Being There
Disclaimer: all characters and copyright belong to Stephanie Meyer.
A/N-thank you for the lovely reviews. I appreciate the support. Nikki :)
Part Forty Five
Bella was sitting astride Jacob, she was half undressed and was teasing him by keeping out of his reach. He reached up to pull her down onto him but she batted his hand away. "No." She giggled at his disgruntled expression.
"Come here honey. I want to touch you." He pleaded with her.
Bella laughed again as she slowly pulled her shirt over her head and tugged the band out of her hair. It cascaded around her shoulders in shiny waves. Jacob smiled up at her as he sat up suddenly so that she fell back onto the bed. He hovered above her and planted a passionate kiss on her lips, stealing her breath away.
"Hey, you're cheating." She protested when she had recovered her breath.
"I couldn't wait anymore." Jacob began to kiss his way down the soft skin of her throat. "I'm an impatient man, especially when I want to get my hands on my soon to be wife."
Bella had lost control of her voice, his kisses and touches were driving her wild. She hooked her arms around the back of his neck and pulled him down on top of her. "Who's impatient now?" He murmured, a smile curving his lips upwards.
"Stop talking Jake and kiss me." Bella caught his lips with hers and kissed him hard. Both of them were getting desperate. It was rare for them to get any time alone now that Jared was staying on the couch and Brandon still not sleeping through the night. He was a very restless baby. So they had to take the opportunity when it was available. It certainly added spontaneity to their lovemaking.
Jacob pulled his shorts off and laughed as Bella made a needy noise and wound her legs around his waist pulling him closer. He kissed her again, tangling his hand in her lustrous hair as he lost himself in their passion. A pounding on the door made them freeze.
"Who the hell is that?" Bella demanded irritably. "They're going to wake Brandon."
As if on cue their son woke, his loud cries piercing the air. Jacob groaned in annoyance as he rolled off Bella and pulled his shorts back on. "Fuck, if it's Jared or Paul I'm gonna kick their asses."
Bella scrambled off their bed and pulled her shirt and jeans back on. Brandon's cries got louder as the pounding increased in tempo. "It won't just be you who kicks their asses." She grumbled as she headed off to deal with Brandon.
Jacob sprinted for the front door and yanked it open ready to yell at whoever it was. Without so much as a hello Kim marched past him into the house. He was so shocked at her appearance that he didn't say anything. She looked like she hadn't slept in days, her hair was greasy and lank and dark circles underscored her eyes. Jacob shut the door and followed her into the living room.
"Where is he?" Kim demanded. Her hands were curled into fists and her whole body shook as she spoke. She seemed on the verge of hysteria.
Jacob finally recovered his voice. "He's out on patrol."
"Then get him back here. I need to speak to him." Kim shrieked. "I have tried to get him to come home but he's resisting the imprint I can feel it. How is that possible?"
Bella emerged into the living room carrying a distressed Brandon in her arms. Kim's loud voice was upsetting him. "Please stop shouting, Kim." She asked her.
Kim glared at her wildly. "Oh look who it is? The Alpha's pretend imprint. This is all your doing. Emily died because of you. Well you'll get your comeuppance when Jacob imprints on another and dumps you and that spawn you're holding." She shouted.
Bella gasped as she clutched Brandon to her chest. Jacob caught hold of Kim's arm and practically dragged her out of the house and away from his family. She fought him all the way, cursing and yelling obscenities. When they were outside he released his hold on her so quickly that she fell back and landed in a patch of mud. Tears began to stream down her face as she hugged her arms around her chest.
"I just want him to come home." She sobbed. "Why won't he come back to me? We were destined to be together, the spirits said so."
Jacob looked at the pathetic figure in front of him and sighed. He was sick and tired of dealing with this problem. Jared needed to stop avoiding Kim and tell her that he was never coming back. He felt no sympathy for Kim at all, she had crossed a line today. No one upset his family and got away with it. "I want you to leave and never dare come back here." He said harshly.
Kim pushed her lank hair out of her face as she struggled to stand. "You have no right to tell me that. I am part of this pack, more so then that pretender in there." She waved her hand toward the house.
Jacob loomed over her, his anger increasing. She had become as deluded as Emily. It seemed when the imprintee didn't get what they wanted then it drove them to do insane things. "I have every right. I am the Alpha of this pack and I am the reason that Jared has managed to resist the imprint pull."
Kim gasped out loud at his words. "You ordered him to stay away from me."
"Yes." Jacob replied coldly. "You were messing with his head and he needed peace. From the display you have put on today it is very clear to me why he wants rid of you."
Kim began to sob again. "But I love him. He belongs to me."
"Go home and I will get him to come and see you one last time. After today I don't want to see your face around me or my family again." Jacob ignored Kim as she began to weep harder. He turned away to head back into the house.
XXXXXX
Bella had finally got Brandon settled. She had placed him back in his cot and was now sitting quietly on the couch, a subdued expression on her face. Jacob joined her immediately and pulled her into his arms. She rested her head on his shoulder and sighed sadly. "Why is it that they always come after me? First it was Emily and now Kim."
Jacob stroked her hair back from her face. "It's not you as a person, honey. It's the ideal that you represent. Both Kim and Emily were jealous of the fact that you and I loved each other. Neither Jared or Sam ever had natural feelings for their imprints. It was a forced union. Now that it has all unravelled, Kim is lashing out at the one person who seems to have it all."
