XVIII. Not Good With Goodbyes

''Hey, how was the game?'' Theresa greets and ask the pair who just came in her house. But the couple ignored her question and just rushed past her upstairs.

''Hey, hey!'' Theresa stopped her daughter and Jasper from walking any further. ''Where's the hurry? Everything okay?''

''Yeah, mom.'' Blair answered as she turned, facing her mother. ''Don't worry.''

Theresa's brows shot up as she kept her eyes fixed on her daughter. It was clear as day that young girl was nervous, maybe even frightened. Theresa stood up from the couch she was sitting on and she walked towards Blair, putting her right palm on Blair's shoulder.

''You know you can talk to me, hun? What's bothering you?''

Blair looked deeply in her mother's eyes and almost felt tears in her own's. On the way here Jasper mentioned how Bella is in grave danger now, and he is not certain about Blair. Edwards said no one's thoughts were fixed on her so there is probably no need to worry, but that doesn't mean the Cullen's will leave her unprotected.

''We lost.'' Blair said, talking about baseball game and nodding at Jasper who stood not far behind her ''So Alice is making me stay at their place tonight.''

''Alice?'' Theresa asked, not being familiar with the name her daughter just mentioned.

''Jasper's sister.'' Blair told her, half smiling. Blair tried to calm her hands from shaking, but more she was thinking about it, they were trembling with fear. Jasper noticed and quickly calmed her nerves down. Mentally thanking him, Blair licked her lips, sending big smile towards her mother, ''Is that alright with you?''

''You got your toothbrush?''

''Yep.''

''Clean clothes? Please don't wear dirty underw-''

''Don't worry, ma. I have everything I need.'' Blair stopped her mother from rambling as her and Jasper made their way out of Blair's house. Theresa stood on the doorway, leaning her head against the front door while holding Rolf by his collar.

''Bye.'' Just as Blair and Jasper turned around and headed towards Jasper's car, Theresa said,

''Be safe.'' Hearing those words coming out of her mother's mouth something inside Blair's heart cracked. Blair stopped in her tracks and glanced at Jasper who immediately felt her heartbreak and looked back at her. With one nod assuring everything will be alright, Jasper continued his way with Blair's stuff in his grasp.

Blair bit on her lower lip trying to silence the sob. She turned around, facing her mother and ran to her. Once she got closer, Blair tightly hugged her mother closing her eyes. Theresa gasped out of surprise and hugged her baby girl back, patting the back of her head.

''I love you, mom.'' Blair whispered so quietly that she got scared her mother couldn't hear. Theresa smiled, kissing her daughter's cheek.

''Love you too, hun.''

☆ ☆ ☆

Back at Cullen's house, the tension was almost visible. Edward and Bella appeared few minutes after Jasper and Blair came in. There was a dark skinned vampire in house warning them about James bloodlust and his sick games. After the vampire vanished everyone hurried to garage to proceed with their plan.

To keep two human girls alive.

Everyone hurriedly searched the garage for maps, extra self-phones and batteries. They were to busy to talk among each other, the only sound that was heard was the sound of footsteps and rattling of things.

''So...'' Blair started as her and Bella just stood in the middle of garage not sure what to do exactly ''What's the plan? Are we going to try and talk to him or are you going to kill him?''

''I've had to fight our kind before.'' Jasper said, appearing next to Blair ''We are hard to kill.''

''But not impossible.'' Edward assured, reading both of human girl's minds.

''Oh damn...'' Blair whispered, completely forgetting she is surrounded with creatures who have the power of hearing.

''It is alright.'' Jasper whispered to her, now getting closer so their foreheads touched. ''You won't see that.''

Blair wanted to reply, but just as her mouth opened to speak Alice said something, mentioning both Jasper and Blair.

''Jasper and I will go with Bella, driving her south. Blair will tag with us.''  Edward sighs, telling Alice to keep her thoughts to herself and throwing her the keys of SUV.

''They could got hurt because of me. It is not worth it.'' Bella mumbles to herself, refusing to eat as the four of them stopped their journey to let two human girls rest in Scottsdale Hotel.

''Yes, it is.'' Jasper said, now for the first time conversing with Bella. Bella's big brown eyes showed confusion as the usually quiet vampire said something to her.

''Edward changed since he found you.'' Jasper continued his talk with human girl, ''None of us want to look him in the eyes in the next hundred years if he loses you.''

