Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight. Never have, never will. It belongs to Stephenie Meyer.

Where I Belong

I was just putting the finishing touches on my make-up when the doorbell rang. I glanced at the clock. Perfect timing as usual.

I quickly made my way to the front door, almost tripping over Holly in her haste to get there first, and greet her Daddy. Skander was hot on her heels.

"Daddy!" Holly squealed, as she pulled the door open and leaping into Embry's arms. My breath caught as I met his eyes. I hated and loved that he still had the same effect on me, even after all these years. That he could still make me flush like a teenage girl and make my heart stop in my chest, while the twist of desire knotted in my stomach.

"Hey Princess," he laughed, kissing her on the cheek as he scooped Skander up into his other arm, "And how's my little champ?" He asked.

"I lost a tooth!" Skander said proudly, showing him.

"And did the tooth fairy come?" Embry asked with all seriousness.

"Yes." Skander said proudly, "I got a whole five dollars!" he held his hand outspread, to emphasise how much he had received from the tooth fairy.

"What?" Embry said, sounding aghast, "Five dollars? When I lost my teeth the tooth fairy only gave me fifty cents!"

"That's inflation for you," I said, trying not to get affected by how well he dealt with his children, with our children, "Hi Embry."

"Hey Daisy," he said softly, looking at me with love still apparent in his eyes.

"Kids, why don't you get your things while I have a word with Daddy?" I said, prising Holly off him, and putting her on the ground, "You know, the quicker you get them, the longer you can have with Daddy." They both ran off quickly, giggling and squealing in excitement.

"Five dollars?" Embry asked, with a raised eyebrow.

"You'd have given him more." I pointed dryly. He doted on those kids, and felt that nothing was too good for them.

"Probably," he agreed, flashing me a million dollar smile, before he got serious again, "How're you doing?"

"Better now that they're both sleeping through the night, and Skander has gotten over his little bed-wetting problem. Whatever you told him seems to have done the trick. They still get up ridiculously early though. This morning they were both bouncing on my bed at 6.00am. I don't think they've quite grasped the idea of a lie-in."

Embry smiled, "You know, it would help if there was someone to help you with it."

I sighed, "Don't go into this again Embry. I can't handle it right now."

"I disagree. We need to talk about this Daisy. It's been over eight years."

I rubbed my face in stress, "Fine. Tonight once we've put the kids to bed. We don't have time now." I was right. That very second Holly came barrelling down the stairs, her little pink rucksack firmly on her back.

"Skander? You ready honey?" I called up the stairs, wondering why he wasn't right next to his sister.

"Coming," he called back in a tremulous voice.

"Uh oh," Embry said, "That doesn't sound good. Want me to go and talk to him?"

"Nah, I'll go and see what's up. You look after Holly."

He nodded in acquiescence as I went upstairs to the twin's shared room.

"What's up buddy?" I asked when I found Skander sitting on his bed, with a very worried expression on his face.

"What if Daddy doesn't like me anymore?" He said.

"Now, why would you think that? Daddy loves you with all his heart. You know that."

"B-but what if he doesn't?" He looked at me with worry etched in every line of his face.

"What's brought this on baby? Why are you so worried?"

"Because Jenny at school's Daddy said he didn't like her anymore then left. Daddy leaves all the time so what if he doesn't like me anymore?"

"He will always love you. You know that he leaves because we live in a different place to him, and so he doesn't leave because he wants to. He leaves because he has to. Also, he isn't Jenny's Daddy, is he? He's yours and so he's very different. He would never say anything like that to you, or to Holly, or even to me. Daddy loves you very very much."

"OK," Skander said, looking very much relieved.

"Now, do you want to go to the zoo or not?"

"Yes!" He said indignantly.

"Well then, you'd better hurry up. I think I can hear the car starting!"

"No!" Skander squealed in worry, and leaping off the bed, he ran downstairs, clutching his little blue rucksack and crying, "Daddy! Don't leave without me!"

I laughed at his fear, and followed, picking up the picnic basket on the way out of the door.

The day was long, and I couldn't wait to just get into bed myself, but I still had to talk to Embry. He had been giving me charged looks all day, and I almost couldn't cope with all the emotions that kept washing through me. I had to keep reminding myself that I was doing this for the kids, and it was the only thing that kept me going.

