Babies, Babies, Babies

Disclaimer: all characters and copyright belong to Stephanie Meyer.

A/N-thank you for the kind reviews, Nikki.

Part Thirty Three

The pack members who were patrolling were brought to their knees as Paul Lahote phased in and his anguish and despair instantaneously flooded the pack mind. They saw it all, Rachel's betrayal as she spoke to her sister and put her plan to swindle her own family into action. Paul's head was a mess as he ran aimlessly; his wolf was pulling him back toward Rachel while the human part of him kept his legs pumping. He wanted to stay as far away from her as possible. But in the end he just wasn't strong enough. He collapsed in a heap, his flanks heaving with each breath that he took and his head lowered almost to the ground. Embry, Jared and Seth, who were the wolves on patrol, congregated around their fallen brother. They had all been feeling Paul's pain for weeks as he shared the ambivalent feelings he felt toward his imprint. They all knew how much he had battled to see the good in Rachel Black, but this; this was betrayal on an epic scale.

"You need to phase back. The pull will lessen." Jared advised him. He had found this himself whenever his wolf had the urge to force him to check on Kim if she ever became agitated or distressed. Nine times out of ten it was something minor. Kim had been taking exams and during that period she had been extremely stressed which had caused her emotions to impact on Jared. He was glad that they were over and his imprint was now in a much calmer frame of mind. He phased back himself as did the others. Paul took a while but eventually he managed to as well. He sat in the ground, his knees pulled up to his chest and his head resting on them. He was completely heartbroken, they could all see it.

"Hey." Embry hunkered down next to him and put a hand on Paul's broad shoulder. "I am so sorry, Paul."

"I went back to check on her. I thought after she promised to make an effort, I just hoped that the feelings I was getting from her were wrong. I didn't want to be suspicious, it hurts, it really hurts…"

No one had ever seen Paul like this. No woman had ever managed to mess with Lahote's head the way Rachel had. Normally he was the one in control but the imprint had trodden him down and made his whole life become chaotic. He hadn't been coping for a while and even though the pack had supported him as much as possible they couldn't take away his physical pain. Embry motioned for the others to phase back again. They needed to keep patrolling. Anyone could break through their lines while they were distracted. Jared and Seth shot Paul sympathetic glances before they changed back into their wolf forms and melted into the trees.

"Paul, I'll come back with you to the Black's. You have to show Jake what Rachel has done." Embry gripped Paul's shoulder tighter as Lahote shuddered. This was going to be a huge thing for him, betraying his imprint in this way. But hadn't Rachel betrayed him? With Embry's help he managed to stand up and slowly the two of them walked together back toward the Black's house.

Jacob was as devastated as Paul when his pack brothers showed him how deep Rachel's deceit ran. Anger nearly blinded him as he phased back and marched toward the house. He wanted to confront his sister and thrash it out with her. He hardly heard Embry at first as his friend tried to get him to calm down. A red mist had descended over his vision and it took a while before he even became aware that Embry had got in front of him and was attempting to stop him bursting into the house. "Out of my way." He growled.

"No." Embry shoved Jacob backwards as he tried to push past his friend. "You need to calm the fuck down. Going in there like this is the worst thing you can do. Think about the impact it will have on Billy and Bella. Not to mention those kids. And what about Paul? If you go in there all guns blazing then he will be forced to protect his imprint and then where will that leave everyone."

Slowly Embry's wise words infiltrated Jacob's anger. He inhaled deeply as he tried to get his chaotic emotions under control. Everything his friend said was true, but it was so hard to push aside the anger and hurt. Rachel was his sister. It had been bad enough that Rebecca had bailed on her own children, but this was going to break his father's heart, literally. "What am I supposed to say?" He begged Embry. "How can I tell my dad what his daughter is planning? He has been so happy since he thought she was making an effort….and Bells?"

"I wish I could say something that would make this all easier, but there isn't." Embry replied sadly. "You can only stick with the truth. My advice, tell your dad first. Get him alone when you do."

Jacob nodded. "Em…thanks for stopping me…you know…"

"Hey, it's okay." Embry hit Jacob lightly on the shoulder. "What are friends for?"

