A/N: Hey guys, thanks for the reviews! Please keep them coming! So, I've written this chapter and things are deffo kicking off now. And don't worry! I've already written most of chapter 15 so that will come up soon after tonight, but since i have to get up in an hour and 20 minutes to get ready for uni, i think i better go get a tiny bit of sleep instead of keeping on writing ;) but PLEASE R&R! I'm always excited to hear what you think :) DN xxxxx

Chapter Fourteen – unnamed rd. Centralia.

When I got to Port Angeles I got some food from the marked and posted the key to Billy's address with a short note saying sorry for the short notice, and that I had to go because of some work opportunity coming up. I wasn't sure my excuse was believable but I couldn't focus too long to make up another excuse.

I didn't want to stay in the city, so I drove towards Sequim and then south. I drove for about 5 hours, passing Quilcene, Eldon, Shelton, Olympia and finally Centralia. When I reached Centralia, I went down Little Hanaford Rd. and when the forest thickened I drove down one of the trails onto an unnamed road, just far enough for my car to be hidden from the main road.

It was around 10 pm and I had my tent up in a clearing within the forest by the lake, and a fire going with my trangia camping stove next to it, boiling some pasta. I sat there thinking about all the things that had happened the last few months. It felt like ages. I remembered that I actually had arrangements with Kim, Jared and Embry on Saturday to go to the sand sculpture thing at La Push.

My heart broke a little when thinking about them. I had been so happy that I'd met them, but now, everything was so clouded by all this confusion.

I took out my book "Wild" and flipped through the pages, not even looking at them. It didn't feel like the same itch. The itch that made me leave. I wasn't done with this place. As a matter of fact, I wasn't sure I'd ever be done here. I'd finally had somewhere to call home and people who I cared about. Now things were different though.

I ate my food and sat reading in front of the fire.

I heard a noise coming from the forest surrounding the clearing I had set up camp in. My head snapped up and I tried seeing what it was through the dark. Nothing.

"Okay, clam down…nothings out there, and no one knows you're here," I told myself.

I went into my tent and tried to go to sleep. My mind was racing. They would know I'd left by now. I wondered what they were thinking. A picture of Embry entered my head and my heart ached. What kind of lie did he have me fooled with? Was everything the past months just made up? A part of me wished I hadn't left, but had actually gone to Kim's house for answers, but the sentence that made me panic told me I couldn't…He'll never EVER let her leave again…Tie her up…

I ran…I was running and I was scared. The forest around me changed, and everything became familiar. I was back in the Rez. I turned around to run away again, but was stopped by a body taller than me. I looked up and was met with icy blue kind eyes. Thomas. I calmed when he spoke; "Don't go back! Come find me instead. I'll take care of you Nica. You know where I am. Come to me…Come Nica…" he stroked my cheek with his warm hand, and I closed my eyes leaning into his touch. My love for him that had been forgotten and lost surfaced and tried its best to posses me again. I felt my heart fight against it. I opened my eyes and didn't see the ice blue eyes this time. Brown and golden love filled ones had taken their place. "Come to me…Come Nica…"

I sat up with a start. It felt like I couldn't breathe. I clumsily opened my tent and stumbled out onto the cold forest floor. The crisp morning was evident, and breathing in the cold misty morning air, made me relax again. I tried to figure out what my dream had been about.

It was probably just my mind telling me to find safety somewhere, and Thomas was the only place beside Embry I'd ever felt safe.

A flashback came to me, of Embry laughing and smiling at me. The betrayal I felt grew again, and I got angry. Why? WHY did I always fall for the guys that either had motives or betrayed me?

I started packing my things together, put on a random outfit, my hair up in a loose messy bun and when I was done, I sat on a log with my map. I still hadn't decided where I was going. Usually the location would just come to me after my mind had wondered off, but this time it was like there was something blocking it. Like I had nowhere to go.

I realized I had been staring at the map for about half an hour without actually coming up with anything. I would have to go back towards Centralia, no matter where I was going so I could just figure it out on the way there.

I got up and as I turned around, I got the shock of my life.

Embry stood there shirtless, in dark jeans.

He took a step towards me and as in sync I took a step back.

"Nica… don't be scared, I know this looks crazy, me suddenly being out here!"

His brown eyes were pleading, and I imagined mine must have been filled with fear and questions.

"H…how did…how?" was all I could say.

"I promise, I'll explain everything to you…why did you leave? Who told you?"

"I…I…overheard Sam's girlfriend saying it to someone…" I stuttered thinking about them saying I could never leave.

"I was gonna tell you, I swear! I just…got scared you'd…well…do this…" his eyes were facing down despairingly.

"Then…tell me why?"

"Why?" he looked up at me looking genuinely confused.

"Yes! Tell me WHY you told them about us, and WHY they're saying you won't make me leave ever again!" I partly shouted.

"Wait…what? What exactly did you hear?"

"Don't do this! Don't pretend to be all confused! I heard them saying that you'd told Sam what…what we…have done and… haven't done…and then that thing about never letting me leave ever again? They said you'd tie me up!" I had tears in my eyes as I shouted at him.

He moved closer again and once again I took a step back.

"Nica…I have no idea why they would say that thing about…tying you up or something, that's not true…please just…listen to me" again, he took a step towards me, but this time I didn't move.

I felt so drawn to him, and his words were like sugar in my veins, but my head was fighting back.

"…What do you want from me?" I whispered with teary eyes.

"Nica, you've got it all wrong…I don't want anything from you like that…it's so hard to explain when you don't know…" he ran both his hands through his hair and let out a frustrated sigh.

"Then tell me the truth…they said you're hiding something from me…and…I heard you and Kim that day…arguing…she wanted you to tell me…"

"The best way I can do this, is if you come back to the Rez with me."

"No, no way!" I said taking a step away from him.

"Nica, please… I promise, if you want to leave after that, then you can! I promise…Please!" he pleaded.

I didn't say anything but turned my back to him hugging my upper body with my arms. I had to think this over. I couldn't just go back there with him. I had no guarantee that he would keep his word. Although beside from the fact that he had been keeping something from me, he'd never actually done anything to loose my trust. Oh, and besides telling his friends about our private life.

I felt him standing behind me. His warmth was familiar. He slowly and carefully put his arms around me. I let out a shaky breath, having every possible emotion run through my body. Confused, scared, relieved, loved, safe, unsafe, free, trapped…everything.

He bend his head forward and rested it with his face in the crook of my neck. I felt his breath on my skin and I let out another breath. This time one of surrender.

"I have so many questions…"

Embry didn't move much; he just kissed my neck and moved to hover over my ear.

"I promise I'll answer all the ones I have the answer to."

I sat in the passenger seat of my truck, while Embry was driving. I felt drained. I could tell from the looks that he gave me, that he was worried I'd change my mind at any time now. I didn't. I wanted answers.

Suddenly a thought came to me.

"Embry, what about your car?"

"What car?" he looked at me with knitted brows.

"Well…the car you came in? When you came to find me?"

"Oh...I…Don't worry about that," he said the last bit not looking at me.

I guess that's another question I'll get the answer to when we get back to the Rez.