All characters that are from the TWILIGHT saga by Stephanie Meyer belong to Stephanie Meyer. All others belong to me. I do not receive profit for these stories except for the joyous enjoyment of reviews.
This story follows right after When I'm Gone: Third Installment to GONE Saga, so if you haven't read that one or the two before, please do.
The timeline of the story will coincide with Gabriel Michael Laskaris' growing up years, starting at Seth and Rosa's wedding day, April 12th and will progress from there.
AN: Merry Christmas Y'all! Hope you enjoy my Christmas gift to all of you readers -how about yours be a review, even if it's one word. Every person that reads this chapter, gift me with your review!
Gaby -love you darling! Merry Christmas!
Inosolan -Merry Christmas darling!
Ppani -you owe me two reviews. Merry Christmas!
Chelsea, Lette, Brazilian, ASH -you are all loved so much! Thank you for your thoughts and freely share more!
As always, enjoy as you read and REVIEW as my Christmas gift!
Chapter Thirty-Six
June 3rd
Rose let out a tired sigh, smiling as she ran her fingers through Seth's hair, his head on her chest as he talked to the baby –well, her stomach being she still had three more weeks to go.
"Come on, baby," Seth moved his hand over her belly, "Move for Daddy."
"Seth," Rose yawned, lifting the remote control to turn the TV off as she dropped her feet from the coffee table –they were so swollen she was glad she couldn't see them most of the time, "It's nine forty nine at night –I'd like to get some sleep so please don't encourage him to move."
Seth kissed her hard stomach, sitting up as he pulled her top down, "I'm pretty sure it's a girl."
Rose let out another yawn, about to push herself off the couch when Seth easily scooped her up into his arms, "You need to stop doing that –you're going to hurt your back."
"Oh please," Seth headed towards the hall, Rose reaching out to flip the light switch, the living room going dark as the track lights in the hallway blinked on, "You're light as a feather."
"You're a liar," Rose kept her arm around his wide shoulders as he moved into their bedroom, "I've gained thirty pounds."
"I can't feel them," he pressed a kiss on her temple before moving into the bathroom, carefully placing her on her feet, "Call me when you're done."
"I can walk, Seth," she pushed him out of the bathroom, a hand on the vanity keeping her from limping –her ankles hurt but she wasn't going to say anything or he would insist on staying in the bathroom while she peed and changed into her nightgown, "Go turn down the bed and don't stand outside the door."
She closed the door, standing in place for a couple of minutes before she called, "I can hear you breathing! Get away from the door!"
He shook his head with a chuckle, doing as his wife said. Pulling his t-shirt over his head, he tossed it over the back of the vanity chair, pulling back the comforter and sheets, the sound of running water coming from the bathroom making him chuckle again.
For some weird reason, Rose turned on the faucet before peeing –he wasn't sure why she started doing that but he knew it started sometime after the second trimester.
Being he was already wearing his pajama pants, he climbed into bed, reaching across the king size bed to take the "What to Expect When You're Expecting" book on Rose's bedside table.
About a half hour later, the bathroom door opened, Rose turning the light off before she walked across the bedroom and around the bed to her side, her long hair in a braid down her back.
Seth had already piled her pillows against the headboard, the one she tucked between her knees in the middle of the bed. Getting into bed, she shifted and wiggled, finally letting out a groan after five minutes, "I can't get comfortable –and the baby's starting to move. Seth, put him to sleep."
Setting the book aside, he moved across the bed into her side, pulling her into his arms, her head on his shoulder as he rubbed the small of her back.
Her protruding stomach was between them, Seth able to feel their baby kicking and stretching.
"We're almost there," he kissed her temple, taking one of his pillows and placing it behind her to give her back support as she tucked the other one between her knees, "Three weeks and we get to meet her."
"Him," Rose yawned, tucking her pillows under her head as Seth moved down the bed, his arm over her hip as he propped his head on his fist, his forehead resting against the curve of her belly.
Closing her eyes, she let herself relax, his deep voice lulling both her and the baby to sleep, just the way he'd done every night for the past eight months.
