Like everything else, time was not on their side.

As tensions grew between the Cullen's and wolves Bella also grew significantly worse.

Alessia kept to herself, mainly focusing on running with Seth, checking in on her diminishing friend every so often.

She kept busy, resisting the urge to let her mind wander off into a danger zone. They were losing Bella, there was no doubt about it and unfortunately that brought up bad memories for all of them.

Alessia stood at the entrance to the forest, basking in the cold air and letting it release her muscles when Edward showed up.

"Needed a break?" She questioned, not moving as he stepped next to her.

"Something like that." His dark voice answered. "I also wanted to ask you, how do you feel about this?"

"Honestly? I don't want to lose Bella, I don't want you to lose Bella."

"I don't want you to lose her either, you two are good together. I've never seen you be a friend like that with anyone, even Alice and Rosalie." He responded.

She shrugged her shoulders, remembering when meeting the human girl. Like any sister the instinct to protect her brother was first but slowly she found herself softening to the young human until she willingly would give up her life.

"I know, but your wife has always been stubborn and god forbid anyone try and stop her from getting what she wants. She did it with you and she'll do it with this baby."

Edward turned to his sister, "Alessia... I know it's selfish of me to ask you and I sound like a monster but I can't watch her die. Please... you're the only one that can change her mind, you have to force her to it."

Alessia felt so stunned at her brothers words that she took a momentary step back, "you want me to manipulate her? By using my powers."

"Well yes but..."

"No! Edward do you realize how incredibly monstrous you sound? You want me to forcibly take a decision from the women you claim to love? Why? So you can keep her all to yourself? Edward she's not a possession she's a women, just like me. I understand, I don't want her to die either but she's made her decision and we will be okay with it! Bella's stronger then you give her credit for!" Each words was louder, and she was practically toe to toe with her brother until the end of her rant where she turned and walked back towards the house.

"Where are you going!" Edward yelled out to her.

Everyone had heard their conversation but no one chose to stop the strawberry blonde and ask as she was relentless. She walked right into the living room where Bella was sitting on the sofa with Rosalie looming over her. They all stared as she walked into the room, straight towards couch, lifting Bella's legs and plopping down onto it.

And just like that, another comrade to Edward has fallen, his own sister.

She had chosen her side, it was Bella's.

|•|•|•|•|

"Your rib is cracked. But there are no splinters. You haven't punctured anything..." Carlisle was showing the trio consisting of Bella, Edward, and Alessia an X-ray of the humans torso. There was a clear break displayed and all of them continued in silence as the doctor went on, drifting off towards the end. Rosalie was off somewhere downstairs, fixing a bath for the girl while Bella had clutched onto Alessia's hand for dear life as she'd been brought into the examination room. She felt rather awkward standing next to her brother considering they hadn't talked in days to one another but nonetheless sucked up her own issues to be Bella's emotional support.

"Yet." Edward finished off, ignoring the glare his sister sent his way.

"Edward..." Bella sighed in sadness.

Edward didn't seem to be paying attention as he grew furious. "lt's breaking her bones now. lt's crushing you from the inside out. Carlisle, tell them what you told me. Tell her."

The blonde male looked down towards the human with remorse, whatever it was wasn't good news that much was clear. Bella's hand in Alessia tightened as she nodded at him. "Carlisle, tell me. lt's all right."

His words were quick but delivered the message in its entirety. "The fetus isn't compatible with your body. It's too strong. lt won't allow you to get the nutrition you need. It's starving you by the hour. Ican't stop it, and I can't slow it down. At this rate, your heart will give out before you can deliver."

"Then l'll hold on as long as l can, and then..." Bella argued.

He sighed and shook his head softly. "Bella. There are some conditions that even venom can't overcome. You understand? I'm sorry."

He walked out of the room, and Alessia wished she could follow him because her brother was seconds away from lashing out but there was no way she could move. Instead Bella looked towards her husband, "Edward, l'm sorry."

The male looked down at his wife and shook his head, "I can't live without you."

Alessia felt her throat tighten as her eyes looked anywhere but at them. Bella's heartbroken voice was strong despite the situation. "You won't. You're gonna have a part of me. He'll need you."

Edward shook his head and stepped away, fire in his eyes when she mentioned the child. "Do you honestly think that l could love it or even tolerate it if it killed you?"

"It's not his fault. You have to accept what is."

"Because you've given me no choice!" His voice raised and Alesia's eyes were on him, turning into slits. If he really wanted to keep Bella alive the last thing she needed was to be depressed because of him. He sucked in a cold breath and this time he was speaking at a reasonable level. "Bella, we're supposed to be partners, remember? But you decided this on your own. You've decided to leave me."

"Don't see it that way." She pleaded with her husband, tears forming in her eyes.

Edward turned to walk away. "Well, I have no other way to see it. 'Cause it's me who'll lose you. And I don't choose that. I don't choose that."

