Disclaimer : I don't own the characters !

Hello, and happy new year to you!

A short and cute little one-shot to mark the New Year.

Have a good read !


La Push !

December, 31th !

"It's a dinner at Emily's, we're not going to party at a club."

"But she wouldn't blame us if we preferred to stay at home."

Rolling her eyes, Bella flushed the toilet and washed her hands before stepping out of the bathroom to face her husband.

"Paul, it's just dinner, okay? Three weeks from now we'll have other things to do besides hanging out with the pack all the time, so I would like to use this New Years dinner to unwind with my friends. Is this too much to ask of you ?"

"You can't blame me for preferring that you stay home to rest. Let me let you know that you are pregnant, and that it is coming soon."

"Yeah, in three weeks, and I'm having a great pregnancy so you relax, and come help me in the kitchen. I am going to make a cake."

"Babe…"

"Don't talk me out, or I'll hit you !"

"You would hurt yourself, baby."

"What if I use a frying pan, it'll hurt, you think ? Now you shut up and you follow me !"

He have been a poop for a while ! Ok she was pregnant, and this was their first child, but Bella was feeling great. She might not be able to see her feet anymore, and she was going to the bathroom several times a day, but other than that she was in great shape. She was living her pregnancy to the fullest, accepting both the good and the bad sides.

"Make yourself useful and get me what I need." She said to Paul.

She took him out a bowl, some ingredients and a cake tin.

"Don't you want to sit down to get it ready ?" he asked her.

"Tell me, will you be so boring every time I'm pregnant, or is it just because it's our first ?"

"I just… want you to be careful."

Before his cocker spaniel look, Bella put down the package of flour she was about to open and cupped her husband's face, and pulled him towards her to kiss him.

"You are very sexy when you worry about me, Mister Lahote!" He smirked. "But I'm fine. And I don't mind you being my assistant and putting the cake tin in the oven when I need it."

"I can't refuse you anything." he breathed, defeated.

"Just trust your wife when she tells you she's okay. Come on, I need an assistant."

She was going to bake a chocolate cake substantial enough for the whole pack, and sprinkle it with icing sugar, then asked Paul to preheat the oven to the correct temperature before making the dough. Once the dough had poured into the cake tin, the future daddy put the dish in the oven, and when he saw Bella about to do the dishes, he intervened.

"Leave this, I'll take care of it."

"Paul…"

"I'm taking care of it." He lifted her in his arms like a bride, and led her to the sofa. "Did you set the timer for the cake ?" She nodded. "Okay, I've seen you baking enough to know what to do. You made your cake, now you stay seated, watching TV…"

"I hate watching TV." she reminded him.

"I'll get you the book you started reading yesterday." He gave her a long kiss. "Do this for me, please !"

"Okay !"

He was so cute. Boring most of the time since she was in her third trimester, but cute. If she weren't pregnant to the teeth, she sure would have jumped on him. Besides, the sofa she was sitting on had witnessed many of their passionate and sometimes wild hugs. Paul came back with a book, gave it to Bella before spreading a blanket over her.

"Since you want me to rest so much, come give me a foot massage when you're done in the kitchen."

"As you wish, Mrs. Lahote !" he smiles.

Ten minutes, maybe fifteen, passed during which Bella immersed herself in her novel, listening carefully to what was going on in the kitchen. The running water, the sound of the sponge on the dishes and the clicking of the dishes when rinsed and placed on the dish rack. Paul returned to the living room, settled himself on the other side of the sofa and, after rolling up the blanket to free his wife's legs which he put on his own, he took one foot in his warm hands and began the massage. Bella closed her book, both hands on her stomach and enjoyed the moment.

"You're so good with your hands." she says. "Um, that feels good."

"Maybe I wouldn't have to if you just sit still when you can give birth anytime."

"Honey, if you value your sex life, I suggest you shut it down. You were there for every ultrasound. Carlisle told you I was fine. If there had been a problem, I would have been bedridden and I would have followed the instructions of the doctor who, I remind you is a vampire over three hundred years old, and I rub shoulders with a medium who assured me that I will be perfectly healthy throughout my pregnancy, so let's relax."

