Jacob's not quite sure what makes him open his eyes. It takes him a minute to even understand that he's awake and even longer to comprehend what's happening as he slowly takes in the dim room around him. 

Eventually, his gaze lands on Edward. Edward, who is sitting up in bed, concerningly still, head turned towards the window. He's rigidly towering over Jacob, arms flanking either side of his body, wordlessly watching Jacob's curtains. 

Jacob's about to peel his chapped lips apart, maybe ask what the fuck is going on, but he's stopped in his tracks as a voice rings out in the room. 

"Jacob!" 

It sounds like Edward, from the pitch to the accent, it's spot on. However, the Edward in front of him isn't talking. In fact, even if he was, the voice sounds distant, like it's traveling through a wall. 

Jacob's head turns toward the window. 

"Jacob!"

It's a good imitation, like a well done fake handbag. If it's done right, it'll take most connoisseurs a minute or two of examination to decide that it's not real. Even with how similar it sounds, certain elements are missing, particular parts of Edward's voice that a complete stranger wouldn't pick up. The thing outside sounds cold and monotone. Even with the way it's yelling, it sounds hollow and flat.

The Edward that's becoming more and more ingrained in Jacob's life over the past couple of months has a subtle warmth to his voice. He smirks a little when he speaks. He's quiet and calm and a little goofy. He rambles and he's deathly afraid of making the wrong move, saying the wrong words. 

He wouldn't stand outside Jacob's house at 8:30 PM screaming his name at the top of his lungs like a bland serenade. 

It mimics the tone Edward reserves for when he doesn't particularly care about someone or something. A tone he uses with some of the staff members at the museum. He's never used that tone with Jacob. Even back in the day, he'd sounded irritated, angry, smug, but never genuinely disinterested. 

"What the fuck?" He sleepily slurs, words muffled by Edward's shoulder as he pulls Jacob closer, like he's going to suddenly disappear.

"I don't know," Edward whispers. 

The wind is howling and rain is still hammering against the roof, but it's still loud and clear, piercing even through the roll of thunder.

"Jacob!" 

Jacob hasn't felt genuine fear in a very long time. His life had been pretty chill up until about a month ago. He'd spent his weekends fixing his motorcycle or going out to the lake with the boys. Maybe he'd take a detour into the forest where he'd sit in a tree and try to remember what it felt like to shift, stretch his legs. 

There wasn't a lot to worry about. It seemed like all of the excitement had left with the Cullens. So, it feels foreign the way his heart drops to his stomach. 

Edward's hunched shoulders and scrunched brow aren't helping. He's worried, which makes Jacob think that it's an actual threat. Though, the numbers didn't lie. They could bum rush the thing before it even realized what hit it. That may be their best option. 

He goes to stand, only to be pulled back down to the bed. 

"No." Edward hisses, grip tightening on Jacob's sweatpants. 

"No?" 

"That thing is strong. Remember?" He pointedly reminds Jacob.

"Okay, so we'll all go. It can't take all of us." He hisses back.

"It doesn't just mimic voices, it mimics people," Edward elaborates.

"I can hear their thoughts if we're in wolf form." He reminds him. 

Edward wasn't the only one with that ability. If they only communicated internally, it may confuse it enough to where it may not be able to change in time. 

"Yeah, but you can't hear mine." 

Edward's eyes look as if he wishes Jacob would suggest going out there without him. 

"Plus, when you're in it, all it'll need is a couple of seconds to confuse one of you." 

Their bickering is briefly halted by a knock on the door. After a minute of silence, Quil cracks it open and pops his head in. 

"Hey, Ed-" He stops mid-sentence as his eyes land on Edward next to Jacob on the bed. 

"Hi..." Edward greets helpfully. 

"Jacob!" The voice calls from outside. 

Quil stands there for a minute, wide eyes blankly staring at Edward before they make their way over towards the window and then over to Jacob. 

"Jacob!"

"Hey, did you tell him Edward was -" Leah starts before freezing as she also catches sight of Edward pretending to be a human tent. 

"Explain." 

"Uh, there was a mimic that was apparently living in the museum and now we think it's attached to Jacob." Edward rambles out, refusing to move from where he's settled above Jacob. 

Leah glances over at Jacob who pokes his head around Edward's arm. 

"I think we can rush it."

