AN: This chapter really ramps things up, I think. Lots of action, and getting close to a big reason for why I started writing this story in the first place. Unfortunately, I don't own Twilight, but this story is all mine.
Wow. This is chapter 50. I never dreamed this story would be so long when I started, and we've so much farther yet to go before the end. Thanks again to everyone who has taken the time to read the story, and to review and share their thoughts. You are all amazing.
Have a new little poll on my profile page.
To reviewer AishleyCarter: thanks for reviewing. As I've told another person already who asked for more humor, I put it in as/when appropriate. Checking the categories for this story, humor isn't listed, so that isn't going to be the focus of the story. I'm a serious person by nature, and my stories will logically reflect that. I hope you'll continue to give this story a chance.
Srose: Yep, something is definitely going happen. Stay tuned.
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Bella POV
I woke slowly this morning, feeling no hurry to get moving today.
"Good morning." I turned over to see Jared standing in the doorway to our bedroom, a tray held in his hands.
"Breakfast in bed?" I pushed myself into a sitting position and twisted to pull all of our pillows behind me to lean back against.
He bit his lip. "I thought you deserved breakfast in bed today. Happy 19th birthday, love." I was far enough from the edge of the bed that he could sit beside me after setting the tray over my lap.
Part of me wanted to object to any mention whatsoever about today's significance, but this was my husband, and he did have the right to acknowledge this. As long as he'd obeyed the injunction against any kind of party we'd be fine.
"Thank you," I ignored my morning breath and tilted my face up for his kiss. A kiss, which quickly became two, and three...
"You are incorrigible," he teased, once he'd relinquished my lips and wrapped his arm around my shoulders. "But your breakfast will get cold if you don't get started on it now."
He'd made me the seasoned scrambled eggs that I'd been craving lately, some slices of toast with the peach jam I loved, and had a banana on the tray just waiting to be peeled and dipped into the bowl of chocolate sauce. I was starting to suspect that he'd exchanged the trials of my morning sickness for the trials of my food cravings.
"Whatever you want, Bella." It was almost as if he'd known what I was thinking. "If you want pickles with the chocolate sauce again, or some strange ice cream sundae concoction, you'll get them. I can't promise that the guys won't tease you about it, but you'll get them, regardless."
"Thank you."
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Jared POV
I settled on the bed next to her, watching with pleasure as she began to devour her breakfast.
"So, what's next?" she asked around a mouthful of eggs.
"We have the whole morning to do whatever you want, love. We've got the sonogram early this afternoon, and mom's meeting us there with Savannah."
"Then?"
"The afternoon is open until about dinnertime." Now I was waiting for the shoe to drop.
"We have dinner plans?" Her brow furrowed ever-so-slightly.
"Yessss," I drew the word out.
"Where?"
"At your dad's place. I think Sue's helping him."
"Sounds nice. Is it just the three of us?" So far, so good.
"No, it's my family, too."
"Anyone else?"
Here it came. A deep breath. "The pack and imprints, too. It's not a party, I swear. Just dinner."
"Presents?"
"I told them no."
"I suppose it was a little unreasonable for me to ask for no acknowledgment at all," she admitted.
"Mom flipped out a few weeks ago when I said I didn't have anything planned," was my confession. "I figured this was enough to make her see I wasn't ignoring your birthday, while still not being so much that you'd feel we were making a fuss."
Seeing that her tray was now empty, I reached out my hands to help Bella to her feet. She headed to the bathroom to start getting ready, while I belatedly took care of her breakfast tray. By the time I was done, she was back in the bedroom standing in front of the mirror.
I bit down hard on the inside of my mouth to keep from smiling. Bella was fussing at her appearance, an act so unlike her that I had to fight not to show my amusement. Now into her 4th month of pregnancy, her body was really starting to show the changes it was going through.
"Ugh," she growled. She looked up from her stomach into the mirror and saw me watching her.
"You look gorgeous," I told her fervently.
"I look fat!" I resisted the urge to shake my head—I knew it would only get me into trouble. Instead, I walked forward until I was standing just behind her. My arms reached around her and my hands splayed protectively over the growing mound of our child.
