Chapter 34:

Bella's body, streaming with red, started to twitch, jerking around in Rosalie's arms like she was being electrocuted. All the while, her face was blank — unconscious. It was the wild thrashing from inside the centre of her body that moved her. As she convulsed, sharp snaps and cracks kept time with the spasms.

Rosalie and Edward were frozen for the shortest half second, and then they broke. Rosalie whipped Bella's body into her arms, and, shouting so fast it was hard to separate the individual words, she and Edward shot up the staircase to the second floor.

I followed and James and Jacob were both after me.

"Morphine!" Edward yelled at Rosalie.

"Alice — get Carlisle on the phone!" Rosalie screeched.

We moved into Carlisle's office were Bella was placed on the table under the brilliant white lights set up there. Her skin looked ghostly as her body flopped like a fish on sand.

I moved to hold Bella still while Rosalie removed her clothes, literally ripping them off as Edward stabbed a syringe into her arm.

"Edward!" I said fearfully. Everything had been going so well not so long ago. Not even ten minutes ago, more like five seconds ago.

Jacob was with me as James was on the other side opposite me, helping me keep Bella as still as possible. I knew from the snaps earlier that several of her bones had probably broken. And as much as I was worried about everything else, I was determined to keep Bella still to keep her pain level down.

"What's happening, Edward?"

"He's suffocating!"

"The placenta must have detached!"

Somewhere in this, Bella came around. She responded to their words with a shriek that clawed at my eardrums.

"Get him OUT!" she screamed. "He can't BREATHE! Do it NOW!"

I saw the red spots pop out when her scream broke the blood vessels in her eyes.

"The morphine—," Edward growled.

"NO! NOW—!" Another gush of blood choked off what she was shrieking.

"Jacob, take her head, if she drowns on her blood…" I said worried, my voice was shaking so much but I kept myself level headed. My mind was big enough to freak out and to stay sane. Jacob did as I asked and held her head up, desperately trying to clear her mouth so that she could breathe again.

Alice darted into the room and clipped a little blue earpiece under Rosalie's hair. Then Alice backed away, her gold eyes wide and burning, while Rosalie hissed frantically into the phone.

In the bright light, Bella's skin seemed more purple and black than it was white. Deep red was seeping beneath the skin over the huge, shuddering bulge of her stomach. Rosalie's hand came up with a scalpel.

"Let the morphine spread!" Edward shouted at her.

"There's no time," Rosalie hissed. "He's dying!"

Her hand came down on Bella's stomach, and vivid red spouted out from where she pierced the skin. It was like a bucket being turned over, a faucet twisted to full. Bella jerked, but didn't scream. She was still choking.

I felt more fear fill me more than I believed possible as I saw Rosalie loose it. Her focus was gone as the blood sprawled over her fingers. Her face shifted, her lips pulling back from her teeth and her black eyes glinting.

"No, Rose!" Edward roared. James took my job, I took Jacob's and Jacob launched himself at Rosalie all in the same eighteenth of a second.

They tumbled sideways and above all of Bella's I smelt Jacob's blood, probably from the scalpel. Could this get worse!? Jacob blocked her nose and slammed her jaw shut before he managed to kick her in the gut, sending Rosalie to the doorframe.

Alice was there and yanking Rosalie by the throat and out into the hallway. Rosalie didn't even put up a fight, she knew she needed to be out of here and let Jacob win.

"Alice, get her out of here!" Edward shouted. "Take her to Jasper and keep her there! Jacob, I need you!"

I didn't even worry about Edward, thinking Bella had died when she'd jumped off the cliff had given him some immunity to the smell of Bella's blood even if it was more potent to him than anyone else.

"James, CPR." Edward said to my brother and he complied immediately.

"Get her breathing! I've got to get him out before—"

Another shattering crack inside her body, the loudest yet, so loud that we all froze in shock waiting for her answering shriek. Nothing. Her legs, which had been curled up in agony, now went limp, sprawling out in an unnatural way.

"Her spine," he choked in horror.

