A/N: ok so i'm thinking this is the end of the story. i'm not getting a lot of response on it, and i'm just not encouraged to continue. as always, i will ask you to let me know what you think. thank you.

Disclaimer: same as always.

.Halo.

Remember those walls I built
Well baby they tumbling down
And they didn't even put up a fight
They didn't even make a sound
I found a way to let you in
But I never really had a doubt
Standing in the light of your halo
I got my angel now

Light began fading in the

Forest,

The sparse rays dancing

Across the bare skin on Allie's back.

Jake's fingers traced the

Patterns across her skin,

Marveling in the beauty

Of the angel in front of him.

Her beauty was beyond

Description.

Her soul as pure as the

Snow that drove her to his

Waiting arms.

Allie lay on her stomach,

Her hair splayed around

The pillow,

A sheet resting dangerously low

On her pale hips.

Ghosting his fingers across her flesh,

Jake propped himself on his

Elbow,

His brow scrunched in

Confusion,

As his fingers moved over a

Slightly raised bump on Allie's lower back.

'How come I didn't notice

This earlier?'

Well, you were a bit

Distracted, weren't you?

Jake bit back a chuckle

As he got a closer look at

Allie's back.

A dozen scars littered her back:

Some long,

Some barely marring her skin.

Others leaving memories of

Deep incisions and pain

That went deeper than the

Blood it no doubt spilled.

Jake's body started to shake.

His hand releasing tremors

Into Allie's skin causing

Her to stir.

Soft murmurs slipped through

Her lips as she rolled onto

Her side to face her

Wolf.

Propping herself on her elbow,

Mimicking his position,

Allie leaned forward and

Placed a sweet kiss on his lips.

When he didn't respond,

She pulled back.

"What's wrong?"

Jake closed his eyes,

Tried to control the shaking:

Someone had hurt his

Angel.

"Jake. Please. What's wrong?"

Allie's voice shook.

He seemed to so angry:

At her?

Allie scooted closer to him:

Trying to close the distance

Between them

If only physically.

"Please? Talk to me?"

Jake squeezed his eyes

Closed.

He needed to calm down;

Needed to relax.

"Did I do something wrong…last night?"

Jake's eyes flew open

In astonishment.

He wrapped his arms around

Her, rolled onto his back,

And pulled her small form

Onto his chest.

Rubbed her back;

Soothing both of them.

"You could never do anything wrong. You're perfect."

Allie let out a small sigh of relief

And placed a kiss on his bare chest;

Breathed in the scent that was purely

Jake.

They lay like this for several minutes;

Just enjoying each others' presence.

But Jake couldn't

Forget.

"Allie?"

"Mmmm…"

Letting out a soft laugh,

He kissed her head,

Rubbed her back.

Right over the scars.

"What happened?"

Allie tensed above him.

'No.

Why now?

Not fair.'

It never was…

Sensing her distress,

He gave her space;

Knew what to press her for and when.

He respected her silence.

Not that it lasted long.

"When I was fourteen…someone I trusted…someone I loved…decided I didn't love them enough, decided I wasn't good enough. They thought I was wasting my time, my parents money, everything. I needed to be shown how much was at stake. They didn't understand. They didn't know how much I hated…how unhappy I was…how much it hurt to s-smile like nothing was wrong. They thought that the only way to stop it was to k-kill…me."

She always told him

Everything.

Even something she had tried to

Bury.

She trusted him not to run

Away,

Not to leave her in

Disgust.

She needed him.

Now more than ever.

He held her close.

Kissed away her tears,

Her pain.

In moments like these,

He told her,

Without words,

How much he needed her too.

Hit me like a ray of sun
Burning through my darkest night
You're the only one that I want
Think I'm addicted to your light
I swore I'd never fall again
But this don't even feel like falling
Gravity can't forget
So pull me back to the ground again

"Shh…you're safe now. No one can touch you. No one ever will. I'm here…I'm here. I'm never going to leave you…shh…I love you. It's gonna be alright."

Lying in Jake's arms,

Allie believed him.

