Breathing

"You're going overboard." Edward said while he watched Annabelle wipe the blood slipping from her finger onto a branch next to her.

"This is all I can do to help, so.." She trailed off when she saw Edward was fixated on the red liquid dripping from the tip of her finger. "Sorry." She said quietly and moved her hand behind her back.

"It doesn't bother me anymore." He replied, shaking his head.

"Since when?"

"Since I spent twenty four hours thinking you were dead." He said as he looked into her eyes. Edward didn't give her a chance to reply before he said, "You're not wearing your ring."

Annabelle avoided his eyes. "I didn't want to risk losing it."

"Or risk Jacob seeing it." said Edward. "If you're having second thoughts--"

"I'm not." She quickly said, the tone of her voice heightening. "I'm not." She said again, calmer now, when Edward gave her a look. But the truth was, Annabelle was having more than second thoughts. She was having a hundred thoughts about her choice. She regretted it the second the word had fallen from her mouth. "I just want him to have a clear head." She had only accepted Edward's proposal in hope that her feelings for Jacob would just fade away - she knew it was awful, but what could she do? She thought it was working. Until Annabelle heard his voice again.

"Whose head is unclear?" Jacob asked, appearing beside her.

"Nobody's, I hope."

"Alice said there's a storm coming." Edward spoke.

"Yeah, I can feel it." Jacob glanced to Annabelle. "We should get going."

"I'll see you in a couple of hours." Edward told her as he moved forward to plant a kiss on her forehead whilst Jacob glowered.

Jacob noticed how her eyes lingered on the ground for too long before she turned to him. "Something up?" He asked.

Annabelle quickly forced a smile. "No, no." She exhaled. Nothing."

-

"Thank you." Edward said to Jacob when Annabelle was in his arms again. "You should get back."

"No, I'm staying."

"You're not fighting?" Annabelle asked as a smile crept onto her face. Jacob shook his head and opened his mouth to speak, but Edward interrupted.

"Come on, let's get you inside." He said as he led her away to the tent.

-

Annabelle had never felt so cold in her life. She felt like ice was running through her veins, pumping into her blood. Every gust of wind against the small fabric around her sent new chills into her body, causing her to shiver.

The door to the tent zipped open. "I can't sleep with all that teeth chattering going on." Jacob said, entering. Annabelle looked to him when she felt his eyes on her.

Edward glanced between them. "Forget it." He told Jacob.

"She may need her toes some day." Jacob said and went to move forward when Edward's hand grabbed his shoulder. "Get your hand off me." He growled.

"Keep your hands off her."

Annabelle would have spoke up and stopped them, but she couldn't feel her lips.

"She gets sick - it's on you." Jacob bit out. Edward looked between them before nodding, a painful look on his face as he watched Jacob climb under Annabelle's sleeping bag. Jacob pulled her close and wrapped his arms around her.

She felt like she was on fire. From being so cold, to so warm - it was incredible. Jacob was like her own sun, and she loved the thought of that. Her breathing steadied as her body warmed, whilst Jacob rested his head on top of hers. She wanted to stay like that forever.

Annabelle listened to his heartbeat as she drifted off to sleep.