"You are not going out there!" Edward's voice finally raises from above a whisper, hushed yell falling on deaf ears as Jacob quirks an eyebrow at Leah. 

"If that thing can change into anything, who says it can't just change into one of us?" Quil points out the obvious. 

Edward's glaring daggers into the side of Jacob's head, an 'I told you so.' on the tip of his tongue. 

"We can't just let it stay out there if it's dangerous." Leah contests. 

Jacob smugly glances over at Edward, who's still glaring. 

"You're still not going." He hisses. 

"Fine, we come up with a plan of attack while it's out there just in case it doesn't go away." Jacob compromises with a sigh. 

"A plan that involves you staying put." Leah hums in agreement.

Edward beams down at him like he's won. 

Quil and Leah slip out of the door to rally the troops, giving Edward space to gloat, but his little victory lap is cut short by his phone ringing. He glances down at it, frowning at the name on the Caller I.D..

"Bella?" He answers, finally shifting slightly off of Jacob. 

Just slightly. Edward's still got an arm wrapped around him like he's afraid he's going to bolt out of the room fast enough for Edward not to be able to catch him.  

"Hey, just wanted to know what you wanted earlier?"

He can see the confusion in Edward's eyes as he glances down at his phone, clearly quickly checking to see if he'd accidentally butt-dialed his ex-wife.

"Earlier?" His frown is even more pronounced as he brings his phone back up to his ear. 

"Yeah, you stopped by earlier, but you were just standing outside. I thought maybe you left something," Jacob can practically hear the moment when the gears finally shift into place, "or did you forget Ren's staying at you're mom and dad's tonight." 

"Jacob!"

"I didn't come by earlier." He says in a rush, sitting up quickly. 

Jacob's preparing for it, trying his best to ready his mind for when Edward leaves. 'Cause he's going to. No one would blame him for doing so. He's got responsibilities, people who depended on him first. Besides, Jacob's used to coming second. He just has to steel himself for that feeling, those emotions, that ache. The physical pain he could handle. 

So, he waits. Listens as Edward explains what's happening, expects the panicked confusion in Bella's voice, waits for that apologetic look. 

"Go to Carlisle's and stay there until I call you again."

He hangs up on her and immediately steamrolls whatever greeting his dad has for him.

"Listen, I need you to do me a favor..."

Then, the calls are over and Jacob's being touted like a sack of potatoes over to the corner of the bed flanked by the wall and the headboard. 

He can hear the sound of quiet shuffling downstairs, the buzz of electricity as each light in the house is turned off. Edward must hear it too, because he momentarily lets go of the grip he has on Jacob to pull the chord of the lamp on his nightstand. Then, he's back to maneuvering Jacob so that he's being trapped by Edward's legs. 

Jacob doesn't have the voice to argue, the knot forming in his throat choking him.

He thought he was well past any feelings he'd had tied to those three years. He likes to pretend they never even happened, that he'd had a normal teenage experience. He thought he'd secured all of it with a nice anchor, let it sink way down where he didn't have to think about it. Not because he didn't get the girl, but because it hurt to think he wholeheartedly believed he was a contender. He thought he was going to be the one to step in and put all of the pieces back together, that lil ol' Jacob thought someone wanted him. A stupid 16-year-old sticking his neck out cause he thought he had a chance.  

No, of course, he couldn't permanently stuff those down forever. Of course, they would come bubbling up at the absolute worst time.

He tries to focus on something else. The silence downstairs. There is a body guarding every entrance and window. Waiting. Observing.

The thing is banging on the front door, howling Jacob's name.

The sound is getting louder, but the actual tone isn't changing. It doesn't sound concerned, agitated, impatient. It doesn't sound like much of anything. Jacob believes that it's not because it's bad at being a mimic, it just doesn't have enough information to be a good Edward. 

Edward's listening intently, waiting for some kind of reprieve. They finally get one after an hour when the banging stops abruptly. The thing stands on the front porch seemingly, finally waiting for some kind of response from inside. As if Jacob was going to come running at the sound of, what sounded like, Edward losing every bit of his mind. Then, it turns, feet dragging against the wood of the porch, and unceremoniously limps away. 

"You okay?" Edward eventually whispers, attention still on the window despite the thing being long gone.

