Disclaimer: I am NOT Stephenie Meyer and I don't own any of the Twilight series' characters or stories. I borrowed the dialogue and storyline from Breaking Dawn, but the rest is my own take on the story, as seen through Edward's eyes.

Chapter 23

Time

A sudden movement from the corner of my eye broke my focus and I turned to see Jacob standing just feet away, his cells quivering with the urge to phase. His mind was a tortured mess of confusion and pain, unable to cope with this new discovery, with the thought that he was losing his only ally in the effort to save Bella.

He fought to hide his grimace as his eyes flickered between Bella, myself, and the door. More than the urge to protect my family, I felt the responsibility of relieving Jacob from his duties here, of allowing him to escape what was so clearly painful for him to witness.

I moved across the room to the end table and opened it, grabbing the first keys that caught my eye. I tossed the keys to the Vanquish to Jacob and he caught them easily.

"Go, Jacob. Get away from here."

He hesitated for a moment and then stared at the keys in his hand. Several beats passed before he seemed to make the connection in his mind. Then, before another second had passed, he disappeared from the room.

"Where did he…?" Bella began.

I knelt down beside her again, laying one hand on her stomach and reaching up with the other to tuck a lock of hair behind her ear. "He needed to get away," I whispered. "He'll be back. He just needed some time."

"I'm sorry," she whispered.

"Don't be. You didn't do anything wrong."

"It's my fault that I love you both, that I need you both in my life. It's just not fair – to you or to him."

"And we both choose to be here because we care about you. That's the only thing that matters."

She tugged her bottom lip between her teeth and nodded, placing her hand over mine. I lowered my gaze to our hands. With the need to be concerned over Jacob's feelings temporarily relieved, I once again found myself in awe of our discovery. I was fascinated by the baby's stream of thought – his ability to emotionally respond to the external stimulus. Even now, he seemed curious about Jacob's departure, hearing the tension in my voice and Bella's. I found myself questioning his capabilities, whether his hearing would be as acute as mine.

My mind began working at a rapid pace, thinking through our conversation with Carlisle on genetics. Until the moment I heard the child's thoughts, I couldn't bring myself to believe it could be anything other than a monster, but now everything I held true was being brought into question. This child wasn't just a part of me; it was a part of Bella as well. I began to ponder the traits he might possess, whether he would appear human or vampire, or perhaps a mixture of the two. Never believing that our two species could produce viable offspring, I never imagined what the joining of our two genetic lines would create.

Based on the thoughts emanating from the womb, even at this stage, he seemed to be functioning at a higher cognitive level than most human offspring of his age, already capable of understanding an emotion such as love. This child was clearly and understandably unique.

The sound of thumping paws broke my train of thought. I turned my head to see Leah trotting toward the house. "I'll just be a moment," I said, lifting Bella's hand to my lips before turning toward the door.

Leah stood at the bottom of the stairs, her nose wrinkled against the unpleasant odor. What happened? Where did Jacob go?

"He just needed some time to himself, to sort out his thoughts," I explained.

Sort out his thoughts? About what?

"We discovered that I can hear the baby's thoughts. It's unlike anything I've heard before and nothing like what I expected. It changes everything. I don't think Jacob was prepared for this possibility."

The hackles rose along her back. Prepared for what possibility?

"The possibility that everything will work out – better than we could have imagined. That what is growing inside Bella is not a monster, but a baby already capable of love. With this new understanding of the baby's cognitive abilities, it's probable that we may be able to communicate at least on some level. He clearly loves Bella and, I would wager, wouldn't want to hurt her." I paused, overwhelmed by the sudden turn of events. "Until the moment I heard his thoughts, I never dreamed it would be possible – that she could deliver safely, that we could be a family…"

Family…and where does that leave Jacob? Same place he always is…outside looking in.

"Leah, she's my wife and Jacob's friend. Surely, he understands…"

That's it, she huffed. Leah's body began to shiver and shrink until, only moments later, she was standing in her human form. She scowled as she started toward the house, her eyes burning with determination. The rapid change was so shocking and so utterly out of character that I didn't move to stop her as she strolled past me and into the house. I quickly followed behind, passing her to stand by Bella.

