Of Life and Death
Pairing : Edward/Jacob
Rating : R for now, might escalated
Disclaimer : All of it except the plot belongs to Stephanie Meyer, and I'm not her.
A.N. Due to a severe case of writer's block and procrastination, I present you with this short, filler chapter. Originally, I'm planning to add a little more but…well…I realized I haven't updated for about a month and will probably unable to for the next three weeks (Damn Exams) so…yeah…
For everybody who have reviewed, alerted and favorite this fic, THANK YOU SO MUCH. I'm very deeply, terribly sorry for the delay, but the updates will probably changed to once a month until I overcome the damn block and general laziness.
Enjoy…
Chapter 6 Felix
"Hiding again, boy?"
Jacob stiffened momentarily before realizing it was Felix's voice. He hit the broad-shouldered vampire angrily. "Don't scare me like that," he hissed.
Felix simply looked amused. "Honestly, Jake, you should stop avoiding your sire. Marcus had been very patient with you. If you're mine, I would have beaten you to the line." He paused as he saw Jacob blanched, "Though I suppose, it would only make it worse in your case."
"Just shut up!" Jacob snarled and stalked off angrily.
Not a minute later, Marcus showed up.
"He was here." The leader stated.
Felix nodded amiably, "He did, yes. If I knew you're coming, I would have held him here longer."
Marcus simply sighed, "Let him be. It's not like I would know how to deal with him if he's still that afraid of me."
"Well, you have a point there. Although even you had to admit this hide and seek game between you two is getting boring. Something got to give, Marcus. If he doesn't stop hiding from you, then you should stop looking for him."
"He's my childe." He stated.
"No one argue with you on that. But that's exactly why he's afraid of you."
Marcus simply left, not bothering to argue the matter anymore. Felix sighed as he remembered where exactly Jacob inherited his stubbornness and persistent nature from.
x~X~x
"You should stop sneaking off like that. Aro and Marcus were about to have an aneurysm, you know."
Jacob pouted. Honestly, he left for only two hours and they panicked, again. Overprotective old m- vampires, he amended.
"Jake, the fact that not even Demetri could track you is what really bothered them. If, when you left this place alone, we had no means to know your safety. You should at least ask someone to accompany you. I'm sure they would be calmer that way." Felix lectured. Honestly, sometimes he felt he's acting more like Jacob's sire than Marcus.
The half-breed's bottom lip began quivered. Uh-oh, that's never a good sign, Felix thought.
"But the others were always busy and if not, they always went to places of their own choices. I just want to take a walk in the park or buying food from street merchants, simple things like that. They never allowed me to!" Jacob said passionately, wildly gesturing with his hands.
Felix would've been amused, if not for the argument that had drifted out of the main room.
"Just stop it you two, that kid aren't a helpless fledgling. All your worries give me a headache!"
"We couldn't help it, Caius. He left Volterra alone, without anyone escorting him. We don't even know where he's going. Of course we are worried." Marcus growled.
Caius laughed humorlessly, "Honestly, what are you afraid of Marcus? Jacob is powerful, no vampire would hold up against him."
"What about the human? That boy is incredibly naive, Caius, who knows what those humans might trick him into." Aro joined in, backing Marcus up.
"He's a powerful half-breed, there's no way the humans would be able to subdue him. Just admit it, you two are scared of him leaving and not coming back." Caius said knowledgeably.
Silence. Thick, uncomfortable silence filled the room and the hallway.
"See what you've done to those three. They are fighting." Felix whispered, knowing the leaders wouldn't hear it from the room.
Jacob shrugged nonchalantly, "Caius always knew me best."
Felix narrowed his eyes, "He's also the one who could've careless of your well being."
"Well, as long as it didn't hinder my ability to serve the Volturi."
"So you know." Felix deadpanned.
"Of course I do. But he's still the one I'm most comfortable with. Marcus is just plain scary while Aro is a bit suffocating at times." Jacob admitted.
A pause.
"I don't have to go in there, do I?"
Felix snorted, "Of course you do."
"But..." Jacob bit his bottom lip, "Marcus' in there."
Felix sighed; he's so damned weak when it comes to the young half-breed. "C'mon, you can hide behind me if it became too much."
Jacob brightened at that, following the large vampire into the room.
x~X~x
"Marcus meant well."
Jacob was still cowering in the corner, sniffling pitifully. He hugged his knees with both hands, hiding his face in between.
"Jacob," Felix knelt so he was on the hybrid's eye-level, "You have to understand. It's not easy for him. You're the only one he even wanted to get close to after Didyme..."
"I know what happened, alright? Caius was insistent for me to know my heritage. Aro was too."
"So you should've..."
"But it's so hard! I know he loves me as a father and I know he wants me to be safe, wants the best for me. I know all of it. But every time I see him all I could remember is the pain he inflicted on me. And I know it have to be done, but still, Felix, the pain..." Jacob shuddered. "All I could remember of that time is the pain, consuming and endless. I felt like I'm going to die, hell, I practically beg for it. But he ignored my pleas and kept biting me, sucking my blood out, giving me more and more pain."
"Jacob..." The mountain-like vampire faltered.
Jacob continued on, "I know Aro and Caius were there too, but I didn't see them. They were just blurs in my memory compared to Marcus. His face kept haunting me, so persistent and determined while he's hurting me, over and over and over..."
"Jake, enough!" Felix shook the boy out of his reverie, not liking the way his eyes glazed over. He hugged the smaller vampire, trying to comfort him. "I'm sorry, so sorry Jake. I didn't know."
Jacob cried in Felix's embrace, sobbing so hard he almost choked on it. Felix closed his eyes, silently cursing Marcus for losing his patience, even just for a second. It was due to Caius' careless words that Marcus raised his hand against Jacob. The result was thoroughly devastating for all.
The half-breed ran out of the room, heading for his own and hiding in there. Marcus fell to his knees, immediately regretting his impulsive act and looking incredibly worn. Aro closed his eyes in despair, already sympathizing for both Marcus' sadness and Jacob's pain. Caius looked at Marcus disapprovingly; no matter how it seemed to the others, he also cared for the boy's feeling, though perhaps not as strongly.
Felix went to Jacob, knowing the boy would definitely need a calming presence. He tried to get Jacob see behind Marcus' action, but it was obvious now that was something the half-breed need to do on his own over time. Felix vowed to make Marcus see that he needed to give Jacob time and space to get over the fear.
TBC...