Chapter 17 - If I Ever Leave This World Alive
I do not own Twilight or any of its characters, Stephanie Meyer does. I do not own The Outsiders, Susan Eloise Hilton does. Ruby and Peg come from my weird imagination.
This chapter was supposed to be sad and a tearjerker but then the holidays came and it sort of made me end in a different direction. This chapter is a roller coaster of emotions (IMO).
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“Sometimes, when God closes a door, somewhere He opens a window.”
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“Is she ok?” Ruby heard someone cry out. She was too tired to answer them, too tired to move, even too tired to open her eyes. She felt someone touch her; ice-cold fingers pressed to the side of her throat, the same finger sliding against her ribs and cold pressure against her back.
“She is fine. She is starting to heal already. It will take some time,” someone else responded. “She is just tired. I doubt she slept much last night and with everything that just occurred….” Then everything faded to black.
She awoke again as she felt her body being moved. Her head throbbed, there was too much light pouring in through her eyelids and there was a burning in her torso; her ribs were healing.
“Emmett’s moving her car around now,” a soft musical voice said. Whoever was holding her shifted her in their arms. The sun was too bright for her and she turned her head, snuggling into a neck that smelled of damp earth, motor oil and sweat. She went to sleep to the comforting combination.
Her body was jostled and she woke up yet again. She could feel cool leather on her back and movement. Her eyelids felt like they weighed a ton but she managed to open them a crack. She saw Jacob driving her car. She could tell he was worried by the way his hands gripped the steering wheel until his knuckles were white and how his left leg couldn’t stop bouncing up and down.
“I’m ok,” she managed to croak. She could feel her body still healing some of her minor injuries but her ribs and arm felt infinitely better. Jacob turned to look at her, his face visibly relaxing as he gave her one of his million dollar smiles. She could feel the car start to slow and her eyes start to close. “I’m just… tired,” she mumbled before she passed out.
Ruby woke up in a strange bed in a room that looked vaguely familiar. Looking around she saw Jacob sitting by the bed, gazing out the window, a manila envelope resting on his lap.
“How long was I out?” she croaked out then cleared her throat.
“Not long. I just got you here.”
“Where is here?” She pushed herself to a sitting position.
“Sam and Emily’s.” There was silence for a long moment. His voice was somber when he spoke again. “She had someone drop this off for you.”
For a moment, she wondered whom he meant and why he was so sad. Then it all came back to her in a flash.
Her grandmother was gone.
Ruby began to sob, an ache in her chest that she wanted gone. Jacob crawled into bed with her, cradling her as she choked on her tears. He rubbed her back in long slow strokes as she soaked his shirt through with her tears.
After a while, Ruby was able to control her tears. Her face streaked with dirt, blood and tears, her eyes puffy and red and her nose ran, causing her to sniffle but no more tears came. She held out her hand for the envelope, not trusting herself to speak for fear she might start crying all over again. Jacob handed it over and moved over some so he was not crowding her but still nearby in case she needed him.
There were several papers inside the envelope with her grandmother’s elegant handwriting on the outside; only two words: Moon Star. The first thing she saw was a legal document; her grandmother’s will. Everything that ever belonged to her grandmother – the house, all her money, property she had acquired over her long life – was all Ruby’s now.
The next paper was funeral plans. Ruby’s lips actually twitched in sad smile as she read them. Margaret did not care what they did, except for a few exceptions. She wanted to be buried next to her husband, her Thomas. She did not want finger foods or Hors D’oerves served. Funerals, Margaret wrote, are a time for families to come together. You will sit down and eat a meal as one, she instructed.
Margaret also absolutely, adamantly did not want anyone wearing black. I’ve lived, she wrote, an extraordinarily long life filled with love, lust – don’t blush child – adventure, excitement, friends and family. What is there to mourn? It is like this song I once heard and instantly fell in love with: If I ever leave this world alive. I truly feel that I left alive; living. I didn’t just exist in this world, I lived it up. No one is to show up wearing that dreadful color.
The last was a handwritten letter addressed to Ruby.
My darling grandchild, Moon Star,
I am sorry I left you without warning but I know you will be all right now.
You were a pleasure to live with, a blessing to have in my life. I always felt there was a special connection between us. Your mother may have carried you in her belly for nine months but it was I who delivered you into this word, it was my arms that held you first, my face your eyes focused on first. You were not only my granddaughter; you were my friend, a kindred spirit. You understood all my quirks better than anyone else, understood that beneath the sassy mouth and the carefree smile was half a person.
Do not think I did all of this just so you could have my powers in the battle, though I hope it helped some. You know how much I loved your grandfather. You know how much I miss him, how my heart needs him in order to make me whole. My heart was shattered when my Thomas left me, left us all, and it never really healed.
Do not cry. Do not be sad for me. I wanted this. After so many years of living and loving and being loved by the most wonderful man, my body and soul could not function without him. It was as if I became truly alive when I met him and died when he was gone.