''I think Edward's not the only one who found someone who he can't lose.'' Bella said back to Jasper, her eyes travelling to sleeping brown-haired girl who was curled up on room's sofa. Jasper followed Bella's gaze, his golden eyes setting on girl. His eyes softened at Blair's peaceful looking face.

''That's why we need to put down James.'' Jasper said, his eyes not moving away from Blair in case something happens. ''It's worth it.''

Suddenly there was gasp heard coming from Alice. Jasper appeared next to his sister in flash, putting his hand on Alice's shoulder. Bella jumped from her spot and ran after him.

''What do you see?'' Jasper asked. He quickly set a sheet of paper and pen in front of his sister so she can sketch her vision.  Alice immediately took the pen in her grasp and started drawing on the paper what looks like a room filled with mirrors.

A dancing studio.

☆ ☆ ☆

''It's been hours now, do you think she will be alright?'' Blair mumbled in Jasper's shoulder. They were both sitting in Phoenix's hospital waiting room on the floor where Bella's room was. Poor girl, she has been through a lot.

As Alice and Jasper were checking out of the hotel and Blair was using the restroom, Bella got the call from the hunter telling her to meet him alone in the exact dancing studio from Alice's vision. And he warned her to come alone or else he will hurt her mother.

The moment Alice and Jasper noticed one human girl missing, Alice immediately called the rest of her family for help and Jasper took Blair back to the hotel room. He told her how she will be more safer there than going with the Culen's to hunt down and kill James. After some protest Blair agreed on staying in the hotel.

Now they're in hospital waiting for some news about Bella and her condition. Blair wasn't certain what exactly happened, but from what she heard Bella is seriously wounded. Her leg was broken and she got a lot of cuts from the mirrored glass, but the one Blair was anxious the most was the bite James gave her.

Jasper assured her that the other human girl is going to be alright. Edward sucked all the venom out of her body and she is just exhausted from everything that happened.

The pair is huddled together, Blair enjoyed Jasper's coldness in Arizona's hot weather. She was almost asleep until she saw Charlie Swan running down the hallway towards them. Blair's head left Jasper's shoulder when Charlie got closer, she noticed his puffy-red eyes and tired expression.

''Charlie.'' Blair greeted him, standing up and walking towards the man dressed in police uniform. Jasper felt Charlie's unsettling emotions, they were heavier than Bella's mother's on which he got suspicious about.

''Blair.'' Charlie started, gripping Blair's both forearms. ''I-I have to tell you something.''

Blair's blue eyes narrowed at the chief of Fork's police department. He seemed distressed, like he was in grief. Charlie's voice was shaking and he swallowed hard.

''What is happening?'' Blair asked, getting scared at the sight of her neighbour.

''There has been another animal attack.'' Charlie said with grief coming out with his words ''I'm so terribly sorry to tell you this, but your mother-''

Charlie had hard time saying the next words, his voice dipped in sorrow. But hearing next three words, Blair felt like her whole life collapsed and like her vision got blurry.

''She is dead.'' Jasper immediately jumped from his seat the moment he heard what Charlie struggled to say. The terrible news came to him as surprise, he couldn't imagine how Blair felt.

''No.'' Blair mumbled, sceptic smile appearing on her lips ''That's not true, you are having a laugh with me.''

''I'm sorry, Blair.'' Charlie said shaking his head. He noticed how teenage girl started trembling as she was shaking her head, not believing his words.

''That's not true, that's - that-s-'' Her whole face collapsed, tears were rushing down her pale cheeks as her chin was shaking from upcoming sobs. Charlie pulled the young girl in his embrace, giving her support that she needed now.

''Shh, you are going to be alright.'' Charlie said, not being sure if that was the right thing to say but he tried to soothe her down.

''I'll call your dad who can take care of you-''

''No!'' Blair screamed in Charlie's shoulder, ''Please don't, please he never wanted to deal with me. Please don't make me go and live with him.''

Jasper's non-beating heart broke at the sight of his Blair so devastated. He tried to keep her emotions in check and tried to calm down her sorrow and sadness, but somehow it didn't work. Her emotions were too strong even for him.

''I want my mom back.'' Blair cried.

''You can stay with me as long as you want to.'' Charlie told her.

It takes us only seconds to collapse after hearing we lost someone so dear to us.