Title: Bella's Baby

Author: Lazalot_Anreads

Beta: None

Characters/Pairings: Bella/Jacob

Rating: NC-17

Challenge: None

Summary: With the help of their parents, Bella and Jacob start getting ready to be parents themselves.

Notes: AH AU, New Moon AU, Sequel to Bella's Bodyguard

Chapter 001

Bella and Jacob were both terrified of their parents reactions to the news of her pregnancy, but they knew that they had to tell Charlie and Billy right away. Waiting would just make things more difficult.

The weekend after Bella went to the free clinic and the day after Angela's funeral, she and Jacob sat their parents down at the Swans' kitchen table and just came right out and told them. "I'm a week pregnant," she said, and waited for the outbursts that were sure to come.

"You're WHAT?" Charlie jumped up. "But I thought the two of you were using protection!"

"You mean to tell me that you knew my son was having sex with your daughter and you didn't bother to tell me?" Billy glared at his best friend.

"That's not really the issue here, Dad." Though Jacob was as pale as he could possibly be with Quileute blood, he spoke calmly and reasonably. "Bella is going to have my baby. I want to marry her and I need your consent to do it."

"You're only seventeen!" Billy shook his head in disbelief. "Bella is only nineteen! How are the two of you going to raise a BABY?"

"We don't know yet," Jacob admitted. "We've been tossing around ideas, but … we could really use the input of someone who has been there."

Charlie took a deep breath and forced himself to sit back down. "How did this happen in the first place?"

"I could lie to you," Bella said, meeting her father's stern gaze. "I could tell you that a condom broke. But the truth is that we were just too caught up in each other at first to think about birth control."

Charlie sighed deeply, rubbing a hand over his face. Billy just kept shaking his head. All in all, it was a much better reaction than Bella and Jacob had expected. They'd expected a lot of yelling and maybe even a few threats before their parents calmed down and spoke rationally about the situation. It seemed they'd underestimated Charlie and Billy.

"Well, folks, we could sit around arguing all night or we could put our heads together and try to make the best of this situation," Charlie finally said, sitting back in his chair. "Personally, I'm all for the second option."

"Me, too." Jacob was terribly relieved. "First things first - I want to marry Bella, preferably before she starts to show. Dad, I need your consent to do it because I'm only seventeen."

Billy and Charlie glanced at each other briefly before Billy turned back to his son. "I'll give my consent." He didn't exactly look happy about it, but then Jacob hadn't really expected him to.

"Wait a minute," Bella interrupted, crossing her arms over her chest and glaring at Jacob. "I wouldn't mind being ASKED."

Jacob was immediately contrite. "I'm sorry, honey, but I don't have a ring yet. I can't propose to you without a ring!"

"You're going to have to, Son," Billy told him harshly. "You need to save every cent you have for your child."

"Jacob," Bella said, ignoring their parents, "You don't need to buy a ring. All you have to do to get me to marry you is ASK."

Jacob didn't need to be told a third time. Gracefully, he slid off his chair to kneel before her. "Isabella Marie Swan, I want to spend the rest of my life with you. This isn't just about the baby. This is about my heart and the reason it beats. That reason is YOU, Bells. Will you do me the honor of becoming my wife?"

Though Bella had already said that she would accept Jacob's proposal, all three men found themselves holding their breath anyway. She put them out of their misery fairly quickly, though. "Of COURSE, Jake." Tears glistened in Bella's eyes as she slid off of her own chair to join Jacob on the floor. "Of COURSE I'll be your wife."

Jacob let out a whoop of joy and stood, pulling his new fiancé up with him so that he could spin her around. When he was done spinning, he set her back on her feet and leaned down, kissing her lips sweetly.

"Okay, now, that's enough of that!" Charlie broke in before they could get carried away. There was a smile in his eyes, but his voice was stern. "Congratulations, kids, but we don't have time to celebrate. We have a baby to think about."

"Right." Jacob sat down, but brought Bella down with him so that she was perched comfortably on his lap. "Moving on … I think it would be a good idea for me to drop out of high school and get my GED." It was a thought that had been running through his mind since he had found out that Bella was pregnant. He hadn't shared it with her until now, though; he was wary of her reaction.

He had good reason to be. "Absolutely NOT!" Bella got up and glared down at him. "You are GOING to finish high school, Jacob Black!"

"But Bells -" Jacob tried.

"Don't you 'but Bells' me! I don't want you throwing away your LIFE for me!" Bella spun to face Billy. "Tell him! You're his father! Tell him he's going to finish school!"

Billy looked sad. "He has a point, Bella. It would be better for the two of you if he got his GED and got a job."

Bella gaped at him. She didn't know what to do. Billy was supposed to have agreed with her! But what he'd said made sense. They were going to have a BABY. They needed a steady source of income. "I can work!" she blurted. "I mean, I'm PREGNANT, not INJURED. I can work and Jacob can stay in school." Even as she said it, she knew it was in vain.

