Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended. Stephenie Meyer created it all.

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Chapter 24: Laurent- Sadness

I sprinted through the forest tasting each breath for a hint of a nearby animal. I loved to hunt with Jacob. Before, I feared losing control if I were to run into an human, but now with Jacob me I knew that he would stop me from doing anything I would regret. I could let myself go and enjoy the hunt. I kept running for miles although I smelled dear and even a some elk, but I wanted something more... tasty. I would wait for it, but it turned out that I wouldn't have to wait for long. The scent of a bobcat wafted through my senses. It was probably my favorite. I slowed my pace and sniffed the air again to get the direction.

Jacob stood by my side, his head was shoulder high to me. He bent his head down and licked my arm from wrist to elbow, a subtle reminded of where we left off. I smiled at him before I began tracking the scent. The warmth of the scent got closer and closer, the bobcat's heat and heartbeat called me in to the point where I couldn't stop. It was then, in my most instinctive moment that I felt this feeling that I couldn't quite describe. Something felt off, it was a bad feeling. It distracted me and I almost lost the scent of the animal that was calling to me. I'm sure I would have noticed it before by my boy clouding my senses.

I latched back onto the scent again and before I knew it I was upon the male bobcat. I dove towards him so that when I landed we tumbled ass over tea kettle. To be honest, I just enjoyed the look of confusion of the poor animals face. I suppose it was the same for me as that first bite into the soft skin of a human, a simple pleasure before the beginning of my feeding. I had begun to get used to the taste of animal blood enough to appreciate the taste of the soothing blood running down my throat. I pulled at the animal even after there was no blood left to consume.

If anyone other than Jacob had approached me in my current state, the outcome wouldn't be good but Jacob came and sat next to me where I was propped against the tree. I removed the animal from my teeth as I came back to reality.

"Better?" He asked.

I nodded.

"I know we talked about this, and I know that you wanted to go to La Push and see my family but I just keep getting this weird feeling-"

"-like something's not quite right?" I finished his sentence. "Me, too."

"I just feel like we should be going back, I know, I know... I'm human," he rolled his eyes, "-ish, they want to suck my blood," he said in his best Dracula impression, "but you know I can handle things. Please just think about it? I really think we should go back."

He really didn't have to say much to convince me, I was ready to turn around when he mentioned his funny feeling. I looked down at the animal wishing that he had a few more pints in him and realizing that it was a wish that was never be fulfilled, I set off to take care of the carcass.

"I agree," I told him as I scooted the bobcat's body into the grave that I'd quickly dug. As soon as I finished filling the hole, we started back.

~o~x~o~x~o~

I smelled the blood first. That metallic beacon that called to all vampires. I was immediately on alert and began to slow. Jacob phased back. I was the one thing I would change if I could; we couldn't talk when we was in wolf form.

When I was still, I could detect the faint scent of venom in the blood. It added a sweetness to the blood that had a hidden note of familiarity. I knew this blood and I knew this venom and I did not feel that they would be mixed, at least not yet. Tanya didn't normally have very deep feelings for her crushes and she had never changed a vampire that I knew of. I debated on whether I should mention it to Jacob or not. The treaty weighed heavily on my mind at the moment. Who would Jacob side with? Where did that leave me?

"Please wait for me here? I don't want the Volturi anywhere near you."

"Okay, I'm giving you five minutes. After that I'm coming."

"Fine." I looked and his and debated if I could get him to wait longer but decided to just go.

The house was pretty quiet as I approached, there was crying here and there. Alice mentioned that I was coming moments before I burst into the house. Everyone was huddled together on the couches. I knew something was wrong and their postures gave credence to my bad feeling. Mentally I ran a tally. Everyone was here except Irina, Demetri, Charlie, and Tanya.

"Where's Irina? What's going on?" I was going to ask about Tanya but I could hear her faint cries from upstairs.

