FicWad

Author's Note: So here's the long awaited Chapter 10. I'd like to take this time to thank everyone that read and reviewed my story. Your encouraging words inspired me to write this chapter and post it for you guys. I'd also like to point out that if anyone has any special requests as to what they'd like to see, the story's plot is solid enough to be flexible with that. So, if you have a suggestion/request/or even a question, please don't hesitate to contact me at yourjohannabear@hotmail.com Thank you so much, and enjoy!

Chapter 10: A Point in Time

I murmur softly as I stir from my sleep. I open my eyes and I see Beast lying against me. I smile softly and pet her gently. She opens her eyes and lifts her head to look at me.

"Where's Jake, girl?" I ask softly as I sit up.

I notice something next to me out of the corner of my eye, and I turn my head. I smile as I see a drawing. I pick it up and my smile widens when I see a drawing of me lying on my side, my hands tucked under my face as Beast has her head on my side, both of us sleeping soundly. I put it down, and it isn't until then that I notice the water running in the bathroom. Beast lays down again, this time at the foot of the bed. Suddenly, the water goes off and she perks up again. She growls softly before getting of the bed. I watch her push the door open, and wait quietly.

"Hey girl," I hear Jake say, "Is Isa awake yet?"

I giggle softly and I lie down again, this time on my stomach. I close my eyes and I try to slow my breathing down enough to fake sleep. I hear footsteps, and I force myself to stop smiling.

"I thought you said she was awake, doofy," Jake says softly.

I feel the bed move and I stifle a shiver as he moves my long hair to the side. He touches the back of my neck, before leaning down to kiss it. I whimper softly, as he breathes softly into the side of my neck.

"Are you awake, sweetheart?" he asks softly.

I whimper once again and I feel his hand on my side, caressing it gently. He presses another kiss to the side of my neck before lying down next to me. I pretend to stir slightly, and I turn onto my side, facing away from him. He wraps his arm around my waist, and presses his chest against my back. He closes his hand around one of mine.

"I love you so much, baby," he whispers against my ear, "You have no idea how happy I am that you're here to stay. I love waking up in the morning and seeing your beautiful face."

I blink tears away, as I smile tugs at my lips.

"I know you're awake," he says after a few moments; I can almost hear the smirk in his voice.
"How did you know?" I ask softly.
"I can tell when you're sleeping and when you're faking it."

I turn around in his arms, facing him now. His smirk curls into a smile and he reaches up and wipes my eyes, taking stray tears with him.

"I love you, too," I whisper to him.

He leans down towards me, and I let my eyes flutter closed as he presses his lips against mine. He wraps his arms even tighter around my waist. We pull away slowly and I smile up at him. He smiles back, his hand coming up to caress the side of my face. I kiss his fingertips as they glide past my lips in a loving matter. Suddenly, a soft knock draws our attention towards the door.

"Come in," Jake calls out as we settle comfortably against each other.

The door opens and Jake's dad appears in the doorway holding up a vase of sunflowers and bright purple tulips.

"I heard someone was feeling a little under the weather. I thought pretty flowers would make a pretty girl feel better," he smiles.
"Aww, that's so sweet," I tell him as I smile back, "you didn't have to do that."
"I thought you'd like them."
"They're beautiful, thank you."
"These flowers don't hold a candle to your beauty, sweetheart," Jake says and Robert smiles.
"You've never said a statement more true, son."
"Oh, you guys," I blush, "you flatter me!"
"No, dear, it's not flattery if it's true."

I giggle softly as I cover my face with my hands. Jake laughs and kisses the top of my head.

"I brought you guys a surprise."
"What did you bring?" Jake asks.
"All three Saw movies."
"Awesome, thanks, dad."
"No problem," Robert says before looking at me, "are you feeling well enough to come downstairs, sweetie?"
"I feel better, but I don't want to be too close to you guys in case I'm contagious. I tired to get rid of your son, but he's too stubborn."
"Alright," he laughs, "I'll tell Jen to stay away for a while. I'll bring the movies up in a second."
"Alright, thanks again."

He gives us a nod, before exiting the bedroom, closing the door behind him. I turn to look at Jake and he playfully flicks me on the nose.

"Hey!" I pout and he laughs.
"Aww, poor baby."
"You're so mean."

