You Huff & you Puff but I'm not blown away

by im so unaffected

This is a mystery, so it will seem confusing the first couple chapters, but stick w/it, I promise there will be answers later on, with shocking surprises. Who is she to them? Who are they to her? Who's life will change forever? Who's life will end?

21. Chapter 21

Track's to set the mood/or used;
(please check these out)

Forever doomed – Ikuinene Kaamos
Its all my fault – Fairground
Animal I've become – Three Days Grace
What I'd give – Sugarland
The Beauty of who you are – Marc Broussard
Glory of Love – Peter Cetera

** {heart} much love to K. Elizabeth & Renee aka. Sparks
*** Suggestions and questions welcome! :-)

"Watch that first step" Edward called out to her.

Seth chuckled.

"Are you ready to go now?" Edward asked.

"Yep" she said as she pushed through the middle of the two, it felt like she was walking between heaven and hell, ice on one side and fire on the other.

She walked back towards the front of the store, she tried to pick up a pace fast enough so they couldn't keep up but with a vampire and wolf behind there aren't many things that could be faster. She sighed and glared back at both of them as she kept up her pace. She walked out in front of the store to see Emmett under her dash and Cheta standing over the driver's seat with gum stuck to the tip of his finger.

"WHAT ARE YOU TWO DOING?" she yelled.

Cheta's head snapped around as Emmett just chuckled and kept on working.

"Go ahead, tell her what you're doing" Emmett laughed loudly.

"I'm trying to get the key out of the ignition, and well I thought I could stick something sticky to the end and pull it out…"

"If you get GUM in the ignition I am going to…" she stopped herself, smiled, and laughed as she shook her head. "Ok, so then what are we doing? I have no ride…" she glanced at Edward.

"We are taking Emmett's car to your house to get some things, then you're going with Seth to the reservation."

"Uh Seth doesn't have a car either, how are we going to get to the reservation? And how do you think my father is going to be ok with me staying with… SETH?" she groaned as she glared at him again.

"You're a bright girl, I'm sure you can figure something out… and Seth most certainly does have a car unless something happened that I'm unaware of?" he stared at Seth.

"NO, I have it, its fine and it will be at her house when we get there."

Edwards head snapped around and starred off down the empty street, "we need to go now, people are coming…" She smiled, "don't you dare" he hissed.

"I thought you couldn't hear my thoughts?" she said with a wicked grin stretched across her face.

"I can't, but your face is an open book. You don't hide your emotions very well…"

She grinded her teeth together, "Fine, where is his car?"

Edward pointed to a huge black Infiniti QX56 fully loaded with jet black tinted windows. Edward held out his hand to help her in, she huffed at him and climbed up into the back seat.

"Maybe you should sit in the back with her Seth, she's been known to bolt out of a car…"

"Not while its moving" she returned as she rolled her eyes and slammed the door shut behind her.

"I guess I'm sitting up front" Seth glared at her very displeased with her behavior.

She grunted as she pouted until her eyes lit up, Seth shook his head back and forth, she pouted again.

"What's wrong with her anyways?"

"I'm right here Edward, you can ask me…"

"Well I wasn't sure you were going to act civilized enough to answer."

"UGH" she rolled her eyes, "I'm upset because I figured out a way to get Caluhm to leave both of you and your families alone but Seth won't listen to me."

"NO I WONT" he yelled, "because as she so conveniently forgot to mention, it relies on her giving up her life and becoming a freaking leac… uh vampire."

"NO IT DOES NOT, you didn't let me finish, I could very well end this another way, one where you don't have to worry about having to kill me…"

Edward shook his head, Seth's whole body was quivering, "Seth calm down, Emmett likes this car a lot, if you do that he's going to hurt you!" Seth laughed at the thought, "So you're willing to kill yourself…" Edward noticed Seth's hands shaking again, he could tell it was taking a lot for him not to explode in the seat. "so that we can live? If you haven't noticed, myself and my family aren't um quiet alive."

She tilted her head to the side, "so you don't value what you have? You don't value your feelings… the people you love… clearly you do, you wouldn't have sent them all away had you not cared. Edward if you really think I'm stupid enough to believe you don't care about Bella's life, Renesmee's life, your families lives… your life, than your more delusional than I thought! But I assume you're just saying that to try and calm Seth down, or to talk me out of what I am going to do…" Seth growled this time, it was getting uncontrollable. "Seth you really should learn how to control that…"

"I CAN CONTROL MYSELF JUST FINE WHEN I'M NOT AROUND CRAZY PEOPLE" he said, each word came out slow and strong. It almost appeared as if he was spitting as he barley seeped out each word through his clinched teeth.

She groaned, this time it sounded different. She bent forward and covered her mouth. She pulled her knees up and placed her head between her knees.

"What's wrong? Are you going to be sick?" Edward asked as he gazed in the rearview mirror.

"It's just a trick she wants you to pull over" Seth grumbled.

"It's not a trick, and yes I do think I'm going to be sick…" she whispered.

"We are right down the road from your house, can you wait?" Edward asked as he glanced over his shoulder at her.

"mm hmm Just stop talking" her face was pale white, she had tiny beads of sweat dripping from her forehead.

The second Edward put the car in park Seth was out of the car opening her door and unbuckling her seatbelt.

"Let me carry you in…"

"NO, I'm not gonna…" she darted towards the side of her house she bent over and moaned and groaned then gasped.

"What, what's wrong?" Edward said approaching her.

"NO stop, stay back!" she screeched.

Seth stepped in front of Edward holding his hand up, Edward nodded and Seth approached her.

"It's me, are you ok, what happened?" Seth softly asked.

"I, I threw up…"

He chuckled very lightly, "Yeah we kind of got that, but why couldn't Edward come over…"

She turned to face him, her eyes were blood shot, blood dripped from her mouth and a bright red puddle lay on the ground in front of her. His eyes lit up and spun to meet Edward's gaze, his eyes looked like they had glossed over.

"EDWARD… EDWARD are you ok? Don't make me do this…" he started to growl, his body leaned forward his shoulders stretched out to their fullest and his feet planted into an unmovable stance in front of her.

"Do what? What the hell are you talking about?"

"You can't smell that?"

"Smell what?" he asked stepping to the side of Seth, he saw Sarafeena on the ground her knees in tight to her chest with spots of red all over her.

"What did you do…" he hissed.

"ME? What the hell do you mean ME? I was standing right next to you… call your Dad, uh Carlisle and have him come check her out, I'm going to bring her upstairs."

Seth slowly lifted her up off the ground, her eyes were shut so tightly all you could see were her cheeks and eye brows, "put me down, don't touch me, I hate you…"

Edward growled as Seth walked past him making sure to keep his body firmly between the two of them. He was only about two steps inside her house when she screamed and crumbled into a ball in his arms.

"PUT ME DOWN" she screamed, "I haate you with everything I am" she grunted.

Edward rushed in to see her throwing up again, he turned his head and gazed at Seth, he started to hiss as Seth growled at him. They both looked as if they were going to tear each other into tiny pieces.

"Noooo" she faintly whispered.

"I didn't do anything, I was just carrying her in and she screamed and curled up."

"She said she hates you, what did you do?"

"Nothing, I just picked her up and brought her in… I don't know… what I did" her words started to sink in so he hung his head and turned towards the door so Edward couldn't see the hurt and confusion he was going through.

Edward raised his phone back to his ear, "hurry Carlisle it seems she's getting worse. Oh, and just to forewarn you, there is A LOT of blood." All Seth could hear was "No, not at all, I'm very shocked myself, I know I've worked on this, but this is too easy. OK" then he hung up. Edward took about three steps back from her.

"Why are you backing up" Seth turned back and glared at him.

"Carlisle said to be on the safe side that I should stay far away from her, even though I have no urge for her at all."

"None? Like nothing at all… has that ever happened?"

"NO, never, so I rather just stay outside instead of pushing it. I'll send Carlisle up when he gets here."

Seth lifted her back up and sprinted to the top of the stairs, "you ok?"

"Bathroom, NOW" she said.

He ran her into the bathroom and gently rested her on the floor, "I'll get you some towels" he grabbed a couple dark towels and rested one under her back and the other to the side where her head rested. He brushed his hand across her forehead, she was burning up, she felt almost as warm as him, which meant at that temperature she could very well be dying. He wet a wash cloth with cold water and rested it on her forehead. He was stunned when he looked up and Carlisle was standing in the door way.