Jacob lets out a quiet grunt, hoping that'll be enough to appease him, but he can feel Edward's eyes find the side of his head.

"Hey..." 

The attention is making it significantly worse. 

He attempts to get out of the hold Edward has him in and is relieved when it loosens and he can break free. He slips into the bathroom and stands pressed against the door for a solid minute trying to get a fucking grip.

 He stumbles over to the sink, splashes water on his face, refuses to look at himself. He doesn't need to, he knows what he's going to see, knows he's not going to like it. 'Cause he's already seen the flustered, long-haired idiot who thinks he's getting somewhere. 

He can't do this again. 

Jacob's about to open the door, scramble for some excuse to be left alone, but he's interrupted by timid knocking. 

"Jacob?" 

 It's Edward. It's quiet, worried, a little confused. 

"You okay?" He pauses for a second, clearly waiting for an answer, "You want me to get Quil?"

It's soft and it sounds sincere and Jacob clings to it even though he desperately wishes he had the backbone to let go. 

He slowly cracks the door open and immediately wishes he hadn't as a relieved Edward tries to get eyes on him, like he's afraid something happened to Jacob in the five minutes he'd spent hyperventilating in front of the bathroom sink. 

Once he's done with his inspection, he holds his arms open, desperation worn freely...

"C'mere," he whispers like he's talking to a wounded animal, "I got you."

and that's what seems to do it. It feels like he's been holding it in, that pathetic little cry.

He couldn't cry about it because he needed to be strong for the pack. He couldn't cry about it because he needed to move on. He couldn't cry about it because it's been years. It's been years and no one has ever looked at him like they wanted him because they just did. 

He wants to slam the door shut, but Edward's wedged his foot in as he gently pushes until he can slip inside. He pulls Jacob in. No questions, no reassurances. He just pulls him into his arms and presses a kiss to his temple, rocking him until Jacob's no longer snotting up his shirt. 

Then, Edward leads him back to the bed and yanks him over like a bag of oranges.

Mike's calling. It's around lunch time and Jacob's barely moved a muscle, body splayed over Edward's as he quietly snores into his left ear. Mike's been trying to get ahold of him since 10 AM and Edward's been silently watching the phone buzz next to them. 

It occurs to Edward around the fifth call that the man simply wasn't into hints. He tentatively reaches over, trying his best not to shift Jacob too much as he scoops the phone up and presses it to his ear.

"Michael." 

"Eddy! What's up, man? Is Jacob there?" The idiot asks like a parent cooing at a toddler. 

"He's sleeping." Edward sighs with somehow even less enthusiasm.

"Still?" Edward can imagine the goober looking over at the time with a frown. 

"He had a rough night, Mike." 

Edward thinks it's a simple enough explanation to get the man to stop calling until Jacob finally opens his eyes. It doesn't give too much away, wouldn't freak him out too bad. Just enough to get him to leave them alone.

"God, you guys get at it like rabbits, huh?" 

Edward doesn't speak right away, completely thrown by the response.

"Well, at least he'll finally relax a little. I was really starting to wor-" 

Edward hangs up, tossing the phone onto the bed. 

Jacob wakes up an hour later, groggy and confused. He climbs out of bed, seemingly wholly unaware of Edward's presence, and stumbles towards the bathroom. Edward listens as he showers, washes his face, brushes his teeth, shaves, combs his hair. 

He eventually saunters out in a pair of pajama pants and a tank top still looking a little out of sorts as he misses the food on his desk and heads straight for the bed. It's not until he's settling in that he pauses. 

Edward had moved from the middle of the bed over to the side he'd been perched on Friday. He's pulled out his notepad, books, and phone and he looks as if he's about to pull out a corkboard, string, and pictures next. The sound of his pen is what finally snaps Jacob out of trance he's been in for the past forty-five minutes as he glances behind him. 

Edward's wearing the same shirt, sleeves rolled up to the elbow, his khakis are wrinkled, his hair tousled. He's got a pair of glasses perched on his nose. 

Jacob finds himself staring at them. He definitely doesn't need them. Jacob's never seen him wear them. 

"Habit." 

He answers without looking up at Jacob. 

He eventually glances over, closing his book and sitting it over to the side. 

"I wore them in another life." 

He means his life with Bella. Jacob can tell by the way he seems to linger on the thought for a moment, the conflicted expression he eventually hides. 

