Moonlight in Forks
Disclaimer: all characters and copyright belong to SM.
From Bad to Worse
Bella worried if something didn't give soon, the strain on Jacob's face would become permanent. He was trying to split himself in too many directions all at once: to run his business, lead his pack, spend time with her, as well as trying to figure out what to do about Sam and the others-that was without the added problem of the Cullens still being in the area. It was all taking its toll on him.
Bella was desperate to help shift some of the burden. She felt helpless. Her injuries meant that she was trapped in the house. She couldn't drive. Not with the damn cast still on her leg. She felt her frustration grow day by day. All she had been able to do so far was listen as Jacob unburdened himself, and try and offer what little advice she could. Words of comfort were okay, but they didn't solve the problem, only action could do that.
One night as the pale crescent moon shone like a silvery claw in the night sky. Bella sat on the porch swing, looking up at the blanket of stars that seemed to stretch to infinity. The occasional barking of faraway dogs broke the silence of the night.
Jacob sat next to her, fighting a losing battle to keep his eyelids open. He had just finished a twelve-hour shift, working on a complicated restoration on an old Corvette that someone had brought into the garage. The owner had offered Jacob extra cash if he managed to turn the old vehicle around within a few days. Jacob couldn't say no to the extra money, but it meant putting in the hours. Embry and Seth were pitching in, but it still meant a lot of work.
"Jake, I'm worried you're pushing yourself too hard." Bella caught hold of his hand as she watched his head jerk as he fought to stay awake. "You'll burn yourself out."
"I'm fine." Jacob tried to smile but it quickly turned into a yawn.
"Please tell me you are going straight home to sleep when you leave here tonight."
"No can do. Its my turn to patrol. Leah and Seth and the kids have been bearing the brunt of it while I work on this new project. I need to take a turn." Jacob always referred to Colin and Brady as the kids, even though they weren't really much younger than Seth.
"They're not putting in twelve-hour days at work." Bella pointed out.
"No, but Seth and the kids have school and homework to think about. And Leah has just started that on-line college thing." Jacob shrugged. "Don't worry, honey, I've got Embry helping me. Once the Corvette is finished the pressure will ease off a little."
"Its not your workload that's causing you sleepless nights though, is it?" Bella reminded him. "Its Sam."
Jacob sighed heavily. "You know me too well." He tightened his arm around her as she rested her head against his chest. "We're only communicating through Billy now. That's how bad it has got. Its not good for business, its not good for morale."
"Oh, Jake." Bella felt so bad on his behalf, she yearned once again to help figure out how to solve the problem.
"Our patrol schedules keep clashing. Staying out of each other's way is not really working. So far everyone has managed to keep their tempers. Well almost." Jacob's face darkened as he remembered how Embry and Paul had nearly come to blows when they came across one another unexpectedly the night before last.
As usual Lahote had run his mouth, infuriating Embry who had jumped to his defense. Paul had run straight home to his sister like a good little imprinted wolf, spilling his guts to her and making out that Embry was the bad guy. Jacob had copped the heat of Rachel's ire as soon as he walked through the door. She yelled at him to stop being selfish and just make things right with Sam.
Jacob had been forced to walk away, to stop himself saying something he would regret to Rachel. Living in the same house as his sister and Lahote was becoming unbearable. He only went there to sleep most days, other times he avoided it entirely when he wasn't with Bella, working, or running patrols.
Bella hated to see the tension back on his face. He was suffering so much. It wasn't fair. Determined to do something about it, she shut the conversation down for the night, and just rested in his arms, her mind working overtime as she pondered what to do.
The next day dawned bright and clear. Bella had been up for most of the night, her brain on overdrive as she tried come up with a solution to the Sam problem. Unfortunately, after hours staring up at the darkened ceiling, she had come no closer to a resolution. The issue was too complex to be solved even with mediation. It had gone beyond that now.
But Bella still wanted to do something, she wondered if she tried speaking to Sam herself, or if not him, Emily, then maybe she would get a better idea of how to move forward. The situation was untenable for everyone. She remembered Sam was once a reasonable guy. Perhaps now some time had passed he had mellowed out enough to listen to reason.
