A/N: Hello again everyone :) Here's another chapter update for you! I hope you all enjoy this chapter and thanks again to everyone for their continued support and feedback! Happy Reading!

CHAPTER FIFTY - FOUR

(BPOV)

After nearly seven long hours of shopping with Emily, I was more than ready to sit down for dinner. Emily chose a small grill in town and we hurriedly piled the many bags from our shopping spree into the back of her now fully loaded trunk.

Little Levi had done surprisingly well. He'd slept the majority of the afternoon and I had to say, he had been a real trooper with us.

I checked my cell phone for the first time all afternoon, secretly hoping Jacob had left me a message of some kind, but to my disappointment, there was no awaiting text message or unheard voicemail to be received. It had been hours since I'd even talked to him...

"This was SO much fun, Bella!" Emily beamed over her large opened menu.

"It really was. I am so glad Levi slept as well as he did." I replied. " I honestly haven't had this much fun shopping since... well... I don't know when."

"I'm glad we did this. I hope you're as hungry as I am!?"

"After all the walking we did today... Absolutely. I could eat a horse!" I admitted, my eyes skimming over the many mouthwatering dishes to select from. What to choose...

I heard Emily's phone buzz on the table and watched a beautiful smile appear when she glanced at the lit up screen.

"That would be Sam."

"Checking in on you?" I asked.

"Of course. You know how that goes..." Emily grinned.

"Uh... actually... not today... I checked and Jake hasn't tried to reach me all afternoon." I sighed, the disappointment now clear as a bells ring in my voice.

"Oh ... really? I'm sure he's... busy with the pack meeting and trying to... prepare for the councils meeting, too. That's soon..." She replied, reassuringly.

"Probably."

The waitress took our order and Emily asked her if she would be kind enough to warm up a small bottle for Levi, who had stirred from his long afternoon nap and was now beginning to fuss. The waitress offered a smile and kindly obliged to Emily's request, commenting as she walked away on just how cute little Levi was.

"I can't believe what time it is!" I yawned, seeing the clock on my phone read 5:47 pm.

"I know what you mean. The day just flew right by us. But it was a blast!"

"It really was. We'll have to do this again soon, Emily."

"Agreed! So what are your plans for Thanksgiving. Hard to believe that's the day after tomorrow. I have to go home and bake like crazy for the next forty - eight hours!"

"I was actually gonna ask you earlier about that. Billy had mentioned the other day that he thought it might be nice if we all gathered for the Holiday at Charlie's this year? I have to talk to him about it tonight, but I really don't think he'll mind. As long as he's out of the kitchen... it's all good." I laughed, seeing Emily's face light up at my offer.

"That would be great! Sam and I would love that! Charlie hasn't met Levi yet. That would give them a chance to get acquainted!"

I nodded to her in enthusiasm as the waitress returned with a warm bottle and our drinks. Emily was quick to feed Levi, who was beyond fussy by the time the waitress had returned.

I couldn't help but smile, seeing her hold him close and watching her eyes fill with the kind of motherly adoration that was truly a sight to behold by anyone.

"I really needed this day out, Bella." Emily soon sighed, her eyes genuine with her words.

"Me too. I think it did us both some good."

When Levi had finished his bottle, he fell back to sleep and Emily placed him back in his carrier, all swaddled in blue blankets as we ate our dinner and discussed the many food items still needed for Thanksgiving dinner.

"I should be more prepared..." I admitted.

"Hey... we've all had a lot on our plates lately. Why don't we make a quick run to the grocery store after we leave here and get what we need? I can start the cooking tonight."

"That sounds like a good idea... You know..." I paused, glancing over to Levi and remembering Jacob's offer to Sam. "We could watch him... over night tonight... so you could get the cooking done you wanted? We'll make a list and I can bake tomorrow night?"

"... Really? Tonight? I mean... would Jake be okay with that this soon... so last minute notice and all?"

I couldn't help but stifle a laugh at her needless worry. "Em... He'd be thrilled... like a kid at Christmas... Besides, he's the one who offered our babysitting services to Sam in the first place... Remember?"

