Bella MacLeod's Twilight Fanfiction

Intensity

By Mama4Dukes

Chapter 33:

Jacob’s POV

Two weeks later…

“You do understand, Mrs. Black, that by signing this document, you-their natural mother-are agreeing to voluntarily relinquish all parental rights to your minor children: William Ephraim Black, Sarah Elizabeth Black, Isaac Joseph Black, and Rebecca Jane Black?”

“Yes, Your Honor,” Angela replied.

“Furthermore, you are voluntarily releasing them into the sole custody of their natural father Jacob Ephraim Black?”

“Yes, Your Honor.”

“You understand that you will terminate all legal rights to your children and all decisions concerning their care and well-being will be at the sole discretion of their natural father Jacob Ephraim Black?”

“Yes, Your Honor.”

“I understand from your attorney that you have carefully considered this decision, and it is not being entered into lightly. Is this true, Mrs. Black?”

“Yes, Your Honor.”

“And may I ask your reason for voluntarily relinquishing your rights to the children whom you birthed?”

Angela stared directly into my eyes and stated, “I never wanted them.” She didn’t stutter and there was no evidence of anxiety in her statement at all. I realized that it was truly how she felt. She had no love for our children.

My lawyer and I both looked up at the judge who appeared a bit stunned by Angela’s comment.

The judge then addressed me. “Mr. Black, in your negotiations with Mrs. Black, you have willingly agreed to accept full parental responsibility for your children without any financial compensation from Mrs. Black. You were made aware by the court that even if Mrs. Black terminates her parental rights, she could still be made to be financially responsible for her children until they reach the age of eighteen.”

“Yes, Your Honor. I willingly and happily accept all responsibilities pertaining to my children. After all, they are my children, they are my responsibility, and I can’t fathom life without them. I love them.”

The judge smiled at my answer. “Well, then, if this be the case, the court grants Mrs. Angela Maria Black’s request to terminate all parental rights to her issue William Ephraim Black, Sarah Elizabeth Black, Isaac Joseph Black, and Rebecca Jane Black. All parental rights of Mrs. Angela Maria Black will be, henceforth, awarded to the children’s natural father Jacob Ephraim Black. Furthermore, as negotiated by both parties, upon entering this agreement, Mrs. Angela Maria Black will terminate use of the surname ‘Black’ and resume use of her maiden name ‘Weber.’ The court will facilitate the legal name change forthwith, following this proceeding. Finally, with the signing of the document, the marriage of Jacob Ephraim Black and Angela Maria Black is legally terminated with no further financial recompense to or from either party. Is this agreed upon by both parties?”

“Yes, Your Honor,” we both replied.

“Please approach the bench with your attorneys to finalize these proceedings.”

We both did as the judge asked. We each signed several documents, which were also signed by the judge and our attorneys. Afterwards, we quickly returned to our seats.

The judge looked up. “All documents have been signed and are effective immediately. This concludes today’s proceedings. Ms. Weber, please remain behind so that we may finalize your name change. Mr. Black, you are dismissed. I wish you the best of luck with your children. Court is adjourned.”

And so it was done. We were divorced, and my children were mine and mine alone. I glanced at Angela, but she was peering straight ahead at the judge without acknowledging me. She actually looked happier than I’d ever seen her in a long time. What the heck did I expect? Remorse? Regret? Not from her.

“This way, Mr. Black,” Tawny stated, leading me out of the courtroom. We had agreed to keep things professional at the courthouse. It would complicate matters too much if it got out that we were involved. The fact is: Tawny hasn’t left my house since the day I imprinted on her. My kids got along great with her and she was extremely accepting of them. As a bonus, my father really liked her, too.

Upon leaving the courtroom, I was stopped by Angela’s parents. It was Reverend Weber who spoke, “We know Angela terminated her parental rights. Frankly, after hearing what she did to them, we don’t want her near our grandchildren. But Jacob, please. Please do not keep us from our grandchildren. Please let us see them. We love them and we can’t imagine not watching them grow up.”

