Title: You Found Me
Full Summary: Edward Masen has lived the life of a nomadic vampire, travelling with James and Victoria since he awoke as an immortal. His ability to read minds has had the unusual side effect of making him a vampire with a conscience. Despite the ridicule from his coven mates, he's confident he's making the best of his existence and doing what's morally right... until he stumbles upon a brown-eyed girl reading in a meadow in Forks. As he attempts to befriend her and learns more about the sleepy town of Forks, Edward finds there's a lot more to being a vampire than he ever thought possible.
Pairings: Canon
Rating: M, for language and future sexing.
Chapter: Seventeen; Playful
POV: Bella
AN: Nothing too radical this chapter, but we're moving forward, slowly. Thanks to everyone who made it possible. Especially a big thanks to everyone who took the time to offer their opinions last chapter :)
A reviewer mentioned this story had been recced on livejournal, so whoever was responsible for that, thank you :) It thrills me to no end that someone thinks this story is worth sharing :)
On with the story…
xx
I stretched languidly, opening my eyes slowly. They felt heavy. I fought to open then against the lingering rays of the setting sun that streaked through the window. Orange and red swirled across the backs of my eyelids. When I finally managed to force open one eye completely, I was met with warm butterscotch.
"Morning sunshine," Edward greeted affectionately. "How did you sleep? You were out for a couple of hours…"
I barely heard the question. "What's wrong with your eyes?" I mumbled groggily.
The drugs must have hit me harder than I'd realized for my thought processes to be so slow. After so many trips to the ER, I was surprised I wasn't immune to the drowsy effect of pain pills.
It was then I remembered why I'd taken pain medication in the first place. I'd broken my arm. Edward had come to my rescue. Dr. Cullen had patched me up and plied me with drugs. I'd told Edward I knew he was a vampire. Then he'd kissed me. Talk about an action packed hour. I was glad the drugs hadn't knocked the last memory right out of me. I planned on keeping that one for a long time.
"What do you mean?" Edward asked, a grin a mile wide stretched across his perfect features. With the setting sun forming a halo of golden light around him, he looked positively angelic. It was next to impossible to remember he was hard-wired to kill me when he looked like that.
"Are you wearing contacts?" I asked when my brain finally caught up with the present. Not that I was any less confused than before.
"No. You know I don't wear glasses. I have no need for contacts."
"That's not what I meant… I meant colour contacts. The colour of your eyes is different."
"Different how? My eyes have always been amber," he stated somberly, a pout replacing his smile. "You've never noticed what colour my eyes are?" He raised an eyebrow teasingly so I knew he wasn't really upset. "I would never, never forget the exact shade of brown your eyes are. In fact, I've pinpointed the exact shade: umber."
"Umber," I repeated stupidly, unsure what was going on. His eyes had been burgundy before. I was sure of it. Why would he lie about wearing contacts?
"Yes."
"Nice to know you've been paying attention," I said distractedly. "However, that doesn't explain why your eyes are... amber. They were burgundy before. In the meadow, sometimes I'd look at you, and they'd remind me of raspberries or red wine or something equally appetizing. Not that I drink much wine or like it for that matter, but…"
"You're rambling," he said gently, stopping me. "And I'm afraid I don't know what you're talking about. My eyes are amber. They always have been."
"But you… you're a vampire. Vampires have red-tinted eyes. They have burgundy eyes, like you did," I asserted, panic beginning to lace my tone. I wasn't sure why, but the thought that Edward wasn't a vampire was scaring me. I knew it should have been the other way around, but if that memory wasn't real, who knew what else I'd imagined? The meadow? Port Angeles? The kiss? I didn't want it all to be an elaborate figment of my imagination.
"A vampire?" Edward looked like I'd just accused him of being the boogeyman. "Bella, I think the medication Carlisle gave you has had some unfortunate side effects. Perhaps you're hallucinating."
"What, no!" I snapped, anger taking the place of terror. "I'm fine. You're a vampire."
"Bella..."
"No," I said firmly, not wanting to hear any more. "Just… no."
"Do you really think vampires exist?" He continued over my protests. "You must have had a very vivid dream and thought it was real…" His voice was soothing me and I hated it. He was wrong. He had to be.
My tear ducts stung, threatening to open the vaults. I stubbornly shut my eyes, willing them away.
