Surprise, here is the epilogue! This takes place years in the future, and there is some loose ends tied up in here as well. Let me know what you think! Just a warning, there is a short sentence or two about breast feeding, if it bothers you, skip it.

But now you're my whole life
Now you're my whole world
I just can't believe, the way I feel about you, girl
Like a river meets the sea,
Stronger than it's ever been.
We've come so far since that day
And I thought I loved you then

And I can just see you, with a baby on the way
And I can just see you, when your hair is turning gray
What I can't see is how I'm ever gonna love you more
But I've said that before

And now you're my whole life
Now you're my whole world
I just can't believe the way I feel about you, girl
We'll look back someday, at this moment that we're in
And I'll look at you and say
And I thought I loved you then

And I thought I loved you then

Then-Brad Paisley

My bright eyed five year old girl sprinted around the snow as she trudged proudly in her army green snow boots. Jacob argued Ariana was a carbon copy of me. I liked to believe she was more giving and strong headed than I was. She fixed her blue hat on her tight ebony curls as they fell down her back contrasting against the crisp white snow.

As she formed snowballs and snow angels, I swung back and forth in the yard swing Jake made for me during the first year of our marriage. My mind drifted back to the days when there wasn't four kids invading our home.

Ariana was the youngest of four boys and obviously the apple of her father's eye, although he never admitted it. Although Jake's business took off and required him to spend more time at the shop, he always made time for me and the kids.

My mind flickered back to the second year we were married, when we had one of our first big married fights.

Once I got home, I breathed a sigh of relief. I could see Jake's car in the driveway, which made my heart pump faster in my chest.

I hadn't seen Jacob for three days between my shifts. When I came home to rest before another shift, he was already up. I knew my routine, my job, was a lot for him to handle.

I knew he missed me, because I could hear him sigh as he came into our bedroom. There was a voice in the back of my head that told me I wasn't being a good wife.

He'd lay down beside me and stroke my hair for a while as I rested. When he went to work, I let myself cry. There was a rational side of my brain that told me he wasn't mad at me.

Still, there was that irrational side that kept me awake; that warned me he could leave.

What if he got tired of it all? Many of my co-workers were divorced; their husbands or wives couldn't deal with the insane hours we worked.

I shut off my headlights as I pulled the keys from the ignition. I didn't have the energy to change from my scrubs at the end of my shift.

I'm sure Jake wanted to see me in my sweaty, exhausted, state I was in. I remembered throwing my hair into a haphazard ponytail at the beginning of my shift. I didn't have time to freshen up before seeing him.

Somehow I managed to get the key into the lock and turn it. As I opened the door wide, I saw Jake with Chinese take out from my favorite place.

I could feel tears in my eyes as I saw two plates already on the table and a mug of green tea waiting for me.

Jake's eyes met mine as a smile spread across his lips.

"Hi, beautiful," Jake murmured as he pushed his chair out so he could walk around to meet me. I felt his arms wind around me as his warmth felt like home.

He lifted my feet off the ground as he pressed me closer to him. The tears I held at bay began to fall. He was too good to me. He would get tired of me eventually.

Suddenly, he shifted as soon as he felt a puddle begin to emerge on his shoulder.

"Hey, hey, Bells, what's wrong?" He asked, pulling away as he looked over me with anxiousness. He scanned my body for bruises or ailments.

"Nothing," I murmured, pulling closer to him. In attempt to distract him, and because he was so damn close and I thought about it all day, I kissed him.

He kissed me back, but pulled away.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa, sweetheart. As much as I want to continue this and show you how damn much I missed you, this isn't all this is. What's going on in that mind of yours?" Jake asked, quirking an eyebrow as he studied me.

"I've been the worst wife," I sobbed, tears streaming down my face. Confused as ever, Jake wiped away my tears as he held me close.

"What are you talking about?" Now, he was really confused.

"I haven't cooked you dinner in like a week. Emily and Kim always have dinner or pack lunches for their husbands and I can't even get you dinner once a week. I've been asleep every time you're home...We haven't had sex in a week because I've been so tired and you just deserve so much better," I blabbered as sobs wracked my chest.

"Slow down, you're upset because you haven't made me dinner?" Jake asked, holding onto me as if I were going to break.

"I know the other pack wives do!" I said.

"Bella, Emily and Kim have that kinda time on their hands. Do you think marriage is just about you cooking dinner for me? Do you think that's what keeps me around?" Jake asked, exasperated.

"We haven't had sex in a week because of me," I sobbed. I didn't want to end up like my coworkers in stale marriages or divorced.

"That qualifies as being a bad wife?" Jake asked, trying to understand.

"You're going to leave because I don't do the things I used to!" I said, nearly shouting as my sobs continued.

"Bella, how many times do I have to tell you you're enough. You're more than I deserve, babe," Jake reminded softly.

"You're gonna get bored of me, it's gonna be too much. I can't do what Emily and Kim do," I sobbed.

"Do you see this ring on my finger? I'm bound to you, Bella. I'm not asking you to be Emily and Kim. I married you. Marriage isn't all rainbows and butterflies, life happens Bella. Believe me I want to make love to you every night and more, but there are times when life gets in the way. But Bells, marriage isn't just what you give me. Marriage isn't a slot machine where you put sex or dinners in and my love comes out," Jake said, his eyes burning in intensity.

"But I don't do the things I used to do for you. I used to make you dinners and make your lunches and write you notes. I don't do those things anymore because I've been neglecting you. I'm not enough for you, and you're going to get tired of it," I said, tears blocking my vision.

"Dammit, Bella, you're impossible," Jake said with a sigh.

"I am impossible, Jake! I'm never here and I've not shown up for you. One day, it's just gonna get too much and you're just gonna leave," I muttered, backing toward the door. I could feel my breaths coming out quicker as the room felt too small.

"So what? You're gonna leave now? Bella, you can't just leave because you're scared or there's a problem. Don't shut me out, babe," Jake pleaded with me.

"I need to breathe," I muttered.

"You can leave the room, Bella, but you can't just leave the house whenever we fight," Jake said, his voice getting louder in intensity.

"I can," I muttered, grabbing my keys in my hand.

"Bella, don't. Every time we fight you have to leave and that's not a way to fight. You leave because you're scared that I'll leave first. I'm not going anywhere, babe." Jake said, his voice growing louder as he threw his hands up in frustration.

"I'm not scared," I lied.

"Bella, that's a lie. Your lip quivers when you lie. I can't be the only one to fix this everytime. Just stay so we can figure this out," Jake pulled at his hair.

"I gotta get air, Jake," I muttered.

