No cliff hanger in this chapter. There are a fair amount of time jumps in this chapter, so be aware of that. This one is a rough chapter with a happy ending. Please let me know your thoughts!

I'm not going any place

I just hate to see you like this
No, I can't make it go away
Oh, but keeping it inside won't fix it
I can't give you every answer that you need
But I wanna hear everything you wanna tell me

You're not alone
I'll listen 'till your tears give out
You're safe and sound, I swear that I won't let you down
What's hurting you I, I feel it too
I mean it when I say
When you cry, I cry with you, oh
Yeah, I cry with you

You need love tough enough to count on
So here I am

You're not alone
I'll listen 'till your tears give out
You're safe and sound, I swear that I won't let you down

What's hurting you I, I feel it too

I mean it when I say
When you cry, I cry
I mean it when I say
When you cry, I cry with you

-Cry With You-Hunter Hayes

All I could feel around me was a comforting warmth, as if I was floating in a warm pool of water. When I did hear, it all sounded like I was underwater.

"Bella, you can come back now, honey," a warm soothing voice urged.

"She'll wake up when she's ready," a melodic female voice answered back as I felt my hair stroked.

"It's just been so long," a dejected voice sighed.

"Her body has to heal itself," the melodic voice reminded. I heard footsteps walk out as a chair scooted across the linoleum floor.

"Bells, I'm so sorry it took so long for me to get to you. I broke my promise, I didn't protect you in time. I know you're healing, but Bells I'm about to fall apart here. Give me something to know you're still here," Jake pled, hot tears hitting my hand.

My heart squeezed in my chest with his plea. Summoning all the strength I had, I managed to quiver my finger. I just prayed he felt it.

"Thank you, Bella," he said, lifting my hand to press his lips against it in thanksgiving.

When I did manage to open my eyes, the bright hospital lights assaulted me. I blearily tried to keep my eyes open as I searched the room for a sign of Jake. He was passed out in a green hospital chair with his head against the wall.

He hadn't shaved in sometime, his hair looked like it hadn't touched a comb in months. I examined my hand and found an IV connected to the inside of my elbow. I looked above me and saw IV bags swaying. One said "morphine" while the other was likely just water to keep me hydrated. I had a cannula beneath my nose, but I did not have issues taking deep breaths except for a mild pain in my side.

I almost resisted calling his name to just watch him sleep. However, moments later he fidgeted in his seat which almost caused him to fall out of it. His tired eyes met mine before they sparked with intensity as they drank me in.

"Bells!" He said, kicking out of the chair to sprint so he was on his knees. I threaded my hand through his hair. He looked up at me with such relief.

"How are you feeling?" He murmured, kissing my hand before standing up to kiss every unbandaged part of me.

"Okay," I said, my voice gravelly from under use. He braced his hand over the call button.

"Charlie?" I asked, it was one of my worst fears that she came for him first.

"He came by earlier before his shift. Your mom is here too, she slipped out to the cafeteria," he responded.

"Okay," I said, nodding my head which earned a sharp pain. Jake sensed it as he winced.

"Don't be moving your head around too much, you've been through the ringer," he reminded me.

"What did you tell them?" I asked, curiously.

"Animal attack," Jake replied, with a frown.

"The pack?" I asked.

"They're fine, Bells. Nobody was hurt except you," he murmured.

"Good," I said in relief. His eyebrows furrowed at my response, clearly that wasn't the response he'd hoped for.

"I almost lost you," he muttered in disdain and guilt.

"You didn't, you and the pack saved me," I reminded him. He shook his head, closing his eyes like he was reliving it.

"She had her hands around your throat, Bella. You were bleeding and she tossed you into the water. One second more, Bells, and I would have been burying the love of my life," he chocked, tears falling down his face. He was being completely and totally vulnerable with me. It wasn't common place for a man to cry, and I was impressed with the level of strength he had to show his feelings.

"I'm here, Jake. I'm breathing because of you," I spoke soothingly. He wiped up his tears as he cussed under his breath.

"Here I am blabbering like a baby when I didn't even ask you if you were pain," he said, shaking his head.

