12. A Balance of Family and Friends

11th Week

Our table at lunch suddenly felt over crowded. Quil had joined the pack and was now coming to school at Forks High. Jacob said it would be this way: with the vampires in town more Quileute's would turn. And so another room in our six bedroom house had become occupied.

The situation was starting to bother Charlie. He talked to Billy about it over the phone but Billy couldn't provide any answers.

The four of us now found ourselves sitting in the living room with Charlie. He had called an emergency family meeting. Embry and Quil had planned to leave but Charlie said that since they were living at the house they were family too.

"No more games," Charlie said to us, "You don't think I don't know what's going on? I know you boys leave in the middle of the night or during other odd hours. I know you ditch school. I need to know what's going on."

"Charlie," Jacob said standing up, "It's safer for all of us, for Bella and the twins if you don't."

"Does this have something to do with the recent murders around the area?"

I looked at Jacob. Charlie wasn't as dense as the guys sometimes believed him to be.

"You're not giving me an answer. That tells me it does," Charlie said answering his own question. "Whatever it is you should let the authorities handle it."

"Charlie, you just have to trust us," said Jacob.

"How can I trust you when I don't know what's going on?"

"Can you at least trust that I'll tell you when the timing is right? It's the only way we can keep the four of you safe for the time being."

"And the timing isn't right now?"

"No it's not but it will be soon."

Charlie sighed and looked at me. "I don't suppose you'll tell me what's going on will you Bells?"

"I want to," I replied, "But Jake's right, it's safer right now if you don't know."

"Guess I don't have much of a choice. Does Billy at least know about whatever this is?"

Jacob nodded, "Billy knows everything. I called him and he's grateful that you've been letting us stay. We can't exact go home."

"And why is that again exactly?" The pack and I looked at each other and as Charlie registered our secretive looks he held up his hands, "Never mind. Listen, I hear the things people say about Sam and those boys that hang around him but I'm sure there's a lot of misunderstanding, the same could be said about you three so I'm willing to give you the benefit of the doubt. Whatever it is you're doing or involved with, just be careful all right?"

Jacob smiled, "Not a problem Charlie."

Jake and the boys were gone today. For the first time in a while I'd been left completely alone at school. They had caught a new lead on Laurent and Victoria and didn't want to waste time. All throughout the day I worried about them and not for my own sake but for my baby's as well. With her life tied to Jacob's I worried about what would happen to her should Jacob find himself hurt or worse, killed. Were their souls deeply connected that she would die too? I hated to think of the thought- of losing her before she was even born.

As I walked to my truck instinctively I reached for my belly as if to reassure her that Jacob would be okay and to reassure myself that she and her sibling were safe inside me.

"Bella, hey."

I turned to see Angela come up to me, Jessica stood a foot back.

"Was wondering if we'd get the chance to see you again," Angela said in that friendly tone of hers.

"Sorry I guess I've been pre-occupied lately," I replied.

"Kinda hard not to notice," Jessica said starring at my belly and not at me.

"Listen," Angela said ignoring Jessica's comment, "We're having a sleepover this weekend at my house. We thought you might like to come. I mean we're still friends, right? It could be fun."

"I'm not sure," I answered.

"You should go," Jacob said with a smile as he walked out of the woods toward us.

"So now you show up," I said smiling back.

"What kind of menacing teenager would I be if I kept to a schedule? I've got a reputation to keep around here. So what's this about a sleepover?"

"You know," said Angela. "Just girl talk, no boys allowed, eating on far too many unhealthy calories, that sort of thing."

Of my human friends, Angela was the only one who didn't seem afraid of Jacob, Quil, and Embry. She was the only one who was ever sociable towards them.

"Sounds great," Jacob replied, "You should go Bella. Quil, Embry and I were going to do some stuff anyways."

"What kind of stuff," asked Jessica.

"Camping trip," Jacob lied easily. He had come to know how nosey she was and so he gave her an answer that would work. "Maybe some hunting and rock climbing."

"See," Angela said perking up, "Now you have to come."

"Alright, I nodded, "I will."

"Good," said Jacob. "I'll see you Sunday night."

Before Jacob could take off I reached for his hand. I then placed his other hand on my stomach. I didn't care if I had an audience.

"Hey, be careful out there. These babies need their godfather."

Jacob smiled, "You see me as a godfather to the second one too?"

"Yeah I do."

"Thanks Bella. We'll be safe I promise. And don't worry about anything, just have fun."

"So Mike wants to get back together," I overheard Jessica say as the three of us were in Angela's room. "Which I mean is totally lame right? We had absolutely nothing in common and he wasn't even a good boyfriend anyways."

Being here I'd almost forgotten what it was to be human. Inside me were two half-vampires and outside six teenage wolves were running around.

"I wouldn't worry about Mike," said Angela. "He'll get the hint soon enough."

"He'd better. I hate the puppy dog thing he has going on."

"Speaking of puppy dogs," said Angela, "What about you, Bella?"

"What about me?"

"Come on you've got three huge hot guys hanging around you. Jacob practically follows your every move."

"It's nothing," I replied.

"Nothing, right," Jessica said rolling her eyes. "Jacob is hovering all over you. Wait, it's not his baby is it?"

"No," I shot at her.

"Whew good because if it was that kid would be a monster by the time it got out. As it is you don't look two and a half months pregnant."

"Jess!" Angela scolded.

"Come on I'm not the only one thinking it."

"Yeah but you don't have to say it either," Angela reprimanded. She then turned to me. "So then what's the deal with Jacob and those others?"

"It's complicated," I admitted.

"Okay," Angela said reaching for a fist full of popcorn.

I looked at my friends. Surely they deserved more. They had invited me to hang out and I was being a buzz kill by not engaging in boy talk.

"Jacob and I knew each other growing up," I volunteered to them. "And now with Edward gone- I don't know it's kind of been nice having Jake around."

"Even though he has a thing for you," Jessica asked.

Is that really how it looked from the outside I wondered.

I shook my head, "No its' not like that. Jacob is more like a brother. He's just a little too over protective. He knows it still bothers me that Edward isn't here so he's trying to be there for me and the twins."

I saw my friend's eyes widen.

"Guess I forgot to mention that."

"Uh yeah," said Angela, "When did you find that out?"

"About a week ago."

"Angela smiled and reached across to hug me.

"That's amazing congrats!"

"Thanks."

"Yae, twins for Bella," Jessica said with an underlying sarcastic tone.

Angela rolled her eyes and ignored her. "And what about those two guys that are always with you two?"

"Just friends," I replied.

"Single by any chance?"

"Hey," said Jessica. "Don't you all ready have a boyfriend?"

"I can look."

"I guess but I mean they are kind of hot. So are they single?"

I smiled and looked at them. I couldn't give them the answer they wanted but I couldn't find a good lie either.

The pack had sworn off relationships due to the imprinting issue. Jacob had heard from Billy that Jared had imprinted on a girl in school making three of the six wolves bound forever with their soul mates. And after the whole Leah, Sam, and Emily triangle none of the boys wanted to take that kind of risk again.

I turned my head to the window hoping that Jake and his brothers were okay.