"Bella, please," Jake said, grabbing my hand. I shook out of his grasp as I shook my head. I opened the front door and raced out into the rain.

"Bella!" Jake called as I sprinted to the driver's door of my car. With tears in my eyes I turned on the car. Knowing that I'd lose it if I looked back, I kept my eyes straight ahead as I pulled away.

I didn't know where I was driving, I just needed to get away. The rain was coming down harder now as I had to turn my windshield wipers on faster.

Even though Jake was busy, he never forgot to write me a note in my lunch box or kiss my forehead before he left. He always left me a message at lunch to let me know he was thinking about me.

He'd write the lyrics to our first dance song beside our bed so I'd read it when I woke up.

When I heard Linda's story about how her husband got tired of being second best to her job, he left. I knew I would be giving up a lot to be a nurse.

When we first got married, I ran myself dry on my days off making dinners ahead of time for Jake so that he'd have food on the table when I wasn't there.

I made him lunches and wrote him notes saying I missed him.

Emily and Kim, even after years of marriage managed to do the same things I neglected every single day. They greeted their husbands when they came home, they cleaned their houses, they made sure the dishes were clean, they vacuumed, and their house looked like a page from a magazine.

I wondered how Jake felt when Sam and Jared talked about what their wives did for them. What did Jake say? My wife doesn't even have the time to say hello to me?

My mind traced back to the dark places, where thoughts I worked hard to push back were.

What if we were just going to end up like my parents?

Renee left Charlie because she got too busy; she wanted more.

What if Jake left because he knew I couldn't give him more?

As I continued onto the highway, a truck didn't stop at a stop sign. I tried to swerve to avoid the oncoming truck, but he was already too far ahead.

I waited for the impact as I saw his car slam into mine. My head hit the dashboard with a sickening thud as I hit the break. Warm blood pooled as my car came to a screeching halt. I picked my head up, feeling as if it were a hundred pounds, as I laid my head back against the dash board. I blinked as I reached my fingers to feel my forehead. I could feel blood on my fingers as my vision started to blur.

My vision went black as I embraced the darkness.

"Miss? Miss? You're gonna be okay, you're going to the hospital," A male voice cut through the darkness. Searing pain rippled through my forehead and head as I opened my eyes. I blinked a few times, my eyes hurting at the light.

A young man, probably in his twenties leaned over me.

"You're gonna be okay. You were in an accident, but we're taking you to the hospital," he said, trying to calm me down. I didn't realize until then that I was almost hyperventilating. He had one hand on my forehead, trying to stop the bleeding.

"Can you tell me your name?" He asked, as his eyes met mine.

"Bella," I said, looking down at my hand. My voice sounded groggy and strained. I realized my wedding and engagement rings were missing.

"Rings?" I asked, meaning to ask a full sentenced question.

"Your fingers were pretty beat up and we think you broke your hand so we took them off. They're safe with me. Is there anybody we should call, Bella?" He asked.

"Husband. Jake," I muttered.

"Okay, we'll call your husband. Can you hang on a little bit longer? We're gonna be at the hospital in a few minutes," he said, his voice starting to fade out.

Panic flooded me as I wondered if I was going to see Jake again. Tears flooded my eyes.

"Bella, it's okay, we're almost there," he said soothingly.

"Jake," I said, tears overtaking my vision.

"I'll call your husband, okay? Amelia, my good friend is gonna be right here while I do it," he said as he took my phone from my hand. Amelia, a woman in her mid thirties leaned over me.

"How long have you been married?" She asked.

"Six months," I said, my breaths coming out more laboriously. She realized my struggle and put an oxygen mask over my mouth.

"You're young, aren't you?" She murmured. I nodded, immediately regretting it as searing pain pulsed through my head.

"Bella, I just called your husband he's going to meet us at the hospital, okay?" The other EMT said, slipping my phone back in my pocket.

"Good," I said with a sigh. I felt suddenly queasy and moved my head to throw up beside the gurney.

"It's okay, Bella, we're here okay," The EMT said as the ambulance came to a stop. The doors opened immediately to the ambulance. I shivered as I felt the night air. I was loaded onto another bed as we advanced into the hospital. There were nurses running along the hallways.

My vision began to grow blurry as a doctor leaned over me.

"We're going to give you some stitches on your forehead. Then, we're going to give you a CAT scan just to make sure everything is normal," the doctor informed me. He was in his forties with wiry black hair and green eyes. A wave of tiredness rolled through my body as I tried to hold on until Jake came.

I felt a stinging sensation in my arm as a nurse gave me an IV. I hardly felt the pain as the doctor gave me stitches. Moments later, I was rolled to the CT lab, where I was rolled into the CT scanner.

My eyes felt heavy as I wondered if Jake would even come.

When I awoke, I was in a triage room, with a IV in my arm. The room was dark, with a simple green chair at my bedside. A nurse came in to greet me.

"Hi Mrs. Black, we gave you a blood transfusion because you lost a significant amount of blood. You have four stitches on your forehead and your left hand is sprained," she said, walking so she was beside me.

"Did you know you were pregnant?" She asked, her eyes searching mine. I felt the wind knocked out of me. Pregnant? It would explain my moodiness.

I attributed my missed period to the high stress I was under from work. Even though we got the green light from the doctor I saw right before we got married, I doubted pregnancy was a possibility for me. My fingers trailed to my still flat stomach.

Those years ago after Victoria's attack I was terrified having biological children could possibly not be in the cards for me. However, the doctor didn't say it was impossible. They said there was scarring, but ultimately, there was still a chance of pregnancy.

"Are they okay?" I asked, my voice still scratchy.

"Yes, you're around eight weeks pregnant. The baby's heart beat is strong, but I would still schedule a follow-up with your OBGYN next week," she said soothingly.

"You just focus on resting and we'll see if you can get out of here soon," she said with a smile. I knew I was under a pain killer because my head was not pounding anymore.

"Did you give me Tramadol?" I asked, my brain finally starting to connect the dots. Tramadol was relatively safe for pregnant women, since Percocets and morphine were out of the realm of possibilities.

"Yes," she answered. I heard loud footsteps outside the room.

"Is this Bella Black's room?" Jake's angelic voice asked, filled with worry and breathless.

"Yes, are you Mr. Black?" the nurse asked.

"Yes, can I see her? Is she gonna be okay?" He questioned, his words coming out quicker than usual.

"Yes, she's going to be fine, Mr. Black," the nurse assured him.

