Hey all, so sorry this Chapter took so long to write, you know college it's a pain in the butt work wise. I hope you like it though. It's longer than any other chapter I have written so I hope it was worth the wait. Let me know either way.

Chapter 8

NO!

The next three months followed with much of the same. Every Saturday Dex and I would take Cassandra and Aubrey to Bug's. After a few Saturdays I realized Cassandra actually had a brain, which was a good thing because I do not think I could spend so much time with someone unintelligent. Aubrey and I also spent every Sunday, Tuesday, and Friday together. I was beginning to become so comfortable with the schedule I did not realize exactly how much time I spent with Aubrey until Stacy brought it to my attention.

"Hey Christopher." She yelled; well spoke louder than necessary, to me from my kitchen one Thursday night.

"Yes?" I said tentatively, I was not sure what she was doing in my kitchen, I almost never went in there.

"Come here." She demanded and I heard her open a door, I assumed it was to the microwave.

"Coming." I sighed as I got up from the couch flipping off the television. It turns out I was right, she was using the microwave. As I walked in I saw her placing a mug on the turntable and shut the door. She hit three, five, and then start. "What…are…you…doing?" I asked slowly in case she had lost her mind.

"Oh Chris has a friend who works in a mortuary, he scored me some O+ for our anniversary. I figured it would taste better hot!" She said gingerly leaping onto my granite counter top.

"Oh, is that allowed?" I asked still a little confused. Why would she even bother tempting herself with a gourmet meal when every other day she will have to eat a standard meal?

"Yeah why not, I'm not hurting anyone." The microwave beeped and she retrieved her mug and was back on the counter in the blink of an eye. She brought the cup up to her nose and inhaled deeply. It was unnecessary since the smell filled the room and engulfed me. It was not so bad because the blood was not fresh, but it smelled good.

"Do you mind?" I said marching over to the window and opening it all the way. I was thankful for the breeze that ruffled the curtains.

"Oh sorry," she said after taking a sip. "Did you want any? There is more in your fridge."

"Why is it in my fridge?" I said in a huff. I get angry easily, but this was a serious thing. What if a human showed up unannounced and I did not know there was blood in my fridge; that would leave a lot of explaining to do.

"So it doesn't coagulate silly." She took another big gulp. "MMMMMMM."

"No why is it in MY fridge?" I asked again.
"Oh because he gave it to me just before I came here so I didn't have time to drop the rest off at my house." She said finishing off the rest before crossing to the sink. I crossed to the fridge at the same time as she turned on the water. There were four bags of O+ in the bottom drawer of my fridge. I whirled around.

"Next time your boyfriend gives you blood as a present MAKE TIME!" The anger was about to consume me when my phone vibrated in my pocket. One swift movement of my hand told me it was Aubrey.

"Hey!" I said masking the anger in my voice.

"Hey Chris are you busy?" Her sweet voice calmed me almost instantly. The venom was retreating back to where ever it is it comes from.

"Yeah a little," I said almost regretfully. "Can I call you in a little bit?"

"Sure no problem." She said and I could tell she was smiling her beautiful smile.

"Ok, talk to you then."

"Bye Chris." She said as I flipped the phone shut. I could not help but smile and as I looked up I saw Stacy smiling too.

"What?" I asked making my voice harsh again.

"You really like her!" She said almost giggling. As if I would let her change the subject.

"Stacy, the blood." I said simply.

"It's as good as gone," She said putting the now clean mug back in the cupboard. "On one condition..." She added almost as an afterthought.

"What?" I said again much less harsh.

"I want to meet her."

"Who?" I asked though I knew the answer.

"Aubrey." She laughed.

"Why?"

"Because dummy you like her and I'm the only family you have. Don't you think three months is enough time for you to want her to meet me?" She boosted herself back onto the counter and crossed her legs.

"Stacy it is not like she is my girl friend, she is a human. Because of that she can only ever be my friend." I explained.

"Sure sure, she just your friend. I still want to meet her."

"No."I was not going to give in easily.

