Enough

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A Trip Down Memory Lane

Dangling so ungracefully over Jacob's broad shoulder, Bella felt the blood rushing to her head. Her brain stuttered for a moment, every part of her going on pause while she waited for her scattered thoughts to catch up. She tried to see what was going on around her, but night had fallen, it was pitch black, there was no way she was able to make out much of anything, even when her eyes did finally adjust to the lack of light.

Bella tried to mask her fear as she wondered where Edward was. She guessed he must be close by. There was no way he was going to let Jacob Black carry her off into the night without attempting some kind of rescue. He must be in a blind panic. Always so worried for her safety, being abducted right in front of his eyes must be like something out of his worst nightmare.

It certainly felt like a nightmare to Bella. She couldn't imagine what Jacob Black was thinking. Where was the sweet boy she remembered, the happy go lucky teenager she had flirted with on the beach? It was a mystery, a puzzle she was keen to solve, but only after Jacob came to his senses and let her go.

Anger was setting in now, replacing the distress that had sent her wits reeling. Bella felt it building up like a fire seed in her belly. Jacob better watch out, she thought grimly, because when she was about to erupt, her ire was going to come out as hot as dragon fire, the heat of her rage burning him to ash.

Suddenly Jacob drew to a halt. Bella felt his warm hands on her waist as he lifted her off his shoulder, like she weighed no more than a feather, and placed her gently back on her feet. She swayed a little, feeling completely unbalanced, the cast on her leg hindering rather than helping as she tried to remain in an upright position.

"You alright there, Bella?" Jacob's husky voice was full of concern as he reached out with his right hand to steady her.

"No, I am not alright!" Bella snapped irritably. "Jacob Black, what were you thinking, kidnapping me like that?"

Her question was cut short as a loud, growling roar erupted from right beside her in the parking lot. Bella's eyes, now adjusted to the gloom, opened wide in disbelief as she stared at the noisy black motorcycle which was parked right beside her, and sitting astride it was Jacob Black. The engine snarled as he revved it. She was so preoccupied yelling, she hadn't noticed him climb onto the monstrous vehicle.

"Get on, Bella." He said urgently.

"No way." Bella shook her head violently, stumbling backwards in her haste to get out of the way of the noisy machine. She could only imagine what Charlie would say if he caught her on the back of one those things. He considered all motorcycles as little more than death traps, and Bella was inclined to agree with him. She didn't even know that Jacob possessed one.

Jacob revved the engine again impatiently. "Get on, Bella." He ordered. "We're running out of time."

Bella's chocolate brown eyes gleamed with spite. Edward must be somewhere nearby, that was why he was getting so antsy. Not such the big man now, was he? She put her hands on her hips and smiled at him smugly. "No." She said obstinately.

Jacob just rolled his eyes. Without another word, he reached out one long, muscular arm, wrapped it around Bella's waist, and lifted her easily on the back of his seat. She squawked in surprise, her arms automatically clutching him around the waist to balance herself.

Looking up she caught sight of Edward and Alice, frozen at the edge of the cafeteria. Edward's eyes were sparking with fury, his top lip curled back over his teeth.

Bella shot him a pleading glance, knowing there was little he could do. He was surrounded by the gaping crowd of students, who had followed him outside after Jacob had snatched Bella, probably hoping for a fight.

The she and Jacob were racing across the blacktop so fast that Bella's stomach got lost somewhere behind her.

"Hold on." Jacob shouted.

Bella had no choice but to hide her face in his back as he sped down the highway. She shut her eyes tight and clung on, the motion of the bike making her feel nauseous when Jacob took a particularly sharp turn. He only slowed down when they hit the Quileute border. All she could do was hold on tight, praying silently that Edward wouldn't follow now. She didn't want him risking everything by following her onto the reservation. Jacob had told her about the ancient treaty that his ancestors had made with the Cullens, although he certainly didn't believe it, and was probably moot now as there were no werewolves to uphold it. But, still, she would rather avoid unnecessary trouble.

It was obvious when they had reached the safe zone. The bike slowed, and Jacob straightened up and howled with laughter. Bella opened her eyes, her head spinning.

"We made it!" Jacob shouted. "Not bad for a prison break, eh?"

"Prison break?" Bella gasped breathlessly. "You kidnapped me from my own prom!"

"Ah, no, I rescued you, Bella. You never wanted to go to prom in the first place – "

"How would you know?"

"And now you're safe from the bloodsuckers. They won't dare venture onto the res." Jacob grinned triumphantly. "Not without suffering the consequences."

"What consequences?" Bella moaned, clutching her aching head. "You really think you're in some kind of mafia movie, don't you? You're just lucky Charlie never caught us riding this thing, he would go mad. And since when do you own a motorcycle?"

"Wow, you do ask a lot of questions." Jacob was still full of himself for engineering her escape.

"Jacob, this is not funny!" Bella retorted hotly. He wasn't taking her concerns seriously at all. If he wasn't wearing the same face, she would think that the man/boy looking back at her was not the same person.

Jacob sobered up, his laughter dying on his lips. "No, you're right, Bella. There is nothing funny about this situation at all."

Bella fell silent at the seriousness of his tone. There was something she was missing, something she didn't understand. "Jacob, what's going on? Are you in some kind of trouble? Is that what this is?"

