Hi guys!

I´m finally back with Breaking Dawn. I hope you still want to know what´s next in Edward´s mind.

And I hope you enjoy it.

I´ll be waiting for your reviews. And if it takes me too long to upload the next chapter, it´s because I´m translating it. But don´t worry, it´s already done in Spanish, so...

Well, I´ll leave you to read it.

Enjoy it, please.

And again, STEPHENIE MEYER OWNS ALL TWILIGHT!

CHAPTER 13. MONSTROUS, REPULSIVE

I couldn't believe that this was really happening, that Bella was about to drink blood, human blood-just to save her life, and... that thing's.

Rosalie had been more than happy when she heard my theory. Sure that this would work, that that was probably what the fetus was craving, that was why Bella's body rejected any type of human nutrition, because that wasn't what the fetus wanted.

It was obvious, so I couldn't believe that none of us would have considered it before.

And again, I found myself in debt to Jacob if this worked, because Bella would get better, even for a short time, while that monster completed its cycle inside her body.

Rosalie and Carlisle had gone upstairs, in two seconds were already in the room where they had saved the blood that Bella would drink now. I shuddered inwardly at the thought of Bella trying to even smell it, I still remembered well the day that Bella fainted in biology class only by the smell of blood.

In my memory, I reviewed the conversation with Bella.

"You actually listened to me."I had told her, stunned to see that she had done what I asked her.

Her little nose wrinkling. "I smelled the blood." Bella had answered to me.

Her answer had left me blank. "People can't smell blood. "

"Well, I can-that's what makes me sick. It smells like rust ... and salt."

My face had frozen. And I remembered the same thing I had wondered for my interiors.

Was she really even human? She looked human. She felt soft as a human. She smelled human—well, better actually. She acted human... sort of. But she didn't think like a human, or respond like one.

Although, what other choice was there?

"What?" Bella had asked me.

But of course, back then, what I thought wasn't something I could tell her. Not in that moment.

"It's nothing."

What other choice was there? I asked myself again ... but that humanity that was in her was about to end, sooner than I ever would have wished.

I couldn't imagine this angel so pure, not even in my mind, drinking blood. Of any kind. Why could she not see the monsters we were?

I heard Carlisle and Rosalie discussing about what would be the best way to administer the blood to Bella. And again I shuddered inwardly.

"What do you think, Carlisle?"

I think it would be best if it's warm. That's how we like it...

"I'm not sure, Rose."

It's a baby vampire ... and we don't enjoy it when it cools. I wonder if ...

"Carlisle. I think we should warm it."

Carlisle sighed, giving up. He knew again, that Rose was right. "Okay." he said, nodding.

They took a few bags, and I heard Carlisle wonder how much would be necessary.

Again, I shuddered inwardly.

I heard the same thing happening between Rosalie and Carlisle upstairs from Jacob. Ugh.

He was a little horrified, or disgusted by what he was listening. Wondering what else we had inside the house that were part of a house of horror.

Fridge full of blood, check. What else? Torture chamber? Coffin room?

I Almost rolled my eyes when I heard what Jacob was wondering to himself. Was it the best he could do, he thought that was how vampires actually were? We didn't even sleep!

My eyes never stopped seeing Bella, my hands were holding her hand. I felt that that little piece of hope that had almost born, had gone away. I couldn't keep it in me, not when I had to hear everything what the others thought, especially Jacob.

After all, it Bella regained strength and energy... it was sure that the thing would too.

What would happen to Bella when that thing had the strength to break her a bone?

Suddenly, this no longer seemed such a good idea to me. But if it helped Bella, if she got more healthy, if her eyes regained some of its light...

Not that it was necessary, because in those moments, Bella looked into my eyes as I did into hers. Even when I couldn't see that beautiful glow, like they were a pool of melted chocolate, they were still the color that I had come to love. How was I going to miss it when it was gone!

For that reason, knowing that we didn't have much time, I took every second to enjoy the view to all the way into her soul.

Still so pure, so beautiful as the day I met her, that it was hard for me to take away my look, that it was difficult for me not being able to have that image inside my head.

No, it wasn't gooey, but that only made it harder to watch.

I heard Jacob thinking, while he looked at the way Bella and I were staring at each other. It was as if we were having a conversation. Sometimes it felt that way, as if we didn't have to say something to know what the other thought.

My eyes didn't move even when I heard how difficult it was for him.

I couldn't take my eyes off hers. Thinking over and over again, wondering, how many hours did Bella have left, how long we had left to be together... how long had I stolen from her, how long had I taken away from by putting my eyes on her, by having fallen in love with her. I had been selfish, all the pain and wounds that I had inflicted on her by selfishness.

Why couldn't I stay away from her, while I still could?

Thinking about all of that was no good to me, so I drew my mind into the thoughts of my family, including Jacob.

Carlisle and Rosalie weren't coming downstairs yet; the others were upstairs, doing other things.

And Jacob, well, Jacob was still thinking about the conversation that Bella and I were keeping. He was comparing the way we looked with Sam and Emily, and for the first time, he understood the pain and the reason that Leah had to be so mean to the members of the pack.

I would never blame her again. How could anyone help spreading this kind of misery around? How could anyone not try to ease some of the burden by shoving a little piece of it off on someone else?

I couldn't blame Jacob to think that way, either, he was right.

