"Excellent. If the redhead's after Bella, we've got bait," Jared starts.
With stunning speed, Jacob grabs a four-pronged spading fork from some garden tools, and flings it toward Jared's head Jared easily, and amazingly, catches it. "She is not bait," Jacob screams.
A picnic table in the middle of this small, quaintly landscaped garden. Jacob, Bella, Embry, Paul, Sam, Jared and Emily are in the midst of a huge breakfast. "I should leave town," Bella suggests.
"Victoria will follow you and make it harder for us to catch her," Sam replies.
"No one can catch her. She can escape anything," Bella explains.
"Ooh. She has special powers," Paul jokes.
"Some of them do," Bella says seriously.
They all look at her. She instantly regrets saying it. "Like what? Bella?" Jacob presses.
"The mind reader you said you knew. He was a suckhead? Can they all do that?" Jared asks.
"That would blow," Embry notes.
"No, I shouldn't have- no," Bella corrects.
"She's still protecting them," Paul scoffs.
Jared shakes his head. "I don't know why. It's not like they stuck around to protect you."
"Guys, back off," Jacob insists. Jacob looks apologetically at Bella. She shrinks, stung, before stepping outside. Jacob follows her to the railing. "He didn't mean it, Bella. Vampires are our natural enemy. Having you protect them while you're in our territory is- it's like betraying the pack in their minds because we brought you in and you are caring more about our enemy than us."
"They shouldn't be your enemy," Bella says. "They're good people."
Jacob rolls his eyes. "It's our history with them and our ancestor's history with vampires. We understand that the Cullens are trying to live with what they've been cursed with but our nature disagrees with their nature."
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Jacob walks her to the door of her house. "Don't worry, we've got this place covered. She won't get near you or Charlie," Jacob assures. Bella nods. He sees she's blue. "Hey, we should do something fun. Like, cliff diving, right?"
"I could use the rush," Bella replies.
"Soon. After we catch her." He offers a reassuring look before jogging into the woods.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Bella awakens that night, tears on her face. She can't take it. She gets out of bed, anxious to leave her dreams behind. But it stays with her.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Bella knocks on the door to the cabin, rain falling around her, wind blowing strong. Emily opens the door. "Bella. Are you okay?" Emily asks.
"Yeah, I just- is Jacob here? He wasn't at home," Bella mentions.
Sam appears behind Emily. "He's with Jared and Embry, keeping an eye on things. I'm heading out soon. Should I tell him something?" Sam continues. Sam wraps an arm around Emily. Their deep love is achingly obvious.
"You want to come in?" Emily asks. But Bella's already hurrying to her truck, determination on her face.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
A rifle is locked and loaded. Charlie checks it, then notes the position of the six men in his hunting party, all wearing rain gear. He sees Harry at the end of the line, pausing, looking down. "You got something, Harry?" Charlie calls.
Harry looks down at a large wolf paw print. "Nope, nothin'," Harry says.
The hunting party moves forward. Harry lets them get ahead, stomps out the paw print. Charlie passes under a huge tree. High above, crouching on a limb, is Victoria. She watches Charlie with a vengeful glare. She noiselessly swings down to a lower branch, getting ready to pounce on Charlie. Harry's eye catches her movement; he looks up, sees the back of her red head his breath catches. She hears the sound, even through the rain and wind. Before Harry can raise his shotgun, Victoria's standing next to him, whipping the gun out of his hands with superhuman speed. He gasps, breath stuck in his chest. She grins, about to bite but suddenly the russet-brown Jacob-wolf smashes into her, knocking her away. She rights herself immediately and takes off. The three wolves give chase, disappearing. It all happened soundlessly, in seconds, unbeknownst to the others. Harry still can't catch his breath. He clasps his left arm.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
The wolves are right on Victoria's tail, blasting through the forest.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Charlie turns to see Harry clutching his chest. Charlie runs to Harry's side.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Victoria escapes at breakneck speed she bursts out of the trees to the ocean. Victoria beelines for the choppy water, dives in. When she reappears, she's hundreds of yards offshore. The wolves prowl the beach in frustration.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Harry falls to his knees just as Charlie reaches him. Charlie starts CPR.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Sam heads out as Bella leaves and shifts, talking to Jacob. "Jacob," Sam starts. "Go find Bella. She seems a little skittish and different. I'm not sure what's happening with her."
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Bella's truck comes to a stop; she climbs out. Ignoring the wind and rain, she strides to the cliff's edge; looks down. "Step back," Edward suggests in her mind. Bella smiles, tears of relief springing to her eyes. She turns to find Edward's apparition at her side. She steps back from the cliff's edge which causes him to disappear. That's it. She starts pulling off her shoes and coat, adrenaline pumping. Edward's apparition reappears, but she keeps going. "Stop this now, Bella."
"You won't stay with me any other way," Bella states. The image flashes between Edward and Cedric. She takes a last look at him, then with a running leap flings herself over the edge. Bella screams with exhilaration as she plummets down, down, then splashes into the water. No sign of Bella. Suddenly, she pops back up. Inhales deeply and laughs! "Yes!"
She enjoys a moment of elation and empowerment then turns to swim ashore but her smile falters when she realizes how strong the current is. A wave crashes over her head. She gasps for breath. Then another wave hits her. Starts to pull her under. Under the water, Bella struggles. Above water, she pops up, looks around in a panic, sees something orange-ish, bobbing on the surface of the water. Bella goes down, then comes up again. The orange-ish thing is suddenly thirty yards closer. Bella struggles to stay afloat but the current smashes her into a rock, the air goes out of her lungs. She sinks. It's Victoria, floating effortlessly, hungry anticipation on her face. She dips below the surface, vanishing. Under the water, Bella sinks, struggling at first. Edward appears in front of her, his eyes full of longing and love. He reaches to her, she to him, hands almost touching, things going dark. Suddenly a hand grabs her collar.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Bella is barely conscious. "Breathe, Bella! C'mon!" Jacob begs. Jacob hits her on the back. She spits up water, coming to. "Bella? Can you hear me?"
"Jake?" Bella asks. She focuses and sees Jacob hovering over her, relieved.
Behind him stands Sam. "She'll be alright," Sam says. Sam looks out at the water, scanning it. He senses something.
"What the hell were you thinking?" Jacob demands.
"I needed to see something," Bella says.
"What? The pearly gates? If we hadn't heard you scream-"
"Get her home. I'm heading to the hospital. I'll meet you there," Sam says.
Jacob nods. Sam jogs off. "Why would you jump? Didn't you notice it's like a hurricane out here?" Jacob asks.
"I know. It was stupid. Sam said hospital; someone's hurt?" Bella pries.
"Harry Clearwater had a heart attack."
"Oh my God. Does my Dad know?"
"He and my dad are both over there."
"Will Harry be okay? What about his kids?"
"I don't know. Come on. I'll find you something dry and drive you home." As Jacob helps Bella up. Victoria bobs, watching Jacob guide Bella away, then she disappears below the surface.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~