These Dreams

Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

Chapter One

"NO!" I screamed sitting up in my bed. My bed…in MY apartment near campus. Another dream. These dreams have plagued my existence since HE left three years ago. Will they ever stop? Was I to be tortured with them for the rest of my life? I was finally out on my own, about to start college, and I was hoping I could leave the dreams behind. Evidently I was wrong.

The dreams used to be the same every night…running after someone who wasn't there. Over the years they had changed. I was no longer running, searching for my lost love, now someone was watching me. Who it was I didn't know. I never saw his face. I just knew he was watching me. It was an eerie feeling…someone watching you. The dreams were always the same. What were they trying to tell me?

Beep Beep. My alarm clock went off. I rolled over and pushed the snooze button, although I knew I wouldn't go back to sleep. I was too busy analyzing my dreams…again.

I am in the meadow…our meadow…I am wearing a flowing white linen dress. My skin is pale, but not paler than it is now. My eyes are still brown, so I know I am still me…I am not dead, not a vampire. It is dark; however the full moon lights up the grassy earth making it glow. What is strange is that I know I am being watched. I can just barely make out movement in the trees.

"Who's out there?" I whisper.

No sound. Everything is still. There is something out there. Something watching me. Whatever it is draws me toward the forest. I can't resist it. I have to find the being watching me. I have to see his face.

What makes me think it was him? I didn't know. I couldn't imagine anyone else watching me. He was always so protective of me. At least my heart was hoping it was him. The dream always ended the same.

I start running for the trees and suddenly my feet are off the ground and I am falling.

Just before I land, I wake up. Always screaming, always sweating.

My dreams had at least lessened for a while. When I was with Jake, they were almost bearable. He was my best friend and my personal sunshine. He helped me put the pieces of my life together after they left. I was a broken, comatose girl and Jake helped me get my life back. As long as we were together, the dreams didn't bother me as much.

There was a time, however, when I thought I had lost him too. I had called him after our movie night over a year ago with Mike and he had said he didn't feel well. I thought he had the stomach flu. Boy was I wrong. Little did I know that my Jacob was going through a change that neither of us had expected. He ignored me for a while until I decided to confront him. It wasn't until he snuck into my room later that evening, speaking in riddles, that I put the pieces together. Jacob was a werewolf.

Jake. What would I do without him? He was and still is my personal savior. I know that I can call on him and he will be there. I loved him, not as much as he loved me, but I did love him in my own way. No one would ever match the love that I had lost, but Jake came close. He was a constant companion that first year, helping me put the pieces of my heart back together. We laughed, cried, and loved each other. It was Jake that showed me what real love was. I eventually gave everything to him. Everything.

Because of Victoria, Sam had the pack patrolling my house at all times. Jake took the night shift and knowing he was out there watching me made me feel safe. If I had one of my dreams, he would be there, holding me, telling me everything would be alright. He wouldn't leave until I was asleep again.

As time went on, the walls around my heart started to fall. It started simply enough, with just a quick brush of my lips on his one night after one of my nightmares. It had startled him and he had left my room in a hurry that night; not waiting for me to fall asleep again.

A few evenings later, he was in my room again, calming my heart as I cried in his warm embrace. I looked up and as he dried my tears, I reached for him again. This time there was no shock, no hesitation on his part. His lips moved with mine…so soft…so very warm…unlike my kisses in the past.

Our relationship progressed over time. There wasn't a night when he wouldn't sneak in and give me a sweet kiss before going out on patrol. There were even times when I would wake up to his kisses in the morning. I loved Jacob. I was beginning to feel whole again. My dreams, however painful they were, had brought us closer together, and soon we were closer than ever before.

I'll never forget that night. I had relived the worst day of my life in my dreams. I woke up screaming and crying at the same time. Immediately Jake was in my room to hold me and quiet my racing heart.

"Shhh. Bella, it's okay. It was only a dream. I won't let anything happen to you. You are safe." he said as he gently stroked my sweat soaked hair.

"When will they ever stop? I can't take it anymore!" I said as my arms clutched Jake's torso. He was so warm, his skin so smooth. I held on to him as if my life depended on it.

"I don't know, Bella. But I promise you, I will never leave you alone." He pulled back looking into my eyes. "Never."