He chuckles softly, and I roll on top of him, throwing one legs over both of us, and I sit up, straddling his waist. He groans softly and sucks in a breath as his hands move to grip my hips. I giggle and he smiles at me.

"Be nice to me, baby," he says, his voice slightly strained.
"You weren't being nice to me, though."
"Yeah, but you're being a different kind of mean to me. This is like giving a kid a taste of candy, and then snatching it away," he says, then smirks suddenly, "although, I will admit that I could get used to this."

I laugh as I blush, and gently give him a swat on the chest. He reaches up and cups the back of my neck in his hand, and pulls me down. Our lips meet in a deep kiss and I reach up to cup the sides of his face as I kiss him back. I hear a low growl come from his throat as his free hand slides to the small of my back. When his hand slides into the back pocket of my pajama pants, I slowly pull away.

"I'm sorry," he murmurs, "I just wanted to touch you."
"Don't be sorry," I whisper softly, "I just don't want you to work yourself up too much."
"I won't, I promise. I just want to touch you, that's all. And if you don't feel comfortable, I'll stop."

I lay my head on his chest, and hesitate before slowly nodding my head. I close my eyes as his hands caress my back.

"I love you, beautiful," his deep voice rumbles.
"I love you, too."

His hands moved slowly, one of them snaking up the back of my top. I tense slightly as I feel his hand and he simply scratches my back.

"Just relax, baby girl, you know you can trust me. I won't abuse that trust, you know that," he whispers and I nod.
"I know," I murmur.
"Does that feel good?"
"Very."
"Then just enjoy. This is as far as I'm going."

He continues to scratch my back, while his other hand molds to the shape of my hip, gently caressing it.

"Are you okay with this?" he asks softly.
"Yes."
"Are you sure?"
"I'm positive," I whisper, "I'm sorry about earlier."
"About what?"
"I shouldn't have teased you the way I did."
"Baby," he says with a soft chuckle, "I love that about you. As much as I love the sweet, innocent side of you, I have to admit, I love that bad little minx that likes to surface from time to time."

I giggle softly, and look up at him. He smiles at me, before his hand leaves my hips, and cradles the back of my head, and brings me up for a soft kiss. Our lips move slowly against one another's, so slow that they're almost lingering. Suddenly, we hear a gasp and a soft thud is heard. As our attention shifts over to a shocked Claire standing in the doorway, I realize how Jake and I must look to her, and I try to roll off of him. His hands stay where they are, and before either of us can say or do anything, she leaves, closing the door behind her.

"Jake, let me up," I say as I sit up.
"Why?"
"I need to talk to your mom."
"What for? We weren't doing anything wrong."
"That's not what it looked like to her, though. Please, baby, just let me up."

He sighs softly as he releases me, and I quickly get up. I pick up the movies and set them on the desk, before opening the door. I close it behind me, and I walk down the stairs, making my way to the kitchen, where I found Claire pacing.

"Claire," I start and she stops to look at me with tears pooled in her eyes.
"If you two are going to...do such things, you should at least lock the door. What if it had been Jennifer to walk in on you two instead of me?"
"You don't understand, we weren't doing anything, we were just kissing."
"His hands were all over you, Isabella."
"No they weren't. His hands never left my back. I'm not sleeping with your son; I never have. I mean, I know I live here and all, but this is your house and I would never disrespect you that way."

By the time I'm finished talking, there's tears in my eyes as tears run down her face.

"Oh honey, I'm so sorry," she says softly as she wraps her arms around me.

I wrap my arms around her middle as she has my head cradled on her shoulder.

"Don't pay any attention to me, darling. I'm just a jealous mother."
"Jealous?" I ask softly and she nods, "Why?"
"For the same reason every other mother is, because I'm not the only woman in my son's life anymore. He doesn't need me anymore. If he gets sick or hurt, you'll be the one caring for him; and I know that's what he'd want."
"I'm sorry," I whisper softly.
"No, don't apologize, honey. I know you love my son. I can see how strongly you feel about him every time you're together. You're perfect for him. If anyone's going to replace me, I'm glad it's you."
"Hey dad," Jake suddenly says and we jump and look towards the doorway to find Jake and Robert smiling at us, "don't they say guys look for a girl that reminds them of their mom?"
"Yup, I've heard that a lot," Robert replies, his smile widening slightly.

