Disclaimer:
Me: The voice in my head says that I don't own Twilight.
Edward: She never will.
Me: Way to burst my bubble, mind reader.
She was falling, falling far faster than she should have been. The ocean loomed below her, if she didn't slow down she was going to belly flop into it in less than three seconds. All of the sudden, she felt someone take hold of her hand. Jacob was staring at her, grinning from ear to ear. She grinned back at him as they hit the water.
It wasn't as bad as she would have thought. The water was cool against her skin as she watched Jacob swim farther down. Even when she was dreaming, he was fearless. She wanted to go after him, but was apprehensive about what she would find.
Against her better judgment, she followed him. She swam for what seemed like forever, before she finally felt the bottom. When had the water gotten so murky? It was red, and she could barely see through it. She was so focused on finding Jacob, that she hadn't noticed. Her fingers brushed against something sharp. She winced in pain as she pulled her finger to her face to try to surmise the damage.
Something pulled at her ankle, trying to get her attention. She made out the shape of a person, thinking that it was Jacob, she followed them to the surface. Her head broke through the water only to be engulfed in a raging storm. She looked to her right to see Edward pleading with her to follow him.
She followed him to shore, all the while searching the beach for Jacob. She let Edward pull her the rest of the way to shore, feeling the beginnings of fatigue settling in.
"Where is Jacob?" she asked, before turning in a circle.
"He is gone."
"He was just with me!" Bella said angrily.
"He can not save you now."
"Save me? From what?"
"From what is to come."
"Victoria is dead, Edward. The Volturi can be dealt with. There is nothing that can happen."
"Stupid, naive, human. When will you learn?"
"Learn what?"
"I will not let you go willingly." he said, staring at her.
It was then that she noticed his eyes. Gone were the warm, caring, golden eyes that she had come to associate with him. They were a red tinged, almost black color now. He was thirsty. And he was planning on killing her.
She turned before running that she had ever run in her life. He grabbed her by the arm, spinning her around. He sneered at her before leaning down to bury his face at her pulse point.
"He'll never want you now." Edward said with a laugh.
She screamed as she felt his teeth pierce her skin.
"Bella!" Jacob said from far away.
She tried to pull away, but Edward closed his hands around arms in a vice grip.
"Bella, wake up!" Jacob's voice was closer now.
"Bella, you have to wake up." That sounded like Sam Uley.
Bella gasped as her eyes flew open. Sure enough, Sam was standing over top of her. She heard someone move behind him. That must have been Jacob. Sam wrapped an arm around her waist to help her sit up. Her eyes met Jacob's as she let out a ragged sigh. He was leaning against the wall, supporting himself on crutches.
"It was just a dream."
"He was going to change me."
"Edward?" Sam asked, furrowing his eyebrows.
She nodded before shoving her hair out of her face. Jacob hobbled across the room on his crutches. Sam helped him sit down on the bed before standing up again.
"Why are you here?"
"Sam heard you screaming. We've been trying to wake you up for the past five minutes."
"I didn't start screaming until just before I woke up." she said, sounding confused.
"No. The first time you screamed was half an hour ago. I broke the speed limit three times trying to get to La Push and back here." Sam said with a laugh.
"Seeing as I'm not allowed to phase yet." Jacob said rolling his eyes.
"I'll give you two some privacy." Sam said before walking out the door.
"You shouldn't be out of bed."
"It was for a good reason." he said, brushing a hand down her arm.
"It was so real."
"You wanna tell me what happened?"
"I was falling, into the ocean. I was going faster than I should have. Then you came, and it was like everything went into slow mo. You dove down to the bottom of the ocean as soon as we hit the water. I went after you, but I couldn't find you. The water had turned murky, it was almost the color of blood before I had even realized it. Then Edward came, and I followed him back to the surface. We got into a fight on the beach because I still couldn't find you. That's when I noticed his eyes. He was thirsty, so I ran. He caught me, just as he bit me I heard you, then Sam. That's all I remember."
"He didn't say anything?"
"Just that you couldn't save me."
"From him?"
"From 'what was to come'." she said, using air quotes.
"I am going to protect you. Even if I have to kill every person that comes after you myself. Including him."
"I know you will." she said with a smile.
"God, I wish that I could hold you." he said with a sigh.
"How are you feeling?"
"Like I've been hit by a Mack truck."
"So much for our date tonight." she said with a laugh.
"It's going to happen. It just getting put on hold."
"You may not be able to hold me, but, your lip looks better this morning."
"It feels better." he said, catching on to what she was saying.
