetti as she exploded into her lithe wolf form, letting the wolf out of the bag one might say, since she had completely forgotten that Bella was there and still not in on the pack secret.
Bella let out a yelp of alarm as Paul shoved her back from the phasing wolf, her dark glasses falling off as she tripped and landed in the sand. It was dark and she couldn't see anything, not even the vague shadowy outlines she was sometimes still able to see when it was daytime. She couldn't see what was happening, but she could hear it. A low warning growl was rumbling in Paul's chest as he shielded her with his body and there was a pressure change as the phasing magic receded. Leah yipped almost apologetically, Paul relaxed a little as Jake and the others started jogging over to see what had happened, and then all hell broke loose.
Paul turned around to check on Bella and his eyes met hers. Without the glasses on, her eyes were still just as lovely, but they were unfocused. It was unnerving, but still electric. His wolf rose and his hands began to shake slightly. It wasn't an imprint exactly, at least it didn't feel quite the same as what he saw in Sam & Jared's memories, but it was something. Bella stuttered out that she was okay, but that someone needed to explain what the hell was going on. She seemed calmer than Paul had expected. He liked that; she was really good with weird. She was tougher than most of them gave her credit for. He took her arm and helped her up just as Jake strode toward them. Paul didn't even try to avoid him when the younger man lunged at him.
Jacob Black was usually slow to anger and it was hard to make him lose his temper, but he saw the staggered look in Paul's eyes when he helped Bella up after Leah fucked everything up. He knew an imprint when he saw one and he saw red. Most people thought that was a metaphor to see red when you're really mad. Hell, Jake had thought so, too, until it happened to him. He saw red and then he phased.
Embry grabbed Bella and dragged her away as Paul phased a split second after Jake. He knew his best friend would never forgive himself, if he hurt her, even by accident. Bella was obviously confused and a little freaked out as the sounds of the two massive animals fighting became more pronounced.
Bella struggled a little against Embry's firm hold. She was horrified that Jake and Paul were fighting and she was frustrated that she couldn't follow the fight. She could hear the snarls and occasional yelps, but Embry just kept telling her that they wouldn't really hurt each other. Finally, much to her relief, Sam whistled shrilly and yelled at the fighting wolves to knock it off and phase back. The fighting noises stopped.
Jake walked over to where Embry was guarding Bella. He threw a final disgusted look at Paul, his heart broken. He'd seen inside Paul's head and he knew what that feeling meant. He'd hoped maybe he was wrong, before he'd phased, but there was no doubt. Paul had imprinted. He had imprinted on Jake's girl. He bent and retrieved Bella's dark glasses from the sand as he passed them and for once was glad she couldn't see his expression as he gazed down at her, glasses dangling from his hand as their eyes met.
Jared couldn't help it. He always seemed to find the humor in even the most fucked up situations. Kim smacked at him a little as he laughed until his ribs ached. Paul and Jake had both imprinted on little blind Bella Swan. The ancestors definitely had a sense of humor.
