Author's note: Hi my beautiful readers, it's been a while, I've Been soo busy with school and everything but I've finally managed to put up a new chapter, and I hope it's satisfactory. Unfortunately my Amazing Beta did not help me with this one. I sincerely hope that they log on again, because my story feels incomplete without them.

I want to thank Sony Vegas and for following my story it really means a lot to me and I want to thank Sony Vegas again for favoriting my story I'm really grateful and I hope you like the chapter.

If you're reading this you're reading my story and I thank you for it.

Disclaimer: I do not own twilight.

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Rae-Rae

Before I'd even opened my eyes I could tell that this day was different from the days before it.

It was warmer, easier to breathe, and the gaping hole that had been gradually growing in my chest suddenly felt insignificant.

And I didn't want to open my eyes, I didn't want to deal with whatever was waiting for me. I didnt want to face the man, in whose arms I lay. because I knew it wouldn't be pleasant. I knew that what had happened and the soothing presence he'd been last night was only fleeting.

He was fleeting.

And I only had little time before he turned back into the man who'd made my life into what it was today.

Who'd made me into who I was today.

"I know you're awake."

soft, low and indefinitely lupine.

that voice could pull me through mountains and despite everything that had been going on.

I'd missed it.

despite only knowing him for a short amount of time it felt like we'd known each other for years, Like he was engraved into my skin. which in a way he was.

thinking back to yesterday I had to resist the urge to sigh. I'd texted him hoping that we could talk about anything and everything. I had been willing to listen, or so I thought, Because the moment he'd stepped through my window I felt like I had finally been made whole again and I couldn't resist the urge to just let him hold me.

To just not deal with the problem on the inside, But allow the problems that dwelled on the surface to be fixed. And that's how I basically fell asleep in his arms.

"I'm not." I whispered grumpily while I snuggled deeper into his chest.

if I opened my eyes the trouble would start.

If I opened my eyes the illusion I'd created would shatter and I'd be back at square one.

a soft chuckle escaped his lips and I felt his hand run over my temple in a gentle manner, that gave me the urge to cry.

And I opened my eyes, and looked up, and saw him.

big green and gold flecked eyes looked down at me in amused curiosity. his smile was more of a smirk but it was warm and comforting, and he had one arm wrapped protectively around my waist while the other stroked my head sweetly. It was unlike anything I'd ever experienced.

then again Paul was unlike anything I'd experienced as well.

there was an intensity in his eyes that drew me in. A love shone there that would have terrified me had I not been marked. It was so unconditional, so all consuming that it was almost scary.

And not only did I see it but I felt it as well, It was running through me, searing my veins and wrapping itself around my heart.

"I thought you weren't up?" he questioned, and arched one eyebrow at me.

"I tried not to be." I whispered softly, and I sounded pathetic and Paul seemed to notice as he stopped stroking my head and leaned back a little so he could have a good look at my face.

His facial expression changed immediately, it was still shockingly intense just, not in the same way before. There was a playful and loving lilt to his intensity before and now there was a severity that weighed me down.

"Because of me?" he asked stoically.

I nodded, once fleetingly, not necessarily afraid of Paul but just not very comfortable with the shift in mood he had brought upon the room all of a sudden.

"Do you want me to leave?" Another question, and while I hadn't answered he immediately sat up while he asked it and threw his long legs off the bed. ready to leave my room instantly if I demanded it.

Which just, I mean who would've thought somebody that claimed me like that would be so considerate of my wishes.

Actually I knew.. because it was Paul.. he was both inconsiderate and considerate of my wishes at the same time.

"Not necessarily." I said softly, not really knowing where this was going, but regardless of anything and regardless of how good it felt to sleep in his arms, Paul and I had to have a serious conversation about everything. We had to sit down and try to find out exactly what we needed from each other.

Or actually I had to find to out whether I even wanted something from him to begin with.

"Speak clearly." a demand, I recognized it and one born out of frustration to boot.

and I couldn't refuse, My mind immediately seemed to reboot itself, and it was hard to fight it.

And that was so fucking depressing.

It was hard for me to ignore a demand he'd made.

I couldn't just refuse him when I wanted to.

"We need to talk about everything, but I don't want to do it today. I just feel this is the first peaceful night of sleep I've had in over a week, and I just want to end it on a good note."

There said clearly, and exactly What I meant.

A momentary look of surprise came over Paul's face and then understanding as he stood up off the bed. "It wasn't an order." he said gruffly, I think I could even detect a hint of shame in his voice and I frowned. "What?" I questioned, honestly at this point everything was just a confusing mess.

