Need You Know

Disclaimer; all characters and copyright belong to SM.

A/N-thank you for the kind reviews!

Part Six

"On average, a newborn's physical strength greatly surpasses that of an older vampire because they still have their own blood lingering in their tissues."

Jacob remembered Carlisle's warning, issued during the training sessions between his pack and the Cullens. He was feeling the effects of it now as he tried to subdue the rabid vampire. The newborn's fighting ability was clumsy, but he was so big, his strength only heightened by his frenzied state. Jacob bobbed and weaved as he avoided getting caught up in the cold one's burly arms. He snapped his jaws, sinking his sharp teeth into the monster's marble hide, tearing a chunk out of the newborn as it struggled and broke free. It screamed and cursed violently, kicking at Jacob, its red eyes alight with madness. It hit out at Jacob with hammer like fists and there was the alarming snap of broken bones as it smashed into his front leg, instantly laming him.

Screeching in triumph, the newborn danced around him, trying to get into a good position to wrap its big arms around Jacob so it could crush the life out of him. Jacob howled in pain as he continued to move back and forth on his three good legs. Exhaustion was setting in. He had already been fighting for hours. He had been at a distinct disadvantage from the beginning. It felt like he had been fighting the miserable creature for hours, but it had been no longer than a minute. He knew his brothers were coming. He just needed to stay focused a little longer. The newborn screamed again as it managed to deliver another hard blow to his good foreleg. Jacob tumbled to the ground with the vicious demon looming above him, ready to deliver the killer blow.

Then to his horror he smelt blood. He knew it wasn't his blood. He recognised the sweet scent. It was Bella's. Distracted, he raised his head and stared in her direction. He saw the love of his life standing alone a few metres away with her arm raised in the air. Blood ran in rivulets down her pale skin from a jagged cut on her forearm. The blood continued to pulse from her damaged flesh.

"BELLA NO!" He cried in his head.

But she couldn't hear him. Her steady gaze was focused on the rabid newborn who had stopped his attack on Jacob and was now charging toward her; his crimson eyes focused on the delectable blood seeping down her arm. Bella stood her ground bravely, determined to see things through. Her actions had the desired effect. Jacob was saved. Leah was saved. She heard yelling behind her. Edward was screaming her name. Warning howls came from the pack who had transformed to aid their brother. They were charging toward her just like the newborn.

The question was, who would reach her first?

As soon as the newborn sank his poisoned teeth into her already damaged flesh there was pain. So much pain. She was in agony. Multi coloured lights flickered in her vision. She couldn't see. She was in torment. Her own personal hell.

Bella tried to see. To cry out. But her voice was long gone. Her broken body wouldn't obey her. She floated on a sea of sorrow as her life began to slip away. Her body spasmed; her heart twitching and cramping as if a vice was squeezing the last vestiges of blood from it.

Despite this torture she only wanted to know one thing. Had she saved him? Please not let her sacrifice have been in vain. She could hear voices in the distance but she couldn't understand them. A single tear rolled down her ravaged cheek as she sucked in one last breath and lay still.

Jacob woke to the sun shining on his face. He rolled his head to the side to stop the light burning his eyes. It ached abominably. Just like his heart. He tried to focus on his surroundings but his vision was too blurry. His tongue felt thick in his mouth. There was no way he could speak. A great weariness descended upon him as a soft moan escaped his parted lips.

"Jake." Billy's face loomed above him. "Son, it's me. Can you hear me?"

As Jacob couldn't speak all he could do was nod. But even this small movement cost him. His world spun its axis and he clenched his eyes shut. He felt his father's hand on his face, but was barely coherent enough to register it properly.

"Oh, my boy." Billy's voice was heavy with grief.

Jacob's tired eyes opened to slits. He still couldn't see Billy's face clearly. His world was shrinking with every second. He didn't want to be here anymore. He had been fighting so hard to leave this plane of existence. He managed to lick his dry, cracked lips. He fought to speak, to try and tell his father goodbye. He was so desperate to go.

"Bells." He cried in his head. "Where are you?"

He was met with nothing but a lingering silence and the faint sounds of his father's quiet sobbing.

"Get him out of here." Carlisle ordered Jasper and Emmet sternly. Edward was insane with grief. He kicked and thrashed wildly as they dragged him away from Bella's broken body.

Paul Lahote was kneeling in front of the vamp doctor. Sam Uley was in no state to take charge. He was a broken mess as he held Leah's lifeless body in his arms. Her grief stricken brother was beside them while the others were preoccupied with assessing Jacob's devastating injuries. He had changed back into his human form but was drifting in and out of consciousness. As soon as Bella had fallen, so had he.

That left Paul as the spokesperson for the pack. "What can be done?" He asked briskly.

"She is barely clinging to life." Carlisle was wearing his doctor face, hiding his devastation underneath his professional mask."If she is to be changed it has to be now, otherwise the moment will pass."

Paul glanced to the side at the remains of the newborn who had attacked her. It had taken three of them to wrench the sickening creature off of Bella when it started to feed. It was the strongest cold one they had ever come across. His dark eyes then sought his fallen brother and sister. Sickness welled in his throat as he heard Sam's wails of despair as he rocked Leah back and forth. The others were lifting Jacob's broken body up onto their shoulders, getting ready to carry him back to La Push. Paul closed his eyes and let out a gut wrenching sigh. He and Jacob had clashed so many times in the past, but underneath they were as loyal to each other as they were to the pack. A decision needed to be made and he was going to be the one forced to make it.

"Let her go." He choked out. "Then afterwards you leave. Do you understand me? Leave and never come back or I will kill you all myself."

Carlisle nodded his agreement as he checked Bella's pulse. His head bowed, his shiny blonde hair glinting in the faint light breaking through the clouds. "It's a moot point now. She's already gone." He said sadly.

Despite her crippling injuries Leah survived. Her body remained in a torpid state as it tried to fix itself. Five days and six hours after she had fallen, she awoke to find Sam sitting beside her, holding tightly to her hand. Tears welled in her eyes at the tender look of love on his face. She hadn't seen it in so long. Hope flowered in her heart. "Is everyone okay?" She rasped. "Did Jake?" She left the rest unsaid.

Sam lowered his gaze and kissed the back of her hand, his face was contorted with grief. Leah closed her eyes and began to cry.

Jacob's breathing was laboured. Billy knew his son was close to the end. He felt the all too familiar tears roll down his weathered cheeks as he placed a hand on Jacob's face. Billy had never felt so tired in his life. He knew it wouldn't be long before he followed. Leaning down he pressed a gentle kiss on his son's forehead.

"Go to her son." He whispered huskily. "She's waiting. I'll see you soon. I promise."

Finally he was free. Released, his soul floated away.

Jacob took one last breath and then lay still.

A/N-not quite the end. Thanks for reading!