『 CHAPTER xv, end of act i: NIGHTS IN WHITE SATIN.  』

THE SLEEPING BLONDE AWAKENS FROM HER
deathlike sleep that recovered her from the gruesome looking bruises that littered her olive skin. She gasps for air as if her lungs weren't doing their job during her little snooze. So the blonde thinks it's a little snooze. The pain is such a sharp reminder, the memory of it hurts more than what her body does currently. Her body doesn't hurt at all and the once gruesome bruises that attached themselves to her like a walking reminder she was just moments from death, had seemingly vanished just like said pain. All she can see at first is the ends of her thick lashes, the dim lighting of whatever room she's in helps her to focus a bit — but not much. She looks down at what she's wearing, a hospital gown with several accessories in forms of IV's stuck in her arms and an oxygen tank right beside her that had been untouched for days, the girl quickly getting wind that she must've not have been able to breathe on her own for a while. June Swan almost died. The realization has her electric blue irises burning with unshed tears, the realness of it all causing her to tell herself, and you always said you wanted to die? June didn't want to die like that, fighting for her life. At the hands of a monster – she much preferred her grandmothers way, her heart in her hands with the sun and moon in the sky at the same time with the ground glittering with diamonds.

June finds her vision darting to the window where she can hear the faint patter of the rainfall form outside. Rain, she mused.

Like a trial, she slowly removes the covers from her. The chilly air hits her baking skin in a way that might've caused the faintest of hisses. June stays sitting for a moment before she hesitantly gets her legs to dangle on the side of the bed. As if ripping off a bandage, she steps onto the icy floor of the hospital floor. She takes step after step, like an infant would. Once she knows she's not in pain, she walks easier and more sure until she's looking straight in the mirror. The first thing that she takes from it is that she looks fine. Perfect. She looks like herself, the girl mixed with eternal love and reckless courage and a big heart. June. The girl that wanted to (and still does) die.

The door to the hospital room opens, "Juniper."

Carlisle stands at the door, alone. His face is flushed with relief and he widens his arms as she rushes into them, her face crumbling a bit, "There now, it's okay. It's okay. It's over. You're fine — you are fine, right?"

June mumbles in the embrace, "I don't feel bad."

Carlisle holds her in front of him, "Esme and Rosalie told us everything," His voice was solemn. "How you ended James, how it all started ... thank you, if there's anything you want, I'd be more than glad—"

June wonders why something inside her breaks. Maybe it's the fact that's she's not pure and perfect little June Swan anymore; she's June Swan, suicidal and sad, and a murderer apparently. But then, she won't through that word around so carelessly. The man tried to kill her. She didn't do anything less than he would've done to her. Except, she thinks, he wouldn't have ripped her to pieces and burned her to ashes.

"He wanted to kill me," June tried to speak.

"June, you don't need to explain," Carlisle assures and the kindness in his eyes comforts her. "No one thinks of you differently; for we've always seen you something fierce and brave."

"I ripped him apart." June said numbly.

Carlisle stiffened at her words. He nodded, his hands falling at his sides as he implored her with those molten gold irises, sighing, "You did."

"I killed him." June repeated in the same tone. Her eyes, so blue and so sad meet his. "I'm no better than him."

"Juniper," Carlisle seems deeply troubled by her words and shakes his head immediately. "Juniper, you saved my wife and my daughter. You eliminated a very large threat to your sister and your family — lucky you did, only hell can know what sick plans James had for Charlie and Daphne after he was done with you."

June's eyes shine with some emotion at the mention of her family, blinking rapidly as they began watering, "Bella. And my parents? Are they—"

"Worried but otherwise safe," Carlisle tells her which settled the ache in her chest a bit. "They haven't left the hospital since you were brought here."

"How long was I ... what happened?" June chokes out, fearing the worse thing possible besides death: missing out on life and still waking up to see what you've left behind.

"About a week; six days today." Carlisle informs.

"Six days," June echoes and suddenly only notices the bellflowers that we're by the windowsill with a dreamcatcher over it. "What happened to me?"

