Thank you all so much for your reviews. I didn't expect that response! I'm really glad you all liked the first chapter and sorry for the wait. This was supposed to be up yesterday, but I wasn't happy with how the next chapter was going. So, because of the changes I wanted to make in it, I had to change up this one. I hope you all like this chapter, and I promise in the next couple of chapters you'll learn more about Harper and where her scars came from. Thanks again and please let me know what you think!

Disclaimer: I own nothing associated with the Twilight series.

Chapter 2

When dinner was over Sam, Jared, and Jason went out into the backyard to start a fire in the stone fire pit Sam and Emily had in their backyard. I stayed inside to help Emily and Kim clear the table, and for some reason Paul did the same. When Paul and I brought in the last of the dishes, Emily turned and gave me a small smile as she put her hand on her round stomach. "Thank you," she said and I smiled at her in return. "You can go ahead and go outside with the others."

"Are you sure you don't want my help?" I asked and she shook her head as she lowered her hand from her stomach.

"I'm sure, go and relax," Emily said. "We do this often enough with more plates than this. We won't be long." I nodded my head before I left the kitchen and started to cross the living room to the patio door with Paul on my heels. I sighed quietly as we walked outside and over to where Jason at upon one of the large logs that surrounded the fire pit with Jared and watched Sam stoke the fire. A lounge chair rested close the end of one of the logs and near the fire and I assumed Sam had placed that chair there for Emily. Jared must have heard us coming because he looked away from the conversation he was having with Jason and smiled.

"The ladies send you outside?" Jared asked and I smiled as I wrapped my arms around my stomach and nodded.

"Yeah, Emily basically said they had everything under control," I said as I quickly moved to sit next to Jason and away from Paul. He was really starting to freak me out. He hadn't said a word at dinner and I could feel his eyes on me even though every time I looked at him he was focused on his plate or whoever happened to be talking at the time. No one else seemed to notice, so, I figured it must have all been in my slightly paranoid brain. Paul had sat down on the log across the fire from where I sat with Jason and his arms were crossed over his chest and a scowl was on his face as he looked into the fire.

"I gave up on trying to help her with anything in the kitchen a long time ago," Sam said with a fond smile on his face as he finally stopped stoking the bright flames and sat down upon the log next to the lounge chare. "There really is no arguing with her." I smiled at Sam before I moved a bit closer to Jason and the fire as I tried to ward off the chilly evening air.

My body wasn't used to the cooler weather of northwestern Washington just yet and I wrapped my arms around my stomach to keep my body heat in. While I watched the fire, I could tell that Jason wanted to put his arm around me to keep me warm because he kept fidgeting a bit, but he didn't. He knew better. Even though I was comfortable with him touching me, putting his arm around me and holding me close to him was something completely different than a hand on the shoulder or on my back.

Watching the flames dance was sort of mesmerizing and I found myself relaxing. I had been a little on edge the entire night, but Jason had been right. The guys and Emily and Kim were very nice; but Paul was another story. He hadn't said a word all night long. Not one. I knew I wasn't much of a talker, but I had at least talked some during the conversation at the dinner table after a while. The others were cheerful and welcoming while he was . . . well, different. I could feel Paul's eyes on me again as I watched the fire, but I wasn't going to bother to look at him. The odds were pretty good that if I did I would find him still scowling at the fire still.

"Harper?" Jared asked and I jumped from my thoughts and looked at him with a frown when I noticed he was looking at me with a grin.

"Sorry, I didn't hear what you said," I said and Jason, Sam, and Jared chuckled.

"I said: you're not very talkative. You haven't said much since you walked through the door," he said and I blushed lightly. For some reason my eyes glanced to where Paul had been sitting only to find him gone. Before I could wonder where he had gone off to, I quickly turned my eyes back to Jared and gave him a small smile.

"I guess I'm not," I said and Jared was still smiling at me.

"Don't worry, we won't hold it against you," he said with a wink and I laughed lightly. "Jason said you'll be going to Forks High School this fall," he said and I nodded, which made him smile. "Are you looking forward to it?" he asked.

"Did you ever look forward to the start of the school year?" I asked and he laughed as he shook his head negatively.

"Can't say that I did," Jared said and I smiled at him before I looked back at the fire and wrapped my arms around my middle a little tighter. Suddenly, a soft fabric was carefully draped around my shoulders. I jumped slightly before I turned my head and looked over my left shoulder to see Paul draping a warm flannel blanket over my shoulders.

"You looked cold," he said and for some reason my stomach knotted and my heart sputtered at the sound of his voice. It was deep like Sam and Jared's but rougher and huskier. I unwrapped my arms from around my stomach before I brought my hands to the edges of the blanket and while I still looked at Paul, I pulled the blanket around me completely.

"Thank you," I said and he gave me a curt nod before he walked away and settled himself down where he had been sitting before, but the scowl that had been on his face earlier was gone. Kim and Emily came out then and Sam was quick on his feat to help Emily settle herself into the lawn chair next to where he sat. Kim sank down on to the log next to Jared before she laced her arm with his and rested her head on his shoulder.

