07

*＊✿❀❀✿＊*Chapter Seven: I'm sorry, I love you *＊✿❀❀✿＊*

Sam could see how Bella's state of depression was affecting Jules, and he hated every second of it. Even when she pretended, when she would put on a smile around him, Jared and Paul; they could tell it was fake. Sam knew his Jules' smile. He loved the way it would reach her eyes, when her laugh was genuine and full of light and for the past few months.. it just hadn't been there. She just hadn't been there.

Sam tried to keep Jules out of the house whenever he could. The brunette was always welcome to stay at his place whenever it got too much in fact, Sam encouraged it. He hated feeling so helpless. Sam couldn't help Bella out of her depression but if he could, he would. For Jules. His Jules.

Sam had been wary of Jules hanging out with Jacob. Not because he mistrusted the boy or something, but because he knew that it was only a matter of time before the boy Shifted and he didn't want Jules anywhere near an out-of-control wolf. But, he was her best-friend and if anybody could put a genuine smile on her face, it was Jacob, and Sam knew that. He just had to trust that she would recognise the signs and get as far away as she possibly could.

Speaking of Jacob, that's where Jules was right now. Her happy place was playing Mario Kart with Jacob (and Embry and Quil who had also wormed their way in).

"It's really not fair for you two to be this good," Embry decided as he took another slice of pizza.

"I'll tell you what's unfair, Call," Jules grinned, "I used to beat him all the time and he's currently kicking my ass."

"Cry about it to someone who cares," Jacob smirked, the mischievous twinkle in his eye turned to full-blown laughter when Jules gasped in a very melodramatic manner.

This is exactly what Jules needed. Not that she didn't love Sam and Jared and Paul, of course she did, but she needed a day off from the supernatural world. A day to pretend that her whole life really was about beating Jacob (and Embry and Quil, but they were no real competition) at video games and eating takeout with her favourite people. A day to pretend she was normal.

However, all good things must come to an end and Jules snapped back to reality the moment she left her best-friend's company. Jacob had just dropped her off, and she was mentally preparing herself to enter her home. Once, a place of laughter and joy yet for the last few months, not so much.

Jules had had a taste of normalcy today, and she wasn't quite ready to let it go. Her feet knew where she was going before her mind did, but suddenly she was stood outside of Bella's door. Jules barged in without knocking, but, for the first time in 4-and-half months, Bella wasn't there. Jules frowned; she wondered what finally made Bella snap out of it?

It turns out that — let's face it — an empty threat to send her to Jacksonville to live with Renée from Charlie was enough to get Bella out again. According to Charlie, she was at the movies with Jessica and Angela.

Sure, Jules was a little bit upset that it wasn't her who managed to stir her sister from her pretty-much catatonic state, but on the whole she was just glad that Bella was talking to others again.

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Sam could see that the light had returned to Jules' eyes when he saw her the next weekend, and it made his heart sing. He hated seeing the girl he loved so downcast, knowing he couldn't really do anything but pray Bella somehow pulled herself out of her pit of depression.

Jared and Paul were happy to see Jules more like herself again, too. Mostly because they missed her, but also selfishly because Sam had been an ass for the past few months. They understood that Jules' mood had an impact on him so they just had to ride it out.

Jules was back.

No-one was happier than Jules. Bella was her twin and since that fateful night in September, Jules felt as if she had also lost a part of herself. The fact that Bella would never respond to her pleads to come back to her, was frankly devastating. Even Charlie could see how much it was affecting her, which is also partly why he felt the need to do whatever possible to 'wake her up'.

Also, Jules knew in her heart that she wasn't giving her all to Sam, which ashamed her because he was doing just that. He was so patient with her, even when she would suddenly snap at him because they both knew it wasn't really about him. It was Bella.

So, that was why when Jules showed up on Sam's doorstep unexpectedly, he invited her in without hesitation.

"I feel like I owe you an apology for the last few months."

"You don't owe.."

"Sam, please," Jules shook her head, "just, let me get this out, okay?" Sam nodded obediently and sat on a stool at the breakfast bar. "I know you know these last few months have been rough. My sister would not speak to me and I could feel that slowly killing me," Jules felt tears pool in her eyes. "However, that isn't ever an excuse for getting snappy with you and for that, I am sorry. I love you."

"Can I speak now?" Jules nodded, unable to blink away her tears as Sam walked over to her. He didn't say anything for a while as he simply pulled her into his arms. Sam stroked her hair soothingly, his heart breaking as he felt her shoulders shake. "Please don't cry over me, baby. I love you, too." He pressed a kiss into her hair. "I forgive you, always." Sam felt Jules' shoulders sag in relief.

"We're okay?" Jules asked vulnerably.

"More than okay, love," Sam smiled down at her before unexpectedly lifting her up and spinning her around. Jules threw her head back in laughter as she wrapped her legs around his waist. "You are so beautiful."

"Shut up and kiss me."

Sam was never one to deny her such a request.

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"Motorcycles?!"

"Zip it, JJ, you'll wake my dad," Jacob tried to keep her quiet.

"What the hell are you thinking??" Jules asked incredulously. "Wait, I'll tell you, you were thinking you'll do anything to get some one-on-one time with her, right?"

"Hold up now," Jacob shot her a look of disbelief, "she came to me, okay? I just thought at least one of us should tell you. I'm kinda starting to regret that now."

"But.. motorcycles? Really, Jacob?" Jules scoffed. "You're gonna put the most uncoordinated girl in the world on a fucking motorcycle?"

"I doubt she'll actually do it," Jacob chuckled. "I think she just needs a distraction from that Cullen guy."

"Okay, one thing, do not mention his name or his family around her, okay?" Jules warned. "She's fragile right now, and we don't need anything to send her back into the pit she's only just crawled out of, okay?"

"Got it," Jacob grinned. "I'll keep her safe, JJ. You know that, right?"

"I'm holding you to that, JJ," Jules warned as she wrapped her arms around him. Jacob responded immediately, and pressed an affectionate kiss to the top of her head.

Jules was in two minds about the whole Jacob-Bella thing. On the one hand, she was pleased that Bella was out of the house almost every day now, and not just for school. Jacob was such a good friend to her, and he was exactly what she needed to break through her inner turmoil. And yet, Bella was the type to get too attached to true friendships (just look at her and Edward) and with the knowledge that Jacob could Shift any day now and would potentially hate her for associating with Vampires, Jules couldn't help but worry for her sister. She worried that Bella would truly plummet back into the pit if Jacob left her too, and Jules didn't know if Bella would be able to pull herself out this time.

Sam shared Jules' concerns.

"You know it's inevitable that he's gonna Shift," Sam reminded, as if she needed it.

"I'm aware of that, Sam," Jules sighed. "But it's not as if I can do anything to warn either of them. We just have to keep an eye on them."

"Damage control," Sam nodded. "Now that's something I can do." Jules shook her head, amused with the man before her. "Come here." If Jules ever denied a hug from Sam, she wanted someone to punch her in the throat. "They'll be okay, Jules."

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A/N — Hiii, me again. I'm not sure if I like this chapter or not; I feel like I'm rushing through the story too much but I really didn't want to dwell on Bella's depression period. Let me know what you guys think!Ta-ta for now xoxo