Story Title: Mystery Box
Disclaimer: Stephanie Meyer owns Twilight. I just use my imagination and Google.
A/N: Once again, the reminder that I do not know anything about Native American art or artifacts or studies, other than what's found on Google.
A/N: a hello to everyone who added me on author's alert! This is a pro-Jake, multi-chapter fic, so start on Chapter 1 and join us!
Thanks to Project Team Beta!
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CHAPTER 10: FINDING THE MUYBRIDGE INDIAN POTTERY
After Jacob imprinted on Molly, they still needed to continue the project.
Jacob became her master scheduler again. "We're scheduled to meet with Mrs. Greystone this afternoon. We can postpone it if you're not feeling up to it," he said carefully.
Molly smiled. "You are so incredibly considerate. I'll be fine. I'm here to do a job. I'll do it. This" – she waved her hand between the two of them – "will still be here. I heard Mrs. Greystone is quite old. She may not." They smiled, and found their footing again.
They walked to Mrs. Greystone's house. Mrs. Greystone was known for being a pack rat, so Jacob did not want to put this house high on the list, he wanted Molly to ease into the project, hopefully get some quick wins in easier homes before being weighed down by this warehouse of junk.
The Greystones had lived in the house for years and years. They did not have children, and Mrs. Greystone was surviving, celebrating 93 years of life. Her face was heavily lined like an apple sculpture. She kept her hair long, its gray locks were wrapped around her head. She had hearing aids, but only used them according to her own assessment if things were worth hearing. Since Mr. Greystone had passed away some 20 years ago, she rarely found things worth listening to.
The younger members of the tribe would come by every couple days to look out for her. Jacob and the pack would make sure that her gutters were cleaned, the path to her house was clear, and any house repairs were done. Payment would be in pies; Mrs. Greystone made the best pies.
As much as they would make house repairs, no one touched the numerous boxes that filled every room of the little house. Only part of the kitchen and half the living room was spared, but the bedrooms, hallway even, were floor-to-ceiling boxes… unlabeled boxes.
And that was where Molly and Jacob were headed after such an eventful twenty four hours.
"Mrs. Greystone, this is Molly. She's from University of Washington and is studying our artifacts."
Mrs. Greystone had a smile for Jacob, but stared at Molly. This girl didn't look Indian or White. Her hair wasn't Native, it was too curly, but her face didn't check a specific racial box, she could be a few different things. Molly confused Mrs. Greystone and Mrs. Greystone did not like to be confused. "Hello, Miss." The older woman said curtly.
Molly heard the resistance, but she felt that she was close to something… something that needed to be found. She hadn't felt this way since she found the box in the museum archives months ago. Molly smiled. She needed this woman to feel at ease. "Mrs. Greystone, thank you so much for taking the time to meet with us and opening your home to us," she said with genuine warmth.
Jacob took the lead. They sat down in the living room and had some tea. Jacob talked about local news. Mrs. Greystone missed the council meeting months ago, so she wasn't aware of what Molly was doing here. She was wondering if Molly was Jake's girlfriend when the girl opened up a portfolio and showed her some photos.
"Oh dear, that looks like my grandmother's blanket!"
Jacob and Molly exchanged looks. They leaned in closer. "Are you sure, Mrs. Greystone? Do you care to look a bit closer? Many of these blankets look similar," Molly spoke very carefully, suddenly very aware of every word, every movement from the old woman.
"Oh no, dear! I'm quite sure. See that pattern there?" She pointed to a slight irregularity in the blanket weave in the far corner. "That was Grandma! She told me her own mother scolded her so much when she did that! It was supposed to be a gift, that blanket, but that mistake kept the blanket in the house. But what are you doing with it? I haven't seen it since I was a child!"
Molly swallowed and spoke carefully, "Mrs. Greystone, this was found in the University of Washington's American Indian museum archives. Do you know if your grandmother or grandfather had any contact with the university or the museum?"
The older woman thought cautiously. Her brow furrowed. "Let me think, let me think…" her voice drifted.
"Or," Jacob added, "maybe they sold or gave some things away that may have ended up at the university?"