Carlisle doesn't answer right away, he only gently picks up her arm and gestures to the barely there bruises that was on her forearm. "Your strength took much of you, the battle with James much more." He relays the information he gathered. "You were near dead, Juniper. You couldn't breathe on your own for a couple of days, a fact I had to hide from your parents before coming up with a story of an overdose ... things wouldn't have added up."

"Fighting almost killed me?" June concluded, her breathing slightly hitched. "I felt like I was gonna die ... I guess an overdose isn't such a bad cause of death, my mom would've believed it. My dad, maybe not ..."

"They were precautionary measures — I needed to think of a story, you weren't showing any signs of life for days," Carlisle says, looking at her again to make sure he wasn't talking to a ghost. "I've never come across anything like it before ... maybe once, but different, I cannot know for sure."

"But they believed it?" June wanted to know.

"Your father was insistent on seeing you," Carlisle says with a solemn look. "Bella arriving back in town pacified him a lot, your grandmother even more. Your cousin as well."

At the mention of her grandmother, June couldn't help but feel eager to think of what she might know. How June, a fifteen year old girl, could've taken down a stone-like man. And Sam, he had visited her? June supposed it took a near death experience for her older cousin to remember her, but then again, she hadn't been the best cousin to him either and she knew how much her approval of his new beau meant to him. Though like all things, June needed time. She'd never have enough of it, it seemed.

"Let me guess—the story is I basically overworked myself again?" June muses, trying to bring some light with a ironic hum to her voice.

"Basically." Carlisle nods, a small smile on his lips. "That's the story we've given, a major stress induced coma that was triggered by your sister leaving. Esme and Rosalie had brought you here as soon as you collapsed in the clearing — I came as quick as I could, your mother came soon after and you can understand how frantic she was and I didn't want to upset her too much, considering her condition."

June blinks in confusion at that, "Condition?"

Carlisle's eyes shine, "Let's just say Bella and you won't be the only Swan's for long, anymore."

The words hit her as much as shock of pain would've; her mom was pregnant. It wasn't far-fetched. Daphne was still very young, she could carry a kid or two more if she wanted. The only thing that surprises June was the fact of having another sibling, younger, looking up to her and to Bella. June felt a sadness larger than life itself; she had gotten used to the idea of the people she was leaving behind after her death. A sibling, so young and innocent, probably not even old enough to be able to remember her wasn't part of the plan. Yet, that sadness turned into a bittersweet song this played in her head ... maybe her mom planned this? It should hurt, thinking Daphne was going to replace her soon-to-be dead daughter for some adorable little bouncing baby. But June shouldn't think like that. Maybe it'll be a girl, another daughter, one mixed of Daphne and Charlie and one they deserved. One who's life didn't have an expiration date on her. Maybe some type of Juniper Swan two-point-oh.

"She came for her first checkup last week. I was under the impression that you knew ...?" Carlisle smiled tentatively.

June wipes her tears, ones she didn't even know she had spilled as she shakes her head. "No, no I didn't. But that's good, actually, great. That's amazing. My mom deserves that." She says hoarsely, cursing her voice for the broken tone. "It'll be fun to have a baby around."

Carlisle fondly smiled; "I think it's time I call for your parents to come see you? Bella's been out of her mind as well, Rosalie even more. But they can wait a moment longer." He tells her.

                June thanks him again. She watches as he shuts the door and she pulls on the sweatpants that were by the chair, they looked like something her mom would have brought for her and a thick pullover jacket that smelled like someone she knew ... but the thought was killed as the door opened again and Daphne poked her head in, eyes that were the embodiment of lightning striking someone softened as she met June's gaze and her mom let out a relieved breath before she rushed to hug her daughter. June felt a weight that hung over her shoulder lift when Daphne pulled her in her arms — she breathed in the scent of her mothers apple and cinnamon aroma, comforting, only bringing more tears to her eyes as she realized she was hugging her mother with the same arms and the same hands that had killed someone only six days prior.

When June felt a movement in the hug, she knew her mother was crying, "Mom, I'm okay." June tries to assure.

"Oh, June," Daphne weeps, holding her tighter. "You we're asleep for so long ... your dad was so worried, everyone is, I kept on preparing myself, waiting for the news. Iris kept telling me it wasn't time but it felt so terrible, Juniper."

