Red Dawn - Book 6

Chapter 10

Instead of staying just the week like we had in mind we stayed ten days. On the tenth day we cleaned up and returned to the yacht before we headed up through the northern Atlantic. I was now considered to be in the beginning of my fifth month of pregnancy.

By the middle of week seven we were nearing Iceland. Since we left ten days later than we had planned we had no time to stop and explore. Next was the United Kingdom. We had planned to stay here for at least two weeks but the Captain called and rushed us back on day three because of the storm.

If we didn't get ahead of it we would be stuck waiting for the storm to pass, which he said would possibly put us behind by several weeks.

"Renesmee," Nic kissed my cheek as I opened my eyes. His hand was resting on my baby bump and he was smiling at me. "I felt a kick. The baby kicked again."

I immediately brought my hands to my stomach to feel, but I felt nothing. I frowned as I began rubbing my stomach. This happened every time. He would feel our child kick but I would always miss it. I always felt the movements in my stomach but I never manage to catch the kick with my hand. To feel the movement beneath my fingertips.

"I swear, our child is playing games with me." I sighed. "Just once I wish I could feel them like you do."

He grazed the back of his hand along my cheek, stopping to brush his thumb along my bottom lip. "One day. One day, Renesmee, you will feel it and it will be one of the most magical things you will ever experience."

"Yeah?"

He disappeared under the blankets and then I felt his lips on my stomach. After several luscious kisses he stopped suddenly and snatched my hand. In one swift movement he pressed my hand to my stomach and held it there. I was confused about his actions until I felt it.

Bump. Bump.... .... Bump. Bump.

"Oh my goodness! Nic, I feel them!" My voice rose several octaves. I felt a few more kicks that brought tears to my eyes. "My precious baby." I cooed.

"I love you both so much!" Nic said as he wrapped his arms around me.

"Did you hear that, baby, you are so loved."

Nic rose to his feet and brought me to mine. Once he was dressed he helped me into my clothes and then we made our way to the kitchen. It was breakfast and I had to eat a proper diet in order to stay healthy. Part of my diet consisted of blood, which I wasn't getting enough of, since the only blood I could get was bags from the blood bank that Nic managed to steal while we were in the UK.

I had to portion that out properly to make it last until we made it to our next destination. Australia. But that wouldn't be for at least another couple weeks, if the weather stayed decent.

"Breakfast." The butler said as he set the cart with breakfast foods.

"That smells good, Marshall." I grinned as I set the orange juice onto the cart for him.

"Thank you Mrs. Cromwell." He smiled before pushing the cart into the dining room.

Nic and I made our way into the dining room and took a seat around the table. I pulled a plate to myself and began filling it up with hashbrowns, eggs, bacon, sausage, eclairs, toast and pancakes. Being pregnant increased my appetite and changed it as well. Now there were foods that I had once despised that I now enjoyed eating.

"Almond milk, love?" Nic asked me as he raised the pitcher.

I held out my glass and he filled it. I immeadiately brought the glass up to my lips and drained it before turning back to my plate.

"This is delicious." I grumbled between bites.

To no surprise I finished first and dished out seconds. When I emptied my plate for the second time I knocked back a glass of orange juice and then sat back in my chair to relax and let my food digest.

Nic and I sat in silence. Ten minutes had passed by when the butler, Marshall, came back in carrying a platter with ginger ale and crackers on it.

"To settle your stomach, Mrs. Cromwell." He said as he set down the platter before bowing slightly. He then turned to Nic. "The captain would like to see you. He says it is urgent."

"Is anything wrong, Marshall?" I asked as they turned to walk away.

Marshall stopped and glanced over his shoulder. "No, Mrs. Cromwell, everything is perfectly fine." He smiled, only I could tell by the strain in his face that it was fake. Something was going on.

After they left me to myself, it only took two minutes to realize I needed to know what was going on. I rose to my feet, cradling my large stomach between my hands, and followed. When I passed the kitchen I saw Marshall pacing back and forth.

What was going on?

It wasn't until I reached the control room did I finally understand the sudden tension in the room.

"The storm, its picking up speed and there is a huge possibility that we will get tossed around. If you cut east and anchor down you might be able to ride it out. But the tricky thing is the chain. You are about to get buffeted by a series of storm fronts." The Captain said.

"What are the chances of us getting caught in the storm?" Nic asked.

"About 25%"

"So we should be safe?" Nic pressed, importantly.

"Your chances are good. Unfortunately, my staff and I must leave as soon as possible. A chopper should be here within the hour. I am sorry, Mr. Cromwell."

"Don't be sorry, Dalton. I understand."

"You and your wife should come with, just until the storm passes."

"I would love to but my wife cannot fly. It is too much of a health risk. I will do my best to push forward."

In that moment I heard the sound of helicopter blades cutting through the air. In less than ten minutes everyone but Nic and myself had left the boat. Now it was just us.

"We should skype your family before the storm hits. The chances of our satalite going out when the storm hits is very high. You won't be able to talk to them until we get out of the storm."

I was standing with my back to the room, watching the dark clouds rolling in. Just seeing how fast the darkness was taking over the sky caused my stomach knot up from nerves. Or maybe it was my unborn child sensing my fear and reacting.

I immeadiately began rubbing my stomach. "Everything is going to be alright." I whispered.

