AN: Well, this is the end of this story. It's been 2+ years in the making and I'm a little sad to see it end. As of right now, I don't think that I will be starting on any new stories in the near future. Then again, I can never tell when my plot bunnies will strike and when they won't. I want to thank every one of you for taking the time to read this. I have been on an emotional roller coaster the last few months and I am finally starting to feel normal again. Let me just be honest with y'all for a minute: If any of you are a caregiver for your parents like I am, you know how hard it is. It's a thankless, stressful job and I am doing it pretty much on my own without much help from my siblings. The only help I do have is from my sister-in-law who has been a Godsend through all of this. I am up at four most mornings and I don't really stop until my mom goes to bed. Even then, I still must take care of my dad (Yes, I take care of them both, but she needs me a lot more than he does), so my day does not end until ten most nights. I'm sleep deprived on top of everything else and what little energy I do have is devoted to my schooling. Sorry this AN is so long but I wanted to give you all an update on where things stood and why I haven't been updating.

Five Years Later

Life was a roller coaster of emotions for Bella. Not only was she a week past her due date with her and Paul's third child but her dad had died less than a month ago. Charlie had a heart attack in his sleep and Seth had been the one to find him. No one had even known that Charlie had a heart condition, but Bella wasn't surprised. She and Sue had been trying to get him to change his diet for years.

He left behind six grandchildren who were young enough that none of them would remember him. Holden was the oldest at six, Jacob and Leah's son, Emmerson had been born just after Holden's first birthday. Bella and Paul's daughter Alexis, named after Leah, had come two years after her brother with Jacob and Leah's daughter Isabella Grace being born three weeks after her cousin. Seth's wife, Julie, had given birth to their son Landon, a year ago and they were already talking about having more.

Paul was used to being Bella's rock, but he wasn't used to her silence. It was unnerving how silent the house was nowadays. Paul had finished Holden and the baby's room by himself and he hoped that Bella didn't castrate him when she saw that he had gone with a sport's theme like he originally wanted over the forest theme that they had agreed upon.

Bella was home alone with the kids when her water broke. She had been holding off calling an ambulance for over an hour since Paul would be home soon, but their son couldn't wait any longer. She gripped the edge of the island with a white-knuckle grip, waiting out her most recent contraction. She had been able to text Paul in between her last and current contractions but had yet to hear back from him.

Her phone was silent in front of her on the island. She scowled at it, silently cursing Paul for knocking her up again. The TV could be heard faintly from her bedroom where Holden and Alexis were watching a movie. Bella thanked God that Holden was so perceptive and that he had taken his little sister into their parent's room, no questions asked. He may look like Paul, but he was like Bella in every other way.

Alexis had been a surprise baby who had been conceived on New Year's Eve. Paul had gotten Bella liquored up and talked her into having sex on the beach. Little did Paul know that Bella's birth control had been rendered useless since she had been sick and was taking medication for bronchitis at the time.

The four-year-old had her daddy wrapped around her little finger. Bella had never seen anything like it. She was Bella's mini twin and all she had to do was stick out her bottom lip and look at Paul from under her lashes and he would cave and give her whatever she wanted. Bella knew that they would be in trouble as Alexis got older since she had inherited Paul's temper and sarcasm. Right now, was a hard age since the little girl did not like the idea of having to share her parent's attention with not only her older brother but a baby as well.

The contraction finally receded and Bella heaved a sigh of relief. Where the hell was Paul? He was working less than five minutes away, why hadn't he come home yet? Bella texted Sam, hoping that he would send Paul home. Her phone vibrated within seconds of her sending the message.

He's on his way. Was all that Sam had sent back.

What the hell? No explanation? Paul was going to get it when he got home. Headlights danced across the front room as the truck came to a screeching stop in the driveway. Paul was inside ten seconds later.

"What. The. Hell?!" Bella said through clenched teeth.

"Shit," Paul said under his breath.

"I texted you fifteen minutes ago!" Bella yelled.

"I broke my phone this afternoon. Babe, I am so sorry," he groveled.

"Sam needs to work on his conversation skills F.Y.I.," she seethed.

"How long has this been going on?" he asked, cradling her stomach.

"It started early this afternoon. My water broke almost two hours ago."

"Why didn't you text me then?" he asked his eyes wide.

"I don't know Paul, why didn't you have Sam text me when you broke your phone? Or when you found out that you were working late?" she asked as another contraction started.

"We have to get you to the hospital."

"There's no time. Just call Sue and ask her to come over," she panted.

"You want to have the baby here? In the house?" he asked credulously.

"Well, I can have him on the porch if the idea having him in the house bothers you," she responded, giving him a dark look.

He shook his head as he grabbed his phone. Thankfully, Sue answered on the second ring. He explained what was going on and she said that she was on her way. She was walking through the door just as Bella's next contraction hit.

"It helps that your stepmom is a midwife, huh?" Paul asked, hoping to lighten the situation.