I could see the pain he felt when he saw us that way, seeing how Bella and he would never be that way, after all, he still loved her. That's why he was here.

Carlisle and Rosalie finally finished upstairs, and I heard Rosalie going downstairs and go into the kitchen. The smell of blood filling the room. It wasn't something she struggled with, she had a record as clean as Carlisle's.

Glass, glass. Rosalie thought, as he opened one of the cupboards in the kitchen. From her mind I saw she was looking for a glass to cover what she needed.

Damn! Was she taking a clear glass? Did she really not think of nothing else than that monster?

I didn't know why I was surprised...

"Not clear, Rosalie." I said in a whisper, too low for Bella to hear. I rolled my eyes. Wasn't it obvious?

It would be more difficult for Bella to see what she was drinking.

Sure. True, sorry.

Bella, of course, noticed my expression. Her eyes full of questions, confused. I didn't answer, she didn't have to know what I meant, I didn't want her to think about what she would do, so I just shook my head.

Rosalie returned to the room to change the glass.

The distraction caused Bella to take her eyes from my face. She turned to Jacob.

"This was your idea?"

Bella asked, struggling to make her voice sound louder. As if she had forgotten that Jacob could hear as clearly as we did every sigh, every whisper. And it pleased Jacob that at times she seemed to forget that he wasn't fully human.

Of course she forgot, he seemed entirely human. Not like us...

Jacob moved closer to Bella, so she didn't have to struggle unnecessarily.

"Don't blame me for this one. Your vampire was just picking snide comments out of my head."

Sarcastic?

Well, at least they worked for something this time.

Bella smiled a bit before responding. "I didn't expect to see you again."

"Yeah, me, either."

I didn't understand very well the change in his thoughts, as if he didn't want to think about that, perhaps. But suddenly, he was thinking in how uncomfortable he felt just being stood there, how we had taken all the furniture out of the house to be able to give some space to the medical equipment that was now attending the status of Bella's health.

We were vampires, stone, that was exactly what we were as Jacob thought, and it didn't bother us to be sitting or standing, so it made no difference to us to have furniture or not. In fact, we only had them to keep on the human charade.

Wouldn't bother me much, either, except that I was so exhausted.

I was about to offer him a chair or something, when Bella opened her mouth to speak, so I didn't.

"Edward told me what you had to do. I'm sorry." Bella told Jacob. I knew that conversation would come.

"S'okay. It was probably only a matter of time till I snapped over something Sam wanted me to do,"

It was, of course, a lie. I could hear it in that moment, and I knew beforehand that he'd done it just because it was about Bella.

"And Seth."

"He's actually happy to help." That wasn't a lie, and I didn't have to read it to know that it wasn't. Seth considered us all as friends, well, perhaps everyone but Rosalie.

"I hate causing you trouble." Bella whispered.

Jacob laughed, it sounded more like a bark than a laugh. I could imagine what Bella would say.

She sighed quietly. "I guess that's nothing new, is it?"

"No, not really."

Bella was trying hard in talking, she wasn't the only one who looked exhausted. "You don't have to stay and watch this." She told Jacob.

I could leave. It was probably a good idea. But if I did, with the way she looked right now, I could be missing the last fifteen minutes of her life.

It took me a lot of effort to listen to what Jacob thought. It couldn't, in any way, to be her last fifteen minutes of her life. Bella could not die, she couldn't…

"I don't really have anywhere else to go." Jacob told her, it was notorious the way in which he tried to make his voice emotionless, but what he was going to tell her, it was for sure the worst thing he could say to keep Bella calm with this conversation. "The wolf thing is a lot less appealing since Leah joined up."

"Leah?" Bella gasped, surprised and scared for what Jacob had just said.

I knew she wouldn't like the idea of having Leah close by very much. For that reason I hadn't told her anything about it.

"You didn't tell her?" Jacob asked me.

Hadn't he just seen Bella's reaction? That's why I hadn't told her.

Without turning to see him, my eyes always on Bella's face, I shrugged.

I could see it wasn't very exciting news to him, not something worth sharing with the more important events that were going down.

"Why?" Bella asked.

In her eyes I could see, in her tone that she didn't like the news. Jacob noticed it too.

"To keep an eye on Seth." He answered her, without wanting to explain the real reason for Leah to have decided to join Jacob and Seth.

Next thing Bella said, I would've never imagined.

"But Leah hates us."

Us. Nice. I could see that she was afraid, though.

"Leah's not going to but anyone." But me. "She's in my pack," Jacob made a face when he said that, he didn't like the fact of being the Alpha of another pack. "so she follows my lead." Ugh.

What Jacob said didn't convince much Bella, and Jacob noticed that, too.

"You're scared of Leah, but you're best buds with the psychopath blonde?"

Agh. You moron dog! Rosalie thought when she heard what Jacob had said. A hiss was listened from the kitchen where Rosalie still was.

Cool, she'd heard me.

Bella frowned. "Don't. Rose… understands."

Right. She understands that…

"Yeah." Jacob answered her with a growl. "She understands you're gonna die and she doesn't care, s'long as she gets her mutant spawn out of the deal."

This time, Rosalie didn't say anything, I didn't even hear some negative, because that was the truth.

Why Bella didn't see it, too?

"Stop being a jerk, Jacob."

Jacob smiled instead of get mad at her. She looked too weak to be. "You say that like it's possible."

