This chapter was inspired by the song: The River & The highway By Pam Tillis

Chapter 18 – River & Highway

The weeks following were excruciating for Antonia. Her dad was trying to get Antonia to talk to Paul and just explained what really happened. Toni just brushed him off. Paul had chosen not to listen to her she couldn't force him to even if she wanted to. Brady refused to run patrol with anyone who believed Antonia could do anything to purposely hurt Paul or anyone else. Kim still wasn't talking to Jared. Emily was starting to believe the pack would never be one again. Brady and Paul had gotten into numerous fights while in wolf form and human.

Paul and Jared had been in physical pain for the last 6 weeks. Every time they were in town to work at the wood shop, they would somehow or another see Kim and Antonia together somewhere laughing, but as soon as they would see the guys they'd go silent and walk the other way. Emily had told Paul on more than a few occasions he needed to go and talk to Antonia, but he was being stubborn about it. Almost everyone knew Paul was doing what he thought was right. Everyone else just thought he was being an ass.

Antonia woke up sweating. She looked at the clock and it was 3 AM. She walked into the bathroom and leaned against the sink as she looked at herself in the mirror. She closed her eyes as she tried to get the dizziness under control. "Please stop. Please go away." She whispered softly, because she knew what it was. She knew why she was waking up sweating in the middle of the night when it was 56 degrees outside and the heat wasn't on because it wasn't even cold in the house. She splashed some cold water on her face as she dug through the medicine cabinet and pulled the thermometer out and took her own temperature. She looked at the thermometer when it beeped. Tears slowly rolled down her cheeks, "Not again. Please not again."

Three days later, Antonia was sitting in the Oncology department at the Fork's hospital. Her right knee was crossed over her left knee and her foot was bouncing up and down. Brady squeezed her hand, "It's going to be ok T." Toni frowned, "I wish I could believe that was true."

"Antonia Barlow."

Toni looked over at the nurse holding her chart, Brady kissed the top of her head, "They're playing your song. I'll be in the cafeteria, call my cell if you get out early." Toni nodded as she stood up with her MP3 player and followed the nurse into the small room. She sat down in the comfortable chair as the nurse hooked the IV up to her port. As she sat getting the first of many chemotherapy treatments yet again.

Once the initial blood test and check up was done. The doctor declared she had been right about her suspicions. The cancer was back. It wasn't as present as it had been the first two times, but it was still there and hopefully it had been caught in time, they upped her name to the top of the list for a Bone Marrow transplant. But it could possibly be weeks or months until the perfect matching donor was found.

A few weeks later, Paul was sitting at Sam and Emily's talking with Jared. There was a knock on the door as Emily walked over and opened the door, a familiar voice gruffed out, "I need to talk to Paul...Please Emily." Emily shook her head, "I don't know Brady...Every time you two get within 3 feet of each other you break out into a fight and I won't allow that in my house." Brady swallowed hard, "Do you really think I'd be here if it wasn't important? Please Em."

Paul could hear Brady's voice pleading with her. He was right he really wouldn't be there if it wasn't important, they couldn't stand each other. Paul stood up from the kitchen table as he walked over, "It's okay Emily...I'll go outside and see what he wants." Emily shook her head, "No if you two can control your tempers he can come in." Brady nodded, "I promise Emily. I would never do anything to disrespect your home or you and Sam."

Sam was standing in the kitchen when Emily walked back over and stood by his side as his arm went around her waist as always. Jared sat up straight as he and Paul glared at Brady. Brady walked in as he stood in defense mode and stared at Paul, sighing heavily, "You broke her heart, when you wouldn't listen to her that day. That guy you caught her making out with, he forced himself on her, and when she started to scream for help he smashed her head into the tree to knock her out, so what you saw was my sister unconscious being manhandled by some loser. She'd kill me if she knew I was here. She swore she was never going to tell you the truth unless you asked, but I'm tired of her being in pain because she misses you."

Brady shook his head, "Look, I could give a shit less about you...But I love my sister and if you love her as much as I and everyone else know you do; you'll stop being a dick and go to her. She needs you now more than ever." Everyone in the room frowned; this couldn't be good. Paul quirked an eyebrow, "Brady, What's wrong with Antonia?" Brady frowned as tears pricked his eyes, "The cancer is back. I don't know if it came back because of the physical pain she's been in since you've been missing in her life, or if it came back to teach her and you a lesson that life is fragile. But I'm telling you, if anyone can save her right now...It's you. She's your imprint. You're soul mate. The other half of your heart that makes you whole."

Paul stood up, "What do you want me to do Brady? She crushed me." Brady swallowed, "I'm telling you right now. If you can't swallow your pride away and believe what I've told you about what really happened that night. She's going to die...Alone and in love with someone who let her die alone." Brady stood up straight as he looked Paul in the eye, as he continued, "If she dies with a broken heart...I'm sorry but I'm going to have to kill you Paul...I swear on my life. I don't care what anyone does to me after that, but I will avenge my sister's death. Because right now it does matter who has been there with her through the chemotherapy treatments...She needs you. She needs you right now to help show her she has something to live for. Otherwise she's just going to give up."

Paul's eyebrows shot up as Jared jumped up from the chair and growled, "Did you really just threaten my brother pup?" Paul frowned, "Treatments? How long has she been getting the treatments?" Brady glared at Jared before he turned his eyes back to Paul, "About 4 weeks. She's there right now with Kim." Jared frowned, "My Kim?" Brady scoffed, "Who else's Kim would it be?" Paul looked at Jared, "Feel like going for a drive into Forks?" Jared nodded as he grabbed Paul's truck keys, "Hell yes, but I'm driving." Paul nodded, "That's probably a good idea." As Paul turned to Brady, "I understand where you're coming from Brady. I get it. If the roles were reversed I would've said the same thing to you, which is why I'm not taking offense to any of it and taking you serious. I'll fix it, I promise. I'll try my damndest to fix it." Brady shoved his hands in his pockets, "That's all I ever wanted."

Brady left Sam and Emily's as he watched Paul and Jared drive off towards Forks.