Alice pulled the car into the parking lot of the school at a painfully slow pace; it was there she saw Jacob waiting for them. His floppy grin covered his face and long black hair whipped up by the wind. If she didn't know any better she might have said he almost looked saint like. He stood in a casual pose leaned against the reddish brown truck that looked like it would die on them in mere minutes. She watched as Jacob set eyes upon the car after he had finished putting them back into his skull Kate watched as he stood up and brushed some invisible dirt from his pants.
Jacob strode over to the car as he opened Kate's door. He exchanged pleasantries with Alice as Kate said goodbye for the night, she glanced nervously back as she watched Alice drive away. Another fifteen minutes later and Kate found herself walking with Jacob towards a bonfire on the beach. Orange flames licked up the timber planks that were leaning tenuously against each other. The salty air filled with sea mist and the scent of burning wood filled the air. Jacob casually placed his arm around Kate's shoulders walking with her towards a crowd of people who sat looking towards several older males. 'Please prove Edward wrong' she thought as Jacob and Kate melted into the group. His arm pulling her away from several male hazards steering her around as Kate placed an arm around his waist given that it was about the only place she could reach.
"That's Sam Uley, and over there." Jacob whispered to her, leaning closer with every minute towards her ear. "And that's my father. Billy Black. I told him about you, he is keen to meet you Kate."
Kate followed the line of his hand Jacob pointed to an elderly man in a wheelchair. His face dimpled and aged, the two men sat together telling camp fire stories of old legends. Kate almost winced at the thought of talking to Jacob's father for no other reason that she did not know what to say. Or even what he might want to discuss. Why did she even go to this party she wondered as she glanced up into Jacob's eyes. Their eyes met for a moment as both blushed and found other faces to stare at.
"So what do you think so far?" Jacob asked seeing that things hadn't really started yet. It was fairly quiet even with the masses of kids on the beach.
"Oh, it's good I guess." She replied as Jacob motioned her towards a group that were sitting down and seemed to be enthralled by a tale that was spun by Jacob's father.
Jacob grabbed a blanket from a small stack at the back of the group he took a breath as he wrapped it around Kate's shoulders. His movement was less graceful than he had planned as he nearly shoved her over in the process but the gesture was there. He did not seem too bad especially not the way Edward had caused her to imagine him. Kind, considerate and caring all things Edward Cullen was not when it had come to her going out.
"Don't be worried. You been the new kid in town we are all interested in you." Jacob told her as Kate sat down on the sand.
Jacob's hand found Kate's hip as he pulled her closer to him, she was almost sitting in his lap as his two strong arms curled around her waist. They sat there for several hours as Kate leaned her head against his chest listening to the tales of Quilett legends, battles and warriors of old who still patrolled the forest if they were to be believed. Around two AM the fire was dying down and the stories were almost over as people were starting to make their way home. Being around normal people for once made a pleasant change as she felt relaxed.
Kate was nearly half asleep as Jacob shifted away from her. The sudden cool that reached her back that had been a blaze with the heat radiating from his body made her gasp. The concerned look that Jacob wore so well had her recoiling and apologising as she struggled to her feet. Kate dusted herself off as the small golden grains of sand fell from her were carried by the breeze. Jacob only grinned as Kate chuckled for no reason; she was slightly bemused and half asleep as Jacob came to walk her in a general direction of the tree line. Her eyes zeroed in on Billy, the man smiled cautiously towards her as Jacob kept his arm lazily around her shoulders as Kate sought to drop her arm from Jacob's waist to only find his hand replacing it. His stance became tense almost statue like as the three passed their greetings.
"It's good to meet you Kate. Jacob has not stopped talking about the new girl in town since your meeting at the dinner." With Billy's comments Jacob blushed to Kate's amusement as she chuckled.
The roles had been reversed with her usually being the embarrassed one. Though Kate didn't think she should say just how much conversation there had been about Jacob at the Cullen's household. It had mainly been Edward who tried to convince Esme never to let her out of the house but Carlisle had managed to argue her case along with her protests. Her main point was the beach was a lot safer than a house filled with vampires though that went down like a lead balloon. She had managed to catch a few warning and cautious looks but she never knew what it was for.
The past few days had been filled with the same arguments and constant chasing of the same two options but she had Carlisle and her mother to thank for her adventure. It wasn't that she had many of them but being able to act like a normal teenager for a change was a welcome break from the work and school life she had been used to.
"I have not!" Jacob snapped the hesitance sounded in his voice, his eyes looked towards the ground as his father seemed intent on saying something highly embarrassing or worse.
"Ah Jacob come on don't be shy. Anyway Kate, I was just wanting to say hello to you. And be careful tonight ok? We don't want anything happening to the new girl in town. Forks can be a dangerous place for someone like you. The company you keep here is important too, we don't want to see you falling in with the 'wrong crowd'." His tone became sharp, unfeeling towards the end of his words. Kate nodded as smiles were passed around.
