A/N: I'm baaaack! I know it's been forever, you would not believe how my year has gone so far, and I totally lost my creative muse for awhile. But I've been pushing myself to the breaking point to finish this chapter for all my loyal readers who have begged for updates almost weekly, and I know it's not my best work in the slightest, going so long without writing has really lowered my ability apparently, but it's hopefully not too terrible. Lots of angst, some mild lemons, drama and more angst. But don't worry, we're getting into some good stuff coming up in the next few chapters. There might be some confusing parts, like I said it is far from my best work, but hopefully you'll stick with me and it'll make sense. There is a couple POV switching that hopefully won't be super confusing. We finally get to our beloved J/B reunion! Enjoy and please tell me what you think, be gentle! :)
Run to You Part II
Twelve hours earlier…
Bella sat by Sam's bed, watching the rhythmic rise and fall of his bandaged chest without really seeing it as she let her thoughts wander. The past week had been so hectic she had barely had time to breathe and she still couldn't quite believe everything that had happened. From Seth showing up on her door with his imprint, to the revelation of Paul and Leah's deceit, to her decision to come home, only to find Jacob gone and a mess left in his wake. She was stunned to learn what had happened in her absence, how broken Jacob had been and what had transpired when he finally learned the truth and snapped.
She knew that he could be deadly, all the wolves were, but to see Sam and hear how close Jacob had been to killing him…she could hardly believe it. Yet here she was, watching Sam sleep and seeing the slowly healing wounds on his neck with her own eyes. She wasn't sure what to feel for sure, she was shocked and horrified that Jacob, her Jacob, could be capable of such a terrible thing, but she also felt angry that he had committed such a heinous act against his pack brother, Alpha or no. She sucked in a breath and rubbed her hands over her face wearily before stretching her arms overhead. "You don't have to sit here all day you know."
A hoarse voice broke the silence and she jerked her attention up to see Sam smiling faintly at her through pain clouded eyes. She jumped up and grabbed the glass of water from the bedside table and pressed the straw to Sam's lips, helping him lift his head to swallow. When he finished she adjusted his pillows so he could see her better before sitting back beside the bed. "Its fine Sam, Emily had to run to the store so I volunteered to stay. How are you feeling?"
He shifted in the bed with a wince and groaned softly. "I've been better. Now I know how Jacob felt being stuck in bed all that time."
Bella flinched and Sam gave her an apologetic look as he took her hand in one of his. "Sorry Bella. And I'm sorry how I may have treated you in the past; I know how much of a jerk I was to you and the others. I was so wrapped up in my own problems and emotions; I let you down when you needed help and I let my brothers down. I was supposed to be a protector and a leader and I failed at both."
Bella offered him a sad smile as she took his hand in both of hers, squeezing it gently as she took a deep breath. "It's not like I made it easy on you Sam, or anyone for that matter. I was stupid and naïve and selfish. And I'm sorry for everything, especially this. If I'd just chosen Jacob sooner…"
Sam gripped her hands tightly with a disapproving look. "Stop. It isn't entirely your fault, a big part of the blame lies with the leech. You can't change the past Bella; you can only move forward and do better."
He gave her another smile before his eyes slowly closed and his breathing evened out, the combination of talking and the morphine drip causing him to drift off to sleep. Bella gave his hand one last squeeze before she checked he was comfortable and slipped out of the room. Wandering down the hall she decided to see if there was anything that needed done in the kitchen before Emily returned. As she walked into the kitchen a flicker of movement by the woods caught her eye and she peered through the rain to see Leah standing by a tree, staring at the house. Hurrying to the backdoor she jerked it open and waved to get the she-wolf's attention. "Leah!"
She saw Leah hesitate for a moment, scanning the driveway, and when she didn't see Emily's car slowly made her way to the porch. Bella grabbed a towel from the stack Emily kept by the backdoor and offered it to the dripping wet girl. Leah took it reluctantly and gave Bella a brief nod as she slowly toweled herself off. "Swan."