She giggled.

"What ?"

"I never thought you would look so worried during my pregnancy. It's cute !"

He growled.

"Stop growling, and tell me where the bets are on the gender of the baby instead."

"Well, guys are inclined to be a little guy." Paul said. "Emily and Kim also think it's a boy. Angela, Claire and Leah are all over for a girl. And your parents ?"

"My mom would love a girl, and my dad doesn't care as long as the baby and me are okay."

"And you ?" de asked.

"You know my opinion on the matter. She let out a happy moan as he began massaging the other foot. "I'm sure it's a boy."

"You know Jared tried to bribe Alice to tell him what she saw ?"

"No ! What did she do ? I hope she didn't say anything."

He burst out laughing.

"No, don't worry. It was so funny. She looked at him before tilting her head to the side, then smiled and shrugged, saying I have no idea. You should have seen Jared's face. He didn't believe her for a second."

"He won't be able to crack her. I told Alice that if she spat the info at anyone, including you and me, she could give up on our shopping trips."

"You know how to blackmail her, that's good." Paul laughed.

"Um um, like I've known how to do with you since I've known you. I just have to threaten to deprive you of food or sex for you to be at my feet. Well, depriving you of sex today is of little interest, since I deprive myself of it too."

"This was not the case last week." he reminded her.

"Oh shut up !"

He protested when she stood up as the timer announced the end of the cake baking, but a slap on the back of the head silenced him.

He had done some work at his house after he met Bella. He was already planning to start a family with his imprintee so he started by expanding and renovating the bathroom. Thanks to the legacy of his parents, who died some time before he met Bella, he was living very well but had started his own business. He loved to build and repair, always. His father had taught him everything and thanks to that he was able to fix it himself if the plumbing came up. Among other things. In the bathroom, he had redone everything ; from the tiling to the toilets. The shower was brand new, had glass in place of the old curtains, and wide enough for two. Paul was the first to get out of the shower, not really bothering to dry off. His body alone was 42°, it would be dry in a few minutes. A large bathrobe in hand, he helped Bella out of the shower and into it.

"Do you still want to go ?" Paul asked.

"Do you want our child to be able to have siblings later ?" She got no response. "Great, give me my hairdryer before I catch a cold."

Too bad, he would have tried anything to change her mind. He abdicated once and for all, and plugged the device into the outlet he had installed high up, near the mirror above the double sink.

"I'll get dressed, but you call me if there's a problem, is that clear ?"

She promised. He kissed her and left naked, into the bedroom. Grabbing her brush, Bella untangled her hair and turned on the device. She was almost done when Paul joined her. He had put on black jeans and a charcoal shirt, which he had not fully buttoned. Like Bella loved him. She turned off the blow dryer, put it away, and put her brush down after running it one last time through her hair. She unfastened her robe, and took it off, revealing her naked body. A beautiful body, rounded off by pregnancy.

"You're going to catch a cold."

"I'm too hot." She sighed, leaving the bathroom, no more dressed than the day she was born. "Can you helping me getting dress ?"

A knee-length midnight blue dress accompanied leggings to keep her legs out of the cold. The top of the dress had mid-length sleeves and a small neckline. Paul helped her put on socks and a pair of small boots. Once dressed, he slipped between Bella's legs, and put his hands on her stomach.

"I can't wait for it to come in our lives."

"Yeah, the sooner the better, so I'll stop having you on my back all day long. If you ever make a dirty comment, I'll tear off your masculinity."

"Baby, your threats turn me on." She rolled her eyes to the sky. "Lets' go !"

At Sam and Emily's !

"And you came anyway !"

"I feel welcomed, Emily !" Bella told her, taking off her jacket.

"Bella, sweetheart, I am very glad you came." Her host reassured her, hugging her. "But, I want you to know that I wouldn't blame you for staying at your house."

"Shut up, Paul !" Bella snapped.

"But I didn't say anything !"

