When the Earth split in two
I was I, you were you
I run for you, run for me too

Come on, Sir
Just give me the answer
Come on, Sir
Now I need an answer
My baby's lost to the monster
Come on, Sir
Just give me the answer
I fear the future

Fear the Future – St. Vincent

Chapter 48: Echo Effects

Lexi

Three days earlier

I moved like a wraith through the forest, my nose and flaming throat leading the way. It flamed painfully, the raw, searing hurt almost itching until it was enough to drive me mad. An unfamiliar growl grew in my chest and didn't stop until it met the air as I whipped through the ferns. Heartbeats – two miles east, near the meadow. Elk, if my hearing was correct. They didn't sound appetizing, but anything would do to ease the burning in the delicate tissues in the back of my neck. The closer I got, the hotter the fires burned.

Thump. Thump. Thump.

The first gave a surprised snort as I sprang, soaring effortlessly through the tree line to easily give its neck a twist. It was so easy; like snapping your fingers. Reaching over, I did the same to the unfortunate one beside it, ending its life before it had a chance to feel fear. It was the least I could do, a piece of me thought as I sunk my teeth into the closest artery. Blood pooled in my mouth, washing away the venom that had dropped off my teeth and made my mouth go sour. It oozed down my throat like honey, coating the raw pain and easing it away.

Footsteps behind me caused me to look back and snarl, but I quickly stopped once I realized it was Emmett and Edward, who'd finally caught up to me. They'd explained I'd be the fastest one for only a few more short weeks – my human blood was slowly seeping away from my stony tissues, and soon I would be another normal vampire and not a newborn. My eyes would turn golden, my thirst wouldn't be as rampant, and I'd have more control over my emotions.

It felt like it was lifetimes away.

The promise of feeling somewhat in control and normal was one I'd held onto for weeks now. All I wanted was to have the restraint and focus the rest of my adopted family seemed to so easily adapt to. I'd narrowly avoided murdering my father and Patrick that night in a newborn frenzy several weeks ago, and it wasn't something I wanted to risk again. So far the only blood on my hands was elk. I realized I'd do almost anything to keep it that way.

I drank greedily, draining both elk in a matter of minutes. Emmett stood off to the side, surveying like a coach would an athlete, while Edward merely leaned against a tree. Everyone in the family took turns staying with me - or babysitting me while the rest tried to live relatively normal lives. Rosalie had gone with the rest of the women in the Cullen family to Vancouver to shop for the day with a promise of many new clothes when she returned. I knew she'd make good on that promise, so I was stuck with an all-male hunting squad today.

Dropping the carcass to the ground, I wiped my mouth and tried not to grimace at the sight of blood on my hand. A few months of practice had helped, but I was by no means a clean feeder just yet. That would take time and practice. "So we know maybe four days is too much," Edward speculated, watching as I picked up what was left of my meal.

Emmett frowned, giving a shake of his head as he motioned for the elk bodies. "I got this," he assured me, taking them to bury.

I gave him a halfhearted smile and thanked him.

"I still suck at this, but… it was all I could think about for the last day. I couldn't' even make it three days without… obsessing."

"It takes time. Think about it; a month ago, you couldn't even go two days. Now you made it four."

My face twisted into a grimace. The thirst I'd felt only seconds ago was something akin to excruciating. "Barely."

Edward's mouth quirked upwards. "Barely," he agreed with a good natured nod, "But you still made it. Don't disparage yourself of that."

I tried to take his advice and not beat myself up, but it was difficult. After making sure the elk was disposed, we walked slowly back in the direction of the house. At least, I think. My sense of direction was still something I was getting used to – I wasn't used to just trusting my instinct that the house was west, or the highway was east, etc… I was used to just knowing where things were in comparison to human landmarks. Learning to navigate the world as a vampire was coming slowly to me but it would take some practice.

"You uh…felt like quite the run," Edward said, his tone polite but tinged with bewilderment.

"Thought you'd run halfway across the state," Emmett chuckled. Edward took a playful swing at him before the two took off into a playful jog, jumping up into the trees to occasionally bat at each other like playful monkeys. I ran behind at a leisurely pace, feeling somewhat sated and like myself for the first time in a few days. The thirst was the worst part of all of this. It drove me to think things that weren't even like anything I wanted to ever consider and drove me mad.

But now that I wasn't being driven nearly insane with the need to drain something, my thoughts were once again my own. And of course, they turned to Brady, wondering where he was and what he was doing. I focused on that for almost an hour as we ran, much slower this way than the way we'd come. I'd plowed through the forest like a ravenous freight train on the way there, so it was taking a bit of time to get back. We were going on hour two of running back towards the house when I skidded to a halt.

