...Guess who's back...back again...*happy dance* Wow, I'm so sorry for taking so long to update! I've been lacking inspiration lately and school has been crazy - I was suddenly informed that I had 13 exams (yes, 13. Fabulous.) over the space of a couple months, and I've been practically living at school these last few weeks -_-;; No joke. AliceCullen1210 was at school for four extra hours like three days in a row! I kid you not. Anyways, I'm now on a week off so I'm writing like crazy to make up for the time I was away. I've also added more twists to the plot for this story, so while the general ending is still the same as I planned from the beginning, it's going to be a much bumpier ride ;D Next on the agenda for moi: catching 6(ish) hours sleep and getting up at the crack of dawn to finish the next chapter of Thinking Of You. Ahh, it's glad to be back :'] I gotta run!

Hope you enjoy this chapter again, and thanks for last chapter's reviews - damn, I hope that I haven't bored you all into leaving :S I really apologise!

Em xx

Disclaimer: Stephenie Meyer owns Twilight. *facepalm*.

"The magic and the misery,

Come and go so easily,

But everything you'll ever be,

You already are to me..."

John Mayer - Everything You'll Ever Be.

It was late when their flight landed, and the airport was chaos; it took them a further half an hour just to get their bags and make their way out into the parking lot, with Seth still pale and cursing the five seconds of turbulence they'd experienced on the flight. Leah didn't even try to hold in the sigh of relief that escaped her at the sight of Emmett standing and waiting patiently by her car. "Alright, Em?" Jacob called, surprisingly cheerful.

"Sure," Emmett replied, throwing him the car keys with a grin. "Have a good trip?"

"It was awesome." Emmett chuckled, opening the trunk of the car so that they could dump their bags inside, and Leah glanced up at the night sky above them – overcast, with the possibility of rain. Oh, they were definitely home.

"Me and Rose were saying today how much we'd like to go again," Emmett continued, pushing his hands into his pockets. "But it's so sunny, we can only ever go for few hours in the middle of the night, and then we have to get private transport in case we misjudge the times. Y'know, the whole sparkling thing...Carlisle and Esme haven't been since '53. Last time me and Rose went was...what, the summer of '94? Hey, Seth, you had to have been born around then, right?"

Seth was too distracted to answer, or to really realise that they were back. He was too preoccupied with trying to convince himself that he was still alive. Emmett took one look at his disturbed expression, at Quil who was subdued and thoughtful-looking, and at Embry's broad smile and sudden newfound confidence, and raised an eyebrow. "Damn, what happened out there? Quil and Embry have traded souls and Seth looks like he's seen a ghost," he muttered to Leah and Jacob curiously. "Do we need to call Carlisle or something? Is it catching?"

While Jake chuckled and Embry grinned, climbing into the backseat, Leah only rolled her eyes. "Nobody knows what happened to Embry. Quil...well...we're not totally sure what's up with him. And Seth's just freaked because there was like...a tiny bit of turbulence on the plane. It was nothing. Just Karma. Back and as bitchy as ever..." She had to hold in another sigh at the confused look on Emmett's face, before launching into a brief explanation of Seth's little 'adventure' the night before. By the end of it Emmett was grinning and she half-expected him to clap Seth on the back in pride.

Seth himself was getting in the car, looking less shaken and more like his normal, smiley self. "Shoulda known he'd get up to something," Emmett was saying, with a shake of his head and a smile. "He's a Clearwater, after all. Was there anything that you did lose?" Leah shrugged, opening the door of the passenger seat.

"Just a couple hundred bucks and Quil's virginity."

There was a muffled, "Hey!" from Quil where he sat in between Seth and Embry in the backseat, but she barely heard it over the sound of Emmett's guffawing laughter.

XXXXXXXXXX

The long drive home had been quiet, and uneventful. Jacob had offered to drive during the flight, seeing how tired Leah was beginning to look, and was glad he did: Quil, Embry and Seth didn't take long to fall asleep, leaving him to have a short conversation with Leah before she, too, couldn't keep her eyes open any longer. Jake had smiled to himself – 'werewolves sleep less', my ass – and spent the remainder of the journey wondering what he would do when he was back home. He couldn't even really remember how he'd spent his days before Vegas, or even before he'd made the promise to help Leah heal in return for some much-needed therapy himself.