June stiffens at her mothers words, a little upset that her mother was still convinced that she wasn't going to die, that there'd be hope, "I'm okay." She echoes. "For now."

Daphne pulls away, her eyes puffy, as if she wondered how June could be so calloused, "June—"

"I'm gonna die, mom." June says with finality.

"You could've already, in that hospital bed," Daphne hissed with worry, the pain evident in her blue eyes. "But you didn't, because you're strong, baby. You're capable of more, you've showed me with the flowers, the magic, maybe there's some way—"

"There isn't some other way." June shakes her head, stepping away from Daphne. "You need to stop putting hope in something that's not gonna happen — you're just gonna make it harder for yourself, mom."

It might've been the single most pessimistic thing that June had ever said, she always joked about her death and how much she yearned for it. Only now she was seeing the repercussions that would come with her death; her mom, so June thought, had many year to grieve the fact she'd lose her only ( eldest ) child, eventually. June didn't know why. Maybe it was the fact she had spilled her first drop of blood, but violence begets violence and always would — I never want to kill someone again, June thought to herself. No matter how evil. But the thought of her doing anything for the ones she loved contradicted that statement; she's kill to protect her family.

"Juniper," Daphne shook her head, a blue fury in her eyes at her words. She looked hurt, reasonably so, but maybe it was better for June's to hate her, so she thought. "You don't know what you're talking about. You can't imagine what it's like to know, to live in fear of everyday wondering if it'll be the last day I'll ever see my daughter—"

"No, mom, I can't possibly imagine!" June shouted back, a flood of anxiety flushing her. "I can't fathom it, because I'll never be a mother, will I?"

             Daphne stared at her, blinking with defeat. "Where's my June?" She murmured.

The blonde almost dropped to her knees with the emotion that racked her with those words; where's my June? She didn't even know. The girl in the mirror looked the same but then again, she didn't. June didn't know who that person was. Where's my June? Daphne used to ask her that when June was a pretty little blue-eyed thing, just a toddler and going to school on the Reservation — June would hide and she'd giggle uncontrollably when her mom obviously overlooked her as she hide in the most obvious of places. Where's my June? Then she'd burst out and Daphne would attack her with kisses all over her face. Is this my June?

June didn't know. "I need to talk to grandma Iris." She said instead, because that, she knew.

"June, just talk to me, please I need to tell you—" Daphne seems urgent then.

"I know mom."

"No, no, you don't." Daphne laughed bitterly, nervously.

"You're pregnant." June says matter of factly.

Daphne's eyes swirl with emotion on how her daughter could possibly know then but the reminder that this same daughter made plants come to life and miraculously revived after six days of being on deaths door, there wasn't much that surprised her anymore.

"I haven't told your dad." Daphne explains.

June smiles. It's so pretty and genuine, it almost uplifts the tension and grief hanging in the room. "I won't say anything."

"I know it's the most terrible time, June," Daphne chokes out a sob and the blonde feels her heart lurch. "I could never think to ... I know how it looks, like I'm having another kid because I might lose ... it's selfish and unfair and you have every right to be angry with me and I'll go back to the Rez if it's too much—"

"Mom," June stopped her. She wiped the tears the streamed down her face. "I could never think that. I couldn't be selfish like that, to expect you to just ... you and dad deserve a kid who's gonna be ... alive for a long time."

Daphne chokes out another sob, "Juniper."

"It's gonna happen, mom." June says numbly, then does the only thing she can think of: apologize. "I'm so sorry. I'm sorry I'm gonna make you go through that ... I'm sorry, I love you. I'm sorry."

Her mom hugs her again. June holds her this time. She wishes she can say, I'm sorry I was ever born, as melodramatic and angst as it sounds, but it's the whole truth; her mom didn't deserve this. To lose a child, to know that she was going to lose a child. June rejoiced in the fact that her mother was blessed with having kid, hopefully the joy of having this one would overshadow the loss of the other. But maybe June was too optimistic or too pessimistic in that aspect. She wouldn't understand what it was to lose a kid. She never would.

"Your grandmas here," Daphne says as she pulls away. "I'll let her know that you want to talk to her."