His thumb slowly wiped the last of my tears away. As I looked at him a sudden sense of urgency hit me. I grabbed the back of his head and pulled his lips to mine. The fire that ignited in me was so different from what we had shared in the past. I kissed him like I had never kissed him before. I teased and pulled on his bottom lip with mine. I was hungry for him. I felt a moist pool of wetness between my legs, and a throbbing in my core.

"Bella." He groaned, as his hands made their way to my waist. His groan just pushed me further. My tongue grazed his bottom lip begging for entrance. I wanted this. I wanted him. I needed to feel loved. I needed Jake.

"Make love to me Jake," I sighed as my hands roamed over his perfectly formed chest. "Please?"

He pulled back, looking at me with questions in his eyes. "Are you sure? I want to Bella, don't get me wrong. Nothing would make me happier, but are you sure?"

"Yes. I need to feel you, Jake, all of you. Help me Jake…Please?"

No other words were said. He took my lips with his own and passionately kissed me until I couldn't breathe. His hands slowly moved under my tank top, grabbing the bottom and pulling it over my head, breaking the kiss. I quickly took a breath and attacked his lips again. They felt so good. They were soft and warm and moved with mine so perfectly.

I pressed my naked skin to his, letting his warmth heat me to my core. He felt so good. We fit together. It was right. He slowly lowered me to the bed never breaking the passionate kiss we were sharing. Soon we both realized we needed air. He looked into my eyes, moving my hair to the side of my face. He was stroking my cheeks, my nose, and my forehead. A smile slowly found his mouth and worked its way to his eyes. He never had looked so beautiful.

His hand moved down to my neck, then my shoulder. He stopped, unsure of whether or not to go on. I took his hand in mine and placed his hand on my naked breast giving him the permission he was asking for with his eyes. He was so gentle, kneading my breast, teasing my nipple. He kissed me again and moved down my neck and began suckling my chest. The heat his kisses generated made me arch my back and moan his name.

I could feel his arousal against my leg, and it made me want him more. As he was working on my breasts, I put my hands on him feeling his hardness. He groaned and moved to my side. I helped him take his sweats off while he continued lavishing my body with kisses. It wasn't long before we were both naked, pressed hard against each other.

He moved over me so that he was on top and gently spread my legs. His hardness was at my entrance. His fire against my fire. He teased my bud with his tip making me shudder in pleasure. He slowly entered me and as I got tighter he took his time. I knew the first time would hurt, I was prepared for that. What I wasn't prepared for was the passion that he ignited in me as he pushed past my barrier. He moved slowly at first and we quickly found our rhythm. We moved together as one. This was how it was supposed to be. I felt him, all of him, inside me and it felt so good. Our rhythm changed and I was feeling a tingling in my stomach. An ache that needed to come out. I was on fire and about to explode. My orgasm hit me hard and soon Jake followed behind me with his outcry. He was a wolf howling at the moon.

Our breathing slowed and we feel asleep in each other's arms. I was safe. I knew I would be as long as Jake was there…

Even after he imprinted three months later on Alexis, a raven haired beauty with haunting green eyes, I knew he would never leave me. I knew he would always be my best friend; an imprint wouldn't change the fact that he loved me, it just changed the way he loved me. He had a new priority in his life; however I knew what we shared was special. It still hurt, and for a while I was lost, but at least he still existed and didn't try to erase himself from my life.

I looked at the clock…7:30..."Great!" I muttered to myself. Not a good way to start college. Late for my first class. I quickly made my way to the shower, washed last night's sweat off of my body and washed my hair with the same strawberry scent I was used to. Some things never change. Over the last 3 years that was the one thing that I couldn't give up. It was a part of my routine that was there before HE ever came into my life. I clung to those things. The things that used to make up my life before him.

I put on my usual t-shirt and low-rise jeans and tennis shoes, grabbed a banana from my kitchen and headed out the door. Today was the beginning of my new life. I was stepping out into unchartered territory. College life.

"You can do this, Bella." I said to myself as the familiar Washington rain pelted my umbrella.

A/N: I have done some editing...thank you Admittedly Obsessed for all of your help...and I feel that this particular chapter sounds so much better than it did when I first put it up. I plan on editing the rest of the story as I go along. Thank you for reading...don't forget to review.