I wonder if my mother and father knew about the storm. Was Alice able to see the impending danger or was she in the dark because of me?

We turned into the office and booted up the computer before turning on the web cam.

"Hi, Mom." I grinned.

"How are you feeling?" She asked me. I could see her surverying my face, looking at every inch of skin that covered it. She was looking for a sign of having grown sick. But I knew she wouldn't find one.

"Besides the occasional bout of morning sickenss, I feel great."

"The babies growth sped up a little bit. We have been tracking the measurements and this past week she added another 4 inches." Nic said.

"Renesmee, please show me your stomach. I need to take notes." Carlisle said.

Nic helped me to my feet and then I rose up my shirt to show case my stomach. Very slowly I turned to the side and waited while he took digital measurements. After holding still for over five minutes he finally let me sit back down.

"How fast can you get back to Washington?" He asked.

My parents glanced at each other and then to Carlisle. "What is wrong Carlisle?" My mother asked.

"I can't be too sure but from my measurements taken this week I fear that she might be due by the end of the month."

"But you said that she would carry for four months. It's only been two and a half!" My father snapped at Carlisle.

"Edward, calm. Look, it seems as if she was further along than I though. She just popped late. That is common for women, especially since Renesmee who has tougher skin than a human." Carlisle paused and then looked back to me. "You need to get Renesmee back here as soon as possible, Nicholi."

"Okay, we were going to head back anyways. We are still in the middle of the Northern Atlantic but are heading south to the Southern Ocean and circle around Australia before making our way north through the Pacific. It will be at least two weeks before we can get back." Nic replied.

"Okay, thats fine. We might be cutting it close but I think it will be fine. You will be fine, Renesmee." Carlisle told me in a confident voice.

Before we ended our webchat Carlisle gave me some advice and told me to do my best to stay off my feet. And form of body strain could push me towards and early labor which we didn't want.

"We gotta push full power to get ahead of the storm. We can't afford to lose time. Not now." Nic said as we headed back to the control room.

I watched him as he pressed a series of buttons. After a few seconds I felt as the speed picked up.

"We are now going over 200 mph, we should push ahead, easily." Nic said as he brought me into his arms and held me.

Even after he told me that, I still didn't feel confident as I looked into the horizon and saw nothing but darkeness in the sky.

"We are going to be fine." I thought to my baby as I began rubbing my stomach.

I finally understood that the feeling I got in my stomach whenever I my nerves kicked off. It wasn't just me, but our child. Our unborn child was reacting to my nerves.

"Don't worry, Renesmee, I will take care of you. I promise." Nic said before kissing me and then my stomach.

By the end of the night it had began down pouring, the rain accompanied by strong gale force winds. Nic and I were were sitting in the sun room on the top floor of the yatch, watching the rain pour down against the glass roof.

Then came another crack of lightening, lighting up the sky with its bright fork design. This was the twelveth time we had seen the lightening.

"1...2...3...4..." Then came the rumble of thunder.

I moved my hand to take Nic's and gave it a squeeze. The storm was getting closer. Too close for comfort and I knew Nic was thinking the same thing.

"I think it is time I reroute this boat to head east and then drop anchor. We have no choice but to try and ride this storm out." He kissed my lips and rose to his feet.

"Don't leave me up here by myself, Nic. I don't like the storm." I said, grabbing his hand to hold him back.

He knelt down and kissed me on the lips. Another round of lightening and thunder came by and caused me to jump out of nerves.

"Hey, love, relax. I'll turn on the lights and music and you can relax here until I get back. It will be twenty minutes tops." He did exactly as he said before making his way down the stairs.

I sat listening to the combination of my music and the pitter patter of the rain. The two created a beautiful duo. After fifteen minutes of listening I heard as the rain and wind began to lighten. I smiled to myself and rubbed my stomach. We were getting out of the storm.

I rose to my feet and made my way across the room to stare out the window. It was impossible to see anything because it was so dark. Suddenly a fork of lightening crackled against the sky. Then immeadiately after came another, and then one more. It brightened up the sky and for the briefest moment I was able to see how dark and monstrous the sky had become. Suddenly a bolt of lightening struck the deck and then everything was cast into a deep, dark, silence.

I felt my heart sink. What happened?

I did my best to feel my way towards the steps that led down to the main floor. I went to take my first step when suddenly the boat jolted, like we had just been hit by a wave or a very strong gust of wind. I was knocked off my feet and I fell forward, down the stairs and landed on my stomach.

I immeadiately pushed myself onto my back, groaning in pain. I was in so much pain.

"Nic!" I screamed. "Nic!"

Suddenly my body was filled with a wave of pain that took my breath away. I knew what this meant. Something was wrong. Wrong with my baby.

I screamed at the top of my lungs. The pain was too much for me.

"NIC, PLEASE HELP ME!" I cried as another wave of pain hit me.

I laid, writhing in pain for several minutes before I felt his hands on me and heard his voice.

"Renesmee, what happened? Are you okay?" He tried to help me up but I couldn't move.

"Where were you?" I cried as I held my stomach.

"I had to pull up the anchor or we were going to be flipped. What happened?" He asked me as he tried pulling me into a sitting position that resulted in me screaming at the top of my lungs.

"The..." I winced as another pain filled my body. I grabbed Nic's hand and squeeze so hard I heard a crack. "The baby..." Was all I was able to spit out.