Disclaimer: All characters and things associated with The Twilight Saga belong to Stephanie Meyers. This writing is for pure entertainment only.
Summary: Set during New Moon. After Edward leaves, Bella is miserable and Jacob is there for her until things go too far between them, leaving Bella in an unexpected condition. When Edward returns how will Bella explain her situation to him? B/E B/J pairings
Chapter 14
It had been almost a week since Edward had brought Bella back to the Cullen house and Jacob had come by, threatening them all. Since then, one of the Cullen's was always with Bella, making sure she was safe. That afternoon it was Alice and Jasper's turn to watch the pregnant girl, sleeping in Edward's bed. Edward had tried to be the one to stay by Bella's side, but Alice had told Edward that Carlisle wanted to speak with him, so Edward had gone to the kitchen.
Edward poked his head through the door frame of the Cullen's kitchen to find Carlisle sitting at the table. "You wanted to see me?"
"Yes." Carlisle motioned to the seat across the table from him. "Come sit."
Edward complied, taking a seat across from his father. "What's up?"
"We need to figure out what we are going to do about Bella." Carlisle said. "It isn't safe for her to stay here in Forks. The wolves know where she is right now."
"I know." Edward sighed, running a hand through his tousled hair. "I just…I'm not sure what other options we have."
"We have to get her away from here." Carlisle said.
Just then Esme, Rosalie, and Emmett came into the kitchen, their eyes all golden, indicating they had just returned from a hunt.
"Hey." Emmett smacked Edward on the back. "Good to see you can sit without being next to Bella."
"Alice and Jasper are upstairs with her." Edward said simply, more frustrated with the situation of keeping Bella safe then Emmett's stupid little comment.
"What's with the long face?" Esme asked Edward.
"We are discussing what the next step is with Bella." Carlisle told his wife. "It isn't safe for her to stay here."
"Maybe I can take her somewhere." Edward suggested. "Somewhere away from here, where Jacob can't find us."
"And then what?" Rosalie asked. "You're going to raise some half werewolf kid with Bella in some far away land?"
Edward growled at Rosalie, hating her for being so realistic. "I could."
"Edward, that is a stupid plan." Rosalie said flatly.
Edward growled again.
"Rosalie, enough." Carlisle shot a look at his daughter before turning back to Edward. "Rosalie has a point though, Edward. It isn't practical to think you can just run off with Bella and all will be fine."
"Then what do we do?" Edward asked.
"Well, it is impractical for you to run off with Bella alone. You could not help her with her pregnancy or the birth or that child without some assistance. I also do not think you alone can be the soul protector of her and her child, not when the wolves will want to get to her so badly." Carlisle stated.
"So what are you saying, Carlisle?" Edward raised an eyebrow.
"Well…" Carlisle looked to Esme, Emmett, and Rosalie and then back to Edward. "I already discussed it with the family. I think it is best if we all go and keep Bella safe."
Instantly Edward focused his thoughts on Carlisle's thoughts, and could see his father was planning on taking them to the Cullen's secluded home in the mountains of Canada.
"Canada?" Edward asked out loud. "You want to all go to Canada?"
"We will do whatever we need to do in order to keep our family together…and safe." Carlisle told Edward. "We are all in agreement we do not want to be separated."
"So you would all just pick up and leave to help me protect Bella?" Edward looked around at his family.
"Hey, we love Bella too." Emmett told his brother. "We don't want anything to happen to her either."
"Plus, we already all moved back here for you, so what's one more move?" Rosalie asked.
Edward smiled at his family. "Thank you." And then his smile faded.
"Edward, what's wrong?" Esme asked.
"Bella may not want to leave." Edward realized. "I mean…Charlie is here and…she just may not want to pack up like that."
"She doesn't have a choice if she wants to keep herself and her child safe." Carlisle told Edward.
"I can't force her to do anything if she doesn't want to." Edward said, and he wouldn't force her. He and Bella were just starting to get close again, the past few days contributing to it greatly and he was not about to push her too far too fast.
"You're not forcing me." Bella's pregnant form appeared in the doorframe followed by Alice and Jasper. Bella looked much larger then she had at the beginning of the week, it was hard to believe she was only a little over four months along.
"You're awake." Edward couldn't help the smile that flew across his lips at the sight of Bella.
Bella nodded, slowly waddling over to the table, and taking a seat next to Edward, turning her attention toward Carlisle. "I want to go. Whatever I need to do to keep my baby safe…I will do it."
