A/N: whew! Last chapter was a long one huh? There will be a few more like it, long that is. And Jasper put his foot in his mouth plenty, but can we really blame him? It's just the love he has for Bella that's making him an ass. Lol. Don't worry. He's not as slow on the uptake as Edward was in Breaking Dawn. ;)
well he has some Major apologizing to do. Don't worry, they won't be fighting too much longer. I loved the scene in Eclipse where Bella punched Jake, so I wanted to recreate it in my story, just differently. lol. On with the discovery of some things. I don't want them going into this whole thing totally blind. And Stephenie Meyer always made it seem the Volturi were omniscient- at least to me- so surely they'd know a bit about the possibility of hybrids, right?
This story is almost complete. Shocking right? I have maybe seven to eight chapters left. Possibly more, but that just depends on certain things. Is there anything you want to see besides the obvious? Perhaps an epilogue? Let me know.
Chapter Twenty- One
Bella
I was fuming. How dare Jazz try to demand I kill our child?! What right did he have to make that decision for me? Did he not know me at all? I mean sure, our courtship has been a whirlwind but it's not like we failed to learn about each other in all that time. He should know by now that he can talk to me like a rational adult and we can make decisions together. It's not like I don't know that this could and probably will be dangerous for me. It's clear this pregnancy is already going to be fast. I mean just yesterday there was no bump and now there is, that's three months of pregnancy gone right there.
Most women my size start showing a tiny little bump at three months. So that's how I've come to that conclusion. My body isn't going to have the needed nine months to accommodate a growing fetus. I'm sure I'm going to be dealing with a lot of discomfort, probably even some pain. Hell, I may even have a few broken bones here and there if this baby is part vampire and as strong as one, but I would do it all for Jasper's child- our child. I will do it all. No one, not anyone is going to try to harm my baby. I'll kill them first. Set their asses on fire and watch as they burn. And there's those moods swings again, I'm so angry I'm contemplating hurting the people I love just to keep my baby safe. What the hell is that?
I'm on my way to find Carlisle when I get an idea. Rose. She'll help me. She'll want this baby to come into our world just as much as me and she'll understand where I'm coming from. I go in search of her, only to find her in Carlisle's study- with Carlisle. Looks like she already knows what's happening. They look up as I enter, Carlisle looks cautious but Rose is beaming.
She hops up from her seat and makes her way to me. "Bella! You'll never believe the progress we've already made. We called the brothers and Marcus is already looking through the archives. He said that he's sure there's information there. Aro remembers years ago hearing rumors from the human world about a woman being impregnated by a vampire in South America. He had sent someone when it first happened but nothing had come of it so he had just put it down to tribal superstitions and pushed it out of his mind until now. He's sent Demetri to see if he can learn anything about it, but he's doubtful unfortunately. It happened in eighteen fifty after all.
"Carlisle has already gotten an ultrasound machine on its way from the clinic on the Res. Esme has gone to the library to get books on pregnancy, don't worry she'll come up with a good excuse to keep anyone from getting suspicious- we've had decades to learn how to lie after all- and Emmett and the others have gone to get more blood. Peter told us what happened. Are you ok? I'm sure you need your hand checked. Don't be too mad at Jazz, he's just scared.
"Not only did Edward get ahold of you today, and believe me he'll give Garrett and Peter an earful for leaving you no matter how much space they thought you might need, but this is an unknown to everyone and potentially dangerous to you and his first priority will always be your safety above all else. I'm sure when he gets back he'll have his apology ready. How about you come over here and we'll check that hand, make sure it isn't broken."
I told him it wasn't their fault, but I guess I can see his point. Eight miles was an awful lot of space to give me after all. "So you'll help me Rose? Help me keep my baby," I ask as I let her lead me to a chair.
