For clarification, I did not skip over September. It was early September when they took Will home. He was born August 31st. The problem with all these kids is keeping up with ages and birthdays! Why do I have to be so specific? Anyway, another fluffy chapter. I want to end this story on his first year or so, but not month by month. That would be so damn boring. I'm going to try to end this story in maybe 2-4 more chapters. No more than twelve. And then on to Jules! And sorry for being gone for a week. Writer's block grabbed me again. I got jammed up with so many characters from other stories! Oh and I am working on a Mortal Instruments fic but not based off the books. Probably purely human and whatnot.

*Disclaimer*

Please Enjoy!

A couple weeks later...Late October.

JPOV

My son was more than fussy today. He did not want his mother. Somehow, he knew she was the one to take him to Carlisle for his first shots. Every time Nessie tried to hold him, he screamed louder. Carlisle said that Will's mental functions were starting to develop faster than a normal baby's. His motor functions as well. Over the past two weeks, he could hold his head up longer and could roll back and forth from his stomach to his back and back to his stomach. He was also starting to remember people. He'd smile at the people that came around the house the most often, making noises at them. Though, he wasn't as fast-growing as Brayden had been, which was odd considering how fast Nessie had grown. Carlisle suspected, after studying his blood, that human was the most dominant gene, followed by the wolf, and then the vampire.

Right now, we were on our way to Billy's place, my jacket laying over Will in his carseat. Figured he'd be warmer with something that had been against my body than just wrapped up in a blanket. His little hat poked up over the collar. Shelby had gotten him a hat to match Brayden's with the the little points on each side. He was still fussy, but I'd gotten him to take his pacifier. And instead of being upset, Nessie had thought it was cute that Will "ran to daddy". She kept smiling, looking over her shoulder at him even though he was mostly covered up.

Billy was throwing a family dinner for me and Ness as our anniversary present. He also really wanted to see Will, which was fine. It was amazing to watch my dad with his grandson. He acted different toward Will than he did with Henry, and I could tell that it bothered Becca. Not that Billy didn't love Henry. He adored him. But Billy hadn't been allowed to watch his eldest grandson grow up whether through pictures or in person, and that had wounded him.

It had started raining the moment we pulled into the drive. I slipped into my jacket after Ness had handed it to me. Then she unbuckled Will and picked him up. Immediately, he started fussing around his pacifier-until she handed him to me. He calmed down as I tucked him into my jacket against my body and zipped him in.

"Could you get me a blanket?" I asked. "Need to cover his head."

The sky had opened up, dropping rain hard on the rez and Forks. She handed me one of his blankets and I draped it over my shoulder where his read was resting.

"Alright, little man. We're gonna make a break for it," I said.

Nessie was grinning at us.

"What?"

She shook her head. "You are so cute as a dad."

I rolled my eyes. "Oh shut up."

Opening the door, I hopped out and jogged to the covered ramp that I'd made years ago for Billy's wheelchair with Will clutched to my chest. Nessie was right behind me with the diaper bag. Her hair was lank and damp around her. I motioned her ahead of me.

She went up to the door, knocking on it as she walked in. "Hello, hello!"

"Ah, the guests of honor!" Billy rolled up to us, grinning. "Happy anniversary!"

Laughing, Nessie ducked down to hug him. "Thanks, Billy."

Pulling back, he stared at her with frown. "Where's my grandson? And why are you holding the diaper bag?"

While Nessie giggled some more, I stepped forward, rolling my eyes. Behind me, I closed the door. "I have him, old man. He is my son. I'm perfectly capable of carrying him."

"He's mad at me today," Nessie said. "So, he wanted daddy."

Charlie came into the room then with Sue. "Hey, guys. Good to see you." While Nessie hugged him, he asked, "So why is little guy mad at you?"

"I took him to get his first shots today."

"And he knows to be mad at you?"

Ness shrugged. "He's developing quickly. Not as fast as Brayden, but more than a human baby."

"Ah."

