~ Sometimes even destiny gets it wrong, and a character must rage against its plot to survive the story. This was one such story, and no matter how I the Author tried to steer it, the character simply wouldn't budge. I was annoyed to stay the least, and yet here, I give you the conclusion of the Mermaid Syndrome. ~

Part 2

Jacob didn't know what to do, he watched Hermione teeter on her feet before falling off the cliff headfirst into the water. He reached for her, but she slipped from his grip. He couldn't let her go; this wasn't how it was supposed to be. He would not lose the best thing to come into his life, not like this. He did the only thing he could do; he dove in after her. Others on the cliff watched the scene unfold out of curiosity. Once Jacob cleared, the others jumped in afterwards. It wasn't the quickest way down after all.

Those on the shoreline watched as Jacob carried Hermione to shore, laying her down on the stony shore. He immediately tried to administer CPR, he had to get air into her lungs. "Please don't leave me," he said trying to think of what to do, while repeating "please, please," like a mantra. He opened her mouth to give a breath; but after two breaths she still wasn't responding. Jacob did the compressions concentrating on his training. The whole time begging for her to wake up.

"Please Hermione," he begged after what seemed like hours. Tears were running down his eyes now, he was telling her how much she meant to him. "I need you, please wake up," Jacob never stopped CPR, he couldn't risk that Hermione would slip away while he took the time to call for help. He wanted to phase into his wolf and rage, but he couldn't do that now, so he concentrated.

Alice tried to keep a straight face as she watched Harry and Jane argue silently over which group Hermione belonged too. Alice and the members from the Volturi arrived at the scene where Alice saw Hermione lying on the shore and stopped dead in her tracks. Jacob was startled when a strange man he had never met approached him saying, "Hi, my name is Harry Potter, she's my best friend, please allow me to help, I'll compress if you breathe. Kingsley call a healer." Harry ordered kindly. Jacob agreed instantly and they set off to try and save Hermione from death's grip on her life.

Kingsley stepped back so out of the way. Pulling his wand from his holster, he called forth his Patronus and sent a message to St Mungo's for a healer to come immediately to their location.

Jacob and Harry were having a hard time, "God damn it Hermione," Harry cried pulling out his wand to use the enervate spell, it wasn't working. Jacob watched in horror as harry broke down over Hermione. "You're my best friend, Hermione, please don't leave me," Harry cried into her hair.

Jacob had one more thought, "I have an idea, it's crazy but we've tried everything else," Jacob said to Harry as he leaned down to look at Hermione. There was no more time he had to try, "I Jacob Black declare that you are my mate, and I claim you as mine," Jacob said before leaning down and kissing Hermione on the lips.

"What did you just do?!" said Harry, surprised to hear what Jacob had just said. harry couldn't do anything but sit there and silently watch as Jacob leaned down and kissed his best friend.

Magic or a spark of magic spread from Jacobs' lips to Hermione's, traveling down her veins and into her heart. The light was seen zipping up and down her body as it tried to undo the damage that had already been done. Her fingers moved, but her eyes didn't open. Yet when Harry listened, he heard a faint heartbeat, Jacob pressed his lips to hers one more time, this time he felt them move in time with his. Jacob pulled back from her to see that while she was still deathly pale and blue, she was awake. "Jacob," she said in silent wonder.

It was in the middle of all this that Alice had a vision that when Hermione woke up, Jacob would immediately imprint on her and they would be together happily for many years with many children. When she came out of the vision Alice was very happy to be witness to this miracle. However, they weren't out of the woods yet, she had to find Edward before he did something stupid. She picked up the phone and called him, but when no one picked up she left a quick message to call her back.

When Alice returned to the scene, the vampires had cleared out as promised, and all that was left was Carlisle who was trying to get Alice's attention. They traveled back to the border in the company of the wolves and followed back to the house with Embry and Leah. Leah and Embery who were coming to visit with jacob and Hermione so they could report back to Jacob's dad and the tribal elders.

