herumtreiber

Title: Accompanied sonata - 23
Author: herumtreiber
Rating: PG-13
Warnings: None
Characters: Edward/Jacob
Chapter length: ~5,800
Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight, Stephenie Meyer does. I don't make any money from this writing.
Summary: After the events of Eclipse, Edward mulls over his upcoming marriage. A relationship slowly develops between him and Jake. They face opposition from the pack and some members of Edward's family. What will happen to Bella and how will the Volturi react?

Table of contents

Chapter twenty-two

Jake deftly cut tomatoes into thin slices as he prepared sandwiches. He wore one of Emmett's t-shirts and blue pants; he looked so gorgeous it was all I could do not to kiss him.

"Man, I lost my phone!" He grumbled while he fixed the sandwiches. "Damned thing cost me a lot, too."

"Don't worry, Rosalie got it." I took out his phone and the iPod which my sister had picked up from the grass. She had left them on the living room with a note. 'Wolf, I put songs you'll love. Rosalie.'

"That's great!" Jake leaned over me, his hand briefly caressing my shoulder while he read. "Can't wait to hear them." He went to the pantry, rummaging inside it until he found the mayonnaise jar which made a clanking sound as he put it on the table, next to his big plate loaded with sandwiches.

"Want to sit here?" I spread my legs and patted my lap, raising my eyebrows at him.

"Nope, Edward. It's distracting and I'm hungry." Jake smiled and nudged my ribs. He fell to, wolfing down the sandwiches as if they were cookies.

I loved watching him enjoy his meal. The sex had been great but I cherished this easy intimacy between us; the way his body language told me I made him feel at ease, a fact I could also glean from his mind. It was obvious the big, gleaming kitchen made him a bit uncomfortable but he ignored the feelings while his mind gravitated towards me as an anchor.

Jake furrowed his brow in concern and stopped for a moment. Wiping his mouth with a napkin, he looked at me with an earnest expression. "What about Bella? Won't the Volturi guys try to hurt her, to get back at us?"

I patted his back and smiled reassuringly. "I don't think so, pup."

He wiggled an eyebrow at me as he munched on his chicken sandwich. 'Why?'

I picked up a spoon and toyed with it, pausing for a moment to frame my thoughts.

"I read Aro's mind when he was walking away." I snorted angrily at the thought of the Volturi forcing Jake to do their bidding and I spat the next words. "Despite his utter defeat, Aro still clung to that stupid vision of Athenodora's."

'Should've killed her!' Jake clamped his jaws on the sandwich, his mind fuming with anger. 'Damned guy still wants me to imprint on your daughter? That's crazy!'

"Be that as it may, we can use his obsession. He won't do anything about Bella." I spread my legs and reclined on the chair. It was funny; Jake's informality was contagious. If I had been talking to Bella, I would've been way more formal.

'You mean, stiff?' Jake smiled at me to take the sting off his thoughts.

I bared my teeth at the impudent wolf but he was right. With Jake I didn't need to put up a façade. In the heat of the battle and during our relationship he had seen me at my worst and it hadn't fazed him at all. He just shrugged and accepted me as I was, not without offering a sarcastic comment or two.

I put my elbows on the table and leaned towards him. "Jake, it's important for Aro that Bella remains unharmed and human, at least until she reaches menopause and can't have a child. When that time comes, Aro might kill her."

"He'll wait decades?" said Jacob, doubt tingeing his voice as he nervously fiddled with the linen napkin.

I nodded. "Aro takes the long, long view."

"So… we've got twenty years to hide her."

"I am sure Bella can lead a normal life until then." I ruffled my hair and looked to the ceiling while I shrugged. "Who knows? With time the Volturi might even forget about her."

Jacob took a sip from his glass of milk and started on the next sandwich. 'That's convenient.'

"About Seth…" I trailed off, not knowing how to continue the conversation. It was obvious that Jasper's interest on Seth wasn't exactly platonic. I also knew that Jake protected Seth like an older brother. I didn't know how he would take to a possible relationship between the two.

Jake looked up and gulped down his bite. He wiped his lips with the napkin. "What about Seth?"

