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

This story starts three years after Jacob heads to Italy to rescue Annabelle in the GoodAs Gone AU. Technically, this is not a sequel to Good As Gone but it does take place in that alternate storyline.

AN: I know, I have all of you spoiled! Two chapters at once. If you would like the two chapters at once spoiling to continue, then send the reviews! I not only enjoy the praise, but I look forward to constructive criticism, ideas, questions, etc. I can take all you'd like to say, the negative along with the positive. Let me know how you like where this story is heading or if you think it should go another way.

Chapter Thirty-Five

Five Hours before the Full Moon

Rick tossed the book aside, glowering out the window at the fading sun. In five hours, he was going to be out there, completely out of his mind, looking for her…always her.

Running his fingers through his hair, he couldn't figure out what was wrong with that part of him that he couldn't control once a month. It was as if Ileana hadn't meant anything to the wolf in him.

Then again, the wolf in him hadn't had a choice about Ileana as his mate…Rick had chosen Ileana as his wife, had fallen in love with her and lived for her.

He had always thought that in choosing Ileana, the wolf had chosen the she-wolf in her as well. But now…he understood his inner wolf had merely tolerated the situation during those years.

The wolf had simply accepted the she-wolf in Ileana during the full moons because she was the only one available for his need to possess and procreate.

Just the way Leah had been available for Rick to use as an escape from the aching loneliness that plagued him.

Shrugging his shoulders, Rick rolled his head, trying to ease the tension he seemed to have acquired since the day he asked Leah to leave.

It was driving him crazy, the constant seeking and wanting that was in the wolf, something he felt every night but overtook him on these full moon nights. He now had another reason to be wary of full moon nights.

It was painful to be encountered with an ache larger than his own the night after a full moon. Rick had never imagined a pain greater than what he carried could possibly exist, but that was what the wolf in him seemed to carry.

An aching pain to be with his chosen mate.

But had the wolf in him chosen his mate as he had chosen Ileana or was it a compulsory thing, like the imprinting business Leah had mentioned?

It didn't matter, Rick thought to himself as he stood up, walking out to his backyard to look up at the darkening sky, it didn't matter because he wasn't going to go after Leah. He could deal with the wolf once a month…what he couldn't deal with was the wolf's insistence in replacing Rick's chosen mate with his own.

Ileana had been the one to own his heart, the one he had chosen to give his heart and name to. She would continue to be the only one to have both.

Nine Months Pregnant

Leah bit her bottom lip, trying not to let any sound escape her as she slowly made her way down the stairs, one hand on the banister, the other at her lower back.

At the bottom step, she bent over, a hard breath escaping her as a band of pain made its way to her abdomen from her lower back. Panting, she closed her eyes, riding out the pain before she straightened up, making her way across the living room to her front door.

She closed the door quietly behind her, breathing in the fresh earthy scent of the night breeze before making her way down the porch steps, instinctively heading towards First Beach.

Stopping again, she bent over as another contraction squeezed her around the middle.

Breathing hard, she looked over her shoulder at the dark house behind her, wondering if her mother or Seth had heard her walk out of the house. It was late at night and although Leah knew she should have said something about the contractions, she somehow wasn't able to. Something compelled her to find her own way in this.

Several steps later, another contraction hit, this one painful enough the gasp escaped before she could stop it. Rubbing her hands over her stomach, she tried to control her breathing as she slowly made her way towards First Beach. She had to get there…she just had to.

The sound of crashing waves had a soothing effect on her as she slowly made her way towards them, breathing hard as another contraction hit.

Looking up at the full moon, she wondered if it was a sign, her contractions hitting just as the full moon appeared in the sky. She was afraid…afraid that if she gave birth to her baby while the full moon was still high up in the sky, her baby wouldn't be…well…a baby.

She didn't want Sam to know about Rick's…genetic differences, hadn't bothered to share any of it with him or the pack or her mother. None of them even knew his name. But if her baby was born while the full moon shined down on them, and if he was at all like his father, then she would have to explain why she was giving birth to a puppy.

