(Sorry guys, it has been a short while since my last update. If you've been waiting like crazy, I apologize. I got into a car accident not to long ago and I really haven't made the time to write, but I'm ok, I got away with a few scratches and bruises thanks to my seat belt! :D)

The morning came and there was no trouble. It was strange, but I welcomed it. I slept in until noon before Kim woke me to tell me that I was going to take it easy for awhile until the divorce papers were all in order. My parents had gotten a lawyer for me, a good one.

"Jake hasn't come around. Jared told me this morning that he won't be able to see you until later like... night later. They'll both come over and we can hang out together." She said while I was rubbing my eyes to get rid of my sleepiness.

"Tonight?" I sighed. "I want to see him now..." I murmured.

"Ashley." Kim chuckled. "Relax, they have to keep watch for-"

"Dare..." I groaned. "Can't the other pack members watch out for him?"

"Jared and Jake are assigned here, but the other guys after the night, they do whatever they're told to do by Sam."

"I know." I sighed heavily and rolled onto my stomach.

"Oh no you don't, we're getting up, getting breakfast and we're going to act like normal girls out of high school." Kim rolled me back over and pulled me out of bed.

"Isn't sleeping in normal?" I muttered as she dug through her closet and pulled out tight fitting blue jeans, a deep purple long sleeved V-neck shirt and a beige jacket with a fur lined hood. "What are we going to do?"

"Ashley... I don't believe I ever took you to a party." Kim said with a devious smile.

"What? A party? I don't party like a party party..."

"Well, that will change, trust me, your hips and mine with be moving to the music. Don't let your good figure go to waste Ashley! We're hot, we're gonna flaunt it!"

"But what about Jake and Jared?"
"Jared okay-ed it. He loves to watch me dance, and Jake... I'm sure he'll be watching too." Kim said and I blushed slightly as she hustled me into the bathroom with the clothes she picked it out told me to get ready.

I chuckled to myself as I turned on my shower. I brushed my hair, cleaned myself up, then changed into her clothes. It was about one o'clock when I was finished and we had breakfast at a diner not too far from the house. Kim told me they could go anywhere nearby as long as there were trees to conceal them, so next we hung out with some old friends at their house before the party started at 8pm and me and Kim arrived at 8:40. By that time most people were there and me and Kim went to the back of the house where there were sliding glass doors and a homemade dance floor.

The music started and in a group of people I knew from school I started dancing, laughing, and just generally having a good time. I moved my hips like I didn't even know I could move them. Me and Kim danced with each other until it got late and Kim got a text from Jared telling us to meet at her house so as we moved through the crowd of people to the door. When I saw the door open ahead of us and I saw Dare and his old pack members I froze immediately.

"Kim..." I whispered. "We have to go out of the back."

I knew she saw Brad like I saw Dare. She nodded at me and when we turned around one of them was behind us.

"Ladies, leaving so soon?"

"We're tired, and we want to leave, why don't you leave us alone?"

"We won't keep you long, just a moment of your time is all we'll take, see... we can't stay long either." He muttered as he herded us through the crowd right into Dare and Brad.

"Ashley." Dare said with more than a hint of his husky, sugar coated voice.

"Dare, leave me alone. Jake will-"

"He has no idea, and he won't know I was here. Not that it matters, you're still my wife. Or have you forgotten?" He murmured into my ear so I could hear his voice above the music.

"I'm leaving you."

"Not right now."

He took my hand and stole me away, farther from Kim than I wanted to be so that we were mostly alone in a corner where we could just hear the music.

"You look very nice in those jeans." He held my hips as he forced me to sway with him to the music.

"Good, then maybe Jake liked them." I muttered darkly as I felt him tense up, but he relaxed soon enough.

"I'm not the monster you think I am Ashley." He said as his lips brushed over my cheek.

"Really? Because you're acting like the same jerk who tried to get with me in high school."

"And yet, you've moved so close to me..."

"You're holding me here!" I said through gritted teeth.

"You are clinging to me." He said with an amused grin and a mischievous glint in his eye.

I realized he was right I had pressed closer to him until we were touching.

"It's cold." I lied; I didn't know why I had gotten so close.

"Sure, or maybe you want some comfort."

"You don't comfort me." I whispered fiercely as people bumped into us as as they danced.

"Then maybe your afraid of something else? Speaking of which I never pinned you as the party type."

"Stop! Stop with this... this game! Dare I'm done. I told you that!" I said fiercely, struggling to keep my voice low.

"I'm only speaking to you Ashley. Be calm." He said, though from his lifted brow and the smirk he wore on his face I could tell he enjoyed this far too much.

"Jake will come for me."

"He's waiting for you. They expect you to take a few minutes to get there, it's been... about two, maybe three, and they will only get suspicious, but I will let you go by then. You'll be in his arms soon, but for now you're in mine." He said, trying to make small talk.

"I should have expected you to do something like this, the one time I try to have fun you show up to ruin it." I pushed him away and his arms fell.

He smiled at me and nodded.

"Of course, you're right, because I showed up at the end of the party. But go on, have fun then. I suspect Brad has finished talking to Kim. You two can go. But I will see you again Ashley." He said and I turned quickly and pushed through the crowd as Kim came to me with angry tears in her eyes as we quickly made for her car and drove quickly to her house.

"Jared!" Kim cried out as soon as we got there.

Her mother was out, visiting relatives. She sobbed.

"They were there." Tears welled up in my eyes as Jake noticed he pulled me into an embrace.

Kim was stricken much more by this than I was. I didn't blame her.

"It's ok." He whispered. "I'm here. They disappeared into Kim's room and I stayed with Jake as he led me into their living room and we sat on the couch.

We didn't say much, and when I got tired I laid my head on his shoulder and he stroked my hair until I fell asleep. His warmth and kindness made me feel extremely safe.