Hey everyone! Sorry for the wait, but real life kicked my butt this week. I hope this super long chapter makes up for the wait. Thank you for all your reviews and adds, I'm so glad everyone's enjoying the story so far. Thanks for reading and please let me know what you think!

Disclaimer: I own nothing associated with the Twilight series.

Chapter 12

"We didn't get him anything for his birthday," I said the following morning as Jason and I finished up our breakfast before we got ready to go to Sam's birthday party.

"Sam told me that the only thing he wanted was for us to come," Jason said as he ran his hand over his short auburn hair and sighed. He hadn't wanted to go to the party and it had taken some convincing, including me calling Sam to guilt Jason into agreeing to go. I was pretty sure that he wanted to keep Paul and me as far away from each other as possible, but I wasn't going to let that happen. When I was with Paul, I felt like my old self again. I felt like who I was before the night my life changed for forever.

"Still, it's a bit rude don't you think?" I asked and Jason rolled his eyes.

"A few weeks ago if I would have mentioned running to the drug store, you would have had a fit and now you're worried about being rude for not bringing a gift for Sam," he said and I frowned. "I really don't know what's gotten into you, Harp."

"Aren't you the one that told me that I couldn't hide away forever? Is it so bad that I'm actually living instead of dwelling in what happened to me?" I asked sharply as I stood from the kitchen table and brought my empty cereal bowl to the sink where I rinsed it and left it there for later.

"I'm not saying it's a bad thing, I just don't understand how this happened," he said as he too stood with his own bowl in hand. I snatched his bowl and spoon from his hands and rinsed them before settling them in the sink with mine. "It took you three years to let me even touch you, and now we move here and it's almost like nothing ever happened to you."

"I haven't forgotten it, Jason," I snapped as I turned back around and glared at him. Jason's face paled a bit and I knew he instantly regretted his words. "I can't forget it because I remember it every time I look in the mirror, and what I don't understand is why you can't be happy that I'm actually happy." I sighed as I ran my right hand down my face and looked at him, angry tears filling my eyes. This was so not how I wanted to start my morning. "Why do I have to have a reason to be happy? Why can't I just be happy without having to explain myself to you or to anyone else?"

"Harper, you don't have to explain yourself. I'm just trying to-," Jason started as he took a step closer to me, but I shook my head.

"I'm not finished," I said and he stopped walking and closed his mouth so I could continue. "I don't want to go to therapy. I don't want to have to sit and talk about my feelings about what happened to me anymore and how I feel about doing this or doing that. I'm past it now, Jason, can't you see that?" He sighed heavily as he closed the distance between us and put his hands on my shoulders.

"Okay, Harp, you don't have to," he said, and it was easy for me to see the concern in his eyes. I was pretty sure I was having some sort of breakthrough and the fact that I was talking so opening with Jason about how I was feeling at that moment was definitely new. I never opened up with him like I was, and it was high time that I did. Dr. Hamilton would be proud.

"I know that we both lost the two most important people in our lives that night, and I know that you had to give up a lot because of me. I love you all the more for it because I'm pretty sure I would have ended up a lot more messed up than I did if you hadn't. You gave me reasons to keep fighting for the surface when I was drowning in everything and I found it. I think I'll be able to tread the water, but you may have to give me a hand every now and then."

"You're my sister, Harper, and I love you," he said easily. "I'd give you the world if I could."

"I don't want the world; I just want you to stop worrying so much about me. You've done enough and I think I turned out okay," I said with a teary smile. My anger was long gone and was replaced by the love and appreciation I had for my brother. He was an amazing man to do what he did for me, and some day he was going to make a woman very lucky.

"You still got a few kinks, but I think you'll be able to iron them out," he said and I laughed lightly as I rubbed at my eyes and hugged him tight. He kissed the side of my head and squeezed me a little tighter before he gently nudged me away. "Go on and get a shower while I clean up out here," he said and I pulled away from him as I nodded. I shot him one more smile before I rushed off into the bathroom to get ready for the party.

