Once again thank you all so much for your reviews. Here's the next chapter.

"It's just for a couple of hours," I watched as Em grabbed her sweater from the sofa and kissed Claire lightly on the head. The heavy bags under her eyes seemed to weigh her down and she looked too sad for a newlywed, I guessed most of that was probably down to me. Shaking my head I tugged at the sleeves of my top as I shivered.

No. No fucking way. I could not be left alone with a child. I could barely handle myself never mind another human being.

"No Em," I reached out to grab her, "I swear you'll come home and the house will be burnt to the ground or Claire will be in A and E or she'll decide she wants to become a bitch like her aunt. You wouldn't want that now, would you?"

"Don't be ridiculous," she laughed but it sounded forced. I could see the hesitancy in her eyes as they flickered between me and the clock that hung in the kitchen, "you'll be fine. You used to love kids."

"'Used' as in the past test. As in when dinosaurs roamed the planet. Responsibility and I are enemies, you should have figured that out by now. I thought you were smart." Claire skipped into the hallway clutching that god damned wolf to her chest, she never let it go even in her sleep. Maybe it was a way of gently easing her into the idea that her whole family were wolfs. Some heads up warning would have been nice for me too. I would have even made do with a freeking cuddly toy. It was almost as if they wanted Claire to figure out what they were, how come I had been given no clues?

"Bye." Desperate I tried to reach the door but it banged shut before I even had the chance to react. Wrenching it open I stepped out into the rain and hugged my body tight as the familiar truck sped towards the exit.

"Great. I'll just get my tattoo gun and vodka and I'll start the party then shall I?" My only answer was the ominous roar of the wind and the insistent slap of the rain as it hit the ground. Running a hand through my tangled hair I turned to face Claire who looked like she was contemplating the meaning of life. Why did my niece have to so damn smart and observant? I couldn't get stuck with someone who wanted to finger-paint. That would have been far too simple.

"Quil says tattoos are bad and that I should never get one," Claire chewed on her bottom lip as she gazed up with me with her innocent eyes. I wondered if I ever looked like she did, so hopeful and innocent no idea what kind of messed up world I would have to face.

"Yeah well Quil talks a lot of crap most of the time. The guy just doesn't want his innocent little Claire getting inked," I shrugged, I suppose I could see his point, "but when your old enough I'll take you to get one if you want?"

"Quil does not talk crap," she swirled the new word around in her mouth as if trying to familiarize herself with it, "but some tattoos are pretty. My teacher has one on her wrist. Do you have any?"

"That's for me to know and you never to find out," I stuck my tongue out at her childishly as I wondered what the hell I could possibly do to amuse her until Em appeared back. It was eerily quiet in the Uley household. No wolfs. No Paul- which was especially strange. I wondered briefly where they all were. Probably out hunting innocent animals and howling about their lack of masculinity or regards of personal space.

"You do! Don't you?" Claire grinned as she tugged at my sleeve, bringing me back to reality. Lifting her cautiously up into my arms I limped through to the kitchen and sat her on the counter. She swung her legs backwards and forth kicking the cupboard.

"Do you want cookies? Chocolate? What are you normally not allowed when Em and Sam are here?" I pulled open the refrigerator and cupboards, they were all strangely bare. Maybe Em had went to the grocery store? That would have explained her mad rush. The boys got all macho and infuriating when they were hungry.

"You're avoiding the question," Claire folded her arms across her chest as she pouted at me. Inwardly I laughed, that stupid pout wasn't got to work with me. She had all the boys trained for her every need, especially Quil. It would be good for her to experience a little rejection every now and again, it would prepare her for the real world where fairytales did not exist despite popular opinion.

"Maybe I am," I smirked as I reached out to tickle her sides, "but what's in it for me if I tell you?"

"I'll get Aunt Em to make chocolate cake with me which I know you love and I'll ask Paul to read me a book or a lot of books so that you don't have to avoid him all the time."

Damn. The girl was smart. My stomach rumbled appreciatively at the thought of the warm chocolate cake which I had lived for since being dumped at Em's. And being able to stretch my leg and talk to Brady or anyone for that matter without Paul breathing down my neck at every possible opportunity would be like heaven.

