Life's Little Storms

Epilogue

~Epilogue~

Four years later...

Four years had gone by since he had last seen her beautiful face. But seeing her now, it was like no time had passed. Her brown waves still swayed at her waist. The only difference from four years ago was she had bangs that swept across her right eye. From where he stood he could see her hazel eyes shining in the sunlight. Melody's skin was still sun kissed from the warm summer she spent in South Florida.

"I'll see you in class, Mel!" The girl she had been conversing with smiled and waved she walked in the opposite direction. Melody smiled and waved as she continued on her path, which was coming straight towards him.

He thought she was going to walk right past him, but she stopped right in front of him. She turned her head in his direction, "Jacob."

He looked around, he had hoped that the sunglasses and hat would somewhat deter her, "How did you know it was me?"

"Jacob," She smiled and rolled her eyes, "Freakishly tall, freakishly built, tanned man. You stick out like a sore thumb."

She placed a hand over her chest, "Even if I couldn't see you, I could feel it."

Jacob felt his mouth run dry. Her face the night before he left for battle was forever burned into his brain. He saw it everyday when he woke up in an empty bed, when his chest would ache because he knew that he wasn't going to see his imprint all day, when his pack members questioned why their once loose Alpha would drill them to work harder.

"Melody." Jacob took a step forward, but he knew it was wrong for him to try to hold her hand or touch her in anyway.

She looked around at the passing students who were staring as they walked by. She gripped the strap of her messenger bag and bit her lip. Melody stabbed her toe into the ground, "We can go to my apartment for a more private place to talk."

Jacob's heart soared, but he tried to play it off, "Yeah, that sounds nice."

Melody nodded then proceeded to the student parking lot. Her little blue Mazda had been replaced with a 2016 Ford Focus. She unlocked the doors, unrolled the windows, and pulled out of the parking lot within seconds. Both of her hands gripped the steering wheel until her knuckles were turning white. Jacob's fingers itched to smooth their way down her arm to the hand closest to him.

Her one bedroom apartment was dimly lit, but it was neat and tidy. She excused herself to change. While she did so Jacob looked at the photos surrounding a wall. Melody had made so many new friends, and to Jacob's possessive side he was very happy to see that none of the pictures were ones of her kissing other guys.

"Trying to find my new boyfriend?" Melody leaned against her bedroom doorframe, a teasing smile tugging at her lips. She slowly walked closer and Jacob inhaled her scent. "You won't have any luck, if you are."

He looked down at Melody, "Oh?"

Melody's smile slowly fell off her face, "It's been four years, Jacob. Why now?"

"Melody, I..."

"After all this time, you didn't write or call."

"I didn't know what to say to you, Melody!" Jacob threw his hands up, "You have me an ultimatum and I chose wrong! I came home from the Cullen's house to a note saying not to."

Melody twisted her hair into her hands, and he heard her breathing pick up, "It was my fault."

Jacob was taken aback, "What?"

"I was selfish, Jacob!" She yelled at him, "I asked you to choose between your family and me."

He grabbed her hands, "I was selfish, Melody. It was you, it has always been you. That night you asked me to stay I should have told you that there was no way to make me go, but I was so conflicted because I knew that if the pack was in the same trouble that the Cullen's would have stood by our side until the end."

She took her hands from his and wrapped her arms around his waist. His surprise made him hesitate, but eventually he wrapped his arms around her shoulders. Her tears soaked through his t-shirt, but it didn't matter because he decided in that moment that he would never let her go.

"Forgive me." She cried, gripping him close.

"I need you to forgive me, Melody." He pressed his face into her hair and inhaled, "Please forgive me."

"I have, Jacob, I have." He pressed kisses down her face until he reached her perfect lips. Their lips met in a tangle of sadness and longing. The tears from her face wet his own, but it didn't bother him in the slightest because she was still his.

They broke apart long enough for him to mutter, "Marry me."

Melody's hazel eyes sparkled at him, "Yes."

,*.

The pair spent the rest of their days in a loving haze. Jacob opened up his own autoshop while Melody went on to be a grief counselor to young teens. They were married a year after Jacob found her. Emily was the maid of honor while the Cullen women were her bridesmaids. Soon after, Melody gave birth to a baby girl with tanned skin and glittering eyes. She was named Sarah Anne Black. Eventually she became a big sister to Max Samuel Black. Jacob and Melody's little family led their life on the edge of La Push. Happily ever after in their own bubble of love.