"I told you to speak clearly, it wasnt an order." he said this time.

I hummed. "I know."

he stepped forward, leaning one knee on the bed and took my face into both of his big hands. making me look up at him. "If you don't want to do it. Fight it."

and there it was again, that look in his face. the one that was so intense it made me want to open up my ribcage and offer my heart to him.

which I know is morbid but still.

I nodded dumbly, and he smirked in that way that made me want to beat the wolf right out of him.

"I'm leaving, but I'll be back." he whispered and kissed my temple.

I closed my eyes, because as Paul placed his lips on my forehead, it felt like my brain would explode. like He'd set it on fire with his lips. like he was trying to pour his soul into my body by way of my brain. it was intense, electric, magnetic and so much more.

I reached out to him and clutched air, and when I opened my eyes. he was gone, and all I had left of him where phantom kisses on my forehead and whispered words in my ear.

but none of that mattered, because for the first time in what seemed like forever — But was actually only a little over a week — I felt full again.

XXXX

Third

Cassandra Crane watched her three daughters as they moved around the kitchen in a weird sort of mood, off course the forty eight year old woman had noticed that her daughters had been acting exceptionally different ever since they'd moved to Lapush, but today seemed to take the cake.

Taercy seemed like she was caught up in a joke that only she was aware of, and there were moments where she'd just burst out into soft chuckles and then catch herself quickly.

It was the weirdest thing.

Elaery, seemed to float around the kitchen while she prepared breakfast. Cassie's eldest daughter was usually a very rigid and vigilant young woman. But it almost seemed like her brain wasn't inside her head today. She'd dropped her tea once already and had wordlessly cleaned it up and was now in the process of pouring herself another cup.

And then came Raegan, the daughter that Cassandra was convinced was Bi-polar, it almost seemed like whatever darkness that had been plaguing her mind in the past few days had disappeared like candles in the wind. She had even been humming this morning when she walked down the stairs. Cassie wasn't going to lie, Raegan didn't look like she'd start pooping rainbows anytime soon. But the degree of brightness that radiated in her eyes hadn't been there for a while.

And Cassie wondered how it was even here now.

The forty eight year old widow sighed and glanced at her watch, noticing that she was about to be late for her job, her eyes once again flowed back to her three daughters scattered around the kitchen. A gentle smile marring her face, no matter how useless of a mother she was. Her children had turned out more amazing then she could ever hope.

"I gotta go girls." The mother of three called out again while she took another glance at her watch.

Elaery hummed absentmindedly, Taercy smiled up at her mother from a cup of tea and Raegan waved, although she didn't look at her mother. and Cassie couldn't help it. She smiled at how much different and definitely happier the house was compared to yesterday.

the door closed and it was like a flimsy little cover had been ripped off the room, Taercy leaned back in her chair, her eyes clearly locked onto Raegan in something akin to happy suspicion, Raegan just seemed to glance at Elae suspiciously, wondering why exactly her rigid sister seemed to float on clouds today, when she hadn't really been anything akin to happy ever since they moved here several weeks ago.

and lastly Elae just seemed nervous while she glanced at both her sister's today was her date with Jared and she couldn't help but feel butterflies float in her stomach at the thought.

"What's up Rae-Rae, you seem distracted." Taercy said softly, her lips pursed in amusement. Which immediately made Raegan suspicious, especially since the look Taercy had on her face, always meant disaster would follow.

"I do? I would say Elae seems distracted seeing as this is the first time I've actually ever seen her break something."

Elae pursed her lips at Raegan's sarcasm, Elae wasn't the most graceful being in the universe. But her lack of grace aside, she knew that her sisters noticed that something was up.

"Coming from the girl who was The poster Child for depression just yesterday." Elae said while she pressed her full lips together.

Raegan's eyes narrowed and she was about to retort when Taercy interrupted them. Rolling her hazel eyes dramatically she sighed.

"Listen we can all tell something's up okay, so Let's just say what we gotta say and talk about it." she said easily, while she folded her arms onto the table and gave both off her sister's the look that clearly said 'Cut the bullshit'.

Elaery grabbed her cup of tea and sat down at the table.

the three sisters looked at each other, identical looks of curiosity on their faces. the silence seemed to swallow up the table for a while before Taercy rolled her eyes and turned to Raegan.

"I heard a man's voice in your room this morning."

