Chapter 3

"Gone"

[Jacobs POV]

Something is hot… Like really really hot. Is it me? God my legs, why does it feel like someone ran them through a wood chipper? My eyes… Why can't I open them? Am I asleep or awake? What the hell is happening? My head is pounding but I can hear the sound of waves crashing and I either pissed myself or I am soaking wet. Am I even wearing clothes? Why can't I move? Have I tried to move? Oh no, I guess not. I am so tired, yet I think I've been sleeping a while now. What is that smell? Is that blood? Did I cut myself? OH FUCK I'M ON THE SHORE LINE! SHIT! I GOTTA MOVE!

Using all my strength or whatever I had left of it I pulled myself what felt like a good distance away from the water. My eyes still wouldn't open and I only realized once I tried to force them to open again that not only were they swollen shut but they were filled with sand. Every inch of my body was covered in it. I could feel small particles of sand cutting me just under my flesh. Pure agony began to wash over my body once I settled again. I couldn't tell if I had gone far enough to escape the water that had moments ago came all the way up to my neck but I knew I couldn't move any further than I had. My mind was blanking as to how I got here. My heart was beating damn near out of my chest as my body raced to heal itself.

Renesmee.

Her name was first a whisper in the back of my mind as the pain that coursed through my body took control of what space I could spare as my mind continued to try and figure out what exactly was going on. However one whisper was all it took and an explosion of questions took off in my mind. Though I was broken, healing would have to wait. I needed to find her, I needed to know she was okay, no matter what it cost me. I screamed to the top of my lungs as I forced two broken legs to stand. I fell to the ground every single step I took and each time it was twice as hard to get myself back up. Using what I soon understood was a broken nose to guide me as my eye refused to open. I had no sense of time and since Renesmee hadn't come to my screams I could only hope she was still in bed where I had last seen her. I knew that thought immediately was naive of me but I had no idea what had happened, something was blocking my memories. As I got closer to what I presumed to be the house all I could smell was burning wood. My heart beat fast as panic began to settle in my chest but I could tell my wolf was nowhere to be found. I pondered the thought as to whether or not I was dead but since I couldn't make sense of anything I decided to figure that out once I knew my wife was safe. I fell once more this time onto shards of glass, I screamed once more in pain and realized as I tried to make out the words I could not call her name. My throat was swollen and the thick scent of the burning wood made it hard to breathe. I gasped for air once more and in one last attempt forced my nose to search for her scent, finally I found it. Spilt upon on the very shards of glass I had found myself laying on. Though I couldn't tell the condition of the beach house I knew I was outside and anything that was inside might have burned but as I listened to my own heartbeat I understood that I was alive. If the glass is outside too then at some point Renesmee was outside. She must have gotten away. That was the only solace I had in the moment. It wasn't enough but it was all I had. I took one last deep breath and my mind faded into a deep rest. Though my heart was far from finished my body could no longer take what it had endured, without rest to allow my body to heal, I would die. If I died, who would find my love?

"Jacob? JACOB WAKE UP!" A voice shouted in the distance. I knew the voice, too low pitched to be Renesmee's but it was similar.

I still couldn't open my eyes too well and why I tried sand fell deeper into my wounds.

"OH MY GOD! WHAT THE HELL HAPPENED!? JACOB WAKE UP! WHERE IS RENESMEE?! JACOB! The voice continued to shout. Bella, Bella is here.

Before I could respond I faded out against my own will.

"OH MY GOD! I'M CHECKING THE ISLAND! SHE MUST HAVE TAKEN OFF OR SOMETHING!" Rose is here too.

"ROSE! WAIT FOR ME! WE CAN"T JUST LEAVE HIM HERE ALONE! WHAT IF SOMETHING IS OUT THERE!"

"DO WHAT YOU WANT WITH YOUR DOG BELLA! I'M GOING TO FINDING RENESMEE! IF SOMETHING IS OUT THERE WITH HER IT WON"T SURVIVE ME!"

"ROSE STOP!"

"G…. go… Ness" I pushed out of my throat or at least hoped I did.

Rose was right, it doesn't matter if I die. As long as she is okay, that's all that matters.

"I'm calling Edward and Carlisle, Jacob, hold on..." Her voice was soft now, if she weren't a Vampire, she would have been crying.

"JACOB! I NEED YOU TO STOP PASSING OUT!" Bella shouted again, shocking me awake with a splash of water. "Everyone is one their way here! One day is all you have to get through! They're going as fast as they can I promise!"

"N… Ness?"

"WE SEARCHED THE WHOLE ISLAND! WHERE IS SHE JACOB? DID SOMEONE TAKE HER? WHAT HAPPENED?" Rosile shouted into my ear, which already felt like it was bleeding as is.