At Cullen's, with a healer from St. Mungo's, a very worried Harry, an angry Cullen household, an overly angry Jacob, and a very confused Edward.

Esme opened the door and let the concern wash over her face, "what has happened," she asked as there were more than a few people on the porch that she didn't recognize.

"Esme, please allow me to introduce our good friend from England, Kingsley Shackbolt, who is Great Britain's Minister for Magic, this is Harry potter, and this is a healer from our hospital back home. He has come to look at Hermione." Carlisle said entering the house.

Esme showed everyone to the music room, it was the most peaceful room in the house, "I will return with some tea and some light snacks," Esme said with a smile on her face. "Hermione can rest on the day bed, and the rest of you can make yourself at home."

"Thank you," Harry said kindly before depositing Hermione gently on the day bed.

"If you will let me take a look," the healer said politely. "I want you to tell me everything that has happened in the last few weeks, leave nothing out." Hermione, Ginny and Luna started telling the story of what was going on. The healer nodded as he poked and prodded.

"Mermaid syndrome," the healer said in a statement, "I think that you got very lucky. Usually if your mate had mated with someone else the mate would turn blue and cease to live. Unfortunate for the rightful mate but no one has lived past this stage before. What exactly did you say before she came too? I need the exact wording."

"I Jacob Black declared you my mate, and I claim you as mine," he said, scratching his head, "and then I kissed her."

"The spark of life," the healer said, sighing, "You are as good as mated now," the healer said, "you need to complete the mating ritual for her to truly be out of danger, but congratulations on finding your mate."

"What if Edward changes his mind again?" Jacob asked, trying to prepare himself for the worst.

The healer laughed, "he could change his mind again, however as he has forsaken his mate for that of another, I think it's safe to say that he made his choice. If you complete the ritual Hermione will be fine. You have some time so there is no need to rush. Jacob Hermione will need to be in your company frequently until you complete the bond. What you do after that is up to you."

"Thank you, sir," Harry said, standing to shake his hand.

Jacob sat down on a chair next to the daybed so he could be near Hermione, he could help but stare at her. She was prettier than he remembered her being, perhaps it was just the bond he was feeling.

"Well Hermione," said Harry as he sat down on the other side of her, "you sure know how to get yourself into trouble."

"Don't I know it," she said with a smile, "thank you for coming."

"You couldn't keep me away if you tried," Harry said, putting his arm around her, "you're practically my sister, I can never abandon you."

"I'm glad to hear that Harry," Hermione said, as she turned to look at Jacob, "thank you Jacob for bringing me back."

"I wasn't sure it would work," Jacob said with a shrug of his shoulders, "normally we imprint to find our mates so I wasn't sure it would work."

"You don't regret your decision to find your mate?" Hermione asked quietly, "Are you sure you can be happy with me?"

"Hermione," he said looking her deep in the eyes, "I did what I did out of desperation because I couldn't let you go. I think I made the right decision."

"Thank you," she said, keeping eye contact with him. Harry interrupted by clearing his voice.

By the time they finished speaking, Esme returned with some treats and tea. Other members of the family had returned home and were hoping to talk to Hermione about what had happened.

Alice and Luna came into the room, their faces looking grim, "What has happened?" Ginny asked, standing up.

"I'm so sorry Hermione," said Alice in a somber voice, "I saw the decision made and decided to let it be and then it changed at the last minute. I believe that Edward had made up his mind and settled on you, and then something happened to change his mind at the last minute."

"It couldn't be helped," Hermione said with a shrug of her shoulder, "I was upset about it but I'm going to be ok, even though the outcome isn't as we hopped. I sincerely hope he's happy with is choice."

"He'll be home shortly," Alice announced, "I told him to come home."

Everyone looked at everyone else, Hermione was still confused as to what could have happened but perhaps it would be better to wait a few days to confront him over his actions. Hermione didn't know what to do, she didn't know the right decision, but she knew she was angry over the circumstances.

