PREVIOUSLY-

I didn't say any more. I didn't know what to say. I knew I'd overreacted. It wasn't really Sam's statement that had done it. Logically, that would have been the right choice, for me to go back on birth control until the danger was taken care of. But when would the danger pass? Would it ever? His statement had only set off a storm of my insecurities that had been building in the back of my mind for a while.

Jared left a short while later to go speak with Sam in wolf form while I rested. When he returned, he brought me a sandwich and drink but didn't say anything about his conversation with Sam, he only seemed agitated and more concerned about me than anything.

One week.

One whole week I spent closed off from Sam, or better yet he stayed closed off from me.

One torturing, agonizing week.

I stayed the nights in Jared's old room and Sam chose to stay phased most of the day. He hadn't even tried to talk to me. When he actually was home, he spent his time holed up in his room or out back splitting wood. He wouldn't even look at me.

Jared spent the time he wasn't patrolling with me, trying to reassure me that everything would be okay, that it would all go back to normal soon.

I felt so off. The only reason I could stand being distanced from Sam at all was because I had Jared with me, trying to keep me sane.

Paul and Embry didn't come by the house the whole week. I missed Sam. I missed the pack.

On day seven, Jared was helping me do the dishes while Sam was out patrolling. We heard a series of howls and he asked me to stay inside while he went out to help with whatever was happening.

Nearly two hours later, I heard shouting outside the house, so I went to the window to see what was happening.

"No! I am not dealing with this anymore, Sam. If you don't get your shit together and make things right with Bella, you're going to get yourself killed! That bitch was fucking seconds away from ripping your skull in half and if I hadn't been there when I was, she would've succeeded. You tell her stupid shit about her being pregnant making you not be able to focus enough… look at you right now! Being separated from her is making you a downright shitty alpha. You can't focus long enough to jump over a damn log, let alone run a pack or kill a vampire. How many times this week have I had to step up? I'm at the top of my game because I have her, because I want nothing more than to protect her. If she's pregnant then I have even more drive to get shit done, so you can shove your goddamn 'focus' bullshit up your ass and you know it. I already know what your real fucking problem is, and I've been giving you time to tell her on your own but if you don't tonight, then I will. Your damn pity party is over." I listened to Jared yell at Sam.

"What do you mean about knowing what the real problem is?" Sam asked him back with resignation.

"You don't think I haven't been in your brain long enough to figure it out? I know you better than anyone. I know the real reason you're making shitty excuses about putting things off if she's not already pregnant is because of your dad. You're afraid that you'll turn out just like him. Newsflash! I didn't have the best role model of a dad either, but I'm fucking determined that I'm going to be the best one I could possibly be. You realize that our kids are going to have two fathers – if you make things right with Bella – and that means they'll be more loved and protected than anyone else in this world. If you don't want to turn out like your dad then learn from his damn mistakes. Look at what you're doing to Bella, Sam. Even though I'm right there with her, she's practically a damn zombie, just going through the motions. You shutting her out has fucked you both up so go fix it."

Jared came inside after that and I could tell he knew I heard it all. He walked over to me immediately and kissed me sweetly on the lips before kissing my forehead and wrapping his arms around me.

When Sam walked in, Jared looked down at me. "I'm going to be upstairs taking a shower."

I took a deep breath and hesitantly looked over at Sam, who I could tell had a large bruise on his jaw.

Had he really been that close to being killed?

He looked at me for a moment, the first time all week, as if unsure what to say, then rubbed his red eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose.

"You heard our conversation outside, didn't you?" He finally asked me as he turned to look out the window.

"I heard Jared's one-sided conversation, considering not much else was said," I responded shortly.

"I didn't know what to say." He replied back.

"Was what Jared said true?" I asked him, wanting to know.

"Which part?" He questioned.

"All of it."

He sighed and took a seat in the chair. "Yes." He ran his hand through his hair. "All of it." He took a deep breath before continuing. "The real reason I suggested what I did wasn't because that's what I wanted, or even for the reason I told you. Jared was right with what he said. When I realized that you being pregnant was a very real possibility, it scared me. Not because of you or the baby or Victoria, but because I truly am terrified that I'll end up like my own father and that our kids will hate me for it. I don't know how to be a good father."

"First of all, why couldn't you have just told me that to begin with? We wouldn't be dealing with any of this now if you had. Second of all, you could never turn out like your dad. You're a good man and you'll be a great father. No one knows how to be a good parent right out of the gate. It's something you learn as you go." I explained to him. "Is that why you avoided me all week?"

