Ness' Comet

Ch 77: Distance

We stared at each other for what felt like a long time. Neither of us clearly knew what to say to the other, and even though I at least was expecting to see Jacob in the near future, it didn't change the shock I felt that he'd walked in so suddenly.

Sensing that we needed some privacy, Lizzie excused herself. Jacob barely seemed to notice there was anyone else in the room.

"Surprise," I finally managed to get out with an awkward shrug.

"Surprise?" Jacob repeated, still dumbfounded. "How did you, when did you, why-" he stuttered when I took pity on him.

"I convinced Aro to 'let me go' for all intents and purposes. The important thing is that I'm here."

"Jacob nodded, his jaw relaxing but his eyes still wide. "Before we talk about anything cause I'm sure there's a lot to say, can I come and hug you?"

It was a sweet question to ask, but one that was oddly full of demand. His voice was almost raw like if I'd said 'no' he would have put his fist through the wall. I was never and could never be afraid of Jacob, but he couldn't always distinguish which emotion he was feeling when he was in a high stress or emotional state. It was all or nothing with him, and strangely, that was always what made me feel so safe around him.

I didn't even answer the question, I simply marched toward him, trying to hold back tears that were bubbling to the indescribable intensity of this whole interaction, and threw my arms around his waist. His huge arms returned the embrace, and we stood there contently, just taking each other in. Naturally he towered over me, but the familiar feeling of his heated skin warming my icy body nearly sent me into a crying fit. It was a wash of nostalgia and homesickness that I was not expecting, nor was I prepared for.

Finally, Jacob spoke.

"Ness?"

"Hm?"

"I think we should sit and talk now."

I sighed. "Okay, but can you promise me something?"

"Anything." He answered with a tone that suggested I'd asked a stupid question. I chuckled lightly to myself.

"Please don't get into anything about us right now. I'll tell you what you want to know about my coming here, but I don't feel up to anything super deep."

He sighed. "Okay. I promise. But Ness, we will talk about it. You know we have to."

I nodded my head against his chest before begrudgingly pulling away from him.

"I think we should talk somewhere else," I told him. "Charlie is just in the other room and there are some things I think he shouldn't hear. Besides, I feel badly that we forced Lizzie and Seth out of here because you showed up."

"Fair enough," he replied, rubbing the back of his neck, almost like he was still in disbelief over this whole thing. "You want to take a ride over to the garage?"

"You mean on the res?" I asked.

He nodded. "Yeah. Don't worry, I won't make you see anyone yet if it'll be overwhelming for you. We'll just go straight to the garage."

"Won't they all still smell me?"

Jacob's mouth formed a crooked line. How I missed that look on his face. It was so strange having what felt like such a casual conversation with him after all this time, the way we used to. Though, something seemed to shift between us a bit, and I couldn't quite put my finger on what. I both felt like he was a stranger, with a metaphorical distance between us, yet there was a pull to him that was stronger than I'd ever felt in the past. I chalked it up to the years of separation, that maybe the imprint bond was trying to mend us back to each other's hearts now that I was in his orbit again. It then struck me that part of this intense feeling was one of lust. I nearly put my hand to my heart that the first overwhelming thing I felt upon seeing Jacob again was a primal sort that I'd rarely experienced in my life. The last time I saw him in person, it wasn't like this, but maybe that was because I'd grown up a tremendous amount since then. I had my own experiences and tried to learn how to live and try to love without him. But the pull was still there, and so strong now that I was beginning to worry I wouldn't be capable of keeping that metaphorical or literal distance between us for very long. I told myself that it was imperative that I held it together. We had to get to know each other again, and I couldn't just cave into the metaphysical connection we shared without remembering why I actually fell in love with him. I had to know that it was real, especially after being away so long.

"I'll tell you what," said Jacob finally, interrupting my train of thought. "Let's go to your house."

"The Cullen house? I don't know. If my family comes back they'll smell my scent there and be suspicious or worried."

"The cottage then."

"That could work," I said. That was perfect. It was far enough away from the house that anybody who went to the big white mansion wouldn't smell any werewolf or Nessie scents. Also nobody used the cottage anymore after the rest of the family moved to Canada and my parents felt they had enough privacy in the regular house. The cottage had become really mine over the last year I was in Forks before the whole Vladimire and Stefan affair. That reminded me, as much as Jacob probably had questions for me, there were things Lizzie had mentioned that I needed him to reveal. I had to know if he really was still tracking those two old Draculas, and put a stop to it if it was true. I couldn't let anymore people get hurt for me, physically or emotionally.

"Sounds like a plan," said Jacob with his big pearly smile that nearly turned my knees to Jello. "I only have the bike with me, is that okay?"

I rolled my eyes sarcastically but grinned widely. "What do you think?"