"Hi, Ducky." Titus bonded down the side walk and pulled open my door. "Cute as ever, I see."

"Shut up." I moved toward the house, brushing past him. "Just say what you have to say and get off Charlie's lawn."

"Liza," he walked briskly behind me and took my arm. "Just give me a chance."

I pulled my arm away. "No. You got me pregnant and you're soaking wet."

"It takes two," he muttered back. "And Charlie wouldn't let me in."

"Good for him," I replied sharply. "You said you were using condoms!"

"You've been pregnant before. Why didn't you just go on birth control?"

I turned to glare at him. "Do you honestly think I want Dad to know I was active? Especially with you? Oh, and," I crossed my arms over my chest. "The reason I haven't done to you what I did to Francisco is because I feel guilty about my other baby. Not because I love you."

"I said that out loud?"

"You didn't have to," I snorted. "It was written on your face." I walked back toward the house.

"Liza," his voice was gentle, like he wanted to reason with me. "I'm just wondering if I should take custody once the baby's born. You still have another year of high school."

"Was this your plan all along? To knock me up and take my baby so you can be like any other rock star?"

Titus grabbed my arm again, this time holding it tight enough that I couldn't get away. "If I said it, I didn't mean it. I know Francisco hurt you, but you don't have to have a baby to make up for it."

"If you mean I should get an abortion, I'm not. It's not a possibility. Now, let go." I stayed perfectly calm.

"No," he replied softly. "You need to be reasonable. We need to do what's best for this baby, and what's best is my family."

I lost my calm. "No, you need to be reasonable." I took a deep breath. "DADDY, HELP! HE WON'T LET ME GO!" I sounded childish, but I was mad. His hand was squeezing my arm tightly, almost painfully.

Charlie came out, still in uniform. His gun wasn't in his holster, it was in his hand. "Let her go, son. I don't want to have to shot you."

Titus dropped my arm and stepped back, hands up in surrender. "I didn't mean any harm."

I rotated my arm, loosening it. "Damn right, you didn't."

Charlie lowered his gun and ran up to stand behind Titus. "You're lucky I'm off duty, Lyons. Put a hand on my daughter or grandchild and I will shot you. Got that?"

"Yes, sir." Titus backed away, heading for his Geo. "I'll back off."

Once he drove off, Charlie turned to me. "You okay?"

I nodded. "I'm alright. A little shaky, but fine. Are you really going to arrest him?"

"You need to get a restraining order."

"Won't work. We got to the same school."

"Still," he replied. "If he does anything…"

"You'll be the first to know." I walked past him and into the house. "Promise."

The phone rang as soon as Charlie closed the door. I ran to the kitchen and answered on the second ring. "Swan residence. This is Eliza-May." My voice was cold, emotionless.

"May," Jake sighed in relief, "you're okay. I'm sorry. I should have come with you. He didn't hurt you, did he?"

I looked at my arm. There was no sign of a bruise. "No." I slowly formed the words. "I'm okay. Charlie pulled his gun on him."

"What made him do that? What's Lyons up to?"

"Being an ass."

"Other than that."

I thought for a moment. "Beats me," I lied in a whisper. "I didn't try to look into his brain. God knows what's in there but I don't want to."

Jake laughed for a minute, but then sobered. "Is there anyway to get him to leave you alone?" he growled. "I don't think you want me to harm him."

"Not as a wolf, at least," I replied. After several silent moments, I sighed. "To get out of having his name on the birth certificate, I'd have to be married, and you're too young."

"No, I'm not," he corrected. "A legal guardian can sign."

My heart started to pound. After a second, I managed to ask, "What are you proposing, Jacob?"

The phone was silent for a moment. "I think I'm proposing a proposal," his voice cracked. "But if that's not what you want, I'm not." He said this all very quickly. "Really."

"Whoa, slow down Jake-Jake. We're on the phone."

"You want me to come over?" he asked, softly.

"No. I'll come down tomorrow."