Hi all. Thank you to all who reviewed. It gives such a 'weeee!' moment when I open my email and see that people actually give a damn about what I am doing.
Apologies for the slight delay with this chapter. I usually update a little more frequently, but I had some major writer's block with this chapter for some reason. It might have to do with the fact that when I first published this fic I was on holdiays from work, and now I am back. Too many things distracting me from my writing!
Anyway, hope you all like :)
Jacob wrinkled his nose as he approached the expansive house. He hadn't been near it in several days and the scent was particularly pungent. If it weren't for Seth he would not have ever returned to this house after the birth of the spawn.
"Jake!" Seth called out as he ran down from the front door. Jacob grinned. It was impossible to stay unhappy around Seth. He had always exuded happiness and it was most definitely contagious. Though, the contentment that had recently been added to the mix usually resulted in a slightly nauseated feeling in Jacob's stomach.
"How's it going?" Jacob asked.
"Everything is...amazing," Seth replied.
"Well, glad to hear that at least somebody is having a good time of it," Jacob replied. "Now, what did you want to see me about?"
"I need to talk to you about something."
Jacob froze. 'Oh god,' he thought. 'He knows about me and Leah. But how? Did she tell him what happened? No...has he been phased with one of recently? What if he had on the day of the wedding, when Leah...' An fleeting image of Leah straddled across his lap crossed his mind. 'Stop it, Jake. The leech is inside.'
"Jake," Seth waved a hand in front of his face. "You there?"
Jacob blinked. "Yup. Here. Totally here. What did you want to talk about?"
Seth eyed him curiously. "It's nothing major. I just really wanted to take Nessie down to La Push beach. She would love it."
"What's the problem? Nessie is important to you- nobody is going to deny her access to the rez."
"The problem is that Bella is a protective new mother. I can't take Nessie without Bella."
"And so you want me to speak to Sam about allowing a bloodsucker on Quileute land?" Jacob deduced.
"Don't call her that, Jake."
"Sorry, Seth." Jacob cleared his throat. "So, will it just be Bella, or will the entire family be coming?"
"Just Bella," Seth replied. "I didn't want to push it any further...so, will you speak to Sam for me?"
Jacob nodded, catching sight of Edward stepping out of the front door. "Seth," he called out. "Carlisle needs to speak with you."
"Ok," Seth replied and then turned to Jacob. "Let me know when you can," he added, before jogging into the house.
As soon as Seth had disappeared, Edward turned to Jacob, a sly grin on his face. "How are you, Jacob?"
"Fine."
"Been keeping busy by the looks of it," Edward added. "Out enjoying the nature?"
Jacob's eyes narrowed. So the bloodsucker had been listening in before. "That is none of your damn business, leech," he said.
Edward let out a laugh. "And I thought that you had mastered keeping your thoughts to yourself around me."
"A momentary lapse in concentration."
"Lapse in concentration..." Edward's smile grew wider. "Starting to become a regular occurrence, hey?"
"Listen Cullen," Jacob snapped, his hands clenched into fists. "Mind your own fucking business. I swear, if you breathe a word to anybody I will rip—"
"Hey, just calm yourself down there," Edward said, holding his hands up in mock defence. "I wasn't planning on telling anybody, I just wanted to watch you squirm. Of all the things to let me know..."
"Good bye, Edward," Jacob said, turning around and walking away. 'You smug motherfucker,' he added to his thoughts. He would be damned if he didn't have the last say.
XXXXX
Leah let out a loud sigh, as she kicked at the sand under her feet. She looked up at Quil, who was walking beside her. "This is a shitty idea."
"Jeez, Leah. For once do you think you could maybe behave like a happy, normal person?" he retorted.
"Normal?" Leah scoffed. "You do realize that you, I and the most of our acquaintances have the ability to turn into a wolf? There is nothing normal about us."
"Whatever...all I know is that your misery should stay your misery- stop loading it off on the rest of us."
Leah stopped short. "Well, if that is how you feel, then why the hell are you dragging me out here?" she demanded, gesturing towards ocean which was calm for once.
"Because your mother asked me to," Quil said, grabbing her arm, forcing her to begin walking again. "She's worried about you."
"So? What does that have to do with you?"
"Come on, Leah. You know more than anyone that you can't say no to Sue Clearwater," Quil said with a raised eyebrow and she could not help but offer a grudging smile in return. Not even she could not argue with that remark. "And besides, how long has it been since you've seen Seth? And what about Nessie?"
"Are you serious?" Leah was incredulous. "You cannot honestly give a damn about the spawn."
"What I feel is irrelevant. She is going to be a big part of your brother's life which, by default, means your life as well," Quil pointed out.
"That freak of nature will have no part in my life..." Leah trailed off as she came to a stop. She had spotted Seth, close to the water's edge. He was holding a small figure in one of his arms, and pointing at something on the horizon with the other. Leah blinked, a lump forming in her throat. There was a photograph at home, of her and her father, doing almost the exact same thing. And the expression on Seth's face was the same as Harry's- a picture of pure contentment and adoration.