Well, damn, this was a complication I wasn’t expecting. The fact was, Reverend and Mrs. Weber, albeit boring, have always been kind grandparents. They loved my kids and they used to see them twice a week. It all changed after I got custody of them. I felt a bit guilty.

“We can work out a visitation schedule. Just please give me about a month to adjust,” I told them. “I won’t keep you from your grandchildren.”

“And you have my word, as God’s servant, that Angela will never be allowed near our precious grandchildren again.”

Mrs. Weber then turned to me, crying, “I’m so sorry. I’m so sorry Angela was such a cruel mother. She has the devil’s own heart. I love my grandbabies so much, and I will not let her hurt them. They are such wonderful, loving children. And Jacob, they are fine children because you made them that way. Thank you.”

I nodded my head in acknowledgment and walked downstairs.

“I have some documents to file in order to finalize everything. I’ll see you back at La Push,” Tawny stated. We shook hands because we had to keep everything professional here.

“Thank you for everything.”

“It was a pleasure, Mr. Black.” And then she whispered, “I love you. Now get out of here. I’ll see you back at your place.”

I headed out of the courthouse alone. I didn’t want to be alone. I needed to vent, to talk. I guess I’ll have to wait for Tawny.

I opened the door and immediately saw a sight for sore eyes. She held her arms wide open for a hug. I ran to her and gave her a bear hug.

“I thought you might need me,” she whispered.

“Yeah, you thought right, honey.” I did need her because after all the crap that happened to us since high school, through all the ups and downs, Isabella Swan Lahote was here for me when I needed her the most. It was ironic because I was the one who fucked her over more than anyone. “So, did you come down here alone?”

“No, I flew in with my Dad, Sue, my baby brother, Leah, and Allison Uley.”

“They’re back?”

“Yeah, they’re back.”

“You’re staying with your dad, right?”

“No. You can’t pay me to stay in the same house as a screaming infant. I’m staying at the Oceanside.”

“Alone? Because, if so, I can’t let you, at least, not while Fuller is roaming the reservation.”

“Of course not. Paul is flying in after work tonight. I just came early because I was worried about you.”

“You did that for me, Bells?”

“I did.”

“But I was a complete and utter asshole to you.”

“I know, but you redeemed yourself.” She flashed a warm smile to me. “Besides, today is a day for new beginnings. Come on-let’s get out of here. You’re driving.”

“How did you get here?”

“I had the limo drop me off.”

“Limo, Bells?”

“Yeah, it was Paul’s idea. He had one waiting for us when the jet dropped us off at Sekiu.”

“Wait a second… If you flew into Sekiu, did you take a private jet?”

“Paul is leasing one to be at our disposal for the next two years. He’s trying to convince me it would be a good idea for us to purchase one… blah… blah… blah… yada… yada. As if I’m ever going to agree to that.”

I chuckled. “Bells, you have to face it. You bagged yourself a rich husband.”

“Yeah, I did, and just think-unlike the Cullens, he earned his wealth without a seeing eight-ball giving him tips about the stock market.”

“Very true.”

We walked to my truck and she hopped into the passenger seat. “Where are we going? La Push is that way,” she asked, pointing in the other direction from where I was headed.

“Port Angeles. I thought we could have a nice lunch together-just you and me at Bella Italia.”

“Bella Italia? You’re serious?”

“Yeah, it’s the best restaurant in town.”

Her reaction was not what I expected. She started cackling at the suggestion. Had she really become so snobby that she felt Bella Italia was beneath her?

“I’m sorry if you don’t find Bella Italia up to your standards. It’s the best I can do on a small business owner’s salary,” I told her snippily.

“What the heck are you yammering on about, Jacob? I’m laughing because Bella Italia was Edward Cullen’s favorite restaurant to take me to. He liked to watch me eat. If I go there with you, it would be the first time I wouldn’t be the only one eating-someone would actually be eating with me.”

