Hi, so here is another chapter and I hope you enjoy. This is where the canon part of the story kinda takes a dive because I have invented dialogue especially where Jacob is concerned but I said from the off that this might be the case.
Disclaimer-Nothing is mine.
Please Read and Review.
Self-Fulfilling Prophecy
Chapter 7-Hope Is Not The Goal
Jacob Black makes an appearance, Rosalie and Alice's relationship gets dramatically worse. Back to Rosalie's point of view for this chapter.
"There is no chance, no destiny, no fate that can circumvent or hinder or control the firm resolve of a determined soul." Ella Wheeler Wilcox
The problem with the wolves was they had no element of surprise. They might like to think that they did but the truth of the matter was they didn't because to put it simply…the smell.
So when she smelt the terrible, horrible wet dog smell on the horizon Rosalie was not surprised. To be honest she was amazed that anyone in the house was. She'd had thought it was obvious the second that Bella was home one of them would trot over desperate to see if the big, bad, scary vampires had violated the treaty.
What she was surprised about was that there was only one of them—she'd bet a good amount of money on her knowing which one it was—but seriously? Didn't these…animals usually travel around in packs for protection or something like that? One of them turning up alone was unexpected. Not that much of a threat especially considering this was the one who thought that Bella walked on water but it was…odd…
Odder that he was coming in human form as well.
Rosalie who had been sat on the couch watching Bella as she slept (which she seemed to be doing for quite a lot of the day now) watched Edward for a second. He too seemed to realise that Jacob Black was on his way and she watched as something flickered in the dark mass of his eyes. Something that looked almost like hope. She didn't know why, she was sure that there was nothing that Jacob Black could do or say that would get Bella to give up on the baby but…
Unless Edward was banking on Jacob being an added bonus in a fight? It would be a cold day in hell when Edward Cullen and Jacob Black worked together but the truth of the matter was that they both cared enough about Bella to disregard what she wanted If it kept her alive. And a werewolf in play might be all the distraction Edward needed. And so after shooting him another distrustful look she kept her poise, kept her place, kept her position.
And if she saw Emmett shift a little closer to her in response to that God Awful smell wafting up the porch then…then at least she still had his support.
It was the only thing she was counting on nowadays. That and the fact that she and Bella were on the same side. She didn't trust anyone near Bella at all. She'd not changed her clothes and had barely put a brush through her hair since this whole thing had begun. It didn't make a difference. Vampires were naturally created to remain beautiful no matter the circumstances.
It didn't matter that she hadn't brushed her hair or that half her family wanted her dead.
Well…it did but not right now.
She still couldn't understand why it was so hard for everyone to accept that it was just a baby, just a little baby. So what if they didn't know what he looked like or weather or not he was a he at all? So what if they didn't know how he fed or how he managed to kick? If Bella who was arguably the one doing all the work in this scenario was happy then why should Edward complain?
She had to look away from Bella at this thought. Unbidden one of the rare human memories she had preserved over time (as all human memories tended to get fuzzy when the transformation hit—not to mention it wasn't like she had many that she wanted to keep) of Vera. Rosalie had come round one day when she had been early on in her pregnancy and she had remembered Vera after she had thrown up and then cleaned up (because Rosalie was not going to do that—at least not back then) and she they had laughed about the fact that it was the woman who did all the work when it came to this one thing.
Pregnancy.
The one thing she had wanted and never been able to get.
She wasn't an idiot. Everyone had heard the conversation between Emmett and Carlisle. Edward had ensured that privacy had taken a back seat in the Cullen household and Alice had blown it out of the water when she had moved in. Jasper too had not helped. With everything so raw and out and so in the open it was hard for her husband who struggled to do serious (unless it involved ripping a tree to shreds). She knew what her actions were costing him. What it was costing him to stand by her side. And to be honest the knowledge that whatever happened Carlisle loved them as his own regardless was a soothing balm to the constant barrage of hateful looks she was getting.
And it was getting irritating. If Alice made one more huffing noise she was going to…
Well not know. The dog was here after all.
Carlisle went to answer the door.
The dog stomped in, in all his smelly glory. Jesus Christ he hadn't even gotten shoes. Rosalie had grown up in a civilised era where it had been a full suit and tie to go to the corner store, where you never underdressed even at home. Shoes were the basics, even the poorest of New York's residents had, had shoes. Granted when the Depression hit it had changed things but her mother and father would have never let someone in the house who didn't wear shoes and if she was being really snobbish about it the mud caking his feet…well…with that and the smell Esme was better of ditching the carpet altogether.
Edward was looking at him like he was the answer to all of his prayers. Bella was smiling. Rosalie shifted off the couch and slid down into a crouch turning her mind of when Bella tapped her on the shoulder and said that Jacob Black was not a threat to her. Like hell…the wolves had been a threat to them since day one. They had been a threat sixty years ago and they had been a threat now and no amount of working together to defeat a common foe was going to change the inevitable. At some point unless a miracle like this baby happened, they were going to have to face the consequences and fight it out.