Bella could tell the she-wolf was extremely uncomfortable, not only being in Sam and Emily's house but near Bella herself. Personally she was still trying to wrap her mind around what Leah and Paul had done, even if it had been a bid to protect Jacob. While she knew the two of them certainly never were her biggest fans, she couldn't believe they could be so hurtful to her and Jake. The tension thickened the longer they stood there until Leah handed the towel back and cleared her throat nervously. "I wasn't looking…I mean, I didn't know you'd be here…I was just trying to see how Sam was doing…"
Bella nodded and led the way back to the bedroom without a word, Leah silently trailing her. When they got to the bedroom she stood back to let Leah enter first, watching as she drifted quietly to Sam's bedside. Leaning against the doorjamb, Bella crossed her arms and watched Leah gaze down at Sam with an indecipherable expression, her fingers hovering just above his hand. "He was awake a little while ago, but between the healing and the morphine he doesn't stay conscious long. If I'd known you were out there and wanted to see him, I'd have called you in earlier."
Leah shook her head stiffly, dropping her hand back to her side and watching Sam's face frown in his sleep, muttering softly. She quickly reached her hand out and lightly brushed her fingers over his, causing him to still instantly and relax back into his bed. Bella raised an eyebrow and saw Leah swallow thickly before turning away and giving her a short nod, before raising the window sash and slipping smoothly back into the soggy outdoors. Bella frowned in confusion, then heard the front door open and Emily's voice come from the living room. "Bella? Sorry it took so long, this weather is miserable to drive in."
Bella quickly moved to the window and shut it silently before taking her seat at Sam's bedside again, deciding it was for the best if Emily didn't know about Leah's visit. "It's okay Em, I'm in here!"
She forced a smile on her face as Emily entered the room, her damp jacket and hair a testament to the current weather, and she nodded her thanks at Bella. "Has he been any better?"
Bella nodded and gestured to the sleeping wolf. "He was awake a while ago, just for a few minutes. I gave him some water and we talked a little but he drifted off pretty quickly. He seems to be a little restless while he's sleeping, maybe he'll wake up again soon."
Emily sighed with a small smile, staring at Sam with a hopeful look. "It's so strange seeing him like this, I wish he was better already."
Bella nodded her agreement, watching as Emily bent to kiss Sam's cheek, and he stirred in his sleep again. "Leah…"
Silence dropped over the room as Sam settled back down, a faint line on his forehead showing his restlessness and Bella bit her lip as Emily slowly straightened up and then quietly left the room, a shimmer of tears in her eyes.
Bella put the truck in park with a sigh, raising her hands to rub her aching temples. The day had been a bigger strain than she thought, from Leah's surprise visit to Sam's whisper of her name in front of his imprint to the awkward silence in the house with Emily afterwards. She refrained from mentioning Leah or her visit to her cousin, knowing Emily was upset enough and not wanting to cause more trouble than the Pack already was dealing with. She knew that they were in a chaotic and vulnerable position with Sam severely injured and Jacob missing. She rubbed the wolf charm on her bracelet absentmindedly as she again willed him to come back home, to come back to her, so she could kiss him senseless and then beat him over his thick skull with a few two-by-fours
She wished she knew where in the world he'd gone, surely after Paul and Leah's confession he'd have wanted to find her, but there'd been no sign of him in Arizona or Jacksonville. With a sigh she flipped up her hood and opened the door of the truck, stepping into the downpour with a wince. She didn't mind the weather in Forks after living there for two years but this relentless rain was making a part of her long for a day of the Arizona warmth and sunshine just to dry out. She trudged through the mud to the front porch of the little red house, doing her best to scrape off her boots before she let herself in. "Billy? I'm back."
She heard the squeak of his wheelchair come from the direction of the kitchen before Billy appeared in the doorway with a welcoming smile. "Just checking the stew you put in the crockpot Bella, looks good and should be ready when Charlie gets here. How was Sam?"
She frowned slightly and shrugged off her jacket with a sigh. "He's looking better, still on the morphine drip and the healing factor is taking a toll on him but he did wake up for a few minutes to talk."
Billy nodded with a smile and wheeled himself into the living room, giving her a knowing look. "Something else bothering you Bella?"
