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

Chapter 84 Mornings

We dressed and headed downstairs, unable to hide the Cheshire cat smiles we both wore . . .

BPOV

We were by no means silent as we clamored down the stairs this bright Saturday morning, laughing and playing raucously with each other as though we were carefree teenagers. Other than the care of our newborn son, I suppose we were. He was trying to tickle me and I was flicking him with a hand towel that I had grabbed from the bathroom and dampened. He ran to the living room and jumped easily over the love seat. Emmett was in his usual spot on the sofa playing video games and Rosalie was sitting beside him holding Masen, starring at us along with everyone else as I caught a glimpse of my son. He was holding his head erect as well as his torso, actually sitting in Rose's lap watching us. His hair was now long enough to form ringlets past his ears in its unruly splendor and his green eyes were sparkling!

His appearance startled me so much, he looked so different than he had just hours before that I slipped my footing and landed against the back of the love seat, rolling it over onto its back and Edward pouncing on me as I lay there on the floor, tickling me mercilessly as I laughed uncontrollably. He continued taunted me, "You win, say it, Bella . . . say it . . . tell me I win and I'll quit tickling you!"

"Stop, stop! I'm going to pee if you don't, Edward!" I screeched in between laughing and trying to breath. Edward sat straddling my hips as he continued to tickle my ribs, my attempts to restrain his hands not even effective enough for him to notice the effort I was making.

"Edward! What in heavens name are you doing? Stop this right this minute, she just had a baby!" Esme insisted as she stood over us looking down at my face and the back of Edward's head as he continued his relentless torture.

"Mom! It's okay, Mom. I promise I'm not hurting her," Edward told his Mom, stopping for a second to look up at her as he spoke. "Our house, remember . . . we can rough house here," he smiled up at her and explained. I took my opportunity and tweaked his nipple, catching him off guard and toppling him over as I ran to hide behind the line of people that had come into the room to see what the ruckus was all about. I knew he was playing and allowed me to escape, of course, but the game was still fun. Edward was threatening to take this outside in the snow if I wasn't going to play fair and we were both laughing and smiling like fools.

The faces of his Mom and Dad as well as Emmett and Rosalie were priceless as his Dad grabbed him by the arm to stop him from chasing me. I'm sure my Dad and Sue, along with Jasper and Jake had similar expressions on them, but since I was hiding behind them right now, I couldn't exactly see them. What I could see was my son's expression. He was holding his torso up all by himself in Rosalie's lap and smiling a toothy grin at first his father and then me before letting out the loudest little squeal of delight, like he was trying to join in the fun. It was the first sound that he had made, other than smacking when he fed, and we all stopped dead in our tracks and turned to stare at him.

Edward was on one knee in front of the sofa where Mason had been sitting on Rosalie's lap before I even blinked, taking Mason in his arms and laughing, telling him that he was too little to play with Mommy and Daddy like that yet. Everyone starred at my son as he continued to laugh and reached his little hand out opening and closing his fist in my direction, gesturing quite plainly that he wanted me.

"What's going on, you two?" Charlie asked gruffly, "What the hell has gotten into you?"

"Yes, son," Carlisle said worriedly, "Bella just gave birth and has stitches to worry about. She could start bleeding again and you don't need to be rolling around on that arm of yours either!"

Alice was standing with her hips cocked and arms crossed, smiling wildly. We weren't fooling her with our antics not even a little bit.

Edward handed me Masen, who held his body and head up and put an arm around my neck like he was a year old or something. He held his head up, seeming to want to continue to be a part of whatever was going on. I just looked at him in wonder, as Edward poked a finger at his ribs.

"You want to play, too don't you son, you want me to tickle you as well?" Edward said as he gently tickled the baby and Masen grabbed at his hand and bent over cackling in laughter. It was the cutest most incredible thing I had ever seen. Edwards eyes were alive with love and wonder, and they matched the eyes of each and every other person in the room, observing our spectacle.

Edward apologised for worrying everyone, explaining that we were just so happy we couldn't help being playful. He removed the long sleeved tee shirt he had been wearing and turned his left shoulder towards his Dad for Carlisle to examine.

"It's completely healed," Carlisle announced, his eyes wide and relief in his voice, "There isn't even a great deal of scarring left. Edward, when did you discover this?"

"When we woke up and got into the shower this morning. Bella's stitches are gone as well."

"Hadn't you better fix that then? I mean, shouldn't they have stayed in long enough for her to heal there?" Charlie asked, concerned.

"They're healed. Actually, there is absolutely no trace that there was ever a cut, much less stitches," Edward said, starring at Carlisle and Esme, "or a birth for that matter. Other than her stomach needing time to firm up again," he said as his hands ran up and down my sides, "you would never know she had a baby," Edward told them. "You can obviously smell that there is no longer any bleeding."

