"Happy birthday to you, happy birthday to you..."

The soft singing filling the room woke me from a dreamless sleep, the smell of pumpkin and chocolate reaching my nose. My eyes fluttered open to Mom and Chloe standing next to my bed, Mom holding a tray of pumpkin chocolate chip pancakes with a candle stuck in the middle and Chloe holding a vase of pink carnations attached to a balloon. Both grinned as I sat up, returning an embarrassed smile back.

"Happy birthday, dear Autumn... happy birthday to you!"

Mom held the tray out in front of me, gesturing toward the candle. Closing my eyes, I blew the flame out as Mom and Chloe cheered excitedly.

"Happy birthday, baby girl!" Mom kissed the top of my head, smoothing my hair down. "You're finally 18!"

"Thanks, Mom."

I hungrily dug into the pancakes, my eyes closing in delight as the taste of pumpkin buzzed my taste buds. Taking a second bite, I eyed Mom and Chloe suspiciously as they slid two beautifully wrapped boxes towards me.

Mom's box was a shiny gold wrapping paper tied together with a ruby red ribbon in a big fancy bow. Chloe's was embraced by purple and pink polka dotted white paper and tied with a bright pink ribbon, her handwriting scribbled neatly across the sticker in the left corner.

"You really didn't have to get me anything," I mumbled, setting my fork down to stare at them.

"I'm your mother. I'm allowed to buy you a birthday present." Mom said teasingly.

"And as your best friend, so am I." Chloe stuck out her tongue. "Just open them before you keep protesting."

"Okay, okay!" I held up my hands in surrender, laughing.

Picking up Mom's gift first, I carefully unwrapped the box, attempting to avoid giving myself a papercut. Unrevealing a medium brown box slightly larger than a shoebox, I raised an eyebrow suspiciously as Mom handed me a pair of scissors to cut through the tape. I broke into giggles as I lifted the tissue paper, taking in the contents of the box in my lap.

"You seriously wrapped each present?" I removed the last of the snacks and candies layered on top of the presents as I turned to Mom, who was also chuckling.

"I had to do something special for your birthday. And I couldn't decide on what to get you so I made a gift box. Go on, open them!" Mom said, gesturing to the small packages.

I reached into the open box and pulled out a slender, rectangular item. Tearing the paper away, I grinned when I saw a hardcover diary with an attached lock and key; it was a pale pink color with my name engraved in gold cursive across the cover. Inside the front cover were the words "For the days when a talk with Mom can't help" scribbled in Mom's cursive writing, and I knew Mom mostly chose the diary for me to process everything that had been going on lately.

The next package contained a three-pack of disposable cameras; I squealed in delight as my mind recognized the green and white packaging. The last of the individually wrapped presents was a set of colored gel pens to go along with my new diary. I set the gifts aside and embraced Mom again.

"I love my presents, Mom. Thank you," I said as I rested my head against her shoulder.

"Okay, time for you to open Chloe's gift!" Mom placed the skinny box in my lap.

Undoing the ribbon, I slid the lid off the box and took out a scrapbook with a picture of Chloe and me from the first day of fourth grade on the cover. Tears began to swell in my eyes as I flipped the book open, seeing the photos of us throughout the years. Some pages also included things like movie ticket stubs, photo booth strips and old handwritten notes passed during class. It wasn't just a scrapbook filled with photos; it was a collection of our lives intertwined since birth.

"I can't believe you kept all of this," I murmured, tracing my fingers along the edges of a faded blue and white flower corsage I gave to Chloe freshman year for Homecoming; the year we decided to be each other's dates when the boys we were going with dumped us a week before to take two upperclassmen instead.

"Of course I kept everything," Chloe rolled her eyes, grinning. "You know I'm a sentimental kind of person. Besides, I wanted to make something for my best friend so she always had something to cheer her up, even if I wasn't around to do so."

"I love it, Peaches. You're the best." I leaned over and hugged her tightly.

The phone rang just then, the ringing sounding faint from the kitchen. Mom excused herself and hurried out of the room, her footsteps fading from our ears. Chloe gestured to the pile of goodies on the bed beside us.