"Very well then." Carlisle nodded, looking around the room at the rest of his family. "We need to pack. We will head for Canada tonight."
"Canada!" Alice squealed, grabbing onto Jasper's arm. "I love Canada! That house…those woods!"
"Those grizzly bears!" Emmett was also enthused now, thinking about all the food they could get up there.
"Is that the only thing you think about?" Jasper raised an eyebrow at Emmett.
"I'm a growing boy!" Emmett joked.
"Everyone calm down." Carlisle smiled at his children. "We still need to pack and get the cars ready to go."
Everyone complied and shuffled out of the room, leaving Bella and Edward alone at the kitchen table.
"I…I have to figure out a way to tell Charlie." Bella looked to Edward.
Edward nodded. "I will go over there with you, if you want."
"He is coming home from his camping trip tomorrow." Bella rubbed small circles on her pregnant stomach. "I think it is best if I am just gone before then. Less questions."
Edward nodded, understanding. "Well, we can go there before we leave, you can leave him a note or something and you can grab whatever you need from your room."
"Okay, that sounds good." Bella took a deep breath, looking down at her hump of a stomach.
"Bella, are you sure this is what you want?" Edward asked, noticing the visible worry on Bella's face.
Bella nodded fiercely. "Yes." She looked up at Edward. "I have to keep my baby safe. I can't let anything happen to it, so if that means I need to leave here and go…I'll go."
"I've underestimated your strength, Bella Swan." Edward smiled gently at her.
Bella laughed. A few months ago, a sentence like that from Edward would have made her weak in the knees, but now she had far too many things to worry about. "Have you?"
Edward nodded. "You have grown into quite a woman. You will be a great mother." He took her hand in his and kissed it gently, his eyes never leaving her chocolate colored orbs.
Jacob sat at Sam's kitchen table with Jared and Paul. Emily had cooked them a steak dinner before heading out to do some shopping. As they sat over dinner, everyone could tell Jacob's mind was on other things, mainly Bella and his child. Sam had decided that it would be in the best interest of the pack to stay on Jacob's good side and help him retrieve his child after Bella gave birth. Plus, none of the werewolves thought it would be bad to have one of their own kind's child running around.
"Jacob, you okay?" Jared poked Jacob's arm with his fork.
Jacob nodded, snapping back into reality. "Yeah. Sorry…I was just thinking."
"About Bella?" Paul rolled his eyes; Jacob had been acting like this for a week and he was getting sick of it.
"Yes." Jacob narrowed his eyes at Paul.
"What about her?" Sam tried to lighten the mood, not wanting tension between the pack.
"I am just wondering…if she will stay around here." Jacob said. "I have been thinking about it a lot lately…if she just takes off with the Cullen's before the baby is born."
"You really think she would have the balls to do that? Or better yet, that those blood suckers would want to deal with her?" Jared asked.
"What do you mean?" Jacob asked.
"I mean…" Jared swallowed a mouthful of food. "I mean she is having a werewolf baby, not a vampire baby. Those Cullen's and your kid are mortal enemies, the Cullen's know that. You really think they would mess around with one of us just to save Bella?"
"I think Edward would." Jacob said truthfully. He had calmed down over the past few days and now was just hurt that Bella would take his child and walk away from him. He couldn't allow that to happen. If he couldn't have Bella then she couldn't have his child.
"Jared raises a point." Sam cut in. "Edward may be stupid but Carlisle certainly isn't. He wouldn't risk his entire family's safety for Bella. Plus, Bella can't leave here. What about Charlie?"
"Yeah." Jacob nodded after a moment. He had completely forgotten about Charlie. "I didn't even think of Charlie, but you're right. Bella wouldn't leave him behind. She knows it would kill him."
"See? So she is going nowhere." Sam said.
"Still…even if she stays, Edward won't let me near that kid when it's born." Jacob said.
"It's not Edward decision, it's not his kid." Jared said, taking another mouthful of food.
"And do you really think Edward will be around all the time?" Paul asked. "Doesn't Charlie hate him?"
"Yeah." Jacob nodded. "Charlie really dislikes Edward, especially after the shape Bella was in after he left her."
"So then use Charlie to your benefit." Paul said simply. "Make sure Charlie is on your side, that way Bella can't see Edward and then when your kid is born you will have access to it. I am sure you can coax Bella into feeding Charlie some crap about not wanting the kid, and then you can come sweeping in and take the baby. Charlie will think you're the good guy, and that his daughter makes terrible decisions."
