Author's Note: Dun dun dunnnn. Here's the next chapter! I'm glad that you guys are also interested in Seth's story line, because it's important to the story as well. Enjoy the next chapter, and expect some Bella! ;P
As Jacob got himself ready for work that morning, his routine was interrupted more times than not. With Jasmine wailing all morning, Jay Jay and Hazel going at it like two-year-old beasts, and Leah struggling to control Jas while helping Aaliyah get ready for school, he was needed to assist her. Jasmine had thrown up on his tie, causing him to run into the closet to fetch another one.
While trying to break up one of the fights between Jay Jay and Hazel, Jay popped him in the jaw by accident. He could tell it was going to be swollen by the time he got to work; the baby had a mean punch.
"When is Seth coming to pick them up?" Jacob asked dramatically. Leah narrowed her eyes at him as she rocked Jasmine on her shoulder.
"Whenever he wants to. Now, I can handle them. Go to work," she encouraged, laying the sleeping child across the bed.
"Don't you have school today?" he asked, grabbing his briefcase. She nodded and rubbed her temples. Even though it was officially Halloween morning, that didn't stop their work schedules.
"Yeah, but a friend of mine is going to e-mail my assignments to me. Family comes first," she told him. Jacob could understand that.
"Are we going to take the kids trick or treating tonight?" Jacob wondered. He knew that Leah had already gotten Jay Jay a costume, and Aaliyah had mentioned something about being a ballerina.
"Yeah, and Seth's going to tag along," Leah said, nodding.
"Alright. Don't forget to notify the neighbor and tell her that she won't need to babysit," Jacob reminded. Leah's eyes widened slightly and she reached for the phone.
"Jesus, thanks for reminding me," she said, scrolling through her contacts. Every day, starting at 8 AM, Renesmee would come over and babysit Jay Jay until Leah got home that day around 4.
"That's what I'm here for," he said, walking over to give her a quick kiss. She pressed her lips against his and allowed it to linger until she heard Renesmee's voice over the phone.
"Hey, Ness!" she greeted, cuing Jacob to leave. He waved at her and she waved back, winking at him.
He passed by Jay Jay's playroom and saw him and Hazel napping on the floor, surrounded by puzzle pieces. Aaliyah was patiently waiting on the couch, her backpack and lunch in hand. She was waiting for Leah to drop her off at school.
"Have a good day at school, Liyah," Jacob said, walking over and giving her a kiss on the cheek.
"Okay, uncle! Love you," she said, standing to her feet and wrapping her small arms around his legs. He returned the hug and then turned to leave. With one last wave, he exited the house.
Reluctantly, he entered the Volturi Inc. Apparently, the gossip about the Halloween party hadn't died down yet, and there were a ton of things that Jacob missed out on. Emmett rushed to his side and droned on about how Rosalie got overly drunk and flashed the entire staff, from the waist up.
"Her boobs are like, golden watermelons. And there was word around the staff that two co-workers were in the bathroom fucking around. Sam came out of the bathroom going on and on about a blow-job or something. I went in there to investigate, but no one was in there. I guess it had to have been a quickie," he said quickly, not even caring who heard him. Jacob's stomach sank as he headed for his office.
"Guess so," he responded, his eyes scanning around the firm for Bella. He caught her and Edward strolling out of the staff room, laughing proudly. Bella caught sight of Jacob and their eyes locked together. The horrid memory of Bella's lips all over his body projected vividly into his mind. He looked away out of instinct, entering his office in a hurried manner.
He didn't even finish listening to the rest of Emmett's story as he took a seat behind his desk. He booted his computer to life and took out a folder, browsing through it. Lately, work had begun to pile up on his desk, and before he knew it, he was behind on three cases. There was a lot of work that he had to get done, and at the state that his mind was at, it would never get finished.
As he signed off on the first document, he heard a knock from his door. He did a quick prayer that it wasn't Bella, and told the person to come in. Much to his dismay, it was Bella. He let out a breath and avoided eye contact.
"Anything that I can help you with?" he wondered. Her mouth gaped at his tone, and she nodded slowly.
"Uh, yeah, um, Carlisle is wondering about the Dakota file. He wants to know if you've completed it," she said, her voice light. Jacob narrowed his eyes slightly and looked down at the case that he was examining.
"Let him know that I'll have it done by this afternoon," he said firmly. She nodded and backed up a bit.
"I'll let him know," she said, turning to leave.
"Wait," he said, stopping her abruptly. She turned to him with questioning eyes.
"I thought you weren't my temp anymore," he said, causing her to tug at her lip. She blinked a few times before smiling timidly.
"I'm not. I just happened to be in his office at the time, and he asked me to check up on the case. Is that... an issue?" she asked, her voice light and casual. He stared at her for a few seconds before forcing a smile as well.