“Oh… um… sorry for overreacting.” I sighed angrily at myself. I was so serious about things that I immediately jumped to the wrong conclusion. I couldn’t even laugh anymore. My life sucked!

“Jake, what’s the matter?” Bella asked.

“Nothing.”

“It’s not nothing. You look so serious and upset. In fact, you’re always very serious and upset lately. You used to not be, you know? You used to love life and love having fun. You used to…”

“I know what I used to be, Bella-and I’m not him anymore! He disappeared the day I phased into a wolf! He disappeared when I imprinted on Angela! There is no ‘used to be fun’ Jacob Black anymore!” I punched my driver’s side window and shattered it in rage. “Damn it! Jacob Black can’t have fun anymore because Taha Aki decided to fuck his life over, make him a wolf, and shaft him even more by imprinting him to Angela as a teenager! My life sucks Bella! It sucks! I became a father too young. I got married too young. I… I… I don’t know… I am not fun anymore because I don’t know how to have fun. I was married, a father, a husband, and a fucking alpha all while I was a teenager! I never even had fun at the prom! Do you know why? It’s because Angela forced me to go to the prom with her when all I ever wanted was to go to the prom with you. I never wanted to hurt you, Bella. I never wanted to hurt you! You were my best friend. You were everything to me back then. Fuck my life!”

“Pull over, Jake,” she ordered. I kept driving, ignoring her. This is my truck, after all. “Pull the fuck over now before you get us into a car accident!”

I parked on the side of the highway. Great! Now I’ve gone and pissed my best friend off again, but she did something I wasn’t expecting. She reached for me and held me in her arms, and I cried. I cried like a baby because all of those feelings that I’ve held inside for years rushed to the surface like one big wave, and for some reason, Bella had always been the only one with whom I could be completely honest with-the only one.

A memory of when I was five and she was six came to surface. She was visiting her father for the summer and we were outside playing hard like kids do. I had torn my brand new shirt climbing a tree-I think it snagged on a branch or something. My mother was going to be livid, especially because she had told me specifically not to wear my new shirt while playing because it was to be worn for a potlatch that was coming up. It was Bella who got me out of the mess. We snuck into the house and I changed into a different shirt. We folded the shirt up as nice as we could, took it outside, and buried it. We gave it a funeral and everything. Of course, when the time for the potlatch came and there was no shirt, I had to fess up, but by then, my mother couldn’t get mad at me because she thought the fact that Bella and I held a funeral for my shirt and mourned it was enough contrition on my part.

Bella stroked my hair gently with her soft fingers while speaking.

“Oh, Jake. You know all of us were shafted because of fate-not because of the Cullens; not because of Taha Aki-it was fate. There’s no one to blame really. I could sit here and blame Edward Cullen for getting involved with me, but the fact is I was just as much to blame for that. And if I’m going to blame Edward Cullen, I could blame my mother for being so involved with Phil that I had to come here and live with my dad, but you know what? If I did that, I could keep going back for years and years and not take responsibility for my life. That would be wrong. Really wrong. Shit happened to us that was unbelievable and tragic and terrible, but you know something? All of that stuff made us stronger, and helped us to grow. Jacob, I don’t regret one day of my life because every, single ridiculous thing that happened to me has made me who I am today, and I love my life. I do. Do you know something else?”

“What?”

“After all of the crap that happened to us, you’re still my best friend. I’ll always love you, Jake.”

“For real?”

“Yeah, for real. And as your friend, I’m going to do something for you. For that, you’re going to have to do something for me. You’re going to have to trust me.”

“Okay.” Of course I’m going to trust her. She’s my best friend.

“I’m going to need to drive your truck.” Hell no! She can’t drive for shit!

“Bells, you can’t drive my truck. This is my baby-my fifth child-and… and you suck at driving.” No wonder Paul hired a limo. He was probably terrified Bella would get into an accident. This is why Bella is his imprint. He’s the only one smart enough and rich enough to hire a limo to tote her around in.

“Do you or don’t you trust me?”

