Disclaimer:(It isn't and never will be mine. If I had Hermione's time turner then maybe, but I don't think I could do that to Stephenie)

this chapter is dedicated to myself
it's my b-day
oh, and i promise to put up the next one by friday
i just have to fix it up and finish it
so yeah...enjoy :)

CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE

Show-and-Tell

"We need to get him some help", Embry pointed out. "He's loosing a lot of blood"

"Who do you expect us to call?", Seth questioned. Then Quil joined the conversation.

"Yeah, we can't exactly go to the hospital"

Jacob rounded the corner of the hallway with an armful of towels in his hands.

"We just need to stop the bleeding", he stated.

I watched as he pressed a yellow towel up against Sam's chest while he handed Quil a striped one.

"Put pressure on his shoulder. I think that's the worst one", he directed.

My eyes were caught up in the mayhem that was Jacob's living room. Leah and Billy were both watching with idle stares at what Jacob was doing. Quil was pushing down against Sam's shoulder to stop the bleeding. Embry was pacing back and forth along the kitchen. And Charlie was watching it all from afar. I think he knew not to ask questions.

Sam looked bad. Real bad. And if he couldn't go to the hospital then there really was only one other option. I knew I would get five pairs of hate filled eyes once I'd said it, but it was the only chance for Sam.

"He needs a doctor Jake"

"I know Bella, but we don't have one", he answered.

"Yes we do", I hinted. Jacob turned to me with amazed eyes.

"Can you really expect for us to let them treat Sam?", he accused.

This cut me deep the way he said this. It was as if he was using a two sided sward by rejected the Cullen's help. They were a part of me, therefore he was also rejecting something of myself.

"He can help us", I pleaded.

"No Bella", Jacob cautioned.

"Do it for Sam, Jacob", I pleaded further. I knew he would have to accept it then. There just was no other alternative.

"Bella", he pleaded. I could actually see the pain in his eyes. This was not going to be easy.

"It's the only way", I informed.

Jacob looked around the circle of people and took in what their faces were saying. Each one held a grim expression of loss. They knew just as much as I did that this would be Sam's only chance. Then he ran his eyes along Sam's injuries, his face contorted into something of desperation.

"Fine", he grunted.

And with that I was off to the phone.

…

We all sat with an anxious air as we waited for Carlisle to arrive. It had been twenty minutes since Sam was brought into the house. The towels were covered in blood and Jacob's face was getting paler by the second. It was clear that something wasn't right. Finally a flash of light passed by the windows and across our faces. Footsteps caught our ears and a quick knock at the door followed. I jumped from my seat and opened the door.

"Bella", Carlisle greeted. Then he scanned the room and caught sight of Billy and Charlie. "Mr. Black, Chief Swan", he nodded. Both nodded back to him. Leah walked up to him and snarled.

"Cut the pleasantries Cullen and do your job"

Jacob glared at her and stood up from the mess of bloody towels. He motioned for Carlisle to come over.

"Ignore her", Jacob informed. Leah huffed in annoyance and leaned against the couch.

Carlisle bent over beside Sam and scanned over his body. It was easy to see that he was ignoring the bruises and cuts, but instead was taking stock in the amount of blood on the towels.

"The damage is immense", he stated. "How did this happen?"

Everyone looked around at one another and then back at Charlie. Charlie didn't seem to notice. Jacob spoke up.

"It wasn't anyone like you that did it", he informed with strong eyes. That answer really only left one possibility for what had happened. Werewolves and vampires were the only candidates for such an attack. Not the local bears, like Charlie was probably thinking.

"I see", Carlisle nodded. "I'll need space. Do you have an extra room?"

Jacob nodded and motioned for the others to pick up Sam's unconscious body. Slowly they made their way to Jacob's room and positioned him on the bed. Carlisle placed his hand on Jacob's shoulder and masked a serious face.

"The rest can leave", he decided.

With that everyone but Jacob left the room and the door shut.

…

"How is it?", I asked Jacob. He had now been out of the room for a couple minutes to get some water and I could see that he was in a hurry.

"Not good", he whispered.