Sleep was the first thing on his list. Then food; it had been a long trip back. And then...then he'd do something with Leah. Take her out to dinner, maybe. Or rent out her favourite movie and order in...Leah always insisted that they didn't have to do anything special, and he understood what she meant. It was enough for him to just be able to spend time with her. Not even the most expensive weekend away or the fanciest dinner date could top a night in sprawled out on the couch with her in his arms. It had just always been that way, and, he hoped with everything he had, it always would be.

The slow, snail's-pace life on the Reservation was beginning to sound more and more appealing by the second – the bright lights and streets of Las Vegas were never dark, never empty, but if their trip had taught him one thing, it was that that kind of life wasn't for him. Sure, it was nice enough for a vacation, but he didn't think he would like living in that environment permanently. He wasn't the kind of man that would enjoy the busyness and the brightness, not when he could have a long, quiet life on the Reservation, with Leah. Unlike Quil and Embry and Seth, who seemed to flourish in that type of situation and who would probably love life in the city, away from the Rez. God only knew what they'd get up to.

The thought made him laugh, just once, and not bitterly.

They were all roughly around the same age – Seth was normally quite mature, even though he was two years younger than them – but their plans for life were very different. He was only eighteen, but he knew what he wanted from life. He wanted Leah. Forever, if she would have him. Quil, Embry and Seth, on the other hand, were still working out what it was that they wanted. Jake only hoped that, whenever they found out what that was, it didn't take them too far away from one another. But they all had their different lives to lead, and his involved Leah and La Push.

Maybe he could get a job. He was out of school, not interested in College and was known for his skills as a mechanic. There had to be some garage that would take him on. Then he could start saving for the future. His and Leah's future.

Months and weeks and age didn't matter to Jacob. He'd known Leah his whole life, and in many ways, it felt like they had always been together.

XXXXXXXXXX

They finally passed the 'Welcome to La Push' sign in the early hours of the morning, and Jake didn't think he'd ever be more glad to read those words; Leah was still practically out cold and Quil, Embry and Seth had woken up, but now Jacob could feel sleep really beginning to creep up on him. And he didn't doubt that Leah would be pissed if he crashed her car. Finally Quil's place came into sight, and he pulled the car up outside the house to let Quil and Embry – who was crashing there for the rest of the night – get out and grab their bags from the trunk. "We'll see you guys later," Embry said with a grin, keeping his voice low to make sure he didn't accidentally wake any of the neighbours up. He was still surprisingly upbeat, and nobody was sure if they should be concerned or pleased about that fact.

There was a quiet thud as Quil shut the trunk and reappeared, shouldering his duffel bag and smiled. "It was an awesome trip. If you see the Cullens first, tell them we say thanks."

"We'll probably go over tomorrow at some point, so we'll pass it on. See you later, guys."

"See ya, man."

"Bye, Jake, Leah." Embry and Quil turned and began walking up the path to the front door, looking like they were trying to be quiet, but Jacob knew it would be no use; one of them would trip over or break something, even with their enhanced senses. They'd wake Old Quil up somehow.

Not wanting to stick around to watch the chaos unfold – and reaching the point where he would gladly lie down on the sidewalk and sleep – Jacob pulled away from the little house, resisting the urge to rub his eyes and yawn. "How long was I out?" Leah asked in a murmur, stretching. She felt a bit more rested, but her neck and her shoulders were stiff, so she knew she had to have been out for at least a couple hours. Still, Leah was pretty sure that she'd be out as soon as her head hit the pillow.

"A while," Jake replied, navigating the car through the deserted streets of La Push with a tired smile turning up the corner of his mouth. A glance at the dashboard told him that it was way past one o'clock in the morning; somehow he didn't think Seth would be going to school, even if Sue was on the warpath about him keeping up his grades. "You were exhausted – I couldn't bring myself to wake you up."