Edward stood and Bella sat for a minute before she got up, too. "I just don't want to be alone," she said.

"Are you sure? I really think you should stay inside. I need to talk to Jacob. Emmett, come with me." She just nodded and sat in Emmett's place next to Rose.

The three of us went to where I left Jacob. He had only just started walking towards us.

I stood there feeling like the wind was knocked out of me as Edward relayed the events of the last few hours making sure to let me know that Irina left. I had sort of come to the conclusion that Charlie was undergoing a transformation and was shocked to hear of his death. I'm sure he sensed the anxiety in my thoughts of potentially having my boy so close to the Volturi. It had been a hell of a day.

"...And what I was curious about was how this affected the treaty," Edward finished. I looked at Emmett as I finally realized that he was there as kind of a reinforcement or help for Edward if Jacob said it would break the treaty.

"Charlie was like an uncle to me. I know from what you told us about the Volturi that it was a possibility," he said as a tear begged to be released from his eye. He was shaking and it was hard to tell if he was angry or just really emotional. I stepped closer to him and wrapped my arms around him and looked back at Edward.

"Can you give us a minute? I think we need some time to sort all this out." Jacob was breathing raggedly in my ear and I just need Edward to leave. Edward picked up on my thoughts and he and Emmett turned to go back to the house.

"God damn it!" He roared. "Everything in my gut tells me that the treaty is broken. A human is dead... and bitten," he added, "I am fighting so hard right now not to burst into a giant wolf right and rip every last one of them in there to shreds. Arrrgggghhhh! God damn it, I feel beaten!" He ran his hands through his growing hair and crouched down in the balls of his feet. I was torn and I didn't know where I should be, of course I loved Jacob but I wouldn't stand by as he gave orders to kill the people that were closest to me. They would never knowingly kill anyone and I knew it was not their choice.

"That's your family in there. I could never hurt them because it would hurt you. Hurting you goes against every instinct that I have. So, yes the treaty is broken, but I wont enforce it. I don't have the energy to fight. Not physically, but emotionally I can't do it."

I was rubbing his back waiting for him to come together again.

"I never thought." He shook his head. "It's still weird for me, sometimes at my lowest that a vampire is the one comforting me," he mumbled although I heard him clearly. For me, it was my greatest fear that one day, that fact that I was not a human would be too much for him. I feared that he would not be able to get over the fact that my heart did not beat.

More than anything I was afraid that one day he would choose to live his life the way it was intended and die and leave me here without him.

After a while we decided to go back to the house and tell them what Jacob decided regarding the treaty. The news was met with gratitude and we settled into the couch next to Edward and Bella where the family continued to grieve in silence.

I didn't know Charlie that well, but I grieved for Bella's loss and also Jacob's loss of a family friend. And although I loved that Bella thought of me as such a good friend, I was glad to see Bella finding comfort in Edward. It appeared that as Bella curled up to his side a sort of balance was seen between them. Bella fit perfectly in Edward's arms. I hated that she had to experience so much pain so close to her wedding. This was supposed to be the time she celebrated her new life; a life she was going to be able to share with her father because of her hard work and restraint. My boy wasn't any better and I could feel his pain radiate from him. With the loss of someone so close, I didn't need Edward's talent to know he was thinking about his own father he had been away from. I wanted to sooth away both of their pain but it had been so long since I felt a real lost. I just didn't know what to do.

By the next day the preparations were taken care of. An ornate casket was delivered from a company in Fairbanks early in the morning along with flowers and a stone that Rosalie offered to engrave by hand. A large grave was dug in the backyard. We talked about where Charlie would be buried but both Bella and Tanya wanted him close by so a spot was chosen by a tall oak tree.

