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Chapter Twenty-Eight-Danger
Little Ethan was shaking like a leaf. Leah tried to calm him down. This was all too reminiscent of the time that the poor boy had nearly phased because of Edward Cullen. Bella's son had an innate connection with his mother. When she was in any kind of danger, he sensed it. Leah remembered what Jacob had told her and Sam about the near miss in Florida. The same thing was happening now. Ethan was reacting because Bella was in some kind of peril.
"Sam, we need to call Jake. Something is really wrong." Leah said hurriedly as she began to strip Ethan down. His skin was caked in sweat.
"I'll try." Sam grabbed his cell phone and tried to call Jacob, but his phone went straight to voice mail. "Dammit, he's not picking up. For all we know he could be in the delivery room with Bella while she's giving birth."
"Oh, don't say that." Leah cried in alarm. She knew more than anyone how distressed Bella had been feeling about little Sarah arriving too early. She had really suffered during Ethan's birth. It would be awful if she had to go through the same ordeal again. And so unfair. But Ethan's reaction to the whole thing was frightening. He was writhing in agony as his temperature soared. Did this mean that Bella was struggling in childbirth or was it an indication of something much more sinister? Leah raised her frightened eyes to Sam. "We need to get to the hospital, Sam. Something is dreadfully wrong."
Jacob's head was aching. He had been pacing back and forth for the last fifteen minutes. He was regretting his decision to bring Bella to the hospital. She had begged him not to. He had dismissed her fears as irrational. She had been so emotional lately as her hormones played havoc with her moods. Factoring in her anxiety that the medical staff would find out about Renee's past drug use and depression, plus Bella's bout of it after Cullen abandoned her, it was no wonder Jacob had thought it was her own insecurities that were masking her ability to make informed decisions. But now he was thinking he should have listened to her. He did another circuit of the room, his fingers clenching and unclenching as he tried to control his wolf. It was fighting to break free, eager to go find Bella and protect her.
Jacob tried to reason with his inner wolf. Bella was in the best place possible. She had been so ill. She was so thin and weak. He had no choice but to bring her to the hospital. Her health and the baby's were at risk. He kept second guessing his decision as he walked around and around. Perspiration coated his skin as he tried to think rationally, but his wolf was restless, urging him to give into his baser instincts. Jacob stopped pacing and kneaded his forehead and squeezed his eyes shut. The ache in his head intensified so much that it made him breathless. He breathed raggedly, holding on by a thread as his inner spirit wolf demanded his attention. Jacob's will to fight the phase was getting weaker. An image of his wolf appeared in his mind. The enormous russet wolf growled, baring his teeth at some unseen enemy. Jacob struggled as he fought for control. Then suddenly, out of the darkness, another wolf appeared. It was little more than a cub.
Jacob recognised the shiny brown fur and the wide chocolate eyes of his son's spirit wolf. His heart hammered in his chest as he realised that he had been wrong all along. His spirit wolf hadn't been trying to make him phase, it had been trying to make him understand that Ethan was trying to communicate with him. His little boy was suffering, which meant that Bella was in danger. This special ability that his little boy had was astounding. Jacob had only ever witnessed it once before in Florida when a crazed Edward had kidnapped Bella and her mother. Ethan's connection to Bella was extraordinary. They may have been separated but he had been able to show Jacob where Bella was through a shared mind link, like the one the wolf pack used to communicate with each other. But this one was different, it was more intense, and so unique.
"Show me, Ethan." Jacob gasped. His head was splitting apart as he tried to hold onto the intangible link he had with his son. He knew poor Ethan must be suffering terribly in order to maintain the connection as he let his spirit wolf control his small body.
The scene in Jacob's head shifted as Ethan allowed him to see what was happening to his mother. Jacob watched in horror as he saw a comatose Bella being carried out of the hospital toward a waiting car. Her long hair was dragging along the ground as her head lolled to one side. She looked so small and frail apart from her swollen belly which looked huge on her tiny frame. Heat licked up Jacob's spine as he tried to concentrate on Bella's surroundings. He recognised the hospital parking lot; the mysterious figure was drawing near the vehicle. Jacob could see it clearly now. It was a sleek black Mercedes….
The fragile connection with his son was broken. Jacob tore out of the hospital waiting room and ran like a madman toward the entrance. He fought the phase all the way, still a tiny part of him trying to hold on to his sanity. He ignored the people who got in his way. He shoved past them, desperate to get out into the open air. What took seconds felt like hours to Jacob. He bolted through the sliding doors and out into the open air. A cool breeze hit his fevered skin as he scanned the parking lot desperately. The car had to be there. It had to. His limbs shook as he took off again, circling the huge lot, hoping, and praying in his head that he wasn't too late.
Ethan went limp in Leah's arms. She cried out on shock, startling Sam who was driving. They were just minutes away from the hospital. Leah tried desperately to rouse Ethan, but he appeared to have slipped into unconsciousness. She could hear his little heart beating so fast. It was like a tiny bird trying to break free from its cage. Leah had never felt so terrified in her life. She exchanged a horrified glance with Sam. This couldn't be happening. Not to Ethan. She loved him as if he was her own son.
"Should I keep going or pull over." Sam felt as helpless as Leah. He reached out and grabbed her hand as she cradled a lifeless Ethan on her lap.
"I don't know." Leah felt tears running down her face. She hadn't cried properly since her beloved father, Harry, had passed away. "Ethan, please wake up." She begged. "Please, sweetheart."
