"Billy! It's Seth. Can you meet us at the hospital? Yeah, Aiyanna's in labor and we want to get married. Yes, right now! Okay, thanks." He disconnected the call and shoved the phone into his pocket. "He's on his way, baby. Hang in there." She tensed and he looked at the clock on the wall. "That's ten minutes apart. Should be plenty of time." He hoped.

Eight minutes later, as the next contraction began, Billy swooped in, Jacob pushing his chair. He had an ancient looking leather-bound book in his hand. "Short version?" Aiyanna nodded, squeezing Seth's hand and panting loudly. "You need a witness, so I brought one." He pointed the book at Jacob.

Billy began reading, his tempo quick and upbeat. "Now you will feel no rain, for you will be shelter to each other. Now you will feel no cold, for each of you will be warmth to the other. Now there is no more loneliness, for each of you will be companion to the other. Now you are two bodies, but there is only one life before you. Soon you will go to your resting place, to enter into the days of your togetherness. May your days be good and long upon the earth."

He paused for another contraction; they were coming faster. "You have to make it quick, Billy." Seth begged. "Sorry to rush you, but the gurney's waiting to take her to delivery.

Billy nodded. "Repeat after me, Seth. I, Seth Clearwater, take you Aiyanna Youngblood, as my wife. I do solemnly avow my love for you. I will comfort you, keep you, love you, defend you in sickness or in health, in riches or poverty, in sorrow or joy, seeking only to be with you until death parts us. All these things I pledge upon my honor."

"Now your turn, Aiyanna." Gasping for breath at times, Aiyanna repeated the same vow. Billy breathed a sigh.

"Father Sky and Mother Earth," Billy intoned, "creator and nurturer of all life, we give heartfelt thanks for the moment that brought Aiyanna and Seth together in the Holy State of Marriage. By the authority vested in me by the Quileute Nation and the State of Washington, I pronounce you husband and wife." Seth kissed his bride, the nurse shooed Jacob and Billy out of the room, and an orderly swooped in to wheel her to the delivery room. Seth was pulling on a gown as he ran beside the gurney.

Seth emerged an hour later, still in his green gown, tears sparkling in his eyes and a huge smile on his face. Sue jumped up and ran to him, followed by Leah, Jonah, Jacob, and Billy. "It's a girl," Seth said, bending to hug his mother. "The most beautiful, perfect thing I've ever seen. They're both fine. A baby girl," he repeated. "My daughter."

Everyone was talking at once.

"Do you have a name picked out?" Leah asked.

"When can we see Aiyanna?" from Jonah.

"How big is she?" asked Billy.

Seth laughed. "Yes, soon, and seven pounds four ounces. The nurse will tell us when they have her in the nursery. I'll hold her up to the window so you all can see her. She's beautiful, just like her mother!"

The baby looked tiny in Seth's arms. She was swathed in a pink blanket with a tiny knitted cap on her head. Seth pulled it off so they could see her little tufts of dark hair. He kissed her head and put the cap back on. A nurse took the baby and told him his wife was in recovery and he could go see her. The others could go in too, but just for a few minutes. The new mommy needed to rest.

Aiyanna gripped Seth's hand. "Did you tell them her name?"

He shook his head. "No, I left that for you. You did all the work."

She smiled at her family and friends. "Her name is Shaya. Shaya Susan Clearwater." She pronounced it SHY-a and then spelled it for them. "It's kind of a combination of our names. And, of course, her grandmother's."

Sue nodded. Seth sensed she couldn't speak past the lump in her throat and he slipped an arm around her.

Leah kissed her sister-in-law's cheek. "Okay, let's get out of here and let this lady get some rest. We'll stop on the way out and wave good-bye to Shaya. You need a ride, Daddy?" She grinned at her brother.

"No way. I'm staying here, with my wife and daughter."

"Wife?" Sue turned around.

"Come on, Sue," Billy said, his hand on her back. "I'll tell you all about it."

Seth pulled a chair up next to the bed, never letting go of Aiyanna's hand. He kissed her cheek and pushed her sweaty hair back from her face. "You've never been more beautiful, Mrs. Clearwater. I'm totally in awe of you. Isn't our daughter the most beautiful baby ever?"

"Mmm. I like the sound of that." She squeezed his hand. "Why don't you go home and get some rest, babe? You're way too long for that chair bed in my room."

Seth chuckled, a deep, happy sound. "Not for a million dollars, my love. I'm going to enjoy the rest of my life with my little family, starting right now." He kissed her gently. "Now you close your eyes. I'm not going anywhere." He watched her sleep until they came to take her to her room. When they arrived, Seth did a double take. Dr. Carlisle Cullen was standing in the doorway.

"Carlisle!" Seth shook the proffered hand. He looked over the doctor's shoulder into the room. There was an enormous bed with four fluffy pillows. "Is this your doing?"

Carlisle smiled. "Yes. I believe cuddling is good for the healing process." He whispered "I think this is an important time for families to be together. We have a few king size beds. We have to be prepared for anything."

"I don't know how to thank you." Aiyanna's voice was weak, but her smile was dazzling.

"Don't mention it. I got a peek at your daughter. She's a beauty. Of course, you don't get peaches from a pear tree." He laughed and bustled away down the gleaming corridor.

When the nurse got Aiyanna settled, Seth climbed in and carefully wrapped his arms around her. The tension drained from her face, she relaxed into his embrace, and she was asleep in seconds. Every couple of hours, a nurse would tiptoe in and check Aiyanna's temp and blood pressure.

"Seth?"

"What is it, baby?" He was instantly wide awake.

"When can we go home? Your mom's going to be around to check on Shaya and me. This is no place to rest!"

He smiled and kissed her shoulder. "I'm hoping today. We need to get our daughter home and let her mommy get some real rest. I'll check with your doc when she comes in this morning. You hungry?"

"Now that you mention it, I'm famished!"

Seth chuckled. "That's my girl."