"Jake, I'm okay," I promised him.

"Please don't say you're okay when you're hooked up to more wires and laying bruised and bandaged in a hospital bed," he pleaded as he hit the call button.

"The morphine they gave me is working," I assured him.

A doctor in his mid fifties came in a moment later.

"Bella, I'm glad to see you're back here with us. You gave us quite a scare," he murmured while looking over my chart.

"How am I?" I asked, curiously.

"You have two broken ribs that are healing, badly sprained ankle, concussion, but the one that really caused us to worry is the wound on your side. We were able to use stitches and sutures to sew the wound up. You had a blood transfusion and the wound was deep enough to impact your organs. Bella, your uterus was torn and it will be difficult to have children," he murmured.

A few years ago his last sentence would have earned a blink and shrug. Now, the words were crippling. I knew it was far off into the future, but there was a desire inside of me to have children with Jake.

I looked over at Jake who squeezed my hand, I knew he was trying to stay composed for my sake.

"When will I be able to be released?" I asked, finding my voice.

"In the next few days," he replied.

"I'll send in a nurse in the next two hours to give you another dose of pain medication. Tomorrow, we'll try walking and moving around," he added. I nodded as he gave us a close lipped smile before he left.

"Bells..." Before he could speak, I shook my head.

"I'm so sorry," I murmured, tears sprouting in my eyes.

"Why are you apologizing, sweet girl?" He asked flabbergasted, placing his hands gingerly on the sides of my head.

"What if we can't have kids?" I cried, my lip trembling. His gentle eyes met mine, he tried to hide it, but I saw the flash of pain.

"We'll adopt, baby, as long as you're with me I don't care," he promised, kissing my forehead. I couldn't ask him to make that kind of sacrifice for me. As I opened my mouth to protest, Jake drew me as close as he could without hurting me.

As I caught my breath, I turned my face up to his.

"How long was I out?" I asked.

"Too long," he shook his head.

"Four days," he replied, stroking my cheek.

"The girl who almost slayed the vampire is awake!" Quil yelled, breaking the tension in the room. Emily and Kim were behind him, holding a 'Get Well Soon' balloon and a bouquet of flowers.

"God, Quil, turn it down a few decibels," Jake said in disapproval.

"Sorry, I just heard you were finally awake so I brought along Emily and Kim," he said, shrugging.

"Thank you," I murmured.

"Glad to have you back," he smiled brightly. Emily came over my bedside to give me a quick hug.

"We were so worried," she murmured as she pulled away.

"I'll be good as new soon," I assured her. She frowned as she looked me over.

"I can go ask the nurse if we can get you a shower, that'll help you feel better," she said, stroking my hair before leaving the room in search of a nurse.

"I hope you feel better soon, Bella," Kim said, her voice soft like bells.

"Thank you," I smiled at her.

"Go get some coffee and a shower, Jake, you look like hell," Quil ordered.

"I'm fine," he rolled his eyes.

"I'm on Sam's orders to relieve you. I'll watch her for a bit while you get yourself together," Quil argued.

"Are you gonna be okay?" Jake asked, peering at me. I nodded slowly. He reached over the bed to press a lingering kiss on my forehead.

"I'll be back soon, sweetheart. Call me if you need anything or if you need your sanity after being around this one," he gestured to Quil.

"Hey!" Quil protested.

"Go, Jake," I said, ushering him off. He took one last glance at me before he walked out of the room.

"How was he?" I asked Quil, scared to know the answer. Quil's face fell as he shook his head.

"You already know, Bella. He barely left this room, we had to practically force him to eat. He was a shell of the Jake we know," Quil replied, his lips turning downward in a frown.

There was a part of me that knew I would have been the same if our positions were reversed.

"Victoria is dead, right?" I asked.

"Very dead," he said proudly.

"Good, she can't hurt anyone else," I muttered, playing with my fingers in my lap. Quil's face fell at my words, as he wiped his hand against his lips and chin in frustration.

"She already did enough," Emily said as she walked through the doorway with Renee. Renee's face looked crestfallen as she took me in. She shuffled by Quil as she clumsily threw her arms around me.

