Troubleshoot

Disclaimer: all characters and copyright belong to SM.

Humiliation

Jacob didn't make it home. He was ambushed by the rest of the pack about ten miles out of La Push, in a little clearing left by the loggers. It was out of the way, wedged between two spurs of the mountain, where no one would be able to see the wolves all gathered together. Paul phased in just then, alerted by all the howling, he had come to investigate, so the whole pack was now complete.

The babble in Jacob's head was total chaos. Everyone shouting at once. Paul was the most vocal, having quickly deciphered what was going on after sifting through the others thoughts.

Sam's hackles were sticking straight up, and he was growling in an unbroken stream as he paced back and forth around the top of the ring. Paul and Jared moved in the shadows behind him, their ears flat against the sides of their head. The whole circle was agitated, on their feet and snarling in low bursts.

At first their anger was undefined, and Jacob thought he was in for it. He was too messed up to care about that. They could do or think whatever they wanted. He had reached a new low in his life; he didn't need their disgusted reaction to his wretched proposal to Bella to figure that one out.

Slowly the unfocused confusion of thoughts began to move together.

This is the sickest thing I've ever heard of.

You're unhinged, dude.

I so would. Bella's hot.

Low growls greeted that last thought. If Seth were in his human form he would have blushed. He hadn't meant to let that slip out. He cringed, turning away from his sibling's furious glare, as Leah butted him hard on the shoulder with the top of her head in anger.

We can't allow it.

It's downright bizarre.

What were you thinking, Jake?

The pack was pacing in synchronization now, thinking in synchronization, all but Jacob and one other. He was too dazed to realize it was Embry, whose thoughts were filled with waves of pity mixed with empathy. The pack circled around them.

The treaty does not cover this.

What the fuck has the treaty got to do with Jacob boning Bella? She's not a vampire yet.

Don't be so crass.

Jake has lost it. Pure and simple. He's let his hard on for the leech lover screw with his mind.

The last statement came from Paul. Jacob was aware enough to issue a low growl, his teeth showing, as he fought not to attack the cocky silver wolf. Instead, he tried to understand the spiraling voices, tried to follow the curling pathway the thoughts made to see where they were leading, but it wasn't making sense. The pictures in the center of their thoughts were his pictures-Bella's shock at his offer, then her subsequent rejection, to the very worst part where he begged her to reconsider and think about it some more. That set off a flush of humiliation, making him tense, miserable, and just plain sad all at once.

Jacob struggled to focus, to pick out individual voices. He was desperate to escape, to be alone, so he could wallow in his misery without so many witnesses.

Someone needs to talk him out of it, Jared thought.

Its none of our business, Embry cautioned, the only one sticking up for Jacob. We should all butt out. This is between Jacob and Bella. It has got nothing to do with us.

He needs his head examined, Paul insisted. Rachel will freak when she hears about this. I'm not looking forward to telling her.

Well then don't! Embry fired back.

I'm imprinted, dude. Its impossible for me to keep secrets from my beloved, Paul thought imperiously.

His response provoked gagging noises from several of the other imprinted males. Leah growled furiously.

Jacob shook his head, rising slowly to his feet. He felt unsteady there-like the circling wolves were making him dizzy. Embry, still beside him, got up, too. His shoulder pushed against Jacob's, propping him up.

Wait, he thought.

The circling paused for one beat, and then they were pacing again.

You're not thinking clearly, Jake. Sam said.

Its none of your business! Jacob responded, picking up on Embry's theme. Just mine and Bella's.

Sam's frustration was clear. But -what were you thinking when you made this crazy offer, Jacob? You can't have honestly believed that Bella would accept it. She made her decision. It wasn't you. Throwing such wild proposals at her won't change her mind.

Have some dignity, dude, Paul piped up again.

Shut up, Lahote! Jacob growled.

It was all getting out of hand, until Sam quietened everyone down. Meanwhile, Leah pulled Bella's incredulous face out of Jacob's mind and put it on display for everyone to see, humiliating him further.

You bitch! Jacob exploded.

Leah's hackles rose, she crouched low, her back arched, tail switching like an angry cat's. Have some pride, Jacob! The girl has you by the balls. You're deliberately letting her screw with your head. I think you actually get some sick enjoyment out of pining after the selfish –

Sam quickly jumped between them as Jacob charged at Leah. He growled fiercely at them, issuing an Alpha command for them both to step back. Sullenly they obeyed him, reluctantly separating to take places at opposite ends of the circle. Leah felt her brother's eyes on her, judging. She ignored him, her eyes glaring fiercely at Sam, once again replaying thoughts of their break up to torment him.

Sam winced, trying to ignore her, he turned his back, facing Jacob instead. You're not thinking clearly, Jacob. Take a few days off. Get out of the area for a few days. Maybe some time away will clear your head.

