One More Night
Chapter Six
The days had come and gone and Jacob and Bella had yet to leave the Cullen house. Bella required around the clock monitoring so they had modified their spare bedroom to accommodate Bella and Jacob staying in there.
Carlisle had been right. Bella was starting to be unable to hold anything down. Her stomach was in constant knots and every single day the pain from her child's kicks was worse and worse.
A week had passed since they were told about how bad her pregnancy could get and now she looked like she had a bowling ball under her shirt. She had dark bags under her eyes, her weight was dropping rapidly, and she constantly felt weak.
Every day took a long time to start because of the assistance Bella needed and Jacob was more than happy to help her.
"Are you ready the get up, Bells?" She shook her head as she moved closer into his arms, pressing her face against his pec.
"I'm awake, but I don't want to get up yet. I just want to stay here with you." He chuckled while he held her close, peppering kisses along her hairline.
"Whenever you need me, I'm always here." She groaned a little from the aftersting of the baby's last kick and he reached down to her stomach, placing his hand on her swollen abdomen. "Maybe Carlisle can give you some pain meds for that, honey." She shook her head before smirking.
"I don't want to take anything that could be bad for the baby. I want our baby to be healthy." He smirked sadly before pressing his forehead to hers.
"Have you even thought that maybe you can't eat because of how much pain you are in?" She nodded in response before rubbing her hand across his rock hard, defined abdominals.
"I have thought of that, but no matter how much pain meds he gave me, it couldn't take it all away and it would hurt the baby more than help. I just want our baby to come out as healthy as possible." He nodded while he stroked her back, gingerly touching her spine. He could feel every last inch of the bone on her back and it hurt him to know that their love making did this to her.
"Bella, the fact that you can't eat must be hurting the baby also. The baby isn't getting any nutrition if you aren't. We need to try whatever we can to get you some food you can hold down." She caved and nodded. He knew she put the baby above her own needs and that only reasoning that helped the baby would make her see logic.
"You're right. If nothing else, maybe we can see if Carlisle can give me some vitamins through an IV or something." He smirked at her before sweetly kissing her, pressing his forehead to hers.
"Whatever will make you feel better, honey." She giggled before she stroked his cheek. A thought hit her as she looked into his beautiful, cinnamon eyes.
"Jake?" He raised an eyebrow in response before she continued. "We are planning for, when the baby starts to cause any real harm to me, Carlisle will take him out so maybe I will survive it." Jacob nodded. He already knew this information. "If it doesn't work that way, the only option they may have is to change me." He frowned at this and she dropped her hand, seeing his soured expression. "Why are you so against it? Me being like them?" She asked with sadness in her gaze before he stroked her back again.
"Bells, I've seen the exact struggle it would be for you. You wouldn't be able to be around our child for a long time if at all. We might not even be able to be around each other because of the thirst." Tears filled her eyes as he took her hand. "Bells…" He knew how much the thought of distance hurt her, but she needed to know the truth of the outcome of her becoming a vampire.
"Be honest with me, Jake. There's more." He huffed in amusement before cupping her cheek in his comforting grip.
"I know the consequences of that choice being made just as I do if it comes down to it and that choice isn't made. If it comes down to that, I know exactly how it will be for a long time. It will be me taking care of our child by myself without you there. I will be the one raising our child and a child needs both it's mother and it's father. I know not having your mother there creates a big hole in your heart and I would not wish that feeling on my worst enemy." She relaxed before she snuggled closer to him, a small smile on her face.
"I thought that maybe...you wouldn't want me when I'm no longer human." He chuckled before she bit her lip. "I know you said you would love me even when I'm a vampire, but I thought you might be afraid that I would be too different, like I wouldn't smell the same and that I would be too cold." He sweetly kissed her lips.
"You will always be my Bells." She blushed before pressing her face affectionately into his muscular neck. "Just less clumsy." She giggled before she kissed his sweet, intoxicatingly flesh.
"And you will always be my sweet Jacob." He chuckled before she quickly pulled away, placing her hand on her stomach with amazement in her eyes.
"Bells? What's wrong?" He asked calmly and she smiled happily to herself.
"The baby is moving, but it's very gentle movements, not the painful kicks I usually get." He chuckled gently as she grabbed his hand, placing it to her bruised stomach. "See?" He could feel light flutters in her womb and he smirked in response. That was when he felt it.
