"I had all and then most of you,
some and now none of you.
Take me back to the night we met."
-Lord Huron
(The Night We Met)
^^One of my all time favorite songs!!^^
Nixie sat on the edge of the tub, eyes cast towards the floor. Things were amazing, Bella drank the blood and in return gained some strength back and allowing Nixie to do the same. But as the protectress stared at her legs, she realized she might've celebrated too soon.
Spiderweb like veins crawled their way up her legs, reaching past her hip bones and she watched them literally pulse and grow right before her eyes. Her legs ached, the pain making it difficult to even stand. Every time she stood the aching intensified and she had to bite her lip to hold in her cries.
"God" she whispered tracing the markings, "just my fucking luck." Nixie could hardly look at them, afraid that her journals might've been wrong and she was going to die. "I'm not ready, I'm so not ready" she growled, "I haven't even finished Dr.Sexy yet!" Her rambles were cut off by an urgent knock on the door.
"Nix?" She heard Rosalie call and the protectress quickly slid into the leggings that were on the sink.
"Yeah Rose" Nixie's voice cracked before she cleared her throat and opened the door just enough to poke her head out. "What's up?"
The blonde vampire eyed her friend with clear concern forgetting what she came to tell her, "you okay?"
Nixie wanted to slam the door in her face at the question, that God damn question. Was she okay? I don't know, how well can someone be when the life is literally getting sucked out of them every minute of the day? "Peachy, what do you need?"
Rose didn't believe her for a second but chose to drop the subject and actually say what she came to. "Carlisle needs everyone in the kitchen" her amber eyes stared into Nixie's green and she felt herself wince at the look of exaggeration the protectress gave her.
Nixie let out a slight cough causing her legs to wobble and she felt herself panic, "yeah, one sec I gotta wipe my ass" and without waiting for a reply the door was slammed in the vampires face.
Nixie lifted up her shirt and gasped as the veins crawled their way up her stomach, stopping just below her chest. Her breaths came out faster and for the first time she actually feared the thought of death. Letting out another cough her hand reached up to cover her mouth and she felt something splash against her palm causing her to tear it away.
"I'm literally a walking corpse" she breathed to herself as she stared at the black tar like substance coating her hand. "Ew" she cringed wiping the goo onto a piece of toilet paper and flushing it, "what the hell is this?!"
"Nixie" Rosalie called as she pounded on the door.
"Alright alright" the protector called, taking a deep breath before yanking the door open causing the vampire who was leaning against it to stumble. "Ah watch your step Rose, bit of a dip into the bathroom" she stated as she walked past her friend and towards the kitchen, ignoring the glare on the back of her head.
***
"Jake" Nixie called as she followed behind the wolf before he could leave the house. "Jacob!"
Jake froze as he went to open the door, letting out a defeated sigh before turning and facing the raven haired girl. "What Nixie?"
"Let me come with you" she offered, "I can help."
"No offense Nix" Jake started as he stared at the girl in front of him. "But you look like your one breath away from dropping dead, I can't risk that, I can't risk you." He felt guilty for how he worded it, but he wasn't wrong. The Nixie he ran into earlier wasn't the one he was looking at now, this girl was battered and she literally looked like the walking epitome of the Grim Reaper. He saw the look she gave him and bowed his head, "please Nixie, you have to stay here and look after Bella. With the other Cullens gone the house will be too open for attack, with you here they can know if somethings gonna happen before it does, you'll feel it."
Nixie wanted to argue, to smack the boy upside his head, but she knew he was right. If anything happened in the woods she most likely wouldn't be coming back, and she couldn't leave Bella and the others here alone. Without second guessing herself, the protector rushed towards the wolf and threw her arms around him. The hug was weak, on her end at least and she knew Jacob was trying not to crush her fragile bones. "Be careful" she demanded, stepping back after she placed something in his back pocket, "and uh, could you?"
"Yeah" he answered before she could finish, "don't worry Nix, this will work, I know it." Giving the girl one last smile the wolf finally exited the house and Nixie watched him jog towards the woods before disappearing in the trees.
