Moonlight in Forks

Disclaimer: all characters and copyright belong to SM.

Pressure

Jacob sat beside Bella's hospital bed and watched her sleep. Most of it had been over by the time he arrived on the scene, and she was out of danger, but somehow, guilt overwhelmed him. He didn't think he would ever get those dreadful images of Bella lying unconscious on the Cullens driveway, covered in blood out of his head. Or of Leah, standing off to one side, her face and upper body covered in cuts and bruises, most of which were already fading, her face stricken with horror and guilt as she stared at the fallen girl on the ground.

It was irrational, but he felt like he had failed Bella when she really needed him. Luckily, Carlisle had been there, directing the others, resetting Bella's broken leg as well as assessing her other injuries, in order to make sure she could be safely moved.

Jacob tried to chase the dark memories away and focus on the here and now. Bella was safe. According to the doctors, in time she would make a full recovery. The only scars that would be left over would be the mental ones. It had been the worst thing in the world having to be the one to tell her what had preceded the crash. He would never forget the devastated look on her face as he explained what Leah had planned to do.

They hadn't had any time to discuss it further because another nurse came bustling in, brandishing a syringe.

"Excuse me." She had said brusquely to Jacob.

He had been forced to get up and cross the small room to give the nurse room to attend to Bella. He had leaned against the wall, folded his arms and waited. He kept his eyes trained on Bella the whole time, watching as she struggled to maintain her composure in front of the oblivious nurse.

"Here you go, Bella." The nurse had smiled as she injected the medicine into Bella's tube. "You'll feel better now."

It didn't take long for the medicine to work. Drowsiness trickled through Bella's bloodstream almost immediately. As soon as the nurse left, Jacob was back by her side.

"Stay with me." Bella slurred, her eyelids already drooping.

"Always." Jacob promised. "I love you." He had leaned in, his lips touching hers gently.

"I love you, too." Bella fought against the stupor, but it was a pointless battle. Soon she was fast asleep.

Now all Jacob could do was wait for the emotional fall out when she woke up. He took her hand, the one that didn't have the IV, and held it in both of his.

Bella shuddered and breathed deeply before she opened her eyes. "Jacob?" Her voice was hoarse and weak with disuse.

"I'm right here, honey."

Bella stared at him for a moment, then blinked and shook her head as the harsh reality of her situation set in. Tears pooled in her eyes, as if her pain had set off a deluge of rain. Jacob quickly handed her a tissue. She took it gratefully, beginning to hiccup as she tried to catch her breath. Her tears of sorrow were soaking the tissue as she clung to it to try and stop the flow.

When Bella tried to speak her voice faltered into unintelligible croaks. Her brain struggled to formulate a thought, at least not one based in any language, and she felt if she didn't touch Jacob soon her atoms would tear themselves apart. One moment they were apart and the next they were morphed into a single being as Jacob slid beside her on the bed and wrapped her carefully in his arms. The warmth of his body met Bella's cold skin, giving her hope like he always did, like her own personal sun. One of his hands clasped around her lower back, the other stroked her hair. With each soft touch more tears fell, tears neither of them wiped away.

"I'm sorry, Jake. I just…just…" Bella gulped, unable to continue.

"Don't you apologize, honey." Jacob said huskily. "Cry as much as you want to."

So, Bella did. She cried and cried until she had no tears left. And when the crying jag was over, she fell asleep again in Jacob's arms, a natural sleep this time, one that wasn't induced by any drug, and where no nightmares could find her.

"Still here, Jake?"

The sound of Charlie's voice carried through the room; startling Jacob awake. He was immediately alert, holding Bella protectively. He had unintentionally fallen asleep not long after she had.

"Oh, hi, Charlie." Jacob rubbed a hand over his face, stifling a yawn. "What time is it?"

"Lunchtime." Charlie edged over to the bed and looked down at his sleeping daughter. "She looks like she's got more color in her cheeks."

"Yes, I think you're right." Jacob saw the police chief's hands shake a little. He remembered how beside himself Charlie had been when he first found out about the crash.

The official story had been that Bella and Leah had gone for a ride in Sue Clearwater's car, when a deer had cut across their path. Leah, in a failed attempt to avoid the animal, had crashed the Ford Escape into a tree. The wreck had been moved from the Cullens driveway onto a small side road just off the main highway. Just another attempt by the coven to conceal their involvement and cover their tracks. He knew it was impossible to tell Charlie the truth, and that the pack's secret needed to be protected at all costs as well, but it still galled Jacob that the vampires once again had the cover of plausible deniability.

"You should go and get something to eat." Charlie pulled up another one of the hard, plastic chairs and settled himself into it. "I'll stay with Bells for a while."

"I don't want to leave her." Jacob was reluctant to go, but he sensed that Charlie wanted to be alone with his daughter for a while. "But perhaps I might pay a visit to the canteen. I won't be long."

"I'll tell her where you've gone if she wakes up." Charlie promised. He reached for Bella's free hand and held it carefully in his own.

The last image Jacob had of Charlie as he left the room was of the older man's bowed head, trying to conceal a dry sob as he tried to not to disturb his sleeping daughter.