“Aww… man, don’t put me in this position.”

She crossed her arms in front of her chest and arched her eyebrow.

“Oh, alright, you can drive my truck. Just let me sweep this broken glass out of here.” Damn it, I’m going to have to replace this window because of my anger. I did the best I could with getting rid of the broken glass shards. She slid over into the driver’s seat while I went around to the passenger side.

Bella started driving. Holy crap, she’s taking that hairpin turn way too fast. We’re going to die… Phew, still alive. My balls are intact. God, I hope I survive this. How Paul can let her drive around Phoenix, I have no idea. She continued on the 101 for a bit, and then swung onto 113. She stopped at Sekiu Airport, pulling into a hanger.

“Bells, what are you doing?”

“You said you’d trust me, Jake.”

“Right. Uh, I trust you.”

“Good.” She turned the engine off and got out of the truck. I followed her, of course. She threw the keys back to me and kept walking. She stopped when she got to a… holy freaking hell!

“Is that a Gulfstream, Bells?”

“Yep. Come on in.” She motioned me up the ramp. “This is the monstrosity that Paul wants to buy.”

“Welcome back aboard, Mrs. Lahote,” a man whom I presumed to be the pilot stated. “Will you be returning to Phoenix with the jet?”

“No, Robert. Would you please drop my friend and I off here on the way to Phoenix?” She handed the man a slip of paper. He immediately read it. I wonder what was on that slip of paper.

“Certainly, Mrs. Lahote. We can depart as soon as Crystal returns. I’m sorry she isn’t here to greet you. I was under the impression that we were to return to Phoenix for Mr. Lahote. I apologize for the misunderstanding.”

“Don’t worry about it. This just came up suddenly.”

“Yes, ma’am. Let me just file this new flight plan and we’ll be on our way shortly.”

“Thank you.”

“Bells, where are we going?” I asked.

“Not far.”

“Bells?” I insisted.

“Jacob, be spontaneous, just this once. I’ll show you the plane.”

“Fine!” I groaned and let her take me on a tour of the plane.

“This is the cabin, of course, followed by seating area for the crew, then the galley where meals are prepared for us. Next we have our seating area…”

“Bella, there’s a sofa and a coffee table here. I’ve never seen a sofa on a plane.”

“Me neither, not until Paul went bat shit crazy and leased this plane. The sofa can be converted into a queen-sized bed. The rest of the seats fully recline into beds. Anyway, there’s also a bathroom in the front and rear, a bar and dining area, and a bedroom with a private bathroom in the back.”

“A bedroom?” Oh, I’ve got to see this. I opened the door and peered inside. There was a king sized bed inside.

“The bedroom smells like Bella and Paul sex.” I grinned at her.

“You can hardly expect us not to use it.” She wagged her eyebrows at me as we made our way back to the seating area. We sat across from each other. By then, the flight attendant was back on board. She apologized for not being there to greet us and informed us that the pilot was ready to take off. We buckled into our seats and, after a few minutes, we were airborne.

Two hours later, after being served some amazing French champagne along with fresh strawberries and a cheese platter, the plane landed at the airport. We quickly deplaned so the pilot could continue on his way to Arizona.

I turned to Bella. “Las Vegas? Why are we in Las Vegas?”

She smiled innocently at me, which was never a good thing coming from her, “Because, Jake, as your best friend, it’s my duty to make sure you let loose and have fun.”

“Fun? Bella, when I said I couldn’t have fun, I meant…”

“Jake, we’re going to have fun, just you and me. Come on, let’s get out of here.”

So, I took her hand and we left the airport to face the big, bad city of Las Vegas, Nevada together.

Two hours later…

She’s nuts. She is, without a doubt, a certified, grade-A loony. My best friend is cuckoo! She actually thinks it’s a good idea for us to go on a zip line between two hotel towers. Okay, me-now that I can understand, but Bella? Paul will kill me if she gets hurt. After that, we’re going to some exclusive pool party. I don’t even play pool! Since, when does Bella play pool? Crap! It’s our turn.

