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Blue Moon

Chapter 8-Joy to the World and all that Jazz

Jacob's POV

It was Christmas Day. Whoop-tee-do-da-day.

The White House was decorated to extremes courtesy of Alice. A huge pine tree stood high in the living room decorated in white twinkle lights, silver bows, and purple antique bulbs. Boughs, holly, and garland hung everywhere, as well as thick bushels of mistletoe. Red roses in bunches lay on every surface in crystal vases, as well as hundreds of white pillar candles. Piles and piles of presents were stacked everywhere.

The scent of turkey and duck and gravy and potatoes wafted from the kitchen, as well as chocolate and Christmas cookies, like a seductive perfume. Already there were trays of cookies, bars, and peanut brittle scattered everywhere. Bowls of candy were also everywhere and the traditional candy canes.

'Tis the season and all that jazz.

To be honest, Christmas wasn't really my thing, though I kept up a mildly pleasant charade to the fact. I just hated the fact that everyone pretended to just be so happy and hopeful for a measly few days when so much other shit was going down.

Don't get me wrong, I was finally happy now that I had Renesmee, but that didn't change who I was underneath. I still got annoyed and disgruntled like the next guy.

I guess through my life I just never had any reason to love the holiday, to be thankful. Maybe it had something to do with my mom passing away just a couple of weeks before the holiday? Or maybe, it had to do with watching all the selfish people in the world? I had to grit my teeth constantly when I heard the words 'I want, I want.' What about the people who needed?

I was more of a gift giver then a gift wanter. I was happiest at this season when I gave.

And maybe if more people gave then this season might not have the highest suicide rates?

Rolling my eyes, I took a seat on the sofa. Right now it was three in the afternoon and people were going to start arriving at The White House in about an hour for dinner and gift giving, and I was already exhausted.

I woke up this morning at Billy's and ate breakfast and exchanged gifts with him and Rachel. It was a simple affair with few, but meaningful gifts. Mostly practical gifts, like socks.

After that I had arrived at the cottage to exchange gifts privately with Bella, Edward, and Nessie. Most of my gifts were homemade, crafted. I made Nessie a wolf charm like Bella's, but was a necklace instead of a bracelet, and Bella some beaded hair combs. I bought Edward a Quileute language book, because I knew he wanted to learn the language. There all bought me a stereo system for my new Vantage.

Being with them was nice, it was pleasant. We listened to Christmas music, played games, and talked and laughed.

It was the complete opposite of what I knew would happen tonight. It was going to be loud I knew.

Personally, I've already had enough.

As soon as Bella, Edward, Nessie, and I arrived at The White House, Alice had nearly tackled us--mainly Nessie and I--and dragged us upstairs to dress us up for the holiday gathering and festivities.

First Alice focused on Nessie while I watched in amusement. All the while Nessie had a surly look upon her face, but the end result was satisfying. Nessie looked adorable in a simple emerald green dress that fell to her knees and black Mary Jane shoes. Her bronze curls were tied up into a bun with silver tinsel weaving through. Around her neck lay the locket Bella gave her last Christmas and the wolf charm I gave her. On her wrist was the promise bracelet I'd made her a year ago.

But I got just as surly when Alice showed me what I was going to wear.

The loose fitting black modern jeans were fine with me, but…

"God dammit, Alice! I don't want to wear a frickin' turtleneck!" I yelled at the pixie.

Nessie slipped out of the room at this point.

Alice rolled her eyes. "Just try it on before you decide!"

"No, I will not try it on! Find me something else! I will not look like a nancy boy!"

"Emmett, Jasper, and Edward all wear turtlenecks!" She snapped, hands on her hips.

I growled, glaring down at her. "First off, Jasper is your husband, plus he only wears turtlenecks because it hides his sparkly scars!" Pausing, I caught my breath. "Second, Edward actually likes turtlenecks for some odd reason and third…Emmett's scared that you'll rip his head off if he doesn't comply!"

We glared at each other for a long time.

"Just. Try. It. On," Alice hissed through clenched teeth.

"Fine!" I snapped. Pulling on the disgusting sweater, I held my arms out.

Alice appraised me for about half a second before her wind chime laughter floated to my ears.

Growling once again, I pulled off the ridiculous shirt and threw it across the room.

"You were right," she said between laughs as she flitted into her closet. Reappearing back in front of me a second later she handed me a black button up shirt. "Try this," she ordered.

I had to admit it was better then the turtleneck so I slipped it on and rolled up the sleeves to just below the elbow. I held my arms out from my sides once again.

Alice appraised me again with a spark in her eyes. "Much better," she assessed. After a pause, she added, "At least I know you look awful in sweaters now." She burst out laughing.

Growling, I picked up a pillow and threw it at her head, but she easily dodged it.

Now we were just waiting for the others to arrive.

Edward and Nessie were at the piano. He was teaching her how to play some Christmas carols. Bella was sitting next to me watching them. Emmett and Jasper were playing with the new Wii they got. They'd been tampering with it for the last two hours to make it faster. Blondie was watching them and reading a magazine, being abnormally quiet in my presence. Carlisle was up in his study. Esme was in the kitchen finishing up dinner and Alice was now helping her since she got everyone dressed.

