CHAPTER FIFTY-SIX

The time was ticking against them, Bella devouring more pints of blood as each hour passed, Carlisle's stash quickly dwindling until there was hardly any left. But with the strength that the blood provided Bella, the brunette was also able to eat real food without immediately getting rid of it, successfully nourishing herself and the baby at the same time. However, Bella could go into labor at any time, and the thought was constantly on everyone's minds. 

"So that's the last of it?" Jacob questioned in shock, the last bag of blood sitting on the table in front of the group of vampires. 

"Bella could deliver as early as tomorrow." Carlisle announced. "If she's going to have any chance at all she'll need more blood."

"And you need to feed. You have to be at your strongest for her." Esme reminded her husband. "We need to go tonight." 

"Carlisle, you're the enemy now. Sam won't hesitate, you will be slaughtered." Jacob cautioned. 

"Emmett will come with us." Esme gesturing to where the vampire in question stood. 

"That won't be enough." Jacob returned shaking his head. 

"And I could come with," Ellie interjected despite Jasper's firm head shake in a warning from her side. "I could be of some use out there." 

"Sorry, Ellie but we need you here more." Carlisle dismissed, looking over to Ellie. "You are a key factor in helping Bella get through labour, she needs you more than we need your help." Carlisle finished with Ellie nodding in agreement, before turning back to Jacob. "We have no choice, Jacob. If there's anything we can do to save her, we have to try." 

"You'd risk your lives for her?" Jacob asked in shock, looking around the family of the vampires. 

"Of course we would! Bella's a part of our family now." Esme returned with no hesitation in her tone. 

"Yeah, I can see that. This really is a family. As strong as the one I was born into." Jacob muttered before a look of realisation came across his features. "I know what I have to do." 

The house had gone strangely quiet, now emptied of a large number of occupants. Carlisle, Esme and Emmett had all left to hunt and retrieve blood bags to help Bella throughout her labour, while Jacob set off to distract the wolves long enough for them to make an escape. After the last couple of weeks in which the family had been basically on lockdown with the wolves waiting outside, the atmosphere felt very different. 

The heavily pregnant Bella was situated on the couch when Ellie entered the room with a fond smile as she looked over at her best friend. The fear of losing her heavily clouded her mind at times, as Ellie couldn't possibly imagine a world without her best friend in it, but still respected Bella's decision despite the opposition that still fluttered around the house at times, although Edward had finally given in. 

"How are you Bells?" Ellie questioned settling down on the couch beside her. 

"Ahh you know as well as I can be with this." Bella joked, gesturing to her ballooned stomach. "Never really got a chance to thank you for sticking by my side."

"Would do it again in a heartbeat." Ellie returned. "Besides I would never condone men telling women what to do about their bodies even in an unusual scenario like this one.

"Hear! hear!" Bella added, a smile tugging at her lips for the first time in ages, before she gasped, a wince crossing her face. 

"What?" Ellie hurried to question, fearing the worst. "What's the matter?" 

"Nothing." Bella dismissed. "Here." She offered, tugging her shirt up to reveal where two footprints pressed against stretched skin of her stomach. 

"Oh my god, that's pretty cool." Ellie looked up at Bella with a giddy smile. "You ready to be a Mom?" 

"You bet." Bella returned. "You ready to be this little one's godmother?"

"Me? Really?" Ellie asked in shock. "Why me? I thought you would pick Alice or Rosalie."

"Why not you, El?" Bella replied. "There's no one who I trust more."

"If I could I would definitely be crying right now." Ellie added, her undead heart warming at Bella's declaration. "I love you, Bella."

"Love you too, Ellie." 

"Hey, are you okay?" Bella asked as Jacob entered the room, having returned from distracting the wolves. 

"Yeah, it's not like I'm the one carrying a demon." Jacob retorted in response with a gentle smile in Bella's direction. 

"This is pretty important, Bella. Why don't you tell Jacob what you've decided to?" Rosalie suggested, glancing over to the brunette in question. 

"What... what now?" Jacob questioned. 

"Rose is trying to talk Bella out of her baby names," Edward informed the werewolf. 

"She hates them," Bella said a small smile playing on her lips. 

"Well then I'm on your side no matter what you pick." Jacob returned as Ellie fake gagged behind the werewolf's back. 

"They're not that bad," Bella told him. "If it's a boy, E.J, Edward Jacob."

"Or you know it could be Ellie Jacob but whatever floats your boat." Ellie joked to a couple of scattered laughs from the group gathered. 

"Okay fine. That one's not awful. Why don't you tell them the girl's name?" Rosalie prompted. 

"I was playing around with our mom's names, Renee and Esme. And I was thinking, Renesmee." Bella announced. 

"Renesmee," Jacob repeated. 

"Too weird?" Bella questioned. 

"Um..." Jacob trailed off. 

"No, that's not too weird. It's beautiful and it's unique. It certainly fits the situation. I like Renesmee." Edward interjected. 

"He likes it." Bella softly informed Rosalie with a smirk as the blonde moved to retrieve a cup of blood for Bella. 

"What about you Ellie?" Jacob questioned turning to the vampire. "How do you feel about the lack of a tribute?" 

"I don't really care, as long as Bella doesn't name the baby Elliot or any other weird version of Ellie." Ellie returned with a smile. "Always thought it was very strange that Mum named her children with the masculine and feminine version of largely the same name. And besides I get godmother." She shrugged, both Alice and Rosalie sending small glares her way. 

However, the atmosphere soon shifted, the room falling silent as Bella reached for the cup of blood that Rosalie offered, fumbling with it before it fell. Bella desperately reaching out to get it  when a loud crack filled the room, her spine snapping in half. Bella's pained gasp echoing as she fell to her knees and then towards the floor.