I grunted in annoyance; the hungry wolf had been too immersed in the meal to read my mind! It would seem the food held all his attention. I cocked an eyebrow at him. "Jasper and him?"

'I worry about that, man.' Jake finished the glass of milk and reached for the carton. After I nodded, he drank directly from it. 'Don't want people to turn on him.'

"Will they?"

Jake growled, "Nope, the council has learned their lesson."

I leaned towards him and wiped the milk moustache on his upper lip with the pad of my thumb. Jake shuddered and leaned into my touch. The tender moment didn't keep him from continuing in an angry vein as he said, "They'll be shamed by Abel Ateara, the fucking traitor!"

Jake finished the third sandwich and started on the fourth.

I already knew the answer, but I had to ask. "If Seth and Jazz want to start something, will you stand on their way?"

"I won't." Jake shook his head. "Seth's free to do as he wants and I'll support him, won't ever dictate to him."

He scowled at me. "If Jasper hurts him though, he'll have me to deal with besides Leah."

I smiled reassuringly, seeing the angry expression on the wolf's face. "He won't; Jasper is a gentleman, trust me."

"He'd better be," mumbled Jacob as he finally pushed away his plate with the remaining two sandwiches. "Leah's pretty protective of Seth."

Jake's fingers strayed towards the iPod. There was a feeling of awe in his mind when he remembered the feelings evoked by the song I composed. They were tinged with poignancy because apart from his father, Jake had never had someone do anything that special and caring for him.

Billy would carve wolves and deer out of wood for Jake's birthday but his sisters tended to be indifferent, as I gleaned from the hazy recollections of his childhood. Later on, Jake had offered Bella small tokens of his devotion such as the dreamcatcher and the carved wolf, but they weren't reciprocated.

"You want to hear it again?" I pushed the device towards him, hoping to lighten up his mood. "I won't mind."

Jake shot me a wide grin. He edged his chair closer and wrapped his arm around me. "Nope, Edward. I've got the real thing now, man. Can't wait to hear you play it in the flesh." His hands idly traced a path up my neck and ear and he looked at me. "Your hair is windblown, always looks like you've come from a sailing ship."

Then Jake frowned, he was worried because he'd forgotten to do something and it nagged his mind.

I scowled at him when I read his thoughts. "You haven't finished your paper for the end of term."

"What can I say?" Jake shrugged nonchalantly. "Eng lit is kind of boring."

I grabbed the chance to talk about school. Jacob tended to live in the here and now but he needed to make plans for the future. I knew how proud and stubborn he was, so I had to nudge him gently into the conversation.

"Your grades are good, I see."

"I do well in math and physics." He toyed with the carton of milk, evading my gaze. "English, not so good. I have to finish Moby Dick because the teach wants an essay and with the Volturi and all, I forgot."

"I have it on my library, you could read it here."

Jake hated to be prodded to finish his homework like a kid. He pushed his chair away, curling his upper lip. When I saw his handsome, determined face, all I wanted to do was throw him on the floor and have my way with him.

I had forgotten he could read my mind, a fact I was reminded of when he punched my shoulder, hard. "Edward, get your mind out of the gutter!"

"It's hard with you near." I leered at my wolf. If getting him annoyed with me forced Jake to study so he could pass that class, I was all for it.

Jacob narrowed his eyes at me and pushed the plate away. He reluctantly said, "Fine, fine. I'll read the damned book!"

oOoOo

I scribbled on the music paper, biting my lip in concentration. Finishing the sonata would prove easy now because I could draw on my remembrance of the battle for inspiration. I had a wealth of sounds and imagery to choose from: Jake snarling at the Volturi; the cracking sound of the trees splitting open when the vampires and wolves were thrown upon them, the majestic trembling of the earth as the pack advanced from behind the thick trees like transatlantic steamships in the night.

Jake's thoughts were a reassuring, constant hum in the back of my mind. He was on the living room, wrestling with the final chapters of Moby Dick. He had struggled with nautical terms like hawser and jib. I had sent images at him which made it somewhat easier.

'What's a boatswain?'