"Edward!" I snapped at him instantly "You want it to get worse!?" I demanded

"Get it out of her!" Jacob snarled, flinging the scalpel at him. "She won't feel anything now!" James breathed a lungful if air into Bella and her chest heaved. Jacob took Bella's head again and the two worked to remove and clear her airways.

Edward waved at me and I moved instantly. I have me the scalpel back after having cut through Bella's skin. But we both looked at the membrane that was left, harder than any human skin. I looked at Edward as he looked at me. We both knew there was only one way to break that marble hard protection.

"I've got you, if you're alright." I promise and he nodded.

Edward leaned straight down and the sound of metal being shredded apart sounded through the air. Edward teared at the membrane with his teeth.

"You stay with me now, Bella!" Jacob yelled at Bella as he and James continued. "Do you hear me? Stay! You're not leaving me. Keep your heart beating!"

My hands were covered in blood but I'd never been less disturbed by it, especially after lately when Bella had been drinking it. As you did.

Edward was now removing the thrashing baby from inside Bella and when he did, Bella was still. Edward whispered, "Renesmee."

Good thing Bella had a back up, she'd been so wrong about her little EJ.

But even as this child was covered in Bella's blood, I was shocked to what I saw. Bella and Edward, working in perfect harmony. She had Bella's lovely chocolate eyes and yet Edward's strange bronze hair which seemed to be making it's way into strong curls. Weird for her to have so much hair alright but I guess she had grown more than we expected.

Bella was suddenly lifting her hand weakly.

"Let me…," she croaked in a broken whisper. "Give her to me."

I looked over Bella, her stomach cut open and blood everywhere, her legs limp with her spine broken. And naturally all Bella wanted was the child.

Bella actually seemed to see the child as Edward actually did as she asked. To be honest, despite the happy situation, looking Bella over worried me. Shouldn't we be looking after her first? James and Jacob had both stopped, Jacob was looking at Bella worried, James was looking at me as I took a few deep breaths, the sudden seriousness of the situation having really caused my heart to hammer.

Bella moaned out a strange, weak croon.

"Renes… mee. So… beautiful."

And then she gasped — gasped in pain.

Edward had Renesmee back in his arms as I frowned. She'd bitten Bella, right over her left nipple.

"No, Renesmee," Edward murmured, like he was teaching her manners. I wouldn't have been surprised if he was. He said she was intelligent.

And then my mind was taken somewhere else. My ears picked up Bella's broken heartbeat just as it made one last beat and then went silent.

My eyes widened in shock as Jacob instantly began to start the compressions on her chest, having heard it as well. His lips moved as he counted. James began the CPR again.

I was listening so hard, wanting to hear Bella's heart. I could hear mine, pounding in horror, Jacob's pounding in worry, James was going as well and then there was Renesmee's, fluttering like a birds, way to fast.

"What are you waiting for?" Jacob choked out breathlessly, pumping her heart again as he turned to Edward.

I barely heard him as I saw Bella on the table, limp and her heart gone. One of my bloody hands had moved to my mouth and I felt the stickiness of Bella's blood but didn't register it.

I'd gotten so hopeful, so happy and excited, everything was supposed to have gone fine! And here it wasn't!

I felt my feet slide backwards ever so slightly as though backing out and running away would fix this. I didn't even register Jacob, James or Edward anymore, or even the small girl in his arms, who I should have been mad at, but wasn't.

Despite the fact that one of my best friends was currently lying dead on the table before me, I remembered that it wasn't Renesmee's fault. Her airways had been cut off, she'd been suffocating, what would anyone do in that moment?

"Take the baby," Edward said urgently.

"Throw it out the window." Jacob returned.

And then I remembered. I remembered that it wasn't all at a loss. There was still the vampire venom. There was still a chance. Bella had time if we could hurry.

I was being stupid, just because her heart had stopped for the second didn't mean it was all over!

I pushed my fear aside, and reached for the rational side of my break that wasn't blaming Renesmee for the sight before me.

Edward could do something. But not if his hands were full.

"Edward." I managed to say, my voice a whisper "Here." I allowed and I snatched up a towel before wrapping it around the small child. I didn't realise my hands were shaking. Edward handed her to me carefully but quickly.

