A Lifetime of Servitudes

A/N Disclaimers: I do not own the characters or the music. That blessing is the wonderful Stephanie Myers; I just play around with them. Hope you enjoy my story and be sure to let me know what you think!

JACOBS POV (ch.2)

"Edward," I called. "Do you need some help?"

"No Jake, I think I can manage." He smiled at me smugly.

"Oh Edward please, are you afraid that our girls will think that all these roses are from me?"

"No Jacob, I don't, and they're not our girls. They are my girls and I don't think I will share either of them with you today," he sneered. I loved winding him up.

"Calm down Edward, put your growl back in your pants, this day is too pretty for me to spend it tearing you into minced meat for my pups." I laughed at him harshly. "So where are the two most beautiful, porcelain dolls in the world at right now?" I waited for an answer but he didn't reply, "Oh yeah, Seth and I have all three of you something special for Valentine's Day."

"How exciting, thedog went sniffing for presents. No offence to you Seth, you know you are always welcome to spend time with my girls." Arrogant bastard.

"Thanks Edward? How is Nessie doing, has she had anymore nightmares?" Seth asked, standing watching amused at mine and dickward's banter.

"Not so much Seth, she is sleeping a little better now. I don't know what has made her start to worry about her mother like this. She seems to be really worried about losing Bella. Nessie wakes up screaming and crying 'mommy, don't leave us.' Bella has been sitting with her while she sleeps at night. As far as I can read from her dreams she is seeing Bella dead, like a human, but we all know that can't be real...anyway, the girls are both at the cottage. Alice, Esme and Rose are helping me fix up the house for a special Valentine's Day for Bella and Nessie, seeing as it's our first one as a family. You can go on over and see them, but tell Bella she is not to come here until Alice comes to get them."

"Ok, will do," Seth muttered. As I was remembering that this was his first Valentine's with them period, because Bella was with me last year on this day, while he was out with his distractions.

"Oh Edward, here is your present." I tossed him the little wooden box that Seth and I had made earlier today. He opened it, and I thought he was going to spit teeth when he hissed at the three presents that lay in the box…a clove of garlic, a wooden stake, and a bottle of holy water. I chuckled as his face contorted with disgust. "Come on bloodsucker, you have to admit it was funny as hell to see the look on your face as you took in those thoughtful presents that I got you." I laughed at him hysterically.

"Yeah dog, really barking funny….Woof, woof... I'm sure Bella will enjoy these presents. Now, go see Nessie before I change my mind and hide her from your wet dog stench today."

"Okay, okay!" I shot over my shoulder as I smirked and walked away.

"Jake, Edward didn't say you could see Bella too, don't you think he will be mad when he sees that you also got Bella something?"

"Well bro, that sounds like a personal problem for him if you ask me, I really don't care. Besides I told him I had something for all three of them, I can't help it if he thought the box was for him and Bella."

When we got to the cottage, I smelled eggs and blue berry muffins wafting through the air. Mm, No one can cook like Bella. Those muffins smelled so delicious, I would have given up my tail to have a few of them. Thank goodness Bella loves to feed me, so my tail will stay intact today.

I opened the door and walked right on in "Jaky, Jaky, Jaky." Before I knew it, I was tossed over onto the couch on top of Seth and under Nessie!

"Hey, Beautiful, Happy Valentine's Day" I cooed. "Seth and I brought you and your mommy presents."

"Yay! Seth, Seth…you're here too!" Nessie squealed in delight.

"Yes Nessie, I'm here too. Do you really think I would miss this day with you? Jacob and I both got up early this morning to work on your presents." I disentangled myself from between the two and left them in front of the TV. I needed to see my girl.

I made my way over to the kitchen. "Bella, honey those muffins smell almost as good as you do on a rainy day. Are you willing to share?" I asked, inhaling the sweet smell of blue berries and muffins. Bella froze for a moment thinking of something, but before I had time to ask she moved on.

"Thanks Jake, it's an off day when I don't get someone reminding me how good I smell or taste and if you promise not to eat me, I guess I will share," she teased.

"Hey, I can't help it you married a vampire. Remember, I tried to stop you. Besides, I love your smell not the taste of your blood." I cooed as my laugh rumbled through my chest.

"Alright Jacob…Would you rather eat or do you prefer to just irritate me to death?" She said sounding kind of agitated.

"Oh Bells, I told you I just wanted to smell you not eat you. Although that might be kind of fun." Wham! Bella's muffins pan clattered right onto the back of my head. I raised my hands to fight off any further assault.

"Ouch! Damnit Bella, be nice. I brought you a present! And yes, I want to eat." I groaned with laughter.

"Okay, but you're trying to be perverted in front of my daughter and Seth. Do I always have to be the adult around you Jacob?" She asked sounding serious this time.

"Nope, let me be the grown up for once. Then I can ground you to La Push for the next one hundred years or so." I told her wishing I could do just that.

"Jacob Black, today is not a good day to fool with me, if it is at all possible for a vampire to have a migraine, then I definitely have one." Bella said as her face turned into a painful scold at me.

"Okay, okay, okay…I'm sorry honey. Let's eat. But I can fix that headache for you, just say the word." I said, waggling my eyebrows suggestively.

"Yes, I bet you could. Now shut up and eat!" Seth, Nessie and I all sat down at the bar and ate the muffins, eggs and bacon Bella had made, as I kept my eyes locked on her floating back and forth around the kitchen cleaning anything and everything to keep herself busy. I was beginning to worry about her, every few seconds I would catch her raising her hand to her temples and rub with hard pressure.

