Sequel: Never Truly Loved
Status: Fin.

She Will Be Loved

Know All of the Things That Make You Who You Are

Jacob’s heart was beating out of his chest, his breathing ragged and his mind racing. He couldn’t put into words how nervous he was over rushing towards her small secret hideaway. What if she wasn’t there? He didn’t know what he’d do if it came to that. He’d most likely have a nervous breakdown and go off to find her on his own, even if it meant leaving La Push, Forks, even the state of Washington. He’d go the distance if it meant reuniting with Quinn. She was worth it.

His four paws carried him agilely through the brush and around the trees, his movements so swift and graceful they could rival that of a vampire’s. However, his smooth, fluid actions were the last thing on his mind. He was just sprinting towards the small turn-off with everything he had in his being.

Soon he could smell it – her scent, and he grinned to himself in relief. She was there! Knowing this allowed him to breathe a little easier, but that was hardly anything compared to the ball of nerves his stomach was still contorted into. He knew that he would never be able to feel fully at ease without seeing her for himself, without making absolutely sure that she was in perfect condition, that not a hair was out of place and that her heart was not hurting or broken.

As he knew he was no more than twenty feet from the opening, he stopped on a dime and morphed back into his human form, slipping on his shorts that he had attached to a string around his ankle and dusting off the dirt and leaves they had accumulated. Once that was settled, he rushed through more of the brush and saw the sleek Audi sitting pretty in the middle of the clearing, everything quiet and Jacob’s stomach churning in unease.

Approaching the car quickly and quietly, he peered in through the dark tinted windows, squinting his eyes and being able to make out Quinn’s sleeping figure in the driver’s seat that was reclined all the way back. He smiled and took a deep breath, releasing it in a sigh of relief as he was able to see that his imprint seemed fine, though deep down he knew she was far from it.

“Quinn!” He yelled, knocking upon the windows furiously. “Quinn, wake up! Wake up!”

The figure stirred though the brunette didn’t fully come to, Jacob having to scream out her name as loud as he could for her to realize that someone was beside the car. Shooting upwards, she looked to the window and noticed him standing there just like last time.

She didn’t hesitate to unlock the door, and as soon as he heard her do so, Jacob practically pulled off the handle and pulled her out of the car, enveloping her in a tight, bone-crushing hug, inhaling her sweet scent, and feeling her heart softly pound within her chest. Her arms slunk around his form in return, Quinn doing the same as she took in everything about Jacob and being thankful for his sudden appearance.

“Quinn! Why’d you run off like that? We were all so worried!” Jacob scolded softly, rubbing her back and kissing the two lumps that were beginning to form on her jaw and side of her forehead from when Kimberly punched her. “Why didn't you tell us about the bullying…?”

Bullying. That one word had such an impact that it sent her over the edge instantly, her body crumbling in his arms. She rested her head upon his bare chest, burying it as deep into it as she could. She didn’t want him to see her like this, so broken and pathetic. This whole ordeal was going to change the way her family and Jacob thought of her, and it was all her fault.

“I’m sorry,” her voice whispered shakily, and it was said so softly that even Jacob had a hard time catching it. “I’m so sorry, Jacob. I’m so, so sorry I never told you. I just… I just couldn’t.” Her voice grew louder as she continued to speak, and soon she began to sob uncontrollably for what felt like the umpteenth time that day. She just knew she must have looked like complete and utter shit right about now.

“But why, Quinn? You know that absolutely nothing and no one will change the way I feel and think about you, right? You can tell me anything that’s on your mind and I will never think any differently of you. You’re beautiful, inside and out, and you’re perfect to me in every way.”

His praise of her only caused her to cry harder. “No!” She objected, shaking her head to show her disagreement. “No, I’m not. I’m not perfect and I never will be. My family, you… you’re all perfect, but no, not me.”

“Why do you think that?” Jacob gently brought her face out of his chest and cupped it in his hands, tenderly wiping away the wet streaks her tears left on her cheeks. “It’s not true.”

