Wow! I was so shocked at all the reviews and feedback I got from the last chapter! And I got some new reviewers as well! Jayd Izabel Carter Marie and Guest. Thanks a lot! Your comments made me smile!
Music and Feathers - don't worry. I'll try to live up to your requests. But now I just gotta' get focused on this chapter!
Oh, and for some reason, some person keeps reviewing as Anonymous. They're rude, obnoxious, and obviously jealous that me and everyone else can write better than they can. So, I just want to put up the review that they had before I deleted it...
:Damn this story, from what makes sense, is fucking stupid and why the hell do
you change the summary of the story EVERY FUCKING CHAPTER? That's not what
you're supposed to do dumbass.
Wow. That's...Wow. Honestly, I don't know why you said that. And I change the summary because I CAN. It's not your story. It's mine. So. Yeah. And really, if you hated my story that much, you wouldn't have reviewed. So it just goes to show that you're obviously jealous and insecure of yourself. And I don't care if you keep reviewing like that. 'Cause I know that I have plenty of other fans that love my stories. One person is nothing compared to the hundreds of people that check into my chapter every time I review.
Anyway...
ON WITH THE STORY!
So...Read!
~SashaFierce12.0
March until due date: 52
Chapter Fourteen
Jacob's P.o.V.
I froze, my fist only inches from connecting with Seth's face. The house was silent until I heard a cracked glass roll by my foot. It bounced off and then rolled over to Leah. Her eyes were glossy and her face was filled with pain.
"What?" Seth asked.
"It did? Leah, you're-"
"I know!" she yelled. "I know." She stared back at me and swallowed. Her mom placed a shaking hand on her shoulder.
"Were you contracting? Where does it-"
"NO! It didn't...No. I'm not having the baby." She stared hard into my eyes. "I just needed something to stop them."
Seth growled at me, "You see what you did? You made Leah lie so that you could-"
"Oh, shut up, you little-"
"Little? I know you didn't just call me-"
"STOP fighting," Leah screeched. Her voice was raspy. "Stop." I stood up and took a step towards her. She took one back. "No."
"Leah-"
"No." I reached out for her and she jumped back like I'd burned her. "DON'T...! Touch me," she hissed. A tear broke free from her eye and I felt like I'd just been stabbed. She turned to Sue. "Mom. I want to go away. I just want to go away." Sue wrapped her arms around her shoulders and maneuvered around the broken glass plates.
"Leah," I sighed. She didn't answer. Not even a look back as she walked out the door.
000000000000000000000000000
Seth's P.o.V.
"She hates me. I know she hates me."
"She's your sis. She can't hate you."
"Try telling that to her." Matt just huffed out a breath and I could tell that she was rolling her eyes.
"Hey, I gotta' run. Talk to you later, hotshot."
"Yeah. See you, Little Bit." The line went dead and I put the phone back on its hook. I looked around the dimly lit room and sighed again.
Leave this place alone for three months and it gathers more dust than a library's bookshelf.
Screw it.
About thirty dollars of paint, brushes, and an easel later, I was outside on the front porch. Bobbing my head to a song from my iPod, I just painted. It was relaxing.
I picked up the brush I used for the red and put the other one in my mouth. A woody taste hit my tongue but I didn't care. It was almost delicious.
I hummed along to some song by Jessie J, not really paying attention to it. Right now, I was in the zone. I couldn't hear the birds or the kids playing at the other houses. I couldn't hear the cars passing by or the wind blowing cold air around. And I definitely didn't hear the guys as they creeped up on me.
"Stare at my reflection in -" I glanced up from the painting at Paul looking over the top of it. He stared at me and I just returned my gaze back to the piece of paper, trying to get the nose right.
"Kid."
I turned up my music as high as it could go, trying to drown him out. Even if I went deaf when I was older, I'd definitely never regret it.
I took the brush out of my mouth and used the black paint to do the hair. I used medium-sized strokes, making it look like the wind was blowing through Keithy's hair as he ran around the woods. I was almost done with his top half.
I wiped paint off the brush and stuck it back in my mouth again, grabbing two more brushes to start in on his skin color and the red in his cheeks.
"Brushing my hair do I look perfect?" I hummed to this part and then got white paint on my hands. "Shit." I wiped it on my jeans, adding it to the rainbow of other colors already there. I held the other two brushes in my mouth as I rolled up my sleeves then took them out.
And the guys were still there.
I slowly stopped bobbing my head and put the brushes back into their jar. I moved my headphones to my neck and stared back at them.