"Oh honey, I'm so glad you're okay," she murmured in relief, soothingly running a hand through my hair like she did was I was little.

"I'm okay, Mom, you shouldn't have come all this way. How's Phil?" I asked, and she huffed.

"Of course you're forgetting I'm your mother and my baby is hurt," she rolled her eyes and sat beside me.

"Mom," I protested.

"Phil is fine, he had a tournament this weekend," she answered my question finally.

"I got to meet Jake, he looks a lot different than he did when he was two," she giggled. I rolled my eyes at her.

"Well I would hope so, it'd be a little weird and maybe illegal if I was dating someone that looked like a three year old," I replied.

"He's a hunk and definitely looks like he's older than eighteen," she commented. I could feel my cheeks heat up in response.

"Not to mention he's totally in love with you," she winked.

"Yes," I agreed with her.

"He's a good man, Bella. I'm glad he's yours," Renee said, tears shining in her blue eyes as she grasped my hand in hers.

"He is, mom. You don't have to worry," I assured her. There was a part of her I'm sure that remembered the bad days, those first few months in Florida. I could tell by the way she looked at me now, in the hospital bed, she remembered them.

"You're a smart girl, Bella. You always have been, and I know you made a good choice this time. He's different you know, Edward used to look at you like you were so breakable and weak. Jake looks at you like his equal, which is why he was a mess these past few days," Renee remarked, chuckling at the end.

Jake saw me as his equal, not as a breakable doll. If it were Jake in the hospital bed, I know I would've been the same. I felt tears pool in my eyes as I realized I wanted to tell Renee about my slim chances of having children.

"Bella?" Renee asked, in alarm as she saw the tears begin to fall down my cheeks.

"Mom, the doctor told me there's a chance I won't be able to have kids," I said, wiping the tears away with the back of my hand. Renee's face turned downcast as she enveloped me in her arms.

"Oh baby," Renee cooed.

"I'm so sorry," she said, pressing her cheek to the side of my face.

"It would've been no big deal a year ago, but Mom I want kids someday," I said, sniffling.

"I know, and there aren't words I can give you to make this type of pain go away. I wish I could throw a bandaid on your knee like I did when you fell off your tricycle when you were three, but Bella these type of wounds and pain take time. And what you have to do is hope," she whispered, her own voice cracking.

The dam of tears I tried so hard to keep back broke as I felt my chest heave in waves. Without missing a beat, Renee gently let my head rest against her shoulder. My head pounded as I let my body shake with sobs.

What if Jake didn't want me anymore because I was permanently tainted? We didn't yet have time to talk about kids one day, but the thought of not having little people with ebony colored hair and creamy tan skin had me reeling.

The look in Jake's eyes was enough to convince me he wanted that too. I'm not sure how much time passed before I heard heavy footsteps and the door swing open and nearly hit the wall. My eyes were closed, so I assumed I fell asleep because of the emotional toll.

"She's physically okay, Jake," Renee said to assure him. I imagined his shoulders relaxed, but he was still tense.

"What happened?" Jake asked, his voice cracking.

"She's processing what the doctor said," Renee answered. Jake didn't ask further questions, he already knew.

"I think there's a part of her that questions if you'd still want her," Renee said, softly, easing off the bed. I could hear Jake let out a breath.

"How could she think that?" He asked, in astonishment.

"Because there's a part of her Jake that believes love is still conditional. She's healed so much, and she's the strongest woman I know. But the thought of not having children, especially not having children with you is crushing," she murmured.

"She's alive, she's here with me. Hell, she still wants to be with me is a miracle. I shot for the stars when I got her," he said, shuffling his feet on the floor.

"I know," Renee said, I detected a smile in her voice.

"How can I show her?" Jake asked, dejectedly.

"Be there for her, there aren't words to heal this type of wound. She just needs you next to her and if she needs it, encourage her to see someone," Renee advised.

"I will," he piled more emotion in those words than most vows at weddings I've witnessed.

"Good, I'm going to go to the cafeteria and go for a walk," she said, beginning to shuffle away from my bedside. Jake walked closer, his steps meeting my bedside.