A hint of a grin crossed Leah's face for a second, but was quickly replaced by her hand as she yawned. "Besides, I kinda like having all my limbs," Jacob added as an afterthought. Leah was tempted to take a playful swipe at him, until she remembered he was driving her car.

"Smartass." Jake gave a low chuckle, throwing a grin her way.

"You love me, really." With a roll of her eyes, Leah stifled another yawn and folded her arms over her chest.

"Shame..."

"Ouch," Jake replied, grinning more broadly now. "I guess I'll just drop you off and go home myself, then. I know when I'm not wanted..."

"Okay, now, let's not let this get out of hand – I didn't exactly say that I didn't want you to stay..."

Laughing quietly at her half-joking, half-serious response and the anxious look in her eyes – the one that didn't match her cocky grin at all – he took one hand off the steering wheel and place it on her knee, teasingly beginning to move it up her thigh. "So you do want me to stay?" A smirk immediately began to appear on Leah's lips, the temperature of his skin making his hand feel hot against her leg, even through her jeans.

"Well, I do believe," she began slowly, watching his hand climb steadily higher out of the corner of her eye, "that you owe me the equivalent of one unforgettable, sober night in Las Vegas. With full HD. And possible instant replay."

Jake was wearing a small, innocent smile, but there was a look in his eyes that she recognised all too well. "You know what? I think I do." He cast a furtive glance over his shoulder, thanking whatever it was out there that Seth had pretty much instantly gone back to sleep. He didn't want to think about what the youngest Clearwater would try and do to him if he was forced to overhear this conversation. Finding the kid still snoring softly, Jacob killed the engine as they finally swung into the driveway of the Clearwater house. Note to self: empty driveway equals Sue at Charlie's, minus Seth in the morning, equals empty house, plus me and Leah, equals...interesting. P.S: Hope Sue stays at Charlie's all day. P.P.S: Don't think about Old People Sex. Ever.

In the sudden quiet that engulfed the car without the noise of the engine, Jacob undid his seatbelt and leaned over, so that he could press his lips to the hollow beneath Leah's ear. "But you need to get some sleep. We both do." His hand moved and met hers in her lap, entwining their fingers – she was shifting slightly in an attempt to make a try for his lips, and he was only too happy to let her. His heart kicked up a notch or three instantly: it had been a few hours since he'd felt her lips against his own and savoured how soft they were, tried to name that indescribable taste. A few hours too long.

The fingers of her free hand were tangled in his hair, pulling him closer, but as much as he hated to do it, Jake forced himself to loosen his grip on her waist and pull away. "I really don't want Seth to try and castrate me," he murmured in apology, with another glance to the backseat of the car. "It's still kinda weird seeing Paul and Rachel together." Leah gave a little sigh, wishing that she didn't understand where he was coming from. Seeing the disappointed look on her face, Jacob tried and failed to hide another smile. Instead he touched his lips to her ear just long enough to promise her a very unforgettable Vegas night – with HD, definite instant replay and probable surround-sound – after they'd gotten from sleep, before giving her hand one final, gentle squeeze.

Leah muttered something about "damned sleep" and "why couldn't we have just left Seth at the airport?", but gave in and reluctantly undid her seatbelt.

XXXXXXXXXX

When Leah woke – far too early, in her opinion – it wasn't because of the shaft of bright sunlight that was hitting her eyes through the gap in the curtain. Instead it was the insistent vibrating coming from her jeans pocket that caused her to stir and make a half-hearted, failed grab for her cell phone, before deciding that she couldn't bring herself to care and closing her eyes again. "Aren't you going to get that?" asked Jacob in a half-awake murmur, woken by her movement. He tightened his arm around her waist a fraction, his nose brushing the soft skin at the back of her neck, eyes still closed.

"'S just a message," she mumbled, trying to ignore the vibrating and the buzzing noise and go back to sleep. "Sleep's more interesting."