Jake comes closer to us and I pull away from Claire. She steps away, almost as if she was moving out of his way, and he chuckles softly before embracing her in a hug. She looks surprised, but wraps her arms around him. He kisses the top of her head, and hugs her tighten.

"Don't be silly" he says softly, "I'm always going to need. I love you, mom."
"I love you, too, darling."

He kisses the top of her head again before slowly pulling away. Robert comes up behind Jake and smirks.

"But just in case, you should knock loudly before going in."
"Dad," Jake chuckles.
"What? Why do you think I knock? I don't want to be scarred for life."
"Ugh," I say with a playful smile, "guys."
"They're all the same, sweetheart," Claire says.
"You should be in bed, baby," Jake says and I nod.

He steps towards me and before anyone can say or do anything, he grabs me and slings me over his shoulder. I squeal and Robert laughs.

"Darling, be careful!" Claire says.
"Hey! Put me down!"
"Nope, you're my damsel in distress."

I laugh and grab onto the back of his shirt. He starts heading towards the stairs, and up to his room.

"Hey, what are you doing to Isa?" Jennifer asks with a giggle.
"He's kidnapping me!" I squeal, dramatically reaching for her.
"No, I'm not. She's being a bad girl, so I'm locking her in the attic," he says and I laugh
"You're such a loser."

Suddenly, I feel Jake let go, and my body lurches forward. I scream as my face quickly moves towards the floor, and Jake laughs.

"Did you say something, baby?" he asks.
"Nope, I didn't say a thing."
"I didn't think so."

He chuckles softly and pulls me up a little, my head moving away from the floor. I can feel my heart pounding in my chest as he walks into his room.

"Don't drop her, Jake!" Jennifer squeals behind us.
"I'm not going to drop her, munchkin. I'm Superman," he gives my butt a light, playful smack to let me know he's speaking to me, "aren't I, baby?"
"Oh yeah," I mumble sarcastically, "you're Superman alright."

He walks over to his bed and Jennifer runs up and grabs my hands.

"I'll save you, Isa!"

I laugh as she tries to pull me towards her, while Jake pulls me the opposite way, dumping me on the bed. I laugh even harder when she jumps on him in an attempt to tackle him. Suddenly, Beast comes charging into the room and bumps into Jake, causing him to crash on the bed.

"Everyone's conspiring against me!" Jake whines as Jennifer sits on his back with an accomplished smile.
"Even your dog," Robert says with a chuckle, "Tommy's here to see you, sweetie."
"Ooh! Can I go outside and play with him?" she asks excitedly, climbing off of Jake.
"I thought you were playing with us," Jake says childishly, sitting up.
"I was, but now I'm going to go play with Tommy."
"But-" he starts.
"But nothing," I cut him off, "we can play later."
"You remind Tommy you have a big brother that will kick his butt if he hurts you."
"What?" she asks, cocking an eyebrow.
"Nothing, sweetie," I tell her as I smile, "you're brother's a little crazy. Just go have some fun, okay?"
"Okay," she smiles back, "feel better, Isa."
"Thanks angel."

She smiles again and runs out. Jake scowls and gets up, walking to the rail of the stairs, looking down. I smile and get up, walking towards him. I wrap my arms around his waist from behind him, resting my head against his muscular back. He puts his hands over mine, and sighs softly.

"Jake, whatever you're thinking, she's too young for it."
"I know, but she's growing up so fast. It seems like it was just yesterday that mom brought her home from the hospital. Soon she'll be dating, and she's going to be fighting off boys."
"You're thinking too far ahead, sweetie. She's only five."
"I know," he sighs, "I'm just over protective."

He turns around, and wraps his arms around me, as well.

"It's cute," I whisper "do you want to know something?"
"What?"

I pull back to smile at him and cup his face.

"You're going to be a wonderful daddy to our children."
"You really think so?" he asks softly.
"Yes. I can see it in the way you treat Jennifer."
"I can't wait to make you the mother of my children. I can't wait to marry you, to spend the rest of my life with you."
"Me, too," I whisper softly and he smiles as he cups my face.
"Really?" he whispers lowly.
"Yes."
"Oh my God!" Jennifer screams and we jump apart, "MOM! DAD! Jake just asked Isa to marry him!"

