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

Author's Note: ~You were all so wonderful about my being late last week, I thought I would post this a day early! Happy Hallmark Holiday!~

Chapter 55 Calling Sam

"Tell you what, I'll make breakfast so that you ladies can have a chance to talk," he offered.

EPOV

I didn't interfere. I won't say it was easy. Sue's attitude towards my wife's pregnancy was getting to me somewhat. I had hoped our conversation at Charlie's when Bella and I were visiting Forks had made a difference, but the way she was thinking, clearly Bella being pregnant had knocked that out the window. Given all the discussions I had with Carlisle about the treaty we had signed with the Ephraim Black and the Quileute tribe, I refrained from throwing her out of my house or having her for dinner, in favor of trying to give her a clear picture of our lives and bring her over to our side. We needed their permission, or at least a revision to the treaty, to change Bella. We wanted to keep our word on this if at all possible.

Esme's disclosure that she had been a mother, had a child herself did something to Sue. I suppose you could say it struck a nerve with her, gave her a common thread since she herself was also a mother. I had tried to explain to her before that none of us had chosen this life, it had been forced upon each and every one of us with absolutely no discussion or consent from us prior to having been bit.

"So, what happened to your little boy when you became . . . like you are . . . a vampire?" Sue timidly asked Esme. I cringed, knowing that the answer to this would cause my mother pain. I also knew that she would answer her, sharing an important part of her past with her.

"My son died, Sue. I was so distraught, I threw myself off a cliff hoping to end my pain," Esme said as she looked at the unnecessary coffee cup in front of her, fingering it in a quite human way. "I was brought to the hospital on a stretcher, but then left in a hallway to be taken to the morgue. They had thought me dead. Carlisle was a doctor working at that particular hospital and because of his enhanced abilities, heard my heart beating ever so faintly and wondered why there was a heartbeat coming from a body that was discarded in the hall with a sheet covering it. He saw that my injuries were too severe to save me, but . . . he couldn't let me die. He made the only choice left to him and changed me." Esme held her coffee cup firmly with both hands now, as though gathering herself back together.

"I'm so very sorry, Esme. I had no idea," Sue said, reaching hesitantly to touch her hand in a comforting gesture.

"Thank you, Sue," Esme said as she gently squeezed the hand Sue had offered.

"I have been with him, married to him for over 80 years now Sue, and I have never bitten a human," she told her, an absolute resolve in her tone. "I just want you to understand that though we are vampires, through no fault of our own, we refuse to live the way our nature would dictate. The Cullen family rejects the lifestyle that we were born into, the food source that our instincts crave. We choose to live differently, to coexist with humans on a daily basis," Esme explained, "Carlisle has spent over three hundred years training as a doctor and forcing himself to deny the call of human blood in an effort to help people. He feels that he should put what has happened to him to good use and take advantage of the fact that he has an extended lifetime to learn new things and become skilled beyond all human doctors in his field. His enhanced abilities have allowed him to save many that human doctors would never have been able to treat or diagnose in time to save them, not to mention his skill as a surgeon."

Sue's mind was reeling. It seemed that it would not take many more facts to sway her into not being so hostile towards us.

"Sue," I said as I came to stand behind Bella, my hands on her shoulders, "I do not normally tell someone elses story, but you already know mine. I just want you to truly understand that we were not born to this life, it truly was forced upon us. Esme and I were both too sick or injured to realize what was happening, but others had a more violent entrance. Rosalie was raped and beaten by a group of human men and left for dead and Emmett was mauled by a bear."

It worked. The truth usually did. She saw us in a different light now and though she still feared us, feared our nature, she was flooded with understanding.

"And you are all really are trying to help Jake, aren't you? You really do care about him," Sue stated.

"Sue, Edward gave Jake funds to start his own business several months ago, we have kept in touch and we are all grateful to Jake for being there for me when Edward left Forks. He is mine and Edward's best friend and of course we are trying to help him!" Bella said, a little annoyed that there was any question that we would.

"Well, I don't know how to tell him to phase back. I think we are going to need help. Sam Uley is the alpha of the pack, at least he is the acting alpha. He has been waiting on Jake to phase as Jake is the rightful Chief of the tribe now. Anyway, unless I'm mistaken, Sam will need to fly here and spend some time with Jake to get him through this. That is the way it has always been done and I can think of no reason not to do that now, if Sam is willing," Sue explained.

