Disclaimer: All Characters associated with Twilight are not mine but belong to Ms. Stephanie Meyers, I've just borrowed them for the time being and am giving a certain character a life she should have chosen, I make nothing from this.
A/N: There seems to have been a bit of confusion in the last chapter. The portion of the chapter that took place on First Beach was a dream/nightmare. It's a dream that Bella has had repeatedly since the birth of her children. It is a culmination of her strongest fears. No Jacob hasn't imprinted during her absence.
Ch. 8
What Manner of Hell is This
I stood waiting for Sam. Waiting for him to move, to blink to speak, yet he did nothing. He had confusion written across his face which only served to confuse me and make me panic more. He continued to stare at me quizzically as if looking at me would answer his questions but right now I was the one with the questions. I was for sure when I seen him at my door that he was here to tell me Victoria had arrived and that the babies and I were in imminent danger. I needed him to say something either to confirm or assuage my fears.
"Sam?" I squeaked out. Though I wanted to hear what he had to say I feared it.
"Bella do you mind if I come in?" He gestured through the door behind me. I numbly nodded my head and turned. I debated for a second in I wanted to be in the living room or the kitchen. I realized if he was going to tell me Victoria was here I there was a good chance I might fall apart a bit and I didn't want to do that in front of my daughters as much as I wanted to be near them right now. I marched to the kitchen table and took a seat while I waited for Sam to follow me in and explain why he was here.
"Why…What brings you by so early Sam?" I tried to cover my panic with an air of nonchalance. I don't think it worked because he raised an eyebrow at me.
"Yesterday when Emily and Rachel came back they told me they were taking you shopping today because you left pretty much everything back in your apartment when you left so now you need clothes and the babies need things too, is that right?" He asked in a calm voice, his voice and now calm visage didn't explain why he was so confused when I first opened the door. He was here because I left my stuff in California?
"What, seriously, you come here and then say nothing, the look on your face scares the hell out of me and you tell me you're here because I'm going shopping?" I ask incredulously and somewhat furious.
"Bella if Victoria were near I wouldn't have knocked and I wouldn't have been the barging member of the pack either. Whomever was on patrol would have barged in grabbed you and the babies and high tailed it to La Push without explanation. So please worry less. We haven't caught her scent yet so were safe, you're safe, and the babies are safe. Though I was thinking that until she's caught it would be better for you if you spent the majority of your time down in La Push because it's a tad bit easier to watch you when there are ten wolves watching out for you instead of the two we have on patrol." He finished but never answered me as to why he was here.
"Okay so no Victoria then why are you here Sam?" I asked exasperated and very impatient.
"Oh Bella, you always get to the point." Sam chuckled. "I was informed you have left everything you own in your apartment, things you want and need and I assume you have no way to get those things in your current predicament, am I correct?" His voice filled with a conciliatory tone.
"Yes but I don't have the funds to have it shipped back here." I was still confused why my stuff would bring him here when he could have asked this over the phone.
"Okay then, I need your apartment keys, and the address to that apartment and a list of everything that has to stay in that apartment." His alpha timbre leaking out into the orders he gave me. I rolled my eyes because we both knew it wouldn't work on me.
"I'll humor you with your little Alpha order, why do you need those things?"
"Well, I'm thinking since you can't go back to get your things, not that anyone here would let you, I thought that I would send someone to go clean out your apartment and bring all of it back, that way you save money, you won't have to lose all your possessions, you and the babies stay here where we can keep an eye on you and you won't have to worry about things back there anymore." He finished of matter-of-factly and I hated how right he was.
"Fine, I can see there is no point in arguing with you on this, though I would like to say that this is not needed, and you shouldn't have to order anyone to go if they don't want to." I conceited defeat, he was right, I did need the things I left back in California but the idea of one of the wolves packing up all my unmentionables left much to be desired but then again I had already come to terms with all of them seeing me naked at one point or another in Jacob's mind, why would seeing such things even faze them.
I walked to the diaper bag and pulled my keys out of my purse, pulled my apartment keys off and walked back to Sam and handed them to him and pointedly ignored the large grin he wore from having won me over without me complaining.
"Now this is new for you, I think it is the first time I wanted you to do something and you did it without arguing back. I'm shocked what has happened to the Bella I know and love."He said in a mock appalled voice.
"Ugh. You know I hate you right?" I huffed.