Sue butted Charlie out of the way so she could hug Ness. "You look amazing, sweetie."

"Thank you."

And it was true. After two weeks of making love almost every night, Nessie had sweated off that little bit of weight and was back to her flat tummy once more. Sex really was good exercise.

Unzipping my jacket and moving the wet blanket, Will was revealed, his tiny fists gripping my shirt, focused eyes watching everyone. He was furiously working the pacifier. Billy reached for him, and I handed him over. He was developed enough that he rarely needed his head supported, a perk of his genes. Billy held him carefully in the crook of his arm, grinning down at him. Will grinned back around his pacifier.

"He's so precious," Sue said. She clapped her hands. "Well, dinner's almost ready. Although, Paul and Rachel are going to be a little late. Something about him sleeping all day."

I rolled my eyes again. "Sounds like him."

"Uncle Jacob!"

Henry skidded around the corner of the hallway on socked feet and ran straight for me. I braced myself as he jumped into my arms. He was now six years old and looked it. He'd grown up in the past year, filling out. And he'd learned to finish his words.

"What's up, big guy?" I asked, hefting him up.

"I got a new wolf."

"You did?"

He nodded vigorously. "He's the same color as you."

"Well, you'll have to show me. Sounds pretty cool."

"He's in the living room."

"Well, then that's where we'll go. Excuse us," I said as I moved down the hallway.

Becca and Tom were sitting on the couch, their heads close together.

"Hey, guys," I said, announcing my presence.

They both startled and looked up.

Becca smiled, but it wasn't genuine. A tight stretch of lips. "Hi, Jake."

"Something wrong?" I asked as I set Henry on his feet. Oblivious, he went for his toys that Becca carted around. Something to look forward to with my own son.

Tom shook his head. "No, not at all."

Becca wouldn't meet my eyes.

"Is this about Dad? And Will?" I demanded, crossing my arms over my chest.

Tears slowly crept into her eyes. "It's not Will, Jacob. I'd never put anything over my nephew, who's a baby."

"Then what is it, Becca?"

"He's still angry with me. He's different with Henry than he is with William."

Moving around, I sat down on the sturdy coffee table in front of her. "Becca, he's not still angry with you. He just...doesn't know Henry. There's so much he missed, so much we all missed. Dad was there when my son was born. It's a different dynamic, Bec. And I hate that we can see the difference, but he does love Henry. Adores him. As do I. And you have to think about the fact that Will is the son of his only son. That's a different dynamic as well. I don't know why, but it is. Don't think that he favors my son over yours. That's not the case at all."

Swallowing hard, she nodded. But I could tell she was having problems accepting that.

Suddenly, a figurine appeared in my face.

"See, Uncle Jacob? It looks like you!"

Taking it from him, I studied it. It was russet brown. "It sure does. That's pretty cool, big guy. How many wolves do you have now?"

"Five."

"Five? You're going to have a pack of your own, huh?"

His little face became serious. "Uncle Jacob, am I going to be a wolf, too?"

I looked to Becca. She nodded.

Handing him the figurine back, I said, "Maybe someday. When you're older."

"How older?"

"How much older?" I corrected. He nodded. "A few more years."

"Okay," he said cheerfully, attention already on his toys.

Behind me, someone knocked on the doorjamb. "Dinner's ready," Sue said.

I could see Charlie pushing Billy into the kitchen, my dad's attention on Will. Shucking my jacket, I hung it on a chair as I walked into the small dining room. Behind me, Becca was telling Henry to leave his toys in the living room. At the table, Nessie was handing Billy a bottle and taking the pacifier from Will. She grinned at me as I sat down. Sue had made her famous lasagna and garlic bread. Two huge pans sat in the middle of the table, the bread cut up in a bowl.

"This looks amazing, Sue," I said as Nessie handed me a heaping plate. "Thank you."

She smiled maternally at me. "Oh, you're welcome, honey. I just figured that since you weren't going anywhere and aren't fond of leaving Will yet that we would just have dinner and family time."