"Rose! He clearly has been beaten to near death! He can barely talk, we need to wait for Carlisle!" Bella shouted back at her.

"BY THEN SOMEONE COULD BE HALFWAY ACROSS THE WORLD WITH HER! WE CAN"T WAIT! WAKE UP JACOB!" Rosile shouted as she grabbed my arm, which made me scream in pain as her cold skin dug into my open wounds.

I heard a loud thud and some rustling in the woods behind me and I could tell Bella and Rosile were gone. They must be fighting. I hope they're not fighting over me. Renesmee needs us all to be on the same side right now. Rosile is right anyway, I need to wake up, I need to help. But I can't move. Why can't I move?

"Jacob? Jacob, can you hear me?" A familiar voice spoke softly to me, Carlisle, he must have made it to the island a lot quicker then I thought he would.

"Yeah… I uh-I can hear you."

"Good, now I'm gonna need you to open your eyes."

"I can't… There's too much sand."

"Jacob, I went in and cleared the sand out of your eyes months ago. You've been fading in and out of consciousness for a long while now but I need you to focus now Jacob. Open your eyes so I can put some medicine in them, please."

"Oh… okay." I opened my eyes and realized though it was still painful, Carlisle had told the truth, there was no sand. "Wait months?" I asked, confused as I believed we were still on the beach at Isle Esme.

"One, two, three. And one, two, three. There now blink a few times, wonderful. I'll help you lay down now."

"Wait, Carlisle, you said "months ago" what do you mean by that?"

"You need to rest now Jacob. Close your eyes."

"Carlisle-"

"If you take a nap, when you wake up we can talk."

"Ness?"

"Do you remember anything?" Carlisle said hesitantly.

"No… Is she-"

"Rest first, we will talk later."

"Rest" didn't really feel like true rest right now. The stress of not knowing, and not even being able to understand what happened was eating away at me. I had no dreams and my mind continually whispered Renesmee which pushed me in and out of a deep sleep. Carlisle must have given me strong drugs because although I knew I was in immense pain it felt as if it was blanketed by a thin coat of complete numbness. I still couldn't move much but every time I woke back up I tried. I knew I needed to move, to find Ness but my body wouldn't cooperate no matter how hard I tried to will it into submission. What the hell happened?

"Jacob?" Carlisle said softly.

"Yes…"

"How are you feeling?"

"Better. Can I sit up?"

"I think it's better if you lay down. You've already been up twice today."

"What?"

"Do you not remember me helping you to the bathroom earlier today?"

"No… No, I don't."

"Jacob, do you mind if I ask you some questions?"

"Like what?"

"I need to know what you remember last before Bella and Rosile found you on Isle Esme."

My mind for the first time lit up with a clear memory of Renesmee on top of me in bed. It was a sweet memory, her body was glowing. She was smiling, beautiful, perfect really in every way imaginable. She was happy and I was too.

"How exactly is that supposed to help Jacob?!" Edward said, interrupting my memory, in a fashion that was more a pissed off growl than question.

"Ed-Edward? You're here?" I replied, I still couldn't smell or see well but I was surprised I couldn't sense his presence at all.

"I know we talked about this Carlisle but time isn't going to rewind itself any time soon. We need to know where she is. He need to-" Edward began.

"Edward! Just stop! He's trying! Anything is better than nothing." Bella said in my defense.

"Bella?" Now I knew I was messed up, I'd never missed Bella before. Human or not I always knew when she was near.

"I'm here Jacob. It's okay, just take your time and remember every detail that you can. Edward, if you can't control yourself then just leave." Bella continued as she came to my bedside.

"Leave? Bella he can barely form a complete thought if he misses something I need to be here to catch it." Edward argued.

"Then shut up and let him think." Bella ordered.

"Please don't argue… Ness wouldn't want that…"

"Well Renesmee isn't here right now and unfortunately as of right now, what's left of you is our best hope in finding her." Edward spit back.

"Edward!" Bella shouted now, her tone darkening.

"Fine."

"He's right to be upset Bella… I'm useless… The last thing I remember is us in bed together…" I was embarrassed to tell her but she deserved every ounce of the truth.

"Did she say anything? Was she scared? Did she scream at any point?" Bella began, rattling off questions quicker then I could process let alone answer.

"No… Wait…" I began, as another small memory came to my mind.

"What is it?"

"He's remembering a conversation between him and Renesmee… after they…. Whatever." Edward said, clearly still quite upset about how this was all unfolding so slowly.

I couldn't blame him, I was upset too. I want-No. I need to remember. Everything.

"Alright, go on Jacob. What do you remember talking to Renesmee about last?" Carlisle asked gently.

