Finally an update! This is the last calm chapter before the storm.

The song for this one is "Unusual You" by Britney Spears. The words just describe Murphy's feelings for Tyler perfectly.- Link in my profile.

Chapter 12

One Foot in, One Foot Out

I woke up the next morning alone. Reaching out to my bedside table, I groped for the note I knew Tyler would leave. Finally I opened my eyes as I brought the paper up to my face and read.

Good Morning,

I called ahead to the doctor this morning and they said they could take me at 9:00 to run some tests. I'll be back sometime before noon.

Love,

Ty

I rolled over to my other side and examined the clock. It was 11:30. I arched my back in one final stretch, and then tossed the covers off of me, letting the new found warmth of spring touch my bare legs. The sun was coming through the cracks in the shade and I could tell that it was going to be the beautiful day that everybody had longed for.

Quickly I packed a bag for the beach. I decided to put my bathing suit on, even though the water would still be too cold to swim in. The boys were going surfing while the girls and I were going to enjoy the first warm day of the year.

As I finished packing, I heard the door open behind me as Tyler strolled into the room. I didn't want to admit it but I was more worried than he was. What if there really was something wrong with him?

"Hey," he said coming closer and wrapping his arms around me. I reached up to kiss him and he met me halfway. The kiss made me shiver just like it did every day. When we parted he looked me in the eyes.

"Sorry for being such a douche yesterday," he apologized. "I shouldn't have yelled at you like that."

"It's alright," I assured him, "I probably would have yelled at me too," I joked. The need to hold him, see him, touch him, was so potent that it hurt to think of what my life would be like without him by my side.

"So what did the doctor say?" I asked trying to keep the urgency from my voice; I didn't want to spook him.

"They ran a few tests, like M.R.I.'s and stuff after I told them what I was feeling. They said that they would get back to me later in the week when all the results were back." I nodded in reply, not wanting to talk about it anymore. We were going to have fun today and nothing could get in the way of that.

"You ready to go?" he asked while eying my bag.

"Yeah, do we need to stop by your place?" I asked, grabbing my keys to lock up my room.

"No, I picked up my board and stuff on the way here," Tyler replied as he took my scarred hand in his and left the room. As we approached the parking lot, I saw that Reid and Allison were already in the Hummer.

"Thanks for giving up the front seat for a lady," I scowled at Reid as I opened the door to the back seat and jumped in.

"Anytime Princess," he smirked in response. I glanced at Allison next to me and she rolled her eyes while trying to hide a grin.

"Seriously dude?" Tyler asked as he slid into the driver's seat.

"You're just lucky I didn't take your seat Baby Boy, now drive," Reid commanded as Tyler stuck the keys in the ignition and pulled out of the parking lot.

Soon Tyler had pulled onto the dirt path that led to the Son's secret beach spot. The same spot where Tyler had brought me on out first date, and the same spot where I had broken up with him.

I shook the negative memory from my mind, and focused on Pogue's Chevy pickup, which was parked next to us. By the looks of it they had just arrived as well and the boys were still unloading the truck bed. Kate and Sarah were on the beach finding a good place to set up camp for the day. The Son's usually surfed once a week, and today was the first day that was warm enough for any of the girls to enjoy watching. When Tyler would come into the dorms still wet from a February surfing day just looking at him would give me the chills.

Allison and I left the boys to unpack as we walked down the beach and laid our blankets out next to the one Kate had already set up. I kicked my shoes off and buried my toes in the cool sand. It was about sixty degrees and sunny; a perfectly clear day.

"I can't believe we agreed to sit here all day and watch them have fun," Kate complained with a laugh.

"It's not like we would be doing anything else," Allison reasoned, "besides, now we can talk about them while they're not here. How long has it been since we had a good girl talk session without one of them lurking around?"

"True," Sarah chimed in, staring adoringly at Caleb as he zipped up the back of his wet suit and picked his board up.

"I can't wait until we all get old and are doing the exact same thing we are now," Allison mused as she lounged back on her blanket, shaking her chestnut hair behind her.

"I've never heard anyone say they couldn't wait to grow old," I considered with a smile.

"You know what I mean," she said with a small laugh.

The four of us were the only girls that the boys had ever trusted with their secret outside of their families, and there was a reason for that. The love that was between each of the couples was undeniable and as real as could possibly be. All eight of us worked together as a unit to protect the Covenant now. It was fate that we all attend the same small town. The only conclusion I could come up with was that it was meant to be.

I could imagine us, just like Allison had said, sitting on the same beach and watching our children play in the water. The thought brought a smile to my lips as I gazed out into the ocean, watching Tyler catch a good size wave on his surf board.

"What are you smirking about?" Kate asked me, catching my smirk.

"I was just thinking that today is a good day."

