AN—You people amaze me. Thank you for your support, reviews, recs, love, and investment you have put into this story. I truly expected to get so many hateful reviews last chapter, and that just wasn't the case. Most of you could really relate to Bella, and I was so happy you understood what was happening to her.

Amazing thanks to the incredible group of women who take the time to work on this story. My darling beta, Ginginlee, and my fantastic and insightful prereaders, Sammielynnsmom, Lizzylillyrose, and Morethanmyself. A simple thank you will never be enough.

If you want picteases or chapter previews, follow me on twitter: kas90_ facebook: kas fanfiction or my blog: inthelandofwordsandrob(dot)blogspot(dot)com

I don't own Twilight or the song, Strawberry Wine (even though I know that this week –thanks to Laura—the song is only 69 cents on iTunes)

…

"YOU LITTLE SHIT," a woman screamed, and right as we ran through the door of the stables, we both saw as this woman lifted her hand and smacked Seth right across the face.

"Vanessa!" Edward yelled loudly, his voice becoming low and dangerous.

I, on the other hand, only saw the back of her head, but her stringy brown hair was unkempt and matched her torn jeans and too tight t-shirt. I didn't even think about what I was doing before I did it, and if Edward would have caught on, he probably would have held me back, but all I thought was that woman just hit my child. It was an impulsive thought; the first thing that came to mind.

So, just like any mother would have done…I tackled the bitch.

Chapter 20

2010

The force at which I hit the woman sent the air flying from my lungs as we both landed with a loud thud on the dirty wooden floor of the old barn. She was lying face down, and I had just enough time to prop myself up with my hands to get a good elbow-to-the-neck action in, no, I wasn't afraid to fight dirty, when I felt someone restrain both of my arms, pinning my elbows and dragging me up.

I hadn't even noticed the stream of obscenities coming from my mouth until I was in the air, kicking at whoever was holding onto me.

"Let me go!" I yelled, trying to aim some of my kicks at the sorry excuse for the woman who was still lying on the floor.

It was when I saw Edward kneel down beside said sorry shit that I realized it was Seth who was holding onto me. I stopped kicking immediately.

"Is she okay?" I heard Seth ask from behind me, still having my arms in his grasp.

Edward turned the woman over, and I saw the rise and fall of her chest, as well as the black and blue mark appearing on her face. Good, I thought, I hope that's from me.

"I think she's passed out."

"From the hit?"

Edward looked up and met Seth's eyes, shaking his head. "My guess is the alcohol."

I heard Seth mutter, "Damn," quietly under his breath as he released me, walking over and throwing himself down on a bench by the wall.

My head was swimming. "What…what…who the hell is that?" I spat, pointing disgustingly to the woman.

"That," Seth began, eyes rising to my face, "is my mother."

"She hit you," I said without thinking, the first thought escaping my lips.

He just shrugged. "She's drunk."

"It doesn't matter." I heard my voice rising, hate filling my words.

"Bella, please, let it go."

"Let it go!"

"Bella," Edward called from Vanessa's side, finally standing up.

"What, Edward?" I challenged, hands on my hips. "Are you trying to tell me that it doesn't matter? That I should just ignore it?"

"It doesn't matter," Seth said more loudly from the corner.

I, however, refused to acknowledge his refusal. "Edward?" I continued, waiting for him to speak.

"What do you want me to say, Bella? There are things here that you don't know."

"Well, my God, please, then, someone enlighten me!"

"She's a drunk, Bella, she doesn't know what she's doing," Seth defended.

I continued to stare Edward down, wanting so badly for him to step up and do something, because this was the last straw. I was calling social services back later today, and the only way Seth was going back into that house with his pathetic mother was over my cold dead body.

"We'll figure this out, okay?" Edward said soothingly, stepping closer to me and running his hands down the length of my arms.

I just shook my head, closing my eyes. Damn it, I cursed to myself. I was an adult; I was supposed to know what to do. Hell, if I were Seth, I would expect me to know what do to. And if Edward and I didn't do anything, we were only failing him in the end.

Ignoring Edward, I turned my head to the boy in the corner who looked much younger than his sixteen years. Walking over to him, I smoothed out his cheek with the back side of my fingers, seeing the red mark from where she hit him starting to appear.

