That Ship Has Sailed

Jacob & Bella

"This hike is taking forever, Jacob, when are we going to arrive?"

"Relax, Bella. do you want me to carry you?"

Bella gave Jacob a scornful look and he chuckled, taking her hand instead as they climbed a steeper part of the mountain. The hike had been Jacob's idea and Bella's father encouraged it, something he didn't usually do, which is why Bella agreed. Usually she liked doing the opposite of what her father said, but this case was special.

"Look, we're here," Jacob said finally as they entered a clearing.

"Where is 'here' exactly?" Bella questioned as she sat on a rock, rubbing her sore thighs.

"The peak is just through those trees, but we'll set up the tent here first. You don't have to help, I can probably get it done faster without help."

Bella made a face at Jacob, but silently agreed, staying put on her rock while she watched him pull the poles and canvas out of the bag. He skillfully had the tent up within ten minutes and rolled their sleeping bags out inside it, then held his hand out.

Bella stood and took it, crawling into the tent beside him and sitting on her sleeping bag, "How did you learn to do this stuff? And so fast..."

"Bella, I'm Indian," Jacob laughed, "I grew up on the reserve with my father and brothers and friends. I learned from the best and then became the best," he sat up taller and gave a proud face.

"Well, I hate camping. I don't know how you got me to come out here with you."

"My devilish good looks?"

Bella whacked his arm and another laugh tumbled past the boy's lips.

"Seriously," Bella said, looking toward the tent flap that hung open, showing the trail they'd just come from, "What if there are wolves or bears or something?"

"Bella," Jacob said, glancing at her. She looked confused for a moment, then a smile cracked her face and she apologized, pushing her hair behind her ear, awkwardly. Jacob laughed again and held his hand out to her, "Let's go see that view," he suggested.

Feeling safer, Bella took his hand and walked with Jacob to the peak. The sun was setting over the horizon and the two could see on for miles. Bella smiled at the view and stared out at the blood red sky while Jacob smiled and looked down at her. His smile remained and he didn't bother hiding it.

"I'm glad you came with me," he admitted.

"Well, it was more my father's idea," Bella said, looking up at Jacob, then down at the ground, feeling uncomfortable from his staring, "Should we get a fire going? It's getting cold."

Jacob nodded, leading her back toward the campground. Bella sat on a log and soon began shivering until Jacob got a fire going. Even then, she hugged a blanket around herself.

"The way you're shivering, you'd think you were a vam--" Jacob stopped himself. Bella ignored the statement, not wanting to think of her recently departed 'boyfriend.' Jacob sat beside her and rested his elbows on his knees, looking at the fire.

"We can go home--if you get too cold," Jacob finally said.

"No, this is important to you," Bella said quickly, "You're a good friend, I don't want to disappoint you."

Jacob nodded, looking back at the fire, "You know, I was hoping after all that's happened--you'd see that I don't want to--"

"Jacob," Bella interrupted, "Don't. Please."

"Bella, when are you going to let him go? He's gone and he isn't coming back. I'm here and I'm willing to love you if you'll just let me."

Bella didn't respond, but instead, moved away from Jacob a bit and hugged the blanket tighter around herself. Jacob stood and declared he was going to get some food and jogged off into the woods. Howls ensued after he left and Bella became frightened by herself. Even though she knew they were probably Jacob's howls, she wished he'd come back and protect her.

A long while later, Jacob returned with a bag in his hand. Bella looked confused.

"What, were you expecting a bloody carcass? I'm not a savage, Bella," Jacob said, sitting beside the fire again.

"You lost your shirt."

"I run faster that way," Jacob said, "The shirt can't handle it."

Bella nodded, knowingly, but still didn't look over. Jacob pulled out a box of Pop tarts and a couple bottles of water, handing some to Bella who took it slowly.

"I'm not very hungry," she said finally, "I'm just going to go to bed."

Jacob stood and took her arm, stopping her from entering the tent, "Bella, I'm sorry for what I said," he spoke quickly, "I'll wait for you to be ready. I won't rush you."

Bella managed to give him a small, reassuring smile before going into the tent, bringing the blanket with her. Jacob, however, stayed by the fire, munching a pop tart until the fire died down to nothing. He felt content and comfortable, but when he heard shaky breathing coming from inside the tent, he realized that Bella was probably freezing. He tidied up the campsite before entering the tent, finding her shaking beneath both sleeping bags and the blanket.

"God, Bella, you're freezing," he said.

She didn't reply and he quickly assumed she was asleep. If she stayed that way, however, she'd be dead by morning, so he quickly unzipped her sleeping bag and crawled in beside her, zipping it as best he could behind him. Bella's shivering soon died down and normal breathing ensued. Jacob felt uncomfortable until she shifted and he felt her cold hands against the bare skin of his chest. He flinched slightly, then chuckled and lay his head down, resting it on his arm.

The night continued with no interruptions from animals as Bella had been so worried about the night before and Jacob awoke before the sun, feeling rested and happy.

He didn't want to make Bella more angry with him, however, so he quickly got out of the sleeping bag and started up a fresh fire before deciding to watch the sunrise from the other side of the clearing. He stood near the edge and watched the sky as it transformed from black to a dark purple and then watched as the orange and yellow rays began to shine over the horizon.

"It's beautiful," Bella's voice startled him.

He looked to see her standing there, the blanket still hugged around her.

"Did I wake you?" he asked, concerned.

She shook her head, pausing, "No. I just got cold again."

Jacob nodded, looking back toward the sunrise.

"Look, Jacob, about last night, I didn't mean--"

"No, Bella, it's all right. I understand that you loved him and you miss him. I should respect that instead of letting my heritage and old feuds get in the way of practical thinking. I just never trusted the cold ones. Just one more thing I learned on the reserve," he ended with a half-hearted chuckle.

Bella took a step closer, taking Jacob's hand in his, "I was going to say that you're right. He isn't coming back and I shouldn't hold on to him so tightly. He left me, but you're here."

Jacob looked down at Bella for a moment, then turned to face her, "I promised not to kiss you again until you asked me to."

Bella stood, facing Jacob, for a moment, "This is me asking," she said, staring up into his eyes.

Jacob didn't move for a moment, then, with one, swift motion, his lips were against hers and his hands were tangled in her hair. She didn't move for a moment, but when he moved to pull away, she moved forward, wanting to keep her lips to his for as long as possible.

The kiss soon broke, however, as she could only move so far toward him with her short height. He stared down at her, his hand still in her hair as the other one moved down her arm to hold her hand, "I've wanted to do that for so long," he replied, "The first one was a mistake, but that--"

"Kiss me again," Bella said quickly.

Jacob didn't need to be told twice. He swiftly moved down and connected their lips once more. The blanket dropped from Bella's shoulders as Jacob pulled her closer to him so there was no empty space between them. Her hands moved up to his hair and she felt the buzzed softness against the back of his head as she held him close so he couldn't pull away this time.

The two didn't know what came over them as they shared a passionate moment on that mountain top, but they never wanted to leave it.