Title: Coming Full Circle
Genre: No idea- family?
Rating: T
Pairing: Bella/Paul
Words: 987
Prompt: "We only breathe so long."
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.

AN: Last installment after Crash and Burn and Come and Go

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Coming Full Circle

I wiped my eyes hurriedly as Caleb called out for me to watch him. He threw the rock he was holding toward the water with little boy exuberance, then bounded over to where I was sitting on a driftwood log. Our driftwood log, though I tried not to think about that too much.

"Mommy? You sad again?" He wrapped his arms around me as much as he could, leaning over to rest his head against where the baby was kicking. The baby I thought I would be raising alone until I got that fateful call from my dad.

He explained that Paul was showing signs of phasing, and they had moved up his parole hearing and expedited his release. I couldn't even begin to fathom the consequences of him phasing in the middle of the state penitentiary.

Paul had managed to hold it together until he was released, and then my dad said he ran for the woods as soon as he could. Sam told me he'd entered the pack mind an hour ago, and he was running straight here for Caleb—and though he didn't say the words, I knew he was coming for me as well.

A soft whine brought my attention to the tree line, but I gasped in fear when I didn't recognize the wolf standing there. He was bigger than Paul, maybe even as large as Jacob or Sam. His dark grey fur had streaks of black interspersed with streaks of silver, brown, and red.

As I backed away, tucking Caleb behind me, the wolf whined again and stepped forward once more. He suddenly stopped and shook his head, then looked down at the ground for a moment. I was about to start moving away again when the wolf began to shimmer.

"Daddy!" Caleb was running before my mind caught up to what I was seeing. He reached Paul just as he finished pulling up his shorts, and I stood frozen as Paul buried his face in his son's neck, holding his little body tight.

I still didn't understand, but I was drawn forward by the sight of Caleb's happy grin. He turned toward me when he saw me approaching. "Mommy! Look! Daddy's here!"

My heart lurched, and I wondered for a moment if Paul heard it, but then he looked up.

I'd seen a lot of changes in Paul over the past five years. Even without his wolf he worked out diligently, building muscles that looked nearly supernatural. But the biggest changes had been in his face. He'd gained something during his incarceration, something he'd searched for for years—peace.

Paul had made peace with himself and with his past, working to calm his hair-trigger temper and conquering his addictions. Caleb had been his motivation to clean up, and now he was finally free to reap those rewards.

I had a smile ready when Paul's eyes met mine, but I felt my expression morph into one of shock and wonder. I'd felt this before—not as strong, not nearly as potent, but just as life-changing. "Did you just–?"

"Yeah, I did…" His voice echoed my wonder and drew me closer to him by those infallible ties. The steel bands I'd felt with Jacob were more like a warm, soothing blanket with Paul. This imprint felt organic, natural, as if the earth itself had brought us together.

"I don't understand. Your wolf looks different, and how can we imprint again? We both already…?"

Paul shook his head as he reached out to me with a free hand. "I don't know, babe, but it's true. My wolf is different—it's not the same wolf that left me before. This one feels… stronger, somehow. More grounded. He's mature, steady... powerful."

Staring into his eyes, I could see the difference. He held his head higher, commanding respect. The inner turmoil that had plagued him from his childhood was gone, and love had taken its place.

I took his hand, letting him pull me into his once-familiar arms. As he held me close, a firm kick from inside me reminded me that nothing was as it once was. Tears filled my eyes as I realized that I hadn't thought of Jacob once since laying eyes on Paul again. What kind of widow was I?

Struggling to pull away, I worked to keep my eyes away from him—from both of them. "Paul, I can't! I mean, I just lost my husband! I'm carrying his child!"

Paul refused to be dissuaded, and my first tears fell when he gently cupped my cheek to turn my face toward him. Caleb's small hand patted my other cheek, and I couldn't do anything but look between their matching eyes.

Bending down to set Caleb on the ground, Paul reached out slowly, resting his large hands on my even larger belly. He waited for me to meet his gaze, and he leaned forward to rest his forehead against mine.

"I won't rush you, Bella." His voice was low and hypnotic, soothing me deep inside. "But please, don't push me away. If there's one thing I know it's that we only breathe for so long. I want to breathe with you, with my son, with yours. Jacob raised my boy for me, and I would be honored to repay that favor."

A tug at my legs had me looking down into the familiar, beautiful eyes I had loved for the past five years. "Mommy?" His voice was uncertain, but there was no mistaking the joy and hope in his little face.

Without understanding the complexities of imprinting and pack life, it was clear that he was overjoyed by this turn of events. He had one arm around my leg and the other around Paul's, his chin tipped up and resting against his…brother. In that moment I knew—no matter how we came to be, this was my family.