Her mom doesn't look back as she walks out the door. And June stands there in her thoughts when Iris walks into the room, her salt and peppered hair twisted in a thick knot near her neck. June can see where the beauty comes from, as vain as it was, she never worried if she wouldn't be beautiful because her grandmother and mother are and June had been born being told she was stunning and so, it was never something she aspired to be.

"You're awake," Iris says solemnly.

"I know," June says in a mocking way. "Wished I could've stayed asleep a bit longer, maybe really die though."

Iris shut the door behind her, her aged face took a pinched and sour look. "Don't tell me you've been using this incident to remind your mother about what's to come, Juniper."

June turned from her grandmother, going over to the bellflowers that rested on the windowsill. "She needs to accept it, grandmother." She says lowly. "Mom's hurting herself by hoping I'm gonna live long."

"She's a mother, all she has is hope." Iris seems to agree with June's words though but nevertheless frowns. "You must be gentle with her."

June knew that. It wasn't her moms fault. It was simply the thought of being optimistic in a hopeless situation that infuriated June — she had long accepted her death, the person who was the one dying, why couldn't the people around her do the same? She was loved, but there was many others who were taken too soon and their families had grieved, mourned, then buried them and moved on. She hoped it would be that easy. That was an issue she'd hope to forget as of now; at the moment, June wanted answers to everything and judging from her grandmothers inquiring eyes, Iris knew the answers.

"Grandma," June spoke as if she had been screaming for hours; maybe she had, silently. "I'm different, I think. Something's happening to me ... I'm not weak, but then I am, and I have more nightmares and my body had bruises days ago and now they're gone and then I—"

"Killed a cold one." Iris spoke gravely, her eyes wavering just a moment with the weight of the words.

June paused. Her grandma knew about vampires; of course, those silly stories weren't so silly only because of two months of her prior knowledge of knowing what the Cullen's were. "I did — but not by myself. I had help, a lot of it from—"

"More cold ones." Iris nodded and sat down on the chair by the empty hospital bed. She breathed in, shutting her lids and opening them with accusing blue eyes. "You're digging your own grave, Juniper. I see it now ... before it was unclear. Nothings going to kill you but yourself, the actions you're taking. These powers, they're from nature. You're one with it but when you use it for – for things as unnatural as helping the most damned creatures, for going against nature's will, the consequences are severe."

            June took the words in, you're digging your own grave. "The cold one I killed knew what I was; he said he hated my kind."

Iris visibly bristled, "Of course. You, my flower, are meant to kill those things. That's why nature granted you these powers." She tells her.

"Then why did I almost die using my powers?" June asked with a dreadful curiosity. "Nature wants be to get rid of them but using it will kill me?"

Iris sighed, "I don't know, Juniper; you're very rare, there is nothing recorded, nothing ... but the pills Sue makes you, I found from our ancestors journals — there was a recipe for them, they're meant to counter the sickness that your mortal body suffers from the magic that lives dormant in your veins."

"How do I get rid of it?"

The question stuns Iris, "Rid? Juniper, there is no ridding yourself of this blessing the Spirits have granted you." She says with a shake of her head.

"I don't want it," June replies sternly.

"Juniper—"

"If it's killing me, I don't want it. The Spirits or nature can pick someone to bless." June snapped.

"Because they are not to be used on a whim!" Iris almost snaps, the worry clear in her eyes. "They're for extreme circumstances — not to save some beautiful creatures that will dig your grave with you."

June can't help but feel anger, "I used it to save my friends — to save my sister. It wasn't a whim, grandmother. It was what had to be done and so I did it." She replies stiffly. "Most of all, I was doing something I never thought I would: I was trying to save myself."

Iris stays silent, June doesn't notice it, she's too angry to notice anything at the moment; but Iris is proud of her, deep down. Scared for the fact she's consorting with cold ones, but proud because Juniper was finally understanding who she was and what she was capable of. The time to let her know of the world beyond cold men and women wasn't now, but it would be soon, when a new moon came and erased whatever existed that twilight had bestowed upon them. Iris stood up, knowing after many years of knowing June, when her granddaughter was through talking with her. Before she pressed a kiss to June's brow, she remembered the journals and the writing in them.