"Of course. I'll admit to selfish reasons for it. I've always wanted a baby and to have one in the house? I'm ecstatic, but I'm also concerned for you. I will help Carlisle do whatever he needs to do to keep you and the baby healthy throughout the pregnancy. Now that we know at least one way to do so, we should hopefully learn any others. Now have a seat and I'll look at your hand."
I sit down and Carlisle comes to join us. As Rose checks my hand, I turn to Carlisle ready to ask him questions. "So what do we know so far?"
"May I," he says, indicating my belly. After I nod, he lifts my shirt and puts his hand on the bump. He gasps and looks at me with surprise when he feels the movement of the baby. Then he feels around a bit, pushing and rubbing until, nodding with satisfaction, he removes his hand and goes silent. I can see him thinking things through in his head. As he does that, Rose touches each finger of my hand and then manipulates the bones checking for breaks and my ability to move my fingers.
"There's some bruising, but nothing feels broken. Thankfully." She sets my hand in my lap and moves back to the computer she had been at when I came in. I don't know what she's looking for, but she's engrossed in it almost immediately.
Finally Carlisle finishes his thought process and begins to tell me what he thinks. "Well the bump is about a three to four month bump, but movement that others can feel can start anywhere between thirteen and twenty five weeks, so three to six months. That makes it harder to predict the growth rate of the fetus. But if I were to guess, I would say you've already gone twenty weeks in two. There are forty two weeks in a full term pregnancy so if you continue to grow as fast as the first two I would say you will hit full term in another two so let's make a prediction and say you'll have this baby around the twenty ninth?
"Then there's the fact we don't know what is growing inside you. Is it human? I would think not with as fast as it's growing. So is it a vampire? I tend to doubt that too because we don't change anymore after we've been turned. So does that mean it'll be half human half vampire? With Alice not being able to see you I'm leaning towards that. Technically the pack are hybrids. She can't see them which would mean she can't see hybrids. The baby's life is tied to you therefore I'm sure your fate is tied to its fate. Does that make sense? We just have a lot to learn in a small amount of time and in that time we have to ensure your survival too. Keep that in mind, that you could possibly not survive this as a human, or even at all."
"Yes, it makes sense. And I know this Carlisle, but I won't let it stop me from bringing this baby into the world."
He nods in understanding. "Then there's one more thing. I'm not sure you if noticed, but there seems to be nudging from two different places. I don't think you're carrying a single baby Bella. I think you're carrying twins."
"Twi...twins! Did you just say twins?" I move my hands to the bump and sure enough, there's two nudges from two different directions. Holy shit! Oh, oh, oh! Jasper is not going to be happy!
Just then I see movement in the doorway and focus my full attention on Jasper standing there. He has a bag in one hand and wildflowers in the other and a look of shock on his face. I want to still be angry with him, but thinking about what Rose said, my eyes soften and I move to stand up. To go to him and tell him that I'm sorry, but he moves too quickly and is suddenly in front of me, on his knees.
His eyes are focused where my shirt is still raised, on the bump. I go to cover it, but he stops me. He moves both hands and places them over the bump and just sits there. The look of concentration on his face is almost comical. But then the movement happens again, he looks up at me a look of awe on his face. Then he smiles and all seems right in the world again.
Jasper
When I come into the house I can't see or hear anyone, so I go in search of them. I find Rose, Carlisle and Bella in Carlisle's study, which explains why I didn't hear them- it's soundproofed. I see Bella in a chair, Rose behind the desk at the computer and Carlisle is in front of Bella, kneeling as he tells her what he thinks. I hear what Carlisle says, that there is probably two babies inside her. She freaks out a bit, I can feel her apprehension and wonder if it's because of me, because she thinks I'll be even angrier. If it hadn't been for that old man, I might be. But what he said to me really got into my head.
