A/N- Oh…hi…(cringes for slaps for being away so long) I have had….writer's block. Major. But…I am back now. For the summer, at least. Oh my goodness. I started this a year ago. Please don't be mad at me! I love you all dearly.
(Jacob P.O.V.)
"Just call if you need anything, alright? I have a feeling you might." I said. I ignored the looks I got from her father and Quil, and looked down into her eyes. Big mistake. My breath caught in my throat; her eyes were sparkling a deep brown, almost black. They were beautiful. Everything about her was. I regretfully looked away, holding back both the string of swears I had lined up for my horrible luck and from pulling her into my arms and never letting go. I knew it was best for her to leave, but letting her was killing me. There was an awkward pause. "…Okay..?" she said. Her voice made my heart fly up into my throat. I was turning into the lovesick idiot that I never wanted to be. She looked at me one last time, then smiled at everyone else. "I'll see y'all whenever, I guess." Quil muttered, "see you guys later," and then the three of them were gone.
As soon as the door was shut, I punched the wall beside it and fell to my knees. I never felt like that before.
"Jake, what's wrong?" Embry asked me, coming up behind me and putting his hand on my shoulder. I tensed.
"Damn it. Quil is going to kill me." I said. I got up and went to the couch. I heard the car back out of the driveway and it felt like my heart was pushing on my chest, trying to go with her. This is not how I wanted to end up.
"Jake…" Jared said. "What's going on?"
"What do you think is going on?" I snapped, my eyes glued to the spot where she stood, not three minutes earlier.
"Oh no. You didn't." Paul said. The looks on Jared and Embry's face told me that they got it, too.
"You imprinted on Quil's sister?" Jared finally said the words that were screaming in everyone else's head.
"Lucky bastard." Embry muttered. I shot him a dirty look.
"Dude, she's been here since last night. You've been fine the whole time. Like you said, we'd know if you did." Jared said.
"Well, you know now, dontcha?" I growled.
"But…"
"She wouldn't look me in the eyes until just now. She's been shy, she was always looking at the ground, or past me when she talked to me." I told them. It was quiet for a minute, and I took that time to collect my thoughts. This could not be happening. Embry interrupted me.
"What was it like?" he asked. That's funny. He wants me to explain it in words.
"It was like…figuring out the meaning for existing. Every other thing that was keeping me alive didn't matter anymore… it was… like…. all of the pieces inside me weren't where they were supposed to be. My heart was in my throat and my throat was in my stomach, my brain was a few feet next to me on the floor, the air I usually breathe went up to my head… it was better than the first time I ever ran as a wolf. Think about that." They were quiet again, most likely trying to wrap that around their heads. They were asking me to explain something even I didn't understand. Was I going to be like this forever? Would my friends, my family, and my life, just not matter to me anymore? I certainly hoped not. Because for every cell in my body that wanted her to be next to me right now, a small part of me was still thinking rationally. I wanted to still be…me. The rational part was almost completely overwhelmed by my need for Dallas. The need to know she was all right. That she was safe. I guess she was, now that she was going back home. But part of me wishes I could protect her myself. I could tell that this feeling wasn't going to shake. I hated it! And yet… I loved it.
I loved the feeling of needing to protect someone. She was mine to protect. I knew that now. Of course, I would need to share with Quil and his dad. And I could tell the other guys liked her too. I really hoped that this would get to be a normal feeling eventually. I mean, Sam and Emily don't seem all that bad… they have time to think about other things too. They look like any other couple… only… in this century, that kind of love is hard to come by. Sam… that's it.
"I'm going out." I announced.
"Where are you going?" Embry asked.
"I'm going to talk to Sam." Without another word, I was out the door and sprinting to Emily's, where I knew Sam would be.
"Sam!" I said as I burst in the door. I saw him sitting at the kitchen table with his head in his hands, looking worried. Emily had her hands on his shoulders, rubbing them gently. I instinctively backed slightly out the door. "Oh… sorry. I'll just…"
"No, Jacob, its okay, come in." Sam said. His voice sounded tired; he slept as much as any of us, and that was no more than an hour or so.
"You sure?"
"What's going on? Is everything alright?"
"Yeah, I think so. I just need to talk to you for a second, if that's okay. It's kind of important." I told him.
"Of course. Emily, love, I'll be right back. Jacob, if you want to talk in the living room…"
"Yeah." I followed Sam into the living room and sat on the couch. I put my head in my hands like I just saw him doing.
