Chapter 3 is here!
Months later…
Jacob:
Bella was seven months pregnant today. She was staying at my house for the day, we left her taking a nap in my room.
I was slightly annoyed at her for suggesting I go out with Edward to get some "baby necessities" as she called it. But here I was, in Babies R' Us, with the mosquito.
Surprisingly he had taken it all pretty well. He had agreed to help take care of the baby and he told Bella he had no plans on leaving her any time soon.
"Did you really think I would leave Bella for something like this? You would have to do better than that."
I opened my mouth to say something back at Edward but he beat me to it.
"Today is not about you trying to make me look bad. Save it for another day. We are here to buy things for the baby." Edward grabbed a carriage and started pushing it through the first aisle.
He still never said your baby around Bella or I; he always called it the baby. I smirked and let him have his small moment of victory.
"Yes, of course it bothers me. Every time I look at Bella I only think of you, and the part of you that is growing inside her. The fact that both of you are sharing something so magnificent that I'm not even a small part of." Edward paused and I grabbed a few pacifiers from the shelf and put them in the carriage.
Honestly, I didn't want to deal with this now. I had better things to worry about. Like my baby. "So, how long did you say Charlie and my dad were going to be gone for?" I asked, dropping the previous subject.
Edward got a huge box of baby formula while I grabbed the bottles. "Well, Charlie called about a week ago. He said that they were extending their trip to for about another month. So they won't be back until November, right before Thanksgiving."
My dad had called me, but I couldn't answer the phone. I was too afraid of something slipping. They left when Bella was about two months pregnant and they were going on a year long trip around the world. Some midlife crisis thing got them into doing it. The baby was due for August seventieth. So, we would have it for a few months before they got home. Just enough time to come up with something to tell them.
"Really? You're not going to tell your father that you have a child?" Edward eyed me suspiciously and then continued browsing.
"I'm kind of young to be having a kid. Not that you'd know. Being as you're over one hundred years old. I don't think he would be so pleased. I'll tell him eventually. Bella has to tell Charlie too."
I hadn't realized how much stuff was in the cart. We were practically done looking through the aisles. But the last one had us stumped.
On each side of the aisle was strollers and carriers, one side was pink things, one side was blue things. Edward and I met each other's glance and then looked away. I could tell he had just as good an idea of the gender of the baby as I did.
"Well? You are the father. What is it? Boy or girl?" Edward was just screwing with me. He knew I had no idea. His smile was devious.
"Yeah right, do you think Bella would actually tell me the gender? You're her boyfriend, she should've told you. Besides, shouldn't Carlisle know, he is the doctor." I folded my arms across my chest.
Edward frowned. "Bella didn't want Carlisle to be her doctor. She doesn't want me to know the gender, and Carlisle might be thinking of it in his thoughts. Also, she feels, uncomfortable with him delivering the baby."
I understood where Bella was coming from. I wouldn't want the father of my boyfriend to deliver my baby if I was a girl…looking at certain places that not many people should look at.
Edward and I walked down the aisle. All the way at the end we came across a lemon yellow carrier and a lightish green stroller. In unison we looked at each other, "these will do." We both started to chuckle but then I stopped myself, embarrassed, and grabbed each of the boxes at once.
When we got to the check out area I noticed Edward's lips were twitching every now and then, like he was trying not to laugh at something. "What?" I asked annoyed.
"I have to go see something really quickly. You start checking out the items." In four swift strides Edward was gone. I shrugged and started putting the items on the conveyor belt.
The woman looked up at me and smiled. "So, are you two expecting a little one?"
I paused and stared at the woman. "Excuse me?"
"You and your boyfriend? Are you expecting a baby?"
I froze and dropped whatever was in my hand. My cheeks were hotter than my regular body temperature. This lady thought…. Edward and I were… a couple?
"Oh no, God no. He's not my boyfriend. He's just a, uh, friend of mine. Here to help me get stuff for my, uh, wife. Yeah, she's expecting a baby in two months so…" I trailed off mid sentence. Edward came back, smiling now and chuckling under his breath.
"How's everything going?" Edward asked. The checkout lady looked down blushing and finished checking out the supplies. As soon as the things were back in the carriage I booked it out of there with Edward still at my heel.
