A/N: Yeah...so. I'm shitty. I know. I leave you with that kind of chapter and then go MIA for almost a month. But I had so many things happen to me last month. Busy is an understatement.

I will stop giving you anecdotes about my life and get to the story now, ahahaha.

Chapter Song: In Fear and Faith, by Circa Survive.

"I don't know why they call it heartbreak. It feels like every other part of my body is broken too."

~Unknown

Jasper POV

"Come to bed, honey."

I sighed deeply and layed my head against the window glass. "I think I'll stay here until Sera gets home."

To say I was worried would be an understatement. I just had to watch for her. Sera was everything, equally as important as Alice was. Another deeply rooted secret...I just wanted to make sure the dog kept his hands off of her. Throughout thinking about this, I thought Alice had turned to leave, so I was surprised when I felt her slender arms wrap around my waist. "I think when she gets home, you should give her and Seth some privacy," she warned, propping her chin on my shoulder.

I felt a growl escape my mouth. "Seth won't touch her," I promised harshly. Maybe a little too harshly.

"Jasper."

I sighed and unwrapped her pale arms from around me, and turned to face her. "Alice, please – "

"No, Jazz. We're not doing this. Come to bed."

She looked so stern with her pixie face that it was comical. I smiled a little ruefully. "We don't sleep," I returned.

I went back and forth with Alice like this regularly nowadays, especially when it came to Sera. Sera and Seth. I thought she granted Seth too much freedom with her, but she thought I was too narrow-minded. But how else was I supposed to feel about this?

She made a tsk. "We do when you're stalking the windows for our daughter."

Alice rolled her golden eyes at me, causing me to laugh. "Come on sweetie, I can't help if I'm overprotective," I reminded her. She would probably know if I tried to work my gift on her...

She sighed, and reached up to touch my face. I forgot all about that notion and closed my eyes against the feel of her silky skin. "I know, honey. I know. But it does no good if we watch for her. Seth will take care of her."

Again, I growled. I opened my eyes to her confused face. "Why does Seth keep coming up?" I asked in an almost whiny way.

"Because Seth is one of the hugest parts of Sera's life. He'll keep her safe."

"Yeah, and his tongue down her throat," I bit.

She slapped my arm in reproach. My lip instantly jutted on habit. "Firstly, we don't know if they've even kissed. Secondly, if they have, we've known for her entire life that it'd end up that way – "

I growled. Grrrrrrr, stupid Seth...

"Thirdly," she said, giving me a stern look, "I still hold true to my word, when I said I would rather it be Seth than anyone else."

I pinched the bridge of my nose. "He's in love with her, Alice!" She wasn't grasping my horror!

She raised her eyebrow. "So?"

I gaped at her. She couldn't be serious! Sera was little over three years old. I couldn't wrap my mind around the fact that they would be kissing and doing...other stuff together. "What if they move out?"

She rolled her eyes and grabbed my hand. I stared at it, not really comprehending. Alice still retained her collective calm. "Jazz, if they move out, then that's their choice. But they're not going to be gone forever. They'll probably visit us regularly, like Renesmee and Jacob."

"Probably."

"Jasper, stop. You're getting ahead of yourself. Let's go to bed, and she can tell us about her night in the morning." The tone my wife was using said that this was settled and I better not dispute her. Clearly given no option, I let her tow me unwillingly from the bay window, thinking about how I would react if I saw Seth and Sera together, while trying to keep the harsh edge from my thoughts.

I was sitting on the bed, watching some television show I had no interest for as Alice took a shower. My mind constantly strayed back to worry for my daughter.

I checked the time again from my pocketwatch. 11:30. I wanted to call her, ask her if she was all right, but she probably wouldn't hear over the loud music. And she would be busy doing other things.

Other things. I tried not to think about what she would be doing at a party. In my mind, the only thing I could think of was her and Seth in some filthy corner, making out. Her dancing with Seth in that revealing black lace dress that made me want to light myself on fire to get away from the horror of it. I could only see Seth's face in my mind when he saw her in that dress. His emotions. I shuddered involuntarily.

I heard a whisper of wind from someone flying up the stairs and down the hall. I turned myself to look at whoever would walk in. Sure enough, Bella walked in with a pained expression, carrying a cell phone. "It's Jacob," she said as a way of greeting, and handed me her sleek phone. I stared at it, not putting it to my ear. There, blaring on the front of the screen, said 'Jake.'

