All characters except for Annabelle Causley, Frederick Randal Laskaris and Rosa Maria de la Luna and a few others belong to Stephenie Meyer…and, of course, the writer is not receiving any profit for this story whatsoever.

AN: A new chapter! I've been sick the past couple of days so it's taken me a little longer to finish this. Now, I'm better so I hope to get the next one out before going to work on Monday but I make no promises.

Gaby, Ses, Hilja and Lynn -thank you for your faithful reviews...being that Ses finally reviewed a day or so ago, I am updating this next one.

Everyone else -you readers and reviewers are my inspiration. I get ideas from your comments left in your reviews. So feel free to leave more.

Read. Enjoy. REVIEW!

Chapter Thirty-Seven

Julie hummed along with the notes floating through her head as she strummed them out on her guitar, the soft sound of the guitar strings the only sound she could hear.

Stopping, she took her pencil, jotting down the notes over the words that made the lyrics of a song that had been spinning in her head for the past few days.

The song as a whole was upbeat and fun but the message was clear –truly belonging to someone else in all the ways it counted.

The problem was, no matter how she played it –especially when she sang it out loud –there was something off.

Letting the last note hum until it faded, she removed her headphones, looking towards the clock on her computer, letting out a frustrated sigh.

She was so tempted to call Lyn and see how much longer she was going to be out but she knew her little sister wouldn't appreciate it…not only that, but she wasn't usually nosy concerning her sister's social life so there was no excuse she could use…not at this time.

It was unsettling for her to see the growing friendship between Lyn and Collin…not just because he looked way older than Lyn –she was still of a mind to ask for his birth certificate to see if what Seth had said was true –but when they were together, it seemed…right.

Shaking her head, she reminded herself what Lyn constantly said –they were just friends.

He had picked her up to take her to the library where they would be studying for the anatomy class Lyn was taking at Community –according to her, not only had Collin already taken the class, but he had passed it with high marks.

She needed his help and encouragement so she too could get high marks on it.

Looking at the clock again, she shook her head as she picked up her headphones. An hour and a half…did it really take that long to study for anatomy?

Another hour and then she would call to see what time she would be coming home for dinner.

She had been thinking lately, especially in light of the turn her life had taken, as to whether there was an alternative universe –a different plane of time and space where she was with someone who was meant just for her.

More and more she wondered if perhaps it wasn't the alternate universe that was the problem so much as herself.

Everyone around her seemed to be pairing up –Susie and Derek, naturally.

Then there was Brandon and Daisy –according to her best friend, they were complete opposites but they still seemed to fit together…as if they were designed for each other.

Then there was Mattie and Lance –she hadn't been surprised with that one being that Lance always got what he wanted and it had been obvious to her, after knowing him for so long, that as soon as he set eyes on Mattie, he had begun his plans to make her his own.

Not that it was wrong or anything –they were too darn cute together not to be meant to be –but it still seemed…planned by an even higher power.

Now, her little sister…could fate be so cruel that even her fourteen year old sister had found the other part of her soul?

Because it sure as hell seemed like it.

Shaking her head to get rid of all the negative thinking, she raised her headphones over her head, about to slip them on when a knock sounded at her front door.

Great…visitors.

The one thing she did not want.

It was almost painful, trying to keep herself from going back to her last thought because she knew if she let that train continue down its tracks it would eventually stop at the one station she didn't want to stop at.

Seth.

The painful truth was that she felt like it wasn't the universe that was in the wrong time and place…it was her.

How was it possible that Seth, an amazing and wonderful man with every quality she most admired, not be meant for her?

It had felt so right when they had been together and yet…even he seemed to be gravitating towards some unknown entity…someone that was meant just for him and it wasn't her.

Why couldn't it be her?

A second knock sounded, breaking her out of her painful revere as she set her guitar in its stand, pushing her hair over her shoulder as she headed down the hall.

She really needed to stop torturing herself this way…

She needed to find something else –someone else –that would just erase Seth from her heart…

If it were possible.

Opening the door, the smile on her face immediately died as she looked at Seth, her heart squeezing painfully at the dazed look in his eyes as he simply stood there, not moving to come in or reaching out to hug her or anything.

