Chapter 14:

I slid one of my hands under Bella's legs and lifted her gently onto my lap. I wrapped both my arms around her and she kept her arms around my neck. She felt so small and delicate. I don't know if it was because I hadn't held her like this in what seemed like forever or if it was because she was carrying my child, but she felt very breakable. She sobbed against my neck and I stroked her back in slow lazy circles, trying to comfort her. She smelled incredible. I inhaled deeply the wonderful floral scent of her hair. I placed a reverent kiss on her forehead and just held her. What more could I do? I didn't know what to say to make her feel better. So I just held her and let her cry.

She cried for a long time. The sobs raked savagely through her body. I held her until she was finally all cried out. My t-shirt was soaked with her tears, but I didn't mind. She lifted her head and looked at me with her warm chocolate eyes framed with her thick wet lashes. She gave me a watery smile.

"Sorry about your shirt."

"No worries, it'll dry in no time. I'm like a furnace remember?" That earned me a small chuckle.

She sniffed loudly and tucked a strand of her hair behind her ear. I reached up and softly wiped her tears away with my finger tips. I didn't what to upset her but I had so many questions.

"So when did you find out you were pregnant?" I asked hesitantly.

"Um…well I never had my …you know …after we …so that was a pretty big sign something was up," she said looking down at my chest.

"How long have you known?" I silently hoped she hadn't been carrying this burden alone for long.

"I've been worried for a while…Afraid to talk about it with anyone … But I just took a pregnancy test this morning, so …"

I nodded and waited for her to say more.

"I was pretty much in a daze all morning. I went to work and Mrs. Newton cut me loose because it was slow. I was on my way home and tossing out some flyers when I thought of you. Then I just jumped in my truck and came out to see you.

"They didn't try to stop me and I think it was because it was a spontaneous decision. I think that's the key, you know, acting on a snap decision so they don't really have time to react." She mused aloud.

I tried to repress a growl rising in my chest. "You were expecting some to stop you from coming to see me?" I asked incredulously. I was trying to understand how someone could know what she was about to do and then try to stand in her way. I had my suspicions though.

"I was actually going to come and see you before today, but Alice saw or rather didn't see what I was about to do. She called Edward and he disabled my truck so it wouldn't start. I was really pissed."

"He what?! What a prick. If I didn't have reason to rip him apart before I do now!" I fumed. I could feel my body begin to tremble with rage.

"Calm down Jake. I'm here now. It's okay. Relax." She put a cool hand against my face and looked at me with love in her eyes. I immediately melted.

"But wait…" I stared at her dumbfounded. Something she'd said didn't make sense. "What did you mean by she didn't see what you were going to do so she knew what you were going to do? That sounds really convoluted Bells."

She chuckled softly. "Alice can see the futures of almost anyone, except those of the pack, remember? When I choose to be involved with you, then my future disappears. There's only one reason that would happen, so that gives her a pretty good idea of what I'm up to."

"Huh. That's interesting….But why do you think he's so against you seeing me?"

"He says it's too dangerous for me to be around you, because you're a werewolf. He says he doesn't want to risk losing me."

I snorted. "What an idiot. I'd never do anything to hurt you."

"I know. I've tried to tell him but he won't listen. His minds made up."

"Maybe he's just using that as an excuse. Maybe what he's really afraid of it me stealing you away from him," I teased with a smirk.

She playfully punched me in the arm. "Very funny." Then her smile slipped and she started to look unbelievably sad. "He may not want me after he finds out …" Tears started to fall down her face again.

I tried to keep my face blank. Apparently the fact that she had my baby in her belly changed nothing. I had to strain not to roll my eyes.

"So he doesn't know you're pregnant?" I asked keeping my voice neutral.

She hung her head and moved it from side to side. I took a deep breath. I wanted to be supportive of her. I wanted to be everything for her that he wasn't. But man she was killing me!

