Title: The Christmas Tree

Pairing: Jake/Bella

Rating: K

Genre: Family, Friendship

Summary:

The pack makes an annual trip every December with their kids to the mountain top to pick a tree. Only the pack and the imprints understand the significance that one spot.

Disclaimer:

All characters and known situations belong to their respective owners. Everything else came from my own mind. In no way shape or form have I made or intended to make a profit from this story…. All rights still belong to Stephenie Meyer…

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"Daddy! Look! Over here… look!"

"Look daddy!"

Jacob smiled and watched as two dark haired, brown eyed toddlers raced around the back yard through the snow. His girls were definitely hellions- had been since their birth three years prior. He'd chased them around the house on his days off from work and in the evenings, he had to have them outside or they'd never give him any peace. His father had been dead on the mark when he'd cursed him to have children just like him.

"Girls, stay in the yard!" He warned.

"Kay!" They chimed in unison.

He cursed his gorgeous wife sometimes. Her love of reading and teaching had him wanting to ram his head through the side of a brick house on most days. His girls were just too smart. All of the pack's kids had benefited from her as their teacher though, he had to admit it. She'd helped them from the time they were little when she'd watch them, working with them again when they passed through her kindergarten class in the case of Sam, Jared and Paul's oldest kids. They were well advanced in reading, spelling, writing and language. She'd even learned the Quileute language and taught them, telling the elders it had been past time for the children to better understand their own culture. Sometimes she joked that they spoke Quileute better than English.

His grin faded from his face as he looked to the house that he now called home. He no longer had to worry about making sure his father got up and out of the bed. He no longer had to drive him to doctors visits or the pharmacy to pick up prescriptions. Billy Black had passed away just a year ago. Not even six months after his best friend, Charlie Swan.

"Why so upset alpha?" A voice cooed behind him.

Giggles filled the air around him causing the wolf in him to rumble with pride and calm all at the same time. His mate and youngest child were home finally.

Jacob's face broke out into a sunny grin as he turned to see his wife of four years holding their one year old son on her hip. "Not upset Bells, just thinking."

Bella smiled and moved to give him a one armed hug with their son- William Charles- snuggled between them. "What about, handsome? You looked so sad."

He sighed and smoothed down William's hair. "Dad."

"You know he's up there with Quil, Harry and my dad laughing at us, right?" She asked.

He couldn't help but grin. Bella never gave him pity like most people did. She'd say something funny and honor the life their fathers had lived. It was her way. It was the pack's way.

"I'm glad you're mine." Jacob murmured after she'd set William down to run after his sisters.

"I am too."

She'd come back from Italy to see the entire pack in her yard. Edward had tried to plead that he loved her, but Bella knew better. She'd shocked everyone when she moved towards the wolves, showing her loyalty to them. Even Paul had been floored when she'd laced her fingers with Jacob's- as far as he knew Jacob had never said a word about his tie to her.

The Cullens worked with the wolves to kill Victoria, and then Edward left to inform the Volturi that Bella had been killed in a car accident before he could change her. He owed her, after all. And he had been a convincing actor. In the end, Aro had destroyed him at his request.

Carlisle, Esme and Alice had all but forgotten her after that. Jasper, Emmett and Rosalie left their long time family and joined with Peter and Charlotte. They lived in New York now, each of them working hard to clear the scum from the city.

"I got a call from Jasper today. He found his true mate. And he's sent you a gift- with instructions to leave in alone until Christmas." Bella grinned.

Jacob huffed. "I'll behave then." He grinned.

"How much longer before the rest of the pack gets here?" She wondered.

"We're here now, Bells." Quil said behind her.

They all laughed when she jumped and turned with her hand over her heart. "Holy crow! Quil, guys… learn to make some noise!"

Paul smirked. "Now where would the fun in that be?"

"You watch it Paul! You'll sleep on the couch again!" Rachel warned, defending her sister -in- law. She winked at Bella; They were family after all.

