Disclaimer: The characters you recognize from the Twilight Saga belong to S. Meyer, all the other characters belong to the very talented writer yay4shanghai. You can find her fabulous stories, as well as all the amazing spin-offs written by ari11990, dll10, Guzhong, intiMACYx33, liljenrocks and TwilightHeart21, in my favorite list, so go check them out!

AN: After what seems like forever, I finally finished another chapter. Thanks for bearing with me! It's almost summer break, during which I've got no classes whatsoever, hopefully I'll be able to finish this story then.

Thanks to my beta yay4shanghai for her infinite patience, you deserve better when it comes to a spin-off in your fabulous universe!

A time for everything

POV: Tara

Through societies eyes, and by society I mean the judgmental people living in La Push, we were most often looked at as weird. Imprints formed sometimes unexpected connections, and the mystical bond between pack and ex-pack members were the center of our humongous family in which the girls and me had been completely absorbed. It was partly due the fact that the outside world just didn't understand the ties that bound us together, that made us a closer unit. That was exactly why the pain of Devlin's loss ricocheted so hard through our tight knit group, affecting each and every one's life.

Every time I saw the intense sorrow in Anna's eyes, the hurt crept into my very soul. I remembered the sparkle in her eyes the first time I'd met her, the fierceness with which she looked after her own. It was during that time of grieving and sadness, that I felt so useless and helpless, desperate to find words to make all that hurt go away. The problem was that those words simply didn't exist.

As days transformed into weeks, weeks melted into months, somehow the pain dulled. Though it was inconceivable to think that we could ever forget, it was like the sharp blade cutting through whenever we thought of him, had become blunt, and was no longer able to pierce the surface. Though I didn't mind our wedding being postponed, it was hard for me to watch our girls being scared to live and have fun, the faintest sound of laughter would be immediately smothered by their own hands clasping over their mouths.

With a deep sigh I looked at the thick curtains of our bedroom window, yet another day was here, yet another day I was too tired to start, but had arrived nonetheless. Phil's arm snuck around me, pulling me back to him, placing soft, warm kisses at the base of my neck. Though being in bed with him felt like being wrapped in a 200 degrees hot blanket, his lips on my skin made goose bumps rise on my skin. His hand moved from my thigh to my belly, slowly creeping upwards, each inch he traveled made my heart beat faster.

Just like that, my mind was empty. All thoughts and worries forgotten, when he gently rubbed my nipple, and his lips enclosed my earlobe. With the simplest of touches he could set my body on fire, only because it was him that was doing the touching. Very slowly his hands roamed my body, while his mouth followed the sweet trail, teasing me, torturing me. Unfamiliar noises came out of my mouth, as I let go, giving in to the pleasure.

Completely relaxed I lay in his arms, feeling sweaty but very very satisfied, I drew lazy circles on his chest.

"What were you thinking about so hard?" Phil asked softly.

"Hmm, lots of things, but nothing for you to worry about," something felt off, but I couldn't put my finger on what it was exactly.

"You know you can tell me anything right?"

"Of course honey, but there simply isn't anything too tell," though the only reason that was true, was simply because I didn't know what it was.

Phil looked at me doubtfully, "ok then, tell me when you're ready."

Eventually it was Kim who thought there had been enough time to grieve, and discussed with us the possibility of throwing us an engagement party. According to her it would be a good occasion to celebrate.

I still had doubts, suddenly I felt like an outsider, very aware of being one of the newest members of the imprint club. What would the others think, would they agree with Kim and think it was time to move on and stop living in sadness, or would they think it completely inappropriate for us to throw a party at such a delicate time. Phil was perfectly aware of my hesitation, and didn't want to pressure me into taking a decision, leaving it up to me.

"What do you think?" I sat fidgeting at the Ateara's kitchen table, stirring my almost cold coffee, I didn't feel like drinking.

"It's not for me to decide Tara," Claire said carefully.

"Ugh, it's so difficult! I don't want to push them into something they're not ready for!" Frustrated with myself I got up and started walking back and forth.

"Who is it that you don't want to push exactly?" Claire asked perceptively, she had zeroed in on my main struggling point without effort.

"Anna. She's lost a son Claire, I don't know if she's over that. What if something like this is extremely painful for her, as if I do not care about Devlin's death."

"Of course she's not over it, I don't think she will ever be completely over the loss of her child, how could someone be? But that doesn't mean she doesn't understand life goes on, as painful as it might be, we can't keep standing still. She's strong, Anna, and we have to be there to help her see that there's still plenty to live for."

Claire's words seemed so simple, so logical, not simply said to make me feel better, but because it was the truth. Her honesty had helped me to make the decision to go through with the party, and with it, the wedding plans were carefully put back on track.