Kate pieced together his last sentence. Wrong crowd that could not be the Cullen could it? She knew all too well how dangerous Fork was living in a house of vampires who found her blood more appealing than her personality, which could certainly show a person danger.
"Pleased to meet you Mr Black. And I promise not to fall in with the wrong crowd." She replied as Billy grinned and laughed.
Jacob's hand seemed to tighten around her shoulders, for a moment she was sure he was going to crush her but almost like a wave of calm his grip suddenly eased as he smiled down at her.
"Go get a room… and I don't mean that literally at all Jacob." The mocking tone in Billy's voice caused Jake to mutter several words that Kate had only heard from Emmett.
She guessed the pair would get along well if they ever had the chance. Billy's wheel chair rolled away out of sight as Jake and Kate found they were stood alone in the glow of embers from the dying fire. Jacob smiled nervously down at her as Kate pulled his arms around her again as they had been.
"So do you really believe in werewolves Jacob?" She asked him innocently, when Alice had said Quilletts she just assumed it was a tribe name and there was no other meaning. However her mind was starting to work overtime when she had heard the stories of the werewolves.
"I don't know" His reply came far too quickly; even a human could tell when people started to hide things from them.
Kate wasn't sure if she had insulted him or if there was something else to his reply though her mind was soon occupied as she felt herself being swept from her feet. It was the one thing she was beginning to hate. Again Kate was sat on the sand Jacob sitting directly behind her. She could feel the strange heat of his skin seeping into hers as again that overwhelming sleepy feeling washed over her, without thinking Kate nestled herself back into Jacob as she stared out the waves crashing onto the beach.
"Thank you for tonight, it's more fun than I've had in a while" She said softly.
Jacob slowly placed his arms around Kate, she was so very small and delicate he thought as he sniffed at her hair a bit. Strawberries and a lot of hairspray he thought as he stared out at the scene. The darkness that was only broken by the moon on the water and the dying embers that were wisped away seemed to be too good to be true. It wasn't too long before Jacob started to fall asleep, he had some of the best company and as his eyes faded he took one last long look at Kate's peaceful face.
Jack thought she was beautiful, witty and well she was a nice girl. Everything he could ask for and yet there was a small nagging feeling with in him though he hardly stirred as morning rolled around. The sun shone brilliantly over the beach as he felt Kate move. Her small frame tried to wiggle from him as Jacob released his grip on her. He saw the light beads of sweat cover her forehead, Jacob knew that he ran a few degrees warm than humans but he never thought that Kate was too warm.
"Morning Kate. I guess you'd want to go home now?" He asked as he grinned triumphantly.
Who knew what the Cullen's were thinking, as he watched Kate closely. She stumbled to her feet as she grinned and looked at her watch.
"Oh hell. I've been out all night… mums going to kill me. Carlisle is going to kill me… its nine o'clock… Erm please I am gonna be killed." She mumbled as Jacob sprang to his feet a new lease of life with in him.
Of course Jacob would take the blame for anything that Esme Platt had to say to her though Kate was in safe hands in his opinion safe than theirs anyway.
"You won't be killed, and yeah I'll take you back. Sorry I fell asleep on you I… ermm… well…"
They both seemed to laugh as they walked on up to where Jacob had parked the rusty old red truck. Yip it was still standing much to her surprise as the journey back seemed to pass too quickly. It was when Jacob neared the school yard that she felt the cell phone Jasper had given her ring. She looked at the caller, EDWARD. The letters seemed to make her feel guilty for not calling them; though in her haste to answer she pressed the wrong button and effectively disconnected the call.
"Damn it… why? Oh Why?" She said exasperated by her own clumsiness that had the red colour in her cheeks returning.
"They'll call back I'm sure." Jacob replied grinning as he made the turn onto the school yard.
As if by some heinous twist of fate that silver Volvo sat waiting along with Carlisle Mercedes. She gulped seeing no one appear from the cars as Jacob stopped a few yard from them. Kate slithered from the passenger seat as Jacob ran around to help her out.
"Well I guess you got you answer to who was calling." Jacob said grinning as he stood between the Cullen's and Kate blocking their view of her.
Mostly for his own privacy though partly to antagonise the situation. Where was the fun in things going smoothly? Jake knew that a few of the others on the reservation had issues with the Cullen's but he had no idea why. A rivalry that stemmed from something he had no clue about.
"Yeah, great huh. I had better go. Erm Thank you for a great night Jacob." She said in her soft voice that almost had Jacob turning to jelly inside.
