A/N: Now that my life has calmed down, I'm happy to finally be able to give these two the ending they deserve.

"Wooooo! You shake the fuck out of his hand, Black!"

In the last three years, neither Leah's tact nor her capacity for an inside voice had improved. The indoor stadium was packed with people, mostly weepy parents and friends acting like jackasses, of which we were obviously the latter. Despite the size of the crowd and the enthusiasm of the other families, she and I were the loudest voices there, prompting disapproving looks from the ones around us. I couldn't help it; after years of killing himself, so many late nights, and hundreds of dollars worth of coffee, he'd made it through the program with a job offer and his sanity intact.

Our voices must have carried all the way down from our seats on the second level, because he looked right back at us, wiggling his eyebrows mischievously as he released the president's hand and headed for the stairs. I was still surprised that they managed to find a gown that would fit over his broad shoulders. I didn't think it was possible for him to grow any more, but he did, and this gorgeous beast of a man was all mine

I turned to take stock of our group as Jake disappeared out of sight. Billy was clearly getting a little choked up, and dad was patting him on the shoulder. Come to think of it, he was getting a little choked up himself.

"Hey...C'mon, Billy… We said we weren't gonna do this."

"I know, I know," he said, clearing his throat. "I just wish his mother were here to see this."

"Aww, Daddy…" Rebecca hiccupped and hugged her father around the shoulder. This was starting to look like a Lifetime original movie, except no one had cancer.

"You did good, kid."

She smiled and reached over to squeeze my hand as the warm summer wind blew through her silky hair. It had been a while since I last saw her, and I spent a lot of crunch time, mine and his, wishing I'd dream about her again. It felt like having a real mom.

"I hope you're right. He's on a normal sleeping schedule now, so we're making progress. Now if I could just get him to eat something decent."

"I mean it, Bella. I'm so goddamn proud of that boy, and I'm glad that he had you there to help him through it."

The midday sun was starting to shine in my eyes, making me squint as I observed two Quileute children chasing each other by the shoreline. She hadn't aged a day since I saw her last, and her smiles were somehow bigger and freer. She reminded me so much of him.

"He's amazing, isn't he?"

"Yep," she replied, wiggling her toes in the course sand. "I make a damn good

kid, don't I? Though, I wish I passed on whatever gene gives you good taste in men. The girls worry me." She wrinkled her nose at the thought.

I laughed, glad to finally be able to complain without censoring myself. "Those boys married up, that's for sure."

"Can I trade you for Paul?"

With time and plenty of tough love from Rachel, his social skills had drastically improved, even if his temper was still a work in progress, but I saw the way he looked at her. If there was anyone in the world that could make him want to change for the better, it would be his new bride. Billy could take comfort in the fact that she would be well loved, even if it was going to make holidays more trying.

"I don't think I'm Rachel's type," I chuckled.

She studied my face, giving me an almost secretive smile. It was so good to see her again, to know that she was happy with how everything was turning out. This was the exact kind of validation I was craving, and from what better source?

"You've made him really happy, honey."

I felt a warmth in my cheeks. Even now, I was still a little shy when it came to talking about these things. Renee was always embarrassingly candid and jokey about boys, and Charlie was rarely up for any discussions on the matter. There was never much hope for me in that regard.

"He's made me really happy. I don't know what I'd do without him. I still can't believe I wasted so much time with all that crap."

"Oh, you've got plenty of time," she said wryly.

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Don't worry about it," she said, rising to her feet.

"There you go, being all vague and mysterious again. How is it that whenever we meet, I end up with more questions than answers?"

"My mystique is part of my charm," she said. "It drove Billy crazy, too."

"Will I get to see you again soon?"

She paused thoughtfully before looking over her shoulder at the girls on the beach, who were now tossing pebbles into the water. They screamed and giggled as the waves chased them back and forth, the cold water licking at their heels.

"I'll be back for a visit again in a little while. I think you've got a good handle on things here." She bent down, this time to give me a crushing bear hug. "You take good care of him, alright?"

"It's a promise."

"Oh, not you too, Dad!"

Charlie shifted and quickly dabbed at his nose with the back of his hand, averting his eyes to some far-off part of the massive hall. He cleared his throat.

"No, it's fine. I'm fine."

"Mhmmm," I said, rolling my eyes.