She made herself stare at the ground, not being able to look him directly in the eyes. “My family’s perfect. They always get good grades, they’ve graduated with honors, they’re all so beautiful and talented… and then there’s me. I’m barely making it by in school, I’m called every name in the book at school, I don’t feel half as beautiful as you say I am, I don’t have any natural talents, and I can’t help but feel that Kimberly’s right – that I’m disgusting and not worth living.” Quinn pulled herself out of Jacob’s hold and sat back down in the Audi, her forehead resting the palms of her hands as more tears fell silently from her eyes.

Jacob stared at the shattered girl before him, her skin was as pale as a blank sheet of paper, and when he was able to glance at her eyes, he saw they were glazed over and dull, that lively sparkle they usually held now diminished and gone. She didn’t look like the same Quinn he knew, but he knew that she was still there, and he knew he’d love her no matter what.

“Ever since I was adopted, I’ve grown up always feeling so inferior to them, like I’m not even worthy to be called a Cullen. And I feel awful for it because I know that they love me with all their hearts, and I know that I love them, too. I’m so grateful for them having taken me in my whole life, but…” her voice began to quiver and soon she was back to bawling. “I just feel pressured to be perfect like them, but I know that’s never going to happen because I’m just Quinn Hurley-Cullen. It’s impossible. I’ll never be able to live like them.”

“And you shouldn’t try to,” Jacob interrupted. “Quinn, this is your life to live. You can live it however you want to. The opinions of others don’t matter; the only opinion that matters is yours.” Kneeling in front of his imprint, Jacob’s hands rubbed her arms comfortingly. “I’m telling you truth; I think you’re the most perfect person in the world. And if you have faults, they only make you more beautiful to me. I wouldn’t take you any other way and I know they wouldn’t either.”

“Thank you, Jacob, but I don’t think you saying this is going to change my mind.” She murmured.

Jacob brought his lips to her own and let them brush against them lightly, the sensation so gentle it felt as if they never even touched. “Maybe not yet,” he whispered, “but I’m going to make you realize it soon enough. Scoot over.”

Looking at him for the first time since she had her breakdown, he smiled at her and motioned for her to move to the passenger seat. She did so quickly and let him take the driver’s, Jacob closing the door and turning to face Quinn once more.

“How did that fight happen at school today? How’d you get those bumps?” He inquired, gently letting his hands graze over them.

Quinn looked down again, her blue eyes scrutinizing the floor and she gave an exasperated sigh. “I was late to school. Edward woke me up and I rushed over. When I was going up the stairs, Davey and Monroe pulled me back and Monroe told me she needed to ‘have a little chat’ with me. I tried to leave, but she pushed me back and told him to hold me down so he did. She tried to rile me up, but I was trying to ignore her, but I was so upset when she brought you into it.”

“Me?”

Nodding, Quinn continued. “Yeah, she called you a poor asshole and I told her not to even mention you. Then she called me a few things, and I told her I didn’t give a shit about what she thought of me to piss her off. It worked and she punched me.” She explained, touching her jaw where she could now feel the lump beginning to swell up more. “I lost it and asked her why she was being a bitch and she gave me some crap story about how I was out to get her as a kid because my parents bought me all the coolest toys to grab everyone’s attention.”

“Well, that sounds kind of stupid.”

“That’s what I said. I told her I couldn’t control what others do and she just called me a liar. I told her she was pathetic for what she was doing and she just punched me again. Then I just completely lost myself and all I cared about what beating the hell out of her. I kneed Davey and pummeled her, she scratched me on my neck a few times, but they didn’t bleed or anything, she pulled my hair, but I managed to give her a black eye, I’m sure.” Quinn smiled victoriously, causing Jacob to smile back. He wasn’t exactly happy that she was in a fight, but seeing that usual grin upon her face was still enough to lift his spirits.