"She- She said she was going to call Bella. Apologize for being short with her on the phone that night. Did she call you? Is that what she did when she went downstairs?"

"No, Jacob, she didn't call me." Bella said slowly.

I could tell the news had sunk her heart and I immediately felt terrible.

"Jacob, do you know about what time it was when she went downstairs?" Carlisle asked.

"It was late… Midnight maybe 1 am."

"Do you remember smelling anything unusual?" Carlisle asked, he must be taking notes.

"No… Wait, I did smell something, after… When I woke up on the beach there were glass shards near the burning wood. I fell on them but the smell on some of them was her blood. That means she got out of the house right?" I asked hopefully, as tears fell down my face.

"That is very good Jacob. I think that's exactly what that means. We found no remains in what was left of the beach house but we must have missed the glass somehow." Carlisle confirmed rubbing my shoulder.

"His blood was everywhere he coated the entire shoreline with his scent. None of us could pick up anything on the Island besides Jacob." Edward continued, clearly unimpressed with what I had given him.

"We should go back, look for clues." I said as I began to sit up, or at least try to.

"You are not going anywhere. You still need to heal." Carlisle argued as he gently laid me back down.

"I can heal later." I argued as I continued to try and resist Carlisle's hand which weighed me down now.

"Jacob you can barely move." Bella reminded me, as if I needed that.

"I'll go. I can't sit around waiting for him any longer." Edwards said quickly.

"Edward..." Bella whispered as he stormed out of the room.

"Bella, go with him. I'll be fine." I whispered to her as she took my hand.

"No, if something happens to you Renesmee will never forgive any of us. Plus as long as you're alive, she's still alive. I need to know she's still alive… We all do." Bella whispered as she squeezed my hand.

Though I could barely feel it, I knew she was there.

In the distance I heard a car skirt out, Edward must have left in a hurry. I wanted to talk more, to remember more but sleep came for me as it had continued to come and still I couldn't fight it off.

"Bella?"

"Yeah, Jake?"

"How long was I out?"

"Five days this time…"

"Fuck… I can't keep losing time like this."

"How long has it been?"

"Carlisle said I shouldn't tell-"

"I don't care what Carlisle said, tell me. How long?"

Bella paced back and forth as she debated whether or not to tell me the truth.

"Please..." I begged her.

"Six months Jacob. You're doing better but it's taking longer than we thought it would for you to heal…" Bella continued finally.

"SIX MONTHS?" I shouted, to which a coughing fit followed behind as my throat was extremely dry.

"Here." Bella said as she poured a sip of water into my mouth.

"Thank you… Where's Edward?" I asked.

"He went to Brazil to meet up with Alice, Jasper Rose and Emmett. Carlisle has everyone out looking, as well as our friend around the world. I've been bouncing around as much as I can between them and you but they're all searching for her. We'll find her Jacob."

"Give me your phone. Now." I ordered Bella as my first coherent thought in what I now knew was six months processed in my current state of desperation.

"What? Why? Did you remember something?"

"No, just give it to me. Please."

"Here." Bella said as she put her phone into my hand.

"Fuck! I can't see the screen. Do you have Leah's number saved?"

"Yes? Why?"

"Call her now."

Bella quickly found her number and handed the phone back to me. It barely rang once before Leah picked up.

"Leah?" I asked immediately.

"Jacob? Why are you calling me on Bella's phone? And perhaps more importantly why do you immediately sound like you've smoked cigarettes for the last 50 years? Also care to explain why no one has sent me a single baby picture in the last SIX months or why Renesmee hasn't bothered to call with an update? We've been patient but Bella and Carlisle's excuses aren't going to work much longer. Do you have any idea how worried we've all been-"

"Leah, I don't have time for questions, I need Elcrie. There's been an accident." I replied cutting into her string of questions before she could finish.

"What happened? Where are you? Is the baby okay?" Leah replied her voice beginning to panic.

"Just send Elcire to Denali, I need his help." I replied hoping she'd not ask anything further.

"He's on his way already. Uley and Harry are coming with him. Should Sue and I come too? Won't take us more than a couple days to get there." Leah replied, her concern carrying on through her words.

"Thank you… and no take care of Sue. Thank you Leah."

"Two thank you's? Well now I'm starting to really worry."

"Don't… I'll have Elcrie fill you in later." I whispered, as my throat was becoming dry once more.

"Okay? Well let him know, I expect a full report by tomorrow."

"Will do." I replied before hanging up, Leah could know more when I was better.

If Elcrie agreed to help that is.

"What can Elcrie do for you?" Bella asked the second I hung up, while giving me another sip of water.

"You'll see, if he says yes at least."

