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Chapter no 15 – TICK TOCK TICK TOCK TICK TOCKโ€Œ

Breaking Dawn (The Twilight Saga, Book 4)

Hey Jake, thought you said you wanted me at dusk. How come you didnโ€™t have Leah wake me up before she crashed?

โ€™Cause I didnโ€™t need you. Iโ€™m still good.

He was already picking up the north half of the circle.ย Anything? Nope. Nothing but nothing.

You did some scouting?

Heโ€™d caught the edge of one of my side trips. He headed up the new trail.

Yeahโ€”I ran a few spokes. You know, just checking. If the Cullens are going to make a hunting tripโ€ฆ

Good call.

Seth looped back toward the main perimeter.

It was easier to run with him than it was to do the same with Leah. Though she was tryingโ€”trying hardโ€”there was always an edge to her thoughts. She didnโ€™t want to be here. She didnโ€™t want to feel the softening toward the vampires that was going on in my head. She didnโ€™t want to deal with Sethโ€™s cozy friendship with them, a friendship that was only getting stronger.

Funny, though, Iโ€™dโ€™ve thought her biggest issue would just beย me. Weโ€™d always gotten on each otherโ€™s nerves when we were in Samโ€™s pack. But there was no antagonism toward me now at all, just the Cullens and Bella. I wondered why. Maybe it was simply gratitude that I wasnโ€™t forcing her to leave. Maybe it was because I understood her hostility better now.

Whichever, running with Leah wasnโ€™t nearly as bad as Iโ€™d expected.

Of course, she hadnโ€™t eased upย thatย much. The food and clothes Esme had sent for her were all taking a trip downriver right now. Even after Iโ€™d eaten my shareโ€”not because it smelled nearly irresistible away from the

vampire burn, but to set a good example of self-sacrificing tolerance for Leahโ€”sheโ€™d refused. The small elk sheโ€™d taken down around noon had not totally satisfied her appetite. Did make her mood worse, though. Leah hated eating raw.

Maybe we should run a sweep east?ย Seth suggested.ย Go deep, see if theyโ€™re out there waiting.

I was thinking about that,ย I agreed.ย But letโ€™s do it when weโ€™re all awake. I donโ€™t want to let down our guard. We should do it before the Cullens give it a try, though. Soon.

Right.

That got me thinking.

If the Cullens were able to get out of the immediate area safely, they really ought to keep on going. They probably should have taken off the second weโ€™d come to warn them. They had to be able to afford other digs. And they had friends up north, right? Take Bella and run. It seemed like an obvious answer to their problems.

I probably ought to suggest that, but I was afraid they would listen to me. And I didnโ€™t want to have Bella disappearโ€”to never know whether sheโ€™d made it or not.

No, that was stupid. I would tell them to go. It made no sense for them to stay, and it would be betterโ€”not less painful, but healthierโ€”for me if Bella left.

Easy to say now, when Bella wasnโ€™t right there, looking all thrilled to see me and also clinging to life by her fingernails at the same timeโ€ฆ

Oh, I already asked Edward about that,ย Seth thought.

What?

I asked him why they hadnโ€™t taken off yet. Gone up to Tanyaโ€™s place or something. Somewhere too far for Sam to come after them.

I had to remind myself that Iโ€™d just decided to give the Cullens that exact advice. That it was best. So I shouldnโ€™t be mad at Seth for taking the chore out of my hands. Not mad at all.

So what did he say? Are they waiting for a window? No. Theyโ€™re not leaving.

And that shouldnโ€™t sound like good news.

Why not? Thatโ€™s just stupid.

Not really,ย Seth said, defensive now.ย It takes some time to build up the kind of medical access that Carlisle has here. Heโ€™s got all the stuff he needs to take care of Bella, and the credentials to get more. Thatโ€™s one of the reasons they want to make a hunting run. Carlisle thinks theyโ€™re going to need more blood for Bella soon. Sheโ€™s using up all the O negative they stored for her. He doesnโ€™t like depleting the stockpile. Heโ€™s going to buy some more. Did you know you canย buyย blood? If youโ€™re a doctor.