"Sorry I thought you would have heard Edward, or at the very least smelt me coming."

"I'm not really paying attention to anything else right now…" he said while starring down at Sarafeena.

"Understandable, let me in there…"

"You ok Doc?"

"Seth, I have worked with this every single day for well over four hundred years, I'm fine!"

"Sorry Doc… I'm just a little…"

"It's ok Seth, I understand… we ok now?" he questioned as he slowly crept past Seth.

Seth nodded and stepped to the side, "Yeah, sure… so what's wrong with her?"

"Well Edward said she was in the back seat of the car and just started groaning? Like she was having a normal conversation and just got sick?"

"Yeah, she put her head between her knees and then when we got here she ran out of the car, she didn't even make it inside. And now she's burning up, she feels almost as hot as me…"

"Well from the looks of down stairs she did make it in… which you might want to take care of if you don't want her father freaking out when he gets home."

"Well she's coming to the reservation tonight…"

"Yes, Edward filled me in, but if her father comes home to find that pool of blood and a happy cheery note saying she's staying with your sister…"

"Hey that's a good idea for the note… and yeah I get your point. I'll go clean it up, but uh…"

"Yes I think she's going to be ok."

"How can you tell already?"

"Her color is coming back and her body temperature is dropping, all good signs. She will be fine, I will call you if anything changes… now make sure you use some bleach to take that stench away."

Seth ran out of the room and down the stairs, Carlisle could hear him banging around down stairs then smelt the overwhelming scent of bleach.

"Ugh I think I'm going to be sick again, too much bleach, open a window please" she whispered as she rested her head back onto the seat.

He was shocked but did as she asked, "NOT SO MUCH BLEACH" he yelled down to Seth as he opened her balcony door. He returned to see her sitting in her bra and panties, he turned his head immediately, "Uh what are you doing?"

"My clothes were soaked with blood, I'm so sorry, I assume that was very hard for you…"

He laughed, "you're the one, from what Edward said, is apparently throwing up her insides, and your worried about me?"

"Well I'm sure that this is hard for you, right?"

"No sweetheart it's not, I've been working as a Doctor for over four hundred years. So I'm fine, thank you, but how are you? What happened?"

"I'm not sure, like I literally felt like my insides were ripping apart, my head hurt so much I couldn't see, it felt like my eyes were glazed over, I tried to see, I mean I thought they were open but I couldn't see anything…" she looked down at her stomach which was now a little bigger than before, she ran her hand across it. "How did I even get up here?"

"Seth brought you up here and laid you down… Does your stomach still hurt?"

"No, not at all, I'm sooo hungry now."

"Well I'm not sure it's a good idea that you eat, maybe just start with some water?"

"Carlisle, I am so hungry I could literally eat a horse, or…" she stopped, her eyes gazed hungrily at him until she puckered her brow and shook her head.

"What?"

"Nothing, but I'm really, really hungry!"

"Sit down for a minute ok, let me take your vitals and then I will have Seth bring you up some food…"

"Wait Seth is still here?" a small smile crept over her face as she ran her hand over her stomach again.

"Uh yes, why wouldn't he be?"

"I think I said some really horrible things, but I didn't mean them at all… I think I really hurt him."

"I'm not sure, he didn't seem affected other than worrying terribly about you, he was also still very protective of you when I got up here. He wasn't even going to let me by to check on you. So can you sit, so I can finish checking you over?"

She sat on the side of the tub still in her panties and bra, he rested his stethoscope against her warmed skin, "breathe deeply" she sucked in a deep breath. He moved it across to the other side of her chest, his wrist barely grazing her chin, she pulled backwards almost falling into the tub. "What's wrong?" she shook her head and leaned back towards him. He rested the scope on her back and had her take a couple more deep breaths. "You sound perfect, and your temperature is falling back to normal, just let me feel your pulse" he rested his two fingers on her neck right under her jaw, her body rattled as a soft growl escaped through her lips. Carlisle pulled away, "are you ok?"

"Yeah, I'm sorry I have no idea what came over me" she replied shaking her head. "Are we done? I am really hungry Carlisle…" she said in a very whiney tone.

"Yes, I will have Seth bring you something up, let me grab those clothes, I'm going to burn them… I'm also going to have him come up here and clean this room."

"Why are you going to burn my clothes?" she grunted.

"I want to be safe, make sure that whatever that was, wasn't viral or something that could re-infect you by contact… or even your father."

"Ok, thank you so much…" she got up and wrapped her arms around him, she inhaled his scent and groaned while bending over.

"Ok sweetheart I think it's too soon for you to eat…"

"No, it's not that at all…"she replied starring down at her stomach while running her hand over her once little 'food baby'… she tilted her head and placed both hands on the bump.

"What's going on?" Carlisle asked as he approached her. "What's that bump from?"

"You see it too?" she asked absentmindedly.

"Eh, yes, yes I do, have you been eating a lot lately?"

"Actually I guess I have, Seth commented just yesterday on how much I had eaten, I mean I honestly hadn't noticed until he said something."

"Have you had any other weird feelings, of nausea, any headaches, dizziness, or have you felt fatigued?"

"Nope, none, well I mean other than what just happened…"

"If anything changes at all and you don't feel good call me right away, or have Seth call me… I'm allowed on the reservation if there's a medical issue. As far as the bump it's probably just swollen, your system has been through a lot in such a little time."

"Thank you again Carlisle, I really appreciate everything… um and I'm so sorry, I umm…"

He smiled and chuckled, "one of these days we will meet under pleasant circumstances. Remember, you need anything, call me…"

She smiled and turned on the shower as he headed out of the bathroom and back downstairs.

"Seth, she's doing much better… she's very hungry, although I'm just not sure it's a good idea to feed her, but she looked like she was hungry enough to eat me" he laughed. "She's in the shower now, but when she's done I want you to scrub the hell out of her bathroom, whatever she had or has could re-infect her if she comes in contact with any of the blood. I have her clothes I'm going to take them and burn them…"

"Uh does she know you are burning her clothes?" Seth raised his eye brow and tilted his head to the side.

Carlisle laughed, "yes she does. When I left her she was still kind of rubbing the bump on her stomach, I think it's just bloating or swollen from throwing up so violently, but if anything happens, if she doesn't feel well at all I want you to call me right away and I'll be there as soon as I can."

"Was she in um a better mood, or maybe ask about… uh me?" Seth asked very quietly.

"Yes, she was actually surprised you were still here…"

"What? Why?"

"She said she thought she said some horrible things and that she might have hurt you..." Seth's eyes were focused on the floor but Carlisle could clearly tell Seth was bothered by something. "Seth, she said she didn't mean any of it…"

"Yeah, ok whatever…"

Carlisle turned to see Edward standing in the front door.

"Everything…" he starred at Carlisle. "Ok I won't" he answered Carlisle as he walked in and sat down at her kitchen table. "Seth are you bringing her up some food soon?"

"Yeah I made some soup and some toast…"

"Good because we should get a move on, her father will be home in a couple hours and we still don't know what kind of note to leave."

"Well Carlisle gave me an idea… she's going to stay with my sister to get to know her before she leaves, we'll say she's leaving on like Thursday morning. So that way she doesn't have much time to spend with her… I'm sure she can spin it so it works."

"Actually that is a good idea… but why would he let her do that when she has school. Like what's so important about getting to know your sister?" Edward asked.

"Uh, umm…"

"Well Henry did mention that she doesn't have many friends and that he's really been hoping she would make some more friends, so maybe you could spin it that way if he asks…"

"That's a great idea Carlisle… well the food is ready, I'm going to bring it up and clean up her bathroom. Edward you don't need to stay, my car will be here any time now…"

"I want to talk to her myself before I leave, find out what she was talking about when she said she hated you, I'm a little wary about leaving her with you now…" he glared at Seth.

"Edward she really wasn't coherent, losing all that blood and fluids at once, I really don't think she had any clue what she was talking about" Carlisle told him.

"Thanks again Carlisle…" Seth said as he ran up the stairs, he glanced back to see Carlisle whispering something to Edward as they both looked down at the bloody clothes Carlisle had in his hands. Edward shook his head as they walked out of the house.

