Chances

Disclaimer: all characters and copyright belong to Stephanie Meyer.

A/N-thank you for the reviews. Nikki :) I am working on the next chapter of 'Black Swan' now! :)

Part Two-Haunting Memories

Jacob took hold of Bella's chin and forced her head up so she had to look at him. She glared at him but remained still as he studied her carefully. He took in the white skin, the dark red lips and the mane of lustrous hair that fell past her waist. He knew his touch burned her, he could see it in her eyes, but she stayed mute and just stared back at him.

"Are you done?" She hissed.

"You are still cold." Jacob retorted. "If you are a half breed shouldn't there be some warmth? What about your heart?"

"My heart beats slower then a normal human's." Bella stepped back from him. She rubbed the skin where his hot touch still lingered. "I am not cold all of the time. The blood runs sluggishly through my veins but when I am at rest my skin warms a little." She deliberately pinched her cheek and a slight redness appeared on her skin before fading quickly.

"I can't hear it." Jacob murmured. "I used to be able to hear your heart beating."

Bella sighed. She closed her eyes and concentrated hard. Her heart sped up and Jacob gasped as he heard the sound. "So you are not toying with me?"

"Toying with you?" Bella opened her eyes again; her heart stuttered and slowed. "I didn't even know I was going to see you."

"Is this how you will always be?" Jacob had calmed down now. He waited expectantly for her answer.

"No one knows." Bella shrugged. "I am one of a kind, a mystery. Carlisle has conducted several studies on me over the past two years and he thinks that some more of my human characteristics may reassert themselves eventually but I may have reached the pinnacle of my transformation."

"You drink animal blood?" Jacob questioned her with distaste.

Bella dropped her eyes from his and sat back down in one of the chairs. "I cannot tolerate meat or blood of any kind." She laughed bitterly. "I am a vegetarian in every respect."

Her answer seemed to ease his mind. She watched as the frown he had been wearing since he had begun to question her disappeared. He knelt down in front of her. "So you are not really a vampire at all? You carry no venom and you don't hunt."

"I carry venom, Jacob." Bella warned him. "My veins run with it, but physically I have no need to use it as I cannot tolerate blood."

"So how do you know you can carry a child, Bella?" Jacob asked quietly. "Is this another one of the vamp doc's studies?"

A painful look crossed Bella's face. She wrapped her arms around her middle, something she had often done in the past to hold herself together. What was it about being near Jacob that made her revert to her old human habits? "I have answered enough of your questions. Please just let me enjoy my time with my father then I will leave as I promised."

"You're hiding something." Jacob edged nearer again and gripped her arms to yank them apart. It brought back painful memories of their shared past seeing her like this. "What is it?"

Bella shoved him back from her and jumped gracefully to her feet. Within seconds she was on the other side of the room. "I want you to leave now." She whispered fiercely.

Jacob saw her eyes dilate and her breathing quickened. He had touched a raw nerve with his question. He didn't understand why but he needed to know. "I want an answer, Bella." He said firmly. "You owe me a straight fucking answer after all of these years."

Pain flashed across Bella's face and he watched in dismay as she slid down onto the floor and hid her face in her hands. "You are always the same, Jacob. You press and press until I break."

"You made your own choices." Jacob said dully. He refused to feel sympathy for Bella. Once he did that he knew he would be lost. She raised her head and he was astonished to see the tracks of tears on her face. "You can cry?"

"Yes." Bella replied bitterly. "One of the things I was looking forward to after being turned was never having to be weak and cry. I was always crying. How ironic that I am still cursed with tears?"

"There's nothing wrong with emotion."

"Really?" Bella wiped her hands across her face, smearing her carefully applied make up. "I came here for some peace and you have just destroyed it."

"Peace? From what?" Jacob demanded impatiently.

"From grieving, from hating my husband. I can barely look at him and Carlisle after what they did."

Jacob became still. Bella's eyes had glazed over and she seemed to be wrestling with herself. He was astounded to hear her saying she hated Edward. What the hell had they done to her? His voice was more gentle when he spoke. "You can talk to me, Bella. Despite everything that has happened between us I am still just me."

