Catherine (J. Black)

Chapter Thirty Eight

Catherine sits in the rocking chair by the window, her mind elsewhere, she's not been able to sleep for days, the vampires that have turning up have been creating problems for the packs, and Jacob's barely been home, she knows it's important though, doesn't stop her worrying. And the vampires are all here for Bella. Yeah, those feelings have edged their way in again, her hormones are shot to hell and it's just making her hate everything and everyone. She sighs and touches her stomach resting back into the chair. Christmas morning and Jacob is flat out asleep in the bed behind her, he'd come in and fallen straight to sleep, not even realising she hadn't been in the bed. He grumbles now reaching across the bed for her, his usual snuggle blanket, frowning when he finds her space empty he sits up and looks around the room, landing on her in the chair.

"Cat?" he asks with a yawn. "What are you doing up?"

"Couldn't sleep" she answers pulling the blanket around her tighter. Jacob climbs out of bed and moves to her, crouching at her side.

"Is it the babies?" he asks, she shakes her head.

"No, just....worry" she answers cupping his cheek, he leans into her hand and kisses the inside of her wrist.

"It's all the other vampires here, isn't it?" he asks.

"It's the vampire army coming for us, Jake" she corrects. "Yet again my family has been put into harms way for her" she looks out the window, Jacob sighs and stands kissing her head.

"And they will overcome it this time as well" he assures her stroking her hair.

"I'm just tired" she whispers. "I just want us to be able to....not worry about anything" she looks up at him. "I don't want us to feel pain or fear or worry any more. I just want us to be happy" he kisses her.

"I know" he whispers.

"I want to marry you, and I don't want to be scared that I won't live that long" Jacob brushes the tears from her cheek. "Because I might not....we might not" he nods understanding, he kisses her clutching to her face.

"I will protect you" he promises. "All of you" he kisses her cheek. "You" he kisses her nose. "Nikki" he kisses her forehead. "Fenris" he kisses her lips. "Hayley" he places a hand on her bump, soft under hand. "You are the most important people in my life and I will protect you from harm" he tells her. She nods and kisses him before he pulls back taking her hand. "Come on" he coos helping her up. "Try and get some sleep, I'll bring up some breakfast in a bit, okay?" he asks as he sets her on the edge of the bed. He brushes her hair back from her face and tilts her chin up, she gives him a sad smile, he nods and kisses her. "It's going to be okay" he tells her, hugging her head to his stomach, she sniffles and hugs him back. "I love you" he kisses her before leaving the room, Catherine lays back onto the bed, wrapping herself in the blankets.

...............

Jacob strokes Niklaus' hair as he passes.

"Where's Mom?" Niklaus asks, Jacob sighs and looks to Leah and Embry before looking to Niklaus.

"She's not feeling very well..." he crouches to level with his son. "She's just a bit tired, carrying around two extra people, why don't you, Leah and Embry watch a movie and then when she's feeling better, mom will come down and we'll open presents?" Niklaus nods and moves to Leah who looks to Jacob raising an eyebrow, Jacob shrugs and taps his teeth, indicating fangs, Leah nods and makes a face of understanding.

...............

Jacob sets a small wrapped gift box in Catherine's lap, she looks to it and then to Jacob.

"Oh" she whispers. "Christmas" she touches the box. "I'd forgotten" she admits, he sits beside her in bed and kisses her head.

"Pregnancy brain" he teases. "Open it" he smiles at her, she smiles back and opens the little box, she chuckles softly. The small, simple but beautiful object within is a glass wolf statue.

"Oh, Jakey" she breaths. "It's beautiful" he smiles at her.

"It's actually a set, but I only wrapped one, just in case they got broken" he takes the wolf from her and smiles. "This is Mama wolf" he tells her. "And there are three pups and a male wolf to go with it" she smiles up at him. "Just like us" she nods and kisses him pulling him closer to her. She pulls back and smiles.

"Yours is in the wardrobe, the black wrapped box" she tells him, Jacob excitedly jumps off of the bed and to the wardrobe where he pulls out the gift and sits on the floor to open it, like a child, Catherine shuffles closer to the end of the bed to watch him open his gift.

"Oh my god" he states.

"What? Did I do bad?" she asks.

"No, Cat, this is....this is" he looks to her. "This is incredible" she smiles at him.

"It's the starter kit for a 1970 Chevelle SS" she thinks, he nods. "Everything else is ordered, you just have to build it" he leaps off the floor to kiss her. She smiles against his lips.

"You are an incredible woman" he tells her warmly.

"Well...I know how proud you are of the fact you built the Rabbit....I thought..."

"It's perfect" he tells her, utterly enamoured with this woman. "You're perfect" he adds, she smiles at him.

"I love you" she tells him. He kisses her again.

"Do you feel any better?" he asks pulling back, she nods.

"A little" she answers. "I mean....I can't forget about what's coming but..."

"Let's have today, huh?" he asks her, she nods.

...............

"Merry Christmas, babe" Jacob tells Catherine softly, she smiles and looks to him.

"Merry Christmas" he strokes her cheek and pulls her closer to his chest, Niklaus plays with his new train set with Emmett and Rosalie smiles warmly watching them. Leah and Embry sit stealing the candy canes from the basket. Jacob smiles and kisses Catherine's head.

"This time next year, we'll be married" he tells her. "And they'll be two more children" she nods and sniffles. "I promise you"

"There's one more present" Niklaus announces pulling a box from under the tree. "For Uncle Emmett" he holds it out to the oversized vampire who frowns and takes it before pulling the lid off of the top, he frowns harder and pulls out a pair of plastic vampire teeth, Catherine smirks into Jacob's arm.

"What?" Emmett asks looking to them all. Rosalie and Catherine share a look, the youngest of them giving her big sister a reassuring nod. Rosalie takes a breath and looks to Emmett.

"It's a representation of your gift" she tells him. "I wanted to give you....well this" she motions to herself, then Catherine and Niklaus. "The hybrid thing....Carlisle says he'll help figure it out but....if you want it"

"To be like you guys?" Emmett asks. "Do the wolf thing?" they all nod. "Yeah" Emmett agrees. "Yeah I would" Emmett kisses Rosalie who smiles and pulls him closer. Catherine looks to Jacob who winks and kisses her.

"Ewwwww" Niklaus offers to the whole moment. Jacob chuckles against Catherine's lips as Emmett does Rosalie's. Catherine rolls her eyes pulling back.

"Seriously?" she asks, Jacob looks down smirking.