"But Dex got to meet her." It was her turn to get angry; it did not usually bother her that Dex and I did things without her, it usually pleased her because Dex and I do a lot of guys things together and she would rather not participate. But this was a big deal to Stacy, even if Aubrey was just my friend she was the only woman I spent time with in a very long while. I could understand her feeling left out of something important in my life.

"Dex is dating her best friend and he introduced us, of course he has met her." I could not stop the grin from appearing on my face, this only made her more angry.

"Christopher Anthony Lagavis I WANT to meet her." She used my whole name and in a very stern voice, but I would not budge.

"No." I said again, and I would continue to say until she dropped the subject.

"Give me one good reason." If we were human I swear she might be crying now, but since vampires do not have tears I could not be sure.

"Because Stacy you get attached so easily. She is a human who happens to be my friend, but in about three to four years I will have to stop seeing her completely. She will notice I am not aging otherwise and get suspicious. I know you will not be able to let her go if you meet her, and that could put both of your lives at risk. Is that something that you want?" It was the first time I had spoken words like these, but not the first time I thought about how I would have to leave Aubrey behind in just three or four short years. The thought would have made my heart ache were it not made of stone.

"No," she said quietly. "But if you can let go so can I. Please Christopher, Chris, let me meet her. You have been so happy and I just want to meet the woman responsible for that. I will be able to let her go, I know I will. Please?" She was pleading with me now, her hands clasped together in front of her, her face distraught with what looked like desperation, and she was begging me.

"No." I said in a monotone. I really could not give in. Stacy was right about one thing, she was the only family I had; Dex though very close would never be my flesh and blood, so to speak; and for Stacy to meet Aubrey it would be like cementing a fate I did not want for Aubrey, or deserve for myself. I knew regardless of what Stacy said, no good could come out of them meeting.

Her body fell off the counter and made a thump on the floor. Really she could be so dramatic sometimes.

"What are you doing?" I asked reaching down to her.

"Nothing." She said shaking her head.

"Well then get up." I really forgot she was the older one sometimes.

"Christopher why are you being so stubborn?" She demanded as she got up.

"I just do not think it is a good idea, and until I do I cannot allow it."

"Sure sure, it's your decision to make, I respect you for it." She said gathering her blood back into the bag she brought it in.

"Thank you." I said as she kissed me on the cheek and then whipped into the front hall. I heard her make a quick call to Chris and then she was gone.

---------Two Months Later---------

Nothing too exciting happed over the next two months except the snow melted away completely and the days were beginning to get nicer, which made it harder for me to see Aubrey before the sun set. It was pretty amazing how well you could get to know someone after just five months. I really felt I knew everything I needed to know about Aubrey. Her favorite food, color, childhood memory, outfit, movie, book, song, and TV show. I knew where she grew up, how many times she had moved, that she was closer with her mother than her father, that she was a Democrat who believed everyone should exercise their constitutional right to vote, I learned about all of her political views and sometimes we had very heated discussions that ended in fits of laughter on both parts. She had become my best friend.

On April first, the day when fools fall for everything, I was watching ANTM with Stacy. It was an episode I had not seen before so I was not to objectionable.

"Christopher." Stacy said nonchalantly.

"Yes, Stacy."

"Now can I meet her?" She had been good not to bring the subject up again since that night we had argued over it.

"No." I said simply, as I knew I would say over and over until she dropped the subject again.

"But Dex told me you two finish each other's sentences." She smiled

"So…" I prodded for the point.

"So," she said shifting her body towards me. "So you just don't finish someone's sentences, you really like this girl and I'm so sure she likes you too, I just want to meet her."

"I said NO!" My voice final so she couldn't not argue.

"Ok ok, I won't ask again" She leaned back against the couch as my phone vibrated in my pocket. The ringers on my phone were all loud and obnoxious so I always had it on vibrate.

"Hello?" I answered on the first ring.

"Hey Sweets." Aubrey said through the phone

"Hey how was your test?"I asked about her Statistics Test.

"I definitely aced it!" She sounded like she was grinning

"That is great; we should go out to celebrate." I suggested

"Sure thing. Where to?"

"Hmm, how about somewhere new…" I tried to think of something "There is a bowling alley in the next town over."

"Ok, but I'm not very good at bowling." She sounded wary.

