[A/N: Happy Monday again! Sit back and hopefully enjoy!]

When we arrived home, everyone dispersed. Holli into our room, Kail into the living area, Eric into his room, and Tyson went off into the woods. Most likely to find Gene. I decided to not disturb Holli and headed for a spot on the sofa with Kail. I pulled out my homework, hoping to finish before I had to go to work.

After about twenty minutes of Kail watching some singing game show, he sighed heavily. This got my attention and I looked up from my math book. He stood up and walked to the TV. Reaching into his pocket he pulled out tons of loose change. He carefully counted it out and put most of it into the swearing jar. I smiled and returned to my homework.

Only five minutes after Kail had made this move, we heard a quick knocking on the door. "Come in!" Kail boomed, most likely already knowing who it was due to his extreme senses that came hand in hand with being a werewolf.

I looked over my shoulder to see Quil entering. He smiled and jumped over the couch to sit in between Kail and I. "Oh, gross. Homework." He shuddered and joined in with Kail on a debate about something on the game show they were watching.

All of a sudden Kail straightened up. "Hey, have you been phased recently?"

Quil became confused. "No, not since last night. Why?"

Kail heaved a heavy sigh. "Gene. He ran off and I'm worried about him. Tyson went to go see if he could find him, but he texted me a while ago saying he hadn't found him."

"Why would he run off like that?"

Kail then described everything that had happened this day. At this point in the conversation I didn't even pretend to be doing my work. I leaned in and intently listened to their conversation.

"It's his imprint. She's toying around with his emotions with some other guy," Kail said, still hypnotized by the small TV screen.

I couldn't help but notice Quil's quick eye movement to where I was sitting, but just as fast he went back to his original position. "Oh, that's too bad."

For another hour we sat in basically the same position. The only differences were that Kail was asleep, Quil had tucked his arm behind my shoulders, and I had stopped concentrating on my homework so much. His warmth against my neck distracted me, but I didn't want it to go away. Occasionally he'd help me, but ended up just getting flustered by all the formulas and division.

"Hey, don't you got to work tonight, Claire-bear?" Quil whispered in my ear, sending chills through my spine.

I widened my eyes. Shit! I jumped up, throwing my assignment all over the living room floor and ran to my room to change into my uniform. I threw on my red cotton 'SUBWAY' shirt and a pair of long, black shorts. I tied my apron around my waist and threw my hair up. I grabbed my visor and ran back to the living room.

Suddenly I realized that I had lent my car to Quil yesterday so he could do a mandatory oil change and overall check-up. We'd have to take Quil's car!

I grabbed Quil by his shirt sleeve and dragged him out of the house. What I saw amazed me: my beaten up 1994 white Chevy Corsica! Quil must have drove it over here for me. I hopped into the driver's seat. My engine came to life and I shifted into reverse. As I drove out I waved to Quil, mouthing 'thank you'.

When I got to work I saw that I had a pile of dishes waiting for me. Usually they didn't hire people just for dishes, but they couldn't really use me for anything else. The girls all greeted me as I walked in, using smiles which I knew were fake. These women were the most feisty I had ever seen. They were constantly bad-mouthing everyone who wasn't in sight. And I heard every word of it, because of the small working space in the back of the store.

For four hours I stood there and did the dishes. Every time it looked like I was done, they'd have more for me. I looked at the clock and it read nine. My manager tried to convince me to take my break, but I refused. My philosophy was always that I could rest and take breaks when I was six feet under.

By ten thirty there were three of us left. Once I finished dishes I did the bitch work: sweeping and mopping and changing the garbage. I sat in my car for a few minutes, my legs tingling from standing up for too long. I took one last final stretch and went on my way home.

While I was driving, I couldn't help but think of the disaster that awaited me when I walked in my house. Gene wasn't there to cook, and dad was either still at work or had fallen straight on his bed when he got home. Kail and Holli most likely were still not on speaking terms. Eric was probably shut up in his room, worried about Gene. And Tyson was out patrolling. They would be very hungry when I arrived.