"Who do you think you are?" she demanded, her fists clenched as she stared at Bella.

"Wha– ?" Bella stammered.

"Is this fun for you? Treating Jacob the way you do. Do you enjoy seeing him in pain?" she sneered.

"Of course not," Bella insisted, clearly thrown off guard by Leah's accusations.

Rosalie moved beside Bella in a protective stance. Back off, dog.

Could have fooled me. "I'll never understand it, but Jacob loves you. He loves you more than life itself. And how do you repay him? You throw it in his face!" she seethed. "He's been nothing but good to you, done nothing but do everything in his power to keep you safe, keep you alive. He left his pack for you! He would have done anything for you. Why do you keep putting him through this?"

Bella's mouth gaped as she stared at Leah, her eyes flickering briefly to me. "But I…"

"I don't want to hear your excuses," Leah cut her off, throwing her hand in the air. "Why can't you just let him go? Can't you see that all you're doing is hurting him? He can't be your friend, Bella. You haven't been friends since this bloodsucker left you in the woods," she spat, angrily pointing her finger at me.

"Leah…" I warned, taking a step closer.

"All he ever did was love you," she continued, ignoring me. "And you couldn't even be bothered to care."

"I do care," Bella insisted, her bottom lip beginning to tremble. "I love Jacob. He's my best friend."

Leah shook her head, crossing her arms. "You sure have a funny way of showing it."

"Don't you have somewhere to be?" Rosalie growled, edging closer to Leah.

Leah glared at her, but maintained her stance. The thoughts in her mind were raging, anger engulfing her every molecule. This was more than her being protective of Jacob – she was identifying with him. Something about the relationship we all shared struck a chord that reminded her all too well of the way Sam had left her, of the way she was forced to endure hearing and witnessing his feelings for her cousin with no chance of escape. All those pent up feelings were boiling over and Bella was receiving the brunt of her rage and resentment.

"You know, you've always been so willing to die for these leeches, maybe Jake should have just let you," she sneered, her lip curling in unnatural satisfaction as she released the words she had never dared to say aloud before.

"Leah, that's enough," I reached out, gripping her by the elbow and turning for the door.

She jerked her arm away, narrowing her eyes at me. "Don't touch me!" she seethed.

"I'm sorry," Bella choked as tears began to fall.

I stood, quaking with anger, one hand clenched tightly in a fist and the other pointed at the door. "You need to go," I growled. "Now!"

"What's going on?" Seth asked as he jogged through the door. His eyes quickly surveyed the scene and it was easily apparent what had transpired. Oh no… "Leah, let's go."

Leah was continuing to stare me down and it took every ounce of restraint not to launch myself at her. Rosalie moved beside me, creating a protective wall between the wolves and Bella.

"Out," Rosalie hissed.

"I was only speaking the truth," Leah replied, as though the affect her words had on Bella were of no consequence.

"Out…NOW!" I repeated. "Or I will put you out."

"Leah, come on." Seth tugged on his sister's arm and she relented after a brief struggle. "Jake can speak for himself. He doesn't need you to speak for him."

Seth gave his sister's arm another hard tug toward the door and she quickly whipped past him, running from the house. I'm sorry, Seth mouthed as he ran after her.

I stared at the open doorway for a moment, still shocked by Leah's outburst. I turned and knelt beside Bella. The tears were flowing freely now as she covered her face with her hands. Rosalie stood behind her, rubbing her shoulders to soothe her as best she could.

"Bella, please don't cry," I pleaded. "Leah's words mean nothing. She's just upset."

Bella glared at me with narrowed, red-rimmed eyes. "But she was right," she choked.

"No, she wasn't. She's letting her feelings for Sam cloud the issue. Jacob chose to be here with you because he's your friend. He's strong and he understands – you've already shed your tears for him."

Bella shook her head vehemently and crossed her arms over her knees, burying her face further. I looked helplessly at Rose who merely shrugged her shoulders. It seemed neither of us was equipped to undo the damage that Leah's accusations had inflicted.