"So, were we successful?" She giggled.

"Yes, I'd say this was a successful birthday so far." I smiled at my best friend. "Now, I'm guessing that you and Alice have something up your sleeves for later?"

"You know me so well." Chloe grinned mischievously. "But I'm not telling you anything, I don't want to ruin the surprise!"

"Ugh, you know I don't do well with surprises," I whined, leaning into her dramatically.

"You'll be fine," she swatted my knee playfully.

"Speaking of surprises," Mom reappeared in the doorway, "I have one for you, Chloe. Both of you, come now. Don't worry about getting dressed."

Mom motioned for us to follow, winking slyly at me and suddenly, I knew what the phone call was about. Grabbing my robe from the back of my door, I slid my arms through the sleeves and shoved my feet into my new black fuzzy slippers before running down the stairs after Chloe. Piling into the car, my energy level was bursting through the roof as I watched Chloe's face wrinkle in confusion when Mom pulled into a driveway five minutes later. Her eyes widened in shock as she realized the vehicle parked in front of us; it didn't seem to hit her until her parents stepped out of the front door, waving.

"SURPRISE!" They yelled excitedly as Chloe flung herself out of the backseat.

"What are you doing here?!?" Chloe half-yelled, throwing her arms around her family.

"We live here now!" Margaret exclaimed. "This is our new house!"

"When did you guys decide to do this?"

"We were in the process of signing paperwork when Julie brought you home so we could sign the transfer papers for school," Jameson spoke, smoothing down Chloe's hair as he kissed the top of her head. "We asked Julie and Autumn to keep it a secret until we officially moved."

"Well, go check out your room!" Margaret added, shooing her daughter inside. "Just make sure to be quiet, Casey's been put down for her mid-morning nap."

"Okay." Chloe's smile widened. "Autumn, come with me."

She grabbed my hand and led me through the house, both of us taking in the large rooms filled with the Marshalls' belongings; each room was an exact replica of their old house back in Michigan. Finally, we stopped in front of a door on the second floor of the house with a handmade sign with Chloe's name sprawled out in flowing painted letters; her mom's handwriting clearly etched onto the hanging wood, surrounded by sunflowers. Slowly, Chloe turned the doorknob and pushed the door open, her small gasp filling the space between us.

The walls were painted a light gray that evoked a feeling of foggy mornings with a crisp bite in the air, the windowsills a bright white to offset the cool color scheme. The furniture - bed frame, desk, dresser, nightstands, and shelves - were also painted white to stand out against the grey. Throughout the room were accents of teal and yellow mixed in with the gray and white; the most enhanced area being the bedspread as it was a floral design in the coordinating colors. On one of the nightstands sat a small teal lamp with a white and grey striped shade; on the other, a pale yellow vase filled with sunflowers.

Surrounding the closet door was a shelving unit; on each side of the door were seven small shelves lined neatly with books, figurines, and mini succulents. Above the door were two long shelves that held photo boxes clearly labeled with dates and collapsible storage containers at the top for Chloe to use. On the left side of the closet, almost directly across from the bed, sat a white desk paired with a black and teal chair and a teal dolphin lamp sitting nicely next to an organized mason jar display filled with pens and pencils.

The wall against the desk was decorated with various objects: a corkboard trimmed in black, a teal clock, numerous inspirational quotes with matching frames. Lastly, a white shelf display hung on the adjacent wall near the desk, covered in mini picture frames of Casey and Chloe, and Chloe and myself, along with trophies from Chloe's extracurricular activities over the years.

"Whoa," Chloe said, her eyes still wide as she looked around. "It feels like my room, but more..."

"Elegant? Sophisticated?" I suggested.

"Yeah."

"So, what do you think?" Margaret asked, leaning against the open doorway.

"I love it, Mom! Thank you," Chloe gushed before hugging her mom.

"Did you see your bathroom yet?" Margaret smiled mischievously.

"I have my own bathroom?!?" Chloe squealed.

"This whole floor is actually yours. Our bedroom and Casey's bedroom are on the first floor, which is for safety reasons, in case of a fire or some other kind of emergency. Didn't you notice that?" Margaret laughed as she beckoned us to follow her. "Your father is thinking of tearing down the other rooms up here and making you a sort of lounge space for you and your friends."

