Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight. I do own the characters Clay and Adam. I also came up with the idea for Angus from my brothers dog Roscoe. I love that crazy dog.
It was just before midnight when Jacob's phone rang. He had just turned out his light and gotten into bed. He reached for his phone in the darkness. It was Bella. He had just talked to her an hour ago.
"Hey," he said sleepily.
"Were you asleep?" she asked in concern.
"Not yet. But if you had called a few minutes from now I would have been," he answered with a sleepy sigh.
"Happy birthday," she said warmly.
He pulled his phone away to check the time. Sure enough, it was midnight.
"Thank you," he said tenderly.
"So what do you want for your birthday?" she asked earnestly.
"You," he answered honestly.
"Me? Well, I guess I can manage that," she teased.
"I would hope so," he said with a laugh.
"Jacob, go to bed. You've got school in the morning," Billy called from his room.
"I have to go," he said sadly.
"I'll see you later," she reminded him.
"I can't wait," he said with a sigh.
"Go to sleep," she said soothingly.
"I love you," he murmured.
"I love you too, Jake."
Jacob heard his dad turn off the TV in his room a minute later.
"Happy birthday, Son," Billy called.
"Thanks, Dad," Jacob called back.
"Get your mind off of Bella. You'll see her later. I'm not waking you up in the morning," he warned.
"I set my alarm," Jacob reassured him.
Billy's snoring could be heard a few minutes later. Jacob rolled over on his back and put an arm behind his head. As usual, he had trouble falling asleep. More than likely, he would be fighting fatigue by lunch tomorrow. He couldn't seem to make his mind shut down. He worried about Bella because he couldn't be there. He knew that she could take care of herself, but that didn't make the nagging feeling that something might happen to her go away.
XXXX
Bella was putting the finishing touches on Jacob's present when Angus let out a low whine from the front door.
"You don't need to go out. I took you out twenty minutes ago," she admonished.
Someone knocked on the door, making her look up. So he hadn't needed to go outside after all. He only whined for a few select people. One or more of the Cullen's must be there.
Bella gingerly pulled herself off the couch, rubbing her back as she crossed the room. Angus got behind her as she came to the door.
"Coward," she muttered as she opened the door.
"Who's a coward?" Alice asked from the porch.
"The dog," Bella answered with a sigh.
Angus peeked around her leg. His tail thumped against the wood when he saw Alice.
"Hi little one," she cooed.
She knelt down. Rubbing behind his ears once she and Jasper had come inside.
"What are you guys doing here?" Bella inquired.
"It's Jake's birthday, so Billy invited the family. Carlisle is working, Esme is out of town, and Rosalie and Emmett are hunting," Jasper explained.
"So you drove forty five minutes in the opposite direction because...?" Bella asked in confusion.
"We thought that you might need a ride," Jasper said politely.
"I have one. You can follow us," she said, touched that they had thought of her.
"I told you that we should have called first, Alice," he said, giving Alice a stern look.
"No, it's fine. I just wasn't expecting you," Bella said to dismiss the situation.
"You've got yourself a bump there. Can I feel?" Alice asked, standing in front of her.
"They haven't done anything yet, but go ahead," Bella agreed.
"Come on boys, give Momma a hard time," Alice said placing a hand on either side of Bella's stomach.
Nothing happened, but it was nice to see someone so excited about her pregnancy. Alice, Esme, and Rosalie called her everyday wanting an update. Bella didn't mind, she was happy to let them do whatever they wanted because they would never experience the joy that she was feeling. She still held out hope for Leah.
Someone knocked on the door, and Angus barked happily. Bella moved away from Alice to answer the door. Clay stood outside, and Adam waved from the Range Rover.
"I didn't realize that you had company," Clay said politely.
"They're following us. Alice, Jasper this is Clay Williams. These are two of my closest friends, Jasper Hale and Alice Cullen."
"It's nice to meet you," Clay said, nodding at them.
"Let me go put Angus in his crate."
"Why not bring him?" Alice said, picking the dog up.
He squirmed in her arms, greedily licking her face.
"He'd be under everyone's feet," Bella rationalized.
"No he wouldn't. He could stay outside the whole time. I don't get to see him that often. You want to come, don't you buddy?" she asked before making kissing noises.
"Alright, let's go."
Alice and Jasper got into Jasper's car as Bella and Clay got into the Jeep. Adam turned in his seat, watching as Jasper started the car.
"Where are they taking Angus?" Adam asked in concern.
"They're going to Jake's too," she said as she struggled with her seat belt.
Clay took it from her, clicking it in place a second later.
"I couldn't see it," she said with a small sigh.