        "If you decided to come to the Reservation, I can show you all I know," For once, Iris doesn't sound like she's giving an ultimatum. She's genuine when she continues, "There was one woman from my bloodline had the same affliction, the bruises and the power you have. We long since changed our last name to Blackthorn for some reason, it doesn't say ...  but then I married your grandfather, a Uley, and I had no sisters or brothers, just myself."

June blinks in surprise. She wasn't the only one? Maybe there was hope — she looks at her grandmother, eyes flushing with interest, "What would've been your last name?"

"Had whatever happened not happened," Iris smiles softly, patting her hand. "We would've called Capote women instead of Blackthorn's, they're one in the same of course. But the girl, the last Capote, her name was Melanie. Then after it everyone's surname was Blackthorn—Interesting isn't it?"

June feels the floor sweep from underneath her and the lightheadedness comes back with a vengeance; Capote. Melanie. Edward and Rosalie's cause of sadness, their perpetual melancholy was because of her. Because of Junes apparent ancestor, the blood that ran in Melanie's veins pumped in what was left of June's. They'd both die too soon it seemed, June feels her anxiety rise but she doesn't show it, she's learns to hide what she's really feeling long ago. So she smiles as best as she can, smiling like the girl that was just ready to die and said:

"Very."

•—•—•—•

TECHNICALLY IT WASN'T A SOPHOMORE KINDA prom thing but June was going nonetheless, she always did go where she wasn't supposed to be. It had been a full two weeks since the whole–hospital and June turning into a killing machine and almost killing herself–fiasco and it was finally getting back to normal; which meant that junior-senior prom was here for Bella's class and that seemed to be the epitome of normal which they all just wanted to dive back into. Correction, she was encouraged by Alice and Rosalie's nagging pleas and Bella's attempts at giving her the image of watching her try and dance around like a robot with a twitch. June was also swayed by the fact that Eric promised her full control over the music and that basically sold the deal right there — she'd teach these uncultured children ( even though they were older than her ) what music really is. Plus, Alice had gifted her the most beautiful dress June had ever laid eyes on. It was white satin, a not-so plunging neck line that showed the diamond necklace that Rosalie lent her as the dress fell to her ankles and hugged her petite frame snugly. She looked older, that was for sure. But June finally felt like the tragic princess that she called herself — all she needed was a tower to fling herself from.

"Hey, there princess," Charlie's voice smiles out when she comes down the stairs, her small heels clicking against the wood of the floor. "Don't you look like a million bucks?"

Daphne comes into view, camera in hand as she squeals, Charlie's hand on her small showing stomach ( she was two months now ) as she stands beside him. He had taken the news spectacularly, while he thought his family was just getting bigger, June internally winced at the truth — it'd stay the same in numbers.

"Don't sell her so short," Daphne winked as June did a twirl and her mom ooh'd and aah'd and her heart visibly swelled with joy. "Our little girl looks priceless."

Charlie sighed wistfully, nodding with her moms statement. "Sure does, your mom was always the flatterer outta the two of us — made me blush more than I ever made her."

Daphne rolled her eyes, grinning. "Lets hope this one is more of a charmer." She chimed, hands on her bump before bringing the camera up. "Wait until your sister comes down so I can take a picture of you both."

June beams, the doorbell ringing behind them. She turns and hears her dad groan and walk to the living room with her moms hushed pleas for him to be nice were hears. She goes over to the door and opened it, the fresh air of early may blew in her face. Edward stood there right in front of her, dressed in some ridiculously expensive looking suit and tie with his tousled bronze hair as perfect as ever. He smiles, looking at her with blinking golden irises, breathing in deeply as he gets a glimpse of his girlfriends younger sister. June's smile is iridescent and she pulls Edward inside, his cold hand never phasing her warm one.

"Come in, Bella's not ready yet," June says over her shoulder and looking into the long mirror that was in the foyer of the house.