"Oh Bells, I hate you too, though I did expect more of a fight with you, I haven't seen you do a good foot stomping protest in months and was really looking forward to it." He said shaking with silent chuckles, probably remembering the last time I did that; I could see his eyes filled with mirth. I huffed in annoyance which only served to cause him to laugh out loud.
"Hardy har har, I'm glad you think so highly of me, you know I don't stomp my feet anymore." I said a bit put out but still fighting a small smile.
Suddenly the light mood shifted and a darker look filled Sam's face.
"Emily told me that your talk with Jacob didn't go so well, and Rachel and she suspected that um he told you about his time away. She said Charlie thought you looked like you did the day I found you. Are you okay?" I could see in his eyes he was remembering that day, the day he said he couldn't help but become a little protective of me.
"Why does everybody keep asking me that question? Yeah he told me some, more like yelled it but I needed to hear what I did to him…I couldn't…I didn't want to believe he was in that much torment. I'm not the one who was hurt, I did the hurting, you should be yelling at me for hurting him. And to answer your question, no, I'm not okay, I betrayed the man I love for what now seems like stupid reasons." I was fighting tears but I wasn't going to let them fall, today I was going to forget about yesterday and just have fun with my closest friends and revel in a stress free, confrontation free day.
"I don't want to ask, I don't really think I want to know, but I need to know, was it as bad as he said it was or was he editing it? Was it really that bad?" I asked extremely hesitantly because I didn't know how I would handle it if he said it was worse, I wasn't even coming to terms with what he told me, why did I want to add to it before I could process what I had heard first. Maybe hearing it from someone other than Jacob would make it easier to process, or hearing it without the gut wrenching pain laced in every word would get me to deal with what I had done and begin to make amends.
"I don't know." He said his eyebrows pulled together in thought. How could it be he didn't know if what Jacob said about being alpha ordered to remain human? Before I could think further he interrupted my thoughts. "Jake hasn't phased since you left my house the first night you returned. He's doing his patrols in human form and he refuses to speak to any of us. Whatever has happened between the two of you since your return is completely between the two of you. So I don't know if it was worse than what you were told. All I can tell you is that the first few weeks after you left were really bad and then he went wolf so it got a little better for everyone here after a while I felt he had been gone long enough and I ordered him to come back. I'm not going to lie to you Bells, but he's been pretty tore up from the moment he realized you ran and weren't coming back. His thoughts were dark and even though we can't hear his thoughts now that you're back and he's met his daughters it looks as if a weight has been lifted off of him."
Before I could even think about what he said or respond to him I heard the front door being whipped open. I jumped.
"Okay we've patiently waited the time you allotted and now I'm done waiting. I've got me some babies to meet, a girl to chew out, some money to blow, some clothes to force on a poor defenseless mother and a day to kill quit your yammering and let's get cracking." Kim yelled from the foyer and then quickly albeit loudly stomped into the kitchen right up to me. She looked down on me sternly arms crossed across her chest and then she cocked her hip and raised her eyebrows expectantly, for what I had no clue.
I stood slowly my eyes never leaving Kim's her expression remained fierce and her eyes hardened. I held my breath and waited for her to start on me, to finally have someone yell at me the way I was supposed to be yelled at. To have someone release the vitriol they held for me leaving. Just when I expected her to pounce she surprised me. Kim whipped her arms around me and hugged me in what could only be considered a wolf hug. The breath I had been holding whooshed out of me but the fierceness of her hug left me unable to draw a needed breath.
"Kim let her go she needs to breathe, she's starting to turn blue." Sam admonished. Thankfully she relented and I was able to draw in much needed air.
"I…I…" I was trying to speak between deep breaths but before I could continue she but in pointing her finger at me.
"You don't get to speak right now, you get to listen." I dutifully nodded my head and remained quiet to hear what she wanted to say to me. "What in god's name where you thinking leaving like that, I should smack you upside your pretty little head and then try to see if I can shake some sense into you but I know that won't do any good cause you already left. You will not do anything like that again you hear me; if you do I will drag you back here by pretty little curly hair. Now show me my nieces." She ended and I just nodded and walked into the living room, Rachel and Emily where still standing in the foyer fighting smiles on their faces, I had a feeling they had wanted to say something similar to me yesterday but had refrained.
