The Promise
by Laura Spudzmom
Chapter 16:
Bella was just slipping the long-sleeved t-shirt she’d borrowed from Charlie over her head when there was a knock at her bedroom door.
“It’s open,” she said as she grabbed the flannel shirt she’d also borrowed from her Dad, and put it on. She began buttoning it as Alice took a seat in the chair.
Refusing to speak first, she went to her closet and grabbed a pair of low boots and began struggling into them. Finally managing to get them zipped, she stood straight, adjusted the waist of the leggings she’d managed to stretch around herself and sat on her bed, absently rubbing at the slowly worsening ache in her lower back.
She eyed her sad looking best friend and shook her head. “What can I do for you Alice? I’m assuming you came up here for a reason.”
Alice nodded and held out an envelope. “This came for you earlier. It’s why I interrupted your talk with Charlie, but we all got a little… side-tracked… so I waited for you to get out of the shower and dressed before bringing it up.”
Bella mumbled out an absent “Thanks” as she looked at the information on the envelope with a furrowed brow. “Huh, it’s a registered letter from a lawyer.”
She flipped it over, tore the seal and removed the two sheets inside. The first was a standard cover letter from the lawyer explaining their involvement in the delivery of the letter. The second was the real letter to her from her grandmother Isabella, and she unfolded it and read it over twice before finally looking back at Alice.
“It’s from my grandmother.” She looked off into the distance for a moment before continuing. “I guess I’ll never know what prompted her to send me on this wild journey, unless she has more letters waiting in the wings for me.” She sighed as Alice remained silent, just giving Bella time to think and process.
“This one,” she waved the letter, “tells me how to get rid of the protection spell I placed on myself.” She smiled bitterly at Alice. “If I do that, it means no more fun handshakes with your hubs.” Alice cringed and remained silent and Bella sighed. “She tells me in here,” again, she waved the letter, “that it’s necessary.”
Alice gave her a tentative smile. “It would be nice to hug you again…”
Bella smirked. “Seriously Alice? After what I just did and said to Jasper?”
Alice’s voice was soft as she answered. “Well, yeah Bella. You’re my best friend and I hope I’m still yours. Jasper told me, a while back, what happened back then and I don’t think he spared any of the details.” Their gazes locked and she continued. “He was absolutely horrid to you and Pete back then Bella and I can totally understand your feelings. I can only hope that someday, you’ll come to realize that there are forces at work in all our lives that seem to work things out the way they’re supposed to be in the long run, even if the events they perpetrate to accomplish our fate are painful for a time. Even the events of your eighteenth birthday were orchestrated to put you back on the proper path.” She looked down into her lap as she finished speaking and Bella looked away, clenching her jaw.
“Just when did Jasper recognize me Alice?”
She looked up, apology written clearly in her features. “Your first day at Forks High; and when he saw you becoming involved with Edward and saw how infatuated Edward was with you, he could barely stand the guilt Bella. It was awful. I finally got him to talk to me about it and after he had told me the whole story, I came up with the plan that would get Edward to leave you.” She looked up imploringly. “It was the only thing that would work to get you back on your right path and ultimately to your soul mate.”
Bella arched her back and pressed a fist against it as she spoke. “So, you’re saying Jasper wasn’t trying to attack me for real that night?”
“That’s right Bella, but it had to be good enough to fool Edward which isn’t an easy thing to accomplish. Nonetheless, we did it—Jasper did it—to try to right a monumental wrong. He feels he owes you both a debt that can never be repaid, but he’s determined to try.”
Bella clenched her fists in her lap and looked away as she thought about everything Alice had said.
She was frustrated by Alice’s words and wisdom because she’d just read essentially, the same words from her grandmother’s hand in that letter; acceptance and forgiveness. She bristled at the thought. Put plainly, it was a damn big and bitter pill and Bella didn’t want to swallow it. For her, the events were just too damn fresh to go ahead and let bygones be bygones. She still, very much, wanted her pound of flesh damn it.
Looking back at Alice, she spoke again. “Does he know where my husband is? I know he’s not anywhere close; I can feel that. I can feel his absence, but it’s not complete, so I know he’s still alive—existing—whatever terms fit.” She waved a hand absently and scooted back on the bed to lean against the pillows and headboard in a bid to relieve her pain.
Alice took a deep breath and let it out before answering. “We do know where he is.” She met Bella’s rock-steady gaze. “He lives in Montana on a ranch he bought a couple decades ago. We aren’t close, but over the years it’s reached the point where he’ll speak to Jasper without trying to tear him to pieces at least.” She smiled sadly at Bella. “Thank god they’re evenly matched in fighting skills or this would have ended in tragedy for one side or the other long ago. Seems fighting prowess runs in the Whitlock veins.”