"It doesn't matter if she drinks, Seth. You deserve better. You are better." I leaned down and placed a soft kiss on his burning cheek, the tear that fell from his eye covered by my lips. "I'll fight for you." I got the last words out just as my throat locked up, the look on this boy's face completely breaking me. I stood and turned then, knowing that I wouldn't be able to keep from causing the drunken woman any harm if I stayed in the stables.

Neither of the men followed behind me, and I just prayed to God that Edward was being the strong man that Seth needed right now. I no longer could hold the tears at bay when I reached the porch steps, and I walked into Charlie's house, my presence announced by the sound of my sobs.

"Baby?" I heard Uncle Charlie call from the living room, followed by a hoarse cough.

I walked in and lay on the couch, face down, and cried into the pillow.

"My goodness, child. What on Earth is the matter?"

"I don't…I can't…what the hell am I gonna do? Seth…his mom…he can't go back there," I cried almost incoherently.

"Bella, look at me, baby," he soothed, and I lifted my heavy head to his gaze. "Now you need to stop this right now."

"But…"

"No buts, baby. Now tell me why you're all a mess."

"I need to help him, Charlie. He's just a kid."

"Okay, okay," he repeated in a gentle voice, trying to bring me down from my hysterics. "We need to take one step at a time here, child. Just breathe, focus, baby, don't give yourself a panic attack."

I tried to take a deep breath in, but the weight and pressure that I felt pinned me down, making it impossible to take a full breath. "He can't go back there. She's a drunk; his father is no better. It was different when it was only his dad that hurt him because we made sure that Seth was out of the house when he was home, but now that I saw her strike him with my own eyes...God, Charlie, I attacked the woman!"

"You attacked her?"

"I just…something inside of me just reacted."

"Bella…"

"Don't lecture me on that, okay, please? I just…I know I've only been back here for a little while, Charlie, but I feel…I need to protect him. I want to protect him and love him and care for him."

"Do you love him?" he asked, looking at me knowingly.

"Yes," I answered on instinct, and it all hit me so suddenly. "I would give my life for him."

"Well, Bella, that sounds a whole lot like what a mother would say."

I looked up and met his eyes, pausing for a second as my tears finally stopped.

"What are you going to do, Bella?" he asked when I hadn't spoken.

What am I going to do?

Charlie just smiled and leaned back in his chair. "Can I tell you something?" he asked, a sense of serenity taking over his features.

"Um…yes, of course," I answered.

"I know you think I've never known the love of a woman, that I've spent my whole life alone," he began, much to my surprise. "But, honey, that isn't the exact truth."

"Okay," I pressed, sitting up from the couch and resting my forearms on my knees.

"It's been many years since this has happened, so please forgive me for my fleeting memory, but I first met this woman about a year before you were born. She was a beauty…smart, funny, a real gem. But when everything happened with your father, I left, knowing that you and your mother needed me, that you were more important. You were—are—the most important."

"Uncle Charlie," I started sadly, the tears burning again behind my eyes.

"Just listen, baby… This woman, she didn't understand, she didn't get it. I stayed with y'all for a few years, and when I came back here, she was married with a child of her own."

"I'm so sorry." I breathed out heavily, shaking my head.

"You don't get it, Bella. I'm not. I'm not sorry. Because, for you, I would give my life. Giving your life doesn't always mean burying yourself six feet under; it means making choices that completely surround the one you love, because, Bella, they are worth it. When you say you would give your life for Seth, as if he were your own son, then do it and mean it. If you're going to be the mother that he needs, I don't want you to half-ass anything. He deserves more. He's worth more.

"Don't make false promises to me or to him, child. If you're going to do it, then my God, baby, God bless ya."

As his words sank in, I wiped the remaining tears from my cheeks, and took the deep breath that I knew I needed to take. This wasn't about me, or Edward, Charlie, and really it wasn't fully about Seth. This was life…and life needed me to stand up and make a damn decision.

So I did.

I walked upstairs, with a resolve I didn't think I had in me, and I picked up my cellphone from the corner of my desk. Scrolling through the numbers until I found the name I needed, I pressed send, listening as it rang in my ear.

As the ringing turned into the familiar sounds of a voice mail machine, I took one last breath, knowing that this was it.

"Andrew? Yes, this is Bella…I was just calling about the status of my position at Clark Publishing. There are things that I need to discuss with you regarding my permanent residence, and I would appreciate a call back so we could discuss the matter. Thank you."