"I'll check on you in an hour, Mrs. Black," she called as she walked out the door. Jake nearly sprinted in the room as his eyes scanned me. His dark expressive eyes were red and there were tears in them. Tears pooled again in my eyes as his eyes shined in relief.

I felt his warm arms encircle me as I held on for dear life.

"You scared the shit out of me, Bells. When I got the call...I kept thinking this is not the way our story ends. I'm supposed to go first," Jake murmured as he kissed nose, my cheeks, temple, and anywhere else he could reach.

"I'm so sorry," I said, tears streaming down my face. He grabbed the green chair beside me and sat in it as he held my face in his hands.

"Shh, Bells, we can talk about that later when you don't have a head ache from hell. I'm sorry too, I didn't mean to yell at you like that, you just need to rest," he murmured as he wiped the tears away from my forehead.

"Just don't run away like that again, Bells. I thought I wasn't gonna see you again," he murmured as he kissed the side of my cheek. I wasn't sure how I was going to tell him I was pregnant. He looked strung up right now, and I didn't want to add to that anymore than I already was.

"I'm sorry," I murmured.

"I'm glad you're safe now and in my arms," he said with a sigh as he held me closer.

"The other driver?" I asked, realizing I didn't ask about them.

"It was a hit and run, Bells. I can't believe someone could just leave you there on the side of the road. My stomach was hurting so bad, but I just thought it was because I was pissed and upset. I kept waiting for the phone call from you letting me know you were coming home," he said, his voice breaking.

Then I realized why he hated me leaving and the realization took the breath out my lungs.

His last time he saw his mother was when she drove away; she died in a car accident. I could only imagine the thoughts that went through his head when he got the phone call I'd been in a car accident.

The worst part was, I willingly put him that position. The accident wasn't my fault, but I shouldn't have just bolted like I did. I felt a fresh wave of tears come as I realized how much I'd hurt him.

Leaving was something I did when I got scared so I didn't have to deal with the aftermath; the messiness of fixing things. Renee and Charlie avoided fixing their marriage, Renee especially.

I witnessed her leaving Charlie and internalized that behavior. I didn't get an excuse for behaving the same way she had when I knew the consequences but having that model as a child didn't help.

"Bells, does your head hurt? Do I need to call the nurse?" He asked, his hand inching towards the call button as anxiety fueled his tone.

"God, Jake I'm an idiot," I said meeting his gaze. His eyebrow furrowed as he processed my words.

"Bella, it wasn't your fault the jack ass ran a red light," Jake said, thinking I was still on the accident. I shook my head, which resulted in a stabbing pain in my head.

"Jake, I shouldn't have left. It was so insensitive of me to just leave you like that. I know that's one of your insecurities and I get it now," I murmured, my hand reaching to touch his warm cheek.

"Bella..." Jake started as his large hand covered mine on my lap.

"No, the last time you saw your mom she was driving away. I can't do that to you, to rise that kind of fear again. I'm so sorry I hurt you, Jake," I explained, nearly chocking on my words.

Recognition flashed across his face along with a hint of pain. I'd known this man for ten years, and loved him for every moment of them.

"Please don't run away from me like that again, Bella. I know it's stupid but I just think when you drive away like that if it's the last time I see you. I know you think you're just Renee's daughter and prone to messing things up like her, but you're not your mother. I'm not going to let myself let you mess it up," he said, nearly begging.

"I'm your husband, Bella. I took a vow to you to love you no matter what. But you gotta tell me when something's up because I'm not a mind-reader. You can't just let it pile up until there's an explosion, it's not healthy," Jake reminded me.

"I'm not expecting you to be Emily or Kim. You're the woman I married and will be with for the rest of my life. Do I miss the notes you used to write? Yes, but I get that you're exhausted when you come home. I've been worried about you because you never eat and you've been so tired. Did you ask the nurse to check you and make sure you're not sick?" Jake asked, as he stroked my hair.

"I'm not sick, Jake, but I didn't think you noticed all of those things," I murmured.

"Of course I do, I'm the man who practically worships the ground you walk on and loves you. I'm not the best at telling you and I'll do better now," he said as he pressed both his hands gently on the side of my face.

My eyelids began to feel heavy again as I met his gaze.

"You can sleep, baby. I'll be right here, okay?" He said, seeing my exhaustion.

"I love you," I murmured, as I began to close my eyes.

"I love you too, sweet girl," he said as he leaned over me to lightly press his lips to mine. His warm hand gripped mine as he sat back in the chair rubbing soothing circles on my thumb.

When I awoke, Jake looked even more exhausted than before.

"Did you rest?" I asked him. Jake's head shot up as he pushed his chair back to stand up.

"Hey, how are you feeling? Are you in pain? How's your head?" Jake asked, bombarding me with questions as his eyes searched mine.

"My head is gonna hurt for a few days, Jake, but I'm fine. Did you catch some sleep?" I asked him. The red rims on his eyes told me he hadn't.

"Naw, not yet," Jake said with a small smile.

"Why? I'm not doing anything interesting and you look exhausted," I murmured surveying the circles underneath his eyes.

"I was watching you to make sure you were okay," Jake said, squeezing my hand in his.

"Jake, it's okay for concussion patients to sleep after the CT scan comes back clear," I reminded him.

"Bella, you're my wife I'm gonna worry about you every second of every day," Jake reminded me. I rolled my eyes.

"Did the nurse come around?" I asked, I was seriously getting a back ache from this bed and I didn't want Jake to miss out on sleep because he was watching me snooze in this hospital.

"Yeah, they're gonna discharge you soon," he murmured in relief.

"Hi Bella, we were waiting for you to wake up to discharge you. You can change into a fresh set of clothes and then I'll give you your instructions for the next few days," the nurse said, as she smiled at me.

Jake pulled out a bag from beside him and unzipped it.

"I packed some clothes for you, I know they don't probably match," Jake said, handing me one of his tee shirts and a pair of sweatpants. This man knew that when I was feeling gross I preferred to wear his clothes.

"I can help you get dressed," the nurse offered.

"It's okay, my husband can help me," I assured her. She shut the curtain as she nodded. Without missing a beat, he helped me into a sitting position. He untied the ribbons of my hospital gown.

Usually, when he saw me naked there would be lust in his eyes. While initially that expression crossed his face, he pushed it aside. He helped me into a bra and underwear before he gently pulled the tee shirt over my head.

With care, he helped me get into a pair of sweatpants. As he finished, he pressed a kiss to the unbandaged side of my forehead. The nurse gave me a printed out sheet of paper with instructions.

The nurse rolled in a wheelchair for me which I denied.