"Did Carlisle give you anything? Maybe you're the one forgetting," I countered hopefully. "It was real. I know it was. You have to be a vampire. Please try to remember."
"Bella, I'm not sure I know what you're talking about."
His serious face convinced me he meant what he was saying. Devastation ripped through me.
"How could I have dreamed something that seemed so real?" I whispered, distraught. "I remember so many stupid little details…"
To my astonishment he burst out laughing, the melodic strains floating over my head, along with most of our conversation. I stared at him in puzzlement, wiping away a stray tear that had managed to escape. I didn't see the humour in this at all.
"This is funny why?" I retorted, still irritated that my world had been turned on its side.
"I'm sorry. I can't believe I convinced you that you imagined it all..."
I glared at him when the realization set in.
"You were joking?" I couldn't help the pleading note in my voice. It very thinly masked the anger. If he had the gall to attempt to make me think I was crazy, I might have to punch him in the face for playing such a mean joke.
"I'm sorry, but when you asked about my eyes…" he trailed off sheepishly.
I sighed in relief. That apology was all the confirmation I needed. "Not funny, Masen," I growled.
He had the decency to look remorseful, his kicked puppy expression melting my anger significantly.
"I'm sorry. I thought… nevermind. Please don't hit me," He held my hands firmly in his. "I'd prefer you not bruise your hands." I smiled in spite of myself because he thought so much like I did. Except, apparently, I possessed a sense of tact.
"When I thought about what happened yesterday… the idea of it not happening… it scared me," I admitted. "You're right, you deserve to be hit." The threat was empty and we both knew it.
"You would never hit me. Would it make you feel better if I asked Alice to hit me on your behalf?" he asked earnestly. I found it sweet that he was willing to take a blow to make me feel better, even if it wasn't by my hand.
"Actually, it might. But the better question is how would Alice fare any better than I would?"
Edward grinned widely. "Because she's a vampire, too. All of the Cullens are."
I took a moment to let that sink in. It didn't take as long as I expected. Like with Edward, I'd always known there was something different about the Cullens. Strange eye colour aside, many of the things I'd found strange about Edward, were the same things I found odd about the Cullens. Now it made sense. They were all the same. No wonder Jake had been worried about me. My life was crawling with vampires.
Though I was slightly less trusting of the Cullens than I was of Edward, they'd all had plenty of opportunity to kill me and never had so much as given me a scratch. In fact, Dr. Cullen had healed more than a few of them for me, my broken arm included. If Edward trusted the Cullens enough to bring me to them for help, I trusted them too. Deciding to trust the Cullens by proxy might have been naïve, but something told me it was right. I trusted Edward's judgment… for the most part. Well, I had until he'd pulled that stupid prank I still wasn't quite ready to forgive him for.
"They taught me how to change my eyes to a more normal, human colour," he explained, peering at me with wide eyes. "So, what do you think? Does gold suit me?"
It really did.
If I thought he'd been beautiful before, I was wrong. The heart-melting golden butterscotch paired with the identical highlights in his hair... well, it gave pretty a new definition.
I shrugged, pretending to be indifferent. After the stunt he'd pulled, apathy was the least he deserved.
"Eh. I liked the burgundy better. It was more unique. Now you could pass for any old random guy on the street. Change them back, please."
His face fell, and I immediately felt horrible. Clearly what Edward lacked tact, he made up for in restraint. There was no way I could hold out on him when he looked at me like that. Or maybe my sad face just wasn't as convincing as his.
"But I can't," his tone was despondent. "Burgundy eyes aren't worth the price they cost. They're the eyes of a killer, Bella. I don't want to be that anymore. For your sake, as well as my own."
I felt even worse. A teeny tiny smidgen of satisfaction that I'd paid him back for his mean prank crept in. I ignored it.
"You sure know how to lighten up a conversation," I said lightly. "I was just kidding – payback, you know? – I think your eyes are amazing no matter what colour they come in."
"They used to be green when I was a human," he admitted quietly. I tried for a moment to picture what he would have looked like as a human, complete with sparkling green eyes. Still beautiful, I decided.
I shrugged indifferently. "They could be a rainbow gradient for all I care. I might miss the burgundy a teeny bit but I think the gold is gorgeous."
