Great Expectations
"Do you want some more water?" Jared asked as he gently smoothed his palm over Kim's forehead. She shook her head yes, and Jared slipped his arm around her shoulders to lift her head up and placed the cup to her parted lips. Kim sighed in pleasure as the cool liquid moved down her throat and they both smiled as Jared eased her back on the bed.
Everyone seemed to echo her sigh, Sue and Carlisle conferred with each other, as the other Quileutes talked in low voices in the other room. "I really think that the critical part is behind us. Once I was able to turn the baby, she was able to relax and the labor advanced accordingly. She's at eight centimeters , it shouldn't be long now. If Kim would be more comfortable we'll go now." Carlisle said as he pulled the bloodied latex gloves off of his hands. Sue gave the doctor a grateful smile, as she breathed a sigh of relief.
"Thank you for coming back." Sue hesitantly replied. " In all of my years midwifing, I have never experienced a more difficult breach."
"You did most of the hard work, before I got here," Carlisle complimented, as he turned back to the expectant couple, then glanced at Jasper monitoring the emotions in the quiet room, grateful that his son's ability came in so handy, calming the mother-to-be enough, to give him a chance to turn the baby. Carlisle had to admire his son also. He had come so far from the young man, who would turn murderous at the mere scent of blood. Yet here he was in the same room, fairly reeking of the blood odor from Kim's hemorrhaging. Jasper was not exactly comfortable, but definitely had his thirst under control.
"I'm not so sure about that." Sue retorted, as she shuddered, thinking back on the long evening that had passed.
It had been a grueling eight hours for the occupants of the Call's house. When Kim's water broke, it started her labor in full force. Jared's fearful panic at the sight of the bloody mess at Kim's feet, fed her own panic til she was practically hyperventilating. Which did little to lessen Jared's anxiety. Carlisle and Edward had left at the Quileute's obvious reluctance at having the leeches so close Kim in her vulnerable state. Besides, they were assured at Sue's experience as a mid wife.
However, several hours later, Kim's panic had increased with her ever escalating pain. It was nothing like her first labor. There was no rhyme or reason to contractions, if you could describe them as such. It was more like a continuous knife stabbing through her abdomen, that shocked every nerve in her body. And they had felt continuous, with no time in between for her to catch her breath, that was shallow and reedy. Realizing that the baby was breach, Sue did her best to turn the baby, but the child was refused to cooperate. After an hour of failure, and zapping what little strength she had left, Sue paused to let her recoup. Kim's rapid decline fed Sue's fear that the baby and mother were in jeopardy.
It was evident that Sue needed additional help. She had delivered most of the babies on the reservation in the last 15 years, but had not faced such complications before. Sue had suggested that it was time to move her to the hospital, but Kim became hysterical.
"Kim I think it would be for the best if you deliver in the hospital," Sue tried to reason.
"No! No hospital!" Kim's voice exploded from her raw throat, then she turned her tear stained face to Jared, her tone lowered to a trembling plea. " I can't go to a hospital, Jared. Please don't make me go!" Kim clutched her swollen stomach as another wrenching pain tore through her. Jared encircled her in a loose embrace, shaking in his inadequacy to take away her pain and anxiety. He turned to Sue, uncertainty in his glassy eyes. He swallowed his attempted words then tried again.
Jared tried to explain her phobia of hospitals, since her grandmother passed away. "Sue you know that Kim won't go to the hospital..." Before he could continue, Kim turned hysterical.
"No hospital! I won't go!" Jared turned to his wife, dropping to his knees to meet her eye to eye.
"Shush...," Jared soothed, as he gently pushed her hair back, revealing her tear stained face. "Please honey, don't cry, it's not good for the baby." Kim grabbed his hands, surprising him by her strength. She took a deep breath, deliberately trying to calm herself.
"You promised no hospitals." Her voice wobbled, choking on her emotion. Jared pleaded with her, "Kim, it's best for the baby. If you can't deliver naturally..." Kim interrupted again.
"I can. I know I can. Just give it more time. The baby will turn. Just like last time." Kim promised, her voice turning hysterical again. Jared paused, trying to think of a way to change her mind, but he could see that she had already made her's up. And he didn't want to upset her more than she already was. He rubbed his face in frustration.
It was hard enough to get her to her doctors appointments, there was no way he could get her into a hospital at this time. Kim raised her pain ridden face to meet Jared's and with a silent communication between them, it was decided that there would be no hospital. And so the screams continued.
Sue's concern had her reaching for the phone to call an ambulance several times. But both Jared and Kim were resolute in their refusal for having the baby in the hospital, with her phobia, she was afraid it would only bring on more panic, and there was no way she would be able to turn the baby, with Kim so rigid.
It was only when she had lost any strength to fight back, and that she had started to lose consciousness, that she called on Carlisle for help. An ambulance would not make it in time, but a vampire's speed possibly could.
