Ooh...I left you guys at a cliff hanger, didn't I?

~SashaFierce12.0

Chapter 46

Jazmyn's P.o.V.

I'd said it. I'd said it. My period was late.

"So does that mean that you're..." Seth looked at my stomach.

"I...I...Yes...? I don't know." I bit my lip and looked at him. He seemed to pale and he jumped up and paced the Launch Pad. "Seth..."

"Jazmyn..." he said. "Jazz...Jazmyn!" He stopped pacing. "I...I'm..." He took one last look at me and walked. He placed his hands on the back of his head and walked. Then he started running. Leaving me alone.

"Seth!" I stood up. "SETH!" I screeched. He's gone. He's...He's gone. He left me.

I sat down again and started crying. I'm not. I'm not. Why did this have to happen to me? I'm a terrible daughter. Dad's gone, and I took advantage of it. Big time. He'll kill me. Mom's sick in the hospital. I'm...

I'm going to talk to Carlisle. But not at the hospital. I'm going to make a house call.

00000000000000000000

I'm alone. Totally alone. Seth's gone. Been gone for two days now. Dad's in Chicago. Mom's at chemo. The Pack is probably doing something better than being with me; the slut. I walked up to the Cullen's front steps and paused, biting my lip. Butterflies started to wake up in my stomach.

Then again, that was probably just morning sickness.

I took a deep breath and walked slowly up the stairs. The door opened and Carlisle smiled at me.

"Come on in."

0000000000000000000000

Seth's P.o.V.

I needed to go back...

No. I'll stay here. Live off the land.

But Jazmyn needed me.

No! She's perfectly fine by herself.

I let out a growl and threw off my clothes, phasing. I immediately regretted it.

"Seth!" Syanne thought.

"Kid, where are you?" Jacob asked.

Forgetting about the shared mind thing for a moment, I looked around in a panic, showing the guys where I was. Crap...That wasn't meant to happen.

"We're coming for you. Stay-" I phased back before Jacob could finish his command and threw on my clothes. Then I started running. Tears streamed down my cheeks, but I ran faster. Harder.

I'm scared. I admit it: I'm scared.

I finally stopped by a small lake and look into the water at my reflection. I'm pale. Almost as pale as a leech. There's dark circles under my eyes and I looked like a zombie. I put my hands into the water for a drink, distorting my image.

I wonder how Jazmyn is...?

She's fine. Quit thinking about her, dumbass.

But I left her. Alone to care for that baby. It'll never know its father.

Thinking about Jazz made my chest ache. I clutched it and growled. It was a lot stronger now. I've been gone for almost three days. I don't know where I am. I'm tired. Hunger is biting at my stomach like a cult of blood-thirsty vampires.

I stood up and tried to think of which way I should go.

I'm not ready to care full time for a baby. I'm not.

I turned when I heard barks. Out of the trees, the Pack emerged. They phased and pulled on their clothes. I stared at them while they stared at me.

"Kid..." Jacob walked forward. "I know you're scared..." I backed up and fell into the lake. I stayed under for a few seconds, then I started to swim to the other side. "Go after him!" Jacob commanded, his voice muffled. I swam faster and reached the shore just as the rest of the Pack started jumping in after me. I climbed out as fast as I could. Then I ran for my life.

For once, I'm glad that Leah wasn't here. She'd catch up to me for sure. She's the fastest out of all of us. Then there's me. Then Jake...

I pump faster, knowing that Jacob could catch up to me at any minute. I could hear him and the rest of the guys calling my name. But they're way behind. I stopped and tried to come up with something quickly. I looked around, then my eyes land on a tree. I jumped and landed on it, at least five feet from the ground. Then I started to climb. I slipped a couple of times, but I managed to get up high enough to where they didn't see me.

They stopped and look around. I held my breath. But it was no use. They could smell me. Jacob looked up, and the rest of them followed. I turned, my back on the trunk of the tree and my hands digging into the sides of it.