"You look sexy," I disagreed, our positions letting her feel the truth of my words.
"Mmmhmm. Any chance you can call in sick today?" Bella's head fell back to rest against my chest.
"Did you forget I'm under orders from management to day to do nothing but spoil my wife?"
She burrowed deeper against my body. "Anything I want?"
"Anything and everything," I vowed.
"You."
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I cradled Bella close once she'd fallen asleep after the rather passionate start to her birthday, I was thinking over the plans I'd made for our day when I drifted off to sleep again as well. More than just Bella's appetite and waist had been increasing lately.
After our nap, Bella requested a walk along the beach. "I want to soak up every last warm and sunny moment while we've got them.
"Your wish is my command."
We walked along, sometimes talking, sometimes not, just enjoying being together. Bella burst out laughing when I produced an orange as we approached the same piece of driftwood that we'd used during the spring school beach trip. "Smaller audience today," I commented, pointing to a few circling seagulls.
"I don't mind." Using a folded blanket as a backrest and another on the ground, Bella carefully moved so she could lean back against the driftwood, lashes veiling her eyes as I fed her orange wedges. Fixed on the sexy, no, the erotic sight before me, I decided it was a very good thing we had no real audience right now. Inhaling, I caught the scents of beach, ocean, wood, and…Bella. Looking down, I saw her staring at me, eyes dark and intent.
"Bella…" I warned, as all the little clues came together in a rush. Her lips pouted.
"Whatever I want, right?"
"We're on the beach," I hissed, even as my pulse began to race. Was she really suggesting…?
"You said yourself that no one's around." She slid down into a prone position and propped her arm up under her head. "Or aren't you interested?" She swept her gaze over me from head to toe. I didn't even think of trying to deny the obvious. As I surrendered to the inevitable, I could only liken this to that first jump off the high cliff that the pack used.
Back at the apartment before we headed to the appointment, I finally got that shared shower I'd been dreaming about.
"We're saving time and water this way," Bella said.
"We won't be saving either if you keep that up," I warned.
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Bella POV
After lunch, we headed to the clinic for our regular appointment, with the sonogram to come afterward. Sue was pleased with my progress, and said that everything looked good. For the first time, she wanted to measure my stomach.
"Hmm." She mused after noting the figure on my chart.
"Is anything wrong?" Jared asked.
"No. Just a little larger than I would have expected. You're sure about the possible conception dates?"
"Absolutely," I confirmed. "I had my period at the end of April. We had sex a couple times the week after, and again the middle of the month." Sue asked me a few questions about the length of my cycle.
"I said at the beginning that picking a due date is a lot of guesswork. We might be looking at right at the beginning of February instead of a week or so in," Sue decided. "The sonogram will give us a much better idea. And regardless, we'll be keeping a close eye on you by the first of the year."
"As long as you're sure nothing's wrong," Jared asked for the reassurance.
"I'm sure."
The only unpleasant part came when I was reminded of the tests that needed to be run, which again required blood samples. Just as he had at my first appointment, Jared distracted me while Sue took care of getting the necessary samples.
"Jared, the results should be back within a week; I'll call with the results as soon as I get them."
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"You don't have to find out, if you really don't want to, you know," I reminded Jared as we walked hand-in-hand toward the entrance to Forks Community Hospital. The La Push clinic didn't have its own ultrasound machine, so Sue had scheduled our scan for the local hospital. After initially agreeing with me on finding out, Jared had been waffling in the weeks since.
(flashback)
"I don't mind our families knowing—I want them to know; I'm just not sure about telling everyone," he'd said. I knew that he meant the pack.
"You've kept things from them before," I'd responded, reminding him of how he'd kept details of our private time from the rest of his brethren.
"This is different, though," Jared had countered. "I didn't want to think about that with them around. With the baby, I don't think I'm going to be able to not think about it."
It was a dilemma. We'd already promised to tell our siblings and parents, and I didn't want to go back on that. But, I could see Jared's point about not necessarily telling everyone we knew.
"Right," I'd agreed, "but I can keep the secret." We both knew that it was true—I'd proven many times over that I was great with secrets. Our moms and Savannah would probably be good at it, too.