"Just wait until it cuts into your stomach. My wife said that it hurt like hell,"
Clay didn't talk about his ex-wife often. She had left not long after Adam was born, claiming that she couldn't handle being a mother. It had to be hard on the both of them. Clay the most since Adam looked like his mother. With dark brown hair and big blue eyes, even Bella had a hard time telling the boy no sometimes. Clay's blond hair was kept short, a habit from his Army days. His brown eyes carried a secret that only he knew.
The hour ride to La Push was filled with conversation. Bella had purposely left Jacob's present at home. He was coming home with her tonight, and had planned on spending the weekend with her.
When they pulled up out front of Jacob's, Alice opened her door to let Angus out. The dog took off like a rocket towards Seth, Embry, Quil, and Sam.
"I couldn't stop him," Alice said, giving Bella a helpless look.
"It's fine," Bella said as they walked up the porch steps.
Rachel opened the door with Emily behind her.
"Wow. I don't see you for a month and now look at you," Rachel said, hugging Bella.
"We'll go inside and let you talk," Jasper said, ushering Alice inside.
Clay tried to coerce Adam inside, but all he wanted to do was play with Angus.
"Hey Seth, can you watch him?" he asked.
"I've got him," Seth said in reassurance.
Adam ran through the yard to a patiently waiting Angus.
"Who's he?" Rachel asked.
"He's my neighbor."
"He's cute. But back to you, are they kicking yet?" Rachel asked hopefully.
"No. I feel the occasional flutter but that's it," Bella answered honestly.
"You look great," Emily said with a smile.
"Thank you."
"Girls, let her come in," Billy said from the door.
Bella put a hand on his shoulder in greeting as she walked inside. He squeezed it as they moved down the hall.
"Where's Jake?"
"He's sleeping. He hasn't been sleeping well lately. I figured I'd let him sleep until you got here."
"I'll wake him up," Bella offered.
"Please do. He wakes up in a better mood when you do it. He's as mean as a Grizzly when I wake him up," Billy said sarcastically.
Bella laughed as she continued down the hall. She opened Jacob's door quietly. The curtains were pulled closed, letting only a sliver of light filter into the room.
Jacob's deep breathing was the only sound. Bella tiptoed across the room to lean over Jacob. She put a hand on his back, rubbing slow, gentle circles. He moaned before turning his head to face her. He opened one eye, giving her a sleepy smile.
"Hey, beautiful," he said, his voice thick with sleep.
"Hey," she said, smiling down at him.
"Lay with me," he said, pulling her onto the bed.
"For a few minutes. You've got people here to see you."
"You're the only one I care about," he whispered before kissing behind her ear.
His head rested on her stomach while his arms rested at her sides. She felt a sudden jolt, and Jacob lifted his head. It had come from her left side.
"Was that..." he asked in shock.
"I think it was. Apparently they were waiting until we were together," she said with an excited laugh.
Jacob placed her hands on her stomach and his hands on top of hers. A swift bump made their hands lift in surprise.
"Whoa," Jacob said in astonishment.
"Wow," Bella said in wonder.
"You two aren't doing anything, are you?" Embry asked from the hall.
"No," Jacob said with a laugh.
The door opened, and Embry felt around for the light switch. They both looked at him with amused smiles.
"What's going on?" Rachel asked from behind Embry.
"Your nephews are finally making their presence known," Bella explained.
"We have movement?" Rachel asked her eyes hopeful.
"There's been some kicking," Bella said with a nod.
"We'll be out in a few minutes," Jacob said.
"I'll hold your dads off," Embry said before turning out the light and shutting the door.
Jacob lay back down, pulling Bella with him. Their hands intertwined as they lay side by side.
"Can't we just stay here all weekend?" he questioned.
"That wouldn't be a bad idea if I weren't starting to get uncomfortable. We can do this all night tonight then all day tomorrow," she promised.
"And we'll be left alone. Can we leave now?" he asked wistfully.
"No. You have to celebrate your birthday first," she pointed out.
"If I have to," he grumbled.
"You don't want your presents? Okay, Quil and Embry can fight over what the Cullen's got you," she said to dissuade him.
"The Cullen's are here?" he asked.
"Only Jasper and Alice," she explained.
Someone knocked again, and Jacob got off the bed to open the door. Billy was out in the hall with a box in his lap.
"Your granddad gave this to me on my eighteenth birthday. It's time I passed it down," he said, holding the box out to Jacob.
Jacob opened the box and saw the gun that his dad had kept in his nightstand drawer for as long as he could remember. Jacob pulled it out of the box, feeling the weight of it. The gun gleamed from the tip of its pearl handle to the edge of the barrel.
"I suggest that you let Bella keep it with her until you move in this summer. Maybe now you'll sleep better knowing that she has something to defend herself. You know how to operate a gun, don't you Bella?"
"My dad taught me how when I was thirteen," Bella said with a nod.