"Aw come on babe! That's not fair!" Paul frowned.

"No, what's not fair is that she put up with your shit and then had to deal with your twins for a year in school!" Rachel snapped.

Bella giggled. "The boys were fine Rachel. I promise their dad is still the worst behaved out of all of them."

It took Paul a minute to realize Bella had just insulted him- good naturedly of course, but still she'd made an insult. He huffed while the pack shared a chuckle. They got along well and had even become friends after Paul realized Bella had made the choice on her own to stay with the wolves.

"So are we ready to go?" Sam wondered. "Levi! Drop that!" He warned when his six year old son picked up a pine cone, ready to throw it at Christopher- Jared's six year old son.

"Just waiting on Seth. He's bringing his mom back from the grave yard." Embry said with a sad smile.

"I need to call her later. She became family after Charlie married her. She's still family to me." Bella said with a sad smile of her own.

The pack gathered around and hugged her one by one, the same way they did for any of the imprints. Bella rolled her eyes, but she'd long ago learned to just go with it. It could be blamed on the wolves in them, their instinct to comfort. The women present- Emily, Kim, Rachel and Angela- couldn't help but chuckle. They rescued her from the puppy pile saying they had to gather up the kids.

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"Ok kids… go find a tree." Jacob said.

Bella shook her head in amusement. They still had the occasional vampire roam through, but none had tried to claim territory. Not since the Cullens. They all of them listened to Jacob as if he were their alpha too. It may have just been instinctual on their part- they were wolf pups after all.

"Stay where we can see you please!" Bella called as an after thought.

The wolves all rolled their eyes when their own mates gave the same warning. Women would always worry for their kids.

Jacob sighed when he caught sight of Seth staring at the spot where his sister had been killed. He placed a hand on Seth's shoulder and stood motionless, paying his respects to their fallen sister. The lone she-wolf had come to respect Bella in the time she'd been with them. She'd given her life for her when, during the 'great battle' (so the elders claimed), a rogue newborn strayed too far away and found Bella alone- an easy target so he thought. They'd been moments away when the newborn had wormed his way free of Leah's teeth and torn his nails into her vulnerable belly. She'd bled out in Seth's arms.

"She still blames herself, doesn't she?" Seth finally asked.

Jacob sighed and nodded his head. "Sometimes. I think that's why she avoids you and Sue so much."

"Stupid woman. I'm not mad at her. I wanted to be- hell I tried to hate her for it for a long time- but she's my family. Charlie took care of Sue until he got run off the road and killed. He was her husband, which made him my step dad. That made Bella family. Still makes her so." Seth huffed while kissing the top of his daughters head. Leah looked just like her name sake- the aunt she'd never have a chance to meet.

"So tell her that." Jacob grinned.

"I will. I'll bring Leah by tomorrow. She can play with her cousins." Seth smiled.

"Sounds good. Now lets get you and Sue a tree." Jacob grinned.

Seth waved him away. "I got it. Go help Bella. You know she'll fuss otherwise."

Jacob smiled and left him alone. The sounds of axes cutting through wood filled the air but he honed in on the sounds of three squeals and a peal of laughter that soothed his inner wolf's anxious heart. He made his way to her and grinned when he saw his girls laughing and clapping as their uncle Paul started in on the tree they'd found. Jacob took over, thanking Paul and sending him back to his own family.

He didn't doubt that Paul could have done it, but they both knew how Jacob felt. He wanted to provide for his family in every way. Cutting down the tree for Christmas had been one of those small things that he took pleasure in providing for his family. Paul respected him for it and only shook his head with a shove to the shoulder before walking off to his own family.

By the time the trees had been cut down, the snow had started falling again. The kids laughed and danced in circles causing smiles to break out among the adults. Phones were pulled out of pockets and pictures had been discretely taken. The walk back to the trucks became harder due to the kids becoming tired. It led to a few of the wolves- namely Sam, Jared and Paul- phasing to carry them all.