Gently, he felt the movement of the baby pushing its hand against the placenta so Jacob could feel its tiny hand.
"Oh, my god." They said together as they smiled down at her stomach. "That's amazing." He muttered under his breath before he removed his hand, seeing the little hand pushing against her stomach.
"Oh, god. That's our baby, Jake." He chuckled before he sweetly kissed her stomach, over the tiny hand pressed there.
"Hey there, little one." She giggled as she watched him talk to their little nudger. "Go easy on your mom, alright?" She blushed as she ran her fingers through his soft, thick hair. "Don't make me come in there." He teased and she let out a loud fit of laughter.
"Now, you are being ridiculous!" She rolled her eyes before he kissed her stomach again. "He probably can't even understand you, Jake." He raised an eyebrow at her before sitting up.
"He, huh? What makes you think it's going to be a bouncing baby boy?" He teased her briefly. "Maybe I should have some big blue balloons in every room." She giggled before the child retracted its hand and she placed her hand there, rubbing her bare stomach.
"It's just really a feeling. Mother's intuition, I guess." He nodded before she took a deep breath. "When I was on Isle Esme with Edward, I had this reoccurring dream that I held no real stock in until I found out about the baby. It was just me and you sitting on your porch with a boy toddler with long hair like yours." She stroked his soft, shaggy hair sweetly before blushing. "I guess that's really why I think it's a boy." He smirked happily at her before giving her a gentle kiss.
They got dressed before Jacob helped Bella down the stairs to the couch in the living room. Esme walked over and gave Bella a kind smile.
"Morning, Bella." She nodded and squeezed the sweet vampire mother's hand.
"Morning, Esme." The brunette vampire looked to Jacob with a kind smile.
"Would you like me to make you something to eat, Jacob?" He shook his head though he was starving. He wouldn't make Bella watch him eat. That would just be cruel in his mind.
"I'm okay, Esme. Thanks." She nodded in approval, knowing his real reason for denying the food, before Bella smirked at her. "Where is Carlisle?" Bella had been watching, every day, as slowly but surely Jacob became friendly and accustomed to the Cullen family as a part of Bella's life. Though the child in her stomach was his, he knew the Cullen's were her family and not just by marriage. They were her family in her heart and he had learned to accept that and embrace it as a part of their lives.
"Right here." He quickly ran into the room before standing beside his mate, placing his hand on her waist affectionately. "What is in need of my assistance?" Carlisle teased dryly before looking between Bella and Jacob.
"Bella and I were talking and we were curious. Could the fact that she can't hold any food down be partially because of her pain level if not all of it?" Carlisle seemed thoughtful before he nodded.
"It's a possibility. I've actually never been able to figure out where the inability to hold food down stems from." Edward and Emmett came into the room, laughing, before their eyes landed on Bella. Their expressions soured before Carlisle reiterated what they were discussing to the two of them.
Ain't it obvious? It's a wolf for heaven sakes! Emmett thought with a roll of his eyes before Edward gasped, an excited smile on his face.
"Em, you're a genius!" Edward punched Emmett in the shoulder playfully with excitement as Emmett looked around in confusion.
"I am?" Then, he recovered his normal cocky persona. "I mean, of course, I am. Whatever you're talking about." Everyone looked to Edward in confusion.
"Emmett had an idea." Rosalie walked in holding a blanket before handing it over to Bella who draped it over her legs.
"It wasn't an idea. It was a snide comment, bro." Jacob and Bella tilted their heads at Emmett before the brawny vampire chuckled. "It's a wolf. It needs to eat like a dog." Jake rolled his eyes as Edward approached the couple.
"Think about it, Jacob. What does your diet mainly consist of? What is it that you need in your diet to have the energy you require?" Jacob shrugged with a chuckle.
"Protein, I guess. I don't know." Jacob wasn't really sure where this was going and Edward nodded.
"Meat based protein." Edward finally turned his gaze to Bella. "Bella, think about it. The only times you did throw up on Isle Esme. What had you eaten beforehand?" A surprised breath left her lips as her hand hoovered over her stomach.
"Oh, my god. You're right. Every single time I threw up, I hadn't taken in any meat based protein." Edward nodded with excitement.
