Carlisle checked Jacob out as the pack looked on. Jacob's eyes were responding to the pen light that Carlisle was flashing into his pupils. His reflexes were good, wounds were looking better, and appetite was back with a vengeance. "Is that food over there?" Jacob tipped his head in the direction of all of Renesmee's uneaten food.

"It's just what we've offered Renesmee, but she refused to eat," Edward tattled, much to her dismay.

She stuck her tongue out at her father and scowled. "I ate...some." Everyone knew that wasn't true, but didn't want to rat her out because it would upset Jacob.

Jacob frowned, as he smoothed his palm over her ribs and curved around to her stomach. "How long have I been out?" he asked, his voice full of concern. "It feels like you've lost ten pounds," he whispered into her ear.

She tipped her head toward the sound of his voice and squeezed her eyes shut for a moment. Renesmee didn't care that he was scolding her or that everyone was watching them, she was just so happy to have him back. "I'll go find you something to eat," she told him as she moved away from her spot on the bed.

"No way," he argued as he pulled her closer, buried his nose in her hair and inhaled deeply.

"Jake," she protested unconvincingly, turning to face him and lowering her gaze.

"I'll tell Esme to make all your favorites," Bella gushed. She squeezed his knee and he smiled up at her. "We're so glad you're finally back." Bella paused to throw Renesmee an overly excited grin before turning to race up the steps.

Jacob turned his attention back to Renesmee, just wanting to study her face. "I missed you so much."

Renesmee searched his gaze and saw a small sadness in his eyes. "I never left you. I just wanted this...to have you come back to me." Then she pressed her palm to his cheek and showed him her memories of the past three days, the way she slept next to him, watching his every move, and refused to leave his side.

She was careful not to show him any of memories of the way she found him near the treeline or how his heart had stopped or much she had wept over him. He still felt guilty. He knew that all this had taken a toll on her, but he was determined to make it up to her.

"Hey, Doc," Jacob searched the room for Carlisle. "Could I..." he paused to lower his voice, which seemed silly due to all the excellent hearing around him. "Can I go to the bathroom?"

The wolf pack chuckled lightly and started with their congratulations and goodbyes, knowing they needed to clear out and give Jacob some privacy.

"I'm sorry I didn't get to make out with your girlfriend," Paul joked lightly as he shook Jacob's hand. They both tried to maintain an angry scowl with each other, but it was pointless, because they both burst out laughing.

Quil gave Jacob a hug, even at the risk of looking like a softie. "We missed you, man."

"I've been here the whole time," Jacob scoffed.

Jared pretended to punch Jacob in the gut, obviously never making any contact as Jacob laughed and then winced in pain anyway from laughing. Jared glanced at Renesmee and smirked, "Call us...if you need anything." He reached over to crook his fingers under her chin, but when Jacob scowled at him, he pulled his hands up in defeat.

Seth pulled Renesmee up off the bed and wrapped her in his biggest hug yet. Jacob watched intensely, but saw Embry trying to slink out, unnoticed. "Hey, Embry..."

Embry sucked in a deep breath as he wheeled around to face Jacob. Seth said goodbye and passed Embry on his way to the door. "Good luck," Seth smirked.

Renesmee crossed her arms over her chest as he strolled up to the bed. Jacob looked just as angry as she did, but Embry was ready for whatever they could dish out. "I'm not apologizing for what I did," Embry began, his chest puffed out with defiance.

Renesmee shook her head slowly as she scowled at Embry. "What in the world..." she paused to lean closer to him, then continued, "would make you think...that I would ever want you to apologize ?" Jacob was taken aback when he glanced up at her. Her angry eyes were now softer and reflected gratitude as she stifled a smile. "Thank you," she gushed as she threw her arms around his neck and squeezed him tightly.

Embry chuckled a sigh of relief as he hugged her back, but he released her quickly when he saw Jacob's intense stare. "I'll make a deal with you, Jacob," Embry offered when Renesmee released her hold on him.

