Pale Faces || Damon Salvatore

Eighteen

She's not getting healthier, in fact, she's getting worse. The baby is taking everything she needs to stay alive, and leaving nothing for Bella to use. Edward and Carlisle have been searching for something, anything, that can help. Or, in the least, give them an insight into what they can do to keep both Bella and the kid alive.

Rosalie hasn't left her side, thankfully. Bella's ever so grateful, although she usually is.

No one has mentioned getting rid of the kid again. I think they're all too afraid that Rose or I will end their undead lives horrifically.

Which we most certainly would.

"El?" Bella says, her voice scratchy and strained.

I spin around to look at her, turning away from the out stretching woods. With my arms still folded across my chest, I walk over to her slowly, as if moving too fast can send her eyes into a blindness.

Although anything is possible lately.

"You won't let them hurt him will you?" She sounds so weak, and so helpless. It breaks my un-beating heart in two.

I smile softly as I sit down beside her, reaching out a hand to brush away the strand of greasy brown hair falling over her face.

"I won't let anyone hurt him, Bels." I tell her, knowing that if she asked me to right now I'd jump in front of a bullet.

Bella smiles as well as she possible can in her weak state, staring at me with so much trust and love in her eyes that it makes my brain go dizzy.

"I know you won't, I trust you with his life Ellie." The single comment is enough to make my mouth drop open slightly out of surprise.

She's never trusted me properly before, especially not with anything this important. This is her child's life.

Bella coughs, and I reach forward to steady her as she grips my arms, "You forgive me don't you?"

Her question shocks me, hitting me like a freight train. She wants to know if I forgive her? Right now? I think this is a little, you know, manipulative to ask me that question while I'm worrying about her life or death situation straight after telling me she trusts me. Although I can't really complain, it's the sort of shit I'd pull on Damon or Caroline.

Looking into her eyes, the same eyes we share, I feel a sense of contentment flow through me. As if all the anger and hatred and resentment I held against her is leaving me and I'm left with only one thing.

Forgiveness.

I forgive her. I forgive her for everything, and I'm not even mad at myself about it.

"I forgive you, Bels." I tell her, my voice not wavering at all.

"I'm sorry for how I treated you."

There it is, the thing I've been waiting for since the day I was born. She's really sorry. She really is.

I smile at her, "I know Bels," she seems happy to hear my response, and leans back into the couch, "Rest Bella, you need to keep your strength about you."

She shrugs, "I'm okay, just, you know, dying."

I laugh, "You're not going to die, Isabella," I rethink my comment, "Well, I mean sure you're going to die, but you'll come back. That's sort of how this vampire thing works, you have to die."

Bella looks at me, obviously thinking of what she wants to ask before she asks it, "Ellie?"

I hear Damon come up the stairs, his footsteps faltering on the landing as he leans against the banister. His smell invades my senses and I suddenly feel more calm. He's listening, I know.