Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
To say things came crashing down would've been an understatement. It was like a small domino effect in the Cullen household. First, it started with me. It happened around three in the morning. I was dead asleep with Emmett lying beside me when I woke up struggling for breath and having pains in my stomach area. Emmett and Carlisle were crowded around me as I felt tears slide down my cheeks as another burst of pain ran through me. I gasped again when I felt my pants become drenched. "She's in labor." I looked at Emmett but he seemed to snap into motion the second I blinked. When my eyes reopened I was downstairs in a makeshift hospital room. Carlisle was hooking a needle in my arm and the rest of the family was crowded in the doorway. Esme was behind me tying my hair up when we heard another scream echo through the house. Everyone froze before Bella and I let out screams again. Faster than my erratic breathing, she was beside me in a separate bed, her own body twisted and spasming.
"They're both in labor." Alice gasped. I could barely hear her over the sound of my yells but I did and I was confused about how we were ready to give birth at the same time. My pregnancy was supposed to last longer than hers, I wasn't even a full nine months yet. But Eli was ready and there was no prolonging it. "Bellas crowning, Clary isn't ready yet. Move her bed into the next room." Emmett and Jasper wheeled my bed into a small adjoining room.
"Call my Dad," I begged Emmett. He looked pained as he denied my request. "Please, I want him here for this."
"He can't Clary. But we'll call him afterward." He tried to explain but it wasn't the answer I wanted to hear.
"I'm not having this baby without him here." I attempted to sit up but another contraction hit me and it had my back arching as it coursed through me.
"Name anyone else, but we can't have your Dad here until we know everything's in the clear." Rosalie was the voice of reason and I nodded with a heavy sigh.
"There's only one other person but there's no way he'd come, so there's no point." I ended with a gasp. I was tired of the contractions but the only way to stop them would be to have birth and it wasn't my turn just yet. Emmett held onto my hand as we heard Bella let out another scream. Her screams died down and a new scream rang out. I smiled happily as I heard my sister's baby. Everyone shared excited smiles that seemed to only last a fleeting minute before Jacob was barreling out of the room Bella was in, Rosalie exiting with a wrapped bundle just after him. I didn't know when Jacob had shown up but it was the grim expression that everyone wore that had me worried.
"What's wrong?" I asked. Emmett squeezed my hand but didn't say anything. He didn't have to though. Edward walked out of the room, not a minute later, covered in blood. Bella's blood. "Oh God no." I cried and hugged Emmett. Nobody said anything but nobody needed to. Nor did I want them to. Edward left the room and my eyes wandered to Rosalie. "Can I hold her?" She nodded and gently placed my niece in my arms. Her little eyes were already open and she stared up at me. Her eyes matched Bella's perfectly but her other facial features resembled Edward more. She let out a small yawn and I fought the urge to cry more as I rocked her to sleep.
I spotted Jacob falling to his knees as Renesmee briefly opened her eyes and looked his way. I knew what that look in his eyes meant and it was a bittersweet moment for me. My best friend was getting his happy ending as my sister lost hers.
"We've got a problem outside Carlisle." Dom raced into the room. Everyone tensed up and left the room, the only ones staying with being Jacob and Edward. I couldn't hear anything that was going on but I put the pieces together as a familiar howl echoed around us.
"They're here to fight," Edward confirmed my worries. "There's nothing we can do except fight back."
"There has to be one way, Edward. Don't let them do this, not today." I begged him. I felt another contraction surge through me and I knew I couldn't fight it any longer.
"I've got an idea." He and Jacob left the room and I hated that I couldn't follow them.
I was left alone, probably not the smartest thing to do, but I was grateful for it. I was readying myself to face the same fate my sister did. I knew there was a major possibility that I wouldn't survive this pregnancy but I wanted to prove everyone wrong as I felt another contraction hit and my body grows weaker, I knew my chances were lessening. I couldn't hold back anymore and I let out another scream, causing Renesmee to cry out from being awakened. I tried to calm her down but it was becoming hopeless as I just continued to scream. Carlisle finally reappeared and handed Renesmee off to Rosalie who left the room with her. Emmett raced in and grabbed my hand trying to assure me that everything would be okay.
"She's ready to push." Carlisle donned his gloves and positioned me to begin pushing baby Eli out. He counted down and then told me to push and I did this about four times before he announced he could see the head. I gave one last and final push before I felt my child leave me in a rush. His cry echoed around us and Carlisle wrapped him in a blanket before gently handing him to me. I smiled through watery eyes as he nestled against my bare chest.
"Elijah Cole Cullen, welcome to the world," I whispered. I closed my eyes and laid my head back as I was finally able to rest but it was starting to hurt to try to reopen my eyes. I could hear Eli start to cry and Emmett start to shout my name but I couldn't respond.
"She's crashing. Alice grabs the baby. We've got to get her to the hospital, now." Carlisle barked orders and I could hear rustling around me but I was fading fast. "She's dying Emmett. It's either the hospital or you turn her. But you need to decide now!" I'd never heard Carlisle yell before and I wasn't sure if I ever would again.
"Please forgive me, Clary." Was the last thing I heard before a burning pain engulfed me. "I'm so sorry."