I could see how Bella tried not to smile, her lips struggling to not twist into a smile, but at the end her struggles were in vain. Her lips made a little smile.

I listened to Carlisle and Rosalie walking towards the room, a second they were in the kitchen and the other they were already at our side. I could see from Jacob's mind, nor Carlisle nor Rosalie had her eyes in it, but Jacob saw it, it was the white cup Rosalie'd chosen after I had told her not to use the clear one, this one had a straw.

Jacob understood what I meant when I'd asked her to switch the clear glass that she'd taken before.

Son, are you sure about this?

This is going to work! I can feel it.

Carlisle neared Bella, the hand where he had the glass half-stretched toward Bella. The smell of blood was weak, it didn't cause the monster inside of me to react, it didn't make my mouth to swim with venom.

There was no more potent blood than Bella's, and it'd been a long time since the temptation that was supposed to be to me had stopped. This was too easy to ignore.

Bella looked at the cup, and there was fear in her eyes. Maybe…

Perhaps she doesn't want to do it anymore. Carlisle was thinking.

Rosalie, on the other side. She'll have to do it, for the baby.

"We could try another method." Carlisle offered her.

What? Of course not.

"No." Bella whispered. "No, I'll try this first. We don't have time…"

Her hand went to her belly, thinking in that thing first, not in her.

Everything just to save that monster. But, why was it weird to me? Bella had that maternal side, she'd taken care of her mother as if she'd been her daughter. She wasn't going to allow anything to happen to her… baby.

Bella moved herself forward to reach the cup Carlisle still had in his hand, she took it in her hand and it shook a little. Thinking about what she was going to do, what was inside the cup. She tried to raise herself a bit, trying to hold herself in an elbow so she could drink the liquid. When Rosalie noticed, obviously, that she couldn't do it on her own, Rosalie moved.

Bella was so weak, that she could barely talk, she didn't have a chance of moving much without someone else's help.

Rosalie put her arm under Bella's shoulders.

Don't worry, Bella. I help you. This will work.

She held her head, too.

Blondie was all about babies.

"Thanks." Bella told her. Her eyes looking at each one of the faces that were by her side. In her eyes I could see that she was a little embarrassed of having the attention on her.

I could imagine how her face would've brightened with that color red that colored her face every time she felt embarrassed about anything.

Rosalie also understood Bella's expression.

"Don't mind them."

Couldn't someone take that dog out at least?

I hadn't been able to say anything, I was so terrified as Bella for doing that. But I convinced myself that it was the best, when I thought this was going to make her feel better. That's what I tried to convince myself, but it was very hard.

The emotions running through everyone of us were so different.

Carlisle, well, Carlisle was excited and at the same time disgusted with what Bella was forced to do. Excited because if this worked, well, at least Bella would get better a bit.

Rosalie. What could I say about Rosalie? She was thrilled, almost exploding with anxiety for Bella to sip a little bit to the cup and see if this resulted how we expected to. She was the most certain of all of us, that it was going to work, that the fetus was going to be better. It was the only thing that mattered to her.

And Jacob, he was uncomfortable. Thinking that he should've left when he had the chance. Wanting to escape in this moment, but he didn't try. He knew that if he did that, it would only make harder what Bella was about to do.

I, was too disgusted for what was happening to feel any emotion at all, some expectation, feeling hope that Bella was going to recover. I felt again in that black hole, being trapped in it, I couldn't feel anything else but hatred towards me. I just had to see where I had got Bella into! What she had to do to keep living.

Bella raised the cup to her nose, and smelled a little from what came out of the straw. I believed for a moment, that her face was going to lose more color, or that she was going to get dizzy. But it didn't happen. Not like I thought, Bella shivered a little, and made a face.

It was unpleasant, of course it was. Well we weren't going to force her to do something that monstrous, repulsive.

"Bella, sweetheart, we can find an easier way." My hands were stretched toward the cup to take it.

Don't you dare, Edward! This is the easiest way.

"Plug your nose." Rosalie told her. Her look full of ire to what she saw I was trying to do, her eyes in my hands… wishing that she could take them off me. But she knew that that'd be the last thing I'd stand from her. So she held back. Jacob wished Rosalie made a move like that, knowing I wouldn't stand for her to do something like that, and I'd rip some part of her off.

"No, that's not it. It's just that it—" Bella interrupted our thoughts. She took a big gush of air and answered. "-it smells good."

Oh God! Would that really be what the fetus wants?

I knew it!

Jacob was the only one in reacting close to me. He swallowed loudly, trying not to show the disgust he felt in his face.

"That's a good thing. That means we're on the right track. Give it a try."

If a moment ago she was exploding with happiness when I'd said that what the fetus maybe wanted was blood, wasn't nothing compared with the expression that was on her face in this moment.

But again, it was all about the fetus. For the fetus weren't going to die before being able to hold it in her arms like Jacob thought.

I didn't want, I tried to not think about what Bella was about to do. But it was very difficult. It was irritating to read the emotion and bliss Rosalie was feeling in that moment. That made me feel worse, it was pure hell where I was. Bella drinking human blood in front of my eyes, it was one of the worst images that in my life at her side I'd had. An image I would've rather a thousand times not see, to have gone before it happened.