Raegan stiffened, not really expecting that, off course it would be illogical for her to expect her walls to be soundproof but to her knowledge she and Paul weren't talking loud.

Hell, they were barely even talking.

"And I got a feeling that's what's got you walking on sunshine this morning."

Raegan was still stiff as a board, not really giving a reaction, She hadn't really wanted anybody to know about Paul. or rather she hadn't really wanted Elaery to know about Paul. The eldest Crane sister was known for her silent judgement across the board.

"So, the last couple of days of silence and depression were all caused because of a man?" Elaery asked, genuinely confused, she wasn't one to judge when it came to men. There were a lot of values about men she had that were unconventional. so she really wouldn't judge. But they had only lived here for a couple of weeks. Like barely a month and it was just strange to Fall into a depression that big because of a man you've met only recently.

"Not necessarily." The green eyed girl said petulantly. "Also, how do you know that was a person and not the sound of the TV."

Taercy looked incredulous for a moment and then snorted loudly, while Elaery just face palmed herself. "You don't have a Tv in your room." The eldest Crane sister whispered, genuinely happy their mother or Noni wasn't here for this conversation.

"I .. Its-.." Raegan sat there stumped for words for a moment until Taercy held her hand up immediately silencing her sister with it, There was no reason for Raegan to even try and explain herself and coincidentally, the Raven haired woman knew it.

Taercy turned to Elaery with pained Hazel eyes. "Please don't tell me, that this is what I sounded like when I was her age?" genuinely worried that perhaps her father had been able to see through her lies.

which he probably did over the important stuff, but she hoped to God not about that one time she had hit Charlie Whitman under her bed when she was 21.

Elaery turned to her sister and gave her a deadpan look. "You mean when you were 14 and No, thankfully you didn't."

Raegan raised her eyebrows and turned to Taercy, a devilish look in her eyes. "14?"

Taercy opened her mouth to say something but was interrupted by Elaery who hummed and nodded. "Yea, that Charlie Whitman story She's been telling you, she wasn't 21, She was 14, and I only caught her because I happened to look out the window and watched her push this little 16 year old boy out the window." Elaery said, all the while shaking her head.

Raegan snorted and turned to Taercy who shrugged. "I could hear dad coming, and I wasn't trying to get in trouble because of Charlie Whitman, I mean he was good looking but he wasn't worth it."

"Who is?" Raegan said with a sarcastic snort. Her mind involuntarily thinking of Paul, because somewhere inside of her there was a part that thought that he was worth it.

And she didn't want to.

"I have a date today with a guy who might be." Elaery said smoothly.

Taercy and Raegan's face snapped to Elaery in an instant.

"Okay first of all, Very smooth how you slipped that in there and second of all.." Taercy said. "You got a date!? How even!?"

Raegan snorted, honestly she wanted to comment on Taercy's surprise but she was just as surprised. Elaery hadn't had a date in years. And that wasn't necessarily because she wasn't asked, but more because of the fact that Elaery was obstinate.

And unwilling.

So the fact that she had a date now meant a whole lot.

"I wanna call Tae a drama queen, but I kind of agree with her on this one ... Like how even?" Raegan said and shot her sister a curious look.

Elae smiled somewhat, it had been a while since she'd talked to her sisters like this and it was making the excitement about the date grow in her stomach.

She wanted to share this moment with her sister's, even if she wasn't willing to share the person.

"I don't really know, he asked me out and I said yes." She said and shrugged, To Elae it really was that easy.

Elae always went for an initial vibe, and with Jared she always got that vibe. There was this tension between them that charged her and the room they were in.

"Why?" Taercy asked, confusion clear on her face.

"What do you mean why?" Elae said confused, not understanding why she had to defend her reasoning.

"I think what Tae means is, Why say no to all those other men and Yes to this one?" Raegan elaborated carefully. Not really wanting to offend Elae or make her shut off again.

Elae rarely ever shared anything with them, since Darren. And the fact that she chose to now was a big deal to her.

"He's nice." Elaery said with a smile that made both Raegan and Taercy smile.

Elaery had a lot to say about Jared, but she wasn't sure yet or rather she didn't really want to share those things with her sister's yet, for som reason she wanted to keep Jared private, he was her indulgence.

Her guy.

Her Jared.

"So why tell us?" Tae asked, blunt and always straight to the point, and she had a pretty big point, Elaery had never bothered to share anything like this with them and there must be a reason why she decided to do so now.

Elae blinked, and Rae raised an eyebrow at Tae's lack of decorum.

"What?" Elae questioned.

