Chapter 2: Double Occupancy
Disclaimer. S. Meyer owns these Twilight characters.
Bella had just fallen asleep, when she heard something ping against the glass pane in the far wall. "Bells!" she heard from down below the window. "Bells! I'm coming up."
She went to the window, opening it as wide as possible. A few seconds later, a comet in the form of Jacob Black streaked into the room, landing with a soft thud. She sat on the edge of her bed, waiting for his inevitable explanation.
Jacob sat down next to her. He turned, reaching out one arm and placing it on her shoulder. "Yeah—I know—so what am I doin' here? Okay . . . so the thing is . . . I can't stand it, knowing that you're leaving tomorrow. I won't be able to sleep alone tonight. I had to come to be with you, so shove over, honey. I'm not leaving your side until you walk out that door."
Bella's eyebrows shot up clear into her hairline. "Are you crazy? What if Charlie finds you here and shoots you?"
"Then at least I'll die happy. Now get under the blankets, you're starting to shiver."
They both stood up and Bella pulled back the covers, sliding in between them. Jacob was right behind her snuggling up close to her back.
His arms were surrounding her shoulders, his lips at her ear. He whispered, "Don't worry, honey, I'm not looking for an encore of our close encounter of the last kind. I just want to be with you—feel you near me. Besides, you're still probably a little sore—actually a lot sore—and you need to sleep."
He hesitated for a second or two. "Bells . . ." he said softly. "Now that you've had time to think about it, you're not mad at me are you?"
"Why would I be mad?"
He sniffed the air. "Well, for one thing, you're still bleeding, aren't you?" he started feeling guilty again.
No sense in making the poor boy feel bad, "No, not really."
Jacob sat part way up, leaning on his elbow. "Liar . . . You know I can smell it right?"
Rolling towards him, she answered, "It's not like you can do anything about it. What's done is done. Look, it wasn't your fault."
"Wasn't it?" He cast his eyes down, sliding the sheets between his fingers.
He sighed. "Bells . . ."
"Yeah?"
He looked up and peered earnestly into her chocolate eyes. His wolf vision saw them clearly in the dark. "You wanna slap me or something?" He scrunched up his face in anticipation.
"Yeah—sure, like I can't remember what happened the last time I tried that."
"Oh, right. Let's see now . . . I've got it—you can pull my hair if you want to."
"And how is that supposed to make me feel any better?"
"It won't," he laughed quietly. "But it sure as hell will make me feel a whole lot better."
"I'm not doing that," she stated firmly. "Shh! Now go to sleep."
Jacob shifted in the bed, his head back on the pillow. "Don't be stupid. This is your opportunity to maim me. Besides, that little bald spot will remind me of you while you're away."
Bella let out an exasperated huff, and fisted his hair, pulling his face to hers. She strayed to his lips, leaving a sweet, but tantalizing kiss there.
Jacob closed his eyes and moaning, cautioned. "Jeez, Bells, don't get me started again. Have mercy."
"Okay, goodnight then; no more funny business." She turned away, rolling onto her side as he pushed close to her once again.
"Night, sweet dreams." He nuzzled the back of her neck.
Sweet dreams . . . Yeah, like that was gonna happen. It was very distracting, having him with her in that bed. "How can I sleep with your body so close to mine?"
"Good question! I don't know—pretend I'm Edward."
"Jacob Black, that was a really mean thing to say."
Jacob chuckled softly. "See, now you're mad at me. All thoughts of passion have been squashed and replaced with thoughts of bodily harm, so now you can get to sleep."
"Sometimes I wonder what I see in you," she groaned.
Jacob smiled even though he knew she wouldn't be able to see it. "It's not the seeing, but the feelings that count." He kissed her hair and caressed her shoulders.
Morning came and Bella was attempting to get out of bed—I say attempting because Jacob kept pulling her back against him. He maneuvered her around so that she was facing him now.
"Don't go yet," he whimpered. "You can stay with me a little longer, can't you? It's not time yet, is it?" He was feathering her arm with his fingers, making it so difficult.
Bella let out an elongated sigh. "Yes, it is. I have to get dressed."
Propping himself up on one elbow, he suddenly grinned impishly. "Can I watch?"
"Do you really think that's a good idea, considering I'm going to be leaving in an hour? It's going to torture you all the way to La Push."
His eyes danced merrily in his head. "I've been tortured many times; I can handle it."
"Well I can't torture you like that."
"Puh-leeze—I'm begging you. Just torture me, I can handle it."
"No—you're such a masochist, Jake. I'm changing in the bathroom, and for the love of Pete, don't stick a toe outside of this room.
Bella came back after changing her clothes. Jacob was still in bed, staring at her as she walked through the door. He got up when she started to move her luggage. "I've got it," he whispered.