Seth pushed her door open, she was sitting on her bed in a black AC/DC t-shirt and short pink and black zebra print shorts, she was staring down towards her hands that were resting on her stomach. She looked as if she was lost in a world of her own thoughts, thoughts that were suffocating her but holding her in place by her own misery.

"Uh, I brought you some soup and toast, I'll just set it down at the end of the bed here…" he set the food down without even looking at her and headed for her bathroom. She gasped as she started franticly pushing herself back towards her pillows, away from the food. "What's wrong, are you going to be sick again?"

"Nooo" she stared down at the blood red soup.

His eyes flashed to her bathroom then down at the soup, "Oh my God, I'm so sorry, I didn't even think… I uh…"

"No, Seth it's ok, it's fine, I…"

Seth snatched up the bowl of soup and headed back for the door, "I'm so sorry, that was so inconsiderate of me, I'll get you something else, I'm so…"

"Seth, no please, please I'm not hungry anymore, just… just stay with me, please… I" She wanted to run to him and wrap her arms tightly around him to stop him, but she couldn't make her body move, her legs and arms were pulled in hugging herself so tight red marks started to show up on her skin. She couldn't think of the words to explain how unbelievably sorry she was much less make her mouth move correctly to get those words out.

He gazed at her, still confused from what she had said, what he felt earlier when he picked her up, without a word he turned and headed back down stairs. "I'll just bring you something else in case you get hungry again" he called up to her when he was half way down the stairs.

She sighed as she lay back onto her bed, her mind was racing back and forth, what should she do? How was she going to ditch them to make sure they were all safe… could she even ditch Seth, how could she leave him? It was a catch twenty two, save his life by leaving him, but at the same time she would shatter his world by ripping his heart out, another thought then appeared, not only would she be hurting him, but she was going to be tearing herself apart as well. She wasn't sure she was strong enough to actually force herself through her own pain that this was going to inflict.

"Edward I told you that you don't have to stay, I can take it from here…" Seth shouted at him.

"I know what you said, but I remember what she said to you… I'm going to talk to her now..."

"Edward she's sick, give her time to rest."

"No Seth, I want to know what she meant, and I want to know now." Edward ran up the stairs before Seth could even budge.

"Edward" Seth growled.

Edward pushed through her door, she was now sitting on the floor fiddling with the little locked jewelry box that was her found with her mother's things.

Edward froze in the door staring at it, "what is that?" he asked as he slowly moved closer.

Her head jerked up and she snarled softly at the sight of him, "it was my mothers, I can't figure out how to open it" she held it up and shook it hearing something rattle inside.

As Seth pushed through the door he ran into the frozen solid Edward that was still staring at the box, Edward turned on Seth and hissed loudly.

"You guys, knock it off."

"I want to know what he did to you" Edward barked with a loud snarl following quickly behind.

"Nothing Edward, I don't even remember anything before laying my head on my toilet."

"Why would you say you hate him and scream when he touched you?"

Her eye brows scrunched together, her lips pursed, "I said what?"

"You said…"

"Edward listen to Carlisle, he said so himself she probably wasn't even coherent, just leave her alone!" Seth growled.

They heard the sound of cars pulling up in front of the house, "they are here with both the cars" Edward informed them.

She sighed, "I thought it was Henry, how am I going to explain all of this?"

"Explain what?" Seth asked.

"The blood, its everywhere…"

"I cleaned up down stairs, and outside as much as I could, and I'm about to clean your bathroom, you should write that note so we can leave as soon as I'm done."

"We're still going through with that?" she asked surprised.

"Yes, why wouldn't we? Just because you're sick doesn't mean Caluhm is going to leave you alone." Edward informed her.

"Yeah I guess not, so what am I writing?" The thought had crossed her mind that if they really had believed that Caluhm would just leave her alone while she was sick, it would buy her the time she needed to escape them and find Caluhm herself so she could end it all now with no one else getting hurt.

Seth glared at her and shook his head as he walked into her bath room closing the door behind him. They could hear a lot of banging and groans coming from the bloody bathroom. Edward starred at her, watching her like she was a high security prisoner about to pull off the most amazing Houdini escape ever.

"You don't have to watch me like that you know, I'm not going anywhere…"

"No you aren't" he reassured her, "but something is wrong, if you're afraid of him" his voice was so soft she had to lean towards him to hear, but she quickly pulled back when she felt the overwhelming urge to snap at him. "I'll protect you, just tell me what he did… I know he did something, I mean just a couple days ago you couldn't stand the thought of him or any of the reservation boys for that matter being around here... then you're giving him rides, letting him have dinner here with you… I'm confused and I hate this, I hate not being able to hear you… I hate…" his words started to run together turning into growls more so than comprehendible words.

"That I have privacy from you, that my life is MINE…"

"I'm just trying to understand, why are you getting so defensive?''

"Because Edward, I hardly even know you, why is any of this, besides the fact that Caluhm's now threatened yours and your family's lives, why does any of this matter to you… why do I matter?"

His face looked tortured, hardened by the lack of an answer, "I, I have no idea why you mean so much to me… but I…"

"Wait, I mean something to you?" she questioned slowly.

He moved over and sat on the bed next to where she was sitting on the floor, "yes you do, your different, I've never felt this way about anyone… I can't stand the thought of you being hurt, or in pain, and I didn't even want your blood when…" his eyes gazed intensely at her pendent, he reached out for it as she stood up blocking him, and cutting of his thought..

"Edward it doesn't make sense, you have Bella, I can feel the way you lov…" her eyes darted down at the floor, her brows puckered and her lips were pressed so tightly together they formed a faint pink line across her face, how was she feeling anything Edward was? Her eyes widened as she took a couple steps back away from him, what is going on, why was she now feeling Edward? She started to shake her head back and forth, hoping to expel the current thought she was having… did she love Edward too? That's the only feasible answer, that's how she felt Seth, and she knew she hadn't promised anything to Edward Cullen so she knew it wasn't that… she sucked in a deep breath, "no, no, NO" she said as she kept backing away shaking her head.

Seth heard her voice raise and tore out of the bath room, she was half way to the door while Edward was now standing next to her bed, his hands reached out trying to calm her, Seth stood in front of her and she instinctively wrapper her arms around him while resting her head on his back, she could feel the thunder brewing in his chest waiting to escape and wreak havoc on its target. Edward moved towards the balcony…

"Seth, calm down, you don't want to do that, she's right behind you…"

"I won't hurt her, you should be more concerned with your own safety…" the words seethed out of his tightly clinched teeth.

"Seth, I didn't do anything… just ask her, I didn't even touch her" Edward moved a step closer to him, arms still stretched out moving in a calming motion.

"What did he do to you?" he questioned as he softly pulled her around to his side, still grasping onto her tightly.

"Umm…" her eyes faded off to her pendent again, she closed her eyes and remembered Edward's feelings about Bella, her head sank down towards his hands and her body lightly shook.

Seth's face whipped around to meet Edward's, he was starring at her, his eyes almost pleading with her.

"Please tell him, I didn't do anything, that I didn't even touch you…" He starred into Seth's eyes, "Seth, you know I can't hurt her, you saw I didn't even flinch around all her blood, if I was going to do anything it would have been then…"

Seth shook his head, "STOP THAT" he shouted at him as he lunged forward, Edward took two steps back towards the balcony doors.

"No" she whispered out, "he didn't do anything, Seth…" she squeezed him as she stumbled to regain her stance next to him, he looked down at her, she was peering up at him from under his massive arm. "I just um, I…"

"Ok" he said relaxing his posture, Edward took a step back towards them, Seth's head shot back around to Edward, "how does it feel not to be believed, to not be trusted?"

"I'm sorry Seth, I'm just confused and worried and…"

"Ugh look at the time, Henry is going to be home in an hour, did you write the note yet?" Seth asked as he hurried her over to her desk

"Nooo, I have no idea what to write, how do I potentially tell him good bye forever?"

They both growled at her, "nothing is going to happen to you…"

"Henry?"

"Or Henry, we will have someone watch over him…"

"There's another option you know?" Edward and Sarafeena both twisted their heads to the side, both had the same confused look on their face, if there was another option surly they would have mentioned it already.

"Yes, I suppose that could work, if you could talk him into it…"

"Would you stop that and let him speak?" she groaned at Edward.

Seth smiled, maybe she did still care, he thought to himself, "What if we can talk him into going up to my cabin now instead of this weekend? I mean that way you wouldn't have to leave a note at all…"

"How am I going to get him to go up there now, in the middle of the week? I really don't think he'll go for it, what else do you got?"