I sat on the couch and watched as Kim and then Sam came to sit in the living room. Guess he wanted to meet the babies too. I spent the next twenty minutes introducing the girls to basically their aunt and uncle. They were both enamored with the girls.
"Ok, I've chewed you out and met your babies now we have money to blow and lots of clothes to try on you and these two little girls even if it takes us the whole damn day, no hop to and get your ass out the door." Kim ordered. "Sam you're driving." Wait what?
"How's that going to work my car only holds six and if Sam is coming, why is Sam coming?" I was confused there was no way all seven of us were fitting in my car especially if one was an alpha wolf, he took up to much damn room.
"I'm coming because there are three imprints, two wolf babies and a woman whose life is at stake against a sadistic vampire going on this shopping trip and there is no way you're all going without a wolf and there were only three wolves willing to go on this shopping excursion. Two of which are currently on patrol right now so that left me, so now I'm the one who's going with you bunch and were taking Kim's parents SUV that way we don't have to take two vehicles."
I nodded my head in agreement and made my way out to my car to pull the bases out to place in the SUV. I placed them in the middle row because I knew that they would be too much of a hassle if I placed them in the third row. I didn't even want to imagine the problems that would occur if they were in the third row and I had to pull the carriers over the middle seat. Once the bases were securely buckled in I went back into the house to grab the babies and the diaper bag.
Walking into the living room I noticed that all four were bent down over the babies cooing happily, instead of grabbing the babies I made my way to Charlie's recliner to sit and watch them interact with the babies, only Sam seemed to notice my entrance. When Rachel started talking to them in baby talk I snorted. Who knew gruff Rachel could speak so sweetly. She looked up and gave me a withering glare followed by a smile.
"Are we ready to commence the torture or are you guys just going to stare at them the whole day because we all know what I would choose?" I asked not sure I really wanted to go shopping but knowing if I didn't I would have to wash the two outfits I wasn't wearing so I could re-wear them tomorrow not something I wanted to do. Sam's idea to go get my things was looking better and better.
"Okay lets go, Bella do you have everything you need for the babies packed?" Emily asked.
"Yeah, I had everything ready to go before you got here, they've been fed and changed so they won't need to eat for a while, and I already moved the carrier bases to the SUV so all I have to do is put them in and I'm ready." I said as I stood and grabbed the diaper bag and made my way to pick up the babies. Before I could grab either one of the carriers Sam grabbed them both and we all made our way outside where I locked the front door.
Kim and Rachel climbed into the third row while I helped Sam place the carriers correctly and then sat next to the babies. Emily and Sam climbed into the front with Sam driving. He backed out of my driveway and we began our day of shopping. I felt like we were traveling to Hades, the highway my river Styx.
I must have fallen asleep not long after we left Forks; I awoke just as we were arriving in Port Angeles. I glanced over at the babies and noticed they were intently staring at Rachel and Kim who were making faces at them. I just smiled at them and turned my attention to the road ahead to try and figure out where we were.
"You guys where are we heading first?" I was hoping that it wasn't the mall; I really didn't feel like carrying the babies around the mall all day because I didn't have a stroller to use.
"Shit." I exclaimed and then I was slightly abashed for swearing in front of my children, not that they understood me but I needed to curb the habit I learned from the wolves before they did.
"What's wrong did you see something, forget something…?" I interrupted Sam before he could panic properly.
"No, none of those things I just remembered that we will probably go to the mall and I don't have a stroller for the babies and we are going to get tired of carrying them."
"Well do you have one and you just forgot it, or is it wherever you were, where were you anyway, or do you just not have one?" Kim asked
"I was in southern California and no I never had the need for on so I didn't spend the money on one, I carried them from apartment to car, car to daycare or car to doctor, but now that I'm here I can see I'm going to need one for at least walking around the res."
"Okay, first stop Baby's Я Us® then discount stores and then the mall." Emily supplied happily, Sam and I groaned, at least I wasn't the only one who was dreading today.
"Shut it you two." Emily scolded as Sam made his way to the first store.
Once Sam parked I climbed out and began to take the carriers out while Sam summarily took them from me, I gave him a questioning look.
