Defective - Jacob Black {1}

Chapter 50: Renesmee

Dragging along behind them, I watched as Jasper and Alice swung their joint hands back and forth between them as we neared the front of the house. Just the three of us had made it back; Carlisle, Esme and Emmett continued on to get supplies for Bella after the group had fed. On the way back we played it safe, using the tops of the trees as our path, it was a difficult task trying to remain silent jumping from branch to branch but we remained undetected.

There was no signs of the wolves, I had guessed they were either consulting with the elders or running a perimeter around our own boundary. When we crossed over our own line we dropped to the ground, Jesse met with us and I explained what had happened. He said that Leah and himself were going to run a tighter line. He reassured me there was nothing to indicate that they had patrolled out that far over the past few days. It must have just been a coincidence.

The glow from the house lit up the surrounding trees as it came into view a few meters ahead. It had a kind of warm feeling to it, I wasn't sure if it was because we had made it back safe, or the fact that Jacob was waiting inside for me. Despite the morbid situation, it was a massive relief to see him interacting with the Cullens, well of course not Rosalie, but it gave me a peace of mind. One less thing to worry about.

"Do you hear that?" Jasper whispered as we entered the little clearing around the house. He looked over his shoulder at me, one of his eyebrows raised in question.

I listened for any sound of wolf footfalls that didn't belong to Jesse or Leah. "No? Are they following us?" I asked, trying to concentrate on hearing any thoughts that belonged to the enemy.

"No. It's Edward and Jacob. They're in the garage, whispering." He explained and that was why I couldn't hear them. I decided to listen more intensely.

"Now that I can make out the child's thoughts, it's apparent that he or she has remarkably developed mental facilities. He can understand us, to an extent." Edward said in a hushed but urgent tone.

"Are you serious?" Jacob asked, shocked. It was quite remarkable. The baby's mind must develop a lot faster than their body.

"Yes. He seems to have a vague sense of what hurts her now. He's trying to avoid that, as much as possible. He... loves her. Already." Edward's tone became almost endearing. My little baby listened to me, I felt so proud. "The progress, I believe, is more than we had originally judged. When Carlisle eventually returns—"

"They're not coming back tonight?" Jake cut in sharply.

"Aria, Alice and Jasper are, in fact they are just outside. Bella will use up this supply of blood in another day the way her appetite has grown. Carlisle and the others have gone to get more. I'm trying to persuade Carlisle to deliver the baby as soon as he is back."

"What?"Jacob obviously didn't expect this.

"The child seems to be attempting to avoid rough movements, but it's difficult. He's become too big. It's madness to wait, when he's clearly developed beyond what Carlisle had guessed. Bella's too fragile to delay."

Jacob's thoughts became scrambled again. He was relying on those four days but now that it had been cut short his mind was swirling with what would happen during and after the birth. "You think she's going to make it," he  whispered.

"Yes. That was the other thing I wanted to talk to you about. Waiting, as we have been, for the child to be ready, that was insanely dangerous. At any moment it could have been too late. But if we're proactive about this, if we act quickly, I see no reason why it should not go well. Knowing the child's mind is unbelievably helpful. Thankfully, Bella and Rose agree with me. Now that I've convinced them it's safe for the child if we proceed, there's nothing to keep this from working." They must of had these agreement without me but there was no way I would oppose to it if everyone was sure about this. "It seems Aria agrees as well." Edward added, Jacob was going to know I was listening in.