Everything Is Different Now
Chapter 11
March 23, 2013
(Jacob is dreaming.)
"Oh yeah, baby, just like that, a little faster, suck a little harder. Gah, Laura, that feels so good.
You're burnin' me alive, baby, you just don't know. Oh yeah, honey, wrap your sweet lips around it
just like that. Ah, Laura, baby, I'm gonna, I'm gonna...What the? Laura? Laura! Laura,
watch out! Get behind me! No you don't bloodsucker! You took Bella from me, you're not takin'
Laura too! NO! You can't have her! I'll rip you to pieces, you fucker! Laura! What are you doin'
baby? Stay behind me! NO! Get back, honey! Stay away, leech! Laura! NOOOOO!"
LPOV
Once Jacob's wolf was satisfied that I believed in the reality of his existence, he faded away and Jacob
was allowed to regain consciousness and come back to the present. I had remained with him to
reassure him of my continued loyalty and trust. He seemed to be unaware of the declarations of love
that his wolf had expressed to me, but he was at the same time unwilling to allow much physical
distance between us.
After remaining at his side for 2 more days, attending him at every turn, with every attention, feeding
him and simply lending my emotional support, I slipped away while he was asleep to catch a little
rest in my own bed. I was jerked awake suddenly with the sound of a huge impact followed closely by
a crash of tearing metal and wood splintering. I was up and out of my room heading for the west
wing at a dead run within seconds. Willikins veered in and joined me on our sprint across the house
toward Jacob's room. I slammed my hand onto the emergency open button but nothing happened.
The door was too badly damaged to slide into its pocket. It was bent outward at one corner at the
top, from inside. Something had slammed into the door from inside Jacob's room and the steel core
was mangled so badly the opening mechanism would no longer function. Willikins tore the steel bar
that was the footrail of the trophy case bar on the far side of the hall and jammed the end into the
opened and torn corner of the door. He threw all of his weight onto the bar and the door creaked and
screamed in a clash of metal against metal. Agonizingly slowly, he pried the door to Jacob's suite
open and shoved it aside allowing me entrance to find my charge lying bloody and unconscious on
the floor. What in the world had he done?
His left arm was obviously broken, twisted at a horrible angle. His left hip was dislocated and the
tibia was broken and protruding through the skin of his leg. There were multiple lesser injuries all
over his body. It appeared that he had attempted to break out of his room by throwing himself at the
door and my God, he'd nearly made it! He began thrashing his head from side to side and I knew if I
didn't act fast, I'd have to fix this while he was awake.
"Willikins! I need you to hold him! Here, kneel above his head here, hold his head between your
knees, keep him from thrashing like that and wrap your hands around this shoulder and under his
arm. Hold it tight. Ready? Now. Okay, that one's set, now his leg. I'll set the bone first then get his
hip. Place your hands around his knee and hold it steady. Ready? Now. Pull hard, Phillip! Almost.
Okay, got it. Now one more. Lift his shoulders across your thighs, let his head rest against your
belly. I'm going to lift his leg and get this hip back in its socket. Lean over him and place your
forearms across his waist. Hold him as still and as firmly as you can. You won't hurt him I promise.
Let me lift his leg and get my foot to his thigh crease, okay, up and just a little out,
down...and...there. Back in place. Thank you Willikins. Oh Barney, I'm glad you're here, yes,
bring that big stretcher and one of Snowball's blankets, fast, and oh Marie, Mama, I'm glad to see
you. Coffee, sandwiches, coffee, in my room, please."
JPOV
I felt like shit. What the hell had happened? What was that? Oww, my head, my arm, my leg, hell,
everything hurt. The dream! Was it a dream? Oh dear God, please say it was a dream. I needed
to wake the fuck up, now. Where's Laura?
"Laura!"
"I'm right here, Jacob! I'm right here. Be still. Lie back. You're going to be okay. I'm here."
"Laura, are you alright? Are you hurt?"
"Hurt? No, I'm not hurt. Jacob, you're the one that's hurt. What happened? Tell me what
happened. Was this another nightmare?"