His eyes lightened and I was struck for a moment at just how very, very pretty their new gold shade actually was. I might even prefer them to the burgundy, which always seemed to have a hint of darkness lurking beneath. These eyes were warm and… well, pretty, but still very Edward.
I must have muttered the word out loud, because Edward muttered something about not being pretty, reminding me that he preferred the word handsome. As if anyone called eyes handsome.
"So you're okay with gold?" he asked shyly. With his eyelashes fluttering bashfully like that, I couldn't disagree. I wondered why he seemed to care what I thought so much. They were his eyes, not mine.
"More than okay with it," I agreed. "So, tell me, for real this time, what happened? Why are your eyes gold now? You said the Cullens had something to do with it?"
"They did. You know that thing that makes vampires what they are?" he asked solemnly.
I nodded somberly. "Blood. You drink blood." The liquid diet he had mentioned repeatedly snapped into sense. Despite this realization – something that should terrify me – I knew Edward better than that. He had carried my bleeding body ten miles to the Cullen house to save my life. If he wanted me for my blood, he could have had it already.
I sat patiently, holding his hand, waiting for him to explain. He curled his fingers around mine, drawing strength from the small connection.
"Most vampires drink human blood. Until recently that was all I knew existed." His eyes fixed on mine, imploring me to understand. "I didn't know there was another way. The Cullens have taught themselves to subsist on animal blood. I'd never heard of such a thing before… it wasn't something I'd even considered as a possibility. Their diet changes the colour of their eyes. Earlier, while you were sleeping, they showed me how they hunt. Since I've adopted their lifestyle, my eyes have changed as well."
"The burgundy colour was because you had human blood in your system, but since you've switched to animal blood, it turned your eyes golden?" I clarified. He nodded. "So you're saying that until very recently you used to kill people in order to survive?"
I didn't like the thought of him killing people in order to survive but I was selfish. I'd rather have those nameless faceless people die and get to keep Edward. I knew that I sounded like a horribly immoral, infatuated teenager for thinking that. I shoved the unwanted reflection to the back of my mind.
He nodded again. "Yes. About two weeks ago I was involved in an… incident, which made me see that killing, no matter who I choose as victims, isn't right. I haven't been able to hunt humans since. I no longer wish to live that way. I was fortunate to come across the Cullens when I did. If not for their alternative lifestyle, I fear I may have done something rash. It would have killed me to hurt you or another innocent human, simply because I was too thirsty to control my instincts."
I nodded silently, sensing he had more to say. I didn't want to interrupt his confession.
When he did continue, his voice was small and hesitant. "Please know, had I known before today that there was another option, I never would have done what I did. I've tried to live with discretion, picking victims that lived on the edges of society. Murderers, rapists, abusers… always men, always guilty of some unmentionable crime. I've never killed a woman or a child."
"Edward," I asked gently, "are you expecting me to be mad at you? I'm not. You did what you had to do to survive. You lived the best way possible with the options you were given. Humans kill animals to survive without a second thought. You shouldn't feel guilty because you're on top of the food chain. That's part of the cycle of life."
"It's different and you know it. Humans think differently than animals do. Their thoughts are more complex. They value life in a way animals can't or don't have the capabilities to."
"Maybe animals think just the way we do and we're not aware of it because we tell ourselves otherwise? Does it matter, anyway? You've changed, now. That's what's important."
"Trust me, that's not the case. There is a marked difference between human and animal thoughts. Human thoughts are actually the most civilized, believe it or not. There are exceptions, of course, but as a rule. Vampire thoughts, though more complex, are very reliant on instinct, like animals' are."
"How would you know?" I asked suspiciously. There was something about the straightforward, matter-of-fact way he stated the differences that didn't sit right.
He looked down at our joined hands sheepishly.
"I can read thoughts."
For a moment I could have sworn my blood ran cold. That confession terrified me more than when Edward had admitted that he drank human blood. I might have to get my survival instincts checked. Apparently they had an unusual set of priorities.
I fought the urge to pull my hands away from him and cover my face in what would undoubtedly be a futile effort to shield my thoughts from him.
I scanned back over the past weeks, thinking of all the mortifying things I'd thought in his presence. All the things about him that had passed, unbidden, through my mind. He had to have known about my feelings for him for as long as I'd been feeling them. My cheeks burned bright.
"Do you – I mean, how…" I stuttered, unable to piece a sentence together in my humiliation.