Jacob smiled weakly at his friend before glancing back at Paul Lahote. Now there was a guy who was suffering even more than he was. He swallowed thickly as he trudged toward the house, dreading the moment when he would have to tell Billy the truth and break his father's heart.

Jacob hadn't seen Billy cry like this since Sarah had been cruelly taken from them. He watched as his dad bent double in his chair and silent tears ran like a river down his face. It had been the hardest thing he had ever had to do in his life and right now he wished he could take the words back. Billy had been relaxed and smiling when he first came back into the house. His father had just returned from a productive meeting with the elders as they discussed how to put the Cullen's money to good use, and now this. "Dad, I am so sorry." He whispered brokenly.

"I thought, I really thought…" Billy gasped as he tried to breathe, but he was too choked to speak.

Jacob became worried as he knelt down in front of his father and peered into his face. Billy looked as if he had aged ten years. The lines on his face appeared deeper but it was the devastation in his eyes that really impacted on Jacob. "I'm sorry." He said again as he pulled his father into a tight hug and let the older man cry on his shoulder.

Next he had to tell Bella and this was just as hard. Jacob pulled her onto his lap and spoke quietly to her as he explained what Paul had witnessed. He felt her become still in his arms and when he dared to look at her beautiful face he saw that she was crying just like his dad. Her pale skin had turned white and her hands moved agitatedly together. "The children…." She mumbled. "Jake, what are we going to do? I'm frightened. Rose warned me the money could be a curse and she's right. Look what's it's done to your family…" Bella hid her face in his broad chest and slipped her arms around his waist as she began to fret about what was going to happen now.

Rachel was totally unaware of what had been transpiring since her call to Rebecca. The house was deserted for a long time. Bella had taken the children and gone to visit Emily. She had hardly looked Rachel's way as she left, and didn't even bother to invite her. This irked Rachel considerably. Then there was Paul, he had come inside the house briefly but then left again as soon as she came into the same room as him. Her dad had left more or less as soon as he came back from a quiet talk with Jacob. Something was going on, something big, but in her arrogance Rachel did not connect the dots. So she sat alone in the house whiling the hours away by watching television and reading old magazines. She guessed she would find out when they all returned.

"There's everything." Bella sighed as she handed the cheque to Billy and Jacob. "It's signed in her name for $100,000 dollars. I've put the rest in a high interest account for now. Only you, me and Jake have access to it."

"Thank you, Bella. I know how hard this…." Billy paused as Bella swooped down and kissed his cheek. He smiled sadly at her before wheeling his chair over to the truck.

Jacob cupped Bella's head in his hands. She was going to stay with Emily and Sam along with the kids while he and Billy confronted Rachel privately. "This is not going to take long." He said grimly. "I'll be back to pick you and the kids up very soon." He leaned forward and kissed Bella gently on the mouth. She reciprocated at once, slipping her arms around his neck and hanging on tight.

"I love you." She whispered when the kiss was over. Her eyes roamed his face. She knew how hard this was for him to do and she wished she could be by his side, but it was best that she stay with Jet and Marlon. They had all wanted the kids out of the way while Rachel was dealt with.

"I love you too." Jacob kissed her again lightly before hurrying over to help his dad into the truck. Bella stood on Sam and Emily's front porch and waved to Jacob and Billy as they drove away.

Rachel was totally unaware of what was coming her way. She glanced up idly as she watched as Billy, Jacob and Paul came into the house. There was no sign of Bella or the children. "You're all late." She complained as she gestured toward the clock. "I would have started dinner but as no one bothered to tell me when everyone was coming back…." She shrugged. "I had to order a take away for myself. I took the money out of the house keeping tin."

"You like taking money that isn't yours don't you, Rach." Jacob snapped.

His accusation startled Rachel and she froze, staring at him in shock. "What the hell is your problem? I've seen you dipping in the tin since I've been here. That's what it's for isn't it?" She retorted.

"Sit down, Rachel." Billy said grimly. "We have something to discuss with you."

"I won't sit." Rachel was getting annoyed now. She didn't like the way they were all looking at her, especially Paul. She had expected him to defend her but he remained mute. "Are you going to let Jake speak to me like that?" She demanded, glaring at him when he just shrugged and didn't answer. "Some imprint you are."

