Chapter 3

Day Thirty

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I could hardly believe my luck. Most people never find out about the so-called mythical creatures in the entirety of their lives and yet, I, Bella Swan, the most normal person to ever come into the world, had discovered two 'legendary beings' in under a year living in the secluded town of Forks, WA. How my point of view of Forks had changed. I once thought that Forks would be the most mundane place on Earth, but it seems that I have found my true place in the World. I never really had friends before I came to Forks; it seems I only make friends with people who are not human.

This morning, just after Charlie had left for fishing, the phone rang. I jumped out of bed, stubbing my toe on my bedside table, and running down the stairs two at a time. Shocked that I didn't injure myself further, I knocked the phone of off its hook. Before it could hit the floor, I caught it and tried to act as calm as possible.

"Hello?"

"Bella! Hey it's me!" The voice I had grown so familiar with over the last couple of weeks bellowed out of the phone to me, Jake.

"Hey Jake, what's up? Why are you phoning so early?" I was irritated that he woke me up, especially as it was a Saturday.

"Early, oh crap Bella sorry. I forgot you sleep loads. Well, the guys and I are getting together for a barbecue if you wanted to come along?"

I ignored his comment. I sleep an average amount that you very much. It didn't help I wasn't sleeping well.

The dreams had taken a dark turn. Every night I dreamt the same thing. I was stood in the forest where Edward left me, looking into the faces of my former family. I looked into each of their eyes, only to have them avert their gaze. I then watched helplessly on as each one turned around and disappeared into the forest. As the heavens opened onto where I was stood, I was left alone in the middle of the forest, thunder rumbling overhead.

I always woke with tears streaming down my face, just as the rain had done in my dream. I no longer screamed. I just hugged myself tightly as I felt my insides collapse. As much as the wolves had made me smile again, they could never replace the family that had left me behind. It still pained me how much I wanted to be a part of that world, but I knew should I ever now become a vampire, I would never be able to return to see my father or my friends, we would become sworn enemies.

Last night's dream was particularly hard; Jake was also in my dream. He turned his back on me just as the Cullen's did. I screamed after him to stop but he didn't even look back.

"Jake, I'm not too sure. I'm not having a good day today. I've already stubbed my toe and I've only been up five minutes."

Jake was fully aware of everything that had happened. It was a relief not to have to hide behind my façade anymore. I finally had someone to confide in. Jake had become the big brother I never had, even though he was 18 months younger than me. He always knew exactly what to say whenever I was having a low moment. Today was no different.

"No excuse. You can't miss it! We're going to tell you everything today. So pick you up at 11?"

Everything? That would be interesting. I had been told the basic information about the wolf thing, but Jake never fully answered my questions. He was right, I had no choice. He was really only phoning me up to tell me to come. My cooking had become famous amongst the wolves, as if they would cook for themselves at a barbecue. The thought of these overgrown boys made me smile.

"Sure sure Jake, see you at 11. Want me to bring anything?"

"Erm, bring whatever you fancy... We have some stuff here but it will probably disappear pretty quickly. Yeah might as well. Don't want you going hungry; you don't eat enough as it is!" I had to keep calm as I knew he was only teasing. After a few deeps breaths, I said my goodbyes to Jake and headed up the stairs to get ready. At about 9:30 I headed to the grocery store to buy some bits for the barbecue. I walked around quickly not really noticing what I was putting in the basket, hurriedly paid and drove back to the house, with 45 minutes to spare before Jake picked me up. I had started to feel a bit ill so I decided to distract myself with some housework.

As I vacuumed my room, I found out that I had a loose floorboard underneath my bed. I'd have to nail that down later. I was just packing the vacuum cleaner away when the doorbell rung. Strange, I had not heard a car pull up. I staggered down the stairs and flung open the front door.

Jake stood with his finger on the doorbell ready to ring again when the door opened. As he stepped in, he effectively filled the doorway. He stooped uncomfortably around the light shade in the hall.