Nixie let out a groan as the aching in her chest grew, she knew the veins were spreading and she now understood what it meant. "It's almost time."
***
Jake's figure stood tall in the woods, eyes trailing from tree to tree where he know his former pack were hidden.
"Jake" Seth called as him and Leah raced up the hill, "they're coming!"
Without blinking the older wolf looked back to his wolves, "I know."
"We should phase Jacob" Leah suggested as she reached them. "We can't protect ourselves like this."
Jake shook his head, his plan racing through his thoughts causing his hands to sweat. "They'll see it as a threat." He heard the familiar sound of a leaf crunching and knew they were close.
"I wanna talk!" He called, "be easier if I could hear you, too." Bushes rustled and soon footsteps could be heard moving towards them. Jake almost smirked when Paul and Jared came out from hiding.
Paul's eyes stared into Jacob's, spitting off to the side before addressing his former pack-mate. "This isn't your territory anymore." Paul's heart lurched at his own next words, "how's your new family working out?" He didn't care about the vampires, or the pregnant human, he only cared about the protectress that he hadn't seen or heard from in weeks.
"You done" Jake droned, eyes staring back at Paul knowing he didn't really mean his words. He watched as Quil and Embry stepped out into the open, his eyes saddening at the thought of his best friends.
"You comin home, Jake?" Quil asked once he entered Jacob's sight.
Finally, Jake thought, "not until I finish this" he stated causing everyone around him to look at him confused.
"What do you mean" Paul cautioned, wondering exactly where the Alpha was heading with his statement.
"I want Sam to take back Leah and Seth" Jake announced, instantly causing the 2 wolves to panic.
"What" Leah exclaimed, eyes widening at her Alphas words causing Seth to chime in also, "no way!"
Jake's head snapped towards them, eyes narrowed "quiet!" They stilled at his tone. He turned back towards the others, "I want them safe. And I want this over."
~~
Deep in the woods, Emmett's giant figure raced between trees, twigs snapping and leaves rustling behind him causing the nearby wolves' heads to snap towards the noise. They growled as the sweet smell flooded their senses and launched up, bodies hurdling towards the noise as vicious snarls left their mouths.
Carlisle led his son while his wife trailed behind, their bodies moving at a slower speed than usual but still incredibly fast. The sounds of the wolves behind them pushed them to move faster.
~~
"I need Sam to wait until Bella's been separated from the problem" Jake ordered, heart thumping as he knew his time was shortening.
"You mean til she's dead" Paul snarled, knowing that if the child killed Bella, Sam would have a hit on the baby and Nixie.
Embry's head snapped up, "ease up, Paul" he insisted, eyes darting towards his former best friend before looking away.
Paul wouldn't ease up, if killing that baby before it was born was the only way to guarantee Nixie's safety, then he was fine with that. "Then what?"
Hook, Jake thought, hiding his smile while he spoke. "Tell Sam that when the moment comes, I'll be the one to destroy it."
Seth could believe his ears, eyes watering as he pleaded with his Alpha, "Jake!"
"I'm the only one who can" Jake insisted.
Paul stared at the 3, thoughts racing with possible outcomes of the situation.
Line, Jake's thoughts snarled. "They trust me."
"And Nixie?" Paul asked, unable to keep his questions about his best friend in anymore. "Where's Nixie play in all this?"
And sinker. Jake forced tears to form in his eyes while he stared at Paul, "Nixie will be dead by nightfall."
A snarl left Paul's lips and he lunged forward, his huge form being stopped as Jared's hand latched around his arm. "Paul, hey! Calm down!"
Paul shook his arm out of his friends grasp, going to take another step towards Jake but stopping as the wolf spoke.
"Nixie's dying" Jake announced causing all the wolves to stop breathing.
"What do you mean dying" Jared asked, hand falling off of Paul and to his side.
Jake looked away towards Seth and Leah, his eyes resting on the she wolf. "When the baby kills Bella, Nixie will die too. It's part of her being Bella's protector."
"All the more reason to tear that thing out" Paul yelled, shoulders shaking but there was no anger in his body, only heartbreak. "You can't let that thing be born Jacob! You can't let Bella have it!"
