Moving Forward - J. Black

xxi.

Jacob immediately noticed Bella's bruised baby bump as her blanket slipped down and her t-shirt got caught on the bump. Bella let out a sigh of relief as she got to stretch her legs but Jacob's eyes widened in horror. "You did this!" anger quickly took over the shifter as he moved to attack Edward. Eliza had to fight her instincts to step in when she remembered she was the only thing keeping Bella stable. "We didn't know it was even possible." Carlisle defended as Emmett moved quickly to hold the shifter back.

"What is it?" Jacob pushed Emmett off him as he looked around at the Cullens for answers. "I'm not sure, ultrasounds and needles won't penetrate the embryonic sac." Carlisle was visibly disappointed as Eliza helped Bella sit back down. "I can't see it either." Alice gave her own input of the unfamiliar situation. 

"And I can't see Bella's future anymore." Alice's pessimistic words saddened Bella as she put her head down. "We've been researching legends but there isn't much to go on. What we do know is that it's strong and fast growing." Carlisle explained what the coven had discovered. "Why haven't you done anything, take it out of her!" Jacob's words of anger made both Eliza and Bella flinch. "This is none of your business, dog!" Rosalie was the first to say something, angered by Jacob's words.

"Rose." Eliza took a step closer to the shifter, worried that the tensions would cause a fight. "All this fighting isn't good for Bella." Esme finally spoke up as she tried to keep the peace. "The fetus isn't good for Bella!" Alice retorted aggressively with a scoff. "Say the word, Alice. 'Baby', it's just a little baby." Rosalie glared at the people she called family. "Possibly." Jasper defended Alice's views, unsure of the situation himself. Bella reached out for Eliza's hand, seeking comfort in someone who was on her side about the child.

"Carlisle, you've got to do something." Jacob glanced over at Eliza and Bella before turning back to the doctor. "No." Bella demanded, tired of everyone arguing over something that wasn't their business. "It's not his decision, it's not any of ours." Eliza gave Jacob a pointed look as Bella squeezed her hand. "Jacob, I need to talk to you." Edward motioned for the shifter to follow him out of the room. Jacob looked over at Eliza hesitantly before following Edward out of the house. "He'll come around." Eliza gave Bella a supportive smile, hoping that her words held true.

Jacob came back into the room a couple of minutes later with a satisfied look on his face. Rosalie was safe-guarding the room that now only held Eliza and Bella. Rosalie hesitantly let the shifter in the room, leaving when she noticed that Eliza was going to stay. "So, Edward sent you in here to talk to me." Bella was short with the shifter. "Sort of, though I can't figure out why he thinks you'd listen to me, you never have before." Jacob let out a breathy laugh before he looked over at the two amused. "Since when are you two BFFs?" Jacob was shocked at how sympathetic Eliza was being toward the human. "Eliza understands what I want." Bella was completely honest with Jacob. "I also enjoy pissing off Edward." Eliza added on with a pointed look, gaining a laugh from her mate.

"So what are you thinking, seriously?" Jacob tried to be understanding of both women. "I know this seems like a scary thing, but it's-it's not." Bella already felt connected to the creature in her stomach. "It's like this miracle or something, I can feel him." Bella rested her hand on her stomach lovingly.

"So, it's a bouncing baby boy." Jacob let out a noise of amusement at Bella's statement. "It's just a guess." Bella defended her words, knowing they had no true way of knowing. "When I picture him, I see a boy. We'll see." Bella smiled softly at the idea of meeting her child. "You won't." Jacob shifted as he frowned at her words. "Jacob, I can do this, I'm strong enough." Bella promised and Eliza bit her lip, only hoping Bella's body would survive long enough.

"Come on." Jacob could sense that even Eliza was unsure of Bella's health getting better. "You can spout that crap to your bloodsucker, but you don't fool me. I can see what that thing's doing to you. It's a killer, Bella." Jacob let his anger bubble up again as he stood up and began pacing. "You're wrong." Bella shook her head as she convinced herself she could survive. "And when you die? It lives and you die, how is that right for anyone?" Jacob asked a question that he knew Bella couldn't answer.

"Listen to me, Bella, please. Just don't do this. Live, okay?" Jacob tried to remain calm, taking a seat again. "Jake, everything's going to be okay." Bella tried to convince the shifter that she would be okay, but he didn't believe her. "Jacob, don't go." Bella begged as the shifter stood up with a shake of his head. "I know how this ends and I'm not sticking around to watch." Jacob left the room and Bella turned to Eliza for help. Eliza sighed, knowing Jacob was probably already mad at her for supporting Bella.

"Jake." Eliza called out to her mate as she stopped outside at the bottom of the stairs, a couple of feet from his bike. "I understand why you support her, why you've been avoiding me." Jacob sighed as he looked into his imprint's eyes. "But I can't watch this, I can't watch her-" Jacob choked on his words when he pictured Bella's withered body. The thought alone sent Jacob's anger over the edge as he kicked his bike over. His body began to shake and he quickly turned away before he phased and took off into the woods. 

Eliza let out a sigh as she watched the wolf take off into the trees. Eliza understood why Jacob was struggling with the situation, but she also understood why Bella was so dedicated to fighting for her child's life. Eliza always wanted kids, sure she raised her siblings for a brief time and took Bree under her wing, but it just wasn't the same as having her own and she couldn't imagine having to choose between her own life and her child's.