"Seth...Come down," Syanne calls. I squeezed my eyes shut and swallowed. I had to get out of here before Jacob tried to use an Alpha command. I looked to my left. A tree was close enough that I could just step onto it. If I'm quiet enough...

I stepped onto the tree, quiet as a mouse.

"She needs you, Man!" Embry yells. I ignored him and jumped onto another tree in front of the one that I was on. I heard quiet murmurs and then I heard someone start to climb the other tree. Quickly, I jumped from tree to tree.

"He's not up here!" Paul yelled to the others. I could see him, and I tried my best to blend into the shadows.

"Where did he go?" someone groaned. I recognized the voice as Sam's. "Okay. We're not giving up."

Oh, joy.

"Jake? Orders?" Sam asked.

"Yeah. We're gonna' split up. Embry, I want you and Sy to go back and tell the others that we found him. We're just having some problems."

"Okay. Come on, Sy." I heard the sound of paws hitting the earth as the two ran back home. My home. Jazz's home. It'll be our baby's home...

Shut. Up.

"Seth," Brady sang. "Come out, come out...Wherever you are?" He was walking three trees in front of me. I watched him until he disappeared and then I slid down my tree. I was a couple of feet behind him, and I paused before standing up slowly. He turned and I stared at him. "Come on. You need to come home." I backed up and ran into someone. I looked up. Paul.

"He's right, Kid. Jazmyn needs you." My chest ached at the mention of her name. I shook my head, clearing it out. Then I ran again. "Damn it. Seth, bro!"

I'm running again. They were starting to get farther and farther behind, but not far enough that I couldn't hear them. I kept running, even though my lungs were on fire. Running wasn't hard, it was just running and crying at the same time that made it hard. I kept running, even though I didn't hear my name being called anymore. I slowed down and turned. They were nowhere in sight.

I turned back again and stared at the big boulder in front of me. I started to climb it and then I sat there. I pulled my legs up to my chest and started to cry.

It's funny how someone could feel so happy and awesome one second. Then the next...You're all sad and depressed. I didn't know how long I was sitting here until I smelled something. Something sweet. Something familiar. I looked up, realizing that it had started to snow again.

Alice came out of the trees. She looked a little surprised to see me.

"I was only coming out to hunt..." she looked up at me and climbed onto the boulder. "I was actually heading back, but I smelled something like a werewolf. A certain werewolf that I know." She smiled. "Hey...You're crying."

No dip, Sherlock.

"So? Are you going to take me back now? Tell me that Jazz needs me?" I knew that she did. I buried my face into my arms again and sniffed.

"No. Actually, I haven't the slightest idea of what you're talking about," Alice giggled. "Wait...Is that why the Pack was running through here earlier? Did you run away? Jazz's been staying at our house for the past few days now. Why? Ugh...I should know this." Suddenly she was silent. I looked at her and noticed that she was staring straight ahead. As if in a trance. Then she looked at me. "They're coming. Not all of them, though. Jacob...Syanne...Paul...Sam...And someone else, I don't know. You don't want them to know where you are, do you?" I sighed and hesitated before shaking my head. "I probably smell a little like you..."

"How close are they?"

"They're actually about to-" We both looked up when the Pack came out of the trees. Everyone that Alice had said was there was there. I noticed a new person...

Aecia.

Her hair was shorter. She was taller. And she didn't look as bitchy as before. She looked beyond bitchy. Mad at the world. I scooted back and stood up. Alice hopped off the boulder.

"He doesn't want to be bothered," she said.

"But he needs to come home, Alice," Jacob argued.

"Why? What'd he do?"

"...We think that Jazmyn's pregnant. But Seth ran out and now we're trying to get him back because she needs him," Sam answered. Alice looked at me. I'd left that out.

"Oh...Then..." she turned. Officially on their side now. "It's time to come home."

"You don't understand," I whispered.

