✓ | ALIVE, quil ateara

EPILOGUE

Zahra sighed in content at her sons both playing in the sand with their father. Her twin sons-Kane and Quil VI both having recently just turned 5 years old a couple of days ago.

It had been 15 years that had gone by-15 long and peaceful years. Her husband and his brothers have no longer phased and instead it was their children. Though it was not because of some random red-head rogue building an army-it was because of the Cullens having moved back.

It was not permanently, but only for a moment because of Edward's soulmate. Until she was old enough-they were going to stay and wait. Some of them were hesitant on the situation of it being a repeating process of what happened with Bella-but something told them it was most likely not the case they'd have to worry about.

Speaking of the former lover of the Cullen; Bella had eventually found love with someone else and she was surprisingly a frequent visitor over the years. Sure, there was still the natural hostility between some of the pack members and family such as Aniya, Jake and Leah-but nonetheless, the years that have gone by, the rift had slowly vanished.

Given the time of her growth away from all the danger and risk in her life; she had become family for everyone. However, no one had blamed it on the life she could have had with the Cullens-who knows what could have happened if she stayed.

"Momma!!" The soft voices of her sons both called out in sync, the pair pulling their mother's hands impatiently. Zahra let out a chuckle as she followed her sons to her husband who was currently buried in the sand.

"Look, we made dad a mermaid" Kane clasped his hands and made a swimming motion and Quil followed with another whirling action. Zahra's eyes widened for a moment at those words and her chest felt light.

Unfortunately, her memories have not once returned from her life in the sea, but every time there had been anything relatable about it; her heart would have this flutter. A comfortable and warm feel that'd tell her-it was okay.

It was okay if she forgot because the memories would always be there within-deep inside and there was nothing wrong with forgetting.

The memories she had now, was all in the worth of everything that had been gone. She had the love of her life, her sons and a huge family that just kept growing. She wouldn't trade it for anything else in the world.

This was her happy ending-no her happy beginning. Her and everyone else that had gone through hardships, sadness, loss and even sacrifices.

Quil let out a laugh getting his wife and sons attention," Can I get out now?"

His sons and wife shared a look and all three of them had the same replica devious grins on their faces," What do you say, do we let Papa out?" Zahra raised one hand to her cheek

Her sons both let out a harmonious laugh shaking their heads and ran off shouting," Noo!"

Zahra sat down next to her husband and chuckled while he looked at her pouting," Any help, hon?"

"I don't know, should I?" She teased leaning over his face with her own," I mean-I have to admit, our sons did an amazing job of sculpting your tail. I got to say, I'm not sure if you'd make a great merman"

"You do realize I can easily get out of this right?" Quil narrowed his gaze at her, however, Zahra had already gotten up and started to run off towards their sons.

Quil let out a hearty laugh as he did in fact, pull himself out of the sand easily and went running towards his family.

After a while of the day in the sun, their sons had been asleep on the towels under the umbrella exhausted from the long day. Zahra and Quil both walked along the shoreline hand in hand.

"What's wrong?" Quil asked noticing the way his wife had been fidgeting for a while now," Are you feeling okay?"

Zahra let out a small laugh and peered her head up," That's the thing-I feel amazing...so happy in fact, that sometimes It's very overwhelming"

"Good or bad overwhelming?" He asked slowly

"Good" She quickly answered firmly," Always good, it's just I try my hardest to never be afraid of thinking negative-but there is a small part of me that just fears the worse"

Quil sighed bringing an arm over her shoulder," It's absolutely fine, I feel the similar feeling-everyone does. It just means for us to live each moment of our lives to the fullest-we can't predict the future and honestly, wouldn't you rather not know an outcome after everything we been through?"

"Yeah" Zahra nodded pleased with his words," I rather not know"

"Besides, something else seems to be bothering you" Quil pointed out," Seriously, what's wrong?"

Zahra had stopped herself from walking and her lips lifted up in a smile," Well-it's more of me being worried how to tell our sons that they're going to be big brothers"

Quil had dropped his hand on her shoulder and gawked at his wife who raised her hands," Surprise?" He immediately let out a breathy laugh along with shouting out a cheer giving a small dance on the sand making her laugh at his antics.

Soon Quil had lifted his wife in his arms and kissed all parts of her face saying 'I love you' over and over. Though with is sudden shout earlier, their sons had awoken from their slumber and joined their parents-Zahra had taken the moment to finally tell them, and just exactly like their father had done the pair danced in cheerfulness to hugging their mother gently placing identical kisses on her cheek.

"We love you Momma," Both said and with strong grips pulled their father over," We love you as well Papa"

"Oh good, I was worried you'd forgotten about your old man" Quil joked lifting his sons in his arms," Never!" Both said in sync.

The family of four-soon to be five had all shared a laugh as they celebrated with the news.

In the far distance in the sea; Zahra's parents both were hidden behind a large boulder, both silently congratulating their daughter.

In the forest far in the distance as well, was Esmeralda who took in a breath and shared a single smile before vanishing off.

Zahra and her family had nothing to worry about-because they had people out there ready to protect them.