She smiled ruefully, taking a seat on the sofa and giving him a sad look. "Just thinking about Jake again, and wishing he would come home. I can't imagine where he is…"
Billy patted her hand sadly and Bella rubbed her hand over her eyes as she offered a wan smile. "I'm sorry Billy, I know you miss him too. This is all my fault, if I had just-"
Billy stopped her with a frown and settled back in his chair. "Now just a minute there Bella. Charlie told me you have been doing better since your time in Arizona and I won't have you blaming yourself for things that aren't your fault. Yes you did get involved with a cold one, but that was after he decided to pursue you and put you in one dangerous situation after another, instead of leaving. He is much more at fault than you, this whole mess could have been avoided if he and his family had just packed up and left the moment he realized you were his singer. But the past is past and all we can do is learn from it and move on."
Bella sighed softly and gave him a small smile. "Sam told me something similar when we talked. Thanks Billy."
She got off the couch and bent down to give the man a hug, straightening when she heard a door slam outside. "That's probably Charlie; will you let him in while I check on dinner?"
Billy nodded and wheeled himself towards the doorway, muttering something about how Charlie had better of brought the beer this time and Bella smiled as she walked to the kitchen, feeling lighter than she had in days.
Bella slipped through the cracked door of the garage, pulling her hood back as she switched on her flashlight and waited for her eyes to adjust. Her gaze widened when she saw the destruction inside and the large hole in the wall that was where he threw Paul through if she remembered Seth's story right. She couldn't help the small smirk at the thought of the pompous, rude wolf getting tossed on his ass by Jacob. Sighing she walked through the Taj, idly kicking at the dirt floor until she reached the sofa, sinking down tiredly as she fingered her wolf charm for the hundredth time that day.
Thinking back over dinner she smiled, knowing that Charlie and Billy were currently snoring their way through a hangover after having a six pack each while they watched the game. She hadn't been able to get them into bed so she'd tucked blankets over them and left them snoozing, hoping one of the Pack would stop by later to help. She unzipped her hoodie and pulled the shirt from underneath it up to her face, inhaling deeply the unique scent of woods, dirt and car oil from Jacob's stolen t-shirt she'd found in his room.
His scent was calming as usual, although she would much rather it be him she had wrapped around her, much like they had been in the tent. She felt herself blush as she recalled every detail of that morning, shaking her head a little to clear it as she curled on her side and switched her flashlight off, wanting to rest in the quiet before she went back to the house and her eyelids slowly drifted shut as the sound of the ever present rain lulled her to sleep.
A clap of thunder awoke her later, sending her bolt upright on the sofa as she blinked in the darkness, confused for a moment until a flash of lightning blinded her and she got her bearings. She stretched slightly and rolled the kinks out of her neck, remembering now that the sofa was not the most comfortable thing to sleep on, before standing and deciding to head inside. She pulled her hood up, preparing to turn the flashlight on, when the door was flung open and she saw a shadowy figure enter before closing the door behind them. Her heartbeat picked up when she didn't recognize it as anyone from the Pack and she saw the tall figure pause and tilt their head in a way she knew too well. She sucked in a deep breath and pushed her hood off as she stepped forwards, her voice barely above a whisper. "Jacob."
She saw the figure suck in a deep breath and then drop forward to their knees, confirming her suspicion and she clicked on the flashlight. "Jacob!"
"Bells?" She could barely hear his ragged reply and she hurried across the garage, tripping over some loose tools, until she was standing in front of him. Her eyes roamed his face as he stared at her in disbelief, his wet hair dripping over his face, and she hesitantly reached out to trace his cheek. "Bells…are you…"
"I'm here Jake, I'm really here." She gave him a wobbly smile and suddenly found herself clasped to his chest, her legs dangling as he surged to his feet and turned, her back braced against the door. She barely had time to register that her legs had wrapped around his waist seemingly on their own, before Jacob's lips swiftly covered her own and all rational thought left her mind. The flashlight fell from her hand as she moved it to tangle in his hair, feeling a pulse of heat rush through her as Jacob supported her with one hand beneath her ass so his other hand could cradle her face.
