Moving Forward - J. Black

xxiii.

EDITED

Another day had passed and Jacob had only taken a small break from protecting the perimeter, leaving Seth and Leah outside. Eliza was cuddled up to Jacob on the couch while Bella tried not to shiver on the opposite side. "Are you cold?" Edward took notice of the uncomfortable expression on Bella's face, the whole room now looking at her. Bella hesitated to nod, but her skin was getting paler every minute. "I got it." Eliza swung her legs over the edge of the couch to grab the heated blanket that Seth brought for the human. Eliza reached for the blanket and Bella let out a cry of pain as the baby kicked her already bruised ribs. Eliza wrapped the blanket around Bella as she moved into an upright position and Edward quickly grabbed a bucket in case she threw up.

Jacob moved over and rubbed Bella's back as Eliza adjusted the blanket's temperature. "We need to find a way to get some food into her system." Esme watched as Eliza and Jacob helped the human lay back down. "If I could only see the fetus, maybe I could figure out what it wants." Alice grew annoyed with the blind spots in her vision. "Baby." Rosalie glared at Alice's word choice. Eliza couldn't help but notice how uncomfortable Jacob looked with both terms.

"I think maybe you're right." Edward interrupted Alice and Rosalie's stare-off. "Jacob just had an idea." Edward shared Jacob's thoughts with the family, the shifter glaring at the invasion of privacy. "It wasn't an idea, it was a snide comment." Jacob laughed, not believing Edward would even consider the idea. "What were you thinking?" Eliza looked at her mate confused. "That it's probably just looking for someone to sink its teeth into." the shifter commented, putting the coven on high alert. "He's thirsty." Bella looked at Carlisle as if Jacob had just solved world hunger. "I know the feeling." Emmett's upbeat personality was dwindling every day, not even football was making him feel better.

"If it's craving, it's not going to want animal blood." Edward glanced over at Carlisle, trying his best not to look away from his wife. "I have some O negative set aside for Bella." Carlisle understood Edward's glance and left for his office. "Walk with me." Alice pulled Jasper out of the room and Emmett followed, none of the vampires having enough control while they were being starved. Eliza smelled the blood before Carlisle even entered the room, but she took a deep breath and pushed her urges away. "Woah, woah, woah, you're going to make her drink that?" Jacob looked disgusted at the glass of blood that Carlisle held. "It's the fastest way to test the theory." Carlisle continued to drain the blood bag into the cup.

"Only if you're comfortable with it." Edward was quick to look at Bella for approval. "I'll try anything." Bella agreed to drink the cup eagerly. "Just hold on." Edward moved the blood into a more conspicuous foam cup. "I think I'm going to be sick." Jacob looked at the disguised blood as he moved to the furthest end of the couch possible. If Eliza weren't so focused on controlling her thirst and helping Bella, she probably would've laughed at Jacob's antics. "This might make it a little easier to take." Edward handed Bella the cup and she slowly took the straw in her mouth. "It tastes...good." Bella gave a weak smile after taking a sip of the blood.

Edward gave his wife a small smile and Bella let out a laugh as Jacob continued to shake his head in disgust. Bella kept drinking from the cup and Eliza began to notice the color returning to the human's face. "You're pulse is already getting stronger." Carlisle check the girl's vitals as she drank. "It's working." Eliza followed Bella's gaze to Jacob, who was still disgusted. The smell of blood flooded the living room as Bella's cup was refilled with more blood in order to get her health even better.

Eliza moved away from the area as she began to struggle with her thirst and Jacob took notice of how fidgety she became. Eliza was now standing on the stairs as she watched over Bella, Jacob slowly walking up behind her. "Hey." the shifter wrapped his arms around Eliza's waist. "Hi." Eliza smiled up at her mate, breathing in his scent. "Jacob." Carlisle called out for the shifter, interrupting the pair. Both supernaturals looked over at Carlisle, who beckoned them down to his office.

"So that's the last of it?" Eliza worried as Carlisle put the last bag of blood on the table in front of them. "Bella could deliver as early as tomorrow. If she's going to have any chance at all, she'll need more blood." Carlisle looked at the couple, hopeful for a solution. "And you need to feed." Esme pointed out Carlisle's dwindling strength. "You both need to be at your strongest for her, we need to go tonight." Esme demanded as she looked at the two vampires that had the most medical experience.

"Eliza may be safe but Carlisle, you're the enemy now. Sam won't hesitate, you will be slaughtered." Jacob realized what Esme was insinuating. "We'll take Emmett with us." Esme offered a possible solution. "That won't be enough." Jacob shook his head, not wanting to risk anyone's life. "We have no choice, Jacob. If there's anything we can do to save her, we will." Carlisle looked at the shifter with determination. "You'd risk your lives for her?" Jacob couldn't understand the vampire's support for Bella. "Of course we would, Bella's a part of our family now." Esme tried not to show offense to Jacob's shock. "And so are you." Carlisle pointed out that Jacob's relationship with Eliza also made him family. The shifter brushed off Carlisle's statement but he looked over at Eliza and knew what needed to be done. "I know what I have to do." Jacob confirmed that he would help.

Night had fallen and Jacob made his way to the treaty line, baiting his former pack. Eliza was the last of the Cullens to sneak off the property as she listened to the conversation between the shifters, waiting for the right moment to run. "This isn't your territory anymore. How's your new family working out?" Paul was the first to voice his opinion on Jacob's departure. "You done?" Eliza could hear the annoyance in Jacob's tone. "You coming home, Jake?" Quill questioned as multiple pairs of footprints could be heard. "Not until I finish this." Eliza heard Jacob's signal and she and her family immediately took off. Sam and one other shifter stayed on patrol, giving the Cullens some difficulty but Emmett was enough of an advantage to get them safely across.