She runs down the few steps she climbed and runs into the family room. Jake and I laughed as she continued to scream.

"AND SHE SAID YES! THEY'RE GETTING MARRIED!"
"We need to start having these conversations behind closed and locked doors," he says.
"Uh...son?" Robert's voice calls from downstairs, "anything you want to tell me?"

We look down to see Robert standing in the doorway of the family room. I laugh softly at the look on his face and Jake chuckles.

"No, dad; Jennifer misheard what we were talking about. I didn't propose to Isa," Jake says and then pauses to look at me, "at least not yet."
"Oh, well, in that case, umm..."
"Right," Jake laughs.

Robert retreats back into the family room, and Jake looks down at me with a smile.

"What?" I ask with a soft giggle, "Why are you looking at me like that?"
"Let's practice the entrance to our honeymoon suite!"

I laugh loudly as he picks me up bridal style, and starts towards his room. He walks in and pushes the door closed with his foot, before managing to lock it without dropping me. He carries me towards his bed, and gently sets me down. I lay back and look at him, and he smiles.

"You're so beautiful, sweetheart. There's absolutely nothing I'd change about you. You're perfect."
"I'm not perfect, Jake," I whisper, "I have so many flaws...so many imperfections-too many."
"You're crazy. You're perfect, baby. There's absolutely nothing wrong with you."
"Yes, there is, Jake."

Suddenly, a knock is heard from the door, and he hesitates before walking over and opening it.

"Hey, I was looking at the files for the case, and I realized that some pictures of that bruise on her face would be a lot of help."
"Okay."

My eyes immediately pool with tears and Jake's eyes fill with worry as soon as soon as our eyes meet.

"What's wrong, baby?"
"I don't want any pictures," I whimper and Robert frowns.
"Sweetie, it's going to help a lot during the trial."
"But why can't they just see it when I get there?"
"The bruise could be gone by then."
"Please, I don't want to do this."
"Sweetheart," Jake says, "we won't do this against your will, but this is something you need to let us do."
"I don't want to."
"But why not?" Robert asks.
"Because!" I cry, "I don't need pictures to tell me or the rest of the world how much of a monster I am! I can look in the mirror for that!"

I jump off of the bed, but before I can run into the bathroom, Jake grabs me and pulls me into his arms. I try to push him away as I sob; weakly hitting his chest with my fists. Finally, I give up and I fall into a heap of tears in his arms, crying heavily.

"Shh..." he whispers "it's okay, baby. Don't cry."
"Oh, honey," Robert coos as he touches my arm, "I didn't mean to upset you like this. We'll do without the pictures, don't worry, okay?"

I nod slightly, trying to calm down, but I can't. I feel Robert walk away and when I hear the door open and close, I know he's left.

"C'mere," Jake whispers.

He pulls me towards the bathroom, and makes me stand in front of the full length mirror. As I se my reflection in the mirror, more tears run down my face.

"How can you call yourself a monster when I see a goddess every time I look up at you?"
"Jake..." I whisper.
"Answer me, Isabella," he whispers, "how can you call something so beautiful such an ugly name, hmm?"
"Because I'm not beautiful."
"You're the most beautiful woman I've ever seen."
"Don't say that."
"Why not?"
"Because it's not true; look at me, Jake...I'm damaged."
"Damaged? Because the monsters that calls himself your father isn't smart enough to realize what an amazing daughter he has? Or is it because he takes pleasure in breaking you down? Or could it be because he's so ugly inside that he can't see what a beautiful woman you've grown into? How can a father hurt his daughter the way that man hurts you? How can it be okay with him to watch other people hurt you?"

I look at him through the mirror and see the tears running down his face. My bottom lip quivers as I bite back sobs that are threatening to escape.

"I wish there was a way I could convince you of everything I see. But he's burned this image of yourself into your mind so deeply...I don't know what I can do to make you believe me. You're beautiful, baby, and if you're a monster, then I want to be one, too."

I close my eyes and I break down. I begin to sob; the loud sounds of my cries echoing off the walls. He turns me around and pulls me into his arms. I wrap my arms around his waist, my hands balling up the material of his shirt in my fists. My face was buried in his chest as his was buried in the crook of my neck. I could feel his tears on my skin. We both held onto each other, comforting one another in our own way.