When we were outside Edward started laughing louder than I ever heard him in my life. If he could tear up from laughter I swear he would be right now.
I didn't laugh. I got the things into the trunk and waiting in the passenger seat until Edward contained himself and hopped into the car. "So, do you need to go somewhere else, honey?"
I wiggled down farther in my seat and listened as Edward's laughter stung my ears again.
Bella:
I was at Jake's house, reading a book on childbirth and rubbing my pronounced stomach, feeling the small bumps where the baby's body parts were.
When I heard Jake close the screen door behind him, I sat up on the couch so he could have some space to sit next to me.
When he came in and sat next to me, I smiled devilishly. "Jake, you know if you're in love with Edward, I'll give you two some space." I giggled and nudged Jake with my shoulder.
He didn't meet eye contact with me. "Haha very funny. Figures he told you."
"I'm only teasing. C'mon, let's go outside and get some fresh air. I've been inside all day." I hopped to my feet and took Jake's hand. When we got outside I sat down on the wooden stairs and leaned against Jake's shoulder.
"I was reading and they say if you talk to the baby, it can actually hear you even though it's inside you." Jake said.
"I know. I talk to it all the time. I think it really likes to hear other people's voices." I started rubbing my belly again. Then, I pulled my t-shirt up to expose my stomach. "Do you want to talk to it?"
Jake just stared at my stomach for a moment. He looked nervous and a little embarrassed. Then, he leaned down, closer to my stomach, and started speaking. "Hey little guy, I'm your dad. I've never gotten the chance to talk to you before but I glad I am now. I just wanted to tell you that you are going to have a great mommy, and a great… well, Mommy has a boyfriend so I guess you'll have a great Stepdad too."
I felt tears rise behind my eyelids and smiled as Jake kissed the top of my stomach. He met my gaze and smiled at me, "You'll have a great daddy too." I said quietly, stroking my stomach again.
Jake leaned in and kissed me suddenly. I felt sparks, like I always did, but they still were not as strong as the sparks I felt when Edward kissed me. But, I felt myself kissing him back gently.
Suddenly, I felt a force in my stomach and took Jake's hand and placed it where the kicking was coming from. "See Jake, it knows you were talking to it." Jake kept his hand on me even after the kicking stopped.
I felt oddly warm inside. Not from the heat radiating off of Jake, but because even though I was in more love with Edward and I was going to be his forever, I was glad what I had now was something I was going to share with Jake for the rest of my life. It felt… right, for the first time since I figured out I was pregnant.
Jake's voice broke the silence. "Do you think… my mom would be proud of me?"
"I think so. Why wouldn't she be? You've acted very responsible about this." I leaned my head against Jake's chest and he wrapped his arms around me, "but you've also still been able to be Jake. And that's what I think she would be most proud of." At that moment, I came up with a very good idea.
Five weeks later…
Jake:
"Bella, are you sure you'll be alright? The baby is due in another three weeks and-" Bella pressed her lips against Edward's to make him stop talking. I wish sometimes she did that to me.
"Edward, you need to hunt, badly. It looks like someone punched you in the face. I'll be fine. Besides, Jake is here so if I need anything he can get it."
I put Bella's bag down in my room and walked back over to them. The past month she stayed at Edward's house and she was finally going to be staying with me again. She talked Edward into letting her stay here for at least a week while he was away hunting with Alice and Emmett.
Edward forfeit with a sigh, "Jacob." He nodded in my direction and I nodded back. It was his way of saying goodbye. "Call me if you need anything Bella." Edward leaned in and kissed her again. Then he headed out to his car and was gone within a few seconds.
I grabbed Bella and spun her around in a hug. She laughed and then told me to put her down. "So, what do you want to do today?"
"Eat, sleep, use the bathroom." Bella walked quickly to the bathroom and shut the door. I read about why pregnant women had to use the bathroom all the time. All of her organs are being pushed from the baby and they have a smaller space so the woman's bladder gets full quicker and she has to go all the time.
I got a Snickers bar from the kitchen and a cup of milk. Bella had the craving for Snickers and milk since last month. She always wants to have the two together. So I stocked up on supplies.
I heard Bella flush and wash her hands. She came into the living room and plopped onto the couch, peeling away the wrapper from the Snickers bar.