(end flashback)
"I can keep quiet about it," I repeated, just as I caught sight of Laura and Savannah waiting by the entrance.
Jared stopped us both and tugged me gently around to face him. "I don't want you to keep the secret from me; I want to know which we're having."
"But—"
"I don't care if the pack finds out, too. If it happens, it happens—that's not a big deal, not to me. Our friends have shared so much else with us, they deserve to get this back in return."
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Jared POV
Bella shivered as the technician applied the gel to her belly and began spreading it around with the ultrasound probe.
"So, we'll be checking the baby's size today. Are you interested in finding out the sex as well?"
"Yes!" we answered simultaneously.
"Alright. We'll start at the top and work our way down. Hopefully the baby will be cooperative and let us see clearly. There's the head." The technician pointed to the round image at the center of the screen. "The spine is here—you can see the heart beating. Nice and strong." I felt a surge of awe as I watched. We'd heard the heartbeat at our regular appointment, but this was something incredible, actually seeing it.
Doing some kind of technical magic, she took more measurements and made some calculations. She refined Sue's estimate on Bella's due date, to the last week of January. "So that puts you at about the 20 week mark." Moving on, we watched as she pointed out arms and legs, then shifted the probe around and over different spots on Bella's stomach, looking for the right angle.
"Here we go. Now, are you hoping for a boy or a girl?"
My wife's brown eyes met mine. "I don't think we care which. A healthy baby is the important thing," I answered.
"Bet you'd like a boy, though," Bella commented. "Sports and all that."
"I'm not saying it wouldn't be nice," I acknowledged, "but I think I'd like a girl, too. Especially if she takes after her mother." I leaned down for a quick kiss.
"Well, congratulations, then, mom and dad. Allow me to be the first to introduce you to your—"
"Wait!"
"Changed your mind?" the tech asked.
"Not exactly," Bella explained. "It's just that our dads, and my mom and stepdad, aren't here. Could you maybe write it down for us, and then we can tell everyone at the same time?"
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Bella POV
After the appointment, Laura left to take Savannah to back to school. Jared turned to me. "Mrs. Mahan, what else would you like to do today?"
I made a show of giving the matter serious thought. "What about just watching a movie? And you pick."
"If that's what you want…"
"Yes, it is."
Popcorn in hand and the DVD in the player, we looked at each other with so much more uncertainty than we ever had before. "Please tell me I'm not the only one who doesn't know what to say?" Jared requested.
"You mean about me being a couple weeks farther along than we thought," I made it more of a statement than a question. "What do you think?"
"I think…I think I'll be ready to welcome our baby whenever he or she makes their grand entrance." He snuggled close to me. "You?"
"I know it's only a couple weeks, and that that's not long, but I almost feel like I'm not as prepared now as I was before."
"Everyone will help us, you know. We'll be just fine." Jared stretched to give me a gentle kiss. "Ready for the movie?"
"Almost. Did I do the right thing, asking the technician to put the answer into an envelope? Should I just have let her go ahead and tell us?"
"Bella, love, you wanted to make sure that our entire family would be able to find out together. That's such a perfect touch that I'm honestly a little jealous that I didn't think of it."
"Now I'm ready for the movie."
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"I think I'm having déjà vu," I commented, standing in front of the closet for the second time today.
"Will this help?" I turned to see Jared behind me, a small gift bag dangling from his fingers. "It's from my mom." I bit my lip for just a moment before reaching out to accept the bag.
"Ooohhh," I breathed as a dark green knit top and tan leggings emerged from the bag. Bringing them up to my cheek, I rubbed my face against the smooth fabric. "I love your mom."
"Me, too." He laughed as I headed to the bathroom to change. "Hey!"
Poking my head back around the doorframe, "I'm sure it would be bad manners for me to be late, wouldn't it?"
"You're the guest of honor," he countered. "It's not like they can start without you."
I shook my head. "We were late to your siblings' party already—we're not going to be late to my dinner, too." From the look on his face, I knew he realized I was right, even though a part of him seemed to be thinking 'to hell with manners'. I couldn't blame him—I wanted him, too.