His lips moved against hers almost frantically, as if he still couldn't believe she was there, and she could feel the wild beat of his heart against her chest. Her body seemed to have a mind of its own as she tightened her grip on his waist, feeling the rumbling growl from his naked, wet torso as Jacob pulled her impossibly closer and slowly began trailing his lips down her jaw. She gasped for air, letting out a surprised moan as Jacob suddenly latched onto the skin of her neck and sucked gently, nibbling it before swiping his tongue across the skin and starting over.
As she pulled oxygen into her lungs her mind cleared slightly and she moved her hands to Jacob's shoulders and pushed slightly. "J-Jake…Jac-cob…wait…"
He immediately pulled back, his breath coming in harsh pants as he stared at her through dark, hooded eyes. She tried to bring her own gasping breathing under control as she suddenly became aware of exactly what position they were in and what she could feel pressed so close against Jacob's body. She felt her face heat up and she dropped her gaze as she slowly released the death grip her legs had on his waist, feeling Jacob's hands move to her hips to lower her feet to the floor.
They stood there, her hands resting on his chest and his on her waist, staring at each other as their breathing slowly returned to normal. Jacob was still watching her in reservation, as if not daring to believe that she was really in front of him and she felt his hand come up to trace her face. "Bells…"
She leaned into his touch, relishing the warmth that she had missed, and smiled at him again. "I'm really here Jake, it's okay."
He sighed in relief and pulled her against him as he wrapped his arm around her, burying his face in the crook of her neck. "You're back. You're okay."
She nodded, running a soothing hand through his hair as he took several shuddering breaths, hearing him murmur her name over and over. Slowly she felt him calm down and loosen his hold on her slightly as he pulled back and met her gaze again. "Bells, how did you…"
"Seth. He came to get me in Arizona and brought me home." A smile crossed her face as she thought of her friend and she missed the darkening of Jacob's gaze as a wave of jealousy swept over him. "He told me what happened with Leah and Paul and that you had disappeared so I rushed home with him, everyone's been worried sick about you."
Bella stopped as Jacob abruptly pulled away from her, shaking as he ran his hands through his hair. The combination of stress, the sudden Alpha title and exhaustion from running to and from Alaska clouding his judgement and making him irrational as his wolf snarled angrily over Bella's praise of Seth. Bella watched as he growled low under his breath and shuddered, a frown creasing her brow as she stepped toward him and placed a hand on his arm. "Jake?"
He jerked away and she saw his eyes flash to yellow as he turned to the door and snarled "Clearwater."
He yanked the wooden door open, the hinges giving a squeak of protest and he bolted into the darkness, leaving Bella to stare through the rain after him, an alarmed expression on her face.
Jacob flew through the night, his paws digging into the wet earth as he sped toward the Clearwater house. His vision was covered by a red haze, much like it had at the Cullen house several months ago, and his mind had a singular focus; find Seth and rip him apart. He couldn't get the image of Bella's smile as she talked about Seth out of his head, the wolf snarling in rage that anyone but them be the cause of her happiness. Deep in the back of his mind he could hear a small, rational voice telling him he was overreacting but the wolf pushed it aside with a snarl and continued their charge through the woods. The rain was still pouring down, the sky above an angry mix of black clouds and lightning, punctuated by loud claps of thunder. It mirrored Jacob's own mind, his thoughts a tumbling mess that he was too confused and exhausted to properly deal with, only his fixation on Seth was keeping him upright. He skidded to a stop at the edge of the Clearwater's yard, his eyes taking in the dark windows that showed everyone was tucked safely in their beds, away from the storm.
Pawing at the dirt jake snarled and threw his head back with a howl, an Alpha demand laced through it. Within seconds he saw lights snap on in two of the windows, Leah and Seth's if he remembered right, and his ears picked up angry shouting and swearing from the Clearwater siblings as they rushed downstairs and out the backdoor. Leah was wearing an oversized t-shirt that Jake could have sworn belonged to Sam, and Seth was fastening the button of his cutoffs as he scanned the yard, eyes widening slightly when he saw the wolf.
