Chapter Info

Title: Wolves in the Woods

Number: 7/36

Warnings: Angst, blood

Author's Note: Hello, all! In case you didn't see above, I have now discovered this story will have thirty-six chapters in total! I have thirty-three written completely, thirty-four is almost completed, so all I need to do is finish chapter thirty-five and thirty-six. I have thoughts on doing a sequel, but I'm not 100% sure quite yet as I would have to figure out what plot-line I would do for that one. However, even if I don't, I have a couple other ideas floating around that I might do. As always, thanks for reading! Comments are love!

Don'tBelieveInFear: I'm sorry for the heartache, but I'm so glad you like this story! Thanks for reading and commenting!

Goldierlover: He's very stubborn, lol! I think that's where Edward gets his stubbornness from, too, thinking onto the movie/books... But all will come together in the end! Thanks so much for reading and commenting!

earthlover: Thank you so much! I'm so glad you like it! Thanks for reading and commenting!

-Abigail-

Despite Abigail's protests that she was fine, nobody would let her leave that night, especially Alice. Luckily she was set up with a bath and a pair of pajamas—These things are worth more than my house, she thought wryly—so she could relax. She actually wound up falling asleep there and woke up coughing and sputtering out soapy water which made her much more alert to her surroundings and she finished up quickly after that, making sure to wash her hair and every inch of her body to get the hospital smell out. She dried off with a far-too-fluffy-to-be-real towel and pulled on the pajamas she was given. Admittedly, they were incredibly soft and silky and felt perfect against her skin, though she was afraid to sleep in then and wrinkle them.

Alice met her outside the bathroom with an exhausted expression. "Seriously, I thought Bella was prone to life-threatening idiocy, but she never did it twice in one night." She must've heard the almost drowning, she realized and blushed, muttering out an apology. Alice simply sighed and shook her head, showing her to a bedroom. She texted Beth quickly telling her not to worry if she wasn't there in the morning, she was with Alice—though she would have to go back pretty early because she needed a clean set of scrubs—and would be home the next night and they should do dinner because it had been awhile. But she didn't wait for a reply, she laid down as soon as it sent and was out like a light a moment later.

.x.x.x.x.

-Carlisle-

"She's remembering."

Those were not the words he expected from Edward as soon as they all heard Abigail fall asleep in the guest room. All eyes turned to him immediately, Carlisle's in particular. While he had been blank and emotionless the whole night, that brought a round of panic and dread to him that had Jasper looking at him wearily, but Carlisle waved him away as he took a step up to Edward.

"What do you mean?" he asked, voice weary and quieter than normal just in case she woke up for any reason. The last thing they needed was her to hear their conversation.

"She's having dreams...nightmares. She thought about it for a second earlier when she was looking at you, Carlisle."

He blanched. "Me?" he asked, suddenly very tired, almost feeling ill. "She's having nightmares about me?"

Edward shook his head. "Not exactly. It looks like she had nightmares that changed after she met you. They used to be her alone in an alley with a big man with glowing red eyes. He reached for her and ripped her head off, and then she felt heat." Carlisle closed his eyes in agony as his own ever-present memories of that night threatened to pull him back into that thirty-year black hole, but he fought them back so they only lingered enough for the pain. "But when they changed," he continued, his voice thick as he read Carlisle's memories, "she wasn't alone. Carlisle, you were there and pulled her away. The man with the red eyes erupted into flame and you told her nothing would happen to her."

Carlisle hissed, his face fighting between agony, fear, panic, and anger. "But I didn't," he hissed. "It can't be a memory because she died."

Edward frowned. "How could it not be a memory? The nightmare... That's pretty much exactly what happened, isn't it?"

Carlisle's face fell back into it's mask as everything but agony faded as quickly as it came on. "Yes," he whispered.

"She hadn't thought about any others for me to know if she's remembered anything else, but I'll keep a look out. Maybe being around us will jump start something."

"I hope so," Emmett said glumly. "It sucks being around her and her not knowing who I am. And I can't call her 'mom.' How exactly do we work with this?"

"The best we can," Rosalie said quietly, putting a soft hand on his arm and squeezing lightly. He gave her a small, sad smile.

