A/N Guys, it's September 11th. Let's all take a minute to pray for all those who lost their lives 10 years ago and all those heroes who lost their lives trying to do their jobs. Let's pray for all the families who have been hurting for 10 years and wishing that their loved ones could come back. At least we know that the demonic mind behind this day has been put to sleep forever and lives in a perpetual hell.

"Now Baby Doll," I started.

"Yes?"

"You have to promise Daddy something."

"Yes?"

"Do not and I mean it, do not tell Mommy that we're getting her a ring, ok?"

"Why?"

"Cus it's a surprise."

"Why?"

"Cus I wanna surprise her."

"Why?"

"Cus I love her."

That shut her up.

Ive got the house.

The family.

Now all I needed was the ring.

Not a ring.

The ring.

She didnt deserve some hundred dollar, cheap, fake me out engagement ring. She deserved the best. Like a multiple carat, diamond, iced out and obnoxious ring that every girl dreamed of and flashed in their jealous girlfriend's faces. I wanted to just lavish and spoil her and Baby Doll like I've been wanting to and saving up for my whole life. So she ran from me, but well she came back. She loved me.

Only dilemma is that I had terrible taste in jewelry. I had the right idea on what would fit Leah's laid back yet exciting style but picking out the right ring with the right size was gonna be a challenge. I was no expert but I knew someone who was.

"What about this one? It's flashy," I pointed to the first ring I saw under the hot glass. Baby Doll stood on her the tips of her toes to see over the counter and peered her huge eyes at the jewelry.

"Oh, God," Rachel rolled her eyes. "Are you serious?" she shook her head in disgust at my stupidity and I only stood, there confused. She looked down at the ring and scrunched her lips in shame.

"That's just sad. Maybe you should actually look."

My savvy sister rounded the corner of the glass counter and continued to eye the rings. The young salesman was admiring her with googly eyes until he saw the ring that Paul had given her was snugly hugging her left ring finger. They were still engaged.

He turned away a little then swerved to awkwardly approached her.

"Ca-can I help you find something?" he stuttered a little and I only chuckled. Rachel always had the charisma and looks to attract boys and make them weak. She turned Paul into her bitch, that's for sure.

"My brother is looking for an engagement ring for his girlfriend. You have to talk slow for him though. He's an idiot," they both chuckled at that and I just rolled my eyes. Same old Rachel still belittling me even in my twenties.

The newer selection of rings the salesman put out for me to browse over were a lot more shinier and bold. Baby Doll had to rub her eyes cus the glint of the diamonds were frustrating to look at.

The rocks were tinier than I intended so I asked for something bigger. Rachel warned me of price but I told her that money was no issue.

Rachel tried on a few to model out and none of them really sparked an interest in me. I even asked Baby Doll's opinion but none of them seemed to do anything for her.

Well I couldnt just give up. This was the only store close to La Push and I wasnt really in the mood to go to twenty different stores, looking at rings that were starting to all look the same.

"Can I see that one?" Rachel pointed to a single ring that was straying on the side. It wasnt as flashy as all the other but it was...original.

The salesman took it out for her and she slid it onto her right ring finger. The overall cut was odd and unusual , not like the others we've seen today. It looked gorgeous sitting on Rachel's slender finger. The

"What kind is that?" I asked the salesman but Rachel jumped in before he could even answer.

"2.50 ctw vintage carat princess cut center stone. About five to six millimeters around thick. Size five. " she said nonchalantly, still admiring the ring.

All three of us looked at her in amazement and silence. She shrugged. "I did a lot of ring window shopping waiting for Paul to propose."

"I like it Daddy," Baby Doll tried it on but it was much too big for her of course. "Please give it to mommy."

I looked to Rachel for a second opinion and she nodded. "She's not gonna wait forever."

That was true. Who knows how long till Leah would turn into one of those women who dropped those subtle and cute hints about being wifed up? She deserved it and I was gonna give it to her. The box I chose was the classic black velvet with a gold trim. After paying for it, the ring looked stylish inside of the box and ready for proposal. I gave it to Baby Doll in her room to hide when we finally arrived home.

Leah was there starting our dinner and gave me a kiss while she boiled some pasta.

"Hey, where ya guys been today?" she asked nonchalantly.

"Oh, nowhere. Just chilling around La Push," I winked at Baby Doll who was getting herself a juice box from the fridge. She winked back slyly and went into the living room. "We were with Rachel today. She says hi."

"Aww, I miss her. I should go visit her," she was saying as she stirred around in the pot. She persist to tell me how her day went. She had no idea.

