Chances [2] (Jacob Black)

Chapter 6 Stitches and Bets

Reyna

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Ever so gently I place my sister into Carlisle's cleared off desk. He immediately starts working to remember the glass shards from her arms.

I look away from my sister and my eyes trail back to the the photos on the walls.

There's pictures of the whole Cullen family all from different periods of time. Some are black and white and some in color. In all the pictures the Cullen's where smiles and laughs. Some of the pictures have red eyed Cullen's but they still smile. This family has been through so much together.

My eyes trail away from the photos and back to my sister. Carlisle is being as gentle as he can but she still winces. The bleeding has tapered off luckily. Bella is very pointedly not staring at the bill full of glass and bloody towels.

"I sure can kill a party," Bella sighs in a not at all joking way. I cross my arms and flash a sad smile. This had to happen eventually. "Sorry Reyna."

"Bella it was me your fault besides I'm sure next years party will be off the chain," I reply jokingly.

"I agree with Reyna. It's not your fault. Jasper hasn't been away from human blood as long as the rest of us," Carlisle adds. Suddenly I remember the cake and the gifts.                                   

"Carlisle please tell me we still get cake and gifts," I say and grab his arm. I stare intently into his eyes as I speak. "I need the cake."

"You will get the cake and gifts Reyna," Carlisle chuckles and begins to preparing a needle to stitch Bella up. I sigh in relief and fan my face.

"That was close."

A few moments of silence pass before Bella looks up.

"Seems like you're the only one it doesn't effect." She's clutching his shirt tightly and frowning as he begins to sew the cuts up.

"Centuries of practice," Carlisle says answering her unasked question.            
"Did you ever think of...living differently?" Bella inquires curiously. I move to her side and take her other hand for comfort.

"I enjoy my work too much. Helping people, saving lives. I'm hoping there's a point to my existence, even if I am damned," Carlisle responds honestly. I glance up at him and bite my lip as I think. I used to hate all vampires so much but the Cullens especially Carlisle have made me see that not all vampires are bad. Some vampires love to be doctors.                       

"Damned? You're not damned," Bella states adamantly.

"Carlisle you couldn't be. After all the good you've done there's no way," I add firmly. Carlisle may be a vampire but he can't be dammed.                    

"Then you and I agree. But Edward doesn't believe there's an afterlife for our kind," Carlisle murmurs as he works. Suddenly he looks up at Bella. "He thinks we've lost our souls."               

"That's why he won't... He thinks he'd be damning me," Bella exclaims in realization and squeezes my hand.

I don't know what I believe about vampire afterlife but I do believe that whatever is in store for me can't be good.                            

"If you believed as he did, would you risk it?" Bella looks down pensively and bites her lip. "No, not ever.."

I'm glad he made Bells think but he definitely did not deter her.