A Floating Life

Disclaimer: all characters and copyright belong to SM.

A Last Goodbye

Emmet snarled harshly through his teeth at Jacob as he restrained Rosalie, pulling her tight against his chest. Her perfect features were hidden behind a swathe of her blonde hair as she made a strange moaning noise before going limp in his arms.

"I would keep your mouth shut." Jacob warned in a low growl. "She attacked Bella without provocation. She doesn't get to live."

Emmet growled right back, flashing his teeth. "You'll have to get through me first."

"No problem." Jacob snarled, his form already shimmering, getting ready to phase inside the house.

Much to Bella's alarm she saw his brothers doing the same. They were arrayed behind him in a tight semi-circle, with Sam at the head. She had expected the Alpha wolf to intervene and calm things down, but Sam seemed just as enraged as Jacob. Bella knew if she didn't put a stop to this confrontation herself, things would escalate beyond her worst imaginings.

"STOP!" She cried loudly in desperation.

Esme appeared at the top of the spiral staircase. Her lovely face was tight with strain as she glided quickly down the steps, adding her pleas to Bella's. "Please, show some mercy, I beg you."

With Bella stepping in front of Jacob, with her hands out in front of her, and Esme doing the same with Emmet and Rosalie, the combatants were forced to separate.

"Bella, step aside." Jacob demanded; his tone full of frustration. He clenched his teeth, forcing his body to stay together mid-transformation. The heat running up and down his spine made his skin flush with the effort.

"No!" Bella said stubbornly.

Some of the more experienced wolves had managed to control their phasing. The usual suspects – meaning Paul – failed completely. A burst of silver fur erupted from his body as he fell forward, his head thrashing back and forth, his human form was soon replaced with that of a huge, snarling wolf of epic proportions.

Emmet pushed Rosalie toward Esme. Rosalie didn't even resist as Esme enfolded her protectively in her arms, embracing her much like a mother would, drawing her head towards her shoulder.

When he was certain that his mate was safely out of the firing line, Emmet flexed his huge muscles and punched a hole through the wall, shattering the brickwork and setting off an avalanche of shards and powder.

"That will be your heads if any of you dare lay a finger on Rosie." He threatened.

"Bring it on!" Jared yelled, advancing forward.

"STOP!" Bella cried again, her chocolate brown eyes pleading. She forced Jacob to make eye-contact with her. He growled low in his chest, making his irritation plain. "Please, Jake, please." She whispered over and over.

"Just tell me why?" Jacob questioned, barely hiding his annoyance with her. "She was about to kill you, Bella. Why would you defend her?"

"I'm not defending her, Jacob." Bella took another step forward, cautiously reaching out to take his hands in hers. His body was still trembling slightly from the effort it was taking to fight the urge to phase. "But I know she was desperate. And I know that desperation can make us do terrible things. I don't think she set out to attack me, but knowing she was losing Charlotte for good, she lost control of herself for a moment."

"Bullshit, Bella!" Jacob argued hotly, his fingers tightening around hers. "If we hadn't been close, you could have died."

"But I didn't!"

"Bella…."

"Jake, just stop. I am asking you to do what Esme said and show some mercy." Bella's gaze swept across the rest of the pack as she spoke. She looked each individual member directly in the eyes, pleading for clemency.

The silver/gray wolf lurked in the background, pacing angrily back and forth, only having not attacked because Sam had issued a hasty Alpha command for Paul to stay calm.

Emmet was barely holding himself steady. He had pressed his palms against the wall, his fingers spread wide. Then he dug them slowly into the brickwork, crushing rather than digging, until he ended up with a handful of gravel. Bella knew it wasn't a sign of aggression, it was a sign of his inner frustration. Deep down inside he was as angry with Rosalie as the rest of them, but she was his mate and he loved her.

"Please." Bella said again, trying to inject some strength into her voice. "I know many of you think I'm crazy defending Rosalie."

This statement was followed by a few dark mutterings from the pack. Only the Clearwater siblings were absent: Seth was at home with his mother, Charlie and Billy enjoying a tense family dinner, while Leah was outside the house somewhere, taking care of Charlotte.