I was curled up on the sofa, with a coffee in hand when Embry joined me after reading their bedtime story.

"How'd it go?" I asked softly.

"Out like lights," he replied, "I think the day wore them out as much as it did us."

"Unlikely," I snorted, "They'll still be up at the crack of dawn tomorrow morning."

"Probably," he smiled.

"Will you be here for their birthday party in two weeks time?" I asked.

"Wouldn't miss it for the world." He smiled.

"Good. By the way, the theme is Cowboys and Indians. Holly wants to be Princess Tiger Lily, but Skander prefers Toy Story. This was the only way I could placate them."

"It's appropriate, given their heritage. Do I have to dress up too?"

"Of course," I smirked, "I wouldn't miss the opportunity to make you look ridiculous."

"Hey!" He laughed, "What are you going as anyway?"

"You'll have to wait and see." I smirked again.

"You're such a child."

"What can I say? They keep me young."

"Anyway," Embry said, becoming serious, "As much as I'm enjoying it, I'm not here to exchange flirty banter with you."

"No, you're not." I said softly.

"Can I ask you a question first?"

"Go ahead."

"Why did you leave, all those years ago? It was the biggest shock in the world to wake up and find you gone. Why?" The pain in his voice was so apparent, so agonising.

I sighed, "I guess, it was talking about how you wanted to see your grandchildren running around that backyard, in fifty years time. I panicked. I was only passing through when you imprinted on me. I'm not a small town girl. I belong in the city, and there you were, planning my whole life out there. I couldn't stay. I had my whole life to live and I didn't want to be stuck there for the rest of it. Before I met you, I had planned to go to college, to see the world, to have a career, and lying in that bed it all just got too much for me. And I couldn't ask you to leave your friends, your family, your brothers and to give it all up for me. I loved you too much, still do, and I knew how much you loved being a wolf, and protecting the tribe. I couldn't take that away from you. I did what I do best, and ran away."

"You still love me?" Embry asked in a whisper, and I looked at his face, though I hadn't been able to throughout my entire speech, knowing the pain that would be there.

"Of course I do. You're my soul-mate. That's why I never filed for divorce. I couldn't break that one link I had left to you."

"I just hoped. You know, that you did still want me, but I couldn't bring myself to believe it was true. But why didn't you come back when you found out you were pregnant?"

"I'd already got a house and a job. I wanted to, believe me, but by then I'd restarted my life. All I knew was that I had to let you know, because you were such a family oriented person; you wouldn't want to be separated from your kids."

"I'm glad you told me. They are amazing people. And it meant that I got to see you more often. I still love you too, Daisy. More than anything."

"I love you, but it doesn't change anything now. You're still bound to the pack, and I'm still stuck here. It's funny. I was running away to be free, and yet because of Holly and Skander, I'm more trapped than ever."

"I'm not bound to the pack anymore, Daisy. I've stopped phasing." He said softly, as though he hadn't heard what I'd just said.

"What?" I said, aghast, "Why?"

"They don't need me anymore. There are all the newbies who need a chance of their own, and Jake and Quil aren't going to be stopping anytime soon. I'm unnecessary."

"But that means..." I trailed off, not daring to hope.

"That means that, if you want me to, I can move in here, and live with you and the kids. I don't have to live in La Push anymore. Obviously I'd sleep in the spare bedroom, bu-"

I cut him off as I jumped on him and began kissing him fiercely. He froze for a second in surprise, before kissing me back, just as passionately.

"I'll take that as a yes then?" he chuckled when we broke apart for breath.

"Yes," I breathed.

There was no more need for talking, as we moved unsteadily upstairs, not separating for a second until we hit the bedroom.

As I lay awake, later that night, with my husband, and the father of my children lying by my side, there was no longer any thought of running. I was finally where I belonged.

AN: So when I should have been doing work, this little baby hit me instead. Oops.

This is unbetaed, since my beta is drowning under work at the moment, and I didn't want to have to wait a month to get this out to you. So sorry for any mistakes or bad writing!

Any thoughts? Please tell me what you think!

Layla x