It was as if destiny didn't get tires of making us suffer, as if having cut Bella's wings and let her fall into a monster's arms hadn't been enough now she had to put Bella through such a horrible situation.

I knew that I deserved such a punishment.

But her? What had she done to deserve something like this?

Ah, right. Give her back to her humanity and staying beside the monster I was.

Bella introduced the straw into her mouth, and I shuddered internally, she closed her eyes and squeezed them shut, her nose wrinkled. I could hear the sound of the blood being sucked through the straw from two different thoughts, Jacob was only listening the sound of the blood moving because the cup trembled in Bella's hand.

It must be a better way of doing this. Carlisle was thinking.

Bella swallowed for a second before reacting. From her lips came out a moan, her eyes kept shut.

And it was too much for me…

"Bella, love-"

"I'm okay." Bella interrupted me. Her eyes opened and settled on mine. There were different emotions running through her eyes. Full of apology, as if what she'd done or felt, I wasn't sure, had been something wrong. It wasn't far from a lie, it wasn't right for a human to drink human blood. Then beseeching… for comprehension? And last, scared. "It tastes good, too."

Ah, now I understood every one of her expressions. The reason for them.

It tastes good? I guess, that's what the fetus really wants.

I listened to Jacob gritting his teeth together, trying strongly to not throw up.

"That's good. It's a good thing." Rosalie said, completely delighted that it worked better than she expected.

I didn't know what to say, so I only squeezed my hand on her cheek. I could feel all the shape of her bone. My fingers curving over her form. Trying to tell her with my look that everything was fine, that she didn't have to worry, even when inside of me, misery didn't leave me.

Bella sighed, understanding what I was telling her. I saw it in her eyes. She took the straw to her mouth once again, and I shuddered internally. This time she took a bigger sip.

The action wasn't as weak as everything else about her. Like some instinct was taking over.

Jacob was right.

Of course it was that way, that thing was the one thirsty for human blood, not Bella.

"How's your stomach? Do you feel nauseated?" Carlisle asked, when seeing how she'd reacted the second time to the blood.

Bella shook her head before answering him. "No, I don't feel sick. There's a first, eh?"

Rosalie smiled hugely. "Excellent."

You did something good after all, Edward.

"I think it's a bit early for that, Rose." Carlisle told her. He wasn't sure of how would they both react to the blood yet.

It seems like it's reacting well. But we have to wait.

Bella took another sip of blood, and doubt crossed her eyes. Her eyes locked with mine, and she asked me. "Does this screw my total? Or do we start counting after I'm a vampire?"

Ah, my Bella.

"No one is counting, Bella. In any case, no one died for this." I couldn't help smiling, or twisting my lips in what seemed a smile. I must've imagined Bella would think about that. "Your record is still clean."

They'd lost me. Jacob thought, confused by the interchange of words between Bella and me.

Of course he didn't understand.

"I'll explain later." I whispered to him, Bella didn't listen anything, just a whisper because she turned to see me questioning me.

"What?"

"Just talking to myself." I told her.

If he succeeded with this, if Bella lived, Edward wasn't going to be able to get away with so much when her senses were as sharp as his. He'd have to work on the honesty thing.

Yes, that was completely true.

I struggled to not smile at what I was hearing Jacob thought, but it was hard.

If Bella was so observant and it was odd something escaped her attention while being human. It wasn't going to be any easy to hide something from her. That was it; I'd have to work on the honesty thing.

I didn't really care, being honest with Bella is what I've always wanted since I met her. It wouldn't cost me much work.

Bella kept drinking more sips of blood, without looking at any of us; her eyes looked toward the window. Absently, as if she were pretending we weren't there. That we weren't looking what she was doing.

Jacob thought that she might be just pretending it was him who wasn't there. Because it wasn't something disgusting what she was doing for us. He was wrong; the only one who wasn't was Rosalie. Carlisle and I weren't happy at all with seeing Bella to have the need to drink blood.

Just the opposite-they were probably having a tough time not ripping the cup away from her.

I rolled my eyes at his comment. Didn't he remember Carlisle was a doctor?

Jeez, how did anyone stand living with him? It was really too bad he couldn't hear Bella's thoughts. Then he'd annoy the crap out of her, too, and she'd get tired of him.

Without being able to help it, without thinking in what I was doing, a snicker escaped from between my teeth. Bella's eyes returned to my face in an instant, I saw her mouth twitching in a little smile at seeing the little humor in my face. It's been too long since she didn't see or hear a laugh from me.

"Something funny?" Bella asked.

I wasn't going to explain everything I'd heard Jacob thinking to make me laugh; neither Carlisle nor Rosalie heard the same thing, so I just said his name. "Jacob."

Bella raised her look toward Jacob, and she smiled to him a bit. "Jake's a crack-up."

Great, now I was the court jester. "Bada bing."

Bella smiled again.

Then she took another sip from the cup, but there was nothing else. She hasn't even realized that the sound coming out of the cup was emptiness, there was no more liquid. The only thing hearable was the air being suctioned.

Jacob shivered when he heard that sound.

"I did it." Bella said, pleased with herself for having succeeded at drinking human blood. Sure, she was happy for having fed her monster finally.

The change in her voice was noticeable, it wasn't just a soft murmur anymore, still rough, but more understandable, it didn't seem like she was fighting to be able to talk.

Carlisle noticed the change the difference.