I am positive that as you are reading this, I am wherever good witches go when they die, sitting on a bench by a lovely lake with my Thomas… and we are happy. I am sure of it. We are watching your parents as they rest on a daisy-covered ground putting flowers in their hair, as they always did. And we all know that you will be fine. You found your Thomas. You found Jacob.
The two of you will be happy together, you will love each other and you will be happy. I know you will be Moon Star. The connection between the two of you is strong and unbreakable. Life will bring the two of you many treasures and when they do remember us. Your sweet, if sometimes weird, father; your mother who never looked more beautiful than when she was looking at you; your grandfather, who when you once said you wanted a pony was actually going to buy you one until we talked him out of it (who would clean up after it? Surely not I); and me, remember anything you want about me, just do not forget how very much I loved. You included.
Love your friends, child. They are the family the Goddess forgot to give you (even she gets busy enough to forget at times), they are your guardian angels in disguise. And you in turn are theirs. I pray my leaving does not make you lose your ability to care without reason, to love unconditionally, to show your emotions easily, to own them and be unashamed of them. I always envied that about you. It is the best quality anyone could wish to have.
My honest, loving, genuine, candid, sweet, funny, loyal granddaughter, it was an honor and joy helping to raise you into the woman you are. To borrow the words of your favorite book: ‘Stay gold, Ponyboy. Stay gold.”
Merry meet and merry part and merry meet again.
Blessed be my sweet child.
A determined tear (for Ruby thought there were no more left to shed) slid down her cheek and landed on the envelope. She brought her hand up and wiped away the track it left on her face. Seeing her hand covering in dirt, she began to rub at her cheeks, attempting to scrub her face clean.
“Here.” Jacob handed her a napkin.
“Thanks,” she said and wiped her face.
“Are you ok?”
“No,” she sighed then gave him a tiny sad smile. “But I will be.” She ran her fingers through her hand, wishing she had it up in a ponytail. “Did it work? With Embry, I mean.”
“Yeah.” Just then, the door opened. In poured Quil, Sam, Emily and Embry. Ruby looked up at them.
“Oh thank goodness,” Embry sighed, raising a hand to his heart as he ran forward to give her a bone crushing hug but Jacob stop him.
“Easy, Embry.”
“Of course. Where’s my head?” Embry slowed and gave her a ginger hug.
“I brought you a change of clothes.” Emily placed a stack on the edge of the bed. “Your clothes are… um.” Ruby could only imagine the amount of muck and blood she was covered in. Ruby thanked her.
They took turns hugging Ruby and telling her they were so sorry about her loss. She thanked them but after reading her grandmother’s letter, she did not feel as if she lost anything. She wanted to tell them that they shouldn’t be sorry for things that were meant to be, that she wasn’t experiencing the loss of her grandmother but the setting free of her heart, but she wasn’t sure if anyone would understand so she kept it to herself for the time being until she could share it with Jacob later.
Just then, Margaret’s other power showed up. She could see thin lines intertwining, connecting the people in the room. Vibrant lines that seemed to hum with electricity, connected Sam and Emily as well as Jacob and Ruby; the unbreakable bond of soul mates. Soft pale lines connected Sam to Jacob, Jacob to Embry to Quil, Ruby to Emily; the fragile yet solid bonds of friendship. Then Ruby saw the bonds of family in varying densities and colors.
A dark blue solid line came off Jacob, stretching out of the room, to Billy Ruby assumed. She was all new to this and tried to remember it all. A line the palest of greens connected Quil to Jacob, and Ruby remembered that they were cousins or second cousins, she could not remember right then. Two pink lines so thin they were barely visible stretched off Jacob; his sisters. She took in all of the lines, and there were many, in a short amount of time.
Then she saw the most shocking line of all; a light blue line coming out of Embry connecting him to his brother, to one of the three other men in the room.
“Are you ok?” Jacob asked.
“Huh?” she responded. Then she shook herself out of her daze and nodded. “Yeah.” She took a moment to make the lines go away. “Just tired and I want to take a shower. Long day. I want to go home.”
Emily excused herself so she could wrap up some food for Ruby to eat when she got home.
“Can you three give me a moment with Embry?” They agreed, after all she had just saved his life, and walked out.
“Is everyth-”
She cut him off. “Do you know what my grandmother’s other power is?” He shook his head. “She could see connections between people. Soul mates, parents and children, cousins, friends. Brothers.” She stretched the word out and waited. Embry instantly knew what she meant.
“You know?” he breathed. “You know who my brother is?”
She nodded. “Yeah. I know who your brother is.”
“Who-”
“I’ll tell you but I think the other three should be here for this. Don’t you?”
He thought it over for a moment, figuring everyone would know soon enough – especially after they changed and he thought about it – he agreed. “I’ll tell the guys to come back in.” Then he disappeared through the door.
Ruby looked down and saw her top was covered in blood, along with parts of her skirt; in fact it was so saturated with her own blood that Emily and Sam’s sheets were now stained with dark red spots. She eyed the clothes that Emily gave her and quickly unknotted her top, let it fall to the ground, and slipped the grey shirt over her head. Finding the jeans, she pulled them on under her skirt before pulling that off also. The clothes were a little tight but not overly uncomfortable.
