Back to the Start

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A Waiting Game

Bella looked out of the window as soon as she saw the black car, a weathered Ford, swing into the driveway. She saw Billy Black, sitting in the front passenger seat, his lined face tense with worry. Beside him, in the driver's seat, sat Harry Clearwater. The two men exchanged a knowing glance, before Harry Clearwater eased his big bulk out of the Ford, and walked around to the rear of the vehicle to fetch Billy's wheelchair out of the trunk.

By the time Harry had Billy settled in his chair, Bella had opened the front door and was running to meet them. "Any news?" She called out, unmindful of who might overhear.

"Not yet." Billy answered gravely.

"Hi, Bella." Harry Clearwater greeted her with his usual jovial smile. "Is Charlie at home?"

"No." Bella shook her head. "He had to leave on an emergency call out. Something about some missing hikers."

Billy's face became as impassive as stone when he heard this. Harry's smile faded, his expression turning unusually serious. He pushed Billy slowly toward the house, but was soon puffing with the effort. Bella quickly came to his aid, taking one of the handles of Billy's chair, lending her strength to his as they collectively raised the wheelchair over the lip of the shallow porch.

"I brought this for Charlie." Harry said breathlessly. He handed Bella a brown paper sack, which had been resting on Billy's lap. "Its some of my home-made fish fry – Charlie's favorite. The fridge keeps it drier."

"Thanks, Harry." Bella said absently as she led the way into the kitchen. She did as the older man suggested and shoved the bag of fish fry onto the crowded top shelf of the fridge.

When she turned back to face the two men, she caught them glancing at each other again, as if they were in engaging in a silent conversation that she wasn't privy to. "What is it?" She asked anxiously. "What are you not telling me?"

The wet wheels of Billy's wheelchair squeaked against the linoleum as he rolled his chair closer to the kitchen table. Harry followed, pulling out one of the vacant chairs and making himself comfortable. His breathing had turned to normal now that he had a chance to rest from his exertions.

"Bella." Billy said carefully in his rumbling voice. "We think those missing hikers…" He hesitated, glancing again at Harry.

Bella gasped, finally understanding what was bothering the two men. It wasn't just because a whole twenty-four hours had passed and Jacob still hadn't returned, but that they thought the missing hikers had probably fallen victim to the same vampires that she and Jacob had crossed paths with in the meadow. She suddenly took on a pale look, as if she'd been painted with white-wash - even her lips were barely there. Then with one step backwards she crumpled like a puppet suddenly released of their strings.

"Bella! Bella!"

The next thing she became aware of was Harry's alarmed voice ringing in her ears. She felt his warm hand cupping the back of her head as he aided her to rise.

"I'm okay. I'm okay." She mumbled.

"Are you sure?" Harry asked in concern, his worried gaze still trained on her face. "Can I get you a glass of water? Or something to eat?" He guided her to one of the chairs and helped her sit down.

"No, I'm fine, honestly."

"I really think you should have some water, Bella." Billy advised gently.

"Okay." Bella caved in, pointing to Harry where the glasses were kept in one of the top cupboards. She waited in anxious silence as he filled the glass with tap water and handed it to her.

Harry watched her gulp the water down, relieved when some color began to come back into her cheeks. "Feeling better?" He asked.

"Yes, thank you." Bella smiled wanly.

"You're a good girl, Bella." Harry patted her on the shoulder in a kindly fashion. "Brave, like my daughter Leah, only not as fierce." He teased lightly.

Bella remembered Leah Clearwater, she didn't know her that well, not having mixed in the same social circles, but she was certainly a beautiful girl, stunning in an exotic way, with perfect copper skin and eyelashes like feather dusters.

"I've been meaning to introduce you to her properly for some time." Harry continued in the same, light conversational tone. "You're around the same age. I think you would get on well."

"Thanks. I'll look forward to it, after Jacob comes home." Bella knew what Harry was trying to do, he was trying to distract her from her worries, concerned in case she had another fainting fit. She turned to Billy. "What is being done to find him?"

