Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight.

Keeping Warm: Prologue

"Happy Halloween!"

Megan squealed, running towards her good friend - and mother figure - Emily Uley, though Sam had been the one who bellowed upon opening the door to their home. Brady stood from the sofa, where he had just put on It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown for the fifteenth time. Noah, now four years old, was stuffing his face with candy corn cookies his mother made, while his two year old sister stuck to her pink pacifier.

"Happy Halloween, Emily," Megan replied, hugging Sam. The two couples took seats at the kitchen table, sitting across from each other with the food for the party on the table between them.

"How's married-with kids-life treating you?" Sam said, leaning against the chair lightly. Brady smirked at the question, giving a small glance to his wife who was speaking enthusiastically with Emily. It was obvious married life for Megan and Brady was perfect.

A knock at the door suddenly sounded, causing Megan to excuse herself from the table. She opened the large red door, smiling when she was met with the kind eyes of Adam Uley. He nodded at Megan, offering his hand in welcome. Of course, Megan rejected this and grabbed him in a great, big hug.

"Hello, Mrs. Calebs," the fifteen-year-old whispered, scratching the back of his head lightly. She welcomed him greatly, sweeping her hand across the room to invite him.

At the sound of a new voice in the room, Noah stood and began sprinting to see who it was. Gracelan saw her four-year-old brother leave and wanted to know what was happening. She pulled her two-year-old self up to waddle after her brother.

Adam suddenly paused, locking eyes with the little girl in the other room. Everything suddenly stopped as he lost his heart to the blue irises of the two-year-old in front of him.

She was beautiful, with thick brown curls that reached her chin and framed her chubby face. Her eyes were round, their bluish grey color making her look even less Quileute. Her skin was lightly dusted with a golden shimmer - peaches and cream in color, almost all signs of her heritage missing. Her red and white checkered dress, a white apron sewn on and a red hooded cape, gave Adam all the clues he needed to know what she was dressed up as. Little Red Riding Hood, he thought, how tragically ironic. She's little red riding hood and I'm the big bad wolf. Fucking great.

"Get the hell away from my daughter," Brady growled, catching the frightened boy's attention quickly. Adam opened his mouth, but no sound emanated from his parted lips. He kept glancing back at Gracelan, scared she might disappear unless he was watching her.

Brady growled at this action, running for the boy quickly. He was shaking harder that Megan had seen him shake in years. Sam quickly order Brady out of the house, as his yelling was frightening Gracie.

Adam immediately followed his father out, but he could not keep himself from glancing back to see a small, sobbing Gracie. Noah was hugging his sister tightly, trying to quiet her as Emily and Megan ushered the children back to the television.

"Did you imprint on my daughter?" Brady growled, pacing swiftly across the forest floor. His eyes were locked intently on the shaking teenager.

"Brady-"

"No!" Brady roared, snapping at his retired Alpha. "Did you fucking imprint on my daughter?"

Adam nodded solemnly. Brady roared, phasing in a split second. Adam sunk down onto his knees, hearing Gracie's sobs was taking a toll on his physicality now, not just wearing on him emotionally. He wanted to go to her, to hold her in his arms tightly in order to comfort her. He wanted nothing more than for her to be safe and to be happy.

Sam phased, stepping in front of his son protectively.

Don't even think about hurting my son.

I need to see in his mind! Tell him to phase! Now! Brady growled in response, digging his claws into the ground hoping to gain some self-control. Sam nudged Adam with his nose, nodding towards Brady in a commanding, yet affectionate way. Adam nodded back and then quickly stripped, phasing on the spot.

Show me.

Brady watched as Adam showed him what imprinting on his little angel, his little pride and joy, was like. He watched as Gracelan's blue-grey eyes changed Adam's world. He also saw the torment and fear in his eyes. He was barely fifteen. He didn't want to imprint this early - especially on a little girl of barely two. He was terrified at what this meant, along with only just having phased a few months back.

Adam phased back, just after Brady had, though he did not make a move from his spot. After a long moment, he reached for his clothing and slowly dressed himself. That was, until he heard Gracie let out another piercing cry.