*In Quileute*
You are my everything
The beat of my heart
The air in my lungs
You give sight to my eyes
Meaning to my life
You are my everything
The ground upon which I stand
The chains that tether me in place
You keep me from fading away
You are who I am
You are my everything
My soul, my thoughts
My dreams, my needs
You are all of these things
You are my everything
I love you
Makah
June 7th
12:32 AM
Softly closing her bedroom door, Julie sneaked down the hall towards Lian's room, which was across his parents'.
They had moved in with his parents a week ago after closing their apartments and making new arrangements with Natalie and their label.
Meeting his parents had been…interesting, to say the least. His mother was more accepting of their relationship yet placed them in separate bedrooms –apparently, she was in what had been Emily's room before she moved to La Push to be with Sam.
His father, on the other hand…Julie shook her head to get rid of the negativity that man had been spouting since the first day they've been there.
Stepping over one of the creaky boards, she quietly turned the knob to Lian's door, attentively listening for any noise across the hall. Thanks to his mother's old fashion way of being, she was reduced to sneaking in and out of Lian's room like some naughty teenager.
She knew he was going to be awake –the week between being released from the hospital and moving across the States had made Julie very familiar with Lian's sleeping habits…being, he couldn't sleep unless she was next to him where he could hold her.
Softly closing the door behind her, she whispered as he turned his face towards the door, "It's me."
Lian closed his eyes, letting out a sigh of relief before moving sideways to make space for her –it was a twin sized bed, the same one he'd slept in before leaving for New York at eighteen but for them, it was sufficient.
Lifting the covers, she climbed in, Lian's arm wrapping around her as she set her head on his shoulder, her arm stretching over his stomach.
"I thought you'd fallen asleep," Lian whispered, burying his free hand into her hair, his other arm snaking around her waist, his hand sliding under her tank top to rest against the soft skin of her lower back, "Forgotten about me."
"I could never forget you," Julie kissed his chest, slipping her leg between his; "You're in every waking thought, in every single dream."
She could feel his smile against her forehead, his hand moving up and down her back in slow strokes, "It's the same for me…I think the only reason I breathe is for you."
Julie tipped her head back, reaching to caress his cheek with her long fingers, touching his bottom lip briefly before she pressed her mouth against his.
The spark between them ignited immediately, their tongues exploring each others' mouth as hands moved over curves and hard muscle.
Nipping her bottom lip, Lian dragged his open mouth down her throat, his hands pulling her top up as he whispered raggedly against her flushed skin, "God, I've missed you."
"Me too," Julie dragged her fingernails down his bare back, arching into him as he dipped his head to open his mouth over her breast, sucking hard at her nipple as her hips jerked into him, able to feel him hard against her thigh, "I need you so much, Julian."
Letting out a groan, he moved his mouth up to her neck, sucking hard at her pulse point as he covered her breasts with his hands, rubbing his thumbs over the peaked points, his thigh pressed hard against her core, "You taste so fucking good, Julie."
She moaned into his ear, moving a hand down his hard chest and flat stomach as she fisted the other one in his hair, pulling his face from her neck to capture his mouth in hers, her tongue rubbing against his as she slipped her hand into his pajama pants, long fingers wrapping around his erection.
"I want you," she whispered into his mouth, capturing his bottom lip between her teeth, "I need you."
Lian groaned at what her hand was doing, her thumb rubbing the tip with every upward stroke, "Baby…that feels so fucking good."
Julie gently squeezed the blunt head of his cock, rotating her wrist as she moved it down to the base, a soft gasp escaping her as he slipped his hand into her sleeping shorts, his long fingers –oh, such wonderfully dexterous fingers –slipping between the folds of her sex, the gentle pinch to her clit making her bite back a scream.
"You're so wet, baby," Lian whispered into her ear, tugging at the lobe with his teeth before he moved his mouth to suck at the soft skin behind it, pushing his hand deeper between her legs, three fingers slowly slipping into her slick opening, "So fucking wet and hot."
Julie couldn't hold back the moan, her hand on his cock moving and twisting just a little faster, Lian reciprocating as he thrust his fingers into her, curling them to rub against that sweet spot before pulling them out just to repeat the process.
A knock at the door had them pulling apart, Julie stifling a moan into his neck as his mother called out, "Are you okay, Julian?"
"I'm fine, mom," Lian's voice was tight, his breathing coming fast and shallow as Julie pulled her hand out of his pajama pants.
"I thought I heard something…is Julie in there with you?"
