Don't own anything except OC's.

Chapter 9: Bouncing baby boy

2017: Claire 14-years-old

Quil's POV

"But I would walk 500 miles! And I would walk 500 more! Just to be that man who walk a thousand miles to fall down at your door—"

I slammed my hand down on the radio and growled threateningly. "Collin, shut the fuck up," I snapped.

He smirked widely at me. "Getting a bit angry there, Quilly? You may need to work on that."

Why oh why had I let him come along to Makah today? I knew it was a bad idea from the second I had asked him to come and he screamed excitedly whilst jumping up and down clapping his hands together. Collin had been my last resort to bring down to help Claire and I with redecorating her bedroom. Jake had been the first, but he, Ness, Seth and Aurora were shopping for the day in Port Angeles, also eliminating my second choice of Seth. Embry wanted to spend time with his seven month old daughter, Adrianna, so I didn't even ask him to come. Everyone else was busy and Collin was the only person free.

Claire had decided three months ago that she wanted to change her pink and purple room into something more "grown up". Her parents refused for a long time, but then finally agreed if I would help her. We had already been shopping for her furniture two weeks ago and it was getting delivered next weekend, the weekend before Claire's big fourteenth birthday slumber party. She was really happy that her friends were going to see her new bedroom, so everything with Collin was worth it for the extra spring in Claire's step.

"You've played it 25 times, Collin," I yelled back. "It was between shutting the radio off or throwing you out the car, so count yourself lucky."

He waved his arms around violently. "It's the best damn song in the world, that's why! You can never get sick of it." I glared hatefully at him and he retracted slightly. "Okay, maybe not never…"

It was a good job we pulled up outside Claire's house at that moment because I was five seconds away from ringing his neck. Breathing deeply, I grabbed the paint pots from the back of the car and ran up to the house to knock on the door.

"Hey, Quil, she's in her bedroom," Jasmine smiled, standing aside to let me through. "Oh, hello," she said to Collin.

"This is my friend, Collin," I explained quickly, eager to see Claire. "Claire asked him to come along to help."

It was partly true. She had asked me to bring someone as her best girlfriend, Gabby, was also helping us and she didn't want me to feel "left out". As I said before, Collin was the best I could find.

She shook his hand and then went back into her study room. I took the stairs three at a time until I got into her bedroom. Claire looked over her shoulder at the sound of the door opening and her face split into a wide grin. "Hey, Quil," she smiled, walking over to give me a tight hug. "And Collin," she laughed as he came into the room. "Did you bring the paint?"

"All four colours, Claire-Bear," I winked.

She flushed bright red and picked at the end of her top. "Thanks," she mumbled, rushing back over to the wall. Confused, I watched her as she tied her hair into a high bun on the top of her head. Was she okay? "Oh, guys, this is Gabby, Gab, this is Quil and Collin."

The girl looked around the same age as Claire and had long, wavy brown hair tied back in a high ponytail. She turned to wave at us and I saw she had big, almond-shaped green eyes. Her skin was the same colour as Claire's, a dark, smooth cream. "Hey," she greeted.

I smiled at her and turned to tell Collin to be nice, but he was looking at her like she was a priceless diamond. Raising my eyebrows, I clicked my fingers in his face. He didn't even blink. I opened my mouth to yell at him, then it hit me. He'd imprinted on her. Collin Littlesea, annoying shit extraordinaire, had imprinted on Claire's best friend.

That son of a bitch.

Gritting my teeth, I thumped him in the back a little harder than I intended and he fell five feet forward. He looked around like a lost puppy for a second before his eyes landed back on Gabby. "I'm Collin," he breathed softly.

"Gabriella, but call me Gabby," she replied kindly.

Claire sent me a freaked out look from just beside Collin and I shrugged like I didn't know what was going on. Claire was still too young to know what was going on with the tribe and the fact that I had...a fury problem. It was my job to protect her and putting her in danger with angry vampires wasn't going to happen for a very, very long time. Not only that, but if I told her I didn't know how she would react to the news and I didn't want to risk her not speaking to me. One day I would tell her, I knew I would, but I didn't have a planned date.

Claire was growing up though, it was easy to see. She was taller, her face had lost its childish roundness, from hugging her, I knew she was getting a waist, and she had a slight swing when she walked. The changes weren't just clear in her physical wise, but mentally, too. She was smarter and was finding herself properly. She was figuring out who and where she wanted to go in life. By certain situations and the way the acted in them I knew she was getting older, and I didn't know whether I was happy or sad.

