The road is long. We carry on. . .

And we were back in the cycle.

Lee was back to ignoring me and now that I saw what she was capable of, I hid the pills when Carlisle refilled the prescription. He suggested we create a schedule for when she took them so now everyday I came home on my lunch break to watch her take them and hide them again like she was some fucking child.

He also suggested that it was time her cast came off too considering she'd already removed it herself and her arm was back to normal.

I wasn't sure if she was mad at me or not but I really didn't care. She scared the living daylights out of our daughter and that seemed more important then anything.

Today Baby Doll and Nessie were going back to school shopping and as much as I begged for Seth to go along, he passed. Nessie knew more about fashion and a bargain-they were on my money- than him anyway.

I couldn't help noticing that little fact when Nessie showed up to my house in a tight black and white pair of striped skinny jeans that matched perfectly with her red v-neck that seem to fit just well enough to grace the beginning bumps of breasts that her bra was holding.

Not that I was looking.

When they returned back from their little shopping spree, it felt as if my wallet was crying.

But anything for my baby.

"So how'd you guys do?" I asked when Baby Doll plopped onto my lap with Nessie behind her, numerous shopping bags in hand.

"Great. I got a whole bunch of new clothes and shoes."

"Any school stuff?"

"Like?"

I stared at her. "Pencils and paper?"

Nessie snickered as she handed the bags off to Baby Doll who hadn't answered my question. "I'm gonna go try them on for you, okay?"

"Okay."

She jumped off my lap and went upstairs.

"Hopefully you didn't buy out the whole mall," I joked when she was out of earshot.

She laughed. "No, but we were tempted to."

Our laughter died down and after a few moments we just stood there silently, making subtle glances at each other to avoid awkwardness.

I decided to say something. "So you and Seth, huh?"

Her cheeks were the brightest red I've ever seen on a person's face and her deep brown eyes seemed to smile along with her pink lips. My goodness, she was so beautiful. No way she was the same baby I had once held in my arms so many moons ago.

"Um, yeah. He's kinda my best friend."

I blinked at her. "Best friend?"

"He's just ugh, helped me through a lot."

"Oh," was all I could say. Even though it wasn't even his job to do so, I was happy-ish for them. Nessie was content and I guess that's all that really mattered cus a happy woman makes a happy home. But regardless of whatever she said, Seth was my best friend.

"Look, I'm sorry about what happened the other night. You shouldn't have had to um...see that," I apologized.

She shrugged a little then took a seat at the kitchen table. "It's fine. I've seen worse. Is she okay though?"

I took a seat adjacent to hers and sighed. "Yeah, she's okay."

She nodded and watched her twiddling fingers. I followed her eyes and watched them too for a while before noticing her v-neck was hanging a tad low, revealing the goosebumps surfacing across her collarbone and descending to her chest.

I tore my eyes away to look back at her face. "What do you mean you've seen worse?"

Before she could answer, Baby Doll came rushing in the kitchen wearing one of her new outfits. "Do I look pretty, Daddy?"

"Absolutely gorgeous."

Her attention was now to Nessie. "Nessie?"

"Beautiful. I'm so jealous."

Baby Doll clapped and announced she'd be right back.

Nessie followed her this time and I couldn't help thinking about what the hell went on before I came to their rescue the other night. What did Nessie mean by she's seen worse?


"I miss you."

Her bare back was facing me and she just lay there as if she hadn't heard me. I knew she was still awake but I continued anyway.

"I miss your smile. I miss your cooking. I miss your sarcasm. I miss your kisses. I miss your body."

The moon seemed to shift outside my window when I moved to put my arms around her. She tensed when my skin met hers but I only held her tighter. Her hair tickled my nose.

I missed this.

"I miss you calling me 'baby.'"

She tried to scoot away from me but I was resistant to let her go.

"Do you miss me, Leah?"

No answer, of course.

My arms tightened around her naked body, caressing everything from her hips to her scars and to her arms. Her skin was so cold for some reason. Why wasn't she 108.9 degrees?