I knew Paul liked my large loose curls, but I wanted to do something different. I found my old straightener buried in the bathroom cupboard and once my hair was washed and dried as straight as I could get it, I had ran the straightener over my auburn locks. I wasn't surprised when my hair fell neatly down to the middle of my back. I wasn't sure if Paul was going to like the change, but once I washed my hair it would return to its normal large and bouncy curls.

I smiled at my reflection once I was dressed and ready to go because I barely recognized the girl looking back at me in the mirror. If it wasn't for the scar on my reflection's face I would have thought that I was looking at someone else. The weather was warm and beautiful just like it had been the last couple of days, and since I wanted to look nice I opted to wear one of the two sundresses that hung in my closet. I had a lavender colored dress and a buttery yellow dress, so, I had selected the yellow once since after my 'talk' with Jason I felt much better. I was sliding my feet into my white flip flops when Jason knocked on my bedroom door.

"Come on, Harper, we've got to get going if we want to get there in time," he said through the door and after grabbing my cell phone from the nightstand I went to the door and opened it. Jason was still standing there and he raised an eyebrow when he noticed what I was wearing. "Since when do you actually where those dresses?" he asked and I laughed as I walked past him and into the living.

"Since I felt like it, now let's go," I said and I heard him chuckle before he followed me and the two of us quickly made our way to his truck. Like the last time, it didn't take us very long to reach Sam and Emily's place and their driveway and yard were already littered with cars and trucks as Jason parked his truck behind the one I knew to be Paul's. My heart started racing a bit when I realized that he was here already and the smile on my face couldn't be helped as we climbed from the truck and made our way around to the back of the house where we could hear music and laughter echoing a bit. It was just past noon and I figured that Emily and Kim were hard at work in the kitchen, but I wanted to see Paul before I went inside to lend a hand.

"Hey, look who made it!" Jared said once Jason and I rounded the corner and Jason laughed while I offered him a small smile and blushed when everyone turned to look at us. There were several other young men that were just as big as Sam, Jared, and Paul; but I didn't know any of them, and there were also quite a few older people and one of the large young men was playing with a little girl that was no more than five or six. Instead of letting my nerves take over I walked over to Sam and hugged the older man tightly while Jason followed.

"Happy birthday, Sam," I said and Sam chuckled as he hugged me back.

"Thanks Harper," he said.

"Sorry we come empty handed," I continued as we pulled apart and he shook his head.

"I've got everything I want," he said with a smile and knew that he was talking about Emily, so, I smiled in return.

"Happy birthday, man," Jason said as he clamped his hand on Sam's shoulder and Sam looked away from me and to Jason before he laughed and nodded his head in thanks. Suddenly, Jared grabbed my hand and pulled me away from the pair.

"Come on, you need to meet everyone," Jared said as he pulled me over to the various groups and introducing me to so many people my head was starting to spin. However, I wasn't nervous about meeting any of them until he brought me over to the group of large young men, who all were smiling as they looked at me. "Guys this is Harper," Jared said proudly and I rolled my eyes at his tone. It was obvious that I had been a topic of conversation at some point between the group of men. "Harper this is Embry, Seth, Brady, Colin, Jacob, and the dork over there playing with Claire is Quil," Jared finished as he pointed with his thumb to the young man with the little girl, who looked up and glared at Jared before returning his attention to Claire.

"It's nice to meet all of you," I said and Seth was the first one to speak.

"Welcome to the family," he said and I laughed lightly before I smiled at him. He radiated energy and kindness and I was pretty sure that I was going to get a long pretty well with him.

"Thanks, I guess," I said and we talked for a little while about nothing really in particular and after fifteen minutes I was getting anxious. So, I gently touched Jared's arm and he looked down at me curiously. "Where's Paul?" I asked quietly but everyone heard me because they all laughed loudly, which made me blush a bit as I looked at them.

"I was wondering how long it was going to take you to ask that question," he said through a smile as he looked up and behind me before he nudged out his chin. "Right there," he said and I quickly turned around and saw him looking at me from where he stood at the tree line dressed in a pair of dark jeans and loose fitting gray t-shirt. "He went for a walk because he was anxious for you to get here."

