27. Saturday Night

BPOV

I stepped back from Jacob and his buddies, knowing the transformation process was beginning. I hoped they would forgive me for interfering. Of course, this time around, they had no real reason to hate the Cullens, other than raw prejudice, because Edward hadn't broken my heart and left me to fall into a catatonic state. There were many upsides to being a werewolf, and I was hoping they would understand that.

"Guys, I still want to be your friend, regardless of what you decide about the Cullens. Please call me either way. I have a lot of information I believe you have a right to know. Tonight is not the best time to discuss it though. You're already in information overload, so I really want to hook up with you tomorrow, whether it is with the Cullens or without," I pleaded, staring intensely into each set of eyes, willing them to sense my sincerity.

They all nodded and smiled, relaxing slightly. Quil and Embry both looked to Jacob, already beginning to defer to him as their spokesman. I guess some instinctual part of them knew he was the Alpha. Jacob stood a bit taller, with the two of them flanking him, lending him their unwavering and unspoken support.

"The guys and I need to discuss this whole situation. I'll call you in the morning, Bella," he informed me calmly. He seemed to struggle with himself again, before softly adding, "Be safe, Bells. We don't want you to get hurt."

I nodded sadly, understanding his concern. "The Cullens won't hurt me, Jacob. In fact, they'll protect me with their own lives."

He nodded again, watching me head back to my truck. All three of them simply stared after me, unmoving, as I drove away, back to my house. Once I crossed the border of La Push, I whipped out my cell phone, calling Edward. I was feeling a bit panicky. Edward answered on the first ring.

"Bella?"

"Oh, Edward, I felt them. Their body temperature has already started rising. Can Alice still see them? Are they coming tomorrow? Are they going to cause trouble?"

"Calm down, love. Let me ask her." I heard him talking to Alice in the background. They were speaking too softly for me to overhear their conversation. The second the hum of voices went silent, I jumped right in, wanting answers.

"Edward? What is it? What did she see?"

"Bella, calm down. You don't need to get so worried. The future is full of static right now; there are occasional glimpses, but mostly just jumbled color. Our whole family is looking that way for tomorrow morning, so I'm guessing the boys do accept our offer for brunch."

"Is there any trouble? Any fighting? Is everything okay?"

He hesitated, and I felt my panic spike again. He sighed. "She can't see that. She only knows they're coming, but not the outcome. I suppose it will depend on whether or not they choose to listen and be influenced by us."

"Oh," I whispered. I would do anything to keep Edward safe and out of harm's way. I didn't know what else to say then.

"Look, I'm going to inform the rest of the family while we're at it, and then I'll join you in your bedroom, where we can talk privately."

"Thanks, Edward. I really need you right now."

"Goodnight, Bella. I'll see you in a few."

I hung up, feeling so much better. I had Edward and would soon be in his arms again. That thought alone was enough to improve my attitude and outlook.

I made it safely home, and told Charlie about spending the day with Jake and his friends, neglecting to mention that the Cullens were there too. I didn't really want him to slip up and mention anything to Billy before we had things resolved, especially since the two of them would be spending most of the day fishing together tomorrow. I certainly didn't want to get Jacob in trouble with his father or the tribe. That wouldn't help our case at all.

After a few more minutes of conversation, I excused myself to bed, kissing Charlie goodnight. I was both apprehensive and excited as I made my way upstairs, wondering if Edward was ensconced in my room yet. I was disappointed to find my room completely empty, but figured I might as well use the time to get ready for bed.

After finishing my nightly routine, I crawled under the covers, wondering why Edward was taking so long to get to me. I heard my dad coming up the stairs, treading heavily with fatigue. He moved into his room and was soon snoring. I was glad I didn't have to share a room with him, considering how loud the snoring was coming through the wall. I wondered briefly if Renée had left him mostly because she couldn't get a good night's sleep. I chuckled to myself at first at how ridiculous that sounded, but then realized how cranky and irritable people get when sleep deprived. Perhaps there was more to my theory than I had originally considered. Being fatigued and impatient, having a short fuse, would lead to more fights and disagreements. People snap more when they're tired and irritable. Maybe someday I would do a dissertation on the subject. Can poor sleep ruin a relationship? At least that's one less concern that vampires have, seeing as how they don't need sleep.