"Well Carlisle mentioned that you could go stay with my sister…"

"Why with Leah?"

"Well Carlisle said that Henry mentioned he hoped you would make some new friends, well friends… and we could say that you wanted to hang out with her and she's leaving on Thursday, so…"

"Hmm, I could say she's also going to tutor me in cryptography, ugh, he knows I've always hated math!"

Seth laughed, "uh yeah sure she can help you with that…" he laughed again as he looked at Edward. "Figured you'd know what it is…" he said still staring at Edward.

"I've had a lot of time on my hands" Edward replied.

"OK so that's it, that's what I'm going to say, it makes it more believable since there aren't too many people I can ask for help with that, he will understand, or at the very least go easy on me if…" they growled at her, "when I come home."

"Edward everything here is all set, I'm sure Emmett wants to get going, Cheta can't be that great of company…"

"Actually they got along really well, I'm just as shocked as they were, but Cheta left, your keys are still in the ignition." He turned to Sarafeena who was still writing the note for her father, "I will be at the border in the morning, please don't be late… we will continue our conversation tomorrow!"

He didn't give her the chance to protest he was gone before she even looked up. She sighed, "well I'm glad that's over, the awkwardness was causing way to much tension." She quickly gazed over at Seth, as she went to get up and move to him he returned to the bathroom before she could even flinch, she sighed again. She forced herself back into the bathroom, she cringed at the sight, it looked like Texas chain saw massacre in there. Seth whirled around when he heard her gasp, he saw how pale her face got and could feel how weak she was so he rushed to her side and caught her just as she dropped. He picked her up and carried her to her bed, he laid her down gently and turned back for the bathroom, she reached up and grabbed his arm.

"Seth please, we need to talk, I mean I understand if you hate me now, but we still need to…"

He spun around and knelt next to her bed quicker than she could blink, "it's not possible for me to ever hate you" his eyes glanced down to the floor and began lightly shaking his head, "but, I just don't understand how you could… or even what I did…" his eyes darted back to meet hers, the tears in her eyes were pooled up like little hot springs that were about to bubble over. His whole hard demeanor depleted, he couldn't stay that hard to her.

"Seth…" she breathed out as she reached up and brushed his face, he closed his eyes and let her consume him, he felt everything she was feeling, from the heartache and guilt of the pain she caused him, to the overwhelming fear that still pulsed through her body, the confusion of what happened, what will happen and the faint twinge of desperation. Her hands cupped his face and pulled it towards hers, the tears where flowing quickly, her hands trembled as she tried to speak the words…

"I'm, sooo…" she let out a soft cry as the tears were overwhelming her, she took a deep breath wiped the tears and began what could potentially make or break their future. She swung her legs around so she was sitting directly in front of him, her face was even with his since he was still on his knees. "Seth, I'm more sorry than I could ever put into words, I know I hurt you but you must have known I didn't mean it… right?" her eyes fluttered up to his, he looked down at his hands, she reached down and took both his hands in her and continued. "I can feel the pain I caused you, but Seth, please tell me you didn't feel that I…"

"It hurt to hear it and I could feel how angry you were, but when I picked you up the second time I felt everything but anger… so honestly, I'm very confused."

She scooted herself closer to him, "It wasn't directed at you at all, I couldn't see anything, I thought you were Edward… I was actually yearning for your arms but you felt so cold when you were carrying me in, because of how cold you were I thought you were Edward…"

"I felt cold? Wait… you hate him?"

"I don't know" she cried out as she moved off her bed. She walked over towards the balcony and Seth followed closely behind her, she starred out into the woods, "I just felt overwhelming amounts of anger and hostility towards him, and the thing that really scares me now is, I felt those same feeling towards Dr. Cullen just now when he was HELPING me…" she turned towards Seth and starred up into his eyes, "Seth, I feel like a monster" she cried out.

He wrapped his arms around her and squeezed her tightly as her words rung over and over in his head "I feel like a monster." The same words he heard from all of his pack brothers, the very same thing he said… after they all made their first change.

"I feel like I'm losing my mind, like I have no idea who I am, what I am, or what I even want…"

Seth hung his head and stared off to the side of them, making sure not to make eye contact with her, his self doubt was consuming him, consuming her, she reached up and turned his head back to face hers, she smiled and ran her hand softly down the side of his face.

"I am certain of one thing… that I love you more than my own life and will love you no matter what until the day I die. My heart is now and forever yours." Her voice then turned into a whisper "which is part of the problem…" she sighed and broke their gaze when she stared down at his chest.

"Problem?" Seth probed.

She sighed again.

"Oh, you mean him? I thought you meant loving me is a problem…"

"No, letting you love me was my mistake…"

"So now I'm a mistake?"

"Seth!" she growled, this time it wasn't so funny and entertaining as it was intimidating.

Her eyes blinked about six of seven times before the tears started again, "SEE" she cried, "I have no idea where that even came from."

He pulled her in closer again, her head rested on his chest, her body melted into his, she had missed this feeling, she wanted to live there forever, in the silent bliss of his arms.

He took a deep breath, "when you start to realize that no matter what, we were destined to be together… I mean we both essentially imprinted on each other and you know there is no way we control that or even have a chance after that. So take a look at things and recognize that the "problem" is not our love, but it's what's trying to keep us apart that's the real problem. You loving me, me loving you isn't the problem, HE is! If we stick together, ALL of us, I'm positive we can eliminate that very problem."

She stared up at him lovingly wanting with every single fiber of her existence to believe that was true, "but Seth, I told you, things have changed now…"

"Explain that to me… exactly what happened at the store?" Her who body shook as she tightened her arms around him, "do you need to sit down?"

"NO, please, just hold me…"

"Ok, but can you tell me what happened, please?"

She shoved her face back into his body, inhaling all of his scent she could possibly handle, she felt as if it gave her the confidence and courage she needed, she felt that his very presence made her stronger, powerful… her body straighten up and her grasp loosened.

"He was there in the dressing room when I went to try on my last dress…" her eyes widened and she stared up at Seth.

"What's wrong?"

"My dress" she cried out… "It was special… perfect for, tonight…" her head sunk back down.

"Don't worry, I'm sure they are in your car down stairs… do you want me to go look?"

"Yes…but wait, let me finish. He asked if I received his present of promises…" the thunder returned to Seth's chest, she was shocked, it was louder this time, she hadn't thought that possible. "I told him yes, so he asked if the dress I was holding was for our "party" on Sunday…"

"Our?"

"Yes, when he turns…" Seth stepped away from her, his whole body was shaking, he paced back and forth on the balcony. "Seth stay out there, ok?" she peered up at him, knowing what she was about to say was going to push him over the top. He shook his head and let her continue, "he said that while I've been uh, um…" her eyes returned to the floor, "dog sitting…" her eyes raced back to his face but found something she hadn't expected, a small smug smile rested upon his beautiful face, although confused she pushed on. "He said he received a gift, and wanted to tell me about it…"

"A gift? From whom, and why would you care…"

"SETH!" she interrupted, she wanted to go out to him, but knew she couldn't because of what was coming. She figured being blunt would be the best way to get it out there and let him process, she took a couple steps back into her room, he noticed and followed her lead, she raised her hand for him to stop as she took two more steps back. "He can hear my thoughts, and I can hear his… since I made that promise to him, which because of what I am, I have to keep" she forced her eyes to the ground, she couldn't bare seeing the pain this was putting him through. "He and I become connected… like you… and… I" she heard a popping noise and she glanced up, Seth was no longer standing on her balcony and tiny shreds of clothes were scattered all over the ground below. She sighed as she paced back and forth starring out into the woods, "SETH PLEASE" she yelled. She sighed again and turned back to her room, her mind started to go wild with questions after that, if Caluhm could really hear her thoughts, which she knew she could at least hear his, then why hadn't he come to get her now, before they took her off and locked her away, it would be much easier for him to just swoop in now and steal her away. Why would he wait… if he really could hear her that is. She began running over, play by play of the time in the dressing room, could it be that he can't hear her, but she can hear him? She focused on her every move, was she giving away things without even knowing, like the key chain, had she looked directly at it? But how did he know she had all those questions about her mother and why she hadn't told her… she came to the conclusion that he could hear her, but couldn't understand why he didn't know what their plan was now, could he only hear her if they were near each other? Or was he planning on… she gasped at the thought, "oh no" she cried out, "what if he's planning on a battle… what if he wants me to go into hiding, to make it 'fun' for him, a hunt or sorts, what if he planned this, knew that they would want to protect me on their land, he would have them all bundled up in one easy kill package." She sank to the floor her hands wrapped around her head.

