A/N Wow! I can't believe I'm doing this. Leave it to a global pandemic to make me reconsider some things. I'm still committed to my original novels and didn't think I could write fic anymore, but this one needed one more installment. It had always been in my mind since I started this emotional journey. I hope you like the addition. It's a bit much for an epilogue, but rules no longer apply. Am I right? I hope some of you remember this story and haven't totally given up on me.

Copyright disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, plot, etc belong to Stephenie Meyer not me, which is a shame. I gave this Twi universe years of my life. ;)

Epilogue

10 years later

Bella

She thought that last customer would never leave even though Bella hung the Closing early sign on the front door around noon. Her bookstore/coffee shop was her pride and joy only second to her family, which consisted of Charlie and Sue, Renee and Phil, Billy, the Pack and her perfect husband, Jacob. They were everything and they were enough. She'd said that for over a decade, but yesterday was the day the doctor confirmed there could also be more.

She never succumbed to false hope or wishful thinking. As much as Bella wanted to be a dreamer like her husband, she was more of a realist. The specialist Bella sought out confirmed her fears about five years ago. She concluded Bella must have had a severe pelvic infection in the past that left the area surrounding her female organs with widespread scarring. That doctor gave her a less than ten percent chance of getting pregnant without extensive intervention. A couple of others had given her even less of a chance. Jacob promised a family would happen eventually when the time was right. They investigated adoption, but Bella had never been able to decide for sure if they should send in the application.

Bella and Jacob didn't even think about trying those first few years together, even though it was in the back of her mind. Life was too busy. Jacob graduated his online high school. They both attended college. One afternoon on the way home, a for sale sign on an abandoned building in Port Angeles called to her. It would be the perfect location for an idea she'd been tossing around that would put her business degree to perfect use. Bella put everything into her dream while finishing up her last year of school.

Life hadn't always been easy. In fact, Jacob and Bella ran into their first major conflict that morning after their jump off the cliffs. She would have never imagined their perfect day would end in one of their worst arguments, but they couldn't wait to share their happiness with the pack. Bella knew everyone would be dragging after the long wedding reception and a full night of partying. She and Jacob grocery shopped and showed up at Billy's around noon for a huge brunch. The group text went out and everyone came except Paul and Rachel, since they'd already left for a honeymoon.

It was Dad that spilled the news. Bella had heard several times Quil had an interest in police work, but Charlie handed Jacob a pamphlet about the nearest police Academy as well. It was then that she realized her boyfriend had been involved with that cop conversation the whole time. He hadn't wanted her to worry during her recovery. Of course, she'd worry. It was bad enough her father was a cop, but Charlie was so set in his ways. He'd never leave the easygoing area of Forks. At least, here, Bella worried more about her father being nipped by a stray dog than anything else. Jacob and Quil had other ideas. They thought with their enhanced abilities, they'd turn out to be kickass detectives in a larger city.

Jacob had his sights set on Seattle. Bella was pissed. He could be anything. Jacob was brilliant and she didn't see why he wanted to take risks. He'd finished his distance education in record time. There were a lot of conversations and shouting over the subject, but compromises prevailed. For once, Bella recognized a passion that was inside Jacob that had nothing to do with duty or bloodline. He'd spent so much time taking care of everyone else before he was a full-fledged adult. She had to trust him. He was a freaking shapeshifter with superhuman strength and senses. If anyone could manage police life, it was him. He agreed to go to college with her and explore other options. Bella backed down with her ultimatums, and Jacob gave up on Seattle when they found the future home of the bookstore. That's how things had been with them over the years. Lots of love and happiness, even during times of stress, like when the pack all slowly stopped phasing. The threats became fewer and less frequent since the Cullens never came back.

She liked to say they all ended up normal adults despite their supernatural background.

But secretly, Bella had longed for this one last missing piece to feel complete. All the others had families except for Leah and Embry. That was by choice. They were world travelers. It was their lifestyle and their livelihood. The desire for children was something deeply personal for Bella. Healing after Edward came long ago, but deep down, Bella wished to shout that he stole nothing from her in the end. Not even this. She would be a mother despite his horrific actions. Ten years had seemed like forever, but with her hand on her belly at this moment, it had been just a blip in time. She and Jacob had been constructing their story one page at a time, and it was still just the beginning.