"Bella, have you thought about a name?" I pulled Bella's feet up onto my lap and started to rub them.
"Yep." She took another bite from her bar.
"And?" I asked a little more impatient than necessary.
"What?" She looked confused for a minute, then smiled into her bar before taking another bite.
"You're not going to tell me, are you?"
"Nope."
I sighed and squeezed Bella's foot a little. "I'm going to be its dad." She just kept smiling and finished off her Snickers.
"I'm going to be so fat from eating all of these. But I can't help myself."
"No you won't. You're going to be like every woman who just gave birth. You're going to be perfect." I meant every word I said. To be honest, I knew this was weird, but I was kind of excited to see what Bella would look like. Probably a bit chubbier, with a small child in her arms and a little more tired than usual. Because of our child.
I pictured this image so many times in my head. The both of us were in the park, with our new stroller and new baby in it. We were happy and energetic. We had to constantly stop so people could admire our beautiful child. Then, I would take Bella's hand and squeeze it a little and she would look at me and notice how proud I was and smile back at me.
"You sound a lot like Edward. That's exactly what he said. Freaky."
"I guess that le- I mean, Edward, is rubbing off on me." I admitted. Even though I wish it wasn't true, it was.
Bella smiled, "I know." She sat up and stretched hers arms above her head. I stared at her ripe stomach which was rather large; it made me happy, like I accomplished something very meaningful. "Off to bed for me, I'm exhausted."
Bella headed to my room and closed the door behind her so she could put on her pajamas. I waited patiently for her to finish dressing. "I'll sleep on the couch tonight." She said through the door.
"Absolutely not, sleep in my room. I'll sleep on the couch." I had no intention of doing so. I wanted to be with Bella and the baby as many hours of the day I could.
"Are you sure?"
"Yep."
I opened the door quietly so Bella wouldn't hear me. When I saw that she was looking at something on my dresser I stepping inside.
"What are you looking at?" I walked over to her and noticed the picture of me when I was little. I was playing baseball with my mom. She was just as sweaty and dirty as I was.
Bella wiped the dust away from the picture so she could look at it better. "Jake," she whispered quietly, "she looks just like you. She was just as beautiful."
No one has ever told me that before. But when I looked at the picture I saw the similarities so clearly I was surprised no one had said something earlier. "Yeah I guess so."
Bella brought the picture over to my nightstand. She propped the pillow up and sat up in bed, with my green blanket covering her. "You can come sit with me for a little."
I went and laid down right next to Bella. The bed wasn't that big, but that was fine. I liked being so close to her, and the baby.
Bella leaned against my chest and closed her eyes. Her breathing became slower and more even, and I knew she was asleep. I rocked her in my arms, much like the way I planned to rock my baby soon. My eyes closed and I felt myself drifting off to sleep.
Bella:
I couldn't even speak. I could barely breathe. I woke up and there was liquid running down my legs and I must've rubbed some off on Jacob because his legs were a little wet too.
The contractions were so painful. I was sweating badly, mostly because I knew I was in labor and was panicking a bit, but also because Jacob's arms were wrapped around me still.
I tried to shake him awake. "Jake." I tried to remain calm. I took a deep breath. I couldn't panic now, something might happen to the baby. "Jake!" I was able to screech out, but I didn't know how.
"Bella?" Jake got up off the bed. I didn't say anything, I just clutched my stomach. I figured that was all he needed to figure out what was going on.
I reached out to grab his hand and I squeezed it so hard I thought I might actually split his hand in half.
"Okay Bella. Calm down. I'll get you to the hospital." Jake scooped me up into his arms and was nearly running outside the door. Before we were outside though, he stopped short and grabbed a pair of his cut off jeans.
"Bella, I'm going to phase. Do you think you would be able to hold on to me if I did? We would get there faster." Jacob looked down at me. His expression was frightened so between an excruciating painful contraction, I nodded my head yes.
Jake put me down on the stairs momentarily and then phased into his werewolf form. He used his teeth and his massive paws to get me onto his back. I held onto his thick hair and tightened my grip every time I felt more pain.
I was surprised at how graceful and smooth our ride was. We were going so fast and yet I didn't feel anything bumpy for the ride. The cool night breeze felt nice against my sweating face.
