Disclaimer: The Twilight Series and its characters belong to Stephenie Meyer. Not me.
Chapter 34: Finite
Jacob sat next to Bella's bedside, holding her hand in his. The doctor had just left the room. He sighed with relief. Bella had not been too close to miscarrying until the crash. She had a concussion, and they had had to perform a cesarean to save the baby in time.
He glanced to his other side at the bassinet. Inside was their new son. So far, he was not named. He wanted to wait for Bella to wake up. The doctor assured him she would wake up in a few hours but that she would be drowsy for a few days, and they would have to make sure she woke up every few hours. With a baby crying for milk, Jacob doubted that would be a problem.
He stood up from Bella's side and looked into the bassinet at his sleeping child. In Jacob's opinion, he was perfect. Thirteen pounds and nine ounces of perfect: a new record for the small Forks hospital. He reached a finger in, smiling as the baby grabbed it with a firm grip. He had Bella's full lips, but Jacob's dark hair and skin. He definitely had Bella's eyes, and a thick (for his age) mane of curly hair adorned his head. Jacob knew he would drive the girls crazy some day. Hopefully, his daughter would be ugly as sin so he wouldn't have to beat the guys away with a stick. However, looking at his son, he didn't think that such good genes could turn out so wrong.
He heard a knock at the door and called for whoever it was to come in. It had been five hours since he had arrived with an unconscious and bleeding Bella in his arms. Sam and Embry walked in wearing nice shirts. He assumed they had been back to the reservation.
"Come on! Meet my son," Jacob grinned, proudly. He moved his hands in impatience and Sam grinned while Embry practically ran. They looked in, and Embry started cooing in an almost feminine way over the baby. Sam shook his head in shock. "That is definitely a miniature pack leader, there, Jake…"
Jacob nodded. Sam looked over his shoulder at Bella as Jacob sat down in the chair. "How is she?"
Jacob smiled, thankfully. "She'll be okay. She has a concussion, but she will wake up sometime today the doctor thinks."
Sam nodded. "Did you take care of him?" Sam looked down in silence before slowly shaking his head. Jacob growled at his response, but Sam put up a hand.
"He is in the woods with the rest of the pack. Out behind the hospital. He isn't going anywhere. We figured that… you would want to do it. To finish it."
Jacob looked at Bella, wondering what she would say. It was important to him to know, first hand, that Edward would no longer be a threat. However, he knew that it would, somehow, still hurt Bella. "Do you think I should?"
Embry looked up, seemingly interested in Sam's response. Sam seemed to think over the question before finally nodding. "Yes, I do. I think it will make it easier for you to relax afterward. Bella need not know the details, just that it is over."
Jacob frowned, kissing Bella's hand before nodding. He stood up. "I'll be back soon, Bella," he whispered. He then leaned over the bassinet. "If anyone tries to wake your mother, you had better growl at them. Hear me?" He heard Sam snort behind him but shrugged it off.
"Come on. Let's get this over with."
The three arrived in the forest fifteen minutes later. The pack was surrounding a figure, all transformed. Edward was huddled, seemingly badly hurt. His clothing was ripped to shreds. Jacob glanced to the side to see a fire lit. "I did it before we got you," Embry explained. Jacob nodded. Quickly, the three took off their clothing and transformed. Sam and Embry helped secure the circle around the fallen Edward, making sure he didn't escape.
Jacob parted the way, standing over his enemy. "Cullen," he hissed.
Edward looked up, his eyes a dark black. He was in pain, and he obviously wanted to hunt. His strength was gone, though. Jacob looked down, shocked to see both of his hands missing. He heard Quil laugh behind him. "We made sure to disarm him." Jacob was surprisingly, a bit grossed out. It didn't stop a slight twitch of amusement in his lips though.
"She doesn't belong with you," Edward rumbled, looking at his feet. He seemed to have given up.
Jacob sighed, "Don't you realize by now, Cullen… she has always belonged with me. That's why I imprinted on her. It was destiny."
"Her blood sang for me…. That was destiny."
"Yes… it did. You were destined to hunt her, lust for her. I was made to love her. You couldn't accept her any way she was presented to you… just as prey."
Edward seemed to be saner than he had since the whole ordeal had begun. He didn't respond, but his shoulders tensed before sagging in acquiescence. "Will you hurry it up? I have somewhere to be?"
"Oh?" Jacob asked, a mixture of mirth and shock covering his voice.
"Yes."
"You aren't going to plead for your miserable existence? Promise you would never come back? Promise never to try to get Bella back again?"
"No," Edward confirmed.
"Why not?" Jared asked from behind them, stunned.
"Because I never could promise not to come back. If you were to let me live, I would constantly hunt her. I suppose I am just willing to admit, now, that she wants to be with you. I think I would rather die than hunt her when she will not ever want me."