Tempted to roll his eyes, Jake removed his arm from her waist and slipped his hand into her pocket to retrieve her cell. "It's from Embry," she heard him mumble after a moment, once the noise had stopped. "Says we're all wanted over at Sam and Emily's."

"You're kidding?" Leah breathed, shielding her eyes with her hand and half-turning to look over her shoulder at him. "Did he say why?"

"Nope," Jake replied with a sigh, glancing at the clock on the bedside table to find that it was actually past midday.

"Ask him what time we're wanted?"

Hoping that that wouldn't be until late afternoon at least, Jacob rolled onto his back and started to type a reply. Leah held in her own sigh and shifted onto her other side so she could peer at what he was typing. She knew it had to be something that couldn't wait for Sam and Emily to ask the Pack over, knowing that half of them would have only gotten back from the airport in the early hours of the morning. Thankfully Embry was quick in replying. After pressing the 'Send' button, Jake barely had time to put his arm around Leah so that she could rest her head on his chest, and comment on the bad timing, before her cell started vibrating again.

Leah let out a quiet groan of annoyance at Embry's reply, and turned, hiding her face in Jake's shirt. An hour? "Let's not go," she suggested, her voice muffled. "Let's tell them we're very 'busy' and not to be disturbed until at least tomorrow..."

"It's gotta be something important," Jacob muttered, voicing Leah's unspoken assumption. Neither of them particularly wanted to move, but deep down they knew that they didn't really have any other choice.

"...Our flight got delayed," Leah continued stubbornly, almost as if she was talking to herself. "We're still in Vegas. Embry gave his cell phone to a random homeless guy and he and Quil are missing. Seth's hungover and still asleep. We're really sorry that we can't make it. There. One fool-proof cover story."

Jake gave a low chuckle and Leah looked up at him, defeat on her face. "Genius," he said, "but we've gotta go. Even though I would much rather stay in bed with you all day." Leah was about to remind him of his promise when they heard the front door open and close, and footsteps sounded on the stairs. Moments later a tired and confused-looking Seth shambled into view, rubbing the back of his neck and wincing – his joints were all stiff. Apparently the whole 'healing super fast' thing didn't cover the effects of sleeping for almost 12 hours straight in the slightly cramped backseat of a car.

He didn't seem to register the fact that his Alpha and his sister were in – or rather on – bed together even though they were both still fully-clothed, instead continuing to look puzzled. Leah tried to hide a smile; Seth was easy enough to wake, and last night would've been no exception. Still, maybe next time he'd think before getting wasted and gambling after promising to behave.

"Guys...why did I just wake up in the car?"

XXXXXXXXXX

Leah wasn't exactly sure why everyone else was there. She'd assumed that it would be some kind of informal Pack meeting, but obviously not – Kim, Claire, Claire's parents and Embry's Mom were also there, as well as Sue, Charlie and Old Quil. After being greeted enthusiastically at the door by Emily and ushered through the house and out into the back yard, neither she nor Jacob had any idea what was going on. Still, Emily was darting around and chatting, so they simply took a seat in two vacant white garden chairs: the porch was occupied by the older guests, while the Pack members and their Imprints were either sprawled on the grass or sitting in an array of chairs by the porch steps.

"What's going on?" Leah asked Paul, who was sitting with her and Jacob, in a murmur. "I thought this was going to be a Pack meeting or something?"

"So did I," Paul replied quietly, and Jake agreed as he found Leah's hand and laced their fingers together. "Sam called and I thought that he wanted to discuss Pack business. But there are family members here, too," he added, looking around at the other guests.

"It better be important," Leah muttered, giving Jacob's hand a quick squeeze back. "Embry's text woke us up and everything." A smile tugged at the corner of Paul's mouth, and he was watching the door for Rachel when he remembered that Leah and the guys wouldn't have gotten home until unnaturally early.

"Damn, I forgot," he began, shaking his head at his own distractedness – on top of being curious about why everyone had been asked over, he hadn't seen Rachel as much these last few days, and he was missing her. "How was the trip? Any good?" Before they could help themselves, Leah and Jacob exchanged knowing glances. Well, where the heck to start?