"It's easier for me to carry them till you get a stroller; my arms won't get tired from the weight like your arms will, and that way you have your arms free to shop." I nodded in acceptance and then grabbed the diaper bag. I intended to stay close to Sam and the babies; sure that he had no clue what to do if they cried but as soon as we walked through the entrance my arms were grabbed by Rachel and Kim and whisked away to the stroller aisle. Where Sam and Emily ended up I wasn't quite sure but my attention was currently occupied on twin strollers. While I was focused on price, both Kim and Rachel were looking at all the gadgets they came with.
After looking at the entire twin stroller section I had picked one and so had they but they greatly differed in price. The one I picked was a very economical one-twenty while theirs was a whopping three-fifty. My eyes nearly bugged out of my head, there was no way I could afford that even if I had a job.
"You guys there is no way I can afford that, how about this one?" I knew they were going to protest my choice, if I really admitted it my choice wasn't the best and it didn't serve all the needs the others did.
"Do you want that one Bells really want it, nope didn't think so." Rachel said after seeing my downcast eyes. Sometimes I hated that she could read me almost as well as Jake and Billy. I swear the Blacks printed a Bella manual.
"And you don't have to buy it, we are." Kim said fervently.
"No you're not, they are my children and I'm the one that needs a stroller not you, there is no way I can allow you guys to spend your money on my things." I wasn't going to use my friends for their money.
"Well, look at it this way, if you'd been here we would have thrown you a baby shower and you'd have received these things then, so now you're just getting them today, so no complaining when we buy you things." And with that Rachel shut up my complaining by making me feel like shit for leaving.
"Fine but I don't need that expensive one."
"How about this one Bella?" Sam asked from behind me still carrying my daughters with a million watt smile on his face. I turned to look at the stroller he was trying to point at with full hands. It was much more than the one I had picked but also much less than the one the girls picked. It had everything I wanted and needed and it sort of matched the carriers I had.
"That's the one." I said happily. Rachel had grabbed store personal to help with the stroller since we had no tools to put it together and we needed it today. They quickly took out pick and came back with our assembled stroller. Sam promptly placed the carriers in their spots and I placed the diaper bag in its compartment. Then I was pulled down to the next aisle where I noted that Emily had a cart and was throwing things in blindly. I groaned loudly for several reasons, one I knew they weren't going to let me pay for any of this stuff and two, I had no clue if she was getting anything in the right size and I didn't want to tell her she was getting anything wrong. Almost as if she had heard my thoughts she brought up that topic.
"Okay Bella I want you to look over everything in this cart and see if you need or want it and if the sizes are right if not hand it to me and I'll either get the right size or put it back all together." Emily said handing me multiple packages of onesies of different sizes. Knowing I couldn't have enough of those I picked out the correct sizes and a few that were slightly larger than what they were wearing now for the future.
We spent forever at Babies Я Us® and I don't even want to know the money that those three women spent on me. I tried not feeling guilty because if I showed it I would be royally chewed out, but I couldn't help it. They had gotten me tons of things I needed and was going to need in the future like teething rings and larger bottles. After the baby store Sam's stomach as well as my babies' stomachs decided that is was time for lunch.
We stopped for lunch at a small restaurant near the discount stores. I have to say the stroller was really going to come in handy with table room. I no longer needed more table or chair room for the carriers and I could sit at the end of the table with the stroller next to me and take care of all their needs.
I knew I missed my friends when I was gone, the ability to vent with them, to joke, to talk about nothing, but nothing reminded me of that more than sitting with them at lunch. The oppressive atmosphere I had been under since I had returned lightened in their presence. Not one depressing thought had entered my mind since we had sat down. I was able to laugh freely without watching my words, making sure I didn't mention my absence. Sam and Rachel had me crying with laughter talking about their teen years on the res. with Emily joining as well. I told them some of my more frantic mother moments with dirty diapers that seemed to be messier than my little babies should have been able to produce, or changing them and they peed all over me. Much of the stress I had been under for the past seven months was gone for the moment and I took that moment to take deep lung full's of needed breath.
After feeding the babies and changing them, which Emily made Sam do as an uncle duty, I didn't quite understand that but seeing him look so uncomfortable was quite enjoyable. We made our way to a second hand store where I was pushed into a changing room and handed clothes to try on. I spent the next hour or two in varying states of undress and redress as Emily, Rachel and Kim approved or disproved of clothing choices and every time I complained they told me to can it. I shut up after that and let them do what they wanted, while Sam was once again on baby duty.