I was an idiot, am an idiot. If I had paid attention I would have noticed that Bella is already in love with them. She would never give over to the idea of terminating the pregnancy. She would hate me for it if I tried to force it too. I'm now resigned to the fact that Bella is going to do this, carry this baby- these babies- and do her damndest to live through it. If there's one thing I've learned in the months I've known her, if anyone can do this- it's her. Carlisle is right though, we need to learn as much as we can so we can keep her healthy and help her live. Even if I have to turn her in the end, she will live. She spots me then and moves to stand.
Moving at lighting speed I'm in front of her in seconds. I can feel her self-conciousness as she moves to cover her exposed belly and I stop her. I set my items down and touch the bump there tentatively. I concentrate hard on feeling what she feels and when I feel the little nudges against my hand, I'm in awe. There's life inside of her. How could I ever have thought that my babies were monsters? We still don't know enough about all this, but that will change. We'll all do our parts to help. Mine is to be an attentive partner and love her through all this. Turning to Carlisle I ask him what we should do now.
"Well let's get it confirmed first. Take her upstairs to the bathroom and get her to take those tests. We'll go from there." I nod and get up. I help her from the chair, grab the bag with the tests and her flowers and we go up the stairs together. She goes into the bathroom and I hear her peeing and then I hear the sound of the three tests being laid on the counter, then she washes her hands and comes out. I set the timer on my phone for five minutes- just to be sure- and we sit and wait.
I hold onto her hand, which reminds me... "You didn't break your hand slapping me did you? I'm so sorry Bella. I'm just so scared about what could happen, I didn't think. I shouldn't have tried to dictate to you. I'm here. I'll be here through it all. We are in this together, no matter what. If I have to change you in the end so be it, but we have to learn more."
"No it's fine. Just some bruising. And I'm sorry too, but you aren't the only one who is scared. I am too, but the love I feel for these babies already... It is more powerful than that fear. However, I shouldn't have slapped you. You just made me so angry. You're right too, we have a lot to learn in two weeks."
I must have missed that part of their conversation. "Two weeks?"
"You must not have heard all that Carlisle said. He's predicting with the rate of growth already presented that I should be at full term by the twenty ninth. I'm also scared about what might happen if Edward gets wind of this. We didn't even think about that in the fear of what might happen to me. What this all means. But what if Edward finds out?"
I go to answer her, but the alarm on my phone goes off before I can. We walk into the bathroom together and look at the tests. Each one says she's pregnant in one way or another. She turns to me with a smile.
"We're having a baby, cowboy." Her voice is so soft I can barely hear it but I hear it just the same.
"Babies darlin', if Carlisle is correct." I wrap my arms around her as she throws hers around my neck, her fingers playing with the end of my hair.
"Babies. Well this explains my dreams then."
"Your dreams?"
"The nightmares about Edward? Remember they start with the blond boy in the meadow? I did kind of shout it at you this morning. I'm afraid Jazz. Will he try to hurt them just to get to me? What if he manages to get one of them? Even if I'm a vampire, he may use them for revenge. This morning our biggest worry was me having bad dreams and Edward, now it's so many things all at once. Who would have thought that by noon we'd have fought twice, once leading me to being attacked again. Find out I'm pregnant and now have to worry about Edward, me dying through this pregnancy, and what might happen to our babies. It's all just too much Jazz." And with those words she breaks down.
I knew it was coming. There's been so much tension lately and she's been so strong. I knew the break would come eventually, one can hold in everything only so long after all. I'm actually surprised I haven't gone off on someone yet, or something. She's kept me strong. The only thing I can do now is hold her as she screams and sobs her grief and fear out and offer soothing words that she probably can't hear right now. Lifting her in my arms I carry her to the leather arm chair in the corner of the room. Esme replaced the one I took with me when I moved in with Bella. I hug her close.
"I won't let him near them Bella. He won't even get close I swear it. And we'll do everything in our power to keep you healthy through all of this, and to make sure that even if you don't survive it as a human- that you are turned. You've already decided to join me in eternity, it'll just be sooner than we planned." Just the thought of Edward near her or our children makes me growl low in my throat. I'll kill him first. He won't touch them again.