"Is everything okay?" I asked Bella.

She didn't respond, and instead bit her lip.

I had known Bella long enough that she only did that when she was very worried. My battle training and vampire reflexes caused me to become very still. "Bella, what happened? Why is Jacob calling me?"

"It's about Sera," she whispered.

I unfroze instantly, feeling fear wash over everything else. The phone almost splintered from putting it to my ear so fast. "Talk, now," I growled into the phone.

"Sera's here," Jacob said simply. I heard rustling in the background.

"Why is Sera at your house?" I asked, confused, but worried. Worried. Oh no.

"Um...that's the thing. She's here. But she's crying. She refuses to tell anyone anything. Nessie's in the room with her now, but – Seth. He's here too, but out in the woods. She refuses to talk to him."

"What happened?" I snarled, already pulling on my shoes. I was envisioning Seth's head on a silver platter. It didn't matter what happened. Alice was wrong, Seth didn't protect her.

Seth didn't protect her. Besides finding out what happened to her, that was all I cared about. He had finally slipped up, and he was going to pay.

"Wait a second!" I heard Alice trill from the bathroom doorway, and I stopped in mid-step. She was wearing a robe and her hair was dripping wet and plastered to her face, "You're not going anywhere."

"Alice - !"

"Jasper Whitlock, if you know what's good for you, you better sit down," she growled. I groaned and sat down slowly, feeling a little betrayed. She turned her eyes to Bella, who was trying to deftly sneak out of the room unnoticed. "You're not going anywhere either. Sit."

Bella walked a wide arc around Alice and sat down next to me. Jacob was still on the phone. "Put him on speaker," Alice instructed.

I complied begrudgingly. "Jacob, you're on speaker, and Bella and Alice are here," I said, still glancing looks at the little pixie.

Jacob huffed. "Okay, well, like I was saying. Sera's here. Another thing too. She refuses to go home right now. Now, I'm not saying that Nessie and I were trying to kick her out or anything, but that was one of the few and only things she's said so far."

"We have to go over there," I said immediately. It was like second nature. I would go to wherever she was and take a course of action. That was part of my military training. If something was wrong, you faced it head-on. You came up with a practical plan and tried not to get yourself killed.

"Jazz, do you think that's a good idea?"

I sighed and looked heavily at my wife. Of all the times Alice and I would disagree, now was not the most optimal time. "Alice, I love you, but I think – "

"Did you hear Jacob? She's not speaking to anyone, even Ness. What makes you think she'll say anything to us? Whatever it is, whatever happened, we have to give her space."

She couldn't be serious. "So do nothing." It was harsh, but that's what the equivalent in my mind was.

Alice narrowed her eyes at me. "No, give her space. She will tell us eventually." She put her hand on her hip, daring me to argue.

I wanted to throw something! Why was Alice against every piece of advice and route of action I was proposing? We almost always agreed with each other. But nowadays, Sera was the biggest and most glaring dispute. Freedom, or keep her on a short leash? But all I could think about was the fact that my daughter was sitting in her cousin's house, crying and refusing to speak to anyone. I could be soothing her with my gift. I could be holding her. But no. Alice was against it, and I knew better than to dispute Alice because – and although I might never have admitted it in the moment – Alice was always right.

"She's welcome here as long as she wants," Jacob promised.

I sighed. Alice was already far away, moving back and forth, searching her visions. "Thank you Jacob, you're doing us a great favor. Try to get her to talk, and then ask her if she would like to see us." It pained me to say that, but I had to trust Alice and let it be. For now.

"I will."

I hung up the phone after that, feeling more worried than I ever have been. Alice was still pacing. "I don't understand why she's crying. And Seth? She always talks to Seth. This isn't good." My wife was talking more to herself than she was anyone else.

"Maybe she saw something? You know, in her visions?" Bella suggested, trying to look small and inconspicuous. I could feel the unease coming off of her.

Alice and I exchanged looks. I hadn't thought about it, but the more I did, the more it seemed plausible. And the more terrifying. What could she have seen that would have made her break down? Sera was neither fearful nor a coward. If it had been something concerning her family, she would have came straight home to tell us. Unless...

Unless it had nothing to do with us at all. Unless it was about Seth.

What could have Seth done?

I was soon trying to find reasons not to go hunting for Seth. Not that I would have any issue. Seth's stench seemed to be everywhere I turned.

I tried not to jump to any conclusions, but I decided that I really didn't care.