"It's too late" Jake countered, eyes falling to the dirt below him. "Bella's too far into the pregnancy, Nixie's body has already shut down, she won't live through the night."
Paul's body sagged at the news, tears welling in his eyes at the thought of never seeing his protectress again. He felt Jared lay a hand on his shoulder and usually he would tear himself away, but this time he let himself be comforted.
"Look" Jake sighed, "I don't want Bella or Nixie to die, but it's too late. The only thing we can do now, is kill the thing that killed them once it comes out, c'mon Paul, you know I'm right."
~~
The wolves huffed as they tried to catch up to the vampires, large bodies weaving between the trees behind the trio.
Esme panted as she trailed behind Emmett, her son glancing back every few seconds to make sure she was still behind him.
The brown wolf snarled as they came up behind the vampires, smacking his head against the females legs causing her to trip and tumble down the hill beside them. They followed close behind, bodies smacking the ground harshly but barely phasing them as they stood up and faced their enemy.
Esme's eyes followed the wolves, circling each other as she tried to find an escape. She jumped back as one of them snapped at her, a gasp leaving her.
Emmett heard his mothers cry and raced down the hill, large body making contact with the closest wolf and forcing it to collide with his packmate. He heard them cry and watched as their bodies flew into the nearby trees, Carlisle helping his wife up before taking off again.
The wolves shook off their pain and followed behind, stopping once the vampires were able to reach the river and launch themselves across.
The trio looked back in awe, amazed that they actually made it but hurriedly taking off again once the wolves started howling for their pack.
~~
The pack's heads snapped up as the familiar cries echoed through the woods.
Paul's eyes narrowed into slits as he stared at Jacob, "you played us?" he snarled.
Jake smiled sadly at the wolf, "not all of it" he spoke, reaching into his pocket and chucking the little gift Nixie placed in there.
Paul's hand shot up and caught the plastic flying towards him, eyes lowering to his hand as his palm opened. Familiar green eyes stared back at him, and he was momentarily blinded as a picture of him and Nixie overtook his vision. He smiled at the keychain, the picture from the day of the wedding sitting inside. Nixie's smile outshined him by a lot as she stood their in her pink dress, hair flowing perfectly around her face while her runes stood out against her pale skin. He rubbed his thumb across the top of it before flipping it over, smile widening at the words on the back. "You're my sob story."
Paul wanted to laugh at the words, mind flashing back to the first day he met Nixie where he attempted to snoop into her business. In his defense, Sam said she was a friend and anyone who knew Sam Uley, knew that he didn't have friends. But, Nixie was different and everyone knew that. Clenching the keychain in his hand he shoved it into his pocket before facing Jake again. His eyes asking the words his mouth couldn't and when Jake nodded, the hothead turned around and raced away, the other 3 following behind him. Embry threw his friend a sly smile before chasing after them.
***
"Can't we come up with something just a little more classic" Rose begged, hands resting on Bella's protruding belly.
That was the first thing Jake heard as he entered the room, eyes trailing to Nixie in the corner and giving her a smile.
The protectress felt her shoulders loosen and she leaned back, resting against Jasper's form behind her.
"Everything alright" his voice soothed, hands gently rubbing Nixie's skinny shoulders.
Her head tilted back to look at him and she smiled, "everything's perfect" she pecked his lips before look back at the wolf who just entered. She didn't even attempt to move as Rose and Alice helped Bella stand, knowing she'd just be added weight instead of actually helping.
"Hey" Bella smiled, hand instinctively reaching to sooth her unborn baby. "Are you okay?"
"Yeah, it's not like I'm the one carrying a demon" he responded without thinking, throwing a small smirk to let everyone know he was joking.
"This is pretty important, Bella" Rose reminded, "why don't you tell Jacob what you've decided."
Jake's head swiveled to look at Nixie before looking back at the girl he loved, "what now?"
A breathy laugh left Edward, "Rose is trying to talk Bella out of her baby names."