Sam knew Leah wasn't able to make a rational decision. They were close to the hospital anyway. Ethan needed medical attention. Also, Jacob was there. Sam put his foot on the gas and increased his speed. He shot down the highway, not caring that he was breaking the speed limit. This was an emergency. He concentrated on the road ahead, weaving in and out of the traffic skilfully. Leah was still trying to rouse Ethan with little success. Sam's brows knit together and his lips thinned in grim determination as he swerved past another truck, ignoring the loud horns blaring angrily in his wake. The hospital entrance was just feet away.
"We're nearly there, Lee…." Sam's words were cut off as he was forced to make another desperate manoeuvre. A black Mercedes had come out of nowhere at high speed, its tires spinning on the tarmac as it headed right for them. Sam spun the truck around, trying to get out of its way. But it was too late. The Mercedes struck them with brutal force, pushing his truck into the barriers, while the collision crushed the Mercedes hood in like a concertina.
Bella woke up to a nightmare. She was in agony. She was burning from the inside out. It was dark. She couldn't see a damn thing. She cradled her swollen abdomen protectively. "Help me." Her mouth felt full of cotton wool. She tried again. "Help me."
There was the smell of oil, then burning. Bella's eyes began to sting. She coughed, trying to draw in some oxygen, but the gassy smell got worse. Her whole body was aching, especially her lower back. She was disorientated and confused. "Help me." The ache in her back intensified. Bella shuddered and cried out in pain as something wet burst between her legs.
It was like a scene from a horror movie. Jacob felt his insides twist and his heart thud painfully in his chest as he reached the scene of the accident. He recognised Sam's truck. It was wedged against the parking lot's barriers. One long pole had smashed through the windscreen, impaling the truck against the concrete wall. Smoke was pouring from under the hood. The front of the Mercedes was completely crushed. In the distance Jacob heard the wailing sirens as the emergency services began to arrive on the scene. He knew he didn't have much time. Jacob went straight for the Mercedes. Bella had to be in the car. Ethan had shown him. He had no idea that his son was inside Sam's truck along with him and Leah. Jacob assumed it was just Sam. He expected that his friend was just dazed and confused after the collision. He was a wolf and could take care of himself. Jacob's priority was Bella and his unborn child.
The smell of oil mixed with petrol was strong. Jacob began to panic that the Mercedes was going to go up in flames any second. He cried Bella's name as he rushed over to the smoking vehicle and wrenched open the passenger door. He was half afraid of what he would see inside. The sickening smell of vamp made him recoil for a second. He held his breath and pushed his upper body into the car. He noticed the driver's door was wide open. The driver had run off after the crash. He heard a breathy moan coming from the back of the car.
"Bells…Bella…it's me." Jacob backed out and tried to wrench the rear door open. But it was locked. He gritted his teeth in frustration. He could hear moaning coming from inside. "I'm coming, honey. Stay calm. I'm coming." He took another deep breath and dived in the front. If he wanted to get to her, he was going to have to rip the front passenger seat out. Jacob grabbed hold of it. His arm muscles quivered under the strain as he pulled and pulled. He used his strong legs to get traction. Then bit by bit the seat began to come away from its fixings. There was an almighty rip and Jacob fell backwards as the broken seat toppled on top of him.
Jacob pushed the seat off his body and flipped easily back onto his feet. Out of the corner of his eye he saw Sam scrambling out of his truck. Uley had a large cut on his forehead which was oozing blood. "Sam, Bells is in the car. I need help to get her out." Jacob called out to him.
Sam didn't seem to hear him. He staggered to the truck calling out Leah's name. "Lee Lee, talk to me. Lee." He screamed.
"Shit." Jacob swore. Leah was in the truck. Who was taking care of Ethan? "Sam, where is Ethan?" He yelled. "Dammit." He heard a faint cry from the Mercedes. It was Bella. In an agony of indecision Jacob dived in the Mercedes and reached for her. It was dark in the interior but he could see Bella's faint outline. "Oh, honey." He whispered. "I'm here. I'm right here."
Bella's pale face was streaked with grime. Her eyes were round with anxiety and fear. "Jake." She gasped in relief that he was there. "My waters have broken…"
Jacob heard other vehicles drawing up. Sirens wailed loudly, making his head hurt. Lights flashed making him see stars. He caught Bella's hand and held on tight. "It's going to be alright, Bells." He was surprised he sounded to calm when inside he was falling apart. "We're gonna get you out of here."
"Carlisle…." Bella sobbed. "I saw Ca…Carlisle."
"I know." Jacob squeezed her hand. "Don't think about him right now. We need to focus on you and little Sarah."
Bella nodded her head. She was getting increasingly uncomfortable in her awkward position. Her lower back was aching abominably. She was having contractions. Suddenly people swarmed around her and Jacob as the emergency services began to take over. There was no time for anymore conversation between them as Jacob was forced to let go of her hand while he let the trained professionals do their work. He stood aside as a paramedic took his place and began to fire a series of questions at Bella about her condition.
"Lee Lee." Sam was trying to force the truck's door open. The long pole had wedged it shut. He was ignoring the calls from the firefighters who were demanding that Sam step back.
"It's gonna blow." The lead firefighter yelled. "Get back."
As soon as Jacob heard those words his blood ran cold. He glanced back at the Mercedes. Bella was being eased out of the car and placed on a stretcher. He waited long enough to see that she was carried a safe distance away before he ran over to join Sam. He still had no idea that Ethan was in the smoking truck with Leah. Hands grappled with him as the firefighters tried to stop him, he shook them off easily.
"Sam." Jacob ran to his friend's side.
Sam was shaking like a leaf. His face was a mask of despair. "Lee is in there." He said hoarsely. "She was holding Ethan."
"Fuck!" Jacob cursed. He shot toward the truck, hands outstretched. The firefighters yelled at him to stop, but it was too little too late.
The truck burst into flames.
A/N-thanks for reading!