"No." Everyone looked at Carlisle in surprise and he shook his head, turning back to stare out the window, ignoring the fact he could see all their reflections in the glass. "I won't be pursing anything with her." Emmett hissed, and Carlisle ignored him. "If she remembers, it'll only hurt her. It's best if she doesn't."

"Are you saying you don't want us around her?" Emmett asked through clenched teeth.

Carlisle sighed. "It might be best," he whispered. "Think about your mother. If she remembered us, and then found out she's staying human, what do you think that'll do to her? She has a second chance at a normal human life. She doesn't remember us. Let's give her some peace and keep it that way."

Everyone was silent until Emmett snarled and turned to stalk out of the room. Nobody else said anything, not even Rosalie who Carlisle expected to agree with him, and perhaps she did even though she wanted her mother back, so he stayed where he was until the first lights peaked over the mountains and hid behind the ever-present clouds. Emmett still wasn't back.

.x.x.x.x.

-Abigail-

She had to admit, she never slept as well as she had that night. The bed was luxuriously comfortable and she luckily didn't have any dreams or nightmares. It felt...well, she felt like she was headed to a funeral as she woke up to a quiet house, other than the alarm on her phone going off. She had quickly silenced it and lay there for a couple minutes before deciding she had to move. She had to get home and get her clothes changed for work. Since she had a bath so late, she wouldn't need a shower, but she would freshen up on perfume and deodorant.

She tugged on her previous night's clothes and wandered downstairs. The whole house was empty other than Jacob sitting on the couch and flipping through a magazine. He looked up as she entered, smiling even though it didn't seen quite as big as it had the night before, but he quickly pulled Abigail into a hug anyway.

"They all had some errands so I'm going to take you home," he said. Abigail grinned, feeling a pang of sadness when she realized they were gone, but she pushed it away as she knew she would see them again soon. Gotta get my Cullen fix, she thought with a silent laugh. She still hadn't formally met a couple of them, but that was okay because it would come soon enough. She didn't think she wanted to go away anytime soon. The thought startled her as she had never become so attached so quickly, but there was just something about this family that changed her.

"Ready?" he asked, holding out his arm. She giggled and nodded, taking it as he led her outside. Sitting in front of the house was an older Ducati motorcycle. Her lips parted in surprise as Jacob lead her up to it.

"You can ride a motorcycle?"

He scoffed. "Why're you so surprised?" He plucked the single black helmet off the seat and fit it carefully over her head, tightening it to the right amount before he was satisfied she would be safe.

"Well, it took you four months to learn how to ride a regular bike..."

His eyes narrowed at her. "Says the girl that kept pushing me off." Abigail giggled.

"Guilty." She allowed him to help her on before he climbed on himself and it started up with a roar. Abigail grinned and kept her arms tight around Jacob's waist as they roared through the streets, her hair flying in long curls behind her as he screeched up behind Abigail's car in the driveway. He helped her off and took the helmet. "Thanks, Jake. I owe you." She leaned up to kiss his cheek and it made him grin. "I'll see you later, yeah?"

She waved and turned to jog back inside, missing the sad look that crossed his face as the door shut behind her.

.x.x.x.x.

The rest of the week went rather slowly. Why? Because she had not heard a single thing from any of the Cullens the whole time. Even at work, she didn't see a sign of Carlisle anywhere, even though she knew he didn't take vacation or another sabbatical as she heard others call for him. She even tried to call them, left a couple messages, but nothing. At first she was irritated, but then that stifling loneliness crept up into her body and she found herself crying herself to sleep a couple nights.

If they didn't want me, why the lectures on safety? Why try and get to know me? Why offer me rides and not pick up the phone? Why even try and pretend they care?

So many questions and so little time to ask them. She even tried to ask Jacob, but he avoided them and she grew irritated with him as well. She knew Beth could tell something was wrong, but how was she to explain she got dumped by an entire family? So when Beth told her she was taking off for the weekend with her new boyfriend, that Rick guy, Abigail didn't argue. She wished her luck and let her use the car before settling inside for hopefully an eventful weekend. Because it was officially the "stop crying and get over the Cullens" weekend. It would be hard to do, that's why she needed the full two days. She remembered trying to get over boyfriends before; how was she to start getting over a whole family? Especially ones as amazing as them? Can't be too amazing if they pretend to be friends and leave me without a word, she thought irritably. Which was good, anger was better than sadness in this situation.

