It was late evening when everything went to shit.

Bella was just heading to bed. She was standing in the hallway, supported on either side by Rosalie and Alice. Carslie, Esme and Jasper were out hunting and would not be back for a couple of hours. Jacob was standing near the door watching as she said goodnight to Edward, visibly grumpy. Ellis and Seth were standing next to him trying to keep his attention away from the ridiculous sappy couple that was Edward and Bella.

"Jacob", Ellis called. Jacob turned his head but his eyes did not move from Bella. "Why do ducks have feathers?"

Jacob shrugged.

"To cover their butt quacks". Seth snorted and doubled over. Silent laughter had him shaking. Emmet, who was behind Rosalie, hovering on the periphery covered his mouth to hide his chuckles. Alice was visibly grimacing.

"That was terrible", Jacob chuckled, relaxing somewhat.

Ellis was grinning widely with the slight manicness of someone who was on a roll and could no longer be stopped. "What do you call a vampire in the snow?" He asked gleefully.

Seth looked up hopefully. "What?"

"Frostbite". Ellis wriggled his eye brows and that sent Seth wheezing. Jacob was clutching at his sides, head tilted back as he howled.

"That was", Seth gasped. "Funnier because you're a vampire. I'm not even sure why".

It should have been impossible for Ellis' grin to get any bigger, or more worrying. "Bad puns. That's how eye roll", he mock bowed. Emmet snorted in the background.

"How do you tell if a vampire is sick?"

"How?" Emmet asked.

"By how much he's coffin". Everyone snorted. Rosalie just looked like she wanted to cease existing.

"I'll go and refill your cup", she suggested to Bella. Bella, who was trying not to giggle, nodded at Rosalie's words. The blonde vampire disappeared round the corner into their kitchen. Everyone knew that she was just trying to use the excuse to try and escape Ellis' jokes.

Ellis, who had been thinking, suddenly lit up. He turned and gave Edward a scary grin. The bronze haired Male shuddered, already knowing what Ellis would say. "Don't Ellis", he warned lowly. Emmet noticed his brother's tone of voice and promptly gave Ellis the 'go ahead' gesture behind Edward's back.

"Why can't vampires get pregnant?" Ellis asked.

"Why?" Bella was the one who asked this time. She was leaning on Alice looking pale and skinny. But her face was lit up by her smile as she giggled slightly. It seemed that Ellis' jokes weren't that bad, if it got a smile from the stoic Bella.

"Because they can't come inside without a invitation". Everyone apart from Edward howled with laughter. The humour only deepened when they noticed Edward's embarrassed expression.

Bella was giggling breathlessly. One hand was around her stomach, the other clutching at Alice's. Rosalie entered the room holding the familiar styrofoam cup and straw. Her mouth was pressed in a thin line but Ellis could see the amusement in her eyes that she was unsuccessfully trying to hide. Even she found his jokes funny, not that she would ever admit it.

"Here Bella", she held to cup out gently to her.

Bella tried to stifle her laughter long enough for her to take the cup. Her hand was shaking too much and she dropped the cup to the ground. Human blood spilled everywhere. Ellis could feel his eyes darkening and he instinctively stepped forward towards the red liquid.

Everything seemed to happen in slow motion. Bella reflexively reached down to pick it up. As she moved, a sharp crack sounded and she howled. Edward moved, catching her in his arms as she collapsed.

"It's broken her spine!" He shouted as Bella screamed. "We need to get it out now!"

"But Carslie"- Alice protested.

"There's no time!" Jacob yelled as he ran towards Bella.

"Get it out!" Bella screamed. The sound was horrible and full of pain. Ellis froze as the sound of his own screams echoing back to him in a concrete cell rose in his mind. Reflexively, he raised his hands to cover his ears and everyone rushed upstairs.

"Ellis!" Seth called. "Look at me. Darling, just focus on me okay". His hands were on Ellis' face, stroking across his cheeks. Upstairs, the sounds of screams and shouting echoed down. Bella had stopped but the angered tones of Edward and Rosalie arguing was still audible. The noise pounded on Ellis' ears and he found himself curling forwards into a ball like crouch on the floor.

"Ellis. Ellis!" Seth pulled harshly on his hair. "Look at me. Listen to me. Listen to my heartbeat". He shook him.

Rosalie came storming down the stairs, hands stained red with Bella's blood. Emmet followed behind her, visibly stopping her from going back upstairs. She fought against him for a moment before slumping in defeat. He hugged her, running his large hands through her blonde hair soothingly.

"Just listen to me okay", Seth was on the floor next to Ellis. He was pleading now, trying to get him to respond.

Rosalie turned and stormed over to them. She reached out a hand and slapped him viciously across the face. The movement was too quick for human eyes and the impact came with a sharp thwack. Ellis' head jerked, blood smeared across his cheek from Rosalie's hands.

She grabbed him by the jaw, not unkindly but firm enough, and tilted his head up so that he was looking at her. "Ellis", she commanded. "Wake Up". The smell of fresh blood and her steel eyed glared had Ellis falling backwards.

He gasped as his back hit the floorboards. Seth was instantly at his side, turning his head so that he was staring into his honey brown irises. "Ellis. Can you hear me? Just focus on me", his voice was soft and soothing.

"Okay", Ellis breathed. He concentrated on Seth's heart beat, counting the pounding in his head. Seth stroked his thumbs under his eyes as Ellis tried to get back into the habit of breathing and moving.

Now that he was responsive, Rosalie turned with a huff and walked back over to where Emmet was waiting at the bottom of the stairs. She sat down next to him and leaned her head on his shoulder. He kissed her temple and took her hands in hers.

Seth helped Ellis to his feet and began guiding him to the front door and away from all the blood. "Let's just go outside okay?" Ellis nodded and they left the house.

The fresh air helped. He could still smell the lingering scent of blood from the streak on his cheek as well as from inside, but it was fainter. Ellis inhaled deeply and focused on the aromas of the forest. There was the earth, the incoming rain, the fir trees, the birds. Seth's smell stood out next to him and Ellis leaned into his boyfriend's touch.

"You feeling better?" Seth asked. Ellis nodded again. Together they sat down on the edge of the porch, dangling heir legs above the ground. The image was strangely reminiscent of the first time they talked, both perched on the edge of the porch. Ellis smiled slightly at the memory.

The shrill cry of a infant could be heard from inside the house. Both boys smiled. A minute later, Bella's heartbeat stopped and could no longer be heard.