Bella
There's a knock at my window and I scream.
Instantly I hear Charlie knock something over and I panic.
Who is outside the window?
Just as footsteps start at the bottom of the stairs, my mind comes back to me and I realise that it must just be Edward. Staring at the papers in my hand, I frantically shove them into the bedside table drawer.
"Bella?" Charlie says coming into my room, gun raised. "What happened?"
"N-nothing," I say still breathing hard from the sudden shock.
"You screamed," he says looking around the room, gun still raised.
"It… It was a spider on my pillow." I let my feel my face flush. "It must have gone. I'm sorry for scaring you."
Charlie finally lowers the gun and looks over at me unimpressed. "You didn't even flinch when that boy… well, you know, but a spider. Come on. Don't scare me like that."
"Sorry," I murmur.
Grunting, he marches back out of my room and down the stairs.
I plonk back on the edge of the bed, clutching my hand to my chest. All of this fear really isn't good for my heart.
Just as I'm starting to get my breath back, there's another tiny knock at the window. This time, I only jump within my body.
Going over to the window, I pull back the curtains an inch to see Edward's face at the window. Sighing in relief, I pull the curtains back the entire way and slip the window open.
"What happened?" he immediately asks placing his hands on my shoulders and looking me up and down. "I've been so worried."
"Nothing, and don't worry, your family secret is safe." I take his hand and lead him over to the bed where I push him backwards and then climb into his lap. "You probably heard, but Jacob, well, I'll be having words with him."
"Over my burnt body," Edward snarls, "That boy needs to watch himself. Treaty or not, if he puts you at risk again, I'll – " I cut him off.
"There's no need to break the treaty," I go on to explain to him the discussions that had been had at Sam's house and how it had been left. "Can you tell anything from his head?"
"Not much, he's in rather a state of shock right now. Mostly fear about what you're still hiding and what your involvement with the pack could be. But, he seems to have accepted that there's nothing amiss with us. So long as he doesn't start asking anymore questions, he should be safe from the Volturi."
I snuggle closer into his chest, relieved. "I want Jacob to understand," I admit. "After everything he did for me, it doesn't feel right to leave our friendship this way."
"You know, I love you more every day. Your ability for compassion and caring, I wish I could be so optimistic sometimes. While you can't force understanding on anyone, I will help you, if I can."
"Thank you," I know how hard that would have been for him to offer. Just being close to the wolves is horrific for him.
Still having some time left before it get's late, I pull away from him and bring over the pile of folders. Without a word, he pulls one over and looks over the next assignment to be completed.
"So, Spanish. ¿Empezamos?" I groan at his fluency.
Over the next hour, he helps me catch up on several Spanish assignment. While I could have done these alone, his help has got them done much faster. It's when I yawn for the fifth time that Edward closes the books and sends me off to get ready for bed.
As I'm standing up to get my clothes together, I glance at my side table and the letter returns to my mind. I know he notices my heart rate pick up so I quickly avert my gaze and busy myself around the room.
"Just be a moment," I mutter slipping into the bathroom to change.
Sitting on the toilet, pretending that Edward can't hear everything that's happening, I wonder why he hasn't mentioned someone having been in my room. After the situation earlier, it doesn't seem plausible that he wouldn't have brought it up.
Quickly finishing up everything I've got to do, I stuff the dirty laundry into the hamper in the bathroom and shuffle out of the bathroom. I'd forgotten to bring slippers so my feet are feeling like ice cubes.
"Night," I shout down the stairs as I slip into my bedroom and shut the door.
Hovering in the entrance, I ask in the most casual voice I can muster, "Was anyone here while I was at the reservation?"
From his speculatory look I can tell that I've confused him. "No, I was at the border. Why? Has something happened?"
"No," I'm quick to reassure. "It's nothing. Just wondered what you all did when you aren't worrying over me."
"Come to bed," he says pulling the covers back and smiling softly. "You're starting to make no sense."
I follow his suggestion and curl up under the quilt.
All night I toss and turn, unable to fully settle. Every time my body relaxes, images of where Billy could be right now pop into my mind. By morning, I'm so fed up of telling Edward that I'm fine, that I just want him to leave. "There comes a point when worrying about some stops being helpful," I scowl at him. "I don't need this from you and I don't need you speaking to Carlisle," my voice is nearly a growl by the end.
"You need sleep. Come on, it's Sunday, why don't you stay in bed for a while longer."
There's no temptation in his offer, the idea of staying wrapped in mountains of sheets for any longer is making me want to rip said sheets to pieces.
"I'm gonna get ready, can I have some space?"
Edward's face quickly shows great offence at being kicked out, but then he smooths it over and nods. I suspect that had he been human, his face would be beet red by now.
Hurrying to change my clothes, I slip the letter into my bra, the one place Edward would never get close enough to feel, and reopen the window. He appears back again in seconds.
"I want to speak to Jake," I say through gritted teeth. "Then I'll be able to sleep."
"We could meet him after breakfast?" he suggests. I don't miss his choice of words.
"I will be meeting Jacob alone."
Not waiting for a response, I throw open the door and head to the kitchen for food.
Charlie is already up so Edward can't follow me. As I walk past Charlie, he gives me a strange expression which causes me to double take. "You alright?"
"No, I had a really strange dream, something about a dog, but it wasn't a dream."
Letting out an exasperated breath, I say, "It wasn't a dream. Get over it." I'm being harsh, but for some reason I can't bring myself to care.