"Exactly! That's it right there. That's why you can't hold anything down. Because the fetus needs protein." A smile graced Bella's lips as Edward disappeared to the kitchen.
They needed to test this theory before they took upon the more drastic one of her needing pain medicine.
"Bella?" Rosalie knelt next to her while placing her hand on the pregnant, fragile woman's shoulder. "After you try to eat, I'll help you take a bath. It should help with your pain." Bella smiled appreciatively while Jacob chuckled.
"You actually think a bath is going to help with her pain, Blondie?" Though everyone else had been welcoming with Jacob, Rosalie couldn't stand him, which was odd to Bella. She thought they should have hit it off the best considering how similar they were.
"Can it, Fido! Water helps relieve the aches and pains that come with carrying a child. That's why there is such a thing as a water birth, mongrel." Bella didn't find it the least bit amusing that Rosalie had nicknamed her boyfriend Fido, but she didn't want to start an argument with Rosalie over it.
Though Rosalie was the supportive Cullen considering Bella's relationship with her wolf, she liked Jacob the least which confused Bella to no end.
"You're the pregnancy expert, Blondie. Wait! No, you're not. You've never been pregnant." Jacob sneered and Bella slapped his arm in irritation.
"Play nice, both of you!" She snarled at the two of them fighting like that before Jacob gave her a teasing grin.
"What are you talking about, Bells? I always play nice." Rosalie rolled her eyes before she ran off into the kitchen, coming back with a dog bowl that had the name 'FIDO' written in permanent marker on the side before she shoved it at Jacob. He looked in it and, of course, there was dog food in it.
Figures… She turned with a smug look on her face and made it halfway across the room when Jacob threw the dish back at her, covering her perfectly groomed blonde hair in slimy, chunky, wet dog food, the dog bowl sitting perfectly on her head like a hat.
She paused and gasped out in disgust as Esme, Carlisle, and Emmett looked to Jacob in disbelief while Alice and Jasper looked at him in amusement, snickering quietly.
Rosalie quickly snapped around with anger clear in her face before snarling at Jacob, "You...got...food...in...my HAIR!" Jacob gave a big, proud grin, but what surprised everyone is that Bella let out a loud roar of laughter, clutching her chest.
She received wide eyes from everyone as she laughed aloud.
"I'm sorry! I shouldn't be laughing!" She placed her hands over her mouth as she tried to lower her laughter, snickers leaving her tight lips, while she squinted, trying to control herself. "You look so hilarious with that dog bowl on your head and that stuff in your hair!" She let out another loud laugh as Jacob chuckled with pride.
"Someone thinks it's funny." Jacob tilted his head to Bella.
As quickly as she started laughing was how quickly they all heard the loud crunch coming from her before she clutched at her lungs, groaning aloud. Carlisle quickly ran to the girl as she laid on the couch, pressing her hands on her ribs.
"Bells?" Jacob quickly knelt next to her while placing his hand on her cheek, tears spilling down her face. A sob left her lips as Carlisle removed her hands from her chest, lifting her shirt to look at whatever damage was caused.
"What did he do?" She asked and Jacob wiped away her tears affectionately.
"It's happened. The fetus broke one of your ribs, Bella." She nodded with eyes tightly shut while Jacob sighed sadly.
"It's too early, Carlisle." She said painfully as Jacob rubbed her back, trying to soothe her any way he could.
"What do you want to do, Bella? You are lucky it was just a rib and not your spine or pelvis." Bella nodded as she opened her eyes before looking to Jacob for his approval.
"Bells, it's your choice, honey." She nodded and groaned from the pain.
"Give the baby two more days and then you can take him out." Carlisle nodded as Jacob sweetly kissed her forehead.
Edward rushed in with a plate piled high with different meats, pork, beef, and chicken, before setting it on the table. Jacob assisted Bella in sitting up before she leaned into his side, sighing.
"I'm sure whatever you don't eat, Jacob will." Edward seethed inside towards Jacob, but didn't let it show in his voice. Jacob carefully picked up the plate and brought it to Bella while she sighed. She slowly grabbed a pork chop and took a deep, shaky breath before she took a small bite into the juicy meat, slowly chewing before swallowing.
She waited, seconds turned to minutes, and she wasn't nauseous. She wasn't vomiting!
She took another bite and another until the pork chop was gone. Everyone smiled at her other than Rosalie. She was cleaning herself up.