“Hmm, too bad it didn’t run a little deeper than what a Hale was capable of then.”
Bella’s brow furrowed as she watched Alice’s eyes widen. “You mean you don’t know?”
“Know what Alice?”, Bella asked suspiciously.
“James Whitlock, your father-in-law, was the younger brother of Jasper Whitlock. Bella, Jasper is Peter’s uncle. Your baby is Jasper’s great-nephew or niece.”
Bella’s heart was in her throat for some reason at this revelation. “But… Hale?”
“…is Rosalie’s true surname and Jasper went by it in school to fit with the twin cover story. His true surname is Whitlock.”
Bella ran both hands through her mahogany locks, clutching at the roots as she took all this in. Jesus… her most hated enemy is really good ol’ Uncle Jasper?! No wonder Jim Whitlock always looked so naggingly familiar to her. ’Fuck, what’s next?’ she thought. ‘No, never mind, not exactly a safe question to ask in this cluster fuck.’
Looking back at the patiently waiting Alice, she spoke. “Okay, now that we’ve established we’re all just one big fucked up family, where the hell is my husband and why hasn’t good ol’ Uncle J hauled his ass here? No, scrap that… why hasn’t he beat a blazing path to my door? Because I have to say, the more I think about this situation, the more pissed I’m becoming. I would have been here yesterday if my role was reversed with my husband, so what gives?” So the bitchy hormones were showing… so what?
Alice now looked nervous and Bella narrowed her eyes at her as she finally started talking. “Well, you see… it’s a bit complicated…” She glanced up at Bella who gave her a flat look.
“No…banish the thought.”
Alice rolled her eyes. “Sarcasm doesn’t suit you Bella…”
Bella stared. “I disagree. I’m quite comfortable with it, now cut to the fucking chase.”
She huffed. “Fine. Jasper and I went there a few days ago to explain things…”
Bella cut her off with a hand held up. “No such thing as a phone in Montana?”
Alice scowled. “He refuses to have a phone. He’s never had one and swears he never will.”
Bella’s brows inched up and she gestured to Alice, “Please, continue.”
“Anywaaayy,” she drew the word out in exasperation, “…Jasper and I went there to explain and Charlotte wouldn’t let us near the place. She met us with a damn flame thrower! Threatened to torch my husband! She meant it too! She nearly lit us both on fire and we barely got out of there intact.”
Bella’s expression had darkened with every mention of this Charlotte person. She jumped up off the bed—as well as she could manage anyway—and faced Alice as pain and anger knifed its way through her. “Just who the hell is Charlotte and what is she to my husband?” Just the thought of him with another woman all these years had tears falling from her eyes in seconds and she doubled over as a more tangible pain gripped her lower abdomen in a vice. “Oh gods!” She clawed at the side of the mattress as she went to her knees.
Alice was beside her instantly, but drew back with a pained gasp as the protection spell repelled her. “Bella! What’s wrong?!”
Bella stayed hunched over for a few moments until the worst of the pain eased and then she looked up at Alice. “Please tell me Carlisle is here!”
She grabbed Alice’s arm for comfort but let go immediately when Alice cried out at the pain. “Oh god Alice, I’m sorry!”
Alice was shaking her head as Bella’s door flew open and Jasper rushed in. Alice held up a hand. “It’s okay Bella… it’s fine sweetie, let’s just worry about you.” She shot a reassuring look at a worried Jasper and looked back at a grimacing Bella. “In answer to your question, yes, Carlisle is here but Bella, he can’t touch you.”
Bella struggled up from the floor by hanging onto the mattress now that the pain had eased. “You’re right. I need to cancel that spell…” She looked around and grabbed her grandmother’s letter just as Charlie and Jake joined them. She handed it to Alice—carefully. “Can you please gather all the items on this list for me?”
She glanced at Jasper just as another pain gripped her and she started to fall.
He scooped her up and she cried out with the pain. “It’s okay darlin’,” he ground out through his own pain from touching her. “I gotcha.” He laid her down gently on the bed and she curled onto her side. “Jasper,” she reached for him and then thought better of it. “Will you draw the pentagram? There’s chalk for it in the top drawer of the desk and the directions are in the letter Alice has.” She gasped and rocked with the pain and he nodded.
“Sure darlin’. Anything else you need, just tell me.”
She gave a quick nod and continued rocking.