That scent.

My feet dragged a human pace to the source of it. I knew that scent. Edward and Emmett forgotten, I walked slowly over to the fallen tree where it seemed to be the strongest. I didn't recognize anything around me, but I knew that smell. My vampire mind scanned my memories faster and faster, checking and double checking as I fought to place it. Peeking into the rotted out tree, I discovered it was hollow. Inside was a pile of clothes.

My hand shot out before I could even think. Pulling the cloth to my nose, I inhaled deeply and was so overcome with the onslaught of memories that scent provided I barely registered the dry burn in the back of my throat.

I closed my eyes as the blurry images hit me – human memories, I realized. It was the scent of a cologne I couldn't place but knew, and pine and spiced apples and just… Brady.

My hands tightened around them as I sniffed them again, this time having the sense to at least feel a little bit weird about what I was doing. Up ahead, Emmett and Edward had figured out I wasn't still with them and had doubled back. The footsteps were getting closer. I lowered my hands and let my eyes shift over the worn t-shirt and jeans. If I focused hard enough, they still almost felt warm.

Edward arrived at the tree first, his golden eyes wide and bright as he scanned my thoughts. His mouth dropped open slightly, a whispered 'oh' falling from his lips as he realized what I was holding.

I couldn't cry anymore- I knew that. But it didn't stop my chest from getting tight and every emotion I'd ever felt from flying to the surface and quickly overwhelming me. Just because I couldn't produce real tears didn't mean that it hurt any less. I felt my chest ache, and I choked on the air I didn't need and started crying. Shoving the clothes back into the hollowed out tree as if I'd been burned, I put my face in my hands and just cried.

Emmett arrived seconds later, his jovial expression long gone.

"What happened?!" he demanded gruffly, his eyes scanning the forest, looking for a fight. Bless Emmett. Always willing to kick some ass for me. He'd happily accepted me as much as Rosalie had, taking on the role of a sweet yet slightly scrappy older brother. I heard Edward swallow.

"She…she came across Brady's scent," Edwards explained, his voice strained.

I sniffled a bit, my face crumpling again as I rubbed my palms on my jeans, trying to get rid of the scent. I hadn't known it would be like that, so overwhelming and sudden and painful. While the human memories were slow and blurry in my now-sharp mind, I realized that what really hurt was the rest of it – the slew of emotions that came with that scent - Safety. Comfort. Love. Everything came back to me as I stood there in the woods, crying without crying tears and blubbering like an idiot.

"You're not an idiot. Memories can be… excruciating," Edward said, his expression pained. Emmett's hand was on my shoulder in an instant, the weight of welcome.

"Let's get you home. Rose should be back by now."

I looked up, blinking away the tears I knew weren't there. "Won't Rosalie get tired of me if all I do is cry and wallow and just… just… be miserable?"

Emmett pulled me into a brotherly hug, his chin rubbing the top of my head as he shook his. "Never, Lex. Rose would never get tired of you. You're like the…" He trailed off, releasing me with a pained smile of his own. My mouth opened to ask, but behind him, Edward shook his head. A question for another time then.

"Emmett… would you run ahead and make sure the path is clear? I'll stay with Lexi." Emmett was off like a gunshot, taking his duty seriously. I smiled weakly in his wake, glancing at Edward.

"I know it's private, but… would you maybe tell me what he was going to say?" Edward glanced in the direction Emmett had gone, his butterscotch eyes suddenly far off.

"Emmett is an open book, and… well, Rose loves you, so I'm sure she wouldn't mind me saying that she… thinks of you like the daughter she never had."

My mouth fell open again. "O-oh."

I didn't know what to think – the beautiful blonde girl had opened her heart and home to me at once, asking for nothing in return. She'd been at my side, my lifeline, since I'd woken up like this. The urge to hug her as soon as I saw her was at the front of my mind.

"Let's go."

Rosalie was surprised when I greeted her at the door by flinging my arms around her tall frame and carefully hugging her. My newborn strength was wearing off, but I was still stronger than everyone in the house. We'd arrived from our hunt just minutes before she'd pulled in the driveway, her arms bursting with shopping bags from her trip to Seattle. She'd patiently led me to her room and sat me on her bed to listen as I blubbered out the whole tale of finding Brady's clothes in the woods, detailing every emotion and thought that ran through my head. She nodded sympathetically.