The small talk started again and I kept my eyes on the fire as I listened. They were mostly sharing stories of the past, with Jason listening mostly and putting his two cents in every once in a while. I liked Jason's new group of friends. Jared reminded me a lot of Jason, of how he was before everything that happened; however, I noticed that Jason was slowly becoming his old self again. I was pretty sure I had the people around me to thank for that.

Sam acted older than what I assumed he was, and he doted on Emily who, over dinner, I had learned was nearly eight months along in her pregnancy. Kim and Jared were recently married and as far as I knew Paul wasn't seeing anyone, which was somewhat relieving. I frowned and mentally shook my head to get rid of the feeling. There was no reason for me to be relieved that Paul wasn't seeing anyone. It was ridiculous for me to feel that way. I didn't know him and I shouldn't have cared either way.

The familiar burn of eyes on me came over me and I knew that Paul was looking at me again. I braved a look at him over the flames and to my surprise, I actually caught him. He didn't look away like I had expected him to. Instead he met my eyes evenly over the fire, and very slowly a smile made its way across his lips as he looked at me. My stomach knotted again and I found myself starting to smile back; but I quickly stopped myself. I looked away from him then and back at the fire as a blush raged across my cheeks.

"Does anyone want anything to drink? I've got some iced tea in the fridge," Emily said as the sun was starting to set and everyone nodded. Emily made to stand, but Kim stood and shook her head.

"Oh no you don't," Kim said. "You rest. I'll get it." I stood up, leaving the blanket on the log, which made everyone looked at me. I smiled through the blush that had remained on my face and gestured towards Kim.

"I'll help," I said and Kim smiled brightly at me before the two of us made out way into the house and to the kitchen.

"Would you mind getting the pitcher from the fridge while I get the glasses?" she asked and I shook my head negatively before I walked over to the fridge and opened the door.

"Whoa," I said as I took in the severely stuffed refrigerator. Kim chuckled as she started putting tall glasses on the counter and I looked at her.

"Emily's always feeding a small army, so, she keeps her cupboards pretty well stocked," Kim said and I laughed as I pulled the plastic pitcher from the fridge before I walked over to the counter Kim stood at.

"I can see that," I said and she smiled at me. Without really thinking I tucked my hair behind my ears before I set to pouring the tea into the glasses Kim had sitting on the counter. It was when I was filling up the second glass that I heard her sharp intake of breath. I didn't look at her as I moved onto the third glass; I didn't have to. I knew what it was that made her gasp.

"What happened?" Kim asked softly while I started to pour the fourth glass. I remained silent and I heard her let out a heavy breath. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have asked that." I stopped pouring the tea and looked at her. "I really should know better," she said as she turned her apologetic eyes to mine. "I just . . . I hadn't even noticed it until you put your hair behind your ears and Jared told me about Emily's scars before I met her. I didn't-"

"It's okay, Kim" I said interrupting her flustered apology. She didn't have to say she was sorry, most people didn't ask that question with the same concern that she did. Most people when they saw it just blurted it out of curiosity, but I heard the concern in Kim's voice and that was new. She didn't look like she believed me, so, I offered her a small smile. "Honestly, don't worry about it. I shouldn't have kept it hidden all night anyway." I returned my eyes to the glasses and started to pour the fifth glass. The air around us had shifted a bit and became awkward, just like it always did when someone noticed my scar for the first time.

"Harper," Kim said as I finished pouring the last glass and I looked at her. "You know if you ever want to talk . . . Emily and me . . . we're good listeners."

"Thanks, Kim, but . . . I'm . . . it's . . . it's . . . it's really complicated," I stumbled through my words and she smiled at me as she nodded and pulled a serving tray from the cupboard.

"Well, whenever you're ready we'll be here," she said and I gave her a small smile and nod of my head before I turned to put the nearly empty pitcher back in the fridge and fixed my hair once again so it covered my face. Kim carried the tray through the house with me following behind her with the two glasses that wouldn't fit on the tray in my hands. Kim walked faster than I did and had handed out the glasses to Jared, Jason, Sam, Emily, and herself; leaving me to bring the extra glass I carried to Paul. The smile she sent me as she sat back down next to Jared had me thinking she did that on purpose. Paul was looking at me expectantly and butterflies erupted in my stomach as I walked over to him.

"Here you go," I said softly as I held out the glass in my right hand to him. My eyes were focused on the glass because I didn't want to look at him, but when he didn't take the glass from my hands, I couldn't help but look at him. He stood then and out of instinct, I took a step back as my eyes followed him to his full height. Like I said earlier, I wasn't short at five feet eight inches, but as he stood in front of me I realized just how tall he was. He was nearly a full foot taller than I was. He had to have been at least six five or six-six, just like Sam and Jared. I thought it strange that I didn't feel as intimidated by the other two men as I did Paul.