While she waited for the boys to come in, she kept looking at the blood stained sheets. Feeling guilty, she got up and using her power, pulled the blood out of the fabric and into a few napkins she got off the nightstand. There was a knock on the door and Ruby called out to whoever it was to come in.
Embry, followed by a confused Jacob, Quil and Sam, entered the room. They all looked at each other for a moment before Ruby sighed and broke the silence.
“I figured out – well more like stumbled on – how to use my grandmother’s other power. She can identify relationships – friends, lovers, family – even relationships that one is not aware of. Like brothers for example.” Ruby waited for realization to hit the others before continuing. “I told Em that I thought it was best that you were all here for this, seeing as it concerns all of you.” Ruby bit her lip as all four men looked at each other seriously.
Quil clapped his hands together once before speaking. “Ok, so which one of us has a brother?”
“It’s-”
A screaming from outside the room interrupted Ruby.
“Sam!” Emily’s voice called out urgently. Everyone turned and looked in the direction of the scream.
“Hey,” Ruby protested weakly, “I was going to say that.” The men turned abruptly, having heard Ruby. Embry and Sam locked eyes and the other stared in shock and somewhat relief that their fathers were not adulterers.
“Sam?” Emily’s voice called out again, a hint of panic attached this time. “Ruby? Guys? Anyone?”
“We’ll talk about this later,” Sam told Embry as he ran out the room, Ruby and the rest of the men on his tail. They were not expecting the sight that met them.
Emily was standing near the kitchen counter, a plastic bag of packaged food in her hand intended for Ruby and Jacob, a puddle of clear straw colored liquid on and around her feet.
“Emily, what is that?”
“That, Sam,” Ruby answered, “is her water breaking.” She turned to look at the boys. “We’re about to have one more join this party.” She ran to Emily’s side. “Emmy, sweetie, have you been having any contractions?”
Emily nodded. “I thought it was just back pain or Braxton hicks from the stress of today. I guess not.” Then she grimaced as a contraction came.
“Ok. Ok.” Ruby took a calm breath and took charge of the situation. “Embry?”
“Yeah?”
“I need you to take the sheets off of their bed. Then get a clean set and the plastic sheet protector and make the bed” When he did not move right away she added, “Now, Em.” He ran off. “Quil. I need you to look through the cupboards for the largest bowl they have, wash it and put it on the nightstand in the bedroom.”
“A bowl? For what?”
“You’re a sweet young man, so I’m going to save your sanity by not telling you.” He nodded nervously and ran off. “Jacob, there should be a stack of dark towels in one of the closets, bring all of them.” Ruby turned to Sam. “Sammy, help me bring Emily to the bed.” Ruby took the bag out of Emily’s hand and put it on the counter. “Come on Emmy. Let’s go have a baby.” Sam and Ruby took one of Emily’s elbows and together guided her to her bedroom.
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“Arrrrgggggg” Emily grunted in pain, sweat dripping off her forehead. Ruby pulled Emily’s skirt back down and moved out from her spot between her knees.
“I need you to pant Emmy. Don’t push.” Ruby warned as she pressed her hands to Emily’s contracting stomach, squeezing and pressing. “Fuck.” Ruby muttered so only the men with their slight enhanced hearing heard. They could tell by the fact that she looked slightly nervous and that she cursed that something was wrong. “You’re doing great Emmy. Don’t be mad but I have to get the kit out of my car. I’ll be really quick and you’ll be fine.” Before she ran out the room, she gave Jacob and Sam a slight jerk of the head, indicating they should follow.
Outside the room, Ruby pulled the boys to the side.
“The baby has turned. It’s breech.”
“What does this mean? Will Emily and the baby be ok?”
“They’ll be fine, Sammy. I need help though. I can’t do this on my own and I just seriously hope you don’t object to who I need to help me.”
“Carlisle?” Jacob asked. Ruby nodded.
“I don’t care, just make sure Emily and the baby are ok,” Sam pleaded.
“What about the treaty?’ Jacob asked.
“Fuck the treaty. Call him,” Sam demanded as he turned and rushed back to his wife’s side.
Ruby rushed to the phone and dialed the Cullen household. While she waited for someone to answer, she asked Jacob to get the kit out of the car.
“Hello?” answered Alice in her musical voice.
“Allie, I need to talk to Carlisle. It’s an emergency.” A split second later, the doctor was on the phone.
“Ruby. What’s wrong?”
“Long story short, Emmy’s having the baby. It’s breech and I need help. Don’t worry about the treaty. You have Sammy permission.”
“I’ll be right there.”
“I think you should bring Eddie and Jaz. They might be useful,” she said, meaning their gifts, before hanging up, thinking this day could not possibly be packed with any more ups and downs.
“Now what?” Jacob asked as he handed her the small bag.
“Now, I have the fun job of telling a soon-to-be mother that her child is breech and three vampires are coming over to help me deliver it.” She smiled sarcastically and headed back into the room. She was emotionally tired but her adrenaline was starting to kick in, giving her the energy she needed.
“How we doing Emmy?”
“I feel like I want to push. I need to push.” Emily practically cried.
