Act II
Chapter 23 ━━ Burden

━━━━━━━━☆★☆━━━━━━━━

The truck pulls up to the curb. It's pitch black outside. Jacob's still holding Shelley close as he shuts the engine off. 

"So… this wolf thing's not all bad?" She remarks.

"It's better. Now that you know. But..." He trails off.

"…but…?" 

He sighs. "It just… comes so easily to me. More than the other guys." 

"That's a good thing, isn't it?" She asks him.

"Maybe. Or maybe it makes me less… human than the others." He says the latter is quieter. "Sometimes I'm scared I might… disappear, you know? Who I really am."

Shelley faces him, looking him directly in his eyes. "I like this you more. A softie hidden under his dark and rough looks."

He chuckles. "Glad to hear that." 

Jacob's new behaviour sometimes sends her nuts. But there's no way she's going to miss this until it lasts.

"You should." The blonde states. He smiles and pulls her into him, closing the gap between them. His lips connect with hers, her hands move to his shoulders moving him to her more close as she kisses him back. She makes a move placing herself on his lap. He smiles and wraps his arms around her as they continue their kiss. 

The kiss moves to the level of intimacy but he pulls away breathlessly. "I have to go to the hospital now."

Shelley nods and gets back into her seat. "Thanks for the drive. For everything." She says as she pushes open her door. 

"Holy crap!" He abruptly pulls her back into the truck, slams her door shut and starts the truck. "There's a bloodsucker out there."

"How do you know?" She asks, confused.

"I can smell the stink. I'm getting you out of here." As Jacob whips the truck around, the headlights illuminate the familiar BMW parked in front. 

Shelley spins to the rear window as Jacob floors it. "Stop! It's not Victoria!"

"Forget it."

"It's Esdras's car! He's here. Go back!"

"It's a trick."  

"Bella's inside!" Shelley exclaims. "At least go back for her!"

"I don't care." He's still flooring it. She cracks her door open while they're moving and he slams on the brakes. She jumps out when he curses loudly. "Damn it, Shells!"

Shelley hurries up the road towards her house. 

Jacob's suddenly standing in front of her, furious. "Stop. You gotta come with me."

"It's okay. He's my friend."

"Don't you get it? If a Cullen is back here, this is their territory. The Treaty says we can only defend our own lands."

"It's not a war."

"It is. And you'll only be safe in La Push. I can't protect you here anymore." 

"I don't need you to."

"You're about to cross a line." He warns.

"Only if you draw one." She starts to move past him, but he stops her.

"I'm not letting you do this."

"You don't have a choice."

Jacob takes a deep breath, trying to control his anger. "Yes, I do. You're mine."

"No, you don't and I don't belong to you. You lost that right a long time ago."

Her words are a knife to the heart. She can vividly sense that, but can't take them back. 

He glares at her deadly and hands her the keys. "Bye, Shelley, I hope you don't die."

Shelley flinches at the stinging remark as she watches him disappear into the darkness, leaving her alone on the dark road. She moves forward to the front door and takes out her key to open the door when it flings open to be greeted by a smiling Esdras Cullen.

"Ezra!" With tears of joy, she jumps into his arms, hugging him.

A cough behind him interrupts their hug. She backs away from Esdras to see the familiar pixie standing beside Bella.

"Alice!"

"One and only." She beams, wrapping her arms around the blonde as well.

"What brought you guys here?" The blonde asks them.

"I saw a vision of Bella. She jumped off a cliff." Alice explains.

Shelley turns to Bella, becoming angry. "Why the hell would you try to kill yourself?!" 

"I didn't. I was cliff diving." Bella reasons.

"Why?!"

"Um… fun?" She shrugs and sneezes. "Oh god."

"Are you crazy?" 

"Yeah. I have never met anyone more prone to life-threatening idiocy…" Alice trails off and her face fills with disgust. "…and what is that hideous wet dog smell?"

"Oh. Probably Jacob. He's kind of a werewolf." Shelley admits and Alice shares a horrified look with Esdras. "I think I need a hot chocolate." She announces and walks into the kitchen as Esdras follows her. As she makes herself a hot chocolate, Esdras leans into the counter. "You want hot chocolate too?" She jokes but he gives her a blank look. She sighs, knowing he's worried about the whole werewolf subject. "Werewolves are not vicious."

"Until they lose their tempers." He says, crossing his arms.

"They're protecting Bella from Victoria." She points out.

"Victoria?" He raises an eyebrow, shocked.

She nods as the response, sits on a chair and takes a sip of her hot chocolate.