Pulling out my cell, I send a text of to Carlisle.
Need to talk to Jacob, alone, some things need saying. Can you entertain E?
I pull out a bowl and set about serving myself some cheerio's. Just as I'm taking the first mouthful, a response text appears.
Of course. Stay safe.
Pleased that I've at least solved one issue today, I keep nibbling on the sweet rings.
Even though I'd promised Charlie I wouldn't go back to the reservation, it's the only place that I can guarantee that Edward won't over hear me, and, if that letter is from who I think it's from, this needs to be done without his knowledge.
So, without going back upstairs, I slip out the back door and into my truck.
Carlisle must have already arrived because Edward doesn't try to intercept my journey. I've got no idea what was said to get him to leave, but I suspect that some force may have been required.
It's not until I'm out of the driveway that I see Charlie's face peer through the door and then burst out. If he'd been trying to stop me, it's too late.
Frustrated with yet another long drive to the reservation, I turn the radio up loud and let my head bob along to one of the songs playing on the local station.
Jacob hears my truck before I pull up and he's on the porch waiting for me. "I don't want to see you," he shouts before I pull up and then turns to go back in.
Throwing caution to the wind, I shout back over the roar of the engine, "I know where Billy is."
Within seconds, he's at my window, wrenching off the door. Quickly shutting the truck down, I slip out, trying to avoid touching him.
"Can we go inside?"
He grabs my wrist with enough force to hurt and drags me up to the front door. The ground is still trashed from where so many people were walking over it so, between the slippery surface, my tiredness and the sudden force on my wrist, I prompt fall on my butt in the mud.
Not giving me chance to right myself, he just hauls me over his shoulder and runs into the building.
"Put me down!" I scream pounding on his back.
He doesn't listen, instead keeping hold of me until we're fully in the kitchen and even then, when he put's me down, he keeps hold of my shoulders.
"Where's my dad?" he practically screeches in my face and I flinch backwards as spit lands on my face.
I go to reach for the letter, but Jacob misunderstands my movements and just shakes my shoulders making my teeth rattle.
"Tell me where he is!"
"I will," I say lacking confidence, "It's umm…" I clear my throat, "Pocket."
Jumping backwards from me, only just realising what he was doing, he smiles sheepishly and I dig the pieces of paper out of my pocket.
Handing him the first one with just the writing on, he stares at it for a moment then explodes. "This! This is all you can give me! It means nothing!" I can only stare as he rips the piece of paper to shreds.
"No, there was this too, but I'm not sure you'll want to see it," I say holding the final folded piece of paper in front of me, keeping a tight hold. "It's a photo."
"Give it here," Jacob snaps, snatching it from my hands.
As he looks over the image, I can see his face pale. Feeling awkward and not knowing what to say, I start to wring my hands together. My upper arm is starting to ache from where he grabbed me and I'm resisting the urge to rub at it.
"Why are you here?" Jacob asks his voice losing some of the fight. "You could be already on the way, he could be nearly safe. Why are you wasting time here."
I had always thought that Jacob would blindly go searching for his dad in response to the news, but I'd not considered that he'd want me to go, alone. I'd tried that once before and realised how well that worked out!
"No bother, come get back in the truck, we'll go now."
"No," I say softly.
Spinning around from where he'd been heading towards the door, I can see his wolf fighting to come up.
"Not without a plan, back up. I'm still human."
"And so is my dad!" Jacob screams in my face. "If the red headed leech is involved, then it's your fault he's missing and you better do everything you blood can to get him back."
Staggering backwards as though I've been punched in the gut, I know he's right. This is my fault and I owe it to Billy to try.
All of the options are spinning around in my head, fighting for attention. While the guilt is pushing me to get going, the picture of worry and disappointment from Edward at the ballet studio flashes into my mind.
"Can we just stop and think about this for a while?" I ask, hoping that Jacob will be reasonable. Maybe if he stops he'll realise that just rushing in might make things worse. "Just because we… I… show up, doesn't mean that she's just going to release your dad. She said alone and Billy clearly can't drive or get himself back anywhere."
Jacob runs his hand through his hair starting to pace back and forth in front of the door. At least he's thinking.
"Fine, I'll keep my distance and be ready to pick him up after you hand yourself over." I can only stare at him utterly dumbfounded. I'd thought that at one time he'd loved me, wanted to be with me, now he's handing me over for slaughter.
"Jacob…" I whisper, tears starting to run down my face. "Do you realise what you're saying?"
"Of course I do, we're getting my dad back. When we get him safe, I'll tell your leeches what happened and then they can come save you." The snarl in his voice shows that he's firmly blaming me for the situation and there's nothing I can do or say to talk him out of it.
I gulp trying to clear my throat from the frog that seems to have climbed in.
If Jacob, someone who had stuck with me for so long, could turn on me because of this, is there really any hope for Edward truly loving me? Probably not. And, in the grand scheme of things, does it really matter. If I go and they do love me, they'll find me somehow, it'll just be a few days of suffering, and well, if they don't, maybe Victoria will be kind.
Nodding my head, I murmur, "I'll go."
"I know, come on." Once again inpatient, he drags me back out to my truck. At this point he's practically carrying me.
When I move to get in the driver's side, he pushes me aside. "You drive like a granny, I'll see how fast I can get his heap of junk moving."
Resigned to my fate, I settle into the seat for a long journey back to Port Angeles.
