Family
.
Before we went to Emily´s I had to go home and clean up. I looked like I´d been fighting with a bear in the forest. Jacob went to get the bike that we´d left on the side of the road. He came over later and drove me to Emily's. Of course Charlie didn´t mind that I was going somewhere with Jacob. Charlie adored Jacob and he was really happy that I seemed to be happy now.
When we got to the house there were lights shining through the window and you could hear many voices coming from inside. When I stepped out of the truck the scent of food hit me. No one could cook like Emily.
Looking at the little house I suddenly felt very at home. I really felt like I belonged here, this was a place where I could be myself. Jacob came up behind me and put his arms around my waist. We stood there for a second looking at the house.
"Shall we go inside?" he asked.
"Yes" I answered and we started walking towards the house. Jacob kept his arms around me and didn´t release me until we were inside.
"Hi you two." Embry called out, his mouth full of bread.
Emily looked disapprovingly at him. "Embry please wait ´til you´ve swallowed to talk."
"Pig" Quil commented.
"Hey guys" I said.
"Hi, Bella." Emily answered and came to give me a quick hug. Then she went to the stove to stir something. It smelled absolutely delicious. Jacob and I went to sit down at the table with the others.
"And what have you to been doing today?" Paul asked looking at my bandaged arm.
Jacob laughed and said. "Bella and I took the bikes out and she drove hers into a tree."
"Wow Bella you really have shity luck don't you" Jared laughed.
"Impressive." Paul said mockingly.
The others laughed too, except for Emily who asked. "Are you okay Bella?"
"I´m fine." I assured her. "Just a couple of stiches and a mild concussion. Jacob is the one you should worry about." He turned to me with a puzzled expression. I explained a little smug. "You see, I was winning over him. I can´t believe I´m better than him now." I laughed at his shocked expression and everyone else joined in. But then his face grew softer and he said with false offence, "Are you saying that you're better at riding motorcycles than me."
"That's exactly what I'm saying."
"Well then, rematch, soon."
"Sure, but you know I'll probably just beat you again."
"Really…" He started, but Emily interrupted him announcing that dinner was ready.
After that there was no real conversation. Everybody was too occupied with eating. How Emily could cook, she was a goddess in the kitchen and this was truly delicious. Jacob and his brothers always ate for three men each, so there were hardly ever any leftovers, as was the case today.
When everyone was done Emily got up to clear the table. I stood up to help her, but she just shook her head. "Sit down Bella. I've got it, you're the guest."
I smiled. " I really don't mind. And I'm hardly a guest; I'm here almost every day."
She smiled back at me." Yeah, I guess."
The boys sat talking at the table while we started the dishes. They didn't look like they'd given helping us a thought. Emily handed me a plate to dry while I listened to what they were saying.
"Maybe if we change the strategy a little we could ambush her…." Jacob's voice was low and urgent. I stopped listening. I knew exactly what they were talking about. Victoria.
I shuddered. Emily noticed and she gave me the same worried look that probably was on my face. Even though the guys were overly confident neither her nor I was. She also knew what it was like to worry for your loved one, to not know if he was coming back.
She looked at Sam with loving worried eyes and I at Jacob. How I wished that I could just make it go away, the worry and the cause for it, Victoria.
I was suddenly angry. What right did she have coming here putting worry into this house, my haven in a way. I just wanted to scream at her that she had no reason for doing all this; Edward was no longer my mate. He wouldn't care if I died. The thought made my chest ache and I bent forward my arms around me trying to hold myself together. Emily noticed. "Are you okay Bella?" Her voice worried. Jacob instantly looked up at me.
"Bella, what´s wrong?" his voice was panicked and he got up and walked over to me. I heard his sigh of comprehension as he recognized the way my arms were wrapped around me.
He pulled me into his arms and whispered in my ear low enough so that the others didn´t hear. "It´s okay Bella. I´m here, I love you and I´ll never leave." His words made all the difference. The pain let up and I felt a lot better. Soon it didn´t hurt at all. I relaxed and whispered. "Thank you."
The rest of the pack and Emily had seen our entire transaction. They looked at us with incredulous expressions. They didn´t know what Edward had meant to me and the damage it had done me when he´d left, how it still pained me.
Even though the wolves could hear each other's thoughts while in wolf form Jacob had been very careful not to think too much about me when he was running around as a wolf.
"Bella what was that?" Emily´s words brought me back to reality.
I looked apologetically at her. "Nothing. I´m fine, just scared."
The others took that as a good enough explanation and went back to their conversations. Jacob went to sit at the table but he kept his eyes on me. I smiled at Emily who looked doubtfully at me. Then I picked up a plate and started drying it again.
When the dishes were done Emily turned to me with a smug smile on her lips. I looked questioningly at her. Then she looked at Sam and he nodded. What was this? I gave her a frustrated look. Then she cleared her throat.
"Everyone can I have your attention please." Everybody turned their heads up to her. Sam came to stand by her side. He smiled at her with such love it was hard to look at them, and then he put his arms around her waist.
"So" Sam said. "We have some news."
