Billy finally moved in the day before Jacob turned nineteen. A birthday celebration was held with the pack, their families, and the Cullens gathered outside around a bonfire. Many legends were told, allowing Colin to understand them in detail for the first time. The vampires instinctively kept their distance from the flames, sitting downwind of the wolves to control the concentration of their scent. They chatted animatedly with the whole group, as amused as ever by the amount of food consumed. Emmett complained about missing human food as he longingly stared at the swiftly depleting pile of grilled steak.

When the chill became too bitter for them, Leah followed Rose inside. Her body temperature had decreased considerably with her pregnancy. Leah was running a steady 100.4 and frequently bounced between hot and cold. Her tops were getting snug, and she carried a hoodie everywhere she went. Leah had been disappointed to learn her nausea was anxiety-related as the actual morning sickness began. Nausea and dizziness had increased, leaving her feeling flu-ish and lethargic much of the time. Certain scents would cause her to gag immediately and run for the nearest bathroom or sink.

Life seemed to be calming down again mentally, though the feeling of dread returned from time to time. Leah fought to ignore it as she stood near the fireplace, listening to the imprints chatting about the pack and their children.

Rubbing her own very pregnant belly, Kim asked, "Are you excited, Leah?"

Leah smiled as she turned and said, "When I have the energy to be." She moved to sit down, surprising Rachel as she carefully took one of the twins from her. Leah chuckled and asked, "Which one is this? I'm not sure how you tell them apart." Rachel and Paul's twins were identical, and their features left zero doubt about their parentage. The twins looked exactly like Paul, right down to how he slept with his arms up behind his head. Like their parents, they were vocal with their demands and were set off easily.

"That's Billy," Rachel said as she stared at her son proudly. "He seems to like being held more than Bobby. They both prefer Paul holding them because he is so warm. They seem so much alike now, but I have a strong feeling their personalities will be very different."

Leah chuckled and asked, "Like you and Rebecca?"

"Precisely," Rachel said. "Did I tell you guys that I talked to her last week? She is actually contemplating coming to visit."

Leah said, "No offense, but it is about damn time. It has been like eight years."

Rachel said, "She has three kids that have never met any of our family. I told her to get her ass up here and see us all before she regrets not doing it sooner."

Leah asked, "Are you going to miss having Billy at home?"

Rachel said, "I will, but his accommodations here will make life easier for him. It's what is best for him. Besides that, we can finally start remodeling the house. It needs a lot of work." Leah suddenly envisioned Paul and Rachel as the next version of Harry and Sue. Rachel would likely go back to nursing to cover the extra costs of raising children, leaving the kids with Paul. Paul would work the opposite shifts at the bar, come home mouthy, and they would fight like crazy in the meantime. The visual was so clear that Leah shuddered, earning a tiny complaint from the infant she held. She lifted him on her chest and gently rocked him.

She whispered to him, "Don't worry, kid. Your Auntie Lee will tell you little shits apart soon enough."

Rachel chuckled and asked, "Aunt Leah, huh?"

Leah grinned at her and said, "Well, they will need to call me something soon enough. We're cousins. My step-sister is with your brother, so they'll see Sarah call me her Aunt."

"Aunt might be a lot easier," Rachel said, nodding as she laughed. "Does that mean I'll eventually be Aunt Rachel, too?"

"I guess," Leah teased and rolled her eyes as another thought dawned on her. "Oh, God. Uncle Paul." There was a collective laugh around the room as she scowled. A tiny snore came from Billy, and she tried not to wake him as she snickered.

"I guess he is comfortable there," Emily said. She sat covered with a receiving blanket as Beth nursed underneath. Emily winced and readjusted her daughter carefully.

Kim asked, "Is it painful?" She notably glanced down at her swollen breasts and cringed.

Emily said, "It can be. They don't eat straight from the breast as much anymore. I pump a lot and freeze the milk. It's time-consuming, but my boobs appreciate it."

Bella said, "I wish I had been more successful with breastfeeding Sarah."

Rachel said, "I am not interested in it, and you know what Bells? Baby formula is fine. I've seen many new moms beat themselves up over it while working in the hospital in Port Angeles. It's a motherly instinct to want to feed your baby. You did that. Sarah is amazing."

"Thank you for that," Bella said sincerely. "You know, I stuck to such a strict diet while pregnant that I felt like not producing enough was failing her somehow. It really bothered me at the time."

Emily said, "Diet still matters after birth if you are nursing. What we put in comes back out, you know?"

Suddenly deciding, Leah said, "I'm not breastfeeding. The first thing I'm going to ask for after giving birth is probably coffee."

Rachel lifted her can of soda from the coffee table and said, "Amen, sister."

Leah eventually laid Billy down in the nursery for Rachel and grabbed her coat. She quietly walked out onto the front porch and lit a cigarette as she sat on the cold steps. Leah looked up toward the highway in time to catch sight of a light blue S10 driving past. It slowed down considerably as she stood, and Leah held her breath as she watched it approach the treeline.

"Hey," Quil said. She was startled to realize he stood behind her, and she glanced back at him as he wrapped his arms around her waist. His hands cupped her lower abdomen gently as Quil placed a soft kiss behind her ear. When she looked back at the road, the truck was out of sight.

If that was Hodie … Wouldn't he have stopped? Did he see them standing on the porch from the road?

Quil asked, "You okay?" Leah sighed and leaned back against his chest. Quil chuckled as he held her tighter. He asked, "Were you getting anxious there?"

Leah scoffed and asked, "What, inside? Nah. I'm just anxious in general at this point."