"Ready Bells?" I knew he hated waiting, especially when food was on the agenda.

"Sure Jake, just let me grab the bits I bought."

He called after me as I went to the fridge.

"Make sure you put them in a rucksack! Don't want you dropping them on the way!"

How were we getting to his anyway? I guessed I was driving. But why would I need a rucksack? I grabbed my bag and started filling it with the things I bought from the grocery store. Nearly every item I put in my bag was meat based. Oh well, guess I was lacking protein today!

When I was ready, we headed outside. I was right; there was definitely no car here. Jake laughed at my clear confusion and jogged off into the woods. I froze. He was taking exactly the same path that he did before. Panic surged through me as I felt the loss consume me once again and the fear of losing Jake resurfaced. He turned back when he noticed I wasn't with him. When he saw the look on my face he ran back to me in a flash and picked me up in a tight hug.

"Now listen hear Isabella." I knew he meant business when he used my full name. "I. Am. Not. Going. To. Leave. You." His voice rang with authority as he accentuated every word. I couldn't help but believe him as he took my hand and dragged me into the forest.

"Jake? What time's the barbecue? Because if we're walking, I'm not going to get there until next Wednesday."

He laughed so hard he had to hold on to a tree to stop himself from falling. I didn't think it was that funny, I was deadly serious.

"Don't worry Bells. You're getting a very special privilege. You are going to be travelling First Class on the Wolf Express. Now wait there, I think we're far enough in for no-one to see."

He had to be kidding me. There is no way I was going to ride him! Clearly Jake had other ideas as the russet wolf I had come to love came bounding out from behind the trees. He jumped over my head missing me by inches as I let out a scream. He laughed in his wolfy way as he trotted over to me and lay on the floor so I could climb on. I begrudgingly accepted and climbed on so my feet were tucked in behind his shoulder blades. If he annoyed me I would just dig my ankles into his ribs. The thought made me smile. However, I had never ridden a horse before, let alone a wolf and I had no idea what to do next. As Jake stood up I nearly fell off and grabbed a handful of fur in each hand to hold myself.

"Jake, I'm not feeling too good! If I get travel sick, it's going to be all your fault!"

Jake rocked backwards and forwards 3 times counting ready for when he was going to run. On the third count we hurtled into the forest, the trees passing by in a blur. The feeling was so familiar and yet so different at the same time. The speed was similar to running with a Vampire yet the ride was nowhere near as smooth. I bided my time knowing it would be at most 20 minutes before we got to La Push.


We arrived in 5 minutes. I was amazed at the speeds that he could run. He could easily keep up with a vampire, something I did not expect. He lay down again so I could slide off his back then ran off in the woods to phase back into human form. I made my way over to the barbecue and started setting everything up.

Quil and Embry came out the house when they realised I was there, arms full of food. They put everything down on the table next to all the things I had brought with me.

"So Bella? What did you think of the Wolf Express?" Quil was snickering to himself as Embry teased Jacob in his absence with his questioning.

"It was... interesting, to say the least. Think I might prefer my truck. Not exactly the smoothest way to travel. Do you guys all call it the Wolf Express?"

"Nope. We heard Jake tell you."

"Were you guys there too?" They could have joined us in the run.

"No we heard Jake's thoughts. He is never going to live that down." It was this first time Quil had spoken and the comment just left me even more confused. "Don't worry Bella, it's a wolf thing. We can hear each other when we're phased. Lack of privacy but gives plenty of opportunities for us to tease each other!"

Quil and Embry started laughing so I turned back to the barbecue to check the heat. Jacob sauntered out of the woods, looking unimpressed with the behaviour of his friends.

"Shut it guys. I thought it was cool."

Embry stopped laughing enough to only insult him further.

"Of course, high alpha. We do as you command."