All of a sudden her whole body felt warm, like she was having a hot flash until she realized this warmth was coming from outside of her body, not from within, her eyes flashed open, they gazed into the most beautiful loving eyes she had ever seen… "SETH" she cried out as she wrapped her arms around his neck.

"What's wrong?"

"Well I was thinking of things… wait, are you ok?" she stood up and noticed his new clothes, he looked so handsome… "Seth, what is this?"

He laughed, "No I'm not ok, but I'm dealing with it. So what things were you thinking, and what… you don't like it?" he asked while looking down at his new outfit.

She smiled and wrapped her arms around his waist, "I love it!" she exclaimed as she ran her hand up the part of his chest that was exposed under the half buttoned white linen shirt. "I've never seen you in this much clothing," she laughed, "but what is it for?"

"I promised you an amazing night of just you and me, and I'm not going to let him ruin it. Tell me what were you thinking, and then after that, nothing about any of this, a night of just you and me!"

She smiled at the thought, "if Caluhm really can hear my thoughts, than why didn't he come and steal me while you were gone?''

He cringed as he realized he had abandoned her, "I'm sorry I was selfish and foolish, I didn't even think of that, I…"

"Seth I didn't say that to point it out, I asked a question, why hasn't he tried to steal me, knowing what the plan is… that I'm going to be locked away with nine guardians! What if that's what he wanted, if he wants a fight, if you think about it, we are wrapping everyone up in one big package for him to swoop in and… kill" she cringed.

"Hmm, I hadn't thought of that…"

"Seth it's ok, letting go isn't giving up, it's just excepting that something's weren't meant to be…"

"NO! Why would you even say that?" he shouted as he back away from her.

"Seth, why won't you…"

"Because, that's just STUPID!" he shouted again.

"UGH" she screamed, "I'm so mad, you're being impossible!"

"You're angry that I won't let you kill yourself?"

She sighed, "well no, because that would be pretty stupid, huh? I'm just angry with myself for putting you, your family and friends in this position. I've caused so much damage, ruined so many lives in my eighteen years of existence. I just wish you would let me do this, do one thing right for once… save someone instead of…" she hung her head as she fought back the tears.

"I don't regret one thing that's happened since we met… wait, I take that back, I regret that I couldn't stop that vile excuse of a human from putting his hands on you. I will never forgive myself for that. And you haven't ruined anyone's life, he has, don't confuse his actions for your faults, none of it was your doing… and I just can't believe you really wish that if it meant you'd lose your life in return…"

"No I suppose you couldn't believe that, ok, so then I wish… no, I can't wish that either…"

"Because I know that's not true!" he starred into her eyes, "I know you want us all to be safe, and I totally agree, but I can NOT live without you being a part of the ALL! Ok, so now that we have this settled, can we please not talk about this… at least until tomorrow, please!"

"What do you think we have settled?"

"That you're not going to put your life at risk and that you are going to just listen to us for now and do as we say… to keep you safe."

"So let me get this straight, you're allowed to risk your life, to save me… but I can't try to save yours?"

"I'm not the target, you are…"

"Seth, YES you are… indirectly. He hates that I love you, I know he knows I will never ever love him and he hates it, hates you… He may get my body, and be able to control my mind, but he will never have my heart, because it's not mine to give anymore. Seth, you are in just as much danger as I am, and I can't stand the thought of losing you!"

"OK, so we agree and you know where I'm coming from… I WONT lose you!"

"Yes, but the difference is, I'm the one who could end this, I'm the one he wants… If I go, you stay safe, if you go, and God forbid something doesn't go right, your gone, and I won't live without you, so both our lives are lost when it could be just…"

"NO, don't you see, if I lose you, I will NOT live, I will…"

She sighed as the tears started to flow, "Seth, please promise me you won't do that…"

"I can't, I told you I will not live without you, my sun rises in your eyes and sets when their closed, you're the reason my heart still beats, why I bother breathing, I wake only to search for your face, I smile only to see yours, you are my reason for living."

Her hands slowly slide up his chest and wrapped around his neck, she leaned up on her tip toes and kissed him, his right hand clutched the back of her neck and pulled her closer forcing his face into hers, her leg wrapped up around his hip while his other hand slid down under her butt and lifted her up to his waist. She wrapped her other leg around him, moaning as he kissed her deeper, more passionate than he had in days. She leaned into his ear and softly whispered "I love you" as he kissed her neck. He walked over and gently laid her down on the bed, he pulled the button down shirt off over his head, she propped herself up on her elbows admiring his beauty, he knelt down on the bed, his hands ran up her thighs to her short shorts, he leaned down pushed up her shirt and kissed her stomach, she darted off the bed and pulled her shirt back down.

"What's wrong? I'm sorry did I hurt you?" he asked as he rushed to her side.

"No, no, it's not that it's…" she stared down at her hands that were now resting on the bump.

"OH, your stomach still hurts? I didn't even think of that..." he looked devastated.

"No Seth, actually I'm really hungry again, like famished!"

He smiled, "I was hoping you would say that, I kind of packed a ton of food for our dinner…"

She tilted her head to the side as a smile slowly crept up, "packed?" she asked delighted that his smile had returned.

"Yes, I thought we might… well I've told you too much, it's a surprise!" his smile looked like a child's on Christmas morning, totally giddy. "Is the note done?"

"Yes."

"Ok, pack some things up and I will finish the bath room, we have hardly twenty minutes left."

"Seth…" she grabbed for his hand, he swiftly returned to her side, "I really do love you, and what just happened, wasn't you… it's still me."

He pressed his lips against her forehead and smiled, "just seeing you smile is enough for me…"

"I really don't deserve you" she whispered.

"Your right, you deserve more..." he chuckled, "but you're stuck with me."

She jumped up into his arms, she kissed him so hard they both gasped for air, she twisted her hands in his hair as he kissed her even harder, she stopped abruptly starring deep into his eyes, she breathed out "I'm not stuck, I'm right where I want to be…" she smiled as he slowly lowered her back down.

"So what should I pack, and for how long?"

"Uh, pack as much as you want, I'm not sure how long this is going to take… oh, make sure to pack a bathing suit… or wear it under your clothes for tonight."

She shook her head... "What have you planned" she probed as he chuckled and returned to the bathroom throwing his white linen pants at her.

She moved over to her closet and pulled out a large old brown suitcase, it still had travel tags from previous trips on the handle. She stuffed the bottom with shoes then pulled out a couple pairs of jeans, some loose fitting dresses and shirts, then she dragged the suitcase over to her dresser, she pulled out some a couple t-shirts, some bras, panties and pajamas, she smiled as she held up a red satin corset and the matching panty with garter attached.

"Mmm what's that for?" Seth whispered in her ear.

He startled her and she dropped in into her suit case, "Uh no… your sister!" she reminded him as she leaned over to pull it out.

"No, leave it, she can find someplace else to sleep for a night… or hang out for a day!" he winked at her as he softly ran his hand across her lower back. She tilted her head back as he pressed his lips against hers. "So what else do you have in here…" he asked as he leaned down and poked through her suit case. "Nope, don't need this, don't need that…" he looked up at her, his smile stretched across his whole face, "you really don't need any of this you know…"

"Oh yeah? Do you think I'm going to walk around naked the whole time?" She could tell by the switch in his smile that, that was indeed what he thought. She smacked his shoulder, "SETH!" he laughed as he turned towards her, his hands running up her legs, his face pressed against her stomach kissing as his hands went up her shorts. She moaned, "Seetth" she airily whispered trying to sound displeased to cover up her longing for him. "Henry" she whispered.

He shot straight up grabbing her bag and heading for the door… "wait, he's not here…"

She laughed, "No, I was just reminding you he will be home soon, we need to leave!"

He sighed, "Your right, we can pick this up later…" he leaned down and kissed her again. "Is everything in here that you want to take?"

"Yeah that should be good, oh wait, you said to bring a bathing suit, right?"

"Yep" he smiled.