"Edward, how is that possible?" Carlisle asked, as Esme was putting a hand on my shoulder and tucking a strand of hair behind my ear as if to make sure the things in front of her were real.

"I'm not sure you really want the answer to that, Carlisle," I told him turning eight shades of red as my eyes left his and returned to meet Edward's gaze, "I'm sure that Edward will tell you in private, but lets just say that we managed to heal each other."

"Bella . . . you know there are no secrets in this family, now spill!" Alice chided. I held Masen and hid my face in Edward's naked chest as he started to speak.

"It seems that breast milk is similar to venom in it's ability to heal," he told them. I drained her of her breast milk this morning to relieve her being engorged, and the arm healed before we woke up.

Carlisle stared at him in wonder, his mouth held slightly open. It was an unusual for him as he was practiced in not revealing emotion on his face. Having honed that skill, I imagine, over centuries of being a doctor and dealing with patients. "And her stitches? Edward, you didn't allow venom to come into contact with her stitches, did you?" Carlisle asked, concerned.

"I did," my husband told him with a huge grin on his face and tell tale twinkle in his eyes, "In fact, I coated them with it, and now there is no trace of the injury ever having been "

"Shit man, you mean you came all over her while you sucked her tits and it fixed both of you!" Emmett exclaimed. The look of innocent little kid wonder and awe on his face was quickly turned to a frown as Rose smacked him hard and Esme and I both exclaimed "Emmett!" almost in unison.

"Nice," was all Jasper and Jacob said staring first at each other then nodding at Edward.

I was sure I was going to melt into a small puddle and then the steam would evaporate me, as I was so burning hot from blushing. Edward tightened his arms around us and held me close to him, stroking my hair and smiling widely.

"So you see, there is cause for a party tonight! Bella wants to go and visit Bree and we can pick up whatever supplies we need from town," Edward suggested.

Alice squealed, clapping her hands and bounding up and down, "Yes! Yes! Yes! A party! We can celebrate Mason's birth! It can be a birthday party, age zero!"

"That sounds like a great idea, Edward. After all the stress the last week or two, you two deserve a party," Sue proclaimed, "I'm making the cake."

"If you make it, Sue, I'll eat some of it," Edward laughed, surprised faces nodded all around me at the idea of him eating cake. "I'd really like to run out for a snack, if you don't mind though, before we go. In spite of being filled with milk, I'm still really thirsty. Guys, you up to it?" he asked, looking at Emmett, Jasper and Jacob.

"I'm always up for a drink, brother," Emmett joked, nodding towards Jacob, "but do we always have to bring the dog?" Jake was laughing almost as hard as Edward and the rest of us, Emmett punching him in the shoulder as he headed out the kitchen door with his brothers.

Edward slipped his shirt back on, asking me if I minded him leaving for a bit. I reminded him that I never ever minded him feeding himself as he kissed Mason and me and headed out, assuring me they would be back shortly. I sat down on the sofa, Carlisle having righted the love seat beside it and Emily, Sue, Esme, Rosalie and Alice sat down with me leaving Charlie with his hands in his pockets looking kind of sheepish.

"Let's go get the grill set up, Charlie. I have a feeling we're about to get some venison to cook for dinner," he said as Charlie grabbed a coat and they headed out to the patio. I heard Charlie asking Carlisle if I really was alright, wanting assurance as they went out the back door.

"So, you're really alright?" Esme asked, concerned.

"I feel great, Esme. Better than great, except of course that my boobs kind of hurt from being so full," I told her as I clutched Masen to me while he patted my face with his little hand.

"Well, dear, it sounds like you have a way to alleviate that pressure whenever you want," she laughed, as did all the other women in the room. I was well on my way to turning a nice shade of red, yet again!

~oooOooo~

Jacob POV

I couldn't believe Sam. I knew he hated the bloodsuckers, but I had come to realize that the Cullens really didn't deserve our hatred like others of their kind. They were different, respectful of human life and trying to make the best of what life had thrown at them, regardless of their nature. Stu[id werewolf bullshit. Having to claim my rightful role was bittersweet - I had been able to save Edward, but it opened up a whole other can of worms for me. Sam was obeying, in fact he had no choice. No choice whatsoever.

I phased back and ran after Edward, barely reaching him in time to pull him back out of the burning house. I have no idea how he had the courage to run in there, I very nearly could not force myself to run in far enough to grab him and pull him out. His shirt was on fire and I had to pull him to the ground and use the snow to put it out before it burned him worse than it already had. He was crying and screaming for Bella the entire time, kneeling on the snow and rocking back and forth as we watched the house burn. His family arrived shortly, his Mom and sister trying to tend the wound and comfort him, to no avail. He just knelt there and stared. After a few hours and our being forced to back up by the arriving emergency personnel, a fireman walked out with Bella's necklace. It was the first time Edward had responded to anything. He stood, took the necklace in his hand, and turned to walk away.