"No. You need to come home," Jacob barked. It was almost an order, but not quite. I looked at him, and knew that he was about to use one. I looked around. "There's no running now."

"Listen, Kid. I know you're scared. I've been there. But you need to come back with us," Paul said.

"Listen to them, Seth," Syanne added.

"Aww, for the love of..." Aecia walked forward. "Come home or I will drag your sorry ass home with me. I don't care if you end up as raw as a slab of meat, I will take you back to her. She might be carrying your freaking baby, dumbass!"

That was the most educated thing that I'd ever heard Aecia say in my life.

I stared at the new wolf as she stared up at me.

"She needs you, Seth," Aecia's voice softened. "N-E-E-D-S. Needs. A baby can't be raised by just one parent." Aecia's voice softened even more at this part, then her eyes blazed with anger. "Now come. HOME!" She shook and Jacob placed a hand on her shoulder. She still quivered, but didn't look like she was going to phase.

I looked around again, but realized that they were right. I'd played this stupid game for three days. I had to get back to my imprint. I sat and slid down the rock, landing softly on my feet.

"Are you going to come back?" Alice asked. I sucked in a breath and nodded, my eyes closed. "Yea!" She took my hand and pulled me through the forest at lightning speed. "More babies! That means more clothes!" I was practically flying because of how fast we were going. Surprisingly, it didn't take that long to get to the Cullen's. I yanked my arm out of Alice's grasp and stared at the house. The Cullens were there...And...I could smell Jazz. Alice tugged on my arm again and brought me inside. I trailed slowly behind her, and contemplated whether or not I should run again.

When the living room came into view, I saw that Jazmyn was sitting on the Cullen's white couch. She had her head in her hands, looking out the window. She turned to me and I stopped. She stood up and walked forward with a small grin. Her hands fluttered around my chest and she glanced at my face and at the ground; back and forth. Back and forth. I watched her still. Finally she grinned at me and breathed out a breath.

"Seth...I'm not pregnant," she said. I leaned my forehead onto hers in relief. I'd been scared for nothing. "And...I never will be." I pulled away.

"What?"

"I'm..." She shook her head and tears started to stream down her cheeks. "I'm infertile, Seth."

"What?" No. She's not...

"Don't act stupid! I'm infertile! Barren! I'll never be able to have kids!" She laughed, and then just as quickly, she started to cry hysterically. "I can't..." She leaned into my chest and I stared ahead, shocked. This wasn't supposed to happen.

Believe it or not, this had been Leah. She'd missed her period three months in a row and thought that she was pregnant...With Sam's baby. But then the doctor told her that she'd never be able to have kids. She'd cried herself to sleep in my room that time. And then she got in a fight about it with Jake...And left...And when she comes back, she has Jayah. Maybe the same thing would happen to Jazz. Maybe this was all a mistake. Yeah. That's it. It was one of Jazmyn's life-long dreams to be a mom.

But now...Now it was all being taken away from her.

"Zachary..." she squeaked. She'd always wanted a son named Zachary. She told me that last week. I pulled her tighter and kissed her head, letting it linger.

"It's going to be okay, Jazz."

She pulled away from me. "No, it's not. I'll never be able to have kids. We'll never be able to have kids!" she screeched. "I can't give you that! I..." She fell into my arms and cried again. I've never seen her cry this much. Not even that time when she found out that her mom's cancer was back. Jazmyn was always the happy one, and kept me happy even when I wasn't. Now she was crumbling right in front of me.

She was supposed to be the wall protecting me from the attacks of my depression. Now the wall was destroyed. I watched every day as Jazmyn became more and more depressed. I hugged and kissed her as much as I could, trying to make her feel better. She'd smile, but she never really truly would get happy. Her happiness being gone made me more and more depressed. I was finally starting to get back to my old self. Now I had a dark cloud following me wherever I went.