"What?"
"We've been here for ten minutes and you ignore us. Now, finally, you want to acknowledge our existence?" Jared asked.
"Oh, well if you didn't want me to I can just-"
"No! No. Sam told us to come and look after you," Embry said.
"The three of you...?"
"Yeah."
"What about Jacob?"
"What about Jacob?"
"He's the one that tried to kill himself."
"But he's not the druggie," Paul said. Embry elbowed him and I rolled my eyes.
"Just what I need. A bunch of stupid, muscled babysitters. Just what I need."
"Hey, you can at least be a little more enthusiastic," Jared cocked his head.
"Oh, joy! I get to be babysat! That's exactly what I wanted! Thank you, Sam! It's the best two-months-before-my-birthday-present ever!" I grinned and then wiped it away, turning it into a scowl. I moved my headphones back to my ears just as the song ended. "And you made me miss my favorite song, too. You guys are the best."
"That's what repeat's for, bro," Paul smirked.
"I'm not your..." I let out a frustrated growl. "Well I don't feel like listening to that song anymore. You ruined my mood. Now I don't know what to listen to. Thanks, Paul. Thank you bunches." I put my iPod on shuffle and returned back to painting.
I could feel someone behind me and paused, the brush hovering above Keithy's hair. Ever-so-slowly, I moved my eyes to look behind me.
Paul.
Big shocker there.
I turned down the song and sighed gruffly.
"What now?"
"I just wanted to see what you were painting."
"Well could you stand back a little farther? I don't like you breathing on my neck."
"Sure." I supervised his movements then returned to what I was doing, turning my music back up once again.
"What is it?" Embry asked, referring to my painting. I ignored him and continued.
"It's obviously his son," Jared answered.
"I don't see it," Embry tilted his head and squinted his eyes.
"Really, Em? Really?"
"Really."
"He's painting in a face right in front of you," Jared said in a 'duh' voice.
"Still doesn't look like Keithy to me." I tightened the grip on the brush and tried to block them out through the music, but, damn wolf hearing, I could still hear them. I dug deeper and tried to push them out until Jared and Embry started arguing louder.
"If you are that blind that you can't see-"
"It doesn't look like him. I'm not blind, Jare."
"You sure about that?"
"I'm just saying that it's not all that good to me." That's when I swiped the brush the wrong way and a big blob of black paint was soon covering the face. I froze and stared at it, my jaw slack.
I'd never messed up before. This was terrible. Horrific, even. It was like looking at the face of Freddy Krueger. Yeah. That scary.
"Seth-" I found myself growling and I threw the paintbrush down, ripping the paper from its easel. I only got half of it and quickly clawed at the other half. I balled it up and threw it behind me.
I'd never messed up. Never.
I placed my hands on my head and pressed down hard enough so that even if it broke and shattered to pieces, I could still keep those pieces in place. I dug my finger nails into my beanie, hard enough that it went inside the stitches and I could feel my hair.
That had been the only picture I could grasp from my son. Of how he looked now, I mean. That had been from pure memory. The last good one that I'd remembered of him. I had to paint it before it was gone. Now...Now...
It was gone. I couldn't find his face in my thoughts. And the one I did, he was crying. That last night I'd seen him. The one he was-
I let out a scream in frustration. I pressed a hand to my head, noticing that it was hotter than before. Then I sniffed and opened the door to my house.
"Dude-"
I growled at him.
"I don't 'mess up."
Before they said anything else, I slammed the door shut. So hard, the windows quivered.
Jacob's P.o.V.
"Hey, it's Leah."
"Leah, I-"
"Can't come to the phone right now, 'cause I'm out living my life. You only live once, right? Leave it at the beep!"
I growled and pressed the 'end call' button then tried again.
"Jake-"
"Can't come to the phone-"
Growling again, I threw my phone onto the couch.
"Jake, how can you expect her to pick up?" Sam asked.
"I didn't know she'd stay mad at me for this long," I shrugged. Since the fight with Seth, I haven't seen or heard from her.
It's been three days.
"Just give it some time."
"I'm not a patient person. You know that." I crossed my arms and looked out the window. The grass still held snow in some areas, but small sprigs of grass tried to push their way through.
Sam sighed, "Yeah. I know. Hey, why don't you go patch things up with Seth?"
"I'm desperate. Just not that desperate."
"Jacob..."
"It's not my fault the kid went all crazy-psycho-lunatic on me. I was only defending myself."
