Chapter 1

[Annabelle Grace Black]

"I want this baby out of here." Renesmee Black whined to her husband. She had been carrying around her first child for a month now, and she was ready for the baby to come out.

"I know, Ness," Jacob Black rubbed his wife's arm, trying to calm her down. "But it's only going to be a few more days. You can wait that long, can't you?"

Nessie crossed her arms over her chest and glared at Jacob. She had complained to him so he could comfort her. He wasn't doing a very good job. He looked just as distant and lost in his thoughts as he had been for a while now. After Nessie told him she was pregnant, he seemed to recede more into his own mind. He was constantly dazing off and getting this quite sad-looking expression on his face. Nessie knew what it was about, but Jake never wanted to talk.

"Jake, we need to talk." She shoved all thoughts of wanting her child out of her away. Right now she needed to focus on Jacob. They needed to have this talk; it was long overdue.

"There's nothing to talk about, Ness. Do you need anything?"

"You're not changing the subject on me this time, Jacob Black. We're talking about this whether you like it or not."

Jacob sighed and rubbed his face with his hand. "Honestly, Ness, there is nothing to talk about."

"Yes there is, Jake! You might think I'm oblivious, but I see that look on your face."

"What look," Jacob asked, exasperated.

"That dazed look, just like the one you're wearing now. And don't you even try to give me some lame excuse like you're just overtired or something stupid like that." Jacob smirked slightly; Nessie always knew him too well, even his excuses. "Your look," Nessie continued, a little softer. "gets even worse when someone mentions the baby." Subconsciously, Nessie gently laid her hands on her bulging stomach.

"Nessie," Jake started, but Nessie held up her hand to stop him.

"Let me finish, I need to say this." Jacob hesitated but then nodded. "I know you're scared about the baby, Jake. I am, too. It's natural. I don't see why you don't want to talk about it…or even acknowledge that the fear is there." When Jake said nothing, she went on. "This is our first baby, Jake. I'd think you a fool if you weren't even a little bit scared or worried."

For a minute or so, Jacob did nothing. When he did, he sighed, rubbed his face with his hand again, and then looked at his wife with a pained expression. "What do you want me to say, Ness? That I'm terrified about this baby? That I'm afraid I'm not going to be a good father? That I'm worried I'm going to screw up in some way? You already know all that."

"Why didn't you ever tell me, Jake? We promised to always tell each other everything so we can work things out together…I could have helped you."

"I didn't want your help, Ness." Jacob confessed quietly.

"What, why not," Nessie asked. How could Jake not want her help? They helped each other through everything else.

"Because," Jake paused, took a deep breath. "because I'm supposed to be the strong one, Ness. I'm supposed to be your rock. You're supposed to be able to come to me when you're afraid and worried. I'm not supposed to be the one to fall apart."

"Jake," Nessie moved closer to her husband and wrapped her arms around his neck, leaning her head against his chest. Instinctively, Jake wrapped his arms lightly around her waist. "You don't have to be the strong one." She murmured softly into his shirt. "I don't expect you to never get scared. You're only one man. And I'm supposed to be your rock sometimes. We're supposed to be able to confide in each other, so don't you ever not tell me you're afraid again."

Smiling, Jacob tightened his hold on Nessie. He fell in love with her all over again in that moment. She always knew exactly what to say. And she was right, of course. They were supposed to be there for each other. He just didn't want her to think he was weak. Plus, she was already worried enough with her own fears about the baby. She didn't really need his added to that mix. But now that everything was out in the open, they were ready to move on. Even though they were both afraid, they'd handle this baby, together.

"I'm glad we had this talk," Jake confessed into Nessie's hair.

"Me too."

For a while, it was silent, and then Nessie pulled away with a strange look on her face.

"Ness, is everything okay?"

"No, Jake, I-I think the baby is coming."

They had planned for this moment, gone over it plenty on their own and with Nessie's family. But now that the moment was actually here, Jacob was freaking out. He didn't know which way was up and which way was down. He could barely get his thoughts together long enough to help Nessie out to the car and drive her to the Cullen's main house. When they got there, he was practically useless. The only support he was able to offer Nessie was his hand that she could squeeze as tightly as she wanted to.

X~X~X

"She's so beautiful," Renesmee breathed as Carlisle Cullen gently laid her newborn daughter in her arms.

"She looks just like you, Ness." Jake offered. After his daughter was born, he had become functional again.

Nessie smiled up at her father, Edward Cullen. "She has your human eyes, Dad." Edward smiled and nodded; Nessie smiled back and then shifted her eyes again to her daughter. "Where did she get the freckles from, though?"

"My mother had freckles." Edward answered, a small smile on his lips. The thought that his granddaughter had inherited his mother's freckles filled him with joy. He didn't remember much about his human life, but he did remember that his mother's freckles had always been his favorite part of her. They had given her character.

Nessie was just as excited that her beautiful daughter had gotten something from her late great-grandmother. "They look gorgeous on her."

"They do," Edward agreed.

"What are you naming her?" Bella Cullen asked. She would love to just fawn over how beautiful her granddaughter was for the rest of the day, but she did not want to always be calling her 'granddaughter'.

Nessie smiled and looked up at her husband; he also wore a smile and nodded at her. They had already discussed names. Or really, Nessie had chosen a few she liked and Jacob had distractedly helped her narrow the list down to one name for a girl and one name for a boy. "Annabelle Grace Black."

"Perfect," Bella smiled proudly at her daughter and then lovingly down at her granddaughter. "She's perfect."

"Yes she is," Jacob agreed.