Eternal Sunshine

I Love You, Jacob

Renesmee,  Edward, and Bella stood outside the house. "I've never been very good at  tracking. Do you know where he is, Renesmee?"

She nodded. The bond between Jacob and her had always been strong. Now she knew why. "He's in the woods."

"Alright. We'll split up then. Meet back here in an hour. If we can't find him, we'll get the others to help."

They  each headed off in their directions, Renesmee silently calling to  Jacob, communicating in a way that only the two of them could, begging  him to answer her. His voice was fading.

Suddenly, it was gone.

"Jacob!" she shouted, frantically running through the trees to the  place where she had last heard him. She found herself in a clearing,  freshly made so by trees that had been snapped in half. And in  the middle of all the wreckage, was a big russet wolf. She fell to her  knees beside him, and brushed her hand against his soft fur. "Jake. It's okay. It's gonna be okay now."

Carlisle  and Edward were able to coax Jacob into phasing back into his human  form so Carlisle could treat him. While they waited in Jacob's living  room, Bella and Renesmee talked. "I'm sorry about what I said earlier,  Mom."

Bella shook her head. "It's okay. You were right. I did hurt  him, probably more than I'll ever know. But I was so sure... Maybe I was  just hoping that you would make up for my mistakes. That wasn't fair to  you though. I'm sorry. If you don't love Jacob, then..."

"I  do. I really, really do. He just took me by surprise this afternoon.  Although, it shouldn't have. I should have realized it earlier."

"I'm really happy to hear that. And he will be too."

Just then, the front door opened, and a familiar voice called, "Anyone home?"

Renesmee jumped up from the couch and ran straight into the arms of Seth Clearwater the minute he entered the room.

Bella waved, "Hey Seth."

"Hey Bells," he laughed, then turned to the girl in his arms. "Hey Ness."

"I'm glad you're here," Bella said, giving him a hug when Renesmee surrendered him to her.

"How's Jake?" he asked, wrapping his arm around Renesmee's shoulders. Next to Jacob, of course, Seth was her best friend.

"Carlisle's working on him now," Bella sighed. "We don't really know..."

Bella stopped when Carlisle and Edward emerged from Jacob's room.  Taking in the silence that settled over the room, Carlisle told them  calmly, "He's resting. I've given him some morphine to ease the pain.  You can see him now, if you like, but only one at a time."

Everyone  seemed to be looking at Renesmee, waiting for her to go first. But she  shook her head. "You can go," she said looking towards Bella as she  backed toward the door. "I, uh, I need some more time. I'm sorry."

"I'll go," Seth  said heading towards Jacob's bedroom. "I think Ness needs some time to  herself, but I'd like to go talk to her after I see Jake. Is that ok?"

Edward nodded. "You may be the only one she'll listen to. The rest of us have already tried."

Renesmee  sat on the front porch steps and watched the storm clouds roll in  across the skies of La Push. She tried to block them out,  but she couldn't help but overhear Bella and Edward inside the house.  "Phasing back was excruciatingly painful for him," Edward was saying.

"Will he be alright?" she heard her mother ask. Renesmee could practically see Bella biting the skin of her thumb.

"Carlisle  thinks so. His temperature rose drastically. His body is trying to heal  itself. Carlisle doesn't know how long he'll be unconscious."

Renesmee squeezed her eyes shut. Jacob, her Jacob, was in pain and it was  all her fault. How could she face him, knowing she'd hurt him?

The front door shut and Seth was beside her. "Hey."

"Hey," she said. "How is he? And don't lie to me, Seth. How does he... look?"

"He's  bounced back from worse. He'll be okay, Nessie," he sighed, taking her  hand in his and giving it a gentle squeeze. "He's not awake yet, but  he'd probably like to see you."

"No, he most definitely would not want to see me right now."

Seth frowned. "Why not?"

"Because  it's my fault he's like this! If I would have stayed with him, if I  wouldn't have freaked and left him alone, he wouldn't be in so much pain  right now," she cried, scrubbing her eyes with the heels of her hands. "I can't even stand being around me right now,  so why would he?"

Seth took her hands in his so he could look at her. "Because he loves you, Nessie. And I guarantee  you, he's already forgiven you. No matter what you may do, he will  always love you. He'll forgive you for anything, and he'll always  welcome you back, Ness. That's how this thing works."

"Have you imprinted on someone too, Seth?"

"No,  not yet. But everyone tells me that's how it works," he shrugged. Then  he ruffled her hair and laughed, "But whenever I do, kid, you'll be the  first to know."

She smiled and nudged him with her shoulder.

"Feeling better?"

"A little," she smiled.

"Go see him, Ness. He's waiting for you," he said, hopping off the steps. "It'll do you both a world of good."

Renesmee  took a deep breath and, with a shaky hand, opened Jacob's bedroom door.  He lay very still in his small bed by the window. His eyes were closed,  unconscious and exhausted. A gash on his forehead was neatly wrapped,  and numerous scrapes were stitched up and bandaged. His chest was taped  and his left leg was in a cast. She sat in a chair by the bed and took  up his hot hand in hers, pressing it to her cheek. "I'm so sorry, Jacob."

Jacob moaned and shifted in the bed. Renesmee took his hand. She'd been sitting by his side for hours. The sun had set and she had nearly nodded off.

It's alright, Jacob. You're going to be fine, she soothed silently relaying her thoughts.

She stroked his cheek, and his eyes fluttered open. "Nessie?"

"It's me," she sighed, relief washing over her as she kissed his cheek.

"Thank  God. I was afraid I was dreaming and if I woke up, you'd be gone."

"I'll never leave you again. You're stuck with me."

"I think I can live with that," he grinned. He drew in a sharp breath when he tried to sit up.

"No, stay still," she said, laying her hands gently on his shoulders. "Are you okay? Can I get you anything?"

"I'm fine," he said and again attempted to move over, in spite of her protests. "That chair can't be too comfortable. Hop on up here."

"What  happened to you, Jake?" she asked, climbing in next to him. He groaned  again when the movement of the bed sent a shot of pain through his body.  "Sorry," she whispered.

"It's alright. It's not so bad now," he  said, pulling her closer to him. "This is way better believe me. I'll tell you what happened in the morning, Ness. I'm too tired to  try and explain it now."

Renesmee snuggled closer to him. "I love you, Jacob," she sighed, finally drifting off to sleep next to his warm body.

Jacob closed his eyes, a soft smile on his lips. "I love you too, Ness."