10. Heartbeats
If my baby bump hadn't been visible before, it certainly was now as I reached the end of ten weeks. So much had happened between my eighth and tenth weeks.
Jacob and Embry came through about the arrangements on the new house. We moved just east of our old one off the 101 on S. Forks Avenue and off Fern Hill Road where there weren't any neighbors and a heavily wooded area, perfect if Jake and Embry needed to go wolf, which Charlie was still unaware of. It was part of the Cullen territory so that could cause future issues but at least no other people could build nearby even if they wanted to.
On over three thousand square feet of land, Jacob and Embry had built a two story log cabin style home. They were quick and methodical, working mainly at night so they could use their quicker than human speed. The house had six bedrooms and five baths, a wraparound porch on both top and bottom floors, an office for Charlie, a loft, and a three car garage off to the side. It seemed too extravagant, almost matching the glass house that I knew too well to the north.
"You'll thank us for the space later," Jacob had said to me when we moved in to the house at the end of my ninth week.
I wasn't so sure but Charlie was grateful and wasn't sure how he could repay Jacob. Jacob insisted that as long as he had a home then that was all the payment he needed.
Halfway through my tenth week, I sat at my usual table during lunch at school, the Cullen's table. Rumors were circulating about my pregnancy but I no longer cared. I wasn't ashamed though logically I knew I should be. Teen pregnancy was frowned upon no matter what age you lived in and despite the unusual circumstances I was still a pregnant teenager.
"So," Mike said coming over to sit with me. "Pregnant, hu? I guess congratulations are in order," he said with a smile.
"Thanks I guess."
"So how'd Edward take the news? Any idea when…if he's coming back?"
So that's what he was after. Him and everyone else. More details for the gossip circle.
Before I could reply I heard a voice behind me.
"Does it really matter?" said Jake, "Or do you just want something good to tell your friends over there about," Jacob said nodding to the table where Jessica and the others were at.
I looked at him, happy that he showed up.
Embry stood next to him with the same look of cold annoyance on his face.
Mike got up very slowly as if the very presence of the six foot seven and six foot four muscled Quileute's terrified him. I saw my friends at the other table watch the scene unfold; trespassers dominating the room.
"Mike Newton," I said casually, "Jacob Black and Embry Call."
"Yeah I remember you," Mike said to Jacob. "We met at La Push. Weren't you a lot smaller then?"
"Just working out," Jake replied.
"That and puberty," Embry added as if that would somehow explain the height.
"Right sure," Mike said backing up.
"You can stay Mike, they don't bite."
Mike swallowed, "Na that's okay. I'm- I'm good. And about those questions I asked, forget I asked them. See you around Bella."
Once he was gone Jake took the seat Mike had previously occupied on my left and Embry took the one next to him.
"You couldn't have just texted to let me know you were coming?" I asked. "You literally scared the pants off him."
"Yeah that's always fun," Jake said laughing a bit. I playfully hit him, "Kidding, sort of."
"So what brings you to the slums of the pale faces?" I asked.
"School," Embry said crossing his arms. Jake looked at Embry and the guy continued, "Can't even go to school on the res. anymore. Sam's close to graduating and Paul and Jared still go there."
"Can't you just avoid them?" I asked.
"It's not quite that simple Bella," Jacob said to me. "When more of us started to turn people took notice especially when Paul started hanging around Sam and Jared. He had his own group of friends and then out of nowhere he ditched them for Paul. Same with me and Embry. We won't even talk to another one of our guys, Quil, because he's not one of us yet. If we went to school on the reservation people would freak if they saw two separate groups. They all ready saw the original group as a gang. Can you imagine how bad it would get if they saw two?"
I nodded. I could pretty much imagine rival gangs though I'd only read about them and seen them on the occasional TV show.
"I won't tell them to leave," said Jacob. "Sam was the original Alpha so I won't take that from him. We're leaving the res. school as part of their territory."
"So you enrolled here," I stated.
"Got the paperwork done this morning. Starting classes this afternoon. Bella, I'm sorry I probably should have talked to you about this. School is one of the few places where you can be alone and still be human."
"You're right, it is." Jacob lowered his head, "But that would make me the selfish one. At least here you can sort of do what you do in protecting me. Please just ell me you don't have every class with me."
Jacob and Embry laughed.
"Jake wanted to," said Embry, "but I thought that was a little much."
"Thank you," I said to him.
"We have half your schedule," Embry added.
I sighed, "Perfect."
Now at the end of my tenth week I sat in the empty doctor's office with Jacob by my side. Embry was out keeping an eye on things in case Sam showed up.