Edward squeezed my hand encouragingly.
"Can all vampires read thoughts?" I managed finally.
"No. Only some vampires have special talents. Alice can see the future, for instance. Mine is the ability to read minds. You're different; your thoughts are completely silent. I can't read even the barest hint of feeling. Feelings are usually the easiest for me to read; they're the least complex."
I breathed a massive sigh of relief, thankful that my thoughts were still solely my own.
"Thank god for that. Is being unable to hear someone's mind uncommon?"
He looked chagrined. "Extremely. You're the only human I've ever come across that has had the ability to block me with any frequency. It's fascinating. Silence is an unheard of thing in my world. There are always thoughts buzzing somewhere."
A twinge of doubt filled the place my mortification had resided. Was that the only reason he liked me?
"Is that why you like being around me? Because you aren't constantly being barraged with my annoying thoughts?" I asked, unsure if I really wanted to know the answer.
He shook his head vigorously. "Of course not. You're beautiful and intelligent and so many other amazing things… your silent mind wouldn't even make the list of the top ten things I like about you. I often wish I could read your mind. I want to know what goes on in that head of yours. You don't behave like I've come to expect humans to. Not knowing why you act the way you do… it's very frustrating."
"I'm sure you're not missing much," I countered doubtfully. "I'm not really anything special. Aside from the fact I apparently lack any sort of self-preservation."
He grinned, playing with my fingers shyly. "A fact which has benefited me immensely. It's not often that people enjoy my presence. Men are threatened by me. Women are easier to be around than men but they're always so focused on my appearance. Around you, I feel almost normal. Not like a monster or a piece of meat."
I flushed, wondering what he might think of me if he knew how beautiful I really thought he was. Would he think I was like all the other women who fawned over him?
"You're anything but normal. You're better. You can read minds and run faster than the wind. That's pretty cool." I laughed, remembering speeding through the woods in Edward's arms. Normal was not a word to describe him.
"And lift a car above my head," he added jokingly. "Maybe a house. You forgot that one."
My eyes widened. "You have superhuman strength, too?"
He nodded. "And hearing," he added nonchalantly as though it wasn't a big deal.
"Is there anything you can't do better than the average person? I'm feeling a little inadequate, here."
"You do realize that I can do those things because I'm a vampire, don't you? No one considers that better. Horrible and unfortunate are more fitting adjectives. I'd much rather I was human. Of course, that would mean I would have never met you."
My brow scrunched. "Why not?"
"I would have been dead long before you were born, that's why." I gaped at him in surprise. Sure, I'd teased him about his antiquated speech, but I'd never really considered he was anything but the age he'd told me. Of course vampires were immortal. I felt stupid for not making the connection.
"How old are you really?"
He offered me a wry half-smile. "Seventeen."
"And you've been seventeen since…?"
"1918."
"Wow," I breathed, doing some quick mental math. "You're 104 years old! I guess this explains why you act like an old man sometimes," I teased.
He shot me a sarcastic look. I ignored it, curiosity outweighing the need to smooth over my joke.
"If you don't mind me asking… how did you become a vampire?"
"I don't mind," he said quietly. "I'll answer any questions you have. I think I owe you as much."
He paused a moment before answering seriously. "I was dying during the second wave of the Spanish Influenza when I was changed by a vampire named Victoria. She has never told me why she picked me, but she did. She's not my sister, as I told you – that's our cover story – though I've come to think of her as one. Since we look somewhat alike, it was an easy connection to make. She and her mate, James, have adopted me as a sibling for the past 87 years."
"James…" I repeated the familiar name, trying to place it. "Your brother-in-law? The one who you fought with? You wouldn't show me the bruises…"
He shrugged innocently. "Because I didn't have any. Vampire skin heals very quickly and it's much stronger and more durable than human skin. It's essentially the consistency of diamond. Only very few things are capable of damaging it. Sometimes James and I have disagreements but he's very rarely left me with actual injuries, just a bite mark or two."
"He bit you?" I asked, horrified. "But if he's family why would he do that?"
"Vampires aren't like humans, Bella. Fighting and killing come naturally to us. I've always been a tame example of my kind. Mind-reading has made me conscious of others' pain. I prefer to avoid inducing harm when possible. However, if several vampires are trapped in a room together, a fight is more likely to brew than not. That's why it's rare for more than two or three vampires to travel together. It takes a great effort to fight against our baser instincts. We're territorial and violent."