"It was...interesting," Jake answered first, a grinning forming on his face. "Memorable." Snorting, his smile growing a fraction, Paul took a sip of the beer he held loosely in his hand.

"I'm guessing that meant some strange shit happened, then?"

"Very strange shit."

"Well...at least that explains why Embry and Quil are acting so weird. What happened to those two?" Following Paul's gaze, Jacob and Leah looked over to where Embry, Quil and Seth were sitting a few feet away on the grass. Even from here they could overhear the conversation their fellow Pack members were having – which seemed to be revolving around Megan Fox again – and see that Embry was actually talking, while Quil wasn't saying much at all, instead appeared to be deep in thought. A sudden tendril of anxiety started to creep its way into Leah's heart at the sight of Quil so unlike himself. When she and Jacob had dropped Quil off he'd seemed like he was back to his old self again, after a day of distractedness, but obviously that he hadn't stayed that way. She really only knew very little about the girl he slept with...Charlotte, or whatever her name was...Leah honestly hadn't wanted to know, but now she was curious. Curious and worried. Quil wasn't Quil without his playful attitude and his teasing.

Sensing her anxiety, Jacob traced slow circles on the back of her hand with his thumb, tightening his grip just enough to add a bit more comfort. His change in touch caught her attention, making Leah look back at him with her worry plain on her face. The smile he wore was just a tad more sober and his eyes were soft; he was starting to worry about Quil, too. But he'd be alright. He was a survivor.

Paul, meanwhile, was watching their exchange starting to think that he should be concerned. "It wasn't anything bad, right?" he asked, still keeping his voice as quiet as possible. "I mean...they didn't do something stupid, did they?"

"None of us know what Embry got up to," Jacob explained. "Leah laid down some ground rules – y'know, like no gambling, no hooking up with girls, and no drinking yourself to oblivion – and he said he didn't break any...but God knows where he was or what he was doing."

"And Quil, he got drunk and woke up in some random girls bed the next morning." Paul near enough choked on his swig of beer.

"Seriously?"

"I kid you not." Paul was trying to resist the urge to laugh – he was pretty sure that if Leah and Jacob didn't look so sombre, he would be clapping Quil proudly on the back right now. Obviously Quil finally losing his virginity was not such a momentous occasion.

"And that's made him miserable because...?" he asked, feeling like he was missing something. "I mean, when it was me, the guys were psyched...apart from Jake, obviously..." Jacob rolled his eyes, but his smile brightened a little. Leah looked to Jake, unable to answer. She didn't know the details, but he almost definitely did.

"Apparently she was this rich girl from California. She thought if she got some tycoon drunk enough to get hitched then she'd be able to escape from that kind of life and all the superficial people. She thought that guy was Quil. Luckily they didn't go anywhere near a marriage ceremony, but when she realised that Quil was only 18 it hit her how stupid her idea was. I think it just shook him up, y'know? He actually feels guilty that he couldn't give her the escape she needed."

That did explain a lot; Paul turned that over in his mind for a few moments. Trust Quil to accidentally hook up with a girl that has issues.

Still, he genuinely did hope that Quil would recover. He wasn't used to seeing Quil so miserable, and it was actually kind of starting to creep him out. Jacob was about to elaborate on Quil's troubles, but his attention was caught by the bright grin that suddenly appeared on Paul's face. Looking towards the doorway, he wasn't surprised to see Rachel heading down the porch steps towards them, followed by his Dad, whose chair was being pushed by –

Wait. What?

No way...

"Damn, kid, are you trying to catch flies or what?" Rebecca Black rolled her eyes, making sure that her father was okay before hopping gracefully down the steps and crossing the few feet of space between them.

"Becca, what – I thought you weren't going to be back for years – "

"It's nice to see you too, little bro. Well...not really little...you know what I mean. Don't I at least get a hug?" Grinning broadly, Jacob stood up and embraced his sister, definitely surprised but not at all unhappy; Rebecca's visits were always few and far between, and even for Sam and Emily's wedding she was only in La Push for a couple days. Not even that. He hadn't expected to see her again until the next wedding, and who knew when that would be?