Grabbing her book that had the complete works of Edgar Allan Poe, she left her phone behind and headed out to the woods behind the house. About two miles in, there was an old swimming hole she used to go with her dad and she planned to sit and read the whole day. She checked for her key in her pocket before taking off.

She knew the woods so well she made it there easily, especially with her old, well-worn hiking boots on. The spot was just as she remembered and she smiled as she stripped off her coat to sit in the sun and pulled the book out. She read it so many times the pages were yellowed and crinkly with age, but she was careful as them as she read. She got so lost in them, transporting herself into the world of Poe, she didn't realize she had fallen asleep until the red eyes stared at her. Off her head came and she woke up in a cold sweat, panting as if she had run a mile, her body aching and stiff from sleeping on the rock. She sighed and cracked her back, moving to stand, only she realized she could barely see anything. Moonlight cracked through the branches of the above hanging trees, but it was barely enough for her to search for the book, which had been dangerously close to falling in the water.

While she was pretty at ease during the day, she remembered words from Charlie, Billy, and her dad: don't go into the woods at night. And here she was, alone without a flashlight or anybody in sight, no Beth at home to worry about her missing, not until early Monday morning. If she got lost, she was dead. She didn't know the woods in the dark.

Panic and dread rose in her and she clutched her book tightly as if that would transport her to day time or to another time entirely where she wasn't lost, alone and terrified in the dark woods.

"Carlisle," the name leaving her lips before she even realized she thought it. Yes, she wanted him to be the one to save her, the beautiful man with topaz eyes and cold, pale skin. But he left her like the others so she was alone, left there and desperate.

Well, she thought she was alone, a twig snapping too close for comfort had her jumping up and spinning around. "Who's there?" she called, her voice shaky and scared as terrified tears began to drip down her face. Whoever you are, just kill me quick. It was too dark for her eyes to adjust and for a moment she thought she was seeing things, but it took a minute for her to realize that she wasn't, the creature in front of her was real, if the aching loud pounding of her heart was any indication.

It was large, covered in midnight black fur with piercing dark eyes and paws larger than her head. It stood as tall as a horse, probably taller, and stood there glaring at her as if she were just a bug. She felt like it, so small next to the big animal.

Wolf.

She gulped and slowly stumbled back, heart pounding even louder in her ears, taking another couple steps. It only followed her with its eyes and she knew she was having a panic attack as it was hard to breathe, her head spinning, but she couldn't help it.

"Please..." she whispered. The animal suddenly whined, it's face falling into almost a look of melancholy and it let out a loud howl into the air making her jump. More howls answered it and it was a quick understanding that it wasn't alone. That's what got her moving, a loud cry tearing from her lips and she turned to run, only her feet caught in the branches at her feet and she tumbled down the side and right into the swimming hole. She gasped as she plunged into the icy cold depths and it was all she could do to drag herself out, fingers digging into the soft mud sharply. Her book floated away forgotten, but she scrambled out, casting a terrified glance over her shoulder. It hadn't moved. It's gaze never left her, though, and she hissed at the cold air and the stinging on her arm. Ragged rocks lined the little swimming hole and one had ripped through her skin causing her arm to rush rivers of dripping crimson. She winced, but ignored it and began to run. To where? She didn't know, but anything was better than becoming wolf food.

Strangely it didn't seem to follow her, but she ran anyway, head swimming with dizziness from the fall, her bleeding arm, and the panic attack still pushing through her body. Her lungs ached as she jumped and ran over the leaves and fallen branches in the woods. It wasn't until she was about a mile away that she heard something that brought her up short, panting as she leaned against an old sycamore, trying to catch her breath and focus, wondering if she was hearing things.

"Abi! ABI!" Abigail gasped. Jake!

"Jake! Jacob!" Her heart leapt and she quickly went running in the direction of his voice, hearing him call out for her again. She realized she was making a lot of noise, but this was Jacob, he would save her from anything. They called for each other again and finally she burst through some trees onto a small clearing barely ten by ten, and he stood there, not winded at all but looking terrified and he uttered a low cry when he saw her.