"But you think so, so shut up !" Then she smiled and looked at Emily. "As I said to the one who serves as my husband, I am doing very well."

"So good she made a cake." Paul said. "Here !"

Emily picked up the bag containing the cake.

"Thanks Bella ! Now you're going to sit down, you're not moving all evening."

"Yes, chief !"

She greeted the whole pack, and sat down around the table set for fourteen people, although there were only thirteen but Emily being superstitious, had added a cover.

"Here, Emily has thought of everything." Leah told her, bringing her a bowl of carrot sticks.

"Thank you !"

Having no health problems from her pregnancy - toxoplasmosis, diabetes… - Bella could eat whatever she wanted, but that didn't prevent her from being careful, even with a psychic as a very close friend. She bit into a carrot, when Paul's warmth enveloped her.

"I'm warning you, if you bite my carrots we're going to have a problem, you and me."

"No, I know that you should never get between a pregnant woman and her food. Whatever it is !"

He sat down in the chair next to her, one arm wrapped around her shoulders and the other hand on her stomach.

"Does they move in here ?" he asked.

"They do in the car." she replied. "But now he or she must be glad Mom is eating, because it's dead calm inside."

Paul kissed her on the neck, making her chuckle.

"Come on, food's ready !" Emily announced.

The dishes were taken to the table. A pack dinner couldn't be done without a mountain of food. The dishes brought were not all there was ; more was waiting quietly in the kitchen, and there was no doubt that there would be nothing left by the end of the meal.

"Here, Bella !" The Alpha's mate brought Bella an already well-stocked plate. "Special delivery !"

"You are the best !" thanked the mother-to-be. "It smells so good."

"Thank you."

A nice piece of turkey, mashed potatoes and vegetables.

"So Jared, Paul told me you tried to bribe Alice to find out the gender of my baby ?" Bella said, before taking a bite of the mash.

"It's your fault, too, for not wanting to know before birth." Jared said. "Why don't you want to know ?"

"Maybe we want the surprise ?" Bella retorted. "Are you afraid it's a girl or what ?"

"Not at all, but I don't like not knowing." Jared said. "I would like to know what we expect with Kim every time."

"Maybe I have my say, don't you think ?" the interested retorted.

"Not on that point !" Jared decreed. "You decide what you want except that."

"Isn't that what I'm doing already ?"

A series of mocking ouhs echoed around the table.

"You have to get used to it, guys, these are our women the bosses." Sam said.

"Except in bed !" Paul said. "I'm the one leading the way."

Bella rolled her eyes but didn't contradict him.

"Could we not talk about sex at the table on New Years Eve, please ?" Emily asked.

"Couldn't we talk about sex in front of a pregnant woman who can't have sex the way she wants since she looks like a bibendum ?" Bella clarified.

"You love being pregnant." Leah reminded her.

"And you are beautiful." Kim added. "I hope I look so radiant when I'm pregnant."

"Yes you will !" Jared said, kissing her on the cheek.

"Is the baby's room ready ?" Emily asked the expectant parents.

"Unlike you Emily, I'm not superstitious." Bella smiled at the young woman, who smiled back. "So yes, the room is ready. We will move the cradle to our room when they are born. "

"What has to do with Emily's superstition ?" Embry asked.

"None !" Angela said. "Focus on your plate !"

Something Bella was doing, devouring her dinner with an undefeated but subdued appetite. Since she was pregnant, she ate almost as much as the guys in the pack, and Leah. Ok, not as much as them, but she had a good appetite. She also didn't take the opportunity to eat anything and everything. She who had always loved to cook, she was doing it every day since she was in a relationship with a werewolf. She loved cooking him good meals, and sometimes he would help her. Seconded her. Most of the time, however, he preferred to watch her. Cooking was Bella's thing. Sitting next to her, eyes full of love, Paul remembered the first time she had officially met the pack. She had brought the best cookies he had ever eaten, and the guys had greeted her with open arms, especially when she said she loved to cook ; something she had always done with Emily. The latter - and in her own words - lacked Bella's innate talent for cooking and always admired the younger's ease of cooking with anything. If Bella hadn't been pregnant and three weeks into the labor, she most likely would have attended the dinner they were all sharing right now. To be fair, Bella had offered to help cook dinner, arguing that she wasn't tired and was quite capable of helping in the kitchen, but everyone - including the boys - had been adamant ; it was no ! They were so protective ! They would be every time one of the imprintees got pregnant, that was for sure. Bella met Paul's gaze, took his chin between her fingers and he didn't wait to lean in and kiss her.