With her mother's help, Bella was soon showered and dressed for the day. Renee had decided to extend her stay, much to everyone's surprise, especially Charlie. It was assumed that she would be desperate to get back to Phil, but she talked around the subject whenever his name was brought up. Normally Bella would have picked up on that straight away, but her head was too full of other things to focus on what might be troubling her mother.
"Mom, I need you to do something for me." Bella asked once the breakfast dishes were tidied away.
"Anything, baby girl." Renee came to stand behind Bella's chair and began fussing with her hair.
"I need you to drive me over to a friend's house."
"That's no problem. Just call when you want me to pick you up afterwards." Renee said distractedly as she began to braid Bella's hair.
"Um…I'd rather you wait in the car for me." Bella said cautiously. "I shan't be that long."
"Oh?" Renee gave her an inquiring look. "I thought you said this person was a friend. What's going on, Bella?"
"I can't tell you." Bella pleaded. "Can you just not ask any questions?"
Renee wasn't like Charlie. He would have immediately interrogated his daughter, wanting to know the reason why. Even though Renee was curious, she backed off, trusting that Bella knew what she was doing.
"Okay, baby, when do you want to go?"
"Can we go now?" Bella asked. "I want to get there as early as possible."
"Okay." Renee agreed as she tied a band around the end of the long braid. "Just let me get my keys."
"Thanks, Mom." Bella smiled at her mother gratefully. "I'm really glad you're here."
Renee's cheeks flushed pink with pleasure. "Me too, baby girl. Me too."
It was the strangest Fall for time out of mind. The trees had remained clothed in green until the middle of October and then suddenly were a riot of color. It was as if the season jumped into the park instead of fading in as it usually would, and was more magnificent for doing so. The air was cooler with a tincture of earthiness - just a hint that recalled the cozy evenings and warm soups to come.
Bella loved this time of year when the trees were a riot of color, before the real winter set in. She enjoyed the fresh breeze on her face as Renee helped her into the passenger seat.
As Renee drove, she kept up a constant stream of chatter. She spoke about a book club she had joined online, about the meditation classes that she was thinking of starting. To Bella's surprise she also casually mentioned that she might be subbing in the second grade, the local kindergarten was urgently looking for a substitute teacher to step in quickly to fill in for the regular teacher's absence.
"Family emergency, apparently."
"It seems like you're planning on staying around?" Bella asked carefully.
"I might." Renee flashed her a warm smile. "I've missed being with you, baby girl. And Phil is off touring again."
"And you don't want to join him?"
"Not this time." Renee kept her tone light. "Anyway, Charlie told me about the opening at the local school, and I thought, why not?"
"I suppose." Bella didn't ask anymore, settling back into her seat. She knew now was not the right time to press her mother for more information, not when Renee was being so good about not asking her any questions.
Bella just hoped her mother would open up in her own time about what was really going on in her troubled marriage.
XXXXXXXX
At the end of the lane the tiny house belonging to Sam and Emily came into view. It had once been gray, but the paintwork was so faded it was hard to tell what color it was now.. There was only one narrow window beside the weathered blue door, the window box that was usually filled with bright flowers contained nothing but dying stalks. The whole place reeked of neglect.
"What a quaint little house." Renee said, peering through the windshield. "Could do with some sprucing up though. And you say friends of yours live here?"
"I won't be long." Bella said, not answering her mother directly. She pushed open the passenger door and slid out of the seat. She put her bad leg with the walking cast on the ground first, followed by her good leg.
"Are you sure you don't want your crutches?" Renee asked.
"No, I'm good." Bella held onto the car door as she pulled herself upright. She was determined to be independent and Renee knew not to push. "I won't be long."
"Okay." Renee leaned back in her seat and switched on the radio for entertainment.
Bella hobbled across the soft mud and climbed clumsily up the one step until she was face to face with the front door. Taking a deep breath to steady her nerves, she knocked gently on the weathered wood.