The kids squealed in delight when the wolves would take small hops over branches littering the forest floor and the rest of the pack and their mates all chuckled when the wolves whined at pulled fur or ears. They couldn't complain much however, when those same kids would lean down and offer kisses to sooth away the miniscule amounts of pain.

They made it home just in time for Bella to run baths and start on dinner. The kids were set down in front of a movie- Frozen seemed to be their favorite- and Jacob went about setting up the tree in the stand. They'd put the lights on it after the kids were all in their beds, but for now, he left it alone, happy the thing wasn't leaning. He left the kids watching their movie and leaned on the door jam and watched as Bella dancing through the kitchen.

"I can feel you watching me you know." She mused as she stirred some pasta in the pan.

Jacob grinned. "And you say I'm the only one with supernatural abilities." He mused.

"I think it comes with having you as my husband and mate. I'm just hyper aware of where you are in the house- same with the rest of the pack. Who knows when you, Quil or Embry will try to jump out at me?" She teased.

He couldn't help but laugh. Her words rang true- the wolves played pranks galore on the imprints. They had never once been done with malicious intent though and they all knew that. The girls always seemed to get pay back one way or another too- which made their prank wars epic at times seeing as they always tried to up the ante.

"I've been thinking…" He started.

She turned and looked at him with a raised eyebrow. "That's never good." She teased.

"Funny." He huffed. He smiled and brushed a stray piece of hair from her face. "I've been thinking maybe we could have Sue and Seth over for dinner tomorrow."

Bella's grin fell from her face and she sighed. For a few minutes she didn't say anything, merely turned and went back to fixing dinner. "ok. It sounds like a good idea. If they're not busy. I'll call Sue in the morning and ask her about it."

"She doesn't blame you for the way things happened Bells. And she WAS married to Charlie." Jacob reminded her.

Bella nodded. "I know. I just… I feel like I could have avoided it all if I'd only listened to everyone and stayed away."

"Hey… don't. Everything happens for a reason. You couldn't have stopped it anymore than I could have stopped my mom dying. It's fate baby." He said running his hands along her arms from shoulder to wrist.

She sighed again and nodded her head, leaning back into his chest. "Yeah. I know. I just… they have this look sometimes… they're so sad even though they try not to let me see it. They did the same thing at Charlie's funeral… I hate that look."

She missed the affectionate smile Jacob gave her. She did however, feel his arms wrap around her. "So talk to them about it baby. I'm gonna go check on the kids, they got quiet. Love you." He cooed kissing her neck.

"Love you too." She grinned, only half paying attention at that point.

After dinner came time for baths that the kids had weaseled their way out of before watching their movie. After bath time came story time and goodnight hugs and kisses. Bella and Jacob waited for a half an hour, taking the time to cuddle on the couch and watch a show on TV together before grabbing the lights out of the attic. She had to suppress her giggles a few times when the light cord tangled around Jacob's ankle causing him to huff and growl at them as if they'd answer. They finished within the hour with no major disruptions. They sat back down, turned the house lights off and admired the completely decorated tree.

Even with the joy that came from placing ornaments, they shared an underlying grief every time one of Charlie's had been unwrapped, or one of Billy's. They placed a couple for each of them on the tree in remembrance, and finally the picture of Leah towards the top. They'd been doing it for four years now.

The tree had come from the place she'd given her life. It felt like a part of her in some ways- according to Bella at least.

Bella rested her head on Jacob's shoulder and sighed. "I'm glad I stayed, Jake."

He kissed the top of her head and grinned. "I am too, honey."

"Love you." She whispered, already half asleep.

Jacob grinned. "Love you too."

He turned towards the fireplace and stared. He could have sworn he'd seen his family in the flames. With a sigh and a small smile he picked Bella up and carried her to their room. He couldn't wait to see what the next year brought. Maybe it wouldn't be so sad when they went in hunt of the next perfect Christmas tree.