Ache Chapter 14
Title: Ache, Chapter 14
Author: herestolife222
Fandom: Post-Breaking Dawn
character/pairing. Catherine. Canon pairings
chapter. Fourteen
rating. T for language
summary. The story takes place in Portland, following (some of) the events in Breaking Dawn. A human, Catherine, moves to Portland after a terrible accident in Texas. She meets Emmett Cullen at the university, and they become friends. But some things can't be buried no matter how much distance you put in between yourself and them.
disclaimer: SM owns it all
Chapter 14
EmPOV
Catherine was driving me up the fucking wall.
She couldn’t settle down for a second. Bella and the rest had left for school only 20 minutes ago and already her nervous energy was getting on my nerves. When she was sitting, she would bounce in her seat. When she was standing, she would start pacing.
Every time I tried to calm her down, she would snarl at me and then swat at me. I tried to get her to fight with me a little bit, but she wasn’t having any of it.
“What is the matter with you?” I asked after I attempted to pounce on her and she just shook me off.
“What if he doesn’t remember me?” she asked, biting on her nails. “What if he realizes I’m different and wants nothing to do with me?”
I thought about this for a moment. “Well, you do smell different. Maybe you should spray something on yourself so you smell more like you did before.”
He eyes lit up. “Best idea ever, Emmett!” I grinned at this.
She looked around for a moment. Like a flash, she was running around the house, searching for something that could help her. After a while, she returned, her shoulders slumped in defeat.
“I can’t find anything. I never wore perfume or anything like that.”
I thought for a moment longer. What did she used to smell like?
“I got it!” I exclaimed. I ran upstairs to Jasper and Alice’s room. I dug around in one of Jasper’s drawers before I found what I was looking for. I ran back downstairs to Catherine, who was waiting impatiently.
“Well?” she asked. “What’s your brilliant idea?”
I held up a pack of cigarettes. Her eyes lit up instantly. “You smelled like cigarettes when I first met you. Also, the smell of them should cover up any weird vamp-y smell you may have. It’s worth a shot.”
“GENIUS!” she screamed and jumped up to hug me. She grabbed the box out of my hand. “Where did you get these?”
“Jasper’s drawer. Sometimes when he’s feeling a little nostalgic or grumpy, he likes to enjoy one.”
“Can vampires smoke?” She pulled out a cigarette and then began to look around for a lighter. She shook her head and muttered Duh before the held out a finger and ignited a small blue flame on the end of it.
“Of course! I mean, there’s no reason to because it doesn’t do the same thing for you as it did when you were human. But, it reminds a lot of vampires of their human lives, so some keep the habit.”
She took a long inhale and blew it out. “It tastes different,” she said with a frown.
Just then, Esme ran into the living room where we were standing. “Catherine McCarty! That better not be a lit cigarette inside my house that I’m seeing!”
“Oops, sorry Esme,” Catherine called out while running out the back door. I couldn’t help but laugh at the expression on Esme’s face.
At that moment, she turned around and growled at me! I didn’t even know Esme could growl. I took that as my cue to exit, so I followed Catherine outside.
“Why does it taste different?” Catherine asked as I sat next to her on the porch.
“Well, everything’s gonna taste different when you turn. Now you can taste all the chemicals added in. That’s why Jasper usually buys that brand instead of Camels or Marlboros. They have fewer chemicals.”
She nodded and puffed on the cigarette. She made it a point to blow out the smoke onto her clothes. “I hope this helps,” she said.
“Can’t hurt.” I shrugged my shoulders and leaned back.
We watched the wildlife in front of us go about their day. As an animal would pass, I would explain how they tasted. I’ve had just about everything, so I consider myself the palate expert of the family. It was able to distract her long enough until evryeone came home. By that time, Catherine had absentmindedly smoked almost the entire pack.
“Hey, are those mine?” Jasper asked, walking up to us.
Catherine pulled out one more for herself then handed the rest of the pack to Jasper. I’m pretty sure there was only one left. “Yeah, Emmett brought them to me to help me smell like my old self again. I’m sorry; I didn’t mean to go through so many.”