"It's just… still all so much. The emotions, the smells, the… way I feel."

"It can be a lot. Everything is magnified right now, Lexi. It will get better, trust me. You'll figure this out and… go on."

"You think?"

"You won't have a choice," she replied softly, her golden eyes sad. "I know it's still hard right now I know 'hard' seems like an understatement. But soon your thirst will be somewhat under control and you'll be more used to everything. Our kind are very unique – everything we feel seems like it can be magnified by about a thousand. Hate, jealousy, fear… love. It's all very intense. You aren't alone in that."

I nodded, reaching up to twist a piece of my hair around my finger. It was so soft – I could feel every silky strand as I played with it, twisting it and weaving it as I thought.

"Once I get used to… this… what will there be to focus on though?"

She smiled, opening another box. "You could finish school. Go to college. You look young, but you could graduate and work for a few years. Travel. Take up music. Or… anything, really. Once your thirst is manageable there is no limit to what you can or can't do. The world is yours to explore… forever."

"But I'll be doing it alone."

She paused her work, her eyes flicking away from mine. "You don't know that."

I bit my lip, my razor sharp teeth grazing the flesh. "The other day I was just thinking that… he's still human, most of the time. He'll… he'll stop phasing someday. He said they retire."

She unfolded a new sweater from the box, carefully hanging it on a sleek hanger. "Some wolves do. But some have chosen to keep phasing. I think Jacob plans to spend the rest of forever with my niece. It's possible."

Picking a piece of lint off the collar, she flashed down the hall and into my own room to put it away and was gone before I could blink. I was certain she'd purchased more clothes for me than I'd ever be able to use in a year, but it seemed to make her happy to do it. I was barely over the emotion of seeing Brady when Edward had dropped the bombshell on me. When I could calm down a bit, I was certain I'd be touched that Emmett and Rosalie thought of me that way.

"What you said about our feelings being magnified… I get it. Sometimes when I'm just… punishing myself, I guess… I think about Brady and how he'll stop phasing some day and retire from the pack. He'll meet someone and..." I trailed off. "He'll move on and forget about me."

Her nose wrinkled. "I'm not sure he could forget about you, Lexi."

"You say that, but I think he could. He could treat this all like a bad dream, like it never happened. I wish I could. But he'll move on from me someday. I know it."

She flitted to my side, sitting gracefully down on the bed. "He's a fool, then."

"Doesn't change things."

"No, it certainly doesn't. I won't lie to you and say that it won't happen, Lexi."

"I know."

"But you don't have to stay here and watch it happen," she said slowly. "Do you… have you ever thought about leaving for a while? Getting away from all of the… memories?"

I froze, my eyes unblinking. Leave Forks? How could I leave Forks? The blurry faces of Patrick and my dad and Regan and Clare swam to the front of my mind. My life was in Forks.

But that was just it. I didn't' have a human life anymore. I had an immortal one, and I needed to start living it.

"I'm…I'm not sure."

She patted my shoulder and sighed. "Well… think about it. We can always get away for a little while. Separate from the situation."

While the faces of my friends and dad faded, Patrick's was the only one who didn't. I swallowed the venom that flooded my mouth, the tangy taste igniting the burn in my throat at the thought of his blood. I could still hear his heartbeat in my ears if I concentrated enough. Closing my eyes, I swallowed to try to slake the horrid, raw burn, but it was difficult to suppress.

"Maybe…it wouldn't be such a bad thing."

My night went from bad to worse after the incident in the forest.

While the other half of the family went for a hunt, I stayed at home with Edward and Emmett and busied myself speed reading as many books as I could get my hands on. Emmett was watching a football game with the volume on low so that we could all enjoy it as Edward played his piano a few rooms over. Sprawled across the couch, I'd already tackled five and was halfway through my sixth when the music suddenly stopped. The last note still hung in the air when Edward flew to the window in the living room. My book hit the floor as I joined him.

"What is it?"

He stared into the darkness on the other side of the glass, his head cocked like he was listening to something.

"Alice. She's screaming at me in her mind. They're almost back and… she caught a glimpse. She's angry because…"

"Why?"

"…the wolves cause blind spots in her vision. She didn't catch him before…"

He shook his head and hurried past me, darting through the doors leading to the deck and bounding over the rail. Emmett and I followed, hitting the ground only seconds after him.

"You need to go get your wife. We'll have to deal with that later," Edward practically hissed at Emmett. Emmett looked surprised, but only nodded and took off.

"Where did he go? Where's Rosalie?"