"Ok I didn't pack one of those" she pulled out a large black smocked bathing suit top and then a pair of long black brief bottoms.

"What the hell is that?" Seth asked as he walked back over to her.

"Uh it's a bathing suit…"

"Yeah, if you're like fifty!"

"Seth!! That's not nice…"

"What's wrong with this one?" he pulled out a tiny black two piece.

"It's um too cold for that…"

"Ok, what about this one?" he pulled out a rainbow colored two piece, smaller than the previous one.

She sighed and grabbed the black two piece and shoved it into a light colored straw bag sitting on her chair. "FINE, but I'm bringing this too" she held up a t-shirt and shoved it into the bag.

Seth laughed, "Ok Love, whatever you want." He pressed his lips to her forehead again and headed for the door. "I'll be downstairs waiting…"

"Uh Seth…" he turned as she threw his shirt and pants at him.

"Oh yeah" he laughed as he pulled his clothes back on.

"Hey, can you bring up the bags in my car please?"

"Sure, be right back" he yelled up to her. He returned with the bags in seconds, she shuffled through them and pushed one back towards him.

"Can you put this with the suit case? I want to bring that with me…"

He smiled and shook his head as he turned for the stairs "five minutes, we are cutting this really close."

She slowly pulled out the baby yellow satin dress and hugged it to her body, she pulled off her t-shirt and shorts, she switched her bra and panties and slipped on the dress. She pulled her hair half up and stuck a couple lilies from the bouquet Seth had given her just days ago into the back. She slid her new shoes on and headed down the stairs with her bag in one hand and the note for her father in the other. She sat the note down on the kitchen table, surely somewhere he would look right away. She took potentially her last look at her father's house and walked out the door. She was shocked to see her car driving away, she squinted to see Alo in the driver's seat.

"Hey, what's…" she stopped when she saw Seth's face. "What's wrong?" she asked as she retreated back a step.

Seth's mouth was dragging on the ground, his eyes lit up like the fiery sun in the sky, he stared passionately at her as he walked towards her. "I didn't think it was possible…"

"What?" she gasped as she looked down at herself.

"You took my breath away again, but I think that's going to be something I'm going to have to get used to with you… you look absolutely gorgeous."

She smiled and continued down the stairs, she took his hands in hers and he pulled them up and pressed his lips to her hands, she blushed, "I really think I love you more than anything in this world…and more than humanly possible." He chuckled as he pulled her towards his car, she gasped at the sight of it. "Seth, is that really yours?"

"Yes, it's a um gift…" she puckered her brow, "it's from Edward, to be honest, when we aren't fighting we get along really well, he's like family."

"Why would he give you a car?"

"It was kind of a bet, and I won…"

She laughed, "and what were the details of said bet?"

He ushered her into the car and shut the door, he slid himself into the driver's seat and turned to her. "I'm not ignoring your question, but Henry will be home in three minutes, so we really do need to get a move on." She nodded as he started to pull away.

"WAIT" she yelled and pulled the door open, she ran back up to the house and straight up to her room, she grabbed her mother's little jewelry box and her pendant necklace and ran back down the stairs. She pulled the door shut tight behind her and ran back to the car. "I couldn't leave these behind" she held them up as he started the car again.

"We have one minute… are we good now?"

"Yes, yes, I'm sorry."

Seth pulled away from her house as she took one last look trying to memorize every last detail, Seth rested his hand on top of hers and squeezed… "it's not the last time" he reassured her. She smiled timidly as he started on about the bet, "so the car was part of a bet I made with Edward about twenty five years ago…" her head spun around her mouth dropped, he laughed. "I bet Edward a new car every five years that I could out run Emmett."

"That's it? Just that you could out run him?"

"Uh to the top of Alaska and back…"

"SETH!! OH MY GOD!" she pulled her hand out from under his.

He laughed, "So yeah, I made it back in two days, it took Emmett three and a half!" he boasted with pride.

"Seth you could have been hurt, or you could have like froze or something…"

"But I didn't, and now I get a new car every five years, I've actually kept a couple, they are in my garage at the house, I also have a boat," he laughed, "I opted for a boat one year instead of a new car." She sighed and looked disappointed, "What's wrong?"

"I didn't know you lived off vampires…" she said quietly.

"Wow, that hurt…actually I make my own cake, Edward just provides some of the icing for my cake. I've invested money in different stocks for years now, I have more money than I know what to do with, and that's after giving like fifty percent away to charities and back to the reservation."

"Seth I'm sorry, I just thought that since you got your… I'm just sorry, I should've never jumped to that conclusion."

He laughed again, "it's ok, I mean it just shows how much we don't know about each other… but we've got forever to talk about that." She looked down, the smile started to fade from her face, "Hey! None of that, remember everything is about us and our future… together!" She smiled again, "there it is…" he smiled, "my sun!"

She looked down at the jewelry box in her hands and noticed her pendant was the same shape as the keyhole in the box, she started to fiddle with it again, this time she pushed the pendant into the box and it clicked. Just as it clicked into place, the car stopped moving, she looked up and gasped.

"Oh Seth, it's beautiful…" she cried out. They were on top of a cliff overlooking the lake and the sun was just about to set, there was a blanket laid out with candles already lit sitting out on the furthest part of the cliff.

"I know how much sunsets meant to you and your mom, since you used to watch them with her, and I wanted to share this with you… I mean it's an amazing view, I hope you don't mind. I just wanted to remind you that a part of her is still alive, and maybe share it with you, but if that's…"

She dropped the box on the floor of the car and it rolled under the seat, she leaned over and kissed him as a tear slowly trickled down her cheek, "this is the most perfect thing ever, I couldn't imagine anything better… sharing something so beautiful, so meaningful to me with the two most important people in my life, Seth I love it, I love you!"

Seth got out and opened the trunk, he pulled out a basket then headed to her door. She was already standing outside of the car staring at the sunset, the sky was turning a beautiful shade of pink, hinted by glints of orange and purple peaking through. He walked over, she wrapped her arm around his waist and they headed out onto the cliff.

"Seth, I can't believe you did all of this, when did you even have the time?"

He smiled, "while you were shopping, and then just a little while ago when I flipped out and left you, which I am going to try my hardest to never leave you again…"

"Seth, as much as I love you and physically need you around me, we are going to have to be a part, you have responsibilities with these young boys' lives, you have your commitments, as do I…"

He chuckled, "yeah, other than the obvious, what I mean is I will never lose, um, I will try to never push myself to the point where I have to leave your side for your safety!"

"Seth I understand…" she rested her hand on top of his and felt his obvious self distrust. "I trust you" she said as she gazed into his eyes. Seth pulled her closer to him as they turned to watch the sunset. He had pulled out most of the things he packed in the basket, she laughed as she noticed the amount of the food he packed.

"I packed a ton of food remembering how starving you were yesterday… I have cheese and crackers, I have different cuts of meat, I have shrimp, and fresh cut fruit, and some wine."

"I'm such a pig, huh?" she snorted.

He laughed, "No, I didn't mean that, I just meant…"

She laughed again, "it's ok, I'm actually really hungry" she said while resting one hand on her stomach as the other dug into the shrimp. She pulled out the largest one and lifted it to her mouth, just as it hit her lips she dropped it, she grunted and lifted it to her mouth again, this time dropping it before it even hit her lips, she sighed.

"You don't like it?" Seth asked curiously.

"No, I love shrimp, but for some reason I can't get it into my mouth…"

He laughed, "Ok, is that a hint…" he smiled and picked up the piece of shrimp and lifted it to her mouth, but quickly pulled it away and put half of it in his mouth and leaned forward. She smiled and giggled when she picked up on what he was doing, she leaned forward the rest of the way and just as her lips grazed the other end she curled over and let out a loud groan.

"Are you ok? Are you sick again… what do you need me to do?" he asked breathlessly as he hovered over her.

"Noo, it's ok, I'm fine, just the smell or something is making me really sick… let me try something else." She picked up some of the fruit and slowly raised it to her lips, she placed it in her mouth and chewed with ease. "I don't know, maybe the shrimp is bad and somehow my sense of smell is letting me know not to eat it? Maybe you shouldn't eat it either… just in case."

"But it's fresh, there's no way it's bad… I have other things though, let me make you a sandwich, I've got some ham, bologna, and roast beef…"

"Um how about some bologna and… OHH do you have any ketchup?" her eyes lit up.