She finally calms down after about thirty minutes and I change my shirt as she smiles sheepishly at me for soaking it with her tears. Then she takes my hand and leads me out the door of our room. "Come on cowboy, let's get downstairs and tell the others it's official so we can start to plan."
"Ok, but then I'm taking you somewhere for the rest of the day. Second Beach and Rialto Beach have some great tide pools. It's always nice to just sit and watch the creatures within. After all, I need to make up for my behavior earlier. I haven't even given you your flowers yet." She laughs at that and let's me loose to grab her flowers off the bed. I hand them to her and she smiles and smells them and we head down the stairs to tell our family the... Good, but not so good, news. These next two weeks will be the longest of my existence.
After we announce that it's official I tell everyone where we're going and head out the door. I take Carlisle's car and drive us to La Push. We're greeted by Jake driving past us in his Rabbit so he turns around and joins us. Sam had sent him to the house to check on Bella- I need to thank them for their help today, Bella doesn't know it yet but they're the reason Edward ran without her. He couldn't chance carrying her into the trees, which is where he would have had to go to get past the pack. They were already patrolling the area when I called Sam.
He had sent out Jake, Quil, Embry, Leah and Jared to patrol the border between our house and the Res. Unfortunately they weren't close when Edward got through, but they were close enough to cause him problems after he attacked Bella. I have to be grateful for that. Even unconcious she would have been difficult to carry through the trees, not without the risk of her slipping.
We pull into a parking lot near Second Beach to talk. Once we assure him she's ok, we tell him what we found out and he takes off to go let Sam know so they can see what they'll want to do. I'm sure Sam will want to speak with Carlisle. After all, they don't know if our babies are a danger to humans or the pack. I'm just thankful that Sam is levelheaded and rational and will want to learn more before acting. I'd hate to have to kill the pack to protect Bella and my children. Amazing how one can feel once they 'get their head out of their ass'.
I'm still apprehensive, but I can't help but feel the love Bella does. These are my children. A part of myself, a part of Bella. Hopefully by the time it's time for them to come out, we will know enough to keep Bella alive. Or at least alive enough to change her. We get to the beach and thankfully it's free of people. I put her on my back, careful of the bump, and run her to the tide pools.
We sit for a couple hours, watching the little creatures inside them. I'm glad it's a cloudy day, so the sun doesn't burn her and she leans into my chest and trails her fingers through the pool we're sitting next to. The little fish dart back and forth, some even being bold enough to come up close enough for her to almost touch them. I help her get one of the starfish out of the pool and she holds it for a minute before I put it back so it doesn't dry out and die.
We talk about the future. About names too. I never thought I'd ever have the chance to name a child. Almost a hundred and forty five years of being an unchanging creature and I had given up all hope of ever becoming a father. Of carrying on my family's name and blood line- though I'm not sure blood is the appropriate term. Since I no longer have blood flowing in my veins. Wrapping my arms around her I lay my chin on her head.
"Thank you Bella. For being mine, for forgiving my idiocy today. I should have remembered how strong you are. If anyone can do this, it's you. So thank you. Thank you for giving me something I never thought I'd have, children. The chance to be a father. I thought I would continue through this life alone, lonely. Don't get me wrong being with the Cullens has been great- but I was lonely. I had given up hope of ever finding a mate. Now not only have I found you, but you've given me the chance to become a father and there aren't words enough to tell you how I feel about that."
She turns her head to look at me and smiles. "No, thank you Jazz. For believing in me, for being here for me. After my parents died I thought my life was over. I never hoped to find someone to be with like I have you. To find a family, a second one that is. And now I can carry on my family line thanks to you. Carlisle's family line too. His descendants won't end with me. I was content in the knowledge that I would be the last, but I have to admit that now I won't be- I couldn't be happier. Though I can think of something that could make me happier in this moment."
"Oh? And what's that?"
