I own nothing apart from Amber and Riley and the plot!!!

Chapter Twelve

We had to wait two weeks before we could go to Port Angelas to choose a dog. The morning after Embry had built the fence and gate his car was discovered with two flat tyres, a result of the neighbourhood kids drinking and partying during the night. It had happened to multiple cars in the past week and Embry had been furious that someone had done that to his car.

As we went to try my car it finally decided to play up and needed several things fixed on it. In the end Embry and I both decided there was no use in keeping it. With all this happening the shop was incredibly busy at the moment, fixing the cars that had been vandalised by some of the neighbourhood kids.

The two weeks passed incredibly slowly.

Riley spent his waking hours either moping or asking if the car was ready for us to drive. Needless to say he was beyond excited when we finally told him the car was ready. He was seated in the backseat before we had even gotten out of the house, bouncing in his seat with anticipation. His chatter was constant as we drove in to town and I could see his eyes darting around the shops frantically searching for the pet store.

He bolted out of the car the minute it stopped and he had allocated the store, Embry managing to keep up with him easily while I tried to calm my pounding heart at the sight of my little boy springing across the busy road. Embry was reprimanding him when I had finally crossed the street and he mumbled an apology, walking beside me as we went into the shop.

He didn't stay close for long, too excited to care that he was in trouble. He darted away from us and over to the caged puppies to observe them, ushering us over. He was torn between a golden Labrador and a Border collie. It was me that finally made the final decision, choosing a small female Labrador. The little puppy was given the name Mim by Riley, naming her from one of his favourite cartoons.

"Amber? Are you home?" Embry shouted, the front door slamming shut behind him.

"I'm in the kitchen." I called back, not bothering to raise my voice too much, knowing that he could've heard me if I had spoken normally.

I was cutting up vegetables for dinner, now used to cooking enough for a small army and enough that both Embry and I had some to take for lunch the next day.

His arms wrapped around my waist, pulling me back against him, "Mm, smells good." He muttered sleepily, kissing my cheek.

You're not patrolling tonight, are you?" I asked concerned, tilting my head back to study him. The rings under his eyes were black, looking as though he had been punched in the face.

He shook his head, resting it back down on my shoulder, "Sam's given me the rest of the week off for filling in for the other guys."

"Good, you need a break. You've been working too much Embry." I said, turning in his arms to kiss him, "I've picked out some movies for us to watch."

He grimaced, "Please say it's not some crappy cartoon that Riley didn't even like?"

I pouted, "No, Riley chose them this time." I grumbled.

He sighed with relief, "We're saved!"

I glared at him, "Well I guess you can cook your own dinner then." I said, crossing my arms and smirking when his face became panicked.

"Please not that. You have to feed me! I'm sorry, you pick the best movies, they couldn't be better." He said quickly, looking pained at saying those words but he obviously believed that I would make him cook his own dinner.

Normally he's not even allowed in the kitchen.

I pushed away from the counter, mock sighing in disappointment, "I guess we won't be eating anything..."

I didn't get far before he picked me up, swinging me around and back to the kitchen bench. His arms were either side of my waist, keeping me pinned there. His chest pressed into my back and I could feel the warmth of his body running through me.

"Dad what did mom do?"

I jerked around to see Riley pulling himself onto a stool, grinning at me and Embry. He'd call Embry 'Dad' whenever he got the chance and both of them loved it. If anything they had become closer as if Embry had always been with us and it hadn't just been the two of us for the past five years.

Embry looked at him seriously, "She's threatening not to cook for us."

"Why?" Riley wrinkled his nose at me, "Mommy loves cooking."

Embry winced, "I told her that she couldn't pick good movies."

"Well it is true Mom." Riley agreed though he looked panicked too, "But we love your cooking. Even Mim likes it."

Both Embry and I looked at him pointedly, "And how does Mim know what it tastes like?"

He smiled innocently, "She stole a piece of my plate. She jumped really high and I couldn't stop her."

Embry snorted, "You're going to have to do better than that kiddo."

Riley huffed, "I just wanted to see if she liked it or not."