"Thanks, Renee," he said softly. She didn't respond verbally back, but I imagined she nodded or smiled. There weren't any words this time as Jake sat beside me. He held onto my hand as a lifeline between his two large ones. His elbows pressed against the mattress as I felt warm tears sprinkle the bedside.

I let myself relax in his warmth. He was my anchor, my lighthouse in the storm. Sometime later, I blinked a few times, adjusting to the harsh light.

"Hey beautiful girl," he murmured, a smile gracing his lips but not his eyes before he kissed my hand. Seeing him still beside me, still wanting me had my heart pound in my chest.

"Hi," I said, my voice still gravelly. Tears pooled in my eyes again and before I could blink to let them fall, Jake was sitting on the bed with me, holding me in his arms. He held on to me tight enough to feel every curve of him and gently enough like I was the most important piece in his world.

"I'm so sorry," I said, between tears.

"Don't you dare apologize, Swan. Your pain is my pain. Haven't you figured it out yet? My soul is tied to yours, there is nothing in this world that can ever make me want you less or even stop loving you. You got me, Bells," Jake said, his voice husky.

"But what if we can't have kids, Jake? You'd be such a good father, and what if I can't give you that? I wouldn't blame you if you wanted..." I began, blabbering.

"Finish that sentence and I'll be in a jail cell, Bella. If I could, I'd kill Victoria all over again," he murmured, his voice clenched. He shifted for a moment as he took a deep breath in preparation for his next words. His deep dark chocolate eyes shined with such determination.

"I will tell you this every single day of my life. I love you, I'm so in love with you. I act like a complete idiot sometimes because of how much I'm in love with you, and I'll act that way happily because there isn't anything on this earth I wouldn't move for you. Whatever you need, I'll be it," he promised, grasping my face gently in his hands, willing me to listen.

"My love for you isn't conditional, sweetheart. There's nothing you can do, this world can do to ever make me feel differently. I'm here, Bella. I promise to love you and protect you until there's no breath in my body anymore," he continued, his dark eyes meeting mine with such intensity it made me gasp. He lifted my hand gently, to kiss the back of it.

In his embrace, I knew the doubts in my head were complete lies. There wasn't a dishonest bone in Jake's body.

"I'm sorry to put my pain on you," I murmured, finally managing to get my voice steady.

"We're a team. It's not yours to hold anymore, sweet girl," he reminded. He was right, I didn't have to do it all by myself anymore. He couldn't fix me, but he could be beside me. I didn't have to hold the dam back anymore when I was with him.

I didn't have to carry my baggage alone anymore; he was willing to help me unpack. I simply squeezed him tighter in acknowledgement of his words as I pressed my head firmly against his chest.

I'm not sure how long we stayed like that, but sometime later I felt a hand gently guide my head back to the pillows.

"When she wakes up, the girl is getting a bath," Emily's voice broke through the silence.

"I think Bella would appreciate that," Jake responded.

"You know she forgives you," Emily said soothingly. I heard him take a sharp intake of breath after her words.

"I don't understand how. I promised to protect her, Em, and I failed," Jake said, lamenting.

"You didn't fail, Jake. She wasn't on the reservation when the attack happened, and that vampire probably has been planning this attack for years. You saved Bella, and she held on for you," Emily reminded him. I knew Jake would beat himself up over my injuries, but I applauded Emily.

He wasn't at fault for what happened, but I knew there weren't words that could assure him of that. I hoped with time and with my healing, he'd give himself grace.

"You didn't see her cry in my arms, Em, when she found out she may not be able to have kids. It was like my heart was being ripped out," he said, his voice cracking.

"They told me that, too, you know. After the accident, and I found out last week I'm pregnant. You just have to be there for her, she needs you more than ever right now," Emily replied.

"Really, Em?" He asked in astonishment at her news.

"Not exactly how I wanted you to find out, but I wanted to let you know the impossible can be possible," she chuckled.

"Congrats, Em," he said. I began fluttering my eyes at that point, willing myself back to reality.

"Hey, Bella, it's good to see your eyes open. I talked to nurse and she said you can have a bath," Emily greeted, walking over to my bedside.