"I don't know if I will be able to get Bella to give the kid up that easily." Jacob said truthfully. "At first, I don't think she wanted it, but now…I think she loves that baby."
"Then she should have stayed with you." Sam told Jacob. "She left. The only thing you should be worried about now is your child."
Jacob nodded after a moment. "You're right." And Jacob realized that Sam was making complete sense. Bella had walked away from him and any chance at a family that she had. Jacob would not let his child be raised by vampires, and he knew he could not save Bella from Edward's grasp, so his only choice was to get his child away from her at all costs.
Edward drove his Volvo up to the Swan residence household with Bella in his passenger seat. The house was dark, indicating that Charlie was indeed not back from his camping trip yet. As Edward parked the car, Emmett's jeep, Rosalie's convertible, and Carlisle's car pulled up next to him. They were all ready to head to Canada the second Bella was done inside of her house.
Edward looked over to Bella to see her absentmindedly playing with her ring, and he knew she was worried about what she would write in her note to Charlie. Gently, Bella reached across, taking her hand in his to steady it. "Do you want me to come inside with you?"
Bella quickly glanced up at Edward, her cheeks flushed with red. "If you don't mind…"
"Not at all." Edward smiled, quickly getting out of his car, and opening her passenger door before Bella could blink. He offered Bella his hand, helping her out of his car. He then glanced over to Emmett's truck, where he and Jasper sat. "Tell Rosalie and Carlisle this will only take a few minutes." He nodded toward Rosalie and Carlisle's cars, parked next to Emmett's jeep.
"Sure thing." Emmett gave Edward a thumbs up.
Edward nodded and then turned his attention back to Bella, helping her up her front steps and into her dark house. He quickly flicked on the kitchen light to reveal the broken window and knocked over chair from his encounter with Jacob earlier that week. He frowned, looking away.
"Don't worry about that." Bella knew what Edward's scowl was about. "I'll just tell Charlie something fell through the window." She moved to the drawer, pulling out a piece of paper and a pen. She had suddenly had a burst of confidence in writing Charlie the note. She knew it would hurt him, for her to walk away, but she also knew she had no choice; she had to keep her baby safe.
Bella quickly scribbled a note out to Charlie explaining that she had left, but loved him dearly, and hoped he would understand she did what was best for her. She then placed the note neatly on the kitchen table and turned to Edward. "I just need to grab some stuff from my room."
"Bella." Edward grabbed her gently by the arm before she could move. He read her eyes, trying to figure out why her attitude had become so nonchalant in her house. "You don't have to be so strong right now."
"Yes I do." Bella nodded, pointing to her pregnant stomach. "For my baby, I do."
Edward nodded, realizing he would never completely understand Bella. She was far too complex. "Okay. Let's get you packed up then." And in one swift movement, Edward had Bella in his arms and was carrying her effortlessly up the stairs. When they reached her bedroom he placed her down.
"I just need a few things from my closet and bathroom." Bella moved to her closet, pulling out a few sweatshirts. By the time she had all of her clothes picked out; Edward had packed up all of her bathroom belongings and placed them neatly in a duffle bag on her bed.
"Lets just get that stuff in the bag." Edward said, reaching for the clothes Bella had placed on the bed. "If you forgot anything we can pick it up once we are out of here."
"Edward?" Bella bit her lip as she swayed awkwardly.
"Yes?" Edward asked, trying to repress a laugh at Bella's behavior. If it had been any other time he would have had to comment on how ridiculous she looked, swaying from foot to foot with her large stomach.
"What?" Bella blushed, realizing he was about to laugh.
"Nothing." Edward cleared this throat and straightened his facial features out into serious ones. "What?"
"Really…thank you for all of this." Bella nodded, her hands gracefully falling to her hump of a stomach. "For everything you are doing for me…for us." She patted her stomach for emphasis.
"Bella." Edward was serious now. "I meant what I said. I never stopped loving you, and I won't ever stop. You have become my world and nothing will change that. I will keep you safe." He motioned to her stomach. "Both of you."
Bella felt the tears swelling in her eyes, and had to crack a smile. She couldn't believe how sweet Edward was being with such an absurd situation starring him in the face. "Well, thanks."
"Sure." Edward reached for her hand. "Let's get going."
Bella nodded, taking his hand and one more good look around her room, knowing there was a good chance it was the last time she would ever see it. She then allowed Edward to walk her down the stairs and out to his Volvo where his family was waiting.
