Chapter 11: Saved

Jacob stood staring at the door for a good minute after Renesmee slammed it in his face. He heard the SUV they had driven up to the cabin roar to life, before leaving the driveway. He glanced worriedly out the window, feeling more irritated than anything. How could she possibly think that leaving was a good plan? She would never get far. The steep, winding driveway that led up to the cabin hadn't been plowed, and there had to be a solid two feet of show to the ground.

"She'll come back. Princess will see how much snow is on that hill….she'll be riiight back," he told himself, walking over to the kitchen counter. The minutes ticked by, and nothing. He kept peering out at the driveway, hoping to see the lights of the car, but saw nothing.

He knew he shouldn't have blown up like that; his temper was constantly getting the better of him, and from the looks of things, Renesmee had quite the temper, too. Actually, she was quite a brat compared to most girls he knew. Most of the girls he dated were low key, not too girly, and pretty laid back. Normally, his type was the exact opposite of Renesmee; he usually saw girls like her and high-tailed it in the other direction.

Yeah, but none of those other girls get you riled up like she does, he thought to himself with a smirk.

It was true... He was more attracted to Renesmee than he should be, but he couldn't help himself. Her girly clothes, long hair, and silly makeup routine every morning annoyed the crap out of him…however, it intrigued him, as well. Renesmee looked amazing in her rich-girl clothes and shimmery lip gloss and all that other crap. But…she also looked attractive when she shuffled down for breakfast each morning and demanded coffee.

Truth be told, she was gorgeous any way he saw her. And she also had him wrapped around her finger.

He wasn't sure if the kiss they shared on the couch had been her move or his. It was all a blur when he thought about it – a wonderful, unbelievable blur. He had thought about what it would be like to kiss her since he'd first laid eyes on her. However, she was the Chief's granddaughter – and also a Cullen. To say that he never thought the opportunity would exactly present itself was an understatement.

Girls like her didn't belong with guys like him.

But he couldn't help it. For a fleeting moment, he had given in and enjoyed kissing her, tasting her, touching her…a shiver rolled down his spine as he thought about it.

So why had he pushed her away and made her stop?

Peering out the window of the door, he watched as the breeze blew a mist of snow out of the branches around the house. He knew the answer to his own question, but he didn't want to hear it out loud.

He didn't feel like he was good enough.

Sure, he could have given in and kissed her back – maybe gone even further. But what after that? He had no idea how long they would be trapped up on the mountain, and he didn't want to risk his head getting all clouded up with thoughts of her. A girl like Renesmee would certainly make it hard to think – not that it already hadn't. He spent a great portion of his time thinking about her, watching her, obsessing over her.

Then there was also Charlie. He was supposed to be protecting her. The Chief had given him the responsibility of taking care of his granddaughter. He had been given a job to do, and he knew he had to do it. He couldn't let Charlie down.

And what if it had gone further? Would it have been just a fling for her? He couldn't imagine Renesmee going home and proudly announcing to her father that she was dating a lowly cop. People like her married guys who came from other rich families and who were doctors or lawyers. Certainly not cops from the local reservation.

Sighing, he turned around and leaned on the nearby kitchen counter, spying her empty glass from the night before. He'd known as soon as he'd halted their kiss that she would be pissed; he just hadn't known how upset he was going to make her.

(The Night Before)

Jacob stood up, noticing that it was unusually quiet in the kitchen where Renesmee was. She had been sitting on the floor behind the island, out of view with her can of Coke and bottle of Scotch. The open layout of the small cabin didn't work very well when you were trying to avoid someone; he was giving her a little bit of space in hopes that she would cool down. Every few minutes, he would hear the clinking noise of the bottle as she picked it up, took a sip, and set it back on the tile floor.

She's being awfully quiet, he thought, making his way into the kitchen.

"Oh great," he muttered, spying her. She was slumped over against the cabinets, an empty bottle of scotch in her hand. He would have been alarmed, but he knew for a fact that there was only about a quarter of the bottle left. She had consumed a lot, but no a dangerous amount. Just enough to make her pass out cold.