Emily took a deep breath. "Well, we´ve set a date for the wedding. It´s quite soon, the 20th of June, 'cause I'd like to have the wedding before I start showing. You see, I´m pregnant."
I froze in shock. "Really, you´re pregnant?" I almost screamed of excitement.
She gave me a big smile and nodded.
"Congratulations." I said and threw my arms around her.
I heard chairs scraping against the floor as the boys came up to Sam to congratulate him too.
"Congrats Sam." I heard Jake say. When they were done with Sam they moved on to Emily. I released her and let the others hug her.
Wow. I couldn't believe it. Sam and Emily were getting married and having a kid. Wow. They were not that much older than me but they were already settling down.
Emily pulled me aside then and out on the porch.
"You weren't expecting that were you?" She said playfully.
"Definitely not. But that´s so great… Right?" I asked unsure.
"Yes it´s great." She smiled and put her hands on her stomach.
"So…" she said then and turned to lean over the porch rail and look out into the dark night. "I wanted to ask you something."
"What is it?" I asked. I could hear the boys from inside, laughing and joking.
She looked down at her feet. "Well, I was wondering if you'd be my maid of honor?"
I stared at her in horror. "What? No, you can't be serious. You know I don't like stuff like that." I could picture it. Me in a bridesmaid dress walking down the aisle tripping making a fool out of myself, ruining her wedding.
"Oh come on Bella." She begged, turning to face me. "You're my closest friend. Please?"
I shook my head. "You know there is nothing I wouldn't do for you. I could die for you, but be a bridesmaid. No way."
"Please Bella I would mean so much to me. Please?"
I looked into her pleading eyes. "Maybe." I said, caving.
"Please. It'll be a small wedding anyway, just friends and close family. Please…"
"Fine. I´ll do it."
I took a deep breath. "I mean, of course I'll do it Emily. You're my best friend and I'd love to be a part of your wedding."
I wouldn't think about it too much and it would be over soon.
"Perfect. Thank you Bella." She said and hugged me.
I hugged her back. "You're welcome. I can't believe this. You're getting married, and having a baby."
"Yes, I know. I don't think I've really grasped it yet, any of it." She said and moved her hands to her stomach.
"So how long have you been keeping this with from me." I said in false offence following her hands with my eyes.
"Well…" She said. "I just found out for sure yesterday, we've been trying a while though." He voice was filled with pure joy.
She was getting everything she ever wanted and I was so happy for her. Suddenly tears filled my eyes. And I threw my arms around her.
She chuckled in surprise and hugged me back. When she heard my soft sobbing she pulled away slightly and asked. "What's wrong Bella?" Her voice was concerned.
"Nothing." I answered drying the tears from my eyes. "I'm just so happy for you."
She laughed relieved and said. "You're a weird little girl, you now that right."
I laughed with her.
"Let's go inside" She said. "It's getting kinda chilly."
Inside everything was back to normal. The boys were sitting at the table talking. We joined them. I sat next to Jacob and he put his arms around me his attention still in the conversation, and Emily went to sit down next to Sam, he took her hand in his.
I sat there daydreaming, completely at home with where I was. Sitting at that table with Jacob´s warm arms around me listening to their voices as they spoke I forgot time completely. So when I looked at the clock I was shocked. I jumped up. It was one o'clock in the morning. And though Charlie liked Jacob I'm sure he didn't approve of me staying out that long on a school night.
"It's one o'clock. I have to get home." I said to Jacob. He seemed surprised too.
"Time flies huh? I'll drive you home."
We said goodbye to the guys and I hugged Emily goodbye promising that I would come tomorrow after school so we could start the wedding plans. When we got out to the truck, Sam came out the door.
"Jacob, can I talk to you for a second?" He said in a very serious tone.
I looked questioningly at Jacob he shrugged his shoulders and said. "Wait here I´ll be right back." Then he walked over to Sam.
I got into the truck and started the engine.
Jacob was back in just a few short minutes. He got into the passenger seat and said in a light tone. "Don't you think it sort of defeats the purpose of me driving you home if you're going to drive."
I ignored his attempt to distract me.
"What was that about?" I asked and nodded towards the house, where Sam was just walking through the door. Jacob looked at me with an indecisive expression.
"Nothing." He answered innocent. "Sam just asked me to be his best man that's all." I could tell he was hiding something from me, which was unusual for him. Normally he told me everything.
"Really?" I asked skeptical.
He knew I knew he was hiding something from me, he sighed and said. "I´ll tell you later okay? It´s nothing to worry about."
His tone was so serious that I didn´t push it. Instead I said. "Well I´m quite capable of driving myself home. I just like your company."
He seemed relieved that I´d let it go and said. "Well I like your company too Ms. Swan." Then he kissed me.
I was walking in the forest again. It was cold and dark, I recognized that I was dreaming and even though this was the exact nightmare I´d had so many times before, something felt different. I was wandering, searching compulsively but something was different, I couldn´t put my finger on it though.