"But you're not," I insisted. "You've been nothing but sweet and kind to me… I know you won't hurt me. I don't think you could, even if you wanted to."
He smiled slightly. "I appreciate your faith in me. I hope I'll never prove it to be misplaced. I care about you more than you could possibly understand. As long as I'm alive, you'll be safe."
His eyes darkened protectively at that admission. My stomach fluttered nervously at the display of dedication. I desperately wanted to tell him that I felt the same way, but I knew the promise to protect him would be empty. He was stronger than me in every way. My protection would be meaningless.
"I think I have a pretty good idea about how much you care," I said, dancing nervously around bringing up the kiss. I didn't want him to apologize or demonstrate regret but I didn't want to avoid the topic either. That would be like pretending it never happened and I definitely didn't want that.
"I meant it," he whispered, kissing my hair gently and making me wonder if he could read my mind after all. "Best few minutes of my life."
"Mine, too." I beamed at him, wrapping my arms around his waist, so couldn't back away. I pressed my face into his chest, inhaling the sweet, soothing scent. The bulk of my cast made the movement awkward but I couldn't care less. I was thankful I could still bend my elbow, at least. The full arm cast I'd landed myself in when I was in the third grade had been much worse.
Conscious of every nerve ending in my body, I dragged my hands upwards, settling them around the base of his neck. The texture of his hair, soft but strangely durable, brushed against my fingers. I pressed them more solidly into his hair, dragging them along the nape of his neck. He shivered, a sound I could only describe as a purr vibrating against my cheek.
"Bella…"
I lifted my eyes to his, stunned by the degree of longing I found there. He wanted this as badly as I did. That look erased all my previous anger, if any had managed to survive the wide-eyed puppy dog look. All I wanted was to kiss him.
I waited for further permission, tilting my face towards his. He eagerly closed the distance between us, pressing his lips gently against mine. His arms wound around me, both of us clutching one another close.
It was just as perfect as the first time. So different than what I'd expected kissing to be like. So different from when I'd practice kissing a pillow as a preteen. So different than romance novels promised. His lips were cool and unyielding but so velvety soft, it was hard to believe he was essentially made of stone.
"I love kissing you," I told him.
"The feeling is mutual," he whispered back, pressing his forehead against my hair, digging his nose into the unruly sleep-mussed waves and placing several lingering kisses against my neck.
"Is it hard for you to be this close to me?" I asked, genuinely worried. He didn't seem pained, but I was pretty sure Edward was the type to suffer in silence.
"Sometimes. It was harder in the beginning." I nodded, remembering how, at first, we would sit several feet away from one another in the meadow. "Your scent is intoxicating to me – more potent than anything I've ever come across – but that temptation is overridden by my need to feel close to you."
"Is that why you pulled away, then? Last week, when I tried to kiss you?" I asked, starting to put together the missing pieces of the puzzle. After all that Edward had told me today, a lot of the larger gaps had been filled in. I was only missing a few scattered pieces here and there. As time went on, I was sure I'd be able to fill those in, too.
He shook his head. "Not exactly. I was quite certain I could handle it… but it felt dishonest to kiss you, when you didn't know who, or rather what, I was. I didn't want you to regret it later. Vampires don't take rejection very well," he explained, his tone falsely light. His eyes told a different story.
"Neither do humans," I deadpanned. "I thought for sure that you thought I was hideous or something. In Port Angeles, I'd was positive that you were hinting that you felt the same way I did… so took a chance, only to find out that it was all in my overactive imagination."
"Definitely not," he frowned. "Do you have any idea at all how desirable you are? In Port Angeles, I could hardly go a minute without the indecent thoughts of teenage boys regarding you like some kind of prize. It was torture." He pulled a pained face. I couldn't help but laugh.
"You've got to be kidding me. Me? Are you sure they weren't thinking about someone else?"
"I'd recognize your face anywhere, Bella," he said flatly. "It was most certainly you. You don't give credit where it's due. I'm incredibly fortunate that you chose me to share this with. I know it and so did those boys."
"It wasn't a choice," I disagreed. "I know that probably sounds totally lame, but it's true. Once you stumbled into my world, literally, there was no turning back."
