When we landed and our feet were physically back on the ground is when my heart began to pump. Not just two beats every few seconds but serious beating like it was being fueled by nervousness and would pop right out of my rib cage. Adrenaline, most likely.

Baby Doll seemed completely normal and fine but that's cus she was oblivious to the situation at hand. She seemed a little bit too calm.

"Nervous?" I asked her as we went for baggage claim.

"No. Why would I be nervous?"

I shrugged, feeling alone in my worries. "I don't know, kid."

We took a cab to rent a car to La Push. I recognized all the sights from First Beach to Second Beach and all the woods in between. It wasn't till we entered the heart of La Push, the reservation, where I got all sentimental. Where I grew up and hopefully Baby Doll would to.

Who was I gonna visit first?

Jacob? And face him alone? Tell him I left because I was afraid and brought a child with me? His child? When you add Baby Doll into the equation, you've got yourself an episode of Jerry Springer.

The pack? I thought about it. Was I really in the mood to be face to face with snide comments and hateful glares?

My mom. She gave birth to me and was missing me the most. I missed her like hell and I might as well get it out of the way. She'd hate me for it but that meant she'd get to meet Baby Doll.

She'd be the hardest to tell since she was driven to believe her only daughter was dead and had been for six years. Saying she would be shocked was an understatement. She'd be mortified. Or faint. She could have a heart attack and die just like my dad did when I first phased.

I can't live in fear anymore. I had to face her. After six years without hearing her voice and seeing her, it'd be hard for us both.

I looked at her in the rear view mirror and she was taking in her new surroundings. The beach. The trees. The rivers. All the sights that was rare to see in California. "Hey, Baby Doll?"

She didn't look away from the window. "Yeah?"

"We're gonna be meeting a few people today."

"Like?"

"Family."

She nodded, completely distracted.

"They're gonna seem like strangers to you, ok? But you can trust them. They're close friends with Mommy, alright?"

That was an exaggeration.

She nodded again.

"I know this place seems new but I grew up here and I wanted you to meet some people."

She smiled. "But there's still Spongebob, right?"

I laughed a little and it help lift my spirits as I pulled up to my mother's old house. "Yes, there is Spongebob."

When the engine died, I examined the house in a desperate search for recognition. It was the same as it was when I left. This used to be my house. I grew up here in that house.

My heart beat slowed a little as we unbuckled our seat belts and began the short walk to the door.

"Where are we?" she asked sweetly.

I smirked. "Home."

My hand shook when I knocked on the door. Everything went silent around me and I waited, literally counting the seconds.

They were long and slow seconds, giving away the suspence of no one being home. I found my breath caught in my throat for a minute as the knob wobbled and the door swung open, releasing a gush of cool air to hit my face.

Seth.

He had grown a good two feet and he towered me by a few inches. He had finally hit puberty because he had a light stuble around his mouth and chin, making him look older.

I expected him to scream and just go off but he didn't. He just stood there, staring at my face. I stared back ready for his reaction. Baby Doll, slightly frightened, hid behind my leg.

His blank face changed to curiosity. Suddenly, he lifted his index finger and began to touch all over my face. He poked my nose, my eyes and cheeks. He ran his fingers through my hair, completely invading my personal space. Was he checking to make sure I was real? That I was really here? Had he even noticed that I had a child with me?

He went back to staring at my face and I opened my mouth to speak. "Seth?"

He turned on his heels and left the door wide open. "Ma! Leah's at the door." He called, leaving us both perplexed.

I scrunched my brows in confusion and Baby Doll mumbled under her breath.

He stopped in his tracks. Slowly and dramatically, he swerved his head and there was a hopeful yet uncivilized glint in his brown eyes.

"Le-Leah?" he stuttered.

I nodded.

That little bit of an awkward silence between us shifted into excitement as he literally flung himself to hug me.

"Oh my God! Leah!" he cheered and squeezed my waist. I hugged back, equaling off the amount of strength he had in his grip.

His face was buried in my neck, whispering something in Quiluete. I ran my fingers through his hair to feel how much he changed. I took in his new, masculine scent that probably drove the ladies of La Push insane. A few tears had escaped and I was crying right into his bare back.

His grip only tightened as Baby Doll let go of my leg and backed away. "Mommy?"

Seth stopped his Quiluete chants and looked up to my tear struck face. "Did she just call you mommy?"

I nodded. "Yes. She did."

Seth let me go. "Why?"

Baby Doll eyed him as if he were crazy. "Cus she's my mother."

Seth then took his first look at my daughter. He crouched down to her level, forgetting I was there for a second. Baby Doll backed away some more.

"What's your name?" he asked.

Her face perked up. "Alejandra," she rolled the R. "But I go by Baby Doll," she said it proudly and I gave her a quick wink.

