Babies, Babies, Babies
Disclaimer: all character and copyright belong to Stephanie Meyer.
A/N-thanks for the kind reviews, Nikki.
Part Twenty Five
"Mom, mom, mom." Jet bounced up and down on Bella's lap as she tried to braid the little girl's hair. She glanced at Billy and Jacob, not knowing what to say or do about this new development. She could hardly explain to the toddler that she wasn't her mom and to stop using the word. Jet would never understand and it would be almost impossible to discourage her.
"What do we do?" Jacob ran a hand through his hair as he looked to his dad for help.
"There is nothing we can do." Billy said softly. "In her mind Bella is her mom, she sees her every day, Bella is the one who puts her to bed, plays with her, feeds her, and has been there for her since Becca…so…" He paused as he thought about his absent daughter. "It's just a natural progression. It's just taken us all by surprise." He smiled faintly at Bella who became embarrassed when Jet beamed up her and called her mom again.
"I'm sorry." Bella apologised as she cuddled Jet and smoothed the little girl's hair back.
"Don't apologise, Bella." Billy replied sadly. "Becca left and you have become a mother figure for Jet." He shrugged helplessly.
Before they could discuss anything further there was a knock at the door. Jacob sighed as he went to answer it. He found Embry standing on the front porch. His friend appeared agitated which immediately put Jacob on alert. He closed the door so Bella wouldn't overhear anything. "What's wrong?"
"Cullen is at the treaty line. He wants to talk to you. He was waiting for us to spot him, he didn't hide or anything. Sam immediately went to confront him but the bloodsucker says he will only speak to you. We couldn't touch him as he is sticking to his side of the boundary." Embry informed him.
"I thought they were leaving. We saw the others go. Dammit." Jacob felt a wave of anger wash through him and he punched the wall in front of him. Why couldn't Cullen just give in gracefully and leave for good? He had said once that he would let Bella go if she chose him, but that promise had turned out to be a bunch of crap.
"Jake, you need to calm down." Embry warned him. "You need to be focused when you see him; don't let him get under your skin, that's what he wants."
"I know." Jacob ran his hand through his hair again nearly yanking it out by the roots. He was having a hard time following Embry's advice. "Can you stay nearby and keep an eye on Bella and my family while I'm gone." Out of all his brother's Jacob trusted Embry the most. He knew his friend would fight to the death to defend the people most important to him.
"You don't need to ask. You better tell your dad and Bella." Embry began to run off toward the trees so he could phase.
Jacob watched his friend leave. He ignored Embry's advice, the last thing he wanted to do was worry Bella when he didn't have all the facts. He would meet up with Cullen and then have a talk with her afterwards. With the decision made he headed back inside to tell Bella that he had to go to a pack meeting. He could tell by Billy's face that he guessed that there was something more going on but his dad remained silent.
"Jake, there's something I need to tell you before you go." Bella begged him. Rosalie's warning was resounding in her ears. She had forgotten to tell Jacob about Edward and Alice as she became caught up in the fervour about her shield and Jet calling her mom.
Jacob stopped her words with a gentle kiss. "Later, honey. I have to go." He ignored her pleas and ran out of the house and headed for the forest.
As soon as Jacob reached the treaty line Edward Cullen's sickly sweet scent drifted his way. He wrinkled his nose in disgust as he phased back and yanked on his shorts. Already his anger was building up again. He strode purposefully out to join Sam and Jared who were walking back and forth across the boundary line between Forks and La Push. Both were wearing stern expressions. Jacob hadn't seen Edward Cullen since the newborn battle and seeing him again now, leaning against his shitty Volvo and wearing a smug expression only increased his ire. What the hell was the bloodsucker after?
"I hope you don't use obscenities in front of Bella. You should be ashamed of your foul language. You are not fit to be around her." Edward's smug smile disappeared as he pushed away from his Volvo and marched over to the treaty line. Sam and Jared immediately growled but he ignored them, his sole focus was on reading Jacob's mind.
Sam had to clamp his hand down on Jacob's broad shoulder as he prepared to cross the line and smash his fist into Cullen's arrogant face. Jacob glared at Sam but stayed put as he faced down his rival. "What do you want?" He demanded.
"Simply to tell you that this is all pointless." Edward gestured toward La Push. "You can try and keep her here but in the end she will come back to me. She is already tiring of looking after those children. As Alice told her when she saw her last, Bella will return to me and become my wife. Alice has seen it. Nothing has changed, nothing! I can wait…I will wait as long as it takes for her to come back to me of her own free will….because she will."