I eased myself onto the couch beside Bella and reached my arms around her, pulling her into my lap, cradling her against me. Her body shuddered with her continued sobs and I did what I could – I held her. I held tightly onto her while she cried, each tear slicing through my heart as I was forced to witness her pain. I had only seen her cry like this on a couple of occasions, and each time, my heart broke for her. Her guilt for Jacob was a crushing burden she already carried, only made worse by Leah's tirade.

"Can I get you anything?" Rosalie asked softly.

Bella shook her head, still keeping it buried in her arms. Her sobs had quieted, but I could still feel the moisture of her tears as they trickled down her cheeks, falling onto my arms that held her tight. As I comforted her, I listened to the concerned thoughts of our child. He could sense her distress and it seemed to bother him greatly.

"Ah," Bella gasped, unwinding her arms to clutch her midsection.

"Bella?"

She blew out several slow breaths before raising her hand and shaking her head. "I'm fine," she wheezed. "I'm fine."

It was then that I had an idea. "Bella, may I?" I asked, gesturing to her swollen belly.

She looked at me with a puzzled expression, but nodded her assent.

I knelt down until I was at eye level with her stomach. I placed my hands on either side of her belly and stroked it gently. "Where did it hurt?" I asked her.

She pointed to her right side.

I rubbed small circles in the place she had pointed to. "Baby, can you hear me?" I spoke softly. Bella looked quizzically at me, but smiled.

"Baby?"

I could hear the recognition in the child's thoughts. He knew my voice. I stroked the place where the pain had originated from, pressing lightly. "Can you feel my hand?" I asked.

Bella winced slightly at the same moment I felt a delicate pressure against my palm. "You can. That's good." With my other hand on the opposite side, I pressed in again and asked, "Can you feel my hand over here?"

Again, the slightest pressure pressed against my palm and I smiled at the sensation. "He can understand me," I beamed.

Bella's mouth popped open. "Are you sure?"

"It's astounding, but yes, I believe he can."

I felt a sharper movement against my palm and Bella cried out.

"Shh, baby…shh," I soothed, rubbing the spot where he had kicked.

"You love your mother, don't you?" I asked. The overwhelming sense of devotion emanated from her belly.

"And you don't want to harm her, do you?" I asked. The response was absolute agreement. He understood love as well as pain. "You're very strong and it hurts her when you kick. Can you try to be still?"

The emotion of love was now tinged with remorse. It appeared that he had the mental capacity to understand that his actions were causing pain, something he didn't wish to do to someone he cared so much for.

"He understands," I breathed, smiling up at Bella. "He understands. This changes everything."

Bella gazed at me, not seeming to understand.

"He doesn't want to hurt you," I explained. "And he can understand me. If we can explain to him what hurts you, he can try to avoid it. If we can communicate on this level, we can conceivably talk him through the entire delivery process. We can save you both."

Bella's eyes widened as she processed this new revelation. She placed her hand atop mine. Together we cradled the unexpected marvel she carried in her womb. I continued to listen to the thoughts of our child, finding myself increasingly enamored with its amazing intellect. I had never before attempted to listen to the thoughts of an unborn human child, but I had heard the minds of infants before and none could compare to the advanced understanding that ours was exhibiting.

His mind was a complex tapestry of evolving emotion and understanding. It was amazing what he was able to glean solely by listening. I wagered that his hearing must be akin to mine if he could hear our voices so clearly through the barriers that contained him. As I listened, I began to hear an edge of concern and discomfort tingeing his thoughts – a desire to move and to stretch, hindered by a fear that he might harm Bella.

"I don't think we should wait," I whispered.

Bella looked up. "Wait for what?"

Edward, no, Rosalie thought, already understanding my meaning.

"I think we should ask Carlisle to deliver the baby when he returns," I answered.

Bella bit down on her lip and glanced over at Rosalie who shook her head imperceptibly. "Why?"

"I can hear his fear, his discomfort. He's afraid to hurt you, but there isn't adequate space in the womb for him. He's unable to stretch and move as he normally would because he now knows that it would cause you harm."