"Have I told you guys that you're the best parents ever lately?" Chloe shook her head. "Seriously. This is awesome."

"Just you wait," Margaret stopped in front of a door a few feet away from Chloe's room and pushed it inside. "Take a look."

Chloe's bathroom was half the size of her bedroom, coordinated in a similar color scheme. The walls were painted the same shade of teal, the hardwood floor appearing stained so the wood planks looked weathered in different shades of brown. One corner of the bathroom held a walk-in shower, with a waterfall showerhead and lined with a stone floor. Directly next to it was a white tub, outlined in polished gray marble with two stoned steps to match the shower. On the other side of the room was a white toilet with a matching sink, both shining under the bright glowing chandelier placed in the middle of the ceiling.

"It's beautiful," I said in awe, running my fingers along a plush yellow hand towel hanging near the sink. "I really like it, Peaches."

"I do too." Chloe's phone chimed in her hand and she glanced at the screen. "We probably should get ready for your surprise, Leaf. Alice is expecting us in a couple of hours."

"Okay, okay." I sighed, rolling my eyes playfully. "Let's go."

As soon as we got back to my house, Chloe ushered me straight up the stairs and into the bathroom. Pointing to the shower, she grabbed clean towels from the closet before disappearing into my bedroom. I knew she would toss me into the tub herself if I didn't get moving, so without another second of hesitation, I closed the door and stripped. The warm water melted away the tension building under my skin and I paused to enjoy the relaxing wave flowing over me. There was a light knock at the door and I heard the click as it was opened.

"Pick a color!" Chloe said loud enough to be heard over the running water.

"Pink," I said as I eyed her suspiciously from around the curtain. "Why?"

"Don't worry about it." She beamed brightly before abruptly shutting the door.

Shaking my head amusedly, I finished my shower in record time and wrapped my hair into a towel. After doing a quick check for any missed hairs on my legs from shaving, I had tied the sash on my robe just as another knock sounded; this time, Alice was peeking her head in to check on me.

"Are you almost ready, Autumn?" She asked, slightly annoyed. "We do have to make a few stops before heading back."

"Yes, Alice. You are now free to work your makeover magic on me," I replied teasingly, letting the small woman lead me into my bedroom where Chloe and Rosalie were waiting.

For the next hour, I sat at my vanity while the girls fussed over hairstyles and makeup ideas. The scene reminded me of my first date with Jacob when Angela and Jessica helped me get ready and I smiled at the memory. Rosalie was currently twisting my hair and putting bobby pins in different places, her eyes full of concentrated determination in the mirror.

Chloe moved around her as she did my makeup, the two of them in a silent dance without realizing it. Alice watched them with pursed lips, her eyes wandering over their handiwork. As Rosalie curled the last section of my bangs and Chloe double-checked the eyeshadow, they stepped back to let Alice look me over.

"Beautiful!" She chimed, clapping her hands in delight. "Now, the dress!"

She motioned for Chloe to get the outfit from my closet, her eyes lighting up her face. Chloe retrieved the black garment bag and carefully unzipped it, revealing a blush pink V-neck halter top dress. I gasped in awe as I ran my fingers over the tulle ruffled skirt.

"It's beautiful," I whispered.

"It's from Rosalie," Alice spoke, her grin widening as she held up a pair of round-toe high heels to match the dress. "The shoes are from Esme and I. Happy birthday!"

"You guys really didn't have to do that." Tears swelled in my eyes as I faced my friends.

"Okay, no crying." Rosalie smiled, fanning my face with her hand. "And don't be silly, Leaf. We're allowed to spoil you on your birthday. You're family."

"Come on, come on!" Alice waved her hands at us. "Put the dress on already!"

I nodded to Chloe who helped slide the dress over my head, securing the bow around my neck. Strapping the heels around my ankles, I held out my arms and spun in a slow circle for them. The smile on my face matched my friends' grins and we burst out into fits of giggles as the feeling of happiness elated through the room.

