EIGHT; DEVASTATION
Haven led Jacob to the door of the Cullen household and smiled when Carlisle opened the door for them. He had clearly been informed that Haven was going to get him – most likely from Edward.
Ever since Haven had stopped her car, Jacob had gone completely silent. He had no clue what was going on but he cared about Bella and the last thing he wanted to walk into was her getting hurt.
"Can you seriously not tell me what is going on?" Jacob asked Haven desperately as he tried to claw at any clue of what he was walking into. He didn't like being out of the loop, he was prepared to see Bella as a vampire but Haven had already told him that this wasn't the case.
From inside the living room, Bella's now scratchy voice sounded upon hearing Jacob. "Jake, is that you?"
"She's here?" Jacob hadn't been expecting to hear Bella's voice let alone see her here. When Haven had said that she wasn't a vampire, Jacob still figured that she was away with Edward.
Haven nodded at the boy as she lead him up the stairs. This way she could control the pace they went up, the brunette knew that if Jacob had his way he would be bolting up them at full speed.
"They got back two weeks ago," Carlisle explained to the wolf as he followed behind the two teenagers.
Haven rounded the corner once up the stairs and wasn't surprised at what she saw. Rosalie stood guard of Bella, right in front of the girl so that only a small part of her face could be seen from where Haven stood. Rosalie's lips looked like they were turning into a snarl and her hands were crossed firmly over her chest.
Edward stood in the corner, hands in his jean pockets. Haven looked over to him and sent him a small smile, the only chance at convincing Bella to change her mind was now trailing closely behind her.
Haven moved to the side slightly, allowing Jacob to pass her and get closer to his best friend. The huntress didn't know how he was going to react, but she was positive that it wasn't going to be good. Her feet were planted firmly on the ground and Haven was ready to move if need be, restraining Jacob was something she knew she could do.
"I'm glad you came," Bella said honestly, although she knew that in the end this was Haven's idea. It was her last plea to get the girl to change her mind.
Jacob still couldn't see Bella and as he moved a step closer it was Rosalie who inched closer to him menacingly. "Close enough."
Her clipped tone didn't surprise Haven, it was one that even the blonde vampire had used on her when the huntress had gotten angry. Rosalie was overly protective of the child and Bella at this point in time, they were too vulnerable for her not to be especially with everyone disagreeing with their viewpoint. Much like Haven had done, Jacob didn't cower under her stare or the intimidating voice she used.
Everyone in the room was tense; Alice and Jasper huddled together and waited, Emmett stood in the corner near Edward, and Esme and Carlisle waited near the door. Everyone was waiting for somewhat of a fight to break out.
"What's your problem?" Jacob asked the blonde, tilting his head to try and understand whatever was going on.
"Rose, it's okay," Bella spoke up from behind the vampire.
Rosalie didn't move however and she eyed Jacob the entire time he walked around the woman. Jacob came to sit on the edge of the coffee table in front of Bella, he quickly noticed her skin paling and the gauntness of her face.
Haven, seeing that the two were now together, moved to stand in between Edward and Emmett. She had a gut feeling that Bella's husband would be the first her imprint would lunge for once he noticed the protruding belly of his best friend. Haven couldn't have him wreaking violence in this house.
"Well," Jacob began with a small smile on his face, oblivious to a lot of what was around him. "You look terrible."
"Yeah, it's nice to see you too."
Jacob searched for Haven with his eyes and sent her a questioning glance. Although Bella didn't seem all that well, he didn't notice anything that he wouldn't have believed from his imprint. Haven simply held his gaze, waiting for what was about to happen.
The wolf turned back to Bella. "So, are you going to tell me what's wrong with you?"
Bella let out a small sigh, not positive if this was the right time to reveal. She supposed that was a part of Haven's plan, trying to provoke emotion out of her and Jacob – therefore hopefully making the doe eyed girl change her mind. "Rose, you wanna help me up?"
As the girl stood up and the blanket that was draped across her lap fell off, the pregnant belly of Bella was revealed. Jacob stood up and his eyes didn't move off it once. Haven watched as his face started to slowly morph into one of anger.
"You did this," Jacob practically growled the words out as he stepped around the couch to go for Edward. Emmett reached out and grabbed the wolf's shoulder before he could get there and Haven moved to stand in front of Edward, right in front of Jacob.
Haven quickly grasped the boy's chin, making him look her way instead of focusing on Edward. Jacob's dark eyes met her own, his face instantly melting so he wasn't grimacing like before. "I told you that you wouldn't believe me, but you have to calm down. Getting angry is understandable, believe me, but this isn't Edward's fault."
"We didn't know it was even possible," Carlisle added on to the huntress' words, although Haven didn't think Jacob was paying attention to anyone but her now. He was breathing heavily, trying to calm himself down.
Jacob moved his head out of Haven's grasp and grabbed Emmett's hand with his own, throwing it off his shoulder. He turned to face Carlisle, his face still stern in expression. "What is it?"
"I'm not sure," Carlisle answered honestly, repeating the same thing he had told the others a few weeks ago. "Ultrasounds and needles won't penetrate the amniotic sac."
"I can't see it either," Alice piped in to the conversation. "And I can't see Bella's future anymore."
Haven winced at the truth being told again. She knew all this information, but the more people continued to speak it out loud the more real it was becoming for the huntress. The odds were all against Bella and yet the girl still refused to take everyone's rational advice.
