Babies, Babies, Babies

Disclaimer: all characters and copyright belong to Stephanie Meyer.

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

Part Thirty

Jacob was fuming. He glared at his sister; he couldn't believe what had just come out of her mouth. Would Rachel never learn? Bella had essentially put her life on hold to look after Rebecca's children, had even used her own savings to buy essentials for Jet and Marlon. She was with them every day, showed them unlimited attention, unlike Rachel, who since she had come back had done nothing but complain, and she dared to take the moral high ground because Jet had called Bella mom. What did she expect was going to happen? He was about to say something when his dad beat him to it.

"You should be ashamed of yourself." Billy snapped.

"Yeah, where have you been auntie?" Leah sneered. She had heard Rachel's stupid comments from the kitchen and it had riled her. Not only that but Rachel's treatment of Paul was beginning to irk her. He had been nothing but patient with Rachel Black, but she remained resentful, full of anger and selfish.

Rachel glowered at them at all. She turned to face Leah and stared her down. "This is none of your business. Keep out of it."

"RACHEL!" Billy roared making his daughter jump. "OUTSIDE NOW!"

"You can't speak to me that way." Rachel fumed but she quickly backed down when she saw Paul shoot her a look of disgust mixed with dislike. So far he had been nothing but accommodating to her since their little talk and it shocked her to see that expression on his face. She was his imprint, didn't that make her special? "Paul?" She questioned.

"Do as your father says." Paul replied bluntly as he turned his attention back to the television. Seth and Leah exchanged a surprised glance but remained quiet as Rachel finally flounced out of the house. Billy followed behind more slowly. He looked both angry and saddened by his daughter's behaviour.

"Dad." Jacob put a hand on his shoulder as he passed. "Do you want me with you?"

"No." Billy shook his head. "This is between me and your sister. I think you should go check on Bella." He steered his chair out of the house and joined his daughter on the front porch.

Jacob found Bella in his room reading to Jet. The little girl was curled up by her side as she gazed at the colourful pictures as Bella turned each page. "Hey, Bells." Jacob sat beside them on the bed. "You okay?" He studied her carefully. She didn't seem upset; in fact she appeared rather calm.

"I'm fine." Bella assured him as she smiled down at Jet, who was now looking at them curiously. She stroked Jet's hair comfortingly.

"Rach shouldn't have said that." Jacob continued. He felt his anger reassert itself and he had to force it down. "Dad is talking to her now."

"I don't care what Rachel says. In fact I feel sorry for her." This took Jacob by surprise. Bella had to laugh at his shocked expression. In the past she would have been deeply hurt by any criticism, but she had slowly learned you couldn't please everyone and she knew that underneath Rachel's anger and resentment was a jealous and deeply frightened young woman, who could only deal with her frustration by lashing out.

"You are one cool lady." Jacob grinned at her in relief as he leaned forward and kissed her softly on the lips.

"Cooooool." Jet suddenly blurted out as she giggled.

Jacob ruffled Jet's hair and smiled affectionately at her. "Yeah, little one. Cool."

"You disappoint me, Rachel. Bella has stepped in and been a wonderful help with your niece and nephew. In fact if she hadn't been here I don't like to think what would have happened." Billy looked at Rachel hoping against hope to see a glimmer of empathy or regret for her harsh words, but all he could see was anger. He just didn't understand her; then again he didn't understand how her twin could abandon her two babies like she had. "Why do you have such ill feeling towards Bella, Rachel?"

"Ill feelings?" Rachel spat as she began to pace agitatedly up and down the porch. "You don't have the first clue do you?"

"Then tell me because all I see right now is a young woman who is acting like a spoiled child." Billy lost patience with his daughter. He had tried to be understanding, had tried the softly, softly approach. Rachel was his daughter and he didn't want to drive her away now that she was home. He loved his girl's equally and it cut him like a knife that Rebecca could so easily leave her children behind. He hoped that Rachel would at least try and involve herself in Jet and Marlon's life but she was resisting everything.

