Second chapter is here! I'm uploading this off of my phone's hotspot because my wifi is being stupid but I'm too committed to this story to not upload it. Anyway, this one kinda took a sad turn so fair warning. However, its super heartwarming and still silly. No werewolf or vampy business in here. But I just love this chapter. *Sheds tear* ok ok go read my little chickens!

Like I said before, there is no plot or real timeline to this story. Just snap shots of their friendship.

Songs of the chapter:

Mele Kalikimaka by Bing Crosby

The Christmas Song by Nat King Cole

Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas by Judy Garland

Story is mine, characters belong to Stephenie Meyer

"Merry Christmas"

"HHeuuuugh," I grunted, very lady-like, as I tugged on an old storage bin that apparently was filled with bricks. In the musty darkness I could see "Christmas" scrawled on the side of the box. I sighed, sending the dust on the attic floor floating in front of my face. I coughed and sputtered as little particles tickled my nose and throat. "Stupid noodle arms." I grumbled at my lanky excuse for limbs.

The rich trumpets and vocals of Mele Kalikimaka by Bing Crosby was traveling up the stairs from my dad's old Victrola. I huffed in annoyance. It's Christmas and Charlie's decor selection was slim. We needed every last bit to really feel the cheer.

I'm getting this damn box down if it's the last thing I do. With a new surge of frustration and strength coursing through my body I lunged forward and hooked my fingers onto the plastic box. "Gahhh!" I scream-grunted as my hand gripped and slipped off. My stomach plummeted as my body jerked back and, thanks to my red-nosed Rudolph slippers I busted out this time of year, my heels slipped forward on the wooden rung of the attic ladder. "Oh shit!" I squeaked as I desperately tried to cling to the dusty floor of the attic.

"My god!" Jacob shouted as his hand clamped onto my lower back and steadied me before I whacked my head on the ledge behind me. "Bella, I told you I was gonna grab that one." He huffed at me. I didn't even hear him come up the stairs from the kitchen where he was stuffing frosted sugar cookies in his mouth.

I gripped the attic's ledge for dear life as I caught my breath.

"I tried - I thought – a woman" I panted and wheezed through the words, as dust assaulted my throat.

"Wha- Bella," He laughed "Honey, it's not that you're a woman it's that the box weighs more than you." He chuckled again and he gripped my waist and helped me as I wobbled down each rung. "Plus those little footies don't help." He snickered.

I grunted again as I my feet met the ground. Thank god Charlie wouldn't come home to find me in a neck brace.

I pouted "They're called slippers, Jake." I mumbled as I turned to head back downstairs to the living room. I could've gotten the box. I may have almost decapitated myself but at least the stockings would be hung.

"Aww Bells," He whined with a smile playing on the corners of his lips "They're very cute slippers" he emphasized as he circled his arms around my waist and pulled me in for a cuddle.

I rolled my eyes, refusing to look into his.

"And you're a very strong independent woman who don't need no man unless you climb up a ladder and almost slip and die," he said in one breath as he hugged me tight.

I could feel the heat of his entire body warming mine especially as I spent the last ten minutes with my head and shoulders inside the chilly attic. I wanted to wrap my arms around him and allow my personal space heater to hold me all day. But, I kept my arms at my sides. Noodle arms remember? He wasn't getting off that easy. First he insults my slippers and then he has to go and be the macho man. Again. Not only does he get to save my life but he also gets to carry down the anvil of a box. Men. It was hardly fair. We can't all be blessed with gigantic biceps and normal balancing skills.

I reached between us and pinched the taut skin of his stomach through his shirt. He flinched.

"Hey!" he protested and dropped his arms to rub the spot my nails gripped. He glared at me with his bottom lip poking out. "You know you could say thank you for saving your life. Again!"

I giggled at his little pout. I wanted to push that lip back into place with my lips- what?

I shook my head "Thank you my dear Jacob," I exclaimed in a high pitched voice as a clasped my hands together. "How could I ever repay you for your noble services?" I said as my lifted my Rudolph clad foot into the air behind me. A classic foot pop. The Princess Diaries? Anyone? You know what I'm talking about.

He chuckled at my juvenile behavior and pulled something out of the back pocket of his jeans. A little green sprig of leaves with red little beads on it.

My eyes bugged out. "Jake I-"

"Now pucker-up and kiss it sweetheart," he yelled like Jim Carrey and spun around and placed the mistletoe on his tailbone. He jiggled the little leaves as he flashed me a goofy grin.

I gaped at him for a second. What the fu-

I turned back around to stomp away before I injured myself trying to injure him. However, I didn't forget to shove both hands into his shoulder before leaving him with the little green tail.

This is what I get for making him watch the How the Grinch Stole Christmas with me last night. (The 2000 version of course. Jim Carrey is legendary.)

"Asshole," I grumbled and he barked out a laugh behind me.

I stomped down the stairs, however my stuffed slippers only made a muffled puff sound on each step. Grrr.

"Bella almost ate shit!" Jacob yelled in a voice only meant for use at a sports game. I could tell he already has his head in the attic by how muffled he sounded.

I stomped/puffed into the living room and flung open a box full of tinsel and ornaments.