"I can carry her," Jake said as he noticed my frown. He lifted me effortlessly in his arms bridal style as I pressed my face into his chest.

As he walked down the hallway, I saw many girls swooning at his chivalry. Jake, of course, paid no mind. He pressed me closer to him as he exited the hospital and walked into the crisp night air.

Once we reached the car, he gingerly helped me into the passenger seat before he came around to the driver side. As he started the engine, I put my hand on the console. Without a word, Jake took my hand in his as we left the parking lot.

The ride home was relatively quiet, Jake looked over every two minutes to make sure I was okay. Once we reached our house, I let out a sigh of relief.

Jake came around and carried me to the house and up two flights of stairs to our bedroom. He laid me on the bed before enveloping the comforter around me.

He left the room for a moment to retrieve a glass of water and a pain pill for when I woke up. Then, he laid down beside me and wrapped one arm around me.

"Do you have to go on patrol?" I asked.

"I got off patrol tonight," Jake responded as he pulled me closer.

"Go to sleep, Bells. I got you," Jake whispered soothingly. In his arms, I finally felt safe.

Light poured through the bedroom window as I shrugged myself awake.

"Good morning, baby girl," Jake said as he walked through the bedroom door. I studied him, realizing he was fully equipped with a tray of breakfast food along with a glass of water. However, the smell of eggs made my stomach turn.

Nearly sprinting, I raced into the bathroom before expelling my stomach contents.

"Bella?" Jake called as I heard his footsteps behind me. Without skipping a beat, he held my hair back and rubbed my back. I felt another wave of nausea hit me before I had a chance to catch my breath.

Well, there's morning sickness. I was relieved, to some extent, that I had morning sickness; morning sickness meant my body was producing pregnancy hormones.

As I gasped for breath, I leaned back against Jake. He knelt down beside me as he grabbed a hairband off of the sink to knot my into a bun.

"Bella, I think we should go back to the emergency room," he said soothingly stroking my back. I knew that wasn't necessary and I hated that he had to see me like this.

"Jake, you don't wanna be here to see this," I murmured, my voice scratchy.

"This isn't the first time I've seen you hurl, Bella. In sickness and in health, right?" He said with a small smirk as he traced my wedding band on my finger.

"Jake, I have something to tell you," I said, knowing Jake was too perceptive not to catch this. Also, he was the baby's father, he deserved to know.

Jake's forehead crinkled in concentration as he placed his hands on both sides of my face.

"I wanted to have a more creative way to tell you, but your kid had a different idea," I chuckled. Then, I realized I said it as I covered my mouth with my hand.

"Bella," Jake said wide eyed as hope shined in them.

"My kid? Are you...are you?" Jake asked, trying to form the words as I saw tears rise in them.

"Pregnant? Yes," I said with the largest smile on my face even though I'd been tossing cookies up seconds earlier. He pressed me against his chest as he proceeded to kiss all over my face.

"Are you both okay? What about last night?" Jake asked in between breaks of kisses.

"We're fine, I didn't know until last night," I admitted. His hands came to rest on my stomach as his deep brown eyes met mine. I realized that we were still on the bathroom floor.

"I'm eight weeks along," I said, touching his cheek. His eyes shined back at me as he lifted me off the bathroom floor and back onto the bed.

"Are you happy?" I asked, worriedly.

"Happy is an understatement. I'm thrilled, babe," he promised, laying me on top of the covers.

"I know this isn't the way we planned..." I began. I chewed my lip as I realized I would have to put more hours into work to prepare for my maternity leave.

"Bella, honey, you're pregnant with my child. My whole world was you and now it just gets a little bit bigger now," Jake assured me as he laid down beside me.

It wouldn't be an exaggeration to say I lucked out when I married Jake. He was everything a husband should be. After almost ten years of marriage, the man could still make my heart flutter.

He left love notes around the house randomly for me to find. For many of the nurses I worked with, they complained their husbands stopped trying after kids. For Jake and I, we knew our kids did not make our marriage.

We placed our marriage as the number one priority. We loved our kids and worked every day to be better for them, but we ached to be better partners and create a healthy view of marriage for our kids more.

Ariana raced to me, her curls bouncing against the still too big parka as she held out her mitten clad hands.

"What did you find, baby?" I asked, peering at her hands. In the snow, was my old charm I believed was lost forever. My eyes widened in shock as I looked down at her with surprise.

"Where did you find this?" I asked her as she placed the trinket in my waiting hand. Her deep hazel eyes met mine as a thoughtful expression crossed her face.

"I was making a snowball, Mama and I felt something hard," she explained, a curious expression on her face. I felt a warm smile cross my face as I held out the trinket for her.

"You know Grandpa Charlie got this for me as a graduation present, and your daddy actually made it," I replied, remembering the first time I came to visit Charlie after spending time in Jacksonville.

She pursed her lips.

"Daddy made this?" She asked, her eyebrow quirking.

"Yep, he made this a long time ago. I'm glad you found this, I was missing this," I said, smoothing the edges of her hair, which had snow in them.

"Maybe I'll find more if I keep looking!" She said, excitement in her tone. Before I could open my mouth, she bounded to her spot in the snow creating snow angels. I rolled my eyes, she definitely had some of her father in her.

The boys were with Jake, Billy, and Charlie, fishing in some hole. Even though it was winter, they swore they could get some fish to bring home tonight. The men were on a boat.

While Ariana was usually all about doing anything her brothers were doing, was more eager to spend time making a snow fort. The boys worshipped their father, and spent any extra moments they had in the garage with him.

Meanwhile, Peter was our star student. Peter had an engineering brain and excelled in math. Meanwhile, Kai was more into playing baseball with Charlie and ate up every minute on the baseball field.

Andrew however was fascinated by history, but still enjoyed playing baseball with Kai. Each of our kids were so different, and each of them had some of their father in them.

Ariana inherited hazel eyes from Renee, which were stunning against her russet skin and dark curls. Kai and Peter were carbon copies of their father, while Andrew had skin similar to mine and my fine brown hair.

We didn't waste time starting our family once we were married. I went to another doctor for a second opinion about my infertility, when he gave us the green light that I could carry children. While Andrew and Kai were unexpected, that first year with them I still had nightmares about mainly because of the loss of sleep.

Peter came along a year and later and Jake and I were convinced we were finished. When I found out I was pregnant with Peter I was floored because I was still breast feeding the twins and I found out when the twins were nine months old.

After I finally got my nurse practitioner's license, I found out I was pregnant with Ariana, which I'd suspected was because of all the stress I was under.

I blamed Jake for his super sperm, and her birth was more high risk than my boys.

