I DO NOT OWN TWILIGHT!

Chapter 74

(Charlie)

"Alright Matt, are you ready to go?" I asked picking up the cooler and setting it in the boat.

A huge grin spread across his face. "Yes!"

I laughed. "Alright, lets get your life jacket on and we will be ready.

I couldn't help but stare at Matt, the Matt that I first met to the Matt I was about to take fishing was a totally different child. He was friendly, outgoing and a lot of fun to be around. From the beginning I'd wanted to be close to Matt, but he always seemed so unsure. Then after the accident, we got closer.

We got into the boat and went out a ways. I glanced over at Matt and laughed, he had his arms in the air feeling the breeze. He was so much different than Bella, she threw up every time I took her out in the boat when she was a kid. I was grateful that Matt wasn't going to do that.

"Alright kiddo, do you know what to do with the worms?" I asked.

"I know you put them on the hook, but I've never done that before," He said taking a worm out of the cup and holding it in his hand. "Will you teach me?"

"Sure," I said handing him a hook. "Hold it down here and carefully put the hook through the worm."

I watched as he very seriously took the warm and the hook, biting his lower lip and he went to work. "Is this right?" He asked holding it up.

"You did a great job," I said.

"Have you ever taken Jaycie fishing?" Matt asked.

"No, she's too little. I might when she gets older though."

"Did you take mama fishing?" He asked.

"Yes, we only stayed out an hour. She threw up the minute the boat started moving in the water and then she had to go potty and then she got hungry."

"So she didn't like fishing?"

"Not at all," I laughed.

"Fishing is fun," He said.

"Well I guess you can be my fishing buddy," I said.

We sat there quietly. "Have you ever caught a fish?"

"No, I usually catch leaves," He said.

"Well if you catch one today, you have to kiss it."

"Ew, I'm not kissing a fish," He said. "You can if you want to, but I'm not going to."

I couldn't help but laugh. "Tell you what if you catch a fish I'll send your mama and daddy a picture of you pretending to kiss it."

"Deal," He said.

"So Matt, are you excited about getting a brother or sister?"

"I guess, I really want a brother, but Aunt Alice says it's a girl and that she's never wrong," He said.

I leaned over. "I don't know about Alice, but I think this one is going to be a boy."

I honestly didn't know if it was a boy or girl. I just knew that he was really wanting a brother and I didn't want to hurt his feelings.

Matt's pole started moving. "Papa, look!"

I set my pole down and reached around Matt. "Ok Matt, start reeling it in," I said helping him hold it steady. He reeled it in and I helped him pull it up out of the water.

"I did it papa! I caught my first fish!"

"You did," I said. "Now you must kiss it."

"Nope, you kiss it," I said taking a picture of Matt holding the fish and then taking the worm out of it.

"Is he okay?" Matt asked.

"Lets see if we can save this one," I said tossing him back in the water.

We watched it for a minute as it laid on its side. "He'll be alright, right papa?" Matt asked. "He's just sleeping right?"

"Um, sure buddy," I said hating to tell Matt that the fish had really died. I'd tried to save him.

Matt did better fishing that I thought he would have done. We'd made it three hours out on the boat before he started yawning. We got back to the shore and Matt got into the truck, while I got the boat hooked up to the truck.

"Did you have fun?" I asked him.

"Mhmm," He yawned. "I'm hungry."

"Okay Matt," I said. "We can stop and get you something."

We stopped at Dairy Queen and he ordered the same thing I ordered; cheese burger and milk shake. He was in the middle of his cheese burger when his eyes started to close. "I'm sleepy," He whimpered.

"Lets get you back to the house," I said.

"Okay," He said.

I threw away our trash and asked for a bag to put his leftovers in. I picked him up and carried him out to the car. "I love you papa," He muttered into my neck.

"I love you too, Matt."

We were almost home when my phone rang. "Hello," I answered.

"Hey dad," Bella said.

"Hey Bells, are you guys having fun?" I asked.