I mumbled obscenities to myself. Stupid Jacob and his stupid muscles. I had muscles too. Maybe not big hard ones but enough to get a stupid box. Stupid mistletoe. Stupid Jim Carrey. Why did I convince Jacob to watch that with me last night? I should have known it was a bad idea when he nearly spewed his popcorn out at the screen when the Grinch dangled the mistletoe from his ass. Stupid-

"Oh Bella," He snickered and he set down the box of betrayal beside the one I was pulling apart. "You really know how to make Christmas decorating fun." He laughed again and pulled open the lid.

I eyed him inquisitively. "Isn't Christmas decorating always fun? I mean I've decorated a ton of cacti for Christmas but it was always fun." I shrugged. Although many of my Christmases were hot and featured more succulents than I would like, Renee always found a way to make each holiday memorable. I shuddered as I remembered the giant Christmas cheese ball recipe she found on the internet one year.

A corner of his mouth lifted in a tiny smile. He breathed a laugh "I dunno I guess since my mom died, Christmas decorating was never the same." He shrugged. "My dad," he continued "tried his best to put on a brave face for me and my sisters, especially those years when being without her was the worst. But, it was never the same." His brow furrowed as he focused more intently at pulling out glass décor that was in the box.

I stopped rifling through the ornaments to listen.

"And once he got in his wheelchair and Rach and Beck left us, it never really felt like Christmas. After a while we just stopped getting a tree. They can get pretty pricey." He mumbled. "And Charlie would always come and share a beer with my dad. It lifted spirits a bit." He smiled slightly again. He slowly unwrapped the snow globe that featured a snow covered house covered in lights and tinsel. "But I guess we all shared the feeling of not having much family around for the holidays." He finished and finally looked over at me.

I felt my throat grow tight. Both from the guilt of leaving Charlie alone during many Christmases throughout my life and from Jacob's sadness surrounding this time of year. He rarely ever mentioned his mom or his sisters. Jacob was mostly smiles and light around me, however this was the first Christmas we're spending together as best friends.

I shuffled closer to him and slowly took the snow globe he was gripping out of his hands and placed it back into the box. "Oh Jake." I whispered and wrapped my arms around his waist.

The Christmas Song by Nat King Cole was playing quietly out of my dad's record player enveloping us in somber vocals and piano playing.

I pressed my face into his chest and squeezed him as tight as my noodle arms would allow. He slowly wrapped his arms around me and pulled me even closer. He pressed his face in my hair breathing deeply. I heard him swallow. A few tears escaped out of the corner of my eyes. Darn you Nat King Cole. I squeezed my eyes shut hoping my hugs would take his pain away.

We were both quiet for a while, hugging each other as the music softly played in the background.

"This is the best Christmas I've had in a long time, Bells." He said so quietly I'm not even sure I was meant to hear it. I hugged him tighter.

"I'm glad." I mumbled into his shirt. I breathed in his scent of clean laundry and, well, Jacob. Warmth and spice. My Jacob. I rubbed his back softly offering as much comfort as I could.

"I love you, Bells." He murmured.

Those three words caught me by surprise. Although it held a lot of weight I knew how this was more than just a declaration of true love. These words instead carried his happiness, relief, and gratitude for having someone to spend the holidays with. Of course he had Billy but this was the first time, in who knows how long, that he has someone to watch silly Christmas movies and string stale popcorn with. He was expressing how much he missed the merriment of the holiday season. Even joyful activities such as hanging ornaments on a tree have been missing from his life for many years. Something I often rolled my eyes at as my mom pulled out the boxes of cheesy ornaments we've collected from vacations and the crunchy hand-made ones I crafted in my elementary school classrooms. Things I experienced every year and yet Jacob was here in Washington all those years slowly watching the brightness of Christmas dim before him.

I looked up at him, leaning my chin on his pec. "I love you too, Jacob." I smiled as a few more tears escaped my eyes. Of course hearing Judy Garland sing Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas wasn't helping.

"Faithful friends who were near to us, will be dear to us once more..."

He grinned down at me, his eyes slightly red but dry. His thumbs gently wiped the tears off my cheeks. "Merry Christmas, Klutz." His smile growing with this words as he remembered my near death experience minutes before.

I rolled my eyes "Merry Christmas, Jacob," I said, unable to hide my smile. And I couldn't bring myself to come up with a witty comeback. At the moment, I just wanted him to know how much I meant those words.

This Christmas was going to be a merry one. I would make sure of that. And every Christmas after this one. I made the promise to myself as we finally pulled apart and continued to unload the décor from the boxes.

*Wipes tears* I told you it was a sad one! Hopefully you enjoyed! I'll try not to make the next one so sad but writing about Jacob is soooo intriguing. He is such a complex character its so hard to not let him take the reins so to speak. His character just writes himself.

Fun fact about my writing style: I listened to Christmas music in July to get this chapter written. I wanted to feel the vibe and the songs mentioned are so sweet. I would recommend listening to Christmas music while reading this chapter. For the previous chapter I listened to Michael Jackson music while writing lol. Idk why but it helps!

Also, Judy Garland's rendition of the song changes the original lyrics a bit. Google it! Instead of "faithful friends who are dear to us, gather near to us once more."

Let me know what you think if you have situations you would like me to write!