Charlie took all this in with a scowl. “What’s going on Bells? You look like you need a doctor. I’ll pull the car up and take you to the hospital.”
He turned to head out but froze at Bella’s voice. “No! God no, I’m not letting that old quack touch me!” She shuddered. “He’s feeble and crusty and he’s gotta be going on 80 years old at least.” She stopped rocking as what was now undeniably a contraction, eased.
Jasper smirked at her. “You realize the irony in what you just said?”
She shot him the finger and grumbled, “Get busy drawing Uncle Jerk-off. You’re still head turd on my shit parade.”
Charlie scowled at their banter and brought the conversation back to the point. “I don’t see that you have much choice Bells. You’re certainly not planning to have it here?!”
She almost laughed at the look of panic on his face. “No Charlie, I’m going to Dr. Cullen. Just don’t worry about any of this Dad. It’ll be fine, but I’m gonna need room to work so why don’t you and Jake go watch a game or something.”
He looked relieved. “Okay Bells, just—,” he cast around for something appropriate to say, “—let me know if you need me.”
She began rocking again as another contraction hit and she nodded and gasped while shooing him out with an impatient wave.
Jasper finished up drawing out the pentagram and drew closer to Bella as she rocked and whimpered through the pain. Sitting on the floor next to the bed, he focused on her and her pain, siphoning off what he could while replacing it with a mix of more pleasant emotions.
Alice rushed back in a couple minutes later. “Bella, I’m going to have to take a trip into town. I just spoke to Charlie and he doesn’t have the candles you need.”
“Okay,” Bella sing-songed with a lazy wave and a giggle. “Just don’t take Uncle Morphine with you. His happy ass is mine until this kid shows up.” She rolled onto her back and started humming with her eyes closed and a small smile on her face.
Alice gave a grinning Jasper a flat look. “I think you’re over-doing the happy vibes Jazz, really. She acting like some of those people we saw at Woodstock for cripes sake!”
His grin widened. “Where ya think I picked up these particular emotions darlin’?”
She sighed and nodded. “I guess it’s better than seeing her in all that pain.” She waved and grabbed her purse. “Okay, I’ll be right back with those candles. I’ll call Carlisle and let him know to be ready too. See ya!”
She zipped out of the room and Jasper leaned back and closed his eyes as he listened to Bella hum. She wasn’t half bad and now that her pain was tolerable, he found being near her relaxing.
A few minutes later, Bella stopped humming to speak. “Jasper?”
He kept his eyes closed as he answered. “Yeah sugar?”
“Will I ever see Pete again?”
He cringed at the heartache he felt from her. “Yeah baby doll, you will. I’ll make sure of it.”
She grabbed a blanket and wrapped up in it as she turned on her side to face him.
“Jasper?”
“Yeah darlin’?”
She sniffled and her voice wavered. “What about Charlotte?”
He sent more good vibes her way and answered. “Don’t ya worry with that sweetheart. She ain’t gonna be a problem, and if she tries to be, I’ll take her out.”
“Jasper?”
“Yeah baby doll?”
“I miss ice cream.”
He chuckled. “Ya want some ice cream sugar?”
“Yeah…,” she yawned and continued in sleepy tones, “…mint chip please.”
He smiled and turned just in time to see her fall asleep and took out his phone. “Esme, we have any ice cream there? Bella wants mint chip.”
“Oh Jasper! How is she? I can’t wait to see her!”
He sighed. “She was heartsick and angry when she awoke, but overall, she’s doing well.”
Oh, good. I’m sure she’ll recover fully when she finally has her mate back.”
“Yeah, I sure hope so Esme.”
“Well, I guess I’ll go pick up some ice cream.”
He heard Carlisle in the background and then Esme spoke. “Jasper sweetheart, Carlisle would like to speak with you. I’ll see you when you get home. Bye dear.”
He smiled at her motherly tendencies. “Goodbye Esme.”
“Jasper? How far apart are her contractions son?”
“Well, when I first got to the room, they seemed to be rather close together, but I’ve since calmed her with my gift and she’s been sleeping for about five minutes now, so it’s a bit difficult to tell.”
“She’s had no other signs? Her water hasn’t broken?”
Jasper closed his eyes and took a few seconds to thank god for his vampire constitution before answering. “Uh, she’s still dressed and she’s still, uh, dry, so I don’t think so?”
Carlisle chuckled at his obvious discomfort with the line of questioning. “Well, that’s good. Just get her here as soon as you can.”
He nodded out of habit. “We will Carlisle. Has Alice told you any of the situation? Anything about the ritual?”