He turned to finally face me. "It was in the beginning, but the longer it went, the more I saw how easy it was for you to be away from me. You still had Jared and I heard what you said about the imprint–"

"Wait. You think it was easy for me?" I asked him incredulously as his eyes snapped to mine. "Not being close to you was one of the hardest things I've ever experienced in my life. Yes, I had Jared and he was the only thing holding me together, but without having both of you I feel completely broken. This isn't something where if I don't have one of you, I'll be just fine with the other. Jared can tell you just how not fine I've been."

He let his head hang again. "I'm sorry."

"You can't do this to me again, Sam." He nodded solemnly.

"I can't lie to you, Bella. What you told Jared – it's crossed my mind before." I froze immediately, not knowing which part he was referencing. "What you said about me thinking you should've chosen one of us instead of both."

I felt tears coming to my eyes. "You think I should have?"

"I would never have wanted you to. I wanted you to choose both of us more than anything and I'll never regret that you did." He replied.

I looked at him in confusion. "Then why would you have thought about it before?"

"It only crossed my mind once – that it would've been easier for you to have chosen Jared alone. He's been here for you the entire time while I've been shutting you out. I've hurt you. I watched him comfort you as you cried over things I said."

"I love Jared, Sam, but I love you just as much. Yes, he did comfort me, he kept me glued together this week, but he only had to because you were being an idiot and pushing me away! None of that means I would ever have chosen or wanted to choose one of you over the other." I begged him to understand. "Do you not want me? Is it all too much?"

"Never believe that Bella. Ever. Don't ever even think that again. I will want you; I will love you beyond my dying breath. No matter how much responsibility I have to my pack, no matter how many kids phase, no matter how much I have on my shoulders, having you will never be too much." He said with conviction, tears building in his own eyes.

I didn't know how to respond to his declaration. My emotions were going haywire. I just wanted things to be right again.

Sam must've felt my desperation because he walked forward and gathered me in his arms tightly as I sank into him. I'd craved his touch so badly all week and now that I had it, I clung to him, not willing to let go as I cried into his chest.

"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry." He kept repeating over and over as a whisper and I knew he was crying too.

I stood there in his embrace for a countless amount of time before pulling away from him.

"Never again, Sam." He didn't speak, he only nodded. "And don't think I didn't hear Jared say that Victoria was seconds away from killing you today. What happened?" I questioned, carefully inspecting the bruising on his jaw.

"My head wasn't in the game. Jared was right about that too. I've been a shitty alpha all week. I couldn't think straight being away from you. I was distracted and she grabbed me by my jaw, holding my mouth open and trying to – " he paused, closing his eyes. "Either way, Jared attacked from behind and managed to bite her hand off before she could cause real damage. We destroyed it, so at least she's down a hand now." He replied. "Will you forgive me for acting how I have been? I can understand if you—"

I cut him off by grabbing his hand and pulling him back to me, wrapping my arms around his middle. This time he sank into me, tightening his arms around me like I was keeping him afloat. His forehead rested on my shoulder as he continued to murmur apologies to me over and over again.

When he eventually pulled away, his eyes were bloodshot and shining. He pressed a kiss to my forehead, then rested his own forehead against mine.

"I love you Bella, more than anything in the universe." He whispered to me.

"I love you too. I've missed you." I replied back honestly.

"I've missed you too… so much." I could hear the tiredness in his voice. "Will you please come back to our bed? I haven't slept all week without you."

I nodded wordlessly and grasped his hand, pulling him toward the stairs.

When we got to the bedroom, he pulled me down onto the bed with him and I snuggled into his side as he held me close.

Jared walked in and looked over at us. "Everything good now?"

"Yeah, everything's good… I think?" Sam looked down at me in question.

"We're okay," I responded to both.

"Sam, I swear if you ever pull shit like that again, I'll challenge you for alpha myself. Then I'll build you a damn doghouse in the backyard." Jared told him adamantly.

"It's not ever going to happen again," Sam replied. "And I almost thought you were going to challenge me today."

"The thought crossed my mind after I had to save your ass," Jared said in response.

"I know, I was in your head."

Jared sat down on his side of the bed and rested up against the headboard. We talked for a little while about everything that had happened over the past week before falling into a much needed sleep.

A/N- All is well again in Sam/Bella/Jared world. To be honest, these last two chapters absolutely killed me to write. As much as I want to write fluff all the time, I need some drama in there somewhere to make it seem a tiny bit more realistic.

What did you think about Victoria?