Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight.
Alice sat in her room, wishing that the vision that she had just had seen wasn't true. She was torn about what to do. She knew that she needed to tell Bella, but she didn't know how to do it without hurting her.
"Alice?" Jasper asked from the door.
She felt a wave of calm come over her as he crossed the room. Alice rung her hands together as Jasper sat across from her. She looked down at her hands, not wanting him to see her like this.
"Did you have a vision?"
"Yes," she said quietly.
"Was it something bad?"
"Something sad," she said with a nod.
"What is it?"
"It's about Bella and Jake. I don't know how to tell them."
"I could go with you."
"No. You know that Bella doesn't like you messing with her emotions."
"Then I suggest that you do it soon. It's just going to eat away at you if you don't."
She nodded, knowing that he was right. She left him sitting there as she went in search of her keys.
"They're on the counter," Rosalie called.
"How did you know what I was looking for?"
"I'm on the phone with Edward."
"Tell him that I said thank you."
She left a few minutes later. She didn't like not knowing how Bella would react. Jacob must be there.
XXXX
Leah sat on the porch with Bella, each of them holding one of the boys when Alice's Ferrari came to a screeching halt a few feet from the front porch. She pulled her scarf and glasses off once she was out of the car. Bella stood, meeting her at the stairs.
Alice looked down at Josh sadly before heaving a sigh.
"What's wrong?" Bella asked.
"Is Jacob here?"
"No, he's at work."
"Leah, have you not stopped phasing?"
"I have, but the transition back to human could take a few more months. Why?"
"That's why I couldn't see anything. I hate to ask you to leave, but I need to talk to Bella alone."
"Sure," Leah stood, holding John close to her so that she wouldn't drop him.
"Could you take him inside? He needs to lie down," Bella asked.
Leah went inside and was back outside a few seconds later.
"He's in the playpen."
"Thanks Leah."
"I'll see you later."
Alice waited until Bella was sitting again before she turned her rocking chair to face Bella's.
"What is going on?"
"If I said that I knew something was going to happen, something bad; would you want to know what it was?"
"Are the Volturi coming?"
"No."
"Then what could be so bad?"
"It's about Jacob."
"Tell me," Bella said as she braced herself for the worst.
"First off I want to say that I have seen your children, all six of them."
"I'm going to have six kids?" Bella yelled.
Josh was startled and started to fuss. Bella calmed him down before Alice continued.
"Jacob is going to die at age thirty three."
"Are you sure that's how old he is?"
"I saw the obituary myself. He dies of a brain aneurism."
"Oh God," Bella said as she took a ragged breath.
"Let me take him inside," Alice said, taking Josh from her.
"Put him with John."
Tears ran down her face as Alice came back outside. Alice sat in front of her, pulling her down into her lap. She tried everything she could to calm Bella down to no avail. She was still crying when Jacob came home half an hour later.
"What are you doing home? I thought that you didn't get off until six," Bella said in a haggard tone.
"Leah called me. She said that there was an emergency and that I needed to come home. What's wrong with her Alice?"
"Oh nothing, I just know when and how you're going to die. And I will be left alone to raise our kids, all six of them. Did I leave anything out Alice?" Bella asked bitterly.
"I am so sorry," Alice said quietly.
"I can take it from here," he said in a clipped tone.
Bella stood and Alice quickly got into her car and left. Jacob stalked into the house, scaring Angus as he stormed into the kitchen. Bella followed him with wide eyes. She had never seen him this mad.
"The nerve of her coming here and unloading this on you," he seethed.
"She tried to warn me," Bella said in a flat tone.
"I don't care. She should have told me first," he said as he gripped the counter.
A piece of the counter crumbled to the floor. Bella came to stand behind him, trying to calm herself. She put a hand on his shoulder, only to have him brush her off. She sighed as he walked out the backdoor, slamming it shut behind him. She fell against the counter as fresh tears formed in her eyes.
She could hear him throwing things around in the garage. He was cursing by the time Leah and Clay came to get the boys. Leah wanted to let Bella know but Clay stopped her.
"We'll call them when we get home."
"I don't like this," she said sadly.
"I don't either, but we have to let them work it out on their own."
It was nearly nightfall when Jacob came back inside. Bella lay on the couch curled into a tight ball staring at the wall. He stood behind the couch staring down at her.
"Where are the boys?" he asked with a ragged voice.
"Clay and Leah came to get them," she said quietly.
"I'm sorry. I should have handled it better."
"It's not every day that someone finds out that they're going to die young."
"When am I going to die?"
"Jake…"
"How old will I be Bella?" he pressed.
"Thirty three," she said just above a whisper.
"Jesus Christ," he said, pained.