Nessie sat down next to me, her knee against mine. "It's lovely, Sue. And much appreciated."

Across the house, the door opened. Rachel and Paul came into the dining room a moment later. My sister was glowing even though it was clear she was trying not to.

"Happy anniversary," she sang, coming over to wrap her arms around my shoulders and kiss the top of my head.

"Thanks," I said laughing as she moved on to Nessie. "What's up with you?"

"Oh, nothing," she said, plopping down the chair next to my wife. "Did you bring my nephew?"

I nodded to Billy, who was still feeding Will. "And Henry's here, too."

Rachel looked across the table to Henry and smiled. "Of course he is! Hey, my man," she said, reaching her hand across the table. Grinning, he reached up and smacked it. Rachel sat back shaking out her hand. "Ooo, boy! You're getting strong."

Clearing my throat, I raised my eyebrows to Rachel. "Rach, what's going on?"

She gave me a stern look. "Nothing. This is your day. No ruining it."

Nessie nudged her. "Ruin my day. Tell me. Tell me. Tell me!"

"You sure?"

"Duh."

My sister and Paul shared a look. And then Rachel turned back to Nessie. "We're pregnant!"

Squealing, Nessie threw her arms around Rachel while everyone else cheered. I clapped, grinning.

"Best anniversary present ever!" Nessie said. "How far along?"

"About a month. I was pregnant when you and I talked. I just didn't know. I went to Carlisle when I started feeling sick all the time. He's so sweet to take care of all of us."

Nessie squeezed her hand. "He just cares about everybody, including the wolves. A supernatural healer for supernatural beings. Just makes a certain amount of sense."

"That's true."

Getting up, I went to hug my sister. She stood up, her face buried in my shoulder. "Thank you, Jake."

I kissed the side of her head. "For what?"

"You and Nessie, helping me keep hope."

"That's what we're here for. I love you, big sister. Congrats. You're gonna be great."

"So," Nessie said, "an anniversary and celebration dinner. I can dig it."

We all laughed as I sat back down and dug in.

RPOV

Rachel was holding Will. He smiled up at her from where he was sitting in her lap and leaning against her arm.

"Only two months old and he's huge."

I laughed. "Oh yeah. I actually can't wait until he can interact more with me, you know? I'm anxious for him to grow up. I mean, I love the baby stage. He's adorable."

"But you want him to talk to you, to understand a love of his mom?"

"Something like that. He's still mad at me for the shots, so everyone can hold him but me."

She reached out her free hand. "Ness, you're his mother. He won't stay mad." Looking down at him, she smiled. "See? He's smiling at you." Picking him up, she handed him to me. "Here, take him," she demanded.

Reaching forward hesitantly, I put my hands around him. He grinned at me around the pacifier. My gut unclenched when I sat him on my knees, bouncing him.

"Told you so."

Though he was smiling, his eyes started to droop. Rachel made cute faces while I picked him up and pressed him to my shoulder. He cuddled into my hair and fell asleep.

Rachel put her hand to her stomach. "I so can't wait."

I laughed. "The other eight months are probably going to kill you. But at least you won't have blood cravings the way I did. That was awful. And, Rach?"

"Yeah?"

"You can come over whenever you want, as always. And I'm sure Aunt Alice will want to help you out with all the baby stuff."

Her smile was of gratefulness and relief. "Thank you, Nessie. You're the best sister-in-law. Alice has just done so much for us already though."

"Think of it this way, my family cares for the wolves. How could they not when the packs stood with them against the Volturi? They see it as a debt that they don't mind repaying. I mean, I know that the males of the pack want to support their women and families, but my family doesn't mind helping out with the big stuff, okay? And they will never ask you to pay them back."

"Thank you," she whispered.

At that moment, Jacob came in, his eyes immediately seeking me and Will out as if to make sure we were okay. He grinned. "Hey, ladies."

"Hey, little brother."

"Sue says dessert is almost ready."