"That sounds amazing," I murmured. I felt absolutely disgusting and I didn't want to entertain thinking what I looked like.

"I'll be here," Jake promised, sitting in the teal chair at my bedside which practically had a mark now from where he sat. Emily helped me up, which took more out of me than I imagined. I hopped on my good foot with the support of Emilys' arm into the bathroom.

"Your mom is really sweet," Emily said as she started the water for the shower.

"She is, I'm glad you got to meet her," I helped me get unchanged before she supported me in the shower.

"I think Jake made a good impression too," Emily said, with a chuckle. Sometimes I forgot how Emily ends up in every possible situation.

"She knew him when he was a baby. She just hasn't seen him since he was three," I chuckled. Mom made a jabbing comment about how different he looked now.

"He's changed since then. She really liked him. Jake is good for you," Emily commented.

"He is," I nodded.

"Have you and him talked?" Emily asked, stepping out to the other side of the curtain. She didn't have to elaborate, I already knew what she was asking.

"Yeah, Jake has been amazing about it; he's listened to me lose it," I replied, glad she couldn't see my expression. At the mention of that, my throat closed up a little.

"And you know you're allowed to lose it, right? Lose it multiple times," Emily reminded.

"Jake has been through enough, he doesn't need..." I said, wiping a stray tear.

"You didn't need this either, Bella. The universe, that stupid vampire took a piece of you away, Bella. You're allowed to be mad and lose it. But just remember you have people who love you like crazy. We're all here for both of you," she cut in.

"I don't know if I'm ready to talk yet, but thank you, Em. That means a lot," I said, poking my head out of the shower to aknowledge her.

"You're welcome, Bella," she smiled. A few minutes later, I came out of the shower feeling much better. Emily helped me into some pajamas since I was close to being discharged.

After Emily squeezed some of the water out of my hair, she and I walked back out into the hospital room. Jake wasn't seated in the teal chair anymore, instead he was standing in front of his sister, Rachel.

"If you're here to harass her, get out," Emily said in warning.

"It's okay, Em,"I murmured, studying Rachel. Rachel looked uncomfortable as she smoothed her jeans out with her fingers.

"Hi Rachel," I greeted. Emily began to steer me toward the bed as Jake awaited something from Rachel. Her heels clicked against the floor as she made her way to my bedside.

Jake walked to the teal chair in an effort to shield me.

"Listen, Bella, I know I'm probably the last person you want to see right now," Rachel rushed out, smoothing a hand through her hair.

"It's good to see you," I murmured. I wasn't lying, I knew how important she was to Jake and I knew her approval is something he'd always sought.

"I'm sorry about what happened to you. I did hear your fought like hell," Rachel said, her lips rising slightly at the end.

"Thank you," I said, trying to hide my surprise.

"She did fight like hell," Jake agreed, squeezing my hand.

"That's all I really came here to say, so I hope you get better soon, Bella." Rachel said, shifting back and forth on her feet.

"Thanks for coming, Rachel," I said, smiling softly at her.

"Yeah," she nodded, forcing a small smile before she left the room.

"She stayed for two minutes," Jake shook his head.

"She came," I reminded him.

"She's getting better I think," Emily agreed.

"Baby steps," I murmured, not just meaning Rachel's slow dethawing to me. Jake knew immediately what I meant as he squeezed my hand. I would heal, too. We would heal from the pain we'd felt in the last few days.

A ray of rare sunshine cast across the floor, and I felt myself reach for it.

My body healed quicker than the rest of me did. Soon after I arrived home, I began having terrible nightmares again. Instead of just praying they wouldn't come every night, I began to go to therapy.

Jake was very supportive along with Charlie and Renee. My therapist urged me to find an outlet, and I returned to painting. School was a decent distraction as I began in the fall to finish taking all my prerequisites to get into the nursing program.

Jake moved in with Quil and Embry in a small house in La Push. They started their own car maintenance shop in La Push, which really started to take off. At first there was just the three of them, but soon they had to add more staff.

Living with Angela was great for both of us. She and I grew closer, and there wasn't any drama. As I zipped up my backpack on a warm May day, Angela called through my thoughts. Almost a year had past since the attack.