Edward's eyes slid to hers for a second—half a heartbeat—the first time he had looked at her since this whole thing had begun. He had taken to not looking at her at all, as if by the force of sheer will he could forget that she existed. Rosalie had seen coldness emanate out of Edward before. They had never really been close. Not as brother and sister. They had fought like cats and dogs in the basket and the truth of the matter was that they were too different. Out of all of the Cullen's they didn't gel together. That was the truth of it and despite the fact that they had tried Rosalie suspected that this was the final breaching. What surprised her was that she wasn't sad about it.
And from the curl to Edwards lip as she thought that she had to conclude that he wasn't sad about it either. When all was said and done she stood by her convictions. She didn't need Edward to like them. It just was what it was. They held different views on this, the one uncompromising issue.
And here he called her stubborn and pig-headed.
But she pulled herself out of her thoughts as quick as she thought them. One of the great things about this immortal life was the fact that you could multi-task eight to nine things at once. You could think and fight on several fronts. And that was what she was doing. She didn't have to look to know that Emmett was by her side in this. They were working together side by side again. Him watching her six as he always did. But Jacob had seen Bella, he had seen what had happened on that honeymoon that he had always thought was going to be the end of the woman he had come to love.
"Outside" Edward growled and Rosalie jumped a little in surprise. It was a miniscule flinch but it was a flinch nonetheless and it surprised her how visceral her reaction was. Because Edward—the one who had claimed they could always live in peace with the wolves—had finally snapped and was killing one? Was that what they were doing now?
"Finally" Emmett growled looking gleeful and Rosalie felt her emotions sharpen in the room. She half expected a look from Jasper to tone it down but he was looking thrilled too. They'd been cooped up in here silent statues watching and waiting and acknowledging the baby in their own different ways (if that was even the correct word) and they had not fed in weeks. Now her husband and her brother were itching for something, anything to do that didn't involve sitting in silence and Rosalie couldn't stop them.
"No" Bella gasped sitting upwards her belly distended and in doing so she ripped out the IV reaching for Edward's arm. Warm blood sprayed all over Edward's shirt and arm but he didn't even flinch. The scent of it hit them all and she had to bit back the venom that flooded her mouth on instinct. It had been a while since she had fed and though she had done her best to try and temper down the burn in her throat it was still there. She had gone into this knowing that until it was over she wasn't going to be able to feed and her record on human blood (with the exception of Carlisle) was the best of everyone in this room but even so, so much of the forbidden fruit was intoxicating and she had to grit her teeth to the point where they cracked under the strain.
Her husband however had no such struggles and he had to turn away. Rosalie wanted to go to him the way Alice went to Jasper but the truth was she didn't dare. She didn't dare trust Edward alone with Bella without her by her side. Her brother was so unpredictable that she didn't know what he might do if he saw an opening. She didn't know what Carlisle would do if he saw the opening. She didn't know who to trust.
"It's alright Bella" Edward said slowly and softly as if speaking to someone terminally ill. "It's alright. Jacob and I are just going to talk"
Jacob Black shot Edward a look as if he knew that Edward didn't just want to talk. But then the dark eyes slid back to Bella's belly. Rosalie was loathe to give any of the dogs credit but he was doing good at keeping the revulsion off his face.
Honestly she didn't understand any of them! It was a baby for crying out loud not a bomb!
"It's alright, we'll be in ear shot"
Yeah like hell he would. Whatever he was going to put in place with the other man who loved Bella he was sure as hell not going to let any of them hear it. But Jacob Black went along with it and the two of them disappeared out of ear shot, the vampire and the werewolf.
Bella settled back down again wrapped in her blankets apparently content with the knowledge that her husband and her best friend were not going to kill each other (how she was the only one in the room with such confidence surprised Rosalie immensely) and Rosalie went back to sitting on the carpet in front her, her knees pulled up to her chest. Bella's hand found her hair for a second and Rosalie forced herself to remain still as Carlisle repaired the IV and the moisture that came from the human blood exposed to open air came closer to her.
She breathed out finally when she was sure the thing was back in. She still wasn't sure that the IV was a good idea but considering Bella couldn't keep any food down she had to conclude that the baby had to eat something—or at least try to.
It wasn't doing anything that was obviously bad though so that had to mean something.
She swallowed down the venom again as everyone but her crowded to the window again.
"I can't see a damn thing" Alice muttered too lowly for Bella to hear.
"Can't hear a damn thing either" Emmett muttered. "Typical Edward. Take us just out of hearing if he's offering himself up as a peace offering when all this is over"
"He wouldn't do that to Bella" Esme said shaking her caramel coloured curls. Jasper and Emmett shared a look and Rosalie turned slightly to watch as Carlisle shushed them with the glare he had perfected over time being the stand in father to five immortal teenagers. Emmett and Jasper said nothing but it was clear that they were thinking what they were all thinking. That if Bella was dead when this over Edward would want to join her. God knows the man had already tried to do it before. And Jacob Black was a lot more efficient, quicker and closer to home than the Volturi.