Jacob opened his mouth to argue, but Charlie beat him to it. "You're right, Bella, you COULD work - but not for long. It wouldn't be good for you or the baby. Honey, I know you don't want Jacob to lose this part of his life, but it's necessary. Please just sit down and think about it for a minute; you'll see that we're right."

But Bella already knew they were right. She sat stiffly in her chair and crossed her arms, her chin jutting out stubbornly. "I don't have to like it."

Jacob's shoulders slumped in relief and he reached out to run a hand over her hair. "Everything is going to be FINE, baby. You'll see."

Bella allowed the touch, but she wasn't so sure that everything would work out. Jacob was dropping out of high school so that he could take care of her and their baby. She didn't think that was really fair. Where was her sacrifice? Sure, she would be the one giving birth, but that wasn't really a sacrifice in her opinion - no matter how bad the pain was.

Charlie cleared his throat. "Okay, that's settled, but we have a LOT more to talk about. For instance, where are the two - sorry, three - of you going to live? I assume you'll want a place of your own."

They'd prepared for such a question. Bella was the one who answered. "Forks Valley has a couple of vacancies. The rent there is pretty reasonable - seven hundred and fifty a month for a two bedroom apartment."

Charlie frowned. "I don't THINK so. Forks Valley is absolutely CRAWLING with drug addicts and dealers, not to mention a shit load of sex offenders. Besides, seven fifty a month is a little steep for new parents."

Billy cut in before Bella or Jacob could say anything. "I think I have a better idea, if Charlie's amenable."

Charlie turned so that he was sitting sideways in his chair, giving his closest friend his full attention. He knew from Billy's tone that what he had to say was serious. Bella and Jacob also gave him their full attention.

"If Charlie were to move in with me, the two of you could keep this house. You wouldn't have to pay rent and we would know that you were safe. You also wouldn't have to buy a bunch of new furniture and stuff; this place is already all set."

It was the perfect plan. Bella and Jacob shared a look, then turned to Charlie. It would be up to him; he was the one that would have to give up his house, after all. They clasped hands beneath the table.

Charlie was silent for a long time before he finally spoke. "That's a damn good idea, Billy. I just have one question - why don't YOU move in with ME and the kids take your house instead?"

Billy smirked. "I have responsibilities as an Elder that would make it extremely difficult for me to live off of the reservation. Plus, my place is fully equipped for a man in a wheelchair. Yours isn't."

Charlie sighed. "I'll miss this place."

Jacob breathed a sigh of relief and Bella jumped up to hug her father tightly. Things were starting to look pretty good. Not great, but manageable. Just a couple of hours before, they'd been totally clueless about how to proceed. Now they had a plan AND a place to live.

"Thank you SO much, Dad!" When she was done squeezing all of the air out of Charlie's lungs, she turned and did the same to Billy. "YOU are a GENIUS, Billy! Thank you!"

Jacob waited until Bella sat back down before looking first his father, then Charlie in the eye and thanking them sincerely. "You don't know the load you've just taken off my shoulders. I've been so worried about everything …" Tears glistened in his eyes, but didn't fall. "You guys are the BEST. Thank you."

Billy just nodded. Charlie, however, blushed and shrugged uncomfortably. "Yeah, well." He scratched the back of his neck. Then he changed the subject. "I'm just glad they have those early pregnancy tests now. It gives us more time to plan."

"Yeah, well," Billy said tiredly, "could we table the planning for now and pick it up again tomorrow? It's ten o'clock and I, for one, am WIPED."

As if that was her queue, Bella yawned loudly. "Yeah, me too."

"Right." Charlie took charge, pushing his chair back and standing up. "Jacob, why don't you and Bella go on up to bed. I'll take care of Billy, here; he can sleep in the guest room."

Jacob didn't have to be told twice. He was exhausted, himself. Taking Bella's hand, he led her upstairs and into the bathroom where they took turns washing their faces and brushing their teeth. Then they went into the bedroom, locked the door, stripped and practically dove into bed. Jacob tugged the blankets up as Bella snuggled against him and rested her head on his chest, then closed his eyes, expecting to be immediately transported to dream land.

No such luck. He couldn't shut his brain off. "Bells? You still awake, honey?"

"Yeah," she replied quietly. "I can stop thinking about everything. We're getting married, you're dropping out of school to get your GED and a job, Dad's giving us his house, and last but not least - the thing that made it all possible - were having a BABY! We're going to be PARENTS!"

"It's overwhelming, I know." Jacob stroked his fiancé's hair soothingly. "My head is spinning. At least Dad and Charlie are helping us; most couples aren't so lucky. We definitely have the COOLEST fathers."

"Definitely," she agreed. "I can't BELIEVE Dad is just going to give us his house like it's no big deal, but I'm DAMN relieved. Forks Valley gives me the creeps."

"Yeah, me too." Jacob yawned. "We'd better shut up and TRY to get some sleep, Bells, or we'll be useless tomorrow." He kissed the top of her head. "I love you, baby."

A soft smile curved Bella's lips and she placed a soft kiss on his chest. "I love you, too, Jake. Sweet dreams."

"Ditto."