"You going to First Beach?" She asked, sorting through the dishwasher.

"Yeah I'll be home later tonight. I'm going to have dinner with Charlie and see Jake for a bit," I replied.

"Good, what did Dr. Fields ask you to paint this week?" Angela asked, curiously.

"My happy place," I murmured with a smile. Dr. Fields, my therapist, assigned me to paint something after each session. Angela at me before she began to empty the dishwasher.

"Sometime I really think you should show your paintings," Angela suggested. I blushed, my paintings were more of a healing tactic than an artform.

"Maybe someday," I shrugged, not directly rejecting her idea. As I threw my backpack over my shoulder and held my coffee cup firmly in my hands, I heard Angela lean against the cabinet.

"I'm really glad to see you happy again, Bella." Angela said, brightly. My lips turned upwards at her words as I nodded. Over the past few months I'd wrestled with the construct of happy.

For a long time, I wondered if I'd ever be normal again. If I'd ever heal again, I'd already healed before after I thought I couldn't. However, I learned that we heal all the time, and there's not one heartbreak to heal from in our lifetime, there's many.

The main difference with this heartbreak was there was a sense of the unknown, which I feared the most. However, I'd learned that the news I thought broke me, instead made me more appreciative of the people around me.

This time I didn't have to pick up the pieces by myself anymore.

"I'm getting there," I murmured like a promise. As I began to walk outside to the car, I pulled my hair back into a ponytail before loading the canvases into my small sedan.

Rachel's visit to the hospital wasn't as pivotal as Emily, Jake, and I thought. However, Rachel was not as gruff or standoffish as she was in the past; she was cordial. When I met Rebecca over the holidays, she was the opposite.

Rebecca was warm and immediately accepted me. Rebecca and Rachel bickered often, which left Jake as a middle man. Of course he handled it way better than I could have.

Once I reached the beach, I immediately felt a wave of calm come over me. I took the canvases out of the car before slugging my backpack over my shoulder. The wind took some pieces of sand and spun them in the air. I found a spot far enough away from where the waves broke to sit.

I picked up the oil paints from my backpack before grabbing a canvas. I began to paint the ocean first, with deep indigo waters. The beach looked different from the last time I saw it, almost a year ago.

For months, I couldn't go to the cliffs because my mind would go back to that day. My therapist urged me to not let the attack take away my happy place, the beach. With tears in my eyes, I began to paint the waves. If I could just capture the sound I'd missed of the waves crashing against the shore...

The sky wasn't a deep blue or overcast, instead there was a hint of sunshine shining on the ocean waters. Once I got to the actual beach, I heard rustling behind me. Heavy footsteps beat against the sand as I turned around.

With relief, Jake walked down the beach with cut off jeans, his famous impish grin, and my forgotten coffee mug.

"Hi pretty girl, it's good to see those hands covered in paint again," Jake said, grinning as he sat down next to me.

"Your coffee isn't sandy by the way," he said with a chuckle as he handed the lukewarm coffee over to me.

"Where'd you find it?" I asked curiously.

"You left it on the hood of your car. I don't blame you, I bet your hands were full," he replied, leaning back against his hands. The warmth in his voice and the playful banter made butterflies erupt in my stomach.

"Oops," I blushed.

"It's not sandy this time," he winked. I giggled before shaking my head.

"You look beautiful today," he murmured. I knew he wasn't talking about my haphazard ponytail or my paint covered overalls. He was talking about the smile that had been absent for so long.

I finally began to gain back the weight I lost because I wasn't hungry for months after the attack. Yet, Jake would tell me this everyday. He would tell me how strong I am, how much he loves me, and it never felt overdone.

Jake didn't talk much, or have any movie famous lines, but he said what I needed to hear.

"Thank you," I murmured.

"What are you painting today?" He asked curiously.

"My happy place," I murmured. Instead of hiding my paintings like I used to, with shaking hands I uncovered my progress so far. I studied his expression looking for a sign as a huge smile erupted across his face.

"The beach?" He guessed.

"No, it's the desert," I chuckled.

