What's Left of Me (Jacob Black Fan Fiction)

Chapter 23 - One Nightmare to Another

Dani's POV is this chapter. Also the very beginning of the chapter is a dream that Dani is having. Just thought I'd give you a heads up!

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      I opened my eyes to see the blue sky through the treetops. "What's going on?" I thought lifting myself off the forest floor to look around. I was wearing the outfit that I was during the fight. The bloodstains were still visible but I knew I was nowhere near the Cullen house. The forest was completely silent and I was all alone. I turned in my spot to look at the wall of trees surrounding me. "Hello? Is anybody out here?" I called hearing it echo and bounce off the trees. Then I heard it. An earsplitting, heart wrenching howl erupted. Hearing it caused my heart to hurt immensely and for me to fall to my knees holding my chest. The hair on my neck bristled as I realized what this reaction meant. The howl had come from one person. Jacob. I straighten on my feet and took off running toward the sound, pushing myself faster to reach him. I had no idea what had happened to him or the rest of the guys at the fight and I feared what I was going to see. I felt like I was running in circles until I cam across a field. Where the flowers used to be blooming, now was black and charred. The beauty had disappeared into the burned remains that now lay before me.

      Across the field, a russet colored wolf changed before my eyes into Jacob's human body with only shorts on. He let out a cry of pain that nearly knocked me over. "Jacob!" I yelled sprinting to reach him. I seemed like I was running in place, never getting any closer to Jacob's crumbled form. "Jacob," I cried skidding to a halt next to him. I shakily fell down beside him and turned him on his back. His eyes found mine in an instant. "Hey Dani," he whispered exhausted. "Hey," I replied tears streaming from my eyes. I looked over his body. Along it were scratches and deep cuts that weren't healing. "Why aren't you healing Jacob?" I asked scared of the answer. "It's too late Dani. I'm too injured," he responded lifting his hand up to rest on my cheek. "What do you mean too late?" I said frantically placing my hand over Jacob's. "I'm dying Dani but I saved you and that's all that matters," he said with a light smile. "No Jacob, you can't," I cried barely holding together. "I love you Danielle. Don't you forget that," Jacob stated all serious now. "Don't say goodbye Jacob," I ordered at him. He chuckled slightly before going slack in my hand. "Jacob? JACOB?" I screamed shaking him and sobbing heavily. As I sat there, his form faded from in front of me. I tried to grasp his vanishing hand and keep him here with me but it was like grabbing air. In a few seconds he was completely gone and I was once again all alone. I stood up and searched the field for any trace of him, crying the whole time. Suddenly a pain shot through my body causing me to collapse to the ground. It felt like my arms and legs were on fire and my heart was going to explode. Before I was completely pulled into the darkness, I heard a chorus of saddened howls.

      The pain wasn't completely gone, especially in my left arm and right thigh. They were throbbing and I had no idea what was going on, where I was or where Jacob was. I heard familiar voices that I couldn't connect with faces. My eyes fluttered open and took an intake of breath. I was alive. It had all been a dream with Jacob's death but what about in reality? What about the rest of the pack and the Cullens? Was Aaron gone? Had he gotten away? I stared at my bedroom ceiling silently with all these thoughts. The room was dark except for the dim light emmitted by the lamp on my nightstand. I glanced down at my body. I could feel the blood pumping in my right thigh but the sheets kept me from seeing it. My arm was in a soft cast and set so I couldn't move it. I heard the voices again. I gently turned my head to the direction of my bedroom door to see two figures, a man and a woman, standing and whispering to each other.

      As my eyes adjusted to the lighting, I immediately recognized them. "Mom? Dad?" I asked, my voice soft. Their heads snapped in my direction before they both hurried to my side. My mom grasped my not bandaged hand. "Oh honey, thank goodness you're awake," she cried tears running down her cheeks. They looked older, more worn down then when we separated. I could tell my dad had been crying as well but he tried to remain strong. I felt tears trickle down my own face as I gazed at my loving parents. "Mom, Dad, I'm so happy to see you" I choked out as the tears hit harder. They both leaned in and besides my broken arm, we were semi-hugging.

