Meaningful Artifacts [Edward/Jacob]

four.

Against everyone else's better judgment, Jacob returns to work the next day. He knows he's rushing it, knows why he may be rushing it, but he ignores that in favor of hoping he can handle it. He doesn't bother with greeting anyone, keeping his head down as he heads for the back room. As soon as he steps a foot inside, he can't help but let out a sigh of relief as he takes a seat next to Mike. He's expecting some kind of annoying greeting followed by teasing, but Mike's eyes are glued to the screen, the man barely acknowledging the fact that Jacob's just stumbled into in. Jacob looks up, eyes scanning each monitor for whatever it is that's caught his attention. He's almost convinced that the man has fallen asleep with his eyes open right up until he stumbles upon the screen at the top right. 

He watches as Eric talks to the talkative brunette who works in the art department. She authenticates art pieces from specific time periods that go along with certain exhibits. Mike's watching them as if he's waiting for something to happen. 

"Just because he's talking to her doesn't mean anything, Mike." Jacob tries to get through to the man, only to get a huff in response as he leans back in his seat and rests his head against the back of it, eyes never leaving the two. He looks helpless as his eyes beg for the interaction to end. 

"That's not what I'm worried about. I dated her." He informs Jacob and Jacob can feel his eyebrows all but disappear into his hairline. 

"Oh..." Jacob mumbles, looking back over at the two as they laugh about something that neither Jacob nor Mike can hear. 

Jacob's about to try to find another way to alleviate his worries when he catches sight of Edward walking into his office. He's carrying something in a wooden box that he places on his desk in order to slip off the satchel hanging on his shoulder. 

Jacob's honestly about to look away when the door opens and in walks Bella. 

"How am I supposed to ask him out with her lingering around like that?" He hears Mike gripe.

They talk for a while, but it's stiff. Edward's got his back turned to her like he's waiting for her to leave. Her head is slightly lowered like she's enjoying the conversation about the same amount as he is. He digs into his satchel and pulls out an envelope and hands it over and she's out before they can exchange anymore words. He watches as Edward glances towards the door as it closes before rounding his desk to plop into the chair behind it. 

He's almost startled when Mike lets out a low whistle. 

"They don't look too happy." He mutters, peering over at Jacob like he's waiting for some kind of reaction. 

Jacob doesn't say anything, eyes going down to a different screen. He's willing to stare at it for the entire length of time that Mike plans on staring at the side of his head, but he's immediately distracted by a random blur across the screen below Edward's. He'd almost believed he'd imagined it until the white blur sped across the screen again.

"What the hell was that?" He hears himself mutter before unclipping his walkie talkie from his hip and alerting one of the security guards on that floor. 

He watches as Tyler Crowley heads down the hall and into that room and Jacob's not sure what he's expecting to happen, but he's stunned as the man is thrown out of the room into the hallway by seemingly nothing. Jacob can see his head bounce off of the wall, the force is so strong. 

"Holy shit!" Jacob hears hissed beside him before he hears the fizzle of Mike's walkie talkie.

Mike alerts the security guards downstairs while Jacob reaches over to sound the alarm. He then proceeds to stand from his chair and head for the door.