"Not at all," he responded. She nodded and turned to leave once again. Suddenly, she snapped her body toward him. He looked up, getting agitated.
"Yes?" he asked. She debated on her words for a minute as she rocked lightly on her heel.
"Look, about the Halloween party..." she began. Jacob's insides threatened to spill out. "I wasn't in my right mind. I had a little too much to drink, and-
"It's fine, Bella. I was drunk, too. I...understand," he said, interrupting her. It was enough to have the memory pop up at random moments, he didn't need to relive it verbally. He was just relieved that she admitted to why she attacked him in the bathroom.
"Are you sure?" she asked quietly. He nodded, and forced another smile. "Thank you," she breathed, a genuine grin plastered on her face. She exited the office swiftly, leaving a great amount of tension in the air.
He hurried through his files, not even taking the proper time to examine them. His focus was completely thrown off, and it made him sick to his stomach.
During his lunch break, he stayed busied up in his office, only stepping out to use the bathroom. Bella and Edward were in Edward's corner, hunched together like they were deep in conversation. Jacob didn't even want to know what all of that was about.
The phone in his office began to ring, but Jacob didn't feel up to answering it. The only two phones that would ring would be Jacob's, and whoever was temping for him. Since Edward obviously wasn't planning on answering it, Jacob frustratedly picked it up.
"Hello?" he asked, rather impatiently.
"Jacob?" Leah asked on the other end. He softened up instantly.
"Hey, baby. I didn't know it was you that was calling," he said, resting his head in his palm.
"It's alright. Guess what Renesmee told me this morning?" she said. Her voice sounded off.
"What?" he asked, afraid to hear the answer.
"She got a job. She works from 7 AM to 6 PM. She can't babysit Jay Jay anymore on the weekdays. What are we supposed to do?" she asked, feeling discouraged. Jacob's mood fell through the roofs at the news.
"Damn, Leah. I don't know right now. Let's talk about it when I get home, okay?" he asked. With his work all out of whack, and now the babysitter being unavailable, he couldn't focus on anything. She sighed on the other end.
"Okay, Jake. See you soon," she responded.
"I love you, Lee," he reassured. He could tell she was highly disappointed.
"Love you too," she responded. He frowned as the phone clicked off, setting it down on the receiver. Not even two seconds later, there was a knock at his door.
"Come in," he said tiredly. Bella stomped in, an excited grin on her face.
"Jacob, I have news that will turn that frown upside down," she said playfully, walking over to take a seat across from him. He parted his lips confusedly.
"What?" he wondered.
"Well, I happened to be at Edward's desk, and he was pretty occupied, so he asked me to answer the phone for him. By the time I got to it, you were already on the phone. I was about to hang up, but I overheard you and, uh, your wife, talking about a babysitter canceling," she said, twisting her hair around on her finger. Jacob's eyes narrowed a bit. She was eavesdropping on his calls? She had a good excuse for it, but it still made him feel a bit uncomfortable.
"Uh... right. What was your news?" he asked, looking out of the window at Edward's desk. Edward was typing around on the computer, a smirk on his face. Jacob grimaced.
"Well, my sister has a best friend who owns a daycare!" she said excitedly. Jacob blew out a breath and shook his head.
"Leah's not too big of a fan of daycare. Too much you gotta go through, they don't watch your kids well enough-
"Oh no, this is definitely one of the best daycare's around. And since you're a friend, I could take care of the paperwork issue. All you gotta do is bring Jay Jay up there and let him meet the teachers and such, he'll be just fine," Bella encouraged. It did sound tempting, and it was probably their final last minute hope, but he would definitely have to talk to Leah about it first.
"I don't know, Bella..." Jacob said quietly.
"I could even take you guys up there myself. Get the paperwork out of the way and everything," she added. Jacob stared at her for a while and sighed.
"I'll talk to my wife. I'll get back to you...later on this afternoon?" he asked. She nodded and stood to her feet.
"Sure thing. My cell number should be logged into the computer in the employee personal information section. I already have yours," she said, turning toward the door. Jacob froze.
"How?" he asked. She turned back to look at him and smiled.
"You gave it to me," she told him. He shook his head and tried to remember.
"I don't recall giving you my cellphone number..." he responded.
"You must have a forgetful memory. You gave it to me at the bar. How could you forget that?" she asked, laughing. Jacob had to have been tipsy, or else he would have remembered. But then again, why would he give her his number? It made no sense.
"Right," he said, dismissing the conversation. Either way, she had it. She didn't make any attempt to contact him, so it couldn't have been that big of a deal. "I'll give you a call."
"Gotcha," she said, exiting the office. He looked down at his piles of paperwork and got to work on the next case.
When he got home that day, it was around 6:30 PM. He brought his work home, intent on completing it. He knew that Leah would be upset that he was bailing on trick-or-treating, but at least he'd be able to pass out candy.
