Just as he promised, Jake brought Zeke in for a follow up the next day. I'm happy that he decide to do it early this morning, I can't shake the weird feeling I developed last night. As soon as Jacob walked through the door the missing feeling vanishes. I usher both of them into an exam room, relieved to see that Zeke's breathing has continued to improve.
He squirms as I attempt to give his lungs another listen, at least he is in a better mood than yesterday. He even tries to grab ahold of my stethoscope, when I'm not paying attention. Jake also seems in a better mood, hopefully the anxiety that comes with a sick child is wearing off. I wonder to myself if he will let me take his temperature today.
"You're turn Jacob" I say, jokingly pointing my stethoscope at him.
He expertly lifts his gray t-shirt over his head, exposing his upper body to me. One look at his shoulder tells me I wasn't dreaming yesterday. His wound has healed completely, the only evidence that he was injured at all are the twelve stitches that I embedded in his skin. I've never seen anything like it.
"You're healing nicely, better than expected. I'm going to take the stitches out today." I say, grabbing my suture kit.
A couple minutes later all of his stitches are out, it's like the cut was never there. His skin still burns under my touch but I don't push it today, it was clear yesterday that he didn't want to talk about it and other than the fever he appears in pristine health. As I clean the wound a final time, I realize that I have no reason to be seeing him again. Zeke will need a follow up if he doesn't get better, but by then Rebecca will be home and she or his dad will be able to bring him in. It's possible that Jake and I could go another 10 years without crossing paths again.
"You two are in great health, keep up with Zeke's bottles and more meds if needed. As always call or stop by if things change."
"Thank you Dr. Swan"
"Jake, you know better than that" I say with a laugh.
Our eyes meet a final time as they're walking out the door. My heart skips and I feel a tug in my soul to chance after them, to be near him. When the door closes between us the uneasy feeling returns. The feeling is impossible to shake even when I'm treating other patients. Dr. Freedman returns from a late lunch, with a small package under his arm.
"Bella, this was outside the clinic and it has your name on it" he says handing me the package wrapped in brown paper.
I thank him and place the package in my bag as I head off to see my next patient. The mystery wrapped in brown paper laid forgotten at the bottom of my bag until the end of my shift. It wasn't until I climbed into bed that I remembered it. Carefully I remove the paper from the gift, inside is an old book, full of Quileute legends. If I think hard enough I can remember a couple from nights spent around the campfire at Billy's, he was always a magnificent story teller.
Quickly, I get lost in the pages filled with legends. Stories of how the tribe is descended from wolves and how they formed a treaty with the cold ones. It's almost midnight before I shut off my light. Tonight I don't dream of Jacob, instead I dream of a pack of large wolves. A handsome russet colored wolf follows me through the woods. I should feel scared, but something about the wolves brings me comfort not fear. For the first time in awhile I wake feeling well rested, even though I still feel unwhole.
I am taken aback by the sun shining in through the curtains of the oncall room. Most of the time the olympic peninsula is covered in a hazy cloud cover. I've missed the constant sun of Phoenix, since moving to Forks and now La Push. I decide that after all of my patients, I will take my new book and go to the beach.
After my final physical exam of the day, I grab my pager, a beach blanket and my book and head for the La Push beach. There are lots of good places to read on the beach, I find a large piece of driftwood and decide to sit with my back up against it. The book is so absorbing that I don't hear his footsteps approach.
"I see you're enjoying my gift" says a voice from behind me.
I look up with a start. Who ever it is, they are light on their feet and they startled me. I am unsurprised to see Jacob standing above me. His large frame casting a shadow over my sunny reading spot. He too seems to be enjoying the change in weather, sporting a tight black t-shirt and cut off shorts.
"I should have known it was you who left it at the door"
"Just a little something to thank you for taking such good care of Zeke and I over the last couple days" He says, coming to sit next to me.
"I'm really enjoying it. A lot of the stories remind me of the ones Billy used to tell around the campfire."
"He has always had an affinity for story telling. What are you reading about now?"
"This chapter is about the treaty between the cold ones, the hot ones to protect the palefaces.
Is any of it real?" I ask.
"What do you think Bella? You know about the cold ones."
"Jake, why wouldn't you let me take your temperature the other night? Your skin was burning." I say, looking into his eyes.
I hadn't realized that since his appearance on the beach, I have felt whole. Sitting next to one another, this is the closest we've been in years. Not counting when I was placing and removing the stitches from his shoulder. A shiver runs through my body, yet I am anything but cold. Heat is radiating off of Jacob's body.