"Thanks," I said quietly without looking at Jared before I started towards Paul, however, I turned around to make sure Jason didn't notice where I was going and thankfully he was still talking to Sam and his back was to me. I turned back around and quickly continued on my path to Paul. Once I was within his reaching distance, he gently took my hand and pulled me into the dense trees, taking cover in their shadows before he kissed me deeply. I sighed against his lips as my free hand slid up his chest to rest on his neck as he kissed me. We'd seen each other the night before, but it felt like it had been ages since I had last been in my arms.

"You look beautiful," he whispered once he pried his lips from mine and I smiled up at him.

"Thank you," I whispered and he sighed quietly before he rested his forehead against mine and ran his hand through my straightened hair.

"Why did you straighten it?" he asked absently and I bit my lower lip.

"You don't like it?" I asked and he raised his head from mine before he shook his head negatively.

"No, I like it," he said. "It's just different."

"I wanted to try something different, but don't worry I won't do this all the time," I said and he smiled before he leaned in and kissed me again, but briefer than the last one.

"Good because I love your curls," he said before he kissed me again and wrapped his arms around my waist before he pulled my body flushed against his. I threw my arms around his shoulders and returned his kiss. After several bliss filled seconds, I forced myself to pull my lips from his.

"We better join the others," I said. "It's Sam's party after all."

"And your brother's here," he said and I bit my lip again before I nodded. "Okay," he said through a heavy breath. "Let's go join the party." I smiled at him and kissed him chastely before I slip from his arms. I heard him groan quietly and I turned around to look at him with a frown.

"What?" I asked and I could have sworn I saw a blush creep across his cheeks as his eyes snapped up to my face from my legs.

"Nothing," he said quickly before he was quick to my side and I raised an eyebrow but didn't say any more because I realized something about Paul. He was a leg man.

Another week had gone by and it was almost like I was back to my old self again. Sam's party had been a lot of fun and Paul had gone back to work during the week, but for lunch he had snuck off to have the afternoon meal with me no matter where they were working. It was Saturday and Jared, Sam, and Paul had taken Jason on a fishing trip with a few of the older gentlemen on the reservation and Chief Swan. So, Jason let me borrow his truck since he rode to the reservation with Chief Swan and I had made my way to Emily's place that morning to help her and Kim put the final touches on the nursery.

"Hey, I have a bear just like this," I said as I picked up the soft cream colored bear. It looked older than the other stuffed animals and I noticed that its right eye had been sewn back on.

"Really?" Emily asked with a soft smile and I looked at her as I nodded.

"Yeah, George is a little worse for wear though because I dragged him everywhere with me until I was ten. He's got a checkered patch on his stomach that my mom had sewn on after the neighbor's dog took the stuffing out of him when I was seven and his left eye has been missing since before then." I laughed when Emily and Kim started chuckling and put the bear back down in the corner of the crib where it had been resting. "I've got him hidden under my pillow so Jason won't make fun of me for holding on to him."

"That bear was Sam's," Emily said and I raised an eyebrow while Kim scoffed. "What?" Emily asked as she put her hand on her belly and smiled at Kim.

"Nothing really, it's just that Sam doesn't seem like the type to keep a childhood memento," Kim said and Emily shrugged before she waddled over to where I stood and looked down fondly at the bear.

"I found a button to match the eye and sewed it on and cleaned it up," she said. "We'd found it while going through a box of things his mother had sent over. I thought it would be nice for the baby to have it."

"It is nice, Emily," I said and she turned her head to look at me. "If George wasn't so tattered, I'd probably want any future offspring of mine to have him. However, he will more than likely remain tucked under my pillow until I'm old and gray." Emily laughed before she grimaced and bent slightly.

"Okay, that's the fifth time I've seen you do that in the last hour and you're not going to tell me that it's just gas," Kim said as she quickly walked over to Emily and put a hand on Emily's shoulders while I looked between my new friends with small frown.

"They're only ten minutes apart," Emily said once she gained her breath and I gasped as I looked at her with wide eyes.

"Emily, why did you tell us?" Kim asked as she lowered her hand and Emily sighed as she shook her head.

"My water hasn't broken yet and Dr. Lucas said that I didn't need to get to the hospital until they were seven minutes apart," Emily reasoned and I rolled my eyes while Kim let a noise out of her throat that I hadn't heard anyone make before.

