Nessie's POV

I rest my head against the seat in the back of the cab. I wish I could just go home, cork a bottle of wine and get in the tub. Unfortunately, I have too much work to do in preparing tomorrow's powerpoint. I'm starting to think that the professor only hired me to fix his presentations. They're awful; copy running off the slide... Terrible transitions, centering everything, pixelated images. He gives me the file this morning and then invites me to his stupid charity orchestra. I basically had to speed home after classes to get ready and make it there in time.

I pull a few pins from my hair. My scalp immediately feels better once the updo comes tumbling down. I look in my lap at the paper gift bag with the small ribboned box inside. I hope Emma likes it. It's a gold charm in the shape of yarn and needles. She loves knitting for some reason. She has a lot of patience to sit still and perfect her craft. She did not inherit this from me or Fox or my mother. Perhaps my father. She's a lot like Edward in many ways; somewhat a traditionalist. She's totally his favourite. Likely because she inherited another family trait; a silent mind. Something I so desperately wish I had in the presence of my father. She has no idea how lucky she is.

Jacob enters my mind again. I stare out the window, longingly and curse myself for ever thinking that I could get back a piece of what we had. I used to soothe myself with the thought that after all these years we were too different from the people we once were for us to get it all back. Though it may be true; people evolve. My love for him remains as constant as ever.

Once we arrive, I thank the driver and step out. The house is at the top of two flights of steep concrete steps. It's a beautiful place. Lots of large glass windows, modern fixtures and a small outdoor courtyard in the back where I like to study when the weather permits it.

I open the front door and walk inside. I am just about to close it behind me when it is forced open violently.

"What the fuck?!" I gasp as the door slams against the wall.

Jacob barges inside, "where the fuck is he?" he growls.

I am in shock. What is he doing here? I don't know what to say, "Who?"

"You fucking know who," he scowls.

"Is everything okay?" Embry asks, coming inside from the small courtyard, "Jacob?" He looks confused.

Jacob doesn't say a word. He immediately charges Embry, tossing him to the floor, throwing punches at him.

"Oh my god! What are you doing?!" I yell.

Embry throws his arms up in an attempt to block the punches, "Jake, get off of me! Stop!" he shouts.

"Piece of shit!" Jacob, growls, pulling Embry up by the collar and slamming him back against the floor.

Embry manages to get one in, throwing his fist into Jacob's jaw, causing his head to jerk back momentarily, just long enough for Embry to get up but not long enough to get away. Jacob throws three more hard punches at him.

"Stop!" I shout and run over to the two. In an attempt to break up the scuffle, I take an elbow to the face and lose my balance, slamming back into a glass door, hitting my head hard. The glass cracks but doesn't shatter. "Fuck!" I curse as pain radiates through the back of my head; I taste blood from my lip where I caught the elbow.

"Get off me!" Embry pushes Jacob away; successfully this time. "Look, you asshole!" Embry shouts at Jacob and points to me as I collect myself from the cracked door and wipe blood from my lip.

"Nessie," Jacob's eyes widen and his face softens, he attempts to go to me, but I walk around him to check on Embry.

"You are unbelievable," I scowl, looking at Embry's beaten and bloody face, "what's your problem?!"

"So this is a thing now?!" he says, pointing to us, "you two are just living here, fucking around behind my back?"

"... What?! … are you for real?" I laugh harshly, "we're not fucking."

"Stop lying. Leah told me that her cousin saw you together," Jacob snarls.

"Leah's cousin saw us fucking?" I ask, crossing my arms.

"Saw you leaving his place… In the same clothing you wore the night before," he says with disgust.

"Embry, why don't you go clean yourself up," I say with a stern expression so that I can tell Jake off without an audience. Embry nods and stares Jacob down as he leaves. I wait until Embry has gone before tearing into Jacob, "you're comical. You get another bitch pregnant and somehow think my sex life is any of your business. Not that it is your business but there is nothing going on between Embry and I."

"So you didn't sleep together?" Jacob doesn't look convinced.

"No we did sleep together but in the literal sense. Sleep. There was no sex," I roll my eyes.