"Hmm, you smell so good," Phil buried his nose in my hair and inhaled deeply.

"Aw, that's sweet," I smiled at the way he was looking at me.

"No really, that's weird," an awkward expression took form on his face.

"Me smelling good is weird? Well thanks a lot!" I laughed at his usual clumsiness letting me know what he was thinking.

"No, of course not! It's just that- Well- Wait here, I need a second opinion," and he was gone, leaving the front door open behind him.

What the hell was that all about? I stood there, staring at the door, wondering what had just happened when Chloe and Ava came stumbling down the stairs.

"Mom? What are you doing?" Chloe looked at me weirdly, while Ave came standing next to me looking out the front door to see what I was staring at.

"Huh? Oh nothing, Phil is acting weird again, I wonder what he's up to now." Shrugging my shoulders I walked into the kitchen, the girls at my heels looking for a snack no doubt. Barely there I heard voices coming from the hallway.

"I'm right, right?" Phil's eager asked.

"Calm down man! Give me a moment," Quil was walking circles around me, sniffing with his nose high up in the air.

"Well?" Phil looked at Quil anxiously.

"I don't know, you're asking the wrong guy here!"

"Oh come on! You gotta know! You've got three remember?"

"I haven't phased in a very long time Phil, I'm telling you, you should've asked someone else," Quil stated again.

"Just try! Focus!"

A moment later they were both inhaling the air around me without offering so much as a single word of explanation.

"It's gotta be, I'm sure," Phil mumbled.

"If you're so sure, why are you asking me then?" Quil scoffed.

"I need to be sure sure, you know? Really sure," Phil looked at me again.

"Ok. Time out! One of you needs to tell me immediately, what the hell you guys are doing?" They looked at me confused. "Other than the obvious, smelling you answer please!"

"How are you feeling Tara?" Quil suddenly asked, both of them completely ignoring my demand.

"Yes, that's a good one. Why didn't I think of that? How are you feeling Tara?" Phil joined in.

"Good, a bit tired. Why are you asking me that instead of answering me?" I replied irritated.

"HAH! Tired! See, see, I told you I was right!" Phil yelled in an eureka I found the cure for cancer kind of way.

"Yes, because naturally being tired can come from nothing else. I'd go for a more scientific approach," Quil said sarcastically.

"Ok, that's it, we're done! Quil, go home to your wife before I call Claire to tell her you're being difficult." Not having to say that twice, Quil said goodbye and disappeared back out the door again.

"Now Phil, tell me slowly and clearly what you two have been going on about this entire time? I do not care for being sniffed at by two derailed wolfs!" At first it had been a bit funny, now it was just weird, and I needed to know exactly what he had been doing.

POV: Phil

For weeks now I'd smelled it. Tara's scent but somehow different, stronger, as if it had been mixed with something else. At first I thought it had been a new perfume or lotion or some other product of hers, but it was clearer when she had just taken a shower, or gotten out of bed. Also, it had gotten stronger over the last couple of weeks. Yet it wasn't until this morning that the idea popped into my head. She was pregnant.

Or at least, I thought she was. Because how could I be sure, I was in unknown territory here, I didn't know how a pregnant woman smelled! Though it was similar to what other wolves had experienced when their imprints were carrying their babies, I had sought the help of Quil. There were two reasons, first one was that he had a bunch of children of his own, second, the Ateara's lived very nearby. It had been completely useless of course, his sense of smell wasn't what it used to be when he was a wolf.

"Tara," I started, when I looked at Chloe and Ava who had been watching everything with great interest. "Maybe this should be a private conversation?" I nodded my head towards the girls.

"Ow man! It was just getting interesting!" Chloe let out offended, she had a flair for drama, and loved it when stuff like this happened and we forgot she was there. Sighing and stomping loudly as a sign of protest, they went upstairs again.

"No more stalling Phil," Tara looked at me straight.

"Ok, well I was wondering…"

"Yes, you were wondering?" She asked when I didn't continue.

"Well, are you- Could you be- Is it possible- Could you be pregnant?"

"What? No. I don't know," she started counting in her head, before her eyes grew wide.

"What?" I grabbed her arms, as if I was trying to make her spill the answer.

"I'm late, like really late. How could I not have noticed?" She plopped down on a kitchen chair, clearly in shock.

Then a weird feeling spread throughout my body, it started high in my chest, and made its way to my limbs until my fingers and toes were tingling. Until now it had all been a theoretical situation in my mind, now that it suddenly became real, it felt very different. Even though I had told her I wanted more children with her, and had meant it, I didn't know if I had meant for it to happen so soon. Though now that it was, it was a good thing… right. Then images of a round bellied Tara came popping into my brain, followed by her with a dark skinned, round faced baby in her arms. I felt a huge smile form on my face, of course it was a good thing, it was great.

