Babies, Babies, Babies

Disclaimer: all characters and copyright belong to Stephanie Meyer.

A/N-thanks for the kind reviews, Nikki.

Part Fifteen

Rachel had walked quite a way from the house and it took a while for Bella to catch up with the other girl's longer strides. She was quite out of breath when she finally caught up with Jacob's sister. Rachel had her hand shoved in the pockets of her jeans and her head was bent as she kicked out at the dirt at her feet. Bella joined her, taking in huge gulping breaths as she tried to get air back into her lungs.

"Not very fit are you." Rachel muttered as she raised her head and glanced at Bella.

"Not really." Bella gasped.

"Well you dragged me out here, Bella, so what words of wisdom are you so desperate to impart?"

Bella was getting sick of Rachel's attitude toward her. She didn't really understand what she had done to make the other girl dislike her so much. It wasn't as if she had been around when Bella and Jacob had been hanging out together and all the stuff with the Cullen's went down. She crossed her arms defensively across her chest as she faced Rachel. "Firstly I don't like being spoken to like a piece of crap." She snapped. "So pull your head in."

"Why should I? You are such a spoilt little princess, getting everything handed to you on a plate while the rest of us have to scrimp and scrape to get what we want." Rachel yelled at her.

Bella was astounded by the vitriol Rachel was spouting. Spoilt princess? Where the hell did she get that idea? "Where on earth do you get that from? I am not a spoilt princess. I work too."

"You are the only daughter of a police chief who has his own house all paid for and all the opportunity in the world to go to a college of your choice. Me, I have had to sacrifice tons to get where I want to be. I've not been able to come home on my breaks because I have to work three jobs just to survive. I want to be a doctor, but will I get that dream? No, not unless I win the lottery or something. And now I have been forced to come home and find I have landed in the middle of a supernatural fairy tale gone bad, imprinting, wolves, and vampires." She threw up her hands. "You may like consorting with the undead but not me."

Bella felt stunned, she hadn't expected Rachel to be filled with such bitterness. Anxiety yes, over what had unwittingly happened with Paul, but this, no. "It's a good vocation wanting to be a doctor…there are scholarships that…."

"Scholarships? Don't you think I've exhausted all the opportunities that are available to someone like me? It is still not enough. Education was my way of escaping. Now…now all my hard work is ruined…absolutely ruined." Rachel turned away and began to sob.

"It doesn't have to be you know." Bella tried to reassure Rachel. She fumbled around for the right words and sighed heavily when they eluded her. "Look I am not very good at this, but one thing I have learned since mixing with the pack is that they are strong, fiercely loyal and they will fight for their families. If you want to be a doctor like you say then I am damn sure that Jake, Paul and the others will make it happen. Just because you are imprinted to Paul does not take away who you are. Perhaps this happened for a good reason. Talk to Paul, get to know him. It doesn't have to be a romantic relationship between you; maybe you will wind up being good friends and a huge support to each other, who knows?"

"Lahote? A support? I don't think so." Rachel wiped at her face angrily.

"He really has changed. I've seen it since the first time I met him." Bella continued. "Without the pack I don't where I would be right now…."

"Dead, isn't that what you were aiming for?" Rachel interjected. "Dad told me all about the big battle and how the pack you claim to love so much had to risk their lives to save your sorry ass. Why they bothered I don't know? Why not turn before placing all of them in danger? My brother could have been killed. I've already lost my mom and I could have lost Jake too, all because of your selfish desire to be….one of them."

Bella reeled under the onslaught. She felt like Rachel had physically slapped her. She tried to think of the right words to defend herself but couldn't come up with any convincing ones. Bella knew she deserved some of the blame, but she was tired of shouldering all of it. Each person made their own choices, including Jake. She hadn't wanted them to fight, that was their decision. She wasn't responsible for bringing the Cullen's to Forks, they were already here when she arrived, and it wasn't her fault that she had been charmed by a vampire. Events had been set in motion before she came on the scene. She was just human like the rest of them, trying to negotiate her way along the tricky path that fate had led her. Bella was dammed if she was going to be made to feel even more guilt than she already did.