Bella's silent sobs were the only thing heard from the room after that, Edward walked out without looking back towards them. Alessia's heart broke for not only the human girl but also her brother, she could understand both sides and felt painfully for them each. Her brother would possibly be losing the love of his life and he would be at fault, and Bella cried for the child it seemed not even their own father could care for.

She looked up, her sobs a little louder and Alessia couldn't just stand by any more. She brought her friend into a hug, Bella's brittle arms tightening around her neck as the strawberry blonde let her cry away.

"It's okay, cry." Alessia softly spoke, holding onto her sister in law. It wasn't right, none of it, being pregnant was suppose to bring joy to a couple and their family not so much tragedy and distance. Bella and Edward had never been further apart then today, and that included the months they spent separated, at least then they still thought about one another.

"Alessia, you have to promise me. You'll take care of him, you can't let him grow up alone if I don't make it and Edward... you just have to please." Bella begged her sister in law, through the chocked sobs she spoke.

Alessia nodded, grasping their hands together, "I promise you. I'll love that baby more then my own life he's my blood, how could I not."

"E.J. if he's actually a he and Renessme Marie if he's a boy." Bella placed her hand on her protruding belly, smiling despite the tears.

Alessia felt her heart warm at the sound, "you're naming her after me?"

"How could I not?" Bella said softly, wiping away the tears.

Alessia hugged her this time, she wouldn't ever have a child of her own but this way it felt much more real.

|•|•|•|•|

Bella shivered, earning a stare from everyone in the living room.

"You cold?" Alessia questioned, searching the room for a blanket if not one from the linen closet down the hall.

Jake was there, "I got it."

He sat on the couch Bella was currently pressed into, slinging his around her shoulders. He eyed Alessia, like he was asking if it was okay to which she gave him a tender smile. In the last weeks the two hadn't exactly reconciled but they managed to get along for Bella's benefit, sure Alessia wouldn't stand to close to him or she'd have to constantly remember to look anywhere but him but at least they weren't bickering. It wasn't exactly the speed Jacob would have liked but seeing her everyday was better then not. She came outside with food for Leah and Seth, and ran the perimeter with them whenever she could.

Bella looked between the duo, smiling, "thanks guys for this."

Neither responded verbally but instead nodded their head in acceptance.

Her face suddenly morphed into one of pure agony as she turned towards the bucket next to the couch and threw up the contents of her stomach. Alessia and Jacob turned their nose away in both disgust and sadness.

Once she was done she fell back exhausted into the couch, completely changing the mood of everyone. Alice and Rosalie were back in the room, Edward trailing behind as he stepped near his wife and pressed his cool hand against her scorching skin.

"We need to find a way to get some food into her system." Alessia commented, looking between her siblings.

"If I could only see the fetus... " Alice began talking

"The baby..." Rosalie interjected.

She was ignored, "...maybe I could figure out what it wants."

Edward snapped his head up towards the wolf. "Think you might be right. Jacob just had an idea. "

"Jake..." Alessia drifted off, raising her brow.

The wolf gave his imprint a shy smile and sat straighter. "It wasn't an idea. lt was a snide comment."

Bella coughed, "What were you thinking?"

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

"He's thirsty." Alessia muttered, of course it had been that.

"I know the feeling." Emmett answered, and everyone alike swallowed dryly.

"If it's craving, it's not gonna want animal blood. I have some O negative laid aside for Bella." Carlisle walked in, having heard the discussion.

Alice stood, gracefully making her way towards jasper and clasping their arms together. "Walk with me."

Carlisle had returned to the room in the blink of an eye, a styrofoam cup in hand with the smell of blood wafting the room. Alessia swallowed, thankful she'd hunted plenty and her eyes still held a darkening amber unlike the rest of her family who held nothing but onyx colors. Jacob stood up, landing next to his imprint and looking at her with wide eyes. "Wait, wait, wait. You're gonna make her drink that?"

Alessia shrugged, seeming to understand his hesitance to the situation she smiled softly. "It's the fastest way to test the theory."

"Only if you're comfortable with it." Edward looked towards his wife.

She sighed heavily, "l'll try anything."

Carlisle topped the container and placed a straw to make it easier on Bella as he handed it over. She took it without hesitance and Jacob twitched, turning away, "I think I'm gonna be sick."

Bella looked around the crowd, slowly leaning her head down until the only sound was her sucking up the thick substance. She took a moment to swallow and then looked up with a sheepish smile. "Tastes good. Mmm."

And as if to back up her words the faint hum of her heart was now drumming loudly, slowly climbing up to a human pace. Edward smiled, looking at his wife with happiness. "Your pulse is already getting stronger."

Alessia unconsciously placed her hand on Jacobs forearm, out of pure joy she spoke, "it's working."

|•|•|•|•|

"Did it work?"