I pulled up to my house and was amazed that almost every light was out except for the main entrance light. Had everyone gone to bed early?

As I got out of my car, I saw my dad's small Ford truck parked across the yard.

Quil met me halfway in the driveway carrying a huge bag of Gummi Bears and a huge, guilty smile. Why hadn't he left yet? "I checked under your bed and saw you were out." He wrapped a jacket around my shoulders and we walked into the house. What I saw astounded me!

The kitchen and living room had been cleaned. The assignment I had thrown on the floor was now in a neat pile on the coffee table. The only thing out of place was a bowl of macaroni and a tall glass of milk waiting for me at the table. I turned to Quil and hugged his waist from the side. 'Thank you, you are the best' I signed.

He shrugged. "Eric helped me with the food for everyone." He faced towards the couch and I saw Kail laying down and Holli asleep on his stomach, her arms tucked under his neck. Hopefully this meant that they made up.

'Tyson?' I asked Quil.

He shook his head. "No, he couldn't get out of patrolling tonight. But, at least your dad's home. I even got him to eat some of my delicious cooking."

'We will see about that', I signed him as I walking over to the food that awaited me. Quil then filled for me a small bowl of gummy bears as an "appetizer" then went to go put Kail and Holli to bed.

After I finished gulping down my incredibly good meal, Quil took my dishes away from me and cleaned them thoroughly. I tried to get up and help him but he only playfully nudged me away. "You do these things all the time, let me help you out, okay?"

When he was done, he turned to face me. He looked solemn in a way, but yet I could tell he was happy. Quil was always so hard to read.

I suddenly got an idea. I pulled on his arm, trying to lead him out the back porch. He followed slowly behind me, making me pull hard to get him to come along. Once we were outside I pointed to the stars and sighed. They were one of my favorite things in the world. I watched them whenever I could, wondering if they each had their own galaxies with planets and life.

"You want to go to First Beach, Claire?" Quil asked me, snaking his right arm around my back.

I looked up at him in surprise. The only time we went to the beach is in the morning, waiting for the sun to rise. I nodded but wondered why he was bringing me there this late at night.

He went inside to grab me a sweater and brought along an old Mexican blanket that always hung off the top of our sofa. I pulled the gray GAP sweater over my head and wrapped the blanket around my shoulders, just realizing how cold it was.

I felt warmth as Quil tucked me into him as we walked along our trail to our beach. I knew with Quil I could never be cold. He would never allow it.

The trees slowly moved with the wind. They looked so different and gave me a feeling of sadness in the way they were colored by the moonlight. Each time a leaf crumpled under my feet, I flinched. It was official, I was spooked by the night.

Quil kissed the top of my head. He always had an amazing way of knowing what I was feeling. "Come on Claire-bear, you can't honestly tell me you're scared. You're one-hundred percent safe with me, I promise. Forever."

I shivered, and not because I was cold. But his words moved something in me. I stored his words in the back of my mind, hoping I could pull them out whenever I needed the warm and safe feeling.

After a few minutes I decided to finally ask Quil how his family was doing. This wasn't supposed to be such a big task, but his family was... different.

Quil lived in his own apartment which he shared with a couple members of his pack, but still spent most of his free time over at his family's home. The small blue house had seven people living there. His parents, his sister Layla, his brother-in-law Jack, and their three kids. Originally the house had been made for Layla and her family, but the last couple of years everything went haywire.

It all started with Quil's mother, Clarice, wanting to get a divorce. His father, Larry,wouldn't agree with those plans and convinced her that they stay together. Little did we know all along that Clarice only stayed because Larry threatened to hurt her if she ever tried to leave.

Quil said he never saw it coming. His parents were always happy, minus the financial problems, when he and Layla were growing up.

