𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐜𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠, 𝐣𝐚𝐜𝐨𝐛 𝐛𝐥𝐚𝐜𝐤

Chapter Seventeen: Kick Ass

Two months passed by quickly—too quickly. 

Renesmee's growth rate was so incredibly fast that within sixty days, she looked like a seven-year-old. Bella was worried she would lose time with her daughter—it's not every day you wake up and find your newborn daughter speaking complete sentences.

My small bump had gotten way more prominent—it looked like I'd swallowed an adult sloth whole. I struggled to get around, but either Rose or Jake would be there to help me out. When I was out of the Cullen house, I was Leah's territory—there was no touching, holding, or sniffing within ten miles of me. 

"Why don't you go get another sandwich, Leah?" I quietly pleaded as the girl glared at Bella. One thing I'd learned by now—confidence is sky-high when you're immortal. Bella was ready to bite Leah's head off.

"Fine."

Leah stomped back inside my house—bless my hardwood floors. "She's bitchy."

"That's Leah in one word. She's been great actually—gets most of what I wanna do done."

"You're weaker than I was," Bella mumbled as she grazed my cheek with her icy hand. I winced at the cold—haven't felt much of that. Constantly being around either Jake or Leah was like living in a desert. "I feel...nothing—I don't feel motherly, I don't feel pregnant because it just feels like there's a rock in my belly."

"Connection...is hard—at first. Renesmee just kicked around a lot, and I was scared, but I knew she communicated with me every time she did."

"That's the thing," I paused before whispering, "It doesn't kick. There isn't any movement—there hasn't been one since the beginning but my stomach expands by the day. I don't even know what it is."

"Time will give you the answers to questions you need to be answered."

***

"A snowflake?" I whispered as Renesmee held her hand out. "It's for you, Lina."

"Why don't you get another one, Nes?" Renesmee nodded at her mother's words. The girl ran up above to get another one that had just fallen. "Edward thinks we'll find answers in Brazil. There are tribes there that might know something."

"Jake and I are going to London. To find answers."

I looked over at the big brown wolf near me and sighed. "I guess we're parting ways very soon, huh?"

"It could be worse," I mumbled, watching Renesmee jump high to catch another snowflake. "It really could be. I can only hope that the Volturi don't show up for visual confirmation that I've been turned."

"The Volturi—they have a certain way—a brilliant motto. They need to see it to confirm it. Who knows whether what we hear can be trusted or whether what is told to us can be believed?"

"They don't know about Renesmee."

"I don't think they're very keen on finding out everything that's happened to you recently. Just what happened in the last three months excluding the suffering, the getting knocked up, the giving birth, and the child that's growing up way too fast." 

We watched Renesmee—in two months, she'd already become seven. It was like taking care of a golden retriever—when you see it, it's a baby, and if you look away, it's already twice your size. Bella's biggest fear is that she'll look away for a second, and she'll miss her baby girl going to prom or graduating.

"Who's that?" Renesmee pointed up towards a mountain where a figure stood, watching us. Bella immediately walked towards it to get a clearer view of the stranger. "I think that's our cousin from Denali."

"Irina?"

***

"Not even a scratch."

Carlisle set down the blade on a tray near the other tool he had used to tear through my skin. I couldn't keep my food down and I could barely do the same with water—my blood sugar was constantly decreasing and I needed glucose injections. I didn't have a pulse—it seemed like I wasn't alive anymore. Maybe I wasn't—maybe I was just a vessel to bring something else into this world and then perish—fulfilling a duty that was bound to me by someone else.

"Is it alive?" My voice trembled. I wasn't weak—just scared for the future. My future. Our future. I still couldn't wrap my head around the fact that this was happening. All this, and everything else. I wasn't even concerned—bothered about anything about me and around. "The baby's heartbeat is steady, and I think you're gonna be very happy by how far you've progressed."

"I can hope, can't I?" I laughed softly. One thing I was sure of—the baby inside of me was going to be awesome. It had to be after all the shit it'd gone through to even be conceived in the first place. God forbids I'd ever use protection. "You can certainly do that."

"My baby boy is gonna kick ass."

"Boy? You know it's gender?" Carlisle seemed adequately surprised when I suggested that the baby was a boy. Honestly, I should have no idea. It could be a girl, but I was very sure about it being a boy. 

Call it witching intuition.

"Just a little thought."

***

"She's so beautiful."

I stood near Rose and Bella, mesmerized as Renesmee and Edward played the piano. The latter was excited that his daughter could play the instrument as well as he did—so were all of us. Esme and Carlisle had challenged each other to a chess match as the sweet melody left us in a world nothing like our own. 

"I'm looking forward to holding a baby for more than a week." Rose's hand grazed my bump. She wasn't at all bothered by the fact that it was half Jake—she loved it as long as it had a little of me too.

It all happened so fast.

A loud crash was heard—a flower vase falling from Alice's hands. Jasper rushed to see if she was okay, but I could hear what they were saying. 

"Alina!"

Rose's voice was screaming. I felt Jake's arms support me as I lost my balance, falling into darkness. A vacuum.

"Is she okay? Carlise, do something!"

The lights were so bright. I hate bright things. Why is it so bright?

"She's losing consciousness. Her organs are shutting down—I don't understand what's happening..."

The lights were fading. Everything was slipping away—unwillingly. I couldn't move—I was paralyzed. 

"Jake..."

What's happening? I failed to complete my question. My mouth was dry—so dry. 

"Hold on, Lina."

I don't think I can.

"You can do this, Alina."

Can I? I'm not that strong. I couldn't do anything—not right now. Everything felt so out of place.

"I love you, Lina."

I love you too, Jake.