A/N: Sorry for the delay in updating. I usually update much faster than this, but I've been in a writing slump. Hope you like it! Please R&R.

Chapter 5 – Transformation

Part 13 Bella's POV

I lay there on the floor, waiting for the pain to start, calling for Edward, for anyone to help me. I muffled my sobs, not wanting to attract the Volturi again. I heard the door creak and footsteps come up behind me.

"Bella, what happened?" It was Jake's voice. He sounded horrified.

Just then, I felt the fire begin in my arm. Then it began to spread through my shoulder and up to my head. Then my whole body was on fire. Every inch of my body was searing with pain; the cold fire was mingling with my blood, changing my DNA. After a while, I didn't know what was happening—I couldn't remember my own name. I could feel my arms and legs flailing around me. I couldn't control anything. I was suffocating in pain.

Jake was there, his tear-soaked face swimming in and out of my vision, his incomprehensible voice comforting me. Through my suffering, I wanted to comfort him. I wanted to reach out my hand and touch his face and tell him I was alright. But I couldn't. I wasn't capable of intelligible speech or voluntary movement. I could feel my memory slipping away from me. I clung to it, desperate to remember. The pain escalated. Every limb in my body was aching. I cried for release, for death, for the agony to end, and Jake just held me in his arms, sobbing with me, for there was nothing he could do.

Part 14 Bella's POV

Then the angel, Edward, came and knelt down beside me. I heard his voice, filled with grief and guilt, murmuring incomprehensible apologies. I wanted to conceal my suffering from Edward, to smooth that look of self-hating torment on his face, to make Edward understand that for him, I could bear the pain, but all that came out of my mouth were terrified shrieks. My body convulsed violently, a reaction to the fire that was spreading systematically throughout my body and making it impossible for me to control my movements or to speak coherently. Jake and Edward were arguing, both voices desperate and pleading. I couldn't understand what they were saying, but Edward seemed to be going through some internal struggle before nodding at Jake and bending over me.

Edward's cold lips rested on my arm, soothing the burning slightly. Then it was pain, pain as I had never experienced before. Edward was trying to suck the venom out, but this time the venom wasn't going away. This time it had spread too far. I writhed in agony, sobbing uncontrollably, waiting for Edward to realize what I already had.

Then Edward stopped, looking at me with eyes that were no longer golden topaz. Instead, a ring of red surrounded his pupils.

I was excruciatingly aware of my surroundings now. I could feel the life draining out of me. The pain was beginning to dissipate.

"Alice. Get Carlisle and tell him that Bella's losing too much blood." Edward's voice was harsh and urgent.

Alice left without another word.

My eyelids felt extremely heavy. Numbness was beginning to creep up my arm. I felt myself beginning to lose consciousness. Edward's icy hands gently gripped my shoulders. Jacob removed his shirt, pressing it against the bite, trying to reduce the blood flow from my arm.

"Bella, stay with me…stay awake, love…" Edward's face swam in and out of focus. I struggled to keep my eyes open.

"Edward," I said, my voice quavering violently, "I just want you to know that if…if anything happens, I love you." Each breath I took was costing me a great effort.

"No, Bella. You're going to be fine. Carlisle will be back any minute now." Edward grasped my hand tightly.

"Yeah, Bella, you're going to be fine," Jacob choked out, tears starting in his eyes.

"But just in case," I continued, "Jake, I'm really sorry. I didn't mean to hurt you."

"It's okay, Bella…just relax…everything is going to be fine." As Jake said this, he stared hopelessly at my wound, the cause of this whole problem.

Then, as I looked at the faces of the two people I loved most, I felt myself slip away from the grasp of reality.