Would it be possible that that's what the fetus's wanted? The change is unbelievable, but still…

"If I keep this down, Carlisle, will you take the needles out of me?"

I must, again, have imagined that that would be what Bella would want the most in that moment. I almost smiled, almost.

"As soon as possible. Honestly, they aren't doing that much good where they are." Carlisle told her.

Rosalie gave Bella's forehead a little pat, and they both stared at each other, full hope in their looks.

We're finally progressing, the baby's surely content.

See, Edward? Bella's better…

I could see it, from three different points of view. Everyone noticed it.

The color in her cheeks and her skin were returning, they didn't look so lifeless, a light rose color was seen in her face, the glow in her hair and her skin were more notable. She even looked stronger, as if she didn't need Rosalie anymore to help her support herself. Her breathing, it seemed that her lungs weren't working so hard.

And her heart, the heartbeats I was listening were closer to what they once were. Those heartbeats that were music to my ears, what I so much loved from her. They were beating stronger.

This might worked, Bella might make it alive, well, she might walk away from this like she said herself. If she walked away from this as a vampire, it wouldn't be much of a life she'd have, just an existence.

But I wasn't going to worry about that, not now.

Just seeing the change that the blood had produced in her body, relived that little hope that I so much wanted to feel. It was as if now, I couldn't help it to grow inside of me. Not when I was seeing Bella getting better, that for the first time her condition was getting better instead of getting worse.

It was only a little ray of hope, but enough to give some light to the darkness I was living on these days.

It might be good… Rosalie thought, but didn't let me see more. I didn't like it much.

What was she thinking?

"Would you like more?" Rosalie asked Bella, and I realized what she'd been hiding from me.

Bella let herself fall back to the stretcher, her shoulders shrugged. But there was something in her expression I didn't understand at the moment.

More? Was she insane?

The baby has to feed. Rosalie told me in her mind when I glared at her for telling that to Bella. She didn't have to.

"You don't have to drink more right away."

"Yeah, I know. But… I want to." Bella said, a sad tone in her words. And I understood the expression of a moment ago.

Rosalie ran her fingers through Bella's hair.

Even its texture has changed, a bit. "You don't need to be embarrassed about that, Bella. Your body has cravings. We all understand that." Her tone had been soft, almost affectionate when her words had been directed to Bella, but they changed when she thought of Jacob. "Anyone who doesn't understand shouldn't be here."

Jacob understood that her words were-mostly-for him. Not completely, Rosalie perfectly knew that I wasn't very happy with Bella drinking blood, but of course, she knew that for any reason I would get away from Bella's side.

Not if this made her feel better.

Okay, I'll bring more, son. As long as Bella's willing…

Carlisle took the cup from Bella's hand to go back to the kitchen. "I'll be right back."

Bella's eyes were on Jacob then. "Jake, you look awful."

"Look who's talking."

"Seriously-when's the last time you slept?"

Jacob thought about his answer for a moment before answering. "Huh. I'm not actually sure."

I could listen to Carlisle warming the blood a little bit more to give Bella. He wasn't in much of a rush, he didn't like yet thinking that that blood was going to be drunk by Bella, still human.

"Aw, Jake. Now I'm messing with your health, too. Don't be stupid." Bella said.

Jacob gritted his teeth.

She was allowed to kill herself for a monster, but I wasn't allowed to miss a few nights' sleep to watch her do it?

Jacob was upset about what Bella'd said, and being honest, he had all the reason to be upset.

"Get some rest, please. There're a few beds upstairs-you're welcome to any of them."

Ugh. Of course you're not welcome!

Rosalie was thinking while she looked at Jacob. With just seeing her look was enough to knoew that he wasn't welcome, not from her part at least.

Rosalie's look made Jacob wondered what she needed a bed for, or if it was because she was very protective of her props.

Well, we didn't need sleeping but…

I vanished that thought immediately, remembering what I'd thought I could do with Bella without consequences, and now we had to see where she was.

"Thanks, Bells, but I'd rather sleep on the ground. Away from the stench, you know."

Bella made a face, she didn't like much the comment. "Right."

Carlisle came back in that moment, the cup with more blood in his hand. Bella turned around to see him and stretched her hand toward the cup, it seemed she didn't think about what she was doing, as if it were a glass of water what it was given to her. The same way, she started drinking it.

Hope was growing inside of me. It had turned out better that something I'd believed it was monstrous, repulsive, of course it still was. But while Bella got better, I couldn't ignore the fact that it would be a good thing she kept drinking it.

Bella looked stronger, she moved forward to sit on the stretcher, I could see it wasn't much of a work for her and she could do it without help. Something that wouldn't have been possible a few minutes ago. Still, Rosalie was looking after her by her side, taking care she wouldn't fall in her try to move, but she didn't need anyone.

In just minutes, the time it took her to sit down, Bella had already drunk the blood that was inside the cup completely.

"How do you feel now?" Carlisle asked her.

"Not sick. Sort of hungry… only I'm not sure if I'm hungry or thirsty, you know."

In another moment, or rather in another situation, her words would've made me smile, but not now.

Sure…

"Carlisle, just look at her. This is obviously what her body wants. She should drink more."

Please!

Though I knew that her goal was to that thing to be born and were healthy and who knows what so many other stupid things more, it didn't stop surprising me that the only thing she cared about was that monster.