He lifted them easily and placed them by the door.
"You need to go, Jake. Charlie will be up here any minute to take these out to the cruiser."
Jacob began moving to the opposite side of the room.
"What are you doing?"
"I told you, I'm not leaving 'til you go out that door. And I meant it. I'm hiding in the closet, just like any other secret lover."
"Okay, but don't come out unless I come to get you."
Bella bounded down the stairs, and returned with Charlie in tow, to help carry the luggage. As soon as he carted the last one off, she thrust her arm into the closet to get Jacob. She spent a little bit longer time in its confines, as Jacob apparently had other ideas. Instead of leaving, he pulled her inside, grasping her firmly about the waist. His cheek was instantly rubbing up against hers; his nose then rapidly moving on to her neck and throat. One thing led to another, and soon, they were swapping passionate kisses.
Good grief, they couldn't get enough of each other. How would they stand being apart for six whole weeks!
Charlie was outside beeping the horn. "C'mon, Bells!" he yelled. "It's time to go!"
Jacob was wearing that look—the one that meant—you're leaving me; I'm already alone and miserable and I don't know what to do without you—please hurry back.
She let out a long sigh, and gave him one more lingering goodbye kiss. She turned, and running down the stairs tried without success to contain her tears.
After she got outside, Bella looked up one last time at her bedroom window, and climbed into the cruiser. She caught a flash of black hair, and then Jacob stood framed in the casement gazing at her sadly for a few seconds. The cruiser pulled out of the driveway, and onto the street. They would be in Port Angeles in an hour.
The ride over to the airport was relatively quiet; after all, it was Charlie in the car with her. When they arrived at the departing gate, she didn't have to ask what he was thinking, as there were tears in his eyes. Big, tough Charlie Swan, reduced to tears by a five foot three, frail little brunette. It was actually endearing for Bella to see him like that.
He gave her a warm hug, kissed her cheek, and simply said, "Have a good time, sweetheart." There was a lump in his throat as he waved goodbye to her retreating figure.
The plane lifted off the runway, and Bella looked down at the ever shrinking terrain. Was she imagining things, or did she distinctly make out a russet wolf running along the ship's path at the edge of the trees?
She tried not to think about Jacob as she stepped off the plane. That was her mother, standing there at the gate so thrilled to see her daughter. She deserved her undivided attention, and Bella would do her best.
Renee squealed like a little girl as she spotted Bella. "Oh, sweetie," she yelped. "Give your mother a big hug. Oh, sweetie, I've missed you!"
"I'm glad to see you too, Mom."
Grabbing her daughter's arm, Renee practically dragged her through the airport in her haste to get the luggage and go.
It was non-stop chatter all the way to the Dwyer residence. "We've got some new neighbors since the last time you visited," Renee announced. They have a twenty year old son I'd like you to meet. He's very anxious to meet you too. I've told him all about you."
"Oh, Mom, you didn't. You know that Jake and I are a couple now."
Renee shook her head nonchalantly, and giggled. "It's not like you're married or anything. It might be fun to have a summer fling."
"For who?" Bella replied, exasperated.
"Oh, come on, you only live once. I know I'm your mother, but good lord, you need to loosen up, missy!"
"Mother!" She was shocked to hear her own mother talk like that.
Glancing at Bella, Renee snorted. "Don't give me that horrified look. I just think that maybe you should expand your horizons before settling down in Forks with the first guy who pays attention to you. There are plenty of fish in the sea, honey."
"I'm not settling, Mom. Jacob and I love each other. Why should I waste my time throwing out a net when I've already reeled in the catch of the day? I'm not interested in the other fish. They can go nibble on someone else's lure."
"Will it kill you to meet him? He's a sweetheart. His name is Derek Miller."
"All I'm asking is that you behave. You can act cordial, so be nice."
Okay, I'll be nice. It's not his fault that Mom is throwing me at him. The poor guy had been caught in Renee's sticky web.
Her mother pointed out the Dwyer residence as they drove down the street. There it is, sweetie. Isn't it beautiful?"
All the homes on the street were beautiful—gleaming white stucco with red tiled roofs in the Spanish tradition Wrought iron balconies faced out from the second stories, bouganvillea vines curling about the structures every which way. They were surrounded with lush greenery and palm trees. Washington was green, but this was a more vibrant green. It was sunkissed, yeah, that was it.
There was a guy running out of a house toward them. "Oh, look, there's Derek. He's coming to greet us."
Bella was surprised that her mom didn't jump out of the car clapping with joy.
Boy, he didn't waste any time, did he? Bella was annoyed already. She pushed her irritation at bay, and turned her lips up into some semblance of a smile. Ugh! This was going to be a loooong six weeks.