Chapter 9 Some things cannot be unseen
Rated M and Stephenie still owns Twilight and Jacob and Bella.
Jacob tried to stop Bella as she raced up the sidewalk. He told her she should wait before just rushing in. Bella could not have been thinking clearly or else she would have taken Jake's advice. She threw the front door open, and flipped the switch for the living room. The light flooded the room and then screams could be heard.
"Oh my gosh, Dad! What the hell?" Bella turned running back out the front door. She saw Quil, Seth and Phoenix folded over the hood of the car laughing like crazy. She stopped and rubbed her eyes trying to unsee what her eyes just took in on the living room couch. She was pretty sure she was going to burn it, or cover it with bleach. Something. Ugh. Yuck!
"Bella, sorry, honey. Charlie thought you were going out late tonight. We should have been more careful," placated Ms. Rivera from next door. She hesitantly reached toward Bella and stopped when she saw the glare directed her way.
"Well…I'll see you around then," Ms. Rivera said as she scuttled across the yard to her own house.
"No! Jake, how could you let me walk into that! You know that I will have that image of my father doing tha…that! to her!" she screamed, as she pointed emphatically to the neighbor's house.
Jacob walked up to her, palms held out in surrender. "Bella, I'm sorry. I did try to warn you, but you were thinking it was something else."
"Burn that couch and get my father some Listerine!" Bella finished her rant, as she walked straight up the stairs to her room, shuddering as she walked past her dad.
"Jake? What are you doing here?" Charlie asked, clearing his throat and smoothing his shirt down, avoiding direct eye contact with Jacob.
"I couldn't stand being away from Bella anymore, Charlie. I think I'm going to go check on her. Maybe you should go clean up, brush your teeth or something," Jake grinned at him. "Guys, come on in! The coast is clear!"
Jacob waited for Charlie and his reeking scent to clear the stairway before he headed up to find Bella. When he came to the last door, he heard her shaky breathes as he knocked.
"Bella? Can I come in?" he asked, trying not to laugh at the hilarious event that just unfolded downstairs.
"I guess," she answered. He opened the door to see her sitting at her desk, just staring at the blank screen of her computer.
Jacob walked up behind her and laid his hands on her shoulders. He gently rubbed his hands on her neck and shoulders, feeling her relax incrementally with each pass. She tilted her head down toward the desk and exhaled loudly.
"That was just the icing on the cake of this darn day," Bella simply responded. "Where are the guys?"
"Trying not to sit on the couch downstairs," Jake chuckled.
"Why don't you take a shower and get comfortable, then come downstairs so we can all hang out for a bit? Then, I'll find a way to get Charlie to let me and Seth sleep here while the other two head back to the hotel," Jake told her more seriously this time.
"Okay, but I refuse to sit on that couch ever again," Bella stood gathering her clothes. She turned as Jacob started to walk out and gazed down his body. She enjoyed the view and as she glanced up, she blushed realizing she had been caught checking his body out.
Jacob decided not to push her tonight, so he just grinned and headed down the stairway toward the living room. Charlie was sitting back in his recliner and the other guys were spread out on kitchen chairs and bar stools.
"I don't understand why you guys won't get comfortable and sit on the couch," Charlie grumbled, mostly engrossed on the news playing. He glanced around the room to 4 guys staring intently on the news to avoid all possible eye contact with Charlie.
Jacob cleared his throat, walked over to the couch and perched on the edge. "Charlie, we were wondering if Seth and I could stay tonight. Phoenix and Quil are meeting up with some friends later and we're tired, so we don't really want to go."
"Sure. One of you can sleep on an air mattress upstairs, and the other one can sleep on the couch," Charlie answered.
"I'll sleep upstairs and Seth can take the couch," Jacob quickly responded, utilizing his alpha status in this case to be close to Bella, and to avoid the couch.
Phoenix stood as Bella was coming down the stairs. "It was nice to meet you, Bella," he said to her. "Quil and I are going to take off. Meet up with some friends to try out a couple of California bars and clubs." He winked over at Quil, knowing they were really going to scope around make sure there was no stench of vampire anywhere in the area.