I missed the days she would tell me everything about boys and talk to me about her crushes. Whenever I mentioned a boy now, she would just blush and tell me she wasn't talking to me about boys. She no longer needed my help on homework or reaching the top cupboard in the kitchen. I still wanted to do those things for her, but she wouldn't let me. She was more independent now and even though I was extremely glad she was happy and finding herself, I missed doing odd small jobs for her that made me feel like I had accomplished something in life by making her smile.

"Man, act cool or you'll freak them both out," I hissed into Collin's ear as I passed.

He cleared his throat loudly, ran a hand through his hair and then turned to pick up a paint brush from the floor.

Shaking my head, I picked up the yellow paint, Claire's favourite colour and what she was painting her room in, and poured it into the paint tray. "How's school, Claire?" I asked as I rolled the roller through the paint.

"It's okay. Bigger and harder, but nothing I can't handle," she replied, leaning against the wall as I applied the paint. "Do it neat, Quil. According to my mom this is going to be my bedroom until I move out."

"Is Nora still doing the stencils?"

"Yeah. I said she could borrow my clothes anytime she wanted if she did them for me."

"Bribery, I've taught you well," I chuckled.

We talked for a long while longer and I tried to keep track of Collin with my sensitive ears. He was making small talk with Gabby and trying to act cool, but failing terribly. He even stepped into the paint and fell over at one point. Gabby didn't seem to find it incredibly embarrassing like I did, she was laughing happily and painted a flower on his cheek with the white paint she was using to do the one wall Claire wanted that colour. Claire picked up a paint brush about an hour in and began applying to the wall beside me. Her bedroom was only small so it was easy for us to keep up conversation.

We paused to get lunch at around two. Jasmine was still in her study writing reports for her work, Oliver was at work and Nora was around her boyfriends, so the house was quiet. Just as I had finished my fourth bowl of pasta, my phone rang.

"Hello?"

"Hey, Quil," Seth said sounding quite panicked.

"Everything alright, Seth?" I questioned, immediately alert at the tone of his voice.

"Not really. Aurora's gone into labour."

Collin, who had heard with his sensitive ears, perked up and devoured the last of his pasta. "Oh, shit," I said, thinking of them being in Port Angeles. "Where are you now? Do you need me to come and get you?"

"No, but I need you to call Carlisle and get him to go to the Cullen house as soon as he can," he ordered with a long, haggard breath. "She's not that far along, I don't think, but this is the first hybrid pregnancy we know of so we don't know what's going to happen. We're coming home now but none of us have our cell-phones and I'm borrowing some random woman's phone to call you. Thanks for that, by the way," his voice muffled a little like he had taken the phone away from his mouth.

"I'm calling him now, Seth."

"Thanks man."

I hit the button and quickly searched for Carlisle's number in my phone. I found the Cullen's home number and rang. "Hello?" a bored voice huffed.

"Rosalie? Can you put Carlisle on?"

"Sure. Carlisle, Quil needs you!"

"Hello, Quil, what can I do for you?" the Doc asked seconds later.

"Aurora's gone into labour and Seth needs you to set up in the Cullen's house," I explained hurriedly. "He's on his way from Port Angeles now and he said he doesn't think she's that far along, but you don't know what this pregnancy is like."

"I estimated she had another month to go," he murmured almost to himself. "Okay. I'll get my things and then I'll go down straight away."

"I've got them ready!" Bella screamed from somewhere in the background.

After saying our goodbyes, I flicked the phone shut and turned to Claire, Gabby and Collin. "Fancy going to wait for Aurora to have her kid?" I asked so calmly it was almost comical.

Claire squealed and jumped up from her seat in excitement, but stopped short. "Can you come?" she asked Gabby worriedly.

"My parents think I'm staying here anyway. It won't make a difference," she shrugged.

"Awesome!" Claire beamed, running to the study to tell her mom. Collin went to start the car up as I waited for the girls to put on their shoes and coats.

We made it back to Forks in just over an hour. Collin made us stop off at the shop for some energy bars, drinks and some sweets before we went to the Cullen's house. The Cullen's must have transported back because they were already there judging by the strong smell of vampires. The Cullen's had moved away from Forks two months after Seth and Aurora's wedding to Abbotsford, a town near the border of Alaska. Edward and Bella often came down to Forks to see Jake, Nessie and Charlie, but they had to come in disguises made by Alice. Jake, Ness, Seth and Aurora lived in the Cullen's house now, though Jake and Ness recited at the cottage on a night for privacy. Aiden and Brady had taken their places in the apartment.

"Hey guys," Alice sighed as we walked into the living room. She was sat on the sofa rubbing her head like it was hurting. Was that even possible for a vampire? They couldn't get the flu, could they?

"Aurora's nearly back," Jasper told us from his place beside his wife. "She's about fifteen minutes away now."

