A/N: Well, it's been a week. I'm back at work after a wonderful break, but I'm exhausted. Hope you all are having a very Happy New Year.

Still unbeta'd. Forgive any mistakes.


"Rachel!" I yelled as I came in the door and dropped my keys in the bowl.

"What?" she yelled back. I looked around at the beautiful Christmas tree in front of the window. There was a soft glow from the twinkle lights wound in the draped pine garland over the fireplace and around the door frames. She was nesting early with the Christmas decorations and it was just lovely. Even if it wasn't even Thanksgiving yet.

"I'm home!" I called back. I headed into the kitchen and opened the fridge. I pulled out a beer and unscrewed the cap and headed back into the living room. I'd just plopped down on the couch when she came in.

"I fucking figured that," she said, sounding angry. Her moods were getting better, but Paul must have said something really insensitive if her scowl was any indicator. But she saw the look on my face and it melted into concern. "What's wrong?"

"She has pre-eclampsia," I said. Bella had been getting very bad headaches and Rachel was concerned with how swollen her fingers and ankles were that early in her pregnancy. She finally convinced Bella to go get some tests done.

"Oh, God," Rachel breathed out. "What does that mean? What do we need to do?"

"She needs lots of rest and to not be stressed," I repeated what the doctor said. I was happy that Bella was excited to have me come to her doctor's appointment with her. Ever since that wonderful night we rekindled what we once had and I promised her belly that I'd help take care of them, she let me. I was worried after being in such a controlling marriage she'd resist.

"Good thing she can work from bed. That's not stressful," Rachel remarked.

"Do you know what she's worried about?" I asked with a chuckle. I took another swig of my beer. "She worried about Thanksgiving dinner. She'd promised to cook for everybody and she's worried she'll let everyone down."

"That's stupid! I've got the culinary degree!" Rachel said. "Let's have it in the new restaurant!" she exclaimed getting suddenly excited. "The renovations will almost be done—it won't be ready for the public, but it'll be ready for family. Emily and I can take care of most of the food and Bella can make mom's cherry pie."

I put down my beer, because Rachel was fucking brilliant. I stood up and pulled Rachel into a tight bear hug and told her so.

"That fixes everything. It gives her something to do, but not too much and we can say that we have too many people so we have to move it to a bigger venue!" I added.

"Jake, you're gonna kill your nephew!" she gasped from where her head was buried in my chest. I dropped her lightly.

"You found out it's a boy?" I asked.

"No, but it eases Paul's mind if I say it. The thought of boys chasing his daughter the way he chased women before me makes his blood boil. He's been calling former flames all week to apologize," she explained. "Where is Bella?"

"I dropped her at Charlie's. She wanted to eat dinner with him and then she'll come down later," I answered and took another pull on my beer.

I really didn't want to leave her there, but she said she needed some time with her dad. As much as I wanted to be with her all the time, after not seeing her for ten years, I didn't want to smother her, either. The fact that she spent every night in my bed no matter what city we were in was more than I ever dreamed after I dumped her. I looked up and Rachel was staring at me.

"What?" I asked.

"Maybe not work her so hard every night you insatiable sex God," she smirked.

"What the fuck are you talking about?" I asked. That got me worried that Paul and Rachel could hear us across the house. Since she told me that Edward had never made her cum I'd make sure I did at least a 2:1 ratio to help her make up from lost time and Bella did not hold back. Dad wouldn't hear an atomic bomb after he took his hearing aids out, but I prayed to the gods that Rachel hadn't heard us. "Insatiable sex god?"

"That's how Bella described you one morning when she came stumbling into the kitchen for coffee," Rachel said, pursing her lips trying to suppress a smile. I rolled my eyes at her a little relieved.

"Go make your list for Thanksgiving dinner. You only have two days to plan now that we've decided to move it. And you have to call Emily," I suggested just to distract her.

"Fuck!" she said and ran back to her office. I chuckled at her. I knew I needed to get my mind off of Bella so I pulled out my laptop to get some work done. Bella's divorce was filed and completed, so that was one less thing for her to worry about. She had no desire to visit Edward again, which was one less thing for me to worry about. She was content that he was seeking help and I was content that she was content.

"Son?" I looked up and my dad was standing in front of me. My laptop was booting up so I placed it on the coffee table.

