Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

A/N: Thank you guys for your replies. I was a bit worried but you guys have been great with your responses. Many of you have asked if this is the end. Well…we are pretty darn close to the end and then there are some Epilogue chaps, so you guys can see these two through the years to come.

MUCH LOVE to all you guys for being such wonderful readers and reviewers.

Chapter: Only Human

"Tell me I'm not dreaming," she whispered with a smile that she couldn't hide.

He pinched her very lightly.

"Ouch," she murmured.

He kissed her softly.

"As you call tell, you're not dreaming," he answered.

"Smarty pants," she replied.

He chuckled. He hadn't heard anyone say smarty pants in a long time.

His dark callused hands ran through her hair that was tangled in leaves. It desperately needed a brush. Their rumble in nature had been quite a messy one.

A giggle came out of Bella's mouth, followed by a chuckle and then a full laugh.

She wrapped her naked arms around his bare neck and she hummed happily. There was a peace, a deep wonderful peace that sang through her.

Bella's eyes glistened. "I can't believe it. I have a heartbeat again."

They hugged and held for the longest until it began to get cold.

"We should get back," she motioned before they changed back into their clothing.

She finished putting on her shoes, while Jake waited. He was very quiet.

"Jake," she whispered into his ear. "You look so far away."

He took a deep breath and looked away into the vast quiet woods.

She cupped his chin and brought his line of sight to hers, "What is on your mind?"

"Would you be angry if I said that I'm worried about you being human?" he asked.

She gave him a puzzled look.

"What do you mean?"

"Bella, you're not made of stone anymore. The world can hurt you. I…I can hurt you."

She shrugged.

"Wait are you saying you prefer me as a vampire?" she asked.

"No, it's not like that. I would have you in any form," he replied honestly.

Bella smiled at his admission.

"Then what?"

"I'm just worried."

"I know, but I needed to be human again. Besides, now we can start a life together."

He nodded, however he still looked worried.

"Jake," Bella groaned. "I've spent nearly a century as an immortal; all by myself. No family, friends or community to keep me company. Can you imagine that type of life?"

He ran his hand through his dark raven hair and imagined what it would have been.

"It sounds horribly lonely," he answered.

"It was hell," she added. "Knowing I couldn't approach anyone without the possibility of killing them. And then finally I got control and began to dream and hope that you were still around. I almost lost hope one day when I stepped into town and saw a lit calendar on the wall. It had been over 80 years since we last saw each other. The idea of you being gone it almost broke me but then I found you. And you were still alive," her eyes glazed over in her memories. "Can you imagine how happy I was to see you? It was like destiny. Can you comprehend how much being human again means to me? Can you know what a gift, no a miracle it is to have you above all others back in my life."

"Destiny," he repeated and opened his dad's notebook.

"What's that?"

"It's my father's journal," he said. "He believed that you and I were destined to be together. There's a story of one of my ancestors that kind of was in a similar predicament."

"Really?"

"Yeah."

He told her the story and Bella was floored. "So they found each other."

"Even after everything," he said and kissed her softly, too softly.

"Jake," she sighed. "I'm not the only mortal who has been around a wolf," she said. "Come on, we can't do this to each other. Do you really want to go through the whole I'm a weak human and so I don't have a right to be with you because you're a big strong shapeshifter."

She cupped his chin again and kissed him passionately.

0-0-0-0-0

An hour later…

Bella chuckled as they changed for the second time.

"You are bad," he said.

She giggled. "What? I did nothing you didn't want to happen."

He sighed and tried to look annoyed but the big goofy smile was plastered on his face for the world to see.

She reached out for his hand and they walked back down towards the road, the house was not far.

0-0-0-0-0-0

At home, Jake decided they would grill. Bella happily agreed.

"I really should clean-up the living room," he said.

"Later, right now you grill. And I'm going to make a fruit salad with honey," she smiled.

"Sounds good to me," he said before he kissed her.

Their kiss started out slow but soon enough it turned heated.

"Jake," Bella whimpered.