"Thanks, Dad," Jacob said, giving him a grateful smile.
"I'm sorry to interrupt, but could the two of you come in here?" Sam asked, looking at Jacob and Bella.
They followed him into the living room, and he nodded towards Leah. Leah was staring at Clay with a faraway look in her eyes.
"No way," Jacob said under his breath.
"Yep," Sam said with a nod.
"What?" Bella asked.
"I'm gonna forget the fact that you don't know what's going on. Because by the time I told you, I was passed the googly-eyed stage," Jacob said with a laugh.
"Are you telling me that she's imprinted on Clay?"
"Yes Bella, that is exactly what we are saying," Jacob said, rolling his eyes.
"Shut up. I've never seen it happen before. Don't. I had a lot on my mind when you imprinted on me," she said, cutting Jacob off when he opened his mouth to say something.
"We think that you should talk to her. Good luck," Quil said, patting her head.
"Me? Why?" she asked with wide eyes.
"Because you know him better than the rest of us," Quil said with a shrug.
Bella crossed the room and grabbed hold of the couch before sitting down as gently as she could. Leah looked over at her with a smile.
"You've gotten bigger," Leah observed.
"That is something that every pregnant woman wants to hear. It's right up there with 'You haven't had that kid yet?'" Bella said sarcastically, rolling her eyes.
"I didn't mean it like that. I'm sorry," Leah apologized, looking down at her hands.
"Leah, I was messing with you. It's fine," Bella said with a laugh.
"That was a good one," she said, laughing softly.
"I want you to meet someone. Come outside with me," Bella said, trying to get off of the couch.
Leah got up first, and then helped Bella off the couch. Jacob watched her with questioning eyes.
"I know what I'm doing," she whispered as she passed him.
Once outside, Angus jerked his head around just in time to see Bella and Leah sit on the steps. He trotted over to them and laid his head in Leah's lap. She had become his favorite of the pack, after Jacob and Seth.
"It didn't take long for your boyfriend to find you," Bella teased.
"He's just the kind of boyfriend I need. He's there for me when I need him, he doesn't talk much, and he does whatever I want," Leah said, giving him a massage.
He rolled over on his side, letting her scratch his stomach. Neither of them noticed that someone had come to stand in front of them.
"Can I play fetch with him?" Adam asked, holding a stick.
"Hold on a second Adam, this is Leah. She's Seth's sister. Leah, this Adam. He lives down the road from me."
"Hi," Leah said, smiling at him.
"Hi," he said shyly.
"Stay in the yard," Bella warned him.
"Okay. Come on Angus!" he said, taking off.
"We came out here so that I could meet him?" Leah asked in confusion.
"He's Clay's son," Bella explained.
"Clay?" she asked, her forehead creasing in confusion.
"Tall, blond hair, kind of looks like Paul Walker?" Bella offered.
"Oh. I haven't met him yet," she said, sounding indifferent.
"But you've noticed him?" Bella prodded.
"He's really cute," Leah said with a laugh.
"Is there something that you want to tell me?" Bella asked.
"How did it feel when you found out that you were Jake's imprint?" she asked, sounding not sure of herself.
"I was excited, and a little nervous. I didn't think that I was good enough for him," she said honestly.
"And now?" she questioned.
"Well, things have definitely changed, but I can honestly say that I will never love anyone the way that I love Jacob," she gushed.
"Not even the boys?" Leah asked skeptically.
"That's a different kind of love. It's something I hope that you get to experience," she answered.
"Me too," she said with a sigh.
"I thought meeting Adam first would help," she said.
"Why?"
"So that you know what you're getting yourself into. It's not just Clay, its Adam too," Bella explained.
"I understand. It's like your dad and my mom. I have to tread lightly. I can't expect him to drop everything just because I ask him to," Leah acknowledged.
"Exactly."
"Okay, I'm ready to go in and meet him," she said confidently.
"Do you need me?" Bella offered.
"No, thanks though," she said appreciatively.
Bella stayed on the porch, watching the pack play with Angus. He couldn't decide who he wanted to go to. He ran from Embry to Jared, then from Paul to Sam. All of them were calling his name at once. The front door opened, making her look over her shoulder. Jacob stood behind her, taking everything in.
"Come and sit with me," she said, patting the empty space next to her.
He sat down next to her, taking her closest hand in his. She caught sight of something that she hadn't noticed earlier.
"Who gave you this?" she asked, tracing a finger over the watch on his wrist.
"It's from the Cullen's. Apparently Jay-Z and Justin Timberlake have the same one. At least, that's what Alice said," he bragged with a half-smile.
"I asked them to tone it down. I told them that you didn't like flashy stuff like that," she said as she shook her head.
"If you think I'm giving it back, you are crazy," he admonished.
"Come on, Jake!" Brady said from the circle of friends.
