Can't Stand To See You Cry (Jacob)

Chapter 26

Jacob groaned softly as began to wake. His left side was aching so bad he could hardly stand it. He rolled onto his right side and whimpered. His eyes opened slowly, it was still dark outside. Another pain stabbed through his body and he crumpled in half.

That's when he felt her.

His face was lost in the wild auburn waves of her hair and he instinctively buried his nose and breathed deeply. His pain subsided a bit and he smiled to himself. Renesmee was his happy pill and for a moment, he forgot the throbbing ache in his left side.

Jacob slid his right hand under her neck and gripped the soft swell of her hip with his left hand. He pulled her impossibly closer as he pressed kisses to her bare shoulder. She moaned softly in response and he sighed contentedly. "Jacob..." she whimpered.

His breathing started to speed up as he listened to her response to his touch. She moaned again and started quaking. "Jacob..." she breathed, sounding more scared than turned on. "Please don't leave me...I need you."

Jacob's eyes snapped open when he realized she was having a nightmare. He tried to soothe her, but the whimpering continued and she was trying to twist out of his grasp. "Baby, I'm right here," he murmured, but she only got more agitated.

"No!" she cried out, sitting straight up and elbowing him in the side as she did.

Jacob groaned in agony as he reached for her. Her eyes flew open and she tried to focus. "Oh my God," she cringed when she realized what she had done to him. He was lying flat on his back now, holding his left side. "I'm so sorry!"

He held his breath and tried to suffer quietly. He knew she felt bad already. He pressed his lips together and squeezed his eyes closed. The pain was blinding. He kicked his hospital tray table in frustration and it clattered loudly as it fell to the ground.

Renesmee stood by his bed, hands balled up into fists, no idea how to make things better for him. Carlisle and Rosalie rushed in, surveying the scene and trying to ascertain what had happened. Rosalie went to Renesmee's side and wrapped a protective arm around her. Carlisle moved Jacob's hands and examined the wound from his splenectomy. "He broke his stitches open," Carlisle announced.

"Oh God!" Renesmee gasped, covering her mouth with her hand.

"Stitches?" Jacob repeated, still gasping for breath.

"You didn't tell him yet?" Rose accused. Renesmee shook her head slowly. She was afraid if he knew why he wasn't healing, then he would give up hope.

"Tell me what?" Jacob whispered, his breathing started returning to normal.

"Rosalie, will you please take Renesmee upstairs?" Carlisle asked gently.

Rosalie nodded and pulled her gently toward the door.

"Wait!" Jacob called, reaching for Renesmee's hand and tugging her back to him. Renesmee lowered her forehead to his and he peered up to her. "I'm okay, I promise."

Renesmee gulped back tears and nodded as Jacob pressed a small kiss to her lips and released her. She glanced back at him sadly as she left the room with Rose.

Carlisle gave Jacob a shot to numb the area around his incision and began stitching the wound again. "I should have explained some things to you once you regained consciousness yesterday. I apologize for not addressing your concerns sooner, Jacob."

Jacob shook his head and shrugged. "I don't need an apology, Doc. Just tell me what's wrong."

Carlisle sucked in a deep breath and began recounting the events from the past four days. He told Jacob about the injuries he came in with, lacerated spleen and broken ribs and how eventually his spleen had to be removed.