Swans Don't Quit

Ringing Bells

After the wedding Jake had turned into a mope that could revival Isabella after Cullen left. Isabella had only contacted dad once since the wedding and all she told him was that she was sick and that they had to prolong their honeymoon because she didn't feel well enough to travel back. Dad worried while the pack became furious that her state of humanity was still unknown and that nothing could be done until it was known that she was a vampire. Two weeks before Isabella's nineteenth birthday the Cullens suddenly left town with little notice, the pack was taking this as a confirmation that Isabella had been changed, but seeing as no one knew where the Cullens had gone and they were no longer a threat against the pack, Sam had declared that the treaty was void and that if they were to ever come back that they would be destroyed.

Jake was depressed that Isabella had been changed, but also became angry that the Cullens had broken the treaty and taken the girl he thought that he loved away from him. His temper shortened so much that it could revival Paul's, though Paul's had calmed some since he imprinted on Rachel Black a week after the wedding. This only added to Jacob rage and gave people an excuse to avoid him.

It's early October and the leaves are just starting to change color with crisp air blowing off the ocean. Leah and Sue had started the wedding plans, though Leah didn't seem to enjoy the planning as much as Sue did. Billy and dad had started giving me marriage advice. Billy's was more about what to do while dad's was more about what not to do.

Alex is growing fast and is now nine months old. He has started crawling and has a few teeth. Leah about had a stroke when she left the room the other day and came back to find Alex gone. She found him by his giggles in the bathroom where he had pulled himself up to stand on his own and was playing with the water in the toilet.

I had talked the guys into coming over to the house for an all guys day to watch a mariners game. Leah was at Sue's planning again and it was just Alex and I. It took an act fo God to talk the two into leaving their imprints for the few hours to watch the game, but with the promise of food and threat that they would be babysitters for my and Leah's honeymoon, they came willingly enough. Paul had yet to tell Rachel about the pack and being a wolf, he was trying to get her to see past his past excursions with other women before telling her and it was getting hard for him. Jared though was flying high with how well his relationship was going with Kim and was asking advice about how to ask Kim to move in with him.

It was he fifth inning, the mariners were done by two. The next batter is coming to the plate against the new rookie pitcher for the Padres. We were all leaning toward the TV waiting for the crack of the bat as the pitcher throws. It's a swing and a miss, the catcher drops the ball allowing the runner on first to advance to second. The pitcher checks the runner before winding up for a pitch. As the pitcher lets go of the ball the door in kitchen bursts open causing all of us to jump up from the couch with shock.

As we spin to look at what came through the door Jake stood in the hallway looking panicked. The game forgotten even with the screaming of the fans cheering about the home run that had just been hit and we had just missed. There were slight trembles running up and down Jake's arms.

"What's wrong?" I asked, concerned that something had happened to Billy with the way Jake was acting.

"I imprinted." Jake said. He voice was a little shaky as he spoke and we all immediately understood what was wrong. He didn't know what to do.

"Well that's great. Who's the lucky girl?"Jared asked and Paul scoffed.

"I don't know." Jake asked and we looked at each other in confusion. La Push was small and everyone knew everyone.

"What do you mean you don't know?" Paul asked.

"It was the new girl that Joy hired at the store." Jake said and we nodded. Understanding a little now. The new girl Joy Ateara's niece. Joy's sister and family had just moved from Olympia about a month ago.