Almost the whole La Push population came to his funeral… he was just a great guy. Everyone loved Richard. He was just one of those lovely people that you couldn't not like.

I swore to myself that I was gonna stop crying – 'cause I really hate girls who cry all the time – but when Rowan, Annie's mom in case you've forgotten, stood up and talked about him; I was in floods of tears.

"Richard was… the best man I've ever met; to put it plainly. From the moment I saw him," she spoke through silent tears, "I knew he was the one. He was so kind, funny and so completely selfless. He'd do anything for anyone who need something – usually even when they wouldn't ask, or even know they needed help." There were a couple titters in the audience; everyone knew how pushy he used to be to try and help them. He was so unbelievably generous. He made Ms Jackson (this little old lady, who's unbelievably kind) a cabinet once. She didn't even ask for one. He just saw her looking at one, asked her if she had one, then set to work making one.

"Nothing is ever easy, but Richard would always get us through as a family, and he'd always remain positive. He's sacrificed so much for me, and…" her lips began to tremble and she waved her hand around her face, trying to get a breeze on her, to stop her from crying. "He kept us together and it pains me that our children won't be able to grow up with him there, because he loved his kids more than anything." She let out a sob. "To me, Richard was a hero. He was my own personal hero, and I thought he was indestructible… I just, I just don't know how I'm going to go on without him." She had more to say, as she was reading off of a piece of paper, but she couldn't continue. Annie stood and held her, bringing her back down to the seats, holding her mothers head to her and calming her as Rowan let out hysterical sobs.

Angharad was gonna be okay. It was gonna be one of the most difficult things that will happen to her, but she's going to be okay. She has three younger siblings, who'll she'll also have to help look after now, but she's strong. She thought she'd lost her strong core, but she's found it. I caught her eye and she pursed her lips, nodding at me as I held Robbie, her youngest brother, and Grace to me. They were only a year apart and were practically inseparable. They were six and seven and they knew exactly what was going on. Tyler at the age of nine, was the man of the house. He sat in his seat, his hands clasped angrily into a fist in his lap, his head down, trying not to cry.

Annie kissed her mothers head and then turned to him, pulling him into her as the priest continued to talk. Tyler hugged her tightly, his small body convulsing with sobs.

I took her lead and breathed deeply, wiping my tears away as I held Robbie and Grace tighter to me. No more crying. I have it out of my system. I will be strong.

After the funeral we all went back to Annie's house. Everyone kept coming over to give her and her family their apologies, but I don't think it was really helping any of them.

Us girls stayed with her and she kept on her brave face, even when Richards' parents – who'd flown over from Wales – whacked out the photo albums. That's why I had taken so long for us to hold the funeral; we'd been waiting for them to be able to get a flight out here.

Eventually Annie just asked if she could be alone, so we took her to her room and said goodbye. With watery eyes and a forced smile, she shut the door.

Ava let out a loud breath as we walked out of her house – having said goodbye to everyone – and we all nodded.

"What now?" Babs said softly. They all turned to Moose, who then looked at me, where all their heads then followed.

"I said I'd meet up with Brady, so I should really get going…"

They rolled their eyes and I blushed. It's not my fault. Brady was still worrying like a mad man for letting me sleep in that shed last night. Moose still really didn't like me seeing Brady so much. She didn't think it was good for me to be seeing him everyday. Because she thinks I'll become too reliant on him, and it's not good to be so reliant on someone I don't know completely. But just because I may not have known him for that long doesn't mean I don't know him. I know he'd never try to hurt me. Brady's just too damn lovely to be mean like that. And she doesn't know that I already am too reliant on him. But I trust Brady completely.

Anyway, I said goodbye to them and started walking towards Emily's, where I knew he'd be and I text him, telling him I was on my way.

He met me before I was even a third of the way there. Brady ran at me, picking me up in one of his beautiful hugs and swirling me around.

He placed a long wet kiss to my forehead and I grinned as I wiped his saliva off my skin. "How are you?" he asked softly as he placed me down but not letting go of me.