They were being more than a little sappy, but it was nice to see he and Billy here. Sue sat in the seat beside my dad, looking on sympathetically. He finally noticed her, and gave a little awkward smile before quickly looking away. I was still waiting for that shoe to drop, though Leah understandably had some mixed feeling about it. Seth, on the other hand, was completely oblivious to everything around him, choosing instead to hunt Jacob down, like Where's Waldo? in a sea of black polyester. Hopefully someone would be breaking out the beach balls any second. He waved eagerly at Jake, who was watching us from his seat as the dean droned out the rest of the class's names. I lamented the fact that we still had another 24 letters to go.

The lobby was a madhouse. Graduates began pouring in, trying to strip off their sweaty regalia to the dismay of their families, who were all prepared to take about a thousand pictures. Unfortunately for him, there was no way that Jake was going to be spared from any of that. He was going to have to suffer just a little bit longer for my enjoyment. He certainly earned it after last year.

At long last, his face came into view through the massive doors, aided by the fact that he was a head taller than nearly all of his classmates. After a moment of searching, I finally caught his eye, and he grinned back at me, pushing through the bottleneck to where we were all waiting for him. Without thinking, I took off towards him and leapt into his arms. He held me there by the waist, letting me wrap my arms around his neck for a kiss. I'd barely withdrawn when I felt his grip tighten before picking me up and swinging me around in a circle, almost taking out someone's grandma.

"Jake!" I scolded, breathless and giggling as he put me back on the ground. He looked over my shoulder at the octogenarian scowling at him.

"Sorry!" he shouted over the din, waving apologetically.

"I'm not sorry," he whispered, snickering as he lifted my chin up and pressed his lips sweetly onto mine.

"Hey, Swan! You can make out later. The old folks are getting cranky."

"Hey, we are not old," Billy fired back. "We can still party, can't we Charlie?"

The group had been waiting restlessly after I intercepted Jacob. It looked like everyone had calmed down a little, but I wasn't expecting miracles. Sue and Leah had appointed themselves the official photographers, which came as a relief knowing how well my father understood technology. Watching him unleash the flash into his own eyes was a hoot, but this day required a more deft hand. Jake let go of me and immediately went for his dad, stooping to squeeze his imposing figure around him, where he remained. I couldn't hear the low tones of their voices over the crowd, but I could see that Billy was inching perilously close to tears again before his son gave him a squeeze and stepped away.

Everyone else began tugging him in one direction or the other for their congratulatory hugs and pictures. I was glad to finally meet Rebecca, who had been practically living in exile in Hawaii for several years, and I she seemed to like me so far. Jake and Billy's glowing reviews were just going to set her up for disappointment once we finally met, or at least the former's would; Jake was admittedly pretty biased in his assessment. He smiled indulgently as the parents went on with the photo shoot, allowing them their hundreds of poses and backup shots before Leah, the reigning queen of patience and delicacy, cut them off.

"Alright, alright," she carped, leaning into the frame of what would be her mother's next picture. "We can finish this up at home after we eat."

"Hey, is Rachel going to make it tonight, Dad?"

Billy shrugged. "Their flight got delayed again, but she insists she'll be there, come hell or high water."

"She better," Rebecca said. "I'm gonna be sad if I came all the way from Kauai and didn't get to see her." She turned her attention to Jake. "You two are staying in Forks tonight, right?"

"Charlie insisted, and I'm not gonna argue. I don't think we're going to be in any state to drive if things go the way I think they're going to," he replied with a wink. She wrinkled her nose.

"Don't be gross, Jake."

The spacious hall was now slowly emptying as families joined the migration back to the parking lot, still whooping and squealing from the excitement of finally finishing the marathon that is their bachelor's degree. I could still remember the wave of relief that washed over me as I tore off that stupid hat. Sadly, there were more stupid hats in my future once I made it through my master's, assuming that I kept my eyes on the prize and didn't crash under the pressure of both work and school. I was just happy that only one of us was going to still be school this time.

Castle Clearwater was just as lively and welcoming as ever, though it was still in recovery. The loss hadn't dampened their spirits, but it was keenly felt, even outside the family. When we arrived, it became clear that there had been a lot of preparation for tonight's festivities. The fridge in the kitchen was packed with salad, desserts, and plastic bags of marinating meats in anticipation of the smoking grill waiting in their backyard. After spending so many years in Washington, I'd forgotten that holding parties and things like this outdoors is a regular occurrence everywhere else, even between October and April. It was always warm enough for it in Arizona, but someday I would get around to visiting Renee in Jacksonville so I could experience firsthand what it's like to be both damp and sweltering at the same time.