Now Larry was the helpless one, dying of some heart disease. Quil wouldn't tell me much more than that. He said that his parents were getting along better, but his father was still a douche bag. A few months ago they moved in with Layla's family so Layla could help take care of Larry.

I couldn't imagine living in a house with seven people who didn't get along. At least in my house we were all close and never stayed angry for too long. But there was a lot of built up angst in that family. Especially Layla's oldest son who was fourteen and growing taller and more buff by the minute. Soon all their lives were going to be changed.

"I just don't know what to do, Claire. Joel is my nephew, and I can't let him just phase without his knowledge of what werewolves are. But if before I started phasing some one came up to me and told me that I was going to be some big, hairy creature I would have freaked out," he brought both his hands up to his face and rubbed them against his forehead before wrapping himself around me again.

I shrugged. I really couldn't come up with an answer on how he should deal with this. The only thing I could do is reassure him that he'll do the right thing. 'I have faith in you, Quil', I signed to him.

He smiled and kissed the top of my head. "Thanks, Claire. You're my best friend, you know that, right?"

I nodded. Of course I was. Quil and I told each other everything and he was always there for me right when I needed him. If there was a god some where in the sky, I think he made us to fit together like this. Quil always knew when something was wrong. And I wouldn't have wanted him any other way. Well, so maybe that a slight lie.

We got to the beach and laid down upon the very soft sand. Quil put down the blanket and I rolled onto it. He got down next to me and we looked up at the clear night. Not a cloud in sight.

"So that zombie movie is coming out tomorrow night, Claire. I was wondering if you wanted to come to Port Angeles with me and some of the boys."

I shook my head and quickly signed him, 'I can't. I'm busy.'

"Busy with what? I thought they gave you tomorrow night off? Did you agree to take some one else's shift again, Claire? They can't do that! You already work too much. Don't they know you have school and family and-"

I clamped my hand over his mouth quickly and shook my head. He furrowed his eyebrows at me. "Shh!" 'No. I'm not working tomorrow'.

"Huh? Then what are you doing?" He asked, leaning up on one arm and refusing to take his eyes off mine.

Great. Here it came. I was hoping the subject never came up. Quil had never actually met Derek, but I'm sure he had heard enough from my opinionated brothers. Maybe I could sneak around the truth.

'Going to the school dance', I signed easily with a nonchalant face.

"Since when?" He fell back on the blanket in relief.

'Kenzie wants me to come with and Gene wants me to go to watch over her and her date Connor.' Good. Good wording. Maybe I could do this.

He rolled his eyes. "Gene can go himself. It's not fair to have him make you do that. Come one, would you rather babysit a bunch of high school students or watch zombies who eat brains?"

I smirked. 'I want to go'.

"Fine," he laughed. "But next time we see a scary movie, I'm dragging you there. Dance or no dance. Okay?" He picked up my right hand and rubbed over it gently. He then followed suit by covering me with his body, giving me the warmth I loved.

I nodded and yawned. I knew I should probably suggest we head home, but I couldn't bring myself to move against Quil's hot, firm body. It felt right in so many wrong ways.

[What's to come?

I awoke and the first thing I saw was Quil's beautiful face only inches from mine. His eyes were closed and mouth slightly open, emitting slow and quiet snoring snores. I could only imagine he might have been dreaming about me in the same way that I had dreamed about him.

The sun blinded me for a second and it was then I realized it was the sun rising! Oh shit! I had spent the entire night on the beach with Quil! I hoped no one at home had waken to find me missing.

It was when I tried to wiggle out of Quil's grip when I realized it. My mouth gaped and I'm sure I turned a thousand or more shades of red. Quil's huge hand was cupped around my left breast! His fingers were wrapped around the mound and he was rubbing across the nipple with his thumb.

I checked myself quickly and I realized we were still both clothed. Good, so at least nothing had happened that I hadn't remembered. Why was his hand there then? Could he really have done such a thing in his sleep? ]