"Alice saw you drowning in a bathtub."

"I fell asleep." 

"You could have died." 

"I'm alive. Aren't I?" She remarks. "How about Eddie? Any news?"

"No. He's still… away…"

Next morning, Shelley walks Charlie to his cruiser. He wears a dark, ill-fitting funeral suit. 

"Thanks for understanding, Shells. They wanted to keep the service small."

"Don't worry about me." She adjusts his tie. "Are you gonna be okay? 

"Yeah… but Sue, and those kids. Leah's only a year older than you. And Seth's, what, fourteen…" Emotion threatens his face. 

She hugs him, attempting to comfort. He holds on a little too tightly. Then he bucks up, climbs into his car. 

"There'll be a reception after. I might stay late, see if I can help."

She nods in response.

"Are you sure that Bella's gonna be okay?" He asks.

"Yeah. It's just a cold." The blonde assures him. "I'll take care of her."

"Okay. Give me a call if you need anything." He informs and she waves as he drives away and turns to head back inside but jumps as she finds Alice suddenly at her side. 

"You're not going?"

"I'm not the most popular person on the werewolf rez right now. Besides, I have an ill sister to take care of."

"Where's Ezra?"

"Went hunting." Alice replies, then looks down the road, hearing something and the blonde turns to see Jacob's rabbit appearing in the distance. "Huh. Didn't see them coming. Didn't see him pull Bella out of the water. Maybe my visions are allergic to dogs."

"Alice."

"I'll go do some hunting too." Alice jogs off before the blonde can stop her. That is when Jacob pulls up his car where she notes Embry in the passenger seat. 

She approaches, surprised to find Quil in the back, same short hair and hard look as the others. "Quil… you, too?"

"Yeah. Me, too." Quil says aggressively. He is forced to go with the werewolf pack while having no ideas about the supernatural world as he is yet to turn into one.

Jacob climbs out. Embry takes the driver's seat. "You alone?"

"No. Bella caught a cold after cliff driving. Guess you kept the wrong one warm yesterday." She remarks and he shoots her dead glare. "Shouldn't you be at the funeral?"

"I came back for the truck. And had to talk to you first." He states and turns to the guys. "I'll meet you there. Go on."

They're wary… but pull out before Jacob follows into the house and enters behind her.

Shelley grabs the key of Sam's truck and hands it to him. "Look, Jake, I'm sorry I-"

"This place stinks to hell." He mutters, cutting her off. She notices that he's shut down, cold. 

So she decides to shut down, as well. "You're welcome to leave. In fact-"

"How many Cullens are here and how long are they staying?" He questions once again cutting her off half.

"Just Alice and Esdras. And they'll stay as long as they want."

"Are the rest coming back?" 

"Not that I'm aware of. Anything else?"

"That's it."

"Better go report to Sam." She scoffs, angrily.

Jacob turns to leave. He looks back, seeing her anger now turn to hurt. He stops. "I've done it again. I promised myself not to hurt you. But I keep breaking it." 

"I don't even think that you know the meaning of a promise, Jake." She shakes her head in disbelief.

He moves back to her, looks into her eyes with sadness. "This shouldn't have to be this way." 

"I don't know what to say."

He can't answer that, but he presses his hand to her cheek. "You don't have to."

They look at one another, Jacob's hand still on her face, his eyes searching hers. "At least not yet."

Slowly, he starts to bend toward her lips. She misses him too much, needs him too badly. His cold lips brush against hers as he tugs her closer. She presses her head against his sculpted chest, relishing the firm, hard muscle. Nestling closer, she listens for his heartbeat. It is there, that thunderous, rapid pounding that made her giggle with amusement. 

Suddenly, Jacob's eyes go wild, his body stiffens, starts trembling in the way that precedes a wolf-morph. "Step away from me, Shells."

Shelley turns to see what he's reacting to. Esdras. He stands in the doorway looking alarmed and with some kind of envy. But he masks it.

"Hey, it is just Ezra. He's my friend." Shelley touches Jacob's arm, trying to calm him down. He looks at her and his eyes soften. His anger dies, relaxing slowly. She looks at Esdras to see him, staring at Jacob with a look. "What is it?"

He glares at Jacob in disgust. "His thoughts on you are sickening me."

"You wanna puke, Pale Shit?" Jacob smirks, enjoying this. "Oh, I forgot that bloodsuckers can't puke."

"There's something more." He focuses on Jacob as if he's trying to pick the needed information out of Jacob's messed up mind. "Something that he's saving to tell you later."