Jasper shrugged. “It’s okay. Alice hates that I have them anyway.”
Catherine shook her head. “Regardless, I’ll order you a new carton tonight. Express shipping.”
Jasper gave her a small smile, accepting her terms. He sat down next to us and lit up his own cigarette. We sat around and BS’d for a while. I was extremely happy. This was the first time in the entire time that she’s been here that Catherine and Jasper have been in the same vicinity without the atmosphere being tense.
The doorbell rang and Catherine put out her cigarette and ran inside. Jasper was putting his out as well, but as he began to stand, I put my hand on his arm. He looked at me questioningly.
“Thanks,” I said.
Jasper looked inside at Catherine then back on me. “I’m trying. She makes me nervous. But for you, I’ll try.”
We stood up together and I clapped him on the back. We walked inside as a team ready to screw with Jacob. We both respected him, as Bella had said before, but neither of us really liked him. We took every opportunity possible to make his life hell.
As we walked in, the family had gathered in the foyer. Jacob was standing there with Chance sitting by his side. Catherine reached towards Chance, but he pulled back and hid behind Jacob’s legs.
The look on Catherine’s face was tragic. She quickly replaced it with a look of indifference.
“I’m Catherine,” she said, holding out her hand to Jacob. Jacob didn’t take it. She let it fall by her side.
“Jacob,” he grunted in response. I narrowed my eyes at his rudeness.
“Hey Pup!” I yelled as I lightly punched him in the arm.
“Hey Enormous Bloodsucker!” he said, rubbing his arm. I laughed at his greeting and his pain.
The rest of the family said their greetings and then took off to their rooms. I don’t blame them. He doesn’t really smell all that pleasant. Bella, Jacob, Catherine, and I went into the living room. Bella, Jacob, and I sat on the couch. Catherine sat on the floor a few feet away from Chance. She never took her eyes off him.
Chance looked tentative, but not aggressive. Catherine adjusted her voice to sounding as close to the one she had when she was human as possible.
“Come here, Chance. Come here boy,” she said lightly, patting her lap.
Chance held his nose in her direction and inhaled. He sneezed at the smell and turned away.
“I don’t think the cigarette smoke worked.” Her face sagged with disappointment.
“I think you’re just a little too smoky,” Jacob said. Catherine turned to him in surprise.
“You think?”
He nodded and she ran out the front door. I could hear her sprinting laps around the house. When she came back in, she smelled less like smoke and more like the outdoors.
“Better?” she asked Jacob, holding out her hand.
“You want me to smell your hand?” he asked raising his eyebrows.
Catherine scoffed then grabbed Jacob’s hand. He tried to flinch away from her touch, but she held firm. She then took their joined hands and held them up to his nose. “Smell me, dammit!”
Jacob took a brief inhale and turned his nose away. “It’s better but your hands are disgustingly cold. He won’t like that.”
Catherine rubbed her hands together. Her eyebrows furrowed for a moment in concentration. I felt the air go a little bit warmer around her. She grabbed Jacob’s hand again.
“Is this too warm?”
Jacob looked at her in shock. “How are you doing that?”
She rolled her eyes and tried to keep her annoyance out of her voice. She didn’t do a very good job. “I’m a freak. Now tell me, do I feel human or do I need to adjust it?”
“You’re fine,” he said pulling his hand out of hers. He rubbed his hands together as if trying to get her touch off of him.
Catherine turned her attention back to Chance. She knelt down and spoke soft and low. “It’s okay baby. Come here Chance.”
Chance looked torn. He obviously recognized Catherine, but he knew there was something different about her. His instincts were telling him to run the other way.
“Please Chance. It’s me. You know I won’t hurt you.” Catherine’s voice was breaking as she begged him. She sat down on the ground and held her hand out to the nervous dog. “Please…”
Slowly and cautiously, Chance began to move towards her.
I held my breath, not wanting to ruin the progress. Bella and Jacob did the same watching the moment unfold.