"Took you long enough." Emmett teased.
"Sorry." Bella mumbled.
"He is joking, Bella." Carlisle said. He was now standing outside of Emmett's car. He turned to Edward. "Are we ready?"
Edward looked at Bella and nodded. "Yes." He then placed her bags in his trunk and by the time he was done, Carlisle had helped Bella into the passenger seat of the Volvo and was now revving the engine of his own car, signaling they were ready to leave.
Edward slide into the driver's seat, turning the Volvo on and looking to Bella who seemed nervous now, taking deep breaths as if to calm herself. "Are you ready?"
Bella nodded quickly, her eyes falling to her pregnant stomach.
"Hey." Edward grabbed her hand and squeezed gently. "It is going to be okay."
Bella looked up, and was met with Edward's soft smile, forcing a smile onto her own lips as she watched him pull out of her driveway, following Carlisle's car in the direction that would lead all of the Cullen's and herself out of Forks.
Jacob sat in his small living room, watching television. Since visiting Bella was no longer an option, Jacob suddenly realized he had a lot of free time on his hands, and a lot of that time he spent thinking. At first it had been about all the ways he could slowly kill Edward Cullen, but over the past few days his thoughts had shifted to Bella. He knew he had been rude and unkind in his last encounter with him, but he had been so angry and hurt. More than anything, he wanted Bella and his child back, but that seemed impossible now. Bella did not want him, she wanted Edward, so Jacob's only option was to give his child, when it was born, a nice, safe home away from any vampires.
Jacob knew it would kill Bella to lose that child, but it was the chose she had made. As long as Bella was involved with the Cullen's, Jacob would not let his child around her.
Suddenly, the front door to Jacob's house opened and his father came rolling into the room in his wheelchair.
"Dad?" Jacob raised an eyebrow. "I thought you weren't coming back until tomorrow?"
"We weren't, but the weather said rain tomorrow and Charlie and I did not want to get caught up in that." Billy explained why he was home early from his camping trip.
"Oh. I see." Jacob nodded.
"Is Bella around?" Billy glanced around the room. "I am sure Charlie will want to see her. He missed her."
"No." Jacob shook his head casually, deciding he was not going to tell his father what had gone on that week with Bella. "She isn't here tonight."
"Oh." Billy nodded, but raised an eyebrow, wondering why Bella was not there. Lately, as the pregnancy progressed so had the hours Bella spent at the Black residence. Billy couldn't help but find it a little odd that she was not there that night.
They had been driving a few hours, as Edward finally pulled the Volvo up to their home in Canada and Carlisle, Rosalie, and Emmett all pulled up beside him in front of the house. This house, similar to the one in Forks was very large, with huge windows, although it sat on a good ten acres of land, with no neighbors for miles. Edward smiled to himself; he had always loved this house, especially because the hunting in the woods that surrounded it was so great.
Edward turned his car off and glanced over to see Bella asleep in the passangerseat, one hand behind her head and the other curved protectively around her pregnant body. He hated to have to wake her up, she looked so peaceful.
"Bella?" Edward whispered softly.
Bella just grumbled, clearly still half asleep.
"Bella…come on." Edward gave her a few pokes to the arm.
Slowly Bella's eyes opened and she sat up. "Ugh…" She rubbed her eyes, looking around. "Where are we?"
"Home." Edward grinned, pointing to the huge house that sat in front of them.
"That's your house?" Bella was shocked, but knew she had no reason to be. The Cullen's house that sat in front of them seemed to be only slightly larger than the one in Forks.
"Our house." Edward smiled at her. "For as long as you need to stay."
Bella smiled back, feeling the baby inside of her doing a few summersaults. She took those as a sign that it was as happy as she was to be safe and with the Cullen's.
"Okay. Let's get going." Edward jumped out of his car, moving around and opening the door for Bella to get out. He then effortlessly took her hand, escorting her out of the Volvo, and then tossing his arm over her back as he helped her to the house.
Bella could notice Edward's relaxed demeanor compared to the one he had in Forks. He seemed to be at so much more ease now that they were away from Forks and Jacob, and Bella could not help but feel his behavior running off onto her. She too, felt much more at ease.
Charlie Swan pulled up to his house, tired from the week of camping. He got out of his cruiser and suddenly froze, starring at his shattered kitchen window that lay all over his front lawn. He quickly ran into the dark house, panicking for his pregnant daughter's safety.