She turned so that she was facing him as he leaned in.
"Stay, I'll come closer." she said, putting a hand on his good shoulder to stop him.
She scooted closer, and she draped her arm over his shoulder. She was so close to him that she could feel his breath warming her face. He leaned into her touch as she brushed her fingers across his cheek. She slowly brushed her lips against his, feeling already like they were molded to fit hers. She had kissed others guys before Edward. But none of them felt as right as this. This was the reason that she was willing to throw away everything that she knew.
She was having to re-learn everything. This was the part that she liked best. Finding out what made the person tick, what they liked, what they disliked. Apparently, Jacob Black liked everything about her. Luckily, she liked everything about him, too.
She felt his tongue tease her bottom lip, and she opened her mouth, letting him in. No one could make her feel the way he did. Even when they had been friends, she had felt a gravitational pull towards him that she couldn't explain.
Jacob put a hand on her shoulder, letting her know that he wanted her to pull away. He let a shaky sigh before running his fingers through his hair.
"What's wrong?"
"I need to tell you something."
"What?"
"You know me better than anyone else. So, I'm just going to come right out and say what I have to say."
"Okay."
"I found my imprint."
"When?"
"Four months ago."
"And you're just telling me now?" she asked, raising her voice.
"Calm down." he said, squeezing her shoulder.
"I will not calm down. I just broke up with my fiancee so that I could start a relationship with you. And now you're telling me that you've imprinted? What the hell, Jake?" she said angrily.
Jacob couldn't hide his grin as he watched her react to what he had just told her. That was how he wanted her to react. Now, he could go in for the kill.
"It's you." he said, just above a whisper.
"What?" she asked, giving him a skeptical look.
"It happened the day in the meadow."
"When I first saw you in wolf form?"
"I didn't want to tell you then. I knew that you were still hurting. Then, you started getting better. And I was ready to tell you. Then you had to decide to be reckless and jump off a cliff. Which brought the Cullen's back. When you went back to Edward, my heart almost broke. It took everything I had not to kidnap you and never look back."
"You imprinted on me?" she asked, letting out a small laugh.
She threw her arms around his neck before crushing her lips to his. He let out a wince, making her pull back.
"I am so sorry!" she said with wide eyes.
"I'm collecting on that kiss when I am better." he said, before putting his forehead to hers.
"Now I understand everything."
"What do you mean?"
"When you explained imprinting to me, you told me that not only the wolf felt the pull, but the imprint did too."
"You've felt a gravitational pull towards me? And you didn't say anything?"
"I didn't know what was going on. I thought it was because we had always been close."
"I guess I can forgive you now. Seeing as you can't resist me." he said, giving her a cocky smile.
She smiled before resting her head on his good shoulder. He wrapped his good arm around her waist as he kissed her forehead. Nothing could ruin the moment that they had just experienced.
XXXX
Edward was reeling from what Alice had just told him. The Volturi would be coming back sooner than they thought. Somehow, they had found out that Bella had left him. And now they wanted to silence her, before she could do something to out them. He had to warn her.
"Edward, one of us can do that." Carlisle said, trying to reason with him.
"I'll take Jasper with me."
"They'll be fine, Carlisle. I can see it." Alice said from across the room.
"Jacob will not be there." Carlisle said, understanding what she meant.
"How soon are they coming, Alice?"
"I don't know. It could be a few days, a few weeks, possibly next year."
"They're dodging her. They know that Alice will warn us." Rosalie said, shaking her head.
"I'm going today. With, or without you, Jasper."
"We'll go now." Jasper said, looking towards Alice.
"She's alone." Alice said with a nod.
The two of them were outside of Bella's house less than a minute later. Edward knocked, knowing that Bella never would have forgiven him if he climbed through the window again. Bella pulled back the curtain to the window by the door, giving them a worried look.
She opened the door, just enough to stick her head out.
"May we come in?" Edward asked.
"Why?"
"We need to talk to you about something. It's important, Bella." Jasper said, throwing everything he had at her.
"Come inside. It must be important if Jasper is having to control my mood." she said just above a whisper.
"I wouldn't do it if it weren't necessary." he said smiling apologetically.
"Alice had a vision a little while ago."
"That involved me?"
"It involved the Volturi. They are coming back for you. This time, I don't think they'll just let you go. They have never given anyone a second chance. I wouldn't push your luck for a third." Edward said, shaking his head angrily.
"When are they coming?"
"We don't know. They are being very indecisive about their plans." Jasper said with a sigh.