Quil placed another light kiss on the side of her neck and said, "Anxious, angry, or crying. That's the only time you want a cigarette. You're not crying or cussing. What are you worrying about?"

Leah turned to stare back at him for a moment, wondering if he was always going to be two steps ahead of her. Leah grinned as she relaxed back against him and looked back toward the road. "I'm just out here wondering about what kind of shit mother I'm going to be."

Quil loosened his hold on her, moving to stand at her side. He asked, "Why on earth would you think you will be a shit mom?"

Leah admitted, "A lot of reasons, I guess. I've always had this sort of ideal family life that I wanted for myself and my family one day. Financial security, home, marriage, and kids. In that order, you know? Traditional, I suppose. I'm doing everything backward. I have my job, and I have you, but everything is crazy. I guess I can understand why my mom freaked out about life getting harder. It will, you know?" Leah looked up into Quil's eyes and asked, "Are you prepared for it all? Really?"

Quil smirked down at her and rolled his eyes. He said, "I wouldn't have said I was all in if I wasn't, Leelee. I want all of that shit, too. I want those things with you."

Leah laughed and asked, "Quil do you have any kind of childcare experience at all? Have you ever changed a diaper? Made a bottle? Thawed out frozen breast milk?" The bewildered look on Quil's face at the concept of frozen breast milk gave her the answer.

From inside the house, Rosalie yelled, "You just said you aren't going to breastfeed, Babe."

Leah barked out a laugh and yelled, "I was making a point." She turned back to Quil and grinned. "You're gonna need some diaper changing practice because they are going to be necessary for a couple of years." Quil laughed and leaned in to kiss her forehead.

"I hope the idea for this house works out," Leah said. "Not that I don't like being here because I love it. I think I will feel a lot more stable in my own place. With all the crazy shit that has happened in the last three years, Quil … I just want to feel settled." She turned to look back up into his face, and he pressed a soft, sweet kiss to her lips.

The front door swung open, and Rose glared at Leah playfully through the screen door. Rose said, "Your house is being built this spring. Think you can hold your damn horses that long?" Bella's giggle began a chain reaction of them across the room behind Rose, and she rolled her eyes.

Leah beamed at Rose and asked, "Seriously?"

"Hang on a second," Rose said. "I've been trying to get a chance to tell you this shit all night." Rose opened the screen door and pulled Bella outside behind her. Bella grinned and shivered, rubbing her arms. Rose yelled for Jacob, and Bella ducked back inside to grab her coat. Jacob ran around the side of the house and plopped down onto the porch swing.

Leah recognized the confused look on his face as Jacob asked, "What's up?"

He had been deep in thought when Rose yelled for him. As Jacob looked up toward the road and glanced back at Leah, she understood. He had seen the truck as well. Again, Leah wondered if it had been Hodie, possibly searching for her. Her wolf perked up with interest at the idea, prodding Leah with the urge to go search for him, too.

"We're telling Leah," Rose said, grinning. Bella came back outside, zipping up her coat. Jacob pulled her onto his lap, where she immediately snuggled into his warmth.

Leah asked, "What are we telling Leah? I thought we already had a game plan here?" She shivered from a cold breeze, and Quil moved to shield her from it, pulling her against his side.

Rose looked between both couples, grinning. She said, "We planned to acquire the property, meet your specific requests and let Esme take over the plans and decor from there, correct?"

"Yes," Leah said, nodding. "I'll probably need more space now."

"Already considered," Rose said. "Esme's plans are just beautiful. I think she really listened when I told her what you had asked for. First, we will need to extend the driveway and clear out the area to construct the house. Water lines need to be put into place, the septic tank, and the power company will have to put in a few poles to lead electricity to the property. Then there is building the house…"

"Blondie," Jacob interrupted and snickered.

Rose stopped rambling and laughed at herself. "We do a lot of the work ourselves," Rose said. "My family. We do this junk together all the time. The wood from the land here was processed and used to build this house, and it will be for yours as well.

"You guys never told us that," Bella said, grinning. "Honestly, it just makes me love my house even more."

"Good," Rose said. "If there was ever one idea my brother had right…"

"The wasting of finite resources is everyone's responsibility," Bella said and laughed.

"What can be split and used for firewood will be as well. There should be enough to weatherize over the summer and get both houses through next winter.

"Wait for a second," Leah said. "Are you ever going to tell me when or how you got the property?"

Rose said, "I haven't actually acquired it yet. That is something you will have to do yourself."

Leah asked, "How the hell do I go about doing that?"

Jacob chuckled and rubbed Bella's upper arm affectionately as she beamed at Leah. She said, "It's our property, Lee. We have already signed documents that permit them to build the house. We're going to survey the spot, mark off the property you want, sign the acreage over to you, and the cost will be included in what you are paying the Cullens with your loan from them."

Rose said, "You will own the land and house outright, but we will have a lean on it, which is what you will be paying back. We are doing it this way so that should some sort of emergency happen, we can just drop the lean and cut the financial ties free and clear. The lean also means that if something happens that brings creditors after you for any reason, they can't confiscate the house and property. Just a safety precaution."

Jacob said, "Meanwhile, it removes the value of the property you are buying off of our lean. That lowers our garage payments, which means the pack, including you, gets a raise."

Bella said, "Plus, Esme gets to build a house, and she loves that more than anything."

Rose laughed and said, "See? Everyone wins."

Leah was speechless. Once again, her loved ones had completely solved her problems for her. She stepped away from Quil to hug Rose and then Bella and Jacob.