She grins at me mischievously. "Make up sex." Then she winks at me and I have to laugh. I know just the place too.
Without a word I pick her up and make my way into the forest to the little clearing. The grass here is still lush and green, untouched yet by the fall change. I set her on her feet and begin to disrobe us both, laying my shirt out on the ground for her to lay on. Then I help her down and cover her body with my own and make slow tender love to her until the sun begins to set and the cold becomes too much. Dressing us, I run us back to the car and drive us back home. She sleeps peacefully that night, for which I'm glad. I have a feeling the next two weeks are going to be rough.
The next morning, early, I move out of her arms and leave her to sleep. She curls around my pillow and inhales my scent but doesn't wake. I don't want to leave her, but I have some unfinished business to take care of. Two men who failed in their duties. I get wanting to give her space, but it wasn't like she didn't know they were there. She knows me too well to ever think someone wasn't watching her and I'm sure she saw them follow her to the lake. Eight miles away from her? Why so far. I don't buy that "giving her space" bullshit. I've had all night to think about it and I think that Peter isn't telling me the truth, something he knows I hate.
They know what's coming the second I find them in the great room. It has to be the look on my face. Kate asks what's going on, but Garrett tells her it'll be ok and that she needs to understand they fucked up and it's my right to get my pound of flesh for it. She's not happy but when she sees Charlotte taking it all in calmly, she sits back down and nods her understanding. I won't kill them. They're friends and they made a mistake, but they need reminding that that mistake could have been costly. I took my reprimand for the same thing when the Res attack happened, but I wasn't so far away from Bella I couldn't get to her in time.
We walk out the veranda doors and disappear into the forest. I want to get as far away from the house as I can without being so far I can't get back in minutes if Bella needs me. It's hard enough for Charlotte and Kate to let their mates walk into danger, but to have to hear it too wouldn't be fair on my part. My phone is on and Alice is staying home today so she'll be able to get ahold of me quickly. Once we're in a decent size clearing I stop. I don't face them, if I see their faces- the contrition- I'm likely to damage them. A lot. They shouldn't have anything to be sorry about, because they shouldn't ever have been that far from her.
"I want the real reason you weren't close to her. Don't give me that bullshit of giving her space. Ten feet is space, eight miles is not." I can't believe how calmly I managed to say that when inside I'm seething. I'm tempted to project how angry I am just to show them, but I won't.
Peter is the first to speak. "It was my idea. I know we said we didn't want to use her as bait, but I wanted to see if we could thwart Edward that way. I never dreamed he would actually show up. We were just testing to see how far out we could get from her while still being able to hear her and scent her. To see if we could possibly stay out of his gift's range but be able to know he's there. I never expected not to be forewarned ahead of time that he was actually on his way. I didn't know that Alice was somewhere that her cell phone might not work. Blame me. Put this on me.
"Garrett agreed, but reluctantly. He didn't like the idea of using yesterday as an experiment because of what happened on the Res, how we weren't prepared. He felt it could happen again, but I was fool enough to think it wouldnt. Everything was going according to plan, but the breeze shifted on us m- we lost her scent and were moving positions to get it back. But before we could, Edward was there. I know it won't make a difference, but it was working up until then. We could smell her, hear her shifting around and what not. And obviously his gift didn't pick us up that far out, but all that doesn't matter. I'm sorry Major. I made a mistake. It was stupid and I'll take the punishment dealt to me."
I knew there was more to it, but this? "You're telling me you went against my orders and put my mate in danger? That because the situation changed and your 'experiment' became reality, my Bella could be dead by now? You took advantage of a situation where she was upset, put your own decision over her feelings to test a theory? Is that what you're telling me Peter?
"And you, Garrett, just went along with it? Didn't even question it? Didn't even say a thing about how improbable it was in the first place?" I turn, my rage clouding my vision. What idiocy! They knew Edward might show up unexpectedly, but they still left my mate vulnerable when she was already so because of the argument we had had?