I knew Sam was just beyond the treeline, watching, so I walked off into the trees unnoticed for the moment and phased. I needed to make sure he understood to leave Edward alone, and it was the only way I could force my will over his. I needed the mind connection that we had while in wolf form. The minute I phased I heard him . . . I felt him. The rage inside Sam was palpable even over the distance between us and it was no longer just at the bloodsuckers, he was murderously enraged with me as well. Not only had I stopped him from killing a vampire, but I had usurped all of his authority and assumed the role of alpha, and thereby chief of the tribe. Though he knew I was the rightful heir, he had enjoyed the role and as much as he had said he was simply filling the role waiting for me to return, was furious at having to give it up.

Once I was certain that he could not pose a threat to the Cullen's I phased back to see what the plan was, now that Edward had left and the firemen were still putting out the fire. We were all going to Edward and Bella's house to regroup and take care of Edward. He would need tending to, that much was for sure. I never in my wildest hopes thought that Bella would be at the house, or that Edward could ever deliver the baby without it harming her . . . but he did.

Rationally I knew that she would want to become one of them, to join his world, but I hadn't exactly faced it. It hit me square in the face when he explained to Carlisle that the metal syringe lying there for all to see on the nightstand by their bed was full of his venom. He would have changed her in a heartbeat if there were any indication that he was loosing her, and I couldn't say I blamed him. If I had a way of saving the woman I loved and keeping her forever, I'd damn sure do it, regardless. It still just stunned me though . . . realizing that it would probably happen eventually. They would never be able to face her growing old and dying . . .

My attention was drawn back from my musing by the sight of Edward's shoulder and what Sam had done to him. the places where Sam's teeth had pierced the skin were ripped and torn and fluid was oozing out of him all over the place on the rest of that arm as well. I figured he needed a refill. Jasper and Emmett agreed and I left to go and get a deer for him, Emmett getting him to come to the backyard to drink from it when I returned.

I had indeed run into Sam in the woods, pacing and circling, scared that some harm was going to come to Emily in retaliation for what he had done to Edward. As soon as I phased he knew that wasn't the case, he saw plainly in my thoughts that Emily was fine and that no one was mistreating her as a result of his actions. He was astounded. Apparently if the situation were reversed, he would have retaliated without question.

"They're not like that, Sam. Compassion. You need to look it the fuck up since you clearly do not understand what it means. These bloodsuckers are not the ones from our legends, Sam, and you need to get the difference through your head."

"They're fucking bloodsuckers, though, Jake. That's all. Call a spade a spade," Sam thought.

"No. Do you not see how different they are from Victoria? Don't you feel the difference in the way they treat humans or are you really that fucking ignorant and unable to learn? Just stay the hell away from the house, understand. Direct order . . . do not approach the Cullen's or their houses, at all! Are we clear?" I demanded.

"Yes."

I heard his reply in my mind, but I also felt the force it took to get that response from him. I had no idea what the hell I would have to do to solve this problem.

"Look, I absolutely forbid you to come near any of them or their guests. Emily is safe and other than apologising for your actions . . ."

"Apologizing?" he cut me off.

I shouted above his thoughts, ". . . and being ashamed of you for it, she's fine. If you hear her crying, it's your fault . . . not theirs and you are to stay away."

"Fine," he spat, his thoughts still violently hostile.

"I have to get the bloodsucker something to drink, I didn't want him to hunt with the injury you caused him so I'm taking him dinner," I told him.

"What are you now, the fucking delivery boy . . . Chief Jacob?" he tried to taunt me.

"Shut the fuck up, Sam. I'm trying to fix your screw up so just sit down and think about what a deceitful bastard you're acting like. They brought you here only because they thought it would help me, you inconsiderate ungrateful asshole, then your treachery caused Edward to be injured. I should end you myself . . . and I'm considering it. Stay away from me and them till I calm down, if you know what's good for you. You broke the treaty and I can in good conscience hand you over to them and have them end you, and don't think Emmett and Jasper don't want to do just that right about now!"

I walked away from him in a huff, anxious to find a damned deer and get back to the house. Emmett must have heard me coming because I wasn't in the clearing in the back yard for long before Edward came out of the house and I tossed dinner to him, telling him he could have his before I had mine. He smiled and thanked me, knowing as I did that he really had needed to feed.

I phased back and started towards the house in time to hear Emily apologising to Edward for Sam's attack and Edward showing huge understanding and restraint in thanking her and simply telling her that he'd talk to her about it tomorrow. Damn. I wandered on into the house in time to see Carlisle coming down the stairs.

