As it so happens, I apparently had 'zoomed foreword' four weeks, missing the entire blank spot where the stuff I wanted to see what happened, happened. Everyone told me that I was there those four weeks, but like I was out of it. They summed it up as that I wasn't getting enough sleep, and that's why they let me sleep for twelve hours. So I officially labeled myself crazy. Anyway, I kept checking in with Edward to see if he was listening to my thoughts; thing is, he sometimes couldn't even hear me, brain-wise. Hmmm, maybe I was some sort of shield like Bella…? Anyway, I sat in the living room next to Bella, who looked like she could die any minute, and debated random stuff in my head.
I was the only one besides Edward whom Rosalie let near Bella without permission, which was a good thing, because I've never wanted to get on her bitchy side. I knew what was going on in the woods, but it didn't help ease up my tension any better.
Alice gasped suddenly from behind the couch. "I can't see Erin."
I stood up on the couch and looked down at her. "What do you mean, you can't see me?"
"You're future, I mean. Later." Wow, that's helpful. "I can't see any further than a day or two from now."
"Oh, Alice, I've always admired your psychic handiwork," I said, panicking. "But are you meaning to say someone attacks me and I die?"
"No, you live," She said slowly. "I just—can't—see you! It's all black!"
It hit me like a ton of bricks. I was gonna go home after Bella was changed, I knew it. I was gonna go back to my world and die like I was supposed to in that car crash.
I turned around and plopped my butt back down on the couch, muttering stuff about alien abductions to myself. Bella was falling asleep, and looked a little cramped up in the position she was in so I got up and went over to the window wall facing the front yard and sat down on a bench. I just stared out at the woods where I knew two wolves would come from any minute. I sighed, wondering if I really was going to die. I don't know how much time had passed when Emmett, Jasper, and Edward flitted over to the front door. Seconds later, a brownish russet wolf, and a sandy colored gangly wolf burst from the trees. Jake and Seth.
"Jacob? Seth? What's going on?" Edward asked them immediately. There was a long pause in where I knew Jacob was explaining what had gone on with the pack. Unconsciously, I walked over to the front door and stood behind Emmett. He was the only one who took notice of me.
"They want to kill Bella?" Edward snarled flatly. I sighed as Emmett and Jasper went into defensive crouches and hissed at the two wolves, having not heard the first part of the conversation.
Seth backed up a bit, and I knew he'd thought, 'Hey, now."
"Em, Jazz—not them! The others. The pack is coming."
Emmett and Jasper rocked back on their heels; Emmett turned to Edward while Jasper kept his eyes on the wolves.
"What's their problem?" Emmett demanded.
"The same one as mine," Edward hissed. "But they have their own plan to handle it. Get the others. Call Carlisle! He and Esme have to get back here now."
Jake whined uneasily, figuring out that we were 'separated.' Edward looked at me, obviously hearing that bit. "How did you know that?"
"I know things, remember?" I said dismissively.
Edward turned to the wolves. "They aren't far." I knew Seth was telling him he was going to run the western perimeter. Edward asked him, "Will you be in danger, Seth?" Obviously, they were saying that Seth could handle himself, blah, blah, blah.
I burst out laughing, "Oh, I love that part." I tried to imitate Taylor Lautner's voice, and failed, as I said this: "'You're always a kid to me, kid'. Oh, I found that hilarious!" Before I could protest, I was rushed inside by Emmett, and then he went back outside; I was probably getting in the way and weirding Jake out, or something. I saw Alice get up from behind the couch and walk outside, too. A few minutes later, everyone came back inside, tense. Bella was still asleep on the couch, and Rosalie was still sitting on the floor in front of the couch. Alice to her spot behind the couch again, while Edward, Emmett, and Jasper were alert as they looked out the window watching for any signs of danger.
They had a football game going, though no one was paying attention to it, beside me who was trying her very, very best to finally get what the game was about. A howl ripped through the tense silence, and then was quickly cut off. Everyone was instantly tense, but I just sighed and whispered, "Wow, Seth."
Soon, I felt myself falling asleep too. No! No, keep yourself awake, Erin. It didn't work, and I slowly let myself drift into unconsciousness.
When I woke up, I was on the couch. I wasn't on top of Bella, or the other way around, so that meant that Bella was 'worse.' Crap. I looked up and saw that I was way on the other side of the room; they'd moved the furniture so they had room for the hospital set up. It was also day time, and Jacob was here.
He, Carlisle, Rosalie, and Edward were all gathered outside on the porch. Okie-dokie, they were figuring out what the baby needed. I stood up and walked over to Bella.
"So, Bella, how're ya feelin'?" I asked, like this situation was no big deal.
"I'm fine," She answered automatically, weakly. "We just don't understand what he wants."
"Well, I think they already did," I told her as the quartet entered the house.
"Will anyone explain to me who she is yet," Jacob sneered, pointing at me. "She's human, and who is she?"
"Later, Wolf-man. Later." I muttered, and Jake turned his attention back to Bella as she watched the three vampires in question flit around the room with suspicion.
"Jacob had an idea that might help you," Carlisle said. "It won't be…pleasant, but—"
"But it will help the baby," Rosalie interrupted eagerly. "We've thought of a better way to feed him. Maybe."
Bella's eyelids fluttered. Then she coughed out a weak chuckle. "Not pleasant?" she whispered. "Gosh, that'll be such a change." She eyed the tube stuck into her arm and coughed again, and Rosalie laughed with her, trying to lighten the mood.
Edward stepped around Rosalie, no humor touching his intense expression, and took her hand. "Bella, love, we're going to ask you to do something monstrous," he said, using the same adjectives he'd offered to Jacob. "Repulsive."
She took a shallow breath. "How bad?"
Carlisle answered her question. "We thing the fetus might have an appetite closer to ours than yours. We think it's thirsty."
Bella blinked. "Oh. Oh."
"Your condition—both of your conditions—are deteriorating rapidly. We don't have time to waste, to come up with more palatable ways to do this. The fastest way to test the theory—"
"I've got to drink it," she whispered, interrupting him. She nodded slightly—barely enough energy for a little head bob. "I can do that. Practice for the future, right?" She grinned ever so slightly at Edward, who didn't smile back.
Meanwhile, I silently raised my hand.
Carlisle addressed me. "Yes. Erin?"
"This does work, by the way," I said softly, so only the vampires and Jacob could hear me, and noticed the hope in everyone's eyes ignite. "It works."
"How do you know that?" Jake asked me. "Are you psychic like that pixie?"
"No, I just know things." I stated, narrowing my eyes slightly.
"So, who's going to catch me a grizzly bear?" Bella whispered. Carlisle and Edward exchanged a glance. "What?"
"It will be a more effective if we don't cut corners, Bella," Carlisle said. "It obviously is not going to want animal blood. Am I right on this, Erin?"
I nodded.
"It won't make a difference to you, Bella. Don't think about it," Rosalie encouraged.
Bella's eyes widened. "Who?" she breathed, looking at me, then Jacob.
"I'm not here as a donor, Bells," Jake grumbled. "'Sides, its human blood that things after, and I don't think mine applies—"
"Hey!" I protested, even though I knew they had some put aside for her.
"We have blood on hand," Rosalie told her. "For you—just in case. Don't worry about anything at all. It's going to be fine. Erin says it works, and the baby will be so much better."
Bella's hand ran across her bloated stomach. "Well," she rasped. "I'm starving, so I'll bet he is too. Let's go for it. My first vampire act."