𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐜𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠, 𝐣𝐚𝐜𝐨𝐛 𝐛𝐥𝐚𝐜𝐤

Chapter Thirteen: Great Warriors

"Your rib is cracked, but there are no splinters—you haven't punctured anything."

Carlisle examined the X-ray scan we had taken of Bella earlier when she felt pain near her chest. I sighed in relief—that was better than anything involving her weakening heart. "Yet."

"Edward!"I chastised his voice of words. Just because he didn't want the baby did not mean he could snide his wife's decision—no matter how much pain she underwent. "It's breaking her bones now—it's crushing you from the inside out. Carlisle, tell her what you told me—tell her."

"Carlisle, tell me. It's all right." Bella's voice was painful to listen to. It had become hoarse—nothing compared to her voice two weeks ago. The baby drained all her energy—it was parasitic. Bella was the host, and she was suffering from a lot. "The fetus isn't compatible with your body—it's too strong. It won't allow you to get the nutrition you need. It's starving you the hour. I can't stop, and I can't slow it down. At this rate, your heart will give out before you're ready to deliver."

"Then I'll hold on for as long as I can—" Bella tried to find a way, but we knew it was over. I had spent the last two weeks comforting her—consoling and trying to find a positive side. It was worthless—the baby inside of her was killing her, and we couldn't stop it. Not anymore.

"Bella, there are some conditions that even venom can't overcome."

***

"Washington driving in the red zone—almost stripped of the ball. He stood up and Calvin finally..."

"Are you cold, Bel?" I asked the shivering girl next to me. She nodded, covering the needle attached to her IV drip. "I got it."

Bella rested comfortably under Jake's grasp but immediately struggled to get up as she felt like puking. Edward grabbed the bin, holding it nearby as she tried to puke. "We need to find a way to get some food into her system."

"If I could only see the fetus..." Alice trailed off as Rose correct her. "The baby."

"...maybe I could figure out what it wants."

"It's weird how often both of you think the same thing, but I think you might be right. Jacob and Alina just had an idea." Edward commented. I snorted—it was barely an idea. I was thinking about how the baby was so interested in Bella's blood, it might as well suck it out of her. "It wasn't an idea—it was a snide comment."

"What were you thinking?"

"That it's probably just looking for something to sink its teeth into." Jake laughed. I elbowed him quickly—he needed to think before he spoke sometimes. "Blood—maybe it needs blood.

Bella looked at Jake, and then me. "He's thirsty."

"I know the feeling," Emmett admitted. "If it's craving it's not gonna want animal blood."

"I have some O negative laid aside for Bella." Jasper's eyes shot up as Carlisle walked away to his study, retrieving the blood. He was still learning how to control his hunger, but Alice could see his anguish. "Walk with me."

Carlisle had started preparing the blood sample for Bella to drink, and by that time Alice, Jasper, and Emmett had already left the room. "Wait, wait, wait—you're gonna make her drink that?"

"It's the fastest way to test the theory," Carlisle explained as he continued squeezing the blood out. "We have to see if it works."

"Only if you're comfortable with it," Edward told Bella. "I'll try anything."

"Just hold on." Edward made his way to Carlisle. "I think I'm gonna be sick."

I smiled softly, squeezing Jake's thigh. "This might make it a little easier to take."

"Ok, I am officially grossed out." I stood up and collapsed on Jake's lap, watching Bella grab the cup of blood. She hesitantly brought the straw to her mouth and took a small sip. "Tastes...good."

I sighed in relief and Edward smiled happily. Bella continued to drink the blood and Carlisle checked heart rate. "Your pulse is already getting stronger."

"It's working."

***

"This isn't possibly the best you could come up with. " Rose berated Bella. I couldn't stop laughing we all sat together, discussing baby names. "I wouldn't do that to my son."

"What would you name your children?" Bella asked quietly. I stopped laughing as I looked at her—she was waiting for an answer I'd known since the second grade. "I know I can't have kids, but it's nice to dream a little. I guess in my dreams I have always imagined a family of five—twin boys and a girl. My daughter would be called Hestia, after my grandmother from Albany."

"And the boys would be..." Alice prompted. "Evan and Jude. My boys would have been great warriors, and I wanted them to have powerful names."

"Great warriors, huh?" Jake smiled sadly. I didn't catch his eye—I didn't know if I could bear thinking about it with him. Deep down, he thought it was his fault—it wasn't. It wasn't anyone's fault, but genetics alone. I did want him to him blame himself—it was a cruel game that had already broken my heart slowly. "Yeah—they would have been."

"Can't we come up with something just a little more classic?" Rose pleaded. Edward had also joined us by now, but he faced Jake. "Thank you."

"They make it out alright?" Jake asked. He wasn't concerned, but I wasn't sure what he was feeling at this point. "Yeah."

"Good."

The two of them walked toward us without exchanging any more words. I was just glad that everyone had made peace with Bella having this baby, especially Edward. I watched Jake carefully—I didn't know what it was, but he was hiding something from me—I could feel it.

Rose and I helped Bella up, this time with Alice in tow. "Hey. Are you okay?"

"Yeah, it's not like I'm the one carrying the demon." Jake surveyed the bony girl. Bella looked much healthier now—she hadn't regained any of her old muscle mass, but she was getting there. Her cheeks weren't as pale as before, and I could see some color in them. The baby was communicating with her, and her diet of blood was keeping it healthy. "This is pretty important Bella. Why don't you tell Jacob what you've decided?"

"What now?"

"Rose and Lina are trying to talk Bella out of her baby names." It was true—Bella was the worst name-giver in the universe. The names she'd decided for the baby almost felt like its punishment for almost killing her. "They hate them"

"Well, then I'm on your side—no matter what you pick."

"You're gonna eat your words, Black. Seriously, you will regret this—bad." I laughed at Jake. He had no idea what he was in for. "They're not that bad. If it's a boy, EJ—Edward Jacob."

"Okay fine, that one's not awful. Why don't you tell him the girl's name?" Rose and I were holding back our laughter—yes, it was a little mean, but sometimes you need some meanness before you start thinking. "I was playing around with our moms' names—Renée and Esme. And I was thinking—Renesmee."

"R-Renesmee?" Jacob stumbled over his words. I could imagine his reaction, but Edward beat me to it—laughing at the former's thoughts. "Too weird?"

"No, that's not too weird. It's beautiful and it's unique—which perfectly fits the situation. I like Renesmee." Edward assured Bella as Jake tried to find an answer. Rose rolled her eyes as she grabbed a cup of blood for Bella. "He likes it."

Bella loses her grip on the cup and loses her balance, immediately falling down. A loud crack echoes through the room and I gasped—her spine had broken and she was leaning backward unnaturally. Edward instantly rushed by her side, catching her head before it hit the ground. 

"We have to perform an emergency C-section. Now!"