"Baby Doll," he repeated, playing around with the words. "Is it ok if I call you Baby Doll?"

She shook her head yes, a huge smile planted on her girly face. Seth smiled too. "How old are you, Baby Doll?"

"Six," she threw up five fingers and a thumb. Seth seemed absolutely engrossed with her.

"Six, wow that's a big number."

"Uh-huh. What's your name?"

He touched his chest to reference himself. "I'm Seth, Leah's brother. You can call me Uncle Seth though."

She came closer to him, feeling a tad more comfortable with who he was. "Uncle Seth," she repeated.

He had a wide grin of his own when she called him that. "Do you wanna come inside?"

She looked up to me and batted her lashes. "Can we?"

I nodded. "Sure."

"Yeah!" Baby Doll cheered and let Seth sweep her up in his arms, leading them both into the house. I shut the door behind me and when I was finally inside I took in my old surroundings. Nothing had changed. The couch in the living room was still that dark red my mom liked. The kitchen walls were still yellow and that insane cuckoo clock still hung over the pantry.

I took a few more steps and the floor still creaked and squeaked when you walked slow enough.

Home sweet home.

The two of them had plopped down on that red sofa and had gotten lost in their conversation.

Yes, this was what I wanted. For them to meet and bond and be a family. He was making her laugh and smile and act like she was three instead of six. He brought out his own immaturity and laughed along with her. The scene was fun to watch.

"Hey, Seth?" I interrupted them for a second.

He didn't look away from his niece. "Yeah?"

"Is Sue home?" I asked, growing really anxious to see her. He made direct eye contact with me and shook his head.

"She's over at Chief Swan's. You wanna go see her?"

When he asked that, I chickened out. Maybe we can wait to see her. I was actually kinda nervous. Nervous to see her look at me ashamed and shake her head in disappointment. I'd rather get that from the pack than my mother.

"No," I hesitated but he was more focused on Baby Doll. "We can wait."

"Ok," he blew me off dismissively and I could only smile. He was growing to love her like an uncle and niece should. Things were finally going along the way I wanted.

He got off the couch for a second, leaving the TV on for her to watch. He approached me and hushed his voice to a whisper.

"Who's Baby Doll's father? Don't lie to me, Leah."

At the mention of him, I instantly turned red like a tomato and got hot around my ear and neck. I muffled my voice. "Jacob."

His eyes widened with amusement and he threw his hands up in disbelief. "Are you serious?"

"Yeah."

He seemed at lost for words as he eyed me angrily. "Then why'd you leave? And for so long? We all thought you were dead. Why didn't you just tell someone and all of this could've been avoided! You've got a grave and everything!" He was pissed.

"I do?"

He shook his head yes and rolled his eyes. "Does Jacob know?"

"He doesn't even know I'm back in town. You're the only one who knows."

Seth ran a hand through his hair. "When are you gonna tell the pack?"

I shrugged. "I don't know. Today, maybe? Will you come with me?"

"Of course. It should be interesting to see how your family reacts to see that you're not dead."

"Ha, ha," I chimed sarcastically.

Seth was way too easy on me. He seemed to focused on Baby Doll to really let me have it.

He was an easy ice breaker. Even though I was older, it was gonna help for him to be there and support me as I broke the news to them. Baby Doll didn't see the dilemma when we told her she was going to be meeting some more strangers. She seemed overly ecstatic and ready to let La Push know she was here.

But when we arrived at Emily's, the skip in her step was gone. The cabin like home must've frightened her cus she hesitated to walk up the first few steps. I was too so I hid behind Seth.

"Oh, would you stop it!" he fussed at me and I didn't even move. He rolled his eyes and took the first step up.

"Now, you gotta break it to em gently. Nothing too sudden, ok? Be very-" I was trying to explain to him but he cut me off.

He burst the screen door open, leaned casually in the door way and announced: "Leah's back!"

Paul, Jared, Quil, Embry, Colin, Brady, Sam and Emily didn't respond at first. They hadn't even really acknowledged Seth until a few seconds after they realized what he said. Paul put down the deck of cards he was dealing and the rest of the young boys met his gaze. They all did the same dramatic head swerve that Seth had done before.

My knees shaking and Baby Doll clinging to me, I waved nervously. Their beady eyes followed my every move as I stepped in through the threshold. The only sound that could be heard was my heartbeat. Not even a little cricket sound was audible. Seth exhaled and I didn't know if there was tension or just awkwardness. I didn't even see anyone blink.

Baby Doll's voice was tiny. She tugged on my shirt. "Why are they all staring at you?"

Her question drew attention to herself and they all began to stare at her. She stared back.

Seth seemed to be the only one who could function cus he went to the kitchen and poured himself a glass of juice. He drank it all down and poured himself another.

