I'm back!!! I've been in Norway since the fifth, and I had loads of time to write and brainstorm, so you all get this chapter in all of it's glory. Any of you readers from Norway, I might have seen you! Isn't that weird?

OMG! This chapter is sooo long! I'm so insanely proud!

On a sad note, I need more reviews... I have hundreds of people reading and only like one reviewer per chapter. I have the next chapter completed, but I won't release it until I get more reviews. (It's the turning point in my story by the way, and longer than this chapter.)

I hope everyone enjoys this chapter,

Love

Chapter Nine

Seth Clearwater

I was sitting in a comfortable chair facing a fireplace. My head had that funny feel that came with most dreams. "Daddy?" I opened my eyes at the tiny voice that accompanied the tug on my sleeve. A tiny girl was looking up at me, with dark eyes that were nearly identical to mine set in a pert little tan skinned face. "Daddy!" Her voice raised in urgency.

"Huh?"

"Daddy, can you help me find Mommy?"

What? "Huh?" I asked sleepily.

The little girl frowned at my response and let out a little huff of displeasure. Cute. "Daddy, I need to go to the bathroom!"

Daddy? Why was this little girl calling me daddy? "What?"

She stamped a foot on the ground, "Daddy, that's not funny!"

Her features were eerily familiar. Some of them were like mine, "Who are you?" I asked softly.

Her face crunched up in childlike frustration, "You know who I am! I'm Megan."

"Megan?"

She puffed up in impatience, "Yes, Daddy, I'm Megan! Your daughter!"

I gaped at her, "My daughter?"

She put a warm little hand on my forehead, as if checking my temperature, "Are you feeling alright, Daddy?"

I pulled her hand off my forehead and dropped it, "Yes, I'm fine." As I studied the little girl, I became curious. This was one dream that I'd heard about from the others of the pack. They said that they'd all had dreams of their futures with their mates after they imprinted. A weird sort of childishness bubbled up inside of me. How would Lilly look when we were older? "Where's your mother?" I asked the little girl.

The girl actually growled at me, "Daddy! Why would I ask you if I knew where Mommy was?"

I chuckled at her displeasure, "I'm sorry, Megan." I stood and took one of her hot little hands in mine, "Let's go find your mother."

She grinned up at me and I could only smile. She was an incredibly adorable child. Her dark brown hair was braided and pinned to her head ornately. She was wearing what appeared to be a flowing pink nightdress with yellow and blue flowers embroidered on the edges of the short sleeves.

"Are you supposed to be in bed little one?"

She giggled mischievously, "Maybe, but Mommy can't be mad if I'm with you."

"Huh? Using your dad to get out of bed time?" She shrieked joyfully as I picked her up, swinging her in a circle before resting her on my hip. I was determined to make the most of my dream. We were in some sort of a castle.

I stopped when I caught my reflection in a mirror. I hardly looked more than a few years older, but then again not much would change for a while. Just a few hints of wrinkles around the eyes before most of us would choose to stop phasing.

Megan opened her mouth to say something, but was interrupted by a yell, "Uncle Seth!" I grunted when a little boy came flying around the corner and running into my gut headfirst, "Help me, Daddy's trying to put me to bed!"

I looked down at the boy that appeared to be a little older than Megan. His hair was pale blond that hung past his ears and I gasped when I looked at his eyes. They were a deep luminescent emerald green, like Lilly's sister's. Megan frowned down at him, "Lye, don't yell."

A blush spread over the boy's pale face and another voice carried from down the hall, "Lysander, where'd you go you little mongrel?" The voice was teasing, but slightly threatening, undoubtedly his father.

The boy squeaked, "Daddy." and hid behind my legs.

I was shot out of my dream when the man the boy called dad walked around the corner. Jason. He still looked exactly the same.

The first thing I was aware of was that something was touching me, a whisper of warm silk against the tender skin of my face. I tensed at first, but then relaxed. The heat steadily pulsed, and when I moved, it jumped away for an instant, only to return seconds later to make another trip over my features. Someone was touching my face gently. It felt good, soothing my panic over the impossibly unchanged Jason. It was probably just my mother checking on me, I thought, until the soft fingers moved to brush tenderly over my lips. I shot up. My eyes flashing open to be met with the familiar face that my dreams now ran wild with, "Lilly?" She was so pretty.

"Hey." She bit her lip nervously, looking up at me guiltily with her sinfully beautiful eyes through her thick eyelashes, "I didn't mean to wake you."