The laughing started again as I put the first burger on the barbecue. The smell was soon drifting through the area and more wolves started to join us. Damn them and their enhanced sense of smell. We were soon surrounded by all 10 of the wolf pack as the food in front of us was rapidly devoured. I was given a 'werewolves for dummies' talk about everything I had asked them previously and much more besides. Jake, even though he wasn't the oldest in the pack, was the leader. This was something or other to do with blood ties; they lost me a bit at that point. Sam was his beta, as he was the most experienced out of all of them. I learnt that they started phasing pretty soon after the Cullen's came into the area, the presence of vampires activates a gene so they can defend themselves should the need arise. Fortunately, it never had.

I got a large piece of steak out the packet as the boys started to bicker amongst themselves. Leah came over to help me. We had become fairly close after she realised I was nothing more to Jake than a little sister. She and Jake had a bit of a thing going on but only the wolves knew of this.

"How are you holding up?" Jake might have known how to make me smile, but Leah knew how to make me open up.

"Not too bad. I keep having the dreams but I suppose I'm getting used to them." She gave me a small smile as she started putting the steaks on the barbecue. The smell was amazing and couldn't help but pick one up and take a bite. She looked stunned. I suppose it was a bit disgusting to eat like that but I couldn't help it, the meat smelled irresistible. I took another bite as Leah carried on staring at me. I felt relief as I ate it; I didn't notice how hungry I was. The whole pack turned to face me as I finished off the steak, all of them wearing equally shocked expressions.

"What are you all looking at?"

Jake carefully approached; I wondered what was making him act like this.

"Bella are you feeling ok?"

"Yeah, why?"

"Bella, that steak was raw. Not rare, raw. You have blood running from your mouth. Are you sure everything is ok?"

I couldn't believe it. If I ever have steak I always have it well-done, I wonder why now I chose different. The smell of the food started to get to me again and couldn't stop myself from picking up another one.

"Bells, please put the steak down. You're scaring me. You have a fevered look in your eyes. Please?"

"It's only steak Jake!" I started laughing hysterically, Steak, Jake. I'm a poet! He reached over to take my food away from me.

"Mine!" Jake and Leah both flinched away from me at my outburst. Why was I getting so possessive over food? It was only meat. I dropped it, ran into the house and locked myself in the bathroom. As I balled my eyes out, I felt the sickness take over me again as my stomach emptied itself into the toilet.

I could hear Jake banging on the door demanding for me to come out but I ignored him. I would be alone for shouting at him; I didn't want him to leave, so I would never leave this room. Irrational I know, but it made sense to me in my delirious state. I heard the party slow to a stop and the guys clearing up whatever remained. The previous jovial atmosphere was ruined, and it was all my fault.


I don't know how long I spent in the bathroom, Jake stopped knocking hours ago. It wasn't too late as the sun was still up. I slowly opened the door and went to find Jake to apologise for shouting at him. Sat across the halfway, leaning against the wall was Leah. She looked pleased that I had left the bathroom that I felt the embarrassment spread over my cheeks. She pulled my cold hand into her hot one and dragged me down the corridor to Jake's room.

We both sat down on the bed wordlessly staring at each other. Leah was the first one of us to make a move.

"Can you explain what happened before?" Her tone was firm but equally kind.

"I'm so sorry Leah. I didn't mean to shout, at you, or at Jake." I tried to convey my apology as much as possible. She took my hand again and reassured me that everything was fine. I took a deep breath and continued.

"I just had a sudden need, craving, to eat that steak. I don't know what came over me." I hid my head in my hands as the sobs started again.

"It's ok Bella, don't worry it will be fine. Maybe you're coming down with something?" She wrapped her arms around me and let me let it all out.

"I think that's what it is. I was feeling sick this morning."

"Well there we go then. You've got some kind of weird virus." She smiled as she figured it out. She looked so pleased with herself I couldn't help but grin back at her. We got off the bed so we could go find Jake to reassure him everything was ok. We were walking up the main street in La Push, just making small talk to keep the silence away.