"I'm not even nauseous. Thank you, God!" Jacob chuckled as she grabbed another one before he stood up, kissing her forehead. "Where are you going?" He softly chuckled and cupped her cheek lovingly.
"I need to check in on Sam. I should have done it a few days ago. I won't be long. Probably won't take longer than five minutes." He pressed his forehead to hers as she inhaled a deep breath from the love she felt for him. I love you. He thought towards her before he released himself from her.
They had made an agreement that it would be too cruel to use terms of endearment in front of Edward, since her and Edward never did that to Jacob, so they didn't give each other 'baby' 'babe' 'honey' 'i love you' or anything to that effect, but still, Jacob couldn't stop himself from thinking them, especially so close to her having their child.
He knew there was a very big possibility that she wouldn't make it out alive and he would be raising said child by himself. His child was to endure the same fate as him, a life without its mother, and he knew there was also a possibility that he wouldn't be able to handle living without Bella and he wouldn't be able to raise their baby if she died.
Edward flinched at the thought that passed through Jacob's head before he walked out of the house, strolling into the woods.
"Can I have some privacy? I need to call Charlie." They all left, but still stayed close enough to hear her conversation. Edward stayed right outside of her view, in the hall, while she called her father.
"Bells? Is that you?" Charlie recognized her cell phone number instantly and she sighed.
"Hey, dad." She replied with a shaky voice, low and painful.
"Where the hell are you? You and Jake have been missing for a whole week! You can't do shit like this, especially when you're pregnant!" She gulped, tears filling her eyes.
"I'm sorry, dad. We should have called you and Billy sooner, but I've been really sick. My pregnancy has turned out to be more complicated than expected." She took a deep breath, hoping to hide her tears.
"What do you mean complicated? What is going on? Are you sick? Are you high risk or something?" She gulped and her tears spilled.
"You could say I'm high risk. We had to go to a...special hospital...for our baby. They have been helping, but I still can't leave yet. Jacob has been really great through this. Very supportive, you know." Her lip trembled, a realization that this might be the last time she ever talked to her father hit, as she squinted her eyes. "I just missed you, dad. I really wanted to hear your voice." She heard her father sigh on the other end of the phone from her sad, heartbroken voice.
"I miss you, too, Bells. When are you coming home?" He asked as she ran her fingers through her hair, a clump of hair coming out. She squinted heavily and more tears fell.
"Jake should be coming back soon, but…. I probably won't be back for a long time. I'm not doing so well. I just thought you should know not to expect me home anytime soon, dad." He started to protest loudly which got a sob out of her. "I got to go, dad. Love you." She hung up before wiping away her tears. Edward entered the room and she looked to him, blinking away her tears. "Hey." He sighed from how tortured she was by the fate she was most likely to have and moved to her, sitting next to her.
"Are you okay?" He spoke softly and she shrugged.
"Physically, no. Emotionally, hell, no." She huffed before wiping her eyes once again, setting her phone in her lap.
"I'm sorry, Bella." She tilted her head with confusion in her gaze as he sighed. "You have pretty much been in this all on your own. My family and I have been so concerned with your physical well-being that we haven't been thinking about your mental state." She nodded before she shook her head.
"I haven't been alone in this. Jacob has been very supportive." Edward rolled his eyes which perplexed her. "What?"
"He's only supportive on the outside, Bella. He feels the same way I do, the same way my whole family does. He wishes you would get rid of that child." She couldn't believe he would go so low as to cast doubt in Bella's heart concerning Jacob.
"Jacob loves our baby just like I do." Bella went to Jacob's defense and Edward took her hand in his cold one.
"I'm not doubting how he feels about your child, Bella. He is like me in one specific way. He puts your life above anyone else's, even his own. If given the choice between your life and that child, you would always be number one. If it was his choice, you wouldn't be preparing to give birth to that child. You would have aborted your pregnancy as soon as you knew how bad it would be if it was his choice, but it is your choice." Edward sneered the last part and she hugged her chest.
"I know it's hard to accept, but you need to and you need to move on. I'm not expecting either of you to stay attached to me if I die. I expect both of you to move on and be happy." Edward huffed before turning to her.