"Sam hates us, Sue. He was hesitant to talk to me on the phone, even after he heard Jake howl to him. He would never agree to come here around all of us, he has no trust in us. If he had his way, and there was no treaty, he would have us all ripped apart and burning in a pyre," I told her quite blatantly. I was being honest and those were Sam's thoughts.

"That may be true, Edward, but Sam loves Jake, they have been friends their entire lives. He has an obligation as the acting alpha of the pack - a responsibility to him if you will. I'm not sure he has any choice but to help him," Sue added, especially if I as a tribal elder demand it.

"You would certainly know better than I what his obligations are. I am perfectly willing to have a ticket waiting for him whenever he chooses and cover any financial issues for him related to getting him here," I told her.

"Thank you Edward," Sue said with absolute sincerity, for the first time.

"By the way," she said, dropping her eyes down from starring at me to looking at Bella, "I owe you a thank you as well. Charlie said that you were responsible for my airline ticket, and I never expected first class."

"Well, I never expected to buy first class, Sue, but Edward insisted. It's a long flight and he wanted you to be comfortable," she explained as she lovingly stroked the knuckles of the hand I held her shoulder with.

Sue looked up at me and I noticed just a slight smile, "Thank you then, Edward. It was quite a treat."

Her thoughts were genuine. "Sue you are very welcome. I appreciate that you were willing to be a guest in our home as well," I added.

Sue paused for a moment, composing her thoughts. She was actually trying not to offend me at this point. "Edward, doesn't Charlie think it strange that an 18 year old is able to provide all this?" she gestured to our home, "He obviously doesn't know that you have had almost a hundred years to accumulate your wealth."

"No. He assumed at first that the money belonged to Carlisle, him being a surgeon and all, but we have explained to him my prowess in the stock market and in fact I have had that talent since the early 1900's when I was indeed a teenager, so we are sticking as close to the truth as is possible," I disclosed. Sue nodded in understanding.

"Morning all," Charlie said as he walked into the kitchen, immediately going over to where Sue sat and giving her shoulder a casual squeeze.

"Good morning, Dad," Bella said as she stood and gave Charlie a very unexpected hug, "Can I get you some coffee?"

"Well, what's all this, Bells?" he asked, holding her in front of him so that he could look at her face. He turned to sit at the table, "I would love some coffee," he responded as he pulled out a chair next to Sue. "So, kids. What do you have planned today since the fishin' has been moved till tomorrow?" he asked.

"We thought we could take Sue to see some of the sights around town, Dad. We could go take the hike to see Dry Falls or walk around the lake at Cliffside, drive past Bridalveil Falls. The ducks at Mirror Lake always need feeding," Bella told him, then gave me a sideways glance, knowing that no ducks would come near if I was with them. "There are also a lot of neat little shops in town and some beautiful gardens where we can sit and have coffee and pastries and chocolates. Oh, and there is always Sweet Treats ice cream!"

Everyone rolled their eyes and laughed at the excited way that Bella was describing various desserts and I walked over and put my arms around my wife, hugging her to me.

"I think the pregnant lady has food on her mind," I said as I kissed her neck and hugged her to me.

"Well, Bells, I think that sounds just fine. I for one am all about feeding you anything you want," Charlie laughed. "We are fishing tomorrow though, right?" he asked.

"We are fishing tomorrow, Charlie. In fact, I think Bella is coming with us as well, aren't you sweetheart?" I asked.

"I am. We all are," Bella said, looking towards Esme who was nodding enthusiastically, "picnic and all."

"Great! That's great, we can all go to the lake or out to the river together," Charlie said, "Sounds like you have everything planned, Bells. Have you planned anything for after the baby comes, I mean, will you go on to college?"

"Oh! Dad! I forgot to tell you!" Bella said almost jumping up and down. "Remember the spring of my junior year, Edward was sending in some advance applications to colleges?"

She was so excited to be telling her father this, I couldn't help but smile at her as I stood behind her with my arms around her expanding waist.