"You're beautiful, baby," he murmurs against my neck, "so beautiful. I wish you'd believe me."
"I do..." I whisper back, "I'm sorry. I-"
"Shh, its okay, I know," he whispers caressing my cheek, "you know that I wouldn't lie to you, sweetheart."
"I know."
"Good," he whispers again, "I love you."
"I love you, too, Jake."

After a few minutes of comfortable silence, I look up at him.

"Your dad can take the pictures."
"Yeah?" he asks, and I nod, "Are you sure?"
"We want to win this thing, don't we?"
"Of course," he pauses and pulls back to look at me, "baby, you say he hurt you in other places, too."
"Yeah," I whisper as I look away.
"Can I see? He'll probably need pictures of that, too."
"I'll need to take my shirt off, though."
"If you don't want to show me, you don't have to."
"I'll show you, but in your room-too many mirrors in here."
"Better lighting in my room, too."

He takes my hand and pulls me towards the doorway. We step into his bedroom and he sits on the side of his bed. I turn my back to him, and I pull my tank top off. I hold it against my front, and as I start to turn around, I feel Jake's hands on my waist.

"Have you seen your back?" he asks softly, and I shake my head.
"No, but it hurts a little, so I figured it was bruised."

I turn to my side, and his eyes flicker to the large bruise on my side.

"Oh my God," he whispers as he kneels.

His fingers gently press down on the skin, and I hiss.

"Baby, your ribs could be broken," he says worriedly.
"They're not," I say softly, "I'd know if they were."
"How did I miss this earlier? I lifted up your shirt to put a cold washrag on your back."
"Jake, sweetie, do you-oh my God!" Claire gasps, "oh honey!"

She rushes towards me, and takes a closer look. She presses down gently on the bruised skin, and I hiss again.

"Well, your ribs aren't broken, but I know it has to hurt."
"It does," I nod.
"I'll go get dad, and get you some ice and painkillers," Jake says.

We nod and he leaves. Claire looks up at me, and I notice the tears in her eyes.

"I'm going to pull these down just a little, okay? I want to see how tender the skin is," she says softly.
"Okay."

She gently pulls my pajama pants down enough to expose my left hip, and she touches it gently.

"Oww!" I hiss, closing my eyes.
"I'm sorry, darling," she says, "I'm going to leave it like this so Robert can take the pictures."

I nod as I blink tears back. Jake comes back with a cup and a few pills in his hands. He steps up to me, and hands me the cup.

"Take a few sips first, baby, I know your throat's probably dry."

I take a few sips and he gently slips a pill past my lips. I swallow it, and he repeats the process with the last two. He takes the cup back, and leans up to press a soft kiss against my forehead.

"Everything's going to be okay, sweetheart," he whispers as he wipes the tears away from my face.
"Promise?" I ask softly and he nods as tears pool in his eyes.
"I promise, baby."
"Can I come in?" Robert asks from the doorway.
"Yeah, come on in," Jake answers.

Robert walks in with a camera in one hand and a pack of ice wrapped in a towel in the other.

"I brought you some ice, sweetie," he says and I give him a small smile.
"Thanks," I whisper, "I'm sorry about earlier. I really didn't mean to flip out on you the way I did."
"Don't be silly, you have nothing to apologize for."
"Let's get these pictures taken, I want her in bed so she can ice."
"Alright, are we ready?" Robert asks and I nod, "Okay."

He pulls a ruler out of pocket, and he holds it next of my skin, before snapping a few pictures. He does the same to my back, before standing back.

"You can put your shirt on now," he says.

I turn my back to them and I slip my tank top back on. I move to sit on the bed, and I look down. Jake kneels down in front of me, and rests his hands on my knees.

"Hey, you okay?" he asks softly, and I nod.
"I'm fine," I whisper back.
"Are you sure?"
"Yeah," I reply softly before looking away, "I just don't like this."
"I know, baby, but we're almost done. It'll all be over soon, don't worry."

I nod again and he leans up to place another kiss on my forehead before gently kissing my lips. He pulls away and stands up, holding his hand out to me. I slowly slide my hand into his and he helps me up.

"Here, sweetie," Claire says as she takes a clip out of her hair, and hands it to me, "pull your hair back away from your face."

I take it from her and I pull my hair back. I close my eyes as Robert holds something against my face and snaps a few pictures.