O.o

The next day, my phone rang early, and I sprinted up the stairs to try and catch it before it went to voicemail. I was still dressed in my pajamas, having only woken about a half hour beforehand. Seth and Charlie were both down in the kitchen, the potatoes and eggs on the burner being left unattended.

I thought it would have been Andrew's number, calling me back after the message I had left him yesterday; however, I wasn't so lucky.

"Hello?" I spat, cursing myself immediately afterwards for even picking the damn thing up.

"Bella!" the voice let out, sounding surprised. "Look at that, you finally answer one of my calls."

I just rolled my eyes, sitting down at the edge of my bed and resting my head in my hand. "Can I help you with something?" I asked, no kindness evident in my tone.

"Bella, come on, darlin'," he said more sadly. "I just…I just wanted to talk to you…hear your voice."

"Hear my voice," I mused with an edge. "That's just fantastic. Well, darling, I'm sorry to disappoint you, but I have other things that I need to take care of than entertain your need to hear my voice," I barked back in the most sarcastic tone I could muster that early in the morning.

"I don't appreciate that, Bells," he scolded, much to my amusement.

"Can I tell you something?" I laughed then, my heart coming back to life when I looked out my window and saw a very familiar truck pull up. "I'm tired of your games, I'm tired of you calling me, and I have absolutely no interest in ever hearing your voice again, so I would appreciate you stop trying to reach me. Your tricks are getting old."

"I have no tricks here, Bella!"

"Oh…and another thing," I added, interrupting him. "Congratulations on your baby."

I hung up the phone, biting my tongue at the words that had come from my mouth. Why the hell did I even answer? I thought, kicking myself for my stupidity. But if I were being honest, I hated the fact that he kept calling. Especially after my call to Andrew about moving to North Carolina permanently, I had never been so ready to sever all ties of my home in Ohio.

There was a knock on my door a couple minutes later, and I turned my head to see Edward peek in.

"Hi." He smiled. "May I come in?"

I returned his smile and nodded, scooting over on the edge of the bed so he would have room to fit next to me.

"Thank you for taking Vanessa home yesterday," I started, leaning my head on his shoulder.

Wrapping his arm around me, he kissed the top of my head. "You're welcome. How was Seth here last night?"

I just shrugged. "Same as any other night, I guess. He didn't want to talk about it, and he and Charlie watched sports on that damn TV until he fell asleep on the couch. Peggy said she would be back here next week to do some reevaluation." I couldn't help but roll my eyes. A week. But instead of complaining about the glitches in the social care system, I focused on the fact that Seth wasn't going back there.

Edward just nodded at my comment in understanding, and his head turned and looked around the room. I couldn't help but chuckle at the expression on his face.

"Bring back some memories?" I laughed, following his gaze.

"Can I tell you something that was really weird?" he asked lightly, looking at me. "After all these years, the first time I was in here was when Lana and Pat slept in your bed when Rach and I separated. It was unreal bringing my children into this bedroom!" He laughed then, pulling at his hair. "I swear I almost bolted those windows shut."

I laughed with him. "That is kind of morbid," I agreed. "But Lana is only ten…"

He just shuddered. "As soon as she hits puberty, I'm locking her away."

"Good luck with that one."

He turned and winked at me, and I really did love seeing his smile. It was just what I needed to melt my anger-harboring heart, thoughts of my ex-husband's call getting lost in the stare of his blue eyes.

"So, you remember this bed, then?" I asked slyly, wanting to move onto a lighter subject.

With a pointed look, he warned, "Don't start, Bella."

Shrugging my shoulders and feigning innocence, I just scooted up to the top of the bed, slow in my movements and keeping my eyes on his. "Don't start what, Edward?" My voice was soft, an underlining layer to it.

"I went twenty-three years without touching you," he mused out loud, "you think it would be easier to keep away." His hand ran along the bottom of my bare leg, making its way to my knee. He moved his gaze to be on what his hand was doing to my skin, seeming transfixed by it. "But one touch was all it took to bring me right back here." He looked at me then, and I knew exactly how he was feeling.

"I wish you were the only one who ever got to touch me," I said, my most inner thoughts being made known.

"God, Bella, I don't even want to think about that." He shook his head, maneuvering around so he was lying down next to me at the top of the bed.

