Even though they both knew that Edward would never be out of her heart, they both were endlessly happy that Bella had chosen Jacob. Bella had left HIM at the alter. Alice never knew that something was wrong when Bella's future went black in the back room while finishing her preparations. She supposed that maybe some of her soon-to-be sister's werewolf friends had actually decided to come.
In reality, Jacob hadn't come.
But Bella had chosen the wolf over the vampire. That was her new future.
When Alice and Angela, her bridesmaids had left to lead the way down the aisle, Bella had turned to her father with eyes wide. Jacob, she had told him. And he had understood with that one simple word. Charlie had urged her to run, never liking Edward anyway, and promised to clean up the mess and explain. Charlie never told Bella the pained look in Edward's, Alice's, and the rest of the Cullens' eyes when he gave them the news. He didn't want her thinking she had to run back to them because they were hurt. The Cullens left town the next day.
Bella hadn't heard from Edward since. Good riddance, according to Charlie.
God must have something great planned for a man like Charlie. That was Bella's thoughts on her father's wonderful and welcomed support. He knew when to stay out of her way and when to lend a hand. She couldn't understand how Renee could leave a man like that. She couldn't understand how she could leave a man like that, thus, the need to return to her Jacob.
When she arrived in La Push, Jacob wasn't there. He had left the reservation behind. He had left his pack behind. Sam knew nothing of his whereabouts and wouldn't force Jacob back even if he did. Billy hadn't heard from his son in over a month. You're welcome to wait here if you'd like, and Billy promised no guarantees that his son would ever return but washed the sheets for Bella to sleep on whenever she spent the night taking care of him and waiting for Jacob anyway.
It was three in the morning, Bella noted, when she was awaken by banging about in the small dark room at Billy's house. Her eyes, however, wouldn't stay open long enough for her to see what had caused the disturbance.
At seven, alarm woke her again, this time for good. Sleepily she stood, stretched, dressed, made the bed, did her morning duties, and stretched again for good measure. With a promise to make breakfast (as much crap you want in your omelet) for letting her stay the night again, she entered the kitchen, expecting to see Billy sitting there drinking coffee and reading the paper.
She froze.
My Jacob.
Out loud? Only in thought? Both? Either way, there he was, Jacob Black sitting with his father at the small dining table, silent. It had looked as though they were fighting.
Without warning, Jacob stood and in a blink was looming over her. Bella involuntarily leaned towards his radiating warmth before straightening herself. She noticed him bent over her, sniffing around her hair.
Her eyes met his. Billy a distant memory left behind only a few feet physically but miles in every other sense.
Mortal, he had whispered to her. Bella couldn't decipher. Was it a question or a statement? She simply looked into his eyes, hoping that they would speak for her. Had she opened her mouth, her words would stumble and trip like she would over her own feet on smooth walking surfaces.
Bella found herself engulfed by the warmest, gentlest, but firmest embrace she had ever experienced. He was caring, but not afraid to break her. He knew mortality, but he knew how to live. She let herself be swept away by the flood of Jacob, her Jacob.
For the first time, she wasn't questioning her decisions. She wasn't judging herself. She wasn't denying anything that she was feeling.
Eventually, too soon even after what seemed like hours standing there and holding and being held, Jacob pulled away. He raised one large, warm hand to her face and lifted her chin. He stared at her, trying to open up her soul to him. Bella knew that he could always read her mind, without any supernatural ability.
Under the scrutiny, her hands occupied themselves in playing with a bracelet she wore on her wrist. Jacob took notice.
With a smile and an, I'll be right back, he ran to the living room. As promised he returned. Jacob carried something small, dwarfed in his hand. He presented the trinket to Bella.
Another charm. It was in the form of a small sun, a typical tribal design at that. It was hand-carved, just like her precious wolf. He attached it for her. The sun and the wolf were now flanking the diamond heart.
The day went on, and she made breakfast for four, Charlie having joined as soon as he heard that Jacob was back, instead of the usual two on the mornings that Bella had stayed the night on the reservation. She had occasionally cooked breakfast for Sam, Emery, or Quil, but rarely. They had only been there on the mornings when she had cried herself to sleep. Bella had inevitably kept Billy awake, and summoned one of the pack members to calm her down in some way the next morning.
The weeks went on. Jacob had no trouble finding his place among the pack again. Bella had no difficulty sitting with Emily and Kim while the boys went on their weekly runs. Sometimes, they would play dirty bored games. Sometimes, they would gossip. Sometimes, they would pretend to be middle school girls again and paint each others' nails and do up at least one girl's hair in an outrageous style that took hours for their wolves to help them take out.
Most nights, it was just Bella and Jacob. They'd pass the time nonchalantly; we have our whole lives ahead of us so we should just enjoy the day. They had their motorcycles, still hidden from Charlie. They had their driftwood tree to sit on at the beach. They had their small forest clearing for picnics, star-gazing, daydreaming.
Months went by. Every so often, maybe every month, but Bella wasn't sure because she was living day by day with Jacob, she would receive another charm for her bracelet. The third was a simple paw print. The fourth a crescent moon, which she only wore on days that she was thinking about Edward. The fifth charm was motorcycle. The sixth a canoe, something Jacob had begun teaching Bella all about. Eventually, there were so many charms that they couldn't all fit on her bracelet. She changed them out by the day, letting him know what kind of mood she was in. The wolf and the diamond heart were the two constants.