"Mom wanted pictures before we left," Chloe said as she headed towards the door. "I just have to change into my dress really quick."

"We'll wait for you downstairs," Alice said, already dragging me out of my room, Rosalie shaking her head behind us.

"Julie!" Rosalie called out when we reached the hallway. "Are you ready to see her?"

"I'm in the living room!" Mom yelled back.

"Ta-da!" Alice squealed, throwing her arms out as she "revealed" me to Mom, who looked like she was about to start crying.

"Oh, baby. You look gorgeous!"

"Thanks, Mom." I blushed at the attention as she motioned for me to spin around again.

"Do you have everything you need? Purse? Phone? Jewelry?" Mom asked, grabbing her camera from the bookcase.

"Oh, I almost forgot!" I started for the stairs before Alice held out her hand; the ring set Jacob had given me was nestled in her palm.

"I knew you wanted to wear them," Alice winked mischievously as I smiled sheepishly back at her.

"Thanks... so you know?"

"Know what?" With a laugh, she turned to Mom and began chatting about the plans for tomorrow.

At Carlisle's insistence, Mom knew all about Reed and the newborn army coming to Forks. Even though she was worried about us, especially me, she agreed to keep Charlie and Billy busy in La Push for the day. Since then, the concern in her eyes grew with each passing day; last night, I hugged her as tightly as I could muster, reassuring her that we would be fine. That I would be fine and come home to her in one piece. I knew she was trying not to think about it today because it was my birthday, but I knew Mom like the back of my hand; her eyes were still clouded with worry, her hands shaking slightly from the anxiety she was feeling.

"I'm ready for my close-up!" Chloe declared, posing dramatically in the doorway. Her dress hung off her shoulders, made of lace and silk in a beautiful sky blue; the color brought out her bright blue eyes and complimented her skin tone just perfectly.

"Alright, huddle together!" Mom instructed, turning on her camera with a smile. "Say 'happy birthday!'"

With a few clicks, Mom took numerous photos of us in a matter of minutes. Satisfied after the millionth shot, Mom shooed us out of the house as the phone rang.

"I'll see you girls in a little bit!" She called over her shoulder.

"I'm driving," Rosalie took her keys from Alice's outstretched hand as we made our way to her jeep parked next to my car.

"And you have to wear this," Alice handed me a blindfold.

I rolled my eyes and shot her a joking smile as I recognized the black material in my hands; the familiar pink rhinestone "Princess" across the front sparkled at me in the sunlight.

"Of course, Jacob is in on this," I said teasingly.

"Did you really think we would plan something without your boyfriend?" Chloe shook her head from the front passenger seat. "He'd kick our butts."

"Well, he could've tried." Alice shrugged, her eyes amused. "Everyone knows I plan the best parties."

"Yes, you do." I agreed as I slid the blindfold over my eyes, much to the delight of my friends.

The radio was turned up a little bit more, probably to drown out any outside noises so I couldn't tell where we were going. Alice and Chloe were discussing possible décor ideas for Chloe's room if she decided to change things up in the future, with occasional input from Rosalie. About fifteen minutes later, give or take, Rosalie stopped the car; the sound of the engine cutting to silence left a small ringing in my ears.

"Do not take that off!" I heard Alice say sternly as she unbuckled the seatbelt from my waist. "Chloe is going to help you out, okay?"

"Got it."

"Slowly," Chloe murmured to my right, her hand gently guiding my arm towards the opened door. "That's it, steady. Are you good to walk?"

"Lead the way, Peaches."

"About three steps in front of you are some stairs. There are four of them, the fourth is the porch. And now," Chloe instructed me and I lifted my foot up carefully, meeting the first step with the bottom of my shoe.

"Now, we're walking through the door... five more steps and turn to your left... okay, two more steps... Alice, right here?"

"Yes, okay stop walking, Leaf!" Alice's voice floated from somewhere in front of me. "On the count of three, Chloe... one... two... three!"

Chloe removed the blindfold and I blinked a couple of times, adjusting to the sudden light.

"Surprise!"

