Sarah started stirring. I hadn't taken my eyes off her for the past few hours. My permanent smile began to fade when she started making a tiny unhappy cry. My heart started pounding. Oh no! What have I done?

My eyes unlocked from her and looked helplessly to the nurse busying herself with Bella. She caught my stare and smiled. "She probably needs a diaper change." The blood pooled at my feet. Gulp. The nurse must have caught the pure terror that now hung on my face and laughed innocently, "I can do it if you'd like."

Relief flooded through me. "Yes please Ma'am." She stepped to me and picked Sarah out of my arms and walked her through the door.

I looked to the clock. Nine in the morning. Bella has been out for over twelve hours now with no change. Without my tiny angel here to bury my feelings the pain resurfaced. Bells, you just have to make it through this. I exhaled and leaned in to her bedside. I stroked the side of her pale face. I imagined her opening her eyes and curling her head into my hand, but she didn't move. I continued rubbing my hand down her arm to her hand. Her hands were cold as ice. I pulled the blanket higher up and sat back against the back of the chair.

I heard a knock at the door. "Come in," I answered quietly.

"Jacob?" I spun around at the sound of an unexpected voice. It was Leah.

"Leah? What are you doing here?" I asked harshly.

She closed the door behind her and walked to Bella's side. "Sam sent me to see if she is ok."

I snorted and shifted in my seat, "you haven't phased in months. There is no way Sam could tell you what to do."

"Fine." She huffed. "Maybe I wanted to see how Bella was doing."

I smirked, "Why would you care?"

"I just wanted to see how she was. That doesn't me I care." She said a bit too quickly.

I straightened up and looked at her with a look of disbelief on my face, "do you care?"

She took a step backwards and shook her head back and forth quickly, "Psshhh! I don't know what you're talking about."

I stood then and took small steps after her; the same aura of disbelief surrounded me. "You care. You didn't want to see Bella hurt. That's why you pushed her out of the way! You even carried her here!"

"I just did that because I was worried you'd come after me if I didn't!" She said back angrily.

"I don't think so." I grinned devilishly at her while shaking my head.

"You're crazy!" She said as she backed into the TV stand.

I took another step cornering her, smiling. "Admit it! You were actually worried about Bella."

"NO!"

"Yes you were!" I put my smirking face direct into hers and stared her down.

"No!"

I tried to stand as tall as I could over her. "Admit it!"

She threw her palms up to her face, "OK! OK!" She let them down just as quickly and then stepped angrily into my face, "You happy! I didn't want her hurt! So I pushed her out of that stupid leech's arms. When I saw all the blood I panicked! She thinks that baby is all that is keeping you around, and if something happened to the baby because of what I did I couldn't live with that!"

I stepped back in shock a half smile upon my face. "I don't believe it."

She rolled her eyes and moved to sit in a chair at the opposite side of the bed. "What? Just because you guys have been in my head a few times you think I can't possibly give a crap about somebody else?"

"No I don't." I laughed as I slid back into the chair by Bella's head.

She just sat there and watched Bella's heart monitor. We both sat in silence for a few minutes.

She smirked to herself still staring. "Seth told me how she pulled that stupid move with the pie just to come talk to me."

I frowned. I really didn't like that memory.

"I was totally going to pound her, but then she just fell down in front of me. I could see how scared she was of losing you. Sam caught me off guard, but she has to worry that could happen every minute of her day. I could see some of my pain already in her. It made me stop in my tracks. I told her off, and then got her to scram." She quieted for a minute before she continued, "I started thinking she might be an ok person after that."

I stared at her in disbelief.

She caught my gaze and then continued. "What? It's not like I'm her friend or anything just because I got her to the hospital. She was covered in blood!"

Leah saying Bells was an "ok person" was probably the best I'd get. I just laughed. I'll take it. "You're right Leah. There is no way you two could be friends."

She seemed visually disturbed by that. I smiled internally.

A nurse then gave a half knock before opening the door pushing a metal cart with clear tall sides. I could see Sarah swaddled and I smiled when I saw someone had stuck a tiny pink bow to her hairless forehead. That's my girl.

"Mr. Black, excuse me. I didn't know you had company."