Tae smacked her lips together while she took another sip of her tea. "What I mean, is You never bothered before, Why now?"

"I need help." The oldest Crane sister said bluntly, Elae wasn't embarrassed by the way she looked but she recognized That there was a certain look she wanted to achieve for this date and she wouldn't be able to do it by herself.

"With what?" Tae questioned, curiously, secretly hoping her sister would ask her for a haircut. Her sisters hair was beautiful but the cut Elae wore it in just made it look drab and bland.

"I want to look a certain way and I don't think I'm going to be able to achieve that by myself." She said softly uncertainty blunt in Elae's voice.

Raegan pressed her lips together, she wouldn't ever understand the insecurity Elae held within herself. She was a beautiful young woman and it was alright if she acted like she knew it.

There wasn't anything wrong with self confidence,

"You want us to Help you get dressed for your date?"

Elae nodded.

Both her sisters seemed very surprised by her request. And Elae supposed that she could understand why that was. She wasn't the most open person with her sister's, favoring to do things her own way and not involving her sisters in anything she did.

"You sick?" Tae asked.

Elae shook her head.

"Being blackmailed?" Tae asked.

Elae shook her head once Again.

"An Alien clone that is impersonating my sister, in order to learn about the way of humans?"

Raegan snorted and even Elae had to roll her eyes.

"You're making me regret asking for help."

Raegan snorted again and ran her hand through her long curly hair. "We're just surprised Elae, I mean it's been a while since you've asked us for anything. Let alone fashion advice." The youngest Crane said with a shrug.

It was only Natural for them to be surprised.

Elae shrugged, perhaps her sister's were right. It was unusual for her to do this.

"I get it." She said easily.

Tae smacked her lips together. "So what's so special about this guy that you need to look ... 'a certain way'" the middle Crane sister said and put Air quotes around look certain way.

Taercy, was truly a little surprised that her sister would ask her for any advice. Let alone when it came to fashion and stuff. Taercy's and Raegan's styles were vastly different from Elaery and so the fact that their sister would ask them for advice meant that she really wanted to impress this man.

Whoever he was.

"Everything." Elaery said with a serious face.

Raegan plucked some grapes off her bowl of fruit and popped it in her mouth. "Who is he?" Raegan questioned dryly.

Her eyes were twinkling, like she already knew her sister would refuse to answer but she wanted to hear her say it. Raegan wasn't vindictive or anything but she wanted her sister to speak.

"I'm not telling yet." Elaery said easily.

"When will you tell us?" Raegan questioned curiously, while popping another grape into her mouth.

"Who cares when she tells us Rae-Rae, she got a date! I mean do you remember the last time Elaery went on a date! Damn that was like 138 years ago." Taercy said and snorted excitedly, she'd been worried for a while that Elae was going to turn into an old spinster.

"Yes I know it's been a long time and that is exactly the reason that I ask her about it. I mean can you honestly say that you trust Elae's judgement when it comes to men... because I can't." Raegan said with a grimace, although the grimace was mainly there because she felt like a bit of a hypocrite. Her judgement in men wasn't all that great and especially not when or if she decided to add Paul to the track record.

"Can you two stop talking about me as if I'm not sitting right beside you?" Elae began quietly while she licked her dry lips nervously, her eyes widening a little while he prepared herself for what to say next.

"I know that this isn't normal for me and I know that it has been a while since I actually been on a date but I promise you, my judgement is not poor with this one." Elae finished and blinked sincere wide eyes at. Her sister's, making both Rae and Tae press their lips together, wondering whether or not to trust the man Elae was going to go out with, Because it was a matter of trust towards the man rather than towards Elae.

XXXX

Third

Elaery was on cloud nine.

Jared was absolutely absolutely perfect, It was actually almost ridiculous how perfect he was, he'd met her in the restaurant at Seattle at the exact time he told her he was going to, they'd had lunch and now he was taking a leisurely stroll with her in a park somewhere in Seattle, she hadn't really paid attention to what park they were at or where they were walking, she'd felt so safe and secure around him that she barely felt the need to question him on any decision he made for them.

Jared was truly everything she wanted in a man, He'd asked her questions without seeming nosy, he'd shown off his intelligence without appearing arrogant and he seemed to be aware of the effect his physical appearance had on her without being cocky.

It was very different from Darren In a negative and positive way.

"Why did you want to have lunch all the way in Seattle?" Elae questioned, really curious as to why he'd take her so far in the first place.