As I was pondering the tragic catastrophe of my parents' marriage, Edward hopped through the window. I grinned happily at him, thankful to have him take my mind off of unpleasant memories. He responded with his crooked smile, which literally took my breath away. I was lost in his gaze, my heart rate racing erratically, when he reminded me to breathe. Ugh. How many humans have to be reminded to breathe? Pathetic. I took in a deep lungful of air, which also helped calm me in the process. Edward joined me under the covers, snuggling into the electric warmth.

I turned on my side to face him, my hand rubbing over his upper chest, as he gazed deeply into my eyes.

"So, how's the rest of the family doing?" I wondered.

He sighed. "Everybody is busy making plans and contingency plans, trying to consider every possible scenario and the way we should handle each and every possible situation. I could use a little distraction for the time being, if you don't mind?"

I smiled seductively at him. "Oh, I don't mind Edward. I'd like a little one-on-one time with you."

He bent his head to mine and started kissing me, slowly and carefully. I moaned, running my hands up his back and into his hair. We continued making out for a few blissful moments, before Edward inevitably pulled away. I groaned at the frustration of being all hyped up with no release in sight.

I started singing under my breath, "I can't get no sa-tis-fac-tion, though I try and I try and I try and I try. I can't get no…satisfaction."

I felt Edward's chest rumbling with barely suppressed laughter. "Awww, poor baby," he crooned at me. I felt like punching him, but knew it would only hurt my hand. I growled and turned my back on him instead. He pulled me back against his chest and started humming my lullaby. Stupid prudish vampire with his stupid sleep-inducing lullaby was my last thought before I drifted off into dreamland, where I finally found my satisfaction.

=======================================================================

I woke to the feel of cold, hard lips moving against mine. I inhaled deeply through my nose, enjoying the intoxicating aroma of his sweet breath. If one has to wake up, this is definitely the way to go. I hummed in pleasure and felt him smile against my lips. Before I could stop myself, my arms were around him, my hands rubbing over his back, neck, and shoulders. He pulled away about a foot, far enough to bring me to my senses, and I cursed internally.

"I wasn't finished yet," I pouted, trying out my puppy dog eyes. He grinned, unimpressed.

"Sorry, love, but I think Alice has perfected that expression, and I've gradually learned to ignore her. You'll have to try a lot harder than that to get past my inhibitions."

Humph. That sounded like a challenge to me. I would find his weakness eventually and exploit it for all it's worth. I bit my lower lip in thought. He groaned and swooped down to capture my mouth again, his tongue lightly tracing my bottom lip. I was surprised, lost in thought, trying to figure out what had happened. Aha! He liked it when I bit my lower lip. Hmmm. I filed that information away for future use. I would discover which buttons to press if it killed me. Hopefully, it would eventually kill me, though I would continue to live in every way that mattered. I would have the perfect husband and the perfect family.

As my thoughts drifted to my vampire family, the events of the previous day crashed into my consciousness. I shot into a sitting position, gazing at Edward in apprehension.

"Jacob! Has he called yet? Is Charlie still here?"

Edward sat up beside me and gently stroked my cheek. "Relax, love. Charlie left an hour ago, and Jacob hasn't called yet."

"Should I call him? Should we call Alice? Have her visions changed at all?" I panicked.

He continued stroking my cheek soothingly, while rubbing my back with the other hand. "Just be patient, love. It is still fairly early to be expecting a call, and Alice will call us the minute anything changes. Everything is going to be fine, I'm sure."

I took a deep breath. I couldn't just sit here and wait, not knowing what Jacob and his buddies were planning. If anything bad happened to my family because of my little plan, I would never forgive myself. Or if I had endangered the boys in any way. Would the other wolves find them now? Would the brainwashing of hatred and death begin? Would it be too late? Would the wolves fight amongst themselves? What had I done? What had I been thinking?