Rachel put her hand to her stomach again. "There's more? I already ate a wolf's share of lasagna."

"Hey, that's good," I said, nudging her. "At least you can still eat meat."

"I suppose."

Paul shoved Jacob aside in a brotherly way and came to sit beside Rachel, handing her a glass of water. She rested back against him as he sank back into the couch. They were cute and glowing, probably a lot like Jake and I had been after we'd found out we were pregnant. Even two months after Will's arrival, it was hard to believe that our nine months were past us. Honestly, I couldn't wait until I got pregnant again. I wanted Will to have a brother or sister. Once Jacob and I had started making love again, I became conscious of my body, paying attention. From my experience with Will, I realized that I could sense a pregnancy sooner than if I were fully human. Not that I wanted to get pregnant immediately. Will was only two months old. I wanted some more time with my first born than just that.

My hair moved. Jacob's hand was brushing it aside so he could see Will. He grinned when Will grumbled in his sleep and turned his face into my neck, still nursing on the pacifier. Apparently, my hair had been keeping the light out of his face. Now that Jacob had moved my hair, he didn't like it.

"Oops," Jacob said. "Fast asleep, huh?"

I nodded, rubbing Will's back. "This is his first nap all day. Which is surprising."

He shrugged. "You did say that Carlisle said he'd stay awake longer and longer as he grew."

I laughed. "True. I just didn't expect nearly cold turkey. Our son needs to respect nap times. I'm sure that I will need them when he learns to crawl and walk."

"Some babies," Rachel chimed in, "learn to walk without even crawling."

Will's fingers gripped the collar of my shirt, his nails scratching my skin. Time to start clipping them.

"Oh, please, don't tell me that," I said adjusting him in my arms. "It's like when Carlisle told me that the labor could just stop after being dilated to five centimeters. But of course, waiting through thirteen hours of contractions to dilate completely to ten wasn't that great either."

Rachel gave me a considering look. "Was it really that bad? The labor, I mean."

I thought about how to describe it, and came to the realization that there really wasn't a way to describe it. "I can tell you it was totally worth it. But I didn't use the painkillers. They wouldn't have lasted in my system long enough to make a difference. I'm sure they'd help you. Of course, if you have to have a C-section, you'd have to use the medicine."

She shuddered. "C-sections scare me. I really hope I don't have to have one."

Reaching over, I squeezed her hand. "Don't worry. My grandfather has the best, steadiest hands. If you have to have one, you'll be perfectly safe with him."

"Thanks."

Paul leaned forward. "So, Jake, what's it like being a dad?"

Jacob had gone to sit down in a ratty armchair that had been there since I could remember. He shrugged. "Different. It's one thing to know that I have Nessie depending on me. She's a big girl and can handle herself if I'm not around. But Will, my son? He can't take care of himself. It's weird to think that I'm going to be a role model, that he's going to watch everything I do, listen to what I say. That he's going to learn how to be a man from me and the pack. But mainly from me. It makes me think about things before I do them or say them."

"Paul is already talking about a nursery," Rachel said, patting her husband's knee.

Jacob nodded. "Welcome to the panicked daddy club. If you need help, just give me a call. Or Embry. He's pretty good at cutting holes in the wall."

Rachel's eyes went wide and she turned on Paul, pointing a threatening finger at him. "Don't you even think about putting holes in my walls. I will kill you."

He looked at her, eyes wide, eyebrows in his hairline. "Not even for the baby?"

"Kill. You."

He nodded. "Got it."

Jacob's expression turned into "yikes". "Nevermind then. My bad. But still I'll help out if you need it."

Paul shrugged. "I think I'll be able to handle it."

"Are you going to find out what it is or be surprised?" I asked, reaching down to the diaper bag for a blanket. Jacob leaned forward to help me dig it out and spread it over my left shoulder where Will was still snoozing. "Thanks," I said with a grin. He grinned back, a hand rubbing over Will's back.

Paul and Rachel shared a look before they watched me and Jacob.

Paul shrugged. "Probably find out. I want to know."