He simply stood there, stunned as if he'd seen…

Her heart literally dropped to the bottom of her stomach as she leaned against the door frame, her voice coming out strangled, "You found her, didn't you?"

"I…" Seth nodded, still not looking at Julie, "I saw her…at the store…"

"Oh."

Julie didn't know what to do…a maelstrom of emotions seemed to be inside her, all vying to act.

She wanted to close the door in his face, wanted to cry, to scream at the unfairness.

She wanted to throw herself in his arms and beg him to please…please choose her…if he still had a choice left, choose her.

She wanted to tell him to go to hell, to point out how selfish and mean-spirited it was for him to come to her, of all people, to share that he'd found…he'd found her.

Instead of doing any of that, she reached out and took his hand, pulling him into her apartment as she closed the door behind him.

Leading him like a blind man into her living room, she gently pushed his shoulder so he would sit down before she sat sideways at the other end of the couch, "Tell me what happened."

He needed a friend and she had promised herself, many times over, that she would be that friend.

Even if it was all she could be.

"I took Gabe…to the store," Seth stared at the wall across from him, his eyes moving over a print Julie had hung there of a blues band, "To buy a birthday gift for Rick…this little girl came running around the corner to hide behind me, a little boy close behind her…they were with her…I never thought she'd have children…I mean, it never crossed my mind she may have had a life before…"

He stopped, leaning forward as he rested his elbows on his knees, rubbing his face with his hands.

Swallowing back a lump in her throat, she picked at her thumb nail as she softly asked, "What does she look like?"

"She's…" leaning back into the couch, he stared up at the ceiling as he flashed back to earlier that day, "She's got dark brown hair…thick…to her shoulders…with a widow's peak that makes her face look like a heart…and her nose is tipped at the end, just a little…she's got a beautiful mouth but I don't think she smiles often…and her eyes…"

The silence grew as she waited for him to finish, not letting the pain she felt deep inside to show although he had yet to look at her since she opened the front door.

"She's got these big eyes, with long eyelashes…they're hazel and so damn expressive I could practically see every little thought she had in them…"

"The rest of her?"

"She's tiny…petite…with long legs and this little bitty waist and –" he lifted his hands in the air, about to draw an imaginary outline but instead let them drop to his lap, "The worst part is…"

"Oh, there's a worst part?"

Seth completely missed the sarcasm in Julie's voice as he finally turned to look at her yet not at her...it was unsettling, "There's no way she's taller than five feet two inches."

Julie couldn't help it, couldn't hold it back as laughter exploded from her, somehow lessening the pain that had been growing in her chest from the moment she looked into his dazed face.

Seth didn't respond to her laughter because, in all reality, he wasn't surprised…fate had a way of giving him and his brothers, and sister, what they wanted while at the same time screwing them over…

He was sure her height was just one of the many ways fate was going to stick it to him now that he had his little girl –

Hold on.

Sitting up straight, he finally looked at Julie, seeing the amusement in her eyes, "What if she's just passing by? Why the hell didn't I go after her? She might be heading to God only knows where and here I am, like some love sick idiot –"

"Are you sure she didn't just move into town," Julie interrupted his tirade, not wanting to hear it –not when her heart was still too tender and bruised at the obvious proof that she had lost.

"Forks is a small place," Seth shook his head, running his fingers through his hair before giving it a little yank, "No one can move into Forks without it becoming local news unless –"

He stopped as it dawned on him, his eyes going wide.

"Unless what," Julie waited for him to finish what he had been saying but he didn't.

Instead, he shoved himself to his feet and headed towards the front door, muttering about having to go and see if he was right, never once looking over his shoulder to say good bye or a see you later.

Staying where she was as the front door closed behind him, she closed her eyes, promising herself that she wasn't going to fall apart…

It was a promise she broke two minutes later as she curled up on the couch, wrapping her arms around her stomach as she drew up her knees, hot tears flowing down her face as deep heart-wrenching sobs shook her body.

It wasn't fair –it just wasn't fair that she was left behind…

Again.