Emily giggled herself at my reply, seeming to understand my valid point.

"True... well... I could certainly use the time tonight to get the baking done. Would be a heck of a lot easier, too." She sighed, glancing over to her sleeping baby boy. "Okay... If you're sure?"

"I'm positive." I replied, seeing her returning smile.

We soon paid for dinner and headed to the grocery store. The list in our heads, only seeming to get longer with each passing mile. One of us would laugh and suddenly remember some traditional dish of some sort we'd forgotten. It was pretty comical really.

By the time we began loading up our grocery cart, our mental lists had been abandoned for grabbing whatever we saw at the time. The cart was rounded before too long with every kind of Holiday feast meal fixing you could think of.

Emily and I paused on Aisle nine to do a quick head count of who would be attending. She dialed Sue and they all agreed to join us. I also called Charlie and he was reluctant at first about opening his house up for the Holiday, but once I told him who was attending and that Emily and I would be making a feast, he agreed to the gathering without any further hesitation.

I had just ended the call with him when a familiar voice rang clear from behind me. "Bella?"

I nearly dropped the four cans of cranberry sauce I had gathered in my arms. Emily paused herself when she heard the voice. Her light hearted smile vanishing and her face losing some of its color when her wide eyed gaze met mine.

I had to blink to believe what I was seeing when I slowly turned around. I forced myself to say something in return, nearly choking on the words before they left me.

"Hi... C-Carlisle..."

His golden hue gaze was reflective when it met mine, and his hand reached to place a cold touch on my shoulder. The feel of it, sending my mind down the unwanted road of memory lane. Visions of how painful Violete's cold iron grip had been in the woods that night, came rushing back to me, causing me to shrug away from his frozen touch.

I saw the hurt that immediately crossed Carlisle's face from my rejection and it made me regret my harshness.

"I'm sorry, Bella... I should have known-"

"W-What are you doing here?" I asked, in a hushed whisper, inching myself closer to Emily.

"I came back to speak with Jacob. Esme and I have something of grave importance he needs to know. I was on my way there... but I know what our presence does to them all... I know we are no longer welcome here."

"... But you came anyway..." I sighed, glancing over to a worried Emily.

"Yes... Yes we did."

"We? Just you and Esme?"

"... Yes. I only need a few moments of his time."

My head spun as I thought of how angry Jacob was with them all. "... Carlisle... things are different... I'm not sure he would even see you. But I can't speak for him."

Emily cleared her throat and took a step his way. "You can't just cross over into La'Push and not expect the consequences of that to be fatal for you." She boldly declared.

"I understand this... but what knowledge I have brought with me... He is going to want to hear... trust me." Carlisle replied, his golden eyes glancing my way on the last few words.

I felt the fear hit my system like a floods invasion of land. Covering me in a drowning current and leaving me riddled with anxiety.

Emily took notice of this and her hand found mine. Her words to him harsh now as she spoke with an anger I had never heard from her.

"Okay, so you're here now. Despite the warning that Jacob... the Alpha... gave you all. Bella and I will not be responsible for the consequences you may face. You didn't heed his warning and that makes you arrogant. I sincerely hope the reason for your disrespectful and ill thought out intrusion here now... is well worth it to Jacob. If not Carlisle... your demise will be no one's fault but your own."

With that, she turned and pulled me gently along with her further down the aisle and away from him. I glanced back to see he was already gone and despite Emily's hand in mine, I began to shake. For I knew what his not so subtle words meant. Something had happened... Or something was surely about to.

"Bella?" Emily whispered next to me. Her tone of concern evident in her voice. "Bella?"

"W-why are they here?" I breathed, still feeling numb. "I mean... they know their not even allowed on Quileute Land... or even in Forks for that matter... Jake is gonna-"

I paused mid sentence when my phone rang in my pocket. The sound now shrilling as I read the screen. Jacob was calling me. I nervously held up the phone to show Emily, who's eyes grew wide upon the realization.

