Epilogue –
New Year, New Last Name

Exactly two years before, she was drunk off tequila, plagued by unpleasant thoughts about how the man she loved was marrying her best friend and had a rather hopeless outlook on her future.

Exactly two years before, he was sulking over his imperfect imprint, jealous of all the other guys as they kissed their girlfriends at midnight, and trying to negotiate a pack trade-off with Sam.

Now? She was standing there, trying to focus on not falling, in her kitchen with the doors that led to the backyard closed in front of her, Seth on her arm and Jacob waiting at the end of the aisle to make her Mrs. Black on the other side of the door.

"Are you ready?" Seth asked softly as she heard music playing - a soft, beautiful piano medley.

She nodded but pulled back and hugged Seth tightly. He embraced her before they pulled back and looped arms again. Seth reached out to open the doors a moment later and everyone stood up.

The backyard wasn't huge - but it was big enough for everyone they loved to gather with white fold up chairs accompanied with a navy blue bow lining a makeshift, white aisle. Seth led her down the small porch, down the steps, and to the end of the aisle and Jacob's face lit up like a thousand suns as she walked down. There wasn't a dry eye in the backyard - including theirs. Her dad was here with her, she felt it, and read it in the letter her mom had given her earlier that morning before she had started her make-up. It had been heartwarming and heartbreaking all at the same time, but she knew her dad would be proud of her and he was looking down on them today in the form of the late afternoon sun shining in the sky and an uncharacteristically warm December 31st.

As promised, Claire – now five, was the flower girl and she sprawled petals down the white aisle before Leah came down and then stood proudly beside Rachel on Leah's side of the aisle. When Leah made it to the end of the aisle, she hugged her brother tightly and he wiped a tear off her cheek and shook Jacob's hand before taking his place next to Jacob and Leah hugged her mom who was sat in the front row. Leah took Jacob's hand and smiled, seeing their little Benjamin sitting on the ground next to Seth. He was the ring bearer, but Seth kept the rings for safekeeping considering Ben was too busy playing in the dirt off to the side of the alter. She couldn't help but to giggle and nudge Jacob who looked over his shoulder despite the beautiful bride before him. Everyone laughed, looking over to where they had, and the officiant chuckled as Jacob looked at her again, his eyes wide with adoration and love as their almost a year and a half-year-old son enjoyed getting his suit dirty.

He looked her up and down, appreciating her form-fitted gown with little embellishment but her killer body underneath the shiny, satin material. The neckline was low enough to be appropriate for a wedding but seductive enough to show off what a beautiful body she had, and the rhinestones just under the bust gave the dress a bridal feel - her train flowing behind her that Rachel had fixed and veil hanging from her long, dark locks. Likewise, Jacob looked amazing in a tailored, navy suit – strong and sexy, as always.

Only Rachel and Seth stood - and Benjamin and Claire, since they wanted a small and intimate wedding but the entire pack and their close family and friends were all in attendance.

"We join here today to witness the union between Jacob Ephraim Black and Leah Elizabeth Clearwater."

The words couldn't be any sweeter. The officiant went through traditional ceremonial tasks and finally, he got to the vows.

"I, Leah Clearwater," Leah said, clearing her throat. "Take you, Jacob Black, to have and to hold, in sickness and in health, from this day forth, to love unconditionally and in the face of any adversity we may encounter. I promise to be the best mom I can be to our son, vow to always stand by you, and put you and our family above everything else."

"I, Jacob Black, take you, Leah Clearwater, to have and to hold, in sickness and in health, from this day forth, to love more every day, to protect, to provide for our family, and always kiss you goodnight. I promise to be a man your dad would respect, and be accountable for your happiness."

Both of their eyes were damp, but with all the sniffles she heard around the backyard, she assumed dry eyes were the minority today.

"Leah, do you take Jacob Black as your lawfully wedded husband?"

"I do."

"Jacob, do you take Leah Clearwater as your lawfully wedded wife?"

"I do."

"Well by the power invested in me and the state of Washington, I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may now kiss your bride."

Jacob didn't waste any time scooping Leah into his arms and picking her up as his lips touched hers in a passionate kiss – probably too much so for an audience, and everyone erupted in claps, whistles, and cheers.

Leah smiled against his lips, kissing him again as he pulled back before they turned to everyone.

"I now give you, for the first time as man and wife, Jacob and Leah Black."

They went down the aisle, smiling like fools as everyone threw rice on them and once they hit the end of the yard, Jacob kissed her again before everyone came over to wish them happiness. Pictures were simple and held in the backyard and Leah and Jacob made sure every one of importance was in them – and had snuck in a few next to their favourite tree. Leah leaned her back against it – careful not to get sap on her dress (or scratch her back) and Jacob pressed against her, his arm over her head as the photographer snapped pictures of them looking into each other's eyes and kissing. He had even managed to grip her thigh and pull it up to his hip thanks to the slit up the side of her dress. The pictures – which the photographer briefly showed them, were pretty hot and definitely not parent-appropriate for the photo album but they emanated how in love they were – and insanely sexually compatible. And their tree needed some recognition, right? If only the photographer knew the real story behind their favourite Sitka tree. The rest of the photos were tamer considering they had other people to involve. Benjamin behaved perfectly through-out the whole thing with the promise of a pudding cup once the pictures were over. Despite his dirty suit, the pictures turned out amazing and the day was overflowing with love.