She took a few steps forward, making a deal with herself. As much as she wanted to, she could not ruin things. Seth was happy and she wasn't going to rain on his parade. She could get through one afternoon with a smile. She could be around the spawn, for Seth's sake...just as long as she didn't have to touch it.
Quil stepped up beside her, having noticed the change in her expression. "Ah, I knew there was a good sister somewhere under all of that misery guts," he teased.
"You know, Quil, one day I am—" Leah halted to a stop as she spotted another figure sitting on the beach. "What the fuck is that bloodsucker doing here?"
Quil blinked, surprised by the venom that laced her words. "Bella is Nessie mother."
"And what about that damn treaty that is supposed to keep those disgusting parasites off our land?" Leah shot back. "I could take her right now and I wouldn't be doing anything wrong."
"Except for ripping a mother apart in front of her daughter," Quil replied, rolling his eyes. "And you would be doing something wrong. Sam allowed her to cross the line for today only and there is nothing you can do about it. So, I suggest you put on that nice game face you were wearing just before and go be happy for your brother."
"This is ridiculous," Leah muttered, walking forward. What an afternoon it would be. She kept her eyes trained on Seth. He brought out the best in her, while Bella...did not. As she and Quil drew closer, she noticed something odd about the thing Seth was cradling in his arms.
"Quil."
He looked down at her. "Yeah?"
"What is with the spawn? She looks as if she were born months ago, not weeks."
"Nobody knows," came the reply, as a figure breezed past her. It was Jacob, a paper shopping bag in his arms. "They're looking into it, but it's kind of a touchy subject."
Leah blinked as he made his way over and sat beside Bella. He could not help himself. A complete glutton for punishment...the potential for entertainment had just risen slightly.
XXXXX
Jacob threw down the bag of food and drinks for himself and Seth...and now obviously Leah and Quil, and sat down beside Bella.
"That was quick," Bella said, giving him that smile of hers. That smile that confused the hell out of him.
"Hmm, there was enough at home. I didn't have to go to the store," he replied. Bella looked beyond him at that point, her smile wavering slightly. "What?" he asked.
"Leah is here."
"Well, she does live here, Bella. And, Seth is her brother," he said, his tone more blunt than intended.
"I know..." Bella trailed off, fingering her hair. "It's just that she is so...I don't know. She was so horrible to me the last time we spoke."
"And a whole heap has changed since then. So, considering what has gone down between Seth and the kid, I suggest that you get used to her Bella. Seth is her family and this is her home."
Bella's eyes widened slightly. Jacob knew that she was probably shocked; he had never spoken to her that harshly before. And to be honest, he wasn't completely sure why he had either. It wasn't like him. He never...
'When are you going to start making some damn noise, Jacob?' His thoughts came to an abrupt halt at the sound of Leah's voice in his head. Oh jeez...Jacob tucked his knees up, lowering his head to the top of his knees. He had to stop doing this. He had to stop letting those memories replay themselves over and over again. He had to forget about everything. He had—
"Man up, Jake," Leah said, settling herself down beside him.
With an inward groan, Jacob straightened up. This was...not ideal. Sitting between Bella and Leah with no buffer whatsoever, it felt somewhat sick and wrong.
Bella was peering at him with concerned eyes. "Are you ok, Jake? You look a little off."
Before Jacob could reply, Leah interrupted. "He is fine."
Bella's eyes narrowed. "I think that Jake can speak for himself." She glanced back at him. "What's up? You are looking a little pale."
Leah snorted. "Now that's just perfect, isn't it? After all, you like them pale, don't you?"
"Excuse me? What—"
"Hey Bella." She was cut off by Quil dropping down beside her. "Long time. How are things?"
With one last glare in Leah's direction, Bella turned to Quil. Once the two seemed engrossed enough in their conversation, Jacob turned to Leah. "Don't."
"Don't what?" Leah asked him, her face a picture of innocence.
"What you're doing."
"I'm the bitch, Jake," she replied. "I am just doing what everybody expects."
"Yeah, well that bullshit facade don't work with me anymore, so cut your crap. We're here for Seth, remember."
Leah paused. "Well, I actually I was forced here- I am only staying because of Seth. But you? Why are you here?"
"Sam asked me to be here."
"Ahh. Babysitting the bloodsucker."
"Her name is Bella," Jacob replied through gritted teeth.
"She doesn't deserve, and she most certainly hasn't earned your defense, Jake."
"Let me be the judge of that," Jacob shot back. He fell silent, staring out at the water. However, after a few moments he let out a snort of laughter.
"What?" Leah questioned him.
"Us," he said. "We can't help ourselves, can we?"
Leah raised an eyebrow, nodding her head slowly. For once she wasn't going to argue with him.
Quil's deep laugh broke into their reverie. "Well, the whole you being a vampire is completely creepy- I am not going to lie to you about that. But it's good to see that the same old Bella is still in there."
"I am most definitely still here," Bella replied. "Though I just believe how everything has turned out. Never would I have imagined that I could have all this."
"Bella Swan- the picture of perfect happiness and contentment."
"Well, almost," Bella said, nudging Jacob with her elbow. "I really miss having my Jacob around," she added with an almost pout.
