Bella falls for Jacob more and more with every hike to try and find the meadow. Everytime Jacob is there to catch her right when she slips so she never actually hits the ground she feels another piece fall into place and another memory of her feelings for Edward slip away. At first she was terrified, clinging to every fading emotion for him with desperate fingers because how could anything be as magnificent as their brief love affair. Being with Edward was like the thrill of expertly navigating a tumultuous storm on the sea, but it was also tedious and exhausting. Then he left her… shipwrecked and stuck clinging to a rock, hands bleeding and grip failing as the waves pounded against her back, breaking down her resolve with every cruel lick of the icy water against her skin. Then came Jacob, the sun breaking through the storm clouds settling the winds and taming the angry waters… His hand always already outstretched to catch her before she even realizes she’s falling. He pulled her onto dry land and warmed her ice cold heart with nothing more than a crooked smile. Being with Jacob was steady and solid, he was home and she never wanted to leave.
The next time Jacob tries to pull his hand away after catching her she grips it tighter and laces their fingers together. The smile he gives her in return is enough to brighten every dark day she’s ever had. They stop searching for the meadow and instead embark on an adventure to carve out their own little section of the forest, one that’s just for them.