"You clearly don't know me or Jacob very well. I've seen inside his head. Normally, it's very disgusting place to be concerning his thoughts about you, but when he is thinking about you being gone, it's like hearing myself think. He tries to figure out what he would do if you aren't here. He loves you and he doesn't think he could survive without you. He's going to try because you want him to, but he doesn't think it will do any good." She squinted and shook her head.
"My child is going to need him if something happens to me, Edward. So will Charlie and Billy." Edward rolled his eyes before standing up.
"I'm sorry, Bella. I'm trying to be as understanding and supportive as I can, but I don't understand and I'd personally be very supportive of Jacob no longer existing considering what he has done to you." Bella's heart wrenched as tears filled her eyes.
"Jacob didn't do this to me, Edward. He didn't rape me. He didn't bind me and gag me." She talked to him with a serious tone before she took a deep, shaky breath. "This is going to hurt you to hear, but I asked Jacob for sex, not the other way around. I knew that would probably be the last time I would ever see him so, yeah, I begged Jacob to fuck me. It didn't take much convincing, but I initiated it so don't you dare blame Jacob for me being pregnant." Edward's face showed his heartbreak as he looked away.
"Who am I supposed to blame for this? Do you want me to hate that child? Do you want me to have the urge to kill it as soon as it's born?" Her fists clenched as her anger rose.
"Get out of the fucking room, Edward." Her anger was uncharacteristic and Edward's eyes widened. "I don't want you anywhere near me or my son. Go away, now." He instantly disappeared as she pushed the blanket off of her, feeling herself get hotter.
Jacob shifted and felt himself connect to the pack mind, finding only Sam phased.
Jacob, is that you? Sam was shocked to sense Jacob join in.
Yeah, Sam. Sorry that I disappeared like that, but Bella has really needed me and she still does. I just wanted you to know that I'm alive. Sam was confused by this..
Wait, Bella needed you? What is going on, Jacob? Jacob replayed the last week to Sam before he gasped, letting out a loud, emergency howl. Come with me now to our meeting place. Jacob wanted to ask what the big problem was, but kept his mouth shut. He knew he would find out when everyone else did.
He ran to the abandoned logging field at the south end of La Push where the other seven wolves were before he stood between Leah and Seth, Sam perched up on a stack of logs, standing tall.
Everyone quiet down, now! Sam's voice boomed through the pack mind and everyone quieted down. Our survival as a tribe has never been more imperative as it is now. Isabella Cullen is pregnant. There was a loud boom in the pack mind of protests of disbelief before Paul huffed.
Not something some of us didn't already know about. Paul looked to Jacob who shrugged.
You knew about this? Sam asked Paul who nodded. Why the fuck didn't you say anything? This is something important to this pack as a whole.
Why? Why is it such a big deal to you that I got Bella pregnant? Jacob asked, completely confused as a big gasp went through the whole pack other than Jacob, Paul, and Seth.
That you got Bella pregnant? Jacob nodded as Paul huffed.
I was just as shocked as you when I nearly walked in on him fucking her. Jacob growled at Paul before Sam groaned.
Sorry, but I seriously don't believe you, Jacob. He wasn't sure what he didn't believe. The fact that Bella was pregnant should be enough proof that he did have sex with her.
What, do you think our child was conceived through immaculate conception? Jacob growled as Seth spoke up.
Jacob isn't lying, Sam. Everyone looked to Seth with shock and perplexed thoughts. I have kept my mouth shut until now, but the night before the wedding, I saw the two of them going at it. I only saw because I heard some noises coming from the house and I was worried about them. Sorry, Jake. Jacob really did want to kick Seth's ass for watching him have sex with Bella, but he believed Seth when he said that he only looked because he was concerned for both of them.
It's okay, Seth. Jacob nudged his side and Seth chuckled in response.
That changes nothing. We can not take the chance. That thing that grows inside of her will be dangerous to us. I'm not going to take a chance that could bring the whole pack down along with the tribe. We can not let that creature be born. Everyone gasped.
You don't mean kill Bella, do you? Embry asked in disbelief.
No! Jacob protested before Leah groaned.
She's dead anyways! Jacob snapped at Leah in an attack and pinned her down, growling at her.
ENOUGH! Sam bellowed in an Alpha order before the two separated and Sam approached Jacob. Jacob, you will stand with us and you will help us kill that demon spawn inside her even if it means she dies! Do you hear ME! Jacob whimpered as his wolf naturally started to cower and he fought it. He fought hard, groaning loudly, until his wolf broke free of the Alpha order, standing a foot taller than Sam.
