Hi, guys! I just wanted to say thanks so much for the amazing response to this story! I'm really enjoying writing this. Please ignore any spelling/gramatical errors in this chapter, I had a long day of classes and I really wanted to get this posted tonight for you all!

****This chapter is set about 2months later, nothing has really happened so far-the pack has continued to help fix up Kaleigh's home, it's almost complete now. I will let you all know in advance that rape/abuse/physical attacks are talked about in this chapter.


"No! No, Abbygail, don't—," I exclaimed.

It was too late though. She had happily accepted the cookie Embry held out to her. By the time I got to her she had already taken a bite.

I held my hand in front of her face. "Spit it out, Abby," I said quickly.

"What's wrong?" Jacob asked, rushing from his spot at the grill outside. Sam and Paul were quick to follow behind him.

"I don't know what was in that cookie," I mumbled. I scooped her into my arms and took her into the bathroom.

"What can I do? Emily's already looking at the ingredients she used," Jacob said behind me.

Abby swished water around in her mouth and then scrubbed her hands with soap. "On the front seat of my car there's a bag. Can you grab that for me?"

"Why did you give that to her, you idiot?!" Seth yelled at Embry as we came back into the living room.

"I didn't—."

I cut Embry off, sitting Abby in my lap. I wiped at her tears. "It's alright. Do you feel sick?"

She nodded, itching at her hand. "My throat hurts, Mama," she cried.

I grabbed the bag from Jake the moment he came into the room. It took me less than three seconds to find the epi-pen with the rest of the emergency medicine. "Abby, sweetheart." She continued her sobbing, beginning to shake in my arms. "Abbygail, look at Jake. Everything is okay, I promise."

Jacob stroked her hair back, murmuring to her softly.

**Hours later**

I collapsed onto the sofa next to Jacob. "Thank you," I whispered.

He gave me a smile. "I didn't do anything."

A veil of silence passed over us. After everything that had happened today my heart was aching. I almost lost Abbygail, my daughter. Nearly everything that had gone into that cookie had soy in it, sending her into anaphylactic shock instantly. Seeing her so helpless on that hospital bed—.

Tears broke free from my eyes, trailing down my face.

Jacob moved over so he was next to me. He took my hands in both of his. "It's okay, Kaleigh. Abbygail is upstairs in her bed as safe as can be. She's breathing and smiling and dreaming dreams of mountains of ice cream."

Despite my cries, a laugh escaped my mouth. "Mountains of ice cream?" I questioned.

"When I was little and I couldn't fall asleep, my mom used to tell me to dream of something I loved."

I smiled up at him, wiping away tears on my cheeks. "You miss her," I said quietly.

He nodded, giving my hands a squeeze. "I do. She…" He sighed, shaking his head slightly. "She died when I was ten. She, well…she went out shopping for Christmas gifts one night and…" he trailed off. He rubbed at his eyes tiredly.

I grimaced, tentatively placing my hand on his back. After a few circles he looked up at me with a sigh.

"They never caught the guy. Every day I—."

My voice shook slightly when I started to speak. "She was…attacked during the holiday season?" I whispered.

"Yeah."

I pulled away from his touch. "Oh."

His eyebrows pulled together in confusion. "What is it? What's wrong?"

"Jake, I like you," I told him quietly. "I don't want to keep this from you either, but it's really, really hard to talk about."

"You can tell me, Kaleigh. I promise I'm not going anywhere."

I let out a hard breath, allowing him to pull my hands back into his. "Three years ago, I was...uhmm…"

He nodded his head. "I understand," he whispered. His voice was soft, comforting, but his eyes were hard. "That's how Abby…"

"Yes," I whispered. "And—And I don't regret going out that night. I wouldn't give my baby girl up for anything, but I wish I could have my body back."

"You're a mom, Kaleigh," he argued. "You are absolutely beautiful. I wouldn't want you any differently."

I shook my head, wincing. "The man…he cut my back and b-b-burned me. It's superficial really, but it makes pregnancy a little harder."

"Why?"

"Pregnancy in general is hard on a person's back, but the scars caused some damage so the pain is doubled for me."

He hesitantly reached out, laying his hand on my back. "Does it hurt right now?"

"A little." I quickly added, "It's just from carrying Abby all day long."

A few moments of silence passed over us before he looked me in the eyes. "Would you ever show me?" he asked.

I stayed quiet. Would I show him my scars? Did I trust him that much so soon? I had to remind myself that if I didn't trust him, I wouldn't allow him to be around Abbygail. But did I have enough trust to show myself so openly?
"You don't have to," Jake interrupted.

"I…I think I want to." The words shocked even myself. They slipped out on their own accord.

His hand slowly fell to my lower back. "Stop me if you don't feel comfortable."

My breath hitched as the cold air reached it, but my heart stopped beating the moment I felt his hot fingers tracing along the old, ragged scars and burn marks.

"I didn't think I could fall more in love with you," he whispered.

"W-w-what?" I sputtered.

His touch disappeared and I pulled down my shirt. His eyes were wide in shock. "I'm so sorry. I swear I didn't mean to actually say that. I was just thinking it, and it slipped out."

"You were thinking it?"

He ran his hands through his hair. "This isn't coming out right."

"Mommy!" Abby's voice echoed through the baby monitor on the coffee table. "Mommy! Please come hewe, Mama!"

I pushed myself up, and quickly walked up the stairs to her bedroom. I pushed the door open the rest of the way, flicking on her bedroom light. She winced against the brightness, but held her arms out to me from where she laid in her small bed.

"What's wrong, honey?" I asked, cradling her in my arms as I sat on the bed.

She continued to cry, pressing her face against my chest. "I had a nightmawe!" she sobbed.

"Do you want to tell me about it?"

"H-h-h-he kept h-hittin' y-y-y-y—," she stuttered.

I shushed her, and got to my feet, rocking her back and forth as best as I could. "It's alright," I promised her. "He's gone, my little lettuce bug. He can't hurt us anymore."

A few more minutes went by before Jake came to the doorway. He stayed there, giving me a sad smile. "You okay, Abbygail?"

She looked up from my arms, sniffling as she held her arms out to him.

My body froze. She actually reached out for him.

He stayed where he was though. "Can I come in?" he asked me.

"Yes," I murmured.

"Is that okay with you, too, Abby?" he checked.

She just started crying harder, reaching and reaching for him.

I waved him forward, and the moment he was next to me she wrapped an arm around his neck, clutching my neck in her other. I kissed her forehead, passing her off to Jacob. He looked nervous so I led him to the bed, moving him to sit down on the end of it. I grabbed a blanket, engulfing Abby in it before tucking her back into his arms. I turned off the light switch after turning on the small light beside her bed.

Over and over Abby asked him if he would keep us safe, and every time he would assure her that he was here to stay.

"Come here, my lettuce bug," I whispered, scooping her up.

Sitting next to Jake, he slowly put his arm around my waist, but the moment I moved closer to him, he relaxed and held me tighter.

Abby gave a quiet sigh nestling against my chest. A few seconds later she gave a disgruntled noise, pushing against my stomach with her tiny fists. "Stop moving, babies," she mumbled.

I frowned, trying to adjust her. "I'm sorry, sweetheart." I stroked her hair, and then pulled her covers back to slip her underneath them. She started to get fussy, reaching out quickly when I lost contact with her. "Hey, hey, it's okay. We're not leaving." I moved to the other side of her bed, carefully lying down so I didn't jostle her too much.

She instantly pulled herself to me, curling into a tiny ball. Her hand reached out behind her though. Once she found Jake's hand she latched on for dear life.