Edward could hear my heart racing and my hyperventilating. He knew I was having an anxiety attack and decided to snap me out of it by kissing me again. It worked all too well. I couldn't think straight whenever I was in his arms. I forgot to be worried or concerned. The house could probably fall down around us, and it wouldn't faze me. My wits were definitely addled. He pulled away again, shortly after he felt me respond. I wondered if I could control my response, if he would kiss me longer. But who would want to kiss someone who was completely unresponsive? You might as well kiss your hand and pretend it's your lover.

I couldn't wait around, thinking about all the possibilities. I could see why Edward wanted me to distract him last night. He obviously didn't want to return the favor any more than necessary, so I decided it was time for a human moment. Whenever the fun started, I needed to be prepared to face it, whatever it may be.

I hopped out of bed, thankful I didn't trip for once. It allowed me to make a more graceful exit. I congratulated myself on that the whole way to the shower, allowing myself to add a little extra sway to my hips as I 'glided' out of the room. Well, perhaps glided is too graceful a term. Not tripping over anything in my path is about as graceful as I ever get.

Unfortunately, in my haste to exploit my new found balance, I forgot to grab a change of clothes. I felt the blush forming on my cheeks as I realized I needed to go back into the room and get them, while Edward would watch in amusement. How embarrassing. Of course, I could just go ahead and take my shower and return to my room simply wrapped in my towel. Then the towel could slip while I'm looking for my clothes. I wonder how long he could hold on to his inhibitions if I stood before him in nothing but my birthday suit. No, that would be wrong. My mind was positively drooling over the idea of Edward being so overcome with desire for me that he would take me right then and there. My heart, on the other hand, whispered a warning. How would I feel if he rejected me after I bared all? I would be utterly devastated, drowning in feelings of despair, rejection, and hopelessness. It wasn't worth the risk.

I worked up my courage and marched back into my room. Edward raised his eyebrows in surprise as I came through the door looking exactly the same as I did when I left. I ignored him and gathered my fresh clothes. His lips twitched and his eyes shone with amusement as he realized what had happened, but he wisely chose not to comment.

I took a nice hot shower, trying to reduce the tension in my neck and shoulders. What if Jacob calls while I'm in the shower? Would Edward pick up the phone? Would Jake leave a message? I decided to rush through the shower a little faster than usual, so I wouldn't miss Jake's call. I threw my clothes on and ran the brush through my hair, then hurried back into the bedroom with my pajamas. Edward was waiting patiently in my rocking chair.

Just as I was going to sit in Edward's lap and let him calm me, my phone rang. I startled and jerked around, promptly falling onto the bed. Edward chuckled and, faster than my eyes could trace, he had gotten the phone and was handing it to me. I growled at him, though it wasn't his fault. I didn't like him laughing at my natural balance handicap. I answered the phone cautiously, hoping for good news.

"Hello?"

"Hi, Bella. It's me, Jacob." His voice was impassive, neither excited nor disturbed. I didn't know if that was a good thing or a bad thing.

"Hey, Jacob. I'm really glad you called. So what did you guys decide?"

"We've decided to come to the brunch, but we want answers. No more pretending or lying. We want the truth." His voice sounded harder now, more stern.

"Of course, Jacob. I agree that you need to be told the truth. Should I bring the SUV?"

There was a hesitation.

"No, just drive your truck."

"Okay, Jacob," I accepted, my voice heavy with disappointment. "I'll be over to pick you up shortly."

"We'll be waiting." Then he hung up without saying goodbye. I gently hung up the phone on my end and looked at Edward with troubled eyes. His face had become the mask he uses when he wants to hide his feelings—his public mask—which makes his face appear to be carved out of stone. I bit my lip in concern. This wasn't going as well as I had hoped. Edward's features softened, and he pulled me onto his lap, rubbing my back.

"Don't worry, love. Everything's going to be alright," he murmured, kissing the top of my head. I sighed, pulling away to look up at him with a smile.

"Thanks, Edward. Well, let's get this show on the road. Waiting will only prolong the torture. I'm going to go and get them now and bring them to your house. You can run home and warn the family of the impending invasion."

He nodded and carried me downstairs. I didn't object like I usually would. Today, I wanted the comfort I could only find in his arms. He walked me out to the car, shutting and locking the front door behind us. He held the door open for me as I climbed into the driver's seat, then leaned in to give me a goodbye kiss. I smiled nervously.