"It's okay." I looked around, trying to get my bearings. I was in my room at home for a change. Lilly's hand was resting on my arm, pulsing like her fingers had with every heartbeat. "How did you get in here?" I had only meant it as a question, but it came out sounding rather accusatory.

Lilly gasped in slight distress, and my heart jumped at the noise and the knowledge that I had caused it, "You silly boy. You make it sound like I broke into your house."

I leaned forward and breathed into her ear, "How do I know you didn't?"

Her jaw dropped in indignation and then, finally realizing my teasing tone, plopped on the bed next to me, laughing her head off, "That…was…so…funny!" I raised an eyebrow at her and she stopped laughing, but continued smiling, "You're mom let me in."

I looked at her incredulously, "My mom let you in?" She nodded and I smiled, "She must like you than."

"Really?" She appeared unconvinced.

"Yeah, most of the time she won't even let Jacob in the house. She says Leah and I are enough to eat her out of house and home and he doesn't need to help."

Lilly laughed. The noise made my stomach flip. Did she realize what she did to me? How every move she made drove me crazy?

"Why aren't you in school?"

Lilly smiled, "I heard you were sick, and I decided to play hooky today. It's a Friday and at any rate, I'd rather be here with you."

"Really?" I asked.

My breath hitched as she leaned over and nuzzled my neck, "Silly boy." She pulled back and held out a hand, "Come on, silly boy. I made you breakfast."

"Breakfast?" I asked, shocked, as I slid my hand into hers. Her fingers were warm as she led me trough my own house, "My mom let you in, and let you cook?"

Lilly turned her face to me and grinned cockily, "I guess I'm special." She released my hand and I stopped walking, simply content with watching her move.

She was special. She was even more special than the little half vampire my best friend called his imprint. I found myself wondering again, did she have any idea what she was doing to me? As she turned the corner ahead of me, I caught a flash of her face. She was sad, her expression grim.

"Lilly?" I asked jumping to catch up with her, "Lilly."

"Yeah?" She looked fine, but the flash of unhappiness on her face worried me.

"Are you okay?"

Her eyes steeled, "I'm fine. Why?"

I shook my head, "I don't know, you looked sad."

The wall I had felt come between us melted in an instant as she smiled easily at me, "I just got some bad news this morning, that's all. I'm having a bit of a hard time."

"Is everything alright?"

"Yeah," Her eyes glinted suspiciously, "Everything will be fine." She grabbed my hand again, "Especially after you've been fed."

"Me? What about you? Aren't you eating?"

She smiled and it was actually sincere, "I'm sated. I'll be hungry later though. But, breakfast is all about you."

"Oh, okay. Lead the way then."

She giggled and slid her hand back in mine. As we neared the kitchen I couldn't help but to stare at her in awe. The food smelled delicious. I sat and examined the meal sitting in front of me. Several strips of bacon rested next to a large helping of eggs that were artfully positioned near a mound of pancakes. The pancakes were still steaming and appeared to be comprised of several different types. The entire thing would have fed a family of four easily. "This is a lot."

Lilly smiled at my statement, "I wasn't sure how much you would want. The pancakes are home made. I can't stand the stuff out of the box."

"Wow" was all I said before my hunger took over and I dug in to my feast.

She watched me eat with rapt attention, biting her lip occasionally. Although the silence was comfortable, I had to say something, "Where did you learn to cook like that? It's wonderful."

She smiled, clearly relieved to hear my praise, "My mom taught me. She always said that one day I'd find someone to cook for." She brushed a few strands of my hair out of my eyes, "And you know what? I think I did."

I pushed my empty plate back, "Really?"

She nodded and suddenly she was straddling my lap, a jean clad leg on either side of my waist. She leaned forward and brushed her lips against mine. She moved to nuzzle my chin for a moment before moving on, and I gasped when she bit my earlobe. "You're mine, Seth." She whispered.

She put her lips back on mine before I could protest at the utter absurdity of her statement. Truthfully, it scared me and thrilled me all at once. Shouldn't I be the one saying things like that? Shouldn't it be me that was too far into a very new relationship?

I moaned as she scraped her teeth on my neck, my thoughts scattering. All that mattered in the entire world was her. I tightened my arms around her waist, jerking her closer to my chest. She started to giggle but gasped, and sat up quickly, whipping her head around to face the door.