I don't know. Rosalie pursed her lips. "Will it be safe?"

"Bella is only a couple of days shy of a full-term pregnancy, at least as far as we can tell," I replied. "I wouldn't foresee any complications from delivering a day or two early."

"I'm not sure," Bella whispered.

"I think it's dangerous to continue to wait – for both you and the baby."

Bella and Rosalie exchanged a loaded glance. "Call Carlisle," Rosalie finally answered. "See what he has to say. If he agrees, then so will we."

I spend the next several moments pacing the floor of Carlisle's office, explaining our discovery and my hope that he would deliver the baby upon his return. His reluctance was only surpassed by his amazement. He asked what seemed like an endless series of questions regarding the baby's temperament, thought processes, and comprehension. He did agree that the ability to communicate, at least on a rudimentary level, would be immensely helpful during the delivery.

Carlisle had sent Jasper and Alice back with a load of supplies, but had decided to seek out another source to sustain Bella's new diet. I tried to convince him that more blood wouldn't be necessary if we were to induce her labor, but he insisted that there may be need for a transfusion and, if the baby was craving blood while in the womb, it was likely it would harbor the same proclivity after it was born.

With much trepidation, I agreed that a greater blood supply would be prudent and he promised to return by the following day. I hung up the phone, feeling marginally better about the situation, but seeing the pain Bella was in and hearing the discomfort of our child made me anxious to elevate the timeline. Waiting out the next eighteen hours or so until Carlisle's return would be agonizing. With my medical degree, it was probable that I could go ahead with the procedure, but my lack of practical application would likely cause both Rosalie and Bella to refuse.

The sound of voices filtered up the stairway and I returned to see Alice and Jasper speaking quietly with Rosalie. I sat beside Bella who was now curled under a quilt, snoring softly. Her cheeks were still red and streaked with the tears she had shed just moments ago. Jasper regarded me with amusement as he sampled my temperament, enamored by my drastic emotional shift. For the first time in weeks, he could sense hope.

Rosalie was relaying our discovery and the possibilities it presented. Alice was visibly relieved and Jasper, also relieved, seemed more so to be delighted to finally have an answer to the question that had been nagging at the back of his mind. He has sensed the child's emotions, though because I had not indicated any ability to hear its thoughts and Carlisle's ultrasound had failed, he believed it would be impossible for his ability to breach the protective barrier within the womb. He had dismissed the emotions he sensed, assuming they were being produced by someone else, or even from Bella herself.

Although pleased to hear the good news, without the presence of a wolf in the house, the distortion in Alice's vision quickly returned, forcing her to relegate herself elsewhere in the house. And, once again, Rosalie and I were left alone to watch over Bella.

As we sat in silence, I listened to the thoughts of the wolves outside. Seth was upset with his sister for the way she had acted, yet understanding of her pain. Leah seemed to have found a sense of liberation through her words, though her thoughts were now tinged with an inkling of remorse. Extending my ability outward, I could hear the thoughts of the other wolves, of Sam's pack, as they sat guard at the border of our territory. Hearing the fear and anger in their minds gave me great concern. Although the likelihood that both Bella and the baby would survive the delivery was improving, there was still the distinct possibility that something could go wrong.

The treaty, now severely strained and likely broken, would surely be shattered the moment Bella's heart stopped beating. Treaty or no treaty, I would do whatever I had to do to keep Bella alive, in one form or the other. But the stress of the new dynamic would be made exponentially worse if we were forced to run from the wolves. If a new treaty could be forged, if a new agreement could be made, we could focus our efforts on helping Bella adapt to a new life and on adapting our own lives to care for an infant with yet unknown characteristics.

I made a mental note to discuss this with Jacob upon his return. Not only was he now an Alpha with a pack of his own, but he was the descendant of Ephraim Black – the true Alpha of Sam's pack. His authority by birth should outweigh Sam's assumed power.

No sooner had I made this decision than I heard the roar of the Vanquish as it approached the house. With Bella still sleeping soundly, I made my way to the garage to greet him. I also had wish to discuss Leah's actions in his absence and, with the possibility of raised voices, I didn't want to take the chance of waking Bella.

