Delicate (Jasper Whitlock Hale)

Chapter 22

Here's an update I don't feel guilty about posting since I actually like the way it turned out. But, I will warn you, shit is about to hit the fan.

How long does she usually sleep at a time? Leah's thoughts cleared through the comfortable silence of our run.

A couple of hours. It's growing so fast that Bella can feel everything and Carlisle thinks she'll go into labor in the next week. I answered.

Do you think she'll live? Leah asked.

As a human? No. If Carlisle and Edward are able to save her? Maybe. I said, honestly not knowing how great the chances were. Her and Rosalie know more about it than I do, and they're both confident in it.

And you're okay with her being changed?

I don't have a choice. I can preach about the treaty and cause problems between Jasper and I, or I can stand by Bella with her choice, be okay with her being changed, and maintain the peace Jasper and I have. Leah didn't give a direct response, her own thoughts running over my answer and questioning every piece of it, though she knew she understood.

It felt good to finally phase again, not that I was doing very much of it. Carlisle was still worried about how the pressure of leaving the pack had affected me physically, and subsequently, Jasper was, too. We had managed to come to an agreement shortly after my first run. Carlisle would give me check-ups after each run and I couldn't push myself too hard, only running for short amounts of time. It was better than nothing, though, and I knew I wouldn't be spending much time away from Bella and Jasper anyway.

I'm awake. Seth suddenly spoke, Laela, you can go see them now.

Thanks, Seth. I thought before heading back towards the Cullens', phasing once I was about half a mile away and getting dressed, heading to the house. I saw through the glass and saw Carlisle, Edward, and I assumed Bella upstairs in the make-shift office Carlisle had set up. My eyebrows furrowed together, her daily appointments were usually later in the evening and she still had a couple of hours before she should've been up there.

"What happened?" I asked as soon as I stepped through the door, catching sight of Rose and Emmett.

"It broke one of her ribs." Emmett answered. I nodded, it wasn't unheard of for human children to break their mother's ribs, but I couldn't deny that this made me a little anxious.

"Carlisle just broke the news that the baby isn't compatible with Bella's body." Rosalie added on. I went to reply but I heard Edward's voice over everything.

"Because you've given me no choice!" He shouted, causing me to wince. The sound of the door slamming caused Rosalie and I to look at each other and she was up the stairs before Edward was walking out of the door. My gaze stayed on the floor for a few more moments,

"Where is he?" I asked Emmett, my voice low.

"Doing research with Alice." He replied, "Are you okay?" He asked me, a slight amount of concern tracing his voice as even he was able to pick up in my change in mood that I had no explanation for. I just nodded and headed up the stairs, finding Jasper and Alice huddled over multiple books, flipping through them.

"Jazz?" I gently called, causing him to glance up at me, doing a double take as he saw the look on my face.

"Are you okay?" He asked, by my side in a second. The second his arms were around me, every strong face I had been putting on throughout the past week crumbling down. I didn't hear Alice leave, but I knew the room was empty when he pulled me to one of the chairs, running his hands through my hair as a wave of silent sobs left my body.