Suddenly, he lurched forward into a sprint, not of his own accord. He burst through the doors, his eyes locking with Gracie's eyes quickly. The little girl suddenly stopped sobbing, but only sniffled every now and then with a whimper and a hiccup in between.

"Mrs. Calebs?" Adam asked quietly. "May I hold her?"

Megan smiled brightly, nodding at him and pulling Gracie's hands away from her leg. Gracie immediately waddled forward to meet Adam halfway.

He knelt down, taking her into his arms as she leapt for him. Her pacifier long gone, Gracie sighed, fisting his shirt in her hand. He sighed, content with her soft and even breaths.

"My Gracie," Adam whispered, combing through her short curls with his fingers. She gurgled a little, before cackling loudly smack her hands on his chest.

"We wish you a merry Christmas! We wish you a merry Christmas! We wish you a merry Christmas! And a happy new year!"

The crowd erupted in applause. Adam wolf-whistled before resuming his clapping for the children on stage. Noah sighed, slumping against the chair and rolling his eyes. His mother, Megan, thumped the back of his head rather quickly and he quickly straightened up. His friend Liam chuckled at him quickly, before his own mother knocked his head.

A squeal suddenly sounded as two little girls - about four - dressed as elves came running towards the group. Sarah Clearwater made it there first. The other girl was much smaller and much more shy, slowly followed, tripping over her own feet almost constantly.

Adam's hand quickly grasp her arm before she could fall to the ground. Gracie cried at the contact, but then looked up and smiled, throwing her arms up to him. He picked her up carefully and sat her on his shoulders. She squealed happily, brushing her chunky, short fingers through his thick, black hair.

"Adam!" She cried, smiling and bouncing on his shoulders. "Adam! Adam! Adam!"

He grinned brightly at her happiness. His father looked at him sadly, from two rows back. Emily looked at her husband strangely for a moment, before nudging him lightly. He lowered his eyes to her, sighing lightly.

"What?" Emily asked, still smiling but worried.

Sam sighed again, holding Emily's hand tightly. "He's just seventeen. No seventeen-year-old should have to deal with this. He should be concerned about cars and college, but he's too worried that Grace will trip and fall at preschool, or get a paper cut. Do you think he will actually be able to take on the responsibilities of being Alpha?"

Emily smiled at his worry. "I seem to remember a certain Alpha who also imprinted and seemed to do just fine. So, if Adam is anything like his father, he'll be just fine."

"Happy birthday to you! Happy birthday to you!" The chorus of mixed and matched voices sang loudly. Adeline belted loudly in her sweet and childish voice, as she loved parties. Nuca stood right beside her, happy to see the twelve-year-old having fun. Garrett smiled lightly, his scars stretching across his face. Lila stood right next to him, singing quietly with one arm around Garrett's waist and her other hand resting on his stomach. The twins, Archer and Antony, stood right next to Liz. Their younger sister, Elizabeth, was starting to cry because her long ringlets had gotten caught in something, yet again.

"Happy birth dear Adam! Happy birthday to you!"

Adam looked around the room, secretly wondering what more he could wish for. He saw John and Mack - his best friends - leaning against the doorframe in the back laughing at something his father had said to them. His mother smiled brightly at him, waiting to cut the cake. Noah stood with his parents, barely twelve, and yawned lightly. Liam stood next to him, laughing and pulling at the pacifier in Elizabeth's hair.

"Make a wish, Adam!" Gracie shouted, popping up beside him with a broad smile. Her curls were down today, a tangled mess that showed as a sign he hadn't been their this morning. He was the one who usually combed her hair. Looking at her smile, all he could think was What more could I wish for?

He blew out his candles with a hefty wish for God. Gracelan must always be safe. Everyone whooped and hollered, whistles so loud that Gracie cupped her small hands over her ears, a goofy smirk mixed with a grimace.

As soon as everyone began to have their cake distributed to them, Gracie jumped onto his lap. The A Team, as Archer and Antony had come to be called, quickly ran over to the pair and began to sing their own rendition of Happy Birthday.