No, I will not stand with you, Samuel Uley! That is my girlfriend and our unborn child! I am the son of a Chief for fuck sake! I was not born to follow anyone, let alone someone not worthy of the title of Alpha as you are! Jacob bit Sam's shoulder as she ran past him, running through the reservation towards the Cullen house.
He was amazed that his head was empty of thoughts until he felt someone join him.
Jake, wait up! It was Seth then another joined in and another.
Yeah, Jake! Slow down, man! Paul yelled out in frustration and Jacob stopped.
Thank God, you stopped running. Leah spoke up and Jacob groaned as the three wolves caught up to him.
What are you guys doing here? You need to run back to Sam. Jacob tried to get them to leave, but they stood their ground.
Don't you see what you did, Jake? You broke off from Sam. You challenged him. You created a new pack and we chose to stand by you so we joined you. Jacob growled at Leah.
Leah is right, Jake. Plus, the more of us you have with you, the more protection there is for Bella. I joined because I know Rachel would kick my ass if anything happened to you or Bella. She cares about both of you. Seth is here because you and Bella are his friends. Leah is probably just following her baby brother.
Am not! Leah growled and snapped at Paul's foot.
Fine, but Leah, you go back to Sam. Leah gasped and protested quickly.
No! Please, don't send me back to him! Jacob looked to her confused. I didn't come to follow Seth around. I came because it's a way out of Sam's head. It's bad enough being his pathetic ex-girlfriend, but having to see in his head, it's torture. Please, I just want the silence. If that means protecting a bunch of leeches and your baby momma, then fine. Just...don't send me back, Jacob. He felt bad for her. He would hate to feel like that and he nodded, caving.
Come on. We need to get to the Cullen house. All four wolves ran and Edward heard the loud howl off in the distance before entering the living room, going to the window.
"Edward?" Alice asked as she stood by Bella and he looked to Alice.
"Something is wrong. That howl. It's a distress call and it was Jacob's howl." Bella gasped and tried to stand up, but her rib hurt too much to do it on her own.
"Where is he? Is he okay?" She was panicked and everyone could see it.
"I'm not sure. He's too far for me to hear his thoughts, but I don't think he's alone. If you look in the tree, far off towards La Push, you can see him coming this way, but there are three other tracks. He must have three other wolves with him." Bella nodded, knowing Jacob wasn't alone, and relaxed a little.
"It's probably Quil, Embry, and Seth. Everyone else annoys him."
Soon, they were graced by Jacob, Seth, Paul, and Leah coming through the door, all out of breath.
"Jake, what's wrong?" Bella was surprised to see him so out of breath with Leah and Paul. He looked to Edward who gasped when he read Jacob's mind of what happened.
"Trouble just seems to follow you, doesn't it?" Jacob growled before he went to Bella's side.
"Are you okay?" She nodded before she placed her hand on his cheek, a small smirk on her lips.
"I'm fine. What's going on?" She looked behind Jacob to see Leah, Seth, and Paul looking at her with pained eyes. "Hey, guys."
"Are you serious?" Edward asked them and Jacob nodded.
"There is a serious problem. Sam...he wants to attack." Bella gasped as Jacob said this aloud and placed her hand on her stomach.
"Why?" Bella asked as Emmett huffed. He was too cocky.
"He doesn't believe that Jacob is the one who knocked you up." Paul stated with his arms crossed and Bella tilted her head in confusion.
"And who does he think did?" Paul snickered and Edward brooded.
"He thinks I did." Bella instantly rolled her eyes and laughed.
"Funny, Edward." Everyone was serious then she knew he was telling the truth. "What? Even if we had… I wouldn't be pregnant from that." Edward gulped and looked away.
"Our kind...we are able to get humans pregnant." The wolves and Bella gasped from this knowledge as Jacob sat by Bella who moved into his arms, waiting for Edward to continue explaining. "It has only happened a few times and we met one once. Her name was Huilena and she wasn't like our kind at all. She had a heart beat and she was fragile like a human. She was mortal, but she couldn't die from age. Just imagine a regular human that didn't age. She ate food, slept, and she could reproduce if she wanted to. There are a lot of similarities between Bella's pregnancy and the pregnancy of a woman carrying a vampire hybrid, but there is one big difference. Bella's temperature." Everyone looked to Bella who had a light mist of sweat coating her skin. "She is constantly burning up. If that child were from me, her temperature would be much lower. Every day, her temperature gets closer to that of a wolf." Jacob nodded in agreement as he took her hand in his.