He was going to flip. Like, literally. She pictured him jumping up and down, eventually performing some acrobatics. His agility was still present, only now he complained about his aching back or knees a little more often. Bella glanced at the clock again. She barely had time to get the tiny presentation together. He knew to pick her up today. The text message went out that she was ready. He hadn't responded, but he was probably in a rush finishing up some paperwork at work. His shift ended at three, and Jacob was rarely late without an explanation.

Another hour went by, and three more unanswered texts caused her some anxiety. Surely, they must have gotten their wires crossed. This was turning out to be a weird day. Bella had dreamed about this announcement ever since her period was late weeks ago. She had been too nervous to take a test, so she finally gave in and saw her OB/GYN the previous morning. It was one hundred percent certain. She was actually a little further along than she thought, but her irregular cycle made things harder to pinpoint. She was lucky enough to have picture proof in a personalized picture frame in the middle of her romantic display in the corner of the bookstore. It would be the ultimate date night.

"Dammit, Jake. Why are you so late?" Bella said out loud. Good thing she'd went with easy finger foods and desserts that would still be good and didn't need to be reheated. She would have been ticked if she'd cooked something elaborate. This was so frustrating. Quil wasn't answering either. He was Jacob's partner. Somehow, this was probably his fault. Bella was just about ready to text Quil's wife when the key turned inside the lock. She took a deep breath to get rid of all her frustrations. It was time for a celebration, and whatever had made her husband late was insignificant now. Bella couldn't wait any longer. She ran to meet him.

Her mood sank when she saw Charlie standing inside the entryway. Normally, a visit from her father was a treat. He usually stopped by to share a specialty coffee and one of Bella's double chocolate chip muffins, but she wanted Jacob to be the first to know her news. Then they could tell their families together.

"Dad. I'm so sorry to do this, but I can give you half dozen baked goods to take home if you hurry out. I'm waiting for Jacob and it's kind of a husband and wife thing."

It was then that she noticed the expression on her dad's face. He didn't look right. His lip trembled when he tried to open his mouth to speak, "Um, Bells, kiddo. I ..." Charlie stopped to gather his composure, but he couldn't. Something was wrong.

Her heart hammered inside her chest. It was then that she felt it. Bella couldn't pinpoint the feeling at first, but something was wrong in the world. Her world. She struggled with the one word that normally spilled effortlessly from her lips. "Jacob."

Her father nodded, confirming every irrational fear Bella had ever possessed. "I'm so sorry. The call came over the radio about an hour ago. I had to sort out what was happening to make sure, but there was a chase and a shootout. He and Quil. Well, they were both hit. Quil's going to be fine, just grazed him, but Jake... he."

Her hands squeezed over her ears to block whatever Charlie had misunderstood over the police frequencies. "NO! No, he's not, Dad. Don't you dare say it. I'd know. I still feel him."

"Surgery, Bells. I'm trying to say he's still in surgery. I just got off the phone with Quil. It's bad. Real bad. I think he took two direct hits to the chest. They weren't wearing their vests because they'd just gotten off work and were only responding as backup."

"Take me to him."

"Yes, of course. That's why I'm here. Sue's in the car. We'll take you now. Do you need to do anything here to close up shop?"

At first, Bella couldn't think straight. She shook her head but remembered her picnic area. She needed to blow out the romantic candles. Running to the other room without an explanation worried her father. He followed her. Bella kneeled to extinguish the three lit flames. The ultrasound picture paralyzed her. This wasn't part of the plan. All these years, they waited for a miracle together and now Bella felt utterly alone. It wasn't true. Their child grew inside of her. Her father was here for her. She had tons of people she loved and relied on, but nothing made sense if Bella didn't have Jacob, her Sun. She crumpled in a heap, clinging to the frame. Charlie rushed to her side. He didn't know what was happening, but when he helped his only child up, he saw what she held between her fingers.

"Oh, Bells."

She choked on her sobs, "I was going to tell him over a picnic dinner. He doesn't have a clue. We're having a baby. I'm finally going to make Jacob a father. What if?"

"Don't, kiddo. Let's go to the hospital. These doctors perform miracles every day, and Jake, well, he's the strongest man I've ever known. He's not average, by any means. The guys all possessed healing powers. Remember the hits he used to take?"

She agreed, but Bella also knew the wolf retreated a long time ago. Things weren't the same. Sam hurt his back at work a year ago. He had surgery and a grueling rehab. She distinctly remembers him joking with Jacob that he guessed all traces of the wolf were gone. He was just a regular thirty-something man with a bad back.