But Jazmyn and I were closer than ever. In class, the ones that she wasn't in with me, I didn't pay attention. I stared blankly at the teacher, thinking about if he or she had a kid. The classes that she was in, we would text each other to keep ourselves happy.

u know we can alwayz adopt ;) I had written once.

ha ha. Yeah. I hope therez a littl boi out there named Zachary she had written back.

knowing u, u wuldnt stop til u found him I wrote.

dont u know it! 4eva! :) was her reply. I tried to smile. For her. She would smile, too, and I'd kiss her after that. All would be good. But, really, it wasn't.

I tried to babysit Jayah or Kyle as much as I could. Claire was off limits. She had Quil to thank for that. But I loved the two as much as I would my own son or daughter. I played with them, fed them, changed diapers...Whatever it was that a dad would do.

I smiled as I held Jayah's hands. She was standing on her feet and I was teaching her how to walk. I looked up and grinned at Jacob.

"She's getting pretty good at this, huh?" I asked. Jacob chuckled and I let go of Baby Jay's hands. She took two steps and fell. She looked up at me, her bottom lip quivering. "It's okay. You can always try again." I picked her up and kissed her cheek. Then I handed her to her dad. Dad...Must've been cool to have that title. My smile shaved a few inches and I kept looking at Jayah's little face. She had her fist in her mouth and her blanket in her other hand. I rubbed her cheek with my thumb and then started out the door.

"Hey, Seth?" Jacob called. I turned back to my alpha. "You can spend a little more time with her if you want. I had to run by Rachael's, anyway." He handed the baby back to me and I grinned at him.

"Thanks, Jake." He patted my shoulder and walked out the door. He smiled at Jazmyn as she walked in. "Hey," I greeted her.

"Hi. How's our baby girl?" she joked. I grinned at her small joke. She hadn't done something like that in a while. "Why don't we take her outside? The snow's perfect for snowman building."

After wiggling Jayah into a coat, I took her outside and set her on the roof of Jacob's Rabbit. He must've walked to Rachael's or something. I handed her a small snowball as Jazmyn started to base of the snowman. Jayah giggled and put the snow on her head.

"It doesn't go there, Jay," I laughed, brushing the snow off her beanie. I picked up some more snow and rolled it into a ball, then held it in front of her face. I blew on it, sending little bits of powder into the baby's face. She giggled and I laughed. I handed her some snow and she blew on it, sending snow into my face.

Jazmyn came up to me and said, "Hey, Seth? You wanna' start the head? I'll go get some-"

"Snowball fight!" someone yelled. Jazmyn grabbed Baby Jay and a snowball soared past my head. I picked up some snow and packed it together, throwing it back at Quil. He laughed and Brandon, Ashley, Amanda, Teasha, Aecia, Collin, Brady, Athena, Malachi, and Syanne appeared out of nowhere with snowballs in their hands. Jazmyn pulled Baby Jay closer to her and smiled, turning away.

"Mercy! Mercy! I have a child!" she giggled. I laughed, too and picked up snow, forming snowballs as fast as I could. I stood and then ducked as snow came flying out of all directions.

"No fair! We're outnumbered five to one!" I yelled. Jayah didn't count. She can't throw a snowball.

"All's fair in love and war!" Athena called back, throwing another snowball. I dodged that one and threw one back at her. I hit her arm. "Ha! He got me!" Jazmyn set Jayah next to our snowman and helped me throw more snowballs. We got Aecia, Quil, Collin, Malachi, and Amanda. Syanne was throwing snowballs at us left and right. How was she doing that? She could throw and she could dodge.

Having one arm must have its advantages.

Sy was untouchable. She got Jazz, and soon I was the only one left. The people on the other team started closing in on me and I laughed and waved my hand.

"I surrender. I surrender. Just please have mercy on a poor guy and his niece," I picked up Jayah and held her in front of my face.

"Okay," Syanne dropped her snowball. "Where's Kyle?"

"Mom took him shopping for some new clothes. I feel bad for him," I replied with an eye roll.