I paused my writing. 'That's…'

'Wait, I got it! Dad mentioned it when he talked about my uncle in the Navy.' Jake sent me a mental caress. 'Sorry to disturb you.'

'It's no bother, wolf.'

After a while, his thoughts faded. Jake was so caught up in the book, he hardly paid me any mind even though he was unconsciously absorbing the music I occasionally played. It felt as if he was right behind me, peering over my shoulder though he was really downstairs.

It got confusing when Jake finished the book. Within the span of a few minutes, he drifted in and out of consciousness. He was daydreaming; lost in flights of fancy in which he whipped the Volturi and then ran in wolf form through the forest. He shifted and then climbed up the trees, jumping from one sturdy branch to the next. I whirled through the trees alongside him, watching the wind ruffle his hair when he jumped from the tall cedar to the ground.

With a start, I realized I was caught up in his reverie. I was unable to dream but his mental pull had allowed me this moment of freedom from the drudgery of real life. I could let go of my worries and revel in the wicked imagery Jacob's nimble mind came up with.

It was a novel feeling after 90 years deprived of the magic of dreams. I wrapped Jake in my arms and launched him up into the sky, smiling at his twirling body as he landed in the shelter of my arms. I enjoyed the sight of his toothy grin until the earth opened and swallowed us with a crashing sound.

I woke up and shuddered, looking at the crisp paper and my pen which had fallen to the floor. I glared at the damn things which had yanked me from Jake's vivid daydream. Shrugging, I stared at the black and white keyboard until I returned to the task of composing.

I was a bit irritable; the real world seemed quite dull in comparison to his reverie. Soon enough, though, I was lost in the intricacies of knitting the melody. I added notes so they would fit with the rest of the piece as they weaved together, soaring up and down the scale.

I finished and cracked my knuckles in preparation. It was a habit from my youth I couldn't forego, though it reminded me poignantly of what I had lost. As I played the piano, the world dimmed and became indistinct in the trance-like state that gripped me when I was inspired. My fingers cajoled the keys, coaxing the music that had been my faithful companion for so long and had allowed me to keep Jake safe.

Every now and then I paused to add or cross off notes. The inspiration flowed so easily, it was as if a barrier had been lifted, allowing me the euphoric feeling I always felt when I composed.

My wolf's daydream had been fruitful. I tried to grasp the lightheartedness and buoyancy that enveloped me like Jake's arms; that ease which I had lost so long ago. It was exhilarating; I felt as if I had just come from a hunt, so easily did the thoughts flow from my mind to the paper.

In the final movement, there was a part where the music slowed down, like my wolf's footsteps as he approached Caius. When I envisioned Jake leaping and shifting into a wolf, I had the final passage. The sonata ended in a soaring note of triumph.

I lost track of the world as I fiddled with the composition until I penned the last note. I knew I would play around with the rough draft, adding and subtracting notes to make a glissando smoother, or a crescendo sharper. I would tinker with it in the years to come. It would never be finished, just like I hoped our love would never end. Adapting to the circumstances, it would shift both minutely and broadly.

I played with passion, immersed in the crisp sounds of the piano. I was so lost in the music that I didn't notice Jake approaching until his earthy scent hit me. He was leaning over my shoulder; his warmth soothed me as his breath tickled my neck, making me shiver.

'That sounds great, suquima. By the way, Rose called on the phone.'

'She did?'

My fingers caressed the keys as I smiled at the arousal coursing through Jake's body. He got all hot and bothered watching me play and I intended to use this information to my advantage.

'She wanted to know if she could return.' Jake paused and went on bashfully. 'Told her to come back in three hours.'

"And Seth?" I whispered softly, knowing that Jake communicated mentally so he wouldn't disrupt the magic of the moment.

'She said Jasper took him home. Rose and Emmett met them on the forest. She told me they looked flustered, as if they had just been kissing.

"Well, well." I shook my head, imagining the sight.

Jake couldn't restrain himself; he licked my neck, murmuring, "You look so hot when you play!"

I pushed the piano bench backwards and pulled on his arm so he ended up sprawled on my lap. My hands caressed the smooth chest and travelled down his torso, lingering in his abs. I wanted and needed him. I said in a hoarse voice, "I'm going to fuck you over the piano, since you like it so much!"