"We are, it's peaceful and quiet here," She said. "I just called Sue and she said you had taken Matt fishing."

"I sure did," I said. "We were out on the boat for about three hours and he didn't throw up once."

"Dad seriously, the rocking from the boat on the water didn't work well with my stomach."

"I know, I know. Oh, he caught a fish."

"Yay," She giggled. "Did you make him kiss it?"

"I tried, but he said he'd rather see me kiss it."

"That's funny. Sounds like you two had a lot of fun," She said.

"We did. He's a great kid Bella, you and Edward have done a great job with him."

"Thanks," She said.

"How is Edward, where is he?" I asked.

"He's asleep. We were watching a movie and we fell asleep."

"Like father like son," I laughed. "Matt is passed out in the backseat."

"Dad," She said softly.

"What is it?" I asked.

"Thank you."

"For what?" I asked.

"Being so accepting of Edward and especially Matt, he really loves you."

I swore I heard tears in her voice. "My feelings for Matt are mutual."

"Well, I'll let you go, I'm starting to get tired," She said.

"Are you feeling okay?" I asked her.

"I'm feeling great," She said. "Pregnant, but great."

I laughed. "Well, you get some rest."

"Okay dad, love you," She said.

"You too Bells," I said and hung up.

I carried Matt into the house. "Did he have fun?" Sue asked looking up from her place with Jaycie on the floor.

"He did, he caught his first fish," I told her.

"Charlie, did you get a picture?"

"Of course," I said.

I laid Matt down in Bella's old room and covered him up, then went back into the livingroom.

"Pa," Jaycie squealed when she saw me.

"Well hello to you too," I said sitting down next to Sue. Jaycie crawled over and into my lap. "Have you had a good day?" She smiled kissing my cheek.

"She actually let go of the coffee table and stood alone," Sue said.

"Did you tell Bella?" I asked.

"No, I didn't want to hear her cry," Sue laughed. "I did get a picture though."

"Good," I said.

"Did Bella call you?" Sue asked.

"Yeah she called as I was driving home. I think Matt should call them tomorrow."

"I do too," Sue said. "I was surprised she sounded so relaxed, I thought he might be missing the kids."

"She got a little teary eyed with me, but she was okay."

(Sue)

That night, I was awaken by Jaycie crying. I got up out of bed and went down the hall into Jaycie's room. She was sitting up crying and holding her ear. "What is the matter?" I asked picking her up and hugging her to me. She felt warm. I held her against my chest rocking her gently as she cried.

I took her into the kitchen and grabbed the baby Tylenol and gave her some. "Calm down Jayc," I said walking with her. She was gripping my shirt and sobbing at the top of her lungs. "I've got you Jaycie, it's alright."

"Is she alright?" Charlie asked groggily.

"She felt warm so I gave her some Tylenol, but she wont calm down."

"Here, let me try," Charlie said taking her from me.

"Papa's got you angel," He said. She looked up at him and threw up all down the front of him and started crying harder.

I took her from Charlie so he could go clean up. "You got papa," I told her.

The night was long, she cried or whimpered all night long. Charlie and I took turns walking her and trying to hold her sitting up. We were both exhausted. "I'm not a fan of teen pregnancy, but wow, I sure couldn't start over with a newborn full time," Charlie said.

"You mean, you don't want this baby?" I asked putting my hand on my stomach.

Charlie paled. "What?"

"I'm just kidding," I said laughing. "Yes, this is very hard and I couldn't do this all the time."

By 8am, Charlie and I were exhausted. Luckily Matt had slept through Jaycie's screaming. "I think I'll call Edward and just ask if he wants his dad to look at her."

"That sounds like a plan," Charlie yawned. "I don't go in until four this afternoon, I could stay here with Matt."

"Sounds good," I said.

I called Edward. "Hello," He answered quietly.

"Hey Edward," I said. "I hope I didn't wake you up."

"It's okay, is everything okay?" He asked a little louder.

"Jaycie's been up all night long crying and running a low grade temperature."