Rosa had only one way of being able to organize her thoughts…and she needed that really bad.

The soft red light of the dark room was the only thing that gave her illumination as she slowly dipped the photo paper into the chemical pan, swishing it gently as the image slowly began to appear, the soft lines becoming sharper.

What was she supposed to do now?

Even if she could find him, what then?

How did she explain, without coming off as a crazy person, that he had promised to take care of her, had promised to protect her so she would never again have to be afraid?

Not only that but did his promise extent to the twins?

Would he want them at all…even if he didn't know of their nature, he wasn't required to care for them…his promise had been for her.

What was she to do?

She let out a heavy sigh as she hung up the picture at the end of a long string of other pictures…they were all in black and white…pictures she had taken in South Carolina.

A soft knock at the door broke into her thoughts.

Calling out, she heard Viviana's soft voice come through the hollow wood of the door, "Someone's at the door."

"I'll be right there," she placed the lids over the pans of chemicals, picking up her rag to wipe her hands as she headed to the door, looking over at her work table to make sure she didn't have any unexposed film out.

Flipping the light switch, the room filled with bright light as she turned off the soft red light bulb in the middle of the room, turning the rotating door around, stepping into the small opening before turning it again.

Walking down the hallway, she stuck the rag into the back pocket of her jeans, reaching up to push her hair behind her ears.

She had given strict instructions to Vivi and Marc not to open the door if anyone came around to visiting…being that this was the first time someone had knocked on their door since they had moved in a week ago, she couldn't help the way her heart beat hard inside her chest as she looked into the kitchen to make sure Vivi had gone back in.

The little girl was in there, happily making something with flour as she hummed to herself.

Taking a deep breath, she reached for the doorknob, the air coming out in a rush from her lungs as soon as she opened the door to reveal who was standing at the other side.

Staring into her eyes, he tried to figure out what to say but his mind was stuck on that long ago day.

Did she remember? Had she been aware while he conversed with her soul?

He could see that little girl deep within her hazel eyes staring back at him, could see she too didn't know what to say.

"I'm…" he cleared his throat, surreptitiously wiping his sweaty hands on his jeans, "I'm Seth Clearwater. My friend Jake called to let me know you'll be coming to Forks…"

"Oh," she blinked, not looking away from him as she held on tight to the door, "Jake mentioned something about his brothers. Are you…are you one of them?"

"Yes," he nodded, not liking the way fear lingered in her eyes, "Although…we're not really brothers…we're from the same tribe so…"

"Right."

They stared at each other, neither sure of what to say next.

Swallowing back a sudden need to throw up, she shifted her feet, unable to look away or say anything else.

Seeing how uncomfortable she was, he took a deep breath through his nose to calm his rolling stomach, "I just…came to give something to your little girl…she left it behind with my nephew."

Rosa nodded as she took a step back to let him in, "She's in the kitchen."

"Thanks," Seth gave her a nod as he closed the door behind him, stopping several feet away from the kitchen to look over his shoulder at her, "You didn't tell me your name."

"Ros –" she swallowed hard before trying again, "Rose de Lune."

His eyes widened as he thought of a million things to say, finally settling with three simple words:

"You have talent."

She looked slightly startled as she stared back at him, shyly asking, "You've seen my pictures?"

"The exhibit in Seattle," he tilted his head to the side as he studied her, "You have an amazing ability to capture light and shadow…highlighting the contradictions between good and bad, peace and chaos and yet…making them coexist together."

Rose let out a low breath as she continued to stare at him, entranced by his words.

"Your photographs…they portray doubt as to whether the world around us is good or bad –almost as if you yourself aren't sure."

She fought back a sudden need to run and hide, feeling oddly exposed…vulnerable…

Not sure of what to do, she finally settled for pointing towards the kitchen as she took a step back towards her dark room…her hiding place, "She's in the kitchen."

Watching her walk away, he called out to her to say one more thing despite the obvious discomfort he could see she was in, "Rose."

Turning, she placed a hand against the wall as she stared at him, her wide eyes screaming her need for time to assimilate to this new change to her life.

She just wasn't used to being so closely scrutinized.