"Are you okay?"

Both Alessia and Jacob stared one another down, a solid 5 feet of space between both of them. Despite the obvious boundaries and rebuilding of trust they had between them there was no doubt that whenever one was put in danger, the other would be anxious. It was evident to the strawberry blondes brother as he watched both fidget uncomfortably, eyes searching the others body for any noticeable scratches. Despite the obvious clean appearance their shoulders did not relax, needing to hear it.

Alessia felt her throat had been dry the entire time she had awaited Jacobs return, what if he wasn't okay? What if the wolves took him out? He went in vulnerable, without turning and they could easily use that to their advantage. When the howl had sounded her and his footsteps were retreating she had come out awaiting him.

"Im okay," Jacob answered his imprint, watching in amazement how worried she had actually been. Every time she looked at him with anything but anger and resentment his heart would swell, to him it meant she was slowly letting him back in.

"Yeah." Edward chose to respond since Alessia was still in her own world. However, at the sound of her brothers off put voice she straightened and turned around. Completely ignoring her natural instincts she walked back into the home.

The boys followed in after her where she led them to Bella who was being helped up by the blonde vampire and the pixie haired one. Her face lit up at the three of them. "Hey. Are you okay?"

Jacob's eyes left the petite red head and back towards his friend, casually uttering. "Yeah, it's not like l'm the one carrying a demon."

Bella rolled her eyes, not finding his words at all. Rosalie instead spoke "This is pretty important, Bella. Why don't you tell Jacob what you've decided?"

"What now?"

"Rose is trying to talk Bella out of her baby names. She hates them." Alice answered the wolf boy.

Alessia snickered, earning a glance from Jacob who reciprocated the light gesture. He looked back. "Well, then I'm on your side no matter what you picked."

Alessia hadn't noticed his stare, too busy commenting her own opinion . "They're not that bad."

Bella smiled. "If it's a boy, EJ. Edward Jacob."

Edward gave her a small smile. "Okay, fine, that one's not awful. Why don't you tell him the girl's name?"

"I was playing around with our moms' names. Renée and Esme. And I was thinking... Renesmee." She answered shyly. "Too weird?"

Jacob seemed to be floored by the revelation, enough so to have everyone laughing at his expression until finally he found it in himself to speak.  "No, that's not too weird."

"It's beautiful." Alessia finished for him.

Jacob nodded, "And it's unique, which certainly fits the situation. I like Renesmee."

Alessia found herself bumping hips with Jacob, while the group seemed to relax and laugh. It was settling for them, a real moment of peace in an otherwise chaotic lifestyle.

Bella's fingers tightening around the cup full of blood, her feet taking a step forward as her face read nothing short of happiness. However the moment was short given as the cup fell from her hands and she want to retrieve it, when her back gave out and arched at an unimaginable angle. She screamed, the sound echoing off the walls and in a blink, the scene had dramatically shifted until panic was all that was available.

Alessia and Edward had Bella on the examination room in seconds, Rosalie going through the cupboards. There was material hitting the ground at an alarming rates, the sounds of plastic and metal tools smacking loudly and Bella's endless serenade of screams. Alessia could only focus on the source of the blood, ripping Bella's sweats right off as more blood became prominent.

"Will someone please explain to me whats happening!" Jacob yelled, standing slightly away as he didn't want to get harmed at their increasing rate.

Rosalie handed Edward the morphine in one quick throw, to which he didn't waste a second to press into the inside of Bella's elbow.

"Carlisle said her placenta must have detached," Alice races into the room, a silver Bluetooth attached to her ear as she presses down on it. "He's coming back but he wont make it!"

"We'll have to do it." Rosalie shoves Alessia out of the way, and she crashed right into Jacob who immediately holds her still. Shes rigid in his arms and although he's not sure if its from the blood or the shock of the situation he keeps her upright.

"Rose! Let the morphine spread!" Edward yells as the blonde takes a stand in front of Bella.

Alessia seems to come back to her senses, head snapping towards the blonde with darkening eyes. In a flash she's wrestled the scalpel from her hands. "You'll kill her from pure pain! No!"

"He's dying!" Bella screams, "get him out now!"

Its the utter demand in her voice that gets Alessia to understand and as she looks towards her brother he understands what must happen. Instantly he's at his wife's head, her terrified eyes finding him as well as her hands that tighten around his own. "Bella just look at me okay, just me."

Rosalie takes a step forward, clearing away some of the blood as to make room for the incision Alessia will be making. For the first time the girl is nervous, unsure of her own moves as she sucks in a quick breath and exhales it. She places the scalpel against the girls skin and proceeds to slice the skin.

The smell of blood itches her throat, not enough to dilute her senses however as she presses forward. She's too engrossed by her need to save both the child and Bella, to keep her family alive until Rosalie is practically diving right towards her

"Rosalie no!" Jacob screams, using his body as leverage and throwing her into the nearest wall and away from his imprint.