"You're going to have a brain aneurism. At least it will be quick. I don't think that I could handle you suffering."
"Do you think I like knowing that you will suffer? I won't see any of them graduate!"
"Please don't yell at me," she said with a sigh.
He came around to the front of the couch and lifted her up. He sat down with her in his lap.
"It's times like this when I wish that Alice could learn to keep things to herself."
"I'm glad that she told me. It gives us time to process it. We'll be ready for it."
"I guess you're right."
They stayed that way until the sun came up. The sun shining in her eyes woke Bella up. She looked at Jacob, taking him in. He would more than likely look the same way when he died. She didn't want to think about that but she couldn't help it. She tried to get up but Jacob pulled her back to him.
"Where are you going?" he asked his voice still thick with sleep.
"To get the boys," she said trying to pull away from him.
"Not yet. Stay with me," he said as he tightened his grip on her.
"Okay."
"I'm going to see Sam later."
"Why?"
"I've decided to stop phasing."
"Can't we talk about it first? It's the only way that you can live," she said with a sob.
"It's my decision Bella. I don't want to fight with you about it."
"But…"
"Look at me," he said cutting her off.
She looked at him through the tears that were falling.
"I'm not afraid to die. The only thing that scares me is that you'll be alone. And I am going to fight like hell to make sure that doesn't happen."
"What are you going to do; force Embry or one of the younger wolves on me?"
"I might," he said with determination.
"Please don't. I wouldn't want to be with anyone but you."
"Even if that meant being alone?"
"I'll have the kids, and our families, and our friends. I want to be alone. The idea of anyone helping me scares me. I'll work it out," she said as she threw her hands up in surrender.
"That's all I'm asking for. Other than that you don't cry anymore. You're mourning my death, and it won't even happen for fifteen years."
"What?" Sue asked from the door.
"Why didn't you hear her?"
"Because I've been trying to calm you down," he said with a sigh.
"Tell me what is going on, right now."
"I'm going to get the boys. If you don't want me to cry then let me go," she said, pleading with him.
He let her go and she was out the door a few seconds later. She would go for a run first. That would give Jacob time to explain everything to Sue. She needed to put it behind her and focus on the time they had together. Which is more time than some people would have. She was counting her blessings and thanking God for the time that she would have with Jacob. She would make the best of it and worry and cry when the time actually came.
XXXX
Clay's car was gone when Bella passed his house an hour and a half after she had passed it the first time. She climbed the incline then rounded the corner for home seeing Billy's truck in the driveway. Sam pulled up as she walked through the yard. He gave her a sympathetic smile as she stared at him sadly.
Leah and Sue were in the nursery when Bella went upstairs.
"I could kill Alice for doing this," Leah seethed.
"Not in your condition you're not," Sue reprimanded.
Bella stood in the doorway and watched the two women take care of her boys. Sue noticed her first and sighed. Bella gave her a small smile.
"Hey," Leah said quietly.
"Hi," Bella said with all the strength she had.
"Think of it this way, you've got fifteen more years with him. Some people don't get that many," Sue said with a smile.
"That's what I was thinking. I cried all day yesterday and half the night last night, than I cried some more this morning. I was so angry and scared but I've put it behind me. I'm not going to let it ruin the rest of the time that I have with him," Bella said with a shrug.
"He's being so strong," Sue said.
Bella wasn't about to point out that he had thrown a five hour temper tantrum outside then come inside and cried with her for six hours. She knew that he wouldn't want anyone to know that.
"There are so many things that can be done so that your younger kids won't forget him. He could make movies for them, or he could write letters to them. They should know the kind of person he was," Leah said.
"We'll figure that out later."
"You've got time."
"Thank you for calling him yesterday."
"You're welcome. Something told me that you were going to need him," Leah said as she hugged her.
"And thank you for everything else."
"No thanks needed," she said as she rubbed Bella's back.
Jacob stood at the door watching the three of them.
"Clay's here to get you Leah," he said with a smile.
"I should go too. Just let me get the boys ready," Sue said as she packed the twin's diaper bag.
"Why?" Bella asked cautiously.
"Jacob asked me to watch them for the night."
Bella looked at Jacob and he gave her an encouraging smile. Sue left a minute later. Jacob pulled Bella down the hall and stopped in front of the bathroom.
"Take a shower. I'll have breakfast ready when you come down."
"Are your dad and Sam gone?"
"Yeah," he said slowly.
"Then take one with me," she said pulling him into the bathroom with her.
"Yes ma'am," he said as he pulled his shirt over his head.
He cornered her against the counter before shoving her shirt up. It flew over his head while he pushed her shorts and underwear down. He couldn't remember the last time he had needed her so badly, probably never. He wouldn't take advantage of having her to himself again.