"Screw three minutes," Kim said. "I'm taking you to the hospital." She then turned her eyes to me. "Cell phone service is crap where the guys are, if I give you directions, can you drive out there and get Sam and tell him to get to the hospital as quickly as he can?" I didn't know what to say so I just nodded. "Good, come on," she said before she took Emily's arm and the three of us walked out of the nursery.

I drove for ten minutes before I finally spotted everyone's cars parked along a dirt trail. Kim had told me I'd have to walk down a path before I would get to where the guys fished, and I was cursing myself for wearing flip flops when I climbed out of Jason's truck and started running down the path. I'd lost my right shoe half-way down the path but I kept running, and it only took me a minute to reach them. Thankfully, they were fishing from a dock that went out into the water and I didn't have to shot across the water for them. Sam, Jared, and Paul were already looking my way when I broke through the trees and I probably looked a fright as I panted and waved my right arm frantically.

"Sam!" I managed to shout, drawing everyone's attention to me. "Sam!" I shouted again and Sam handed his pole off to Jared before he started running down the dock and then towards me once he reached the shore with Paul hot on his heels.

"Harper, what's wrong?" Sam asked and I took a deep breath as I pushed my hair from my face.

"It's Emily," I said and his entire body stiffened. "She's gone into labor. Kim's taking her to the hospital and sent me to get you." Sam didn't say a word before he took off down the path that I had just came running down and I was trying to get my breathing under control. I was terribly out of shape and a short run like that had me panting like a hyena in heat.

"Where's your shoe?" Paul asked and I looked up to see him frowning as he looked down at my feet.

"Lost it on the path somewhere," I said gesturing behind me and he moved his eyes to mine as he raised an eyebrow. "You try running frantically in flip flops and then you can judge me, mister," I said with a playful push on his arm and he chuckled just as Jared, Jason, Chief Swan, and several other men that I had yet to meet, came over and joined us. Chief Swan pushed along in a man in a wheelchair that smiled warmly at me when he saw me. For some reason my already flushed face darkened a bit, but I managed a small smile back at him.

"What's going on?" Jared asked and I turned my eyes to him. Thankfully, my breathing had slowed down a bit to the point where I was no longer panting, but my chest was burning a bit.

"Emily's gone into labor and Kim's taken her to the hospital," I said and Jared's eyes widened.

"Emily's having her baby?" the man in the wheelchair asked and I nodded as I looked at him. The men started smiling and Chief Swan grinned when I looked at him.

"Harper, where's your shoe?" Jason asked and I rolled my eyes while Paul chuckled.

"I lost it when I was running down the path," I said as I looked at him. "I'll get it when I head back to the truck."

"We should head up to the hospital," Jared said as he looked at Paul who nodded before he looked at me at the same time I turned my eyes to him. We stared at each other for half a beat before I spoke.

"Jason, can I go with them?" I asked as I looked way from Paul and at my brother. Jason looked at Jared who shrugged.

"I don't mind and she can help keep Kim busy," Jared said and Jason nodded before he looked back at me.

"All right, but call me to let me know how things are going and when you're going to be home," he said and I nodded before I tossed him his keys and followed Jared and Paul down the path. I wasn't really surprised to find Paul waiting for me just inside the trees and the second I was at his side, he took my hand into his.

"You okay to walk?" he asked and I smiled, but kept my eyes on the path ahead of us and Jared's back. I heard Jared's quiet chuckle, but I chose to ignore it.

"I'm fine," I said. "We'll find my flip flop along here somewhere."

"Here it is!" Jared called as he paused long enough to bed over and grab the shoe from the ground. He turned to face me with a grin on his face before he tossed it at me. Paul's reflexes were quicker as he brought me to a stop and caught it with his empty right hand with ease before he held it out to me. I smiled at him before I raised my right foot, brushed the dirt from it with my left hand and took the extended shoe from his hand before I slipped it back on.

"Thanks," I said and the three of us continued on in silence until we got to Jared's car. I was excited that Emily was finally going to have her baby, but I was worried for her at the same time.