Leah said, "I don't even know what to say." Quil was as silent as she, stunned by the news. Leah said, "Yes, I do know what to say. First, it was a car, then you guys took care of me while I was too fucked up to do it myself. Now, I'm getting my house without having to do an inch of legwork over here. I'm going to be fucked when I have to start solving my problems by myself."

Bella giggled and said, "I felt the same way when this place got built. We were lucky to have Rose and Emmett's help with getting this place, but it is part of why we are so happy to work to keep it."

Jacob said, "It's true. Reminding ourselves how damn lucky we are and not taking this place for granted has been important for us. You guys were raised just like us. We became adults way before our time, always taking care of someone else. If anyone can handle the responsibility, it's you, Leelee."

Rose grumbled, "I think Emmett and I would have agreed even if we didn't think you could. Either that or Jasper would have just done it by himself. He has been nagging me about it since the night we talked in the club. I won't be surprised if he starts framing the fucking house before we get the damn driveway put in."

Quil chuckled and shot Leah a look that said, I told you so. Leah rolled her eyes, though she couldn't hold back her grin. She noticed Jacob watching her closely as Leah glanced back toward the road where the blue S10 had disappeared.

House. Quil. Job. New car. Baby on the way. I'll have everything I want except for one. Leah pulled Quil's arms around her and buried her face into his shoulder. She was unwilling to look back into Jacob's face and see the sympathy she knew she would find waiting there.

Time passed swiftly that winter. Pregnancy grew easier as she adjusted to the changes in her body, and nausea finally disappeared. Leah stopped smoking altogether, though she longed for one every time she got the whiff of one nearby.

Sarah's first birthday came, ironically coinciding with her first curse word. She finally said Momma, which thrilled Bella at first. When Sarah learned how to chant it for attention, Leah could almost feel Bella missing the days before her daughter could talk. Sarah now jabbered incessantly, her brain like a sponge and vocabulary rapidly growing. Billy and Bobby grew like weeds, their increase in size coinciding with the volume of their voices. Initially enamored with her twin cousins, Sarah now avoided their frequent cries. Bella said they should have been named Quil and Paul. Sarah had taken to Quil over time. He frequently carried her around on his shoulders, which she preferred almost as much as riding in Grandpa Billy's new motorized wheelchair.

Ethan was crawling, more than happy to follow his favorite person, Sarah, into one mess or another. Sam and Emily's twins had begun eating baby food and were in the stage that Leah was most fond of. Both laughed and were startled easily, but Beth was the one who had a temper. Her immune system was not as strong as Evan's, leaving her snotty and red-nosed often. Emily began working from home more often to keep Beth out of the cold weather. Jared and Kim's son Thomas was born in March, weighing nine pounds and a week overdue.

Construction began on Leah's house in April. Springtime storms created a couple of setbacks, and the house was finally finished by the beginning of July. Moving their belongings into Leah's new house had been easy enough since all they owned fit into their small bedroom at Bella's. When Leah found her new home mostly furnished with the kind of vintage, eclectic pieces she had asked for, she cried happy tears. She felt at home right away and was thrilled that a gender-neutral nursery had been added. Despite Quil's insistence that it was a boy, Leah did not know the gender of her child and wanted it to remain a surprise. Her wolf remained as present as ever, quiet and content curled up inside of her.

Months with no contact had made Hodie's absence easier for Leah. Even though she still loved and missed him, the pain was not unbearable for her. For the wolf, the mention of Hodie still cut. It prodded Leah to seek him out more sharply than ever. Their child would be born in early August, and Hodie had yet to learn it even existed. The guilt of that gnawed at Leah's conscience, bothering her far worse than the pain of her broken heart. Leah and her wolf, however, both continued to find immeasurable comfort in Quil.

Quil's life had become quite busy. Besides working at the garage and three patrol days a week, he, Embry, Jacob, and Paul had begun playing together as an actual cover band. They mostly reserved gigs for Saturday nights at Paul's bar, but word had spread of them around La Push. Locals were fond of the boys, especially since Jacob was the coming Chief. When requests to play at parties and weddings started coming in, there was no turning back. Quil had retired his older hand-me-down guitar, now playing solely on the one Leah had given him for Christmas.

Quil and Leah spent extra time taking turns watching old Quil. Leah offered to move him in with them to make things easier on Joy, but the old man had firmly refused. Old Quil had been born in the home he shared with his only son's widow. He had spent many happy years married to Molly and raised his son there. He was determined to take his last breath in his home as well. Leah and Quil each took him meals that Bella prepared when Angela didn't have to work. Quil helped his grandfather with showers and most of his hygiene care. They had long discussions about Old Quil's youth. Leah would listen to his stories as she cleaned the house and smile at Quil's gentle attentiveness to his grandfather. The two had become closer than they had ever been, and Leah worried about the pain Quil would go through when the old man passed away. When Old Quil first confused Quil for his deceased father, the experience shook them both. That night, for the first time, Leah was the one to hold and console Quil as he grieved the impending loss. He decided to start sleeping there on the nights the band practiced for gigs to keep from waking Leah up late and keep his night-owl grandfather company. The next evening, he would be exhausted and go to bed early every time.

Regardless of their hectic schedules, they frequently found themselves waking up, reaching for the other. Neither bothered wearing clothing to bed anymore, as it only got in the way. Her pregnancy hormones had only increased her sex drive, often leaving her frustrated on the nights that Quil wasn't home. Those were the nights that bothered her the most, where her mind would travel back to the place where Hodie waited to hold her. They were the nights that reminded her of how much she still missed and craved him. Over time, Leah would tell herself that she simply needed closure and expertly force her thoughts of Hodie aside. When her child would kick, it was nearly impossible to do.