It wasn't long until Sue walked in.
"Hi Bella," she said in a friendly tone.
"Hi," I replied nervously, "So you know- about me? These aren't just any babies."
Sue nodded. "I know that's why Jacob had you come see me. I know I'm only a nurse but I'm also a certified midwife. Although I'm not sure how much help I can really be. We don't exactly deal on the helpful side of vampire situations."
"Right," I answered softly.
Jacob squeezed my hand as if to reassure me that it was okay.
The appointment was short. As a carrier of vampire twins there wasn't much Sue could really examine. Normally doctors would draw a vial of blood but Sue thought that given my unique circumstances that it was best to leave my blood where it was.
She set up an ultrasound.
As I lay with my stomach exposed, Jacob only stared at my belly once and the rest of the time he focused on either Sue's task or on me.
"This is going to be a bit cold," Sue said as she placed a round blue glob of gel on my stomach.
She then ran the wand over it. Sue clicked a few buttons on the panel beneath the monitor and continued to run the wand over my uterus.
"Huh," said Sue.
"What is it," I asked.
"Is something wrong," Jacob asked sounding more concerned than I was.
Sue replied, "I'm not sure. I'm not getting a read on the ultrasound."
I touched my belly. It was hard still but more like a hockey puck when it wasn't frozen in ice- there was still a little give to it, a feeling I had gotten used to. Maybe that's why the ultrasound wouldn't work.
"They're protected," I said my hand still lingering. "The amniotic sacs, they have some bounce to them but they're durable, almost like Edward's skin but not as hard."
"So if we can't tell then maybe you're over reaching on the twin thing," Jacob said half joking.
"I'm not wrong."
Jacob nodded, "Too bad there's no way to be sure."
Sue cleaned me up and I folded my shirt over the skin. "Maybe there is."
I sat up straighter, "How?"
"You're hearing, Jacob. It's very acute that you can hear for miles. Instead of listening for distances hone it in to where you can hear closer."
"I've never done that before," said Jacob.
"You've never had a reason to. Now you do. Drown out the noises around you and focus in on the sound you want."
Jacob closed his eyes and placed his left hand on my stomach. I wanted to shove it away but I didn't. If he knew the babies were in there he could let his senses take over, his touch in particular next to his hearing and maybe he could find what he was searching for.
After a few seconds a smile crossed Jacob's face and then he opened his eyes.
"I can hear them," he said to me. "I can hear the heartbeats."
"Heartbeats?" I replied. "So it is twins?"
"Yeah. They're very distinct, the pitches are slightly different." Jacob looked at me and smiled, "You were right. She's not alone in there."
I smiled at Jacob and a few tears streamed down my face, enthralled that I now had confirmation but just as the moment began it was over when Jacob removed his hand and a look of disgust crossed his face.
"Stay here," Jacob said leaving before I could even ask what had happened.
Wolves howled nearby and Sue came over to stand by my right side.
After twenty minutes Jacob returned with Embry looking just as alert.
"We have to get you home," said Jacob.
"Are you gonna tell me what's going on?" I asked as I stood up.
"Vampires," was all he said.
"Seth," Sue whispered.
Jacob nodded and Sue took off to check on her youngest son.
My heart raced.
"I'm sorry," said Jacob, "It's not them."
"How do you know?"
"I remember their smell. These smells were different."
Smells.
There had been more than one. My left hand automatically went to the cold scar on my right wrist. The memories were so vivid. I could hear Carlisle and Edward discussing my fate, Edward fighting for my life.
It surprised me at how different my life would have been as I laid on that floor withering in pain form James' bite. Had Edward not sucked out the venom I would have been like him now. And that this very moment wouldn't exist, the babies that I carried having not been conceived. Edward was the reason I was human now, he was the reason that his offspring were alive within me.
"Bella," Jacob said. He glanced at Embry suddenly worried.
I removed my hand and looked at my protectors.
"You said vampires as in plural?" I asked.
"Yeah," said Embry, "A guy with dreads and a red-headed chick. They got to the water before we or Sam's pack could catch them. Water is the one edge they have over us."
"Bella what aren't you telling us," asked Jacob.
"I know them," I finally admitted. "They were part of a coven we came across last year. The Cullen's killed James but Victoria was his mate. Laurent was with them. They're after me."
Jacob took a deep breath and I could see his muscles tense beneath his shirt. "Take Bella home," Jake said to Embry.
"Where are you going?" I asked.
"To talk to Sam."