Bella glanced up at him. "You are so wise. You sound more like your dad every day."
"Don't tell my old man that, Bells. His head will swell." Jacob smiled at her as he kissed the top of her head.
"I am so glad that Quil and Jess overcame the imprint thing. It was a natural match between them despite the imprint pull." Bella mused as she thought about her friend.
"Yeah, it looks like they were the only couple that the spirits got right." Jacob cupped Bella's cheek and kissed her again. "Are you okay, honey?"
"I will be." Bella replied.
"I'm going to have to go and find Jared. He needs to face up to Kim and tell her that he is never coming back. I hope that once she hears it from him that she will accept it." Jacob said hopefully.
Bella frowned. "Emily didn't when Sam told her." She said quietly. Bad memories of the accident which had caused Renee to nearly lose her life and the death of Emily herself assaulted her.
This brought Jacob up short. He hadn't seen it that way. "Bells, I think I will go with him when he tells her. Just to make sure she doesn't do anything crazy like Emily did. I think we might need to have her family involved too to keep an eye on her."
"I think that's a good idea. She looked like she hadn't been looking after herself properly." Bella hugged him again. "Hurry back, Jake. Don't take too long."
He reluctantly let her go and stood up. "I love you."
Bella smiled weakly. "I love you too." She watched him leave sadly, hoping that they would really be able to fix this issue once and for all.
XXXXXX
"And he huffed and he puffed and he blew the house down." Bella pretended to blow on something making Brandon gurgle with laughter. She jiggled him about and he waved his arms as if he was going to take off.
The sound of the post arriving made her pause. "I wonder who has written to us today." She said to Brandon, kissing him on the top of his head as she went to collect the post. She balanced him on her hip as she picked up the large creamy envelope. A smile lit up her face as she realised it was from one of the publishing houses that she had sent the manuscript to containing Sarah's stories. Bella carefully placed Brandon down on his playmat and knelt beside him as she eagerly opened the envelope. She scanned the contents and let out a loud squeal. Picking up Brandon again she swung him around making him laugh.
"Your mommy is going to be a published author." She said to him in delight, kissing his chubby cheeks. "I have got a book deal."
Brandon clapped his hands together and smiled at his mother's delighted expression. Bella kissed him again as she headed for her bedroom, she had decided to go and visit her parents, she wanted someone to celebrate with while Jacob was preoccupied with Jared and Kim.
XXXXXX
Kim's parents had finally arrived. Jacob was outside and was the first to greet them. Raised voices could be heard coming from inside the small rented house that Jared had shared with Kim.
"What is he doing to my daughter?" Kim's father demanded when he heard something smash.
"I think you'll find that Kim has just thrown something at Jared." Jacob retorted. "I am afraid Kim is refusing to accept it's over. That is why I called you here, she needs her parents."
"What are you implying?" Kim's father glared at him, it was obvious who Kim took after in temperament.
"Gerald, let's just go inside and talk to her." His wife said softly.
"Whatever." Gerald shook off his wife's hold and marched inside. His wife gave Jacob a shy smile as she followed her husband.
Moments later Jared emerged from the house, a weary look on his face. "Come on let's get out of here before I lose my temper with that old fool in there." He growled.
"I'm not going to argue with that." Jacob agreed. "Has she accepted it?"
Jared ran a hand through his short hair as he glanced back at the house. "No. I'm going to need your help man, the imprint pull is still there. Hopefully once she's back home and seeing things clearer it will fade."
"She is one stubborn girl." Jacob muttered irritably. The timbre of his voice changed as he issued an order on Jared. "I want you to stay away from Kim until I say otherwise."
The tension eased out of Jared's body. "Thanks." He said simply.
"Come on let's go." Jacob suggested when they heard Kim's voice yelling at her parents.
Jared nodded, he sprinted for the trees, Jacob hot on his heels.
XXXXXX
Bella pulled up outside her old home. She looked at it fondly, it was the first home that she had felt settled in when she had made the choice to come back and live with her father. She was glad that she had done so, it had led her back to Jacob. She got out of the car and went round to the other side to get Brandon, who was strapped into his car seat. Bella lifted the car seat out and carried her sleeping son toward the front door. She knocked and waited patiently for someone to answer. Five minutes passed and no one came. Usually it took Renee a while to open the door as she needed to use her wheel chair.
"Oh well it looks like Nanna and Gramps are not at home." Bella said to her son who was still fast asleep. "I'll check the gardens at the back just in case and if they're not there Bubba maybe we can go and see your Auntie Jess and Uncle Quil instead." Brandon gave a small yawn as his eyes fluttered open and then closed again.
Bella made her way to the back of the house, as she approached she could hear voices. So they were at home after all. She could hear Charlie saying something and Renee answering in a surprised tone. Bella wondered what was going on, she crept as quietly as she could until she reached the back gate; peering around the corner she saw her mom sitting on the swing seat with her dad kneeling in front of her. Bella strained her eyes, she could see that her dad was holding something out to her mom, it looked like...no, it couldn't be? Yes, it was a ring!
Bella's mouth fell open as she realised she was about to interrupt Charlie proposing to Renee for the second time.
A/N-thanks for reading!