Jacob looked at her as if she had grown another head. "You think I did this because I'm in some sort of trouble?" He repeated, his tone full of disbelief. "What do you take me for, Bella? You're the one in trouble. Mixing with vampires never ends well. I did it to save you from yourself."

"What?"

Jacob took her startled face in his enormous, too warm hands, and held it just a few inches from his. He stared into her eyes as he whispered, as if to communicate something more than the words he spoke.

"Billy had already tried to warn you, but you wouldn't listen. Once I learned that what I had been told was all true, then I had to do something, to take action."

"I don't understand." Bella faltered.

"Sure, you do. Remember the first day we met – on the beach in La Push."

"Of course, I do."

"Tell me about it."

"Why?" Bella whined. "I'm so tired, Jake. I – "

"Tell me about it." Jacob persisted.

Bella took a deep breath and tried to concentrate. "You asked about my truck…"

Jacob nodded, urging her on.

"We talked about the Rabbit…"

"Keep going."

"We went for a walk down the beach…" Bella's cheeks were growing warm under his palms as she remembered, but he wouldn't notice, as hot as he was. It was like he was running a fever. She'd asked him to take a walk, flirting ineptly but successfully, in order to pump him for information. She still felt residual guilt about the way she had manipulated him to get what she wanted.

Jacob was nodding sagely, waiting for her to continue.

Bella's voice was nearly soundless. "You told me scary stories…. Quileute legends."

Jacob closed his eyes and then opened them again. "Yes." The word was tense, fervent, like he was on the edge of something vital. He spoke slowly, making each word distinct. "Do you remember what I said?"

Even in the dark, the change in the color of Bella's face was obvious. How could she forget that? Without realizing what he was doing, Jacob had told her exactly what she needed to know that day – that Edward was a vampire. Back then he had ridiculed the stories his father, Billy, had bored into him, so what had changed to make him believe them now?

Jacob looked at her with eyes that knew too much. "Think hard."

"I can't." Bella complained. "Why don't you just tell me? Stop being so cryptic."

"I need you to remember it yourself. Now think, Bella. Do you remember what I said?" He repeated firmly.

Bella sighed. "Yes, I remember."

Jacob inhaled sharply; his dark eyes eager. "Do you remember all the stories?"

"All the stories?"

Jacob nodded mutely.

Bella's head churned. She was still feeling nauseous from the bike ride. Now Jacob was demanding that she give him a word-by-word account of a conversation they'd shared months ago. Her brow furrowed as she tried her best to concentrate. Only one story had mattered. She knew he had begun with others, but she couldn't remember the inconsequential prelude, especially not when her mind was clouded with exhaustion. She started to shake her head.

Jacob glared at her; his disappointment written all over his face. "I guess I understand why you only remember the one story." He muttered in a sarcastic, bitter tone. "Do you mind if I ask you a question about that?" He asked, still sarcastic. "I've been dying to know."

"A question about what?" Bella felt suddenly wary.

"About the vampire story I told you."

Bella stared at him helplessly, guilt plastered across her face. Here it comes, she thought, the anger, the resentment. He must had guessed she had manipulated him on purpose to get him to reveal the Cullens secret.

"Did you honestly not know?" Jacob demanded again, his husky voice deepening with resentment. "Was I the one who told you what he was?"

Bella clenched her teeth. Why did he decide to believe now? Once again, she wondered, what had instigated the change, not just physically, but mentally as well? It was a mystery. She stared back at him, no intention of speaking. He could see that.

"I see." Jacob murmured, even huskier now. "You feel a sense of loyalty to them, you feel obligated to keep their secret. I get it. I understand. It's the same for me…"

Bella felt stricken at the sudden turn in the conversation. She didn't like that -didn't like the way his eyes closed as if he had the weight of the world on his shoulders, no matter how strong those shoulders were, he was still a teenage boy, even if he had grown to look like a muscle bound god overnight. She hated that he seemed in pain. Hated it fiercely. The strong emotion took her by surprise.

"What's going on with you, Jake? Why the trip down memory lane? Can you tell me? I'll try and help if I can." Bella offered.

Jacob's hands began to tremble, but he didn't open his eyes. He was suddenly the boy she used to know, the fierce Alpha male missing for the moment, she reached out and touched his hand in empathy.

"I was hoping you would guess." He said, laughing bleakly. "But I suppose I'm going to have to do it the hard way and show you."

"Show me?" Bella echoed, feeling a frisson of worry. "Show me what? You're scaring me, Jacob." She admitted.

Jacob frowned, looking a little upset at this notion. "I don't want you to be scared, Bella. I assumed as you ran with vampires, you wouldn't be easily freaked out."

Bella swallowed thickly. For her, this was all essentially voluntary. She protected the Cullens secret out of love for Edward. For Jacob, it was a whole other matter.

"I don't think this is a good idea, Jake. Maybe you should take me home?"

Jacob looked at her with wide eyes, surprised. "No, Bella, its too late for that."

"Its not too late."

Jacob sucked in a sharp breath, his dark eyes glistening with intent. "They're here. Let's go."

"Go where?" Bella asked in alarm. She peered into the gloom, wondering what he was staring at.

Jacob took her hand and squeezed it. "Its going to be alright, Bella. You'll see. Just stay right by my side, okay?"

Bella nodded mutely.

"Here we go." Jacob said, putting his arm around her waist so she could lean on him for support, hobbled as she was by the cast on her leg. She held her breath as he slowly led her forward into the night.

A/N-thanks for reading! What will happen next?