I sucked in a deep breath, forcing my tense body to relax. I could do this.
I reached over to the passenger seat and grabbed the Dutch style apple pie I'd made. Food wouldn't magically make everything better, I knew that, but it would help a little if no one felt like cooking.
I approached the door with apprehension, unsure how I would be received. I hadn't seen Sue or her children for a long time.
The door opened, a beautiful but sad young woman exited, staring me down with dark eyes. "Who are you? I haven't seen you before."
"Um, are you Leah?" I asked hesitantly.
The beauty crossed her arms over her chest. "Yeah. You didn't answer me. Who are you?"
"Oh! I'm sorry, where's my manners. I'm Bella, Bella swan, Charlie's daughter."
"Obviously. The Swan bit gave you away."
"Right. . . . Okay, I'm going to go inside now."
Leah stormed toward the woods at the side of the house, her short hair lifting slightly with the weak breeze.
I puffed out a breath of relief, taking a moment to gather myself before I walked into the house.
Grief. It hung in the air, covering all that entered the house with a heavy blanket. The sounds of mourning, reassurances and comfort was the first thing I heard. A mass of people from the reservation crowded into the small house; sitting, standing, or leaning on things.
I slowly walked through the house, searching for Sue and Seth. I found a teen that fit Seth's description sitting a set of folding stairs. He had his head down and hands resting on his knees.
"Seth?" I asked softly, not wanting to spook him or interrupt if he wanted to be alone.
His head shot up, revealing a sad, lost son. His eyes, irises dark as they could be, were red and puffy. "Yeah?"
"I'm Bella, Charlie's daughter. I'm sorry about what happened to your dad."
"Thanks. It means a lot that you came." His voice was hollow and the words sounded rehearsed. I knew better than to take offense, I had been in his shoes once and it had been harder that anything I'd experienced in my life so far.
"I'll see you around, hun." I squeezed his shoulder. I wouldn't say it got better, because it never did, just easier to focus on other things. That was after a long time period, though.
"Yeah, see you around." He responded, he looked and sounded so lost that it nearly tore my heart from my chest.
I forced myself to turn away, hiding my tears from him. There was nothing I could do to help him until he was ready to let me. He needed some time. As much as it killed me to leave him there, looking that way.
I made my way through the crowd, toward the front of the house. I'd greeted the family members and gave them as much as I could to comfort them. I couldn't take much more of the choking heaviness that grief created.
I took great, gasping breaths of air as soon as I burst through the front door. The air was fresh and light, soothing. I leaned over, bracing my hands on my knees as I gulped the life sustaining element.
"Bells?" A familiar voice nearby caught my attention.
My head snapped up, Jake was standing a few feet away in the tree line. He frowned at me, his warm brown eyes filled with concern and slightly dulled with sadness. "Uh, yeah?" I squeaked.
He closed the distance very quickly, making it easier to talk.
"You alright, honey?" He asked, a large hand rubbing my back in between my shoulder blades.
"F-fine, wanted a little fresh air is all." I replied, trying to think past the pleasant tingling in my back.
"Sure?" He checked, pinning me with his eyes. Warm, dark eyes that made me feel safe.
"Yeah. Were you patrolling again?"
"Sam doesn't like how easily the leech was able to get away."
"That's understandable. Harry was his friend, too."
"Want to get out of here?"
"Yes."
JBJBJBJBJBJBJBJBJBJBJBJBJBJBJBJBJBJBJBJBJBJBJBJBJBJBJBJBJBJBJBJBJBJBJBJB
"Jake, where are we going?" I inquired as I trudge along behind him. We had been walking for a while, after he drove me somewhere blindfolded.
"You'll see. Be patient, Bella." Jake laughed as I huffed in minor annoyance. I was getting tired.
He led us through a gap in the trees, and the sight I was greeted with took my breath away.
A twenty five by twenty five feet area lay before me. Lush grass and various wildflowers covered a portion of the landscape, a natural arch made of twisted vines in a side pocket. A clear, softly bubbling water source provided a small, clear pond.
Eden. Jacob had led me into a forest paradise.
"Jake, this is beautiful," I murmured in awe.
"I found it by accident. I was patrolling one night and stumbled into this place. Now, I come here when the pressure seems like it's drowning me, clear my head a bit." Jake seemed a bit shy, shrugging his shoulders and not looking me in the eye.
"So, you brought me to your safe spot? Your heaven on Earth?" I asked gently, not wanting him to think I didn't like the gesture, or the possible meaning behind it.
"Yeah."
"That's sweet, Jake."
"Just thought you'd like it, seemed to enjoy our last nature adventure."
"If I recall, it was before the fur grew in. It was a pretty little meadow, but it doesn't hold a candle to this beauty."
"No, it doesn't." Jake spoke in a soft, warm voice. I noticed he gazed directly into my eyes as he said those words, not sparing a single glance at the grove.
I blushed, breaking eye contact to look at my shoes. I wasn't used to him outright calling me things like' beautiful' and 'pretty' just yet. "Is this going to be considered our first date?"
"I would call it our first, but that depends on you." He replied easily.
"What do you mean?" I asked, curious.
"Do you want it to be a date?" His eyes held the hope he tried to hide.
I thought it over, did I? I glanced once more at the paradise he had shown me and back at him.
"Yes."