A flicker of surprise registered on Jacob's face as he pulled the car to a stop in the garage. His thoughts, though calmed a bit, were still tinged with bitterness.

"A few things, Jacob," I began.

He closed his eyes briefly and held his breath before rising from the car and tossing the keys to me. "Thanks for the loan," he grumbled. "What do you want now?"

"Firstly…I know how averse you are to using your authority with your pack, but…"

"What?" he asked, confused by my words.

I could feel my ire rising again, Bella's emotional wounds still too new for me to remain calm. "If you can't or won't control Leah, then I –"

"Leah?" he interrupted. "What happened?"

"She came up to see why you'd left so abruptly. I tried to explain. I suppose it might not have come out right."

Jacob sucked in a breath through his teeth. "What did she do?"

"She phased to her human form and –"

"Really?" he interjected. She let her guard down…in the mouth of the enemy's lair?

"She wanted to…speak to Bella."

"To Bella?" he repeated.

I clenched my fists at my sides, reigning in my temper. "I won't let Bella be upset like that again. I don't care how justified Leah thinks she is! I didn't hurt her – of course I wouldn't – but I'll throw her out of the house if it happens again. I'll launch her right across the river –"

"Hold on." Jacob shook his head, waving his hands in the air to stop me. "What did she say?"

"Leah was unnecessarily harsh. I'm not going to pretend that I understand why Bella is unable to let go of you, but I do know that she does not behave this way to hurt you. She suffers a great deal over the pain she's inflicting on you, and on me, by asking you to stay. What Leah said was uncalled for. Bella's been crying –"

"Wait – Leah was yelling at Bella about me?"

I nodded. "You were quite vehemently championed."

Whoa. "I didn't ask her to do that."

"I know."

Who would have believed it? "I can't promise to control Leah. I won't do that. But I'll talk to her, okay? And I don't think there'll be a repeat. Leah's not one to hold back, so she probably got it all off her chest today."

"I would say so," I scoffed.

"Anyway, I'll talk to Bella about it, too. She doesn't need to feel bad. This one's on me."

"I already told her that."

"Of course you did." He rolled his eyes briefly before his expression morphed to one of concern. "Is she okay?"

"She's sleeping now. Rose is with her."

Rose? He's completely crossed over to the dark side.

"She's…better in some ways," I continued. "Aside from Leah's tirade and the resulting guilt."

Better. Because he can hear the monster and everything and it's all lovey-dovey now. Fantastic.

"It's a bit more than that," I explained. "Now that I can make out the child's thoughts, it's apparent that he or she has remarkably developed mental facilities. He can understand us, to an extent."

His jaw went slack. "Are you serious?"

"Yes." I nodded. "He seems to have a vague sense of what hurts her now. He's trying to avoid that, as much as possible. He…loves her. Already."

I waited a moment as I allowed the new information to sink in. Almost immediately, he seemed to understand how important this discovery was, how it changed the entire dynamic of our situation, although it still didn't dispel his fears about the harm that could still befall Bella.

"The progress, I believe, is more than we'd judged," I continued. "When Carlisle returns –"

"They're not back?" he asked, cutting me off, his thoughts turning to the wolves bordering the perimeter and the threat they could cause.

"Alice and Jasper are. Carlisle sent all the blood he was able to acquire, but it wasn't as much as he was hoping for – Bella will use up this supply in another day the way her appetite has grown. Carlisle stayed to try another source. I don't think that's necessary now, but he wants to be covered for any eventuality."

"Why isn't it necessary? If she needs more?"

"I'm trying to persuade Carlisle to deliver the baby as soon as he is back."

"What?" Jacob gasped.

"The child seems to be attempting to avoid rough movements, but it's difficult. He's become too big. It's madness to wait, when he's clearly developed beyond what Carlisle had guessed. Bella's too fragile to delay."

Jacob pressed his hand to his chest, as though the wind had been knocked from his lungs. His surprise rapidly turned to despair as he realized our timeline had been drastically cut short. He stared at me with unblinking eyes before his mind began working again.