What if Jacob was in the same boat? A normal man shot twice in the chest would be in the fight of his life. Bella closed her eyes and sought to reach him in her thoughts. Hang on, Jake. I'm coming to you with the best news. I love you.

When they got to the hospital, Bella was informed Jacob was still in surgery. One by one, their family showed up. They all tried to keep Bella sane, but not much helped. She needed to hear the surgery was a success, that he would be fine, but hours ticked by with little updates. Eventually, the doctor came to talk to her.

First words out of his mouth were, "He survived." Then came the rest, "But he lost a lot of blood. It was constant touch and go. He's a fighter, but the next few days will be the toughest. I need to prepare you. The damage was extreme. The first bullet clipped the major vessel of his heart and his lung collapsed. The other bullet lodged dangerously close to his spine. There's a lot of swelling. We just don't know. To be perfectly honest, my team expected him to die on the table, but for some reason he didn't. I'm not here to give false hope, but before we got him stabilized, I swore there was none, and now I'm not sure of anything. Medically speaking, he shouldn't have made it this far, but he's fighting. I'm guessing by the looks of this room; he has a lot to live for."

She barely got the question out, "Can I see him?"

"When we get him settled in the Cardiac ICU, someone will come get you. They'll only allow two in at a time."

Billy wheeled next to her. She reached down to cover his hand with hers. When the surgeon left them, Jacob's father reassured her. "My son is a warrior. None of these doctors can believe it because they've never seen anyone like Jacob. He's going to make it."

Bella nodded, even though the doctor's explanation had left her reeling. She blurted out her news to everyone. "I'm pregnant."

Her father-in-law squeezed her hand. "You and Jacob are both miracles. Think back, Bella. We all remember what you looked like when he escaped with you. There was no hope for you either, but here you are. And you're carrying my grandchild, the one that the doctors believed would never exist. He's got this. You've got this."

The hours and days blurred. She barely slept. Emily and Rachel force-fed nutritious food into her mouth every few hours. Bella struggled to hold down anything. She wasn't sure if it was pregnancy symptoms kicking in or extreme fatigue coupled with her despair. Jacob was still considered a miracle, but he wasn't waking up. The doctors tried several things. They weaned him off the ventilator and gradually reduced his sedation that third day after surgery, but there had been no change in over forty-eight hours since. There was no medical reason he wasn't waking up, and the last thing she overheard was talk of some type of brain function test.

He hadn't left the ICU. She usually had someone with her during their visits, but occasionally she'd ask for a few minutes alone to pour her heart out to him. Bella had told him repeatedly about the child they'd created in hopes it was enough to bring him back to her, but so far nothing worked. Jacob stayed unresponsive and unconscious.

This last night before his brain function test had her in the pits of despair. That test might change everything. She couldn't imagine her Jake being a shell of the man he once was. He wouldn't want to live like that. He needed to wake up and tell them all he was fine. Billy had been so encouraging that first night, but tonight when he left them, Bella saw the grief in his eyes. He'd practically said his goodbyes to his only son.

Listening to the beeps and hums of the ICU had her almost hypnotized. She'd been sitting quietly this time, not saying much after what she'd just witnessed. Then Bella thought about Billy's words after Jacob's surgery. "Remember. There was no hope."

Bella didn't have the opportunity to be treated inside a topnotch medical facility. The only doctor that ever saw to her was a bloodsucking demon. Carlisle had done nothing for her other than try to cover up his son's treachery. He wasn't truly attempting to heal Bella. They only wanted to change her or hide her condition from the pack. Jacob came to her. He found her, and he was the one that healed her. She was practically a corpse. She twisted her fingers over the one and only scar that remained. All those marks from Edward were long erased from existence. She was here for one reason and one reason only. It was because of Jacob's blood. Maybe the wolf was truly gone from Jacob, but maybe...

If she thought about it any longer, she might chicken out. Bella searched the drawers inside Jacob's room until she found something that might work. She ripped the sheet off him and peeled back the thick bandage that covered his wounds. Her eyes squeezed shut when she saw the scary holes still present. They showed signs of healing on the outside but still looked awful and were a small representation of what had taken place inside his body.

Bella grabbed the small pair of scissors she found in a kit and prayed for the strength. The tip plunged into her palm. She held her scream from the intense sting and slowly pulled the sharp object down toward her wrist, ripping open a wound about four inches long. At the worst time, Charlie arrived to try to get her to leave for the night.