"Yeah, dad?" I said. He sat down next to me and showed me a box in his hand.

"Your mother wanted me to pass this on to you when the time was right," he said, handing me the box. I opened it and my mother's engagement ring and wedding band was tucked inside. I looked up at him.

"Dad," I said, hesitantly.

"I know that she may want something a little bigger or newer, but I have to keep my promise," he said.

"No, it's not that," I said hurriedly. "Bella would be touched by this gesture. I just don't think she's ready to jump into another marriage so soon."

"I didn't say you had to ask her tonight, but now you have these for when the time is right," he said, his brown eyes wet with emotion.

"Thank you, dad," I said and gave him a hug. I didn't know what to say so I looked back at the rings, remembering how wonderful my mom was.

"Your laptop wants some attention," Dad said, pointing at the lighted screen which was telling me that Frankie was calling me.

"It's Maggie's son, Frankie. Stick around, you'll like him," I said and hit the keyboard. "Hey Frankie! What's up?"

"Hey Jake! Is that your dad?" he asked brightly.

"Yeah. Dad, this is Frankie. Frankie, this is my dad, Billy Black." It was weird doing introductions on a computer.

"Hey, Frankie," Dad said, "I've heard a lot about you."

"Good things I hope, Mr. Black," he replied with a big grin.

"All good. All good," dad said.

"Jake! I got an A on my research paper in History! Thanks so much!" He was quick with the topic changes. I appreciated that about him. He got to the point and said what he needed to say.

"Good job, man! You did all the work, all I did was fix your grammar," I said. It was true.

"No, you told me to check the connection to the Marcus Garvey and earlier to Booker T. Washington and then compare that with MLK and WEB DuBois. My teacher said it was the deepest analysis she's ever seen from a high school kid and she even checked it to make sure I didn't plagiarize it. And then she was thrilled when she didn't find anything and proving it was my own work. I told her that I had a big shot lawyer who helps me." He was trying to get me to take the credit, but I wasn't having it.

"Dude, I pointed you in the direction and you went. That was all your footwork. You take the credit for a job well done. Okay? And I am proud of you."

"Okay, Jake," he said hesitantly.

"You keeping Embry in order?" I asked him.

"Yeah, he finally asked mom out. They're on a date right now. Then I had to convince her that it wasn't weird after going out with you. 'But, mom,' I said, 'Embry's liked you way longer than Jake. And it's not like you slept with him or anything.' After she picked her jaw up off the floor because I know about sex, I saw her thinking about it. You know, it's really sad that I have to direct my mom's love life." I couldn't help but laugh.

"That asshole didn't even tell me he had a date this morning!" I said with a smile.

"Yeah, he's worried that you'll be jealous or some shit like that," Frankie said.

"Hey! Watch your language," I said.

"You said asshole!" he retorted.

"I'm twice your age!" I shot back.

"Watch your language, Jake," my dad added and then gave Frankie a wink. "We can't have your mom thinking we're teaching you bad habits."

"Okay, okay," he relented. "I don't use those words around her or around young ladies. I know she would disapprove of that," he said, wisely.

"Anyways, I told Embry that you're too caught up in Bella to care if he dates mom and he needs to be honest with you. And if you're half as good as I think you are, you'd just want him, and her, to be happy."

"Nail. Head. You," I said doing the appropriate hand gestures. "I'll talk to Embry in the morning. Thanks for the heads up. And congratulations on the paper."

"It pulled my high B up to a solid A! I'm totally getting into Tulane!" he said with a fist pump. The kid was already thinking about college. "Hey pretty lady!"

"What?" I asked and then I noticed Bella's image in the screen and turned around. Bella was standing there smiling at us.

"Hey Frankie!" she said. She'd been around a few times when Frankie called and she was growing on him. He started calling her pretty lady yesterday and he liked the way it made her blush.

"What are you two talking about?" she asked. Frankie filled her in and cheered and backed me up that it was his work and not mine.

"Well, I gotta go finish my homework, I just wanted to give you the good news. Frankie out!" and then he was gone.

"He seems like a really good kid," dad said. "Abrupt, honest, and good."

"He is," we both said together. Bella came around the coffee table towards me.

"I talked to Aro on the way down from Forks. He's got all the plans set for the compensation," I said as she sat in my lap. I rubbed up and down her back.