One July afternoon, Leah tossed expired goods out of the bakery display in the waiting room. She looked up at him in surprise as Rick Clark came through the door. Leah had kept in touch with Tom, though she had not seen Rick since quitting the club. For a moment, his eyes seemed to bulge out of his head as he gaped at her belly. Seeing as how she had never asked him not to, Leah wasn't surprised Tom had kept her pregnancy to himself. Rick walked over to Leah, and she hugged him warmly.

He pulled away and looked down at her belly again. He rubbed his own protruding belly and chuckled. He joked, "Twins, ain't we?" Leah laughed and patted her stomach.

"I guess so," she said.

Rick asked, "When the heck were you gonna share the news? Do you know what you are having yet?" Leah laughed again and shook her head no.

She said, "I feel huge, but I'm not as big as I feel, I guess. Everyone says I look about six months along, but I'm due in a few weeks. I quit smoking. The baby isn't too small or anything. My doctor expects it will gain a couple of pounds pretty quickly over the next couple of weeks. I don't know what gender it is. We want to be surprised."

Rick stared at her suspiciously for a moment and said, "Well, damn. You were already expecting when you quit the club?"

"Yeah," Leah admitted as she resumed her task. "That is why I quit. I had just found out." Changing the subject, Leah asked, "So, what do you need to have done here today?"

"Hang on a second, kid," Rick said firmly. Leah sighed as she closed the bakery case and tied up the trash bag. Rick lowered his voice to a whisper and asked, "Is that Hodie's kid?"

Leah flinched as her wolf whimpered pitifully at the sound of his name. Carefully, Leah said, "I am with Quil now. 'We' is me and Quil."

Rick said, "That doesn't answer my damn question. Does Hodie know about it?"

Leah said, "How the hell would Hodie know anything? I haven't heard from him since he ran off, Rick. Not a word. For all I know, he's on the other side of the country."

Rick pointed angrily at her belly and said, "But that is his kid?"

Leah asked, "Why does it matter?" She stepped out from behind the counter to face him directly. "Just leave it alone, okay? I'm with Quil. He plans to raise it as his own, and I don't want to talk about Hodie. He doesn't give a flying fuck about me. He won't care about this baby, either." Before Rick could say anything else, Leah grabbed the trash bag and briskly walked away from him into the garage and out the back door. After throwing the bag into the dumpster, Leah leaned against the back of the building as she tried to blink back tears. Her wolf was restless inside of her, its grief for Hodie and anger at its host nearly overwhelming.

Leah was angry at Hodie's disappearance from her life. She was annoyed by Rick's nosiness. Leah was aggravated with herself for allowing her bitterness to control her mouth just as it always had.

Why the hell would Rick care so much about this when Hodie has been gone for so long? I haven't even talked to Rick in months. Leah walked around the side of the building, intending to go back inside through the front door. The sound of Rick bitching into his cellphone hit her, and she slunk back around the corner, hiding.

"No, no, I'm outside now. She's in the garage," Rick grumbled. Leah could feel the heat of her temper flowing through her.

And he talked about Chelsea being a gossip? Hmph. Leah could barely hear the voice on the line as it responded, though the tone was familiar.

Rick said, "You could have told me about it, Boss. I care about the kid. Her dad was my friend. She's a good person, and I want her to have a good life. I want to wring Hodie's fucking neck."

Oh. He called Tom. Angry tears streamed down her cheeks as her temper was replaced by guilt. Damn. He's just worried about you, bitch. You had to go be an asshole.

Rick asked, "When the hell did you find that shit out?" Leah wiped her tears away quickly and focused on his conversation.

"About a week ago," Tom's voice crackled through the speaker.

Incredulously, Rick asked, "Have you told her?"

"Leah gives me a call once in a while," Tom said. "I planned to talk to her about it soon."

Rick scoffed and said, "The hell with that. I'm telling her now."

Shit, Leah thought as she heard him hang up his phone and walk toward the front door. Leah rushed around the building and through the back door. Rick was standing anxiously in the waiting room as she came back in and forced a smile at her. Leah sat down, holding her belly and nearly out of breath. She said, "I'm sorry for snapping. Difficult subject. I know you care. I appreciate that. Can we just forget it?"

Rick grimaced uneasily and said, "I'm not upset with you. I did just hear some shit that you need to know, though."

Leah scowled and said, "I'm not sure I want to know …"

Rick said, "Hodie called Boss about a week ago."

What? Her stomach rolled as her hands began to tremble. Leah clutched onto the edge of her chair as she gaped at Rick for a moment. Hodie called Tom?

Involuntarily, Leah blurted out, "H-he's okay, right? Why did he call?"

Rick's face fell, and he shook his head angrily. He said, "He got himself in a tight spot and needed help getting out of it. Been hiding in some shithole town in Kentucky, living on shitty tips at a bar the size of this damn waiting room."

Leah nodded. She was glad to hear he was safe but unsurprised at his situation. She said, "Well, I'm glad Tom could help him." She stood slowly and added, "I really should get back to work …"

Rick said, "Boss said you told him that you wanted Hodie to know a few things if he ever heard from him."

Leah nodded again nervously. She had wanted Hodie to know she was alive and missed him. That he was going to be a father. While her wolf was exalted by the thought, Leah was worried. She and Quil were happy. They had a home together now, a life. Any day her child could decide it was time to make its entrance into the world. Did she still want Hodie to come back and all the complications that could bring with it? Leah had been with Quil all of this time. Had Hodie found someone else along the way as well? Seven months ago, she wanted to be with both men. Now that there would be a child caught in the middle of it all, that idea seemed more of a pipe dream than ever.