Good.

That'll gimme time to figure out when and where to pop the question.

The rest of the night was spent in jitters and jumps, little nerves threatening me with anticipation and anxiety.

Leah's POV- The next morning

"Pick one."

The decisive child examined her choices and turned her head to see them in different lights and angles. I simply stared at her and waited.

Her hazel eyes were wide in wonder as she took in the color samples that were taped side by side on her wall.

Since I was pregnant, Jacob suggested we get Baby Doll's room together before working on a nursery. Back in California, I had left her walls white and she has been begging to get them painted. I warned her if we painted her room that she couldnt tape poster on her wall. Jacob didnt find that quite fair so we compromised and agreed to use pins instead of tape.

"Keep in mind that whatever color you choose, we're gonna have to keep it that color. Im not gonna be painting and re-painting every other week."

She nodded and blinked at her options.

In the hardware store, she had picked up about five color samples of paint when I specifically said two at the most. She suggested painting each wall all five different colors but I tried to explain to her that it wouldnt match.

"I like that one," she finally chirped and pointed to the sample in the middle. It was a soft lilac color; very girly and it matched her gentle yet playful personality.

"You sure?" I asked her.

She shook her head 'yes' and ripped the other four off the wall.

Just as I was about to leave to tell Jacob, he happened to walk right in and catch me.

"Hey, pick a color yet?"

Baby Doll nodded and pointed to the sample on the wall. "I want that one."

Jacob took a glance at it and nodded in agreement. "I'll start painting tomorrow, ok?" He picked Baby Doll up and kissed her face.

"Can I help?"

"Sure, but you gotta pick out your bedspread first, alright?"

"Why?"

"You dont wanna pick out your bedspread with Mommy?"

Baby Doll shook her head and blinked repeatedly.

I plopped down on the guest room's queen sized mattress that would soon become Baby Doll's. Back in CA, all she had was a twin bed and she was excited about this upgrade.

"You wanna keep these old ones?" I asked her and she took a glance at the brown, plaid bedspread that Jacob had.

"On second thought, I think Im gonna go with Mommy. But can you come with us?"

"Baby Doll, Daddy's gotta get your paint." I said this bitterly, missing spending alone time with my daughter.

I bounced off the bed and took the sample off the wall, tucking it in my pocket. Jacob lagged behind a little took say something secretive to Baby Doll. They winked at each other and put his finger out his mouth to indicate a secret they shared. That almost frustrated me. Their father/daughter bond that I couldnt be a part of. I wanted them to be close but to not exclude me! I groaned a little. What other secrets could they possibly share?

Baby Doll hurried and slyly removed something from under her bed to her dresser and gave Jacob a thumbs up. He returned it and I was just left there, in the oblivion.

Baby Doll seemed more quiet than usual as we looked through the purple and pink bedspreads that were here in Target to choose from.

"Baby Doll?"

"Yes?" her voice was muffled.

"What did Jacob whisper to you earlier?"

She didnt even turn from the bedspreads to answer me. She was hesitant to speak. "Daddy told me not to say."

I groaned in the pit of my throat, growing slightly frustrated. Maybe if I seduced Jacob, he'd tell me.

"I want that one," she picked out a dark purple, cheetah print spread with lilac sheets to match her walls perfectly. She picked out some matching pillows and stuffed animals with little assistance from me.

Her attitude took an odd turn when we passed by the toys department. When I continued onto the baby section, she stopped and stared down the fuchsia isle with Barbies and Kens hanging on the shelves.

"What's wrong?" I called to her, somewhat distracted by some yellow baby booties.

She motioned for me to come towards her so I did, following her gaze down the almost empty isle.

"What? What is it? You want a Barbie?"

"No," she rolled her eyes and her lip kind of shook in disgust, almost pulling it back in a furious growl. Her nose scrunched in an ill-suited way, making her look mean, almost snobby. Her pupils had dialated as her vision zeroed in on a girl about her age playing around with a Barbie doll.

"You see that girl? The blonde one?"

I nodded. "Yeah, why?"

"That's the girl who makes fun of me cus of my nose. She told the whole class not to talk to me and that I was ugly. Only the girls listen and some of the boys. I hate her," she growled this and her stare didnt leave the young child.

The girl she was referring to had clear ivory skin and eyes that looked as if crystals were reflecting off the Caribbean sea yet her black lashes were caked with mascara and liner. Her straight, towheaded locks ran thick just below her chin, hugging her jaw and her bangs were pulled pack in a red bow with polka dots. She definitely was the compete opposite of Baby Doll. Her face screamed intimidation.