"Yea, I remember, Bells," Charlie answered, a frown crossing his face as he remembered the fall after that when I had left her.

"Well, Edward sent an application for me to Dartmouth . . . and I was accepted! Can you believe that, Dad? I was actually accepted to Dartmouth," she trilled.

"Wow! Congratulations! That's just . . . well, that's really something that is," he said, somewhat surprised. His mind was reeling with questions, but he waited for her to explain.

"Yes, congratulations, Dear," Sue added excitedly.

"Are you going to go?" Charlie finally asked. All of a sudden there was tremendous tension in the air, sort of like a questioning undercurrent.

"I don't even know yet, Dad. Edward is accepted, too, and when he came back and I had left, he received the acceptances and asked for a deferment for year while he was looking for me . . . anyway, we can go next fall if we want. I'm just not sure yet, I might just want to be a stay at home Mom," she said while she held one of my hands and rubbed her belly with the other.

"I've told her that I am happy to go if she wants to, Charlie. I bought a home near the campus just in case, so that is waiting for us if we want to use it. It's totally up to Bella. I'm happy doing anything she wants," I said as I kissed the side of her head, "as long as we're together."

"I just don't know what to say. This is all just . . . a lot. It's a lot to take in. Did you say you bought a house there, Edward?" Charlie asked.

"Yes," I admitted somewhat sheepishly, "I wanted to be prepared in case Bella would have me back. Even if she wouldn't, she could have used the house and been able to attend school. I just wanted to make sure that she had the choice."

"Edward was trying to think of what would be needed, regardless of the outcome, Charlie. Thankfully, Bella did still want to be with him and now they can choose together," Esme said as she looked lovingly at my wife. "Regardless," she continued, "Carlisle has taught at Dartmouth before and probably will again, so the house will get used one way or another."

"I told Mom that I think I want to stay home with Mason while he is little, and Edward wants to take me to Europe to see the sights, so I just don't know. We don't have to let the school know till May, so there is plenty of time for Mason to get here and see what it is like to have a new baby," Bella said.

"Huh. Your Mom already knows?" Charlie asked.

"Yea, Dad. I was kind of afraid to tell you," Bella admitted, "Sometimes you can be kind of intimidating."

That stunned him. Charlie had always enjoyed being someone that people did not question, but he had never meant to be intimidating to his own daughter. "Bells, you can always come to me, I want you to know that," he told her as he stood and put a hand on her shoulder. He collected his breakfast dishes, saying that if he was going to be in town all day, he needed to go and clean up a bit, excusing himself and heading for the stairs.

"Can we go and check on Jacob now, while Charlie is occupied?" Sue asked.

"Let's go," I said as Bella and I moved towards the back door.

"I'll just stay here and clean up after breakfast," Esme added.

We walked through the backyard and into the trees that skirted it. We didn't have to go far, I could hear Jacob's thoughts from the house. He was comfortable, appreciating the fact that he had something soft to sleep on, but he was impatient to be in his human form again.

"Jake," Sue called. Jacob stepped from behind some undergrowth about twenty feet in front of us and nodded his head at her.

"He says good morning, Sue," I told her.

Do we really have to go through this every damned time you translate for me, bloodsucker? Stop making me sound polite and just say what I said. They know I'm rude . . . it's nothing new.

"Fine, fine, fine, Jacob," I huffed, somewhat annoyed. "Sue, Jacob actually said screw the formalities, Sue, do you have any damned information for me?"

Much better, bloodsu . . . I mean Edward. I don't mean to be an ass, I just really hate not having any control over this situation. Has Sue heard from Sam yet?

"No, Jacob. Sam hasn't called," I answered his thoughts.

"Let me call him right now," Sue offered taking her phone from her pocket.

Edward, I had a meal on my own last night. Fucking exciting, really, killing it on my own. Damned deer run faster than I thought, but no match for me. I don't know if I can outrun you, but the speed is awesome, isn't it?

"I love running, Jacob. The speed is exhilarating!" I chuckled, "The first time Bella was on my back when I ran she had to lie down, it made her dizzy," I told him while Sue waited for Sam to answer. Sue stood there watching us have a conversation, understanding dawning on her. We really were friends, she saw it for herself.