He walked through the door and slammed it after him, walking directly into their bedroom. Leah was laying down with Jasmine resting on her torso, and Hazel and Jay Jay were napping beside her. Jesus, those kids have been asleep all day. He didn't have any idea where Aaliyah was.
Leah looked over at Jacob and half smiled. He waved and sat the papers down on the dresser quietly, watching as Leah got up from the bed. She carefully laid Jasmine on a blanket and walked out into the hall with Jacob.
"I thought Seth was going to come pick the girls up," Jacob said, resting his hand on her waist. She shook her head and let out a breath.
"He's going to come and get them later on tonight, after we take them trick-or-treating," she responded.
"Whatever happened with him and Alicia?" Jacob wondered. Leah wrapped her arms around Jacob and hid her face. He peeked down at her and frowned.
"He followed her to some guys house. Basically caught her swallowing some other guys lips. He was crushed," she said, her voice hoarse and raspy. It took him a second to realize that Leah was crying. He pulled back and wiped some tears that made their way down Leah's cheeks.
"Lee..." he breathed. He didn't even know how to respond to that. Alicia was a very beautiful woman, who seemed very much in love with Seth. Seth was, without a doubt, crazy about her. He could only imagine the thoughts that were going through his head when he found out that the love of his life was cheating on him.
"Years they've been together! Years, Jacob! And she does this to him. To their kids. I spent hours on the phone, talking him out of his crazy thoughts. He doesn't know what to do, Jake," she cried, managing to keep her voice low. Jacob pulled her back up against his chest and smoothed down her back. She began to sob into his chest, muttering things about horrible her brother sounded over the phone. She pulled back abruptly, her lip trembling.
"If it were me..." she warned, her voice hallow and full of hurt. Jacob looked into her eyes and his stomach sunk even further. He thought back on Bella, and seriously debated on whether or not to tell her. He shook his head.
"That would never be you," he whispered, trailing his fingers down her cheek. She sniffed and swallowed thickly.
"Good. Because I don't know what I'd do," she told him, pressing her lips to his neck. His stomach swarmed with guilt and displeasure at her words. Now he knew he couldn't tell her.
"It's me and you, you and I. That's all it'll ever be," Jacob promised. She smiled through her tears and tried to compose herself.
"I hope you won't mind putting on your police costume when we go trick-or-treating tonight," she began. "I'm gonna be a maid. Seth's not coming, he said he needed some time. He'll be by to get the girls tonight though, don't worry."
Jacob's original plan was to stay home and finish his work, but at the state that Leah was in, he couldn't back out on her.
"Of course," he responded, giving her a quick kiss.
"So, I guess I'm gonna miss another day of school tomorrow. The professor won't be happy... I just can't find anyone to watch Jay Jay," she complained. Jacob instantly remembered what Bella had recommended.
"Oh, I forgot to tell you. Um... Bella's friend owns a really nice daycare, and she said that she could get us a good deal for Jay," Jacob said. Just watching the look on Leah's face made Jacob wish that he hadn't even brought it up.
"Bella? What the hell is she even still doing there? I thought Edward was back!" she shouted. Jacob's jaw clenched.
"He is, but Bella still works for the company. Look, it's all we've got. She said that she'd handle all that huge paperwork and everything. She wants to help us," Jacob argued. He knew how naive he must have sounded, but it was true. That really was their last resort. Leah strongly disliked Bella, but their was no other option. If she wanted to make it to school that next day, she'd have to give in.
"Fine. But only until we find another option," she warned. Jacob nodded in agreement, and took out his phone. Leah walked back into the bedroom and began to feed Jasmine her bottle. As Jacob had been told, he scrolled through the employee personal information list. Bella's number wasn't too far down, and he used some fancy app to make the call instantly.
"Babe," Jacob said, getting Leah's attention. She looked up at him with questioning eyes. "I'm about to put Bella on speaker. I just got her number off of the employee website. Feel free to talk to her," he said, as the phone began to ring. Her face looked sour, but she didn't object.
"Hello?" Bella answered. It was silent for a minute before Jacob finally spoke up.
"Hey, Bella. It's me, Jacob. I'm just calling to tell you that I talked to my wife and we're going to agree to let our son attend the daycare until we find another alternative," he said.
"Okay, sounds great! When do you want him to start?" she asked. Jacob looked at Leah and she mouthed the words tomorrow.
"Tomorrow," he responded.
"Just bring Jay Jay up to work tomorrow, and I'll take you guys up there," Bella said enthusiastically. Jacob caught Leah blowing out a huff, a grimace on her face. There were no words for how much Bella got under her skin.
"Thanks, Bella. How nice of you," Leah said, a hence of attitude to her tone. The other end of the phone was silent for a while.