Jacob phased back, shaking with the effort, and stormed into the yard, ignoring the fact he had nothing to cover himself as he glared murderously at Seth. "You're a dead man Clearwater!"
Seth felt his eyes widen at Jacob's statement, he had expected him to be angry for hiding Bella, but this was a little ridiculous. He glanced at Leah who was glaring at Jacob with her arms crossed as the water soaked all three of them. "What the hell Black?! It's two in the morning!"
Jacob ignored her and glared at Seth as he slowly stalked forward. Even in the dark Seth could see the yellow of Jacob's irises and realized he was more wolf than man at the moment. His own wolf snarled in challenge and he fought the urge to attack the angry man in front of him. "Jacob look, I'm sorry. I was just trying to help-"
"You stay away from her!"
Seth clenched his fists and glared at Jacob as he shrugged back the urge to phase. "Seriously? C'mon Jake, this is ridiculous. You can't keep me away from Bella."
That was apparently the wrong thing to saw as Jacob let out an inhuman growl and phased to his snarling wolf. He roared a challenge, foam dripping from his muzzle and Seth found himself unable to refuse the Alpha command, landing on four legs at the same time as Leah. Over the storm he could hear the faint howls of his brothers, the Pack mind suddenly becoming chaotic as confusion and anger filled his head. The loudest was Jacob's, the images from his mind broken and tinted red, the wolf going purely on instinctive rage. He and Jacob began to circle each other, their wolves snapping and snarling angrily as one by one the other Pack members gathered in the yard. Seth was faintly aware of the lights turning on in the house behind him, making his wolf bristle and plant himself between Jacob and the house. "Jacob enough! Let's talk about this!"
Jacob's wolf snarled and crouched, prepared to spring at his rival. Seth braced himself, knowing he couldn't take on an enraged Alpha, when something darted through the yard. His eyes picked up the shape of a shadowy figure, and Jacob leapt at him while he was distracted, until the figure darted between them and was suddenly replaced by auburn fur that launched itself at Jacob's throat.
"Stop!"
Bella drove like a maniac through the storm, growling under her breath when she got Seth's voicemail for the fifth time. She didn't understand Jacob's anger or his sudden departure but something told her Seth was in danger of ending up like Sam, or worse. She peered through the rain as she pushed the old Chevy to its limits, trying to make sure she didn't miss the turn off for the Clearwater's property. Finally she saw the drive and cranked the wheel to make the turn, gritting her teeth as she felt the back fishtail on the wet asphalt. Once the tires hit the dirt drive she gunned the engine again and sped towards the dim lights of the house, eyes widening when she saw two wolves circling each other in the yard while the other Pack members looked on.
She stomped on the break and threw the truck into park as she shoved the door open and hurried into the pouring rain. She heard a loud roar and her eyes widened as she saw Jacob preparing to spring at Seth and then the side window was thrown open and a dark figure slipped out and charged across the yard, jumping between the snarling wolves and then a smaller auburn wolf appeared in it's place, launching at Jacob with a growl as he sprung forward.
"Stop!" She ran into the yard, panting as she held up her hands between the still growling wolves. The auburn wolf gave another growl in Jacob's direction and then stalked to Seth's side and leaned into him with a content rumble. Bella gave Seth a quick once over, making sure he was uninjured, and then spun to nail Jacob with a glare. "What is wrong with you?! You phase back right this minute Jacob Ephraim Black!"
In the blink of an eye she was faced with a very angry, very naked shifter and she kept her eyes firmly glued to his face.
"You're defending him?!" Jacob's eyes were a mix of hurt, confusion, anger and exhaustion and she frowned slightly as she wondered when the last time he'd slept was.