She trusted him with her

Heart,

Her body,

Her soul.

He would never hurt her.

She could never be hurt again

With him there to

Protect her;

To keep her safe;

To love her like no one

Else ever could.

Teas slipped through Allie's tightly

Closed eyelids as she tried to

Suppress the memory.

Jake's thumb brushed away the

Tears.

"It wasn't my fault. It wasn't my fault…"

Allie repeated her mantra:

Trying to convince herself.

"No. No. It's not. You did nothing wrong."

"I didn't mean to…please. I'm sorry…"

Burying her head into Jake's chest,

Trying to make it go

Away.

"Shh…you don't have to talk about it. It's over. I'm sorry. I shouldn't have brought it up."

Lifting her head,

Allie's tear filled eyes

Stared shakily into Jake's

Worry-filled ones.

"No. I wanted – want – you to know. I just…I should have told you sooner."

"It doesn't change a thing. I love you. More than life. More anything."

He kissed her lips softly,

Growing in intensity.

Rolling them over,

Jake pressed Allie's body into the bed,

Hands traveling her body,

Brushing her sides,

Kneading the flesh on her hips.

Allie raised herself up to meet him.

Slowly, he melted away all her

Worries,

Showered her with love:

Body and soul.

"Wait."

Allie tried to control her

Erratic and loud breathing;

She needed to talk to him.

His lips moved from her lips to

Trace a hot trail over her jaw and

Onto her neck.

His hands slipped up to

Caress the undersides of her breasts.

She moaned and arched her

Back against him.

She couldn't concentrate.

Couldn't think about anything

Besides how incredible he

Was making her feel.

"No. Stop."

Against all reason,

Allie pushed him away but still

Close enough that she could feel

His breathe against her face.

Looking into his eyes

Didn't help her case either:

They were filled with passion

And need.

But also understanding.

"You want to tell me about."

It wasn't a question.

He knew what she needed,

And he wanted to make it easier for her.

He started to pull away,

To give her space.

Allie let out a whimper:

"No. I…Can you…keep h-holding me…?"

Jake sighed,

"Forever."

He lowered himself back down,

He pulled her against his side,

Her head in the crook of his shoulder,

His lips in her hair.

She sucked in a shaking

Breathe,

Tried to compose herself.

This would be hard,

But she needed to be honest with

Her wolf.

"I loved my brother. I never wanted to hurt him. I thought I could say the same about him, but I guess I can't; not anymore. He used to support me. He was always there at shows and would insist we celebrate after everyone."

Quaking laugh.

"I never would have thought he hated it…my riding, I mean. One day…one day he just…snapped. He started yelling. Telling my parents it wasn't fair: how could they spend so much money on me and ignore him? I would never amount to anything so why bother? Why was I treasured more than him? The funny thing is, until that moment, I never really could see it. I always thought my riding was a family thing. We all seemed to enjoy it and really loved being together. I guess I was wrong. How could someone be so wrong about their own brother?"

Throughout all of this,

Jake's hands had been running

Over her,

Caressing her,

Helping her through it.

"It wasn't your fault. No one could have guessed."

Allie shook her head violently,

Tears streaming down her

Face.

"We can stop, sweetheart. It's okay…"

Allie's eyes through open:

"No. I want you to know… everything about me."

Jake nodded,

Accepting that this was

Something she had to do;

Something to give her

Closure.

"I wasn't supposed to hear him arguing with my parents. I was supposed to be at the barn. But I had come home earlier, wanted to surprise my family. I guess I thought they would want to go out and spend time together. I was wrong. When they saw me, Mom started yelling: why wasn't I training? Didn't I know how important practice was? Why was I acting like this? Jason laughed. He told them 'see, she doesn't even care. She's useless.' My dad tried to make him stop. Dad always seemed to get me more. Before…"

Shaky cough.

"The doctors said that was Jason's stressor. Seeing me being defended had pushed him over the edge. They said it would have happened one day, sooner or later. I always told Mom to put the knives away after using them. She never listened, then. Now. Now, she rarely even takes them out. I don't blame her. I think she thinks I do. But I don't."