No, Leah had to make sure she didn't birth her baby until dawn.

It was ridiculous, Leah knew this, but she didn't want to have to explain him. It had been hard enough when she last talked of him to Sam a month ago. She didn't want to have to do it again, not once her baby was born, once she no longer had him to keep her from falling into the waiting pit.

"Leah, what are you doing here?"

Gritting her teeth, she looked up to watch Sam as he walked over to her, the full moon high behind his head.

"It's a full moon," Leah sucked on her teeth, slowly sinking down to sit on the smooth log behind her, hugging her stomach with both arms.

"Yes, but that doesn't really matter for us," Sam moved around her to sit beside her, "You really shouldn't be out walking at night when you're so close to giving birth."

Nodding, Leah took a deep breath through her nose, trying not to be noisy or obvious about the painful contraction that seemed to rip through her, "Right."

Sam stared at her, his dark eyes narrowing as they moved over her pale face, drawn lines bracketing her mouth and the corner of her eyes. Taking in the tense way she held her body it suddenly dawned on him.

"You're already in labor, aren't you?"

"Just a little," Leah muttered through her teeth, her jaw clenching tight, "No big deal."

"No big deal," Sam stood up, shoving his fingers through his hair, "Leah, labor happens fast. We have to get you to a hospital."

"No," Leah shook her head in panic, "Not the hospital. I can't have my baby in a hospital."

"Why not," Sam gripped the back of his neck, "That's where babies are normally born!"

"I can't…Sam," Leah sucked in another breath, looking up into the sky, biting her bottom lip as she realized that her contractions were coming on faster than the waning full moon, "I can't."

"Alright, fine," Sam moved besides Leah, easily lifting her into his arms, "But you can't have the baby here on the beach. Let's go wake your mother."

"Sam," Leah dug her fingers into his shoulder, her body tight with the wracking pain of the incoming contraction, "Unless you want to deliver this baby halfway up the road to my house, you'll find somewhere else to take me."

"There's no way I am delivering your baby," Sam lengthen his strides as he moved up the beach, "Emily will know what to do."

Leah nodded vigorously, wishing she had gone to talk to Emily at some point during the five months she had been back to La Push.

It had been easier to let go of her feelings for Sam, hard or otherwise, than it had been to let go of the sense of betrayal when it came to Emily. But now, as she looked up at the full moon, she realized it had been nothing but pride.

Damn sickening pride.

Moaning as a contraction squeezed her, she watched with pain filled eyes as Sam's little house came in view, the living room light on.

"Sam…" a groan escaped as another contraction hit. They were coming too fast! "I have to tell you something."

"I don't think now's the time, Lee. Emily's already up. She'll be able to take care of you, okay?"

"Sam, listen to me," Leah moaned as Sam climbed up the porch steps, the front door opening to reveal a calm Emily, "My baby…his father –"

"Leah, you can tell me later."

"No! Emily…please," Leah groaned as Sam lowered her onto the bed in the spare bedroom, "He's not normal…the father…the full moon…oh God! It hurts!"

"Get some towels and blankets," Emily moved efficiently about the room, searching for what she needed as Leah gripped the headboard of the bed, her jaw clenched and body arched in pain, "Put some water to boil on the stove."

"Emily, please…please," Leah grabbed Emily's hand as Sam hurried out of the room, pulling her down towards her, "Listen…the baby…his father's not normal…he's a werewolf…but not like us. He changes…with the moon…every night…he can't control it…my baby…oh! I can't take this!"

"Leah," Emily pulled her hand out of Leah's tight grasp, brushing her hair away from her sweaty face, "I'm right here. If you want, I'll have Sam go get my mother and Aunt Rose –"

"No!" Leah shook her head, gripping the bed sheets, "No one else can know. Emily, my baby…he may be like his father…"

"It's okay Leah," Emily smiled down at her, calm and serene and not at all perturbed at what Leah had revealed, "I'll take care of you and the baby. You'll both be fine, okay?"