Edward finds himself unconsciously staring at June, the way her long dirty blond hair flows down her back that's exposed from the dress Alice gave her — too inappropriate for a fifteen year old, but his gaze is similar in circumstance. He stares at her for too long and catches himself, but also cursing his memory of knowing how soft that olive toned skin would feel if it was only a shade darker. He clears his throat, hearing Bella come down the steps. She was unharmed, save the leg brace that Victoria had given her after breaking her leg and biting her — seconds, Edward thought to himself. It's all it would've taken for Bella to be like him, cursed and damned and taken from the life he knows she loves so much. From the beautiful little sister who beams up at Bella, looking at her like she's her hero, when it was that little sister in actuality that saved them all.

Charlie grinned, coming back into the room. "Daph! They're ready!" He says, ignoring Edwards presence and looking back at Daphne with beaming eyes.

The picture was taken quickly; two of Bella and two of June, some of both sisters together and one of Bella and Edward and one with June and Edward and then one of all of them together. Bella looked flushed in embarrassment from the attention but she looked so lovely in her navy blue dress and converse which June giggled upon seeing.

       June looped her arm through Charlie's and waggled her brows as she asked, "You gonna be my date, pops, or what?"

Charlie shook his head, a smile on his face. "As much as rather you not dance with guys, which you won't be, Bella I'm looking at you— watch over your sister," He told Bella who nodded, winking at June when he turned away. "I think you'd much rather do that then be with your old man with two left feet."

June laughed, patting his arm before giving him once last hug as Edward led them out the door. "I've danced with Bella before, I think I can handle you." She giggled as Bella reached out to swat her.

Edward paused and said to Charlie, "I'll take good care of them, Chief, I promise."

Charlie glared at him but softened when Daphne gave him a look. "Yeah, I heard that before." He said, his lips in a tight line as they walked outside the house.

They wait by the door as Edward leads them into the car and she winces as Bella groans at their dads words. It seemed that Edward wouldn't be the fathers-choice type of boyfriend but then again, Charlie's expectations were exceedingly high — she supposed all dads were like that. Wanting the best for their daughters; well, some. Edward parked by the front suddenly as they arrived at the school, the prom is full swing and the music muffled from being blared in the inside. June already made a deal to have Eric boom her playlists of the most bopping songs of the seventies and eighties, even though he frowned upon seeing them, she countered not everyone wanted YMCA playing as they slow danced. Edward was quick in opening the door for Bella and June for them to wait by the bench so he could find a parking space. Bella saw some of their friends and tugged June to come with her but she saw something behind June that had her grinning, jutting her chin out.

June frowned and turned, looking to see someone she hadn't seen in weeks; wearing a button up shirt and his long hair pulled at a ponytail to the nape of his neck. Her face lit up, like moonlight coming from her skin. "Jacob?"

The Quileute boy smiles just as grand, looking at her like she was the best thing since sliced bread. He does a double take and she feels a bloom of confidence in her chest, "Hey, ocean eyes."

Bella grinned from where she stood, her eyes darting between the two fifteen year olds, "I'll meet you inside, June." She says suggestively as Edward comes into view and she bounds over to him. Bella nods to Jacob. "Bye, Jake."

After her sister leaves, June wastes no time rushing over and pulling Jacob into an embrace, her breath hitching at the warmth he emits — his hand is on the exposed skin of her back. She realizes he's basically picking her up and blushes when she hears him say, "I've missed you."

June giggled, unable to stop the smile from spreading on her face. "Same here, handsome." She tells him and then looks at his white button up shirt and dark jeans and hopes she's not in some dream, because he looks like it. "What brings you were, looking all spiffy?"

Jacob gave her a quirk of his full lips. "Heard the pale faces were having a dance," He shrugged jokingly. "Thought you might be here, looking all beautiful."

"And if I wasn't?" June smirks.

Jacob let out a laugh, his white teeth shining brightening the night. "Oh, you're always beautiful but it'd be really awkward showing up at your house in a tux; I didn't even ask to be your date." He blushed nervously, then stuttered, "If you don't have one–like only if you're not here with someone already—"

"No, there's nobody." June finds herself saying immediately

Jacob looks down at her, breathless. "Nobody?"

June grins, shaking her head with blond curls bouncing as she did, "Nobody I wanted to go with, I don't really see anyone, not here anyway." She boldly interlaces her hand in his, smirking at how large his hand was compared to hers. "But you're here. Thankfully. I would've been dancing alone, oh the social horror."