“Ah, yes a bit. Something about not being able to touch her until she reverses the spell?”
“That’s right. Alice is in town gettin’ the candles she needs for it. As soon as she’s back, and Bella does her thing, we’ll be on our way.”
“I’m glad to hear it Jasper. This is her first and first time mothers usually labor the longest, but I’d feel better keeping a close eye on her especially since she hasn’t had much in the way of pre-natal care.”
Jasper heard Alice pull up outside so he let Carlisle know and ended the call. He needed to concentrate on waking her up gently, especially since he couldn’t touch her. He’d have to do it with a gradual exchange of emotions, so he put his phone back in his pocket and began.
She stirred just as Alice walked back in. “Bella? Time to wake up darlin’. Alice is here with the candles.” He drew back more of the relaxed vibes and watched as she woke fully and sat up.
“Wow, that was some of the best sleep I’ve ever had.” She smirked at Jasper. “Too bad you can’t bottle that. You’d be a billionaire.”
He smirked back. "I have a psychic wife. Who says I’m not a billionaire?”
Bella’s brows rose. “Huh… ya got me there.”
Bella stood from the bed and Alice gestured at the set up in the middle of the floor. “Does it look right?” She handed her the letter and Bella studied it for a moment and nodded.
“Yep, looks good.” She went to her desk and retrieved her athame from the drawer before looking at the two vampires in the room. “This requires blood. Is that going to be a problem?”
They both shook their heads. “Don’t worry Bella. Jasper’s control is on par with Carlisle’s, believe it or not. He just doesn’t like sharing that info with anyone, especially Edward. He’s changed hundreds of humans and never killed one he intended to keep.”
He hung his head at the feeling now coming from Bella at the unwitting reminder of Pete’s fate and Alice murmured, “I’m sorry.”
Bella shook her head. “Let’s just get on with this before the contractions start up again, because once I start I can’t stop until it’s done.” She handed Jasper the ceremonial cup. “Venom of the offender; donate please.”
He looked at her with a brow cocked. “The offender?”
“Well, yeah Uncle J. The original ritual was against you. Since you were the problem, you have to be part of the solution. One of the most important aspects of magic is always balance; give and take.” She rolled her hand in the air. “Come on, come on, we don’t have all day and it’s not like I’m asking for a sperm sample here. Spit in the damn cup and be done with it!”
Amusement danced in his eyes as he leaned over and spit in the cup. “Happy darlin’?
She smirked. “Supremely.”
She turned and set the cup down beside the athame and candle and then carefully lowered herself down to sit on the floor. Let’s just say, at this stage of her pregnancy, getting down there without winding up in a graceless heap, was a process. “I can feel your amusement from here Uncle and this shit’s not funny.”
Alice glared at him and he held up his hands. “I didn’t make a peep!” His wife continued to glare and he hung his head with a sigh and sat on the bed. “Fine.”
After making certain all the candles were lit, she began her chant, completing it three times before reaching for the athame. After running both sides of the blade through the flame, she quickly cut her left palm and dripped seven drops of blood into the cup. Using the tip of the athame, she swirled the contents together and set the dagger aside.
She lifted the cup with both hands and held it high as she made her request to the goddess and asked blessings on her magic. When that was done, she slowly dripped thirteen drops of the mixture onto the candle flame and watched in satisfaction as all the flames flared up, with the one that consumed the offering flaring a brilliant blue, after which all the flames extinguished at once. It was blessed. It was accepted. It was done.
Alice glanced at Jasper with widened eyes and he chuckled. He’d seen her perform a ritual before, after all. But he had to admit, it was a sight to see. He shrugged at his wife. “At least she didn’t disappear this time.”
They turned back to Bella and noticed a change in her breathing just before she loosed a low moan and laid over on her side. “Oh god this hurts.”
Alice began cleaning things up at vampire speed. “Jazz, move her to the car. I think it’s time we took her to Carlisle.”
He nodded and stepped over to Bella muttering,“I sure hope that little ritual worked sugar.” With that, he leaned down and scooped her up. He smiled at his wife on his way out of Bella’s room when he didn’t feel any pain. He hated to admit it, but she had nearly kicked his country ass good with that handshake and it wasn’t an experience he wanted to repeat. Ever.
To Jasper’s surprise, she clung to him as he carried her out to the car and it gave him a bit of hope that, someday, they could have an actual family relationship. He knew he didn’t deserve it by any stretch of the imagination, but still, he hoped.
Bella was just slipping the long-sleeved t-shirt she’d borrowed from Charlie over her head when there was a knock at her bedroom door.