Being here felt like home, like having a real family. Of course I loved Charlie and our little party-of-two family, but this was what I always imagined it should be like when I was a kid, not the snippy cluster of islands that made up my blood relations, tethered to me only by my mother. Here I had genuine support and camaraderie, people who I chose and who chose me out of love. This is exactly where I wanted to be.

Seth had just finished up his junior year at Central Washington and was busy getting Jake all caught up on his misadventures from their seats at the large folding table they'd put outside, punctuated by Paul's braying as he worked on his third beer. It seemed that the festivities were perfectly timed with the long summer days to let me enjoy the evening outdoors before the darkness started hindering my balance and coordination. This was the worst group for me to spazz out in front of; I was way too easy a target.

"Make way for the meat!" Leah announced, leading my dad out the back door of the house and into the yard. The Clearwater's had assembled a mountain of chicken and hamburgers, far too much for the size of this crowd, though only to the untrained eye. The boys could put away half of that on their own with ease. Charlie carted everything to the grill, where he began instructing Sue on the finer points of charring. Leah came up next to me, placing her arm around my waist while we watched them.

"Your dad is so awkward," she whispered in my ear.

"Hey, give the man credit for trying. He's still pretty rusty. Plus, as much as she's taught him in the kitchen, I think he's excited to return the favor." She shook her head and turned her attention to me instead.

"How're you doing, babe?"

"Good. Really good," I replied. I glanced over at Jake again to catch him playfully punching Paul in the arm, who still winced. "I'm just glad all the insanity is over. Our schedules were so flipped during his finals that I barely got to see him at all. At least we'll both be awake at the same time now."

"Then it's too bad you're crashing at your dad's tonight," she said with a wry smile.

"I think you're way overestimating our energy levels right now. He's going to pass out before his head even hits the pillow, and I'll probably be right behind him."

"I don't know; he's looks like he's in a pretty 'celebratory' mood. Just try to keep the volume at least a couple decibels lower than a jet engine this time, okay?"

"You're never going to let me forget that, are you?" My face disappeared into my palm at the memory.

"Nope."

The wind changed direction and began blowing smoke directly at us, making me jerk away as it stung my eyes.

"C'mon," she urged, towing me out of the danger zone and towards the table. "Let's go see your boy toy."

It was still a little odd seeing him dressed up. He was in his dark blue slacks with a button down shirt, though the sleeves had long since been rolled up to reveal his thick, muscular forearms. It wasn't just his preference for casual clothes that was at play here; finding anything more formal that would fit him was a herculean task, especially in our price range. He cleaned up really well, but it was his worn-in jeans that made him look the most like Jake to me. I was still of the opinion that the best way to avoid the debate altogether was to just wear nothing.

When we arrived, Seth was still carrying on with as much animation as I had come to expect. I would have killed for even a third of that kid's enthusiasm.

"...so yeah, the moral of the story is that Lily is my hero."

"Telling Jake about the brownie incident?" Leah interrupted, thumping him on the back.

"Yeah, I think Seth's got himself a winner," Jake laughed.

"Dude, after that, I think I'm going to have to marry her. She's perfect."

I bent over, draping my arms around Jake's neck from behind and planting a kiss on his temple.

"Hey, Bells." He smiled and turned his face upward, beckoning for a proper kiss.

"She's too good for you, bro," Leah jabbed at Seth. "All these rez guys trying to marry above their station lately. They're getting way too cocky."

"Speaking of which," I started, resting my head on top of Jacob's. "Where did Paul run off to?"

"The kitchen, I think. Rachel dragged him away to help her with something," Seth explained, craning his neck around to find the source of the savory smell carrying on the breeze. "I hope that means dinner's almost ready."

"Charlie just started throwing everything on the grill, so we've probably got another fifteen minutes left at least." Leah stood up, tugging her brother out of his chair. "Here, why don't you go see if he and Mom need any help."

"They look fine to m-"

She shot him a dirty look.