“Mr. Hamilton came, broke it up, and he started to take their side because they’re ‘good students’ and all that other bull. He didn’t even listen to me when I told them they were making rumors about me and that they came at me first. I just couldn’t believe it and left to come here.”

Shaking his head, Jacob pulled her onto his lap and kissed her neck tenderly with affection. They stayed like that for a few minutes, just being close to one another after a hellish day, and Quinn couldn’t have been more thankful that it was Jacob here.

“We’ve got to get you home,” Jacob murmured.

Hearing this caused Quinn to tense up. “No… no, I don’t want to go home. I want to stay here with you. I can’t see them after all this has happened. They’re going to be so disappointed in me. I don’t think I can face them.”

“Quinn, what did I just tell you? And you even said it yourself.” What he was about to say next just didn’t sit right with him; even just thinking about it was making him get a foul taste in his mouth. It was going against everything the other part of him believed, but even he knew that it had to be said. “Your family loves you and they’re going to be there for you, no matter what. They only want the best for you and they’re worried sick right now just like I was. They want to make sure you’re alright, Quinn. Believe me, I would kidnap you to my house, but… I have to bring you home. They’re waiting.”

Staring into his brown eyes, she knew he was right. She couldn’t go off on her own again just because she was scared of what they might think. She couldn’t be that selfish and make them worry even more, even Jacob knew that. So with a sigh, she shook her head and scooted back over onto the passenger’s seat, letting Jacob drive her Audi back home.

Within minutes she was knocked out, and Jacob smiled as she softly snored away her troubles in her deep slumber. As he arrived at the Cullen residence and carried her up the stairs, all of their eyes rested upon him, Alice following after him to get her dressed for bed. Jacob silently returned downstairs and was met by Edward as he reached the bottom step.

“What happened?”

“You mean you haven’t read my mind yet?”

“Well, if you want me to do that,” he retorted, not caring about Jacob’s privacy anymore and recalling every detail about what happened. “She really thinks that?”

“Thinks what? What does she think?” Rosalie questioned, stepping up to him with concern.

“She thinks that she’s not good enough to be in our family.” He spoke softly, not quite believing it. “She feels like she’s never good enough.”

Rosalie’s eyes fell to the floor and she was immediately embraced by Emmett who placed a kiss upon her temple. “Well, we’re just going to have to change that.” He decided.

“She’s thought so since she was adopted,” Jacob said, “changing her mind’s going to take time.”

“Well, we’ve got an eternity of that,” he retorted.

Thinking he might have meant they would change her, Jacob snapped. “Well, she doesn’t.”

“Please, Jacob, Emmett didn’t mean it that way.” Carlisle interjected. “We would never change Quinn.”

“Yeah, man, take it easy,” Emmett agreed.

“Don’t tell me to take it easy, that’s my imprint you’re talking about.” Jacob sneered.

The room went silent and his words echoed in all of the Cullens’ minds. “Yes,” Carlisle began. “Edward explained the entire situation to us, Jacob. Though, I do speak the truth when I say we will not turn Quinn. We couldn’t do that to her. I’d also like to thank you for taking her under your wing and helping her raise her grades.”

Jacob eyed the leech before him and nodded his head as he slowly began to calm back down at the reassurance.

Esme stepped up next to Jacob and smiled kindly at him, the shape-shifter not quite knowing what to do with the vampire that seemed to adore him at that moment. “Really, Jacob, we are appreciative of what you’ve done. Why don’t you go home now, though? I’m sure you must be exhausted from today, I’m sure all of us are, and Quinn really needs all the rest she can get. You can come back another time to check up on her.”

Looking away from the mother of the family, he nodded and muttered a “fine” underneath his breath. “I’ll be back tomorrow.” He stated, and soon left on his bike, back to the reservation.

Tomorrow just couldn’t come fast enough.
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Quinn's bit a bit dramatic hasn't she? Ah well, makes for more interesting events.
I'm going to keep this A/N rather short, so thanks to babykate95 who commented! You're awesome, girl!
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