Campus was busy again and Alejandro and Hamish had opted to split up so they could cover more ground. As he moved along the concourse Hamish stopped seeing a payphone, oh yes, this was back before they had started taking them all down. Checking his pockets he found some change, a few quarters hiding among them and making Hamish decide despite what Alejandro had said there was just one thing he needed to do. Picking up the phone he put in the quarters and went to dial the cellphone number but realized at this time she wouldn't have it. Hamish paused trying to remember her parents home phone. Taking in a deep breath he dialed the number praying it was right and knowing he only had this one shot.

He turned around listening to the phone ring a few times before the phone was answered. Every hair on the back of his neck stood up hearing that voice again. "Hello this is the Harris residence, this is Cassandra speaking." Hamish felt a tightness in his chest, tears welling up in his eyes when she spoke. There was so much he wanted to say to her, he wanted to tell her he loved her, that he missed her, that she meant the world to him. He wanted to tell her goodbye this time, properly but most of all he wanted to tell her to stay far away from Belgrave. When she graduates in a few years she should go to another school. Even if they couldn't be together he just wanted to save her.

"Hello?" She spoke on the other line as Hamish opened his mouth to speak. "I'm…" Hamish stopped catching a scent and looking away. He couldn't see her but he knew she was there. Hamish thought about what Alejandro said, if he changed anything here then he might not go home to anything. If he hadn't met Cassie then he wouldn't have become a werewolf. If Cassie wouldn't have died they wouldn't have gotten Lilith. What would have happened to Lilith? Would her life have been any better without them? Theo, if Cassie hadn't have died he wouldn't have met Vera and Theo would never have been born. Would he trade one life for so many others? Knowing most of all that he'd take away Vera's happiness, his daughter.

"I'm sorry." Hamish spoke up. "I must have the wrong number." He hung up the phone swallowing hard and furrowing his brows. "I'm so sorry Cassie." He felt the pain cut deep through his chest, more painful than being stabbed by that knife. It felt like he was losing her all over again.

"Hey there little Mary Ann." Hamish heard the males voice not far from him. "What are you doing walking out here all alone? Where is your little trash friend?"

"You don't belong here farm girl." Hamish looked up seeing her there, two boys standing in her way. "You are only here because someone felt sorry for you."

"From what I hear she's a total skank. I bet she slept her way into Belgrave."

"Actually I." Vera was cut short by on of the guys backing her into the wall.

"I didn't ask you slut."

Hamish's eyes flashed silver as he let out a low growl. Nobody talked to Vera like that, they didn't have a right to disrespect her, not after the hell she'd already gone through. "Hey." Hamish spoke up. Alejandro said not to do anything that would change the timeline, he couldn't see what knocking around a few assholes would change. It was pretty typical at Belgrave. "How about you leave the lady alone and go shove off to whatever cesspool you crawled out of."

"Who asked for your opinion?"

Hamish stepped up beside Vera and looked at her, she was such a far cry from the woman he knew, that spark of determination, that fire was still there but so was something else. Something life hadn't ripped from her chest yet. "Are these two bothering you?"

She glanced back at them then looked at Hamish. "It's alright, I'm fine."

"Hear her, she's fine." The guy went to pat Hamish on the head only to have his hand caught by him and pushed back. It surprised him, despite the small frame he was still a werewolf and if they expected to fight him then they were in for a bad time. "Dude, my fucking hand."

"Sorry, maybe you shouldn't be such a wuss." Hamish smirked as the second guy went to swing at him. He carefully pushed Vera back away from the fight and took the hit. He could have moved out of the way but he wasn't about to let her be in harm's way. Hamish recovered fast hitting the guy back and sending him falling into the wall. His buddy came at him then swinging another punch with Hamish stepping out of the way. Grabbing his arm he slammed his head into the guy's forehead and knocked him out in one move. "A little advice, next time you harass a girl, don't."

They very slowly got up and hobbled away, if Alejandro found out he would never hear the end of it. Turning back to Vera he looked her over. "Are you alright?"

"Yes." She stepped forward towards him making his heart beat faster, her finger brushing over his hip. "You're bleeding." Hamish touched his lip and looked down at the blood on his finger. Maybe the illusion made him look like he was bleeding because as far as he knew he didn't hurt. "Here." Shepulled open her purse and found a tissue before dabbing it on his lip. "Sorry." She dabbed at his lip again noticing he wasn't flinching in pain. "You are a lot tougher than you look."

"And you are a lot nicer than you seem."

"Am I?" She was a little confused. "I don't know about that, I've always been pretty nice or at least I try to be." Vera didn't come off as guarded and she certainly wasn't trying to hide the fact she was a good person. He knew she was a sweetheart deep down but back then, right now she wore it. "I'm Vera by the way, Vera Stone."

"Vera Stone, that's a very pretty name." He offered his hand to shake hers. "I'm Ha…" Hamish paused knowing she couldn't have his real name even if he wanted to tell her. Even if he wanted to tell her to never let this world beat the good out of her because one day she'd find someone she learned to tolerate and learned to love. One day they would have a beautiful daughter who looked more and more like her every day. "Hasan." Hamish corrected himself, that didn't even sound close to being Brazilian but did it matter?

"Do you have a last name?" Vera asked with a raised brow.

"Sometimes."

"Well, Hasan Sometimes, lovely to meet you." She shook his hand before Hamish found himself kissing the back of hers. What the hell was he doing? He was being risky and stupid. It was hard to not have Vera made him risky and stupid. After all when she'd said 'time rift' he'd jumped at the opportunity to help her out.

"What are you doing?" Hamish heard Alejandro's voice or at least his newer voice.

Looking back at the man Hamish waved and smiled at him. "Who's that?"

"It's my father, he's old, really really old." Hamish lied mostly because Alejandro looked like that and he looked like this. Then again looks aren't everything. "I should go."

"Well, I hope I'll see you around?"

"Absolutely." Hamish smiled at her, still not letting her hand go until he realized it was kind of awkward. "Sorry." He laughed and let her go so she could go off to wherever she was heading before.

"What the hell are you doing Hamish?"

"I was just…" He stopped. "A few guys were bothering her alright. It's not like I look or sound like myself, she will never know. I just couldn't." He looked back towards her direction. "I couldn't let them hurt her."

"Looks like you were trying to get into her pants from where I was standing."

Hamish smirked. "You know I don't actually have to try to do that. If I wanted to I would because I know her whole childhood and her secrets and what she loves and hates. It would take maybe three sentences for me to pull that off but I won't."

"Surprising."

"Not really, I respect her too much. Vera isn't a love and leave sort of woman."

"Right she's an accidentally get pregnant sort of woman."

"No, she's a love forever sort of woman, build a life with a future, be by her side until the day I die." Hamish crossed his arms over his chest looking a bit smug. "See this is why she likes me more."