"Jacob, you need to get some rest. All of us will stay here tonight to make sure there is no problem. We require no sleep and you will need to be rested tomorrow to deal with Sam," Carlisle told me, resting a hand on my shoulder. "I haven't gotten a chance to thank you for saving my son, Jacob. I am in your debt and if there is anything I can do for you, anything at all, please feel free to ask."

"Edward is my friend, Carlisle. He would have done the same for me. He could have killed Sam at any time, believe me, I know the restraint your son showed in dealing with him. I'll take care of Sam . . . one way or another," I told him. He started to walk away, but this was as good a time as any to admit to what I had done.

"Carlisle," I called to him and he turned to face me, "I had to accept my position as alpha of the pack and Chief of the tribe to force Sam to obey me."

"Yes, Edward told me."

"I realize that Sam has broken the treaty between us, Carlisle, but I hope . . ."

"There will be no retaliations, Jacob," Carlisle said, nodding to me just as my father used to do, "I know you'll do the right thing with Sam." I nodded and continued up the stairs. I was exhausted and I needed to think. I realized that my room had been given to Emily and Sam while I was in wolf form, but Emily had told me that she would sleep in with Sue so that I could get some much needed rest, and for that I was grateful. I fell into a deep sleep almost as soon as my head hit the pillows, as it was the first time I had been in a bed in almost two weeks!

Morning came all too soon and I awoke to the smell of coffee and bacon. Esme was cooking up a storm, excited to have Bella safely upstairs and the baby born, as well as wanting to feed all the humans in the house. I sat down by Emily, Sue and Charlie were on the other side of the table quietly talking, well, Sue was talking while Charlie appeared to be trying to read the paper. Esme had just finished preparing this monster tray of food to take up to Bella, and I wondered if Bella was even awake this early.

The new little squirt was in the living room being fought over by his aunts who were arguing over who he preferred to feed him. He seemed awfully alert for a newborn, but then I had to remind myself that he was, after all, half vampire and none of us really knew what that was going to mean. Still, he held his head up all on his own and looked around as though he was interested in each and every thing around him.

I went to the stove and filled my plate. Deer was great, but cooked food had its place in my heart and I certainly preferred it to eating as a wolf. I sat down and tried my best not to inhale the food, knowing that Sue and Emily were watching. I was sure Emily was used to it though. I had gathered from Sam's thoughts that the pack congregated at her house and she fed them regularly. I couldn't help but chuckle at the visions of it all from Sam's memories that I had seen.

"So, when are you going back to Forks, Charlie?" I asked between mouth fulls.

"I thought I'd fly back Sunday afternoon, Jake, if Bells and Edward are doing well. I need to get back to work and a week is about as long as they can do without me," he laughed, adjusting his glasses and turning the page in his paper.

"Sue, are you going with him?" I asked.

"Well, I suppose I will, Jake. No reason for me to stay now that you seem to be able to phase at will," she observed.

"True, true," I said.

"I suppose I'll be going home as well, Jake. I just don't know about Sam . . . ," Emily's sentence drifted off as Edward came down the stairs.

"Good morning everyone," he said as headed toward his son, lifting him easily and telling him good morning as well. "I see that everyone down here is eating, little one, and your mommy is waiting to feed you, are you hungry?" he asked the baby, seeming to fully expect a response. I just shook my head, the next few years were going to be really weird with Masen growing up and no one knowing what the hell to expect from him. At least Edward could read his mind, that had to help significantly.

"Edward, is Bella awake? I'd like to see her," Charlie told him.

"I'm sure she wants to see everyone, Charlie, as soon as this little guy has his breakfast I'll come and get you, alright?" It wasn't as though Edward was really asking him, more telling him how it was as he disappeared up the stairs with his son. Charlie hawed and humphed for a minute, but he knew that Edward was only looking out for Bella, not trying to keep him away from his daughter.

I put my dishes into the sink and headed out back, I had put off dealing with Sam for long enough. Jasper and Emmett were outside and seemed to know that I was headed to find Sam.

"Do you need backup, Jake?" Jasper offered.

"Hell yea, right here for ya man and more than willing to kick some werewolf ass after what he did," Emmett added.

"I appreciate that, guys. I need to decide what to do with him. He has to be punished for this and technically, since he broke the treaty, his life is forfeit." Jasper and Emmett both looked behind me, and I turned slowly to see Emily standing there in the doorway. I had been so deep in my own thoughts that I had not heard her open the door. From the lack of color in her face and the shocked look, she had heard me. She walked toward me, wringing her hands together as she walked, "Please, Jake . . . I know he was wrong, terribly wrong, but . . . "

It was as though the words wouldn't come to her. She knew that punishment was deserved, but she loved the guy and you couldn't blame her for being ripped apart by her emotions.

I refused to answer her. "I have to sort this out on my own. I'll be back by tomorrow morning," I told them as I quickly ran for the cover of the woods and phased, locating Sam mentally almost immediately and heading toward him full speed.