Title: Snips and Snails
Genre: Fluff!
Rating: K
Pairing: Bella/Jacob (and their troublesome twins)
Words: 513
Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

Prompt: "Where did you get that bruise?"

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Snips and Snails

Bella stood to her full height, trying her best to look stern in front of her two tiny terrors. Daniel and Dylan gave her their best puppy dog eyes paired with their father's winning smile, and it took every ounce of control she had to keep a straight face.

"Last chance, boys. Are you going to tell me what happened or not?"

The twins exchanged a look of solidarity and straightened their posture, their once-neat braids swinging in muddy disarray down their backs. "Nothing, Momma," they chorused in perfect unison.

With an exasperated huff, Bella threw up her hands and began to pace. "So, you don't know anything about the calls your grandfather has received this afternoon? You don't know what happened to Mrs. Cameron's roses?"

Daniel tucked one hand behind him, checking to see if the flower he'd brought his mother was still in his back pocket. Most of the petals were missing, and he flinched when he pricked his finger on a thorn. Dylan nudged him with an elbow, bringing his attention back to their mom's speech.

"And I'm sure you don't know anything about a bunch of little boys and girls standing on the fence behind the Ateara's store, howling like wolves? Are you trying to get your father in trouble? We have told you how important secrecy is to the Pack, and yet here you are…"

They tuned her out again when they saw their father's silhouette in the front window. His large shoulders were shaking with suppressed laughter, but his four-year-old sons were just excited to see him finally home.

"You know your aunt Rachel called me—she said Sarah had a bruise on her arm from falling off that fence. I thought you two would take better care of your little cousin. What would your father say?" Bella was caught mid-stride by two warm hands that lifted her off her feet and up for a kiss.

Jacob grinned at her surprised squeak and rubbed a hand over her swollen stomach. He did feel bad that his niece was hurt, but he couldn't wait to hold his own little girl in just a few short weeks. In the meantime, his Bells needed her rest.

"Why don't you go and have a nap, honey? I'll handle supper and the boys tonight." She melted in his arms, helpless as usual when he turned on the full force of his sunny charm.

After a slightly less-than-chaste kiss, she gave her sons a final warning look and retreated to the relative sanity of her bedroom. She couldn't hold back a tear when Daniel ran after her to give her the flower he'd 'found.' Dylan rolled his eyes as his brother basically admitted their guilt with that one action.

With his wife out of the way, Jacob scooped up his pups and carried them out onto the porch. They settled on the front steps as he pulled out his pocket knife and began to carve a spare piece of wood.

"So, boys, Uncle Quil tells me we need to work on your howling."