"Nothing happened? Nothing at all?" he stares into my eyes. I know that there's no use lying to him. He can read me like a book.

"Okay, we made out a little."

Jacob growls.

"But that's it... Jacob, you can't do this, Okay. You and me… we're not together anymore. I don't have to explain myself to you. There's the door," I point to the front door and start up the stairs for my bedroom.

"If nothing is going on then why is he here?" Jacob asks, following me up the stairs.

"I forgot my drivers licence and he offered to bring it to me rather than mail it." I open the door to my bedroom and kick off my stilettos and toss my coat onto the bed. I check my face in the mirror. My lip looks a little puffy but the cut has already healed. With any luck I won't have a bruise from the rogue elbow I caught. The back of my head still throbs.

"You left La Push a week ago. He's still here," Jacob says, "why?"

I hear the sound of the back entrance that leads to the courtyard creak. I glance out the window. Embry is sitting there with a cloth of ice on his face. Emma stops when she sees him, "woah… what happened to you?" I faintly hear her ask through the glass.

"See for yourself," I nod to the window which overlooks the courtyard.

Jacob looks at me suspiciously before joining me by the window. Emma, my daughter, the pint-sized hybrid who is no more than 5' tall with long wavy blonde hair wanders over to Embry. They are talking too quietly now for anything else to be heard. Emma stands over him as he sits on the edge of a concrete bench. She reaches out and touches his face. He flitches so she quickly moves to retreat her hand but he stops her, taking her hand within his' kissing it once and then pulling her into his lap.

"Did he-?"

"Imprint on her?... yeah," I say, "I actually witnessed it in real time. It was wild," I say and then go over to my dresser, taking my earrings off and putting them in my jewelry box. "Good thing my daughter is just like Fox in one respect… she adores being adored. Didn't fight him off for a second… It's actually a relief," I continue as I look at my reflection, "I never have to worry about her being alone. If anything ever happens to me, she'll have him and he'll never walk away… well… one can hope," I took at Jacob in the reflection of the mirror. He has stopped watching the scene in the courtyard. He is staring at me. Sadness in his eyes.

"Nessie I-"

"You should go," I turn around.

"I don't want to leave you," he admits, he exhales. His shoulders slump.

"You already have," I reply.

"I love you," Jacob says softly.

I feel my stomach sink. I love him too. I stare at him. It's been so long since I've heard those words from his mouth. I am immediately flooded with memories of us. Everything we used to have. The nights we made love. The mornings he held me. Riding on the back of his motorcycle with my arms wrapped tightly around him. Things I never imagined I would be given the opportunity to miss. I always thought they'd be there.

"I can't take this anymore," I shake my head, "do you want me or not?"

"What?" Jacob asks, his face is confused.

"You heard me. Do you want me or not?"

"It's complicated," Jacob says, running a hand over his face.

"Uncomplicate it," I demand, "do you want me or not? Yes or no?"

"Nessie I-"

"No," I cut him off, "you don't get to come here and do this to me, Jacob. You don't get to throw everything away twice and then come here and pick a fight with the guy you assume I'm sleeping with and then tell me you love me. It's either yes you want me or no… And if it's no-" I swallow, "…if it's no don't you ever come back here again," I manage to get the words out but my mouth almost doesn't allow me to. I inhale, "do you want me?" I repeat myself, "yes… or no?" I watch him, his face is unreadable, what I would give to know what he is thinking, "Jacob… please," my voice shakes, tears coming to my eyes.

He moves quickly from where he stands near the window, taking my face into his large, warm hands and kisses me passionately. My heart starts to race with excitement. It feels as though my entire body has increased in temperature. I kiss him back, matching the passion.

"Yes," he whispers between kisses, "yes, my love. I want you… I want you back."

"Don't say 'but'," I reply with my eyes closed as he kisses my face tenderly. I feel the tears roll down my cheeks.

"I won't, baby," he promises. My heart skips when I hear him call me baby after all this time. His hands wander up and down my back while his lips migrate to my neck, sucking and nipping at the skin.

"I love you too," I finally reply to his earlier declaration of love. He pauses from kissing my neck to look into my eyes but only for a moment before he pulls me into the deepest kiss.

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