We made it to the hospital in the nick of time. I let out a scream from the pain and didn't even realize that Jake was back in his human form until he was carrying me inside.
"Nurse! My wife is in labor!" Jake called out.
Wife? How many people did Jake say that to? I guess it was better than saying: Nurse! The girl that I love who isn't my girlfriend is in labor with our child!
"Okay we got her. You can let go now." The nurse was very calm, but Jake hesitated before putting me in the wheelchair that was presented before us.
When he finally did, I was rushed off and turned around quickly to see that Jake was right behind me. I reached my hand out for his and smiled when I felt his warm fingers wrap around mine.
When we reached the room, Jake lifted me up again and helped me stand up while I tried to strip all my clothes off and put the patient smock on.
The nurse came in and I didn't even care when she suggested that my "husband" help me with that. I didn't even blink. I tried to take my shirt and bra off myself but I was in too much pain so I just told Jake to take my clothes off, which he was able to do in no time at all fortunately.
In a matter of minutes, I was laying down in the bed, holding Jake's hand yet again. The nurse had my legs up already and was checking my pupils. "Okay, your pupils have only dilated up to seven. When they reach ten, Dr. Goldstein will be ready for you. Until then, we gave you some medicine for the pain." The nurse looked up at Jake then, "We just need to get your names down for now. We can get the rest of the information when you have time available."
Jake met my glance briefly and then met the gaze of the nurse again. "Well, I'm Jacob Black and this is…" Jake cleared his throat; I could tell he was a little confused with what to say.
"And I'm Isabella Black." I nodded towards the nurse. When she wrote down our names she left the room.
I felt Jake's stare on my face. "What?" I asked annoyed, even though I didn't need to.
"Nothing," Jake said, looking away.
The pain was back again, and there was nothing I wanted more than to get this baby out of me.
Two and a half hours after the nurse said I was only dilated to seven, I was finally at ten.
My entire body was covered in a thick sheet of sweat, and Edward still wasn't here. I asked Jake to call him an hour ago and he did without putting up a fight. This was definitely a time when his cold marble body would have been useful.
"Okay Bella, just push." Dr. Goldstein ordered. I screeched as I pushed and felt the weight inside me empty just a little bit.
"I see a head!" Jake looked over for the first time since I started pushing. His cheeks were turning different shades of white that let me know that he was not interested in watching the miracle of birth. If I could laugh right now, I probably would be.
"One more push Bella." The doctor ordered. I felt like I had no more strength, like I couldn't do this anymore, like I should give up.
I felt Jake squeeze my hand. "You can do this." He muttered quietly.
I took a deep breath and pushed with all the life left in me. I didn't stop pushing until I heard the comforting sound of a newborn baby's cry. Then I leaned back and let out a sigh of victory.
"It's a girl!" One of the nurse's called out. I kept my eyes closed, relaxing, until the baby had quieted down completely.
"Would you like to hold your new little girl, Daddy?" I opened my eyes when I heard the nurse's voice. Jake hesitated and then took the baby, who was wrapped in a pink blanket, and held her close in his arms.
"She's very healthy, coming in at eight point five pounds, and doesn't have any missing ligaments or health problems. Congratulations, we'll give you guys some privacy." Dr. Goldstein escorted his crew out the door and left Jake, me, and the baby, to ourselves.
When I opened my eyes and looked at Jake finally, my heart swelled up. He had never looked so happy, so triumphant, so powerful, so content, in his life. The grin on his face and the tears of joy in his eyes could have made anyone feel extremely victorious.
"Bella, she's so beautiful." Jake handed the baby to me and then I scooted over so he could lie next to me on the bed.
When I saw my baby's face for the first time I felt just like the way Jake looked. She was beautiful, just like Jake had said. She had a bundle of dark brown hair on the top of her head and a skin tone that was closer to Jake's, just not quite as dark.
Jake wrapped his arm around her but held her in place where she was against my chest. "She's so tiny."
"Yeah she is. I mean, she was just born." I said teasingly. Jake and I both grinned at each other. When he leaned in to kiss me I let him, politely kissing him back.
"Jake, I know this might sound weird, but… thanks… for her." I leaned my head against his shoulder.
It was quiet for a little while until Jake broke the silence. "What are we going to call her?"
