DISCLAIMER: I do not own Twilight or any of the characters; this story is just my own version.
Special thanks to princess07890 for beta-ing this chapter.
Chapter 11
Jacob POV:
"J.J., come on, we've got to go." I yelled for the fifth time. My oldest son was my mini-me in every possible way: actions, looks, and attitude. He was also the slowest kid I'd ever met. We'd already been waiting for him for ten minutes; I wasn't going to wait a second longer. I stormed up the steps and back into my house.
After the attack, we finished tearing down Charlie and Sue's house and had it rebuilt. It was a large ranch style home with five bedrooms, three bathrooms, and a large family/great room off the back. We made sure to have a large open area with the kitchen/ family room so that we could be together. Having five kids under six was tough, but lucky for us we were about to add two more. I hadn't told Charlie or Bella yet, but we would be having twins in four months. Leah looked like she was ready to pop as it was; I didn't know how she'd make it to the full nine months.
I opened J.J.'s bedroom door to find him sitting in the floor playing with his cars. "What are you doing?" I asked trying not to laugh, but it was so hard not to. He was just so damn cute and innocent as he looked up at me with those deep brown puppy eyes as though he had no clue what I was talking about.
"Hi daddy," J.J. smiled.
"Buddy, you know we're waiting on you."
"I know." He looked down. I knelt down to be at eye level with him.
"Jacob, what's wrong?" I asked.
"I'm afraid."
I sighed and sat down on his floor pulling him into my lap. "What are you afraid of?"
"What if they're hungry? What if Pops doesn't remember me? Do you think he'll try to bite me?" he sniffled. I felt like an ass. I never thought about how he might feel about going into a house full of vampires. He was almost six; I should have known that he'd understand more than his siblings.
"I understand, but I promise you that everyone there loves you, and they'd never think about hurting you. Besides, they're not that tough. Anything that sparkles in the sun is a big wimp." I tickled him, hoping to get him to relax. It worked, so I threw him up on my shoulder like a sack of potatoes and headed out to the car.
"Is everything all right?" Leah asked.
"Yeah, he's just nervous."
We arrived at the Cullen's house about twenty minutes later. I was surprised to see Edward waiting on the porch for us.
"Hey, man. Where's my little sister?"
"She's inside. I need to talk to you before you go in," Edward said solemnly.
I handed my youngest to my wife and jogged over to Edward. "What's up?"
He ran his hands through his hair, and then pinched the bridge of his nose before he began speaking. "Well, it's nothing bad, really, just surprising. Umm...Bella's pregnant and… so is Rose."
I stared at him dumbfounded. "How? I mean, I know how a woman gets pregnant, but how is that possible?"
"For Bella, it was possible because she was in human form. All her human qualities are in perfect working order. Carlisle experimented on Rose. He never expected it to work, but it seems that a female vampire's eggs are housed safely inside their ovaries and once he implanted the embryo into her, Rose's body began to take on more human qualities. She's softer; her body is changing. We still don't completely understand it all to be honest."
"Wow, just wow. I guess congrats are in order then, right? I mean the baby is a baby, right?" I was stunned; I really hadn't formed an opinion.
"Yeah, the ultrasound says that we're having a baby girl. She looks normal, and Bella is craving human food, so we think it's safe to say she's at least half human."
"What about Rosalie's?"
"Her baby is growing more rapidly than Bella's, but the same holds true. Rose ate an apple for the first time in over fifty years this morning and didn't hate it." He chuckled.
I nodded vigorously as though it would help me understand. "You wanna help me with the kids, Uncle Edward?"
"Sure." I handed the baby to him. I had to laugh at how uncomfortable he seemed.
"You better get used to holding a kid. When will yours be here, anyway?"
Edward smiled widely. "In about three weeks."
"I just saw you guys about six months ago; she didn't look pregnant then," I said, confused.
"She was only a few weeks pregnant at that time. The baby recently started growing faster, so we figure that Bella is approximately 7 months right now."
"Oh." I deadpanned.
"Jacob!" Bella squealed as she ran to great me. She was definitely knocked up, but looked radiant.
I wrapped my arms around her tightly. "Hey, baby sis. You look great! Congrats little mama. Where's dad?" I asked kissing her cheek.
"He's out back. He's working the grill. We know it's not a traditional Christmas dinner, but some foods are making Rose feel a little sick."
"It's cool. You guys didn't need to feed us."
"Don't be silly. What kind of hosts would we be if you went hungry?" Esme smiled as she greeted Leah and me.
"Thanks. So let's go find Charlie."
BPOV:
"Why are you so nervous?" I asked my father. He was setting up the grill to cook hamburgers.
Charlie shrugged and ran a hand through his hair. "I know I saw the kids after turning, but it wasn't very long, and now I'm worried they've forgotten me or will be afraid of me."
"Well, you know they haven't forgotten you because you talk to them all the time. I doubt they'll be afraid, I mean their parents are wolves."