"…You look like a monkey and you smell like one too!" They finished, laughing loudly. Gracie whined loudly, smacking her hands at the boys. Adam held her back, not wanting her to get into trouble.

"Adam does not look like a monkey!" Gracie cried angrily, slouching back against Adam, her tiny arms crossed and her hands bunched into fists. "Leave my Adam alone."

Fear and sadness seemed almost tangible in the warm heat of the car. Megan tugged at her scarf, turning in her seat up front to lock eyes with her daughter. Gracie was slumped down in her seat, as if she could disappear into the black leather. Her hair was messy, curls falling in her face constantly. She had dressed in a deep green pinafore dress, with a white dress underneath.

"Gracie," Megan whispered, looking at her daughter anxiously. "You're going to be fine."

Gracie furrowed her eyebrows, messing with her skirt lightly. "What if they don't like me?" She asked, hiccupping lightly. She'd been crying earlier, but all evidence of that was gone besides the hiccupping and the light redness around her blue-grey eyes.

"They'll love you," Adam said defensively. His tone softened as he looked at her wide and frightened eyes. "They've never met anyone like you before, Gracie. Besides, Sarah will be there."

Gracie's eyes brightened as she sniffed. "Sarah?"

Adam smiled, petting her hair lightly. "Mmhmm. And the twins. And tons of people for you to be friends with." Gracie smiled suddenly, sucking in a deep breath.

"Alright. I'm ready."

"Finally! It's summer!" Twelve-year-old Gracie screamed, running out of the halls of the elementary and middle school side of QTS. She spotted the beat up black 1970 Dodge Challenger sitting in the parking lot. The lean, muscled mass leaning against the car, arms crossed, smile at her and sent a small wink.

She smiled breathtakingly, before sprinting towards him - only to be stopped by a currently fast growing figure.

"Whoa there, kid," Liam said, catching Gracie before she could fall flat out on the concrete near the end of the overpass. "Watch out for pedestrians, speedster. Noah's looking for you. He was talking to the new Chem. teacher, of course."

Gracie rolled her eyes at this. Of course Noah was making friends with the new science teacher. He loved science; he lived and breathed it. And it showed. He was a freshman, taking classes like Chemistry. Ridiculous.

"Thanks Liam. Um, if you see him, tell him I'm hanging out with Adam today."

A groan came from behind her suddenly, before a deep voice whined, "But you hang out with Adam everyday!"

"Noah!" She screamed, grasping him tightly. Gracie loved her older brother more than life. He took care of her and protected her, and she idolized him for it. He had been the one who'd given her the nickname Gracie. Adam was the only one who called her Grace and Gracelan was reserved for reprimanding.

"Hey Gracie," he smiled brightly. "I think someone's waiting on you. It is movie night, after all."

She spared a quick glance to her right, seeing Adam still leaning against his car lazily. She waved at him, smiling broadly. He smiled back, winking as the sun glinted off his dark skin. His bright brown eyes.

"Go, and have fun. I'll hitch a ride with Liam and the twins."

Gracie stepped down from the curb, walking towards Adam briskly. She cupped her hands around her mouth when she reached his car and called back quickly, "Don't forget to pick up Elizabeth! Love you!"

As Adam watched the way Gracie smiled, leaning her head out of the window to wave as they picked up speed, he realized no matter what way his life lead him, he would never leave her side.

Ever.

A/N: I've miss you guys so much. But, I'm back! I promise. And can I get a whoop-whoop for Keeping Warm! This one is going to be much more upbeat and fast paced than Absorbing Heat!

So, check out the new and improved blogs:

For Keeping Warm, check out .com

For Absorbing Heat, check out .com

For my personal blog, check out .com

Love you guys so much!

Fish and Chips and Adam leaned up against a 1970s black Dodge Challenger, smirking and winking with a green deep-v and a dark leather jacket, a pair of Rayband covering his beautiful brown eyes.

Sorry, got carried away (fans herself)

-Alice!