Why does he get a free pass? Paul protested. Rachel has been begging me to spend more time with her. If he gets time off, then so should I. I am imprinted –

Shut up, Paul! The other wolves said in unison.

Jacob had no more words. Whatever, he muttered, desperate to get away.

Then go, Sam ordered tiredly.

Jacob needed no more bidding. He turned away from his gaping brothers, transforming back into his human form as soon as he was out of sight, glad to be free of the pack's interfering thoughts.

Bella realized her mistake as soon as the words left her mouth. She couldn't believe she had been so stupid. "No." She gasped, reaching forward, she clutched at Edward's arm.

"I just need to talk to him, Bella." Edward said in a low voice, his face impassive. He touched her face, to stroke it. "Don't look so worried. I won't be gone long."

Bella stared at his face, reading it carefully. He still wasn't showing any emotion, keeping what he was thinking very well hidden. He had to be hurting. He must. However, out of concern for her, he was doing his best to hide his pain. She stared at him, trying to hold his eyes.

"Promise me you'll behave?" She insisted. "I don't want any fighting."

"I promise, my love." Edward's tone remained neutral. He left her, walking toward the window, his stance rigid, his face showing the tension swirling within now that Bella couldn't see. "You should get some sleep. I'll wake you when I return."

Then he was gone.

Jacob hadn't gone straight home. Instead, he wandered through the forest in his human form, his heart and mind consumed with thoughts of Bella. He knew the others were right, he was crazy, insane for making such a proposition. She was never going to change her mind; he had embarrassed himself by begging. Leah was right, he had sacrificed his pride to try and win the heart of a girl who didn't want him.

The surrounding trees were like a hug of browns, a shelter of extended limbs, like a protective mother, the promise of holy sanctuary. And Jacob needed that sanctuary now. He knew he would be spending a lot of time under the trees protective embrace. Once Paul told Rachel about his offer to Bella, Rachel would go straight to Billy. Paul had already made his home life hell; this would be the straw that broke the camel's back once his father knew how low he had sunk.

For a second, he felt like a kid- a kid who had lived all his life in a tiny town. Just a child. Because he knew he would have to live a lot more, suffer a lot more, to ever understand how his life had become such a clusterfuck.

Suddenly, he halted, all thoughts ceasing at once, a familiar scent, nauseating and sickly sweet, permeated the air in front of him. He watched warily as Edward Cullen stepped out from behind one of the thick trunks, just as if he had been lying in wait.

Jacob stared at him, a low growl rumbling in his chest. He was about to phase, getting ready to spring at him, knowing that Edward would know the moment he decided to attack. He guessed Bella must have told him. Could his humiliation get any worse?

"I'm not here to fight, Jacob." Edward said, his tone dark.

Jacob felt the heat rising through his body, his fingers trembled at his sides. He was on edge, ready and waiting to defend himself.

Edward began to pace back and forth for a minute, before finally pivoting and facing Jacob again. His expression was shocking. Searing agony lit up his golden eyes. He raised a hand as if to wipe sweat from his forehead, but his fingers scraped against his face like they were going to rip the granite skin right off. His eyes burned in their sockets, out of focus, or seeing things that weren't there. He opened his mouth like he was going to scream, but nothing came out.

Edward had the face of a man who was burning at the stake.

For a moment Jacob couldn't speak. He didn't know what he had expected. It certainly wasn't this. Edward Cullen's misery was plain to see. He wasn't even hiding it.

"Bella told me about your…. proposition."

Jacob was still in shock. He couldn't wrap his head around Edward's reaction. He had been expecting anger, or maybe a fight. It was all happening too fast. Jacob had lost Bella so many times, so many ways, in his head. When really, she was never his to lose. But this was different. Now it was Edward who stood in his shoes. Edward who looked like the man who was about to lose everything.

Jacob felt as cold as snow now-there was no fire left in him.

"She is considering it." Edward revealed in a pained whisper, and his knees gave out. He crumpled in front of Jacob, vulnerable, the easiest target you could imagine. "Her future keeps flickering in and out…making it difficult for Alice to see." He groaned into the dirt, like he was confessing to the ground.

His broken helplessness began to irritate Jacob, even as his admission gave him false hope.

"It didn't look that way to me."

Edward looked up then and answered him in a tired voice. Like he was explaining this to a kindergartner for the tenth time. "Bella doesn't want to hurt me. She is in denial right now. But you planted the seed in her mind and it is growing."

It took a minute for his words to sink in. Jeez, Bella was running true to form. Jacob wondered where Edward's smug superiority was now? He tried to fight the rising joy filling up his heart, as well as the trepidation that this was all a cruel joke. But one look at the broken vampire kneeling in the dirt in front of him was confirmation it was all very real.

A/N-thanks for reading!