I wasnโ€™t ready to be logical yet.ย Still seems stupid. They could bring most of it with them, right? And steal what they need wherever they go. Who cares about legal crap when youโ€™re the undead?

Edward doesnโ€™t want to take any risks moving her. Sheโ€™s better than she was.

Seriously,ย Seth agreed. In his head, he was comparing my memories of Bella hooked up to the tubes with the last time heโ€™d seen her as heโ€™d left the house. Sheโ€™d smiled at him and waved.ย But she canโ€™t move around much, you know. That thing is kicking the hell out of her.

I swallowed back the stomach acid in my throat.ย Yeah, I know. Broke another of her ribs,ย he told me somberly.

My stride faltered, and I staggered a step before I regained my rhythm.ย Carlisle taped her up again. Just another crack, he said. Then Rosalie said something about how even normal human babies have been known to

crack ribs. Edward looked like he was gonna rip her head off.

Too bad he didnโ€™t.

Seth was in full report mode nowโ€”knowing it was all vitally interesting to me, though Iโ€™d neverโ€™ve asked to hear it.ย Bellaโ€™s been running a fever off and on today. Just low gradeโ€”sweats and then chills. Carlisleโ€™s not sure what to make of itโ€”sheย mightย just be sick. Her immune system canโ€™t be in peak form right now.

Yeah, Iโ€™m sure itโ€™s just a coincidence.

Sheโ€™s in a good mood, though. She was chatting with Charlie, laughing and allโ€”

Charlie!ย What?!ย What do you mean, she was talking to Charlie?!

Now Sethโ€™s pace stuttered; my fury surprised him.ย Guess he calls every day to talk to her. Sometimes her mom calls, too. Bella sounds so much better now, so she was reassuring him that she was on the mendโ€”

On theย mend? What theย hellย are they thinking?! Get Charlieโ€™s hopes up just so that he can be destroyed even worse when she dies? I thought they were getting him ready for that! Trying to prepare him! Why would she set him up like this?

She might not die,ย Seth thought quietly.

I took deep breath, trying to calm myself.ย Seth. Even if she pulls through this, sheโ€™s not doing it human. She knows that, and so do the rest of them. If she doesnโ€™t die, sheโ€™s going to have to do a pretty convincing impersonation of a corpse, kid. Either that, or disappear. I thought they were trying to make this easier on Charlie. Whyโ€ฆ ?

Think itโ€™s Bellaโ€™s idea. No one said anything, but Edwardโ€™s face kinda went right along with what youโ€™re thinking now.

On the same wavelength with the bloodsucker yet again.

We ran in silence for a few minutes. I started off along a new line, probing south.

Donโ€™t get too far. Why?

Bella asked me to ask you to stop by.

My teeth locked together.

Alice wants you, too. She says sheโ€™s tired of hanging out in the attic like the vampire bat in the belfry.ย Seth snorted a laugh.ย I was switching off with Edward before. Trying to keep Bellaโ€™s temperature stable. Cold to hot, as needed. I guess, if you donโ€™t want to do it, I could go backโ€”

No. I got it,ย I snapped.

Okay.ย Seth didnโ€™t make any more comments. He concentrated very hard on the empty forest.

I kept my southern course, searching for anything new. I turned around when I got close to the first signs of habitation. Not near the town yet, but I didnโ€™t want to get any wolf rumors going again. Weโ€™d been nice and invisible for a long while now.

I passed right through the perimeter on my way back, heading for the house. As much as I knew it was a stupid thing to do, I couldnโ€™t stop myself. I must be some kind of masochist.

Thereโ€™s nothing wrong with you, Jake. This isnโ€™t the most normal situation.

Shut up, please, Seth.

Shutting.

I didnโ€™t hesitate at the door this time; I just walked through like I owned the place. I figured that would piss Rosalie off, but it was a wasted effort.

Neither Rosalie or Bella were anywhere in sight. I looked around wildly, hoping Iโ€™d missed them somewhere, my heart squeezing against my ribs in a weird, uncomfortable way.

