The sound of voices just outside the living room window aroused me from the unexpected nap. My body still felt groggy, drained from the emotional outburst I had, so I allowed myself to remain lying down on the couch as I strained to hear what was going on.

"Wait, Renesmee is Autumn and Jacob's son's soulmate?" I heard Bella ask someone, her voice incredulous. "I did not see that coming."

A chuckle answered her, and I recognized Edward's voice before he spoke.

"Neither did I. Autumn has a theory that's why you weren't able to let Jacob walk away from you."

"It does make sense." I could feel Bella shrug. "What else did I miss while I was out?"

"I think that's about it. You've seen Renesmee and you know about her gift. You know about the future imprint. The treaty has been renewed with Sam and the other wolves."

"Bet that went over well."

"Sam was actually understanding," Jacob chimed in. "Well, afterwards. Even though things were pretty rocky before, Sam and the others know they can't hurt Nessie without hurting Autumn or I. Whether intentional or not, the death of an imprint means war, a fight to death... and none of them want that."

A short pause.

"What did you just call my daughter?" Bella asked.

"Here we go." I heard Emmett rumble out a laugh.

"Well, I mean - the name you gave her is a handful," Jacob stammered, and I could hear his footsteps retreating into the yard from the porch.

"You did NOT nickname her after the Loch Lake Monster!?!" Bella shrieked.

In a flash, I was off the couch and by the window facing the front yard just as Bella leapt off the porch, landing gracefully on her feet. She glared at Jacob, who held his hands up in surrender.

"Technically, Autumn came up with it... but it's not like that, Bells! If you had named her Vanessa, it still would've fit as a nickname." He explained in a rush.

This caused Bella to hesitate, considering his words carefully. Although she was still glaring at him, her defensive stance softened in defeat.

"I don't like it." She huffed after another beat. "But I guess I get it. Renesmee is a bit difficult to say."

"Seth, Leah, it's okay. Back off." Jacob said, his eyes darting to the side as his pack mates slunk out of the woods, still in wolf form. Leah growled in response, her eyes hardened as she stared Bella down.

"Incredible, right?" Edward breathed. "She's more in control of her emotions than any newborn I've ever encountered, myself included."

"Impressive." Carlisle said, his tone awed. "I wonder..."

I tuned out their conversation as I studied Bella and Jacob together, still a few feet apart. It was obvious that the bond that kept them practically joint at the hip was gone; now it was just a friendship, no complicated feelings attached. Despite the annoyance still radiating from Bella's body, I could see the familiar comfort lingering between them.

Bella was right, way back when; she and Jacob were family. They belonged in each other's lives. Now, it just made sense how they belonged.

As the late afternoon sky slowly morphed into a lavender evening, the tension died down enough for everyone to break off and do their own thing. Jacob and Rosalie stayed on the front porch with Renesmee; Emmett, Alice, and Esme had gone off hunting, the Cullens still taking turns to keep an eye on Renesmee and Bella.

Edward, Carlisle, Jasper, and Bella eventually joined me in the living room; the four of us anxiously glanced at her every now and again as she settled into one of the chairs. Bella didn't mind the hovering; instead, she asked us questions about everything she missed the last two days.

I explained to her, with the help of Seth - who had stopped by to have Carlisle look at his shoulder for a possible injury from patrolling the perimeter - how Sam and Jacob discovered they could communicate in wolf form, despite the distance. Of course, it wasn't like before where they could hear every thought. Sam could only hear what Jacob wanted him to, and vice versa, almost as if they were speaking out loud to one another.

I could see the relief in Bella's eyes at the fact that Jacob and Sam were talking again, even though silence remained between the packs. I had to admit, I was equally relieved; it was a step in the right direction to mend the packs' bond. Obviously, the two packs would never be one again, but they were still family. They always would be, and both Alphas knew that.

I also had a sneaking suspicion that Emily had a part in convincing Sam to talk to Jacob; she knew how important it was for everyone involved to be there for each other. And she knew how much it would mean to me to have all of the wolves in my life, as they were my family too.