""No, I do not think I want to talk to him today," Hermione said, her temper rising, "if fact I think I would like to leave so that you and your family can speak to Edward alone. I really don't have anything to say to him right now."

Alice tried to change her mind, but Hermione would not be told how to feel by anyone. Hermione looked at Jacob, and he nodded and agreed with her, and walked out with her.

Edward and Bella, continuation from where we left off. Bella had just seduced Edward into not going to meet Hermione.

Edward was standing at the end of Bella's bed. He couldn't believe what he was still doing here. He had betrayed Hermione and there was no way to fix what had happened between him and Bella. it seemed like it was the right place to be, next to Bella. he regretted not going to meet Hermione, however he felt it was too late. Looking at the clock it was 3pm, he was supposed to meet Hermione more than 2 hours ago.

When he and Bella were completing the deed, he felt something snap inside and he felt a part of him die. He put his hand to his chest, it felt like an empty hole where he felt his heart should be. It's an odd feeling, I feel like something has broken within me.

Bella sat up, suddenly feeling modest when she had taken her clothes off so brazenly before when he tried to leave her. But then he could have walked away, and he didn't. he looked at his phone and he had several text messages, missed calls and voicemail messages littering his inbox.

"I'm almost afraid to look," Edward said, taking a needless breath as he didn't breathe. Edward went to his voicemail and put in the code. The first message was Hermione wondering where he was and if he was alright. The second was Alice trying to get a hold of him to find out where he was. The third was Carlisle telling him he needed to come home as soon as he heard this message. The fourth was Alice telling Edward to come home.

He sighed, looking at Bella, who had been looking at him in silent longing. "Do you love me?" He asked, sitting down on the bed next to her.

"I certainly do," Bella said, looking him in the eye, saying she didn't move, she didn't blink. She tried to convey all her feelings and longing to him through her eyes, "I love you very much Edward. How can I prove it to you?"

"Marry me, I can't live without you, or I would have been able to walk away from you when you tried to seduce me,"

"I'll marry you," she said with a wide smile, "I'm not sorry for seducing you away from her."

"I can tell," Edward said, pulling her scantily clad form into his lap. "How about we finish what we started." Edwards mouth watered as he bent his head to kiss Bella's neck.

Before Edward had a chance to finish his thought, his phone was ringing again, and this time it was Alice. He decided to pick up the phone, as it was probably important. He tugged Bella closer to him as he picked up the phone.

"If you bite her, know you will drain her, and she won't wake up for 3 days. And when she wakes up she will go after Charlie. You need to wait to finish the mating bond until she is a vampire, Edward."

"I understand," Edward said.

"Come home now, before you get busted by Bella's father," Alice chirped before handing up the phone.

"It seems that if we do this now, I might kill you," Edward said, hugging her to him, kissing her neck tenderly, "and you'll attack Charlie when you wake."

"We can wait," Bella said reluctantly, "let's wait until graduation so we can go away, and we can tell everyone I died in a boating accident."

"What about Charlie?" Edward asked concernedly.

Bella shrugged her shoulders. Before either could change positions, the door to Bella's door opened and there stood the police chief also known as Bella's father.

Living room, Swan residence, Forks Washington. There is a livid father in the house.

Charlie was angry, oh he was tempted to shoot the boy, but if he knew anything this had Bella written all over it. She had been practically in heat over Edward since they came back from Italy, a trip he was still mad about. Bella didn't know, but Charlie had been listening at the door for quite some time. he knew that they were up to something but was she going to go away and tell everyone she died because of some change. What change is he talking about?

"Explain yourselves and I want the truth," said Charlie, his anger palpable. Charlie tapped the chair with his hand, he tapped his foot in time, and his eye twitched. "Explain yourselves."

"It's how it looks," Bella said, not even trying to get out of trouble, but she was jumping head in. "I seduced him, and uh, well were going to get married."