Billy's dark eyes reflected his growing apprehension. "Harry took some of the other men with him to the meadow, but found no trace."

"There were footprints." Harry reminded him.

"Over a day old." Billy said sharply. "My boy is out there, alone, and so are those vampires."

Harry raised his greying eyebrows at Billy's sharp tone. "We are doing our best, Billy. But we have too few men, with such a wide area to search, it's going to take time."

"Then bring more men in." Bella demanded, her frustration getting to her at the lack of progress.

"Its not as simple as that, Bella." Harry admitted wearily. "There are only a few people in the know, it has to be that way, for Jacob's protection as much as anyone else's."

"Why?" Bella questioned in a hard voice. "If you just let me tell my dad – "

"No, Bella, he may be my best friend, but we cannot involve Charlie in this." Billy cut in swiftly.

"This is Jake's welfare we're talking about. You just said yourself that he's all alone out there, with no idea of why this has happened to him, with some crazy vampires still on the loose. The same crazy vampires who've probably killed those poor hikers." Bella was close to tears now. She glared at the two men, not understanding the delay. "He's your son, Billy. He needs you!"

Billy grimaced, pain shooting across his face at her emotional plea. "There's so much you don't understand, Bella." He said sadly. "Jacob is forever changed now. He will never be the same as he was before. I cannot say anymore than that."

Bella was incensed. "He told me the stories." She snapped. "I know what he is."

"Yes, you know, but you don't fully understand what it means." Billy's complexion turned grey. He slumped in his wheelchair, suddenly looking older than his years.

Harry put a comforting hand on his friend's shoulder, before turning his attention to Bella. "I'm sorry that you had to become involved in all this, Bella." He apologized. "But we must ask you not to say anything to Charlie…or to anyone else."

Bella stared at the two men in disbelief. "That's why you came here today, isn't it? Not to tell me about Jake, or to give me answers, you wanted to make sure I kept my mouth shut."

Harry sighed. "Oh, Bella, like I said, its not as simple as that. So much depends on the secret being known only to a few. The little you do know is already too much. Its for your safety as well as his. Jacob should never have shared those stories with you."

Bella stared both men down. "And that is all you have to say?"

Billy had finally composed himself enough to speak again. "I understand this is difficult for you, Bella. But like Harry said, it is for your safety as well as Jacob's." He glanced up at Harry. "We should go."

Harry nodded. "Goodbye, Bella. We'll be in touch."

"That's it?" Bella cried. "You're just going to go and leave me in the dark?"

"When we find Jacob, which we will, we'll get him to call you." Harry promised. "It'll be okay, Bella. And in the meantime, when you're not in school, stay indoors and stay safe."

Bella looked into Harry's eyes, filled with nothing but concern for her, and there was nothing more she could say. Neither of the men were going to back down, refusing to involve her more than she already was.

"Tell Charlie I'll call him." Billy added as Harry steered his wheelchair out of the kitchen. "Goodbye, Bella."

Bella wasn't in the meadow. Jacob could find no trace of her at all. It had rained since he had last been there and it had washed away all tracks. He felt an intense weariness descend upon him. He had been running on pure adrenaline for the last few hours. The only compensation was that his injuries seemed to be bothering him less now. All the running about had loosened the stiffness from his limbs. Dried blood was still coating his fur, but the intense, sharp burning pain from the lacerations on his left flank had subsided to a dull ache, for which he was thankful.

Worry over Bella still clouded his mind and consumed his thoughts. Until he knew she was safe and well he couldn't rest. In a daze, Jacob began to lope slowly out of the meadow, his heavy head lowered, his tail drooping. Without realizing in what direction he was moving, he headed for home.

As night fell the blue haze of day lifted to reveal the stars. Jacob always felt that this was closer to the truth of who we are. He wondered, if humans were nocturnal would they feel more connected to those far away stars, perhaps sensing the fragility of Earth even more. Through a break in the trees ahead, he could see the small wooden house with the narrow windows, the dull red paint that needed touching up, the place he had always called home.