Rosalie brought Renesmee inside to feed her while we were talking, handing the baby over to her mother after the bottle was emptied. Renesmee slowly drifted off to sleep in Bella's arms, her tiny eyelids struggling to stay open before finally giving in. Bella curiously placed her daughter's hand on her cheek, her eyes widening as she "watched" whatever was playing in Renesmee's mind. Lost in the moment, nobody moved until Edward broke the silence, causing some of us to jump.

"Finally," he breathed, his attention focused just outside the window.

Moments later, Alice skipped into the living room, the other three right behind her. Holding a brass key wrapped in a large pink bow, Alice immediately headed to Bella and promptly dropped the object in her outstretched hand.

"Happy birthday!" Alice said cheerfully, her voice almost singing. Bella rolled her eyes at her sister-in-law.

"No one starts counting on the actual day of birth," Bella snorted. "Your first birthday is at the year mark."

"We're not celebrating your vampire birthday," Alice shook her head. "Yet... it's September 13th. Happy 19th birthday!"

"Oh, no! No no no no no." Bella tilted her body away from Alice, careful not to wake her daughter. "I stopped aging three days ago. I am 18 forever."

"Whatever, we're still celebrating." Alice dismisses Bella's protest with a shrug. "Are you ready to open your present?"

"Um, presents." Edward cleared his throat as he pulled out a silver key from his pocket. "Although mine probably should wait until morning... I'm sure Jacob would want to be there for the reveal."

He nodded to my fiance who was passed out on the couch to my right.

"Come on!" Alice motioned for Bella to give Rosalie Renesmee before grabbing her hand and leading her outside. Edward followed behind, chuckling under his breath.

"I hope she likes it." Esme murmured, sitting next to Carlisle.

"I'm sure she will." He reassured her, kissing her hand.

"What is it?" I asked curiously, shifting carefully so I didn't wake up Jacob or Seth.

"We built them a house." Esme said proudly. "Well, more like a cottage."

"I agree with Carlisle, she's going to love it." I grinned after Esme finished describing Bella's present. Esme beamed at my words before patting Carlisle's arm and making her way to the kitchen.

As the Cullens slowly drifted off to different areas of the house, Jacob had begun to wake up just as I tried to stifle a yawn.

"You wanna crash here or go home, Leaf?" He murmured sleepily.

"Home, please." I smiled sheepishly at him. "I miss being with my mom."

"Home it is." Jacob leaned over and kissed me on the cheek. "I'll go let Leah know, let Seth sleep a little bit longer. Meet you outside?"

"Okay."

After Jacob talked to Leah, he held the car door open for me, making sure I was settled before sliding into the driver's seat. The car ride home was comfortably quiet, Jacob tracing his thumb lightly over my hand as he navigated down the dark streets.

Mom wasn't home when we pulled into the driveway; the note she left on the fridge let me know that she was over at the Marshalls' for drinks and would be back soon. I smiled to myself as I read over the note, silently grateful that Mom wasn't alone in life. Between Margaret, Charlie, Billy, and Sue, she was covered in the company department; if and when I moved out, I knew I wouldn't have to worry about her so much with her friends there for her to lean on.

Exhaustion decided to make its presence known then, sending a heaviness through my body. Eyes struggling to stay open, I motioned for Jacob to help; in an instant, he had me cradled in his arms, ready to carry me upstairs to my room.

I vaguely registered him laying me down on my bed and pulling the blanket up to my chin. As my head hit the cool pillow, I was asleep, oblivious to Jacob cuddling against me as he kept an eye over me through the night.

* * * * * *

The next morning, we headed back to the Cullens' just before sunrise; Chloe wanted to bring Leah breakfast since she still was uncomfortable being at the Cullens' house. It was also the perfect opportunity to introduce Casey to Renesmee; both of them were on the floor in the middle of the living room, happily banging around the spoons Esme had given them while the rest of us lounged around the room while we waited for Edward and Bella to join us. Jacob was nodding off on the couch in between Esme and Chloe, his snores a faint hum in the background. Rosalie and Carlisle were sitting in the chairs, lost in conversation while I sat near Renesmee, laughing and smiling at her and Casey playing.

"We're going to have to leave soon." Rosalie was saying when I focused on their conversation. "You know that, Carlisle."