Charlies eye started to twitch as he laughed. his laugh was a laugh so full of sarcasm Bella knew she was in trouble. "You're grounded." he all but growled it out, he had seen the two of them sitting together trying to keep a straight face.

"It's unfair," Bella cried, "how is keeping my boyfriend from running off with some boyfriend steeling cow, laughable."

"Edward," Charlie said in a tone that Bella hadn't heard before, "I must ask you to leave, you may return in a few weeks. You can see Bella at school on Monday."

after Edward left, Charlie let her have it. He told her she was being irresponsible and that he hoped they used protection as he was not ready to be a grandfather. and she would wait until after she graduated high school to get married. and that she was not going to be alone with him, period, and if he wanted to see her, he had to come over when Charlie was home.

Edward goes home.

Silence greets Edward when he arrives home, it was a sound he was familiar with. Carlisle greeted him at the door and told him to come with him to the library. The library was Edwards' favorite place, he knew that he had messed up.

You've done everything that I warned you not to do, you're lucky the consequences of your actions worked for the better. Carlisle is pacing back and forth now. Edward had never seen Carlisle act like this before. You were supposed to meet Hermione and you never showed up. What were you doing? What could have been more important? Carlisle spoke to him in his head. This was not something Carlisle usually did with him, though he was almost afraid for Carlisle to speak.

"I went to see Bella," said Edward as he held Carlisle's gaze. "I had to tell her that I had picked Hermione. Bella wouldn't accept it and attempted to seduce me, and I let her." Edward said shrugging his shoulders, there was no trying to get out of it.

"Were you intimate?" Carlisle asked, his tone clipped and low.

"Yes, more than once," said Edward, his voice sounded far away, and he was wondering if he was having a panic attack. Can vampires even have panic attacks?

"You realize you have given up your claim on Hermione," said Carlisle, his voice calming, and he put his hands on the desk putting pressure on his hands.

"I realize this" said Edward, rubbing his chest, Carlisle reminded Edward of the emptiness he felt, "will you tell me what happened."

"I'm not sure you deserve to know," said Carlisle as he sat down in his desk chair across from Edward. Carlisle's desk was a dark mahogany desk, it held a lamp, a clock and a pendulum. He pulled the ball on the pendulum and started to give Edward a run through of events.

Carlisle told Edward how Hermione waited, she called him to see where he was, and went to the cliffs with Jacob and his wolves to watch them. She turned blue, fell into the ocean and essentially died. "Hermione died Edward; when you allowed Bella to seduce you, it killed her. She's alive but you lost your claim on her."

"You warned me, but I didn't take heed," Edward said, holding his head in his hands.

"Do you regret it?" Carlisle asked curiously.

"Would it matter if I regretted my decision? What's done is done." Edward said nonchalantly after a moment of silence.

Carlisle would have given him a better answer, but the truth was that if Edward had been there Jacob wouldn't have needed to save her. Edward wasn't ready to hear that part yet. Carlisle shook his head, for such a smart child he sure was stupid, silly Edward.

...

Edward waited for the cover of darkness to slip from the house to go see Bella. He stood outside her window and looked up to see if the light was on. When he was sure the coast was clear he climbed the tree and looked in her window. He found Bella snuggled up into her bed reading a book she had on Edward's tee shirt.

Deciding that he needed to think some things through before he talked to Bella, he sat a watched her until he noticed the sun rising in the reflection of the Bella's window. He jumped down and used his vampire speed to run home faster than the speed of light.

Edward was in his bedroom picking out a book when the phone rang. Bella couldn't help it she needed to hear his voice and so they talked about this and that. When Edward told her what he learned about Hermione she gasped.

"She died," Bella cried softly. Not wanting to be found out by her father.

Edward filled her in on the rest of what he knew, and Bella wondered who could have saved Hermione. "One of the wolves probably," Bella said in response. "I'm sorry Edward, I knew what would happen, but I couldn't let you go."