"If that's the case, then I'd be the best person to talk to her," Alice said.

I nodded. "I agree. Which is why I think we should go over there." Not to mention I wanted to interrogate that dog.

Alice was shaking her head before I even finished my sentence. "If it had to do with visions, then Sera will tell me. We have to trust that. But for now, we have to give her space."

I growled. "Let me find Seth."

Alice narrowed her eyes at me again. "That's not a good idea either."

"Alice, why not? I can't just sit here!" I felt like a four-year-old throwing a tantrum, but I couldn't contain it. This was injust. Alice was being completely uncompromising.

"Because I can see the anger in your eyes. And it's not like I can see you with Seth around. I can't stop you from doing anything stupid."

I scoffed. "I don't do stupid things."

"When it comes to Sera, you just might."

I knew in my heart of hearts she was right. But Alice was always right. I just hated when she was always right about this.

I still needed to go talk to him though.

"Alice, I promise I won't do anything I might regret. I just need to talk to him," I pleaded.

Alice sighed and leaned heavily against the wall. "Jasper, I'm not sure. I just feel so...useless, you know? Especially when it comes to Sera. Her and I don't necessarily see eye to eye...actually, very rarely do we. I just never know how to help her, because her and I are so different that it makes me almost do the opposite of everything I want to do. I'm a little jealous of Seth, honestly. He knows her better than she probably knows herself. And if there's anyone that could get through to her, it's him, without a doubt. I want to talk to him too...but like I said, I just do the opposite, because it's Sera."

I had never heard Alice admit that she was jealous of Seth before, and it took me a little by surprise.

I realized Bella had snuck out of the room, and was talking quickly to Emmett and Edward downstairs. I took my wife's hand. "Please let me go talk to him," I pleaded.

I stared at me for a long moment, biting her lip in worry. I bent down and kissed her gently, trying to soothe her. "I promise I'll behave," I said, kissing her again.

She sighed and leaned against me. "Well...okay."

I felt my mouth curve upwards. "Thank you, darling," I said.

Alice grabbed my chin roughly and yanked me down, kissing me with as much passion as she could muster in all of three seconds. "Please think of me if you get too angry," she pleaded silently.

I pulled back and gently touched my lips to each of her eyelids. "I promise."

With another passionate kiss and a promise to be home before dawn, I slipped out of the house and made my way to Nessie and Jake's.

Nessie POV

I don't think I had ever seen something so heart-wrenching in my life.

Sera sobbing harshly into my collarbone, gripping my forearm with her tight grip. Her clothes, her hair, her face, her psyche – all soiled.

She was broken.

The most startling characteristic that I noticed was her expressive eyes. Always so full of life, now they were dead things, poor excuses of any signs that she was still breathing.

"Embry," I heard Jake greet lowly as he opened the front door to let his best friend in. I heard a whine of protest and pain from Seth outside, and Sera sobbed harder into my chest. I held her tighter, kissing her soaking wet cheekbone.

Jake said something too low for my ears in the other room, but I heard Allie tramp down the stairs with a little less pep in her step than usual.

"Oh god, I'm driving you all away," Sera moaned brokenly. I was surprised, because Sera had only said a few things to me since she came here.

"Shhh, honey, no. You're fine here. Allie is just going to spend the night with Embry. She was planning on spending the night there anyway," I lied smoothly. In actuality, Jacob wanted to send Allegra to the pack house after he realized that it would probably be a long night.

I felt Sera's shoulders sag and she leaned even heavier into me. Jake started to pace outside the door to the room I was in.

Another sobbing solvusion wracked through her body, even harder this time. My heart broke over and over again for her. What could have happened? What could have possibly happened?

Jake's pocket rang, and he qucikly walked onto the porch outside. I took this time to try and get some life out of my beloved cousin.

"Sweetie, let's get you out of these clothes," I told her, sitting up and pulling her weak body up with me. She still clung onto me, almost as if I had never moved.

I almost thought she hadn't heard me, until a few moments later, when she nodded weakly against my chest. I sighed and kissed her forehead. "All right, I'm going to take off your dress."

I slid off the dirty lace dress, and was extremely shocked to find she wasn't wearing any underwear. I opened my mouth to inquire, but closed it shut, knowing I wouldn't get anything.

But whatever happened must have been bad.

My mind automatically jumped to the worst possible conclusion. She got drunk. So drunk in fact that her mental capacities were worn. A guy overpowered her...a guy took advantage of her. I bit the inside of my cheek to stop the harsh growl from escaping.