"I always liked Aro. He listened to me when others wouldn't," she said, her mouth turning down in a little frown. She'd quit saying Edward's name since the divorce was final. At first I wondered if she did that with me, and then decided that it didn't matter. She shook off her gloomy mood. "You mind if I stay here tonight, Billy?"

"I never mind seeing you around the house. I was just headed off to bed. I gotta get these things outta my ears," he said, yanking at his hearing aids and then nudging me in the side. He stood up with a stupid grin on his face. "Good night, kids."

"What was that all about?" she asked and shifting in my lap.

"He's telling me it's okay to fuck you silly and he won't hear a thing," I whispered in her ear. "Apparently I am an insatiable sex God." She smiled and just laid her head on my shoulder. She was so tired. "Or, you could just let me hold you and remember how fucking lucky I am to have you back in my life. How are you feeling?" I ran my hand up and down her back.

"Relieved that I know what is wrong with me, but worried I'll get so stressed and hurt Little Blip," she said, placing her hand on her belly.

"Well, stressing about being stressed is silly, don't you think?" I asked, covering her hand with mine.

"Yes, it is," she sighed.

"Let us take care of you for a while, please. Rachel's been worried about not having a place big enough for Thanksgiving so she's suggested we have it at the new restaurant. She's calling Emily now to work out the details. She wants to know if you can make a cherry pie," I said, still rubbing over her bump.

"Yeah, that sounds good. I don't feel like cooking for everyone. That's actually a huge relief," she said. She stood up and straddled my lap, wrapping her arms around my waist and giving me a hug.

"Bells, whatcha thinkin' 'bout?" I asked. I loved that we fell immediately back into our old patterns.

"How lucky I am. I mean, you totally fucked up by dumping me all those years ago, then you fucked it up even worse on that Thanksgiving."

"Well, thank you for being honest," I said sarcastically. She ignored me and kept going.

"But then I went and married Edward. And that fucked up everything. How did I not see? He clipped my wings. You empower me. We wasted so much fucking time! And now I'm having his child when I could be having..." She trailed off and sobbed.

"Isabella Marie Swan," I said, my voice stern. I knew that would make her stop and look up at me. Her chocolate eyes were shocked but curious. I reached for the little box my father had just given me and flipped it open. "If you would give me the honor of being my wife, whenever you feel you're ready to take such a step again, that child will be mine no matter whose sperm helped create it. We can be a family and stop wasting any more time." I knew that only a half hour ago it seemed way too soon, but something told me the time was right then. At least to give her the option.

"Jake," her voice was soft and full of some emotion I could not detect. Her eyes brightened at the tiny diamond and her finger reached out tentatively. "That was Sarah's." Her eyes found mine and I nodded. "I've always admired her delicate wedding set," she said. Her fingers reached out and gently touched them. She closed the box and set it on the coffee table.

"I know you may not be ready for a while," I couldn't finish my sentence because she kissed me. Hard.

Bella had my shirt unbuttoned before I even realized what she was doing. She was working on the buckle of my belt before my mind caught up with my dick. I wasn't one to be left behind in this kind of endeavor so I yanked up her shirt and headed straight for the little buds I knew would make her grind into my rock hard cock.

"You know my sister could walk in here at any time don't you?" I grunted as her hand wrapped around me and started pumping.

"Shut up!" she hissed. She crawled off my lap and knelt down in front of me and I groaned at both the sight and feeling of her hot, wet mouth enveloping me entirely. I raised up my hips to push my trousers down my legs and Bella just rose with my motion not breaking her rhythm. Her head bobbed up and down, her hands working the places where her mouth wasn't. When she cupped my balls I almost lost it.

"Bella, stop! You're gonna make me cum and I want to be in you," I groaned. But she didn't stop. "Bells!" But she didn't stop so I just let it happen. Right as my orgasm hit me, Bella pulled her head back, but kept pumping with one hand and the other rolling my balls to heighten my pleasure. I came all over my stomach and when I looked at Bella she had a huge grin on her face.

"What is that look?" I grinned back at her, panting. That was fast and I would have been embarrassed if it weren't for her very satisfied expression. She liked the power she had over me. I liked the power she had over me.

"I've wanted to do that for a long time," she said. She stood up, pulled down her leggings and underwear and climbed back in my lap. She didn't elaborate, but I guess that was something Edward never let her do. I remembered she never liked to swallow and that never bothered me.