Alessia turns her head in time to see Alice grasping the teeth baring blonde while Jacob recovers from his attack. He's frazzled slightly but stands, and Alessia cant even bother to use her manipulation on either party as she continues. The scalpel drops as she realizes it wont penetrate the sack the baby is in.

Bella continues to scream, although the pain must be causing her to black out as they come less frequent. Alessia could taste her nerves as she doesn't hesitate to instead dig her fingers into the solid sac containing the baby.

Bella begins to thrash slightly from the pain, at which point Jacob helps Edward hold her down while Alessia continues using her strength. Her stomach flips and she realizes that this doesn't compare to any of those macabre, gory horro films Emmett made them watch... this was something straight out of hell.

Finally her hands find something soft, and she pulls it out. Edward is there to catch the slippery child as it begins to let out screams. Alessia swallows thickly, switching places with her brother and finally feeling like a true monster with all the blood coating her hands.

Jacob looks her way and all the pain mirrored in her eyes reflects onto his, both find themselves staring one another down. Instead of finding disgust she finds pure sympathy from the wolf, a sense of compassion for her echoing in his eyes at what only she could do.

"Bella! Bella!" Edward snaps both of them out of their gaze once more.

Alessia feels her heart pummel to the ground, Bella is dead... no heartbeat... no intake of breath.

"No! No!" She screams, and she instantly performing CPR. Her strength is uncontrollable as bones snap under her palms at the brute strength.

"Alessia! Alessia! Take Renessme! Jacob you continue!" Edward order and shoves the child into his sisters arms.

She doesn't have another option as now shes being shoved out of the room. Tears stream down her face as she stumbles into one of the living rooms.

Screams of pain and her brothers grief echoes into her room. She hasn't even looked down towards the child until finally she demands attention, pulling at the heart shaped necklace around her neck. Alessia looks downwards, finding Bella's bright brown eyes mirrored onto the child and she wants to collapse but keeps steady.

Her voice is shaky as she grabs a small blanket and wraps the child in it and she's reminded that this was the plan all along. If Bella died, Renessme was hers to care for and no matter what the child had done she had to take responsibility. She sucked in cold breaths and pressed the small girl to her arms, allowing herself to rejoice in the baby. She was perfect, a true angel.

Renessme gurgles and pulls her fingers through Alessia's hair, he own locks interlocking with her aunts which share the same beautiful bronzed gold. Alessia couldn't focus on anything but her eyes, the same color of brown that would lighten and darken with her mood.

Footsteps echoed and Alessia turned to see who entered the living room, it was Jacob. He was crying, about ready to fall out much like she had felt but his eyes were on Alessia's, heartbroken voice speaking. "Bella's dead... she's dead."

Alessia felt what little hope had grown in her diminish, "Jacob... I cant let you hurt her. I promised Bella I would take care of her. Please understand, I can't hurt you but I can't let her die."

Jacob took steps forward, contemplating what he wanted to more, revenge or the love of his life? He wanted to give her it all, to run with her but at what cost?

The small squeaks the child made brought his attention back down and he found the little girl. His feet staggered, watching as his imprint clutched her replica so protectively.

He could see her rosy lips were identical, ringlets of hair practically the same shade and the way her brown orbs stared down at him. They were Bella's eyes but Alessia's judgment behind them, she was a carbon copy of her aunt. He couldn't bring himself to kill something that looked like his mate?

Alessia flinched when he stepped forward and brought a finger to the child's cheek, tracing her bottom lip. She was confused when he smiled despite the tears streaming down his cheeks, "she looks just like you."

His comment sent her into further confusion, what did he mean by that? The way he stared at the baby was identical to the way he's first stared at her, no, it was softer, almost like a fathers. That couldn't be possible though.

Still, it brought forth one word to leave her lips, "please."

And as if to answer the question of what she meant the clatter of war and wolf growls snapped his head up. Jacob looked towards the glass windows keeping the wolves out and the Cullen's who defended. He didn't know how but he was going to stop them, for Alessia and the child he felt compelled to save.

He swallows thickly, looking at her with pure determination. "No one will touch either of you, not now. Not ever."

He bends down and kisses the child's forehead and when he goes to kiss Alessia at her hair line she surprises him by desperately placing her lips against his own. Her full lips fitting perfectly with his own once more and sparking that right amount of protectiveness to flow through him. "Thank you Jacob."

He's out of the door without another words, and thus the fight seizes.

Silence overwhelms them and Alessia is on the tips of her toes as she awaits news but its Edward who speaks.

"Jacob has declared Renessme, Alessia and his child, they can't touch her. Shes under his protection."

|•|•|•|•|

Getting around that imprint is the biggest pain in the ass...

And once more I have finished part 1 officially!!