Mrs. Greystone's eyes brightened. She nodded warily. "Grandpa always threatened to sell some of the stuff when we were low on money. He was a pack rat too, we all were, but Grandma could never bear selling anything, even blankets with mistakes…" her voice faded into her memories.
Molly's hands trembled slightly as she reached for the most important photo she had in her portfolio. She placed it in front of the woman, who looked at it with widening eyes.
"Mrs. Greystone, do you know anything about this? This was found in the box with the blanket and other things."
Mrs. Greystone held the photo close to her face. She squinted. " I've heard of these…" She spoke while Jacob and Molly were holding their breath.
"What is it?"
"It's the legends. I had heard that there were tiny sculptures to help teach the legend to our people. This is our creation. Do you know the story?" the older woman asked the younger.
Molly spoke without answering the question directly: "Tell me."
The old woman started, "Long long ago, Q'waeti roamed the land, giving animals their traits, creating people and teaching them how to live.
"He gave the beaver his tail, gave the deer the reflex to look up when it hears sounds. The Hoh people were walking on their hands upside down until Q'waeti made them walk upright. He transformed the Makah people from dogs to men, and the Quileute from wolves to men. This is the transformation. It's the story of the origin of the Quileute." She laughed suddenly. "Q'waeti also told them that they could only have one wife, but the chief could have six or eight."
Molly gasped while Jacob laughed. Molly punched him in the arm and he pretended to be hurt. "Did Billy or your grandfather have more than one wife? Or are you planning to start that tradition here? Align with the polygamists?" joked Molly.
"No worries, Moll, you'd be wifey number one. Ouch!" Molly's arm hit its target again.
"I heard there were also sculptures of the Thunderbird and the Killer Whale, the trickster Raven, Dask'Iya…now we just tell the stories of the legends," Mrs. Greystone added.
"Are there…are there more of these? Do you have them?"
Mrs. Greystone laughed and waved to the numerous boxes. "Who knows what's in here? But I doubt it. If I had this, I would keep it special. So would my grandparents. So would my husband. It wouldn't be stuffed in a box, but here." She patted the shelf on her left by the armchair. "It would be on display here so everyone could see it and we could remind the children of the legends."
Molly's heart sank. She had felt she was so close to closing the mystery. Jacob gave her a sympathetic look. He genuinely seemed to share some of Molly's disappointment.
Molly showed Mrs. Greystone the rest of the photos from the mystery box. Mrs. Greystone nodded, but identified no other items other than the blanket. Nothing else was as memorable as the little wolf-man sculpture (maybe she should have named it, as Jacob suggested), but Molly had hoped that if the woman recognized the blanket, maybe she would have recognized something else from the mystery box.
Molly made a note to herself to ask the Elders if they knew about people selling artifacts for cash, and who would buy it.
After the photos, Mrs. Greystone waved her arm towards some of the boxes nearby. "You're welcome to start looking around. I won't mind. Just put things back where you found them."
Molly had been dreading this step. The house was needed an intervention from that clutter expert on HGTV. She was glad she was dressed extra casually in jeans, t-shirt and a hoodie. Her long curly hair was pulled back in a ponytail; she once saw a spider web hanging out of her tresses years ago and made sure it would not happened again.
She glanced at Jacob, wearing his usual jeans and t-shirt. How come he never got cold? She noticed (again) how well the t-shirt hung from his muscled chest, both emphasizing the broadness and hanging just right along his slim waist. He was smiling at her. It was different than his usual smart-alecky or just plain sexy smiles. It was warm and loving. He knew she was not looking forward to spending several hours (or days) going through dusty old boxes, weeding junk from treasure, carefully cataloging each item. But he would be there for her.
She gave him back a smile that said all that and more. Maybe imprinting wasn't so bad after all?
"Okay," Jake stood up. "Where do we start? Any ideas, U. Dub?"
U-Dub? That's a new nickname. She kind of liked it.
She looked at the boxes in the living room, then, after getting a nodding assent from Mrs. Greystone, walked to one of the storage rooms in the back. "I'd like to start back here, actually. Jacob, you don't need to stay. You probably have other things to do."
