Beyond the Pale Contest
Title:Shattered Dawn
Pen Name:Nitareality
Characters:Edward, Bella, Jacob, Rosalie
Disclaimer:This story contains mature and dark themes including murder and abortion. It is graphic in nature and may be a trigger for some.
Image that Inspired You:#4
To see other entries in the Beyond the Pale Contest, please visit the C2 page:
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With Alice unable to predict, and Rosalie's constant influence, Bella was confused, not herself. She'd be willing to listen to reason, to him, otherwise. If he couldn't get through to her, he didn't know how to carry on.
He watched as she writhed in pain. His stone heart cracked into shards, as he watched his wife succumb to the agony being inflicted upon her by the thing inside of her. His hatred of it, his anger at it, grew exponentially the more he saw his Bella yelp and clench from the torturous maneuverings of the thing inside of her.
He saw Rosalie, forever vigilant. Fretting over every grunt or cry of pain, but more concerned about what it meant for the thing. Her concern barely warmed over Bella, it was just a pale flicker compared to the fire of worry over the fetus. He could feel a hiss rising up in his throat as he pictured a grim scene; Bella was pale and listless, the words "Goodbye Edward" falling from her lips as Rosalie pulled the wailing creature from Bella's insides, kissing it's bloody head.
No.
The decision he had made, very loudly and deliberately, was to walk up the stairs to the library and pull out his medical texts. He had decided, quite clearly in his head, to research a way for Bella to survive.
He had also decided to read up on caregiver fatigue, certainly the family would understand that Rosalie simply couldn't continue taking care of Bella all hours of every day. She needed to take a break.
Pleased with himself, kissed Bella on the cheek after announcing his plans, then started up the stairs.
Later, having sat at his desk for hours pouring over volumes of pharmaceutical and ob/gyn text books, he'd written several names down. He had pulled and printed an article from the internet about caregiver fatigue for Emmett and Esme. He knew that he wouldn't be allowed to be alone with his wife, even with his very focused plans for her. Rosalie would probably let the dog stay with her so that his family could hunt; they would certainly need the energy to do what was best for Bella. Yes. He'd carefully constructed hopeful outcomes in his head detailing the decisions he had made, and felt quite certain that Rosalie would be pleased when she verified those plans with Alice.
********
Edward walked down the stairs with a spring in his step. His mind was full of happy images of Bella with a beautiful cherubic baby, snuggled to her breast, a bottle tipped to it's mouth as he suckled it. As he entered the family room, Jacob's head snapped toward Edward. The mutt rolled his eyes, "Don't tell me you've joined in their nonsense, bloodsucker!" Edward's smile widened to an extent that would be unnerving to any human.
Jacob responded with a visible shiver, then directed his thoughts towards Edward. "Have you lost your mind? What are you so happy about?"
Edward kept his mind focused on images of Bella holding their baby over her head, eyes sparkling as she smiled and cooed at it while eskimo kissing it's nose. His mind engaged, he was able to to give Jacob a curt answer with the movement of his head. "Dog, I need to speak with you. Outside. Now."
Jacob looked around at the Cullen clan, them looking back at them expectantly. He looked at Edward, "Alright leech. I'll hear what you have to say."
Edward rocked up on his heels in an overt display of joy, practically bounding out of the Cullen home. Together they ran, fast and furious, Jacob projecting questions the whole way. When Jake saw that they were headed toward the reservation he slowed.
He eyed Edward, "This better not be a trick. The pack will jump us both in a heartbeat."
With that statement out there, Edward stepped across the boundary line. It would take only seconds for him to explain, to try to get Jacob to understand what needed to be done. Still wary that somehow, some way, he might be heard, as soon as Jacob passed the boundary he spoke in a harsh whisper. "I know you understand. I know you love her too. I have no other option. I will make sure she has been properly sedated. I will get Rosalie to leave. I will get you alone with her. It makes perfect sense. You have only to shift, slice and run." As Edward spoke he mimicked the slicing motion in the place Jacob would need to aim for.
Edwards voice cracked in a disturbing combination of fear and grief. "Take the thing to the cliff and do what you must. This is the only way, the only chance we will have. I must cross the boundary again now lest Alice pick up on the fact that she can't see me."
Jacob looked panicked. "Won't Alice figure it out?"
Edward shook his head once. "She can't see you, and I can deal with her in my own way. I believe my choices will be the right thing for Bella. Alice can only see decisions. I've decided Bella will be happy and healthy. Somehow. That will all start with what you do for her shortly." Edward jumped over the boundary then, and ran towards the Cullen home.