"Leah? I didn't even know you were there. Anyway, no problem at all. Anything to help a friend," she declared. Leah scrunched up her nose and looked at Jacob, forcing a smile. He avoided her stare and cleared his throat.
"See ya tomorrow, Bella. Bye," he said, ready to press the end button.
"Bye, Jake," Bella said cordially. Jacob didn't hesitate to end the call. Leah was giving him the look, and he felt like he was in trouble. Sometimes, he hated how jealous she would get.
"What are you looking at me like that for?" he asked. She shrugged and looked away from him.
"Bye, Jake," she muttered, rocking the baby in her arms. Jacob rolled his eyes and stood to his feet.
"What's the big deal?" he asked. She didn't respond, an unreadable expression on her face.
"That girl likes you, Jacob," she finally whispered, looking up to lock eyes with him. Jacob stiffened up.
"Nah," he managed to get out, shaking his head. Leah laughed once, rising to her feet.
"Believe what you want, but I can tell. Anyone with sense could tell. She doesn't even try to hide it," she said, making her way into the bathroom. Jacob trailed after her, sighing heavily.
"Leah," he called. She continued walking, so he reached for her arm. "Leah," he said firmly. She turned around, resting Jasmine in her other arm.
"What?" she asked quietly. He tilted her chin up slowly, looking deep into her eyes.
"Do you trust me?" he whispered. It took her a second to respond, but she nodded with assurance. He slowly pressed his lips against hers and pulled away, watching as the hint of a smile traced her lips. "Then you have nothing to worry about." she finally allowed her smile to break through, shaking off her earlier thoughts.
"Maybe I am overreacting," she finally admitted. You have no idea, he thought.
"It's gonna get dark soon," he said, changing the subject. "We should get the kids up so we can take them trick-or-treating."
"Good idea," she agreed, their conversation being long gone.
After a good two hours of making their way around their humungous neighborhood, they had enough candy to fill up two large trash bags. Leah took a majority of Jay Jay's candy and tossed it in the trash bin, but Jacob saved it for himself. She didn't want Jay Jay's teeth being rotted out by Halloween candy, so she chose a select few that he could eat overtime.
As they all sat on the living room carpet, a Disney Halloween movie playing in the background, the doorbell rang. Leah rose to her feet to answer the door, already knowing who to expect.
She swung the door open, and came face to face with a red eyed Seth. He was eagerly trying to hide the fact that he had been crying earlier, but it was as clear as day. Leah engulfed him in a hug, squeezing him with every bit of love that she had for him. She pulled back and trailed her hand down the side of his face.
"Where is she?" she whispered. Seth shrugged and shook his head.
"When I caught her with that guy, I told her to stay there. I didn't want her to come back. When I went home, a part of me was hoping that she'd actually come home, just to plead for forgiveness or something. I haven't even heard from her since the encounter," he whispered, keeping his voice low. Leah shook her head and bit her lip. Seconds later, little footsteps came running toward them.
"Daddy!" Aaliyah shouted, running into his arms. He hoisted her on his hip and kissed both of her cheeks. She looked at him excitedly before frowning.
"You okay, daddy?" she asked, her innocent voice surprised at the sight of her father. He looked to Leah and back at his daughter, nodding reassuringly.
"Daddy's gonna be okay," he promised. She smiled widely and wrapped her arms around his neck.
"I've missed you!" she said frantically.
"I've missed you too, baby. Go get your bag together," he told her, setting her down on her feet. She ran toward the guest room, leaving the two to speak.
"So...what now?" Leah wondered. Seth sighed heavily before looking into her eyes.
"I'm gonna go get them tested," he confessed. Leah's jaw dropped.
"Don't you think that's a little... extreme? Those kids look every bit of you," Leah told him. His jaw clenched, and his face began to turn beet red.
"Alicia was fucking cheating on me, Leah! How am I supposed to know if anything is real? I'm getting them tested and I don't give a damn what anyone thinks of that," he declared.
"What are you gonna tell them when they ask what's going on while they're getting a needle plunged into their arm?" she snapped.
"I don't know," he whispered harshly, his eyes watering. Leah felt horrible for her younger brother. "I just... I need to know, Leah. I won't be able to think about anything else without knowing."
Jacob appeared behind them, having overheard the last bit of the conversation. Seth looked over at him and nodded his head in acknowledgment, and Jacob gave him a sad smile.
Seeing what Seth was going through made Jacob feel a great deal of sympathy, and he was just grateful that something like that would never happen to him and Leah... he hoped.
Author's Note: Sooo, poor Seth. :( And Lee is starting to get a bit suspicious, uh-oh. :O But, I'd love it if you guys followed me on Twitter and took in all of my craziness, so follow me and I'll follow back! AshleyMocha12 . Don't forget to review. :D