Bear
Disclaimer; all characters and copyright belong to SM.
A/N-thank you for the kind reviews! Sorry guys I just don't feel like writing heavy stuff at the moment.
Chapter Three
"If you want my baby Bear to use the crate, Edward, then you need to help me train him to get used to it." Bella tried to keep her expression neutral as she saw the glimmer of triumph flicker in Edward's eyes before he quickly hid it behind a bland smile. "Maybe it will even help you bond with him.
"I am so glad you've come around to my way of thinking, love." Edward grazed the back of his hand lightly across her cheek.
Bella had to refrain from rolling her eyes. He was completely clueless. She must be a better actress then she thought if he was fooling himself into believing she agreed to locking little Bear in a crate all the time while he was around. Edward had no idea that she had hidden a camera on the shelf in the lounge so she could film everything. "I've printed off a training list." She passed the thin sheet of paper to him and watched as he scanned the contents.
"Well this seems simple enough." Edward tapped the paper with his forefinger. "The little pup will be trained in no time."
Bear scampered into the lounge just then as if he had heard them talking about him. As soon as he laid eyes on Edward, his little ears went backwards, he exposed his sharp teeth and began to yip loudly. Bella immediately went and picked up the trembling puppy in her arms and rubbed his head soothingly. "It's okay, sweetie. Everything is just fine." She kissed the soft spot between his ears and Bear licked her face in response.
Edward grimaced in disgust. "Really, Bella, you must stop him doing that. We need to start training the little beast immediately."
"Stop calling him a beast. He has a name. It's Bear." Bella scowled, her foot tapping on the floor as she glared at Edward.
"I'm sorry, love. It was a slip of the tongue." Edward apologised hastily. Bear was growling at him again. "I think you should put him in the crate now and shut the door so he can get used to it." He suggested as he kept his distance from the bristling puppy nestled in Bella's arms.
"No, we have to show Bear that the crate is nothing to be afraid of. So I thought you could demonstrate to him how it works." Bella said carefully. She glanced toward the hidden camera and smiled slightly.
"How am I supposed to do that?" Edward exclaimed. "Really, Bella, you are fawning over him too much. Just put him inside with a few treats and close the door."
"Uh huh." She shook her head. "I only agreed to this because you promised to help me train him to get used to it. If you can't be bothered..." She let her voice tail off.
"Alright." Edward sighed dramatically as he raised his eyes to heaven as if it was the biggest deal in the world. "What do you want me to do?"
"It says here that Bear will need encouragement. So I think if you get down on your hands and knees and pretend you're a dog like he is..."
"I will not." Edward protested.
Bella narrowed her eyes. "You are quite welcome to leave then and take the darn crate with you." She warned him.
Edward exhaled irritably as he caved in and did what Bella asked. He bent down so he was on his hands and knees facing her and Bear. The little puppy had stopped barking and was staring down at him with interest from the safety of Bella's arms. His tongue lolled out of the side of his mouth and he grinned at Edward as if he was laughing. Edward shot the annoying dog a dour look. "What next?" He muttered.
"Now you need to bark. Baby Bear needs to think that you are another dog." Bella read aloud.
"Now you are being ridiculou..." Edward stopped talking when Bella glared at him again. "For goodness sake." He mumbled under his breath as he gave a faint bark.
"Louder." Bella urged him. Edward's jaw flexed as he made another lame attempt at a bark."That's a bit better than the last one but you need to put more effort into it. Bark louder and pant like Bear does with his tongue out."
Edward was about to protest again but he saw Bella tap her foot impatiently. He was just glad that none of his family could see what he was doing right now. Emmet, Jasper and Rosalie would rib him for eternity. He may feel like a fool, but his efforts would pay dividends if he could get the rabid little beast locked up and out from under his feet. That way things could go back to the way they were between him and Bella, without the puppy taking all her attention. He barked loudly, pushing his tongue out of the side of his mouth as he copied the way Bear panted.
"Oh, that's much better." Bella smiled sweetly. "Isn't that better baby Bear." She kissed the puppy's sweet head and he licked her face eagerly.