They could both hear the disapproval in her voice but Lian wasn't one to lie, "Yeah. She's in here."
The silence was long and heavy before she spoke again, "Alright then…let me know if either of you need anything –I'm a light sleeper."
"Yeah," Lian moved his hands to rest against Julie's back, his breathing somewhat back to normal as he rested his forehead against hers, "I know."
Minutes ticked by before the sound of a door closing let them both know she had gone back to her room.
Settling her head on his shoulder, she willed her body to calm down, the aching need inside her practically screaming for release but it wasn't going to happen –not when his mother was across the hall, sleeping lightly.
God, seven days was just too long –for both of them.
"Julie?"
"Yeah, baby."
Lian moved his fingers over her face, tracing her eyebrows before moving down to her nose –this was his way of recalling what she looked like, "I'm sorry."
Julie tipped her head back, staring into his beautiful chocolate brown eyes, heart clenching at the lack of light in them, "For what?"
His hand slid into the loose braid of her hair, "This can't be good for you, having my mother looking over our shoulders…not to mention dad and his bigoted comments."
"They just want what's best for you, Julian," Julie propped herself on her elbow, touching his face in the same tender way he touched hers, "This is hard for them too."
"I don't know why," the bitterness in his voice was something Julie had heard every once in a while since the neurologist let them know about his condition, "I'm the one who's blind, not them."
"No parent would want their child to go through something like this," Julie softly kissed his mouth, her thumb stroking his jaw, "They don't know how to act around you…and you're not making it easy."
Lian let out a sigh, closing his eyes as he fought to relax, "I've been acting like an ass, haven't I?"
Julie kissed his jaw, her mouth moving down his throat, "You're not letting down your guard –they're your parents, Julian. Let them get close."
He let out another deep breath, wrapping his arms around her, the weight of her body on his calming him down, "I can't seem to let that happen…I don't want their pity…you're the only one I trust, the only one I know doesn't feel sorry for me."
"There's nothing to feel sorry about," Julie laid her head on his chest, closing her eyes as she listened to the strong beat of his heart, "This doesn't change the man you are –the man I love."
Lian kept his arms around her, staring into the perpetual darkness that surround him as he listened to her breathing, able to pin-point the exact time she fell asleep by the change of pattern in her breathing.
…nothing to feel sorry about…he knew she was right but there was still a part of him that dragged him down, telling him time and again he was lacking…
…the man I love…and that alone –her love for him –was what had him fighting…it seemed to be his only redeeming quality.
June 10th
7:28AM
He rolled onto his back, his heart still beating fast as his lungs struggled to suck in oxygen, "Wow."
"Yeah," Leah dragged her fingers through her hair, the grass they laid on sticking to their sweaty skin, "That was…amazing."
"You can say that again," Rick turned to look at her, moving to prop himself on his elbow as he slid his fingers along the curve of her face, "I can never get enough of you."
Leah grinned up at him, stretching her arms over his head before she pulled him down for a long and lazy kiss, "I wouldn't want you too."
Pulling back, he moved his free hand down the side of her body, the soft curve of her breast dipping into the curved of her ribs which nipped into her waist then flared out to her hip –despite their six kids, Leah still had a beautiful body –long legs and full breasts with a narrow waist, her soft lower abdomen and round hips the only changes motherhood had permanently rendered.
"You're so damn sexy," Rick murmured, his eyes following his hand as he dragged his fingers over her hip, up the slight swell of her lower abdomen and around her bellybutton.
"I'm glad you think so," Leah stretched her arms over her head, the satisfaction of their full moon activities –not to mention that morning –still humming strong throughout her body.
"Oh, it's not just personal bias," Rick dipped his head to kiss her throat, the steady pulse strong against his lips, "Charlie's new deputy likes watching you –that's why he's always around the school when you go pick up the kids."
"Leo," Leah's eyebrows lowered over her brown-green eyes, "He's a kid."
"He's a year older than you," Rick moved his mouth over her collarbone, his finger dipping into her bellybutton, a sharp twinge of pleasure pulling a moan from her, "If you didn't have at least four kids attached to you at all times, I think he'd try his hand at stealing you away from me."
Leah couldn't help laughing, propping herself up on one hand as she reached to grab a fistful of Rick's sandy blond hair, "Like that could ever happen –something those slutty teachers you work with need to remember."