"Ugh, fine." He obeyed, grumbling about his bossy sister as he slunk off. He seemed to perk up quickly once he got close enough to view the sizzling meat in all its glory, like the golden retriever he was. Hopefully he hadn't interrupted anything.

"I'm gonna go get another beer. See you guys later," she winked before sauntering back into the house.

"Wow, I show up and everyone leaves," I said dryly. "I've never felt so popular in my life."

"What am I, chopped liver?"

Jake suddenly stood up and yanked me into his arms, making me giggle. The heat of his skin on mine was already making me sweat.

"You don't count. You have to hang out with me."

"Yep. It's a rough job, but somebody has to do it," he chuckled, tucking a lock of hair behind my ear.

Leah was right: he was a lot more energetic than I thought he would be by this time. Last year, he nearly had to carry me back to the car by the end of the night. He seemed high on the momentum that had carried us through the day, and why shouldn't he be? He worked so hard for years, for as long as we'd known each other, to get to this day, and now it was time for him to finally let go of it all and enjoy himself.

"Well, we've got a little time to kill before dinner," he murmured, resting his forehead on mine. "Wanna go for a walk?"

"Sure. It's been a while."

As we began walking away from the party, I noticed Leah's eyes on me through the kitchen window above the sink. Rachel appeared next to her and seemed to join in. I'd have to tell Leah what a creep she is once we got back.

We skimmed along the line of trees that separated the woods from the rest of the Clearwater's property. I always wanted to step inside and explore the creek and the mossy trunks. I was sure that Jake could fight off a bear if necessary, but it was finally getting dark and I didn't need his graduation party to turn into a search party. The trees swayed gently in the wind, which was slowly developing a chill as the sun set in the west. It might not have been First Beach, but the radiant gold and pink that peeked through lavender clouds in the crease between two mountains was spectacular, yet another reason why I loved this place. It wasn't long before the chatter of the party faded away into silence, with only the cicadas chiming in.

I missed having him alone like this, with no stress, no distractions, just us. It wouldn't be long before the hubbub of life took over again, and I wanted to enjoy this evening for as long as I could. He brought me carefully by the hand through the knee-high grass, which dead-ended in a small meadow that was bursting with wildflowers. The plants were also taking advantage of the weather while they could.

"We should probably turn back soon before Seth eats everything in sight," I said.

"In a minute. We've still got plenty of time."

I continued strolling forward, but he stopped me. He was staring away into the forest with a look of deep concentration

"Jake? What is it?"

"Nothing," he said quickly. "There's just been a lot going on today. I think it's finally catching up to me."

"I was wondering when it would. I know you're still pretty wiped out after finals."

He closed his eyes and massaged the bridge of his nose. "No… I mean yes, but that's not really it." He was getting fidgety again. I hadn't seen that in a very long time.

"It's just...it's crazy, you know? I never really thought I'd make it to today. I managed to get into college, but If we never made up, I don't think I would have gotten through it all, at least not with my sanity intact. I owe you a lot, Bells."

"You always give me way too much credit-"

"-No, I mean it," he said earnestly, gently pulling me back into his arms. "You didn't give up on me." His dark eyes held that same intensity that made my heart skip a beat, a look that told me his usual silly demeanor was gone. I brushed my hand against his chest.

"I couldn't, even when I kind of wanted to. You mean too much to me," I said quietly. Even now, he could still make me blush with only a few words. His hand gently cradled my jaw.

"I can't be without you, Bells."

"You don't need to worry about that," I chuckled. "You're stuck with me."

His expression didn't change. His held me captive in his gaze, and I could feel the rise and fall of his chest becoming heavier against me.

"That's actually what I wanted to talk to you about."

My skin was beginning to burn against him, defying the cold that had settled over us as the sun disappeared. My heart fluttered in my chest as I slowly came to realize what his intentions were. Now the heat was rising upwards to my face.

"I don't want anyone else. I've never wanted anyone else. You're it for me, Bella."

Forget fluttering; my heart was now pounding like a drum, making it almost hard to breathe, but not out of fear or anxiety. This was something completely different; I could feel it ignite something inside me.

"Will you marry me?"

I felt weak in the knees, grateful that I had Jake to hold me up, but I wasn't going to faint or run away. I wasn't under a giant spotlight looking for the emergency exits. This was exactly how it should be, just me and him. There was no confusion here. I knew exactly what I wanted. Anywhere he went, I wanted to go too.