"Of course I am Jake, you were about to kill him! What in the world is wrong with you?" Behind her she felt Seth's nose nudge her hand and she glanced over her shoulder to see him jerk his head towards the house before herding the smaller red wolf inside, followed by a very annoyed looking Leah. The door shut behind them and Bella crossed her arms to try and ward off the chill as she pointedly ignored Jacob. The other Pack members milled around the edge of the woods restlessly, ignoring the lashing rain and rumbling thunder above them, eyeing their Alpha and Bella warily. Bella turned as the door opened again and Seth and Leah appeared, human and clothed, and Seth tossed another pair of cutoffs in Jacob's direction with a disgruntled look. "Seth, you're okay?"
He nodded but before he could speak Leah marched past them and shoved Jacob as he was fastening the button on his pants. "Black, you had better have a good explanation of your actions or I swear…"
"Leah! Calm down." Bella placed a hand on the young woman's arm and gently steered her back towards Seth and turned with an expectant look to Jacob.
"She's right. Seth is your brother, what in the world has gotten into you? You looked ready to rip into him like you did Sam, or worse!"
"He needs to learn his place! He's messing with the Alpha's-"
Bella interrupted him with a finger in his direction as she glowered at him through the rain. "Stop right there Jacob Black. First off, Seth has done nothing but what I have asked of him and all he has done was to take care of me like you would have wanted had you known the truth. And secondly, I am not the Alpha's anything so don't you dare try that macho possessive crap on me Black."
By the time Bella was done talking she was standing in front of Jacob with her finger on his chest, glaring at him through the rain drops on her eyelashes and suddenly found herself swept up in his arms. She shrieked in surprise and looped her arms around his neck as he turned to the other Pack members with a tired expression. "Pack meeting in the morning at Sam and Emily's. We'll figure everything out tomorrow."
With that, he turned and strode into the darkness with Bella still complaining in his arms.
Bella continued to glare at Jacob's profile as he marched through the forest, presumably towards his house, her arms crossed stubbornly over her chest. As mad as she was at him, she couldn't help but enjoy the heat radiating from his skin, keeping her from shivering too badly. He hadn't said a word to her since they left the Clearwater's yard and she refused to be the first to break the tense silence. The storm had moved on, leaving the ever present rain to drizzle down from the canopy, although she found it soothing after her time in Arizona.
Finally after Bella was about to demand he put her down the little red cabin came into view, the windows dark except for the porch light. Without slowing, Jacob strode up the steps, quietly opening and closing the door so not to awake their snoring fathers, and walked into the bathroom, the door shutting firmly behind him. Bella blinked at the light as he flipped it on, giving him an annoyed look as he suddenly placed her on her feet and reached past her to turn on the shower. Her eyes widened slightly and she reached for the doorknob when Jacob's hand gently grabbed her wrist. "Please don't leave."
His plea was barely above a whisper and she turned to see the panic in his gaze, and she cleared her throat nervously. "Jake, I-"
He pulled gently on her wrist and she hesitantly stepped toward him, eyes darting between him and the now steaming shower and he gave her a pleading look. "Please Bells. I won't try anything, I swear but I can't…"
He trailed off, eyes taking on a haunted look and she slowly realized how much the last few months had worn him down, that even being out of his sight while he showered was too much, and she bit her lip as she nodded. "Okay. But I'm leaving my bra and underwear on."
He gave her a tiny smile at her attempt at humor and then glanced down at his cutoffs. "Wait here."
Before she could say anything he slipped past her and out the door, leaving it cracked as he vanished into the dark of the house. Swallowing back her nerves, she slowly slipped out of her hoodie and started the harrowing process of peeling off her wet jeans, grunting as she tried to tug them off.
"Let me help." Jake's voice surprised her and she straightened to find him now wearing what looked like swim trunks, his mouth tipped up in an amused smile at her struggles. With a sigh she moved her hands out of the way, shivering as Jacob's scorching ones came to her waist and slowly maneuvered her jeans down her legs, lingering against her skin. She gulped when he stood back up, dark eyes meeting hers and she could see that his wolf was close to the surface by the yellow ring around the iris. She looked away as she slowly pulled the t-shirt over her head, crossing her arms across her lacy grey bra as she focused on a spot above his head.
"I don't really need to shower. I'm just cold." From the corner of her eye she saw Jacob finally tear his eyes away from her bra and he shrugged slightly.