Jacob panics at his words and it brings a smirk on Esdras's face this time.

"Wolf stuff is very interesting."

"Get out of my head before I rip your head out of you." Jacob threatens, clenching his fists in anger.

"Ezra, stop it."

"What? He asked for it and I just played along." He reasons innocently.

"Jacob, do not fucking phase in my house." Shelley is sick of their stupid behaviour. "Calm your ass or get out."

"I'm not leaving you with this bloodsucker." He argues.

"His name is Esdras." Shelley informs and Bella walks into the living room. She seems better and the colour has regained her face and looks better. The blonde places her hand into her sister's forehead checking the temperature and it is normal. "How are you feeling?"

"Better."

"Do you want soup or something?" 

"You don't even know how to cook." Bella laughs and the blonde hears a few chuckles from the two supernatural creatures as well.

"Haha. Very funny, guys." Shelley rolls her eyes at them.

"Alice."

The blonde turns to see that Cullen pixie is now standing in the doorway looking empty, despairing. 

Bella immediately hurries to her side. "Alice, what's wrong?"

"…Edward."

"What about him? What happened?"

"She just saw him in a vision. He… thinks you're dead." Esdras says, reading Alice's mind.

"Bella, he's going to Italy… to the Volturi…" Alice trails off.

"We should go and stop him." Bella suggests. "I'm packing."

"Are you leaving?" The blonde asks.

"I have to. He won't believe Alice. He has to see that I'm alive."

"I'm coming with you then."

Jacob dogs the blonde, protesting. "Do not even think about that."

"But-" She opens her mouth but Esdras cuts her off.

"As much as I hate to admit, Jacob is right, Shell. Bella will be back unharmed. You have my word." Esdras assures. "Please, stay here."

"Okay." Shelley nods, letting out a sigh. "Just don't let her do stupid things."

Bella runs upstairs and Alice follows her after packing.

Jacob squares off with Esdras. "You Cullens might hunt animals but those monsters in Italy don't."

"We're well aware what the Volturi are."

"Then why are you taking Bella to them like a bottle of wine to a party?" Jacob questions.

"Right, she's better off here with Victoria stalking her. The one you dogs can't seem to catch?" Esdras points out and Jacob growls, a shudder ripping through him. 

The blonde intercedes, stopping him from morphing. "Ezra, will you stop doing that?"

Esdras rolls his eyes and turns to Alice and Bella who are now rushing downstairs with a bag that contains Bella's clothes.

"Let's go." Bella announces but stops at her sister. "About dad-"

"I'll take care of him. Are you sure that I should stay?"

"This is a dangerous trip and I already am a burden to them. It's better this way."

"Just be careful." Shelley says, hugging her sister.

"You too." Bella says, giving a look.

"Don't give me that look." Shelley crosses her arms.

"What look?" Bella asks, confusion lingering in her eyes.

"Like this could be the last time you ever see me." Shelley says and the brunette smiles.

"Don't worry about that. You're not getting rid of me that easily."

"Go. Get your man." Shelley encourages her sister and Bella flies to Esdras's car where Alice stands. Alice gives the blonde a look with a nod, which she returns with a small smile. She turns to Esdras and hugs him, then pulls away. "Bye, Ezzy Boo."

"Bye, baby blue." 

Shelley watches him racing to the car and climbs in before they disappear into the road. She sighs in anxiety when two arms wrap around her from behind which makes her jump in surprise. She turns to face Jacob, looking into his lovingly dark brown eyes.

He kisses her tenderly, washing away her concerns. "Why didn't you stop her if you're this worried?" 

"Bella still loves him. And I know she wants him back in her life." The blonde answers and walks into the house as Jacob follows. "Besides, I trust Ezra. He never breaks promises."

"What is he? Your boyfriend to keep your faith in him that much?" He chuckles, non humorously.

"No, because I know that he won't hurt me as you did." She reminds him and this wounds him.

"Shell, I'm sor-"

"Save it, Jake. Just because you've been very nice and affectionate to me lately doesn't mean I forgave you. I still remember what I went through because of you." She tries to leave but Jacob catches her arm, not hostile. Just pleading. 

"Please." 

Shelley notices the love in his eyes. But she decides to play cold and slide off his grip on her arm. "You might be late for the funeral." 

He watches, agonised as she races into the house, closing the door behind her with a slam and bites her lips so she won't give in and cry. But she cannot hold it too far when she hears the agonised howl of a wolf in the far distance, breaking her into painful sobs.