I looked down at her lovely chocolate eyes, a perfect replication of Bella's.

"Quick Edward." I whispered as he'd already moved to grab a syringe from a draw. It was silver, and like metal, different to the one he'd injected the morphine with.

"Move your hands, Jacob."

"What's that?" both wolves chorused. Edward bashed Jacob's hands out the way and I heard him break Jacob's finger as he did. I winced at the thought before Edward shoved the needle straight into Bella's heart.

"My venom," he answered as he pushed the plunger down.

I heard the jolt in her heart, like he'd shocked her with paddles.

"Keep it moving," he ordered. His voice was ice, was dead. Fierce and unthinking. Like he was a machine.

I watched them before looking back at Renesmee.

It'll be alright. It'll be alright. It'll be alright. I told myself.

I looked at the small child before me, I couldn't watch them. I couldn't see Edward biting Bella or James and Jacob trying to save her. It still hurt. The pain of her missing heart beat was regaining control. I didn't think I could handle it.

So I didn't.

I turned and moved out of the room, Renesmee in my arms. I needed a distraction, before I completely gave up on the idea of her changing. Before I completely believed she was gone and wasn't coming back. I couldn't handle that. I didn't know if it was because I'd gained so much hope or if this would have been the outcome from the beginning. I didn't know.

I moved to the bathroom and began to run the sink with warm water. It was strange, now that I moved my concentration on anything but the heartache I could feel from Carlisle office, I noticed how warm Renesmee's skin was. That was strange in itself because no one but maybe the wolves felt warm to me. So maybe she was more like Jacob than we first believed. Alice couldn't see, it was fast growing, it was warm.

And it seemed intelligent. She was looking at me with wonder.

"I'm going to get you cleaned up." I said and my voice cracked just a little but I ignored it as I sniffed and took a breath.

It didn't help. Of course even in my current mission I couldn't forget what Edward was doing not too far away. I could hear he'd taken over from Jacob, pounding on Bella's heart. I didn't know what James or Jacob were doing. Maybe James was comforting Jacob?

I cleaned the blood from Renesmee, a reminder that I didn't want. And cleaned her lovely curls. They are very short, to her scalp and creating a sort of shiny buzz, if that. They were very organised despite being dirty and wet.

Renesmee was still as she watched me as if curious.

I reached with one hand to grab a new towel and wrapped it around Renesmee, drying her carefully.

I glanced at the mirror and looking at myself I reregistered the blood on my face. I grabbed a face washer to clean that off in a hurry.

I looked at Renesmee as I stood before the mirror, holding her.

Edward had said she was intelligent and that she could understand most of what we said before she was even born… would she understand me now?

"Hello Renesmee. I'm Alexis. Lex for short." I smiled at her, managing to keep it strong despite how I felt inside.

Having cleaned her now I saw her pale ivory skin, similar to a vampires but it held more colour. But her cheeks held colour, rosy and perfect. She really was gorgeous and I couldn't help but smile at her small face.

And then as I held her she suddenly reached up towards me. I blinked as she placed her hot hand against my neck, the highest she could reach. As if she had developed enough to be able to make her mind move like that?

And then an image flashed across my mind. I could still see Renesmee before me, and the bathroom I was still standing on, but I felt hunger to follow a burn. The small baby in my arms removed her hand.

I looked at her shocked.

"You're… hungry…" I whispered in shock.

I didn't understand, how the hell had she done that?

It was obvious though. Clearly, despite being half a vampire, despite being a child, she held a gift, just like Alice and Edward and Jasper.

And it seemed as though she sent me her thoughts. Instead of reading thoughts like Edward did, she gave me hers.

I don't know how long I stood there staring and the gorgeous girl but I managed to make my feet move. I carried her down the stairs and to the kitchen.

I moved through and found what I was looking for. No surprise the baby bottle they had was metal. I found some of the blood Bella had yet to drink and poured it in, all while holding Renesmee in my other hand.

I moved to sit on the couch and held the bottle to the small chocolate eyed baby. She drank the blood happily.