"Uh, ketchup, for what…"

"The bologna sandwich… ooh I'm craving ketchup now!" she leaned forward towards the basket to check for some ketchup and he jumped in her way. "Uh Seth, everything ok?" she laughed.

"Uh, well I kind of have something I want to give you" he leaned down and franticly searched through the basket pulling everything out… "UGH, LEAH" he seethed.

"Is something wrong?"

"Well it seems as if Leah has decided to change my plans… I wanted to give you something to remind you that my heart is always in the right place…"

"In the right place, what are you talking about?"

"Well I wanted to give you something so that you have a visual reminder that if I ever do something, or rather when I do something stupid, you'll know my heart was in the right place… in your hands and that everything I do is always for you, or the best thing for you, for your safety."

She smiled and pulled herself into his lap, "aww Seth, I don't know what to say…" He grunted. "Seth…"

"I can't believe she did that though, I talked to her and she was ok with this… I seriously have no clue what goes on in that girls head sometimes!"

She nodded her head as she poked through the basket… "yep, mm hmm."

"Uh what are you doing?" he laughed.

"Well I was still uh looking for the ketchup…" she said hesitantly.

He let out a loud laugh that echoed over the lake, "are you serious?"

"Yes, I am SO craving it now, like seriously I could just eat it out of the packet!"

"Love I don't have any ketchup, I'm sorry. What about something else? Maybe just eat some of the bologna?"

She shrugged her shoulders picked a piece up and heaved it into her mouth she immediately spit it back out. "What the hell" she grunted. She picked up a piece of fruit and shoved it in her mouth, she chewed again with ease.

"What is going on?"

"I don't know, I don't understand, I can't eat the shrimp, I can't eat the lunch meat…"

"What about some cheese, crackers and maybe some wine?"

"Yeah I guess, like I said I'm super hungry" she whined.

Seth pulled out the wine and glasses, he poured her some wine grabbed some cheese and crackers put them on a napkin and set it all in front of her. She hesitantly picked up a cracker and some cheese, she slowly lifted it up to her lips, she sniffed it and shoved it into her mouth, she quickly covered her mouth as she chewed.

"Are you ok?"

She nodded her head as she chewed. She finished and pulled her hand away, "I just wanted to make sure it stayed in!" She reached for the glass of wine, she got it half way to her lips and her hand started to shake, the wine bubbled up over the sides soaking the blanket below her.

"Maybe this wasn't a good idea, maybe it was too soon to bring you out here… you need your rest."

"NO, really Seth I feel fine, I have no idea why I can eat some of these things and not the others, I mean it's not like I've never had this stuff before… and as I've stated many times now, I'm super hungry, like I'm getting overwhelming hunger pains" she grumbled.

"Well load up on the things I have here that you can eat and then when we get back to my house I'll make you whatever you want… or go out and get you something." He shook his head no as he started to remember his promise to Edward, "actually no, I'll send someone else out, I'm not leaving your side!"

She smiled as she crawled over to him climbing up into his lap again she wrapped her arms around his neck, he leaned his forehead down and met hers, she smiled as she gazed into his eyes, they stayed like that until she got what felt like a muscle spasm in her stomach. She released his neck and placed both her hands on her stomach.

"What's wrong, pain?"

"No…" her eye brows puckered as she stared at her hands. "The muscles are like spasming or something… here put your hand here." She lifted his hand and softly placed it on her stomach, his eyes widened, he lifted her off his lap and he started to pace back and forth.

She raced to her feet, jumping around the food and candles she was by his side in seconds, "Seth what's wrong? What did you feel?"

"It… it…" he shook his head and walked back to the car, she followed closely behind. "Hey, what would you say to going for a late night swim?" he asked as he smiled seductively down at her.

"NO, tell me what's wrong? Seth something freaked you out, please talk to me…"

"It was nothing, really" the smile returned, "please, swim, me, you, that bathing suit…" his eye brow raised. She rolled her eyes knowing she wasn't going to get him to talk and obliged, she pulled the suit out of her bag and jumped into the back of his car to put it on. She figured since it was dark enough she wouldn't have to worry about him seeing her gross deformed stomach and didn't put on the extra t-shirt she brought. He grabbed her hand and led her down the path to the lake as they got closer the moon light lit up the little beach and the surrounding area, just as he let go of her hand and dove into the water she noticed he had no clothes on, a small smile crept over her face as she bit on her bottom lip. She felt her cheeks warming as if they were becoming flush she shook her head confused by the feelings she was having, why was she embarrassed at the sight of his perfect body, then her hand returned to her stomach and she sighed. As soon as Seth returned under the water she eased her way quickly into the water, it was much warmer than she had anticipated, but she remembered she had her own portable heater in there with her. She was in up to her thighs when he came out of nowhere and swooped her off her feet.

"Seeth, I don't want to get my hair wet, I want to look nice for your sister…"

He laughed and smiled down at her, "ok, I promise" he twirled her around and splashed as he walked out further into the water. She wrapper her arms around his neck turning her body towards him, she wrapped her legs around his waist and pressed her lips against his.

"Seth this is absolutely perfect… no, you're perfect, I couldn't have asked for a better man to be my…" she smiled and giggled.

"Your what?" he smiled down at her.

"Well I don't know exactly what to call you, you're my best friend, my…" she giggled again, "my lover," her tone turned serious, "my hero, my inspiration, my reason for living… I mean how do I sum all of that up into one word? I mean I know a word that is supposed to embody all of that, but…"

"And which word is that?"

She pressed her lips to his again tightening her legs around his waist forcing her body into his, she slid her hand up into his shaggy wet hair and pulled his head back, she kissed under his chin down his throat across his collar bone and back up his neck. She softly tugged on his earlobe with her teeth and whispered, "husband."

He pulled back slightly and gazed at her his eyes seemed distant, the moon light shined straight down on her face, she met his gaze with a timid smile of confusion. Her eyes quickly lowered as she released the grip her legs had on his waist and lowered herself back into the water, it was a little higher than her waist. She then noticed him silently staring at her stomach, at least that's what she thought since the moon was behind him she couldn't completely see where his eyes were focused. She turned and headed back for the shore, she had tears welling up from the disheartening response she got from his silence about her feelings of him, she wasn't quick enough though since he was in front of her before she got even half way back to the beach.

"Hey, what's wrong? Is it too cold?"

"No, I um just feel uncomfortable, Seth I feel like we aren't alone…" in the blink of an eye he had swooped her up again and was carrying her back to the shore.

"So I guess we should go, I still have to formally introduce you to Leah" he sighed "and I'm sure your still hungry" he said as he gazed down at her stomach.

She turned her body away from him to shield his view of her stomach as he carried her back up the hill, "Seth, I'm sure it's going to go just fine… you said so yourself that she thinks of me as family, and I think of her the same way, I love her like a sister already…"

"Just wait that will change…"

"Seth give her a little credit, I think she's really trying" she said as he set her back down next to the car.

"Oh I know she is, I'm just mad she took..." his voice faded off as he pulled his pants back on.

"I'm sure she had a reason for it, when we get there, please don't jump all over her, let her explain first, ok?"

He sighed as he pulled his shirt back on and walked back over to her, he wrapped his arms around her, "have I told you how much I love you?"

"Umm, well not in awhile…" she stared down at his feet.

He ran his index finger down the side of her face under her chin and raised her face up to meet his, he pressed her lips against hers, her knees felt weak, she wrapped her arms around him and grabbed onto his loose flowing shirt, "Well I love you with every single fiber of my being and I need you more than, well more than the air to breath, you are my air, you are my sun, you're my moon, you're my stars, each one representing just how many reasons I have to love you, how thankful I am to have you… how many times I think of you…"

"Seth, do you really mean that" she softly whispered.

He frowned, "I'm sorry you even have to ask that…"

"Back in the water, when I told you how I felt about you…" her eyes fluttered as she stared back down at his chest, "you didn't seem to" she took a deep breath, "to feel the same?" She ended in a questioning tone.

He softly chuckled as he pulled her closer and stared up at the sky, "see the one right there, that HUGE one?" he pointed up at the biggest and brightest in the sky.

"Mm Hmm" she said as she rested her head on his chest and he wrapped his arms around her.