I woke up with a start after rolling over and adjusting for the thousandth time. I shuffled to the monitor and saw my two year old Peter sleeping soundly. Meanwhile Andrew and Kai slept soundly in their rooms.

My back was killing me during the night, so I decided to walk around the halls. Andrew's pre-school play pictures caught my eyes as I giggled as I saw him in his cactus costume.

The past few nights I barely slept for more than four hours. This part of the pregnancy was the part I hated the most. This girl was due any day and made sure to take her sweet time.

I decided to be productive and make the boy's lunch for the next day. I heard a rustle as Jake's feet pounded down the hallway. Screw his good hearing.

"Baby?" He called, his voice gravelly from sleep. He walked in only clothed in a pair of sweatpants as he stumbled over to me.

"What are you doing?" He asked, winding his arms around me. He could barely fit his arms around me anymore because of my balloon baby belly.

"Making the boy's lunches," I answered as I put the peanut butter and jelly sandwich into Andrew's lunch bag.

"You can do that in the morning can't you? The bed is cold without you," he murmured into my neck.

"Jake you're warmer than a space heater," I said, calling his bluff.

"The bed is empty without you," Jake said, correcting himself.

"Are you feeling okay?" Jake asked, as he felt my forehead.

"Your kid is giving me back pain," I said with a grumble.

"Do you want a massage? I can start a bath for you," Jake offered.

"We all know what happens after a massage and I love you Jake, but I feel like a cow," I muttered.

"What are you talking about?" Jake asked, turning me around to face him.

"I'm so fat right now and my boobs hurt. I keep on leaking milk, my feet are huge," I muttered; there was no possible way he found me attractive right now. This pregnancy I had to keep an eye on my blood pressure, which spiked more than usual.

"I will always find you beautiful and sexy. You are the mother of my children and believe me if you asked I'd be more than happy to make love to you long enough and as many times for you to erase all those insecurities. But I know you gotta be uncomfortable, so I will do whatever it takes to give you what you need." Jake said, kissing my forehead.

"Can you start a bath?" I asked as I pressed my head into his shoulder. He chuckled as one hand cradled my head.

"Of course," he murmured before kissing my forehead. I finished the kid's lunches before walking back to the bathroom. As promised, Jake drew a bath for me. Before I got into the tub, I felt a wave of dizziness hit me.

I deduced that my blood pressure was spiking. The last thing I needed was Jake freaking out on me.

"Jake," I called. Without missing a beat, Jake was standing in front of me.

"What's wrong?" He asked, immediately sensing my discomfort.

"I need you to get my bag ready. I'm okay, babe. Call Sue and she can come and be with the kids for a bit. I'll text Emily to take the boys' to school tomorrow," I said, as calmly as I could.

"Bells," Jake said, clearly wanting to ask more questions.

"I'm okay. I'll get myself ready and meet you in the car." I said, with a soothing smile. Jake jumped into action as I heard him talk to Sue in hushed tones. Each time I went into labor with my boys, they were predictable.

My water broke and then I pushed those boys out eight hours later. However, this child was different; I was diagnosed with preeclampsia early in the pregnancy. I felt dizzy often and got severe headaches.

"Bells," Jake called, grabbing my bag.

I turned to him. which caused a fresh wave of dizziness to greet me.

"Sue is on her way. I'm gonna get you in the car," Jake said, practically picking me up.

"Jake," I scolded. He ignored my comment as he put me in the front seat of the car. Sue pulled up a moment later as she waved at us. As soon as Sue was in the house, Jake had us zipping out of the driveway.

One hand was on the steering wheel while the other was gripping mine. I let out a deep breath as I felt a contraction ripple through me.

"Contraction?" Jake asked.

I nodded as I squeezed his hand. Once we reached the hospital Jake picked me up bridal style.

Around twelve hours later, I finally felt myself get out of the transition stage.

"Alright, Mrs. Black, you're ten centimeters and all ready to push. We'll count it out and then you push when I say push," the doctor said. Jake put my hand in his and met my eyes with intensity.

The doctor counted out, but I focused on Jake. I let out a big puff of air as I pushed. His deep brown eyes never left mine. Usually during the pushing stage I got my second wind.

After a few rounds of pushing I felt my body begin to protest.

"Something doesn't feel right," I muttered, as I met Jake's eyes.

"Bella, sweetheart, you're doing great," Jake assured me. I shook my head as the next contraction hit and I pushed.

"Good job, Mrs. Black, the head is out. Just a few more pushes and the baby will be here," the doctor announced. I could feel my body start to grow tired as a wave of dizziness hit me.

"Bells, you can do this. I'm so proud of you," Jake said, one hand behind my head as he leaned in closer to me. When another contraction hit, I pushed with the last bit of strength I had. Jake brushed sweaty hair from my forehead.

I heard a cry echo through the room as relief swept through me. I felt dizzier and heavier than I did before which sent up immediate warning signs. However, my baby was here and breathing.

"Congratulations you have a little girl," the doctor announced as they handed her over to me. I felt Jake kiss my forehead and whisper he loved me as the doctor handed me my screaming baby girl.

She had dark skin like Jake and dark brown curls.

"She's beautiful," I murmured. Jake shook his head as he beamed before kissing my cheek again. Suddenly, another stronger wave of naseau and dizziness hit me as I blinked a few times. One of the nurses quickly grabbed my little girl.

"Bella?" Jake called nervously. I felt myself drift as I closed my eyes. When I awoke sometime later, I felt heavy. I blinked my eyes a few times as I felt Jake's warmth next to me.

He was beside me in one of those uncomfortable green chairs as his eyes were closed. I traced his eyebrow gently, as I willed him to wake up. I knew I hemmoraged from the dizziness I still felt.

"Jake," I called weakly. He was up like a shot as his red rimmed eyes nervously scanned mine. His arms were suddenly around me as his body shook. I knew he was close to phasing as I stroked his arm.

"I'm fine," I assured him.

"You almost left me, Bells, don't you dare say you're fine," he muttered into my hair.

"How's Ariana?" I asked, eager to know about our little girl. His stance softened at her name.

"She's great, I haven't seen her yet," Jake admitted, sitting on my bed. I raised my eyebrows as I fought the tone I wanted to use with him.

"Jacob Black, are you telling me you didn't see our daughter?" I asked, my voice raising slightly. He sighed deeply as he played with the edges of my hair.

"I couldn't see her when I didn't know if you were gonna be okay, Bells. When your eyes closed and they threw me out of the room, I wanted to be swallowed up," he admitted, choking up.

If I were in his position, I knew I would've done the same.