Two days passed and sleep was so far from my mind yet it continued to crash down upon me time and time again. I was dreaming now, about myself dead on the beach. The waves were washing over my corpse and I couldn't wake up. Must be the drugs Carlisle was giving me for the pain, I wish I could think long enough to ask him to cut back some. Then finally, after what felt like forever, I woke to the sound of the voices I'd been waiting for.

"Jacob! Renesmee! Where are you? What's going on?" The wonderful voice of Uley shouted as she burst through the Cullen home, fearless as usual.

"I'll go talk to them." Bella said, meaning to say she was going to tell them I was attacked and looked like someone tried to peel me alive with a chainsaw.

"No, just call them to the room, no more waiting." I ordered gently.

"Okay if you're sure about this." I nodded and Bella shouted out of the door, "We're upstairs in the first bedroom on the right!"

Uley rushed as quickly as she could into the room, with Harry and Elcrie not far behind.

"Oh my god… What the hell happened to you Jacob?!" Uley shouted as she entered the room in a hurry. "Jesus Christ! What did you do?! Who-What attacked him?"

"We don't know." Bella responded quickly, clearly worried about Uley's tone.

Bella had seen Uley shift when a bear got too close for comfort to Ness once before while the two were out running through the forest. Alice had vision on their being some possible trouble and Bella found her way to the scene right as Uley was tearing the bear to shred, it was the first time Bella had seen her n her wolf form and she was surprised that Uley was just as terrifyingly large as Elcrie.

"Well how long has he been like this?!" Uley continued.

"Six months…" Bella whispered not wanting to upset Uley further.

"SIX MONTHS?! WHY THE HELL ARE WE JUST FINDING OUT NOW?!" Uley shouted back at Bella.

I wanted to defend Bella but I was surprised that they hadn't contacted Leah too, if they had I could have been on two feet by now helping fine Renesmee.

"Uley that's enough. We're here now, that's all that matters." Elcrie said as he came to my bedside.

Finally, a cause for celebration, Elcrie was going to help. This part of my nightmare might finally be coming to an end.

"We didn't think there was anything you could do. We've just been waiting for him to heal-" Bella began.

"Harry take his left side, I'll take his right." Elcrie ordered. "Uley please take Bella and Carlisle out of the room, now."

"Thank you…" I whispered to Elcrie and Harry.

"Quite now Jacob, we need to focus." Elcrie ordered as he and Harry placed their hands on my body.

"What are you doing? Why do we have to leave?" Bella questioned Elcrie.

"Because you don't need to see everything. Let's go, you have some explaining to do anyway."

As they lifted the pain from my body all that was left was the drugs which now worked much easier as my body began to heal rapidly from their touch. I didn't know until today that Harry inherited his father's ability to heal another but I couldn't be more thankful for both of them at this moment. Though I felt terrible knowing my pain would ricochet through their bodies as they absorbed it through their palms. My only solace was in knowing both men are twice if not three times stronger than me in every single aspect. They could handle this, especially split between the two but I wouldn't allow them to take more than they needed to. No matter how hard it was to ask for the pure bliss they placed upon my skin as they healed my wounds rapidly to be stopped, I knew I needed to focus on moving my body so that I knew exactly when to ask them to stop. My mind continued to fade in and out and I could tell I was losing time again. Finally after what felt like forever, I could tell I had near complete control of my legs. Not only that I could hear my heart beating much faster as they had woken my wolf who now felt reborn as it worked to continue the fight alongside Elcrie and Harry to heal me. It was time to stop, my wolf could handle the rest.

"Enough. That's enough, please stop now." I said almost out of breath when they moved their hands off of my body.

I'd never done drugs or even really drank much at all but I imagine the high that lingers on your soul after you've been healed by Elcrie or Harry must be what it feels like to be high as a kite. Almost nothing felt better than that.

"We can take a break but we're not done yet Jacob."

"Yes you are."

"Sleep." Harry ordered running his fingers through my hair.

My mind slipped away into a deep sleep almost instantly. I didn't need to sleep but falling deep into the bliss of his touch felt impossible to break free from. My dreams were now littered with scattered scenes of me fighting large black figures in the pouring rain as thunder and lighting continued on like a thrilling background song from a horror movie. I couldn't make out the figures as I was groggy and disoriented as their claws ripped into me every time I turned to fight. I was outnumbered and most definitely out matched. My eyes struggled to focus in the moment and their nails felt as if acid had been placed on them as they scratched through my skin. Poison perhaps? It was a strange dream, one that felt more real than not. My body began to ache with a haunting pain and I could feel myself getting weak, being defeated by the mysterious black figures. Then, from afar I heard a scream. I heard HER scream… "JACOB!"

"RENESMEE!" I shouted forcing myself awake.

There was no more time for sleep. I had enough rest to last me a lifetime, I need to find her. I need to wake up.