"Aww...That was nice of her." I kissed Jayah's cheek and handed her to Jazmyn, dusting myself off free of snow. I looked back up and the guys were staring at me.

"What?" I gave them a small lopsided grin, frowning as I did so.

"Nothing. It's just so great to see you and Jazz smiling again," Athena said. Brady pulled her close and she smiled at him.

"Oh," Jazmyn looked down.

"Yeah. You two are usually the ones to carry around all the happiness. It's actually kind of depressing nowadays," Quil nodded.

Amanda clapped. "Our mission-"

"Is accomplished," her sister finished. The two high-fived. I smiled a bit and cocked my head.

"Well I'm glad we made you guys happy," Jazmyn shrugged. She took in a breath and went inside. I gave the guys one last look and walked inside, too. "Let's get you warm, yeah?" Jazmyn kissed Baby Jay's cheek and took off her coat. She hummed as she made some hot chocolate for everyone. Then she started singing quietly. I stared at her, mesmerized by her voice; I hadn't heard her sing in such a long time.

"Seth, bro. C'mere," Collin flicked his head and I walked towards him. "Aecia's a bitch."

"I know." I watched Aecia as she sat staring at the TV screen, kicking her leg and rolling her eyes at Jersey Shore.

"We're coming up with ways to 'initiate' her into the Pack. You in?"

"You mean like hazing?"

"Not really...It's less dangerous. I'm not some kind of homicidal maniac, Bro."

"I guess I'll help..." To be honest, I really didn't feel up to helping. This depression thing really makes a person tired.

"Cool. Yo, Aecia!" Collin yelled at the new wolf.

"What?"

"You ever been cliff diving?" Collin hopped over the couch and sat next to her. Him bringing that up made my mind flash to last year.

Falling...

That felt so good.

Coldness...

It was nothing against my skin.

My whole body is numb...

I loved that feeling.

But wait.

You got too much to live for...

No. I have one less thing to live for. I looked back at Jazmyn. She seemed happy; serving hot chocolate to everyone. Then Leah walked in and started going around with a bag of marshmallows. My eyes went back to Jazmyn. She smiled at me and brushed her hair back behind her ear.

I did. I did have too much to live for.

I shook the feeling of the cliff out of my mind and sat down at the breakfast nook, suddenly feeling really depressed and drained. Somebody held out a mug of hot chocolate towards me and I looked up and saw my imprint. She grinned and I gave her a small smile. I took the mug from her and she let her touch linger on it, giving me a small nod. She ran her fingers through my hair before turning back to the stove. I took a sip of the hot liquid, and then realized that I didn't like hot chocolate all that much. I set it on the counter and turned when the door opened.

"Kim?"

"What?"

"Kimmy!"

Kim ran in and hugged everyone.

"I couldn't leave. I couldn't. I'm taking the classes online. I can't leave you guys. I'm sorry," she hugged everybody and Jared walked in. Kim came towards me and gave me a hug. I hugged her back and she kissed my cheek.

"You're my little buddy. I couldn't leave you," she said. I smiled and shrugged.

"I dragged her back here," Jared said. "She's only been gone a week and yet I felt like the world was gonna' stop. Her parents still don't know that she's gone!" Kim laughed.

"They're probably having heart attacks right now," she laughed again. "So...What'd I miss?" My smile faltered a little and she frowned. "Did something...?"

At dinner, Jazmyn and I sat close together. I didn't eat, and she didn't eat. I actually haven't had a full meal in a few days. I couldn't eat thinking about Jazmyn's empty stomach. I forced her to take a few bites of the chicken Kim had made, but she wouldn't take any more than that. We were both looking at each other in silent conversation when Leah stood and pulled Jake up with her.

"Jacob and I..." she smiled at her fiancé. "Have something to say." I noticed that Syanne looked relieved and she brightened. "I'm pregnant."