"Nice to meet you too, Phoenix. Quil, good to see you again," Bella said softly, as she glanced shyly at both of them. She was unsure how happy they were about being here and protecting her from vampires again.
Later that night, they all lay quietly in bed staring at the ceiling, different thoughts running each of their heads. Bella had reached into her drawer to grab the baby blanket to hold onto tonight. She would always wonder what her little girl would have been like.
Would she have been more vampire than human as Edward and Carlisle believed? Or would she have been soft, sweet and beautiful? She would never know, thanks to Edward and Carlisle. She sighed and turned over, closed her eyes and fell into a fitful sleep.
The next morning, Charlie had made some excuse about wanting to check out some new place to get out of the house. Bella, Seth and Jacob sat around the kitchen table eating a simple breakfast of cereal, toast and bagels. They didn't really have werewolf sized portions available at the moment. Bella would have to shop later today to keep them fed since she'd be staying around, and they would be staying to watch over her safety. She was kind of sad, as she liked the house her and Charlie were living in.
Bella walked over to a drawer, pulled out a notepad and pen, and sat down and began making a shopping list for the week. Bella was so lost in her thoughts, that she didn't hear the doorbell ring. Jacob got up and answered the door.
"Hi, is Bella home?" a pretty young blonde girl asked, a guy was standing next to her, sizing Jacob up. He had similar blonde hair and blue eyes, like the girl that asked for Bella.
"Kathryn! Matt! What are you guys doing here?" Bella walked up behind Jake, smiling at her friends, and invited them inside.
Seth walked over, and introduced himself to the pair. He offered them leftovers from breakfast, as they eyed the leftover food.
"I'll take a cup of coffee," Matt answered as he walked to the coffee pot, and pulled the carafe out to fill up a mug from the stack beside the machine.
Jacob puffed his chest out a bit, seeing this guy make himself at home in Bella's home. Bella sensed his irritation and went to stand closer to him by the counter, just in case she needed to kick him or something.
"So, who are these guys Bella?" Kathryn asked, smiling at both of them.
"This is Jake and Seth, from where we used to live in Washington," Bella answered. Jacob waiting for recognition, hoping Bella had told her friends about him.
"Well, we heard from Colton that a group of mafia-like men showed up at the festival last night, threatened to beat his ass, snatched you, and told him to 'take off like the little pale face he was,'" Kathryn told Bella, holding nothing back regardless of company.
Bella choked on her juice, not expecting that response from her friend. Jacob reached over and patted her back gently, but leaving his arm loosely wrapped around her. Just as she caught her breath, the front door opened and Phoenix and Quil walked in the door.
"Hey, guys, we're here for breakfast, because the hotel had nothing but cereal and bagels. We expect a full Bella breakfast buffet," Quil stated, looking at the food on the table and his face quickly crumbled.
"Sorry, Quil. I've gotta get to the store before I can open the buffet," Bella laughed at Quil and his never ending appetite. "I was working on the list before my friends, Kathryn and Matt showed up."
"Well, we were worried about our friend who was kidnapped by the mafia last night," Kathryn grinned at Bella and glanced toward the newcomers, giving them the full examination appreciatively.
"Mafia? What are you talking about? We are her best friends from Forks. Who would think we are mafia?" Quil asked perplexed.
"Bella's date was unhappy about us meeting up with her at the festival last night," Jacob answered Quil's question, the words 'Bella's date' burning his tongue. He looked directly at Kathryn and said, "clearly, Bella is fine. She wanted to leave that awful festival anyway."
"Hmmm," was the only response he got from her.
"Bells, you about ready to head to the store?" Jacob asked her, standing up fully, stretching over his head.
"Sure. You want to go, Kathryn?" Bella asked.
"No, I think I'll pass. We just wanted to come by to make sure you were okay since you didn't answer my text messages last night," Kathryn stood, gathering her purse. "Matt, just came as back up," she chuckled, thinking he wouldn't have stood a chance against these guys.
