Someone turned on a football game but no one was really paying attention to it. Bella lay in the sofa, she started shivering and pulling at the sleeve of her sweater trying to bring it to her hands.

"You cold?" Edward asked concerned.

Jake and I exchanged looks and I sadly shook my head, I couldn't do it, I was so hungry even weak, frail little Bella was starting to look appetizing to me. Jake jumped to the rescue, sitting by her side and letting her warm up next to his body. Being by his side, Bella started smiling.

"Don't do that," he told her.

"What?" She mumbled.

He looked down at her boney hands on his arm, "Smile at me like I'm your favorite person in the world."

"Paul I miss you."

"You're one of them," she told him, "It feels complete when you're here Jake," suddenly she started heaving and Edward thrust the bucket under her mouth. I had to look away, she'd been throwing up sporadically for hours.

Esme watched and motherly stated, "We need to find a way to get some food into her system."

"If only I could see the fetus-"

"Baby," I groaned, knowing how many times Rosalie has said we should call it that.

She sighed, "Then maybe I could figure out what it wants."

There was a quick silence, when Edward looked over at Jacob, "I think you might be right. Jacob just had an idea."

He smirked, "It wasn't an idea. It was a snide comment."

"Well are you gonna tell us or are we gonna have to guess until we get it right?" I snapped, Emmett who was sitting next to me rubbed my shoulders trying to calm me down.

"What were you thinking?" Carlisle asked.

"That it's probably just looking for someone to sink its teeth into." Ah smart.

Bella looked up tiredly, "He's thirsty."

"I know the feeling," Emmett agreed.

I snorted, "Guess we have something in common after all."

"If it's craving it's not gonna want animal blood," Edward knew.

Carlisle nodded, "I have some left over O-negative from Cate's transformation that I laid aside for Bella," he walked off.

My head snapped up, this guy had blood? This whole time? We were all starving! I saw the look on Jasper's face and knew he was thinking the same thing as me. We were, in fact the two newest members.

"Walk with me," Alice asked grabbing Jasper's hand and forcing him out of the room.

Rosalie and I looked at Emmett who's eyes had red circles underneath. We gave him the encouraging nudge he needed to leave the room. As much as I wanted to follow I stayed. I had to be there but I got more angry when Carlisle came back with the blood bag. I could smell it from where I sat.

He started pouring it into a clear cup, "Wait, you're going to make her drink that?" Jacob asked outraged.

"It's the fastest way to test the theory."

Edward looked at Bella worried, "Only if your comfortable with it."

She nodded, "I'll try anything."

I pulled my eyes away as the crimson liquid oozed out of the bag, "Don't put it in a clear cup, she won't drink it."

Edward looked at me and nodded, he got up and switched it from a glass cup to styrofoam with a straw, "Cate thinks this will make it easier," he offered it to her.

She looked at me, "Thank you," I waved my hand but didn't look at her with the cup until I heard the slurping noise. I peeked through the corner of my eye as it traveled up the straw and into her mouth, "Tastes...good."

Edward gave a relieved smile as others let out a breath they'd all been holding in. Bella smiled as she started slurping some more.

"You're pulse is already getting stronger," Carlisle praised.

Rosalie and Esme smiled, "It's working."

That night while Bella slept well for the first time in weeks I just sat in the living room, my eye trained on the glass that Carlisle initially put the blood in, there were some remanence of blood still on the glass and while the scent appeared to be gone for the others, my nose still smelled it clear as day. I walked over to it staring at the glass, hunger evident in my eyes.

That was when Carlisle walked in and saw me. I backed away scared. I knew I couldn't have any, if I did then that would make me a danger to Bella while she was still human. He looked at me sadly, opening his arms welcoming. I went into them and felt myself start to cry. The hunger was so bad, and I missed Paul. A part of me hoped if he was with me then I wouldn't be so hell bent on drinking blood, that he would help distract me enough until I could go hunting again.