We should call her dizzy. No . . . Izzy. that's it from now on, she's Izzy.

"Ha! I wonder how well she'll take that?" I laughed.

Sue looked at me questioningly, still holding on the phone.

"Jacob wants to nickname Bella, Izzy from now on," I shared the information with her.

"Sam," Sue blurted out as I suppose he answered on the other end of the phone line, "Yes, good morning. I know it's early there, Sam, but I'm here with Edward and Jake and Jake is getting impatient to be in human form again. Any information for him? No. Yes, yes. I understand."

Jacob howled so loud that I was sure Sue could not hear Sam on the other end of the phone. I was also sure that unless Charlie was in the shower, he heard him as well.

What the hell, are they chatting about the weather?

"Sam says they can't just tell you. Apparently when in wolf form, the pack can communicate with each other like Edward reading your mind, and you could understand from Sam's mind . . . given time . . . how to phase back," Sue told him.

Well let me just get in my truck and go get on a plane and go to where he is. I'll just go grab my damn wallet.

Jacob was getting angrier by the minute. "Sue, Jacob can't very well travel to La Push. See if Sam will come here," I looked at Jacob and then back to Sue, "Soon."

"Sam, we need you here. Yes, I know there are seven vampires here. I'm staying at Edward's house, Sam. No. You will not speak to me that way young man. As one of the elders of our tribe, I am requesting - Sam I'll call a meeting and demand it if I have to. Yes. Alright, alright. Fine, Saturday then. I'll call you with the details. Don't be such an ass, Sam. Yes. Good Bye", Sue clicked the phone off. She would have thrown it at something if she had not needed it for later.

"He will not come till Saturday. He insists on spending New Years eve with the tribe and the celebrations they have planned," Sue told us.

It's only Thursday! Shit! I have to have paws for three more days?

"Is that the best he can do? Jacob isn't interested in keeping the paws for another three days," I told Sue, not translating it the way Jacob had said it, regardless.

"Well, you better get used to the paws, Jacob. It may be days or even a week after Sam gets here before he can get it through that thick skull of yours that you have to calm down," Sue told him.

Jake huffed, pawed the ground a few times and said he was going for a run as he stormed off.

I looked at Sue who had taken a step or two after Jacob and called to him, to no avail. "Let him calm down. He just needs to have a long run. He and I do the same things when we are stressed, Sue, he'll be back tonight," I told her, trying to comfort her, "Remember, it's not as if anything out there can hurt him."

She eyed me warily, then laughed, "I suppose that's true. You are the only thing he has to fear and he seems to actually trust you."

"I hope so, Sue. Jacob has been a good friend. I only hope I can ever repay him all that I owe him," I told her. She stared at me a long moment, her mind marveling at just how human I really did seem. We walked back towards the house, and her nervousness at having me near her seemed to have faded away.

"Sam is coming on Saturday, Mom," I told Esme as we walked into the kitchen.

"Oh, dear. Not till then? Well, we will have to do something about making Jacob more comfortable. He just can't live in the woods . . . it's not as though he is used to being a wolf!" Esme reminded us.

"He's fine, Esme. Most of the pack actually prefers to be in the woods rather than human most of the time," Sue informed us. "I'm sure he will be fine. Well, I guess I'll go upstairs and get ready to go into town," she said turning to head to her room.

"Bella went upstairs to do the same," Esme said, just finishing putting the dishes away from breakfast.

"Thanks, Mom. I think I'll go join her," I said with a smile. Mom's thoughts were clear, she laughed at my use of the word join, and suspected I meant it the way she was thinking it. I could only hope!

I flew up the stairs at my speed, no one was in danger of noticing me as the humans were in their rooms with the doors closed. Bella, however, was in the shower, I had heard the water running from the kitchen. I was naked and quietly entering the bathroom in an instant.

"Bella," I called to her, not wanting to startle her and risk her slipping or falling in her condition.

She put her arms around me as I stepped under the warm water with her.

"Did you and Sue find Jacob?" she asked.

"We did," I told her as I ran my fingers softly down her neck, admiring the view. "Jake wants to call you Izzy from now on," I told her as I nuzzled her neck and traced patterns on her back with my fingers.

"Izzy?"

