Who You Love takes place during the same timeframe as Almost Here, but focuses on the story of Jill and Eddie. You don't have to read Almost Here to understand or enjoy the story.

Chapter One

Nothing about Sydney surprised Jill anymore. The girl had transformed from model Alchemist to renegade. She had gone from cringing at the mere thought of a vampire to marrying a Moroi royal. So it shouldn't have fazed Jill when Sydney freaked out about the possibility of being pregnant. What most people would think of as the greatest event of their lives Sydney was treating like a death sentence. The girl's tendencies were always all over the map.

"I don't hear anything in there," Jill said as she leaned against the wall next to the bathroom door. She heard a thump, a groan, and finally the sound of Sydney taking the pregnancy test.

When the door opened a few minutes later Jill pulled a wobbly looking Sydney into a hug. She set the timer on her phone and they waited. She offered to look at the test for Sydney, but her friend wanted to do it herself.

Little blue plus sign.

Jill was filled with a lot of emotions as she looked at the test. Happiness for her friend mixed with a little bit of jealousy. No time in the near future would she be on the receiving end of this news. Jill sat with her for a while and only left when Sydney seemed to be feeling better…and googling childbirth like the academic nerd she was.

Jill promised not to tell anyone the news, but Eddie wasn't just anyone. The pair had a connection during their time in Palm Springs, but once Jill was allowed to return to Court after the Royal Bloodline law was changed he backed off completely. Jill was glad to be with her mother again (and no longer under the constant fear of being assassinated), but at least during the mission she and Eddie had a chance. Back here it was like he was afraid to even think about her. The four years she was away at college was basically filled with radio silence and then awkward small talk when she was home for breaks. And though she dated other guys over the years she always found herself comparing them to the one that got away. Much to her delight (and surprise) it seemed Eddie was struggling with the same issues because when she returned to Court after graduation he admitted he was in love with her…that he had always been in love with her and thus began their relationship.

Well…if you could call it a relationship. Eddie was still under the impression he wasn't worthy of Jill. And as much as she tried to tell him that wasn't the case he fought back just as hard. With Lissa at the helm the whole makeup of the Vampiritic world was on a new course, but Eddie was stubborn. It was getting to the point where Jill wasn't sure it was even worth it anymore…but the thought of not having him in her life was far worse so she stayed and kept hoping things would change.

Jill pulled a pin out of her apron pocket and held it between her lips as she tugged on the material of the bridesmaid dress she was pinning. The Conta family had commissioned her for their daughter's wedding, a very exciting (and big) undertaking. "And then she told me she was going to do research," she explained.

"Pocket, take that out of your mouth…you're going to swallow it," Eddie scolded, using his nickname for her (because she was always pulling everything under the sun out of her pockets while she worked in her studio). He was seated at one of her work tables.

Jill complied. "Better?" she asked him.

"Much," he replied. "Research? What does even mean?"

"It means Sydney is going to treat this baby like homework. I wanted to tell her she doesn't have to defend her dissertation in the delivery room, but she's not listening to reason," Jill chuckled.

"Seems like she's overthinking the whole thing," Eddie replied.

Jill bit her tongue to stop herself from saying something along the lines of 'takes one to know one'. "Just wait until Adrian's dad finds out," she said with a shake of her head. "He's going to lose it."

"Old habits die hard for most of the royals around here," Eddie said.

"Not all of them," Jill said, peeking up to look at him.

"So was Adrian happy about the news?" Eddie asked, effectively cutting off her attempt to start a dialogue at its head.

She inwardly sighed. "He doesn't know yet," she replied.

"I'm sure he'll be thrilled," Eddie said. He looked up at the clock on the wall. "My shift starts in twenty minutes."

"Will I see you tonight?" she asked him.

"Depends who's on duty at your door tonight," Eddie replied as he got up to his feet. He leaned down to give her a kiss good-bye and ducked out before she could protest any further.

xxx

After Jill ended her conversation with Ellen Conta (mother of the bride, Camille) she tossed her phone beside her on the bed and blinked her eyes closed. She just needed a moment to herself. Her head was buzzing. Not that that was anything new for her. Even though she could block Adrian without a second thought now his energy was always pulsing somewhere inside her head. That coupled with the news of the baby that she wasn't supposed to talk about…yeah, space inside her skull was pretty tight.

She needed to take a few breathes and not think about anything involving the Ivashkovs or weddings.

In…out…in…out. Hmm, this was not working.

Perhaps a distraction?

Jill was sitting up, resting on her elbows when the door to her room opened. When her eyes focused she was greeted with the sight of her boyfriend (at least behind closed doors boyfriend).

Hello, distraction.

"Are you meditating or something?" Eddie asked. He closed the door behind him and started to shrug out of his jacket.

"Or something," she responded. She scooted closer to the edge of her bed and jumped up to her feet so she could give him a hug.

"Careful I'm all wet…" he said as she exclaimed, "Ack! You're all wet!" Eddie laughed. "It's raining pretty hard out there," he explained.

Jill wiggled out of his embrace and flopped back onto her bed. Eddie kicked off his sneakers and joined her on the mattress. He shifted his arms and Jill tucked herself in against him.

"You know your pants are still wet," Jill teased. She smiled up at him.

He leaned in to kiss her forehead. "You know there are two guardians outside your door," he responded with a smile of his own.

Her lips pulled down and formed a pout. "This could easily be solved…" she started to say, but was interrupted by a knock on her door.

"Princess," Guardian Moore's voice said. "Your presence is requested in the Queen's office. Mrs. Conta has some things she'd like to discuss."

This message turned her pout into more of a scowl. "I just talked to her! This conversation is NOT over," she informed the guardian in her bed.

"Maybe my pants will be off when you get back and we won't have to talk," he teased her.

Jill let out a chuckle. She liked the playful side of Eddie (well…she really liked ALL of Eddie). ..she wished he'd show it more often. She leaned down to kiss his lips. "To be continued…"