Jacob gives her a skeptical look, "I doubt that." He says with a small laugh. "I'm sure there's lines of those jocks waiting to take the pretty cheerleader for a spin."

June rolls her eyes, "Like I said. I don't see anyone else."

"Who do you see?" Jacob asks, his toffee colored eyes on her.

"I see you." June chimes.

"You do?" He blinked, surprised.

"Yeah," June shrugs at his surprise, her lips pulling into a smile. She felt happy, not fake happy, not even almost. She was. "I've always seen you."

"I've always seen you, too."

June looks down, he does too. She does it because he's so damn beautiful, there's never been anyone more beautiful and male than him. Jacob's a million suns, the brightness and warmth wrapped up in a being too damn good for this world. She looks down because she knows she might kiss him if she stares up at him any moment longer — chuckled softly before she tugs his hand and leads them both towards the dance. She weaves them through the crowd and headed for the gazebo outside, Jacob holding her hand the whole time. As they walked up, a slow song started playing — Elvis Presley, a classic, can't help falling in love sorta vibe. June was pulled into Jacob's arms, softly swaying to the music as she sunk into his hold, resting her head on his shoulder while she was surrounded by his woodsy smell. His appearance is truly a sight, but she can't help the lingering thoughts of her grandmother and the warnings she was shoving at her — if she didn't want June with a Cullen, she's make sure June would be with someone she did want her to be with.

"Hey, by any chance," June speaks up softly. Her eyes search for the answer in his before she even asks, "Did my grandma or your dad or Sam send you to come check on me?"

            Jacob looked caught but he shook his head, "Sam heard I was coming — him and my dad, kinda tag-teamed me." He admits sheepishly. "I was going to come see you regardless, I visited you while you were asleep in the hospital but you were asleep, but Sam insisted I come and ..."

June frowned when it looked like he didn't want to say anything else, "Come on, puppy, you've seen Sam and me fight firsthand, there isn't anything he says that I can't handle."

        Jacob groaned, "June, really it's nothing. It's just then being the superstitious pricks that they are."

June couldn't help but muse, because if only it was superstition and not real. She cues the batting of the lashes, her arms tightening around him, "If it's nothing then tell me."

"I don't want to upset you, stress you out." Jacob looked genuinely worried he'd put her in another near death situation with Sam's stupid words. "Your mom told me you were stressed and I couldn't live with myself if I—"

"It's fine, Jacob, I promise I won't get mad." She told him. He gave her look and she smiled. "I promise I won't get completely mad, there?"

Jacob sighed, looking down before nodding. Once he looked up, he was met with those crystalline eyes and just like that, he was putty in her hands. "My dad agreed when Sam said that it's best for both you and your sister, you especially, I quote, to stay away from the Cullen's — he thinks they're ... not right."

            June wasn't taken aback by the news. She blinked a few times, trying to be cautious about showing her emotions. "Oh." Was all she said.

       Jacob rubbed his face, groaning a little. "You see? I told you, I didn't want to ruin—"

June immediately shook her head, putting an assuring hand on his chest. "No, I'm not mad, or anything, it's just that—Bella, well, she—she loves him. Edward's in her life as long as she wants him to be and it's her decision." She said simply. "I don't have much influence on Bella's choices, Jacob. It's whatever she wants."

"Sam's more worried about you," Jacob says.

June hums lightly, "When isn't he worried about me?"

Jacob smiles, "I don't think he gives you enough credit."

"Most don't," June sighs.

"I think you're strong." Jacob says to her, his eyes sincere and his voice unwavering. "Everyone always thinks you need protecting but I think ... I think you take care of everyone else too much, you forget about yourself."

June felt her throat tighten. Could this be enough? She asked herself. Jacob? Could he be the one thing that makes her want to live and to live long enough to love? It's an incredibly beautiful picture, Jacob seeing her for her for what she really was and not the stupid facade she pulled out for everyone. But then she realized she had worn that facade for so long ... she didn't remember what it was like to be genuinely happy, or love struck, or anything. June knew how to fake all of that, but it had been too long to be real.