"You think she's going to make it," he whispered, a prayer more than an observation.

"Yes." I nodded. "That was the other thing I wanted to talk to you about."

Jacob stared, dumbfounded.

"Yes," I continued. "Waiting, as we have been, for the child to be ready, that was insanely dangerous. At any moment it could have been too late. But if we're proactive about this, if we act quickly, I see no reason why it should not go well. Knowing the child's mind is unbelievably helpful. Thankfully, Bella and Rose agree with me. Now that I've convinced them it's safe for the child if we proceed, there's nothing to keep this from working."

"When will Carlisle be back?" he asked.

"By noon tomorrow."

Jacob reached out to steady himself as his knees gave way. I started to reach for him, but stopped myself, knowing he would distain my touch more than he would appreciate my assistance. The sorrow rolled off of him in waves and I felt immensely guilty for the anguish I had inflicted on him.

"I'm sorry," I whispered. "I am truly sorry for the pain this causes you, Jacob. Though you hate me, I must admit that I don't feel the same about you. I think of you as a…a brother in many ways. A comrade in arms, at the very least. I regret your suffering more than you realize. But Bella is going to survive – and I know that's what really matters to you."

I could sense his agreement, although he was still in a state of shock.

"So I hate to do this now," I continued, "while you're already dealing with too much, but, clearly, there is little time. I have to ask you for something – to beg, if I must."

He looked up at me with pained eyes. "I don't have anything left," he choked.
His pain pierced through me, reminding me of a time not long ago when I believed I had lost everything, when the weight of it all was so heavy that it crushed me completely. I longed to comfort him, but held back.

"I know how much you have given," I whispered. "But this is something you do have, and only you. I'm asking this of the true Alpha, Jacob. I'm asking this of Ephraim's heir."

I continued when he failed to respond.

"I want your permission to deviate from what we agreed to in our treaty with Ephraim. I want you to grant us an exception. I want your permission to save her life. You know I'll do it anyway, but I don't want to break faith with you if there is any way to avoid it. We never intended to go back on our word, and we don't do it lightly now. I want your understanding, Jacob, because you know exactly why we do this. I want the alliance between our families to survive when this is over."

It's Sam you want.

"No." I shook my head. "Sam's authority is assumed. It belongs to you. You'll never take it from him, but no one can rightfully agree to what I'm asking except for you."

It's not my decision.

"It is, Jacob, and you know it. Only you can give this to me."

I can't think. I don't know.

"We don't have much time," I pleaded.

I don't know. Let me think. Just give me a minute here, okay?

"Yes," I agreed to Jacob's unspoken words.

He started toward the house and I followed, listening to the broken train of thought as he tried to piece his sanity back together, to make sense of everything that had transpired and what it would mean for everyone. Seth trotted over to us, his thoughts apprehensive and concerned. "Hey, kid," Jacob muttered, seeming to find his voice again. He reached over and patted Seth on the shoulder. "S'all cool. I'll tell you about it later. Sorry to take off on you like that."

I understand.Seth grinned.

"Hey, tell your sister to back off now, okay? Enough."

Seth nodded. Will do.

"Get back to work. I'll spell you in a bit."

Seth trotted back to the tree line, leaving us alone again.
"He has one of the purest, sincerest, kindest minds I've ever heard," I offered. "You're lucky to have his thoughts to share."

"I know that."

The sound of liquid being sucked through a straw caught our attention and I bolted up to the house. Bella was sitting up on the couch, the quilt still wrapped around her, her fingers gripping a Styrofoam cup.

"Bella, love, I thought you were sleeping," I breathed. "I'm sorry, I wouldn't have left."

She shook her head. "Don't worry. I just got so thirsty – it woke me up. It's a good thing Carlisle is bringing more. This kid is going to need it when he gets out of me."

"True." I nodded. "That's a good point."

"I wonder if he'll want anything else," she pondered aloud.

"I suppose we'll find out."

Jacob walked in behind me.

"Finally," Alice sighed with relief.