I shrugged but smiled up at him before wrapping my arms around his waist instead of his neck, pulling him into hug, burying my face against his warm, bare chest. Like I said – we may not have known each other well for that long, but I can't imagine living without him again. Even absolutely shit days like today, he still manages to make me feel a billion times better.

Mmm. I love Brady's smell.

"What were you doing?" I asked as I eventually pulled back.

He shrugged. "Just hanging out at Emily's."

"Doesn't she get sick of you lot there all the time?" I asked, because seriously – they're always there.

"Oh yeah." He grinned and I rolled my eyes as he tugged at my hand, pulling me along. "She pretends to be annoyed at us, but she loves it really."

I got a text from Moose, making sure I was okay. I rolled my eyes to myself and replied before crossing my arms, trying to warm myself from the normal La Push coldness.

"I take it that's were you're dragging me?" I sighed and he smiled down at me.

"Hey!" he said, holding his hands up in defence. "You're walking on your own."

"Oh yeah." I said, stopping and Brady looked at me, raising an eyebrow. I nodded to him before running off in the opposite direction.

Brady seemed stunned for a moment before he laughed loudly and ran after me, catching up with me quickly.

He wrapped his arms around my waist, picking me up in the air. I screamed and kicked my legs around but he just laughed and marched the way to Emily's.

"No!" I shouted, "Put me down!"

"Sorry, love, but that ain't gonna happen."

I slapped his bare stomach. "Fine, carry me, bitch. I hope your arms die." I said as he pulled my up and I leaned my head back onto the top of his shoulder.

He snorted and I turned my head to the side to look at his face. "You realise that's not gonna happen, right?" he asked, smiling down at me.

"It might…"

He shook his head at me, pulling a strange face at me and I laughed loudly. "You're weird!" I said, poking his cheek.

He smiled at me, tightening his hold on me. "That's okay, though?"

I grinned. "Hell yeah, baby!"

Brady's POV.

I had to patrol while Zoë was at Emily's.

It sucked.

It really sucked.

I fucking hate patrolling.

'Hate to break it to you, but you're not particularly brilliant company,' Leah thought dryly.

Meh. It's not like I care –

Fuck, I hope Zoë doesn't think I'm bad company. Oh shit. That would be terrible!

Leah's thoughts turned amused and if she were in human form I'm sure she'd be laughing her butt off.

Yeah, keep laughing, bitch.

I don't care.

As soon as I felt Jared and Jacob phase in I was out of there, instantly happy at the prospect of seeing Zoë again. It really wasn't fair that I had to leave her there. Especially with them. Hell. I bet they tell her embarrassing stuff about me – especially Collin. I'm gonna kill him if he does. He knows too much stuff about me.

I practically jumped into Emily's house from the edge of the woods. I heard Zoë's loud laughter and was immediately that much more happier. Just knowing she's happy makes me happy.

However, when I walked in the room I wasn't happy. It's not that I was jealous I just…. Okay, fine. I was jealous as hell.

Zoë and Collin were playing some stupid video game, which I didn't even bother to recognise. Zoë's eyes left the screen when I came in and a massive smile lit up her face, so that made me feel a little bit better. But then Collin let out a victorious laugh and she gasped and bashed into him with her shoulder before she went back to concentrating on the game.

Yes, I'm pathetic, but I don't like her being as close as she was to Collin.

Fuck. He's my best friend, I really should trust him more. He wouldn't do anything. He would not go for Zoë. I know he wouldn't.

Argh.

I flopped down on the sofa, behind them. Everyone seemed to be betting on who would win.

Paul smirked at me, obviously seeing my distaste for the current situation. I flipped him off before staring intently at the back of Zoë's head. Maybe she would feel it and then give up with the game and come over to me.

Urg. This sucks.

If the roles were reversed and Zoë had walked into the room the game would have been long gone. But oh no, I have to wait around to get her to even look at me properly.