"It's my fault, I could have walked away instead of giving in to you," said Edward as he played with the tassels on the blind in his room.

"I can't risk losing you again," she said as she played with the tag on her comforter.

"I would do the same if you suddenly had a mate, and they wanted to take you away," Edward said with a goofy grin he didn't know if she could tell how he felt over the phone or not, but he tried to project his emotions.

Edward and Bella talked on the phone and sometimes sat in silence until it was time for Bella to get ready to go to bed. She didn't want to if course she wanted to talk to Edward. But he reminded her she's human and needed sleep. She whined that she couldn't sleep without him when he reminded her, he'd had his shirt.

She blushed and he could practically hear it over the phone. He stayed on the phone for a while longer, and only got off the phone when he was sure she was asleep. Then instead of reading he went to the music room and started to compose a song for Bella.

A series of boring events before our story reaches its conclusion.

As the weeks and months passed, Edward and Bella with the help of Alice planned their wedding to be held one month after graduating. This way Bella could run off and become a vampire and hurt everyone who cared about her. Which is the way Bella thought about only a few people, most of them being her future family.

Bella was surprised when she and Edward ran into Jacob who was at the supermarket to get something special for Hermione. With the school year coming to an end, he wanted to celebrate. "She'll be going for classes starting in the fall, and I have a year left of school. We completed the bonding ritual, but we agreed the rest can wait. My father and the other elders support our decisions and can't wait to have Hermione in the tribe permanently." Bella was sincerely happy for them, Edward smiled, he was happy everything worked out in the end.

Alice and Rosalie still saw Hermione daily, but she had taken such care not to bet around when Hermione was. Even though she got her man she felt bad for all the bad things she thought of Hermione.

The weeks leading up to Bella and Edward's wedding were filled with planning and putting things together. Alice and Rosalie had their hands full with planning the wedding, but Bella had done a lot of work as well, and it was going to be stunning. If Alice's visions were anything to go by, everything would be ok.

Once the wedding and everyone was gone, Alice had a vision of the future. When she snapped out of it, jasper hugged her and asked if she was well. She leaned in and kissed him, "Yes everything is well, and will continue to be well in the future," she whispered in his ear.

"Then we should celebrate," he said with a wink before pulling her to a secret place for a private interview.

Epilogue

It had been some years since Hermione and Jacob had gotten married and settled down by the tribe's standards. Jacob, as it turned out, was the rightful alpha wolf, and when the time came, Sam willingly stepped down allowing Jacob to take over the position of the alpha wolf. Hermione was magic herself and was the first witch to grace the tribal lands since the third wife gave her life to grant her clan the power to shift when the land was in danger.

Hermione and Jacob were blessed with 3 children and another on the way. It has been a blessed ten years since Hermione was told she had a mate. And a mate she found, just not the one she was promised to.

Hermione and Jacob still saw The Cullen's on occasion, though there was no longer a need for the tribe to phase. Jacob phased until Hermione reached her 45th year, and then, they both aged together and died at the ripe old age of 175.

Ginny and Luna visited frequently, both eventually married locally and the three were ever in each other's company.

As for Edward and Bella, they lived a happy life. Bella was changed into a vampire by Carlisle after Edward and Bella married. Bella had an abnormal ability to resist temptation and revisited humans on her first hunt.

Upon Edward and Bella returning to forks from their honeymoon. it was just after Hermione and Jacob had gotten married. It was all anyone was talking about; Bella went to Charlie when she returned and explained everything to him. he of course knew something was going on, but he had no evidence to prove it. To Edward's surprise Charlie Swan knew more than he let on, and that's how Charlie liked it.

All in all, they all lived happy lives filled with laughter and joy.

The end

A/N: I hope you enjoyed this. I don't like how it turned out to be honest with you. I had to force the flow a little bit. So, I think I may rewrite parts of the story and make a second ending. I already have it worked out in my head.