LEMON ALERT

Things were left in a slightly awkward state by the time everyone went home. Charlie needed some time to take everything in. He wasn't angry, though he was hurt. He had sensed that there was much more going on than he was being told for a long time. Bella had overheard him telling Billy that very thing. She understood all too well why he was upset. She, too, hated being left in the dark. Despite how he felt, he couldn't help but smile as he noticed Sue waiting for him by his car.
"You love her, Dad?" Bella asked him, grinning.
"Mmhmm." He answered as his cheeks turned pink. He glanced at Bella, chuckling.
"Go get her, Chief," Bella said, giving him a nudge. "Get some rest. I love you. We can talk more when you're ready."
"When did you become the parent?" Charlie snickered at her.
"She's always been the parent," Renee said boldly, watching her daughter.
As Charlie headed toward Sue, Renee asked Bella to walk her to her car. Reluctantly, Bella obliged her mother.
"We have a lot more to talk about," Renee said softly. "I'm sure you have plenty of things to say to me, too. I am not the same person you were raised by, Bella."
"Clearly," Bella said, nodding. "I still don't trust you, though. I don't like the person you were. I'm not sure if I care to know the one you are now. I already deal with panic and anxiety attacks, Mom. I have to think about Sarah first."
"I understand that, Bella," Renee said. "Are you absolutely sure that having this baby is what you want to do?"
Bella glared at her mother. "Without question," she said.
"It's going to be tough," Renee said. "I'm not being cruel, baby. I'm happy for you, truly. I just hope you're making the right decisions for yourself. You're the one that has to live with them."
Bella blinked back frustrated tears. Do not let her manipulate you, she reminded herself.
Bella saw Leah step out of the trees a few yards away.
"Pssst,' Bella called out. Leah smirked, changing course to walk toward them.
Bella told Renee, "I need to talk to Leah about some stuff. Why don't you come to see me late tomorrow morning? I'll be home alone, we should have some privacy then."
Renee agreed and climbed into her car.
Leah asked, "So, you need to talk?" Bella threw her arms around Leah, hugging her.
"I need a fucking hug, okay?" Bella teased. Leah laughed and hugged her back.
"So, that's the famous Renee Swan, eh?" Leah asked.
"The one of many, apparently," Bella said sarcastically.
"Huh? What's that mean," Leah asked.
"Charlie knew Renee as one person. I knew her as someone completely different. The woman you met tonight was neither of those," Bella laughed.
"Maybe she just has multiple personalities," Leah joked. "Are you okay? With her being around, I mean?"
"Honestly, no. Renee's presence is always like a fucking tornado. She leaves a mess everywhere she goes. I just hope her coming here doesn't leave me with one that's going to be hard to clean up," Bella admitted. "Do you patrol tomorrow afternoon?"
"Of-fucking-course," Leah said, rolling her eyes.
"I was hoping maybe you could come stick by my house. Renee will be there in the morning. We're supposed to be alone and there are things I'd like to talk to her about privately. The problem is, it's Renee and I don't actually want to be alone with her."
"You want someone to stand by who won't blab your business," Leah deduced
"Yes," Bella chuckled.
Leah said, "Let me talk to Jared and see if he'll trade me shifts. If so, I'll be there, okay?" Bella threw her arms around Leah, hugging her again.
"Thanks. I'll make you a cake," Bella said.
"Yeah, yeah, get off me, Swan. Also, Pie."

(JPOV)

All in all, the night went much more smoothly than anticipated. Most of the pack and elders left as soon as Renee was done telling us what she knew. Poor Charlie looked shell-shocked by the time he left. Luckily he was going home with Sue. The dopey smile on his face as he walked toward her was enough for Jacob to see he was going to be fine eventually.
Renee was an enigma. She did not act at all in the way he had expected, not that he doubted Bella's description of her character. The amount of information Renee provided was certainly useful, though Bella was the only reason he had managed to keep a smile on his face all night. Jacob was furious with Renee.
She should have told Bells all of this bullshit years ago.
Jacob watched as Leah came out of the woods and made her way over to Bella.
He was close enough to hear Bella explain to Leah why she wanted her to be at Charlie's the next day. Leah had agreed and mentioned trading shifts with Jared.
She doesn't want me to hear this conversation.
That worried him. There was a lot about her past with Renee that Bella wouldn't delve into.
Every time some deep secret of her past came to light, turmoil erupted.
He was worried about how Renee's presence was going to affect Bella's mental health, too. Since he'd learned of her pregnancy, Jacob had held on to one silent, secret fear. Post-partum.
Bella was already prone to depression and anxiety issues. She was open with her doctor and had been actively practicing more calming techniques.
Everything Renee had said about the way Bella handled stress was dead on. She internalized everyone else's worries on top of her own until she imploded and did something reckless to deal with her pain. These were risks they could not afford for her to take anymore.
Not with herself or with Sarah.
Let Leah be there with her tomorrow, he thought. Either way, he'd be listening, too.
He sought Bella out to kiss her goodbye, telling her he'd meet her at home. Jacob needed to run by Billy's first. They needed to have a little chat.