He squeezed her hand before jogging over to his friends. She watched him, glad that he was finally starting to act like himself again. The way he had been acting for the past month had scared her. She could finally stop worrying about him.
XXXX
Leah sat across from Clay and Adam in the kitchen. Clay was cutting up Adam's steak while Adam told everyone a funny story about Angus. So far, Leah hadn't been able to talk to Clay. She didn't know what to say.
"Leah, could you pass me the steak sauce?" Seth asked from next to her.
She passed it to him, noticing that Clay was watching her.
"Your hair looks better longer," Clay said, still watching her.
"Excuse me?" she asked, intrigued.
"You don't remember me?" he asked.
"Should I?" she asked with a nervous laugh.
"You used to watch Adam when he was little. I moved in the last summer that your parents came to the cabin," he explained.
"He broke his arm when he fell out of a tree. I still feel bad about that," she said as it dawned on her.
"I should have warned you that he had a tendency to wander off," he apologized.
"Yeah, well I shouldn't have had my boyfriend over there. Even if we weren't doing anything," she said shyly.
"That was him that I saw outside, wasn't it?" he enquired.
"That's him. Sam and I broke up not long after that happened," she said with a nod.
How could she have forgotten him? She was mentally kicking herself as he asked her how she had been. She gave him a flustered answer before excusing herself. She stood in the backyard by herself taking in the solitude, but she was close enough to the house that anybody could walk out the back door or around the side of the house and find her.
After a few minutes, the back door quietly opened and shut.
"I didn't mean to run you off," Clay said from behind her.
"You didn't. I was embarrassed that I didn't remember you," she said with a shake of her head.
"It's okay. You were just a kid, plus you had a boyfriend. So you probably only thought of him," he reasoned.
"You're right. Sam was all I ever thought about back then," she said with a sad smile.
"I understand. I was the same way when I was seventeen. Little did I know that Adam's mom would leave us a year later," he said with a sigh.
"I'm sorry," she said sympathetically.
"I've dealt with it. It took a long time, but it's in the past."
"Does Adam ever get to see her?"
"She doesn't want to see him. She isn't a part of his life at all," he said, shaking his head sadly.
"What kind of mother doesn't want to be a part of their child's life?" she asked in shock.
"I don't understand it either," he agreed.
"Adam seems like he's a great kid. How old is he now?"
"He's seven. How old are you?"
"Twenty-one."
"You look older than that," he said, giving her a surprised look.
"You aren't the first person to tell me that. So, how old are you?"
"Twenty-five."
"You're too young to have the weight of the world on your shoulders," she reasoned.
"Yeah?"
"Yeah."
"Well, so are you," he said pointedly.
She smiled sadly, realizing that they had a lot in common. And that wasn't a good thing since it was because they both had a troubled past. She sighed, thinking that maybe they were imprinted together for a reason.
XXXX
Bella lay on the couch with her feet in Jacob's lap. He was gently massaging them when she reached for his present.
"You didn't have to get me anything."
"I know. I wanted to," she said, turning the box in her hands.
He held out his hand for it a minute later. He tore open the paper and lifted the lid from the box, only to find that it was empty.
"Is this a joke?" he asked with a scoff.
"Your present is right here," she said, holding out her hand.
He took it, pulling her to him.
"It's just what I wanted," he said before kissing her.
Clay's present was that he would watch Angus for the weekend, so that they could be honestly alone. They both loved that dog, but he was almost as needy as a baby.
Jacob stood, and then helped her up without breaking the kiss. He led them to the stairs before picking her up. She pulled away from him, trying to get down.
"I'm too heavy for you to be carrying," she said as he pulled her back to him.
"Have you forgotten that I killed vampires with my bare hands for you?" he questioned.
"Yes you did, and one of them almost killed you," she reasoned.
"You aren't too heavy. Don't worry so much," he said, kissing her forehead.
"You're just saying that to be nice," she said with a sigh.
"You are not going to spoil this. I want to carry you," he said, giving her a pointed look.
"Well, since you want to..." she said, sighing again.
"Do you know what else I want?" he asked.
"What?" she asked, giving him doe eyes.
"I want to take my time opening my present. It just might take all night," he said with a wink.
"I won't stop you," she promised.
"You'd better not," he warned.
He laid her down gently on the bed, smiling down at her.
"You're beautiful," he said admiringly.
"I look like I swallowed a basketball, and you think I'm beautiful?" she asked with a laugh.
"Yep."
"You're delusional," she said.
"No, just love blind," he admitted.
"Thanks a lot," she said, playfully smacking him.
"I'm kidding," he said.
Bella rolled her eyes but smiled at him, not able to pretend that she was mad at him. He turned out the light before leaning down. She wrapped her arms around his neck, fully intending to give him whatever he wanted.