"I am literally a fucking mess, here, Bells," I said, but she didn't care that she was basically sitting in my splooge.

"Shut up, Jake," she commanded again, a fire in her eye. She grabbed my dick again, prepping me for another round.

"Is this a yes?" I asked, with another groan as I stiffened quickly for her.

"Yes," she said as she slid down on my shaft. "I've always appreciated how fast you reload." Her hips rotated slowly as she leaned forward to kiss me deeply. Her mouth opened at my insistence and my tongue explored her mouth while she raised and lowered herself on me. "I don't need to wait to marry the right man, Jake. When you know, you know," she said between panting breaths.

I grasped her hips and moved her little body up and down, increasing her speed for both our enjoyment. "Touch yourself, Bella, I want to watch you come," I breathed out. I planted my feet and thrusted my hips to do the work for her as she reached down and fingered her clit.

"Faster, I'm almost there!" she cried out. I moved one of my hands to replace hers and her orgasm prompted mine.

"God, Bella! I love you so much!" I grunted out and thrust three or four more times before I was spent. When we'd both caught our breath I picked her up and carried her into my bathroom so we could clean up.

"It fits perfectly," she whispered as she lay beside me in bed looking at my mom's ring on her finger.

"That means we'll have to get it sized after you have the baby," I whispered back and kissed her nose. She was really swollen due to her condition.

"Not until I'm done having your babies," she said back with a smile.

"How many do you want?" I asked with a chuckle.

"As many as you wanna put in me," she bit her lip though, thinking. "We don't have to think about that now. Sex seems to be a great stress reliever," she said and kissed the underside of my chin. "You're going to have to work very hard to relieve my stress, I think."

"I was worried for like, .0002 seconds that we might make that worse with strenuous activity," I said. "But you looked so determined. I would never want to stand in the way when you get that determined."

"You empower me, Jake." She cupped my cheek with her little hand, the diamond catching the bedside lamp. "I wasn't lying about that. What you said all those years ago, you were so fucking wrong!" She was referring to that disastrous Thanksgiving. "You said that all you'd do was weigh me down. That it was good that you dumped me so I wouldn't be tethered to a life of misery and poverty. That I needed to go find someone better and have a life worth living."

"Please don't repeat what I said that night," I begged, and tried to pull away. But she wouldn't let me. My heart stuttered with pain as she recollected every hurtful thing I'd said. I hadn't just hurt her, I'd insulted the whole room by belittling their lives, too.

"I have to. I need you to know that money and location is not what empowers a person," she said. She'd wrapped her leg around my waist to pull me closer when I pulled away from her memories.

"I know," I said. "Your dad read me the riot act after you left. He told me that if that was the only way I saw my life that was all I was ever going to be. That the power to change who I am and what I was to become didn't rest in any person other than myself. That's when I began to look for what I wanted to be and become that person. As painful as that night was," I had to take a breath because I was feeling so much. She wiped the tear from my eye, and I continued, "I can't regret it. It was a turning point for me. All the stupid shit I said and did, well it's made me who I am and I can't regret that. But I do regret the pain it caused you."

She looked at me for a long time. I watched as the different emotions washed across her beautifully expressive face. That mask she'd worn for years with Edward was gone and I loved that she showed the anger, pain, fear, and finally love on her beautiful features.

"I don't regret it. It's made me a better person, too. Now that I know what a truly controlling relationship feels like, I can appreciate you more fully. Absence does make the heart grow fonder. Let's not think about what could have been. That sucks. Let's just focus on where to go from here," she suggested.

"That's a good idea," I said. I kissed her again, long and slow. We had ten years to make up for. I loved having her naked beside me. We could never do this in high school—spending a night alone together in bed—and I was relishing this new part of our relationship.

"So you're really okay with the Thanksgiving plans changing?" I asked. She snuggled into me, her hand resting on my ass.

"I'm relieved, actually. I'd love to make the pies. That's not stressful. I love finally being back in a place where people are willing to help and I never have to question the motive behind it." I kissed her again. I was sorry she ever had to live like that.

"Love you, Bells."

"Love you, too."


A/N: I had to set Embry up with Maggie. Sorry. And he already has a good relationship with Frankie.

Thoughts?