"Sure" Jasper muttered in a hiss under his breathe.
Bella turned a little to stare.
"What are you all looking at?"
"Just waiting for them to come back" Emmett said with a small smile that he usually kept for her when she was having a bad memory. "Just waiting Bella…that's all we can do"
Bella smiled at him her hand caressing the bump with a tenderness that made her ache in envy.
"Yes" she said looking down at her stomach. "Yes I suppose that's all we can do. Just wait until he's big enough to come out and then we can be together. As a family."
Alice made an abortive hand gesture and then left the room. Bella watched her go with cloudy brown eyes but for once she didn't try to say anything to get her best friend to stay. The chasm between Alice and Bella was growing and for once Rosalie found there was a nice little place for her in it. Her last female friend had been Vera. While she and Alice had been sisters and in some ways friends it had not been the friendship that she and Vera had enjoyed. Not the friendship that she thought that Bella and her enjoyed now, united against a common foe, determined to see something through to the end.
If you'd have told her six weeks ago that this would have been the outcome of her relationship with Bella Swan, Rosalie would have laughed you out of the house and then thrown you over the river. There was she had to admit, something to be said for Carlisle's theory of coming together as one cohesive unit.
"He's back" Jasper said tightly.
"Well at least he's alive" Emmett muttered. "He looks…different…settled somewhat"
"Course he does" Alice said coming back into the room again holding her head as if she was suffering a human headache.
"He's got a plan now"
"Alice please. Not now" Esme said her expression twisting. Bella shifted again. She had missed most of the conversation but her eyes were fluttering as she forced herself into a sitting position. Rosalie helped her at once.
"Not to much pressure?" she asked as the weight of the baby hit Bella's bladder.
"Not for now" Bella said smiling. "I might need to go to the bathroom in a bit and then…I guess I'm going to need to get out of these clothes"
Rosalie smiled. "The baby does seem to like water" she said and that was true in itself. The baby when immersed in cool water liked to make it's presence known and Bella liked it regardless of weather or not it gave her bruises or blood spots.
And Rosalie liked it too. It was hard to put into words when she could feel the baby move underneath her hand. It reminded her of when she could feel Henry kick under her palm. When the world had been bright and it had been all that she had ever wanted right there. A baby, a husband. A home.
And now when she could feel that boy kick it was like feeling Henry kick, like feeling her son kick. God help her but that was what it was like. Her and Emmett and the son that they should have had.
Alice snarled softly behind her but Rosalie didn't care. It was such a bittersweet moment that she didn't care that it wasn't shared by all. It was her moment and she was going to keep it close to her chest, locked away and safe where nobody could take it from her.
"It's not Edward you have to worry about" she heard Alice say softly. Bella turned a little but clearly she didn't get it. Rosalie turned and stared at her sister for a long moment.
"Bring it on" was all she said. "I've broken your visions before Alice, I can break them again"
Alice made an abortive gesture that Jasper just managed to stop. Emmett in a casual move managed to get over to her blocking Bella's sight from view. It was painfully clear the divisions between them as Edward walked back into the room Jacob Black still barefooted trailing by his side.
"Were going to let Bella and Jacob talk alone"
"Like hell we are"
"Edward—"
"Over my pile of ashes"
Edward held up a hand and this time his gaze met hers straight on for the first time since she could remember.
"Please" was all he said and she heard Emmett suck in a gasp next to her. She turned her head half a fraction to where her husband was standing by her side calculating no doubt in his head. After another heartbeat he nodded and Rosalie nodded again.
"Fine. But so help me Edward if he tries…"
"He won't…he…he won't"
"I won't" Jacob Black said into the stillness of the room. "I could. But I won't."
"I want to talk to Jacob Rose, it's okay" Bella said tugging on her fingers. "He won't hurt me"
God her confidence with the wolves was shocking. It was either a sign of great strength or great nativity. With Bella it was always hard to tell but Emmett's hand was at her elbow and Rosalie nodded.
"Trust me" Emmett muttered. "I've got this"
Rosalie didn't smile as she was led from the room allowing Bella, the baby and the wolf in the room alone. Her hand found Emmett's and she squeezed back. She didn't have to tell her husband that it was not him that she didn't trust.
Emmett squeezed her hand back.
She knew he understood.
And there you go, I hope you enjoyed this little chapter and I will do my best to bring you the next one.
Next Chapter-The depths of which Edward is willing to sink surprise all the Cullen's. Emmett's relationship with Edward takes another dive. Alice and Rosalie nearly come to blows. And as soon as he leaves, the wolf comes back.
