Impasse

Disclaimer: all characters and copyright belong to SM.

A Walk on the Beach

A few days passed before Bella felt able to discuss the imprinting situation with Jacob. She had become resigned to the fact that Edward Cullen would not be prosecuted for his crime. Charlie had been openly pushing for some kind of judgement, but he was honest with Bella and explained that there was a very low chance of conviction as there were no independent witnesses to the kidnapping, meaning it was only her word against Edward's.

"You did all you could." Bella consoled her father. She could see how upset and frustrated he was by the whole thing. "Thank you."

"I don't feel like it was near enough, kiddo." Charlie admitted. "I joined law enforcement hoping to make a difference. With the increase in bureaucracy, I feel the law is more on the side of the criminal than the victim these days."

In a rare show of affection Bella reached out and hugged her father. They both weren't ones to indulge in sentimental gestures, but in this case it felt warranted. As Charlie reciprocated and wrapped his arms around her tightly, Bella felt more at peace than she had in a long time. With his and Jacob's support, she felt able to face head on any continuing crises. They gave her courage and strength. Something she had severely been lacking when living with Renee.

Bella's biggest regret about the whole kidnapping affair was that she had missed the opportunity to attend Jacob's school dance with him. He didn't show it, but Bella knew that he was as disappointed as she was that they had lucked out on being able to spend some time acting as actual teenagers by having fun and a little dance together.

It was unfortunate, but it was the consequences of living a supernatural life she guessed.

The weekend rolled around and Bella was going to spend most of it in La Push with Jacob. He now felt comfortable enough to schedule some time off for himself. With Embry finally phasing, his cool head and natural empathy making him a good addition to the pack, Jacob had decided to leave Sam in charge, knowing that he was well able to control the outliers like Paul and Quil.

As Bella pulled up outside the Black's in her truck, she groaned when she caught sight of Paul Lahote exiting the house. As soon as he spotted her, he gave her a sarcastic wave, and sporting his usual arrogant grin.

Bella killed the loud engine before waving back – then waving goodbye – as she climbed out of the truck and began a slow jog toward the house.

Paul intercepted her easily. His hand landed on her shoulder pulling her back around to face him. Bella ducked under his grip, but he grabbed her good wrist and yanked her back again.

"Friendly reception." He noted.

Bella pulled her hand free and scowled at him. "What are you doing here?"

"Just checking in with the boss. Jeez, you do bear grudges, don't you? Let it go, Swan. Just let it go."

"In case my right hook was too subtle for you, let me translate: I don't like you, and never will."

Paul just laughed as if she had told a good joke. "Don't be a poor sport, Swan. With you being the boss' soulmate and everything, its your job to get along with the employees, so to speak."

Bella folded her arms across her chest. She wasn't in the mood to trade barbs with Lahote right now. However, she guessed he had a point in a way. He was part of the pack whether she liked it or not. Although she felt a bit weirded out by him referring to her as Jacob's soulmate, which meant he must know about the imprint.

Damn the pack mind link!

"Truce?" Paul held out his hand.

Bella ignored it, instead issuing him another glare. "I'll think about it. Now clear off."

To her surprise Paul did just that. The last thing she heard was another burst of scornful laughter as he tore off toward the forest to join his brothers on patrol.

In the sudden silence that followed Bella heard Jacob calling her name.

"Bella?"

"Hey, Jake!"

"Bella!" He yelled back, and the smile she had been waiting for stretched across his face like the sun breaking free of the clouds. His teeth gleamed bright against his russet skin. "Come here, girl." He said, opening his arms to her.

Bella ran to meet him. As they came together, both jumping up and down like excitable little kids, Jacob suddenly grabbed her up in a bear hug too tight to breathe and swung her around in a circle.

"Wow, I'm so glad you're here. I've missed you."

"Can't…breathe." Bella gasped.

Jacob laughed and put her down. "Welcome back, honey." He said grinning. And the way he said the words made it sound like welcome home.