โ€œSheโ€™s all right,โ€ Edward whispered. โ€œOr, the same, I should say.โ€

Edward was on the couch with his face in his hands; he hadnโ€™t looked up to speak. Esme was next to him, her arm wrapped tight around his shoulders.

โ€œHello, Jacob,โ€ she said. โ€œIโ€™m so glad you came back.โ€

โ€œMe, too,โ€ Alice said with a deep sigh. She came prancing down the stairs, making a face. Like I was late for an appointment.

โ€œUh, hey,โ€ I said. It felt weird to try to be polite. โ€œWhereโ€™s Bella?โ€

โ€œBathroom,โ€ Alice told me. โ€œMostly fluid diet, you know. Plus, the whole pregnancy thing does that to you, I hear.โ€

โ€œAh.โ€

I stood there awkwardly, rocking back and forth on my heels.

โ€œOh, wonderful,โ€ Rosalie grumbled. I whipped my head around and saw her coming from a hall half-hidden behind the stairway. She had Bella cradled gently in her arms, a harsh sneer on her face for me. โ€œI knew I smelled something nasty.โ€

And, just like before, Bellaโ€™s face lit up like a kidโ€™s on Christmas morning. Like Iโ€™d brought her the greatest gift ever.

It was so unfair.

โ€œJacob,โ€ she breathed. โ€œYou came.โ€ โ€œHi, Bells.โ€

Esme and Edward both got up. I watched how carefully Rosalie laid Bella out on the couch. I watched how, despite that, Bella turned white and held her breathโ€”like she was set on not making any noise no matter how much it hurt.

Edward brushed his hand across her forehead and then along her neck.

He tried to make it look as if he was just sweeping her hair back, but it looked like a doctorโ€™s examination to me.

โ€œAre you cold?โ€ he murmured.

โ€œIโ€™m fine.โ€

โ€œBella, you know what Carlisle told you,โ€ Rosalie said. โ€œDonโ€™t downplayย anything. It doesnโ€™t help us take care of either of you.โ€

โ€œOkay, Iโ€™m a little cold. Edward, can you hand me that blanket?โ€ I rolled my eyes. โ€œIsnโ€™t that sort of the point of me being here?โ€

โ€œYou just walked in,โ€ Bella said. โ€œAfter running all day, Iโ€™d bet. Put your feet up for a minute. Iโ€™ll probably warm up again in no time.โ€

I ignored her, going to sit on the floor next the sofa while she was still telling me what to do. At that point, though, I wasnโ€™t sure how.โ€ฆ She looked pretty brittle, and I was afraid to move her, even to put my arms around her. So I just leaned carefully against her side, letting my arm rest along the length of hers, and held her hand. Then I put my other hand against her face. It was hard to tell if she felt colder than usual.

โ€œThanks, Jake,โ€ she said, and I felt her shiver once. โ€œYeah,โ€ I said.

Edward sat on the arm of the sofa by Bellaโ€™s feet, his eyes always on her face.

It was too much to hope, with all the super-hearing in the room, that no one would notice my stomach rumbling.

โ€œRosalie, why donโ€™t you get Jacob something from the kitchen?โ€ Alice said. She was invisible now, sitting quietly behind the back of the sofa.

Rosalie stared at the place Aliceโ€™s voice had come from in disbelief. โ€œThanks, anyway, Alice, but I donโ€™t think Iโ€™d want to eat something

Blondieโ€™s spit in. Iโ€™d bet my system wouldnโ€™t take too kindly to venom.โ€ โ€œRosalie would never embarrass Esme by displaying such a lack of

hospitality.โ€

โ€œOfย courseย not,โ€ Blondie said in a sugar-sweet voice that I immediately distrusted. She got up and breezed out of the room.

Edward sighed.

โ€œYouโ€™d tell me if she poisoned it, right?โ€ I asked. โ€œYes,โ€ Edward promised.

And for some reason I believed him.

