Being There

Disclaimer: all characters and copyright belong to Stephanie Meyer.

A/N-thank you everyone for the lovely reviews on the last chapter. I really appreciate it. Nikki :)

Part Twenty Three

Bella made a simple dinner for everyone. Once Jessica had unpacked her bags and made herself at home she offered to pay for some pizza to be delivered, but Bella had refused and instead Jacob helped her prepare the food while Quil kept Jessica entertained. It gave Jacob and Bella time alone to talk about the latest development.

"I can't believe that he imprinted on Jess of all people," Bella whispered as she chopped up some vegetables.

Jacob sighed. "Me neither, especially as you've just told me she's pregnant."

"Will that bother him?" Bella asked.

"What do you think?" Jacob pointed over to Quil who was regaling a bemused looking Jessica about his prowess on the sports field.

"But he doesn't know that she's carrying someone else's child. I thought this whole imprint thing was meant to carry on the gene for the next generation." Bella mused.

"I think the imprinting rules are not so clear cut anymore. Things are changing, look at Sam and Leah. He's fighting it, Bells. Every day he seems more able to go against Emily's wishes."

"What about Jared?"

"I still need to talk to him. He seems to have lost his edge. Out of all of us Jared was the practical joker. Now he just seems quiet and reserved, much like Sam used to be when he first imprinted on Emily." Jacob helped Bella pile the vegetables into the strainer so she could rinse them.

Bella glanced into the living room at Quil and Jessica. They seemed such an odd match. Quil certainly was showing no signs of being swayed by anything Jess was saying. Her friend had already tried to change the subject several times and talk about something other than sports, but Quil just talked over her until she gave up and just listened. "If he has imprinted then he certainly isn't conceding to what Jess wants." She pointed out.

Jacob laughed. "That's Quil for ya. Loves the sound of his own voice."

"Was he really that good at sports? I never heard you mention that before." Bella asked.

"Nah, Quil is rubbish. It's his way of impressing a girl he likes. He talks at them until they agree to go out with him." Jacob said in amusement.

"Is that what he's doing now?"

"Yeah," Jacob leaned back against the kitchen cupboards and crossed his arms. "I don't know how this is going to work out though when he finds out she's pregnant..."

"Or that Jess won't accept the imprint," Bella warned him.

"It's not going to go down too well with the elders either." Jacob muttered bitterly.

Bella's mood plummeted as soon as he mentioned the tribal council. "Do I really have to be scrutinised by them?"

Jacob reached out and stroked her hair back off of her face. "I'm sorry honey. It's just something we have to go through. My dad is still trying to smooth the way but some of them are being a bit stubborn."

"Great," Bella finished putting the rest of the food in the oven and setting the timer. "I'm really looking forward to that."

XXXXXX

Quil held court over dinner. He squeezed himself next to Jessica and regaled her with more tales about himself and his extensive family. Jessica remained quiet much to Bella's surprise, she was used to her friend saying what she thought if someone was over embellishing their accomplishments. Her expression was thoughtful and Bella wondered if she was even aware of what Quil was saying.

Charlie excused himself from the table and took his dinner into the living room so he could watch the sports channel. He felt outnumbered by all the teenagers and wanted some peace from Quil's constant chatter. Quil was even grating on Jacob's nerves as he bumped up his efforts to get Jessica to engage with him.

"Give it a rest, Quil." He snapped in the end.

Quil stopped talking and stared at him. "What's your problem man?"

"You and your runaway mouth. Stop chewing poor Jessica's ear off and eat. She's pregnant and needs rest." Jacob retorted.

There was deathly silence at the table as Jessica turned red and stared at her plate. Bella gave Jacob a dirty look before she got up and embraced her friend. "Nice one, Jake."

"Sorry..." Jacob felt awful, the words had just slipped out.

Quil looked flabbergasted. "You're pregnant? Why didn't you say?"

Jessica raised her head and gave him a puzzled glance. "I don't know you. Why would I tell you something like that."

"I don't...I mean," Quil stumbled over his words. "I would have helped." He said in such a sincere tone that Jessica stared at him in surprise.

"Help? But why? You don't even know me." She said in confusion.

Quil smiled at her. "But I want to. If you just agree to spend some time with me you'll see that I'm not such a bad guy."

Jessica couldn't help but smile back at him, his persistence was certainly paying off. "Maybe." She replied. "We'll see."

"Cool." He gave her a big grin.

Bella and Jacob glanced at each other in surprise. Somehow in his own clumsy way, Quil had managed to get Jessica's attention and take her mind off of her worries about her mom and Eric. Maybe there was some hope for them after all.

XXXXXX

The other members of the pack were shocked to hear about Quil. They each expressed their concern over the fact that his imprint was carrying another man's child. Billy was stunned and wondered how the tribal council would take this new turn of events. He had been bickering with them for the past few days trying to make them understand his son's relationship with an outsider as they termed Bella. This constant reference to the fact that she was not a member of the tribe riled Billy up. He exchanged harsh words with Old Quil about it on several occasions; a part of him was looking forward to seeing the old man's face when he was confronted with the news about his grandson.