"Why don't you guys meet up with us tonight at The Bar?" Kathryn suggested their favorite hangout.
"I'll text you later and let you know for sure," Bella said, not yet willing to commit to taking this crew out.
Kathryn and Matt took off and Jacob and Bella headed to the store.
Bella laid on Jacob's hotel bed, flipping through the channels, while he was in the bathroom showering and getting ready to go out. Bella resolved herself to the fact that she was once again being hunted, but was not going to give up her entire life. She didn't want to be a vampire anymore and wanted the chance to live her life to the fullest, however long or short that ended up being.
Jacob came out of the bathroom, with a cloud of steam. Bella chuckled, but gazed adoringly at him. He looked pretty damn good in his jeans and button up shirt. She was used to his uniform jean cutoffs and bare feet. It was a nice change to see him so dressed up. She climbed across the bed, and stood up. She almost felt underdressed in her jeans and blouse.
"Ready?" she asked him.
"Always," he answered, reaching out for her hand and pulling her out the door.
They met the others outside and decided to all ride in the same car. Jacob drove and insisted Bella sit up front so she wouldn't be squished in the backseat. She grumbled stating it hardly seemed fair that the big guys would be squished instead.
He started the car, and reached over grabbing her hand, rubbing his thumb softly over the back of her hand. They both relaxed from the touch of the other. Bella gave him directions to The Bar and they were on their way.
When they pulled up, Bella got out of the car, feeling like a movie star with her entourage. The people milling around the parking lot stared at the guys and watched them as they headed in to meet with up Bella's friends. They walked to the back and she smiled at Kathryn and Matt, having already sat at their favorite table and ordered a couple of plates of their usual chicken nachos.
They enjoyed the night talking about all kinds of things, like college, stories of Bella, and things that happened around campus. The guys were playing pool and Matt enjoyed discussing sports with them.
Bella noticed Jacob sitting on a stool by the wall and walked over to him. He moved his knees apart and pulled her between them and close to his body. He gently wrapped his arms around her waist, watched the pool games, and listened to the conversations going on around him. He rested his chin on her shoulder, debating whether or not he could get away with kissing her neck.
Bella blushed at the close way Jake was holding her. Her friends didn't really know what kind of friendship they had and she was worried what they were thinking. At the moment, she didn't really care, as she enjoyed the way his hands felt as his fingers traced slow arcs on her stomach from where they rested.
"So, Bella, how long have you and Jake known each other?" Kathryn asked, walking up with a huge grin on her face.
"Since we were babies," Jacob answered for her, smiling at Kathryn. "Our dads have been friends since they were kids."
"Cool. Do you have any brothers or sisters, Jake?" she asked.
"Two sisters. Twins, Rebecca and Rachel," he answered.
"No way! Matt and I are twins, but we don't really advertise it. Get too many dumb questions, like, 'are you identical?'" they laughed together at this.
"Of course, they obviously know nothing about reproduction if they think an egg can split and make a boy and a girl," she finished, smiling widely at him, as he chuckled at one of the standard questions people asked.
"Well, my sisters are identical in looks, but nothing else. They couldn't be more different. My sister, Rachel, lives at home with my dad. She bosses him around so much, he has to beg to get out of the house to get away from her," he answered. "My dad is in a wheelchair, so he's at her mercy sometimes. He misses his pal, Charlie, and can't wait til these guys come back to the Olympic Peninsula."
"Come back? What? No! Bella can't leave here. She's my best friend. We're going to work together one day. Bella, the awesome writer, and me, the awesome editor," Kathryn pouted as her future plans dissolved in front of her.
"Hey, Kathryn, why don't you play a game with us?" Phoenix distracted her from Jacob and Bella.
Jacob nodded, thankfully, toward Phoenix and turned Bella around to face him. He looked down into her beautiful eyes adoringly, and tucked her hair behind her ear. She leaned into his hand without thinking about it. Jacob threw caution to the wind, leaned down and kissed her gently. He kept his eyes open watching her the entire time.