We left the discount store with bags of Forks appropriate clothes for me and even some for the girls for when they were a bit bigger. Sam then drove us to the mall where we all climbed out and the three torturers' discussed more plans for my discomfort. Sam shot me an apologetic glance before we entered. While the sign above the door said 'Port Angeles Mall', I thought it should read, 'Abandon all hope, ye who enter here,' like Dante's has over the entrance to hell.
I was again stuffed into the changing room where clothes were thrown at me to try on. Only now the comfortable jeans, tees and sweaters from the second hand store were replaced by slacks, blouses and (shutter) dresses and skirts. After they had amassed a gargantuan pile of bottoms they were working on tops and dresses. I was trying on this really beautiful (if I didn't have to wear it) deep violet dress. It was a halter style dress with a high neck in front and began mid back. It had a slight empire cut that thankfully hid the remainder of my post pregnancy weight. Sadly I didn't mind it too much, I had no clue where I'd wear it but that hadn't stopped them from the beginning.
I made my way out of the changing room and waited for the verdict. Before a word was spoken Rachel handed me a pony tail and told me to put my hair up. I kindly granted her request and then did a twirl for them to get the full effect. I didn't expect the reaction I got.
"What in holy hell is that Isabella Marie Swan?" Rachel all but yelled at me. Confused I looked down at the dress to see if there was something wrong with it, noticing nothing I raised my questioning eyes to the three who were staring at me slack jawed and then Sam rushing to see what the commotion was.
"What's what?" I asked
"That thing on your back, what is it?" Kim asked faintly kinder than Rachel. I turned to the mirror to try to see my back when I heard Sam draw a breath in.
"Is there something wrong with the dress, I thought you might like it?" I asked confused because I had seen nothing on my back.
"I don't give a rat's ass about the dress right now Bella. What Is That?" Rachel again asked as she marched up to me and placed her finger on my middle to upper back and then in dawned on me what they were looking at.
"It's a tattoo." I answered simply.
"No shit Sherlock, what the hell is it?" With a heavy sigh I told them.
"It's a black swan in a tribal design, there is a wolf in the design at the center of the swan and silver bells around the neck of the swan. Below is the birth date of the girls with their initials on either side of the date."
"When and why did you get it?" Emily asked
"I got it a week after the babies were born, I couldn't get it if I was breast feeding and at the time they hadn't gone on my milk yet except for the first two days. I had wanted to get it done when I was pregnant but it wasn't safe so I waited. The tattoo represents my daughter's family and who they are. They are Black's and they are Swan's. The wolf represents their father while the bells their mother and the tribal design represents their Quileute heritage." I need a reminder of why I did what I did after they were born and this was it. I did it for the love of their father and them. Even alone I carried him with me. So what about the dress?" I casually try to change the subject.
"Well I like the tattoo and the dress, I say you get it." Kim announces. While the others stayed quiet on the matter.
"Do you have anything else for me to try on? Hey Sam can you go to the food court and get me a glass of hot water to warm the bottles with, please?" I knew the babies were probably getting hungry and I had no clue how much longer we were going to be, though I was feeling the need to pump. Sam took off to find me the water while Rachel handed me several more shirts to try on. While Sam was away Emily brought me several pairs of under clothes to pick out which I did begrudgingly and then she went back to grab several more of the corresponding size.
When the clothes were done I was placed in the shoe department and I stopped trying to be cordial to my friends. I had spent way too much time doing something I hated and to make matters worse almost all choice was placed in their hands. This felt suspiciously like Bella Barbie. I quit trying on shoes when Sam returned with the water and I warmed the bottles. I took my time feeding the babies and then when I noticed they needed to be changed I grabbed the diaper bag and began pushing the stroller towards the restroom. Rachel stopped me.
"Where do you think you're going missy, sit your tiny hinny down and I'll go change the girls."
I growled and stomped back to the chairs where Emily and Kim had three more pairs each for me to try on.
"Guys why are you making me try on so much stuff, there is no way Paul and Jared will be happy with the money you're spending, especially on me and I know you don't have this money laying around, and for the record I'm paying for what we get here because I already feel awful for what you've spent." I whined and stomped my foot which made Sam burst out laughing and said something that suspiciously sounded like 'thought you didn't stomp your feet anymore, huh.' I really did want to know why they were doing this, first off I didn't deserve it and second we had never bought this much stuff ever on one shopping trip, combined. They chose to ignore my question and comment and motioned for me to take a seat and continue with shoe shopping.