"Yeah. Uhuh." He gave me the Sam Look that he reserved mostly for Embry and Quil. I rarely ever got it, and when I did, I knew that the conversation was going to be over soon. He'd most likely win.
Okay. He would win.
Didn't stop me from trying.
"Go out and talk to him."
"Sam-"
"I'm not asking you anymore, Jacob. I'm telling you. He's your brother. Brothers don't fight."
"Tell that to him." Sam's Look returned and I groaned and looked at the ceiling. "Fine. But only because I don't want Leah to be mad at me anymore." I opened the door and walked out to the Rabbit. Getting in and sighing once, I started it and drove to his house.
The first thing I noticed were the paint stains on the stairs and deck. An easel was rested near the porch swing, a blank canvas on that. There were bottles of paint everywhere, and brushes cluttered the swing's seat.
What is he, some kind of Picasso?
I hesitated before ringing the doorbell. A little bit of me hoped he had been sleeping, just so he was pissed when he woke up.
I knocked three times on the door and heard his voice.
"I'm coming, golly." He thrust it open. "What?" he hissed. He rubbed one of his eyes tiredly and sniffed.
One point - Jacob Black.
He only wore a pair of jeans and he didn't have on the beanie. His hair stuck up every which way. But, somehow, I could see Leah in him. It kind of made me forget about what had happened Tuesday night.
A small smile appeared on my face and I placed my hands in my pockets.
"Let me in?"
"I hope you're asking me, 'cause the answer is no." He shut the door but I stuck my foot in to stop it, opening it wide and waltzing in. "I have the right to call 911. You know I'll do it." I snatched up the phone before he could do anything. "I will run out this house screaming at the top of my lungs that some-"
"Shut up, Seth." I put the phone on top of the side table and returned my gaze to him. Then I shrugged. "I came so that we could end things."
"For good? Okay. Then I'll never have to talk or see you again, right? And you'll stay away-"
"No. Seth not like that. No. I'm talking about this fighting. We gotta' stop." He stared at me as I sat down. Carefully, he took a seat on the floor across from me. "What...What provoked that, anyway?"
"...Dunno. It's what I felt like doing."
"What you felt like-"
"I don't like seeing my sister with other guys. It makes me scared and anxious and lately sick to my stomach."
"Why?"
"'Cause I might not always be there for her if she got hurt, or something. That kills me inside. Tuesday, I got this weird feeling in my gut when I saw you hold her hand. It made me wanna' puke. So...I just wanted to get rid of the feeling, I guess." He shrugged and pulled one of his legs up to rest his chin on it.
"Okay." I nodded. "I used to get kind of jealous when I saw my older sisters with guys. The time they spent with them, they used to spend with me. It made me, I dunno..."
"Mad? Angry? 'Cause that was time that you couldn't spend with them? Yeah. I get that feeling a lot." He rolled his eyes and I just smiled at him.
"Give it time. It'll pass. You just gotta' get used to it."
"Whatever." I stood and held out my hand to help him up.
"No hard feelings?" I asked. He kind of looked at my hand then back at my face. He smirked and I helped him back onto his feet.
"Sure. But Jake?" I turned to look at him, my hand on the door. He shook his head and smirked. "You're still not my bro."
I rolled my eyes.
"At least...Not yet." He looked out the window, his right leg bouncing up and down. I smiled and walked out the door.
One Clearwater down, one more to go.
Leah's P.o.V.
"Right now, your baby is as healthy as ever, Leah. All of her organs are nice and fully formed, and I can see some hair on her head. Her hearing is functional as well, so she'll respond to a lot of noises. Hopefully, you'll feel some kicking soon." Carlisle smiled at me and I smiled back. He handed me a paper towel and I wiped off my stomach before sitting up. "So I can schedule you another appointment next month, and that should be the last one before you deliver, okay?"
"Alright. Thanks, Carlisle."
"Anytime, Leah. Send Sue my regards."
"I will." We waved 'goodbye' to each other and I left the hospital. Sliding into my car I sighed and ran a hand through my hair before returning home.
Getting out of the car had to be the thing I most absolutely hated about cars. Because then, I'd have to get rid of the blanket of warmth that surrounded me. That and the work I did wedging myself between the seat and the wheel all went to waste. Anyway, there was still snow on the ground, and as soon as my feet touched outside, my toes felt like I'd dipped them in a bucket of ice-cold water. It sent shivers up my spine and I ran my gloved hands up and down my arms to try and get warm.