There was a lot of banging in the kitchen, andโ€”weirdlyโ€”the sound of metal protesting as it was abused. Edward sighed again, but smiled just a little, too. Then Rosalie was back before I could think much more about it. With a pleased smirk, she set a silver bowl on the floor next to me.

โ€œEnjoy, mongrel.โ€

It had once probably been a big mixing bowl, but sheโ€™d bent the bowl back in on itself until it was shaped almost exactly like a dog dish. I had to be impressed with her quick craftsmanship. And her attention to detail.

Sheโ€™d scratched the wordย Fidoย into the side. Excellent handwriting.

Because the food looked pretty goodโ€”steak, no less, and a big baked potato with all the fixingsโ€”I told her, โ€œThanks, Blondie.โ€

She snorted.

โ€œHey, do you know what you call a blonde with a brain?โ€ I asked, and then continued on the same breath, โ€œa golden retriever.โ€

โ€œIโ€™ve heard that one, too,โ€ she said, no longer smiling. โ€œIโ€™ll keep trying,โ€ I promised, and then I dug in.

She made a disgusted face and rolled her eyes. Then she sat in one of the armchairs and started flicking through channels on the big TV so fast that there was no way she could really be surfing for something to watch.

The food was good, even with the vampire stink in the air. I was getting really used to that. Huh. Not something Iโ€™d been wanting to do, exactlyโ€ฆ

When I was finishedโ€”though I was considering licking the bowl, just to give Rosalie something to complain aboutโ€”I felt Bellaโ€™s cold fingers pulling softly through my hair. She patted it down against the back of my neck.

โ€œTime for a haircut, huh?โ€

โ€œYouโ€™re getting a little shaggy,โ€ she said. โ€œMaybeโ€”โ€

โ€œLet me guess, someone around here used to cut hair in a salon in Paris?โ€

She chuckled. โ€œProbably.โ€

โ€œNo thanks,โ€ I said before she could really offer. โ€œIโ€™m good for a few more weeks.โ€

Which made me wonder how longย sheย was good for. I tried to think of a polite way to ask.

โ€œSoโ€ฆ umโ€ฆ whatโ€™s the, er, date? You know, the due date for the little monster.โ€

She smacked the back of my head with about as much force as a drifting feather, but didnโ€™t answer.

โ€œIโ€™m serious,โ€ I told her. โ€œI want to know how long Iโ€™m gonna have to be here.โ€ย How longย youโ€™reย gonna be here, I added in my head. I turned to look

at her then. Her eyes were thoughtful; the stress line was there between her brows again.

โ€œI donโ€™t know,โ€ she murmured. โ€œNot exactly. Obviously, weโ€™re not going with the nine-month model here, and we canโ€™t get an ultrasound, so Carlisle is guesstimating from how big I am. Normal people are supposed to be about forty centimeters hereโ€โ€”she ran her finger right down the middle of her bulging stomachโ€”โ€œwhen the baby is fully grown. One centimeter for every week. I was thirty this morning, and Iโ€™ve been gaining about two centimeters a day, sometimes more. โ€

Two weeks to a day, the days flying by. Her life speeding by in fast- forward. How many days did that give her, if she was counting to forty? Four? It took me a minute to figure out how to swallow.

โ€œYou okay?โ€ she asked.

I nodded, not really sure how my voice would come out.

Edwardโ€™s face was turned away from us as he listened to my thoughts, but I could see his reflection in the glass wall. He was the burning man again.

Funny how having a deadline made it harder to think about leaving, or having her leave. I was glad Sethโ€™d brought that up, so I knew they were staying here. It would be intolerable, wondering if they were about to go, to take away one or two or three of those four days. My four days.

Also funny how, even knowing that it was almost over, the hold she had on me only got harder to break. Almost like it was related to her expanding bellyโ€”as if by getting bigger, she was gaining gravitational force.

For a minute I tried to look at her from a distance, to separate myself from the pull. I knew it wasnโ€™t my imagination that my need for her was stronger than ever. Why was that? Because she was dying? Or knowing that even if she didnโ€™t, stillโ€”best case scenarioโ€”sheโ€™d be changing into something else that I wouldnโ€™t know or understand?