But he wasn't there. He was plotting with Sam about how to eliminate Bella and the baby. And I was crying over him, starving out of my mind.

~

Bella only made it worse to hold on to my humanity. She went through bag after bag. I got more angry, how many damn bags had Carlisle hidden? Surely she didn't need this many and they could spare some for the rest of us who were starving just as much if not more!

They seemed to work though, she was still frail but her voice was stronger, and the blood seemed to be giving her some strength back. She'd even decided to call Charlie to check on him. I thought it was a terrible idea but she didn't seem to care. I left her alone to talk to her dad, opting to go outside and sit on the back porch.

As I sat there, three things were on my mind. Blood, first and foremost. I wished I'd just scrapped the left over blood from that damn cup. Something would be better than nothing. Bella. She was stronger, which was great for her. But my usual optimism wasn't there. I knew it was only going to hurt Edward when she died. Paul. I missed him so much, he hadn't called or anything. But this time was different. I wasn't weak, but I needed to see him. I wanted him to see what this whole thing was doing to me. I felt more like an animal now than ever. It took every ounce of strength not to run off and chase down the first person or animal I saw. I would go for literally anything, and he wasn't there to help me through it. He knew how much I loved my family, but he also knew how much I loved him. I kept remembering our first time; the night before the fight against the newborns. It feels like so much has changed since then.

But I still wanted him-no-I needed him in my life. I just hoped that we would be alright when this was over. I knew that being without him was worse than the thirst. No matter how painful it was, I would manage my thirst. But I wouldn't manage being without Paul.

"Hey," Jake pulled me out of my thoughts, "Where is she?"

Blinked back to reality, cleaning the tears from my cheek, "Upstairs with Edward, she was on the phone with Charlie," I told him. He nodded and walked inside.

When Jacob left Esme grabbed me, we sat in the kitchen with Carlisle, and Jake joined us plopping a bag of blood on the table, "So that's the last of it." So he's the one who's been supplying her with blood.

Carlisle crossed his arms looking at Jacob with black eyes, "Bella can deliver as early as tomorrow, she'll need more blood."

"And you need to feed," Esme responded, her eyes as dark as his, "You have to be at your strongest for her. We need to go tonight."

"Carlisle, you're the enemy now. Sam won't hesitate, you will be slaughtered," Jake turned and looked out the window.

Esme was desperate, "Emmett will come with us!"

"That won't be enough."

"We have no choice, Jacob," Carlisle told him, "If there's anything we can do to save her, we have to try."

Jake looked between the two of them, "You'd risk your lives for her?"

"Of course we would! Bella is our family now!" Esme exclaimed.

Jake looked at me and nodded, "This really is a family. As strong as the one I was born into. I know what I have to do."

I looked at Carlisle and Esme, "I'll go with you guys!" I was ready to head out and go hunting.

Carlisle shook his head, "I need you here, you're our best defense if they do come while we're gone."

I went to fight back but Jake stopped me, "No, I need you with me when they go," I stopped, he already had a plan. I sighed and nodded.

~

That night, Jake and I stood in the forest waiting for them to show themselves. We needed to take up enough time so were was gonna cause a distraction, giving them enough time to get to safety.

"Jake! Cate! They're coming," Seth told us as he and Leah caught up with us.

We nodded, "Good," I responded.

"We should phase, we can't protect ourselves like this!" Leah urged.

"No, they'll see it as a threat," Jacob told her. We turned out attention back to the forest, "I wanna talk! It would be easier if we could hear you too!"

There was a brief pause, then we heard shuffling. Paul came out first looking at Jacob angrily, "This isn't your territory anymore. How's your new family working out?" Jared, Embry and Quill joined

"Are you done?" Jake asked sarcastically.

I huffed, stepping forward, "Hello to you too," His eyes flashed over to me and I saw sadness when he saw my red eyes, "Yeah I'm a little hungry, haven't been able to feed for weeks. But I guess you don't seem to care huh?" My heart broke at my tone while talking to him.