"It's both. It's just a matter of finding the balance."

Marcos stared out the window at the tree tops, gnawing on his bottom lip as he looked down to the ground below.

Seven days…seven days and he was about ready to bite himself.

His stomach growled as he looked out at the horizon, the mountains growing larger…almost mocking him, as if to tell him that what he wanted…what he needed was there…but he had to go through the woods first.

Pacing away from the floor to ceiling windows, he prowled the third floor room he had chosen as his own, mostly because of the floor to ceiling windows giving him a panoramic view of the outside.

Moving towards one of the side glass doors, he stared at the tall pine tree several feet away from the house.

Wrinkling his brow, he reached out to touch the frame, pulling the latch and sliding the glass door open, the fresh pine scented air filling the room, bringing with it the faint smells of animals, both small and large.

He grimaced as his stomach cramped…it was getting seriously painful…not to mention Viviana had banished him to his room until his disposition improved.

Of course, that wasn't going to happen until he got something sustainable in his stomach.

Staring down at the ten foot drop for a few seconds, he looked across at the pine tree again…four feet away.

Maybe if he took a running leap?

But if he missed the damn tree, it was a ten foot drop to the hard ground below.

Granted, he was different from other children…but he still had enough human in him to possibly hurt himself…maybe even break a bone…and that's if the wolves didn't attack him as soon as he hit the ground.

So, basically, he had two choices.

Stay here in this room until he starved to death or lost control and bit Tia Rosa…or face his fear of the wolves…and possibly die too.

Taking a deep breath as he walked away from the open door, he shook his head, rubbing his hands over his stomach.

Thinking of it that way, there was really no choice.

Viviana looked up from the noodle flour she was spreading out on the island board, her smile growing at the sight of her aunt's sun staring right back at her, "Hi!"

"Hello," he smiled back at her, his brown-green eyes taking in the small details of her face, "I'm Seth…a friend of Jake's."

"I'm Viviana," she grinned at him, her face lighting up as her golden-brown eyes danced, "But you can call me Vivi. Jakey told us about you."

Seth swallowed back a laugh at the little girl's nickname for Jake as he moved closer, "What are you making?"

"Cheese stuffed ravioli," she informed him as she went back to evenly spreading the noodle flour, "I just need to cut out the squares and then stuff them with cheese."

"Ravioli comes out of a can," Seth took a bar stool from the other side of the island to sit a couple of feet away from Vivi as she continued patting the pasta with her small hands.

"Not the good kind," Vivi picked up a strange looking knife with a zigzag edge, "The good kind of ravioli is made from scratch."

"And who taught you how to make this ravioli," he watched as she carefully cut the pasta into vertical strips, making sure each one was the same width before proceeding to the next one.

"Esme," Vivi stuck her tongue out to the side as she moved the board and began to carefully cut the strips into equal squares, "She says good food, especially pasta, should always be made from scratch."

Seth chuckled as she finished cutting, setting the knife aside before taking the bowl where she had shredded cheese, "Is it five cheese ravioli?"

She nodded with a smile, placing a generous amount of cheese on every other square, "I love cheese…so does Tia Rosa."

Seth stared at her, wondering about the difference between what the little girl called her aunt and the name his little girl had given him.

"Tell me, Vivi," Seth watched her intently as she continued with her cheese, "What is it about you and the little boy that makes you different?"

Vivi stopped with her hand in mid-air as the cheese she held pinched between her small fingers slowly sprinkled down.

Staring at him with wide eyes, her voice soft and slightly shaky, "He's my brother…my twin brother…what makes you think we're different?"

Seth's mouth tilted into a side smile as he idly picked up the knife Vivi had set down between them, "Probably because I'm different too…I'm sure Jake told you and your brother about us…there's nothing wrong with being different, Vivi, but I'd like to know the truth…actually, I would prefer it if you told me the truth."

"I'm not supposed to," Vivi kept her eyes on him, her bottom lip slightly quivering, "Tia Rosa made us promise…not to tell anyone…"

Seth gave her a gentle smile, "I understand promises…but it's important to me…and my brothers…to understand why you and your brother aren't…the same as other children."