She ran her finger across my cheekbone, and my skin was wet where she touched it.

โ€œItโ€™s going to be okay,โ€ she sort of crooned. It didnโ€™t matter that the words meant nothing. She said it the way people sang those senseless nursery rhymes to kids. Rock-a-bye, baby.

โ€œRight,โ€ I muttered.

She curled against my arm, resting her head on my shoulder. โ€œI didnโ€™t think you would come. Seth said you would, and so did Edward, but I didnโ€™t believe them.โ€

โ€œWhy not?โ€ I asked gruffly.

โ€œYouโ€™re not happy here. But you came anyway.โ€ โ€œYou wanted me here.โ€

โ€œI know. But you didnโ€™t have to come, because itโ€™s not fair for me to want you here. I would have understood.โ€

It was quiet for a minute. Edwardโ€™d put his face back together. He looked at the TV as Rosalie went on flipping through the channels. She was into the six hundreds. I wondered how long it would take to get back to the beginning.

โ€œThank you for coming,โ€ Bella whispered. โ€œCan I ask you something?โ€ I asked.

โ€œOf course.โ€

Edward didnโ€™t look like he was paying attention to us at all, but he knew what I was about to ask, so he didnโ€™t fool me.

โ€œWhyย doย you want me here? Seth could keep you warm, and heโ€™s probably easier to be around, happy little punk. But whenย Iย walk in the door, you smile like Iโ€™m your favorite person in the world.โ€

โ€œYouโ€™re one of them.โ€ โ€œThat sucks, you know.โ€

โ€œYeah.โ€ She sighed. โ€œSorry.โ€

โ€œWhy, though? You didnโ€™t answer that.โ€

Edward was looking away again, like he was staring out the windows.

His face was blank in the reflection.

โ€œIt feelsโ€ฆย completeย when youโ€™re here, Jacob. Like all my family is together. I mean, I guess thatโ€™s what itโ€™s likeโ€”Iโ€™ve never had a big family before now. Itโ€™s nice.โ€ She smiled for half a second. โ€œBut itโ€™s just not whole unless youโ€™re here.โ€

โ€œIโ€™ll never be part of your family, Bella.โ€

I could have been. I would have been good there. But that was just a distant future that died long before it had a chance to live.

โ€œYouโ€™ve always been a part of my family,โ€ she disagreed. My teeth made a grinding sound. โ€œThatโ€™s a crap answer.โ€ โ€œWhatโ€™s a good one?โ€

โ€œHow about, โ€™Jacob, I get a kick out of your pain.โ€™โ€ I felt her flinch.

โ€œYouโ€™d like that better?โ€ she whispered.

โ€œItโ€™s easier, at least. I could wrap my head around it. I could deal with it.โ€

I looked back down at her face then, so close to mine. Her eyes were shut and she was frowning. โ€œWe got off track, Jake. Out of balance. Youโ€™re supposed to be part of my lifeโ€”I can feel that, and so can you.โ€ She paused for a second without opening her eyesโ€”like she was waiting for me to deny it. When I didnโ€™t say anything, she went on. โ€œBut not like this. We did something wrong. No. I did. I did something wrong, and we got off track. . .

.โ€

Her voice trailed off, and the frown on her face relaxed until it was just a little pucker at the corner of her lips. I waited for her to pour some more lemon juice into my paper cuts, but then a soft snore came from the back of her throat.

โ€œSheโ€™s exhausted,โ€ Edward murmured. โ€œItโ€™s been a long day. A hard day.

I think she would have gone to sleep earlier, but she was waiting for you.โ€ I didnโ€™t look at him.

โ€œSeth said it broke another of her ribs.โ€ โ€œYes. Itโ€™s making it hard for her to breathe.โ€ โ€œGreat.โ€

โ€œLet me know when she gets hot again.โ€ โ€œYeah.โ€

She still had goose bumps on the arm that wasnโ€™t touching mine. Iโ€™d barely raised my head to look for a blanket when Edward snagged one draped over the arm of the sofa and flung it out so that it settled over her.