"Nonsense, you will do fine." I assured her.

"Right… I have some grocery shopping to do for the dinner with my parents tonight. How does eight sound?" She asked.

"Sounds great, see you at eight." I said in a sing song voice.

"Ha you're silly." She chuckled

"I try!" I laughed.

"Bye Chris." She said still chuckling.

"Bye Aubrey." I said happy to have put a smile on her face.

When I turned around Stacy was absolutely beaming from ear to ear.

"What?" I asked apprehensively.

"Nothing, Chris just texted me some very good news." She said still smiling.

"oh ok." I said unsure if I was supposed to delve into the subject.

"I gotta go bro." She said getting up.

"Ha you are so coy."I said sarcastically.

"I try." She said smiling again. "I'll see you later." She kissed me on the cheek and then flitted out my back door.

"That was weird." I mumbled to no one.

Two hours later Dex nearly broke through my sliding glass door.

"Where is the fire?" I asked opening the door just in time.

"I just got off the phone with Cass." He said coming to a halt.

"Good for you." I said missing the point.

"She was talking to Bree and…" He paused and looked at me. "Just call Bree." I had asked him numerous times not to use Aubrey's nickname when talking to me. She was a beautiful young woman, not a type of cheese.

"Is Aubrey ok?" I was uncomfortable with his tone, he seemed wary.

"She's fine, just call her."

"Alright." I said dialing her number. She answered on the third ring.

"Hey sweetie." She answered mid-giggle.

"Hey is everything alright?" I asked seriously.

"Everything is fine." She said as she broke into a fresh fit of giggles.

"What is so funny?" I asked unhappy to be out of the joke.

"Well I met the most amazing person at the supermarket. I liked them so much I brought them home with me. In fact I think I have to cancel our plans for tonight, I am having so much fun." As she spoke a wave of disappointment, anger, and jealousy washed over me.

"Who?" I sputtered.

"This really hot guy with bleach blonde hair. He teased me about my melons and I think I'm in love." She said very seriously. If I was not already dead I think my heart would have stopped.

"You have met someone then?" I asked just to be sure.

"Well yes, Chris you didn't think I'd wait around forever for you to make a move did you?" She said playfully.

"Yes, I mean no. I guess I did not know you were looking is all." I tried to tell myself that this was a good thing.

"Well I wasn't but sometimes you're just in the right place at the right time." She said plainly.

"Oh well congratulations Aubrey. I hope we can be friends." I would just let go now.

"Chris you are no fun." She said giggling again.

"What do you mean?" I said very confused.

"APRIL FOOLS!" She shouted through the receiver and I glared at Dex.

"You knew?" I whispered so quiet Aubrey would not hear.

"That's not why I told you to call her." He grinned. "There is actually something you need to know and she should tell you." He said pointing at the phone.

"Jeeze Chris, you are so gullible." Aubrey said bringing me back to her.

"Guess I am." I forced a chuckle. I did not think the joke was funny.

"But I really did meet someone at the store today, and they really did come home with me. You know you really are an amazing cook." She said to whoever was with her. "My parents will never believe I made any of this. Actually Chris," She said speaking to me again. "You know them."

"Oh I do?" I thought for a moment, there was no one I knew that would run into Aubrey at a grocery store, unless.

"It's your sister!" Aubrey said happily.

"No!" I said turning on Dex, he mouthed 'gotta go' and disappeared outside.

"Oh yes," Aubrey said launching into how they happened to be at the A&P at the same time. "I saw her and she reminded me of you, that's when she came over to me and asked…."

"No!" I repeated, this could not happen.

"Yes Chris just listen." Aubrey said unaware of the restraint I was exercising not to lose my temper and break my phone.

"NO!" I said again more loudly so she would understand I wanted to be heard. "Aubrey please put Stacy on the phone.

Sure sure is totally a Jacob thing to say but I thought it fit well, Stacy didn't believe what she was hearing at first and then didn't believe what she was saying the second and time. And I know this chapter is jumpy, but I wanted it all together. Next chapter we will be back at the beginning and not to long from now the Cullens will make an appearance!

Please R&R

Tash