Jacobs Imprint (Twilight)

Chapter 3

The following day, the Cullen women had arrived home, less one, and the doc was no closer to finding a solution for Edward's condition. The one that called herself his mother took up residence on the opposite side of the bed from Jacob. Since neither of them were willing to leave him, they struck up an uneasy truce. Well, it seemed easy enough for her - it was Jacob that had some trouble with it. For one thing, he wanted Edward all to himself. For another, just because his imprint got him loving one leech didn't mean he wanted anything to do with the rest of them.

But it was proving to be kinda hard to dislike this one. She was so sweet and loving and just possessed every motherly quality Jacob could imagine a thousand times over. He doesn't remember his own mother. Esme sat beside Edward, holding his hand in both of hers, rubbing small circles with her thumb across his palm. She softly begged him to come back to her, told him how she couldn't bear to lose him, as she thought she had when he thought Bella had died the first time around. She told him that Bella would want him to live on and that he was loved so dearly by the rest of his family. He probably couldn't even hear her, but her words affected Jacob, even if they did nothing for him. It showed Jacob the kind of person she was. He smiled inwardly to himself, he just referred to a bloodsucker as a person. His priorities were getting seriously twisted. But, truly, Edward was lucky to have her in his life. He couldn't help thinking that if the imprint worked reciprocally, and he allowed him to stick around, maybe Esme would accept Jacob as a son too. Watching her now, he had little doubt that she would.

Esme stroked his hair soothingly. "Life has been so unfair to you, my son." she whispered, her voice strained like she wanted to cry. Yeah, it was kind of impossible to hate her.

Alice burst into the room, her face contorted in frustration. "I still can't see his future." she exclaimed, glaring daggers at Jacob. "Why can't you just be normal?" she spat.

"That's funny, coming from you," Jacob said.

Her eyes stopped mid-roll and her jaw went slack as her eyes unfocused. Esme sat , staring intently at her. Alice snapped out of it after a few moments and grinned wide. "Carlisle will have an idea in 10 minutes!" she announced. Esme's rigid shoulders sagged with relief. Jacobs heart soared - finally, Edward would come back to him. Jacob squeezed his rigid hand tighter. Soon, he'd be able to squeeze back. In a flash, the other bloodsuckers flooded the room and surrounded the bed, anxiously awaiting Alice's vision to come true.

Jacobs nervous anticipation was starting to consume him as he waited for Carlisle to come to his conclusion. Jacob couldn't wait to see the light return to those beautiful eyes, but what if he wanted nothing to do with him? It was a very real possibility. Edward didn't imprint on Jacob - they were enemies in every sense of the word only twenty four hours ago. If Edward rejected Jacob, he would no longer have reason to live. He wasn't even sure that continuing to live would be a possibility.

As these thoughts tumbled through Jacobs head, Carlisle entered the room, his features set in intense determination. The rest of the coven looked hopeful, but nervous. After all, their fortune teller saw what Carlisle intended to do, but since she couldn't see Edward's future, no one knew if it would actually work. Jasper sent out some calming waves to them all. Even though Jacob thought his power was unsettling, he welcomed it at that moment. Carlisle looked from Jacob to Esme, searching for a spot next to Edward. Jacob shook his head slightly - there was no way he was leaving his side. Esme rose and gave the doc a reassuring kiss on the cheek as he took her place on the bed.

They all waited for an explanation from Carlisle, but judging from the tight set of his jaw and the look of conviction in his eyes, they weren't going to get one. The doc placed his fingers upon Edward's chin and pried open his jaw. I cringed to see the amount of force Carlisle needed to use to open that frozen mouth - if it had been a human jaw, it would surely have been torn off. Carlisle glanced down at Jacobs hand holding his son's, and issued a warning. "You should let go, Jacob. I don't know what will happen." As much as it pained Jacob to do it, he released Edward's hand and rose to stand next to the bed.