"Bella, do you want more ?" Emily asked.

"Um, no thanks. You served me a very nice plate, I won't overdo it and save some room for dessert. However, I have to go to the bathroom." she said, putting down her glass of water.

She grimaced. Paul stood up and helped her up as well.

"Please don't come with me." she warned him.

"But..."

"I'dd scream if there's a problem." she promised him.

"My bathroom is not at the other end of the town, Paul." Emily reassured him, no less amused.

"And I can still walk on my own." Bella said. "I won't be long."

She may not be able to see her feet anymore, but she was walking fine. Her soon-to-term pregnancy didn't stop her from doing what she wanted. It was her mate who freaked out every time Bella took even a step.

"Relax !" Kim told him, who stood up and started cleaning up with the girls. "You would feel it if she wasn't okay."

"She's right." Sam interjected. "You know Bella wouldn't lie to you about being okay, and if she needs a helping hand, you'll be the first to know."

Of course they were right, but it was stronger than him. Not knowing the exact time of their child's birth was frustrating. He knew that if he picked up his phone to ask Alice all of this information, she would tell him, but Bella didn't want to know anything to be able to fully experience it, so he wouldn't. The baby would be born perfectly healthy, and Bella would be in great shape. That's all he needed to know.

In the bathroom, Bella was pulling up her leggings when a contraction hit her. She gritted her teeth and forced herself not to react. If she let even a hint of pain show through, Paul would feel it through their bond and kick down the bathroom door to come see what was wrong with Bella. Then the latter took a deep breath and went to wash her hands. It wasn't the first time this had happened to her today, but the space between the contractions was so big she hadn't worried about it until then. One hour… Forty minutes… Thirty minutes… Twenty minutes until they left for Emily's house. Fifteen minutes… Then ten during the meal. She had had three, and each time she checked the time on the clock attached to the living room wall, and luckily for Bella she was sitting right across from it, otherwise it would have aroused suspicion. The last contraction before this was just before she got up to go to a wee. It was getting closer and closer, but her waters didn't broke yet. If she hadn't said anything to Paul from the first contraction, it was because he wouldn't have hesitated to keep them at home, whatever she might say to persuade him otherwise. All Bella wanted was to spend an evening with her friends, her family, before her child was born. She was twenty years old and about to be a mom for the first time, but that was no excuse to stay home just because she was nearly due. One hand on her stomach, she left the bathroom and walked up the small hallway to the dining room, the other hand on her stomach when another contraction hit, and this time she couldn't hide an ouch, thus attracting all heads towards her.

"What ?" Paul asked.

Before she could answer, her leggings were soaked. No, it was not a small leak, but right what she thought it was.

"Oh oh !"

"What ?" Paul insisted, walking over to her.

"My waters broke !"

"W… what ?" The wolf choked.

There was no longer a single noise around them. Bella looked up at Paul, who didn't know what to say other than :

"Shit !"

"We need to get you to the hospital." Emily said.

"Yes, the hospital !" Paul agreed. "Good idea ! Come on my darling !"

But another contraction hit.

"Bella…" Paul scolded, who understood too quickly for the young woman's liking. "Don't tell me you've had contractions all day and haven't told me about them !"

"Do you really want to talk about this now ?" She replied, hanging on to his arm. She grimaced. "I'm not sure if I will get to the hospital on time."

Silence fell, as no one knew what to do if Bella really didn't have time to go to the hospital. Tires screeched outside the cottage, and two seconds later Carlisle walked into the house without bothering to knock.

"I confirm, you won't be there in time !" said the doctor, who turned to the Alpha. "Sam, sorry for the intrusion."