On the front porch was Billy, his wheelchair positioned in front of the wooden ramp, giving him the best view of the encroaching forest. Beside him on a folding lawn chair, looking quite brittle, was Quil's ancient, whitehaired grandfather, Old Quil. Harry Clearwater had a chair on his other side. They were so still, they looked like three wooden statues, forever staring out into the dark.

There was a certain level of tiredness that equates to insanity, Jacob had reached that now. He wished he could temporarily dislocate his spirit from his body, just like the ancient spirit warriors in the old stories, just so he could check out for just a short while, let his soul go wherever souls go to be zen. He was a fairly brave person, but right now all his courage had deserted him, leaving behind a level of worn-out-ness that hurt.

Without conscious thought Jacob loped out of the cover of the trees into the open. The three figures on the porch moved as one, spotting him straight away. As Jacob drew closer, his eyes met those of his father, and that same crazy rage that had transformed him into the monstrous wolf, struck again. He could feel it spinning out of control, an anger so strong it made his whole body shake. Part of him knew the reaction was stupid, but most of him was possessed by the irrational fury. Everything was hot. He could feel the heat inside his bones.

And then, to Jacob's horror and shock, the shaking got worse, he could feel his body breaking apart. He was terrified. It only took a second, but it was the longest second of his life. He could feel himself exploding, it felt like he was dying.

But his body caught itself before that- he didn't fly apart into pieces. The intense heat subsided, leaving him breathless, shaky, and on edge. He fell to his knees, his hands raised up in front of him, realizing that he was human again.

"Jacob, my son." Billy called out.

The shaking had stopped, but the anger remained. Everything was still hot and red. Jacob tried to shout at Billy, to make him explain, but words would not form in his mouth. He wanted to shake Billy and demand to know why this was happening to him.

Billy started talking to him like he was a small child, slow and soothing, telling him to be calm, that everything was going to be okay. It made Jacob angry all over again. Was he expecting this? Why didn't he warn him? He had to have known.

Still, he struggled to form a coherent sentence. Instead, he stayed locked on his knees, head bowed, hands shaking. Only one word, one name, slipped past his dry lips. "Bella?"

"Bella is okay, Jacob. She is safe and well." Billy assured him.

Jacob's head spun with relief; the white-hot flash of his anger quelled for the moment. Exhaustion robbed him of his ability to function any longer, he collapsed to the ground and knew no more.

Bella finally got the call she had been longing for. She nearly ripped the phone off the wall in her haste to answer it.

"Hello." Bella said shakily.

"Bella." Jacob's voice was broken, cracking.

"Oh, Jake." Bella sobbed. "I'm so glad to hear your voice. I've been so worried. You sound horrible."

"I feel horrible." He whispered.

"I'm so sorry this happened to you, Jacob. I know it sucks, but you will get through this. I feel like its all my fault for making you go on that stupid walk."

"I'm glad we went." Jacob's voice was still a whisper. "Don't blame yourself. This isn't your fault."

"Its going to be okay, Jacob." Bella promised.

"Is it?" Jacob's voice was dead.

Bella felt foreboding beginning to build in her stomach. He sounded so unlike himself, so defeatist. "What's wrong, Jacob? Talk to me."

"Everything's wrong." Jacob whispered. "Every part of me hurts."

The pain in his voice was nearly tangible.

"What can I do, Jake? What can I bring you?"

"Nothing. You can't come here." Jacob's tone became abrupt.

"Jake?" Bella was hurt, confused by his brush off.

"I'll call you when I can." Jacob said. "I'll let you know when you can come down again."

"Jacob – "

"I've got to go." He said with sudden urgency.

"Go where?"

"I can't explain." Jacob's voice now had a strange, bitter edge to it.

Silence descended between them for a moment. Bella was waiting for the inevitable goodbye, but he waited too.

"I guess I'll see you soon." Bella finally said.

"Wait for me to call." Jacob reminded her again.

"Okay…. Bye, Jacob."

"Bella…." He whispered her name, and then hung up the phone.

A/N-thanks for reading!