She grunted uncomfortably as she finally found her way from out of my arms. She settled back into her spot but her hair was long enough to stay sprawled in my face.

She's still mad at me.

Rejected, I scooched away from her and turned, my back now facing hers.

I wasn't sure I had really slept but some hours later, her sudden screaming and clawing at the sheets is what awoke me. At first, I didn't know what was going on but she was shaking in her sleep.

"Leah? Lee, wake up! Leah!"

Her eyes opened and the first thing I noticed was the tears flooding over the edges, dripping onto her paling face. She stared at me for a few seconds then let go.

"It was just a dream," I soothed her and as if it were a reaction, she was suddenly in my arms, digging deep inside my chest. Our legs wrapped around the other's for safety and we found ourselves brushing each other's bodies for a sense of familiarity.

"Th-th-th-they're gonna kill me," she stuttered and dug her nails in my back.

"What?"

"They're gonna come back and they're gonna kill me."

I shook my head and brought her face from my chest. There always was this innocence that had been in her eyes and it seemed most presentable now as she blinked up at me in hope. I missed this intimacy.

Her tears continued and I didn't know whether to make another promise or not because I wasn't sure if I'd keep it. This was haunting her now. She was genuinely scared and it was all my fault. She was having nightmares now.

Her body continued to shake when I brought her face closer to mine.

"I know you're scared and I'm scared too. But just please listen to me, alright?"

"They tried to kill me. They're gonna come back and they're gonna finish what they started. They're gonna get Baby Doll, oh God Jacob, they're gonna take my Baby Doll-"

This was actually killing me. "No, Leah. They're not, whoever they are. Cus I won't let them."

Her face was back in my chest. "You said that the last time."

My sigh was out of hurt. "I know."

She continued her little chant all the while keeping her arms around me in fear.

"We're gonna get better. We'll be fine. Baby Doll's gonna be fine. I'm promising right now that if anybody tries to hurt you again-"

I thought hard.

"I'll fucking kill them. I swear to God I will fucking kill them. I promise. You have my word."

Leah's crying decreased with every word that I said. I couldn't deny the truth behind my threats because I met it this time. I didn't care who it was, I would kill them. I'd do that for my family.

There must've been a hint of doubt in my tone because she questioned me. "How do I know you'll keep that promise?"

"You're gonna have to trust me. Do you trust me?"

She didn't answer me. The last thing she did before calming herself back to sleep was blinking at me, sneering and rolling back onto her side of our bed.

"G'morning, Seth," were the first words out my mouth the next morning. I didn't bother speaking to Leah cus I knew she wouldn't say anything back so why waste my breath?

"Buenas dias, senior Black," he grumbled from the couch. He looked sleepier then usual with bags under his eyes from the constant early mornings to come here. In his lap lay a sleeping Nessie wearing what looked like one of his t-shirts and a pair of her own pajama shorts. She was wrapped in her own blanket, her head set lightly on Seth's lap.

"Tired?"

"Big time. How's Lee?"

I shrugged and my voice rang from the kitchen as I packed my lunch. "She's still asleep. She finally started taking those pills so she should be back to normal soon enough."

Well that's what I was hoping.

"Good. I hate seeing her like this. Chief Swan got any leads?"

"No," I started on Baby Doll's lunch. "No signs of DNA, fingerprints, nothing. Barely any evidence."

I heard Nessie shift on the couch. "We're working with a genius."

Seems that way, huh? "You know if Chief Swan can't find whoever did this, we will, right?" he suddenly asked me.

It took a while for that to set in. "Yeah."

"What time is it?" Nessie's tiny voice asked and followed with a yawn.

"Six o' clock. Go back to sleep," he answered.

I rounded the corner into the living room and watched how he caressed her face and hair as she slept. It was so peaceful how her beautiful pale skin glowed as the sunshine crept its way into the window behind her. Jesus, she was gorgeous. How the hell did Seth manage to land her?

