Family Portrait (A Jasper's Sister Story)

34: Rosalie's Second Chance

**EDITED: 5/17/17**

The pond was drying up.

The grass around it was dry and yellow. Any bush near it was bare of leaves and looked like it would break if you so much as breathed on it. The air seemed a little colder around the bond, sending a shiver through down my spine.

Seth put an arm around me, but I shrugged it off and took a hesitant step toward the pond. The sparkling blue water was scarce; there was maybe an inch left at the very bottom of the ditch.

"Rose, can you get me something to put the water in." I said quietly. The only indication of Rosalie responding to my request was the breeze left from her running at vampire speed.

I knelt down at the edge, feeling dread creep into my heart.

I did this.

I abused the pond's power, and now it was drying up. An unknown force decided to take it away before it could be further abused. And if we hadn't gotten here in time....

I could only imagine Rosalie's despair.

I felt a cold hand on my shoulder and looked up. Rosalie's eyes were glassy, full of hesitation and disbelief.

"If we don't take it now, there won't be any left." I whispered, understanding her hesitation. It felt like we were about to rob the pond of the last of its magic. "And you'll be stuck as a full vampire forever." Rosalie nodded and handed me a jar. The glass was cold against my hand.

I took a deep breath and let myself skid down the side to get to the bottom. My bare feet fell into the water with a soft splash. The cold water sent a shiver down my spine.

The water only reached to my ankles. I sighed a squatted down, putting the jar into the water and moved it around to try and get as much water inside as I could.

After I put on the lid, I passed the jar to Rosalie and Seth helped me out of the ditch. He put his arm around me and we started to head back towards the house. I glanced back at the pond, staring at it sadly until Seth pulled me away.

I retreated back to my room once we got back. Rosalie immediately went to Carlisle.

"Belle, you okay?" I let myself sink into Seth's arms as he held me. I nodded weakly.

"It's just that... I feel like it's my fault that pond is dying. I took from it... I basically abused it and now it's being taken away."

"It's not your fault," Seth brushed a strand of hair away from my face. "Mother nature has a mind of it's own. Besides, you're too good to abuse anything."

I smiled lightly, leaning away from Seth to look at him properly. "You're too good for me."

"Belle..."

"No, you don't get it." I frowned, thinking back to when Jasper told me to just tell Seth about everything in my past. "I've killed people... Innocent people. I killed without flinching and for the longest time I felt no remorse for it. I lost my humanity and I'm... I'm so afraid to lose it again." I put my hands over my eyes, feeling them sting with tears. "I can't lost it again... I'm so afraid... I'm afraid that you'll see me as the most I truly am and if you leave I won't feel anything again."

"Belle," Seth softly interrupted. I felt his hands on my wrists and he gently pulled them away from my face, revealing my puffy and watery eyes. I kept my gaze on his chest; terrified of looking into his eyes and seeing the disappointment and disgust in them.

Seth let go of my wrists and I let my hands fall limply in my lap. His hands reached up, one to cup my cheek and the other to lift my chin to force me to look at him.

I felt myself freeze when my eyes connected with his. I was shocked when I saw understanding and love and sympathy swimming in his eyes.

"I don't care what you did when you were with the Volturi. I care what you do now. You regret what you did, and you feel remorse for those people." His tone was hushed and his thumb wiped away the tears running from my eyes. "You are so full of love and compassion that it doesn't matter what you did. There's no way you can go ever go back to being unfeeling- not in my eyes."

I felt my heart flutter at his words, my eyes filling with tears again. How could I be so lucky as to have someone so good and pure as Seth love me so much, especially after all I have done. It was almost unbelievable. But here he was, looking at me like I was the very reason for his existence. I was glad to have turned into a vampire- because it made me able to live long enough to have Seth in my life. And I wasn't going to let anything or anyone get in the way of us.

I was speechless- so I did the only thing I could. I wrapped my arms around his neck and connected our lips, pulling him as close to me as possible. My mind became fuzzy, yet hyper aware of every touch made between us. His fingers ghosted patterns on my back, sending shivers down my spine. My fingers tangled in his soft hair, pulling and tugging gently earning soft groans from him. Seth's lips detached from my own, and began leaving a trail of kisses down my jaw, to my neck and collarbone, and back up.

Just as his lips were back on mine, a soft knock came from the door. I huffed and glared at the door.

"We're closed!" I shouted, even though everyone in this house has supernatural hearing. Oh no... everyone in this house has supernatural hearing...

I felt my face flush and quickly jumped up and ran to the door. After a moment to gather myself I opened the door. I blinked a bit, wondering if my eyes were playing tricks on me.

Rosalie was standing outside, wearing the biggest grin on her face. Her cheeks were tinted red and her eyes were so blue they almost looked violet.

It worked... Rosalie was half human.

"Rose," I laughed and pulled Rosalie into a hug. She laughed too and hugged me tight. She wasn't stone cold anymore, instead blood now flowed through her veins making her body warm.

"I can have a family now," She whispered into my ear. I could hear the grin through her words as she almost vibrated in excitement. "I'm going to be a mother!" Her grip on me tightened before she released. Her smile diminished slightly- looking more humble than over excited. "I didn't mean to interrupt... I just couldn't wait to thank you. So, thank you Belle."

I pulled Rosalie into another hug and smiled. "You're so welcome. Are you and Emmett... trying?" I blushed slightly at the phrasing, not really knowing how to put it.

Rosalie laughed. "Yeah. He's just as excited to be a father." She sighed dreamily. "We're going to be a family!" She peered over my shoulder, "I'll leave you two at it then."

I watched Rosalie walk down the hallway with a light spring to her step. She deserved this. She deserved to have her own family with Emmett. And I knew she was going to make a wonderful mother...

But the idea of her bringing a baby into the world made me remember that it wasn't safe. Not with that witch luring around.

My anticipation for Jane and the other to arrive grew as I thought about the coven growing.

I knew I had to put an end to this. And it had to be tomorrow.