Life of A Reluctant Mate

New Moon

Chapter Twenty: Avery's Breakdown

"Will you meet us there?" Bella asked over the phone as Avery locked her car door.

"Of curse I'll be there, promise." Avery smiled as a thank you to the man who held open the door for her at the hospital. He nodded in recognition and left.

"See you then. Bye."

"Bye, Bella." Avery snapped the phone shut as the nurse gave her a dirty look, tapping her pen against the sign on the front of the desk that read 'no cell phones beyond this point.'

"Yeah, yeah." She grumbled as she shoved the phone into her bag along with her sun glasses and keys.

Walking into the examination room she sat on the stupid paper that covered the cheap fake leather bed.

"Ms. Carter, I'm glad to see you got our messages." The doctor smiled as he came in. Behind him an older red headed woman entered the room as well, closing the door behind her.

"Ms. Carter-"

"Avery." She interrupted.

The doctor smiled once more before motioning to the woman. "This is Ms. Henson; she's a…specialist here." Avery smiled at the red headed woman before focusing her attention at the doctor.

"Avery we've gotten back your test results." The doctor sat on a rolling stool in front of her. His smile fell as he opened the folder and shared a look with Ms. Henson.

"And?" She felt a pull in her gut as the woman nodded.

The doctor turned to look at her, his face and voice grim as he said, "Avery…."

Avery steeled her self as she parked next to Edwards Volvo and got out. She cleared her mind, focusing only on food. Sure she wasn't hungry but right now thinking of any and every type of food she knew was keeping her mind off of…it.

"Hello?" She called into the mansion.

"We're in the living room dear." Esme's voice sang out. Avery stopped at the top of the stairs leaning against the railing with her arms crossed. She smiled at the collection of vampires and Bella, ignoring the look of confusion on their faces, Jasper's who looked slightly worried. She should have known better then to trick them, especially Jasper. But all attention shifted back to Bella when she began to speak.

"You all know what I want. And I know how much I'm asking for. The only thing that I can think of for it to be fair is to just vote." Bella addressed the crowd of vampires and Avery. Edward stood a bit behind her, leaning against the wall.

"You don't know what you're talking about." Edward quietly cut in. He was against his, so much so it was a little saddening.

"Shut up." Bella turned and said exasperatedly. "Alice?"

Alice came forward and hugged Bella. "I already consider you my sister. Yes."

"Thank you." Bella at least had one person on her side.

"I vote yes. It would be nice to not want to kill you all the time." Jasper cut in.

Bella and Avery shared a 'hmm' and a furrowed eye brow before Bella turned her attention to Rosalie. Rosalie, the queen bitch herself was actually looking a little sad, and even a bit guilty.

"I'm sorry. I'm really sorry to both of you for how I've acted, and I'm really grateful that you were brave enough to go and save my brother. But this isn't a life I would have chosen for myself. And I wish there had been someone to vote 'no' for me. So…No." Rosalie's voice was sincere and Avery realized that this indestructible vampire was still a human girl at heart.

"I vote 'Hell, Yeah'." Emmett grabbed Bella up in a big bear hug, spinning her around, before putting her down. "And we can pick a fight with these Volturi some other way."

"I already consider you part of the family.' Esme's motherly voice said. "Yes."

All attention turned to the Doc. Carlisle sighed as he stood in front of his son.

"Why are you doing this to me? You know what this means." Edward asked his father.

"You've chosen not to live without her, which leaves me no choice. I won't lose my son." Carlisle's voice was apologetic yet firm.

"Avery?" Avery had slipped inside her head and only did Bella's question bring her back to attention.

"What?" Her voice was hoarse and dry, thoughts she didn't want to ever be thinking suddenly in her mind. The first and more predominant being will she want to be buried or cremated? Edwards looked at her oddly, concern growing in his eyes as she thought of Death. Not Bella's but her own.

"Yes or No?" Bella asked again.

"No." Bella's face was in obvious shock. As much as Avery didn't like the idea she had never actually spoken against it, always encouraging Bella to do what she felt was right or what made her happy.

"N-No?"

"No. I'm not letting you do something so reckless and stupid and-and…wasteful!" Avery's eyes burned with tears as he voice cracked, anger building in her at the idea of Bella offering up her life so willingly. "You're selfish!" the words spat from her mouth with out any control and even Rosalie looked slightly concerned as Avery's tears dripped down her face.

"Avery?" Edward asked her in stunned quietness.

"No! She's being selfish, she's always selfish! Giving up her future, her life, her healthy, long, life! Do you know what I've done for you! I've risked my life, I've self sabotaged my relationship, and I've lost the greatest friends I've ever had, all to make sure you didn't go off and slit your fucking wrists or put one of Charlie's guns in your mouth! Only to find out it's all for nothing!" She shrieked. Tears formed in Bella's eyes as she tried to form words. Avery felt guilt hit her like a freight train as she realized what she had just said, and just done to the closest thing to a sister she'd ever had.

"Avery…what's wrong?" Edward didn't look angry instead he was concerned. Looking around she saw the same concern in every ones eyes, Esme covering her mouth and venom clouding her eyes. Jasper. She turned to look at him, seeing him being restrained from running to her by Emmett and Alice. His eyes were wide his chest heaving to control himself and venom in his eyes as well.

"Avery!" Her attention snapped to Edward whose face was morphed in fear and concern. "Let me in. Tell me what's wrong." He pleaded.

"I-I can't." She sounded broken as she stopped thinking about random things and relaxed her mind. She pleaded with Edward to say it, unable to bring herself to say the words. They would make it all too real and Avery wasn't ready to deal with it yet. She shared a water smile with Edward before suddenly turning and running out of the house.

"What is it, Edward?" Alice asked.

Edward's gaze was focused on the floor as he frowned deeply. "She has stage 3 CML." Edward's attention snapped to Carlisle as did everyone else's.

The blond doctors face fallen from concern to one of morbid realization. He looked away focusing his gaze on the hard wood floor as they all turned to look at him.

"Carlisle?" Jasper's voice was defenseless and pain filled as he pleaded.

"Chronic Myelogenous Leukemia."

"What's stage three?" Rosalie's voice was a shock to the others, concerned, demanding, and dangerous all at once.

"Terminal."

Emmett and Alice let go of Jasper and the family made no move to follow when he suddenly flew out the window and disappeared into the woods.

The house was silent as everyone looked at each other, all completely lost on what to do or say. Yet two whispered words seemed to fit it perfectly. Bella slumped against the wall, hands in hair as tears streamed down her eyes. She whispered the two words that seemed to sum it all up. "Oh God."

Please Review :) (NO FLAMES!) ( The end of this story is no where near in sight, I plan on taking this till the saga's end!)

No this disease was not pulled out of a random drawing I had it planed from the start. A lot of Avery's systems were signs as well as the smell of her blood.

Avery's blood had a "rotten" smell to it and Leukemia is a blood and bone marrow cancer.

Up Next: Jasper and Avery give in to each other, Bella and Avery come to amends, and Avery and Charlie have a touching moment.