Jacob frowned. It was much harder to kill someone who was apologizing. Not that Edward was apologizing. He was just sure that this was as close to it as one could get. As close to acceptance of Bella's choice as he could ever get.
He couldn't let him live though. Not after the pain and fear he had brought into their lives. He couldn't risk his son or the future lives of his next children and grandchildren with the knowledge that Edward Cullen still lurked in the shadows. "She told me that you were an addiction for her."
"And her for me," Edward confirmed. He looked up. His eyes seemed sad. Jacob was shocked to realize that he really did feel true emotion. "I was her sun."
"So what am I?"
"The sun is something we need to survive, but it also harms us. It is a form of addiction. You, Black, despite your warm skin, are the moon. Bella always liked the moonlight. She always thought it was beautiful, and it never hurts her. She was always destined to run toward the moon. I just thought that her need for me was stronger than her love for you."
Jacob contemplated saying more. He knew that all that needed to be said on his part had been though. He didn't want to be a beast, kill out of the desire to kill alone. He wanted it to be the right thing to do. Which he was positive it was. "I'll make it as fast as possible," he said quietly. He could feel the somewhat disapproval from his pack mates. They had watched one of their own be killed that day. They did not intervene though; they had caused him plenty of pain, if not enough in their minds' eyes.
Edward nodded, "Be good to her." Jacob nodded. Jacob stared into his eyes and a feeling of camaraderie seemed to pass between the two; the kind that passed only between men that shared love and need for the same woman. Hatred and acceptance.
Without another thought, with less hatred but no forgiveness, Jacob Black thrust his jaw forward, ripping into the throat of Edward Cullen. The vampire jerked in subconscious protest to the pain; the only proof that part of him still wanted to survive. He did not pull back, but instead twisted up, pulling the head from the shoulders, bronze hair toppling to the ground. He pulled back as he signaled for his pack mates to take their piece. They pulled at him, ripping apart the once-stone body and tossing it into the fire. Finally, Jacob dropped the last remainder of Edward Cullen's existence, his head, onto the fire.
As they watched it burn, the wolves howled as one. It was howl that would chill the bones of all who heard it; pain, grief, relief, and joy. As the flames died down into just a pile of ashes, the wolves changed back into their human selves. They dressed in clothing that had been brought by Sam and Embry and walked back through the woods to the hospital.
When they arrived, Jacob still had thoughts of Edward's final words running through his head. He knew that being good to Bella wouldn't be a problem. He was eager to please her for the rest of her life. He did have trouble finding acceptance that a vampire could feel such emotion for its prey. Or feel such emotion at all.
The thoughts banished though as he walked into the room to see his sleeping wife. He shut the door behind him, knowing he needed time with his family without the pack. Besides, he could already hear Embry and Sam telling the rest of the group about the large baby. Jacob slowly leaned down, lifting the sleeping child from its bed. He tucked him into his arms and sat down at Bella's bedside.
An hour later, Jacob heard a sigh fill the room. He looked up to see Bella looking at him with blurry eyes. "Jacob?" she whispered. Jacob smiled softly at her, "Right here," he whispered. He stood up and sat down at the end of her bed. She slowly sat up, wincing slightly. Jacob sighed, looking at the bundle in his arms before handing it over to Bella.
She looked down in awe at the baby, not glancing away from the face as she asked, "This is our son?"
Jacob nodded, "Yes. This is our son." He smiled and reached a hand up to run it through her hair. Bella smiled before a look of worry flit over her face. She glanced up.
"Edward?"
Jacob took a deep breath. "Dead."
Bella was quiet for a moment before nodding. "It is for the best," she whispered. Jacob nodded, running his thumb over her cheek as he looked down at his wife and child.
"What should we name him?" Jacob asked.
Bella smiled, "You liked David, didn't you?"
Jacob nodded. "David it is. But I get to choose his middle name," Bella stated, seriously.
"Okay. Just not Sue." Bella laughed softly, causing the baby to whine softy before nuzzling into her. She smiled. "Faolan."
"What?" Jacob frowned. It was odd but not entirely bad. "Why?"
"It is Gaelic. It means 'wolf'."
Jacob felt a smile spread across his face. He leaned down, tilting Bella's face up before kissing her gently. "David Faolan Black."
Bella smiled and nodded. "Our 'beloved wolf.' It is perfect for him." Jacob nodded, pulling himself on the bed. For the first time in a very long time, the two simply sat back without worrying about the danger they might be in. They contented themselves with living in the moment, watching their son sleep.
Author's Note: That was the end. If there was any time to review, it is now. Tell me how you liked the story now, as a finished product. This is the time for all of you that haven't reviewed at all in the course of this story to tell me what you thought, and those of you who have been such valued supporters to say your goodbyes. Thank you for reading; I really appreciate you all for your kind words and encouragement.