Occasionally, the mind-reading thing saved time. For example, maybe I wouldnโ€™t have to make a big production out of the accusation about what was going on with Charlie. That mess. Edward would justย hearย exactly how furiousโ€”

โ€œYes,โ€ he agreed. โ€œItโ€™s not a good idea.โ€

โ€œThen why?โ€ Why was Bella telling her father she wasย on the mend

when it would only make him more miserable? โ€œShe canโ€™t bear his anxiety.โ€

โ€œSo itโ€™s betterโ€”โ€

โ€œNo. Itโ€™sย notย better. But Iโ€™m not going to force her to do anything that makes her unhappy now. Whatever happens, this makes her feel better. Iโ€™ll deal with the rest afterward.โ€

That didnโ€™t sound right. Bella wouldnโ€™t just shuffle Charlieโ€™s pain off to some later date, for someone else to face. Even dying. That wasnโ€™t her. If I knew Bella, she had to have some other plan.

โ€œSheโ€™s very sure sheโ€™s going to live,โ€ Edward said. โ€œBut not human,โ€ I protested.

โ€œNo, not human. But she hopes to see Charlie again, anyway.โ€ Oh, this just got better and better.

โ€œSee. Charlie.โ€ I finally looked at him, my eyes bugging. โ€œAfterwards. See Charlie when sheโ€™s all sparkly white with the bright red eyes. Iโ€™m not a bloodsucker, so maybe Iโ€™m missing something, butย Charlieย seems like kind of a strange choice for her first meal.โ€

Edward sighed. โ€œShe knows she wonโ€™t be able to be near him for at least a year. She thinks she can stall. Tell Charlie she has to go to a special hospital on the other side of the world. Keep in contact through phone calls.

. . .โ€

โ€œThatโ€™s insane.โ€ โ€œYes.โ€

โ€œCharlieโ€™s not stupid. Even if she doesnโ€™t kill him, heโ€™s going to notice a difference.โ€

โ€œSheโ€™s sort of banking on that.โ€

I continued to stare, waiting for him to explain.

โ€œShe wouldnโ€™t be aging, of course, so that would set a time limit, even if Charlie accepted whatever excuse she comes up with for the changes.โ€ He smiled faintly. โ€œDo you remember when you tried to tell her about your transformation? How you made her guess?โ€

My free hand flexed into a fist. โ€œShe told you about that?โ€

โ€œYes. She was explaining herโ€ฆ idea. You see, sheโ€™s not allowed to tell Charlie the truthโ€”it would be very dangerous for him. But heโ€™s a smart, practical man. She thinks heโ€™ll come up with his own explanation. She assumes heโ€™ll get it wrong.โ€ Edward snorted. โ€œAfter all, we hardly adhere to vampire canon. Heโ€™ll make some wrong assumption about us, like she did in the beginning, and weโ€™ll go along with it. She thinks sheโ€™ll be able to see himโ€ฆ from time to time.โ€

โ€œInsane,โ€ I repeated. โ€œYes,โ€ he agreed again.

It was weak of him to let her get her way on this, just to keep her happy now. It wouldnโ€™t turn out well.

Which made me think that he probably wasnโ€™t expecting her to live to try out her crazy plan. Placating her, so that she could be happy for a little while longer.

Like four more days.

โ€œIโ€™ll deal with whatever comes,โ€ he whispered, and he turned his face down and away so that I couldnโ€™t even read his reflection. โ€œI wonโ€™t cause her pain now.โ€

โ€œFour days?โ€ I asked.

He didnโ€™t look up. โ€œApproximately.โ€ โ€œThen what?โ€

โ€œWhat do you mean, exactly?โ€

I thought about what Bella had said. About the thing being wrapped up nice and tight in something strong, something like vampire skin. So how did that work? How did it get out?

โ€œFrom what little research weโ€™ve been able to do, it would appear the creatures use their own teeth to escape the womb,โ€ he whispered.

I had to pause to swallow back the bile. โ€œResearch?โ€ I asked weakly.