Jacob reached over and gave her hand a quick squeeze. He gently tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. "I think I'll hang out here for a bit." His words were more casual than his actions.
Molly got that warm fuzzy feeling again.
She surveyed the room. She was hoping that some supernatural force would be at work, to suddenly illuminate and levitate the box she was looking for. It didn't happen.
Three hours later, that was still not the case. Mrs. Greystone made them some sandwiches as snacks, and Molly was ready to call it a night. She had a long drive ahead, and wanted to start the drive sooner rather than later.
They had a system of checking off the boxes that they had already reviewed, setting aside a few items that might be of interest, Molly clicking her fingers over the keyboard keeping track of the items, the photos, of it all. They also spent the time chatting about everything and nothing. Favorite movies, childhood memories, pet peeves. They were learning and discovering each other, and finding that although different backgrounds and races and geographic origin and socio economic levels, they had common ground in beliefs, values, morals, worldviews, and some favorite ice cream flavors. They were dissimilar in enough ways to make things interesting, but their deeper similarities bridged the obvious differences in their resumes.
Molly smiled thinking how she knew Spencer for more than 14 months, but knew so much more about Jacob after only a quarter of the time.
"One more box and I gotta get some caffeine and drive home."
"Okay, boss. "
Molly went through the usual motions of examining the outside of the box for any clues (none), then opening it carefully. It was heavy (pottery?), and the objects inside were carefully wrapped. Molly unwrapped the first item and paused.
It was pottery, with artwork done in a primitive style, showing a man fishing in a boat. And as she slowly spun the pot around, it was like a film of the fish being pulled into the boat.
"Jacob…" Her hands were trembling slightly and her voice jagged.
"Holy crap! It's like the one in the book."
Molly pulled out a snapshot she had taken from the Muybridge-style pottery book Dr. Wilson had shown them at their first meeting, and stared at the two. "It's the same artist, or the school of. Looks like the same period. Look at the borders, almost identical. It's amazing."
Jacob leapt up to find the owner. "Mrs. Greystone, can you come over here? We have something we'd like to show you."
He gently led the older woman by the hand as Molly stood up and held out the pottery. Mrs. Greystone's eyes widened. "Well, look at that! Where ever did you find it?"
"In this box. Does it look familiar at all?"
"No, not at all. I would remember that. I'd keep that in the front room too. It's beautiful. I've never seen anything like it! It's like a motion picture" She gently spun the pot in her hand. "Are there more?"
Molly went back to the box and started unwrapping. "Oh my God! There are four more!"
In addition to the fisherman, there was a hunting scene, with some hunters chasing and killing a deer; the flight of the Thunderbird; men rowing in a long canoe; and the Raven placing the sun in the sky.
"Interesting, it's a mixture of legends and real life." Molly was entranced.
Molly grabbed her camera phone, took photos of each from every angle with a ruler for measurement, and emailed the photos to Dr. Wilson. She wasn't sure if he checked his work email on Sundays, but she wanted him to know immediately.
The response came in three minutes: "We're meeting 8am tomorrow morning. Bring the pots. I'm clearing my schedule for the next three hours." Dr. Wilson did not bother with salutations or greetings.
It was the first level of validation Molly needed. It was the beginning of the realization how momentous this discovery was.
Jacob noticed that Molly was on the verge of hyperventilating and gave her a hug. She drew strength from his embrace. "Thank you so much, Jacob. Thank you for everything."
He gave her a quick kiss on the cheek "Good work, honey. You did it yourself. I just lifted a couple boxes," he joked.
Mrs. Greystone agreed to let Molly take the box with her. Molly wrote a receipt and emailed photos of the pottery to Jacob as well, so he could have a copy for the tribe. Jacob went and told the Elders, who immediately came to the house.
"My, my, my" said Billy. "I would not have believed it."
"Billy, I've already emailed photos to Dr. Wilson and he'd like to see the pottery tomorrow morning. Is it alright that I take these off the Rez? I'll make sure they're taken care of. You're welcome to join us, of course." Molly did not want to be presumptuous and just take artifacts that belonged to Mrs. Greystone and the tribe.
