Thanks so much for sticking with me guys! This is the final chapter, short and sweet. Epilogue to follow and yes it will have the content some of you have been waiting for!

TWENTY-TWO

Christmas seemed to sneak up on them. The Blacks and Clearwaters packed up and drove to the Quileute Reservation where they'd be until the New Year. It was settled with the lawyers that Bella and Edward would let Nessie spend the holiday with her father on the Reservation and after they would collect her to bring in the New Year with them.

This holiday, one of Jacob's sisters came home to spend time with her family. Jacob had only mentioned his twin sisters once or twice, saying they weren't close, especially since the girls had run off instead of sharing the duty of taking care of their father. Rachel Black seemed nice enough to Leah, a little arrogant sometimes. And Leah figured she had to be brave when she witnessed Rachel giving Paul the 'come hither' look in front of everyone. Jacob had instantly freaked out and even threatened to kill Paul – a threat that didn't manifest only because the guys had held him back. Billy had been the one to talk some sense into him, reminding Jacob that Rachel was free to make her own decisions whether or not they liked it. Billy just didn't want his daughter to run off again, and was willing to accept her being with Paul if that meant that she'd stick around a little longer. Of course Jacob interpreted his father's passivity as silent permission to go after Paul if he hurt his sister in any way.

Leah loved the Res. It was very rural compared to the big city, but it was peaceful and very beautiful. She and Jacob developed a habit of rising early and taking in the early winter mornings together on the porch over a cup of coffee. She understood why he loved looking out onto the woods so much. There was just something calming, grounding, about this environment. He promised they'd come back for summer when she could have a better time, and go swimming and hiking. Leah was looking forward to knowing more about his world, and hearing Billy tell the legends for the entire pack over a bonfire, was the highlight of the trip so far. Leah regretted that she didn't really remember much about the Makah culture, and yet she'd never felt at home there like she did here. Something in her changed, was changing, linking her permanently to this place, to this family, to this tribe.

They went shopping for a tree, and trimming it had been a crazy party with the pack, as all the guys had gotten drunk off of Old Quil Ateara's special moonshine-eggnog. He was Quil's grandfather, Billy's older cousin. Leah and Kim spent a lot of time in the kitchen baking cakes and cookies with the children and mince pies and other treats for everyone filtering in and out of the Black home every night.

On Christmas Eve the Black house was filled with the usual laughter, food, gifts and banter. Leah was sitting with Kim and the children, Nessie cozy in her lap as they sipped hot chocolate with marshmallows. Leah could feel him watching, and when she looked around the room to find him, Jacob was leaning against the door frame staring at her, a pensive look on his face.

"I'll be right back Ness, okay?"

She slid off the sofa and went to him, fisting his sweater and leaning into his body. "Are you okay?"

"Can we talk?"

"Okay." She grew nervous because he was clearly nervous or worried about something.

Jacob grabbed their jackets and helped Leah bundle up in her hat and scarf, a fatherly habit she allowed because she loved to be tended to by her man. Holding hands, they went into the backyard and found a spot where they couldn't be heard.

"Jake, what is it?"

Jacob took a deep breath, then got down on one knee before looking Leah dead in the eye.

"Jake!" her heart skipped at the sight.

"Shhhh! No Leah, don't. I know I said a year but I just don't see the point. Do you? When I look at you, my entire world is grounded, it's centered, it has purpose. I'm alive again. I'm whole. I feel as if nothing or no one can hurt me again like before. You've helped me grow, to mature, to be a better father and man. You fight for me, like no one ever has before. I owe you everything. I want to give you all that I have. I want to make you happy, I want to build a life with you and it can't wait Lee. It just can't. I need to know you're mine now. We don't have to get married right away but please, let me give you this promise. Let me commit myself to you. I love you so much honey, I can't - "

She couldn't wait for him to say a thing more. Leah threw herself to the snow covered ground and pulled his face to hers, kissing him fiercely, so fiercely that they both fell over. Laughing, Jacob rolled on top of her and kissed her again. "You just ruined my proposal, Clearwater."

"But my answer is YES!" Leah giggled, tears escaping the corners of her eyes. Her heart had never been so full of joy. She knew he would propose one day, but she hadn't thought it would be now. He'd caught her by surprise in a very wonderful way.

"You can't say that when you haven't let me finished the proposal yet, woman!" Jacob nipped at her neck playfully then pulled them both up before presenting Leah with a simple gold band with a small diamond. "It's nothing fancy Lee, not like what you're used to… but it was my mother's. Dad kept it all these years, said he couldn't find it when I asked him to have it to propose to Bella. Somehow he knew that it didn't belong to her…He gave it to me this morning. It's been here the whole time. He just said 'you know what to do with this when the time is right,' and I know that the right time is now. Will you marry me honey?"

"It's perfect Jake, I love it. Yes, I will definitely marry you." The ring meant more to her than all the diamonds Sam had ever bought.

He slid it on her finger and their bodies crashed together as Leah jumped into his arms and pressed her lips to his. It was the best Christmas present ever.

"You're not upset that it's too soon?" Jacob asked when they finally broke apart.

Leah shook her head. "I don't want to wait either. I don't care about anything but being yours forever Black, I love you too." Their lips met again, this time slower and with more tenderness as they sealed the promise of forever.

When they quietly slipped back inside, Billy looked over at the couple and knowingly said, "So? Any news to tell us?" He knew his son would never wait to give Leah Sarah's ring.

Leah covered her giggle with her left hand and Kim sat up and squealed, "He proposed!"

The entire room broke out in cheers and congratulations. Seth came over and gave his sister a bear hug, followed by the rest of the guys and Kim. Rachel hung back and waited her turn before sauntering over and reaching out to see the ring on Leah's finger. "Congratulations," she said quietly and Leah immediately felt horrible.

"I'm sorry Rachel, I didn't think that this would upset you. Jake-"

"No Leah," Billy interrupted. "Sarah always said her ring was for Jacob's soul mate. You've done nothing wrong."

"Yeah, it's true. I just wish Mom could have been here." Rachel turned and ran out of the house. Paul grabbed her jacket and chased her, leaving everyone in a slightly less celebratory mood.

"Daddy? Are you getting married?" Nessie said, coming over to stand in front of the happy couple.

Jacob sank down to his knees and pulled her to him for a hug. "Yes princess, is that okay?"

Nessie looked over at Leah and smiled. "Yes, then I can have my baby brother, right?"

Leah smiled back, "Maybe this Christmas we can pray to Grandma Sarah for one together."

"Yeah, that sounds perfect," Jacob answered, taking both his girls into his arms, smiling at his father over the top of their heads.

When Nessie and Billy were in bed, Leah and Jacob snuggled on the couch in front of the tree, just gazing at the lights and holding each other close. Leah still couldn't believe that she was engaged again – and so soon after the divorce. After Sam left she'd never thought about being married to someone else; she hadn't even had the chance to think about being with another man before Jacob came along and shook her world right side up. She remembered how scared she was to even date when she met Jacob and felt that instant connection to him. But now, she was so excited to live the rest of their lives together, both of them healed and complete. She was confident that there would never come a day when Jacob would turn away from her and find somebody else. Some would say that she was being naïve, but Leah was no longer scared of abandonment, and that was what mattered.

She trusted their love… and Fate.