A/N: I can't believe we made to 98 reviews! You guys are awesome! Thats 2 away from a hundred! ONE HUNDRED!!! Thats one hundred reviews! I love you guys! Keep reading! Sorry I toook such a long time to review!

______________________________________________________________________________

I awoke to the feeling of Quil's large fingers tracing along my cheek bone. My eyes fluttered open. A sharp pain jabbed at my skull.

"Ow," I cried, my hands automatically coming up to hold my head. The knuckles on my right hand ached painfully at the movement.

I grabbed my sore right hand in my left, my arms pressed to either side of my head. I curled up into a tight ball and squeezed my eyes together.

"One hell of a hangover huh Claire?" Quil asked from his spot beside me.

I just moaned in response.

He started rubbing soothing circles on my back. He seemed almost awkward sitting there comforting me. I opened my right eye just a smidge to look at him.

"Whats wrong?" I mummbled almost incoherently.

He heaved a huge sigh before speaking. "You're obviously in pain- which makes me upset. You got way to drunk, they all let you get that drunk and-"

"Don't blame the girls, this is my fault," I interrupted.

He continued like I hadn't said anything. "- a guy was trying to get you to go home with him so you punched him- that all together really pisses me off. I feel sorry for you- hangovers suck royaly. I feel sad because you're in pain, I feel angry because - well alot of things. I don't know which emotion I should feel."

"I'm so sorry, Quil," I whispered. His troubles were just making my head hurt worse.

"Don't be Claire. I should have come. Everything would have been fine if I was there. This is my fault."

Anger welled through me. He couldn't just blame everything on himself- especially when none of it was his fault. I sat up- ignoring the multiple pains I felt- and glared at him.

"Cut it out Quil!" I yelled, causing my ears to ring painfully. "This is not your fault. None of it is your fault. You can't always protect me from everything. I need to get out there and experience life. Sometimes it hurts. Sometimes I'll make mistakes. But you learn from them-"

This time he cut me off. "Exactly; I made a mistake by not going and I've learned from it."

"Quil. I'm an adult. There's no need for you to baby me. I know you love me- I love you too- but you can't control everything I do. I can't be kept on a leash. And I know that you just want me to be safe. You don't want me to get hurt in anyway. But it's going to happen anyways. It's part of being human. I'm glad that I got drunk and that now my head is pounding like the Ultimate Fighting Championships are going on inside my brain. I need to have these experiences. These are the things that make us grow as people." I stopped myself from saying anymore. I panted from my long speech and reached my hands up to place them on either side of Quil's shocked face. "I love you," I whispered.

"I love you too," he whispered back, "I'm sorry. You're right. It's just hard not to blame myself. I'm supposed to be your protector. But you're still getting hurt." He put his large hands over top of mine and held them to his face.

"I could never expect you to stop everything bad from happening. To smoothe out all of the bumps in the road. I just need you to be there through it all. Holding my hand as we go over the bumps together," I murmured, "That's the way things are meant to be."

He took one of his hands from on top of mine and brushed his fingers across my cheek. He slowly leaned forward and gently pressed his lips against mine.

As the kiss deepend his hand squeezed my sore knuckles causing me to wimper. He immediatley let go.

"Do we need to see Carlisle?" he asked while examining my hand.

"I don't think so," I sighed, "just a little tender."

"Looks okay to me," Quil said, "I'm actually quite surprised at you."

"What for?"

"For punching that guy! I guess it was all the alcohol clouding your judgement, but still, wow!"

"Broke his nose too," I bragged.

He laughed. "Really?"

I nodded. "Yup," I said, popping my lips on the 'p'.

"You amaze me," he whispered, before placing a kiss in the hallow under my ear. He knew I loved it when he kissed me there. I shivered with pleasure.

I flopped back on the bed, pulling Quil with me. My head throbbed as if threatening to burst. I moaned in pain, grasping at the sides of my head trying to hold it together.

I felt Quil wince as he listened to my cries. "I'll go get you something to ease the pain," he reassured me. He hopped off the bed and walked out of the room.

A few minutes later, he returned with with two pills and a glass of water in one hand and Lil' Quil in the other arm. He handed me the pills and the water.

I quickly swallowed the medicine and drank the entire glass of water. Quil set our son on the bed and he crawled over to me.

I picked him up and plopped him down on my lap. He tugged lightly on a piece of my hair like he usually did. The slight movement of my scalp made me cringe away from his touch.

Quil noticed my discomfort. "C'mon buddy," he said reaching for Lil' Quil, "lets go get you some breakfast." He picked him up and carried him out of the room, winking at me before shutting the door behind them.

______________________________________________________________________________

A/N: I hope you liked that chapter. Keep READING & REVIEWING!!!