CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

Bella was free to go home after a week spent in the hospital. Her doctors double and triple checked her, making sure that she would be alright before sending her home. It was nice of the Cullens to stay as long as they did, taking care of E.J. so he could stay in his own home instead of with Charlie. They were all sad that they couldn't see Renesmee besides pictures, but they all knew that they could come visit when they pleased. Bella was sure to remind them that their home was open to them at any time.

Renesmee came home the day after she turned a month old. She was perfectly healthy, aside from her weighing four pounds and three ounces. Ezra was very helpful and loved being a big brother. He refused to let his baby sister go until his arms were tired from supporting her little neck. Edward or Bella always helped him hold her, seeing as three-year-olds didn't tend to have the best reputation with body strength.

The older Renesmee got, the quicker she progressed. Edward and Bella were worried that she was going to have problems later in life, but by six months old, she was crawling around, babbling with E.J., and recognizing faces. She loved her Papa, just as much as E.J. did, and she was even fond of Jacob when he was around Ezra. Bella and Edward decided that if Jacob needed Ezra in his life, and all his intentions were good, then it would be wrong of them to deny their son of a good connection with his people. They knew, however, that when he got older, they would have to explain to him that Jacob was his biological father and see if he wanted to continue to have a relationship with him.

Because of the relationship that the parents had built with Jacob, the last thing they expected from him was paperwork. However, on a Monday morning while the family was lounging around their house, they heard a knock on the door. Edward was greeted by a lawyer presenting him with paperwork and saying that they had been requested to perform a paternity test on their son by Jacob Black, who was taking them to court to gain parental rights.

As soon as the lawyer left, Bella crumpled up the paper work and began to pack to kids up.

"What are you doing?" Edward asked. They were both upset, but Bella seemed as though she was vengeful.

"We're going to the fucking reservation."

And so, they did. The drive was supposed to be an hour, but Bella made it in 47 by speeding and taking back roads. Edward had never been to the reservation; he didn't want to go the place where Bella had fallen in and out of love with another man. He saw that the landscape was beautiful, decorated with mountains and cliffs. Bella pulled up to an old house. He wondered if this was her house, then he watched her as she stepped out of the car.

"Stay in here, buddy." Edward turned around and looked at E.J., then followed Bella towards the house.

Bella didn't bother knocking, but instead pushed the door open and walked in.

"Bella!" Sam Uley had gasped, taken aback by the young woman he once knew just strolling into his house.

"Where is he?" She asked. Edward stepped in, but stayed close to the door, making sure to keep an eye on his kids in the car.

"He's on the couch." Sam said, pointing behind him with a pen in his hand.

Bella turned the corner to find Jacob, shirtless and asleep, on Sam's old red couch.

"Get up!" Bella exclaimed, her hands reaching down to pull Jacob's arm. "You have some nerve, Black!"

Jacob woke up with a start, trying to take in what was happening before him.

"I'm guessing you got the papers?" Jacob asked groggily, standing up and walking past Bella like she wasn't even there.

Edward watched him come around the corner, and Bella following suit. He wondered if this is what their marriage looked like. If Jacob had completely disregarded Bella constantly, the way he was now.

"I gave you so much, Jacob! I let you see him when you asked, you had a relationship with him, and now you're deciding that you want a paternity test?" Bella asked following him past Sam, into the kitchen.

Sam didn't even look up. This may have been a normal thing for him.

"Shut up, Bella." Jacob groaned as he made a cup of coffee. Bella instantly smacked it out of his hand, causing the mug to fall into the sink and shatter.

"Hey!" Sam announced. "Take that shit outside!"

"Sorry, Sam." Bella grumbled, then pushed Jacob out of the house, past Edward. The three of them stood in the front yard listening to Bella ramble on and on about how he was so lucky that she didn't let her dad write a report of arrest him, and how he was so lucky to have Ezra in his life, and that having a son was a privilege that he wasn't getting from her.

With every word, Bella's hands collided with Jacob in some form. She either gave him a shove, which didn't affect him at all, or smacked his bare chest, or lightly punched him. Eventually, Bella wouldn't stop talking and Jacob had enough. He reached his hands out quickly and grabbed Bella's wrists, then gave her a small push backwards.

The unexpecting Bella stumbled back and fell at Edward's feet, and he had had enough. He quickly helped her up, then made an advance at Jacob.

"You wanna push me back? Try me, Jacob, I'm not as easy to move." Edward hissed in his face.

"Edward," Bella said, brushing herself off. The small pieces of gravel that scraped her skin said otherwise. With every brush over her jeans, the fresh cuts in her hands burned.

"Baby, go start the car." Edward said, not looking away from Jacob. Their noses were practically touching.

"Yeah, honey. Glad you went from being my bitch straight to someone else's." Jacob remarked, but was unable to complete his regard with a complimentary smirk, because Edward's fist caught Jacob's jaw.

The men started fighting before Bella could stop them. It was heavy punches and soft grunts with each collision.

"Stop!" Bella screamed at them. Desperate, Bella ran back inside and begged Same for help. He took his time getting up, making sure that he rolled his eyes, then strutted outside and grabbed Jacob by his belt. As Sam yanked him back, Bella was able to wrap her arms around Edward's chest. They both knew that he could easily continue, holding Bella like a spider monkey on his back, but it was time to stop.

"Stay away from my family." Edward warned Jacob, who was heaving at Sam's side.

"Daddy," A small voice called from the car. Both Edward and Jacob turned their heads to see Ezra struggle to climb out of the car, then ran over on his little legs to Edward's side. Edward leaned over and picked him up, shooting Jacob a victorious look, then balanced Ezra on his hip so he could take Bella by the hand and walk them back to the car.

"How are your hands?" Edward asked softly. They were halfway back to their home and had yet to talk to one another. They instead lectured Ezra on why he should never unbuckle his own seatbelt and get out of the car without his parents telling him to.

"Fine." Bella mumbled. She had looked down at the broken skin and decided that it really was fine; nothing that some ointment couldn't help. "I'm sorry that you had to do that."

Edward was never a violent person, that was why he would have never lasted in the Mob, but when it came to his family, he felt a need to protect them.

"He's not taking my son from me, Bella." Edward replied, and Bella silently agreed with a nod.