We took a seat on the other sofa and turned on the telly to watch a football game. Emmett joined us, muttering something about Edward chucking him out of the room for being annoying. I could hear Carlisle, Rosalie, Bella and Edward upstairs messing on with what was sure to be hospital equipment. Esme was in the kitchen making some brownies that she gave to Claire and Gabby after they came out the oven.

Jasper was right about them being close. The car pulled up outside exactly fifteen minutes later. Jake and Nessie walked through the door first and joined us on the sofa with slightly amused and scared looks on their faces. Seth and Aurora toddled after them, Seth looked like he was about to pass out and Aurora looked totally fine and collected.

"Hey guys!" she chirped when she seen us, rubbing her bump. "What are you doing here?" she asked as Claire hugged her.

"We're here to see the baby," Claire giggled gleefully. "Gabby, this is Aurora and Nessie, my kind-of older sisters. That's Jake and Seth, their husbands," she introduced.

Aurora hugged Gabby gently before handing her over to Nessie who kissed her on the cheek. They had figured out Collin had imprinted on her, no doubt by the way he was keeping an eye on her not-so-sneakily. Damn, I hoped I didn't look like that when I looked at Claire.

"Oh, Aurora," Rosalie breathed, running down the stairs. "How are you feeling?"

"Brilliant," Aurora answered cheerfully. "I can't say the same for Seth, though. Is there something you can give him so he doesn't faint on me?"

"Yes. A slap," Rosalie replied sweetly.

Aurora laughed, but cut short and grabbed her stomach in pain, taking deep breaths through her nose and out her mouth. Rosalie rubbed her back until it was over and then worriedly ushered her upstairs. Seth stayed down looking severely pale and gaunt.

"Damn, Seth, you're acting like you're the one in labour," Emmett sniggered.

Seth blinked at him. "What?" he asked blankly.

"Why are you so freaked out?" I asked, patting him on the back. "Your kid's on the way, man."

"That's why I'm so freaked out," he replied in a nervous voice. He glanced towards the stairs and leaned in closer to whisper. "This is the first pregnancy like this and no one knows what's going to happen, that's why everyone's so weird right now. What if it turns out like Nessie's? I can't—she can't," his voice broke off.

I finally understood his worry and grabbed his shoulder in comfort. "She'll be fine, Seth. She would be in a lot worse state if it was going to be a hard labour."

"But she's only been pregnant for just over four months—"

"She'll be fine," Jake joined in, thumping him on the back gently. Well, gently for him, it still made a hard smacking sound. "You just need to go in there and support her, she'll be pissed if you don't."

"Yeah, yeah, you're right," he took a deep breath. "Could you call my mom…and Leah...and Emily…and—"

"We'll call everyone in our phone book," Collin promised. "Now go, idiot, before I bite your head off."

Seth jogged up the stairs and into Edward's room, the room they were using for this. Collin, Jake and I kept our promise and rang everyone we could think Seth would want to know. Sue and Charlie turned up soon after we rang them, and Leah promised to get down as soon as she was out of work. James, who was now off travelling the world, requested Aurora ring him as soon as she could.

"Do you think it's a boy or a girl?" Claire asked, her head in my lap as I stroked her hair. She was still in the clothes she had been painting in, black yoga pants and a too big orange top with the words 'Love. Peace. Respect. Hope.' in large block letters. She had abandoned her ballet shoes and I could see her muti-coloured toenails, and yellow paint on her arms, face, hair and the bottoms of her legs. How she had managed that, I didn't know.

"Don't know, what do you think?"

"Boy. I have a feeling," she grinned cheekily. "Collin and Gab seem to be getting on well," she commented, trying to sound casual. Underlined in her voice I could tell she was a little curious and freaked out.

"That's a good thing, right?" I said, hoping she didn't say a bad answer. If this imprint was like the others Collin was going to be spending a lot of time with Gabby now, and I didn't want Claire to get upset and loose her best girlfriend over this.

"I suppose," she lowered her voice. "It's just a little weird how they're so chummy after only a few hours, don't you think? Gabby's never usually like this with strangers."

"They have a bond, I guess."

"And there's a big age gap between them, isn't there?"

"We do too, Claire-Bear," I reminded her.

Her eyes went thoughtful after that and she relaxed a little more, though I could see her shooting glances at Collin and Gabby from the corner of her eyes. We only had to wait two hours before there was a loud groan heard from above followed by a crying baby. Sue let out a watery laugh and Claire grabbed my arm in anticipation. Everything was silent for a long while until the room door opened and Seth came out.

"It's a boy!" he announced proudly.