I had to shut my eyes and take a deep breath in. I wanted to tell him everything, spill everything about all the times I had thought about being back in this exact situation. My fear of it being too much, too fast kept me from it, though. He didn't need to know that I had spent the past two decades loving him. Right now, knowing it myself was enough for me.

If Edward and I were really supposed to get there, to that point again, there would be a time to tell him. The feel of my heart beat increasing would do for now. I hoped he could feel it; I hoped he could relate.

"Will this ever stop feeling surreal?" he asked quietly, looking over my body.

"I'm waiting for reality to hit, to wake up one morning back in Ohio, having never seen you again."

Crawling over me, encasing me between his arms next to my head, he leaned down and kissed me with enough force that my head was pressed back into the pillow. "Please don't leave," he begged before kissing me again. "I need you here. God, Bella…I just got you back."

I wrapped my arms around him, deepening the kiss. This felt so right, meant to be, as if I had never been surer of anything in my life. "I'm here," I said. "I'm here, I'm here."

My repeated words of affirmation between kisses only made Edward press down onto me harder, as if he would have done anything in that moment to keep me exactly where I was.

There is no leaving, I thought in my head as my fingers scratched the back of his scalp, feeling his lips on my own. This is it for me.

Edward stopped kissing me but just held me to him, hugging me for what felt like eternity.

"Bella," he began, his head tucked into the crook of my next, "I wish I had never left you."

My heart stopped, and I couldn't stop the tears from burning behind my closed eyes, some of my blackest memories rising to the surface.

"I wish we would have had a choice," I answered.

Rolling off of me, he pulled me into his side, so my head was resting on his chest, the sound of his heart thumping in my ear. "We did have a choice," he argued.

"Edward…we didn't."

"I could have tried harder."

"It wouldn't have mattered."

"Why do you say that?" he almost yelled, his head turning down to glare at me.

"I'm not going to fight with you about this, Edward. It's water under the bridge."

"But it matters! Look at where our lives have gone!"

I sat up, no longer wanting to be held by his arms. "And what? You think that talking about it is going to change anything? Is some magic genie going to appear and take back the last twenty years?"

"That's not what I'm saying, Bella!"

"Then I don't get why you're bringing it up."

"We need to talk about it!" he tried to emphasize again.

"WHY!" I was yelling now, not wanting to relive any of those moments. He was trying to take this…this time…this second chance away from us. But I was going to fight for it, because my damn we deserved it.

"Because when I look at you now, I see the seventeen-year-old I fell in love with, but you're not that girl, Bella! I'm so afraid of falling back into this thing that we had back then as if the last twenty years never happened. Isn't that what it feels like to you? I see you smile, and I hear you laugh, and I'm right back in that field. I see you cry, Bella, and you're the girl that I lost my virginity to all over again, holding you afterwards as you cried and fought with me in my truck. There are all these memories, all the emotions that being with you like this brings back, and it scares the ever living shit out of me!"

"Why are you so afraid?" I voiced, wanting to defend who we were as adults, what we could have. We weren't children anymore.

"Because we didn't make it! I LOST YOU! We need to talk about it, figure it out, because, Bella, I can't handle losing you again!"

"I told you I wasn't going anywhere," I replied with a bit of ice to my tone. "I'm here!"

"You said that before. You promised, hell, we both promised, and it didn't matter."

Standing up and pacing the small space of the room, I pulled at the roots of my hair, my heart beating wildly in my chest from the adrenaline pumping through my system.

"Edward," I tried to say more calmly. "Where the hell is all of this coming from? Where was this hesitation a few days ago when we took a ride on Jenna, huh? Why are you throwing those broken promises back in my face as if I don't already know about them? You think that I didn't hurt? That you were the only one to lose something?

"You were the first man I've ever loved, Edward. You were my first…everything. How can you sit there and think that I don't get it? That I don't remember? I remember every painful, gory moment of our goodbye. But it didn't leave when you did. It didn't leave when I went back to Ohio, when I went to college, or when I slept with other men. It didn't leave when I got married, and it sure as hell hasn't left me now! I remember all of it. I remember the look on your face, the way your lips tasted. I remember feeling as if I would never stop crying, because for a very long time, I never did.

"You weren't the only one who was hurt, so don't lecture me here. I'm sorry if I don't want to relive that pain by talking about it! I don't need to talk about it! I already got the message loud and clear!"