"RACHEL BLACK, SIT DOWN RIGHT NOW OR I SWEAR I WON'T BE RESPONSIBLE FOR MY ACTIONS." Billy roared.

Rachel fell back into her chair as she gaped at her father. He had never raised his voice to her like that before. Anxiety welled in her stomach as it slowly dawned on her that perhaps they had found out about her plan. Had Paul guessed? Had Rebecca betrayed her confidence and called Billy? She gripped the armrests of her chair as she stared back at her father. "You can't talk to me like that." She whispered.

Billy rolled his chair forward so that he was facing his daughter. They locked eyes for a while, but it was Rachel who dropped her gaze first. Guilt was written all over her which just confirmed Paul's version of events and made Billy's heart crumble into dust. Despite the fact that he was falling apart inside he knew he needed to do this before he broke into pieces. He pulled the cheque Bella had given him out of his top pocket and threw it into Rachel's lap.

"What's this?" Rachel picked up the cheque and gasped as she saw her name written across it and the fact it was for $100,000 dollars. They did know, all of them. Her hand shook as she held the cheque and slowly raised her eyes to meet Billy's. She cringed when she saw the disappointment and despair on his face. "Dad…I…I…."

"Is that enough, Rachel?" Billy interrupted her. His voice was like steel as he spoke. "Will that be enough for you to leave and never come back?"

"Leave? What permanently? You can't mean that? Dad? Please I…just, please. You don't understand." Rachel trembled as she gazed at her father. His eyes were hard now as he disguised how much banishing his daughter was costing him. "I'm your daughter. Dad, please?" Rachel begged again.

"YOU ARE NO DAUGHTER OF MINE." Billy yelled. "TAKE THE DAMN MONEY YOU CRAVE SO MUCH. GO LIVE YOUR LIFE AND PURSUE YOUR SELFISH DREAMS. BUT DON'T EVER COME BACK HERE, YOU ARE NO LONGER PART OF THIS FAMILY OR OF THIS TRIBE. NOW GET OUT."

Rachel tore her eyes from his and stared over at her brother and Paul. Both of their eyes were as hard as Billy's, although Paul was shaking a little. His internal struggle to comfort her was overwhelming. He felt Jacob put a steadying hand on his shoulder and he turned his back on Rachel. He couldn't look at her anymore. It was killing him, literally killing him.

"Leave, Rachel." Jacob said firmly.

Rachel began to sob as she looked pleadingly at her father one last time. Billy averted his eyes from her. She whispered his name despairingly before she ran out of the house, the cheque still held firmly in her grip. The sound of a slamming door was like a death knell to Billy's heart. "She has made her choice." He said dully as he swiftly wheeled his chair around and disappeared into his room, leaving a worried Jacob staring after him.

Rachel stood on the front porch. She was shaking like a leaf. A puff of wind could blow her away, she felt that fragile. The cheque loomed large in her hand as she stared at it. Tears ran down her face and wet the paper, blurring her name which was printed in bold, black letters. Rachel Black, Rachel who wasn't worthy to carry the Black name, who was now forever banished. Her eyes darted back and forth as she looked at the house and then toward her old, battered car. She could take the money and go. It was enough to get everything she wanted. It would pay for college, she could become a doctor. Her future would be assured, but she would never see her family again, she would be alone, forever alone. Slowly Rachel took a step forward toward her car but then hesitated, the cheque suddenly felt like a dead weight in her hand, just like her heart did in her chest. It thundered in her ears, drowning out the cry of despair which left her lips. Suddenly Rachel spun around, tore the cheque in half and posted it back through the door. Then she sprinted for her car, got inside and switched on the engine. Great racking sobs tore at her throat as her head fell on the steering wheel and she began to cry in earnest. She couldn't see, the tears veiled her vision and she was so distraught she didn't hear the door to her old car being opened. A pair of strong, warm arms pulled her out of the front seat and cradled her against a broad chest. Rachel knew it was Paul but was too weary to even say his name.

Paul carried Rachel away from the Black's house and headed for his own.

A/N-thanks for reading!