Rick's mouth spread into a grin as she let go of his hair, leaning back on his elbows to watch her as she stood, her copper hued skin shimmering under the early morning sun despite the dust covering it, "Like they could ever hold a candle next to you."
Leah gave him a coquettish smile over her shoulder, her chin length hair falling over one eye, "There is no next to me. I'm on a league all on my own."
His smile hitched to one side, blue eyes slowly traveling down her body, admiring her long sleek legs as she walked towards the river, "That you are, agape mou."
Her laughter carried, echoing among the trees. Stretching her arms over her head, she tossed her hair back, the sun slanting over her naked body, causing Rick's current state of attention to get a bit more serious, "Leah…"
She looked over her shoulder, giving him a smile full of promise, "Yes?"
"Come here."
Leah tilted her head to the side, touching a finger to her bottom lip as she took her time to think before giving him an answer, "No."
Rick cocked an eyebrow as he sat up, resting his forearms on his drawn up knees, "Excuse me?"
"You heard me," she couldn't hold back the teasing in her voice, her eyes dancing as she shifted her weight from one foot in a slightly provocative manner, "I said no."
Rick gave her a look that had her insides tightening with desire, her eyes moving over him in appreciation as he stood up.
The sudden realization that he was coming for her had her jumping into the river, the sound of him following having her laugh as she started swimming. Unfortunately, she hadn't taken into account that, just like everything else, he was an exceptional swimmer, his hand grabbing her ankle and pulling her under, barely giving her enough time to take a breath before the cold water swallowed her up.
His hands moved up her legs then gripped her waist as they broke through the water, Leah taking in a gulp of air as Rick pulled her into him, his words hot against her ear as he slid his hands around and up her body, "You shouldn't run, glikia, when you know I'm going to catch you."
Leah tilted her head back onto his shoulder as he walked through the water towards the riverbank, "Maybe I run because I want to be chased."
"Mhm," Rick nipped the tendon connecting her neck and shoulder, his hands covering her breasts as he led her towards a smooth boulder jutting into the flowing river, "It's been a while since I've chased you, hasn't it?"
Leah turned to lean back onto the boulder, the sun drying the beads of water off their shoulders as she slid her arms up his chest to tug his head down for a kiss, "I could use a lap or two around our bedroom before we end up in bed."
Rick laughed, tugging at her bottom lip before covering her mouth with his, the kiss deep and sweetly sensual as he dragged his hand down her back and over her bottom to grip her thigh.
Sucking at her tongue, he nipped her top lip before kissing his way down her throat, a deep chuckle vibrating in his chest, her nipples hardening at the sensation as she whispered into his ear, "We're going to have a March baby."
"You give me too much credit, agape," Rick lifted his head to look into her eyes, pressing himself against her center as she wrapped her long legs around his waist, "I'm getting along in years…it may take us two or three full moons this time around."
Gripping the back of his neck, she closed her eyes at the sensations running through her, able to feel the familiar yet exhilarating desire building inside her, "No complaints from me if we have to do this again soon…do you want a boy or a girl?"
Rick kissed her shoulder, hands on her bottom as he lifted her up to sink into her, inch by slow inch, "Another little girl would be nice."
"I don't think Tyra would be all that happy to share you," kissing his face, she smiled into his blue eyes, seeing the hot desire he held in check for the sake of their conversation, "But one thing I do know –"
"We're going to love our baby so much," kissing her mouth, he pulled out just to move into her again, taking his time to enjoy the feel of her gripping him before doing it again, his stroked slow and even, "Baby will be so lucky to have you for a mama."
Leah kissed his mouth, moving her lips over his jaw and down his throat, her fingernails digging into his shoulders as he picked up his speed just a fraction, enough to make her groan, whispering into his ear one last though before she stopped thinking altogether, "Baby will be lucky to have you for a Daddy."
June 13th
4:28PM
Emmie skipped into the kitchen, her dark hair in two braids down her shoulders, heavy bangs across her forehead and black rimmed glasses perched on her turned up nose, "Mama."
Leah stopped chopping the vegetables, setting the knife down to turn her attention to her eldest daughter, "Yes baby."
"Can we plant a vegetable garden," Emmie pushed her glasses up the bridge of her nose –she had been diagnosed with hyperopia, also known as farsightedness, halfway through third grade.
