She Will Be Loved (Jacob Black)

It's Not Always Rainbows and Butterflies

Quinn drank the thermos of hot cocoa with urgency, the soothing heat the sweet liquid emitted doing wonders for her scratchy and sore throat. She had been bedridden for the past two days with a cold, and it only seemed to be getting worse. However, after a tasteful breakfast served by Esme and a rejuvenating nap afterwards, she was feeling much better than before. Now she only had a sore throat, not a violent cough and stuffy nose.

Edward took the now empty canteen and shook it, somewhat surprised that she had finished it off in one go. He chuckled, shaking his head as he took a seat at the foot of her bed. "Do you want some more?" He offered.

Quinn shook her head, clearing her throat before she gave a verbal response. "No, I'm good. That alone really soothed my throat." She answered, giving him a grateful smile.

He nodded his head and patted her knee gently. "Well, I'm glad you're getting better. I thought you might not recover in time for the wedding."

Quinn smiled at the thought of her brother getting married to the girl of his dreams. It was close now, and would happen in almost a week. "You know I'm fighter." She joked, soon giving a breathless sigh. "Time flies, doesn't it?" She began. "I remember when you first brought her home. I didn't think she'd last a month, but here we are now and you're both getting hitched to one another."

He smiled and nodded his head. "It is a bit surreal, isn't it?" He agreed. "But I love her and she's agreed to stay with me. She's made me the happiest man in the world."

Quinn licked her chapped lips before asking the question she had been wanting to voice since she found out about their engagement. "Are you going to change her?"

Edward's golden amber eyes stared into her blue. He, himself, was unsure if he would or not. He wanted his Bella to remain human, for her to keep her beautiful soul and everything normal about her. He knew though that she would always push the matter, want to join him, be at his side forever. It was inevitable. And as time would pass during their lifetimes, she would only grow more adamant about the issue. He didn't know if he would be able to bring himself to change her. It was the million dollar question that everyone wanted an answer to.

He shook his head with a sigh. "I'm not sure. You know she wants to become one of us, but... I can't do that to her, make her some monster. It wouldn't be right."

"I think you need a change of perspective," Quinn murmured, taking hold of her brother's icy hand, the cold seeping through her flesh and giving her chills. "After you're married, one day she'll be gone for good. She'll die, but you'll live on. You'll have memories of her, of the good times and the bad, and you'll love every single one of them I'm sure, but Bella doesn't want to have to end those times with you. She loves you so much that she's willing to give it all for you. And I know that you don't want that to happen, you don't want her to have to sacrifice those precious things for her to live a life with you, but she's found the one thing in life that's worth all of it. She's found love. And she found love with you, Edward. It's not a matter of what she'll lose, but what she'll gain. She'll gain someone she can love forever, a family to support her throughout time, and an eternity that she can spend with you."

All was silent as Quinn spoke, and even after her declaration it was quiet. Edward let her words sink into his mind during the dead air, and soon found himself speaking. "That may be the best excuse I've heard yet, Quinn, but I still don't think I'll ever be able to bring myself to take her humanity." Edward rose from the bed and walked towards the door. "Everyone's out hunting and should be coming home within the hour. I'm going to Bella's so give me a call if you need anything, okay?"

Quinn nodded her head and Edward sent her a smile before closing her door. A few seconds later she could hear the roar of the Volvo's engine and then the vehicle driving away. Sighing, she got comfortable under the covers of her bed and nestled herself into her pillow. As she found a comfy position, her phone vibrated on the few sheets. Picking it up slowly, she read the newly received text message.

Hey Quinn, I'll be over at your apartment in thirty minutes for our tutoring session. See you then!

Quinn cursed herself loudly over having forgotten about her tutoring session with Jacob. She quickly sent a text to him explaining her predicament.