"Molly, I know they'll be in good hands," Billy smiled.
Jacob gave Molly a tight squeeze after loading the box carefully into the trunk of her car. "Call and tell me how it goes."
"Of course I will. You're a part of this too. You all are." They kissed.
"See you Saturday, love."
***
Jacob watched Molly drive away. He always watched her little Honda Civic drive around the curve into the trees. He always stood there and waved goodbye. But this time was different. It was the first time he had waved goodbye since he imprinted that morning. And it felt like hell. He wanted to run after her. He wanted to pull her into his arms and tell her how much her loved her, how much he needed her, that his life meant nothing if she wasn't a part of it. But he knew she wasn't ready to hear those words. He nearly scared her off this morning. He knew in his head that he needed to stay calm. He knew she would one day be ready, but not now. And he could not risk losing her for good.
The pain in his heart was strong. It was sharp. It wasn't the devastation he felt when Bella married the leech, but he hadn't felt heartache in a while. It was old, but familiar. He lightly kicked some rocks out of his way as he slowly walked into the house. Billy was waiting for him with compassionate eyes.
"It happened, didn't it, Son." It was more a statement of fact than a question.
Jacob threw himself on the couch and ran his fingers through his shoulder length hair. "Yeah, Dad. She's the one. I kind of had a feeling, but then, it just came over me. Just like how Quil and Sam said. It was as if she is the center of the world. I felt like heavy chains were pulling me to her. All I can think about is her. Molly. Molly Martin. I love her so much. I just want to be with her, to take care of her, to make sure she's happy and safe and loved." Jacob looked at his father, his eyes moist. He clenched his fists. "But I don't understand it. It's supposed to happen at first sight. Or first sight after phasing for the first time, like Kim and Jared. I've known Molly for months. And she doesn't feel the same way."
Before Billy could answer, Sam, Quil, Seth, Embry, Jared and Paul came in. The little living room was soon filled with long arms and legs stretched out on whatever surface they could find.
"Yo, Jake. We heard. It finally happened," Paul started the conversation as he threw his legs on the coffee table and scratched his stomach, making himself at home.
"Hell yeah! Dude! What the fuck? You've known her for months now. Are you sure?" Embry asked.
"What? Do you want me to phase so you can read my thoughts?" Jake answered.
"Don't do it! He just wants to see Molly naked!" Quil yelled.
Quil ducked from a well-thrown pillow being hurled at his face.
"I was just telling Dad that it makes no sense. I mean, one moment I'm thinking I really like her and I like to spend time with her and thinking about maybe we could do a long distance relationship thing, when bam! She's the center of my world. I have to be with her always. I want her in my life forever. It's weird shit." The other men nodded. "And now I'm feeling all queasy."
"That's how I feel when Claire's mom takes her away. My stomach's all tied up in knots. I just miss her," Quil spoke quietly.
Jared threw a pillow at Quil. They would run out of ammunition soon. "Pussies!" he yelled.
"Hey, you got it easy with Kim! She's your age, she was right there waiting for you! You don't have complications," Quil whined. No one spoke about Sam's imprint complication; no one needed to.
"No one's imprinted since Leah did seven years ago. And most of us stopped phasing over three years ago. Why the imprint now? And why on someone you already know? It's weird shit. Jacob, you have fucked with tradition!" Embry stated, leaning against the doorway as he looked for some chips.
"Yeah, man. Must be the gods heard you fuckin' dissin' this imprinting shit all these years; payback's a bitch, my brother," Paul said in his white rapper voice that he knew annoyed Jake.
"Could be worse! He could have imprinted on some evil old troll! A male evil old troll!" Jared laughed.
"Where the hell is something I can throw at your ugly face, Jared?" A shoe then bounced off the wall next to Jared's head.
"You're lucky your reflexes haven't gone with the phasing."