The years passed. Bella had too many charms. Please, no more, she asked in the Quileute language, after not being able to place the lid securely down on the box he had carved for her out of their driftwood tree. He was surprised at first that she wanted no more from him. I have enough to pick through each morning that I'm starting to be late for work, she explained. Then following, he was surprised to learn that she had picked up on his native language so quickly. She had only been taking the weekly classes at the QTS for, was it a year already? Jacob quickly nodded but told her that he had already started on another one, if she would accept it. Bella agreed to take it, saying that it would be a waste of effort if he didn't finish it now.
Two days passed. Bella was surprised to learn that the charm as ready.
Jacob held it tentatively in his hand, the last one has to be perfect. He went on to explain that every single charm for her bracelet would mean nothing without this one to accompany it. Jacob kissed her sweetly before stepping back and opening his hand.
Palm upward. Hand stretched out painfully. Letting Bella take the sight in as he waiting in anticipation for her reaction. Bella simply stared, muttering. I don't think that would look good with the rest of them. Jacob took in a sharp breath, nearly withdrawing his hand before Bella caught it with both of her delicate hands. Her fingertips grasped her gift and worked it into its place, but it would look good here.
Bella slid the diamond ring on to her left ring finger.
Jake practically glowed and the pack made fun of his reaction for weeks.
Months passed and Bella found herself once again in a wedding dress. Angela, Emily, and Kim were all fussing over her hair. They touched up her make-up after she began crying tears of joy. They straightened her train out once more. Claire threw flowers down the path and the girls led her down the aisle to Jacob, her Jacob.
Charlie was there again. Bella turned to him again, hesitating. Charlie nearly passed out with the implication. She simply smiled at her father and whispered, Jacob. Charlie grabbed her arm and threw her a goofy grin as he pulled his daughter down the aisle towards her Jacob.
As they said their vows and exchanged rings, Jacob noticed something new about his bride's bracelet. There was no diamond heart amongst the other charms. She did wear the wolf, the sun, the paw print, and the raven. The last of which is the creator of the sun symbolizing knowledge and a happy life.
So, at age 23, Bella became 21 year old Jacob's wife.
Months passed and Bella surprises Jacob with a gift. A bracelet with a single charm, some sort of bird. Jacob appreciates the attempt and vows to wear it for life. A few more days and she imparts upon him with what looks to be a dully sharpened pencil. Jacob doesn't understand, but wears the bracelet everywhere. After a week, he receives a third charm; it looks like a box with skies. Winter is coming up, so Jacob assumes it's a sleigh and takes it as a hint. Another week passed, Bella is sick with the stomach flu, but is still working on carving more charms out. I really don't understand this one, Jacob says of the stick with a ball at one end and a hoop at the other. Bella just smirks. For the second week in a row, Bella is bed-ridden and Jacob just wishes she would rest and get well instead of take up his past hobby.
The last of the five charms is what tied all of them together. He now understood his wife's message. That bird was a duck. The pencil, a bottle. The sleigh, a crib. The stick, a rattle. And the fifth, a tiny infant curled in a sleeping position.
Jacob nearly leaps on her when he comprehends, but minds his massive form's strength compared to his petite wife's and their infant that she is carrying.
Bella decides not to find out the gender of her baby or many details concerning it. She sees a midwife, and less than occasionally gets a check up at the hospital. She doesn't see how she could get a cold with her own personal furnace getting her through the winter nights.
Months pass. Jacob and Bella decide on a name for a boy and a name for a girl. Much to their surprise, they get to use both. Ethan Jacob Black and Morgan Isabella Black were born only minutes apart. Twins run in the family, he said.
Years pass and it isn't until Morgan is tearing apart her mother's jewelry boxes all throughout their home in La Push because Angela and Ben Cheney's son Robert has asked her to the prom. She comes begging to Bella while she is making dinner, rushing past Jacob, covered in grease from rebuilding two cars the twins are meant to receive as graduation presents, hey watch it!, and knocking into her brother Vincent (two years her junior) sitting at the dining table who was helping Lex, don't call me Alexander, with his homework since the elder had worked on it just the year before. She begs her mother to let her wear this charm she found as a necklace to the dance, it'll match so well mom, oh please, please, please? Bella looks at it and drops the spoon she was stirring the meat sauce for their spaghetti with. Jacob looks up, alarmed at Bella's entrancement with the charm.
Wistfully, she claims to have forgotten all about it. She doesn't notice Jacob's stiffness, as if nearly 23 years together mean nothing and she will decide Edward was the best choice. Bella takes off her own necklace, a simple silver chain with an agate pendant, and removes the decoration. She slips the diamond onto the chain and her husband holds his breath. Then, as if in slow motion, the mother fastens the necklace onto the daughter.
"Keep it," she says.
And Jacob lets out the breath he had been holding. Bella notices and rushes to Jacob's side. She, covered in sauce, he in grease, embrace in the middle of the kitchen, surrounded by their four children who squabble at each other. Jacob berates himself and tells himself that he should have known better. Bella chuckles and places a soft kiss on his neck, telling him that he's silly and reassuring him.
Jacob, Bella, they know that this was the only way. Just to simply live and be happy. Forever in the sun and taking in every moment of life. Together.