Catherine’s face broke out in a small, uneasy smile. She stayed still allowing the dog to sniff her hand. After a few investigative sniffs, Chance nuzzled his head into her hand.
Slowly, Catherine scooted towards the dog, murmuring softly to him. He stayed still as she brought herself up to him. Gradually she wrapped her arms around Chance’s scarred shoulders and hugged him.
“That’s my good boy. Oh, you smell so good.”
“Don’t eat him!” Jacob hissed.
“I’m not going to eat him!” Catherine gave him a shocked and hurt look. “He’s my baby. He’s my best friend. He’s the only thing I have to remind me of Christy. I would never, never hurt him!”
“Then what did you mean about him smelling good?”
Catherine looked at him like he was the biggest idiot she had ever laid eyes on. “I mean just that. He smells good. He smells like home.”
“Oh,” Jacob said sheepishly as he leaned back into the couch.
“Ugh, you think he smells good? He smells just like Jacob, like a big, smelly dog!” I said with repulsion. I couldn’t stop myself form scrunching my nose.
“Jacob doesn’t smell bad,” Catherine said scratching Chance behind the ears.
Bella and I looked at her like she was crazy. “Are you sure you are a vampire with a functional nose?” I asked.
Catherine shot me a dirty look. “Yes.”
Chance lied down on the floor and rested his head on Catherine’s lap. She began stroking the side of his neck and the rubbing his belly. She scowled.
“He’s gotten fatter. Are you feeding him people food?” She looked at Jacob accusingly.
“Just sometimes as a treat. What’s the big deal?”
“It hurts his tummy, that’s the big deal! And he can’t run around as much when he’s cooped up in an apartment, so he’s liable to gain weight. You are staying in an apartment, right?”
“For the time being, yes. Is that why he’s so gassy, because of the people food?”
Catherine laughed. “No, that’s just Chance.”
And right on cue, we heard Chance fart. It was long and loud. It almost sounded human. If I wasn’t so horrified, I may have actually laughed or applauded. But the smell was awful. I pinched my nose and Bella stopped breathing all together.
“Yep, that is Eau de Chance,” Catherine said with a French accent. She turned to look at us and laughed at our expressions. “You just get used to it.”
“There is no getting used to that!” my voice altered due to my plugged nose. Jacob and Catherine laughed at me.
“I really can’t tolerate this. I’m sorry,” Bella said standing up. Catherine gave her a hurt look. “No, it’s not you. The smell that dog just created was simply unnatural.”
Catherine smiled and nodded, effectively dismissing her. Bella ran up the stairs into her and Edward’s room.
“Has he been doing okay with you?” Catherine asked Jacob. She wasn’t looking at him. All her attention was directed towards Chance. She giggled as he began kicking his leg due to Catherine’s tickles.
“We have a good time. He’s a really great dog. You raised him well.”
“Oh no, that was all Christy. She was the one who trained him.”
“Who’s Chris…?” I smacked Jacob on the arm. He turned to me and was about to yell at me when I shushed him. I made a motion that looked like I was trying to cut off my head. He got the message though. Don’t ask.
“I’m gonna take him outside for a little bit.” Catherine and Chance pranced to the back door and began to play outside.
“Whew, that was a close one,” I said, wiping imaginary sweat off my forehead.
“Wanna explain that?” Jacob asked.
I looked outside to make sure Catherine was fully distracted. When I was satisfied that she was told Jacob the story of what happened to Catherine in Texas. I felt kind of bad telling him, but I’d much rather do it then risk him bringing up bad memories in front of her.
When I was finished, I was surprised to see that Jacob was angry. “Dude, what’s the matter?”
He was shaking and fuming. “I just can’t believe… that someone, a man that she trusted… would do something like that.” He had to take deep breaths in order to control himself.
“Chillax. She’s all good now. Can’t you tell?” We both looked outside at Catherine. She was absolutely radiant from joy. She had a stick in her hand and threw it. Chance ran after it and was about to pick it up when something else caught his attention. He left the stick forgotten. We could hear Catherine muttered something about him being hopeless.