Although it was dark, there was some light shining through the leaves high above my head. Must be a full moon, I thought to myself and I just wanted to get to a clearing so that I could see it. To confirm that it was in fact full moon out.
I kept wandering and, I felt it coming now, the emptiness that came when I realized there was nothing out there to find. No reason for searching. I prepared for it.
The trees were long and dark, leaning over me. Why didn´t it come, I almost wanted it to now. I just wanted to wake up. I kept walking, and as I pushed through some wet ferns I was suddenly in a little clearing staring straight at Emily's house. In front of it stood Jacob lounging against the porch rail, his face lit up by the moon that was round and beautiful. He came up to me and put his arms around me and then he kissed the top of my head. "You took a long time." He said. "Did you get lost?"
I heard someone speak then and realized that it was me. "Yeah, I got lost. But I´m home now."
I woke up with a start.
How weirdly the dream had taken a turn, from nightmare to home. I lay thinking about it a while. Jacob had been there, there was something to look for, and something left. I smiled to myself and turned to lie on my back. Then I realized I was not alone. Jacob was lying next to me snoring like… well a dog. I looked at his beautiful face. He looked so young when he was sleeping. Maybe that wasn´t so strange considering that he was actually two years younger than me. It was easy to forget that since he was physically about twenty-five. It was a wolf thing. Yeah there were a lot of those, wolf things, I didn´t even now half of it myself.
He was waking up now, I could tell because his snoring always got a little louder right before he woke up.
He opened his eyes a little dazed and yawned. I couldn´t help myself I leaned to him, my lips searching for his. He was surprised when our lips met but then he pulled me on top of him so I could kiss him easier. We lay there neither of us willing to let go of the other. Our kiss lasted very long but when he finally broke it I was breathless.
He chuckled a little out of breath himself. "Wow, that was some wakeup call. I think we should make it a tradition."
"Yeah me too." I said and gave him a quick kiss.
Then we heard something outside my door. I froze not sure what to expect. Then I heard Charlie's whisper. "Bella, are you awake?" he gave the door a light knock then he pulled down on the handle. He tried to open it but to my relief it was locked, something I never did. "Bella, why is your door locked?" he sounded agitated.
I pulled myself out of my shock and quickly replied. "Really is it locked I didn´t know. Wait just one second and I´ll come and open it for you." I scrambled out of bed and in my haste I caught my foot on my quilt and fell very loudly to the floor.
Charlie knocked again. "Bella what was that?"
"Nothing dad, I just tripped." I pulled Jacob from the bed, he was quietly laughing to himself. How could he laugh at this, Charlie would kill both him and me if he knew Jacob had spent the night here.
"Go hide." I said frustrated. He smiled and opened the door to my closet and closed it behind him.
"Bella." Charlie called. "You better open this door right now." I got to the door in that moment and threw it open. I put on my most innocent face and said. "What is it dad?"
He scanned my room with doubtful eyes. "Are you okay in here?"
"Yeah sure I´m fine, why do you ask?" my voice was high and out of breath.
"I heard a noise."
"Oh, dad I just tripped. You know how I am, clumsy clumsy." I laughed a high strange laugh. Wow, I really sucked at lying. It sounded so false.
Charlie looked skeptically at me and said. "Well I was just going to work and wanted to make sure you were up so that you wouldn´t miss school. I didn´t hear you come in last night."
"Well you know I was quite, didn´t want to wake you. I came home really early though… And school I will so be there, ready to learn stuff." Oh my god what was I saying, had I gone completely insane. No way, Charlie wouldn´t see through that. He looked at me probably thinking I´d gone crazy.
"You sure you're okay? You seem a bit off."
"No dad I´m completely fine, fit as a fiddle. Never been better, thanks for asking."
"Okay then, I´m off to work. See you when I get home." He voice was unsure, probably doubting my sanity.
"Yes I will be here. Bye now." I said and closed the door with a sigh.
I stood there leaning against the door until I heard the front door open and close and his car pull out. Then Jacob came out of the closet, that big infectious smile on his face.
He started laughing as soon as he walked forward and caught me in one of his bear hugs. I joined in.
Eventually are laughter faded and he let me go.
"Wow, Bella that was just, wow. You´d think you were hiding a body in here or something."
"I can´t help I´m a shitty liar."
"That's a bit of an understatement, don't you think?"
"Yeah." We laughed together again, until I looked at the clock standing on my nightstand.
Shit. "Jake I have to get ready for school."
He looked at the clock too. "And I really have to go. I have to relive the guys they´ve been on watch all night. I must have fallen asleep here when I took you home last night."
"Yeah, speaking of last night. Do you mind telling me what was up with Sam?"
His expression hardened. "You know I hate keeping things from you. I will tell you Bella there's just some things I need to figure out first. Okay?"
"Okay." I sighed. I knew he would tell me soon.
"I have to go now. I´ll see you after school, I´m meeting Mike there." He said. Then he gave me a quick kiss and went out the window.
"We have a door you know." I shouted to him, but he was already gone.
I stood there silent for a while, looking out the window to the place where he´d disappeared into the trees. Then I remembered that I was running late.