"Here goes nothing," I muttered, backing out of the driveway. He watched me drive away before taking off into the forest. I took my time driving to La Push. I felt a little better in one way, that I was actually doing something instead of just waiting. On the other hand, the closer I got to my destination, the stronger my nausea got. Had the boys actually changed yet? The process had started last night, but how long would the process take? Had they talked to the other wolves? I was worried about what might be awaiting me at Jacob's house.

I pulled onto the dirt road leading to Jacob's house and saw the three boys exit the door, no doubt having heard my truck approaching. When I got to them, I stopped and stared. They had all grown at least three inches overnight and their muscles had grown and become more defined. They didn't look fifteen anymore. The boyishness had left their faces. They looked more like eighteen. I knew they would be turning heads where ever they went. I was actually looking forward to bringing them around Forks, just to see the looks on Lauren's and Jessica's faces when they saw them. I would get a kick at seeing them throw themselves at a group of fifteen-year-old boys. I especially wanted to see their expressions after informing them of the boys' true age, after they had fawned and flirted and made sufficient fools of themselves.

Bella! I fussed at myself. Those were not very nice thoughts. There was no need for me to stoop to their level. They hadn't really done anything to me yet, since I didn't bother making friends with them in the first place.

I watched the boys all come around and get into the truck, and finally looked past their new bulging muscles to realize they were all wearing high-waters and really tight t-shirts. I started giggling, and they glared at me. The poor boys had outgrown all their clothes overnight! Alice was going to have a field day with this, at least if they let her. Of course, that meant they'd be ripping out of five hundred dollar outfits whenever they transformed, so maybe Alice wasn't such a good idea. I controlled my giggling and settled for a smirk.

"Wow, I think you guys are going to make high-waters fashionable," I teased. They growled at me in annoyance. "No, seriously. Not many people could pull that look off successfully." They huffed at me, all three folding their arms across their chests and refusing to look in my direction.

"Relax, guys, the girls will all be much too distracted ogling your new muscles to even notice what you're wearing. I mean, look how long it took me, and I'm already in love with someone else."

They all looked at me then, smirking happily. Quil leered. "Did you like what you saw?"

"Oh, yeah. If I wasn't already taken, I'd seriously give you guys a run for your money. Well, once you turned sixteen anyway. I was actually thinking of introducing you to some of the girls from my school, just so I could watch them fawn all over you."

All three of them chuckled, losing their self-consciousness. I hadn't pulled away from the house yet, as I wanted the guys somewhat at ease before I took them to the Cullens. It wouldn't help matters if they were already tense before they got there. I was glad Billy wasn't there. I wasn't sure I was ready to face him yet, now that Jacob had begun changing.

The drive to the Cullens was uneventful. None of the boys wanted to talk, so I let the silence continue. Everyone was lost in their own thoughts, so the quiet wasn't awkward. As I pulled close to the house, I saw Jacob tense slightly out of the corner of my eye. My thoughts, however, were centered on the gorgeous young man waiting for me on the front porch. He smiled at me and was at the driver's side door, opening it for me the second I came to a stop. The wolves piled out warily.

EPOV

I heard Bella's truck approaching from a mile away and stepped out onto the front porch to wait for her. All of my family members were apprehensive and each were dealing with it in their own way. I tuned out their thoughts, especially Jasper, who was caught between sending out calming waves and desiring to throw Alice over his shoulder and run until they were out of the danger zone. He wasn't afraid for himself, but he was terrified something might happen to Alice.

I saw all three boys tense when they noticed me, but they were more wary than hostile. I dashed over to Bella's door as she pulled into position, anxious to have her safely in my arms again. I understood Jasper's desire completely. I was battling with my own self not to run away with Bella and keep her far away from the soon to be wolves. I inhaled their scent. They didn't smell bad yet, but didn't smell as nice as they did yesterday. They had developed a slightly musty odor, which was still much better than wet dog. They wrinkled their noses a bit, and I could tell that my scent wasn't as pleasant to them as it was yesterday either.