"I've been meaning to ask you something all day, Bella. Are you wearing a new perfume? You smell... sweeter... than before." She wrinkled her nose slightly. I wasn't sure if it was meant to be a compliment or if she was just trying to distract me. Either way, it didn't matter. I didn't wear perfume.

"No sorry Leah, I don't wear perfume."

"Oh ok then don't worry." She paused for a minute, clearly thinking about something quite deeply. "Hang on here a minute, I'm just going to go phase to find out where the guys are. Will you be ok for a minute?"

I nodded. Why would I be smelling different? I didn't think I smelt any different. Maybe it was this virus thing. Weird cravings, sickness in the morning, my scent would just be another thing to add to the list. Wait, cravings and morning sickness... I couldn't be. Not possible. I worked out the dates. Oh shit. Leah took this moment to come back to me.

"They're all up at Emily's. They've gone there for tea. You'll have to try her muffins, they're amazing."

"Leah wait." She carried on talking about nothing for a while but hesitated when she noticed that I was not listening.

"What's up? Are you feeling ok? Is the sickness back?"

"I'm not great. I think I need to sit down."

With Leah supporting my elbow, we made our way over to a bench.

"Leah, I think I might be... pregnant. The weird cravings, the sickness, the fact I'm 10 days late and I hadn't even realised. What am I going to do? How will Charlie react? Oh my god, what am I going to do?" I started to hyperventilate. The true gravity of the situation hit me. There was no way I could go to Emily's like this. Leah didn't seem to understand.

"Come on Bella, it's not possible! The only person you've slept with is a vampire right? So you couldn't possibly be pregnant! But if you want, we'll go back to mine via the chemist so we can do a few tests. How does that sound?"

Again I just nodded. I somehow knew that I was pregnant, I just knew. But it would be good to do some tests. I gave Leah some money and she bought me three tests. She said you have to buy an odd number just so you know for definite.

"I'll just tell my mum that you're going to have a shower as you've not been very well and I'll give you a change of clothes."

"Thank you Leah you're a great friend." I really truly meant it.

We went into her bathroom so we could do the pregnancy tests together. She turned her back so I could have a bit of privacy and we waited. These had to be the 3 longest minutes of my life.

"Ok are you ready to find see the results?"

She looked at them for me so she could deliver the news, whichever way it went.

"Ok Bella, I can't believe it... I really don't know how to say this... but you're pregnant. I'm so sorry."

Sorry? I wasn't sorry. I was shit-scared, no denying that, but I felt like life had given me a second chance. I knew in that instant that I would live for this baby. I would give it the best life that I possibly could. I just hoped Charlie and the wolves would support my decision. I started to giggle and before long I couldn't stop. The day's events had apparently made me go clinically insane. Leah was looking at me like she wasn't sure if she should give me a slap or a hug, but she was soon laughing along with me.

"Bella, I'm guessing that you're not sorry? Well congratulations then! Oh my God, a baby! I'm so excited! We need to tell Jake! And you need to tell Charlie! I'll give Jake a ring; he has to come here now!" My enthusiasm had spread to her as she skipped out the room. I made my way to her room and sat in the middle of her bed.

It took Jake all of five minutes to come crashing into Leah's room.

"Is everything ok?" He seemed to be saying that a lot recently. "Leah told me that you had some important news to tell me...?"

"That is true Jake. You better sit down; I think you might need to." He carefully placed himself next to me on the bed and waited expectantly.

"Jake, I'm pregnant." I sat there quietly as I waited for his reaction. His eyes became unfocused as he stared into space. He seemed to take an age to process what I had told him.

After a while, he stood up and started staring out the window.

"Jake, please say something." He was raining on my parade. I wanted him to be excited too, just like me and Leah.

"Bella I don't know what you want me to say. What are you going to do?"

"I'm going to keep it. I can't get rid of it. Please don't ask me to."

