Chapter 46

They lounged there like that in silence for a while longer. Jacob alternated between running the fingers of his one hand through her hair and the fingers of his other hand tenderly up and down the bare skin of her arm. His gentle ministrations had her head lulling heavily on his shoulder and her falling into a light sleep before long.

Feeling the shift of the mattress when he started to get up from the bed she made an incoherent sound of protest. "I'm sorry Bells." She felt a blanket being pulled over her body. "It's getting late. I have to go." He leant down pressing a kiss to the top of her head before the creaky wood floors and click of her door announced his exit. She was still relaxed enough to let her mind drift back into sleep.

She was back in her kitchen in Jacob's arms and she felt safe. "Better?" He asked. This was a memory, it was her birthday and he had hugged her to make her feel better. A loud cheer came from the living room. Instead of continuing with that memory the dream started to take other moments between her and Jake mixing them together like some kind of collage.

They started to laugh and play, joking around, chasing and dodging each other's wiggling fingers. Jake stopped suddenly, his eyes opening wide, his mouth in a silent scream. "Jake, what…" She started to ask. He turned away from her. A sinister looking Edward stood there silently, an evil smirk corked the corner of his lips. Pulling her eyes away from him, she ran her eyes down Jake's back. The glint of the shiny silver and the blood seeping through his shirt should have told her what just happened, still it took her a moment of staring at the knife protruding from his back for her to understand. Edward had just stabbed Jake. She screamed as his body crashed to the ground. "No!" She rushed over to him gripping at his shirt, "Jake!" screaming his name over and over again.

Edward approached her, Pulling her away from Jacob he gripped her shoulders, shaking her and yelling her name. "Bella! Bella, you're okay! Bells, come on, you have to wake up." Slowly Edwards voice turned into Charlies. She could still hear her own screams as she opened her eyes to find herself in her bed. It was Charlie gripping her shoulders and calling her name.

"He stabbed him. Ed…"choking on a sob she forced herself to continue. "He stabbed Jake." she rasped out.

"Oh, kid." Charlie pulled her into his arms and pressed his lips to the top of her head. "It was just a nightmare, Jacob is fine. I promise you he is okay." He rocked his daughter back and forth wishing he could rewind time and stop her from ever meeting that boy.

After a while Bella calmed down. "I'm okay dad." She sniffled. "You should go back to bed."

"Are you sure? I can sleep in the chair." He gestured to the old rocking chair in the corner of her room.

"No, I'll be fine. Thanks though."

"Are you sure?" Bella gave him a watery smile. She could tell that he didn't want to leave.

"I'm sure dad. Go back to bed." Charlie nodded, slowly making his way to the door. "Dad." Bella called as he started to close the door. He looked over at his fragile looking daughter. "I love you." she said simply.

He hoped she couldn't see the tears that stung his eyes. "I love you too kid." Instead of going back to his room he let himself slide to the floor right outside her door. Quiet sobs racked his body as he thought about all the pain and torment his little girl was going through and he was helpless to stop it.

About ten minutes later he heard the soft toll of Bellas cell phone. It was four o'clock in the morning. Who could possibly be calling her at this hour? Charlie listened as she answered the phone.

"Hey, you didn't have to call now… I couldn't sleep either… I just really needed to hear your voice… No… Don't be silly Jake, I'm fine… I'll just see you tomorrow… Yeah I'm sure… No, it's just. Maybe you could tell me a story or something. You know, keep my mind busy."

So it was Jacob, she must have texted him. Charlie knew it was probably wrong to listen in on his daughter's conversation, but he couldn't help it, especially when he heard a small laugh come from her.

He smiled, wiping tears away from his face. He might not be able to help her but at least someone could. He was confounded at how those two grew so close so fast, especially with how long it takes his daughter to feel comfortable around new people, and Jake's Lack in communicating over the past year.

He felt that their easy way with each other was inevitably going to grow into something more than friendship. He just hoped it didn't progress that way too soon. They were both in tenuous situations and he knew if one thing went wrong this was going to blow up in all of their faces.

The next morning came too soon. Charlie woke up to someone shaking him awake. He blinked his eyes open to find Jacob crouching next to him. "What are you doing?"

"What am I doing? Charlie you're the one laying on the floor in the middle of the hall. You scared the shit out of me."

Charlie blinked the sleep from his eyes. Looking up into the boy's face he could now see the panic there. He pushed himself up using the wall to support him. Rubbing his hands over his face he said, "God Jake, I'm sorry." The boy had been through enough trauma in his life, he didn't need more. "Are you okay?"

"Me? I'm fine. Are you okay?"

He rubbed his aching shoulder. "Yeah," Gesturing to Bella's room he explained, "she had a bad night."

"Yeah, that's why I'm here." Jake offered Charlie a hand. "Need help, old man."

Accepting the help Charlie told him. "I'll let you get away with that just this once." After he was stable on his feet he said, "She had a nightmare that that son of a bitch stabbed you." Jake's eyes closed, a look of understanding flooded his features. Checking the time Charlie suggested. "Why don't you go wake her up. I'll make the two of you breakfast."

"Sure, sure."

Charlie watched from the door as his daughter practically leaped from her bed and clung to the boy like a life raft. Her sobs and his quiet assurances drifted to Charlie's ears as he walked down the hall.

a/n the next chapter will rewind a little, just from when Charlie leaves her room.