"We need to hurry this up here and get home. Come on, lets finish up and check out."

We rushed down the aisles, going from one to the next and grabbing any remaining items we may have forgotten. We checked out as fast as we could and loaded everything into Emily's car. Little Levi was just beginning to fuss again when we neared La' Push.

"How am I gonna tell him-?" I asked in a whisper, as we pulled into her driveway.

"I don't know, Bella... He... Might...-"

"I know..." I sighed, seeing the front door to Sam's house fly open and Jacob emerge with a radiant grin on his face for me. I had barely got out of the car when he ran over and scooped me up in the kind of strong embrace that made my very soul warm from the feel of it. His lips capturing mine in a hungry kiss. I dropped the bag in my hands and heard Sam and Emily's laughter as I kissed him back.

"Okay, okay you two! Don't make me get the damn hose! I guarantee your ass the water's some cold now!" Sam jokingly threatened as he hugged Emily and helped her in the house with Baby Levi.

Jake placed me on my feet, his eyes meeting mine with sincerity.

"I missed you..." He breathed, his lips agonizingly close to mine.

"I miss you..." I replied, trying to erase the fear from our run in with Carlisle.

"Did you have a good time?" He asked, opening the trunk to retrieve some of the many shopping bags in there.

"Yea... Yes... we had a great time."

I tried to help carry some things in, but Sam and Jake insisted they could get it.

Once inside the warm house with Emily, I gathered myself the best I could. I needed to be able to talk to Jake without him blowing a head gasket. Which I had a damn good feeling would happen the moment I mentioned the name Cullen.

"Bella, you don't need to take Levi tonight. Don't worry about." Emily offered.

"No... I really would still like to. If that's okay? Have you asked Sam?"

"I was just about to..." She smiled, placing a reassuring and supportive hand on mine at the table. "Maybe you should tell him in the morning?"

"Maybe..." I sighed. "I don't want him to think I'm keeping anything from him..."

"I understand that. I just worry about the struggle he's been facing lately... with the inner beast. I wouldn't want him to make any rash choices out of the hatred he has for them. Like I told Carlisle at the store. This. Is. Not. On. You." she stated clearly. "He has made his choice and with that will come a consequence. What matters is you and Jacob... you two deserve some happiness."

I nodded and felt the hot tears sting my eyes as Jake and Sam came in with the last load of bags from the car.

"Holy shit you two..." Sam laughed. "Did you leave anything at the store?"

Emily laughed and I grinned along with her, my eyes meeting Jakes and his look swiftly changing. I sucked in a sharp breath and rapidly blinked away the emotion arising in my throat.

Emily noticed the change in Jacob right away and came to the rescue with a temporary distraction. "So... Bella kindly offered to watch Levi tonight with Jacob? At Billy's? I have a lot of baking to do for the Thanksgiving holiday. Would that be alright, Sam? I really haven't had the chance till now to check with you? I told Bella we'd have to ask you two first, of course. It is kinda last minute and all-"

"We'd love to." Jake interjected with a heart stopping smile.

"See..." I chuckled to Emily.

"No objections here from me!" Sam chuckled. "I trust no one more... and could truthfully use a full night's sleep... Been a while."

"Great... I'll go pack him a bag." Emily smiled to us as she headed to the nursery.

I got busy with putting away the many groceries and writing down a list of 'who cooks what', for us to follow later.

My mind kept lingering over the memory of Carlisle's face today and his words. I made sure I kept my wits about me though and was aware of Jacob's watchful gaze upon me when I finished putting away the last bag of food for Emily.

I could feel his penetrating stare still on me when I took Levi's baby bag from Emily. She gave me an abundant supply of bottles she had pre pumped and plenty of outfits for him if need be.

"Remember... if anything comes up, don't hesitate to call. I'll be right over."

"We won't. I promise... We'll have a great time. Won't we, Levi?" I asked, seeing her hand him off to Jacob, who's whole face lit up like that of a little boys would on Christmas morning. It was truly heart warming for me to see.