Okay, yes, I know I sound like an obsessive, attention-seeking douche, but it's not my fault. I am obsessive when it comes to Zoë. I don't like the idea of her having so much fun with someone else… it makes me think she's going to run off with them and leave me forever. I know we're not together so she couldn't really leave me, but that's the thing; we're not together. She could start seeing any guy and I'd have no say about it. Sure, I could kill them easily, but if they made her happy then I'd have to let her see them. So I didn't want her to see how great other guys are, especially compared to me, 'cause then she'll leave me. I mean, Collin's the 'good' one out of us. He's normal. He doesn't get overly nervous while meeting someone's parents, he doesn't fall up stairs, he doesn't act all weird and perverted, he's also a lot cleverer and he's a lot more – as Paul says – 'smoother' with girls. Fuck, my mind goes blank around Zoë all the time. And I can't even count the amount of times I've stuttered in front of her. I honestly don't understand why she even likes to be around me.

This really isn't good for my health. I need to stop thinking about stuff like that.

Anyway, eventually Zoë beat Collin, and so everyone started laughing at him as I tried to inconspicuously pull Zoë back and onto the couch with me. She didn't seam to notice and leant against me as she grinned at him.

"I'm sorry, what does that say, Collin?" she asked, faking to squint at the TV screen. "I can't read it."

He rolled his eyes. "Oh, shut up. Just because you won this one means nothing." He muttered as he sat back on his elbows.

Zoë laughed loudly as she leaned her head back against my shoulder when I wrapped my arm around her.

"You is a bad loser." She said in a funny accent before taking my hand in her smaller ones and playing idly with it.

I smiled, kissing the side of her head, her messy hair tickling my nose.

We lounged around for a couple of hours, and my tiny amount of hatred towards Collin disappeared. Phew. That would have been awkward the next time we phased.

It was getting later and I knew that she had to make her mom dinner so I dragged her on a little walk before I took her home.

Her laughter was just stopping, having been laughing for about ten minutes at some dorky thing I'd come out with and we walked in silence, side by side.

"Hey, Brady." This girl said happily as she walked past. I nodded and waved at her, not really looking at her.

Zoë frowned as she looked over her shoulder at the girl and when she was out of human hearing distance she looked at me. "Who was that?"

I shrugged. "I dunno. She probably goes to our school…"

She frowned again as she shot the girl another angry look, who was just turning the corner.

"Are you friends with her?"

"Err…"

"She's really pretty."

"I don't really –"

"Do you like her?"

"Zo?"

"Yes?" she snapped and I grinned.

"Are you… jealous?" I laughed and her eyes widened as she slapped my arm.

"No!" she shouted but her heartbeat sped up. A total lie giveaway.

"You are! Sweet Jesus!" I said happily, laughing madly.

Fuck, it was good to know I wasn't the only jealous one out of the two of us.

"Brady!" she started hitting me, her eyes conveying her embarrassment. "Shut up! I'm not jealous!"

"You are, you are, you are!" I sang, bouncing around her as she tried to get a hold of me. "You is jealous, my darlin'." I said, mimicking her accent from earlier when she told Collin he was a bad loser. I laughed loudly as she shoved me – her efforts weak.

"I thought you didn't lie, Zoë-Zoë-Zo-Zo?"

She pulled a face as I continued to bounce on my feet, grinning at her. "It's, erm, excusable when you'll use it humiliate me – not that I'm admitting to lying! Because I wasn't lying. Nope. Not a lie around here. Because I'm not jealous. No. "

I smiled smugly at her and she punched my gut, I just caught her hand and brought it to my lips. "Sorry, Zoë, but I have to go seduce that girl now." I said and her hand tightened on mine as I went to move past her. She pulled me back, closer to her, her eyes wide.

"Seduce?" she squeaked and I laughed loudly and she gasped as she realised I was only having her on.

"Brady! You jerk!" she 'growled' at me, jumping on top of me and hitting me.

"Oh I love this side of you! It's so amusing!" I said, smiling at her as I placed her back down on her feet.

"Stop it!" she whined, trying to tackle me. She just ended running in to me, not even making me wobble. She groaned as she leaned her face against my stomach. I laughed, playing with her hair.

"Don't worry, Zo, I'm sure you two can share me." I said softly, then burst out laughing as she started hitting her face against my abs.

"Not. Funny. Really. Not. Funny." She said in between hitting her face against me.

She fell down to her knees, raising her hands up to the air. "Why, god? Why!" she screamed to heavens as I rolled around the pavement, laughing.