He looked sheepish. "You remember that?"
"I might be self-deprecating, but my memory works just fine," I teased. "You fell twenty feet out of a tree. Pretty hard to forget that. How could I forget the first time I saw the most beautiful person I've ever seen in real life?"
He frowned petulantly. "Handsome."
"I don't really understand your hang up with the word beautiful. Or pretty. You're both, so you might as well accept it. The sooner the better."
He grumbled something about James that I couldn't make out.
"Ugh. From what you've told me about James, I don't think his opinion counts for much, honestly. He seems like a jerk."
"I don't want to talk about James," he mumbled kissing my neck again. Out of the blue, he tensed. Pressing me into the corner of the sofa, he situated himself in front of me like a guard dog.
"Edward? What's going on?"
He didn't reply. Loud voices followed by scuffling in the foyer of the Cullen home alerted me of the threat that Edward had apparently sensed. One of the Cullens was talking calmly to someone who sounded very agitated.
"Edward?" I tried again, still without a response.
His reply was rendered unnecessary when Jacob, flanked by Sam and three of the others, burst into the room. Relief replaced wild urgency when his eyes landed on me.
Alice and Jasper flew into the room on their heels. "I'm so sorry, Edward," Alice apologized. "We tried to explain but they insisted on seeing her for themselves..."
"Fuck, Bella! Thank God you're alive," Jacob bellowed, charging towards me, only to be blocked by Edward.
"Don't touch her."
"She's my friend," Jacob returned icily. "I think I have the right to check if she's okay. We found her blood and your scent on one of the trails. Excuse us for being a little worried about her safety." He turned to me slightly hysterical. "Shit, what if you'd been killed? What would have we told Charlie?"
"Crap, my dad!" I groaned. Throughout this whole ordeal, I hadn't even thought about what I'd tell Charlie. It would be a little awkward to return home with a brand new cast and no prior explanation.
"Don't worry, Bella," Alice interjected calmly, from her place at the perimeter of the room. "Carlisle called your dad and let him know that you broke your arm hiking and that you're fine but planning to stay at my house overnight for a sleepover."
"A sleepover?" Jacob looked at me with wild eyes. "Are you kidding me? You can't stay here."
"Jacob, calm down," I pleaded. "Edward brought me here so Dr. Cullen could cast my arm." I held up the offending blue fiberglass. "See? I'm all patched up. I'm fine."
"So it appears," Sam nodded in agreement, though the discomfort didn't leave his eyes. "It looks like she's in perfectly good health, Jacob. We've done our duty and the Cullens haven't broken the treaty. We have no more business here."
"Haven't they?" Jacob sneered, glaring at Edward. "I'd say that one walked a pretty thin line. He may not have stepped foot on the reservation but he had to have known that land was as good as ours. He had no business being there."
Realizing that Edward wasn't going to make any attempt to defend himself, I did it for him.
"Would you rather I waited for you and the pack to come find me? It's been hours since I broke my arm," I snapped. "If you just realized I was missing now… well, I think I'd be as good as dead. You should be thanking Edward for saving me."
Jacob rolled his eyes. "People don't die from broken arms."
"They do if they've been stranded in the woods by their so-called friends and are bleeding profusely," Edward countered coldly. "If you'd hadn't abandoned her in the first place, this wouldn't be an issue."
"Was I talking to you?" Jacob growled, eyeing Edward distastefully. Jake turned his back on him, returning his eyes to me.
"We would have found you sooner but there were some complications. We couldn't go after… him," he paused to glare at Edward, "without Sam's permission, since he had ordered us not to previously. We had to go back to the reservation to find him. By the time we did…"
I returned his stare just as lethally. "As you can see, I'm fine. You can be on your way now, unless you'd like to yell at me or the person who saved my life some more? Or, here's a radical idea, you could calm down and talk to me like a rational human being."
"Bella… look, I'm sorry," he whined. "I was worried okay? When we found your blood and your truck abandoned… you have no idea how worried we were. I thought the worst."
He moved to step closer to me but was once again prevented from doing so by Edward, who stood from his seat in front of me on the couch, blocking Jacob from my view. "I've seen what can happen to innocent women when the Quileute get upset." His head tilted towards Sam who glanced at the carpet, remorseful. "Stay away from Bella until you've calmed down."