"She had an errand to run. A fool's errand, if you ask me."

I didn't have time to prod him for more information. The rest of the Cullens appeared in the darkness, eyes liquid gold and wide.

"I didn't see…" Alice trilled, her eyes still searching as if she was in the middle of another vision.

"It's the wolves," Jasper growled, holding her hand. "You couldn't have known."

"What is it? What's happened? The wolves?!" my voice was shrill as I fought to make sense of all the riddles.

"A human has been killed in Forks," Alice finally was able to manage, her eyes reaching mine. I gasped, freezing in terror. Esme was there, her arms around me before I could speak.

"We'll get him. It's going to be okay," she soothed. I watched over her shoulder as Edward and Alice had one of their confusing half conversations, her eyes wide and unblinking as she was hit with another vision. Edward stared at her, clearly watching in his own way as whatever events she'd seen unfolded.

"We're too late. It's happened," he exhaled slowly. "It's been done and he's gone. We have to figure out what to do next. Wait here."

Edward grabbed Bella's hand, and the two took off running in the direction of the river. Things moved quickly. Rosalie and Emmett returned, both of them hovering at my side as the Cullens planned what needed to happen. I hated this – not knowing what was going to happen. I'm sure if I still had a heart it would be about to pound through my chest right now.

A few minutes passed, the rest of us just waiting. Esme was leaning against Carlisle, looking worried but determined. Alice paced, rubbing her temples while Jasper stood like a statue, eyes scanning the woods. Rosalie and Emmett just stood together, silently gazing into each other's eyes. I felt my heart ache slightly as he began running his fingertips up and down her arms in a soothing manner. It seemed to calm her and she leaned against his tall frame.

Edward and Bella finally returned, but they weren't alone. I felt Rose's hand twist around my arm into an iron grip as heavy footsteps approached.

"It's just Jacob."

I nodded, swallowing thickly. Seconds later, a horse-sized russet wolf appeared through the trees, skidding to a halt in front of Edward. I took a breath, testing the air. I could hear the animal's massive heartbeat, but the blood running through its veins held almost no appeal. It smelled worse than that of a herbivore that was for sure. I thought of the bland tasting elk and deer that were what I'd categorized as an 'easy meal' – not difficult to catch, large, and filling they were, but the taste was like eating food without any real spices or flavor. Bland. It was reassuring to me that Jacob's blood held no call to my traitorous newborn body.

"We'll meet with the pack to discuss a plan of action," he finally said aloud, nodding to the animal.

I saw its eyes briefly flick to me before it nodded back and turned back to the woods. It loped off with urgency and Edward motioned for all of us to follow. The Cullens ran in pairs, darting through the forest like wraiths. Of course Rose and Emmett flanked my sides, but I still felt awkward being the third wheel sometimes. Within minutes we approached the rocky terrain of the river that cut through the forest, its high banks lined with jagged rocks. Jacob escorted us to the overlook, where he took off down a hidden path to the bank. Carlisle motioned for us to wait up on the hill overlooking the river for a moment. Slowly, I crept up enough to be able to see the pack as they waited on the rocky shoreline.

Jacob was pacing in the middle of the group, as if he was speaking. I realized he probably was, but it was still strange to see animals act like that – so organized and almost like a team.

Silently, we filed down to the shoreline and stood, Rosalie's hand in mine and Emmett's on my shoulder. The air was thick with the smell of them – they were hard to miss. Their scent was heavy and robust. It was a mixture of something wild-smelling, slightly spicy, and thick with danger. I'd never forget it.

The voices were a hum in my head as I listened with only half my mind. The other half was trying to sneak glances at one of the larger wolves standing tall and agitatedly swinging its tail behind Jacob.

Brady.

My body thrummed with awareness as I watched him out of the corner of my eye. Tall, strong, and dark. That was still the same. I hung my head slightly and tried to listen to what was being said. The distraction I felt towards Brady almost overruled my fear that my hunter was on the loose.

Almost.

Edward looked at me, his gaze pleading. "You have to think of your father and Patrick. If you linger here, we risk him making another move. Next time… I'm afraid..."

I pictured my old home, warm and inviting. In my mind I walked through the front door of the inviting scene, but something was off. I could see the splatters of blood on the entryway walls and followed the trail of it to the kitchen. My mind deemed fit to torture me with an image of Patrick and my father, one splayed across the kitchen table and the other slumped on the floor. Blood everywhere, their eyes lifeless. I winced, finally finding my voice.