"That's Venus, and there's a story that has been passed down throughout our history… in the beginning there was only Tirawahat, which is the Universe and everything in it. Venus the Morning Star, the Sun and the other males of the sky were in favor of creating the world, but Venus the Evening Star, the Moon and the other females were against it. To win the debate and create the new world, Morning Star was going to have to win the heart of Evening Star. Many had tried before him and failed, she was guarded by many great protectors, Sirius the wolf, Auriga the cougar, Sagittarius the bear, Procyon the bobcat and worst of all Scorpius the snake. One by one he defeated them and won the hand of Evening Star and thus leading to the creation of the world. The reason why Venus is the brightest in the sky is because she's the most protected, the most sought after and the most loved. The point I'm getting at is that, that's you" he pointed back up to the sky, "you are my Venus, I would battle the wolf, the cougar, the bear, the bobcat and the snake to keep my world safe, to keep you safe. You are all that matters to me…"

She wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled herself up on her tip toes and kissed him again, he turned her around and pressed her up against his car as he ran his hands down her sides, he quickly wrapped them around her back and lifted her up onto the hood. She leaned back and propped herself up with her hands as he kissed neck her, his hands running up her thighs as the direction of his kisses lowered. She moaned as he softly kissed over her breast, she was breathless by the time he reached her stomach. He softly ran his lips over the bump on her stomach as she jerked her body away. She jerked so much she fell right off the hood and landed in front of his feet, he crouched down to pick her up but she stood up immediately and brushed herself off.

"Seth I'm kind of cold, do you think we could um…"

"Yeah sure" he said disappointed, he stood up and turned back towards the cliff.

She grabbed his hand and pulled him back, "you didn't let me finish," she pressed herself into him and gazed up at him through her long black eye lashes, "can we take this back to your place where it's warmer?" she said with a smile.

His smile returned as the word "yes" quickly escaped his lips before he pressed them back to hers. While she slipped back into her dress he started to pile all the stuff back into the basket.

"So how do I look? Suitable for your sister?" she questioned as she held out her hands and twirled around.

"You look like an Angel… my angel" he said as he wrapped his hand around her waist and pulled her back towards him crushing her into him he leaned down and kissed her on her forehead. He tossed the basket in the back seat as he opened her door, she smiled as she sat down, she stared up at the sky, memorizing the exact spot Venus was in, he turned the car on and the radio blared out 'Sometimes I just forget, say things I might regret, it breaks my heart to see you crying, I don't want to lose you, I could never make it alone, I am the man who will fight for your honor.'

She smiled as he loving gazed at her, he softly took her hand and brought it up to his lips, he whispered "I love you" as he kissed her hand. Her hand stayed in his the whole way to his house, as did the smiles that seemed to be permanently etched onto both of their faces. The drive to his house was quick since the cliff wasn't that far away, Seth took a deep breath as they pulled up to his house. The light was on outside but the inside looked dark. "Ugh, where is she, I told her it was tonight that you would be here to meet her…"

"Well after today maybe she thought that this was off?" Before Seth even turned off the car Leah was standing on his front porch, "or not" she said as she stared out the window.

"You ok?"

"Yes Seth, I'm fine… it's not like she bites, or sucks blood" she joked. Seth rolled his eyes as he helped her out of the car. He grabbed her suit case and bags in one hand and her hand in the other as they headed up towards his house.

"LEAH, we need to…" Sarafeena squeezed his hand, he sighed as he remembered the promise he made to her. "Finne"

Leah smiled as they approached, "Seth can I talk to her alone for a minute…"

"Absolutely not!" he barked back.

"Seth I'll be fine, it's ok…" she whispered.

"Yeah it's not like I'm some leach or something…"

Sarafeena laughed and looked up at Seth, he sighed again, louder this time making sure Leah heard him.

"Something funny?" Leah asked.

"NO, not at all" he huffed at her. He leaned down and kissed Sarafeena on the neck and whispered "I'll be right inside, you need anything just cough, and I'll be by your side."

"Ok, but I'm sure I'll be fine…" she smiled as she cupped his face in her hands and pressed her lips against his.

He started up towards the house, "you do anything…"

"Seth just go inside, you need to umm do some thing's…" his eyes squinted at her as his face hardened from confusion. "Just go look" she whispered. He passed by her and entered his house, he dropped her bags when he saw what Leah had done.

"You're much prettier than I remember…" Leah said as she walked towards Sarafeena.

Leah was much taller than Sarafeena and very beautiful herself, "well thank you, you're quite stunning yourself" Leah grunted in disagreement. "Really you are, and your eyes," she got closer to her, positioning herself with the light at her back, "your eyes are fascinating" she said as she got closer… "I can see…" she squinted as Leah pulled back. "I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to intrude in your space, it's just I've never seen so much depth and life in one persons eyes."

"Uh, is that your way of telling me I'm old?"

"No, No, I…"

"I'm just kidding, thanks, I guess. Well listen, I don't want to keep you two apart too long on this special night, but I wanted to give you something…"

Sarafeena took a step backwards, "uh, give me? You didn't have to get me anything, I mean I didn't get…"

"No I didn't go out and buy it, it's something I've had since I was much younger, at this point I don't really think I'm ever going to need it, so I'd really like for you to have it…" she reached into the pocket of her short jean shorts and started to pull something out, "it's really nothing big, but I thought it might come in handy for you and Seth…"

"Oh, so it's for the both of us?" she smiled as she moved back towards Leah.

"No, it's more for you, but the meaning behind it might benefit him as well… if it really works that is."

"Uh, I'm confused," she laughed nervously.

Leah pulled her hand out of her pocket, "can I have your hand please? I promise I won't hurt you…"

"I never thought you were going to hurt me Leah, I just…" she stopped talking and smiled as she pressed her lips together, she moved towards her closing the gap between them, she slowly held out her hands as she stared up into Leah's eyes, the more she stared the more she started to see a bit of Seth which relaxed her. She smiled bigger as Leah covered Sarafeena's tiny hand with hers. She placed something small and cold into her hand, it certainly wasn't what Sarafeena had expected. Leah removed her hand to expose a beautiful tiny multicolored glass turtle.

"To use the turtle represents, strength, long life, perseverance and" she paused as she took a couple steps back and smirked, "fertility."

Sarafeena's eyes widened, "Oh umm, ok, uh thank you" she stumbled out, her confusion was obvious but that didn't stop Leah from continuing on anyways.

"So yeah, um it's time for me to go… it was really nice officially meeting you."

"Leah, please, why don't you stay, Seth packed some amazing food, and I couldn't eat any, so we have a ton left, why don't you join us?" She asked trying to figure out a way to get them all to sit down and talk together, she had to let Leah in on everything Seth was getting himself into. She thought Leah's love for Seth would drive her to convince Seth that letting Sarafeena leave was the only way to keep everyone safe.

"I think you're going to want to be alone tonight, I'll be around tomorrow though, if you'd like to chat more then, really I need to get going, I have to find Joey, who knows what that kid has gotten into…" she laughed.

"Uh, yeah, Joey" she said hesitantly remembering what Seth had said about him just being thirteen.

"So you better get inside now, it's getting pretty cold out and you're hardly dressed properly." Sarafeena's shoulders sank as she stared down at the tiny turtle setting in her hand. Before she knew it, it was covered up by Leah's hand that was now grasping hers, she quickly looked up to see Leah smiling down at her, she felt her own face mimic that of Leah's, "you really do look beautiful, and I am very glad Seth found you… your perfect for a sister." Leah let go of her hand and turned her back as she started to walk away until she felt weighed down, she looked down and saw two tiny arms wrapped around her and the top of Sarafeena's head, she smiled and turned to face her again as she wrapped her arms around her and gently squeezed. "You really should go inside now, I'm sure Seth is getting worried that I ate you up or kidnapped you or something crazy, he really has an over active imagination sometimes," she chuckled. "So please head inside to put his anxiety at ease and we will talk whenever you want… tomorrow" she said as she nudged Sarafeena towards the house.

Sarafeena softly laughed, "Yeah tell me about it, well thank you, for the, well for everything, Leah it really means a lot to me that you think of me like… well the way I think of you" she said as she headed towards the house.

Leah smiled as Sarafeena took one last look back, Leah waved her into the house, she waited until she saw Sarafeena open the door, then she pulled a small remote control out of the other pocket in her shorts, she smiled as she gazed up at the now candle lit house and pressed a button as she turned and headed off into the woods.