Thermal coat my ass.
I hadn't even gotten to the front door before I realized that I had the lunch shift at the Diner today.
Muttering every profanity that I knew I yanked back open the car door and went through the process of squeezing my giant stomach between the wheel and my seat. When I did, I huffed out a deep breath and turned the car on yet again. And, in m peripheral vision, I saw another car pull up.
The distant ache in my chest started to grow into a more noticeably painful throb.
Jake.
All of me just wanted to drive away and leave him in the dust.
Okay. Let me rephrase that.
All of brain wanted to drive away and leave him in the dust. The rest of me wouldn't cooperate and sat there stupidly gripping the steering wheel, watching the reflection of his body get closer in the mirror.
He tapped on the window and gestured for me to roll it down.
I did.
Oh, so now I wanted to listen?
"Hey," he simply said, leaning down so I could see him.
"Hey." I didn't meet his eyes. "Shouldn't you be teaching a group of love-struck teenagers right now?"
"It's Saturday, Leah."
"Oh. Yeah."
"Listen," he sighed. "I stopped by to apologize. What I did the other day was way out of line. And I'm sorry. I really want you to forgive me." I gripped the wheel tighter.
"You gave my baby brother a bloody nose and busted his lip," I managed to say.
"...Sorry...?"
"I can't just let you off this easily, Jake." I looked at him and noticed that he looked a bit sad. "But I've been having the most terrible chest pains ever since I've been away from you. We haven't seen each other in three days and now that you're here, I just want to kiss you and forget what happened."
"For real?"
"Mhm."
"Then can I kiss you and forget what happened?"
"Did you talk things out with Seth? Without beating the crap out of him?"
"Yeah."
"Okay." I pressed my lips to his and suddenly felt warm all over. My heart fluttered and the pain in my chest was instantly gone. That's when I felt something thumping against my stomach. I jumped away from him with a gasp.
"What?" he asked. He looked disappointed and a little worried. The thumping continued and I placed a hand against my abdomen.
"She's kicking." I did my best not to squeal in excitement and bit my lip, holding back a smile. Jake smiled at me and I grabbed his hand and placed it where the kicking was. "Feel it?"
"Yeah. Wow, Lee."
"Mhm. She must like your kisses."
"Think so?"
"Know so."
"Estrella's got excellent taste in men." He winked at me.
"Is there ever a moment when you're not so egotistical?" Jake just shrugged and rubbed my belly, making Estrella kick more.
"Does it hurt?"
"No. It feels kind of good."
"Cool." He moved his hand away and brushed some hair back behind my ear. "Where you headed?"
"The Diner. I have the lunch shift."
"Should be fun."
"Yeah. Fun. So let me go, 'kay?"
"'Kay. I'll see you..." He frowned at something out the passenger's seat window and didn't finish his sentence.
"What?" I looked, too, and frowned as well.
He was running down the street with his little Spongebob book bag bouncing against his back. He looked frantic and tired.
Jake ran and caught him in his arms. He instantly started to cry.
"Shh...Shh, it'll be okay, little man."
Keithy only held him tighter. I squeezed out of the seat and ran over to them, rubbing my hand down his cheek.
"What happened? Where's your grandma?"
Keithy sniffed before replying, "I runned away. I want my dad."
"You ran a..." I breathed. "Keithy, you got here by yourself? Where's your grandma?"
"At home."
"Home?" I was confused. I hoped he had moved here and was talking about the La Push home and not the one in Tacoma.
"Uhuh. She was mean ta' me. She said I look like Mommy and it made her too sad so I had to go ta' my room and play quiet. And sometimes, she hit me with a belt."
"Hell no," Jacob growled and I grabbed Keithy out of his arms and headed to my car.
"This lady will never lay a hand on you again."
"Don't take me back. Please? I wanna' be with Daddy."
"You'll be with him. Don't worry. But right now, Glenda's in trouble." I strapped him in and climbed into my own seat, narrowing my eyes at the road. "And it's gonna' be hell to pay."
"There you are. Oh, I've been worried sick about you!" Glenda saw us pull up and then Keithy in the back seat. I jumped out and was soon yelling at her.
"You hurt him!" she screeched.
"What?"
"You're a terrible person, Glenda Harris!"
"I only did what I thought was right."
"So you hit him with a belt?"
"I won't deny it. I didn't fully abuse him. Plenty of parents spank their children."
"Well you're not his parent," I hissed.