When they had finished the foot and clothes torture the finally announced we were done for the day and we could head back. I jumped for joy and followed Emily and Kim up to the register scared to find out what I was going to be spending. Reaching in the diaper bag for my purse only to notice it was gone. Panicking, I looked all around the stroller for it and then was making my way back to the chairs we were at to see if it was there. Finding nothing I made my way back to the girls to see Kim paying for my things and Rachel holding my purse with a cocky smirk on her face.
"Damn it Rachel and Kim I said I wanted to get what I got here, why won't you let me buy my own clothes?" I asked thoroughly frustrated.
"We were told to make sure you didn't spend a dime today; and to make sure you got everything you needed, not that we weren't intending to do that already." Rachel indulged but remained vague.
"By whom?"
"Let's just say by several generous benefactors as well as Kim, Emily, Sam and I." Still remaining vague but I knew I wasn't going to find out from her.
We made our way out of the mall (hell) and out to the SUV where the purchases and the stroller were placed in the back and then the babies set in the bases. The rest then climbed in the vehicle and we made our way out of Port Angeles. I was exhausted. Shopping had taken it all out of me and I quickly succumbed to sleep listening to the lull of the tires on the highway.
I woke with my head facing the babies, they were still asleep. I twisted so I was sitting properly and noticed we were no longer on the road to Forks, that we had passed Forks a little while ago. I was nervous about what was going on.
"Guys where are we going?" I asked already knowing where we were heading but hoping against hope that it wasn't true.
"You'll see." Was Sam's reply.
I anxiously waited for us to arrive at their intended destination knowing I had no way of getting out of this. I wanted to put off nothing more then what they had tricked me into; I wished I had driven my own car.
"Guys I don't think this is such a good idea, I mean I don't think he really wants to see me right now."
"Well it's a good thing that he and Seth are on patrol then, he doesn't have to decide yet if he's ready to see you." Sam supplied.
We pulled in the drive and I affixed my eyes to the house in front of me. It looked suspiciously empty but I wasn't convinced. There was no way they would bring me back to an empty house, no that house was probably busting the seams on the inside. Full of people who should hate me and most likely do. To say I was nervous was an understatement.
After Sam parked the vehicle he turned to smile at me and I sent him a sneering glare meant to show I was not happy with this little deceit. Emily and Sam climbed out of the front while I stubbornly remained sitting, refusing to walk into their house and greet the pack and all their anger. Before I could put in a good petulant effort the door next to me was ripped wide open and I was unbuckled and pulled out before I could blink or breathe. I was then pulled into a rib cracking hug and spun around.
"Hey, can't…br…ea…the." I choked out to my unknown attacker. I was placed on my feet and I looked at a smiling cheerful Embry who was practically vibrating. Before I could say anything I was hoisted up into another set of arms and given the same treatment. I was set down again and now standing in front of me were two grinning werewolves.
"God I missed you Belly Bear." Quil spoke happily.
"I hate that nickname Quil, why do you insist on still using it." I growled out and he smiled. Embry came up to me and threw an arm over my shoulder.
"You know Bee that things haven't been the same since you left, life is just so boring. I mean I haven't had a good chase in months and you come racing back here and I'm avidly looking forward to good ole' vamp chase. You just bring the fun girly."
"I'm glad I could be a source of entertainment for you Embers, and I missed you too." With that he ruffled my hair.
"Aww Bee we missed you for other reasons too like the dinners you made and desserts, and your cookies, I really missed your cookies. Now what I want to do now is meet your rugrats." Embry said smiling broadly at me. I was wanted to know how he could be so nice to me. Of everyone in the pack he had the most reason next to Jacob to hate me. He knew what it was like to grow up without a father, to have that special connection denied him by his mother. The very thing I had done to my daughters, yet here he was treating me like I had been gone on an extended vacation when I had betrayed his best friend. I couldn't wrap my brain around the fact that no one was treating me how I deserved to be treated.
I moved to the door I had been pulled out of and grabbed the diaper bag and one carrier and then moved to the other side of the vehicle to pull the other carrier out. I then made my way to the house as I reached the stairs I heard two low growls behind me. I whipped my head around to see what had set Embry and Quil off, I noticed their eyes were firmly fixed on the house. I threw them a questioning glance and they moved closer to me but continued to follow me inside.