"She's still human, Rosalie. She needs food, too. Let's give her a little while to see how this affects her, and then maybe we can try some food again. Does anything sound particularly good to you, Bella?"

I remembered our days in the island, and almost the only thing Bella had been eating without trouble…

"Eggs." Bella answered without thinking. Her eyes crossed with mine, a smile in her lips and I couldn't help but smiling in response to her smile this time.

She really looked better!

As long as she got better, I felt better. Everything I wanted is that Bella wouldn't suffer.

Jacob blinked, and I saw how-according to him-he almost forgot how to open his eyes again.

He was tired and needed to sleep.

"Jacob. You really should sleep. As Bella said, you're certainly welcome to the accommodations here, though you'd probably be more comfortable outside. Don't worry about anything-I promise I'll find you if there's a need."

"Sure, sure."

Jacob murmured, thinking that as apparently Bella seemed to have still a few more hours, he could escape to sleep under some tree far away from the stench.

The bloodsucker would wake me up if something went wrong. He owed me.

"I do." I answered him. Of course I would, he didn't have to doubt it.

Jacob nodded, and then he put one of his hands over Bella's hand. Feeling how freezing it was.

"Feel better."

"Thanks, Jacob." Bella turned her hand so she could take Jacob's, and squeezed it. Jacob felt the band of her wedding ring over his hand, spinning loose on her finger now that it was too thin.

"Get her a blanket or something." Jacob murmured while he turned toward the door.

Before he would have gone out the door, two howls broke into the quietness; there was an urgency in them. It wasn't a mistake this time.

"Dammit." Jacob growled and launched himself toward the door to get out faster, as soon as he were in the porch he gave another jump and changed his form to wolf. It was heard the sound that made his clothes when ripping apart.

Crap. Those were the only clothes I had. Didn't matter now.

Jacob landed in the ground and sprinted off towards west.

What is it? I heard Jacob asking.

Incoming. Seth was the one who answered. At least three.

Did they split up?

"What is going on, Edward?" Carlisle asked.

Esme and Alice, Emmett and Jasper had come downstairs as soon as they heard the howling.

Yes, brother. Are those the wolves?

"It would seem so, three. That's what they think."

"Three?" Carlisle asked again.

"Ah, yes. Three wolves. From the other pack." I'd forgotten that Carlisle had asked me what was going on.

"Edward…" Bella talked to me, her tone worried.

"Don't worry, Bella. We don't know what they want."

"Can you hear them?"

"Just to Jacob, Seth and Leah."

Bella nodded. Her posture was tense.

Seth, do not challenge them. Wait for me.

They're slowing. Ugh-it's so off not being able to hear them. I think…

What?

"It seems they're stopping." I told them all.

I think they've stopped.

Waiting for the rest of the pack?

I decided not to tell them that, I didn't want them to worry if at least it was strictly necessary.

Shh. Feel that?

Someone's phasing?

Feels like it.

"It seems someone is changing to his human form."

"Who?" Emmett asked.

"The other wolves."

Don't you know who they are?

"No, Emmett. Jacob or the other ones don't know yet."

Emmett nodded.

They're coming. I heard Seth thinking. Slow. Walking.

Seth and Leah were already together, waiting for the visitors. Jacob wasn't still where they were and he felt bad about it, as if his obligation were to be between them and what was coming.

Look who's getting all paternal. Leah told him ironically.

Head in the game, Leah.

Four. Seth said, listening better now. Three wolves, one man.

"They're four, three of them are keeping their wolf form."

So now I rank under Seth. Leah growled to herself.

First come, first served. 'Sides, you were never an Alpha's Third before. Still and upgrade. Seth reminded her, a little smug.

Under my baby brother is not an upgrade.

Shh! I don't care where you stand. Shut up and get ready. Jacob complained.

"Jacob's with Seth and Leah now."

Everything fine, son? Carlisle asked me.

"Wait." I told them, in that moment I saw how they entered their view the other wolves.

For what I read in their minds, it was Jared who was coming in his human form, and the others were Paul, Quil and Collin. Jared came in first, at the front of the wolves, his hands up. The other three wolves behind him.

It seemed that their postures weren't aggressive. And for the little bit I could read, they hadn't come to fight, but I wasn't sure.

"I think… they're just coming to talk. But I'm not sure."

What does Jacob say? Emmett and Carlisle asked me.

"He thinks the same I do."

Though it seemed odd to Jacob that Sam had sent the wolf named Collin, apparently he was one of the youngest members. He thought that if he'd wanted to attack, he would've sent Embry, the most experienced ones.

A diversion? Leah asked.

Were Sam, Embry and Brady making a move alone? That didn't seem likely.

Want me to check? I can run the line and be back in two minutes. Seth asked Jacob.

What if the point was to divide us? The Cullens know something's up. They're ready.

"They think that it might be a diversion. Emmett, Jasper, could you check if you listen to someone else getting close?"

Both of them nodded. They came out to the porch and listened intently to any sound of claws running toward the house. But there was nothing.

Sam wouldn't be so stupid… I heard Leah, and an image of the three wolves, Sam at the front, came to her mind, she imagined the three missing wolves attacking the house. It wasn't a very nice image, she saw how we finished with them easily. I could distinguish the fear that ran through Leah, imagining Sam dead by our hands.

No, he wouldn't. Jacob assured her.

There's nothing, Edward. Jasper thought.