0-0-0-0-0-0-0

Two hours later…

"I'm starving," Bella pouted. "Feed me."

Jake chuckled and cuddled next to her under the blankets of his bed.

"You're so bad," she accused.

"I did nothing you didn't want," he claimed.

They both smiled as their hands caressed each other with small touches of love and affection.

"I love you," she told him.

"Ditto," he said before he ran his hand down her side.

Bella closed her eyes for a moment, letting herself feel when her stomach growled.

Jake laughed pretty hard.

"God that is too funny," he said.

Bella gave him a warning look.

"I'm going to get H-angry with you if there is no food in me soon, sir," she said in a semi-serious tone.

"Fine, let's feed you that ravenous beast inside you."

They ended up eating some left-overs and made a list of things that they needed from the store.

"So what now?" he asked.

"What do you mean?"

"Well, you're human. What is on your bucket list?" he inquired.

Bella thought for a moment before she looked back at him. "I want to travel around with you. I think a year would be enough, then I want to get a degree. I don't know in what yet but after reading your books, I'm curious about environmental planning. I am still amazed with the towers in China that suck in carbon and pollution to make diamonds."

"Yeah, that was a big change for them," he said. "So you want to get into a masters or something?"

"Would that be too long?"

"No," he replied. "I was thinking about going back myself. We can make it work."

"You want to go back?"

"It's been a long time since I've attended a University, it could be fun. But first, travel." He walked to the living room and pulled out his travel book on the U.S. "We can take the Amtrak all up and down the Canadian border."

"Ummm, how about a city?" she said. "New York? Wait, New Orleans."

"Yeah, that would be good." They looked at the pictures.

"Wow, so much has changed," she noted.

"And yet, stayed the same," he added.

She began to yawn.

"Sleepy?" he asked.

She nodded.

"Come on, let's shower and then we will go to bed."

She raised a brow.

"What?" he asked.

"Are you going to behave?"

"Of course," he said.

"Sure you will."

He didn't behave and she didn't mind.

0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0

The next morning, they had a quick breakfast before they finally tackled the living room.

Bella felt bad about how everything she had broken.

If I would have known that yesterday was going to be my last day of having super strength I would have cleaned up before going to the Uley house, She thought privately.

Jake approached the couch and was trying to move it.

"Need help?" she asked.

"I'm good," he said. He tried to pick up the couch but somehow it was heavy.

"That's odd," he said.

"What?"

He tried to pick up the couch again but nothing.

Panic started to surge inside him.

No. No. No. No, he thought. Not again.

He removed his shirt and took off his pants and moved to shift but nothing. Nothing came, no thick paws spread across the ground or sharp senses.

"Bella," he almost cried. "I can't shift."

Panic clogged his throat. He ran to the bookshelf and pulled out his notebook and read over his father's words.

"Relinquish my role as protector," he said aloud. "I'm no longer a guardian. There is no longer any reason to be a werewolf anymore."

He took deep breaths and felt a mixture of a hundred emotions. He had spent more than half of his life as a shifter and now it was gone, again. But unlike before, he had a part in making it happen.

He sat on the floor and closed his eyes. He was simply human again with no chance of even saying goodbye to the wolf within.

He soon felt a pair of arms wrap around him.

"I'm sorry," he heard her say.

Jake said nothing.

After a minute or so Bella realized that Jake probably wanted to be alone. She moved to get up but he reached out for her hand and pulled her down to his lap. They stared at each other before he reached out and kissed her. Her hands caressed the nape of his neck and ran her fingers through his short hair.

When they pulled apart there was something in Jake's eyes that she had not seen in a very long-time. He looked completely care-free as though the burdens of responsibility and the world were finally gone. He didn't have to take care of anyone. It was freedom. He smiled. She smiled.

"I'm all yours," he whispered.

"And I'm yours," she replied.

"Always," they said together.

THE END

A/N: We are at our end of this timeline. But I will follow with epilogues so you can see their lovely futures.

Thank you for everyone who has reviewed. It really motivates me to continue with my stories. Much LOVE!