"You know I would've wanted you to take care of our babies," I reminded him.

"Bella, you're their mother. Living without you would be hell, baby girl. My whole world crashed for a minute there," he admitted. I sighed as I traced the tear lines on his cheeks.

"I'm okay, Jake, I'm right here," I soothed. He leaned into my embrace.

"Shit I totally forgot to ask how you were, I was all in my mopey phase," he said as he pressed the call button. The nurse came in a moment later, checking my vitals.

"You gave us quite a scare, Mrs. Black," she said as she injected more pain medicine into my IV.

"How is our girl?" I asked. The nurse smiled kindly as she looked at me.

"She's beautiful. We can bring her in now," she replied. Moments later, a nurse wheeled in a tiny baby tucked in a pink blanket. I could see her dark skin and dark hair creeping out of her cap. Jake handed her to me as he sat beside me, his arms encircling me as I pressed her to my bare chest.

As I began to get her to latch, I felt Jacob press a kiss to my forehead and my hair as he held us both in his arms.

As I was brought back to the present as Ariana continued to make her igloo, I saw a figure in the distance. The figure grew closer as my stomach twisted in knots. The figure almost blended in with the alabaster snow.

"Ariana, can you make me a mini igloo?" I asked her, trying to keep her closer to me. She cocked her head in confusion before she ran next to me before sitting down and constructing a new one.

I heard our dogs, Bear and Pooh barking in the house. The figure had on a black coat, with auburn hair. A snowball caught in my throat as I sat beside Ariana, tempted to bring her inside. My fingers traced my phone in my pocket.

Suddenly, the figure was closer and I recognized the figure immediately.

"Ariana, can you go inside and play for a minute? I'll be in to make you hot chocolate, but Pooh and Bear could use your magic," I told her, enveloping her in my arms. She eagerly accepted my hug.

"But Mama, I'm not done," she pouted.

"I don't want you to turn into an icicle," I reminded her.

"I want to be a popsicle," she argued. I sighed before I met her eyes once more. Usually her banter would make me giggle, but right now I was on a mission.

"Sara Ariana, go inside. I'll be there in ten minutes, you can put the timer on," I said, trying once more to reason with her. She sighed as she trudged into the house, closing the door behind her. I knew I'd have snow tracked all over the house, but that was preferable compared to her squaring off with my ex-boyfriend.

He chuckled at our exchange. He lent his hand to help me up, and I shook my head as I stood up, dusting snow off of me.

"Edward," I greeted, crossing my arms across my chest.

"She looks like you," he murmured in amazement. I allowed a soft smile across my lips before I gestured to the porch. I knew if I let him in our house, Jake would complain about the scent for the next decade.

"Thank you. Would you like to talk on the porch?" I asked. He nodded, and I peered at him. He looked exactly as I remembered him, forever seventeen. He walked at a human pace as I gestured to the chairs on the porch.

"Take a seat, I'll be right back. I have to get Ariana situated. I would offer coffee or..." I said, almost catching myself. He smiled crookedly as he sat on the single chair.

"I'm fine, Bella, thank you," he assured me. I went inside, darting to Ariana's room. She had taken her snow boots near the front door along with her parka on the hook. She was much better than the boys at that. She was hugging the dogs, who practically worshipped her.

"Ariana, I'm going to make you some hot chocolate okay? Mommy has a friend outside, but you can color or play with your toys after you finish your hot chocolate," I told her.

She looked up at me and nodded. I turned on the kettle in the kitchen before finding the cocoa mix and adding a little milk to the bottom of the mug for her. After the water turned off, I poured the water into the mug and topped off the cocoa with a few big marshmallows.

"The hot chocolate is ready, baby. Set your timer for two minutes, okay? Remember, the mug stays at the table," I reminded her.

"Okay!" She said as she ran into the kitchen to sit at the table.

"How many marshmallows?" She asked.

"Five," I replied, smiling as I slid her her mug.

"Soon I'll be six you know," she said with a grin.

"Then you can get six marshmallows," I said, kissing her forehead before I left the room. I rubbed my palms against my jeans as I made my way back outside. He was waiting of course.

"So what are you doing here?" I asked. I used to think this kind of behavior was romantic, but now it bothered me. I tried to hide my discomfort as I sat on the swing across from him.

"I wanted to check on you," he replied. I took a deep breath, nodding my head.

"What right do you have to do that?" I asked as gently as I could. He left, dumped me, almost fifteen years ago and now he wanted to come back? How did he find our house?

He seemed visibly taken aback at my statement as he collected himself.

"I suppose you're correct, Bella, that I don't have a right. I gave up that right years ago, but you have to know..." he began, and I took a calming breath. Was he about to apologize to me?

"Don't you agree it's creepy that you found where I live, where my children and I live?" I asked, furrowing an eyebrow. I had to call him out on this.

"I never thought about it like that, Bella, and I'm sorry. I didn't expect you to be outside, I just thought I'd catch a glimpse of you maybe through a window," he replied, back tracking.

"Edward, while I appreciate," I struggled with the last word. I had to take a breath before continuing.

"You checking on me, it is creepy," I replied.

"Right, I apologize. I just had to make sure you were doing alright. You haven't been in Alice's visions at all," he replied. An ex asking his sister to see your future was downright creepy, although I didn't see it that way at the time.

I couldn't really judge him, Jacob and my relationship wasn't completely human either.

"I'm doing great," I assured him.

"You're married now," he said, gesturing to the rings on my finger. For an early tenth anniversary present, Jake bought me a ring with each of our children's birthstones. I twirled the ring around my finger.

"Yes, I got married about ten years ago," I said, he peered through the screen door and saw our wedding picture.

"To Jacob?" He asked curiously.

"Yes," I replied with a smile. He looked in pain for a minute as the screen door shut.

"He's a werewolf," he said, with disgust. I cocked my head in confusion as my eyebrows furrowed.

"I can smell it," he answered my unspoken question.

"Right, well yes," I replied.

"Werewolves are dangerous, Bella," he murmured. I rolled my eyes. Vampires weren't?

"He's not dangerous," I rolled my eyes. A moment later, I heard the truck make its descent down the driveway. It sped up quickly before parking.

"That's him now," I said, with a sigh. Jake came out first, ordering the boys to stay inside. He raced to me, his deep brown eyes anxiously scanning me for injury. He enveloped me in his arms, lifting me off the ground. I wrapped my arms around him, partially to reassure him.

"Jake, it's fine. Ariana is in the house, playing. The boys are fine," I assured him quietly, even though I knew Edward could hear. Jake's arms tensed around me as he pressed his face into my hair.