Rick said, "Whatever that was? He knows it now."

Leah released a slow, deep breath as she tried to remain calm. Her blood pressure was spiking, and her head began to pound. She carefully hugged Rick and forced her best smile. Leah walked back into the garage and Jacob's office. Her voice shook as she said, "I'm going home. Someone needs to finish waiting on Rick Clark."

"Wait a second," Jacob said and stood quickly. "Are you okay, sis? You're not in labor, right?"

"No, but I need to lie down." Her face felt flushed, and she fanned it with her hands.

Jacob asked, "What the heck happened out there?"

"Jacob, if I don't go calm down, I'm going to pass the fuck out," Leah grumbled. Jacob leaned out of the office and yelled for Quil. Leah rolled her eyes and left the room. As Jacob told Quil something was wrong, Leah walked past Rick and out the front door. Quil jogged after her as she hurried toward the house.

"Sweetheart, wait," Quil called after her. "What the hell is going on?"

Leah turned her tear-streaked face toward him and waited for him to reach her. Quil cupped her face in his hands and brushed her tears away with his thumbs. She swayed on her feet, and Quil scooped her up quickly. Leah said, "You don't have to do that. I just need to go lay down until I calm down."

Quil said, "I can see that. Why are you upset in the first place?" He ducked into the pathway through the treeline and continued to carry her toward the house.

Leah admitted, "Well, Rick just told me that Hodie knows." Quil nearly stumbled in surprise, and his pace slowed.

Carefully, Quil asked, "How does Hodie know?" The pounding in her head intensified, and Leah winced in pain. Quil kissed her forehead as he carried her up the steps to the front door. "Tell me about it later, sweetheart," Quil said as he set her on her feet. "Go rest. We can talk later. It's nothing that can't wait. I'll check on you when I get off work."

Leah gave him a grateful smile and kissed him quickly before opening the door.

"Thank you," she said. "I love you. I promise I'll tell you everything when my head stops pounding. Or, fuck, go ask Rick Clark." Leah stumbled inside and walked straight toward their bedroom. She kicked off her shoes and carefully crawled into bed. Quil had pulled the door shut behind her, and she listened to the sound of his footsteps retreating as he returned to work. Once she was alone, Leah let her tears flow freely. Sobs wracked her body as she gave in to her grief for the first time in months. Her eyes grew heavy, and eventually, she fell into an exhausted sleep.

It was hours later when Leah woke. She went to the bathroom to rinse the sleep from her mouth and wash the tear streaks from her face. The smell of food nearly made her drool as Leah carefully walked through the dark into the kitchen. She found two covered plates on the counter and Quil sitting in the dark, quiet living room alone. He was staring at the floor, seemingly deep in thought.

"You worried me today," he said as she entered the room.

"I'm sorry," she said as she approached him.

"You did nothing wrong," Quil said. He gently pulled her into his lap and said, "I talked to Rick."

"Oh," Leah said.

Quil said, "He said it was your place to tell me about our business. He said he caused enough problems for you today."

Leah sighed as fresh tears pooled against her lids. She said, "When I quit the club, Tom asked if he should tell Hodie I was alive and that I was pregnant. I didn't want to deal with the pain of never seeing him again. At the time, I said yes. I didn't really think he would ever reach out. He reached out to Tom for help a few days ago. Tom told him about me."

Quil trembled underneath her, a rush of heat flowing through him and into her flesh as he said, "I see."

Leah said, "I don't know if he will reach out to me or not, but …"

Quil interrupted her, "Do you still want him back, Leah? Do you still love him too?"

Leah wasn't sure how to answer that question. She said, "I don't know what I honestly feel for him now. He's my imprint. The wolf misses him terribly, even now. He probably deserves a chance to be in this baby's life. I guess he really did think I was dead."

Tentatively, Quil asked, "What about us?"

Leah gaped at him in surprise and cupped his face in her hands. She said, "Don't you know how much I love you? I don't want you to go anywhere. You're my fucking soulmate, Quil. Don't you know that by now?"

Quil scoffed bitterly and said, "He's your soulmate. That's what the imprint is supposed to be."

Leah said. "Then why aren't you with Claire, Quil?"

Quil said, "It's not the same, Leelee. I care about her, yes, but I never loved her." He urged Leah to stand so that he could, and he began pacing. His distress filled her with worry. They had not argued in such a long time.

Leah asked, "What are you thinking?"

Quil snapped, "I'm wondering what the hell I'm going to do if he shows up here. Leah, I don't know if I can fucking share you with someone else."

Leah said, "I can live without Hodie. As much as it hurts, I've certainly been doing it for long enough. You are the person I'm building my life with, Quil." She stopped him in his tracks and yanked him to her. He wrapped his arms around her as she embraced him and buried her face against his neck.

A sob escaped him and practically sliced her miserable heart in two. Quil said, "I need to know you're not gonna leave me if he comes fucking around. It'll kill me if you leave me now, Leelee. I can't do it again. I don't want to go through that again."

Leah said, "I won't leave you. I told you, I won't give you up again. No matter what I feel if I see him, you are my home." Leah leaned back to look up into his eyes. She needed to look at him, to know that he believed what she said. "You and me," she said softly. "I love you. Nothing - not even the imprint changes that."

Quil stared down into her eyes intently, searching them for a single shred of doubt in her promise. When he finally spoke again, his words stunned her.

"Marry me," Quil blurted. Leah gaped at him in surprise.