Why was he the only one who could move? I felt frozen in my spot as my pack brothers examined me as if I were some sort of grotesque monster who escaped from a science lab.

Sam seemed more fixed on Baby Doll than me. He eyed her oddly as if he were trying to figure out how she existed. She gave her best shy smile and grabbed my hand. I held it tightly.

Paul finally broke the silence. "So...you guys see her too, right?" He was talking to the rest of the pack and they all nodded. Emily was on the verge of tears.

He continued. "And the little one, too?" They all chimed in with "yups" and "uh-huh's."

"Ok, so I'm not crazy?" He went on. They all hesitated for a minute to answer honestly. Paul ignored them and faced me, wanting answers.

"You mind explaining to us how you're alive?" he questioned.

Before I could, Seth smacked him upside the head. "Not in front of the kid, dumbass," he mumbled low enough so Baby Doll couldn't hear. Paul gave him a glare and Seth just rolled his eyes. "I'll tell you later," he explained.

To ease the mood, Brady-who was nineteen now- bent to Baby Doll's level and maneuvered his voice to sound smaller.

"What's your name?" He asked.

Before she answered, she looked up at me for reassurance. I nodded and she looked back at him.

"Alejandra. But my mommy calls me Baby Doll. What's your name?"

"I'm Brady. Is Leah your mommy?"

She nodded proudly and everyone in the room exchanged confused and surprised looks. Emily gasped and Sam scratched his head in wonder.

"You can call me Uncle Brady now, ok?" He told her. "I'm family."

Baby Doll liked that word and came in for a friendly hug. "I love you, Uncle Brady."

Everybody seemed to let out a relieved breath. Paul, who looked offended, leaned down to her level as well.

"Well I'm family, too! I'm Uncle Paul!"

"No, you're an idiot. I'm Uncle Embry."

Soon, Baby Doll was the center of attention between the five of them while Sam and Emily pulled me to the side. Sam would have a few choice words to say to me since he was still Alpha and in charge and returning put me back under his power.

Oh, yeah that's right.

I was in Jacob's pack now. If Sam wanted to tell me what to do, he couldn't. He wasn't my Alpha.

"Where the hell have you been, Leah?" He growled and took me in for an unexpected hug. I returned it and patted on his back. Emily stood off to the side and smiled, wiping away a stray tear that left her eye.

"We've been missing you like crazy! Why'd you leave? You know we thought you were dead." He pestered.

I nodded. "Yeah, I know. I'm sorry. I just-" I lowered my voice so the others couldn't hear me. "-When I got pregnant, I left cus I was really scared. I didn't know what to do. I thought about coming back but time slipped away and by the time Baby Doll was born, coming home didn't occur to me."

Sam shook his head and hugged me again. He let me go and asked the question that was on everyone's minds. "Who's her father?"

Blushing again, I mumbled. "Jacob."

Emily's eyes widened in shock as did Sam's. "Jacob?" Emily repeated and looked to Baby Doll's face to find the resemblance. Wasn't it obvious who's nose she had?

"Jacob," Sam grimaced at the name. "I thought you weren't fertile."

I snickered sarcastically. "Obviously not."

Emily's eyes were watering and on the edge of producing more tears. "She's really pretty."

The redness of my cheeks only got brighter. "Thanks. Got any rugrats running around yet?"

Emily arched her eyebrow up at Sam and turned away, scowling. She hopped the counter and joined in on the love fest Baby Doll was receiving.

"What's wrong with her?" I asked.

He grinned smugly. "She really wants kids. I just don't think I'm ready."

That made me chuckle. "How long you guys been married?"

. "Five years."

"You guys have been married for five years and you guys haven't tried once for children?"

He nodded sheepishly.

"Her biological clock is ticking..." I teased, almost thankful that they haven't reproduced.

"She's only twenty-six," he insisted and leaned on the counter. "We've got plenty of time."

I leaned with him and he poked my side. "Where have you been?"

"California."

He looked impressed. "Does Jacob know he has a daughter?"

I shook my head. "I got back in town today. I still have to face my mother. Do you know where Jacob is?"

"Probably at home. First Beach. I don't know."

"How do you not know?"

"He really doesn't interact with us much anymore. He moved out of his dad's house and barely stays in wolf form. It's rare to see him out but when he is out, he always looks so angry and mean. He likes to be alone."

It was heart breaking news. It didn't sound like the Jacob I had fallen in love with. I needed to see him before anybody else did. It was time for him and Baby Doll to meet.

I wasn't gonna keep the two of them apart anymore.

Seth and I escaped Baby Doll's new uncles and it didn't sit well with Baby Doll.

"Where'r we going now?" she whined. "I wanna stay."

I simply smiled graciously at the precious angel. "They're is just another person I want you to meet."

"Who?"

"You'll see."

Baby Doll liked surprises. I prayed this surprise would like her back.