The Hybrid (A Twilight Saga Continuation) (Slow Updates)

7: Decisions

I stopped sleeping alone after that even though the electricity came back the next morning. Whether we spent the day separately or together, with the packs or the Cullens, Jacob always found his way to my hotel room at bedtime. My heated blanket was now folded on the extra bed because I didn't need it anymore.

I left the door unlocked, curled up in bed and waited. As I dozed I could hear him walk in and lock the door. I wouldn't fall asleep completely until he got into bed and his arm snaked around my waist.

We never talked about our new arrangement and I wasn't even aware his pack knew until Seth asked me how I was sleeping two weeks after the power outage. I told him I was sleeping just fine hoping he would leave it alone. He tried to keep teasing me but Leah punched him in the arm and told him to leave me alone. I thanked her and she nodded ending the conversation.

Almost every day I would catch myself daydreaming about Jacob and what it would be like if we met under different circumstances. If we had met in a world where he was not imprinted to Renesmee, where Jacob seeing me as more than his friend was possible. Then I would remind myself that we would only ever be just friends. He took care of me because he almost got me killed when we first met and compared to all his other friends, I was fragile.

We didn't talk about our new sleeping arrangement and I avoided talking or thinking about the future because I knew that it involved leaving Forks. It was difficult to avoid when the same people kept bringing it up.

One afternoon I was with the packs as they went cliff diving on the Reservation. It was early November and way too cold for swimming so I sat at the top of the cliff with Leah watching the guys jump off.

"Aren't you supposed to be in Africa?" Embry asked stripping down to his shorts. Him and Quil loved to ask when I was leaving but this time he seemed more annoyed that usual.

"I have to go see me parents in Virginia before I plan for Africa."

"Then when are you going to Virginia?" Quil asked returning from his last jump.

"Um, I don't know. I'm not really in a rush. Why do you two want me to leave so badly?"

"You cause too much trouble." Embry answered.

"What? How?" This wasn't the first time I'd heard that my presence was causing a real problem for the pack.

Quil began to explain but he closed his mouth with a snap as Jacob walked back up the cliff from his last jump.

"Just go," Leah glared at them shaking her head. They quickly jumped just as Jake reached us.

"What was that about?" he asked sitting next to me. He pulled the blanket I was wrapped in higher up around my chin and wrapped an arm around my shoulders. Again I could almost see the water evaporating off of his skin.

"Nothing," Leah answered. "They were just making fun of Mikenna for always being cold."

"It is weird," Seth jogged up to us. "You shaking all the time."

"No, it's weird that you all go cliff diving when it is literally freezing outside. I have every right to be cold, and I don't shake all the time any more, don't exaggerate."

"We can build a fire up here if you want." Jake offered rubbing his hands up and down my arms. "No that's ok. I'm going over to the Cullens' in a bit and this blanket is really helping."

Actually since I was sleeping next to Jake every night I wasn't as unnaturally cold during the day. "Come on Jake." Seth pulled at his arm, "Leave them to their girl talk."

"I guess they can't talk about us if we're standing right here. I'll race you to the bottom." He jogged to the edge and disappeared.

Seth was right behind him yelling "Not Fair!"