The room erupted into cheers around me and I jumped, taking in the familiar faces as laughter reached my ears. Everyone - our friends from school, the Cullens, the pack, Chloe's parents, Mom, Bella, Billy, and Charlie - was spread throughout the room in front of me, Jacob standing in the middle with a cake in his hands. Mom started singing the "Happy Birthday" song and everyone joined in. I couldn't stop the tears flowing down my cheeks as Chloe dragged me over to the cake, the lit candles flickering across Jacob's face as he beamed.

"Happy birthday, baby." He leaned to the side and kissed my cheek. "Make a wish."

Closing my eyes, I thought about the one thing I wanted, smiled and blew the candles out in one breath. The guys began cheering loudly again, causing the girls to laugh and roll their eyes. Jacob set the cake on a nearby table and Mom immediately began cutting pieces for everyone.

"So, what did you wish for?" Jacob asked mischievously, a smirk on his lips.

"I can't tell you or else it wouldn't come true." I paused for a moment before spinning around to face Edward. "And don't you dare tell him!"

"My lips are sealed," Edward pretended to zip his lips and throw away the key before laughing at Jacob's pouting face. "Sorry, Jake. I value my life a little too much."

"You're a traitor," Jacob laughed. "What happened to the bro code?"

"That doesn't apply for birthday wishes," I teased. "You'll just have to wait and see if it comes true, like everyone else."

"I could make a wish come true right now," he whispered in my ear so no one else could hear him, "if we were alone right now."

"Jacob Ephraim Black!" My eyes widened at his suggestive tone and playfully swatted his arm as I giggled. "I can't believe you just said that!"

"You're blushing," he pointed out, his tone clearly amused. "You've thought about it... Autumn Bernadette, not so innocent after all, huh?"

"On that note, I need some water." I slipped away from his laughing figure and headed to the kitchen, grateful that I knew my way around the Cullens' home well enough to avoid the pack members or Emmett. I could imagine the puns and jokes now if they had heard Jacob.

My cheeks now feeling like they were on fire, I grabbed some paper towels and soaked them in cold water before pressing them to my skin. Somewhere behind me, I heard Edward chuckling.

"Are you feeling okay, Autumn?" The twinkle in his eyes told me he had heard Jacob and knew why I was currently hiding out in the kitchen.

"I don't want to hear it, Cullen." I pointed at him and did my best to look stern. The smile on his face grew and I couldn't help but grin back. "Okay, fine. You heard, I'm guessing."

"I didn't have to... but I promised, I wouldn't speak about your wish." Edward reassured me, leaning against the counter. "So, if he's suggesting anything, chances are he's been thinking about it too. And that's all I'm going to say... Alice is on her way to find you."

"More presents?" I guessed.

"Oh yeah."

As soon as the words left his mouth, Alice appeared next to him. She grinned brightly, almost like a cat who really did eat the canary.

"Just one, and it will have to wait until later." She shot Edward a warning look. "I was actually coming to find both of you. It's time to go set up the camp. But you are needed in the living room first, Autumn. There's something you need to do."

She looked pointedly at my right hand, where my rings were snug on my ring finger. Anxiety kicked in, sending my stomach into knots; grabbing the glass of water, I chugged half of it in an attempt to calm myself. Edward squeezed my shoulder gently, nodding as I took some deep breaths.

"Ready?"

"Is this a dumb idea?" I looked from him to Alice. "I mean, I know it was sort of implied before... but what if he changed his mind?"

"Oh, honey." Mom walked into the kitchen, a glass of wine in her hand. "I can tell you that he hasn't."

"But how do you know?" I asked weakly.

"Because I told her," Billy spoke from behind her, his eyes shining. "I had Sam have a talk with him this morning. But he doesn't know a thing, I promise."

"And you guys are okay with this?" I directed to Billy and Mom, who both nodded.

"We want you both to be happy. So, take a deep breath and go out there already." Mom said, giving me a hug before gently pushing me out of the kitchen.

Taking slow steps in hopes of slowing down my pounding heart, I carefully slid the rings off of my right hand, shifting them to the other. The foreign weight felt off-balanced for a few moments before I stretched out my fingers a few times, settling the rings against my skin. With one last deep breath, I made my way into the living room, stopping in my tracks when I noticed Jacob across the room talking to Sam and Emily.

