Chapter 6: So Close

When I walked downstairs the next morning I found my brother sleeping on the couch. He's been working so much, and spending what little free time he has with Emily so seeing him here sleeping soundly is sad, knowing he couldn't even make it up the stairs to his bedroom.

I quietly moved into the kitchen, deciding that breakfast was the first thing on my to-do list for the day since I could finally cook a meal for my little family. I dig around in the refrigerator for bacon and sausage, pulling a carton of eggs out too, trying to be as quiet as possible. I'm busy cooking when my text alert sounds, and I smile as I see a text from Sam.

S: Good morning Little Bird. I'm sorry I didn't get to call last night, it was so late and I didn't want to wake you.

B: It's okay, I can tell Paul is beat too. He passed out on the couch and never even made it to bed.

S: What are your plans for the day?

B: I'm currently making breakfast if you're hungry and would like to stop by.

S: I'm always hungry.

B: Well there's going to be plenty :)

S: Be right over.

I smiled a little wider.

Paul finally woke up once the coffee was brewing, and Charlie came down in his full uniform to grab a quick bite before work. He'd assumed Sam was there with Paul, so I was able to avoid any awkward conversation, and thankfully my brother was too tired to give us a hard time.

The conversation between the two of them was easy and comical, and it was obvious they were good friends. I still couldn't comprehend why they seemed to work themselves to the point of exhaustion to patrol the rez, when we barely even needed to lock our doors, but it must mean something to them.

Just like the wolves.

I also couldn't understand how the howl of a wolf caused Sam, my brother and Jared to take flight, any more than I could understand Jake's obvious dislike of them when all they seemed to care about was the safety of the rez. He seemed to tolerate Paul the easiest, and I've learned that he and Paul were once pretty good friends. Maybe it was because Paul and Jared have girlfriends and Jake didn't? Could it be jealousy? Maybe the jealousy towards Sam was just that he was older? Could Jake be upset at Sam for losing the close friendship he'd once had with my brother?

I also realized that I haven't heard from Jake since he said he had a headache and left the bonfire, even though I'd called and sent multiple texts. I tried sending him another text, but was once again disappointed when I didn't get any responses.

"You're thinking awfully hard, baby sis." Paul said, bringing my attention back to the boys at my table.

"You and Jake were friends before, right?" I ask and I don't miss the look on Sam's face. It's fleeting, but for a moment he seems almost angry that I brought Jake up.

"We're still friends, we grew up together, all of us did." Paul dismisses and I glance at Sam.

"You too?" I ask him and he smiles briefly.

"Yeah. I'm only three years older than Jacob. He just has a tendency to spend time with the younger guys." Sam shrugs.

"He also thinks we're in some sort of drug pushing gang." Paul laughs and Sam smiles and shakes his head.

"That too."

I look between the two, but their faces betray nothing, and I realize that I'm not going to get a straight answer from either of them. I return to my meal, and when my text alert goes off I check my phone seeing it's Jake before excusing myself from the table.

J: I'm sorry for ditching you last night.

B: No biggie. You weren't feeling well. It seems to be going around, especially since Quil and Embry are sick too.

J: At least my phone still works when theirs apparently don't.

B: You didn't reply to me for awhile, doesn't that make you understand not hearing from them?

J: Who's side are you on? You don't even fucking know them!

B: I spent 10 years here Jake. I do know them.

J: Maybe you should start hanging out with them too since everyone but me gets your attention now that you're back.

I don't know how to reply; it's almost easier not to when Jake is in this type of mood.

J: What are you doing today?

I take the opening, hoping I can salvage the conversation.

B: Hanging with Paul and Sam at the moment, you missed me making an awesome breakfast, but if you come by I will make more and we can figure out the rest.

I don't get a response after that. I scowl, but put my phone back down and walk back to the kitchen and listen to Sam and Paul talk. They insist on cleaning up the kitchen, and while they do so I try sending Jake a few more texts, which all go unanswered. I'm vaguely aware of Paul announcing he's headed to Emily's and Sam leans against the doorway between the kitchen and living room.

"I can get out of your hair." He says and I shake my head.

"You don't have to go, unless you want to."

He smiles, "I dont want to go."

