Disclaimer: All the Twilight stuff belongs to Stephenie Meyer. No copyright infringement is intended. I'm just playing in her sandbox.

Chapter 52 Genes

A howl came from Jacob. His mind screamed for Sam to listen to him and I could only hope that Sam spoke wolf. A minute passed, two minutes. Neither of us moved or spoke.

"Jacob. Fine, I'll listen to the bloodsucker", came the voice over the phone.

EPOV

Jacob shook his head up and down using some rather descriptive words for Sam before he settled on the first question he wanted me to ask Sam for him.

"He wants to know if you knew this would happen", I translated.

"I thought it would, Jake. You're a direct descendant of Ephraim Black and in line to be our next chief. The chief heads the wolf pack, Jake. I'm just a stand in till you're ready. There were no vampires around when your father, Billy, was the chief, so no one phased into wolf form. When the Cullen's moved back, I phased first, then a couple of the others. I thought you would be soon", he told Jacob.

"He wants to know how to phase back into human form", I told Sam. Jacob growled angrily as I spoke, "Alright, alright alright, Jacob. Apparently I'm not translating to his liking. I rather try not to use this language. He literally said, I don't give a shit who is chief. How the f*** am I supposed to get rid of the damned paws and get back to being a f***ing human, Sam?"

Sam almost laughed. Almost.

"I can't really tell you how to do it, Jacob. You have to calm down first. Getting angry caused you to phase and you have to be calm to phase back", Sam told him.

"How in the hell do you expect me to do that, Sam. I'm covered in fur here", I asked Sam at Jacob's request.

"It took me two weeks to figure it out on my own, Jake, when it first happened. The only way I phased back was after old Quiliterra came out into the woods and found me, and talked me through it. He had been a wolf years ago and was able to connect with me mentally."

"Fan flipping tastic", Jacob growled. "Is that even a word, Jacob", I asked him after translating it to Sam.

"Look Jacob, let me get together with the rest of the pack and see if we can come up with a way to explain it to you. Meanwhile, get something to eat, it will help you calm down", Sam suggested.

"Right, let me just go into the local restaurant and order a steak", Jacob chided.

"We'll get him something to eat, Sam. Thank you for helping", Carlisle told him.

"He's a wolf. He can go kill his own dinner, bloodsucker. He doesn't need yours or anyone's help to do that. Just get the phone to him tomorrow when I have some better answers. Oh, and have Sue call me when she gets there", he said as he hung up.

"Well, Jacob. How about we go hunt together?", I asked him. He cocked his huge head and I would swear he laughed at me.

"Wonder who's faster now . . . what did Sam call you, oh yea . . . leech?", Jacob said to me. I just chuckled to myself, reading his mind and understanding that he was just trying to get some humor into all of this, lighten it up a bit . . . so I played along. Carlisle, however, looked slightly alarmed as I nodded to him.

"Okay, dog. Follow me and be a good boy", I said over my shoulder to Jacob as I took off after I scent I caught on the wind.

Carlisle looked at me incredulously, his mind wondering if I had taken leave of my sanity, teasing a werewolf at a time like this. I just shrugged my shoulders at him.

I stopped just before crossing a ridge, a small herd of deer was on the other side. "Do you want me to kill one for you, Jacob, or would you enjoy doing that yourself?", I asked.

"As long as I don't get any comments about you feeding the dog, I would just as soon eat your leftovers . . . no sense wasting a perfectly good carcass just because it's been drained of blood", he said, "unless you guys pump venom or some such shit into it when you bite, like a damned mosquito does. I don't want to grow fangs or anything."

I burst out laughing. I couldn't help it. Mosquito? If this whole situation wasn't so untimely it would be hysterical. "Jacob. Have you looked at yourself in the water's reflection? You already have fangs!"

"Shit, Cullen. You know what I meant", his mind told me as he snarled and showed me his teeth.

We took off after the deer, leaving Jacob grumbling something about smart ass bloodsuckers, but I couldn't be sure. In this moment, I was truly glad we had become friends.

Carlisle and I each had one and left them in the field for Jacob. He seemed a little anxious about eating in front of us, it was his first time and he was unsure if he would heave or like it or what, so I suggested that Carlisle and I leave and Jacob could come back to the woods near the house when he was through eating.

"Hey, bloodsucker", his mind yelled towards me as he walked away towards the fresh kills, "I'm sorry about what I said, you know, that she slapped me for."

"Actually, Jacob, I wasn't listening to your conversation with Bella."

