Disclaimer: I do not own 'Twilight or any of the characters (except for my precious little creation)

Rating: T (I'd tell you if it was something touchy)

Pairing: JB/EC

We've come to the end together. Hopefully you've stayed with Edward and Jake and Alice and Carlisle. There is a glimmer however...if you choose to end the journey here then I understand...but for those who would like to see this story flourish and continue (in a sequel!!!) then please don't be afraid to demand it...or nicely ask. I would be more than happy to work our magic once more.

Thank you very much, and now, here is what became of the Blacks, Cullens and all others involved.


Epilogue

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According to Jacob, 24 hours later.

Being in bed all day sucks. Being in bed all day with Edward makes it feel like you're in the best place in the world. Being in bed all day with Edward with a tiny body in between makes it feel like heaven--a dream really--and I'm content with staying right where we are.

I can't believe how small the baby is…hard to imagine he'd caused that much pain on the way out but I'm sure someone else out there could share the feeling. Slowly, I reach out and touch a flushed cheek where the skin is so smooth. His hair, not to my surprise, was wild like Edward's, even had his color--a weird auburn-bronze mixture. Carlisle told us that the warmth of his skin was inherited from me, the hardness from Edward. What had really gotten me was the fact that although you could classify him, the baby, as a vampire, he was just as much human.

I have no doubt he'll be able to phase just like me, Carlisle insisted it might take a while for that particular trait to show up though. I'd merely shrugged, confident that my son would carry on the legacy.

"You look so beautiful…when you light up like that." I blushed, trying not to seem too affected by Edward's comment. It's hard when he looks so sure, as if it's fact rather than his opinion. "Sure, sure," I mutter, continuing to touch and explore the infant between us. I can practically feel his gaze burning a hole in my forehead, so I look up and my breath nearly catches in my throat at the look in his eyes.

There's no mistaking it really. I mean, combine adoration, care and concern and you my friend have got the look of unending love. No doubt he saw the same in my eyes when I looked at him--hopefully he saw it."I do," he reassured me, causing a smile to worm its way onto my face.

God is there no hope for me?

He laughed quietly, trying not to disturb the baby as he continued to sleep. He ruffles my hair and I stick my tongue out at him; he gives me a warning look. I shrug, pretending not to be innocent about it. What? He does the same to me, its only fair he knows the feeling too.

"What am I going to do with you Jacob Black?" he groans, shaking his head while giving me a teasing glare.

I give him the wittiest answer I can muster.

"Love August and you won't have to worry too much about me."

"August," he hums, his eyes shifting to gaze at our beautiful son--our creation. I can tell he likes the name too. I frown, thinking to myself, "Yeah well he'd better like the name. Spent a whole day in bed coming up with it."

Laughing again, he pins me with his inevitable stare, "Believe me Jacob, August is a beautiful name."

And for the rest of the evening, I'm convinced that nothing could ever go wrong. I believed him. I forgave him. I love him with my entire being and thank whatever God there is every day that we are together, that we have such a beautiful child.

I watch as Edward quietly talks to August as he feeds him his blood-filled bottle. I thought everyone had gone insane in the 24 hours I'd been down and out for the count when the first thing I saw upon waking up in our room, was Edward doing exactly as he was doing now.

Carlisle had calmly explained a few things to me after I'd stopped freaking out and Edward quietly looked on. First, shortly after giving birth to August, I'd hemorrhaged due to the fact that my body had been through so much stress during the labor process. Second, the venom I'd managed to survive through during the near nine months of my pregnancy, was no longer sustainable in my body--my…wolf I guess you could say, had started to fight back causing me to bleed out the venom. When the doc got to the part about Leah stepping up to give me blood to save my life, I about passed out again.

I just had to ask if the choice had been hers or if our Alpha, Sam, had ordered her to do it. Of course Edward told me what I'd been afraid to hear: yes. She was among the first on my list of people to thank though. Then, in the middle of our conversation, Seth had barged into the room, asking to see the baby who, at the time, had no name. He'd asked for "Edward Junior" and yes, when I really got a good look at my son, I saw that most of the features he'd obtained, were Edward's all the way.