"I don't want you to go." I grin at him, "What did you have planned today?" I ask.

"Nothing. I'm boring," He chuckles, "We can do anything you'd like." He looks so hopeful, but he also looks exhausted.

"I'd really like to just hang out and watch movies if that's okay with you." I offer with the hope that Sam can just relax for a little while.

"More than okay." He grins.

He makes himself comfortable on our oversized couch and I excuse myself for a quick shower. Once I am dressed in baggy shorts and a tight tank, I pick up the SpiderMan series I have and rush back downstairs. I'm about to ask Sam if the movies are okay when I realize he's fast asleep. His large body is slumped over, and I sit next to him and carefully guide his head to my lap. He's still incredibly warm, and I worry that he's come down with the same thing that Jake and the others have, but he sighs happily and snuggles against me. I trace the faint lines of his face, finding him much more relaxed in sleep than he looks when awake. His hair is much shorter than the traditional long hair of our tribe, with silky, shaved sides, but it has a shaggier length on top, full of messy loose curls and surprisingly soft when I touch it.

I turn the TV on the music channel, and watch mindless reality shows while he sleeps. The short sleeve tshirt shows the tattoo he shares with Jared and Paul, a circular tribal symbol, and I trace my fingertips lightly over it. While I am half Quileute, I'm also not sure what the symbolism of his tattoo is, but I make a mental note to ask him about it.

The buzz of my phone startles me, and I pick it up off of the end table to find a text from Jake.

J: Paul isn't even home so how are you eating breakfast and hanging out with him?

I frown at the text. I know you can't infer tone from a text message, but I can't help but be annoyed at what feels like an accusation of some sort.

B: He just left around an hour ago to go to Emily's.

J: Where's Sam?

I consider lying to him, but realize that he likely somehow already knows that Sam never left my house.

J: He's there, isn't he?

B: Are you watching me?

J: You just don't seem to understand that nothing good will come from you hanging out with Uley or his people.

B: Just like you don't seem to understand that "his people" includes my brother.

J: Don't say I didn't warn you.

B: Warn me about what?

J: You shouldn't be hanging out with him while being friends with me.

B: Shouldn't or can't Jake? Because from where I'm sitting it sure feels like you're giving me an ultimatum.

I stare at the chat bubble, which keeps appearing and disappearing. Jake was never like this before, and I'm confused why he is adamant that I stay away from not only Sam, but distance myself from my brother too.

J: I don't know how you're going to be "friends" with us both. You're going to have to eventually choose.

The use of quotes around friends pisses me off, and I decide that I'm not going to entertain this fight that Jake is trying to start. I put my phone down and look at Sam, who looks almost innocent in sleep. I trail my fingers through his curly hair, and close my own eyes, deciding to ignore Jake and his apparent jealousy and deal with it another day.

Waking up wrapped around Sam Uley wasn't on my to-do list, and neither was my brother finding us this way. I have no idea how long we slept, or how I ended up laying next to Sam on the roomy couch, his arms wrapped around me with my head tucked under his chin and my legs twisted with his. Paul smirks at us over the back of the couch, and then I see Emily's sweet face, smiling down at me.

"Do I need to kick your ass for being wrapped around my sister, Uley?" Paul asks and I feel Sam laugh against me.

"I should kick yours for waking me up." He answered in a sleep-thickened voice. I try to move but Sam just tightens his arms around me.

"Dude, it's almost three o'clock. I figured you'd rather we wake you up than Charlie. He'll be home sometime after four. We should go gather wood and shit for a bonfire tonight, there's no rain on the forecast." Paul replies.

"Didn't we just have a bonfire last night?" I grumble and Sam laughs again.

"Every night without rain is a bonfire in La Push, Bella." Emily smiles at me and I can't help but return it.

"Okay, fine, consider my arm twisted." I try to move, but Sam still doesn't budge.

"Five more minutes." He mumbles and Paul scoffs.

"Not a second more. We'll be on the porch." Paul retorts.

"Yes dear." Sam replies and I hear a snort from Paul.

I hear their footsteps, and the familiar creak of our screen door and Sam's arms begin to relax, "You are literally a space heater." I remark.

"I run hot. Sorry." He replies.