I pulled him into a hug and he wrapped his arms around me. I could feel him shaking. He looked over to the sink and noticed the water starting to seep over the bucket rim. I turned the tap and wrapped myself back up in him.

"Sam will be fine", he assured. "Your doctor is good with our kind"

"Yeah", I mumbled against his chest. He held me out at arms length and looked curiously at me.

"What's wrong Bella?"

I should have known that he wouldn't have thought I was so worked up over Sam. Deep down I knew that he was going to be okay. The thing that was bothering me was Jacob. I couldn't help it. Every time I looked at Sam and remembered the blood, all I could see was Jacob. My Jacob. I couldn't let that happen. There was no way that I was going to let anyone take him from me. Not like that.

A tear slid down my cheek and he stopped it with his thumb.

"It'll be okay Bella". He pushed my head under his chin and hugged me tighter. "I won't let anything happen to you"

I pushed back from his embrace and caught his expression. Did he actually thing I was worried about myself? Could he even think that?

"It's not me I'm worried about", I assured him.

"Then what's the problem?"

I went back into the hug and squeezed with all my might.

"It's you. I don't want to lose you. I can't", I mumbled with tears coming now at their full momentum. He shushed me and rocked me back and forth.

"Nothing is going to happen to me", he half smiled. "I won't leave you"

"Promise"

"Promise what?", he questioned.

"Promise me that you won't leave me". I looked him hard in the eyes. "That when I say no, that you won't go". He shook his head from side to side. Clearly he was in disagreement. Like I knew he would be.

"I have to fight"

"No. Promise me", I demanded. I didn't care if I was being selfish. I wasn't going to let what happened to Sam happen to him. Jacob was mine and I wasn't taking any chances.

"I can't promise you that Bella". He eyed the others in the room and frowned worriedly. "The others…", he hesitated. "…they need me. I'm all they've got now"

"Jacob!", Carlisle shouted from the other room. Jacob looked from me to the door and frowned.

"I have to go", he said as he pushed back my gripping arms and went into his room with the water bucket.

The water splashed to the side and a few drops landed on the kitchen floor. Instantly I felt numb inside. For a second I just stood there and watched his bedroom door. Hoping that maybe, there would be the slight chance that things could work out. That we could get out of this war, or whatever it was, unscathed. But then a feeling of desperation took over me and I knew. I knew that it wouldn't happen like that. Something was going to happen and it was going to be bad. Another second passed and I noticed that Charlie had been watching me from his spot in the living room. I could tell that he was worried for my sake. He didn't know much, but he could tell when something wasn't right. I wiped my cheeks with my sleeve and walked over to him and sat on the couch.

"You okay Bells?", he asked. I could tell that he didn't want to bud in, but it was becoming more obvious by the second that what was happening was a little more than a bear attack. And he knew it.

"I'm fine Dad", I assured. "It's just a bad day"

"I can see that", he added. "It's not too often that bears attack in these parts". Then he gave me a look of understanding. I could tell that he knew a lot more than what I had originally thought.

"Yeah, bears", I agreed.

A few minutes passed of empty silence. Normally it would have been nice, but today I just wasn't having it.

"I think I'm gonna go talk to Mike", I said. Charlie looked at me oddly.

"The Newton boy?", he asked. "What's he doing in La Push?"

I thought about telling him for a second. I really did. But then I realized that Mike probably didn't want the whole town knowing about his recent liking for running barefoot and without cloths through the local woods. That was one thing I would leave for him to decide on.

"He cut his hiking trip short and decided to hang around here for a while", I lied.

Charlie nodded his head in agreement and I got up off the couch and made my way to the garage. When I got inside I could see that Mike was no longer tied up. He was leaning against the workbench, pulling on a boot.

"Hey Swan", he smiled. "What brings you into my digs? Need a hammer?", he joked.

"No Mike. I just needed to get away". I looked him up and down. "When did they untie you?", I asked. He was now lacing up one of his boots.

"About the time they noticed I was kissing Seth", he laughed. I arched an eyebrow in question.

"Really?"