"I won't take the blame for the choices that others made." She said stoutly. "It was your brother's choice to love me, it was always his choice. I tried to push him away many times but he wouldn't give up on me, which was his choice again. I regret many of the foolish decisions I made, but I was young, naïve and very lonely back then. I've changed, what happened to me forced me to grow up, forced us all to grow up. So you can stand there and blame the world, me or your family for the place you've ended up in, Rachel Black, but in the end you are here because it was your choice to be." Bella turned away abruptly and trudged back the house, she felt Rachel's eyes on her all the way.

Jacob hugged Bella and kissed the top of her head. She had told him briefly what had transpired between her and Rachel, but hadn't gone into too much detail. Jacob didn't tell her he had been able to hear every word. Even though it had been a tense confrontation Bella's words seemed to have had an effect. Not long after she came into the house Rachel headed over to speak to Paul, who was sitting on the front porch with his head in his hands. They were still there now, talking quietly to each other. Jacob was proud of Bella too, he always knew she could be strong when she wanted to be, but the bloodsucker had crushed her spirit. Today she had stood up to his feisty sister and not backed down or accepted any of the blame that Rachel had thrown at her. Bella was right; everyone who had been involved in past events had been there because they had chosen to be.

"I feel exhausted." Bella confessed as she sagged against Jacob's toned body. His all-consuming heat was making her feel very drowsy. She felt like she could fall asleep right there, standing upright and encased in his arms. "I should get home." She mumbled.

Jacob frowned. He was enjoying the feel of her body pressed to his, and he didn't like the idea of her going back to Forks either. He had a feeling that Cullen would be hovering about waiting for his chance to confront Bella over ending things. "You should crash here." He suggested.

"There's no room." Bella yawned. "And before you mention the garage, there's no room there either." She reminded him.

Jacob had to concede that she was right. He had some new projects he was working on and the garage was littered with engine parts and bits of scrap metal. All the rooms in the house were taken, Rachel would be sleeping on the couch and he…well he had no idea where he was supposed to sleep. Jet had taken over his bedroom. "Can I stay at yours tonight then?" He said instead.

Bella yawned again and stretched her arms above her head. "Won't your dad need you here?"

"Rach is here and Becca's back. I can head back early in the morning. But there's no place for me to sleep here, honey. I know Charlie won't mind lending me his nice, soft sofa?" Jacob wheedled, batting his long lashes playfully at her as he did so.

"Don't pull that puppy dog face with me, Jacob Black." Bella smiled as she shook her head tiredly. "Alright, but don't think I'm making you breakfast and you better not use all the hot water in the shower either. I know karate…"

Jacob laughed and leaned down to press a kiss on her smooth cheek. He grinned as he saw a blush coat her cheeks. Yeah, she was so his. He took her hand and led her out of the house.

As soon as Jacob opened the door to Bella's truck the sickly sweet scent of Edward Cullen wafted his way. He gagged a little but hid his reaction from Bella; he didn't want to worry her. He guessed just his mere presence would keep Edward from creeping into Bella's room while she slept, but it did mean that he had been right and the bloodsucker was not going to just leave Bella alone like she seemed to assume. Jacob kept close to her side as they went into the house.

"Ah there you are." Charlie was in the front room sitting in his recliner and watching a sports show. His eyes zeroed in on the bag Jacob was carrying and he looked at him for an explanation.

"Bells said you wouldn't mind if I borrowed your sofa for a couple of nights. Rachel brought Becca back so it's pretty crowded at home right now." Jacob told him.

"Of course." Charlie agreed as he motioned for Jacob to sit down. "Bells, there is a spare duvet…."

"I'm on it." Bella mumbled, flashing them both an irritated glance. Why couldn't they get it? She stamped up the stairs in a temper as she listened to Jacob filling her father in on the latest drama's going on at the res.

Bella pulled the duvet out of the cupboard along with a couple of pillows. It was a farce really, Jacob didn't need covers, and he was so dam hot. She yawned again as she dumped them at the top of the stairs and headed into her room to get changed. She was jolted out of her tiredness as soon as she walked into her room, lying on the rocking chair was a single red rose, there was a ribbon tied to it and laced through the ribbon was the engagement ring that Edward had given her. Bella felt her heart stutter in her chest as she hurried to the chair and picked up the rose, underneath was some creamy note paper with Edward's italic scrawl written across it.

I believe this belongs to you. I love you. We need to talk, Edward X

A/N-thanks for reading!