"I think you give me too much credit, Jacob," She says earnestly, her hand going to rest on the once unnoticeable yet now prominent cheekbone of his. "I'm not all that great, really ... I'm a mess."

           Jacob seems to take in her words, "I've never been much of a great person, either." He says back. "I'm terrible sometimes."

"That's impossible." Softly, she shook her head, "You could never be. You don't have it in you to be terrible."

Jacob twirls her around and smoothly pulls her back into his arms as they continue dancing. June can't think straight. She can't be around him. You're terrible to think you like him, A voice in the back of her head says to her. You're terrible to deny you don't, another retorts. The consequences she was harboring with this was too grand — she couldn't push him away, she would eventually, like all good things June Swan's ever had, she'll ruin him.

"Agree to disagree?" Jacob grins.

"No, you're wonderful." June says with finality, her smile coming back. "Hasn't anyone ever told you? The lady's always right."

"I think I know it, I have two sisters remember? They did good to remind my dad and me before they left." Jacob laughs, and she laughs with him. They stare at each other for a moment. He clears his throat. She looks down. The songs almost done. "June?" He asks.

"Hmm?"

"Is it, I don't know, impossible to hope that maybe, one day, if you're willing," Jacob says slowly. "To make something work? With—you, and with me? Like us, only us?" Her heart falls and he might've saw her hesitance because he follows up with, "I know our parents have always joked about us being together and I don't like you just because you're the most beautiful person I've know, you are, but that's not the point. I know you care about everyone but I think you could use someone caring about you. Not that you need anyone, but I mean, everyone needs someone—"

"Jacob," She interrupts him, a hand on his chest. He awaits her answer with those eyes she adores. "It's not impossible to hope."

"It's not?" Jacobs face breaks out into a breathless smile.

June smiles back, "Why is that so surprising?"

"Because!" He says with an incredulous look. "It's you, June Swan and I'm—"

"Jacob Black," June says back. "I don't need you to sell me on reasons to want you, Jake. You don't have to convince me. I know how good you could be for me."

"Then let me." Jacob tells her.

June wants to. She wants him. She's never really known what she wants; but she knows she wants Jacob, with his sweet words and the look in his eyes he has every time he looks at her. For longer than she could've possibly known, she's wanted that. But maybe, maybe if she was good and not going to die, maybe if she knew she'd be here for a long time and wouldn't ruin the goodness in him ... she's kiss him right then and there. But that isn't the case. She won't live forever, she won't live long enough to ruin anything about him.

          "Can we have right now?" June asks hopeful. "And then, when I'm ... better, then I'd be honored to have my heart broken by you."

"I'd never." He vows.

June smiles fondly, she believes him. But he breaks her heart every time he smiles and says something kind, or even when he just speaks. "I know."

"I've got loads of time," He tells her, hope in his voice.

She feels the burning of tears in her eyes, but she blinks them away along with any residual pain. June can't hate her circumstance any more than she does then, she wants to scream and say I really like you! I want us! I don't have loads of time, I don't know if I'll wake up tomorrow even ... but she fakes a smile and tells him:

"I really hope so, handsome."

They say nothing else as they continue to sway to the music. Jacob can't help the swell of his heart as he watches June laugh at something he says, or when her hair moves as she does, the silky blonde color of it catching the party beams and turning it into moonlight and sunlight woven together. June can't help the aching in her heart as she holds Jacob close and rests her head on his chest, thinking, even if they're both so young – they might know what love is, because what they feel for each other was much more than what normal people had. People were fickle, she knew. They could promise everlasting love one moment and cheat the next or say they'll never find love and end up having the most epic love of all. In all of her recollections, June could come up with one and one only: people were strange, but by the way she made the flowers around the gazebo bloom, they would never be as strange as her.

note: biiiiitch listening to dear evan hansen and writing this,,,,not the best idea im sobbing. END OF PART ONE!!!!!!!!!!FOOKIN FINALLY!!!! my children are so cute and there's gonna a whole more fluff in part two 🌚🌚🌚 and my girl chelsea's oc lyanna @firenations will be in there a lot too so check out her story and her seth fic which will also be featuring her oc in here later ;))))))

THANK YOU FOR YOUR LOVE ON THIS BOOK!