Bella and I led them toward the house. Without even thinking about it, Jacob took the front position, with Embry and Quil flanking him on either side. I checked their thoughts, but they weren't even aware of what they were doing. They were all nervous though, wondering how to behave around us now that they knew what we were. They were looking to Bella to guide their own behavior, and were confused at how comfortable she was walking with my arm around her shoulders and hers around my waist. They had seen our brief kiss as I helped her out of her truck and were still in shock over it.

We all went inside and Esme met us in the living room. She immediately gave Bella a loving hug. "Good morning, dear. I'm always so happy to see you here with us."

Bella returned her hug, a radiant smile on her face that wasn't lost on the boys.

"Good morning, Esme. It smells absolutely fabulous in here, though you guys probably don't think so."

"Don't mind us, sweetie, we don't need to breathe after all, and it's certainly worth it to make you happy."

Esme turned to the boys and lit up like a Christmas tree. She clapped her hands, radiating joy and excitement, as if her child had come home from a semester at college. "Oh, boys! I was so hoping you would come. I've made all kinds of yummy things for you. Lots of meat for growing boys. Emmett is even out grilling steaks for you right now. I had him run to the store for them earlier."

I listened in to the boys' thoughts.

How can she be a bloodsucker when she looks at me like that? Like I'm the prodigal son returned to her at last. Nobody has ever looked at me that way. Like I've brightened their day with just my presence, and they can't wait to scoop me up in their embrace and shower me with love and attention and all my favorite things until I never want to leave again. I bet my own mom would have looked at me that way. Like I've finally come home, Jacob thought.

My nose is having an orgasmic experience. I'm salivating already. Did she say steak? I love her. I don't care if she's a leech. She certainly knows the way to a man's heart, and she can have mine as long as she keeps feeding me this way. And Carlisle doesn't even eat, so how can he truly appreciate her properly?Embry reflected.

Man, this woman is June Cleaver, Martha Stewart, and Betty Crocker all rolled into one. Is she like the perfect woman, or what? I wonder if I could be an honorary son? pondered Quil.

Esme glided over to Jacob, embracing him joyfully. He was stiff for a moment, but then melted, wrapping his arms around her and resting his cheek on top of her head. Esme responded by going into full mom mode. I had told her that Jacob lived alone with his wheelchair-bound father. She stepped back, and he reluctantly let her go.

"Well, look at you! You must have grown at least three inches since yesterday. And look at all those muscles! You're going to have a hard time fighting off the girls when you go back to school tomorrow," she enthused, beaming proudly at them. "Now why don't you go get washed up for breakfast? The food is ready when you are."

Now, she is a mom with a capital M. "Sure thing, Mom," Jacob answered, then blushed as he realized what he said. "I mean, Esme."

I didn't think Esme could get any more radiant than she already was, but I was wrong. She seemed to be lit up from the inside, almost personifying pure maternal love. She gathered Jacob in a loving embrace, pouring her love into him.

"I would be honored to have you as a son, Jacob Black," she responded, her voice wobbling with emotion. She stepped back and looked at the other two boys. "The same goes for you two boys. My heart holds more than enough love to add you to my family."

Jacob's mind was too overwhelmed to form coherent thought as she filled one of his deep basic emotional needs, the love of a mother. I could practically hear walls come crumbling down inside his mind as her love poured through. I knew there was no way he would ever willingly hurt her now, as he now identified her in his heart as his own mother. I spared myself a moment to be amused at the irony. A vampire with a werewolf son. A werewolf with a vampire mother. How absurd could we get? Well, I guess it wasn't really any weirder than a werewolf imprinting on a newborn half-vampire, half-human hybrid that happened to be the daughter of his former "true love."

Alice chose that moment to come dancing down the stairs, stopping in front of the boys. "Oh, this will never do," she complained in horror. The Quileutes looked at her in confusion. "We need to go shopping. Today! You can't be seen out in public looking like that. What will people think? Don't you worry; I'll take care of everything." With that parting comment, she danced to the dining room, tapping her chin thoughtfully. The Quileutes stared after her, not comprehending their fate. I felt sorry for them. They turned back to us, their eyebrows raised in question.

"I'm sorry, guys," Bella moaned in pity, patting Jacob's arm. "You'll have to take one for the team." Their curious expressions became disturbed.