"Don't you think it's a bit late in the year," Leah reached out to touch her cheek, a slight ache in her heart –her little girl was losing that baby roundness to her face.
"Nope," Emmie shook her head, pushing her glasses up again, "We can plant sweet potatoes and cherry tomatoes. In July, we can plant pumpkins and beans."
"Okay," she smiled down at her, able to hear the TV in the living room, "We can put in a garden under the kitchen window since we already have flower gardens in the front."
Emmie gave her a big grin, spinning around to run back into the living room, stopping when Leah called after her, "What are you watching?"
"Home and Garden," she gave her mother a big smile over her shoulder, "We can find all we need at our local home improvement store."
The laughter was instantaneous, thinking how accurately she must have mimicked the show's host.
Her seven year old soon to go into fourth grade daughter didn't watch cartoons but spent her summer and winter breaks enriching her mind through learning shows, books and self-appointed experiments.
Such as the potato spuds in jars lined up on the ledge outside her kitchen window, each jar carefully labeled.
Picking up the chopping knife, Leah went back to cutting up the vegetables for the pot roast she was making using a new recipe Vivi had e-mailed her –that little girl had a serious thing about food.
A knock at the back door had her look up as she called out, "Come in."
She grinned as Embry walked into the kitchen, closing the door with his foot as he set two bags of books and a box with sundry items on the kitchen table, "Hey Em! How was orientation?"
"Dragged for hours," Embry opened the refrigerator to take out the pitcher of lemonade, taking the glass she handed to him, "Going for a Master's in Engineering –not the brightest idea."
Leah laughed as she turned her attention back to the cutting board, "I think it's one of your brightest."
"Mou!"
"Hey Princess," Embry set down the pitcher and glass on the counter, turning to lift her up into his arms for a hug, "What you up too?"
Emmie giggled as she reached up to remove her glasses, "I'm going to grow a vegetable garden."
"Really?"
"Huh-hu," she nodded, touching a small hand to his squared jaw, "I want to use different fertilizers –see which one is better."
"Ah," Embry grinned as he moved towards the kitchen table, "An experiment. How many different fertilizers are you using?"
Emmie pursed her lips for a few seconds, "Three."
"And how are you going to measure their effectiveness?"
Emmie blinked, thinking hard before giving him a big smile, "Weight, appearance and taste!"
"What about growth speed?"
"Oh," her eyes widened for a few seconds before she gave his neck a squeeze, "Good idea! Will you help me?"
"Of course."
Leah shook her head as she poured beef stock over her roast rump and vegetables, "You should have registered for a Master's in science."
"Oh," Emmie gasped, her eyes widening with excitement, "I forgot you were going back to school!"
Embry laughed as he set her down on the floor, "Yep. I start next month. Now, in this box I have everything we need to go butterfly hunting."
The look of utter joy she gave him had his heart lurch, his soul blinded by her bright smile.
"We can start my butterfly display!"
And that, right there, was the sole purpose for Embry's existence.
June 20th
4:30PM
Julie knocked on the door, shifting on her feet as she looked over the front of the house –it was a whole lot different from the last time she had seen it.
The teal colored door opened, Julie's eyes growing wide at the sight of Rose, "Oh my God! Are you carrying twins?"
Rose shushed her, moving awkwardly to take her purse from the hallway table, "Don't let Seth hear you. He's already freaked out enough as it is."
"I bet he is," Julie couldn't take her eyes off Rose's round belly, "I never thought a woman your size could…grow that much."
"Nice safe, Julie," Rose wrinkled her nose at her as she took her cardigan sweater from the back of the armchair where she had placed it earlier, "I still have one more week to go. I can't possible stretch anymore. Seth! I'm going out."
Not even five seconds passed before Seth walked into the living room, his graphite pencil behind an ear while he held a gum eraser in one hand, "Going out? Where?"
"Julie and I have dinner reservations at Bella Italia."
Seth's eyebrows lowered over his brown-green eyes, "That's in Port Angeles."
"I'm aware of that," Rose held out her beige cardigan, giving him a look that let him know she wasn't in the mood for his over-protective behavior, "Vivi's over at Nika's and Marc's at Sam's with Gabe and the twins."
"Rose," Seth walked across the living room, taking the offered cardigan and helping her put it on, "I don't think this is such a good idea."