"Alice didn't see this happening?" I asked trying to keep up the façade.

"I would have thought so, but she hasn't said anything to me or Edward. If she'd said anything to Edward about it I know I'd have heard something. So I don't think she saw it coming. Maybe it has to do with her not being able to see your future. Since it's your baby I'm carrying she can't see it."

I had to admit that made sense. I tried to hide a smile that threatened to explode across my face. I remembered the horrified look on Edward's face when he read my mind and saw when Bella and I had been together. The look on his face would be ten times as entertaining when he found out Bella was pregnant with my baby. I had to make sure I was there to see that!

She gave me a curious look and raised an eyebrow. I cleared my throat and said the first thing that came to mind to distract her from whatever she'd read on my face.

"So what do we do know?" I asked. I really had no idea what the next step was in a situation like this.

"I don't know. This is a first for me, you know?"

"Yeah, me too. But don't you have to see a doctor or something?"

"Probably. But I'll need to tell Charlie first." I watched as she visibly shuddered in my arms.

"When are you going to tell him?"

"I don't know."

"How are you going to tell him?"

"I don't know, okay!" she blurted out. She jumped up off my lap and began to pace back and forth in front of the sofa. "I hadn't really thought past tell you."

"Well I'm glad I was the first person you came to," I admitted.

"Of course you were the first person I came to. You're the father."

"Right." I'm the father I thought to myself. Wow. What a mind job. I stood up and took both of Bella's hands in mine. "I think I should be there when you tell Charlie," I said waiting patiently for her to meet my gaze.

Her eyes went wide and she stared at me in disbelief. "WHAT?! Are you trying to get yourself killed?"

"Bella, I'm not going to let you do this alone. It's my responsibility too."

"It's your funeral," she said with a shrug, eyes still opened wide.

We decided that the best course of action was to tell my father first, seeing as how, out of the parents, he was least likely to flip out. Also once he knew he could help us break the news to Charlie being that it was highly probable Charlie would flip out. We also wanted to tell them sooner rather than later, especially since Bella needed to get in to see a doctor for her prenatal care.

My dad took the news pretty well. He sat very calmly and listened patiently. The only question he ask was what I intended to do regarding Bella and the baby. I explained that I was going to step up and do the right thing of course. Come on like I'd do anything else! I told my dad I was fully prepared to do everything within my power to take care of Bella and our baby. My dad nodded in agreement with a look as if to say he expected no less from me. At least someone believed I'd do right by her.

My dad also agreed with our assessment of Charlie. He said he knew his old friend would not take the news well. So my dad suggested that we tell Charlie at our house. He said this way Charlie would keep his cool better, especially with my dad to help. Besides we didn't want Charlie anywhere with easy access to any guns.

So my dad got a hold of Charlie and invited him out to dinner. Charlie accepted the invite, of course, having no idea what was in store. Poor guy. I sort of felt sorry for him. Here he was thinking he was just coming out to spend time with friends and have dinner when his whole world was about to be turned upside down. It hardly seemed fair. He was going to get one heck of a surprise.

"Oh! I just remembered, I was going to help Angela today with her graduation announcements," Bella exclaimed. She looked at me expectantly. What? Was I supposed to give her permission? Since when did she need my okay?

"Uh, sure Bella. If you said you would help her out then you should. Besides you can just come back out with Charlie. They can't stop you if you're with your dad, right?"

"Oh, okay. Yeah, I guess that might work." She began to worry her bottom lip in that incredibly adorable way she had. I longed to reach out and kiss her, but I was afraid she'd reject me. Just because she was having my baby didn't mean she was mine. Although she should be and I was going to do everything I could to make that happen.

She turned to go, but paused beside the door. She turned around and looked at me her warm chocolate eyes pleading.

"You'll come too, right?"

I chuckled. "Sure, sure. If that's what you want honey."

"Yes. That's what I want." She said with a smile looking relieved.

I smiled back and said, "After you."