"Me, too." Rachel nodded, one hand absently rubbing her belly, the other twined with Paul's.

Jacob and I shared another smile. It was relieving to see Rachel and Paul finally getting their family up and running. Will was going to have another cousin. Rocking him, I had hopes that our families would be close, our children protective of each other like brothers and sisters even if they had blood-siblings of their own. The next generation of the pack was well on its way now that the Volturi had been banished from our lands and our home was finally safe. No doubt many of the females, including myself, could be pregnant at the same time to varying degrees.

I could totally handle that, driving the men crazy. It was something to look forward to.

TriciaPOV

Christa, Walker, and I were sitting around the coffee table, laughing, when the front door opened and Embry came through. Getting up, I hot-footed it to the door to greet him with a kiss.

"Hey, hubby," I said grinning.

Chuckling, he bent down to meet my lips again. "Hi, wife."

"Mmm, I can handle that."

Behind us, Walker cleared his throat. Christa hit him.

Embry straightened up, sliding out of his jacket. I took it from him and hung it up. "So what's going on?"

Christa smiled over at us. "Wedding stuff. Only a month away. Alice is now in that mode where she wants to be left alone, so Tricia and I are working on the odds and ends."

"Ah, sounds like fun."

"Not really," Walker said.

"Oh hush you," I sneered. "Besides, it's break time. Dinner's ready."

Embry sniffed the air. "What did you make?"

"Chili. It's been cooking all day."

"What's chili?"

We turned to see Haleigh in the hallway, rubbing sleep from her eyes. She'd fallen asleep watching movies. Walker held out his arms and she went to him sleepily, cuddling up in his lap.

He kissed her forehead. "It's good stuff. You'll like it."

"Okay."

He and Christa stood up and followed me and Embry to the kitchen. Rolling up his sleeves, Embry went to the sink and scrubbed his hands all the way up to the middle of his forearm. I grated a block of cheddar cheese into a plastic bowl and then set it on the table while Walker and Christa served themselves out of the crockpot.

"So how's the wedding planning?" Embry asked when he sat down. I'd already gotten him a bowl. He added the cheese to his taste.

At the Johnson house, chili had always been served with Doritos for me and Walker, and other chips for Mom and Dad. That's how I served it now. Embry raised his eyebrows when I pulled out the Doritos but he didn't say anything when he ate the chili with a spoon. Haleigh, to my surprise, was a Doritos girl. Definitely part of this family.

Christa wiped her mouth with a napkin before she answered. "Intense. Alice is like a condensed tornado. And I can definitely tell that Cricket is her blood. I swear, those two should start a business." She looked at me. "This is really good. Thank you for feeding us."

I smiled. "Not a problem. I always make too much. Sometimes leftovers are good. Of course, I wasn't going to kick you guys out. Haleigh, do you like it?"

Munching on a chip, she nodded enthusiastically. "Mhm."

"Good. I'm glad. Are you excited about the wedding?"

She nodded again. Once she swallowed, and then licked her fingers of the cheesy goodness, she said, "I really like my dress, too. It matches yours and Aunt Morgan's."

"Well of course it does." I looked to Embry. "She's the flower girl," I said with importance.

He raised his eyebrows in an "ah" expression. He looked at Haleigh. "Did you get anything good for your birthday?"

Her entire face lit up, pretty blue eyes going wide. "Mommy and Daddy took me movie shopping!"

"Really? How many movies did you get?"

"Seven. That's how old I am."

Embry gave her a smile that was reserved especially for her. "That is pretty awesome."

"Daddy also took me to Seattle to get some books."

It was fun to watch him lean forward on his elbows, immersed in conversation with a seven year old. "Oh, you like to read?"

She frowned, shaking her head a little. "Well, I don't really know how. Daddy is teaching me." Her little shoulders drooped a little. "I'm slow, though."

Embry reached across the small table with a long arm and chucked her under the chin. "Hey, sweet pea, you'll get it. Hang in there, okay? It took me a long time to learn how to read."