They both smiled at me when I walked in, causing Jacob to turn around to face me. The smile that broke out across his face when his gaze met mine turned my heart into a puddle. Slowly and deliberately, I joined them, not once taking my eyes off of my boyfriend.

"It's time for us to go set up camp but first, I wanted to tell you something," I brushed the back of my left hand against his as I spoke, making sure the rings left a light scratch. It worked because his breath caught in his throat before he grabbed my hand without looking and brought it up as if he was going to kiss my hand.

"Does this mean what I think it does?" He whispered as his eyes shifted down to the sparkling gems and back to my face.

"I believe you are officially a promised man, Jacob Black." I whispered back.

"Can I?" Jacob gestured to the rings.

I nodded as he slid them off my hand and dropped to one knee. Gasps broke out as people noticed what was happening in the middle of the living room. I could hear Angela and Jessica squealing from somewhere off to the side, but I couldn't focus on anything but the man in front of me. His chocolate brown eyes held mine with an intense gaze of adoration, I thought I was going to pass out.

"Autumn Bernadette Watson, since the first day we met, I knew you were something special. I just didn't know how special you would end up being to me. I know that we're young and there's no rush, but I can't imagine a world where you weren't by my side, every day for the rest of my life. I promise that I will love you forever and protect you always. So, on your birthday, in front of our families and friends, I ask you this: will you marry me?"

"Yes, of course, I'll marry you," I half-laughed, half-cried as I used my right hand to wipe away tears and Jacob slid the rings back onto my ring finger before scooping me into his arms.

The room exploded into cheers of congratulations and my friends crying as they hugged each other. Jacob's lips found mine hungrily and I wrapped my arms tighter around his neck as he lifted me off the floor.

"Well, make that officially an engaged man," I whispered, scrunching my nose playfully.

"Mrs. Autumn Black," he murmured before kissing me again. "It has a nice ring to it."

"Yes, it does." I smiled, closing my eyes as he touched his forehead to mine.

"Congratulations, Leaf!" Chloe was the first one to hug me immediately after Jacob let go of me. "How does it feel knowing you're an engaged woman?"

"Ask me again in a few days," I replied, squeezing her back. As soon as she stopped hugging me, Angela and Jessica engulfed me in a squeal circle.

"Our best friend is getting married!" Jessica exclaimed, tears spilling out of her eyes. "I can't believe it! You're going to make us bridesmaids, right?"

"Jessica!" Angela scolded her. "Let her breathe! She just got engaged!"

"I know that." Jessica rolled her eyes. "But wedding planning is stressful! It'd be good for her to know who her bridesmaids are now!"

Angela waved goodbye to me as she pulled a bickering Jessica away so other people could congratulate us. As Leah and Jared hugged us and shuffled out of the way, I caught Bella's gaze; she was standing a few feet from us, her eyes searching my face for a sign that it was okay for her to approach. Nodding slightly, I glanced at Jacob as Bella rushed over, wrapping her arms around us both.

"I'm so happy for you guys." She said, pulling away after a few seconds. "Seriously, this is the best news."

"Thank you," I said a bit coolly, shuffling my weight from one foot to the other.

"I know you said you needed time," Bella turned to me. "And I'll give you all the time you need. I just wanted to tell you that you were right, and I shouldn't have tried to tell Jake what he can and can't do. I'm really sorry."

"I know," I squeezed her hand. "Just be patient a little longer, okay?"

She nodded before her eyes shifted over my shoulder.

"Edward's waiting for us, but Sam and Emily are waiting to talk to you."

With a small smile, Bella waved to Sam before weaving through the crowd to find Edward. Emily immediately pulled me into a hug as Sam high-fived Jacob.

"Congratulations, you two!" Emily gushed warmly. "Autumn, if you need any help with any of the wedding planning, let me know! Aunt Sue and I would love to do what we can!"

"Thanks, Em. That means a lot to me. And I know Mom is already planning a million ideas in her head." I laughed as I motioned to Mom in the corner with Esme, Alice, and Rosalie.