Staring at them nauseated me so I said my goodbye and went off to work, wondering as to why I couldn't be happy for my best friend.

When Royce cut my shackles loose for a lunch break, I decided to take a trip.

"Well if it isn't Jacob Black, another son I have to worry about," Sue sang when I came through her front door and followed the scent of food into the kitchen when she always seemed to be.

"Hey Sue," I smiled and took a seat at the bar stool. I watched as she stirred something in a pot on the stove, the source of the delicious scent.

"Been a while since I've seen your friendly face. Can't visit me anymore?"

"Kinda have my hands full," I explained and she knew what I meant.

"Want some?" She asked referring to the mixture in the pot. It smelt of fresh tomatoes and vegetables, a big jump from the PB & J I make myself everyday.

"Yes!"I nearly exclaimed and she laughed as she got out two bowls from the cabinet.

"Yeah, you look like you could use a home-cooked meal considering my daughter doesn't cook for her family anymore."

I rolled my eyes. "Hhmph."

She poured us both some tomato soup in each bowl and handed me on with a spoon. God, this smelled amazing.

Sue watched me carefully slurp for a while before speaking. "So um...how is she?"

My eyes shot up to hers.

"She gotten out of bed yet?" she continued.

I scoffed at that statement as I remembered the incident from a few nights ago. I remembered crying when I should've been shaking some sense into her.

"Barely."

It was Sue's turn to roll her eyes. She swallowed a spoonful of soup before talking. "Selfish."

I didn't expect that to come out her mouth; I anticipated some sympathy but then again this was Sue Clearwater, woman of wisdom and sass.

"You know when Harry died, I thought I'd go right with him. But then I realized that life goes on. Yes, I loved him and still do but the past doesn't change. No matter how many times I prayed for him to come back to me, I knew he wouldn't."

I remember feeling that way.

Sue grinned at some memory. "I know what it's like to lose a child. She may have not been butchered from my womb but a random disappearance is just as painful. I eventually dusted my shoulders off and was there for my family. As badly as I wanted to, I didn't stay inside my room and cry. I knew Harry wouldn't that."

That's a good point. I slurped some more soup.

"I'm not saying what happened to her was right or that she shouldn't feel pain but it's mighty selfish of her to hide in her room and pretend like no one needs her."

Finally someone gets it. "I'm really trying, Sue." Lord knows I was.

"I know you are. You gonna try and knock her up again?"

Taken by surprise, I spit up a tad of my soup and burned my lip in the process. I had to remember that Sue never not spoke her mind.

She laughed at my reaction. "Well are you?"

I wiped my mouth with a napkin. "Well any sexual activity is not recommended in her condition but I guess so."

"You guess so?"

I shrugged knowing damn well the answer was yes. The minute her scars were healed and with a professional confirmation from Carlisle, I was going to fuck the living sense out of Leah everyday and night till some fertilization happened-regardless of whatever Carlisle said about her non-fertility.

But of course I wouldn't tell her mother that even though the want and need was written over my face. It was hard enough staring Sue in the face when some time ago, I had banged her daughter upside down and sideways in almost every room of this very house.

Checking the time, I realized I had to be home soon to give Leah her medicine then back to the garage.

"Sue, I gotta get going soon but before I go could I have some advice? I don't know what I'm doing wrong."

She thought to herself as she grabbed the bowl from in front of me to put in the sink. "Well if I were you, I'd probably just slap the shit out of her."

My eyes must've widened cus she looked at me confused. "What?"

"Sue, I'm not gonna-"

"Well, you asked for my advice."

"I know but I'd never put my hands on-"

She sneered, showing well where Leah got her face from. "Goodness, Jake. Save that inspirational and loving shit. I'm not saying beat her up and leave her with bruises but just slap some sense into her."

Never in my twenty five years would I ever think I'd hear a mother giving me permission to hit her daughter. Even with this permission, I still wouldn't do it.

"You scared?" she taunted me and began to wash the dishes.

"No, I'm just not that guy. I don't think it's right." No matter how pissed I got with Leah-or any female- I'd never result to violence. Sarah didn't bring me up that way.