"Hista lab," he swore when he saw me emerge from the bathroom.
"Do I want to know what that means?" I'd been trying to pick up new phrases, but with the numbers of fluent native speakers declining, it wasn't that easy; this one was unfamiliar to me.
"Probably not," he replied. Approaching him, my fingers lifted his dangling jaw, then I stood on tiptoe to lightly kiss his lips.
"Down payment."
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Waiting for us at Charlie's was Jared's family and the pack and imprints.
"Happy birthday!" everyone chorused.
It was obvious that Charlie had had help with the food, casual though it was. Sam and Paul carried in trays of burgers from the back deck just as Sue and Emily finished setting out the condiments and side dishes.
"Guest of honor and ladies first," Charlie directed.
"Thanks, dad," I gave him a quick hug before heading for the food.
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Jared POV
Sitting there among our family and friends, my food was sitting almost unnoticed on my plate, as I ignored it in favor of watching my wife. Bella was smiling and laughing, gossiping with the girls and teasing the younger pack members. They, in return, warned her against trying any new strange food combinations tonight.
My favorite color notwithstanding, the green of her shirt set off her hair and eyes and glowing skin perfectly. There was subtle embroidery around the scooped neckline, echoed by more outlining the top curve of her belly. I love you. I love you both.
After we'd all gorged ourselves sufficiently—"At least until dessert," Jake quipped—everyone took their plates back into the kitchen, then came back into the living room so Bella could open her presents. As expected, everyone had ignored the official request to not give her anything. Most of them were pretty practical, though: certificates promising new maternity outfits whenever she needed or wanted them from Sam and Emily, Embry and Kim, and Paul and Rachel. Leah and Daniel gave her a CD of native music, "It's supposed to be really soothing", and junk food from the young guys. Sue gave them a stern look when she saw it.
Charlie and my parents had gone in together for a flip digital camera that they said was for both of us. "For the moments that still photos just don't do justice to," they explained. Charlie brought out a pile of boxes from the hall closet. "They're not all from me," he hurried to reassure Bella. "This one is from Renee and Phil. Bella opened the box to find a baby book. "She said there are pages that you can start doing now." She took a minute to flip through the book.
"This is great! I can't wait to start putting stuff in. Like the sonogram picture from today."
"So, what is it?" Seth was practically bouncing.
"Whatcha getting, Vanah? Niece or nephew?" Jake leaned down close to her.
"I don't know," she grumped. "Bella had them write it down, so everyone could find out at the same time."
Bella turned bright red when everyone looked her way. "Presents first, then I'll open the envelope."
Another big box was from Angela and Ben. "They're sorry they couldn't be here," Charlie explained. "They gave this to me before they left." Inside was a big scrapbook with "Jared and Bella" embossed on the cover, and a thin CD jewel case labeled "Our Wedding: Jared and Bella, July 3, 2010". She looked up at her dad in confusion. "That's a DVD of your wedding ceremony and the reception," Charlie said. "Ben said there should be a note."
There was.
Bella, Happy Birthday.
Your stepdad shot video at your wedding, and I took it and the reception video and set them to music. Hope you like it. Ben.
A second note was from Angela:
Bella, I asked my mom to help put this together, and got the photos from your families and our friends. Now you can pull these memories out whenever you want. Angela.
She turned to me, eyes shining. I knew it was rude to not let her ask me whatever she was going to, but I had something to give her here. I leaned over the arm of the couch to lift the bundle I'd asked my parents to place there before we arrived.
"Jared…"
"I found this back in July at Quileute Days. I couldn't resist getting it for you. I hope you like it." She leaned over to give me a kiss.
"I'm sure I will." She untied the ribbon and I helped her unfold the large piece of red and black woven fabric, watching as her fingers traced over the wolves and trees and fish that figured among the patterns.
"It's a shawl," I explained, taking it from her lap to shake out and drape over her shoulders.
"It's beautiful! Thank you!" Another kiss, longer and deeper.
"Children present," Embry ribbed. "Parents, too."
"Do I get to ask you my question now?" Bella inquired.
"Sure."
"Do you want to watch the video now, or later?"
"Later," everyone else answered for me.