Finally, once the food was served and the backyard was transformed with tables and little white hanging lights – thanks to Rachel and Rebecca, Leah and Jacob sat upfront with Benjamin. Leah fed him and they both laughed as they saw the state his suit was in from dirt, food, and chocolate stains from the pudding cup earlier. But he was happy and that's what mattered. All in all, they got lucky – he was a very happy and easy baby. Leah helped him shrug his jacket off and he wasted no time in getting food all over his white shirt. Luckily, he had more clothes inside.

When the meal was over, Jacob and Leah took to the dance floor to 'Make You Feel My Love'. She curled close to him as he spun her around the dancefloor, stealing kisses.

"I never thought two years ago today we'd be getting married today."

"Me either," Jacob smirked. "Or have a son."

"I guess life just has a way of working things out," she said coyly.

"I guess so," he murmured before kissing her again.

The music soon faded and Jacob took the dancefloor with Rachel to 'I Hope You Dance' and she watched as Rachel wiped Jacob's face dry as a few tears spilled over at the absence of their mother.

"Mom would be so proud of you," Rachel whispered as he pulled her into a hug on the dancefloor before Rebecca cut in to finish the song with her little brother. Her little girl, Kailey, was playing with Grace and Benjamin off to the side with Emily and Sam and Leah smiled thankfully for their help. It was nice to be so close to them both again and watch their kids grow up together, like she and Emily always dreamed before the supernatural threw their lives into the blender.

When the song ended, Seth looked to Leah and smiled, extending his hand to her. He had picked the song, so she didn't know what it was, but as a familiar tune started to play – I Loved Her First by Heartland, Leah teared up immediately.

"Dad would have loved this song," Seth murmured as he pulled her close as tears spilled down Leah's cheeks.

"You're the best, you know that?"

Seth spun her around and Leah couldn't hold back the tears. As the song hit the midpoint, Sue, Billy, Jacob, Rebecca and Rachel came out with Benjamin and handed him to Leah, engulfing them into a group hug. Leah laughed and cried and then buried her face into her brother's chest as her mom rubbed her back. It was the most emotional part of the day – and everyone's heart ached for Harry and Sarah's presence. But they had each other – they were a family.

Sue hugged her daughter as Benjamin cuddled into Leah's other shoulder, and as the song came to an end, she heard Seth at the mic.

"I want to thank everyone for coming today on behalf of my sister and my new brother-in-law," he said. "I also want to say that I know today is hard for you both – with the absence of Sarah and Harry, but I know they're here today with us. I know that, without a doubt, they would both be extremely proud of you. I know I am – you've tackled parenthood flawlessly and everyone can see how much you love each other. I'm thankful to gain a brother today – but you've been a part of our family forever so it doesn't feel any different; but I am giving my sister to you, as our father would have, and I trust you'll keep her heart safe. I love you both."

Jacob and Leah hugged Seth and then the dance floor opened for everyone. Renesmee, Edward, and Bella were there along with Rosalie, and Renesmee had even brought Nahuel – who she was now romantically involved with despite Edward's unease. They had remained a friendly relationship with the Cullen's since Benjamin's birth, all parties enthralled that the imprint was now a non-issue. Jeremy was even there with Mikayla and a new girlfriend of his own that Leah had met a few times, now, during playdates. Mikayla was a lot older than Benjamin, obviously, but Jeremy enjoyed the company and she loved playing with Ben. Leah had become a female figure in Mikayla's life, but she was glad Jeremy was finally getting serious with someone long-term and from what Leah could tell, she was great with Mikayla and infatuated with Jeremy. His sister Jamie had also gotten the all-clear from the doctor's and was now, thankfully, cancer-free. Her mom and Charlie had even tied the knot since and Billy and Allison had moved in together now that the Black house was empty since Rachel and Paul had gotten their own place. The entire pack was phased out but could still feel the magic in their blood on a night like tonight with the Cullen's close. They were back to a normal life, but normality was relevant and with vampires around in any capacity, there was never a true 'normal'. Kim and Jared were the next upcoming nuptials since their proposal a few months ago and Jacob was doing great with the mechanic business while she went to school. It was nice to see everything finally working out for everyone. Seth and Abigail were going strong and she had practically moved into the house with her, Jacob, and Benjamin and held up with Seth in his room all the time. It was a little weird at first, but it soon became a relief to have an extra set of hands around to help with Benjamin.