I tried to make my voice as sweet and nurturing as possible, even though I could feel the more vampiric side of me sneaking up on me, and fast. "Let's get you to the shower," I said.

I grabbed her hand and led her to the bathroom. She hid her face with her other hand, almost as if she was hiding inside herself. She was closing in, and I knew she wasn't going to be all right, by any means.

"I'm going to let go of your hand for a few moments, is that all right?" I asked her. She nodded slowly, still hiding her face.

I made the process as quick as possible, turning of the spray and watching the water come from the top and the sides of the shower. I put it on fairly hot. "All right hon, all ready," I told her.

Her arm had dropped from her face, so I could clearly see her. She was all hunched up inside of herself. In some weird way, she looked skinnier, swallowed up. Her face had mascara carelessly running down it, but that was trivial. Her eyes were the most horrifying sight about her.

If I were to live a thousand years, I might never forget that sight.

"The water's on," I said, lightly tugging on her arm and directing her into the shower. She stood under the spray, unsure of what to do with herself.

"Take as much time as you need," I promised her.

She nodded weakly and pulled the curtain around her, effectively cutting off her from me.

I immediately got down to business.

I put a fresh set of pajamas and a towel for her outside the bathroom door. I picked up the tattered dress and walked outside with it.

I pressed the fabric to my face, smelling deeply and almost wincing. It smelled like booze and sweat and hundreds of distinct human odors.

There was one that was stronger than the rest. Not by much, probably considering that she was around lots of people the whole night, but this one was fresher, stronger. It was indistinct in itself, nothing special, but it still stuck out to me.

Odd.

I tried to sniff around the room, getting a smell for something else, something for distinct. I made my way to the bed, and sniffed where she had been sitting.

The same scent, except much stronger.

It had saturated the bed, settling deep. It was there, and very prominent.

I pulled back and gasped, but muffled in quickly with my hand. I didn't waste any time. I quickly walked out to my husband, who had quit pacing and was sitting in the living room, leaning his head heavily on his hand, staring out the window at Seth, who was pacing madly through the trees.

"Jake, come here for a second," I said in a low voice.

Jake tilted his head up at me in surprise. "Baby, are you okay?" he asked worriedly, standing up and putting his hands on my shoulders. I leaned tiredly into his touch and nodded.

"Yeah, I just found something," I said in an even lower voice, motioning for him to follow me. Know he would, he immediately did so. I held up my finger to him to tell him to be quiet, and he nodded as well.

I grabbed the dress and handed it to him. "Smell it," I said.

He took one whiff and held it back form his face in disgust. "It smells like a party," he commented.

"No, smell it closer. There's one smell that's stronger than the rest."

Biting back his distaste, he investigated it closer. His eyes widened a little bit when he realized what I was saying. "What – "

"Smell the bed," I whispered even quieter, my eyes filling with tears.

He dropped onto one knee and pressed his nose to the bed. "Holy shit," he breathed.

I grabbed his arm and towed him out of the room immediately. "Jake, the smell was on her, not the dress," I said.

His mouth dropped. "No. No way – "

"Jake! It's on her! That smell! I know she's been drinking. What if she got weak, and somehow, some guy...oh no." The tears fell down my cheeks.

"Honey, we have to tell Seth," he whispered in shock, eyeing his friend weaving through the brush.

I shook my head. "We don't know what happened. All I know is that there's a strong scent on her, and it shouldn't be there. I also know is that she's crying, so I know something bad did happen. I don't even know, Jacob. I just don't know." I was shocked and horrified. I hoped with everything that I had in me that what I was thinking wasn't the case.

"Seth needs to know this," he told me.

"We can't jump to conclusions, Jacob! This is concerning...rape. What happens if Seth freaks out and kills the guy, but we're wrong? I don't want that on my conscience for the rest of eternity," I pleaded.

Jake sighed and shut his eyes, tightening his grip steadily onto me. "You're right," he admitted.

"And you know Seth will jump to conclusions," I said.

"And he won't hesitate. Even if he's Seth, it's still his imprint. Every imprinted wolf would act the same," he concluded.

I nodded in agreement. "We have to wait," I told him.

I realized we wouldn't be waiting for long, because Jasper's sleek motorcycle came speeding down the driveway with a purpose.

Jasper POV

I spotted Seth right away.