"Ness?" he asked, poking her with his foot.

She said nothing, her eyes shut and her breathing steady.

"You awake?" he asked, leaning down. He gently poked her arm, getting no response other than a faint little grunt.

"Well, you're alive, at least. Come on, let's get you to bed," he groaned, scooping her up. He carried her across the living room and up the stairs to the loft, gently placing her on the bed.

Renesmee groaned, but didn't move.

"Why the whole bottle? Am I really that bad that you had to drink all that nasty stuff?" he grumbled at her still form. He frowned down at her jeans, sighing. He didn't want to leave her in her tight pants; they didn't look comfortable in the least.

Walking over to her bag, he picked up a pair of bright pink sweatpants that looked comfortable. He pulled off her shoes and socks, cringing as he unbuttoned her jeans.

Don't be a creep, he told himself. You've seen girls in their underwear before. Don't look.

He pulled them down, doing his best to keep his eyes away from her sleeping form. He placed the sweatpants on her the best he could, avoiding touching anything he felt was off limits. When she was finally changed, he pulled back the covers and slipped her inside, tucking her in securely. He stood up with ever intention to leave, but for some reason…he couldn't. Heaving a sigh, he sat down on the bed beside her and watched her sleep.

"I wish you hadn't done that. You're gonna be hurting tomorrow, Ness", he said softly, brushing a piece of hair off her face.

Renesmee stirred, leaning into his palm. He sucked in a short breath at the contact, watching his hand as it touched her cheek. She was so warm and soft and utterly gorgeous, even the passed out hot mess that she currently was.

"Don't go," she mumbled, rolling onto her side.

"I'm not. Are you gonna live?"

"Oooooh yeah," she slurred, giving him a little laugh.

He could tell she was almost completely out, but he didn't want to leave her just yet.

"I'm sorry I hurt you, Renesmee. I didn't mean to," he whispered.

"Why don't you like me?" she slurred sleepily.

He sighed, realizing she was probably so drunk, she wouldn't remember any of this in the morning.

"Fuck it," he muttered. "I like you. I like you a lot. You make me crazy, but…you're great to talk to, and you make me laugh, and…you're really great. But you shouldn't get mixed up with a guy like me, Ness."

She smiled drunkenly, inhaling a deep breath.

"I like you, Jacob. I like you, too."

He nodded, glancing out the nearby window as it snowed even harder.

"I have to be on my A-game to protect you. I know I barely know you, but…I just feel so connected with you. I've never felt this way about a girl before – especially not someone I've known for just a few days. But you're amazing . You make me crazy, but I need a little of that in my life. I could get used to having you around," he admitted.

He looked down at Renesmee, a little embarrassed to have admitted all of that to her.

"Renesmee?" He reached down, shaking her gently. "Did you hear me?"

A soft snore pierced the air.

Jacob's shoulders slumped as he hung his head. She had passed out cold before hearing a word of his confession.

"You're a piece of work. You know that?" he asked. "But for some reason…I'm still crazy about you."

He came back to reality, sighing heavily. He wanted more than anything to give her what she wanted; it was, after all, what he wanted, as well. But he had to be realistic. Girls like her did not end up with guys like him.

"Maybe if I say it enough, I'll believe it," he muttered, glancing out the kitchen window. The driveway was still empty, with no sign of Renesmee. He knew she couldn't have gotten far; the snow was too deep to really go anywhere. He assumed she was in a ditch up the road, and he would have to go get her and dig the SUV out in the morning.

"Ridiculous woman," he growled, stomping over to the laundry room. He slipped into his thick snow pants, pulled on his boots, and found a hat and gloves. Before slipping on his coat, he added his gun belt, just in case, before walking out the door.

He made his way down the snow-packed drive, following the path the tires had made just minutes before. The wind violently whipped around him, making him shiver slightly as he made his way down the hill.

Then, he heard it.

A piercing scream echoed through the woods. He stopped in his tracks, his breath leaving his chest as he stood still, listening. Another scream ripped through the air, making him jump into a run.