Sam placed little Levi's car seat in my truck and we were soon on the road to home. Jake drove about ten miles under the speed limit the entire way back to Billy's and I couldn't help but chuckle, seeing him be so articulate and cautious with his driving.

"What?" He chuckled, reaching for my hand.

"You're allowed to go the speed limit, you know?" I teased.

"Not tonight... We're carrying precious cargo!" He laughed.

"Agreed..." I sighed, seeing him check the rear view mirror for the tenth time. "What did you do today? Emily mentioned you had a pack meeting... or a council meeting soon?"

"We do... I uh... spent most of the day ... prepping for it." He sighed, his hand tightening in mine.

"Important?" I asked.

"They usually all are."

"Anything I can do to help?" I offered as we turned onto his road.

"No honey. But thanks for the offer. We're all set... pretty much."

"I didn't mean to spring this on you... watching Levi tonight... I just know how much Emily has to bake and figured we could watch him for the evening? He did so well today with us."

"I think it's great... gives us practice."

His seemingly simple reply had my head filling with Carlisle's words from the store. I gingerly pulled my hand out of his when we parked the truck. My heart feeling as if it weighed a tone with this. My selfish wish was for Carlisle to go back to wherever it was he came from and leave us be. Just leave us be...

We unloaded Little Levi and got him settled in before Jake retrieved the few bags of clothes Emily had talked me into purchasing with her today from my truck. His wandering eyes finding the red lingerie piece in the Victoria Secret bag and his suggestive eyebrow raise making me laugh out loud. He picked up the revealing piece of red silk and the lust that clouded his gaze was enough to make my laughter seize.

"...Later..." He sighed..."Definitely later..."

By the time we got settled in back at Jake's, it was almost eight in the evening and Billy had yet to return home from town.

I watched in adoration as Jake scooped up Little Levi in his strong hands. His heart warming smile, making a grin form on my own face.

His whole demeanor shifted when he held him. Picking him up and cradling him like he were made of blown glass. To watch it... to see him hold Levi... it was a sight that made me want to give him a son of his own all the more. It was a dream I wanted so bad that my eyes were beginning to now show my true feelings.

I had been so lost in thought that I hadn't even heard Billy when he came in and saw Jake with Levi.

"Well... what do we have here..." Billy crooned.

"We're watching him for the night..." Jake replied. The warmth in his voice, wrapping itself around me like a sweater on a bitter cold Winter's day.

"Really now... Well you're in good hands there, little one." Billy replied, reaching out and touching the hem of Levi's blanket. "Don't get much more precious than that, do they?"

"No... They don't." Jake replied in a whisper, placing a soft kiss on Levi's forehead.

I felt my heart nearly melt from the sight of it.

"How was your day, Bella? Get a chance to talk to your old man about Thanksgiving yet?" Billy asked, wheeling himself up next to me at the table.

"Yes... actually I did... He's okay with us gathering there. Emily and I have the food covered. We'll meet at Charlie's Thanksgiving morning to finish what cooking we don't get done before, and we figured we could all eat around one?"

"Sounds good to me, dear." Billy smiled. "Whose coming?"

"Well... as of right now... Sue, Seth, and Leah agreed to join us... And anyone else that wants to come is more than welcome." I replied.

"It's gonna be great. Having everyone under your dad's roof for Thanksgiving dinner this year." Jake added.

"Well where else would we all gather?" Billy chuckled. "Sue's place and our own is way too small."

"True..." Jake replied with a nod.

"Pretty great of you ladies to do all the cooking. I'll be sure to thank Emily when I see her on Thanksgiving."

"It's no big deal... I'm not a chef like Emily, but I like to think I can hold my own in the kitchen. Never really helped cook Thanksgiving dinner before. Never had a house to do it in, so... " I replied with a shy grin.

"You're a great cook, honey. You'll do fine." Jake replied, his warm gaze meeting mine from across the table.