"What next?" Edward demanded testily. He wanted this over and done with. It sickened him seeing the unhygienic puppy slobbering all over his love.
"Oh, right." Bella kissed Bear absently on the head again as she held up the list in front of her. "Now I've got to lead you toward the crate using some special treats and your favourite toy. Now start barking and panting again."
Edward grimaced as he emitted a deep bark and then panted. Bella had the audacity to pat him on his carefully coiffed hair and praise him for being a good boy. He had never felt so mortified in his life. She held out a ball toward him then threw it in the direction of the crate. He watched it bounce, then roll across the floor. "You don't expect me to chase that do you?" He asked.
"Of course. We need to show Bear what to do." Bella reminded him pointedly. "Now fetch."
Edward was beginning to wonder whether Bella was getting enjoyment out of seeing him act like a fool, but he dismissed that idea. She was too sweet natured and innocent to be so devious. He gritted his teeth as he crawled rapidly across the floor in the direction of the ball. The infernal puppy yipped excitedly in Bella's arms as he continued grinning at Edward with his stupid tongue hanging out of his mouth.
"Now pick the ball up in your mouth and head inside the crate." Bella ordered.
"That's going too far." Edward shook his head in refusal. He could see the wet globs of Bear's saliva on the ball. Bella had actually chosen the pups own toy to demonstrate with.
"Do you want this to work or not?" Bella snapped. "Bear's germs won't kill you. You're a vamp for goodness sake. You can't catch anything."
The things he did for love and to keep his darling girl happy. Edward grimaced as he bent his head down and gingerly picked the ball up between his teeth. Bear was wriggling excitedly in Bella's arms and yipping loudly, setting Edward's nerves on edge. He crawled inside the crate with the disgusting ball in his mouth. Bella threw a few treats in after him, before hunkering down and locking the door.
Edward spat the ball out of his mouth and pushed his fingers through the wire mesh. "It's his turn now." He said sourly.
Bella stood upright and cradled Bear in her arms, scratching him between the ears. "I can't believe you actually thought I would ever put my baby Bear inside a crate just to keep you happy." She said harshly as she cradled the excitable little puppy over her shoulder. She turned her back on him as she walked away to go and get her precious baby something to eat. Bear grinned widely at a disgruntled Edward over her shoulder. The infernal beast looked like he was laughing.
Jacob was literally rolling around on the floor, holding his stomach as he laughed loudly at the phone footage of the bloodsucker acting like a dog and actually crawling into the huge crate he had bought for Bear. He was surprised that the leech had gone along with it. When Bella had confided to him what she was going to do to teach lover boy a lesson, Jacob had told her that the vamp would never fall for it. He was glad to be wrong.
"Oh my god, that was so funny." Jacob sat up and leaned back against Bella's legs. She was sitting on the old couch with Bear draped across her lap. She fondled the dog's ears, smiling. "Wait until the others see this."
"I'm not showing the pack this." Bella cuffed him on the back of the head playfully.
"You don't need to. I won't be able to keep this to myself the next time I phase." Jacob grinned as he reached up and plucked little Bear off Bella's lap and held the adorable puppy in front of him. Bear panted, his tongue lolling out of his mouth as he grinned back at Jacob in delight.
Bella hadn't thought of that. Edward had been acting so pompous that he had driven her to act. He wouldn't be feeling that way anymore. She had sent the footage to Emmet, Rosalie and Jasper. She would love to be a fly on the wall in the Cullen mansion right now. She thought she might feel bad for embarrassing Edward like that, but surprisingly she had no regrets at all. She switched off her cell in case he tried to call her. She wasn't in the mood to prop up his sore ego right now, that's why she had fled to La Push.
Jacob rose to his feet, still carrying Bear. He plopped down next to Bella and settled the little puppy on her lap again. "Want to watch some TV?" He asked.
"Why not?" Bella leaned her head on his shoulder as he grabbed the remote and turned it to her favourite cooking channel.
A/N-thanks for reading!