“It’s open,” she said as she grabbed the flannel shirt she’d also borrowed from her Dad, and put it on. She began buttoning it as Alice took a seat in the chair.
Refusing to speak first, she went to her closet and grabbed a pair of low boots and began struggling into them. Finally managing to get them zipped, she stood straight, adjusted the waist of the leggings she’d managed to stretch around herself and sat on her bed, absently rubbing at the slowly worsening ache in her lower back.
She eyed her sad looking best friend and shook her head. “What can I do for you Alice? I’m assuming you came up here for a reason.”
Alice nodded and held out an envelope. “This came for you earlier. It’s why I interrupted your talk with Charlie, but we all got a little… side-tracked… so I waited for you to get out of the shower and dressed before bringing it up.”
Bella mumbled out an absent “Thanks” as she looked at the information on the envelope with a furrowed brow. “Huh, it’s a registered letter from a lawyer.”
She flipped it over, tore the seal and removed the two sheets inside. The first was a standard cover letter from the lawyer explaining their involvement in the delivery of the letter. The second was the real letter to her from her grandmother Isabella, and she unfolded it and read it over twice before finally looking back at Alice.
“It’s from my grandmother.” She looked off into the distance for a moment before continuing. “I guess I’ll never know what prompted her to send me on this wild journey, unless she has more letters waiting in the wings for me.” She sighed as Alice remained silent, just giving Bella time to think and process.
“This one,” she waved the letter, “tells me how to get rid of the protection spell I placed on myself.” She smiled bitterly at Alice. “If I do that, it means no more fun handshakes with your hubs.” Alice cringed and remained silent and Bella sighed. “She tells me in here,” again, she waved the letter, “that it’s necessary.”
Alice gave her a tentative smile. “It would be nice to hug you again…”
Bella smirked. “Seriously Alice? After what I just did and said to Jasper?”
Alice’s voice was soft as she answered. “Well, yeah Bella. You’re my best friend and I hope I’m still yours. Jasper told me, a while back, what happened back then and I don’t think he spared any of the details.” Their gazes locked and she continued. “He was absolutely horrid to you and Pete back then Bella and I can totally understand your feelings. I can only hope that someday, you’ll come to realize that there are forces at work in all our lives that seem to work things out the way they’re supposed to be in the long run, even if the events they perpetrate to accomplish our fate are painful for a time. Even the events of your eighteenth birthday were orchestrated to put you back on the proper path.” She looked down into her lap as she finished speaking and Bella looked away, clenching her jaw.
“Just when did Jasper recognize me Alice?”
She looked up, apology written clearly in her features. “Your first day at Forks High; and when he saw you becoming involved with Edward and saw how infatuated Edward was with you, he could barely stand the guilt Bella. It was awful. I finally got him to talk to me about it and after he had told me the whole story, I came up with the plan that would get Edward to leave you.” She looked up imploringly. “It was the only thing that would work to get you back on your right path and ultimately to your soul mate.”
Bella arched her back and pressed a fist against it as she spoke. “So, you’re saying Jasper wasn’t trying to attack me for real that night?”
“That’s right Bella, but it had to be good enough to fool Edward which isn’t an easy thing to accomplish. Nonetheless, we did it—Jasper did it—to try to right a monumental wrong. He feels he owes you both a debt that can never be repaid, but he’s determined to try.”
Bella clenched her fists in her lap and looked away as she thought about everything Alice had said.
She was frustrated by Alice’s words and wisdom because she’d just read essentially, the same words from her grandmother’s hand in that letter; acceptance and forgiveness. She bristled at the thought. Put plainly, it was a damn big and bitter pill and Bella didn’t want to swallow it. For her, the events were just too damn fresh to go ahead and let bygones be bygones. She still, very much, wanted her pound of flesh damn it.
Looking back at Alice, she spoke again. “Does he know where my husband is? I know he’s not anywhere close; I can feel that. I can feel his absence, but it’s not complete, so I know he’s still alive—existing—whatever terms fit.” She waved a hand absently and scooted back on the bed to lean against the pillows and headboard in a bid to relieve her pain.
Alice took a deep breath and let it out before answering. “We do know where he is.” She met Bella’s rock-steady gaze. “He lives in Montana on a ranch he bought a couple decades ago. We aren’t close, but over the years it’s reached the point where he’ll speak to Jasper without trying to tear him to pieces at least.” She smiled sadly at Bella. “Thank god they’re evenly matched in fighting skills or this would have ended in tragedy for one side or the other long ago. Seems fighting prowess runs in the Whitlock veins.”
