Chapter 1: Connection I'll Never Understand
Jacob Black stalked into the Cullen home. He was angry that he was only being summoned now. Carlisle met him at the front door.
"Where's Bella?" Jacob demanded, skipping the pleasantries.
Before Carlisle could answer, a voice called from upstairs. "Jake, is that you?"
Jacob turned back to the head vampire. "She's here?" he asked, barely keeping the anger out of his voice.
"They came home two weeks ago."
Jacob hardly heard this as he marched up the stairs, eyes peeled for Bella. He found the rest of the bloodsuckers, Rosalie holding court in the middle, as if guarding something….
Jacob went towards her, but the blond vampire held him back.
"Close enough, dog."
"What the hell's your problem?" Jacob demanded.
"Rose, it's OK." Bella's voice came from behind her. Jacob was finally allowed to pass, revealing a very pale Bella sitting on the couch and surrounded by blankets and pillows.
"You look terrible," Jacob cracked, sitting on the edge of the coffee table.
Bella drew her face into a tight smile. "Yeah, it's nice to see you, too."
"So, you gonna tell me what's wrong with you?" he prodded brotherly.
Bella didn't answer, instead asking, "Rose, you want to help me up?"
As soon as Bella was supported, Jacob had his answer: a obviously pregnant stomach that Bella was now smoothing her grey shirt over.
His best friend was pregnant. With, and by, a vampire.
Emotions assaulted Jacob all at once, vying for attention. He chose the most natural one - anger - and immediately whirled on Edward.
"You did this!" he spat, shaking off the hand Emmett placed on his shoulder.
"We didn't know it was even possible," Carlisle tried to explain.
Remembering Carlisle's status as a doctor, Jacob sharply changed targets. "Well, then why haven't you done anything? Take it out of her!"
"This is known of your business, dog!" Rose spat.
"Rose," Esme scolded. "None of this arguing is good for Bella…."
"The fetus isn't good for Bella," Alice corrected darkly.
"Say the word, Alice. Baby. It's just a little baby!" Rose protested.
Jacob's rage had set off a civil war within the Cullen clan, but he didn't care. "Carlisle," he now pleaded. "You've gotta do something."
"No," Bella snapped sharply. "It's not your decision; it's not any of yours."
Edward now spoke up for the first time. "Jacob, I need to talk with you alone."
Wondering if this could mean anything good, Jacob followed his rival out of the house and to the edge of the woods.
"I need you to talk to Bella. She's not thinking rationally."
"Why?"
"She thinks Carlisle can turn her at the last minute. Like he did for me and Esme," Edward admitted.
"Can he?" Jacob pressed. Maybe then, Bella would at least be safe from death, but Edward's next assessment didn't help.
"The probability is…. slight." A pause while he let Jacob digest this. "I need you to convince her otherwise. You…. have a connection with her that I'll never understand. I need you to keep her safe."
Well. This was an odd request from a former enemy. Jacob just eyed him. "And if I can't?"
Edward looked the werewolf dead in the eye. "Then you get what you always wanted. To kill me."
That was the best answer Jacob had heard all day.