Chapter Thirty Six
Bella
I closed my eyes as Emmett ran upstairs with me, wanting to fix the sight of Jasper holding our son in my mind, it would be the thing I clung to as the venom burned through my body. So much had happened to me since the Jeep broke down in Mexico, the most wonderful being Jasper and our son. I, we, had never dreamed our love would create a new life but it had, a son, and despite Alice's best efforts he was safe in his fathers arms. He would be safe there until I was able to hold him again. The pain and heat flared more intensely and I groaned as I felt my tissues crisp with the burning. Whatever it took I would get through this, I would lay in Jasper's arms again and hold my son. I owed a huge debt to Caius Volturi, one I could never repay, but I would keep his descendant safe and hopefully one day they might meet. I heard footsteps and felt the mattress sag as someone lay down beside me. I could smell Jasper's scent enveloping me and another, a sweeter yet almost identical scent, and I knew my family were with me and would stay with me until my torture was at an end. As I slid towards blackness I managed to choke out a last sentence,
"I love you both."
Carlisle
Rose picked me up at the airport looking grave,
"I'm glad you're here Carlisle, we're worried sick about Bella. She became unconscious a few hours ago and she just lays there unmoving, not making a sound."
"Hows Jamie?"
"Jasper won't let us take him. He's feeding him, changing him, everything, but he won't let Jamie out of his sight."
"And Esme? Where is she?"
"I don't know Carlisle, they didn't tell me where they were taking her but I know she's safe until Bella wakes up. How could she do that to a tiny baby? Snatch him and try to hand him over to the Volturi? What was she thinking Carlisle? Did she expect Jasper and Bella to just let her?"
I looked out of the window at the passing scenery unable to answer my daughters questions.
"I have no idea Rose but I have to try to save her if I can, she's my wife"
"Well, good luck with that. I'm not sure even Jazz will be able to hold Bella back when she wakes up."
"I still have to try, but first let's get Bella through this"
Rose
I led Carlisle into the Villa and up the stairs to the bedroom peering in through the door to see Jazz playing with his infant son on the bed beside Bella. He looked up at me and managed a smile,
"Carlisle?"
I nodded and he sat up with a sigh, it was then I noticed Jamie was holding Bella's hair in his little fist, not tugging on it but just gripping it tightly. Seeing the object of my attention he smiled again,
"He won't let go, he cries if I try to pull him away. What can I do?"
Carlisle followed me in getting a first look at Bella.
"May I?"
He indicated he wanted to take Bella's pulse and Jazz nodded as Jamie grasped Jaspers finger with his other hand and brought it to his mouth sucking on it.
"I'll get him a bottle"
Jasper thanked me absently, busy watching Carlisle as he examined Bella's seemingly lifeless body.
Carlisle
Bella's total lack of movement or sound concerned me, I'd never seen anything like it before.
"How long has she been like this?"
"Since Jamie and I got up here and sat with her"
"She's made no sound? Hasn't moved? Can you feel anything from her?"
He shook his head in answer to all my questions as I felt her pulses and checked her temperature.
"Is there something wrong Carlisle? Surely she shouldn't be so quiet? Tell me she's going to be OK, I can't do this on my own"
"I have no idea what's normal or not, especially with Bella, she always seems to throw us a curve ball. What happens if you leave the room?"
"I haven't, I told her I'd stay with her and I intend to honour that."
"OK but would you try something for me?
"If I can"
"What I want you to do is get up and walk to the door. You don't have to go anywhere. I just want to test out a theory."
Jasper
Reluctantly I got up, leaving Jamie on the bed beside his mother, still holding her hair in his hand. He let me pull my finger from his fist but he didn't look happy about it and I hoped Rose would be back soon before he started to complain loudly. He had a good set of lungs, that we already knew, although since he'd been with Bella and myself the only sounds we'd heard were a few gurgles. As I watched he started to kick his legs and wriggle and Bella moved very slightly as if feeling for me. I started forward but Carlisle held up his hand,
"Just a second Jasper please."
We both watched as Jamie's hand grabbed Bella's finger, the other still holding on to her hair. She moved again and his little face started to crumple so I went back to him, picking up his tiny body in my hands being careful not to dislodge his grip on Bella. He gurgled softly and I heard the faintest sigh from Bella. Carlisle nodded thoughtfully.
"I'd like to try one more thing Jasper if you'll permit. Could you take Jamie off the bed."
I stood holding Jamie in my arms and Bella's hair slipped through his fingers to settle back on the pillow. Immediately he let out a cry and his tiny fist waved about trying to grasp something. I gave him my finger but he just ignored it, his cries getting louder by the second. Rose ran in with a bottle of formula and tried to give it to him but he turned his head away his cries still increasing in volume.
"Thank you Jasper. I think you'll find if you put him back he'll settle again."
I placed him gently back beside his mother who was moving restlessly and both quietened simultaneously. I took the bottle from Rose and offered it to Jamie who touched it with one hand guiding it to his mouth, the other hand grasping Bella's hair once more.
"What was that all about?"
Rose looked at me mystified.
"I think Jamie and Bella are connected even now, and he is feeding off you Jasper, see"
I looked to see Jamie's hand clutching my finger as he drank his milk greedily.
"Feeding off me?"
"Yes, I think he's acting as a conduit. Streaming peace and calm from you and feeding it to Bella and that's why she's so peaceful. Break the connection in any way and both start to become distressed. I wonder...?"
Carlisle
If I was right I could see why Aro would be eager to get his hands on little Jamie. His father was an empath meaning he felt everyone's emotions and could channel them back at a target. Bella was a shield of some kind although so far all she'd been able to shield were her thoughts from Edward. If her shield was stronger as it might well be when she woke up, then they were an unbeatable team, individually they had their own strengths but as a team...well.
"I think Jamie might be a magnifier, possibly an empath too of a sort, and maybe a shield too. What a combination."
"You think Jamie has inherited my gift?"
"And Bella's too would be my guess."
"But Bella doesn't have a gift, not a real one does she?"
"We'll find out when she wakes up but I wouldn't be surprised, and if ..."