“Hmm, too bad it didn’t run a little deeper than what a Hale was capable of then.”
Bella’s brow furrowed as she watched Alice’s eyes widen. “You mean you don’t know?”
“Know what Alice?”, Bella asked suspiciously.
“James Whitlock, your father-in-law, was the younger brother of Jasper Whitlock. Bella, Jasper is Peter’s uncle. Your baby is Jasper’s great-nephew or niece.”
Bella’s heart was in her throat for some reason at this revelation. “But… Hale?”
“…is Rosalie’s true surname and Jasper went by it in school to fit with the twin cover story. His true surname is Whitlock.”
Bella ran both hands through her mahogany locks, clutching at the roots as she took all this in. Jesus… her most hated enemy is really good ol’ Uncle Jasper?! No wonder Jim Whitlock always looked so naggingly familiar to her. ’Fuck, what’s next?’ she thought. ‘No, never mind, not exactly a safe question to ask in this cluster fuck.’
Looking back at the patiently waiting Alice, she spoke. “Okay, now that we’ve established we’re all just one big fucked up family, where the hell is my husband and why hasn’t good ol’ Uncle J hauled his ass here? No, scrap that… why hasn’t he beat a blazing path to my door? Because I have to say, the more I think about this situation, the more pissed I’m becoming. I would have been here yesterday if my role was reversed with my husband, so what gives?” So the bitchy hormones were showing… so what?
Alice now looked nervous and Bella narrowed her eyes at her as she finally started talking. “Well, you see… it’s a bit complicated…” She glanced up at Bella who gave her a flat look.
“No…banish the thought.”
Alice rolled her eyes. “Sarcasm doesn’t suit you Bella…”
Bella stared. “I disagree. I’m quite comfortable with it, now cut to the fucking chase.”
She huffed. “Fine. Jasper and I went there a few days ago to explain things…”
Bella cut her off with a hand held up. “No such thing as a phone in Montana?”
Alice scowled. “He refuses to have a phone. He’s never had one and swears he never will.”
Bella’s brows inched up and she gestured to Alice, “Please, continue.”
“Anywaaayy,” she drew the word out in exasperation, “…Jasper and I went there to explain and Charlotte wouldn’t let us near the place. She met us with a damn flame thrower! Threatened to torch my husband! She meant it too! She nearly lit us both on fire and we barely got out of there intact.”
Bella’s expression had darkened with every mention of this Charlotte person. She jumped up off the bed—as well as she could manage anyway—and faced Alice as pain and anger knifed its way through her. “Just who the hell is Charlotte and what is she to my husband?” Just the thought of him with another woman all these years had tears falling from her eyes in seconds and she doubled over as a more tangible pain gripped her lower abdomen in a vice. “Oh gods!” She clawed at the side of the mattress as she went to her knees.
Alice was beside her instantly, but drew back with a pained gasp as the protection spell repelled her. “Bella! What’s wrong?!”
Bella stayed hunched over for a few moments until the worst of the pain eased and then she looked up at Alice. “Please tell me Carlisle is here!”
She grabbed Alice’s arm for comfort but let go immediately when Alice cried out at the pain. “Oh god Alice, I’m sorry!”
Alice was shaking her head as Bella’s door flew open and Jasper rushed in. Alice held up a hand. “It’s okay Bella… it’s fine sweetie, let’s just worry about you.” She shot a reassuring look at a worried Jasper and looked back at a grimacing Bella. “In answer to your question, yes, Carlisle is here but Bella, he can’t touch you.”
Bella struggled up from the floor by hanging onto the mattress now that the pain had eased. “You’re right. I need to cancel that spell…” She looked around and grabbed her grandmother’s letter just as Charlie and Jake joined them. She handed it to Alice—carefully. “Can you please gather all the items on this list for me?”
She glanced at Jasper just as another pain gripped her and she started to fall.
He scooped her up and she cried out with the pain. “It’s okay darlin’,” he ground out through his own pain from touching her. “I gotcha.” He laid her down gently on the bed and she curled onto her side. “Jasper,” she reached for him and then thought better of it. “Will you draw the pentagram? There’s chalk for it in the top drawer of the desk and the directions are in the letter Alice has.” She gasped and rocked with the pain and he nodded.
“Sure darlin’. Anything else you need, just tell me.”
She gave a quick nod and continued rocking.
Charlie took all this in with a scowl. “What’s going on Bells? You look like you need a doctor. I’ll pull the car up and take you to the hospital.”