"Paul?" Bella asked in an even tone.

"Yeah, Babe?"

"Shut up," she snapped.

"Let's get you into the tub, okay? Paul, take the kids over to Sam and Emily's. Sm isn't home yet and Emily can't leave the kids. Come straight back," Sue compromised.

Paul nodded, calling for the kids to get their shoes on. Holden saw his mom and immediately knew what was going on.

"Jace is coming?"

"He'll be here when you come home tomorrow," Sue promised her grandson.

"Love you, Momma," Holden said, pressing a kiss to his mother's temple.

"Love you, Sweet Boy," Bella said with a sentimental smile.

"What's wrong with Mommy?" Alexis asked

"She's having the baby, Stupid," Holden chastised his sister.

"H, don't call your sister, Stupid," Paul scolded.

He ushered the kids out the door, pausing to look over his shoulder to see Sue leading Bella back to their bedroom. At Sam and Emily's, Sam was pulling up as Paul helped Alexis out of her car seat.

"I just saw you half an hour ago. Did you miss me so much that you had to come and see me? Where's Bells?" he joked.

"She's at home. I can't get into right now," Paul said quickly after telling Alexis to go inside.

"Hold on a second," Sam said, putting a hand on Paul's shoulder.

"I don't have a second. Bella's in labor right now. She's so far along that I can't even take her to the hospital. I feel like a douche bag for not letting her know that we were supposed to work late," Paul said quickly.

"Bella's in labor? That's why she asked you to come home?" Sam asked, letting the news sink in.

"Yes, now I have to go," Paul snapped before opening the door of his truck.

He slammed it shut, cranked the engine, and kicked up rocks as he pulled out of Sam's driveway, leaving Sam speechless. Sam knew that Bella was close to her due date but he hadn't realized that she was that close. Emily watched Sam from the front door with their daughter, Pauline on her hip.

"Babe?" Emily called.

"Daddy?" Pauline mimicked her mother.

Sam turned, looking crestfallen. He looked down at his feet, rubbing the back of his neck as he crossed through the yard.

"What's wrong?"

"Paul feels bad for not being there for Bella. I feel like it's partly my fault because I didn't text or text or call her to let her know that he had broken his phone," he explained.

"How did Paul break his phone?"

"He had it in his toolbelt and the damn thing fell out while we were on the roof. He tried to grab it before it fell over the edge," he said with a shake of his head.

"What I want to know why you made him work when his wife is a week past her due date," Emily asked with a raised eye brow.

"I didn't realize that her due date had passed. Paul never said anything," he said, shaking his head again.

"He's not going to. They need all the money that they can get right now. Bella won't be going back to work for at least two months, Sam."

Sam clasped his hands behind his neck, hanging his head in defeat. How had the six months since Paul had told him about the baby passed so quickly? Emily could tell that he felt remorse for his role in what happened. She had to make him see that he shouldn't be so hard on himself.

XXXX

Bella had needed help getting into the inflatable pool that Sue had set up in the living room. Paul had made quick work of moving the furniture and then bringing the hose inside. Bella had tried to be level headed, but couldn't thinking of anything other than the pain that she was in. She had been in labor for almost ten hours and she was exhausted. Sue had checked on her cervix only minutes ago and deem her not ready; she was only seven centimeters dilated.

Paul had been a doting, patient husband since he came back from Sam and Emily's. That let Bella know that he'd had words with Sam when he dropped the kids off. She wouldn't have to give Sam a talking to after all. Now Paul was crouched by Bella's head, wiping her brow, and feeding her ice chips whenever she needed them. He felt useless, but he didn't say anything. He wanted to take the pain from his wife, but he didn't know how other than for her to ride it out.

"How long has it been?" Paul asked.

"She should be having her next contraction within the next minute or so. I'll check her progress then," Sue reassured him.

"You're doing great, Babe," he reassured Bella.

This was not their original birthing plan. Bella had carefully drawn one up almost a month ago. It was laminated and stuck to the fridge. So much for that. Bella didn't like it when things didn't go the way that she thought that they should. There was nothing that they could do about it now.

As promised, Sue checked Bella's progress when her next contraction hit. She proudly announced that Bella was nine centimeters and that everything would be over soon.

"Do you want to move to the bed now?" Sue questioned.

"Is it ready?"

"I helped Sue put the plastic sheet thing on it a little while ago," Paul announced.

Bella nodded and Paul lifted her after helping her into her bathrobe. He carried her to the bedroom like she weighed nothing. She had gained more weight this time around than she had with her previous pregnancies. She felt like a beached whale but Paul didn't see her that way. If anything, he was even more turned on than normal by the idea of her carrying his child.

The worst contraction hit Bella a few minutes later and she grasped Paul's hand in a bone crushing grip.

"It's time, Sweetie. I need you to push next time," Sue encouraged.

"What time is it?" Bella questioned.

"It's a little after seven," Sue answered.