“You can’t sweetie. Emmy, the baby has turned.”
“Oh no. That’s not good. I know that’s not good,” she panted, her panic rising.
“No, it’s ok. Carlisle is coming and together we’re going to turn the baby. The baby is going to be fine.”
“If anything happens,” she glanced quickly at Sam before looking at Ruby. “I want you to worry about the baby. The baby is your first priority. You understand?”
“I understand but it’s not going to come to that. You and the baby are going to be fine. I promise.” Ruby stared at Emily until Emily nodded, believing her. “I promise.”
Everyone turned when Carlisle, Edward and Jasper walked into the bedroom. Ruby got up and walked over to them.
“Thanks for coming. Jasper I was hoping you would-”
Jasper interrupted, “Keep the mother-to-be calm?”
“Would you?” Ruby pleaded.
“Of course.”
“Edward, I was hoping you could be somewhat of a fetal monitor, use your gift?” Edward nodded. “Carlisle. I don’t know if I should use my telekinesis or should we turn the baby the old fashioned way?”
“I think we should do a little of both. I’ll apply pressure from the top and you can give the baby a magical push so to speak.” Ruby nodded then turned to Emily.
“Emmy, we have a plan. A really good one. We’re going to mix modern medicine with magic.” Emily nodded through her contraction.
“Emily,” Carlisle began, “This method will be painful.”
“I don’t care. Just get the baby out safely.”
Ruby and Carlisle stood on either end of Emily. Jacob and Sam held her hands as Embry and Quil watched nervously.
“Jasper, make her feel calm. Edward, tell us if the baby is experiencing distress.” They did as Carlisle requested.
Carlisle placed his experienced hands on top of Emily’s tightening stomach until he felt the baby and pushed to the side. Ruby placed her hands nearby and using her power, she slowly and gently started to turn the baby. Emily grunted, gritted her teeth and squeezed Jacob and Sam’s hands.
“The baby is fine, slightly uncomfortably but fine,” Edward informed them. Emily was shaking now, trying her best not to scream out in pain and scare Sam. She knew that Sam must have been terrified for her and their baby to agree to vampires coming into their home. She did not want to ruin a potential burying of the hatchet by making Sam believe that Carlisle was causing her pain; unbelievable, blinding pain. It was not as if he was doing it on purpose. After another minute, Edward spoke again. “The baby would really like it if the uncomfortable feeling would go away now.”
After a few moments, Carlisle and Ruby managed to turn the baby.
“Good news mommy,” Ruby said. “With your next contraction you can push.”
Emily fell back onto the bed, crying and muttered “Thank goodness.” Ruby and Carlisle moved to the edge of the bed. Ruby pulled up Emily’s skirt and gently moved her knees apart. Carlisle grabbed a few towels and after asking in a soothing voice if she could raise her hips, he placed them under her.
They did not need to wait long for the next contraction and Emily was finally able to push. Grabbing Jacob and Sam’s hands again, she used them to lift her back off the bed and push.
“Oh Goddess,” Ruby smiled, tears in her eyes as Carlisle counted to ten, “I can see the head. Your baby has a full head of black hair.”
“Really?” Emily grunted.
“Really. Push again sweetie.”
“Sam, talk to me. Distract me.”
“Ok,” he answered unsure of what to say. “Umm. Did you know Ruby can now see connections between people?” Emily gasped and panted. “Yeah, and it turns out, Embry is my brother.”
“What?” Then Emily screamed as she felt a burning pain.
“Don’t push. The head’s out.”
“Get the fluids out of its airway,” Carlisle reminded the nervous witch. Ruby made a motion near the baby’s nose and the fluids were removed. “Don’t push Emily. Pant. There you go. Good girl,” Carlisle said his voice calm and soothing.
Everyone sat up a little to watch the miracle. They saw a shoulder pop out, then the other and suddenly the whole baby slid out and was now in Ruby’s arms. After a quiet second, the baby started to cry. Everyone thought it was a beautiful sound.
“Oh wow,” Ruby gasped. Carlisle handed her two towels. Using one to wipe it off some, she used the other to cover the baby with it. Using two of the umbilical cord clamps, she attached them to the umbilical cord. “Here you go mommy. Here’s your little girl. Would you like to cut the cord Sammy?”
“A girl? Hear that Sam. We have a daughter.” The boys, including the Cullen men, clapped Sam on the back as soon as he cut the cord and he wholeheartedly accepted with a smile.
Ruby placed her hand on Emily’s now slightly deflated belly and massaged it. “Emily, I know you’re tired but I need you to give me a little push. We got to deliver the placenta.”
“The what?” Quil asked.
“Oh sweetie,” Ruby laughed, “You weren’t supposed to be here for this. Remember that bowl? I’ll be needing it now.” The placenta came out and Ruby held its still pulsating form in her hands.
“Oh my g-” Ruby heard and looked up. Quil was standing, arm outstretched still holding the bowl, weaving dangerously on the spot, looking extremely pale.
Carlisle managed to take the bowl from Quil, just before he passed out, slumping to the ground with a very loud thump.