"I've lost everything, don't you understand?" Rachel hissed as she stopped pacing and glared at her father. "I lost Becca, who wasn't just my sister but my best friend, to a man who isn't worth spitting on. I lost mom, now I've lost my chance of ever making something of myself and I'm stuck here chained to Paul Lahote because of some stupid imprint." She was breathing heavily when she finished her rant. Angry tears were spilling down her cheeks as she sat down on the porch swing and put her head in her hands. "To make it all worse I have Bella Swan shoved in my face acting like Mother Teresa. I am sick of hearing praise heaped on her. Have you all forgotten how she treated Jake?"

"You need to grow up, Rachel." Billy felt like his daughter had stabbed him in the heart. She wasn't the only one who had suffered when Sarah had passed away. It was true he and his wife had spoilt the twins until Jacob had come along. With another mouth to feed money had become tight, and then when Sarah had been taken so tragically from them life had become harder still, but despite his illness Billy knew he had done his best to keep his family together. It was the twin's own selfish wants that made them flee home too early. "Life is hard for everyone in different ways. It's how we treat others that define us. You are not chained to Paul in any way shape or form. We have told you before if you want to go then you are free to leave, but yet you remain? Why? I don't know. Perhaps you should look deeper into your heart and try and find out the real reason you resent me." Rachel raised her head when he said that. Billy looked at her sternly. "Yes, I know you resent me, Rachel. This isn't about Bella or your sister or losing Sarah. You resent the fact that I lived while your mother perished. You resent me because I ended up in this chair and couldn't work any longer and provide you with the life you think you deserve. Well you know what, shame on you. Shame on you for thinking material things are worth more than family, love and friendship. I love you Rachel because you are my daughter and despite everything you've done. If you want to be part of this family then you come back in that house and you apologise to Bella and you apologise to Paul too. If you can't get past your pathetic pride then I don't want you here." With those parting words Billy rolled his chair back into the house.

Sue served up the meal she and Leah had prepared. The atmosphere in the house was pretty sombre when Billy came back inside. Paul, Leah, Seth and Jacob had all heard what had been said between father and daughter, although they kept it to themselves. Everyone gathered around the table and started to eat. Bella sat next to Jet in her highchair and helped the little girl eat her dinner. Marlon had already been fed and was snoozing peacefully. No one spoke much except to praise Sue on her cooking skills. Thirty minutes passed and Rachel still did not come inside. Paul kept glancing toward the front door as if he was fighting with himself to go outside and check on his imprint, but he managed to stay put and he ate his meal in silence not meeting anyone's eyes.

Bella had just finished feeding Jet and was wiping the little girl's mouth when the front door opened letting in a gush of wind as it did so. Rachel crept inside. Her hair was a tangled mess and her clothes were drenched. She must have been walking in the stormy weather. Paul leapt out of his seat at once and hurried over to her, putting his arms around his shivering imprint. Rachel's mouth quivered as she looked up at his face and then down at the floor. She stood like a chastened child as Sue passed Paul a dry towel and he rubbed her down gently. Everyone else tried to keep their eyes averted; they could sense Rachel's embarrassment and didn't want to make her feel worse.

"You should go change." Sue suggested. Rachel just nodded and sloped off to her old room and closed the door. Paul watched her go before he slumped down on the old couch and sighed.

"Should we go talk to her?" Bella whispered to Jacob as she picked Jet up and cradled her on her lap.

"No leave her to stew." Jacob replied. He still felt annoyed with his sister. He knew Billy had told Rachel to apologise but she still hadn't done so. The ball was in Rachel's court now. She had to be the one to make amends.

Rachel lay in her old room after changing. Her head was aching and she just wanted to curl into a ball, go to sleep and then hopefully wake up in her old bed far away from La Push. But that wasn't possible. It was all over now. She had tried to open her mouth when she came in so she could give a grudging apology to Bella and Paul but the words just got stuck in her throat. She wished she could win the lottery so she would have enough money to track down her dumb twin, take the kids and disappear. It was only lack of money that had made Rebecca desert her kids she was sure of it. It had nothing to do with selfishness. Her twin had married the wrong man that was all. If only she had money. Rachel buried her head in her pillow and began to cry.

A/N-thanks for reading!