It was amazing to feel the atmosphere in the living room change from an unspoken tension to one full of love and a kind of peace, in a matter of moments. Edward and Bella were quietly talking to each other about the baby while Alice and Rosalie flitted around the house, making sure that everything was in order for when the baby came. The other Cullens were still out hunting, so it was just the six of us.

"Do you think it'd be okay for Autumn to go home and grab a few things?" Jacob directed to Edward, causing him to pause his conversation with Bella.

"Of course." Edward said, his eyes shifting to me. "I'll call you if there are any changes."

Jacob helped me to my feet and slowly walked me out to my car, making sure I didn't fall over.

"You look like you need a nap," he murmured, opening the passenger door for me. "Are you okay?"

"I'm not used to waking up so early," I joked, clicking my seatbelt into place as he got into the driver's side. "A nap actually sounds good right now, even though it's early afternoon."

"Why don't you take a shower when we get back to your mom's and take a nap, and I'll help you gather some things when you wake up? That way you can get some sleep away from everyone else, and you can be in your own bed." Jacob gently squeezed my hand as he drove, his eyes scanning the tree line on our way back into town.

"Sounds good to me." I stifled a yawn, my eyes slightly watering. "I want to check on Chloe, too... see if she wants to keep Leah company for a while."

"That's not a bad idea." Jacob murmured. "Leah needs to phase back to human for a few hours, at least. Get some real food in her stomach... that kind of thing."

"I agree."

Mom greeted us when we walked through the front door, keys in hand as she prepared to head back to the bakery. With a promise to call her as soon as I woke up from my nap, Mom kissed my forehead and left, the sound of the engine of her SUV fading as she disappeared down the street. Jacob made sure I was comfortable in my bed before he quietly slipped out of the room, his footsteps muffled by the carpet. Within seconds, my eyes shut against the pale light shining through my window, engulfing me in complete silence.

* * * * * * * * *

The digital clock on my nightstand read a quarter after 7 pm when I woke up in a cold sweat, the last of the half-forgotten nightmare disappearing as my eyes adjusted to the dim light. Sitting upward, I wiped the back of my neck with my hand, pushing my dampened hair off of my skin. Thank goodness I decided to take a shower after my nap; the sticky layer of sweat on me clung like static.

Laying on top of my desk sat a small stack of folded clothes; inspecting closer, I realized that Jacob had picked out a pair of faded blue jeans and an oversized yellow sweater - the two softest clothing items in my closet. A note in his handwriting was carefully placed on top.

As soon as your shower is done, I have hot chocolate waiting for you... with whipped cream and cinnamon, just the way you like it. And if you haven't heard it lately, you're beautiful even when you're sleeping peacefully (yes, I checked on you to make sure you were okay... I know you've been having nightmares). I love you.

Beaming to myself at the "I love you" scrawled at the bottom, I tucked the note into a small box on the bookcase next to my desk and gathered what I needed before heading into my bathroom, eager to feel like myself again. The hot water pelted against my pale skin, a rhythmic pattern that soothed my muscles and washed away any stress lingering in my pores.

By the time I made my way downstairs, Jacob had a mug of hot chocolate waiting for me as promised; he and Chloe both turned towards me as I entered the kitchen, slow smiles blooming on their faces.

"Hey, babe." Jacob said, reaching for me so he could pull me into a hug. "How are you feeling?"

"Better." I answered, burying myself into his side. "More like myself."

"Edward just called a few moments ago while you were in the shower," he took a sip of water. "He said Bella was asking for you."

"Is she okay?" I asked, panic spiking my tone.

"Yeah, she's fine. Well, as fine as she can be, considering the baby is still growing too fast. How many days does she have left?"

"About two?" I scrunched my nose, trying to recall Carlisle's words. "Maybe three, at the most."

"I can only imagine what she's feeling," Chloe spoke from her seat at the island counter. "Giving birth to a normal human baby is painful... if this baby is feeding on the blood Bella's been drinking, it's safe to assume they're more vampire than human, right?"

"Right." I nodded in agreement. "I'm ready to go over there as soon as you guys are."

"I just have to grab my bag from the living room," Chloe called over her shoulder as she headed into the other room.

"Write a note for your mom," Jacob pressed his lips against my hair. "We'll be out in the car waiting for you."

Grabbing a pen off of Mom's desk, I quickly scratched out a note letting her know I would be at the Cullens' again and grabbed my purse from the table in the foyer before locking the door behind me.

When Jacob pulled into the driveway sometime later, I was a little surprised to see Edward lingering in the open garage, his eyes hard as he waited for us. His gaze flickered to Jacob before coming back to me, and I saw the faintest glimpse of concern flash across his irises.

"Can I speak with you for a moment before you go inside?" Edward called out as we stepped out of the car. "The both of you?"

"What's wrong?" I asked him, shifting my bag over my shoulder.

"I know that Jacob is uncomfortable with using his authority on the pack, but if you can't or won't control Leah -"

"Wait, hold on a second." Jacob cut him off. "What are you talking about? What happened with Leah?"