"Urgh you win," I told her as I pinched the bridge of her nose gently.

"So? Where is it?" she clapped her hands and bounced up in down in excitement. That was without sugar in her system. I suddenly realised why Em had hidden all the chocolate. Smart woman.

"Just below the waistband of my jeans where no one can see it unless I want them too," I smirked. She didn't give me a chance to react as her tiny fingers began to push down the waistband on my jeans. I lifted up the side of my tank top so she could see better.

"Is that-" she began her voice almost disbelieving.

"Hey. What are you doing?" a deep voice called. Taking a jump back I pulled up my jeans and pushed Claire's insistent hand away as all the breath left me in a rush. I did not like to be snuck up on. Sneaking up on me was like interrupting a grizzly in the middle of a meal. I did not like it one little bit.

"Anna was showing me her tattoo," Claire squealed as she jumped off the counter and into Paul's arms. I bit back a laugh as Claire climbed around onto his back like I had seen her do with so many of the guys but Paul's eyes remained on me, never faltering. I pressed my lips into a thing line. Traitor.

"You have a tattoo?" he murmured, the curiosity evident in his voice. Clenching the counter with both hands I turned to glare at him as I regained control of my breathing.

"Have you ever heard of knocking?" I hissed. He tilted his head to the side for a moment as if actually contemplating my question. Claire giggled into his neck as I tapped my foot impatiently.

"Actually no," he shrugged as he skirted by me to open the refrigerator, "I don't think anyone knocks in La Push. Everyone knows everyone and if you don't want someone in your house, lock the damn door."

"This place is seriously whack," I laughed bitterly, "No regards for personal space, lack of common courtesy, the majority of the population look like their on steroids and eat like wolfs. Anything else I should add to that list? Beside stalking of course…you already have that covered."

"You forgot that we're all insanely good looking, what with our impressive muscles and all." I glowered at him, I knew he would throw that back in my face.

"Big headed asshole," I muttered under my breath. Pushing my hair back from my face I tried to ignore the hint of jealousy that seeped into my blood as Claire tugged on his peculiar looking ears.

"I'll have you know my head is a completely normal size," Paul rolled his eyes as Claire continued to giggle, "now what is this I hear about a tattoo?"

"Nothing," I snapped, "you heard absolutely nothing about a tattoo."

Paul frowned as he continued to gaze into the fridge. Glancing outside into the rain I felt my heart sink. The house was becoming more claustrophobic by the second, Paul seemed to swallow the air in every room that he was ever in with me. It was beginning to get a tad annoying. Without conscious thought I rubbed the spot where Paul had grabbed me the previous day. He winced.

"I was thinking about heading to the diner," his attempt to keep his tone light made me scowl, "you girls want to join me?"

"Yes!" Claire screamed drowning out my incoherent mumblings.

"You both go ahead," I insisted, "It would be nice to have the afternoon to myself without overly large gorillas or annoying little girls." I felt instantly crappy as Claire's face fell, her grip on Paul becoming slack. A sickening shiver ran up the length of my spine as Paul's eyes board into mine. His disappointment was like a sharp stab in the back. It surprised me,

"I-I mean.." I scrambled for words. Why did I have to be such an inconsiderate bitch all the time? She was a little girl. A little girl.

"I think what Anna is trying to say is that she is going to buy you a chocolate milkshake and fries for being such a bitch. Isn't that right Anna?"

Which was why twenty minutes later I found myself squished in a tiny booth with Claire beside me blabbering in my ear, the smell of grease lingering in the air. Apparently it didn't take long for her to forgive people. If only adult grudges disappeared as quickly, I would have a lot more friends.

Sighing I caught sight of myself in the window, I looked like a drowned rat. My hair was matted to my head and my tank top stuck to my body showing off my non existent curves, it didn't seem to stop Paul from staring though. I glared at him.

"At least smile a little," Paul whispered as he reached for the worn menu at the same time as I did. My hand tingled as his brushed mine.

