promises, jacob black. (sequel to nicknames)

twenty two

octavia and jacob spent the day at the cullen's. jacob was helping out carlisle and discussing different plans on how bella would give birth without losing too much blood or losing her life. after a while he joined octavia on the couch, napping on her lap.

bella initially was relaxing in the her bedroom but at some point during the day she requested for rosalie to help her down back into the living room, afraid of being alone.

she lay down on the couch alone, tears forming in her eyes. she missed edward because he was the love of her life. he was the reason to look forward to the next day, he was her sun and moon and without him she felt completely hopeless.

it was only when bella was finally drifting off to sleep that she felt an icy cold hand touch her shoulder. despite this putting her in immense pain, she sat up straight, bursting into tears at the sight at of edward.

"edward," she exclaimed through her tears. he said nothing but instead gently pulled her towards him. he held her in his arms, rocking her gently.

"please forgive me." he whispered, wiping her eyes with his icy cold hands.

"already forgiven." through her tears, she leaned up and kissed him softly. slowly, never moving his eyes from hers, he leaned toward he. then abruptly, but very gently, he rested his cold cheek against the hollow at the base of her throat. bella was quite unable to move, even if she wanted to. she listened to the sound of his even breathing, loving being this close to him again.

with deliberate slowness, his hands slid down the sides of her neck. bella shivered, and she heard him catch his breath. but his hands didn't pause as they softly moved to her shoulders, and then stopped. his face drifted to the side, his nose skimming across her collarbone. he came to rest with the side of his face pressed tenderly against her chest.

her cheeks tinted red and he smiled, leaning in and finally allowing himself to kiss her. her scent drove him crazy but he could not pull away, wanting to be one with her.

bella pulled away through, her hands reaching for the bucket. she retched and spilt her guts out into the bucket, edward's cold hands rubbing her back.

at the sound of her vomiting, the others paid full attention. there was nothing they could do but watch her. bella wiped her mouth and sat up weakly, her eyes shut closed as rosalie discarded of the bucket.

"we need to find a way to get some food into her system." esme said.

"if i could only see the fetus," alice spoke softly.

"the baby." rosalie corrected her.

"maybe i could figure out what it wants."

jacob held back from saying what he was thinking but it was no use, "i think you might be right." of course edward was listening, "jacob just had an idea."

the wolf-boy laughed quietly, stopping when octavia nudged him, "it wasn't an idea. it was a snide comment." he obviously was still hurt at what bella and edward did to him and octavia.

"what were you thinking?"

"that it's probably looking for someone to sink it's teeth into." he smirked.

"jacob!" ava pretended to look angry at him. he hid his smile and wrapped an arm around her, pulling her onto his lap.

the cullen's shared intrigued looks before looking at bella who was laying down now, her head on edward's lap and his icy hands holding her gently.

"so he's thirsty?" bella asked quietly.

"if it's craving it's not going to want animal blood." edward frowned, looking to carlisle.

"i have some o-negative laid aside for bella." carlisle responded, leaving to grab it.

jasper stared at carlisle, watching him disappear into the kitchen. alice held his hand, she couldn't see that he'd be okay with human blood in the room, "walk with me?" she didn't want for a response and dragged him out the room. rosalie and emmett shared a look before emmett got up and left the room.

the sound of carlisle pouring blood into a cup sent chills down octavia's spine. was bella going to drink human blood while she was in the room? jacob held ava tightly, moving her to the other side of the room, he too felt grossed out.

"only if you're comfortable." edward whispered, handing the cup of blood to bella.

"i'll try anything." she sat up, the blanket falling from her stomach and exposing her stomach. shyly, she covered it again and then stared at the blood.

"i think i'm gonna be sick." jacob whispered, his eyes closed shut and his hands gripping ava's.

"hold on." edward stopped bella from drinking. he took the glass cup and transferred the blood to a styrofoam cup with a lid and a straw, "this might make it easier to take."

bella smiled at him gratefully. everybody stared at her as she put the straw to her lips. she hesitatingly took one sip before pulling a face. octavia's heart skipped a beat. bella sighed before taking another sip, and another, and another.

"it tastes," she paused, thinking of the right word to say, "good."