But what really got me was the way Edward's jaw tightened as he wordlessly placed August in Seth's willing arms. At my questioning gaze, which was more like a shocked-out-of-my-mind glare, Edward told me gently that while I'd been unconscious, Seth had laid eyes on our newborn son.

He'd Imprinted. Once again, when I stopped freaking out and Carlisle checked my blood pressure, Edward calmly explained to me that Seth didn't see August that way and only wanted the best for him. In other words, I didn't need to worry until our little boy was much older--until Carlisle dropped another inevitable bomb shell. After running some tests on him, Carlisle found that August's growth patterns were much faster than those of the average human baby, (not that my son was average to begin with), and had informed me that by the end of the month he would be looking a lot less like a one-month-old and more like a three-and-a-half-month-old.

So to put it mildly once again, I'd freaked out about the fact that in five years, August would reach maturity. He'd be grown and Seth would see him that way. Barely twenty minutes after waking up from the dead and already our baby boy's future was decided.

"Not completely love." I nearly jumped at the feel of cool lips pressed gently into my neck, I was almost sorry I hadn't noticed Edward lie August in the bassinet Esme had gotten for him situated just at the foot of the bed. I sighed, relaxing into Edward's strong chest as he leaned back against the headboard. Spending a full day in bed was more exhausting than I'd expected…it was a little odd that August hadn't cried or really fussed once.

"I thought it was a little strange too," Edward replies though I hadn't said anything of course. He just couldn't keep out of minds that weren't his own. I get a chuckle out of him at that thought, "It can't be helped." I roll my eyes. "Sure, sure." "The only time he cried was when he made his entrance into this world, after that he was quiet--restless--but quiet." I hummed at the thought, eyes drooping as sleep tugged just at the corners of my brain. "Wonder why that was," I slurred, snuggling more fully into Edward's side to get comfortable. I still ached from my body's healing efforts.

Again, my vampire had an answer, "He was waiting for you." I grunted, happy with the answer I got. The house fell into a peaceful silence, outside it was just fading from twilight into the darker colors of the night. I could hear the quieting sounds of birds and small animals as they made their way home. "Probably to be with their little families too," I contemplated. Edward's fingers massaging my scalp had me so close to sleep I could taste it….

"OH NO YOU DON'T! WE'VE BEEN GONE FOR AN ENTIRE DAY SO HE COULD REST AND NOW HE'S GOING TO SLEEP!?!?"

Of course it was too much to think such peace would last.

Groaning, I sat up, making my way to the bottom of our bed to gather August in my arms. I nearly busted out laughing at the expression on his little face, I thought it mirrored my exasperation perfectly. Edward had made his way over to the door, holding it closed until I was situated comfortably back at the top of the bed, August nestled just right in my arms. His face relaxed and I was really surprised at how hard of a sleeper he was. He'd barely been awake the entire day.

"I told you, he's been waiting for you." I rolled my eyes at Edward, signaling that he should open up the door not unless he wanted psycho Barbie to rip it off its hinges. His quiet laugh got lost in the circus that was our family as they all entered the room. I was shocked to see all wasn't just the Cullens (and Seth).

"Well its nice to see you're awake mutt, hand over Edward Junior," Rosalie demanded. I threw Seth and Edward irritated looks. Seth, because he'd given August the nickname and Edward because it was his fault he didn't chew him out for it. "I told him it wasn't my first choice," Edward grumbled from across the room as I reluctantly handed August off to his oddly gentle sister. "Well she'd better be gentle, unless she wanted a broken face."

As soon as he was out of my arms, I was jumped and Edward let it happen, the bastard! Alice was swamping me with kisses and questions while Quil and Embry only pretended to be concerned with their stupid jokes about me being Mr. Mom and playing dress up so August wouldn't be confused. I swore as soon as I was feeling better I would make their lives as miserable as possible. Esme was gentle and only asked how I was feeling and if I liked the bassinet, which I told her I absolutely loved it. Jasper and Emmett shook my hand and congratulated me on being a dad (unlike some people who thought it was funny to call me mommy). But then Emmett made a very obscene comment about me breastfeeding and that I should give Edward a taste-test.