"What's that?"

"I'll give you a rain check...for that well-deserved ass kicking that we both know you're dying to give me," Embry suggested.

Renesmee laughed as Jacob sat, stone faced staring at someone he considered a brother, before and after they had joined the pack. "Jake..."

Jacob nodded and leaned forward, "Why wait? Let's do it now."

"Jacob," Renesmee warned as she sat on the edge of the bed facing him now. "Stop messing around with Embry."

Jacob scoffed as he reached for her face and addressed Embry once more. "You're just lucky I wanna be with Nessie more than I wanna kick your butt right now."

"Until then, I guess," Embry suggested as he reached around Renesmee and offered Jacob a handshake.

Jacob smiled tightly and shook Embry's hand. "Until then."

Jacob scowled when Embry pressed a kiss to Renesmee's temple. "I'm gonna remember that," Jacob warned as Embry turned to leave out the patio door.

"I'm counting on it," Embry retorted as he wheeled out the door.

Jacob sighed tiredly as he pulled Renesmee to his chest. "Careful!"

He brushed off her concern and squeezed her tighter. "Oh you just hush. I owe you how many days of hugs?"

"Four," she replied sheepishly, hugging him back and finally relaxing for the first time since she found him. She felt him tense up and pulled away to check him over. "Did I hurt you?"

Jacob laughed and kissed her lightly. "No I just remembered I still need to pee."

Renesmee jumped off the bed and laughed. "I'll go get Carlisle."

Jacob watched her go, hating how weak he felt. He tried to lift his legs to maneuver off the bed, but they felt too heavy. Four days was a long time to be out. He wondered how much longer he would have to stay here.

After some hard work, Jacob managed to get one toe off the side of the bed. He scowled at his progress. How pathetic.

Emmett opened the door cautiously and entered the room. "Just wanted to make sure you were decent," Emmett explained. "I'm sure Renesmee is anxious to..."

"Don't start. Just come help me get out of this bed," Jacob ordered, straining to move his leg a bit more.

"Dude, what are you doing? You can't get out of bed."

When Jacob furrowed his brow in confusion, Emmett held up a plastic receptacle for Jacob to use. His reaction was to be completely horrified by the idea and he absolutely refused to comply. "Please, dude, no. I need some dignity here. Just help me up."

When Emmett glanced back to the doorway and hesitated, Jacob became even more determined to get up on his own. "Okay, okay," Emmett finally relented. "But if we get caught, I'm blaming you."

Emmett kept his promise and helped him cross the short distance to the restroom. Jacob was shocked at how difficult this was. He was almost totally helpless. He was already hating how badly he would need everyone's help to get through this.

By the time he returned to his bed, he discovered that Esme had literally made all his favorite foods. It took two hospital bedside tray tables to hold all the plates.

Jacob was exhausted and sweating profusely when he finally got comfortable in his bed. He began tasting everything, oohing and aahing over it all. "Is she out there?" Jacob asked Emmett between bites.

Emmett was already standing at the patio door, looking out over the evening sky. "Nope," he observed. "And it looks like all your friends left. Well except for one...it looks like Leah."

Jacob continued to sample everything as he thought about Leah and how she must feel. "Will you ask her to come in? See if she wants to visit me?"

Emmett nodded quickly and stepped outside. After a few moments, Leah appeared in the doorway, no sign of Emmett. She stood at the closed door and just watched him for a minute. She seemed to be steeling herself for this visit, totally unconvinced she belonged there.

Jake smiled tersely and waved her inside. "I won't bite," he joked when he saw her hanging back.

She chuckled and the sound of it threw him for a loop, it was something she rarely did. Feeling braver, she stepped closer to him and chided, "I guess as long as I'm not a chicken wing, I'll be safe."

Jacob laughed. "Well, I haven't eaten in a while...want anything?"

Leah's eyes opened widely over all the choices. She hesitated and he noticed so he told her, "Please save me from myself! I'll never be able to eat it all."