Bella's eyes were still far away as if she was replaying the scene in her head. "I became pregnant. I was so happy but when I told Edward he was horrified. He told me I had to get rid of it. That's what he called our baby 'it.' I pleaded with him to change his mind, he was adamant that I couldn't go ahead with the pregnancy. We went to see Carlisle. I really expected him to take my side, he is a doctor and is supposed to preserve life. But I was wrong...so wrong..."

One month earlier...

Carlisle looked at with empathy shining in his eyes. "I am so sorry my dear. None of know what the consequences would be if you went ahead with this pregnancy."

Bella put her hands on her flat stomach. Even though she could feel no movement she was already picturing the child in her mind. "I am strong now Carlisle. I understand the risks if I was human, but I am only half. I know this will all work out. I am sure of it."

Edward put his hands on her face and gazed at her imploringly. "Please my love. We have a wonderful life together. Don't complicate things. I cannot allow you to go ahead with this. I am sorry."

"You can't allow me?" Bella had pushed his hands away from her. "You cannot order me, Edward. This is our child. I cannot believe you are not supporting me in this."

"I won't let you take any risks." Edward stepped forward again and took her hands. "I love you, Bella. I would give you the whole world if I could. But this...no...this is a risk too far."

"Then it seems I am alone in this." Bella said sadly. "I am going ahead with this pregnancy with or without you."

"Bella?" Edward cried out as she began to walk away. She did not look back.

She was packing her things when Edward slipped into their room. He had a glass of water in his hands. He sat by her on the bed and passed it to her. "Carlisle says you need to keep up your fluid intake if you are going ahead with this."

Bella took the water and drank it down greedily. Edward's eyes were dull as he took the empty glass back from her. "Everything I have ever done is to keep you safe and well. You understand that, don't you Bella?"

"I know you have. But this time you are wrong. You don't need to..." Bella put her hand to her head. She suddenly felt quite unwell. She looked at Edward. She could see the truth in his eyes as she fell onto their four poster bed. "Why?" She cried as she began to black out.

"Because I love you." He whispered sadly.

When she next regained consciousness the baby was gone.

Bella was hot, very hot. Hotter then she had ever been in her life. It was both comforting and at the same time too much. She came back to herself to find Jacob holding her. He was stroking her hair and whispering how sorry he was. She had been so lost in her memories that she hadn't realized she had revealed the whole sorry tale.

"Let go of me." She yelled. She struggled out of his hold and regained her footing. "Get out now."

Jacob could see she was distraught and deeply upset. "Bella I'm sorry I made you talk about it. I didn't realise..."

"GET OUT." Bella screamed again.

Charlie came hurrying into the room, an alarmed look on his face as he stared at the two of them. Jacob was looking guilty on one side of the room while Bella was shaking and in tears on the other. "What the hell is happening here?" He demanded.

"It's my fault Charlie." Jacob said quickly. Bella was beyond being rational. "I said something I shouldn't have. I'm sorry Bella."

"You should go then." Charlie put his arm around his daughter and she turned her head into his shoulder.

Jacob nodded. He left the room, nausea welling in his gut. He tentatively reached out and stroked the back of her hair as he passed. Bella still wouldn't look at him. He sighed and mumbled his apologies again before finally leaving.

"What the hell happened between you?" Charlie asked when Bella had finally regained control.

"Nothing. We just had an argument about some things from the past that's all." Bella mumbled.

"It must have been more than that, kiddo." Charlie said gently. "You were hysterical."

"Things have always been complicated between me and Jacob. You know that." Bella reminded him. "I think maybe I should cut this visit short."

"No you don't." Charlie stated adamantly. "I won't have you leaving town because you've had a run in with Jake. I'm sure the two of you will sort it out."

"I don't plan on seeing him again, dad." Bella said firmly. For her emotional health she needed to keep away from him.

Charlie didn't press her further. He got up to make them both a coffee and made her verbally promise not to leave.

There was so much going through Jacob's mind he felt like his head was going to explode. He couldn't believe what Bella had just confessed. He had always loathed Cullen, but his hatred went up a notch after finding out what he had done to her. He didn't phase, he wanted to keep his meeting with her private for a little longer before his brother's discovered what had happened between them. He was still trying to process it all himself. Despite his initial promise to himself that he wasn't going to get involved with her again, that had all changed now that he had seen her and held her. Jacob badly needed some advice. Instead of heading straight home he went to see Sam instead.

A/N-thanks for reading!