"Bella?" Charlie yelled in the house, flipping on the lights as he went room to room. "Bella?"
Finally, Charlie reached the kitchen, flicking the light on to see the damaged window, and a note on the kitchen table. He grabbed the note, quickly scanning it, and realizing it was from Bella. He was in shock as he held the note in his hand, trying to process what she had written. Basically, she told him she loved him, but was taking off.
Charlie crumbled the paper up and was in his cruiser two minutes later, speeding off in the direction of the reservation. He assumed Bella had taken off with Jacob, but could not understand why.
A few minutes later, Charlie pulled up to the Black's home and jumped out of his car, racing up the steps.
"Billy!" Charlie called before he made it to the front door. "Billy?" He pounded on the door.
A second later, Billy opened the door, starring up at Charlie from his wheelchair; he could instantly see the look of frustration on my face. "Charlie? What's wrong?"
"We have to find them." Charlie was frantic, concerned about Bella's wellbeing, especially in her pregnant state.
"Find who?" Billy was confused.
Charlie shook his head. "Bella and Jacob. We have to find them."
"What are you talking about?" Charlie asked.
"I got Bella's note…" Charlie started.
"What note?" Jacob was standing behind Charlie now, a look of confusion on his own face.
"Jacob?" Charlie was shocked to see the young man standing in front of him. "How…you're home?"
Jacob nodded slowly, noticing that the color was starting to drain from Charlie's face. "I am…"
"Charlie, come in." Billy backed his chair up, allowing Charlie room to enter their home.
Charlie complied, slowly shuffling into the Black's living room as the color continued to drain from his cheeks. He sat himself down on the couch and Billy wheeled his chair up across from Charlie, while Jacob stood off to the side, his arms crossed.
"Now…what are you talking about?" Billy tried again. "You got a note from Bella?"
Charlie nodded, starring off in shock. If Bella was not with Jacob, Charlie had no idea where she could have been or why she took off and he was beyond concerned.
"What did it say?" Jacob was more curious then worried.
"She…she took off." Charlie continued to stare out in front of him. "She left."
"Where did she go?" Billy asked.
"It didn't say." Charlie shrugged, and then looked up at Jacob. "I thought she left with you."
Immediately, Jacob's hands were in first. He knew exactly who Bella had left with and it wasn't him. "Those damn Cullen's…" He mumbled.
"What?" Charlie asked, catching what Jacob had said.
Jacob sighed, shaking his head. "Edward. She must have left with Edward."
"Edward Cullen?" Charlie was confused. "I thought he moved."
"He moved back." Jacob told Charlie. "Bella has been…talking to him again. She must have taken off with him." Jacob couldn't believe the Cullen's would actually take off with Bella in order to keep him away from her and his child. They had no right; the baby Bella was carrying was his, not theirs. It only made Jacob wanted to get Bella back and under his thumb that much more. He wouldn't lose his child like he had lost her.
"Why would she do that?" Charlie asked.
"Because…she and i got in a little...arguement." Jacob explained. Technically, they had gotten in a fight.
"Yeah, but Jake, with the baby…why would she walk away from you? Any fight couldn't have been bad enough for that." Charlie could not imagine Bella leaving with Edward so easily. He knew how much Edward had hurt his daughter and he also knew how much Bella wanted things to work out with Jacob for the sake of the baby. It seemed like in less than a week everything he thought about Bella was turned around on him.
Jacob's face held no emotion not because he wasn't feeling any, but because he was feeling too much. Half of him was crushed that Bella had chosen Edward over him, ran away with the vampire instead of trying to work things out with Jacob. Part of Jacob wanted to work things out with Bella, part of him loved her. The other part of him was angry that Bella thought she could take his child away from him so easily; angry that she would lie about the pack as a way to get away from him. Jacob wasn't sure which part was more dominating, but he knew one thing, Bella needed to come home, f not just for him and the sake of their child but also for Charlie. Jacob didn't understand how Bella could be so selfish and it only made him want to get his child away from her poor decision making skills that much more.
"Don't worry, Charlie." Jacob told the distraught father. "I will find her and bring her home. I promise."
Charlie nodded, taking a deep breath as his mind raced with all the memories of Bella breaking apart over the loss of Edward. Charlie couldn't wrap his mind around the concept of Bella leaving Jacob behind to be with Edward ever again, but especially not now, not when she was pregnant with Jacob's child. Charlie just hoped Jacob was right and that they would find her and bring her home.