Leah stood up, "no that's ok. I was just leaving."

"No stay Leah." She stopped, and looked at me confused. "Don't you even want to see Sarah?"

She looked down at the wheeled baby cradle and lifted an eyebrow. "I guess I could stay for a minute or two." The nurse picked up my angel and handed her to Leah. Leah's face gave the strong air of Sam as she looked at Sarah. I saw a hint of a smile start and fade before she coldly said, "She's very beautiful." Leah's breathing became labored. She then spoke up, "I really must be going now." She handed me Sarah and took off for the doors. Did I just see her wipe her eyes?

I looked down into the deep open eyes of my daughter. I exhaled and let a smile snake across my face. She pursed her tiny lips. It was so sweet. I wish her mom could see this. I looked up to Bella. She was still so pale. The nurse was checking the stitches at her stomach. More battle wounds I thought to myself. The nurse finished checking her drip and the monitors then left.

I scooted the chair closer to Bella's side then looked down at our angel. I sighed then shifted Sarah's weight into one arm. I reached my hand for Bella's, and curled her arm around her stomach. I put Sarah into the indent, keeping my arms around Bella's limp ones. "I wish you could see her Bells. She's just so beautiful. She has your pink cheeks and brown eyes. She has my mom's rounded nose. She's just so beautiful."

I moved my gaze down to Sarah, and breathed a heavy breath. "You're mom's going to pull through this. She was always a fighter. I guess me and her have that in common. I'll let you in on a little secret. When you were still in your mom's belly I imprinted on someone. I fought it. Your mom fought it. But the moment I saw you I knew I wouldn't have to anymore. You don't have to worry about losing me. I'll be here forever."

I felt Bella's arm tighten under me. My eyes widened. "Bells? Bells! Can you hear me? Bells? Are you awake?"

I waited.

"Bells! Please!" I cried.

I waited some more.

"Bells?" I asked once more calmly.

Nothing.

My eyes started watering. "Bells you can't leave me like this. I need you." I closed my eyes and laid my head down on my arms still cupped around hers. "You can't give up."

"Please don't give up." I asked quietly. She was still gone.

I stood and picked Sarah up quickly when I heard someone opening the door. It was another nurse. "I'm sorry, but it's time for the baby to eat. Would you like me to bring a bottle?"

I nodded facing away from her, shielding my tears.

"I'll be back in a minute," I heard before the door closed.

I breathed in forcefully. I tried to calm my nerves before she returned. I wiped my eyes on the shoulders of my shirt then sat back into the chair.

The nurse came in a few minutes later and handed me a warm bottle. "Call if you need anything." She said on the way out.

"I will thank you." I replied.

I moved Sarah into position in my arms and started touching her bottom lip with the bottle tip. She opened her mouth around it and started drinking. I smiled at her. "You are one special kid you know that? Your mom would have given her life to save yours. She really has loved you all this time. We both have loved you."

A few minutes past and I let out a deep breath. "I just don't know what I'd do without her Sarah. I don't know if I could raise you alone. I need her. Raising you is going to be the most important thing in the world to me, but I need her help. I need your mom." Sarah finished her bottle and I put it away before continuing. "I love her. I love her so much."

"I love you too."

My head shot up to Bella. Her eyelids hung heavily but her beautiful brown eyes were open and looking into mine. "Bells!" I sat straight up trying not to jostle Sarah. "You're awake!"

"Hi." She spoke in a muted whisper.

I was so relieved. "Oh Bells. I'm so glad you're ok. I can't believe you're awake! How are you feeling?"

"I'm ok." She looked to the sweet bundle in my arms and smiled a weary smile. "Sarah?"

I smiled from ear to ear, happier than I've ever been in my life. I stood to show her our baby. "This is her. She's beautiful Bells. She's amazing."

She held her hands out weakly, "May I?"

I looked into her now glowing face, and handed her our baby. She buried Sarah into her arms and looked into her rich brown eyes. I saw the same thoughts of happiness and love and wishing to be everything flash through Bella's eyes that I had just a few hours ago. A single tear streaked down her face. She looked up and asked me, "Jake, is this what imprinting feels like?"

I shook my head no, and then gave her a half smile. "This is better."