"She phased to her human form and -"

"Really?" I interrupted this time, shocked. Leah would never come up to the Cullens' house in human form if it wasn't important.

"She wanted to... speak to Bella." Edward gritted through his teeth. "I won't let Bella be upset like that again, especially in the state she's in. I don't care how justified Leah thinks she is! I didn't hurt her, of course... but I can't promise I won't launch her over the river next time she decides to lash out at my wife."

"Now wait just a minute," Chloe spoke up, stepping towards Edward until she was almost in his face. "You're not going to lay a hand on my girlfriend or else we're going to have issues. Do you really want to put Autumn and Bella in the middle of a situation where they have to choose over their friendship?"

Her words seemed to sunk in because Edward's stance relaxed the slightest bit although his eyes remained dark.

"What did Leah say?" I asked again, my voice soft. Edward took a deep breath, composing himself before he turned to me.

"She was unnecessarily harsh... I didn't realize that being here put the amount of stress on you, Jacob, as it has with the other pack, nor how it's been affecting your sleep, let alone your magic, Autumn. Bella only wants the two of you here because she loves you both, you're her family... she's been crying for the last hour over the guilt that's tearing her apart that she's burdening you -"

"Oh, Bella." I mumbled under my breath, my heart breaking at the thought of my best friend thinking she was a burden to me. "Being here isn't stressing me out, Edward, you have to know that... I'm terrified of losing her!"

"I know that. And I know you didn't force Leah to say anything on your behalf." Edward sighed, deflating as his shoulders sagged.

"I can't promise to control Leah," Jacob added, rubbing the back of his neck. "But I will talk to her, as the Alpha. She is my responsibility either way, and I don't think there will be a repeat... Leah usually gets everything off her chest at once."

"I would agree," Edward responded, nodding slowly.

"I'm going to check on Leah." Chloe turned to me, ignoring Edward completely. "I'll be back later."

"Be careful out there." I squeezed Chloe in a tight hug before she headed into the woods; turning back to Edward, I let my gaze roam over the house behind him. "Is Bella okay?"

"Other than her feelings, she's fine. Right now, she's sleeping. Rose is with her."

"Serious question," Jacob took a half step toward me as he addressed Edward, "if you can hear the baby's thoughts, what does that mean? Ya know, for Bella?"

"I'm not entirely certain on that... but now that I can make out the baby's thoughts, it's clear that he or she is developed mentally a lot further than we could even imagine. He can understand us, to an extent."

"Whoa." I breathed, my tone filled with awe. "Are you serious?"

"Yeah. It's hard to believe." Edward smiled to himself before resuming his somber expression. "He seems to have a vague sense of what causes Bella pain and he's trying to avoid that, as much as possible. He... loves her already."

A small pang of jealousy punched my heart and I avoided Jacob's curious glance as I refocused on the situation at hand. Edward continued on, his eyes flickering briefly in my direction.

"Since the baby's progress is more than what we'd judged, as soon as Carlisle returns -"

"They're not back yet?" Jacob drew in a sharp breath, his gaze sweeping the treeline around us.

"Alice and Jasper are, with all the blood Carlisle has been able to acquire so far. They're trying to find another source since Carlisle believes that Bella will use up this supply in another day the way her appetite has grown. I don't think it's necessary but Carlisle wants to be prepared for anything."

"Why isn't it necessary? If she needs more blood?" Jacob asked, confused.

"He wants to persuade Carlisle to deliver the baby as soon as he gets back," I said, a light bulb going off in my head.

"The baby seems to be attempting to avoid any rough movements, but he's too big," Edward nodded. "It would do Bella more harm than good to wait... she's too fragile to delay any longer."

A long silence stretched out over us, a sense of panicked urgency looming like a thundercloud. Jacob stared at Edward, who waited patiently; in the blink of an eye, the realization that flowed through me hit him like a freight train.

"You think Bella's going to make it." He whispered.

"Yes. And that's the other thing I wanted to talk to you about." Edward grimaced. "Waiting this long has been dangerous; at any moment, it could have been too late. But if we act quickly now, I see no reason why this shouldn't go well. Bella and Rose both agree with me, and since I was able to convince them it's the safest thing for the baby, there's nothing to keep this from working."

"When is Carlisle coming back?" I asked.

"By noon tomorrow."

"What do you need from me?" Jacob rolled his shoulders back, staring at him right in the eye.

"I want your permission to make an exception to the treaty. Only you as the true Alpha, as Ephraim's heir, can grant me permission to save Bella's life. Regardless I would do it without hesitation, but I don't want to break faith with you if I can avoid it. I want the alliance between our families to survive when this is over."

Jacob faced me, his eyes searching my face for some kind of clue as Edward stood there, another waiting game. A light poke in my mind let me know that Jacob was activating the link between us, and I immediately allowed him in.

What are you thinking? I asked him.

I don't know... I mean, I understand why he's asking me. But it's not a decision to be made lightly, Jacob mentally sighed. What do you think?