"Sue, I think that it's time to push," Kim stated, her smile in competition with Jared's, who leaned over her, holding her hand. Quileute heads peaked through the doorway as the excited energy pulsed through the bedroom.
"I think that it is time for us to go now," Carlisle stated as he picked up his bag and motioned for Jasper to follow him.
"No don't go." Every head in the room turned to the mother-to-be in the bed. Kim looked up to Carlisle and repeated, "Don't go." Jared looked from Kim's pleading eyes, and without hesitancy he agreed with her.
"Yes, Dr. Cullen please stay. Just in case. Kim is so much calmer with you here." At the young Quileute's words, Carlisle looked back to Jasper, question in his eyes, but Jasper shook his head, answering, that he was not influencing them to make this decision. Carlisle smiled hesitantly, pleasantly surprised at her insistence, as he put his bag back on the side table.
"If you insist." Carlisle said, as Jasper moved back to his corner, trying to blend into the woodwork.
In the living room, the rest of Quileutes eased their pacing, now assured that things were progressing naturally.
"Man, I was getting worried there." Paul stated, needing a way to release his anxiety, as well as stating the obvious. The other shifters took a deep breath.
"I hate seeing Kim in so much pain." Emily said, wringing her hands, the lines of pain etched along her pale lips. Sam slipped his arms around her and pressed a soft kiss to the top of her head.
"It won't be long now," Sam echoed the others thoughts. "And she won't remember the pain when that baby is in her arms. Emily turned in his arms, facing him with a sardonic smile on her face.
"Why do men always say that, like they would know about the pain? Emily arched her dark eyebrows in challenge, soliciting a broad smile from her husband. Sam leaned down and playfully nipped her ear.
"Well, I do remember my fingers crushed in a death grip, during your contractions. Emily's eyebrows raised even higher as she she replied, "Oh, yeah, you do?" Sam picked her up off her feet in a tight embrace as he shook his head in the affirmative. "I also remember when your hand slipped and grabbed onto something lower during a particularly strong contraction."
Emily's lips widened with remembrance of the occasion. Poor Sam's voice reached a high c as Emily gripped his nether regions. He had serious doubts whether he would be able to father any other children after he had been able to pry her fingers off of himself.
"Well, I guess you are right." Emily admitted after a thoughtful moment.
"I usually am," Sam replied, with snide grin, "But tell me, what am I "right about" this time?"
"That I've forgotten all about it." She answered solemnly, then spoiled the effect by giggling. Sam was caught in her smile. It had been so long since he had seen this playful side of her. They had been too long weighed down by all of death and destruction. He had missed this part of her. Emily grew quiet at the serious expression that had taken over her husband's face. Sam leaned down and captured her mouth in a searing kiss that brought whoops and catcalls from his brothers.
"Man get a room!" Embry exclaimed, no real bite to his tone, as he pulled Leah into his arms. Everyone laughed in good humor, the atmosphere much lighter in the last few minutes.
Renesmee would have slipped out of the room, if Jacob had not snagged her sleeve and pulled her close. Tensely, she leaned against the shifter's chest as the Quileutes continued to banter back and forth, the talk going back to the pending birth, as well as memories of their past deliveries. Even though she always had felt a bit of an outsider to the group, she had never felt so alone than at that moment. Her breath seemed to stick in her throat as she tried to remain still, as if she could disappear into the woodwork, praying that no one would ask her to join in the conversation. Jacob leaned over her and placed his head next to hers, his smile bright in the evening light. Whatever he saw in her eyes had him sober up immediately. Renesmee tried to smile, then turned her face away when Jacob's concern did not leave his face.
"I just hope that it really is a little girl, because if it's not we will never hear the end of it from Kim. I mean there is no changing that nursery, its so pink, it would scar a boy for the rest of his life." Brady said, giving his wife a poke.
"Don't even joke about it. You'll jinx her for sure." Cassie scolded. "Besides, it would be all Jared's fault if the she turned out to be a he."
"What do you mean by that?" Brady screeched as he ducked the playful punch she aimed at his stomach.
"It's a scientific fact that the man's sperm dictates if the child will be male or female."
"Really?" Brady asked skeptically. Cassandra shook her head yes .
"As a matter of fact, its the weaker sperm that makes the girls." Brady straightened up and loomed over his wife, trying without success to playfully intimidate her.
"Woman, I think that you insulted me. Are you implying that I have weak sperm." Cassandra straightened to her full height, all of five foot of it.
"Well, we do have all girls. No boys, you do the math." Brady grabbed her by the waist. Heat took over the whimsy in his eyes. Pulling her closer still, as he lowered his voice, "You want boys? I'll give you boys. Dozens and dozens of boys. Do you want that? Do you? Because I will do it, I will keep you tied to the bed and I will not let you go until you beg for mercy." Cassie looked up into his dark eyes, accepting his challenge.