I was surprised at how engrossing Renesmee was. Already she was amazing, and fantastic. And I couldn't help but smile at her when she did something. Something even simple, like touch the bottle.

She was adorable.

I could understand how Bella loved her so much, how could you not? There was just… something about her. She drew me in to her.

I paused.

Huh. And yet, Bella was kind of the opposite, at least with her mind that is. She blocked everyone out. Had Renesmee taken both Edward and Bella's talents — if Bella's mind could be counted as a talent — and flipped it?

I stroked her cheek as she finished the bottle and moved to put it down.

The house was quiet, but I was able to ignore everything as I looked after little Renesmee. And then it wasn't silent. Alice was upstairs with Jasper, still keeping Rosalie out of sight. Edward was still in Carlisle's office, working furiously. What he was doing I wasn't sure. I didn't want to know, to be let down when I heard nothing, but I had to know. I had to listen.

So I took a deep breath and closed my eyes. Renesmee was still in my arms.

It wasn't as silent as I'd thought. Jacob had moved outside, away from the scene, unable to look at it and yet unable to see the child in my arms. I didn't blame him for not coming to see if I was alright. He was probably just as distraught as I was.

Alice was muttering with jasper as Jasper kept a control on Rosalie, making her stay.

Edward was still pounding on Bella's heart.

And James was walking. Walking towards me.

I turned as he descended the stairs.

"Lex…" he whispered frowning.

I didn't want to see his expression, sad and somewhat broken. It made me remember, think of the worst. It made me think Jacob was no better. And that hurt more than anything.

No. She'll be right. The venom. She'll survive. She's lived through so much already… she can't give up now. I released a sigh and then looked back at James, nodding my for him to come and join me.

He did as I asked and sat beside me. I turned Renesmee around so that she was facing James. Her chocolate eyes were on me with curiosity.

"Renesmee, this is my brother, James." I smiled at her. I turned to James and he looked her over, his face was contorted with anger. I reached an arm out and touched between his eyebrows. His expression relaxed into a frown.

"Don't." I whispered

"Lex she—" I placed my hand over his mouth.

"Don't." I repeated, this time stronger. "Bella'll be fine. Edward wont give up." I said taking a breath "We're not going to loose her." He looked at me softly as if wanting to tell me otherwise, the pity in his face didn't help at all.

"Besides, if we don't look after Renesmee while we're waiting for Bella," I paused looking worried before I shook my head. Bella would tear us a new one. James sighed understanding.

"Anyway, it's not Renesmee's fault, what would you do if you were drowning?" I asked him looking down at her. She gazed at me and I smiled at her. I turned back to James.

"It's alright James." He turned from me and looked at Renesmee. I smiled and looked down at her as well. Too intelligent for an infant she looked from me to James, as if knowing exactly what I was doing.

I bet a million dollars she did.

She stared at James before a brilliant smile broke out across her face. I grinned back, unable to help myself before I paused. Something caught my ears. I turned to look at the stairs with hope and wonder.

From upstairs, there was a new sound.

A frantic pounding, a racing beat…

A changing heart.

I felt myself relax and I released a heavy breath as if I'd been holding it in. I suddenly felt so much better. My energy was back, my mind was cleared and I turned back to James as if to tell him I told you so.

But James wasn't looking at the stairs like I'd expected him to. Nor was he looking at me relieved or grateful, which would have also been acceptable.

No, James was looking below me, to Renesmee in my arms. His eyes were wide and his mouth slightly agape. I looked down at Renesmee to see her smiling at James.

My eyebrows furrowed before I looked back at James. I didn't understand, what had him so captivated?

My eyes widened in shock and my breath was caught in my throat in surprise as I stared at James.

It clicked in my mind in so quickly, in such a small space of time.

Oh no.

And I'm gonna end it there.

I'm splitting the two halves of the book. But the second part I might not put up chapter by chapter, which means you're gonna have to wait. If I do decide to do it by chapter, it wont be up until December. I got Professional Experience for my University course starting Monday. Well I'm supposed to, it's Friday and I still don't know where I'm going.

Anyway, hope you like it, I'll put an Author's Note on here when I've put the next one up.

So exciting!