-A/N-

I'm back from vacation. Sunburnt and ready to write more. That couple of days was exactly what I needed to refocus myself. I decided I'm going to use the vacation spot I went to at some point in the tale of Jacob and Terry.

Not much else to say, other than sorry I left. :]

I do not own any of the characters presented in this story other than Terry. No copyright infringement is intended. All other characters belong to Stephenie Meyer.

36. RESOLUTION

Jacob's POV

"Five… Four… Three… Two… One…" Everyone at the Cullen's house counted down to the New Year.

Alice, being Alice, invited the pack to the house for her New Year's Eve party. They couldn't say no, they had no plans and Alice promised food. As we all sat in their living room, watching some sort of timer Alice rigged up, I pulled Terry close to me.

When the timer reached zero, everyone in the house cheered out 'Happy New Year!'.

I placed my hand on the side of Terry's face, pressing my lips to his. It was a passionate kiss, a kiss of promise. The New Year's kiss is a big deal, it's a means to convey the message that you want to spend the next year with that person. It's supposed to be good luck.

I didn't need a corny promise like that, though. I didn't need luck. I had Terry and nothing was going to take him from me again.

"Terry, can I talk to you?" The voice interrupting my kiss with Terry made me freeze. It was Leah. I didn't know how exactly he was going to react. I told Terry I trusted him when he said he would be ok, but you can never be too sure.

Terry nodded and stood up, following Leah out of the house. Before he left the room, he turned to me and smiled. Mouthing the words, 'I'll be fine.'

I hoped so.

Terry's POV

When Leah and I got outside, we both stood there awkwardly. She had her back to me and I just stared down at my feet. A strange sensation coursed through my body, I couldn't quite place it. It wasn't fear, or anything like that.

"Terry…" Leah turned around. "I'm sorry. I really am. My actions in the clearing that day… I can never take them back. No matter how much I wish I could. I feel horrible about what I've put you and Jacob through…" A noise that sounded like a mix between a laugh and a sob came out of her mouth. "We have a few rules in the wolf pack…"

I stood in silence, still staring at the ground. I still didn't know what I was feeling.

"The biggest rule… is the one I broke. We're not supposed to attack another's imprint. I-I did. Jacob had full right to attack me for that. He should've killed me for what I did to you. For what I put you two through. I'm so sorry…"

I slowly walked over to her and placed a hand on her shoulder. "Look, don't worry about it anymore. It's in the past. Jacob and I are living in the present. We don't look back on that day in remorse. If anything, we look back and see that it was that day that brought us to where we are now. We're one step closer to living on our own. To living our life together."

"It's because of me you're not already living your life with him…"

We were both silent for a few minutes. I watched as her facial expressions contorted with self-loathing and disgust. "Leah… I'm sorry that love hasn't found you yet."

"What?" She looked up at me.

"I'm sorry that you haven't imprinted yet. But I really hope you do. Maybe then you'll see that it's no use being hung up on problems in your past. You need to live now." I smiled.

For the first time since I've known Leah, her normally angry and hate-filled face, smiled. A little bit of happiness broke through her misery. Hope. That's what she needed.

After a few more minutes of silence, she thanked me for forgiving her and wishing her luck in finding love. I felt good that I made peace with her, that it's no longer a problem. I stayed outside for a while after she left. I could hear from inside, Edward was playing the piano and everyone was singing Auld Lang Syne. The lyrics made me smile about what had just taken place. 'Should auld acquaintance be forgot, and never brought to mind? Should auld acquaintance be forgot, and days of auld lang syne?'

I felt warm arms wrap around my waist from behind. "That was really nice of you, Terry…"

I turned my head to see Jacob smiling at me. "I just told her the truth."

He stared into my eyes for a brief moment before taking my hand. "Come here."

Jacob led me into our house. We walked into our bedroom and he sat on the edge of the bed, motioning for me to sit next to him. I sat on the bed, a little worried given how nervous Jacob looked.

Jacob's POV

I tried to take a few breaths to calm myself. I just need to start talking… "Terry, I love you more than anything in the entire world."

He smiled and placed his hand on my thigh. "I know that. I love you too."

I placed my hand on his and squeezed it, his smile giving me the courage to do what I wanted to. I had never been one to get so nervous, but I just couldn't help it. "I can't promise you big expensive things. I can't give you flashy cars, big houses, anything like that. All I can promise you is all of the love in my heart. Forever and always."

Terry stared into my eyes. "What's… what's going on Jacob?"

I smiled and knelt before him, taking his hand. "Terry… I want to spend the rest of my life with you being bonded in every way possible." I reached into my pocket and pulled out my Christmas gift from Santa. "Terry Prokop, will you… will you marry me?"

Terry's POV

"What…?" I stared, wide-eyed, into Jacob's big, brown eyes.

He looked at me with love and passion that I nearly started to cry from the emotional overload that his question was putting me through. He said it again. "Will you marry me?"

He opened the little black box he took out of his pocket and inside sat a ring. It looked to be platinum with a rectangular diamond in the middle. A little inset traveled around the ring. It was too beautiful to describe in words and do it justice. I slowly reached out and picked it up. Along the inside was engraved the words, 'Forever and Always'.

A warm thumb wiped away a tear from my eye. I looked back at Jacob who was still smiling at me, still waiting for the answer to his question.

"Yes." A big smiled crossed my lips.

Jacob's face lit up as he stood up form the floor and pushed me back onto the bed. His lips were on mine in an instant, a new found desire and passion about them. "Terry… you've… made me… so… happy…" I could barely make out the words between kisses.

Jacob got off of the bed and pulled me up to him. He took the ring and slowly slid it onto my finger. We both looked at the ring sitting on my finger for a while. Still holding my hand, he kissed the ring, before going back to kissing my lips. I placed my hand on the side of his face. "Jacob… I love you."

"I love you. Forever and always." He stared into my eyes, conveying more love than anyone could ever do in words alone.

I was about to begin the rest of my life with Jacob Black. My life was on it's way to perfection if I wasn't there already in Jacob's arms.

-A/N-

Look at that. We have made it to the end of Endless Night.

Shortly I will begin work on it's sequel. But before then, what did you guys think? How many of you guessed Jacob's gift from Santa was the engagement ring? A picture of the ring is on my profile.

Again, any questions, comments, anything, are more than welcome.

Thank you for reading.

~Jack Stall