"Um, yea . . . we were talking about running and I told him the story of how dizzy you got on my back the first time I ran with you, so now he has nicknamed you Izzy," I laughed into her hair.

"Well, we'll just see about that Edward Cullen! Right now . . . ," she kissed me softly as she caressed me with both of her soft little hands, "Ummmm, I missed you," she whispered against my lips as she kissed me softly again. "I never seem to get enough of you lately . . . enough time alone with you, much less anything else," she said as she lowered her hands down my back, grabbing my cheeks and pulling my hips toward her so that I pressed against her belly.

"You know, if I had my way my body would never leave yours, sweetheart, but I'm not sure Mason would like the intrusion into his space. He must be getting crowded in there," I told her as I rubbed her belly with both of my hands.

"Edward, I need you."

It was all she had to say. I picked her up, her legs wrapped around me. The baby bump had grown to the point that she could not put her arms around me in this position and hold on to me, so I walked us out to the counter, placing a towel on it to gather some of the water dripping off of us and to soften the seat for her, not that she would ever have even noticed.

I sat her on the counter, never loosing contact with her as she laid back, propping herself up on her elbows. I held her lower back, relishing the gloriously soft, wetness of my wife. She held onto me, her ankles crossed behind me and pulled me to her.

My control had returned after that night in Orlando when I thought I had hurt her. Something had changed . . . my attitude, my abilities . . . something. I no longer worried about hurting my wife, at least, not from being too out of control or rough. I worried that we probably should stop having sex till Masen was born. We had discussed it and Bella insisted that she needed it. She needed me that close to her and there was no way I could deny her when she put it like that. In reality, I could deny her nothing.

"Edward . . . Edward . . . oh . . . more . . . Edward . . . Edd . waaaaard," she screamed as she gripped the top of the counter.

It couldn't be helped. I could not get to her lips with mine in time to muffle the cry. I hadn't even kissed her properly or paid attention to her breasts. This would never do. Ever. Hell, it hadn't even been ten minutes.

I scooped her up and held her, kissing her soundly for who knows how long before I had to break away to let her breath, my lips simply moving down her throat. I noticed the familiar burn in my throat, the one that had become my normal since I was around Bella most of the time. It was a small price to pay. The urge to bite her had long since subsided, but the burn remained.

"Sweetheart, I think I can do better than that," I told her, eliciting a huge smile from her.

"I would love to see you try," she told me as she kissed me again, her tongue dancing with mine eagerly.

"Here," I said lowering her feet to the ground and turning her around. "Put your hands here, on the edge of the counter, and move your feet apart and back some." She did as I asked anxiously, always ready to try something new, or a different position now that we had to be even more inventive than normal.

I moved behind her, massaging her thighs and her belly that was hanging down somewhat in front of her legs. I rubbed her sides while I kissed down her shoulders. The intensity increased as she searched for the friction she needed. She looked to the side and our eyes met in the mirror on the wall. She gasped at the sight of us together, my body moving in and out of hers. I moved my hands to her hips and I became somewhat frenzied.

After having had myself in her most of the night as she slept and this morning when we woke up, getting to make love with her mid morning was a real treat. It made waiting till this evening somewhat less agonizing for both of us.

I wrapped my arms around her, making sure she did not fall with the water everywhere and the slippery floor. I picked up her almost limp body and stepped back into the shower under the warm water with her, setting her on her feet in front of me. I could smell strawberries and knew that she had already washed her hair, so I reached for the soap and lathered and washed the rest of her body for her while her muscles slowly regained their strength from being jello. She took the soap and insisted on washing me as well and I had no objection to the feel of her hands moving over my skin. I kissed her every time her lips came anywhere close to mine during the process, which became something of a game. We would have continued for a long time, except that everyone was now waiting on us downstairs.

"Baby, Alice is about ready to throw cold water on us if we don't get downstairs and go shopping with her. She is already annoyed that we are taking some of her shopping time this afternoon to sight see!" I laughed.

"Fine. Let's go play with the little pixie terrorist," Bella sighed, "One of these days I'm paying Armani to design an outfit for her in camouflage!"

"I heard that!" Alice yelled. We both laughed and almost stumbled our way to the closet to dress, anxious to see how the rest of the day would go.