p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;"The hairs on the back of my neck stood on end, the overpowering smell of vampires causing my shoulders to shake. Jacob prowled in front of me, snarling, warning the Cullens not to come any closer. "Take one more step and get your heads ripped off." He growled dangerously./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;"Carlisle, Alice, and Emmett stopped where they were. Carlisle warily raised his hands into the air. "Stop this, Jacob Black, we mean no harm." He called. Jake's eyes narrowed disbelievingly./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;""That walking ice cube deserved what he got!" he backed into me, spreading out his arms protectively./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;""We do not come here in revenge for Edward. It's true that we are disappointed about the way he turned out, but we will not defend those who hurt our loved ones." Carlisle spoke calmly and surely./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;"Jacob relaxed a little bit and let his arms drop, Carlisle, nodding his thanks to him. "What do you want with us?" he asked, his voice was still defensive./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;""We want to help all of you. It's the least that we can do for the pack." Alice bounced up to me, giving me a hug. I was a little taken aback- I hadn't seen her in almost four months and she still treated me like a part of the family./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;""Help us how?" I wondered aloud./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;"Emmett looked at me with sad, knowing eyes, "As Jacob said, it was a war…people are hurt."/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;"I stared at them, wondering how much they had heard, Alice answered my unspoken question. "We're really sorry about Embry and Leah…" her voice was solemn and sincere./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;"I sighed, emthanks for reminding me./em/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;""They were killed in battle, it's the noblest way anyone could die," I whispered, another tear falling down my cheek./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;"Carlisle's face went stony for a moment, I followed his gaze over to Sam. "Again, we're really sorry…we were only aware of Embry and Leah's deaths."/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;""Sam's not dead!" I snapped, "He's just hurt. He's a werewolf just like us- he'll heal." I realized that I was trying to convince myself more than I was trying to convince them. Carlisle looked at me gravely./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;""I know that he heals fast…but, Bella, you should prepare yourself in case he doesn't make it through the night." I tried not to listen to him, but the words echoed in my head. I wouldn't accept it as truth no matter what./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;"I felt terrible. My cheeks were hot and steamy and I got the feeling that I was going to throw up again. I took a few deep breaths my face growing pale. I leaned forward, my body convulsing in useless heaves./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;""Bella!" Jacob exclaimed, taking in my condition. "Are you feeling ok?" I had a feeling that I didn't really need to answer him. When he realized that I wasn't going to respond he turned to Carlisle./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;""I think we should get her somewhere warmer." He placed the back of his hand up to my forehead. His eyes bulged; "Bella!" he gasped, putting his huge hands on either side of my face. "Your ice cold!" he twisted his head around to speak to Carlisle, "She neeemds /emto go somewhere warm!"/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;""Ok, carry her to our car and we can take her to a hotel." Jacob hesitated./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;""What about Sam? We can't just leave him there!" Jacob vexed. Carlisle thought for a moment./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;""Emmett, Alice, take Sam somewhere warm and try to get him to faze back to human. It will be so much easier to treat him if he's human."/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;"Jacob then picked me up like a groom would his bride and followed Carlisle away. Heat radiated off of his chest, I curled in closer to him. The wind that was slapping my face wasn't helping with my body temperature./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;"Suddenly, we stopped. I heard the faint sound of a car door opening and then Jacob slid us both into the back seat of the Cullen's car. The tinted windows made the car a dark place- I almost wanted to fall asleep. I probably would have too had I not been so uncomfortable./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;"My cheek pressed up against the cold leather seats as I felt the car lurch forward. For the thousandth time, I thanked the Lord that Carlisle was a doctor. I couldn't tell how fast the car was going but at the rate in which we arrived at our destination, I could assume that it was over the legal speed limit./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;"Jacob and I waited in the running car while Carlisle ran inside to get a room key. He was back in a flash and handed the card to Jacob so he could park the car. He carried me through the fancy hotel hallways until we reached what must have been our room. Jake shifted me slightly so he could slide the room card into the slot then the door opened./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;"The room smelled like all hotel rooms do, my eyes drooped but I was still too cold to sleep. Jacob laid me down on one of the two beds and pulled the covers over me./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;"Seemingly out of nowhere, I tilted my head forward, coughing violently. "Bella?" I could barely hear Jake's worried voice over the sound of my own coughs. "Bella, you alright?"