“Oh he really shouldn’t have been here for this.” Ruby laughed and everyone – werewolf, vampire and human – joined her.
This chapter was supposed to be sad and a tearjerker but then the holidays came and it sort of made me end in a different direction. This chapter is a roller coaster of emotions (IMO).
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“Sometimes, when God closes a door, somewhere He opens a window.”
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“Is she ok?” Ruby heard someone cry out. She was too tired to answer them, too tired to move, even too tired to open her eyes. She felt someone touch her; ice-cold fingers pressed to the side of her throat, the same finger sliding against her ribs and cold pressure against her back.
“She is fine. She is starting to heal already. It will take some time,” someone else responded. “She is just tired. I doubt she slept much last night and with everything that just occurred….” Then everything faded to black.
She awoke again as she felt her body being moved. Her head throbbed, there was too much light pouring in through her eyelids and there was a burning in her torso; her ribs were healing.
“Emmett’s moving her car around now,” a soft musical voice said. Whoever was holding her shifted her in their arms. The sun was too bright for her and she turned her head, snuggling into a neck that smelled of damp earth, motor oil and sweat. She went to sleep to the comforting combination.
Her body was jostled and she woke up yet again. She could feel cool leather on her back and movement. Her eyelids felt like they weighed a ton but she managed to open them a crack. She saw Jacob driving her car. She could tell he was worried by the way his hands gripped the steering wheel until his knuckles were white and how his left leg couldn’t stop bouncing up and down.
“I’m ok,” she managed to croak. She could feel her body still healing some of her minor injuries but her ribs and arm felt infinitely better. Jacob turned to look at her, his face visibly relaxing as he gave her one of his million dollar smiles. She could feel the car start to slow and her eyes start to close. “I’m just… tired,” she mumbled before she passed out.
Ruby woke up in a strange bed in a room that looked vaguely familiar. Looking around she saw Jacob sitting by the bed, gazing out the window, a manila envelope resting on his lap.
“How long was I out?” she croaked out then cleared her throat.
“Not long. I just got you here.”
“Where is here?” She pushed herself to a sitting position.
“Sam and Emily’s.” There was silence for a long moment. His voice was somber when he spoke again. “She had someone drop this off for you.”
For a moment, she wondered whom he meant and why he was so sad. Then it all came back to her in a flash.
Her grandmother was gone.
Ruby began to sob, an ache in her chest that she wanted gone. Jacob crawled into bed with her, cradling her as she choked on her tears. He rubbed her back in long slow strokes as she soaked his shirt through with her tears.
After a while, Ruby was able to control her tears. Her face streaked with dirt, blood and tears, her eyes puffy and red and her nose ran, causing her to sniffle but no more tears came. She held out her hand for the envelope, not trusting herself to speak for fear she might start crying all over again. Jacob handed it over and moved over some so he was not crowding her but still nearby in case she needed him.
There were several papers inside the envelope with her grandmother’s elegant handwriting on the outside; only two words: Moon Star. The first thing she saw was a legal document; her grandmother’s will. Everything that ever belonged to her grandmother – the house, all her money, property she had acquired over her long life – was all Ruby’s now.
The next paper was funeral plans. Ruby’s lips actually twitched in sad smile as she read them. Margaret did not care what they did, except for a few exceptions. She wanted to be buried next to her husband, her Thomas. She did not want finger foods or Hors D’oerves served. Funerals, Margaret wrote, are a time for families to come together. You will sit down and eat a meal as one, she instructed.
Margaret also absolutely, adamantly did not want anyone wearing black. I’ve lived, she wrote, an extraordinarily long life filled with love, lust – don’t blush child – adventure, excitement, friends and family. What is there to mourn? It is like this song I once heard and instantly fell in love with: If I ever leave this world alive. I truly feel that I left alive; living. I didn’t just exist in this world, I lived it up. No one is to show up wearing that dreadful color.
The last was a handwritten letter addressed to Ruby.
My darling grandchild, Moon Star,
I am sorry I left you without warning but I know you will be all right now.
You were a pleasure to live with, a blessing to have in my life. I always felt there was a special connection between us. Your mother may have carried you in her belly for nine months but it was I who delivered you into this word, it was my arms that held you first, my face your eyes focused on first. You were not only my granddaughter; you were my friend, a kindred spirit. You understood all my quirks better than anyone else, understood that beneath the sassy mouth and the carefree smile was half a person.
Do not think I did all of this just so you could have my powers in the battle, though I hope it helped some. You know how much I loved your grandfather. You know how much I miss him, how my heart needs him in order to make me whole. My heart was shattered when my Thomas left me, left us all, and it never really healed.
Do not cry. Do not be sad for me. I wanted this. After so many years of living and loving and being loved by the most wonderful man, my body and soul could not function without him. It was as if I became truly alive when I met him and died when he was gone.
I am positive that as you are reading this, I am wherever good witches go when they die, sitting on a bench by a lovely lake with my Thomas… and we are happy. I am sure of it. We are watching your parents as they rest on a daisy-covered ground putting flowers in their hair, as they always did. And we all know that you will be fine. You found your Thomas. You found Jacob.