Once inside I knew why they were growling. Leah was throwing a tantrum and only once inside could I hear what she was saying.
"This is just rich; first I'm forced to protect her ass, again. But now I'm forced to sit at this party for her little bastards. Hasn't she caused us all enough trouble? First she wrangles in Jacob and uses him then the whole damn pack. She gets knocked up and runs away like a scared little girl and destroys our brother and pulls the rest of the pack down a god damned black hole. Now she's back and we're throwing her little mutt's a party. This is so fucked up." She spat out at Emily and Sam. I had frozen the moment I heard her voice. Her hatred towards me didn't bother me any, it was no different than before I left but her hurtful spiteful words towards my daughters had me fuming.
"If you don't want to be here then leave. I'm not forcing you to stay and be in their presence if you don't want to be, but I will not stand here and let you speak badly about them. Get over yourself and leave if it's too much of a problem for you."
"Who are you to tell me to leave; no one wants you here so you leave get out and don't come back. I'm sure it would do us all some good to be free of you leech, cause god knows your nothing better than the soulless bloodsucker chasing after you."
"Well as I was the one forced to come here without my knowledge or consent and I have no way to get back to Forks it's a little hard for me to leave. But if you want it that badly I'll walk my ass to Billy's." With that I tried to make my way out the door but was stopped by Embry and Quil blocking the door and shaking their heads at me. I huffed indignantly.
"Leah, if you don't want to be here then go." Sam ordered.
"God I don't understand how you lot can forgive her so easily, it makes me sick." She yelled as she marched out the back door.
"Sorry Bella, I didn't think she would go off like that. I…" Sam trailed off.
"Sam, I didn't expect her to react any differently than she did, I'm used to that by now, I just didn't like the way she spoke about my children, I shouldn't have asked her to leave like that it's not my place." I said lamely.
"Oh I can't wait till Jake sees how she went off like that, he's going to tear her a new one and then some." Quil said happily.
"Emily where would you like me to put them, so everyone can meet them?"
"Just go to the living room Bella, I'm going to get started on dinner." Emily answered and I made my way to the couch.
Once I was sitting I finally looked around at who was all here. It seemed that everyone besides Jacob, Seth and Leah were now present in the Uley house. Jared was sitting in an arm chair off the far end of the couch with Kim happily in his lap. He looked slightly uncomfortable, probably from my presence. Paul sat in the far chair at the dining table with Rachel next to him. He looked how he normally looked around me, indifferent, but I could see silent fury in his eyes. Collin and Brady were sitting with their backs against the wall near the television talking under their breath to one another. Quil and Embry had moved to sit on each side of me. I placed the carriers on the floor in front of me and reached down to pick up Juliana and I handed her to Quil, who I sadly knew had better experience with young children. I then grabbed Charlotte and handed her carefully to Embry. He was almost as careful as Jake had been. Once the babies were out of the carriers and in full view for the wolves they all perked up to see.
"They're so tiny." Embry remarked.
"Well their twins so they couldn't grow as big as one baby could and they were also born early. It doesn't help matters that you guys have enormous hands either."
"Are you going to introduce us or do we just stare at them?" Quil asked. And so I introduced my daughters to their father's best friends and pack mates. The girls were passed around from wolf to wolf. Each one stared at the baby in his arms. It looked as if they were bonding with the babies much like wolves in the wild bond with the cubs in their pack; it was really interesting to watch.
After the introductions were over I grabbed one baby and a blanket from the diaper bag and made my way to the kitchen. I sat on a chair at the island, threw the blanket over myself and began to breast feed. I decided that since I couldn't pump any time soon so the four bottles I had left I would need for tonight, I needed to breast feed. When my daughter had her fill I covered up and went to go get the other to feed her. While I was feeding her Emily stopped cooking to talk to me.
"I know you have a lot of your mind right now but do you remember a conversation we had back in October or November about what you wanted to do for your career? About what the boys suggested we do?" Emily asked.
"You mean about us cooking for a living?" I asked to clarify. As my baby finished eating; I covered up. I walked back into the living room and handed her back to a cheerful Embry, he really liked holding the babies.
"Yeah that's what I'm talking about, did you ever think about it, consider it?" Emily asked me somewhat timidly after I returned to the kitchen, now to help her with supper.
"When they brought it up I thought about it and every once in a while when I was away I would imagine what it would have been like if I had stayed and we had done it."