"She's pregnant," Jacob pointed at my sister and grinned. My eyes slowly widened and I looked at Jazmyn. We stared at each other as the house filled with the noise of congratulations and little squeals of delight. I looked back at my sister. She looked so happy and looked up at Jacob. Whoever would've guessed that she had the fear of being barren only a few years ago? Who?

Jazz stood up and let go of my hand. She walked to Leah and gave her a hug.

"I'm really happy for you, Lee. Really, I am," she said quietly. Leah looked a little confused that Jazmyn wasn't the one screaming the loudest. She should. Jazz hadn't told her about what happened. Jazmyn smiled again and stalked out the back door. When everyone turned to me, I stood and followed her.

I found her outside sitting on top of the picnic table. She was crying. Without a word, I sat down next to her. I pulled her close to me and stared up at the clear night sky. I breathed slowly, and watched my breath come out in puffs of white vapor. Jazmyn sniffed and wiped her eyes.

"There's a part of me..." she whispered. "That wishes that was us."

When I was at Leah's the following day, I felt a little more depressed than usual. Jayah made me smile a little, but didn't make me feel all that happy. Leah moved her daughter to her playpen and sat in front of me. My eyes wandered to her stomach, then I looked back up at her.

"What's wrong?" she asked. Though it came out more as a statement.

"Nothing."

"Cut the crap, Seth. Something's wrong. I saw it on your face yesterday."

"There's just...A lot going on, is all."

"Is Jazz...?" Leah leaned forward and I shook my head, my eyes filling with tears. "Then what's-"

"She can't have kids, Lee." A tear slipped down my cheek.

"Seth..." she breathed. She reached out and wiped away my tear. I couldn't help but think about that time a couple of years ago when we were in my room. Only now, the roles were switched.

"I hate it. Seeing her cry. She really wanted one," I looked down and chuckled. "A boy. Named Zachary. And another one. Elliot. After her dad." I let a few more tears slip and sucked in a breath, wiping them away. "But I can't be sad. I gotta' be happy. For her. I'm her wall now. I have a few cracks, but I can't break." I smiled at her. Leah breathed slowly and looked at me, her eyes going a little glossy. "Don't cry. I don't feel like it anymore. I just...Wanna' be happy. For once. I'm going to try." I cocked my head and grinned. "For everyone."

"I don't want you to just try. I want you to actually be. I don't want it to be fake. I want you to be like you were before."

"No promises, Lee. But I'll try my best." She narrowed her eyes and smiled, then brightened.

"I never got a chance to..." She stood up and ran to the hallway closet then came back with a box. "You're birthday present. Happy...Belated birthday, Baby Bro." She handed it to me and sat down. I opened it and stared. It was a chain necklace and a picture. The chain was shiny and silver...And I recognized it as Dad's. He never went through a day without wearing it. And the picture was the last one that we had as a family. I was only thirteen and Leah was sixteen. It was the summer before we had phased. I was making muscle poses with Dad and we were back to back. Mom was laughing and she had her eyes closed and her head thrown back. Leah had her hands on her hips and was rolling her eyes, but she was smiling. At Jacob. He had his body half in the picture and was making a funny face at the camera. That was one of the sunniest days that I remembered on La Push. We were so happy.

I looked back up at Leah, who was smiling tenderly at the picture.

"You've grown so much," she whispered. Then looked up at me. "The chain...I found it one day when I was at home. Helping Mom clean out the upstairs. He must've left it the night..." She looked down and then back up at me. "He would've wanted you to have it, I'm sure." I grinned at my sister and set the picture back down carefully in the box. Then I put on Dad's necklace.

"Thanks, Leah." She placed a hand on my shoulder and squeezed.

"Things will work out for you two. It may not seem like it right now, but they will. It took me a while to realize that about myself, but I'm slowly getting it. You will, too. I promise." Then she hugged me.

I did my best not to cry.

Still can't believe how quickly I got this up...Review.

~SashaFierce12.0