It was moments before Leah demanded a turn and hugged her old friend tightly, wondering what on Earth had brought her back. "Is it just you, Becca?" she asked, curious but smiling brightly. "Or is Sol here too?" Rebecca snorted, pulling back to look at Leah with a smile on her face.

"You know Solomon, I can't get him to leave Hawaii for as much as a couple days. I'll do it one day, though, mark my words!"

"So, how come you decided to fly over?" Jacob winked teasingly, and added, "Let me guess, you just missed me so much that you couldn't bear to go another day without seeing my handsome face – "

"Actually, I did miss you," Rebecca replied, "I missed all of you, and I know I don't visit anywhere near as often as I should. So I thought, hey, why don't I surprise everyone? Only I get here and find that half of you are off doing God knows what in Las Vegas and aren't even in the State – "

Rebecca was cut off as Sam started trying to get everyone's attention. He and Emily stood together on the porch, both wearing warm smiles, and all of the gathered Pack members and relatives immediately quietened down, watching them expectantly. "So, we just wanna thank you all for coming at such short notice. Especially the people who are probably wishing they were still in bed." Sam threw Jacob, a knowing grin, but he didn't even seem to care about Jake and Leah's reluctance to come. "We thought that we should all be together for this." Leah glanced up at Jacob to try and gauge his reaction to Sam and Emily's strange mood, but he seemed to be just as confused as she was; he slipped an arm around her waist a split second before Sam did the same to Emily. "We have some pretty big news."

Leah was the only one who really noticed the way Emily's hands were hovering near her stomach, and the way her face lit up as Sam looked down at her as a sign for her to be the one to tell everyone.

"We're having a baby!" she announced, unable to keep it in any longer, and immediately there were cheers and some applause, and the yard was filled with the kind of happiness that can only be shared by a close, dysfunctional family.

Through the noise and the chaos, the thing Leah noticed most clearly was the way Jacob's arm tightened around her.

XXXXXXXXXX

She'd never seen her cousin so happy. That smile she wore, that glow about her – Emily was truly on top of the world.

Leah was genuinely happy for her. After all, she got to become an Aunt of some sorts, and the thought was actually pretty exciting. It was a huge occasion, and it meant that a lot of things were going to change, and it would be a lie to say that Leah didn't share in everyone else's joy. She'd grinned and laughed and hugged Emily numerous times and congratulated the parents-to-be, and she'd even offered her support and help, should it ever be needed. Jacob stayed by her the whole time, keeping a watchful eye, ready to whisk her away at a moment's notice, and for that she was grateful.

But it wasn't until she'd become involved in a discussion about what colours the baby's room would be decorated with her mother, Emily and the twins, that it had really hit her that this was as close as she would ever get to experiencing parenthood. She didn't have the option of becoming a mother herself. Instead, the most she would ever learn would be from watching her friends go through it, while she was unable to. She wasn't mad at Emily, not at all – she was pleased that her cousin would get to become a Mom, finally. She wasn't even mad at Fate: how could she be, when the same thing that had made her infertile had also given her her soulmate?

It just hurt to be reminded so unexpectedly of what she would never have. Of how she would never have to shop for pretty maternity shirts or tiny little baby booties – at least, not for her own child. She and Jacob would never stay up late choosing paint colours and what kind of furniture to have in the baby's room.

Leah had stayed for an hour longer, but once the truth began to set in, she knew that she had to make her excuses and leave. She had a lot to think over and a lot to come to terms with, and she couldn't do that in the middle of a party. Jacob had let her go; he knew that expression on her face, and he knew that she needed some time alone. In a way, he was proud of her for leaving before there was any chance that she would accidentally do something. It was moments like this that reminded him of how far they'd both come over the last six months.

Emily, worried, had approached him after Leah had politely excused herself. "Is she okay?" she'd asked, wringing her hands with concern in her eyes, looking towards the back door through with Leah had disappeared. "It's just...we thought it would be less upsetting if we actually told her with everyone else, instead of keeping it from her until later..."