Cheers and congratulations burst from everyone. I hugged Seth and patted him on the back, followed by the other guys. Nessie kissed Seth on the cheeks and then rushed upstairs to see Aurora. Seth said the baby was getting cleaned up and Aurora was having a bath. We had to wait another 45 minutes until people could go upstairs. The room had been cleaned when we got in, all traces of hospital stuff had been shoved into the cupboard and Aurora was sat up on a bed with the baby, dressed in a little blue baby grower, in her arms. She didn't look like she had just given birth. She was in a flowing black dress to her knees, her hair was in a high ponytail and there were no signs of strain or sweat on her face.

Seth sat on the bed next to her, kissed her lips and then the baby's head. "Mom, come meet your grandson," he requested. Sue sniffed and took small steps forward until she was in front of Aurora and being handed the baby.

I rested my arms on Claire's shoulders and put my chin on top of her head and she sent me a wide smile.

"What's his name?" Nessie asked from the end of the bed.

Seth and Aurora shared a look. "Um, we were thinking of calling him...Harrison James Clearwater," Seth said quietly. "Or Harry, for short."

"That is if you don't mind, Sue," Aurora added hastily. "We totally understand if you do."

Sue chuckled and looked down to the gurgling baby in her arms. "He looks like a Harry," she whispered. "I love it."

Claire sighed dreamily. "He's adorable."

"He defiantly is, Aunt Claire," Aurora winked.

Claire giggled joyfully. "Aunt Claire, that's so cool."

"Here, you can hold him," Sue whispered through what sounded like a thick throat. She carefully manoeuvred him into her arms and Claire kept tight hold, but I hovered just in case. Sue went back over to Seth and Aurora to hug them and then sat on the end of the bed with Nessie.

"I'm going to be the best Aunt ever, Harry," Claire cooed to the baby that looked so much like Seth it was scary. The only difference was that's Harry's skin was a few tones lighter than Seth's.

"Damn, Seth, he's the carbon copy of you," I told him.

Jake leaned over Claire's shoulder and snorted a little. "Are you sure this isn't just a clone of Seth?"

"Oh dear God there's two of them," Collin muttered after looking at the baby.

Seth rolled his eyes at him. "You're privileged to have two of me," he joked. "Feel incredibly lucky."

"Or unlucky, depending on how you look at it," I joked lightly.

Claire and I cooed over the baby for a little longer until Jake demanded a hold of Harry. Harry was small anyway, but in Jake's arms he looked tiny. Sue chuckled at the sight and brought out a camera from deep within her bag to snap a picture. Harry was passed around like a new toy for an hour before he landed back in Sue's arms gurgling loudly.

"Are you going to let me baby-sit?" Claire asked excitedly, jumping onto the bed beside Nessie.

"If you want to," Aurora grinned. "Could you handle a crying baby?"

"I'll have Quil with me. I can handle anything," Claire said flippantly.

My heart burst in happiness that she thought so much of me. My cheeks started to ache from smiling so much, but I didn't care. It was good to know that even though she was growing up and becoming more independent, she still thought so much of me.

We stayed for another three hours and left just after seeing Leah take Harry into her arms and shed a few tears. The rest of us left to let the Clearwater family have a moment together, plus I had to get Claire and Gabby back to the Young house.

"I'll come by tomorrow," I said as I kissed Claire on the forehead. She still let me do that without complaining, though I wasn't allowed to hug her and spin her around anymore. "We'll finish the bedroom, promise."

She nodded and smiled at me before pulling Gabby out of the car. Gabby turned back and waved at us, though I was sure it was aimed more at Collin than me.

"I can't believe I imprinted," Collin breathed dreamily. "Isn't she amazing? She's so smart and happy and bright and—"

"Yeah, I get it," I interrupted, knowing he would go on forever if I didn't stop him. "Congratulations, I'm happy for you, man."

"Thanks." He smiled at me with a dazed expression.

I shook my head and carried on speeding down the road. I had a feeling Collin would be visiting Makah with me a lot more.

Thoughts?

Thank you for the reviews, favourites and alerts! Hope you like the chapter!

There were some questions in the reviews, hope I answer them all! Aurora is Seth's imprint and half-vampire, she was Nahuel's 'date' to Jacob and Nessie's wedding and met Seth at the reception. I actually have a one-shot written about them but I didn't think anyone would be interested, if you are please tell me and I'll post it!

Also, yes Claire's POV is in the story (chapter 12) but I waited until she was older because doing a child's POV proved to be difficult when I tried. But later there will be a lot more of her POV.

Please ask any questions you have! I hate being confused during a story that I'm reading, so make sure to ask!

-Laylax