"I do," he sighed, rubbing the back of his neck.

"Does it ever get easier?" Chloe asked, glancing between the two from her spot behind Casey. "Leaving a community you've grown fond of, a town you love?"

"No," Carlisle replied with a sad smile. "It's difficult to do so, even as a human."

Chloe nodded in response, her eyes flickering to Casey before meeting my gaze. I could tell by the faint glimmer that passed through her facial features that Chloe missed our hometown, even though she found her home in La Push with Leah.

If I was being honest to myself, I missed Michigan sometimes too.

The conversation paused momentarily when Jacob abruptly woke up and clambered to his feet.

"What's wrong?" I glanced at him, noticing the lost-in-thought expression on his face.

"I have to go take care of something." He murmured, leaning over to kiss my forehead. "I'll be back later."

Without another word, he left the Cullens' house, the air shimmering slightly as he phased into wolf form.

Chloe and I exchanged a look of concern while the rest of the Cullens seemed indifferent to his departure; we all turned when the front door opened again and moments later, Edward and Bella walked into the living room. Immediately, Renesmee threw down the spoon and raised her arms towards Bella, babbling away.

"Someone's been waiting for you," Rosalie smirked as Bella picked Renesmee up, who instantly placed her hand on her mother's cheek to show her what she missed so far.

"Rose is right... we do have to leave." Bella murmured out loud, mostly talking to herself.

"I still vote for New Hampshire," Emmett shrugged. "Bella's already registered at Dartmouth... it makes sense, gives her a good reason to say goodbye to Charlie and her other friends without putting anyone in harm's way."

Murmurs of agreement softly rang out through the room, immediately silenced by Edward's loud growling. In an instant, Alice was on her feet, her eyes narrowing darkly.

"What is he doing?!? My whole schedule for the day is erased... I can't see anything!!!" Alice hissed.

Edward's fists balled up at his sides, his tone a snarl.

"He talked to Charlie... thinks he's being followed right now. Coming here."

The room stilled as Edward's words sank in.

"He told Charlie?" Bella gasped, her eyes darting to me.

"I had no idea he was going to do that!" I threw my hands in surrender. "I swear!"

"Jacob's on his way in." Edward spoke through clenched teeth.

As soon as the words left his mouth, Jacob burst into the living room, drenched from the incoming rain. His eyes shone as he grinned, nodding at everyone in the room. Leah and Seth flanked him, both in human form; their bodies trembled at the tension lingering in the air.

"Charlie's on his way over," Jacob said nonchalantly, oblivious to the death glares hurled in his direction.

"What. Have. You. Done?" Bella growled through clenched teeth.

Before Jacob could answer, my phone vibrated in my pocket. Glancing at the screen, my eyebrows furrowed in confusion as I turned to Chloe.

"Your mom's calling me..."

Worry flashed in her eyes as I stood up from the floor and walked out of the living room, pressing the green "answer" button.

"Hello?"

"Autumn? It's Margaret..."

"Hi, Mrs. Marshall. What's up?"

"I don't want you to worry, but I'm at the hospital with your mom right now. She fell down some stairs and landed pretty hard on her wrist... we're waiting for an X-ray to confirm if it's broken or not."

"Oh my gosh... thank you for calling, Mrs. M. Let her know I'll be there soon."

"See you in a bit, dear."

With a click, she was gone. Shaking my head in frustration at myself for not being there for my mom, I headed back into the living room with a sigh.

"My mom is at the hospital right now... she might have broken her wrist falling down the stairs this morning." I looked at Edward and Bella when I spoke, interrupting whatever Jacob was saying. "Probably from trying to get the holiday boxes out of the attic on her own... I'm going to head to the hospital, but I should be back later. Maybe."

"Take all the time you need." Bella looked at me with sympathy. "I'll let you know how things go here."

"Thanks." I crossed the living room to give her a quick hug. "You're going to do great with Charlie. I know it."

She smiled warily in response as I turned to Chloe.

"Did you want to come, or stay here?"

"I'll come with you," Chloe replied, shifting her eyes to Leah. She smiled warmly at Chloe and nodded, a silent understanding passing between them.