"Oh Sue, I'm sorry," He said.

"It's okay, I want to get her checked out. Should I call her doctor or your dad?"

"Why don't you call my dad, she does better with him than her doctor. Do you want me to call him?"

"No, that's fine. I'll call him," I said.

"Okay, just call me back and tell me what you find out," Edward said.

"I will," I assured him.

I called Carlisle immediately after hanging up from Edward. He agreed to meet me in his office to get Jaycie looked at.

Charlie got Jaycie ready while I took a shower and got dressed myself. I could hear Jaycie still crying.

"Here's some coffee," He said handing me a cup.

"Oh my God, I love you," I said taking it from him.

"You are welcome," He laughed.

"Did Renee ever help when Bella was a baby?" I asked him.

"Not much, I did it on my own. Her and I had many sleepless nights," He said.

"How did you do it?" I asked.

"I just did, I knew I didn't have a choice and that it wasn't her fault Renee was a mental case."

"I guess you're right," I said.

"And I drank several pots of coffee some days," He said laughing.

Surprisingly, Jaycie stopped crying as I drove over to the hospital to meet Carlisle. I was glad he was waiting in the waiting room for us. "Well hello," He said taking Jaycie. "Did you keep Mimi up all night?"

"She did a pretty good job of it," I laughed.

We went into Carlisle's office and he looked her all over. "She's got a pretty nasty ear infection," He said picking her up off of the exam table and holding her. "I'll get her on an antibiotic and if you want us to keep the kids tonight instead of waiting until tomorrow night we can."

"I'll talk to Charlie," I said. "Thank you for seeing her."

"She's my granddaughter too and I love her," He said kissing her cheek.

(Edward)

It was 9am and Bella had just gotten up. So far she didn't know Jaycie was sick and I wasn't sure if I should tell her or wait to hear back from Sue. I knew I had to tell her or she would be pissed if I didn't, but if I told her she would just worry.

"Morning," She said coming into the kitchen in just a t-shirt. "Did the phone ring earlier?"

Shit, she'd heard it. "Yeah," I said. "Sue called."

"Is everything alright?" She asked.

"Jaycie was up all night crying, so she was going to take her in to see dad."

"Why didn't you wake me up?" She asked.

"Bella, it's okay," I said softly.

"But my baby is sick," She cried.

Cue pregnancy hormones. "I know and I hate being so far away, but they are taking care of her and will call us when they find out what is going on."

"Do you really think it's going to be alright?" She asked.

"Yes Bella, I really do."

"I just hate being so far away," She cried.

I walked over and held her in my arms. "If I thought it was something serious, we would have been headed back immediately, but I don't think it is."

"Thank you," She cried.

My phone started to ring and I reached for it putting it on speaker. "Hello."

"Hey Edward, we just left the hospital," Sue said.

"Is Jaycie okay?" Bella asked not even trying to hide the shaking in her voice.

Sue laughed softly. "She's fine, she has an ear infection. I'm getting her medicine and then going home."

"Thank God," Bella said wiping her eyes.

"Bella, are you crying?" Sue asked.

"Yes," She said.

"Stop, she's fine," Sue said. "She will be back to her happy self by the time you get back from your honeymoon."

"Okay," She said.

"Thank you for taking care of our girl for us. How is Matt?"

"It's not a problem. Matt was asleep when left, but he's been perfect."

We got off the phone and Bella turned to me. "Next time, wake me up please."

"I will," I said. "I promise."

"Am I over protective?" She asked.

"No Bella, you are a mom and you are pregnant, you are bound to worry."

"Were you really not worried?" She asked.

"No, because I knew if they needed us Sue would have told us to come back."

"I guess you're right," She said softly.

"I usually am," I laughed.

AN- DROP ME A LINE AND LET ME KNOW WHAT YOU THINK! HOPE YOU ENJOYED THIS CHAPTER.

AND IF ANY OF YOU ARE IN OR NEAR BOSTON, STAY SAFE!