I was so shocked I couldn't stop blushing and sputtering at how that was not even happening and that he would regret the day he was born. Of course he laughed it off and walked away, lining up for his turn to hold the little boy everyone was quickly falling in love with. Once again, I was surprised to see how well he took it, never once cracking an eyelid! Seth came up to me and apologized so many times about imprinting and swearing up and down that he would only treat August with care and respect and the whole nine. I let him sweat a bit before jumping up and hugging him, telling him I'd personally castrate him if he were to hurt my baby but that I still loved him.

I couldn't say "like a brother anymore" because that just wouldn't fly with the circumstances and such. Or Godfather now that I think about it….You understand. Sam and Emily congratulated me but not before I got an earful out of Emily for not telling her I was with Edward and that I was pregnant and that me and my dad were fighting. I told her that he'd been the one to disown me, but then of course she had to be all reasonable and tell me that the man had practically been begging my forgiveness while I'd been cursing the entire world for the contractions I'd been having. "Well how was I supposed to remember any of that!? I was in the middle of having a baby!" I hissed, causing the collective laughter around the room.

I huffed, folding my arms across my chest and leaning back against the pillows I'd propped up for myself. All the noise and teasing and attention was starting to get to me, I was really exhausted. Carlisle and Edward did a fantastic job of ushering everyone out and securing August before someone *cough, cough* Barbie, could steal him away. But just before she disappeared from sight she poked her head back in the room, "What did you name him anyway Pup? We can't just keep calling him Edward Junior." I snorted, rolling my eyes. "Like his real name is gonna stop you from calling him that." "Name, Fido," she hissed. "August Masen Cullen," I answered, chuckling when she rolled her eyes. "Figures," she muttered before disappearing in the blink of an eye.

Relief flooded throughout my body and once again, Edward placed August (who was still asleep!) in the bassinet, before slipping in beside me in our very comfy, warm and fluffy bed. Sleep was even closer than before but this time, I had a question. "Yes Jacob?" came his smooth, velvet voice I loved to no end. Snuggling in closer to his chest I whispered, "Where is Leah?" He sighed, before starting to massage my scalp again, "She thought it was best if she went home as soon as possible. She healed much quicker than you and left after making sure you were going to be okay."

"Oh," I replied, too tired to read much more into her actions. I'd be grateful that she saved my life and figured I'd give her time to accept the fact. She was so stubborn to begin with. Sleep was tugging at the corners of my brain again, Edward's soft hand and low humming sending me to the edge of consciousness.

Just before I drifted off I heard him say something that made my heart swell, confirming the lingering suspicion I'd had ever since I woke up.

"I'll never leave you again, even now that I know it would be impossible for you to stray from me. You and August Masen Cullen are the best things to ever have happened to me, and I will be here until the end."

A little morbid, but nevertheless the message was pure love. Yeah, me and Edward were made for each other.

That I know I can count on.

Rising Tides

This isn't the end, but merely the beginning to how it will come to a close.


(A/N: AHA! I tricked you! I'm writing a sequel whether or not you want me to! But it'll only be so long depending on the reviews it receives! *wipes away tears of joy and sadness at departing with this story* I'll miss you guys. Thank you so much (and so what if I've said that one HUNDRED TIMES! I'll say it a thousand more. hahaha! seriously though, you reviewers are AH-MAZING! COOKIE PARTY! EVERYONE GETS A COOKIE! as always, I'd love to know what you think, so let me know (especially about AUGUST!) and feel free to ask any questions you might have. I WILL answer them in some way, shape or form! Love y'all! Thanks!) And I know I wrote that nearly a year ago now, but I'm serious! A sequel is still in the makings! Love, Ajisai.