"I've been in labor for thirteen hours? It doesn't seem that long."

"When you count when your contractions started you've been in labor for eighteen hours. But you're right, time has flown by," Sue agreed.

Bella bared down, pushing with everything that she had on the next contraction. The baby's head was out, but Sue couldn't get his shoulders out.

"He's broad shouldered like his daddy," she explained.

Bella's brows knitted together in worry. She knew that the baby was big, her doctor had explained that a C-Section might be best since the baby was on the large size. She had no choice but to deliver him naturally now.

"Paul, I'm going to need your help getting him out, but first, find a belt for Bella to bite down on. I don't think that I have enough medication to help her," Sue advised him.

"But you'll give her what you have, right?"

"Yes, I'm going to call Leah and ask to bring my suture kit over," Sue said, leaving the room.

"Paul?" Bella asked, scared.

"I'll be right here, I'm not going anywhere," he promised.

He knew better than to say that everything would be fine. He couldn't promise her that. Sue came back in with a set of forceps and instructed Paul to stand next to her. She explained that she was going to pry Bella open as much and as gently as possible with his help and that he would be responsible for pulling the baby out after she had maneuvered him enough to be pulled out. It was risky, but they didn't have a choice. Sue shot Bella up with epidural while they waited things out.

"Isn't it a little late to be giving her that?" Paul asked, concerned.

"No. The baby isn't going to be born on his own. That's why we are pulling him out. As long as both of their vitals stay strong for the next ten minutes that it takes for the meds to kick in they'll both be fine."

Bella bit down on the belt between her teeth as a contraction rolled through her. Leah let herself in and announced that she was the leaving the kit on the island. Bella screamed until her throat was raw and ten minutes later Sue used the forceps to spread her vagina enough to shimmy the baby's shoulders out.

Paul was silent through the whole process. He was pale as he watched Sue work. She instructed him to get ready once the tool was in place and she manually pulled his son out of his wife. The baby had a head of raven black hair and Paul's complexion from what he could tell. He placed the wailing baby on Bella's chest. She soothed him and he quieted down after a few seconds. Sue cleaned him as Bella held him then announced that he needed to be weighed and measured.

"Ten pounds, four ounces and twenty-seven inches long. You are a big boy, shame on you for causing you Momma so much trouble," Sue said to the baby with a sigh.

"Can you go and get the kids?" Bella asked Paul.

"Now?"

"I promised them that they could come home as soon as he was born. Holden has probably been up all-night worrying Sam and Emily to death," she reasoned.

"I'll go and get them."

Sue continued cleaning the baby silently. Bella needed to talk to her without Paul around.

"Sue?"

"Hmm?"

"Do you remember the name of that doctor that Leah when to see after she had Grace?"

"Doctor Wilburn?"

"That's her. Do you think that I could get her number? It's time that I dealt with my dad being gone."

"I'll give it to you before I leave," she promised.

Leah had finally accepted outside help for dealing with her emotions stemming from giving up Sean and losing Harry after having her and Jacob's second child. It hadn't been easy for her to admit that she couldn't do it on her own. Sue was glad that both of her daughters were getting the help that they needed.

Holden burst through the front door first. It was obvious that the six-year-old had been up all night and he made a beeline for his parent's room. He climbed on the bed and saddled up close to his mother, who was nursing the newest edition to the family.

Paul came in carrying a sleeping Alexis and put her in her bed. Holden was holding his brother for the first time when Paul came into his and Bella's room. He was looking at the baby in awe as the baby squirmed and kicked.

"He looks like me and, Dad," he said, mesmerized by the baby.

"I think so too," Bella agreed.

"What's his name?" Sue asked.

"Jacob Charles, Jace," Bella said with a sentimental smile.

"That's a nice name, I'm sure that your dad would have been honored."

Paul took the baby from Holden then asked him to help him get Jace dressed. Sue took that opportunity to administer Bella's sutures, which Sue promised would dissolve in two weeks. She advised Bella to not have sex for at least a month to which Bella replied that she and Paul wouldn't be having sex any time soon. She and Paul were now outnumbered and they didn't plan on having any more kids.

Sue left an hour later after making Bella a smoothie. She claimed that her stomach couldn't handle much else. Holden slept in between Bella and Paul and Jace was sleeping within Bella's easy reach in his bassinette. Alexis came in, crawled in between Holden and Paul and Paul pulled her to him, still half asleep.

"Daddy?" she whispered.

"Hmm?" he asked groggily.

"Is Mommy going to have another baby?"

"I think Jace is gonna be the last one, why?"

"I don't want a little sister. I like being the only girl."

"We'll worry about that later, Lex. Go back to sleep," he mumbled.

She nuzzled her face in his neck before closing her eyes. Alexis had grown accustomed to being the princess of the house, reigning alongside her mother. They might be loud and a little crazy, but the Miller house was full of love. That was all that Bella could ask for.