"What's going on?" he asked.
"I'm just going to come out and say it. I imprinted on Dallas, and I have no clue what to do." I said, looking up at him. He sat down next to me.
"Wow…dude…that is kind of important, isn't it?" He smiled a little sadly at me. He knew that these were not the circumstances anyone wanted, and yet he could still be one of the guys, just as much as Quil or Embry.
"Yeah."
"She's gone already, isn't she?" he asked. I gulped and nodded, staring at the carpet. "Tell me what happened."
I told him everything that happened, and when I finished, Sam sighed.
"It's going to be tough, while she's gone. I'm not going to lie. But you're right; it's best for her to stay away at this point. And she isn't here for us to explain it to her, which will also be hard. Hopefully this will all be over soon, so she can come back and everything can be sorted out." he said. He made it sound like…an order of business. This was my life he was talking about.
"How long does this…feeling of…I don't know how to explain it. It's like…she's all I think about. Will I ever be able to actually be with her like a normal couple? And have friends too? Will we fight, or will it be totally fake, sappy love?" I spilled out. I would ignore his insensitivity for now. He chuckled.
"Yes, it gets normal once both of you know, and you can be with her to take care of her, or know she's being taken care of. It was only like you are for me with Emily for a few days or so, and then it was as easy as breathing. My life went back to normal..well…as normal is it could. And I had my Emily. Trust me, Jacob. This is an asset, a great addition to your life, not a bad one. But please…control yourself around her. You never know what could happen." He finished solemnly. Sam blamed himself for what happened to Emily's face, though everyone else knew it wasn't his fault. There was no use in trying to convince him now.
"Thanks, Sam." I said, getting up. Sam stood up with me.
"No problem. I'm honored that I'm the first one you thought to come to with this." He grinned. I rolled my eyes.
"Get over yourself and go talk to Emily. I'll see you later." I said, jogging out the door and shouting 'see ya, Em!' over my shoulder.
My phone rang. It was one of those annoying, built in tones, blasting right in my ear. I had taken a nap when I got home, to clear my head. I couldn't tell what time it was, but it was getting dark outside. I took my phone off my nightstand and looked at the glowing blue screen. The only thing that was on the screen was the same name that had been running through my thoughts all day. Dallas. I slid my phone open to answer.
"Hello?" I said. My voice cracked from just waking up.
"Jacob! Its Dallas." For some reason, she sounded relieved. It was great to hear her voice, though.
"Dallas? Hey, how was your flight?" I asked her. She's got to be into me if she called me this soon.
"Jake, I'm in Denver right now, and I'm comin' back to La Push." She said. These were the words I was hoping for and dreading at the same time. I said what was the right thing to say, though my mind was screaming something else.
"What? No! Dallas, it's not safe. You gotta go home." I said, as strict as I could manage.
"I know, but I can't explain right now. All I can say is James is comin', but I don't know when. He said I'm gonna..." What? James? What was she talking about?
"James? Dallas, what are you talking about? When did you talk to James? You talked to James! Dallas, he's a vampire! You could've been killed! What the hell were you..." Was she crazy?
"Jake I know all that! You think I just started talkin' to him? I'm scared, okay/ Can you pick me up at the airport in Seattle at half past twelve?" She sounded like she was about to start crying. She was really scared...okay, Jake, nice job. You knew that. Of course you can go pick her up…but…that's right in the middle of the meeting. Come on Jake, priorities.
"Dallas, that's right in the middle of the meeting with the Cullens...I can't just..."
"Jake, please? I can't go back to Tennessee...I'll explain when I get there." She was begging with me now. Begging. Great.
"You're killing me, Dallas."
"I know." This was worse than a soft spot. I was a pile of mush. Overprotective mush.
"I'll never forgive myself for letting you back into this."
"I'll owe you forever." Already taken care of. But she doesn't know that yet.
"Damn right you will."
"I'll stay out of the way, I promise." I'll be with her.
"You're not seeing the outside of the reservation until this is over."
"I can live with that." So can I.
"Okay."
"Don't tell my dad or Quil I'm comin' back." They're gonna kill me.
"They're gonna kill me." he sighed.
"Me first." I won't let them.
"True."
"Jake?" Dallas.
"Hm?"
"Thank you." It's nothing.
"I'll see you in a couple hours, kiddo."
"Bye, Jake." "Bye, Dallas.
