Top of the morning

"These violent delights have violent ends."

Romeo and Juliet, William Shakespeare

Rosalie POV

"Thank you for meeting me," I greeted the young Quileute man. My somber voice carried across the ravine to where he stood on the other side. We had met here before and formed a small treaty of our own the night we found Jacob after his running away. Things had changed since then. My son's great loss had brought him here on two legs. He knew I would not attack him, and my intentions were clearer. I wanted to work with him to bring Jacob some semblance of peace.

"We want to help our brother in any way we can, but as an imprinted man myself, I know how difficult if not impossible helping him can be. Even though they dated for such a short time, you never forget your imprint."

Sam stayed quiet while I recounted how the past few days have been. "He hasn't spoken to anyone. He simply drifts around the house or the woods like a ghost. We can't get him to move even if it's raining or if he's tired or hungry. It's like he doesn't hear us. Finally, he'll collapse from exhaustion after that, and we'll take him home, slip some food into him, and when he wakes up, it starts again. The sleeping isn't even like an escape. Jacob has awful nightmares about what happened to her or if he's searching and can't find her.

"He ran around as a wolf for a while, but he realized that the other ones couldn't bear hearing his thoughts so he stopped that. My brother, Edward, cannot be near him without sinking into his own sadness either. My other brother Jasper can't be within a mile of him. Sometimes he can manipulate people's feelings, but he said Jacob's sadness is just overpowering.

"Everyone's tried talking to him. Carlisle's attempted speaking to him about the wonderful afterlife he believes Adrian has. Esme has been coddling him, but it's like he doesn't even realize she's there. Em's tried to get him to fight or get excited by sports- he even volunteered to let Jacob use him as punching bag. Bella tried talking to him thinking she'd understand what with Edward and all, but she admitted that his loss is so much greater. Your brother Paul found him in the forest and spoke to him for a long time. Everyone's tried something, and nothing even makes him look at us! Why did this happen? Why did they have to kill the nice little girl my son loves out of all the people? How can I help him?"

My chest was wracked by a sob. I had exploded with everything that had been breaking my back the past three days since I found Jacob in Kyle and Adrian's apartment. Why can't my baby catch a break? Why can't our family? Just a few months ago I thought I'd lost him, but this is even worse. I've lost all the good and life inside of him. Now he is subject to eternal misery. Then, I could remember him as the sweet boy who had made every day better, but now his despondent face would be my only portrait of my son.

Sam Uley looked extremely uncomfortable by my breakdown on the forest floor. He shifted his feet before disappearing into the trees. I called after him. Then he reappeared and ran to the edge before landing next to me. It was a nice gesture. It made me like I was on my own a little less. My family has been leaning on each other so our brokenhearted member does not break us irreparably. Any one of them who I would have otherwise turned to during this tragedy needs help as much as I do, my husband included.

"This has happened before," Sam told me. I looked up with a feeling of dread over what may have happened to those poor lovers.

"Most often they do kill themselves at some point," Sam said. I sobbed in horror again although I expected that. Edward had warned us that Jacob was thinking about suicide very often. I didn't want to bury my child, not because of that.

"Of course, none of us want that to happen to Jacob though," Sam said quickly but sincerely.

"What else can we do then?" I demanded shrilly.

"In one story, the wolf's imprint was killed in an attack from a group of Cold Ones. He killed every member of the coven, fueled by grief. Revenge is one of the most common routes. After that though, this wolf disappeared into the forest and lived the rest of his as an animal."

"You can do that?" I asked.

"It isn't very hard to separate your human brain from the mind of the animal. You live off of instinct. Sometimes your thoughts trickle back in, especially if you're sharing your thoughts with a pack, but for the most part, it is the happiest outcome one can hope for when their imprint dies."

Happiness. That's all I want for him. Something close to joy.

"I have to do this. Give him up. It's the most I can give him now," I say quietly.

"You'll probably never see him again," Sam said.

"Of course, I'd never see him again. He might forget about me and his family, but he might also forget about Adrian and the love he lost. I cannot be selfish enough to not give him this chance," I said.

"You're giving up a lot. He's a great kid," Sam said. There was a moment of silence, "I can see how much you care for him…it's obvious how much your family loves him."

I nodded in acknowledgment. The tragedy of my son had solidified some sort of unity between the pack and the Cullens. I wish it did not take such drastic measures for a vampire and a werewolf to speak peacefully. I never held any contempt for the wolves after learning Jacob was one. Now I was choosing for him to spend the rest of his day as more wolf than human. How far this path of grief and love has taken us.

{0}

Jacob POV

It's not that I don't want to speak. I've just forgotten how.

It may come back to me some day. I don't care whether or not it does. The only person I want to talk to is gone.

If what I thought was put to words, I would only be screaming into the void. Maybe to God if He's there. I was once thankful for what the universe had brought, but when it took it away, I cursed its wretchedness.

I don't think God would want to talk to me, but I have a bone to pick if I see him.

Die and you can, the voice whispered to me. It keeps repeating the same messages. It is the voice of my desire, voicing its message every minute even when my thoughts stray. It always comes back to hit me in the face. I wish it would shut up. I knew from the moment I learned she was no longer that my life should end sometime soon, but I have unfinished business

Mom sat next to my bed. She thought I was sleeping, and she was talking to my Dad while running her cool fingers through my hair. Apparently, she had a conversation with Sam earlier today, and he told her about the wolf whose imprint passed. In the story, he spent the rest of his life as a wolf. Somewhere hidden inside, an old surprise dings at me about how strange it is that Mom would talk legends with Sam.

I knew the story he told her. The animal thing has crossed my mind, but I'll think about what I want to do after my last service to Adrian is completed.

I planned to fight the newborns, every single one that I could get my teeth around. I wanted Victoria's head too. The memory of her face made something inside of me roar with anger. My hands were shaking at the thought. If I'm lucky, I'll die fighting. If I don't, I'll find a way to kill myself (that'll require some creative thinking) or live as a wolf. Maybe the second if I can really forget my life. Mom seems to prefer it. She and Dad are the two who I'll regret leaving, but they aren't enough to live for. I know that she'll always have a sad look in her eyes or heaviness in her chest, but I planned to tell her before I go that I had all the happiness one could have in a short lifetime and thank her for saving my life so I could experience that. I'll write a note to her instead if I still can't find my voice.

Adrian POV

The burning ended, and I opened my eyes.

Please review. Reviewing's fun. I promise.