Carlisle refocused his attention of his son's face. Then, he brought his own wrist up to his lips and bit down hard, tearing into the veins. His brow furrowed in pain as a collective gasp filled the room. He removed his teeth and hovered his wrist over Edward's open mouth. The dark brown fluid seeping from his wrist landed, drop by drop, on Edward's waiting tongue. Jacob was disgusted and he wanted to look away, but he was drawn to the sight like it was a car wreck.

Jacob watched Edward's face for any sign of a reaction. It only took a few moments. His gold pupils gradually turned black, and the corners of his eyes crinkled. His body gave a violent twitch, and faster than Jacob could blink, Edwards hands grabbed Carlisle's wrist and dragged it to his lips. He viciously bit into it and closed his eyes tightly. He sucked hard for several minutes - Carlisle had to brace himself against the headboard as Edward tried to drain him. Jacob was actually starting to worry that Edward might kill the doc. Carlisle's face started looking sallow, dark bruises forming under his eyes. Esme rushed to Carlisle's side, and pleaded with Edward, "Please, son, it's enough. You have to stop!" He listened to her, begrudgingly releasing his hold on Carlisle's wrist, and sat up. Esme proceeded to lick her husband's wrist, healing up the wound. Edward watched her with a look of shame. Jacob felt bad for him, he shouldn't be ashamed, Carlisle did what he had to do.

Edward was equally confused and horrified as he glanced around the edges of the bed at his relieved family. When his gaze landed on Jacob, his brow furrowed and he grimaced a little before turning back to his savior. His face full of questions, he asked only one of his maker. "Is it real?" he whispered, obviously hoping it was some waking nightmare.

Carlisle nodded sadly. Edward's face crumpled as his shred of hope was dashed and he hid his face in his hands, shoulders shaking with silent sobs. "Why her? Why did it have to be her?" he whimpered quietly.

Jacobs heart felt like it was splitting in two, his pain was tearing him apart. He knew he shouldn't, but he couldn't stop himself from giving his shoulders a comforting rub. He jerked his body violently away from him.

Glaring angrily, Edward snarled. "Don't touch me, mutt! What the hell are you doing here anyway? Why didn't you destroy me when you had the chance, like you always wanted? I practically handed myself over on a silver platter!"

"Where's the fun in that?" Jacob characteristically remarked. But his mind betrayed his words. He showed him his memories of finding him there in the forest, thinking him dead, looking for any sign of life in his eyes and subsequently imprinting on him. He showed him that he was now the center of his universe, that he would always be there for him, that he loved him, even though he knew it was wrong and that he'd never want him back. And Jacobs mind pleaded with him to consider letting him stay.

Edward blanched at Jacobs thoughts and huffed. "I really can't deal with your freaky wolf crap right now. I have enough on my mind as it is. My wife just died! Get the hell out of here. I don't want to hear you!"

Edward collapsed into a tortured mess of anger and despair, the warring emotions threatening to swallow him whole. His family all looked to Jasper, who nodded and placed a hand between Edward's shoulder blades. Serenity tangled with sorrow and rage. Edward raised his head and beseeched his brother, his eyes conveying the sadness that enveloped him.

"Jasper." Edward pleaded. "Please just let me have this. Let me have this pain. Don't take it away from me."

Jasper shook his head slightly, amplifying the feeling of calm in the room. Jacob agreed with him, if Edward was allowed to fall back into his crushing despair, he might be lost again.

Edward balled his fists in anger, shrugging Jasper's hand off, fighting against his influence. He growled, shaking with the effort to reject the forceful flood of projected emotion in the room. Jacob understood him, his need to grieve. He should be allowed. Edward heard Jacobs thoughts and glanced his way, his eyes reflecting a semblance of gratitude. He broke eye contact quickly though, and his brow furrowed with resolve.

One minute Edward was sitting on his bed, the next he was out the window, racing away into the woods. Without a moment's hesitation, Jacob leapt from the window after him, phasing in mid-air. He wasn't about to lose him again, damn it.