"I smelled him the moment I drove in the driveway and I was just so worried, Bells," he admitted softly. He was still fiercely protective of me.

"I know, I'm safe, Jake. Why don't you and the boys go inside, okay? He's not here to hurt us," I reminded him. He pulled back so he could look at me again.

"But he could hurt you," he murmured, with a deep frown. I knew he was talking about the wounds he left years ago, as I traced my finger against his face.

"He can't anymore, Jake. I'm absolutely fine. Go inside and make sure our kids don't kill each other," I said, attempting humor. His mouth turned slightly upwards for a moment before returning to a hard grimace.

He looked at Edward throwing him a glare as he stalked over to him quickly.

"If you touch a hair on her head, I will rip you to shreds," he said with venom.

"I would never hurt her," Edward said, with a grimace.

"That's rich coming from you. It's a good thing Bella is forgiving as she is, because I want nothing more than to..." Jake said, and I touched his arm to de escalate him. His stance softened for a moment at my touch.

"Jake, it's fine. I'll call you if I need you. I won't be long," I promised him. His body seemed to relax at my words.

"Are you sure, Bells? I'm happy to chase him off," he said.

"I'm fine, babe. Those boys are itching to be inside and I'm pretty sure your little girl..." I started, but Ariana interrupted me as she bounded up.

"Daddy!" She cried, eagerly launching herself into her father's arms. Jacob melted immediately as he caught her.

"Hi, Ariana. I missed you today, did you have fun with Mommy?" he asked as he met my eyes once more and I nodded. He sighed before he collected our boys from the car. They eagerly ran inside, oblivious to the man on our porch.

Jacob gave me one last glance as I nodded. He kissed my lips with passion for a moment as the boys all complained.

"Eww!" Kai said, covering his eyes.

"Aww boys, come on," he said, ushering them inside. He shut the screen door behind him. I cleared my throat as I assumed my seat on the swing.

"You two have a special bond don't you?" He asked. I knew he could read Jacob's mind, and Jacob had no issue with saying exactly what was on it.

"Yes, he's my soulmate," I replied easily.

"No, you two have a supernatural bond," Edward said, studying me.

"Imprinting?" He surmised. I nodded.

"It's the way wolves find their soulmates, it doesn't happen to everyone. I moved to Jacksonville for two years and came back to Seattle for college. Jake helped me unpack, and he set eyes on me and it happened," I answered.

"Love at first sight?" Edward asked.

"Not exactly. I didn't fall in love with him immediately, it took me months to confess how I felt. I hadn't really dated after you, and I was scared to fall in love again after getting heartbroken," I replied. He frowned at my words.

"It's never a clean break, you know. It took me two years to get over you and let someone in again. He was patient, and good for me. He was my best friend for months, and then it bloomed into something more. I didn't have to give anything up to be with him," I said, with a slight smile. I threw the words clean break in to remind him of how he phrased our break up.

"I'm sorry I hurt you," he admitted, and I knew he was sincere.

"Thank you," I murmured. After all these years, I could forgive him. Without his epic dumping in the rain break up, I would've never fallen in love with Jacob, repaired my relationship with my parents, or had my babies.

His eyebrows raised as if I had three heads.

"You forgive me?" He questioned.

"It happened years ago, Edward. I'm not a child anymore," I replied, as I smoothed my hands on my jeans.

"I never meant to hurt you like that, Bella. You had to know I did it because I wanted you to be safe, I wanted you to have a beautiful human life. You should know those words I said in the forest about not loving you anymore, and you believed me. How could you believe me after all the times I said I love you?" He asked, nearly tearing his hair out.

I let out a sigh as I met his golden eyes that I used to love so much. There was a time when his words would make me want to ride off into the sunset with him.

"I wasn't very confident in myself, Edward. I saw my worth tied to your love, and that wasn't fair to you. The love I had for you wasn't healthy. I was ready to give up my own life, my relationships with my parents to join your world," I admitted.

"But you're correct, I deserved a beautiful human life and I have one. I get to help people heal as a nurse, I have the best loving husband in the entire world, and I have four incredible children. Growing old used to terrify me because it meant one more year older than you, but now it doesn't. Now, growing old means I get to watch my kids grow up, I get to spend another day with Jacob," I said. I wasn't the seventeen year old girl he left behind, no I was the girl who used the very same ground I thought was crumbling under me as a foundation.

"You're a nurse? Aren't you scared of blood?" He asked, his lips quirking upwards. I shrugged my shoulders before I answered him, "I care about my patients more. Besides, I was always more sensitive to my blood, not other peoples."

"You've moved on," he observed.

"I did, did you?" I asked. He sighed as he shook his head.

"The family lives in New York, and I've been traveling. I used to hunt for Victoria, but I lost her in South America. Her scent hasn't shown up since. I thought if I hunted her, I was protecting you," he admitted.

"She's dead, you know. She came back for me about three years after you left, and the wolves saved me. I have a few scars to remember her by," I said. His jaw opened in shock.

"The wolves killed her? Bella, I'm so sorry she went after you, I knew killing James impacted her, but I never imagined..." he trailed off.

"It's okay, the wolves found me and I'm fine now," I replied.

"Bella..." He began, and I could tell from the way his eyes shined with remorse that he was going to apologize to me. The pit of my stomach twisted as I shook my head.

"Please don't apologize. Don't get me wrong, there was a time when I would have ate all you said up. But I grew up, Edward. In a weird way, I guess I should thank you. If you didn't break up with me, I wouldn't have lived, Edward. I'm living now," I said, gripping my fingers together as I smiled at him.

He looked flabbergasted as he raised his eyebrows in surprise. Clearly, he thought I was the same girl I was when I was seventeen years old. For him, time was fluid and unchanging, but for me time was different.

Time meant I now had to pluck out gray hairs. My body was different now, after four kids. I wasn't a skinny size two anymore, I clearly edged more towards a six. Time meant for me birthdays, anniversaries, and pictures up on the wall.

"I'm rarely at a loss of words, but you have rendered me speechless. I had a whole idea about telling you how my life has been without you these past years and how time has been unchanging and it has been like a moonless night," he said, clearly caught off guard.

"Do you ever regret what we had?" He asked curiously. I was taken aback by his question as I shook my head. I learned so much about who I was with him. I suppose that is a gift your first love gives you.

There wasn't a doubt in my mind when I told Edward I loved him years ago, I meant it with every fiber of my being. Luckily, I found myself and actually liked myself. After I found myself, I met someone who didn't make me change myself to fit what they needed.