The two of you will be happy together, you will love each other and you will be happy. I know you will be Moon Star. The connection between the two of you is strong and unbreakable. Life will bring the two of you many treasures and when they do remember us. Your sweet, if sometimes weird, father; your mother who never looked more beautiful than when she was looking at you; your grandfather, who when you once said you wanted a pony was actually going to buy you one until we talked him out of it (who would clean up after it? Surely not I); and me, remember anything you want about me, just do not forget how very much I loved. You included.
Love your friends, child. They are the family the Goddess forgot to give you (even she gets busy enough to forget at times), they are your guardian angels in disguise. And you in turn are theirs. I pray my leaving does not make you lose your ability to care without reason, to love unconditionally, to show your emotions easily, to own them and be unashamed of them. I always envied that about you. It is the best quality anyone could wish to have.
My honest, loving, genuine, candid, sweet, funny, loyal granddaughter, it was an honor and joy helping to raise you into the woman you are. To borrow the words of your favorite book: ‘Stay gold, Ponyboy. Stay gold.”
Merry meet and merry part and merry meet again.
Blessed be my sweet child.
A determined tear (for Ruby thought there were no more left to shed) slid down her cheek and landed on the envelope. She brought her hand up and wiped away the track it left on her face. Seeing her hand covering in dirt, she began to rub at her cheeks, attempting to scrub her face clean.
“Here.” Jacob handed her a napkin.
“Thanks,” she said and wiped her face.
“Are you ok?”
“No,” she sighed then gave him a tiny sad smile. “But I will be.” She ran her fingers through her hand, wishing she had it up in a ponytail. “Did it work? With Embry, I mean.”
“Yeah.” Just then, the door opened. In poured Quil, Sam, Emily and Embry. Ruby looked up at them.
“Oh thank goodness,” Embry sighed, raising a hand to his heart as he ran forward to give her a bone crushing hug but Jacob stop him.
“Easy, Embry.”
“Of course. Where’s my head?” Embry slowed and gave her a ginger hug.
“I brought you a change of clothes.” Emily placed a stack on the edge of the bed. “Your clothes are… um.” Ruby could only imagine the amount of muck and blood she was covered in. Ruby thanked her.
They took turns hugging Ruby and telling her they were so sorry about her loss. She thanked them but after reading her grandmother’s letter, she did not feel as if she lost anything. She wanted to tell them that they shouldn’t be sorry for things that were meant to be, that she wasn’t experiencing the loss of her grandmother but the setting free of her heart, but she wasn’t sure if anyone would understand so she kept it to herself for the time being until she could share it with Jacob later.
Just then, Margaret’s other power showed up. She could see thin lines intertwining, connecting the people in the room. Vibrant lines that seemed to hum with electricity, connected Sam and Emily as well as Jacob and Ruby; the unbreakable bond of soul mates. Soft pale lines connected Sam to Jacob, Jacob to Embry to Quil, Ruby to Emily; the fragile yet solid bonds of friendship. Then Ruby saw the bonds of family in varying densities and colors.
A dark blue solid line came off Jacob, stretching out of the room, to Billy Ruby assumed. She was all new to this and tried to remember it all. A line the palest of greens connected Quil to Jacob, and Ruby remembered that they were cousins or second cousins, she could not remember right then. Two pink lines so thin they were barely visible stretched off Jacob; his sisters. She took in all of the lines, and there were many, in a short amount of time.
Then she saw the most shocking line of all; a light blue line coming out of Embry connecting him to his brother, to one of the three other men in the room.
“Are you ok?” Jacob asked.
“Huh?” she responded. Then she shook herself out of her daze and nodded. “Yeah.” She took a moment to make the lines go away. “Just tired and I want to take a shower. Long day. I want to go home.”
Emily excused herself so she could wrap up some food for Ruby to eat when she got home.
“Can you three give me a moment with Embry?” They agreed, after all she had just saved his life, and walked out.
“Is everyth-”
She cut him off. “Do you know what my grandmother’s other power is?” He shook his head. “She could see connections between people. Soul mates, parents and children, cousins, friends. Brothers.” She stretched the word out and waited. Embry instantly knew what she meant.
“You know?” he breathed. “You know who my brother is?”
She nodded. “Yeah. I know who your brother is.”
“Who-”
“I’ll tell you but I think the other three should be here for this. Don’t you?”
He thought it over for a moment, figuring everyone would know soon enough – especially after they changed and he thought about it – he agreed. “I’ll tell the guys to come back in.” Then he disappeared through the door.
Ruby looked down and saw her top was covered in blood, along with parts of her skirt; in fact it was so saturated with her own blood that Emily and Sam’s sheets were now stained with dark red spots. She eyed the clothes that Emily gave her and quickly unknotted her top, let it fall to the ground, and slipped the grey shirt over her head. Finding the jeans, she pulled them on under her skirt before pulling that off also. The clothes were a little tight but not overly uncomfortable.