"I suppose. Hand me that lighter." He said as he pointed to the candle lighter on the picnic table.
I handed it to him and said, "Careful, we don't need you going up in flames."
"Smartass." he chuckled.
"You love me anyway."
"Yeah, you know I do. I think I hear them; go on, I'll finish up here."
I talked to Jacob for a while, but I could tell he was anxious to see Charlie, so I led him out on to the back porch, where I saw that Beth had joined him.
"Jake!" Charlie beamed, hugging his son.
"Dad!"
"Jake, I want you to meet your step-mom Beth."
"Hey, I've heard a lot about you. Is it true you're Ed's biological mom?"
"Nice to meet you; yes, it's true, I am his biological mom." Beth smiled.
We all talked while the humans ate. Well, I ate as well, but I'm not sure the others considered a raw hamburger appetizing enough to consider me eating with them. I sat off to the side, away from the humans, with a chuckling Edward next to me.
"Even I think that's disgusting, love."
"Hey, don't blame me; it's your child that wants this, not me." I gestured to the lone lump of raw meat on my plate. "Besides, even humans eat pate'; that's raw meat."
"Yes, but I believe it looks more attractive, and is a better quality of meat. That," he pointed in disgust, "Is a lump of raw blood goop."
"Oh, I'm sorry; did you want to drink some of the blood?" I feigned innocence as I held the plate up to him.
He gagged and shook his head. In a strained voice, he said, "I think I threw up in my mouth a little bit."
I guffawed along with the rest of the table, who I didn't notice were watching us, until I heard their laughter.
"You guys are too much," Leah said, shaking her head.
"Come on, Lee; we preggos have to stick together."
"Bell, I can honestly say, that while pregnant, I have never eaten raw meat."
"Rose, help me out here."
"Sorry, all I've craved is blood, and fruit."
"Traitors!" I giggled.
The rest of the dinner was spent talking about the new babies and how the town has been since our departure. After dinner, we all sat around the living room with a fire burning in the fire place. Emmett roasted marshmallows for the kids, while we all sat around laughing at stories from my youth.
"I remember this one summer; Bells went fishing with dad and Charlie..." Jake started laughing uncontrollably.
"Spit it out already, Mutt; I don't remember what the hell you're talking about." I tried to say seriously, but my smile gave me away. "Oh, shit. Okay..." Jake took several deep breaths. "So they were out on the boat and I was on the shore. Bella snagged a fish. She was so excited she started jumping up and down yelling 'I got me one' over and over. Dad and Charlie tried to calm her down, but she was so excited the boat start to rock as she jumped and before either of them could stop her, she jumped overboard and the boat flipped because both dad and Charlie were leaning in to try and save her." He stopped to laugh more before he continued. "She didn't care; she was still treading water reeling in her fish. When she pulled it out of the water, she realized it was not just dead, but rotting. It had been dead for quite a while, she was so upset that she started to cry uncontrollably and refused to get back into the boat. I had to swim out and get her."
Everyone laughed and then Edward asked, "How old was she?"
"She had to be six or seven. She was adorable in her pigtails and overalls."
"I don't remember that." I insisted.
"I do. You were a stubborn little thing." Charlie ruffled my hair. "I hope Charleigh is just like you." He laughed.
"That baby has no hope; she will have no choice but to be stubborn." Beth giggled.
"I have no idea what you mean, mom." Edward insisted with a smile.
"Sure you don't, Eddie." She rolled her eyes just as he does. It caused my heart to swell with love. I absolutely adored Elizabeth and I couldn't' be happier that she was with us.
"Ohhh, spill some dirt on Eddie," Emmett said bouncing up and down in his seat.
"You're such a child and don't call me Eddie!" Edward huffed.
"Why not? You don't get mad when Beth calls you Eddie."
"Because, Emmett, she's my mother. I think giving life to someone means they can call you whatever they wish."
"So I can call you Eddie then?" Carlisle smirked.
Edward rolled his eyes before saying, "Technically I suppose, dad."
"Eddie, Ed, Edward, who the fuck cares; I want to hear some dirt on you."
"Language you idiot, there are children present." Rose scolded.
"Sorry Rosie, sorry baby," He said rubbing her tummy. It was cute. I had noticed he did that every time Rose scolded him... which was quite often.
"Edward was amazingly cooperative as a young child. I suppose his stubbornness developed after the age of eight. He wasn't like the other boys that lived in the neighborhood. He didn't fancy riding his bike or playing with the other children. He loved order, even as a child. He spent most of his days in his room, playing war or some other game where his toys had to be just so. One afternoon, I had gotten it in my head that he had to stop extricating himself from his peers. So, I invited the Smith boys over for lunch. Lunch went on well enough, but after lunch, I had them go in the backyard to play. I was over joyed when I heard their laughter. I thought I'd finally gotten through to Edward. I went out to witness it for myself, only to find him in the corner of the yard, reading a book while the other boys played pirates in his tree house. I asked him why he wasn't playing and he said, 'Mommy, I am playing. I've been eaten by a shark, it was a lucky thing that the shark had eaten another boy with a book or I would be bored stiff.'" The men laughed, and the woman awed at how cute he was.