"It's useful. As you can see, Paul keeps the air conditioner set on arctic in here." I crane my neck to look up at him and find him sleepily looking down at me. He runs his fingers up and down my back, trailing them over my spine and I smile at him.

"It's not fair that you're this pretty when you wake up." He murmurs.

"Me? You should see yourself, you're rather pretty too." I grin at him.

"I'm sure my hair is obnoxious." He chuckles.

"It's kind of adorable." I reply without thinking. I giggle nervously and try to flatten it with my hands, unsuccessfully, "There, it's perfect."

Sam moves us so he's almost hovering over me, and I'm surprised when he begins leaning his face over mine. I can feel the warmth from his breath, and the overwhelming heat from his body.

"Oh my sweet Birdie, it's you that's perfect." He rubs the tip of his nose against mine, whispering his nickname for me again. There's nothing but a breath between us, and just as his lips are about to touch mine the creak from the screen door breaks us apart.

"Five minutes is up, let's go!" Paul calls out and thankfully Sam and I are a respectable distance apart when he lumbers into the room, "Nap time is way over, move your asses. Nice hair, Uley."

"Fuck off, Lahote." Sam says as he stands, and he extends his hand to help me up. He doesn't let my hand go as we head to the door, and Paul grabs the truck keys off of the hook and calls out that he's driving over his shoulder.

Sam and I climb into the back seat and continue to hold hands for the entire drive to first beach.

I see Jake for the first time since our awkward text conversation a couple of hours later. Emily, Kim, Leah and I are sitting on a blanket talking while the boys toss a football around when Jake, Embry and Quil arrive. Angela and Jessica show up shortly afterward, and as the weather cools off we all get up to help start the bonfire. Kim and I volunteer to grab some food, and I drop into her passenger seat and grab a pair of the random sunglasses she keeps in her console.

"Why do you have all of these sunglasses? It's rarely ever sunny here." I chuckle.

"It's sunny now, bitch." She smirks at me, "You've been with Sam all day, spill."

"There's nothing to spill. He came over and had breakfast with Paul and me. We took a nap. Now we're here." I shrug.

"You and Sam took a nap, huh?" She wiggles her eyebrows at me, "Emily said you two were all wrapped around each other and cuddling on the couch when she and Paul got there."

"Jesus, Kimmy, you act like we were caught having sex." I scoff and she laughs.

"That'll be next week."

I stick my tongue out at her and she laughs harder. We continue to chat as we walk into the La Push grocery store, and we stock up on hot dogs, drinks and snacks. Kim is convinced that Jake is going to to fight Sam for me, and I just dismiss her and tell her I'm just friends with both of them. Except I totally almost kissed Sam today, something I am definitely not sharing with Kim.

And especially not Jake.

My feelings for Jake confuse me. On one hand, he's been my absolute rock for our entire lives. I know we were incredibly close up until Renee left with me, and we picked right back up when he found me online. We've never had an official conversation about defining things between us, but I could tell that he felt something more the first time he saw me at the airport. The Jake I thought I knew was everything I should want in a relationship, kind, gentle, caring, sweet, and not to forget incredibly handsome. However, since I've been back home he's been prone to jealousy and over protectiveness, evident in the way he acts when it comes to Sam. Instead of him just discussing whatever it is that he's feeling, he's been telling me what I should and shouldn't do, which is one of my biggest pet peeves.

I've dealt with controlling boyfriends before, and I don't plan on doing it again.

Kim whistles when we get back to the parking lot, and it seems to be the bat signal for all of the boys to help out. Just as I'm about to grab a bag, it's taken from me and I meet Jake's dark eyes.

"Thanks." I say, ignoring the look he's giving me.

I make my way back to the beach, avoiding Jake's attempts to get me to stop walking by looping my arm through Kim's. Some of the other Forks kids are out too, and I find myself having a great time in spite of the tension between Jake and me. Jake keeps himself glued to my side, and even though Sam and I can't seem to keep our eyes off of each other he also gives me space to hang out with Jake. I'm sitting with Seth and Leah when Jake drops his arm around me and pulls me onto his lap. I quickly try to move off, but his strong arms cage me in.

"Jake, let me go." I tell him and his eyes darken.