It truly was a good day. We continued to chat about the future including our painfully adorable children that would make an appearance in the next few years. It was all embarrassing fluff talk that we would never let the guys catch us doing, but it was really nice. Plus it got me thinking about the real future. When would I be able to have children? I had never really thought about it before. It had always been a part of my plan, but I had never put a time table on that aspect of my life, like I had so diligently done with everything else. My career was the only thing that I could concentrate on until Tyler, except now it seemed second to him and all of the other relationships that I had built over the past year. There was no doubt that I was going to be a journalist, but I felt like time was different now that I had a family.

Not too long after our baby talk the boys were done surfing, and Tyler flopped down next to me, and soaked the beach blanket.

"Hey!" I giggled as he wrapped his arms around me in tight hug, getting me all wet.

"I'm starving!" Reid complained as he opened Allison's bag looking for some food. He pulled out a crushed pack of gum with a look of disgust on his face.

"We could go to the seafood place on the pier?" Kate suggested. We all agreed, and after the boys all changed, we piled back into our vehicles and drove downtown. After we arrived, we got a nice long table on the deck looking out on the marina.

After a while I excused myself to go to the bathroom and when I opened the door on the way back to the table, Pogue was standing there.

"Are you waiting for me outside the bathroom?" I asked jokingly "Because if you are that's really creepy."

He laughed nervously at my remark, and then looked at me seriously. "I've been waiting for a chance to get one of you girls alone for the past week, and let me tell you; it's next to impossible," he said as he dug in his coat pocket for something.

"What's up?" I inquired, adopting his serious tone.

"I'm just really nervous about this," he spoke, pulling out a small black velvet box from his pocket and opening it, revealing a large pear shaped diamond set on a white gold band with smaller diamonds on it was revealed. My jaw nearly hit the floor at the sight of the ring.

"I want to ask Kate to marry me, but I wanted to ask one of you first; just to see if it's a good idea to do it so soon. I mean… I don't expect to get married until after college, but I just want her to know, you know?" he rambled on. It was a coincidence that this was happening on the same day that we were talking about getting married. He stared at me with obvious hope in his eyes.

"I think she'll love it!" I said trying to keep my voice down, although we were too far away from the table for anyone else to hear. "I know she'll say yes," I reassured him. Relief seemed to flood over him, along with joy as his face visibly relaxed.

"You really think so?" he asked just to be sure.

"Absolutely," I confirmed, as I smiled from ear to ear. It was just what she wanted. "I'm so happy for you!" I stepped forward to give him a hug.

"Thanks." He sounded much calmer than he had moments before. "Don't tell anyone though, Caleb's the only who knows. And I only told him because he caught me looking at the ring the other day," he warned.

"Scouts honor," I assured him, motioning like my lips were zipped shut.

"Not even Baby Boy," he pressed.

"I swear." I put my hand over my heart to prove my sincerity.

"You should go back first, so it doesn't look like we were talking," he added, glancing over towards the table. I gave him one last smile as I headed back over to the table, trying to wipe the smile off my face. A few moments later Pogue arrived.

"Where were you, taking a thunder dump?" Reid remarked, pointing out the length of Pogue's absence.

"Why so interested in what I do in the bathroom, Reid?" Pogue shot back.

"I just wanted to make sure everything came out alright," Reid replied with faux innocence.

"How do you put up with him?" Pogue asked Allison. She just laughed and kissed Reid on the cheek.

The sun had set by the time we finished eating and we all decided to watch a movie in Sarah and Kate's room before going to bed for an early night. Going to school wasn't so bad anymore considering we weren't doing anything. In a few weeks we would be free until we were in college.

The rest of the week flew by in blissful peace as the next weekend approached. Tyler and I were strolling back from the dining hall hand in hand on Friday night. The moon was full, and it kindly lit the path through the trees on the way back to the dorms. He had been unusually quiet that night during dinner, but I didn't want to ask what was wrong in front of everyone else.

"Are you alright?" I asked, tugging him around to face me and we stopped walking.

"I got a call from my mom today… the doctor called her," he began, his gaze fixed on the ground. My stomach dropped uncomfortably. "They said that they found something in my head, but that it's probably nothing, and that they need to run a few more tests." His gaze finally rose to meet mine.

I didn't know what to think; didn't they always tell people that it's probably nothing? I finally spoke after a prolonged stunned silence.

"Do you feel okay?" was all I could muster. Freaking out wouldn't help the situation. It's probably nothing, I told myself as I tried to look brave.

"It's going to be alright," he assured me, wrapping his arms around me. I buried my face in his shoulder. Shouldn't I be the one doing the comforting?

"I know you're going to be fine," was all I could say, even though I wasn't sure I believed it myself.

I would like to thank my new Beta mrsremusjohnlupin for editing this super quick! The next chapter should be along soon! Please review it means so much! There is also a picture of Kate's ring in my profile.