/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;"I wanted to tell him that I was ok, but my ravenous coughing wouldn't let me catch the smallest breath. I wrapped my arms around my waist to prevent my insides from being torn apart. It was when I felt some kind of a rip in my stomach, not very painful but a tear, all the same, I realized that this was not normal coughing; my body was attempting to expel something./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;"The door opened again, Carlisle walked inside. "What's wrong with her, doc?" Jacob yelled frantically. I could feel Carlisle's eyes on me. "I don't know…did she have anything to eat in the past twenty-four hours?" Jake thought for a moment./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;""Yeah, …she ate this funny prison food Alec…fed…us." His voice slowed, gradually realizing what had happened./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;""Did you eat this food also?" Carlisle asked urgently./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;""No," he replied, helplessly looking at me. "But I remember it smelled funny." I could barely hear the conversation over my inexhaustible coughing fit./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;""The food was defiantly poisoned." Carlisle murmured, slightly lifting my head up to meet his./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;""Poison!" Jake exclaimed, clearly overwhelmed. He ran a hand through his inky black hair./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;"emWhy now? Why poison? /emI thought, another round of coughing nearly ripping my insides apart. Jake already had enough on his mind with the deaths of Embry and Leah. Now he had to worry about me too./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;"Carlisle picked me up and walked me into the bathroom. He bent me over the bathtub and said to Jacob, who had followed us in there, "I'm going to try to make her vomit- maybe the poison will come out of her that way."/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;"I could feel his beginning to force a stick down my throat but Jake stopped him. "I think she's already thrown up since eating. It wouldn't do any better the second time."/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;"Carlisle sighed, thinking. After a moment I heard him whisper a few words into Jacob's ear- who gave him a nasty look and protested. "You can't do that while she's still awake! That'd kill!"/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;""How do you suggest putting her to sleep then? I don't have any anesthetics on hand!" Carlisle snapped./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;"Jacob wavered a moment before suggesting, "I've seen some other vampires knock her out this way before…maybe it'll work."/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;"Carlisle shrugged, "I suppose it's worth a try, but if it doesn't work we'll have to operate with her awake./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;"Jacob slowly walked over to me and indicated to Carlisle what he was to do; I was too weary to pay attention to what he was doing. Suddenly I felt a hand pound on the back of my neck and my eyes fluttered shut./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;"Carlisle, Alice, and Emmett stopped where they were. Carlisle warily raised his hands into the air. "Stop this, Jacob Black, we mean no harm." He called. Jake's eyes narrowed disbelievingly./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;""That walking ice cube deserved what he got!" he backed into me, spreading out his arms protectively./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;""We do not come here in revenge for Edward. It's true that we are disappointed about the way he turned out, but we will not defend those who hurt our loved ones." Carlisle spoke calmly and surely./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;"Jacob relaxed a little bit and let his arms drop, Carlisle, nodding his thanks to him. "What do you want with us?" he asked, his voice was still defensive./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;""We want to help all of you. It's the least that we can do for the pack." Alice bounced up to me, giving me a hug. I was a little taken aback- I hadn't seen her in almost four months and she still treated me like a part of the family./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;""Help us how?" I wondered aloud./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;"Emmett looked at me with sad, knowing eyes, "As Jacob said, it was a war…people are hurt."/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;"I stared at them, wondering how much they had heard, Alice answered my unspoken question. "We're really sorry about Embry and Leah…" her voice was solemn and sincere./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;"I sighed, emthanks for reminding me./em/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;""They were killed in battle, it's the noblest way anyone could die," I whispered, another tear falling down my cheek./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;"Carlisle's face went stony for a moment, I followed his gaze over to Sam. "Again, we're really sorry…we were only aware of Embry and Leah's deaths."/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;""Sam's not dead!" I snapped, "He's just hurt. He's a werewolf just like us- he'll heal." I realized that I was trying to convince myself more than I was trying to convince them. Carlisle looked at me gravely./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;""I know that he heals fast…but, Bella, you should prepare yourself in case he doesn't make it through the night." I tried not to listen to him, but the words echoed in my head. I wouldn't accept it as truth no matter what./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;"I felt terrible. My cheeks were hot and steamy and I got the feeling that I was going to throw up again. I took a few deep breaths my face growing pale. I leaned forward, my body convulsing in useless heaves./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;""Bella!" Jacob exclaimed, taking in my condition. "Are you feeling ok?" I had a feeling that I didn't really need to answer him. When he realized that I wasn't going to respond he turned to Carlisle./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;""I think we should get her somewhere warmer." He placed the back of his hand up to my forehead. His eyes bulged; "Bella!" he gasped, putting his huge hands on either side of my face. "Your ice cold!" he twisted his head around to speak to Carlisle, "She neeemds /emto go somewhere warm!"