He was pacing back and forth through the trees. I could feel the extreme anxiety, the fear, the confusion, the worry. A little guilt.

It took everything I had not to jump off the motorcycle and rip him to shreds.

I took a deep, steady breath, and remembered what Alice had told me: Please think of me if you get too angry. I thought about her wonderful, shining face, willing myself to relax.

I parked the bike and slid off it smoothly. Seth had disappeared into the woods, but I could hear him getting dressed. Good. I would need to talk to him in person.

Nessie came outside with a face of worry. She smelled strongly of Sera. "Uncle Jasper," she greeted formally.

"Ness, where's Sera?" I asked, cutting right to the chase.

"Inside, taking a shower." She cast her eyes down, and I could feel the uncertainty from both her and Jake. They looked at each other knowingly.

"Are you lying to me?" I asked, trying to keep the anxiety out of my voice.

Nessie looked up. Shock. "No, I wouldn't lie to you about where she is, Jasper. You know that." I could tell she was being truthful, but I was still worried.

I decided to let it go to get to the truth of the matter. "How is she?" I had to ask.

Nessie swallowed hard, and I could feel the heartbreak. "She's not very good. She's crying, a lot."

Nessie bit her lip and looked down at her feet again. Jake came over and put a comforting arm around her shoulder.

Seth same through the trees then.

Seth looked like he had aged 10 years. He was walking cautiously toward Nessie with a dumbfounded expression. "Crying?" he choked.

And then he made a beeline for the house.

"Seth, no!" Jacob called sprinting after him. Nessie and I followed closely behind.

"Where is she?" he demanded, sweeping the living room. His emotions would have made me nauseous if I was human. It was like he was hitting me with a sledgehammer made of anxiety.

"Seth, please stop!" Nessie cried out, grabbing onto his forearm and tugging him out of the house. Seth's hands were shaking.

"Seth!" I yelled, standing in front of him and pushing him back. With vampire strength pushing and pulling him back, he was no match. He barely looked at me though.

He was staring above my head.

Turning my gaze ever-so-slightly, I looked over to see what he was staring at.

It was my daughter.

The shower was still running, but she must have heard the commotion. A soft pink robe was wrapped around her, but she was still dripping wet. Her hair was plastered to her face and was already drying in a frizz ball. On another day, it would have been quite amusing.

But Sera's emotions were like a dark, black hole. I was astounded that whatever she was feeling was being felt to that degree. I could almost feel the knife of pain inside of her.

"Sera," I whispered, forgetting Seth all together.

"It's Nia now," she announced, cold and hard as ice.

I raised my eyebrow and looked up at Seth. His mouth had dropped, and he was staring at her with tears in his eyes. Whatever Sera was feeling was killing him too.

"Darling, let's go get you cleaned up," I said, walking towards her. I don't even think she noticed me. She was still staring at Seth.

I could feel the love, hatred, and betrayal.

So, it was Seth.

"Seth, get out of here," I growled at him.

"No." He made a move closer to Sera.

"I'm warning you," I snarled, dropping into my protective crouch.

"Sera, what did I do?" Seth pleaded.

Sera's emotions bombarded me at that moment, stronger than anything I had ever felt from anyone. It was clawing, merciless, undiluted heartbreak.

My poor, poor baby.

I would dismember Seth into nothing. I would burn his body and no one would ever know what happened.

"Sera," he whispered brokenly.

Suddenly, Sera snarled, long and vicious. I was so shocked I took an involuntary step away from her. She had completely transformed from a brokenhearted girl into an angel of rage.

It was terrifying.

"Leave, Seth!" she screamed.

She didn't say any more, although I could feel all of the emotion she had felt this night in those two simple words. She strode from the room and into the bathroom, turning her back on the imprint.

The broken sobs coming from the bathroom were horrendous.

Seth stood there. From the outside, it looked like he had been frozen, but I knew better. His insides were crumbling down. His imprint had told him to leave her. I knew from the experience I was feeling at that moment that that kind of castaway was one of the worst feelings a wolf would ever feel. I almost felt pity for him. "I-I have to go," Seth said shakily. He didn't wait for anyone to protest. He didn't wait for the go-ahead. He jumped off the porch, and exploded into a sandy wolf in mid-air.

The last I saw of him was his tail and his heartbreak, disappearing into the trees.

A/N: I know I didn't do Seth's POV. I think I'm going to give him his chance later. But right now, it's all about Sera. Please don't hate me. (:

-Chels, xoxo.