"Funny, Bells. What's that?" He asked, pointing to the brown figure near the paler figure with brown hair.

"It's you," I replied. Jake was part of my happy place, and in my painting he was sitting beside me on the beach. Through the darkness of these past months, Jake remained my sun.

"Bells," he said, his deep brown eyes meeting mine with such intensity.

"Thank you, for being there these past months. I know it couldn't have been easy dealing with all this and my crazy train, but I'm so grateful to have had you," I said, biting my lower lip to stop myself from crying.

"I'm here, I told you I would be," he replied, his lips turning upward in a slight smile.

"I know, you've just gone above and beyond. With work and everything else going on you've still managed to make me..." I started, and Jake shook his head.

"Bella, you are the center of my world," he reminded me.

"I know," and I did. I really came to realize how much he loved me. He loved me at two in the morning, holding my hair back after I lost my dinner in the toilet because of another nightmare. He loved me at three in the afternoon as he walked me into the therapist's office, holding my shaking hand in his.

He loved at six in the morning, when he insisted I rested after another sleepless night.

"Bella, work and everything else has been to make a life for us one day," he said, sweeping a hair out of my face.

"I remember when I first saw you on this beach and I swear I fell in love with you right there," he said with a chuckle.

"What about that first day when you helped me unpack?" I asked, curious. I was under the impression that once he imprinted on me that day, he immediately loved me.

"That day I saw you, Bella. I saw you and everything else seemed to fade in the background. It was kinda like putting on glasses for the first time," he replied.

"So the day at the beach?"

"That was when I knew I was falling in love with you. I didn't have to try to make conversation, talking to you was like breathing. Suddenly, you weren't just this pipe dream anymore, you were real," he answered.

"The day you told me about how scared you were about Charlie not accepting you and when you burned your hand on that damn oven after I asked you if you needed help was the day I knew I was in love with you. I knew the day I took you home after the bonfire I'd wait forever for you," Jake said, wrapping his arms around me so my back was against his chest.

"That day I just waited until you could love me back," he replied. I knew the past few months had been hard on him because he couldn't save me. Jake had an inherent part of him that was a protector.

This time, there wasn't someone he could beat up. Instead, it was all inside of me. Perhaps the most important part was that he adapted. He became the protector who didn't just go in front of me to save me from the bad guys, he walked beside me.

"It took me longer to fall in love with you," I admitted.

"You did it on your own terms, Bella, it's all I could have ever wanted," he said, his lips at my ear.

"But you know what's really cool about being on this beach a long time after I first saw you?" He asked, an impish grin dawning on his lips.

"What?" I asked, quirking an eyebrow.

"I get to do what I dreamed of doing that day. I get to hold you," he murmured. He turned my body around to face him.

"Kiss you," he murmured lowly before he pressed his lips to mine. He threaded his hands in my hair as he kissed me gently. After a moment, he pulled away to look me in the eyes.

"And love you, which I get to do for the rest of my life," he replied.

"I'm the luckiest bastard to walk the earth," he chuckled before he pressed his lips to mine again. With the waves roaring behind us, and my painting laying safely in the sand, I let the world drown out for a minute.

The clouds and the rain would come and go, and I knew I was healing against all the odds. I know now I didn't need the sunshine from the sun to grow like I thought I did.

The sunshine I spent so long searching for was always within me and the people I surrounded myself with. Jake became part of my sunshine because against all odds, he stayed.

Jake went to get Billy later on in the day for dinner. Meanwhile I was in the kitchen, finishing the mac and cheese casserole along with the pork tenderloin. Charlie was off this weekend, which meant he could actually make dinner.

"Hey, Bells," Charlie said as he walked into the kitchen.

"Hi, Dad," I murmured, looking up briefly from the old recipe I was reading.

"You talk to Mom this week?" Charlie asked curiously as he sat down at the table.

"Yeah, she's doing okay," I said with a smile. Charlie rarely asked about Renee, but after the attack they grew more cordial to each other. My father never spoke a bad word about Renee, and deep down I knew that was because he still loved her.

"Good," he said gruffly as he shuffled through the paper.