"Sure, sure. Well, tell her I'm sorry, will ya?"

"I'll tell her. Are you sure you know the way back to the house, Jacob?", I asked him. His thoughts were less than polite, but suffice it to say he was quite confident that he could make it if he were in human form, much less with his now sensitive nose and our sickeningly sweet stench to follow there.

I told him to be sure and wash up in the creek on your way in, he was bound to be a mess by the time he finished. He just growled indignantly at me and headed off towards the fresh kills.

Carlisle and I started off towards home. We set a pretty slow pace and began to talk as there was much to discuss and we rarely had the opportunity to speak when we were absolutely alone.

"You think Sue will have answers for Jacob?", I asked.

"She should at least know more about it than we do, son. She is one of the tribal elders since Harry died. You've been around her and she is coming here knowing what we are, I hope that means she will be willing to help", Carlisle mused.

"I have tried to make her more comfortable around me because of Bella, Sue and Charlie were becoming an item and I knew Sue would be where Charlie was. I can only assume that I succeeded if she's willing to come to my home for a visit." I looked to Carlisle.

"Well, there's one more for the books", Carlisle said offhand. I knew what he was referring to, but I asked him regardless.

"What do you mean?"

"Bella wishes to be changed after she has Masen, right?"

I nodded.

"Charlie is developing a relationship with Sue. The father of a vampire will be with the mother of, potentially two young werewolves. That has to be a first, their kind and ours have never been friendly . . . till now. Sue coming here is a major step and we'll need council permission to change Bella without breaking the treaty. You and I both gave our word that we would never bite a human or create another vampire and I would like to work out an exception so that we can remain faithful to that agreement", Carlisle explained.

"Do you think that's a possibility?", I asked.

"Son, after the last few months, I now believe that anything is possible if you want it badly enough".

He looked at me and chuckled, his mind telling me how proud and amazed he was with me. Though the nature of a vampire is aptly described as being set in stone at the time of their change, he somehow felt that I had grown up quite a bit in the last year or so. It was funny to hear him think of me as a wayward teen, but to his three hundred sixty something years I must truly seem that way. His mind moved on to other topics.

So, you feel you communicated with Masen this morning?

Were you looking into Bella's eyes when this happened?

This was a topic that I was excited about. "No, I wasn't making eye contact at all. We had just made love and I was lying beside her with my hand on her belly", I told him. I couldn't help but chuckle as I remembered, "He wanted to know why he had to be still and not move around so much if we were allowed to jostle him all over the place. I answered him in my mind and he understood. Bella told him that she was not as strong as he was and she needed him to try and not hurt her, and he understood."

Carlisle said nothing, his mind was blank as he listened and just looked amazed as I continued, "I told him not to try and get out himself, to let me get him out and he agreed not to bite Bella. Carlisle, he agreed to let me get him out when the time came."

That is just amazing, Edward.

If the child is that advanced, is he ready to be born now, can he survive outside even now?

"I have no idea", I answered his unspoken question with a smile, "but I'll ask him when I get home, though I don't know if he will really understand what that means! Are you planning another ultrasound this Sunday, Dad?"

Yes, and I think it would be best if it were only the three of us this time.

I'd like to see if Masen responds to questions asked of him and can follow instruction.

It could be important during the birth and determining the timing of the birth as well, Edward.

We walked in silence, neither of us could completely digest what was happening with the new little one and we had to get it right for his sake as well as Bella's.

We spoke a little about Renee and how intuitive she was. I thought she had been so centered on her grandchild that she had noticed little else. She and Phil were totally thrilled with their stock purchases and newfound opportunities for income.

While it was nice to be away from everyone so that Carlisle and I could have a private conversation, I was thankful for vampire hearing now more than ever in the past. When we had arrived back at home from our trip down the mountain to the Dillard House, Carlisle, Esme and I had gone on inside to let Jacob and Bella have a minute. She looked like she wanted to speak with him and I needed to continue conspiring with Carlisle over plans to trap Victoria. I was sick of her hanging on the outskirts and threatening my family. I needed to end her and her friend Riley.

I was in the kitchen putting away the clean dishes from the dishwasher while we brainstormed, not paying any particular attention to Bella's conversation. I truly did like to give her privacy whenever I could, I respected her enough to make a point of it. She would be safe outside with Jacob and the three of us were only a split second away if we were needed. Victoria had been no where near the house, though I could not allow that to lull me into complacency when it came to being on my guard. I found it difficult to believe that she was in town and had no idea where we lived.