We had been so focused on each other that we hadn't seen Embry and Quil walk in the back door. They were gaping at us. Lilly bit her lip again and looked at me sheepishly. I couldn't help but laugh at her adorable expression. She looked like a kid caught with her hand in a cookie jar. "Oops." She looked back at me and brushed her nose against mine, "Guess I should have locked the doors." I flushed when I realized what would have happened if she had. A twinge of regret showed on her face, "But, however wonderful that would have been, it's better this way." She smiled at my pack mates, "I get to know you guys better!" She jumped off my lap and walked fluidly to the others, "Where's Jake?"

My pack mates and I were still frozen in shock. Lilly frowned at them, "Come on boys! It's not like you've never seen a couple getting it on before."

Embry stared at Lilly, "I have." He gulped, "Just not Seth."

Quil was staring at me and then met Embry's gaze, "Our little boy's grown up."

Lilly squeaked and jumped out of the way as two of my best friends engulfed each other in bear hugs and started mock crying on each other's shoulders. "I'm so proud of him!" Embry wailed.

Quil pulled out a tissue and blew his nose, "We need to go tell Daddy Jake and Uncle Sam."

Lilly cocked her head at me in confusion, "Uncle Sam? I was unaware that there was any such person by that name that was still alive."

I laughed at her and kissed her forehead, "He's our other older best friend."

"Ooh. Why is he called Uncle Sam then?"

I shrugged, "I don't know, ask Quil and Embry, they just came up with it."

She shook her head, "I'll figure it out."

Embry grabbed my arm and pulled me through the door, "Let's go!"

Lilly slid her hand into my free one and jogged behind us.

Embry was walking so fast, I was yet again thankful that my mother, Leah, and I still lived on the reservation, even though I had transferred to the Forks high school. It took less than five minutes for us to reach Sam and Emily's house.

"Sam!" Quil yelled.

Emily popped her head out of the door and squeaked when she saw me. "Seth!" Bounding off the porch, she descended on me, "Are you okay? Did Leah give you a hard time? Oh."

She just seemed to notice Lilly was standing behind me. I gestured with my arm and Lilly stepped forward, clutching my hand nervously.

Emily smiled brightly at my imprint, "Ah, I see what you boys are up to." Emily took Lilly's free hand in hers. "You must be Lilly. I'm Emily, Seth's cousin." She pulled Lilly into a tight hug before holding her out for inspection, "You are so pretty."

Lilly flushed, "Thank you, so are you."

A touch of pain graced Emily's eyes, "Thank you Lilly, but you don't have to say that."

Lilly looked at Emily's face without any of the pity that most looked at her scar with, but some sense of knowing showed in her eyes, "Scars don't make a person. On any other person your scar would be deforming, debilitating even."

Where was Lilly going with this? I wondered and hoped she knew, before she continued, "You are beautiful, Emily. You just don't let yourself see it. You're scar does not detract from your beauty, it adds to it. Whether you like it or not, it has made you who you are. I've truly never met a person as kind souled as you are. I don't believe that beauty is purely physical. You've had the strength to over come whatever incident caused your scar. That's true beauty." Lilly's eyes were searing now, her eyes projecting her voice into Emily's dark brown eyes. "I am merely a physical beauty, you have a prettier soul than I ever will." She smiled, the intensity dispersing and the spell of her words breaking.

Emily started sobbing, pulling Lilly into another hug that lasted a while, "That's probably the most honest thing anyone has said to me in a long time."

Lilly stroked her back tenderly as she cried, "Any time. I think I'm going to be around for a while." She looked up at me and grinned. Hope glimmered in her eyes as well as a fear of rejection. I could never reject her. Didn't she know that? No, she didn't. We never really talked to each other about our feelings. They simply hung in between us, mutually understood and accepted. It was wonderful, but at the same time, she needed me to tell her what I felt.

Emily finally let her go, and she slid back to my side. I took her into my arms, resting my chin on her head. She still smelled like apples. "Thank you, she needed that."

"No problem." She whispered into my shirt.

"I love you." The words blurted out sooner than I'd anticipated.

She gasped softly and looked up at me, her eyes glistened, "I love you too." And then she kissed me. It was probably the one kiss that I'll remember forever. For the first time, it was a truly shared kiss, not just one of us vying for control over the other. I tasted her and she tasted me. It was sweet and gentle. It was startlingly different from our frenzied kisses and exploration earlier. Finally, I knew something clicked in my head. That was lust, and this was love.

With her I could be both a protector and a lover. It was final; Lilly was mine.

Yeah!!!!!!!!! I adore Seth. Next chapter is Lilly's POV and you all really need to review to find out what happens!!

I need help finding a picture that will work for Chrys. Any suggestions?

Thanks!

-Jenn