"Hey, Bella!" Billy had rolled himself into the doorway to see what all the commotion was about. "Its good to see you."

"You, too." Bella said, her smile so wide that it hurt her cheeks.

They started walking, too keyed up to sit still in the house. Jacob was practically bouncing as he moved, and Bella had to remind him a few times her legs weren't about ten feet long.

As they walked, Bella felt herself slipping into a more relaxed version of herself, the self she always was around Jacob. A little younger, a little less responsible. Someone who might, on occasion, do something stupid for no good reason, like any typical teenager.

Their exuberance lasted through the first few topics of conversation: how they were doing, what they had been up to in the short time apart, what they planned on doing with all the free time they had. When Bella suggested holding their own dance to make up for the one they had missed, Jacob's bellowing laughter echoed back from the trees.

"I'm serious, Jake." Bella insisted. "We all need some down time."

Jacob dropped a kiss on top of her hair. "You know, you're right. But a dance sounds like too much work. What about a bonfire party on the beach instead? It will be much simpler to organize and you can still dance if you want."

Bella smacked her forehead with her good hand playfully. "Why didn't I think of that?" She groaned. "It sounds perfect."

Jacob laughed again, but quieter this time. He kicked a piece of driftwood out of his way. It sailed over the sand and then clattered against the rocks.

"So, I take it you saw Paul?"

Bella grimaced. "Yes, unfortunately for me."

Jacob's expression hardened. "Did the tool not apologize?"

Bella took a deep breath and nodded. "In his own Paul-like way." She conceded.

Jacob shook his head in dark amusement as he leaned down to scoop up a rock. H turned it over and over in his in his fingers. "The word sorry is not in Lahote's vocabulary. I guess that's the best you'll get out of him I'm afraid, Bells."

"It'll do."

Jacob frowned more deeply. "I miss the times when things were simpler, easier." His voice was slow and different. Aged. Bella felt like he sounded suddenly so much older than she was. "I know what I am was born in me. That's it a part of who I am, who my family is, who we all are as a tribe – it's the reason we're still here – but I wish that you hadn't been pulled into it as well."

"I was already pulled into it by the Cullens, remember." Bella pointed out. "And I miss those times, too, of course I do. But like you said, what you are was born in you. The wolf is part of you. But it's also not all that you are. You're human, too, don't forget that."

Jacob looked down at her, his black eyes unreadable. He picked up Bella's good hand and pressed it to his fever warm chest. Through his T-shirt, she could feel the steady beating of his heart under her palm.

"See that proves it." She affirmed, feeling her own heart beat faster in response.

Jacob smiled a faint, half smile. "Thanks, honey. Sometimes I just need the reminder."

"Oh, Jake." Bella whispered, reaching for his hand. She couldn't stand it when Jacob was in pain. Right now, it was very clear in his eyes. She didn't know how to help him, but she knew she had to try and ease his crises of confidence. It was more than that she owed him. It was because his pain hurt her, too. Jacob was as much part of her as his wolf was part of him. And she wouldn't have it any other way.

"What can I do to make it better?" Bella asked.

Jacob's warm hand curled around hers. "Its not so bad, honey. It just gets a bit much sometimes – the responsibility – you know." He said, but he wouldn't meet her eyes.

Hand in hand Jacob led the way to the driftwood bench, staring at the rainbow-colored pebbles, and pulling Bella along at his side. He sat down on the tree, but he sat on the rocky ground rather than next to Bella. She wondered if it was so he could hide his face more easily. He kept her hand.

Bella started babbling to fill the silence. "It's been so long since we've been able to relax and have fun that I think we've forgotten how. We've missed out on a ton of things – "She broke off when she heard Jacob emit a small sigh. "I'm sorry, Jake." She apologized after a moment of silence.

"Don't be sorry, Bells." Jacob stroked the palm of her hand with his thumb. The slow-moving trail of heat on her skin was soothing.

