Rebecca and Solomon arrived two days after Billy and Sue moved into their new home. There was a guest room all set up for them, with Billy's queen size bed from his house. They wanted to make Rebecca as comfortable as possible, so they set up the master bedroom for her and Solomon. It had its own bath and a balcony. Rebecca had lost even more weight, and Solomon looked almost as bad as she did. Her illness was taking a toll on everyone who loved her, but Sue greeted them warmly and got Rebecca settled in for a nap. Solomon recited the grim statistics to Sue and Billy in the kitchen. .

Carlisle and Esme left suddenly for a vacation in Hawaii, but they weren't fooling anyone. Sue knew that Carlisle went to see Rebecca's doctor to consult with him and see if there was anything he could do for her, any treatment that might help. As he reported to Leah when they returned, the only thing they could do was keep her as comfortable as possible. It wouldn't be long.

Billy held the family together - as a unit and individually. He was determined that his children would not see him lose control, but at night - alone with Sue - he let himself feel the horror. "You're the strongest man I've ever known," she would tell him, holding him tightly. "You're holding us all together, and I can't imagine how you're doing it." With Sue he could talk, or cry, or make love and be distracted for a little while. They would make plans, talk about the babies, or just hold onto one another.

As Rebecca faded, Billy's health improved. He would gladly have traded places, but Sue insisted that he continue with his drug and physical therapies. She and Jacob made sure he exercised his legs every day, taking a few more steps each week.

One special night, they were watching an old musical together and he turned to her. "Sue - I have an idea. Help me up." She took his hands and Billy stood and took his wife in his arms. They swayed together as he sang softly in her ear. It was a magical moment, their first dance. It was a time of extremes, both good and bad, and they cherished these special times.

Rebecca was fascinated with the babies, and when they kicked Sue would run and find her, letting her feel their little feet or elbows against her stomach. "Solomon and I wanted children, but it just never happened," Rebecca confided. "We even had a name picked out - Leilani." She laughed softly. "Imagine a little Quileute girl named Leilani!"

Sue smiled. "I think it's a lovely name. And you would be wonderful parents; I just know it." She sighed deeply. "We just have to believe that God knows what He's doing - because half the time we certainly don't!"

Rachel visited daily, and Paul often came with her. The entire family had an open invitation to dinner, though Rebecca wasn't eating much of anything. Sometimes it would just be the three of them, sometimes as many as nine.

Sue kept an eye on Rebecca's IV meds and made sure she wasn't in pain. She tried to tempt Solomon with Hawaiian treats, but he ate little. She even found made poi, but it wasn't much of a hit with the LaPush crowd. Jacob and Leah stopped by every few days, but it was really difficult for him. They would stay for an hour or so and then make an excuse to leave. Everyone understood; each person had his own individual way of dealing with the aura of sickness that hovered over the house.

They all watched Rebecca grow weaker by the day. If it was warm enough, Solomon would carry her onto the balcony where she could enjoy Sue's flower garden. Sue would talk to her as she planted or pulled weeds, and Billy would just sit near her for hours, often in silence and usually holding her hand. Rebecca had always loved the wolves. The pack found it difficult to visit in human form, but as wolves they would often jump the railing and curl up at her feet. She would stroke their heads and speak softly to them.

Sue would sometimes stop what she was doing and listen as, in the distance, Billy's deep voice blended with the soft melody of his guitar. She could picture the smile on Rebecca's face as her dad played and sang just for her.

It was on a crisp morning in October that Rebecca just didn't wake up. Solomon woke from a fitful sleep to find her cold and still. She was buried next to her mother in the Quileute cemetery, and Solomon packed up his clothes and left the next day. He thanked Billy and Sue for their hospitality but said he needed to get home and be with his memories. He wasn't sure if he could stay in their house, but he promised to keep in touch. Sue drove him to the airport and hugged him tightly. "You're family, Solomon, and you always will be. There will always be a place for you here, any time you want - or need - to visit." But she really didn't expect to see him again.

Rachel was, of course, inconsolable. She'd had her time to say good-bye, but she felt like half of her self had been ripped away. Sue was thankful that the twins would be a welcome distraction for everyone, and they were due in another month. She was so big at this point that Leah and Rachel were helping with everyday chores like cooking and cleaning. It was good for them to be busy.

Paul didn't know how to help Rachel. He tried everything he could think of to cheer her up - brought home flowers and little gifts, rubbed her back, planned romantic evenings - but he was, ultimately, the one responsible for restoring her will to live. A month after Rebecca's death, Paul came home after work and found her still in her pajamas, lying on the couch. There was a small white plastic stick on the coffee table.

"Rach? Honey, talk to me! Is that what I think it is?"

She looked at him and blinked. "A gift, Paul - from Becca in heaven." He wouldn't even try to argue with that reasoning. They had been trying for so long. He took her in his arms and let her cry, and that day she began to heal. She would always see her oldest child as a precious and personal gift from her sister.