"I need to push, Em," Leah's breath came hard and fast as she pushed herself up onto her elbows. Emily moved to the foot of the bed, lifting up the long nightgown that Leah was wearing.

"Leah, you can't push yet," Emily brought down the nightgown to cover her, turning to take the blanket that Sam had along with the towels, "You still have a ways to go."

"Oh God," Leah groaned as she fell back onto the bed, "It feels like forever."

"It does, doesn't it," Emily chuckled as she bustled around the room, gently pushing Sam out of the room, "Imagine when you're giving birth to two of them."

"Oh God, Emily," Leah's panting breath echoed in the room as she watched Emily move around the room, "Twins is the last thing I want to think about. It's enough worrying about the possibility of giving birth to a puppy."

"You always wanted a puppy as a kid, remember," Emily checked to see the progress, calmly bringing down the blanket to cover her, "Now you may get your wish."

"Not funny, Em," Leah heaved a breath, trying to relax; "Will you please open the curtains?"

"Sure," Emily moved across the room, sweeping the navy and rose curtains open, "The moon's not as high up in the sky. We might get lucky."

Leah nodded her head, fervently hoping that Emily would be right.

Hanover, New Hampshire

Something was happening, something monumental. Whining, he moved around the forest, sniffing the ground and trees.

Where was she? A growl rose up his throat as he continued to move around in circles, picking up faint traces of her, of the last time she had been in these woods.

Where was she now? Something inside him told him she was in pain…in need of him.

Sniffing the air, he looked around, locking in on the full moon.

Sitting on his haunches, he threw his head back and howled, the mournful sound echoing throughout the forest.

His mate was out there, needing him…and he couldn't find a way to her.

The sorrow and pain, something he did not know how to define, crushed him, causing him to howl again.

He needed to find her…

He needed to take over…

He needed to win…

He needed her…

"It's a boy!"

Leah cried, watching Emily as she cut the umbilical cord, gently clearing her baby's nostrils and throat.

The lusty wail that filled the room made Leah ache with love as she pushed herself up, reaching out for her baby, which Emily wrapped in a soft blanket before handing him to her.

"He's a big boy," Emily whispered, brushing her fingers softly over the dark silk that covered the crown of his head, "Eight pounds, easy."

Leah's tired laugh filled Emily's heart with joy as she looked down at both of them, "No wonder it took me so long."

"Good thing we didn't have to pull out an eight pound puppy out of you," Emily sighed tiredly as she moved around the room, picking up towels and other stuff Leah didn't want to pay too close attention at.

Running her fingers over his silky hair, she studied his features, realizing that he looked nothing like his father. Instead, he seemed the spitting image of his Uncle Seth as a baby.

Softly kissing his forehead, she looked up at a soft knock, watching Sam come into the room and head directly to Emily, kissing her scarred cheek before turning to look down at her and the not so tiny bundle in her arms.

"That explains why you looked big enough for two," Sam chuckled at the glare she gave him as he bend down to look at the sleeping infant, "Looks like he's pretty tired after the long night."

"He hasn't even demanded to be fed yet," Leah whispered, running her finger down his tiny nose, "He looks just like Seth."

"Yeah, he does," Sam grinned at Leah as he gently touched a tiny fist, "He's a big boy."

"That's what Emily said," Leah smiled at her cousin before turning to Sam, "I was wondering if you and Emily…would like to be his godparents."

Sam straightened up as Emily stopped by his side, her large brown eyes bright with unshed tears. Sam wrapped his arm around his wife, smiling down at Leah, thanking her with his eyes, "I believe Emily and I would very much like to be his godparents."

"What are you going to name him," Emily asked softly as she took the offered baby from Leah's outstretched arms, sitting at the edge of the bed besides Leah, their hips touching as they both looked down at the infant.

Leah touched his softly rounded cheek, her heart swelling painfully with an achingly hot feeling she knew to be unconditional love.

"Gabriel…Gabriel Michael Clearwater."