"Cate, I-" he took a step forward but I held him up with my hand.

"No. You don't get to try and guilt me, saying Sam made you stay. Now shut up and let Jacob speak," I barked.

Jake looked at me sadly before turning to Paul, "I want Sam to take back Leah and Seth."

"What?"

"No way!"

The two of them started to argue with us, "Shut up!" I ordered, they flinched and stopped. I saw Paul keeping his eyes on me the whole time, I made sure to emphasize how angry and hungry I really was.

"I want them safe," Jacob continued, "I want Cate to be able to hunt," he grabbed my hand knowing it would drive Paul crazy, "I want this over."

Paul looked at my hand, his eyes glossing, "Cate?"

I held back the tears, Jake continued his speech, "Tell Sam he will wait for Bella to be separated from the situation."

"You mean till she's dead," Paul snapped, eyeing Jake hatefully.

"Ease up Paul," Embry snapped looking at me sadly.

"Then what?" Paul asked.

Jake and I looked at each other before he finished, "When the moment comes. I'll be the one to destroy it," Jake promised.

"Cate! Stop him!" Leah pleaded.

I shook my head, "I'm done with this."

That was when the howling came and we knew we were in the clear; at least for now.

"You played us!" Paul yelled, he turned to the others, "Go!" They immediately ran off leaving him alone.

I turned to Jake, "Go back to the house now," I whispered.

"But-"

"I'll be fine. Go," I ordered, he nodded and left with Seth and Leah. I turned back to Paul, "Do you hate me?"

His eyes were still glossy, "I love you."

"Paul, I'm starving," my voice cracked as I clutched my throat.

He finally disregarded the invisible line that separated us, "This will all be over soon. They can't hurt you, I won't let them."

"Why didn't you leave?" I cried.

"I'm sorry! I couldn't," I saw a tear fall and cleaned it with my finger. He grabbed my hand and kept it on his cheek, "I missed you," he kissed the palm of my hand.

"Cate!" Screaming came from behind me, it was Seth, "Cate, Bella needs you. Now!" He screamed.

"oh no."

I faced Paul nervous he'd get angry, instead he nodded me forward, "I'll see you soon," with that he turned and retreated.

I faced Seth who looked freaked out and I knew it had to be bad. I started sprinting through the trees. The minute I stepped through the door. There was nothing but screams.

"What happened?" I asked, while Alice was on the phone with Carlisle who wasn't back yet. I snatched the phone from her, "What happened?"

"The placenta detached, the baby has to be delivered now, he can't breath," he told me urgently.

I ran into the room and saw Edward injecting Bella with morphine. Rose started cutting into Bella before the morphine spread, her screams were glass-shattering. The minute I smelled the blood I knew it was a bad idea for me to be there, but I knew I was strong enough to withstand the thirst. Rosalie on the other hand-

"Don't!" Jake tackled her to the ground. Rose started thrashing in his grip trying to get to Bella.

I yelled at Alice, "Get her out of here!"

"What about you?"

"Just go!" I holding my breath.

Alice got Rose out leaving me with Jacob and Edward, "Save her!" Jake yelled, "You gotta change her!"

Edward shook his head, "I can't, not whilst he's still in there. I gotta get him out first."

Then proceeded the vampire c-section. Edward bit through the embryonic sac trying to get the baby out as fast as possible. We could hear nothing over Bella's screams and Jake's pleas for her to keep her heart beating. I kept a cloth to her forehead, trying to keep her sweat under control. She thrashed around until suddenly she stopped. I looked over to Edward and watched as he pulled out the baby.

It was a girl she started crying, "It's Renesmee," he smiled at her.

Bella was crying as he put her in her mother's arms. In that moment everything was alright, was all watched as Bella cradled her baby. The moment was ruined when Renesmee bit her. Edward quickly took the baby back into his arms, cueing her to start crying. Bella just lay there watching, she gave a small smile when she saw her baby but before my eyes I saw the light disappear from hers.