A/N: So I know it's been a while. And this chapter is shorter then the others, too. I suck, I suck haha. But, I do think this chapter is important. It shows how different people interact with Taylor, and I think later that will be important. I also intent to have another chapter up by the end of the week, and then I'm trying to start posting one every Sunday. So I want to start of saying I don't hate Leah, and hopefully that comes across in this chapter. As a special notice to having to wait so long, next chapter will have Charles in it. I tried not to give away how Taylor and he will interact in this chapter. I have great things planned.

I also want to add I am incredibly touched by reviews and followers! You guys inspire me so much! Thank you thank you thank you! These next two chapters are for you guys!

Samuel had hoped that perhaps Taylor would be a force to break through the ice that was Leah's emotions and warmth. He had looked at the small child and couldn't imagine how anyone could not want to smother the little girl with love and affection, and so he had never thought about how Leah might be an exception. He'd been mistaken. Leah had taken to the little girl like oil took to water, and while she had been smart enough to not talk badly about his daughter, her non-vocals were quiet clear on how she felt about Taylor. The first time they had met, Leah had made a face and completely ignored Taylor. Always one to be the center of attention, Taylor had attempted to engage Leah in conversation, to engage Leah in her games, and the entire time Leah had ignored her. She'd defended herself, saying she didn't understand the imperfect two year old speak when they'd met. Taylor couldn't understand why she would act that way, and since their first meeting neither of them got along very well.

It was Taylor's third birthday, and Samuel was having a small party to make up for the ones he'd missed. A cake had been made, balloons had been blown up, and they were going to grill out. Sam had left it open for anyone in the pack, as things normally went, and encourages others to come, too. He hadn't gotten a chance to socialize Taylor much in the time he'd had her, and knew that it would be important for her to have friends her age. Everything had gone off exception well, even with Leah making scowling faces the entire time. Taylor was a child all of her own, though, and despite the mountain of presents she had acquired, the three year old was mostly interested in a single green balloon that was left. In one hand she held it tightly, while the other carefully clutched her worn out Rusty. Bran had convinced, or ordered depending on how it was looked at, Leah to walk with Taylor while he, Sam, and Charles gathered the things and put them away. In theory, the idea was to get Leah to open up and be more accepting of Taylor. Easily any of the other three could have watched her, but it was the most single interaction Leah could have with Taylor without Samuel being uncomfortable. As it was he didn't like the idea, but he was close enough he could tolerate it. He put his faith in his father and hoped he knew the positive sides of his mate that no one else seemed to be able to get out of her.

Leah watched the newly turned three year old walking on the wooden parking spacers with feigned disinterest. She watched the way she clutched her stuff dog in one hand, and the string to her balloon in the other, both equally tight. It wasn't the Leah didn't like children, quite the opposite she did. It wasn't that she didn't like Taylor, in truth she didn't care one way or another for the girl herself. It was what she stood for. Taylor was a constant reminder of what Leah would never be able to have, not of her own anyway. Having children hadn't been the forefront of her mind when she was first turned into a wolf. Surviving had been the first thing, but time went on and she began to realize that children would never been an option for her. Not as a female, anyways. Perhaps if she had been a male there would be a chance that she could have a child of her own, but as a female wolf no child would survive when she would have to change. It was a well-known fact, and one she hadn't made peace with. She'd thought the problems would be gone when Mercedes had left them. Samuel had always wanted children, it was no secret to the pack. Mercedes, being a coyote, ran an increased likelihood of children surviving. If Samuel had children than it would be a constant in her face reminder of what she could not have, as Samuel was the son of Bran and Bran was her mate. So when Mercedes had left the pack and Samuel had run off, Leah thought the risk of being forced to have that ever present reminder in her life was gone. Apparently not, as Sam had eventually shown up with a toddler and she was forced to remember her inability to reproduce herself. It was Hell for her, as Taylor truly had the men in her life wrapped around her fingers. It was hard to go through a day, it seemed, that someone didn't mention the little girl. Taylor did this, or Taylor did that. When she had first met the child she had expected something extraordinary, and instead only saw something typical for a child of that age. Nothing for the amount of talk she had generated, surely.

As she had never had children herself, she often struggled to understand why she had felt as though she had to fight in attentions for Bran whenever she was around. It was a strange thought, but Leah honestly felt jealous of a now three year old. Bran had laughed when she'd hinted around it, explaining that it was something that couldn't be explained. That hadn't set well with Leah, either. Overall it seemed the child was just no good in her life, and so she tried to avoid interacting with it at all. The wolf inside of her was content, so long as no ill was done to her. She was, after all, still very much pack. It suited Leah fine, as she didn't wish ill to Taylor, either. She just didn't understand or like the girl much.

Leah watched as Taylor wobbled on the wooden block she was standing, her balance teetering. In her weeble-wobble dance, Leah realized she was going to fall. She reached out on instinct, grabbing Taylor before she could hit the ragged rocks beneath her and scooping her up. In the process she completely missed the green balloon fly up past her and far into the sky. Taylor, on the other hand, did not. Uninterested in the fact she had just been saved from scratches, she watched and balloon soar away from reach, throwing her hand up as if to try and catch it. When she realized that wouldn't work, the sniffling started, followed by tears falling down her cheeks. The actual noises began next, and Leah held Taylor awkwardly, her own face screwing up in confusion at what the tears were about. Sam was beside them in a moment, taking Taylor from Leah and trying to console the girl, shooting a glare at Leah and asking what she had done. Bran and Charles appeared next, and Leah just stared at the scene in confusion. She didn't understand why Taylor was crying, she'd saved her from falling onto the sharp rocks. If anything she should be thanking her, not doing things to make Samuel hate her more. It was then that they all caught it.

"B-b-balloon went away." Taylor clung to Samuel, hiding her face in his shoulder and crying harder. Sam's face lost the tension as he glanced up at the sky, realizing that she was crying not because she was hurt, but because she was upset she lost her balloon. He let out a sigh of relief, before realizing he most likely owed Leah an apology for assuming she had done something. That in itself was a challenge. "I fell and b-b-balloon flew too high."

Sam consoled the crying Taylor, promising her an extra slice of cake that quickly quieted the girl as a she nodded. Sam cast an uneasy look at Leah, who was still seeming unsure of what was going on. Bran looked entirely too amused, and he couldn't read Charles's expression. "I apologize for thinking you did something."

Leah huffed, crossing her arms and looking the other direction. She didn't dignify his words with a response, and neither of them truly expected her to. They were both just as well to forget the incident entirely. One thing was for certain, Leah truly didn't understand children.