"Okay," he says and I open my eyes, "we're done."
"Will I have to see these?" I ask.
"Not unless you want to."
"I don't. I really just want all of this to end."
"I know; I'm going to do everything in my power to end this quickly."
"Thank you."

He nods with a smile, and lovingly pats my cheek before gently kissing my forehead. I smile back at him and Claire hugs me as he turns to leave. I take the clip out of my hair, and hand it to her as she pulls away.

"If you need anything at all, and I mean anything at all, don't hesitate to call me, okay? No matter what time it is," Claire says.
"I'm not going anywhere, mom," Jake speaks up.
"I know, but just in case."
"Thank you," I tell her, "I appreciate it very much."

She gives me a small nod before patting my shoulder gently. She turns and leaves the room, closing the door behind her. I look over at Jake, and he opens his arms to me, inviting me in. A small smile tugs at my lips as I walk towards him. He wraps his arms around my back as mine wrap around his waist. He kisses the top of my head before he buries his face in my dark hair.

"I love you," he whispers to me.
"I love you, too, Jake."
"Will you lay down for me? I really think ice would help ease those bruises."
"Will you lay down with me? I've been in bed almost all day, and I don't want to be alone."
"I'm not leaving your side."

I nod slightly against him, and he starts to gently lead me towards the bed. He twists around, and picks me up in his arms. I link my arms around his neck as he crawls onto the bed on his knees. He lays me down gently, almost afraid that I'd break if he set me down any harder. He moves towards his nightstand and grabs the ice.

"Turn over on your stomach, sweetheart," he murmurs.

I roll over without argument, trusting him completely. He kisses the back of my neck after moving my hair to the side. I feel his breath on my skin, giving my goose bumps.

"Baby," he whispers.
"Hmm?"
"I think I'm going to need you to take your shirt off. I can't pull it up enough."
"Okay."

I slowly push myself up on my knees. He's sitting behind me, also on his knees. I brought my hands to the hem of my tank top, and I started to pull it up. I shuddered visibly as his hands joined mine to help in the removal of my shirt. He lays it aside, and moves his hands to my hips.

"Lay down, beautiful," he whispers.

I lay down slowly, allowing him to gently guide me down. I settle comfortably against the pillows, lifting my arms to bury them under the pillow my head's resting on. I sigh softly as Jake tenderly massages my back, easing the tension in my muscles.

"I'll be right back," he whispers, "I need to run down to the kitchen for a minute."
"Okay," I whisper back, closing my eyes.
"Do you need anything from the kitchen?"
"Could you bring me some red Gatorade?"
"Of course, I'll be back in a few."

I nod my head, and I feel the bed move as he crawls off of it. I hear the door open and close, and I realize he's left the room.

As I wait for him to return, I think about our relationship. I smile to myself as I think of how wonderful Jake is to me, and the way he treats me-with so much care and tenderness. The way he handles, as if I was a delicate flower. He showed such an incredible amount of respect for me and my opinions. He loved me more than anyone ever loved me before. I could see it in his eyes every time he looked at me. I could see it in his eyes; I could feel it in his touch.

"What's that smile for?"

My eyes fly open, and I find Jake standing next to the bed with a smile of his own. I blush lightly at being caught.

"What? I can't smile?" I ask with an arched eyebrow.
"Of course you can," he says with a grin, "you have a beautiful smile, love. Your pouty lips curl perfectly, and your cheeks rise up...you look breathtaking."

I smile slightly wider, and I blush again. He sits down next to me and drapes a folded towel against my neck. I hiss when it touches my skin, before basking in the glow of relaxation as the hot and moist towel eases the tension.

"Is it too hot?" he asks, his hands ready to remove the towel if I said yes.
"No, not all, it feels great."
"Good, that's the feeling I was aiming for."
"Well, then, good job captain," I say as I look at him playfully.
"Ooh, captain," he says with a soft chuckle, "I think I liked that. Say it again."

I laugh loudly and he grins at me, wiggling his eyebrows up and down suggestively.