As the night went on, and it got closer to midnight, the guys set up fireworks in the backyard to celebrate the impending new year. Leah took Jacob's hand and pulled him to the side, under the cover and privacy of nearby trees as she held Benjamin on her hip. It was way past his bedtime, but he was still bright-eyed and this was a special night.

"What's up, Mrs. Black?"

She smiled, "I almost forgot to give you your gift."

Jacob had flowers sent to Sue's that morning – along with a beautiful tennis bracelet that currently adorned her wrist. "You didn't have to get me anything."

Leah shrugged, "Just open it."

She handed him a small, rectangular box with a red bow, and he eyed her before taking the top off. He looked down at the boxes contents before he grinned and met his new wife's gaze. She was a little taken aback at the lack of surprise registering on his face. "I had a feeling."

"What? How?"

"You haven't drank all night, not even to the toasts," he said observantly.

A smirk turned up the corner of the she-wolf's lips. "Observing my alcohol intake, huh?"

"Well we were trying this time," he grinned foolishly before pulling her into an embrace, along with Benjamin. "When did you find out?"

She smiled devilishly, a little disappointed that she had outed herself earlier but glad at Jacob's obvious excitement. "I took a test last week – I was feeling 'kinda nauseous, but I wanted to save it to surprise you today."

"You make me the happiest man on earth," he kissed her passionately before looking back down to the box - and the very positive pregnancy test inside. "Another baby…"

"Yep – another baby. Probably a girl this time."

"I didn't think I could love you anymore, but you keep surprising me."

"Are you excited?"

"I'm fucking elated."

"Shh," she tsked him, gesturing to Benjamin who had laid his head on Leah's shoulder, finally growing sleepy.

He chuckled, "How will this affect school?"

Leah shrugged, "It shouldn't. Benjamin is in the daycare on campus and once this little one comes, I can get him or her in there, too, while I finish college. I just won't be able to take any time off school when the baby comes – but with my wolf healing I should be fine."

Jacob kissed her again, "My gift seems kind of lame now considering you're giving me another baby."

Leah laughed, gently bouncing Benjamin as he started fussing. "Congratulations, baby Black #2 coming soon." She looked down at Benjamin, kissing his chubby cheek. "You're going to be a big brother, buddy." He didn't understand and merely yawned in response, but Jacob and Leah smiled adoringly at their little guy being a big brother soon. Thankfully, his growing had normalized as soon as he was born and wasn't super-charged like her pregnancy had been. It must have been just to avoid her being unarmed for as long as possible as a wolf. Benjamin was as normal as any other baby, though.

"Has it been the same time sequencing as your pregnancy on Benjamin?"

She nodded, "Yeah I should only be like three weeks – not even detectable, but I'm seven according to the digital test I took."

"And you're sure?"

"I took that one this morning," she gestured to the one in his hand. "So yeah – pretty sure."

She heard the fireworks going off and looked up in the sky, through the trees and smiled. "Happy New Year," she said, grinning like a fool as she pointed up for Benjamin to look, having already put his baby earmuffs on.

He looked amazed – and so did Jacob, as he watched his wife and son together before looking up at the fireworks. "At least you're not sick off tequila this year."

"Nope, just sick because of a baby – again."

Jacob chuckled and pulled her close. "Who needs birth control when you can have a bunch of these little guys?" He asked, tapping Benjamin's nose causing him to giggle.

"Everything is perfect."

"Utterly and completely."

"And guess what?"

"Hm?"

"Rachel's almost fourteen weeks."

"What?"

Leah smirked, "Yep. She told me earlier today when we were getting ready – but you have to act surprised when she tells you."

"Finally," he sighed in relief. They had been trying for over two years now and he knew it had been rough. "I guess New Year's is just a special time for us Black's."

"Every day is special with you," she said sentimentally.

"How about we get Benjamin to bed and hit the hay ourselves? I think we can ditch the party now and go celebrate."

"What did you have in mind?"

Jacob smirked, lowering his voice as he gestured to Benjamin. "Nothing baby-friendly."

"I think our bodies are very baby-friendly,' Leah pointed out as she put her free hand on her belly. They had only ditched the birth control two months ago, after all. "I guess wolves are pretty fertile."

"Well you may be already pregnant but that doesn't mean we can't enjoy the process," he smirked boyishly standing there in his white button-down, jacket and tie long-gone.

"I like the sound of that."

"After you, Mrs. Black."

Finish

/ Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.

Your feedback has been incredible through this journey of Leah's. I appreciate every single review and thank you for sticking with Leah and me through this process. You guys are the best – truly.

This is dedicated to my best friend, Luke. Although he doesn't consider himself a Twilight fan, he read through every chapter and fell in love with the Blackwater romance I concocted and I appreciate his unwavering support and appreciation of something that's taken me so long to finish.

I aimed for perfection, so I hope you enjoyed the ride and please feel free to PM me. Thank you guys so, so much for reading and enjoy Midnight Sun next month; I've already got it pre-ordered!

~ Becca