Without another word, I turned and headed outside, taking a few deep breaths of fresh air. Moments later, Chloe appeared at my side, Casey in her arms.

"Are we driving?" Chloe asked, shifting the diaper bag resting on her shoulder.

"You good with magical transportation?"

"Beam me up, Scotty." She teased, slipping her hand in mine. I laughed at our inside joke before focusing; with a poof of purple smoke, we appeared just outside the hospital where Carlisle worked seconds later.

Taking another deep breath to steady the surge of anxiety coursing through my veins - I absolutely hated hospitals - I held my head up and walked straight through the doors and up to the nurses' station.

"How can I help you?" A bubbly redhead whose name tag read "Julia" greeted us, her smile genuine and friendly.

"I'm here to see Julie Watson." I told her, feeling my body relax from the anxious tension.

"Relation?"

"She's my mother."

"Oh!" Julia's eyes lit up. "You two run the bakery next to the diner!"

"That's us." I grinned, a slight blush rising in my cheeks at the sudden attention.

"Your cupcakes are delicious! That reminds me... I need to place an order with your mom next week." Julia turned to scribble something down on a sticky note before removing it from the pad to write another one.

Handing me the second sticky note, she beamed and pointed to the elevators across the lobby.

"Third floor, room 815."

"Thank you, Julia. And we're happy you love the cupcakes!" I called over my shoulder as I tugged Chloe towards the elevator.

Following Julia's instructions, we quickly found room 815. The door was open; just inside, we could see Mom sitting on the hospital bed and Margaret in a chair beside her.

"Hey, Mom." I called softly, knocking on the door. Her eyes lit up when she saw me, a guilty smile on her lips.

"Hi, Leaf." She let out a low giggle. "I'm fine, I promise."

"Were you trying to get the fall decor out of the attic alone?" I teased her, concern underlining my tone.

"Yeah..."

"Oh, Mom... you should've waited for me." I sighed, sitting on the edge of her bed. "But I'm glad you're okay. How's your arm?"

"A little sore... really touchy. Doc's coming back with the results soon."

"Knock knock..." the doctor appeared in the doorway, a smile on her face as she noticed Chloe and I. "I'm Doctor Gilbert, pleased to meet you, given the circumstances."

"Autumn," I introduced myself, shaking her hand. "How does my mom's arm look?"

"Your wrist is fractured, not broken, and it extends up your forearm just a couple of inches." Doctor Gilbert turned her gaze to Mom, pulling out the scans to show her. "It's a clean fracture, so you won't need surgery, but you will need to be in a cast for at least 6 to 8 weeks."

"That's manageable." Mom nodded, sharing a look with Margaret. "I have help at the bakery... is there anything I need to do?"

"You'll have to ice it every few hours for the first five days, and any time it hurts more than a five on the pain scale from 1 to 10. I'm writing you a prescription that will be ready in about a half-hour - I'll fax it over to the pharmacy before you leave. And we can get you in for a cast right now," Doctor Gilbert checked something on her clipboard. "I also recommend a sling at all times for the next two weeks."

"Okay, done." Mom smiled. "That sounds fairly easy to do."

"I'll schedule a check-up for the end of September with our bone specialist as well as the physical therapist. We should have you ready to go in about twenty minutes."

"Thank you, Doctor."

Doctor Gilbert left the room with a smile and a nod, leaving the door ajar behind her.

"I'll go get the car from the parking lot... we'll meet you out front." Margaret stood up, motioning for Chloe to follow her.

"Mom, I can heal your wrist so you don't have to wear the cast or miss time at the bakery." I murmured as soon as they left the room.

"Autumn, it's okay." Mom reassured me. "Not everything has to be dealt with using magic. Besides, this gives me a chance to stop and catch my breath... enjoy life a little, instead of constantly working."

"Are you sure?"

"100%." Mom leaned over and kissed my forehead. "Want yo help me pick out a cast color?"

"Sure," I smiled at her as a nurse came in to escort her down the hallway.

A twinge of guilt flooded my senses as I followed behind them, the faint realization dawning on me that even in the world of supernatural, my mom needed me around too.