She said, "You're not serious? Quil, you're about to turn twenty."

Quil said, "Leah, I need to know, to be sure that even if you still want him too, you are going to come home to me."

Leah asked, "You're honestly still afraid I'm going to leave you for Hodie?"

Quil said, "He's your imprint. I don't want to resent either of you if shit happens between you again. If you give into that, I don't want to be hurt by it later. I need you to be honest if it happens and to be sure that in the end, you are coming home to me."

"Sure," Leah said sarcastically. "We should add Claire to the equation, too.

Quil said, "I'm serious, Leah. Marry me."

The challenge in his voice sent a tiny thrill through her. She said, "Don't dare me, Quil Ateara."

He leaned in to brush his lips to her forehead before cupping her cheeks and peppering the rest of her face with kisses. Leah grinned up at him as Quil said, "Oh, I dare you. Marry me, Leah."

After promising to think about it and reassuring him again that she wasn't going anywhere, the marriage discussion was put aside for a later day.

Over the next few weeks, keeping a smile on her face became a constant battle. Summer weather allowed Emily to resume working at Bella's. Eight months pregnant and constantly surrounded by children under a year old had turned Leah into a blubbering, nesting mess. Her sudden uptick in anxiety-fueled energy made the wolf restless. The frequent absence of Quil and the constant worry that Hodie would suddenly appear kept her on edge. Her short-term memory was off again, this time because of pregnancy-brain. The combination of everything was triggering dreams of Hodie. Cleaning seemed to be the only thing she could focus on. Leah had rearranged the already expertly finished nursery three times before putting it back precisely the way Esme had it in the first place.

As her anxiety spilled over into Bella's house, she had found far more to focus on. One July evening Leah compulsively decided to deep clean the insides of the kitchen cabinets after Bella and Sarah went to take a bath. Still technically babysitting, Leah let Ethan sleep in the playpen in the kitchen corner.

That thing will end up a permanent fixture here, she thought. She pulled youtube up on her phone and shuffled through the recommendations.

Leah was elbow deep in the spice cabinets and regretting her choice as songs in the algorithm became increasingly depressing. As a different tune began to play, the lyrics pulled her in instantly.

I know I'm probably better off on my own

Than loving a man who didn't know what he had when he had it …

She froze as thoughts of Hodie slammed her, and Leah was immediately lost among her memories. Flirting with him in the corner of his kitchen. The sound of his laughter. His compulsive comfort. The intensity of his kiss. The predatory stare he reserved for her alone, never failing to make her pulse race as she was consumed by want every time. The possessiveness that lurked under the surface during the hours they spent wrapped together. The heat of his stare on her skin. The lyrics were such a perfect mixture of both of them that Leah leaned back against the cabinets and openly wept.

Sometimes in the middle of the night, I can feel you again.

And I just miss you, and I just wish you were a better man.

The chorus was playing as the back door opened. Leah buried her face in her hands, unable to slow her weeping. Multiple sets of feet entered the house and went instantly still. Leah knew the sound well as Quil stepped around the island to find her sobbing on the kitchen floor. The second verse struck home again, triggering another sob. Leah would not look up at Quil, knowing that as surely as her heart was broken, she was likely breaking his now. Quil grabbed her under her shoulders and pulled her up onto her feet. He held her gently, surprising her as he led her in a dance. Her face buried into his neck, he stuck to the familiar steps he had worked so hard to memorize months ago. When she finally looked up at him, Quil laid his forehead to hers, not missing a single step.

Quil whispered, "Dance it out, Baby. Just close your eyes and dance it out with me."

Her love for Quil impossibly grew in that instant. Leah squeezed her eyes shut, and another sob escaped her. She continued to move with him in the small space until the song ended. Quil gathered her against his chest afterward and stroked her back soothingly as she tried to calm herself.

Quil needs to leave for patrol at any time. She knew without looking that Jacob and Embry stood silently behind her, probably wearing identical bewildered expressions. The sound of Ethan groaning as he was lifted confirmed her thoughts, followed by the screen door closing. A silent exchange of some sort happened between Jacob and Quil as her tears and breathing finally slowed down.

Suddenly she was in Quil's arms, and they were leaving the house. Leah clung to him as tightly as her belly would allow while he carried her home. He managed to open their back door and took her directly to their bedroom. Her anxiety spiked as Quil placed her on the bed and pulled away from her. Leah reached out for him, just missing connecting with his skin as he walked across the room toward the door.

"Don't leave," Leah begged him as she scrambled up onto her knees on the bed.

Quil turned to look back at her as he toed off his shoes in their usual spot. Quil walked back over to where she kneeled on the bed and wiped the tears from her cheeks. He stared down into her face in silence, caressing the back of her neck with his fingers. Suddenly, he gripped the hair at the base of her head and pulled, tilting her head back as he brushed her lips with his. Leah slid her hands under the front of his t-shirt as she deepened the kiss, sliding her tongue between his lips. His hands caressed her back, leaving the heat of his touch ghosting along her skin. The heartache she had been drowning in was quickly replaced with a need for him. Leah always needed him.

Quil's caresses became rougher, his kisses urgent. Refusing to take his lips from hers to remove his shirt, Quil focused attention on her mouth and gripped his collar. He ripped the material down the front as if it were no more than a sheet of paper. What remained slid off of his arms to the floor. Leah placed her palm against his erection, and the aggressive growl that emanated from him had heat pooling between her legs. Quil lowered his hands to her ass to lift her. Leah was suddenly on her back as Quil leaned over her between her legs. She whimpered as her shirt was torn away, and he lowered his mouth to her neck. Leah reached between them to unclasp her bra, letting her heavy, swollen breasts spill from them. She sighed with relief as much as desire as the cool air of the room caressed her skin. She grinned as she tossed it across the room, and Quil chuckled. He captured one of her nipples in his mouth, and she moaned as he swirled his tongue around it. He focused on her breasts for a minute before removing her bottoms and kicking off his own. He grinned down at her playfully and tickled the back of her knee. Leah laughed and squirmed as Quil slid his hand up the back of her thigh.