"Get out of here; you're sick!" I say with a soft giggle.
"There's that smile I love so much."
"You could've just asked me to smile, you know," I point out.
"It's not nearly as satisfying unless I make you smile."
"You're a psycho."
"Yeah, but I'm your favorite psycho," he says with a grin, and I giggle.
"Yes, I can't deny that."
"You want a drink of your Gatorade? It's nice and cold."
"Sure, but you have to turn around."
"No need, I brought a straw. All you have to do is pick up your head."
"You're always so thoughtful," I smile.
"Baby, I live to treat you like a queen."

An even bigger smile tugs at my lips before they close around the straw that Jake's holding out for me. I close my eyes, enjoying how refreshing the cold liquid feels against my throat. I release the straw, and he puts the cup back on the nightstand.

"Lay down, angel," he says softly, "just relax."

I nod my head as I slip into the comfortable position I was in before, with my arms under the pillow. I gasp as I feel a cold ice pack on my back.

"It'll take the swelling down," he says softly.
"I might fall asleep," I murmur as I close my eyes.
"The pills I gave you were supposed to make you relax."
"Oh," I say, "I still might fall asleep."
"It's okay if you do. I won't leave," he says with a small chuckle.
"I feel like I've slept all day."

My body trembles slightly as I suddenly feel Jake's warm hands touch my back. I feel him move closer and open my eyes to look at him.

"What?" I ask softly.
"I'm going to unsnap your bra."
"For what?" I ask.
"Because I don't want any pressure on your back, and your bra is pretty tight."
"Oh."
"You know you can trust me, baby. I'm not going to do anything."
"I know."
"So...can I?"

I don't say anything for a minute, hesitating momentarily before nodding. His hands move up my back, his hands caressing softly before his fingers easily pull my clasp apart. He pushes the straps away from my back, and he spreads the cold ice pack to cover as much of my back as possible. I feel him move away and I wonder where he's going. Suddenly I felt bad for not trusting him.

"Jake," I whisper.
"What, beautiful?" he whispers back as he drapes his black covers my body.
"What are you doing?"
"What does it look like I'm doing? I'm covering you up, silly. I don't want you to get cold or anything."
"Oh."
"Are you okay, baby?"
"Yeah," I whisper, "I'm sorry I didn't trust you. I know you'd never do anything to me, I really do. I just, I don't know."
"Hey, it's alright, angel. You have the right to be a little hesitant. I'd find it a little odd if you didn't."
"You're so understand."
"I understand because I love you."
"I love you, too, Jake."

I smile up at him and he leans down to kiss the top of my head. My eyes stare to feel my eyes close, and I frown as they get heavy.

"Close your eyes, baby," Jake whispers in my ear, "go to sleep. You'll feel better when you wake up."

~*~

My eyes flutter open, and I blink to let my eyes get adjusted to the darkness that surrounds me. I roll over slightly, and it isn't until then that I notice my bra is loose. I sit up, making sure to cover myself with the covers. I spot Jake wrapped in a blanket of his own, lying at the foot of the bed. I smile at the sight of him, sound asleep. I see my pajama top lying next to me, and I grab it. I quickly pull my bra off, and I slip my tank top over my head, pulling it down. I put the melted ice pack and the damp towel on the nightstand, before crawling out of the covers and moving towards Jake. I press up against him, spooning behind him as I wrap my arms around his middle. I press a kiss against his bare back, and he stirs slightly.

"Isabella?" he murmurs sleepily.
"Sorry," I whisper, "I didn't mean to wake you."
"It's okay, sweetheart. Is something wrong?"
"No, I just wanted to be close to you. Will you lay back here with me?"
"Of course."

He turns slightly, and I crawl backwards. I watch him move up towards the head of the bed, and he lies down on his side. He smiles up at me, and pulls me down with him. We lay side by side, with him spooning behind him, my back against his chest and his arm around my waist. I settle against him comfortably as his free arm slid under my neck, and pulled me slightly closer to him.

"Are you comfortable?" he asks softly.
"Yes, are you?"
"I've never been better."
"Good night, baby," I whisper.
"Good night, love."
"Find me in your dreams?" I ask softly.
"I always do."

I stay quiet until I hear his breathing slow down to a gentle and peaceful rhythm. I look at the clock next to me and the large red numbers stare back at me. 5:03 AM. I hear Jake murmur softly, and he suddenly pulls me closer to him. I smiled to myself and wondered if he was really dreaming of me. I closed my eyes, and the last thought that ran through my head was that maybe everything would get better, before sleep stole me away.