"I know. But I need one and you'll warm up faster if you're in there with me." He pulled the curtain to the side and gestured for her to go first, watching her intently as she stepped past him and carefully stepped under the hot spray. She couldn't help the faint moan as she felt the heat and she sucked in a breath as he felt Jacob step in behind her, closing the curtain. Steeling herself she turned to face him, struck by the sheer vulnerability on his face and she reached for his hand to guide him under the spray.
"Let me take care of you Jake." She let him take her place under the shower, guiding him to his knees so his head was nearly level with hers. Grabbing the shampoo bottle, she put a sufficient amount in her hands and slowly began to work it through his shaggy hair, making sure to massage his head and neck as she worked the lather through the rough strands. Jacob closed his eyes and she took the opportunity to study his face as the water rinsed away the suds. His face was thinner than she remembered, his eyes sunken in and underscored by dark circles that were nearly black. He had lost weight too, something she didn't think was possible for a shifter, and she shook her head as she rinsed the last of the shampoo from his hair, reaching for the body wash and squeezing a good amount into her hand. Slowly she started rubbing his shoulders, working her way down one arm and then the other, her fingers gently rubbing down his chest as she knelt before him. Even in his wrecked state, he still struck her as beautiful and she couldn't help tracing the top of his eight pack, causing his breath to hitch slightly.
"Turn around Jake." He followed her instruction, bracing his arm against the tile wall as she started rubbing his back, trying to rub as hard as she could to work out some of the knots she could feel. She started to work down towards his legs and his hand grabbed her wrist, rubbing his thumb over her palm as he sucked in a breath.
"I'll finish up; you should dry off and get some clothes on before you get sick. I brought in another of my shirts for you." She could hear the hitch in his voice and pressed her lips together as she nodded and slowly stepped out, grabbing a towel off the hanger to start drying her hair. She could see Jacob's outline moving through the curtain and then his hand appeared with his shorts in it as he draped them over the towel bar. It took her a moment, but her face suddenly flamed up as she realized he now had nothing on and she spun to face the door as she snatched up the shirt he had placed on the sink, yanking it over her head and seizing the wet clothes strewn all over the floor.
"Uh, Jake? I'm gonna go throw these in the laundry before they get ruined, I'll be right back." She heard movement behind her but kept her back to the shower until a soft voice called her name. Glancing over her shoulder she saw him watching her from the edge of the curtain and she offered him a reassuring smile. "I'll be right back; you'll probably be out before I finish anyway. I'm not going anywhere."
He nodded slowly and she forced herself to walk slowly out of the bathroom, making sure to leave it cracked like Jacob had done, and made her way to the laundry room. Like she predicted, before she had finished throwing the wet clothes and a few other things in the wash, Jacob silently appeared in the doorway, dressed in a pair of cutoff sweats. When she had finished he suddenly swept her up again and she kept her protests quiet when she felt him shaking slightly. He carried her to his room, kicking the door shut behind him and she peered through the dark as he made his way to the bed. He allowed her to stand at the edge of it as he sat down and scooted his back against the wall, tugging gently on her arm. "Jake, I-"
"Please Bells?" His voice was pleading, almost childlike, and she immediately shoved her nervousness to the side and climbed onto the bed. She made herself comfortable on her side, her back to Jake, and his arm suddenly circled her waist and pulled her flush against him. The tension instantly drained from his body and she felt him bury his face in her hair as he let out a shaky sigh, his leg tangling with hers. His breathing began to deepen, and she almost missed his whispered words next to hers as he drifted off. "Stay with me."
She swallowed back tears at the desperation in his voice and she reached for his hand in the dark, entwining their fingers as she felt sleep begin to pull her under, whispering into the dark. "I promise."
A/N: Well? Like I said, my writing has suffered with my lack of muse, but hopefully it wasn't too awful? I'm working at pounding out the next update, and one for my other story, but with as busy as life is chasing a 1 year old around and other responsibilities, I won't give a definite date for the next chapter. Hopefully everyone will bear with me. :) As always, thanks for reading and please review, it does help keep me coming back. Til next time!