Chapter Four
Sometimes I wish I could sleep. I feel this need to shut off the thoughts that swirl nonstop in my head. I can go into a state of rest but I hate to do it because makes me feel like the living dead, which, of course, I am, I just usually don't feel like I am.
There are nights when I make Emmett lay in bed with me and we pretend to sleep. It's so comforting to have his arms wrapped around my body. He makes me feel soft and feminine, which is tough when your skin is as cold and hard as granite.
We're in bed right now, Emmett is in his resting state, his large arms wrapped protectively around me. His hand rests on my flat stomach and it makes me think of what it would be like if I were human and carrying his child. I think about the baby kicking his hand and making him laugh. Emmett has the best laugh, it's contagious, even I can't help but smile when I hear it. I wonder if our child would have his laugh?
"What are you thinking about?" Emmett whispers in my ear and pulls me in closer to his body and I know exactly what he is thinking about.
"Babies."
He sighs. His cool, sweet breath blows across my face and tickles my ear.
"I love you, Em." I roll him to his back and straddle him. I need a release and I know exactly how to get it.
XXX
We all sit around the family room waiting for the dog to show. Everyone's back is stick straight with tension. Jacob is coming by to see if Bella is still alive, the pack wants to know if we have broken the treaty.
This has the potential to turn bloody.
Since Carlisle is the peacekeeper by nature, he is the one that greets Jake at the door. I can hardly control myself when his scent hits my nose. I squat protectively in front of Bella.
He spots her and the relief plays across his face quickly followed by...disgust? He can see it, he knows something isn't quite right. Bella shoos me away and stands to show him her growing belly.
I get the distinct impression that he wants to throw up. If I wasn't so afraid that he'd attempt to rip that thing from her stomach with his claws, I might feel sorry for him.
My lips automatically curl and I hiss at him.
"Can someone tell blondie over here to back off?" I want to rip his heart out and feed it to him.
Emmett's hand is suddenly on my shoulder and I relax. This isn't my battle, why am I even getting involved?
Jacob and Edward have some alone time and when they return we are all told to leave so that Jacob and Bella can talk alone. I don't feel good about this but he is Bella's best friend and who am I to come between a girl and her dog?
As we wonder off through the woods behind the house I hear Alice whisper to Edward that she's nervous because she can't see the wolves. He doesn't seem concerned at all.
I'm full of nervous energy. I twitch, growl, and punch a pine tree. The bark splinters, the sound echos through the trees. I'm not used to caring so much about someone other than myse.
"It's ok babe." Emmett pulls me into his arms and gives me one of his signature bear hugs.
I look up into his dark eyes. "Let's run." And with that we are off.
XXX
I'm sitting on the back porch watching the birds flutter around Esme's bird feeder. Bella is in the white rocking chair next to me, her head turned to the side at a painful angle. I hear a soft snore now and then.
She's very pale. She's always been pale, but this is different. She looks like she's been drained of all of her blood. As if drained by a...vampire!
Edward darts out on the porch and looks from me to her and back at me. "She is being drained, by a half vampire baby. Why didn't we think of that sooner?" He slaps himself on the forehead and is immediately on the phone with Carlisle.
Carlisle comes home from the hospital with a dozen bags of blood.
I don't hear thoughts like Edward, but I think we are all a combination of disgusted and relieved as she drinks the blood through a straw and instantly perks up.
I can't believe I thought of it. For once in my life I did something right.
Edward looks over at me and gives me a smile of thanks. I smile back.
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