"I'm not trying to lecture anyone here. I just don't want history to repeat itself." He paused, rubbing the palm of his hand down the side of his face. I just looked at him, not knowing what else to say.

"I called my boss," I blurted out, causing his eyes to whip to mine. "I meant it, Edward, when I told you I was here. I'm not leaving."

To see tears fill his eyes shocked me, to say the least, but it was when he buried his face into his knees and sobs erupted from his chest that I really panicked.

I crawled back on the bed, every tear that fell from his eyes acting like a knife through my already fragile heart. I did the only thing I could think of, and I wrapped my arms around him, trying to cover him with my body, as if my small frame could protect him from the hurt he was going through.

"I'm so sorry," he muttered, clinging to me as we rocked back and forth. "I can't lose you. I can't lose you."

I held him tighter.

"I'm not leaving."

O.o

The next week went by slowly, every day wondering if Seth's parents were going to show up at the house and take away the boy who meant so much to me. It was simple things with him. Like how I would cover him up with the blanket when he fell asleep, or when I would call him in to clean up his dishes.

My favorite, though, was when he would hug me before I would go to bed at night, holding me so tightly as if he was afraid that I wouldn't be there when he woke. I wanted, no…needed, to protect him. I immediately understood why every father in this town owned a shotgun. I would kill for this boy, and I think everyone around us was starting to see that.

Peggy had called me back a few days ago, and we set up an appointment to meet the following afternoon. To say I was nervous was a drastic understatement.

I cringed, listening to Charlie's relentless coughing as I walked through the front door of the house, carrying in bags of groceries on my arm.

"A little help here?" I yelled, and to my surprise, Seth, Patrick, and Lana all walked into the kitchen. "Hey, guys," I said. "I'm surprised to see you here."

I put the first load on the table, following the kids out to my car to get the rest.

"Dad's at work," Patrick piped up. "He doesn't like it when we stay home by ourselves."

"He doesn't trust us," Lana added, rolling her eyes. I was really tempted to tell her to just wait until she's a teen, but I thought better of it.

"Well, I'm sure Uncle Charlie loves the company!" I tried to sound upbeat. Lana didn't look impressed.

"Yo, Bella," Seth sounded in his signature way of getting my attention.

"Yo, kid," I mocked, shutting the trunk when all the groceries were in our arms.

"I have someone coming for dinner tomorrow tonight, if that's okay." He sounded excited, and I was definitely grateful for the opportunity to pull his chain and give him a hard time.

"Is this someone named…Rebecca?" I laughed, nudging him with my shoulder.

"And what if it is?" he asked back in the same tone.

"Seth has a girl coming over?" Leave it to Patrick to make Seth turns seven shades of red.

"A really pretty girl, from what I've heard," I fueled to the fire, laughing when Patrick made a sound of disgust.

"Just wait, Pat," Seth warned. "Your time will be here before you know it."

"What time is that?" Charlie asked from the living room as we made our way back inside.

"The time in life when a boy falls head over heels in love with a girl," I answered.

"Ah," Charlie sighed. "First loves are something. Aren't they, Bella?" He winked at me, but I dodged his stare and went to the kitchen instead.

"Who was your first love, Bella?" Seth purposefully asked, getting me back.

"Don't you have things to do, Seth?" I rebutted, looking at him pointedly.

"Who was he, Bella?" I was surprised to see that it was Lana who had asked, perching herself up on the counter.

"Hmm," I hummed, "well, how about you and I start dinner together, and I'll tell you all about it?" I smiled at her, and she returned it, hopping down and going to the sink to wash her hands.

"Ugh, I don't want to hear this," Seth groaned, walking into the living room.

"Me either," Pat sang out, following behind.

"They don't get it," Lana said, drying her hands while rolling her eyes.

I couldn't help but laugh. "I don't think they ever will, either, honey."

"So, what's for dinner?"

"Well," I said, looking through the bags, "that has yet to be determined. What do you feel like?"

"Um," she started, pretending to think really hard. "Well, my dad's favorite meal is fried chicken. Can we make that?"

"Uh," I stammered, having no idea to where I would even start with that. "Sure!" Screw it; we would figure it out. And if we burned the house down in the process, at least we had a very trustworthy firefighter who would come save us.

O.o

"What are you girls laughing about in here?" a deep voice came from the entry way to the kitchen a few hours later, and I looked up to see Edward standing there, dressed in a pair of light jeans and a white t-shirt.

