claudia | embry call

thirty-four : vision

"What did you see?" Rosalie asked, leaning around Jake. "What did she show you?"

"She showed me that?" Bella looked down at Nessie, who just smiled up at her once again.

"I told you it was hard to explain." Edward said to her. "But effective as means of communications go."

"What was it?" Jake asked.

"Me, I think. But I looked terrible." Bella frowned.

"It was the only memory she had of you." Edward explained. "She's letting you know that she's made the connection. She knows who you are."

"But how did she do that?" Bella questioned.

"How do I hear thoughts? How does Alice see the future?" Edward asked, then shrugged. "She's gifted."

"It's an interesting twist." Carlisle observed. "Like she's doing the exact opposite of what you can."

"Interesting..." Edward nodded. They began to speculate away, but Claudia now focused on Jake. Besides Jasper, he was the only one who hadn't relaxed yet.

"Haven't we experimented enough for one day?" Jake's voice was slightly raised from stress. "Okay, Bella's doing great, but let's not push it." Bella glared up at him, which made Jasper shift uneasily.

"What is your problem, Jacob?" Bella's voice was laced with irritation, tugging lightly on Nessie. Jake didn't relent his hold, though, and stepped closer. They were now nearly chest to chest, the only thing keeping them apart was Nessie.

"Just because I understand, it doesn't mean I won't throw you out Jacob." Edward hissed. "Bella's doing extraordinarily well, don't ruin the moment for her."

"I'll help him toss you, dog." Rosalie's voice was also angry. "I owe you a good kick in the gut." Bella was still glaring up at Jake while he was looking down at Nessie, seemingly considering his options. Bella's face changed from anger, to realization, and then back to anger.

"No!" She gasped. Edward's arms quickly wrapped around Bella's chest, and Jake pulled Nessie back from Bella. Bella didn't fight him, letting him step away from her with Nessie safely in his arms.

"Rose." Bella spoke through her teeth, eyes locked on Jacob. "Take Renesmee." Rosalie held her hands out and Jake handed Nessie over, both of them taking steps back. "Edward, I don't want to hurt you, so please let go of me." He didn't move. "Go stand in front of Renesmee." It took another second or two, but he moved, standing in front of Rosalie. Bella, now free, began taking slow steps towards Jake. "You didn't." She snarled.

"You know it's not something I can control." He defended, his hands up as he began to back away.

"You stupid mutt!" Bella shouted. "How could you? My baby!"

"It wasn't my idea, Bella!" Jake was now outside and halfway down the stairs. Everyone was following, though at a distance so Bella wouldn't attack them.

"I've held her all of one time, and you already think you have some moronic wolfy claim to her? She's mine." Bella growled.

"I can share." He tried to Joke as he now backed across the lawn.

"How dare you imprint on my baby! Have you lost your mind?"

"It was involuntary." Jake was now next to the trees, where Seth and Leah stepped out on either side of him in their wolf forms. Leah snapped at Bella, who snarled in response.

"Bella, would just try to listen for a second? Please?" Jake asked. "Leah, back off." Leah didn't move.

"Why should I listen?" Bella hissed.

"Because you're the one who told me this, remember? You said we belonged in each others lives, right?" Jake tried to reason. "That we were family. You said that's what you and I were supposed to be. So...now we are. It's what you wanted."

"You think you'll be part of my family as my son-in-law?" Bella screeched, Emmett and Claudia couldn't help but laugh.

"Stop her, Edward." Esme muttered. "She'll be unhappy if she hurts him." Edward didn't move, instead choosing to wait and watch.

"No!" Jake protested Bella's accusation. "How can you even look at it that way? She's just a baby, for crying out loud!"

"That's my point!" Bella yelled.

"You know I don't think of her that way! Do you really think Edward would've let me live this long if I did? All I want for her is to be safe and happy-is that so bad? So different from what you want?" Jake was shouting back now. Instead of words, Bella responded with another snarl.

"You're going to stay away from her." Bella hissed.

"I can't do that!"

"Try. Starting now."

"It's not possible. Do you remember how much you wanted me around three days ago? How hard it was to be apart from each other? That's gone for you now, isn't it?" He asked. "That was her. From the very beginning. We had to be together, even then." Bella paused, but only for a moment.

"Run away while you still can." She threatened.

"C'mon, Bells!" Jake insisted. "Nessie likes me too."

"What...did you call her?" Somehow, Bella sounded even angrier.

"Well, uh..." Jake swallowed, taking another step back. "That name you came up with kinda a mouthful, and-"

"You nicknamed my daughter after the Loch Ness Monster?" Bella snarled. Then, she launched herself towards Jake. In the same instant, however, Seth jumped in front of Jake. A loud crunch rang out as soon as they collided, and Seth fell to the ground whimpering. Carlisle and Edward were at his side right away, as was Jake. Leah was now growling at Bella, lowering herself into a crouch as if she was about to attack.

"Leah, stop!" Jake ordered, using his alpha voice to force her to back down.

"I think his shoulder's broken." Carlisle said. "He'll need to phase for me to be sure."

———————

"Really?" Quil gasped, his eyes wide as he leaned forward.

"Yeah, it was crazy." Claudia nodded. "I mean, jeez, I wasn't like that when I was a newborn. Thank god." She snorted lightly. "Still, though, I..." A frown came to her face, and she sighed lightly.

"What is it?" Embry asked, his warm fingers brushing against her neck as he moved her hair off her shoulder.

"How did she do it?" Claudia's voice was quiet. "How did she just...run away when she smelled those humans?" Neither of the boys talked, they just shared a quick glance. "I-I mean...she just...held her breath and ran? It makes no sense." Claudia breathed, her first memories playing vividly in her head. Victoria, the first time she caught the scent of the humans, the burning of her throat. And then, she was watching her memories in her mind. Just like her other visions, she felt as though she was back there, on the day. Her throat began to burn as she watched herself kill the pair of humans, draining one of all their blood. When she came out of it, she'd forgotten that Embry and Quil were even there.

"Woah." Quil eventually whispered. Claudia turned back, seeing the pair of them staring at her with wide eyes. Then, she realized what she'd done. She'd accidentally shown them the memory, too. The one thing she never wanted anyone to see, they had just watched.