"Are you still interested in the idea, would you consider doing it now?" That shocked me, we hadn't brought this up since the boys had suggested it after a bonfire we had at the end of October. I hadn't given it serious consideration because I thought that path was lost the moment I left.
"How would it work? I have no money, no experience in restaurants and I have two babies to support so I'm going to have to find a job to do that and not only that but…" Emily interrupted me.
"Bella, this would be your job, and we talked about employing the pack because it's hard for them to get traditional jobs so you'd be protected at work. And yeah, we both don't have experience in traditional restaurant work but we both have cooked meals for bonfires and the pack. We're used to big productions. If we do this it will bring income in to everyone and make it easier for you to provide for your girls. The money thing we'll figure out." She explained. I was amazed.
"You've thought about this a lot haven't you, more than just an idea?"
"Yeah, I mean other than feeding these wolves and taking care of this house I have no other work. Sam can't get a full time job because the demands of the pack prevent him from doing so. The option of running a business gives everyone involved flexible schedules and constant income which will help with the food bills. I've found a few suitable buildings here in La Push and also in Forks."
"Wow." It was all I could say. Before I could ask more questions or reply to her thoughts Charlie, Sue and Billy came through the door. What the hell was everyone doing here; didn't Leah say something about a party?
"Emily why is everyone here, and what did Leah mean about a party?"
"Well…um." A squeal interrupted her answer.
"Bewwa?" A very excited Claire squealed from Quil's arms. Where had she been? He placed her on the ground and she ran to me. I picked her up and she squeezed me around my neck.
"Whewe wewe you? I missed you." Claire said.
"I missed you too sweetie, I was away."
"What did you do?"
"I had babies." I answered and her eyes lit up.
"Babies? Whewe awe they?
"They are in the living room, how about Quil brings you to them." I supplied as she gave me a peck on the cheek and I then handed her to Quil.
"So what about this party?" I again asked Emily.
"Well yesterday at lunch you said that the babies turned two months today and since the pack had yet to meet the girls, me and Emily thought that it would be a good idea to get the pack together and meet the babies today." She said as she set the table with all the food that was made. Then she turned and called everyone to dinner.
I returned to the living room to change the babies and then place them in their carriers. Once they were both in the carriers I brought them to the table so I could eat as well. Everyone chatted idly on matters of little importance as they ate; the atmosphere was light and enjoyable.
"Bella remember to write down the address to your apartment and the items that need to stay there." Sam said as he handed me a sheet of paper and pen while I finished eating. I wrote down all the pertinent information and handed it back to him. He nodded and handed it to Embry.
"So Embers is going, why?" I asked.
"He volunteered along with Seth, it worked best for them since Quil has to watch Claire, Collin and Brady are too young and the others have other duties they can't leave." Sam supplied while looking at Rachel and Kim. The other duties were that the imprinted wolves couldn't leave. It was just easier for Embry and Seth to leave. Sam just couldn't say that because Charlie was in the room.
"Well thank you Embry and please pass my thanks on to Seth when you see him. Do you know when you're leaving?" I asked as I turned my attention to him.
"I'm thinking tomorrow morning would be the best time, we'll head straight down there, pack everything up and head straight back. I'm thinking that it should only take us three to four days."
After supper I moved to the living room with Embry, Quil, Sue, Billy and Charlie to watch a movie while Rachel, Kim, Emily and Sam cleaned up dinner. I sat in between Embry and Quil with the babies at my feet. I can't remember what movie that was put in as I curled up next to Embry and laid my head on his shoulder and soon succumbed to sleep.
I awoke much later lying down in my bed very confused at how I got there and sweltering again. I idly wondered if Charlie left the heat on and didn't know it. I glanced at my alarm clock and it read two a.m. That meant I had been asleep nearly six hours. I made my way down stairs to check on the babies. On the couch once again was Charlie sleeping. Both my girls were out so I went back upstairs and returned to my bed where I fell into a blissful sleep, filled with thoughts of happy families.
A/N 2: Sorry this is so late, this chapter tortured me, though it is mostly filler, it sets up a few things so these things needed to happen, it is also about 3000 words longer than my average chapters so you get a little extra for your wait. Thanks again for everyone who has read and reviewed this story, we broke 100 reviews on the last chapter and I couldn't be happier. Let me know what you think.
8