Jake moaned; he didn't answer because he was busy fumbling with the buttons of my shirt to get it open. And then his damned phone rang!

He took it off from the pocket of his pants and glared at it. "What the hell!" The look changed immediately into one of concern when he saw it was Bella.

He touched my cheek in apology and turned to the phone. "What's up, Bells?"

I groaned; it was quite frustrating to have an armful of Jake squirming on my lap and be unable to do anything! Of all the times, why did Bella have to choose this precise moment!

Bella said shrilly, "Jacob, I'm sorry!"

"Anything wrong? Are you safe? Are you at Charlie's?" Jake spit the questions like a machine gun; he didn't even give her time to answer. I would have asked more precise questions but I was afraid Bella would hang up on me; she didn't like me much at the moment.

"I'm fine, Jacob. Don't worry."

I mentally urged the girl to go on and tell him what was wrong so we could proceed with our foreplay, but all that thought earned me was a furious glare from Jake and a hard poke on my ribs. Really, the wolf paid too much attention to her!

His face softened when he hefted the phone next to his cheek. "So, Bella…"

She finally took the hint. Her voice came off hesitant at first but she ended in a confident tone. "I'm leaving Forks, Jacob. I'm going to Phoenix. I'll work part-time while I send applications to state universities."

I felt sad while I mentally bid goodbye to a part of my life I knew would never return. On the other hand, I was happy that Bella would go on and enjoy the kind of life that had been denied to me; the warmth of her nurturing family and the people she'd meet along the way. Hopefully she would find real love in a man that would be able to give her what she needed, if not what she so earnestly yearned for.

I came back to the moment when Jake sighed wistfully.

"That's great, Bells!" said Jake. "But why are you leaving?"

Bella said in a weak voice, "I'm sorry, but I can't stand being around you and him."

Jake was dumbfounded. An important part of him was sorry to see her go, remembering the friendship he'd enjoyed with Bella, the easy times when he nurtured her back to health. Then he remembered her distraught face in the battle, and his own feelings when he had seen us in the forest and believed Bella and I were together. He finally said, "That's… hardly surprising, I'll miss you though."

"Watching the two of you among the Volturi made me realize…" Bella trailed off and I could hear a rustling sound, as if she was holding the phone next to her blouse. She finally whispered brokenly, "He's there, isn't he?"

Jake grabbed my hand and took it to his lips, gently kissing my knuckles. "Edward's with me, Bella. He's listening."

"You two only had eyes for each other. It was… I don't know, as if the outside world didn't exist anymore." She added ruefully, "And then you started reading his mind."

Jake hefted the phone close to his face and the pale reflection of the screen on his smooth cheek made me want to caress it even in that sad moment. Trying to make her understand, he said tentatively, "Edward's song? It was magical, made me…"

"Please, Jake, don't!" said Bella sharply, and then lowered her voice. "I remember the days when he composed only for me."

Jake let go of my hand and shivered guiltily. "I really…"

"It's ok, Jacob." Bella took a deep breath, audible even through the miles that separated us. "I guess watching the fight made me realize you two are better with each other. I just…. don't want to witness that."

"I understand, Bella." Jacob said, very kindly. I was awed that he could be so empathetic, even now. He had always been there for her, not giving up one inch; just like he had stood up to the Volturi and defended our love to the last. I hoped I would be worthy of such unyielding, brave passion.

Bella said, "I want to make a fresh start somewhere else, a place with plenty of sun."

Jake whispered into the screen, "If you ever need me, Bella, I'll always drop everything to go and save you."

"Even from a problematic boyfriend?"

"Even from him!" Jake's voice broke as he added, "Just say the word, Bells, just say the word."

With the back of his hand, he brushed the tears that rolled down his cheeks, the poignancy of the moment made me envy that ability of mortals to express their sadness.

"You don't have to worry, I will save myself." She snorted and added wryly, "You'd probably beat him to a pulp anyway."

I couldn't help myself; leaning towards the phone, I said hoarsely, "Take care, Bella! Call Alice if you need anything."