"Well sort of. Apparently they figure that if I imprinted on one of theirs, that I wouldn't be much of a threat". Then he flexed his arm and grinned. "I think I'm still pretty scary". I smiled back at him. I didn't think there would ever be a time that I would consider Mike Newton as scary. "I guess it makes sense", he continued. "I don't think I'll be fighting against you guys now. I mean now that you've got someone who's pants I'd like to get into on your side". Now his face was all grins. My mouth dropped.

"Mike!", I shrieked.

"What?", he defended. "It's not like I'm talking about you"

"Yeah", I laughed. "But this is Seth"

"Yeah", he grinned. "I thought it was a little odd at first. Once I was told about the whole imprinting thing I was for sure that it was going to be you". Then he turned his arm to where a bruise was very visible to see. "Or Leah, she made it pretty clear that she wanted it to be her". I laughed as he grimaced.

"She seemed pretty shocked about it too", I agreed. "I think that she figured you'd imprint on her too, you know because she did. But I guess it doesn't work like that", I smiled.

"She'll get over it"

"I don't know Mike", I warned. "She went through the same thing with Sam and it was pretty bad"

"How is the torture artist anyway", he grossed. Clearly he didn't hold any reservation for the pack leader. I guess I wouldn't either if I had been beaten repeatedly for answers that I didn't have.

"He'll be fine", I assured him. "But who decided on letting you go?", I asked.

"Sam", he grinned.

"But Sam's been unconscious for the past hour", I told him. "Who told you this?"

Just then the garage door opened and Seth walked in. His eyes widened and his mouth dropped.

"Oh shit", he whispered.

"Did you untie Mike?", I asked him.

"Listen Bella, don't get mad, but-"

"I'm not that one you have to worry about Seth", I interrupted him. "What about Jacob? And Sam, when he wakes up? What do you think they will do?"

"I don't know", he mumbled.

"This will only make it worse for Mike", I informed him. "They'll tie him back up"

"I just figured that we could use him to our advantage. He's on our side!"

I gave him a quizzical look and tried to bit back a smile.

"Did you imprint on him Seth?", I asked.

"No! God No!", he shrieked. Mike sulked against the workbench and frowned.

"Then what are you talking about?"

"I just figured that we could use as many wolves as we could get"

"So you want to use Mike because he's in love with you and won't fight against us?"

"Basically, yeah", he smiled.

"That's sick Seth", I commented.

"How's that sick!"

"You're using him!"

"Yeah!", Mike shouted with his finger pointing at Seth.

"Shut up Mike!", we both yelled. He frowned even further and continued to watch the conversation from a distance.

"It's just not right!", I yelled.

"We need the help!", he countered.

"Don't I have any say?!", Mike asked.

"No!", we both yelled again. A few seconds of silence passed.

"Jacob's going to kill you", I informed him. Seth scratched the back of his head.

"Yeah, I know", he agreed.

"So when are you going to tell the others?"

"Now, I guess", he frowned.

With that I grabbed Mikes arm and we followed Seth into the house. Once we got inside a shock came over everyone's faces. Jaws dropped and eyes widened. Except for Leah's, hers made a evil glare, that if the phrase 'looks could kill' actually existed, this was one of them.

"What is he doing in here?!", she shrieked. Following Leah's outburst, both Quil and Embry jumped from the floor and snarled.

"What the hell Bella?!", Quil shouted. Then I realized that I still had Mike's arm in my hand. I dropped it quickly. "Why isn't he tied up?"

"Well actually", I started.

"Actually it was me", Seth admitted. All eyes went to Seth at that moment. Then Jacob walked through his bedroom door and once he saw Mike he dropped the bundle of towels that were in his hands.

"Bella, Seth", he asked. "Why isn't Mike in the garage?"

At that moment everyone just looked around at one another and then back from us to Jacob. Apparently we should have thought of something to say before we decided to play 'show and tell'. Seth seemed to be shaking nervously at my side and as for Mike it was clear the he didn't know what to do. A silence took on the room that was both uncomfortable and intimidating. We had no explanation. Or at least not one that was sane.