/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;""Ok, carry her to our car and we can take her to a hotel." Jacob hesitated./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;""What about Sam? We can't just leave him there!" Jacob vexed. Carlisle thought for a moment./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;""Emmett, Alice, take Sam somewhere warm and try to get him to faze back to human. It will be so much easier to treat him if he's human."/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;"Jacob then picked me up like a groom would his bride and followed Carlisle away. Heat radiated off of his chest, I curled in closer to him. The wind that was slapping my face wasn't helping with my body temperature./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;"Suddenly, we stopped. I heard the faint sound of a car door opening and then Jacob slid us both into the back seat of the Cullen's car. The tinted windows made the car a dark place- I almost wanted to fall asleep. I probably would have too had I not been so uncomfortable./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;"My cheek pressed up against the cold leather seats as I felt the car lurch forward. For the thousandth time, I thanked the Lord that Carlisle was a doctor. I couldn't tell how fast the car was going but at the rate in which we arrived at our destination, I could assume that it was over the legal speed limit./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;"Jacob and I waited in the running car while Carlisle ran inside to get a room key. He was back in a flash and handed the card to Jacob so he could park the car. He carried me through the fancy hotel hallways until we reached what must have been our room. Jake shifted me slightly so he could slide the room card into the slot then the door opened./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;"The room smelled like all hotel rooms do, my eyes drooped but I was still too cold to sleep. Jacob laid me down on one of the two beds and pulled the covers over me./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;"Seemingly out of nowhere, I tilted my head forward, coughing violently. "Bella?" I could barely hear Jake's worried voice over the sound of my own coughs. "Bella, you alright?"/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;"I wanted to tell him that I was ok, but my ravenous coughing wouldn't let me catch the smallest breath. I wrapped my arms around my waist to prevent my insides from being torn apart. It was when I felt some kind of a rip in my stomach, not very painful but a tear, all the same, I realized that this was not normal coughing; my body was attempting to expel something./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;"The door opened again, Carlisle walked inside. "What's wrong with her, doc?" Jacob yelled frantically. I could feel Carlisle's eyes on me. "I don't know…did she have anything to eat in the past twenty-four hours?" Jake thought for a moment./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;""Yeah, …she ate this funny prison food Alec…fed…us." His voice slowed, gradually realizing what had happened./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;""Did you eat this food also?" Carlisle asked urgently./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;""No," he replied, helplessly looking at me. "But I remember it smelled funny." I could barely hear the conversation over my inexhaustible coughing fit./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;""The food was defiantly poisoned." Carlisle murmured, slightly lifting my head up to meet his./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;""Poison!" Jake exclaimed, clearly overwhelmed. He ran a hand through his inky black hair./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;"emWhy now? Why poison? /emI thought, another round of coughing nearly ripping my insides apart. Jake already had enough on his mind with the deaths of Embry and Leah. Now he had to worry about me too./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;"Carlisle picked me up and walked me into the bathroom. He bent me over the bathtub and said to Jacob, who had followed us in there, "I'm going to try to make her vomit- maybe the poison will come out of her that way."/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;"I could feel his beginning to force a stick down my throat but Jake stopped him. "I think she's already thrown up since eating. It wouldn't do any better the second time."/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;"Carlisle sighed, thinking. After a moment I heard him whisper a few words into Jacob's ear- who gave him a nasty look and protested. "You can't do that while she's still awake! That'd kill!"/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;""How do you suggest putting her to sleep then? I don't have any anesthetics on hand!" Carlisle snapped./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;"Jacob wavered a moment before suggesting, "I've seen some other vampires knock her out this way before…maybe it'll work."/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;"Carlisle shrugged, "I suppose it's worth a try, but if it doesn't work we'll have to operate with her awake./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;"Jacob slowly walked over to me and indicated to Carlisle what he was to do; I was too weary to pay attention to what he was doing. Suddenly I felt a hand pound on the back of my neck and my eyes fluttered shut./p