"You don't know the full story." Bella continued; her gaze resting back on Jacob's face. She could see by the tension in his jaw, the tightness around his eyes that he was struggling to navigate his emotions. He was clearly frustrated and on edge, confused as to why she would so eagerly rush to Rosalie's defense and plead for her life when the icy blonde had no qualms about ending hers.

"You're letting your heart rule your head, Bells." Jacob snapped. "There is no excuse for what she's done. She had no compunction about killing you so she could get what she wants."

Bella glanced uneasily over her shoulder in Rosalie's direction. The grieving blonde was still encased in Esme's arms, her face pressed against Esme's right shoulder. Her whole form was limp, she looked utterly broken and dejected. The fact that she wasn't fighting to defend herself, the defeat so obvious in every line of her body, was proof to Bella that the loss of Charlotte – who Rosalie had seen as her one and only chance of ever fulfilling her wish to be a mother – had driven her to experience a temporary moment of insanity.

Knowing what she did about Rosalie's traumatic past, the horrific way her human life had ended, coupled with the fact of how much she resented being a vampire, as she treasured humanity and often wished she was still human, made Bella feel conflicted. Rosalie was initially resentful of Carlisle for what he had done to her, but reluctantly joined his family because she didn't want to be alone. It was this resentment that had also fueled her animosity toward Bella herself.

Rosalie had been jealous of Bella from the beginning. She was happy with Emmett and her family to a certain extent, but she had openly admitted on several occasions that she would exchange that to become human again. Bella had a choice (to transform or stay human), but Rosalie didn't. And in Rosalie's opinion, Bella's choice of transforming into a vampire was wrong.

Their brief time as allies had them united for a common purpose - to ensure Charlotte's survival for Bella, and for Rosalie's dreams of motherhood finally coming to fruition. Now that dream lay in tatters. Not only had Bella survived the horrific birth intact and still human, but it had put the final nail in the coffin for Rosalie as she was forced to watch Bella getting everything she craved once again – her daughter, her humanity – while Rosalie's dreams were left in tatters.

It must feel like fate continued to screw with her hopes and desires. Like a dangled carrot in front of a weary donkey, Rosalie had reached out for the prize, only for it to be cruelly snatched away from her when Jacob's shifter blood had transformed Charlotte from potential vampire girl to wolf girl all in a short space of time. And to add insult to injury, the little girl struggled to be around vampires for any length of time unless they were kept at a discreet distance, ending any potential for Rosalie to play a significant part in Charlotte's life at all.

Even amidst her terror and her fear at Rosalie's unprovoked attack, Bella's compassionate nature could still lead her to feel empathy toward the broken blonde. If she were still human, Rosalie would have a multitude of opportunities to go and seek professional help for her past trauma, to help her move beyond her pain and resentment and find some peace within herself, but as a vampire she had no options at all. She was left to navigate her own path, expected to move beyond her past and accept the life that fate had dealt her. She had struck lucky with Emmet, but even his love and companionship were not enough to quell her deep longing to be a mother.

In a small way, Bella blamed Carlisle for that. He was responsible for creating his family. He may have taken care of the physical needs, but not the mental ones. Rosalie had suffered because of this neglect, and to a broader degree, Edward as well. Both had major issues regarding their new life as a vampire: Rosalie harboring resentment for the loss of her humanity, choices, and potential motherhood, and Edward believing that vampires were soulless creatures who had no place in heaven, making him think of himself as a monster. This neglect had warped them both, sending them spiraling when the pressure got too much, causing chaos and heartache for those close to them.

Alice and Jasper were different, both joining the family much later, and not being sired by Carlisle, they were more comfortable in their own hard skin. Esme may have had the potential to go the same way as Rosalie, but had been saved by her natural warmth and compassion, and her ability to love the people around her passionately. She had replaced the child she had lost with the ones Carlisle had created, finding contentment within her replacement family.

It was all these reasons and more that drove Bella on to convince Jacob and the rest of the pack to let Rosalie go. That and the devastation Rosalie's demise would have on Emmet and Esme. Bella was close to both of them. Emmet was like the playful big brother she never had, he had been the first to accept her into the family without prejudice, teasing her like any big brother would. Esme had been just as accepting, acting more like a mother than Renee ever had, she instantly treated Bella like another daughter, eagerly accepting her into the family group with her usual compassion and kindness.