"You're finding this more funny than it is, Brady." She muttered and I grinned as I turned my head to stare at her.

"You know, I never realised you had this insane amount of jealousy. I didn't know you were so damn protective of me."

She slapped my arm with a groan as she stood up. I hooked my arms around her knees, pulling her to me. The look on her face told me she wasn't as amused as I was.

"Aw, I'm sorry for laughing at you."

Before this I was seriously doubting she even had any feelings for me. But if she's jealous that means that she reallymust like me. Right?

"Argh. You're a horrible, horrible person." She said as she pulled me up. I swung my arm around her shoulders.

I brushed my lips against her ear. "But you don't want anyone else to snatch me up, right?"

She glared at me. "I'm sorry! Jeez. I couldn't not do it, I'm sorry. No more jokes. Although, you're gonna have to not be so damn protective of me sometimes it's getting kind of controlling and," I sighed, placing a hand over my heart as I looked into her eyes. "I'm not your possession. It's not fair to be treated like this! I don't follow anyone's orders, babe."

"Yeah, yeah," she muttered, rolling her eyes. "I'm so mean on you." She said dryly, then chucked her house keys in front of her, pointing at them. "Now, go fetch!"

Oh, the irony, I thought as I went to pick them up.

She looked at me like I was out of my head as I dangled the keys above her head. "I was kidding…"

"I know, but I thought I might get some payment for it," I said, grinning down at her as her gaze fell to my lips.

She jumped up and I let her take the keys. "Don't get too cocky," she said with a grin. "Your payment is my eternal gratitude."

"I was just gonna ask if I could hold your hand, but that eternal gratitude stuff sounds mighty fine."

"Your happiness right now is making me nauseous," she mumbled as she took my hand in hers, pulling me along.

I smiled. "I love you." I said and she looked up at me with those big, beautiful eyes.

"You –"

"You want me to love you. Because you care about me loads."

She swallowed. "I wouldn't say loads…" she look up at me nervously, biting on her lip.

"You say you don't have trust issues?" she nodded, her eyebrows pulling together ever so slightly. "So you won't be scared to – you know, be with me. I'll face Moose with you?" I asked.

"Aha, yeah." She said as she wrapped her arms around my waist – I only then realised we were outside her house. "Rather you than me. I've seen what she does to people… you wouldn't make it out alive." She said as she rested her chin against my chest. I smiled as I stroked her back – because I know she has like constant back pains.

"I'm sure I'd make it…" I said, kissing her forehead. Then her nose. Then her eyelids. Then her cheekbones. Then – well, I just placed kisses all over her face.

She grinned and hugged me tighter. "Goodbye, Brady." She said with a laugh, standing up on her tiptoes to kiss my cheek. I turned my face slightly so her lips gently brushed against the corner of my mouth when she pulled back.

A chill swept through me. I really detest it when she says goodbye. It just feels like it's forever.

I kissed her forehead again, wanting so desperately to be able to kiss her fully. But now, now I knew that she really did like me. Quite a bit, in fact.

But did she like me enough to fight for me? That's what I'd been waiting for. She didn't seem to really want to put up a fight a minute ago.

As soon as she was behind the closed door, I rushed back to Emily's house, bursting through to where they all were. All heads turned to me.

"I'm gonna tell her."

Okaaay, so this was a terrible chapter. And I'm sorry this chapter is so short. It seems rushed and I really dislike it. But I just wanted to get this chapter out. Next chapter - BRADY REVEALS ALL! Yes, I know. So you can see why I just wanted to get this little filler chapter done - I'm sorry. And I know it's harsh to have Richards funeral seemed rush, but I just wanted to show it as a slight bit of closure - but don't worry, she hasn't maraculously gotten over it.

Anything you guys want to say? Tell me if theres even a tiny thing that annoys you with this story :)

It feels so wierd writing Embry in this. I feel like I'm beeing disloyal to him and Alex from Unsuspecting. I don't like not writing them together, so it's gonna be real wierd to write him in this. He did originally have a speaking bit in this, but I had to change it.

Anyway, please grace me with some of your beautiful reviews!

Thanks for reading, reviewing and adding this story to favs and/or alerts everyone!