"Yes," I whispered. I couldn't contain myself anymore, and I practically jumped upwards to kiss him more passionately than I think I ever had. His arms tightened around me, hungrily reflecting my sentiments, before finally snatching me up.

"Yes," I murmured against his lips, crashing against them once more.

Yes. Yes. Yes.

Over and over again between every kiss. His hands wound into my hair, bringing me back every time as his arm supported me from underneath. I could have stayed right here forever. Hell, I would have had him right here in the grass if the whole family wasn't waiting for us. Eventually, we were forced to break apart, and he lifted me off of him and onto my feet. I noticed I had started giggling softly against his chest, making him smile bemusedly. I'd just never felt so naturally high before.

"And to think I was a little worried," he said, kissing my forehead. "I'm going to have to tell Leah she was right, after all."

"Goddamnit, that's why she was being so weird."

"Not that she's ever needed an excuse."

"Very true.

"I'm surprised, honey; you know her better than anyone," he said, laughing at my expense. "She helped me pick out the ring, for Christ's sake."

"There's a ring?" I asked. I could feel my heart rate picking back up again.

"Of course there is!" he scoffed at the mere idea. "Do you think I was going to come empty-handed? What do you take me for?"

He reached both hands into the depths of his pockets, navigating around his keys and the random assortment of things he kept on hand before finally grasping what he was looking for.

"Aha!" He pulled out a small box covered in burgundy velvet. He began to open it, but hesitated.

"You know, I'm still not entirely sure you want to marry me," he smirked. "I think I'm gonna need to hear it one more time, just to be safe."

"Asshole," I giggled. "Alright then: Jacob Black, I love you more than anyone on the planet, and I would love to marry you." I sealed my affirmation with another kiss. He grinned.

"Okay, you pass the test." He opened the box and presented it to me, revealing a round sapphire as deep and blue as the ocean which was surrounded by a halo of tiny diamonds. It reminded me of the way the waves of our beach sparkled in the afternoon sun, even in the tiny slivers of sunlight that were hanging on as twilight began to settle in. It absolutely took my breath away.

"Jake," I gasped. "It's beautiful."

"So you like it?" He carefully plucked it out of the satin lining. It could have been a screw or a bolt in his giant hands.

"I love it. It's perfect, Jake."

He took my left hand and slid it down my finger, where it fit exactly right. He knew me so well that it almost made my heart ache. I'm not sure what he has to be concerned about. The boy was perfect. I was definitely the lucky one.

"Glad to hear it," he said, placing one last chaste kiss on my lips.

"Wait, did you tell my dad too?"

"Of course," he replied sarcastically. "He and my dad already worked it out. Charlie drives a hard bargain, but Dad finally talked him down to four sheep and a mule. I told him you were worth at least six sheep, but the old man is stubborn."

"Good to know that I'm finally appreciating in value."

He chuckled and gently took my hand, a stifled smile forming as he took a peek at my left hand. "As much as I'd like to stay here, I think we need to turn back before they kill us for holding up dinner."

"I guess you're right. We can celebrate more a little later," I said with a wily smile.

We returned to find that no one had waited for us. As expected, Seth appeared to be working on his second helping, and everyone else was too involved in their conversations to notice us emerging from the shadows. Everyone except Leah, that is, who snapped her face away from her brother and toward me, craning her neck up and over Billy like a meercat. She caught me in her gaze and her eyebrows shot up expectantly. I nodded quickly, trying to stay calm but completely incapable of containing my happiness. She jumped up, threw down her napkin, and rushed toward me, much to the confusion of the party. She ran into me like a linebacker, nearly knocking me over, and pulled me into a tight hug while she squealed with excitement.

"What the hell is going on, you two?" Charlie asked warily over the forkful of chicken in his mouth. A huge grin stretched across Jake's face.

"Do you want to tell him or should I?"

A/N: Thank you so much everybody! I had a lot of fun writing this and I'm so glad to hear you guys liked it. Please let me know what you think of the final chapters!

My next J&B story, My Guy, is already in the works for the summer. I know I've been a bit of an Edward-basher, so MG will probably be easier on the Edward apologists.

EDIT: I am also starting up an AO3 account with another version of OotA that I'm re-writing, so feel free to check that out.