Jacob tried not to flinch at the sound of that possessive 'my'. He wasn't hers, he never would be hers. Why did she insist of making everything so difficult? "Got things to do, Bella," he mumbled in response. He could feel Leah's eyes boring into him, but could not look at her.
"I'm sure that you do, Jake," Bella said, ruffling a hand through his hair. "But you need to start enjoying yourself."
"Yeah," Quil agreed. "Go out, have fun, meet somebody."
"Oh, so this is where this conversation is going," Jacob said. "Find someone to love and everything will be all chocolate and rainbows."
Both Bella and Quil laughed, looking at each other. "Well," he said. "You don't see either of us complaining."
"Not yet, anyway," Leah put in, a sharp edge to her tone. "But what about when it all goes to hell? What happens to the chocolate and rainbows then?"
"But that won't happen," Bella said, not acknowledging Leah and instead directing her reply at Jacob. "Because my Jacob is an amazing guy. Whoever ends up with him is going to realize how lucky they are and will never leave."
Jacob had had enough. He knew that Bella was not doing it deliberately, but every word felt like another load of salt being rubbed into his wounds. Everything she said screamed that he was a great guy, but just not great enough for her. "Excuse me," he said standing up, unable to keep the slight tremble out of his voice. "But I feel like a swim."
Bella stared at him as he ran to the water's edge. "What was that about?"
"Are you serious?" Leah let out. "Tell me, Bella, when you 'died' how may of your brain cells went with you?"
"Leah, this has got nothing to do with you," Bella retorted. "What goes on between me and Jake is—"
"Is killing him," Leah snapped, standing up. "'Oh Jake, you're so wonderful...but you're just not quite good enough for me'...do you even hear yourself when you speak?"
"That is not what..." Bella rose from the sand. "I am going to go speak to him."
"He doesn't want to speak to you. I'll go." Leah made to move, but was stopped by Bella's ice cold hand wrapping itself around her wrist. "Let go of me, leech, or I'll scream vampire attack and you can kiss the little treaty good bye."
Bella's hand dropped, her eyes narrowing. "I used to feel sorry for you, Leah. But now I am starting to think that you deserve everything that comes your way."
"Well, thank goodness for that," Leah yelled, as she started walking towards the water. "Because the last thing I want is pity from a monster."
She could see that Jacob had stopped, facing away from the beach, the water lapping up around the middle of his back. It didn't take long for Leah to reach him- it wasn't only land that she was fast on.
She stopped beside him, bring her feet down to the shifting sand below and she heard him groan. "Leah, what do you want?"
"You always seem to find me at my worst, so I thought it was only fair."
"I don't want to hear it, Leah."
"Look, I am here because Dracu-Bella was about to head out, and the last thing I wanted to see was her turning on the pouty face and you giving into her once again."
Jacob whirled around to face her, his expression ablaze. "I fucking hate this...ugh," he brought a tight fist up to his mouth. "Why am I saying this to you? Why am I saying anything to you?"
"Because you can't say it to her...the same way I can't say it to Sam," Leah replied.
"Why can't I? Why can't I just tell her fuck off and leave me alone? Why do I insist on torturing myself? I think that I can handle it, but I can't. And you're right, it builds inside of me and I have no idea of how to let all that shit go. It is going to kill me. She is going to kill me and there is nothing I can do about it. I am too weak to do anything about this myself."
Leah's eyes never left his face as he let it all out. He couldn't help hurting himself about Bella. She couldn't help her continuing misery about Sam. Maybe...
"Jake," she said softly.
"What."
"There is something you...we can do," she said, reaching across under the water and grabbing him through his shorts.
His breath hitched, his body reacting almost immediately to her hand. "What the fuck are you doing?" he glanced nervously at the beach.
"They have no idea," Leah said, wrapping her hand tightly around his shaft. "The water is deep enough. Just forget about them...forget about everything, except this." She slowly began to move her hand up and down his length.
"But..." he exhaled sharply, his eyes half closed. "We agreed that we shouldn't—"
"I know," Leah said, tightening her grip and increasing her pace. "But I was thinking...you said before that we can't help ourselves. Remember?"
"Uh...yes..." Jacob let out, punctuating himself with a groan.
"Well, maybe we can help each other," she said, rubbing her thumb over the tip of his shaft.
"Oh fuck..." Jacob sighed, opening his eyes slightly. "What...what do you mean?"
"We are both fucked up, and you said that you didn't know how to let go of it. I'm the same...but that other day...when we...fucking you emptied my mind of everything else. I didn't have to think of the screwed up world that was my life." She continued moving her hand, pumping faster and faster.
"God, Leah," Jacob breathed. "Don't stop."
"We can help each other, Jacob. No strings, no commitments. Just a way for us to release and forget." She kept moving her hand, watching his face contort as she brought him closer and closer to the brink.
"Leah...oh," Jacob's breathing was growing erratic. "Keep going...I'm gonna...don't stop..ugh!" With a loud moan he exploded into her hand and let himself fall into the water. After a few moments he resurfaced. Wiping the water from his face, he found himself looking into Leah's eyes.
"Just think about it, Jake," she said, before diving into the water and heading back into shore.