Pause.

Remembering.

Jake's thumb caressed her cheek,

Tucked her face into the crook

Of his neck.

"It was no one's fault but your brother's: Jason."

He said his name like a

Curse,

Giving Allie confidence to

Continue, shakily:

"She was closest to him. She could have pulled him away from me. But she was too shocked. I don't blame her. I don't. I don't think I would have done any different."

Jake noticed that she

Sounded more like she

Was trying to convince herself.

And he knew,

Especially after the incident with the leech,

That his Allie would never let

Fear paralyze her.

He, at least,

Did blame her mother;

In part.

If it had been his daughter,

He would have done

Something.

Allie rolled onto her side

And clung to Jake with all

Her strength.

Jake could tell she wanted to tell

More, but just…

Couldn't.

"You told me when I first met you that you guys moved here to further your equestrian training…"

She sighed against his chest.

"Yeah. That's what they told me, too. But I know it was to get away from it all."

"To protect you."

At least that was a redeeming quality.

"No."

Or not.

"They just couldn't handle all the gossip and looks that they were getting in Ocala. When the doctor told them I could ride again, they saw it as a saving grace. Moving us out here, it was all to help themselves."

Now Jake was really

Confused.

"I thought you liked riding…?"

"I do. But not their idea of riding. Winning is everything. I'm surprised they haven't called my cell yet telling me to come back and train. That's all they ever want me to do. Practice makes perfect, and they want me to be just that: perfect."

"You're already perfect."

Allie laughing hesitantly.

"I think you're biased."

Jake kissed her upturned lips.

"Now why would you say that…?"

Allie snuggled into him.

Her tears were spent.

She was…happy here

In Jake's arms.

"Thank you."

Jake sighed,

Content.

"Sure, sure. You know I would do anything for you."

Allie kissed his neck,

As his hands rubbed circles

On her lower back,

Right over her scars.

Allie shivered.

Jake tensed beneath her.

"Did I hurt you?"

Slowly, he began to move his hands

Away from her body.

"No…come back."

Whine.

Chuckle.

Jake brought his hands back to her,

Now tracing the patterns of her

Scars.

Slowly,

Carefully,

He eased his body out from

Under hers.

Allie let out a noise of drowsy discontentment

Quickly replaced by pleasure,

As Jake kissed down her spine.

Allie tensed.

He was heading to her scars.

"Jake…you don't have to…they're gross."

"Nothing...about...you...is...gross..."

Each pause was sealed with a

Searing kiss.

Allie moaned softly, as

Jake's tongue swept over her scars.

Kisses were littered all over her lower back

Causing her to mew and moan and

Yawn.

Chuckle.

"You're tired."

Jake placed a final kiss on her back,

Before moving back up and

Pulling her onto his chest.

Gently,

He lifted the sheet they had kicked to the floor

To cover their melded bodies.

"Sleep, Allie. I'm here. Always."

"And forever…"

Allie was completely at

Peace.

She never would have thought telling

Someone her story would relax her,

But Jake wasn't just someone.

He was her soul.

Her love.

And he would protect her no matter what.

She felt safe with him.

He had accepted her;

Accepted every terrible,

Grotesque thing about her.

He had kissed away the painful memories and

Replaced them with ones

Of love and fulfillment.

Her scars had always been

Deeply ingrained in her as horrid parts of herself.

But now,

Because of Jake,

They were superficial.

They no longer tore at her heart and

Left her bleeding.

Now,

Her lower back was no longer marred,

But just another place where Jake

Had kissed her.

Kissed her and

Made her

Whole.

She was no longer damaged and,

With Jake at her side,

In her heart,

She never would be again.

Feels like I've been awakened
Every rule I had you breaking
The risk that I'm taking
I'm never gonna shut you out
Everywhere I'm looking now
I'm surrounded by your embrace
Baby I can see your halo
You know you're my saving grace
You're everything I need and more
It's written all over your face
Baby I can feel your halo
Pray it won't fade away