Time was starting to fade for Jacob Black, waning and waxing in strides he no longer cared to measure. The woman he was in love with was dead. His daughter was lost to him. Cate's murderer was married to Bella. And he was doomed to a damned eternity. Lovely really.
He could no longer float.
He could no longer suffer.
He was senseless, emotionless, and cold. He knew time was passing, but it seemed to only push around him, straining further, unlimited by his still, dead existence. He was not moving, but his life was, with or without him, eternity was continuing to tick by.
Suddenly a thrill of painful lightening shot through him, his numb senses springing to life in a terrific jolt.
He opened his eyes.
A young woman stood before him with a water bucket, eyes lowered and calm. Her long gold hair fell in lazy ringlets around her beautiful, youthful human face. He stared at her blankly, certain he'd seen her somewhere before.
"What did you just do?" he croaked, feeling the ghost of bemusement at his froggy voice stir within him.
"Water bucket." She looked regretful, staringat her feet in shame.
He laughed, something he had been sure would never rise from his chest again.
"No, it's ok. That was…refreshing." He made an attempt at a grin that ended in a pained grimace.
"I'm sorry. I couldn't wake you," she apologized softly, handing him a large blanket.
"It's ok."
She smiled a little, handing him a bowl of soup. He was about to refuse before the smell wafted to his nose -- filling him with a vampire craving. Within a second it had disappeared down his throat.
"You haven't eaten in four days," she told him sheepishly, like it was her fault.
All he could think about was food. Maybe some bread? his stomach suggested. Jacob was thinking of asking for some when it hit him. The biggest desire he'd ever had. It pounded through him, filling him with a craving so overpowering he nearly doubled over.
"Do you make macaroni and cheese?" he managed to ask.
"I'm sure I can talk to the chef--" She began before caught his eye. "It'll be in in a minute."
He sighed, rolling over onto his back. "What's your name?" he asked when she reappeared with a steaming bowl of the thing he wanted most at the moment.
She hesitated. "Sara." She paused again, "I've been assigned to help Roxy and most importantly, you."
He nodded impatiently and dove into the bowl like a ravenous wolf.
He looked up from the meal for the first time after several minutes. "I assume you already know who I am--as everybody does around here." he grumbled, mouth full.
She struggled to keep a straight face, a smile pulling at the corners of her mouth.
"Wha?" he struggled to demand around the masses of pasta he'd managed to stuff in his mouth.
She burst into giggles.
He liked her laugh. He grinned at her, making a desperate, dangerous lurch from the seas of depression he was learning to labor through. He wanted to be happy – if only for a few minutes. He needed to be happy.
"Jacob," The voice sliced through the air, making him cringe.
Breanna glided over to him, placing her arm around his possessively. She glared at Sara so fiercely Jacob felt the need to protect his new friend.
He swallowed his food with an embarassing effort.
"What do you want Breanna?" he asked flatly after a moment. Sara had disappeared, Jacob noted as he glanced up. Jacob felt his high spirits leave with her, draining him back into the living dead state he'd plummeted into.
"You," Breanna answered lightly, but beneath it he felt a strong surge of energy. She was up to something.
"I checked on your daughter," Breanna said, watching his face carefully for any reaction. He whirled to face her, eyes searching hers witha wild passion for answers that he longed to have. She must have found what she was looking for, because her dazzling smile was real when she answered, "Ohh, very upset about your absence, as I always am."
He ignored her. "So she's alright?"
"Yes."
"He'll never hurt her, will he?" he asked after a long silence.
"No," she sighed impatiently, "he won't."
He felt the numbness wash back over him. Cate was okay. In his world- that was all that mattered at the end of the day.