The atmosphere after the ceremony and the days following were heavy with the remorse felt by all. The life that was always in Bella's eyes had faded as if it had never been there. Bella and Edward spent most of their time away from the house. She went every where he went and was never without touching him. Edward was keeping her together. While at his side she was not sobbing and she appeared as if one day she could possibly heal from all that she had been through in the past year. I couldn't help but feel jealousy towards Edward. I loved Bella, thanks to our adventure that led us to were we were today but she had Edward and I had Jacob and I was more than happy with my boy but I missed the closeness that Bella and I shared; lying together on the couch, hunting together, laughing at private jokes. All of those things were lost with the loss of Charlie and the constant need for Edward's presence. I wanted by best friend back. Edward and Bella's relationship growing was the best thing that could have happened to her, this is what she always wanted, but I didn't expect it would mean our relationship would fade. My inner thoughts on the matter was obviously noticed by more than just Edward's gift but to Jacob as well.

Jacob stood standing in the yard of the house staring into the forest, not really looking at anything. As I stood behind him I couldn't help but notice his tight muscles as they stretched across his back; his arms folded in front of his chest. His head hung when he heard me behind him but he did not speak to me at first. I could see the steam coming of his skin as his warm temperature mixed with the frosty Alaskan air. Maybe it was the imprint thing or just common sense but I knew that he wanted and needed to say something to me. Finally he did just that.

"You love Bella, don't you? You love her more than me." Jacob's words smacked me in the face harder than his hand ever could. I knew he was responding to my constant staring at Edward and Bella and the discomfort and envy that was rolling off me in their presence. His tone was of heavy with fear and pain.

I didn't know what to say at first. I was still trying to collect myself after his stinging words. I could feel the pain register deep into my chest.

"Jacob, I could never love anyone the way I love you. I do love Bella, but only as a best friend, the same way you love her." I began to walk closer to him. I needed to hold him in my arms. As I began to reach my hand to his shoulders from where I stood, he moved away, never turning to look at me. The pain in my chest returned.

"You don't have to lie to me. If you want her, I will leave. I will go back to La Push and I wont bother you."

That was all that I was able to take. The idea of no longer having his warm arms around me at night, not being able to watch him sleep, pressing his strong muscles into me as he made love to me. I couldn't imagine a day without him beside me. I wasn't going to live a day without him by my side.

"You. Aren't. Going. Anywhere." I forcibly turned Jacob around. His eyes still hadn't met mine. I had never been rough with my love but he had to understand. "Jacob Black, I love you and nothing is coming between us. If you leave, I am going with you. I care for Bella, but she can never take your place." My voice softened as I pulled his chin up to meet my eyes. My heart leapt when I could see my words had reached him.

We fell into a hurried kiss, pressing each other tighter into one another. I pulled Jacob into the lining forest. I needed to feel him closer to me. I need him to feel how much I loved him.

Jacob and I returned from our reaffirmations as the sun began to set. As we approached the house I saw Edward standing on the porch, without Bella. Where was she? She hadn't been out of his sight since the horrible day resulting in the loss of her father.

"She's with Tanya. They're reminiscing about Charlie. I wanted to speak to you," Edward answered my thoughts.

As we walked onto the porch Jacob gave me a knowing nod and pressed his lips to my cheek before walking in the house leaving me with Edward.

"Laurent, I know how you feel about Bella and I am sorry if you feel like I am taking away your best friend. I just want to see her whole again. I will never take her away from you." Edward's words were sincere.

"I know, Edward. I just have to get use to her coming to you for comfort, I guess I have grown to use to it being me during our travels. I promise I will control my thoughts and feelings."

Edward gave me a look of understanding.

Jacob and Bella came and joined us on the porch as Edward and I looked into the white mountain horizon. Bella pressed in the space between Edward and me wrapping her arm around Edward's waist and taking my left hand in hers. She gave me a knowing smile as she leaned her head on Edward's arm. Jacob stood at my right side pressing his warm hand on the small of my back.

The four of us stood without words.

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A/N: Big thanks to Chewie4370 for practically co-writing this chapter with me and virtually holding my hand as I worked through this.

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