Emmet was still taking out his unhappiness on the thankless wall. He punched and kicked the rest of the brickwork into fragments, his body tense and rigid.

Bella turned back to face Jacob. She noted him looking in Emmet's direction, as were his brothers. The burly vampire's devastation at the situation was getting to them, it was clear that he never intended to attack, only if forced to in defense of his mate.

A byplay of emotions continued to wreak havoc on Jacob's face as he watched first Emmet, then Esme. The Cullen matriarch noticed him looking and gazed at him pleadingly. Her arms were the only things keeping Rosalie on her feet. Dry, choking sobs wracked her body, the inability to even cry real tears adding another level of cruelty to the whole, sad, sorry, situation.

"Dammit, Bella." Jacob muttered, returning his attention back to her. His handsome face was troubled, as if he was fighting with himself internally over his decision. "I better fucking not regret this." He mumbled under his breath.

Jacob then turned his head in Sam's direction, as if seeking guidance from the Alpha wolf. Sam gazed back at him, his expression as inscrutable as ever to Bella, but Jacob seemed to understand him. She watched Sam give Jacob a covert nod as if giving him permission for something.

"Jake?" Bella whispered, still holding tightly to his hands. He was so tense, he looked ready to explode. She could feel the rigidness in his hands and his limbs. He clearly wasn't comfortable with the decision he was being forced to make, and she worried that if that decision went in her favor, he might later on blame her for it.

Jacob didn't direct his next words to her; he said them to Emmet. "Get her out of here." He said through gritted teeth. "Leave and never come back. If she tries anything again, we will show no mercy. Do I make myself clear?"

Emmet's entire frame relaxed. He regarded Jacob with gratitude, knowing what it cost him to even show this much leniency. "Thank you." He said simply. "I promise you won't see us again." His defeated gaze travelled to Bella. "I'm sorry it has come to this, Bella. And Rosie is, too. She just can't articulate it right now. She didn't mean it. I know she didn't."

Jacob mumbled something unintelligible under his breath. Bella squeezed his hand gently as she smiled sadly back at Emmet.

"Stay safe." She murmured. "And I wish you all the best."

"You too, Bella." Emmet replied, his tone somber. He walked over to Esme and Rosalie. He tenderly disentangled Rosalie from Esme's arms and clasped her carefully against his body as if she was made of fine porcelain.

Esme patted him gently on the shoulder in understanding as she cautiously approached Bella and Jacob. Her face was filled with a sorrow so deep it made Bella's heart ache for her.

"I will always think of you as my daughter, Bella." Esme said softly. She reached up and cupped Bella's cheeks, her sweet scent overpowering Bella's acute senses. "I will miss you. All of you. Thank you for your kindness and compassion. I know how hard this must have been for you." These last words were directed at Jacob. He just nodded curtly, wisely keeping his own counsel. Esme sighed and smiled lovingly at Bella. "You and Charlotte will always be in my thoughts." She said, dropping her hand back to her side. "We will start packing some essentials right away. I'll inform Carlisle of what has happened here on the way. As soon as Alice and Jasper return, we will go."

"Oh, Esme." Bella whispered tearfully. "I am so sorry."

"I wish you much happiness, Bella." A ghost of a smile crossed Esme's face. "You and Charlotte both. Take care and stay safe." She paused for a second, her golden eyes glimmering with something akin to moisture. "And tell Seth…. tell Seth it has been a joy knowing him. He reminded me so much of how I imagined my son would have been had he lived. I have made up some of his favorite foods. Some are stored in the fridge. Some in the freezer. Can you make sure he gets them? And tell him I'm sorry that I couldn't say goodbye in person?"

"I will." Bella promised solemnly, trying to hold back her own tears.

Esme nodded. She reached for Bella's hands once last time, raising them to her lips in a last kiss goodbye. Then she left, with Emmet and a broken Rosalie following in her wake.

A/N-thanks for reading!