He turned to head out but froze at Bella’s voice. “No! God no, I’m not letting that old quack touch me!” She shuddered. “He’s feeble and crusty and he’s gotta be going on 80 years old at least.” She stopped rocking as what was now undeniably a contraction, eased.
Jasper smirked at her. “You realize the irony in what you just said?”
She shot him the finger and grumbled, “Get busy drawing Uncle Jerk-off. You’re still head turd on my shit parade.”
Charlie scowled at their banter and brought the conversation back to the point. “I don’t see that you have much choice Bells. You’re certainly not planning to have it here?!”
She almost laughed at the look of panic on his face. “No Charlie, I’m going to Dr. Cullen. Just don’t worry about any of this Dad. It’ll be fine, but I’m gonna need room to work so why don’t you and Jake go watch a game or something.”
He looked relieved. “Okay Bells, just—,” he cast around for something appropriate to say, “—let me know if you need me.”
She began rocking again as another contraction hit and she nodded and gasped while shooing him out with an impatient wave.
Jasper finished up drawing out the pentagram and drew closer to Bella as she rocked and whimpered through the pain. Sitting on the floor next to the bed, he focused on her and her pain, siphoning off what he could while replacing it with a mix of more pleasant emotions.
Alice rushed back in a couple minutes later. “Bella, I’m going to have to take a trip into town. I just spoke to Charlie and he doesn’t have the candles you need.”
“Okay,” Bella sing-songed with a lazy wave and a giggle. “Just don’t take Uncle Morphine with you. His happy ass is mine until this kid shows up.” She rolled onto her back and started humming with her eyes closed and a small smile on her face.
Alice gave a grinning Jasper a flat look. “I think you’re over-doing the happy vibes Jazz, really. She acting like some of those people we saw at Woodstock for cripes sake!”
His grin widened. “Where ya think I picked up these particular emotions darlin’?”
She sighed and nodded. “I guess it’s better than seeing her in all that pain.” She waved and grabbed her purse. “Okay, I’ll be right back with those candles. I’ll call Carlisle and let him know to be ready too. See ya!”
She zipped out of the room and Jasper leaned back and closed his eyes as he listened to Bella hum. She wasn’t half bad and now that her pain was tolerable, he found being near her relaxing.
A few minutes later, Bella stopped humming to speak. “Jasper?”
He kept his eyes closed as he answered. “Yeah sugar?”
“Will I ever see Pete again?”
He cringed at the heartache he felt from her. “Yeah baby doll, you will. I’ll make sure of it.”
She grabbed a blanket and wrapped up in it as she turned on her side to face him.
“Jasper?”
“Yeah darlin’?”
She sniffled and her voice wavered. “What about Charlotte?”
He sent more good vibes her way and answered. “Don’t ya worry with that sweetheart. She ain’t gonna be a problem, and if she tries to be, I’ll take her out.”
“Jasper?”
“Yeah baby doll?”
“I miss ice cream.”
He chuckled. “Ya want some ice cream sugar?”
“Yeah…,” she yawned and continued in sleepy tones, “…mint chip please.”
He smiled and turned just in time to see her fall asleep and took out his phone. “Esme, we have any ice cream there? Bella wants mint chip.”
“Oh Jasper! How is she? I can’t wait to see her!”
He sighed. “She was heartsick and angry when she awoke, but overall, she’s doing well.”
Oh, good. I’m sure she’ll recover fully when she finally has her mate back.”
“Yeah, I sure hope so Esme.”
“Well, I guess I’ll go pick up some ice cream.”
He heard Carlisle in the background and then Esme spoke. “Jasper sweetheart, Carlisle would like to speak with you. I’ll see you when you get home. Bye dear.”
He smiled at her motherly tendencies. “Goodbye Esme.”
“Jasper? How far apart are her contractions son?”
“Well, when I first got to the room, they seemed to be rather close together, but I’ve since calmed her with my gift and she’s been sleeping for about five minutes now, so it’s a bit difficult to tell.”
“She’s had no other signs? Her water hasn’t broken?”
Jasper closed his eyes and took a few seconds to thank god for his vampire constitution before answering. “Uh, she’s still dressed and she’s still, uh, dry, so I don’t think so?”
Carlisle chuckled at his obvious discomfort with the line of questioning. “Well, that’s good. Just get her here as soon as you can.”
He nodded out of habit. “We will Carlisle. Has Alice told you any of the situation? Anything about the ritual?”
“Ah, yes a bit. Something about not being able to touch her until she reverses the spell?”