"Don't ask," I warned, shaking my head. "You don't want to know."

"You two, stop scaring them," Esme scolded. "Don't worry, boys. Alice is just going to supply you with new wardrobes to match your change in stature." Their expressions just went back to confusion, but they shrugged it off to get ready to eat.

We all sat around the dining room table, even Emmett and Rosalie this time. The table was piled high with loads of food. We vampires were all holding our breath since the stench of so much hot human food was positively disgusting. At least we didn't have to pretend to eat any of it this time. Esme was thrilled to see how much food the boys managed to cram onto their plates. Her eyes were lit with pleasure seeing how much they enjoyed her cooking.

"So how's the steak? Taste the steak!" Emmett begged, practically bouncing in his seat.

"Emmett!" Rosalie griped. "Act your age."

Emmett promptly fell out of his chair, lying on his back on the floor, his arms crossed on his chest in typical burial position. He stayed perfectly still, not breathing, eyes closed.

"Ha, ha. Very funny. So funny I forgot to laugh," Rose growled sarcastically.

"Finally!" Carlisle quipped. "I thought that boy would never die. Now we can get a little peace and quiet around here."

Bella started laughing out loud, finally realizing Emmett was pretending to be dead in order to "act his age." The boys all laughed too.

"Dude, he's been dead," Quil joked. "So if the undead die, is that undoing the undead? Would they be redead? What would you call a dead undead?"

"Ashes," Jasper returned with a smirk. The Quileutes started laughing so hard that Jacob choked. Quil started pounding on his back as he started coughing. We could tell it wasn't serious, since the coughing meant air was able to pass through.

"Uh oh. Is there a doctor in the house?" Embry called out with a grin, realizing Jacob wasn't really in trouble. We all grinned in response.

Jacob quickly regained his poise, but he had tears of laughter streaming down his cheeks. Conversation turned to more general topics as the boys and Bella ate their breakfast. Emmett rejoined us at the table, wanting to talk about baseball. As soon as he sat down, Jasper yelled, "He's Alive!" causing us all to jump, well except for Alice who was expecting it.

Quil quickly joined in. "It's a bloody miracle!"

Emmett couldn't resist. "Did somebody say blood?"

Jasper and I responded together. "HooRah!"

The Quileutes and Bella burst out laughing again. Carlisle put his forehead in his hand, shaking his head. "More teenagers. What have I done to deserve more teenagers?"

"You're simply blessed, my dear," Esme responded mildly. He looked up with a smirk, showing he wasn't really upset.

"Right. Blessed. Uh, yeah. That was the word I was thinking. Mm-hm, right. A family full of mythological immortal teenagers, some of whom are natural enemies. Yes, blessed. Edward, do you remember the names of any of the mental institutions you were researching when you realized Bella knew what we were but wasn't afraid of us? I think we have another potential inmate."

Bella glared at me. "Mental institutions?"

"I would visit you every day," I assured her with a smirk. "Besides, it sounds like you'd have either Esme or Carlisle to keep you company. We could throw in Emmett for good measure."

Rosalie growled at me. "Emmett? You're the one who needs to go, control freak. Or how about Alice, the shopaholic?"

Jasper drawled, "Heck, let's just get a family ward. Better yet, we could build our own facility. Esme can design it, Rose and Alice can decorate it, and Carlisle can work there. Well, he can pretend to with his 'doctor complex.' We'll have them bring in deer daily. We'll drink the blood and the wolves can eat the meat. All nice and tidy." He sent everyone a wave of amusement that had us all giggling. What the heck? I don't giggle. It's undignified. I glared at Jasper while I giggled uncontrollably, promising retribution. He smirked, raising an eyebrow in challenge. Come and get me, Eddie. At least he stopped sending out the emotion though. We all calmed down.

"Speaking of natural enemies," Jacob stated in a commanding voice. "I think it's time for some answers."

We all looked to Carlisle as our spokesman. He nodded calmly. "That's why we're here."

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Just found out its on Whats Hot #776 (I think).... You guys made me cry.... :') Thanks so much for supporting this story.... It means the world to me..... I really love you guys.....

<3 Y