“Jacob, just relax.”

“Relax? Relax? Are you insane? We are 500 feet above ground! If we fall, we go splat! I can’t phase to save you here!”

“We’re sitting in chairs and are securely buckled in. Nothing is going to happen to us.”

“Are you ready?” the attendant asked.

“No,” I told him at the same time that Bella shouted, “Yes!” enthusiastically.

“Alright, 1… 2… 3!”

“Aaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhh!” I’m going to die. I’m going to die. Holy crap! I’m going to die! “Help me, Taha Aki!”

“Hahahaha!” Bella chuckled as the attendant unbuckled us after the zipline stopped. “Jake, you’re a chicken shit.”

“I am not a chicken shit, Bella. I used to go cliff diving in La Push, as you are well aware.”

“Sure, then why are you freaking out on a seated zip line?”

“Because I’m a father that’s why. Fathers worry about everyone’s safety.”

“Of course.”

“I’m not a chicken shit and I’m going to prove it to you.”

“How?”

“I don’t know how, but I will.”

“Sure, you will. Let’s just get to the pool party.”

An hour later…

“I thought we were playing pool?” I asked Bella, looking around at the hedonism surrounding us. There were half naked, drunk people going nuts, and getting wild.

“Since when do I play pool, Jake?”

“What the hell are we doing here?”

“We are here to party, Jacob Black.”

“Yeah, but we don’t know these people.”

“Oh, but we’ll get to know them.”

“How?”

“Trust me.”

Aww, man! I hate it when she asks me to trust her because, so far, she’s taken me on a plane ride across state lines, she nearly killed me on a zipline, and now I’m at some sort of frat party at a high-end hotel. She even bought me beach gear at some fancy store to wear, and the suit I wore to court was stored in a garment bag safely at the bell desk. I have to admit that the swim trunks feel a lot cooler in this desert heat, though. I had been roasting in my suit. Oh my God. I can’t believe I went on the zipline wearing a business suit! Of course, there’s also Bella who has her outstanding body clad in a skimpy red bikini.

“Hey, baby, how ya’ doin’?” Some greasy, guido approached and eyed Bella laciviously.

I reached over, put my arm firmly around her, and gave the guy a death glare because if this slimeball gets even one finger on her, Paul will kill me.

“Jake, you have to relax. Let’s get some drinks,” she suggested before spotting something in the median between the pools. Yes, I said pools. “Ooh! Keg stands!”

“Keg stands?”

“They’re easy. I used to do them all the time in college. You just do a hand stand on top of the keg and someone feeds you beer from the tap.”

“Um… Bella, I’m not so sure…”

“Stop being a poop. Live it up a little. You’re a wolf, you’ll be able to do a keg stand easy!”

“But…”

I slapped my palm over my forehead. Bella got into a perfect handstand over the keg, and let some guy feed beer to her from the spigot. Paul is going to kill me! Meh! It’s my last day on earth, I might as well live it up!

Later…

Bella’s POV

After Jacob’s breakdown in the truck, my heart went out to him. The poor guy never had a chance to be a kid and have fun. I thought about how lucky I was. After my awful year in Forks, I went home to my mother and Phil where I was cared for, loved unconditionally, and even taken to counseling so I could get better. I also attended college where I was finally able to be myself, break out of my rut, and just be a teenager. Okay, so I might have partied a bit too much-at least my mother and Phil say so, but, the point is, Jacob never had the same opportunity to simply enjoy himself like I did, and I was determined to give him that because I wanted the Jacob Black who used to be my personal sun back.

After a couple of hours at the pool party, he was finally a little more relaxed.

“I can’t believe you won that bikini contest, Bells. That blonde chick was pissed.”

“I know, right? Did you see her face? I thought she was going to attack me.”

“I wonder why she was so mad?”

“Because I won two VIP passes to the nightclub at the hotel without taking off my bikini top like all of the other contestants did.”