"It doesn't matter." he reassured him.

With a new pact, the Cullens - and the Cullens alone - were allowed to cross the border between their clans.

"Carlisle !" Bella breathed.

"We have to sit you down somewhere." said the doctor.

"Our room is over there !" Emily said, walking past.

"No no…"

"Don't argue, Bella !" The young woman stopped her.

Paul hugged Bella and followed Emily into the bedroom while Carlisle instructed the girls in the pack.

In the bedroom…

"The edge of the bed will do." Carlisle said.

Emily stripped Bella of her shoes, leggings etc… then she gave way to the vampire doctor, while Paul moved behind his wife to give her a support on the back.

"You have to put your legs up, Bella !" Carlisle told her.

She did so with Paul's help. Leah arrived with towels, and Kim brought a basin of lukewarm water before leaving. The door had stayed half closed, but Bella didn't care. The contractions were getting closer and closer, and she only wanted one thing : to push.

"Carlisle…" she gasped.

"A few more seconds of patience." he said to her.

"It's going to be fine, my love." Paul kissed her temple, which made her sweaty. "I'm not leaving you."

"You'd better." Bella said.

Carlisle had shed his jacket and scarf - both unnecessary due to his vampire condition - and came back to crouch in front of Bella. He put on latex gloves, took a towel and said :

"Ready?" Bella nodded. "As soon as you have a contraction, you push !"

Bella inhaled, then huffed. Inhaled again then, blocked her breath and pushed. She repeated it, over and over, until a cry rang out, and she let herself go against her husband. Carlisle stood up and placed the baby in the new mom's arms, gently rubbing the towel over him to clean him and clear his airways.

When the young mother saw the gender, she closed her eyes for a second, smiling. Paul was speechless, unable to take his eyes off his son.

"He is perfect !" He huffed, before kissing Bella as best he could. "He is perfect !"

He cut the umbilical cord under Carlisle's instructions.

"I think we're getting impatient in the other room." The vampire told them. "They want to know."

"They will wait." Paul said. "I am not leaving them."

"Are we going to be able to go home ?" Bella asked the doctor.

"It's best that you rest, before you think about getting up." he said. "Tomorrow morning, preferably."

"But, all of the baby's things are at home." Bella said.

"We can send someone to pick them up." Paul offered.

When Bella looked at Carlisle, she noticed his smirk. Of course !

"Alice's got it all figured out, hasn't she ?"

"You know her !" The vampire said simply.

"Okay, we can bring the pack in, and I'll ask Emily if she doesn't mind that we're squatting her bed until tomorrow."

Five minutes later, the girls of the pack entered the bedroom, while the boys remained outside. When Bella told Sam and Emily about Carlisle's recommendations, the couple smiled.

"Do you really think we were going to let you go like this ?" Emily said. "You just gave birth to the most beautiful baby boy, Bella, you need some rest. Sam and I will be sleeping in the living room, don't worry."

"What is his name ?" Leah asked.

"He's name after Paul's father. Bella said. "Aiden !"

She didn't have to focus on their bond, or look at him, to know that her husband was moved. Bella had been adamant on the subject ; if they were to have a son, then his name would be Aiden Charlie Lahote.

"You loved your father, my love, and unfortunately he is no longer here and will never know his grandson. I want to pay tribute to him, for the wonderful man you are by calling our son after him. "

"I'm not really ready to let go so you'll hug him tomorrow." Bella said.

"Guys !" Jacob said. "It's midnight !"

"We can say that the new year is off to a good start." Claire said, smiling at the young parents.

Paul kissed his wife on the corner of the lips, embracing her and her son in his big arms. A new year was beginning, and the days, weeks, months that were to pass will be the most beautiful. Some days will be steeped in fatigue and lack of sleep, and thinking about it, Paul thinks it would be worth all the trouble !

END !


What could be better than a little Pella, eh ? I hope you liked it.

Once again, happy new year, my friends. Take care of yourself and your loved ones!

Kisses, Aurélie!