Jacob phased in the woods behind his house and yanked on his shorts before walking inside. He nodded at Paul and Rachel as he made his way to Billy's bedroom. Billy, as expected, was getting himself comfortable in bed.
"Hello, Son," Billy said cautiously. "Do you need something?"
"I need to ask you something," Jacob said and sat down. Billy nodded for Jacob to continue.
"Did you know I would phase one day? Renee said she had visions of it, of Bells and I together. Did you know about them? Did mom know about them?"
"Renee used to get mad when we joked that you and Bella would end up together, Jacob. She said her daughter would choose on her own one day. I didn't know Renee had visions or any of the gifts that she now claims. If she told your mother that she had visions about you phasing one day, that was between them. If your mother knew anything about Renee being a singer, or of Renee's past, she did not confide it to me. Renee did call you a little wolf when your mom was carrying you. She knew it was possible, that it was in your blood," Billy explained. "I also heard her say that she had had no visions of the Cullens, that they were never supposed to be here. You would never have phased had they not moved here, Jacob. She told her side well, but not everything makes sense to me, either."
"I'm confused as hell, Dad. She knows things she shouldn't unless she's telling the truth. The things she said about Bella? Her abilities? They make perfect sense."
"The things Renee claimed tonight would also mean that she knew about Vampires and the danger they posed long before she moved here and befriended your mother. I would take what Renee says with a grain of salt, my son. Listen to what Bella has told you. Do not trust her unless Bella does. Just because some of Renee's words are true does not mean all of what she says is," Billy said. "Remember how much pain that woman has caused, Jacob. She is the reason Bella's mental state is what it is. Just because she looks like Bella doesn't mean they're anything alike deep down."
Jacob nodded. Billy was right, wasn't he? Renee distressed Bella so much that her appearance had Bella sending Leah to find me. That said enough all by itself, didn't it?
"You're worried about Bells, too, huh?" Jacob asked, nodding again.
"Without a doubt," Billy said. "Renee destroyed Charlie when she left, and she obviously put Bella through hell. I honestly would rather not know some of the things that happened. After all, Bella has been through, if she won't talk about it, it was bad, Jacob. And, if what Renee says is true, her very presence here could be dangerous for everyone. Not just for Bella, Jacob. Everyone. The sooner she leaves, the better."
Comforted by his father's answers, Jacob kissed Billy on the forehead and told him goodnight. Jacob considered running to Bella's in wolf form and thought better of it. He jogged to his garage to grab his motorcycle.
The scent hit him before the sounds did. He chuckled to himself as he realized he was about to catch his culprits red-handed. He was relieved to know that it at least was not his sister getting busy on his old couch.
Whoever was there was so engrossed in what they were doing that they did not even hear him walk inside.
"Uh, hi," Jacob called out loudly.
There was a high-pitched scream as someone jumped up and ran out the side door. Jacob flipped the light on to find Quil pulling his shorts on, chuckling.
"Bro, really?" Jacob asked. "You couldn't screw whoever that was somewhere else? My garage reeks of sex."
Quil chuckled. "Sorry, man. I should've asked. Hard to find a private spot around here these days."
"Dude," Jacob chuckled, "Just like… bring some fucking Febreeze or some shit. Lysol. Also, I will never sleep on that couch again." Jacob climbed onto his motorcycle and fired it up.
"Did...did you not, uh, see who that was?" Quil asked him.
"Nope. Don't really wanna know, either. I'm sure if you're sneaking around, there's a reason, and I'm good. I have enough shit going on," Jacob said. "Oh, and Quil? If you ever even think about having sex on one of these bikes or in my car, I'll beat your ass." Quil shook his head, laughing. Jacob walked the motorcycle out through the side door and sped off towards Forks.