I stared down at our little baby. I knew what we were going to call her before anyone else knew, before she was even born. "I wanted her name to be special, something that represented someone important to you and also something very important to me. I chose the name of the person who brought you to me Jake, the person who also made her possible," I said nudging the baby. "So I want to name her Sarah."
Tears weld up in Jake's eyes and I felt them in mine to. This time I leaned in to kiss him, I felt his hot tears against my lips and pulled away from him when I heard a knock at the door and then the nurse step in.
"Someone's here to see you." The nurse said with a pleasant smile.
Edward walked past the nurse and rushed to my side. I closed my eyes when I felt his nice cold touch against my forehead. "Edward, I missed you."
"Bella, Sarah is gorgeous." Of course he knew her name, he probably was reading Jake's mind as soon as he walked in, trying to see what he missed.
I shrugged, "I personally think she gets her good looks from her daddy."
They both chuckled but Jake was the one who spoke up. "No, she gets her looks from you, believe me." Jake bumped my arm and I couldn't help but to smile.
"Well congratulations, to the both of you. You are very lucky to have her."
"I think we could all share her." I said delicately, hoping not to raise tension in the room, which gratefully I didn't.
Even though both Edward and Jake were still in the room, I pulled down the collar of my patient smock and started breast feeding Sarah. It hurt like hell but that didn't stop me from feeling the heaviness of my eyelids until I closed them and dozed off to sleep.
Jake:
Two weeks later…
Sarah started laughing whenever I blew my nose with the tissue. It was the best thing to see her smiling with the same smile and chocolate brown eyes as Bella. Sarah did look a lot like Bella, but she did look like me to. She was darker than Bella, and had the same toes and dark hair as me too, and even though she had her mother's smile, she had my full lips, which made me proud every time I saw her. In fact, everything about Sarah made me proud. I guess that was what being a father was about. Admiring your child for everything they were.
Bella said she was going to hold off on becoming a vampire for awhile too. Which was nice, she was going to wait around a year at least to ask Edward to change her, so she could take care of Sarah properly as she put it. I was happy to get more time with her, as human… maybe enough time to make her change her mind and stay human.
"Don't bet on it." Edward said behind me.
"Maybe I will," I said quietly. Sarah just fell asleep in my arms and I didn't want to wake her, she looked too content.
"Jake, make sure she doesn't get too uncomfortably hot. I just gave her a bath." Bella came and sat next to me on the couch. It was true, I could still smell the baby soap on Sarah and her dark hair was still damp.
"I won't."
"Edward and I are going to get some more stuff for Sarah at the store. Do you think you could manage until we get home?" I still loved how Bella said Sarah, our little Sarah.
"I think so." I help Sarah closer to my chest, more protectively.
"Great." Bella leaned in and kissed me on the cheek, then she kissed Sarah lightly on the forehead.
When I heard Edward's car start up, I brought Sarah into my room and laid down with her on the bed. My nose was right next to the top of her head, and every time I breathed in I smelled the scent of strawberries.
I closed my eyes, thinking nothing could be more perfect in someone's life than moments like this.
Bella:
When Edward and I came home and put the baby supplies away, I found Edward leaning against the door of Jake's room, grinning at something.
I walked next to him and leaned against his side. He wrapped his arm around my waist. "Something else Sarah gets from her dad." Edward murmured in my ear.
I laughed, "What are you going to do?"
Jacob has his arm wrapped around Sarah's small body. They were both asleep and snoring lightly next to each other.
What made me feel warm inside though, was that Sarah's small, chubby hand was wrapped around Jake's pointer finger. They looked adorable lying next to each other.
Edward closed the door and we went to rest on the couch. I laid on top of Edward's chest and smiled at my inner thoughts.
"What are you thinking about?" Edward's velvety voice spoke out.
"You know how I was really upset, the day I told you I had sleepwalked over to Jake's house?" I asked.
I could feel Edward grin. "Yes."
"I take it back." I said quietly with a smile.
Edward knew I didn't mean it in a bad way towards him. He held me closer and chuckled. "I know."
Okay, that's it for this story I hope that you liked it. I really enjoyed this one and think I did a really good job. Oh and for those of you who don't know, Sarah was the name of Jake's mom. I hope no one was confused by that!