Life In Color (Paul LaHote)

Chapter Two

Jazmine wasn't prepared for what she found at the Cullen house. She didn't expect them all to be on guard, for Bella to be actually sick.

Except she wasn't sick. She was pregnant. Not a healthy pregnancy clearly, she looked more like what the media portrayed as vampires than the Cullen's ever did.

But pregnant. Heavily.

Jazmine couldn't help herself when Edward took Jake outside to discuss whatever it was that Bella couldn't hear. She approached Bella slowly, hand out. The blonde hissed at her but made no move to stop her.

Bella's child was moving under there. Some half human, half thing. But still a baby.

"I shouldn't ask this of you Jaz, just as I shouldn't have asked it of Rosalie. But I need your help. They all want to take him away, my little boy." She whispered, hands cradling her large bump. "Don't let them. Please."

"I've never particularly liked you, you know that. But if it were me, I'd ask the same of anyone that could help me. And I want to make it clear that I know what you're doing." Bella raised an eyebrow but she was fooling no one. "You're preying on the fact that me and Blondie ain't ever gonna have this. But I understand why."

"Thank you." Bella whispered, clutching Jazmine's hand with her own freezing fingers. "Thank you."

When Jake came back inside, looking shook to his core it was to find Bella flanked by Rosalie and Jazmine, arms crossed and expression schooled into an unreadable mask.

"This has nothing to do with you!" Edward hissed, unable to believe Bella had made another unlikely ally in the time he'd been gone.

The room cleared without another whisper but Jazmine stayed where she was, earning an approving glance from Rosalie.

"So Edward sent you in here to talk to me?" She asked weakly, sitting up on the sofa.

"Sorta. Though I can't figure out why he thinks you'd listen to me. You never have before." He scoffs and Bella manages a small laugh. "So, since when are you and Blondie BFF's?"

"Rose understands what I want. So does Jaz." Bella looks back to where Jazmine is watching, missing Jacob's pointed glare.

"What are you thinking?" He asks desperately. Jazmine loves her brother with every fiber of her being. In any other instance she would move heaven and earth to save him from this pain.

But she can't take this from Bella. Not after it had been taken from her. There's something about not being able to have a child that makes Jazmine feel unfulfilled as a woman. And she knows that it's not her ability to carry a child that makes her a woman but it's a hard notion to kick.

"- you can't fool me! I can see what that thing is doing to you. It's a killer, Bella!" Jacob yells and Jazmine leans forward, a growl lodged in her throat.

"You're wrong." Bella was steadfast in her decision and against her will, Jazmine found her respect for Bella building.

"And when you die, what was the point of me loving you, you loving him? How is that right for anyone? Because I sure don't see it. Listen to me, Bella. Please! Just don't do this! Live, okay? Please!" Jazmine's heart was breaking in her chest but she knew deep down that this was what he needed, to get over Bella, accept that the human girl he wanted isn't going to be around for much longer.

"Jake, everything's gonna be okay." Bella sounded so utterly sure in the fact that Jazmine knew she had thought this true. This wasn't some whim she was on, this was it.  The end of human Bella, once and for all.

Jacob stood to leave and Jazmine hesitated before making her way to her brother's side, she had to go back and report with him, stop him from spinning a nightmare.