Quil moved to sit next to Jacob. "Brother, don't be all doom and gloom! You imprinted, finally. You don't have to worry about that anymore. No longer fearing that you'll imprint on some anonymous stranger and have no control. It's kind of like you had no control, but you imprinted on someone who's your friend, your fuck buddy, from my guess—" Jacob scowled—"I mean, seriously, if you had your choice of who you could imprint—other than Angelina Jolie—who would it be? Seriously? It's Molly, isn't it?"
Sam had been quiet but he suddenly spoke. His voice was deep and authorative, his Alpha voice. "Quil is right. It's against the traditions; it's unlike all the other imprints-" he didn't talk about how 'different' Quil's imprint was. Everyone knew that. "--But you're the one who hates imprints. You're the one who wanted choice. It's like whatever causes the imprint let you choose."
"But Molly's not into me! I'm afraid I'll scare her off!" Jacob replied, afraid he might sound too soft. He did.
"God, you sound like a girl! What is this, a Lifetime original movie? You are Jacob Black! You are super stud! You are the hottest bachelor in La Push and Forks. You've got girls eating out of your hand! You already know Molly. You guys are already good friends. You talk nearly every day, right?" Jacob nodded discretely, he never 'fessed up to his brothers how often he and Molly talked. "She likes you. She thinks you're hot and she likes spending time with you. When this project is over, you guys will have time. She's running around like crazy now. Hell, she has an eight-hour round trip drive every weekend. That is nuts! And she's not complaining. Maybe you need to start traveling to Seattle some weekends. Embry and Quil can watch the shop. But there's no rush." Seth ended his soliloquy.
When did his friends become wise? Potty mouthed, but wise?
Jacob was feeling better, but he had pent up energy to release. Years ago, he would just phase and go for a run, but they stopped phasing a few years ago, when they realized that the Cullens really were not coming back, and no vampires came through the area. They didn't want any more boys phasing. But he was feeling so intense; he really wanted to turn into an animal and just run as a wolf, for the second time in a day.
He felt Sam staring at him. "Wanna go for a walk?" Sam asked. Jacob stared. Did he know?
"Let me change into sweats," Jake answered. Sam nodded. He understood.
"Girls, thanks for this little talk. We'll be doing hair braiding and polishing our nails next." Jacob got off the couch and started herding them towards the exit, everyone except Sam. Quil or Embry was a better friend, but he wanted to talk to Sam at that moment. If anyone would phase, it should be the Alphas. He was concerned there might be weird repercussions for the others since they had not phased in years.
Once the other men left, Sam looked at Jacob and nodded. Sam was already wearing cutoffs, so Jacob went to change into some sweats. Jacob looked at Billy. He seemed to know they were up to something. "We're gonna go for a run, Dad. Be back soon."
"Be safe, Son." From the tone of Billy's voice, Jacob knew that Billy knew they would phase.
Jacob and Sam didn't need to talk. They would be in each other's heads soon. They both started running towards the forest. Once they were far enough away from any possible witnesses, Jacob felt his wolf form burst out of himself, just like the little sculpture Molly found. He looked and saw that Sam had phased as well. He started hearing Sam's thoughts.
Show me the imprint, Sam thought.
Jacob showed Sam what was going through his mind just before and the moment of the imprint. It made him feel bittersweet, happy that he found the love of his life, but a bit sad because he didn't know if she loved him.
Jacob could feel Sam agreeing that he really had imprinted. Did you doubt me? Jacob thought.
No, it's just so …different. It's not love at first sight.
But you agree that it's definitely an imprint.
Yes.
So what's your problem?
I mean, maybe it all makes sense. The imprint is your best mate. Maybe she's the best mate for you. And since she's an outsider, it took a while.
That makes no sense. Luke is an outsider and Leah imprinted on him first sight.
Sam was trying to figure that one out when Jacob started thinking about his night with Molly. Her hair, her eyes, her breasts… he forgot that Sam was still in his mind and quickly clamped down and thought about some cars he needed to work on at the shop Monday.
Wait, Jacob! called Sam.
Sam, there is no fucking way I am going to show you Molly and me screwing.
No, wait, afterwards. You phased? You went for a run and phased?
Yeah, I just felt like I had to phase.