She sobbed as she flung herself at him, her arms wrapping around him so tightly she couldn't breathe. He picked her up off the ground and she didn't care that her legs wrapped around him; they did it anyway. He was so warm and she realized how hard she was shivering only then, how badly her arm hurt, but she wasn't willing to let him go.

"God, I'm so sorry, Jake," she whimpered. "Thank you for finding me."

He pulled back slightly took look down at her, his pain-filled eyes taking her in and only once he was satisfied she was—mostly—okay did he pulled her back into his arms. "What the hell happened?" he demanded gently.

She sniffled and slowly calmed down, letting her body slide down so she was wrapping her arms around his waist. "I went to the swimming hole my dad used to take us to. I was confident because I had been there before. I took a book to read and didn't realize I fell asleep 'til I woke up and it was dark. I don't know the woods in the dark." She sniffed again. "I got scared and was going to try and see if I could find my way, but—" She hesitated.

"What?" he pressed softly.

She sighed. "Please believe me... But I saw a wolf, Jake. A huge wolf. All black with these glaring dark eyes and huge paws; it was bigger than a horse." She shivered and realized then how still he had gone. She pulled back and he was staring down at her in horror making her heart squeeze. "What?"

"You saw a wolf?" he asked quietly.

She bit her lip and nodded. "Yes," she whispered. "I swear it's the truth."

He gulped for a moment, staring over her head, before finally nodding. "It's okay, Abi. I believe you." With that he leaned down and swept her up into his arms, one arm under her knees and one under her back. She squeaked and clung to him with her good arm, the other lying in her lap as he began walking...toward where the wolf was. She tried to scramble away as her heart burst with fear again. "Hey, whoa, Abi, it's okay. I've got you."

"But the wolf's that way, Jake," she said desperately.

He paused, eyebrows furrowed. "Do you trust me?"

"Yes," she said without hesitation. He smiled and kissed her nose.

"Then let me protect you. I won't let anything hurt you." Slowly Abigail nodded, her body calming down as she leaned into his warm chest. The shivers from the icy water were lessening, but it only made her arm sting more. He made his way back towards the swimming hole, her body tensing, but they passed by it.

"Are we going to my house?" she wondered softly.

Jacob shook his head. "Nope. We're going to the Cullens'."

Immediately panic was back and she tried to scramble away again, but his arms simply tightened. "Jake, no. They don't want me, just take me home." Jacob sighed without a word as if he knew a secret he couldn't tell her, and headed away from her house.

It was about fifteen minutes later they broke to the edge of the meadow. The large white house sat still, but cozy with soft, warm yellow light spilling out the large windows. There was somebody in the window, at least it seemed like it, but Abigail blinked and they were gone. She pressed her face to Jacob's chest.

"Why did you bring me here?" she asked glumly. She was still convinced she was right.

"You're bleeding."

"It's fine."

"You need stitches."

"So take me to the hospital."

"Carlisle's better than any of those pinheads."

Abigail sighed. "I haven't spoken to any of them in almost a week. Why do you think they would care?" Again Jacob didn't answer so she gave up, leaning against him sullenly as he headed for the front door.

"How'd it happen?" he wondered softly as he scaled the steps.

She sighed, wincing as the bright light hurt her eyes. "Like I said, I was at the swimming hole. When the wolf appeared, it scared me and I tried to run, but I tripped and fell in. I think I cut my arm on the rocks."

"Wolf?" The voice was Carlisle's and it was more a snarl than anything making Abigail wince and not pick up her face from Jacob's shoulder. Apparently Jacob knew she wouldn't be letting go so easily because he sat down with her—at the kitchen table, it seemed—and kept her on his lap.

"Yeah. She said it was big and black." Something seemed to be hidden in his words because the air of hostility slowly settled, but she could still hear agitated movements around them.

"Is that what hurt her?" Again Carlisle, again a snarl. She squeezed her eyes closed.

"Who cares? Just put a band-aid on it so I can go," she mumbled irritably—okay and she wasn't doing the best job of disguising the hurt in her voice—sticking out her oozing arm. She wasn't willing to look up from her savior's shoulder. Jacob saved her, Jacob was safe, Jacob was family. She didn't really know these people and they clearly didn't want to know her. Let's just get it over with, she thought numbly.