"No…no…" he chanted to himself as he ran, his heart thumping in his ears. He slipped and slid thought the snowy land, twisting and turning down the hill. At each turn, his heart would anticipate what he would see and jump into his throat, making it harder and harder to breathe. But still nothing... Where could she be?

He came around another bend, sliding to a halt when he saw the SUV in the moonlight. It was sideways on the road, clearly stuck in the snow. A hooded figure was on the side, reaching through a jagged hole in the glass. Renesmee's scream echoed through the small opening, making Jacob's heart turn to ice.

He watched as the figure raised the bottom of a gun, cracking it against one of the side windows. It shattered as another scream rang out through the air.

"Drop the gun!" he bellowed, pulling out his own. "Police! Drop the gun Now!"

The hooded figure turned and spied him, taking aim with his own weapon. Jacob took a running leap behind a tree that stood beside the road, jumping as a gun went off.

Bang!

It hit the tree and echoed in the quiet forest, making his blood run cold.

"Jacob! It's James! Oh God…Jake!"

He heard Renesmee's desperate cries as he tried to get a game plan together. It was James, and he had a gun. Renesmee's time was limited.

"Fuck," he growled to himself, gripping the gun in his hand.

He lunged out from behind the tree, taking his shot. He knew Renesmee was still in the car, and that was enough. The shot rang out in the woods, as he hoped he had made his target. He heard James grunt as the bullet hit him somewhere. Jacob leaned out again, watching to see if it had wounded him badly enough. He took another shot, before running out from behind his cover toward the SUV.

He had to make sure she was okay.

Suddenly, another gun shot sounded. He felt something hit his bicep, making him grit his teeth and groan in pain. As he ran, he could see enough in the moonlight as James took off into the trees. By the time Jacob made it to the vehicle, the other man was long gone.

"Jacob!" Renesmee gasped, flinging the door open. She leaped out of the car, tackling him in a tight hug.

"Ow!" he protested, holding out his wounded arm.

Renesmee gasped, grabbing it and pulling it into the dim light of the car.

"You're bleeding!" she gasped.

"Ow ow ow…I know," he groaned, holding up his arm. "Come on, we have to get out of here. We'll look at this later. Let's go," he urged, jumping into the car. Renesmee followed, her face pale and drawn.

Two of the side windows had been busted open, and he knew they were both lucky to be alive. He settled into the driver's seat, doing his best to unlodge the stuck car from the deep snow.

"It's stuck. I couldn't…it won't go!" she wailed, looking around the exterior.

He groaned in pain, moving the gear shift again as he put it in reverse, finally able to get them out of the rut she had been stuck in. After a few tries, they were back on their way up the hill toward the cabin.

"We've got to get you inside," she said, looking at his coat. "He shot you! Argh, I want to kill him!"

"That makes two of us," Jacob said through clenched teeth. The gunshot wound on his arm was stinging like crazy; it felt like he had been stung by about a hundred bees, all in the same place on his arm. Blood seeped out of the wound, making his whole arm wet as a reminder that he had almost been killed. Glancing at Renesmee in the passenger seat, he realized they had both almost been killed.

"I'm so sorry," she said, wiping away her tears. "I could have…you…I'm just so sorry, Jacob."

"It's all right. We're both alive. Just…just let's get back inside."

As they made it back to the cabin, another coat of snow began to fall steadily to the ground. Jacob groaned as they walked inside, cursing the snow under his breath.

"Now I won't be able to track him and see where he's hiding. Where could he be?" he wondered, making his way to the kitchen table.

Renesmee helped him out of his coat, wincing as she saw the blood from his wound.

"Oh gross…oh…"

"You not good with blood?" he asked, wincing slightly.

He peeled off his long t-shirt, holding up his arm to inspect the wound. For a moment, he flashed back on the time the Charlie had been shot while protecting Jacob from the bullet meant for him. The day of the standoff was something he certainly didn't want to repeat. His upper bicep was way too close to his head for comfort. And yet, as he watched Renesmee hurry to grab a few towels to help him clean up, he found himself wondering if he would do it again.