"Have you ever thought about dating?" I asked him, which earned a chuckle from him. I couldn't remember the last time he'd been on a date. He primarily went to work and then came home to microwave dinners.

"Aren't I a little old for that?" He asked.

"Dad you're just turned forty," I reminded him.

"I feel like my job has aged me," he replied. I rolled my eyes as I moved the casserole into the oven.

"You should go on a date," I proposed with a grin as he looked at me like I had three heads.

"Don't be ridiculous, Bells," he scolded.

"Come on, is there anyone you're interested in?" I asked, I already knew the answer. He and Sue were very close and became even closer after Harry died. Sue had gone on dates with men after a year after his death.

I knew part of the reason Charlie didn't want to date her was he wanted to be respectful. I honesty doubted Harry cared, I figured he'd be giving him a fist bump if he could.

Charlie's cheeks reddened slightly as he cleared his throat.

"Sue is single," I reminded him.

"Bella, I'd rather not be talking about this with my twenty year old daughter," Charlie said, deflecting.

"Dad, come on. The worst thing she could say is no," I reminded him.

"Even Billy supports it,"I added. He immediately dropped the paper and looked at me with his mouth open in shock.

"You talked to Billy about it?" He asked, raising an eyebrow.

"He's the one who suggested it," I shrugged. A few days ago when I was over at Jake's Billy came to visit. Billy lamented about how my father needs to get out of the house for more than fishing.

"My old friend is selling me out," he muttered.

"Dad you're being ridiculous, he's trying to help you," I rolled my eyes.

"Help me," he chuckled under his breath.

"He is," I argued.

"If I do it, will you leave me alone?" Charlie questioned. I let out a laugh as I nodded.

"Great, I'll call her tomorrow," he said, with a half smile. Over the past few months, I tried to go almost every weekend to see Charlie. I didn't want to let Victoria take my dad from me; before I sealed myself off to everyone. Even though it was difficult, Charlie never brought it up when we were together. He'd ask me about school, or about Angela.

Charlie's eyes glued to the sides of my hands where there were stubborn streaks of paint.

"You painted today," Charlie observed.

"Yeah," I replied with a half smile.

"Where'd you go?" He asked curiously.

"The beach," I replied. He tried to hide it, but I did see a small smile cross his lips.

"Good, it's good to see you painting again," he replied. I knew what he meant to say was, it's good to see you being yourself again.

Before I could respond the front door swung open with Jake pushing Billy's wheelchair over the threshold. Jake's eyes immediantly met mine as an impish smile spread across his lips.

"Hey, Billy!" Charlie got up from his seat to greet him.

"Hey Charlie, you know the Mariners are on," Billy reminded him.

"Yeah, it's on in the living room, here let me grab you a beer," Charlie said as he walked into the kitchen to grab two beers out of the fridge.

"That's what you should've done when we walked in the door," Billy chuckled as he wheeled himself into the living room. Charlie took his usual spot in the recliner.

"Hey Bells," Jake murmured as he swung his arms around me in an embrace. He pressed his nose into my hair.

"You smell like mac and cheese," he commented.

"It's in the oven," I replied. He walked us into the kitchen as he leaned up against the counter top.

"You make the best mac and cheese in the world," he said, as he took my hand in his.

"You trying to flirt with me, Jake?" I asked, teasingly.

"Is it working?" He asked, winking.

"Maybe. You know the mac and cheese was one of the first things I made for you," I said with a smile. Jake pulled me into his chest and I took a deep breath of his calming woodsy scent.

"After I had it I knew I had to make you mine," he said, pressing his lips in my ear.

"Was it worth it?" I asked curiously. I could feel Jake take a deep breath behind me.

"What?" He asked, wrapping his arms more securely around me.

"Earning me," I returned.

"Oh hell yes," he replied like it was the easiest question in the world, as he spun me around to press his lips to mine.

And that's all folks! Expect an epilogue coming soon, which will take place a few years after this moment.

Most of the loose ends are tied up. I know this was an emotional chapter, and I did write many of these scenes from my heart and my own struggle in accepting my infertility journey.

Let me know your thoughts and thank you for reading!