Naturally

Naturally (A Jacob Black Fanfic) -29-

"I wasn't there for her," I told Jared, concluding the long story. 2 hours have passed already and Jared just patiently waited like the good friend he was but the surprise was obvious on his face. "If I was, none of this would have happened to her. I'm terrible."

"I'm sorry Jake," Jared told me, rubbing my stiff shoulder. His face was creamed with disbelief and his mouth hung ajar. Kim stood behind him, clutching the couch to keep balance while he knees shook.

Kim was speechless and I could only imagine what she was thinking. Being a female, she could connect to Marisol much better than Jared and I, which I originally sought her out for, but now as I watched her face shrivel in a strong emotion, I began to worry if she, too, wouldn't bother for me anymore, and dedicate her will to keep Merris and me apart.

"I'm so mad, at myself and her, too. I was stupid but she never gave me a chance. I will do anything to repair this and she nothing. I'm trying, I really am, and she doesn't care."

Jared only nodded then looked behind to Kim whose breathing began labored.

"Are you alright, Kim?" He asked.

"Jake," she hoarsely whispered. I saw her eyes glistened and Jared pounced up to comfort his wife. "She was so scared. I'm 21 and as a new mom, I'm still frightened and unprepared, both Jared and I are. We don't know what the hell we're doing. Marisol had to do that alone, much younger than I. She lost her childhood. She had to give up her whole life and dedicate it to that one little being. She wasn't selfish at all. She was doing her damned best to give her baby the best life it could have. And as cruel as it sounds, the best option was away from you. You and Bella complicated everything and she didn't need that, the baby didn't need that. It needs a stable home," she clarified, accepting Jared's hug from behind. "The baby needs a happy home, with cooperating parents, and you two could have never achieved that, but I think alone, either of you would've made good homes. La Push though wasn't safe, not with the vampires. She needed to find somewhere normal, somewhere safe. I'm sorry Jake but don't ever doubt her motherly instincts. She may not have given a rat's ass about you but she would drop dead before putting her baby in harm's way."

I was taken back. "Are you saying I'm dangerous?"

She stared at me with hardened eyes. "Bella was dangerous. For heaven's sake, she had a vampire army after you." I widened my eyes. I thought Kim was rather fond of Bella. She was always so nice to her at the bonfires. "Not that I'm trying to insult Bella but I'm stating the facts. Bella was a magnet for trouble and when you hung around her, everyone close to her gets hurt, including you. She didn't want to put her baby at risk, not someone so small and fragile. It's her job as a mother to protect her infant and she won't let anything vile touch it, not even its father. I'm sorry I'm saying this Jake but I'm not going to lie for your sake. If you want to rekindle your flame with her, everything has to be out in open."

Suddenly she pushed herself off the couch and snagged a sweater from the open closet. Before her hand shot off the door handle, I shot off a question first.

"Where are you going?" Simultaneously Jared and I asked.

"To your place to talk to Marisol," she replied. "As a young mother myself she'll trust me. I can get her to open up and even if it's against my morals, if I can't convince her to have a heart-to-heart with you, I'll play the messenger one time so you know what's happening on her part. But only once," she emphasized. "But anything else, I'm not helping with. Right now I'm focused on one thing only. I'll be home soon Jared." And with that, she slammed the door behind her.

He shuddered and peaked the upstairs, anticipating a cry from upstairs but after a minute he relaxed when he was reassured by silence that Jack was sound asleep.