He shouted, "Bells, what the hell are you doing?" He tried to grab a cloth to wrap around her wound, but she refused.

She pumped her fingers around her wrist. "No, I have to try. It's his last hope. Jacob gave me his blood before. Now, I'm giving him mine."

"Honey, that was years ago, and it was different. He was different then."

"Dad, please. I need to try this. Watch the door for me, please. No one can come in or they'll probably think I need to be committed."

Her father finally agreed. Bella squeezed drops of her blood carefully over each wound. "Jacob. Wake up. We are more. Remember. More than an imprint. Better than a soulmate. There're no others like us. You hear my thoughts. I feel your presence. You're in there, and you want to come back to me. To us. That's right. I said us. There's a baby now. Please, Jacob. He or she needs a father." Bella continued to plea with Jacob and gave every ounce of blood her wound produced until she felt dizzy. Her body drooped over his when exhaustion overcame her. At least she knew she tried everything. Now it was up to him.

She eventually climbed inside the bed next to him, practically ready to give up. This couldn't be the end. She was the broken girl Jacob mended more than once. Bella used to beg for death when she had to live with the haunting memories of Edward. Jacob refused to give up on her. Everyone else had. Not him. He promised he'd never leave. The only other words she had left were, "Don't leave me."

Her eyes closed. After a few minutes, the energy of the room changed. The tone of the monitor sounded different. She barely had time to process anything before warmth soothed her belly. Her eyes glanced down and there it was. Jacob's hand spread across the area where their child grew. His fingers ran in slow circles for a few seconds before any words were exchanged.

"Jake. You're awake. Oh my God! Let me get the nurse."

He held her close to his side. "No, wait. Is it true? I had this dream. It kept repeating inside my thoughts. You were round with my babies. You were so happy. I kept trying to say something, but my voice wouldn't work. Shit. I feel like I got ran over by a truck, Bells. What the hell happened?"

"You and Quil were ambushed. You both got shot, not runover."

"Quil?"

"He's fine. His arm's in a sling and he's getting round-the-clock- sympathy from Jessica."

"Oh good, but poor Jess. That bastard will take advantage." Bella laughed. They'd said that for years, ever since Quil and Jessica Stanley got set up on a blind date and hit it off for some reason. Bella was a skeptic at first, but now Jessica was one of her best friends. They'd been married six years and had two wild and sassy daughters. A perfect mixture of their parents.

"I really need to get someone. You've been out a long time. Charlie's guarding the door."

Jacob agreed. "Okay but tell me again that this is real and I'm not dreaming anymore. I need to hear it from you once again."

Bella scooted closer and reached up to kiss his lips. "We're real. We've always been real, babe."

Jacob breathed out his relief. His hand moved back to her stomach and then Bella remembered his exact words again.

"Wait, a minute. Did you say babies?"

"Yup. One of each."

"No, I had an ultrasound. I have the picture with me. There's just one."

"There's two. Trust me on this."

She trusted him always, but Jacob had been comatose. He'd been shot and had major surgery. He was confused. The doctor would have clearly seen two babies if that was the case. Wouldn't she? Ultrasounds were foolproof, or so she thought. Oh, hell. What did Bella know? She thought she was infertile for a decade.

Jacob smiled and told her his own secret. "I hear them, Bells."

Their eyes connected and gold rimmed irises stared into her soul. Bella covered her mouth, "He's back."

He nodded, "Whenever he's needed, he'll always come back. I love you, honey. This time, you saved me. You summoned the wolf."

She could hardly believe what he was saying, but when Bella searched his thoughts, she saw them too. The kids from the mountaintop vision weren't a dream. They were always real. They were meant to be. Emotion filled her. Bella's eyes soaked his skin. Jacob whisked the tears away. It had been his signature move for years. He took care of her and whisked away all traces of sadness. Bella's heart was full. She silently greeted the wolf within him. It had been a long time, but they were still old friends. She didn't realize she possessed such power, but Bella was happy that she did and that she hadn't given up. Jacob and Bella were more and inside his arms would always be her one true home.

The End

~Thanks so much for reading.

I would love to update Perfect Relations. We'll see. You can always catch me on Amazon as TC Rybicki. Hope everyone is taking care of themselves. #stayhome

Reviews and PMs appreciated.