He indicated Emmett with his head to come back inside the house.

"What's going on now, Edward?" Carlisle was the one who was making the questions.

"I don't know. Jacob hasn't decided yet to change to his human form. He's not sure."

Bella raised her hand to take mine in hers. I turned my look to her face, and there was still fear in it. I smiled a little bit, assuring her with my look to not worry.

I saw the kid named Jared cleared his throat, then inclining his head towards Jacob. "White flag of truce, Jake. We're here to talk."

"I think they're just here to talk. That's what they said, at least."

Still we need to be ready. Jasper was thinking.

Think it's true? Seth asked.

Makes sense, but…

Yeah. But. Leah agreed with Jacob.

When none of the three ones reacted to what Jared said, he spoke again. "It would be easier to talk if I could hear you, too."

Jacob didn't want to phase until he was absolutely sure that that was what they wanted. Just talk. He still didn't understand why they had sent the wolf named Collin, it didn't make sense to him, and he didn't trust.

"Okay, I guess I'll just talk then. Jake, we want you to come back." Jared told him.

"It seems that they want Jacob to be back to the pack."

The wolf name Quil let out a whine. Seemingly agreeing with the words of the kid.

"You've torn our family apart. It's not meant to be this way."

I listened how Jacob wasn't in agreement with the words of the kid, but he was thinking too that there were others issues in that moment between him and Sam, differences of opinion.

"We know that you feel… strongly about the situation with the Cullens. We know that's a problem. But this is an overreaction."

Seth growled. Overreaction? And attacking our allies without warning isn't?

Seth, you ever heard of a poker face? Cool it.

Sorry.

Jared's eyes moved from Seth to Jacob again. "Sam is willing to take this slowly, Jacob. He's calmed down, talked to the other Elders. They've decided that immediate action is in no one's best interest at this point."

"They've decided not to attack. The Elders believe it's not the best."

So, did they really come to just talk?

"I think so, Carlisle."

Translation: They've already lost the element of surprise. Leah thought.

"Leah thinks that they only decided not to attack because they lost the element of surprise. Which is very likely."

Of course it is, bro. That's it.

"Billy and Sue agree with you, Jacob, that we can wait for Bella… to be separated from the problem. Killing her is not something any of us feel comfortable with."

I couldn't tell them that to none of them, Bella was listening. That would only make her feel worse.

Jacob growled, so they didn't quite feel comfortable with murder, huh?

The kid raised his hand when he heard Jacob. "Easy, Jake. You know what I mean. The point is, we're going to wait and reassess the situation. Decide later if there's a problem with the… thing."

Ha. What a load. Leah was thinking.

"They won't attack anyone unless… the fetus gave them real problems.

Bella sighed, apparently from relief. She surely was thinking that there would be no fight in the horizon then.

You don't buy it?

I know what they're thinking, Jake. What Sam's thinking. They're betting on Bella dying anyway. And then they figure you'll be so mad…

That I'll lead the attack myself. Jacob assumed.

He imagined what would happen if Bella actually died, how easy it would be to forget everything but we were his natural enemies, just a few bloodsuckers. He would forget how he felt about our family now.

I'll remind you. Seth told Jacob. The kid really did love our family, that it impressed me.

I know you will, kid. Question is whether I'll listen to you.

He knew that would easily happen, and it wouldn't matter at all. If Bella died, he would want that to be my destiny, too.

"Leah thinks that if Bella… dies, Jacob would lead the attack himself. That's why they won't attack until all of this ends."

Bella shivered, and squeezed even more my hand. It was impressive the strength she had now.

"Jake?" Jared asked.

Leah, make a circuit-just to make sure. I'm going to have to talk to him, and I want to be positive there isn't anything else going on while I'm phased.

Give me a break, Jacob. You can phase in front of me. Despite my best efforts, I've seen you naked before-doesn't do much for me, so no worries.

I'm not trying to protect the innocence of your eyes, I'm trying to protect our backs. Get out of here.

Leah snorted once, and disappeared from Jacob's eyes. He still could hear her.

"Jacob's going to phase so he can talk to them."

"Is it safe, Edward?" Carlisle asked, a little worried.

I felt Bella's hand squeezed mine again.

"He sent Leah to check the circuit, just in case."

Carlisle nodded again.

Do you think everything's going along, son?

"I think it is."

The others wolves looked at the exact place where Leah had disappeared. Their expressions careful.

"Where's she going?" Jared asked, maybe wondering if she were coming to warn us. As if that were possible from her!

Jacob ignored him. It wasn't as if he could answer him anyway. Not in his wolf form. He closed his eyes, cutting his vision, though he could still see everything from Seth. In just seconds, he started trembling, starting the phasing. He stood in his hind legs just in the moment when he changed to human.

"He's phased to human. Jacob."

"Will he be alright, Edward?" Bella asked me, a bit anxious.

I nodded, and turned to see her. "He will, love. Don't worry."

"Oh. Hey, Jake."

"Hey, Jared."

"Thanks for talking to me."

"Yeah."

"We want you to come back, man."

"They're asking him again to come back to Sam's pack."

The wolf named Quil whined again.

"I don't if it's that easy, Jared."

"Come home." Jared begged him while leaning towards him. "We can sort this out. You don't belong here. Let Seth and Leah come home, too."