Rose let out a sigh, reminding herself to be gentle with him –he couldn't help himself, "I'll be fine. I still have a week to go and I'm not feeling any discomfort."
"Rose –"
"Stop," Rose pulled his head down to softly kiss his mouth, "I'm going to be okay. I have my cell phone and Julie will be with me the entire time."
He let out a sigh, nodding as he lifted her small hand to press a kiss against her palm, squeezing it before looking over at Julie, "You look after her –call me if anything happens."
"Goodness gracious," Rose worked hard not to roll her eyes, giving his hand one last squeeze before she stepped out onto the porch, "We have to go or we'll miss our reservations."
Seth dipped his head for one last kiss, leaning against the door frame to watch as his wife waddled down the walkway with Julie beside her, a silver Lexus parked at the curb, "Nice car, Jules."
Julie looked up at him as she disengaged the locks using the remote key in her hand, shrugging as she walked around the front towards the driver's side, "The record label insisted on it –had it waiting for us when we flew into Sea-TAC."
He waved as they drove away, watching the car until it disappeared around the corner.
Looking up at the sky, he let out a sigh –he needed to finish his design so back to work he went.
The conversation between Julie and Rose was friendly, their friendship still a little shaky but both were willing to work at it.
Throughout dinner, they talked about the changes to their lives, both the planned and the unexpected. When the check came, Julie insisted on paying for their dinner being she had extended the invite, Rose giving up the fight and agreeing to Julie's suggestion of a walk along the pier.
"It's starting to wear on him," Julie slid her hands into the back pockets of her black jeans, "I'm working so hard to win them over but…"
Rose kept one hand on the railing, looking over at Julie as the breeze stirred her long hair, "His dad isn't easy to please but I can't imagine his mom giving you a hard time."
"She's really sweet," Julie looked out at the water, letting out a sigh before looking down at Rose, "But she's constantly looking over our shoulders –she put us in separate bedrooms, for God's sake."
Rose laughed, tugging at the collar of her cardigan, "That must be difficult for you two. How's Lian handling the blindness?"
Julie shook her head, crossing her arms over her chest, the short waist leather jacket she wore over a blue tank top bunching behind her arms, "He's got his days…sometimes I have to coax him out of his bedroom –his parents try talking to him but he shuts them out…especially his dad," she reached up to wipe a tear away, kicking a rock as she continued.
"He hasn't touched his guitar since he came out of the hospital…he's got so much inside him he needs to get out but the only way he knows how is through music –he seems to think without his sight, he can't do it that way anymore and doesn't know any other way."
Rose stopped, taking a deep breath then letting it out, the furrow between her eyebrows smoothing out, "I'm sure if anyone can help him see he can still make music, it's you."
Julie looked over her shoulder, stopping to let Rose catch up, "We need to find out own place –get away from his parents."
"Are they that bad?"
"His dad," Julie started walking again once Rose caught up with her, "Julian will be having a good day, joking around his mom then his dad starts in on how going into the white man's world led him to losing his sight…then he'll start harping on Lian's betrayal of his roots because he's marrying me –I'm not even white!"
Rose chuckled, stopping again to catch her breath before she spoke, "I've never met anyone more racist than Mr. Young. He didn't attend our wedding because I'm not Native American and wasn't shy about saying so."
"I don't know how someone can be so narrow minded," Julie kept walking, so immersed in her thoughts she didn't notice Rose had stopped abruptly, "I know it's ridiculous but when I think about telling Julian the truth…about me, I…I get so afraid he'll react the way his dad reacted when he met me."
"Julie…"
"I know, I know, it's stupid. Lian's nothing like his father but sometimes…sometimes it just overwhelms me, thinking he won't accept me even though he's always having me tell him about mermaids and the family legends."
"Julie…"
"I'm being stupid, I know. He says he loves me…promised he'll love me no matter what but…oh God, I have to tell him soon. I'm running out of time."
"Julie!"
She turned at the sound of urgency in Rose's voice, her eyebrows lowering when she didn't see anything out of the ordinary, "What's wrong?"
Rose gripped the railing, her knuckles white, her other hand on her belly, her body curved as she took a deep breath, Julie's eyes lowering to the growing puddle between Rose's feet.
"I think my water just broke."