"Well then, I better go join the conversation." Emily beamed before hugging Jacob. "We'll talk later."

"Congratulations, bro!" Sam said to Jacob, throwing a wink my way. "Now let's hope you don't mess this up."

"Haha, you're funny." Jacob playfully shoved Sam's arm. "Nah, I'm not going to be stupid."

"You better not be." I stuck my tongue out at him. "I'm going to say bye to Mom and Billy. I'll meet you outside."

"Okay."

"Mom, we have to go." I nudged her arm as I joined her and the others. "I just wanted to say bye, and thank you for the amazing birthday."

"I'm glad you had a great day, Leaf." Mom hugged me tightly. "Please be careful out there."

"I will be, I promise. Jacob won't let anything happen to me."

"I know. I'm still your mom, I'm going to worry. Now go, they're waiting for you."

"I love you, Mom."

"I love you too, Leaf."

"Are you ready to go?" Edward asked me as I reached the front door. "Jacob and Bella are already outside."

"Let's go." I nodded, following Edward out the door.

"We'll meet back at the clearing," Edward said to Jacob, who was leaning against his car as he waited. "Then you'll take Bella and I'll take Autumn."

"Got it." Jacob gave him a thumbs up before opening the car door for me. "I'm looking forward to spending some time with my fiancée."

"That's going to take some time getting used to."

Jacob just grinned and shut the door, walking around to the driver's side. Firing up the engine, he carefully followed Edward out of the driveway and towards the clearing. As he drove, Jacob kept stealing sideway glances at me, trying not to be obvious.

"What's on your mind?" I asked with a smirk, turning in the seat to face him.

"Did you have a good day?"

"It's the best birthday I ever had."

"Did your wish come true?"

I grinned at how casual he was attempting to sound.

"Not exactly. But my birthday isn't over yet..."

"Noted." His mouth curled into a smile as he became lost in thought.

A few moments of silence passed between us before he spoke again.

"When are you going to forgive Bella?"

"Soon." I let out a deep sigh. "She's my best friend and everything, but it's okay for me to be mad at her for how she acted. She chose Edward in the end, she doesn't get to act on whatever feelings she has for you."

"You're right, you have every reason to feel angry. I just want you to be okay again." Jacob reached for my hand and gave it a squeeze. "Even if that means making up with your best friend."

"I know. I'll talk to her again after the newborns are dealt with. Speaking of, please be careful tomorrow. I don't want to lose my fiancé." I leaned across the seat and kissed his cheek as he slowed to a stop and shifted into "park" beside Edward's Volvo.

"I'll try my best. Promise."

"Good. I'll see you in a couple of hours. Try to hurry."

"I'll always hurry back to you." Jacob kissed me before Edward waved him over.

"Autumn and I will take the long way, but we'll get there before you. Be careful and watch out for ice. Alice said a storm was coming in, and the mountains are covered in snow the further you go up."

"Snow? In June?" I wrinkled my nose in confusion.

"It gets pretty cold here. Which is why we had Alice pack you and Bella warm clothes." Edward pointed to the small suitcases on the ground next to the car.

"That makes sense... sorry, I've just never seen a mountain in person, let alone camp on one." I shrugged. "This ought to be interesting."

"Well, let's get this show on the road." Jacob gestured to Bella. "We want to beat the storm."

"Right."

Bella lifted her arms up, allowing Jacob to scoop her in his arms like the other day. With a blink of an eye, they were gone. Edward turned to me, a grim expression on his face.

"May I?"

"Sure."

Tugging on my wrist, Edward expertly swung me onto his back, tucking his arms under my knees to ensure I wouldn't fall off.

"Close your eyes." He instructed. "In case you get motion sickness."

"Okay. Ready when you are."

Edward made sure I was comfortable before taking off into the woods, away from the trail Jacob and Bella were traveling. A wave of discomfort passed over me and I shut my eyes as tight as I could, resting my cheek against Edward's shoulder. A low chuckle filled my ears and I mentally flipped him off. After what felt like forever to me, Edward stopped running and placed me back on solid ground.

"How are you feeling?"

"I'll be better after I have some water."