"I'm his legal guardian."
"Like hell you are! You snatched him away from his dad. My baby was running down the street and when we saw him, he even asked for his dad. He's even begging not to be with you!"
"Well he doesn't have a choice." That's when I punched her.
"I didn't have a choice. Ooh, you better be lucky I'm pregnant. If it wasn't for this kid I got in me right now, you'd have way more than a tiny bruise. But don't give me a reason to go gorilla on you. I will."
"I'm calling the police."
"Call them. Call them. I want you to." Glenda rubbed her jaw and her eyes shot daggers at me.
"George!"
In Court...March 27
"Your honor, I've been fighting for custody of my son for basically all of his life, and she-" Seth pointed at Glenda who rolled her eyes. Her cheek was purple from where I'd punched her, but I knew it was makeup.
That woman was sick.
"-took him away from me after I'd just gotten him back. He was physically taken, a social worker took his hands and had to drag him away from me."
"Only because you wouldn't give him up in the first place," Glenda leaned forward.
"Well excuse me if I actually show love for my own-"
"Order! Order in the court!" the judge hit her grabble on her desk and folded her hands together. Glenda's lawyer walked forward.
"Your honor, I'd like to call Seth Clearwater to the stand," he said politely. She nodded and Seth gave out a low growl before walking to where he was directed. He swore up all that stuff that you're supposed to swear and crap, then the lawyer started up on questions. "I understand that you've had...Certain issues in the past, Mr. Clearwater?"
"Yeah...Yes," my brother nodded slowly.
"Certain drug related issues...?" the lawyer pressed. Seth sighed.
"Yes." The lawyer turned to the judge.
"Your honor, it has been brought to my attention that this young man was indeed a drug addict." Seth looked down. "Chrystal meth." Seth winced. "Cocaine." He gritted his teeth together and the lawyer smirked. "Heroin." I gulped. I knew about the drugs. I didn't know of the drugs, though. The Pack must've not known either and kind of stiffened. Paul leaned forward, his jaw tight. Embry pressed his hands together like he was praying and leaned his forehead on them. The lawyer returned his attention to Seth. "Do you deny this?" The quiet and tension was so thick, I was almost choking.
"...Yes." Murmurs were heard throughout the courtroom.
"No further questions," the lawyer sat down and Seth moved back to his seat. I pursed my lips together and stood up.
"Your honor, I have a question for him." I gestured to Seth.
"She's not allowed to do that," Glenda protested.
"My court. My decision." Judge Koreen turned back to me with a nod and a small smile. "Go ahead, honey."
"Keyword: was. Seth, he said 'was'. As in were you?"
"Yeah."
"Hm. How long have you been drug free, young man?"
"Seventy days," Seth answered. The judge smiled down at him.
"Great job." She turned back to me. "You can sit down, sweetie." I did and Jake squeezed my hand. "Now, both of you have made excellent points today. Ms. Harris," Judge Koreen took off her glasses, "you have had custody of the child the longest and it would make sense to let you keep him. And Mr. Clearwater, it would make sense to let the child be with you also, seeing as you are the biological father. However, even though you've changed your life, there is the risk of a relapse. And then it would not be safe for the child to be around you." Seth nodded and looked down. "But, I have made my decision." I squeezed Jake's hand with my other in anticipation. Everyone was on edge. "I think that it is best...If the child stays with his father." I gasped and my head shot up. Emily and the other girls squealed and the judge held up her hand. "On the condition that you have monthly visits from a social worker. And promise me, Mr. Clearwater, that you will continue to stay drug free." She smiled at him. "I'll be praying for you."
"Yes, ma'am."
"Bring the child in." An officer opened the door and another one held Keithy's hand as they walked down the aisle way. "Go to your papa, honey." Keithy ran to Seth, who caught him in his arms and squeezed him tight. The Pack all cheered and wolf whistled. My brother kissed the top of Keithy's head and smiled at the judge again.
"Thank you."
"You're welcome. Court dismissed." She pounded the grabble on the desk once more and we all jumped out of our seats to hurry over to Seth. His forehead was leaned against Keithy's and he was whispering something to him then he hugged him tightly again.
I pushed through everybody and hugged my brother, too.
"Congratulations, Baby Bro." For the first time since he'd been back, Seth wrapped an arm around me.
"Thanks."
"So what now?" I looked up at him. He smirked.
"I'm gonna' take my son home."
Yea! He's back and better than ever! Remember to review, guys!
~SashaFierce12.0