********
When he had returned to his home, he focused on his concern for Rosalie, how if she didn't hunt now she would be fatigued for the actual birth process. He envisioned her being overcome by blood-lust, and killing Bella gruesomely. He pictured her cracking under the strain, her pain, and running off with what Bella wanted most. He imagined Emmett, horrified, but unable to do anything to his mate that might hurt her bodily or emotionally, finally following her as she ran off.
As soon as he could hear Jasper pondering Edward's turmoil, he progressed. He decided that if Rosalie were to do these things, he would hunt her to the ends of the earth to exact revenge, on both she and her mate. He decided that he would return to the Volturi, and would not fail in his mission then. He decided that it was of utmost import that the family persuade Rose to go, to hunt with the family. He decided to join them, if only to set Rosalie at ease. He decided that he trusted the dog's thoughts, that he wouldn't hurt Bella, not for anything. He had decided, with 100 percent certainty, that Bella would be safe in Jacob's care. Alone.
He could hear Alice's mind starting to twirl like a tornado, slowly building up to a frantic funnel of panicked thoughts. Losing her sisters, her brothers, her family, all for the sake of a one hour hunt. He heard Alice's judgment, that Rosalie had always been selfish in regards to Bella, and that she'd taken this too far. Heard her whispers to Jasper, that they needed to speak to Carlisle and Esme this very moment to keep this almost certain tragedy from happening.
He swung by the library, grabbing his research. Noting the irony that without a single word being spoken, it was highly unlikely he'd need the papers to support his argument.
He walked into the great room, where the family, minus Rose, had settled for their discussion. Alice was pleading with Carlisle and Emmett to see logic. Alice was frenetic, gesticulating wildly as she described the blood bath she'd seen Edward decide to execute against them. Esme and Jasper watched on, both of them hoping that Alice could convince them. Jasper was fighting, trying not to absorb the fear that was taking over the family.
Emmett broke, his uncertainty plain on his face, his thoughts a chant, "Not Rose. Not Rose. Not Rose." He spoke, his voice relaying the doubt in his head and heart, "Yeah, I still don't see how you think you'll get her away from Bella."
Carlisle looked to Edward, then Jasper. Little did he know how hard Edward fought to keep his thoughts and emotions in check, in sync with the situation. Carlisle cleared his throat, quietly addressing Jasper. "Jasper? Your thoughts?"
Jasper spoke in the lowest of vampire whispers, "It's simple enough, if we are all on the same page, and we all walk in focused on calming her and getting her to feel the need to hunt, she should surrender to logic soon enough."
Edward listened to Jasper's continued inner monologue. "Calm, blood, calm, blood. Conflicting but possible if we work together. First one, then the other? Have the bloodlust strike fear in her heart that she'll hurt the baby, then calm and safety, being able to go do what is needed?"
Alice gasped, bringing her hands up to her cheeks. "Jasper! I see it working! It'll work!"
The family converged into something resembling a huddle then, hushing Alice and speaking in soft, hurried whispers. As Jasper explained the simple plan, Edward heard Jacob starting to circle the house, his plan going through his head over and over, every time he pictured Bella's face as he sliced, he'd start over, focusing on the pain she was in now.
**********
The family walked into the room in pairs. Alice and Jasper, Carlisle and Esme, Emmett and Edward. The chants in their head swirled like a cloud, enveloping all of them. "Blood. Hunger. Blood. Burning throat." They walked a fine line next to the fragile little human lying in the center of the room. He again pictured a happy Bella, naked baby to her breast. He pictured Bella, her throat ripped to shreds, a soundless scream coming from her mouth as she watched Rose run off with her heart's desire.
Alice whimpered, picturing the last scene. "Edward!" She reprimanded him, quickly returning to her chant. Edward did the same, until he saw the look on Bella's face.
Bella's mouth was twisted into a grimace of pain. Her breaths were short, labored. "He's just moving," she said, seeing the alarm on Edwards face, "we knew this would happen."
Edward tried, thanking God or the Devil or whoever ruled him that his mind worked the way it did, to continue projecting the need to hunt, while filing Bella's pain elsewhere.
"Carlisle..." Edward growled, "She's in pain. What are our options?"
Carlisle, eyes focused on Rosalie as he answered with practiced calm, "Morphine Edward, through her IV, we don't have time for a spinal, it will have to wait."