She didn't reply directly. There was a dead silence for half a minute until she finally said, "Alice was with me but she stormed off a while ago. You have to watch out for him, Edward, now that Jacob has your love."

The moment was very solemn. I guessed all of us realized our triangle had broken up at last. Bella was entrusting me to take care of her best friend, a task I was only too glad to accept. Jake's hand grasped my neck firmly as he nestled against my shoulder; I kissed his forehead and said softly, "I always will."

"I'll give you my address when I settle down," said Bella. I could imagine tears falling from her beautiful face as she choked back a sob and faintly whispered, "Good-bye Jacob … and Edward."

oOoOo

After that wrenching farewell, the mood wasn't right for lovemaking. I still wanted to lose myself in Jake's enticing body but I knew we would have plenty of time later. Noting my wolf's sad thoughts, I tried to distract him motioning to the shelves filled with CDs. "There's a Bloodtaste album there."

Jake nodded disinterestedly, though his curiosity was piqued when he noticed the OneRepublic CD. Soon he was pulling plastic cases left and right, eagerly asking me what I thought of the music.

The day was waning when he reached across the shelf and grabbed a classical CD. "And this one?"

"It's Mahler's Ninth Symphony." I shrugged nonchalantly but I knew my thoughts would betray my wistfulness. "I've loved it ever since I heard it on my grandfather's house… before Carlisle turned me into a monster."

Jake put it back with a sad expression. His thoughts were pensive but tinged with guilt. I wondered why Jacob felt remorse for something that occurred long before his father was born.

"Why do you feel guilty?" I finally said.

He said sternly, "I'm a bastard because I'm grateful for the thing that hurt you the most. I'm glad you were turned, ok?"

Jacob walked to the window and wrapped his arms around his chest. "I used to hate vampires so much, but if Carlisle hadn't turned you…" He shivered. "You would've died long ago and I would've never had the chance to know you, to fall in love with you."

Jake turned to look at me and the sight of his handsome face twisted in anguish took my breath away. "I'm selfish, Edward! Life's not worth living without you and I'm glad, so very glad I have you."

"I know you hate being a shifter but I'm glad for it." I went to Jake and stood behind him. Wrapping my arms around him, I held him tight but not forcefully. I laid my chin on his shoulder and stared at the window.

I studied our reflections on the glass, the dark and handsome Quileute and my pale face peeking above his shoulder, the living and the undead, a study in opposites joined by the warmth that shined in our eyes as we smiled at each other.

He leaned his head on mine and his reflection frowned fiercely. He whispered, "I'm grateful for your parents, Carlisle who turned you and Arthur who loved you."

We didn't say anything, enveloped in a comfortable silence.

oOoOo

After dusk had fallen, I heard the screeching sounds of Alice's Ferrari pulling into our driveway. There was the slamming sound of her car door and then she was shouting, apparently to my brother.

"I can't see you anymore!"

"Honey, I'm sure…"

"Don't you honey me, Jasper!" said Alice shrilly. "You swim in and out of my visions, you began to disappear ever since Edward started showing interested in the damned mutt!"

"Is that why you tried so desperately to stop them?"

Jake raised his eyebrow, leaning closer to me. 'We should break them up so they don't fight.'

'No, Jake. I don't trust Alice not to turn on you, she's fuming.'

'Fine, fine.'

"I'm losing you, Jasper!" Alice sounded desperate. "The future was perfect; it was arranged so long ago."

"Perfect for you, not me!" said Jasper. He was determined not to use his powers to soothe Alice's ruffled feathers. There was a kind of harshness to him, a determination that he didn't usually display in front of Alice.

"What do you mean, exactly?"

"If you had trusted me instead of your visions, you would know I was unhappy long before I met Seth!"

"He's taking you away from me!" Alice slammed the front door. I could hear the clicking noises of her high-heeled shoes as she paced back and forth.

"He makes me happy!" Jasper snarled. Though he was an old-fashioned gentleman, he had fought valiantly in the Civil War. Alice was committing a glaring mistake if she underestimated Jasper.

