A/N - Yes I'm here! After spending almost 2 months sick and on various antibiotics I was finally well enough to think. So here it goes.
Life has never been simple for Embry Call. He grew up on the outskirts of a reservation that barely accepted him and most definitely did not accept his mother. His mother. Oh he loved his mother, but over the past year, she had become a large source of frustration for the young man. He wanted to be able to trust her, but she would not give him a simple truth: the name of his father. All he wanted to know was who had given him his heritage; was it a blessing? Curse? He wasn't really sure at this point. But she would not provide the answers that he sought and Embry was beyond frustrated with her.
If it weren't for the friendships of two boys from the two of the most respected families on the reservation, Embry is not sure where he would be. He was painfully shy, so much that he couldn't look other people in the eye. The bigger boys (and even some girls) had tried to bully Embry before, calling him names and teasing him about his lack of a father, but his friends were there to stand up for him and help him stand up for himself. Jacob and Quil were boisterous enough that Embry was comfortable in his role as their quiet friend. When Bella started hanging around Jacob's he was able to find himself a new friend who knew exactly how he felt. She was shy, introverted, grieving over a love that she felt was lost to her forever. He was a quiet presence that provided her with a subtle strength that she needed and a role he relished. Finally he was able to help someone.
Now he needed to draw on his absent friend's strength to help save the girl who had wormed his way into his heart as a friend… no a sister.
Embry watched Bella's breaths and made sure they were steady. He had been applying pressure to the cut on her head from where Edward had hit her, but it wasn't stopping and she wasn't waking up. He had no clue what to do.
He was debating whether to phase and get the rest of the pack or just pick her up and running through the forest when Jared appeared. Embry looked into the masked eyes of the brown wolf and told him what was happening to Bella. Have you ever seen a wolf look sad? Devastated? That's the expression on Jared's face as he sat back on his haunches and howled for his pack mates.
Embry was quick to explain to Jared that they needed to get to the hospital as quickly as they could. He picked up Bella and started jogging back towards the Cullen mansion. Jared took off ahead of him to determine if there was something there they could use to help her.
When Jared arrived at the mansion, he found it empty but for furniture covered in white sheets. He followed the scent the doctor had left there and made his way to his office. Bare, no medical supplies, no books, just a covered desk and chaise. He ran full tilt down the stairs and caught a whiff of gasoline. He quickly made his way through the bare kitchen and over to the separate 4 car garage where their salvation stood.
A car.
Of all the things they could have left, they left their freaking $50,000 Mercedes Benz. Jared hated them a little more at that point. Oh and look, keys. Stupid stupid vamps.
Just as he was backing the car out of the garage, Embry came through the tree line, almost stumbling at the sight of the sleek black machine. He shook his head and opened the rear door, quickly getting Bella and himself settled. Jared whipped the car around and took off as fast as he could towards Forks General, praying there was nothing wrong with their pack sister.
Jacob POV
If there's one thing that was good about the Cullens being gone it's that I didn't have to take my dad all the way to Port Angeles for his doctor appointments or to get his medication anymore. His old fashioned superstitions of that family forced him away from the quickest medical care and into a completely different town. But they're gone now, not that it did my best friend any good.
Oh Bella, I really wish I could see what was going on inside your brain. I just can't understand why you would be with someone like that. I mean apparently he was handsome (hey I'm a guy, I don't check other guys out) and rich and worldly, but are you really that type of person? Hell, if that's the case, I'm more screwed than I originally thought!
He and his family leaving left such a whole in her heart, one that I was hoping to heal and eventually fill. Who would blame me? Bella is one of a kind. She's beautiful, smart, funny, quiet, thoughtful, a killer cook, a little bit a danger magnet, and clumsy as hell. But in my book, she's about as perfect as they come. And I wanted her for my own. It was almost a physical need to protect her and make her happy.
From that first day when she set her boundaries to now, I had hoped that her feelings would grow, but I never seemed to be able to get out of the friend zone. I suppose I should be happy with being her friend, at least I get to see her, but it frustrates me. Especially after the bonfire the other night.
Why would she take a walk on the beach with Paul Lahote of all people? I mean he was a man-whore, he had a short temper, hell he hung out with Sam Uley and his gang of hall monitors on steroids! Could she really blame me for being upset? I'm sure she'll want to talk about it and we will when she comes down to take care of those bikes. I had already started to take them apart yesterday with Quil and I was anxious to get them going.
I shook thoughts of Bella from my head as I pulled up to tiny Forks General Hospital. I had to pick up dad's insulin from the pharmacy here, then drop of some fish fry at Charlie's. Hopefully Bella was home and we could maybe talk. Damn it! There she is again!