"It did?"

He nodded. "Yeah. I was a late bloomer. And you are, too. But that's okay. The best kind of people are late bloomers."

Grinning happily, she munched on another chip.

The rest of dinner was spent talking about weddings, babies, other couples. We all predicted who would get pregnant next. Christa's bet was on me and Embry. I was all for her and Walker. Walker predicted Morgan and Lucas. Embry had to think about his bet. In the end, he said Sam and Emily, or Shelby and Seth. It was ironic that after that a pack wide text went out that Jacob's sister, Rachel, had announced that she and Paul were expecting. Our bets still stood though.

After Walker, Christa, and Haleigh left, Embry and I worked together to put up the food and clean the kitchen. From the set of his shoulders, I could tell that he was tired and stressed. He'd taken over Jacob's managerial duties when he'd been out on paternity leave. Even though Jake was back now, the shop was busier than ever, customers from Forks willing to drive to the rez for cheaper prices.

While he finished up the dishes, I went through the house, turning off lights. I dragged him back to the bedroom after the last bowl was put in the dishwasher, stripped him out of his shirts and sat him on the edge of the bed. Kneeling behind him, I started massaging his shoulders, neck, and upper arms.

"For a devil you sure do have some magical hands," he groaned, dropping his chin to his chest.

"You're really tense," I said, working out a tight muscle with the heel of my hand. "So, tell me, did you mean what you said to Haleigh? About being slow to learn to read?"

For a moment, silence stretched between us. And then he nodded. "Mom was more interested in trying to get my dad in my life, chasing after him, causing scenes. That's what I hear anyway. I never met the guy. But she...Every day I came home from school, she'd be drinking and watching her soaps in the dark. I'd ask her for help on my homework, give her teacher's notes for conferences. She never helped and never went. Some days, she was okay. We'd go to the park. She'd read me to sleep or sing to me. But those days were few and far between as I got older. Sam and I talked. I realized she got worse around the time that our dad took off, never to be heard from again."

Anger bubbled up inside me. If I were to ever meet that woman, I'd slap her. Couldn't she see that she had something more precious than a dead beat in her life? She had her son? Despite his upbringing, Embry was full of love and caring. But it also explained his penchant for rough in the bedroom. His aggression and dominance over me. And my acceptance of him and who he was.

His hands came back to stroke the backs of my thighs. Jerking on them, I was knocked off balance and fell against his back. As my chin rested on his shoulder, my hair came forward to brush over his arm and back.

He turned his head to face me, his lips brushing mine. "Don't be angry. I can smell it."

"You can?"

He nodded. "It's bitter, the smell of burning rubber. I don't like it. Think happy thoughts."

The reminder of one of my favorite childhood memories made me laugh. He smiled against my mouth. "That's better."

Sighing, I wrapped my arms around his shoulders and chest. My wedding ring caught a ray of moonlight through the window. "I just don't like hearing what she put you through. But I love the man you turned out to be from overcoming all of that. If that makes any sense."

His hand came up to dig through my hair so he could cup the back of my head. "It makes sense," he whispered before kissing me. "What do you say we try to help Christa win that bet?"

With his voice so low, like a bass thrumming through my body, a shiver danced down my spine. The hand that wasn't in my hair moved up to grip my ass hard. Instantly, I was aware of the heat of him seeping into me, over me. My breasts ached for his hands, his mouth.

"I'll take that as a yes," he growled, obviously sensing my body's immediate reaction to him.

Though he was clearly exhausted and stressed, he never once complained as he made love to me until dawn and the birds sang outside the windows.

Bah! This chapter suuuuuuuuuuuucks! It was like trudging through mud! Hopefully the next one will come easier. And is it just me, or am I writing Nessie monotone? I feel like she's losing her peppiness. I just don't know! I guess I'm ready to be done with her and Jake and get to the kids' stories. I am so ready to write Will! Anywhozzle, I love you! Please review? xoxoxoxoxo