"Hhmph. Alright then, Jacob. You know better then I about how to handle your relationship."

After giving her a kiss and leaving for home, I couldn't help hearing some sarcasm in her last statement.


My day to a swerve when I came home to find Seth and his "best friend" being cute all over my couch while my daughter played some video game. They were too young to even know what love is, especially Nessie who was still a fucking teenager. They should be miserable and agonizing like every other couple. Why did they deserve to be so happy when she was cheating on her boyfriend?

My growing hate for my job seemed to get more and more intense every second I was in this shop. Mainly because when I returned to the shop, sounds of passion and ecstasy were echoing throughout the garage coming from Royce's office. Majority of us were used to it.

Again, how is it fair that when Royce is horny he can have pussy at the snap of his fingers? Fucking on the job shouldn't be allowed considering nearly every man here would love a female companion with them while they worked. Didn't he know we were horny too?

Hell, I've been horny for weeks.

I was grateful to finally go back home because 1) Nessie had gone home and Seth's hormonal level was taken down a notch and 2) I could eat and go the fuck to sleep.

Whilst getting ready for bed, I noticed how cautious she was being by covering her naked body and giving me looks of disgust. I returned them and maybe even smiled at her a little, just to get a reaction. Usually, I wouldn't wanna purposely anger her but since the only movement she ever made lately was a blink, a little eye roll was like an indulgence.

"I wish you wouldn't look at me like that," I finally said as I turned the bathroom light out and lingered in the doorway just staying at her.

She laid down and ignored me.

"I've done nothing wrong."

Given the day I've had, I actually wanted to fight with her. I wanted her to scream and throw a fit cus she was so fucking beautiful when she was angry. I wanted her to hurt me with her words; gimme something I was used to so it felt like I wasn't sleeping with an enemy. Just a little fight to show she was still alive and she'd let me know that she was thinking instead of leaving me in a mystery. I didn't care if she screamed she hated me cus it'd be better than hearing nothing.

My body yearned for the excitement.

"Leah, tell me what's wrong."

Nothing.

My skin felt as if it was being pricked at. My form shook.

"Tell me what's on your mind and I'll leave you alone."

". . ."

I exhaled some steam. "We're not gonna get anywhere if you don't talk to me. I wanna be just as happy as you wanna be."

She shifted, pretending to be asleep.

"Leah, just talk to me!" I finally shouted. "Tell me something. Say. . .something, anything."

It was about five minutes later did she shifted in her spot a little and take a breath of air in to say something.

"It's your fault I'm like this. Sam wouldn't have let this happen to me. He may have left me but at least he protected me."

All 108.9 degrees of me boiled to the point of which I would've phased in that instant. I saw red when my eyes widened and zeroed in on her arm which lay limply by her side.

"You selfish bitch!"

Her arm was suddenly squishing between my huge fingers as she was being pulled sideways and longways with a grip so tight it was deadly. Her body writhed to get free with a few helpless whimpers but I wasn't gonna let her go for anything. I squeezed and saw her wince when my other hand pulled back then swung.

She was suddenly out of my grip and laying back on the bed, her head facing a different way then her body. She brought herself up on one elbow and moved her hair out her face, revealing a reddening hand mark spread over her cheek. Her fingers ran over it and she jumped at the sting.

It wasn't till she looked up at me in shock and confusion did my own hand begin to sting from the act. My attention darted from her wide, stunned eyes and gasping mouth to my red hand.

We didn't move for a few seconds as we tried to figure out what the hell just happened. Did I really just do that?

Her expression was deer-in-the-headlights as her hand still caressed over her cheek. "I-I-I'm s-s-s-s-s-sorry," her lip quivered.

My chest emptied out when I went down to my knees so that we were eye level. "Leah, I'm...I'm..." my voice shook with every bit of regret.

She just stared at me.

I stared back, deliberating whether or not life was even worth living anymore.

Try to have fun in the meantime. . .