"Well... one day when the two of you have your own house, Bella... you can host Thanksgiving there. Something certainly to look forward to." Billy sighed, patting me on the shoulder as he wheeled away from us.

I noticed him pause briefly and wince, before he got too far. Jake was on his feet and handing me Levi before I could even react.

"Dad... I'm making you an appointment with your Doctor after the Holiday."

"No, no..." Billy sighed. "No need to-"

"Dad..." Jake insisted, as he lifted him out of his chair and carried him to his room. "I'm making the appointment."

"Good night, Billy." I said.

"Night Dear. See you all in the morning. May not be getting too much sleep with Levi." He replied before Jake closed his bedroom door.

I glanced down to see Levi's tiny hand curl around my finger. The small gesture making me still completely and look into those innocent and ever curious eyes of his. He had a pretty good mix of the two of them... Sam's facial features winning out for the most part and his delicate and long fingers reminding me of Emily's, along with her breath taking smile. He was perfection... simply perfect.

The more I looked down into his sweet little face, the louder my thoughts became. Thoughts of the future I hoped to have with Jacob. Thoughts of the children I longed to one day give him.

I slowly moved us out into the living room, sitting down in the small rocking chair they had and rocking him for minutes on end. I was utterly captivated in the moment with him. Seeing his eyes grow heavy and feeling his small hand still firmly curled around my index finger.

I wasn't aware of how much time had passed until Jacobs voice came to fill the quiet living room.

"Bells..."

I glanced up to see him leaning against the far wall, just staring at us there. The look he wore was prominent and I instantly recognized it as longing. The kind that was so evident it was almost tangible.

"He's... perfect..." I sighed, feeling the dreaded emotion return to me and swallowing it down. "Just... perfect..."

He slowly walked over to us, crouching down next to the rocking chair as I stilled it's motion.

He was silent, but his eyes said a thousand things to me with just one look.

"What are you thinking?" I soon whispered to him.

"So many things..." He whispered back, his gaze transfixed on little Levi when he spoke.

"... Name one of them?" I softly asked.

He was silent with me for a while longer, before reaching up and tucking a stray lock of my hair behind my ear. His sincere reply securing itself around my heart when he spoke it to me.

"I'm thinking... that I've never seen something so... beautiful... So... perfect... as seeing you with him like this. Nothing compares to it... nothing."

I couldn't stop my mind from going there, as the vision of a baby boy who looked just like Jacob, came fresh to mind. My reply was honest and true to him.

"You're gonna be an amazing dad. You know that?"

"I'll try..."

"You will be. You don't have to try."

"Someday..." He sighed, affectionately running his warm fingertips across my forearm.

"Someday... soon..." I honestly replied, seeing his intense gaze come to meet mine the moment the words left my mouth.

I gingerly got to my feet, careful not to jostle Levi as I laid him in his basinet and turned back to face Jacob. His look almost unreadable as he watched me approach him.

"Soon?" He questioned.

"Jake... I know... we're still young and... I mean... you and I are just starting out really... but-"

We were interrupted by the sound of Jake's cell phone ringing in his pocket. He hit the silence button without even glancing down at it. His attention remaining solely on me as I nervously continued.

"... I know you have a lot of responsibilities with the pack and-"

His cell phone rang again and he cussed before taking it out of his pocket and glancing down again to silence it's offending ring.

He paused and his look changed from irritation to business like when he quickly answered it instead of hitting the ignore button. "I'm sorry honey, but I have to take this. I'll be right back okay?" He sighed, leaning in to kiss me once before taking the insistent call outside to address.

I paced nervously in the kitchen, thinking back to Carlisle's unexpected run in this afternoon with Emily, and peeking in the living room every few minutes to check on Levi. I was nearly wearing a hole in Billy's kitchen floor when Jake suddenly came in, tossing his phone on the table with a look of pure agitation on his face.

"Sorry ... that was... never mind." He sighed, taking me in his arms. "What were you saying... before..."

I swallowed hard and opened my mouth to reply when his damn phone rang again. This was obviously proving to be not the right time to talk about this.