"Daddy!" Lana greeted, smiling from her spot at the counter, mixing the brownie mix in a bowl.

"Hi, baby." He came over and kissed the top of her head, giving me a wink when she wasn't looking.

"How was your shift?" I asked, cutting up the lettuce for the salad.

"Long," he drawled out, walking over to the oven and pulling the door open. "What's for dinner?"

His question sent both Lana and I back into a fit of laughter, which earned us a curious glance from Edward.

"Well," Lana started, "Bella isn't the best cook."

"Hey!" I laughed, throwing a tomato at her. "You weren't supposed to tell him that."

This made her laugh harder, and Edward, with an amused expression, leaned his back on the edge of the counter, watching us. I just rolled my eyes and continued with my work.

"She tried, really she did, Dad, but I don't think cooking is her strong point."

"Oh really?" Edward asked. "I remember thinking that same thought once." He chuckled, and I was tempted to throw things at him, too.

"Don't start, Masen."

"We were going to make fried chicken," Lana continued. "But that was a very, very big epic fail."

I rolled my eyes again for dramatic effect. "Thanks, Lana! So glad I could count on you!" I joked, and the smile on her face honestly made my day.

"So we settled on pasta."

"Why is the pasta in the oven, then?" Edward asked, clearly confused.

"To keep it warm?" I said, even though it obviously came out sounding as a guess.

This made Edward laugh out loud as he pushed himself off the counter. "Well, it sounds like you girls are having a blast in here, so just don't burn down the house, and we'll be okay."

"Whatever, Dad," Lana said after him as he walked into the living room.

I watched him leave, and the expression on my face of simple happiness was probably borderline embarrassing.

"He was your first love, wasn't he?" Lana asked me without lifting her head.

My eyes immediately snapped to hers, though. "What makes you think that?" I asked, my voice giving me away, I was sure. I had told her some fun, light things about what it was like to fall in love with a boy for the first time, nothing too deep or serious, and certainly nothing that would give it away that said first love was her father.

She shrugged. "I don't know, just the way you look at him, I guess."

"It's…complicated, Lana," I answered, not really knowing how else to respond.

"Isn't all love like that though, Bella?" she asked, finally looking up at me.

With a heavy sigh, I smiled in her direction. "You're too smart to be only ten."

She matched my small smile and shrugged her shoulders again. "I might only be ten, but I'm old enough to know that there is more than one kind of love and that's it's not always simple. I know that my dad loves us, and I love my brother, and Uncle Charlie. I see how Uncle James loves his 'women'," she said with actual air quotes. "And I've seen the love that my parents had and then lost. And I see the way my dad looks at you, talks about you, as if you're exactly what he needs in life."

"Why do you say that?" I whispered, entranced by her words.

"I'm not blind, Bella," she scoffed, rolling her eyes. "Everyone knows that he's in love with you. And if he was the guy you described as your first love, I kind of have to think that you never stopped."

"Never stopped what?" I hated that I couldn't seem to keep up with what she was saying.

"Loving him."

"Loving him?" I repeated, followed by a firm shake of my head. "It's more complicated than that," I tried to reason.

This just caused her to chuckle as she went back to stirring the brownies. "That's not an excuse."

I couldn't actually believe I was having this conversation with a girl who was only ten-years-old. I felt like the child here, getting advice from a more experienced adult.

I just took a deep breath. "Well, excuses or not, I don't think anyone in this house is ready to broach that subject."

She just eyed me, a smirk pulling at her lips that was way too similar to her father's. "Okay, Bella."

And with that, our conversation ended, and all of the boys joined us at the table for dinner as we switched out the pasta for the brownies in the oven. Looking around at all of the faces at the table, I couldn't help but wholeheartedly agree with Lana.

There were many different forms of love, all with their own complications, but as I felt Edward graze his foot up my leg playfully without anyone knowing, I couldn't help but think he was the best kind of love I could have ever hoped for.

Even if it did take me twenty-three years to do something about it.

O.o

END NOTES –

It's amazing what Edward still remembers. Let me know if you would be interested in some Edward outtakes when this story is complete.

Please, please still review. I love my trusty reviewers. Remember – two updates a week for every hundred review mark reached. And I'll say it again…that is not me holding chapters back for reviews, that is me working extra hard to get you two updates as a way of saying thanks.

Next update will be on Monday, regardless :) Love y'all