Victoria was crafty, she had demonstrated that time and time again. She was also willing and patient enough to wait for opportunity. She had ended Billy back on the reservation, presumably in retaliation for the werewolves killing her friend Laurent. Bella's bike was tampered with at the track, causing the horrific accident that nearly took her life. She had changed a local boy, Riley Biers and had him aim that car into the pizza place the night Bella and I were out for dinner in Forks and had him cause another bike wreck when she once again thought Bella was riding at the track.

She was stalking us. Following Jacob here, she knew exactly where we lived and had purposefully not left her scent anywhere near for us to find. Her tracks to wherever she was staying were hidden as well, obviously always driving there to hide her trail instead of running which would leave us a scent to follow.

Esme had just brought up a valid point, that there must be some observation point that Victoria was using. We should go outside and look around, then go check out possible vantage points where she could be keeping an eye on the comings and goings around here. We had stepped toward the front door when I realized that the tenor of Jacob's thoughts had changed.

I heard Bella's hand smack against his face as her words rang in my ears. I had Bella in my arms in an instant, having released his grip on her shoulders and shoved him backwards as I moved her to the porch and stood protectively in front of her, Esme and Carlisle crouched between us and the newly transformed werewolf.

~oooOooo~

BPOV

I had no idea what was happening. I had never seen anyone phase into a werewolf, of course, least of all my best friend.

I was standing in front of him, madder than hell that he had called my baby a monster and I had slapped him for it. I noticed him starting to shake violently just as I felt a breeze and I was standing on my porch, Edward crouched in front of me and Esme and Carlisle crouched protectively in front of us, all staring at Jacob.

At least, I assume it was Jacob, because there in the front yard stood an enormous wolf, russet colored kind of like the tone of Jake's skin. The animal looked at me and Edward, then seemed to stare down at his paws before looking back up at Esme and Carlisle. He then ran, moving quicker than I had ever seen an animal move . . . almost like vampire speed. Jasper and Alice had just pulled up on their bikes and I wondered if that had been what spooked him into running.

Edward moved to stand by me, hugging me to him as he asked Jasper and Alice if they would stay with Esme to protect me while he and Carlisle went after Jacob. I started to protest but it was to no avail . . . and I knew it wouldn't be. There were times when I could argue and get my way with Edward and there were times when I needed to just accept what he was telling me and do as he said. This was one of those times.

Emmett and Rosalie pulled up and we all went inside. I recalled the conversation that I was having with Jacob as Rosalie hissed.

"Damned dog, how dare he call anyone else a monster, least of all a baby", Rosalie spat, her knuckles clinched and the skin drawn tight over them with the force of her anger.

"Man, sounds like Jacob just absolutely lost it ", Emmett said, "Good thing Edward was listening, Bella. You can get hurt badly by accident being too close to one of them when they phase into wolf form."

"Well, thank goodness she wasn't hurt", Esme said, turning to me, "Does Masen seem alright, dear?"

"I'm sure he is fine, Esme", I told her as she fussed over me.

"Maybe a cup of tea then", she said as she headed to the kitchen to fix it for me.

"There was no trace of anything on the side roads between here and Dillard", Jasper informed us as we sat in the living room together.

"Nope, we smelled nothing as well", Rosalie added as Emmett shook his head in agreement.

"Well, if you ask me", Esme offered as she set the tea in front of me and sat down beside me, "I think she is having a hard time finding an opportunity to get at Bella. Let's face it, there are only two of them and seven of us, well now eight if you count on the help of the werewolf. She probably doesn't have a death wish, so she wants to just get in and get out."

"I think you're right, Esme", Jasper agreed.

All eyes turned to Alice as she gasped, a vision playing in her head.

She looked up, terrified. "Bella, you have to make sure you stay close to us. I just say you lying on the ground, screaming. I couldn't see anything else, no Victoria . . . nothing. Just promise me you will always be with at least one of us till we take care of Victoria."

"I promise, Alice", I said finishing my tea and standing to take the cup to the kitchen. "Will you all be here for awhile?", I asked, "I think I'd like to go lie down."

"Sure, Bella", Alice tried to comfort me, "I wouldn't have said anything but Edward told all of us to keep nothing from you. If it was something we would tell him, to tell you."

"I really appreciate that you all are doing that and even more that Edward asked you to. He really has come a long way, hasn't he?"

"He loves you", Jasper stated. It wasn't a question.

"And I love him and all of you. Thank you. I'm really lucky and glad to have you all as my family", I said as I quickly headed up the stairs.