“That’s right. Alice is in town gettin’ the candles she needs for it. As soon as she’s back, and Bella does her thing, we’ll be on our way.”
“I’m glad to hear it Jasper. This is her first and first time mothers usually labor the longest, but I’d feel better keeping a close eye on her especially since she hasn’t had much in the way of pre-natal care.”
Jasper heard Alice pull up outside so he let Carlisle know and ended the call. He needed to concentrate on waking her up gently, especially since he couldn’t touch her. He’d have to do it with a gradual exchange of emotions, so he put his phone back in his pocket and began.
She stirred just as Alice walked back in. “Bella? Time to wake up darlin’. Alice is here with the candles.” He drew back more of the relaxed vibes and watched as she woke fully and sat up.
“Wow, that was some of the best sleep I’ve ever had.” She smirked at Jasper. “Too bad you can’t bottle that. You’d be a billionaire.”
He smirked back. "I have a psychic wife. Who says I’m not a billionaire?”
Bella’s brows rose. “Huh… ya got me there.”
Bella stood from the bed and Alice gestured at the set up in the middle of the floor. “Does it look right?” She handed her the letter and Bella studied it for a moment and nodded.
“Yep, looks good.” She went to her desk and retrieved her athame from the drawer before looking at the two vampires in the room. “This requires blood. Is that going to be a problem?”
They both shook their heads. “Don’t worry Bella. Jasper’s control is on par with Carlisle’s, believe it or not. He just doesn’t like sharing that info with anyone, especially Edward. He’s changed hundreds of humans and never killed one he intended to keep.”
He hung his head at the feeling now coming from Bella at the unwitting reminder of Pete’s fate and Alice murmured, “I’m sorry.”
Bella shook her head. “Let’s just get on with this before the contractions start up again, because once I start I can’t stop until it’s done.” She handed Jasper the ceremonial cup. “Venom of the offender; donate please.”
He looked at her with a brow cocked. “The offender?”
“Well, yeah Uncle J. The original ritual was against you. Since you were the problem, you have to be part of the solution. One of the most important aspects of magic is always balance; give and take.” She rolled her hand in the air. “Come on, come on, we don’t have all day and it’s not like I’m asking for a sperm sample here. Spit in the damn cup and be done with it!”
Amusement danced in his eyes as he leaned over and spit in the cup. “Happy darlin’?
She smirked. “Supremely.”
She turned and set the cup down beside the athame and candle and then carefully lowered herself down to sit on the floor. Let’s just say, at this stage of her pregnancy, getting down there without winding up in a graceless heap, was a process. “I can feel your amusement from here Uncle and this shit’s not funny.”
Alice glared at him and he held up his hands. “I didn’t make a peep!” His wife continued to glare and he hung his head with a sigh and sat on the bed. “Fine.”
After making certain all the candles were lit, she began her chant, completing it three times before reaching for the athame. After running both sides of the blade through the flame, she quickly cut her left palm and dripped seven drops of blood into the cup. Using the tip of the athame, she swirled the contents together and set the dagger aside.
She lifted the cup with both hands and held it high as she made her request to the goddess and asked blessings on her magic. When that was done, she slowly dripped thirteen drops of the mixture onto the candle flame and watched in satisfaction as all the flames flared up, with the one that consumed the offering flaring a brilliant blue, after which all the flames extinguished at once. It was blessed. It was accepted. It was done.
Alice glanced at Jasper with widened eyes and he chuckled. He’d seen her perform a ritual before, after all. But he had to admit, it was a sight to see. He shrugged at his wife. “At least she didn’t disappear this time.”
They turned back to Bella and noticed a change in her breathing just before she loosed a low moan and laid over on her side. “Oh god this hurts.”
Alice began cleaning things up at vampire speed. “Jazz, move her to the car. I think it’s time we took her to Carlisle.”
He nodded and stepped over to Bella muttering,“I sure hope that little ritual worked sugar.” With that, he leaned down and scooped her up. He smiled at his wife on his way out of Bella’s room when he didn’t feel any pain. He hated to admit it, but she had nearly kicked his country ass good with that handshake and it wasn’t an experience he wanted to repeat. Ever.
To Jasper’s surprise, she clung to him as he carried her out to the car and it gave him a bit of hope that, someday, they could have an actual family relationship. He knew he didn’t deserve it by any stretch of the imagination, but still, he hoped.
DISCLAIMER: Twilight and its inclusive material is copyright to Stephenie Meyer. Original creation, including but not limited to plot and characters, is copyright to the respective authors of each story. No copyright infringement is intended.