"Next time it could be them he attacks. Or worse… turns," I realized. My gaze went to Rosalie, my deepest fears confirmed. "He's hunting me. And my dad or Patrick could be next."

The debate went on for almost an hour, but everyone realized something had to happen. If I stayed in Forks, there was a possibility the monster that had bitten me would stay too. And if Patrick smelled the good to me, I was willing to bet he smelled delicious to everyone else as well. I couldn't risk it. When someone suggested we go to Alaska and draw him out, all I could picture was the distance from Forks to Denali. All of those miles suddenly seemed appealing as I realized how far away we would be from my parents. My adopted family all turned to me with questioning gazes.

"We can leave. Just say the words," Carlisle assured me gently, his eyes warm.

Everyone waited for my answer.

"We'll go. We have to draw them away. If anything happened to my parents…"

Rosalie rubbed my back, drawing me against her side. "We can do this. We'll keep you safe," she whispered.

And so our plan was set. We would leave before the sun rose, taking only what we could carry. The wolves would double back in a teardrop formation around the town after we left, pushing the vampire North to hopefully follow our trail. Once in Denali, we would work with Tanya's family on a plan B. The wolves would all stay behind to guard the town and would alert us with any news.

The wolves began to dissipate once the plan was decided. All but one. Brady stood still off to the side, his large paws sinking slightly into the sand. Jacob lingered after the rest, back in wolf form, his large head shifting to look between Edward and Brady. I briefly wondered what that was about, but didn't have to wonder long.

"Do you want to say anything to him?" Edward appeared at my side, his lips moving fast. "Now would be the time. He's been thinking about talking to you and… you might want to do it before we leave."

He had a point. My stomach flipped nervously (or it felt like it anyway) and I nodded, looking over at the lone black wolf waiting off to the side. He picked up one foot like he was about to leave, then thought better of it and stayed. His large black eyes followed my every move.

"Say what you feel… the rest is up to him now," Rosalie whispered. "We'll be up the bank a bit. We'll wait for you," she assured me, giving my shoulder another soft squeeze.

And then, we were alone.

I straightened my shoulders and watched Brady in wolf form as he blinked back at me, waiting for me to speak. Well, if I was really leaving and had no idea for what amount of time, didn't I really need to get this out? Didn't I need to clear the air between us before running of to Alaska, where there would be even fewer distractions from driving myself crazy? I knew I'd just over analyze everything every second I was there. I guess… this was my chance.

"Can… we maybe have that talk now?"

He nodded his large head once before giving me a pointed look. I had no idea what he wanted – he started to leave, but I realized he was going to phase into human form. I turned, my eyes wide as I fought to hold my breath and not let my senses take over. Every nerve was already on edge; my instincts told me the wolves were enemies, and it was difficult to keep my wits with them so close. The air shimmered slightly, and I felt a wave of déjà vu wash over me. I turned back around in time to see Brady walk out from behind a bolder, buttoning his jeans. The blurry memories in my mind were suddenly replaced with this image of him – his chiseled jaw, his high cheekbones, and dark, piercing eyes.

"Lexi," he breathed, his voice low and shaky. He licked his lips and let his human eyes scan my new form.

I remembered to fidget to look more normal. The urge to stand like a statue was a difficult one to ignore.

"Yes. I'm… it's me," I stammered, nodding my head too fast. He watched, his eyes wide.

"You're… still a lot the same."

I swallowed, opening my mouth again, inhaling before I could think. There was a slight burning, but it wasn't like he was a meal. Another experimental breath assured me that Brady truly didn't smell like food.

"So… I'm leaving. And I wanted to talk to you once before I did," I explained, my eyes searching his. He looked the same, but somehow different. Tired. Older, somehow.

That thought made my heart pang with hurt. He couldn't be older, but he would have to retire someday. I'd have to watch him age and know that he had moved on with his life.

Just like I should with mine.

"I wanted you to knèow that… I'm okay. The Cullens are amazing to me, and… I think I'm going to be alright."

He nodded slowly, as if he was waiting for what I would say next. I twisted my hands in front of me, watching as he took another experimental step forward.

"I want you to… just please make sure my dad and Patrick are okay. I worry about them all the time and…" my voice rose as I fought the feeling of needing to cry, "and I meant what I said when I told you I'd never forgive myself if something happened to them. And I've got a long time to think about it, so…"

I bit my lip and looked back at Brady. He was staring at me, his eyes strangely focused on my every move. "Can you do that for me?"

He nodded quickly, snapping out of it. Why was he looking at me that way? His gaze held surprise and almost… wonder? I couldn't place it.

