Leah looked in the bathroom mirror and groaned. Her eyes were bloodshot and her hair was sticking out in all directions. "Oh my GOD, Jake! Why on earth did you marry this?"

He laughed and nibbled at the back of her neck. "I think you look extremely sexy, Mrs. Black. And what did you expect after keeping me up all night? Just jump in the shower like a good girl and you'll be good as new. We have to check out in a half hour - otherwise, I'd have waited to shower with you." He smirked and patted her butt. "We'll stop at the diner for breakfast on the way home."

The warm shower did help, and by the time Leah had dressed and dried her hair she felt better. Actually, she felt wonderful - lazy and contented. The wedding had gone perfectly, and the hotel was one of Jake's best ideas ever. There was something about hotel sex...Leah grinned at the satisfied young woman in the mirror.

"Okay, I'm ready for breakfast - and I hope you brought a lot of money!" She threw her toiletries in the backpack and Jake hefted it on his shoulder. He kissed her briefly before opening the door to a cloudy, overcast day.

Leah scooted over close to Jake in the truck, buckling the middle seatbelt around her. Laying her left hand on his thigh, she admired her rings. "Was the wedding ring your mom's too, Jake?" she asked.

He nodded. "Package deal."

The diner was mobbed. Apparently everyone in LaPush stopped in for breakfast after church on Sunday morning. They were just about to turn around and go home after all when Quil caught their attention, jumping up and down and waving. He and Seth were sharing a booth with plenty of room for two more. Jake looked down at Leah with a grin and she nodded.

Leah squeezed in next to Quil and Jake sat across from her. He snagged a strip of bacon from Seth's plate. "Hey! We invited you to sit with us, not eat our breakfast!" But he handed Leah a piece of his waffle and she munched while they waited to place their order.

"Where the heck did you guys go last night?" Seth wanted to know.

Jake grinned at him. "That's on a need-to-know basis, my young brother-in-law, and you don't." He winked at Leah. She blushed prettily, happy that for once no one was reading her mind.

"It was a great party," Quil gushed. "Even Sam and Emily came, but they sure took off in a hurry. OW! Seth, what'd you do that for?" Seth just shook his head and changed the subject.

The apartment looked the same as when they left it, but there was a subtle difference. Being married lent a kind of euphoria, and Leah and Jake sank onto the couch, silly smiles on their faces. She slid onto his lap, her hands tangling in his hair as she kissed him tenderly. "I love you, Mr. Black," she breathed against his lips. "And I love being married to you."

"I feel the same way, Mrs. Black." He kissed her deeply, his warm hands slipping under her shirt and caressing her back. They headed for the bedroom without another word, leaving a trail of discarded clothing on the way.

Leah stopped his hand when he reached for the nightstand drawer. "Jake...do we have to?"

She sensed a tightening of his jaw, and he flopped onto his back. Leah sat beside him, her hands tracing patterns on his chest. "We really need to decide this, Jake." She leaned down and kissed his chest, her lips moving up toward his throat. "I really want to try again. It can be different next time, and I'll be really careful." His body was quickly responding to her caresses, but his mind was in turmoil.

"Okay, Leah," he finally said through slightly clenched teeth. He had to admit that fumbling with condoms didn't enhance their lovemaking, and it was, after all, her body. It just might be different this time, right? He pushed her down gently and pinned her body to the mattress, every curve fitting perfectly to his body. They moved together, slowly at first, lips and tongues and fingers building the delicious tension higher, faster.

Leah gasped, the first wave of pure, raw pleasure raging through her body,and then…

"Whoa...wait...Jake? NO! What are you…"

He uttered a strangled oath, pulling away from her. "I can't, Leah. I'm sorry - I just can't."

Leah pulled the sheet up over her, rolling onto her side away from him. Her body was stiff with anger and frustration. She flinched when he touched her shoulder.

He spoke softly. "We do need to have that conversation, Leah. And I promised to talk about it after the wedding. But for heaven's sake! It's impossible to have a serious discussion when your hand is wrapped around my…"

"I know," she interrupted. "And you're right. it wasn't fair. Let's make a date right now. We'll talk tomorrow, after dinner. Does that work for you?"

Jake exhaled slowly. "Sure. I have patrol in the afternoon, and I should get home about the same time as you. It won't be easy, Leah, because we both feel so strongly about this. Let's sleep on it tonight."

She turned back to face him. "No matter what we decide about babies, never doubt that I love you, Jake. More than life itself." She climbed over him, reaching for the drawer in the night stand.

The crisp yellow note pad stared blankly up at Leah. She picked up the ballpoint pen and sighed, drawing a neat line down the middle of the pristine page. She was labeling the two columns, Pro and Con, as Jake finished drying the flatware and replaced it in the drawer. He gently took the pen from her hand and printed neatly, above both columns, the single word 'Possibilities.'

Leah carefully printed the word 'baby' in the pro column. She looked into Jake's eyes. "No matter how many words we come up with, that's the most important one in my opinion," she said softly. "A baby - OUR baby - I never knew how much I wanted a child, part me and part you. It just seems the natural result of our love, Jake."

"I really do understand, Leah, and I want that too. But there's a limit to what I'd risk for a baby. You'll always come first with me. And I wouldn't knowingly risk your life. Ever. I love you." He said the last words almost apologetically as he scrawled the word 'complications' in the Con column.

Leah hesitated over the page, then scribbled 'no birth control' in the Pro column. She smiled at Jake and shrugged. "I hate the damn things."

He sighed dramatically. "We're getting nowhere, Leah. Let's just cut to the chase. We both want a baby, but you're willing to risk your life for it - and I'm not." He ran his fingers through his hair. In reply, Leah penned 'prenatal care' in the Pro column.

"Don't forget that Carlisle learned a lot from the last time, Jake. He says it might happen again, and it might not. If it's a girl, the likelihood is reduced even further."

Jake moved over behind her chair, wrapping his arms around her shoulders and leaning his head on hers. "How are we ever going to resolve this, Leah? Is there any kind of compromise possible? Like...maybe I'll agree, but we wait a few years?"

Leah sighed deeply, her shoulders relaxing under his touch. "Why do I have a feeling that would just buy you some time to strengthen your resolve?" She shook her head. "I need you to agree with me, Jake. Because you love me, because it's my body we're debating about, or because you're tired of arguing about this. Please, baby." She stood and wrapped her arms around his waist, her face pressed against his chest. "I feel...incomplete. Unfinished." He could feel the tears soaking through his thin shirt.

Jake's strong arms enfolded Leah, holding her close as he whispered. "Okay, Leah. Okay. I'll never forgive myself if our baby hurts you, but it's not in my power to make you so unhappy. You win, baby. I won't fight you any more." He held her while she sobbed, both of them thinking of their little lost boy and all the hopes and dreams that had died with him.