stretch___
Inside me； something had yanked the opposite direction。
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Ripping。 Breaking。 Agony。
The darkness had taken over； and then washed away to a wave of torture。 I couldn't breathe—I had
drowned once before； and this was different； it was too hot in my throat。
Pieces of me shattering； snapping； slicing apart___
More blackness。
Voices； this time； shouting； as the pain came back。
'The placenta must have detached！〃
Something sharper than knives ripped through me—the words； making sense in spite of the other
tortures。 Detached placenta —I knew what that meant。 It meant that my baby was dying inside me。
〃Get him out！〃 I screamed to Edward。 Why hadn't he done it yet？ 〃He can't breathe！ Do it now！〃
〃The morphine—〃
He wanted to wait； to give me painkillers； while our baby was dying？！
〃No！ Now—；〃 I choked； unable to finish。
Black spots covered the light in the room as a cold point of new pain stabbed icily into my stomach。 It
felt wrong—I struggled automatically to protect my womb； my baby； my little Edward Jacob； but I was
weak。 My lungs ached； oxygen burned away。
The pain faded away again； though I clung to it now。 My baby； my baby； dying___
How long had passed？ Seconds or minutes？ The pain was gone。 Numb。 I couldn't feel。 I still couldn't
see； either； but I could hear。 There was air in my lungs again； scraping in rough bubbles up and down my
throat。
〃You stay with me now； Bella！ Do you hear me？ Stay！ You're not leaving me。 Keep your heart beating！〃
Jacob？ Jacob； still here； still trying to save me。
Of course；I wanted to tell him。 Of course I would keep my heart beating。 Hadn't I promised them both？
I tried to feel my heart； to find it； but I was so lost inside my own body。 I couldn't feel the things I should；
and nothing felt in the right place。 I blinked and I found my eyes。 I could see the light。 Not what I was
looking for； but better than nothing。
As my eyes struggled to adjust； Edward whispered； 〃Renesmee。〃
Renesmee？
Not the pale and perfect son of my imagination？ I felt a moment of shock。 And then a flood of warmth。
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Renesmee。
I willed my lips to move； willed the bubbles of air to turn into whispers on my tongue。 I forced my numb
hands to reach。
〃Let me。。。 Give her to me。〃
The light danced； shattering off Edward's crystal hands。 The sparkles were tinged with red； with the
blood that covered his skin。 And more red in his hands。 Something small and struggling； dripping with
blood。 He touched the warm body to my weak arms； almost like I was holding her。 Her wet skin was hot
—as hot as Jacob's。
My eyes focused； suddenly everything was absolutely clear。
Renesmee did not cry； but she breathed in quick； startled pants。 Her eyes were open； her expression so
shocked it was almost funny。 The little； perfectly round head was covered in a thick layer of matted；
bloody curls。 Her
irises were a familiar—but astonishing—chocolate brown。 Under the blood； her skin looked pale； a
creamy ivory。 All besides her cheeks； which flamed with color。
Her tiny face was so absolutely perfect that it stunned me。 She was even more beautiful than her father。
Unbelievable。 Impossible。
〃Renesmee；〃 I whispered。 〃So。。。 beautiful。〃
The impossible face suddenly smiled—a wide； deliberate smile。 Behind the shellpink lips was a full
plement of snowy milk teeth。
She leaned her head down； against my chest； burrowing against the warmth。 Her skin was warm and
silky； but it didn't give the way mine did。
Then there was pain again—just one warm slash of it。 I gasped。
And she was gone。 My angelfaced baby was nowhere。 I couldn't see or feel her。
No！I wanted to shout。 Give her back to me！
But the weakness was too much。 My arms felt like empty rubber hoses for a moment； and then they felt
like nothing at all。 I couldn't feel them。 I couldn't feel me。
The blackness rushed over my eyes more solidly than before。 Like a thick blindfold； firm and fast。
Covering not just my eyes but also my self with a crushing weight。 It was exhausting to push against it。 I
knew it would be so much easier to give in。 To let the blackness push me down； down； down to a place
where there was no pain and no weariness and no worry and no fear。
If it had only been for myself； I wouldn't have been able to struggle very long。 I was only human； with no
more than human strength。 I'd been trying to keep up with the supernatural for too long； like Jacob had
said。
But this wasn't just about me。
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If I did the easy thing now； let the black nothingness erase me； I would hurt them。
Edward。 Edward。 My life and his were twisted into a single strand。 Cut one； and you cut both。 If he
were gone； I would not be able to live through that。 If I were gone； he wouldn't live through it； either。
And a world without Edward seemed pletely pointless。 Edward had to exist。
Jacob—who'd said goodbye to me over and over but kept ing back when I needed him。 Jacob；
who I'd wounded so many times it was criminal。 Would I hurt him again； the worst way yet？ He'd stayed
for me； despite everything。 Now all he asked was that I stay for him。
But it was so dark here that I couldn't see either of their faces。 Nothing seemed real。 That made it hard
not to give up。
I kept pushing against the black； though； almost a reflex。 I wasn't trying to lift it。 I was just resisting。 Not
allowing it to crush me pletely。 I wasn't Atlas； and the black felt as heavy as a pla； I couldn't
shoulder it。 All I could do was not be entirely obliterated。
It was sort of the pattern to my life—I'd never been strong enough to deal with the things outside my
control； to attack the enemies or outrun them。 To avoid the pain。 Always human and weak； the only thing
I'd ever been able to
do was keep going。 Endure。 Survive。
It had been enough up to this point。 It would have to be enough today。 I would endure this until help
came。
I knew Edward would be doing everything he could。 He would not give up。 Neither would I。
I held the blackness of nonexistence at bay by inches。
It wasn't enough； though—that determination。 As the time ground on and on and the darkness gained by
tiny eighths and sixteenths of my inches； I needed something more to draw strength from。
I couldn't pull even Edward's face into view。 Not Jacob's； not Alice's or Rosalie's or Charlie's or
Renee's or Carlisle's or Esme's。。。 Nothing。 It terrified me； and I wondered if it was too late。
I felt myself slipping—there was nothing to hold on to。
No！I had to survive this。 Edward was depending on me。 Jacob。 Charlie Alice Rosalie Carlisle Renee
Esme。。。
Renesmee。
And then； though I still couldn't see anything； suddenly I could feel something。 Like phantom limbs； I
imagined I could feel my arms again。 And in them； something small and hard and