The treaty states you as the wolf pack protects humans, right? From being fed on by vampires?

Right...

Well, technically, Edward isn't feeding on Bella. He's injecting his venom into her body, but he's not drinking her blood. So, that doesn't count as breaking the treaty.

You have a point there. Jacob nodded.

And you're technically still protecting humans... Charlie and Rene. They won't lose their daughter to a permanent death, so you're protecting their hearts from grief.

Have I told you lately how smart you are? Jacob smirked, causing me to blush.

No, but I know I am. I winked at him. You know what you have to do.

Before Jacob could answer, both their heads snapped towards the house; suddenly, Edward was gone, Jacob trailing right behind him. I had to break into an almost sprint to catch up to them.

"Bella, I thought you were sleeping." I heard Edward say as I entered the house after Jacob. "I wouldn't have left if I knew you were awake."

"It's okay," Bella reassured him. "I was just thirsty... it woke me up."

"Finally." Alice muttered once we walked into the living room, causing Bella's eyes to flash over to us. Her face broke out in a dazzling smile for a brief second before it faltered and her face fell as she tried not to start crying again.

The urge to punch Leah overwhelmed me, but I knew I wouldn't, for Chloe's sake. Releasing a puff of air, I headed for her, plopping down on the floor beside her.

"How are you feeling?" Jacob asked her, sitting down next to her.

"I'm fine."

"Big day today, huh? Lots of new stuff."

"You don't have to do that." She murmured, avoiding our faces.

"Hey..." I waited until she looked at me. "Stop beating yourself up. You're not a burden to either of us. And Leah had no right to make you feel like that, no matter how good her intentions may have been."

"I'm so s----" Bella started to say before Jacob clasped a hand over her mouth.

"Don't even say it." He gave her a stern look. "You can talk again when you're not being an idiot."

"Fine." She mumbled into his hand, rolling her eyes.

Cautiously, Jacob removed his hand from her mouth.

"Sorry!" Bella rushed out, grinning triumphantly. I couldn't help but laugh with Jacob as he shook his head.

Meeting my eyes, Jacob raised an eyebrow and I nodded my head once, giving him a reassuring smile. Without drawing attention to himself, Jacob tilted his head back against the couch and closed his eyes.

Go ahead, he directed at Edward. As Ephraim's heir, you have my permission to save her. You have my word that this does not violate the treaty. The others will just have to deal with it... but you were right - they can't deny it's my right to agree to this exception.

"Thank you," Edward whispered low enough so Bella didn't hear; from the corner of my eye, I knew everyone else did when they all turned to stare at Edward and Jacob.

"So, how was the rest of your day?" Bella asked, trying to be casual.

"Oh, you know... Autumn fell asleep as soon as we got back to her house and I had pack business to attend to." Jacob teased playfully, shooting a wink at me. "Between the two of you, a 100-year nap might actually be a real thing."

"Haha." I stuck my tongue out at him.

"Awh, Leaf... I'm messing up your sleep schedule too?" Bella sagged into the couch, her face filled with sadness.

"It's not you, Bells. I promise." I squeezed her knee. "I've been practicing with my magic. I didn't realize just how draining it can be, that's all."

"Okay..." her voice trailed off as she made a face. "Rose?"

"Again?" Rosalie chuckled.

"I think I've drunk two gallons in the last hour." Bella said sheepishly.

Edward, Jacob, and I got out of the way as Rosalie came over to lift Bella off of the couch and take her to the bathroom.

"Can I walk?" Bella asked before Rosalie could take a step. "My legs are so stiff from sitting on the couch."

"Are you sure?" Edward asked.

"Rose will catch me if I trip over my feet... it could happen, I can't see them." She tried to joke, earning an eye-roll and a smile from both vampires.

Rosalie carefully set Bella on her feet, keeping her hands on Bella's shoulders to help steady her. Bella stretched her arms out in front of her, wincing a little from the stiffness leaving her joints.

"Okay, here we go," she said more to herself as she took a small step forward. "Whoops - oh no!"

The cup Bella had left on the sofa tumbled to the floor, its dark liquid spilling onto the soft white carpet. Automatically, even though Rosalie and Edward had both beaten her to the cup, Bella bent over, reaching out to catch it.

A muffled ripping sound erupted from the center of Bella's body and time slowed down as we watched in horror the way Bella's lips formed a shocked "Oh!" before her body went limp. Rosalie managed to catch her before her body hit the floor; Edward right by her side as the mess was quickly forgotten.

"Bella?" Edward asked, his eyes unfocusing a moment later as panic shot through his features.

A half-second later, Bella let out a bone chilling scream - one filled with agony, promptly cut off with a gurgle as her eyes rolled to the back of her head. Her body twitched violently in Rosalie's arms for a few moments before she began to jerk around as if being electrocuted. Her face was completely blank as if she was unconscious; then, sharp cracking erupted from her body, knocking the air out of the room another half-second later as we realized: the baby needed to come out.

Now.