"What's the matter? You think Sam is going to be upset? Look at him over there talking to those girls." He gestures towards where Sam and Jared are talking to some of the girls I recognize as Angela and Jessica's friends from Forks High School, "He obviously doesn't care about you."

"You're the only one who seems to be obsessed with what Sam's doing." I reply, trying to push him away.

He only tightens his hold and he leans in to whisper darkly in my ear, "I heard Emily telling Leah that you and Sam were cuddling on your couch. So you can cuddle with him and not with me?" He asks.

"Jake, this isn't some sort of contest. I'm not a prize to be won." I finally push away from him and quickly scramble off the blanket.

"You okay, Bells?" Leah asks, her face a mixture of surprise and concern.

"Yeah, just gonna take a walk." I dismiss and turn away from the group.

"Bella, wait." Jake calls from behind me, and I just keep walking down the beach. He easily catches up with me and grabs my arm, jerking me to a stop, "Why are you running away from me?"

"I just need space, please Jake. You're my best friend, this isn't you. What's happening with you? I want to know why you are ao angry."

"And I want to know what's going on with you and Uley." He demands.

His hand is like fire on my wrist, and I can feel him shaking. He's even warmer than Sam, and his face is twisted in a level of anger I've never seen from him, "Jake, please stop." I say in a shaky voice, which causes him to jerk on my wrist and tighten his hold, "Please Jake, you're hurting me.

He finally looks at his hand wrapped tightly around my wrist and he drops it like it's burnt him, "Bella..."

"Stay away from me." I rub my wrist and I can see Sam approaching.

"Jacob, give her space." Sam says evenly.

"You're not giving her any space, Uley. You've been watching both of us. Are you jealous that Bella likes me?" Jake shouts and I see Paul jogging up. He immediately approaches me and looks at the angry red marks marring the skin on my arm.

"Black, get the fuck away from my sister before you hurt her again." Paul says and Sam's eyes jerk to where I am rubbing my wrist.

"Let me see." Sam says softly and I show him my wrist, where he can already see the finger shaped bruises forming, "Paul, get him the fuck away from me." Sam growls as his gentle hands cradle my bruised skin, "My Little Bird... my sweet Birdie."

"Bella, I didn't mean it-"

"Black, you put hands on my sister, you're lucky I'm not tearing you to shreds right now." Paul says as he grabs him around the middle, pulling him back.

"Fuck you, Lahote. Let me see her, I didn't mean to hurt her. Fucking hell, let me go!" He shouts.

Jared jogs up, and surprisingly Embry does as well. They help Paul to drag Jake away, and I close my eyes when I hear him yelling for me.

"This isn't him." I say, willing myself not to cry.

"I know it's not." Sam says.

"They're not going to hurt him, are they?" I ask and Sam shakes his head.

"Of course not." He replies as he softly caresses my bruised arm, "Birdie, I'm so sorry. I'm causing this stress between you and Jake. I never meant to come between you."

"Jake and I are just friends." I retort.

"You've thought of being more." He argues.

"That was before you." I blurt and his eyes meet mine.

"He's right, you know. I'm not good for you." Sam says and I shake my head.

"Don't do that. Don't you dare try and make decisions for me. I'm so tired of that." I reply angrily.

"There's so much that you don't know about me-"

"Then tell me!" I throw my hands up and yell.

"I don't know where to even start." He shakes his head, "None of this is fair to you. You should have a choice. You never asked for this."

"Sam, please." I pull him closer to me, "Don't make a decision for me. Talk to me. Please don't take away my choices when it comes to you and me."

"Birdie, you don't understand that I'm trying to give you a choice. There's so much I need to tell you, so much you need to know before we-"

A loud howl sounds, and Sam jerks away. He shakes his head, and then picks me up and runs back to the bonfire, dropping me on my feet just like he did last night.

"Sam, where are you going? Please don't leave me. Please, not like this."

"I don't want to leave you, not now, not ever, but I have to." He says. His eyes drift down to my lips, "Please just give me this."

"I still don't understand, but whatever it is I'm here and ready to listen." I reply and he presses his lips to my cheek before whispering in my ear.

"Thank you. I'll text you later."

"Be safe." I call out to his retreating form and he glances over his shoulder at me.

"Always."