Jacob chose a window seat as he sat down with his purchases. He had bought some sandwiches, their plastic wrappings concealing the horrors inside. Stale or not, he needed to eat. He doubted he would taste the contents anyway. A cup of black coffee completed the less than stellar meal. As he began to unwrap the first sandwich, a shadow fell across him, he didn't even look up, he knew who it was. He had seen them watching him from afar as soon as he entered the canteen.

"Now is not a good time, Seth." Jacob said, trying to keep his voice neutral.

Seth Clearwater, his young face a picture of sorrow, slid into the seat opposite him. "I'm sorry, Jake. I don't mean to bug you. But can we talk?"

Jacob raised his dark eyes to the young shifter's. Seth looked rough. Purple shadows underscored his eyes, as if he hadn't slept in days. Which he probably hadn't. A smidgeon of empathy for the teenage boy flashed through Jacob for a few seconds, knowing that Seth was the one who had to deal with the fallout of his sister's actions, but the emotion was only brief. In Jacob's eyes there was no forgiveness.

"You shouldn't be here, Seth. I told the others to go. I am telling you the same."

"We only want to support you and Bella." Seth began, then paused, lowering his head as he was unable to meet Jacob's steely gaze. "I'm sorry, Jacob. I understand that you're angry."

"Angry doesn't begin to cover it." Jacob kept his voice low, but his displeasure was clear. "If you are here to argue your sister's case, then I'd advise you to save your breath."

Seth's fists curled in his lap in anguish. "Lee Lee is devastated, Jacob. She is so sorry for what she has done. It was like she was suffering from some kind of mental breakdown, or something – "

"Don't you dare even attempt to defend her to me!" Jacob cut in angrily. He had to put the mangy sandwich down before he crushed it in his tight grip. "There are no excuses for what she has done. She is a protector. It is her job to protect humans, not offer them up for sacrifice."

Seth bent his head, his Adams apple bobbing up and down as he swallowed. "I don't know what to do, Jacob. My family is falling apart right before my eyes. My mom is putting a brave face on it, but she's struggling. Leah hasn't been the same since dad died. She was the closest to him. Whatever the problem, he was always the one who was able to get through to her. Now he's not here. I can't help her. I've tried. Mom's tried." He shook his head, a lone tear finding its way down his cheek. "I'm afraid for my sister's wellbeing. I'm afraid she might do something else drastic if we don't get her proper help."

Words failed Jacob. He couldn't help but feel compassion for the young shifter. Seth's family had imploded since Harry passed away. His tragic death had broken something in all of them: Seth put a happy face on it (much like Jacob himself when his own mother had died), Sue had immersed herself in work, using her inner strength to carry her through the bad times, but Leah-Leah had hidden behind bitterness and rage.

The she-wolf was angry at the whole world and everyone in it, placing blame for her troubles where it wasn't warranted. Unable to see through the red haze of her unhappiness, she used the pack's mental connection to remind the others of things they would rather forget; ostensibly to vent her pain at being connected to Sam, wanting them all to hurt as much as she did. Over time this had led her to make more and more bad decisions, the latest so nearly costing the highest price of all. For putting Bella in such danger, despite how much compassion he may feel for Seth and those connected to him, Jacob didn't have the capacity to forgive this time.

"I'm sorry, Seth. I don't know what you expect me to say." Jacob said quietly.

"I was wondering…. maybe…if perhaps Bella could – "

"No!" Jacob cut in sharply before Seth could continue. "I know you love your sister and want to help her, but you cannot ask Bella to get involved. I'm warning you, Seth, stay away from her." He stood up, barely able to keep a hold on his temper. "I'm going back to be with Bella now. I think you should leave and be with your own family."

Seth slowly rose to his feet. His broad shoulders drooped. He looked utterly defeated. "What family? There's nothing left." He said in despair as he walked away.

Later that afternoon, Jacob felt confident enough to leave Bella in the care of her parents, while he headed home for a while to check in with his dad, and to have a shower and get a change of clothes.

As soon as he reached the safety of the forest, he stripped down, and started running. He blurred into his wolf mid-stride.

They were waiting. Of course, they were. He was stupid not to have thought of it.

"Jake, Jake." Seven relieved voices resounded in his head. All the pack were out, minus the Clearwater siblings.

"Come home now." Sam's Alpha voice commanded. "We need to talk about Leah."

Jacob immediately bristled at the command. He remembered their last confrontation, right before Emmet and Jasper appeared to tell them about Bella and Leah.

"I'm on my way home. But not to talk."

Jacob felt Paul fade out. Like a good imprinted wolf, he was rushing home, anxious to warn Rachel that her little brother was on his way back.

The rest of the pack knew he was on his way-they could see the forest blurring past him as he sprinted for home. He didn't have to tell them that he was in no mood to talk about Leah, or about her future within the pack. They could feel everything he was feeling.

Jacob could sense them all running toward him. Sam in the lead. The black wolf was determined to have the meeting. It made the hackles on Jacob's back rise.

"Not now, Sam." He growled.

It was almost dark-the clouds were rolling in, covering the sun completely. He was only half way home when the pack intercepted him. They met up about ten miles out of La Push, in a clearing left by loggers. It was out of the way, wedged between two spurs of the mountain, where no one could see them. Paul suddenly reappeared, having given his report to Rachel. The pack was complete and there was no way Jacob could escape them. It looked like they were going to pressure him into having the meeting whether he wanted to or not.

A/N-thanks for reading!