When was the last time you phased?
I dunno. A year? Maybe longer?
I mean, you haven't phased since you met Molly. Until now? Until today.
Yeah. Hey…do you think that's why? That's why I imprinted today? It did happen the first time I saw her after I phased. Maybe because I hadn't phased in so long, the imprint didn't happen when I first saw Molly, but waited until I phased again?
Maybe. Who the hell understands this stuff? Taha Aki? He's not here to tell us. And I don't think it's worth going on a spirit quest. It just feels right, doesn't it? That's the impression I'm getting from you.
Their thoughts were quiet, just mulling over the possibilities, absorbing the images and emotions.
Want to just run for a while? Sam asked.
Yep.
They ran. They ran the old patrol route, back in the days of vampires and monsters.
Are you ever going to tell Molly about phasing?
Only if I have to. That's the rules, right?
You wrote the rules.
They were quiet again for a while. Jacob had no idea how Molly would react if/when she found out the truth. Hopefully only if. Hopefully she would fall in love with him; they'd get married, build a house near Billy's and raise some kids; some sons who would never turn into wolves. For whom the legends would only be legends. And they could grow old together. Not be immortal. Have real lives. Have the mutual love that Molly talked about in the diner months ago.
More silence. Sam and Jacob were in a rhythm. They found their footing again and it was as if they hadn't stopped phasing. They rushed through the trees, the branches whizzing by their ears. Their senses were sharpened. They smelled the deer, the fox, the owl. Jacob felt one with the wolf.
After a while, they slowed.
Time to go back?
Yep.
Thanks for the run. I needed it.
No problem.
Jacob went home and threw himself on the couch. What a day! The last 24 hours totally changed his world, and Molly's. They finally made love. They talked and agreed to a pseudo relationship. He found out that she broke up with Spencer and she was crazy about him. They found the Muybridge pottery. And he imprinted. He imprinted. Jacob Black imprinted. He imprinted on Molly Martin, a California born PhD student. Would Taha Aki have guessed the descendent of chiefs would imprint on this mixed race Californian PhD student who had a natural business mind coupled with a love of artifacts?
Could she settle down here? Could she live on the Rez? It certainly wasn't the life she was used to, it wasn't Berkeley or Seattle or Ithaca, with their universities and coffee shops and vibrant nightlife and diversity. La Push was a village in a desolate area of Washington state. Could she have a life here?
"Son, stop worrying." Billy's words interrupted Jacob's thoughts. Jacob sat up, startled.
"What do you think I'm doing?"
"Worrying. You're worrying about Molly. Don't. I'm old enough to know a few things, and I know that girl is crazy about you, and she'll come around." Billy wheeled himself closer to Jacob. "Get off the couch! We have to tell Sue and Old Quil what you and Molly found today! This is gonna be big -- might put La Push on the map! And the best part, none of the pottery has werewolves on them!" Billy chucked loudly.
Jacob ended his pity party, got off the couch, and went with his father to inform the Elders of the artistic discovery. And Jacob was looking forward to his nightly call with Molly on Monday, not only to get an update on her meeting with Doctor Wilson, but just to be close to her, even via phone lines. She was his imprint and he needed her. But he could wait. He had to.
***
A/N:
1) Please review! Reviewers get teasers of the next chapter!
2) Links to Quileute legends on my profile page.
3) DILF contest voting started; ends 10/11. There are 5 votes available, I have a humorous Carlisle X Esme first date fic there. Please read it and vote!
4) Can I just say how smart Mystery Box reviewers are! I'm really impressed; I got lots of feedback that Jake was acting a bit OOC with the imprint. Yes, he'll pay for that, but you all are so smart for noticing!
5) I'm hopped up on cold medicine and coffee, so I apologize if anything is screwy.
6) I started a Harry Potter fanfic kick. I'm into Hermoine (x Harry, or x Cedric), so if you have any recs, please send them. (Yes, I choose to live in a world where Cedric Diggory lives, Hermoine gets romantic with Harry, and Jacob Black imprints on a human of his own age. Yes, the sky is blue in my world, too.)