"Well now I know the dog likes my cooking I guess that solves everything." I said sarcastically, pulling away from Embry with little success.

"Please cook dinner for us." Embry begged, using his damn smile that usually means he gets what he wants.

I glared at him, "Fine but the two of you can clean up." I grumbled finishing off the vegetables and putting them in a pot.

Embry chuckled and began to pull out three plates while I watched the steak cook on the grill. Riley was still sitting at the bench, drawing a small puppy that I assumed was supposed to be Mim. Just as the vegetables were done cooking the bell rang and Riley ran to the door to answer it.

I heard a few voices talking to Riley, voices that sounded oddly familiar though I couldn't place them. I looked up from serving the vegetables onto plates only to find myself looking straight up at my parents.

I froze, staring at them in shock. How had they found me? I hadn't given them my address, or my number. Embry wouldn't do anything like this behind my back, no matter how much he wanted me to reconcile with my parents.

He realised something was wrong, gently taking my hand comfortingly as he studied my parents, obviously realising the resemblances between us. My Mom was staring at me in shock, tears brewing up in her eyes as she gripped my dad's hand tightly. Neither of them had taken their eyes off me once since I had noticed them.

The timer broke the awkward silence and I put my attention into taking the meat off the grill, using that moment as a chance to collect my thoughts. My parents were here, in front of me, for the first time in five years. The last moment we'd had together involved a lot of screaming and them telling me I was getting an abortion.

Now they were standing in the same room as me and my son.

And I had no idea what to do.

They continued to stand there in silence as I busied myself with fixing dinner. I handed Riley his food, watching as he went to the table and began eating, Mim curled up at his feet looking at the food hungrily. I looked at Riley worriedly, wondering what to do; I didn't want to have this discussion in front of him should things become heated. He didn't deserve that.

"Why don't we go out the back?" Embry suggested calmly, as if reading my mind.

He ushered them outside and I knelt by Riley, "I want you to stay inside until we're done. And stay in the kitchen where I can see you."

He rolled his eyes, "Okay Mom."

He went back to eating his dinner happily, unaware of the tension around him, and I slowly slid outside, going straight to Embry. He wrapped an arm around my waist, rubbing soothing circles on my hip. I was sure he could feel me shaking and I tried to sink further into his embrace as much as physically possible.

"What are you doing here?" I finally asked, my voice wavering slightly.

Mom stepped closer, "We've been looking for you for five years. I had to know you were okay…"

"Yeah because that was really what you wanted to know about." I said sarcastically, glaring at her.

"We just wanted to know you were safe." Dad said calmly.

I snorted, "No you wanted to find me, bring me back home and make me act as if nothing had happened and we were one happy family. Guess you can't do that now you've seen your grandson." I shot back, "What would you do about all the questions asked?"

Mom sighed frustrated, "We never wanted this for you. We wanted you to finish school, go to university and have a career. I never thought you'd be the girl who got pregnant at sixteen. You ruined your life!" She exclaimed.

I glared at her, "Having Riley was the best thing that ever happened to me." I hissed, "If I had the choice of going back and changing what had happened, I wouldn't change a thing."

Dad placed a calming hand on Mom's shoulder, "There's nothing we can change but we can make things better. We want you to come home with us."

I stared at them incredulously and I could feel Embry stiffen behind me, "You cannot be serious! Do you honestly think I would go home and leave my home? You tried to force me to get an abortion; I would never live with you again!" I shouted, glancing through the glass door to see if Riley had heard but he was obliviously drawing at the kitchen table.

Mom looked at me pleadingly, "We can give you and Riley a better life. You can meet other people, go back to school and maybe you and Matt can work things out."

A low growl came from Embry and I squeezed his hand comfortingly, "There's nothing to work out. I'm not going anywhere and neither is Riley. If that's all you want than leave." I said forcing myself to stay calm.

A/N this story only has a few more chapters left. I'm going to post a Paul story after this one and still continue with 'Gifts In Life'. Thanks for all the reviews, sorry its taken me so long to reply.