“I have to leave soon. Sam called me and said that I need to come home and be with the pack.” Jacob was looking at the scene in the backyard wistfully.
“How soon?” I was just starting to get used to the guy.
“I guess as soon as I am done here. Now that Chance is back where he belongs, there’s not a reason for me to be here.”
I was going to offer him to stay a little longer, but decided to leave it alone. Edward would kill me if I were to convince Jacob to stay any longer than absolutely necessary.
“Well, I’m going to go say goodbye. I’m gonna miss that dog. He’s really something special.” Jacob walked outside and I began to follow him. He ran up to the dog and began to play with him. They were rolling around on the ground together. Catherine’s laugh carried throughout the yard.
I began to head towards Catherine when I heard a low and menacing growl. Chance left Jacob and ran in front of Catherine, blocking me from her. His growl continued.
“It’s okay, Big Guy,” I said, reaching towards him. He barked and snapped at my hand. I pulled it back, not wanting him to hurt his teeth on my hand.
“Chance, quit it!” Catherine told him sternly. He ignored the command and paced in front of her.
“He’s always going to be like that. It’s only natural for dogs to not trust leeches,” Jacob said jogging over to us.
“Well I’m a fucking leech. Explain that, Smart Guy,” Catherine spat at him.
Jacob shrugged. “I can’t. Maybe he’s willing to forego instinct because you guys were so close when you were human. Honestly, when I brought him over, I didn’t think the visit would go as well as it had.”
Catherine let out a shaky breath. She petted the top of Chance’s head. He had stopped growling, but he was still ready to attack me if I took a step in Catherine’s direction.
“This isn’t going to work. He’s not going to be happy here,” Catherine said sadly.
“No, it’s okay. We can make it work,” I said. “I don’t want you to be sad. I know you want Chance here.”
She met my gaze and gave me a reassuring smile. “No, it’s okay. I won’t be happy if he’s here unhappy.”
She turned to Jacob. “Would you like to take him back to Washington? He’s really taken to you. I know he’ll be happy with you.”
Jacob nodded. “Yeah, sure.”
They walked inside together with Chance following behind. I walked a good distance behind them. I waited in the living room as they spoke in the foyer.
“Now, only feed him twice a day. No people food. Don’t fall for those puppy dog eyes. And he likes it when you scratch him right above his tail.” She smiled sadly as she demonstrated where he liked to be scratched.
“I got it,” Jacob said rolling his eyes.
“Call me if you have any questions. Or if he’s acting funny. Or for any reason at all.”
“Sure sure. I got it. Calm down, I have been taking care of him for the past month.” Jacob laughed when he saw the scowl Catherine was giving him.
Catherine’s voice lost its initial hardness. “Thank you, you know, for doing this. I don’t feel like I would be able to trust him with anyone else.” She stepped forward and hugged him.
Jacob stiffened at first then hugged her back. “You can come visit him sometime. Just… make sure you call first.”
They pulled away. Jacob was giving her a strange look.
“What?” she asked, looking self-conscious.
“It’s just… you don’t smell all that bad either.”
Catherine laughed and clapped him on the shoulder. Jacob rubbed the spot where she hit him. She muttered an apology and helped him rub the sore spot. He looked down at her and smiled at her actions.
I stood at the bottom of the stairs and screamed, “BELLA! JAKE’S LEAVING!”
Bella appeared at the top of the stairs in an instant. “You don’t have to yell, Emmett! I can hear you just fine.”
“I know, I just like to,” I said smiling.
Bella and Jacob said their goodbyes. Catherine walked him out to his car and said one last goodbye to Chance. She nuzzled her nose on the top of his head and kissed his nose. As they drove away, I had never seen Catherine look sadder.
I stood next to her and pulled her into a side hug.
“Thanks, Em. I think I just need a little time by myself.” I let go of her and she walked back into the house. She immediately walked into her room and shut the door.
That night I heard very little crying. Mostly Catherine was humming to herself.