As for Quil he was not in the least bothered that Jessica was already in the family way. He kept to his word and over the next few days he made sure that he was available to give her any help she needed, whether it was giving her a lift to her mother's so that they could talk or holding her hand when she cried after being rejected by her only parent for the second time. In a short amount of time he got under Jessica's skin and she began to look forward to seeing him and missed him when he had to leave.

Bella was still trying to wrap her head around this turn of events. She had planned on being a support to Jessica but Quil took over completely. Seeing them together gave her an insight into an imprinted relationship that was not all one sided like Sam and Emily and Jared and Kim's were. Jessica had not been told anything just yet, Quil wanted her to get to know him better and when the time was right he would let her in on the secret. The decision on what happened after that would rest solely with her

The rest of the week drifted by as Jessica and Bella attended school during the day and then went back to the Swan house to spend the evening with Jacob and Quil. Bella was suffering with severe morning sickness and was often tired and irritable. Jess on the other hand was glowing. She would breeze in, smile plastered to her face as soon as she saw Quil waiting for her. The two of them would then go off together leaving Jacob to deal with Bella.

"I'm so tired of this," Bella grouched as Jacob held her hair back after she was sick again.

"I know, honey." Jacob said soothingly. "Hopefully it will ease off soon."

Bella sank back against the tiled wall of the bathroom and closed her eyes. "I hope so. Everyone is looking at me oddly at school now that I keep dashing off to the toilets."

Jacob sat down next to her and put his arm across her shoulders. "I wish I could do more to help."

Bella gave him a wan smile. "You're here that's more than enough."

"Love you." Jacob kissed the top of her hair.

"Love you too." Bella leaned against him and drank in his warmth. She hoped she would be able to keep her food down later as she was due for her first shift at Newtons.

XXXXXX

"Are you sure you're up for this, Bells?" Jacob said as he dropped her off outside the store.

"I'll be fine. It was good of Mike to offer me the job."

"He hasn't been bothering you again though, has he?" Jacob checked.

"No." Bella laughed. "He's been great actually. He knows I'm with you."

"Yeah well," Jacob muttered. "Still don't trust him. If he steps out of line..."

"I'll be sure to tell you." Bella leaned over and kissed him softly on the mouth before pulling away to get out of the car.

"I'll be back to pick you up at eight." Jacob told her.

"Okay, see you then. Bye Jake."

"Bye, Bells." Jacob watched Bella until she was safely inside the store then he turned the car around and headed for home.

XXXXXX

Billy was at home when Jacob returned, he had just come back from another meeting with the elders and as usual it had erupted into another argument. Harry had lost his temper with Jeremiah after he made some comments about his daughter, Leah. Billy had to intervene before his friend lost it completely. Old Quil had been unusually silent; the news about his grandson's bizarre imprint had rendered him speechless, all his old beliefs and long held ideals had been quashed. He approached Billy after the meeting and asked to speak to him privately. Billy had agreed although it had to be arranged for a later date. His son was due home and he needed to speak to him.

"Are you alright, dad?" Jacob asked him in concern as he found his father sitting at the kitchen table going through some insurance documents.

Billy glanced up at him, his glasses perched on the end of his nose. "Sit down, Jake. I want to talk to you."

Jacob did as he was asked and looked at his dad curiously. Billy took his glasses off and smiled at him. "Don't look so worried it's good news."

"It is?" Jacob felt the the weight lifting off of his shoulders.

"Yes and you have your amazing mother to thank for that." Billy picked up some papers and passed them to him.

"What are these?" Jacob studied them briefly.

"Sarah took out a small policy on each of you when you were born. It was meant to pay for your schooling when you graduated. It's not a huge amount but enough to help toward the cost for things that'll you'll need for the baby." Billy laughed at his son's stunned expression.

"And you've been paying into these policies since mom died. How have you been able to afford it?"

Billy sighed sadly. "I budgeted carefully. This was the last thing that Sarah did for you and the girls. I didn't want to let her down by not continuing them."

Jacob felt his eyes becoming moist as he thought about his mom. He pictured her pretty face, her long black hair swaying from side to side as she carried him. She would often tell him made up stories and would make each day an adventure, even if they did no more than stay inside all day; she would make the experience magical. She had a vivid imagination and she would often tell Jacob that she planned to be a writer one day so the world could share her stories.

"Are you okay, Jake?" Billy saw the thoughtful look on his son's face.

"Yeah, just thinking about the stories mom used to tell. It's a shame she never got to put them all down in a book like she planned." Jacob wiped his eyes with the back of his hand.

"I have an idea about that, but I will need Bella's help." Billy said.

"Huh?"

"Bella's quite the academic. I know that she loves her books and writing. Maybe if we dictate the stories to her she can turn them into a novel. We could send them off to a publisher and see what happens. It would be in honour of your mom's memory. What do you think?" Billy asked him.

Jacob reached out and took his dad's hand in his own. "I think it's a lovely idea. Bells will definitely help."

Billy smiled happily at his son as the two of them became lost in the memories of the woman who had brought happiness and laughter into their lives.

A/N-Thanks for reading. Poor Bella has to face the elders in the next chapter...