A snort echoed the room causing everyone to look towards the guilty looking protector. "What" Nixie pouted, "I just think Baby Nixie is much better!"
Bella laughed at her friend, "Rose and Nixie hate them."
"Well, then I'm on your side no matter what you picked" Jake told Bella.
*cough* "Kiss-ass" *cough*, Jake's eyes narrowed at Nixie who's eyes traveled the room as if she hadn't said anything.
Jasper chuckled at his mate's childish antics, leaning down to place a kiss on her head before choosing to just crouch next to her seat.
Bella smiled before looking at Rose, "they're not that bad" she insisted. "If it's a boy, EJ. Edward Jacob."
Jake's lip lifted as he stared at her before Rosalie spoke. "Okay, fine, that one's not awful" she admitted. "Why don't you tell him the girl's name?"
Nixie let out a little giggle causing Jasper's hand to cover her mouth at an attempt to conceal it. However he quickly retracted it when the palm of his hand suddenly become wet. "Did you just lick me?"
"You don't taste as sweet as I thought you would" Nixie admitted as she rubbed her tongue with her shirt. "You're quite bitter Jas."
Jasper didn't even know how to response so instead he just laughed at his fiancé before turning back towards the conversation at hand.
"I was playing around with our moms' names" Bella spoke. "Renée and Esme. And I was thinking... Renesmee."
Jake ignored the cackling protectress beside him and did his best to give Bella what he thought was a convincing grin. "R-Renesmee" he repeated causing Nixie to let out another snort as she continued to laugh off to the side.
Edward chuckled at Jacob's tone and the fact that Nixie's face was beginning to turn red from how hard she was trying to contain herself.
Bella once again ignored Nixie and just kept her eyes on Jacob, "too weird?"
"Uhmm" Jake's eyebrows raised but before he could speak, Edward cut him off.
"No, that's not too weird" he promised his wife, "it's beautiful."
Jake fidgeted as Edward spoke, eyes staring around the room as he ignored Bella's piercing gaze.
Edward continued causing Bella's grin to widen, "and it's unique, which certainly fits the situation. I like Renesmee."
"Well it certainly beats Nixie's baby names" Rose joked cutting off Nixie's laughter.
"Hey" Nixie argued, "I just thought Baby Nixie was much more practical! After all, I basically made that thing!"
Bella laughed at her friend's argument before shooting back, "I am not naming my child Baby Nixie!"
"Fine, Nixie Jr." the protectress tried again, arms folding in a pout as everyone just laughed. She turned towards Jasper and jutted her lip, "no respect around here."
"I know baby" Jasper laughed, pulling her head to rest on his shoulder and placing a kiss on her nose. "I respect you."
Nixie watched as Rosalie went to hand Bella her cup, mouth opening to respond to her mate but all that came out was a pain filled cry as her chest began to burn. Ignoring her own pain, Nixie's eyes snapped to Bella who she watched as her cup fell from her grasp only to be followed by her body.
The only sound heard around the room was Bella's spine snapping as her body bent at an awkward angle. Nixie felt a surge of pain travel through her but she stood from her chair, heart racing as she rushed to her protected. Before she could reach her Bella fell even more, her knee meeting the unforgiving floor and Nixie flinched when the sound of crunching bones met her ears. Her arms flew out, catching Bella's falling body as Edward raced to her other side.
"I got ya Bells" Nixie soothed, Bella's eyes frantically meeting hers as tears began to build. "I got you!"
***
"Rosalie, pass the morphine" Edward demanded as Bella's pain-filled grunts filled the room.
Nixie wiped Bella's hair out of her face, towel trailing across Bella's forehead and collecting her sweat. "Breathe, Bella" she instructed, lying the cool rag on her forehead, "just breathe, everything's gonna be alright."
Rose's shaking hands grabbed the syringe as Alice's voice spoke above the gasps, "Carlisle said the placenta must've detached."
Nixie soothed Bella's cries as Edward stabbed the needle into her leg, "shhhh, it's okay."
"He's coming as fast as he can, but..." Rosalie cut her sister off, "we'll have to do it." Rose gripped the surgical knife from the bedside table and lowered it to Bella's stomach.