โ€œThatโ€™s why you havenโ€™t seen Jasper and Emmett around. Thatโ€™s what Carlisle is doing now. Trying to decipher ancient stories and myths, as much as we can with what we have to work with here, looking for anything that might help us predict the creatureโ€™s behavior.โ€

Stories? If there were myths, thenโ€ฆ

โ€œThen is this thing not the first of its kind?โ€ Edward asked, anticipating my question. โ€œMaybe. Itโ€™s all very sketchy. The myths could easily be the products of fear and imagination. Though . . .โ€โ€”he hesitatedโ€”โ€œyour myths are true, are they not? Perhaps these are, too. They do seem to be localized, linked. โ€

โ€œHow did you findโ€ฆ ?โ€

โ€œThere was a woman we encountered in South America. Sheโ€™d been raised in the traditions of her people. Sheโ€™d heard warnings about such creatures, old stories that had been passed down.โ€

โ€œWhat were the warnings?โ€ I whispered.

โ€œThat the creature must be killed immediately. Before it could gain too much strength.โ€

Just like Sam thought. Was he right?

โ€œOf course, their legends say the same of us. That we must be destroyed.

That we are soulless murderers.โ€ Two for two.

Edward laughed one hard chuckle.

โ€œWhat did their stories say about theโ€ฆ mothers?โ€

Agony ripped across his face, and, as I flinched away from his pain, I knew he wasnโ€™t going to give me an answer. I doubted he could talk.

It was Rosalieโ€”whoโ€™d been so still and quiet since Bellaโ€™d fallen asleep that Iโ€™d nearly forgotten herโ€”who answered.

She made a scornful noise in the back of her throat. โ€œOf course there were no survivors,โ€ she said.ย No survivors, blunt and uncaring. โ€œGiving birth in the middle of a disease-infested swamp with a medicine man smearing sloth spit across your face to drive out the evil spirits was never the safest method. Even the normal births went badly half the time. None of them had what this baby hasโ€”caregivers with an idea of what the baby needs, who try to meet those needs. A doctor with a totally unique knowledge of vampire nature. A plan in place to deliver the baby as safely as possible. Venom that will repair anything that goes wrong. The baby will be fine. And those other mothers would probably have survived if theyโ€™d had thatโ€”if they even existed in the first place. Something I am not convinced of.โ€ She sniffed disdainfully.

The baby, the baby. Like that was all that mattered. Bellaโ€™s life was a minor detail to herโ€”easy to blow off.

Edwardโ€™s face went white as snow. His hands curved into claws. Totally egotistical and indifferent, Rosalie twisted in her chair so that her back was to him. He leaned forward, shifting into a crouch.

Allow me,ย I suggested.

He paused, raising one eyebrow.

Silently, I lifted my doggy bowl off the floor. Then, with a quick, powerful flip of my wrist, I threw it into the back of Blondieโ€™s head so hard thatโ€”with an earsplittingย bangโ€”it smashed flat before it ricocheted across

the room and snapped the round top piece off the thick newel post at the foot of the stairs.

Bella twitched but didnโ€™t wake up. โ€œDumb blonde,โ€ I muttered.

Rosalie turned her head slowly, and her eyes were blazing. โ€œYou. Got. Food. In. My. Hair.โ€

That did it.

I busted up. I pulled away from Bella so that I wouldnโ€™t shake her, and laughed so hard that tears ran down my face. From behind the couch, I heard Aliceโ€™s tinkling laugh join in.

I wondered why Rosalie didnโ€™t spring. I sort of expected it. But then I realized that my laughing had woken Bella up, though sheโ€™d slept right through the real noise.

โ€œWhatโ€™s so funny?โ€ she mumbled.

โ€œI got food in her hair,โ€ I told her, chortling again. โ€œIโ€™m not going to forget this, dog,โ€ Rosalie hissed.

โ€œSโ€™not so hard to erase a blondeโ€™s memory,โ€ I countered. โ€œJust blow in her ear.โ€

โ€œGet some new jokes,โ€ she snapped.