Bella looked up, her eyes locking with Jacob's. She smiled, but it quickly faltered as she remembered Leah's words.

"Hey, Bells," Jacob greeted, effectively hiding his sadness. "How ya doing?"

"I'm fine," she said.

"Big day today, huh? Lots of new stuff."

She pursed her lips. "You don't have to do that, Jacob."

He shrugged. "Don't know what you're talking about." He moved toward her, sitting on the arm of the sofa.

"I'm so s –"

He reached over, gently pinching her lips closed.

"Jake," she mumbled, trying to pull his hand away.

He shook his head. "You can talk when you're not being stupid."

"Fine, I won't say it," she grumbled.

He lowered his hand.

"Sorry!" she blurted out, smiling widely.

He rolled his eyes, but returned the smile. He maintained a carefree façade, but his mind was reeling as the reality of the coming changes began to sink in. As his mind worked through everything, I could see a subtle shift – the distain he held for our kind diminishing somewhat when he thought of what it would mean for his love for and friendship with Bella. As much as he wanted to hate us, he was finding it increasingly improbably that he could have any feeling for her other than love, regardless of whether her heart continued to beat or not.

He breathed a heavy sigh. Fine! Go ahead. Save her. As Ephraim's heir, you have my permission, my word, that this will not violate the treaty. The others will just have to blame me. You were right – they can't deny that it's my right to agree to this.

"Thank you," I whispered quietly, unable to keep the emotion from seeping into my voice. I could feel Alice and Rosalie's eyes on me, their thoughts puzzled.

"So," Bella began, breaking our silent conversation. "How was your day?"

"Great." Jacob shrugged. "Went for a drive. Hung out in the park."

"Sounds nice," she hummed.

"Sure, sure."

Bella scrunched her face, displaying some level of discomfort. "Rose?" she asked.

Bathroom? "Again?" Rosalie laughed.

Bella smiled meekly. "I think I've drunk two gallons in the last hour," she explained.

Jacob and I both moved out of the way as Rosalie moved to lift Bella from the couch.

"Can I walk?" Bella complained. "My legs are so stiff."

"Are you sure?" I asked, uncertain she would be steady on her feet.

"Rose'll catch me if I trip over my feet. Which could happen pretty easily, since I can't see them."

Rosalie hesitated briefly, but set Bella carefully on her feet and held onto her shoulders to steady her. Bella stretched out her arms, rolling her shoulders.

"That feels good," she sighed. "Ugh, but I'm huge…One more day."

I exchanged a look with Jacob as I saw the pain of her words ripple briefly across his expression before he quickly squelched it.

"All righty, then," Bella breathed. "Whoops – oh, no!"

I watched helplessly as Bella's cup fell over, saturating the couch cushion and carpet in thick, red liquid. I instinctually held my breath, knowing that the overwhelming aroma of freshly spilled blood would be too much for me when I had gone so long without. Bella began to bend down to pick up the cup, but Alice, Rosalie, and I were already reaching for it.

That's when I heard it – the sound that would send my entire world into a tailspin.

"Oh!" Bella gasped.

I watched in horror as her body fell limp and plummeted to the floor. Rosalie was closer and caught her before I could.

"Bella?" I asked, reaching for her, trying to keep the panic from my voice. She was unresponsive, but the sounds of distress emanating from within her ripped through me.

The quiet was shattered by a shriek of agonizing pain. Bella's body shuddered, twisting at an unnatural angle. The sounds of tearing filled my ears and I watched helplessly as Bella's scream was drowned by a gush of blood.

A/N: Thanks to everyone for your continued support and kind words. I couldn't do this without you. I apologize for the delay in posting this chapter (although not as long as last time). I have a regular writing schedule established, something I didn't have in the past, to keep me on task and writing at least one day a week. Ordinarily, I would spend at least two or three evenings a week writing, but I have been blessed with a surge of orders in my Etsy store that have taken up the rest of my free time.

I have to thank my beta, Nellybear 85, and my good friend, misticbutterfly, for helping me out with this chapter. I struggled a bit with the correct way to portray several scenes and their help was invaluable. Thank you ladies!