"What's her name?" My hands were on her shoulders, rubbing them. Her collarbone was unusually warm and she was vibrating. I squeezed and she exhaled.

"Priscilla," she let the word fly out with a Hispanic accent and I scrunched my nose as well.

"Priscilla?" I repeated her name a little bit too loudly and Baby Doll quieted me. The blonde girl turned her head in our direction at the sound of her name but Baby Doll pushed us out of the isle in a hurry, making me stumble over my feet. We hid for a few seconds in the boy's section before she began to whisper.

"I met her last year and we were kinda friends. It wasnt until after Christmas break did she start to hate me. I dont know why though."

"Then why dont you ask her?"

"Cus she's mean. And plus she'd tell her mom. Her mom is even meaner."

I scoffed and kind of giggled. The last person Baby Doll should fear is some bully and her mom.

"Ok, well why dont you just go over there and just say 'hi.' Try to figure out why she 'hates' you."

"She's not worth it. I might end up hitting her."

I rolled my eyes. "Ok, youve been watching way too many cartoons."

She uncomfortably swayed around and held her elbow. "Can we just get out of here?" Her voice was small.

"You dont wanna pick out more stuff for your room?"

"Like?"

"I'll let you get a poster."

She was indecisive about it. "Ok."

After picking out a huge Spongebob poster (that I was pretty sure was going to clash with her purple walls) we were finally on our way home. She seemed upset still so I let her be by herself. Not even her new life size Spongebob stuffed toy could cheer her up. She went straight to her room, her new bedroom stuff the last thing on her mind.

"What's wrong with her?" Jacob strolled down the stairs, looking up in Baby Doll's direction as she stomped to her room.

I leaned on the marble counter and scratched at the peeling material. "She saw this mean girl from her class today and she got all upset cus she makes fun of her cus of her nose. It was weird. She was really hot and she was...shaking a little bit."

His eyes widened in shock. "You dont think that maybe-"

I knew where he was getting at and for some reason that disturbed me. The thought of Baby Doll being put under the curse.

"Naw," I disagreed in denial. "Just a coincidence, maybe."

He still looked worried so I did a quick subject change. "Hey, you got the paint right?"

His white teeth glistened in his smile. "Yeah, I did. It looks really good and-"

The rest of his statement drowned out of my hearing as I dozed off into a state of wonder. Why were Jacob and Baby Doll leaving me out? How strong could their bond have grown to the point of where they exclude me? Did she even need me anymore?

Maybe it was the type of bong me and my dad had. We were thick as thieves.

I sighed. I missed my dad.

Jacob continued to speak but his words were muffled, going in one ear and out the other.

Jacob's POV

It was nearing sunset and my palms were unbelievably wet. Their moisture was lightly staining my grey slacks every time I rubbed them on my thighs.

Jeez, I was nervous. I was shaking more than usual.

Cheesy as it sounded, I made Leah dinner with the lights dimmed, candles, music and everything. When I say I made Leah dinner, what I really mean is I heated up the lasagna from last night and microwaved some garlic bread. I was her boyfriend, not a restaurant. Sue me. I fixed my tie a few times as I waited for Leah to come downstairs.

Baby Doll slipped me the box into my pocket. "Good luck, Daddy," she kissed my cheek and skipped back upstairs.

"You look really pretty, Mommy," Baby Doll had giggled and Leah's voice followed.

"Thank you, baby."

Her heels clicked as she approached me and I began to sweat worse than a gospel preacher. My teeth chattered and my nerve were alive when the clicking stopped.

"A-hem," she coughed and I spun to admire her.

Wearing her favorite, crimson summer dress and nude colored heels, she looked absolutely stunning, taking my breath away as usual. She had straightened her hair the same way she did on our first date and even wore the same diamond, stud earrings that I believed her father gave her.

"Wow, Lee," I gasped and eyed her up and down and her copper skin reddened.

"You like?"

I nodded, on the verge of drooling if I hadnt closed my mouth. After returning back to Earth, I had managed to pull out the chair for her and seat myself.

"So?" She teased and removed her heel to play some footsie.

I joined in and she continued to blush.

As she began to eat, I clutched the box in my pocket. Dont rush it...just ask her. The worst that could happen is that she says no.

"Hey, Leah?"

She wiped her mouth. "Yes?" she blinked at me cutely.

"Can I ask you something?"

A/N :D