"Nightmare? Shit! It was. Thank God! It was a nightmare. You're okay, aren't you? You're not a
vampire?"
"Vampire? No. Jacob, tell me. Just lie still. I'm listening and I'm not going anywhere. Tell me what
happened."
"Oh man, Laura honey, I'm so glad you're okay. You're alive. You're here."
"I'm fine, Jacob, just try to be still. You're injured worse than you realize. Talk to me, please."
"It started out as one of 'those' dreams, you know, like I had before, about you?"
"Yeah, okay. Go on."
"It was a really good dream, everything was goin' fine and all of a sudden, Bella's husband shows up
and grabs you away from me and...well, he bit you so you would turn into one of them. I tried to
protect you, but he got to you anyway and snatched you away from me. Laura, you jumped out from
behind me and got in front of me trying to protect me and he was able to get to you. Swear to me
you'll never do something like that. Promise me!"
"Okay, Jacob. Easy now. I promise. I'll let you protect me. I swear. Tell me the rest."
"I was losing you... just like..."
"Like what, Jacob? What is it?"
"...like I lost Bella...and like when I lost my Mom I was going to be alone...again. It was
happening again and I couldn't stop it. I wasn't strong enough, I wasn't vigilant enough, I wasn't
smart enough...or...something, hell, I don't know. What happened to me? I feel like I was hit
by a truck."
"More like the truck was hit by you."
"Huh?"
"I think you may have thrown yourself at the door trying to get out. The core of the door is 2 inches
of steel. Jacob, I'm so sorry. I was going to unlock the door to the west wing today. Obviously, I was
too late. Please forgive me. I've allowed you to be injured on my watch, in my own home. This is
unacceptable. I'll make arrangements to take you anywhere you want to go as soon as you're healed
enough to travel."
"What? You're throwing me out because I got hurt? Why? Please, Laura, don't..."
"No, I'm not throwing you out. I promised I'd never do that, but I've let you get hurt and that goes
against any and all rules of caring for someone. I'm so sorry."
"Laura! Look at me! Do you think this is your fault?"
"Isn't it? I'm the one who locked you in and now look at you. You're in pieces!"
"Heyyyy, no I'm not. Stop. C'mere, please. Please? Will you just hold my hand? Please?"
"I'll hold the good one. I've caused enough physical damage to you for one day I think."
"I think I caused that damage, not you. I should have been able to figure out that if the door was
locked, that it would be stupid to assume it was just a wooden door. That would be pointless.
Granted, I never would have guessed it had a steel core, but, hey, live and learn, huh? I'm sorry I
buggered up your door. But, Laura, look at me, honey, it's not your fault that I had a bad dream and
went crazy. You couldn't have anticipated that. Just please don't make me leave. Please don't turn
your back on me, not now."
"Oh Jacob, I would never..."
"That's all I ask. We've come too far, Laura. I need you."
"I need you too, Jacob. Are you in much pain? What can I do? I know painkillers won't help you."
"That's true, even morphine burns off of me pretty fast. Can you...um,...nah, never mind."
"What? What can I do? Anything."
"Would it be just too weird if I asked you...would you stay here a while and keep me company?
Until I can fall asleep, maybe?"
"Of course I'll stay with you, Jacob. Can I make you more comfortable?"
"Thanks, but I doubt it. I would imagine the only thing softer than these pillows is you, ya know?"
"Well, there's an idea. Here, let me help you lift your shoulders just a bit. I'll just scoot in here like
this, and you can lean back on me. How's that? Any better?"
"You just gonna stay here with me and hold on to me? Some of your bits will surely go to sleep."
"I don't think so. Anyway, I don't mind. Just relax back against me here, I'll put my arms around you
like this and you can lay your bad arm on me like I'm a cushion. Is that okay?"
"Yeah, it feels really nice. Thanks Doc. Um...Laura?"
"Yes, Jacob?"
"Will you stay here with me tonight?"
"Of course I will, Jacob."