Jake taught me there were men out there who knew how to treat women. He wasn't well spoken, or much for epic professions of love but I was blind if I didn't see his gestures every single day for how much he loved me.

He checked the tire pressure in my cars when I worried. He took the kids out once every week so I could have a night off cooking and finally catch up on a book. He tucked our kids in so I could have some peace and quiet.

He left me fresh picked flowers for me to wake up to along with making me coffee every single morning. He'd make trips to the store at two am when I was pregnant and craved mint chocolate chip ice cream.

"No, not at all. I learned so much about who I was from when I was with you. I regret making you into a god like figure. I truly believe I meant it when I said I loved you, even though I didn't have a complete understanding of the word," I replied.

It was easy to see how he fit my mold for a Prince Charming when I was sixteen and seventeen years old. However, he wasn't a fixture in my life for very long. While he was a chapter in my life, he was acting like I was a whole book.

"My life has been meaningless without you, Bella. I wasn't sure what I'd find when I caught your scent, but I'm glad you're happy now. All I ever wanted for you was to be happy, even if it was not with me. You were truly the love of my existence, Bella," he admitted and my lips turned upwards. I reached my hand out to touch his cold one.

"You have an eternity to find a new person to love you, Edward. You will find one, and they will love you more than I ever could. I truly wish you every happiness. If I could give you some advice?" I asked, and he nodded in acceptance.

"Love is a choice, Edward. While there is some magic involved, I make the choice to love Jacob every day. It's the best choice I make. You have the power to make that choice with someone else," I said softly, with my lips curving into a smile.

"Thank you, Bella." He murmured as he stood up. I stood up with him as he stood in front of me.

"I realize now it was imprudent of me to just show up without a warning. You have a beautiful family, and you look happy. I won't come by again, but thank you for your kindness," he said, as he took a tentative step forward.

"It was good to see you, Edward. I hope you find happiness and meet someone wonderful, I know you will." I said, clasping my hand together. He leaned forward to press a kiss on my forehead and I stepped back.

"I hardly deem that appropriate as my children and my husband are inside," I said strongly.

"Right, I'm sorry, Bella." he murmured. I nodded at him as he began down the steps. I could feel his eyes on my back as I closed the screen door and the storm door behind me.

I walked into the living room and found Jake with Aria assembling a fake fishing rod with a magnetic fish.

"Daddy, this isn't the same," Aria said in disgust. Jacob was laying down on the ground beside her as he pointed towards the fake fish pond he made for her.

"No, but it's good practice when Grandpa Charlie and Grandpa Billy take you out on the boat. Your brothers sure don't know how to catch a fish, they need someone with practice," Jake reasoned.

I felt my heart utterly expand as I felt myself falling in love with this man over and over again.

"Me?" Aria asked, pointing at herself.

"Yes, you, so you better get to it," he said, ruffling her hair. She earnestly began aiming her rod over the magnetic fish. Jake's eyes met mine as he walked over to me with purpose. He enveloped me in a hug as he inspected me for injuries worriedly.

"God I can't believe that prick," he whispered in my ear. I pulled his hand toward the kitchen for more privacy.

"I know, but he's not coming back, Jake," I promised him.

"I mean what guy thinks he can just waltz back after almost twelve years?" He asked, starting to shake.

"One who is seventeen forever," I replied. He chuckled as he leaned into my embrace.

"I was worried you know that'd you take him back. I always worried he'd just swoop back in and..." he trailed off.

"Are you serious right now? Jake, I love you with everything that I am," I reminded him.

"I know, Bells, but he was your first love," he sighed.

"You're my last, you oaf," I reminded him. He smiled impishly as picked me up in his arms.

"You're my whole entire world, Bells. You gave me four great kids, and I know I'm not the most romantic man in the world..." he began, and I refused to let him finish.

"You show me you love me every single day, Jake. You call me out on my bullshit and you make me a priority. You keep me sane, Jake," I interrupted him.

"After all these years I keep thinking I'm never gonna love you more, but I do," he murmured as he gently walked us around the kitchen almost in a waltz. I giggled as I thought of our second date, where he swept me off my feet literally with dancing.

"What are you giggling about, beautiful?" He asked, pressing a kiss against my hair.

"Do you remember our second date when you showed off our dance skills?" I asked.

"Oh yeah. The third one I told you I loved you and you stormed off, you little heartbreaker," he chuckled. Although me storming off after finding out about imprinting was no laughing matter at the time, we laughed about it now.

"I couldn't make it too easy for you," I quipped.

"What do you say tonight you make me work for you?" He whispered huskily in my ear. I felt desire course through me as I nodded.

"That can be arranged," I replied, breathlessly.

"A shower should definitely be kick off, because don't take this personally, babe, but you stink," Jake replied. I forgot I stunk to him because I smelled like vampire, and poor Jake put up with it.

"Oh jeez, Jake, I'm sorry," I apologized, backing away from him as he only held me tighter in his arms.

"Don't, you chose me, Bells," he reminded. I rolled my eyes, like it was a choice in the first place.

"I choose you, every single day," I pressed my lips to his. He eagerly returned my kiss, his hands threading into my hair as the other hand gripped my lower back closer to him.

After ten years of marriage, I never got tired of kissing this man.

My boys must have sensed we had a moment to ourselves as I heard heavy feet hit the tile.

"Aww gross, really?" Kai said, in disgust. We pulled away as Jake had an impish grin on his face.

"I love your mother boys, and tonight I think we caught some fish we can make for dinner. Let's let Mom relax and you three are in the kitchen with me," he said, as the boys' shoulders sagged.

"What about Ariana? She always gets out of everything," Andrew argued.

"Ariana!" Jake called. Aria bounded in as she saw the coolers filled with fish.

"Ooh, I get to help Daddy!" Ariana said excitedly. The boys' rolled their eyes as Aria stood up on her little step stool.

"Shoo, Bells, we got some gourmet stuff coming out of this kitchen. Go relax," he said with a wink as he waved his hand at me. I giggled as I walked out of the room towards the staircase.

Now was a good time as any to squeeze in a shower. I took one last look at my whole world in the kitchen as I walked up the stairs. With Jake, I got to live. Although it felt like my whole world was ending years ago, in fact it was just a spring board to the best love story.

Jake's unwavering love for me as our love only grew as the years passed.

I realize there was a question about Bella having kids. It's always good to get a second opinion, and Bella did! Even with scarring, there is still possibility of pregnancy. As someone who struggles with infertility I can confirm this after many doctor's appointments.

I felt this was an ending that finally tied all the loose ends.