The long haired Crane sister noticed the look that passed over Jared's face when she'd asked why he'd taken her so far but Elaery also knew that inquiring him about such a look would ruin the Magical atmosphere they'd created together and Elae just really didn't want to ruin that.

"I just felt like it."

Elae clicked her tongue and hummed, she would honestly be satisfied with whatever answer he gave her, because even if it was something she wanted to know, she would revisit it at a later moment when she wasn't entirely relaxed, she would wait for a moment where it wasn't the first moment of peace she'd had in almost two years time.

She'd deal with any red flags later, for now Jared was so amazingly good at making her forget everything going on in her life at the moment, and that instantly gave him a free pass in her book.

"You're satisfied with that answer?" Jared asked curiously, Elaery noticed his eyes glistening with surprise and it was kind or weirdly amusing to her.

"Shouldn't I be?" The eldest Crane sister questioned. She was a little amused, because she didn't really understand the very confused look on Jared's face, it almost looked out of place on his usually very bright expressive face.

"No.." Jared said, his eyes honest and so wide that Elae felt she could read him through it. She almost felt like he was trying to give her acces to him, to the most intimate parts of himself, like he was both berating and thanking her for trusting him .

She found it confusing.

"You can be upset, I was just awaiting your reaction, to my obvious lie but you knew I was lying and still you just accepted it." Jared said while his eyes glanced down towards Elae's swinging hand for a moment.

Elae cocked her head to the side and glanced at him only momentarily, she didn't want to give away too much about the emotions she was trying to hide behind her eyelids.

"This is our first date Jared, you're entitled to your privacy." Elae shrugged, thinking that perhaps she was trusting him a little too much but she was too entranced by his warm aura to care. "Besides, I am totally fine with a little distance from Lapush at the moment." The Eldest Crane sister said and shrugged blithely.

Because there were many reasons why she didn't want to tell her sisters about Jared yet, and the fact that Jared had no desire to be seen in Lapush with her was ironically enough just making things easier for her.

"Why?" Jared questioned while he boldly reached down and grabbed a hold off her hand.

"My sisters are just a lot to handle and I want t0 get to know you better before I throw you to the wolves." And while Elae was laughing while she said it she couldn't help but think that it was a little sad that she was scared about what Jared would think about her sisters, she wished she had sister's that were a little more susceptible to her needs so she knew that they would at least try to behave for her sake

But her sisters always did what they wanted..

And always at the cost off her relationships..

"Your sisters seem like a handful." Jared said while an easy smile spread out over his face,

"They are, and the worst part is they're more like the rest of my families than I am, Which often makes me the odd one out.." Elae was lost in the trees while she squeezed Jared's hand a little tighter and held back the urge to let the tears fall out of her eyes.

It was a little sad that she was a grown ass woman and she still had the urge to cry whenever these topics were brought up. But it was a reality she often had to face because she'd dedicated a lot off her life to her family.

"I think you're Amazing." Jared said while he looked up at the trees with her, Elae was sure he'd already noticed the fact that she was holding back tears but he was tastefully trying to give her a moment to get it together while also giving her support and encouragement.

"And I think you're very sweet for saying that." She said, although she knew the look on her face said the opposite.

"But you don't believe me?" Jared said. The look in his eyes rolling with incredulity.

Elae didn't really know what to respond to him. She didn't believe him but she also believed that the look in his eyes was sincere and that he really thought she was.

She just didn't think that his perception. of her was accurate.

And before Elae knew it, the tears she was trying so hard to hold back were falling down her cheek.

She was weeping. And for what she didn't exactly know, she didnt know whether she was crying because her self esteem was shit.

Or whether she was crying because there was a man in front of her with complete sincerity shining in his eyes and the cynical side off her had to ruin it.

Jared smiled brightly, like he was amused. And it only made Elae cry more.

The tall and imposing human being took a step forward and swiped his thumb over Elae's cheek, wiping away one of the salty tears running down her cheek.

"Why are you crying?" He questioned curiously.

His face deadly serious, but his hands surprisingly gentle.

Elae remained quiet, and Jared leaned forward and kissed away two pearly tears that were rolling down her cheek.

"Because I'm tired.." she said softly, a little surprised by the tender gesture.

"That's okay, you can lean on me." Jared said with a gentle smile.

Elae pressed her eyes closed and threw herself into his arms. Immediately grateful for his embrace and his willingness to accept her worthless tears into his being. She hadn't ever felt such overwhelmed feelings for anybody.

And it was both scary and amazing.