"There are some bottles in the cooler," Edward said, pointing to the blue and white cooler on the ground by one of the tents. "Jacob and I started setting up yesterday. We were going to be higher up the mountain, but I thought maybe that wasn't such a good idea for you and Bella. You both get cold easily... although you wouldn't have much to worry about, Jacob is like a personal space heater."

"You're not lying." I laughed with him.

"I figured you guys didn't want to share a tent with us so that one over there is yours. Jacob tried to make it as comfy as possible for you. Well, he can show you when they arrive. I can vaguely pick up on his thoughts so they're getting close."

"Has it already been a couple of hours?" I asked incredulously.

"Yeah. It didn't seem like it for you because of the speed we were traveling at."

"Whoa. I knew you were fast, just not that fast."

Minutes later, Jacob and Bella broke from the tree line near our campsite. Edward's face flooded with relief as he gathered Bella into an embrace. He spoke to Jacob over Bella's head.

"Thank you."

Jacob nodded in response, then strode over to me and kissed me deeply. He missed me just as much as I missed him, I thought to myself. Even if it was only a couple of hours.

"Wait, you're staying too?" Bella asked, eyeing the distance between the two tents.

"Yeah," Jacob replied. "Seth will spell me in the morning. He's not happy about missing the action, but it'll keep him out of trouble."

"Besides, we need to have a connection to the pack and my family, in case something happens between now and tomorrow," Edward added.

"That makes sense."

The wind began to pick up slightly, sending a cold breeze against our skin. Bella shivered from the contact.

"Let's get you inside." Edward ushered her towards their tent, throwing a knowing smile over his shoulder at us. "Stay warm."

Once the sound of the zipper ceased, Jacob led me to our tent, his body nervously shaking. He stopped right outside the flap, his eyes glued to my face.

"You can tell me if you don't like it," he mumbled. "I just wanted to make this as comfortable and nice for you, under the circumstances."

"Jacob," I interrupted. "Shut up and show me the inside."

Unzipping the flap, Jacob held it back so I could step through. I stared at the sight as Jacob zipped the tent back up, watching me cautiously for my reaction. There was enough room in the tent to fit a full-size bed on the floor; instead, there was a twin-size mattress set up in the corner. Next to the bed were two coolers; one held bottled water and the other was full of snacks and sandwiches. In the corner next to the flap was a small generator and space heater, powering a string of white twinkling lights that were attached to the top of the tent with pink duct tape.

"I know that you always leave your lights on when you sleep, so I thought maybe it would help you..." Jacob's voice trailed off as I wrapped my arms around his waist.

"It's perfect, Jake. Thank you."

Jacob grinned before squatting down to mess with the settings on the space heater. Taking in the tent and the effort Jacob went to in order to make sure I was comfortable for the night made my heart swell. With his back still to me, Jacob didn't see me move towards the bed as I began pulling out bobby pins that were holding together the messy bun Rosalie styled earlier.

"Jacob," I called out softly, my voice cracking slightly. I waited until he looked at me before I reached up and untied the ribbons around my neck.

The dress slipped off of me, dropping to the ground. Jacob's eyes darkened as he watched me stand in front of him in my underwear and heels. Licking my lips, I tilted my head to the side as I eyed him.

"You know... it's still my birthday."

"Yeah?" Jacob stood up and slowly walked toward me.

"Mhm. And my wish hasn't come true yet."

"Is that so?" His hands snaked their way around my waist.

"I really want it to come true."

"Are you sure, Leaf?" Jacob stared at me, his eyes searching mine.

"100%."

Immediately tugging his shirt off, Jacob lifted me up and wrapped my legs around his waist as he kissed me. My fingers slid into his hair, pulling him closer to me as he carefully lowered us to the bed. The wind shifted outside the tent, picking up pace as the rest of our clothes disappeared and we slipped further under the fuzzy blankets.

Gently biting on my neck, Jacob made his way down my body, his hips rocking against mine; our breaths mingling together as our heartbeats pounded in rhythm. As the first wave of pleasure crashed over us, I didn't realize the wind was howling violently in sync with our cries, the air charged with a magic neither of us could've placed, even if we had been paying attention.