"Rose" Edward growled, stopping his sister from cutting into his wife. "Let the morphine spread."
"There's no time" she argued, "he's dying!"
"Get him out now!" Bella cried, hand reaching up to grip Nixie's for comfort.
Nixie's eyes flashed to Jasper who was standing behind her, "Jas..."
"It's okay" he assured, "I'm not gonna leave you, I can do this."
Without any doubt in her mind Nixie nodded, reaching her other hand out for his comfort. "I love you."
"You can tell me that when this is over" he ordered.
"Jas.." he cut her off before she could say anymore, "no! Phoenix, you tell me when this is over."
Her eyes teared up but she nodded anyway, squeezing his hand before facing back towards a Bella. "We'll get her out Bella, don't worry okay?"
Nobody caught her slip up.
Jake tried to distract her, "look at me Bella" he called as Rosalie dug the knife into Bella's abdomen.
Bella ignored him, head tilting back as more screams escaped her. Her other hand went to slam down but Nixie's hand clasped it, both of her hands now being held by the protectress.
"I'm here" Nixie called causing Bella's eyes to look up towards her, "I'm here and I'm with you okay? You look at me!" Bella's eyes drooped and Nixie winced as the burning sensation in her chest spread to below her chin. "Bella, look at me!"
Bella's glazed eyes looked back towards Nixie and another cry left her lips, this time for both of them as she watched the dark roots spread across Nixie's neck and up to her jaw.
It got silent as Rosalie lifted the knife, Nixie's eyes widening at the look the vampire had on her face. "Rosalie no!"
Jake yelled at the same time and he didn't hesitate in throwing himself over Bella and tackling the blonde vampire away before she could lunge.
"Alice get her out of here" Edward yelled as he moved up closer to his mate.
Bella's cries tore through the atmosphere at an alarming rate causing Nixie to snap out of her daze.
"Save her" Jake yelled, "you've got to change her!"
"No!" Nixie denied, "not while the baby is still in there!"
"She's dying" Jake cried, his yell almost as loud as Bella's screams.
"The baby will die!" Jasper stepped closer as Nixie began to get worked up, his hands coming forward and settling on hers. He watched her shoulders soothe and he felt his own nerves calm. The blood did nothing to him, the smell overpowered by his mate's presence and her worried aura that everyone could feel.
"Stay focused Bella" Jake pleaded, "keep your heart beating."
"Nixie" Bella cried, hands swinging forcing Nixie to push them back down with the little strength she had left.
"I'm here Bella" Nixie reminded, "stay still! The baby is almost out!"
"No! He's suffocating" Bella screeched, body wrestling against Nixie's tight hold. She let out another agonized scream as Edward bit into her stomach to help the baby out.
"More" Nixie demanded as Edward lifted his head up, "you have to open it more!"
Edward's teeth tore into his wife's stomach, her screams egging him to go faster to relieve her of her pain.
"Okay" Edward whispered as he reached his hand in. "It's okay."
The room calmed as Bella felt the relief of the baby exiting her stomach.
Nixie sighed, watching her little arms flail letting them all know she made it out safely.
Edward laugher, eyes wide as he stared down at his daughter. "Hey" he soothed as the baby let out her first cry, "it's Renesmee" he smiled as Bella stared at the baby.
Nixie let out a relieved cry, body falling back into Jasper's as his arms coiled around her. "Fucking Renesmee" she laughed causing Jasper to chuckle.
Bella smiled, "you're beautiful" she told her daughter. Nixie grinned as Edward placed the baby in Bella's arms, their mesmerized eyes never once leaving their baby's face.
Nixie's head rested onto Jasper's shoulder, smile widening at the awestruck looks on Bella and Edward's faces. It wasn't until a small crunch was heard and Bella grunted did Nixie straighten up. Her heart began thumping, the familiar whooshing of the blood in her veins making it almost impossible to hear anything. She watched in slow motion as Bella's eyes trailed to her before they dulled, the life slowly leaving them causing Nixie's chest to flare.