While she waited for the boys to come in, she kept looking at the blood stained sheets. Feeling guilty, she got up and using her power, pulled the blood out of the fabric and into a few napkins she got off the nightstand. There was a knock on the door and Ruby called out to whoever it was to come in.
Embry, followed by a confused Jacob, Quil and Sam, entered the room. They all looked at each other for a moment before Ruby sighed and broke the silence.
“I figured out – well more like stumbled on – how to use my grandmother’s other power. She can identify relationships – friends, lovers, family – even relationships that one is not aware of. Like brothers for example.” Ruby waited for realization to hit the others before continuing. “I told Em that I thought it was best that you were all here for this, seeing as it concerns all of you.” Ruby bit her lip as all four men looked at each other seriously.
Quil clapped his hands together once before speaking. “Ok, so which one of us has a brother?”
“It’s-”
A screaming from outside the room interrupted Ruby.
“Sam!” Emily’s voice called out urgently. Everyone turned and looked in the direction of the scream.
“Hey,” Ruby protested weakly, “I was going to say that.” The men turned abruptly, having heard Ruby. Embry and Sam locked eyes and the other stared in shock and somewhat relief that their fathers were not adulterers.
“Sam?” Emily’s voice called out again, a hint of panic attached this time. “Ruby? Guys? Anyone?”
“We’ll talk about this later,” Sam told Embry as he ran out the room, Ruby and the rest of the men on his tail. They were not expecting the sight that met them.
Emily was standing near the kitchen counter, a plastic bag of packaged food in her hand intended for Ruby and Jacob, a puddle of clear straw colored liquid on and around her feet.
“Emily, what is that?”
“That, Sam,” Ruby answered, “is her water breaking.” She turned to look at the boys. “We’re about to have one more join this party.” She ran to Emily’s side. “Emmy, sweetie, have you been having any contractions?”
Emily nodded. “I thought it was just back pain or Braxton hicks from the stress of today. I guess not.” Then she grimaced as a contraction came.
“Ok. Ok.” Ruby took a calm breath and took charge of the situation. “Embry?”
“Yeah?”
“I need you to take the sheets off of their bed. Then get a clean set and the plastic sheet protector and make the bed” When he did not move right away she added, “Now, Em.” He ran off. “Quil. I need you to look through the cupboards for the largest bowl they have, wash it and put it on the nightstand in the bedroom.”
“A bowl? For what?”
“You’re a sweet young man, so I’m going to save your sanity by not telling you.” He nodded nervously and ran off. “Jacob, there should be a stack of dark towels in one of the closets, bring all of them.” Ruby turned to Sam. “Sammy, help me bring Emily to the bed.” Ruby took the bag out of Emily’s hand and put it on the counter. “Come on Emmy. Let’s go have a baby.” Sam and Ruby took one of Emily’s elbows and together guided her to her bedroom.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
“Arrrrgggggg” Emily grunted in pain, sweat dripping off her forehead. Ruby pulled Emily’s skirt back down and moved out from her spot between her knees.
“I need you to pant Emmy. Don’t push.” Ruby warned as she pressed her hands to Emily’s contracting stomach, squeezing and pressing. “Fuck.” Ruby muttered so only the men with their slight enhanced hearing heard. They could tell by the fact that she looked slightly nervous and that she cursed that something was wrong. “You’re doing great Emmy. Don’t be mad but I have to get the kit out of my car. I’ll be really quick and you’ll be fine.” Before she ran out the room, she gave Jacob and Sam a slight jerk of the head, indicating they should follow.
Outside the room, Ruby pulled the boys to the side.
“The baby has turned. It’s breech.”
“What does this mean? Will Emily and the baby be ok?”
“They’ll be fine, Sammy. I need help though. I can’t do this on my own and I just seriously hope you don’t object to who I need to help me.”
“Carlisle?” Jacob asked. Ruby nodded.
“I don’t care, just make sure Emily and the baby are ok,” Sam pleaded.
“What about the treaty?’ Jacob asked.
“Fuck the treaty. Call him,” Sam demanded as he turned and rushed back to his wife’s side.
Ruby rushed to the phone and dialed the Cullen household. While she waited for someone to answer, she asked Jacob to get the kit out of the car.
“Hello?” answered Alice in her musical voice.
“Allie, I need to talk to Carlisle. It’s an emergency.” A split second later, the doctor was on the phone.
“Ruby. What’s wrong?”
“Long story short, Emmy’s having the baby. It’s breech and I need help. Don’t worry about the treaty. You have Sammy permission.”
“I’ll be right there.”
“I think you should bring Eddie and Jaz. They might be useful,” she said, meaning their gifts, before hanging up, thinking this day could not possibly be packed with any more ups and downs.
“Now what?” Jacob asked as he handed her the small bag.
“Now, I have the fun job of telling a soon-to-be mother that her child is breech and three vampires are coming over to help me deliver it.” She smiled sarcastically and headed back into the room. She was emotionally tired but her adrenaline was starting to kick in, giving her the energy she needed.
“How we doing Emmy?”
“I feel like I want to push. I need to push.” Emily practically cried.
“You can’t sweetie. Emmy, the baby has turned.”