“And thank God you didn’t because Paul would have killed me.”

“Jake, give me more credit. I outgrew those stunts in college.”

He stared back at me with a stunned expression on his face. After he regained his composure, he asked, “What are we doing next, huh? What are we doing next?” He was so excited. He was like a kid in a candy store. I loved seeing him this way.

“We are going clubbing.”

“Clubbing? Do I have to change into my suit again?”

“Nope, no suits. I’m getting you new clothes for this and we’re going to the spa so they can get us ready.”

“Bells, you don’t have to get me new clothes, I can wear my suit.”

“Jake, I already told you. Today is my treat-we’re celebrating your escape from the Wicked Witch of the West. Besides, you have four kids that you have to send to college. I want you to save your money. Paul and I have no kids, and will probably never have any so don’t worry about it.”

“Bella, what do you mean by saying Paul and you will never have kids? Don’t you want kids?”

I shrugged my shoulders. “Honestly, we’re not ready for kids. We’re too busy with work, the pack, and stuff. Besides, I’d make an awful mother.”

“Why do you say that?”

“I just would. I need to work and stay busy, you know? I took some time off of work when my boss died and it was the worst decision I ever made. I’m such a crappy housewife. I get frazzled.”

“I think you’re a coward and you’re kidding yourself.”

“What the hell brought that on?”

“You say you’d make a bad mother because you’re a crappy housewife, but a housewife doesn’t make a mother. You don’t have it in you to make a bad mother because you’ve got a caring heart. You’ve always had a caring heart. I’ve always known it and I hate saying this, but Edward Cullen always knew this about you, too. So, don’t short change yourself by not becoming a mother because you’ve got a lot to give, Bella.” He paused for a second and added, “Oh, and get back to work. You’re a shitty housewife and you’re driving Paul crazy, which means he’s driving the pack crazy. Besides, you’re the Great Protector’s imprint-the Healer. It means you have to be healing to be happy so it’s simple, you need to get your ass back to work because it’s your calling.”

“I was planning on it as soon as the stupid trial is over. I delivered Jenny Cameron’s baby and Sue’s baby; somewhere along the line, I realized how much I missed it all. I worked so hard to become a nurse and I selfishly threw it all away on a whim.”

“Hey.” He turned my chin up with his two fingers so I was facing him. “It wasn’t a whim, Bella. You needed time to think things through. Paul told me that part of the reason why you quit your job was because he asked you to.”

“It wasn’t the only reason, Jake. I was exhausted. I was physically and mentally exhausted because I was putting in sixty to seventy hours per week on average at work. I was just…”

“Tired?” he finished for me.

“Exactly.”

“Honey, you’ve got to find a balance-a happy medium. After I threw Angela out, I had to do the same thing. I had to find a way to share the load equally with Colin so that we both had family time. I had to find a way to balance it all; it was the only way.”

“How are your babies doing anyway?”

“They’re doing great. Willy is about to begin high school. Can you believe it?”

“No, I can’t. He’s such a good boy.”

“He lives for his weekly phone chats with Uncle Paul, you know? Oh, and Sarah keeps begging me for a Malibu Dream House garage like Aunty Bella has. I took pictures the last time I was at your place.”

“Paul still gripes about that garage.”

“Meh, he has his jet that he’s leasing. Let him bitch and moan about your pink garage.”

“Thanks, Jake.”

“For what?”

“For being the only one with guts enough to tell me straight that I really need to go back to work.” I gave him a hug. “Come on. Let’s pick up some clothes and hit the spa before we go clubbing.”

“Are you sure, Bells?”

“Yeah, I’m positive. It’ll be fun.”

We shopped, got pampered, ate a nice meal, and did some gambling before finally walking into the nightclub. Damn! I missed out the last time I was in Vegas!

“Come on, Jacob, let’s dance!”

“Alright, let’s do this!”

I looked up to see a smile on Jake’s face. He looked genuinely happy, and I was happy that I was finally able to bring back a little sunshine to his life.