Garrett opens his mouth then, drawing my attention off Peter. "We are sorry Major. We never fathomed the possibility that Edward would arrive there, that Alice would not be able to give us ample warning to get to Bella. We thought he was still in Port Angeles. It does not excuse us however. Not when we put Bella in danger like that against your wishes. As Peter has said, we will take whatever punishment you wish to mete out."
I couldn't speak for a moment, not with the rage now clogging my throat. We've become too reliant on Alice. We have let our vigilance falter because we expect her to be able to warn us ahead of time. We will discuss that bit of idiocy later. "Do you know how lucky it was that some of the pack was patrolling by the Res border closest to the house? That I was able to call Sam and he was able to get them to flank Edward in time? He could have knocked Bella out cold and took off with her, but because he would have had to take to the trees- he didn't chance it. He could have raped her, killed her, I could be without my mate right now because you decided to test a theory!"
Their silence is answer enough. I'm moving before I can even think about it, my anger controlling my actions as I zero in on the ringleader of this bullshit. I kick Peter in the chest sending him flying into the trees where he slams back first into a large oak, making the trunk tremble and bark fall down around him where he lays belly first on the ground. Wisely, Garrett keeps his mouth shut. Before Peter can get up I'm on him. I punch him in the face twice before throwing him into the tree a second time. That moment I said I was waiting on for myself, the one similar to Bella's release yesterday- it's finally come. I vent my anger and fear on my friend until Garrett finally grabs me from behind.
Snarling I throw him off, turn to face him and he just stands there. I want them to fight back. To give me a reason to keep going, but they don't. Ignoring Garrett I look back at Peter, with his dislocated shoulder, the dents in his face and body where I punched him- he's missing a hand too. Disgusted at him, at the both of them, I turn and take off into the trees lest the rage I still felt overtake me and I kill Peter instead of beating him.
I'm feeling so many emotions at once, anger- at myself, at Peter for daring to put my mate in danger for his own selfish ends, at Edward, at the brothers for not telling me a long time ago they were meddling in my life, at Alice for not letting me kill Edward when I had the chance. Fear- for what might happen to Bella during this pregnancy, what might happen if Edward manages to get ahold of one of those babies, what this big bad enemy might do if they gain control and the fear that I may not be able to do a thing about any of it. I'm just one man after all. No matter my past.
Then there's the pressure of being the man everyone needs me to be. The strong, confident leader. When all I want to do at this moment is take Bella and run. Confusion- why me? What is so special about me that the brothers took such an interest in me from the beginning? Why did they have Alice, whom they have kept secret all these years, watch over Bella from the day she was born and not just through visions, but in the flesh? Why?
Then there's the overwhelming need to protect my mate and our children. Which I'm not doing very well right now, running like I am. But if I don't go somewhere and vent all this, I'll explode on someone and it could be deadly. I run until I'm a little calmer, then I stop and just start ripping things around me apart. Trees get uprooted or smashed apart by my fists, grass and dirt go flying in all directions.
By the time all my emotions are finally out, there's a new clearing in the forest and I feel mentally exhausted- but it's out. And it's helping me be able to see more clearly. Right now the only thing that matters is keeping Bella safe and making sure Edward doesn't find out she's pregnant. With the way he's acting, he won't have any issues with using our babies to exact any revenge he may wish to thrust upon us for thwarting him permanently if I have to change Bella after the babies are born.
So I vow right here and now that I will be her helpmeet through it all. She will want for nothing, at anytime. She won't be left alone again either. Not ever. Vampire or not. Not until the threats are neutralized. Not until this is over. With that vow made I head back to the house. Thankfully when I get there Bella is still asleep. Ignoring the others, though I can see Peter has healed from the damage my fists have done, I head up the stairs and crawl into the bed next to her and take her in my arms, close my eyes and relax. Breathing in her scent as she sleeps, I imagine our future. The good parts after all this is over. It's a bright future indeed.