Jacob laughed. "Right. Like I haven't been begging them to do that from hour one."

Seth snorted when he heard him. It was true, something like that I'd heard suddenly. Jared didn't miss Seth's reaction. His eyes were still cautious.

"So, what now, then?" Jared asked.

Jacob thought about the answer for a minute before speaking.

"They'll be back to La Push?" Rosalie asked, a little excited with that happening. Just a bit, because she knew that having them on our side was more protection to us.

"No." I shook my head.

Agh.

"I don't know. But I'm not sure things could just go back to normal anyway, Jared. I don't know how it works-it doesn't feel like I can just turn this Alpha off and on as the mood strikes. It feels sort of permanent."

"You still belong with us."

Jacob raised his eyebrows. "Two Alphas can't belong in the same place, Jared. Remember how close it got last night? The instinct is too competitive."

"So are you all just going to hand out with the parasites fort the rest of your lives? You don't have a home here. You're already out of clothes. You gonna stay wolf all the time? You know Leah doesn't like eating that way?

I frowned when I heard what Jared was saying, he was right in that point at least.

What's going on now, Edward? Carlisle asked, a little worried about my expression.

"The kid named Jared is trying to convince them to come back to their homes, giving them as an excuse that they don't have a home here. Jacob's out of clothes and Leah doesn't like eating in her wolf form."

Ah! No problem there. Maybe… Esme started reviewing in her mind which rooms could each of the wolves sleep in, the food that was still in the kitchen and all the clothes Alice already had in bags to given them to charity.

"Leah can do whatever she wants when she gets hungry. She's here by her own choice. I'm not telling anyone what to do."

The wolf named Jared sighed before trying something else. "Sam is sorry about what he did to you."

Jacob nodded. "I'm not angry anymore."

"But?"

"But I'm not coming back, not now. We're going to wait and see how it plays out, too. And we're going to watch out for the Cullens for as long as that seems necessary. Because, despite what you think, this isn't just about Bella. We're protecting those who should be protected. And that applies to the Cullens, too."

At least a fair number of them, anyway.

"It's decided. They're not coming back to Sam's pack, neither of them. They'll keep protecting Bella and our family."

I turned to see Carlisle, his face was-still-worried, and then I saw why.

Is it a good idea, son?

"The three of them are here because that's what they want, Carlisle. And our home is their home."

Esme sobbed a little.

"Of course it is, Edward. Maybe we should offer them the clothes Alice has already packed for charity. There's food, we can get more…"

I nodded in Esme's direction. "Sure, Esme. Alice and you can go and pick the biggest clothes you have, maybe Emmett's. We also have to bring the furniture back. Bella's better-" her face lightened when she heard my words. "-so maybe we can move her back to the couch. I know Jacob will be more comfortable with some furniture."

Of course, Edward.

"Alice, could you come with me?"

Alice leaped up, excited, she was at Esme's side in a second, she took her hand and in two more seconds they were in Alice and Jasper's room, where they kept the clothes.

"Emmett, Jasper, if it's not much to bother, we need to get the furniture back to the room."

Of course not, little brother.

"We'll be right back." Jasper answered, more serious than Emmett, of course.

"Do you think Bella doesn't need to be in the stretcher anymore, Carlisle?"

Carlisle shook his head. "No, I don't think so. She'll be fine when she's back to the couch." He turned to see her, and smiled. "How you're feeling, Bella?"

"Better than before. Less sick." Her eyes turned to my face. "So, are you getting out of me these needles?" there was a grimace in her face when she said needles.

"Actually, Bella… we're just leaving the intravenous. Until we tried with human food. What do you think?"

Bella sighed. "That's a change. I'll take it."

Rosalie took Bella in her arms before I could do it. Carlisle took all the medical equipment out the room to give some space to the furniture again. When the couch was again in the same spot that yesterday, Rosalie settled Bella down on it.

It seemed that Bella was more comfortable on the couch, of course she was, it was almost normal. Her skin was still cold, so Rosalie took care of her again, covering her with some blankets to keep her warm.

When they were done arranging the room as it was before, Emmett and Jasper came back upstairs. Esme and Alice were still picking up clothes to give Jacob. The change took about five minutes, I still could hear Jacob, though they were about to be finished. There was no need to worry really, they'd just come to talk as they'd said before.

Rosalie turned the TV after a moment, of course she wasn't watching it, her eyes passed more time watching Bella, and Bella spent the time watching at my eyes.

After a moment of comfortable silence for the first time, I started to listen to a strange sound.

"Do you hear that?"

Rosalie and Bella turned to see me, their eyes were confused.

What?

"What you're talking about, Edward?"

It was like a buzz, as if come bug were somewhere flying, I turned to see by my sides and I didn't see anything, neither listened to the sound again.

"Nothing, it was like a buzz."

Maybe you're losing your gift, Edward. There's no buzz.

The two of them were back to what they were doing.

Bella kept looking into my eyes, and I into hers. It always made me feel like in heaven every time I looked in the depths of her chocolate brown eyes, they were so beautiful.

At the end of the day, something so monstrous and repulsive turned out in something good.

Bella was better, her voice and her image looked stronger, healthier.

Maybe we would get out of this nightmare faster than I thought, but Bella holding my hand, her skin glowing and beautiful, her smile the same one I so much loved.

Her eyes… red.

But at the end, it would be my Bella.

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