While he readied the drug, Rosalie's thoughts were like a scream in his head. "This can't be happening. I can't leave her. So thirsty..."
Emmett began to speak, soft words, getting closer to her though she visibly bristled. "Rosie, you need a break, you need to hunt." In his head, "Rosie baby, please."
Esme, ever their mother, softly encouraging her. "Rosalie, just an hour, just come with us for an hour to hunt. Edward, Alice, they've both verified that Bella will be fine with Jacob." In her head, the same thing, she had no reason to believe otherwise.
Anger rolled off of Rosalie and the mention of Jacob's name. "I won't leave her with that mutt."
Alice jumped on that, "Okay Rose, well your other option is to leave her with Edward."
The group had turned their focus to calming Rose, encouraging a feeling of safety. Despite that, Rosalie's thoughts shouted, "Over my dead body." She crossed her arms, digging in as only his sister could.
Edward knew that engaging her wouldn't help, so he did what was most important to him anyway. He injected the morphine into the y-port of Bella's IV, brushing his lips over her clammy forehead after doing so. Quickly, as the family pushed and prodded at Rosalie's emotional armor, the drug began to work, Bella was fading, and fading fast. This couldn't be more perfect he thought, picturing a glowing Bella birthing a beautiful baby.
Half listening as the family slowly wore Rosalie down, Edward whispered to Bella, his breath ghosting across her face. "Bella, I would do anything for you. Anything to keep you safe, you know that right? I would do whatever it takes. I love you, I need you to know that. Right now, Rosalie needs to hunt. I'm going to leave you in Jacob's care. Your pain will subside now, quickly. You'll see love, everything will be fine."
"Edward, I trust you. I love you. I know that you love me." She turned her head to the doorway as Rosalie was ushered out, Emmett on one side of her, Esme on the other, Carlisle behind her. Jasper and Alice followed closely, waving goodbye quickly before turning away. "Just come back to me as soon as you can, please, he's coming soon I think."
Thoughts flew out to him, telling him to hurry, that his strength was needed to keep Rosalie from turning back. He kissed Bella one last time, inhaling her as he did. Before he reached the doorway, the dog came. They exchanged an intense stare as they passed each other, but not a word.
Walking out of the room, Jacob's thought was like a whimper, and he actually felt the pain. "God help me."
****************
Jacob sat in a chair at Bella's bedside, his head on her lap, her hand in his hair. He wasn't surprised that in spite of her pain, she was doing the comforting. It was always like this. The world promising not to hurt her, wrenching her heart out, and her turning around to console them in the aftermath. Her mother, the leeches, himself.
Her entire life was an exercise in sacrificing for the comfort of others. This monster in her belly was no exception. And this is where he was putting his foot down.
That the bloodsucker had come to him at all was a surprise, that he had a plan that might actually work was a bigger surprise. How did he keep winding up next to him, protecting Bella?
When her hand stilled, he finally worked up the courage to look at her, really look at her. It was hard to control his rage, stay in form long enough to plan. She was pale, her skin almost translucent. She had deep violet smudges under her eyes. There were more bruises all over her arms, from needle sticks. Her belly was absurdly huge, and so hard.
Yes, exactly. Vampire skin hard. While he might be in an alliance of sorts with Edward, he wasn't about to forget that it was Edward that did this to her. The hair on the back of his neck stood up as he thought through the hows of this situation, the rejection, the loss of his Bella to this freak of nature.
He could feel himself losing it, but he had to keep it together until the whole bunch of them were out of range. The last thing he needed was to fail Bella now. She was just under some juju mind control from those filthy vampires. She would understand someday that he had to protect her. Right?
He shuddered as he registered the lack of stench, letting him know that the vampires were out of hearing range. The little one, she couldn't see his future anyway, but since Cullen could read his mind, he didn't trust the rest of them. Who knew what other abilities the freaks had that he didn't know about?
It was time.
It was time and he was so ready, but so unprepared.
He stared at his Bella, broken, bruised, only barely able to be saved. He saw her, jumping off the cliff at La Push. He saw her, standing firm, refusing to leave Edward's side as he took on Victoria. He remembered and felt the heat of their kiss, something that had altered him forever.
He let the sting of not being enough for her, of her choosing Cullen over him, soak into his bones. He felt the anger at her disregard for her humanity, her life, something he treasured with every particle of his heart. He thought of the sacrifice she was willing to make for this thing, some kind of spawn that even it's own monster of a father didn't want.
That was all it took.