Instead of turning toward Charlie's, Jacob made a last-minute decision to visit Emmett. He wasn't surprised to find his friend waiting in the driveway as he arrived. Emmett had probably heard the bike coming a couple of miles away.
"Hey, Jake. Where's my sister?" Emmett called out cheerfully.
"At home getting some much-needed sleep, I hope," Jacob said and sighed. Rosalie stepped out the front door, shooting Jacob a beautiful smile.
"You stink, mongrel," she said.
"I probably do. It's been a hell of a day." Jacob chuckled.
Emmett asked, "What happened?"
"So, I was on patrol today, and Leah came to find me. Said Charlie says Bella needs me home right now. I get there, and her fucking mom is sitting at the kitchen table. She just showed up, no warning. She claims she wrote to Bella. She's supposedly been writing to her for two years, but none have ever come. Like ever, at all," Jacob explained.
"Where the hell are these letters?" Rose asked skeptically.
"Good question," Jacob said. "If they exist, they were intercepted."
The look on Rose's face as she glanced toward Edward's corner was all Jacob needed to know that she had the same suspicions as he did.
Emmett asked, "So what the hell does she want? Is Bella alright?"
"Just to see her, she says. But, she found out Bella's pregnant and asked her who the father is. When she told Renee it was me, she said Renee was relieved because she was afraid that it was Edward," Jacob said. "She knows you all are vampires. She knew about the wolves, too."
"What the fuck," Rose said, taken aback. "First of all, how did she know, and why the hell would she think Edward would be the father if he's a vampire?"
"She's a singer. It runs in her family, she claims. She's one. Bells is one, and Sarah will be, too. From what she said, her family believes certain male vampires can still father children with humans. It kills the human, though. They don't survive the pregnancy. This is just what she says is a legend in her family. We don't know if we can even believe anything she says."
"Emmett was my Singer," Rose said. "Why would it only run on the women's side in her family?"
"That's something I'll have to find out, I guess," Jacob said and rubbed his face.
"We've never even heard anything about it possibly being genetic."
"Nope," Emmett agreed, "But it does make sense. Blood. Genetics." He shrugged. Rose chuckled at him.
"Bella has Leah guarding her tomorrow while Renee will be there. They're supposed to have a private chat. Whatever it is, is shit she isn't ready to talk to me about, or she would want me there. I think it's going to be about the abuse she went through with her mom," Jacob admitted. "Either way, I was thinking about hanging around to make sure she's safe."
"You mean to listen," Rose said, grinning. "You want to protect her, but I'm sure you're curious about what she's holding back."
"I am," he admitted. "Every time one of Bella's secrets comes to light, shit blows up. I am worried about her mental health, and I wish I had a way of knowing what's coming so I could help her process it better." Jacob sighed again in frustration.
Emmett sighed at him knowingly, and Rose patted his arm. He fought back a shudder and smiled at her apologetically.
It couldn't be helped, after all. It had, however, gotten a bit easier to tolerate.
"Don't spy on her, Jake," Rose said softly. "If she finds out, it'll crush her spirit. She needs to know you trust her."
"Rose is right, my friend," Emmett agreed. "Let Leah take care of her tomorrow. You know if you are needed, Leah will come to find you. Bells is tougher than any of us give her credit for. If she thinks she can handle it, we should give her the chance."
Chuckling, Rose asked, "You were starting to think about listening in too, weren't you?"
"I was," Emmett admitted. "You know, in case my buddy needs a backup or something."
Rose laughed. "Against a defenseless human?"
"He still has balls. Women kick," Emmett said, and Jacob roared with laughter.
"Alright, I need to head home to bed. There is more, guys, a lot more. Preferably talked about in private with Bella present since it is technically her business and all," he said, glancing toward Edward's corner of the house. Rose nodded, winking at Jacob.
"We'll see you soon," she said. Jacob climbed back onto his bike, firing it up.
"Hey," Rose called out to him. He turned and nodded, listening.
"The garage should be completed by Sunday," she said, grinning.
Jacob flashed them a beaming smile. "Excellent," he yelled back.
They waved as he drove off, heading home to his whole world.