A lone tear escaped the corner of her eye, slowly sliding down her smooth cheek, "We are the same as other children…we are…"

"There's nothing wrong with being different, Vivi," Seth reached out to wipe his thumb across her cheek, flicking the tear away, "In fact, I can show you how cool it is to be different."

Placing the knife over his open hand, he was about to slice it open when Vivi scrambled off the stool, tumbling it to the ground as the cheese she held flew everywhere, her big eyes wide with panic as she let out a cry, "No! Don't! Please don't!"

Seth stared at her pale face, setting the knife back onto the counter in time to catch her as she scrambled up into his arms, her small body shaking as she wrapped her thin arms around his neck, whimpering as tears rolled down her small face, "I try so hard…I've never…never…not like Marcos…but it isn't easy. I'm always hungry…it's never enough…but I won't…I won't!"

"Shh," Seth soothed her as he gently stroked her small back, hugging her tight, "It's okay, honey. You're okay."

"It's never been easy," she whispered, sniffing back a sob as she looked into his face, "But papa said it wasn't going to be…but hard work is rewarded…and I can be like everyone else."

"And your brother isn't trying to be like everyone else," Seth asked softly as he stroked his hand over her red-gold curls, smiling into her small face.

Shaking her head, she rubbed her small fist under her reddened nose, "He says it makes him strong…to keep us safe."

"Safe from what, Vivi," Seth rubbed his thumb over her small cheek, never looking away from her wide eyes, "Tell me what you're hiding from…so I can keep you safe."

Vivi bit her bottom lip as she stared at him, taking a deep breath before finally leaning forward to whisper to him, "He's after us…Marcos and me…Tia Rosa is hiding us because papa asked her too…he's already killed papa…and he won't stop until he gets us."

"Who?"

"The hunter," she whispered softly, tugging at the collar of his leather jacket, "He's not like papa…he hurts people…"

"And Marcos? Does Marcos…"

"No," she shook her head, little curls falling over her forehead, "He's like the Cullens…he promised papa he would never hurt anyone…but he's still a little boy, Seth."

"Is he," Seth smiled as she snuggled into his arms, setting her small head on his shoulder, "He seems very mature to me."

"He's had to grow up fast," Vivi nodded as she rubbed her face against the soft cotton of his t-shirt, a hiccup escaping her, "So that I wouldn't have to…but now he's scared and I don't know how to help him."

"What is he afraid of?"

She gave him a shy look as she nibbled on her thumb nail, "He's afraid of the doggies."

Seth chuckled softly as he tweaked her nose, "Why is he afraid of the doggies?"

Her brow wrinkled as she stared at him, "Carlisle told him about the boundaries…he hasn't gone hunting since we got here…it's been seven days and he's a grouch…he's really hungry."

Seth gently kissed her forehead as he stood up, turning to gently set her down on his stool, "I'll take care of it okay?"

She looked up at him, her gold-brown eyes wide, the trust in them shaking Seth to the core, "Promise?"

He smiled down at her, gently cuffing her chin, "I promise."

Marcos let out a string of curse words as he struggled for purchase on the pine tree and failed, landing in a heap on the ground.

Go figure…he finally takes the initiative, and courage, to jump and missed the damn trunk by about a foot.

"I've never heard a three year old cuss like that before."

He looked up from studying his bloodied hands, his dark brown eyes narrowing as the tall man from the store slowly approached him.

Nose quivering, he stood up, moving a step back as he continued to stare at the man…he not only looked terrifyingly dangerous, he also smelled dangerous.

"Are you here to take Tia Rosa away," he asked, his voice sullen as his small back hit the base of the pine tree.

Stopping several feet away, Seth sat down on the ground, leaning his back against another pine tree as he drew up his knees and rested his forearms on them, locking his hands together as he stared at the little boy –the kid was covered in dirt and pine needles…there was even a streak of pine sap in his dark hair, "What makes you say that?"

"Vivi," Marcos couldn't help his bottom lip from poking out, unaware that it had a slight quiver to it, "She said you were Tia Rosa's sun and that you would come to take her away."

