Can't Stand To See You Cry (Jacob)

Chapter 24

Renesmee groaned as she pulled herself from Rosalie's oversized bathtub. It took all her strength to do so and she didn't have much left. Bella had just left her a few moments ago and Renesmee was tempted to relax in the warm water for a while, but she was sleepy and she had no time for that.

She wrapped herself up in an oversized towel and began drying her hair. When she pulled the towel from her head, she saw her own reflection in the mirror. It was so bad, she could cry...if she had any tears left.

She ran a brush through her hair roughly, yanking on knots as she did. Her eyes were dull and sad, dark circles had formed underneath them like she hadn't slept in days. Her skin looked pale and lifeless. She looked as bad as Jacob had and she hadn't even been in an accident.

Renesmee dressed quickly, finding the outfit Alice had chosen. She was afraid it would be some fancy party dress since her aunts still acted like she was some little doll. But instead she chose light blue jeggings and a deep purple peplum top with the shoulders cut out. She shrugged, thought it was cute enough but not something she would've chosen.

She opened the bedroom door slowly, not wanting to talk to anyone. No one noticed her as she slipped down the stairs. She listened at the medical room door, but it didn't sound like Jacob was in recovery yet. Renesmee paused and wondered if she sneaked out the front door and went around to the back patio, could she see what was happening through the glass doors.

No one had discovered her yet, so she decided to go for it. As she made her way around the house, she smelled a bonfire and heard several voices. Then she saw them. It was all of the wolf pack, speaking in low voices and looking more solemn than she had ever seen before.

Seth turned and saw her approaching, a wide smile formed as she crossed the clearing. At first Renesmee longed to run to him, let him hold her and soothe her fears, but as she closed the distance, anger set in. She set her jaw and her gaze narrowed. When he was within reach, he held his arms out to but she ignored them and shoved hard against his chest instead.

He barely moved, but his expression changed. He was no longer happy to see her, instead concern and sadness took over his face. He wasn't angry with her, even when she flattened her palms against his chest and pushed him again.

The pack approached them now, but he waved them away. Seth didn't want anyone to touch her, no matter what she did to him. Renesmee crinkled her brow, upset that he wouldn't even fight back. "You should have told me!"

Seth's expression softened again, immediately understanding where her anger was coming from. "Nessie," he began, still reaching to comfort her.

She grabbed fistfuls of his shirt in a vain effort to shake him, but she no longer had the strength. "If I had known he wasn't phasing, I could have done something, Seth! But you didn't give me a chance," she paused to look at the rest of the pack, "None of you did. You just let him..."

"You weren't even speaking to him then, Ness," Paul reminded her.

"We had strict orders to never tell you," Jared added softly.

"We never agreed with what he was doing. Never," Quil admitted.

"But you never tried talking him out of it? Just stood by and kept your mouths shut?" she spat angrily.

The normally quiet Embry now spoke up. "No! We all talked to him, all the freaking time...we never stopped trying and hoping he would change his mind."

"He did change his mind," Sam's thunderous voice reminded her. "And we're not giving up hope."

She glanced at Seth now, her fists still balled up and gripping the front of his shirt. He pulled her hands away slowly, "We are all here for you, Renesmee. Jacob would want that. We are all here for anything you need and we're not going anywhere."