"Who the fuck do you think you are?" Jacob seethed. "Bella's been my friend since we wore diapers. You think you need to protect her from me? You're the one she needs to be afraid of. If only she knew what you really are–"
"Jacob," Sam stated harshly, silencing Jake mid-sentence, presumably because he was about to reveal something I wasn't supposed to know. Except, I did.
I sighed. "It's okay. I know. I figured it out when I broke my arm. Edward and the Cullens… they're the cold ones, from your legends. You don't need to worry, they won't hurt me. They're not like the legends say they are. They're different."
Sam exhaled loudly, his voice much calmer than Jacob's. "We know. That's why we've agreed to keep the peace with the yellow eyes. We see your Edward has made the change. Jacob knows, now that Edward is a yellow eyes, that he intends you no harm. But he's young and irrational." Jacob snorted at that description of himself. "Sometimes his emotions get the better of him."
"Right. Says the one who permanently disfigured his imprint," Jake muttered testily.
Sam smoothly rounded on him, his stance frigid but deadly. "Watch your mouth, Black. It's true, I was once young and inexperienced myself. I've done things I regret. I suggest you rein yourself in before you do something you'll regret. Nothing is amiss here. There's no use stirring up trouble where none exists."
He motioned to Embry, Jared and Paul, all of whom had followed the exchange mutely. Just as silently, they turned to follow Sam out of the room. Alice and Jasper followed them, quietly escorting them out of the Cullen house.
Only Jacob lingered behind, grinding his teeth anxiously. It was clear he was just barely holding onto his anger. He waited until the footsteps of his pack-mates faded, the front door slamming in their wake.
"Are you happy?" he asked finally, his tone more controlled than before. He spared a short penetrating glance in Edward's direction, before turning a softer stare in mine.
I shrugged, unsure how to respond.
"I'm not blind. I can see the way you're looking at the guy." He glared at Edward again. "I'll be the first to admit that I don't like it… but I want you to be happy. If he does that for you, I guess I can make peace with it. I won't promise to like him but I'll try to, you know, not kill him."
I rolled my eyes at the poor attempt at peacemaking. "I'd appreciate that. I don't want to fight with you anymore, but lately you've been difficult to get along with. I'm not asking you to like my other friends but I am asking that you accept that they're my friends. If I can make friends with a werewolf, surely making friends with a vampire can't be that much worse?"
"Yeah, if that's all it was…" Jacob muttered under his breath.
"What's that supposed to mean?"
Jacob sighed in irritation, his gaze darting between me and Edward. "Are you really going to make me say it? We both know it's not necessary. You smell like vampire and not just because you're in a house infested with them. Look, you're one of my best friends… I want to be sure you know what you're getting into. He hasn't forced you into doing anything you didn't want to?" The way he said it was almost hopeful, like being coerced was the more acceptable option.
"No, Jake."
"Okay, cool." It didn't sound like he thought it was cool at all, quite the opposite.
"You said you wanted me to be happy."
"I do," he agreed grudgingly.
"Well, I am. Please don't ruin it for me."
He sighed in a long-suffering way. "You know I wouldn't. Even if you do smell like the undead."
xx
Thank you to everyone who took the time to tell me the direction they were looking forward to seeing in this fic go, in the reviews for the last chapter. I feel more sure about where I want to take Edward and Bella on their journey now, so thanks for the input!
However there was one important point of dissonance: Nessie. Some have asked when she'll make an appearance, others have asked that she not be included under any circumstances. Unlike a lot of people, I have nothing against Nessie or the BD canon. I liked Edward and Bella as parents, but I'm not dead set on including a hybrid vampire baby. I know I'm not going to make everyone happy with this, so… I'm going to go with the majority. If you feel strongly one way or another about Edward and Bella being parents… let me know. I'll keep a tally until the point where an appearance of a baby one way or another would be necessary. Seems like the most fair way to decide the fate of Edward and Bella's kid in the face of some very opposing opinions.
A few people also expressed concern about a Jacob/Bella/Edward love triangle. Not in this story. Edward and Bella will have enough to deal with without Jacob butting in. This chapter contains the extent of Jacob's interference in Edward and Bella's relationship. He is her friend and will not pursue anything more, though he will continue to care about her and dislike Edward (purely on wolf principle, of course). He wants her to be happy and that means growing up a bit and putting her feelings first.