Seth tried not to smile as he stared at the little boy…the kid looked a little older than three...and he smelled a bit sweeter than his sister…not to mention his dark eyes kept darting back to his bloody hands.

"And why would you believe Vivi? My sister sometimes teases me about things that I don't like…you obviously don't like the idea of my taking your aunt away so –"

"Vivi teases me but not about stuff like this," Marcos stuck his thumb into his mouth to lick over a particularly nasty scrape, his venom healing the small patch of skin before he pulled it out, "Vivi's got a talent others don't know about…not even the Cullens."

Seth sat there, staring at the little boy as he slowly, as if to make sure he didn't notice, healed his hands, wondering if that same healing venom had the power to change someone into a vampire despite the fact the kid was obviously only half of one.

"She can see relationships before they happen," Marcos licked his wrist, finally healing the last of the cuts and scrapes, "Friends…lovers…even enemies. That's why she trusts people right away…at least the ones that are going to be friends…I bet she told you everything about us in the kitchen."

He smiled at the sullen little boy, "You know your sister very well."

He nodded without responding, kicking at the dirt as he looked up to the open glass door at the side of the house, "Yeah, I do…and you still haven't told me if you're taking Tia Rosa away."

Seth chuckled as he leaned forward, the little boy giving a startled jump at the slight movement, "Tell me something…you, your sister and your aunt…you're a package deal, right?"

Marcos stared at him for several seconds before nodding, silently wondering if his aunt saw it that way as well.

"Well, I guess I'll have to take the whole package, won't I?"

He stared at him some more before nodding again, squatting down to sit on the ground.

"Now," Seth stared up towards the open glass door before looking back at the little boy, "Did you jump out that window?"

"Yeah," Marcos looked up at the trees, "I was trying to get to the tree…to do some hunting up there because of…"

"Vivi told me you were scared of the wolves."

"I'm not scared," Marcos' voice was vehement as he whipped his head to glare at Seth, "Nothing scares me…especially not…not some…overgrown dogs."

Seth chuckled at the little boy's brave words, able to see the fear in his dark eyes, "And if I told you I'm one of those overgrown dogs?"

"I already know that," Marcos wrinkled his nose as he rubbed his hands over his cramping stomach, "You smell different."

"Do I smell bad?"

"No," Marcos shook his head, brushing his hair out of his eyes, "Just different…dangerous almost."

"Interesting," Seth nodded as he thought of his little girl, hiding away somewhere in that large house, "Does your aunt know about –"

"No," Marcos drew up his knees as his stomach cramped again, "She doesn't know. Jake didn't think it his place to tell her."

"Why haven't you told her?"

"I'm not sure how she'll take it," Marcos scratched his hair, several pine needles coming dislodged, "She already has a hard enough time with the existence of vampires, not to mention my sister and me, maybe finding out the truth about you and your brothers will be the one thing that'll push her over the edge."

"She doesn't like vampires, uh?"

"No," Marcos looked towards the mountains before looking up into the trees again, "Not since one of them killed her parents…papa was nice to her, as were the Cullens, and they don't hurt people but she still didn't like them," looking into Seth's eyes, his voice dropped, "Then there's the hunter."

Seth nodded as he saw the fear in Marcos' eyes, a fear greater than when he'd been boasting about not being afraid of the overgrown dogs.

"You're hungry, aren't you," Seth asked, deciding it was time to change the subject…if he wanted these kids to accept him as…what was it Marcos had called him?

Ah yes.

As Rose's sun, then he knew he had to win their trust.

Obviously, Vivi already trusted him…implicitly.

Now, it was necessary to work on Marcos.

Marcos nodded his head as he stared back at him, "I know where the boundaries are but Carlisle said the wolves can come across…"

Pushing himself to his feet, he watched as the little boy scrambled to his in an attempt to make himself less vulnerable…not that it really mattered being he barely reached Seth's knees, "How about I go hunting with you? My brothers will understand soon enough that they are not to hurt you."

Tilting his head to the side, Marcos stared up at him for several minutes before quietly asking, "Promise?"

He smiled down at him, reaching out to tousle his hair, getting pine sap on his hand, "I promise."