"We've been researching legends but there isn't much to go on. What we do know is that it's strong and it's growing."
As Carlisle spoke, Haven could see Edward grimacing in the corner of her eye. If she thought this was hurting her then she didn't even want to imagine what the vampire was going through.
Jacob looked around the room at them all ludicrously, not sure how they hadn't stopped this. "Why haven't you done anything? Take it out of her!"
"This is none of your business, dog."
"If it's my business, then it's also his," Haven jumped in quickly to defend the boy she loved. It didn't matter that the two weren't as they always were, Haven was convinced they would always be a team and anyone talking badly about him was something she wouldn't stand for.
Rosalie glared at the huntress before Esme was speaking up in a stern voice, something that wasn't heard of often. It made everyone turn their heads. "Rose, Haven. This fighting isn't good for Bella."
"The fetus isn't good for Bella!" Alice made her voice clear and prominent as she spoke words that the majority were thinking.
Rosalie looked at her sister, rage filling her eyes. "Say the word, Alice. Baby. It's just a little baby."
"Possibly," Jasper contradicted.
Haven shook her head at all the commotion, still unsure of how it had gotten this far. "Fine, the baby isn't good for Bella. Changing the word doesn't get rid of the danger."
"Carlisle," Jacob pleaded with the eldest vampire, something that Haven didn't think she would ever see. "You have to do something."
"No!" Bella exclaimed, making everyone turn their heads to the sickly looking girl on the sofa. She was sick of everyone fighting when it was pointless, it wasn't going to change her mind. "It's not his decision, it's not any of yours."
Edward, who hadn't said anything the entire time they were in the room and to Haven's knowledge not a lot in general since he had gotten back from the honeymoon, began to make his way out of the room as he uttered, "Jacob, Haven and I need to talk to you."
The room grew silent as Edward left and Haven watched Bella look at him longingly. If Haven thought that Edward hadn't been talking to her much, then she was certain he had talked to Bella less. She knew he blamed himself for this, which Haven didn't seem fair.
Haven followed the boy out and grabbed Jacob's wrist lightly, making him fall in step behind her.
Edward was most definitely right when he said the three needed to talk.
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Haven and Jacob came to meet Edward at the border of where the Cullen's backyard met the forest. Dry looking trees stood tall above them and the crisp air of the woods made Haven tug her army green coat tighter on her body.
"I always knew you'd destroy her."
"Watch it, Jake," Haven countered back, glaring at the boy beside her. It wasn't time for I told you so's or the blame game, there was Bella's life at stake and that wasn't something that Haven was willing to play around with.
"She thinks Carlisle can turn her at the last minute, like he did for me and Esme," Edward explained to the Quileute boy. Haven looked between them both somberly, knowing that Jacob was their final chance at setting this all straight.
"Can he?" Jacob questioned glancing between both Edward and Haven.
Haven was the one to shake her head and answer. "Most likely not. The chances don't look good."
"And if her heart fails..." Edward trailed off, not being able to utter the words that were right on the tip of his tongue. Haven was grateful he didn't, that three letter word out loud felt like someone stabbing her right in the gut.
"We need you to help us," Haven took the reigns of the conversation over as Edward looked down at his feet. "Edward and I have tried to convince her that this is a terrible idea but she won't listen. You were our last option, that's why I came and got you. We need you to try and get through to her, say something that we haven't already thought of. We need you to try and keep her alive."
Jacob held eye contact with his imprint, instantly wanting to pull her into his side at the glossiness of her chocolate eyes. He could tell this was tearing her apart and that was something that made him in turn feel the same. "What if I can't?"
Haven was about to say that it wasn't an option, because that wasn't something she had let herself consider.
Edward spoke before the huntress could. "If she dies then you get what you always wanted, to kill me."
"No," Haven instantly replied in protest, whipping around to face Edward now. His head was looking right through the huntress and as she stared right into his eyes she could see nothing but darkness. "That's not part of the plan, no way in hell."
Edward didn't reply to the girl and as Haven watched him she realized that he had made his mind up a long time ago. There wasn't going to be any changing it, even if Jacob wasn't the one to do it then he would find another way. Edward wasn't going to go on without Bella and there was most likely nothing Haven could do to stop it. Haven wanted to scream at how similar the married couple were, both stubborn as hell.
"What about me?" Haven questioned the vampire, who looked more miserable than she had ever seen him. "I can't lose the both of you, that's not fair. I'm not letting you do that."
Edward looked at Haven, his eyes dark and gloomy. Haven felt her heart break not just for his pain but the pain that was inside her, she couldn't lose both her best friend and Edward. "I won't live without her."
So Haven turned to Jacob next and her eyes pleaded to him. She hadn't realized that a tear had slid out of her eye and fallen down the slope of her cheek bone. Jacob's thumb wiped it away easily, his hand lingering on her cheek. "You have to convince her."
Jacob moved forward, no attention on Edward like the huntress would have expected his angry gaze to fall on. Instead the boy was calm and Haven figured it was to console her. Jacob's lips came and pressed to her forehead lightly before he spoke. "I'll do everything I can."
Haven watched as he turned away, heading to the house where Bella sat. She hoped to God he could, Haven didn't know if she could go on with so much loss.
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