Soon she heard the faint sounds of footsteps and then slowly the door was pulled open to reveal Emily on the other side. It wasn't an Emily that Bella recognized. Despite the horrific scars scoring one side of her face, Emily had always been glowing with health, but this Emily looked ill. Her satiny copper skin looked sallow. Her long, straight, crow black hair hung in limp tendrils around her face.
"Bella?" She whispered hoarsely. "What are you doing here?"
"I was wondering if we could talk…. Emily are you okay?" Bella was really alarmed at the state of the other girl. Emily looked like one puff of wind would blow her over.
"I'm fine." Emily murmured. "You better come in." She opened the door wide so Bella could slip past her. Her dark eyes glanced down at Bella's injured leg. "I heard what happened. How are you feeling?"
"Better than you I feel." Bella walked into open-plan kitchen and steadied herself against the kitchen counter. "You don't look well, Emily."
Emily lifted up one thin arm and hooked a lock of her hair behind her ear. "I thought you knew."
"Knew what?" Bella asked.
"I'm pregnant."
"You are?" Bella didn't hide her shock at this news. Emily was so painfully thin, one glance at her abdomen showed no sign of even a slight bump.
"Its early days." Emily said as if reading her thoughts. "I've been suffering from the most terrible morning sickness. That's probably why I don't look so good."
"Okay." Bella said cautiously. "Congratulations."
"Thank you." Emily walked wearily over to the stove, bent down and pulled out a tray of muffins. With shaking hands, she placed the tray on the counter and leaned on it for support. Her complexion had gone completely grey.
"Is there anything I can do?" Bella offered.
"No, I'm fine. It's just the morning sickness. The nausea will pass in a second." Emily took a deep breath and righted herself. "You said you wanted to talk?"
"Maybe now is not a good time. I'll come back when you're feeling better."
"I said I'm fine, Bella. I'm pregnant not ill." Emily snapped.
Bella frowned. "Okay."
Emily began popping the muffins out of the tin and placing them on a big platter. "I'm hoping you've come here to tell me that Jacob has finally swallowed his pride and seen sense. Splitting up the pack like that has put so much pressure on Sam. Its pressure we could do without right now."
"I'm sorry you feel under pressure, Emily. Jacob didn't choose to split the pack deliberately. I feel you know that." Bella answered carefully.
Emily glared at her. "Then why did you come here, Bella?"
"I was hoping to talk to you…. or Sam. I hoped – "
"To change his mind?" Emily cut in harshly. "That's not going to happen, Bella. And it was selfish of you to think so. And I'm surprised that you supported Jacob in doing what he did, considering he welcomed Leah into his pack, especially after what she did to you."
"It was my idea that Leah be given a second chance." Bella revealed.
"Then you are more stupid than you look." Emily retorted. She winced as if something pained her.
Bella shuffled a little in her direction, intending to help, but Emily held up her hand to ward her away.
"I'd watch my cousin if I were you. Leah causes nothing but grief if she doesn't get her own way. Look how long she's tortured my Sam, never giving him a moment's peace. She's twisted with jealously because we're so happy and she can't accept it. Sam is glad of the rest from her constant bitching."
Even though Leah wasn't Bella's favorite person, she felt Emily's cruel assessment of her cousin was out of order. It grated on her nerves, causing her temper to spill over. "If Sam is so tired of her, then why did he send Jared as an emissary to practically beg Leah to return to his pack?"
Emily's wan face turned even more gray. "That's not true!"
"It is true. I'm not lying to you."
Emily closed her eyes as if in pain. "I want you to leave now." She muttered.
"Emily, I – "
"Please, Bella, just go."
Bella felt awful. She wished she hadn't let her tongue run away with her. She had just made a bad situation worse. "I'm sorry." She apologized guiltily. "You should speak to Sam. I'm sure there is an explanation."
"Leave." Emily said again.
Just as Bella turned to go, the front door opened again, and Sam himself stepped inside.
"What are you doing here?" He asked suspiciously when his stern gaze landed on Bella.
A/N-thanks for reading!