Nobody spoke or moved for a moment, but eventually she felt gentle, cold fingers on her that she assumed was Carlisle. She hissed as the next feeling was an alcohol swab, but her body didn't move. She knew blood needed to be cleaned away and probably some dirt as she spent a good bit of time trying to yank herself from the water. She knew her fingernails probably had mud caked under them, and her clothes were drenched and filthy. Suddenly she felt bad and frowned against Jacob's skin.

"I'm sorry I'm getting you all wet and dirty," she mumbled to him.

He chuckled and brought up a large hand to stroke her hair. "Don't worry about it, Bunny. It's all good."

She giggled then and slowly pulled back to bring her tired eyes up to her friend's amused face. In the light, she could see he was still rather frightened, so she reached up with her good arm to push his lips up into a smile, which made him snort.

"You haven't called me that since you were ten."

"Yeah, well it's still true. Your nose still wrinkles up like a bunny when you laugh or smile." Suddenly self-conscious, she pressed her face back to his chest to giggle and he kissed her hair affectionately.

"Does not," she uselessly argued and he simply snorted again. She yawned softly, pulling her hand up to hide it.

"Adrenaline's wearing off."

She hummed. "I guess that happens after being chased through the woods by a large wolf." Her eyes narrowed thoughtfully and she pulled back. "Now that I think about it, though... It didn't. It saw me, I fell in the water, but it never tried to attack me or go after me. I mean it howled, but it didn't show teeth or anything."

Jacob raised an eyebrow. "That's gotta be good, though, right?" Abigail shrugged.

"I suppose. I don't know how wolves work. Maybe it was catching my scent to chase me to my house. Like a tracker or something." She shivered and Jacob shook his head, pressing her back to his body.

"I'll never let anything happen to you, Abi. You said you trust me, so don't worry. I'll protect you." Abigail smiled and closed her eyes.

A pinch to the arm made her jump and look up in alarm, and she realized she forgot where she was. Carlisle was bent over her arm, face blank and passive as usual. Edward, Alice, and Emmett hung back behind him, faces guarded and not looking directly at her. She hated how much that hurt and looked away, back down to her arm, but not the man bent over it.

"What's the verdict?" she wondered. She realized the poke was a needle and realized her arm was slowly numbing.

"You need stitches," he said softly, a hint of a tremble deep inside that she didn't know what to make of so she tried to ignore it. "I numbed it so I can begin." He paused. "I assume since Jacob brought you here, you didn't want to go to the hospital."

Abigail shrugged. "Didn't matter to me. I wanted to go home, but he brought me here."

Carlisle nodded slowly. "Which is a good thing. You could've gotten an infection if this was left untreated." Abigail glanced away and didn't say anything after that.

It didn't take too long to sew up, and afterwards Carlisle wiped on some antiseptic wash and bandaged it up. "You'll scar, but you'll be fine. Don't submerge it until the stitches are out." She sighed, knowing it was habit to say it, but she knew all that already seeing as she worked in the ER same as him.

"Thank you," she murmured, pulling her arm back to her body closely and looking up at Jacob. "Can I go home now? I'm tired."

"Yeah, Bunny, I'll take you home." He glanced over at Carlisle as she pressed her face against him again, so she didn't see the look of agony that filled the doctor's eyes. Jacob nodded with a sad smile and stood up with her easily, and since they got there on foot, that's how they would have to get back. He said quietly goodbyes and carried her outside.

Immediately she wished she had at least been brave enough to ask for a blanket as the wind chilled her body. Jacob pulled her closer as he moved back into the woods and quickly towards her house; it was quicker through the woods than finding the road and walking that way. His body heat soon did the job, though, and comforted her into a light doze, at least until she realized she was being set down in her bed. She looked up at him and he smiled.

"Just sleep for now. I know you wanna get cleaned up, but wait 'til tomorrow. I'll be downstairs in case you need me."

She frowned. "Don't you have better things to do than sit all night in my living room?"

"Nope," he said without a second thought. "I said I would protect you, Bunny, and I meant it."

"But sleep—"

"I can sleep anywhere so if I need to, I've got the couch. Don't worry your pretty little head about me and just sleep. I'll be here for you, okay?"

Abigail slowly nodded, realizing she didn't have enough energy to fight, and yawned as she pressed her face into the pillow. "Thanks, Jake," she murmured as sleep claimed her once again, drifting her off into a different world.