"I wish there was some way to cool it down. It makes it hard to sleep or relax." Leah narrowed her eyes as Bella took a deep breath and curled into Jacob's side.
"Her temperature is getting dangerous to her. We need to lower it." Jacob nodded as Bella smirked at him weakly.
"Maybe a cold bath?" Jacob offered up a solution and Carlisle quickly shook his head.
"That would bring her temperature down too quickly. If it comes down too quickly, she could have a seizure. We need something more subtle." Bella nodded as she reflected back on that night in the tent with Edward and Jacob. She needed to warm up so Jacob got in the sleeping bag to keep her from freezing to death.
Now, she needed something to do the exact opposite.
"I have an idea." She spoke softly and everyone's eyes fell on her. "I'm not sure if anyone is going to like it. I don't like it myself, but my temperature needs to come down." Everyone watched her, waiting on her idea.
"What is it, Bells?" He asked as she took a deep breath.
"I was thinking about that night before the newborn battle. It was freezing and I needed to warm up so Jacob got in the sleeping bag with me." She directed towards the whole room, but it was Jacob and Edward who clued into where she was leading it. They both remembered how they hated it, but this time, it would be the exact opposite. It wouldn't be Jacob warming her up. It would be Edward cooling her off.
"Worth a try." Edward stated smugly before he walked over and sat on the other side of Bella. She looked at him disapprovingly, since he was such an asshole earlier, before sat equally between both men, one side started cooling down while the other was heating up. Naturally, her body moved closer to the cold before Edward wrapped his arm around her shoulder. She circled up in a ball in Edward's arm, still refusing to touch him.
It felt good, the cold penetrating her cooking flesh, but she knew this would be upsetting to Jacob.
"It sucks when the shoes on the other foot, Jacob." Edward sneered and the others all whistled from the awkwardness as Jacob sat by, cracking his knuckles in irritation.
"Shut up, Edward, or I'll kill you myself." Bella said as she shivered and Edward rubbed her back. "Don't say another word, Edward. You've already said enough for one day." Jacob was confused by what she said and it struck Edward's heart.
"Um, Emmett, it might be better if you sit here with Bella. I need to go for a little run." He nodded and Edward disappeared out the door.
"Don't worry, Jacob. I'm not trying to steal your girl." Emmett teased them and Bella and Jacob laughed. Leah walked out the door and followed Edward to the brook where they saw wolves on the other side.
"I know how you feel." She said softly and he groaned.
"You have no idea how I feel. My wife is pregnant by another man and that child is going to kill her. There is nothing I can do about it. Whether or not she sees me as her husband doesn't matter. My wife betrayed me with my mortal enemy and saw nothing wrong with it because it was right in her heart." Leah took a deep breath.
"Sam was with me when he imprinted on Emily. He cheated on me with her and then left me for her. I know how it feels other than the baby part. Nobody ever cared about my feels about it because Sam had no control so he would flaunt his relationship with Emily in my face and in my head. You can't stop from reading Jake's mind just like he can't stop where his mind goes." Edward nodded before giving her an apologetic smile. "No one deserves that, Cullen." He nodded before he stood up straight.
"I asked for it. I'm the one who came back though the footwork for all this had been placed. I had a feeling it would end like this. I just didn't want it to be true." Leah nodded as she gave him a small smile.
"Same here. We can't choose our fate just like we can't fight it." Edward looked to her appreciatively. "It's best not to dwell on the what ifs of our reality. It will only hurt." He nodded while he tilted his head.
"You know what, Leah?" She did the same as him and he lightly chuckled. "You are probably the easiest wolf to be around. Your thoughts aren't too annoying." She giggled while she smirked.
"You aren't half bad yourself, Cullen." He rolled his eyes with amusement in his eyes.
"It's Edward." She smirked happily for the first time in a long time.
"Alright, Edward. How about we run the perimeter of the house? Running helps preoccupy the mind." He nodded as he gently patted her back.
"Sure, let's go."