FAGE… The 13th.

Title: Picking Up the Pieces

Written for: Jadiona

Written By: NCChris

Rating: M

Summary/Prompt used: Post-Twilight/New Moon AU - Jake/Bella/Paul MMF tragic romance; I do my own beta'g and banner making, so any errors or lame banners are all mine. I do not own Twilight or any of the characters, nor do I make any money from writing this story. Twilight belongs to Stephanie Meyer; I'm just playing in her sandbox. This is not an overly lemony fic, but there are a few scenes. Please do not read if you are under 16. Thanks!

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Epilogue - A New Beginning

Disclaimer: Twilight and all its characters belong to Stephanie Meyer. This is a work of fiction based on her world and characters. I don't own any of it, except my plot bunny. This isn't an overly lemony fanfic, but there are some adult scenes. Please don't read this story unless you are old enough; 18+ would be best. I hope you enjoy this short story!

Jacob hadn't wanted to leave his mates, but Taha Aki had told him that it was his time and he couldn't fight it. He'd been angry when he'd joined the ancestors, spirit warriors like he'd been. It had taken him a while to get past his anger and learn how to navigate his new consciousness. He'd learned that death was not really an end, just a new phase in the cycle of life.

He enjoyed watching over Bella and Paul now that the worst of his anger and grief at having to leave them had passed. He'd known about his baby before Jared had heard the baby's heartbeat during that dinner only weeks after Jake's death. That was one of the perks of being dead, omniscience. It sucked that he couldn't be there with them all, but he could pop in occasionally and check on them.

He watched as Paul and Bella got married in a small quiet ceremony when she was five months pregnant. They chose to hyphenate their last names and, after their ceremony and with Billy's blessing, Paul and Bella became Paul and Bella Black-Lahote. They wanted to include their lost mate in their day and for their child to share both heritages. Bella looked radiant and so beautiful with her belly just beginning to round with their baby. He smiled as he saw that Paul couldn't keep his hands off of her, constantly touching her belly or stroking her hair, tucking the thick mahogany waves behind her ear. They honeymooned in the old cabin where it all started and Jake gave them their privacy, not intruding while Bella and Paul deepened their bond.

Bella went into labor in the wee hours of the morning 8 and a half months after Jacob's death. Her pregnancy had slowly brought joy back into their lives. She and Paul both had a strong feeling that the baby was biologically Jacob's and that belief gave them some peace.

She labored at home with Paul. She wanted to be surrounded by Jacob's spirit and they both felt it strongly in the home they'd shared. Homebirth wasn't unheard of on the reservation, so the midwife arrived just as things were really getting started. Paul was with her every step of the way, helping her shower and massaging her lower back when the back pain got too severe, rubbing her tight belly as she tried to rest between contractions, feeding her ice chips as she rested between pushes.

Bella gave a primal scream with her final push as twilight fell, delivering a screaming red-faced baby boy. Jacob Ephraim Black-Lahote was born. Paul caught him as he emerged with the midwife cradling his huge hands with her own, guiding him as he brought the baby up through Bella's legs and helped her hold him against her chest. They both cried as they held their son, Bella gently mapping out his features with her fingertips as Paul described him to her, no doubt who his biological father was; it was in the line of his cheek and the shape of his nose. It was like looking at a photo of Jake as a baby. Paul kissed his downy head before nuzzling Bella.

Jacob gave a sigh of relief as his son was born. He knew his mates would have a long happy life together and would raise their son to know about his father. If he couldn't be there physically with them, at least a piece of his spirit lived on.

One day, when Bella and Paul had lived their long full lives, Jacob would be waiting for them in the afterlife; until then, he was content to watch over his loves and his son.