โ€œCโ€™mon, Jake. Leave Rose aloโ€”โ€ Bella broke off mid-sentence and sucked in a sharp breath. In the same second, Edward was leaning over the top of me, ripping the blanket out of the way. She seemed to convulse, her back arching off the sofa.

โ€œHeโ€™s just,โ€ she panted, โ€œstretching.โ€

Her lips were white, and she had her teeth locked together like she was trying to hold back a scream.

Edward put both hands on either side of her face. โ€œCarlisle?โ€ he called in a tense, low voice.

โ€œRight here,โ€ the doctor said. I hadnโ€™t heard him come in.

โ€œOkay,โ€ Bella said, still breathing hard and shallow. โ€œThink itโ€™s over.

Poor kid doesnโ€™t have enough room, thatโ€™s all. Heโ€™s getting so big.โ€

It was really hard to take, that adoring tone she used to describe the thing that was tearing her up. Especially after Rosalieโ€™s callousness. Made me wish I could throw something at Bella, too.

She didnโ€™t pick up on my mood. โ€œYou know, he reminds me of you, Jake,โ€ she saidโ€”affectionate toneโ€”still gasping.

โ€œDoย notย compare me to that thing,โ€ I spit out through my teeth.

โ€œI just meant your growth spurt,โ€ she said, looking like Iโ€™d hurt her feelings. Good. โ€œYou shot right up. I could watch you getting taller by the minute. Heโ€™s like that, too. Growing so fast.โ€

I bit my tongue to keep from saying what I wanted to sayโ€”hard enough that I tasted blood in my mouth. Of course, it would heal before I could swallow. Thatโ€™s what Bella needed. To be strong like me, to be able to heal.

โ€ฆ

She took an easier breath and then relaxed back into the sofa, her body going limp.

โ€œHmm,โ€ Carlisle murmured. I looked up, and his eyes were on me. โ€œWhat?โ€ I demanded.

Edwardโ€™s head leaned to one side as he reflected on whatever was in Carlisleโ€™s head.

โ€œYou know that I was wondering about the fetusโ€™s genetic makeup, Jacob. About his chromosomes.โ€

โ€œWhat of it?โ€

โ€œWell, taking your similarities into considerationโ€”โ€ โ€œSimilarities?โ€ I growled, not appreciating the plural.

โ€œThe accelerated growth, and the fact that Alice cannot see either of you.โ€

I felt my face go blank. Iโ€™d forgotten about that other one.

โ€œWell, I wonder if that means that we have an answer. If the similarities are gene-deep.โ€

โ€œTwenty-four pairs,โ€ Edward muttered under his breath. โ€œYou donโ€™t know that.โ€

โ€œNo. But itโ€™s interesting to speculate,โ€ Carlisle said in a soothing voice. โ€œYeah. Justย fascinating.โ€

Bellaโ€™s light snore started up again, accenting my sarcasm nicely.

They got into it then, quickly taking the genetics conversation to a point where the only words I could understand were theย theโ€™s and theย andโ€™s. And my own name, of course. Alice joined in, commenting now and then in her chirpy bird voice.

Even though they were talking about me, I didnโ€™t try to figure out the conclusions they were drawing. I had other things on my mind, a few facts I was trying to reconcile.

Fact one, Bellaโ€™d said that the creature was protected by something as strong as vampire skin, something that was too impenetrable for ultrasounds, too tough for needles. Fact two, Rosalieโ€™d said they had a plan to deliver the creature safely. Fact three, Edwardโ€™d said thatโ€”in mythsโ€” other monsters like this one would chew their way out of their own mothers.

I shuddered.

And that made a sick kind of sense, because, fact four, not many things could cut through something as strong as vampire skin. The half-creatureโ€™s teethโ€”according to mythโ€”were strong enough. My teeth were strong enough.

And vampire teeth were strong enough.

It was hard to miss the obvious, but I sure wished I could. Because I had a pretty good idea exactly how Rosalie planned to get that thing โ€œsafelyโ€ out.

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