"I love you," Leah said as she reached to run her fingers through his hair.

"I love you, too," Quil said as he leaned down to nibble the inside of her thigh.

Leah said, "I'm sorry."

Quil froze, his mouth hovering over her flesh. His warm breath brushed her skin, and she shivered as he asked, "For what, Leelee?"

"Hurting you. Over and over again," Leah said, lowering her hand to cup the back of his neck.

Quil said, "It hurts me that you hurt, Leah." He pressed a feather-light kiss against the inside of her other thigh. He slid the tip of his tongue upward slowly and pulled away to say, "I hate it when you hurt." Quil pressed another light kiss higher upward along her inner thigh. "I finally understand something, Leah." Quil licked and then kissed higher.

Leah's eyes closed, and she tilted her head back as she moaned. "Mmm, what was that?" She needed his hands on her. Quil knew how to torture her precisely. Leah was incredibly frustrated by it every time, yet somehow could never wait for him to do it again.

Fucking masochist.

"You," Quil gently bit her thigh before continuing, "I and Hodie all have our roles here." He kissed further upward and swept the tip of his tongue along her slit.

Struggling to finish the conversation, Leah asked, "What does that mean?" Leah ran her hands up her torso to caress a breast with one hand and drag her nails across her flesh with the other. The husky laugh he let out at her impatience somehow annoyed and excited her.

He said, "I told you he would fuck up, and you would come to me." Quil swiped his tongue against her again and said, "And it happened. You always *lick* come *lick* to me." Leah gasped as he pressed his middle finger into her warm, wet center. He slowly fucked her with it as he said, "Every time shit falls apart, we find each other."

Leah sucked in a sharp breath as Quil pulled her pussy lip into his mouth and gently scraped it through his teeth. His hand never ceased its rhythm as Quil said, "You and I? We're Endgame. Bonnie and fucking Clyde." Quil pushed a second finger into her, slightly curling them upward.

Panting through the waves of heat that flowed through her, Leah blurted out, "Clyde was gay, wasn't he?"

Quil said, "Yeah, well, so is your other boyfriend." Before she could respond, Quil wrapped his mouth around her clit and bit down. Leah screamed as she arched toward him. The mixture of pleasure and pain pulsed through her body as she came around his fingers. Quil chuckled as he removed his hand, and Leah glared up at him, still panting hard.

She grinned ruefully and said, "You have the most twisted fucking sense of humor."

Quil laughed and began kissing up her side. He crawled over her and sucked hard on the side of her neck as his hands gently trailed over her sensitive breasts. Leah moaned, leaning against his touch as she wrapped her arms around his waist. Quil rubbed his shaft against her now very sensitive clit before positioning himself. Leah raised her hips to meet him as he pushed his way inside of her. She whimpered as he slid home and clenched around him.

"Fuck, that feels good," he groaned out as everything except his dick seemed to relax somewhat.

Leah giggled and said, "You say that every time."

"Well, it's true every time," He said as he began pumping into her. Quil wrapped his arms around her thighs to lift her hips higher. He kept his rhythm steady, letting the volume of her responses guide him. Her legs trembled as she drew closer to release, an involuntary cry escaping from deep within her with every inward thrust. Her intense orgasm left Leah clenching tightly around his shaft and sending him over the edge. It was another moment before Quil could pull out of her, her vaginal walls still throbbing, reluctant to let go. He collapsed on the bed next to her and pulled her against his side.

Leah sighed heavily and said, "I don't want you to leave for patrol, but you are late by now."

Quil said, "I'm not going tonight. I'm staying right here with you." He kissed her forehead tenderly as she snuggled against his side in relief.

"Thank God," Leah said. "I miss you so much lately that it's driving me mad. I think I need a baby break before I have our baby, too."

Quil chuckled and asked, "Why do you think that?"

Leah leaned up on her elbows and said, "My stupid hormones. Billy and Bobby started crying at the same time today, and my boobs started leaking." Quil burst out laughing, and Leah said, "They are not even my children. What the hell? Bella was supposed to be the pack mama, not me."

Quil said, "I don't know, sweetheart. It seems like being a momma is something you were always meant to do."

Leah rubbed her belly and asked, "Yeah? Do you think so?"

Quil said, "Leelee, I see you with all the babies every day. You seem happier holding and playing with them than anything else except dancing, maybe."

"You know," Leah said, "There are only two things that bring me comfort and make me feel safe. Dancing and you."

Quil grinned and kissed her forehead. "I know," he said and cupped her cheek with his hand. "That is part of why I wanted to learn. I want you to be happy. I'm more than happy to spend whatever time possible being the person who makes you feel happy and safe. Wiping your tears? Picking up the pieces. Being the one that holds you while you sleep? That's my job. That's the person I'm choosing to be. You said I was your home, Leah. You're mine too, sweetheart. A man that wants to keep his home has to take care of it. Regardless of who will decide to pay a visit in the future. We stand, fight, or fall together. So, if you need to cry over Hodie, I will hold you while you do it. You and I both know that loving him doesn't make you love me any less."

