Moonlight in Forks
Disclaimer: all characters and copyright belong to SM.
Unexpected Visitors
As Bella drifted, she dreamed.
From the beauty of the dreamscape, in the place between the thoughts and the movies of the nighttime, came striding the most magnificent wolf she had ever seen. He was beautiful, his russet fur shimmering like burnished gold. She watched as he leapt high, like his paws had springs. This action was met with a snarl, followed by a deeper, wilder roar that rang with fury.
The noise brought Bella back, almost to the surface of her consciousness, a sharp pain slashing to her upraised hand. She tried to speak, but her throat burned. She tried to open her eyes, but she couldn't summon the will to do so.
Bella found herself drifting again.
She didn't drift for long as an awful tumult assaulted her ears. There was a vicious bass growling, a shocking snapping sound, and a high keening, suddenly breaking off…
Bella tried to concentrate, to break through her dreamlike haze. She heard a voice, it was the kind of deep voice that was so very easy to fall in love with, that auditory caramel, so soothing.
"Bella, please! Listen to me, please, please, Bella, please!" The voice begged.
Yes, she wanted to say. Anything. But she couldn't will her lips to move, the words stuck in her damaged throat.
Then there was another voice, the sound of an angel calling her name.
"Oh no, Bella, no!" The angel's voice cried in horror.
Cold hands pried at her. She shivered.
"Get away from her!" The deeper voice yelled, the deep vibrations like catnip to her soul
The cold hands were snatched away, sudden warmth replacing them.
"This is your fault, Black!" The angel accused, the tone sounding more avenging then divine. "She should never have been left here! I need to get her to Carlisle! If she doesn't recover from this, I swear I'll -"
"You swear? What? To kill me?" The deep voice roared. "You were the one who led Victoria here. I smelt your disgusting stench on the way here. She followed your trail when you sneaked onto the res to check on Bella before the fight. You led the red headed witch straight to her!"
There was a point of pressure against Bella's head. It hurt. Then as the pain broke through the darkness, other pains came, stronger pains. Bella cried out, gasping, shattering through the dreamscape to cold, hard reality.
"Bella!" The angel cried. "I'm going to get you to Carlisle."
"Stay away from her!" The deeper voice growled. "Or I promise I will kill you right where you stand."
"Easy now, Jake." A calm voice joined the fray. "Leave now or face the consequences." He warned the angel. "You have done enough damage."
A howl of rage strangled on the angel's lips. He was surrounded by others, pulled away, calling Bella's name over and over, until it faded into the distance.
"She's lost some blood. That gash on her wrist needs stitches." The calm voice said. "We should get her to the hospital. Sue can patch her up there."
The sharp pains were fading now. There was a new pain, a scalding pain in her wrist that overshadowed everything else.
"Jacob?" Bella tried to speak, her voice raspy and thick.
"Bella, you're going to be fine. Can you hear me, honey? I love you."
"Jacob." Bella tried again. Her voice was a little clearer this time.
"Yes, I'm here."
"It hurts."
"I know, honey."
"Victoria?"
"Is dead. You don't have to worry anymore."
"Leah? Seth?"
"Will be fine. They are both exhausted, but healing up nicely."
Relief washed through Bella. She finally managed to open her eyes, finding two blurry shapes hovering over her. One was Jacob. One was Sam. "I did it." She whispered. "I saved them."
Then she blacked out again.
Bella's eyes opened to a bright, white light. She was in a room, a very familiar room. The wall beside her was covered in long vertical blinds. Overhead the glaring lights blinded her. She was propped up on a hard, uneven bed-a bed with rails. Bella groaned. She was in hospital. She sat up too abruptly and her head spun. A sharp cry left her lips as she jostled her bad hand.
"No, you don't. I've just finished fixing the brace."
It was a soft feminine voice that spoke. Cool fingers caught her bad hand and gently rested it back down.
Bella glanced to the side to find Sue Clearwater sitting by the bed, wearing dark blue hospital scrubs and a concerned expression.
"What happened?" She asked the older woman. She couldn't remember clearly, and her mind rebelled as she tried to recall the finer details. Her eyes flitted around the sterile room. "Where's Jake?"