"She liked them?" 

Jacob knows what he's doing, but he can't help himself. 

"No." 

Short. Concise. Resentful.

He pauses for a moment, probably considering his next words carefully.

"I'm pretty sure she thought I'd be the same forever...," His eyes find the duvet, "but I'm still just a person in here." 

Jacob sits up, slowly turning so that he's facing Edward. 

"You've definitely changed." Jacob acknowledges.

He stares over at Jacob for a long time before slowly opening his mouth and shutting it again. He looks around aimlessly for a bit before letting out a sigh. 

"There were signs at the time. I knew she wasn't it. I just - I got caught up in it. She seemed different and I was curious. I wanted to know more, thought it meant something. Then, you showed up." 

He says it like the difference is obvious. Of course, things would change when Jacob suddenly appears. Though, Jacob doesn't understand. If Edward knew Bella wasn't the one, what were they, all of them, doing for three years?

The confusion must be clear on his face because Edward reluctantly answers.

"You liked her." His tone sounds as if it it's an accusation of some kind.

Jacob liking her was somehow a problem for him. Why? If she wasn't what he wanted, why not just let her go? Unless it was just so Jacob couldn't step in. 

"You were being competitive? All of that because you didn't want me to have her?" Jacob's sure he looks unimpressed.

"No...well..." Edward seems frustrated trying to scrounge up the right words, "What was so special about her?" 

It sounds like a genuine question, like he couldn't possibly wrap his head around it. Edward's infamous curiosity. All of this because Edward wanted to know why a teenager had a crush on another teenager.

Jacob would be hysterically laughing if he wasn't stunned. Irate. What the fuck?

"You're being serious." He's sure Edward can hear the hysteria in his voice, but he can't help it. 

Edward's shoulders drop and his hand, that was gesturing wildly with his last question, falls to his side. He's as open as Jacob's ever seen him. 

"It's just that no one's ever-" He cuts himself off with a huff, looking as if he regrets saying anything. 

Jacob doesn't let him off so easily, staring him down until he finally explains himself.

"You weren't caught up in what she could do for you. You kept trying." He's refusing to look at Jacob again, "She didn't...she didn't love me either!" 

"She was willing to die for you!" Jacob yells, reeling from the whiplash of the last twenty-four hours.

"She was willing to die to be like me!" His voice booms. 

There's silence for a moment where they just stare at one another as if seeing each other clearly for the first time. 

"You married a girl you knew didn't love you to spite me?" Jacob asks as if he hadn't just admitted it. 

He can feel himself withering under the information. He'd prepared himself as best as he could, but no one could've been ready for this.

"I'm immortal and patient and that seemed to be the only way to get you to- to get what I wanted." He admits, eyes boring a hole into Jacob. 

Jacob wants to lunge across the bed and wrap his hands around the man's neck. Curse him out. Tell him to get the fuck out of his house. He can feel his blood boiling. 

That is until the words finally sink in. 

"What did you want?" 

It couldn't have been just to watch Jacob struggle, he didn't even stick around after everything. He could've been parading around his new wife, but he left instead. What did he actually want?

Jacob's phone is ringing. 

"I told him to call you back later." Edward frustratedly huffs, scooping up Jacob's phone like it was his own.

 Jacob grabs for it tugging it towards him only for Edward to pull back as he attempts to stop the thing from ringing.

What was his grand plan? What did he want at the end of all of this? After making sure Jacob was fucking miserable for a solid chunk of his teens?

The call ends. 

"I-" Edward tries again.

The person calls back. 

"What did you want?" Jacob spits, snatching the phone out of Edward's hand. 

He wasn't about to wriggle his way out of this. 

"Can we just-?" Edward starts. 

"Stop dodging the question!" 

"You, okay!" he yells into Jacob's face. "You! She didn't deserve you!"

He looks like he's about to go on a tirade until Jacob freezes, his eyes on his phone. 

"Hey..." Mike nervously, greets waving at Jacob from the facetime call they'd accidentally answered. 

His friend gives a little uncomfortable smile before slowly popping a fry into his mouth. 

"Are they still fighting?" He hears Eric ask somewhere in the background. 

"No...no I think they've figured it out." Mike helpfully supplies. 

Jacob hangs up.