"Thanks," he said roughly as he took the glass from me.

"You're welcome," I said before I turned away, and moved back to where Jason sat. Paul was definitely an interesting man.

"Good morning, Health and Wellness Center, how can I help you?" asked the soft voice of Penelope, Dr. Hamilton's receptionist.

"Morning, Penelope, this is Harper Cavanagh," I said as I sat down onto the sofa and put my feet up on the coffee table. Jason was at work so he couldn't yell at me not to. "Is Dr. Hamilton free?"

"Sure, Harper, let me put you through to her," Penelope said before hold music came on. It was early Monday, not even eight yet, and I knew that Dr. Hamilton's office opened at seven but she didn't start to see patients until nine. After Friday night I had spent Saturday and Sunday in movie marathon mode. Sam and Emily had invited us to their place again on Saturday, but I didn't want to go. As much as I liked them, I wasn't ready for another social gathering; so, Jason had gone alone and brought me back a heck of a lot of food that Emily insisted that he bring me. I planned on finishing it off at lunch time.

"Harper, when I hadn't heard from you that first week I thought for sure you wouldn't be calling," came the cheery voice of Dr. Margaret Hamilton.

"I wasn't excepting to call you either, but you did say I could call when I had a problem and one has sort of come up," I said as I picked at a piece of lint from the tank top that was serving as my pajama shirt at the moment.

"Oh?" she asked. "Is everything going okay?"

"Yeah, everything's fine; nothing much has changed it's just a different town," I said. "But on Friday, Jason took me to his boss' place and I met the guys he worked with and two of their wives."

"How did that go?" she asked, switching on her psychologist button. Dr. Hamilton had become my friend more than my doctor over the last three years, and she knew everything there was to know about me.

"Fine, but . . .," I trailed off, not exactly sure how to continue.

"But?" she prodded and I sighed as I rested my head back against the sofa and looked up at the ceiling.

"But there was this guy, one of the guys Jason works with," I said. "I wasn't watching where I was going and I ran right into him. He grabbed me to stop me from falling and I didn't freak out. I actually felt . . . safe when I looked up at him. It wasn't until Jason said my name that I realized I wasn't afraid. When the panic came it wasn't as severe as it usually is."

"Well, maybe the move has lessened your stress level," Dr. Hamilton said. "From what Jason was telling me the area you moved to is rural and quiet. You don't have a lot going on around you now and you're able to focus without the constant fear of something happening."

"Maybe," I said softly as I righted my head.

"Was everyone you met nice?" Dr. Hamilton asked and I smiled.

"Yeah, they were all very nice," I said, "but the guy I mentioned . . . he didn't say much at all. I think he only said like four words the whole night. Other than that he just stared at me."

"He stared at you?" Dr. Hamilton asked, sounding curious.

"I only caught him once, but I could feel his eyes on me the whole night." I laughed quietly and shook my head. "I could have imagined it for all I know, but I felt like he was staring at me."

"How did that make you feel?" Dr. Hamilton asked.

"I don't know," I said honestly.

"What do you mean you don't know?" she asked and I sighed.

"I mean that I don't have the slightest clue how to describe what I was feeling," I said and I could just see the frown on her face as she processed my words. It took her three months to get me to open up, but once she had I was an open book for her to read. "I was curious and slightly freaked out, but something else was going on and I really can't describe it."

"You're usually so good at describing how you feel, Harper," she said.

"I know," I said sounding just as confused as she did.

"Well, maybe this is a good thing," she said. "Maybe you're finally opening up to people other than your brother and me."

"Yeah, maybe," I said softly before there was a knock on the door. I jumped a bit and looked to the triple deadbolt locked door. "Would it be all right if I called you again, you know to talk a little more about this?"

"Harper, you know you can call me anytime you wish," she said. "You have my home number. You could have even called me on Saturday if you had wanted to."

"I didn't want to bother you on the weekend," I said with a small smile. "I'll try and keep my crazy reserved for the weekdays." She laughed even though she often told me I wasn't crazy. I tended to think otherwise.

"Okay, but still keep in touch," she said. "I want to know how you're doing."

"I will," I said and there was another firm knock on the door. "I'll call you soon."

"Okay, take care," she said and I smiled.

"Bye," I said.

"Good bye Harper," she said and I hung up the phone before I lowered my short clad legs from the coffee table and walked over to the door with the phone clasped tightly in my hand just in case. I looked through the peephole and gasped when I saw Paul standing on the other side of the door.

I quickly turned my back to the door and rested against it with my heart hammering in my chest. However, it wasn't racing out of fear like I was used to. I knew that feeling all too well. What had me on edge was different. The feeling coursing through me was the same unknown feeling that raced through me on Friday night. I had no idea what to do, but I knew I couldn't leave him out on the porch all day. He knocked again, harder and much louder than the first two. I jumped because the sound echoed right behind my head and after taking a deep breath, I pushed myself away from the door and unlocked the three deadbolts before I slowly opened the door.