He felt the mini earthquake as it shook through his body. The heat erupted from him as smooth skin and toothpaste smile turned into rough fur and snarling teeth. It took only a moment for his wolf brain to focus.
It had to go.
He swiped at her belly with his claws, essentially shredding it, right down to the living thing inside of her. Blood poured forth as he saw it move, arms and legs stretching and pushing, the pale white skin revealing it's disgusting nature. It had only been seconds before he'd grabbed at it with his teeth, their razor sharpness slicing through every connection this thing had had with his Bella.
He wouldn't look at her. Couldn't take in what kind of damage he'd done to her, he knew she was destined for a different kind of life now. He could not keep from hearing as Bella registered the pain, her sharp intake of breath letting out in a agonized scream. "Jake, no!"
He choked back a gag as he leapt out the window, running as fast as he could toward La Push.
The thing writhed in his mouth, so he bit down harder. Blood spurted from his mouth, splattering through out the forest as he ran.
As he crossed over to the reservation, he heard screams, growls and thunder. He only hoped he would make it.
He reached the cliff, his need to finish this before either Rosalie or Sam caught up with him.
He put the thing down, this twitching mass of bleeding flesh, this thing that Bella would have died for, and set to work; ripping it to pieces that he spit over the edge of the cliff, into the ocean.
*****************
"Stop!"
Edward knew the instant his sister saw what had been done. While she was quick to share the urgency with the family to get back to Bella, only Edward saw the details. With a desperate tremor in his voice, he cried simply "No!" and ran back to the house.
He saw through Alice, how Jacob's claws had shredded her uterus, instead of rendering a single surgical slice. That Bella lie bleeding out on what Edward had made her deathbed, regardless of his intent. That Bella's last decision of her human life had been to condemn Jacob, something she'd never done, something he hadn't thought possible.
Bella always forgave. Didn't she?
As Edward reached Bella and latched onto her throat, he heard the distant thoughts of his family, trying to contain Rosalie, and wondering where this had gone so wrong. Fighting between giving in to the need to suck Bella dry of all of her exquisite blood, or stopping so she could live a different, eternal life with him, he was shaken loose of her throat by one thought.
Emmett's mind was open to him, watching Rosalie tear into the forest of the Quilluite reservation, her last snarled words echoing in his mind and heart. "On my life, he will pay!"
Edward smiled, even as he watched Bella tremble with the onset of the fire that would consume her for days. He he licked her various wounds, letting his venom heal her from the outside as his it transformed her from the inside. Luckily he was the mind reader, because his mind had locked away the darkest of his secrets. "No one will ever know."
*********
Jacob ran. He ran north, away from the reservation, away from the Cullen lands. He ran as fast as he could, trying to spit the taste of this thing out of his mouth. As he had thrown the last piece, the torso, off the cliff, he was hit with a vibration, a feeling that rocked him. He felt such loss as he watched it plummet into the violent waves below.
He didn't have time for introspection though.
He could smell the blond bloodsucker on his heels. Not as fast as him, no. But he couldn't run forever, and they could.
He could sense Sam, hackles raised at his quick disobedience, his betrayal, coming to teach him a lesson in servitude with the rest of the pack.
When he reached a far peak in Canada, he knew he'd lost Sam. His energy was almost depleted, his heat overwhelming him. He stopped and took a deep breath. The vampire scent was far off. He decided to rest here, and reclined on the mossy cliff. It was mere seconds before he dozed off, shifting into human form as he did.
**************
Jacob woke, shadows playing across his closed eyelids. He inhaled deeply as he stretched, then he was hit with the scent. His eyes shot open just in time to see a cascade of blond curls graze his face, cold hands on either side of his head, her beautiful lips twisted into a macabre grimace.
Jacob reconciled the death he knew Rosalie had come to deliver; he'd lost everything that had mattered to him anyways. "Filthy mutt," she spat, as he felt venom spray in his face and he felt his neck wrench.
**************
A/N Thank you to my beta team/ladies I love: LambCullen, Aciepey and AzrealsAngel. Thank you to my invaluable pre-readers and friends: AmelieGray, MoreThanMyself and Jules. To everyone who encouraged me to follow through with this, I'm so grateful to get this out of my brain and into written word where it needs to live. My deviant friends, you've become a lifeline so quickly, I'm so happy Lamb led me to you. To the ladies of the Skype WC crowd, you know who you are, I am a better writer when I'm around you, writing with you. For the Twitter gals who answered my canon or not questions, yeah, you rock.
*Cheers* everyone. I love you man!