Time passed rapidly, though at the same time, it was agonizingly slow. Which really made no sense to me.

Bella's mangled body laid in my arms, covered in my jacket to keep her warm. Her chest pressed to mine, letting me feel the vibrations of her heartbeat that was concerning me. I was used to its steady beat that I could identify in a crowded room, though now it wasn't steady at all. The sound of her heartbeat was so low and faint, it was also skipping beats. I knew that wasn't good.

"Bella, baby," My voice was a sob as I looked at her. "I'm so sorry. I would never intentionally hurt you. I hope you know that."

She didn't respond in any way. Didn't move or even make a sound as snow kept falling and I apologized again and again.

My words were true, I never meant to hurt her. I was also very sorry for what I did to her. No matter how many times I would apologize, I knew it wouldn't be enough. If she survived, I'd have a lot to make up for.

Regret weighed down on me like a thick, heavy coat that weighed a ton. Bella was severely injured, clinging to life by a thread, all because I was being an idiot due to my jealousy. That was something that wouldn't be easy to forgive myself for, even if she pulled through and forgave me, which I hoped she would.

"Please don't leave me." I begged my love.

Again, she made no indication that she could hear me.

It worried me to no end that she was unresponsive. It also had me thinking back to when Carlisle was a doctor in the ICU unit at a hospital, four decades earlier - he often had me assist him when blood was not involved. I was thinking now about how the patients there were basically vegetables, hooked up to tubes, on life support. They were unable to talk and even move, though some had an active brain that I could hear. Though not all of the patients in the ICU had coherent thoughts, only a few.

Since I couldn't hear Bella's thoughts, I had no idea if she was aware of anything I said. However, I didn't let that stop me from expressing my need for her. I couldn't live without her, and I needed her to know this.

Five-hundred-and-three of her weak heartbeats passed. I sobbed, realizing with each passing second, they were slower. Which wasn't good at all.

"Please don't leave me! I need you, Bella." My words were a painful sob.

I was fearing for the worst but hoping for the best as I kissed her forehead.

I sat there sobbing with her in my arms as time went on. I loathe myself for what I had done. I knew a good outcome was slight and that's what had me fearing for the worst. Not to mention, scared, and crying like a baby.

Twilight soon became the dead of night. The sky was pitch black, there was no moon or a star in sight. However, I was often looking up at the sky, and wishing on stars that weren't there. The snow kept falling with no signs of stopping. Wanting to keep her warm, I made sure she was wrapped tightly in my jacket that was thick and warm.

The sky was very dark, though the change in light rarely makes a difference to my eyesight, since I can see perfectly fine in the blackness of night. I have to admit that being out in the night-black forest with my injured wife was very eerie.

The night was so quiet, no animals were making a sound.

I sat there with Bella, listening to her heartbeat. The sound was too quiet, too slow. At times it sounded like it wanted to stop. Which made me think of my mother's heartbeat when my father brought her home from the morgue many years ago. I remembered how he saved her. From his memory I knew how to save someone, though I had never done it. Also, I wasn't sure if it applied in this situation since I had already bitten Bella and was sure my venom had entered her blood stream. But I also sucked quite a bit of her blood out. So, it was possible that there wasn't much venom, if any, in her blood system which could be why her heart seemed to be giving out.

While I sat there on the log with Bella in my arms, contemplating everything that was running through my mind. The unthinkable happened! Bella's heart stopped.

"No! You can't leave me." I cried, wasting no time and laying her flat on the log.

Her face wasn't blue yet, and I knew what I must do. I needed to perform CPR to get her breathing again, and I needed to act fast. Then I must bite her, causing her even more pain, to make sure my venom entered her veins. Which would start the change that would ultimately save her.

"Please be okay." I begged.

Lending down, I gently pinched her nose and opened her mouth. My face was now inches from hers. I hoped with every fiber in my body that it wasn't too late, that I could get her breathing again. I pressed my mouth to her and blew air into her.

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Thanks for reading.

Hope you had a Merry Christmas, I had planned to update this story yesterday. But I was busy opening my child's new toys for her and playing endless games of Uno. :)) Anyways, I hope you enjoyed this chapter.

Please leave a pleasant review.