Chapter Sixty

Bella

When Jamie woke up he looked a lot better again and came straight to me while Jasper stayed on the bed his eyes still closed. I went over and touched his hand.

"Rest, I'll take Jamie out for his dinner."

He squeezed my hand but didn't reply which concerned me and I decided to talk to Jamie about it but in the event I didn't have to, he brought the subject up himself.

"Mummy, is Daddy sick like me?"

"In a way yes. When you go to sleep in Daddy's arms you take energy from him to make yourself better and it makes Daddy weak. Why do you put the shield around yourselves?"

"I don't Mummy, you do"

"Me?"

"Yes, you worry about us and you put it up to make sure we're safe."

"So why can't I get through it?"

"If you did you might get sick too and I need you here to look after us"

"So I put the shield round you but you keep me out?"

He nodded struggling to put his thoughts into words.

"Mummy is it wrong? I'm scared of losing you and Daddy but if I don't let Daddy help me I feel really sick. Am I going to die Mummy?"

"No darling, Daddy and I won't let that happen but if you could let me close I can help Daddy"

"No Mummy, I'm too scared. Am I making Daddy very ill?"

"No Jamie he's just tired"

"He's not going to die is he?"

"No darling"

He climbed into my lap and hugged me, tears rolling down his cheeks as I stroked his hair, so much like Jasper's. Once he stopped crying we sat together drawing pictures, playing join the dots and then took it in turns to tell each other stories. He had a wonderful imagination and his stories were so complicated I almost got lost.

"I'd like to live in a Fairy Castle with a pet dragon"

"Well we have a big house and you have Mr Blue"

"No, he's Daddy's horse but he said one day I can have a horse of my own"

"Yes, as soon as you are well again we'll go look."

"Why don't you ride Mummy? Don't you like horses?"

"When I was a little girl my Mummy took me to ride on a pony and I fell off and broke my arm so I'm scared of them a bit"

"Oh. Mummy was Daddy in a war?"

That hit me,

"Why do you ask?"

I saw Daddy's arm today and he's got a lot of scars, Uncle Peter has some but not like Daddy"

"Yes he was and one day maybe Daddy will tell you about it."

"Can we go see him now?"

I nodded, we were both missing him and Jamie pulled me along the corridor, he seemed stronger today.

Peter

We needed to get back to the house, a neighbor called in to feed and exercise Mr Blue and now there was an extra horse to look after. Besides this place was getting to me, all the creeps around. Emmett and Rose especially felt it with their different diet. None of us wanted to leave Jamie but if Carlisle had things worked out with Rose's help then there was little we could do. I went to find The Major and now I was shocked,

"Fuck, you look terrible."

"Thanks Peter I really needed to hear that."

"You sure you're going to be able to cope?"

"I have to Peter"

Carlisle came in at that point with a flask of blood and my mouth started to water,

"Only the best vintage eh?"

The Major looked at it reluctantly and I knew this was the greatest sacrifice for him. He'd struggled for years, the temptation to revert to our natural food source, and now he had no choice, he looked embarrassed.

"Just to let you know were going back to the house for a few weeks, there are still a few things to finish up and Em and I thought we'd redo Jamie's room for when he comes home."

Carlisle smiled,

"Good idea Peter. I'm hoping it won't be too long."

We both looked at The Major, judging from the state of him it had better not take too long.

"See you Peter, look after Mr Blue for me."

I nodded and walked out unable to believe the difference a day had made in his appearance, The Major had vanished leaving a sick young man behind. A sick young man sacrificing his health for his son and I wondered if I would have done the same in his shoes?

Carlisle

Jasper took the blood reluctantly and drank, his eyes closed but the change was almost instantaneous. The dark bruises under his eyes faded and his skin looked less pale, the scars on his neck fading to the background but I didn't know how much extra strength this would give him, enough I hoped. He sat on the bed and looked at me seriously,

"Is this going to work Carlisle? Are we going to be able to save Jamie? What about Stefan and Alice?"

"As for them, I rather think Stefan talked them into an early demise, he really upset Caius and Marcus. Jamie? Well you're looking better and so is he, lets see how it goes."

We both turned as the door opened and Jamie and Bella came in, Bella looked relieved when she saw how much better Jasper looked and her eyes flickered to the empty flask by the bed, swallowing convulsively. I picked it up,

"I'll get rid of this and come back later to check on my two patients."

Jamie took my hand as I was about to leave,

"Grandpa, you will look after Daddy for me won't you,? I don't want to take him away from Mummy"

"You won't Jamie"

I tousled his hair and smiled encouragingly before I left, hoping I was right.

Bella

Jamie and I sat with Jasper on the bed and he showed Jazz the drawings he'd been doing.

"Mummy and I played games and told stories. Can I tell you a story Daddy?"

Jasper nodded wrapping his arms around us both,

"I'd like to hear your story Jamie"

As Jamie started talking Jasper stroked my neck and kissed me over his head and he giggled. Our eyes met and he mouthed

"Don't worry, I'll be fine now"

I nodded but I couldn't help worrying although he looked more like his usual self. Jamie started to flag after a while but he'd been awake longer this time. I called Carlisle to give him his shot of Jasper's venom before he fell asleep and stopped us all getting close. He closed his eyes and held my hand as the needle slipped in to his thigh but he didn't make a sound or cry.