"Now who needs a room?" Sam stated as he looked back to Emily. "Boys are great, but it would be nice to have a little girl running around in pigtails." Emily jolted in Sam's arms as she took in his wishful tone, not quite trusting her ears. Sam lifted her chin to force her to look into his eyes, not wanting her to miss his unspoken question.
"A little girl that looked just like her mother." Emily stared back not daring to hope. Sam smiled , "Don't you think it's time to find out?" Emily leaned into his embrace still afraid to break the spell by speaking aloud.
Renesmee bolted from Jacob's arms and raced through the open space where the sliding door had been, the broken glass crunching under her feat. At the sudden silence, of the room, Jacob looked reassuringly into their troubled faces and followed behind her. Once outside, Renesmee gulped in the cool night air, as if she were suffocating. She looked into the blackness of the night for escape, but realized that she could run forever and never be able to escape her own fate. Jacob just made it to her side, as he reached for her, Renesmee jerked back at vampirific speed, faster than Jacob thought possible. She realized it at the same time, which added to her panic. It was true, she was reverting to the her father's side of the family. There would be no children for her.
"I am sorry. I am so sorry..." Jacob cut her off, quick to assure her that she did no harm.
" There's nothing to be sorry for. They understand. They are sorry that they made you feel uncomfortable. They didn't mean..." But Renesmee stopped him, making sure that he understood that, they were not the reason for the apology.
"No, I am sorry that you married me." Jacob dropped his hands, as if she had struck him.
"What?" Jacob shook his head as if he had heard her incorrectly.
"I am sorry that you are stuck with me. Because of me, you will never have a son or daughter. I am sorry because of what I am, or what I am becoming. You must hate me," At his negative exclamation, she shook her head and crossed her arms, as if to pull herself together, to control her increasing hysteria. "How can you not hate me, I hate myself. I wish I was never born."
"Your mother and I do not wish that." Jacob and Renesmee turned to the melodic voice in the darkness, as Edward and Bella entered the clearing from the shadows of the forest. Renesmee lost control of her tears as her parents swept to her side, supportive as always. Still her heart felt as if it were ripped in two. " Renesmee, you are my miracle. I love you and I would take away your pain if I could." Renesmee stepped back from her mother's encircling arms and bumped into Edward. He lifted his arms, but she backed away from him too.
" You can't fix this mom!" Renesmee turned toward her dad, her voice softening, " You can't fix this, no one can change the fact that I will never be able to have children. That I will always be like this, stagnant. Never changing. Never changing.
"Nessie, tell me what to do. I want you. You are my life, we can work this out. We will work through this..." A cry erupted from the house, followed by shouts of joy from a happy chorus. Whatever he thought he could do to assure her, did not work, by the crumpled expression on her face. In a blur she turned and escaped through the trees in the forest. Jacob turned to follow but Edward blocked his path. Jacob pushed him, but only made a foot before he met the brick wall.
"Come on man, I am losing her!" Edward gripped Jacob by his shoulders, and held him fast as he tried to shake off the smaller man. "I am losing her..."
"You are not losing her. She just needs a few minutes to gather her thoughts. They are just too raw right now, she feels as if she has failed you. And if you follow her it will just torture her." Jacob flinched at Edwards words, his anger fading in his own pain and helplessness. Edwards arms moved to support his son-in-law as Jacob gave into the retching sobs that tore out from his chest. Bella offered to follow Renesmee and lend her support when it was needed. Jacob did not notice when she left the clearing.
"It's a girl!" Carlisle stated as he handed the red screeching bundle into Sue's hands as he clamped the umbilical cord and handed the scissors to the proud papa, who was wiping tears from his face. Jared turned back to Kim to place a quick kiss on her forehead before heading to the foot of the bed.
"Ok, where do I cut?" Jared's hands shook so hard, Carlisle was afraid that he would miss the cord completely and cut the bed below. Dr. Cullen guided his hands to the right spot. "Man that cord is huge! Are they supposed to be that big?"
Carlisle looked at the cord, ready to give him a generic response from the classic textbook, but his mind shifted, as it often did when a moment of true clarity lighted from the unknown. It had happened before, when his mind suddenly would breakthrough a complex problem that had plagued him for long time.
His mind fractured into a dozen channels as if surfing a tv. The Quileutes were a people of trans mutating DNA. That DNA capable of shifting from man to beast. The DNA changing a pre pubescent boy into the body of a twenty five year old, in a matter of days. The DNA at the time of conception, ever mutating. At the height of creation... cells... stem cells... embryological... umbilical cord... The stem cells in the umbilical cord, the blood had all that mutating DNA. The ability to change. Would it work... could it boost Renesmee enough to keep her body from reverting to her vampire side. Would it be enough... Would it sustain her pregnancy? Could it support her baby and keep her body from rejecting said baby? He wished Edward were there to bounce all of these theories off of. He wished...
"You called me?"
It's been a long time since I have written. I still have the story, but I just haven't had the time. Hopefully, this has changed. It's like seeing old friends, that I haven't seen in a long long time. I hope you like it.