"What am I supposed to do? It's not like I can fight them. Neither can anyone else."
"You are correct." Edward said, looking at the floor.
"We don't know." Jasper said, shaking his head.
"Carlisle thinks that maybe he can get them to listen to him." Edward said as he stood from his chair.
"What?" Jasper asked him, following in his brother's footsteps.
"I don't know. He won't tell me anything. He says that we should come home. And that Bella should have someone stay with her."
"Is there someone that you can call?" Jasper asked as he opened the door.
"Jacob can't come. None of the pack can either, their having a counsel meeting."
"We'll have Alice keep a lookout for you then." Edward said before walking out.
Bella fell against the couch feeling it scrape across the floor. She inwardly groaned as she imagined the legs pulling up wood as it went along. She would worry about it later. Right now, she had to get in touch with Billy. He would come and stay with her, she knew he would.
XXXX
Charlie came home to find the entire pack, plus Emmett, Jasper, and Alice crammed into his tiny house. He had never seen so many people in the house at one time. He made his way through the maze of people looking for Bella. He found Billy in the living room, but he hadn't seen Bella. He made his way to the kitchen, then the laundry room, and out the back door.
Bella was sitting in the glider swing that he had purchased not long after she had come to live with him. Jacob had his head in her lap as the two of them talked in hushed tones. Jacob was barely able to fit on the swing, as it was, the poor kid had to be uncomfortable.
What was Bella doing with Jacob? Where was Edward? How had Jacob healed so fast? He wasn't even wearing the cast anymore. The bruising on his face had gone down considerably.
Bella looked up from Jacob to see her dad watching them. She knew that she had some explaining to do. But she had hoped that it would be later, after everything had settled down. Jacob turned his head to follow her gaze. His eyes widened in horror when he saw the daggers that Charlie was throwing at him.
"It's not what it looks like." Jacob said, breaking the silence.
"Really? You're not getting comfortable with my engaged daughter?"
"Dad, can we not talk about this now?"
"Now looks like a good time to me." Charlie said as he stepped off the back porch.
"Okay, somebody help me down the stairs, and across the yard. I need to settle this." Billy said from the living room.
Quil and Embry both carried him out to where a shouting match was about to break out.
"Where is your ring young lady?"
"I gave it back." Bella said with a sigh.
"You gave it back?" Charlie asked, quirking an eyebrow.
"The two of them are together now." Billy said as Quil and Embry made their way back to the house.
"So you stole her from Edward? Jacob, that's not who you are. Do you really want to be known as the guy who stole my daughter away from her fiancee?"
"It's not like that." Jacob said, shaking his head.
"How the hell have you healed so fast?" Charlie roared.
"Charlie, calm down." Billy said in a calm voice.
"I am not going to calm down. How can you be okay with this?" Charlie asked, glaring at him.
"Because I know the whole situation."
"I can't be around the three of you right now." Charlie said as he turned to walk away.
"Dad, wait!" Bella said, helping Jacob sit up.
"What, Bella?"
"Let me explain."
"Not now, Bells." he said as he walked into the house.
"Yes, now." she said, pleading with him.
Charlie stood in the middle of the kitchen while everyone stared at the two of them.
"Can we go upstairs?"
"Fine."
"Embry, Quil? Will the two of you go outside and get Billy?" Bella asked as she followed her dad up the stairs.
"I want some answers." Charlie said once they were in his room.
"I'm going to tell you everything. Don't worry."
She started off with Edward leaving and how she had grown closer to Jacob during that time. She left out the werewolves and vampires, knowing that he would never believe her. By the time she had gotten to part where they had kissed, she could see his face softening.
"You can't expect everything to just be okay, Bells. You hurt Edward. Now you have to pay the consequenses."
"I know." she said, nodding.
"He'll probably never talk to you again."
"I think that in time that he would be okay with seeing me with Jacob."
"You're talking like, you're going to marry him."
"Maybe I am."
"You're too young for that."
"I didn't say that I was going to marry him right this second, Dad. Maybe a few years from now."
"What am I going to do with you?"
"What do you mean?"
"When you were younger, you had all of these things that you wanted to accomplish. You wanted to be a photographer, a writer, a doctor. And now you're talking about throwing all of that away for some guy."
"I can still do those things, Dad. Except be a doctor. That was a pipe dream, I'm squeamish." she said with a small laugh.
Charlie chuckled as he shook his head. He didn't understand her. Then again, he didn't understand most woman. They were always changing their minds. He had a feeling that she wouldn't be changing her mind about Jacob though.