"I won't. You do realise though, that we have no idea, what this..." He couldn't bring himself to say baby. "will be. It's father is a bloodsucker for Christ's sake! Have you thought about what to tell Charlie yet?"

I had to tell him tonight. It would only hurt him further if he ever found out I had kept it from him.

"I don't know. I will tell him as soon as I see him. I won't let you lie for me. In fact, I should probably be getting home. Will you give me a ride? Do I get to travel on the Wolf Express again?"

I tried to make a joke to try and ease the tension. It worked slightly as Jake smiled at me.

"Bella, as much as I enjoyed having you run with me I could not live with myself if anything happened to you whilst you're in this situation. We are going to have to be extra careful now that you're going to be a mom."

Mom. I liked that.


Charlie was already at home by the time Jake dropped me back, this time in his Rabbit. He gave me a massive hug as I tentatively opened the door of his car.

"If you need me, give me a ring, I'll be here in an instant."

"Thanks Jake for all your help. Sorry for shouting at you."

"Don't worry about it. There is no need for you to apologise. Now get in there and tell your Dad."

I had to get this over with. Come on Bella, you were tracked by a murderous vampire across the length of the country and yet I was terrified to see my own father.

"Hey Dad, how was fishing?" Charlie, unsurprisingly, was sat watching baseball on the TV.

"Oh hey Bells, didn't hear you come in. Yeah it was great thanks. I caught enough fish to have a month's supply of Harry's fish fry. How was your day?"

"It was ... different. Dad I have something to tell you." It was now or never. Better get it over and done with.

"What is it Bells? You looked so scared. Whatever it is it can't be that bad."

"Dad, I'm pregnant." Charlie wore the same facial expression that Jake did when I told him, but Charlie's face was changing colour. It went from red, to blue, to white and the back to red. He stood up abruptly in front of me and ran his hands through his thinning hair.

"Are you keeping it?" I could feel protectiveness coming on for my unborn child.

"Yes." I was going to tell him the truth no matter what the consequences.

"How long have you known?"

I glanced at the clock on the mantel piece that was surrounded by my school pictures throughout the years.

"About 4 hours. I was not going to keep this from you."

"Ok. Well, I'm not going to pretend I'm happy about this, you're so young. But I will support you as best I can. You will have to tell Renée too. There's is no way I'm dealing with her about this. We will figure out your schooling arrangements at a later date."

"That is the most I could ever ask. Thank you for your understanding. You will be a great Pops."

I wrapped my arms around his waist as he kissed the top of my head.

"Charlie, I think I'm going to go to bed. It's been a long day."

"Night, Bells."

I made my way up the stairs to my bedroom going into the bathroom to take a shower. I didn't want everybody thinking I smell funny, Leah was bad enough.

As I made my way back into my room, I slipped on my most comfortable set of pyjamas, I didn't care how I looked, I wanted to be warm and cosy tonight.

I was just about to get into bed when I remembered the loose floorboard under my bed. I bent down to have a look when I spotted something shiny underneath. I carefully lifted the board up and nearly dropped it straight away with what I found. All my birthday presents. The ones I assumed Edward had taken with him when he went. Why did he leave them? I checked what was there; it was everything, including the photos that he collected for me the day he left. Even the flight passes were there, the gift from Carlisle and Esme. The CD was there as well, but I couldn't bring myself to listen to it tonight. I was not ready for that, not yet.

I placed the floorboard back in place, stunned by what had been lurking under my bed without my knowledge for a month. Tiredness soon overwhelmed me and I started to dream, dreaming that Edward left the gifts, hoping I would find them one day. I could dream that he still cared. I had taken one of the photos of me and Edward and placed it under my pillow, reassured that at least, in some way, Edward would be with me again tonight.


Chapter 3! I tried to make this one extra long as I think it will be a while before the next update. I will try to update by Monday but reviews would encourage me to write even faster!

Thank you to my supporters, you know who you are. I hope this chapter lives up to your expectations!

In expectance of your feedback,

Steph x x