Bella's muffins were so sweet; the smell of them alone was enough to make my mouth water. As fast as my mind traveled to that thought I reversed it, not wanting to think of all the other things about Bella that make my mouth flood.

"Hey Ness, would you like to see what Seth and I got you for Valentine's Day?"

"Yes!" she squealed bouncing up and down on her stool.

"Ok, close your eyes and Seth will give it to you." With that Nessie was standing in front of Seth with a huge smile on her face and her eyes closed tight.

Seth put the bracelet on Nessie and I could see the heartfelt smile on his face shine clear down to his soul. And in that moment I felt jealous. I thought to myself about how I would give up anything to be able to feel as happy as he was in that one second. I would have given up being Alpha a million times over to be able to show my love for her plainly and clearly on my face for everyone to see. To shower her with adoration and devotion I held for her. Instead, I would be trapped for a lifetime, confined in to my own heart, and bound by the full potential of love that I had for my imprint.

"Do you like it, Nessie?" I asked softly.

"Oh Jaky, Seth, I Love it. It's BEAUTIFUL!!" Ness yelled, twirling the bracelet around her wrist, looking at the dangle.

"Hey Ness, Do you know what that is on your arm?" Her curls bounced around her cheeks as she shook her head. "It is an amulet. They have special powers, did you know that?" Seth cooed as she gazed in awe at him.

"No Seth, I didn't know that. What does it do?" Nessie curiously asked with her adorable twinkle in her eyes.

"We'll, it is a protection amulet and it will help you be strong and intuitive. And whenever you need me or Jake all you have to do is hold it in your hand, and call out our name and we will be there as quick as when can run." Seth whispered affectionately at her, knowing that one or the two of us would always be within hearing range of her.

"Oh Seth, I love you and Jaky so much! Thank you!" She said crawling up on the counter and kissing each of us on the cheek.

"Mommy, look at my pretty bracelet." She told her as Bella smiled hugging her close to her.

I turned my attention back to Bella as I moved up behind her, wrapping my arms loosely around her waist.. "So Bella, are you ready for your present, or do I have to wait for you to clean the kitchen again, so you don't throw anymore pans at my head?"

She giggled, "Yes Jake, I'm ready, but I didn't get you anything." She said squeezing her temples again. What is wrong with her? Is it possible for their kind to have headaches?

"Bells, you have given me much more then you will ever know honey. Now close your eyes and be very still…" I whispered in her ear, being serious, but trying to sound like I was playing around with her.

"Wait Jake, the last time someone expected me to close my eyes and be very still, he was trying to kiss me without killing me! I don't think this is such a good idea, you know, Edward would break your jaw if he thought for one second you were going to kiss me!"

"Relax Bella; I am not going to kiss you, unless of course you ask. After all, it is Valentine's Day, and you did promise me last Valentine's Day a lifetime of servitudes, remember?" I laughed out loud, while Bella stared at me with her mouth hanging slightly open.

"Bells, I am just joking, now close your mouth, and let me give you something!"God, this girl is so paranoid when it comes to me and Edward. Is he really still that jealous of our friendship? After all he's the one who got to marry her and we will only be best friends forever!

"Okay Bella, here we go, close your eyes and listen with your heart. Every week I will add another song for you. It will remind you of our friendship and the times we spent together in La Push," I leaned in close and whispered "I love you Bella, and I miss you, always."

I pressed play for the first song. It was Slipped away by Avril Lavinge. I knew all of the words by heart.

I miss you, miss you so bad,

I don't forget you,

Oh, it's so sad,

I hope you can hear me….

I remember it clearly…

The day you slipped away,

Was the day I found it won't be the same….

And while she listened to the song I stood and whispered to myself versus, that seem to be stuck in my head when I think of her and what we lost.

I had my wake up, won't you wake up

I keep asking why, and I can't take it

It wasn't fake, it happened, you passed by.

Now you are gone, now you are gone

There you go, there you go,

Somewhere I can't bring you back from,

Now you are gone, now you are gone,

There you go, there you go,

Somewhere you're not coming back from,

Bella moved to sit in a chair looking out over the little pond that Esme had made for her. I couldn't tell for sure, but she looked like she was a little bit confused, like she was debating something her special little mind was pondering over.

I love it when Bella looks like that; when she bites her lip so softly, it sent chills straight down my spine that explode into a million tiny tingles at my core. Will this feeling ever go away? I guess I will always love Bella, and these feelings will never go away.

I hope she likes my present. I had tried to find something that the two of us had shared last summer, something that might bring back memories for her. Bella was always telling me how the worst thing about being a vampire was that most her memories were gone, and the ones she still had were fuzzy, like looking through a fogged up window.

Edward didn't really understand the importance of her memories to her, but I did, and I had hoped that it bothered her for the same reason that it bothered me. The memories we shared were almost gone. Carlisle had told her before she was changed that it was a chance she would be taking. He said that human memories fade after time.

But Bella being special was one of the few that woke having already lost most of them and that made Edward happy. He knew that meant she would soon be completely his then, and he wouldn't have to share her with me or Charlie any longer.

That thought was starting to make blood boil, and then I smelt the dead walk in. Huh, think of shit and it hits you in the face!

I cast my mind back, remembering something my dad use to say to me all the time as a child, then I found myself rolling the phrase over my tongue to keep myself from phasing.

"What doesn't kill you only makes you stronger."