"Outside." Sue answered calmly. "You were lucky you didn't lose more blood. That cut you gave yourself just narrowly missed a vein." She pursed her lips disapprovingly. "I've cleaned it up, stitched it, I didn't see any signs of infection. It should heal nicely in time."
Bella glanced down at her wrist. It was wrapped in a clean sterile bandage, the brace placed over the top. "Thank you." She said in a small voice. "I didn't mean to cause any trouble."
Sue met Bella's apologetic gaze. Some undefinable emotion flashed in her dark eyes for an instant. "Seth told me what happened…that you purposely cut yourself to draw the vampire's attention away from him and Leah. It was a reckless and foolish thing to do, Bella Swan." She scolded sternly.
"I'm sorry." Bella said again. Shame coloring her cheeks red.
Sue's voice softened. "Never apologize for that. Thank you for saving my children, Bella." Then she leaned in to press a kiss of gratitude on Bella's hot cheek, before hastily taking her leave, wiping away a stray tear as she did so.
As soon as the door closed behind Sue Clearwater, it opened again and Jacob charged in. Bella shuddered and breathed deeply, her eyes lighting up with relief as soon as she saw him. He loped over to her side within seconds, scooping her up into his arms as he did so.
"Oh, God, Bells. You gave me such a scare." Jacob hugged her to his warm body, being mindful of the brace covering her injured hand. "What were you thinking?"
"I don't think I was thinking." Bella admitted.
"I don't know what I would have done if you – "Jacob couldn't complete the sentence.
Bella felt tears spring into her eyes. Suddenly her defenses were just paper, paper that was being soaked by the rapidly falling briny drops. Before she could draw in the air her body needed, she melted into Jacob's form. She could feel his firm torso and the heart that beat within. His hands were folded around her back, drawing her in closer. She could feel his body shake. He pulled his head back and wiped away her tears with a calloused finger, even this roughness brought more relief than her heart could hold. Jacob was running his hand through her hair, as if he can't quite believe she was okay. When he leaned down to kiss her, it was sweet, gentle, and it tasted of her tears. She wanted to speak but all I she could do was croak, "I love you."
Jacob smiled softly. "I love you, too." He said, before folding her in his arms again.
Bella was dozing in Jacob's arms. He had climbed onto the bed beside her. It was a squeeze, but they made it work, somehow. Jacob's warmth soothed her, made her feel safe. They had yet to talk about what had happened after he killed Victoria. He wanted her to rest for a while first.
Barely thirty minutes had passed before their fragile peace was shattered. Bella opened her eyes when she felt Jacob stiffen. She glanced blearily up at his face. His brows were drawn down, he looked angry.
"Jake, what's wrong?"
"The little Pixie is here." Jacob scowled, carefully easing Bella away from him, he slid off the bed just as the door opened.
Alice sidled into the room. Her normally chipper expression was missing. She looked unusually serious; her eyes somber. "I don't want to interrupt, but I have no choice." She said gravely.
Bella sat up straighter in the bed, a flutter of panic making itself felt in her stomach. She knew that look. She reached out with her good hand to stop Jacob issuing a sarcastic retort. "What is it, Alice? What's wrong?"
Alice's eyes flicked to Jacob briefly, then back to Bella. "Maybe we should discuss this in private." She suggested cautiously.
"Jake and I have no secrets. Just say what you have to say." Bella remarked impatiently.
Alice emitted a deep sigh. "Okay, if that's what you want. Unexpected visitors have arrived. They are in the clearing now with Carlisle and the others."
Bella felt her skin go ice cold. She noticed Jacob throw her a look of concern. She instinctively reached for his hand and held it tightly to give her courage. "By unexpected visitors, I suppose you mean the Volturi."
"Yes, they sent an entourage. Its Jane, Felix and a few others." Alice confessed anxiously. Her face was pinched with worry. "With the wolves around, I couldn't see them. I'm sorry, Bella, but I need you to come with me right now."
"NO WAY!" Jacob growled, stepping protectively in front of Bella.
Bella tugged on his hand, looking ashen. "Jake, I have no choice. You remember what I told you happened in Italy?"
Jacob tensed, his fingers gripping tighter to Bella's hand. "Yes." He breathed.
Bella met his troubled gaze. "If I don't go the consequences could be dire. And I have to go alone, Jake. You cannot come with me."
A/N-thanks for reading!