"I hate seeing you so sad, Jake." Bella confessed. "I wish I could make things better."

"You do." Jacob promised. "Just you being here makes all this madness worthwhile." Finally, he got up off the ground and sat beside her, putting his arm around her shoulders. "Have you had any more time to think about what I told you…. about the imprint, I mean?"

Bella shrugged. "A little."

"And?" Jacob probed cautiously.

"And…. I think…. perhaps we're making too big a deal of it." Bella answered carefully as she glanced away. She waited out his reaction, worried that he would be offended that she was somehow making a mockery out of the whole soulmate thing.

Jacob put his hand on her cheek and pulled her face around to look at him – he was leaning toward her, his face just a few inches away. His palm burned her skin, like he had a fever. Or maybe her skin was burning for other reasons she wasn't too keen to delve into just yet.

"You really think its that simple?" He asked.

Jacob was so close; Bella could feel his warm breath. She reached up casually, to take his hand away and free her face, but wound her fingers through his so that she wouldn't hurt his feelings. Jacob smiled and leaned back, undeceived by her attempt at nonchalance.

"I do." Bella confirmed with a small smile of her own. "We've been through so much lately, Jake. Let's not put any extra pressure on ourselves right now, huh?"

Jacob laughed again. "Okay." He agreed. "We'll just be Jake and Bells."

Bella's smile brightened, very much relieved that he understood. "Yeah, just Jake and Bells."

The sun broke through the clouds suddenly, a surprise that Bella hadn't been expecting, and she had to narrow her eyes against the glare off the water. Everything changed color – the waves turned from grey to blue, the trees from dull olive to brilliant jade, and the rainbow-hued pebbles glittered like jewels.

"See even the weather agrees we should give ourselves a break." Bella said in amusement.

Jacob laughed once more as he settled closer to Bella. He was so warm, that after a minute she shrugged off her rain jacket. He made a little sound of contentment in the back of his throat, and rested his cheek on top of her head. Bella could feel the sun heat her skin – though it wasn't quite as warm as Jacob – and she wondered idly how long it would take her to burn.

They stayed that way in contentment for a while, both squinting their eyes against the sun. There was no sound besides the hollow roar of the waves that echoed from the sheltered harbor, the soft grinding of the stones against each other under the water's movement, and the cry of the gull's high overhead. It was very peaceful.

That was until the harsh ringing of Bella's cell phone shattered the serenity. Looking apologetically at Jacob, Bella reluctantly fumbled with the zip on her rain jacket and pulled out her cell phone from the inner pocket. One glance at the screen showed her it was Leah calling.

"I better take this." She whispered to Jacob as she stood and took a few steps away from him. She swiped her thumb across the screen and answered the call. "Hey, Lee, what's up?"

To her alarm her relaxed greeting was met with a stifled sob.

"Leah, what is it? What's happened? Is something wrong with your mom or Seth?"

"No." Leah gasped.

"Are you okay?"

"No, its Sam."

Bella felt a cold shiver ripple down her spine. One glance at Jacob showed he was already on full alert. With his keen hearing he could hear the whole conversation.

"Has something happened to Sam? I thought he was out patrolling with the others."

Another stifled sob followed as Leah tried to maintain her composure, but it seemed that she was beyond holding it all together anymore. Her next words were barely coherent. All Bella could hear was the names Sam and Emily spliced together.

"Lee, I can't understand you. Say that again." Bella pressed the phone harder against her ear to hear Leah's response.

"Can you just come, Bella." Leah pleaded. "I need you."

Leah being reduced to pleading was shocking. All that Bella knew about Emily was that she was Leah's cousin. Other than this snippet the girl was a complete unknown. What she had to do with this crisis over Sam, Bella had no idea. Her worried gaze met Jacob's and he gave her sharp nod.

"I'm on my way." Bella promised. "Just hang in there, Lee."

"Hurry, Bella." Leah sobbed, then the phone went dead.

A/N-thanks for reading!