Jacob's brow furrowed as Cullen's words began to sink in. The little pixie had told Bella about some kind of vision. Impossible, the bloodsucker had to be lying. Bella wouldn't keep something as important as that from him. Cullen was trying to mess with his head just like Embry had warned him. He growled as he saw a sardonic smile cross Edward's pasty face. The leech was reading his mind.
"She didn't tell you." Edward laughed. "She is already keeping secrets from you, she doesn't trust you dog. And why should she? You are an animal. She is already on her way back to me."
Jacob lunged toward Edward but Sam and Jared yanked him back. He fought them wildly as a red mist descended over his eyes. His wolf was raging to get out and end his tormentor's existence. Jacob Black had never hated anyone as much as he loathed Edward Cullen. Eventually Sam issued an Alpha command and it forced Jacob to his knees. He glared at his Alpha resentfully as Cullen swiftly got into his car and drove off at high speed.
"You should have let me kill him. Damn you Sam." Jacob raged as he finally stood back up.
"You shouldn't have let him rile you up like that. You cannot afford to lose control, Jacob." Sam said calmly. He wasn't intimidated by Jacob's anger at all. "You would have broken the treaty."
"I don't care about the damn treaty." Jacob snapped.
"We are beholden to it." Sam reminded him. "Anyway we are out in broad daylight. Anyone could have passed by and seen you phase. You would have brought danger to us all."
Jacob couldn't refute Sam's logic. His head was whirling with the newfound knowledge that Bella had kept things from him. It hurt him; hurt him so deeply that he was having trouble keeping himself under control. He wanted to run back and confront her at once. She had promised him, she had promised him she wouldn't lie to him, but she had, even if it was by omission. But he knew he had to stay away from her until he was calmer. His heart beat erratically in his chest as he absorbed what the bloodsucker had told him. The little pixie had seen Bella and Edward together, which meant she was either lying or Bella was beginning to question her commitment to him already. He put his hands on his head, he felt like it was going to spilt apart, just like his heart.
"Jacob is there any truth in what the bloodsucker said?" Sam questioned. Even though his expression remained stoic, Jacob could hear the pity in his tone and it irked him even more. He didn't want Uley's pity.
"No." Jacob retorted, even though he really didn't know.
"You need to find out what her part in this is. We cannot and will not risk our lives protecting someone who is already planning to continue on the path that she swore was behind her." Sam said no more. He immediately ran for the forest and phased with Jared hot on his heels.
Jacob stood in the middle of the road, his head whirling with his chaotic thoughts. He couldn't phase now, his brothers would be able to pick through his brain and see his unhappiness and the hurt that was carving a hole into his heart. Instead he ran off toward the trees and headed for the beach.
Bella rocked Marlon in her arms as he cried. The normally serene baby was very restless. She wondered whether he was coming down with something. He had only had half of his bottle and refused to take anymore. That wasn't like him. Little Jet played at her feet. She had a plastic cube in her chubby fist and was trying to fit it into the round hole instead of the square one. She squealed in frustration when it wouldn't go in. "Mom…mom…mom." She chanted as she pouted in annoyance.
Bella leaned forward and guided Jet's hand toward the square. A triumphant smile crossed the little girl's pretty face as the cube fell inside easily. Marlon began to wail again. Bella stood up and began to walk around with him. She placed him on her shoulder and rubbed his back gently. "What's wrong, Marley?" She mumbled.
Billy was outside talking to Embry. Bella knew something was going on but she had no idea what. She was full of anxiety and deeply regretting not telling Jacob about Edward and Alice like Rosalie had told her to. Now he was at some damn pack meeting and she was stuck waiting for him to come back. She continued to pace back and forth rubbing Marlon's back. He hiccupped a few times before he continued to cry. "It's alright, Marley. It's alright." She cooed.
"Mom, mom…." Jet was trying to get her attention. Tears were pooling in her eyes as she became upset too as she sensed her brothers distress.
"It's alright, Jet." Bella soothed as she ducked down and sat cross legged next to the little girl. She eased Marlon off of her shoulder at the same time and cradled him against her chest. His face was all scrunched up as he cried and he hugged his arms and legs against his body as if he was in pain. Bella was getting really worried now. This was not like Marlon at all. She needed to contact Sue and get her to come and check up on the little boy.
At that point Billy wheeled himself back into the room. Bella glanced his way and was surprised to see a disappointed expression on his face as he looked her way. He swiftly hid it when he caught her staring. "Marley's not well." She said quickly.
Billy rolled his chair closer and peered down at his distressed grandson. Marlon was crying louder and he was writhing about as if something hurt him inside. "I'll call Sue."
"Please." Bella begged him as she placed Marlon back on her shoulder again. That position seemed to ease him a little although he was still crying. She rubbed his back again while simultaneously trying to ease Jet's worry as the little girl picked up on her anxiety.
A/N-thanks for reading!