"It's less than ideal, but it's for your safety, Bella," Edward breathed, his hand caressing the brown hair that flowed down Bella's face. He was looking down at her with pained eyes, knowing he'd have to leave her for at least 4 days. Longer than an eternity he felt.
Leaving her was painful enough, but it was salt to the wound to know who would occupy her company while he was away. Jacob Black would treat her well, he knew, but the situation wasn't ideal. Jacob was obviously enamoured with Bella, and Edward didn't relish the fact that Jacob would be making his case for as long as he was with her. Edward felt the twinge of jealousy prickle under his skin.
"I know," Bella said quietly, her head nuzzled into Edward's hand, breathing in his scent as best she could. "I'll be safe here, Edward. You don't have to worry about me."
The best option, he tried to remind himself. The werewolves were trustworthy, even if nature had pitted them against the Cullens. He knew and believed this, but still couldn't swallow the unease in his stomach.
Entrusting Bella to them wasn't without any risk. Sure, the pack would protect her from any stray vampires seeking to avenge James, and were better protectors than any human option. Their natural repellent; the overpowering wet dog smell, was a deterrent and a mask, and would help confuse any stray vampires looking to locate her.
On the other hand, the hot and fickle temper of a werewolf gnawed at Edward's mind. He'd seen the harm on Emily, Sam's fiance, and didn't enjoy entertaining the option of any similar injuries befalling Bella.
Still the best option he thought uneasily. He knew that Billy and the others were wise and even-tempered, and the risk was relatively low. He also knew that leaving her in Charlie's care would be worse, should any of this rumoured new-born vengeful army be in the area already.
That itself would be a task for Esme and Alice, who were going to stay behind and watch out for Charlie and any hints of new-born activity in town. Carlisle, Jasper, Emmett, Himself and Rosalie were going to the source of the rumour.
"Don't take too long," she said, her hands moving to grasp his collar. She pulled him down, her eyes full full of desire. He allowed himself to be drawn in, his lips meeting hers with passion.
A twig snapped through the trees. Edward looked up.
"You ready to go, Bella?" Jacob was on the other side of the treaty line, abs rippling as his shirtless torso leaned for Bella's bags on the line. She took one more look at Edward. "I think I'm ready," she said finally.
"I love you, Bella," Edward planting a kiss softly on her forehead.
"I love you too," Bella blushed, heart skipping frantically in her ribs. Edward smirked.
She watched him drive away.
"So, you and the bloodsucker seem to be as good as ever," Jacob said in mock interest, an undertone of spite warping the words. He was leading her through the trees to a cabin by the Black's house, one they'd fashioned a while ago. The pack were surprisingly handy with tools, no doubt due to their superhuman strength.
Bella rolled her eyes. She'd expected some supernatural rivalry, but wasn't overjoyed at this being the first conversation to set the tone. "Jacob," she said simply, regarding him with a look which meant don't start.
Jacob held his hands up in an alright I won't kind of gesture, and instead nodded to the cabin "we're here, home sweet home."
"You made this?" Bella gawked. She'd expected more of a luxurious shed, but was surprised at what greeted her. She saw slats of rounded wood, and a flutter of steam rising through a small chimney. The cabin was much more elegant than she'd imagined, adorned with a red wooden door and 2 shuttered windows facing out. It looked like a house from a fantasy.
"Only the best, for our favourite guest," Jacob smirked. "You should see the inside."
He led them through the door, placing the bags on a small table to his right. The cabin wasn't as expansive as a normal house, but was comfortably roomy. Two armchairs faced the fire on a red woven rug, behind which was a small island kitchen trimmed with wooden cabinets and a small stove. To the right, Bella saw another two doors, which she presumed were the bathroom and bedroom. "Nice, isn't it?" Jacob said, leading her to the fire and settling her in front of it. "You want tea, Bella? Anything?"
"When did you get so good at building?" Bella asked, still in awe. Jacob smiled, filling the kettle up with water and turning on the stove.
"You know, if you came around more often, you'd realise we've gotten quite good at a lot of things." She felt the resentment in his voice.
"I know I've not been here much," she conceded, her voice soft as she watched him stew some tea leaves in two mugs, his back turned to her.
It was true, she reflected. She'd been caught up with the fast-paced life her vampire family had brought, and had had less time with the Blacks since Edward. Even Charlie had been neglected somewhat.
His eyes caught hers and she watched the longing beneath them. Longing for a friendship, or something more, She wasn't sure. "I'm hoping these next few days we can make up for lost time a bit," her mouth curved into a smile, and Jacob was reminded of the effect she had on him.
He settled into the other armchair, handing a cup of steaming peppermint tea to her. "I've got a few ideas in mind," he said warmly, looking forward to having vampire-free moments over the next few days. He was hoping to remind Bella of what life could be without those bloodsuckers around.