I made it to my room, shutting the door before I fell apart, crumbling into a small ball on the floor and tears flowing unrestrained.

~oooOooo~

Esme POV

I hated seeing my youngest daughter so upset. She wasn't fooling me. I heard her tears falling softly the minute she shut her bedroom door. She always tried to be so strong, for herself as well as for Edward.

"Alice, why don't you stay in here and see if you can see that vision more clearly while Rose and I take the boys outside for a minute. I want to look at something", I told her.

We walked down the porch steps as I explained, knowing Alice would hear as well. "Just before Jacob phased, Carlisle, Edward and I were coming out here to find something. Victoria has far too good an idea of our movements to be keeping her distance. She has to have a point of observation, somewhere she is watching us from and I'm guessing that if she can see us from it, we should be able to spot her. Let's just take our time, remember that her scent isn't within miles of here, and look for a vantage point she could be using. Now may not be the best time to spot her, but we can get an idea of where to look and go and see if she has been there. It might be a way of trapping her, catching her by surprise."

"Excellent strategy, Esme. Attack rather than wait to be attacked. It gives us something to work on and if we find a place heavy with her scent, it could give us an edge", Jasper mused.

"Well, like I said, she is probably not watching right now, too busy dealing with having been seen, but there is no point in taking a chance. Let's not stand here in the open gawking. Emmett, you look West, Jasper you look East. Rose can scan the horizon to the North and I'll look South from the front porch. Walk slightly into the woods, stand on the porch gazing off into the distance like humans do, or go in the house and look out a window. We don't want her noticing that we're doing this, just in case she's watching.

~oooOooo~

EPOV

"Carlisle, Bella's crying", I told my Dad as I took off. I had always been the fastest runner in the family, but I moved faster than ever as I approached my house , jumping to the second story balcony and into my room. Luckily I had used the balcony as Bella was leaned against the bedroom door it in a heap on the floor, crying. I had her in my arms and on our bed before she really even knew what was happening.

"What's wrong, love, are you hurt?", I asked, one arm under her holding her and the other moving over her face, her shoulder, her arm and down her side, trying to determine if there were any injuries.

"I . . I . . I'm f . . f . . fine", she finally managed to say as the uncontrolled sobs began. She was becoming more inconsolable by the minute and I had to get her attention before she became absolutely hysterical.

"Bella, sweetheart, stop this. The shaking you're causing is making Masen motion sick!", I told her, delivering the line with a straight face.

She stopped cold, staring at me and swatting me as she buried her face in my chest.

"Did you find Jake?", she asked.

"Yes. He stopped running a couple of miles from here near a stream. Stupid mutt couldn't even manage to lap up water without making a mess of himself", I told her . . . also with a straight face.

"Edward! I'm serious!", she insisted, propping herself up on one elbow to look down at me as I lay beside her.

"So am I."

"Edward!"

"Okay, okay", I laughed, "Carlisle and I killed a couple of deer and had a snack. leaving the bodies for Jacob to have for a meal. Sam said it would calm him down to eat and he didn't want to kill anything himself."

"You called Sam Uley?", she asked as though I was out of my mind, "He hates you!"

"He hates vampires, but he is very attached to Jacob. Jacob asked me to call him thinking he might be able to tell him how to phase back to human form", I said as I moved a strand of her hair out of her face and tucked it behind her ear, "He didn't want to wait for Sue to get here and had some doubts that she would know what to tell him anyway. I translated for him and Sam is going to get together with the rest of the pack and see if there is anything they can tell him that will help. He's calling back tomorrow."

"Tomorrow? What is Jake supposed to do till tomorrow", she asked.

"Well, after he finishes his meal and cleans up in the stream, he will be just outside here, in the trees, and no, he would not be more comfortable coming in the house", I said anticipating her next question, "We can talk to Sue when she gets here and see if she has any suggestions. Right now, Jacob is fine, just a little pissed off about having paws and a tail." I chuckled in spite of myself.

"Edward Cullen! You are not laughing at him, are you? He's our friend and he's probably scared out there in the woods with all the wild animals", Bella exclaimed.

"Sweetheart. He phased into a werewolf. There is nothing in those woods that can harm him other than vampires and we're trying to help him. Don't be ridiculous, werewolf, Bella!", I tried to emphasize to her.

She settled down with her head on my shoulder, her leg thrown over me, her belly propped up against my hip and my arms around her as she drifted off to sleep. I didn't move for fear of waking her, knowing that rest would be the best thing for her right now.