Suddenly overcome with joy I lifted her up in my arms and spun her around telling her how much I loved her. It wasn't until she screamed my name that I realized she might get nauseous because I was being too rough with her.

Immediately I stopped turning and looked at her. "Oh shit, I'm sorry. Are you ok, do you need to sit down?"

She laughed loudly, "and there it is. For a moment I thought you would be able to enjoy this without getting all worried and overprotective, I should've known better."

A quick run to the drugstore confirmed what we had already known, a doctor's visit told us that she was almost two months along. I never knew that they measured the baby to determine the date of conception, but the mere 0.8 inches it was told us she was in her 8th week. A tiny peanut with a superfast heartbeat, that's what it looked like to me, but that was my son or daughter.

It was a bit early to start spreading the news, but we decided to tell Chloe and Ava right away. Of course it was a bit naive of us to think that we could actually keep it a secret within our family, a few days later at the engagement party more people than we had planned to tell knew.

Though Tara had doubts about the party, and that there were a few emotional moments, it was a good thing we went through with it. As a family we needed some sort of closure, to be able to go on with our lives without feeling guilty about laughing or having fun. The newest member of the Uley-Varn family, Elijah, was welcomed into the group. A cute boy, with huge glasses, who was almost completely deaf, he immediately caught Ava's attention. Her need to care had been a part of her when she was very little, but as she grew older it became a bigger part of who she was. It would be no surprise to me, if the two of them would get along just fine within no time.

Never would I have pictured myself as the proud daddy type, or even a dad at all, yet I had become one. I loved telling people I would be a dad in about seven months. But when I told Tara that, she smiled and told me I had been one ever since I had welcomed Chloe and Ava into my life.

"Just a sec Ava, I'll be right back," I got up from the floor and walked towards the front door.

Ava had asked me to teach her sign language. She knew some, but she wanted to be better at it. Of course she was doing it to be able to talk to Eli, more than the short basic conversations she'd had with him so far, she wanted to be his friend. Almost every afternoon we practiced on the thick carpet in the living room, which was what we had been doing, until Tara came home from her dance lessons, looking like a ghost.

"Tara, are you feeling alright, you look tired," I commented carefully while lifting her chin up to look at me.

"I'm fine Phil, I'm not gonna stop teaching just because I'm pregnant," she said irritated.

"I'm not asking you to quit teaching, but maybe you should lie down for a while afterwards, you do need to rest."

"Ugh, your overreacting as usual!" With a deep sigh she sat down on the couch and grabbed the remote.

Unsure of what to do now, I went back to Ava to continue her lesson, while Tara was flipping through the channels until she settled on an afternoon talk show. She had refused to adjust her day to day activities, even though we could all see she was exhausted. Especially now that the last details of the wedding were added to it, she was clearly in need of some extra hours of sleep.

"Phil, mom's asleep," Ava signed a few minutes later.

Looking back at Tara, her head tilted to the side, eyes closed, I saw that she had indeed dozed off in front of the television. Smiling I looked back at Ava, who looked at me proudly, she was a fast learner.

"That's enough for today," I signed to Ava so that I could bring Tara to our bedroom.

When I lifted her up into my arms, she stirred and opened her eyes for a moment. "What are you doing?" She mumbled.

"Nothing, just go back to sleep," my lips touched her hair and she laid her head on my shoulder.

After that, she didn't make a big deal out of it, and made sure she got an hour or two extra sleep when the girls were at school. It was during those hours I started thinking about retirement from the pack, within a few months our child would be born, and she would be turning thirty this May. That I hadn't thought of it before surprised me, maybe it was due to the fact that Tara looked nowhere near thirty that the idea hadn't entered my mind before, but it definitely was now.

Around the time that she usually woke up, I crawled into bed with her. With my hand on her belly that would start to grow soon, I waited until she was awake, to tell her I would officially retire from the pack.

"Are you sure?" She asked surprised.

"Of course I am. Besides, there are plenty of active wolves in the pack to protect us, they don't need me."

"That's not what I mean, and you know it. Retirement isn't easy, are you sure you wanna give it up?"

"It's not a decision I have taken lightly Tara, I've been thinking about it for a while now. I love you and I wanna grow old with you, I wanna spend time with our baby instead of patrolling for stray vampires."

"Oh Phil, I love you too," she whispered. "It's a good thing I just took a nap," she said before pulling my lips to hers.