"Prisoners don't normally smile," I snatched my hand back as I watched our server walk towards us. He looked awkward and gangly but the smirk he wore told me otherwise. I returned his smirk as his eyes openly skimmed over my wet attire and then to my face with a sense of cocky confidence.

"Hey there," he looked directly at me as he spoke, his white teeth shining in the manufactured light, "what can I get y'all? I'm Luke and I'll be your server today."

"Over here," Paul's voice was hard. Turning my eyes on him I watched the way he ran his eyes over Luke's frame in a matter of seconds as if he was sizing up an opponent. Luke's silent glare didn't quite match up to Paul's but he seemed to be putting a hell of a lot of effort into it. I shuffled restlessly in my seat while Claire pulled at a strand of my hair with fascination.

"Not that I am not loving this display of masculinity," I rolled my eyes, "but could we please order? I'm starved."

"Me too," Luke's eyes dropped to my chest, "me too, sweetheart." The endearment felt strange coming from someone's mouth other than Paul's. I clenched my hands in fists.

"The face is up here," I hissed as I tilted his head up to look into my eyes. He grinned and his tongue licked his bottom lip in a lazy manner. Paul coughed loudly and I could feel the table shake a little under my hands.

"I cant help but view the merchandize of a gorgeous girl," I recoiled a little as Luke leant closer to me. Claire's little hands stopped in my hair mid stroke.

"Back the hell off," Paul's low growl seemed to seep into my blood. Luke's head snapped up and I followed his gaze to a shaking Paul, his teeth bared in fury. I could almost see the wolf desperately trying to conquer him.

"Paul," I hissed, "Paul."

"You really need to control your boyfriend babe," Luke half smiled, "looks like he has some serious anger issues."

"Don't dare call her babe," Paul's voice had a new dangerous edge to it. I was suddenly seriously worried for the very near future of the sleazy Luke.

"Paul," I whispered gripping his hand in mine as he went to stand up, "calm the hell down. He's just a sleazeball. He's not worth it. And you're scaring Claire." Paul's eyes rested on our entangled hands and then to Claire who was cowering in the corner. I watched in fascination as his dilated pupils seemed to grow again and he breathed in and out. In and out. I felt my tense muscles relax and I let go of the breath I hadn't even known I was holding.

"Get us three chocolate milkshakes and three fries," I glanced at Paul, "make that four fries and a couple of burgers. Now I suggest you scram before Paul rips you apart limb by limb. Your choice."

I couldn't help the smile that spread across my face as Luke scurried quickly across the dinner, slipping on the freshly cleaned floor as he went. I hissed with surprise as Claire launched herself onto my lap and buried her head in my chest. Avoiding Paul's burning gaze I awkwardly smoothed down Claire's hair caught unaware by her reaction.

"That man wasn't nice," her voice was small, a stark contrast to her normally bubbly personality. It amazed me that she had been scared by the harmless Luke rather than the trembling wolf that sat across from her.

"You've got that right," Paul murmured darkly. Glancing downwards I noticed one of my hands still entangled with his. My hand seemed to slot perfectly into his calloused, large one. His warmth seemed to spread throughout my body. Panicked I snatched my hand back instantly feeling colder.

"I thought he was cute," I shrugged as I hid my smile in Claire's hair.

"You thought what?" Paul erupted. I laughed as the whole diner turned to investigate the source of the outburst. Another negative to add to my list: no freaking privacy. Claire and I clung to each other as we both laughed. Paul's eyes narrowed.

"That was so not funny," he grumbled lowly.

"I thought it was quite funny. Didn't you Claire?" I tugged on one of her curls copying her earlier actions. She snuggled closer to me as she gazed innocently up at me from underneath her long eyelashes.

"Yeah," she nodded enthusiastically.

"You are so going to pay for that," Paul smirked. Kicking at him underneath the table I rolled my eyes.

"Bring it on," I matched his smirk, "bring it on."

Thoughts?

Don't worry the bitchy dramatic Anna that we all know will be returning very, very soon.

Oh and can anyone guess what her tattoo is?