Alice snorted. "I bet it's because he's all happy and bubbly!"

Jasper shouted. "No! Because Seth cares for me, because he's not selfish!"

"And I am?"

"Need you ask?"

"I've had it!" Alice yelled and there was a crashing sound when she pushed a chair to the floor. "You have to make a choice, either him or me!"

Jasper snorted disdainfully. "I'm tired of your bossiness and self-righteousness, Alice, it's very annoying!"

"So what if I take charge? Someone has to care for the family! Don't destroy the future I made!"

"You recall Rhett Butler's immortal words, don't you?" Jasper hissed, "Frankly, my dear, I don't give a damn."

Looking out the window, we saw Alice climb into her car, followed an instant later by the Ferrari's headlights piercing the darkness as she drove away.

"The pixie was very angry." Jake said. "What if she hurts Seth?"

"It's not her style. Alice plans to go and stay at the Denalis. She'll wait for Jasper to come to his senses and if he doesn't, she'll find someone more pliable."

"Better warn Seth anyway. The kid'll be prepared." Jake took out his phone and scowled at the screen. "Jasper had better treat him good."

oOoOo

The next two months passed us by like the fleeting sound of a cherished song. Jake was busy studying for his finals. Rosalie and I were preparing the sonata which we would play in midsummer. The constant hum of Jake's thoughts kept me company and we called each other often.

I tried not to bother him too much because the exams were crucial towards his admissions prospect. Jake was also trying to persuade Sam to take on the role of interim Alpha while he went to college. Sam demurred until the council came down on favor of Jake.

I had tried to advice the stubborn wolf about which schools to attend and Jake settled on Washington State University at Vancouver. His eyes shined when he thought about the Mechanical Engineering curriculum.

With all those pressing tasks, we didn't see each other as often as we wanted. That would change, of course, when Jake and I moved to Vancouver. I planned to rent a house in Salmon Creek.

When Jake became overwhelmed by school or his Alpha duties, he'd often give me a mental shout and we'd go into the woods. So far we had made love in a lonely meadow hidden by an outcropping near the Quilayute and in the woods two miles from home, among other places.

Jasper and Seth became ever closer and it was Carlisle who told us about Alice. She stayed for a while with the Denalis before leaving them for another coven in Saskatchewan.

Sometimes I was sorry Alice kept away from us because we could have used her powers. She would have been able to tell us about the Volturi's plans. But then I would look at Jake, frowned in concentration as he turned the pages of a heavy tome and I would remember that Alice's pristine vision of the future was not the foundation of our victory over the Volturi. It had been Jake's sly, chaotic nature.

Finally exams were over and the day dawned in which Rosalie and I would play the sonata for our family and friends.

oOoOo

Jacob shuffled his shoes on the wooden floor as he looked at his father. Billy moved his wheelchair minutely back and forth; he nervously pulled on the cuff of his plaid shirt and nodded at me. The gesture hinted Billy wanted to talk to me and since his mind betrayed the importance it held for him, I nodded back.

Quil and Embry jostled each other, unmindful of Rosalie's glares. They had learned that she wasn't unkind; they only feared her sharp barbs. The two stayed still until Rose turned her attention to the strings on her instrument and then resumed their roughhousing.

Rosalie turned to smile at Leah. "I'm glad you could make it."

"I had to come. I won't stay long, though." Leah said, "Have to work on my scholarship application. Jake already sent his but mine is due in two days." The Quileute woman tugged her skirt. She looked very beautiful in her green ensemble but it was obvious she was a bit uncomfortable.

Rose plucked absently the strings of her instrument. She was aware of Quil and Embry jostling each other but she ignored them. "I can help you, you know."

"You have experience?" said Leah succinctly. She gazed at Seth, mentally deciding he needed to get new shirts for his next year at school.

"Sure." Rose nodded. "I've written a lot of those, I can coach you on the language."

"It's just…." Leah shrugged nonchalantly. "I haven't done anything interesting, academically."

Rose smiled at Leah, her polished nails tapping impatiently against the gleaming wood of her instrument. "I wouldn't call leading the pack uninteresting. We'll just have to tell the essential truth while hiding the details."