“Oh no. That’s not good. I know that’s not good,” she panted, her panic rising.
“No, it’s ok. Carlisle is coming and together we’re going to turn the baby. The baby is going to be fine.”
“If anything happens,” she glanced quickly at Sam before looking at Ruby. “I want you to worry about the baby. The baby is your first priority. You understand?”
“I understand but it’s not going to come to that. You and the baby are going to be fine. I promise.” Ruby stared at Emily until Emily nodded, believing her. “I promise.”
Everyone turned when Carlisle, Edward and Jasper walked into the bedroom. Ruby got up and walked over to them.
“Thanks for coming. Jasper I was hoping you would-”
Jasper interrupted, “Keep the mother-to-be calm?”
“Would you?” Ruby pleaded.
“Of course.”
“Edward, I was hoping you could be somewhat of a fetal monitor, use your gift?” Edward nodded. “Carlisle. I don’t know if I should use my telekinesis or should we turn the baby the old fashioned way?”
“I think we should do a little of both. I’ll apply pressure from the top and you can give the baby a magical push so to speak.” Ruby nodded then turned to Emily.
“Emmy, we have a plan. A really good one. We’re going to mix modern medicine with magic.” Emily nodded through her contraction.
“Emily,” Carlisle began, “This method will be painful.”
“I don’t care. Just get the baby out safely.”
Ruby and Carlisle stood on either end of Emily. Jacob and Sam held her hands as Embry and Quil watched nervously.
“Jasper, make her feel calm. Edward, tell us if the baby is experiencing distress.” They did as Carlisle requested.
Carlisle placed his experienced hands on top of Emily’s tightening stomach until he felt the baby and pushed to the side. Ruby placed her hands nearby and using her power, she slowly and gently started to turn the baby. Emily grunted, gritted her teeth and squeezed Jacob and Sam’s hands.
“The baby is fine, slightly uncomfortably but fine,” Edward informed them. Emily was shaking now, trying her best not to scream out in pain and scare Sam. She knew that Sam must have been terrified for her and their baby to agree to vampires coming into their home. She did not want to ruin a potential burying of the hatchet by making Sam believe that Carlisle was causing her pain; unbelievable, blinding pain. It was not as if he was doing it on purpose. After another minute, Edward spoke again. “The baby would really like it if the uncomfortable feeling would go away now.”
After a few moments, Carlisle and Ruby managed to turn the baby.
“Good news mommy,” Ruby said. “With your next contraction you can push.”
Emily fell back onto the bed, crying and muttered “Thank goodness.” Ruby and Carlisle moved to the edge of the bed. Ruby pulled up Emily’s skirt and gently moved her knees apart. Carlisle grabbed a few towels and after asking in a soothing voice if she could raise her hips, he placed them under her.
They did not need to wait long for the next contraction and Emily was finally able to push. Grabbing Jacob and Sam’s hands again, she used them to lift her back off the bed and push.
“Oh Goddess,” Ruby smiled, tears in her eyes as Carlisle counted to ten, “I can see the head. Your baby has a full head of black hair.”
“Really?” Emily grunted.
“Really. Push again sweetie.”
“Sam, talk to me. Distract me.”
“Ok,” he answered unsure of what to say. “Umm. Did you know Ruby can now see connections between people?” Emily gasped and panted. “Yeah, and it turns out, Embry is my brother.”
“What?” Then Emily screamed as she felt a burning pain.
“Don’t push. The head’s out.”
“Get the fluids out of its airway,” Carlisle reminded the nervous witch. Ruby made a motion near the baby’s nose and the fluids were removed. “Don’t push Emily. Pant. There you go. Good girl,” Carlisle said his voice calm and soothing.
Everyone sat up a little to watch the miracle. They saw a shoulder pop out, then the other and suddenly the whole baby slid out and was now in Ruby’s arms. After a quiet second, the baby started to cry. Everyone thought it was a beautiful sound.
“Oh wow,” Ruby gasped. Carlisle handed her two towels. Using one to wipe it off some, she used the other to cover the baby with it. Using two of the umbilical cord clamps, she attached them to the umbilical cord. “Here you go mommy. Here’s your little girl. Would you like to cut the cord Sammy?”
“A girl? Hear that Sam. We have a daughter.” The boys, including the Cullen men, clapped Sam on the back as soon as he cut the cord and he wholeheartedly accepted with a smile.
Ruby placed her hand on Emily’s now slightly deflated belly and massaged it. “Emily, I know you’re tired but I need you to give me a little push. We got to deliver the placenta.”
“The what?” Quil asked.
“Oh sweetie,” Ruby laughed, “You weren’t supposed to be here for this. Remember that bowl? I’ll be needing it now.” The placenta came out and Ruby held its still pulsating form in her hands.
“Oh my g-” Ruby heard and looked up. Quil was standing, arm outstretched still holding the bowl, weaving dangerously on the spot, looking extremely pale.
Carlisle managed to take the bowl from Quil, just before he passed out, slumping to the ground with a very loud thump.
“Oh he really shouldn’t have been here for this.” Ruby laughed and everyone – werewolf, vampire and human – joined her.