Just as I was crossing the parking lot to go inside, I heard the screeching of tires and saw a black vehicle come screeching around the corner and into the emergency room entrance. The car ground to halt and I watched almost entranced as Jared Cameron got out the driver's seat and Embry emerged from the back carrying something. No, some one. I would recognize that mane of dark hair anywhere!
"BELLA!"
I felt my body shaking as Jared turned his head towards me, eyes wide and shocked. He turned back to Embry for a moment and they seemed to have a silent conversation after which Embry took off through the emergency room doors and Jared started towards me. I couldn't seem to move. All I could see was a red haze and the image of Bella hanging limply in Embry's arms. I felt my breathing becoming heavy and deep, my body tensing and releasing so quickly I couldn't control it. Jared was almost on me now and I couldn't respond to his closeness the way I wanted to. I wanted to yell at him, ask him what the hell had happened to Bella, but the only thing that seemed to be coming out of my mouth was a low persistent growl.
"Jake, man, let's take a walk. I'll tell you what's going, let's just get you some where a little more... private." I heard his voice, but found it hard to move until he grabbed my arm and started dragging me into the forest. I resisted with all my might. I needed to get to Bella, make sure she was ok, rip her from Embry's arms and make her well. "What the fuck is going on?" I literally growled at Jared as I shook his hand off my arm. He gave me a calculating look.
"Oh, you know the usual. Bella was being clumsy and managed to injure herself. Thank the spirits Embry and I were there. Where were you? Playing with Quil? Little boys can't hang with the men?" His voice was full of ridicule and a touch of malice as he taunted me with images of Bella hanging out with those idiots. I felt my body vibrating so fast and my breathing was so deep and irregular. I couldn't process anything except that Bella was injured and I wasn't helping her.
Then there was an explosion.
It took me a full minute to realize the explosion was me.
What the fuck?! I tried to speak, but all I could hear was barking and yips. As I looked down I realized I was looking at fur, deep russet colored fur and paws. Paws? Then came the voices. Oh shit, I'm going nuts and hearing voices in my head.
BellaBellaBellaBellaBellaBella - that sounded like Paul Lahote? But that doesn't make sense.
Nothing about this makes sense, but I will try my best to explain it. What the fuck now Sam Uley?! Shit yup I'm going crazy. He chuckled deep and heavy.
No, not crazy Jacob, just joining up with the rest of us. He then began to explain about the legends, how there was truth in their words and how the Cullen's and several nomadic vampires had triggered the change within our tribe. He told me of our responsibilities and the workings of the pack including why I could hear him. I absorbed all the information, still anxious to get to the part of what happened with Bella.
When he got to the part about Bella's involvement with the vampires and how she knew about them all this time, I felt my rage explode to new heights. I mean, he was DEAD! How could she be with some one like that?! He then explained the effect the venom, smell, and dazzling of a vampire had on a human and how Bella really didn't have a chance in hell. Sam stopped there, but I knew there was more to come.
I let all this information process quietly, not really paying attention to the conversation Jared and Sam were having nor Paul's incessant repetition of Bella's name (will contemplate that later). I realized that some one needed to get to Charlie and get him to the hospital for Bella and the most obvious some one would be me since he knew me. I turned my thoughts towards Sam and asked him how to change back into human. I felt Sam's hesitation in wanting to explain it and witnessed various images of a him and a woman arguing and Sam phasing. My only thought was TOO CLOSE before I saw her hit the ground, a bloody mess.
You understand my hesitance in letting a brand new wolf go traipsing off to talk to a human. Jared, go to the police station or Charlie's house and get him. Jake I want you to stay put and calm down. You need to 'think human'.
Sam's words rang with truth and force and Jared took off. I could still hear Paul's litney of Bella's name and my concern for her were weighing heavily in my stomach.
Jake, concentrate on your human form. We'll talk about Paul later.
I sat back thinking about all the things I love about my human life: the sand in my toes, playing video games with my friends, the feel of grease between my fingers as I work on a bike, Bella's laugh and smile. I felt my body tremble and shrink upon it's self and suddenly I was laying on the ground in the middle of the forest. Naked. SHIT!
As soon as I realized I was naked, a pair of sweat pant cutoffs hit me in the head. I quickly pulled them on and turned to face Sam. "Sit down Jake, we still got a lot to talk about."
A/N - Well there you go, Jake phased. He kinda got away from me here but I have an idea of where I'm going with him. I think...I hope. Anyways, hope you enjoyed, I'm off to work on chapter 16!