Jasper's eyes were too focused on Nixie that he didn't realize what was going on. His thoughts racing as he realized it was finally over. His mate was alive and his hand reached up to grip her shoulder, "I love you" he whispered, remembering what he told her before. It wasn't until he felt the stiffness in her stance did he realize something was wrong, "Nixie?"
Jake looked up as the girls name was called and he frowned at her frozen state, eyes following her line of sight before they stopped on a non breathing Bella. "Bella?"
Nixie let out a strangled cry, hands flying to Bella's face as she cradled her, "Bella!" Her mouth dropped before a loud cry left her lips causing the baby to cry. "N-no,no no no no NO!" She hastily placed her hands onto Bella's chest and began compressions. After multiple compressions the protectress tilted Bella's head back, pinching her nose and attempting to breathe air into her lungs. "Wake the fuck up Bella" she begged, tears trailing down her cheeks. She felt throat begin to close and stumbled back, in which Jacob ended up taking her place.
"Nix" Jasper called as he ran around the table, "Nixie hey!" He gripped her in his hold, hands cupping her cheeks and he tried to get her to look at him. "Hey, tell me what's wrong!" He saw the panicked look in her eyes and felt his own panic begin to rise.
"Jacob take the baby" Edward instructed causing the wolf to step back as if he had been burned.
"Keep that thing away from me" he snarled, turning back to Bella's unmoving body.
The room was so hectic, everyone in their own bubble while Edward tried to resurrect his dead wife, Jacob crying as he watched, Rosalie ran out of the room with a crying Renesmee and Jasper attempted to figure out what was happening to Nixie.
"Nix look at me" Jasper instructed forcing her eyes to look into his. He thought he was getting somewhere until Nixie pushed him away and proceeded to vomit black tar onto herself and the floor.
Nixie's throat burned as the liquid forced its way out, black blood leaking out of her nose and mouth. Her head pounded with such force that she didn't even hear the banshee like scream she released while her hands tangled into her hair.
Jasper's hands shook as he tried to calm his protectress, unable to understand what exactly was happening to her. His eyes widened once he finally got a look at the black veins crawling up her neck, he gaped as they slowly trailed up her cheeks and covered her from head to toe.
Nixie's body stood from her crouched position, her tired eyes locking onto Jasper's before she felt a smile form. "I love you."
Jasper watched as his mate's eyes rolled into the back of her head and her body fall backwards. His arms flew out catching her before she hit the ground and he felt a cry leave his lips, "Nix! Nixie, baby please" he begged, tears building in his eyes causing his vision to blur even though they'd never fall. He put his head on her chest, ears searching for the familiar pounding of her heart but all that he was met with was silence. "Nixie, dammit! You don't get to leave me" just as Jacob had done with Bella, Jasper began CPR on his dead fiancée's body. His arms pushing her chest before he breathed into her mouth, ignoring the blood staining her lips.
He let out a scream when she didn't wake up, head snapping up to meet Alice's look as she placed her hand on his shoulder. "Jas.."
"No" he snarled, continuing his compressions even though in his mind he knew they would do nothing. "She's not dead! She can't be!"
Alice sniffled at her brothers cries and she crouched beside him, eyes attempting not to look at the dead body beside her. "Jasper."
His head shook, eyes filling with more tears as Alice's dainty hands rested on his, halting his compressions. His charcoal eyes met her similar ones and he felt himself break even more, "she can't be.. she can't.. I don't.."
Alice's lip quivered before she pulled her brother into a tight hug shushing his cries, "shh, Jas, it's okay.."
"No it's not" he cried, "'no it's not Alice."
Nixie's body lied across Jasper's lap, her still beating heart matching the one of her protected's across the room. The black blood had dried on her lips giving her an almost haunting look, along with the veins that covered her face and exposed arms. Her skin had grayed and hair dulled, the shine in it nonexistent and the once perfect curls were flat and coated with blood.
Phoenix Dovers and Isabella Swan were dead.
**OKAY I feel like I did a semi-decent job on this chapter and I'm going to publish it before I second guess myself😂 Thank you guys for the votes and comments and let me know what you think!!❤️**