"God dammit!" Emmett boomed, surprising us all, as he threw the Wii remote across the room, shattering. Glowering down at Jasper, he accused, "You're cheating!"

Jasper rolled his eyes. "Dude, Em, how could I be cheating? It's a video game and we're bowling?"

"I don't know, you just are!" He countered.

I started to chuckle. Emmett was acting like a overgrown two year old that was denied a toy.

Blondie flitted to his side and laid her hands on his arms. "Don't get worked up, honey. It's just a game."

After that Emmett calmed down, grabbed a new remote and began playing again, but more fiercely.

People started arriving ten minutes later.

First came Rachel, Paul, and Billy. I met them outside and helped Billy into his wheelchair, and pushed him up onto the porch. It was raining really hard.

"Oh, joy to the world, dinner with the leeches," Paul commented harshly as he climbed the steps to the porch.

Growling, I was about to tell him to shut up, but Rachel leaned into him with an annoyed expression on her face and whispered something into his ear that I couldn't hear.

From the look of horror that spread across his face, I knew I didn't want to know. It made me shudder to think of them being intimate.

Billy chuckled as we entered the house.

Rachel immediately went up to Nessie who was still playing at the piano. "Merry Christmas, Nessie. You look really pretty today."

Nessie blushed and mumbled a "Merry Christmas," back at her.

Rachel gave her a hug.

Next to arrive were Charlie, Sue, Seth, and Leah.

Leah looked a bit sulky from being in a house full of vampires and her body was rigid with tension.

Nessie got so excited about seeing them all that for a second she couldn't decide who to hug first. Finally, she settled on Seth, then Sue, and Charlie.

As she hugged Charlie, he laughed and said, "Wow, Ness, sweetie, I think you've grown again!"

And she had grown. In the past month she grew a whole inch taller.

All she did was giggle and disentangle from the hug. She shyly moved to Leah and looked up at her expectantly.

Leah surprised us by laughing and scooping her up in a hug. Nessie was overjoyed.

Yep, like I said, Leah had definitely warmed up.

Sitting there, I observed them.

Seth was as happy and optimistic as ever. He had gone over to Edward, clapped him on the back and now they were talking like the good friends they were. Sue and Charlie were a different story. Sure they were talking and laughing with everybody else, but they seemed overly excited with a hint of nervousness.

I wondered what that was all about.

Soon everyone was at the house. Sam, Emily, Jared, Kim, Quil, Claire, Embry.

A half hour later we were all sitting down for dinner. It seemed like the table would collapse with the amount of food on it. Turkey, duck, mashed potatoes, gravy, dinner rolls, corn, peas, green beans and so much more.

There was so much food around the house that it was almost ridiculous. Along with dinner and dessert, there were the cookie trays and candy bowls, as well as the veggie trays, fruit trays, and trays of cracker, cheese, and salami.

It was insane, but the wolves were at least happy with it. Even Leah was ecstatic about the food. It warmed the cockles of her heart. She'd never admit it but she ate just as much as the guys.

After dinner, we all convened in the living room and opened gifts.

When that traditional charade was complete we sat around talking while cookies and hot apple cider and eggnog was passed around.

Nessie was sitting in my lap when she took a cup of eggnog and brought it to her lips and took a hesitant drink. She didn't even swallow before she spit it out.

Everyone who caught the show started to laugh.

"Oh, baby!" Bella exclaimed as she took up a napkin and started dabbing at Nessie's mouth.

"Jeez, that was nasty!" Nessie almost shrieked.

I chuckled. "Most people feel the same way," I whispered into her ear and showing her the cup of cider in my hand, making her giggle.

I took her cup and placed it on the table beside the couch.

Suddenly a throat was cleared and Charlie stood up awkwardly with Sue at his side.

"I, um, would like to make an announcement," Charlie began with nervousness.

Uh Oh.

He cleared his throat again. "Sue and I are going to, um, get married!"

Shocked silence filled the air as everyone looked at each other.

Holy fricken' crap!

Carlisle was the first one to break the silence. Crossing the room, he shook Charlie's hand, offered him congratulations and clapped him on the arm.

Bella and Leah couldn't stop staring at each other in bewilderment.

Seth was the first one to show true enthusiasm. Whooping, he hugged Charlie and then Sue. Crossing the room, he hugged Edward, saying, "Congrats, now we're brothers!" Hugging Bella next it seemed to unthaw her.

Smiling, Bella crossed the room and embraced her dad. "I'm so happy for you dad," she sincerely replied. "You just took me off guard is all."

Now everyone unthawed and started offering up congratulations and a new celebration began.

From across the room, I heard Blondie mutter, "Great, now we'll officially be related to dogs sooner then I thought."

"Don't worry about it, Babe," Emmett consoled her.

I had to suppress a growl.

The night went on a little awkwardly, but joyously. Bella and Leah kept staring at each other appraisingly, Seth was his optimistic self, Charlie and Sue were both beaming, and Alice was practically bouncing off the walls with the talk of wedding plans.

It was as if a premonition came true without Shortie's help. The werewolves and vampires were getting tied together. The vampires father and the werewolf's mother.

It was funny, last Christmas we were anticipating death and this Christmas we were anticipating a wedding to join us all together.

Great. Just fricken' great.