Never Let Me Go (Renesmee & Jacob Twilight Fanfiction) 2020

Sixty Six - Hard Goodbyes

As they walked out into the hallway Renesmee asked Jacob,

"So what exactly happened to Quil?"

He hesitated for a second, but after looking her in the eyes he started talking.

"We were hauled up for days in a holding pattern. We knew by now there was no other pack, that we'd been lured there by the vamps and we were now basically trapped."

"Early this morning we arranged to escape. It worked, but was far easier than we anticipated. The vamps cut us off, as we expected, but there were fewer of them in number than before. After some time it was clear they were stalling us. They finally told us that it had all been a big ruse to lure the wolves away so the other vamps could go after you guys."

"We'd been cooped up for so long and that had made us all a little stir crazy. So at this news, everyone in the pack started thinking and worrying about their other halves, it was deafening."

"That's when the remaining vampires attacked us. I was completely distracted and didn't see Paul leave. He panicked and ran off to warn you all. Quil saw him go and went after him as he was worried it was a trap. Which it was."

"The vampires understood the powerful connection we have by imprinting on someone, they knew, if we believed our imprintee was in danger we would act erratically. So in the confusion they would be able to pick a couple of us off in order to destabilise the pack. Once destabilised it wouldn't be difficult for them to finish us all off. For any of us that did survive, there wouldn't be much left for them when they returned to find their loved ones dead. This was their tried and tested plan all along. If they had fully succeeded..." he paused and looked at Renesmee mournfully, she almost saw the shiver that ran through him before he continued.

"If I had seen Paul go I would have pulled Alpha rank and made him stop," again he paused. Renesmee kept quiet, knowing how much it was taking for Jacob to tell her the story. "It was too late when I'd figured out what was going on. Paul slowed after sensing vampires around him. That's when I ordered the pack to go after them. As we ran towards them a vampire lunged towards Paul, but Quil, upon spotting this, leapt between the two of them," his voice broke slightly as he struggled with his words, "The....the vampire stuck his teeth in him." He breathed heavily. Renesmee placed her good hand in his.

"We were only seconds away when it happened. We were able to pull the vampire off Quil and dispatch of him, but we were....we were...too late for Quil."

"If only I'd been more observant, we could have got there quicker, or prevented it somehow."This explained why Paul had looked so utterly devastated earlier. He must be feeling entirely responsible.

Renesmee didn't know exactly what it had been like for them, stuck and unable to escape for so many days, but she knew how she'd felt being separated from Jacob for that length of time, not knowing what was going on. If she had been told Jacob was under attack she might well have done the same thing as Paul. She couldn't judge him. She'd made rash decisions before which had put the pack in danger.

Jacob definitely shouldn't be shouldering any blame. She turned to him and ran her hand up his arm as she spoke.

"Life is full of ifs and buts. You told me a minute ago that sometimes we can't save everyone, in the same respect that you can't be everywhere at once."

"Think of all the times you've saved people's lives, least of all mine. I'm eternally grateful," she said, following it up with a soft kiss on the cheek, "I forbid you from blaming yourself for what happened to Quil."

He looked at her and acknowledged her words, but was unable to raise any form of smile.

"Either way he's dying," he said, "Quil's been one of my best friends since I was little. I don't know what I'll do without him."