((A/N: I am picking up the story from the end of Chapter 16. Page 327 to be specific. Edward has just heard the fetus for the first time. We are still in Jacob's perspective.))

I looked at the leech. What was he going on about? Was he all of a sudden able to hear Bella? That seemed ridiculous. And if he was able to, what did that mean? My thoughts were interrupted when his mouth fell open, and his eyes darkened.

"Edward," Bella's voice, weak, asked him a question without even asking.

Edward's mouth closed, his jaw tensed. He turned his eyes at me, burning. I felt my hands ball into fists, a reaction all on their own. They started shaking. The hair stood up on the back of my neck.

"What is it?" I growled.

The blonde blood sucker entered the room, but I didn't even notice her until she was hovering protectively over Bella. She growled at Edward, obviously sensing the same thing that sent my body into tremors. I fought them back, clenching my teeth.

"I can hear the fetus," Edward finally spoke. I think I was the only one that noticed his hands clenched tightly in fists.

Bella gasped. Her hands moved protectively over the offensive bump that was her abdomen. "And..?"

The leech's eyes never left mine.

And? I asked him in my head.

Edward's eyes bored into mine, as if for the first time, he wished I could read his thoughts. Finally he looked back to Bella, smiling weakly. I saw the physical effort he put into unclenching his hands, even into the smile. He leaned in and kissed her on the forehead.

Bella's frail bony fingers caught his hands, trying to pull him near her, to not let him slip back as he already was. He could have easily ignored her silent plea, but he remained near her for a moment longer. I watched her face plead with his, begging him to tell her what the little monster was thinking.

Not so secretly, I wanted to know too.

Rosalie growled, a reminder she was still there.

"It's not thinking in words. Pictures." Edward kissed Bella's hands and pushed them back to her stomach. He reached for the cup of blood that Rosalie had brought for Bella and pushed it into her hands. "Here, you better eat." He smiled.

Bella seemed reluctant, but took the drink and sipped quietly away at it. It wasn't long before she fell asleep again and I watched as Edward stood up and walked out of the room. I followed.

By the time I left the house Edward was already in the trees. Not to be ignored I ran behind him. His scent was so nauseating even in my human form that I knew exactly every turn he took and stopped when the sting reached my eyes.

"What the hell, Edward!" I yelled as I reached him.

"Here, Rosalie won't hear us," he spoke quietly. His voice was urgent, that same mad expression was in his eyes, the one that never really left them. I glanced around and spotted a tree, most of the trunk torn away by what I would only assume was Edward's bare hands.

"Hear what?" I asked him.

"The fetus, the disgusting thing that is living inside her-"

Parasitic half-leech, half-demon...

"Yes," Edward answered my thoughts that had interrupted him. "Jacob," his voice broke, and his eyes searched mine. Tired, deranged, weak. "Jacob, we have to get it out of her."

I scoffed. "What about Carlisle? Why don't you ask him? And what of Rosalie, and Bella's wishes?" I hadn't the time for Edward's games. He gave Bella everything she ever wanted, what was so different now that he would ask me for help.

"It's going to kill her." He said.

"Yes," I spat back at him, sharply, tired of all this back and forth. "Yes, we knew that already didn't we." I glared at him. It was his fault. I wouldn't feel sorry for him.

"Not for me, Jacob. I deserve all your hate. But not Bella. Not my, our, lovely Bella."

Forget it bloodsucker. I began to walk away. I had had enough of this. Even if I agreed, we would return, he would look into Bella's soft pleading eyes and not be able to do whatever it was that needed to be done. I was tired of this. Let the damn monster kill her, it didn't have that much work left to do. I heard him behind me. His voice was still soft, knowing I would hear it.

"It wants to kill her."

That made me stop.

"The thing inside of her is ugly, its thoughts are ugly." I turned to face him now. "It's full of hate. It needs to get out of Bella. Now. Before it decides it's ready to do it on its own."

My hands were shaking again.

"Bella... " I turned back at his voice. The tortured face, the same haunting expression he hid so well from everyone else, stared back at me. His body shook slightly, as if he were crying, but no tears fell.

How?

He inhaled. "We take it out."

I swallowed hard. And Bella? Would this shorten her already human life?

"I don't know."

End Bella's life. Or have a monster end Bella's life. Those were a couple of great options. Of course I would help him. For Bella.

"Thank you Jacob." He took a few steps closer to me. I looked away from him but felt a cold hand on my shoulder. I threw it off. There was no sound for a brief moment before I heard his footsteps fade, returning to Bella. So, later then, I thought.

I shuddered, but not because my body wanted to phase. This new feat in front of us sounded delightful, absolutely lovely. What a mess. I didn't want to imagine that this was the better option. I swallowed hard, eyes scanning the peaceful forest. I would have to phase soon, tell Leah and Seth, but not now. I didn't want to face them now, like the masochist I was I would suffer alone.