"Damn it..." Jake spat. Grabbing his phone and shooting me an apologetic look when he answered it. "Paul... this better be worth the call, bro. Do you know what time it-"

Silence...

I felt his whole body tense like a tightly coiled spring as he slowly released me and stepped back. His tone dark when he spoke again.

"When..." He asked through clenched teeth, holding his cell phone in a death grip now. "How many..."

I could feel the nerves rush through me when he soon spoke again. His tone damn near lethal.

"Are you sure?" He asked, stepping outside and swiftly closing the door behind him.

I had a sinking feeling wash over me... an inclination of just what Paul's untimely phone call was about. The sound of Jacob's angry and loud tone all but confirmed it for me.

"He must have a death wish..." Jake seethed over the phone, pacing back and forth in the front yard. "He damn well knows their forbidden here... Tell Collin and Brady I want them on the night patrol with Leah and Quil till dawn... (Long Pause)... Yea... Keep me posted."

I watched him end the call and continue to pace angrily. His eyes searching the tree line every few seconds and his hands coming to ball into tight fists at his sides. I retreated into the kitchen and nervously waited for him to come back inside.

Carlisle's words did seem genuine this afternoon and though they were all far from welcome here, apart of me wandered if he really was trying to warn us about something. Carlisle had always been pretty damn true to his word. He and Esme both had to know the immense and dangerous risk they posed to themselves by even crossing into these parts. Whatever he had for information to share with Jacob must be worth something to take such a damn risk in the first place.

Jake's voice was low and harshly whispered when he addressed me. His sudden appearance in he kitchen entry way, startling me some.

"... That was Paul calling to let me know they picked up on the trail of fresh leech just now. Says it strong and certainly familiar. You'll never guess who the hell it belongs to..."

I turned and met his heated gaze, seeing his hard demeanor now.

"It's Carlisle... and Esme..." I sighed.

"So you knew?"

"Emily and I were at the grocery store... He was there... He talked to me..."

"What did he say?" He asked me in a clipped tone.

"He says he needs to speak with you, Jacob. He was adamant that their sole intentions for coming at all were to talk with you... he made it well known that it would be of importance to you."

He shook his head, looking all the more irritated.

"His arrogance is astounding."

"For what it's worth... I really think he is telling the truth. I... Believe ... Him."

"You have no reason to."

"... Carlisle wouldn't risk his very existence... or Esme's... for nothing... for revenge. This is more than that, Jake. I can feel it. We need to hear him out."

A sudden soft cry from Levi had our conversation ceasing as Jake went to him, scooping him up and handing him to me.

"... He needs a bottle." I sighed, gesturing to the fridge.

After two long hours of rocking and trying just about anything, from singing and even countless games of peek -a-boo, little Levi was finally tired out enough to sleep through the remainder of the night. Jake and I however were wide awake and watchful over him.

Jake grabbed a blanket from off the back of the couch and draped it over us, his arm around me and my head resting against his chest.

"I'm sorry if you think I'm wrong for even considering listening to whatever it is Carlisle may have to say-" I whispered, listening to the steady sound of his beating heart.

"Don't be sorry... we disagree on this. He knew the best way to get to me was through you. Don't underestimate him, honey."

I nodded and nestled myself in closer to him, feeling the truth behind his warning settle over me.

"I won't."

"We can discuss it more tomorrow. Get some rest, honey. Got a busy couple of days ahead of us."

"Our first Thanksgiving together..." I smiled.

"One of many, Bells... One of many..." He whispered in reply.

The feel of Jake's fingers running through my hair, had my eyes growing heavy before too long. I was cocooned in his warmth and it made fighting off sleep next to impossible.

"I should stay awake in case Levi stirs again..." I yawned, feeling him place a kiss on the top of my head.

"I'll take care of him, honey. Go to sleep."

I was too exhausted to argue, and was fast asleep before another full minute passed, safe and wrapped up in the warm arms of the man I wanted to fall asleep with and wake up to for the rest of my life.