Beth giggled at the memory as Edward watched in her mind as the scene played out. "I tried many other times to engage him with his peers, but each time was the same; he was eaten by a shark or locked in jail. But, somehow there was always a boy that had come before him and left his book behind."
"I think you two are perfect for each other. Once Bells could read, we couldn't get the books from under her nose," Jake said.
Edward kissed my check and picked up a book from the table so we could share. The family burst out laughing. "That's not so bad though, at least he wasn't mean." I interjected.
"No, never mean; although, when he was in his early teenage years, his father often had to take his belt to him for having a smart mouth."
"That's not surprising." Esme said.
"Gee, thanks a lot, mom," Edward rolled his eyes.
"Sorry, son, but when you were first changed; I would have liked to have taken the belt to you."
"I think dad handled that well enough," Edward mumbled.
"Carlisle spanked you?" I asked in disbelief.
"No, but he did kick my ass a time or two." Carlisle giggled, but refused to explain. All he said was it was typical newborn behavior.
"Well, I for one; do not want you or anyone spanking our child." I insisted.
Edward kissed my head, "I'm sure Charleigh will be a prefect little angel." He smoothed his hand over my stomach, causing Charleigh to kick his hand. "See, she agrees."
All too soon it was time for Jacob and his family to leave. I was sad to see them go, but they promised to come and visit us after Leah gave birth. I wasn't at all excited about the next batch of family that would soon arrive; I hoped that Tanya would stay behind this time.
Surprisingly, the visit with the Denali's went by smoothly and we were back at home before I knew it. Things were slowly getting back to normal. Rose was progressing nicely. It amazed me that her stomach had become so pliable during the pregnancy. She was scheduled to give birth two weeks after me and I was ready to pop. Over the past three weeks, Charleigh had grown so quickly that I could literally feel her growing.
"Are you alright?" Edward asked. We were sitting on the sofa in my dad's living room. Charlie and Beth had gone out for a quick hunt, while Edward and I waited for Carlisle and Esme to arrive. After his shift at the hospital we planned on delivering our baby. I was nervous to say the least.
"I'm just nervous."
Edward kissed my head and pulled me to him tightly. "Don't be, we'll do everything we can to keep both of you safe.
"What if her powers kick back in and we can't get her out. What if she dies?" I sniffled.
Edward tightened his arms, he couldn't really say anything. None of us knew what would happen. After an hour of silence; both sets of parents arrived and Carlisle had me in our makeshift delivery room.
"OH!" I said clutching my side.
"What?" Edward asked panicked.
"I think I'm having contractions."
Carlisle hooked me up to a machine to track my contractions while Edward worked to get all the tools they might need ready. Esme and Beth stood beside me, offering me helpful words. I was nervous and my heartbeat was elevating.
"Edward, I don't think Bella is in danger but we need to hurry along. We may not have to worry about her dying, but her stress can't be good for the baby. I think we should forget about natural and try a cesarean section." Edward nodded then came over to grab my hand.
"I'm scared; please don't let anything happen to her." I begged.
"You'll both be fine, calm down sweetheart; I'm here." He kissed my head softly as Carlisle tried to use a scalpel to cut into my belly. It bent on contact. He threw it down and tried his stone finger nail, but nothing happened.
"Bella, I need to see if you're dilated. This doesn't seem to be working." I nodded as he spoke. I was beginning to panic and was past the point of caring what they did to get her out. Carlisle sighed. "She's blocking me."
I started to cry. "Charleigh; please let us help. I want to meet you baby." I said as I rubbed my belly. She kicked my hand. "Can you hear her?" I asked as I looked up to a teary eyed Edward.
"Yeah, she's confused. She wants out."
"Shit!" I yelled clutching my belly.
"What's wrong?"
"It feels like she's using her teeth or something. Can babies even have teeth?"
"Not normally. But she's not a normal human."
"Please, stop." I begged my baby. I didn't think I'd be feeling this pain if I was a vampire, but since I was stuck in human form, I felt it and boy, was it painful.
"Bella," Edward said in a worried strained voice.
"Wow; that was intense. She's still now. Hurry; try to see if you can get her out."
Carlisle tried his nail once again and this time, he was able to cut through my skin, but not the amniotic sac. He could, however, see her. She was clearly in distress.
"Charleigh; let us help you." I begged again. She started thrashing around, causing me to cry out in pain. I heard and awful ripping sound and felt like my lower half exploded. I saw stars and then everything went black.
AN: I started a FB page. I'm trying to use it to keep you posted and share news or discuss the story. Please friend request me. Http:/www(dot)facebook(dot)com/profile(dot)php?id=100003020895102 my pen name is B.a. Swan I do not accept anyone under 18, sorry.