"Well, I'm glad you understand that now," Leah said. "Because it's true. Absolutely nothing has stopped me from loving you. Not a single thing." Quil leaned down to kiss her lips tenderly.

"Good," he said proudly. "That just means I'm doing a good job." He chuckled at the smirk on her face, and she rolled her eyes.

Leah teased, "Yes, you've been a very good boy. Do you want a belly rub?"

Quil chuckled and climbed out of bed. "I do want food," he said and pulled his shorts back on.

Leah asked, "Do you want me to make you something?"

Quil grinned and said, "Hell no. Keep that fine ass in bed while I order some pizza."

Leah cackled and flopped back against her pillow. Despite her growling stomach, she was mentally and physically exhausted. Leah drifted off to sleep to the sound of Quil's voice, smiling as he ordered her favorite instead of his own.

"Sweetheart?" Quil's voice gently woke her as the smell of pizza hit her. Leah stretched and opened her eyes, finding him sitting on the edge of the bed next to her. The worried expression on his face alarmed her before a sharp pain shot across her abdomen. Quil jumped up to flip on the light as Leah threw back the sheet she had somehow covered herself with. The smell and sight of blood made them both gasp, and Quil darted over to pull on his shoes.

Leah yelled, "Where are you going?" Another sharp pain had her doubling over as she cried out.

Quil pulled a clean shirt on and said, "Leah? Baby? Your shoes and phone are still in the kitchen at Jake's. My phone is dead, I just put it on the charger. I'm going to go get your phone and shoes real quick." Quil darted out of the room and returned with a clean towel, which he immediately pressed between her legs. "Hold this here," he said and again ran from the room. He called out as the front door swung shut, "Don't get up!"

Scared for her child, Leah held the towel in place and focused on taking slow, deep breaths. Quil returned in record time, dialing Carlisle's number before he even got inside. Carlisle answered, unfortunately, just as Quil walked into the room, and Leah screamed in pain.

Carlisle asked, "Home or hospital?"

His voice shook as Quil said, "We're at the house. She's bleeding a lot, Carlisle. I'm scared to let her move."

"I'll be there in thirty minutes," Carlisle said and hung up the phone.

Leah yelled, "Call Rose, Quil."

"I called her first," Quil said and sat down at her side. A howl from nearby had him back on his feet. He hesitated as he glanced between Leah and the door. A second howl rang out, louder than the one before.

"That's Collin," Quil said. He huffed and ran his hands through his curly hair.

Leah said, "Go if you have to. They will be here soon."

"No need," Rose's voice yelled from outside. The back door swung open, and she said, "The newest pup didn't recognize me. Paul is out there cursing him now." She froze for a moment as the smell of blood hit her. Rose asked, "Is she decent? Can I go in?" Leah yanked the sheet over her naked body as Quil hovered in the doorway between them.

Quil chuckled and asked, "Did you start running while we were still on the phone?"

Rose said, "Hell yes, I did. That's my bitch in there. I had just finished hunting anyway, so my location was just lucky."

Leah's laugh cut off abruptly, and she jerked upright as another sharp pain hit her. Clutching the sheet across her chest, she screamed as blood and fluid soaked through the portion covering her lap.

"Oh my god," Rose said and yanked her phone from her pocket as she forced her way past Quil into the room.

Quil said, "Carlisle will be here in about twenty minutes."

"We can't wait for that," she said.

Quil argued, "The hospital is twenty minutes away."

Rose grinned and said, "Not the way I drive."

Rose called Carlisle and told him to meet them at the hospital. Quil immediately moved to grab clothing for Leah, and she held her belly, panting. Leah felt utterly helpless as another pain shot up her back, and she growled in frustration.

Rose smiled as she asked, "Babe? Can you use your words?"

Leah couldn't help but smirk as she said, "This is not the kind of panting I like to do in this bed, okay? My mattress is ruined now. I love this damn bed."

Rose laughed and said, "We can get you a new mattress, Babe. Where is your key fob? We are used to this routine now, aren't we?" Leah couldn't help but chuckle up at her amazingly calm, supportive friend.

Quil helped her pull on one of her plain black sleeveless nightshirts. Leah tied the bloody sheet around her waist to cover her lower half as Quil picked up her sandals and handed Rose her keys. He lifted Leah into his arms to carry her through the trees for the second time that evening. Rose snagged the pizza box from the counter as they walked out of the house and said, "Trust me, Quil. You will thank me later."

The ride to the hospital was painful as contractions rocked through her. The pressure on her pelvis left Leah desperately wanting to push. Rose had to roll down the windows to filter the smell of blood from the car. Rose remained amazingly calm, though the worried glances she gave Leah from the rearview mirror were not reassuring in the least. Leah began to panic as she realized that her baby, frequently active at night, was absolutely still. Leah could not feel the wolf at all.

Rose pulled up in front of the emergency room doors at Forks Hospital and said, "Shit."

Charlie spoke to an EMT and looked up at her car in surprise. Leah grimaced at the look of horror on his face as Quil rushed from the car, soaked in her blood. The expression did not improve as she carefully climbed out of the passenger seat. She stood upright and became oddly disoriented as if viewing herself from outside. Leah watched as her beloved stepfather paled, his heart breaking as he took in the blood-soaked sheet around her waist.

Her lip trembled, her voice sounding small as Leah said, "Dad?" Another pain shot through her as drops of blood splattered the concrete at her feet. The world spun around her as Quil scooped her up and ran her inside. Her vision blurred under heavy lids while Leah was carefully placed on a stretcher. The last thing she remembered as her eyes closed was the feeling of Quil's warm hand wrapped tightly in hers.