The only sound was the water as it bubbled over the rocks. A bird called far away, echoing through the trees. The forest was slowly waking up. We would have to leave soon. Time was running out.

"I would do anything to protect them," he finally said, his voice strained. "What about you? What are you going to… do in Alaska?"

I opened my mouth, no sound coming out. He sounded… concerned? "I… I guess I'll learn how to be a better vampire. I guess I'm getting used to it."

"Seems that way," he replied curtly.

My eyes flashed with hurt before I could stop them. How could he be like that? He knew this wasn't my choice. He'd had a front row seat when I'd been changed. I didn't remember much about it, but I can't ever remember thinking it would be a good idea.

But I didn't come here to argue with him.

I came to tell him goodbye.

"I don't know what will happen in Alaska, but I just wanted you to know that I appreciate all you've done."

Brady stepped closer, his bare feet crunching on the frozen ground. I was pretty sure the cold affected him the same way it did me – not at all – but it was still strange to see him out in so few clothes.

"It's what the pack was created to do."

"Not that," I sighed sadly, closing my eyes for a moment. "I meant… trying to stop him. I don't remember a lot of what… what happened that night, but I do remember you fighting him. For me. So thank you."

He stared at me for a moment, his expression blank. Then he grew angry. "Yeah, well… it wasn't enough. As usual, I didn't do enough. Now… everything is fucked up."

I sighed. I should have known it would go like this.

"Brady…"

He looked up, his anger gone at the mention of his name. "I don't blame you. Do you know that? I don't. I just… we were in the wrong place at the wrong time."

"No, he was picking on me because I'm a dick and I'd fought him before. He did it to mess with me, and now you're paying the price forever!" he growled, stepping inches from me. My eyes went wide at his proximity, the two of us staggering back slightly. His scent overwhelmed me momentarily, but not in a bad way. I knew my head couldn't spin, but it didn't stop me from imagining the feeling again.

He was quiet again. I got an apologetic glance, but he didn't speak.

"I wanted to talk to you tonight to tell you goodbye and… and to not worry about me. You don't have to, really," I said, stepping closer to him again. He looked up, his eyes meeting mine. I watched his irises – the deep, honey brown I'd grown to love but never got to fully appreciate with my dull human eyes – and they nearly took my breath away. The depth to them was astonishing.

"Your eyes," he said softly, "They're… starting to turn."

I blinked in surprise. "What?"

I'd heard him, but I didn't believe it.

"You have a ring of gold around the center…" he sighed. He met my eyes, and there was that hopeful look again. "You're doing okay, aren't you?"

I could barely nod. "I am. And I want you to be okay too, Brady. This is my life now, and… and I want you to try to move on once we catch this vampire that's making everything horrible."

"What about you? What are you going to do?"

"I don't… I'm not sure yet. But I think leaving for now will be the best… safest… thing for everyone."

"Do you really believe that?"

"I sort of have to," I shrugged. "The plan is set and it's happening. I just want you to be happy. And try to have a normal life after you retire someday."

His head shot up. "Retire?"

I bobbed my head once, the motion jerky. "Yes. Isn't that what you want? Our bond is broken and… you'll be able to live a normal life. How can you not want that?"

Brady looked lost. "I don't know what I want right now. I guess that's the problem."

"I… hope you find it," I said slowly, fighting the urge to reach out and touch him. A quick glance over my shoulder told me the sun would be rising soon and we needed to be leaving.

"I should go."

He stared at me like he was memorizing my face. My dead heart ached in my chest as I bit my lip and turned towards the house.

"Stay safe, Brady. And… be happy. I'll always…"

I stopped myself. I couldn't bear it to let him speak again. The fear that the sound of hearing his voice one more time might break me was more than I could bear. I took off before I could finish, before I said something I'd regret or that would make this harder than it already was. Disappearing was easy – it was staying in motion that was difficult.

"I'll always love you," I whispered under my breath, my feet churning beneath me.

Suddenly, Alaska didn't seem far enough.

Sorry for the wait! I was trying to sell my house this summer and my life was basically having showing after showing and cleaning and just ulgh. Long story short, it's a shit market out there kids, and after all that I haven't even sold my dang house. So, out of storage my computer came and here we are again! Excuse the delays...

That said, I'm back just in time for Lexi to peace out to Alaska. What trouble will she get into, and how will Brady react? In true Brady fashion, honestly. Stay tuned! Thank you for reading and thank you to NinkyBaby for beta-ing!