"I have to agree with them, love," I told her. "I think we've all been in suspense long enough. Open the envelope."
"It's in my purse." No sooner were the words spoken than Savannah was scrambling to retrieve it.
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Bella POV
"Thanks, sis," I told Savannah, when the envelope from the sonogram was in my hand. Weighing it my hand for a moment, I felt a tiny twinge as I remembered the last birthday I'd had, and what had happened when I'd opened an envelope that night. Jared seemed to catch it.
"How about I open it and you tell us? Sound fair?"
"Sure."
"Oh, wait. Charlie, you want to get Renee and Phil on the phone?" Jared tossed over his cell phone and Charlie dialed. When Renee answered, he put the call on speaker.
"Hi, baby." and "Hey, Bella." were the near-simultaneous greetings.
"Hey, mom, Phil. We're just about to open the envelope and find out the sex of the baby."
The envelope back in my hand, I wondered if this was how Embry had felt, when he'd opened his own results a few months ago. Pulling out the paper, I unfolded it and saw the answer to our question, and started giggling.
"Well?"
"What?"
"Which is it?"
The questions from our friends and family went unanswered as I continued to laugh. I fell helplessly against Jared, unable to keep my balance.
"Bella?" Jared didn't seem sure if he should be concerned or not.
"This is going to be fun," I managed, once I'd gotten my mirth under control.
"What is?" Again, the question came from everyone.
"Watching Jared play the over-protective father."
Almost without his awareness, Jared's hands rose to clasp my shoulders. "A girl?" he breathed.
"A girl," I confirmed.
Instantly, he was hopping over the arm of the couch, whooping. The entire room was filled with noise: talking, laughing, shouting…Back at my side, Jared kissed me over and over again. "I love you, Bella. I love you, baby girl." I was swamped with hugs from everyone. My dad hugged me longest.
"Congratulations, Bella. My little girl's having a little girl of her own."
Jared handed me the phone, and I could barely hear my mom's voice. "Mom, it's crazy here. Can I call you tomorrow?"
"Sure, baby. I'm so happy for you."
"Thanks, mom. I love you."
By the time I had a moment to think and space to breathe, Emily, Leah, Rachel, and Kim were bringing in bowls of cake and ice cream.
"Movie time," Quil announced, bouncing Claire on his knee.
I reminded myself that we'd have to send a really nice thank you note to Ben. This was incredible. I was so glad he'd thought to do this for us, and that Phil had shot the video to begin with. Some parts of my wedding day were crystal clear, but others were a little hazy.
There was a loud round of laughter when we got to see Jared's reaction to seeing me walking toward him. "What?" his mouth was hanging open in shock.
"Do you seriously not remember that?" Jake snorted. "How can you not remember that Sam literally had to stop you in your tracks? You'd've met Bella halfway down the aisle if he hadn't done that."
"I don't know," Jared admitted.
"I think it's sweet," I consoled my husband. "Funny, too. That'll be a story to tell the kids about someday."
"That was a beautiful wedding," Laura commented at the end.
"I think so, too," I agreed. "And thanks again to everyone for helping to make it so amazing."
My in-laws left early with my siblings, Collin, and Brady. "You kids have school tomorrow," James reminded them. Paul and Rachel took Billy home soon after. "An old man like me can't stay up too late," he quipped.
"What old man?" Charlie asked. "You still dance circles around everyone."
"That's me."
Charlie didn't seem to want us to leave, so the rest of us hung around for a while just talking and looking through the scrapbook that Angela and her mom had made. We had a fun time remembering some of the things in the pictures. It took a while for me to notice the guys getting a little restless.
"We can wrap this up, if you're ready to leave," I offered.
"No, we don't have to do that," Jared replied. "I think I'll get some of this taken out to the car, though, so we don't have to do it later."
I followed him out of the living room and into the hallway. "Thanks for a great birthday."
"You're welcome, Bella." He was just opening the door when he stiffened, inhaled sharply, and growled low in his throat.
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AN: I know I said that this wasn't coming until after my assignment was done, but I just couldn't stop writing this. Now this is done, so my assignment definitely comes before any more updates.
Hista lab= I need a drink