Nodding Jacob fancied his chances as his fingers slid under his chin, lifting her face up as he pressed his lips against her cheek for a moment. There was a sudden blast of a car horn as Kate shoved Jacob away.
"What the hell was that?" She spluttered wiping her mouth on her sleeve.
Jake suddenly looked as if he had been slapped as he took a few steps away from her.
"I just though..." He stammered.
"Yeah well... you thought wrong." Kate snapped looking toward the two cars waiting for her.
"Sorry I... look whatever just don't bother talking to be again. You're just one of those stuck up bitches." Jake snapped back seeing Kate look stunned.
Kate stumbled backwards a few steps but within seconds Jake had a steady hand on her waist gripping tightly. Two more blasts of a horn came from the silver Volvo before Kate plucked the phone from her pocket again. EDWARD, the letters read again she ignored it for a moment as she glanced around Jake to the car.
"Look just don't touch me..." Kate muttered.
The minute Jake's hands left her side Kate ran a hand over her stomach as she saw the blood from where her stitches were.
"Are you okay?" Jake asked as Kate simply motioned for him to go.
The phone in her hand rang and rang as she eventually answered. The receiver nearly blew her ear off of Edward's booming voice yelled for her to get into the silver Volvo. Kate was hardly in the mood for Edward's attitude as she backed away from both of the cars. Kate remembered the picture that had been painted for her last time when it came down to her blood and now she was terrified as Jake drove away.
Emmett and Carlisle sat behind the tinted windows trying not to yell for Kate to get in with them. Edward had already blown a few ounces of sense every hour past midnight and Emmett had to restrain him a few times from running to find her. With Edwards constant pounding on the horn it was a good thing Alice was giving them a play by play over Emmett's cell. Kate looked back at them as she took off running down the road. She had managed about a hundred meters before she couldn't run anymore. Kate saw the silver Volvo blast past her before the Mercedes pulled up alongside her.
"Kate get in, it's okay." Carlisle's friendly voice echoed through the crack in the window.
Kate sank cautiously into the back seat of the Mercedes as she stammered trying to explain. Carlisle's answer was that he didn't need to know and they just needed to look at her stitches at the hospital. Kate shook her head as tears began to form in her eyes, even under the careful guidance of Carlisle as he took her into his office she didn't want anyone to see her.
"I'm so sorry Carlisle... I didn't realise the time... and Edward... and the phone... sorry." She sobbed as Carlisle lifted her onto the examination table in his office.
"Shhh it's alright. The time doesn't matter and you are alright it's all that matters." Carlisle said softly as he lifted her top to take a look at what was wrong.
As he cleaned the stitches he saw that it was only minor as he placed a wound dressing over it. In less than five minutes he was done but Kate still hadn't stopped apologising. It was then he wished Esme was there but given that it was a sunny day he was already taking a risk walking into the hospital.
"We'll get you home now." Carlisle said as Kate moved from the table still sobbing.
Carlisle guided her toward the front of the hospital as suddenly Kate yanked him back a few steps. She simply pointed to the floor as he saw the sun dance across the floor of the hospital. He could only sigh as he debated another route out of the hospital.
"Carlisle, you had a hat on your coat stand, it's yours right?" She asked as she saw him nod in reply.
Carlisle wasn't sure exactly what she was doing but he followed her back to his office. He kept the hat there for any sunny days on the off chance but given the time of day and the sun shine he doubted the hat would do much good without a jacket. He hadn't counted on having to be outside of the Mercedes in the sight of humans. Still he watched as Kate placed the hat on his head and took off her jacket.
"It's not perfect but if you carry me out I can put my jacket over your neck and your hands are under me anyway so they won't be seen." She said trying not at least be helpful given it was her fault they were there in the first place.
"Are you sure?" Carlisle asked guessing that Kate had done this before for Esme.
"Yeah I'm sure, trust me. It's not my first sunny day with a vampire." She replied softly.
Once Carlisle had her settled in his arms Kate threw her jacket around his neck making sure that if he kept his head at a certain angle the route to the car would be easy. Carlisle couldn't deny it was strange but still as he walked out of the front door he made his excuses to the nurse that Kate had passed out but he would simply take her home. To Kate's surprise she figured Carlisle could have stated he was kidnapping her but no one would have thought too much of it.
The minute Carlisle set foot outside of the sliding doors Emmett pulled the car up to the entrance. After everyone was settled in Emmett started to make a few comments as to Carlisle chosen wardrobe as Kate took her jacket from his neck turning a little red.
"I was only trying to help" She protested as Carlisle simply nodded with a smile as he told Emmett to drive to Esme's home.
It was a short drive to where Esme and Kate shared a home and after Carlisle handed Kate to Esme they two started a brief conversation not meant her Kate's ears. It didn't take long before she was in her own room alone as Esme murmured about being back later to see her.