The next day, he and Bella found themselves walking along a small river by the cabins, Jacob's eyes on the water as they went. The stream was calm, rippling and curving playfully, Bella let the water stream through her fingers. A few fish swam in the current, caught along by the water, indifferent to them both.
"I think you're going to like what I've got planned, Bella." Jacob led her over to a large drape on the river bank, the shapes of what it covered obscured by the thick green canvas. He swept it off with a dramatic flourish.
"Canoeing?" Bella asked hesitantly. "It looks like fun, Jake, but you know I'm not the sporting type," she said nervously, hand tucking a stray piece of hair behind her ear. Jacob smiled, remembering Bella's haphazard attempt at biking. He wasn't keen to repeat the experience.
"I can promise you that there's going to be no head wounds here, Bella. It'll be you and me in one canoe." He said gently. "You don't even have to paddle if you don't want to." He started to move the canoe towards the water, face drawn into a smirk as he gave her one hand to get in.
"I'll try," Bella said, returning his gaze. She watched the water trickle and undulate down the river. It seemed calm enough, she thought. She knew Jacob was very adept at managing the elements in any case; he knew his water sports as well as he did his bikes.
He plonked himself behind her, using a paddle to push them away from the bank. "We're gonna take it steady, okay? I promise you won't get wet."
The two streamed down the river, and Bella was reminded of their many years spent playing in the water as children. It had been a long time since those days, but she was happy to bask in the nostalgia. She let herself rock with the boat as she and Jacob paddled, Jacob doing most of the work.
The smell of the forest filled the air, and she overheard the splash of something nearby, close to the river but through the trees. She turned to Jacob, her eyes lit up as the realisation dawned on her.
"I forgot the stream took us here."
"I thought you might have." Jacob replied, pushing them over to a bank on their right with his paddle, before leaping out to pull the boat up onto the grass. He lent her his hand once more, and she took it gratefully, climbing out.
"It's just through the trees, isn't it?" She asked, eyes finding his curiously, her inner child enthused. Jacob smirked. "It's sort of overgrown now, but the water is as clear as ever."
They walked a short winding path through the trees, long grass licking at their heels. It was only a few minutes before they stumbled upon a small waterhole, the dense canopy of trees thinned so that beams of light shone through, illuminating the water below.
Jacob was right, Bella could see straight down to the ground; a few small fish swam along the bottom, their small mouths bubbling. She moved her attention to the waterfall, a graceful stream which splashed gently on the rocks. She followed the movement down to the other end of the waterhole, where a rivulet trickled back through the trees down to the river they came from.
"I completely forgot about this place," she beamed at Jacob.
Jacob said nothing, words taken from him by the way the light bathed her soft features. He was reminded of the childhood they'd shared, and how even then Bella had been ethereal to him. His heart fell out of place for a moment.
She caught his gaze, and rolled her eyes. She knew what Jacob had felt for her previously, but hoped they could move past it to the friendship they had before all of that. "C'mon, Jake. The sun's going to set soon." She moved towards the bank, taking off her shoes and dipping her toes in the water, not minding the water travelling up her jeans.
Jacob walked around the edge of the waterhole, kicking off his own shoes. He started to pull down his shorts and Bella looked away. "Jacob, what are you-" A huge splash interrupted her, and she turned back to see Jacob's head emerging from the water, his hair dripping over his shoulders. A giant smirk was plastered across his face as he paddled towards her. "You coming in? The water's fine." He clasped his hands together under the surface, his thumbs lined up against each other as he aimed beams of water at her through the pool of water in his palms.
Bella squealed, laughed as she tried to dodge his shots. "Hey, I taught you that!" She shouted, shielding her face from the splashes with her hands.
"I'll stop when you come in, how's that for a trade?" Jacob called, continuing to aim for her as she darted in-between the trees, barefoot and soaked.
"Okay, okay! You have your deal," Bella said, leaping into the centre of waterhole with a run. Water cascaded over Jacob as she dove under the surface.
Her head bobbed up slowly to find Jacob still smirking at her, but his smile seemed to slip as he hurried towards her, breaking out into a crawl with his jaw clenched. She instantly knew why.
She was struggling to paddle, weighed down by her jeans, which had become heavy in the water. She tried to move towards the more shallow side the waterhole, worried that she might be pulled under by the weight of her clothes. She felt a hand on her waist steady her. "You're okay," Jacob said firmly, pulling her towards the edge of the hole and lifting her onto the bank with ease.
Bella caught her breath, leaning back against a tree as she felt the coolness of the water seep through her clothes. "Thanks." There was a pause, taken up by the sound of Bella trying to steady her breath. She rested her head against the tree trunk, eyes watching the sun start to set through the trees.