The lights were all out as Jacob crept up the stairs. Surely the sound of the motorcycle had woken her when he'd gotten here, he thought. The smell of Bella's shampoo filled the hallway, telling Jacob she had showered when she got home. Her bedroom light was out and the radio on low. Assuming she was asleep, Jacob headed straight for the bathroom to shower. He let the hot water roll over his muscles, allowing himself to relax as he washed up. He tied his towel around his waist and brushed his teeth before heading quietly into Bella's room.
She sat in her rocking chair, staring out the window. Jacob shut the door and made his way over to her cautiously. She had on one of his long-sleeved dress shirts, her hair a mass of wild curls hanging down her back. Her silence worried him.
Today might have been too much for her.
He breathed a sigh of relief as she turned to smile softly up at him. She stood up slowly, wrapping her arms around his waist. Jacob wrapped her in a hug and kissed the top of her head. He could feel her inner turmoil, despite her apparent calmness.
She needed to hold him. To feel anchored.
"Are you okay," he asked softly.
"Right now, I'm perfect," she said and sighed against his chest. Bella lifted her face to his and stood on her tip-toes to kiss him. Jacob felt the familiar rush of arousal that her mouth seemed to send through him.
Every time.
Jacob slid his hands down her sides to the back of her thighs. She instinctively wrapped her legs around his waist as he lifted her, her arms around his shoulders. Jacob turned with Bella, pushing her back up against her closet door.
Bella was kissing him with abandon. She leaned back against the door for support as she reached between them to unbutton the shirt. Jacob growled as she shimmied it over her shoulders and dropped it to the floor.
Jacob lowered his mouth to one breast, suckling it gently. She moaned as he switched to her other breast, giving it equal attention. Jacob pulled the towel from his hips, rolling them against her as he pinned her to the door a bit too roughly.
He paused for a moment, concerned he might have hurt her. As he pulled back to search her face, she crashed her lips against his.
She likes that, huh?
Jacob kissed across her jaw and down her neck. He gently bit down above her collar bone as he rolled his hips against her again, pressing her back to the door. Bella reached up to tug on his hair with one hand, moaning as she slid her nails across his back. The current length of his hair allowed her a tighter grip. As she tugged at the hair at the base of his head, he sincerely considered letting it grow out. Shaggy-assed wolf form, be damned. Jacob slid one hand over to caress her ass cheek. He growled and smiled against her mouth as he realized she was wearing a thong. Jacob reached down to stroke between her legs from behind. Bella squirmed against him with want. His shaft was throbbing, aching to be buried inside of her. He supported her with one hand while reaching down to stroke her sex with the other. Moving aside the soft cotton between her legs, Jacob slid his fingers between her wet folds. Bella tugged on his hair and growled into his mouth.
Wait. Did she just growl at me?
He couldn't help but chuckle, her tongue still dancing against his own.
Jacob carried Bella away from the door to her bed. Without warning, he unwrapped her legs from around him and spun her around to bend her over her bed.
Bella whimpered as he again lowered his hand to rub between her legs. She lifted her leg to crawl up onto the bed, and Jacob seized her raised thigh under his arm. He pulled her back against him by her thigh, again pulling her thong aside with his other hand. Half on, half off the bed, Bella cried out as Jacob pushed the head of his cock against her opening. She gripped the top sheet with both hands, throwing her head back as she arched her back. Her movement made it easier for Jacob to sheath himself inside of her. He cried out as, warm and wet, she enveloped him. Jacob held onto her thigh with one hand and her headboard with the other as he began thrusting into her.
"God, yes, Jacob, harder," She cried out as he thrust himself inside of her. Beginning to lose his grip, Jacob pulled himself out of her, making her groan in frustration. He effortlessly flipped her onto her back on the bed. Bella spread her legs for him eagerly as he climbed up and over her. She whimpered, throwing her head back as he again filled her.
God, I love that sound.
Jacob sat up on his knees, lifting her hips to hit the angle he knew she liked best.
"Yes, Jake, fuck me," she cried out as her hands roamed up her own body and toward the headboard.
That's new. And he liked it.
He growled so loudly that Bella's eyes flew open in surprise. She looked into his eyes and bit her bottom lip. Bella reached for his knees to pull herself tighter against him, clenching her thighs to rock herself upward. Jacob leaned forward, releasing one of her hips to cup the back of her head. He wanted to look her in the eyes and see her fall apart while he pounded into her.
Jacob picked up his pace, enjoying the sight of her panting in front of him, tenderly reaching to fondle her breasts. She was oblivious to anything except Jacob, whimpering his name as his hips slammed into hers. He let go of her neck to reach between them, gently rubbing at her wet, swollen clit. Bella clenched around him, crying out as she came. Jacob slammed himself into her a few more times and growled again as he let go. Bella collapsed and closed her eyes, completely spent, panting.
She's every bit as worn out as she was that night in the garage, Jacob thought and grinned down at her limp body sprawled in front of him.
Hell, if she needs sex to relieve her stress, I am more than happy to oblige any time.
She looked up at him with a dopey smile, looking positively high. Jacob laid down next to Bella and lovingly pulled her against his side.
"Mmm, I love you," she mumbled as she relaxed into him.
"I love you, honey," Jacob said, kissing her forehead. He pulled the blanket over the love of his life and watched as she fell into a contented sleep.

The events of the day continued to plague him for a while before he finally fell asleep, focusing on the sound of his child's heartbeat. When Bella woke in the night screaming her mother's name, he gently calmed her with soft words and feather-light kisses.
No matter what happened with Renee the next day, Bella was sure to deal with the effects of it later. Regardless of how much he wanted to know about the monsters that stole her peace, he also knew Rose was right.
She and Emmett had been together a quarter of a century. Surely their advice was sound, especially with the trauma Rose had been through in her own life.
Jacob continued to softly tell Bella she was safe and he loved her long after she fell back to sleep.

PLEASE REVIEW XOXO I truly want to know your thoughts on the development of this story. Pretty please. :)