"You know why I couldn't let you do that"
"What would it have said?" I question quietly
"108ยบ" he whispers.
"You're a hot one."
"Good job" he says quietly
"A wolf?" I questions, scooting away from him.
"Is that what the book says?"
"I have to go" I say, standing up quickly, gathering my few belongings.
"Bella, wait!" Jake shouts as I disappear from sight.
I don't wait, I hurriedly make my way back to the clinic. As soon as he is out of my sight the tug in my chest returns. It makes me want to turn around, but I can't. How did I not know that Jacob, my Jacob is a werewolf. I thought I knew everything about the supernatural world. I dated a vampire for god sakes. I throw the book down in the break room and do my best to forget about it. Yet, something draws me back to it. I have to know more about what Jacob is.
By the next morning I know I need to see him. I wake before my alarm, pull on my sneakers and clip my pager onto my running leggings. It's not until I am out of the clinic door that the thought that I don't know where Jake lives anymore hits me. Billy's house seems like a good place to start. Even if he's not there, he will most definitely know where Jake lives now.
It's been 10 years since I've stood in front of this house. The last time I was here, Billy angrily sent me away, without allowing me to see Jacob. At the time I was told he had a bad case of mononucleosis. Now I know that it wasn't mono at all. I can only figure that Jake was changing for the first time during that time. I knew about the Cullens, so why couldn't I know about him.
I knock on the door and wait for the tell tale sound of Billy's wheels on the hardwood floor. After a moment of nervous waiting the door opens and Jacob is standing in front of me. The nagging feeling that has plagued me whenever he is out of my sight dissipates again. It is replaced by a wave of calm. He looks tired, as if he hasn't been sleeping well, maybe 7:30 was too early to come knocking on his door.
"Bella, What do I owe the pleasure?"
"I feel bad that I left in such a hurry last night. I was hoping we could talk"
"Finally find the answers you were looking for?" he asks.
"Not all of them, I was thinking you could answer a couple more for me"
"I have to go to work. Maybe we could meet up when we're both done tonight? Here's my number, text me when the clinic closes." he says grabbing a pen off the counter and writing his number down on a piece of scrap paper.
"Okay, I'm supposed to drive back to the city tonight, but I can always spend one more night in the oncall room. Where do you work?
"We could do it another time if tonight doesn't work"
"No, I want to see you tonight and get some answers" I say
"To answer your question, I'm an engineer off the Res. I'll see you tonight" he says with a smile.
For the first time since starting my residency in La Push I have after work plans that I am really looking forward to. I send Jake a quick text, letting him know that I'm looking forward to seeing him and giving him my number in the process. I am surprised to get a response so quickly. He wishes me a good day and adds a smiley face.
For the rest of the day he is all I can think about between patients. Today instead of having a final patient at 4:30 Dr. Freedman calls me into his office. He is an older Quileute man who is balding, he has a friendly face and kind eyes. The gray hair he has left sticks out a bit in an almost comical way and the tone of voice he uses can calm even the most erratic patients.
"Bella, I've been meaning to talk to you about your plans for after residency." he says with a genuine smile.
"I honestly haven't thought that much about it. Ideally I would like to stay in the area and work with a similar population."
"Well I have a proposition for you. I hoping to retire soon or at least go down to part time. Being on call 4 days a week is really taking its toll on me. When you have completed your training, how would you like a full time position here?"
"Here on the res?" I ask excitedly
"Yes, here on the res. We are looking for someone to take over so that I can reduce my hours. Is that something you would be interested in?"
"Absolutely, I have dreaded thinking about my time here at the clinic coming to an end. I love the community that the reservation provides."
"I'm glad to hear it, we can workout the details at a later date. I want to thank you again for all the hard work you have done the last couple years. Keep up the great work and I will see you on Monday."
I exit the office full of hope for the future. The knowledge of seeing Jacob soon eases the uneasy feeling that plagues me whenever he is not around. While getting ready I take the time to put on makeup and make myself presentable. I think I might be trying to impress Jake, my feelings confuse me but I don't let them stop me from getting ready with a smile.
AN: Hi All! I hope you are enjoying reading this story as much as I am enjoying writing it. Do you like where the connection between Bella and Jake is going? Should Bella stay in La Push or look for attending positions elsewhere? Will the Cullens resurface? Let me know what you think in the reviews!