"I'm a bit less fit these days," she breathed, exhausted from the exertion. Jacob lifted himself up to sit beside her, his face full of concern. He took the hem of her shirt and wrung it out in his hands before moving onto her hair, which clung to her forehead. Rivulets of water streamed down her cheek, and he tried to wipe them away with his hand. "Let's get you home, okay? I don't want you to be cold for too long."
He led her back through the trees, lifting her into the canoe and pulling it back into the water. He paddled with a power she hadn't noticed before; she saw the muscles curl under his skin with each push. He was determined in making their journey quick.
Soon they had followed the stream around its loop, circling back to where the other canoes lay. Jacob hopped out, pulling their canoe onto the sand next to the others, before throwing the tarp over it once more. He took her hand, leading them back up the bank, towards the car.
Bella stood beside him as he opened the door, shivering under her cold clothes, which clung to her like a second, much colder skin. Jacob regarded her thoughtfully. "You should take that off."
Bella threw him another look. "Jake."
"I'm serious, Bella. You could get sick." He looked worried. "We still have a drive back to the cabin."
She hesitated, then sighed. "Have you got something else I can wear?" She was trying to think of what Edward would want her to do in this situation. She was torn between thinking of his desire for her well-being and his disdain for Jacob's thoughts.
"There's a blanket in the back" Jacob said, handing it to her. "Take it Bella, really. You're turning kind of blue." She could see the concern in his eyes, and took it.
"Fine, but turn around."
Jacob turned his back to her, and Bella peeled off her wet clothes, feeling the chill of the evening air against her damp skin. She shook as she draped the blanket over her, clambering into the truck. Jacob climbed in after her once she was decent, and they sped off through the trees.
Back at the cabin, she warmed herself around the fire, hands still shaking from the cold. Jacob came through the door with some warmer clothes, handing them to her. "I've got some sweatpants, warm socks and a big jumper. They'll be too big, but it'll help." She smiled gratefully, heading for the bathroom.
A few minutes later, Bella emerged, clad in swathes of fabric. The sweatpants drowned her, barely clinging by the drawstring. The jumper was so large it almost reached her knees.
"Better?" he asked, chuckling at her appearance.
"Better," she said. Giving him a twirl. "What do you think?" She laughed, gesturing to the outfit.
"Looks good," Jacob grinned. "You look less blue, anyhow." He held a steaming cup towards her. "I've made cocoa for us."
Bella took it, feeling the warmth seep into her cold fingers.
They sipped their cocoa in a comfortable silence, and the flames crackled softly, casting a warm glow around the room. Bella could feel the chill slowly leaving her body, replaced by a comforting heat.
"Thanks for everything," she said, looking up at him as they both took their seats in the armchairs by the fire. "I mean, you really saved me back there."
Jacob shrugged, a modest smile playing on his lips. "It's what anyone would do."
A silence stretched between them, and Bella found her thoughts wandering to Edward. She'd promised not to call him while he was away, a promise she'd kept only because of his emphasis on how important it was that they infiltrate the new-born army without suspicion. She hoped that they were safe, and doing okay. She looked forward to seeing him once it was all over.
"Do you ever wonder if things will ever go back to how they were?" she asked quietly, not looking up from her cocoa.
Jacob sighed. "In what sense?" He looked at her, trying to catch her gaze, his brown eyes reflecting the soft flames.
Bella's eyes remained fixed on her cup. "I mean, before all of this. Before we were running away from vampires that wanted to kill me, and before everything got so complicated. All the secrets." She looked up, her eyes searching his.
Jacob took a deep breath, his expression pensive. "It wouldn't have to be that way with me, Bella," he said quietly.
She said nothing. It wasn't unknown to her. She knew with Edward there were always going to be more complications. She was trying to make a relationship work that resisted every rule nature had laid out for them. He was predator, she was prey, but none of that changed her love for him.
"I think things change for a reason," Jacob added, finally. He knew this wasn't the time to convince her. "Maybe we can't go back, but we can move forward. Find a new normal."
Bella nodded, absorbing his words. "I hope so. I miss how simple everything used to be."
"Me too," Jacob agreed. "But we're stronger now. We've been through a lot, and we're still here."
She smiled at him, feeling a sense of camaraderie and understanding. "Yeah, we are."
They finished their cocoa, the warmth from the fire and the drink making Bella feel drowsy. She leaned back, her eyes starting to droop. Jacob noticed and chuckled softly. "You look ready to pass out."
"I am," she admitted. "Today took a lot out of me."
"Get some rest," Jacob said, standing up and helping her to her feet. "I'll keep the fire going for a while if you want to head to bed."
"Thanks, Jake," she said, giving him a warm smile "Goodnight."
"Goodnight, Bella."
She made her way to the small bedroom in the cabin, the warmth from the fire and the comfort of Jacob's presence lingering with her. As she settled into bed, wrapped in the oversized clothes, she felt a sense of peace. Despite everything, she knew she was not alone. Tomorrow was another day, another day closer to seeing Edward.