Leah finally conceded, reaching for a cookie and a cheeseburger. "I've been patrolling all day," she explained.

Jacob nodded. "I figured...well I hoped that was the reason you didn't come and not because..."

"Because I still have a thing for you?" she finished his question and scrunched up her nose at him.

He shrugged and smiled nervously, "Well..."

"Ugh!" she groaned, tossing a dinner roll at his head. "You wish I still had a thing for you."

"So you're okay now?"

Leah sighed and stood to cross the room. She looked out one of the giant windows and thought carefully about what she wanted to say next. "Okay is such a relative term, Jacob."

Jacob nodded. "I understand if you don't want to talk to me about it."

Leah turned to face him and shrugged her shoulders. "I don't know what else to say about it. I know how you feel about her. And I just have to figure out a way to deal with her in order to be around you."

Jacob cocked his head and searched for her gaze. She crossed the room to be near him when he patted the empty spot on his bed. "You don't have to do this," Leah murmured as she sat facing him.

Jacob pressed his lips together and gave her a small smile. "I never really got a chance to thank you for that kiss."

Leah blushed and shrugged, acting like it was no big deal. "I just wanted...to help you."

"But you didn't have to. And I've been in your position before," Jacob nodded, giving her a knowing look that she understood to mean his unrequited feelings for Bella. "So I guess what I'm saying is that I know how you feel and it's not a good place to be."

Leah swallowed thickly and turned her head away from him. She was determined not to let him see her cry. He reached for her hand and held it before continuing. "I don't want to ask you to stay in my life if it causes you pain. But I can't offer you anything other than friendship and I have to be honest about that. Because I refuse to dangle the possibility of anything more in front of you just so you'll be my friend."

Leah nodded slowly, raised her head, finally meeting his gaze. "I want you to know that I care about you," she began. "I was devastated when I found out you had been in that accident, but I couldn't bring myself to step through that door until tonight. I would come by here and watch you from behind the trees, because I had to know you were okay. And everytime I looked through that window, Renesmee was here. Every single time."

She paused to look down at their hands and then spoke again. "And while I tried to convince myself that she didn't deserve your love, I now know that she truly loves you. It's not just the imprinting. You two have something very real. And as much as I would like to cut you out of my life to spare my own pain, I don't want that."

"Really?"

Leah forced a smile and searched his gaze. "I appreciate you telling me the truth. And while I think you're passing up something really awesome," she paused to point at herself and Jacob laughed, "I can see why you love her. We can all see it."

Jacob pulled her into one of his bear hugs and she sighed against his shoulder. "I just want you to be happy, Jacob. I really do."

Jacob held her away and said, "I want that for you too, more than anything."

"Hey."

Leah backed away from Jacob as Renesmee approached the bed. "You better hurry if you wanna eat with Jacob," Leah joked. "He's about to finish off all the cookies."

Renesmee glanced from Jacob to Leah, her expression was unreadable. "You should stay and eat with us. Esme made a couple of pies too. Honestly there's plenty to go around."

Leah smiled tersely and shook her head. "I should really get back out there, but maybe next time."

"Come back anytime."

"Good night, Leah." Jacob watched her move toward the patio door and when she heard him speak, she gave him a small wave.

When she was gone, Renesmee turned to face Jacob and asked, "Is everything okay?"

"No."

Renesmee narrowed her gaze, suddenly feeling very protective of him. "What's wrong?"

He reached for her waist and pulled her toward him, her body half laying on his. He used both hands to smooth her auburn waves away from her face and he sighed. "What's wrong is...I missed you, you were gone way too long, and I'm in serious need of your kisses," he blurted playfully.

"Jacob..." she began, tempted to move off of him, terrified to hurt him, but determined to make up for lost time. So she tangled her fingers in his hair, pulled him impossibly closer and pressed her lips to his. And it was perfect.
......
A/N: if you're reading this, please leave a comment and let me know what you think!