      We stayed like that for a few minutes telling each other we loved one another and how they were glad I was ok. We pulled apart and I wiped my tear-stained cheeks. "What...what happened?" I questioned confused. There was no way the guys told them about them being werewolves and Aaron's group of vampires. "You don't remember?" my dad asked me. I just shook my head, faking innocence. "Well Paul called us and told us that Aaron had found you. He said when you and his friends were at the beach, Aaron attacked you when you were by yourself. He broke your arm and knocked you out. When you fell, a rock jabbed in your leg and you lost a good amount of blood," my mom explained slowly, almost getting choked up again. "Good thing the guys were there. They apparently got him off of you but he ran," my dad finshed for my mom. My eyes widened. Is Aaron stil alive and out there? "He got away?" I asked trying to keep calm. They both looked at each other hesitantly. "Tell me," I demanded feeling my heart beat out of my chest. "Aaron's dead sweety," my dad states. I stay frozen looking at them. "The guys cornered him on a cliff near the beach. Aaron refused to come with them and took a misstep off the edge and well....you know the rest," my mom says patting my hand. I let out a breath I didn't realize I was holding. Aaron was dead. My nightmare was over. I would never have to worry again. I would never have to look behind me or be paranoid that he's hidden in the shadows. The guys really covered it well. I knew well enough how I got injured but after I passed out the fight must have continued. I didn't want to know how he really died. I hope the everyone else was ok. "Oh my gosh...he's really gone. It's finally over," I say in disbelief as a wave of relief rushed through my system. I smiled at my parents and let out a little laugh.

        They joined in my happiness. "Now we can finally go back to our normal life back home," my mom exclaimed clasping her hands together. My face immediatley dropped. Had I just heard her correctly? "What?" I challenged, shaking my head. "We can finally live peacefully and move back to St. Louis as soon as you're well enough," my dad answered laying a hand on my mom's shoulder. Both of them looked so excited and completely clueless to my inner revolt. No, no, no, definitely not, my thoughts screamed at me. "I don't want to go back to St. Louis," I respond a little calmer then my inner self. "Honey, you're tired and not thinking straight. Once you're better, you'll see our point," my mom reasoned waving off my refusal. "I'm not tired. I know exactly what I want now and I want to stay here in La Push with my friends," I explain getting more defensive. I couldn't leave now. Everyone I love besides my parents were here. I have no one back in St. Louis. Here I had Paul and the guys. Here I had Jacob. I would not leave without a fight.

       "Danielle relax. Don't get so worked up. Our whole lives are back there and now we can return without fearing Aaron," my dad says concerned with how worked up I was getting. I couldn't help it. It wasn't going to happen. I wasn't going to leave all this behind. His words only made me more angry. "My live is here now. This place is my home and I'm staying," I ramble sitting up by pushing up with my good arm. "Sweetheart, lay back down. You aren't well enough to get up," my mom exclaimed trying to coax me back in the bed. I pushed her hands away and could feel myself get stressed, beginning to hypervenilate. I don't know what I'd do in St. Louis. I had become so comfortable here. Being so far away from Jacob would kill me.

       All these thoughts playing in my mind made it harder to breathe. "Calm down Dani," my dad ordered coming to the other side of the bed where I had placed my feet on the floor. I refused. "Jacob! Paul!" I yelled pushing myself to standing and moving against my dad. The breathing got worse, almost closing off my airway. I started to see spots and stumble from the lack of oxygen. I heard what sounded like a stampede coming up the stairs. Jacob and Paul burst through the door and stopped short. "Jacob," I whispered and smiled, taking heavy steps toward him before falling. I didn't feel the hardwood floor though. A pair of warm arms surrounded me. I could hear Jacob say my name urgently but it sounded distant, like I was underwater. I smiled up at him again before completely surcoming to the darkness.