"She'll be fine, Em," Jake had tried to reassure her, finding that he really did believe it. "Leah's happy for you, she really is. She just needs time to think. She'll be alright."

He found her at their special spot on the cliff, later that afternoon.

Leah stood with her arms wrapped around herself, her back to him – he couldn't see her face, but Jacob could sense her calmness, and didn't feel like there was anything to worry about. Leah hurting made him hurt, but she was strong. She wouldn't let this knock her back.

She was too wrapped up in her own thoughts to hear him approach, and it was only when she caught his scent that she realised he was there, a split second before his arms slipped around her waist in comfort. A ghost of a smile flickered across her face for a moment, but she kept her attention on the way orange and pink and blue were blurring together in the sky above them. For a few minutes, neither of them spoke. Jacob pressed his lips to the back of her neck and rested his chin on her shoulder, trying to tell her without words that he was here for her. That he would always be here. Maybe Leah didn't know it, but there wasn't anything that he wouldn't do for her. Had she not been healed, had Emily's announcement been too much...had Leah wanted to leave La Push and never come back, he would have packed his things. He would have gone with her.

In a heartbeat.

After a relaxed, calm while of silence, Jacob felt Leah move a fraction in his arms as she gave a little sigh, before covering his hands with her own and leaning back into him. "Does she think that I'm mad at her?" she asked softly, watching the slowly darkening horizon and listening to the steady beating of his heart by her ear. Quiet, reassuring. Matching hers beat for beat.

"No," he answered, honestly, in a murmur. "I told her that you just needed time to think." Leah was tracing incomprehensible patterns on the back of his hand, almost absent-mindedly slipping her fingers through his and raising their joined hands to her lips.

"I really am happy for them," she mumbled, sweeping his knuckles with a kiss. "I just...had a lot to come to terms with."

Leah hesitated for a second, but he remained silent. He wouldn't say a word until she was finished. "Emily's going to make a great Mom," Leah continued her explanation quietly. "It just make me realise, again, that I don't get that chance. We were talking about what colour they were thinking of painting the baby's room, and what kind of furniture they wanted to get, and it just hit me. I won't get a chance to plan things like that for my own child. And I can't even be angry at Fate or at the wolf gene, because even if it made me infertile, it also brought me you. And I feel like, in not being able to...I'm...I'm letting you down."

She sighed, and tilted her face up towards him to see what his reaction to that would be. His chin was no longer on her shoulder and instead he was gazing out across the ocean, but the look in his eyes told her that he was thinking. He was searching for the right thing to say, for an answer to the situation that would take away her pain. He'd give anything to know what he could do, what it would take, to make it better. Eventually, Jacob's expression softened and he lowered his head to kiss the back of her neck again. Only this time he kept going, leaving a burning trail that ended at the lobe of her ear. "I love you," he whispered as he went, making her breath catch. "I love you, and nothing will ever change that."

Leah couldn't even speak because of the lump building in her throat. "We still have the rest of our lives ahead of us," he continued, mumbling the words against her temple. "Everything will keep changing. There's no way of knowing what's going to happen or where we'll end up. But I still love you, regardless. You're beautiful. You're loyal. You're kind, funny, and strong. I can see you getting your happy ending. I can see you as an Aunt, as a fiancée, as a wife...as a mother. There are other options, other ways to become a parent. We could always adopt. We've got all the time in the world, and some things we'll only understand or know in the future. But everything you'll ever be...you already are to me."

And then Jacob couldn't say anymore, because of the lips that suddenly found his.

Phew. The majority of that took me 11.5 hours! :L Not straight, because I was working on the first section for a while - it was slow going - but the rest was spread over yesterday afternoon/night and this afternoon. Anyways, sorry if I've missed any mistakes (which I probably have as I'm so tired); it's way too early to be bothering my Beta, but I'll come back to it and fix any mistakes when I can! Don't forget to leave a review and let me know what you thought - next chapter is where the real shit starts to go down ;D 'Til next time! xx