Leah motioned at me. "Won't you stay for Jake and Edward's party?"

Rosalie snorted. "They won't miss me. Those two only have eyes for each other, it's sickeningly sweet!"

Jake stepped towards my sister and laid his hand on her shoulder, grinning broadly. "Too sweet? Says the woman who loves 'Close to you.'"

Rose mock-glared at him and reached up her hand to tug his tie back into place. "I'm sorry I filled your iPod with goodies, mutt."

Jake leaned down and hugged Rosalie tightly; then he kissed her cheek. "Sure, sure."

Rose's lips curled upward in a smile while he pushed him forwards. "Now go to Edward, he's glaring at me."

She looked sharply at me. 'You're recording this, right? Emmett will return tomorrow. He hated to miss this but the poor man had to hunt.'

I motioned towards Seth who was in charge of the microphones. The Quileute boy struck me as very responsible.

Rose smiled at Seth and turned to me. 'Good, I'm sure my lovable bear will love it!'

I rolled my eyes; if Rose thought Jake and I were the only ones who behaved 'sickeningly sweet', she was wrong!

'Don't mind Rosalie. By the way, Seth told me Jasper will wait until he's older.' Jake winked at me, fiddling with his tie. Though he was awfully uncomfortable, my wolf had insisted he had to wear a formal suit for the occasion. He looked dashing, notwithstanding his occasional squirming.

'I told you, wolf. Jazz is a gentleman.'

"Do you want some, dear?" My mother held a tray filled with delicious-looking cookies and Jacob grabbed a few, stuffing them into the pockets of his jacket.

"Thanks, Esmée."

She smiled at him and made her way to Seth. I couldn't help but notice how relaxed Jasper looked amid the roiling emotions of the mortals around him. Obviously Seth provided a soothing influence. The Quileute boy shot Jake a grin and held up a handful of cookies.

"Show off," muttered Jacob playfully.

Carlisle sat next to Billy and the two started talking about the hospital.

'Edward,' Jacob's thoughts were tentative. 'Thanks for lending me your car. I may have scratched it when I drove to school.'

'What?' I glared at him.

'Kidding, kidding.' The infuriating wolf winked at me. 'Love it when you get angry. You look so sexy when your lips curl in a snarl.'

I rolled my eyes. 'I have to admit the make-up sex is hot.'

He sauntered towards me, looking very handsome wearing the jacket and tie. He bent down to whisper in my ear, taking a deep breath while he savored my scent. "There's something waiting for you in the Volvo's glove compartment.'

'I know.' I nodded smugly. 'An engagement ring.'

Ignoring Jake's startled groan, I went on. 'I put another one just like it in your Rabbit.'

He fiddled with the collar of my shirt and brushed my shoulders. 'Seems like nothing escapes you, Edward.'

I smiled up at the tall Quileute, drinking the sight of the russet skin shining in the late afternoon. 'If it concerns you, nothing does.'

Jake grinned unabashedly. 'Then you won't mind if I distract you with sexy images while you play?'

"What?" I groaned out loud and when Rosalie snickered, I directed a sharp gaze at her.

"Time to start, Edward." Jake said firmly, "Kwó pkalawoli."

I caressed his hand. "I love you too, Jacob."

And it was with Jake's warmth surrounding me that I started to play the Accompanied Sonata. The power of the emotions that Jake inspired in me flowed through my hands and Jacob's mind soon joined me as the memories I used to compose the piece enveloped us.

I nodded at Rosalie from time to time, enjoying the way her blond hair shined as she nodded, lost in the melody while she plucked the strings of her cello.

Jake carefully turned the pages so I could concentrate on playing but he didn't have to. Long ago I had memorized the notes that were inspired by him, his body – in whatever shape - moving with that grace that only he possessed, his infectious grin when he looked at me in that special way, and those dark eyes shining with mischief and love.

Time flowed as briskly as the silver waters of the Quilayute, and soon I started to play the last movement.

Jacob squeezed my shoulders and my fingers deftly pressed the smooth piano keys as the long, flowing melody unfolded.

Epilogue: Beyond the magical sea