A sobering thought crossed his mind; if it was Renesmee in danger again, then he would without a doubt.

"I…I don't know what to do, the bullet…" she babbled, pacing in front of him.

He glanced down at his arm, trying to think straight as the pain radiated through his body. He expected a bullet wound to just plain hurt; this stung.

"The bullet is still in there. We've got to get it out; otherwise, I'll keep bleeding," he said. "There's a first aid kit in the bathroom and a pair of tweezers we use for fishing line. Go get that, some matches, and rubbing alcohol. You're going to have to remove the bullet."

Renesmee's face turned pale, but she nodded and hurried off. After collecting all the items she needed, he rifled through the first aid kit and was quite relieved; it had everything they would need.

"Light a match. You're going to have to sterilize those," he said, trying not to let his voice shake.

She looked at the tweezers in her hand with wide eyes. "I'm really going to get that thing out of there?'

"Unless you want me to leave it. I could bleed more, and it could get infected. We have to get it out. Soon."

"I can't…oh God," Renesmee muttered, swallowing.

It was nearly an hour later, and she was fishing around in his arm using the newly disinfected tweezers. Jacob was wincing through the stabbing pain that was radiating up his arm as he gritted his teeth and bit the washcloth in his hand.

"I'm so sorry I'm so sorry…" she babbled, wincing as she jammed the tweezers farther into his arm.

Jacob sucked in a sharp breath, trying to maintain his manliness and not show that he was in extreme pain.

"It's all right…just glad…glad you're safe," he managed to spit out as he grinded his teeth.

She looked at him and winced, dabbing the wound on his arm with a piece of gauze.

"Jacob…I just want to say that…everything that's happened is my fault. I shouldn't have been at that club and…and…and I shouldn't have gotten Jessica into that mess…" she wailed, wiping her eyes.

He rolled his eyes and felt like a jackass for yelling at her in the first place.

"I'm…I'm sorry I yelled at you. You're…you're not at fault for this."

"Yeah, but I deserved to be yelled at. I was being stupid and…and just…a princess."

"Well, I know, but…" He trailed off, giving her a sympathetic look.

"You're the first person to tell me…"—she stopped, wiping her eyes on her shirt—"that I'm a brat and that I'm awful and close minded and…"

"It's okay…don't worry about it. You're here now, and I'm going to call the station first thing in the morning and we'll be fine. I have my gun and plenty of bullets. We'll be safe tonight."

"Really?" she sniffed.

"Really. It could…Renesmee, things could have gone so much worse tonight. But they didn't. We're both here, and we're alive, and…I think we should just put all this other crap behind us. I'm an asshole, and you're a spoiled brat. Can we just move past that?"

She looked a little surprised at first, but then she smiled through her bleary eyes and nodded. "Definitely."

"Okay," he said softly, gazing over at her. Even with teary eyes, flushed skin, and messy hair, she looked amazing.

She wiped her eyes again and sniffed, returning to her work of removing the bullet from his arm.

Suddenly, she jumped. "Oh! I think I got it."

"Hallelujah, now just get the fucker out," he cussed, biting his washcloth again.

She nodded, her face turning slightly green, before she pulled the tiny bullet out and dropped it in the bowl on the table.

"Good God…that thing felt like the Titanic…it looks like a flea," he groaned, wincing only slightly as she dabbed the wound again.

"It's a bullet, Jacob…it's going to hurt."

"Yeah, but…oh…all right, now…now we have to stitch it up."

"What!"

Oh, now you knew Jacob would save her. I'm not that cruel. Can you imagine my prissy, bratty Ness pulling a bullet out of his arm? lol. I hope you enjoyed this one! I have the next chapter all finished and waiting for finishing touches, so….um, if you'd like to review I'd be pretty motivated to get it posted tomorrow : )

If you don't have me on author alert, I posted another new Jake/Ness fic this past weekend. It's a short fic that I update like every other day - purely fluff, romance, fluff, and maybe some lemons. Okay yeah, lemons. Anywho, go read it in all it's cheesy glory - A Boyfriend For Christmas.

Please review!